A/N: Kira tells her parents about the fight with the Kanima, and then they tell her more about Claiming. It's not as awkward as she thought it was going to be XD Then Peter and Derek bond a bit =D
"I might as well tell you what happened at school then," Kira said, figuring that once she got started, she wouldn't feel as nervous. She told them about how she kind of slacked off in school because she had to keep an ear out for Liam but that she was totally planning on getting the notes from the others. Then she told them about how everything finally boiled over and Liam cracked… "I wasn't the only one that heard, Scott and Malia were there to keep him contained, and for some reason Stiles and Allison were too. But… Liam got loose and just ran at Stiles- I stopped him though."
"Stopped him how exactly?" her dad asked.
"My lightning, I used just enough power to lock up his muscles, I didn't hurt him… I don't think…"
"I'm sure Liam was fine. You told me that he wasn't forced back into his Human shift, he only shifted back when he pushed down the anger. That means you didn't exceed our electrocution limit," Peter commented.
Kira nodded, "Yea, that's right, he couldn't attack or anything but he shifted back on his own, not because of the electricity. So I must have kept the voltage pretty low, I don't know the exact science but I know if I focus, then my powers will do what I want. And I didn't want to hurt him, despite his wanting to hurt Stiles. So anyways, Liam managed to rein in his anger and he shifted back on his own…. Well I mean, the fact that I was kinda electrocuting him probably had something to do with it…"
"How did he react after you let him go?" Noshiko asked, curious about the new Beta.
"Actually he um, he was pretty calm. I'm pretty sure more of his anger was focused at Scott and the others because he let me take him to Ms. Morrell and we talked about how he isn't really a monster, and how he just needs to find the right method. I'm kinda surprised Liam listened to me since I am a part of the Pack, he knows that, but I wasn't in his face like Scott was. And I think it worked… I'm not sure though, I didn't get to see him after school- I met up with Peter as soon as I got out of class. Then we went to Brady Springs." No one had messaged her either, so if something had gone wrong during practice, they hadn't thought to tell her…
"Ah yes, the key part of this story."
"Right, sorry, I was just, um, kinda proud of how I handled things at school and-"
Noshiko smiled at her daughter, "I didn't mean to imply that I wasn't interested in what happened at school, just that I want to hear how the fight against the Kanima went. They are very dangerous creatures, in all my years I don't think I've seen one in person so I am very curious about this fight. But yes, you did an excellent job with Liam, you managed to create a scenario where he calmed down on his own while stopping him from hurting anyone, something that Scott and Derek haven't managed. I wish I could have seen it."
"Well the fight against the Kanima was a good one too," Peter commented. It was a quick fight but Kira had played a very important role, he was certain that her parents would be proud. Not only had she saved Stiles and gotten through to Liam during one of his rage shifts, but she helped him take down a brainwashed lizard lady.
"Oh, right, so um, we got to Brady Springs and Peter drove us to where the murders were taking place the Kanima was really easy to find, I mean they were staying right in the area. Oh, I almost, kinda mastered my next Tail by the way, that's really a key part of the story." Kira went on to explain how she'd summoned a few orbs and then they went into the house. She told them how it seemed really easy at first and then how the half cursed master had blindsided them and Kira was left to face the Kanima alone. "I… I ended up getting scratched… I was stupid…"
Peter huffed, wanting to make sure her parents understood. "It was my fault… I know that Kira isn't an experienced fighter and I let my tussle with the guy distract her. But don't be too hard on her, even though she was outmatched in skill, she held her own. That Kanima was going for a finishing blow, which Kira managed to block, completely on instinct- whatever weapons training you're doing with her, it's working. It's true that she ended up with a small scratch, but what she doesn't realize is that if she hadn't managed to block that attack… she'd probably be dead." He gently nudged Kira, making sure she looked up at him, "Don't focus so much on the failures. Obviously you want to learn from your mistakes but you also have to realize how much you did right. If you hadn't kept your sheath on you as a secondary weapon, those claws would have cut a lot deeper than just your wrist. I wouldn't have brought you along if I thought you'd be a hindrance; I brought you because I knew I could depend on you to survive."
"I… I know I just… I was worried that you had gotten hurt when realistically I know you can handle yourself in a fight, it was a stupid mistake. You're right though, that Kanima was hell bent on killing me but I managed to survive. I just have to trust in my skills, the skills that you and Mom are teaching me." Kira squeezed his hand, thankful for his kind words. But she knew they weren't empty words either, Peter meant everything he said. That was one of the few things she knew about him, he didn't mince words, so when he said something, he meant it.
"And what happened next?" her father asked.
"Peter managed to subdue the master and then he kicked the Kanima's ass."
"Don't downplay your help. I managed to wound to Kanima before she could land another blow on Kira, I knocked her into the kitchen, and then I returned to make sure that Kira wasn't seriously injured. During that time, the Kanima recovered and was preparing for her next attack but Kira's preplanning saved us."
"The orbs? They worked?" Noshiko asked, knowing instantly what Peter was referring to.
Kira laughed, "Yea, I was just as surprised. I mean, I'm still a long ways from summoning hornets, but at least I understand how to give them instructions. Honestly I thought they had just faded away, they waited so long to do anything but in the end, they came through."
"Well that's probably because that was the only time neither of you were fighting the Kanima," Ken commented. "From what I understand of FoxFire, its primary focus is to always act as a line of defense. Since you didn't have much experience in ordering your lightning around, the orbs didn't have the drive to pro-actively carry out your instructions. Instead they were programmed to be defensive, only kicking in when you were at risk. You did say that your main instruction was to disable. They can't very well disable while the Kanima is actively moving around and involved in a fight. Well, they could, if you had more experience, but you know what I mean."
"Yea, since it was my first time really trying, they were very limited in their power. And I don't have the experience to code them to take someone out in a complex situation like a fight. But like Peter said, it worked and it gave him the opening he needed to tie them up."
"Kira actually has amazing control over her lightning, I think it stems from her desire to not harm anyone. Lightning is seen as a pretty destructive force and I think at least a part of Kira acknowledges that. She was so focused on disabling the Kanima and not bringing harm that I was able to walk over and tie her up without any of the current flowing into me."
Both of Kira's parents looked at her with surprise, but Peter noticed the pride in Noshiko's eyes. He wasn't surprised by it at all, the older Kitsune was constantly worried that Kira would lose her way, that she might start down the path of a Nogitsune, so of course Kira was very careful about her powers. But still, to hear that Kira had such control over her element was great news to her parents. It meant that her heart was pure and that she only wanted to use her powers to help. There was a fine line to walk as a Kitsune- the Fox spirit was, by nature, a trickster and they needed mischief to thrive. But since they shared a body with a Human, the two beings had to reach an understanding or else one of the two would be dominating the other. If the Fox was allowed to cause too much mischief, a Kitsune could easily turn into a Nogitsune, but if the Human tried to subdue it too much, the Fox would feel disrespected and her powers would begin to waver as the Fox closed herself off from Kira. Peter was confident in his little Kitsune though, and he'd stay by her side as she started to learn more about her trickster Tails, help her maintain the balance. As long as Kira held onto her compassion she couldn't be swayed by the power that comes from deceiving others and she would know how to keep the spirit within her happy. Besides, the spirit seemed to meld with Kira very well, they understood each other, it wasn't likely that the spirit was that keen on pranks anyways. Noshiko said that the spirit was one of the older ones, not a young spirit, so they should be more mature and understanding. Peter was confident that his Wolf would be plenty of mischief for the Fox anyways; that was probably why she'd picked him instead of Derek, the notorious stick in the mud. He had to rein in his thoughts as his mind began imagining all the scenarios they could get into.
Kira cleared her throat, noticing Peter's scent change; she knew immediately what it was because her own body started to respond. Not the time! Hopefully he could stamp that down before her mom noticed. She hurried up and finished the story, wanting to keep the attention on her. "So anyways, we um, got them loaded into the car and took them to Eichen. The director there seemed to know a lot about them so I'm sure he'll be able to help cure them."
"Good, I'm glad things went well. Of course I am disappointed that you didn't get away unscathed but, considering your opponent, I'm glad you came home alive."
"She wasn't even paralyzed that long," Peter started to say before Kira sat forward suddenly.
"Wait, if you were so concerned that I wasn't ready, why did you let me go?"
Noshiko offered the slightest of shrugs, "You seemed so sure of yourself, besides Peter vouched for your abilities. And, if I'm to be honest with you, I wanted to see how your Fox would handle it."
"What does that mean? I… I thought… isn't the Fox a part of me? Were you willing to risk my life because somehow… the Fox did something to upset you?" This has to be about the sex… but did her mom really think the Fox brainwashed her into having sex with Peter? She, she had wanted it, hadn't she? The Fox had nothing to do with this… and her mom wanted to punish her over sex, by sending her to fight a Kanima? That seemed way too drastic.
"I wasn't willing to risk your life no, but, your inner spirit seems more than capable of making adult decisions, so who am I to hold her back? You wanted to learn more about your powers, you're learning… You want to Claim someone then you better know how to stand on your own two feet," Noshiko stated. "If you're going to make adult decisions, you need to be able to protect yourself in adult situations."
"And that's why I'm here," Peter sighed. If he didn't know any better, it was almost as if Noshiko was jealous. This wasn't a gentle way to break it to her…. Especially since Kira had no knowledge of what the Fox had really done. Noshiko was just upset that Kira was growing up faster than she realized, and was learning about all of this without her, plus it sounded like she was mad at Kira right now which he knew wasn't the case.
"I… I don't understand…. What exactly did I do to piss you off? I had sex with Peter, me, Kira! Not the Fox… right?" she asked, turning to look at Peter. He had been so adamant that he wanted the sex to be her choice, no string attached… so her Fox hadn't tricked her into this somehow, right? With her mom making such a big issue about it, she wasn't sure anymore.
"This will all make sense, your mother just… got ahead of herself a bit," Peter commented.
"He's right, I apologize for the way I said that it's just…." Noshiko cleared her throat, glancing at her husband. "It's just that… a part of you is so young yet, the other part of you is powerful and very old. My previous comment was aimed more at your Fox spirit than at you. The power might have gone to her head and she did something a bit prematurely."
Peter cleared his throat, "Kira, what you need to always keep in mind is that, while the Fox is a part of you, she is also separate from you. The two of you, coming together, is what makes you a Kitsune, she was born with you, not created from you, like my Wolf. Because of that, there are some decisions that she'll make without your conscious awareness versus my more animalistic side clouding my judgment and encouraging me to do something."
"So… some times, my Fox, the older spirit… is going to do something that pisses my mom off?" Kira asked, trying to wrap her head around this. "And then I'm the one that has to deal with the punishment because it's my body? That's not even fair!"
"Yes. That is what this conversation is about, this isn't about how you, Kira, a sixteen year old girl had sex with an older man. It's about how the Fox spirit inside you Claimed Peter," Noshiko stated.
"What does that mean? When did that happen exactly?" Kira whined, getting worried now that she somehow lost control, had blacked out or something.
"Hey, hey, this isn't anything bad… okay well, if you were to ask Derek this is a nightmare but, he has a biased opinion." Peter pulled Kira into a hug, hoping to ease her nerves. "This is a very complicated topic but also a very easy one to understand. But the easiest place to start is for you to ask questions."
"What the hell is Claiming and when did I do that to you? And also, how come the sex doesn't matter?"
"Oh, the sex matters, believe me, we're still very mad about that," Ken said, eyeing Peter. "But you also have to realize that in a way, it was beyond your control, which is why we can't ground you for what happened."
"No, no, Mom always said there was supposed to be a balance! If my Fox is… is… making me do things I don't want to do…." Kira swallowed, afraid that something had gone wrong in her training. Why would her Fox take over like this? Had she done something to upset her inner spirit and now she was fighting back?
Peter fully pulled Kira into his lap, not giving a shit about her parents at the moment; he ran his fingers through her hair and kissed her temple. "It isn't like that. I know it sounds bad at first, but it isn't like that. There is nothing to be scared of, or bitter about, it is just how things work for us. All you need to know is that my feelings for you are genuine and that your Fox just has very little patience."
"O-Okay… impatient how?" Kira asked, focusing on Peter. If she thought about the fact that she was in Peter's lap while her parents were just a few feet away, she'd lose it. Her mind was already racing and Peter's presence was calming, so she was going to think about that.
"I'll start with your original question," Peter told her, thankful that neither of her parents commented on their position. They recognized that she was on the edge of freaked out and they dared not tip the scale. They'd leave that to Peter…. So the Wolf knew he had to choose his words carefully. "Claiming is something only supernatural creatures can do, and it's never taken lightly; that doesn't mean it is bad to Claim someone, it just means you have strong feelings for someone."
"So my feelings for you… are they mine or the Fox's?"
"Both. It isn't like we were destined by fate to be together, it's nothing so archaic. I mean, you did have a sort of crush on Scott right?" Peter asked, fighting the distaste in his mouth. Sure, she was allowed to have crushes on other guys at some point but… the boy wonder? Ew… As long as that's behind her now, he wouldn't hold it against her.
"So embarrassing… but for the sake of this conversation… I had entertained the idea of maybe dating Scott," Kira mumbled. "That didn't really last long though…"
"But, the point stands, you and the Fox work together. The Fox saw something in me that she liked and gave you subtle nudges in my direction. If our Human halves turned out to be incompatible, then nothing would have happened. The Fox didn't brainwash you into liking me or anything like that, they just noticed that I'd be a great potential partner due to my skills."
"So… The Fox decided that you might make a good partner because of your experience as a Wolf and then waited on me to decide if I liked the Human part of you? I… I can get that, just as long as a part of it was my decision. But what's the big deal about Claiming, what does that part mean?"
Peter grabbed her hand and held it up to the indents on his neck, "You marked me as yours, when you bit me you poured some of your essence into me. Now normally, Wolves don't scar, so anyone that knows I'm a Wolf would realize the significance of this mark. Those that don't know about Claiming, they would just have to get close to me- this mark smells of you."
"R-really? I… I marked you with my essence? And now anyone that knows about the supernatural will recognize that we're together? I didn't even know I could do that…"
"Yea, that was the surprising thing… Apparently your Fox was impatient and decided to mark me- normally that is something that takes time because you and the Fox need to be on the same page. She apparently didn't want to wait until you were more… aware of our practices. In that manner, she did take control, but only because she knew you accepted me as well. If I had known that the Fox was so, well, eager, I would have explained everything to you sooner."
"I hope you understand why I'm a little… upset with your Fox," Noshiko said, arms crossed. "She acted impulsively and now you're tied to Peter at 16…"
"Hey, I thought you approved of her choice," Peter commented with a smirk, nosing at Kira's ear.
"Don't be facetious, Wolf," she warned. "Just because I approve of her choice doesn't mean that she couldn't have waited a few more years. Maybe even get to know you better. There is still a lot you two don't know about each other…"
Kira couldn't believe her ears, her mom was only mad because she was so young? She wasn't being grounded for having sex? And wait, Mom approved of Peter, what did that mean? "Is, um, is that all?" Kira asked.
"You have Claimed him Kira, it is out of my hands; just because I'm not grounding you doesn't mean that I approve of you deciding to sleep with an older man at such a young age. Although, I do also realize, more than anyone else here, how little age matters when it comes to relationships, and I also Claimed someone before I understood the consequences so I understand how confusing this can all be. The situation is complicated, but simple, like he said. Your feelings for him are strong, that was why you felt compelled to mark him, it is only made complicated by your age."
The young Kitsune slowly nodded, absorbing the information… So, she was right! Her Fox did like Peter more than Scott! That had to be why her infatuation with him waned after awhile, her Fox just didn't think he had any appeal. Of course she hadn't really understood it at the time but now it made sense, if her Fox didn't like him, subconsciously the Human part of her would have picked up on that. Which also explained her fascination with Peter, it was her Fox telling her to get to know him. And get to know him she had! Kira flushed as the memories surfaced of his lips on her skin. So what if she was only 16?! If her Fox thought Peter was a good match, and Kira was head over heels for him as well, why waste any time? A smile broke out on her face finally, "So no one can say anything about us? Even if Scott were to find out, he couldn't say anything?"
"Well, according to the law…" Ken reminded, more than a bit uncomfortable seeing his daughter on Peter's lap. But he understood, after being with Noshiko for so long, as well as having a Claim bite of his own… it was just strange to see.
"It's not like I'm going to be… kissing him in public… I just meant like Scott, as an Alpha, can't say anything to us about it, right?"
"He can't order you around anyways Kira, you're a Kitsune. You are only Pack because you choose to align yourself with him but he cannot influence you using his Alpha powers. But no, he won't be able to ban you from being together."
"He might still try though, considering he doesn't know anything about Claiming," Peter mused aloud. That would be fun, Scott thinking he could keep Peter away from his Mate- the Alpha would learn a very hard lesson.
"Just as long as I don't have to worry about him trying to assert himself or anything, we're good. Not that I want to tell him right away or anything, just good to know for future reference. So um… is there anything else to talk about? As enlightening as this conversation has been… I'd like it to be over now."
"We just wanted you to understand what Claiming was and what it means now that you've chosen someone-" Noshiko started.
"Wait, does that mean that um…" Kira paused, looking up at Peter. "Does that mean you're going to Claim me back?"
"I would very much like to yes, I just didn't want to take our relationship to the next level without you understanding what the next level was. I wouldn't dream of Claiming you without your knowledge, that's just inappropriate."
Kira frowned and looked down at her hands, "But I Claimed you without your knowledge…"
"Eh, I know what Claiming is and I recognized what you did the moment it happened. Like I told you though, I was expecting this relationship to be long term and this was the logical next step. I could have rejected the Claim if I didn't want it. So it might have been a surprise but that wasn't exactly what I meant when I said without your knowledge. If I bit you, marked you, like that you would just think I was being a little rough, you'd have no idea that I was tying my essence to yours. Your mother would have known instantly of course, upon seeing the mark, but you would have been completely ignorant. But now that you know how this works, we can discuss it more later. I should probably go, if I'm no longer needed?"
Noshiko and Ken both shook their heads, they covered the important information and it was getting late. Kira and Peter got up and wandered back to the front door, pausing before opening it.
"So, you mean it, you'll Claim me back?"
"If I'm being totally honest with you, I had a hard enough time restraining myself when I was inside you. I just knew it wouldn't be proper if I did so I held back- I want everyone to know you're mine," he whispered in her ear. His teeth grazed over her earlobe for a moment before he pulled himself together, straightening up again.
Suddenly Kira flashed back to when they were working on her third Tail… how Peter had said that he wouldn't mind Claiming her. She had thought he meant it in a sexual manner and hadn't thought anything of it at the time but now… now that she knew better. Wow, Peter had wanted to Claim her back then? The thought of that excited her, knowing that his feelings were just as strong , that she wasn't the only one swept away by this."I can't wait then," Kira breathed, knees shaking in anticipation.
"Text me when you're free to train again. Maybe this time you can come to my apartment, where we won't be interrupted."
"Yea, sounds like a plan." She stood there, leaning on the doorframe as he walked back to his car. God she wanted to go with him but that would be pushing her mom's limits.
"Now that we've covered Claiming, I'd like to see you in the basement please," Noshiko said.
"Oh, right, sure." Was this going to be the embarrassing part where she got yelled out for having sex with someone she 'hardly' knew? Might as well get it over with, so she grabbed her katana and followed her mom down the steps.
"I'd like to hear about the fight in more detail, I want to see exactly what you did," her mom stated.
Kira tilted her head, "Oh, yea, I can do that." She spend the next hour going over the fight with her mom, swinging her sword and using her mom as the pretend Kanima as a visual aid. When her mom was finally satisfied with how the fight had gone, she dismissed Kira to wash up before dinner.
She took a few steps before turning back around, needing to clear the air. "Mom, is Peter really a good choice? I mean, I'm not regretting anything- I do like him, I'm just really surprised at you and Dad…"
"I know you aren't regretting your choice, if you had any doubts about him, you wouldn't have marked him. Are you asking me what I see in him for you, or are you asking because you don't quite understand it yourself?"
"Both I guess… I mean, I know why I like Peter but I kinda can't put words to it? So I think hearing someone else say it would help. It's not like I can ask the girls, they wouldn't understand at all. Plus you're my mom, I value your opinion."
Noshiko pulled her daughter down onto one of the steps, "Well first and foremost, he's experienced in our world. He isn't someone that would hold you back because he doesn't understand, nor is he someone you'd have to keep all this a secret from. Peter is also very driven, he's always striving to better himself, and I can tell just by looking at him, he takes pride in his abilities. He has this aura about him, he isn't fit just because he's a Were, like Scott- he's fit because he is always pushing his body to the edge. Once you've been around a lot of supernatural creatures, you learn to see the difference, and he's a Were that works hard to hone his skills. All that skill and knowledge marks him as a great protector for you.
"On top of that, he is fiercely loyal, who else would stick around for a Pack that has done nothing but shun him? Given their troubled past, it would be so much easier for him to move on and start fresh somewhere else. But instead he stayed here and decided to help Scott and the others; maybe it is mostly because Derek has stuck around, but that just means his ties to family are strong. But I think what speaks to me the most about him is his conviction to do whatever is necessary to defend his honor. He spent years healing his body, from an attack that should have killed him, and planned revenge. Sure, he killed people and generally that is frowned upon, but Kitsunes aren't like other people."
"Yea… you called down a Nogitsune because of the way you and the others were treated at the camps. Like you were totally prepared to wipe everyone in the area out…"
Noshiko nodded, "Yes, I was prepared to rain down hell in order to avenge my friends and family. Peter has proven that he would do the same. To me, that tells me that he'd fight tooth and nail to protect you."
"But what about Scott, I mean, everyone is talking about how he's a True Alpha and that's supposed to be a big deal… And he's closer to my age…"
"A True Alpha is rare, and that speaks for Scott's character, but that isn't enough to gain your favor, or the Fox's. He has no skills as a leader, no real skills as a Wolf; Kitsunes are drawn to power and Scott is lacking that. Scott is only a teenager, he just doesn't have the experience that your Fox craves, nor the ambition- Scott just isn't as impressive. He doesn't have Peter's history, he's just a pup in the world's eyes. The Fox has traveled this world, has a deep understanding of the workings of this world. Peter's Wolf is steeped in old knowledge whereas Scott only has knowledge from the last year of his life. His family background adds more appeal, more understanding, because his Wolf is highly tuned to our world, just like your Fox."
"So Peter and Derek have like… a much longer genetic memory, and that makes them more suitable than Scott. So how come I didn't try to get to know Derek, like I don't think I ever had a crush on him…"
Noshiko shrugged, "The Fox probably keyed in on both but subconsciously you must have thought one was more attractive. You then focused on Peter more since he was more physically attractive to you. I'm sure your Human side probably picked up on Scott's physical features as well as his sweet nature but your Fox wanted more than just a sweet boy."
"Yea, no kidding," Kira mumbled to herself, feeling a flush come to her cheeks. Okay this was making more sense, obviously she knew that she was infatuated with Peter, he was good looking, he had a sweet side, and he was strong. The way he made her feel… at first she was afraid that maybe it was just a physical attraction but to hear her mom tell her about all the finer points of Peter's potential as her partner, she knew she'd scored. "Thanks Mom, like, you really cleared things up. And you can't be too mad at my Fox… I may not have known about Claiming but, if I'm honest… He just made me feel so wanted and special, she probably just picked up on my desire to be loved, especially considering my new status as not Human. When I learned all about this Kitsune stuff I was just so confused and everything- I felt abnormal and out of place…. Then of course there was Scott, a cute boy that knew all about the supernatural and everything and I wanted him to protect me. I think I was working so hard to impress him and then I felt like I was making a fool of myself and he was so preoccupied with everything else that he didn't notice me. So when Peter showed interest in me where Scott didn't, I fell hard. I guess I just wanted to make sure this wasn't about my teenage hormones tricking me into something."
"No, there is a lot more going on with us finding a partner than just hormones. Sure, the Human part of you is hormonal and the attraction is heavily physical, but that doesn't undermine the emotional connection you're building with him at all. What matters is that his Wolf and your Fox both recognize that this will work long term and are ready to take it to the next level, even if your Human halves are still catching up. Peter will protect you, he's teaching you well, and he'll help you accomplish so much, don't be afraid to just follow your instincts with this."
"So, it really isn't bad that I Claimed him, even though I'm only 16?"
Noshiko shook her head, "No, you will live a long life, you will find many Mates in your life but you can only learn your Tails once. Cherish Peter, you probably won't find another person, other than a Kitsune, that understands us so well. People like that are rare, I've only known a few in my lifetime, so you hold on to them when you find them, regardless of age. Honestly, I'm proud in a way as well, because you found a good partner at a young age, so I know that you have someone that will help you grow into a strong woman."
"Yea, Scott… he's my age, which means he doesn't really have things figured out either so we'd be stumbling through all of this and it would be a mess. At least with Peter, he has additional Human experience that will help me figure everything out. Also, he told me that Scott never trains with the Pack so they are getting stagnant. Of course they will always be strong, because they are Weres, but they will grow rusty all the same. He obviously doesn't understand a lot about how this supernatural stuff works. Peter refuses to be like that and he won't let me fall into that dangerous cycle; instead, he'll help me figure everything out, like my Tails."
"Exactly, he'll push you forward, strive to make you better instead of dragging you down. Scott is a nice boy, and he's done a lot with himself since he became an Alpha but he'd only weigh you down. His lack of knowledge is dangerous- if he tried to teach you…"
"Yea, I remember you getting upset because you thought it was Scott I was learning from and that he'd upset my balance. He'd train me like how he learned to work with his Wolf, not knowing the difference. But that was one of the first things Peter explained to me, about how his Wolf was created from him but I was born with my Fox as a… companion of sorts," Kira recalled.
Noshiko smiled, "Yea, I had been concerned. But like I said, I do recognize that Peter is a good choice, for many reasons; the only thing I'm disappointed in is that you went behind my back about all of it. But… you are a teenager, of course you aren't going to come to me about dating an older man right away. It's all out in the open now, we'll worry about anything else as it comes up. Come on, it's dinner time…. Just don't get carried away with this relationship, I still expect you to get through high school and college so no kids before getting married."
"Mom!" Wow how embarrassing! Of course they wouldn't be diving into the family life so soon, Kira knew that Peter didn't want to settle down just yet. The Pack needed a lot of work and of course he'd want her to finish school as well. She still hugged her mom before they went upstairs for dinner.
*Derek's Loft*
Peter was about halfway to his apartment when his phone dinged, with a sigh he looked at the message.
Hey, you back from your errand? Come to the loft- D
He shot back a quick reply and pulled a u-turn, heading towards the loft. Maybe something was going on with Liam and Derek needed some more help… Besides, it wasn't like he had anything planned for the rest of the night, he could spend time with his nephew. Minutes later when he arrived and slid the door open, he found Derek pacing around the couch. "What's up?"
"Liam freaked out during practice, one of the older guys made a comment and it just… set him off. His I.E.D. is making this really hard," Derek explained, not even pausing in his pacing.
"Alright, did he hurt anyone, or did anyone see him?"
"No, thank goodness. Coach knows about his anger issue and saw that he was getting all worked up and ordered him to take laps. He took off into the woods, Isaac followed. Liam took out his frustration out on a tree…"
Peter nodded his head, that was better than a person. "So what is the Alpha going to do about his troubled Beta?"
"He wants me to come to the school tomorrow, try to talk with him about his anger…"
"Wait, you're planning on giving him the anger as an anchor speech? Do not."
Derek scowled, "But it's the one you gave me!"
"Yea and you didn't have I.E.D.! You had the regular anger of a Wolf and a messed up teen. It worked for you because you were born with the Wolf, you had least had balance before Paige… Liam has absolutely no experience in this! Telling him to center himself around his anger is only going to create a monster Derek. You can't even imagine what he'd turn into..." Peter clenched his jaw, remembering what it felt like to shift after he'd killed his own niece. The rage had turned him into something monstrous... It had affected his transformation, and instead of turning into a wolf, he became something out of nightmares. Peter hadn't fully shifted since, telling himself that it was because he was still too weak from his resurrection. But it was because he was afraid that he had been forever marked by his uncontrollable rage. And as far as the Pack knew, he hadn't inherited the full shift like Talia had, it was better that way.
"Then what else are we supposed to do?"
"I already told you, find a way to get through to him. He's stuck on the fact that he thinks he's a monster and you've yet to show him otherwise. Did Scott tell you about what happened today? I mean during class, not practice."
"Something else happened?" Derek asked, voice heavy.
"Yea, he almost attacked Stiles. Kira saved his ass. And Kira is the one that got through to Liam, not Scott, not Malia, and Allison was only making it worse." Peter went on to tell his nephew just how well Scott had handled the Beta.
Derek sighed, "He's just new to this… that was how we helped Isaac calm down one time, the cold shocked him into focusing on something besides the anger. Having Stiles there was probably a mistake. And Allison… I can't believe she said that…"
"To be fair, I don't think she meant it maliciously… just that she wanted Liam to understand that he needs to learn control. Of course, she has no practical experience in trying to calm down an angry Wolf and therefore had no idea her statement was probably one of the worst things she could have said to him. Dealing with Scott hardly counts as experience, he would never harm her in a million years. Then with Isaac, she was fighting with him at the time so it wasn't like she was trying to calm him down at all, she was hell bent on hurting him."
"And how is it you know what happened in the locker room?"
"Kira told me all about it during our excursion."
Derek scowled and looked away from his uncle, "I'd rather not hear about your wild sex stories with a teenage girl."
"Oh please, I said excursion- we had an errand to run, we didn't fuck in my apartment. I know you may not believe it but I am taking her training seriously, why don't you take a look for yourself the next time you see her," Peter told him.
Derek finally stopped pacing, turning to really look at his uncle. "Did you tell her yet?"
"Yes, that was where I was coming from, her parents and I discussed everything with her. It went well, although I'm sure you don't care."
"So, you're really involved with her, this is a serious relationship?"
"100 percent. I do plan on returning her Claim, now that she knows the truth. I'm not just stringing her along or anything- I completely reciprocate her feelings."
"Alright… just please be careful, this can end really badly…" Derek sighed. It was so weird to think of his uncle as in a relationship- with anyone. He had been a bit of a player back when they were young and none of his relationships were ever serious. It just didn't seem to be Peter's thing… Maybe it just hadn't been important to him back then, maybe Kira was just that special to him. Of course he'd be keeping on eye on them, making sure that Peter wasn't scheming in any way, but he wouldn't interfere for now. It wasn't really his place after all… He had other things to worry about after all, like Scott's rampaging Beta… "Okay back to Liam, what should we do? I mean, what can I possibly say to him tomorrow that might help?"
"You just have to get through to him, find a way to show him that he isn't a monster. Find something that will help him quell all that anger. You can use it to your advantage, and Scott can too now, but Liam won't be able to. It's just feeding his Wolf and it will build up into a frenzy. If he ever completely loses control and acts out, there will be no reassuring him that he isn't a monster. Boyd never really understood and he was a Were for a few months…"
"Yea… Cora got it but she knows all about bloodlust. Boyd was pretty messed up over the whole thing-" Derek's voice cracked and he dropped down onto the couch.
"Whoa, hey, Derek… you did your best. Gerard coming into town really took us all by surprise… you did the best you could for those kids-"
"Well it obviously wasn't enough!"
"They ran away," Peter reminded him. "They thought they could find a better home, a better Pack. We didn't even have any idea that the Alphas were coming… they probably got caught off guard whenever Chris finally let them go…"
"But I should have saved them from Allison and Gerard in the first place! I knew it was too dangerous to be out there alone, that Gerard was hell bent on our destruction! Yet I let them go…"
Peter sighed, sitting next to Derek, "You aren't tyrannical, you weren't about to order them to stay. You told them that it was probably a trap but they wanted to take the risk anyways, hell you let them because you wanted to believe they'd make it. They thought running was the safer option- they were just kids… they didn't know any better. And even after we found out that Gerard had them… we had our hands full with Jackson. Chris let them go, and they could have come back but instead they chose to keep running. We can't fault them for that but you can't blame yourself either. You did the best you could given the situation that came up after they were turned. None of us could have guessed what would happen. It all happened because I killed Kate anyways, although I'd still kill her if I had to go back and do it again. The Alphas snuck up on us and we had no way of protecting them."
Derek started to shake, and he closed his eyes, willing the pain to pass. Beside him Peter sighed, softly reaching out to put a comforting hand on his shoulder. "You didn't kill Boyd, they did. They just used your claws to do it. But it isn't on you, it's on them. Same as Erica's death. We can't change the past, we can only learn and do better in the future. So don't let Liam run away from this, help him embrace it. Help him learn about his Wolf and embrace him as Pack so when the next bad thing happens, he won't be a vulnerable pup. Boyd and Erica only had one full moon with you and besides that, you didn't really have any time to bond with them because of Jackson turning into a Kanima. Everything was rushed and they couldn't handle the stress, neither could you- you were never cut out to be an Alpha. But you aren't honoring their memory by beating yourself up over it." There was no malice in his voice, Talia had been grooming Laura to take her place, never Derek, he was too young. So of course he didn't know how to handle three freshly turned teenagers. Maybe they resented Derek for turning them, maybe they didn't, but the best thing for Derek to do was make sure that Liam was more prepared for the harshness of their world than they were. Maybe they'd be watching over Liam, as their spirits lingered with the Pack.
Derek listened to what his uncle said, how they hadn't properly bonded with each other and that influenced their choice to leave. Too much had happened before Derek could get to know them all better and his time spent training them was for their protection... But that didn't make their deaths any less painful. The younger Wolf reached up and covered Peter's hand with his own though, grateful for the comfort. He hadn't been expecting it from his uncle but it felt good to hear someone tell him it wasn't his fault, that he couldn't have possibly prepared for what had happened. It helped to ease the lingering pain a little bit, remembering that he hadn't chosen to kill Boyd, they had made him. It still hurt of course, and the fact that he wasn't there to protect Erica but… he needed to come to terms with their deaths. And Peter was right about Liam too, if they didn't train him now, they were only going to let him down in the future. Derek would not let that happen to anyone else! He had made a mistake by turning three kids, by omitting some of the harsher truths of his world until after they'd been turned. But he'd done his best and he still mourned every day, asked them for forgiveness. And now he had a chance to make sure Liam didn't end up like them.
"Let's go for a run," Peter suggested, knowing that that was Derek's way of coping. Usually he just ran as the memories flooded his head, going until his legs gave out under him. This time, Peter would be there to keep an eye on him, help pick him back up after he crumbled into pieces. He hated seeing Derek like this, but this was the first time his nephew had really opened up to him about his old Betas, so maybe that meant he was finally ready to heal. Peter wasn't going to leave him alone in his time of need; he'd be there, because no one else knew Derek was hurting and Peter understood how dangerous it was to mourn alone.
After a moment Derek nodded and stood up; he pulled his shirt over his head and tossed it aside before sliding open the loft door. Maybe it would be good to have someone with him this time, someone that would stop him from hurting himself. As he tore down the stairs, he felt a soothing presence in his head as Peter followed him, the two charging into the parking lot and towards the woods. He had forgotten what that felt like since Laura died. Scott and his Betas didn't know how to utilize the Pack bond, but Peter did, and his Wolf wasn't alone anymore.
A/N: this is turning into a bit more than just Peter/Kira hahaha We're seeing more with Liam and also with Derek and Peter, hope that's okay! I just totally got into the thought of Peter and Derek rebuilding their relationship after all this time. This is still going to focus on Peter and Kira, her training and her Tails, but we're still going to see some of the other characters as well lol
Obviously I'm giving Peter the ability to fully shift into a wolf because well, I can! Talia could, Laura could, Derek finally learned how, so why not Peter as well? =) But I'm also keeping his transformation Canon with how we saw him in Season 1, I'm just explaining his totally off the wall transformation by having his mental state affect his form. It is similar to my thoughts on how, in season 4, when Scott and the others are in the huge fight with the assassins, Scott's face started to shift. He was becoming something not himself because he was letting all the negative emotions take over. But Peter is much better now, he just doesn't know it yet ^^
Also, not sure if I touched on it in this fic or not... I'm writing so many atm I lose track... XD but I'm a fan of the idea that as Packmates, Werewolves can at least semi-telepathically connect with one another. It isn't a complete awareness, like they don't just magically know when a Packmate is hurt or in danger, but the Wolves can 'mentally' reach out to each other to communicate. This is what Peter is doing for Derek when they go for the run, just melding their Wolves together so Derek knows he isn't alone anymore. Just explaining that if case some of you haven't read my other fics =)