Stiles and the new boy walked through the forest trying to catch her scent. Constantly sniffing ,as he wandered aimlessly. Until he happened to stumble on it by chance. He held up his hand to get Isaac's attention "Smell that?"
"What?" Isaac bounced in his spot as he tried his hardest to sniff out what 'that' was.
Stiles groaned, "That dog like smell. There are two distinct scents like it. Try to focus on them."
Isaac closed his eyes and concentrated. "Y-yeah, I got them. Which one do we follow?"
Stiles sighed, this boy couldn't even smell the difference between genders. "You notice that sweet scent, kind of like strawberries."
"Y-yeah," Isaac kept his eyes closed as he concentrated on the smell. "what is that?" it smelled a little like Stiles was describing but not quite. It was also heavily mixed with the scent of wet dog making it sickening sweet yet somehow that made it all the more desirable to his own body.
"That's female pheromones. Those are the ones we need to follow. Try to keep track of them at all times and see where they go. It's not as reliable as tracking the uniqueness of her scent but she is the only Female werewolf in these woods... hopefully."
"What about the other scent?" Isaac asked before getting his phone out. "We should tell Derek about it. It might be the guy he's looking for."
"I'm sure Derek has already found it. His sense of smell is much better then ours and he likes to boast about what a great tracker he is."
"Still," Isaac pressed Derek's name on his phone and pressed it against his ear. "It's ringing," he told Stiles who rolled his eyes.
"You find her?" Derek immediately asked.
"No but we found her scent," Isaac informed.
"Good for you. You want a gold star?" Derek's voice dripped with sarcasm.
Isaac blushed as he suddenly felt insanely stupid, "We also found the other werewolf's scent."
"... where?"
"I... I don't really know where we are, but both of there scents are all over the place."
"The new guy is probably tracking her. Probably hopes she's part of our pack."
Isaac nodded before remembering Derek couldn't see him. He just felt so bloody ackward around Derek. Although he joined the pack to get free of his dad, he was still worried Derek might turn out to be exactly like him.
"Alright I need you to mark your scent in the area, otherwise I'll have to backtrack and follow your scent from where we started."
Isaac blinked, "How?"
"... I need you to cut your hand and smear some blood on a tree."
Isaac's eyes widened.
"The strong scent will be easier to detect from a distance so I should be able to find it quickly."
"D-do I have to?" Isaac tried not to let his voice come out a whine.
"It will heal almost instantly remember? Besides it's either that or pee on the tree "
"I think I'd prefer the second one," Isaac blushed.
Derek loudly groaned, "Fine but get a little ways away from the area first otherwise your scent will mask their's."
"Right" Isaac, still red faced, hung up the phone.
"I'm not doing it!" Stiles had his own blush.
"Huh?"
Stiles rolled his eyes, "I'm NOT 'marking' this place."
Isaac blinked, "How'd you know-"
"Jeez, We're Werewolves remember?" Stiles glared. "We have super hearing! Don't you know ANYTHING!"
"Hey, give me a break!" Isaac glared right back. "I was just turned last night!"
"Right right," Stiles dismissed. "Just go find a tree to pee on."
Isaac blushed crimson before storming off into the woods. He handled his business before coming back and jumped when Stiles suddenly through something at him. It was a small bottle of hand sanitizer.
"I usually use that for cleaning blood off my hands," Stiles rolled his eyes as he started following the girl's scent. "Really glamorous, the life of a Werewolf, right?" he sniped.
Isaac cleaned his hands as he followed after. "So... you weren't given a choice about turning?"
Stile snorted, "No Scott and I were being stupid and going on an 'adventure'. You heard about that dead body they found near the beginning of the school year? The first one? A woman got torn in half in the woods. Since my dad is the sheriff I heard him talking about it over the phone. I decided to get Scott and hunt down the body in the woods as if we were in a Stephan King novel.
"We got attacked by the guy who killed her, a werewolf. The bites we received were fully healed by the next day and slowly we figured out what it was that attacked us and what we were. Later we found out the girl was an Alpha and she was killed so the one who bit us could become an Alpha... the girl was Derek's older sister. He came down here to avenge her... turns out the guy who killed her was their uncle who had then gone on a murdering spree...
"Years ago their used to be a large werewolf pack in town but they were murdered by hunters, not just the adults but children were trapped in their house and burned alive. This guy survived the fire and went 50 shades of crazy. After years of being catatonic the second he woke up he started killing everyone even slightly responsible. Scott and I helped Derek stop the guy and Derek killed him for murdering his sister. That was how Derek became an Alpha." Stiles didn't really think as orderly as most people, so that abstract explanation probably confused the boy a bit. Still hopefully he got the point across. "Bet Derek left all that out."
"Y-yeah," Isaac admitted.
"Of course he did!" Stiles scoffed. "He wasn't about to tell you what the life of a werewolf is really like. All that, it's NORMAL for us now. You better get used to it because you literally just ruined your life with one stupid decision... and as Derek pointed out you get to live like this for eternity. Brilliant isn't it? What an amazing gift."
"It can't be all bad," Isaac insisted. "I mean you and Scott never even got to play on the lacrosse team before. You were professional bench warmers and now look at you. You're one of the star players and Scott is TEAM CAPTAIN!"
"Co-Captain," Stiles informed. "Scott is a bit touchy about that, actually."
"My point is someone who used to be a severe asthmatic is a captain of a sports team and one of the best athletes in school. Come on, how can that be such a bad thing."
"The werewolf hunters saw us play, figured out what we are, and tried to kill us." Stiles informed. Noticing Isaac stopped walking, Stiles stopped as well, and looked him straight in the eye, "Every good thing Lychanthropy gives you is tainted. It will all come back to bite you. Keep in mind it's only been a couple months since Scott and I were turned and all that shit I just told you about happened in that short time.
"Oh and let's not forget that Derek just told me that I'm not allowed to go to college because he doesn't want to separate the pack..." Isaac's eyes widened in shock at Stiles words. "Okay that's not exactly what he said. He said if I wanted to go I would have to go to the one in town. I don't know about you but I wanted to get out of this place at some point. I wanted to DO something with my life. Being good at lacrosse means nothing because Derek won't allow us to take any college scholarships for it. And if you had any dreams about doing it, professionally, you can kiss that goodbye to."
"Maybe I just wanted to play for fun," Isaac shrugged. "... I know you don't know much about me but I can guarantee you. Whatever bad that might come with this is nothing compared to what my life used to be. At least we have each other, right?"
Stiles rolled his eyes, "You think we're friends now just cuz Derek ordered it?" then paled when he saw the shattered look the boy was giving him. "Sorry man, that was harsh. Scott and me haven't had the best experience with Derek or any other Werewolves... we probably should keep an eye on each other. It can be dangerous out here."
"Isn't that why we have Derek?"
Stiles sighed, "I'm sorry but whatever it is you were hoping to gain from Derek, and this pack he's building, you're not likely to find. I know Derek. Whatever he's got planned for us... it isn't good." seeing the boy sink further in his misery Stiles walked up to him and put his hand on the guy's shoulder, "Which is why it's all the more important we look out for each other. Derek might not have your back but Scott and I do."
###
Scott looked up at the night sky. They had been searching all day and the moon was now in full bloom "Aren't you worried that Isaac kid might flip out?" he asked Derek, who was walking a little ahead of him.
"I gave him a sedative before we went out," Derek assured. "I don't expect Lydia to put up much of a fight for them so he should be fine. Stiles should be able to talk her down... he's pretty good at that given how he handles you. He'll be useful for recruiting others when he's older."
"I thought you hated Stiles," Scott more stated then asked.
"He's certainly more annoying then most pups, and often speaks without thinking, but he's a good addition to the pack. Might not be all that strong but packs need brains to survive just as much as brawn. You'd make a good defender when your older as you seem to have developed a greater strength then most pups."
"Could you quit calling me 'pup'!" Scott glared.
Derek paused, as if actually considering his capability, "... no."
Scott scoffed and remained quite for a moment as they walked through the forest but then remembered he had a question. "Why am I so much stronger then Stiles? I mean we were turned at the same time so shouldn't we be at equal strength?"
"It's because you were severely asthmatic, and physically very weak. So the Lychanthropy Venom had to work extra hard to correct your biology. This increased your strength and speed, more then usual. As the Venom fixed your lungs and searched much harder for other biological imperfections. This also meant that, since the physical changes were more dramatic, it was more likely to kill you. In truth the best person to turn is someone near death. That way the Venom will make them extremely powerful as it fixes them. And since they are about to die anyway, it isn't as tragic if they do kick it, as you're already prepared for it." Derek repeated one of his mother's lessons to his sister.
Derek had been in the room but he wasn't really the person being taught the Alpha stuff. His sister had been a natural born Alpha. It was rare but it did happen occasionally. It sadly meant that when she was older she would have to leave the pack to start her own. Their mother was planning on giving her Derek, and most of the children, when they all grew up. Although mom had wanted her to stay in town so both packs could look out for one another, but she said it was ultimately the new Alpha's decision where the young pack would go.
Derek sighed. "It's also good to turn someone with some kind of serious disability. It might be riskier then someone healthy but if they survive they will end up much stronger and most people in that condition are willing to take the risk. If it means they can walk again or be free of seizures, or asthma attacks, or even genetic mental diseases like schizophrenia... Most of these people will also be extremely loyal to the person who turned them, as they often view their new Alpha as their savior...
"Peter was probably expecting you to act like that but the idiot didn't realize in order for something like that to work you need to offer the person a choice before turning them. Otherwise you're just the monster that attacked them... sometimes forced turnings work if the Alpha is as clever as he is a bastard. You need to completely cut the beta off from all ties and make them believe your their only option... Peter tried to do that with you but he was too impatient and you were far too stubborn. If he was smart he would approached you in the woods as a wolf then turned into a human in front of you before offering you superpowers. You would undoubtedly freak out at first, but then he could have just followed you around for a while, protect you from bullies well explaining the perks of being fuzzy.
"Peter had a wicked silver tongue and could convince people to do anything... if he'd stuck with his strengths he could have gotten you to submit to him the same night he turned you... you probably wouldn't hate yourself so much if he had given you a choice."
"I don't hate myself!" Scott insisted.
Derek gave a disbelieving snort, "I can hear your heart beat Scott. You're lying, albeit mostly to yourself. Being a werewolf doesn't have to be as bad as you and Stiles seem to think. Yes there are some draw backs but it has it's rewards to, just like everything in life... and your going to have a very long, very exciting, and very meaningful life. Most humans don't get to say that...
"Although I suppose I should be grateful Peter was in such a hurry to build a pack. If he had turned you properly you'd no doubt be in his pack by choice and I would have had to kill you to get to him... Peter never would have accepted an honorable challenge for his throne, and would have used his betas as Canon fodder to weaken me before going for the kill himself... bastard didn't understand just what the point of an Alpha was."
"And what's that?" Scott rolled his eyes but then found Derek's locked on his.
"An Alpha is supposed to protect his pack at all cost, even if it means giving his life for them. Peter wanted an army, not a pack, it's like he never heard a thing my mother ever said to him in the 2000 years they knew each other."
"T-two THOUSAND years!?"
Derek smiled, "We're immortal Scott. My mother was around to see the fall of Rome and Peter was right there beside her. He was only a few years younger them her. Not much of a difference after so long but somehow he always remained her little brother... I suppose it makes sense he went insane after she was gone."
"... You miss him? After everything he did? Even after you KILLED him!?"
"He was my uncle... I remember him helping me get in and out of all kinds of mischief. The man that turned you... he wasn't the man who helped raise me. Something in him snapped after losing our entire pack. The man I knew wouldn't hurt a fly let alone his own niece... even after I found out it was him I still had trouble accepting it. I was even willing to join him for a bit as I struggled to come to terms with the monster he had become. I killed him because I had to. Even after everything he did I would have let him go if he had just stopped. Wouldn't you do the same for your family."
Scott was staring at Derek, like he'd never seen him before.
Derek's ears twitched as he heard something. He quickly grabbed Scott, covering his mouth as he hid them behind a tree.
A man suddenly came running towards them but he tripped on a wire which yanked him into the air by his feet. Quickly, humans approached him. They were dressed in black and carrying hunting gear. An old man wore a sadistic smile as he got next to the captured man.
###
Lydia felt her skin burning. She hesitantly put a hand to her lips and felt the blood trickling down her chin. She looked down at the rabbit and didn't know how to feel. She killed it. She sank her teeth into it's fur covered flesh and snapped it's neck... she fucking ATE it... and it tasted so good. Somehow the raw meat of a fresh kill tasted better then anything she had ever eaten. She was laying on the ground, her body had changed. It was now covered in fur of it's own. She had claws, fangs, her legs even had an extra bend going the wrong way. She looked like some red wolf, that walked on two legs. At least she still had thumbs. Strangely now that she had eaten her mind was so much clearer, yet her head still pounded well her blood boiled. It felt... so... good...
"Lydia?" She looked up as Stiles walked over to her. A boy she recognized from school right beside Stiles, but she never caught his name... she never cared.
"Lydia?" Stiles repeated slowly inching over but it wasn't fear of her she saw. He was scared he might spook her. Here she was a literal monster but Stiles still looked at her with those same longing eyes. He crouched down next to her and calmly took off his coat before putting it over her shoulders, covering her nakedness. "... nothing is going to be okay."
She was shocked by his bluntness.
"What Peter did to you can't be undone. You will have to live with this curse for the rest of your life... but you will live. I know how strong you are."
She snorted.
"It's true," Stiles insisted. "You are one of the strongest people I know. You might like to pretend you're stupid but I've seen how brilliant you are. The person you show to the world isn't the real you. You're so much more, and that person, the person I know you really are... is stronger then this. Listen to your heart."
She raised an eyebrow.
"I mean it literally, listen to it, center yourself."
She tried.
"Just listen to it. The fast wild pulses, now try to get them to slow. Take deep calming breaths, sloooowly."
As he spoke and walked her through it she felt her bones snap again, although it was far more painless then the first time. The fur on her body completely retracted into her skin, leaving her body smoother then it had ever been. Her long red hair still flowed from her head.
She opened her eyes, and had them travel down at her once again human hands.
"It's a brave new world Lydia," Stiles informed "Let me show it to you." He held out his hand and she took it without reservation.
As he helped her stand she asked, "What... what am I?"
"We," Stiles stressed the 'We', "are Werewolves."
###
"We have to help him!" Scott growled but cowered when Derek growled right back.
Derek's eyes grew red as he ordered, "You will be quiet and stay right here."
Against his will Scott gave a quiet whimper and stilled. He struggled to run over there but his body refused to move. He was trembling as he fought against the compulsion.
"Look what's around him," Derek whispered. "there are over a dozen guys all armed with silver arrow heads. Do I have to remind you how much that shit burns from when your girlfriend shot you? He's already dead. We go out there not only will we risk our lives but the hunters will start searching the woods for more of us. They will find Stiles, Scott, is that what you want?"
Scott gave another whimper but his body stopped trembling. When Derek was sure the boy lost the will to fight against the order he let him go. "We need to stay here until they leave, we can't risk them spotting us making a break for it... besides this might be a good lesson for you. This is what your girlfriend and her happy little family is really about."
The old man held out a silver sword and began talking to the other hunters. "We got ourselves a treat here. It's an Omega, a packless wolf. Might have been kicked out by the Alpha or had it's pack destroyed. Might even have left of it's own free will, or never had a pack to begin with. These things never tend to live very long. You see Werewolves in packs are psychicly connected to each other."
Derek growled, "Fucking prick, he's using his execution as a gods damned teaching exercise." That meant all these people here must be relatively new hunters. He might be able to take them but there was no way in hell he could without risking Scott.
"The link has multiple purposes. They can sense each others emotions over great distances which tells them if a member of their pack is in danger or injured. Even let's them help locate each other by following the link. Then their the more dangerous aspect that the more links between them the more power all the members of the pack get, with all the energy being connected through the Alpha making him the strongest. Werewolves can even speak to each other psychically if properly trained.
"A Packless though, has none of these advantages, nor do they have others to protect them. Werewolves are very pack oriented creatures. They can't even hunt properly without their numbers. Which is why this one resorted to eating humans." The old man looked at the other hunters. "They think we're easier pray."
The captive werewolf suddenly spoke, "None of them were alive! They were all long dead by the time I got there. All I did was scavenge what's left, no one got hurt."
"Oh? Well that makes eating people all right then." The old man informed before looking back at the hunters. "Under no circumstances is it acceptable to allow a wolf prone to eating someone go. Once they've gotten a taste for human flesh they'll keep at it. Best thing to do is to put it down quickly before it can get to someone else." he held up his sword and just as he was about to swing a voice suddenly cried. "STOP!"
The hunters quickly turned around and raised their bows, pointing them all at... Stiles. Issac and Lydia were right behind him. Derek let out a ferocious roar that shook the very Earth as he jumped out of his hiding place. Scott charged right behind him. The young hunters began to panic, not knowing who to aim their bow at but the old man seemed unimpressed.
"Hummm," The old man made a sound in his throat. "Seems this one isn't alone after all. Are you that desperate to increase your pack you'd risk losing it." he looked over at Issac and Lydia. "Seems you already have a few new faces. I wonder if you've even had the chance to teach them how to shift."
Derek growled, "What you should be worried about is me! I could have killed your little herd of green horns BEFORE I became an Alpha."
The old man eyed, "That's probably true but they'll likely take out a few of your pups before you get to them. Order your pack to leave or they start shooting."
"You so much as injure one of my pups and I will gut every last one of them!" Derek pointed at the young hunters. He didn't have time to talk the others down like he did Scott and Lydia wasn't even in his pack yet so it be much harder to control her. If he did order the pack to leave Lydia would likely not listen and Stiles would easily brake the compulsion for her. The boy had had a crush on her since he figured out what girls were. He'd fight tooth and nail against the order rather then leave her. Like hell Derek would leave even one member of his pack to these monsters. His only choice was to bluff his way out. "Then I'll head into town to do the same to your daughter."
The old man, Derek recognized him. He'd been a hunter in this state for years, Gérard Argent. He might be old but he was one of the best. Honestly Derek didn't know if he could take him even with his new found Alpha powers. However, right now they were both gambling for the lives of their youths, not themselves.
"Would this one really be worth it?" Gérard looked at the dirty werewolf he had strung up. "You take in a sapien eater and it won't matter if you win tonight. My whole family will rain down on you."
"I'll keep him in check," Derek swore. "He won't take a bite out of another human well in my territory. If he does I'll put him down myself."
Gérard glared looking around him at all the Werewolves and at his still training group of hunters. "That's not good enough. I'll leave tonight but I'm coming back with actual hunters. If you try to protect this weasel then your entire pack dies." Gérard signaled the trainees and they all put their bows down and started heading out. Gérard gave one last glare before he, too, left.
Once they were gone, and Derek heard their footsteps continue to leave the forest, he walked over to the idiots that started this all.
He immediately backhanded Issac, causing him to collapse on the floor, before slamming his fist into Stiles' gut with all his strength. The boy flew back a good ten feet before crashing into a tree. However the moment his fist made contact Lydia attacked. She leaped onto him and started clawing. It wasn't so bad since she was still in human form and only her hands had turned to claws.
Derek easily overpowered her and pinned her to the ground. He let out another mighty roar right in her face. Her eyes widened and she began to cower. He continued to growl, ordering her to submit. She hesitantly lifted her head and he put his mouth around her neck, ready to rip out her throat.
Thankfully she gave out that pitiful whimper. Derek sat up and howled, encouraging her to join in. Not only did she do so, but so did the other pups, compelled by their instincts after the display of dominance. Once the link was set Derek stood, walking over to Stiles and hit him hard in the back of the head. This time the girl didn't attack.
"You nearly got our entire pack KILLED!" Derek roared. "For what, some sapien eater! You don't resort to grave robbing for food unless you've actually EATEN someone before!" Derek stormed over to the older werewolf and cut the wire that held him up. "Give me one reason I shouldn't skin you myself after the danger you just put my pack in!"
"Because I can help you!" The man insisted.
"After you so easily fell into a hunter trap? What possible use could you be?"
"It's hard walking around on two legs!" the man defended. "This is the first time I've taken human form in 200 years!"
Derek snorted, "Feral pack then, sorry but we're very modernized. Not only would you hate it with us but you couldn't offer us anything if you don't know how to interact with the human world."
"I can offer you one thing."
Derek just raised an eyebrow.
"In my pack I was in charge of teaching the pups. I could help you with this lot" he insisted. "You can't handle pups the way you would an adult. That would only cause them to get rebellious and resentful. I can teach you how to properly manage them."
"And how would you suggest I handle them," Derek let out a warning growl.
"Well pups don't react the same way. The girl wouldn't have attacked if you had tried disciplining the two boys differently."
"And how should I have punished them? Spank them?"
"Yes."
Derek blinked before he burst out laughing.
"You still physically chastise them but they are more likely to submit to the treatment. Human cultural norms manifested through lycan instinct. It also helps the pups see you as a authority figure where just punching them does the opposite for the same reason. In that case Human culture registers that as abuse making their instincts want to fight against it."
Derek blinked, that actually made sense.
"I know a lot about raising pups and if you're just starting out you've no doubt realized it's better to turn pups. As they not only have a higher chance of surviving but they also adapt more easily to their new life. I could be a major asset in that regard plus with how old I am I could make you much stronger. However beneficial it might be to turn pups they offer very little in providing you with extra strength through the link. I could make up for that."
"There's also the little problem of you eating people," Derek commented. "You admitted to being feral and those guys are well known for attacking and eating humans that enter their territory. That is unacceptable to a modern pack. We live WITH the humans."
"I'm sure I could adjust."
"All members of my pack are required to have a job in the human world, albeit right now most of the pups jobs involve doing well in school. You don't know enough about current human culture to do that and I can't risk you attacking your human co-workers."
"I can adjust," He repeated with a bit of begging in his voice. "I-I can get a job outside the pack... but admittedly I might need some help learning those skills... but I can do it. I will work hard to-"
"What skills do you have besides child rearing? I am not about to let you near human children."
"I often helped gather food and... I can cook. I know how to make jerky and preserve meat, mostly deers and such."
Derek nodded, "That might be something but there is still the tinny issue that if I accept you my entire pack will be in danger from the hunters."
"You're already in danger and I could help protect the pups."
"... how did you lose your old pack? Were you kicked out?"
"N-no t-they... they were killed... by the Alpha pack."
Derek groaned, "So the Alphas are hunting you to."
"The Alphas are hunting everyone and they are coming this way, whether I'm here or not. I'm not the only one who heard their was a new Alpha."
Derek groaned again, pinching his nose.
"You'll need more then pups if you can hope to fight them off and truthfully I'm one of the few older lycans desperate enough to accept someone on the Alpha Pack's radar as my own Alpha. There probably won't be many more Omegas looking to join as long as they are in play."
Derek eyed the Werewolf and weighed his options, "You're probably hoping to be my second in command."
"I am the only other adult here and I have centuries of experience to offer you."
Derek snorted, "Fine" then let his eyes turn red, he let out a deep demanding growl and the older werewolf happily submitted to him.
###
Lydia groaned the next day waking up in a cave with the three boys still sleeping and Derek standing guard by the entrance. The new guy was sitting off to the side using his claws to... sculpt a small rock. It looked like a wolf laying on the ground with wolf cubs crawling all over it, some tugging at his ears and others playing. The guy looked strangely misty-eyed as he worked on it.
Stiles suddenly yawned as he stretched out his body sitting up "It's morning?" he noticed through sleepy eyes then began to search his pockets. He pulled out his phone and called his dad. "Hey dad... yeah Scott and I are fine... yeah... yeah... YEAH!" He said a bit more irritated. "Yes Dad... okay, see you Monday." he hung up.
"What excuse did you give him?" Derek asked.
Stiles struggled putting his phone back in his pocket. "Told him we were spending the weekend camping. Honestly I didn't think he'd find Lydia the first night out."
"It's amazing what you can do with a pack," Derek enlightened before looking over at the older guy. Honestly he didn't look more then 40 but he smelled old. "Feral, look after the pups. I'm headed into town."
The Feral wolf nodded, while Stiles asked, "Where are you going?"
Derek barely looked back but answered all the same. "City Hall should be open by the time I get there. I need to reclaim this area quickly and start construction on that 'werewolf neighborhood' you were talking about. I'll also have to hire a security team to patrol the area and get them up here before nightfall. Rent a cops won't pose a threat to hunters but they won't dare enter our territory if it means humans will get caught in the cross fire.
"Getting all this done in one day and getting the complex up in under a month will cost a small Fortune and take a large bite out of the bank savings but this is an emergency. If we don't get our home well fortified quickly we won't stand a chance against the hunters," He looked at the older werewolf again. "Begin teaching them how to shift and fight. Scott and Stiles are the only ones who know how to change at will and even then they can only go into hybrid and partial form. Our main objective is to stay hidden at the moment so focus on animal form. Tonight is the last full moon of the month so you'll have your work cut out for you in keeping them all under control. Let's see if your as good with pups as you claim, Feral."
The old guy nodded before Derek took off. Stiles looked over at the older werewolf "You have a name? Or should we just keep calling you 'Feral'."
"Feral is fine."
Stiles blinked, not expecting that.
"Feral werewolves give up their human name and accept whatever name the Alpha gives them. I don't even remember what I was called when I was human"
"What your old pack call you?"
"Doesn't matter, they're dead and the one who named me killed them... if I kept it, it be like honoring the one who killed my pack."
Stiles shifted uncomfortably, that sort of made sense but it was also very weird and tragic.
"Werewolves have a completely different set of cultural norms then humans," Feral informed. "Even if this is a modern pack it's still important to be aware of how to act around other types of lycan clans."
"... You told Derek your pack was killed by a Pack of Alphas?"
"More like an initiation into the Alpha Pack... the Alphas convinced my own to kill all her Betas. I got away but I was still linked to her. The only way to break the link was to be claimed by another Alpha but none would have me for fear of bringing down the Wrath of the Alpha Pack onto their own. My only choice was to convince someone who already had the attention of the Alphas to take me. Derek is a natural born werewolf, you can tell by his scent. He might be young but he would have been taught all our ways. It be easy to deduce why I needed a pack so badly after I told him my old pack was killed by the Alphas."
"... why would your Alpha do that?"
Feral sighed, "When an Alpha kills a member of their pack they absorb their essence. It gives them a great deal of power, not as much as the strength of the link but close to it. It's a primal thing. If the Alpha's authority is challenged by one of his Betas and the Beta loses the fight but refuses to submit? The Alpha has no choice but to kill them. For fear the Beta will endanger the rest of the pack or corrupt them against him. When that happens much of the strength of that Beta is absorbed by the Alpha, and the pack is not greatly weakened as a result.
"It's a tragedy, for sure, and everyone will mourn at their fallen brother's stubbornness, but the pack loses very little power from the link."
"Everything about us revolves around preserving the link. If a werewolf dies from someone other then their Alpha that portion of the link is severed, weakening us as a whole. The link can also be severed if a Beta submits to a different Alpha and that submission is accepted. Beyond that it's near impossible... the link is sacred. It is the essence of our very souls tied together. Alphas that disgrace that bond by killing off their entire pack have the weakest of characters and are shamelessly twisted creatures. They are monsters..." Feral looked around to see all the pups were awake and listening to him... even with such a tragic lesson... it was good teaching pups again.
"Come now," Feral stood, "Derek wanted me to teach you how to fight and how to hide. These are both necessary lessons."
One of the pups raised his hand and Feral choked back a laugh, "Yes little one? What's your name?"
The pup blushed and hesitantly lowered his hand. "Isaac..."
When the pup stopped talking Feral encouraged. "You had a question?"
"Y-yeah, I was wondering why all those hunters had bows and Arrows and swords and stuff. Why didn't they use silver bullets like in the movies?"
Stiles rolled his eyes. "Because silver is too hard a metal. It tear up the gun when you shoot it and wouldn't be very accurate. The arrow heads on the other hand don't have that problem and they dig into you. They're harder to dig out and when you do it does more damage to you. The swords are necessary because Werewolves are close range fighter so the bows will only help you so much. The hunters like to keep sword guys fighting you toe to toe with archers shooting you from a safe distance. DON'T get distracted by the guy with the sword. You're faster then him, you can easily out run him and get to the archers, break their bows, then run off without HAVING to fight anyone."
Feral grinned, sounded like the pup had some experience and used his head about it. "That is the most desirable option, yes, but sometimes you can't get away. So you need to be prepared to fight. Hunters are trained to counteract our movements so our natural ability isn't enough. We need skills of our own. Come on now, follow me outside and I'll show you what I'm talking about"