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The night seemed to drag on, Melissa had ordered John, Chris and Santiago to be on bed rest much to their protest. Their words about this not being their first rodeo fell on deaf ears.
Santiago gathered all the council and guards around him,
“So what’s the final damage?” He asked.
“We lost 29. Almost all of them came from different Hunter Branches, seems Gerard and Victoria had been planning this for a while. Seems they were able to find the bad seeds in every family.”
“This is going to be a mess to clean up.”
Santiago groaned and covered his head with his elbow, he let out a loud cry as he forgot about the torso injury. Melissa snapped to look at him, at least the had the sense to act guilty. He slowly lowered his arms and checked his stitches making sure none ripped.
The other members of the council brought up an idea.
“We can’t wait to handle this, if word gets out over 30 hunters we’re taken out by a pack it will be crazy. Santiago, you can’t travel at the speed we need to move. How about a compromise that helps keep our name intact. We will will split up to do the investigations on the hunter lines involved. You stay recover and we say you are investing the pack here with Chris. Plus if the Banshee trick doesn’t work… I don’t think Chris should be the one to intervene. We all know he could, but out of respect I won’t ask.”
Chris have him a nod of respect and glanced to look at Melissa who had been folding the same towel for a while. Melissa had a long talk with the pack after the Council finished up their business.
Luckily the finals Scott needed to graduate had already happened, with only a few months left of school it would be easy to fake an illness that keeps him home. It was decided that they would try tomorrow. The whole pack would head into the preserve and go to the Nemeton, they thought it was their best shot. Lydia wasn’t a willing participant last time but she still made it happen. They made contingency plans for every scenario, Melissa held a brave face the whole time they talked about things going wrong. She had all the hope for him to be human again but it was still a risk.
After they talked this all out, Scott finally regained mobility, seems that Jackson’s venom had gotten stronger just like he had. The pack didn’t even have time to wrap up their conversation, instantly everyone was on red alert already and rushed over to the circles that contained him. Melissa saw both Chris and Santiago move to get up so she went to him and eased him up for minimal injury. With the serrated knife it would take longer for the damage to heal internally. Once he was on his feet two of the guards that accompanied them held him up. Chris was supported by Jordan And they made their way over to Scott.
Scott was groggy and just starting to stir, as he came too he saw the room he was in and reacted to the threats. He was in his beta shift and tried to shoulder check the council member closest to him. Stiles barriers held and knocked him back down. That seemed to be enough to shock him into full consciousness. He still had his claws and fangs out but he no longer was charging the walls.
Scott looked around the room and saw the Hale Pack. Again his anger raged, then his eyes fell on his mom. She was stood behind Santiago, seeing him mom literally on the hunters side caused him to spring up to his feet in anger.
Melissa recoiled at the anger she saw in him and Santiago moved to cover her and cut off Scott’s line of sight. Since he couldn’t see his mom any longer he turned to see the other council members.
“Seriously you’re here with them! I though you were supposed to be the hunters. We gave you everything to take down Peter and I’m the one in the cage!” He yelled out throwing a slash at the barricade.
Santiago took control he spoke in his calm deep voice “Beta Scott McCall, We Hunters are not here to end all shifters. Your rage and anger is misplaced. Peter is gone, and he is gone because of the Hale Pack. They intervened and prevented him from going on a rampage when they could have waited for us to step in. We do not have any intention of seeking retaliation against this pack.”
“No Retaliation! They turned me into a monster, I am not a dog for someone to control. Don’t you see why I did it! Victoria said Gerard could help me, that he would save me. Just get Gerard and he can fix me!”
“Victoria and Gerard are gone. Your ambush didn’t work, what ever lies they fed you for information were just that, lies.”
Scott was livid He snapped to look at Derek “you did this! You took my chance at being normal and killed it!” Scott had a realization and changed from anger to a haughty laugh “Guess I will be getting rid of you. You killed all those hunters, you think they will let you walk away?” He chuckled and turned to Stiles and Allison with a wild glint in his eyes “isn’t that great we can go back to the way things were. Just Scott and Stiles.” Allison and Stiles visibly looked taken aback, this was on another level for Scott.
Santiago took control again. “the Hales are not going anywhere. Those hunters broke the code they were acting as rouge assassins. Scott McCall the council has declared you threat. At Dusk tomorrow we will attempt a procedure to alter your shift. If the attempt is unsuccessful we are recommending incarceration at a detainment facility for the supernatural.”
A second council member finished off, “at this time you are placed on 24 hour monitoring, any attempts for escape will be met with lethal force.”
Scott couldn’t believe this was happening, I mean how could they not see that the problem was Derek. Scott tried to move within his space to see Melissa, “mom tell them they can’t do this. I’m a kid they can’t put me in jail I didn’t do anything! It’s all their fault!”
Melissa stepped up to scoot around Santiago, he was significantly taller than her so she couldn’t see him from where she was before.
“Scott, please just listen to Santiago they are only-“
“SANTIAGO!?!? You are on first name basis? When did you become best friends with the monsters and their friends! I can’t believe you let them sink their claws into you.”
“Scott Rafael McCall.” Melissa was not yelling, she dropped her voice and spoke In a similar
Tone and style as Santiago. “Basta Ahora.” She locked eyes with him and did not back down. “You need to snap out and realize we are not the enemy. I gave you time, I gave up support, I gave up my best friend so that you could have the opportunity to grow. I gave you time to pull back, let you reflect. I begged you to think it thru. Instead you yelled at me, you tore apart my house, you wallowed it your pity party refusing to see the big picture. Tomorrow morning will be our last effort, no matter what happens I’m done. We are done. Either you go with your father or with the hunters. And don’t you dare even suggest this is because of Derek. You did this to yourself.”
Melissa turned around didn’t give Scott a chance to reply and walked out. The rest of the pack minus two guards went with her. She had just made it to the couch where John was sitting and laid down. The weight of the world came down and she laid her head in his lap and let the tears fall. No one said a word, she was just surrounded by everyone and they curled in around her as best they could.
After she had cried herself to sleep Derek, Lydia, Stiles, Chris and Santiago went to the kitchen and began pouring over all the possible information they could find. With Santiago he was able to pull all records from the origination of the Hunters Council. Hours ticked by and the others made way to the upstairs bedrooms, leaving Melissa on the couch with lots of blankets and letting her get the rest she needed.
Just shy of 5 in the morning Melissa Stirred awake, she fell asleep before everyone else and made her way to the kitchen. She pulled one of John’s oversized Sheriff hoodies and one of the girls fuzzy slippers. She shuffled over to start some coffee but found Santiago already there. He was shirtless wearing a pair of loose lounge pants and barefoot. Melissa watched him and realized that as we pulled down coffee mugs and moved around the kitchen he was silent. Even In a house protected by wards and more security imaginable he still moved as a hunter. She approached him and he turned to face her already holding out a second cup of coffee for her.
She smiled in thanks then walked by him to a cabinet and pulled out a glass jar of cinnamon sticks. She took out one and snapped it in half offering it to him. He accepted and added the other half to his own cup. She watched as he stirred the coffee and then she noticed his body. His side had long scars going from just under his armpit to below his sweatpants, there were a few small holes that were scarred over. Then she saw his face, he had the same piercing gaze that Chris has but in a jade color, his eyes were a light green that bore into her, but she could see that mixed in with the scars there were laugh lines. He was a man who had lived A very full life. Santiago noticed her inspection and chuckled.
He turned and lifted the arm that had scars below it, “you think this is bad you should have seen the other guy.” Chuckling as he went to sit at the kitchen table. Melissa followed him over but grabbed a box of chocolate filled Croissants on her way there.
She took the seat next to him and offered him the box.
She hesitated for a minute then asked him “Do you have a family I mean children?”
Santiago looked at her and knew what was coming, he took a sip of coffee and began. “Chris is the closest thing I have to a brother. I did have a daughter, I lost her years ago. I don’t know how much Chris has told you about the “Hunter Way”, I was raised by a man very similar to Gerard. Same hatred same beliefs just missing the tactics and brain. He planned an arranged marriage for me to another hunter family straight out of high school. So I retaliated the only way i could, I had a girlfriend. It wasn’t serious but she got pregnant, she wasn’t ready to be a mother and neither was I. She fainted one day near the end of school, I went with her to the hospital. She was 5 months pregnant, she wasn’t ready but when I saw that ultrasound. My life changed. Little girl. She wanted to give her up, I told her I wanted her. She gave me full parental rights. A short while later I turned 18, Graduated high school and became a father all in one month. She would be 20 today.” he pulled out his phone and showed her his photos, it was him holding a baby. You could tell it was along time ago, then another photo of him with a girl about 15. They were wearing the same hunter attire Allison and Chris wore, the girl with the dark hair and same green eyes was riding piggyback both with giant smiles on their faces. “My Valentina Mecati. Mecati means Lineage in Nahuatal. Thought it was a bit on the nose, but when I saw her I knew that she would need to be a brave girl in the world she was born into.” He stopped to take a sip of coffee it had been a few years but it still hurt to talk about. Melissa reached out and placed her hand on his arm and gave a light squeeze.
“My Valentina was just that, she had the heart of a fighter. I made it a point to teach not like my father but by the code. I never beloved Supers were anything less than us but I believe in accountability. She was young and I started taking her along my friendly visits. She fell in love, it was young pure teenage love. He was a beta, the left hand enforcer, they had sparred together a few years and one thing led to the next. The pack welcomed her with open arms, sure some of the elders were hesitant or cautious but no one ever excluded her or made her feel like an outsider. When my father found out he was livid. Commanded her to break up and never see him again, I told him that I support her and the pack does as well. She was a great huntress, deadlier than me with a knife. I should have known. Maybe I could have done more but I went out on council business. They had been dating for over 2 years and she was 17, it was his birthday weekend so I told her she could stay there while I was away.”
His voice caught and his eyes filled with tears. “I was all the way in Montana when I got the call. My grandfather did what Gerard did, he gathered all the old hunters that beloved what he did and they staged an ambush. He didn’t know she would be there. When the fight broke out she fought with the pack. It enraged him and he went after her boyfriend. My father went in for the kill with his knife, guess he wanted to slit his throat. She was protecting the kids when she saw him Approach her love. It was too late, her love was bleeding out in her arms, even with the fast healing he was dying. Valentina was livid, she looked to her grandfather and fought back. I was told it was a flurry and dance unlike any other. In the end they killed each other. She… she won but was also bleeding too much, they offered you know they offered the bite. She said that without Jeremy she wouldn’t want to take it. They died in each other’s arms surrounded by the dead hunters who tried to keep them apart. The pack survived but only just, they told me without her the kids would have been gone…”Santiago took a second and finished his coffee and placed his hand on top of the one Melissa had placed on his arm.
“I do know the pain you feel. Our kids give us a a reason. You are doing the best you can to keep him alive and that’s all we can do. Sure I could have forbid my daughter from seeing them and she may have still been alive today. We never know what will happen in life so we do the best we can everyday. You walking away or letting us handle things is not you saying you don’t love your child. In fact you love him so much that you want to do everything you can to keep him alive. I could have my daughter here with me now if I chose a different path for her, but it wouldn’t be right. I know I did the best as her father.”
Melissa listens to his words, watched this tall tan rugged man openly cry about the daughter that he lost.
“Has Chris told you how the bite can affect others? How it amplifies everything?” He asked her.
“Yes, he said it should have made him want the pack life naturally that it would amplify his need for it.”
“He was half right. The bite amplified everything. Deep down it sounds like Scott didn’t ever want a pack, the bite amplified his desires. He wants to lead, to defy, to be the top dog. From what you said I believe he feels that if he is the strongest alpha male that maybe then his father will come for him, or that he will be happy then. He chose a friend who was quiet and pitied by everyone. When Stiles grew independent from him that’s when the anger started. It seemed that Scott didn’t like the attention or independence Stiles was getting. Pack life isn’t in his heart now, until he changes his true desires he will reject everyone that does.”
Melissa looked at him and realized he spoke the truth. Scott would never be happy, even if he was turned human he didn’t want to be a part of a pack. He wanted to be his own person, to never have to worry about someone walking away and it hurting him.
“How do you do it? How do you keep going?” She asked him tears filling her eyes again.
“I don’t.” He finished his coffee and began again “Not everyday. There are days when I stay inside and mourn, you mourn everyday. Some days are good and you forget, then it hurts more because you feel guilty for forgetting. Valentina was a fighter she would want me to fight everyday, not win but fight. That’s all we can do.”
Melissa heard his words and finished her bread, it was just turned 6 am and Chris came down, he saw them red eyed and with empty coffee cups, he grabbed another cup and topped all 3 of them off.
Melissa saw the time and had to get the day started. She finished off what coffee was left and tapped Santiago on the shoulder, “come on let me change your bandage so I can start my day.”
They went up the stairs to the spare full bathroom and Melissa went to work. Cleaning the wound, checking every stitch, checked his blood oxygen levels and redressed it. When she stood up they were face to face in the tight quarters and she looked into his bright green eyes, “You should be set until tonight. You should be good to drive by tomorrow but I don’t recommend flying for at least a week. The pressure changes are a risk.”
He smiled down at her, his tall frame engulfing her. He reached out and took the bundle of bandages and gloves from her hands,”thank you, guess I’ll stick around. Doctors orders.” He threw the items away and smiled at her before leaving her to the bathroom.
Melissa looked at herself and realized that as tired as she felt she had a smile on her face. She shook her head then closed the door and started a long hot shower, she needed it. No one in the house bothered her while she used all the hot water, they simply used the other bathrooms and got ready fairly quietly. When she finally stepped out of the shower there was a pile of clothes on-top of the sink. All brand new courtesy of the pack fashion advisor Lydia. Melissa got dressed, gave her self a silent pep talk and walked out and headed down to the kitchen. Everyone was up here and eating the breads she had taken out. Isaac handed her a cup of hot tea and she took it happily, squeezing his hand in thanks.
“We should head to the preserve early, if we take both squad cars we should have no issue with people.” Derek spoke out while he finished up doing one of Allison’s braids. How Stiles talked him into learning Is a mystery to all.
The four guards that were with them and the council looked to each other. Santiago broke the silence “the others will be heading out this morning to begin their work. Since I’m slightly out of commission I will stay here and oversee you all. Should Scott resist I will bring him in personally.” He had to choose his words carefully as the guards did not know what happened only the council itself. The other members thanked the pack for their hospitality, they went down to collect the other two guarding Scott and left. Stiles handed them breakfast and a coffee to go since they missed out.
Once they had left Stiles waited until he felt all 4 cars leave his wards. Once it was good to go he and Jackson went down to talk with Scott. Surprisingly Jackson volunteered for this.
When they entered the room Scott growled at them but didn’t lunge. Stiles walked all the way up and began.
“Scott I know you are pissed but please just listen okay. We are going to try to help you. We have a plan to try and remove your shift. I don’t know if it will work but we are going to try. So I need you to listen to what we do and then accept our help. You can’t fight this and say sure or good enough. Scott for our best chance I need to you try and let us help. This isn’t something you can do alone.”
“Oh yeah cause magical Derek Hale can fix everything.” He swooned sarcastically
“Scott. Will you shut up! You have no idea what you are talking about!” Jackson exploded, his preplanned speech going out the window. “You know nothing about him! You don’t care to learn anyways. This is why you are alone, you have a mother who loves you unconditionally! who faced a hunters council to defend you and keep you alive! And then you turn around and help with an ambush! Did you know they aimed for her too! They weren’t there to kill Derek they were there to take out the pack! Had Jordan not been there to take the shots she would be dead because of you.” Jackson stopped yelling at this point, he turned to use the disappointed parent voice “and the worst part is you don’t even care. You had a mother who cared, you had Stiles who would have sacrificed his life for you, a total stranger willing to take on the burden of teaching you how to control your shift and you tossed it all away. Tossed it for what? Pride? So you can say that you did it alone? That you marched to the beat of your own drum? Well mission accomplished after today you will be alone. Either we suppress the wolf or you go away for life… hope it was worth it to be alone.” Jackson finished and while Scott was still processing he motioned for Stiles to break the barriers and scratched his hand causing instant paralysis.
Jackson picked him up bridal style and Stiles enchanted the ropes to bound his legs and arms, better safe than sorry. They brought him upstairs and headed to the garage. They didn’t want to put Melissa thru the loading of Scott into the car so she left with Chris, John, Santiago, Allison, Isaac and Laura. The second SUV had Derek, Stiles, Lydia, Jackson, Cora and Scott. Jordan drove separate in his squad car. They headed off to the preserve and sure enough the roads were still empty.
Once they arrived to the preserve they scouted the area and confirmed no one was there, So thee quickly headed for the tree line and moved toward the Nemeton. John was being carried in his chair by Jackson and Derek, meanwhile Stiles moved Scott with the mountain ash infused ropes, the Ley Lines giving him more than enough power. Melissa joined Santiago and held out her arm for balance a few times over the rougher parts and Laura did the same for Chris even thou they both said they were fine. The trek was easy enough for the others they walked it regularly.
Soon enough the clearing appears in front of them. As soon as they stepped in the Shifters eyes all flashed vividly, a welcome response to the Hale Ley Lines that surrounded them.
The pack had planned this out well; Lydia, Derek and Stiles moved to stand on the Nemeton, Stiles moved Scott between them and held him floating just above the center of the tree. The rest of the pack stood around the tree, almost shoulder to shoulder , surrounding the trio up top.
Lydia took a few deep breaths and looked to Derek, “I’m Ready.”
Derek turned to Stiles, Stiles moved the ropes so Scott’s hands were pinned at his side and his legs were spread slightly then the last rope went around his head and chest holding his head slightly tipped down and unmoving. He focused on the grounds below him calling out to the Ley lines and waiting until they responded to him. Once he felt the magic move into him he looked back to Derek, “I’m ready.”
Derek took a step forward and placed his hand on the back of Scott’s neck and turned to Melissa one last time. She nodded once and reached out to those next to her. Santiago and Allison took her hands, soon the entire pack was holding hands around the tree. Derek took a deep breath called on his shift and once he saw red he dug his nail into Scott’s neck.
Derek was flooded with Scott’s memories, flashes of his father leaving, his father not showing up to school events. Then came the trivial items that burned into Scott. Anytime he wasnt picked first, when Stiles got any sort of recognition, any time he wasn’t praised in a group activity, the resentment when both he and Stiles tried out for lacrosse freshman year any only Stiles making the team. Soon the fresh memories came in. There was the night in the preserve, Scott was angry because Stiles stopped to treat his Foxes instead of listen to Scott ramble about nothing, then the morning at the Hale house when he discovered what he was. The anger wasn’t at being turned, Scott’s anger was that he wasn’t an Alpha. Again he gets a taste of power and then it’s taken away. Derek searched for everything, every shift, every spike of anger anything he could think of. Derek searched thru everything, picking and pulling all the memories that contained the Pack Life, His accidental shifts, anything Wereeolf related he took those memories, hoping to leave him with a clean slate. Luckily the memories he had from the ambush were from behind the tree, his first glimpse of action was Jackson in kanima form pulling him down with his tail and then getting paralyzed. Even if his memories were recovered somehow Stiles was safe.
Then without moving his hand he called in Stiles and Lydia. They stepped up and placed a hand on Derek.
Stiles called to the magic in him, he asked the Nemeton for the power to pull this energy from him and cleanse it before returning to the earth. His forearms and feet were glowing white, Lydia and Derek’s feet were also white.
Lydia took a few breathes and focused on Derek she reached for his pack bond. Once she felt it and held on to it she knew it was time. She also asked the land for power. She opened her heart and tried to let the earth know her true intentions. Then her eyes began to dilate, her eyes became darker and darker, her hands turned black at her finger tips and her hair began to move like a fan was below her.
Stiles felt the Ley Lines recognize her presence so he asked the land to help her, seconds later Stiles felt the energy around him begin to flow between the 3 of them. The lines on the tree stump glowed vividly.
“I think it’s time.” Whispered Lydia her eyes now black staring into nothing.
“Derek do it.”
Derek moved his hand and instead of just one claw in the neck. He inserted all of them like he was holding on to him by the neck, then his left her hand moved automatically. Next thing he knew knew he had all 5 fingers pushed into Scott’s chest, right where they feel the bond. Derek focused on calling Scotts wolf and tipped his head back with a loud long howl came from him.
Lydia knew that was the signal, so she cast away all fear of her powers and focused on why she was doing this. Just because she is a Banshee doesn’t mean she brings death. She focused on the life she could bring here by removing Scott’s power; then all of a sudden she felt it. That tightness in her throat she had to act now. She tipped her head to be looking to be where she felt Scott and let out a loud banshees cry.
After her cry Scott’s eyes opened and his eyes were a vivid yellow, this was enough to shock him awake. Derek used the claws embedded in his to move him so that he could face him directly.
Derek howled again all while Lydia’s scream still continued, then Scott fainted. His body gave out and he was suspended only by the ropes infused with magic. Lydia’s scream ended right when Scott fainted and Derek pulled out his claws from Scott’s body. When he did no blood ran out, instead only a black goo build up and slowly pressed forward.
Stiles watched as a single drop of black tar landed on the Nemeton and then the rings of white faded, the Nemeton was turning black.
He knew this was not good, they had pulled all the anger and hatred from Scott and that energy would be no good. Stiles knew he had to focus so he dropped the levitation spells and Scott was caught by Derek. He called on his magic and in response his wings sprouted just at large as before when he protected Derek. His whole body was flowing white now. He placed a hand on the Nemeton and focused on the evil that had just seeped it. Like draining venom he imagined pulling it all back out, then the black appeared. It was pulling away from the Nemeton. Stiles moved to place a hand over the claw marks on Scott’s chest and did the same.
Soon Stiles had a stream of black circling around him in orbit, when no more came from Scott that signaled him to move on. He moved is hands and the energy collected into a ball in front of him. He stared at the black ball of liquid energy and again called on the Ley lines. He knew it would take everything out of him. He focused on the earth pulling energy from everywhere he felt, then as his legs glowed higher and higher, his wings began to shine as well.
Around the black core small strands of white energy began to encircle it, as more and more threads formed you could see less of the center. Just before he covered it up completely he held it give one final fight. On instinct Stiles wrapped his wings and his body around the orb. In a second Stiles had encased himself and the next there was a powerful ripple that knocked everyone even the wolves off their feet.
The supers all leapt back up to see Stiles on the floor and surrounded by thousands of flecks for shimmering white, it seemed the magic was dissipating around him.
In a second Melissa was assisted up by Santiago and she went to check on Stiles, he was still breathing just unconscious, Derek advised the same for Scott.
Cora helped Derek place Scott on the ground gently so he could check on Stiles, as soon as Derek reached him. Stokes heart got a bit stronger and he managed to turn to him but he was exhausted. Melissa checked on Scott and just like Derek said he was out in a deep sleep. Even Lydia was weak on her feet and was supported by Jackson.
“Let’s get them back to the house. They need to rest.” Derek advised, he moved Stiles around so that he was riding piggy back on to him. Jackson picked up Lydia bridal style meanwhile Jordan threw Scott over his shoulder in the fireman carry and they made their way out of the woods. Loading up into cars was a bit rough since they now had: one in a wheelchair, 3 dead weights plus 2 injuries. So Cora volunteered to ride with Jordan on the way back to “make room”.
When they finally made it back the the house Lydia and Stiles were dropped off into the middle of the living room with blankets. Chris, Santiago and Melissa went down to watch Scott meanwhile the others curled around the exhausted pack mates and helped them recover.
No one felt like moving so Derek ordered delivery pizza to the house and everyone but Stiles and Lydia ate. They both slept thru until noon.
Mid day rolled around and Stiles finally stirred, his movements woke Lydia and they looked around trying to gather their bearings. Stiles slowly sat up and leant into Derek who moved right behind him to hold him steady. He yawned loudly and slowly stretched his arms out. Lydia did the same and looked around, Allison was already reading her mind and she leapt up and brought over 2 water bottles. They gulped them down and then their stomachs awoke. Isaac brought them both two hot plates and they ate it up quickly. Both recovering much faster. The adults came up from downstairs when they heard the commotion, Scott was still down and out with no signs of stirring.
As Allison watched them eat and it seamed she couldn’t hold it in any longer.
“So Stiles when did you grow Angel Wings.” She teased making sure her tone was kind and not accusatory.
Stiles managed to look sheepish. The others looked to each other and it was clear only Derek and John knew. Stiles finished his water and looked around, he felt safe and knew it was time.
“I’ve had my powers since I was a kid. I am half celestial guardian. We present like born Weres and Hellhounds. Our magic is innate but the wings will drop for the first time only when you need them most. Only when you are willing to sacrifice yourself to save someone else.” Stiles couldn’t help but look to Derek when he said that.
Allison but two and two together “Peter…”
Stiles nodded. “Derek didn’t even see them that night. But when we told me he was staying and wanted more, I couldn’t lie to him. I’ve only used them 3 times ever, When facing Peter, Gerard and this morning.
Suddenly a pillow flew across to hit Derek in the face.
“Are you telling me I dealt with you singing Angel Baby on territory runs for a Month because You were all lovey dovey.” Cora laughed and complained to her her older brother.
“Those in glass houses shouldn’t throw rocks. Does Jordan know his ringtone is Burning Love by Elvis.” Derek teased back tossing the pillow in her direction.
Allison scooted over to Stiles and like a toddler asked “can I see them pleeeseseeeese?”
“Fine but no touching.” Stiles quipped back
“What! I want to touch!”
“No touchy.” Teased back Stiles
“Some touching!”
“One touch.”
John finally jumped in as the parent. “Stiles just show them all before Allison tries to pull them from your body or explodes.” John got Jordan to hit all the window blinds for safety then Stiles took off his shirt. As he peeled off his shirt he realized Santiago was still there and he had lied to the council. He froze midway down and stared back at him in fear. Santiago eased him quickly.
“I trust the guards and the council members there with the lives of any Shifter, but I will say the temptation or fear of a Celestial could tempt anyone. I understand and support why you had no survivors if they witnessed your wings. Your secret is safe with me, you have my word.”
Stiles felt lighter than ever and then called on his magic. He felt it come back to him then focused on his back and dropped his wings. Everyone gave up on pretending to be calm and turned into preschoolers on a field trip.
Questions like what does it feel like, what can you do, do they tickle, can you move them were thrown around in rapid fire. He was a good sport and let everyone feel them, even Santiago was in shock there way nothing even in the legends of the hunters council about Celestial Guardians. They decided to keep it that way. While Stiles was showing off, flapping his wings as best he could, Derek slipped away to check on Scott.
His heart was strong and his scent was mixed, he felt slightly confident about the results. Melissa came down first, she saw Derek checking on Scott and saw the same care that Talia had.
“Your mother would be proud of the son she raised, and the alpha leading her pack.” Melissa came up and gave him a hug as she watched Scott sleep. “You have the same heart, I always see her in you.” She finished giving him the mothers hug he deserves.
As she held him Derek saw Scott’s eyes dart back and forth behind his eyes, he knew he was waking soon. He called out the other others who rushed down to them, surrounding Derek and Melissa.
Scott began to stir like awakening from a long sleep. He slowly came too and moved to sit himself up, as Scott looked around the room he was confused. Derek had taken all the memories from the pack so his meeting with Victoria were taken as well. It was him trying to piece together what was going on. He saw Melissa clutching to Derek and was visibly confused. The good thing was he didn’t look angry it was just confusion.
“Mom?” He asked looking up at everyone. “What happened?” He rubbed the back of his head where Derek had placed his claws in.
“Sweetheart you bumped your head pretty hard. You fainted remember?” Melissa answered.
Scott tried to piece together his last memories and it was right before the council picked him up from his home.
“You were really upset with me when you left. I told you that I needed you to go stay with your father for a while. You got angry and came to Stiles, you had an asthma attack and fainted when you got here.” Scott thought back, since they only took the hatred and anger of the pack it left Scott with just memories of being alone, if isolation at school and home because he didn’t want to be with the others. He thought back to the weeks of being at home, locking himself in his room and. Fighting with his mother for no reason. Then the conversations of going away and getting away.
“Yeah I do.” Scott shook his head as the memories linked back together “ I’m sorry I don’t know what’s wrong with me.” Scott slowly stood up and looked around the room to the others. He saw Stiles and remembered the distance he had put between them over the last few months. Before he could apologize Stiles moved everyone along.
“Why don’t we head up stairs, we can go up and talk there.” Scott nodded and everyone moved, Derek struck a hand out to Scott who took it . Using this as the opportunity he turned to Santiago who pivoted quickly and moved Melissa behind him. When he pulled him up Derek used a claw to cut his hand on the way up. Scott hissed out and went to suck on the cut.
“Sorry must have caught on my ring.” Derek apologized quickly.
Scott pulled his palm away from his mouth and the cut was still there, it didn’t heal back shut. Stiles handed him a bandaid and Scott took it. Melissa looked so relived she turned to Santiago with a smile and he gave her a secret squeeze of the hand while making their way upstairs.
As they all went upstairs Since Scott was there they had to go thru the paces of John getting helped up by two people since normally one of the shifters would just carry him up like a backpack.
When they were back on the main floor Stiles, Derek, John, Melissa and Scott went to the kitchen while the others went to the living room. Giving them the space for the talk about Scott leaving to be with his father. They talked it over, Scott admitted that something wasn’t right and that it was a good idea for a while. His dad was willing to take him thru the summer then they would talk about college or work. Scott apologized for pulling away and owned up to the fact that he did not give Derek a chance. Hours passed by and it was getting close to dinner time when Melissa’s phone went off. It was an alarm she had set, she looked at her phone and stood up heading to the bathroom.
“Santiago bandage change time.” She called out from the bathroom. He made his way from the living room over to her.
The minute he was away Scott asked in a whisper “Hey who is that by the way?and how does my mom know him?”
Oh course the trained hunter heard him and there was a single falter in his step as he walked to her. Plus a snort came from Cora and Laura in the living room.
“That’s Santiago he is friends with Chris, actually he’s Allison’s godfather too. He came to help out with her senior project for a few month. He cut himself pretty good working on the project and Melissa patched him up at work one day. When he told her who he was she agreed to clean it up for a few days so he could get discharged and keep helping Alli.” Stiles lied quickly piecing together a half true story. You could hear the two of them laughing in the bathroom and Scott made a face.
“Does my mom like him? She doesn’t laugh like that ever.” Again the shifters in the living room couldn’t help but giggle but before they could answer they heard footsteps coming back. Scott pretended he wasn’t just talking about them. Before he could make small talk his stomach growled loudly it was near the end of the day and Scott hadn’t eaten since yesterday. Mellissa turned to excuse themselves for dinner but Santiago interrupted.
“Why don’t you let me treat you all to dinner, let me say thanks for patching me up?”
Before Melissa or Scott could answer it was Allison that replied “I want a Cheeseburger!”
They all laughed and everyone loaded up into cars, lucking Jackson had the foresight to get Melissa’s car here while they were recovering.