Chapter Text
No, no, no this wasn’t happening. Peter placed his claws against Stiles’s chin forcing him to look at Peter in the eye. “Now is that the way to greet your alpha. I guess this is what happens when you aren’t taught properly.” Stiles couldn’t help the shiver that ran through his body. There was something underlying Peter’s words, something that made him want to offer his throat. It was unnerving.
Peter drew his claws back and glowered at Stiles. “Forever disobedient. I’ll have to fix that but we’ll have more time for that later. Right now, we’re going to have a little fun.”
Stiles refused to look away from Peter but that didn’t stop him from hearing what was going around him. It sounded like they were bringing something closer. Someone? The sounds of chains dragging on the chipped wood sounded like screams to him. He refused to turn or flinch though, not while he refused to lose this battle with Peter.
He wanted to win not only the war but every battle in between.
But his hopes were short-lived. The cacophony of the chains scrapping against the floor was joined by muffled grunts. It couldn’t be. He was supposed to be safe. Stiles shifted his vision in a sudden motion and saw Derek. Chains wrapped around his form and bruised his skin, Stiles took note of every splatter of dried blood and chapped skin on the man. Seeing him was like breathing a rush of cold air, stuck between the elated feeling of him being near and the rush of pain when seeing him hurt.
“Stiles, I believe you already know my dear nephew. From what I’ve heard, you two have gotten quite…close in my time away.”
Away. If it wasn’t for Stiles he would still be ‘away’, buried deep underground. If it wasn’t for him Derek wouldn’t be hurt, his pack wouldn’t be hurt and just maybe Stiles would still be happy with them. Stiles didn’t bother looking at him when he responded. “Is away the new term for dead? Oh, unless you meant you were visiting home. Tell me, how is hell now a day?”
Even if Stiles wasn’t looking at Peter he figured Peter was grimacing at him. At least that’s what Derek’s feared look told him. “That wasn’t too nice of you to say.” Peter made a slight hand motion and Kali ran her claws against Derek’s back. Stiles screamed in agony, Derek’s pain feeling like his own.
“Stop, please stop. Don’t hurt him.” Stiles was surprised his voice didn’t waver much especially as the sounds of Derek’s pained whines ran through his ears. Peter knelt down to Stiles’s level, one hand went down to grip the back of his neck and the other ran continuous strokes down his head like he was comforting a child. The touch made him feel nauseous, this wasn’t right. Peter’s hands didn’t feel the same. Derek’s were hardened by everyday work on the ship but his touch held a certain gentleness to it, like he was afraid that everything he touched would break. It wasn’t the touch of his alpha, but he couldn’t bring himself to brush it off. This must be the connection Scott had told him about all those nights before, the same connection that made them do things against his will.
“I’m not going to hurt him. You are.” Stiles felt his blood freeze. He couldn’t hurt Derek, no matter what he had to sacrifice. He would sooner die than be the reason why Derek took his last breath. “No.” His voice was barely a whisper but he knew everyone heard him – they were werewolves after all.
“I’m not going to give you much of a choice.” Peter walked behind Stiles, the hand once stroking Stiles’s head gripped his wrist. Kali dropped Derek in front of Stiles, close enough that they were face to face, and went back to the rest of her pack. Being so near Derek made his heart flutter, even after all he had done all he was trying to do was protect Stiles. He couldn’t bring himself to hate Derek.
“I’m sorry.” Derek whispered, lips so close he could feel the words on his lips. It took every part of his will to not bend forward and press him lips against his again. To feel the liberation that came with being around Derek, the freedom of being wrapped in his arms. Stiles shook his head. This wasn’t Derek’s fault, if he knew whose fault this was, Derek would loathe him.
Stiles felt warm breath run against his ear. “Come on, Stiles, I know you remember how to do this. Show us those pretty claws of yours.” Peter swung Stiles’s wrist and he watched in amazement as sharp claws peaked out of the tips. “I was hopeful but I didn’t think that was still possible. It must be because you’ve been away from her for so long.”
Derek look at Stiles in shock while he turned his head away. He guessed the cat was out of the bag, Derek was smart enough to put two and two together. Stiles was bitten by Peter all those years ago. When he looked back, Stiles was greeted by a look of surprise. He barely heard Derek whispers, ‘So you belonged to us all along.’ Stiles wanted to tell him that he should’ve known that and was an idiot for thinking otherwise, he chose who he belonged to. No bite would’ve changed that.
Peter tapped at Stiles’s claws. “Always so full of surprises. I knew I should’ve brought her with me, would’ve made this game so much more fun. But now Stiles, we’re going to take these pretty little claws of yours and run them through my dear nephew. Your bond is a little too strong for my liking and I still need to teach you a lesson. It won’t kill him of course, I need to do the finishing blow.”
Stiles shook his head. “I won’t hurt him.” Peter chuckled in his ear. “Oh, sweetie, like you’ve ever had a choice.” Peter gripped Stiles’s wrists tighter and thrusted his claws at Derek. Stiles shut his eyes, the last thing he saw was Derek’s look of sadness. Everything seemed to move in slow motion, the sound of him whispering sorry running through his head like a broken record player. Like any of this was Derek’s fault, he didn’t have anything to be sorry about. Stiles felt the warm rush of blood splash against him, only against the back of his neck rather than running down in rivets from his fingers.
The grip on Stiles’s neck loosened enough for him to turn around. When he turned he saw every member of the alpha pack was trapped within circles of mountain ash and an arrow through Peter’s head. He would’ve known that arrow anywhere, the crisp feathered ends used to balance the rest of the weapon. Ally. Stiles felt himself breathe a sigh of relief. They came for him, they came in time. The sharp sound of heals against wood came closer and Stiles felt his claws receding. When he glanced up he came face to face with Lydia, but she wasn’t looking at him. She was looking at Peter.
“I told you I would kill you myself if you tried anything.” And with that Lydia took her sword and cut Peter’s head clean off his shoulders. “Chris, gather up the Alphas, if they resist put a bullet through their heads.” Lydia said. She turned back to Stiles and he thought he would get whiplash from the range of emotions she was going through. She cradled him in her arms and whispered arrays of apologies.
“How did you know?” Lydia pushed back Stiles so she could looked at him. “Stiles, I was there with you that day. The day we brought Peter back. He needed the both of us, you forgot but I always remembered. I couldn’t stop feeling your blood dripping from my hands and couldn’t stop seeing you dying. You almost died, but you came back without claws and glowing eyes and I thought everything was a dream until he came back.”
“Why are they back then?” Stiles looked quickly to his hands before back to Lydia but she looked just as confused as he was.
“She was blocking them from coming back. At least when you two were close enough. The bond you two shared cancelled out Stiles’s abilities, she was keeping what she had ‘killed’ that day dead. She tried to kill the wolf in you but it was still alive, waiting to get far enough away to live again. It’s happened only once before.” Deaton responded from where he stood on the ship.
“So, I’m a wolf?”
“Yes Stiles, one that belongs with the Hales, if you choose to accept their offer.”
Stiles turned to Derek, his eyes hopeful, even after he had heard Stiles had helped bring his uncle back to life. The one whose hands he suffered by. Stiles realized, in the end he couldn’t say no to Derek but he knew there was no other alpha he would be willing to follow. Stiles nodded his head and brought their lips together in a kiss. Stiles felt like flowers were growing in his lungs, the cold gone and replaced by only warmth and beauty. Every moment felt like an eternity but at the same time like it was going by too quickly.
Lydia cleared her throat above them. “I’m glad you’ve made up, but I’m definitely not the one telling your dad that you’re running away to be a pirate.”
His laughter escaped his lips. “I know Lyds, I’m not going to dump that on you.”
“Well I certainly hope you weren’t planning on doing that.” John said and even from where Stiles was kneeling he could see the tears that were running down his face. Stiles jumped to his feet and brought his dad into a fierce hug. “I’ve missed you kiddo.”
“Me too.”
“So, quite an adventure you’ve been on. I would assume that would enough for a lifetime but it’s still not enough for you, is it?” Stiles shook his head. He didn’t belong in a heavily guarded area, surrounded by officers with only Ally and Lydia to keep him company, he belonged on the sea surrounded by his pack and travelling the world. John sighed deeply, “Fine, but the rules are you must come home at least for one month a year with your…pack, and I definitely don’t want to hear you’re wanted for stealing or killing. Understand me?”
“Yea Dad, I understand.”
“Now, introduce me to this boy of yours.”
“Dad.” Stiles whined and John gave a chuckle in return. Derek walked up to Stiles and John, Deaton had already taken off his chains and washed off the thicker layers of blood that was caked onto his skin.
“Nice to meet you, I’m Derek, captain of the Hale pirates. I promise you, we don’t steal or kill anyone who isn’t a threat and I’ll always keep your son safe.”
“I never doubted that for a second. But if I do hear you hurt him in any way, your uncle won’t be the only one without his head on his shoulders. Do I make myself understood?”
Derek looked at Stiles, fondness overtaking all his features and he said “Yes.”
“Well, I guess we have some pups to pick up, expect us all for dinner tonight.” Stiles grabbed Derek’s hand before running off the ship. His hands would be shaking if it wasn’t for the fact Derek held it in such a tight grip. When they were far enough from the view of prying eyes, Stiles stopped running.
“I missed you.” He whispered, tears fresh in his eyes.
“I missed you too.” Stiles jumped into Derek’s arms and they sunk together until they reached the ground. Stiles cried in Derek’s arms while Derek peppered kisses against his head while whisper soft words of endearment. It was over. It was all over and he was finally home.
***
When John said Stiles had to bring his pack home once a year, he didn’t expect this. John had all talked to them individually, getting a feel of them as a person because just because he knew them when they were children didn’t mean he knew who they were now. But they were nothing like the pirates he used to come across – they all felt so normal, just like regular citizens in town.
He definitely didn’t expect Scott to fall head over heels with Allison and vice versa and he definitely didn’t want to know what Lydia and Jackson were getting up to in the middle of the night. He just knew that every single morning everyone would scrunch up their noses and ask ‘why.’
Home was livelier than it has ever been. John, for the first time in a long while felt that this was his home rather than a place he was just living in. The house never seemed as dull and the silence as empty. The biggest change was with Stiles. It was…He was happy. It was the first time he had seen him that way ever since Claudia had passed. Sure he was content with Lydia and Allison but when he watched his son interact with Derek and his pack, it was breath-taking. The way he would be at ease and laugh with all his heart. He never missed the looks Derek and Stiles gave each other when the latter wasn’t looking. It reminded him of a time when he first met Claudia in town all those years ago and brought a rush of warmth to his heart.
He reached for his locket and gripped it tight within his hands. “Claudia, if you were here, you’d be so proud. Our little boy is all grown up and finally found his home.”