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The Alpha standing before Derek sighed, squeezing the bridge of his nose between her thumb and forefinger. “Mr. Hale, we have given you enough leeway, granted amnesty for going against tradition out of respect for the memory of your mother. However, you’ve had enough time to grieve properly. It is time that, as Alpha, you step up and take a mate.”
Derek’s eyes darted to his left. Although his pack was a ragtag mix of species, he knew that he had chosen the perfect left hand when Stiles stepped forward. He showed no signs of fear as he spoke up against the strange Alpha. “We did not realize that there was a time limit on grieving the loss of your entire pack,” he started. “Derek still wakes from nightmares about the fire. That alone shows that he is far from done grieving.”
“It’s been sixteen years,” she responded. “We are not expecting Alpha Hale to forget his family or their tragic deaths. We are expecting him to move on for the sake of the pack.”
“And if he doesn’t?” Stiles challenged. “If he doesn’t find a mate, what do you intend to do? Kill him? Steal his pack? We defeated an Alpha Pack that attempted to do that. What makes you so scary?”
Derek held his breath. He could see Boyd facepalm to his right. Although Stiles was the right choice to be his left hand, there were times he wondered if he’d made a mistake having him as emissary as well. It was definitely an unusual combination of roles within the pack, but Stiles was nothing if not unusual. Of course, at the end of the day, if he filled any more roles, he’d basically be a pack all by himself. Peter said that was what made the new Hale Pack so powerful.
“You are an emissary, Mr. Stilinski,” she addressed, her eyes flashing red. “You should mind your place.”
“My place is to the left of my Alpha,” he stated. “My place is beside my Alpha.” He stepped closer, head raised in defiance. Derek was impressed by how he was able to do that without baring his neck to her.
“Alpha Hale, if you wish to keep your Pack. You will control your emissary and you will find a mate,” she stated after a moment of tense silence. Derek saw claws on her side of the room and smirks on his.
“Alpha Derby, if you wish to keep your pack,” Stiles hissed, snapping his fingers and dropping the glamor he’d been using. Tugging the neck of his shirt aside, he revealed the mating mark in the crook of his neck. “You will apologize for the threats you have made against Alpha Hale that are in direct violation of the treaty you signed with his mother so many years ago.”
Derek stepped forward to stand beside his left hand, his emissary, his mate . “By the word of the treaty, I am in rights to have my emissary strip you of your Alpha powers and take your pack.” Alpha Derby dropped her eyes to the floor before tilting her neck in submission. She reeked of defeat and terror. “However, as we are a peaceful pack and appreciate and honor treaties, I will show you the amnesty you pretended to bestow upon me.”
“Thank you, Alpha Hale,” she said, kneeling to fully submit.
“This isn’t baseball,” Stiles started. “There is no three strikes and you’re out. This is your one and only chance. If you fuck up again, your pack is ours.”
“Yes, Alpha Mate Stilinski,” she said and, shockingly, bared her throat to Stiles as well.
Smirking, Stiles reached forward and ran a finger over her throat before turning and exiting the room. His Alpha and their pack falling into step behind him. Derek chuckled at the noise from the pack left behind. Their pack was untraditional but he knew it was strong.