The guys left at the loft are in awe about Alex' cooking skills. Scott is not happy with the development, but he manages somewhat. Allison is worried, but at the same time she kind of like her new self. Finally Derek and Stiles get to share a real bed. Isaac and Alex have a short chat, and Alex makes a bold move. Joy plans on taking matters into her own hands. No smut, but lots of thoughts about it.
They had the most excellent meal. It was a pasta-sauce to die for, homemade garlic-bread and a variety of meats cooked to perfection. Alex almost got standing ovations as he got up and cleared the table. He put away the leftovers before he handed out slices of the pie he'd scrambled together from ingredients Derek didn't even know he had. When everybody was fed, Alex tidied everything and cleaned the kitchen.
Derek didn't bother to offer any help or make to much of a fuzz about it. If Alex felt that he needed to make amends for anything, Derek didn't really care. If he wanted to clean and cook, it was fine by him. Stiles and his dad were in no condition to do any domestic chores, and Isaac was not quite himself. He was pacing around, obviously too shy to offer a hand.
Derek expected that the sleeping arrangements would be brought up sooner or later, and he was ready to face Mr Stilinski. Turned out, it went smoother than he'd anticipated. The sheriff asked Isaac if he wanted his room back. "I can use the couch, I'm guessing that these two..." He nodded towards Stiles and Derek. "That they'll sleep in Derek's room." He had a small frown on his face as he said it, but then he offered a lopsided smile.
Stiles' face turned red in an instant and he tried to say something, but was obviously a little tongue tied. His dad huffed. "I don't really like to think about it so I won't, but I realize that there's nothing you can do in there that you couldn't have done before." He seemed equally as embarrassed as his son. "But of course, this room is big; there's plenty of space if one of you wants to sleep on the floor."
He turned to Isaac and repeated: "But you. Do you want your room back? It's not right that I take it away from you." Isaac shrugged a little before he shook his head. "No, it's okay. You're a guest. I'm perfectly fine with the couch, I've been sleeping on the floor lately." He chuckled. He sounded nervous even though there was no reason to be.
Stiles seemed happy about the leeway he got when his dad turned to Isaac, and his natural skin tone came back. "It's okay. Isaac and Alex can sleep out here and fight over the couch. Personally, I look forward to sleep in a real bed, with or without Derek." He peeked at Derek and smiled shyly. "But thank you for being so... understanding and, that you, I mean." He had to pause for a moment. "I know it couldn't have been easy to... uh, thanks. I will say no more." The pink hue was back on his cheeks. He didn't try to hide it, but it was obvious that he was extremely embarrassed by the situation.
Derek wanted to hug Stiles, but didn't want to add to the embarrassment; he got up and fetched a bottle from the counter. "A little drink, Sir?" He waved the bottle in front of him to get the sheriff's attention. Without waiting for an answer, he poured whiskey into two tumblers before he went back to the couch. "Here."
-o-o-o-o-o-
"I can't be among people, I'm afraid I'll hurt somebody." Allison twisted her hands and looked at her dad. "I have to learn how to control this, I need an, an, anchor." She wasn't sure how it worked, but she'd heard Scott and Derek mention this. "Maybe Derek can help me find it?"
Chris shook his head. "He may be able to guide you, but I think you have to find it yourself." He shrugged. "I don't know how it works either, but I think you need a memory of something or someone." He huffed. "Yeah, I guess Derek would be able to explain it better." He grabbed his daughter's hand and squeezed it gently. "Don't worry about it tonight. Let it go for now. Get some sleep, it's a long time till the next full moon."
Allison nodded and eased her hand out of her dad's grip. "Yeah, I guess you're right." Thinking back, she remembered that she hadn't slept a wink since yesterday morning. "I am tired." She said goodnight, and left her dad to go to her room.
It looked different. It smelled different. It sounded different. She panned the room and noticed the thin layer of dust on the surfaces. She could hear that old clock ticking loudly, and her nose got tickled by the sweet, fruity scent from a half empty glass of apple juice on the nightstand.
The lights were off, and the only illumination of the room came from the waning moon partially covered in clouds. Allison could still see the details of her room as if it was sunlight streaming through her window. Sounds of cars mixed with faint noises from the nocturnal creatures around the neighborhood trickled into her ear. She could smell the sweat from the clothes in the hamper. Blushing a little to herself, she recognized the scent of sex from the bed. Allison didn't know how it would be possible to sleep with all these things bothering her senses.
She stripped down to her underwear and examined her own body. The scars from Hester's teeth had been a vague trace last night. Now, they were completely gone. Her wrists and ankles showed no evidence that she'd been bound with iron cuffs digging deep into her skin.
A further examination revealed that the two small zits on her chin, that she'd done her best to cover up with make-up, were gone also. Scars from old injuries were also just a distant memory, and she had to smile to herself in the mirror. Her body was flawless.
She was still concerned about all the noises. Allison wondered if the other werewolves were bothered by this, or if it was a way to control it. She slipped under the comforter on her bed and wrapped her arms around the pillow. It surprised her when the memory of her mom hit her. Thinking back, she remembered spilling some of her perfume on the pillow shortly after her death. Allison had wanted to remember her, and had brought the little bottle with her in bed.
It was a long time ago, and the pillow had been through the wash a few times, but the scent was still lingering. Allison pushed her face into the pillow and drew her breath deeply. With her eyes closed she could see her mom the way she was before, as the strict, but caring person who'd always put Allison first.
With the memory of herself as a child on her moms lap, laughing as she got tickled, the sounds from outside faded. The ticking from the clock didn't bother her anymore, and the only scent she could sense at the moment was that vague, flowery smell of her mom.
-o-o-o-o-o-o-
Scott didn't want to be there. He was torn between taking care of his mom, and the wish to be with Allison. He hadn't even got a chance to digest the fact that his girlfriend was a werewolf. He'd been there for most of the transition, but he didn't get much of a chance to talk to her after. He didn't get much of a chance to even hug her.
In the car back to the loft, she'd spent most of the time explaining her behavior over the last couple of days. She'd been in the back seat, so cuddling up wasn't even an option.
When they came to Derek's place, and after Allison was eventually done in the bathroom, everybody wanted a piece of her. Scott felt a little left out. When Chris decided to leave with his daughter, Scott had tried his best to prevent it. He knew that sleeping together wasn't an option, but getting a chance to hold her and talk with her should have been possible.
He paced his room and wondered if he should just leave. He could sneak out through the window and hopefully make sure that he wasn't spotted. The conflict in his mind threatened to cripple him. Leaving his mom alone in the house could turn out bad, but Allison was probably extremely freaked out at the moment, and could need a friend.
Allison's phone was turned off, so calling her hadn't resulted in anything. Scott knew he could try their land-line, or even Chris, but he didn't want to have to explain himself to her dad.
Through the door, he could hear that his mom was still up. He could understand that this was taking it's toll, and that it could be difficult for her to fall asleep. The sound of her moving around between the living room and the kitchen made Scott sad. He knew that he was partially to blame and contemplated on joining her. They could both need someone to talk to. Before he'd managed to make his mind up – it took a while – she ascended the stairs and went to her room.
Scott lied down on the bed and stared into the ceiling. So much had changed lately, that he had a hard time keeping up. Being used to Stiles pulling the strings, Scott was surprised by his friends lack of participation. Derek had acted like a pack-leader, and pulled it off well. He'd been prone to screw up everything in the past, but now it seemed like his luck had turned.
The weird and somewhat amusing relationship – or lack thereof – between Isaac and Alex was quite a puzzle, and it could be interesting to see where that was going. Even if he believed that Allison had been hanging with Alex just to cover up that she was bitten, Scott could still feel the little pinch of jealousy thinking about it, so he hoped that his perception was correct. He hoped that Alex was gay.
With all these thought occupying his mind, sleep caught up with him. It wasn't a good, relaxing rest – he woke up several times during the night – but the few hours of shuteye was better than nothing.
-o-o-o-o-o-
They didn't have sex that night. It wasn't because they didn't want to, and it wasn't because they were afraid anyone would hear them either. Mr Stilinski was sleeping too far away, and the two werewolves in the living room had already heard everything before.
It was more the fact that the sheriff suspected it would happen that made Stiles slightly intimidated. Derek didn't worry about it. He was more than happy to be in his own bed with his mate, so he didn't even question Stiles' choices.
The bed was big enough for two – or even three – people to sleep there comfortably without touching each other, but they didn't take advantage of it. Derek and Stiles cuddled up together as if they hadn't had a chance to do it in a long time. The space they occupied on the bed wasn't much bigger than the tight fit they had on the couch.
They had both taken a shower – separately – before they went to bed. Any piece of clothing that they had worn that day was in the wash, and Derek had changed all the bed linens. There was still a lingering scent of female pheromones in the room. It wasn't a problem, Derek kind of liked the scent of a woman. It could have aroused him at one point in time, but he'd always known that he preferred the musky smell from a male lover. There had been a few in the past, but it was ancient history. For Derek the hunt was over; the only person he wanted was right there next to him.
With his arms wrapped around Stiles, he got a little emotional. He worried that this war they were in could be too dangerous for his mate. Stiles was adamant about clinging to humanity, and wasn't interested in 'the bite'. Derek would never give it to him without consent, but a slight coercion couldn't be totally out of the question.
Derek just wanted Stiles to be safe and able to defend himself. A werewolf-Stiles would make it much easier. He pushed the thought out of his head and concentrated on the present. The vague scent of Melissa's 'Lily-of-the-valley' perfume was quite nice.
He tugged his mate even closer, earning a soft moan. Then he nuzzled his face into the back of Stiles neck and placed gentle kisses along the hairline. This was good. That Mr Stilinski had seemed to accept this was progress. Just as he was about to doze off, Stiles mumbled something. Derek wasn't sure if Stiles was talking in his sleep, but the words made him smile. He planted another kiss on Stiles' neck. "I love you too."
-o-o-o-o-o-o-
"Do you want to talk?" The whisper was barely audible, and Isaac didn't know how to respond. He'd done his best to act normal as everybody got ready for bed. Stiles had been the first one to turn in. He had managed to get to Derek's room by himself in spite of his injured foot. Derek and Mr Stilinski had finished their drinks before they too decided to call it a night.
After supper, and after Alex had cleaned and tidied the kitchen, he'd camped in his regular spot. He hadn't said a word since then, but Isaac had felt his eyes on him through the whole evening. Isaac had tried to be invisible, and for the other three it could appear that he'd managed. Derek, Stiles and Stiles' dad had been watching TV. They'd shared a few laughs, not paying much attention to neither Isaac nor Alex.
As soon as the couch was free, Isaac had grabbed a blanket and hurried to lie down. He knew that Alex couldn't see him from his position by the window, but it felt like his stare could possibly penetrate the back of the couch.
Isaac got startled when he heard Alex clear his throat. "Isaac?" It was still a whisper, but it had a little touch of urgency now. Isaac held his breath for a moment. He wanted to answer, but he wasn't sure what to say. "I know you're not sleeping. Could you at least say goodnight?" Alex sounded a little annoyed. Isaac felt like an idiot for not being able to talk to the guy. He drew his breath and swallowed hard. "Uh, goodnight."
For several minutes it was completely quiet in there, before Isaac could hear that Alex padded across the floor. He froze up, wondering what would happen. He dared to peek out from under the blanket and could see Alex' back as he entered the bathroom.
He sighed in relief, but at the same time he felt disappointed. It scared him a little to realize that he'd wanted Alex to come over. He stared at the door as he tried to justify his own thoughts, and when it opened, he didn't manage to avert his gaze fast enough. For a split second the two of them looked into each others eyes, before Isaac hid under the blanket again.
Alex closed the door to the bathroom, but didn't move away from it. Isaac could hear that he was cracking his knuckles. "I'm sorry I behaved like I did, but I wanted to help Derek save Allison." Alex drew his breath. "I couldn't tell you."
Isaac nodded to himself under the blanket. "It's okay. Derek saved you from her, I can understand." Even if Isaac was the one who responded to Alex' plea about taking him with them, it was Derek who'd made the call. Without his blessing, Alex would have been left behind.
As the words were uttered, Isaac could hear Alex rush towards him. He crouched down next to the couch and tugged on the blanket. "No, you saved me. Yeah, and Derek, but you... without you I would have been dead now."
Isaac lifted his head and looked at Alex. His face was less than a foot away. A smile was tugging his lips, but it seemed like he tried to hold it back. He was probably a bit unsure on how Isaac would react to his words. "I will forever be indebted to you."
In Hester's dungeon, Isaac had been intrigued by Alex' submissive behavior. He liked the feeling of having the upper hand. He'd wanted to save the guy, but for very selfish reasons. He 'wanted' Alex to be indebted to him.
During his stay at the loft, that had changed. If Alex felt like he owed Isaac anything, and if that was the reason he so desperately wanted Isaac to forgive him for shutting him out, Isaac didn't want to hear it. He had to admit to himself that he was falling for the guy, and he wanted it to be mutual. He didn't want Alex to think that he had to pay back a debt.
"NO! You don't owe me anything. You're part of the pack now, and we're equals. I forgive you, although it's nothing to forgive." He tried to pull the blanket over his head again. "I just want us to be equals. I can't bare the thought of..." He had to shut up. He didn't want Alex to know how he felt.
When he felt Alex' fingers on his cheek, he tried to pull away, but the back of the couch hindered it. He opened his eyes slightly. Alex cocked his head and huffed a little. "Isaac, I understand. You think that..." Isaac cut him off. "You don't understand shit. I don't understand... shit." He eased his hand up and covered Alex'. "Just go to bed."
Alex didn't move. He was breathing heavily before he let his eyes flutter shut. Isaac squeezed his hand gently. "You don't owe me anything." He repeated, as he let go of Alex' hand. When Alex pushed himself up from the floor, Isaac closed his eyes and relaxed against the pillow. He wasn't prepared for what happened next. Suddenly he felt a set of lips on his own. Alex' tongue darted out and Isaac opened his mouth slightly to let it in. It was a quick kiss, passionate, but hurried, and before Isaac knew it, it was over. "Consider that a payback. Now we can be equals."
His body's reaction to the kiss was instantaneous. Sweat was breaking out from every pore, his face was burning, and there was a tingle in his stomach as he felt his cock harden in his boxers. He wanted to reach out and pull Alex in, but his arms felt heavy, as if they were laced with lead. It took several seconds before he managed to focus. Alex wasn't there anymore. He grabbed his own cock to try to force the erection away. "'Night." Alex' voice came from somewhere behind him as the guy went to bed on the mattress by the window.
-o-o-o-o-o-
The young girl was staring at the building. She knew perfectly well that she was going to get punished if her mom – or technically her aunt – knew what she was up to. She'd snuck out and to avoid anyone hearing her, she'd set the car in 'neutral' and pushed it through the long driveway from the house. As soon as she was out of hearing range, she'd entered the car and taken off towards Beacon Hills.
Hester had decided to leave the pack there alone for a while. She wanted them to feel safe and let down their guard before she tried to attack again. Jade had agreed with their adoptive mother and had gone back to her studies as if nothing had happened.
Being identical twins, everybody thought that they were similar in every aspect. It wasn't quite right. Although they had most everything in common, things had changed when they were old enough to attend high school. Partially home-schooled, the two of them had been to an assessment test, proving that Jade was practically ready for college classes at the age of fourteen.
Joy wasn't ashamed of her score – it was above average – but she knew perfectly well that this would affect the rest of her life. Two years later, Hester revealed her decision. Jade was going to be the heir. If anything happened to Hester, Jade would take over the business and the pack.
For Joy it was okay, she knew she wasn't leader material. Neither Hester, not Jade had changed their behavior around her after the announcement, but Joy still felt inferior when it was only the three of them together.
She wanted to have her own little pet. Someone she could claim for herself. The Stilinski-guy seemed perfect, and she was happy to learn that Hester wanted to let her have him. She would have been happy to wait for that to happen if she hadn't overheard Hester talking with Jade about him.
"I'll break him in. Stiles Stilinski is going to beg for her to save him. I'll make sure that she'll have him under her thumb."
Joy didn't want that. If they managed to trap the boy, she just wanted Hester to bite him, but after that she could just leave him alone. Joy knew perfectly well what her aunt was capable of. She decided to take matter into her own hands and catch him on her own.