Chapter Two

Stiles yawned as he made his way around the kitchen, hunting out the coffee and set about preparing a huge jug of it for the rest of the Pack.

"Stiles?" Peter's voice was smooth and calm in the quiet of the kitchen.

"Oh morning...I was just making breakfast...is that…"

"If you are about to ask me if that is ok, I am going to be pissed," Peter sighed walking fully into the kitchen. Stiles tried to ignore that Peter was wearing a very form-fitting pyjama top and trousers that emphasised certain parts of him.

"Coffee?" Stiles offered.

"Much better," Peter smirked leaning against the worktop near Stiles.

"Peter?" Stiles asked as he busied himself in putting some bread into the toaster and checking on the coffee.

"Ah-ha?" Peter hummed.

"What about my jobs?"

"Do you enjoy any of them?" Peter asked.

"Not really, but I can't not bring any money in, not when I am eating your food and…." Stiles cut off when Peter gripped his arm, startling him enough that he turned with wide amber eyes to look at Peter.

"Our food, Pack food, not mine," Peter corrected gently.

"But…"

"There are plenty of things that you can do towards the Pack, I do ask that everyone gives a little here towards their keep, be it picking up a shop or helping around here. There are eight of us, eleven now with you and the pups, only Charlie, James, Matilda and Darcy live here full time. Richard, Elizabeth and Edward live nearby in the town. You could help Charlie with the upkeep of the house, we have chickens and goats on our lands that need caring for, there are wards you could put in place and maintain for us and you can stay here to look after and spend time with the pups," Peter suggested.

"But...I would be living off your money," Stiles bit his lip.

"And? I have more than enough of it, you know that and it is not like I earned hardly any of it, I inherited it. That is what it is for, to keep and care for my Pack. I would rather you do what makes you happy, what you want to do Stiles. I would be angry with you if I found out that you were working because you felt like you had to rather than want to. By the same respects if there is something that you want to do then I will support you in that as well, and we will make sure that there are suitable arrangements for the pups, I doubt you will be short of babysitters,"

"I…"

"What is it you want to do Stiles?" Peter cupped the back of his neck, stepping into his space so his senses were filled with the scent of Peter, his Alpha, the scent he was quickly coming to see as comfort and safety.

"I want...I want…" Stiles flicked his eyes away.

"You always enjoyed looking after your dad and the Pack, you always enjoyed caring for them and making sure they were safe and well looked after. You were always bringing me food and treats, correct me if I am wrong, but I think, perhaps, for now, you would like to stay home and look after the pups and the rest of us?" Peter suggested.

"Peter," Those amber eyes looked at him, thin and nimble fingers reaching up to grip his wrist.

"Caregivers are as important to Packs as anyone else, if not more so, you know that, or you did,"

"I did until my caregiving was rejected," Stiles lowered his eyes.

"I would feel better knowing you are here caring for us, Charlie has tried to keep up that role, but he is older and he struggles, it is a position that we have been lacking. Perhaps we have been waiting for the right person to come along, Charlie would be able to retreat back into being elder and supporting you,"

"You're impossible," Stiles huffed.

"I admit, I always did see you as the caregiver in my Pack, when I allowed myself to imagine what would have happened if things had worked differently in Beacon Hills," Peter grinned with far too many teeth, leaning forward to brush his nose against Stiles' cheek, scenting him heavily. "Hmm, you are already smelling of Pack and pups,"

"Peter," Stiles said warningly.

"It is a lovely scent," Peter sighed. "It is settled then, you can call and quit your jobs and then we will go shopping," He said stepping back.

"Shopping?" Stiles blinked startled by the change.

"Yes, we need to get some things for you and the pups, we definitely need to get car seats for the pups, I was not really happy transporting them yesterday without one but needs must. We need to get you some new clothes as well," Peter nodded.

"Peter…"

"If you argue with me about this I will Alpha you, this part is not up for discussion," Peter said firmly.

"You can't just…"

"I can and I will!" Peter flashed red eyes at him, holding amber eyes until Stiles lowered his eyes. "Let me appeal to my Alpha side and look after you,"

"Saying it as though I am doing you a favour isn't going to work," Stiles complained weakly.

"But it is the truth," Peter shrugged.

"I forgot how impossible you are," Stiles sighed dropping a cup and plate of toast in front of Peter.

"You remembered how I take my coffee," Peter said surprised after sniffing the coffee.

"I...You were the one that said I liked playing caregiver," Stiles grumbled.

"Thank you," Peter rubbed his nose against his cheek before making his way to the table before Stiles could say anything.

"Oh thank the moon!" Charlie groaned when he walked into the kitchen and sniffed the scents of food being cooked.

"Yes Stiles has agreed to take up the caregiver role for our Pack," Peter said from behind his papers.

"I can finally rest my poor old bones!" Charlie groaned dropping down into a chair at the table.

"You will be perfect as a caregiver! You were so so so good the other day!" Darcy said brightly dropping into a seat as well.

"You act as though I was a slave driver," Peter snorted at Charlie.

"You are!" Charlie said seriously before laughing. "I did not mind it, you know that and I will be happy to carry on helping Stiles, but I am too old to be in the role of caregiver, and we all know that. Stiles is perfect for what this Pack needs, especially now we are expanding and have young!"

Stiles turned back to the bacon that he was cooking to hide his smile, the excitement that the others clearly felt at having pups, having his pups, as part of the pack was so evident and real that it warmed his heart.

"Daddy! Daddy!"

"No running in the house please!" Stiles called, and the hurried footsteps slowed down just outside the kitchen door and his twins walked in looking as innocent as possible.

"Daddy, there are birdies outside!" Luke said excitedly.

"They're chickens, sweetling, they're where we get our eggs from," Peter smiled putting his papers away.

"Really? Can we go and see them? I have never seen chickens before, can we collect the eggs? Where do the eggs come from? How do they make the eggs?" Leia babbled clambering her way onto Peter's lap.

"You are most definitely your father's daughter," Peter laughed.

"I am not sure that that isn't an insult!" Stiles called from the cooker.

"It wasn't," Peter said firmly making Stiles' cheeks flush and turn quickly to plating up their breakfast, the wolves around the table sharing looks that Peter did not miss.

He finished answering all of Luke and Leia's questions about chickens just as Stiles started dropping bowls onto the table.

"Did you use magic to cook all this?" Darcy asked curiously sniffing happily.

"No, I can't use magic for things like that," Stiles chuckled dropping a few more bowls onto the table.

"Wow, I mean Charlie you did good, but this…" Darcy groaned happily, quickly trying to grab for a plate before yelping when Charlie smacked her hand.

"Alpha first," He reminded her.

"But...But...food!" She whined.

"I will fill my plate as fast as possible so you don't fade away," Peter said dryly. He filled his plate and a smaller plate with Yoda on it for Leia, Stiles lifted Luke from where he was sitting next to Peter and settled him onto his own knee, smiling when Peter filled another plate for the little boy, and then to Stiles' surprise also filled Stiles' plate before motioning for Charlie and Darcy to tuck in.

"What smells so good?" James sniffed the air eagerly as he walked into the kitchen.

"Oh wow, this looks amazing!" Matilda groaned, right behind him but quickly overtaking him once she saw the food laid out.

"I am going to start getting a complex," Charlie muttered good-naturedly to Stiles, nudging him gently.

"Bis ib goob," Matilda said through her mouthful.

"Honestly," Peter shook his head before focussing on Leia. "Are you doing ok there?"

"Could you cut this up for me please," She asked politely, holding her knife and fork up to him.

"Little smaller Peter," Stiles said softly, seeing how big he was cutting things up. "Bite-sized for little mouths,"

"Oh, right," Peter frowned before cutting them a little smaller, glancing to Luke's already cut up food to make sure he was doing it right.

"We're going to have to adjust to having little ones around, my pack never had any pups," James said excitedly.

"Mine either," Darcy nodded.

"I was bitten, my Alpha was a real sh...shambles of an Alpha, definitely wouldn't have had pups around him," Matilda grimaced, correcting herself.

"It has been a long time since I have been in a Pack with pups, so exciting," Charlie chuckled sliding Luke another of his bacon rashers and getting a big grin in response.

"Do you mind if we ask about their mother?" James asked uncertainly before ducking his head at the look Peter shot him.

"Daddy is our mummy," Leia tilted her head.

"Right of course, filling both roles is…"

"No, I carried them," Stiles chuckled saving James' backtrack.

"You what now?" Darcy blinked.

"I'm a spark, I have the ability to carry if it...my partner is another supernatural creature," Stiles explained.

"Oh," They all blinked at him making him blush.

"That is...amazing, that is absolutely amazing, so you carried them...wait how did you give birth?!" James looked so horrified at the thought that Stiles couldn't help but laugh.

"My magic creates everything that is needed around the right times, I formed a birth canal and gave birth much the way a woman would," Stiles shrugged.

"Wow!" Darcy breathed. "That is freaking amazing!"

"I know a lot of men that would kill to be able to have babies with their husbands and partners," Matilda smiled softly at him.

"I was lucky. Shame about the kids, but the pregnancy part…"

"DAD!" Luke and Leia protested through their laughter.

"What? I was cursed with little hellions! My poor heart can not take much more!" Stiles said dramatically.

"They look perfectly sweet and innocent," Peter stroked his hand over Leia's hair.

"Repeat those exact words to me when you are filling in the holes their claws made after they try climbing the walls with them!" Stiles snorted.

"We were curious?" Luke grinned at Peter.

"Hellions!" Stiles nodded seriously.

"Daddy!" The twins giggled.

Breakfast was a happy and light affair, with the pack obviously delighting in spending time with the pups and getting to know Stiles. James went off first to work, followed by Darcy. And then Peter returned to the room dressed casually and looking at Stiles pointedly.

"Are you sure it is going to be ok leaving them with Matilda and Charlie, they won't mind?" Stiles fretted.

"They will be happy to do it, and they will be fine with them, I have my mobile on me and we will get you a phone first, they will call if there are any problems," Peter assured Stiles.

"But…"

"Stiles, do you trust me?" As soon as the words were out of Peter's mouth he wished he could take them back. Stiles knew Peter from Beacon Hills, not the Peter his Pack knew, even though he had been open and told them everything, Stiles had seen the bad and the ugly of Peter's past, and they had only been back in each other's lives a day and a half.

"Of course I do," Stiles answered, and Peter had to blink at him, the lack of spluttering in his heartbeat clear that he meant it. "What?" Stiles frowned at the look he was being given.

"You mean it,"

"Of course I do...Peter, do you think I would allow my children anywhere near you if I didn't trust you?" Stiles tilted his head.

"But I thought…"

"Peter, we worked together pretty closely those last few months, and we got to know each other pretty well, I understood you a lot more and...maybe this conversation is best in the car?" Stiles suggested.

"Ok, come on," Peter led the way to the front door and out into the amazing front yard that was simply acres of land with a driveway. To the side of the house were the chicken houses and a house for the goats, and Luke and Leia came running over to them, Matilda and Charlie not far behind.

"Are you going out now daddy?" Leia asked.

"Yes, are you ok with staying with Charlie and Matilda?" Stiles asked.

"Oh yes, they are going to show us the chickens and the goats properly and they said that we can go for a walk on the land and play for a little while and then by the time we are hungry you and Peter will nearly be back," Luke beamed.

"How about we bring back something to eat for lunch huh?" Peter asked crouching in front of the kids.

"Yay! That will be fun, we don't ever get take out!" Leia said enthusiastically, Stiles' cheeks burning a dark humiliated red at the innocent comment.

"Well, I think it is high time that someone spoils you and your hard-working daddy to something like that," Charlie gripped Stiles on the shoulder, no judgement in his or Matilda's faces as they looked at Stiles.

"Take out sounds good," Stiles nodded.

"Come on then, the sooner you go the sooner you will be back!" Luke hugged his dad before stepping back to take Matilda's hand who beamed down at him.

"How about I show you Peter's favourite chickens?" Charlie suggested to Leia who looked a little more hesitant to see Stiles leaving, holding out his hand to her.

"What are their names?" Leia asked taking his hand.

"Lemon and Herb," Charlie said, grinning at the noise Stiles let out.

"You're awful!" The spark shook his head at Peter.

"Come on you in the car," Peter waved him forward.

"Bye, daddy!"

"Have fun!"

"Be good!"

"So...what was it you were going to say?" Peter asked once they were out the gates of the packhouse land and on the road.

"I take it you didn't really stay in touch with what was happening in Beacon Hills after you left?" Stiles asked.

"I did try and get a hint of what was happening, but it was mainly death, death and more death, I didn't really have any contacts that I had not burned through to get details. I mainly...I mainly kept an eye to make sure you were unharmed," Peter admitted.

"Oh…"

"I trusted, foolishly, that Derek and Scott would look after you, but I kept an ear out anyway, I gave up after a little while when I heard that Deaton was training you, I figured I had lost my chance for you to be in my Pack, because how could those morons not have snapped you up with the added magic on top of everything else. Forgot how obviously moronic they were,"

"You speak...you speak as though it is so obvious that I am a good pack member and that Packs would want me, but two of the rejected me," Stiles shook his head sinking into his seat.

"Two utter shambles for Packs, not real Packs. Stiles, I meant what I said, I would have snapped you up in a heartbeat if I had thought that I stood a chance, that you would want to join me," Peter glanced at him before focussing on the road again, enough to she the warring expressions on Stiles' face.

"Even before them rejecting me...I would have considered joining you," Stiles said so softly that even without enhanced hearing Peter nearly missed it.

"Really?" Peter looked at him shocked.

"Away from the madness of Beacon Hills, and the memories that haunted you, I always figured that you would make a good Alpha. You understood better what it took to protect Pack, and didn't judge the choices that had to be made sometimes. I trusted that you would always keep me safe, even in the shittiest of moments, it was why I never complained when we were always paired up. What happened after you left made me understand more,"

"What happened, after I left?" Peter asked curiously.

"We found the source of the Deadpool. Remember Meredith?" Stiles asked turning slightly in his seat to face Peter.

"The other Banshee, from Eichan?" Peter hummed.

"Yes. Turns out she was in the same ward as you, the next bed actually while you were in your coma. She had gone into shock and was stuck in her own head after Lydia's Grandmother basically overdosed her on her own powers. She heard you. She heard how much pain you were in, how angry you were, she heard what had happened. You made plans for revenge in your head, you made plans to wipe out the weak in Beacon Hills and make it stronger better…"

"I don't remember that!" Peter said a little frantically.

"I know, I know," Stiles risked reaching out to place his hand on Peter's forearm. "You were in agony, you were hurting and you were confused. Your wolf must have been ripping itself apart. You weren't to blame, for thinking it, for Meredeth overhearing it, for her being so ill that she thought she needed to act on it for you,"

"I bet the others didn't see it that way," Peter snorted.

"We argued about it," Stiles sighed. "But, the point is, hearing that, hearing how she described your mind, hearing how wounded you were, it made me realise that the you that woke up from the coma wasn't much different from the you she overheard. Waking up, alone, smelling Argent on your territory...I understood the you that was running around Beacon Hills looking for revenge. That you, and the you who came back, they're nearly completely different people,"

"Thank you...I didn't realise that I needed to hear someone say that," Peter covered Stiles' hand with his own.

"I trust you, with me, and more importantly my pups," Stiles shrugged trying to calm down the blush in his face.

"Thank you. That really means a lot. I want to build a Hale Pack as it should be, away from that cursed land. I am glad that you're part of it, even if it later than I would have liked,"

"Thank you, Peter," Stiles didn't comment on the fact Peter tangled their fingers together and rested them on the console between them for the hour it took to get to the shopping mall, just enjoying the contact with Pack, with his Alpha, with another adult being...with Peter.

"How…" Peter pinched between his brows and visibly tried to calm himself down. "How...are there so many children's things, in so many varieties?! How are you supposed to choose the correct one!"

He looked up and stared up and down the aisle at the dozens upon dozens of children's car seats. Stiles bit his lip trying to not laugh out loud, this was well worth the arguments that they had had over all the clothing that Peter had wanted to buy for him and Stiles had refused.

Peter had pretty much tried to buy him 4 wardrobes full of items, Stiles had managed to argue him down to a reasonable amount, though he had been so worn out he had simply glared at the triumphant look Peter shot him when he realised that the Alpha had snook a good few things back into the trolley when he hadn't been looking.

"Peter, it isn't that difficult, mainly they're all the same and then you just pick a pattern that they like," Stiles chuckled taking pity on him.

"Right," Peter narrowed his eyes at the labels.

"More expensive doesn't mean better Peter," Stiles sighed dragging him away from the horrifically expensive seats. "Here, these are good," Stiles motioned to the two he had been eyeing up wishfully before he had had to sell his car a few months ago.

"Right," Peter looked them over but could see no difference in them. Shrugging he had to take Stiles at his word and picked up the needed boxes and shoved them into the trolley.

"Peter, why are you getting two of each?" Stiles flustered.

"You're right, three would be better," Petter nodded grabbing another one of each seat.

"That isn't what I meant! They only need one!" Stiles shook his head.

"One for your car when we get you one, one for my car, and one for staying in the house just in case either of us isn't there and they need to go somewhere," Peter said as though it were obvious.

"But...we just need one and can take it out," Stiles argued.

"And what if you're out somewhere and the pups need taking somewhere but you planned on picking them up? Or I can pick them up from somewhere instead of you but don't have seats. It makes more sense to be careful," Peter said and then just walked off like it was settled.

"Peter!" Stiles whined.

"I won't argue with you on their safety because of money, we can afford it, so better safe than sorry. Now….clothes…" Peter stopped in horror seeing the amount of clothing there was for children.

"You ok?" Stiles bit his lip.

"Dear moon, thank god you know what you're doing," Peter sighed.

"Could...Could we get some food in, some more, for me to cook?" Stiles asked nervously once they finished loading everything into Peter's car.

"Of course, I have been in contact with my bank and ordered a card for you to the Pack account, everyone has one with a limit but yours will be higher, once you have a car you can get the shopping in for us if you don't mind. We have been splitting it between us, but we always forget things, Charlie was the only one who really had an idea of everything we need but he doesn't leave the land anymore," Peter explained.

Skipping over the card and the car Stiles focussed on the last bit. "Did something happen to him?"

"Charlie is a more submissive wolf, always has been, his Pack was taken over by another Alpha when Charlie's nephew passed away without an heir, the Alpha declared that Charlie was a threat to his rule, even though Charlie was far from Alpha material, was old, didn't want it, and the spark had passed him over about 5 times already the last time being when there was no one of his blood else left to take it. They attacked and wounded him pretty badly. I came across him when he had been wandering around for about ten months with no home, the clothes on his back and no idea where to go. After that, he doesn't really like leaving the house," Peter sighed.

"What is it with shit Alphas," Stiles huffed.

"Pardon?" Peter raised an eyebrow at him.

"You're not bad," Stiles grinned a little, risking patting Peter's chest.

"Not...not bad!" Peter spluttered offended, his small smile giving him away.

"Not bad, I mean maybe a little…" Stiles yelped when Peter captured his hand and tugged him towards the grocery store.

"Don't even finish that, I will bite your hand off," Peter grumbled as Stiles laughed while he was towed along behind him.

"Daddy!" Luke and Leia raced over as soon as the car stopped, throwing themselves at Stiles who caught both of them in his arms with practice and lifted them onto his hips.

"Have you had fun?" He asked rubbing their cheeks together.

"Yes we have done lots and lots, and we met Lemon and Herb and they let us stroke them, and we were allowed to see the goats and there are babies and we went on a long walk and the garden is so so big here daddy and…"

"And breathe!" Stiles interrupted.

"Sorry daddy," Luke and Leia grinned at him.

"How about you go wash your hands so that we can have lunch, and you can tell me all about it while we eat," Stiles dropped them suddenly making Peter yelp and doge forward, only to place his hand on his chest when they both landed and raced off with excited shrieks. "You do know they're werewolves right?" He laughed.

"It has been a long time since I was around pups, and I was a teen myself," Peter grumbled.

"They're still werewolves," Stiles laughed.

"Come on let's get everything inside," Peter huffed.

"Were they ok?" Stiles asked Matilda as she helped them get everything out of the car.

"They started getting a little anxious in the last hour, we were able to keep them distracted," She smiled. "They're great kids, so clever,"

"Thank you," Stiles flushed darkly.

"You've done an amazing job with them, they're so polite," Charlie nodded grabbing ten bags and hobbled towards the house.

"Bloody werewolves," Stiles grumbled to himself as he walked to the house with three bags.

"How is this so difficult? I have seen legal documents ten times easier than this!" Peter grumbled.

"Kids toys, they're challenges for us and fun for them," Stiles snorted tilting the instructions in his hand one way and then the other, tilting his head as though it would help. "Peter…"

"Don't thank me," Peter said while still trying to force a screw into place.

"But…"

"Stiles, you get that I am Alpha right?" Peter turned to look at him, red eyes on display.

"Yes,"

"I want to look after you, I want to make sure that you are looked after and cared for, that you are happy, and the pups, this makes me happy," Peter waved at the mess around them before grimacing. "Well, maybe not this...but at the same time I am happy to be doing this, I didn't think that this is something that I would be getting to do,"

"Thank you," Stiles said before grinning when Peter looked back up to glare at him.

"Stiles…" Peter growled adding a hint of Alpha, feeling pleased when Stiles reacted to it ducking his head a little. But before he realised what was happening Stiles ducked forward and wrapped his arms around Peter burying his face between his shoulder blades and breathing in deeply, taking in Peter's scent.

"I know, but thank you anyway," Stiles muttered into the fabric of Peter's shirt, sinking into the warmth and scent of his Alpha. He yelped shocked when he found himself tugged around Peter's body, too shocked to even think about pulling away Stiles found himself rearranged so that he was straddling Peter's lap, the Alpha's hand pressing his face into his shoulder before he went back to building the toy in front of him.

Stiles was tense for a few moments but the scent of Peter, the warmth of his body, the hum of the Pack bond between them lulled him into slumping against Peter's body, burying his nose into his shoulder and just soaking up the moment happily, contentment building in his chest.

The mutterings of Peter under his ear as he fought, and it sounded like lost, his fight with the toy just made him smile.