Stiles couldn't help but snort as Ana flipped Jackson for the third time. It was three days before the full moon and the pack was standing in a casual circle in a clearing in the preserve. Scott had invited Ana to come after getting over himself and apologising. Ana had assured him there wasn't anything to apologise for, blushing profusely. Scott had smiled and said then there was no reason for Ana not to come.
"What are you a freaking squirrel?" Jackson spat at Ana when she had jumped up into a tree to avoid his grasp.
"And what are you, a bull or a wolf?" she called from the low branch she was crouched on.
Derek snorted, smiling ever so slightly. He had a feeling she would be a good match for the stubborn asshole and could teach the boy a lesson on strategic use of force. Not that he would enlighten the guy growling at the base of the tree. It was much more entertaining to let him figure it out on his own, eventually.
"That's enough," Scott called, keeping his face even as possible but it was clear that he found it funny too.
"C'mon Ana, really. I promise they'll be nice," Stiles said, tugging on her as they entered the cafeteria.
"But, I caused so much trouble, um, I mean isn't it a bit soon?" She was sputtering.
"Ugh, if people can get over Sour Wolf they can get over anything." Stiles said as he parked the girl on the bench next to Allison, who smiled. It still took almost a week for Ana to say anything to anyone but Stiles, but by the second day she was sitting with them at lunch on her own accord.
On day six Ana pulled out a huge tupperware container from her backpack when everyone was at lunch and pushed it out into the middle of the table. Lydia and Jackson looked up when Ana said her Aunt Sonya had forced her to bring in left over borsch for everyone. "You, um, don't need to eat it or anything but she wouldn't let me out of the house without it…" It smelt amazing and Stiles eagerly pulled it to himself and started eating with gusto before Scott grinned and took it from him and Allison stole some while the two growled at each other playfully.
"Are you sure this isn't a bit… much?" Ana asked, shifting from one foot to the other in front of the mirror in Lydia's room.
Lydia inspected her work with a critical eye, taking in the short girl's new outfit. Allison and Erica assured her she looked cute in the skirt and form fitting tank top and jean jacket cut off above the waist.
"It's just so breezy." Ana said, picking at the skirt.
"Says the ballerina," Malia scoffed, a little bored.
"Well when I'm dancing I at least have something covering my legs," Ana muttered.
Lydia spoke up finally, "you said you wanted to look good when you ask Janice out, well you look good. You're not doubting my choices are you?"
Ana bit her lip, turning to look at herself in profile. Allison rolled off Lydia's bed and went to Lydia's closet, producing a pair of simple black leggings and handing them to Ana. She held onto them, looking at Lydia, who appeared to be considering before nodding. A fair enough compromise.
"Can you get me a coke?" Stiles asked from the living room floor. He was sprawled out in front of the flatscreen, a place he apparently coveted on movie nights. A pillow was thrown at him followed by Erica shushing him. Ana nodded as she left the living room.
Ana waved to Ms McCall as the nurse left for her shift and crossed the hall to the kitchen. Ana liked Scott's mom, even though she was taken aback when she was introduced. "Oh, hi. You're one of Scott's friends right?" she asked as Stiles made his way through the front door. Ana shrugged, unsure of what to say. "Are you one of the wolfy ones or are you normal?" Taken by surprise Ana had laughed and covered her mouth to stifle it too late. Melissa smiled, "Great, another one."
Inside the kitchen she found Derek lurking, checking something on his phone (or pretending to anyway). Ana tilted her head but shrugged a little before making her way to the fridge. After a moment, she closed the door, frowning because there wasn't any coke or juice like she'd thought there would be.
"Ana." She jumped when Derek said her name. He reached into the pantry and tossed her a coke. She caught it easily and thanked him, making to leave. "Why didn't you do it?" Derek asked, causing Ana to stop.
"Do what?"
"Kill the alpha, Marla."
Ana blinked rapidly, caught off guard. "You could've done it. You could've gotten vengeance and alpha powers. It was well within your rights to." He watched her carefully, genuinely curious.
Ana appeared to be thinking, it was the exact opposite of Stiles' outpouring of words. Not that Derek minded that much anymore, most of the pack tended to say more than really necessary so he was getting used to it.
"I didn't want revenge or vengeance or any of that. I was angry at what she did, angry that my parents and brother were murdered and I miss them so much but… it was all because she wanted the power a pack would give her. She wanted me to be a monster and I think that killing her would've been her last way to fuck with me. I didn't need or want any power from her in any way, not from being in a pack with her or taking her life." Ana's voice was soft as she continued, "killing her would've have brought anyone back."
She looked up, as if suddenly remembering or realizing something, "not that I'm not… grateful that she's finally gone. I mean, not for my sake, but because she's not going to ruin anyone else's lives." She looked torn and bit her lip.
Derek pushed off where he'd been leaning on the counter and grabbed two cups from the cupboard and filling them with ice from the freezer. He took the can of coke from Ana and split it between the two cups. He handed her one and nodded, and headed to the living room, a confused Ana following.
"Finally! Awesome!" Stiles reached out for the coke as Ana walked over, but stopped when Derek ordered him to go get his own. Derek also glared at Jackson until he slid from the spot on the couch to the floor. Derek sat on the arm of the couch, tilting his head slightly at the vacant spot for Ana to sit as he took a sip of his coke. Stiles grumbled and got up, muttering as Ana giggled and shrugged by way of apology.
"Focus Stiles!" Derek said as Boyd once again slammed him to the forest floor. Stiles groaned but accepting Boyd's help up.
"Easy for you to say," Stiles grumbled under his breath. He wanted to go back to watching Ana dance circles around Jackson, but Scott had decided it was his turn to 'train'. Even this close to his first full moon Stiles still couldn't seem to get his body to do what he wanted. He'd try to keep up with Boyd as his fellow packmate attacked, and while his new senses kept up, Stiles' reaction time was too slow.
He heard Jackson scoffing and Lydia smacking him. Saw Erica grinning as her boyfriend knocked him on his ass again. Scott looked worried, but optimistic. If Stiles was reading Derek's eyebrows correctly, he was either agitated or disappointed or possibly constipated. Not that he cared what Derek thought. Nope, not at all. He gritted his teeth and nodded to Boyd, who launched at him again.
Stiles managed to feint to the right and get a hit in, but moments later found himself thrown against a tree. This was getting real old real fast. It seemed lycanthropy didn't cure ADHD, just made his racing thoughts and twitchy body even more disconnected.
"Um. Can I make a suggestion?" Ana asked quietly from where she sat on the clearing floor between Derek and Allison.
Derek glanced down at the girl standing up, and raised an eyebrow. God damn those stupid things, Stiles thought. "Maybe you should try… unfocusing, Stiles."
"What?"
"I-I think you're trying to focus too much."
Stiles blinked. Every movie and book ever alway said that the key to being an epic fighter was focusing. Even Derek preached about it. Focus and everything will become clear right?
"It doesn't hurt to try." Ana said.
"Actually from my perspective it is really hurting to try," Stiles huffed. "No offense," he said to Boyd, who just shrugged.
Ana pursed her lips and gave him a look somewhere along the lines of 'Stiles stop being an idiot'. Derek glanced at Scott, who seemed as confused as Stiles but nodded, calling Boyd back. Ana walked over and sat down next to Stiles as everyone else paired off to either go for a run or patrol. Allison and Lydia stayed, engrossed in a conversation of some kind. The two alphas also appeared to be discussing something (probably what to do with the failwolf on his first full moon, Stiles thought).
Ana asked him what happens when he tries to focus. Stiles sighed, rubbing the back of his head. "I don't know. It feels like I'm chasing myself in a circle? Like I can't keep up with what I'm trying to do."
Ana narrowed her eyes and bit at her bottom lip. "How about this. Close your eyes for a moment and just let your mind do what it wants to."
Stiles glanced at Ana skeptically, but decided to humor her. He closed his eyes and let out a deep breath. He could feel the minor bruises from earlier healing, could hear the night sounds of the forest around him. He felt Ana's presence, her steady heartbeat and a subtle smell of dewy grass and pine needles. He heard the low tone of Derek and Scott talking. Scott's presence was familiar, like being home or sitting outside in the summer under the tree in his backyard. Derek, though, was different. It was similar to the safe feeling Scott gave off but more… reassuring. Like the feeling of being safe was just for him, not a general sense protection. It was calming and Stiles' body relaxed as he reached out for it.
"How is it?" Ana asked, bringing Stiles back.
"Huh. Better?" Stiles said, surprised.
Ana smiled and stood up. She absently brushed away some dirt from her knees and shrugged off her hoodie. "Ok, now try doing it again, but this time try to catch me." He looked up at her dubiously, but she rolled her eyes and hoisted him up. "C'mon. Close your eyes, just like a moment ago."
On his third try Stiles saw Ana's bluff to dodge him and when she ducked low to throw him off balance, he slipped around her and catching her by the waist, flung her to the ground. She didn't miss a beat though, rolled over and kicked his legs out from under him. He panicked for the briefest of moments as he lost his balance, but instead of tensing up and forcing his mind to narrow focus, he just let go. He saw Ana about to spring back up, and grabbed her wrist, using his own moment to bring her down again and he found himself pinning her to the forest floor, knee on her stomach. She was grinning up at him. "See?" she said, a little winded.
"Go Stiles!" Allison called out, clapping with glee. Lydia looked mildly impressed, a little smirk on her face.
"Dude, that was great!" Scott said as he came over, beaming as he helped Stiles up.
"Not bad," Derek said, a rare smile relaxing his features.
"Yeah," Stiles said, catching his breath. He felt like his whole body was buzzing, but in a good way. Maybe this whole werewolf thing won't be so bad. He could do this.
Well, that's it folks! I hope you enjoyed Black Dog Sin. This is my first complete fanfiction and it was pretty awesome writing it. I like ending things on a positive note and I hope it's not too sappy. If you liked this keep your eye out for more, I have a few more plot lines I want to use with this AU. I want to indulge my Sterek feels a bit more than hinting at it like I did here. I'm not sure which plot I'm going to pursue next, whether a direct sequel or a couple short vignettes before the next major story. But I have ideas. All of the ideas. Including some crossovers.
Thanks again for reading! I love feedback and I'm always looking to improve my writing. I may alter the tags a bit or make little grammar changes but other then that, this is a wrap.