Now that all the guests had left - Quiet descended over the table. They could at least recognise this was a serious time. Derek let it get awkward as he wanted them on the back foot. Their stupidity was leaving him with a giant mess to fix.

He was the Alpha so he had to suck it up and start the conversation. "So why Beacon Hills?"

Carlos shrugged his shoulders. "You had just finished dealing with the Alpha pack. I figured it would weaken the pack ... you were rebuilding as it was."

Derek quirked an eyebrow. The Alpha was plain stupid then. "My pack defeats Deucalion and his cronies and you thought you could take us?"

All could see how embarrassed the Cortez Alpha was for his reasoning. He should be as it was just plain stupid. Stiles was of the opinion no one that stupid should get to live.

Rosa snorted, "And just how did such a fledgling pack manage such a feat?"

Derek snorted, "Like I'd be stupid enough to brag about it."

Chris smirked, "She was counting on it. She needs to know to report it back to the Council."

"You should have you traitor."

Chris clutched his heart, "Oh wait ... I still don't care. My choices begin and end with the protection of my family."

The pack got it. For a while didn't like Chris. He was too much hunter and he was good it. Whilst he followed his families ways he would always be a danger. When Chris had learnt about Peter and their daughter Malia. Well his allegiances and feelings switched gear. He was a father and in love and he would use his talents to make sure they were safe.

Derek was thinking through a thousand scenarios and none of them worked. He didn't like where his thoughts and sighed as he looked at John. "All I want for this pack is peace."

John clapped a supporting hand on his shoulder, "I know son. It's all we ever want for out family."

Carlos sighed, knowing this was not going to end well. He was more than capable of reading between the lines. "What was I supposed to do?"

If they could tell him he would do it. He didn't want too much of a different thing to Hale. He wanted his pack safe and through his own actions he had jeopardised that. He needed to make it right even if it was the last thing he ever did.

Chris snorted not keeping his disdain in check. "Keep your fangs to yourself would be a good start."

The Sheriff snickered seeing the put out faces of Rosa and Carlos. It was tough luck. They should not bring their shit to their town if they were not willing to put up with the sass.

John dug the knife in so to speak with a comment of, "Chris is right. Just why did they come here?"

Derek shrugged, "And that is what I want to know!" He could see their flinches and he knew that he didn't know all the details. He was guessing it was little niggling things that build up when you go to each other. At one time one of them may have had the morale high ground but that time had long since passed.

"I want his head!" So the female hunter at least knew what she wanted.

Huh.

Derek never knew that foaming at the mouth could be a literal description.

The visiting pack didn't say much, "Why are you doing this?"

Peter wondered if stupidity was a pack trait, "You heard my Alpha I am just following orders."

Antonio wished the betas would learn to shut their mouths. It was one of the things he had never been fond of - a pack needed discipline and structure to survive. Carlos had always been lax with both of these things and as a result - they were in this stupid predicament. It was clear Angela wasn't going to say anything.

"He is going to slaughter my mate!" Angela hissed, tears streaming down her eyes.

Stiles rolled his eyes, "And if that is Derek's decision I will support it!"

Peter just opened the door of the guest house wanting this to be over. He needed to get back to Chris and Derek this was stupid. He was not willing to listen to this stupid inane pack whine about their poor life choices.

Angela hissed, "I hate you."

Stiles rolled his eyes, "And I will sleep like a baby tonight despite the fact you hate me."

That was the last thing he said as he set the wards. He turned his back on the Cortez pack trusting Peter to have his back.

Antonio chose to be a good second and at least get useful information. He was not stupid enough to launch an attack when the Fae could turn him in a carpet (with a click of his fingers). He asked with extreme politeness, "How do the wards work?"

Peter shrugged showing indifference. He was happy to cause aggravation, "I'm not Fae why you asking me?"

Antonio bit back his own sarcasm. This was not the time and place - back home he had power. Here he was nothing and that was galling to realise. It made him hate Carlos just a little more. He thought he was doing a good job of hiding his emotions. He couldn't be as the two Hale members' looked at him with a vicious smile. "I want to protect the pack."

Stiles stood up, "You saw what happened when your beta tried to make a run for it."

Antonio nodded because of course he did.

The boy's smile was vicious, "Well the ward set on here will make that look like a tiny spark."

"So we're trapped?"

Peter snickered, "So are they as stupid as we thought?"

Stiles shrugged, "Who cares? Let's get out of here. I want us back with Derek.

"I want his head!"

Peter and Stiles arrived just as she hissed that out. Stiles wrinkled his nose with disgust. He didn't bother holding back his thoughts. "You see there you go with the animal comparisons again. You are getting right on my nerves."

Rosa hissed, "You don't get it, they are filthy animals."

Stiles face said it all. He was one minute away from frying this vindictive bitch. He didn't like the implication that he was stupid. He would delight in teaming up with Lydia and making this bitches life. It would be fun and a bonding experience. His eyes narrowed and he let his other-worldly nature show. "That is my mate you are talking about and the only animal I see is you."

Derek had a fond smile as he squeezed Stiles' hand. He sent a wave of love and calmness through the bond. He need information before Stiles did anything. Just because he was an Alpha it didn't mean he could be petty. Derek smirked at Stiles before adding, "You can't cure stupid babe."

Stiles looked at all the other adults of their pack. "How can anyone be that dumb and survive?"

He was trying to be funny but it was also a genuine question. Stiles saw the bitch flinch and knew he'd scored a good hit. The attempt at dignity was almost worth it as she hissed,

"I am good at hunting."

Stiles would like to point out as Carlos Cortez was sitting beside her. So she wasn't quite as good as she thought. He was a good boy and didn't mention it. He knew what he said would fall on deaf ears so what was the point?

"You kill human beings who may turn into an animal. You may hunt some that deserve it but they are too many innocents killed in your games." Stiles zinged back.

He was passionate about this as he would never let any of his pack think they were monsters. It had taken too long to drill it into the others.

Derek had so many things racing through his mind. He would like nothing more than to rip both of their throats out. It would be satisfying and primal. It would be epic and may be enough to quench his bloodthirst.

There was just a few problems.

One:- there was no good in killing a Hunter for any reason unless you were so scary you could avoid retribution. Queen Mab proved his point, she had killed one of them and didn't blink. No one else did either.

Two:- He may be the Alpha of the pack but he is also a Deputy Sheriff of the county. He knew John would support his action as this was his world. There was one thing supporting it and seeing it with your own eyes. He knew it could be a slippery slope if he started down it. Worse he wasn't too sure who would end up corrupting - him or John.

Three:- His grandmother-in-law was after blood. She left the choice up to him but he was in a bind.

There was an obvious solution.

She had said that she was happy to deliver her own justice. It was not like anyone would want to argue with her.

"I know what needs to happen ..."

A horn rang through the House. It was eerie and creepy. It would not be an exaggeration to say that every person in the room shivered.

Well.

All but one.

The two 'guests' looked around in confusion. There was fear in their eyes too. They didn't know what it meant. Stiles clapped his hands with glee. "Grandma did say she was willing to take the awkward situation out of your hands."

Peter understood. "Will we need to keep our eyes closed?"

Stiles snorted, "That was such a stupid myth. You ever meet any of the Hunt you would know that are too vain. They like when people look at them."

Rosa hissed, "What are you talking about?"

"I'm Fae." Stiles glowed with his innate power. "You do do remember that correct?"

She rolled her eyes, "Of course I do! Do you think me a simpleton?"

The Hale Pack looked at her askance and their looks said it all. There was no positive way they could answer the question.

Derek smirked and picked up his mate's hand. They were an Alpha pair and in all important things they worked together. They understood this whole situation was a mess. There was one advantage that they could outsource the problem. He was glad Mab could act without reprisals. "The horn is the sound of a chase."

Stiles had a grin the Joker would have been proud of, "And it's going to be Wild!"

Chris could put the clues together, "You mean the Wild Hunt is coming to town?"

Stiles snorted, "Nope they already here and close ... Within a mile of the House."

Carlos knew it was inevitable. "I ask only for mercy for my pack."

Derek could finally respect the Alpha. His decisions up to this point had been crass. This was a change for the books - maybe he was learning. It was a good thing. Stiles cocked his ear to the side as if he was listening to something none of them could.

Stiles had a serene smile on his face as he chose to inform them. "You will survive if you can elude the hunt for the evening so decrees King Edward and Queen Mab. The rules are simple, you will gain no help and you cannot let any innocents get caught in the crossfire. You survive the night ... you get to live."

"You disgusting righteous twitchy little boy." Rosa hissed.

Chris could see the cracks in the woman. She was a Hunting Matriarch and dangerous to boot. This was not a good combination. She needed to die as she was a threat to Peter and Malia. This type of crazy he'd seen before in the eyes of his father. "You don't listen too well do you?"

"The power has gone to her head."

If anyone would understand that syndrome it was Peter. It was the most accurate description of what had happened.

She was crazy.

Stiles shrugged as he didn't care. "Tick tock you should run while you can."