Chapter Ten

Returning the nod with a regal one of his own, the daiyoukai looked down at his grandson.

"And you are going to explain everything to your father."

Stiles paled.

Fuck.

The Sheriff was sitting on the front porch when they arrived home, his grey-green eyes harsh as they stared at the group in front of him.

"Someone want to explain to me what the hell is going on? And why my son is wrapped around Derek Hale like a baby koala?"

Inuyasha snickered, while Derek and Stiles blushed, the latter slowly releasing his mate like he was afraid the man would vanish.

"Dad, I think it's finally time I told you what's going on in Beacon hills."

John calmed slightly. "Everything?"

The teen hesitated and Inuyasha's eyes narrowed when he nodded.

Somehow, he just knew Stiles was lying…but what else was there to know?

What other secrets was his nephew hiding?

Appeased, the sheriff turned and entered the house, gesturing for them all to follow.

Moments later they were all situated in the Stilinski living room and both Inuyasha and Sesshomaru were stunned to realize that even in this setting the pack had made sure the line was drawn. Derek and his pups were all curled onto or around the large sofa, each of them touching Stiles and Derek in some way or another. He and Sesshomaru sat directly in front of them on the smaller sofa, with the Sheriff sitting in a recliner beside their sofa, watching the pack with frustration and hurt.

He couldn't understand why Stiles was behaving differently and it showed in his eyes.

It suddenly struck Inuyasha that since Claudia's death, John and Stiles had only had each other. He had been with Kouga's pack and he didn't leave the eastern lands much, busy taking care of his pups and his pack as Alpha Mate. Sesshomaru had never gotten over John and Claudia's marriage, nor the girl's consequent death, choosing to bury himself in his work until he could go to his chambers and pass out in exhaustion. He didn't leave his palace unless necessary, so Stiles had been left piecing his grieving father back together and their bond was stronger for it. For Stiles to be lying and keeping secrets from him, it had to hurt.

For both of them.

The room was silent for a moment, all the occupants observing each other, then Stiles sighed and sat up straighter.

"I suppose I owe everyone an explanation."

John straightened in his seat as his son spoke, his heart soaring at the thought that he was finally gonna find out what was hurting his child.

It hurt so much to watch the boy come in day after day, beaten and bruised, lying to his face every time he asked about it.

When he'd called Sesshomaru he thought things would get better…but it hadn't. Stiles had slipped into a depression worse than the one he'd fallen into after Scott's ex-girlfriend's death. He wouldn't eat, wouldn't do anything but fall into a restless sleep that led to him often waking up screaming and pleading for whoever it was in his dreams to just let him die. It broke his heart.

"What's going on, Kiddo?" He asked softly and his son smiled brokenly.

"It starts the night Laura Hale was murdered."

He swallowed. "You and Scott went into the preserve." He remembered being terrified when he found Stiles in the preserve, hoping beyond hope that whatever had killed the girl hadn't caught either of his boys. Because Scott was like his son too, and he wouldn't be able to cope if he lost either of them.

Stiles nodded. "The killer was still in the woods, and when you caught me…he caught Scotty. He bit him and then I found out youkai weren't the only supernatural in the world. The killer was a werewolf, an Alpha wolf whose mind was clouded with pain and rage. He killed Laura for her power and bit Scott for Pack. "

John's face fell. Why was Stiles still lying to him?

What had he done that his son didn't trust him anymore.

"Werewolves." He deadpanned and hurt flashed across those pale features.

"Yes werewolves. Me and Scott went back to the preserve the next day because he'd dropped his inhaler, and we met Derek."

A soft smile crossed Hale's lips and he nuzzled Stiles gently, taking over the explanation.

"I told them they were trespassing and to leave. I could smell that Scott was newly turned but I wasn't in any shape to be helping what was essentially a newborn when I'd just found my older sister in pieces and buried her."

Scott spoke up leaning heavily on Stiles leg.

"My senses were all changing. Being a Bitten wolf, it's very hard for us to control ourselves close to the full moon, Stiles helped me learn control, while simultaneously trying to find the Alpha that bit me and helping me frame Derek so he'd leave us alone."

Hale rolled his eyes. "The Alpha kept trying to get Scott to join him, and I was trying to help him resist. However, he was so enamored with Allison that he resisted my help because I hated her family."

"Why?" Inuyasha asked curiously and John jumped startled as Hale's eyes flashed a vivid crimson red.

"Her aunt trapped my family inside our home and burned them all to death! Just because some of us were werewolves! Because I was a naive, pathetic little bas-" Smack!

Everyone stared at Stiles wide-eyed as the hand he'd just used to slap Hale came up and caressed the man's cheek, his amber eyes glaring at the larger man.

"Stiles, I-"

"Sourwolf, what have I told you about believing Kate and Peter's bullshit."

Hale looked down chastised and John felt a moment's awe at watching his son scold the man like an errant toddler.

"But it's true."

The teen's eyes grew colder and flashed for a moment.

"Derek, the next time you say that I'm going to break your jaw. You were grieving the loss of your first love, and full of guilt and self-loathing. It's not your fault Kate knew how to manipulate that. You weren't her first and you were far from her last."

Hale looked up at him. "I'll believe you if you believe me."

Stiles flinched back and looked away, and John yearned to find out what was affecting his son that way.

"That's different and you know it."

"They've forgotten we exist again." Scott muttered but something sad darkened his gaze at Stiles' words.

Isaac snorted and nudged Hale who looked down at him.

"We were in the middle of explaining the death trap that is beacon Hills."

The man looked up at them then flushed, as did Stiles, although he looked like his mind was far away.

"We found out that all of the victims of the Alpha barring Scott had connections to the fire, then we found out Peter was the Alpha."

John frowned.

"But he was in a coma."

"Peter was awake the entire six years he was in a coma. He was trapped inside his mind as his body slowly healed one cell at a time and his last images were of his family burning alive. He later told me that the last thing he did before he fell unconscious was snap his youngest nieces neck because she begged for the pain to stop."

Stiles replied and there was something in his voice that made John wary. There was understanding…but why?

"Peter wanted revenge, but unfortunately his killing spree also drew some unwanted attention. The Argents were a hunting family that specialized in werewolves. Kate came back after hearing Derek was back, intent on finishing what she'd started. She kidnapped Derek, but didn't know that Derek had Scott's phone. Then on the night of the winter formal, Peter bit Lydia and kidnapped me."

John tensed as did both inuyoukai.

Apparently, this was news to Hale and the wolves as well because they all snapped their gazes to Stiles as well.

"What." The alpha deadpanned.

"Punctuation, Sourwolf." Stiles replied, but he notably didn't respond, choosing to continue his explanation.

"He wanted me to hack Scott's phone so he could find you and subsequently Kate. After I did…he offered me the Bite."

A snarl left all the wolves at his words, and Hale's grip on Stiles tightened to and almost painful intensity.

"You never told me."

Something dark flashed in his son's eyes, his lips curling into a brittle smile.

"You're gonna find out today that there's a lot I haven't been telling anyone."

He replied and those words didn't make John feel better at all.

They made him feel so much worse.

Suddenly, he had a feeling that he really didn't want to know what else had been happening to his son right under his nose.

He also had a good understanding of the adage, 'be careful what you wish for.'

TBC…

A/N: So, they've started explaining to the Sheriff. Poor guy has no idea what he's in for.