Chapter 18

When Stiles entered his home, he knew something was wrong. The lamp in the living room was on, and his dad met him at the door.

"We need to talk," he said. Not giving Stiles time to respond, he walked back into the living room.

Sighing, Stiles followed his father, wondering what he'd done now. In the living room, he stopped short, staring at his former best friend.

"Why are you in my house," he asked harshly.

The sheriff turned to gape at his son. Scott had said something was wrong with Stiles, but at his son's tone, he wondered if Scott had lied to him.

"I want to help you, Stiles," Scott responded, trying to keep his tone neutral.

The sheriff had known both of these boys for a long time, and he'd been in law enforcement longer. Something was off with Scott's tone. Since Scott had walked in, his gut had been churning, telling him something was off about Scott. But as a father, the thought of something being wrong with Stiles had scared him. All he'd been able to think was not again.

"Were you helping me those times you hit me," Stiles asked. "Were you helping that time you and Theo beat me and left me in an alley to die? Were you helping when you allowed Theo to put first Phoebe and then Lydia in Eichen House?" Stiles' voice had risen until he was shouting.

"Whoa," the sheriff said. "Let's calm down."

"No," Stiles replied. "I won't calm down. He's beaten me, threatened me, and I might be dead if not for Malia. If not for Peter and Phoebe."

"Peter? Hale?" The sheriff blinked in confusion.

"You're in his pack now?" Scot roared, eyes flashing red. "You can't be in his pack!"

"He's helped me," Stiles said, calm in the face of Scott's rage. "Healed me. Offered me sanctuary in his pack every single time you have hurt me. Of course I'm in his pack. Why would I ever stay in yours?"

With a snarl, Scott lunged for Stiles, and the sheriff understood that more was going on than he'd originally thought. Reaching for his gun, knowing he wouldn't be fast enough to shoot the boy who had been his son's brother, he watched in awe as a bright light emanated from a pendant Stiles wore, throwing Scott back across the room before he could even get close enough to hurt Stiles.

Scott landed with a thud against the far wall, laying there for a moment, dazed. Stiles stepped closer to his dad, and Noah finally saw how exhausted his son looked.

"I think you should go, Scott," he said. "My son and I need to talk."

Scott stood, growling, but then his eyes widened, alpha red fading to his natural brown, and he fled the house.

When he was gone, Noah locked the door and sat down heavily on the couch. "Sit, please Stiles. What's been going on," he asked as Stiles complied.

Stiles sighed. "Well, Scott has been abusive lately and Peter and his pack have been taking care of me. I'm in his pack now, actually, because of how Scott's been acting. It hasn't been safe."

"His pack? Is Peter an alpha again?"

"Yes," Stiles said, fidgeting with his fingers. "But he hasn't hurt anyone. He rescued Phoebe from Eichen House, took care of me when Scott got abusive, and then helped me to rescue Lydia."

Noah didn't know which part to ask about first. Finally, he said, "Is that why you look so tired? Because of Scott?"

Stiles nodded. "Well, Scott and Theo. Plus we had to break Lydia out of Eichen House tonight before they killed her to use her death wail for something sinister."

Noah rubbed a tired hand down his face. "And you didn't tell me?"

"There hasn't been time."

"Not Eichen House, Stiles. You didn't even tell me about Scott. Or Peter," he challenged.

Stiles slumped back into the couch. "I wasn't sure you'd believe me."

Noah sighed, feeling like he'd failed his son. Stiles had a point. He might not have believed him if he hadn't seen Scott's odd behavior for himself. "Okay. I can accept that. But why are you in Peter's pack?"

"Because Scott can't be trusted anymore."

Noah opened his mouth to respond, but Stiles cut him off. "No, Dad. Listen." Stiles sighed heavily. "Peter accepted me. I accepted Derek as my alpha because I respected him, but he never really accepted me into his pack. When Scott became alpha I thought it would be automatic. But it wasn't. When Scott roared, I answered. But when I called for him, he hardly ever came. He didn't accept me in his pack the way he should have. Peter did. He accepted me back. If something like the Nogitsune tried to take over now, Peter and Phoebe would know in an instant and that's if it could even override the pack bond."

The Sheriff wiped his hand tiredly over his face before looking at his son, his baby boy. It sounded like Stiles was saying he would be safer in Peter's pack. And if that was true, he would accept this. As long as Peter didn't become a threat, as long as he kept Stiles safe, he'd back them to the ends of the earth.