Episode Two: Guess Who is Coming to Dinner Pt3

Rosa Calaveras was not a woman who suffered fools with any sort of grace. She had the power of the hunting clan behind her. On top of that she was downright deadly in her own way. There were few creatures on Earth who could say they walked away - once she set her sights on them. If they were fortunate enough to escape her wrath there and then. She hunted them down without any shred of mercy shown.

"Where is he?"

Her son looked at her uneasy. He knew his mother too well. If she was using that tone if someone wasn't dead they soon would be. He was so glad that he was not his idiot cousin. He didn't like not being able to give definitive answers as that could make for a volatile response.

"I don't know. Ella is looking for him."

She threw her cup at the wall in frustration. He didn't flinch as he was expecting some outburst. She didn't stop there though as he got questioned. "Why have you not found him? All he had to do was find the hideout and report back!"

A phone ringing, disturbed the rant. "What?

There was a dry voice on the other side, indifferent to her anger.

"Hello to you too."

Rosa rolled her eyes with annoyance - It was polite form to inform the local matriarch. It was ironic that the hunter clans could be more territorial than the things they hunt. She bit back the frustration to respond with an acidic,

"Is there something wrong Victoria?"

They were over the phone so Rosa would be unable to see her smirk. It didn't matter Victora was going to turn the screw on one of the nastiest bitches she knew. It would amuse her for the rest of the day. She would find a nice gift for her Alphas' for such joy.

"You tell me. I have an angry Alpha Hale venting because his sister was attacked."

Rosa frowned, listening to the nonsense. She had not attacked the Hale Pack. She had no quarrel with them and even if in recent years there pack had shrunk. She would not risk open war with the Hales. They had interesting allies that were never werewolves. They were too unpredictable for her liking.

She was vehement in her denial. "Nonsense I am hunting the Cortez pack. They came here skulking. He will no doubt try and hide behind Hales legs."

It was clear just what she thought of this Alpha. Vicky couldn't exactly say that her Alpha agreed with the matriarch. They were maintaining the fiction she had not turned. If the bitch demanded she kill herself like the code demanded - She would tear her throat out. It had taken sometime to adjust to were-dom - the inbuilt claws came in handy.

Victoria chuckled, there was no warmth in her voice. It would have put even if the most naive person on guard.

"So why was Cora Hale near death when dumped on the Hale's door? It was your strain of Wolfsbane. I recognise a lingering death due to shutting down of the lungs."

Rosa sighed as that was true. She asked feeling weary, "Where is she?"

She hoped the cure would work. "It doesn't matter she is recovering with her family. It's your problem Rosa I won't help."

Rosa pinched her nose, her frustration mounting. How could this go so wrong? She understood right then that the hunter, Tony, was not coming home. It didn't take a genius to figure it out.

"What does Hale want?"

Victoria answered, "A meeting and a reason. You attacked his innocent younger sister."

So there it was. Argent would cause trouble with the council if she didn't see Hale. You did not use words like 'innocent' unless that was your intent. Fantastic. This day was getting better. She couldn't afford to ignore Hale.

He was an unknown on the board inside her mind. There was nothing more horrifying for a chess player than an unpredictable opponent. She would love to know Hale managed to get a cure for the sister. One of the reasons why her clan used that strain of Wolfsbane was it was incurable. It seemed that the young son may just have more about him than rumour spoke of. She had heard he was a beta who was ill prepared for Alphadom - this spoke of much more.

And now he was demanding a meeting. This smacked of a set up but one she would have to go to if she wanted any type of answer. She could bring her brother but then it would look like she had something to hide. Worse, it would look like she needed protection. It was something she could not afford if she was

"Do you have a contact?"

Vicky was quick to respond, "Sure you can call him at 911."

Rosa was not one who enjoyed being a joke. This was a volatile situation and the other matriarch had made it clear she had no intention of helping. "Are you mocking me?"

The response back wasn't mocking but damning,

"Not at all. He is a Deputy Sheriff and his mate is the Sheriff's son. If you want neutral ground that is where I would go."

Damn it.

This was more than problematic. She could read between the lines. This made her clan's position more tenuous. The Alpha was smarter or at least more modern than many of his counterparts. He'd picked a good job one that would offer him protection and a source of information.

She remembered the other thing Argent had said. The Alpha was dating the Sheriff's son too. He was either brave or stupid. It took guts to date a Sheriff's child. It meant that the Sheriff was fond of him and would want to keep Hale alive.

The Calaveras would be unable to buy off the police like they did back home. She hoped they got this whole debacle sorted soon. She missed home where things were simpler.

Rosa was stiff and formal as she walked into the local Sheriff's office. She was not above playing games and disliked the way Hale had asked her to phone 911. She was here but not to make contact but rather file a missing person's report. The damn wolf could come to her. She was no one's bitch.

"I'm Rosa Calaveras, I'm here to report a cousin of mine missing."

She was at the front desk and noticed the Sheriff freeze at her name. She filed that information away for later. He knew something, she just didn't know what. He was quick to come to her though and take over.

"Tara. I will deal with Ms Calaveras. You are on top while I go and deal with this."

He got a look as if to say Tara would have words, many words with her. He smiled his best charming Sheriff smile and walked out. He was well aware of the situation as Stiles had been keeping him up to date with texts. He knew all about the abrupt and dramatic entrance of Cora into the pack. This woman had a lot to answer for and he was just looking for an excuse to arrest her.

He let her sit upfront with him as he drove. She was not his prisoner and and he wanted her relaxed as she just might let something slip. He doubted it but it would be worth it. He was going to drive her straight to the Hale House.

Rosa was not a stupid woman. "So you are taking me where?"

"Why to Deputy Hale of course... He is our best tracker and is the best at resolving our missing person cases. He's been a godsend since joining the force."

Her eyes narrowed as she was sure he was playing with her. She was never one for double talk. She was not sure just what she could say. She was unaware of the Sheriff's knowledge. It might be that he knew nothing of the Supernatural and if that was the case she could not be the one to tell him. It was frustrating but her begrudging respect for the young Alpha was growing.

The door opened and you could see the man was all Hale. The Hale family was the living embodiment of tall, dark and brooding. She was guessing this man was the young Alpha, Derek.

"Hey Sheriff." He had a brief smile for the Sheriff before it dropped when he looked at her.

"Derek."

Rosa knew there and then. He knew. The Sheriff had to know. There was no way he would be calm about one of his deputies with a ripped shirt with a blood stained shirt.

"Your mother-in-law rescued Cora," was all the explanation he gave.

Things were getting out of control. She wanted way more weapons. She felt underprepared. Who was she? What did the Sheriff know?

The Sheriff grinned, all boyish humour belying his years. "She has her moments ... she was always good to me."

Derek smirked. He was well aware of Mab and her good points. He was just more than grateful that she approved of him. "Madam Calaveras. Welcome to my home."

She saw little point but to enter the building but as she entered it felt like the air got thicker. She had no idea that she had just passed through a Fae ward. It was to stop any ill intent.

Stiles was not the type to play with people's safety. After the disaster of the Nogitsune he had a discrete team of warders go for all the strategic parts of the town. If he had had a choice he would have done the whole damn town. The only trouble with this theory was that the ley lines interfered. It was odd but true.

Rosa was too old to play games, "Why am I here?"

Derek snorted, "You shoot my sister with wolfsbane and you ask why?"

He watched as she shook her head. He could tell through the chemo-signals she was telling the truth. The thing was just because she herself didn't do it - didn't mean she didn't know who did. "I didn't do it."

A younger man hissed, "But one of yours did do it."

She looked at him, he carried power in the pack but she would bet money he wasn't a wolf. "How can you make such an accusation?"

Stiles smirked, he knew he'd rattled the wicked bitch. She was a real piece of work.

"My grandmother decided to intervene before he could make a rug of my sister-in-law."

Her eyes narrowed. She knew what had happened. Stupid impetuous man! He loved to use that line. Yet again though was this mention of the grandmother.

"Just how did she intervene?" Rosa spat out. They should at least be leary of her. They weren't.

Derek snorted, "Did the hunter just make a demand of me in my own home?"

Peter who had been stroking Cora's face. Just grateful for her being alive looked up amusement glinting in her eyes. "I think she did. It is pretty rude if I do say so nephew. You're an Alpha in your own home."

Stiles slid up close, "Besides you don't know where her precious hunter is. If she can get an answer from Queen Mab then good luck to her."

Peter adored Stiles. Well, just less than he did Chris and his children. You just had to love someone who could drip pure malice and disdain in such a simple sentence. It was what he called asshole Royal mode.

Rosa couldn't help but ask, "Queen Mab. The Fae queen?"

Stiles turned around big grin on his face. If you'd known him - you would know it was the face he pulled when he was trying to convince people of his innocence. "You know Nana?"

Oh boy. It was interesting to watch someone's face when they realised that the shit had hit the fan. They had seen that look not an hour before on Alpha Cortez' face. The pack was stuck, locked into the kitchen area. Derek had insisted they remain there until they could get more information.

He would act only when he had all the information but by the moon someone would pay for Cora. The question was who first?

Stiles was thinking along the same lines. "You know what Madam Calaveras? You should join us and the Cortez' for dinner."

Rosa knew this had to be a trap.

And yet all she said was, "I'd be delighted."

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