Later that evening, when Scott and Stiles finally reappeared in the saloon, the bar was a bit fuller since everyone was done with their work. But it wasn't actually crowded since there weren't all that many people in Goodsprings to begin with.
"Let's try and grab a table," Stiles suggested, ready to sit. They had talked with Sunny for awhile and then they ended up spending a good portion of the afternoon with Deaton. Scott had had the bright idea to ask if Deaton could give him any quick tips; they wouldn't always be able to find a doctor and Stiles was always getting hurt. It made sense that he should learn a few advanced techniques to help patch Stiles up and keep him alive. And Deaton was more than happy to share his knowledge. But it meant that Stiles got to be the guinea pig for Scott in the various hands-on lessons. It had been informative for him as well though, listening to Deaton explain all of his personal shortcuts and diagnostics tips. So now, just in case Scott wasn't around, Stiles might be able to talk someone through how to help him. As the pair sat down, Stiles glanced at the stools around the bar for the other Pack. He was hoping that they could all get to know each other a little better, move past their awkward first encounter. If they weren't still pissed about Scott's reaction a few hours ago… but he didn't see them at the bar and they weren't at any of the table either. Maybe they didn't like the small crowd and decided to head out. "Aww, the hottie Pack isn't here anymore," he pouted.
Scott suddenly started laughing which he managed to turn into a coughing fit- Stiles raised his brow and then flushed. That could really only mean one thing… Said Pack was behind him and no doubt they'd heard him. He should've known they were over by the pool tables- why hadn't he thought to look over there?! "I don't know why you're laughing Scott, you know it's true," he shot back. Might as well completely own up to his statement; he had no doubt that all of them were perfectly aware of their looks.
Erica was the one to make the first move, since Isaac was too busy blushing to think of anything to say. She sauntered over to their table and leaned down next to Stiles, "So, it's good to know at least one of you has a pair of eyes that works. Where did you guys disappear to anyways, it's been hours!"
Back at the pool table, Isaac felt a possessive growl start in his throat; he knew Erica was just flirting for fun but he was still struggling to understand his Wolf's feelings. Thankfully his Alpha walked up and put a hand on his shoulder, snapping him out of it and helping him quiet his inner Wolf. Erica was his Packmate, so he shouldn't be growling at her like that, even if she was flirting with his (unproven) Mate. He knew that she was just messing with them and that it wasn't serious. And it wasn't like she was doing it to tease him, it was probably her go-to interaction since she used to be a waitress and that was how she'd make money. Once he reminded himself of that, he felt the anger go away.
"Why don't you go over and say hi? He'll never get to know you better if you keep your distance," Derek suggested.
Isaac rolled his eyes and hunched his shoulders, "Oh please. He's just going to leave as soon as his back is better; you know as well as I do that they've got unfinished business. And it's not like we're even heading in the same direction as them, they're going back the way we came."
"Well, we don't know that yet; find out where he's going next. Remember, I don't have a set destination, I'm just a nomad right now. There's no set reason why we can't go back down south for a bit." Derek paused, maybe they shouldn't stop in Primm but aside from that, he couldn't think of a reason why they couldn't. "Anyways, at the very least we know they plan on being here in Goodsprings for three days so don't waste that time. I don't think Erica is going to complain about having a bed to sleep in for a few nights, Boyd either, since he did promise to help out."
"I can't ask them to stay here for me- Boyd isn't even Pack, how can I ask him to stay in one place? Besides, if he needs to get somewhere, shouldn't we escort him?" Isaac asked.
The dark-skinned Beta laughed as he sunk one of Derek's balls into the corner pocket. "I'm a traveling merchant, I don't have anywhere to be Isaac. It's not bad for me to stay in a town either because it creates competition. I already scoped out the general store here, checked Chet's prices. He hates buying things so he makes shitty offers and the stuff he's selling is way overpriced. If I'm careful about it, I can probably get some good sales while I'm in town. Occasionally I do have to stop by the compound to check-in and give a report, change out my wares and stuff but it's not often."
"Okay, but Erica-"
"Erica's just happy to have a Pack and be out of Primm, she's in full-on support mode. If you want to stay here to get to know Stiles, she will support that. I know she was teasing you earlier but she wants this to work out for you- she isn't going to leave until you're ready," Derek cut in.
"Scott hates me…"
Derek didn't respond, just firmly pushed Isaac towards the table. He didn't feel any animosity coming off of the other Were anymore so he knew it was safe for his Beta to go over. If Scott was still mad then he wouldn't be talking with Erica. So clearly Scott was mature enough to get over the scenting thing; Derek understood his sudden anger but he also knew that it would have passed after he spent time bonding with Stiles. He could remember how betrayed he felt the first time Laura came home smelling like an outsider. That had eventually passed as he came to accept Laura's boyfriend; the same thing would happen with Scott and Isaac.
Knowing that his Alpha wasn't going to let him argue about it anymore, he sighed and put his pool cue down. He wasn't sure why he was trying to come up with excuses- he did want to get to know Stiles more! Maybe he was just scared that Stiles wasn't going to like him back after getting to know him… making out with someone and acknowledging that they're cute didn't mean he'd want something serious. Not to mention Scott's reaction. How was he supposed to get past Scott? Derek seemed to think it was fine, surely he wouldn't send him over there alone if he thought Scott was going to start a fight. Plus Erica was at the table chatting with them and neither of them were acting hostile. Only one way to find out though; he walked over to the table and cleared his throat, "Erica, it's your turn."
"Oh, sweet!" She scampered away from the table and picked up his abandoned pool cue. She hoped he'd get over his nervousness and just get to know Stiles. She'd only talked with them for a few minutes but she didn't think they were all that bad.
Isaac almost spun around and followed Erica but he managed to stop himself; he needed to face Stiles and Scott at some point, might as well be sooner rather than later. "Can, um, can we talk?" When both of them nodded, he slowly sat down by Stiles, wondering what to say…
"Sorry about earlier," Scott apologized, beating him to it. "I… Stiles is my only Pack, we're family. It was a bit overwhelming when he came inside and smelled like you. I've, I've been a Were for about six years now, in complete control for five and I've never felt jealously like that."
"Scotty thinks it's because I've never actually um, gotten close to a Were like that before. That probably had a lot to do with it," Stiles added on.
"Yea, I'm sorry too. None of the scenting stuff was intentional; I was an Omega until like three days ago so I'm new when it comes to, like, everything. So I didn't understand why you were acting so aggressive which made me riled up in return. Derek explained it all to me after you two left so, I figure it's only fair that I apologize too."
Scott nodded, "I didn't take your lack of knowledge into consideration at all, I just reacted… but I think we can both agree to put that behind us."
"So, does that mean if um, well, anything were to happen, like, in the future, you wouldn't freak out again?" Stiles asked, willing his blush to go away. He was seventeen years old, he was allowed to have fun with people! Why was he blushing?
Scott sighed, "I can't make any promises but, at the very least, I won't yell at Isaac like before. He is still a stranger to me so it'll be weird for me to recognize his scent all over you which means I might feel the urge to try and re-scent you… but no yelling."
Stiles smiled and carefully reached across the table to pull Scott into a hug while next to him, Isaac's heart was racing. Stiles was open to more… interactions with him? He could feel his Wolf howling with delight at the thought of being close with Stiles; the only issue now was figuring out how to keep the 'Mate' part under control. He needed more information, Derek had mentioned that Stiles was who he needed. How his Wolf had decided that, Isaac had no idea; he knew almost nothing about Stiles so what if they weren't compatible? There was something about him though- too bad his Wolf couldn't just talk to him and explain it.
As Stiles pulled back and leaned against the back of the chair he winced and stiffened. Isaac's hand flew up and lightly gripped the other boy's wrist, leeching pain immediately. Stiles flushed guiltily, forgetting that Isaac didn't know how he felt about that. "You, you don't have to… I'm okay, just a little twinge."
"No, you're in pain, I… I want to help," Isaac insisted, eyes wide and innocent as he held onto Stiles. He had been about to say that he needed to help but managed to remember how creepy that might have sounded. Judging by the look Scott was giving him though, the other Were suspected something.
"T-thanks," Stiles offered, surprised by the intense look in Isaac's eyes. Maybe Scott was right about Isaac having feelings for him. He could always just mention it later, how the pain helped him remember that he actually had the stitches. All he needed was to forget they were there and then do something to tear them open. No need to be rude and push Isaac's hand away though. Definitely not when he was just trying to be helpful.
"I'm going to see if I can't get in on the pool game over there, just don't, don't get too carried away," Scott begged, fixing the two across the table with a very pointed stare.
"Both hands above the table Scotty," Stiles promised in a teasing tone.
Satisfied, he stood up and walked over to talk with Derek; he did want to play pool but there was something else on his mind as well. "Hey, do you think we can play teams?"
Derek looked up, pausing just before taking his shot, "Sure, let me just finish killing these two at Cut Throat."
Erica huffed, crossing her arms as her remaining ball was knocked into a pocket, "You cheated- used your Alpha powers or something!"
"Nope, just have a lot of practice. Pool is more about finesse than power anyways, the secret is knowing your angles. They can be hard to visualize at first but it'll get easier the more you play," Derek explained.
As they finished up the game, Scott carefully singled out their scents from the rest of the room, categorizing them so he could learn more about them. Things had been pretty tense when they'd met on the road so he didn't really have time to do it then. And he hadn't done it earlier today because he'd been so blindsided by Isaac's behavior. Better late than never though, especially if they were all going to be in Goodsprings together. From Derek he got the very powerful smell of 'Alpha' although he also got a lot of 'apprehensive' wrapped around it so he still felt new about his powers. He was also lonely and closed off which surprised him- he had two Betas! But then Scott remembered his comment about his family being dead… it explained a lot. Another surprising thing was that Derek's scent was heavily mingled with anger but not in a way that signified he was an angry person. He was calm and level-headed but the anger surrounded all of it. Scott had never encountered something like that before.
He moved on to Erica next, easily wading through the strong scents of 'female' and 'Werewolf' to get through to her deeper aspects. Almost immediately he found contentment and love; she was just exuding love for her Pack. It surprised him. Most Weres in a healthy Pack gave off some sort of affectionate vibe but not quite at those levels. It told him that she finally felt like she belonged somewhere. He recalled what he'd heard Beagle say and knew that she probably hated working there. Now she was with people that would care for her and watch her back. It was so strong that he almost missed her underlying strength and resolve- that was more of what he had been expecting to find first. He couldn't help but picture the first time he'd seen her, growling and with her machete on her thigh. She was inexperienced but she wasn't going to let that hold her back. Scott could only imagine how strong she'd be after a few months as Derek's Beta.
Lastly he focused on Boyd, curious about the traveling merchant. He was traveling alone but he was a Beta, a pretty strong one actually. More than likely the company he worked for had a few different Alphas banding together to form a strong coalition. It wasn't quite a super-Pack like what Deucalion was doing, everyone in the group following a single Alpha, but it still notable. He'd never actually seen a group work together like that, he was curious to find out more about how Werewolf Wares operated. Scott couldn't get a good read on how many Packmates Boyd had and he wasn't sure if it was because of the minimal contact or if it was just because the group's dynamics were fluid. Despite all of that though, Boyd was a strong Were on his own, even if his bond with his Wolf was tenuous. If Scott had to guess, Boyd knew all about control but never felt comfortable enough to really communicate with his Wolf. Or maybe no one had taught him. If the company was more focused on maintaining control of everyone's inner Wolves then he could see how the communication aspect got buried. Boyd had explained that they wanted to show people that Weres weren't dangerous and that everyone could get along… maybe the Alphas of the group wanted to appear as Human as possible. Which was a shame, Weres didn't have anything to be repentant for. Aside from the strength, he mostly got a relaxed vibe from him, which wasn't surprising at all.
After he finished categorizing the three of them, he took a moment to realize just how easy it all was for him. And he owed it to Stiles, his Human brother; he was the one that had the sharp mind, the one that helped him sort through all his new abilities. He pushed Scott to practice, making him block out scents, making him focus on certain people only, as well as just identifying basic emotions. For the last one, Stiles would do his best to 'send out' specific emotional vibes for Scott to learn- anger, happiness, sadness. From there he learned the more complicated emotion like exasperation and anxiety. As he moved on to the harder stuff, trying to pick specific people out in a room, Stiles had tried to make it fun by turning it into a game for them to play. Stiles would point out random individuals and Scott would have to single their scent out and figure out as much as he could. Stiles would make guesses about them based on their appearance and then Scott would tell him the truth. The different emotions and attributes were hard to figure out at first because they were 'clumped together' but he kept at it. And with all that practicing, he inadvertently also built up a strong bond with his inner Wolf, learning to trust his instincts and his abilities. Even Halwyn had been impressed with how well he could communicate with his Wolf, and he was hard to impress! He was pulled out of his musings as Derek started re-racking the pool balls.
"Alright, new game," Derek called out.
"Boyd and I versus you and Erica?" Scott asked. It would surprise him if Derek didn't choose his own Beta as his teammate for the first game.
Erica grinned, answering before Derek could, "Obviously. Like I'd let him partner with someone else! I'm down to switch things up if we play a second round though."
"Sounds good to me, Alpha gets first break?" Boyd offered, looking to his partner.
Scott nodded, "Sure, I don't have a problem with that."
Derek laughed, promising to not put too much strength into it as he leaned over the table. As he lined up the shot, he noticed Scott standing across the table and making funny faces at him. He was that kind of player was he? He couldn't help but smirk to himself at the antics but he wasn't going to let it affect his game. There was a loud crack as the cue ball hit the triangle of balls and they rolled all over the table. "Oh, got a striped and a solid. Do you have a preference Erica?" Derek asked as he surveyed the table.
"Stripes, of course," she commented.
Derek nodded, "Alright, we've got stripes then." With that he lined up another shot, easily sinking it.
Scott leaned in close to Boyd as Derek made his third shot, playfully whispering, "So, do we even stand a chance? I mean, I've played a few times but I can see why Erica was pouting earlier."
"Whoa, are you going to give up already?" Derek asked with a raised brow.
"Hey, I didn't say that!" Scott shot back.
Boyd just laughed though, taking their first turn, "We play a lot of pool at the compound, I might be able to give him a run for his money. But don't think that means you can slack off, I'm definitely not skilled enough to carry us both."
The first game went by quickly, all four of them trying harder than necessary to sink all of their shots. Scott and Boyd ended up winning because Erica scratched and knocked the 8-ball in early. She really wasn't happy about it either, her tail was swishing with agitation, but there wasn't anything she could do about it. All of them agreed to play another game since none of the other patrons wanted a turn.
Scott was teamed up with Derek since Erica volunteered to play with Boyd. And since they were on the same side of the table, Scott figured it would be the best time to ask his questions about Isaac. Maybe he would see it as less of a challenge coming from a 'teammate'? That was his hope at least. He quickly glanced over at the pair of them to make sure they were focused on each other; he didn't want Isaac to hear the conversation and get defensive. "Hey Derek, can I ask you a question?"
"Can't promise an answer, but I'll let you ask."
"I'll start by saying that I don't want to start a fight or offend anyone, I'm just not sure how to word it, so please don't get mad."
Derek looked at him out of the corner of his eye, pausing for just a moment before taking a shot. Then he stood up straight and turned to face him, "Okay, I'll keep that in mind."
"What exactly is going on with Isaac? And please don't try and blow me off because there is a very distinct scent coming off of him that concerns me. It wasn't there when we met on the road and now it's one of the heaviest pheromones he's giving off."
"Why are you even categorizing him so carefully?" he countered, unsure of how to proceed. Obviously Scott was a lot sharper than they thought, making him wonder what else he might've picked up from their scents. What should he tell him? Isaac was his Packmate and wanted to keep it a secret but Stiles was Scott's Packmate… was it right to keep it from him? Not to mention, if he tried to deny it, Scott would just distrust him and try to block Isaac from getting to know Stiles. So far he was trying to keep things calm, friendly, and Derek wanted it to stay that way.
Scott rolled his eyes, "Because that's how I keep Stiles alive, I categorize everyone we come into contact with. I know you do the same thing, you'd be a fool not to. And I've been doing it for years so there are very few odors I can't name but that's one of them. I'm positive that you know the root of it and I'm asking you to tell me." Scott held up a hand as Derek narrowed his eyes, "Before you even think of accusing me of 'snooping' I'll reiterate that it's a very strong smell, it's obvious, so it's not like I had to go digging through his entire essence to find it."
"No, you're right, it isn't exactly a hidden scent. And yes, I know what it is…"
Erica's nostrils flared as she tried to find Isaac's scent among everyone in the bar. There wasn't anything there that jumped out at her, not at first. But she remembered that she only really got close to Isaac this morning, after she saw that he was okay. When they met in Primm she didn't even try to scent him and even after becoming his Packmate, she didn't really pay attention. But she forced herself to recall his scent from before, eyes widening as she figured it out. "No way… he does smell different!" she whispered.
"Yes, it does create a unique scent, which isn't all that surprising if you think about it," Derek told them. "Isaac's had a major, life-changing realization so why wouldn't his overall scent change to project that to the world?"
"How exactly does his 'life-changing realization' tie into his sudden interest in my Packmate?" Scott pushed, feeling just a little impatient. Was Derek going to tell him or not?
Derek glanced at his Beta and slowly let out a breath; he was going to have to tell Scott. There was no way around it. All he could hope was that he didn't freak out like he did earlier. "Are you familiar with the term 'Mates'?"
"Vaguely. I've heard it before, like with one Were referring to their boyfriend as their Mate, why?"
"It's actually more serious than that, Werewolves can have significant others without actually having a Mate. Isaac's Wolf has picked Stiles as his 'the one' and fell in love. That's why the scent is so different and hard to name, because it isn't just 'love' or even 'lust'. It's a completeness that few people ever experience. As I'm sure you can imagine, there is a strong emotional change that takes place and that's why Isaac suddenly reeks of it."
"How exactly does that happen? Because this feels pretty sudden and I don't really believe in love at first sight."
"No, it isn't like that, although I can see how it might seem that way. Isaac didn't fall in love with Stiles when he saw him yesterday. His Wolf fell in love with him when he caught his scent during the full moon. The Wolf picked up on many different things, things that Isaac isn't even aware of yet, and knew that Stiles was the person that would make him happy. There's some combination in Stiles's essence that his Wolf latched onto. It doesn't happen that way with everyone, there are Wolves that fall in love a little more traditionally. The end result is the same though, at some point the Wolf realizes that they want to spend forever with that person and their scent changes. My mom said that it was a spin on the saying 'you don't know what you have until it's gone', instead explaining it as 'you didn't know what you were missing until you found it'. Not everyone experiences something so profound since some people never feel like they're missing anything."
Scott leaned against the table and crossed his arms, "Well what exactly does this mean for Stiles? I don't want this to turn into some fight over his allegiance because I hate to say it but I'm pretty sure he's going to pick me. There's no way I'm losing Stiles."
Derek quickly shook his head, "Isaac doesn't want that, I promise. Honestly, he isn't even sure how to feel about it, he's as surprised as the rest of us. He's going to need time to understand his feelings and come to terms with it before he decides on anything."
"Not to mention that he doesn't even want Stiles to know," Erica reminded him, chewing on her lip. She understood why he'd decided to tell Scott but now she was worried that Scott would tell Stiles the truth. Why wouldn't he? But would it make things better or worse for Isaac?
"Right, that too. I know he'd freak out if he knew I told you but I couldn't keep it from you. That wasn't how I was raised; it's not good for Packs to be closed off from outsiders. So at the same time, it isn't your place to try and keep Isaac from him either," Derek told him. Scott was an experienced Were so he hoped that he would understand the significance of both of his statements.
"I… I don't know what to do about it," Scott mumbled. Sure, everything made sense now but it also complicated everything. He had no reason to keep Isaac from Stiles, not now that he knew his feelings were legitimate but how was it supposed to work? Scott wasn't really looking to join a Pack, wasn't sure if Derek was the right Alpha for him. And he couldn't forget that he was Peter's nephew! Could Derek put that aside just because his Beta had found his Mate? It seemed unfair to make him decide between his Beta and his family… but there was no way either of them were going to forgive Peter and let it go. "I completely understand why you were hesitant to tell me, this, yea, this is really complicated."
"And I had no idea how you'd react."
"I think it's a good thing Scott knows now. It means he can't get mad at Isaac when he catches them doing that," Erica commented with a cheeky smirk on her face. Scott hadn't overreacted so she was willing to believe that he was open to the relationship. At least because Derek promised they weren't going to kidnap Stiles or anything.
Scott spun around and groaned as he saw the pair of them at the table. Not that he should be surprised that Isaac had Stiles pushed up against the wall. He'd probably pulled too much pain; there was no way Stiles would be comfortable like that otherwise. "Dude, stitches!" he called out.
Immediately the two of them broke apart, red in the face and looking embarrassed; Stiles carefully turned so Isaac could feel for any torn stitches.
"I don't smell any blood, I think he's okay," Boyd commented before finally taking his turn. Now that the question had been answered, he was ready to finish the game.
Scott continued to watch the pair for awhile, torn. He felt better knowing that Isaac wasn't planning on stringing Stiles along; he'd dealt with a heartbroken Stiles before and it wasn't easy. But since that time, Stiles had closed himself off to outsiders so it was also a nice surprise to see him warm up to Isaac. He wanted Stiles to be happy, and if Isaac thought Stiles was his Mate, that meant that he'd actually appreciate Stiles… but, could they afford the complication? Should he tell Stiles the truth- was it even his place? He didn't feel right keeping it a secret but he couldn't know for sure that Stiles wouldn't freak out… and if he did, it might make Derek think that he was trying to sabotage Isaac's chances. Scott guessed that Stiles would be fine with it since he understood Wolf stuff pretty easily, although there might be a short period of freaking out. Just a bit. Stiles was doubtful that Isaac's feelings were serious in the first place so to be told they were 'lifelong' would be a bit of a shock. Scott sighed, forcing himself to block it away and focus on the pool game. If not, he'd worry himself sick thinking of all the what-ifs. They'd take it one day at a time and figure it out together, like they always did. And at the end of the day, Stiles was his priority, first and foremost. Whatever Stiles might want to do, he'd roll with it.
*Later, Melissa's House*
Isaac sat on the edge of the bed to take off his shoes, feeling a lot better about everything; Stiles actually seemed to want to get to know him a bit! Sure, they had spent some time making out but Isaac was semi-certain that Stiles wasn't just in it for that. Just from the bit of his past that they'd talked about, Stiles didn't really seem the type for one-night-standish relationships. Not that Isaac thought they were dating or anything! But his chances were looking pretty good.
"Hey, you okay? Your heart rate just skyrocketed," Erica asked as she crawled under the blankets. Was Isaac feeling nervous about sleeping next to her? Her own heart was speeding up a bit, she was a little anxious herself. Her inner Wolf was wanting to cuddle and even drag Derek in there as well, but her Human side knew that it might be a little weird if she pushed too hard. 'Just go with the flow' she reminded her Wolf.
Isaac jumped as her words interrupted his thoughts, "Oh no, sorry… I'm fine just, I was thinking about something. My mind got away from me is all."
Erica started to smirk, a dirty comment running through her mind but when she caught a whiff of Isaac's scent, she realized he was feeling more giddy than aroused so she kept it to herself. He wasn't thinking about Stiles that way right now, and since they were going to be sleeping right next to each other, she wasn't going to be the one to make it awkward. Instead she decided to bring up something that was neutral ground for them both. "Do you feel better now that you have a full moon under your belt?"
"Ugh, not much better… I almost killed someone, and almost got myself killed at the same time. Stiles and Scott almost got killed because of me too. Not to mention, I made you and Derek worry… But well I mean, I survived, and now that I know exactly how it feels, I might not be as scared next month?"
"Yea, it gets a little easier each time. I can't believe how different it was just by having an Alpha; I know that had a lot to do with how calm I was. I do think I picked a good Anchor but the more I think about it, the more my Wolf was focused on being with my Pack, not hunting like in the past. Since there wasn't as much bloodlust, it was easier for me to focus on myself and my new Anchor. Plus, we'll all actually be together next month too! Then we can all help ground each other since we'll have better bonds by that time; right now we're still kinda strangers," Erica admitted, turning onto her side so she could face Isaac. "But hey, you got a Mate out of the whole thing, right?"
Isaac laughed, looking over at her, "Seems like a rather desperate way to get a Mate, the almost dying and all. I don't recommend it, take the slow route if you can."
"I'm content with getting to know my Pack first, Mates can come later," Erica assured him. With that, she reached over and patted Isaac's shoulder, "Stiles seems like he's warming up to you though!"
He smiled and rolled over onto his stomach and elbows, big grin lighting up his face. He'd never had anyone he could just talk to before, about his feelings or crushes; he'd be raised to keep that sort of stuff to himself. But he knew that Erica was genuinely interested and he knew it would be really easy to tell her things. "We talked about all sorts of stuff at the table. Nothing too personal yet, just general stuff but it was super easy to talk to him. He asked questions about my experience as a Were- like he seemed curious but not in a morbid way, like because I tried to kill him. But he also didn't try to push too much, he let me steer the conversation. I, um, I've never really had someone act interested in me." Isaac started to blush a little at the admission. His experience with guys wasn't exactly… great. The sexual stuff with his old gang had always been rough and no one had ever wanted to actually stick around for him.
"That's good! That has to be one of the things that your Wolf picked up on when he chose Stiles."
"Yea, maybe. I still want to take it slow though. Especially since he doesn't have Wolf senses… even if he did, I can't imagine that his Wolf would be interested in a broken guy like me…"
Erica frowned, "Do you really think you're broken Isaac?"
"I dunno… Maybe not completely broken but I've got a lot of issues."
"Everyone does, on some level. At least you aren't alone anymore, we can help put you back together, one piece at a time."
Isaac gave her a small smile, appreciating the effort. "We'll have to see, I mean there's still time for me to get kicked out of the Pack. I didn't even think about that until I heard Stiles mention it in the bar, about how I wandered away and caused trouble for Derek last night."
"Derek wouldn't do that!" Erica hissed out. She knew that Derek could hear them and she didn't want the Alpha to get the wrong idea. "You heard what he said, that he was more worried than anything-"
"I know, I know. I'm just saying, I didn't even think about the fact that I can get kicked out. What if I mess up next month too? Derek is a nice Alpha but I'm sure he has his limits…"
Erica lightly flicked the tip of his ear, "Hush! Like I'd let him just kick you out. I already told you, we're going to bond and get to know each other better and then by the next full moon, we'll keep each other grounded. I'm sure by then you'll also have an Anchor so it won't be a big deal."
Isaac chuckled, knowing that she was being serious. She was just a Beta but he knew that she'd stand up to Derek on his behalf if she had to. He didn't know many Weres but he figured that wasn't a typical reaction, disobeying an Alpha was usually pretty serious. "Speaking of Anchors, can I ask what yours is? Maybe if I hear what you explain it, it'll help me decide on mine. I already know Derek's won't help me."
"You know Derek's Anchor?" she gasped, surprised. She'd never thought to ask. Sure, it made sense that it didn't have to be a secret but it just seemed like he wasn't big on personal questions.
"Yea, he told me about it after he officially became my Alpha. He said he uses anger- and he doesn't recommend it. I'm not sure how it helps him but it does."
"That does seem counter-intuitive… mine is just my humanity. After what Derek told us on the road, after we saved Boyd, it just clicked for me. I was tired of hearing that I was a monster or a beast, that I was dangerous. I might have a tail and sharp teeth but that doesn't mean I'm not still Human too. I'm going to prove to myself and everyone else that I have control because I'm more than just my Wolf half."
Isaac slowly nodded as he listened to her, "That actually sounds really smart. I was really touched when Derek said that but I never thought about trying to use that to my advantage. Might be worth looking into."
"You can always try using Stiles," Erica teased, giggling quietly.
Isaac turned pink but he didn't argue- Stiles was the thing that stopped him from rampaging last time. "M-maybe I should…"
"Get some sleep you two, or else you'll just be up all night jabbering," Derek called out from the couch. He knew if he didn't say anything, the two of them could easily keep going. Not that it was bad, the two of them needed to get to know each other… just not when other people in the house were trying to sleep.
"You're no fun," Erica mumbled, sticking her tongue out in his general direction. He couldn't see her through the wall but it made her feel better all the same.
"He has a point, I don't want to keep Sunny up. We can always talk more in the morning," her Packmate promised.
She watched him resituate himself on his side, facing away from her as he snuggled into the covers. As his breaths started to deepen, Erica reached out, hand softly rubbing his back; a pleased smile came to her face as Isaac sighed happily. So he was okay some physical contact after all!
"We can snuggle?" Isaac asked quietly, reaching back to tug on her hand. It wasn't something he had really planned on since they were Packmates; snuggling was usually considered more intimate. But as he had started to fall asleep he could actually feel his Wolf reach out to her, ignoring the emotional walls his Human half had built up over the years. He wasn't disturbed by her closeness, wasn't uncomfortable. Once she had started rubbing his back, it had only relaxed him more instead of tensing him up. And as her arm snaked around him, he found himself smiling.
Erica had to bite her lip to stop from squealing as Isaac mentioned getting closer- he was open to more contact than she would've thought! Or at least tonight he was. She didn't hesitate, scooting closer to him, wrapping her arm around his stomach. "Thanks," she whispered. She rubbed her nose along his shoulder a bit, breathing in his scent.
Out on the couch, Derek finally cracked a rare smile, as he listened to his two Betas fall into an easy sleep. From what he'd learned about Isaac, it seemed unlikely he'd let them in, but Erica wasn't one to be denied either. He was proud of her for not pushing, it had been so easy to tell that she wanted to mark herself as Pack- the chance had been taken from her on the full moon. Thankfully Isaac seemed to be softening, listening to his Wolf more, which was a great sign. Now all he had to figure out was how to lead them.
A/N: Isaac can still be considered a baby wolf so he doesn't have any experience in listening to his inner instincts and knowing what his Wolf is trying to tell him. I wanted to put that in there because I do plan on showing a lot of character growth for him as he learns how to be a Were in this world =D
9-26-18: this is a really short chapter, especially now that I've added A LOT to the previous chapters but there wasn't too much for me to add here. I did lengthen the discussion between Scott and Derek about Mates as well as the late night conversation between Isaac and Erica, I made it more heartfelt to show Isaac opening up to her. Managed to add about 3K words so it isn't TOO short compared to everything else.
Cut Throat: just a quick run down for those that don't know- pool game played with three players, all 15 balls are used and divided up. Player 1 is responsible for 1-5, P2: 6-10, P3: 11-15. One way (most popular) is to play where the object is to sink your opponents balls while doing your best to keep your 5 on the table. The way I first learned was the opposite, the goal is to get your 5 balls in first before the other two sink their five. This way (I personally think) leads to less of a 'ganging up' of two players focusing on one player.