Chapter 9/12(+epilogue)
One would have thought they had more than enough problems for the moment with going around adding some to the mix if it could be helped but, apparently, Derek didn't agree on this because the moment they all discovered the newly-renovated Hale house, he told everyone he was going to bite Erica and Boyd, who had both been thoroughly briefed on what it meant to become a werewolf and what kind of situation they would be thrown it. They had both given a positive answer and were now waiting for Derek to find the ideal moment.
Ideal moment which, apparently, was when they were under close observation by a psychopath hunter and when a beast roamed through the town attacking, and now having escalated to killing, people. Go figure. Of course, the rest of the pack wasn't exactly happy with the decision.
"Are you insane?" Stiles exclaimed.
"You can't turn them now," Scott added. "Gerard Argent will notice immediately. He's watching us constantly."
"McCall is right," Jackson said, as if it pained him to say so. "He's been ever worse since we got the bestiary."
Lydia was, in fact, not at the meeting because she was presently working on the old text. She had done nothing else since they got it, except go to school. Even with her impressive knowledge of the language, it was complicated and there was a lot of information she had to weed through, so Derek had made an exception, telling her she didn't have to attend any pack meeting until she had found what she was looking for, unless it was absolutely necessary and, in that case, he would tell her himself.
"I'm not asking permission. I'm telling. We need a larger pack if we want to be able to fight when the time come. Erica and Boyd are going to join us tomorrow. I'm telling you as a head up but you don't have a say in it."
None of them were happy, mostly because it was a step back. Derek had been doing so well up to now, by sharing information and asking for the pack's opinion but now that they all were against his decision of giving someone the bite, it was his way or the highway. Of course, it wasn't as if they had any mean to stop him from doing exactly what he wanted.
"Great, just great. Gerard is going to murder us," Stiles muttered, standing up because he knew he was going to end up saying something that would actually make Derek rip his throat out if he stayed. "Well, I'm out. I'm going home."
"The pack meeting is not over," Derek growled menacingly.
"Oh yes, it is. Because I'm not going to stay here and listen to you going on about Erica and Boyd and whatever is going on there because I'm going to end up pulling my hair out if I do because it's such a bad idea it makes Scott's usual half-assed plan looks great," he ranted, ignoring Scott's indignant 'hey' and Allison's reassurance to her boyfriend she loved him even though Stiles was kind of right about that. "But I know I won't be able to make you change your mind so I'm not even going to waste my time trying. But you better make sure they don't go on a power trip and make themselves noticed because the slightest different in their behavior and Gerard will know."
After that, he just left and Derek was so stunned that Stiles had dared to talk to him like that that he was left speechless and slightly hurt. He had known his decision was not going to be popular but he had thought that Stiles, at least, would have seen his point. A glance at the others told him they all agreed with the younger man but he knew he was right to go throw with his plan to make the pack stronger.
"Meeting's over," Derek said harshly, knowing there was no use trying to have the meeting now because any hope of productive conversation was gone after that.
They would all calm down by the end of the next day, once they had seen Erica and Boyd and bonded with them, Derek just knew. He watched his pack trot out of the house and then texted both his new recruits to come and received the bite. Once that done, he waited patiently for them to arrive.
Of course, Derek may have overestimated Boyd and Erica's ability to deal maturely with their new powers. Stiles had been certain it would happen. He knew that with everything going on, Derek wouldn't have enough time to teach the new betas how to go on with their life without attracting attention and Erica and Boyd had always been pretty low on the totem pool of the school.
Which meant, of course, that once they were given a new opportunity to prove themselves worthy of people's attention, they didn't hesitate to take it. The moment Stiles saw Erica, he knew she hadn't heeded Derek's advice to blend in. Gone was the usually shy girl and the one that replaced her looked like a vamp. She was catching the eyes of every damn boy in the school and the murmur of gossip and pointed fingers already filled the hallway, not even five minutes after her entrance.
"This is bad," Scott muttered to Stiles, as they watched the girl make her show and play around with the few boys who were brave enough to talk to her.
"I don't know what Derek was thinking. Gerard is going to take one look at her and see a predator."
The girl in question turned to them, proof that she had heard everything and smirked at them, showing that she really didn't give a damn about their concern. Stiles shook his head and sighed. He was usually very good at thinking on his feet but he had absolutely no idea what to do for damage control.
Boyd was, thankfully, a bit better but his attitude had also changed, if not as drastically as Erica. He had a confidence he had never shown before, mostly because he had made sure no one had ever really noticed him before and he was now letting himself be seen. It would have been alright if the change had been gradual, people would have just thought he had had enough of being a wallflower and decided to do something about it but overnight? It was suspicious, even in Beacon Hills.
"Reyes is being a total bitch," were the first words out of Lydia's mouth as she arrived with Jackson behind the two boys who were still watching their new pack-mate.
Stiles snorted.
"Of course, she is. Power trip," he said as if it was obvious. "Don't think we're going to manage keeping this one from Grandpa."
The whole day was filled with dread for all of Derek's old pack members. They tried to keep an eye on both Erica and Boyd but they technically couldn't do a damn thing about it. Only Jackson, Scott or Isaac could have acted but it would most likely have ended in a brawl and made the matter worse.
The whole school was buzzing with gossip about the two new werewolves and their complete change in attitude. The other pack members were conspiring on how exactly they would get the other two to go with them at Derek's place without any incident, especially since they didn't seem all that keen on leaving their new turf yet, when Allison blanched.
"Too late," she murmured and the group turned at once to see Gerard Argent standing at the end of a corridor, looking with way too much interested at Erica as she strutted out of school.
"Shit!" Stiles cursed, before adverting his eyes, because he really didn't want the old man to catch them all staring.
The others followed his lead and then walked away, finding themselves in the parking lot, waiting for the other two to finally show up.
They didn't have to wait too long but, while Boyd stayed silent, nodding at them and coming to join them, Erica didn't seem to want to play nice at all, especially with the human of the pack.
"Why the hell are you here if you're not one of us, Stilinski?" she asked with disdain.
She didn't take the other human at party, probably because she had been made aware of Allison's hunter status and Lydia's immunity. Why she didn't include Danny was a mystery but Stiles really didn't care.
"There are humans in a pack, I'm sure Derek told you that," Stiles answered, irked. "The real question is what were you thinking acting like that? You realize you attracted Gerard's attention. Are you that stupid?"
He wasn't feeling very charitable at the moment, especially considering the game the girl had played all day long for shit and giggle when she had been told about the seriousness of the situation.
"Where the hell do you get off talking to me like that," she growled and pushed him back, wanting to prove her point.
Except that she was a new wolf and still unused to controlling her new strength. The push that, had she been human, would have forced Stiles to take a step back actually sent him waltzing against his jeep harshly and his head hit the car hard enough for them to wince at the sound. He dropped like a stone.
"Stiles!" Scott and Isaac cried and they flung themselves on their knees, at his side, to try and see if he as hurt.
Erica's face lost all color. She hadn't meant to actually hurt Stiles. Sure, she had been annoyed at being called stupid but she wasn't cruel enough to actually want to hurt someone that badly. Except that she had rendered him unconscious and seeing the glare leveled at her didn't help any.
"I didn't mean…"
"No, you didn't," Lydia cut, biting. "But you did. You do realize that if you ever do something like that in front of the hunters, you're basically giving them a reason to attack you?"
Allison nodded her agreement.
"I know Gerard would say that you were fair game because you hurt a human, if he had seen you. My dad would probably be more lenient, seeing that you didn't actually do it on purpose, but he wouldn't like it anymore."
"I'm sorry," she said and, for a second, they were all able to see the old Erica coming through.
"We need to get to Derek's," Boyd said, talking for the first time. "He will be able to say if Stiles is alright."
"He's unconscious, dumbass," Jackson said with a sneer. "He's not alright."
"Jackson!" Danny interjected before Boyd had the time to answer and things escalated. "Now's not the time. He's right, though, we need to get to Derek's."
"Yeah, well, the Alpha's gonna be pissed."
No one answered Jackson because they all knew he was right. Thankfully, Stiles had emerged slowly from his forced sleep during the trip and was conscious again when they arrived, if slightly wobbly on his legs. He had the headache from hell but was not especially hurt otherwise. He was talking and walking as they stopped the cars. They all pretended not to hear Erica's sigh of relief when she saw him.
Derek was waiting for them in front of the house, with a scowl, as they were late. His scowl only deepened once he was the state Stiles was in. He had to do himself violence not to tear someone apart and the guilty shifting of his new beta didn't help the matter.
"What happened?" he said, enunciating the words very carefully and making damn sure they all understood he meant business.
Of course, that just meant that Stiles had to try and defuse the whole situation
with a joke, which may have worked better had Derek not been on the verge of snapping and the rest of the pack just a little less strung out.
"Woah, there, Sourwolf, don't frighten the puppies," Stiles said but no one laughed.
"I said, what happened?"
"It was my fault," Erica denounced himself, her hurting Stiles having been a good wake-up call after spending the whole day being admired from everywhere. "I pushed him."
"She didn't mean to," Isaac interjected, wanting to keep the peace and just a little bit afraid of how Derek would react. "She didn't realize her strength."
Derek was not appeased by the explanation and it was showing on his face. Lydia thought it prudent to intervene before anything else happened, that would frighten Isaac more than he already was. If Derek wanted to punish Erica, he would do it when not all the pack was there. There were more essential things to do right now.
"That's not what's important there, no offense Stiles," she said as an afterthought, realizing how her words could be taken.
"Oh, none taken," he said graciously as he swayed slightly on his feet. "Look, can we get inside, I need to sit down."
"Just go home, Stiles," Derek said. "Scott will drive you but you should rest and there will be some serious discussion that may it a bit difficult," Derek said and both new betas knew there were in for it, especially the girl. "I'll come by later to check on you."
Stiles would have protested, however the looks he received from the rest of the pack stopped him and he just gave his car key to Scott.
"You better not scratch my baby," he threatened. "And if you don't show up tonight, I'm calling you."
They left with Allison, who had gotten permission from Derek, in tow and Lydia continued what she had been trying to say, clearly put out by the interruption.
"Gerard knows about Erica and Boyd," she said. "He didn't seem to want to do anything about it for the moment, he looked happy just observing, but he may be planning something. Now, excuse me, but I've got a book to go back to."
"Go," he simply said. "And take the others with you. Boyd, Erica, you stay. I think with need to have another conversation."
The ones who were dismissed didn't lose anytime complying because they sure as hell didn't want to be there for that particular talk. It wasn't going to be pretty. The new betas had worked that out, considering the faces they were making, but then again, it was their own damn fault, even if most of the pack was still putting some of the blame on Derek for not listening to them in the first place.
Stiles had almost lost hope of Derek actually showing up when he heard someone land softly on his carpet and jumped.
"Damn it! Can't you make some noise before coming in!" he yelled in fright. "Your betas still alive?"
"Yes," he growled. "I've given them an attitude adjustment so they shouldn't be a problem tomorrow."
Stiles nodded. That was good but a bit late though. Besides, it may attract more attention for them to be back to normal.
"Gerard knows, though. Nothing will change that."
"I should have listened to you," Derek admitted and Stiles nearly fell from his bed in shock. "It would have been better. They make good recruits though."
"We never said they didn't, Derek. We just didn't think it was the right time," Stiles explained because he knew it was the truth, they did make ideal recruits.
Derek nodded and sat down on the bed, looking younger than his years, younger than Stiles had ever seen him, and defeated.
"You were pretty mad when you left yesterday," Derek said and Stiles looked down.
"I was hurt."
Derek whipped his head up and looked at Stiles, seeing the pain in his eyes.
"You suddenly reversed back to the guy who did what he wanted without any input from anyone. I thought you had decided to trust us, to trust…"
"Trust you," Derek finished for him. "I do, Stiles. More than you probably realize. I just… I want a pack, a family, and we are that to a point but we were so many more before the fire. I want the security, for all of us, that only a big pack can give us."
Stiles couldn't help reaching out for Derek, his finger caressing his face gently because he had never been that vulnerable in front of him before and it meant a lot, it proved that he did trust him and was not just saying it. Derek turned his face to nuzzle the hand on his cheek.
"You wouldn't have been as mad if someone else had been hurt," Stiles said because it was getting too much, he needed to know for sure if Danny was right.
"No," Derek admitted.
He looked at Stiles in a way that basically begged the younger boy to take the first step and Stiles understood. He had to put himself on the line because he was too young for Derek to make the first move. It had to be Stiles' idea and, taking courage, he just leant over and put his lips on Derek's.
His first kiss was everything he could have imagined and more, especially as Derek responded with a gentleness he had never felt from him before.
The disadvantage of being in a pack of werewolves was that a new relationship between two members couldn't exactly be kept a secret when everyone could smell their Alpha on Stiles. Scott had nearly choked on his own saliva when he had seen Stiles the day after they got together, at school and, of course, that had prompted Allison to ask what was going on.
Jackson, Lydia and Danny had joined on the fun and Erica and Boyd had been anything but surprised, after the way Derek had busted the girl's ass for hurting Stiles. Isaac had just grinned and that was it, there was no one among them that didn't know about the two of them getting together. It was actually worse than if they had made a general announcement.
The good thing, though, was that no one took it badly, mostly because they had actually all seen it coming. Except for Scott, who had been oblivious up now, but that wasn't exactly a big surprise.
Of course, while the pack knowing may not have been a problem, the fact that Gerard had somehow gotten wind of it was another story. The man must have been even more sneaky that they thought, because they had no idea how he could have found out.
Gerard hadn't made a single comment about it to them, they would have stayed in the dark about his new knowledge if Chris hadn't gone on helping them the best he could. Stiles found himself the recipient of another mail from the man, telling him that Gerard knew about the fact he and Derek were dating and that he may want to watch his steps even more closely than before because he was certain if was the kind of information his father would use when he decided to finally attack. It was more of when than an if right now.
A routine immediately instated itself now that they were more pack members. The training began once again with a newfound vigor for the wolves and he humans had more time to themselves, mostly because Derek was sure the fight would come to them soon and they had to be ready.
Allison was training herself more than ever in archery, and beginning with guns, getting closer to her dad than she had been in a while. Stiles could see the quiet happiness in her face when she talked about it. Things may have been shaky when she had learnt the truth about the family business but they were getting alright once again and felt even closer to her parents now that she knew the truth.
Danny and Stiles mostly hung out together, Stiles teaching Danny all he had actually learnt about the lore since the very beginning of their adventures because they may have brought Danny up t speed about the past and present events and pack life, he hadn't really had time to learn about the rest. With all that had been going on, they hadn't had time but now they could breathe again while Lydia did most of the work.
Lydia was tirelessly working on the bestiary and she was getting crankier and crankier as time went by and she still found nothing. Still, she persevered, because she wouldn't let it go until she had the answer, and this was why Stiles was not overly surprised when she finally found something.
Of course, nothing could have prepared him for the truth of the matter. Lydia showed at his place one evening while Danny was still there. Since he would have to be told anyway, there was really no reason for him not to stay. Of course, both Stiles and Danny were worried when they saw how pale Lydia was and how red her eyes were. It was as if she had cried.
"Lyd'?" Danny asked and the young woman took a determined breath.
"The creatures attacking people is called a Kanima," she began, opening the laptop she had with her and showed them the relevant page. "It's someone who was bitten by a werewolf but had unsolved business that affected the change, preventing the transformation to really take, and turned him into that lizard-like creatures we saw instead."
Suddenly Stiles knew why she was so affected. There was only one person who could fit that description.
"Jackson," he breathed. "He's the only one who could be the Kanima. And he wasn't there at the last full moon. No one has ever seen him as a wolf."
Danny shook his head.
"You can't be serious! Even if it fits, we've all been looking for this thing. You don't think he would have told us, just so we could actually stop him and help him?"
Lydia shook her head.
"Not if he doesn't remember," she explained. "Because that is what the bestiary said. The person who's the Kanima doesn't remember what they do during the transformation, which can happen any time and not only during the full moon. And the attacks are neither random, nor from Jackson's subconscious."
"What do you mean?" Stiles said because he did understand the memory loss, but not the rest. "I mean, either he attacks for a reason, then it's his subconscious, or it's at random."
"There is a reason," Lydia cut and she didn't look all that pleased. "But not one that Jackson could know. A kanima is controlled by someone. It literally latches onto someone, after the transformation, someone they will consider their master, most often someone who has thoughts of vengeance against other."
"Someone is using Jackson as a weapon?"
And damn, Stiles had never known that Danny could be scary but, at the moment, he wouldn't want to be the person in question because he was sure that the hacker would make mincemeat out of them.
"Yes."
"We just have to find who, then. We need to see who has been attacked and see if we can find a common denominator, if anyone has a reason to have a grudge against all of them."
Stiles knew that part of an investigation well because that was something that was done for any crime involving several victims, if you wanted to find the right suspect. Of course, he was certain that his father never thought he would use his lessons to actually solve a crime.
"It may be more complicated than that," Lydia interjected. "I've thought about it on the way and I think they may have been a change in the master."
"Of course!" Stiles exclaimed and Danny turned to him because he couldn't see the obvious like them. "The first kill. The first master only ever made Jackson attacks the victims, frighten them, but not kill them. There was a change of master just before the kill. It's not the same MO anymore."
Stiles deflated after he finished saying this because that made things more difficult for them.
"Of course, now we only have one victim and it will be more difficult to see who could have something against them."
"Especially if it's actually the first master," Lydia added. "The current master may have decided to have the kanima kills him so that he wouldn't be able to come forth with the pertinent information. It would not be that surprising."
Once again, Lydia only called the beast the kanima and not Jackson. Stiles mused that she probably didn't want to see Jackson as a killer. Of course, Stiles realized it wasn't the boy's fault but they had been absolutely blind. One of their own had been going around attacking people and, apparently, having emotional problems and memory blanks and they hadn't even seen it. God, it was a mess.
Plus, they didn't have any clue on how to begin how to search for the master, considering that Lydia was probably a hundred percent right in her reasoning. There was no way the current master would have let his predecessor live as he was a liability and a danger for him. Which meant that they had no victimology to go by, not as long as there was no new victim.
"What do we do now?" Danny asked, voicing the question none of them wanted to answer to.
"We need to tell Derek," Stiles said because they really did and they also needed to have a pack meeting where everyone would be told but, first: "We also need to tell Jackson, probably first and in private."
Lydia and Danny nodded, knowing that it would be the hardest part because how exactly do you tell one of your friends that he was the creature they were all looking for and had sworn to kill?
"And then we need to know how to solve Jackson's problems so he won't be a kanima anymore," Lydia added because she was not going to let them kill Jackson, not for something that wasn't his fault.
They needed to find the root of the problem and solve it. For now, though, they needed to sleep and think about what they were going to do on a rested mind. Of course, that was easier said than done.