Paul wakes to find something warm and moist nuzzled behind his ear. Rolling over slowly he sees his wolf laying there looking back at him. Before he can say anything he gets a wet wide tongue across the face. Sputtering and laughing Paul jerks back and ends up falling out of the bed with a thump. He sits on the floor and looks up at the bed to see his wolf sitting there mouth open tail wagging. "Laugh it up fuzz ball!" he chuckles Uh oh another Star Wars fan. Isaac thinks wagging his tail looking down at Paul's happy face. Standing and stretching Paul reaches out and rubs Isaac's head. Isaac admires the tight muscles in Paul's stomach as he stretches slowly. His soft loose boxer briefs leaving little to the imagination. "I don't know if it's the pills or the company but I had a great night's sleep. Probably the best I've had in years."
Paul's smile slowly fades and he gets a sad look on his face. His shoulders drop and his frown deepens. Isaac "yips" at him softly. Looking at the big wolf Paul sighs. "Just thinking about Isaac. Just….wishing things had turned out differently. I thought….." Paul sighs sits down heavily on the bed next to Isaac and puts his arm around him. "I don't know what I thought puppy. Nothing left now except to finish my contract and leave I guess. Isaac whines softly and rubs his head against Paul's gently. Please don't give up on me, on us. The saddened wolf thinks. "Part of me thinks I'm over reacting. Making a huge deal out of nothing he didn't actually hurt me. The other part of me though, remembers the look in his eyes. The anger. I'm scared Puppy. I don't want to be hurt any more. He must really be angry with me. I would have thought he would have called, texted came by or something by now." Paul sighs again and stands slowly going over to the kitchen area he pulls some orange juice out of the refrigerator and pours some in to a glass. "I'd offer you some but something tells me wolves don't like orange juice. I imagine you probably need to use the rest room, or eat a bunny or something." Paul reaches over and opens the door. Isaac jumps down off the bed and walks over to Paul. He rubs himself on Paul's legs walking around him a few times and licks at his hand before going over to the door and hoping out in to the snow. Paul steps over to the door and sees Isaac walking slowly towards the trees. "Bye puppy you're welcome any time." Paul says before pulling the door closed. With a sigh he turns some music on and steps into the bathroom to take a shower.
Isaac races through the woods at top speed back to the house reaching the porch he shifts back to human to open the door before he sprints upstairs where he knew Stiles would have put his clothes. Seeing his phone on his night table plugged in to the charger he smiles "Thank you Stiles." He says "You're welcome pup." Comes the affectionate response from his pack mother from down stairs. Isaac types out a quick message.
To Paul: Can I see you today? Please say yes.
Isaac gently sets the phone back down as if he's setting Paul down and stares at it a moment. There is a knock on his door frame and he turns to see Derek standing there. "How did it go?" he asks. "He doesn't hate me." Isaac says evenly. "I think he's still planning on leaving though. I can fix this I just have to prove to him he's safe. I think we'll be OK." Derek nods. "Good. Mates are rare you have to be careful. If you run him off don't expect another one to fall in to your lap." The Alpha says sternly. "I won't Derek I promise. I'll do whatever it takes. I just asked him if I could see him. I'm not sure what his response will be." "You're going to have to tell him soon. If you keep letting him confide in you as a wolf and he finds out what you are you could lose his trust again." The younger wolf nods going over to the closet and pulling out a bathrobe to cover his nakedness. "I know I just have to figure out the right way to do it." "How to tell your significant other you are a Werewolf. Maybe that'll be the title of my next book." Stiles says stepping next to Derek and leaning against his mate. Isaac smiles before continuing "I want him to know. I want to give him the option of backing out I won't trap him." "Good." Stiles says with a chuckle. "Last thing you need to do is bind yourself to someone for life who ends up hating you for it." "Thanks guys. I'm going to take a shower and hopefully take him to lunch." Isaac says before stepping into his attached bathroom. Stiles takes Derek's hand and leads him away. "What would you like for dinner sexy wolf?"
Paul finishes up in the shower appreciating for about the 100th time the limitless hot water the inline water heater he had installed allowed him. In a cloud of steam he steps out of the tiny bathroom and sits down at his laptop. Glancing at his phone he notices the indicator light blinking so he picks it up and checks for messages.
From Isaac: Can I see you today? Please say yes.
Paul huffs out a breath and thinks for a moment his stomach a pit of nerves as a barrage of mostly negative emotions briefly over take him.
To Isaac: No
Paul slaps his phone down on the table angrily glaring at it for a moment. He's about to send another message and tell Isaac what he can go do with himself when he remembers what Danny had said. About he and Isaac having something special. He knows that Isaac is special. He feels good around Isaac. Paul slumps back in his seat. What am I going to do about this?
Stiles and Derek are in the kitchen when they both look up towards the direction of Isaac's room. The pulse of sadness making them both shiver. They get up and hurry upstairs to find Isaac laying on his bed with his phone on his chest eyes closed and both hands squeezed against his temples. They can both feel the pain coming from Isaac. "He won't see me." He says. "How can I fix it if he won't see me?" He asks looking at his Alpha and pack mom with tears in his eyes. Stiles is about to say something when his phone beeps.
From Paul: Your offer still on? Could use a friendly face.
Stiles smiles. "He'll see me though." Isaac looks up hopefully. "Really? What did he say?" crowding the two Isaac jumps off the bed and cranes his neck to see the screen of Stiles's phone. "You two are going to be on your own for lunch today.
To Paul: Hungry? Lunch?
From Paul: Yes actually. Meet you at Peter's?
Stiles raises an eye brow. "What is it?" Isaac asks. "He wants to have lunch at Peter's." Isaac's eyes light up. Stiles shakes his head quickly. "You're not going to hide in the back and listen. We can't keep violating his trust and expect things to work out." Isaac slumps defeated. "Will you tell me what he says?" Stiles turns and walks out of the room. "Of course, within reason anyway." Isaac stands up and looks at his Alpha with pleading eyes. "Stiles come on!" Isaac yells. Derek chuckles before shrugging at Isaac and following Stiles down the stairs.
"You know how this works Isaac everyone in the pack goes to Stiles because he knows when to keep things to himself." "It's lunch not confessional." Isaac says following him down. "It's interesting that out of everyone he's asking me." Stiles says grabbing his coat and hat. "Could it be a pack thing?" Isaac says coming to the bottom of the stairs and watching Derek help Stiles with his coat. Derek shrugs. "Maybe on some level. It's hard to say he's somewhat connected to the pack by our acceptance of him. Being human and unmated though I don't know what's pack instinct and what's just coincidence." "Hey maybe it's just my winning personality." Stiles says making a face. Derek pulls him in to a kiss. "Be careful." Stiles gives Derek a quick hug before opening the door. "Never fear my baby will keep me safe." He says walking out on to the porch. "It's that rattle trap of a Jeep you won't let me replace that I'm worried about." Stiles winks at Derek and tromps through the snow over to his old blue Jeep. Waving triumphantly when it starts…..after three attempts.
Peter is looking at the door with a slight smile on his face when Stiles walks in. He had felt his Alpha's mate getting closer long before he'd heard the distinct clatter of the old Jeep. "Hey Peter." Stiles says with a smile. "Stiles?" Peter says with a raised eye brow. "What I can't come see you?" Peter huffs out a snort. "I don't often get the pleasure of visiting with just you. I take it someone is joining you? How is dear Isaac by the way? How bad are the headaches?" Stiles cuts short his snarky retort when he picks up on the sincerity from the older wolf. "He's tolerating them as best he can. He's more concerned with Paul's wellbeing though. Actually Paul is meeting me here. I was hoping we could have a quiet table to talk." Peter's eyes light up. "Ah, trying to talk the wayward mate out of leaving town. I have the perfect table to remind him of happier times. Do we have any information on who hurt him?" Stiles shakes his head at the question. "No just that someone in Texas lead him to believe they were interested and then he and his friends beat and burned him." Peter growls low and dangerous. Stiles looks at Peter sharply. Stiles often forgets that behind the smugness and superiority complex is a dangerous and damaged man. The fire had taken not only nearly all of Peter's family but also his mate and children. "He's pack Stiles. Whether he knows it or not. People do not hurt my pack and get away with it." Stiles reaches out a comforting hand and squeezes Peters arm looking towards the parking lot when he hears someone pull up.
"There he is." Stiles says. "Goodness you can already smell the misery. Do hurry and get him and Isaac back together." Peter says shaking his head just before Paul pulls the door open. "Paul!" Stiles says stepping forward stopping at Paul's weak smile. "Can I?" Stiles asks arms out questioningly. Paul steps forward nodding and embraces Stiles. It feels so comforting. Paul grips Stiles tightly and tries not to burst in to tears. "It's going to be OK Paul I promise." Stiles whispers in Paul's ear while rubbing his back when Paul starts to shake slightly. Paul calms down and steps back from Stiles blinking the tears back and nods to Peter. "Hi Peter it's nice to see you again." Peter smiles warmly at Paul. "It's nice to see you as well, if you two will follow me I have a private table." Stiles gestures for Paul to follow Peter. Seated at the same table he'd been at the other day Paul relaxes slightly. "I don't need a menu." Paul says when Peter offers him one. "Lasagna and ice water for you. Stiles?" "Uh actually I'd like the tortellini." Peter smiles warmly. "Same please." Stiles replies with a grin. Peter nods and steps away from the table giving Paul a gentle squeeze on the shoulder. Paul fixes Stiles with a sad look. "Is he OK?" he asks knowing Stiles will know who he is talking about. "He's fine. Feels like a total jack ass for treating you like that but he's OK." "Is he angry with me?" Paul asks in a small voice looking down and messing with his napkin. Stiles raises an eye brow. "No, actually it's quite the opposite. He's worried you'll never want to see him again." Paul sighs leaning back in his chair. "I'm going to come right out and ask." Stiles nods for Paul to continue. "Do I have to worry about him hurting me?" Paul continues. Stiles shakes his head. "Never. He would never hurt you. He…." Stiles stops and sighs shaking his head. "It's not really my place to tell you, but you need to understand. Isaac's had a lot happen to him over the years. Horrible home life. His brother was KIA, he mother died shortly thereafter. Abusive father who also passed away not soon after Isaac started high school. He made it through all that somehow. His Dad really hurt him though. Beating his child wasn't good enough. He had to mentally abuse Isaac as well. He had convinced him he was worthless, no good that no one would ever want him. This made him withdrawn and on the surface anyway cool and aloof.
Unfortunately due to his ridiculous good looks he's attracted a lot of flakes over the years. People who just wanted to use him for sex, or something pretty to have on their arm. They either didn't truly care about him or were unable to deal with his emotional state. He was never able to make anything work with the few good ones he found because he felt he didn't deserve it. That they were just going to leave him anyway. It left him very angry and very jaded. Then he met Neal."
Stiles stops for a moment and seems to be trying to collect himself. "Neal was…. very good for Isaac. He knew when to be patient and back off and when to press. He put up with Isaac's baggage and refused to let Isaac self-sabotage. They loved each other dearly. They were inseparable. For the first time ever Isaac was truly happy. The things that his father did to him seemed to finally be fading away." Stiles stops and wipes at the tear making its way down his cheek. "What happened?" Paul asks softly reaching across the table with his one good hand to offer comfort to Stiles. "There was an accident. Neal was away on business. One the way home his car went off the road." Stiles pauses trying to not see the images off the burnt up car or hear Isaac's anguished screams when he'd been told. Isaac had shifted fully to wolf and vanished in to the forest when he could no longer stand the grief. His devastated howls filling the night. After 3 months Derek, worried that the misery would eventually drive the broken wolf feral had finally tracked him down and forced him to come home.
"Isaac hasn't been the same since. He's been slowly getting better. Talking more, going out with us. Eating regularly. This last year has been pretty good for him. Then you came along." Stiles smiles at Paul. "Paul it's like you put the light back in his eyes. When he talks about you he almost glows. I know it's no excuse for why he acted like he did. I just hope maybe you can understand why he reacted so strongly when he thought he was going to lose you." Stiles nods to Peter when he sets their food down brushing against both men slightly before leaving the room.
Paul chews his food thinking about what Stiles had told him while they eat in silence. "OK." He finally says seeming coming to some decision.
"So how did you and Derek meet?" Paul asks. Stiles smiles raising his eye brows. "We met when I was in High School. We pretty much hated each other. He thought I was loud annoying and irresponsible. He was angsty, broody, and violent. We just kept running in to each other though. We had mutual friends and circumstances kept throwing us together in all sorts of crazy situations. After a while I started to see that there was more there than a scowl and leather jacket. He'd been hurt quite a bit. There was a fire he lost nearly his whole family. His Uncle Peter is all he has left. That much loss so young hurts people in ways you don't often encounter. I could relate to a small degree because I'd lost my mother when I was younger. One night quite by surprise we realized what all our friends had apparently known for quite a while. We were in love with each other."
Stiles cocks his head to the side and peers intently at Paul for a moment. "Totally not trying to manipulate you here but when I saw you and Isaac together… It reminded me of how Derek and I are. We argue we fight. We push each other's limits. But we love each other unquestionably. I know he will always be there for me and me him. I want you and Isaac to have that." "They really can be quite sickening at times." Peter says coming around the corner. Stiles smirks at him. "Can I get either of you anything else?" he asks placing a gentle hand on Paul's shoulder. "Nothing more for me thanks." Paul says reaching for his wallet. Peter squeezes gently. "On the house, friends of the family eat free." "Are you sure?" Paul asks looking up at Peter. "Absolutely. Hopefully we can convince you to be more than just a friend of the family someday." With another squeeze Peter moves off. "Sounds like it's getting busy up front I better go and make sure everything's running smoothly. See you both soon." Paul turns and smiles at Stiles's grin. "You're lucky. Peter doesn't like most people. He barely tolerates me most of the time. What are you up to after this?" Pursing his lips for a moment Paul nods at some internal dialog and says "I'm going to see if my boyfriend wants to spend some time with me." "Really?" Stiles says happily practically clapping his hands. "Isaac will be so happy." Paul pulls out his phone.
To Isaac: Busy?
Not five seconds later his phone buzzes. Stiles smirks at Paul who almost drops the phone in surprise not expecting a reply so soon.
From Isaac: No not at all would you want to maybe do something if you're not busy at all or anything?
Paul smiles at the rambling message before replying.
To Isaac: I have some errands to run would like some company. Meet me at my place?
Stiles laughs looking down at his phone "You've made his year he's so excited."
From Isaac: Awesome so I'll see you soon.
Paul smiles and stands up Stiles follows him out to the front of the restaurant. "Have a good time Paul. You should drop by the house sometime I make a mean steak." Stiles says stepping over next to Peter who looks at him with a raised eye brow. "That sounds like a plan. Well I'm going to head home and change see you two later." Paul waves and steps out in to the cold. Stiles looks at Peter a moment. "You're right you don't often see me on my own. So how about some quality time? Can I help you with the lunch crowd?" Peter recovers from his shock quickly and hands Stiles a stack of menus and gestures to the people queuing up by the host stand.
A bit later Stiles and Peter are talking about some changes to the menu when Stiles gets a faraway look. "If you're not interested…" Peter starts but stops when Stiles holds up his hand. Stiles yanks on the pack bond. He gets an answering tug back almost immediately from everyone. Stiles looks at Peter. "Something's not right." "What is it?" Peter asks setting the menu down. "I don't know it's just.." Stiles rolls his shoulders and neck like he's trying to work out a kink. "Anyway I'm sorry. I agree though you're probably carrying too many items on the menu. You can probably save on food cost if you cut back on the lower selling entrees that require specific or unique….." Stiles trails off and tugs on the bond again. Peter winces but says nothing. Moments later everyone has tugged back." Stiles shakes his head and looks at Peter. "Seasonal menus maybe?" Peter purses his lips in contemplation eyes darting to Stiles a moment later when he yanks on the pack bond again. "I'm about to throw you out in the snow if you don't stop that." He says with exasperation. Just then Stiles's phone rings and beeps at the same time. Text from Isaac call from Dad. Stiles quickly looks at the text from Isaac his stomach clenching when he sees the message. "Hey Dad what's up." Stiles says. "Stiles that friend you and Isaac helped out the other day with those muggers. What's his last name?" Stiles stiffens and closes his eyes. "Brace." He says softly. The phone is quiet for a moment. "Stiles…There's been an accident."
oooooo my first cliff hanger!