Chapter Seven

He tried.

He tried so hard to obey the command given by his grandfather. He avoided all of Scott's attempts to talk to him, and forced himself to ignore the pain he saw on Erica's face when she sneered at him as he passed her in the halls. In Boyd's eyes as he walked beside her, his expression stoic to all that didn't know him.

Then there was Isaac.

Of all his pups, he'd hated cutting Isaac's bond the most. Isaac was his. His to nourish and protect. He was the baby of their pack and the one beta that Stiles was closest to. It hurt to walk past the teen and receive nothing but a cold shoulder, the pup's blue eyes cold and shielded against the world just like his Alpha's.

It shouldn't hurt.

They'd pushed him away. They'd left alone as he struggled to keep his head above water. They'd left him to deal with the trauma left in the wake of the Nogitsune's demise and Allison's death. He didn't owe them anything!

So why did it hurt?

A small, humorless smile crossed his lips as he realized the answer to his own question.

He loved them.

They were his pups! Derek was his mate! Even after they'd left him they'd come back to him slowly but surely, seeking forgiveness in small gestures like letting him pick his favorite movie on movie nights or getting Derek to buy curly fries (then denying it, but he knew). Even with the bonds gone he could feel the torn threads reaching for them. He could feel him youkai mourning them feeling just as lost without them as the human side of him felt.

'We are protecting them.' His youkai reminded him, speaking for the first time since Sesshomaru's arrival. His lips quirked, his humorless smile growing large and bitter.

'I know. But it still hurts.'

'Yes, but Alpha is right. It's not safe…'

'They're our pack! No matter the state of the bonds they are still our pups. Why is he taking them from me?'

'Like we hurt them to protect them, Sesshomaru-sama does the same to protect us.'

He sighed, jolting as a hand slammed down on his desk.

"Am I boring you, Stilinski?!"

He stared up at the human coldly, mask slipping back into place perfectly.

"Not at all, Coach."


Finstock shivered slightly as he stared into the cold eyes of the sheriff's son, the teen's arctic words hitting him like a book to the face.

He'd been teaching Stiles and Scott for almost four years now and he'd never seen Stilinski so still and desolate. The kid was always moving and talking, attached to Scott McCall like the white on rice. Over the years, he'd noticed the two drifting apart, hell he was sure the whole town noticed, especially when the teen ended up having a breakdown and checked into Eichen House.

Now, looking at the kid, he could tell that he was quickly headed for another breakdown. Bags hung under his eyes, his skin ashen and sickly, and he was losing weight that his already thin frame couldn't afford to drop.

He needed to talk to the sheriff.


"Everyone has it, but no one can lose it. What is it?"

Stiles whimpered, his heart racing in his chest and his youkai howling in terror. The voice sent chills down his spine, and he shook his head helplessly.

"I don't know."

The voice made disappointed sound. "We're trying to save you, Stiles! We're trying to save your life!"

It moved closer, so close he could feel the heat of its body at his back and it made his hackles rise. He heard shuffling and the soft sound of the bandages hitting the floor.

Bandages?

How had he known it wore bandages?

"Everyone has it," It growled. "But no one can lose it. What. Is. It?"

"I don't know." He screamed, covering his ears. " I don't know! I don't-"

His breathe caught and the answer hit him hard. He spun around, tears streaming down his cheeks.

"A shadow." He whispered and his heart plummeted when he saw his own face staring back at him.


Why were they doing this to him?

What had he done to deserve this?

Fists and feet rained down on his tiny form and he curled into a ball, praying that soon it would all be over. Ever since he'd arrived at the palace, he'd faced constant abuse from the servants and the villagers and it hurt so much!

He just wanted them to accept him, and yet the only person that seemed to care was his grandfather.

Around others, the man was cold, but when they were alone he was warm and caring, soothing his fears. Most wouldn't be able to tell the difference, not with the way his jiji shielded himself from the world but he knew.

The only time the man was hard on him was during heir training and punishments. He refused to allow Stiles to show weakness, especially due to his submissive subgender. Submissive demons had harder times ruling kingdoms, especially male submissives. No one wanted to listen to a "breeding bitch". His grandfather forced him to harden himself against the world, knowing that if he didn't he be taken for granted.

A foot hit his head once, twice, thrice, then it all stopped.

"Pathetic." His assailants sneered.

"No go clean yourself up. You will not be filthy in Sesshomaru-sama's presence."

He was jerked to his feet and slapped harshly.

It was then that he decided that despite his grandfather's steady presence, He hated it there.


Sesshomaru sighed softly as he stroked his grandson's hair, soothing the child as he slept. He'd been passing by the room to head to his own, when he'd heard the boy crying and screaming as he slept.

It had been this way since he'd forced him to cut the bond with the ookami a week previous and it wasn't getting any better. It made him regret his decision…but he didn't know how to fix it.

For so long, his entire life had revolved around protecting his grandpup, no matter the consequence. When he's discovered how the child was being treated behind his back by his servants and the villagers, he'd been furious and after sending him to live with his father, no one had been spared his wrath.

It had been so bad that even now, no one dare to even say Stiles' name in his presence for fear of punishment. Another whimper left the boy and he shushed him gently.

"Sleep child. This Sesshomaru will protect you."

Hazy amber eyes fluttered open briefly, full of confusion and he bit back a smile.

"Papa?" His heart jerked.

Mieczyslaw hadn't called him that since he was six years old. He'd been hurt when the boy started to refer to him as Sesshomaru-sama, but there hadn't been much he could do. It warmed him to hear the term from him again.

"Sleep, koinu.Everything is fine."

The pup hummed and curled closer to him. "Missed you, papa."

He swallowed, eyes burning with tears he'd never let fall.

"I missed you too, koinu. Now Sleep."

He had to fix this.

He had to.


"So, the little human finally wised up and left?"

A sinister smile curled across crimson lips, blue eyes gleaming.

"I wonder how Derek and his mutts are handling it. Bring me one of them, it doesn't matter which one."

A slender hand ran down the back of a large lizard like creature.

"Actually, let's go pay them all a visit, shall we?"

It gave a low snarl and its owner giggled.

"I like you so much better this way, father. Let's go play with the wolves."

Blunt human teeth became long wicked fangs as the beast gave a low growl of agreement.

Wicked laughter filled the air and the duo vanished, leaving the haunting echo of it in their wake.

TBC…