Derek expected the bond to be idle while Scott was unconscious but the constant thrum of emotions he felt from the rest of the pack should have been present when the beta opened his eyes. When the bond was silent he knew that Scott was somehow fighting him, fighting what should have been impossible. "Open the bond."

"What?"

"Your wolf submitted, but you are still fighting the pack bond. I should be able to feel you." Derek snarled in anger when Scott held his ground, held his eyes instead of cowering back. "Stop fighting me, you idiot!"

"I can't!" Scott's fists tangled in the pallet. "You want to kill people, just like him."

One of the seats was yanked from the bolts on the floor and chucked out the door. "That's why I need you."

"To kill people?" Scott threw a disgusted glare. "I'm not going to do that, Derek. You'll have to kill me first."

Scott flinched back from the angered growl, but remained steadfast in the face of the warning. "I need you to stop me."

It felt almost as if Derek had landed a physical blow as the air rushed from his lungs. "Oh." Staring dumbly at the heaving chest of the Alpha, Scott became aware of the fear hidden beneath the rage that was coursing down the forced bond. "To stop you?"

"Yes." Derek gritted his teeth, hissing out the words. "I need you in the pack. You're the only thing stopping me from becoming Peter."

Confusion colored Scotts face. "How?"

"Because you still care." The handrail buckled under Derek's grip. "I tried to find it with them," he gestured out to the other pack members. "But they see it as a gift, like me. Humans are beneath us." He glowered at Scott. "You're the only one who still cares about them."

As the realization of Derek's confession set in, the pressure became stifling. Scott wasn't prepared to be the humanity for an entire wolf pack. "How am I supposed to stop you from killing people if you want me to stop fighting you?"

Derek groaned in frustration, rolling his eyes at the obtuse beta. "Stop fighting the pack bond. If I can't feel you then I still see you as a threat, even if you submitted in a fight."

Scott shifted uncomfortably, clutching his side as he reclined against the subway wall. "I don't know how."

"How are you not dead yet?" Derek sighed and moved over to the pallet, hunching over him. "As long as you fight your other side, you fight me. Use your senses and follow your instincts. They should be telling you to accept to the bond."

Trepidation filled the air. "If I give in to my instincts, I'll lose my humanity."

"No you won't." Derek had the urge to smack Scott upside the head, suddenly understanding how he could be failing two classes. For someone so intelligent he was incredibly dense. He knew once the information was there that Scott was tenacious, but getting anything in his brain was trying. "The wolf is part of you, but it doesn't supersede you, unless you try to fight it for too long. You'll keep your humanity for the same reason you keep your control. You won't allow the wolf to hurt innocent people."

Scott closed his eyes, concentrating on the wall he built to cage the beast inside. He could almost picture the wolf pacing the length of the cage, snapping its jaws in anger at captivity. He took a deep breath, sinking into the visualization until he was able to touch the cage. It had taken a lot of trial and error to build this construct in his mind, and a lot of lacrosse balls to the head, but finally he had achieved control over his transformations. Calmly, his fingers brushed the metal of the latch and lifted. He prayed Derek was right as man and beast stared at each other in a challenge. Scott's eyes widened in fear as the beast lunged.

"Scott?" Derek panicked when Scott dropped heavily on the pallet and started to convulse. "Erica!"

The remainder of the pack ran into the car, shocked by the scene. "What's wrong with him?" Erica moved to pull Scott on his side, more than familiar with the protocol for seizures.

"I don't know. This has never happened before." Derek moved to the other side of the beta, helping Erica hold him down. "Boyd, get his legs."

Boyd dropped to his knees, snapping his iron grip around Scott's ankles, drawing them to his chest as he fought the bucking of Scott's convulsions. "Come on Scott, wake up."

"Isaac, grab the kit in my purse. I need the needle." Erica pointed to the bag carelessly slung over the emergency exit handle. Before she could give further instructions, Isaac had the cap off her syringe and the needle was in her hand. Unloading the contents into his neck, she watched with relief as the muscles stilled and Scott sagged heavily on the floor.

"What was that?"

"Kanima venom." She flinched back from Derek's growl. "I was afraid of the damage I could do to myself if I ever had another seizure."

Derek sighed heavily, understanding her fears. It was the same reason Scott still carried an inhaler even though he didn't need it.

"What's happening to him?"

Watching the eyes flutter back and forth in REM, Derek shuddered at the lifeless face. "I don't know. It's like his body is rejecting a bite, but he's already transformed." He rolled Scott more comfortably on his side and shifted to sit against the wall. "All we can do now is wait."

.

.

Scott raged in battle with the wolf. The war for dominance wore on for hours as the man and beast fought to control his mind. Somehow he knew that if he lost the fight he would become a feral beast, his humanity locked inside the recess of his mind while the wolf ran on a killing spree. Even as he saw the wolf limping, he felt the strength in his body wane. This battle wouldn't last much longer and he could only hope he walked away the victor. In a last desperate attempt, he wrapped his hands around the lunging animal and flung it over his head stomping his foot down on the throat until the wolf sagged in defeat. Scott sank to his knees in relief and took a deep cleansing breath.

"Well done, Little Healer."

Scott jumped to his feet, spinning to see an alpha behind him. "Who are you?"

The beast let out a snarling chuckle. "Not an alpha." He raised his staff and leaned heavily against its weathered wood. "We are Shaman." He gestured between them before inviting Scott to sit. "We are ruled by the spirit instead of the wolf." The silver eyed werewolf pointed to the wolf lying behind Scott.

"Is that why I've been fighting him?"

The older werewolf smiled. "You have done remarkable considering you had no one to train you. We are not like other werewolves." He sat on the ground and crossed his legs, watching in amusement as the curious boy followed suit. "For one, Shaman rarely feel the pull to hunt on the full moon. You will more likely be pulled here, into the spiritual realm to confer with the Wolf Gods." Scott looked dubious. "As you can see," He gestured to his body, "we are also able to achieve alpha form."

"Wolf Gods?" Scott tapped anxiously on his battered sneakers. "I have to talk to Gods?"

The Shaman chuckled. "You are talking to one now, Little Healer. My name is Hythor and like me, all Wolf Gods were once Shaman until they passed permanently into the Spirit Realm."

"You mean died."

Hythor let out a hearty laugh. "Yes, Scott. We died." He leaned forward conspiratorially. "Some of us more gloriously then others. Bagnorok was killed by a falling piano and Gregor by a jealous husband. I warned him not to sleep with her."

"What?" Scott watched the misty faces of other Wolf Gods flash angrily in the background and wondered, not for the first time if he would wake up in a straight jacket upstate.

"You are not crazy, Scott." Hythor smiled reassuringly. "Most of us were born werewolves, but there have been a few Shaman that were bitten. It has always been more difficult for them to accept the change. It is why Derek couldn't train you. Your spirit was fighting the feral nature of the wolf. Shaman are healers, spiritual peace keepers, where as the wolves are by nature aggressive. Now that you have conquered the beast, you will find yourself more at peace. You will have all of the wolf's strengths, but you will not feel the need for violence unless it is to protect your pack."

His worn and beaten body sagged with relief. "You said I'd be a healer, but there is so much I don't know, so much Derek doesn't either."

Hythor placed a hand on his arm before helping him to his feet. "Much of that you will learn here during the full moons. There are unfortunately only a few Shaman left in the world and no one close enough to mentor you, so I will be training you. But you are weary today, so we will meet again soon. Tonight I am here only to explain what you are and to help you finally join with your wolf." He lead Scott back to the wolf. "He will no longer hurt you." Following the older wolf's lead, he leaned down and placed a hand on the scruff of the wolf's neck. Scott gasped at the strong emotions coming from the animal. He could feel submission and peace coming from the wolf but there was an underlying feeling of worry that he couldn't place. "That is your Alpha watching over you. You've been unconscious for several hours."

"He's worried about me?"

Hythor took pity on Scott when he saw the truly baffled face. "Scott, the other members of your pack are bonded to Derek with loyalty, but that isn't what Derek needs. When you give yourself to a pack, as you did your human friends, you give your all, heart and soul and Derek needs that to hold on to his humanity. He lost all his links to human emotions when the the last of his family was killed. He doesn't know how to live without that sense of family in his pack and without Laura he is lost. If you accept him, truly, and allow yourself to open the bond, you will be surprised. He will become less like Peter and more like the boy he was before his life was destroyed, but he needs someone to care." Hythor put his hand over Scott's heart. "Not because of what he can do for them as Alpha, but because he matters. That trait he sees in you, it's one of the reasons you became Shaman. You will heal not only physical injuries, but also the fractured spirits of your pack, all of them."

"Why me?"

Hythor smirked. "Your friend Stiles would say that the force is very strong with you." Scott laughed and tangled his hand in the fur of the wolf. He felt the animal draw closer to him as a blinding light enveloped them. "I will see you soon, Little Healer."

.

.

"Derek? I thought you said Beta's couldn't do that?"

Derek's eyes snapped open and he looked down to see Scott beginning to transform into the alpha form. "Get out of here and no matter what you hear do not come back until I call for you."

Boyd looked ready to protest until Derek forced the order down his bond to the trio. Giving one last worried look at Scott, he pulled the other two out the door of the subway car and out of the station.

Silver eyes snapped open, glowing with caged power as Scott leapt to his feet, claws at the ready. He sniffed the air cautiously, identifying all the scents lingering in the small space. Derek held perfectly still, claws drawn as the wolf started to creep toward him, scenting the air. Scott's chest rumbled as he stood on his hind legs, towering over Derek's human form. Slowly he raised his hand, placing it over the Alpha's heart and howled into the night. Derek felt his knees weaken as a jolt of power shot through him, bringing with it all the emotions Scott kept closed off from him. Panting heavily, he reached up and tangling his hand in the fur at Scott's neck. He tipped his head forward, waiting a moment for the other wolf to mimic his movement and allowed their foreheads to touch. He smiled when he felt the body under his hand shift and shrink back down to human size. "Always the hard way."

Scott smirked, and allowed his body to crash back down to his knees. "You're the one who told me to become one with the beast."

Derek snorted and squatted in front of him, amazed at the peace he was feeling from the younger wolf. "What happened?"

"Another epic death match." Scott rubbed wearily at his eyes, watching as the bites and claw marks from the first battle of the night healed, despite the source of the injury. "I had to fight the wolf and if I lost I would be feral, but I won and a Wolf God showed up and told me I was a Shaman."

Derek hissed in shock. "Shift."

"What?" Scott looked up at the harsh order, but he didn't feel anger coming from Derek.

"Shift your eyes." Derek grabbed his chin, tilting his head from side to side as he studied the silver, almost clear eyes. "I thought they were a myth. I've never seen one."

Scott pulled back and nodded. "Hythor said there weren't very many left that's why he's going to be training me." He accepted the help as his Alpha pulled him upright and over to a seat. "He said I'll start getting pulled into the Spirit Realm during full moons to learn how to do whatever it is I'm supposed to be able to do."

Derek sat next to him, dropping his head against the window. "Shaman are spiritual advisors to the pack. They only go into battle in a crisis, and mostly as field medics. Usually they stay back in the den to heal the wounded." He rubbed his eyes. "We've always had healers, but no one in my family has ever had the necessary magical strength to achieve the Shaman status."

"This is going to bite me in the ass isn't it?"

Derek nodded and folded his hands together. "If the Argent's find out about you, you will be in even more danger than you are now. Shaman are sacred and are protected at all cost by the pack. When you are at full power you will be able to heal us, no matter what weapon they use. Legend says a few shaman have even pulled pack members back from death." Derek scowled. "It means we are also going to have to worry about other alphas trying to kidnap you."

Scott snorted. "Should I just put up a cot in my room now, or do you want to pretend you aren't going to be sleeping in my chair every night after I go to sleep."

Derek smirked. "The cot would be appreciated."

Rolling his eyes, Scott fought to stand up and shuffle over to his bloody clothes. A snarl from the Alpha stopped him from reaching for the pants though, as a pair of clean jeans and a sweater were thrust into his hand. The older wolf had a tendency to be over bearing in protective mode when Scott was merely an Omega, and Scott was reluctant to entertain the idea that it was going to be much worse now that he was a rare and vital part of the pack. He hadn't really been kidding about the cot, knowing that Derek's fear of the Argent's taking him away would have his body guard camped out on his floor if necessary. He drew the line at thinking about other packs. Between the Argents and the Kanima he had enough to worry about. "I suppose you are going to drive me home too?" Derek nodded, almost daring him to argue, but Scott just shrugged and pulled on the clothes, smirking at the overwhelming scent of Derek coming off the material. He would have suggested getting a tattoo stating he was property of the Hale pack if he didn't think the Alpha would seriously consider the detour on the way home. At the moment he just wanted a hot shower and a solid night of sleep.