Work Text:
Three Years Ago
Isaac: I need help. Wolves are attacking
**
“Fuck,” Chris muttered, holding himself back from throwing his phone across the plane. He’d gotten the message from Isaac seven hours ago and hadn’t been able to reach him since.
His original plan had been to get on a commercial flight, but since he couldn't reach Isaac and the earliest flight left the next day, he’d chartered a private one.
The fact that it’d been so long without being able to get a hold of him was making fear sit solid in the pit of Chris’s stomach.
He hadn’t wanted to go back to Beacon Hills, but Scott had insisted. He’d said the entire pack was going to die without help. It was just the next in a long line of shit that Scott couldn’t handle, but Chris couldn’t break his promise to Allison. He’d said he’d be there, so he would.
Looking at his watch, he cursed, realizing he still had five hours of flight time and another half hour of driving before getting to Isaac.
Taking a deep breath, Chris shut it all down so he could sleep. He couldn’t do anything to help from the plane, and being exhausted would cause more of a hindrance than anything else.
He’d learned to compartmentalize at a young age, so it didn’t take much for him to drop off, waking right before the plane landed.
Glancing down at the clock as he fishtailed into the driveway, Chris realized that he’d made the thirty-minute drive in about twenty. His teeth clenched, anger going bright behind his eyes as he took in the front of the house.
The door was busted in, top half hanging by a single hinge, the bottom half broken into chunks in the entryway. Slipping his 1911 from its holster, Chris went through the door fast. He’d killed any chance at stealth with the way he’d flown down the driveway.
Quickly clearing the downstairs, Chris was surprised to see three wolves dead in various rooms. Either someone had come to help Isaac, or he’d been forced to do it himself. He was hoping for the former. The last thing the kid needed was more trauma.
Hearing movement from the floor above him, Chris made his way to the stairs, slowly ascending with his weapon held out in front of him. His entire body flushed hot with anger as he overheard the wolf talking to Isaac.
“He’s an Argent, a hunter. You’re choosing him, a human murderer, over your own kind.”
“Thinking like that is how my family justified their murders,” Chris called out, stepping into the hallway. His eyes swept over the scene, a bloody and bruised Isaac, claws extended, fangs filling his mouth as his eyes glowed blue. It must have been him who killed the wolves downstairs.
“Chris,” Isaac growled. “He’s the alpha.”
“Where’s the rest of your pack?” Chris demanded. “Or did you think you could take him out just the four of you?”
“He took them by surprise. That won’t happen with me,” the alpha growled, flashing red eyes at Chris.
“Why are you even here?” Isaac demanded.
Chris watched as the boy inched closer, hands flexing as his eyes shot between Chris and the alpha. He wanted Isaac to stop moving before he provoked an attack, but didn't want to draw attention to his movement either.
“I came to rescue you from the hunters,” the alpha yelled, leaning toward Isaac. “I came to bring you into my pack.”
“Well, I don’t need rescued, and I already have an alpha, so you can get the fuck out.”
“You killed three of my wolves. I’ll just have to take you as a replacement.” His eyes shot to Chris, squinting as a manic glee filled them. “You two will make excellent replacements.”
“I get that English isn’t your first language, but I said I don’t wanna be in your pack. Leave. Now,” Isaac demanded, expression hard though his panic was visible in the constant roll of his shoulders and flexing of his hands.
“No, I don’t think I will,” the alpha responded with a sneer, lunging toward Chris before he could react.
The gun was knocked from his hands, the breath forced from his lungs as his back slammed against the wall behind him. Chris caught the wolf’s jaw in his hands, shoving up to keep his mouth closed. He heard Isaac roar, but couldn’t risk looking away from the wolf attacking him.
Suddenly, the weight pressing him to the wall was gone, nothing left behind but the wet spray of his blood across Chris’s face.
“Did he bite you?” Isaac was frantic, his hands grabbing at Chris’s shirt, patting across his face and chest, pushing and pulling in a panicked search.
“Isaac,” Chris grabbed his wrists, trying to calm him to no avail. “ISAAC,” he yelled, letting out a sigh when the wolf finally focused on him. “I’m ok. Are you?”
“I—I killed them,” Isaac stuttered, glancing at the wolf on the ground behind him. “There are three more downstairs. I killed them all. I—I didn’t have a choice. I swear, Chris. I didn’t. They were gonna kill you. He was gonna bite you, make you a wolf. You’re an Argent. You’d have killed yourself. I didn’t have a choice.”
Not sure which one of them Isaac was trying to convince, Chris grabbed his chin, forcing him to look him in the eye. “I know you didn’t, Isaac. I know.”
Pulling the boy down the hall to his bedroom, Chris gripped his shoulders, pulling him into a quick hug. Clearing his throat, he pulled back and met Isaac’s eyes. “Pack your stuff. You can’t stay here anymore. We’ll stay in a hotel for a few nights until I can find a new place.”
“I’m sorry. Fuck,” Isaac muttered, turning away to rub his face with both hands. “I didn’t mean for this to happen. I don’t even know how they found out I was here. I did what you said. I didn’t go to town, didn’t howl at the moon, hell, I locked myself in the basement for the full moon. I didn’t wanna risk staying up here.”
“You have nothing to be sorry for, but hurry up. They’re gonna come looking for their alpha.”
Chris’s breath caught in his throat as Isaac turned back toward him, eyes glowing red. He’s a kid, Chris reminded himself. It didn’t matter how attractive he was. It didn’t matter that those red eyes in that sweet angel face made a beautiful contradiction. It wasn’t allowed. It wasn’t right.
“I’m their alpha now.” Issac’s dejected voice ripped through Chris, his broken expression making him want to pull the boy close and hold him tight.
“You don’t have to be. Come on. Get your stuff so we can get out of here. We’ll find a cabin in the woods somewhere with no one around. You don’t need to be anyone’s alpha unless you want to.”
Isaac nodded, grabbing his bag from the closet and shoving things in with no finesse.
Watching him, Chris worried about where they’d go, worried about Isaac needing a new pack and betas of his own. He worried about what this would mean for the Beacon Hills pack and Isaac’s ability to go home. Most of all, he worried about how much he wanted this boy and wondered if his new, stronger senses would be enough for Isaac to find him out.
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o
“I wanna come home,” Isaac almost pleaded, eyes downcast as he listened to Scott on the other end of the phone.
You’re an alpha, Isaac. We already have one of those.
“The alpha pack lived together. We could figure it out, right? We could make it work.”
You’re a killer. I’m not letting another murderous alpha into Beacon HIlls.
“Come on, Scott,” Chris interrupted. “You know it’s not like that. This is Isaac we’re talking about. You know he’s not a killer.”
Um, that’s not true. He killed to become an alpha. He’s not welcome here. I gotta go. It’s time for a pack meeting.
Isaac stared at the phone, eyes wet as Scott’s words echoed around the room.
“We could call Satomi or maybe Derek?” Chris offered quietly.
“For what? Derek didn’t want me when I was in his pack, and Satomi isn’t gonna want another alpha around. Just go, Chris. You don’t need to be exiled here with me.”
He loved his daughter, of course he did, but keeping his promise to her was almost impossible at that moment. He wanted to fly to Beacon Hills and put a bullet in Scott’s brain for making Isaac look so dejected. “I’m not fucking leaving until we get you settled. Hell, I might not leave at all.”
“You will. You’ll have to the next time they call for help. You promised, and you always keep your promises.” Rubbing his face, Isaac let out a long breath before pulling himself to his full height. “I’m a fucking alpha. It’s time I start acting like one.”
“I’ll be your pack,” Chris stepped in close, no longer caring if Isaac knew his secrets. He knew Isaac didn’t want to bite anyone, and he needed a pack. He could do that.
“What?” Bringing his hand up to rest on Chris’s shoulder, Isaac’s eyes went wide as he took a deep breath. “You wanna be in my pack?”
“You need someone. I can be that person for you.”
When Isaac’s eyes flared red, Chris knew he was sunk. He had no control over how those eyes affected him. The wolf’s nostrils flared again as want shot through Chris, desire finding a home deep in his gut and taking up residence.
“Do you want to be in my pack, Chris?” Isaac asked again, clearly emphasizing the word want.
“Yeah,” he answered, no longer willing to lie.
“You smell like, um,” Isaac cut himself off, shaking his head. “Never mind.”
“Just say it, kid. Might as well get it all out in the open.” He knew it was wrong, knew that it might make Isaac uncomfortable, but it would be easier to address if it were in the open.
“You smell like sex, like want,” Isaac whispered, leaning in to take another deep breath.
“It’s not something you need to worry about. I know it’s not something you want, and I promise I won’t make you uncomfortable. You need packmates, and I wanna be there for you.” All he could do was hope that the whole thing didn’t make Isaac too uncomfortable to have him. Otherwise, they’d need to find someone else.
The phone clattering to the floor distracted him enough to be completely shocked when Isaac crashed them into the wall, his grip on Chris shifting to his face. The air was pushed from his lungs on impact, leaving him gasping as Isaac brought their mouths together.
It took a beat too long for his mind to catch up with what was going on, so Isaac was already pulling back by the time Chris started to react. “Where you going?” he huffed, still a little breathless from everything that had happened.
Gripping the front of Isaac’s shirt, Chris pulled him back, bringing their mouths together again. The kiss went sloppy, teeth clacking, and tongues warring, as they devoured each other.
Pulling back, Chris’s hands slid up to cup Isaac’s face, emotion swimming in his eyes as they locked with the wolf’s. “It’s gonna be ok, baby. You got me, no matter what. I’m here, and I'm not going anywhere. No exceptions.”
“You want me like this?” Isaac asked, his voice filled with wonder. “Do you really want me to be your alpha? Instincts and all?”
“Yeah, Isaac. You need a pack, and I really want to be that for you. I know your alpha instincts will make you want to provide for me, so we’ll work that out. You take care of me, and I'll take care of you. We’ll do it together. If you want that, we can be together. Belong to each other. I don’t want anyone else.”
“I do. I want that,” Isaac nodded, eyes flaring red as his teeth extended, sinking into the juncture between Chris’s neck and shoulder.
That hadn’t been what he meant, but he couldn’t stop the moan that fell from his mouth. Ecstasy coursed through him as Isaac’s teeth retracted, his rough tongue dragging slowly across the bite. His hips jerked hard in reaction, as Isaac’s name fell from his lips before their mouths crashed together again.
Chris didn’t want to be a wolf, but if he had to be bitten, at least it was Isaac who’d done it. They were going to be pack anyway.
Isaac jerked back from the kiss, eyes wide as he stared at the mark he’d left on Chris’s throat. “I didn’t mean to, I-I’m sorry. I really didn’t mean to bite you. You said you’d stay, and I made it so you couldn’t.”
Rubbing his chest, Chris shrugged, eyeing Isaac. “What do you mean? Why can’t I stay?”
“I bit you, and I’m an alpha. You’ll turn, and you’ll kill yourself. It’s what Argents do. You-you know that. I can’t go home, and I ruined things here. I’m sorry—so fucking sorry.” Isaac swallowed convulsively, trying to hold back his shift.
“Isaac, nothing is ruined, and I’m not going anywhere. I didn’t wanna be a wolf, but if I had to be bitten, I’m glad it was you. I know you didn’t mean to. I figure your alpha instincts just took over. We’ll deal with it. I told you, I’m with you. No exceptions.”
Pressing his palm to his chest, Chris cleared his throat, fighting the urge to throw himself at Isaac. “This pulsing in my chest, is that my wolf? It’s warm. I didn’t expect it to be so warm.”
“What?” Ripping Chris’s shirt off to make sure the bite wasn’t oozing black, Isaac leaned in, taking a deep breath. “No. Um, no. You don’t smell like a wolf yet. You, um, you still smell like sex, but like stronger, more than just that. It’s,” eyes shooting up to Chris, Isaac took another deep breath before he whispered, “It’s almost what Allison smelled like when she was with Scott. Like, um, like mate.”
“Scott and Ali mated?” Chris asked, confused since she’d been with Isaac when she died.
“No, but Derek said it was because they could—that they’d make a good match. It was one of the reasons that Scott got so pissed when me and her, um, never mind.” Isaac probed at Chris’s bite, every press and drag of his finger making Chris squirm.
“Shouldn’t it hurt or something?” Chris wondered, his hips bucking involuntarily as Isaac laid his palm over the mark.
“It’s different. I think something’s wrong.”
“Wrong?” Chris asked, craning his neck to see it. “I don’t feel bad or anything.”
“It’s healed, but there’s a scar. When I was bitten by Derek, mine healed, like it was completely gone. It shouldn’t have left a mark.”
Not wanting to call anyone is Scott’s pack, Chris called Satomi and explained the situation, hoping for an explanation.
“I don’t get what’s so fucking funny. Will I turn or what?” he demanded over her laughter.
If I’m correct, this is much more than a turn, Christopher. Tell me, did you pledge yourself to him? Did you accept his protection and his ability to provide for you? Did you offer yourself to only him?
“I don’t see how any of that is your damn business,” Chris muttered, rubbing his face.
“Yeah,” Isaac interrupted, arm wrapping around Chris’s shoulder to press his fingers into the mark. “Yeah, all that happened. Then I felt this surge. I couldn’t control it, and my teeth were in him before I knew what was going on. Is he gonna be ok?”
It’s a mate bond. You two are connected as mates. Christopher will not become a wolf, because you did not bite him with that intent.
“I didn’t have any damn intent!” Isaac almost yelled, fists going tight at his sides as he stepped away from Chris.
You might not have been consciously aware of it, but unconsciously, your intent was to mate.
“But I’ve, um, mated before.” Rubbing his hands up and down his face, Isaac refused to look at Chris as he finished. “I’ve never had the urge to bite anyone, though.”
Mating is not just sex, young one. Wolves mate for life.
“So, you’re saying I, what, baby trapped him? I mean, like not with an actual kid, but this bite links us for life, just like a kid would.” Isaac shook his head, eyes flashing as he started to panic. “I forced a lifetime committed on someone without their consent?”
The mate bond only takes if both parties want it. You cannot force a bond of that type.
“So, I’m not gonna turn?” Chris asked again, eyes locked on Isaac as he waited.
Correct.
“Is there anything else we need to know?” Stepping closer to Isaac, Chris linked their fingers together, squeezing tightly.
Only that your bond anchors the alpha now, so be careful. If you were to die, he would become feral.
“Got it. Thanks for the help, Satomi. I don’t know if you talk to anyone in Scott’s pack, but do you think you could keep this a secret for us? We’re not ready for them to know yet.”
I have no contact with the Scott, though he does have a lot of contact with my female betas. I will keep what I know to myself.
“Ok, thanks again. We really appreciate it.”
0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o0o
Present time
“Really?” Isaac asked, his voice cracking with overwhelming hope. “You told them I was an alpha and everything, right?”
“Of course I did, baby. They want you home. None of them knew what Scott did, that he told you no.”
Chris explained, carding his fingers through Isaac’s soft curls. “I want you to come back with me. We’re going straight to Atlanta.”
“What about all your stuff?”
“Derek and Lydia packed it up. Derek said they’d drive it out there themselves. They didn’t wanna leave it to the movers since I have so many weapons.” Leaning forward to kiss Isaac’s forehead, Chris met his eyes. “Do you wanna do this? If not, I’ll just stay here. The pack is splitting, so my obligation to them doesn’t exist anymore. There’s only you now.”
“I love you and everything,” Isaac sighed, pushing out of Chris’s grip to sit up. “But I want a whole pack. It’s not that you’re not enough, or whatever, it’s just that you have to leave a lot, and I don’t like being here alone.”
“Then you’ll come back with me. Peter and Stiles will already be in Georgia when we get there. Cora said she’d give it a try and see if it works out. Derek and Lydia are coming, and Malia convinced Parrish to come too.” Dragging Isaac behind him to start the packing process, Chris couldn’t help the excitement that coursed through him. They were going to have a home together, where he wouldn’t have to leave his mate, ever.
“What if I’m not good enough for them, though?” Isaac asked quietly as Chris started unloading a dresser into a duffel bag. “The Hales know what an alpha is supposed to be like, and Stiles and Lydia are really strong-willed. Malia has more animal instincts than human ones. What if I’m not strong enough?”
“The Hales can help you learn. Plus, both Peter and Derek were alphas and really bad at it, so they won’t be able to talk shit.” Smiling at Isaac’s huffed out laugh, Chris leaned in, kissing him lightly. “I’ll help, and so will Stiles. We’ll all work together to make it better this time.”
“Ok,” Isaac nodded, reaching out to catch Chris’s wrist. “I only wanna take my clothes. I wanna keep this cabin for a getaway. We can share it with the pack, or keep it just for us, but I wanna keep it.”
“My mating gift to my alpha,” Chris whispered, pulling Isaac in so their bodies bumped. “I forgot to tell you, I had to put Derek in his place. He called you, his Isaac. You should have seen their faces when they saw my bite.”
“You’re sure they want me as their alpha?” Isaac asked again, pulling Chris’s hair to work his way down his hunter's throat.
Pulling back, Chris fished his phone from his back pocket and scrolled, calling Stiles. Putting the phone on speaker, he cupped the side of Isaac’s throat as they waited.
What’s up? Stiles answered, his voice tinny from the connection. Did Isaac decide to come or what?
“I’m here too,” Isaac answered before Chris could. “I guess I just wanna make sure that you guys are sure that you want me to be the alpha. I don’t know what I’m doing.”
Peter and Derek can help, and you know me and Lydia have done a shit ton of research on how a pack is supposed to work. We got you.
“Peter’s ok with me as the alpha?” Isaac asked, his eyes shooting Chris a worried look. “He, um, hasn’t been the best beta in the past.”
“Is that what you’re worried about?” Chris sighed, leaning forward to rest their foreheads together. “You’re worried about him trying to take the power from you?”
“You mean kill me so he can be alpha?” Isaac remarked, eyes rolling at the way Chris had worded it.
Not gonna happen, Stiles reassured him. He’s not the same person he was when you left. Not to mention, I’d kick his ass, and he knows it.
There was a flurry of noise and some light cursing before Peter came on the line. Isaac, how did you gain your alpha power?
“Um, an alpha tried to bite Chris. He said that he was gonna make him a wolf, and that we had to join his pack to replace the ones I’d killed.” Isaac’s voice wavered, forcing him to pause and swallow back his emotions before he could go on.
As I’ve told Stiles repeatedly, self-defense isn’t murder. If you hadn’t ended them, they would have killed both of you. That’s what they’d come to do.
“Yeah, I get that,” Isacc answered, pulling away from Chris to pace. “It’s just a lot, you know, but Chris told me what happened with Stiles, and I don’t think he did anything wrong. If he wouldn’t have defended himself, he’d be dead. Same thing goes for me. Like, in my head I get that, but—anyway, I know how the Argents deal with alpha bites, so I had to stop it.”
So you killed the alpha to defend the life of someone in your pack, then?
It sounded like a question, so Isaac nodded, answering out loud when he remembered Peter couldn’t see him. “Yeah. I mean, he was gonna die. I didn’t really feel like I had a choice, you know? I’d burn this whole shit down to protect Chris. Hell, to protect anyone in my pack.”
I’d prefer to avoid fire, if at all possible, but I do know, Alpha, Peter replied, his pride in Isaac clear even through the long-distance connection. I know you’re worried because I tried to take the alpha power from Scott, but he wouldn’t have done what you did. Had he been there with Christopher, your hunter would be a wolf now, and we’d have a new enemy. Scott refuses to make the hard choices, and because of that, I refuse to follow him.
Isaac’s throat worked as he tried to swallow the emotions that flooded him. Peter had called him Alpha. He could feel his wolf reveling in the acknowledgment, feel the calming effect that the idea of pack had. It was as if a weight had been lifted from his body.
“Thanks, Peter,” Chris stepped in, slipping the phone from Isaac’s fingers. “We’re gonna pack up and head straight to Atlanta. We figured it was best if Isaac didn’t go to Beacon Hills at all.”
That makes sense, Stiles answered instead of Peter. And Isaac, I miss you, man. It’ll be good to see you.
“Yeah,” Isaac answered, clearing his throat. “I know we have time to talk about it later and stuff, but Chris found me some books on packs. I know you weren’t in Scott’s pack, but if we’re gonna do this, I wanna do it right. You and Lydia, you’d be members of the pack, right? I want you to, if that’s what you want.”
Yeah, man, Stiles answered, his voice a bit muffled. You should ask Lydia yourself, but yeah. I wanna be in the pack.
“Ok, ok, good,” Isaac answered, a huge smile splitting his face as his eyes met Chris’s. “Well, we’re gonna get back to packing. We’ll see you soon.”
Yup, Stiles replied, his voice filled with excitement. I’ll email you the address and stuff, along with the land layout and what we were thinking for housing. There’s a big house a couple of acres into the land, that we’re gonna use until we get the individual ones built. We were thinking you and Chris should live there. It’d be the pack house, so the alpha and alpha’s mate should stay there.
“Cool,” Isaac said, his smile stretching impossibly wider. “Talk to you later!”
Isaac kept his eyes on Chris as he hung up the phone and stepped over to set it on the dresser. “You’re the alpha’s mate, Chris.”
“I’m am,” Chris laughed, reaching out to pull Isaac in. “And you’re the alpha.”
“Christopher Argent, Alpha’s mate,” Isaac sighed, melting into his hunter’s arms.
“If my dad could see me now,” Chris laughed, spinning them to move Isaac to bed and walking backward until the mattress hit the back of his knees. As Isaac sat, Chris stepped between his legs, cupping his alpha's face. “I really do wish he could see me. I want him to know that I’m happy. That I have a man that I love, and a pack that I belong to.”
“He’d hate that,” Isaac offered, his large hands settling on Chris’s waist, pulling him closer. “You don’t just belong to the pack, Chris. You’re second in command.”
“Even better,” Chris laughed again. “I hope he’s fucking spinning in his grave.”
“I know he’s looking up at us from hell, cursing every moment of our happiness,” Isaac shrugged, leaning back to pull Chris onto the bed with him. “I bet our fathers are best friends down there.”
“Now there’s a thought I don’t wanna have right at the moment,” Chris muttered, nipping along Isaac’s throat.
“Then don’t.” Isaac rolled them, straddling Chris and pulling this shirt over his head. “Let’s think about how we feel, where we’re heading, and how fucking awesome it is to have you under me.”
“I prefer you under me,” Chris answered, surging up to flip them before pulling off his shirt. Looking down into Isaac’s eyes, Chris couldn’t help the small chuckle that slipped out of him. “I can’t believe you told Peter you’d burn this whole shit down.”
“I wasn’t thinking about that,” Isaac protested, smacking Chris’s chest with the back of his hand. “But I would, you know. I’d burn the whole world down to keep you safe.”
“I know you would, baby, and I’d do the same for you,” Chris murmured, leaning down to capture Isaac’s lips in a kiss. “Now let me take care of you, so we can get back home and take care of our pack.”