Chapter 8
August 2006

Stiles looked up and he murmured, "Holy hotness."

Cora barked, "Stiles!"

Stiles grinned, "What Cora, I have eyes and I am all about the equal opportunity ogling, you know this!"

Cora shook her head and she said, "No ogling my twin, Stiles!"

Derek shrugged, "I don't mind." He moved away from Cora to look at the photo of Kate on the wall. He pointed and he said, "That's Katie Silva. She was my French teacher she set fire to the house because I wouldn't sleep with her."

Stiles shook his head, "No dude. That's Kate Argent and she set fire to the house because she's a hunter who doesn't follow the code."

Derek muttered, "Don't call me dude."

Stiles grinned, "What would you prefer, your wolfiness. Spot? Rover? What about Fido?"

Derek scowled, "Are you always such an asshole?"

Cora and Stiles both nodded in affirmation. Stiles smirked and he said, "Awww, don't be such a Sourwolf."

Cora pulled her twin to the wall and she said, "Most of this is evidence to prove that Kate was behind the fire that killed our family. The rest is evidence we are gathering to prove she has done it before to at least four other packs that we have found so far."

Stiles interjected, "Five. I found proof of another arson investigator being bribed and the family name is on the list Peter gave me earlier. I have added the date of the fire to the list for Danny and Allison to dig out case files."

Cora asked, "Are the bank statements helping?"

Stiles nodded, "Victoria was predictable to some extent. The fire investigator was almost always paid off within days of the fire. Other bribes were paid before the fire either by cash withdrawal or by direct deposit. Danny found a few of the bribes were to deputies who accepted the bribe directly into their main bank account. They didn't even try to hide it."

Derek asked, "That guy upstairs mentioned Kate drugged me? I didn't think we could be drugged."

Peter and Chris entered the room and Peter said, "We can be, but the wolfsbane that does it is supposed to be restricted and sold only to approved pack alphas."

Chris said sadly, "My family had somehow found a way around that restriction about five years ago, and the fires seem to have started about a year later."

Derek snapped his gaze to Chris and he demanded, "Your family?"

Peter pulled Chris into his side and he said, "This is Chris Argent, now Chris Fletcher."

Chris returned the side hug before he approached the wall and he said, "Kate is my sister. She was working with my late wife to attack peaceful packs. Something I found out when one of their victims attacked us at home a few weeks ago. Kate had seduced his younger brother and when he reported it to the police in their area the cops called him a liar and he ended up committing suicide when he blamed himself for the death of his family. The alpha was near feral and he attacked us to avenge his pack."

Derek asked quietly, "You weren't involved?"

Chris shook his head, "Hell no. I would only go on hunts requested by the council where the supernatural was at risk of exposure. The rest of the time I was kept busy with running the company I inherited from my mother, Argent Arms. I inherited everything when she died as I was the oldest Argent. Gerard married into the family. Mom taught me that no matter what the hunter's code is sacrosanct."

Derek nodded and Peter finally pulled him in for a long-overdue hug. Derek murmured, "What happened to you? Laura told me you died and I felt your pack bond break." He gently felt down the burns on Peter's face, "These look bad."

Peter sat them down on one of the beds and he said, "I was in a coma after the fire. Chris and his daughter kidnapped me from the hospital and once the wolfsbane I was being drugged with was out of my system I was able to heal most of the burns. I would have come out of it after a few days except one of Kate's associates joined the hospital staff and started to drug me while I was still in the ICU."

Chris sat opposite and he said, "She was one of Kate's crew that she sent in to clean up after the fires. We are not sure if she was supposed to be drugging Peter or if she was doing her own off the books experiment."

Derek saw the look Peter was giving Chris and he asked, "Is he your Chris," he used finger quotes, "The One?"

Peter blushed and nodded, "Yeah, he is."

Derek snorted, "And he rescued you as all good princes do for damsels in distress."

He leaped up before Peter could grab him and ran to hide behind Cora as Stiles dissolved into giggles. Peter scowled at Chris who was trying not to laugh.

Chris stood and he said, "Right you lot, dinner will be cold by now but you all need to eat. There should be plenty left since all the wolves in the house are down here."

Stiles walked past and he reassured, "I usually order from that place because the food is good hot or cold. Their dishes also reheat well and they're healthy enough for dad to eat."

The wolves all followed him up to the living room to join the rest of their hodgepodge pack in eating and relaxing.

They eventually pulled all the mattresses from the house into a pile in the middle of the living room and spent the night cuddled together in a giant puppy pile to solidify growing pack bonds. Derek and Cora were both happy to accept Chris as their new alpha to join their uncle in the new pack.

-x-

Ralph took Derek and Peter to the station the next day so Derek could give a statement about Kate's actions and to explain where he had been since the fire. He was informed that Laura never had official custody of him and she was being investigated to see if she could be charged with kidnapping of a minor.

Noah put in a good word with child services along with a copy of the will and custody was given to Peter with Ralph agreeing to be backup if Peter needed help.

Peter spent the next few days with help from Cora and Derek training Chris in control. He already had great control in most of his wolfy side thanks to remembering a lot of what Peter taught him about wolves as a teen. Also, the epic levels of self-control he had to learn to keep a blank mask around the crazy people in his family. After they ripped him away from Peter he refused to let them see how to hurt him again. The only Argents who saw past his mask were his mother and his daughter.

Noah talked to Ralph and between the two of them they arranged for a therapist that was aware of the supernatural to see Derek and Peter at least a few times a week to start with. They were both worried about the effects of Kate and Laura's actions on Derek, especially since Laura appeared to do nothing about the fact that Derek had been stalked by a sexual predator and didn't seem to realize just how wrong her behavior was.

Noah made the offer of therapy to Cora but she declined, she felt she had a good support network in her pack and didn't want a stranger adding their two cents.

"Uncle Peter?" Derek asked hesitantly as he approached his uncle and his alpha as they were cuddling on the couch.

Peter sat up and he asked, "What's going on, pup?"

Derek nervously shuffled his feet and he asked, "Can you take me to see Boyd and Erica? I haven't been able to tell them I am ok."

Chris asked, "Why not?"

Peter snarled, "I told her not to teach Laura how to use the alpha command until she had proven she was responsible. She ordered you to not contact anyone right?"

Derek nodded, "Yeah. I wasn't even allowed to contact them to let them know I survived the fire."

The mates stood and started walking to the door, Peter noticed Derek wasn't following so he said, "Come on Derek, let's go see if Boyd's still in the same place."

Derek grinned and he jogged to catch up. As they drove over Chris asked, "Are they aware of the supernatural?"

Derek laughed, "Hell no, Mom refused to let us tell anyone mundane."

Peter turned so he was facing Derek and he asked, "Do you want to tell them? Bring them into the pack with the other kids?"

Derek looked pensive and he said, "Only if the bite is on the table if they want it. Erica has severe epilepsy and the bite would cure it."

Chris commented, "The bite will be on the table but they will need to understand how a pack works and what is required of pack members before it's offered."

Peter added, "Allison has already asked for the bite and Chris plans to bite her after the full moon. I am pretty sure Jackson and Isaac are also interested but they aren't aware it's an option yet."

Chris suggested, "Why don't you invite them around to our place and we can give them the supernatural 101 while the others are researching, I am sure we can get them home before all the full moon excitement."

Derek agreed, "Sound's good. I wouldn't suggest telling their parents, Boyd's grandmother is very religious and would not take well to creatures and magic and Erica's parents are, well, its hard to explain but her epilepsy requires a lot of time and money in medical bills."

Peter asked, "They take it out on her?"

Derek nodded, "Sort of, yeah, her last seizure before the fire they didn't even visit her in the hospital."

Chris pulled into the driveway at Boyd's house and before the SUV had pulled to a complete stop Derek was out the door and knocking on Boyd's front door.

They watched as Derek greeted a tall black teen at the door before he was tackled by a blonde missile and taken down to the ground.

The mated pair got out of the SUV, concerned when the blonde seemed to be yelling and hitting Derek a lot.

They approached and Peter enquired, "Derek?"

Derek and Boyd were both laughing as she continued to yell. Derek looked up at his uncle and he reassured them he was ok as Erica was starting to run out of steam.

Boyd walked over and he said, "Let him up, Erica. I am sure he has a good explanation for why he left us hanging for eighteen months."

Derek helped Erica back to her feet and he nodded, "I do. It's a long story so we wanted to invite you back to Chris' house for the explanation with others who are involved."

Erica nodded so Boyd agreed, "Sure, let me go get Erica's bag and let my grandma know I am going out."

Derek whispered to Erica, "She hasn't changed?"

Erica sadly shook her head, "She still blames him for Alicia going missing when he was ten."

Derek scowled, "Seriously? She needs to realize that she could have been charged for leaving the kids at the rink without supervision."

Erica shrugged as Boyd barrelled out the door, passed Erica her backpack and he hurriedly said, "Let's go before she changes her mind."

Chris unlocked the SUV and they all jumped in. Erica asked, "So who are the others that you mentioned?"

Peter said, "Chris' daughter and a few other local teens that have adopted us. It will be easier to just introduce you when we get there. We'll also explain why Derek wasn't able to keep in touch."

"Thank you!" Erica exclaimed, "We tried calling after we heard about the fire but his phone was already disconnected."

Chris got them all settled in the lounge and he and Peter explained about the fire which was fairly obvious by his still visible scars, the supernatural, werewolves, and the hunters. Derek then took over the explanation and told his friends how Laura used her alpha ability to force him to leave town the day after the fire and told him their entire family died. The two teens took it pretty well so they took them down to the secret room to show them the investigation progress.

Erica bounced into the room when she caught sight of Stiles and she yelled, "Batman!"

Stiles' head popped up from the box of statements he was searching through and he yelled back, "Catwoman! What brings you here?"

She motioned with her thumb over her shoulder in Derek's general direction and she said, "That lug. We've been friends since we started at Devonford Prep together."

Boyd snickered behind Erica's shoulder and he exclaimed as he pointed at the teens, "I told you that was Cora I saw outside the high school."

Erica bounced over to Stiles and she asked, "So this is your crime board?"

Stiles spent some time explaining the different boards to the new teens and where they were at with each of the investigations. He noticed it was nearing dinner time by the time he was done explaining so he asked, "Are you guys staying for the full moon shenanigans?"

Boyd raised an eyebrow in question so Stiles explained, "We have Chris who will be going through his first moon with a new pack, so, shenanigans shall be had. We are going to stay down here with them but they will be locked behind mountain ash that will keep them contained. I mean, it's up to Chris and Derek I guess but I'm cool with you guys staying."

Erica looked at Chris with puppy dog pleading eyes. Chris sighed and he asked, "Won't your parents notice when you don't go home?"

Erica shook her head, "They will just assume I am at Boyd's, Boyd's grandmother will assume he is at a friends house."

Chris stared at Noah and he asked, "What the hell is wrong with the parents in this town? The only parents of this group who's give-a-fuck isn't broken is yours and Jackson's parents."

Jackson smirked and he said, "I don't count, I'm actually adopted."

Stiles added, "I am pretty sure if there was something to your theory it wouldn't affect dad due to the protection's he has on his sheriff's badge. I warded it with every type of personal protection ward I could find as soon as I learned how."

Noah hummed, "He does have a point though Stiles. I never noticed it before but most of the parents in Beacon Hills don't worry much about their kids and what they are getting up to."

Stiles shrugged as he flailed his arm at the wall, "Something we can look into after we clear up all that."

Lydia looked considering and she asked, "What if cleaning this up fixes that. I mean, getting a stable pack to return to the territory and balance the land again will fix a lot of the smaller issues this territory has."

Stiles held up his hand and he said, "Let's get dinner sorted and these guys sealed away then we can discuss it further once we are settled in for the night."

Peter asked, "While we sort out dinner, Cora can you take Stiles and Lydia to the vault and grab the magic books stored down there. You will need to take a few boxes as I managed to collect quite a few."

Cora frowned and she said, "I thought the library was destroyed in the fire."

Peter agreed sadly, "Most of it was, but the most important and rare books were stored in the vault, most of those were the books on magic I didn't want the druid that worked as our emissary getting his hands on while he was so standoffish with the rest of the pack."

Stiles stood to accompany Cora and he said to Peter, "I want more info on that tonight, please. There aren't supposed to be any druids in town according to the notes my mother left for me."

Noah suggested, "Why don't you stop in at home and get your mother's journals. They might be helpful to read through."

Stiles nodded and the group left as the rest of the teens stood to help in the kitchen with a mammoth cook-off. Isaac went through the cabinets before he figured out what they could make and started ordering people to help prep, or in Jackson's case get downstairs set up for a giant sleepover. Jackson roped Boyd and Erica in, Boyd to help carry all the mattresses downstairs and to move the bed frames out of the way for the night, and Erica to get enough plates and cutlery for everyone downstairs so they could eat as a group.

Eventually, dinner was done and they carried it downstairs as Stiles and Lydia each carried a box of books down the stairs and Cora followed, showing off, with three large boxes in her arms.

Stiles got the wolves settled behind the mountain ash barrier and they started going through all the books and journals with Stiles and Allison passing books to the wolves when they found something interesting.