Episode 3: A Question of Good and Bad Emissaries pt2

His Nana drifted back into the kitchen with his question; Stiles knew her well enough to know that her interest was piqued. She looked please to have an answer, "That is what is poisoning the Earth?

Stiles snorted at the very apt description, "Yep, whoever it is ... they are smart enough to hide like a rat."

He didn't like it one bit. He could feel them on the edge of his radar; in the same way you can feel the wind but you cannot grab a hold of it. Stiles had only one question,

"How do I kill it?"

At the same time as the question is being asked, Chris and Peter walked into the kitchen. Chris was a taken back at the blunt question - Peter not so much.

Peter had been sure Stiles would make a magnificent werewolf with his capacity for violence. After all, it was the primary reason that he had offered the bite even when half-crazy. Still, he was damn right terrifying without them - he may well have been too much to handle with fangs and claws too. Still his mood brightened considerably with the prospect of violence - The Alpha pack on their territory was grating on his last nerve. "Something needs killing?"

The pack was intrigued, confused and curious all at the same time. Erica was the one to ask the question that was on the tip of everyone's tongue,

"What is a Darach?"

Stiles looked at most of the pack and sighed, knowing that he was about to disappoint them. Still, he knew that he would go nuts if he kept on explaining it so he held his hands up in the air - in mock surrender. He waited until he got the silence too, "Look I know that you all want answers but I want to explain this once."

Lydia frowned, sensing he was up to no good. She said it aloud, "You are planning something."

Stiles smirked because she was not wrong, "I'm always planning something. Look just get ready for everyone coming here. We need to discuss this as a pack."

Allison frowned, "And in the meanwhile?"

"Nana and I can talk about a magic problem and sort out your mom," was all Stiles said.

The pack accepted it because it was what Stiles did. He got things done.

Stiles had walked out of the kitchen knowing that the pups would sort things for their arrivals. He still had issues, like an Alpha Pack, a newly bitten Hunter who was only alive due to his grandmother's vindictive nature and the whole Darach issue. If he was a wuss he would be crawling under the bedcovers and refusing to come out - He felt he would be more than justified.

Mab peered over the sleeping Victoria Argent, checking on the bite. It was healed completely, "Who is her mate?"

Mab snickered, "You know who it is ... Think about it."

Stiles frowned and through all that had gone on. He was confused, a wolf an alpha unless they were feral rarely lost control. He had assumed Ennis had bitten Victoria out of petty revenge - what about if there was another reason? No, that was not it. So if it was not Ennis - it would be someone attached to the Alpha Pack. It would have to be it would not have amused his grandmother so much.

Her mate would be someone who would balance her. The mate would need strength to stand with Victoria - so who would fit the woman. "Is her mate a wolf?"

"No."

Stiles could think of only two people - Deaton and his sister. He was sure of one thing; it was not Deaton so by a process of elimination that left Marin. Fucking hell, now that was a hell of a pairing! Marin and Victoria Argent were individually two scary ladies but together they were deadly. "Marin Morrel? ... Now that is ironic."

Mab smirked, "Yes your young little hunter better get used to having two mommies and two daddies."

Stiles choked on his drink, "Thanks."

"You're welcome darling." She said unrepentantly.

Stiles should have known that she would not have felt a hint of shame. In fact, he would bet she was looking for that reaction. "So you are doing this out of the goodness of your own heart?"

Mab shook her head and ruffled his hair, "No Gen' I'm bored and it will help you. It is difficult to fight a war on two sides."

Stiles frowned, he got how much it sucked to be bored. He was a menace to society when he was bored. He knew it and he owned it. The bit about fighting a war on two sides was very true and he was thinking about all the different strategies he knew. He remembered what his grandparents would do if they were ever faced with that situation. "Set them on each other?"

Mab shrugged modestly, "It was one of my better ideas and your Grandfather and I watched with popcorn."

Stiles snorted as he could only imagine what she might have done. "I can work with that ... What do I do with the new beta?"

Mab shrugged, "If you intend to keep her then you should sleep with one eye open for Derek."

Stiles looked offended, "Please, I have so many ward and gifts attached to him that I will know he was in trouble before he does."

"I should have expected nothing else."

Stiles could tell that his grandmother was impressed. He just smirked as he still had 99 problems or that was how the song went. "So what do I do about her?"

Mab waved her hand and Victoria awoke with a start and a growl; her eyes flashing as she landed in a crouch. lt would have been a terrifying sight no doubt - unless you were the two people in the room. "Impressive but out your claws away darling. You are woefully ill prepared for this battle."

"Why?" Was all the growled response they got.

Mab quirked an eyebrow and went straight for the metaphorical heart, "You are a mother you don't get to be selfish. You have a girl in the next room who you have a lot to make up for."

Stiles saw the flinch, "You should get used to that." He said evenly, he was only enjoying this a little bit, "Your emotions will be a little ragged whilst the change settles."

"Where is Chris?" She asked, demanding to know where her husband was at this very moment.

Stiles smiles sweetly, "If he is your mate ... you would be able to scent him right now."

"And what is that supposed to mean? Are you trying to say you've destroyed my marriage as well?"

Mab was the one to laugh in her face, mainly because she got there first. "Oh darling, you didn't have a marriage ... you had a business partnership. If you are brave enough to look at Peter Hale and your precious husband you will see what a real marriage would look like."

"He married me!" The problem was Victoria did not sound convincing, at all, even to her own ears. It was not the argument of someone who loved their husband, more the resigned argument of a stubborn fool and she knew it.

Still, Stiles was guessing that his Grandma was done playing games when she asked, "Do you know why he married you?"

Victoria frowned, it had been an arranged marriage and she had never questioned it. "It was ..."

Mab smiled but it was one that made everyone know why she was called the Winter Queen - There was no warmth or compassion in the smile. It was the type of smile you would see on a predator before they ripped your throat out. "It was because that pathetic waste of space Gerard threatened to kill Peter painfully and slowly unless he agreed to a hunter marriage."

Victoria's fangs broke out yet again, "They were a thing?"

"All through their last few years of High School." Mab said delightedly, "I believe Peter used to call him little mate."

Victoria's eyes flashed, Stiles was guessing that her legendary control on her emotions had not survived the change, "You are lying. You hate me for some reason."

Mab didn't so much laugh as outright cackle, "Sweetheart I hate all bigots and Stiles tell her the best bit ... I doubt she will believe me."

Stiles sighed, "Fae won't lie. We trick, cheat and look to cause chaos but we cannot lie ... only obfuscate."

"What now?" Victoria asked tiredly.

Mab smiled, "You put your claws away and come and listen to what is going on in this town. If you make one threat towards the pack ..."

"What will you do put me down?" Victoria said sarcastically.

"Oh no." Mab promised.

Stiles smiled and you could see the familial legacy, "Nana won't get there before I do."

Victoria had always dismissed him as Scott's friend but she was seeing him in a new light. "So that is how things will be?"

"In the Hale Pack absolutely. You will have your own problems with your mate." Stiles assured her.

"I don't want a mate."

Stiles shrugged, "That is the a war you can have yourself but right now there will be a fill pack meeting ... you will behave."

Stiles didn't care if she was older; or newly turned or any other reason he might have. This was his place with Derek and everyone else would dance to their tune whilst in this house.

Meanwhile Derek had been running through the crime scene - when he got a text. He frowned reading it, "How many ... tell me if it is 3? WE HAVE A PROBLEM!"

He showed his phone to the Sheriff; the Sheriff paled. It was clear that Stiles believed that there was more than one body and possibly had a clue about what was going on. Of course, Jordan could tell that there was something wrong, "What is it?"

The Sheriff looked at his Deputy, and Derek was glad the look was not directed at him. When the Sheriff asked silently if they can tell him - Derek shrugged. He had been working with the guy for a week. He could smell no deception or lies from him and honestly; if he was going to be working with Derek then he should probably be brought into the secret earlier than later.

John spoke quietly, "You will follow Derek and follow up a potential lead."

Derek understood what the Sheriff was doing - if this was supernatural then he could be like a fly to honey.

Jordan of course didn't understand the sub-context of the conversation. He just followed the directive of his boss. He frowned hearing the Sheriff yell, "Extend the search grid. I think there may be more evidence."

Jordan paled, "A tip?"

Derek had no idea how to phrase information found through research on the supernatural. "A researcher looked into the MO and has more information."

Jordan snorted, "There is someone in Beacon Hills that knows about all this?"

He saw Derek's wry grin and he couldn't help but feel like he was missing part of the conversation.

The pack was all there and Derek was glad that he had built the house on the generous side. Right now, he had Melissa, Chris, Victoria, and the younger pack members. There were so many people that they had to double up on chairs, until Stiles slyly suggested that all the mates could sit on each other's laps.

"So why are we here?" Derek asked, he was uncomfortable in leaving the Sheriff alone.

Stiles pouted, "It seemed that the crazy Alpha pack was not enough to handle as there is a Darach in town."

Deaton was the one to startle, "Are you sure?"

The look that both Fae gave the Emissary, suggested that they were questioning his intelligence and that of his ancestors. "More than sure. Now why would one be in Beacon Hills?"

Deaton was shifting and looking uneasy. It was ironic as all the teenagers recognised the move from when they tried to hide things; the parents recognised it as what their kids did when they were trying to hide things. "I don't know."

Lydia sniped, "He knows more than we do. What is a Darach?"

Oh where to begin?