Danny grimaced painfully, reaching for the bite on his arm again, stroking it with his fingers.
"Does it ever stop hurting?" he asked.
Scott looked at him sympathetically.
"When it heals," he said, giving him a small smile. "Wow I can't believe we're actually pack. All of us."
Scott's smile went right to some part of Jackson. He'd never actually realized how nice the other wolf's smile was. His nice eyes. Wait a minute, nice? Jackson mentally kicked himself. Scott stood, looking toward the front door.
"Well why don't you guys stick around? My mom's working late at the hospital. I need to go see if I can talk Stiles around."
"Scott don't you think you should count a loss?" Jackson asked carefully. "Move on."
"I'm not giving up on him Jackson. Best friends don't give up. If I didn't care about him I wouldn't even try. I've let myself lose control the last few times he and I talked. I know that I can get him to see sense. He doesn't really want to be with Derek."
"And what if he does Scott?" Jackson asked seriously.
Scott's facial expression became anxious and lost. He didn't want to think about that possible reality.
"At least make it a phone call," Jackson suggested. "I really don't feel like having round two with Derek and Isaac this evening."
Scott nodded, taking out his phone. Would Stiles even answer?
ooOoo
Stiles was sleeping again. He really needed his sleep. That's what Derek figured. Peter and Isaac had gone to grab pizza for dinner. A buzzing sound cut into his thoughts. It was Stiles' phone on the coffee table. Derek looked at it, wondering if he should answer. Picking it up he frowned at the number on the display and answered it.
"What do you want Scott?"
"Oh are you answering Stiles' phone now?" the other alpha asked in mock surprise. "I wish I'd have known."
"Why don't you leave him alone?" Derek growled into the reciever. "Haven't you hurt him enough? He was crying after you left."
"He isn't your pack Derek. I'm getting him back. No matter what I have to do."
"Oh yeah?" Derek asked with a laugh. "We'll see. You've been going about it entirely wrong. You call me heartless. Stop treating Stiles like he belongs to you for starters. That's why he's so angry at you."
"Oh do you speak for him now Derek?"
Derek thought about that, wondering if he should tell Scott just how much their relationship had changed. Maybe it'd get Scott off their backs.
"Matter of fact I do Scott," Derek said, his voice cocky. "You see, he and I are dating."
Scott's mouth fell open, making Jackson and Danny look at him. He had to collect himself a few moments.
"You're lying," Scott said finally. "Why would Stiles date you?"
"Because I actually care about him?" Derek suggested. "Unlike you. You don't deserve a friend like him Scott."
Scott snarled into the reciever and threw his phone at the wall, watching it hit the floor. Let it break. He didn't care. His breathing was coming out rapidly.
"Scott?" Jackson asked carefully.
"That bastard!" Scott spat. "He's taken Stiles from me, but I'll get him back. I've already got our first mission as a pack ready."
"What might that be?" Jackson questioned, eyebrow lifting in curiosity.
"Break into the Hale house," Scott said fiercely, a glimmer of hatred in his eyes. "Look for anything we can find to use against Derek. We're going to need it to take him down."
Jackson tried to keep his facial expression calm, but part of him was telling him this wasn't going to end well. Stiles had been right earlier. This was going to end up hurting one side or the other. Danny watched them both with his own anxious look. What had he gotten himself into?
ooOoo
Derek watched Stiles continue to sleep, pondering. Scott was going to try something. He could sense it. He just wasn't sure what to expect. He needed to come up with a plan. Isaac and Peter suddenly entered the living room carrying pizzas. They noticed the look on Derek's face, their own expressions becoming nervous.
"What is it Derek?" Isaac asked him.
His alpha turned to him, eyes burning with that fierceness and determination, trademark scowl in place.
"Scott's planning something," Derek said. "We need to find out what. More specifically, you need to Isaac."
Isaac's eyebrow shot up at him. What the hell did Derek think he could do?
"Peter," a voice spoke into the older Hale's thoughts.
It was Xaiu. Peter looked around, but he knew the senior alpha was using some kind of telepathy.
"Meet us in the clearing. Now."
Peter focused, hoping Xaiu would pick up on his thoughts. He didn't exactly know how to use telepathy.
'Now's not good,' he thought. 'Derek and Isaac are both here. He'll notice.'
Peter didn't know if the alpha had picked up on it, but Xaiu's voice echoed in his mind seconds later.
"Very well. Tonight."
Stiles groaned and stretched, yawning as his eyes fluttered open.
"Smells good," he said sleepily. "Can we eat?"
Derek brought him the box with pepperoni, which he knew was Stiles' favorite. Even if he was healing he shouldn't be moving from the couch yet. Derek watched his mate take a bite, thoughts returning to Scott's threats.
'He's mine Scott,' Derek thought to himself. 'You won't take him from me.'
Derek knew what he needed to do to make a pre-emptive strike. Isaac would be paying Scott a little visit after dinner...