Work Text:
Derek moved quickly, putting Stiles behind him and flashing his eyes at Deucalion. “What do you want?” he asked.
“Now Derek, you know what I want,” Deucalion said with a shake of his head. “I want your answer.”
“My answer is no. I don’t want to join your pack.” He had to figure out how to get Stiles out of there, this was no place for a human, there was going to be serious fighting in a moment. If anything happened to Stiles he would… it would kill him.
“That’s too bad. Are you sure? Have you discussed it with your mate?” Deucalion asked.
“Yes he has, and we say no!” Stiles blurted out.
“Stiles,” Derek snapped. “I don’t have a Mate,” Derek said as he reached out to keep Stiles from walking around him.
“I know,” Deucalion said and that made Derek frown.
“You said -” Derek started, but Deucalion put up a hand.
“I know you haven’t cemented your bond with Stiles. I can tell, I can see the strands of potential flowing from him.” Deucalion came further into the loft and the other Alpha’s came as well, dragging Erica, Vernon and Isaac with them. There were so many places to look that Derek was a little overwhelmed by it all.
“What do you mean, potential?” Derek asked, eyes briefly on Kali before moving to one of the twins and Vernon who was in his hands.
“I mean I can see that he would be perfect with more than just you Derek, didn’t he tell you?” Deucalion asked evenly with a smirk.
Derek didn’t dare look away from the Alpha’s advancing on him to look at Stiles, but he did wrap his fingers around Stiles’ waist. Stiles leaned into him and stopped trying to move away.
“Mates are one for one,” Derek said. “They either work or they don’t. There aren’t more than one possibility.”
“How little you know,” Deucalion said. “He’s human, not a wolf. They work differently than werewolves. Didn’t your parents ever… oh, that’s right.” He smiled and Derek growled at him. “Your parent’s are dead.”
“You’re going to pay for that,” Derek snarled and even though he was going to rush Deucalion, Stiles gripped the corner of his shirt with his hand, effectively pausing him.
“Of course I am,” Deucalion chuckled. “Now, since you didn’t know, I’m also going to tell you something else. Whomever he has first is the one he bonds with. So, it could be you, or it could be your interesting Uncle, who I don’t even see around how fascinating. Or it could be me.” Behind his glasses, Deucalion’s eyes glowed.
“Never!” Stiles snapped.
“I won’t let you, and neither would Stiles,” Derek said.
“I wouldn’t give Stiles a choice,” Deucalion said and something in the pit of Derek’s stomach howled in rage.
“I would *never* let you do that!” he snarled, fur sprouting across his cheeks in a flash, teeth getting sharp and pointed, claws extending.
“Won’t you join my pack Derek?” Deucalion said once more. “Are you sure the answer is no?”
“No, yes!” Derek snapped, pulling himself from Stiles and rushing at Deucalion.
“That’s so sad,” he heard Deucalion say but he didn’t even get close to the other man before Kali was in his sights.
She snarled at him and her claws were slashing at Derek’s face. He ducked and turned at the hip, foot swiping around. Kali jumped, snarled and slashed with her other hand. Leaning away from her, Derek tilted his head back and howled, the sound of it reverberating through his body. It was a call to arms, and as expected, it made each of his beta’s begin to struggle. They got a surge of power, just enough to get them loose from their captors.
Derek might not know all there was to know about being an Alpha, but he could still remember his mother’s howls, the way it made him feel. He would have fought off anyone for her, and as he continued his fighting with Kali, he realized he felt that way about someone else. Glancing behind him, he saw Stiles, tucked away against one of the pillars, his phone out, typing a text as fast as his long fingers would let him. Derek wasn’t about to let anyone force themselves on that boy. Not anyone. He growled again and surged at Kali, getting a slash across the ribs for his troubles but gaining a bite to her arm.
The sound of a bow didn’t register at first, but the arrow that erupted into sparks did. He closed his eyes and turned away from the brightness. Kali wasn’t as lucky, and when he heard another growl in the doorway he looked up to see Scott, claws out and brown eyes glowing. Allison was right next to him, bow out and another arrow knocked.
Stiles rushed towards the door and paused part way there as Ennis got in the way. Scott rushed towards the two of them and Allison turned her arrow towards Deucalion, face fierce. Derek was about to rush Kali when he noticed Deucalion grinning.
“I was rather hoping you would show up Scott,” Deucalion said and then he took a claw to his palm, digging the claw into his flesh and turning towards Derek. “I challenge you for pack and Mate,” Deucalion said, wrist flicking towards Derek, warm blood splashing across Derek’s face.
The whole room paused and turned to Derek. “Excuse me?” Derek whispered.
“Do I have to repeat myself? I challenge you to an Alpha Fight for pack and Mate,” Deucalion said again and Derek felt his stomach twist. He couldn’t… he wouldn’t be able to… there was no way…
“Not going to happen asshole!” Stiles screamed out. “You’re nuts!”
“Why would you even care…” Derek started in horror. If he lost, Deucalion would kill all of his beta’s and take Stiles for himself.
“Bad idea! Abort, abort!” Stiles called again, but his voice was distant to Derek’s ears.
“Make your decision, or the fighting continues,” Deucalion said.
The blood on Derek’s cheeks dripped down his chin and it almost burned across his flesh. Fangs and claws disappeared as Derek nodded. “I accept your challenge,” Derek said softly.
“Bad IDEA!” Stiles screamed. “Don’t do it Derek! You can’t!”
Only Derek knew he had to. If he refused, they’d all die right here, no question. If he accepted, he might be able to convince his beta’s to leave, and maybe even Stiles. If Stiles could go far enough away… or maybe he could find something that would give him an edge, an advantage against Deucalion… anything.
“Good. I’ve challenged, you get to choose the time,” Deucalion said.
Derek looked outside and ignored the noises Stiles was making, which seemed to consist of a lot of no’s and some goddammit’s. There would be a full moon in a couple of weeks, that seemed poetic enough. “Full moon, two weeks,” he said. “That night, at moon’s peak.”
“Sounds fair. The woods are well traveled, but is the old arena still available?” Deucalion asked, and Derek nodded.
“It hasn’t been cleaned in years,” Derek said. There was a strange calm inside of him that he couldn’t explain. It probably had something to do with the fact that he was certain he wouldn’t make it out of this fight alive, but at least he might be able to help his pack. “But I can make sure that’s done in time.”
“I’ll have people over as well,” Deucalion said. “Just to make sure everything is done right.”
“Of course,” Derek nodded. He didn’t have to worry about fights between the two packs for two weeks, that was good. It would give him the chance to try to figure out the other Alpha form, something he hadn’t had time to do yet.
“Derek?” Erica whispered, and Derek held up a hand to silence her.
“We’ll see you then,” Deucalion said as he turned away from Derek and began walking away, Alpha’s falling into line behind him.
“If I win, I gain your pack,” Derek said before he was gone.
Deucalion glanced at Derek with a smirk that said very clearly how Deucalion thought this was going to go down. “Of course. I don’t think you could hold them though.”
“We’ll see about that,” Derek’s bravado didn’t hit him at all, but the words sounded good.
Stiles was on him then, shaking Derek’s arm. “What the hell are you doing?” he gasped out. “What are you thinking? What -” but Derek lifted a hand to place his fingers over Stiles’ lips.
“In a minute,’ Derek said, and he didn’t say another thing until all the Alpha’s were gone and the loft door was closed down.
Only he didn’t even get a chance to say anything because the moment they were gone, everyone began to talk at once. Derek turned to Stiles and pulled him into his arms, pressing his lips against Stiles’ and kissing him deeply. If he was going to die for this stupid little brat, he’d at least get the chance to kiss him the way he wanted to, with tongue, bodies pressed against each other in desperation.