Chapter 16

Once everyone had calmed down and was seated at the kitchen table, Stiles choosing to sit as far away from the new comer as was possible, Laura asked the question that was on everyone else's mind.

"What happened?" she asked hesitantly as though she wasn't sure whether she wanted to hear his answer or not. If the human didn't survive the bite then the hunters would have every right to take them down.

"I was on my way here, taking the short cut through the woods as the roads are still closed, when I caught the trail of some rouge hunters. I shifted and followed the trail to an opening not far from here." The normally cocky wolf seemed completely disoriented.

"There was… there was a boy, probably not much younger than Derek, and he smelt like hunters, my wolf panicked. I don't know what happened but suddenly I'm pinning him down and I can taste blood." He looked around at his family with guilty eyes.

"I didn't hang around long enough after that to see if he was alright."

"So you just left him there? To do what? Die?" Stiles couldn't believe what he was hearing. Peter's eyes flashed and he bared he teeth to the young boy.

"I didn't know if there were other hunters near. I couldn't risk it." He growled.

"Okay that's enough Peter. Laura and I will go and have a look around and see if we can find him. If he is a hunter then we will deal with that as we must. If not we can bring him back here and assess the situation. James if you could please get some food and first aid supplies ready in case we have another unexpected guest. Peter go take a shower, you reek of dirt and blood. Derek?" Derek looked towards his mother at the call of his name.

"Keep an eye on Stiles and your sister. We've had enough goings on for one day." Laura tried to hide her smirk at the incredulous look on Stiles face.

"I am able to look after myself, I'm not completely incapable." Derek placed a discreet hand on the disgruntled boys back and tried not to get lost in his over expressive eyes as he looked to him for help. Stiles leaned back into the unnaturally warm hand and glared at the rest of the family. Unfortunately his weak human glare only fuelled their amusement. Alice cleared her throat and forced a straight face.

"I know you're perfectly capable of looking after yourself, in any other situation, but normally you don't have to deal with hunters and werewolves." And really, he couldn't argue with that.

"Fine. You better go find the poor idiot who got mauled and we should find Peter a leash." Stiles sighed and leaned closer to Derek as Peter let out a warning growl from deep in his chest.

"Is it safe for me to be near him? He's already bitten someone today, I don't want to become his next chew toy." He stage whispered over his shoulder to Derek watching Peter out of the corner of his eye. The older wolf smiled lecherously.

"And what a pretty little chew toy you would make. Do you squeak if I squeeze you in the right place?" Peter leered causing Derek to let out his own warning growl and pull Stiles closer to his chest, out of his uncles reach.

"Stiles why don't you take Anna upstairs and do some drawing? I need to talk to my uncle."

Normally Stiles would have argued that he should be allowed to stay but one look in the wolf's eyes and he knew it was not up for discussion. Nodding slightly Stiles pushed his chair away from the table and turned to where Anna was quietly reading in the corner. She was being so quiet and still that before Derek had told him to take her upstairs Stiles had almost forgotten that she was still there.

"Come on munchkin, lets leave the big bad wolves to their boring talk." He forced a cheerful smile as he took the little girls hand and lead her upstairs, glaring at Peter as he passed.

They stayed upstairs for a couple of hours, Derek joining them after he finished with Peter, and between them Anna and Stiles had drawn a large pile of pictures. Stiles was actually rather proud of the drawing he had done of his beloved jeep even if Derek says it looks like a blue brick.

He was so lost in what he was drawing (It was supposed to be Derek but it looked more like a potato with giant eyebrows.) that he didn't realise that the rest of the Hales had returned with what could potentially be the newest member of the pack.

The moment that the front door slammed shut though Stiles was on his feet and sprinting down the stairs, quickly followed by Derek and then Anna at a slower pace. What he saw once he reached the bottom of the stairs, however, caused him to come to an abrupt stop. This had to be a joke.

"So it looks like Peter's victim had a friend with him who saw everything." Alice spoke calmly.

How could she be calm right now? How could anyone be calm right now? Looking at the two boys holding hands by the front door Stiles felt anything but calm.

"S-Scott?" he whispered in disbelief as his best friend turned to face him.

"Stiles! What are you doing here? Did that psycho wolf get you as well?" Scott walked towards the shocked teen slowly dragging the other boy who was still latched on to his side with him.

"You're the one who got bit! How… what were you doing out in the middle of the woods in a blizzard?"

Scott looked around at the members of the Hale family that he had yet to be introduced to before returning his gaze to Stiles.

"It looks like we both have some explaining to do."

End Of Chapter