Archive of Our Own

Derek watched Peter, "he's in school, he's fine," he said calmly, since it was clear that Peter was not calm. "We have to trust him."

"I trust him, I don't trust anyone else." Peter was pacing a bit. "And I particularly don't trust our true alpha."

"We didn't tell him."

That was met with a sneer, "but Deaton will have, and he will have said we did it wrong or something, and Scott will believe Deaton over us." Peter's eyes flared red, "I get to kill him."

"Scott or Deaton?" There was a shrug, "It is a hard no to Scott, and a soft no to Deaton." Because honestly he didn't trust Deaton. The man wasn't evil, and he was supporting Scott, but also it felt very different from when the man had worked with his mother. More of his own goals versus the good of the pack. "Stiles will be fine. We have to believe that. And I told Cora she can beat the shit out of anyone who looks at him funny. She said she would have a very loose interpretation of funny."

That seemed to appease Peter a bit, anyways. "He is still recovering, he could have taken a few days off of school. I would have looked after him."

"You mean you would have fucked him stupid."

"Yes, my dick is very healing as we discovered." Peter looked gleeful, "Noah cannot be mad about me having Stiles, because my dick truly saved his life. And it was Noah's idea!"

Peter was clearly never going to let that go, and they were all going to suffer for it. Fine. It had, and it couldn't be denied.

Derek leaned against the table. "We need to make a game plan for the Hale pack."

That sentence got Peter to focus up before he could start talking about his personal plans for Stiles. Derek had been hearing those plans all morning and he honestly didn't want to think about how bendy Stiles was. He didn't quite see bendy as a selling feature the same way that Peter did. In general he had a feeling he and Peter had very different desires in bed.

Derek could not understand why you would want to hurt during sex, their lives hurt enough, what made that fun? Peter had mentioned sex rope, which sounded like it was different than regular rope and he was so confused and he did not want to become unconfused.

"Are we making our move?" Peter asked.

"Not in the way you would prefer." Derek moved over to the table and pulled out a book he had gotten from the vault. He clocked the second that Peter understood what the book was. The scent of heartache and pride coming off Peter made Derek choke a bit. "We begin here." He opened the book sacred to their family, passed down alpha to alpha as they declared their pack.

Laura should have been the one filling this out, but here they were.

Derek held out the pen to Peter, "you have better penmanship than me," he said. Only the pack alpha was supposed to fill this out, but Peter was an alpha too and deserved this moment. When Peter hesitated, Derek poked him with the pen, "Stiles would be disappointed in you hesitating." That got a growl, and honestly having Stiles as a hammer against Peter was going to be handy. Derek turned the book to face Peter, to the blank page.

He watched as Peter pressed pen to the top of the page above the line that said pack alpha. Technically, if Peter wrote his name there, it was done, he'd be the alpha. Which yes, it was a bit foolish to think writing a name could change that, but that was how important this book was; if Peter wrote his own name there, Derek would bare his throat to the man.

That perfect cursive wrote Derek Hale.

Peter Hale was written on the spot for the left hand, with Stiles' name, his proper full name written for emissary. Peter glanced at him and Derek nodded. He hadn't asked yet, but he knew the man would say yes. Noah Stilinski was listed as the right hand.

Betas Cora Hale and Isaac Lahey were next, followed by Lydia Martin.

"She isn't quite confirmed yet," Derek had to point out.

Peter shrugged, "she will. Scott will not understand how to utilize her power and no amount of hatred for me will stop her from wanting to be properly acknowledged and respected."

Derek looked at the names, "it is a good pack."

"It is," Peter agreed. "I'll return this to the vault. There are a couple of things I want to get for Stiles, to help him channel the power he now carries. You should go talk to Noah, if it is written, it must be spoken."

"I know," Derek agreed. "We will have to make formal declaration to Scott soon."

"How do you think he'll take it?" Peter was frowning. "If Stiles does it, fine, but also, maybe not? He is simple, but also casually accidentally cruel. I prefer cruel with intentionality."

Derek huffed a noise of something, perhaps agreement. He didn't mind Scott, but Peter wasn't wholly wrong either. Scott's tunnel vision caused problems, but also he might grow out of that. Only time would tell. And it wasn't the priority right now. "How do I do this?" He looked to Peter for help. "Is there a speech, a contract, Mom's right hand was Dad? Is that how it is?"

"Do you want it to be that?" Peter was giving him a look. "Derek, why do you never shut up about the damn soup?"

"It's good soup," Derek protested, "like really good." He didn't understand why Peter was indifferent to the soup.

"It's not about the soup, you moron," Peter growled. "The soup is a metaphor."

Derek frowned, "it is real, and it has chicken, carrots. You've had a bowl."

"Save me," Peter was holding his face, claws out but not digging in. "The soup is love for them. The esteemed Sheriff gave you love, now what the fuck are you going to do about it?"

"If it is that, it wasn't —" Derek felt lost. "I don't even know." Peter's eyes flashed but then he calmed. "What?"

"You really don't, shit. Is that on me? Talia always did have me be the one to do with it when you all had emotional crises."

"She didn't," Derek protested and thought about it. "Actually, wait, she did. Was Mom bad with emotions?"

"Yes!" Peter shook him a bit. "She was so bonded to all of you that when it was sad or angry or the pathetic wet dog that is the entirety of your existence, she had me deal with it, because she was hurting too much to be of use to you."

"You were really bad at it."

"I am aware," Peter sighed, "fuck I regret like twenty percent of how I handled stuff." There was a snort, "don't look so shocked."

"Stiles really is making you a better person, holy shit."

"No, I am choosing to become a marginally better person to be worthy of him, he would never ask me to change. If he did, I wouldn't be obsessed with him." Peter stepped away, "Okay, won't make you figure out the other aspects. However, you need to talk to him. Today. There are no formal words, no contracts. The alpha asks and the person decides. But I have studied him thoroughly, Derek, he will say yes."

"I want to do it at the house, where he saved me and started all of this."

"Well, I do believe you will want privacy for that, I can manage to keep Stiles busy for a few hours." There was a scent of eagerness on Peter, and Derek would never tell him, joy. Stiles made Peter feel like it was Christmas morning and it was almost adorable. "I need to go to the hardware store, and the sex shop."

"Please stop," Derek begged.

"Never," Peter replied.

Bastard had never said a truer thing.

Derek worked out, read, worked out some more to distract himself from the talk he needed to have that night. Cora and Isaac came home, and joined him for his workout. They seemed to be really bonding, and Isaac wasn't even looking at her ass anymore. They were pack together. And it was great. "Okay, does this mean you are really thinking of going for Allison, because Cora is right there in a sports bra and you aren't even remotely smelling interested."

"Derek!" Cora snarled and leapt at him, they scrapped a bit, rolled on the ground. She got a few decent swipes in, and he pinned her. "Don't be weird!"

"I'm looking out for you! And him! You two would be awful together. I mean, honestly I don't love Allison for him either, she stabbed him!"

"Oh, she finally apologized for that," Isaac offered from where he was sitting on the couch. "Said she realized that Scott said she didn't have to, but that applied to him, not everyone. She has actually been apologizing to everyone, asking how to make amends."

Derek went still. Because she hadn't yet come to him. And he doubted she would. An Argent would never apologize to a Hale. Derek looked at Isaac. "Are you sure about this?"

"I'm sure she is hot, and pretty, and nice when she remembers to be nice."

"Argents and wolves not great," Derek had to point out.

"I know," Isaac shrugged, "but I'm seventeen, I feel like I get to make some bad life calls. And have I mentioned how hot she is?"

"Yes, you have," Derek had to laugh a bit. "If she tries to kill you again, I get to snap her neck."

"Fair," Isaac agreed.

Derek looked at Cora, "are you making a bad life choice due to being seventeen and hot people?"

"Debating it," she agreed, "but not ready to commit to it yet. Will not let you know when I do."

"Thanks," he sighed and got up. "I actually need to speak to the two of you."

He watched them both freeze up, guess they could read the seriousness in his tone. Cora went over to the couch, sat next to Isaac. They pressed against each other a bit. "What's up?" Isaac sounded hesitant. "Are you kicking me out again?"

"No," Derek said firmly, "Never again. You are my beta, my pack, and I won't fuck up like that again."

"Just in all new ways?" Isaac smirked a bit.

Derek had to smile, "something like that." He looked at them, "today I asked Peter to fill in the book." He knew that meant nothing to Isaac, but it meant everything to Cora.

"You did?" Cora looked at him. "And Peter didn't?"

"He didn't," Derek held out his hands, palms up. "In the family history, Peter wrote Derek Hale pack alpha. And he wrote that the two of you were betas of my pack. I know I have been shit, I'm getting better. I'm trying. I should have asked before it was written, but —"

"But you needed to see the names in the book to believe it could be real," Cora said. Her hand was placed on top of his. "My alpha, I am honoured to be a beta of the Hale pack."

Isaac copied Cora and the pack bonds and sensations almost strangled him. He dove forward and hugged them both, scented them until they started pummelling him so they could breathe. Derek pressed his nose to each of their necks before he eased away.

"Peter is your left hand, obviously," Cora said.

"Obviously," Derek agreed.

"Why does Stiles smell different?" Isaac asked. "Like he smells a bit like Peter but also something else. Scott kept sniffing him, scenting him, trying to rub it off, but it wouldn't change."

Derek's eyes snapped to Cora and he growled.

"Hey, your emissary told me to back off, and Mom always said you listen to the pack emissary even more than the alpha! He said it was fine, so it had to be fine." Cora was defiant, "that's how it works."

Derek wanted to curse because of course Stiles had, the idiot. "If Peter smells Scott on Stiles it will be a problem. A messy problem."

"It didn't stick, Scott could not imprint over the scents. Stiles kissed Scott and told him they were brothers forever, and then just walked away?" Isaac looked at him. "What happened to Stiles?"

"When he saved the parents, when they all did? They let something out, only Stiles also let it in. A being of pain and chaos. He was possessed," Derek explained, "A nogitsune."

"Possession is really rare," Cora said. "Like really rare. Trust Stiles to have that happen to him. But you can't do an exorcism like in movies. Generally, you have to kill the host."

"Peter and the Sheriff agreed that was unacceptable. Noah came up with a plan, it worked. The nogitsune was fully absorbed into Stiles, and he became Peter's mate at the same time. So yeah, that explains the change in scent."

"Does that mean Stiles is evil now?" Isaac frowned.

"I mean, he was always kinda evil," Derek had to point out. "Probably why the nogitsune chose him. He had a spark, a bit of magic to begin with. We don't know what absorbing the nogitsune will have done to that and we will need to keep an eye on him. But I trust Stiles." That got him two very flat looks. "Don't think of school Stiles, think of the Stiles who ejected Boyd from the pack." That got pained looks, but eventual nods. "And any problems will be handled by my left and right hands. They are the two people in the world who can control Stiles."

He could see them frowning. "Lydia?" Isaac asked.

"No, Peter would very much not be okay with that." Derek shuddered at that thought. "And Lydia would not be okay working that closely with Peter. Lydia is pack, hopefully, but not that."

"Who else is there?" Cora was clearly counting and at a loss.

Derek couldn't meet their eyes as he muttered the name. Humans ears would not have caught it, but wolf ears did just fine.

"Ohhh," Cora said. "Actually the Sheriff as the right hand, makes a lot of sense. Good call."

Derek had to preen a bit at his beta praising him.

"Isn't he old?"

"Not that old, forty something," Derek said. "And steady, a planner. He sees the world in ways that we don't. When he found out about all of this, it was the most pragmatic response I have ever seen. He offered me grenades to deal with the alpha pack." He watched Cora and Isaac both pause at the thought of grenades. "Exactly," he said. "We are all very reactive people. He is steady, we need that."

"Some Dad energy could be good in here. Dad was Mom's right hand, and he was awesome at it." Cora nodded, "I've only met the sheriff a couple of times, but he was nice."

"He had to talk to me about my dad sometimes. Neighbours called CPS," Isaac curled in on himself a bit. "He wanted to help, but I wouldn't let him, was too scared too. All I had left was my dad."

Derek cupped Isaac's head, let the beta breathe in his alpha. "I've got you, we've got you," he promised. "You two good alone for a while? Peter is distracting Stiles so that I can ask Noah to be my right hand."

"Sure," Cora smirked, "the seventeen year olds can survive a whopping three or so hours alone and oh my god wait you said Stiles and Peter are mates."

Everyone in the room just sat in that information for a couple of minutes.

"Peter is going to kill Scott," Isaac said in a complete and matter of fact this is inevitable tone. Cora nodded in agreement.

"I made him promise not to, and Noah should be able to keep him in line. Why I need to fully confirm him as the right hand." Derek looked at them. "Once everyone is in place, it will all change. Do you understand that?"

"No, but I'm with you," Isaac offered.

Cora just nodded.

"Do your homework, order delivery. I'll be back hopefully with a right hand." Derek left them be and drove over to the Stilinski house. He parked outside the house and the jeep was there, which wasn't great, but also if Peter did squirrel Stiles away, it would be in his car, not the jeep. Noah's truck was in the drive, because he was actually supposed to be off for a couple days.

Maybe when Derek visited he always checked the calendar in the kitchen to know Noah's schedule. It was just handy is all, to know that, to keep an eye on his future right hand. He walked up the front steps, listened. There was only one heartbeat in the house, good, Peter had Stiles in his clutches.

Derek didn't want to think about what said clutching might entail. He took a few breaths and stood there, he couldn't knock on the door, he just couldn't. He went and sat on the porch swing that just a few weeks ago he had assumed he would die under.

He gently pushed a bit and let the swing do its job. He heard the front door open but didn't look over. Noah gave him a bowl, and sat with his own. It smelled good. "Spice level?"

"A medium, crazy spicy doesn't do it for me anymore. Aging, it's fun," Noah said.

It smelled good, "didn't take you for a curry sort of person." Derek ate a spoonful, and it was even better than it smelled.

"Stiles somehow convinced me that it was close enough to chili which he won't let me near ground chuck anymore. But meat, vegetables, tomato sauce, spices. Really is the at the core the same."

"Is there any naan?"

"In the house you were not able to walk into."

"I'm good without it," Derek agreed and ate a few more mouthfuls.

"My house that scary, promise we washed Stiles' lacrosse uniform."

Derek laughed a bit at that. "I know it is completely absurd to be scared to go into your house, but when we go in there and talk, it is going to change a lot of things. I don't respond well to change, even when I am the one changing it."

"What, Derek Hale, is a stubborn son of a bitch? Jesus Jeremiah Bullfrog Christ, who would have ever thought that? But it would explain why Peter gave me a weird look and said he was looking forward to it all. And I don't think he was just talking about whatever he and Stiles are up to right now. Which I do not want to even think about."

"His order from the sex shop wasn't in yet," Derek offered.

"Not as comforting as you think," Noah said. He finished his bowl. "I have low fat frozen yogurt. If you want some dessert."

"That doesn't sound great."

"It is much worse than it sounds, the flavouring is all natural." Noah looked at him, "come on then."

Derek stood and followed Noah into the house. He sat at the kitchen table, while Noah dealt with the dishes. He breathed in, as much as he could because the scent of this house comforted him. And no, the table was too much. Derek went over to the couch and settled into the corner of it, which was better, more casual. Though this should be formal, it was important.

Fuck, he couldn't do this. He had to, it was written in the book, but he couldn't.

"Whatever it is, it really can't be as bad as listening to Peter fuck the evil out of, and sort of into my underage son. That is now my bar, Derek. That is the bar you have to clear."

"I think I clear that," Derek agreed. Noah settled onto the other end of the couch. "Watched any good horror movies lately?"

"Yeah, a couple. For some reason I am working my way through every werewolf movie ever made. You really get the short end of the monster movie stick. Ginger Snaps is solid, the classic American Werewolf in London, Dog Soldiers is fun. But overall, vampires and ghosts are better served."

"There is a Scooby-doo werewolf one, that Mom loved," Derek remembered.

"I'll check it out. Just say whatever it is Derek, it will be better once you just say it."

Derek looked at the man, steady, sure. "Stiles is busy and wouldn't know, we could walk the couple blocks over to the gas station, get an ice cream." Not what he meant to say, but delaying the ask felt like a good idea. He could feel Noah watching him, "what?"

"Nothing, just not quite the question I was anticipating. And sure, if Stiles complains the walk balances it out." Noah grabbed his keys and wallet, shoes were put on and they started walking. They talked about the teens in their lives, about Peter trying to be good.

Derek offered a bit of family history, Noah taught him how to properly pronounce Stiles' birth name. At the gas station he held the door open for the sheriff and they went to the chill case. Derek picked an ice cream sandwich, Noah picked a cone.

At the register, Derek gestured, "both of them," and waved off Noah's protest. "My treat," he said. Once outside they opened the ice cream. "Walk with it back?"

"Derek, you gotta sit on the curb, when you buy someone ice cream, steal every moment until the street lights go on and you have ten minutes to get home before you are grounded." And sure enough, Noah was sitting on the curb and grinning up at him.

Derek hadn't seen a smile like that on the man before, and he smelled so content. Derek felt restless at it, like he didn't fit in his skin, that he wanted to howl. Declaring a right hand was more intense than he realized. He slowly sat down next to Noah. "Never have done this before."

"Well, you are doing it now, and doing it well," Noah replied.

That eased Derek's mind a bit. The lights of the gas station were bright and a person at the pumps called a greeting to Noah, who returned it. Noah's shoulder pressed against his, and he leaned back. "This is good," Derek said.

"Share?" Noah asked and Derek held it up to hand it over, but Noah just leaned over, took a bite. "Mmm," Noah held out his in turn and Derek licked at the cone. It was good. They finished their dessert and Noah wasn't moving. "Tell me something, Derek," Noah sounded serious.

"Anything," Derek swore.

"Is Peter going to get tired of Stiles?" Noah was blushing a bit. "Like is it about claiming innocence or some weird bullshit? He says mate, but what does that mean?"

Derek hesitated, because it was hard to explain to a human. "He won't get tired of Stiles," that part was easy. "Stiles is and always will be everything to Peter. If Stiles chose to walk away from him, Peter would still be Stiles'. If Stiles died, Peter would never find someone else, fall in love again. He might fuck, but it would be about release not about emotion."

"Wolves mate for life."

"Wolves mate for life," Derek agreed. "It isn't. So you know in the movies how when the werewolf takes over it is pure evil? The human wakes up not knowing what they did, oh my god I am a murderer? It isn't like that."

"I figured that part out."

"Everything is heightened when we are in shift, everything we think and feel as a human is just…more. The shift isn't a dramatic change, just an enhanced one."

"Is the wolf the natural state and the human is the shift?"

Derek hadn't been asked that question before. Even Stiles hadn't thought to ask it like that. And it released the tension that he had been holding. He let go of his fear and just asked. Sitting on the curb of a gas station, under too bright lights, shitty music playing inside just barely heard, "Noah Stilinski, will you be the right hand of the Hale pack?"

There was quiet and he froze but when he looked over, Noah was clearly thinking through his answer, not outright rejecting him. That was why he wanted the man as his right hand, because of that thinking. He could wait for the answer.

Or maybe not, with how Peter's car careened down the road, clearly headed to the Stilinski home.

"Go," Noah urged him and Derek ran. He knew Noah wouldn't be far behind, but Derek moved faster. He got to the house and ran inside.

He breathed in and they were upstairs. He went up and they were in the bathroom, Stiles cleaning blood off of Peter. "What happened?"

"Ninjas!" Stiles shouted. "What the fuck, Derek, ninjas happened. Or samurai or something? Weird ghostly guys in hardware with swords. They were clearly coming for me, and Peter got in the way, tried to fuck them up. He could not. Which Peter can fuck anything up. Derek, what the fuck?"

Derek went over, drew Peter's pain. The wounds were oozing black, which was not a good sign. He sniffed but there was no wolfsbane involved. Magic blades. Really not good.

"Oni," Peter explained, "the new girl that Scott is making stupid eyes at, she's a kitsune, she is the answer." His eyes flared red, "her oni went for Stiles."

"I understand," Derek said.

"Well how about you explain it to me," Noah said from the door; he was panting a bit but not too badly. "Stiles?"

"I don't know," Stiles looked panicked.

"Well then you hop on your computer and right now learn if you can negotiate with them or whomever is in charge of them," Noah ordered. "Derek and I will take care of Peter. You find those answers so we can come up with a game plan."

"Yes, sir," Stiles said. He leaned forward and kissed Peter hard, "if you die because of one tiny hit from a sword, I will never forgive you and will piss on your grave weekly."

Derek ignored the waves of arousal coming off of both Peter and Stiles. He nudged and Stiles hurried to his room. "What do you know about this?"

"Oni can be destroyed but it is difficult," Peter said. "Rather than taking them on, it is better to find the person in charge of them, deal with them. Kill them."

"Why would they be attacking in the first place?" Noah asked as a first aid kit was pulled out. "Derek step back." Derek growled and Noah just gave him a flat stare, "Oh you somehow learned how to clean a wound? Because pretty sure you were content to leave dirt and glass in your healing wounds."

Derek whined just a bit at the chide and stepped away from Peter.

Noah was there cleaning the wound, "shh," he soothed, "big bad wolf isn't going to flinch at this trifle are they?"

Peter snorted a bit, "antiseptic won't stop magic."

"Sure, but also don't need all that blood drying around it, pulling at the skin as it heals."

"It won't heal, that's the problem," Peter said. "Until the oni that did it is dead, it will fester and eat me from the inside out. It is a fairly small wound so we have a bit of time, my healing is trying hard, but we likely need this sorted out by dawn. Because I am not leaving Stiles."

"Understood," Noah replied. Derek winced as a bottle of hydrogen peroxide was basically dumped on the wound. "But hey, what we do here might buy you an extra fifteen minutes and that will count."

The wound was cleaned, dried, bandaged.

Peter was looking at Noah and leaned in pressed his nose against the man's throat, and Derek saw Noah's hand lift and rub Peter's hair. "Yeah," Noah said softly, "guess you and I are a thing together aren't we? Few things, actually."

Derek froze a bit at that, because it wasn't a formal declaration but it was something.

They all moved to Stiles' room, and Derek would not comment about how Peter settled on the floor, back against the desk, hand on Stiles' ankle. Noah settled on the edge of the bed, and Derek sat next to him. It was clear that Noah was thinking.

The silence was painful, until Noah simply said, "Stiles." Nothing else.

"Yeah," Stiles agreed with a nod, "Yeah." Stiles pulled out his phone and began to text.

"What is going on?" Peter asked from the floor, "how in one word did you set a whole plan in motion?"

Derek could hear how impressed Peter was by this. And annoyed that that one word wasn't enough for him.

"Someone out there decided we didn't defeat the nogitsune enough and they are coming for me to end it. We need to confront them, explain the situation to them, to see if they will back off." Stiles looked down at Peter. "No matter what, we kill the oni that hurt you, so that you can get better." Stiles' head tilted just a little, "we will do whatever it takes to make you better."

"A fair bit, but not whatever," Noah said firmly.

"Okay, everyone is meeting at the loft," Stiles said. "I told them give us an hour."

"Good, let's go," Noah stood. He disappeared for a moment and came back with his service revolver at his waist and a shotgun in hand. "Grab your bat."

Stiles reached for the bat, helped Peter up.

Derek could only stare. "Umm?"

"Stiles is being hunted, what did you expect?" Noah said. "We have the length of the drive to plan."

"I think you already have a plan, don't you?" Honestly Noah was even better than his dad had been. And he was maybe Derek's right hand. He looked at his people in the room. "I do not deserve any of you."

"No shit, we're awesome," Stiles grinned, "but we're gonna get you there too, big guy. Now let's go stop freaky sword ghost guys from killing me!"

They all piled into Noah's truck, and Noah laid out three different plans, depending on what they learned at the meet up.

"Now now, Noah, we know you have a fourth plan in there," Peter chided.

"That one I am keeping to myself as it is the extreme measures plan, that I would rather not have to need," Noah's voice was calm. His heartbeat steady. "It is the type of plan that I hope I never have to even think of again."

Derek was a bit scared of how flat and calm Noah's voice was, and at the smile on Peter's face. "Stiles."

"Don't worry, Dad has never had to use plan four," Stiles reassured. "I've even only been told about plan four once. It's all good."

Derek hoped so. At the loft they went to the second floor to a space that was empty and had Noah looking around a bit. "Hmm," was all he said as he was poking about. Derek figured he was checking for exits, escapes. "Do you own this room too, or did we break in?"

"I own the whole building," Derek said. He shrugged at the looks that Noah and Stiles gave him. "Uhh, we're rich, didn't I mention that?"

"No, you didn't, okay," Noah nodded, "well we're then fixing this. Because this makes a good pack space. A gym where wolves can work out, teach Lydia and Stiles better hand to hand. Help the betas learn control. Also good for meetings to keep the McCall pack out of your actual home."

Derek could picture it and he liked it. "Do you think I should rebuild the family home?" He wondered sometimes if he should.

"Do you want to?"

"I -" Derek paused, "I should want to."

"But?"

"I don't," Derek said slowly. He looked at Peter. "I don't want that."

"I agree," Peter said. "It is dead, we are going to be different than Talia was. This is a good space to be different in." Peter was looking around, clearly planning. "Yes, there is potential here."

God, Peter thinking about potential was terrifying but it would make them stronger. Cora and Isaac came down, joined them. They were eyeing up Noah in confusion.

"Why does he actually look scary?" Isaac whispered.

"Scary?" Noah smiled, "nah, it's all the shotgun, not me. Makes anyone look intimidating. Now, Stiles, we need to see how much power you have."

"Okay? How are we going to do that?"

Derek and Peter both growled and shifted when that shotgun was raised and pointed at Stiles. They were both in front of Stiles in an instant. They didn't understand when Stiles laughed. "Dudes, chill. But thanks! Nice to know you'll both go apeshit to protect me. Which is what he was really checking."

"I was also seeing if your body language changed any at a perceived threat, but also even if the Nogitsune was still a separate part of you, it would likely know I could never pull the trigger on you." The gun lowered a bit, "but not even a head tilt or flash of eye off of you, Stiles."

"Nah, I honestly don't feel anything rattling in me that is separate. Or evil. Eviler, because we all know I've always been a bit dark."

Derek stared at Noah, "that was cold."

"What will be coming here will be colder," Noah said. "I think we go with plan two."

"What's plan two?" Cora asked, "and yeah it isn't just the shotgun, your face there went all flat. Empty."

Noah smiled and it was affable, sweet, like always. "Do you like horror movies?"

"Yes?"

"Finally, someone with taste in this pack. You'll come over and we'll hang, watch some. I need to get to know the two of you more."

"I don't like horror movies," Isaac said.

"Nah, don't worry about it, we'll hang while they do that," Stiles offered. "You need serious help trying to get enough mojo to land Allison. I got my guy, so I'm an expert on this stuff now."

Derek looked at everyone and glanced at Peter who almost had respect on his face as he stared at Noah. But the bigger concern, was that Peter was sweating, just a bit. The wound was starting to be a problem. "What are we going to do?"

"So in horror movies, if spectral forces attack out of nowhere, it is house built on holy ground, someone who has unfinished business or —"

"Or someone is controlling them," Stiles finished.

"Exactly, and since this seemed clearly aimed at the nogitsune, someone is controlling it. So we need to find who that is and stop them," Noah explained. "Because we handled it fast, the only one to know it was a nogitsune was Deaton. We need to get Scott on board first before we confront Deaton, and yeah, Peter you get to kill him if he is the reason you got skewered protecting Stiles."

"Noah, I have decided we are going to be best friends."

"Oh joy, best friends with my future son-in-law."

"Yeah, we're not getting married, I don't want all that bullshit," Stiles said. "Too much of a paper trail."

"Indeed, I do not need a legal document claiming you belong to me."

"Okay, try that again," Stiles was grinning and that darkness in him was apparent.

"That I belong to you," Peter amended.

"Lovely, now Peter you think the kitsune is responsible for the oni, right? Could Deaton have summoned them?"

"No," Peter said, "a druid could never summon a force like that."

"What if they went evil like that teacher did?"

"No," Peter repeated, "the power set is different, oni would never follow anyone but a kitsune. The girl Scott is now sniffing after is one. We kill her, that should deal with it."

"No," Derek said, "we don't lead with murder."

"Correct," Noah agreed and Derek was pleased, "but we can end with it, if need be." It was clear that pleased Peter. Noah was a good balance. "Now that mountain ash thing, it block oni?"

That got silence. "Maybe?" Stiles said. "On it. But werewolves don't exactly keep a supply of the thing that can hurt them around."

"No, but you do," Noah answered, "don't you?"

Derek's gaze shifted to Stiles who just grunted a reply as he was clearly trying to research on his phone. "Peter, you need to take him to the vault."

"I realize that," was the reply.

"Yeah, it could work," Stiles said after a moment, "but it also could not work, won't know until we try."

Derek listened, "cars are coming." He moved and stood next to Stiles, readied himself. He was shocked and not when Noah moved to his right side and Peter to the left on the other side of Stiles. Cora and Isaac fell in behind them, and it was clear with how they stood that they were ready to pull the humans back, out of danger.

The wolves could hear everyone coming, and it was a lot of everyone. He did enjoy how they all went too far up, it was actually a great idea to make this more a general meeting space, to leave his home alone. Stiles laughed, texted and then all those footsteps came downstairs.

Derek looked at Scott, Allison, Chris, Deaton, Lydia, Kira, even Melissa was there. "Welcome," he said. It sounded awkward. He made it worse by giving a wave.

"Oh boy, that's why you have me," Stiles muttered and stepped forward just a bit. "Cool, so thanks for coming, we have to have a talk. A big talk, a life changing talk. Lydia what side of the room are you on for that talk?"

Lydia was watching them and Derek hoped she was reading whatever it was she needed to read on his face. "What about him?"

"He's not sorry he hurt you, because it brought him back," Stiles said, "not going to pretend he is. But you weren't pack. For pack? He will die."

"I can't promise he won't hurt you ever again," Derek said, because he wouldn't lie to Lydia, "but it would be in service of saving you, saving the pack."

"Also, he has balance now, he has us," Noah offered. "This is a proper pack with full structure. Left hand, right hand, emissary. Under Alpha Derek Hale."

Derek swallowed as Noah's pack bond slid into place, he could almost see it and more importantly see the bond that formed between Noah, Stiles, and Peter. He closed his eyes at the rush of power, wanted to howl, but didn't. He let out a breath. "True Alpha McCall, do you acknowledge the Hale pack?"

"Huh?" Scott frowned as he looked at them all. "No?"

Everyone in the Hale pack made a noise, wolves growled, Noah snorted, Stiles shouted a bit.

"I just mean, why can't we all be a pack together?" Scott was frowning. "Aren't we stronger if we are together?"

"I can't trust you," Derek said bluntly. Which didn't that get the saddest puppy eyes from Scott ever and he felt a bit guilty. "I don't mean it like that."

"I do," Peter offered and stepped forward. Everyone expected Peter to start doing a villain monologue or something but instead the punch landed before anyone saw it coming. "Why are oni after Stiles?"

"What?" Scott shouted, "why are rice balls after Stiles? How can rice balls be after Stiles?"

"Oh buddy," Stiles was smiling as he went over and shoved Peter away. He checked the nose which had been broken; it was taking just a little longer to heal because alpha hits were like that. "I love you so much. Oni are like ghost samurais, and under the control of a kitsune. So when you thought I smelled weird and tried to fix it and couldn't, what do you do?"

"I told Kira about it, because her hugs make everything better."

That was adorable, Derek wanted to coo, especially because Kira was obviously both in shock and delighted at that phrasing.

"And what is Kira?"

"I didn't summon them, I just found out I had any powers at all like a week ago. My mom —" Kira froze. "My mom," she repeated.

"Your mom is also a kitsune," Peter said, "and they are under her control. Where is she right now?"

"Home?"

Derek heard something , a wind where there shouldn't be. He growled and reached forward, pulled Peter, and Stiles back. "Ash," he called out.

"Hope this fucking works," Stiles said and opened the small bag.

Derek watched him fling a bit in the air and when it slammed down, a circle was formed around the Hale pack.

"Impressive," Noah said.

Everyone in the room stayed still as six oni manifested.

"That's the one that stabbed me," Peter pointed.

"How can you tell?" Noah asked but the shotgun was pointed at the one in question.

"I can smell my blood on his weapon," Peter shrugged, "I guess apparitions don't worry about rust on their weaponry. Their master really should have them do better than that."

"Right," the blast of the shotgun was loud next to him, it went into the oni who didn't even flinch. "Answer one, bullets do nothing. You slashed it so that didn't work either right?" That got a nod of acknowledgement from Peter. "Stiles, you are up."

"Sticking with plan two?"

"For now."

Derek watched Stiles who seemed to be centering himself. He had no idea what plan two was.

"Scott," Stiles said softly. "I'm sorry."

"For what?" Scott moved closer but was on the other side of the mountain ash; he looked so sincere and worried. "Did you do something bad?"

"No, I survived, but to you, probably not great." Stiles held a hand up and Scott matched it on the other side of the barrier. "Scott, buddy, you are a great true alpha, and I mean it, we're going to be brothers forever, but I can't be your pack. Derek needs me."

"I need you."

"To be your best friend, always and forever," Stiles swore, "but you have hunters in your pack, and Deaton. That's great for you, you all are going to be noble and care so much about protecting people. You are going to protect the people of this town, okay?"

"What are you going to do?" Scott asked.

"What you won't, what you can't," Derek said. "You keep people safe, we will protect the land, and we will deal with the dark."

The oni were just standing still watching them all. Waiting.

"Kira, call them off, I'm not the nogitsune," Stiles said.

"They aren't me."

"When I was telling Kira that Stiles smelled funny, that I needed to get him to understand that dating Peter was a bad idea, her mom walked by," Scott said, "Stiles, Peter is really bad for you."

"I know," Stiles smiled and there was just a small bit of head tilt, that stillness that was now a part of him, "and I am absolutely bad for him. I love him, Scott, and you won't change that. He is my life and my death if it is needed. He is going to make me bleed, and I will do the same to him and we will drink it all up, and it is going to feel so very good."

"See that isn't you, you are possessed!" Scott looked horrified.

Derek was too, if he was honest, he couldn't understand the need for that relationship, but also he would never stand between mates. He kept an eye on the oni, confused as to why they weren't attacking. He still didn't quite understand plan two, whatever it was but he didn't like how exposed the McCall pack was. "Stiles can you protect them do?"

"Nope, not that strong, and don't need to, because plan two is well on its way."

Derek watched as Lydia stepped up, kissed Allison's cheek. "I'm sorry," she said. She walked to them and crossed the mountain ash line, until she was in front of him. "I get one free scream at Peter."

"Agreed," Derek didn't even think about it. "Welcome to the Hale pack," he said and hugged her tightly.

"Now, kiddo," Noah said.

"Yeah," Stiles agreed. His eyes went to the open loft door. "You can come in you know, don't have to linger out there."

Derek watched an older woman walk calmly in. Attractive, a natural confidence that he couldn't even fathom. She had that surety, that conviction that his mother had had. It also explained why the oni weren't attacking.

"Hello, Alpha Hale," she said politely. "I do not wish for war between all of us. Hand the nogitsune over, and this can be done."

"There is no nogitsune," Stiles said. He gave a bit of a bow. "If there really was, they would have killed Peter and I when they attacked but they were confused. Unsure, so they pulled their hits. Now that one did stab Peter and since I like my mate alive, you will destroy him. Or I will."

The cold flatness that Stiles said that with had Scott stepping away a bit.

"And that is the nogitsune talking," she did look sympathetic. "You might believe you have it controlled, but it is planning, lying in wait. It must be destroyed."

"It was," Peter growled, Derek didn't need to over to know he had shifted. "It is fully absorbed into Stiles, it cannot take over again."

"You cannot know that, it is impossible."

"Yeah, well sorry, but the nogitsune hadn't ever dealt with me before," Stiles grinned and held out his hands. "It picked the best and worst possible host for itself."

There was a sigh beside him, "some humility kid," Noah said. "Now here is the plan," he began, "you can sense the nogitsune correct?" There was a nod of acknowledgement. "Stiles is going to step outside the barrier and you, your oni, will read him, see if we are telling the truth. And when you realize we are, you will sacrifice the oni who harmed Peter in apology for the damage you attempted to wrought on the Hale pack."

"And if we feel the nogitsune is real and active in this child? I will not stop because of his age. I will see him dead."

"If the nogitsune is real, we will switch to plan four," Noah's voice was calm, "you would not like plan four, but at the end of it, so help me Jesus and all his favourite pokemon, my son and the Hale pack are still standing."

"Sheriff, you would choose to harm this town by leaving evil free?"

"No, but evil isn't free, so I'm not too worried. Don't think we need plan four."

"I really want to know what plan four is," Peter whispered.

Derek really did not want to know.

"I'm sorry, Stiles," Scott was looking panicked, "you can't be evil."

"Eviler," Lydia chimed in, "he was always a little bit evil."

"I said that," Derek had to smile, "I am glad you joined us, nice to have someone with some sense in the pack." He looked at Stiles. "I trust you. I believe in you completely."

"Of course you do, you couldn't do this without me," Stiles replied and he drew a fist, all the mountain ash drawn to him. It turned into the pouch and he put it in his pocket. He was immediately surrounded by the oni, and Derek quickly put a hand on Peter's shoulder. To steady himself, to hold Peter back. He glanced over but Noah looked completely calm.

"So, Chris, how's it going?" Noah asked as he walked over to the other adults. "You Scott's right hand?"

"No," Chris said. "Shouldn't you be more concerned with the fact that they are about to kill your son?" Chris was clearly reaching for a gun, and Noah put a hand on the man's shoulder. "I don't understand," Chris said after a moment.

"Okay yeah not a good right hand, maybe Melissa? I told you, it's fine. Peter fucked the evil out of Stiles. Or deeper into Stiles. Hard to figure out the actual metaphysics of it all. But it is fine."

"How can you be sure?" Chris was staring at him. "You've been in this world for a handful of weeks, and you think you know more than us?"

"No, but I think you are so caught up in all that knowledge and background that you can't expand your mind to alternate game plans. Sometimes you gotta think outside the box. And I know my son is fine, because Jesus was actually a shit carpenter Christ, he is Stiles."

Derek looked over at Stiles who was completely calm surrounded by the oni, who were frozen in confusion. A couple had weapons drawn, but they weren't pressing forward. Kira's mother moved forward to Stiles and she also seemed confused.

Which honestly, was a not uncommon reaction to Stiles as it was.

"What did you do?" she breathed out in horror, "how did you do that?"

"Ask Deaton," Stiles smiled and glanced over, "be that spark, am I right?"

All eyes shifted to Deaton. "I was just trying to be motivating," Deaton was clearly a bit at a loss. "I didn't think you actually had magic."

"Well I did, a little bit, it was enough, I guess?" Stiles shrugged, "and here we are. Nogitsune was tired, like honestly it kinda sucked for the thing. It was evil and chaos and pain, but did it create it, or did we create it and then call it bad?"

"No it was pure evil," the woman said completely matter of fact. "But…" She gestured and the oni all pressed in on Stiles but they made no move to kill him. "It is not separate in you, it is not awake. We cannot feel it the way that we have before."

"Stiles," Scott was almost hugging himself. "What did you do?"

"Dad said, we just sorta became one. I'm still me, Scotty. Just a little extra power, that might go darker than you would like. But Peter will help me control that."

"Or unleash it to kill us all and take over the territory," Scott said, "You know he is scheming something."

"I am," Peter agreed, "but all my schemes are to protect my pack. Everything I am serves our emissary's whims, and he will never want you dead, so you will never die."

"That was not as reassuring as you might have intended, Peter," Chris said.

"Chris, unless you want to talk about the possibility of a threeway with me and Stiles, do shut up," Peter growled.

Derek winced and saw Noah do the same. Peter was not helping at the moment. He squeezed Peter's neck and realized how much pain he left hand was starting to be in. He took the pain, "Stiles, Peter is hurting. It is getting bad."

"Stiles, stop playing with your food and finish the damn plate," Noah said. "Hey, Mel, so I am still incredibly pissed off at you, but we will have to co-ordinate between the two packs to make sure that everything goes smoothly. I am thinking an every other week coffee, just to make sure we don't run into any problems."

"I -" Melissa was frowning at him, "what is wrong with you, right now?"

Derek snarled, low, a full alpha sound, and his eyes flashed. "Do not insult my right hand," he managed to say around the teeth that were starting to elongate.

"Dude, chill, they just don't understand our pack," Stiles reassured. "Are we done here?"

"We are…I will be watching you, Stiles, and if the balance in you changes, I will not hesitate."

"Cool, neither will I," Stiles said. Derek watched him turn and punch an oni. It should have done nothing, but the oni went down. The others disappeared, called back to wherever they went, but Stiles was just wailing on the one, until it cracked apart, a light that shone brilliantly and then vanished.

"Mom!" Kira shouted as she ran over to where her mother had fallen.

"Stiles!"

"My dad was clear Scott," Stiles gave a sad smile to his friend, "it was going to die in payment, and to save Peter." Stiles went over and hugged Scott, "this is why I can't be your pack, Scott, because you would never be able to do that."

"It's wrong," Scott said but he was hugging Stiles tightly. "What am I going to do without you?"

"Not going anywhere buddy. Our packs are going to work together, but everything you can't do because you are a good boy? We will never make you do, but the flip side is that when something needs to be done, you are going to turn your back so you don't see it, okay?"

"Okay," Scott agreed. "I will never like Peter."

"That's fine," Stiles swore and kissed Scott's temple. He strolled over and looked at Peter, "you good?"

"I am,"Peter reassured.

Derek gestured and Noah moved over to him. "McCall pack, pack of the true alpha, we acknowledge you and your role in the territory." He waited, but they weren't saying anything. Because they didn't even know what they were supposed to say. "Do you acknowledge us?"

"Oh," Scott nodded, "we do?" He cleared his throat, "we do," he said firmly.

"Good boy," Stiles made finger guns. "Deaton since you are the closest he has to an emissary, you and I will meet, draw up the formal agreements."

Deaton nodded in acknowledgement.

"Two packs have never worked in a territory before," Chris pointed out.

"They hadn't met us," Stiles answered back.

Derek was so unbelievably proud of his pack, they were magnificent and he hoped he was equal to this. He went over and held out his hand to Scott, who being Scott ignored it and hugged him. Derek hugged back.

"Great, now I am tired, so I think we're calling this to an end. Any meetings will be held in this space, the McCall pack no longer has access to Derek's private space. I will be writing out a list of rules of conduct for everyone, to make sure that everything goes smoothly," Noah moved in front of Derek a bit. "And to the Argents, you will not be welcomed in any Hale territory after this, until you both apologize to the Hales."

"For what?" Allison asked.

"Jesus won't save a bitch like you Christ, for attacking him without cause!" Noah roared. Derek watched several people, even wolves flinch. "For all the harm that you caused his pack. At its core, your behaviour was a part, not everything but a part of getting Erica and Boyd killed. You got my son, his emissary shit kicked into next week. You were weak, and callow, and beyond anything else a bad hunter who followed no code."

"Hey," Scott growled, "that's enough, she isn't to blame."

"Peter," Noah said and Derek cursed as Peter punched Scott again. "Chris Argent, you also need to apologize because I am aware of how you treated Derek when you arrived, when he had done nothing."

"I am sorry," Chris said.

It was more than Derek thought he'd ever get.

Allison wasn't apologizing though.

"If you choose to be silent, know that that silence damns you and any potential you have in this world," Noah said, "you want to be treated seriously, like an adult? Then own yourself."

"I'm sorry," Allison couldn't look at any of them.

It wasn't great, but it was something.

"Well, hasn't this been fun?" Lydia said. "I think the McCall can leave now?"

"They can," Noah agreed.

"Totally, but I am planning a huge party, to celebrate two packs taking care of Beacon Hills," Stiles said. "Full epic potluck, who's in? Come on, it will be great, this will all be great."

"Stiles, are you sure about all of this?" Scott asked.

"Yeah, buddy, this is how it is going to be and we're all going to figure it out. You get to be the heroes, and we'll be the dark that keeps the worst at bay."

Scott nodded, and they all left; Derek noticed the lingering look that Allison gave Lydia and a different look to Isaac.

But then the Hale pack was alone.

"Oh fuck, that actually worked," Stiles began to laugh hysterically, "and I killed a ghost samurai thing." He stumbled over and Derek watched Noah wrap his son in a giant hug, as the laughter turned to sobs. A soothing hand was rubbed up and down Stiles' back as the teen let out everything he had held in during that confrontation.

"What was plan four?" Peter asked.

Derek was relieved when that question was ignored.

"Peter?"

Derek turned because that had been Lydia and oh fuck. Guess they were doing this.

"Yes?" Peter was smirking a bit. "I believe you said you were going to scream at me?"

"No," she smiled, "I won't. You will never know when your death is coming, because even if it chokes me to death, I will never scream for you."

Derek shivered and he caught the flinch that Peter gave. "I know you will not appreciate this now, or maybe ever, but I was a part of making you magnificent, and I will always be a bit smug about that."

"Alpha, if you please?" Lydia asked and he had to support his betas, so he punched Peter on Lydia's behalf. Peter shook it off but didn't fight back. Derek nodded to Lydia and saw that Cora was watching Lydia the way Isaac watched Allison, the way Peter watched Stiles.

"Why are you all so damn horny?" Derek whined and he didn't even care.

But that cut all of the tension in the room and everyone began to laugh.

"Lydia, you need a ride home?" Noah asked.

"No, I came separate in my car, I knew I wouldn't be leaving with Scott."

"Okay, you text Stiles when you get home so we know you are safe, alright? Cora, Isaac, since you just have to go a floor up, won't worry about you. Now I am fine with all you kids calling out sick tomorrow, because tonight was a lot, but you have to make up any work you miss, is that clear? Peter, you sneaking in to cuddle Stiles all morning, after all of this made you scared he might get taken away from you?"

"I am scared of fuck all," Peter snarled.

"Uh-huh," Noah rolled his eyes. "Derek, I think I need to say something?"

"No, you've said it all," Derek looked at them. "We're a pack. Beacon Hills is once again protected by a Hale pack."

As he said the words a ripple went through the room, and he could feel the preserve calling to him, telling him to come and play. To run. To hunt. He glanced at everyone and all the wolves clearly felt it as well.

"Correction," Noah said, "Christ on shitty gas station candle, we are all going to commune with nature and magic and then we'll go home and sleep. But I am not running, that's how I blow out a knee or trip and mess up my back."

"I am happy to walk, or even amble through the woods with you," Lydia said.

Derek looked at his pack, and they all looked at him in turn. "Let's go," he said.

And he was followed.