Chapter 10

The Sheriff could not be convinced to keep the identity of the new victim under wraps and truthfully Mary couldn't blame him. Though how he was going to warn the family to stay away from someone who looked just like their son if he should suddenly appear on their doorstep. For that she did not envy the man in the least.

He did ask her advice on how to catalog the death and after a few moments consideration, she suggested he list it as undetermined. "Use the medical examiner, that is what he's there for. There's nothing here he can't attribute to perdition, depending on his skill and capabilities and if he does deem it suspicious fine. There's no way really to connect the two deaths other than they knew each other and dated. Danny purportedly died nearly a year ago. This one a few weeks ago at best."

"Yeah and the fact that they died in the same general area, well Beacon Hills is kind of a small town dad." Stiles provided helpfully. Mary saw the poor man pinch the bridge of his nose again and sigh.

The Sheriff then had Deputy Parrish take the pair of them back to Stiles' jeep. After he had a long soft-spoken conversation with Stiles during which the father and son had embraced. The man had just gone up a few points in Mary's estimation. Which was good, as he was about to go into the negatives before.

They arranged with the deputy to meet with him for the next afternoon after his shift ended but before Lydia's party to have the conversation with his hitchhiker as Stiles had nicknamed the possessive jinn. He actually got out of the cruiser when they got to Stiles jeep and shook both of their hands and told them he was grateful for their help. When Stiles seemed shocked at the show of appreciation the Deputy pulled the younger man into a one armed hug

The young man responded still a little stiffly and Parrish stared at Stiles with a little concern and then gave Ms. Spenser the same look. The older woman merely tilted her head slightly, Jordan merely said to the younger Stilinski, "You never really learned how to accept compliments or gratitude did you?"

The brunette tried to laugh it off, but Parrish continued to gaze at him for a few minutes. Before a radio call from the sheriff had the deputy back on task, he thanked them again and then got into his cruiser and sped back towards the crime scene.

"So…are you up to lunch or shall we postpone it till after our shopping trip?" Mary asked gently.

Stiles drew a fortifying breath, truthfully he didn't feel up to either let alone the unbinding ritual tonight. He wanted to show his toughness though so he said, "Lunch, I have a feeling I'm going to need the extra strength for a shopping trip with you."

Mary merely gave the younger man a mock scowl and a gentle shove to the drivers seat of the Jeep and said, "Behave you, the best steak in town I think will be a good lunch."

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Stiles had to admit that he did feel better after eating the over the top meal. After shopping with Mary however…yeah he was certain he had been right in the first place that the woman was a shop till you drop kinda woman.

The fact that he now had several dress shirts, some dressier t-shirts without logos of superhero's and slacks, as well as a pair of loafers and hiking boots. When he had started to balk at prices and the number of items, Mary had reminded him of her dress code and said if it would make him feel better she would take it out of his salary along and along.

When informed that she planned on taking him on another shopping trip same time next week. He'd just shut up and gone along for the ride. Then they had picked up a few supplies for the rituals, including the hard to find angelica root.

Followed quickly by making a few calls to the architect in San Jose who said he would be there at the beginning of the next week for a consultation. He had taken her around to the best contractors in town and they had arranged tentative contracts with a few of them.

They had then gone to a tree service and arranged to have the land cleared with the assurances that the land would be cleared only with her supervision. She wanted to keep as many of the trees as possible arranging it so they would keep the drainage as natural as possible to prevent landslides and such.

Those groups were to be onsite the next morning bright and early. Stiles added it to his new agenda along with all of the other information they had gathered. She also informed him they would have to actually be there before the crew to lay out where the house would go and mark that out as well as where wards would go so the crews would know what absolutely had to be cut and what could be left.

Stiles had a pretty good idea from studying a bit with Deaton what wards were but he didn't know how to create them or what was needed to set them. Mary told him that many wards were set like the mountain ash circles and boundaries he had seen before. Then she said, "But these wards will be different. We are going to set them to protect the house and the pack inside. Is there a gun range nearby?"

"The only one I know of is the one my dad and his deputies use." Stiles replied.

Mary nodded and said, "Hand me your agenda," which the teen did. Opening it to the notepad she asked, "Will they let us use it?" she asked as she began sketching something out on the notepad.

"Yeah, dad has taken me out their before, they shouldn't have a problem with it." he responded, as he pulled out and drove the Jeep in the general direction of the gun range.

"So I take it you do know how to use a gun?" Mary said absently as she tried to sketch carefully while Stiles drove.

"Yeah sure he let me use his service weapon, we would do skeet shooting over in a friends field. Used some of the shotguns that the deputies use, have my own 22, I use for hunting but I haven't really done that for a while." Stiles responded before adding for her benefit. "I'm going to be pulling off the main road up here and the road to the range isn't the best, just so you know."

Mary merely smiled in response as she finished the sketch quickly. Once he pulled into the hard packed earth the shooters used as a parking lot, he turned off the Jeep and tried to look at what she had drawn.

Three figure eights drawn inside each other and around two buildings. All inside a much larger tract of land that had a border drawn around it. The only thing that finally made him recognize what she had drawn was the fact that he had seen the tract of land too many times in the past few days as Mary told him her plans for the same time period. "That's the preserve," Stiles said and traced the larger of the two buildings with his finger. "This is Hale House but," he pointed to the other building, "What's this place?"

"That is where I'm going to live and there's also going to be a place where we can practice our magic and when the buildings are done I'm going to move the Nemeton closer so it can be safe." Then the teen traced his fingers over the figure 8's and before he could even ask she explained, "Those are the wards and there will also be one around the Preserve but that one will be less stable because we won't really be able to anchor it to something."

"Now lets see how good you really are," Mary said as she climbed out of the Jeep. Stiles grabbed the big rucksack from the back and walked with her down to the shooting stalls. When he put the rucksack on the ground next to the stall, Mary reached down and unzipped the heavy thing. She stood back up and with a graceful wave at the contents said, "Choose your poison kiddo."

For the next hour and a half they went through an inordinate amount of ammo and nearly 2/3 of the weapons in the bag. His new boss and teacher complimented, scolded and assessed, before stopping him to remind him they had to get ready for the unbinding ritual. He dropped her off at the hotel and per her instructions went home to shower using salt from the kitchen to scrub with instead of his usual shower gel.

He then changed into loose fitting clothes and went back to the hotel to pick Mary up again and they headed into the forest, and hiked to the Nemeton. She was carrying a much smaller bag and they began setting up the ritual by placing candles just so on the tree stump.

A cauldron with the angelica root in it, a bowl of salt, and various other materials were placed around the top of the Nemeton. When everything was set and the time was right, Stiles removed his shirt and shoes and told Mary, "You know the last time I touched this thing, it actually touched me back."

"That was the Nemeton trying to warn you, but you will probably feel it again when the ritual is over. Don't worry, this time it's a positive thing. Go on," she added encouragingly as the teen crawled up on the stump of the tree.

As Stiles arranged himself on top of the stump, Mary began reciting the incantation. The four candles that were set around him began lighting themselves, one by one. Stiles could feel himself getting more and more tense.

Then he felt something that wasn't the tree, thank goodness.

It was something comfortingly warm and safe and there was a scent dark, rich, and earthy but fresh. Like someone turning over new soil and for some reason it felt as if someone had flipped a switch inside of him and he relaxed. To the point of falling asleep while Mary completed the ritual.

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He was running, through the woods, along paths long remembered but his pack was missing, his family gone. The black wolf stopped at a rise where a toppled tree stood, blue eyes glowed as he let out a mournful howl. Only to be answered by another wolves call, the call angered instead of comforted him, this was his territory, the territory of his pack. Who was trespassing in their territory?

He followed the call running faster and faster until he crashed into a white wolf, warm whiskey colored eyes playful and amused. Until the black wolf growled warningly, at the other male, even though he knew his blue eyes were glowing, the white wolf merely looked at him. It continued to give him a lupine grin as the brown eyes slowly bled to red.

He felt a shiver go through him of recognition, and he bowed his head. Only to have the other come over and using neither tooth nor claw force him down to the ground gently. It began scent marking him thoroughly from nose to tail, and head to claw. It's scent was familiar yet strange. A mix of grass, bees wax, motor oil and old books. Then the white male lay down beside him and though the Alpha was smaller he put his head over the shoulder of the black beta protectively.

Derek sat up gasping from the dream, his body covered in a fine sheen of sweat that had nothing to do with the balminess of the summer evening or the residual heat left in the loft. He leaned forward elbows on his knees and rolled his head to crack his neck.

He hadn't had one of these dreams since before Boyd and Erica had been killed.

~X~

A grey mist with red eyes glowing out of it had been around the entire pack. Every time one of them had tried to step out of the mist it had thickened in that area as though trying to contain the pack.

The dream hadn't made sense but he hadn't made sense at the time. Then Boyd and Erica had left and later died. The mist was trying to tell him to keep his Pack close, but he had failed to heed the warning and part of his Pack was dead.

~X~

For a split second he half expected Braeden to reach out and touch his shoulder, her gaze assessing. But no Braeden was gone. Almost as soon as they had arrived in town, Malia had arrived at the loft.

His cousin was more than half wild. And Derek wondered why the pack wasn't keeping a closer eye on her, why her Alpha wasn't keeping a better eye on her. Before he could ask, the younger woman ignoring her cousin moved to confront Braeden and asked the former Marshall, "Is it true you tracked and investigated the Desert Wolf?"

"How do you…" Derek had seen Braeden turn her gaze to him suspiciously and his heart had sunk at the lack of trust from a woman he had considered a friend at least.

"Scott's father he's FBI, he had her file in amongst some other stuff." her eyes became distant as she continued. "Stiles feels the need to check on Scott's mom while the Alpha and the rest of the pack are away at Lacrosse camp."

"Why didn't you go with them or stay with your adoptive father, for that matter why didn't Stiles go with them?" Derek asked.

"I have nothing in common with them. I don't like school, lacrosse or being part of the pack." She had what appeared to be a grooming kit. She pulled a rather thick file out of it before pouring the remaining contents out on the rather dusty table. Several bundles of cash.

"The file is the one that Scott's dad had and the cash is to hire you. I want you to find my mother. I want you to find the Desert Wolf." Malia said heatedly.

After that Malia became a little more erratic, while Braeden made several phone calls. Derek had found some canned meat and a few other things which he'd thrown together for his cousin to eat. When he asked her about Stiles again, she had mentioned the two of them visiting her father a couple of times, but not much else.

Remembering what Braeden had told him about her obsession with the Desert Wolf, Derek had his own suspicions about her motives for helping his cousin find her mother. After Malia had eaten an entire canned ham, a gallon of water and the rest of the meager contents of his pantry he had tried to warn her.

He suggested that she wait for the rest of the Pack to return and maybe talk to Stiles and her father Peter, he didn't expect the near violent reaction he got for his advice.

Clearing the table with one arm, Malia growled angrily, "I'm not a Hale, or your mother wouldn't have sent me away without even telling my father I existed. I'm not Pack or Scott wouldn't have left me behind with my psycho father and the hapless human. So don't try to tell me what I should and should not do…" Any kind of conversation between the three had degenerated from their.

Braeden and Malia were focused on their quest to find the Desert Wolf. Derek felt the remains of his already damaged heart shred a little more as he watched the woman he had learned to trust walk out of the loft. While one of the three remaining members of his family went with her and knew that short of brute force there was nothing he could do to stop them.

Knowing he probably wasn't going to be able to go back to sleep after the strange dream, the werewolf got up and paced over to the table. He was tired, the trip with Braeden had been a long one and not the most comfortable. Scott, Kira, and Liam, as well as Mason and Brett who while not officially Pack members, were part of their group. The news that they were all away from the territory was something he couldn't fathom.

Alphas and Packs were usually a lot more territorial and were very reluctant to travel far from home. Obviously the trip wasn't mandatory or Stiles would have gone as well. It didn't really make sense.

Of course Scott was an unconventional Alpha to say the least. Just as he had always been a rather unique werewolf. Derek had always admired that morality and strength of will in Scott. Now he was beginning to wonder if he had made a mistake about the True Alpha's true nature.

Not that he wanted the position back, not by any means. When he had told his Uncle he didn't care about the power, he hadn't lied about that. Scott had left members of his Pack behind. A pack divided was a pack weakened, vulnerable. Malia hadn't said anything about Lydia or Deputy Parrish either. Nor had she mentioned anything about Scott's mother, the Sheriff, or Chris Argent.

Derek felt a driving need an imperative to check on those who hadn't gone with Scott McCall. Pulling his trainers back on and slipping into his hoodie rather than his leather jacket, Derek headed into the night. At this time of night during the summer there would be more teens and twenty-somethings out wandering around. A young man out jogging around town in the cooler hours of the evening would hardly draw attention.

First was Argent he was closest, he was careful not to trip alarms or traps but still didn't get very close. He didn't have to, there were no heartbeats and the general air of neglect gave him the clue that no one had been here since they had last seen him in Mexico.

Next came Lydia, the young woman was awake and inside with her mother they were discussing plans for a party she was apparently throwing for Deputy Parrish the next night if the decorations and banner were any indication. Otherwise she seemed fine. Then there was Melissa McCall, the equivalent of Pack Mother she was asleep her heart rate and breathing even and her ex-husband was in the house. Working if the sounds of shuffling papers was any indication.

The Stilinski household was empty, and that had Derek more than a little concerned. Without Scott here Stiles would usually be home, playing video games, watching a movie, doing research. His Jeep was gone though. Derek went to check on the remaining pack members at the Sheriff's station.

The Beacon Hills Sheriffs Department looked surprisingly busy for this time of the day and that really piqued his curiosity and concern. He was able to detect the Sheriffs voice talking to his men. Apparently there was some kind of serial killer on the loose or at least they suspected so and were waiting for confirmation from the State Police Crime Lab.

He heard Parrish say something to the Sheriff and felt his concern for them ease enough to zero in on locating the missing member of the Pack. Of course he could go in there and let the Sheriff know he was back from his trip and was just touching base with everyone. But considering the previous trouble he'd had with the department he didn't think it would be a good idea. Especially when they were looking for another killer just when he returned to town. That was a disaster waiting to happen.

Instead he headed back to the home where he spent more time climbing through the second story bedroom window of a certain teen than using the front door if truth be told. He picked up the gym bag, old work out clothes that held the scent of grass, sweat, motor oil from that old rattle trap of a Jeep and a small amount of blood. Sure he had a pretty good place to start and started to crawl back out the window when he noticed something he had never noticed before.

Wooden carvings, one was completed and carved of some kind of dark almost black wood, it was about six inches high and several inches longer and had painted accents. The competed wolf carving was placed on a higher shelf undoubtedly to keep it from getting broken. The wolf it depicted was black, the detail was incredible, painted mouth, nose, eyes and claws were depicted. The wolf was snarling at something, the image was powerful and all too familiar.

The next wolf was incomplete and showed a deep reddish brown carving. This one was standing and appeared to be howling but the detail and personality wasn't there. There were several other pieces of wood on the shelf, some of them were just that pieces of wood. Others were just starting out and had no real form to them yet. Derek put the carvings back on the shelves before crawling back out the teenagers open window. More determined than ever to try and find the teen before sunrise.

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The white wolf woke alone but he wasn't concerned for the beta. He would return when he was ready. In the meantime he had work to do. She was making a Pack house and safe places for the Pack to make den. So was he.

He was determined to make more den areas. Making sure the pack would be safe and healthy, that was what he intended before he called them. The new Alpha was good but he was limiting the Pack and that would never do. What was coming was much too big for just the few numbers of his friends Pack.

He needed an Alliance or two and the new Alpha was determined to make that possible as he crawled into the cave he had been heading for when he had heard the other wolves mournful howl and had answered.

He smelt the taint of old blood and wolfs bane and avoided the area where the taint was to crawl to the back of the cave to begin enlarging it. Digging carefully to ensure against cave-ins, he would return when and if he ever had free time in his human form to collect the tainted soil and purify it of the wolves bane and shore up where he was digging to prevent any accidents. The blood would be of great value to him for what was to come, he thought and then set his wandering mind to the task at hand for as long as he could.