More Than Just A New Beginning
Chapter 11
Harry's team kept working until midnight, before Harry ordered them all to go home and sleep regardless of where they were or what they were doing. Zane and John had successfully made contact with Satomi, who had been very wonderful and welcoming to both wizards. Well, once she realized they weren't hunters after her pack, but even before then she was cordial with them. She'd allowed Zane and John to converse with Brett Talbot, who surprisingly still had a biological sister Lori Rohr who had survived the fire and was with him. He had kept her survival a secret, while trying to get justice for his family.
Zane had commented on the relief on Brett Talbot's face was overwhelming, he'd still clung onto the hope that someone would listen, that someone would help. Well, they were listening, they were going to help get justice. It was absolutely no surprise to Zane or John that the description matched Kate Argent completely. Regardless of the name she'd used while hunting down the Talbot pack. Brett Talbot was very well adjusted despite the horror he'd faced at such a young age, and the damage he'd unknowingly brought upon his birth pack. It was a shame Satomi hadn't found Laura and Derek to take them in, apparently Doctor Deaton – The Hale Pack Emissary – had informed her that the entire pack had died. She'd had no reason to think otherwise, and Peter had paid dearly for that, for she would have taken him in regardless of the danger. It's what she did, she took in Omega's protected them, and taught them her way of life.
"Do you know anyone called Deaton?" Harry asked Derek, pulling him out of his conversation with Cora, the call was now on Derek's own phone, Harry had business to attend to, and couldn't let his phone be used for hours on a personal phone call.
The blank look that Derek gave him was all he needed, "No, why?"
"How is it you can be completely ignorant of whom your Emissary is?" Harry asked, baffled to the core. How bloody reckless and stupid was that? He didn't say it out loud of course, Derek loved his mother completely, and would have defended her and he was too tired to point out just how stupid it really was to keep her pack ignorant.
Derek swallowed suddenly, "Mom…was old-fashioned, she believed in keeping the Emissary a secret, from nearly everyone in the pack. Peter and Laura might know…but I'm not sure."
"Old-fashioned Alpha's wouldn't have kept the Emissary a secret, they're an integral part of the pack…" Harry pointed out in confusion, just what sort of pack was Talia Hale running? "If you were injured who would you go to if not the Emissary of your pack?"
"My aunt was ordinary…she's the one who healed us if we were hurt," Derek explained, sadness and pain clouding his eyes.
"Why did the wards not hold up against the fire?" Harry asked, "You had an Emissary, someone capable of protecting you, how is it that everyone was caught unawares? Unless, your mom used a human as her Emissary…which defeats the point. Someone with magic is used as an Emissary for a reason, to protect the pack and it's humanity." Not all pack's had Emissaries but one as old and strong as the Hale pack…surely they had someone of note.
"Cora's asking what he looked like," Derek said, hearing her just fine through the phone. He put the phone on speaker just in case she had any more questions for Harry.
"Give me a moment," Harry clicked away on his laptop, before spouting off information, "Black, five foot six, brown eyes, shaved head, no discernible tattoos. He may have always smelt of animals, since he's a vet, working locally in the only Veterinarian surgery that Beacon Hills has."
"I think I remember him," Cora admitted, "I was sent out to play whenever he was around,"
"You'd still hear them if there weren't wards around your home," Harry pointed out, eyes gleaming, so perhaps there were wards around the property. Snatching his phone off the table, he shot off a text message to those in Beacon Hills, demanding a full investigation into past warding on the Hale mansion. "Which means they either failed to hold up against such an onslaught…or you were betrayed by your emissary," hunters were not magical, they did not associate with those who had magic they'd rather kill them than work with them. At least that's the way it had always been, now though he guessed he was about to find out if that was true.
Had the Hale's been targeted on all sides?
"I couldn't hear anything in the house," Cora confirmed, her young voice strong and resolute.
"Thank you, Cora," Harry stated, putting his phone back down, before picking it back up and texting Zane and John to find out if the Talbot pack had an Emissary. No doubt they had a phone number in which they could get in contact with at least Satomi if not Brett himself.
Eventually around four o'clock all went quiet, as Derek and Cora decided to call it a night, and get some sleep, promising to be in touch with each other tomorrow morning. Harry got three hours of sleep, before he was awake at seven o'clock in the morning, it wasn't long after that he was getting a constant stream of text messages and emails from his entire workforce as they got down to business, thankfully Zane had given them their orders so they knew what they were to do.
Derek was still completely out of it, looking impossibly young and more relaxed than Harry had ever seen him. He must have been beyond exhausted if he couldn't hear the subtle buzzing of his electronics as he got notifications. Although around his general vicinity had a muffling charm, to try and quiet his voice so that he didn't wake him up.
His phone went yet again, but it was no surprise, his phone was constantly going off, both the cell and his work phone.
"Auror Harry Potter, how can I help?" he said into the phone, with it being an unfamiliar number he was confronted with.
"Sir, it's Mike, we've found the suspect responsible for trying to kill Peter Hale, she's being brought to MACUSA, and I've found the Nemeton," Mike stated grimly, "It's in very bad shape, if it's not fixed it's going to unleash hell on this town."
Harry inhaled sharply, "Catastrophic?"
"Without a doubt," Mike confirmed, "There's two individual problems with the Nemeton,"
"How long have they been there and what are the problems?" Harry asked, pinching the bridge of his nose, jumping slightly when a hand touched his shoulder, and a coffee and a bag containing food was passed along to him. 'Thank you' he mouthed in relief, accepting the brew which he must have left the hospital to get.
"There's a Chaos Demon trapped inside!" Mike blurted out, disbelief in his voice, "A honest to Merlin Chaos Demon! Whoever trapped it must have been mundane! Otherwise they would have known how to deal with them. The rest of the Chaos Demons were killed just after the war!"
Harry let out a shocked sound, gaping in disbelief, "You're bloody joking," he'd only ever heard of the Chaos Demons, how many people they'd killed…how many Aurors it took to get them put down, permanently. To hear one had survived, Merlin, it was a shock to the system.
"No, it's been down there a long time though, I reckon it's around the right time, the Nemeton's powering it up but keeping it contained…but one knock the Chaos Demon could be freed." Mike told him.
"And with it being surrounded by Werewolves it wouldn't have wanted to come out," Harry sighed, "Merlin, this is bigger than I anticipated. We're going to need to bring Taylor and his team in to help." They were the experts, they would best be able to deal with the creature currently powered up.
"I completely agree," Mike stated, "We're going to need everyone in on this its majorly powered up."
"How?" Harry asked.
"There's some sort of sacrifice been happened I'd estimate three years ago, a virgin sacrifice, it's given the Nemeton a hell of a power boost."
Harry felt rather than saw Derek flinch, giving him a look.
"Derek?" Harry asked in silent query, "What do you know?"
Derek swallowed thickly, tears gleaming in his eyes, "Paige,"
"Okay, we'll talk about it later," Harry said quietly, this wasn't just about the Hale pack…this was personal to Derek. They would need to talk about it, especially if there was a body near the Nemeton.
Derek looked like he'd rather run than discuss anything to do with Paige.
"I'll put in a call to Taylor and his team, you'll receive a call to discuss it in greater detail later today, so try not to be out of signal range, understood?" Harry stated firmly, mind whirling, a bloody chaos demon.
"Understood," Mike stated.
"Before you go, has there been anyone near the Nemeton? Any sign of someone still tending to it or trying to draw power from it?" Harry asked, with a Nemeton the Hale's surely had to have someone magical in the pack to tend to it. They couldn't have been ignorant to the Nemeton and the power it housed. It was impossible…and boarding on insane.
"There's a druidic signature if that's what you mean, but I can't tell you how old it is, just that nothing recent has been done, which is a year or two give or take, druidic magic is slightly difficult to date." Mike explained, "But definitely within the past four years…so that gives you a two year window. Do I have a Druid to worry about potentially coming to the Nemeton?"
"I have no idea, but if anyone approaches the Nemeton have them arrested," Harry added seriously. "Have you seen the others?"
"Yes, we're keeping in touch, we're due to meet up in twenty minutes," Mike informed him.
"Good, let them know everything I've said," Harry sighed, "I'll probably get in touch with Jordan unless he's included…?"
"He is," Mike reassured him, "I'll let him know, Sir,"
"Good, talk later, Mike, thank you," with that Harry hung up the phone, drinking his coffee now that it was a perfect temperature. "Okay, what happened to Paige that allowed the Nemeton to cling onto her as a virgin sacrifice?" this wasn't a time where he could be subtle and ask kindly, the lives of many were at stake.
Derek flinched, a haunted look crossing his features. "I killed her," he told Harry, watching his reaction closely. Trying to gauge whether he would think he was guilty without further information.
"What happened?" there was nothing but sympathy on his face. Derek had to have been what…fifteen or younger when it happened. "Don't look at me like that Derek, we're still getting to know each other…I first killed someone when I was eleven-years-old." He confessed, watching Derek's eyes widen in incredulity, knowing he was telling the truth, his heart didn't even blip the slightest.
"Paige was my…girlfriend, she didn't know what I was…or at least I didn't think she knew." Derek admitted, staring out the window, unable to look at his mate. Shoulders hunched, posture screamed defensive and uncomfortable. "I was…stupid, I wanted her to know, I wanted her to be like me,"
Harry winced, suspecting very heavily where this was going.
"My mom wouldn't just offer the bite to anyone…it was a gift, but she didn't believe telling anyone outside of family. You had to be married into the family before you were told. There were many Alphas in the area, there was peace conferences going on in Beacon Hills. My mom agreed to let them into her territory. Peter suggested getting one of them to bite Paige, and then mom would have to accept her into the pack."
Harry arched a brow, wondering about that, but he knew Peter was only a few years older than Derek himself. Teenagers always thought they knew best, he certainly had and his own godfather had paid the price. No doubt Peter had blamed himself, he knew he had.
"But it all went wrong…I couldn't stand by and let her be hurt…she didn't deserve it, I got there and fought Ennis who agreed to bite Paige because he'd lost a Beta to hunters earlier that week." Derek confessed, shoulders still hunched, "But Paige's bite didn't begin healing, she began to die in excruciating agony as the bite was rejected. We were in the school, I tried to get her to my mom, in hopes she could do something…but we only got as far as the tree, she was in so much pain…begging and pleading with me to end her life, telling me she always knew there was something different about me. She was drowning in her own liquefied internal organs…I couldn't take any more of her pain from her…and I wasn't going to get her home…her heartbeat was so slow and sluggish, she wasn't going to survive. So I did the only thing I could, I ended her pain. The moment that happened…my eyes turned blue, a supernatural hue that lets others know that the person had taken an innocent life."
"I'm sorry you went through that, Derek, it's a horrible thing to endure," Harry said quietly, "What do people think happened to her?"
Derek shook his head, "She was just disappeared, Peter…Peter buried her body in the Nemeton as my mom took me back home. She was never found, her parents stayed in Beacon Hills, hoping that she'd return." He had tortured himself by going there often, listening to their speculation, thinking they were to blame by putting too much pressure on her to practice on her cello or do well in school. Everyone else's assumptions didn't help matters either, they still had no idea what happened to their daughter and probably hoped she'd come home one day.
Harry pressed his hand against his mouth, now that he disapproved off, those parents had been living in hell for years, wondering and hoping that their daughter might return home. It would have been better to allow her body to be found and let the parents have peace, have a burial. "I see," he replied, "Thank you for telling me this, Derek, I know it must have been extremely difficult." He definitely hadn't had an easy life, but Harry's hadn't been all that either.
Derek just shrugged, staring morosely out the window.
"When I was eleven-years-old, during my first year at Hogwarts…there was something going down. I wasn't sure what was happening, but I knew it had to do with Voldemort. I was worried that he could come back, and I found all the clues that led me down to the bowls of Hogwarts. I expected someone else…working for Voldemort instead I found my teacher with Voldemort attached to the back of his head, possessing him." Harry said wryly, Derek cocked his head to the side, indicating he was listening. "He was trying to get the philosopher stone, one that turns anything metal that it touches into pure gold, and renders the drinker immortal. Fortunately, he couldn't figure out the last task, you had to want the stone and not use it for it to appear. Which was why it ended up in my pocket, unfortunately, Voldemort was able to deduce where it was. Quirrell, my Defence teacher, tried to kill me, but when he touched me, he found himself incapable of it, my mothers death had made it so that Voldemort couldn't touch me, and with him attached to Quirrell…well, he began to disintegrate. It was a kill or be killed situation…so I simply held onto him, watching him scream in agony until I fell unconscious."
Derek was fully turned staring at Harry now, his face slightly impassive.
"I learned after I woke up that he had been reduced to ash and that Voldemort had fled without the stone. It was the second time I had faced Voldemort and came out the victor. I know it's not the same situation…but I have been in one that caused the death of someone I cared for very deeply. Just because I was a foolish teenager, and believed I knew best, despite people warning me to the contrary." Harry added, "I lost my godfather when I was fifteen, due to my own carelessness. What happened to you was awful, Derek, but you cannot keep blaming yourself…when the bite doesn't take…there's a reason for it, she must have had an illness that being a werewolf could not overcome." Normally that meant tumours of some sort, usually brain tumours since those were the only ones being a werewolf couldn't overcome. The brain did not heal the same way as everything else did, otherwise werewolves would heal after being shot in the head.
Derek startled at that, "What?" he croaked out, shaking his head, no that wasn't possible. "I would have known," he would have known if there was something wrong with her.
"Not necessarily," Harry said quietly aware that this might be difficult for him to take in. "You are not all knowing, you aren't gods, surrounded as you always were…one little scent could fly under the radar. If you didn't know what it was…you wouldn't have been any the wiser."
"Peter knows everything, my mom knew everything…if there had been something wrong with her…they would have told me." Derek stated firmly.
"Assuming they knew," Harry agreed, "I'm sure they would have told you. But it's so very rare for the bite to be rejected I'll bet that they may have just assumed that sometimes it just didn't take."
"No, they would have known, they know that people are too sick for the bite to take," Derek argued, refusing to accept it.
"When their bodies don't have enough strength and reserves left to last long enough for the bite to take, yes, that is another example." Harry agreed, Derek definitely worshiped his mother and his uncle, he believed they were all knowing. That they couldn't possibly be wrong, or ignorant of matters that just hadn't cropped up or been relevant in their lives. "It's okay if you're not in the right mindset to believe it, hopefully one day you'll be able to allow your guilt to be diminished."
Derek looked torn, between the desire to believe Harry, and his desire to believe his mom and Peter would have told him if such a thing was true.
"I may have to leave if he doesn't wake soon," Harry admitted, glancing at Peter, he wanted the werewolf to wake with company, and with someone to answer questions…not a healer. "I can't just sit idly by, this is quite frankly…the biggest case that's ever crossed my command. Too much needs doing and I can't just fob it all off to the others." although they definitely had to thank Derek for them being able to find the Talbot's so quickly, or at all, they hadn't known about the Ito pack.
"I thought he'd be awake by this?" Derek asked, drinking from his own cup, and finally chewing on his bear claw.
"He could have been, but his body needs a lot of healing, he might be more aware even now just not able to rouse easily." Harry explained, staring at Peter as he consumed his own food, neither up for eating much, but knowing they'd need it for the day ahead.
"Can I help?" Derek asked.
"With what?" Harry questioned, but he had a feeling he already knew the answer.
"The case," Derek told him, "I know a lot about the supernatural world, I was born to it." pointing out one of what Harry could consider attributes.
"You are, but you're not qualified to be out in the field, I'd not only lose my job, I'd be arrested if I let you." Harry explained apologetically. "I know you can heal, you're fast, strong, but I just can't let you out in the field untrained, but I could use you as an associate, which will allow you certain liberties when it comes to knowing information about the case." He wouldn't risk his job for anything, he'd uprooted his entire life to run the department, held the trust of all his men and women working under him. It was nothing to do with his lack of magic…not at all.
Derek nodded, he could do that, while he finished his university degree, which he actually wanted to do.
"Then that's…" Harry begun, but a groan from the bed had both of them looking over, their conversation ceasing as they watched over Peter who was twitching and moving around. "The Healer will be here momentarily," he commented, there will be a charm on Peter alerting the healer to his waking status.
Harry was tense, watching Peter closely and carefully, Derek automatically copied Harry's stance without really realizing it. They had no idea how Peter would react, he'd been in coma for two years, without pack bonds and being drugged with aconitum. The last thing he will perhaps remember is the fire, so Harry wouldn't be surprised if he woke up swinging first, asked questions later.
Peter's hands begun to flex, as his awareness begun to penetrate his no doubt still groggy mind. That was when the Healer entered his room, and made the mistake of approaching Peter.
"Don't," Harry warned the healer, as he saw the tips of Peter's claws emerging from his hands, but it was too late, the second the healer was within striking distance, Peter struck swiping his claws down the healers chest, miraculously missing his neck and thus vital veins that would have seen him bleeding out within seconds. Peter was already half out the bed, eyes glowing supernaturally blue.
"Peter STOP!" Harry called out, "You're safe…." He trailed off blinking in astonishment when Peter folded in on himself, crumbling to the floor like a puppet with his strings cut.
Derek froze, his entire body stilling, and almost instinctively, a pack bond snapped into place. An alpha, his wolf howled with satisfaction, a proper alpha who would make them a real pack.
Harry gasped pressing his hand against his chest, the feeling of two pack bonds snapping into place shocking him to the core. He wasn't a werewolf, this shouldn't be possible…how could he be an alpha to two werewolves? Jerking out of his thoughts, he lurched towards the healer, who was blessedly still conscious and aware. "Accio Essence of Dittany!" this was a hospital, it most definitely had such an item, within a few moments it appeared, Harry ripped off his robes baring the healers chest, as he used the dropper to begin spreading the yellow liquid over the wounds.
"Is it healing well?" Harry asked the healer, who had remained remarkably calm despite the fact he'd just been slashed to ribbons by a werewolf.
"It is," he replied, grunting a little in pain but otherwise remained stoic in the face of what had just occurred. Blaming himself for being an idiot, he should not have approached the bed, he had forgotten just why the werewolf was here to begin with.
"Peter? You're in New York city, a magical hospital that caters to supernatural creatures, you were healed over the process of the last few days. The woman responsible for trying to kill you in Beacon Hills Long Term care ward has been arrested and will be tried by MACUSA, that's the magical congress of the United States of America. Today is twenty-third of March two thousand and eight…it's just passed two years since the fire." Harry calmly explained, as the healer slowly stood, completely healed, much to the confusion of Peter, who knew this guy wasn't a werewolf…but had most definitely healed like one.
"Who survived?" Peter rasped out, his eyes boring into Derek's. recognizing his scent before his image. Derek had undergone a drastic change in the two years since Peter saw him last. Gone was the last of the childish looks, replacing it was a man. Derek had been tall and lanky the last time Peter saw him…now he was taller and ripped.
"That's a bit more complicated an answer, perhaps you'd like to get back onto the bed and sit down properly? Have something to eat and drink while we discuss it?" Harry stated, it wasn't a question, it was a demand. "I'm sure your stomach would prefer something nice. As for those who survived, Derek, Laura and Cora." It wouldn't be right to make him wait for answers on who survived. The rest could be told at a better slower pace.
"You may send one of our interns to get something, they know all the creature friendly places that cook for their discernible palate." The healer suggested, and they could be trusted, they only hired the best, brightest and most empathic.
"I'd like that," Harry replied, already moving out of the room to speak to one of the interns, informing them of what he wanted brought to them, which room, and of course, handed over more than they needed for the food. Informing her to keep the change, and get herself something as well. Interns didn't get much in the way of money when they were learning, so that was also a brownie point for him.
He was quickly joined outside by the healer a few minutes later presumably after checking on Peter.
"He seems coherent enough, I'll be back in a few hours to give him his final scan…but the likelihood will be that he is fit to leave." The healer informed him, "Now if you'll excuse me, it's a good job I have a spare set of robes in my locker." Those ones were probably irreparable, between Mr. Hale and Harry. Slightly dazed over what he'd seen.
"Thank you," Harry replied, "And I hope it goes without saying that what happened in there doesn't get out." Giving the healer a pointed look, he meant what happened with him…until he figured it out he certainly didn't want anyone knowing.
The healer nodded curtly, understanding the threat for what it was…regardless of how it was coined.
With that both of them parted ways, Harry re-entered the hospital room, and the Healer left down the corridor.
Both Hales were silent, still staring at each other, but Harry couldn't tell if it was 'I'm about to whoop your ass' kind of way or if they were just acting as they normally would. Which got him thinking, as he took a seat, did they even want him as an Alpha? Had it been accidental? Could it be accidental? Or did they want him as an Alpha? It didn't seem likely, especially with Peter…the guy didn't know him but Derek might want it. He was still reeling over the betrayal of Laura.
Which begged the question…how on earth did you go about telling someone that they had a child? Merlin, Talia Hale hadn't half left him with a lot to deal with, with her death. She couldn't answer any questions they had, like why, they would be weighed down with her decisions for the rest of their lives.
Harry's lips began to twitch when he noticed subtle moves in their facial features, if Harry didn't know any better…he would say they were talking without saying anything. Which was entirely possible, werewolves were all for nonverbal communication depending on the situation. They had scent receptors to back up their nonverbal communication.
His phone chose that moment to ring, "Accio phone," Harry intoned, snatching it as it came to him, ignoring Peter's bewildered look as he stared between the phone and Harry, his fingers absently flicking through the air as if to confirm his own suspicions…that there was nothing, no wires there. "Yes?"
"Hi, boss, the Talbot pack had an emissary, the wards were useless against Molotov cocktail bombs that were thrown in the windows. It literally ate through the magic the Druid had placed around the property, he died before any of them did, using everything in his capacity to try and save them including trying to get out and remove the mountain ash ring surrounding the property he received a gunshot wound to the head, which the medical reports suggest that it was shot off by the fire itself. He found a hole in the tunnels though, that allowed Brett and his sister to get out…everyone else was too big." Zane explained in a clinical, detached manner.
Harry closed his eyes, slumping back in the chair, "I think we're going to find more instances like this as we go through the cases," he told Zane, it was diabolical what the hunters had done…he would bring the Argent's down if it was the last thing he did. "Any updates on the other cases?"
Peter was watching Harry intently, as he listened, eyes gleaming supernatural blue as rage peaked through his calm façade.
"We have each five cases, we're going through them one at a time, getting what we can then repeating the process," Zane explained, "The others you recalled are going through the rest of the Argent's past hunts to see if they've broken the code as well." all hunters had codes…or they were supposed to at any rate. "They've mostly been out of the office, retrieving cases from the stations that dealt with the original cases."
"Has Jordan gotten any of the cases from Beacon Hills yet?" Harry asked, standing when a knock on the door interrupted them, opening it he silently gestured for her to set it on the table.
"He has, there's a dozen boxes on your desk," Zane replied, sounding a little amused.
"Perfect," Harry said dryly, giving the intern a nod of thanks, "I'll be by in an hour or so, Peter Hale has just woken up so I'll be questioning him before I return."
Peter stiffened at the 'questioning' part, eyes turning back to his normal blue hue.
"Questioning me?" Peter asked, a bitterness to his tone, "You think I'm responsible?"
"No, not at all," Harry replied, tone blank, he already knew who was responsible, well, sort of, "Derek has gone through the same thing, now it's your turn."
"The information I would give will be of no use in finding out who's responsible," Peter stated darkly, "We had no idea anything was wrong until firebombs were raining through the window…we couldn't get out." He did not want to talk about how desperate they were to get out, how much they howled in agony, how they watched the human members die of smoke inhalation unable to get outside to save anyone so thick and sudden it was. How he'd burned and watched his family burn too, healing then burning, then healing and burning until he knew no more.
"You were the left hand, correct?" Harry asked, no judgement in his tone or scent.
"When I needed to be," Peter nodded, "It's customary for the second born to become the left hand." The second-in-command and Left Hand went hand in hand most times. Sometimes though, they were two different people, sometimes the Alpha-mate and then there was the Left Hand.
Harry arched a brow, glancing at Derek pursing his lips, he honestly couldn't see Derek in that role at all.
Peter just smirked wryly in silent agreement.
"Do you know a Werecoyote Corrine Cahill?" Harry asked Peter.
Something sparked behind Peter's eyes, "I…why is that name familiar?" frowning in confusion, it was like a sense of déjà vu.
"She's better known as The Desert Wolf," Harry added absently.
Derek paced back and forth, knowing what Harry was about to do.
"I should…shouldn't I?" Peter asked, heart sinking, he felt some sort of tugging…an invisible pack bond almost screaming at him.
"I do believe your sister mind-manipulated you into forgetting her," Harry said quietly, hearing Peter's stomach grumbling, he flicked his wand and food and the plates began to fill up, and floated towards Peter, Derek and himself. "This is butterbeer, it's a magical brew, you'll like it, I think," handing over the cold bottle, to both Derek and Peter. Derek took his eagerly, he loved the stuff, and had drank it quite often while he was visiting Harry.
"Why?" Peter asked, drinking wish great relish, grateful that he could drink and wet his parched throat. Why would his sister use her alpha mind-manipulation on him? It made no sense.
Harry sighed softly, "I…am about to reveal something that's going to be quite painful to accept…" especially if Peter was anything like Derek when it came to family loyalty and devotion. "Corrine got pregnant during that time, how much your sister manipulated I have no idea. It might have been weeks…might have been upwards to over nine months if your daughter was born first."
Derek scowled, looking out the window, he didn't like thinking badly of his mom at all.
"I've got a daughter?" Peter asked in disbelief, the incessant tugging of a pack bond getting stronger, as if the revelation had made it more visible.
"Yes, just a little younger than Cora," Harry explained, "She was named Malia, she was adopted after her birth, Talia falsified the adoption certificate and signatures."
Peter's lips turned up as his fangs made an appearance, fury exuding from as he realized to the full extent of what Talia had taken from him.
"That's not all, she was adopted by ordinary people, despite having a werewolf father and a Werecoyote mother…" Harry sighed, running his hand though his hair, still not sure what the hell Talia had been thinking.
Peter shook his head, there was no way his sister would be so utterly stupid.
"There's more," Harry told him, "When we were digging into the Hale fire, and all family members…we found Malia but there was a case involved."
Peter straightened, dread flashing across his features, praying that his daughter – who he didn't even know – had not been killed.
"Malia was adopted by the Tate's, as I said they're an ordinary family, the file revealed that Mrs. Tate and her biological daughter, died in the crash, they found a bullet hole…and a bullet, indicating that someone had perhaps been shot, due to the degradation they had no idea if it hit anyone. They only found two bodies when there was supposed to be three. There were claw marks inside of the vehicle but they're assuming they happened afterwards. Now from the spells we know Malia is alive, but in the Mundane society everyone including her adopted father believes she died along with her mother and sister." Harry explained, "What could have happened was anyone's guess. "I have people out searching for her in the area the car was found, they're methodically checking everywhere, but without tracks we can't possibly know where she might have gone."
"If you know she's alive how come you can't find her?" Peter asked stiffly.
"With your permission…we can use your blood, blood of the father, in order to find out exactly where she is," Harry explained, "Otherwise we will continue to just look for her and hope for the best."
"And when we find her?" Peter asked, gritting his teeth, well aware of what would happen. She'd go back to her so called 'father' and he'd never get to see her…unless, she developed an interest in him when she was eighteen-years-old and found out she was 'adopted'.
"If she's a werewolf or a Werecoyote she will have to stay with a pack…with you," Harry stated firmly, "If she's ordinary…technically it's not my jurisdiction you will have to fight through the courts to get visitation rights. What happened to you wasn't right Peter, and the law will be on your side."
Peter didn't relax any, with the new knowledge.
"However, I do believe she's a Were," Harry explained, "Trauma can bring on the change…if she was shot she could have healed…there's no real way we can know what happened that day. All I can tell you is with grave certainty that she's alive."
"Could she have fully shifted and been unable to shift back?" Derek asked out of the blue.
"Fully shifted? You're one of the old blood?" Harry asked, surprised.
"My mom could fully shift, so could my sister…" Derek admitted, but she hadn't done so since the fire.
Harry removed his phone from his pocket and began typing up a message to those looking for Malia. Telling them to be on the lookout for a wolf or Coyote that is unusually intelligent and smaller than normal. Letting them know that she was capable of the full shift, and they might not be looking for a child at all but a child in animal form.
"They know what to potentially look for now," Harry stated, "As for what happened…I have the entire Hale case here with me, if you'd like to read it?" Derek had reluctantly agreed to allow it, it wasn't because he wanted to keep his part a secret…he just didn't want to see Peter's reaction. It included all of Derek's statement, Laura's reaction…Cora being found, everything that had happened in two years and more importantly the suspects involved in the fire including the mundane report.
They would be dealing with the Mundane's soon, including the fire inspector, but until they had the case wrapped up, they weren't important in the grand scheme of things.
Once that was done, he wanted to know a bit about Deaton, hopefully Peter would be more knowledgeable than Derek when it came to the running of the Hale pack.
Peter nodded, hand already out in anticipation of receiving the file. He knew he was getting a peak behind the curtain illegally too, nobody just normally handed over case files.
"I'll give you some privacy," Harry told them, they needed this, needed a chance to get what they wanted to say off their chest and let go of whatever resentment or fears they harboured.
When Harry re-entered half an hour later, he found Peter hugging the life out of a sobbing and apologising profusely Derek, soothing him while fighting off the shift seething in fury.
"I want my daughter found, you take whatever you need," Peter declared, he wanted his family back. Whatever family he could get at this point. Including Cora. "I want my family back, Alpha,"
There was a challenging look on Peter's face, as though he was challenging Harry to be a good Alpha. To accomplish what they themselves couldn't, not right away. He would keep an eye on Harry regardless, make sure that he did not take advantage of the Hales and the fortune they had. If he proved a bad Alpha...well, he would take care of that problem, regardless of whether he became the Alpha or not.
Harry gave a single nod of understanding, solemn and resolute. He would not fail them.
A/N – So will Harry have them all moving into his building in New York? Or will they all settle back into Beacon Hills? Or will they stay in New York for a while before they make the move back to Beacon Hills? Will it be something Derek will ever be comfortable with? Will Harry move with him? Will their relationship have progressed enough for that in the coming year? R&R please
