Episode Three: Dinner is Served! Pt 2

It seemed like the eating part of dinner was over. The Hale pack didn't need any more direction from their Alphas'. The minute Derek asked the question, they put their cutlery down. It wasn't like they weren't as eager to find out the answers as their Alphas.

Rosa was too far gone to care how she spoke. Her anger had been growing the longer she was left to stew. "This is not your business."

Derek inclined his head to acknowledge her point. She was right to a certain extent. Whatever bad blood that existed between the hunting clan and the Cortez Pack was none of his business. The trouble was, she was also wrong. He spoke with natural authority,

"You made it my business."

And that was the simple fact of the matter. She had. When she brought her crazy bullshit to town.

The sheriff smirked at Derek. He was more than happy to back the play. "Not to mention mine."

Derek was so glad that he had friends in law enforcement. It made his life so much easier. "And my father-in-law's when you brought your shit to my door. You brought weapons to our hometown."

Peter smiled, "We were a happy pack, planning a cookout."

Yeah because Peter was just a regular old domestic god. Stiles was more than okay with playing up the stepford vibe the pack was aiming. The only trouble was he now had a disturbing image of Peter as one of the 'wives'. It was like all the pack received the signal. Lydia wanted to have her say,

"Relaxing after the shit-show that was the Alpha-pack."

Stiles smiled, "I had royal duties to catch up on." Well that and homework. Such was the life of a modern teenager.

Carlos sighed and took the first step to getting the whole mess sorted. He was still not sure he would keep his life. He just didn't want to anger this pack any further. He bowed his head as he said, "I bit her brother."

"By the moon you are stupid." Stiles couldn't help but curse.

Stiles may look human but there were little things that set him apart. He wasn't hiding anymore. He wasn't even dampening his aura. He was Fae and too proud to hide it. He knew Derek would support him and they would face any problems together.

Carlos hissed, "It was an accident."

Derek rolled his eyes, "What you just tripped and your fangs just fell on him?"

It was clear that no one liked the excuse. The whole Hale pack were radiating scorn with every glance. It was pretty pathetic as excuses go.

"It wasn't like that." Carlos said, not able to hide his embarrassment.

Calaveras struggled to stay quiet. It was too much, "What was it like you animal?"

Stiles would not tolerate it. "Keep your names to yourself lady or you will not like the results."

It wasn't a threat. Threats were useless if they were not backed up. This was a solemn promise. Stiles wasn't sure if he would take her tongue or just her voice. If he was being honest both ideas had merit.

"What can you? You are a mere boy!"

The Hales didn't rush to his defense and he was smiling. This was not right. They should be protecting the human alpha mate. They weren't.

Stiles was glad for it. He knew the pack had his back but wouldn't fight unnecessary battles for him. It was obvious that as she got madder - she was not listening to what the pack said. So she was mad and stupid. It was an easy assessment to make.

"You lady are dumber than a box of rocks."

"Stiles!"

Stiles shook his head, "Sorry Dad but I'm saying it how I see it."

The whole notion was absurd. She was aware of who his grandmother was and still she made idle threats. He made it clear how unafraid of her he was. "Lady I am the Crown Prince of the Fae. I hate listening to your crap. I'm debating if I want to take your voice or your actual tongue."

He said it so calm - It made him sound dangerous. The best thing was the reaction his speech earned. The Cortez pack paled. Calaveras stuttered. Derek, Isaac, Peter, Jackson and Lydia all voted, "Tongue."

"Voice," was the call of the others. It was telling that none of them were telling him off.

Stiles looked at Carlos, "You have a vote?" He was curious to what the other Alpha would say. He wanted to see if the guy could pass his test.

"I don't think I get a say."

Stiles turned a blinding smile towards Derek. The Hale Alpha smiled back and it was hard to handle. One minute the couple were all business and threatening your tongue or throat. The next minute, they were all loved up to a nauseating degree.

"He is a smart one."

Derek was back to glowering. "There is nothing smart about this situation."

Stiles shrugged. "You're right." He wouldn't argue you the point. Well out loud at least. " Remember Cora is now returned."

Derek respected that fact. It was the only thing stopping him from going homicidal. For all their laughs and jokes. The pack weren't kidding. They just wanted to relax.

As a result Derek's annoyance with the whole damn affair was higher. He wanted to know all the nitty gritty details. He was getting an inkling of what had gone wrong. "So you bit the brother ... Did he survive?"

Rosa sneered, "That is inconsequential. He is dead."

Wow.

Stone cold calm. This was a sister grieving for her brother. Derek looked into her eyes, no, this wasn't grief. This was an excuse for violence. Derek understood the difference - He'd lived it.

"Oh but it makes all the difference." Derek purred. He knew his Uncle got it to by the looks he was giving Calaveras.

Carlos was not going to stay silent, "You didn't come for me. You attacked my seconds pregnant mate."

Rosa shrugged, "I didn't do it."

There was a growl. The only trouble it was Stiles who did it. So what? He ran with a wolf pack - he was bound to pick up bad habits.

He had a few rules that were sacrosanct. You don't attack kids.

Kids were innocent.

"So you turned your hometown into a warzone, right? They attacked ... you attacked. A perfect example of why attrition is a stupid policy."

The hunter flushed and John spoke up. There was something that was bothering him about the explanation. "So hang on your brother survives the bite. What is the issue?"

Chris knew. It was so obvious.

The code.

The start and the end of so much trouble. In theory. The code was a brilliant idea. It should work as a code of ethics to govern the hunters lest they turn into monsters themselves. In reality the deranged used it as an excuse to do whatever they liked. His own family members were shining examples. The problem with the code was it built for a black and white world. The real world had way too many shades of grey.

He was the one to ask as there was no way she would misinterpret - one hunter to another. "Did he choose?"

Rosa flushed, she'd forgotten about Argent. He was not out of place with the wolf pack. He blended a little too well for her comfort. He knew all the Hunter ways and tricks. It wasn't right, "He knew his duty unlike you."

If it was a barb meant to hurt it missed its target. Argent smirked at her, he picked up the elder Hale's hand. "My duty is to my family."

Rosa cocked her head to the side. Did she just gain an angle to exploit?

"What does Victoria think of your affair?"

Peter rolled his eyes. This woman was playing at amateur hour. "You suck at manipulation."

Lydia snorted because it would have to be Peter that said something. "Not everyone can be a devil in a v-neck like you."

Peter pouted but the pack knew it was fake. "Please. I'm nowhere near as bad as Stiles."

Stiles chuckled at that statement. "Don't pout. Peter I have a head start."

For the Fae, manipulation was learnt at the parent's knee. Well in Stiles case, his Grandparents knees. It didn't get much trickier than the Winter Queen and her King. Mab made Machiavelli look like an amateur.

The Sheriff finished his coffee. "I'm not sure we can call Mab a positive influence but she is a good teacher."

Allison was the astute one, "Not by human standards."

Stiles smirked. The pack were starting to get that he had more than one mask. He was getting better at letting the pack see the real him. It was hard. He had only let Derek and his Dad see the real him before .

The Sheriff felt it necessary to poke a little. It was what you did when you went to close out an interrogation. "So your brother gets bitten and you bully him into committing suicide. For what?"

The woman looked incensed. How could he ask that? Why could he not see? It was clear to her how deep the corruption in Beacon Hills went. This entire pack had to go but would it be enough?

No it needed to be deeper than that.

She would activate a deadpool of every supernatural creature in this godforsaken town. It was the only way this town would have a chance.

She just had to survive the dinner. "I did it to save his immortal soul."

Derek sighed, "Perfect bigotry. I've just eaten."

"It is our way." Rosa zinged back. She was not sure of much but she would not have this Alpha question her beliefs.

"I'm sure it is." Derek's response was calm and measured. "Doesn't mean I have to like it. I find life precious."

Ohh.

Conversation killer right there.

Derek could now see how the damn affair started. It was stupid and annoying how hatred could screw so many thing up. He hoped to put the crazy hunter thing behind Beacon hills with the demise of Kate and Gerard.

"Okay so explain it to me. How one of your clan ended up targeting my niece ... She is not a Cortez?"

Cortez wanted to protest. He wanted it to be clear. "I took her in when she had no one else. She thought you were all dead."

Stiles wanted to cackle. It was a stupid play. When Derek was this angry you didn't play on sympathy. If he wasn't helping keep his boo calm. Derek would be seeing the world through a red mist. He was one step from morphing into his Alpha form.

"Yes and through your care. She almost died. You're not selling your usefulness."

The Hale pack winced letting all know the guy was in trouble. Stiles just looked up, "Am I having a hunt organised?"

"Still a Sheriff." His Dad reminded him.

"You could arrest the old bitch for firearm offenses. Then our guests would disappear and you would be none the wiser?"

Stiles looked like it was a great plan. He was so keen. His Dad was having a hard time keeping a straight face. He got it. This was the type of situation you laughed or cried at.

Derek looked at the two main players in the whole drama. The Cortez pack were side players - this all started because of Calaveras and Carlos.

"Peter, Stiles ... Can you see most of the Cortez pack to the guest house."

Stiles didn't need any more of a communication. He hadn't need words with Derek for months. As cliched as it sounds, a glance was all it took. He would spell them inside the guest house. They would be safe in there and the pack could make a decision in their own time, on their own terms.

Derek knew what needed to happen, "Everyone go and crash. Sheriff, Chris can you stay?"

Stiles and Peter would return soon enough.

However feel free to check out my Tumblr, Facebook and Twitter pages to find out about fic updates, see sneak peeks at works in progress and ask any questions that you might have!