Authors Note: Big thank you to all who have read, commented and favourited this story so far ... And to Casey Wolfe who helped this chapter take the right direction.

Chapter Eight - Rock and a Hard Place

Stiles knew that no matter what was going in terms of the supernatural - he and the pups still had to go to school. He had more incentive than most, as his dad's rule was that he had to maintain a 4.0 GPA or no more sleepovers, and that would suck especially now they were mated.

School was its normal fun, and that was not including the pair of Alpha wolves that were trying to hassle the pack. He was pretty sure that they were there with orders to infiltrate the pack. They were certainly pretty enough to be popular - and when the 'straight one' as Lydia put it tried to flirt with her. She was so glad that she could use her popular school persona as a way to put down Ethan. She was spitting mad, she was mated with Jackson and knew that while she couldn't smell it - other wolves could.

She pouted as sat down at lunch with the pack. "I want to have his pelt on my bedroom floor."

Stiles laughed at his friend, he was so glad that he no longer crushed on her, and they were just dead friends. He adored her indomitable spirit and the way that she may not be a wolf but through sheer force of will she would expect them to follow her. He had to check, "You okay?"

She flipped her strawberry hair back, "Please, I sent him packing."

Jackson, who had made it over to their table started chuckling at Lydia's vehement statement, "That's my girl."

Lydia was proud and independent but the couple were quite happy to claim each other after all the drama with the Kanima. "We need to keep an eye on Danny. The gay one is salivating over him."

The lacrosse players winced; everyone loved Danny and all could respect the way he was out and proud. He was Jackson's best friend and all round good guy but currently the only one in their circle of friends who didn't know about the supernatural. Stiles privately thought that he had privately pieced it all together. Still it looked like there would be a pack meeting in the near future where they introduced Danny to the furry side of life.

Stiles looked over the pups, "Who else has had a run in with Thing One and Thing Two?"

All the pups nodded their heads and then all the wolves shared a grin and smirked in the direction of the Alpha twins with smirks. "Don't ever change Stiles," said a laughing Erica.

Stiles smirked, "Never Catwoman. What are they not Dr Seuss fans?"

Lydia shrugged, "I don't think their pursuits include reading."

Stiles shrugged, "Well they are pretty so most will forgive them."

Jackson snorted, "Don't let Derek hear you say that."

Stiles rolled his eyes, "Please you all know that Derek is the only one for me."

Scott had gotten use to the fact that his best friend was with the guy that he had initially loathed so hard. Scott and Derek had had a seriously rocky start until Stiles had literally banged their head together and made them talk it out. "Truer words have never been spoken."

Stiles could say so many things at this junction, but he refrained - personal development right there. Instead he settled for smiling sweetly which worried Scott a lot more and one word, "Allison."

Scott had the grace to dip his head with pinked cheeks at that reminder. He could recognise how badly he'd pushed Stiles to the limit with his mooning and early relationship with Allison. It had become abundantly clear once Stiles had gleefully shared as many details as he could until Scott had hidden his ears. Anyway Stiles wasn't looking to reminisce or tease Scott - he wanted to make sure that his Pups were safe.

All could see that someone had diverted his attention; it didn't help when he noticed his Dad and Brian move past the cafeteria area with the principal. He made a split second decision, "Jackson invite Danny home after training."

Jackson sucked in a breath and Stiles didn't need to smell emotions to know that he was both; happy and fearful all at once. Jackson was the beta on the pack who'd struggled the most with his transition to werewolf - and having his best friend in the know would probably help him settle completely. "You sure?" Jackson had to ask.

Stiles smirked knowing that Jackson was really asking if Derek okay with it - out of all the betas Jackson was the one with the biggest fear of Derek. "Relax Jackson we already talked about it last night."

And talked about it they had as they refused to be caught off guard ever again. They had discussed, planned, and debated things back and forth for many hours. So many hours that Derek had had to jump out of the window causing Stiles to hide his snickers when his Dad bid him goodnight. It didn't mean that he didn't kiss his mate's pout off his face when he climbed back in but their talk had settled them both and by the end of it they were sure that they had seen the whole chessboard and planned accordingly.

Jackson didn't say anything extra but he did seem to settle down which was something Stiles figured. "Okay so the next period is about to start and joy of joys it is chemistry."

It just goes to show that you could be the Alpha's mate; badass spark and still have to put up with the misery that is high-school. The only advantage was that Danny and Lydia had the lesson with him, and the menace twins were not in the lesson. He was worried for all of the pups but more so about the human ones. Unfortunately right or wrong; he knew that the werewolves always preferred to target the humans of a pack.

Erica and Isaac were sending him texts and he was taking a risk every time he checked his phone in chemistry. Harris was such a dick that on some days he only had to breathe to earn himself a detention. Ironically it was the news that he was dating Derek Hale that had made him back off. He was not sure why, maybe he felt that he'd screwed over Derek's life enough. It seemed the menace twins were being mean and moody. It made Stiles want to snort because really having faced Derek pre-Alpha-dom none of the pack would be scarred by intense stares.

The bell signalled the end of the last hour's torture which was enough to cheer up Stiles, next was AP Calculus. He moved out into the hallway and watched the twins zero in on Danny and Lydia. He could see their tactic coming a mile off but really that wasn't funny. A simple shove could be explained away as the twins trying to establish themselves in the pecking order of the natural hierarchy that was an American high-school. Jackson saw the move coming mainly because in his more douchey days he'd pulled the stunt on many, including Stiles. He growled but would be unable to get there in time to stop Danny and Lydia being hurt without letting people becoming aware of the supernatural.

Stiles had no problem though even without being a wolf - he had more than a few tricks up his sleeve. Well if the puppies wanted to play then it would be rude not to play. He made sure that he was there first and in his pocket he pulled out his favourite pencil - it was made of Rowan Ash and dipped in mistletoe and Wolfsbane for added 'bang for buck'. Aiden smirked seeing a way for him to put the pack on edge by knocking over the Alpha mate - it was ridiculous and insulting the way an Alpha had mated with a human. He felt it was his duty for him to remind them about why it was a bad idea to leave him human and breakable.

Aiden dropped his books in shock at the stab of pain he felt in his leg. His brother would have gone down to help but he found his feet stuck; Ethan had never felt this situation before. He was an Alpha no one had ever been able to control his body; it was worse than being a puppet on a string. Stiles wasn't done, he bent down sure that his pack were at his back, "Don't hurt me or mine or a tiny stab will be the least of your problems."

"What did you do?"

Stiles smiled but it had no warmth, "Just a Rowan Ash pencil coated in mountain ash and Mistletoe."

Stiles would have not have been feeling as charitable if he'd realised that their Pack beta was intending to just hurt his pack. Lucky for them, he didn't feel Derek's alarm or pain until after the school day.

Derek was more than a little pissed that he was having to fight the bitch, pun intended. Still he couldn't let her kill Isaac - he really was the golden pup of the pack. He had gone through so much shit in his life that all of them wanted to shower him with touches and affection. He had thought that mall would be safe, as there were too many humans around but she was smart.

Kali had been slowly following them but not reacting - just shadowing their movements. It wasn't until the pup went to change that she made a move. It was incredibly unfortunate that they'd picked the changing rooms that happened to back onto an obscure alleyway. He'd gone to pick the shirt in a different colour when she made her move.

Derek was returning to the changing room when he felt through the bond his pup's pain. He ran forward sending an SOS out to the pack. He was suddenly very grateful for all the scent tracking they'd done on training and the strong pack bonds.

He couldn't help but growl at the pain and bruises coming off his pup, "You'll leave my pup alone!"

She tilted her head to the side and no one would mistake for human despite only having her claws currently shifted. Her bearing was all wrong she screamed predator from her every pore. "Or what?"

Derek smiled fangs showing, "Or WE will make you."

She grinned as she picked up the lead pipe, "See only you pretty boy."

Derek wouldn't react to the insult, in fact, Stiles' multitude of nicknames meant that when anyone called him pretty any longer - it no longer pinged on his radar. He shifted to his beta form not wanting to show her that he actually had a full Alpha form - there was no point in showing all your cards in one go.

She was vicious and quick, exactly what you would expect and Derek was smart. He was planning to evade all of the vicious moves and intended to let her get in a few hits. He didn't mind taking the hits as an Alpha he could heal even from an Alpha's wound - just as long as his mate came quickly. He knew that Stiles was close as he could feel the anger pouring off his mate. Isaac's whimper made her grin and change directions. She charged with the pipe raised and Derek didn't think; he acted on instinct he put himself between Isaac and the pipe. He gasped and his eyes flashed red as the pipe impaled him. It was the worse pain he'd felt since he'd been at the tender mercy of Kate Argent.

Stiles had turned the corner just in time to see his mate impaled. Stiles would never forget the sight of seeing his mate - with blood bubbling out of his mouth. His anger was palpable and his desire to protect his mate almost tangible. His eyes opened and they flashed silver - the amount of power he was channelling was more than he'd ever used. He pulled his hand backwards willing the pipe out of his mate's body and sent it cannoning into the bitch - so hard that she was impaled on the spike as it embedded in the wall. His smile was positively feral anyone would think he was a wolf himself; the betas whimpered up on the scene they entered. Stiles shushed them, "Keep her where she is. Yes she is an Alpha but she can only heal when you take her off the pipe."

Brian was grinning at this piece of information and having been terrorised once before he was in no desire to have that situation repeated. He trusted Stiles to see them safe, but right now Stiles had a pressing concern and that was his mate and pup. Stiles was the de-facto leader when Derek was injured so he issued the order, "Peter help me take Isaac's pain."

Peter was more than happy to do it and, he and Brian rushed over to Isaac. Isaac was stirring and whimpering, not from his own wounds, the sad thing was that his home life had meant that he'd learned how take a beating - it was at seeing his Alpha and older brother hurt so badly. He'd been able to take a beating thanks to his father but he'd never had someone willing to step in front of him - to take the beating for him. Stiles was bending over his mate and he was rustling for something in his pockets. He watched as he rubbed some paste over the gaping wound in Derek's stomach.

Stiles was so angry that he could barely think - he was focussing on the first problem and that was healing Derek. He was so fucking glad that he had visited Deaton's and grabbed some of the magic healing mix. Usually he used it as a way to help heal the pups after a vicious training session. However Stiles just knew that if he rubbed it over the wounds and channelled his innate spark - He could heal Derek fully. He needed to do this - the pack needed their Alpha strong.

Despite his focus on healing his Alpha, Stiles was keeping an eye on the betas. They were doing exactly as he ordered - crowding in on the injured Alpha who was snarling and snapping at Erica, Boyd and Jackson. They were smart the pups, they were not engaging her in anything until they had the order off their Alpha. Stiles grinned ferally, "Don't worry we'll deal with her in a minute."

Derek was moaning and his eyes snapped open in pain, he gasped as he felt the skin rapidly heal under Stiles hand. He'd always been awe of his mate and the power that he could wield but never more so than right now. He knew he'd survive even though it would take him a long time to recover, but that was just not an option as far as Stiles was concerned and so he changed the rules.

Derek coughed a few times as his lungs knitted firmly together, he took the proffered hand. He looked at the scene in front of him and Brian and Peter were covering Isaac meaning that he could focus on the threat of them. Kali was operating either out of her purview, or, taking it to the extreme. Derek wanted nothing more than to tear her limb for limb. The sad thing was he couldn't afford the pack war that would spill across Beacon Hills if he followed through on his instincts.

Stiles squeezed his hand and seemingly knew exactly what he was thinking. He reminded Derek, "She can't die but doesn't mean that we can't make her pay."

Peter grinned, remembering exactly why he liked Stiles - the boy was more wolf than some of the betas. "Well she looks like a perfect punch-bag to me."

Stiles smirked, "You heard Uncle Peter kids have fun."

The betas were unsure if they were serious but looking at the Alpha pair and seeing their nods - they all got in a few punches. Stiles could tell that for Erica this was probably better than therapy. She had felt powerful as a wolf until Gerard Argent had captured her, and now she got to take all that anger out on Kali.

The Alpha stoically took the hits until Derek stepped forward. The betas hits to such a powerful Alpha would seem like swats from a fly. However wounds inflicted from an Alpha would hurt he pulled the pipe from the wall. He was deliberate in pulling her from the wall but keeping the lead pipe inside. She would be desperately trying to heal but her body would be unable to heal around the protrusion.

He knew exactly how to deal with this, "Babe do we have any rope?"

Stiles smiled coldly, "Only the best that Wolfsbane can make."

Stiles laced her hands together, and signalled that someone should bring a car around. They had to be careful - Brian was about the only one of them who could get away with manhandling someone into a car; well, if he was in uniform and had his cruiser.

Derek looked over the pack and had to make a decision; a message had to be sent. He would definitely not stand for his betas being used as punch-bags. "Peter, Brian and Boyd with me ... the rest of you head back to the house. Call Deaton and make sure that Isaac is okay."

Peter looked grim but agreed with what needed to be done. They used his covered Land Rover as a way to transport the bitchy Alpha across town.

Once they were in the car - Stiles realised that if they wanted to drop her at Deucalion's feet then they would need to meet. Ordinarily this wouldn't be a problem if they had a way of contacting him, "Find her cell. Let's arrange a meet."

Peter had no problem in wrestling her around to get her cell. She growled but it rather lacked bite when she was tied up as tightly as she was, "Oh do shut up."

Kali was in pain and royally confused. She was asked by her Alpha her to send a message to the pack and Deucalion had made it clear what type of message it was to be; it didn't matter who you were or who you were with - you could be killed. She had felt supreme in the knowledge that she was more powerful than the beta and his Alpha. In fact fighting with them had been fun; she was toying with them like they were her prey. And just when she was about to stop playing with them - she was attacked and harmed. There was no way the Alpha's mate was just human. They'd assumed at most he'd be like her mate, their Pack's emissary, Marin Morrell. Only as much as she loved her mate and she really hoped she would see her mate soon - Marin was not in the same league as this Stiles. She had to wonder at the boy's heritage as she was pretty sure that with the amount of magic he was channelling he wasn't entirely human. Her mind flashed back to their old Druid Emissary that she'd been forced to hurt on Deucalion's orders.

Stiles may have been driving but he was constantly aware of her movements. He handed the cell phone over to his mate - letting Derek take care of the negotiation like he should. Derek spoke calmly, it was only possible due to Stiles being so close - otherwise he would be thinking about Isaac and the fight. "Hello Alpha I have someone who belongs to you. We need to arrange a place to return her to you."

Stiles motioned for it to be put on Speaker; he wouldn't say anything but it helped with plotting if he could hear what was being said. "I see, and is she okay?"

Derek shrugged knowing that it couldn't be seen, "Well my mate took exception to some injuries that she gave me so he returned them tenfold upon her."

Deucalion sucked in a breath knowing just how vicious Kali could be; she hadn't calmed much even with her mating. There were time where wondered if he been too brutal, and instead of breaking her had made her just plain feral; he asked plainly and bluntly. "Is she still living?"

Derek rolled his eyes; it was like they thought he was stupid. "Of course, I don't want a war but we will not stand for disrespect either."

Deucalion snorted, "No real wolf would. Very well we will meet at the edge of the preserve."

Derek said one final word, "Agreed," before shutting the call down.

He shared a look with his betas, "Stiles will be the one to hand her back. Stand behind me, make Deucalion see that we are just as strong."

Brian and Peter nodded and were more than happy to stand with their strong Alphas'. It was not like they were even worried about being one the wrong side. If there was one thing that had been made abundantly obvious was that you don't mess with Stiles, or anyone he cared about.

They drove up to the edge of the preserve where there was opening that was perfect for the exchange. Peter had told them of it; saying that his Sister had met Deucalion there the last time she'd run him off the land. It worked on several levels and Stiles could definitely appreciate the irony of it.

Stiles took a deep breath and willed his power to the surface - there was no way he was going into this meeting under-armed.

Deucalion stood there shadowed by Ethan and Aiden the freaky twins. He sucked in a breath in shock at the sight of his beta. She was bruised and beaten and still impaled on a pole. "You felt it necessary to keep her injured."

Stiles eyes flashed silver as a reminder that Deucalion was not the only one with power, "I wanted her to remember what pain felt like ... She hurt my Alpha I returned the favour."

Deucalion laughed even as the Alpha twins started growling, eyes flashing red. Peter and Brian kept their calm, and didn't even react, which was a slap in the face to the freaky twins that they were not reacting. It said that they didn't think they could be harmed and that was rather emasculating for a supposedly scary Alpha. "Yes I have heard you are quite the fierce Alpha's mate, not very Emissary like that behaviour mind you."

Stiles snorted at that supposed rebuke, but it was not even an issue. He'd told Deaton at the time that he had no problem being the Hale emissary, but he would never ever stand back from the fight. He was not prepared to let his pack fight without him - he didn't care what title he had; boy who runs with wolves; the Hale Emissary; the Alpha mate; Spark and the latest one - Mage. It would appear that Druids had less power than he currently had. "I will always protect my Mate and pups."

Deucalion couldn't see, but he could hear and smell the absolute truth and certainty of Stiles. "Yes quite the fierce protector. Your Alpha must be quite something to inspire your loyalty."

Stiles cocked his head to this side trying to figure out his angle, "Yes it was the way I was raised."

Stiles stretched out his senses like Deaton had taught him. He understood a little more it seemed that Deucalion had pissed someone off quite badly, "Who did you hurt so badly they cursed you blind?"

The Hales froze as this was perhaps the best piece of news - it seemed that there was someone after the Alphas. Deucalion raised his hand quelling the Alpha pups' growls, "You are quite the clever thing, quite captivating."

Derek rolled his eyes, and reigned in the desire to kill the Alpha where he stood, "And you are avoiding the question."

Deucalion signalled that the twins should pick up the injured Pack Beta. "Maybe I am, until next time, and don't worry my pack will leave yours alone until I give a formal order, keep your mate close."

Derek nodded and didn't even to deign to give a response. He was never going to leave Stiles; he was impressed with how Stiles stayed silent and strong standing right next to him - like he would always. They waited until the clearing was free of anyone who was not pack before Stiles collapsed against him complaining about creepy blind scary wolves, who seemed to want the bad touch him.

Derek chuckled and looked far away into the preserve. He wasn't sure but for a moment he could have sworn that there was someone watching them in the preserve. It was unlikely I mean who would be watching them; taking the time to hide their scent. It would take time and effort to avoid detection like that and there was no reason that he could think of for anyone to go to such lengths. It was true that no one hated the Hale pack that badly, but the Alpha pack ... well, that was a different matter.

The Alpha's were leaving and it was clear to the Darach that Deucalion wasn't leaving because of the wolf but rather the boy. She understood his reticence to engage the boy in a battle - after all he could see the visible evidence of how badly Kali had come off. Interestingly the boy had reacted to an attack on his mate. She wondered was there a weakness there she could exploit?

She had to consider what she wanted more - Deucalion was to blame for all her troubles. She had been near death after her Alpha had ordered her death. Kali hadn't wanted to kill her but had left her near death. If it hadn't been for the Nemeton and its power derived from the death of a virgin. She didn't know it was Paige or the link that it had to the Hales - all she knew was that it gave her the power to survive. She would never forget the way that Kali had not want to kill her - any chance though of her not being included in the revenge died upon hearing that she'd mated with Marin Morrell. It was true the old adage, 'Hell Hath no Fury like a woman scorned.'

She did know one thing; if she was going to battle Deucalion and the Hale pack - it was time to step up the sacrifices. Looked like she needed to find some guardians - too bad she had lesson prep to do.