Cursed
"Oh my God," Stiles said, dropping down to his knees in front of the white wolf.
What?" Scott asked – voice incessant as he stepped closer.
"I know who the wolf is," Stiles told him, sliding his hands through the white fur on either side of the wolf's muzzle.
"Stiles," Scott said, ignoring the increasingly loud growling to reach out for Stiles. The wolf pulled away from Stiles to stare directly at Scott.
Stiles waved Scott off. "Don't touch me, it annoys the wolf."
"I don't want you to be mauled by it."
Stiles turned his head so that Scott could see him roll his eyes. "I just told you, I know who the wolf is and he's not growling at me, he's only growling at you."
"Stiles," Scott said, after a deep breath, in a calm voice. "I don't understand why you're not more worried about this."
Scott growled quietly in frustration when Stiles didn't immediately get more worried.
The white wolf bared its teeth and Stiles could no longer hear the noise it was making but he could feel Scott backing away. Stiles reached out slowly, catching the wolf's eyes and resting his hands on the animal's jowls.
"Derek?"
The wolf turned to him, his eyes flashing blue, and Stiles watched the fur under his hands turn black. As quickly as the change happened it faded. Stiles said, "Derek," again and the fur again changed black. The change seemed to be linked to the name. It hadn't happened before but he hadn't known who the wolf was before.
"It is you," Stiles said, smiling brightly.
"How can you be sure?" Scott called.
Stiles turned around, pressed his side into the wolf and looked at his best friend. "Who else could it be? Think about it – Derek knew about my drunk plan to make a mountain ash, spark infused baseball bat that I could only make with Tasmanian mountain ash. He knows how important my father is to me, and who else do we know that has actually been poisoned by Indian Aconite?"
"That doesn't mean it's Derek."
"The fur?" Stiles asked, saying Derek's name again; the fur turned black. "And lastly, what other werewolf do we know that can transform into an actual wolf?"
Scott frowned. "What the hell happened to him?"
Stiles turned around and ran his hand down the wolf's spine – leaving behind a trail of black that transformed back to white quickly. Stiles frowned, and did it again and the fur turned.
"Why is it doing that?" Scott asked.
"I don't know," Stiles said, distracted as he continued to pat the wolf. "Curse I'd say."
The wolf turned around, and dropped down until he was lying down next to Stiles, its nose sitting on his leg so that he could still watch Scott. Derek was obviously relaxing under Stiles' hand.
"Can you fix him?" Scott asked.
Stiles shook his head. "That's what annoyed him before. If I try to push with my spark it hurts him. Whoever cursed him did not want it to be easy to fix him."
Scott's eyebrows quirked up. "Derek does have a skill in pissing people off."
"It's not funny, Scott, he didn't travel here from South America as-"
"You knew where he was?" Scott asked, interrupting.
Stiles nodded. "He went down to be with Cora. And he's been travelling around a bit but mainly South America."
"I didn't know that."
"Okay," Stiles said, moving on quickly. "He didn't travel all of that way as a white wolf. Which means someone cursed him closer to here than to there and if that's the case then there might be something happening in Beacon Hills we don't know about."
Scott folded his arms across his chest and stared down at the wolf next to Stiles.
"Obviously he's been trying to get our attention."
"By giving you presents?"
Stiles shrugged. "I think there must be a reason but Derek can answer all of that for us – first we need to work out how to turn him back and I think we need to take him to Deaton for that."
Scott nodded.
"I'm going to try and encourage him out and to my car but I don't think having you there is going to help."
"I'm not leaving you alone with him."
"Yes, you are."
"No, I'm not."
Derek tensed under Stiles' hand. Stiles looked up at Scott and silently tried to tell his best friend that he appreciated the protection but he didn't need it.
"You say that it's Derek," Scott said. "But, you don't know that."
"His fur changed while I used his name."
"That could be a trick."
"Yes, it could," Stiles agreed. "But, I believe that this is Derek and he's not going to hurt me. So, I need you to run to Deaton's instead."
Scott opened his mouth to argue and Stiles tried to think of the right things to say to make Scott leave him alone with Derek.
"I can protect myself," Stiles to him. "You know that."
"Yes, but we have no idea who cursed Derek. They might come after you if you're trying to save him."
"I think Derek and I will be able to fend them off."
Scott looked down at Derek. "He didn't do a good job last time."
"But between his werewolf abilities and my spark we can handle anything."
"I don't want to say I don't have faith in you but I'm worried that whoever it is, is too powerful for the two of you."
Stiles grinned widely at Scott. "I think I'm going to be okay. I have mountain ash and liquid wolfsbane in my pocket so we'll be okay. I promise."
Scott looked unconvinced but then he nodded and backed out of the cave. "I'm going to be following the jeep."
"I wouldn't expect any less," Stiles said.
He gave Scott a few minutes to move away – he wouldn't get far but the more relaxed that Derek was the easier that Stiles thought it would be to get the wolf away from the Nemeton. He turned to look down at Derek and smiled.
"Derek," the fur turned black where he was petting and the wolf looked up at him. The strangely bright green eyes made Stiles stomach twist – he wanted to be looking at Derek's real green eyes or his electric blue wolf's ones. He pushed the thoughts to the side – he wouldn't get to see them until he got Derek to Deaton and they sorted this out. "Derek, were going to leave here," the wolf growled. "It's going to be okay – I'm coming with you but we have to go and see Deaton. If we are going to turn you back into yourself we need his help."
Stiles took the lack of reaction as a positive sign and stood up slowly, stretching out, and then starting toward the entrance. The wolf bared its teeth at Stiles but it slowly, carefully started inching towards Stiles, and the cold air that was chilling his back. Stiles waited patiently for Derek to make it all the way to him before he moved any farther out into the open air. Stiles slowly led Derek away from the Nemeton. As the wind picked up, coming in with a bitter chill, Derek disappeared in front of him. He was staring at the wolf one minute – his fur almost blending in with the snow on the ground and the next the wolf was gone. Stiles reached out and dropped down to his knees and his hand collided with the side of Derek's fur. He froze, running his hand down the line of Derek's body. A body he couldn't see.
"What the fuck?" Stiles asked.
Derek's nose nuzzled at Stiles' shoulder and suddenly things started to make sense to the human.
"Scott," Stiles called out, looking down at the space where he could feel wolf's fur but couldn't see him anymore.
"What?" Scott yelled, rushing back. "Where is Derek?"
"He's still standing in front of me," Stiles explained, running his hand down the wolf's spine. "I think I know why he's been trying to get our attention and how he got past both you and Liam."
"He can't be there," Scott argued.
Stiles rolled his eyes. "Trust me, I'm touching him still. You need to go and get Deaton and bring him here. Explain everything – hopefully he knows something about what is going on. Tell the rest of the pack but tell them not to come." Scott nodded. "No, I'm worried you heard tell them not to come and what I mean is – order them not to come."
"Okay."
"Good," Stiles said, turning back towards the Nemeton. As soon as they got close enough to feel the power of the tree stump, Derek reappeared and Scott swore behind him. "I told you," Stiles called over his shoulder and followed Derek back underground.
TBC
Hope that answered some questions. Only another couple of chapters left but they are all planned out. I hope you've enjoyed them.
