Chapter Six

It was absurdly quiet. He wasn't sure that Scott's house had ever been this quiet. It was weird, especially since they were using it as a hub of sorts. People were in and out, moving and collecting and leaving to go do whatever it was they were going to go do. Sometimes without telling them, thank you so much Derek. That asshole had just slipped right out after his phone call with Peter. Didn't seem to matter that his lunatic cousin - or whatever Anton DeBois was - was still on the loose or that he was still healing. Nope. He just went and did his own thing. Of course he did.

Stiles blinked, realizing that it must have been the first time he'd done so in quite a while as his makeshift theory board came back into focus a little. He blinked again and again, the photos sharpening each time he did.

"What are you thinking?" Scott asked from his place stretched out on the bed behind him.

Derek being an idiot and worrying them? No, that wasn't what he was looking for. "I don't know yet."

"Yeah, I know that's what the red string means, but do you see anything?"

Stiles pulled in a deep, hopefully steadying breath and tried to refocus his brain that was jumping all over the place. Maybe they just needed to go back to the basics. See what he was missing. "Okay, so here we have our Alpha. Anton DeBois. Big, bad, Evolved Alpha from Paris. Obsessed with a pure bloodline, he catches wind of Derek who happens to be half-DeBois, and shows up in California. It's not too far of a jump that he heard rumours about Derek here, especially after the whole Monroe thing a few months ago." He stopped, his nose scrunching and his brows drawing together as he studied his board. "But that doesn't make sense. Far as I saw, Derek never shifted fully during that fight - kinda dumb, now that I think about it. We have an Evolved Werewolf on our side and he shows up at what? Half strength, and doesn't even -"

"Stiles. Focus."

"Right. Right. Sure. My point being that no one saw him shift into a wolf or from a wolf into a…. Derek. The Evolved thing is what Anton's after, right?"

"Seems to be."

"So where did he find out?"

"Is that important?"

"Maybe. I mean, something's missing. Even jumping over the how he found out, he traced him to you as the weak link -"

"Thanks for that."

"- and started turning innocent kids all up and down the coast to try to find you, draw you out, which in turn would draw Derek out."

"Which it did."

"And is that it? I know Argent thinks that Anton hasn't done anything because he's scrambling with limited resources and I get that, but… This dude's from a family that's been doing this longer than Argent's has. He obviously doesn't care about his Betas or he wouldn't leave them to get caught, so what are a few Born Wolves to him when Monroe's people catch up? Nothing. Nada. Zip."

"So where is he?" Scott mused, sitting up a little and Stiles watched his gaze follow the red lines. The board was mostly made up of sticky notes with names rather than photos. Even if his dad had been able to get them photos for the Hale's side - and those were few and far between - none of them were very good. All side-shots or glowing eyes that triggered a flare on the lens.

"Exactly."

Scott stood slowly, moving to touch Tobias Hale's name. "Do we know if they're closely related? Tobias Hale and Anton DeBois?"

"Does it matter?"

"Maybe. Honestly, I'm just hoping for something right now."

Stiles knew the feeling. "Maybe it's as simple as power? Derek being able to fully shift is super rare, right? Even as a Beta, that's powerful, and that means that if Anton can get him to submit, he doesn't have to worry about him becoming an enemy."

"If Anton's his Alpha."

"Right." A thought surfaced and Stiles chewed on his bottom lip. "He's never, uh…. actually joined the pack, right?"

"He's part of it."

"Like, officially?"

Scott shot him a look. "Officially? It's not like you take a blood oath or anything. It's about protection and loyalty. If Derek needs me, I'm there. If I need him, he's here. Simple as that."

"Is it?"

"I don't know! He shows up, doesn't he?"

"But he's never said it, right? Like…. Hey, Scott, you're my Alpha now kinda thing."

Scott's brows drew together and he made a funny face, but didn't add any commentary to Stiles' attempted impersonation. "It's Derek. His family… It makes it complicated. Just because he doesn't say it doesn't mean he's out on his own or something."

"Okay, so let's say for all intents and purposes you are his Alpha, if he says it or not. Maybe there's more to why Anton went after you than just to draw Derek out. If you're his Alpha, you're kinda a threat."

"Derek's been here nearly since he escaped. If Anton wanted to take me out without hurting Derek any further…."

Oh no. Oh no oh no oh no. "Scott, Derek ever tell you about the night of the fire?"

"No. Did he tell you?"

"No, but Cora did once. Most of the Hale family was in the house the night of the fire because they'd heard something about a Hunter coming for them. They were circling up, protecting the pack. That's when Kate killed them all."

"Okay…"

Stiles sucked in a frustrated breath, knowing that Scott couldn't see the lines connecting, but he could. He did. He just had to find a way to explain it so his friend's neurotypical brain could connect the dots too. "Everybody was together. They were… There was…. They felt safe. Protected, because their pack was together, and that's when Kate attacked." Another frustrated sound left him and he tried to pull himself back around. "Lydia had this vision a few days ago. I just heard about it when we were going in and trying to rescue Derek and I thought it must have had something to do with the explosion you guys were in, but that doesn't make any sense."

"No one died."

"Right. Not even close, really. But the vision she had was the Hale House fire. It burned, and she saw Anton's eyes in it."

And that was it. The gap was bridged and Stiles saw it click in Scott's eyes. Somehow, that made it even more real.

"Shit," they both managed together.

And as if on cue, the entire house rocked in an explosion from below.

Derek could remember the night of the fire far more vividly than he would have ever wanted to. It had been the night of the basketball tournament and he was their star player, their team captain, but the ultimatum had come down from on high that he wouldn't play that night. Sometimes he wondered if his mother had been the one to pull him aside and explain her reasoning, if he might have listened. Probably not. It was probably just an excuse that his eighteen-year-old brain had latched onto that his dad had been the carrier of the news. His Human father that never had understood. Of course he wanted to stand between Derek and yet another game. He'd been trying to do it since Paige had died. That night must have been another round of the same.

He hadn't understood. Tobias Hale might have been his dad, but he sure as hell hadn't been his Alpha. That was the reasoning Derek had used as he'd slipped into his basketball uniform and out his second story window to drop to the ground below. His dad wasn't even a Werewolf. He didn't understand and nothing Derek said would have helped him.

Laura had found him at the gym and had pulled him out at halftime. He could still remember their father's words tumbling out of her mouth and the look she'd given him when he'd called her on it. She'd started to drag him out when they'd both heard it.

Screams. Howls. So much pain that had culminated in death. Derek could specifically remember their very Human father's cries and the realization that he wouldn't heal from whatever was being done to them like the Wolves would. He'd been angry about the game, but as they'd raced back home the anger had given way. They'd been close when he was young. Days at the park and nights at the old skating rink that his mother's aunt had once owned. Late nights where his father had helped him with homework and birthdays and Christmas. Derek had learned with Paige what vulnerability looked like in Humans. It looked like death, and their petty squabbling had been buried beneath the need to see his family safe that night.

He could still smell the smoke, taste the ash mixed with blood as Kate's bullet struck him, sending them running. They hadn't had a chance to see if anyone was left alive, and days later Laura had held her brother close as they both cried under the weight of the understanding that they were alone.

But they weren't. They hadn't been. They shouldn't have been.

"Dad," Derek managed to croak out again, feeling ten years of presumed truths shatter violently overhead to rain down around him, shards biting into his soul as he took in the familiar face. Tobias Hale stood tall, a mountain of a man with broad shoulders. Eyes like Derek's with hair that Cora had inherited from him. His gruff, but kind smile was nowhere to be seen as his son took a trembling step forward. "How?"

"Derek," Tobias managed, but his gaze flickered behind his son and there was a change. A shift. Hazel eyes turned icy blue and fangs became visible as a low, dangerous growl left his lips. "Argent," he snarled the name like a curse, and readied himself to launch toward.

Time both stood still and folded in on itself. Derek saw the change in the man that had once counted it a source of pride that he'd denied the Bite from a DeBois Alpha. He was now coiled to fling himself at Chris like he might be willing to tear his throat out and had come across the means to do so. Derek wasn't even given the time to process what it all meant as he found himself adjusting his stance so that he was positioned between the fuming Beta - his father - and Chris Argent. His own eyes flashed blue and he bared his fangs in warning.

"Derek, you don't know who he is."

"I know exactly who he is," Derek countered and his own growl echoed through the empty space, and for the briefest of moments he felt a spark in the air that he hadn't felt since he'd given up his place as an Alpha to save sister and Tobias backed down, his eyes returning to their usual green-blue.

"He's an Argent."

"He's a friend," the younger Werewolf countered.

"Whatever he's told you -"

"I said I know who he is. More than I know you."

"Derek…"

"No. No." He could feel the rage building inside of him. Ten years of pain and anguish. All the guilt that had been added to the crushing weight that had buried him and there he stood. His father. Tobias Hale. Alive and well and allied with the pack he'd sworn off as a vicious lott that he had no interest in ever realigning with. He'd been a Hale. More of a Hale than some born under the name and welcomed as such by most, yet here they stood on the burial grounds of Derek's family. It was like a sick joke. "Laura and I thought you were dead."

"It was complicated."

"How complicated could it be? We were attacked. Our family was attacked and Laura and I thought we were the only ones that made it out. You knew we weren't there. You sent her to get me. Even if you made it out, you knew we weren't there."

"Derek, I -"

"Did you look for us? Did you even look?"

"I lost everything."

"So did we!" Derek screamed, his voice echoing over the frost covered land, enhanced by his own power and anguish. "We heard you! You and mom and everyone else! I heard it every night for years after but you… what were you doing?"

"I lost everything. I needed…"

"So you went back to the one you claimed to hate and what? Took the Bite for safety? Your kids were out there thinking they were orphans and you were looking for a little security? For someone to protect you?"

"I didn't go to them for protection, Derek."

"Bullshit," Derek snarled and he must have looked as angry as he felt because he saw Chris flinch in his peripheral vision. "You abandoned us. Laura and me. We were alone. Our pack was dead and we had nothing." He squared his shoulders, drawing in a sharp intake of cold air and froze, a familiar scent hitting him and his head snapped towards town.

"What is it?" Chris asked softly.

"Smoke." Derek closed his eyes, listening intently. He could hear alarms blaring, a brawl unfolding. "Scott." His gaze snapped back to his father. "You. You were a distraction."

"A distraction from what?" Tobias demanded, and part of Derek's mind might have registered the question if it hadn't been so overwhelmed with the understanding that nearly everyone he cared about - everyone he'd chosen - was in danger at that moment. He turned to Chris. "We have to go."

The Hunter nodded and Derek moved with him, but Tobias' hand snapped out, catching Derek by the wrist. The younger Wolf turned, eyes flashing and teeth bared. "Let. Go."

"What's happened? What did Anton do?"

"Whatever you gave him the opening to do," Derek answered as he snapped free, following Chris into the trees and towards town.

The smell was overwhelming. In just a few terrifying moments they had gone from the realization that the danger could be on their doorstep shortly to the house literally being on fire. Scott wasn't sure how it could have happened so fast or how they'd managed to start the fire without anybody noticing, but the dark smoke was already curling it's way up the stairs, muffled shouts sounding from below.

"That is… a lot not good," Stiles managed, taking a step back and away from the banister as the fire spread below.

"Scott!" his mom shouted from downstairs.

"We're cut off," he called back and glanced back to the room. "We're going to go out the window!"

"We're gonna what?" Stiles snapped as Melissa shouted something that was lost to the crackling, but at least Scott was relatively sure he heard the sound of retreating steps. Braeden would get his mom and Lydia out. He and Stiles just had to find an escape route.

Scott turned, meeting his gaze firmly. "It's that or burn to death."

His best friend looked like he might argue again for a split second, but thought better of it. Scott didn't give him time to reconsider as he grabbed him by the wrist and dragged him back into the room, not willing to give any of it a second glance. He pushed the thoughts of another house he'd seen - half shattered windows, burnt floorboards, and broken remains of the furniture that hadn't gone up in flames - as far out of his mind as possible. Stiles grabbed a bag and shoved some of his theory board pieces into it and he worked the bedroom window open, the chilly air at odds with the smoke filling his lungs.

The alarms were screaming as he stepped out onto the roof, the shingles warm under his feet. Stiles followed after with a bag slung over his shoulder and they both moved towards the edge only to backpedal as flames curled up and over from the porch below. "Other side, other side!" Scott shouted as his foot caught a loose shingle. "Keep going!" He was back up and following again just as fast as he fell, sirens sounding in the distance.

Stiles slammed to a stop. "Anton's people probably set the fire, right?"

Scott shot him a frustrated look. "Pretty safe guess. Let's-"

"Where are they then?" Stiles motioned out to the empty yard below. Empty of Werewolves and empty of Humans.

"Better question: where are the others?" He didn't wait for an answer as he jumped, landing with ease on the grass and looked to Stiles to make sure he had it. His best friend waved him on, making his way down with skills he'd refined by climbing up and into the second story windows half their childhoods.

Scott raced around to the pack, the flames hit enough around the front to force him further away from the house, and he wasn't sure if he should be relieved or terrified at the sound of shattering glass. He rounded his way to the back and saw his mom and Braeden helping Lydia out through the window. "Are you—?"

The question was swallowed up as his sensitive ears picked up on something. Pressure building. The sound…. That wasn't good. He reached out, grabbing at his mom and dragging all three of them forward as much as he could before everything exploded in bright light and searing heat before crashing into darkness.

"We're almost there," Chris snapped and Derek hated that the other man knew he was about to go for the door before he'd even moved. The Hunter didn't look any calmer though as emergency vehicles sped by and Argent pulled back out onto the road. "Can you still hear them?"

"Yeah. I think they're okay."

Derek felt steely grey eyes on him from the driver's seat. "Do you really think your father had something to do with it?"

The knot that had been steadily forming in the pit of his stomach tightened. "I don't know. I wouldn't have thought he had it in him, but I also thought he was dead. That he wouldn't have…" Abandoned them. The words stuck in his throat and he pulled in a breath. "If he did or not, I don't trust him."

They turned onto Scott's street, fire trucks and police vehicles lining the space. They pulled closer and Derek could see Stiles stumbling towards his dad.

"Scott went around back," he heard him say from a block away, and Derek almost gave a sigh of relief.

Almost.

All at once a painful, high pitched noise caught him by surprise. He didn't have time to put it together before the explosion and Chris slammed on his breaks as the McCall house blew apart. Flaming debris rained down and Derek was out the door, racing towards the demolished house. It was only as he drew closer that he saw a circle untouched out around Jordan Parrish, the Hellhound deputy having caught the flames that had been coming their direction, but it didn't look like he'd contained it beyond them.

"You can't go back there!" someone shouted as Derek raced by, Stiles calling after him too. He didn't bother to wait for him.

Derek rounded a pile of debris to see four figures lying just beyond the wreckage, none of them moving and for just a split second he was standing in the forest with his own home burning down ten years before.

A groan caught his attention and he saw Braeden stirring from the furthest spot. He skidded to a stop against the burnt grass, coming to kneel next to her. "Hey. Hey, don't move."

"'M okay," she grumbled, swatting at his probing fingers as he checked the extent of the damage below the blood caked to the side of her face. Her gaze was sharp, though."The others."

"Melissa!"

Derek didn't have to look back as Chris came running towards them, fear echoing in the way he yelled her name. Stiles, the sheriff, and Parrish followed up behind him and Derek moved to where Scott was slowly coming to. He winced at the blood from a gash along his neck already healing. Good thing he'd been the one to catch whatever flying projectile it had been. None of the Humans would have survived it.

"Parrish, grab the paramedics," Sheriff Stilinski instructed as his son cradled the coughing Banshee in his arms, helping her sit up.

"My mom," Scott choked from his place.

They were alright. They would be, anyway. Derek felt every instinct on edge and he stood, movement smooth as he turned to look for the source. And then he spotted him. Anton. Bold as they came and standing at the far edge opposite the gathered crowd. With a growl, Derek took off after him.

He tore through hedges and down an alley, pushing his speed to catch the other Evolved Wolf before springing forward. His boots left the pavement and he slammed into him, both rolling hard. Derek came out on top, landing a blow with claws extended, and Anton's head whipped to the side, a dark laugh leaving bloodied lips. He looked up at him, eyes glowing red. "You father was so sure you'd never follow someone without the Hale name. I told him you already had."

"They're not part of this," Derek snarled, slamming the older Wolf into the street.

"They are because you chose them. If you choose to leave or if you fight until they die and you're left looking for a pack, it makes little difference to me."

"Or I could just kill you."

"You would die trying and then so will they. Do you really believe yourself worth all of that?"

The hesitation was what got him. Anton shifted his weight, rolling Derek with him and the Alpha slammed him down hard enough that he thought he felt the asphalt crack under him. His vision spotted dangerously and all he could see standing out against it were those red eyes.

A gunshot rang out, jolting Anton. Another followed it and a third sent him stumbling up and off of Derek, a snarl sending chills down his spine.

"My vote's on killing you, DeBois," Braeden called out. "And you're outnumbered."

A loud, deep goel echoed out, Scott appearing behind Braeden with more anger rolling off of him than Derek had seen in a while.

Anton tilted his head and a slow, arrogant smile tugged at his lips. "Outnumbered? By a few injured Humans and a teenaged Alpha?"

Beyond them, somewhere in the distance, a collection of howls joined the Beacon Hills Alpha. For a moment Derek thought they'd finally caved and called the younger end of the pack in, but as the howls multiplied beyond the number he knew of, finally putting a dent into Anton's bravado, he recognized the old trick.

"We'll end this soon, Derek," Anton swore and shifted, sinking down into his Wolf form and he was gone.

The three of them stood in the street, Chris' recordings that he typically used to corral wolves mixing with the shouts and clanging of the fire department's attempt to save what they could of the McCall house. Derek risked a look at Scott, feeling and adrenalyn fade as the reality set in. "Everyone okay?"

"They're taking my mom to the hospital." Scott managed, his voice empty. "I couldn't just abandon you though."

Derek stood there for a moment, his own internal war of emotions raging. He tried for a smile, but when that failed he settled for a quick, short nod of thanks. "Thank you."

"C'mon," Braeden coaxed the teen . "Let's get you to the hospital to check on your mom."

TBC

Notes: I knew before starting this chapter that there was going to be a fire at Scott's house, but I didn't know until I got there that I was planning to blow it up. Oops?

Next Time: Derek and Scott have a heart-to-heart and an unexpected guest shows up at the loft.