"Am I the only one who has noticed how much Harry stares at my dad?" Stiles asked as his eyes flicked back and forth between his dad and the omega who was sitting just outside his bedroom door huddled up on himself and clinging to the stuffed wolf that he gave him two weeks ago.
John, who had also noticed how much the boy stared at him, nodded his head yes. "Every time I'm here he watches me."
"He also comes farther out of his bedroom when you're here," Peter pointed out having picked up last week how much the cub watched the sheriff.
Remus, who was fitting in pretty well with the pack, watched as Harry peeked at the sheriff out from under his still matted hair. It had been two weeks since Harry had been moved to the pack house and so far things were going better than he expected. There had been no major breakthroughs or anything, but there also hadn't been any major issues. Harry had taken a nice bite out of Issac the day before, but the beta had said that it was his fault for getting too close to him. Other than that, and a few minor hiccups, things were going pretty darn good.
For the most part they left Harry alone and didn't ask anything of him. They were still wanting him to get use to everyone and to just watch the pack's interactions. Harry still kept himself cowering in his bedroom wearing only spelled on boxers, but lately he had been scooting closer and closer to the door, but only when the sheriff was visiting. Tonight was the first night that Harry had actually sat outside his bedroom. He was barely a few inches over the threshold, but it was still pretty exciting.
Derek had just returned from a run through the preserve, he hadn't left the house since the omega arrived and he just needed some time on his own. He also needed to give his betas a break, they had been running patrol multiple times a day for two weeks on their own.
"Feeling better?" Peter asked his alpha in concern. Derek had been sleeping every night in full wolf form in the same room as the omega, but the cub only took short catnaps throughout the night. Derek was wearing himself out and sleeping very little, the dark circles under his eyes were proof of his lack of sleep.
Wiping sweat from his face, Derek shrugged his shoulders. Feeling the tension in the air, he lowered the towel then looked around the room. "Did something happen?"
Smirking, Peter pointed to the omega who had snuck out a few more inches, his eyes still locked on the sheriff.
Derek raised a questioning eyebrow, this was a first. "How long has he been watching John?" he asked as he signaled for his betas to move away from John.
Peter quietly got up and moved away from John and the slowly creeping omega. "Ever since he walked in the door."
"Dad, I don't think this is a good idea?" Stiles said anxiously, not wanting to see his father hurt. He had seen the bite that Harry had given Issac, the omega had some nasty sharp teeth.
John looked softly at the feral boy and gave him a closed mouth smile. He didn't want Harry to mistake his smile for a snarl by showing his teeth. "Stiles, calm down before he starts sensing your emotions. I'm fine, he's not going to hurt me." He hoped anyway.
The pack stood in the back of the room as they watched the feral omega slowly crawl towards the sheriff, his stuffed wolf clutched tightly under his arm. With a pitiful whimper, the boy raised himself up onto his knees in front of the sheriff then laid his head on his lap. Whimpering softly, he held his wolf in one hand then with the other hand he popped his thumb into his mouth. Still softly whining, he started to rock himself from side to side.
"Oh, Merlin," Remus cried breathlessly as he started to shake and cry.
Concerned for the beta who he was coming to trust, Derek reached out and brushed his knuckles across his upper arm. He had seen how Chris Argent had done this to calm and reassure his brother. "Remus, are you alright?"
Still crying, Remus shook his head no. "Harry use to do this when he was little. There were times when he absolutely refused to go to sleep despite being exhausted, so he would lay his head on James' lap while he sucked his thumb and rocked himself to sleep."
Derek swallowed the lump in his throat at hearing that. It was incredible that the cub was reaching out to one of them, but it was also heartbreaking. Here was this fifteen year old boy, almost sixteen, more animal and more toddler than teenager, all thanks to the abuse of ignorant bastards who hated anyone different than them. He prayed to god that there was a special place in hell for Harry's relatives.
Sniffing back his own tears, John stared down at the matted head of black hair that was resting on his thigh. He desperately wanted to reach out and comfort the child, but he knew that his touch would frighten the skittish boy.
"Why John?" Peter asked curiously, his own eyes misting up over the scene in front of him. "He hasn't been around as much as the rest of us. Why did Harry reach out to John first?"
Remus was having a hard time controlling his emotions. Watching Harry with his head on John's lap brought back so many wonderful, and now painful memories. James use to love it when Harry fell asleep like this, all warm and safe on his daddy's lap. Once Harry would fall into a deep sleep, he would pick him up and then just hold him close to his heart until Lily came by and forced him from his arms so she could put him to bed.
Remus took a large, shaky breath before answering Peter. "John doesn't look like James, but James was an auror. An auror is the magical world's law enforcement. James' uniform didn't look anything like John's sheriff uniform, but he did have a badge that was of similar design. John also has this presence about him that makes you feel safe and protected. To Harry, John probably reminds him of his father."
"Well now I'm crying," Lydia sniffed as she dabbed a tissue under her. "Dammit, I just applied this mascara too."
"John, are you alright with him like that?" Derek asked, even though he knew the answer. John was an amazing sheriff and father, Harry resting on him wasn't going to upset him at all.
John carefully nodded his head, he didn't want to talk in fear of scaring the omega. The boy's rocking and whining had slowed down and his head was getting heavier on his thigh, it was clear that Harry had fallen asleep.
"Huh, does this mean that I now have a little brother?" Stiles asked with a grin. He didn't mind sharing his dad, his dad was the best dad ever. He was already sharing his dad with Scott, what was one more? Well, as long as Scott and Harry realized that he was number one in his dad's life.
***TW
Shifting, Derek padded into the omega's room to sleep like he had been doing every night for the past two weeks. Seeing that Harry had already shifted, something he started doing on his own before bed three nights ago, he laid down in his normal spot in front of the door and closed his eyes.
He couldn't help thinking about earlier that night when Harry laid his head in John's lap. Despite the whimpering coming from the omega, it was the first time that Harry looked at peace and didn't reek of fear. He had actually slept for three hours on John, the longest he had seen him sleep since he took him in. Even John had joined Harry in dreamland, something that the sheriff had also needed. John was constantly working, it was good that he was able to get some rest.
Derek was just starting to drift off when he felt something brush timidly against his side. Not moving a muscle, not even a twitch, he carefully peeked his eye open and was shocked to find Harry laying next to him. The young wolf was just barely touching him and was staring at him, his eyes large and full of uncertainty. The poor thing looked like he was waiting to get viciously attacked by him for daring to approach him.
Making sure that he was relaxed and looking as nonthreatening as possible, Derek let out a rumble of content then quickly swiped his tongue over the boy's muzzle. He had expected Harry to bolt, but instead the omega rolled over onto his back and exposed his vulnerable belly. Harry was showing him that he was submissive to him and that he wasn't going to challenge him.
With another rumble of approval, Derek closed his eyes and drifted off to sleep. Today had been a good day, one of the best. Maybe the omega wasn't too far gone to save after all.
***HP
Derek raised a single eyebrow waiting for the beta to challenge him. He could see by the look in the man's eyes that he wasn't happy with him and that he believed they what he was doing was cruel.
Chuckling, Peter picked up his chicken leg and bit a large chunk out of it. This was great, he loved watching his nephew go full alpha on someone. Derek was never meant to be alpha, Laura was the first born so she had been trained on how to be the best alpha she could be, but after her death the alpha power had went to Derek. Surprisingly, Derek had stepped up and took to being an alpha as though he had been born to be in the role all along. These teens couldn't have asked for a better alpha than his nephew. It was true that he lived for giving Derek and the rest of the pack a hard time, but he cared for each and every one of them, even Scott who tended to rub him the wrong way. If he had to pick a favorite though, his favorite would be Stiles. He wished that the boy would take the bite, he would make an incredible wolf.
Issac pushed his chair back wanting to get as far away as he could from the brewing battle without leaving the table and his dinner. He wished the rest of the pack were here to help diffuse the situation, but it was just him and Peter here with Derek and a pissed off Remus.
Picking up on his beta's unease, Derek relaxed his shoulders. He hated seeing Issac so skittish, but years of abuse at his father's hands had damaged the boy. He was nowhere near as bad as Harry, but he was skittish and still reacted too loud noises and tension in the room.
"Calm yourself, cub, there will be no fighting this evening, will there, Remus?" Derek asked, his eyes flashing red in warning.
Remus grit his teeth, he liked and respected Alpha Hale, but he didn't agree with what he was doing. "This is abuse," he growled, but he bared his neck to the alpha in submission. He didn't want the much stronger wolf to think that he was challenging him. Questioning him, yes, and stating his opinion, yes, but he wasn't challenging him. He may be a wizard along with being a werewolf, but Alpha Hale was strong and powerful. He was also the only one he trusted with his cub...even if he didn't agree with him right now.
"You think I'm abusing my omega?" Derek growled dangerously. Harry was his now, both him and his wolf had one hundred percent accepted the omega into his pack. For the past week the cub had slept beside him at night, and he had even taken to following him around the house. Actually, it was more like lurking. Harry would follow him into whatever room he was in, but then he would either hide behind or under something as he watched him. He still considered it another win though.
Remus looked to where Harry was hiding under an end table, his poor cub was staring at all the food laid out on the table hungrily licking his lips. He could also hear Harry's stomach growling from across the room. "You're withholding food from him. That's abuse!"
Derek angrily pointed to the plastic plate that was sitting on the table beside him. "Harry's plate is right here waiting for him. This is the same plate he has used for every meal since he came here, the cub knows it's his. If he wants it, he can come and get it. Remus, this is the next step. He has watched us eat at this table everyday, it's time he joins us, even if it's just to come and get his plate."
"He's hungry, it's not right," Remus argued back.
"Get a hold of yourself, wolf, or else I'm going to have to ask you to leave," Derek warned, his anger rising. He was a good alpha who would give his life for his pack, he didn't appreciate the Argent wolf questioning how he did things. "I'm not going to starve him. If he hasn't claimed his plate by the time I finish, I will give it to him."
Still not agreeing with the alpha, Remus reluctantly backed down. Picking up his fork, he started eating his dinner. It didn't feel right, enjoying his delicious meal when his cub was watching with a grumbling stomach.
Issac looked anxiously between his alpha and the older beta. He wanted to scoot closer to the table so he could eat, but he wanted to make sure that the arguing was finished first.
"It's alright, Issac," Peter said gently. "Even if they were to fight, they wouldn't hurt you." The young wolf could hold his own against other wolves and supernatural creatures, but an argument in the pack would send him skittering away in a blink.
Derek opened his mouth to reassure his beta, but froze when he noticed the omega's plate wobbling next to him. "Remus, are you making it do that?"
Remus too had been staring at the plate. "It's not me," he said with a shake of his head.
All heads turned to Harry who was staring at his plate with an intensity they had never seen before. "Is he..." Derek started to ask, but the plate soaring away from the table and into Harry's hands froze him mid-sentence.
Remus' grin was blinding. As far as he knew, Harry hadn't shown any signs of having magic since he was a baby and still living with James and Lily. "That's my cub!" he crowed proudly.
Derek too was grinning. It wasn't exactly how he wanted Harry to get his dinner, but it was still progress and a win.
***HP
Derek shook his head when Harry gave a yip of excitement when the sheriff walked in the door. It use to be that the sheriff only visited the pack house once or twice a week, but ever since Harry reached out to him a week ago, he had stopped in every evening to visit the cub.
Taking his normal seat, John chuckled when Harry rushed over to him on his hands and knees and placed his head in his lap. Seconds later his thumb popped into his mouth and he started swaying from side to side as he started humming.
"That's new?" John said softly, still afraid that if he talked too loud or moved to fast that he would scare the boy.
Derek's ears perked up as he listened to the humming coming from the omega. "It sounds like a lullaby."
"It is," Remus confirmed sadly. "Lily use to sing it to him all the time. After all these years, I can't believe he still remembers it. He was fifteen months old when he lost his parents."
John hesitantly reached out and lightly placed his hand on Harry's head. He has been wanting to try this for a while now, but he had been afraid of pushing his luck. For some reason Harry really liked him, he didn't want to do anything to shatter what trust the omega had in him.
Harry's humming stopped and he tensed under John's hand, but after a minute he relaxed, leaned into the touch, then started humming again. Derek wasn't jealous of John, he was thrilled the omega was bonding with the sheriff, but after all these weeks Harry only got close to him when they were sleeping, and even then he was in wolf form. He was in the house twenty four hours a day with the cub, yet it was John, who only visited an hour or two at a time, that Harry trusted and allowed near him.
"I can't believe how far he has come in just a few weeks. Thank you Alpha Hale for taking my cub in and helping him," Remus said sincerely.
Derek didn't feel that he needed to be thanked, as far as he was concerned he did the right thing. He was an alpha, it was his responsibility to look after those who needed looking after. If Harry would have just been a broken beta in need of help, he still would have taken him in.
"I honestly didn't think we would see this much improvement with him," Derek confessed. "To never have had an alpha in his life...I don't even know how he survived. Maybe his magic helped keep him alive, but it is a miracle that he is here with us today."
Remus grinned happily as he watched his cub with the sheriff. "Hopefully he keeps improving. I long for the day to hear his voice."
"And I long for the day to give him a haircut," Lydia grumbled from where she was hiding behind a stack of school books at the table.
***HP
"Stop being such a dick, dickhead," Stiles snapped as he glared at Jackson.
Smirking, Jackson tossed the stuffed wolf high into the air then caught it. "What the hell are you going to do about it, loser?" he taunted. "It's just you and I here watching over Mogli, and the last time I checked, I'm the big bad wolf and you're the pathetic, weak human."
"Fuck, why couldn't you have just stayed in England? Let me guess, no one liked you there either?"
Jackson's face darkened, his blue wolf eyes glowing. "Fuck you, Stilinski. You're the geeky, looser here, not me." With a snarl, he heaved the stuffed wolf across the room and into the wall.
Harry, who had been cowering in the corner whimpering over his wolf being in Jackson's hands, let out a furious, ear piercing animalistic cry, then launched himself at Jackson. Sinking his teeth into the stunned beta's shoulder, he started clawing at his chest and arms.
Stiles was frozen in shock. Other than the bite Harry had given Issac a few weeks ago, the omega hadn't attacked anyone. Of course something had to happen now while Derek and everyone else were out confronting a group of trolls that had set up camp in the preserve.
"Fuck!" Jackson roared as he tried to peel the feral beast off of him. When sharp canines sunk deep into his neck, he balled up his fist and punched the boy in the head as hard as he could.
A roar so loud that it shook the house came from the front door. Harry, who had collapsed to the ground after the punch to the head, looked up at the alpha with unfocused eyes as he started crying.
Derek was seeing red, he couldn't believe what he walked in on. His beta, who was older, stronger, and bigger than Harry, was beating on the small boy who had been abused all his life. He had been on his way home with the rest of his pack when he heard his omega cry. The cry was filled with so much anger that he couldn't believe it was coming from Harry. Fearing for his omega, he took off as fast as he could for home.
It only took Derek a second to piece together what happened. Jackson was sitting on the couch covered in bites, scratches, and blood, and Harry was at his feet sobbing, trembling, and bleeding from the corner of his eye. For some reason Harry had attacked Jackson, and he knew that the omega wouldn't do that unless provoked.
In a blink, Derek was in front of Jackson, hauling him to his feet and tossing him across the room. He was going to beat the shit out of the beta, but then he felt a thin arms wrap around his calf. Looking down, Harry was curling himself around his leg, clinging to him with all his strength. If was the first time Harry touched him outside of wolf form.
Derek looked to Peter who had just rushed into the house. In his fear for his omega, he had outran the rest of his pack. "Get him out of my site before I kill him," he snarled as he pointed to Jackson.
"He attacked me!" Jackson cried. "Why am I being punished when I was the one attacked."
Derek closed his eyes and took a couple deep breaths. He had to calm himself before he killed Jackson. When he told Peter to get him out of the house before he killed him, that hadn't been a threat. He really wanted to kill Jackson for hurting his omega. He wanted to kill him so bad that he could already taste his blood on his tongue.
Stiles lunged to his feet. "It wasn't!" He yelled. "It wasn't Harry's fault. Yes he attacked Jackson, but Jackson had Mr. Grr and was taunting him with him. Harry finally snapped when Jackson threw the wolf across the room and into the wall."
Derek looked to where Stiles was pointing and saw the stuffed animal laying on its side. It was just a stuffed toy, but to Harry that wolf was his best friend. Harry took that stuffed animal with him everywhere and he slept with him every night. That damn toy meant everything to Harry and Jackson knew it.
Derek wanted to rip the teen's throat out for upsetting and hurting Harry. Why did Jackson have to be such a bully? You would think after turning into a giant lizard because of his personality that Jackson would change his ways, but sadly Jackson was still Jackson. He was only putting up with Jackson because he felt responsible for him since he turned him, but no more, he was through with him.
"Jackson, you are hereby banned from the pack house and the pack for a month." Derek proclaimed in his alpha voice. "I will give you another chance after a month, but if you can't change your ways, you will be banned permanently and forced to leave the Hale pack territory."
Jackson scoffed at the alpha even though he was pale and trembling under the force of Derek's command. "You can't force me out of Beacon Hills, my family damn near owns this town."
"No, but if you refuse my demands I will be forced to kill you. You will be an omega and a danger to my pack and this town when you start to go crazy. A wolf needs a pack, without a pack they lose themselves and go feral. I will not have a feral wolf in my town."
With a sneer, Jackson pointed to Harry. "He's nothing more than a wild animal, yet everyone fawns all over him. Hell, Stilinski's father spends more time with him than he does his own spastic son."
"God, can you even hear yourself?" Stiles spat in disgust. "You're seventeen years old and throwing a jealous hissy fit over a fifteen year old boy that has been severely abused all his life. Unlike you, I have a heart. Yes, I wish that my dad wasn't so busy and could spend more time with me, but I don't mind him coming over here every night to help and offer Harry some comfort. I'm secure in the knowledge that my father loves me, he doesn't have to spoil me or buy me a Porsche to prove it. You need to stop being such a fucking dick and grow up."
Everything happened so fast. One minute Jackson was standing next to Peter with his fists clenched at his sides, and the next he was on Stiles, attacking him for calling him out on his weaknesses and insecurities. By the time Derek's brain had registered what was going on, Harry had unwrapped himself from around his leg and launched himself back at Jackson. The omega was snarling and spitting as he fought with the older wolf, sounding more feline than canine.
"Get him off of me!" Jackson roared as Harry clawed at his back.
Derek threw his head back and howled loud and long, freezing everyone that was in the house. "Enough!" He bellowed, his eyes blazing.
Harry released his teeth from Jackson's shoulder, and with his neck bared, he crawled back to Derek's feet where he then rolled onto his back and exposed his belly to his alpha.
Derek was shocked when he saw the state that Jackson was in. The spoiled beta had multiple slash and bite wounds to both his back and front and his shirt was a shredded mess. Looking down to the omega at his feet, who was sporting a large bruise on his temple and gash next to his eye, he rumbled lowly in approval. He didn't like his wolves fighting amongst each other, but Harry had just defended one of his betas. He defended Stiles, who was a human beta, against Jackson who was a wolf. Jackson could have easily killed Stiles in his blind anger.
"Jackson, if you're not out of my sight in the next three seconds, I'm going to kill you," Derek said as calmly as he could given the situation. He had an omega at his feet injured thanks to Jackson, and his human beta sporting a bloody lip and nose, also thanks to Jackson. His wolf wanted to sink his fangs into the beta and kill.
"Screw you all!" Jackson huffed as he stormed out of the pack house.
Whimpering, Harry rolled onto his hands and knees since he still couldn't walk and crawled over to Stiles who was still sprawled out on the floor. Tilting his head to the side, he studied the human in front of him, his lips turned down in a frown. Seeing the blood on Stiles's face, Harry let out a sorrowful whine before reaching out with a trembling hand and wiping the blood away.
"Hey, I'm okay, dude," Stiles said, giving the omega a painful grin. He was hurting, but he had had much worse. "We totally had him, Harry."
Still whimpering, Harry crawled on to Stiles' lap then wrapped himself around the human. Placing his forehead against Stiles' and arms around his neck, he closed his eyes and squeezed,
Derek tensed at first when Harry climbed onto Stiles' lap, but he relaxed when all the boy did was wrap himself around his beta. Not only had the omega tried to defend Stiles, but he was now offering him comfort.
Shifting his weight, because he was pretty sure fucking Jackson broke a rib or three, Stiles brought his hand up and started awkwardly patting the omega on the back. "I'm okay, dude, just a busted face and a few busted ribs. I'm good."
Derek knelt down next to his two injured pack members. He reached out to place his hand on Stiles' shoulder so he could start drawing his pain out, when an electrical zap had him quickly withdrawing his hand. "What the hell?"
"Ah," Stiles panted as he started to tense again. "Is it just me or is it starting to get hot in here?"
With his eyebrows creased in worry, Derek shook his head no. "I don't know what's going on, but I can feel a lot heat coming from the two of you."
"Uhm, Derek, it's really getting hot." Stiles said as he started to panic. "It's Harry, he's doing something."
Derek quickly reached out again to pull Harry off his beta, but once again he received a nasty shock. "Harry, get off of Stiles," he ordered, not knowing if the omega understood what he was saying or not.
Stiles too started to try to push Harry off of him. He wasn't getting shocked like Derek, but the omega was stuck to him like glue. "Derek, dude, I'm really starting to get freaked out here. Get him off of me!"
"Derek, get him off!" Scott cried, scared for his best friend.
Not knowing what else to do, Derek shifted then snarled in the omega's face as loud as he could. He didn't want to scare or hurt the boy, but he was worried for Stiles. There was still so much that they didn't know about true born omegas. He didn't think that Harry would hurt Stiles, but now he wasn't so sure.
Eyes wide, Harry let go of Stiles then scurried across the room to under the table where he quickly shifted into a wolf cub. Cowering and shaking, he curled into a ball and started crying.
Derek wanted to go to the omega, but right now his beta needed him. Shifting back, he reached out to Stiles. "Are your okay!"
With his eyes wide, Stiles gave a little shimmy then started poking at his ribs. "They're healed. Fuck me they're healed!"
"What?" Derek asked dumbfounded.
"My ribs, at least two were broken. I don't know what Harry did, but he healed my ribs."
"He also healed your face," Peter pointed out in awe.
Stiles climbed to his feet then jumped up and down a few times. "No pain! There's absolutely no pain in my body."
All eyes turned to Harry who was slowly creeping back to his bedroom with his tail tucked tight between his legs. Derek didn't miss how Harry was holding his head to the side, as if it was paining him.
Peter too noticed the odd tilt to Harry's head. "He's still hurt."
"Wouldn't he have healed by now?" Issac asked in concern.
"Oh!" Stiles gasped, his face dropping. "What if Harry used his healing ability to heal me instead of himself? What if he doesn't have enough werewolf juice left to heal himself?"
"Crudely put, but I believe that you are on to something," Peter agreed, once again impressed with Stiles' brain. The boy really was a genius.
Derek pinched the bridge of his nose feeling guilty for snarling in the omega's face. At the time he had been concerned for Stiles, but now he knew that Harry had just been healing him. He knew that it wasn't his fault, how was he supposed to know that Harry could heal others, but he still felt bad for scaring the cub.
Feeling great, better than great actually, Stiles walked to where the stuffed wolf was still laying on the floor. Picking it up, he dusted it off then went to find Harry in his room. If he wasn't mistaken, he was pretty sure that Harry had healed more than just today's injuries. He had had aches and pains that constantly plagued him from old injuries that were now no longer bothering him. "I'm going to thank Harry and give this to him."
Despite the fight and two of his pack getting injured by another beta of his, Derek was still counting the day as a win. They learned that not only will Harry protect the pack, but he could also heal others. Unfortunately though it seemed his healing of others ability took away from his own ability to heal himself. He felt bad that Harry was still suffering from the punch to the head, but the fact that he could heal others, not just take their pain away, showed how truly powerful the true born omega was.