Episode 9: To Make a Stand pt1

Derek trusted his pack, he knew that they had the situation in hand. He didn't like having a shift when he should be with the pack. It still sucked and the well known stoic guy was restless as a result. It was bad enough that even his colleagues were commenting on it.

"You okay Derek?"

Derek wanted to growl, 'no'. The big question was why did he feel this way. He took a page out of Stiles' book and listened to his instincts. He closed his eyes, people would assume he was just collecting himself or sighing. He wasn't, he was using his Alpha senses to take in his surroundings.

He got it.

He wanted to shift and that was making him antsy. He only ever did so if there was a threat close to hand. If his wolf was so restless - Where was the threat? As far as he was aware there was no one currently in the station locked up that he would consider dangerous. It was ridiculous. He was an Alpha werewolf with a strong pack. The only one that would make his fur-hackles rise - would be the Nogitsune.

He froze. This was not good. He was around too many mortals that could be hurt in the crossfire.

The Nogitsune that all of the pack was trying to track down. It seemed like they didn't need the hunt. It looked he was coming to Derek - He must be sensing the Nogitsune?

Damn trickster spirit. He prefered his foes to be ones who go for your throat. Still he had a worried partner to calm down. "Don't know gonna have a word with the boss and I will let you know."

He walked into the Sheriff's office, "This sucks."

The sheriff did not blink or look up from the report he was reading. His only observation was, "You've been hanging around Stiles too long."

Derek shrugged as he couldn't deny it. In fact he was proud of it. "Probably. Can I do a perimeter check?"

This clearly got his attention as the Sheriff put his paper's down. "Anything I should be worried about?"

Derek was not quite sure how to answer the question. He could lie but then even without his werewolf advantages - John always knew when someone was lying to him. It was what made him such a good cop. "The Nogitsune is stepping up its campaign. Stiles has called in the Hunt to help track it down."

His all but father-in-law sat back assimilating what was said. It was clear from his reaction he knew who Derek was referring too. It was bad if Stiles had called the hunt down; their reputation was well deserved.

"Any clue on its identity?" He asked falling back on his own skills.

Derek winced because this was the crux of the problem, "We believe it is possessing the Yukimura's daughter, Kira."

"Why?"

Derek sighed because wasn't that the sixty four thousand dollar question. "There is a history between the creature and the family. The Nogitsune would find the possession ironic."

As he said it a fire alarm went off, Derek knew what was happening and he was worried for his fellow Deputies. They needed to get people out quickly.

Some of what he was thinking must have showed on his face as John said one word.

"Shit."

The little family had broken off from the pack to get the ingredients and then make the tincture. It made sense between Chris and Peter they had the ingredients and the power to use them to make the mixture potent. Whilst Peter was no Fae; he had enough power to finish a resurrection ritual - so he was by no means a slouch in the power department.

"How do you think he did it?" Malia was asking Allison.

Allison was listening and patiently answering any questions. She was also standing guard with her favourite crossbow. When Malia had been offered a weapon she had grinned, showing razor sharp teeth. The message was understood - Malia was never without some useful weapons.

"Do what Mal' ?"

"He did the glowy armour thing."

Allison could hear the awe in her sister's voice. In truth she had been in awe; only she had learnt to hide her feelings better. "No clue. He has never shown the pack that trick before."

"Not even to the Alpha?"

Allison wondered about that question. In all honesty. She was not sure. She knew that the Alpha pair were strong mates and that by bonding it had seemingly increased their powers. At least that is what she had surmised from everything that had been said. "You would have to ask Derek that one Malia."

Peter and Chris shared a fond look. There had been a concern over how Allison may take to Malia. She was her sister but she had never known about her - in fairness, they didn't either. Chris was not sure how that could have happened. Peter had for once held his council but his sister better hope she had a damn good reason because he didn't care about death - he would find a way to make her pay, even in the afterlife.

"You okay sweetheart?"

He asked, taking to fatherly concern more that he ever thought he would. "I don't like waiting and skulking."

Chris was the one to chuckle, "The Nogitsune is very much like a fox."

"They are stupid tricksters and I hated them in the forest. Stringy too when I had to eat them."

Peter grinned at the assessment. He liked the fact she had blatantly hunted a few, possibly out of disdain than hunger. "Rabbits are better."

Chris and Allison could have made many comments here. Chris settled it with a dry, "Better than eating Bambi."

Peter sniffed haughtily, "So you say. The stuff is almost ready. Are you armed with silver?"

"Of course, I changed all the bullets and reloaded the bows with silver tips."

It seemed Chris was taking no chances and in truth the minute he had seen the creatures he had switched the weapons to silver based ones. It was the only thing he knew that could slow down the Oni or the creature.

"What will the mixture do?"

Chris answered Malia, "It will separate the host and the Nogitsune ... It should also trap the Nogitsune inside a copy of the body."

"Meaning we can kill it?" She asked, sounding hopeful.

"We hope so."

At this point all they could do was hope.

Wodan took his task seriously. The Princeling had asked him to get the humans to safety. He was not sure why it was important but he would always follow a royal command. The question was how do they evacuate a human hospital?

There was only one way. They would have to take a page out of their princelings book and look human. His first point of call was the nurse he'd seen in the Prince's mind. She was important to the pack and to his Prince, ever since his own mother had faded.

Now where would he find this Melissa McCall? He headed to the nurses station, using the information that the prince had sent him before disappearing. He found the fiery little brunette, "Excuse me Nurse McCall?"

She turned around, frowning not recognising the guy, "Can I help you?"

Wodan gave a small bow, "I have been asked to get you to safety by the Prince."

She didn't bother to hide her confusion. She knew no prince and why would they care about her safety? "I don't know a prince."

Wodan sighed and forgot just how good the prince was at hiding who he was. He didn't just mean in the princelings use of glamours. "You know him as Stiles."

Now he had her attention, there was a fiercely protective look that he recognised on all mother's faces. "Where is he? Are they safe?"

Wodan knew that there was no good answer to the question. He was impressed by the fiery mortal. She made him wary and considering his reputation as the Captain of the hunt.

"The prince is unharmed but he is concerned for this place. The Nogitsune was tracked to here. He left sensing trouble with his mate."

Melissa was concerned on two levels. She was aware of the Nogitsune, she had been briefed by John. It seemed like the creature was stepping up its campaign. She didn't know when the creature would strike. She couldn't decide if it would leave traps here; cause chaos and injuries at the station first and then take out the hospital in the second wave. The second wave starting when they treated the injured from the attack at the station. Her other concern was Derek and John were on duty. John was going to pick her up for a late night dinner as it was the closest they were going to get to a date with their schedules this week.

"Will the Nogitsune take out the Hospital first or second wave?" She said a loud.

Wodan quirked an eyebrow, impressed with her poise. "If I was the Nogitsune. Second Wave."

She closed her eyes, took a deep breath and centered herself. "I will kill that man myself if he dies before we get our date."

Wodan didn't know the mortal man but he would be a fool if he let this woman slip through his hands. "My lady we need to get you moving."

She laughed softly even as she blushed at the compliment. "You get points for style but I can't just leave we have the sick. If the Nogitsune is planning something ... I need them out of here."

He got it. Sadly he did. It would be tempting to just render her asleep using magic and then carrying her off. It would make life simpler, so much so. So why was he thinking of how to evacuate the hospital? He was going to blame Genius for this when the Queen asked.

"You won't leave until everyone is out?"

She nodded her head in the affirmative - stubborn woman. In such a case he was willing to bow to her more extensive knowledge. "What do we do?" He really hoped that something appeared that he could hunt as this day had been quite vexing.

Melissa had a big grin on her face as she asked, "You up to a little fire starting?"

Stiles was unaware of what was going on at the hospital. He had to put it from his mind and trust the guard to see Mama McCall safe. He was focussing on the Sheriff's Office. He used his Fae sight to assess the station. It was weird using that form of vision. The best way to describe it was the trippiest rainbow vision ever. Only Stiles could see a lot with it; he could see the humans. Derek glowed gold due to their bond. His Dad was silver thanks to the familial link. Next to his Mate there was someone his sight was picking up - he guessed the person was Jordan.

The inner office was safe but Stiles knew the Nogitsune was hiding somewhere. He should be able to see them from the ridge above the station. Even if the crafty creature was hiding; the magic would leave a trace his sight would pick up.

It was killing him not just to storm in there. He had to be smart about this and he needed a plan. He was on his cell to Peter. "How are we coming along with the tincture?"

"The concoction is finished. Why?"

"The pack?" Stiles asked. He was already stretched thin thinking about both the hospital and his Dad's place. He was not sure he could handle another front of attack. He was only keeping a tenuous hold on his temper right now.

"Finding us a ritual space still." Peter reported.

Stiles let out a sigh of relief, "That is good but the fighters of the pack need to split off the hospital."

"On it."

Stiles grinned because Peter was more than capable of doing the right thing when needed. He just had to respect the person giving the order. "Thanks and can you get to the Station I need someone with me."

"Don't do anything stupid." Peter practically ordered as he closed the call down.

Stiles pouted as he was not the type to do anything stupid unless someone forced his hand. He just hoped he could stay watching. This sucked. He was going to make the Nogitsune pay for the torture of him having to wait to take action.

Stiles had been patient. He had. The night was closing in and he knew the Nogitsune would strike now - during the darkness. He felt the bonds of pack to his left, "About time you got here?"

Chris settled along with Allison on the ground aiming their scopes, "What we got?"

Stiles sighed, "Derek and all the others are in the main work area. Found the little bastard."

Chris and Peter were pleased, this was the first time they had truly come close to catching the damn thing. "It's time to make a stand."

From their little observation post they say the lights be cut; the alarm started to howl. Stiles was through playing games. "Peter want to play?"

Peter grinned even as he was morphing into his beta form. "Always."

Stiles grinned, looking just as menacing despite not having fangs. "Let's go. Chris, Allison, Malia stay on the outside and protect the deputies coming out."

As they stormed down the hill, a blast rocked the front of the office. Stiles didn't blanch or stop. He looked at Peter, "I will get inside and blast a hole through the wall to get them out."

It was funny neither of them stopped or wondered what had happened. The blast was to take out the entrance to trap the people inside. It would maximise the chaos. Stiles just hoped the Nogitsune hadn't picked up too many buddies.

Stiles transported himself inside the station, subconsciously using his bond to transport himself next to Derek. The smoke was thick in the air. He checked on his Dad, who thankfully looked okay. He was guessing Derek had shielded him from the blast looking at the soot on the back of his shirt and how clean his Dad was. He would give him a special thanks for that later. Right now he had a spirit to put down.

His Dad hugged him, "Stiles."

Stiles chuckled weakly, "Will you ground me if I blast a hole in the side of the wall?"

"No not this once." His Dad smiled affectionately.

"Oh good. Make sure everyone gets out. I've got a god to put down."

John Stilinski was man who knew when to argue. He could see his son was serious. His instincts would always be to shield his son from harm. This time, he knew it was futile. He would do as suggested and get the Deputies out. He saw Peter and Derek standing close to each other, "Protect him."

Peter nodded solemnly although privately, he thought Stiles would be protecting them. They raced after him. "Wait up."

They turned the corner to see the light show begin. Stiles saw the swarm of shadows between him and the thing masquerading as Kira.

Stiles could only assume it was meant to inspire fear. He chuckled, "I'm not afraid of the dark ... Are you afraid of the light?"
Derek just knew they were about to find out.

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