Cooking dinner for everyone was strange; not uncomfortably strange though. I had a sense of serenity and completeness with everyone being under one roof. In the past, when it was just me, Peter, Jackson, and Isaac together, there was always a feeling of rightfulness, but now it's more intense. It's like colors seem brighter, sounds are more crisps, and for the first time in months, I feel like I can breathe a little easier. I guess this is what Derek meant when he said that he has always and will always be our alpha.
It's easy to see that everyone is glad that Derek is back for good though. For Peter, it's got more to do with the fact that he's the only living family he has left since the fire and Laura, but even I can see that it's more than that. Once Isaac and I started making dinner, Peter asked to speak to Derek in private; so, they headed out back towards the woods so the betas wouldn't hear them. Not that they were paying much attention anyway; they were too busy catching up with one another. I felt bad that Isaac was missing out on it so, I sent him in the living room to catch up as well.
While no one said anything about why Peter wanted to speak to Derek alone, we all knew why. Peter wanted to apologize to Derek about Laura. I know that he doesn't expect Derek to understand or forgive him for what happened, but at the same time he needs to try and make amends with him just as he did with everyone else. Glancing towards the kitchen window overlooking the backyard I catch a glimpse of them heading back to the house and they both have an arm around the other. Looks like Derek has done some soul searching while he was gone just like Peter has.
With Jackson and Isaac, they're glad that Derek is back for the same reason; whether or not they realize it I do and I know Derek does as well. Neither Jackson nor Isaac had very good father figures growing up. Isaac's father beat and tormented him just because he felt like he could. And Jackson's father expected him to be the best at everything he did; grades in school, or playing lacrosse it didn't matter Jackson had to be the best. After he came back from London and we became closer as friends he explained that that was why he always bullied me. School and grades always came so easy for me, when I tried, but, it was always a struggle for him. It came as a shock to me when he admitted that he was jealous of me because of that and because of the fact that my father supported me in whatever I did, no matter what it was.
For Jackson and Isaac, and I suspect Erica and Boyd as well, Derek is more than just their alpha; he's like a father figure to them. You can tell this by the way they interact with him. For Jackson, it's constant talking about lacrosse; his passion. How many goals he scored last game; how as soon as he cam back to Beacon Hills he took team captain away from Scott; and how many colleges are looking at him for scholarships. And with Isaac, he was excited about how well he was doing in school. He claims that it's because I tutor him, but it's mainly because he's smart and not under the pressure his father put on him to do well. He knows that if he makes a mistake now it's not going to result in him being beaten or locked in a freezer. Derek seemed extremely pleased with how happy the both of them were. He even asked Jackson when his next game was a said that he'd show up. I don't think that I've ever seen Jackson that happy before.
I finally finished dinner as soon as I heard my dad's cruiser pull up in the drive way. I'm extremely nervous about how this is going to go. For one, we have to explain where Erica and Boyd have been, the whole Hale pack business and then where everyone will be staying while plans are being made for the Hale house to be rebuilt. Erica and Boyd will have to go home to their families after the discussion with my dad, but what about Derek?
"Stiles? Could you come in here please?" my dad calls from the living room. I had been so engrossed in my own thoughts that i didn't even hear him come into the house. I walked into the living room to see the pack seated in various places around the living room and my dad standing in the doorway with a bewildered look on his face. Turning to me he asked, "So, I'm guessing that the explanation as to why i have two runaways and a former alpha werewolf in my house is going to be a whiskey conversation, right?" I chuckled before guiding him into the dining room. "Whiskey and a full calorie meal for dinner dad." He groaned before taking out his bottle of whiskey and glass before taking his seat at the head of the table.
Derek and the rest of the pack helped me bring out the food and plates before taking their seats as well. Derek sat at the other end of the table across from my dad and everyone else filed in a various other seats, leaving the seat to Derek's right open for me. I guess it had something to do with Derek saying that I was his second in command, but whatever. After everyone had been filled their plates, they waited for my dad to take the first bite. In the beginning, I didn't understand why they did this so, one day I asked Peter about and he explained that by them having dinner at my house my dad was viewed as the alpha of sorts. He told me that it was considered disrespectful for a beta to eat before their respective alpha. My dad knowing this went ahead and took a bite of his food, and yet they still waited. Then it dawned on me, they were waiting for Derek to eat some before them as well, but even then they still waited. Derek nudged me under the table and quietly told me to eat so, I did. It was only after my dad, Derek and I had our first bites that everyone else started eating. Ok, that's not weird at all, but I guess once again it has to do with me being Derek's second; I think.
We were half-way through dinner when my dad finally spoke up and asked what was going on, which led to a two hour conversation about where Derek, Erica, and Boyd had been and what they had gone through. By the end of the conversation my dad looked upset and a little confused, but for the most part he took everything pretty well.
"So, Derek now that you're back and an alpha again how does my son and his friends fit into all of this?" my dad asked.
I took this as my time to speak up. "Dad, do you remember when we Peter, Jackson, Isaac, and I started spending more time together as a group and less time with Scott and his pack?" At my father's nod I continued. "It seems that because Derek bit Jackson, Isaac, Erica and Boyd, their wolves will always view Derek as their alpha, same thing with Peter only that's more because of the fact that they're family. With me, that's a little more difficult." At this my father raised an eyebrow. What is it with everyone and their over-expressive eyebrows. Derek took this as a chance to explain.
"Sheriff Stilinski." He started before my dad cut him off. "Derek, I told you to call me John."
Derek smiled a little and started again. "John, I'm not sure how much detail Stiles and the rest of my pack gave you about the past few years, but it's safe to say that Stiles and I have been forced into some situations where our survival was in the others hands. If it wasn't for Stiles then I wouldn't be here and vice versa. I guess you can say that bonding through life and death situations made us pack. Not only that, but he's been taking care of my betas while I've been gone; that only makes him my equal of sorts in the pack. The betas trust and truly care for Stiles and they will protect him no matter what."
Derek stopped to gather his thoughts before he continued. "From what I understand from what Stiles and the others have told me is that in the beginning things were fine being in a pack with Scott as their alpha. But somewhere along the line they became restless and uncomfortable there. Given the time period that they said this started happening was right around the time that I became an alpha again. Even though consciously they didn't know that I was, their wolves recognized the shift in power and they felt the need to leave Scott's pack. It's the same with Stiles only for him it was more of his subconscious, since he isn't a werewolf. He noticed the changes in the betas and recognized their need for reassurance which led to them drifting away from Scott's pack."
"That and the fact that I don't trust Scott at all. I mean what kind of guy abandons his supposed best friend for a girl? Especially a girl whose family hunts werewolves for a living!" Jackson practically yelled.
I kicked him under the table to tell him to shut up; my dad knew that there was more to that story, but thankfully he let it go.
"Ok, so now you're back and you plan to rebuild your house for your pack?" my dad asked; Derek nodded.
"Good, I suspect that you'll be camping out in the guest room with Jackson, Isaac, and Peter?" He asked shocking us all, but Derek just nodded his head again.
"Ok, that's fine with me. Maybe you can help me keep them in line." my dad said jokingly. He looked over to Erica and Boyd. "Do you guys have a story to tell your parents about where you've been for two months?"
Erica nodded. "We ran off to be together, but decided to come home."
My dad nodded that this was an acceptable story to him. "Alright, I know you guys want to stay together for tonight so, tomorrow I'll take you down to the station and we'll call your parents then. For now, everyone can stay here." My dad's phone went off letting him know he had a text.
"Looks like I'm picking up the late shift. Thanks for dinner Stiles, and I'll see the rest of you tomorrow morning." And with that he left the house.
After my dad left everyone relaxed knowing that he not only understood what was going on but accepted it for what it is.
"So," I started to ask Derek. "What now?"
"Now, we relax and catch up. Tomorrow Erica and Boyd will go home and the rest of us will start working on getting ready to rebuild the house. Then at some point we're all going to have to have a meeting with the McCall pack and let Scott know that you all are my pack and not his." He stated definitely.
Oh God. How am I going to explain this to Scott?