Later Isaac's head comes up from where it had been nuzzled lovingly against Paul's. A low growl vibrates the area as he hears footsteps approaching. "It's me." Deaton's familiar voice sounds from further down. The watchful wolf also notes via the pack bond that nearly everyone is close by but maintaining their distance. Isaac looks down at Paul who is dozing restlessly presses his nose against the human's neck and inhales. Deaton approaches Paul with Kyle at his side fully shifted. "How is he?" Deaton asks quietly. Isaac shifts cradling Paul against his naked body. "Some kind of injury to his leg. His knee is hurt. Everything else seems OK." Isaac whispers taking care so as not to wake Paul. "Normally I would recommend the clinic but I think your home would be better." Deaton says stooping down and gently picking up the smaller man. "Are you sure that's a good idea?" Isaac asks. "We need to get him warm and dry. The pack can stay out of sight. Familiar surroundings could help restore his memory. Once he is stable we can decide….." Deaton stops when Paul moans and stirs slightly. Isaac moves away quickly out of sight. "Paul?" Deaton asks as Paul's eyes flutter open. "You again." Paul says defeat in his voice. "I'm going to get you someplace warm and safe. Can you walk at all? It will be easier if I don't have to carry you." Paul nods and Deaton helps him settle on his feet. "Knee hurts." Paul says after hissing in pain as his weight settles on the injured joint. "Ok we can manage that." Deaton says shifting Paul around so he can provide support. "Let's get you home." He says as the two slowly move down the ravine. "I have no home." Paul says softly. Deaton starts to reply but chooses to remain silent. Behind them Kyle and Isaac follow discretely while the rest of the pack moves with them in the distance.
Deaton eases Paul down on the couch in the living room. When Paul is shifting his weight to sit on the couch his wolf pendant brushes against Deaton's hand. Deaton holds the pendant briefly. "Curious." He says more to himself than anyone else. Paul is glancing glancing around with a confused look on his face. "I think I have been here before." he says. Deaton says nothing as he presses and pulls on Paul's leg. He stops when Paul hisses in pain suddenly. "You have sprained your knee. It would be best for you to go to the hospital." Paul start to shake his head and say no. "I understand your reluctance. We don't need to make any decisions right now. Excuse me a moment I'll bring something for the pain." Deaton leaves the room. Paul continues to look around before hauling himself to his feet. He limps painfully out of the living room towards the front door. Have to get away.. He stops suddenly and turns looking up the staircase. Unnoticed by Paul the door to the kitchen opens a crack and Deaton peers out at him. Paul looks back at the living room before heading up the stairs. Hoping softly to avoid bending his knee. Out of breath and flushed Paul reaches the top and looks down the hallway. He looks at the door at the end of the hall and blinks several times. Fragmented memories begin swirling around in his mind. The intense love and devotion of someone. No... two. There are two. Paul whimpers forlornly as the intensity of the memories begin to overwhelm him. He limps unsteadily down the hall and bursts through the door.
He stops in the middle of the room. His breath leaving him in a jagged exhale as memories slam into his mind.
The first time he saw Isaac working at his laptop next to Starbucks
When Isaac held and comforted him after the encounter in the movie theater
Isaac's large gentle hands holding his head as they kiss for the first time
Isaac's transition from wolf to man on the video recording from the hidden camera
Kyle climbing out of Isaac's Jeep when he'd first came to Beacon Hills
Kyle locking eyes with him and smirking after Paul's comments about his physique
Being claimed by Isaac
Claiming Kyle
Paul begins crying. "Isaac. Kyle." his legs give out and he crumples to the floor trembling. "Isaac! Kyle!" Paul wails completely overcome with emotion. Strong arms wrap around him and he's soon being held tightly by Kyle and Isaac. "Baby." Isaac says voice harsh with emotion. "I'm so glad you're back." Paul looks up and see's them for the first time. Whimpering he pulls them both down for a hug. He rubs his face on both of their cheeks urgently. "You're back. It's all back." Paul says through sobs. "I've been so empty. It hurt. It hurt worse than anything I've ever been through." Paul says jaggedly. The three suddenly shiver as their damaged and repressed bond reasserts itself exploding across their consciousness. "Paul." Derek's voice breaks through the waves of emotion. Paul's eyes open and he sees Derek, Stiles, Danny, Scott and Peter standing a few feet away. "Derek!" Paul yells while making grabby hands at everyone. He's lifted off the floor and seconds later he's on the bed as the pack crowds in making contact. "We missed you so much." Scott says thickly hugging him tightly. "So glad you're safe." Danny whispers pressing in for a hug. "It's over." Derek says kissing him on the forehead. "The one responsible has met her end. She won't bother us again." Peter says smoothing his hand through Paul's hair and smiling as Paul pulls him down and kisses him on the cheek. Stiles runs his hands gently down Paul's leg and rubs softly around his sprained knee taking his human pack mates pain. "Will you let us take you to have your knee looked at?" Kyle whispers from where his nose is pressed firmly against Paul's neck. When Paul doesn't respond he pulls back and discovers Paul is sleeping soundly. Despite Derek and Peter's promise Isaac and Kyle both search the bond for any sign of outside interference before accepting that Paul has simply succumbed to fatigue.
"I don't approve of getting Maria involved." Derek grumbles from his seat in the living room. Peter rolls his eyes as the rest of the pack minus Paul, Isaac and Kyle sighs expecting an argument to erupt. "She's enjoyed decades of safety in our territory. I'm content to let her manage the storage facility until the end of time. In this instance though this was her unfinished business that she was uniquely able to finish for us." Derek is about to reply when a buzzing sound fills the room. As one the pack turns and looks at the table in front of the couch where Paul's jacket was laying waded up from where Deaton had removed it several hours earlier. Scott reaches for the Jacket and pulls the phone from the pocket. His brow furrowing in anger and confusion when he see's the screen.
Anonymous Call
The phone stops ringing and a second later buzzes as a new email notification shows. Scott frowns and opens the email.
Mark: You're not at the hotel. Where are you?
Scott's eyes flare bright yellow and he growls angrily through suddenly extended fangs. The phone rings again. Scott answers it. "Who is this?!" He demands sharply as the other wolves in the room move closer. "Hello?" Scott demands. "Stay away from him!" Derek takes the phone. "What do you want?" He demands flatly. Silence is his only answer. Derek strains his hearing trying to detect any background noise. A few seconds later the line goes dead. Derek looks at Scott. "He got an email from someone claiming to be Mark." Derek's eyes burn a dark angry red.
Kyle rushes in the room. "What's wrong why is everyone so upset?" Derek tosses the phone to Kyle who looks at it. He looks back up at everyone else in the room before looking back at the phone and tapping on the screen and pulling up the message thread. "This can't be Mark." He says voicing what's on everyone else's mind. "It's a trap, it has to be the hunters from Texas." Scott says clenching and unclenching his fists. "He emailed Mark." Kyle starts looking down at the phone again. "He didn't understand what was going on when he ran from the hospital. In his mind he was still seeing Mark. He didn't remember what Mark had done….. Could they have been monitoring Mark's accounts for some reason? They can't have thought Paul would email Mark. They know he killed him." "Doesn't make sense." Stiles says. "At any rate he doesn't leave the house until Danny has a chance to find out who this is." Stiles nods to where Danny is already typing away on his laptop attempting to trace the email and phone call. "He won't like that." Kyle says lowering his voice like Paul could hear them. "Probably a good thing he's somewhat immobile then." Peter says. "How is he doing?" Scott asks. "Still asleep with Isaac. I better get back up there."
When Kyle opens the door. Isaac looks up at him rubbing his eyes quickly. "Isaac?" Kyle calls softly closing the door and moving to the bed. "What's wrong?" He asks running his thumb through the tear trails down Isaac's cheek. Isaac opens his mouth and moves his head in a dismissive way but says nothing before looking up at Kyle. "I'm OK. I thought I'd finally lost him this time." Isaac says quietly carding his fingers through Paul's hair. "What's going on down stairs?" Kyle frowns a moment his silence causing Isaac to look at him. "Paul emailed Mark, he apparently didn't remember what had happened. He thought they were still…..on good terms." "OK, if he had lost his memory I can understand why." Isaac says his tone making it obvious he wasn't understanding why that would upset the pack. "Someone replied, they went to the hotel looking for Paul. Someone pretending to be Mark." "That doesn't make any sense." Isaac says shaking his head. Who would have access to his account? Why would anyone be monitoring it?" Isaac asks puzzled. "Derek doesn't want Paul to leave the house until they have had some time to look into it. Danny is trying to track the email and phone calls now."
Down the road a ways from the road leading to the Hale home a car pulls up behind one parked off the road. Four men exit the car and approach the lone figure leaning nonchalantly against the trunk of his car. "Gentlemen." Milton says warmly. "Where is the human." One of the men ask. "As promised he is very close, just up the road." Milton says gesturing in the direction of the house. One of the men takes a step towards the house. "Careful now." Milton says gesturing at the ground. The man looks down and notices the ring of ash they are standing in. "Mountain Ash?" He asks. "And a few other things to mask our scent and sound. If you leave the circle it won't be long before the entire pack detects you. I would have preferred to meet in town at a safe distance but you insisted on seeing for yourselves. This is as close as I'm prepared to go." "Watch the house." One of the men says. The youngest of the group nods and heads off. "I hope for his sake he knows how to avoid detection." Milton says casting a glance at the youth over his shoulder. "They won't know he's there unless he wants them to." Another man with a thick Scottish accent says. The men move back towards their car. Milton clears his throat slightly. "You'll be paid when we have what we want." The Scott says without looking back. "And if something terrible should happen to you before then?" Milton asks. "You'd best watch our backs and ensure nothing unfortunate happens to us." Milton squints as the men's car's headlights hit him in the face and with a roar they pull away rapidly.