Episode Eight: No place like home - Part Two
Derek saw the palace, he did. The glitz and glamor of the beautiful majestic place didn't matter to him. There was no place like home, it was a phrase he thought he understood. Derek got it now - Stiles was home. He would trade everything he had if Stiles could be safe.
Derek could hear the shallow breaths his mate was emitting. It was the only sign Stiles was still with him, still fighting. He was hanging on to hope whilst he could hear the raspy breaths. Derek didn't even care that he was witnessing something few mortals ever got to see. The magicks in the air were so thick it clogged his sensitive nose. Derek couldn't care as it was helping Stiles. For everything else, he would buy a werewolf equivalent of Piriton. It would all be worth it when he saw Stiles' eyes open.
Mab had left, Derek could guess murder was on her mind. She hadn't left too long ago, something about seeing a Fae about a head. He didn't want to ask and he couldn't whilst he was in this form anyway.
Her majesty was back, it hadn't been long at all. It must be handy to be able to zap yourself to whatever location you wanted. She looked at Derek with a thousand eye stare. "Change back."
Derek whined. He didn't want to. Emotions hurt right now, he could focus on instincts like this.
Mab rolled her eyes, "He will live as I will accept nothing else; nor would he. Derek my grandson loves you stupid."
Derek changed back as there was no other option when the Winter Queen demands. He said only one hoarse word, "Why?"
Mab shrugged, there were many ways you could interpret such a statement. She knew exactly what he was referring to without any clarification. Derek wanted to know how anyone could hurt his mate. Mab understood the darker elements of humans, she all too often exploited their frailties. "Greed, vendetta ... bigotry will be the root. I don't care. The worm will be sorry he ever dared to lay a hand on my grandson."
Derek may no longer be in his Alpha form but there was no mistaking that smile. It was all wolf. "I love the way you think... Will you let me help?"
He may be an officer of the law but he was an alpha werewolf first. There was no way he would be able to sit on the sidelines whilst Mab dealt with the person who had harmed his mate.
It was no big deal for Mab. She would tolerate no one threatening her family. The idiot could join her other puppy in her dungeon. They were both crap hunters so they could bond in their 'downtime'. They could do with a distraction from their pain. She wouldn't provide any other alternative.
Mab thought she was kindness personified towards the hunter. She was letting him have a rest between torture sessions. She had given him a choice. He could have magical healing at the end of the session. If he did choose the magical healing he would suffer through the torture he'd inflicted on others. His other choice was to heal at a natural pace. The Hunter chose the later, she'd laughed as he'd made the wrong choice. She did it anyway. She was a Head of State and was a busy woman. She intended to extract every ounce of misery as revenge but she couldn't take too long to do it.
After all, as soon as she had collected the human who had dared to lay hands on Stiles. She was going to make him sorry he'd ever been born. If he didn't regret every life choice he'd ever made then she wasn't torturing him right.
John was listening in the observation room as Walker interrogated the bastard. The station was in shock at hearing the news about Stiles. Walker was the biggest nastiest Deputy after Derek. He volunteered to lead the interrogation,
"So why did you shoot Mr. Stilinski? He doesn't have enemies, he is just finishing High-School?"
The shooter had given the fake name of Mr. Christian Grey. Well, he was looking the worse for wear, and he wasn't answering any questions. He was smart enough to use his right of silence.
'Grey' was contemplating his failure during the interview. He'd taken the stupid amount of money for shooting the teen. He'd never contemplated why it was on offer. The morality of the issue was something that never bothered him. His focus was always on the money. "It was money."
Walker seized upon the words. "You know you have the right to an attorney?"
The assassin shrugged as quaint laws were inconsequential. "Oh, I will be dead long before I see a trial."
Walker had never heard such and easy acceptance of their fate. He wasn't wrong though as the whole of the station wanted to kick his ass. The question remained, who would kill him? Why were they so intent on taking out Stiles?
In the Fae land, Jordan was adjusting to everything. He had used his powers with instinctive ease. He hated that someone had targeted his Alpha, and his friend. He couldn't concentrate as someone led him through the palace. It was beautiful, like out of a fairytale movie. It was too bad, it had come at such a cost. He'd seen too much in his life to ever think that life was like the movies. There was no happy ending unless you made one.
If there was one couple, who deserved their happy ending it was Stiles and Derek. He froze because there was a person waiting for them at the end of the corridor. He was standing tall and proud. Jordan knew this man, it was his father. The evidence was all over their similar features, he saw them whenever he looked in a mirror.
He didn't know what to say. "Hey, Dad."
"Son," was the whisper, in reply.
So Jordan knew he wasn't unaffected. It made things better but Jordan still couldn't move his feet. He felt like his feet were in cement. His Dad didn't have the same issue as he was pulled him closer into a bear hug. He resisted responding for a moment but then the smell of home washed over him. This was his dad, he hugged back. He was trying to commit the scent to memory, in case, he never got the chance.
This was the one silver-lining in the whole affair of Stiles being shot. Just thinking about it, made him want to growl. His Dad must have picked up on his tension, "What is it?"
Jordan growled, "They shot Stiles."
"The prince?"
Jordan nodded, "Shot with an iron bullet."
McNamara winced. That was not good. The Fae had few weaknesses. The elements augmented their powers. The sun could make them sparkle and look good, way prettier than the stupid vampire books. Silver didn't do a damn thing against a Fae, they had one major weakness - consecrated iron. It had to be pure too, none of those ridiculous alloys the humans were so proud of. "The Queen will not let him die if it is within her will ... And Pup, her will is strong."
Jordan nodded, taking heed of the words. He had so many other things to ask his Dad. He felt like this was the time to ask.
"So where have you been?"
His Dad didn't blink at the question or try to evade it. "I couldn't stay, I was unable to endure the mortal realm without dying."
Oh. Christ, it all made sense. He knew Stiles' mum had died early in his life. She was a Fae also and she must have chosen to stay in the mortal realm. He got it, he wanted to be angry. If it was to save his life he couldn't be angry. Yet, he could feel anger for not knowing why. It had sucked growing up thinking his Dad had abandoned him. "Why not tell me?"
In New York, Susan Van Wylder heard the news with glee. "You mean to tell me that he actually managed to hit the Fae?"
Her lieutenant nodded. "Yeah, he did. The Beacon Hills PD arrested him on sight."
She shrugged, "He was a hitman. He knew the risks involved in his profession. If he was careless enough to get caught then that was on him." Her mind was racing with the implications. This offered them a narrow window of opportunity if they were going to act.
"Is he dead?" She couldn't even care to remember the Fae's name.
Her second shook his head. Pity, she thought. He chose to clarify his answer, "As I am to understand it. He is seeking treatment ...somewhere. We cannot find the 'private hospital' where treatment is taking place."
That got her attention. She had never felt fear as she did when Queen Mab paid the council a visit. It was disconcerting to realise she wasn't as powerful as she thought. There was also the tactical issue. The Hale Pack was now a powerful conglomeration of different supernatural species. They were limiting hunters abilities to exercise their rights in that area. Susan didn't like it but she wasn't stupid. So far, the pack hadn't broken any rules, merely reacted to threats. What worried her was the speed and skill they had put down the threats.
There was a saying that absolute power corrupts. Could she afford to let them get that powerful? If she was going to react, then she would do it with the council's agreement. They would need to take action now whilst the Fae was away.
"Call the council, I need to propose a vote."
Back in the Fae Realm, Stiles came to awareness slowly. It hurt, oh, boy did it hurt. He whimpered as the pain raced down his side. He felt Derek startle awake by his side. Oh good, Derek was in human form. He wanted to be able to cuddle him.
"Hey, Der' ... Man, what hit me?"
Derek had tears running down his face. He didn't bother to hide them. There were tears but also great joy on his face. His mate was alive. He hadn't had his happiness snatched from him. He was beginning to think there was a curse on him. How else would you explain his extreme misfortune?
"A bullet," Derek managed to say. He started peppering Stiles with feather light kisses.
Stiles laughed and started coughing not used to exerting his lungs. "Ouch ... I'm okay."
All signs pointed to it being true but it would take awhile before Derek believed it.
They had the time or so they thought.
Derek watched with astonishment as his mate healed in the realm. The healers could make miracles if their subject was conscious. It had to do with Stiles using his own innate magicks. Derek didn't care how. Just that he was okay.
"How will we explain your sudden recovery?" He asked one evening. Stiles was sleepy by his side.
"We won't. Time moves in a different way here, Sourwolf." Stiles explained it to him.
Derek had only ever heard about the notion of time bubbles in books. It was very sci-fi but considering his life was supernatural he had little room to judge. "I don't care as long as you are fit."
Stiles kissed him eager to reconnect with his mate. It was a slow-burning kiss, meant to excite but neither were in a hurry. He loved Derek with all his heart but he was not made of glass. He wanted to show Derek that he was on the mend. He could think of one fun way to prove just how fit he was. He was sure they would both enjoy the persuasion.
Stiles wasn't playing fair. He would appeal to the wolf in Derek. He had no problem playing prey if it led to mind-blowing sex.
He licked at Derek's mating bite. He felt the moan ripple through his mate. He heard the growl and didn't smirk. It would be crass. It didn't mean he hadn't won.
Derek gasped, "You're injured."
Stiles could remember the pain but it was gone. Right now, he felt like he was King of the World. He flipped over Derek so he was straddling his mate's hips. He took his mate in hand so to speak. He slipped his hand around Derek's weeping member. "I think my grip is just fine."
Derek's eyes flashed red showing just how affected he was. Stiles had the perfect grip on him, just the right pressure with a slight twist. It had him revved up within seconds. This was special, this was mates reconnecting. Derek thrust up, powerless to stop his body's reaction.
Stiles smirked at Derek. "Still worried?"
Derek growled, and there was a flash of fang at the challenge. He was moving with preternatural speed, flipping Stiles onto his back. He was so grateful that Stiles was still with him. He wanted to worship Stiles and show him how much he cared.
His nose moved from Stiles' neck, kissing a path downward. Derek nipped and kissed a trail from his ear down the line of his jaw. Stiles whined, pressing into the kisses. He wanted more and wasn't shy. Derek chuckled, "Let me show you."
Stiles was breathless, "Show me what?"
"How much I love you," Derek said. Plain and simple.
Stiles flushed, "I want to touch you."
Derek smirked, "We'll save that for the next round."
Stiles was powerless to resist as Derek kissed his mating bite and he went boneless. It was a long night where they both took the lead and showered their mate with all the love and affection they could. They reaffirmed the physical side of their bond and were all the stronger for it.
They collapsed into a sweaty, messy heap feeling like they could take on the world and win.
The morning afterglow was ruined. Stiles could feel shock and worry through the pack-bond. They may not be in the same realm, right but Stiles would always know if something wrong in the pack. This was fear, shock, and anger so something was very wrong in Beacon Hills.
"We have to go back the pack is in danger." Stiles gasped, trying to find the root of the feeling.
Derek growled, eyes flashing red. It would always be the same for the Alpha Pair. You threaten the pack, you threaten them and they would forever attack back.
Whoever picked a fight with their pack was going to die slowly. This was the first lie-in the mates had indulged in for too long. Stiles had wanted early morning sex too, he was going to take his frustrations out on the attackers too.
They deserved it the most.
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!