"This better not be a joke," the alpha growls when Stiles parks in front of the Hale house.
"What happens after you find Derek?" Stiles inquires hesitantly.
The alpha gives no response and gets out of the car. Stiles briefly considers just locking the car doors and driving away, but he can't. He can't just run away. Stiles gets out of the car.
"You're going to kill people, aren't you?" Stiles asks, more a statement than a question.
"Only the responsible ones." The werewolf answers calmly.
"Responsible for what?"
"You have no idea who I am, do you?"
"You're the alpha."
"That's just a title."
"Why are you going after Derek?" Stiles asks, confused. He refuses to play this guy's game of 'Guess Who' and he doesn't understand why the alpha would attack another werewolf, especially when he's incapacitated and at the enemy's mercy.
"I'm not going after Derek. My nephew has many faults, but he doesn't deserve to die for them."
"Your nephew," Stiles repeats, stunned. "But…in the woods, you…"
"He needed to be reminded who's in charge here, but my intention was never to kill him."
"You want him to be in your pack," Stiles realizes.
"Do you know why wolves hunt in packs? It's because their favored prey are too large to be brought down by one wolf alone. I need Derek. After all, I'm only doing what he never had the guts to do himself." Peter admits with a shrug. "Now," Peter drawls, positioning a clawed hand around Stiles' neck drawing him closer to whisper in his ear. "Where is my dear nephew?"
"Peter?" Derek's eyes widen with shock when he sees his uncle enter the impromptu torture chamber. "You're the alpha," the younger werewolf realizes. Derek looks down for a second, before his eyes are back on his uncle, the shock and surprise transforming into anger and betrayal. "You killed Laura," he accuses his voice breaking with the heavy emotion.
"You think I killed Laura on purpose? A member of my own family?" Peter seems shocked at the idea that Derek would think that, his voice breaking on the word 'family'. "My mind was literally burned out of me. I was driven by pure instinct." He closes his eyes for a second, shaking his head as if remembering the scene.
Stiles takes in his surroundings and takes a step back. This is his chance. If he wants to make a run for it, he has to do it right now while Peter's attention is focused on Derek. He turns around and prepares to run. He doesn't even take a step before the hand is back on his neck, making Stiles freeze and grimace as the claws dig into his skin.
"All I'm asking for is a little understanding," Peter continues as if Stiles wasn't even there.
The alpha sighs before tossing Stiles through the air like he weighs nothing. The boy crashes into the table, and the wood gives way with the force of the impact. Stiles falls to the floor amidst a flurry of splinters and wood chips . He grimaces when pain erupts in his shoulder.
"Do you know what it was like for me during those years? Slowly healing, cell by cell. Even more slowly coming back to consciousness. Yes, becoming an Alpha, taking that from Laura pushed me over a plateau in the healing process. I can't help that."
Moaning in pain, Stiles looks up and sees that Peter is standing in front of Derek, trying to look him in the eyes. Derek is staring resolutely at the ground.
"You have to understand, Derek." Peter demands. "After all, we're family. You know why I killed those people. You know that they deserved it. And there are more. It's our mission now. I need you with me."
The alpha puts a hand on his nephew's cheek and Stiles can see Derek close his eyes. After a few seconds, he looks up into his uncle's eyes and nods.
Peter breaks the other werewolf's bonds and helps him stand as Derek is still weak from Kate's torture. Derek rips off the electric cables taped to his side and throws them to the ground. They land right in front of Stiles. When the boy looks up, both werewolves are looking at him.
Shit, he was hoping that they would forget he was there.
His heart starts to race as he looks around him desperately searching for something to defend himself with. Stiles grabs a pointy piece of wood from the broken table and tries to stand up, but before he can, something is lifting him and pressing him into the wall. He shivers in terror when Peter's eyes flash red, only inches from his face. Claws dig into his arm and he releases his makeshift weapon.
"Now, should we send Ms. Argent a message? I have a few ideas that would make for an especially eloquent, if not obvious, statement." Peter proposes, smiling evilly.
Stiles is pretty sure he starts to see his life flash before his eyes when the alpha bends down, his fangs brushing his throat. When Derek stops him and Stiles nearly pisses himself in relief, and he thanks all the gods he knows of.
"He's Lisa's son."
Stiles's heart stops for a second; even his fear is forgotten as he looks at Derek in surprise. His surprise only increases when Peter releases him, his eyes as wide as those of the young boy.
"Well, that's an intriguing twist." Peter admits, raising his eyebrows. He catches Stiles's chin between two of his claws and moves his head around, studying him, as Stiles can only gasp in confusion. "Lisa did have pretty good genes. I always told her that she shouldn't have wasted them with that sheriff of hers."
Stiles bats the hand away, straightening up and glaring at the man. "You don't get to say her name." He rages.
"Cute." Peter scoffs. "Son, I've known your mother since before she was even old enough to conceive you. I'll say her name if I w…"
"What?" Stiles interrupts, flabbergasted. That doesn't make any sense.
"We've got to go before Kate comes back." Derek reminds his uncle, holding himself on the opposite wall, still too weak to affront his torturer. Peter just looks at his nephew, gauging him before nodding.
He winks at Stiles and pats his cheek, before going to help the other werewolf walk away.
No, no. Stiles needs answers. There's no way Derek is running away again. How do they know his mom? What did Peter mean? How is that possible?
He runs after them and grabs Derek's arm to stop him.
"You have to tell me w-" He's interrupted as the man suddenly turns around and Stiles is slammed once again against a wall.
"You are seriously running out of 'get out of this alive' cards here." Derek rages, glowering at him.
"Look, I'm sorry ab…"
"About what? Being such a pain in the ass? About torturing me? Nearly getting me killed?" Derek shouts at him.
"All of the above? You've got to underst…"
"I'm through trying to understand you!" He slams Stiles against the wall once again before dropping him. Stiles cries in pain as he falls to the ground. "I've protected you out of respect for your mother, but it's over. I swear," Derek hisses, his eyes flashing blue. "You come anywhere near me again, and I will kill you."
With that, he turns around and storms out, limping a little.
"Hmm. What he said," Peter acquiesces, looking rather amused, before following his nephew.