Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Stiles thought everything was going so well, he thought he was with the love of his life. Derek said forever, Derek said mate which even meant forever. Yet here they were breaking things off and Derek kicking Stiles out of the Hale house, leaving the young boy alone. The entire pack was cutting him off and it sucked. It sucked because only a year and a few months prior his dad had passed away.

It was hard on Stiles, really rough and it beat him down. His whole life surrounded that man, surrounded that pack. Everything he did and everything he knew was revolved around that pack. He knew it was bound to happen when the two of them ended up deciding this needed to stop, that they needed to stop. They ended it, their relationship. Stiles had expected some comfort from his friends but they never showed up. Slowly but surely the texts were ignored, the phone calls went unheard and he was losing his best friends. Scott, who he had known since elementary school, who had been his best and only friend for a good part of his life wasn’t in his life anymore. Issac no longer cuddled him at night, scenting him and reminding him how much he smelt like home, like pack. Jackson and Erica no longer needed his assistance in breaking up a fight, sitting down quietly and humming in content when he gave them each a mug of his special hot chocolate. Boyd no longer talked to him about his problem and let Stiles ramble on when he felt Boyd needed to know he wasn’t alone anymore. It sucked and when he realized he wasted his life on helping these werewolves, on assisting them with their problems and they weren’t going to return any of it, he trashed his old room at his fathers house and made the phone call to move up to New York in hopes for a better life. The apartment was his, the job was his and he would have to start all over, with some of his life gone and wasted he’d have to try his best to get over the fact he had nothing and no one. Not since his father died.

When he arrived at the Hale house with a moving truck he had expected his stuff on the porch in boxes. He sighed when it wasn’t and pulled out his key, entering the empty house. The wolves must’ve been on a run. Not that he minded, he just wanted to grab his clothes, laptop, TV and dresser. Derek could have the rest, obviously. Even if they both paid for it. He didn’t want to fight with Derek, they had done enough of that over the years they’d been together and even more over the years they knew each other. He wrote a note and left the key on the coffee table when he was done. He smiled lightly at the picture of him and Derek with the pack around them.

“Stiles?” Erica asked, looking at him, tears in her eyes.

“Hey, Catwoman, long time no talk.” He looked to his watch. “I gotta get going, my flight leaves in two hours. Hey, listen if any of you ever need anything, remember I’m just a phone call away.” Part of him wanted to be bitter, to hate them for leaving him, but another part of him, the part that had come to call them family, the part that needed them knew he couldn’t. He’d be back in a second if they called and they’d beat him down again and again. He knew that too.

“Stiles.” He walked past her biting back his own tears at losing everything he’s known and drove the car away, with a small frown. Of course, he’d lose his home, his life and his best friends in this break-up. Part of him knew he’d be able to find a better life, maybe never replace the old one. He didn’t think he could top the life he had here. He knew he would never find someone he loved the way he loved Derek. He could never replace the pack that had come to be his family. He couldn’t replace them and they all had a special place in his heart.

The flight was long, he listened to his music the entire way, hoping to ignore the pain that stabbed in his chest. He didn’t want to think about the life he was leaving behind. He couldn’t even think about how bad it hurt to see the people that claimed to love him ignore him, turn their back on him. Not when he’s done so much for them, not when he cared this much about them. He never wanted to be alone, was always afraid of being alone, yet here he was on a flight to New York, alone, with no one who would be waiting back home for him. He didn’t have that pleasure anymore. He wasn’t going to wake up curled next to Derek in the morning, kiss him on the lips, say goodbye to the pack and come home to loved ones that missed him.

And it sucked to know there was only one reason he was alone, one reason he lost everything. The only reason he was losing his friends, the only people he had left in his life was because the man he loved, the man he was losing was also their Alpha. Their leader and without him they’d be fresh meat in a butchers shop. Without Derek who knows what would have happened to them but they used to say the same thing about Stiles. They used to tell Stiles they needed him, that without him they’d be no where. It didn’t matter though that didn’t change the fact, didn’t change how they could never chose Stiles over Derek, never.

Chapter Text

When Stiles left Beacon Hills he had no intention of finding a boyfriend or girlfriend after everything that had happened with Derek and the pack. He felt it would be safer to worry about work and not about not being alone. He didn’t want to be alone but it didn’t bother him as much as it used to. He had more money, a higher end job, a huge loft and a vacation house(his home back in Beacon Hills which he couldn’t let go of). There was a Starbucks just between his work and his home that he stopped at every morning and several times after for some much needed coffee. A barista who worked there had slowly worked his way into Stiles’ heart. He had blond hair and great blue eyes with the most gorgeous smile Stiles has ever seen. It started with simple ‘good morning’s and went to flirtatious winking faces on his cup with ‘Brett’ written above a number to a few flirty conversations. Yet no matter how attractive Brett was or how willing Stiles was he never called the barista. Somehow though, his life was a magnet for the supernatural when he was attacked on his way home from a late night at work by the freakiest looking creature he had ever seen. The fight didn’t last long when a roar sent the creature running. Stiles looked up and saw red-eyes. His heart skipped as he thought of his lost love and pack.

“Please don’t be scared.” Stiles recognized that voice anywhere. Brett the barista was a werewolf. Stiles was a werewolf magnet. Stiles smiled lightly and nodded.

“My last boyfriend was an Alpha too…I’m not scared of you.” Brett took him to the werewolves house which was much bigger than any barista’s house he’s ever seen. At the time he had wondered if it was a huge pack or they all had high end jobs aside from their Alpha. Brett tended to Stiles’ wounds and Stiles finally gave into the flirting and called Brett the next day after work. Two weeks into casually dating Brett introduced Stiles to his pack. Which before Stiles only consisted of Aleysha, Telisa, Jefferson and Dominic. Aleysha is his second, she was tall and beautiful, long brown hair falling over shoulders. Her brown eyes flashed yellow at the scent of him and she became his best friend.

Dominic is a buff Hispanic man with green eyes and brown spiked hair. Telisa and Jefferson are the youngest of the pack and filled with so much energy it was ridiculous. Telisa has wild blond hair and beautiful green eyes with plump pink lips Stiles only saw frown once. Jefferson has curly short brown hair and brown eyes that lit up at the sight of Stiles.

Andre was half African-American, half Some-other-white-race(as he so perfectly described it) with blue eyes and a buzz-cut. Karen and David were the two newest to the team. David had fiery red hair and blue eyes that darted in panic but fell to bright. Karen had black hair with hazel eyes. All three of which Stiles introduced to Brett.

Five years after the attack they were married. Stiles had a husband and a pack. The Alpha, one who spoke of mating as though it were a code never to be broken, sacred almost and Stiles, who Brett claimed was more than his mate, honeymooned in Paris, London and Tokyo. Stiles’ eyes never dulled and his smile never faded. They would walk hand in hand, be cutesy in public and freaks behind closed doors of their hotel rooms. Brett would watch amused and smile as Stiles rambled on, not forcing his lover to ever get to the point, simply enjoying the sound of Stiles heartbeat and voice. Stiles would blush and ramble on when he saw the admiration in Brett’s eyes, one he’s never gotten before, that made his heart beat heavily in his chest, even now. They got their rings charmed so that when one of them was in pain and the other couldn’t heal them or take away their pain, gripping the golden bands and concentrating helped. They never used them.

They had many battles during their years in New York together and Brett was almost the perfect Alpha. He had connections in many places due to his family and emissary Jordan. A lovely female with brown eyes and brown hair but a smile or scowl that would give you any emotion she wants you to feel. When another pack was in town Brett confessed werewolves weren’t so territorial as they were possessive. They were territorial when it came to pack but land was only if pack or home was being threatened. His Alpha form was so gorgeous. He had a beautiful gray coat with a white underside and paws, his eyes a brightly burning red. Stiles was never afraid to show how much he cared for the wolf by running fingers through the smooth fur. He would bury his face in the fur and cry when he feared for his lovers life. The wolf would simply nuzzle him back and reassure him everything was okay.

It wasn’t until one night a few years into their marriage did his world take another rough hit. Hit after hit of facing death was nothing because come a day or a few days later and the two were perfectly happy in each other’s arms again. He was asleep in his lovers arms when his phone went off. He grumbled at the ring tone and hit it repeatedly before tumbling to answer it. Brett smiled at his husband and tilted his head amused.

“M’ello?” He mumbled, yawning and burying his head in his husband’s chest as he kicked his feet, nudging Jefferson, who grunted and bared his teeth causing Brett to chuckle and Stiles to roll his eyes but smile fondly at the sleeping wolf.

“Stiles?” Stiles furrowed his brows trying to place the voice, it was familiar yet so foreign. “Is uh…Stiles there?” He blinked before it hit him.

“Scott?” He muttered, sensing Brett tense under him, he responded by running his fingers lightly over the man’s tan skin, tracing the abs on his stomach. “Hey, what’s up?”

“It’s uh…we…Issac’s sick.” Stiles sat up and it was his boyfriends turn to try and calm him. Jefferson shot awake, looking towards his Alpha and his Alpha’s mate. Panic was clear on Stiles face of the news of Issac’s sickness.

“What-what happened?”

“We don’t know. We were…we got attacked by some hunters and he’s not…he’s not healing. He’s not getting better. Lydia is…she’s trying her best but she can’t…Deaton says he needs a spark if he is going to live.” He rubbed a hand over his face and Jefferson whined, nudging Stiles ankle with his fingers, hoping to get his ‘mom’s’ attention. Stiles looked to him and Jefferson nodded. Stiles licked his bottom lip and sighed.

“I…uh…I have a family Scott. I’d have to bring them with me.” Because they weren’t just Stiles’ pack, he never even referred to them as pack, in fact, when another group of werewolves asked for the Alpha of his pack he had been confused and said what pack. They thought he was messing with them until Aleysha laughed and explained they weren’t as much a pack as they were family. They were Stiles’ family now. They were the best thing that’s ever happened to him.

“You’re house hasn’t even been touched, they can stay there. Please…” Scott’s voice cracked. “I can’t lose Issac too.” Stiles nodded understanding as he threaded his hand with Brett’s. After losing his mother, his father and then the pack Stiles didn’t know what he’d do if he lost his family here. Brett kissed his lovers knuckles, calming the younger man slightly.

“Yeah, we’ll head out first thing in the morning. Just uh…I’ll meet you at…I’ll meet you at your moms.”

“Thank you.” Stiles nodded and hung up with a bye, placing the phone back on the nightstand. Brett immediately pulled Stiles to his chest, nuzzling his hair while the shorter boys face was pressed against his chest.

“This is why I love you.” Stiles smiled and nuzzled his husbands chest, who chuckled. “I’m serious, you do everything for our beta’s. You’re so selfless and brave, you’re perfect.”

“Far from it, now, start packing, we need to get them.” Stiles pulled away and kicked at Jefferson again who whined but got up to go get the rest of the beta packed and ready. Brett smiled at him and laid down. Stiles leaned over and kissed his lips. “Don’t you wanna see where I grew up?” Brett smirked into the kiss and nodded. He sat up and rubbed his eyes as stiles slipped from the bed. Lightly slapping his husbands ass the Alpha got out of bed to join the brunette for a shower.

Chapter Text

The plane ride was filled with anxious pups. Some nervous and some excited to see Stiles' birth place. Stiles calmed Telisa, who kept bouncing her knees in fear. He rubbed his thumb on her knee, smiling to her reassuringly. When they landed, the two youngest Jefferson and Telisa were bouncing in excitement to see their pack mom’s old home. Dominic and Andre acted like they didn’t care. David and Karen latched onto their Alpha, having the least control around so many people in small towns…around people in general. Aleysha threw her arm around Stiles’ shoulder and grinned. Stiles rolled his eyes but smiled at his best friend.

“A nobody from nowhere to our pack mom in New York.” She nuzzled his cheek and he nudged her back with a small smile. She beamed up at him and stuck her tongue out, teasing him lightly. He glanced to the bouncing, young kids.

“I can’t wait to see his bedroom.”

“I just can’t wait to see his house.”

“I bet he has an amazing kitchen.”

“We’ll have to go shopping so he can make us food this week.”

“Ohhh or maybe he’ll take us out to eat!”

“You think? Oh my god! We can go out to eat, please Stiles, please.”

“Teli, Jeff! Calm down, we need to get out bags first” Brett told them, chuckling and pulling away from his two freaked out pups who were quick to grab their bags and inhale their pack, calming the twisting in their stomach. Stiles ran a hand through each new wolf’s hair and smiled at them, reassuring them that they would be fine. He liked to tell them they could control it, but they were still hesitant to believe it. Stiles hurried his pack out and led Brett to a dealership near buy, where his husband bought three cars for them. Stiles leaned up and pecked the blonde’s cheek before smirking lightly.

“You know, when I promised to marry you I thought you’d be the trophy husband.” Brett smiled and cupped Stiles cheeks, meeting honey brown eyes.

“You know when I asked you to marry me I thought…yum a treat.” He flashed his fangs and Stiles laughed and shook his head. “Don’t judge people Stiles. I liked working at Starbucks. Plus we’d have never met my dear.”

“Don’t say that!” Aleysha cried, throwing her arms around her two Alpha’s while the rest laughed. Brett handed keys to Karen and Dominic, before leading his husband into theirs.

It wasn’t long until they are settled in, loving the home, scenting every room, except John’s which smelt like John still so they sat outside of the door and enjoyed the smell of their ‘pack mom’s’ father. Stiles had smiled when he saw the place, tracing fingers over every area until he found his father’s bedroom where he paused. He lets the wolves scent the place while he sits on his computer chair in his bedroom. Once they are positioned and calm he decides to leave and meet Scott.

“I’m gonna go meet up with Scott, okay?” He looks to them and smiles. Jefferson is unconscious against Dominic who is scowling and holding Telisa’s hand. David and Andre are laying their heads on Aleysha’s thighs and Brett is currently scenting his bed in a ridiculous manner. Stiles shakes his head and laughs at his husband who smiles back. Stiles winks and heads into the hall.

“Don’t let that asshole replace me!” Aleysha yells startling Jefferson, who looks around. Dominic’s hand shoots out to calm the youngest wolf who sinks back down to the scowling man’s lap.

“Never in a million years, sexy.” Stiles reassures his friend with a smile.

“HEY!” Brett yells, looking up from Stiles’ bed, outrage clear on his face. Stiles smiles and winks at him.

“Shut up Brett, you get enough compliments for the whole litter.” The wolves howl with laughter before wishing him good luck. Stiles turns down Brett’s offer to come, and kisses his lip saying he’ll come right home so they can take the kids out to eat. Brett nods and tells Stiles after they eat they could work on biological children which got a chorus of ‘ew’s’, a laugh and a wink. Brett pulls Stiles up for another kiss.

“Promise me you’ll call me if you need me, if anything happens.” Stiles meets his eyes and nods.

“When haven’t I?” Brett rolls his eyes and scoffs. “I promise, Brett. This isn’t New York.” Stiles reassures and the blond nods, letting his lover leave before running back to the teens bed.

Scott opens the door, his nose scrunched up but it soon falls and he bites his lip, looking at his friend. Stiles smiles to his old friend and runs a hand through messily spiked hair. Scott licks his teeth and Stiles swallows. The two look at each other for a while, an awkward tension falling between them before Stiles clears his throat and speaks up.

“So, you gonna let me in or am I gonna stand out here all day?” Scott steps aside but doesn’t say anything. Stiles bites his lip as he enters and his face falls as he looks to the pack. They all look confused, scared and betrayed. “Alright, let’s see what’s going on here.” He steps closer, replacing Lydia as he kneels in between Erica and Boyd, by Issac on the table. “What did Deaton say?”

“Just that we’d need a spark.” Scott informs him and Stiles nods. Stiles narrows his eyes and tilts his head.

“You smell.” Jackson says and everyone glares at him. Stiles head snaps up to look at his former pack mate. He frowns and furrows his brows before looking down.

“Sorry, thought it was just going to be Scott and Issac.” He murmurs running his fingers over the young wolf’s chest, sensing for something. He frowns and closes his eyes. Issac whines and Derek’s hand shoots out to take away the pain as Stiles eyes open. He purses his lip to the side. “I think I have someone who might know this better. Uhm,” He looks up. “Give me a second.” He stands up, ready to leave and pulling out his cell phone.

“Why do you smell?” Jackson asks and Lydia elbows him, shooting him a glare.

“I don’t!” Stiles snaps, glaring. “I smell like family, like my pack. I’m not gonna smell like I did six years ago Jackson!” Stiles growls and the pack look hurt, the betas slightly scared and Derek won’t make eye contact. “Now if you’ll excuse me I have to call a friend in order to save your dumbass pack.” He leaves the house and stomps to his car, dialing Brett, his chest filled with anger as he stares at the street. It rings once.

“You’re angry.” Speaks his lovers soft and smooth voice.

“Doesn’t even cover it.” Stiles says through gritted teeth. How dare Jackson say things like that to him? Jackson insulted him and his pack.

“I wish I could take away your anger, what happened?” Stiles sighs and runs a hand over his face.

“Fucking Jackson.” He mutters to his husband who chuckles lightly, recalling the stories of the Beacon Hill’s pack his husband had formerly been a part of.

“Sounds about right. Talk to me babe.”

“He said I smelt weird.” Stiles’ voice is a growl as he speaks the words. Brett laughs on the other end of the line.

“You do, you smell like me. I’m weird.”

“God, I love you.” Stiles smiles, shaking his head, feeling the comfort of his husband’s joke fill him. The insult not even a sting on his feelings.

“I know, now, what’d you call for?” Stiles pauses, wondering how to word this, he licks his lip, pulling it back in between his teeth.

“His heart, it’s like Aleysha’s was last year after she was attacked by that guy.”

“I don’t want you fixing that again.” Stiles isn’t sure if his husband had shifted or not but the growled voice that comes through makes him aware his husband was pulling the Alpha tone with him.

“It’s Issac, Brett, I can’t just leave him to die.”

“And I can’t let you die!” Stiles closes his eyes. “You almost died when you fixed her, remember? Do you remember how we all felt?” The blond voice grew louder as fear consumes him, of the possibility of losing Stiles even being in close proximity.

“I’ve practiced!” Stiles defends weakly.

“You’re barely at 100%”

“BARELY is more than NOTHING!”

“I CANT LOSE YOU!”

“I can’t let him die!”

“He’s not pack anymore Stiles!”

“He’s still family!” a silence falls between them and Stiles hopes this made Brett realize he still cares about the pack. It should have been an obvious note, he thought his pack knew. He listens to Brett, knowing his husband was thinking what if the roles were reversed. Not just what if he were Stiles but what if he were Derek, what if he were Scott. He would need Stiles to save Aleysha, he would need someone to save Stiles. He sighs on the other side of the line.

“I wanna be there.”

“I’ll see what I can do.” Brett and Stiles both know that Stiles meant he was going to go in and check if it was okay with the pack, but if not then he wouldn’t be able to heal Scott’s mate, he wouldn’t heal Issac.

“Promise me you won’t do it without me, promise me.” Brett begs and Stiles nods, his thumb running gently over his wedding ring, making sure it was more than a promise.

“Not without you. Never without you.”

“You woke the pups.”

“YOU woke the pups.” Stiles laughs. “I’ll call right back. I love you.”

“Love you too.” Stiles hangs up and sits for a moment before putting his phone away and slipping out of the car. He shuts the door and walks towards the house, entering it and looking at the pack.

“You better?” Erica asks and Stiles nods.

“The process it takes to fix is…very risky. My uh…” He looks to the side, again wondering how to word this as to not hurt anyone. “My husband doesn’t…”

“Husband?” He looks to Scott and nods. “you’re putting someone you’ve known for..”

“He wants to be here when it happens.” Stiles corrects the angered wolf and glares lightly. “I’m putting someone who loves me before those who left me. So watch what you say McCall.” Scott backs down and bows his head at the warning.

“That’s fine.” Derek replies but Stiles can see the hurt in his eyes and it kind of thrills him to know he caused it, glad Derek’s feeling an ounce of what he felt. At the same time seeing that pain in someone he loved’s eyes sent pain through himself, knowing he caused it. “When can you fix him?”

“I’ll go grab Brett and meet you back here in ten.” He turns without an answer and hears the whispers as the door shuts. He closes his eyes before speeding to get his husband, mind away from the pack, mind off of a dying Issac and a hurt Derek. Focusing completely on his pack, his lover and driving. Aleysha is on the porch and hugging him before Stiles even makes it to the door. Her arms squeeze him and he holds her in his arms, reassuring her that he was okay. Brett walks out of the door moments later, the pack already informed of Stiles and him heading to fix the wolf.

“I’m coming. Last time it was my fault…I need to be there in case the pain gets too much for both of you, Stiles please.” He pulls back and pushes her away. He cups her face with his hands and nods when he meets watery eyes.

“You’re my baby girl, you wanna be there you can be.” He tells her, knowing the fight would only waste time. He also felt like she deserved to be there, being his husbands Second and his best friend. With that said, he says goodbye to the wolves one more time before he walks with both Brett and Aleysha to his car.

Chapter Text

Brett has one hand on the wheel while the other is intertwined with Stiles’, who’s staring out the front window. Aleysha is in the back, flipping through her phone when Brett glances towards his husband. The blond frowns and squeezes his lovers hand. Stiles’ eyes dart to the intertwined fingers when Brett’s veins pulse black and fade.

“What are you doing?” Stiles furrows his brows and looks to Brett who glances towards him again with a small frown.

“I hate that this thing only works for physical pain.” Stiles smiles lightly and presses a kiss to Brett’s shoulder, squeezing back to reassure him.

“I’m not in any pain if I have you.” Brett shakes his head lightly, a small smile tugging at his lips at the cheesy line from his husband.

“It always hurts to see loved ones.” Brett stops in front of McCall’s household and sighs. “I don’t like this, I don’t like seeing you hurt.” He tells Stiles, facing him.

“I know.”

“And you don’t have fur for me to hide in afterward.” Brett only hopes that Stiles will understand how bad this is hurting him, running circles over Stiles hand with his thumb, eyes desperate.

“I know.”

“I’m so afraid of losing you.” Stiles shakes his head and leans closer to press his lips to his lovers.

“You won’t” He murmurs against them. Brett hugs him tightly, arms wrapped around him, pulling him closer.

“Aw, I love my daddies.” Aleysha says, throwing her arms around them and nuzzling in between their heads. Both men smile as they pull away.

“Shut up Aleysha!” They say together with a slight laugh as the female wolf gapes at them, betrayed before smiling. Slowly, the three exit the car and Scott is already standing at the open door as they come up the walk. Stiles leads his wolves in. “This is Brett and Aleysha. Loves, this is…the pack.” He introduces. Aside from a few nods and looks, no one says anything to greet the others. Stiles kneels beside Issac and combs a hand through the wolf’s hair who blinks at him, pain etched in his eyes, evident over every tense feature of his human face.

“Stiles?” His voice is strained, making the reality of the pain in him just that much bigger and Stiles nods lightly.

“Hey, Issac, how you doing?” Stiles makes sure to whisper, remembering what’s written in his book from Aleysha. Scribbled in her hand writing the words read about headaches and burning pain, barely legible as it was written quickly, hoping to be forgotten.

“Miss you.” Stiles forces a smile and his husband feels the pain that hits him, pain that refuses to etch itself onto the spark’s face. “Hurts.” The young wolf grunts after a second.

“It’s okay, I’m gonna make it stop.” Stiles reassures, a promise to himself included in that. Aleysha sits on the floor beside Stiles and Brett stands behind him, combing his own fingers through his lovers hair. Stiles leans back, pressing his back to Brett’s legs, comforting the man. Brett sighs lightly, worry and fear still etched on his face, still pulsing through his veins.

“I don’t like this.” He tells his husband again who nods against him.

“I know.” Stiles says, pulling Brett’s hand to his own and looking in the man’s eyes, forcing the man to look at him. “You ready?” Brett shakes his head and Stiles smiles looking to Issac. “You ready Issac?” Issac whines and Stiles trails his finger over Issac’s heart, closes his eyes and senses for the cloud. Stiles whimpers when he finds it, a dark reminder of when Aleysha had felt this. The pain he felt when he had figured it out, when Jordan didn’t know what it was but had heard rumors of a spark healing a wolf like that before. Stiles hadn’t hesitated that time to jump into it, ignoring his own pain. This time it felt stronger, almost darker.

“Babe?”

“’M fine.” Stiles replies to his worried husband. He places his palm flat over Issac’s heart. “Issac, this is gonna hurt.” He looks to Derek and then Scott. “You’re going to have to hold him and don’t take away his pain. Remember I’m doing that. Emotions out of this, okay?”

“Stiles.” Brett whispers. And Stiles tightens the grip on his lovers hand, squeezing his eyes shut. The first wave gets a scream from Issac. Boyd grabs his ankles while Derek grabs his wrists and Stiles presses his chest to the table with a single palm. Scott flinches and turns away but then turns back to watch, fear in his eyes that fill with unshed tears. Aleysha’s face is etched in pain, watching her Alpha’s mate’s face. The second wave hits Stiles the hardest and he feels it tear at him, gritting his teeth, holding back a scream so he doesn’t worry his husband. He pulls his hand from his husbands grasp who cusses loudly. Brett goes back in to grab the hand when another hand stops him, he looks to Aleysha angrily.

“Brett, don’t, you’ll break it and you’ll kill them both!” Aleysha warns and Brett looks to Stiles, tears in his eyes. Erica looks to them, eyes wide and mouth agape.

“Both?” She whispers to them. Aleysha meets her eyes.

“I had the same thing last year. They did a lot of research and knew not to break Stiles from his spark or it’d kill us both. What they didn’t know was that…Stiles could die after saving me.” Jackson looks up horrified, his own chest filling with pain. They lost Stiles once, they couldn’t lose him permanently. “He was out for four weeks and when he came to…we thought…” Aleysha’s voice fails her and she looks to Stiles, rubbing at her tears.

“He promised!” Brett growls. Aleysha looks to him.

“He said he wouldn’t do it without you!” Aleysha bites to him, wishing Brett had made his lover promise not to let go. Brett glares at the pack.

“What did killing him emotionally not satisfy you!?” The Beacon Hill pack, aside from Boyd and Derek gape at the Alpha, shocked he would say that outright.

“Brett!” Aleysha scolds as a scream tears through Issac and Stiles, Stiles leaning slightly forward as the third wave crashes over him. Both men screaming had sweat shining on them, pain coursing through them. Aleysha’s tears fall harder and she puts a hand to her mouth. Brett looks to his husband and runs fingers over his own wedding band, watching as the band flashes gold and his veins pulse black. “You’re wasting it.” She gasps out.

“No, I’m not, you didn’t seem him last time, you were unconscious.” Stiles pinched face fades into the calm one he had on before. His body relaxes slightly, his breathing evens out and he looks like he was finished or hadn’t started. One thing both his pack member and mate wish was true. They could be in New York, Stiles would be fine. “We’ll renew our vows if we have to I’m not losing him.” Aleysha nods at her Alpha’s words, knowing the truth in them went beyond what they would hope and looks back to Stiles.

“Two or three?” She questions, remembering how Stiles knew how many waves of pain would hit him before he went in.

“Three more, his eyes told me six when he picked us up.” Brett tells her, recalling the eyes that met his before they walked to the car. Issac thrashes as another scream tears through him, Derek’s eyes are snapping from his beta to his mate’s….ex-boyfriends who scream gets louder as tears pour from closed eyes down his red face.

“He shouldn’t have risked his life.” Derek says and Brett looks over to Derek, narrowing his eyes lightly. At the sixth scream Stiles falls backwards and Issac shoots up, panting. Stiles turns and coughs up blood, gripping his abdomen and apologizing. Aleysha and Brett are quick to grab his hands and rub his back. Stiles coughs again and smiles shakily to his boyfriend, shoving the hands away.

“Issac?” Stiles questions while Issac presses a hand to his heart and looks to Stiles, in awe and in shock. Wondering how someone they so easily pushed aside would so easily return and go through that pain.

“Yeah, dumbass, he’s okay.” Aleysha tells him, her voice shaky. Her veins pulsing black while Stiles feels the pain escape him. She gasps when Stiles rejects in and shakes his head lightly.

“Allie, stop.” He whispers. She listens, withdrawing her hands and looks to her Alpha, who’s rubbing blood and tears off his mates chin and cheeks. “You used our ring?” Stiles meets blue eyes and Brett nods.

“Couldn’t let you go yet.” Stiles smiles and puts their hands together so the rings clink together perfectly. His eyes snap down to them, a small smile on his lips when they come back up to see blue eyes.

“I’m not dying.” Stiles reassures and Brett frowns.

“How much?” Brett asks his lover who frowns. Stiles looks down and flashes his eyes a bright green before looking back up to his mate. “Then we’re staying here, I’m not putting you on a plane until you’re better.”

“I want to go home.” Stiles says, he swallows. The pain of this reunion, the fear of getting close to them just to lose them all over again is fresh in his heart and scarier than he thought possible. It physically starts to hurt him, to think about it and he knows his lover knows this. “I want you to bite me.” Brett raises a brow and smirks.

“No you don’t. Well, you do, but not yet, you just want to go home.” Stiles sighs but knows what his lover says is true. He doesn’t want to be a werewolf, his pack knew that just as much as he did. Being home sounded good though. Brett stares at his lover for a moment causing Stiles to slip his eyes shut as he smiled. He made a face of concentration and force causing Brett to chuckle. “What…the hell are you doing babe?”

“I don’t like seeing you in pain.” Stiles replies, using his husbands line against him. Brett leans forward, resting his head against his husbands who smiled up at him, eye fluttering open.

“Too bad you’re the one hurting.” Stiles looks to the connected hand as Brett’s veins pulse black, he tugs at his hand and the veins fade to normal.

“Stop.” Stiles whispers. “Jeff, will kill you if you go in there grunting with my pain.”

“Jeff will kill me if you go in there grunting in your pain.” Stiles smiles and pulls his hand away completely.

“I’m okay.” Stiles reassures. “I’m awake.”

“You guys are giving me cavities! I’m just glad this pack thing comes with dental insurance.” Stiles blushes and looks towards his old friends who are shifting awkwardly while Issac looks at him as though he still has white-hot pain pulsing through him. Stiles licks his lips and frowns.

“Sorry.” He looks to Issac. “I’m pretty sure it’s all gone but we’ll be here for a while so if…if not…you somehow have my number.” Issac nods. “Uhm, we’re gonna…go.” He says and pulls his husband up wincing.

“Wait.” Scott stops him and Stiles looks to him with raised eyebrows, waiting. His ex-best friend opens his mouth and pauses before snapping it closed and looking away. “Thanks.” Stiles smiles lightly and nods but doesn’t respond as he follows his beta out of the house, pulling his husband to follow.

“Does this mean you two will have to wait to make biological pack mates?” Stiles laughs and hits Aleysha lightly on the back of the head but Derek flinches at the words and looks to the floor. The pack remains silent as they listen to their missed Stiles and his new pack mates head towards the car, before driving off.

Chapter Text

Derek’s heart was thumping with regret, remembering the pain he saw on Stiles’ face, the screams that tore through his lov-…ex-lover’s throat. He looks to his betas and frown. They’re not talking much as they sit in the Hale house. He had got it refurnished after Stiles left Beacon Hills, hoping to get rid of the scent of the young man out of his house. His betas were torn apart the day he left. Erica had been sitting on the porch, staring into the distance when they returned from their run.

“Erica?” Boyd ran over to his girlfriend and she looked at him. “What’s wrong? What happened?”

“Stiles…” Her voice cracked and she frowned, looking down.

“Stiles what?” Scott asked, moving closer, desperate to hear what was wrong with his best friend.

“He’s leaving.” She whispered. Derek looked down, guilt filling him. He had broken things off with Stiles for the younger man’s own protection, for his packs own protection…maybe it was selfish too. There might have been a part of him that broke things up because they were getting more than serious, because Derek wanted more than what Stiles would ever be able to give him. Issac looks towards Derek then back to the blond on the steps.

“Well, yeah, he left.” Issac said. It had been two weeks since the break up, so no one really understood why Stiles leaving was new to Erica. The woman just shook her head.

“No, he came by today. He’s leavin…he’s leaving Beacon Hills. He left his keys and everything. He’s on a flight out of here.” The pack stood in silence before the denial shot through them. Then Scott and Jackson were dashing towards the street and running to find the human. A human who they had cut off from after the break-up but still listened to for a couple of moments, maybe hours, when he was asleep in his locked up house.

“Where are his keys?” Derek asked and Erica shrugged, falling into her boyfriend. Derek entered the house, looking. He spotted the keys on top of a piece of paper. He frowned and slowly walked over to the note, the note that reeked of Stiles, like the rest of the house. He lifted the key and then pulled the note and read it with shaking hand.

‘Derek,
To be honest, I still don’t know where we went wrong. I still think we were and are perfect. I hope you aren’t doing this for some stupid reason that you’re too afraid to tell me about because it would suck to find out you left me because you thought I couldn’t handle your werewolf ass on the full moon or some bullshit like that. I don’t think it’s possible to stop loving you but I promise I’ll move on. I’ll admit, it hurt at first, still does actually, and I’m not sure the pain will go away. I’m leaving because I have nothing here anymore. The whole pack has cut off from me and I hope I don’t sound bitter but that hurts, they were just as much mine as they were yours. I don’t want to be stuck in a dead end job and feel the pain of seeing you or your pack wherever I go. I got offered a job across the country which I’ve accepted and maybe one day I’ll return, maybe you’ll have your head on straight and we can catch up on life.
I wasn’t sure what to with the key, so I decided to leave it. I didn’t take anything of yours, only my things, I left all the furniture and all the supplies around the house. Feel free to do whatever you want with them, I won’t be around to stop you. Just keep everyone safe, you have my number and it may change at some point. I won’t be surprised, you know me and my phones, but I’ll try and keep it as long as I possibly can. If only so that when one of you get hurt, and you have to call me if someone is dying, I don’t care if you stalk me and find me, you have to inform me of that. Until the day we meet again, and with my luck we will somehow find each other again, I just want you to know. I loved you since day one and I’ll love you with my last breath, if someone takes your place…when someone takes my place we can both be the bigger man and be happy the other is happy. That’s all I want for you and your pack.
I’m sorry for this and for whatever I did…I love you and the pack. Goodbye.

~Stiles

By the time Jackson and Scott got back looking defeated Derek had hidden the note and kept the key in visible sight. The pack looks much like they had that night, aside from Issac who looks like the pain was slowly leaving but still there. He sighs and runs a hand through his hair, deciding his pack couldn’t handle getting close to Stiles just for the young man to leave all over again. He also decides that it would only take a moment with his ex for the wolves to fall in love with him all over again. He leaves the room and can hear the whispers the second he’s out. He can hear Issac telling Scott about how Stiles is in pain, how he’s not okay, how something is wrong. He hears Jackson, who is nuzzling Lydia, telling her how he didn’t mean to hurt Stiles, he’s just hurt THEIR Stiles smells like someone else’s, is someone else’s. Erica’s talking to Boyd about her Batman and Boyd’s whispering, asking why Stiles can’t stay this time around, making her question why they can’t be a pack again. Derek’s heart pounds and he walks to his bedroom where he pulls out the note and sits on his bed.

He can’t help but wonder why he let Stiles go, why he was so scared. He lays on the bed and closes his eyes for a second, letting himself fall apart where his betas can’t see for just one moment. Then he’s hiding the note and he’s heading downstairs, mask in tact, ready to let their training begin.

Scott’s heart thuds in his chest. His best friend was different, changed. His best friend was someone else’s best friend. The man he had spent years with had given up on him and his pack, the same way this pack had turned their backs on him. But they hadn’t, not really. Okay, they had. They had screwed up and part of him is happy Stiles found a pack that was there for him, that would protect him when they couldn’t. It had been a fear in everyone when Erica had said that Stiles had moved. When he and Jackson had finally made it to the airport, Stiles’ plane having already left they had broken down.

Scott stared out the airport window as Jackson sunk down into a chair with a shaky sigh. The blond ran a hand through his hair, a small whimper leaving him. Scott swallowed heavily, unbelieving his best friend could leave that suddenly, that easily.

“Scott?” Jackson questioned.

“He’s not gone.” Scott shook his head, facing the wolf. “He wouldn’t leave him. He wouldn’t put us…himself in danger by leaving like that.” Jackson bit his lip and looked to his feet. They both knew that was a lie, if it made it easier for the pack Stiles would throw himself in freezing water. “Maybe, maybe he just said it to hurt Erica.”

“He wouldn’t do that.” Jackson whispered and Scott knew that was true. It probably hurt Stiles to know he hurt Erica, unless he didn’t know leaving them would hurt them. They were after all ignoring him, but it wasn’t because they didn’t care it was to protect him. Derek was right, Stiles was constantly in danger because of their werewolf stank on him and if that meant putting some space between them then so be it. They should’ve known better. “He’s gone, Scott.”

“What is he going to do? How is he going to protect himself? We can’t protect him if he’s not here, Jackson, we can’t keep him safe!”

“He’s strong enough to protect himself, maybe he’ll be safer away from us.” Scott licked his lip. “Stiles wouldn’t let us attend his funeral.”

“Stiles is going to die without us and it’s all our fault.”

Scott closes his eyes tightly, wondering how easy it was for Stiles to replace them. They haven’t replaced Stiles, they couldn’t replace Stiles. Stiles was one of a kind, no one would treat them the way Stiles did. Derek leaves the room and Issac leans closer to him.

“He’s not okay Scott.” Issac whispers and worry fills the brown eyes that stare back.

“Wha-what do you mean?”

“I mean he’s in pain, he’s hurting. Something’s wrong. Something isn’t right, you have to feel it tell me you feel it.” Scott stares at his panicked boyfriend, wondering just what the boy could be referring to. Stiles didn’t seem in pain, aside from the throwing up blood, but that was nothing serious, if it were they better tell them. They could accept it if Stiles went back to New York, Scott knows no one would be able to accept it if Stiles died.

Lydia doesn’t mind Jackson nuzzling her as she thinks about Stiles. Stiles had liked her since third grade, he had the biggest crush on her. When Jackson took her with him to pack meetings, saying she was pack because she was his mate and something, she had learned that Stiles’ crush wasn’t all it was cracked up to be. He loved her, he continued to protect her and he defended her but he wasn’t in love with her. He wasn’t going to try and steal her from Jackson, not that he would have a chance because what was between her and the blue-eyed wolf was apparently more than love. He was already in love, with none other than their Alpha. Derek Hale and Stiles Stilinski, it had been a weird adjustment for all of them, including Sheriff Stilinski but they had seen it was – what they thought it was – more than love.

They all thought it, she’s not going to lie. The way they looked at each other, the conversations they had, it was bigger than what was between her and Jackson. That was noticeable. It was obvious, to everyone except Stiles and Derek. Stiles and Derek liked to pretend it was barely a crush, even when she caught Derek pinning a flushed Stiles to the wall who was smiling up at him, lips red. She wasn’t stupid, she didn’t need to be a werewolf to smell that arousal. It’s Stiles and Derek because Stiles had more insecurities than anyone she’s even known and that included herself and Jackson. Stiles refused to believe Derek could love him, would stay with him forever. She still hates that the Alpha was able to prove to Stiles how true he was, she still hates that she’ll never know if Stiles believes everyone will leave him because they did, because his father did, because his mother did. She hates not knowing.

“I didn’t mean to.” Jackson whispers to her and she hums, letting him continue. “I didn’t mean to hurt Stiles.” The anger hid the sad and pained look as Jackson told Stiles he smelt weird. They had all seen it, they had been aware and no one stopped anyone. “It’s just…it hurts.”

“I know.” She does, because it does hurt. It hurts not having Stiles anymore, not having the crazy human ramble about something until Derek snaps at him to get to the point.

“It hurts how he smells like someone else’s….it hurts that he is someone else’s. He has a pack, Lyds, he replaced us.” She doesn’t believe that, she believes he loves them just as much. It might be wishful thinking on her part, on their part, to believe that but she has to because he’s Stiles and not believing it hurts. Stiles was always there for her.

He would sit in her room and listen as she rambled, he’d remove her make-up, along with her insecurities and watch her in the mirror as she reapplied a new cover-up. He would comfort her, love her, tell her how beautiful and smart and strong she was. Stiles was there, he was there for everyone and Derek was doing a decent job at making up for it but her and Allison are struggling to try and help. She still remembers the phone call she got from Jackson while she was away at college, his sobbing voice on the other side of the line, telling her what happened, begging her to find him.

She had just gotten in from class when the phone rang. She quickly pulled it out and snapped it open, hoping it wasn’t Stiles in danger. Her Alpha and her Alpha’s mate had broken up recently. The wolves all did patrol around his house where he was always alone if he wasn’t out. They were to tell her if something happened to him and she would rush over. She hadn’t sensed any death and she didn’t want to.

“Hello?”

“L-lyds.” Worry filled her face at the sound of her boyfriend.

“Jackosn? Baby, what’s wrong?”

“Stiles…Stiles…” She knew it, she knew it. “Stiles left, we don’t know where he went. He didn’t tell us. He left Beacon Hills.” She bit her lip.

“Left?”

“Scott and I, we went to go get him but he was gone. He left and he’s not coming back. He doesn’t love us. He’s gonna get hurt. Please, please, you have to find him. We have to find him. What are we supposed to do? What do we do now?” She sat on her bed, feeling like the wind had been knocked out of her. Some of her thought this was partly her fault. They had tried so hard to make sure he was safe that they made him feel alone. They had left him and they shouldn’t have, they should have answered calls, they should’ve went over and cuddled with him, made him know. Know that he mightn’t be pack right now but he was still family, he would always be family.

“I don’t know.” She told him.

Jackson had talked and cried and begged. She came home only the next week, she couldn’t be here while Stiles was potentially in danger. Her and Allison had gotten help from Allison’s father in order to try and find the young teen. When they came up empty handed after two months, they gave up. Someone would know, one of them would feel it, if anything happened to him. They really hadn’t meant to hurt Stiles, it was just scary to remember he may be a spark but he was still human and human’s die. Stiles’ dad dying had just opened their eyes to it.

“It’s our fault you know?” He looked to his girlfriend who stared at the water, perched on the rock, away from pack, away from Derek. “We made him leave.” Boyd licked his lips and looked down. Erica had a point it had been their fault. “Batman left because we made him, we made sure he knew he wasn't needed anymore.”

“We still need him.”

“We’ll always need him. We can’t do this without him.”

“Yes we can.” Erica looked to him, eyes wide and filled to the brim with tears that just threatened to fall down her face.

“You didn’t see his face, you didn’t hear his voice. He didn’t care. He doesn’t care about us anymore, Boyd, he hates us.” Boyd hugged her, pulling her to his chest as she cried.

“Stiles could never hate us. You know that. And he’ll never stop caring about us. If we need him, if we need him desperately, he’ll come running. You have to know that.” And he knew she did by the nod against his chest and the whispered words of knowing he’d run faster than humanly possible with a watery, wishful chuckle.

Boyd had let his girlfriend cry on him for a while longer, reassuring her the Batman was going to be okay. He had to be because Stiles was Stiles and while he had no sense of self-preservation he was strong, a fighter. He’d fight with death until the man put Stiles back in his body, or he’d just follow the guy around annoying him until he was returned to the land of the living.

Seeing him again, knowing he was okay had relieved all of them. When Scott had said he was coming they were all happy to know he was still alive, he still cared. Even if it was just a little, it was still there, he still cared. To see him with their own eyes had made it just that much better, almost like a weight that had been lifted off their shoulders. When the smelt him though, the smell of belonging to someone else, it had hurt. It hurt all of them Boyd included. Stiles was back, Stiles was alive, Stiles was safe, Stiles was okay, but Stiles belonged to someone else. Was part of someone else’s pack.

Boyd holds Erica as she rambles about her Batman. About Stiles being everything he was, about the times before the split, the times they spent patrolling his house, the times they thought he’d die, the times they prayed he’d return. She’s just speaking things out loud, wondering if he’ll leave, if he loves his new pack more, if he’s safe, if he’ll stay.

“Why can’t Stiles stay this time around?” He doesn’t want to hear Stiles’ view on this, he probably isn’t so fond of them right now, but he needs to know. They could let Stiles back.

“Yeah,” Erica whispers back. “We could be one big pack. Why wouldn’t we be able to be one big pack? Why CAN’T we be pack again??” Boyd doesn’t know the answer to that. He understand Stiles needs to be safe but he can obviously handle himself fine, if his new pack is any indication. He was a supernatural magnet and Stiles had to stay they needed him. Boyd pulls Erica to him.

“Maybe he will stay, maybe we’ll be pack again.” And he can only hope it’s true, wondering what everyone else thinks. Now that he’s older, now that he’s wiser, he’d make Stiles stay. He’s sure Scott and Jackson would help him too. The whole pack would, even Derek, because Derek needs to know what’s good for them and Stiles isn’t only what’s good for them but he’s also what’s best for them.

Chapter Text

The drive home had been filled with nothing but laughs and jokes, an underlying sense of unease in the car that went ignored. Aleysha’s eyes were a tad bit darker as her anger at the Beacon Hill’s pack bit into her heart and screamed in her head. Brett’s eyes snapped to his husband’s worriedly, glad he seemed filled with more life than the last time. The looks didn’t stop him from wondering what if. Stiles heart thudded with the pain of seeing his pack but happiness of not being replaced. He was sure he wasn’t easy to replace and part of him hoped they’d never find anyone who would give what he had given for them.

Telisa and Jefferson were able to convince Stiles to take them shopping to restock the house. Of course that meant the whole pack had to go with them and Stiles regretted it the moment David dragged Jefferson to the bakery to hype the kid up. Regretted it even more when Dominic growled at an old lady who tried to grab an apple he saw was only fit for their pack. This is why they weren’t allowed to go shopping in New York but that of course didn’t go for shopping in Beacon Hills. ‘Because babe’ Brett had spoken to him ‘they want to see where you grew up, want to understand you. They’ll behave.’ He lied, they are NOT behaving.

Aleysha is hitting on a teenager, a not yet legal teenager, and there is some groping going on. Andre is staring people down and gathering what he wanted in the house. Karen is tossing make-up across the aisle into Telisa’s basket who is squealing at everything. Jefferson is giggling as David forces every ‘free sample’ into the young boy’s mouth. David has a cart full of bakery items that Stiles has to keep emptying. Dominic is growling at anyone who looks at them wrong.

“I’m gonna kill them!” Stiles grounds out as he empties David’s cart for the fourth time. Brett looks around, wondering how they haven’t been kicked out yet.

“They’re just trying to learn Stiles.” Stiles rounds on his husband, jaw dropping before he starts laughing. Brett’s lip quirks.

“Learn what, the fifty ways to get kicked out of a grocery store?” The sound of a crash stops Stiles’ giggles as he looks at his husband desperately. “Fifty one. Brett, control your pack before everyone realizes they’re my friends.” Brett rolls his eyes and pulls Stiles to him, who stumbles, pressing his hands on his husbands chest to catch himself.

“I’d rather just join them with the fifty two ways to get kicked out of a grocery store.” Stiles can’t help but smile into the kiss and relax against his husband.

“MY EYES!” Jefferson shrieks, causing the pack to howl with laughter as the couple slowly drew apart. “It’s like my mother and father having sex.”

By the time they get home they place all the things in their proper places and decide they need to sleep, especially Stiles who looks like he’s going to pass out any moment. The pack’s worried concerns are annoying but understandable as he sagged against one member every minute. Exhaustion filled him quickly, with an unknown explanation as to why. Brett walks with him upstairs, bidding his pack a goodnight, Stiles' mumble following. They all but fall onto Stiles’ bed before Brett changes. Stiles slips out of jeans and his shirt, kicking his shoes off to the side and curling under the blanket. When Brett returns Stiles is unconscious.

Stiles groans next to his husband who’s hand is resting on him, veins pulsating black as his subconscious tries to take away the pain that pulses through the younger brunette. Stiles sits up with a gasp and dashes to the bathroom. He falls to his knees and dry-heaves before letting black blood pass through his lips. For a moment it feels like he can’t breathe, like there is a pressure in his chest, squeezing his heart. It hurts. He hurts. His body feels like it’s on fire, flames resting just below the skin. There is banging on the door and he winces at the noise, dry-heaving a bit more.

“M’okay.” He chokes out. “Gimme a sec.” He pants and wipes at his mouth, wincing. He stands up and rinses his mouth before meeting his eyes in the mirror. He flashed them green but it dulls too fast, sending a shiver down his spine. It didn’t make sense, it just didn’t make sense. His heart speeds.

“Stiles!” He hears the shuffling outside and Brett’s scream. Stiles opens the door as he flushes the toilet.

“Nightmare.” He says, recalling the horrors he saw in his sleep. The group of hunters who were after him and his pack. Brett pulls to him and scrunches his nose. Panic fills him and he pulls away to look at Stiles.

“You smell.” He whispers causing Stiles to frown and hesitantly flash his eyes, that still dull just a tad too fast. “Fuck, baby.” Stiles puts his hands to his husbands cheeks, thumb brushing the single tear when it fell. “I told you not to do it, you were barely there, I can’t lose you.” It still doesn’t make any sense, it just doesn’t make any sense. They know what it is but it doesn’t make any sense.

“I’m not dying.” Stiles says and the pups look to him, Stiles meets each and every pup’s eyes. “C’mon we’ll all go sleep downstairs.” It isn’t long before they are curled in front of the TV, every body tucked under another, touching someone. Stiles looks to Brett, who intertwines their fingers.

“I love you.”

“I love you.” Stiles says back with a nod, pressing his head to his husbands chest. Their rings glow dimly and Brett frowns, the normal bright golden glow affected by Stiles’ dull eyes. He should’ve made Stiles leave, should’ve growled and forced Stiles in bed with him screaming and kicking. Brett sags and feels Stiles pawing at his chest lightly, his looks down, burying his nose in Stiles hair, attempting to smell the normal Stiles, but it was no more. Not until Stiles was better. He knew that very well. This smelt stronger than last time, and the fact his eyes went from his bright green to a quick fading, dull green scares Brett. He can’t lose his mate, this was his. “M’okay.” Stiles whispers and Brett nods. “you know, we have to talk about this one day right?”

“I know, we will.” Stiles nods, but doesn’t bring it up, the pups fall asleep beside them.

“Brett,” He whispers again, his heart thudding against his husbands. “I’m scared.” It’s a confession, one Stiles had only said once before. It’s a phrase, one that haunts Brett’s and Stiles’ nightmares. It’s the truth, something that reminds him of a time before this, too dark to want to recall. He squeezes his eyes shut and presses a kiss to Stiles’ forehead.

“I know, me too.”

“I don’t know why this is happening.”

“I know, I don’t either.”

“I’m sorry I pulled away.”

“I know that too. It’s okay, Stiles, we’re going to be okay.”

“What if we’re not?” Well, that, Brett doesn’t have an answer for that. The two boys meet eyes and Brett flashes his red, causing Stiles to flash his dull green and get a sigh from his husband who than runs a hand through his hair. Stiles sniffs and presses his face to Brett’s chest, trying to erase the day. Hoping it’s not serious, hoping he’s better in the morning.

Stiles can smell food, he moans happily against his pillow and snuggles it, getting a chuckle. Stiles smiles against his lovers chest.

“Pillows dun laugh.” He mutters and hands wrap tighter around him.

“Pillows also don’t have abs.” Brett tells him.

“Mines does.” Brett laughs again, shaking Stiles who sits up, placing his hands right in the middle of his lovers torso, straddling his legs. Brett puts his own hands on Stiles waist smiling at him. “It’s a sexy pillow.” Stiles tells him.

“Good thing it thinks you’re a sexy man.” Stiles leans down and pecks his lover.

“Where are my children?” He mutters coming back up.

“Kitchen!” David yells and there are snickers, proving the betas were very aware of the romance sparkling in the living room.

“We’re making breakfast.” Karen said, poking her head in and frowning. “If you’re feeling better.” Stiles frowns at the concern before nodding and smiling.

“I’ll be right in.” Karen beams and leaves the room.

“Sti, let me see.” Stiles looks to him and swallows and his face contorts into concentration. Pain shoots through him, his head pounding as his eyes flash black and fade. He groans and squeezes his eyes shut. Brett’s eyes fill with panic and his heart thuds as he pets his lovers hair, combing pain from him. “We have to figure out what’s going on. I’ll call Jordan later, she’s gotta know.” Stiles nods and Brett sits up, cupping his lovers face who is now sitting in his lap. “We’ll fix this.” Stiles nods again before standing and flashing a smile.

“C’mon, our babies made breakfast.”

“I will bite you!” Dominic growls entering the room to look at the Alpha’s mate.

“You love it!” Stiles yells and Dom looks to him shyly, worry along with it. “Aw, come here. I’m okay!” He smiles and hugs Dominic. Brett smiles as his husband squeezes Dominic, soon the whole pack comes in and holds them like a lifeline. A lifeline, that’s something they’d be considered to others. Family, that’s what they are which is sometimes a lifeline. “Alright, food!” They slowly pull away, enter the kitchen. The pack’s spread out all excited to spew where they want to go today, if Stiles is okay.

“So I figured you can show us where you went to school.”

“And for lunch the best dinner in town.”

“Oh, and maybe a movie.”

“And a park.”

“Okay, Jeff, Teli, we’ll see it all.” Stiles laughs. They eat breakfast with jokes and talks, laughter and flirtations between the group. Stiles feels the nausea twisting in him and excuses himself, dashing towards the bathroom and sinking on his knees, the breakfast leaving him as he starts shaking. There is a hand on his back, rubbing circles and the other carding itself through his hair.

“Hey, hey, you’re okay.” Stiles shakes his head at his husbands words. Stiles lifts his hand, to grip the one in his hair, which flips and tightens around his. Brett nuzzles his hair and sighs. It doesn’t make sense, Stiles isn’t waking from a coma.

“What’s going on?” Aleysha asks as she enters the room. Brett shoos her but her face already tells him that she saw everything. “Is this because he saved that little punk?” Her eyes fill up with tears.

“Aley, stop.” Stiles says and she shake her head, before storming out of the bathroom to leave him. Brett cuddles closer to him, Stiles enjoying the comfort it brings.

“I’m gonna call Jordan, you’re going to lay down, okay?” Stiles nods before another wave hits him and black mixes with the water in the toilet. He is doubled over when tears cascade down his face. After a moment the feeling disappears and he lets Brett help him to his bedroom where he lays down, not releasing his husbands hand. He meets worried eyes and breathes. He’s not waking from a coma in fact it seemed like he is doing the opposite. He isn’t getting better, he’s getting worse. That scares them both beyond belief.

Chapter Text

Stiles is laying on his bed, staring up at the ceiling as his heart pounds. Brett is sitting at the edge, feet touching the floor but hand resting on Stiles ankle. The phone is pressed lightly against his ear as he listens to it ring, glancing back towards his sick husband. The female voice that greets him makes him smile sadly. “Hey, Jordan.”

“Brett, how is everyone? How’s the vacation? Did Stiles figure out what’s wrong with his friend?” She bombards him with questions, her voice just as cheery as ever. Brett rubs his thumb lightly over Stiles ankle who doesn’t acknowledge him, lost in his own thoughts.

“Yeah, yeah, you know him, he always know things. Uh, he fixed the kid-“

“That’s great, when are you returning home?” She cuts him off, he swallows. She had a tendency to cut people off but this time he really wishes there was an easier way to get across what he needs to say.

“Well, uhm…something’s happening Jor.” He tells her and he can all but hear her cock her head, confused.

“What do you mean?” He can hear her nervous voice ask. His emissary Jordan is great at what she does and has been there since before his mother died and he became Alpha and she always seems to be just a bit too emotionally invested in them. Although, if honest, Brett loves that investment. She had instantly fallen in love with Stiles when Brett placed winkies on his cup, being his coworker since she was relatively close to his age. She had encouraged Brett to continue flirting even though it seemed painfully obvious the younger brunette had no interest in him. She had only loved him more when he told her werewolves were his ‘forte, straight up his alley of horrible memories and scary run-ins’. Brett feared their relationship at first but then he loved it, Jordan always gave Stiles that extra push when he needed it.

“It was…remember Aleysha last year?”

“With the poison?”

“Yeah. Except this time we thought he was fine…he threw up like he did last time but he didn’t pass out. We went out, everything was great. When we went to bed…he had a nightmare and vomited, his eyes were faded. Now he can barely flash his eyes and he’s vomiting black and he’s shaking. It’s like instead of getting better, he’s getting worse.” He leans back at the tug of Stiles’ feet pulling him and smiles lightly to his lover who tries to reassure him that everything is okay, or that it would be okay.

“He can’t flash his eyes?” Jordan’s voice is choked and Brett’s a little surprised his isn’t. There’s a pressure on his chest and it feels like he can barely breathe. It reminds him of when Stiles told him what his panic attack’s feel like but he’s never had them.

“No, it….he was in pain just trying this morning and when he did they were black.” There’s a pause, the female emissary trying to absorb all this information.

“Do we know how the kid got injured? The…the wolf he helped?”

“They said hunters.” Brett tells her, swallowing and he hears her sigh.

“Brett, I think…and don’t let Stiles know but is it possible that these hunters are after Stiles directly? The last and only time I’ve heard of a werewolf getting injured like that and a spark being injured was Aleysha and if that means anything, it’s possible that these hunters have been working on it and found out about Stiles’ old pack and knew Stiles would do anything for damn near anyone, so…maybe…it might have been planted to directly attack Stiles and his spark.” She pauses and he hears her swallow. “We never figured out what was in Stiles blood we took last year. It was as if there was never anything in his blood and there was nothing in Aleysha’s. Usually hunters poison werewolves with wolfs bane but it wasn’t that.”

“How do we fix it Jor?” He needs to know, he needs to save Stiles.

“I don’t know. I think you’d have to find the hunters that made it. And at the rate you say Stiles is going, it isn’t long until he slips into a coma and a hospital isn’t going to help him. If…if you find them you need to figure out what’s in him, just in case. We can learn and figure out cures or something.” Most of this information he knows is important but all he cares about is saving his husband, everything else comes afterwards.

“How long do you think we have?”

“A week and a half, if that. When he slipped into a coma it was only a few days but this is Stiles we’re talking about so if he’s slipping backwards I’d say the coma would last longer than last time and he believes in you enough subconsciously he’d fight it off.” Brett nods agreeing.

“Thanks Jor.”

“I’m sorry baby.” She tells him and he nods.

“It’s okay, I’ll call you.” Brett hangs up and sits there, staring at the phone, figuring out a plan. Brett places his phone on Stiles dresser before looking at him, eyes watery. Stiles sits up and cups Brett’s jaw, meeting his eyes.

“It’s okay, Brett.” Brett grabs his hand and kisses it, pulling Stiles closer, to wrap arms around him.

“Karen and Jefferson are going to stay with you, we’re gonna go find the hunters who poisoned your friend okay?” Stiles nods and then pulls Brett back to him when the man goes to leave.

“Be honest with me.” Brett nods “Am I dying?”

“Not if I have anything to say about it.” Brett mutters pressing his lips to Stiles’, securing the promise.

“I love you, don’t forget that.” Stiles whispers, eyes darting in between Brett's who smiles back.

“I love you too. This is it for me.” Stiles nods and turns away, laying down and letting his lover out of the bed.

“If I’m sleeping when you get back, don’t give up.” And Brett knows the meaning is deeper, that Stiles isn’t just talking about sleeping or giving up on saving him. That Stiles is telling him if he dies that Brett can’t give up on their pack on his life. Brett closes his eyes at the door, fighting back the urge to cry.

“I’d never give up, I promise.” Brett bites his lip and lets out a shaky breath. “We’re gonna fix this.”

“I know.” Stiles says, even though neither of them actually knew for sure. They have faith in each other but this ultimately came down to several other factors, including hunters and another pack. Brett leaves the room to inform his pack of his plan.

“What’s going on!?” Jefferson asks, when Brett enters the living room. Aleysha has long ago stopped talking, the pack gave them their privacy now they need to know their Alpha’s mate is going to be okay.

“Stiles is sick.” Brett tells him and the whole pack looks anywhere but at him. “Karen, Jeff, you’re gonna stay here with him, make sure nothing happens while we go fix this. You call me if something happens. The rest of you go say goodbye, we’re heading out to find the werewolves to find the hunters.” They all nod and rush to Stiles’ room.

Stiles smiles and brushes it off as nothing, letting Aleysha and Telisa cry on him. David, Andre and Dominic bite back their own while they all talk about how much they love him and how he’s helped them and saved them and made them feel better. They all promise him that they’re going to fix this and he reassures them he’s fine. They’ve always reminded him of puppies when they were hurt or wounded. Stiles told them to behave and have fun. As they leave, they say they’ll be back soon. Karen and Jeff curled in on him and he hugs them both, reassuring them that this was nothing and it wouldn’t be.

“We’re gonna see if the pack here can tell us what hunters attacked them. We’re gonna figure out how to fix this and we’re gonna take whatever we find to Jordan so this never happens again. All of you behave and remember, they used to be Stiles’ pack before this. They were once where you guys were, do not make them feel guilty. Do not hurt them. Understand?”

Chapter Text

They are scared and you can’t blame them. They spent years with Stiles as their Alpha’s mate. Stiles found a way into all of their hearts. The way he’d cuddle with them when they were upset of sad, the way he wouldn’t back down from a fight, the way he’d tease them and make them feel important. They can’t lose them, they love him, they need him. He completes their pack. Brett’s pack looks up to the Hale’s house and pause in their movements. Brett looks towards his pack.

“Do not fight with them, we’re here to save Stiles not to make enemies.” He tells them sternly, knowing what they are feeling. That was the man he loved dying in his childhood house due to a stupid pack that left him. Brett loves Stiles and would never ask him to change but all he wants right now is to protect the younger man, no matter what that meant they had to do. The pack nods as they walked towards the Hale house. Knocking on the door Brett stands awkwardly.

“What do you want?” Derek growls, opening the door and glaring. Aleysha bites back her own growl as the pack glare back, Brett holds up a hand stopping them.

“I know this is going to sound awful but do you remember the hunters that attacked you guys?” Derek goes stone faced and they see the pack behind him go jagged looking at Issac and Scott. Issac and Scott look confused and hurt. Brett understands this is a rough thing to remember but if it means saving Stiles he doesn’t care about their feelings. Not that they deserve to have feelings where Stiles is involved anymore, they lost that right.

“No.” Derek grits out before going to shut the door. Aleysha slaps a clawed hand against the door and pushes it back open, growling and glaring.

“Aleysha.” Her eyes are yellow and her fangs are sharp, lips twitching over them. Brett’s warning goes unheard as Derek growls back.

“Don’t lie to us.” She growls to him, pushing him back and causing him to roar. “You have done ENOUGH to hurt Stiles, don’t you think? He came here to help you pathetic assholes and if he dies because of that, I’ll come back and you’ll have to do a lot more than growl to scare me.” Her threat is strong and causes panic amongst the room but her pack doesn’t stop her. Brett looks to each of the members of both pack.

“Dies?” Erica looks to them, eyes panicked and worried. Aleysha looks to her and nods, a little glad at the sting her words cause the pack.

“He is laying in bed right now, dying because of you and if you don’t let us fix this…” She’s cut off, the faces shocked, horrified.

“Aleysha!” Brett yells and Dominic growls.

“No, they’re lying to us!” His yellow eyes fall on Derek. “Are you in on it? Did you know he was going to die?” He’s screaming and Derek’s shaking his head.

“Enough!” The two betas bowed their head at the red eyes that dull back to calm blue ones, the angered face slowly following. He understands they are hurt and worried, he is too but they had to reign it in just a tad. They had to control it. “Can you help us find them or not?” The blue eyes look to the group, who swallow and nod.

“Scott, call Allison, see if she knows about them.” Derek tells him and Brett’s pack all but sigh in relief, he was going to be okay. He was going to be okay.

Derek’s pack look towards Brett’s pack as they lounge around, waiting for Allison’s return. There’s an awkward silence over them, unsure of what they should say and how they should say it. No one wants to speak, jealousy and anger fill the room, creating a tension so strong it felt almost painful.

“How uh…how did you and Stiles meet?” Erica asks, Brett smiles, mentally counting all the times he had to tell the story. To his siblings, to his co-workers and employees. They were all always so curious.

“I work at a Starbucks that he stopped by religiously.” Jackson scoffs and crosses his arms causing Brett to raise an eyebrow. “Is there a problem with that?”

“You support him on a paycheck from Starbucks.” Jackson tells him, almost accusingly. As if Brett wasn’t supporting Stiles enough, or taking care of him enough, which honestly shouldn’t be an issue right now. Brett shakes his head.

“My family owns a law firm up in New York, very popular one. I went to law school with intents of joining the family business as a lawyer and worked at Starbuck’s, my siblings supported my decision to form a pack and work a normal hour job. I get paid for my share of the law firm.” Jackson bows his head and frowns, his hopes killed. Brett frowns lightly, there’s a part of him that wonders if he would act the same way if the roles were reversed. What if he had lost Stiles and someone had taken him away?

“When did you two…uh…” Erica motions with her hands to gesture getting together and he smiles.

“He was attacked by a wendigo. Funniest thing I’ve ever seen actually. Smart mouth he had. He uh…he wasn’t scared of me because of you and we hit off amazingly. It all came down to how he treated my pack but I think my pack loves him just as much as I do.”

“I love him more than anyone in the world.” Aleysha interrupts, correcting her Alpha with a smile. “Stiles is my best friend.” She can feel Scott’s pain but brushes it off, Stiles was her brother, her best friend. “I owe him my life, like you do.” She looks to Issac who looks down and nods.

“Is he…” Scott swallows. “Is he happy?” The whole pack perk up. The worry that he wouldn’t be, that even if he did get over them, replace them he wouldn’t be happy was fresh. But there was a selfish part of them that hoped he wasn’t happy just content, that they’d be able to get him back. Have him return home and stay and never leave again, never leave them again.

“Well, I think so. When he first started coming into Starbucks he reeked of depression and pain…heartbreak, loneliness.” Brett frowns, recalling it. Stiles had this look in eyes back then, one he never wants to see again. He remembers after they got together and curled together at night and talked about it in the park, hidden from pack, from people, almost like a secret love affair, he had understood. Losing everything, he had understood.

“Now he smells like pack.” Dominic says, grabbing Telisa by the shoulders, who smiles lightly, placing her hands over Dominic’s. “Like family. Stiles.” He explains and smiles. “He’s great to all of us.” The pack swallows.

“Yeah.” Erica bites her lip and leans into her mate, he rubs an arm up her shoulder, trying to comfort her. She had been close to Stiles, they all had, they loved Stiles like Stiles loved them. They still do, to hear how easy it was for him, well, maybe it was difficult but he did it. They didn’t, couldn’t.

“Sorry, I know how upsetting it is.” Andre confesses, standing. “I’d been an omega before Stiles came around. I know how it feels to lose a pack mate.”

“Don’t apologize.” Derek says as he enters the room, handing a drink to the other Alpha who smiles greatly, accepting the offered drink. “It was our own fault he left.” His pack frowns to him, wondering.

“As true as that is…it still hurts.” Andre replies.

“It’s not our fault.” Scott whispers, but part of him still doesn’t believe that. Stiles would’ve stayed if someone talked to him. But Stiles didn’t have to leave Beacon Hills and run away, he could’ve stayed and waited for them.

“Yes, it is Scott. You heard them, we broke his heart.” ‘I broke his heart’ Derek isn’t shy about it. He knows what he did was wrong even if it were for the right reason. Seeing Brett…he was just glad he didn’t have to see Brett and Stiles together again, he knows he can’t handle that. Stiles was his, once upon a time, and deep down Stiles is still his. He still loves Stiles, there’s a part of him that fears he always will. Brett eyes Derek for a moment before sipping his drink.

“Still, he would’ve forgiven you.” Brett tells them with a nod, when he places the mug on the table. “At any point in time, in fact I’d put money on it that he’d forgive you now, he just wouldn’t come back.” Brett makes a point in informing Derek of that, of telling the pack they had fucked up and he was not losing his mate because they felt guilty. He trusts Stiles and Stiles loves him but he knows how it feels, he understands. The talks they have he knows Stiles would fall back if they cried to him, if they made him feel like he needed to be there and Brett wouldn’t allow this pack to hurt his love ever again.

Chapter Text

He knows he was the one that said he shouldn’t start anything. He understands that, he gets that. He’s not starting anything, just observing. Just…wondering. Wondering what made this Alpha so special to Stiles, wondering why this Alpha still loves Stiles. If he loved Stiles he wouldn’t have broken his heart. He wouldn’t have let Stiles leave. He would’ve stopped him. Brett can smell the pain on Derek every time Stiles was brought up, knowing he’s lost something he loved. Brett understands, he hasn’t been there, no he watched one to many people he loves get their heart broken to think he should fall in love with anyone other than the one that smelt like a mate, that smelt like forever.

Ten years ago, he’d have thought he was going to die alone and scared. Until a gorgeous young man walked into the Starbucks he worked out. Honey brown eyes and perfect brown hair, the smell of him was almost too much. Jordan had noticed Brett’s eyes as he watched the kid stare at the menu with narrowed eyes. Both Jordan and Aleysha pushed him to pursue the young man and slowly he started too. But every rejected wink and every ignored number stung a bit, made him realize that while the boy flirted heavily he was not interested. Brett couldn’t blame him the reek of heartbreak, sorrow and loneliness also surrounded the boy. Brett couldn’t help but wonder who or what could break such a man’s heart like that. Brett certainly wouldn’t.

Before Stiles his pack wasn’t much. It consisted of him, his second Aleysha, his adopted brother Dominic and his cousin’s children, Telisa and Jefferson. Aleysha had been his best friend since he was five and they met in daycare. She was 16 when he bit her only a few months after his parents died. Dominic had been orphaned at his parents door by another wolf who couldn’t take care of a child. Dominic had followed him instead of becoming an omega. His cousin had not been a wolf and after his girlfriend died he begged Aleysha and Brett to take in his kids, to raise them. He died not too long after that.

After Stiles he was able to convince a nearby omega that had saved a few times, Andre, to join his pack. And a year after they were married they ran into a couple, Karen and David, Karen was sick and dying. Both kept asking for just a few more years together at a church and Stiles had felt the urge to tell them about werewolves. David asked for the bite and Karen accepted it after David’s body did. The doctors claimed it was a miracle that she was better and Karen to this day believes Stiles and Brett are a miracle.

Now, seeing this pack he can’t help but wonder if Stiles had part in making this pack so strong and connected. They seemed a little broken but solid. Brett can’t keep his eyes from wandering to their Alpha as they wait for the huntress to return with information. His hands slip to his finger and he subconsciously rubs the ring on it. He swallows heavily and continues talking about Stiles and his pack. About the day they met, to the day Stiles was attacked, to the day Stiles proposed. Yes, Stiles proposed and Brett wouldn’t have wanted it any other way.

Brett kept a hand pressed over his lovers lips, red eyes glowing in the dark space they were contained in. He listened to the men standing outside the door, waiting for one to realize he had gotten his lover and himself out of their restraints. As if he’d ever give away his pack and his heart had thudded ever so hard when Stiles refused to give the information even as they hurt him. Brett had growled and roared, anger filling him and Stiles eyes would fly to him sympathetically.

“Sh.” Brett whispered and Stiles nodded against his chest. Brett pressed against the wall by the door and listened as two of the three men made their exits. A female voice had said there’d been intruding werewolves, most likely his pack coming to get him. Part of him wanted to howl and tell his pack to retreat but another part wanted to protect his mate, protect his human. “There’s at least ten men out there.” He told Stiles who’s hands were prodding against some injuries on his chest. “I don’t know how far we’re gonna get.”

“Far enough.” Stiles reassured him as he shifted his head to speak. The hand fell to his cheek. Brett nodded. “Aleysha will kill more than ten hunters to save us. No matter how much we don’t kill.” Brett nodded again and swallowed. He blamed himself. He should’ve known it was a trap when the hunters agreed to meet the Alpha and human to sign for a treaty. Not that he’d have allowed Stiles to go alone, although Stiles would have. The boy would’ve snuck out to find the men and made an agreement. Brett cupped his cheek and kissed him. “We’re gonna be okay.” Stiles reassured. Brett nodded and the door opened. The man entered and Brett knocked him out, knocking him to the ground. Stiles grabbed his weapon and followed his boyfriend out of the house.

“There’s more coming.” Brett pulled Stiles to duck behind a wall as a few hunters passed by. Stiles counted five men and frowned. He turned to face Brett. “What?” Brett asked.

“I love you.”

“I love you too.” Brett smiled and looked away to watch the retreating forms. Stiles bit his lip before continuing.

“If we…when we get out of here, marry me?” Brett’s red eyes faded and he looked to Stiles, lips parted. “After everything we’ve been through in the past four and a half years together, after that…all I want is you. Well, and a family. But the packs our family so it wouldn’t matter. I don’t wanna go through this and die not asking you.”

“We’re not gonna die.”

“But in case we do, I want to marry you. I have for a while. Since you almost got me hit by a car during one of our fights.” Brett smirked lightly and shook his head. The noises faded aside from Stiles nervous heart beat. “I wanted you to ask because you talk about mates so highly, like they’re the only thing that matter in the world. And I didn’t want to ask only to have my heart broken because you don’t think I’m your mate. Through out this entire thing all I thought was how much your pack was my pack, how I want a family with you, how I love you. Only you…please, say yes, I feel like a fool rambling on while hunters are running around trying to kill us.”

“You are a fool.” Stiles frowned. “This is the worst time to propose.” Stiles smiled lightly as Brett kissed him. “When we don’t die I’m gonna make everything up to you for protecting my pack, you’re more than my mate Stiles.”

“Is this really time for a confession of deeper love.” They looked to Aleysha. “We’ve got about three more guys to get through and if I hear one more word about how much you love each other I’m gonna punch you in the face. Not you Stiles.”

Aleysha punched him in the face the second they got out of the hellhole. Stiles was able to convince the remainder hunters to take their injured hunters to the hospital and never bother them again. Stiles also spent four days in a hospital near Brett’s law firm. His siblings visiting often to see the mystery lover. Brett proposed with a ring the day Stiles left. They talked about it a lot and got married only five months after, giving them time to discuss more than just love. Brett told Stiles, it wasn’t just his wolf that loved him Brett did too and always would.

Brett knows the same is true for Derek. He doesn’t worry though, Stiles loves Brett. Sure, deep down Stiles will always love Derek but not the way he loves Brett and Brett knows this. Brett knows this because well, he knows Stiles. He doesn’t want this pack to think that just because Stiles still thought of them as family they had a chance to win him over. He’d forgive them in a heart beat, invite them over for holiday’s but he wouldn’t let them weasel their way back into him the way they did last time. Brett knew Stiles was still scared something would happen to leave him hurt after this, Brett just hopes the feeling Stiles has isn’t that he’s not leaving because he’s lying next to his mother and father in the cemetery. Brett doesn’t know who he’d blame or what he’d do if Stiles dies, all he knows is he’d keep living. Just like Stiles wants him to.

Aleysha can smell it on her Alpha, the worry in him. She understands. She’s watched the two of them interact over the past ten years. Or, well nine years. The first year she spent listening to stories from Jordan about the mysterious boy that stole Brett’s heart. She had a crush on Brett back in middle school and the beginning of high school. Then she was in a car accident, begged him to bite her when he wolfed out waiting for the ambulance and found out about mates. She never wanted anything from him after that, except him to be happy. The worst was knowing he was content alone, seeing him with Stiles was great. She loved Stiles. The boy did save her life last year, the boy did make her best friend and Alpha happy. She couldn’t ask for more.

Except maybe her own mate and her own happily ever after. She was fine with dating around though, unlike Brett. Brett who thought a mate was the be all and end all of relationships. Brett had his own fair share - maybe three – of boyfriends, but he was new to the romance thing. Stiles was the first boy he spoke of that way. High school boyfriends never count, never counted. Brett saw a future with Stiles, something he never believed possible. Aleysha loves her pack but this pack, the pack under Derek Hale was something new.

They all still love Stiles and she couldn’t believe that. Why would they let him go? Not that she’s complaining. She loves Stiles. This pack seemed almost dysfunctional and from stories from Stiles seemed like some sort of drama show she’d watch. Scott McCall is Derek’s second and his old best friend. She remembers the story, about how it was his fault Scott got bit. Not that he regrets it, because look at where he is now. She was a little jealous of Scott. Only a little, he had Stiles during high school. Aleysha loved Stiles since the first day she met him. He had walked in and smelt like pack, so much like home and Brett her eyes flashed yellow. Stiles had frowned and Brett had laughed when she turned red.

Scott had a boyfriend, a cute one at that. No matter how much fear they had felt with Issac being sick she wish for a love like that. Something to call her own. Something where you look at each other the way they do, like even though they’re fighting they love each other. She can smell it on them. Issac knew it when they were at the door, he knew Stiles was hurt. She couldn’t help but wonder why. She still remembers the night Stiles finally got better, when all the vomiting was done. When everything settled he was holding her instead.

She tried to hide her tears as she sobbed into the pillow. She felt better, her chest didn’t feel like it was on fire anymore but Stiles had suffered through so much for her. She sobbed into the pillow. Everyone was asleep in there own rooms but she tried to silence them with it, didn’t want any of them to feel bad. She rubbed at her eyes and looked to the door at a rapping. Stiles stood with two mugs and smiled lightly.

“Can I come in?” She nodded and he handed her one, sitting on the edge of the bed. She sipped at the cocoa smiling lightly. She loved his hot chocolate, they all did. But every once in a while he’d add some white chocolate or caramel to it, to add a tiny bit more comfort to every sip. Stiles sipped his before sitting higher. He crossed his legs and looked to her. “You okay?”

“Yeah.” She sniffed, rubbing at her eyes again. “Why wouldn’t I be?”

“Well, you know, because you’re sobbing into your pillow.” She pushed the pillow and looked to him frowning. “You wanna talk about it?” She never understood how he was the first to show up to everything, to comfort everyone but she loved it. He always knew just what to say and when not to speak.

“Not really.”

“It’s not your fault you know.” She couldn’t stop the tears as she took another sip. “It’s not, you would’ve died, we’re both still alive.”

“You were so sick, you were in so much pain and it was because of me.” Stiles shook his head and place his mug on the table by her bed.

“That wasn’t because of you, it was because of the hunters and whatever they put into you. I’d do it ten times over if it meant protecting you and saving you. You can’t sit here and blame yourself. I was hurt but I’m not anymore, I’m not anymore and that’s what matters.” She sniffed again and he pulled the mug from her laying down next to her. He muttered the words again. “This isn’t your fault. I’m okay.” She nodded and sobbed into his chest, he soothed her until they were almost silent. “We’ll go shopping okay, as soon as possible and Brett will pay for it all.” She giggled lightly, tears still mixing in with it, as she nodded in his chest.

He held her as she slept and looking at Scott and Issac she knew he did the same for them. She still disliked them for what they did to him, for how bad they hurt him but she hopes they realize Stiles still loves them because that’s all she’d ask for if she was in their place. However, if he dies because he saved Issac and they could’ve stopped it, she might break her promises to Stiles and hurt them like they hurt him.

She can’t believe it still, she never really could. Well, a little, she understands it was Alpha versus Stiles but…Stiles is…Stiles. He’s always been there for them through thick and thin. This alone should be enough evidence of that. She feels bad but she really can’t, she can only have sympathy for her best friend, for Stiles. Because he didn’t deserve that, not to have everything he loved torn from him. She doesn’t think it’s fair, she knows it’s not.

Telisa was only 11 when she met Stiles, he had scooped her up and told her she was beautiful. He had mused Jefferson’s hair who’s adorable wide brown eyes had lit up at the sight of him. Jefferson was 9 at the time and held onto Stiles like his life depended on it. They had went through middle school and high school with Stiles tutoring them and working from home when they were sick. Brett had looked at Stiles like the human was the only damn man on the planet. Telisa had fallen for Stiles as her dad almost. She was still afraid of thunder storms. Jefferson had started sleeping in Stiles and Brett’s bed most nights the year she discovered the love Stiles held for them.

The lightening flashed in the room and Telisa closed her eyes, listening to the thunder boom. She jumped and her heart sped up. She hated thunder storms, she hated them. She listened to the rain, the lightening flashed and she closed her eyes, counting, thunder boomed. She let out a whimper before shooting out of bed. She ran down the hallway and stopped at the door. Lightening flashed, she closed her eyes and counted, thunder boomed. She inhaled sharply and pushed open the door to Brett’s room.

Stiles was curled against Brett with Jefferson in front of him. Stiles had started staying over a lot more recently, the pack thinks he’s planning to move in soon. Lightening flashed, she closed her eyes and counted, thunder boomed. She whimpered and padded against the floor to the edge of bed, she bit her lip.

“Brett…” She whispered, Stiles opened his eyes and Brett leaned up, looking to her. “Can I stay with you guys tonight?” Stiles beamed at her and extended his hand, she accepted it. Lightening flashed, she closed her eyes and counted, thunder boomed. She was pulled onto the bed and nestled into Stiles arms. She clenched his shirt, enjoying the smell of her Alpha and her Alpha’s Mate on it.

“Did the storm scare you, Teli?” She nodded against his chest and he smiled running a hand through her hair. She smiled lightly and pressed closer. “It can’t hurt you Teli.” She listens to his heartbeat and frowns.

“It took away my mom and dad.” Stiles heart skips before he presses a kiss to her head. “You wouldn’t understand.”

“Oh?” She looks up to him, lightening flickers off his face. “I do, hospitals took away my mommy, so I used to hate them too. Every time my dad took me to the doctors I’d wait for him to leave the car and then lock myself inside so I couldn’t go.” She frowns. “But I got better and so will you and if not I’ll hold you during every thunderstorm.”

True to his word, Stiles would curl up with her on the couch every thunderstorm. Two years later she would sit outside with Stiles, Jefferson and Dominic watching the rain and lightening. She loved him for that. She never realized that a person could care that much. Aleysha had come home after the storm and told Telisa she was sorry she wasn’t home. Telisa told her it was okay, Stiles saved her. Aleysha had beamed at Stiles and thanked him later.

Stiles had been a good influence on all of them. If not for him Telisa doesn’t think Jefferson would have graduated. Jefferson had struggled a lot towards the ending of his high school career and wanted to give up but Stiles wouldn’t let him. He just graduated this year and the whole pack was in the audience. Stiles got onto Brett’s shoulders and screamed for him, Jefferson had turned bright red but clung to Stiles all night after that.

Looking at this pack now, she realizes how similar yet different they are. She knows with maybe a small doubt if – which is just such a big if it’s not a possibility – Brett and Stiles were to break up that at least Jeff and Aleysha would go with Stiles. Stiles was almost an Alpha on his own. She also knows that they’d protect Stiles, they’d talk to him, visit him. She thinks they’re all kind of cute though and selfishly she’s glad Derek and Stiles broke up. If they didn’t Stiles wouldn’t have moved to New York, Stiles wouldn’t have shown up in Starbucks, Stiles wouldn’t have met Brett and they might not be a pack anymore. So she’s glad they broke his heart because that meant her pack could fix it.

Chapter Text

Stiles is his friend, his mom. He isn’t going to say Stiles isn’t important to him or that he is okay with the man lying in bed or vomiting his guts out in the bathroom. He wasn’t even okay when Stiles was holding him and telling him it was going to be okay, that Brett would get back in time, and by the jump in Stiles’ heart Jefferson really questions that one. He has a ton of faith in his pack, they were his family, but he’s not sure how he feels about Derek’s pack. He trusts Stiles who trusts them but Jefferson just can’t. He physically can’t bring himself to trust them yet, because what if they give him a reason not to. What if they let Stiles die?

Stiles was the only person who gave a damn about him and his life aside from Brett who was struggling enough on his own. Brett was like that single father struggling to raise them but they didn’t all need raising. Stiles was like that woman that runs into the single father in the park and they end up falling in love and becoming a family and then having their own kids. Well, they haven’t had their own kids but still. Stiles had it easy, Jefferson defined his smell at ‘Stiles’ and ‘perfect’ on more than one occasion. He’s not ashamed to admit that. Growing up, knowing someone took your parents away from you and no one stopped that person, it sucked. He hated it. In high school he got teased relentlessly, he couldn’t read well and he had been adopted by a family member. No one really liked him. That was until Stiles came along.

“I just don’t get it. I don’t care!” He yelled at the older man who pursed his lips together and then frowned. Stiles raised his brows as the books hit the floor. “None of this is going to help me later on in life and we all know it.”

“No, you think it. Jeff, what’s really going on here?” Jefferson glared at the man and Stiles stared back, searching his face.

“Why do you even care? You and Brett don’t care about my future as long as I make your pack look good.” He scoffed and looked to his feet, kicking the book. “You aren’t family.”

“Well, I may not be your family but you’re my family. Brett and I don’t care how our pack looks. Do you remember the first time Brett brought home David and we fought?” Jefferson nodded, he remembered that well. David and Stiles were yelling at each other and David lost control. “Brett and I helped David out, not for me, not because we wanted other packs to think we all had such great control but because David needed us to. He wanted us to. He didn’t want to hurt anyone so we both sat down and helped him out.”

“Yeah right. You did it because he almost killed you.” Stiles smiled and shook his head when Jefferson looked up through eyelashes.

“We did it because he told me he was afraid to hurt Karen.” Jefferson knew that was true because he had heard the three of them talking. David said he was going to hurt someone and he didn’t want that, that he would just leave. “If we wanted our pack to look good we’d have kicked him to the curb and let Kar follow. Plus, no one at your school cares about werewolves and werewolves don’t really care about success in high school. So what’s really going on?”

“I don’t get it and the kids at school make fun of me.” Stiles smiled lightly, and tilted his head, causing Jefferson to continue. “I don’t have parents, I’m a werewolf so I hear everything, no one even stopped my parents killer, I can’t be bothered to care about school when I’m a werewolf.”

“Sure you can, and how about I let Brett tell you exactly what him and his cousin did to those hunters. We don’t kill humans remember Jeff? That doesn’t mean we don’t scare them half to death, that we can do.” Jefferson smiled at Stiles who smiled back. “I’ll have Brett take you out tonight, we can have date night tomorrow.”

Jefferson tried to refuse going out with Brett but Stiles was positive they deserved it. Brett had told him all the werewolf stories Jeff asked for then sat down with him and helped him read some stupid book. Stiles bought the movie later and told him some details from the books that were missing. Every day after school Jeff went out with this girl Kelsey for a few months and Stiles would help him with homework afterwards, Brett would train him a little bit more. So he learned to love Stiles even more. When Stiles wasn’t around he started calling the man his father or mother. There wasn’t much homophobia at his school but every so often people laughed if he said Brett and Stiles so he called them dad and mom. Stiles was the mom, obviously, he was so mothering.

Now, he just wants Brett to be the hero they always are for each other and save Stiles. They needed Stiles. Jefferson curls up next to Stiles on the bed and nuzzles his neck. Stiles laughs lightly and rubs a hand up Jeff’s back, his other arm thrown around Karen who nuzzles his shoulder. Jeff winks at Karen who smiles widely.

Karen was sick when she met Stiles, it was at a local church. Her and David would go there to pray for just a little bit more time together. She didn’t want to die and David still needed her. They were still young but they didn’t have any kids. Karen had been sterile but her parents always told her she didn’t want kids. Stiles would look at them sometimes and tilt his head. One day he finally walked over to them.

“Hi.” He smiled and they looked to him, smiling back. “I uhm, I’m Stiles. I couldn’t help but notice you two are here almost every night.”

“I’m David, this is my wife Karen.” Stiles nodded and leaned back, looking at them seriously.

“It’s nice to meet you, you’re uhm…you’re sick?” Karen nods but doesn’t comment any further, they didn’t talk about it. It still scared them still hurt. “I uhm…I shouldn’t do this, Brett’ll kill me but…you’re gonna think I’m crazy. Ever hear of werewolves?”

Karen and David laughed in his face and David punched him, telling him it wasn’t funny. They kept his address and David went to Stiles’ house a few days later, tears streaming down his face. Stiles hadn’t even thought, just stepped out of his house and called Brett, who bit David first. She had been nervous but accepted the bite once his body accepted it. Brett had been nervous as well, telling her it mightn’t take but it took and she was a werewolf. Stiles wouldn’t even let them apologize, even though the bruise was still fading.

Stiles has stood by them then, including when Karen got pregnant. She lost the baby and Stiles was there with her as much as David was, Stiles felt extremely guilty at the time. As well as Brett but she couldn’t let them be. It wasn’t their fault. They thought it was because they had been fighting at the time but she knew she had to comfort the two younger men.

“Stiles? You’re up late?” Stiles hummed in response. “Is everything okay?”

“No… yeah. I’m fine. Everything’s fine. Can’t sleep?” She frowned lightly and he held up a glass of coffee, which she greatly accepted. Making a face when the hot decaf hit her tongue.

“Something like that. I uhm…David and I have been talking, about the baby.”

“We shouldn’t have let you fight, we’re so sorry.” She smiled lightly and walked over to him.

“You and Brett have absolutely nothing to apologize for. You guys gave me my life back. Stiles I couldn’t even get pregnant before this and I was dying. If anything David and I should apologize to you and Brett.” Stiles smiled at her lightly.

“You have nothing to apologize for. We’re happy to have you. Even if David’s control sucked.” She smiled and hugged him.

“Thank you, for everything, again.”

He was there through everything so she’d be right here through this. Well, not when he throws up, he demands privacy then. She curls under his arm and nuzzles his shoulder, smiling when she feels Jeff do the same. Stiles is still grossly sweaty and his hair is matted against his face. He reeks but they don’t mind, they love Stiles and Stiles loves them. When Brett comes back with a way to fix him, they’ll just curl up together and enjoy the comfort.

Stiles is doubled over and Jeff is rubbing a hand over his back while Karen starts up the shower for him, whispering comforting words to him. Jeff bites back his own tears as they leave their human to take a shower. Jeff paces across the room, as he waits, listening. They can hear him get out and throw up again. They wince at the thought of him in pain when a small groan escapes him. After a few minutes of silence

“Sometimes I wish he’d just take the damn bite.” Jeff mumbles and Karen looks to him.

“You know that’s not what he wants in life, he said he’d take it just not yet. That risks not only his life but his spark as well. He doesn’t want to not be able to keep us safe, especially if this stuff going on, being targeted. What if it’s true Jeff? His spark is one thing that kept Aleysha alive last year and kept his old pack mate alive now.” She explains and he whines. She bites her bottom lip and glances towards the bathroom before settling down.

“But at the risk of his own.” Jeff tries, making a face of pain. “It’s just…I don’t see anyone here from their pack caring. For the record, he gave everything for them too and they left.”

“If Brett and him broke up who would you go with Jeff? Brett is our Alpha!”

“But Stiles is our mom.” Karen looks down at that, running hands through her short brown hair. “We know it’s true, he was theirs too, Aleysha said it was written all over the sick boys face, it was pounding in their hearts. Stiles meant just as much to them as he did to us and to be honest…if Brett broke Stiles’ heart, Aleysha and I would be omegas.” Karen knew it was true and she wonders if maybe she’d follow Stiles too. Would she? Brett gave her the bite but at the same time so did Stiles, Brett wouldn’t have if it weren’t for his mate.

“Yeah, you’re right, but what if Stiles broke Brett’s heart?”

“Because that could happen.” Jeff bites out, shaking his head. “Stiles couldn’t break a damn hunters heart.

“What about the Hale Alpha, you don’t think if he came knocking Stiles would run away from us for him?” Jefferson looks to her and licks his lips.

“Do you?”

“No.” She admits. “Stiles wouldn’t leave us if his life depended on it.”

“Damn straight, dollface.” Karen and Jeff look to the bathroom door where Stiles is leaning, looking a little better but still shaky. He smiles but they could see the pain on his face. “C’mere you guys.” They both hug him and he nuzzles the youngest’s hair. “I love you both and the rest of you crazy werewolves, don’t ever think otherwise.” He kisses Karen’s cheek. “Brett and the pack are gonna find out what’s going on and I’ll be fine.”

They don’t question him, they believe him. They trust him. But there’s always that what if in the back of their minds.

Chapter Text

There’s a treaty between Derek’s pack and The Argents, which is only Allison and her father. They have been working together since Gerard was killed and plan to continue to work together. During the break up Allison had been away with Chris, talking to other hunters. She had come back and heard the news of Stiles leaving. She was angry and upset at first but they knew she was scared that they could do it to her next.

Scott calls her and tells her that Stiles is sick now. Her heart drops and she listens. Scott tells her he has a new pack, that he’s married. She wonders how the pack feels. It’s got to be hard, she was upset when Scott and Issac got together, it just hurt. She was happy for them regardless even though it hurt badly at first. Allison talks to her father before she heads to the Hale house.

There are six people who smile at her when Scott leads her to the living room, six people she doesn’t recognize. She assumes their Stiles’ new pack. The blue-eye, blond haired male smiles at her and extends a hand.

“You must be Allison. I’m Brett, Stiles’ husband.” She shakes the hand and smiles at him.

“It’s nice to meet you.” She says and notices her pack looks a little hurt.

“As well you.” Brett says, his smile charming. He gestures towards his pack and introduces them. The girl beside Brett is tall with brown hair and brown eyes, her pink lips a small smile but eyes distrusting, her name is Aleysha. Allison can already tell she’s Brett’s second before Brett says anything. Dominic and Andre look like body guards but offer a smile and a small wave in acknowledgment. Telisa looks to be younger than all the occupants in the room but has her lips pursed, almost as if she’s evaluating the pack mentally. David is shying away and not looking at her. “Do you have any information on the hunters?” Brett frowns and tilts his head. Allison nods.

“My dad says he was talking to a couple of hunters a week ago.” She says before clearing her throat and looking towards Scott and Issac, Issac is staring at Brett and Scott nods at her to continue. “Well, uh, they had needed somewhere to stay but he said we were no longer in the business. They were asking about Sparks and stuff but my father didn’t say much. They were staying in a hotel outside of town but they didn’t say anything else on that matter.” Brett nods and looks towards his pack.

“Alright, here’s the plan. We’ll split up and run perimeter. Hunters are easy to smell with their weapons and tools. If you think you’ve caught a scent, call and we’ll meet up. Do not attack, if they hurt you, you’re of no help to Stiles. Understood?” He raises a brow and looks towards each member. Aleysha is nodding but the rest look hesitant. It wasn’t much of a plan but when have they ever really had much of a plan.

“Do you mind if we help run perimeter?” Derek asks, catching the blond man’s attention. Brett frowns at him, confusion on his face. “You said you had limited time, with the two groups we’d be able to find them faster.” Brett smiles lightly and nods. He can’t help but feel proud of Derek for stepping up. He thinks they would make a good team. Derek can’t help but fear for his ex-lovers life. If his pack didn’t help Brett’s they could lose Stiles. They lost him once and they’ll most likely lose him again once he’s okay but to not even have a chance to see him again, to let him die, Derek wouldn’t be able to live with that. Especially knowing it was partly his fault.

“Of course. If you’re pack is willing.” The entire room is too eager to help, giving their affirmatives in nods or words. He smiles at them, glad they’d still save their friend, his husband. “Then who am I to say no? The faster we find help for Stiles, the sooner he gets better. Do you have a map?”

“Yeah!” Issac says and turns to leave the room, he returns moments later to place it on the table.

“This is our house.” Derek points to the area on the map and Brett stares at it, tilting his head and grabbing a pencil.

“Alright. Aleysha will take David to…” Brett’s cut off by Scott reaching out.

“What if one of us go with David. I’m assuming he’s a little new to this and since we know the town better it might be quicker. I could go with him.” Scott says and Brett looks at him for a while. “Don’t worry, I’ll make sure he stays calm. I promise.”

“Okay, that could work.” Brett nods slowly. David looks to Scott with curious eyes, while Aleysha looks at him suspicious. She was just glad Jefferson wasn’t here. She knows him and he would’ve jumped at the opportunity to go with one of the pack from here. “So Scott and David will go this way, Aleysha you go this way…” He draws on the map and Derek stops him.

“I think Erica should go that way, I’m not doubting your pack but that’s through the woods and it’s got a lot of knocked over trees, Erica’s very agile and I think she’d do better in the woods. Plus the hunters have seen my pack so I want to keep them out of dangers way, if that’s okay?” Brett smiles at Derek and nods. Aleysha smirks into her fist.

“I’ll go this way, it seems to head past Scott’s place and I’ll try and catch a scent, I have a good nose.” She brags with a smile. Derek and Brett nod.

“So we’ll send your pack where they can hide easily. Which would be about where?”

“Boyd can go this way, Jackson here and Issac this way. Dominic can head through town over here and take this part…”

“Which leaves Andre to take this part. You can take this path and I’ll go this way.” Derek nods as Brett makes paths for the wolves. “We should exchange numbers so we can call when we pick up a scent. I think you guys might have a better grasp on the smell since you’ve seen them, so if you guys lap over that’d be great.”

“Yeah, just stay off the hunters radar, all of you for now.” Derek warns and then looks towards Brett again. “Do you have a plan for when we see them?”

“Yeah, call the rest, we’ll all meet up and we’ll plan it when we see how many there are. Just to be safe.” Brett tells him, looking towards Derek's betas as well as his own. Aleysha is already talking to David in hushed tones and exchanging numbers with Scott and Issac. Brett’s phone rings before he has the chance to answer it. He frowns before answering it, pressing the phone to his ear. The wolves quiet slightly and glance towards him.

“Karen? What’s wrong?” He knows off the bat that something is wrong.

“Brett, it’s…it’s Stiles.” Everyone freezes, their hearts pounding as the listen in. What could’ve happened to Stiles? The room is silent from Brett and Karen.

“What happened?”

“We’re not sure.” She cries. “We were talking and we were cooking in the kitchen and then he just collapsed, he hit the floor really bad. He wasn’t….he wasn’t breathing Brett, he stopped breathing.” Brett closes his eyes, Derek doing the same as the pain courses through them. Aleysha straightens up and looks to her Alpha, lips parted. Issac grabs Scott’s hands. Each werewolf is ready to bolt.

“Did you…?”

“We gave him CPR, we were ready to run him to the hospital. He started breathing but…he slipped unconscious and I…I, I…I’m afraid he’ll stop breathing again. Jeff’s by his bed now, but I don’t know what to do.” Brett nods and exhales heavily.

“Karen, calm down. We’re running perimeter now. I’m gonna send someone to help, okay? Stiles is going to be okay, I promise you.” He swallows and all the wolves catch the skip in his heart. His heart beat is erratic, he’s nervous and scared. All of him wants to go to his lovers bedside, wake him up but he knows he can’t. He promised Stiles he’d fix this and he was damn well going to fix this.

“Okay, okay. I’ll call you if anything else happens.” He can hear her still panicking but calming down.

“Alright.” He hangs up and looks up, he meets David’s eyes. “Dav-“

“No.” David shook his head. “I’ve got the best nose on the team, you can’t send me to sit by Stiles. Karen and Jeff are the fastest.”

“Issac will go.” Derek says, looking from his pup to the Alpha who furrows his brows. “He’s still weak, and I don’t want him freezing up on the hunters, that won’t help. He’ll be able to run Stiles if he needs to.” Issac nods and looks to the other Alpha.

“Are you sure?” Brett questions, looking between the two. Both nod, Scott following. Aleysha looks to them and finds a new respect for the pack.

“Stiles was once ours, we care about him too.” Issac says, while Aleysha nods and meets her Alpha’s eyes.

“I trust them Brett, Stiles does too. Issac will protect him.” Scott and Derek look towards Aleysha while Brett nods and waves a hand to Issac.

“Okay, alright, yeah. Go, go, hurry. Thank you.” Brett tells Issac who smiles before leaving, he takes off the second the door is open. “We need to head out now. Does everyone know the plan?” After confirmation from the betas, the Alpha’s remind their own to stay safe and to not attack alone. Brett tells his pack that if anyone gets injured to howl and run, he reminds them to take cover if they smell a threat and to alert him if something is wrong. Derek tells his pack to take advantage of the woods and try to stay out of the hunters view, to stay safe and protect each other if they hear a fight.

“Alright, let’s go.” Derek says and the wolves take off in opposite directions to get to the edge of Beacon Hills and try to sniff out the hunters. Derek’s pack going off the scent of the people who attacked them while Brett’s pack goes off the scent of hunters weapons.

Chapter Text

Aleysha took cautious steps towards the house where it had all started. Her heart pounded as she sniffed around, hoping to catch a scent of what the men who hurt Issac smelt like. Although it was always easy to sniff out hunters, they smelt like wolfs bane and dirt and blood most of the time. There were always a few hunter who smelt like wolfs bane. There were always a few hunters that smelt like murder and death. No matter what, she could sniff out a hunter easily. When she did her nose scrunched up and she had to fight back a growl, had to fight back baring her sharp fangs and roaring at the hunters. To her hunters were and always would be murders, killing innocent people like her. She was wary of Scott and Derek but not as much as she was of their hunter friend. She could trust Scott and Derek but their hunter friend she couldn’t. Stiles had told the stories of the pack he had but it never mattered because that’s all they were, they were one-sided, biased stories, nothing more.

She frowns and sniffs before continuing on her way when all she smells is Scott and the pack’s. She walks down the street and sniffs secretly, eyes darting around every few steps, glancing and observing the places where Stiles’ had walked and wolves and roamed and hunters would lurk. She glances around as she continues on her way, ready to find herself a hunter and fix her injured friend.

Derek walked the woods, listening to all the noises. He listened to his pack which was just in hearing range but walking away from him, he listened to the creatures around him, he listened to the leaves that rustled as the wind blew. Leaves crunch under his feet, loudly but quiet, every step he takes is like a stab to his heart. He brought Stiles back here, he wasn’t able to protect his own and had to bring the innocent spark back to the place he originally ran away from. He was dealing with seeing Stiles again as well as anyone could, it hurt but he couldn’t let the spark know that. He loved Stiles, he’ll always love Stiles but look what happens when the younger man gets involved with werewolves, with him. With him because he’s been with werewolves. He’s been with a man who claims Stiles is his mate, a werewolf and he’s still alive. He sees Derek for one day and he’s already dying.

Derek sighs and glances around the woods, his pack’s voices silenced by the distance between them as he walks towards the edge of town, until he can find a trail of the men and woman who attacked his beta and in turn attempted to kill hi…Stiles. He pushes past hanging branches and steps over fallen ones, his eyes always darting around the woods as he searched. He hopes they can save Stiles so they can finally do something good for them.

Scott walks in front of David, who trails closely behind. David’s quiet, eyes cast down for a second before darting across the woods. Scott looks behind him and sees the worried eyes and smirks lightly.

“You’re still new to this huh?” David jumps and snaps his head towards Scott before he smiles back at him and nods.

“Is it that obvious?” He questions and Scott shakes his head before pausing and nodding.

“A little, you’re too nervous and you have the look. Did Brett turn you?” David narrows his eyes for a while as they walk through the woods.

“If you’re looking for a reason to get Stiles to think Brett’s a bad guy, it’s not going to work. Stiles offered me the bite.” Confusion fills Scott’s face as he looks towards the man speaking.

“Stiles can’t…” David smirks lightly.

“No, he uh….my wife, Karen was sick, dying. He met us at church and he told us he might be able to help. We didn’t believe him at first but after a good nights rest I decided what’s the harm and I needed Karen so Stiles convinced Brett to bite me and then Karen, I’ll never know how he did it.” Scott stares at David before nodding and humming, continuing on his way. Stiles had been able to convince Brett to bite not one but two humans. He can’t help how many of the other pack members weren’t in Brett’s pack before Stiles. What if Brett hadn’t been able to be a good Alpha without Stiles, that he couldn’t turn people? Scott chews on his bottom lip. Stiles really had a family again and it didn’t include them.

The two continue on in an awkward silence, eyes darting between the trees and steps cautious as Scott leads the new wolf. Scott stops and puts his hand out.

“Do you hear that?” He asked and David strained before sniffing with Scott. “Get down, stay calm.” He pulls David to hide with him behind a tree as they stare out, hidden.

“We’re on our way back now, we’re laid out some traps in the woods and – well yes, I know that the wolves aren’t our target but we might as well – whatever, we’re heading back now, goodbye.” A man’s figure came into view, walking towards the edge of the forest, a female following. Scott sniffed again, he could smell the wolfs bane and the familiar smell of the men who shot Issac. He scowls lightly but David puts a hand on his arm, calming him slightly. They watch the two walk by, stepping carefully.

“He givin’ you a hard time again?” The female asks with a laugh as they walk, guns held in hands, weapons hidden.

“When ain’t he? He’s always givin’ us all hard times with huntin’. What’s so special bout this one anyway?” The female laughs at him. “Keep your voice down, the wolves will hear ya.”

“You ask the same question five minutes ago. You heard what Mitch said, the boy can heal werewolves. He’s friends with two pack’s….that we know of. He’s dangerous and a potential threat. Plus, he scares Mitch, that’s a major factor here.” The man scoffs and Scott twitches to run after them, David absorbs the information and keeps his eyes locked on the duo.

“More like the only factor, You know Mitch is just a…” His voice fades out as he gets farther away.

“I’m going to text Derek, you text Brett, warn them of the traps in the forest and we’re gonna follow their scents to the hotel they’re at then call up the reinforcements.” Scott says and David nods, pulling out his cell phone in order to text Brett the first part of their plan. He tells him that they were heading deeper and they’ll inform them when they find the hotel.

Brett looks down to his phone and sighs at the information. His beta and Scott have found two hunters walking the woods and setting down traps to harm the wolves that weren’t their target. These hunters fear Stiles. His beta and Derek’s beta were going to follow the duo deeper into the woods and hopefully call him in a few minutes saying they’ve found the hunters place of resting. He knows they won’t leave until they get confirmation that Stiles is dead, which means one of them had to have been checking by Stiles’ place, right? He doesn’t think as he hurries towards Stiles’ place, he’s already close enough anyway and if he can get one of them to just tell him where they are he can call all of his pack and Derek’s pack to the same spot.

He knows there are three beta werewolves there and he trusts them. Issac seemed genuine and trustworthy even when Stiles spoke of him. But as much as he trusted the three he knew they weren’t looking for hunters and hence might miss the scent of one lurking around. He gets there relatively quick and stands outside, sniffing the air. All he can smell are the three betas and his sick mate. He frowns and stares at the window where he hears the talking but chooses to ignore it. He grips his ring between his thumb and pointer, twisting it slightly but not healing, not yet. That was a last resort thing, he trusted his betas to try and help Stiles while he needs it. He sighs before heading off again. He’ll never forgive himself if he doesn’t save Stiles, ever.

Issac flings the door open and Karen, glances at him, eyes yellow in fear but they dull to her hazel before smiling at him, the smell of her pack mixing with the younger boys pack and scent.

“Karen? Is Stiles doing better?” Karen nods as Issac shuts the door and walks in.

“He’s alive if that answers your questions, Jeff’s with him now. C’mon I’ll show you to him…I uh…didn’t get a name…” Issac shakes his head.

“Sorry, Issac.” She nods and leads him towards Stiles room, Issac stops and looks towards the Sheriff’s room, pausing and taking it in.

“You okay?” She asks, turning from her position at the door and examining him. He nods and turns to her.

“Yeah, it’s just….been a while.” She hums and turns into the doorway, Issac’s slow to follow. Jefferson is sitting on the bed with his hand clenched in Stiles’, growling in frustration before letting it go.

“He won’t take.” Jeff tells them without looking up. “God, sometimes I hate him.” Karen smiles lightly, taking a seat by the sick man’s feet where she leans up and grips his hand. Her veins pulse black before she gasps and snatches her hand away.

“What happened?” Issac asks, concern on his face.

“Stiles’ spark is rejecting our healing, he usually does it when we’re hurt and he’s hurt. He doesn’t like us taking away his pain, he hears the horror stories and thinks we won’t care about limiting ourselves.” Issac frowns and walks over, cautious and slow. “If you’re afraid one of us there might hurt you, don’t be.” Issac stands and glances towards Stiles’ pale skin.

“Is he…breathing?” Jeff looks up at him and stares before nodding. Issac leans down and presses his ears to his chest, listening for the soft heartbeat. His chest was barely rising and falling, breath hardly audible and that scared Issac.

“Don’t worry, if he’s still strong enough to reject healing, he’s strong enough to stay alive for a while longer. He’s a fighter, you know that.” Karen speaks looking towards Issac who nods, he did know that. He knew very well Stiles was strong and a fighter. Jeff buries his face into Stiles’ hair and inhales, calming himself and fighting back tears that threaten to continue falling. He had only recently begun to stop crying and he doesn’t want to start again.

Issac’s hand falls into Stiles’ where he grips it, looking at the man. He's desperate for the comfort Stiles used to provide them with while he was here. A silent, dying Stiles couldn’t do that but Issac knew that an awake, in pain Stiles would, even though he’s moved on, even though he has a new pack. He was desperate to have Stiles awake, Stiles was here, dying because of him. He had been the one who got shot, him. Not the pack. Him. He scrunches his face up, battling his own set of tears and Jeff looks to him. His veins run black and he feels Stiles’ rejecting him but he holds on for a few more minutes before he stops trying.

“Stiles.” Issac whines and Stiles’ new betas both provide their own comfort. Karen puts a hand on Issac’s arm and Jeff grips the intertwined hands.

“Don’t worry.” Jeff says. “Stiles, will be fine. They’ll save him, you’ll see.” Issac nods and sits on the bedside.

The betas take turns trying to heal Stiles, each time being rejected. Their shoulders slump in defeat every time and they keep sending out hopes that their packs will return with a way to fix this, will return soon before they lose Stiles. Jeff buries his tear stained face into Stiles shoulder and whines.

“Stiles, just hold on a little longer.” He pleads in a strained whisper. “Brett’ll save you.” He promises, the scent of his Alpha a little stronger than before. He knows his uncle is outside, he wonders why. Hopes that they found a cure, hopes that a hunter isn’t outside looking for them. He listens but Brett just takes off only moments later. He looks to Karen to confirm his suspicions. Karen just nods. Issac’s hand clasps over Stiles for a third time in the past few minutes, pulling back rejected.

“Issac?” Karen questions.

“I…we can’t lose him forever.” Brett’s betas exchange looks and Jeff frowns.

“He’d forgive you, you know, if he hasn’t already.” Jeff tells the blond. “I mean, he doesn’t talk about you all too much anymore but…he’d forgive you faster than anyone else. You were his favorite. Plus that’s one of the reasons Brett loves Stiles, he’s so forgiving.” Issac frowns, wishing Stiles still loved Derek, but nods, happy Stiles is happy. “He still loves you. You’re still family, otherwise, we wouldn’t be here. You’ll always be his family Issac, you don’t need to heal him to have that title, you don’t have anything to make up for, don’t think otherwise.” Issac stares at Jefferson who smiles lightly back.

“He doesn’t blame you. Derek was the Alpha, a werewolf survives under their Alpha, with their pack. Going with Stiles would’ve made you a vulnerable omega. Stiles has come to accept that, he wouldn’t want that for any of you. I think he just wants to know you all still love him.” Karen murmurs, staring at the floor and not Issac who nods.

“We do. Love him, I mean, we all do.” Issac confirms. Jeff smiles and nods.

“Trust us, we know, all of us.” The three betas settle in next to Stiles and wait, hoping that the young man will pull through and be awake come tomorrow.

Chapter Text

Scott stays in front of the newer beta as he slowly follows after the hunter couple. David stays calm behind him, turning and avoiding trees as he follows the three, listening and sniffing. They’re aware of everything around them, making sure they weren’t falling into a trap as they walked towards the next town. They smell the hunters strongly the second they are out of the woods and see the female from before smoking a cigarette right outside a hotel, a younger man beside her and an older female with bleach blond hair on the other side, her own cigarette in between her lips.

“Is that them?” David hisses. “You’re sure that’s who attacked your pack?” His eyes dart from the hotel to the man next to him, Scott narrows his eyes at the group and nods.

“Positive, I’d recognize that stink anywhere.” David smiles lightly before he nods. “But how many are there?” David frowns and looks at the hunters hotel, Scott turns his brown eyes from the married man to the hotel. None of the hunters were talking, simply enjoying their smokes and glancing around. Both were quick to inform their Alpha’s where they were located and the situation as they knew it, ducking further into shadows while they watched.

“How long’s it been?” The male asks and the bleach blond flips out a phone, pressing a few buttons before sighing.

“Since he started his fit? Two hours, since Marcus and bozo here returned.” The other female glares and tosses her cigarette to the floor.

“You should be glad we came back, you know since he’s freaking that he lost his” she clears her throat “’two best goddamned hunters who are loyal enough to know targets and threats, unlike the rest of you dumbass wannabes’” She impersonates.

“Jenny and Brian were dumb to leave.” The male tells her. “We’ve had this discussion already.” He sighs as the two girls stare each other down. “Woman.” He huffs before turning towards the door. “Do you think Marcus has calmed Mitch down yet?”

“The only thing that’s gonna calm Mitch down is that kids head on a platter.” The bleach blond spits herself, taking another drag of her cigarette.

“What’s so special about him anyway? You said, you’ve run into sparks before, hell, I’ve run into a few and my father tried to keep us as a one species killer only.” The female asks and the man pulls out another pack of cigarettes, digging one out for himself and she snatches one.

“We know,” He tells her. “That’s all you and your brother talk about. ‘We were strictly werewolf hunters, going after sparks and witches goes against out code.’” She glares at his mimic of her.

“Mitch doesn’t talk about what the kids done but you can tell he feels threatened. When we went on a hunt in New York a year or so ago Mitch had his eyes set on the boy, he would creep around the kids work and his Alpha’s coffee shop, when he came home, you saw it in his eyes. He fears this boy and for the life of me I don’t know why.” The bleach blond growls. “He’s just a damn spark that runs with werewolves. It’s not like he’s anything important.” The other female sighs and takes a few drags of her cigarette.

“Well, whatever this kid has done Mitch has sure as hell put a lot of effort into this.” The female spoke.

“Mitch didn’t do shit except recruit Brian for this.” The bleach blond informs the younger female who looks at her.

“Why did Brian leave? I thought he was in love with Mitch.” Both smokers look towards the young female and laugh.

“Brian? In love with Mitch? He hated Mitch.” The male tells her. “The only reason Brian stayed this year was for your brother. Why do you think the two went everywhere together?”

“My brother’s not…” She tries but her voice falls.

“Mitch and Brian hated each other, Jenny liked Mitch but never loved, she barely liked him, she stayed because she felt hunters were safer in groups. Either way, I think they were smart to leave. If Brian’s little poison works on the spark, you know as well as I do it’s gonna take more than the five of us to take down two werewolf pack’s.” The male causes a silence to fall over them.

“Alright, what’s the update.” Both Scott and David jerked and looked towards their Alpha’s wide-eyed, David’s eyes glow and he fades them when Brett laughs. “Cute.” Brett tells them before peering over. “Is that them?”

“Has to be.” Derek says. “They smell exactly like the ones that attacked us…Scott?”

“Yeah, definitely them.” Scott says. The two packs inch closer to inspect them. “Be careful, I don’t want them to know where here.

“What’re they talking about?” Erica questions, looking towards the two.

“They lost two hunters, they left because they’re scared of us.” Scott informs them and David looks back, shrugging his Alpha’s hands off his shoulder.

“One of the guys was the one that made the poison but Marcus, not Mitch, we’ll know the difference, he might know it. It’s a long shot but the younger female is his sister so we can use that.” Brett nods at his Alpha.

“Alright, we’re going to need a plan.” Brett says and Derek smiles, getting the other Alpha’s attention. “Now that is a smile I like.” Brett smiles back.

Chapter Text

Marcus watches as Mitch flips his shit, yelling about the two hunters that had left a while back. When he and his sister had joined this bandwagon of misfit hunters Mitch had high hopes for them. It was a little less than a year ago, a little under 10 months ago. Marcus had met Brian at a bar in a small city in Massachusetts. They were both on the same hunt for werewolves. Marcus’ sister, Kelly, had been at the hotel when Brian spotted him. The two had hit it off but left it at that. The next day the two siblings were on their hunt when they ran into Brian, Jenny, Mitch and Caroline. Paul had been contacting a few hunters they had met about an issue, which he now knows has to do with the stupid spark they’re so intent on killing.

Brian and Marcus had developed a really amazing relationship. Marcus wasn’t gay and Brian knew that but the more time he spent with Brian the more his heart liked to tell him maybe he wasn’t so straight. They hadn’t officially started a relationship yet, if they had, well, he and Kelly probably wouldn’t still be here with Mitch. After all this is over Marcus has already decided he’s going to get back to Brian and Jenny, they were smarter and better than Caroline, Paul and Mitch. Mitch growls.

“What are you doing? So, they left, we can go and come back with back up.” Marcus rolls his eyes when Mitch glares at him. Mitch has always gone into things guns a-blazing, shoot first, ask later. All that stupid jazz that usually gets people killed. Then Mitch’s lips quirk upwards and his eyes fill with a look that scares Marcus.

“Why wait? We can call in some backup. I have people who will die for me and if they found out I had the kid…” He trails offs and nods, smile widening. “Well I don’t know a single one that wouldn’t hop their ass on over here.” He lets out a huff of a laugh and Marcus can actually feel something inside him break as he raises a brow. “They’d all want a shot at this kid…Marcus, have I ever told you you’re a genius?”

“No, actually all you’ve ever told me and Kelly is that we’re dumbass wannabes because we’d rather hunt werewolves who kill people rather than an innocent spark who couldn’t kill anyone.” Mitch’s eyes darken again but Marcus doesn’t really care. It’s the truth. The dumb spark hasn’t hurt anyone innocent.

“You don’t know what he’s capable of.” Mitch growls and Marcus’ blood runs cold at the sound. “You haven’t seen what I have. That kid is a threat, he needs to be taken out. He’s bigger than those werewolves that he runs with, he’s bigger than you. If I had to take any of you out to get him out of the picture…I would, without a thought. Don’t underestimate him Marcus. As long as he’s around those monsters have the upper hand.” Marcus blinks as Mitch glares at him, eyes void of human emotion. Than the leader turns and pulls out his phone. Marcus stares at the back of Mitch and wonders what exactly had happened between him and this kid.

He remembers that Brian had told him the two had met before. “It’s not just fear Mitch has with the Stilinski spark.” He had told Marcus while they walked for their hunt. “They had met before. When the kid had barely been able to talk.” Brian kicked a rock, shrugging at the noise it made. “Mitch’s family had been hunters than too, he doesn’t talk about it much but his brother, Steven, he’s not too shy about his history. Mitch was ready to get the entire hunting community in New York to take him out. I didn’t feel comfortable killing the guy so I asked Steven and he told me the story. I still didn’t feel a hundred percent on it but…it was him or me…Mitch had made that pretty clear when he found out I knew.”

Marcus didn’t really think about it but if he knew they’d be trying to kill the spark only a few months later he would’ve asked for more details. He thought about it a little, when they first arrived but he never got the time to ask Brian. Now, Brian was gone and if he wanted to figure out the story of the spark and the hunter he’d have to hope the spark pulls through. He’d have to pray the Alpha the boys married to barges through his doors at night and asks for an antidote, has to pray the red-eyed beast will let him explain and not kill him right away. Marcus may not be the best of hunters there is but he and his sister used to live by a code, a code that seems to have been left out in the middle of all this chaos of a group. A code that, if Marcus can get away from Mitch before this blows up in their face, he and his sister will continue to live by.

Marcus’ fingers press against the vial in his pocket as he listens to Mitch call in the worst kind of backup. He frowns at the memory of Brian giving it to him. “If they try to kill you or Kelly…” He spoke holding the blue vial up to show Marcus. “Give them this. It’ll cure the spark, if you can get close enough to them to give it to them, tell them to get it in his blood system. It doesn’t need to be by needle or whatever. It’ll get the poison out of him.”

“Why did you make this?” Marcus asked as he grabbed it from the man.

“Because, Mitch made a mistake in choosing a wannabe scientist over his family. If he wants to continue his stupid revenge run, he’s doing it without me. Don’t tell Caroline or Paul, they’ll kill you before you can get the antidote to the kid.” Marcus stared at the blue liquid before looking up at Brian. “I can’t promise it’s a hundred percent but it should work…it might not, there may be no going back but…it’s a chance and they’re gonna want it. They’re gonna need it.”

“You’re singing a different tune.” Brian smiles at him lightly before nodding.

“Well, love can make you do crazy things. You’ve talked a hell of a lot of fire out of my soul, with all the stupid stories from your past. If I was on the fence then…I’d rather die a hero then a murderer and we’re all dying murderers if we follow Mitch’s rule…if he…didn’t have as much power as he does,I’d be gone.”

Marcus is sure that the hunter that loved him didn’t know he was leaving. Marcus is positive it was a decision they made when they were trying to scent the surrounding areas so the wolves wouldn’t find them. Marcus is glad Brian and Jenny left because that gave him hope for hunters around the world. Although, Marcus looks up at the back of Mitch, withdrawing his hand, if all of the hunters Mitch is asking to show up, Marcus and Kelly better run before sun up tomorrow morning or it’s not just vengeful werewolves they’ll have to worry about.

“I’m gonna get the group back in here, you can tell them our plan.” Mitch nods but doesn’t turn. Marcus is quick to exit the room. Caroline is stepping on a cigarette, Paul’s got one in between his fingers and Kelly is smoking one. “Put your smokes out, Mitch has got a plan to get rid of the wolves, head on in.” Paul flicks his cigarette over the railing and follows Caroline into the room. Kelly goes to walk by when Marcus grabs his sisters upper arm.

“What?” She asks.

“I need to talk to you.” She sighs but shuts the door, turning to him. “We’re leaving tonight.”

“What? Is he that scar-“

“No, just you and me.” She frowns and looks at him. “Mitch is calling in backup, as in his family and the hunters we aren’t supposed to associate with…I don’t wanna be here when they get here. We’re gonna go find Brian and Jenny, we’ll live by a code again I don’t care.”

“We’re gonna go back to the code after murdering a spark? That’s stupid Mark.” She tells him.

“You want to stay and die, go ahead but I’m not going to.” She frowns but nods and he leads her back inside. They’d get out tonight…stay away from Beacon Hills and let the war between wolves and hunters happen from a safe distance.

Chapter Text

The pack watches as the hunter, the man Scott and David assume is Marcus, comes out and tells the female they were leaving that night. David leans over to his Alpha.

“I think that’s him.” He whispers while Scott nods, Brett glances to him sideways before averting his eyes to the direction of the man. “So that’s probably his sister.” Brett nods towards his beta and watches closely.

“Alright, let’s get this done with and save Stiles.” Brett mutters standing up, the two packs were quick to follow. David wipes at his jeans. There are less hunters than they thought but they had to be quick, if what the man said was true who knew how much time they had before backup came and they didn’t know what backup consisted of. The werewolves did not want to stay long enough to figure it out.

The man follows the female into the house. Brett doesn’t even question if everyone is ready as he storms to the door and kicks it open. Aleysha’s eyes went wide, having never seen her friend so violent before. The five hunters look up to them and scurry for their weapons when they see the group. Brett grabs Mitch by the throat and pins him to the wall while his pack each take their own. Aleysha grabs the sister, Dominic grabs Marcus, Scott grabs Paul and Erica grabs the other girl. There’s a part of Brett that wants to tear the hunters apart and leave them here but he fights his animalistic behavior in order to make sure he saves the only person who’s given him more than he’s ever asked for. The hunters struggle against the werewolves but none of them let go while Brett growls and flashes his eyes red.

“Tell me what you did to him!” Brett all but roars while Aleysha growls loud enough to still the hunter in her grasp. The one in Brett’s hand meet his red eyes and smirks lightly.

“I remember you.” He whispers, hands resting on the clawed one wrapped around his throat. Brett keeps his eyes on the hunters, curiosity taking over his features. “You were with spark boy.” Brett tries to contain the growl while all the hunters look around at the two packs. Derek’s twitching to pounce on the lead hunter and tear out his insides. Boyd and Andre are standing by the door. Boyd’s wolfed out, glaring at the hunter while Andre looks nonchalant but eyes glint a dangerous yellow as they flicker between hunters. Jackson’s standing near Dominic ready to pounce when needed. Telisa’s glaring at Caroline who’s staring at her Alpha. David stands by Scott fingers twitching to help but stay in control.

“What did you do to him?” Brett growls and Mitch chuckles against the hand that presses harder before unclenching lightly.

“I’m assuming it worked then.” Dominic growls and it shakes through Marcus who’s pressed against his chest. Derek steps closer and glares harder, getting Mitch’s attention. His red eyes bore into the hunter’s who just smirks wider, almost laughing once again.

“Tell us how to fix him or I’ll kill you.” Derek growls towards the lead hunter and Brett smiles before leaning closer, pressing his body to the mans and digging his other claw into the wall next to the hunters hand.

“Or worse,” Brett growls to him. “I’ll turn you and your hunters you little shits.” The leader swallows, and glances away. His tongue darts out and Brett smiles lightly before putting the scowl back on. Now they were seeing it his way. Derek looks to Brett for a second.

“You’re bluffing.” Brett growls and lowers his teeth down onto the guys neck who inhales sharply. He pulls back and meets the man’s eyes.

“You can test me and let me tell you, not only will we turn you, we’ll find everyone you love and care about and rip them to shreds before you even have the chance to kill yourself.” Brett smirks almost evilly. Derek wonders if this was the Alpha’s first time threatening hunters. The leaders heart beat is loud. “Go ahead test me.”

“You think I’m scared of you, wolf? Think again. Go ahead kill me, I’ve got more than just the four of them coming. And when they find out where you are, they’ll take the lowly spark out first.” Brett growls, tightening his grip on the man’s throat before loosening it when Derek growls harder at the hunter.

“You really think we’d let them hurt him, we won’t let you.” Brett smiles lightly. Aleysha’s eyes dart to Marcus before her grip on Kelly tightens.

“Yeah, keep playing games.” She growls back with a wide smirk as all the wolves and hunters occupying the room turn to her. “We’ll take out your group first.” She lowers her teeth to Kelly’s neck who’s heart thuds. Marcus yanks in the arms of Dominic.

“No, no, wait!” Aleysha’s eyes dart to him. “There’s….there’s an antidote.” Marcus yells. “It’s not promised but….but it should work.”

“What?” Mitch’s voice is barely a whisper his voice strained, eyes betrayed and hurt. Brett wants to laugh at the way the guy smells. “Don’t you dare Marcus.”

“Just-just don’t hurt her. Please, I’ll….you can have it, you can take us both with you. It…it should work.” Brett’s eyes turn to Dominic’s who gives a small nod, sensing no lies, only fear.

“Where is it? How do you know?” Brett asks Marcus, who's eyes dart from Brett to Aleysha, heart pounding.

“I…a hunter, he gave it to me before he left. He…made the poison and gave it to me. He wanted you to have it, if you let my sister and I go, we’ll….we’ll go and we won’t look back. You can have it, we’ll forget your faces and your names and never try to harm you again.” Marcus pleads, his sister stares at him lips parted, eyebrows raised. Aleysha lets her go and she falls to the floor, running over to her brother.

“Mark, what are you doing?” She whispers and Brett pushes back at the struggling hunter in his grasp, staring at the siblings.

“Just, trust me, Kel.” He says. “Look, it’s in my pocket, I promise you, it should work.” Brett licks his lip.

“Dom, check.” Dominic lets go of one of the man’s arms but growls when the man reaches for his pocket. He pulls out the vial and holds it in front of them.

“This it?” Dom growls to him and he nods, Dom shakes it lightly. “Is it enough?”

“Ye-yeah, it should be. His spark would save himself after that.” Brett growls and looks towards the leader as Dominic let her hunter go. He stumbled to the floor and looks around scared to leave but scared to stay.

“Because I’m a nice guy…” Brett says. “We’re gonna let you live but…” He looks to the siblings. “You come after mine again and I won’t hesitate to kill her first, understand?” Marcus nods. “You’re friends probably went north, my emissary told me there were two hunters heading towards her old town of Ashwood in Oregon.” Marcus nods but doesn’t move as he grabs his sister, as if he could protect her. “You can go.”

“Thank you.” Marcus drags his sister out the door and Brett turns towards the leader.

“What are you gonna do?” Mitch asks, glaring and licking his lips. “Huh? You gonna turn me, make me kill myself?” He laughs. “Go ahead, then I’ll just have one more advantage to killing your stupid little spark. I bet you think he’ll stay faithful huh? Love you regardless of the monster you are? You ever wonder why that’d be? Ever wonder what color his eyes would be? Go ahead, turn me, I’ll enjoy tearing him to shreds.” Brett growled and went to attack. “You might wanna think of the consequences here.”

“I see no consequences in killing you.” Brett growls. “You’d be the first human I killed and I’d take pleasure in doing it.” Derek’s eyes dart to Mitch.

“The hunters coming are my family. Imagine how badly they’d want you and him dead if you killed me.” Brett snarls, showing off his fangs, ready to murder. “They’ll kill you faster than you can sense them.” Brett tightened his grip and Mitch winced, feeling blood trickle from where claws dug in on his neck. “Let me live and I’ll let you live. No matter what you do, he’s dead. And I’ll enjoy seeing him in hell.” Brett roared and swiped his claws, tearing Mitch’s throat open. Caroline sobbed loudly, closing her eyes and turning. Aleysha’s lips fell parted and Telisa squeezed her eyes shut. Mitch’s body collided with the floor and Brett fell forward, his hand hitting the wall as he let out huffs of growls, his anger taking him over. He turned to the other two.

“Give me one good reason why I shouldn’t kill you?” Paul lets out a huff of a laugh and looks towards the body.

“We have nothing on the vengeance thing, we’ll head on with uh Marcus and Kelly and forget this whole thing. You haven’t killed anyone here, or wherever you’re from. We’re still not certain that uh…” he swallows and all the wolves know he’s lying. “Mitch was even human.”

“Let them go.” Derek says, putting a hand in front of an enraged Brett. “If we see you again, we won’t hesitate.” The two betas look at their Alpha before releasing the two hunters who bolt and duck at the growls. Derek looks towards Brett. “We can’t worry about them, we need to get to Stiles now.” Brett nods and Derek looks towards Boyd and Jackson. “Take care of this will you?” The betas nod and the groups bolt, Andre stays behind to help the two boys.

“We can get him to the woods and set him aflame.” Andre says and both boys look to him.

“Why did you stay behind?” Jackson asks as the eldest of the three lifts the body and throws it over his shoulder.

“I used to be an omega before Stiles.” Andre explains. “And while I’m loyal to Brett and his pack now, I don’t want to be there if it doesn’t work, if it makes him worse. And we’ll know if it makes him worse before we’re finished with this.” Jackson licks his lips and Boyd looks down, no one had really thought of that, had they? The three run out of the room once the scene is clear and bolt for the woods which are close enough. Jackson walks towards the nearest store to buy some accelerant. After being hidden deep enough Andre pulls out a box of matches.

“You were an omega?” Boyd asks and Andre hums lightly.

“I didn’t trust Alpha’s, didn’t want a pack. I hadn’t wanted to be a werewolf, when I became one, I could barely learn the facts of a werewolf so I decided to be the lone wolf. Worst decision ever.” Andre laughs lightly.

“Why’s that?” Jackson asks as he meets up and hands over the fluid that Andre pours on the body. “You’ve done this before?”

“We really are weaker as omegas, easier targets. Brett kept trying to convince me of this but it wasn’t until Stiles that I actually believed it.” Andre smiles lightly looking up to them. “He used to tell me stories of you guys, his pack down in Beacon Hills.” He looks to the body and steps back, throwing down a match. “I’ve never burned a human body, but before I was a werewolf, I was a bit of a pyromaniac.”

“That’s a great thing to know, we’re with pyro-psycho.” Andre laughs lightly at Jackson as he watches the body burn.

“We all have our little quirks don’t we?” The two betas look at him as he sits on a rock, the flames lighting up their faces, flickering wildly.

Chapter Text

The three betas sit around Stiles, wishing there was something more they can do to help. Issac had discovered a while ago that he was able to take away some of Stiles’ pain. The wolves spent the next few minutes discussing their packs, Stiles and taking away his pain that would return only seconds later. Their own hearts thudded loudly in their chest as they feared that time was running out. A silence fell over them, as the fear ran thick through their blood. Every so often a hand would touch and veins would pump black as they hoped and wished for a miracle. The familiar Stiles’ smell they’ve all become accustom to had shifted into one of sickness and death, one that the wolves didn’t particularly enjoy.

Jefferson is lying down next to the unconscious man and staring at his face, observing it, looking for any sign of change. He bites his lip as he stares and wonders if maybe this is the one time Brett would fail Stiles. He shakes that thought out of his head, no, Brett would never. Brett would always come through for Stiles and for pack, just like they would always come through for Brett. Plus, if Brett couldn’t do it, Aleysha would be barging through that front door and saving him. Together, Jefferson knew the duo were unstoppable, with Stiles they were the scariest thing he’s ever seen, especially if you hurt one of theirs. It makes him a little glad that he’s not there to see their anger, to see their rage. Not that he wants to be here seeing Stiles die either.

Issac sits by the bed before he leans forward and snaps his hand to Stiles, veins bleed black before he pulls away. There wasn’t much to heal and he can feel Karen’s eyes on him observing him, most likely with a frown. She seemed really motherly, he decided when they talked about his relationship with Scott. He wonders if she’s studying him, trying to figure him out, he wouldn’t be surprised. His eyes slowly fall to her and she smiles at him before looking back towards Stiles. Issac could tell what the man who saved his life meant to the two of them, just from the way they talked about him. He only hopes the rest of Stiles’ new pack feels that way, and from what he’s seen he thinks they do, he genuinely believes they do. But he knows if this new pack can’t find a way to help him, Derek will burst through that door and save Stiles. And if Derek can’t do it, Scott will. Scott and him, sometimes they still talk about Stiles, a lot. They just talk, when the hunters came, Issac didn’t think they were gonna see Stiles because when Stiles left Issac thought he’d never come back. He already knows they’re leaving when Stiles comes to.

Karen stares at Stiles before she shifts her eyes to Jefferson, frowning lightly. She sees the way his eyes dart around Stiles’ face, hoping there will be some change. She knows how much Stiles mean to their youngest and it kills her. Stiles meant a lot to all of them, she knew that and she knew no matter who was here it would kill her they’d have to witness this. Her eyes lift to Issac who’s staring at Stiles and Jefferson and she furrows her brows for a second. She sees it in him too, how much Stiles means to him, how much he must mean to their pack. She knows the two will come through, there isn’t a doubt in her mind that Brett and the Alpha, Derek, will come through those doors with some way to save him. She also knows that Stiles will want to stay now that he’s had a taste of home and she knows Brett will, without a doubt, ship all their stuff here just to make Stiles feel at home. She doesn’t know if they’ll actually stay long, if it’ll be too much for Stiles or too much for Brett but she knows they’d all try because to be honest she knows Jeff likes Issac and she knows she likes Issac. Which means they have to be getting along well with the other pack. She looks to Stiles, Stiles would be the only thing that would bring them together though.

The silence is thick in the room as they loose themselves in their own thoughts about Stiles and what is going to happen. If he’ll wake up and if he’ll leave. No one really thought that was an option, the three of them hadn’t even thought it ‘d be possible. Issac had hoped and the other two didn’t want it to happen. Now, they aren’t too sure they’d mind it but Issac doesn’t think it would ever happen. Because why would someone want to stay when he had no reason to? Regardless of what his new pack members said. They can smell their Alpha’s when the door slams open down stairs. There’s heavy footsteps coming up the stairs and Karen stands looking towards them. Brett looks to her, to Issac, to Jefferson and then to stiles where his face falls. Derek’s next to him, eyes staring at Stiles.

“Brett?!” Jeff is off the bed in a second, dragging the two betas with him. Brett holds up a vial and sits beside his lover but Karen’s hand is put across his chest only a second later.

“How do you know it’s not a trap?” She questions, drawing his blue eyes to her.

“I trust my betas senses.” Brett says and looks to Stiles.

“I trust them too, but hunters can lie. Can we risk it?” Brett looks to the liquid then to his lover and nods.

“This is the only chance we have and we’re running out of time.” He places one hand to his lovers and his veins pulse black before he sharpens his claws and runs one along the inside of his lovers wrist and watches a drop of blood leak from the cut, smiling lightly when it’s red.

“Brett…” He turns towards his pack and raises a brow to Aleysha who’s holding up a syringe.

“Do I want to know why you have that? And is safe to put in him?” She nods and he takes it from her, staring at it, Karen’s quick to take the needle and vial, filling up the syringe while Brett’s eyes watch it, biting his lip.

“I may have been by the hospital when you sent the text.” Brett doesn’t avert his eyes but Jefferson snickers lightly when Scott looks to her.

“Did you take anything else?” She crosses her arms and leans away defensively while Brett takes the syringe from his newest female beta with a thank you and she smiles. He inhales slowly and blocks out everything, the betas and Derek all silence as they watch him for a moment. He runs his finger over his lovers vein and looks at Stiles’ face. He injects the liquid slowly and Stiles whines lightly. Brett’s free hand snaps to the younger man’s hand, their rings clashing lightly. “Sh, babe, you’re okay.” He whispers and pulls his lips together. “You’re gonna be okay.” He throws the syringe to the floor when he’s done and listens. The heart beat is a little louder and a little faster but it has Issac, Karen and Jefferson slumping in relief. Brett smiles lightly and lays next to Stiles, never letting go of his hand while he presses his ear to Stiles chest. His heart beat isn’t steady, but it’s steadier, his breath is even but it slowly evens out. Brett lets out a breath and looks towards the mixed packs with a smirk. “He’s gonna hate us when he wakes up vomiting.” There’s a few chuckles as the wolves look at each other, proud and happy.

“You gonna stay up here?” Aleysha asks.

“Yeah, till he wakes up. You guys should go. I know you’re all hungry, and probably tired.” The all stare at him before the slowly leave hesitantly.

“You’ll call us if he wakes up and we’re sleeping right?” Jefferson questions and Brett walks over to him and wraps arms around his nephew, his beta.

“Of course, unless he has a headache.” Jeff smirks into the blonds shoulder. “Thank you, for staying with him, I know it was hard.”

“He was fighting, you know. Wouldn’t let us take his pain away until he got worse.” Jeff pulls from him and they look at each other and Jeff smiles. “I’m glad you married him.” Brett nods. Jeff heads out before he stops. “And I’m really glad you’re my Alpha.” Brett’s lips part as he stares at Jeff. Jeff nods before he leaves. Brett crawls back to lay next to his lover while Jeff heads towards the group, Aleysha flings an arm around her young pack members wrists.

“You just made his day so much brighter, he’s been waiting forever for you to say that.” She tells him and he leans his head on her shoulder.

“I meant it.” He tells her and she nods, leaning so her cheek is on his head. “I know I don’t prove it at all because it always seems like I hate him but he’s the best Alpha I could ask for, he’s not perfect but he tries so hard.”

“You’ve got that right. Now, c’mon, I’ll let you have extra ice cream for spending the time here.” Jefferson chuckles and shoves Aleysha lightly as they meet up with the two mixed packs. Scott’s sitting with Issac and Telisa talking. Dom’s leaned against a wall with raise eyebrows talking to Erica and Jackson. Karen and David are sitting besides Derek and Karen’s telling David things silently. Aleysha rolls her eyes at the eye conversation beside the Alpha. Jefferson looks around the room and squeezes Aleysha’s hand, Aleysha looks down to his shoulder then to his face and she reads him immediately. ‘This could be our pack.’ She frowns before pressing a kiss to his temple. She’s not sure what she wants to happen, or what will happen next but she knows whatever it is it’ll be worth it in the end.

Chapter Text

Aleysha’s POV:

I couldn’t help but think that Jefferson had a realistic point of view on believing we belonged here, maybe we did. Maybe this is exactly where we belonged, as one pack beside Derek and Brett. But…Stiles, would he be able to wake up and face the man that tore his heart out so easily and quickly? Sure we’ve stitched it back up but he’d give them the power, just like he gave us the power, to unstitch it and throw it on the floor. Still, I look around and I can’t help but picture it, we already look like one happy family, the way they interact so perfectly.

Karen’s on the couch, observing Derek, reading him so perfectly, like the mother she would have been, as the Alpha talks to her husband but wisely keeping her mouth shut. She’s like that, she can read a person so easily but never comments on it unless she feels it, she has that scolding look that a mother gives her child down pat as well. David looks calm, almost at ease, something seldom seen when we are around other people. The only other people I’ve seen him that calm around are Stiles, Brett and Karen and that was after Brett trained him. But watching him talk to Derek, as if he’s still that normal human husband he used to be, well it reminds me of why we keep him in the pack. We love him and we all know that he can control it he just needs to stay calm with it.

Dom’s leaning against a wall and raising an eyebrow at the blond, Erica, as she talks to him but the smirk on his face gives him away. We’ve all grown accustom to Dom’s tough guy attitude, after he decided to join Brett’s pack against their siblings wishes he likes to pretend he doesn’t need anyone. We all see through it, Stiles is the only one that can really make Dom’s shell crumble and even then it’s only shortly. Dom’s never been one to open himself up to others, sometimes I think he thinks we put up with him because we feel bad for him. Any day of the week Brett will tell you Dom is his little brother, because even if he is just a wolf that was left on his parents doorsteps, he’s Brett’s little brother, something Brett’s told him to his face only a few times. Erica seems to tap on that shell in a perfect way, the same way we all did, to fix our way in. I can’t help but smile at the way his eyes stay stilled, instead of darting around for a threat or reason to run or fight.

Jefferson had made his way over to Scott, Issac and Telisa. They looked as though they were already forming their own little bond right there together. I could tell the second we entered that Jefferson had formed a bond with Issac, even if Issac didn’t fully return it. Telisa’s knee is bouncing as she sits with them talking, her face calm but her body giving away her energy and hype. She’s not nervous, no, her face would’ve given her away long before her knee did if she was nervous. It makes me wish that I could believe in Jefferson’s words. Makes me wish that instead of Stiles finding Brett it was Brett who had found Stiles and dragged us down here to be with the man.

Andre, Jackson and Boyd enter the room and I shake my head when Andre meets my eyes, the new found spark in his eyes a simple indication to the fire he had set. Behind him, beside Jackson come Lydia and Allison. I watch silently as Jackson’s eyes dart around before he grabs Lydia’s hands protectively yet calmly.

“How was the fire?” I ask when Andre meets me against the wall. He smirks slightly before he responds.

“Hot.” I can’t help but roll my eyes.

“You brought the girls?” I question, my eyes darting over the petite females, knowing both could handle themselves just with a glance. They were tough chicks, if all Stiles’ stories were right.

“We want to see Stiles and we have just as much right.” The red-head says and I raise my brows at her snap, smiling.

“Don’t worry, I agree…I just assumed Andre would want to get back quick.” Andre gives a half shrug while Jackson and Boyd fight they wanted to just as well. Jackson and Lydia part, Jackson talking to David and Derek while Lydia went over to Scott. Boyd met with Erica by Dominic while Allison was grabbed by Karen.

“They aren’t that bad.” Andre tells me after a few minutes, when he decides it’s safe to. I shake my head lightly.

“Stiles said they weren’t…remember. You heard the stories.” Andre’s eyes dart to mine. “I know, we were all kind of hoping they were assholes, I think.” I had and I knew Jefferson had, he told us a few times. We didn’t want them to even stand a chance at getting back Stiles but they were winning us over, we’d be surprised if they didn’t convince Stiles to stay.

“I figured his stories glorified them because he was blinded by his love for them. Like he kind of is with us…” Andre pauses. “But they’re not that bad.”

“I know…I kind of like them.” I look up to my pack mate who nods and sighs. “It kind of scares me.” Andre looks among them and gave a slow nod, eyes darting over each one. It isn’t long before we both decide to make our way into the group of mingling people, spreading ourselves out along the two rooms and talking while we wait. Because that’s what this was now a waiting game, Brett with the man he’s afraid to lose while we all crowd down, waiting for him to wake up…if he did.

Chapter Text

Brett kept their hands curled together, his gold ring pressed tightly against the other one. He could hear the packs below, the way they mingled and laughed. There was an ease among them, something he hadn’t seen since Stiles had dropped. Things were getting back to normal or as normal as things got for them. He licked his lip and rested his cheek against Stiles head before rolling to curl into his husband. What if Stiles wanted to stay? What if Stiles wanted to leave? Why couldn’t he decide which was worse now? Coming in, he knew it was going to be get in, save the kid, get out. Now, though, now it’s not. He’s torn, he’s really starting to feel for the other group, and maybe it’s all in his head. Maybe it’s the bonding mixed with the, admittedly, incredibly generous things Stiles said about them making Brett believe there was even a smidge of future here for them. But what if it wasn’t. Brett sighed into Stiles hair and closed his eyes, falling asleep behind his healing mate.

He can hear the change in the heartbeat, the way it sky rockets for a split second before it calms and beats. He smiles and nuzzles the hair on his lovers head, chuckling when the heartbeat flutters. He hums into the brown spiked hair.

“You did it.” The voice is scratchy but it makes Brett’s heart stutter and he nods.

“Yeah, you knew I would.” He tells Stiles, who clears his throat. “Let me get you water.” Stiles hand tightens, stilling Brett.

“Stay. Just for a little.”

“Of course.” Brett settles against Stiles’ back and looking down at his hand, smiling when he saw the golden band. He still remembered when they got it blessed, it was the same night Stiles found a bunch of spells that really helped them feel safe when they were apart. Brett didn’t like when Stiles went to work and Stiles hated it when Brett visited family without him, it made them nervous, with the lives they led it was reasonable. Brett listens to the breaths Stiles takes, focusing on the steady heartbeat of the man. “I was so scared.” Brett confesses.

“I know…” Stiles swallows and Brett closes his eyes, wishing he could read his husband’s mind, figure this all out, what he was thinking. “You have to call Jordan.” Stiles tells him. “Is- is everyone okay?”

“They’re all downstairs talking now.” Stiles turns to him. The younger releases Brett’s hand and shifts until he’s looking at Brett’s chest, hands in front of him. Brett runs his hand over Stiles’ back, looking down until honey brown eyes meet his, without prompt green eyes flash up at him and fade out. “You don’t need to reassure me.” His hand slips over Stiles chest to rest on the man’s chest and Stiles looks down than up. “I feel you.”

“I thought…I could feel it, I felt like I did after Aleysha and I knew…I thought, God, they don’t have enough time. I thought…what if I never see you again and you have to figure out where to bury me and what if…I never saw the betas again and what if…” Stiles looks down, lips parted and eyebrows furrowed.

“You’re okay, we’re all okay. And we’ll win this, like we’ve won everything else.” Stiles tongue comes out to lick over his bottom lip before he looks up.

“I know…trust me, I know this but…but we can’t win everything every time.” Stiles lets out a breath and one hand comes up to cups his lovers face. “I want to do this with you. I want to do more than.” He wiggles his ring finger. “a ring on a hand and an exchange of a few words and some words on paper and amazing sex when Jeff’s not sneaking in our bed.”

“We can do that, Stiles, we have all the time…”

“But we don’t and…and if we’re gonna we have to decide when and I want to now. I want to settle down with you and the pack and I want a family and I want everything we’ve talked about but we’re not gonna get it.” Stiles licked his lips and Brett shook his head.

“We are, after…look the hunter said he had back up coming, so after we take care of this threat we’ll stop for a few minutes and we’ll figure it out, we’ll make a plan. We had our honeymoon, we got married…we can do this.” Brett dips his head and kisses Stiles lips. When he pulls away he watches Stiles’ eyes flutter open as teeth dig in lightly to his bottom lip and Brett smiles, wanting to dive in for seconds. Stiles meets his eyes and tangles his fingers into Brett’s hair pulling the older man down for seconds before pulling him away.

“There’s more…They’re coming here.” Brett nods and Stiles looks away for a second before sitting up. Brett slowly follows him and gets to his feet. “Can you get me water?” Stiles asks and Brett nods. The blond makes his way down the stairs, where he stops his betas.

“Give us a minute.” Brett tells them and they nod.

“How is he?” Aleysha asks from her position near Erica.

“He’s fine, just…he’s just going through the aftermath of seeing his life flash before his eyes.” Brett grabs a cold bottled water.

“Does he…want us to leave?” Scott asks, unsure and nervous.

“No.” Brett shakes head. “You guys stay…he just needs a moment to get it all together you know?” They nod and look away. “We’ll come right down, when he’s okay. Just…” He looks to Jefferson. “Give us some time all right?”

“Yeah, okay.” Jefferson looks down and blushes when Issac looks over to him, embarrassment filling him at being called out. Issac just smiles at him and puts a hand on the kid’s shoulder. Brett eyes it and feels a stab to his stomach. Aleysha follows him up the first two steps, Jackson right behind her.

“Guys.”

“Just…” Aleysha looks to Jackson then to Brett. “We want to let you know…if you need to talk…we’re available. And if you don’t…we know Stiles is there but we’re here.”
“All of us.” Jackson agrees before looking down. Brett nods and smiles.

“Thanks, I might take you up on that offer.” The two leave him to rejoin the two packs where they separate. Brett takes cautious steps into the room, Stiles looks up at him and smiles, grabbing the water when it’s extended to him. “Aleysha and Jackson stopped me on the stairs.” He watches as Stiles hands freeze around the bottle cap for a split second, hears the skip in his heart before everything continues and his shoulders sag. He should’ve grabbed tap water from upstairs, seeing the packs looking like they fit together like that, like they would just melt and be one big happy family…it made Brett wonder if taking Stiles away from this pack here was such a great idea.

“Oh.” Is all Stiles replies before he presses the bottle to his lips. Brett sits next to him, staring at the floor before running his hand over his face.

“What do you want to do Stiles? What do you want me to do?” Stiles looks up and places the cap on the bottle with shaky hands before swallowing heavily. The brunette stands and walks towards the window, looking out for a second before facing his lover. Brett looks at him with a pained and confused face, one eyebrow raised.

“I…I want to go home.” Stiles tells him and Brett looks down, hoping the werewolves gave them their privacy, he listens to the conversations of the oblivious betas downstairs. “That’s what I’ve always wanted Brett. To go home.” And Brett can’t argue that because at first…he wanted the same thing. Brett looks up to Stiles, meeting honey brown eyes. “I want…” Stiles licks his lips and blinks looking towards the floor.

Chapter Text

Stiles’ POV:
I stand in the silence for only a few minutes before I strip and grab some clothes from my drawer. I pull on a pair of jeans and a t-shirt, dragging a jacket over it, chills running up my arms still. I had to figure out what I wanted, but I know what I want.

I want to go home, I want to forget this entire trip. I want to leave Beacon Hills behind me, that’s all I’ve wanted since I left was to forget and move on. I did, I moved on, I met Brett and the pack. They’re all that matter but…if I leave…I’m leaving this all behind again. I’m running away from the people who used to mean the world to me, I’m…I’m leaving them in danger. But…if I stay I’m putting my own pack in that crossfire. I look up to Brett, who’s staring at the floor, I figured he’d be the first to want to go back. New York was where our life was…why was he so willing to stay? What happened while I was out to make him think we could leave our life behind and start over? I shake my head at him and frown, after all we’ve been through he’d rather me stay here and face this, face the people who left me while I felt like my world was falling apart. The people who made me leave the only place I used to call home, a place I still desperately wish I could call home.

“Stiles…” He looks up to me, his blue eyes burning into mine and I can’t help but feel betrayed. He was standing up for them…defending them.

“Don’t.” I say and I know I’m being unreasonable but I don’t care. I’m scared that…that they’ll just use me all over again and…if I let my pack get close to them the way I did…what if I lose them both? “You’re my husband, you’re supposed to be on my side.”

“I am on your side. I’m always on your side.” He tells me, outraged. “You aren’t in your right mind though, you don’t even want to think about it.”

“I shouldn’t have to.” I tell him, narrowing my eyes and pursing my lips. He closes his eyes and I frown. “I’m gonna go talk to Aleysha, hopefully she’s the logical one of you two tonight.” I walk past him and towards the stairs, intent of finding comfort on the girl I called my friend.

“Stiles…” I hear Brett call after me and I shake my head, walking down the stairs. I didn’t want to admit to him I was scared about this. I could always tell him I feared dying or his dying or losing the betas but this…to admit to my husband, the man I love more than anyone else, that I was afraid the man who tore my heart apart would just have the same effect on me all over again. “Stiles, wait…” The wolves turn to look at me and I freeze, staring back at them. Jefferson stands off of Issac and smiles.

“Stiles.” He greets and I smile at him lightly, wondering if it even looks like a smile or if it reveals the way my insides feel. The way the packs stand together, almost as if they’ve merged into one…I look back at Brett who stands a step behind me.

“I told them we were gonna talk before you came down, there was a reason behind that.”

“Right.” I say. “Of course there was.” I walk through the group, ignoring the confused and pained faces I receive.

“Where are you going?” I turn at the door and face my husband.

“Does it matter?” I bite out, rolling my eyes. “I’m going to see my family, if you must know. I’ll be back to make dinner unless you all want to go out and get to know each other over pizza. Huh. Looks like you’re already the best of friends.”

“You’re being ridiculous!” Brett yells after me as I fling the door open.

“I know!” I yell back, slamming the door behind me and shoving my hands in my jacket’s pocket, walking down the street. I hadn’t been here in so long. Ten years, I’ve avoided this place like the plague, for ten years. Spent the holidays and birthday’s with pictures that first year in New York and then, let my parents become just a memory. I lick my lip, I knew I wasn’t healed, in fact I still felt a little weak but I knew I wasn’t dying. I also know I needed space, to think, to clear my head. To get away from them.

My pack was…friends, on the same page?...as my old pack and honestly…it hurt. It made me think, okay, yeah, I brought them together but they wouldn’t need me anymore…would they? Derek’s pack didn’t need me anymore. But that wasn’t entirely true, was it? I walk to the cemetery and sit beside the two grave stones before looking at my hand and smiling at the golden band on my ring finger. I remember when we decided we needed to put a spell on the rings. When Brett forced me to see how crazy we were for waiting to take precautions like that, when we started discussing starting a family. I pulled my lip in between my teeth and chewed on it.

I keep saying I want to go home, I keep telling Brett and myself that’s what I’ve always wanted. And sitting here now, thinking back on the mixed packs, on these past few days. What if it’s true? What if that’s all I’ve ever wanted and this was my last chance to get it? New York was only my home because Brett and the pack and Jordan were there, right here…this has always been my home and there’s always been a small part of me that wanted more than anything to come back. It’s just a part that I’ve pushed aside because I was scared. With my pack, my family here in my home…what if that’s what’s best for everyone? I look down to the ground and frown, but what if I’m just crazy?

Brett’s leaning against the rental car when I finally make my way back to the house, he looks to me and raises his brows. I smile back at him and he shakes his head, letting out a laugh.

“How you feeling?” He asks me and I shrug, making my way over to stand in front of him.

“Still sore and not completely here.” I respond and he nods. “I shouldn’t have gotten mad at you, I know you’re only doing what’s right for our pack.” He nods again, his blue eyes sparkling. I sigh, knowing he was waiting for something. “What do you want me to say? That I’m scared, that this is my home, that I want you to give up everything to stay. That I think I’ll lose you if we do stay.”

“Well, does that cover everything?” I glare at him before laughing and rolling my eyes. “In that case, yes…” He reaches up and pulls me closer by my hips, I smile up at him. “that’s exactly what I want you to say.” I lean up and kiss him, letting him pull me closer. I rest my head on his shoulder when I pull away, my heart pounds heavily in my chest. “I made them stay, I knew you’d come back and want to talk to them.” I pull away.

“How do you know me so well?” He shrugs.

“The same way you know me so well. We’re all terrified in this, Stiles, but if it’s what you want…we can try this. You’re right, this is your home and you deserve to be here” he moves one hand up to my neck and rubs gently. “I still remember when we had our first Christmas together, you got so drunk it was hilarious. And when we finally laid down you told me you missed it here, you missed visiting your mom and you missed your dad. I wanted to take you back here then but you…didn’t even want to give this place a chance and I never want you to feel like you have to be somewhere you don’t belong.” My heart pounded at the sweet words, I loved it when he talked to me after a fight. He always made a point of making sure I felt okay and knew just what to say. I smile at him and place my hands on his chest.

“God I want you so bad right now.” I say and Brett laughs and shakes his head but lowers it to kiss me before pulling away. I make a face to him at the teasing but I can’t stop smiling.

“Only you would kill such a good moment.”

“Nu-huh,” I defend. “We share that too, it was simply my turn.” He stares at me and my heart skips, I hate that he still has that effect on me. I hate that I can’t tell if I do the same to him. “But seriously,” I tell him. “I cannot wait to get you alone.” He pats the car and smiles.

“Who says you have to wait.” I laugh at him but he just raises his brows.

“You’re serious?” Was he not aware of the super hearing wolves in the house near us?

“Babe, you drive me crazy. I’d love to get my hands on you in the back of a rental.” Well, I was no longer aware of anything but him and this rental car. I smile widely before turning and grabbing his hand, pulling him with me to the back door. I pull the door open and turn to face him, kissing him before leading him into the vehicle. He leans back and pulls the door shut before coming back to my lips. God, I love make-up sex.

“Seems you two made up.” Aleysha teased us as we walked in and I smirked at her, almost laughing at Brett’s blush.

“You totally forgot they could hear us didn’t you?” I ask and Brett gives me a playful glare. I smiled before turning to Aleysha.

“How are you feeling?” Issac asked me and I bit the side of my tongue, it hurt to see them. It still hurt to see them, to try and face them. It happened so long ago, we’ve all grown so maybe they’ve changed.

“Better.” I tell him and look to Scott who smiles shyly, Jefferson wraps his arms around my waist and I laugh. Jefferson was as much my child as my child would be. “Thanks for staying with me Jeff.”

“It was horrible but I had Karen, and Issac came by to help when you passed out.” I blinked and kept my arm around his shoulder, well it made sense their bond. Jeff wasn’t one to trust people but he fell for someone so easily, not even in a romantic way, even friends. He would fall onto someone and care about them even when he didn’t trust them and I can’t tell if he trusted Issac or not but Issac was trustworthy.

“So,” Aleysha looks to the group and I tilt my head. “What’s going on? Brett didn’t tell us anything.” I look to the side, wondering what I should tell them, staring at the floor by their shoes I think about the events that occurred prior and what ran through my mind. I look up, meeting eyes that stopped my heart. Derek’s eyes. God, what was I doing? I couldn’t do this…not again. There was no way I could face all of this again.

“We’re staying.” I tell Aleysha who beams, while Jefferson lets me go to look up at me with wide eyes. “But…” I say, raising a finger. “Only until this hunter situation we’ve created clears up.” The thank you’s come from so many lips as the betas all start talking to one another about making plans and I frown. How did they become so close in such a short time span? Jefferson’s in between Scott and Issac, Telisa’s near Dom talking to Erica and Jackson, Boyd and Andre are with Lydia, Allison’s near Karen, David and Derek as they talk. Aleysha and Brett stand by me, Brett on my side and Aleysha in front of me.

“You’re gonna change your mind.” Aleysha tells me and I roll my eyes, she knew nothing of the sort. I had already changed my mind three times in the past few hours. “I promise you, you will Stiles, watch.”

“And I promise you’ll still be crazy. I’m calling Jordan.” I tell her and Brett grabs my hand.

“I already called her.”

“I know,” I smile, throwing my arms around his neck when I turned to face him. “I have a few questions for her, plus, I miss her voice. You know, if she had written her number on my cup, this whole thing would be so different.” I smirk and kiss him quick. “I’m glad she didn’t.”

“Me too, I’d hate to be the other woman.” I laugh and shake my head, letting go of him and heading towards the kitchen, passing the two mixed packs, my heart pounding violently in my chest. What in heaven’s name was I thinking? Maybe Aleysha’s right, I will change my mind and make a run for it long before the other hunters get here.

Chapter Text

Stiles leans against the kitchen counter and closes his eyes, inhaling deeply, trying to breathe through the pain that ran through him. He stays like that for a moment, listening to the voices from the other side of the wall, still unable to make out actual words that his pack and the local pack spoke to each other. He knew he had to get out of there and think about this, he needs to think about what he’s putting himself and his pack through. His hands are shaking when he pulls out his cellphone to call Jordan. Jordan was his go to girl, the one he’d vent about Brett to, the one he’d cry on about his pack or his spark. Aleysha was his best friend and he kept no secrets from her but he knew that telling her about his fight with Brett would freak her out, he was not only her Alpha but her best friend as well, the guy who saved her life.

“Hey, Stiles.”

“Hey.” He mutters, leaning to rest his hand on the wall in front of him. “How’s Starbucks?”

“Great opener.” She teases. “You almost die and all I get is a how’s Starbucks? How are you, crazy?” He can almost hear the raise in her eyebrow as she speaks and he smiles lightly.

“Not fully there yet.” He admits to her, though he already knows that she knows this. Just like they both know they’re avoiding the main reason he called her. He lets his arm fall and slumps with his shoulder against the wall, breathing through his nose when nausea overcomes him.

“I figured, you wouldn’t call me if you were…unless you were planning on staying down there…” The question is there even though she spoke it as a statement, he nods lazily at that.

“Only until we can get rid of the hunters.”

“Stiles…” She whispers to him and he completely blocks out the tone of her voice.

“There are more coming, I…is it our fault?” There’s a pause and he knows she’s wondering if that could be true. He knows they’re all thinking it, trying to come to terms with the fact that these could and most likely are the hunters from New York. He swallows back the nausea before the phone collides with the floor and he dashes to the sink.

“Stiles!” He hears lightly before the door crashes open behind him as he doubles over the sink. Brett frowns at his husband, his heart thudding in his chest as he watches the man he loves get sick, his mind wanders. Scott bends down and lifts the phone, handing it to Aleysha who smiles lightly at him before telling Jordan what was going on.

“Stiles,” Brett whispers when Stiles is finished and just panting with closed eyes. He hooks one finger on his lover’s cheek and pushes his face. “Stiles, look at me.” Stiles opens his eyes and leans into the touch. Brett searches his eyes and Stiles looks down.

“I’m fine, I just didn’t feel good.” Stiles tells him and Brett sighs. Stiles looks up to his husband. “I don’t feel the same as I did the last time I promise you, I’m getting better…” Brett raises a brow. “I think.”

“That’s what I’m scared of, you don’t know for sure. Just…I don’t know what to do.” Stiles smiles and rolls his eyes.

“Stop acting like I’m dying would be a good start. So…dinner?”

Dinner was loud with the two packs spread out on the front lawn and porch, talking about everything from relationships to villains to favorites. Stiles called Jordan back while making dinner with Aleysha and Lydia, who kept up a very interesting conversation, telling the woman in New York that everything was fine. Aleysha and Lydia eyed him wearily but he waved it off as he talked about plans. By the time dinner was finished Derek’s pack left with plans of meeting up tomorrow.

By the time Stiles awakes in the morning and comes down stairs, Karen and Dominic are doing the dishes while David puts them away, Stiles rolls his eyes and crosses his arms.

“Alright, I’ll bite…what exactly is going on with you all?” He raises his brows. “And don’t try to lie to me, I may not have superhuman hearing but I can spot odd behavior out of the lot of you from miles away. Dominic never does the dishes and Jefferson’s clothes are still clean.”

“I’m not FOUR!” Jefferson yells from the other room where Stiles hears Aleysha snicker a retort, which gets a laugh out of Telisa and Stiles sighs but ignores it, they are not his kids.

“Am I gonna have to single everyone out?”

“Nothing is going on, you’re overreacting.” Dominic tells him and Stiles raises a brow. There are a lot of things he’d believe from them but him…overreact…..okay maybe he does sometimes but not right now. There is something going on and he will go to every beta until one breaks and if none do he’ll break Brett, he’s done it before he can do it again. He sets a look on Dom when the man turns around, Dom stares back before wiping around. “Don’t do the face.”

“He’s doing the face?” Karen asks, causing Aleysha to poke her head in and smile at Stiles who just looks at her.

“Yeah, he’s doing the face.” She confirms before creeping out slowly with a pat to Stiles’ cheek.

“Stiles, we’re not up to anything.” David says as he puts away some plates, avoiding his Alpha’s mate who looks to him. The sound of the faucet is the only noise, with a clink of dishes here and there before Brett enters and looks to his husband and points a finger at him.

“You are doing the face, c’mon, what do you say we go on a date? Anywhere you want, since you know the place better than I do.” Stiles narrows his eyes at the blond playing innocent before sighing. He follows Brett towards the living room to head upstairs, talking.

“Alright, there’s a cute resteraunt close to the outskirts that I kind of miss, we can go there and you can tell me why your betas are doing the dishes and…is Andre doing the laundry?” The boy in questions freezes and drops the bag, stepping in front of it.

“No? Yes? Is that a trick question?” Jefferson asks, tilting his head to look at the brunette.

“No, Jeff.” Aleysha mumbles, looking to her friends. “You have nasty clothes that will stink if we don’t wash them, we played longest piece of grass.”

“I don’t think that’s what it’s called.” Jeff tells her. “Not the point, got it.” He ducks his head and Brett leads Stiles up the stairs.

“Look, babe, they’re just doing stuff, they aren’t used to it here yet.” When they’re dressed and ready to leave Brett holds Stiles hand and the two walk with goodbyes and a still skeptic Stiles in tow. “Now, where is this place?” Stiles snatches the keys with a kiss and a smirk.

“I’ll drive and you can be surprised.” Brett smiles to his lover before sliding into the passenger seat,glancing towards the window to see eyes peeking out and Aleysha throws up a thumb while Telisa mouths good luck. They really know how to ease his worries.

The restaurant is small but romantic and comfy, it’s different than the ones they frequented in New York. It’s filled with mainly couples but there are a few kids in groups, which Brett can’t tell if they’re group dates or punks. The conversations starts off light and with laughter, teasing each other and hearing a few nameless people greet Stiles and ask how he’s doing. As the night dies down and they order desert, sitting in the booth alone, Brett knew he had to talk about what the betas had discussed, especially after a text from Aleysha.

“Stiles, there’s uh…actually something we should probably talk about before we head back home to meet with the pack.” Stiles laughs and shakes his head.

“Yeah, I know, they didn’t object when you asked me on a date, no one even whined about it. So unless you’re going to tell me we need to get a divorce, I don’t think I really care. We’re not…you aren’t saying that are you because I know you love me.” Brett raises his brows and lets out a breath.

“No, that’ll never happen. We work perfectly and I do love you, more than anything.” Stiles aw’s and takes a sip of his drink.

“I love you too. Now, what is it? I know it’s not Jordan, is it your family?” He tilts his head and his eyes go wide. “Did something happen? Is everyone okay?”

“Jesus, stop guessing, babe. No, the betas have talked a lot during the past few days and…well they really want to stay.”

“And we are. We’re staying.”

“No, permanently. I think one of ours has got a crush on one of theirs.” Stiles narrows his eyes, running through the list of betas in his head. “That’s not the point. They want to rent out the house in New York and if it works for a few years they want to sell it. Karen and David are looking at houses down here so we can have our respectable homes like apartments in New York.” Stiles doesn’t say anything just stares at his boyfriend. “But uh…and here’s the reason why they’ve been all crazy like.”

“Here ya go boys, enjoy your night.” The waitress puts down the desert and the check, Brett smiles to her and thanks her before looking back to his husband who’s still just staring at him, almost like Brett told him he adopted a puppy and then ran it over. Brett swallows and sighs.

“Two of the betas have talked and we all feel the anger and unresolved issues between you and…” That’s anger, that’s definitely anger. There’s a part of Brett’s mind yelling at him to back out and shut up, that his pack is not worth the dog house but then there’s a part of him that knows if they do go back to New York and Stiles goes with all these thoughts, without even the chance to yell at the other Alpha, Stiles mightn’t go back to being the same Stiles he knew and loved. “Derek that they want you to discuss and try to kill for your own good.”

“My own good?” Stiles whispers and frowns at the desert in between them. “Huh?” He licks his lip and looks to Brett. “What would you all like me to discuss babe?” Brett at looks the table, he hates that stupid grass game, Aleysha totally cheated. “Live here, as in forever? And talk to Derek?” Stiles moves his jaw and frowns. “Okay.” Brett looks up at the softened voice, shocked.

“Okay?” What just happened? Brett listens to the brown-eyed man’s heart as the man speaks.

“Yeah, okay, today when we see them. I’ll talk to Derek. So who has a crush on who?” Stiles smiles and digs his fork into the food. Brett licks his lips and almost laughs before sending a text to his second. ‘Went surprisingly well, he’s in to’.

“I can’t tell you that.”

“What? They’re mine too!” Stiles cries out with a laugh, Brett didn’t even want to be in his lovers mind right now. After dinner, they were meeting up with the pack and Brett feared what was going to happen. When Aleysha and Scott concocted the plan to get the two to talk Brett had been against it so bad he had to rethink his ‘don’t hit my best friends’ policy. So the two decided to get every beta in on it and even then Brett didn’t want Stiles to talk to Derek about the weather let alone anything else, that was until Karen momed him.

“Don’t you realize how great of an opportunity this is?” She had said. “This may be the only chance Stiles has to finally find closure, and he deserves it. He deserves a chance to better understand it. Plus we all know, in every moment, Stiles will chose you. He’s your husband and that’s never going to change.” Brett had looked at her almost doubting her words. “Stiles will never love anyone the way he loves you. Does he still love Derek? Maybe, probably, but you always love your first love. He loves Derek as a loved lost, he loves you as forever. He wants your family and no one and nothing can change that. If we didn’t, if your family didn’t, if this whole life he has didn’t stop him than nothing will. You have to at least let him know you’re okay with him talking to Derek, one of the others can tell him if you’re too scared.”

And she had him trapped, he had no choice but to talk to Stiles, who took it way too well. Brett lets it slide as he talks to his lover the same way as before. He trusts Stiles with his whole heart, with his life and he didn’t know which was more important. He can’t help but see truth in the words Karen spoke, especially in the way Stiles is smiling at him now, Stiles isn’t going anywhere and neither is Brett.

Chapter Text

Stiles POV:

Talk to Derek, talk to Derek and stay civil while talking to Derek. I knew something was up the second I woke this morning and I knew it had nothing to do with the whole poison incident. When you wake up next to someone almost every morning for more than five years you tend to learn things about how you wake up and with Brett it’s usually not with two possessive arms and two legs around me, like a freaking cat. I hadn’t cared much, I knew it was different, we were in a strange place with the man I used to love, if it were the other way around I know I would do the same, if not more. Plus, like he almost cried to me the night before, he had almost lost me, if I…So, I guess I brushed that off too fast but the betas doing housework? Did they think I was stupid? The last time they did housework together like that it was planned and they were trying to make Brett happy for giving Jeff too much chocolate and leaving him unattended. By the time we got home they had cleaned and Brett still asked who attacked them. Brett told me they wanted to stay permanently to test it out for a year and that same sickening fear took control of me. Fear of what could be, of what would be and I got mad but then he talked and I thought. And I remembered their faces, the two packs standing together almost as if they belonged together-almost because I know it’s not going to work out- and I remembered the looks on their faces and I thought, if they wanted this, wanted to try this…after all they’ve done for me the least I could do for them was talk to Derek. Plus, I’ll admit there are a lot of questions I have left for him and maybe a few apologies from the venom spewed during our final fight. The fight that I’m positive he never told the wolves about, the fight that was only the day before I came to apologize and he told me we were done, through, over.

The betas all left the house when they saw me pull up, I smiled to them and Scott just frowned before taking off. I sighed and exited my jeep, I climbed up the stairs and into the house. He was standing by the staircase but wasn’t looking at me, I licked my lips and stayed by the door. “Derek…” I started and was cut off almost instantly.

“I think we should break up.” He said, looking straight at me as if I would be able to call a bluff if he wasn’t. I couldn’t respond, just stared at him, half horrified and half shocked. A small part of me screaming this was a joke.

“What?” I managed and he nodded.

“We’re breaking up, Stiles. I don’t…I don’t think it’s going to work.” Not working? I could’ve sworn it was working, it was perfect.

“What are you talking about? Is this because of last night, it was no big d-“

“No, okay, maybe some of it’s about last night but it’s everything. Do you really think we had a shot at this? We tried and we failed. I think you should move out…if you want we’ll help.”

“No, no we didn’t fail.” I growled, narrowing my eyes at him. “You’re scared. For some insane reason you want to stop this.” I pointed to the doors behind me “If you make me walk out those doors, you’ll come running after me two days later.” He swallowed and I dropped my hands. “We can do this.”

“Maybe we can…” He paused and met my eyes and I could feel the burning in the back of my throat. “But I don’t want to anymore.”

“Der-“

“This isn’t worth it anymore!” He pushed himself closer and I took a step back, pain rising in my chest. He went silent and stared at me. “I’m not trying to hurt you. This has been coming for a long time, it’s what’s best. For both of us.”

“No, it’s not.” I bit my tongue. “It’s not what’s best for either of us. But if you want me gone so badly then fine, I’m gone. Don’t bother to call me when you figure out you need me.” I turned and slammed the door behind me, taking my time to my car before speeding off towards my house.

I called each and every one of the betas but none of them answered. I could barely sleep for the next two days. I clutch my hands, maybe it’s not best to think about that right now, after all we only had a few minutes until we were heading over to their house. I look in the mirror and lean on the sink, wiping the fog away I meet my eyes. I let out a shaky breath and lean on the palms of my hand almost pressing my face to the glass and flashing my eyes.

Derek POV:

I don’t want to talk to Stiles, at all but Scott made his point very clear. They were too serious about the whole thing, Brett’s little pack wouldn’t be staying longer than the hunters were here. I told him that if Stiles wanted to talk I’d talk but if not, I wouldn’t push it. If I knew Stiles the way I used to, he would rather push it back and we’ll pretend everything was fine and any tension the betas feel would leave when he did. But people change, which was something I knew all too well, so when Scott held up his phone with a smirk, declaring Stiles was ready to talk I wasn’t all that shocked. I hoped he wouldn’t but I wasn’t too surprise he would, especially if one of Brett’s betas wanted him to. Stiles might have changed but he’d still do anything for the people he loved, if that changed, Issac would be dead.

Seeing Stiles with a new pack, with Brett, it hurt every time. When the couple was fighting, Brett let Stiles leave and all of my betas didn’t know why the man wasn’t going after him – not that I was one to run after Stiles after a fight. Brett had laughed at Scott’s question and told Scott that he knew Stiles would be fine, that he knew without a single doubt in his mind Stiles would come back to him because at the end of the day that’s how they end up, together. I had felt sick then and I feel sick now. Stiles was coming and we were going to talk and I was going to face, yet again, his relationship with Brett. I just didn’t want to see that, or face him. But I would because I told Scott I would.

“They’re heading over, we were going to meet them outside, if you want to get started on food.” I look up to the brunette man who smiles before waving at him.

“Yeah whatever, just behave.”

“Back at you.” Scott says before he leaves, beckoning for the wolves to follow. I stand and make my way to the kitchen. I really wish these hunters targeted someone else, I really wish we didn’t need Stiles here, I really wish the betas understood because this was something I was not looking forward to. I haven’t even had time to think it over. I glance to the door when the cars pull up and wonder if I could just run away now, we were always good at running away from things. I can hear Stiles talking to Brett when Scott runs over and informs the couple that I’m inside, the two murmur quietly back and forth for a while before I hear the door open.

“Hey.” Stiles mutters when he enters the kitchen. “Scott said you needed some help.”

“Uh, sure.” I reply and I already know this is going to end badly.

Third Person POV:

The kitchen falls silent as the two men work around each other to start on the meal, neither boy wants to open their mouth and confront the other. Both want to pretend they talked and brush it off, unable to confront demons from a time long ago that neither were truly able to shake from their shoulders. The fear of it pulses through them and it’s Stiles who speaks first, knowing Brett will be on him if he doesn’t at least trying, hoping maybe something good really will come from this.

“Brett’s betas have this insane idea that we need to talk.” He tells Derek, almost laughing at it as he grabs a spoon from the drawer and Derek watches him carefully, wondering if Stiles would always snap this easily back into a routine. It was almost like it was when they were together, minus the teasing and hot make-out session that usually followed.

“Yeah,” Derek laughs back and Stiles looks over to him. “Scott said you’re thinking of staying longer and said if that was going to work we should talk.” Stiles knew it was Scott and Aleysha, he just knew it. He nods and licks his bottom lip. “I don’t think my betas want you running off again.” Derek turns and mentally curses himself when Stiles raises a brow.

“Right.” Stiles bites out. “Is there anything we need to talk about?” If anyone ran from anything it was Derek’s fault, Stiles thinks to himself.

“I don’t know…is there?” Stiles rolls his eyes and puts his wooden spook down, facing Derek and leaning against the counter.

“Obviously if you’re using that line there’s enough anger here to make the betas uncomfortable.” Derek faces him and narrows his eyes.

“What’s THAT supposed to mean?” Stiles is the one with underlying anger here, Derek decides, staring at his ex, who smiles bitterly.

“It means you don’t like to face conflict. Every time something comes up where there’s a possibility of a fight you’d rather shut your mouth than talk it out.” Derek laughs and slaps his utensil down.

“Oh, that’s rich coming from you. Every time something gets too rough you go running.” Derek growls back and Stiles glares.

“I ran once.” The younger man holds up a finger and then stalks towards Derek to glare up at him. “And that was your fault. You took everything from me because you were scared.”

“Damn right I was.” Stiles takes a step back. “I was scared of letting the man I love get injured because of hunters like the ones we’re dealing with now…”

“Oh ri-“

“Will you shut up and let me talk for once?” Stiles purses his lips and raises an eyebrow. “You’re acting like you’re okay and everyone out there…” He jerks a finger towards the front of the house. “Might buy your lie but I know better, I know you’re still sick and you’re hiding it.” Stiles looks away guiltily but still angry. “I broke things off with you because I hoped you would find a better life and what do you run into another damn pack of wolves who almost let you die.”

“Are you serious?! They would never!” Stiles screams, glaring at Derek, his heart pounding in his chest. “They love me, they care about me, they went through hell and back for me which is more than I can ever say for you and your pack.” Derek scoffs and shakes his head.

“Right, you just can’t face that we care about you just as much, we did a lot for you.”

“But when I needed you most, you turned around and ran from me because you wanted to protect me when I could damn well protect myself. You lived in this fantasy world where no matter how much I proved to you, you still thought I couldn’t handle myself because I wasn’t some super werewolf!” Derek lets out a breath before licking his own teeth.

“You’re holding onto something that happ-“

“I have every right to hold onto it Derek!” Stiles cries out, tears in his eyes. “I gave everything for you. I don’t even care that you broke up with me and I’m happy where I am now but for fuckssake I had lost everything that year. You don’t understand how hard it was!” He runs his hands over his face. Derek frowns, feeling bad for bringing up. “I didn’t run away, I had to leave. I had nothing here after that, you took it all.”

“You can’t be serious?” Derek defends out of habit and Stiles gapes at him. “You had a job and a home, you had other friends, Stiles. You chose to throw it away. That was not my decision, it was yours.” Stiles exhales and closes his eyes before throwing up his hands slightly.

“Fine you’re right, it was my decision. What I got from it was more than I could ever ask for and I’m grateful for that but you haven’t changed at all and I don’t think I’m ready to put myself through this again.” Stiles says and pushes past Derek. Derek stands and licks his lips as he hears Stiles exit the house, he closes his eyes and slumps into the chair. He places his hands in his face and feels like they just broke up again, except this time he had nothing to show for it, no note, no key, nothing.

Stiles storms out of the house and stops at the door, looking at the two packs with teary eyes. Brett stands worriedly and Stiles examines them. Erica and Aleysha are play fighting, Jackson and Boyd are messing with Andre and Dom, Issac and Scott are picking on Jefferson. Telisa’s trying to jump on Allison while the brunette defends herself with a smile. Karen and David are flirting. They all turn to face him and all he can feel is a pain in his heart as he all but runs to the car. Brett runs after him but he’s already peeling out and to the road. The two packs watch him go before they stumble to follow Brett into the house. Aleysha screaming out to calm her angered Alpha while the rest try to figure out what happened, all ready to protect their respective Alpha’s. Brett’s eyes flash red and he growls at Derek when he sees him.

“What did you do to him?” Derek looks up and his own pack take a step back, shocked at the pain on his face. Brett’s eyes fade and his face falls. “What the hell happened in here?”

Chapter Text

The road was blurry ahead and Stiles could feel that familiar pounding in his chest. He swerves off the road and stops, resting his head on his arms. ‘What am I doing?’ He exhales, trying to gain control on himself. ‘I needed to get away’ He thinks, a part of him hating Derek for calling him out on not being okay and running away, as if he had the right. ‘I need to get away’. He lifts his head from the steering wheel and tilts it, lost in the thoughts running through his head. He smiles lightly and nods before firing the car back up and speeding down the street, knowing exactly what he needed.

Meanwhile:

“Derek, are you okay?” Erica asks and Telisa scoffs.

“What about Stiles? He’s the one that ran away, what did you do to him?” Derek looks to the young female and then away.

“We got into a fight over…I don’t even know.” He rubs at his face. “You shouldn’t have made us talk.” He tells them.

“Are you kidding? We’re not gonna be able to fight the hunters if you and Stiles fight over every damn pebble he trips over.” Aleysha says, sighing and sitting down, running her hands over her own face.

“No, Derek’s right, maybe we should’ve just waited until everything calmed down a bit.” Derek looks up at the blond man, scowling lightly and Brett raises his brows.

“Or you know until Stiles is completely healthy. Are you seriously too stupid to realize Stiles is still hurt?” Aleysha looks up to Brett curiously while the blue-eyed married man glares. The rest of the two packs slowly look from Derek to Brett before wisely stepping away. “You’re gonna get him killed!” Derek growls, standing to face to the blond.

“Stiles can handle himself!” Brett growls. “Stiles isn’t some damsel in distress and he never has been. He isn’t fragile and I know he’s not dying. He admits to me when it’s too much even when he doesn’t have to and I know it’s not too much, or it wasn’t until you talked to him. You might as well be killing him all over again.” Derek’s eyes go red and Brett’s follow suit, narrowing at the other Alpha.

“I protected him! I tried to get him out of this life and you roped him back into it with some bullshit about mates.”

“You destroyed him! All you ever did was make him hate himself and think he’s not good enough. I love him! He loves me and if this is how you’re gonna treat him, we’ll leave you to face those freaks alone!” Brett screams to him and Derek almost laughs at him and shakes his head.

“You love him? If you loved him you would’ve let him stay in New York!”

“He’s his own person. Why are you still trying to make decisions for him?”

“Because I still love him!” Brett’s lips open and then shut as he inhales. “Fuck,” Derek cusses and bites his lip. “I didn’t mean that.” Brett stands there for a minute and all the betas and the Alpha look at him, unsure. The married man thinks over the words Derek spoke with empathy and then shakes his head.

“Damn right you didn’t.” Brett says. “Because if you did I’d feel bad for you.” Derek looks away, he feels bad for himself too. “You had him and you pushed him away, so you better let that feeling go and you better not hurt him again because you’ll have to deal with me.” Derek looks back to the Alpha that managed to marry Stiles.

“Brett…” Aleysha whispers, she had never seen her best friend so angry at someone. He was usually a lot more sensitive to others feelings. Brett looks at her and raises a brow. And that’s when Aleysha can see it, Brett is genuinely scared of losing Stiles. She frowns at him and he just sighs before pulling out his phone. He stares at it for a moment, eyes darting over it a few time.

“What is it?” Jefferson asks and Brett looks to the young male.

“Stiles, he says he’s heading to a friends and to let him be, he’ll call us in the morning.” Brett looks to the phone and frowns reading it. ‘hey babe went to a friends. Please dont call I want to be alone for a little. Ill call you guys in the morning. Love you.’ He taps back a quick reply.

“You’re just gonna let him go?” Scott says, frowning. He grunts when Issac, Aleysha and Eric all elbow him. “I just meant, you’re not gonna text him back?” Scott says ducking his head.

“I already did, I’m just gonna…” Brett walks over to the stove and switches it off. Aleysha nods her pack to leave their Alpha alone for a few minutes and Derek’s betas get caught on to

it, Jefferson drags Issac and Scott while the others just end up shuffling with them. Derek bites his lip and looks to the door then to the Alpha and sighs.

“You know…” Brett doesn’t turn around to face Derek but tilts his head slightly. “Stiles…he really loves you…he’s gonna come back and he’s gonna be fine.” Brett stares down at the red sauce and frowns.

“We don’t normally fight.” Brett says with a small smile. “When we do it lasts a few hours and then he’s coming back, like I told you he would when he went to the cemetery.” He turns and crosses his arms. “He’s never shot me a text only a couple minutes after storming away.”

“We fought really hard.” Derek says sinking to the chair and Brett tilts his head, Stiles rarely talked about his actual relationship with Derek, he’d talk about Derek and the pack but never their relationship. “Like all the time and I can tell you there was this one hideous lamp in our bedroom we had to replace almost every weekend because it got broken.”

“And he still came back?” Brett asks with a smile.

“Everytime, and we’d apologize and some nights it was way too late and it was a muttered ‘we gotta get that lamp fixed again.’” Derek laughs as he recalls it, no one ever hit anyone but that poor lamp. Brett laughs lightly too and sits aside from Derek. Derek licks his teeth. “But he really loves you so he’d come back even if you made sure he knew not to.” Brett frowns and fiddles with his fingers before looking up.

“Is that how you broke up? You told him he couldn’t come back.” Derek looks to the Alpha. “Sorry, Stiles…he doesn’t talk about that. I asked once and he just said after you left all the betas did to.” Derek debates it for a while, telling this man what he did. Then he thinks about how happy Stiles has been with Brett and he swallows his pride, push aside his selfish hope and tells him.

“We got into a fight the night before. We had been attacked and he got hurt, not severely or anything but he’d been hurt before and…I guess hearing him scream like that had made me realize what we were doing to him. Before we got together he was best friends with Scott, when Scott got bit I shoved Stiles around a lot, I tried to get him to see how dangerous it was. He never backed out, when we started dating he was even more forceful. We fought about him being hurt when he came back I told him we were done for good. He didn’t try to talk to me after that, he just came by one day, got his things and left for New York.” Brett licks his lips and stares to the floor. Derek shakes his head. “I thought he’d be better off.”

“I think so too sometimes.” Brett admits. “I think he’d be safer without us but…he chose this life twice for a reason. He wants this life, he doesn’t care about danger because he can handle himself. When I told him to talk to you I was hoping Stiles would finally let go of this, you know, that he’d be able to move on and realize he’s good enough.” Derek looks down and the two Alpha’s fall into a silence. Both boys thinking to themselves about the man they truly love.

Derek wonders what it’d be like if he had seen Stiles the way Brett had and never broke up with the man. He wonders if Stiles would still be happy or if there would’ve been something else that lead to Stiles leaving for New York. He wonders if they’d have rings like Brett and Stiles, which he still didn’t understand but he would want them. He wonders if they’d be able to know each other like Brett and Stiles do. The more he thinks the more he realizes that yeah, they probably would’ve been happy and they probably would’ve stood by each other. They would’ve gotten married and honeymooned somewhere ridiculous and then had their own betas, like Karen and David. He frowns, if he didn’t break up with Stiles though, would Karen and David have their second chance? Probably not. He looks out the window and towards the two packs that are rolling around and smiles. If it weren’t for Stiles that pack wouldn’t have stood a chance.

Brett wonders where Stiles is going and when he’ll come back. He wonders how life is going to be like now that they’ll always have this around them. He wonders if he thought about Stiles the way Derek did if things would be better. He’d be able to protect Stiles better, keep him from fighting and getting hurt like he is now. He’d never have let Stiles come down here to save some kid that broke Stiles' heart because he wouldn’t want to see Stiles hurt. He wouldn’t have let Stiles stay to talk to Derek or past the few weeks they intend to in order to fight the hunters because he would only want to protect Stiles. Then he thinks about where that led to Derek and Stiles being, what his pack would do if they broke up like that. Certainly not all of them would stay with Brett like Derek’s betas have, no Karen and David might in order to control their wolf but they’d resent him. Dominic and Telisa might but they’d never be the same. Andre probably wouldn’t, Stiles was the one who convinced him into this group and Stiles wouldn’t have to try and convince Andre to follow him. He had no idea where Jefferson and Aleysha stood, both loved Stiles like their own. He licks his lip if it weren’t for Stiles his pack wouldn’t stand a chance.

“Just so you know…” Brett says with a smirk. “If he gets hurt, I’m totally whooping your ass.” Derek smirks back.

“Good and just so you know, if he gets hurt, I’m whooping your ass right back.” Brett laughs lightly and pulls out his phone again, frowning when he had no response from Stiles. He types out another quick reply. ‘please be safe and come back’. He tucks his phone away and follows Derek out the door, grabbing Telisa and snatching her away from Dom, she squeals and he tells them dinners done. Aleysha and Brett stay back.

“You didn’t tell us he was still hurt.” Aleysha confronts and Brett turns to face her.

“He didn’t want you to know.” She frowns. “He’s going to be okay.” He tells her and they watch as Jefferson waves them inside, before screaming their food would get cold.

“What happened with Derek?” Brett looks to her before licking his lips.

“We just talked a little.” She narrows her eyes at him and the two head back towards the house. She can’t help but wonder what happened between the two Alpha’s. She knows if she had been with a man or woman that loved her mate, she’d tear them to shreds, she can’t see why both boys seem perfectly fine. But she shrugs and wonders if they’d do it for Stiles.

With Stiles (a few hours later because only so much can happen in a day):

Stiles licks his lips as he reads the text messages over and over again. He smiles lightly, wondering what the two packs were up to. He reads them over again. ‘Im sorry I love you’ and ‘please be safe and come back’. He laughs lightly at it, it’s so Brett. His fingers pause over the ‘I’ on his phone before he switches it off and pockets it. He inhales deeply and licks his lips before his knuckles rap against the door lightly a few times. He pulls away and tucks his hand into his pockets. The door opens and he meets his friend’s eyes, smiling sheepishly.

“Stiles?”

“Hey, can I come in?” He questions before looking back to the street and pulling his hands out of his pocket. “I need some help with some things.”

Chapter Text

Previously:

He inhales deeply and licks his lips before his knuckles rap against the door lightly a few times. He pulls away and tucks his hand into his pockets. The door opens and he meets his friend’s eyes, smiling sheepishly.

“Stiles?”

“Hey, can I come in?” He questions before looking back to the street and pulling his hands out of his pocket. “I need some help with some things.”

Now:

Stiles sits on the couch in a living room he was too familiar with, a memory that scared him to think of. He sat in this exact same seat only ten years ago but it was a different feeling with this one. The last time he sat on this couch, it was the last memory he had of Beacon Hills he decided to head off for New York. He had tried so hard not to cry until he was asked what was going on and if he was okay, why he was leaving. When he broke down, his sobs were the only thing that filled the room. He inhales heavily and listens to the other man in the kitchen. He pulls out his cell phone and stares at it. He should turn it on, what if someone’s hurt? What if Brett needs him?

“Leave it alone.” He listens and tucks the phone back into his pocket, he’d know if Brett needed him. “Now, what brings you back to home sweet home?” Stiles looks up to the man who’s helped him once before.

“Well…at first, Issac was dying.” He would laugh at the wide eyes but he doesn’t have the heart to this time. “But then that just led to me almost dying.” He laughs that time because it’s so ridiculous. What even is their life? “And now I need you to do what you did for me ten years ago?” He doesn’t bother to react to the raised eyebrow. “I’m not running this time,” He stops and looks to the floor…recalling the way it went last time.

Stiles stood at the door and pursed his lips together, his knuckles knocked against the door hesitantly before it opened. He met the man’s eyes and bit his lip. “I need your help.”

“What’s going on?”

“Derek and I broke up, the pack’s not talking to me and…you’re the only person I know who would get me out of here and…I need to go.” Eyes stared back at him and the man nodded.

“Yeah, sure come in. I know a guy in New York, he could hook you up with a job and a place.” Stiles entered the house and sat slowly on the couch. Was this what he wanted? New York? Probably not but he needed to get away. “It’s a nice job, pay’s good. The place would be a small apartment, I can give you his number.” He watched as the man ruffled through some papers before meeting Stiles’ eyes. “You guys can discuss it, I’ll go make you something to drink.” Stiles grabbed the paper and stared at the number and name before nodding.

“Okay, yeah.”

“Then what are you doing Stiles?” The man tilts his head and looks at Stiles who narrows his eyes.

“I don’t…what’s best for my pack maybe?” Stiles stands and runs a hand through his hair, walking to the wall where he leans against it, staring unsure at the wall. “I was so mad when I saw them together, like…I was losing my family all over again. But you didn’t see them.” His eyes meet the other. “They were…so happy, I mean before they saw me almost crying. It was like they finally found that family Brett and I have been craving, yeah we had that back home. But if I could wake up and see Andre smiling like that even once a week…it’s worth everything in the world.”

“So what do you want me to do about it?” Stiles smirks at the question and goes to sit on the couch, kicking his feet up on the coffee table.

“I know you have connections in New York, so pick up that phone and get a moving truck to my place, then get that and a friend back here.” The man looks over at him unsure. “Don’t act like it’s gonna cost you a penny, trust me, I know you’re still a sketchy sonuvabitch. So you pick up the phone and I won’t have to inform Derek where you are. Do we have a deal?” Stiles raises his brow at the glare.

“God, you totally got that from me.” Stiles laughs, yeah, right. “Deal, I’ll just need an address and a name.”

“Right,” Stiles scoffs. “With a promise nothing will be harmed.”

“I helped you once and I’ll do it again. Why am I the one cleaning up my nephew’s messes?” Stiles doesn’t answer that just laughs at the man he still doesn’t fully trust. There are so many reasons Peter should clean up Derek’s messes, a million times over.

**And When Morning Comes:**

With Brett:

Brett groans and rolls over, frowning when he’s waking up to an empty bed. He sits and rubs his face, frowning. He can smell the bacon and eggs downstairs, hear the betas hushed talking. They had arrived back at Stiles’ house at 11 last night and Brett had fallen asleep sometime between 12 and now. He looks to his phone. 8am, no missed calls, no missed texts. He frowns and unlocks it, debating calling his lover before he grips his ring and twits it. He rubs his face again and pockets his phone, if Stiles wanted space, he’d give him space. He pulls on a shirt and sweats before jogging down the stairs.

“Morning Brett.” Karen greets, looking up from her book as Telisa makes some eggs, Dom hands him a cup of coffee and grunts.

“Any word from Stiles?” David asks, looking to his Alpha who shakes his head. “Oh.”

“Where’s Aleysha, Jefferson and Andre?”

“Jeff’s still sleeping and Aleysha took Andre to get some more milk.” Brett raises a brow to the reading woman before shaking his head. They just had a carton yesterday, he strongly doesn’t want to know what happened to it. “How’d you sleep?”

“Fine.” Dom and Karen frown at him before they let it go at his look. He pulls out his cell phone again and stares at it. “Do you think he’s okay?” He asks when Telisa puts a plate of eggs and bacon in front of him.

“Stiles? He’s fine. You’d know if he weren’t. Andre? I’m worried about.” Brett lets out a laugh at Telisa’s words as she sits down.

“I think he just needs some time, they really hurt him last time.” Brett knows this, he knew this. He shouldn’t have made the man talk to Derek, he had no right. He just wants to be there to help his boyfriend and calm him down. “You don’t really think he’s mad at you, do you?”

“I don’t know, maybe.” Brett sighs before digging his fork into the eggs, staring at them hesitantly. He looks up at the eyes on him, Telisa’s wide ones and everyone else’s smirking lips. He swallows, great.

With Stiles:

Stiles yawns and stretches out, frowning when his arms don’t hit his husband. He sits up and looks around the guest room. He pushes the blankets off and throws his feet off the bed, sitting there. He trails his finger over his wedding ring before playing with it. He slowly pushes himself off the bed and grabs his shirt off the nightstand from the day before he throws it on and checks his phone; no missed calls, one text message. He checks the text and replies before walking out of the room.

“Coffee?”

“Good Morning to you too, creep.” Stiles says before accepting the coffee and following Peter to the kitchen. Stiles chews on his lip for a second.

“What’s with the ring?” Peter asks, raising a brow. Stiles pulls his hand away and curses himself for playing with the ring.

“I’m married.”

“Yeah, I know, we talked about this last night, what’s with it?” Stiles stares at his ring before smiling lightly, remembering when they had gotten it blessed.

“It keeps us connected...Brett and I.” Peter raises a brow confused. “If we’re hurt, we’ll know and it keeps us safe…if he got hurt I’d be able to heal him, we try not to use it much.” It wasn’t because the rings were expensive or the ritual took too long, cause it was fairly simple compared to some other spells and rituals they’ve done, it was a pride thing. Neither of them really liked to admit when they were too hurt but they always wanted to prove they were stronger than that, than everyone else.

“Babe, what’re you doing?” Brett muttered from his bed as Stiles sat by the window, with a book on his lap. Stiles turned to face him and smiled lightly at his mused hair, tired-looking husband.

“Trying to find a way to have kids.”

“Jordan says she knows a guy.” Stiles frowned and Brett groaned pushing himself up. “What’s really going on?”

“You got shot today.”

“I did.” Brett stood and made his way over to his husband, who was staring out the window.

“You almost died.” Brett licked his lips and glanced down on the brunet. “If you die, that’s it, I’m gonna lose you…I can’t take away your pain or pretend to be okay with that. We almost die a lot, and every time, whoever is okay…we hate ourselves for it. We feel like there’s some way we could stop it.” He looked up to meet blue eyes and turned the book. “Let’s get our rings charmed.” Brett grabbed the book and looked at it. “They’ll let us know if one of us is hurt as long as we’re wearing them, and I don’t know about you but I never take my ring off. Then we can take away the other’s pain and make it easier on them, you know I hold up longer when I’m not in pain.” Brett smirked at that, it was true, Stiles would stay awake through blood loss if he wasn’t in pain. “No one even has to know what they do, it could be our little secret. See when they touch, they’ll show us if one of us is severely hurt so we can’t really hide that ever again, like I did that one time.”

“If you really want to I guess we can.”

“Plus if we really want a few years later, when we finally start that whole kid thing…” Stiles licked his lips as he stood, placing the book on his seat. “we can make it so that we can heal each other too.” Brett ran a hand over Stiles cheek and smiled at the brown eyed man who smiled back.

So they redid their entire wedding. Stiles laughs and looks to his phone before standing.

“They should be here by now.” Stiles accuses before his phone goes off. He smiles and answers it. “Are you here?” Peter stares at Stiles as the man makes his way to the door, slipping his shoes on. The older man grabs the coffee and puts it on the counter before following the young boy out.

“You’re stuff will be here in the next few days.” Sties waves a hand as he smiles to the standing female.

“So, help me God Stiles, you better be dying for putting me on that plane.” She speaks, glaring playfully.

“Sorry, Jordan, if we’re staying here we need you.” She shakes her head and smiles at him before he wraps his arms around her. Her brown hair was pulled into a curly and bouncy ponytail, her brown eyes turned on Peter, examining him. She pulls from Stiles and looks at him. “I’m fine, just let me call Brett.” She raises a brow at him. “We haven’t talked since the fight.” She grabs his hand.

“Then how about you apologize face to face, considering there wasn’t really a fight in there. You’re amazing and Brett’s probably just worried.” Stiles nods and turns to look at Peter. “Thanks again, this meant a lot to me, I owe you.” Peter gives a nod and smiles at the female beside Stiles, standing a few inches shorter than the man he used to know.

“It was no trouble, the stuff will be at you’re old house, I hope that’s fine.” Stiles nods. “Now, go get your man and keep my name out of your mouth.” Jordan and Stiles unload one car only to load up Stiles with her three bags.

“Sure thing, Peter.” Stiles pulls Jordan with him to the car and drives them away, leaving Peter to stare at the leaving vehicle before pulling out his phone and heading back to his door. Jordan looks over to the man who left. “How was your flight?”

“I hate planes, you know that.” Stiles snickers and she glares. “Wanna tell me who that was?”

“Peter? He’s Derek’s Uncle, he’s the one who got me the job in New York.” Stiles licks his lips. “Speaking about New York…I think the hunters were from there,” Jordan looks away, having tried looking into them herself, thinking the same thing. “I’m gonna look into it when I get away from Brett, I don’t want him know but I don’t know if this stupid antidote is working.”

“What do you mean? Are you sick?”

“I’m not…I don’t know. I felt better and worse, like a roller coaster. One minute I feel fine then I feel nauseous and hurt…I don’t think it’s serious but I don’t know.” Stiles stares out the window, thinking about it, while Jordan stares at him, trying to get a better read on how serious he was talking.

“You’ve got to tell Brett, you need him. You know that, right?”

“I know. I just…” Stiles sighs and turns the wheel as they drive down another street, licking his upper teeth. “I don’t want to worry him that they went through all this just to lose me, I’m not going anywhere.” Jordan bites her lip. “I’m positive it didn’t feel like that these last few times.”

“How do you feel now?”

“Not like before. I feel okay.” Jordan sighs and Stiles turns up the radio before they talk about what she put in the moving truck.

With Brett:

It was a quiet afternoon, none of the werewolves wanted to go back to Derek’s until they heard from Stiles and none had much to say since the young man wasn’t here. Brett perks up at the sound of a car cutting in the driveway and listens to the voices before smiling then frowning. He stands and the betas follow, the door opens to reveal two brunettes. His husband meets his eyes before smiling.

“Sorry, I ran off, I had to go get Jordan.” Stiles walks into the house first and Jordan follows, only to shut the door and be attacked by Telisa, who throws her arms around the older woman’s neck.

“Hey babygirl.” Jordan greets. Stiles walks to his husband.

“I’m sorry.” Brett says and Stiles shushes him before licking his lips.

“I thought about it…our stuff’s being shipped here as we speak. It’ll stay in the drive way until we can find another place for some of the betas to stay. I figured we can start looking whenever they want. We can go to Derek’s and train before the hunters come and…” Stiles shrugs. “when all is said and done we can get started on that future.” All the betas stare at him in shock, Aleysha and Jordan smiling lightly.

“What changed your mind?” Brett asks.

“Well…seeing the betas together for one. I don’t think any of them have been that happy ever…and you’re right…this is my home. This has always been my home. I figure we can go up to New York every summer and holidays when we want to see your family…I won’t sell the house, maybe we can rent it out, if you want. I can get a job for the police station down here and you can be my trophy wife that still brings in more money than me or you can find a Starbucks you like or you can start up your own coffee shop and we can all work there.” Brett laughs and shakes his head.

“You’re ridiculous, I love you.” Stiles laughs and leans up to kiss his husband before burying his head on his shoulder.

“We can have date nights and if we get the betas out they will always end in sex.”

“EW! Oh my god!” Telisa shrieks while Jefferson covers his ears, causing Stiles to snicker into his husband.

“And we’ll never wake up in bed alone not knowing if the other one’s mad at us.” Stiles says, his heart pounding.

“I’m not mad at you,” Brett shakes his head. “Why would I be mad at you?” Stiles pulls away.

“All I do is run.” Brett shakes his head and looks into those honey eyes, smiling lightly.

“You’ve never run from us, we’ve given you plenty of reasons to but you never have. Even now, you’re running to us, you left to make our betas smile, that’s more than I could ever ask for from you.” Stiles smiles and nods. “Plus you brought Jordan, which I still think I should run from because she looks mad at me.” Jordan nods and Stiles laughs.

“Well, she has time to shoot you but…why don’t you guys call Scott or Derek, we can go over and talk about this. For real this time.” Jordan smiles and Stiles leaves his husband when Jefferson drags Stiles away to whisper to the man a secret. Jordan walks to Brett who looks down at her before looking to Aleysha who’s already pulling out her phone and dialing. He grabs his arm and hisses when the females fist collides with it.

“Ow, what the hell was that for?” He asks outraged, while rubbing his arm.

“You don’t hurt that boy, you hear me? You love him more than anything, I know this, you tell me this. So don’t go forcing him into the arms of this Derek asshole, cause you know as well as I do he’s gonna try and take Stiles back.”

“You think?” Jordan nods. “You think Derek has a chance.” Jordan looks to Stiles, who’s listening to Jefferson with an amused face.

“No, but that won’t stop him from getting past those walls. Stiles is stubborn and tough but…you’re first love is something you don’t forget, you can move on but…what Stiles and Derek had…I think Derek could hurt him again.” Brett nods and bits the inside of his cheek, he thought the same thing.

Chapter Text

Scott was too thrilled to tell the new pack to come over and work together. He told Issac first but the rest of the wolves heard him. Issac had smiled up at him and then got up to get dressed while the rest of the wolves got excited and talked, wondering what happened while the pack was gone. Scott frowned, wondering if his friend hated him for choosing his Alpha. He had talked to Issac and his boyfriend said the youngest boy, Jefferson, was genuine when he said Stiles understood. Scott laid back down to stare at the ceiling and waited, wondering, lost in his own mind.

Jackson looks up from his place on the steps at the sound of laughing and sees a female on Stiles’ back, someone he hadn’t seen before. Next to them is Brett, who’s laughing at them. Aleysha and Dominic are wrestling on the way over while, Telisa and Andre are teasing Jefferson who just snaps dull teeth at them and barks. Karen and David are doing their silent talk thing while they hold hands and walk. Erica comes out and smiles at them. Stiles lets the girl slip off his back.

“Hey, guys this is Jordan, she’s Brett’s emissary. Jor, this is Jackson and Erica.” Stiles tells them before patting Jackson’s shoulder and walking past him, he nudges Erica and gives her a small smile that she returns happily. Both then turn to look at a beaming group of werewolves and a suspicious yet smiling husband.

“What happened?” Erica asks, looking to the group. The wolves ignore Stiles’ yell for the rest to go outside and meet Jordan. Aleysha sits in front of Jackson and knocks Dominic off his feet. Dominic growls and flashes his eyes.

“You wanna fight, little girl?” Aleysha snickers before flashing her own eyes.

“I’m older than you.”

“I’m bigger than you and could still kick your ass.”

“Language!” Jordan growls before glaring at Brett. “Stiles would whoop you if he heard this language from the betas.” Brett laughs and leans against the beam.

“What he doesn’t know won’t hurt him, ‘sides, if he isn’t here to stop them it’s unnecessary to.” Brett smiles lightly. “They are adults, no matter how badly he tries to deny it.” Issac tackles Jefferson who giggles and Telisa jumps on Issac. Aleysha and Dominic are rough housing while Erica, Andre and Jackson are putting bets on it. Boyd is watching amused next to Karen and David. While Jordan shakes her head.

“Stiles…” Scott says before cutting himself off, he doesn’t know how to word this. Stiles raises his brows at Scott before frowning. “I…when you…I just…” Stiles chuckles lightly before shaking his head.

“Scott, you’re my brother, there might be ten years missing but that’s not going to change the fact. I understand what you did, and I’m sure if the roles were reversed, I’d have done the same. It’s okay.” Scott smiles and Stiles pulls the boy in for a hug. “But if you hurt Jeff, I will castrate you myself and I know enough spells that your little werewolfy healing powers won’t work.”

“Why would I hurt Jeff?” He questions as they pull away and Stiles leans against the wall.

“He looks up to you and Issac, he’s a tough kid but…he’s naïve. He trusts you, he likes you. He doesn’t like many people, he doesn’t trust many people. But you and Issac, with your stupid faces broke in. So if you hurt him…” Scott cuts him off before he can finish his threat.

“Jeff is cool, don’t worry. Issac and him really bonded while they were waiting for us and you know Issac couldn’t hurt a fly unless they threatened him or us and something tells me Jeff would never.” Stiles lets out a huff of a laugh before nodding.

“Jordan’s our emissary, she’s out with the betas…” He points his thumb behind him and Scott glances before looking to Stiles again. “Why don’t you head out and say hi? Just be careful she hits like a guy…the uppercut on that woman.” Stiles makes a face and shakes his head, wincing at the memory of the time she thought he was a robber and socked him in the jaw, comparable only to that of being punched by a werewolf. And in case you’ve never been hit by a werewolf, it hurts, horribly. Scott laughs and nods.

“Yeah, alright, we’ll head out…”

“I…need to talk to Derek, actually.” Scott bites his lip, recalling the last time the two talked. “Don’t worry, it’s nothing serious.” Stiles meets Scott’s eyes and Scott nods before leaving the house. Stiles raps lightly on the door frame to Derek’s bedroom, getting Derek’s attention. Derek looks up at him and raises a brow. “I wanted to apologize.” Stiles licks his lips. “Look, we’re staying and it’s non-negotiable and the betas really like each other, they get along really well.” Stiles swallows and Derek stands leaning against his bed. “So whatever issues we have I want to get them out in the open and fix them and leave them in the past because that’s where they belong.”

“Okay. You’re right.” Stiles smiles lightly. They both fall silent and Stiles is cut off by Derek who speaks up first, shocking Stiles. Usually Stiles has to start a conversation that brought emotions up or could lead to a potential fight. “I hated that you never listened to reason, you always talked over me and for hours so I never had a say.”

“Well, I mean, you’re only say in anything was how much of a human I was.” Stiles counters and Derek raises a brow, smirking lightly. “Sorry, it’s just…I can handle myself. I hated that you never understood that.”

“I hated that you always put yourself behind everyone you love and jumped into danger to protect us.” Derek tells him and Stiles pushes himself off the wall, throwing his hands to point at Derek while gaping slightly.

“I hated that you thought you were the only one who could risk your life.” Derek stands straight and barks out a laugh.

“I hated that after every fight you ran off and I had to figure out if I went a step to far.” Stiles shakes his head.

“I ran off to stop the fighting because I never knew what we were actually fighting about. Every week it was something new and we could never just talk about stuff we were screaming it to each other. I always came back, you always turned your back.” Derek furrows his brows and looks at Stiles like the younger man is crazy.

“I hated that you never saw the good and I hated that you never thought you were good enough.”

“I hated that every time I trusted you, you gave me a new reason not to. I hated that every time you built me up you broke me back down.” Stiles’ hands are flailing and Derek is glaring.

“I hate that no matter what you do, no matter where you go I can’t let you go.” Stiles face falls and he stares at Derek. “I hate that I still love you.” Derek says. “And you keep making me face this, I was doing fine without you.” Stiles stares at him and licks his lips. “Stiles?”

“I’m gonna be sick.” He pushes past Derek and slams the bathroom door open, colliding with the floor roughly on his knees. He dry heaves into the toilet and Derek closes his eyes, thinking he’s to blame. He goes to get Brett when Stiles calls out for him. He walks to the bathroom and stands there, looking at Stiles, who pants for a second before rubbing his thumb and forefinger over his eyes. “I hate that you’re always right.” Stiles looks to him. “I’m not getting any better am I?” Derek sighs and slides down so he’s sitting behind Stiles.

“If it makes you feel any better, you don’t seem to be getting any worse either.” Stiles nods and leans on his hand before meeting Derek’s eyes again.

“I thought I was…” He admits and Derek tilts his head, kicking his legs out, Stiles falls to his ass in between them and facing Derek slightly. “When I woke up it didn’t feel as bad, it felt like it was fading. Even when I was out with Brett and fighting with you and when I ran, I didn’t feel great, I knew it was taking time but I felt better. Do you know for a split second I debated flying back to New York on my own and never coming back…” Stiles looks down and his bottom lip trembles for a second. “I guess part of me thinks if I run from you, from the pack that it’d make everything less real, the fact is…my pack…they need you just as much as I did, as I do. I figured I could sit this out back in New York and then they’d fly back and we’d go back to the way we were. Then I woke up and I knew…I could feel it, you know? And at first all I could think was…I’m dying and no matter how hard we try we’ll never be able to stop it.” He meets Derek’s eyes. “I got really scared and I knew I couldn’t tell anyone ‘cause I thought that I could be wrong, maybe it was all in my head but what if it’s not.”

“But what if you’re right? What if you are getting worse?” Stiles shakes his head at Derek’s question.

“What’s it matter?” He questions back. “We wouldn’t be able to do anything. I’d just be telling everyone I’m dying and you have to sit there and deal with it, say your goodbyes and let it go, let me go.” He shakes his head. “I wouldn’t ask of you guys what I wouldn’t be able to do.”

“We could find a way.” Derek fights and Stiles lets out a laugh.

“Do you know if a wolf bites me I could lose my spark and worse I could die. I know that’s always a risk when biting people but the chances of me and my spark rejecting the bite is so much higher.” He takes in a deep breath and Derek looks away. “When I left…” He laughs. “I never thought this would be my life.” Derek laughs and covers his face, Stiles follows shortly after.

“Trust me, I don’t think anyone did.” Stiles nods and rest his head on his knees. “Do you want me to get you something?” Stiles shakes his head. “Do you want me to get Brett?” Stiles bites his lip and thinks about it before tilting his head.

“Could you stay here for a while?” Derek nods and tilts his head back, resting it against the wall, Stiles stares at him for a moment before ducking his head into his knees and breathing. There was no need to worry his husband, Stiles thought, he could handle this and if not then we’d get Brett involved. Stiles closes his eyes and swallows before flipping to face the toilet and vomits. Derek snaps to his knees and rubs his hand in a circle on Stiles back, falling into a simple routine.

Chapter Text

When I was younger my mom used to tell me that when you loved someone, you’d know it. That you would fall into a routine and no matter how far away they go or how long they’re gone for, once they come back and you’re reunited again you both fall into that same routine. When I was first told the story I always thought she meant we’d live by a schedule, like get up at 7 and go to work and at 12 meet for lunch at the same restaurant. As I grew older, I saw what she meant in better light as I watched her interact with my father. It wasn’t a scheduled routine it was things you’d do together. Like the way they cooked dinner, or fought, or slept, or made decisions. When they died, I realized how important that would be to me, to have a life where the person I loved always fell into a ‘synchronized step’ with me. That they would cook dinner with me and flirt with me and go out with me and sleep with me a certain way and it would always just be the same. Not the same food or places or words or directions or anything just…the way, the way we did it.

With Stiles, it was always like that. We always had our ‘routine’, our way of doing things and I always loved it. I loved knowing that we would always do those things that way. So it scared me, to see the way Stiles so easily fell into that sort of comfort with his old pack, with Derek, even. The two came out of the house long after Scott did. Jordan and I sit, talking about the hunters. Jordan had tried to do some research off of the names I had sent her the day Stiles woke up. She didn’t find much but a friend of hers had run into the Mitch hunter sometime back. The friend remembered and knew it was the same hunter because he had tried to recruit him but he was long over that hunting stuff. Jordan told me about what she had found when she looked him up. He was born in a small town in Nevada and he lived in the West for a while until his baby sister had gotten sick and died, then his family moved quickly to the East coast, where some members drop off the face of the Earth and others move away. Mitch’s brother, Steven, had been with him in New York the year that they had attacked them too, he had lived in New York, where he resided temporarily before moving a few weeks after the hunt fell through.

Scott came out and pulled Jefferson from Issac, continuing the play-fight with the three wolves. Aleysha and Dominic were really wrestling, both trying to prove the other wrong. Erica is sitting on Boyd’s lap while talking with Karen and David. Andre sat with Jackson, who talked to the older man. Scott was pinning Jefferson who growls up at him when his phone rings.

“Hello?” I glance over to the beta before turning my attention back to Jordan. “Wait, wait…” Scott pushes himself off my nephew and walks away, gaining Jefferson’s concern and the other’s attention. “They found what?” He licks his bottom lip and swallows. “Yeah, no…uh…we’ve all been here. Are you sure?” He glances to me and Stiles walks out with Derek in tow. “Alright, alright, head over. I’ll see you when you get here, bye.” He hangs up and stares at his phone for a while.

“Who was that?” Stiles asks, gaining his old friends attention.

“Allison. Her dad and one of his collegues found two dead bodies…Chris says it looks like a wolf did it.” Stiles bites his lip and his eyes dart to Jordan who straightens slightly.
“Are they sure? How did they find them?” Stiles questions. “There’s no way they know, right? How do we know it wasn’t the back up that what’s his face called in for and they made it look like a wolf?” I narrow my eyes and look to him, wondering what exactly he’s thinking.

“Allison said they’re pretty certain and we don’t even know if that was legit.” Scott says and Stiles licks his lip nodding. “she’s coming over though, you can talk about it then.” Stiles nods before making his way over to Jordan. She ducks down to whisper in his ear.

“I don’t think so.” He hisses back to her, making me wonder what they were keeping from me, from us. I grab his shoulder gently and he looks up to me.

“What’s going on?” He shakes his head.

“I’m not sure yet, we’ll talk to Allison and figure it out.” He smiles at me and I frown back, knowing he’s hiding something from me. He glances down.

“What were you guys talking about, anyway?” He asks and I look towards Jordan.

“Moving the pups.” I lie and realize whatever he’s keeping from me is fine because I can’t let him know that the hunters are the same ones from New York, I don’t want to scare him. Like I told Jordan, what he doesn’t know won’t hurt him. Those hunters are gone anyway, the ones coming have nothing to do with anything.

Back To Normal POV:
Allison arrives only an hour or so later and they all go inside. Stiles can’t help but examine how much of a pack the two groups look like, they don’t even look like two groups. Allison greets him with a hug and a quick ‘nice to see you again’. He smiles at her and sits next to Brett, resting his head on his husband’s shoulder who smiles widely, glad they’re okay.

“So, what exactly did you guys find?” Erica asks, crossing her arms and frowning.

“I wasn’t there. My dad said that he saw two bodies when he was out with another hunter, talking about rights to the land and they both agreed a wolf did it. We didn’t think it was you guys but the hunter had been told that there was another pack in town.”

“No, it wasn’t our pack. What did the bodies look like?” Aleysha asks.

“It was a man and a female.”

“You don’t think they were Mitch’s, do you? The last two?” Everyone looks to Scott and then Derek looks towards Brett.

“It could be.” Derek says. “But that wouldn’t make any sense.” Stiles stands up, quickly. “Stiles?”

“I just…I need a minute.” He walks quickly out of the room and this time Brett follows him to the bathroom, where Stiles collapses to his knees and vomits. Brett’s heart pounds in his chest as he hears murmurs from the betas, Allison, Derek and Jordan.

“Fuck, babe.” He cusses, rubbing his hands over Stiles back, frowning at him. Stiles pulls away and wipes at his mouth.

“I didn’t wanna worry you.” Stiles mutters and Brett sighs, shaking his head.

“This is when you take that a step too far. You aren’t okay. Also, I’m allowed to worry about you, just like you’re allowed to worry about me.” Brett says back, leaning against the sink. Stiles looks up to him with tears in his eyes and Brett’s lips part, as he begins to struggle with his breathing. He slips to sit by his husband who inhales shakily, raising his ringed hand.

“This is the first time you used these. I…I didn’t want it to be for nothing. I don’t know.” Stiles rubs at his eyes before looking back to his lover, who stares at him, knowing. “I thought I was getting better. I wanna have kids, our own and expand our pack. I wanna travel the world. I wanna work at your lawfirm and hate it. I wanna be a trophy husband. I wanna spend everyday with you doing nothing. I want to stay here.”

“I know.” Stiles smiles shakily and Brett rubs a thumb over his cheek, cupping his face. “This is your home Stiles. Me and the pack are your family. Having your family where your home is…that’s the best thing that could ever happen to you. Do you remember when I proposed to you?” Stiles let out a small laugh.

“Yeah, after I did but you stuttered over every other word and the pack laughed at you.” Brett smiles back nodding. “You promised me that you’d do anything to make me happy, swore up and down you’d never leave me, you said…” Stiles chokes on the words and Brett wipes away a tear.

“I said that no matter what, no matter how much pain we go through, no matter the fear or the anxiety or the fights, we would make it through death and back and still be together. We would stand together and everyday would be like the first, everyday I’m falling in love with you over and over again. And while you point out imperfections I see nothing but perfections.” Stiles leans forward and rests his head on his husbands shoulder. “If that means moving here forever, if that means watching you die every year…So be it. As long as you stay with me, as long as you love me.” Stiles nods and cuts him off real quick.

“You’re not allowed to die on me though.” Brett chuckles and nuzzles Stiles hair.

“You aren’t dying, I won’t let you. We’ll get through this. We’ll figure it out.” He says, and Stiles closes his eyes against his husband who listens to the unsteady heartbeat. “You were getting better, don’t show me.” Stiles nods, he thought he was too.

“I knew you’d save me.” Stiles says, pulling away to lick at his lips “That’s our thing. We take turns saving each other. You get attacked by an Omega and I patch you up, I get poisoned and you find a cure.” Brett swallows at the look on Stiles face and feels like he’s suffocating all over again.

“Is this the moment we talk about it?” Stiles inhales deeply and continues.

“One day we won’t be there Brett, I’ll be too injured to patch you up or you won’t find a cure in time. And this…thing we have between us, this always making it, even if it’s at the last minute, like when you and Dom were kidnapped by witches. We have this stupid mindset that we’re always going to save the other, that we’re never gonna lose the other, but look at our life, B, one day, we’re gonna…” Brett looks down and Stiles pushes his face up with a palm to the chin, tears in his eyes. “we can’t have this mindset.”

“Why not? Why can’t we just stop? Pretend, be blissfully ignorant like the rest of the world.” Stiles shakes his head.

“Because that’s not who we are. We protect those blissfully ignorant people and the life we live is one we both love. If we didn’t…you’d be a lawyer, we’d get a divorce because all you’d do is work. I can’t live like that. I like running around with werewolves, I like kicking Jeff and seeing him growl at me but knowing I’m safe. We can’t pretend anymore babe, we just can’t.”

“I just don’t wanna lose you.” Brett chokes, Stiles purses his lips and closes his eyes. “Stiles?” Stiles looks at him and tries to hold back tears, blinking for a second.

“I know but I can’t…I can’t say you won’t this time. I was…I was okay, I’m not anymore Brett. Maybe, maybe the antidote is temporary, maybe this isn’t something you can cure just put off a few days or weeks.” Brett puts a hand over his eyes, pushing at them, trying to get a grip on his feelings. He shakes his head and Stiles runs a hand through his hair, trying his best to hold back tears. “Brett, I’m sorry.” Brett ducks his head and kisses him.

“Don’t apologize, we’ll try and we’ll try until we can’t. There has to be something, there has to be a reason.” He whispers when they pull away. “I don’t know what I’ll do without you.” Stiles grips Brett’s face between his thumb and finger, pulling it away to meet his eyes.

“You’ll stay here, our betas need them. You’ll keep our betas safe and you’ll move on. Okay? Look at me, promise me you’ll continue….you’ll be the Alpha we know you are, you’ll have the pack we have maybe better.”

“I won’t promise that until I have to.” Stiles pleads with his eyes. “I don’t…I can’t admit I’m losing you when I’m not yet.” Brett ducks his head, both men closing their eyes and he nods. “I’ll do it though, I promise. But you have to promise you’ll do the same if something were to happen to me ever.”

“You know I will.” Stiles says, wrapping his arms around his husband. Brett refuses to believe this is the end, even as he’s pressed against his love who tells him to believe it. The two sit there and Brett listens to the quiet panic from downstairs. Jordan and Derek try to calm the pups, Karen tries to calm her husband while she keeps a tight grip on herself. Aleysha’s crying because Jefferson’s crying which makes Scott and Issac panic. Brett closes his eyes and buries his face in Stiles hair, glad his husband can calm himself in the quiet. After a few minutes of complete silence in the whole house, minutes after the pups had calmed themselves into silence Stiles spoke. “I want to look into it, all of it. I wanna figure out something, anything.” Stiles pulls from him and meets his eyes. “Are you okay with that?” Brett nods.

“Yeah, just…tell me if you find anything. We know his name was Mitch and he has a brother Steve, I’ll have Jordan text you his last name. You do what you have to. “Stiles smiles and kisses his husband quickly.

“Thank you.” Brett nods and gives Stiles a small smile before standing and pulling the other man up. “We won’t give up though,” Stiles says pushing his body to Brett’s. “That’s not how we do things.” Brett nods and kisses him.

“Good, I don’t want to give up and that’s a promise I’d never be able to make to you.”

“I’d never make you promise something I couldn’t do…” Stiles looks down. “That’s why I won’t make you sit around and say goodbye.” Brett shakes his head, they weren’t saying goodbye, not yet.

Chapter Text

Aleysha, Dominic, Boyd and Erica went to the scene in order to see if it was the hunters they had let go. Brett went down to the remaining group in order to discuss what was going on with Stiles and the hunters, everything he knows. Scott runs up to help Stiles and sits on the bed while Stiles starts up the beta’s computer. Stiles flips out his phone and looks at the name Aberro, he frowns at it and stares. He looks to the computer and types in Mitch Aberro. Stiles stares at the computer for a long time, his finger tapping on the keyboard every so often.

“Find anything?” Scott asks from his place on the bed, looking to him innocently. Stiles bites the inside of his lip and furrows his brows before facing Scott.

“Yeah, sadly…I think I did…” Stiles admits, staring at Scott with an expression that tells Scott there’s more to the story than anyone’s known. Scott waits a few minutes as Stiles glances away.

“Well?” Stiles turns his attention back to Scott. “What did you find?”

“You’re not gonna like this.” Stiles tells his friend who sits up. There was something deeper here, something that was hidden and it was serious and it was bad.

“So, we just have to go look for those hunters right? I mean, it’s not like there’s no way to save him…right? Right?” Jefferson asks, eyes wide and scared. “He’s gonna be fine, right…?” He looks to Brett and then to the rest of the group none of which are willing to confirm this to the young boy when they weren’t too sure of it themselves.

“No,” Telisa says. “Jeff’s right, Stiles is going to be fine.” She stands up and Brett frowns at her as her teary eyes meet his. “Because you and Stiles always save each other and this isn't the first time where we’ve had a close call. So, you’re going to save him.” She says, crossing her arms and glaring. Jordan stands and puts a hand on Telisa’s shoulder, pushing her to sit back down.

“Honey, we’re all going to do our best to help Stiles but there’s no way we can be certain of it. We don’t know what this is…only the guy who made it will know and we don’t know where he is.” Telisa purses her lips close together, trying to hold back tears that she felt burning in her eyes. She looks up to Jordan, eyes big.

“But Stiles has always been there, we can’t do this without him.” A painful quiet settles over the room as the emissary looks down on her, heartbroken by the words.

“Yeah,” Jefferson whispers. “He’s done everything for us.” He looks to everyone, to his pack and to Derek’s. “For all of us and…I don’t think any of us can do this without knowing he’s alive.” Issac looks away from the boy’s eyes and to the ground, Jackson pulls Lydia closer to him and Andre looks to the ground.

“Yes we can.” Brett tells Jeff. “And we will…because that’s what he wants us to do.” The wolves all nod and Derek looks over to the other Alpha. There’s the sound of feet coming down the stairs and everyone looks up, expecting to see Stiles. Issac smiles when he sees his lover instead but Scott looks to his Alpha.

“Stiles needs to talk to you, or maybe you need to talk to him.” Scott tells Derek, who raises his brows, tilting his head slightly.

“What’s going on?” Brett asks. “Is he okay?”

“He’s fine, actually I think he has a lead on this whole crazy hunter thing…he doesn’t.” Scott admits and Derek nods, walking past him. Brett’s eyes follow the Alpha until the man in out of sight. He turns his attention back to Jordan who looks at him pointedly and he just rolls his eyes back.

“What does he know?” Karen questions the beta, who smiles at her while sitting between Issac and Jefferson.

“I’m not completely sure but they are from New York.” Brett and Jordan nod, having already known this prior. “And Stiles is pretty sure he knew them.” Brett’s head snaps to look at Scott.

“What?” He asks and Scott nods as Brett’s heart pounds heavily in his chest.

“Yeah, he’s pretty sure he knows them and on a personal level not a…I’ve encountered these before although, you said it happened before so obviously you have encountered them before.” Scott says and Jordan nods.

“We’re pretty sure we have.” She says “In New York.”

Derek makes his way to the room to see Stiles lost in thought. He smiles lightly at it, memories of walking into his room and seeing Stiles like this taking over his mind. He used to love it when Stiles would sit on his bed and do research, he’d leave the room for a second and when he came back there was Stiles, lost in his own thoughts. He still does actually, it’s cute. He slowly makes his way over and Stiles’ eyes focus on him.

“Hey, Scott says you found something.”

“Yeah…Steven Aberro…he was my boss.” Derek stares at Stiles in shock as he. “Yeah,” Stiles lets out a laugh. “In fact the year we got attacked in New York his brother Mitch showed up at the office and…he didn’t like me much.”

“So, did he offer you the job?” Stiles bites his lip and shifts on the bed so he’s sitting on the edge right in front of Derek.

“Not exactly…I um…” Stiles sighs. “When I left…when we broke up, I knew I had to get out of town, especially after everyone…you know, so I went to a friend who hooked me up with a flight, an apartment and a job.” Derek looks to him and Stiles purses his lips together tightly. “I uh…also went to see this person after our fight to get Jordan here.” Stiles licks his lips.

“Who?” Derek asks him, confusion filling him. Stiles didn’t know anybody who was still in town and alive that would do that for him. Stiles makes a face and hesitates to answer.

“Peter.”

“My uncle?” Derek questions, staring at Stiles like the kid lost his mind.

“Look, we let him in on everything when we needed his help and I needed his help. Plus, would he really go to the lengths of teaming up with obviously psychotic hunters?”

“Yeah, probably. Stiles you weren’t just my boyfriend…” Stiles glances down for a second before looking back to Derek. “You were everything to me and he knew that, and he probably figured you’d come running back the second I called…” Derek pauses for a second, realizing Stiles did just that. “On top of that you’re a spark. You’re a threat to him. With you out of the way he’d have no problem in taking me down.”

“Well why didn’t he when I was in New York?”

“Did you see how you reacted when Scott called and said Issac was hurt?” Derek all but yells at Stiles who closes his eyes. “Stiles, you said very clearly we had to tell you if one of us was dying…” Stiles looks up to him and his lips part slightly. “You said we’d meet again. You think he didn’t know that? You’d have been back before he’d have been able to take down more than one of the betas.” Stiles shakes his head and Derek grabs his cheeks, forcing it back to his face. “Yes, you would’ve and he knew that.”

“Then why’d it take so long?” Derek lets him go and sits next to him, staring at the door.

“I don’t know. Maybe he told them to be sure of it, he wanted to make sure there was no chance of you coming back.” Stiles turns to face Derek and Derek looks at him.

“Okay but…he’d be dead before he’d be able to hurt you with my pack here.” Derek shakes his head.

“Maybe he thought we wouldn’t find out who they were or that you couldn’t piece it together because you’d be sick. See,” Derek says. “I told you. I fucking told you something like this would happen because of me…because of us…I told you.” Stiles stares at Derek and bites his lip. “You didn’t believe me and you go and you fucking put yourself back in a position to get killed for fucks sake, Stiles.” Stiles swallows and looks down before looking back up at Derek who glares down at him. “You’re gonna get yourself killed because of me, it’s gonna be all my fault!”

“It’s not your fault Derek.” Stiles mutters but doesn’t yell back. He decides Derek needs to get it all out.

“See, it wasn’t all for nothing. You’re fucking dying because I love you, do you understand that? Do you believe me now, Stiles? Is this what it takes to get you to leave?”

“I still wouldn’t leave.” Derek stares down at him and Stiles swallows but doesn’t back down. Derek’s eyes dart between his and Stiles feels his heart pound just a tad bit harder in his chest. “I’m not gonna leave.” Stiles says and Derek does the one thing he’s not sure he regrets. He dives down and captures Stiles lips, pushing the younger man onto the bed and placing his hands by Stiles’ head. Stiles’ eyes shut and Derek kisses him, for all he’s worth.

“It was them.” Aleysha confirms on the phone. Brett nods and tells the others who look at each other, wondering what happened. “And it was definitely done by a werewolf, its stink is all over the place. We figured we could do a three way split again. We need to track down the remaining hunters and we need to find this werewolf that’s killing people.”

“Well, it’s killing hunters, for all we know the wolf did it because it was him or them.” Brett tells her.

“Point but what if he didn’t, Brett, we can’t just wait for some innocent fool to fall victim to a wolf. We’ve never done that. We should just imagine we didn’t know they were hunters and figure out who’s at fault.”

“Alright, head back and we’ll talk about it with Stiles and Derek.” Brett hangs up with her agreement for return and looks to the group. “They said it was definitely the hunters and done by a werewolf. Do you know of any in the area?”

“No, the Argents do a good job at making sure there are no other wolves in the area.” Scott tells the Alpha who nods.

“Well, there is one.” The Beacon Hill pack members look to Jordan confused. “I wasn’t supposed to tell you about it but the person who got me here, Peter, he was a wolf. Stiles stayed at his house while he waited for me to show up.”

“Peter Hale as in, crazy Uncle Peter?” Scott asks. “We thought he left Beacon Hills.”

“Crazy Uncle Peter?” Brett questions.

“Yeah, he’s the one who bit me and then after that we set him on fire and Derek slit his throat. Then Lydia revived him and he was always up to something, we never really knew what. The Argents didn’t like him either and eventually he just disappeared.”

“Not exactly.” Stiles mutters as he made his way into the room. “He moved up town and got a nice little loft. He uh…he’s the one that got me a job in New York, under Steven Aberro.” He looks to Jordan who’s lips part.

“Mitch’s brother?” Stiles nods and the entire room begins to put it together. Derek shuffles past Stiles to the other side of the room. Scott, Brett, and Jordan all follow the Alpha with suspicious and curious eyes before Brett turns them back to Stiles.

“You’ve worked under Mitch’s brother for ten years, while they were plotting to kill you?” Stiles nods and shuffles his feet, causing Brett to tilt his head and narrow his eyes.

“Yeah, pretty much. We should go look for Peter, I think he’s the reason I’m sick again.” Brett shakes his head before nodding.

“Aleysha and the other three betas are heading back now, we’re going to head off to find the other four hunters and make sure they aren’t dead and maybe they’ll have another cure and I’m assuming, may be wrong, that Peter is the wolf who killed the other two.” Stiles nods and looks to his husband then to the floor, he looks up to Derek and then to Jordan even faster. Scott looks between the two Alpha’s and the spark, knowing something was off, wondering what it was. Derek looks straight across the room and out the window while leaning against the wall, eyebrows furrowed. “You feeling okay?” Stiles looks to his husband.

“Yeah, fine enough to go with you guys.”

“What? No. Are you crazy? We just found out you’re a definite target and you want to go out.” Stiles raises a brow to Issac.

“As opposed to being the easiest target? That’s not gonna stop me, I’m going out.” The betas agree and Jordan looks at Stiles, trying to read his body language and figure out if something is worse than he’s letting out. Stiles looks over to his husband and frowns causing Brett to raise a questioning eyebrow but Stiles just shakes his head. Scott turns to look at Derek, who’s looking at Stiles. Jordan glances to Derek before looking down at Scott who meets her eyes as both of their eyes go wide. Jefferson looks from Issac to Scott and frowns, wondering what his Alpha’s emissary and his friend are looking at each other about. He’s seen that look once, it was exchanged between Aleysha and Jordan when Jordan found out Brett had slept with Stiles before telling anyone they were dating. He hates being the last to know secrets.

Chapter Text

By the time Aleysha, Dominic, Erica, and Boyd returned to the house, the group decided who would go after who. Scott, Jordan and Derek were going to stay at the Hale house in case any of the hunters showed up there while Telisa, Karen and David were to stay at Stiles' house for the same reason. Aleysha, Dominic, Erica and Boyd were going to head back out together and look for the hunters or crazed wolf. Allison, Lydia, Jackson and Andre were going to go in the opposite direction. While Stiles, Brett, Issac and Jefferson were going to head to Peter's and confront the older man about it. Jordan tried to get Stiles to confess a secret she knew he was holding in but the younger man didn't tell her as he grabbed hands with his husband and led the blond out of the house, the two betas following.

“So,” Scott says only a few minutes later, breaking the silence as he looks to his Alpha. “What happened between you and Stiles?” Derek licks his lip. “Derek...what did you do?” Jordan straightens in her seat to look at him, curiously.

“He told me he saw Peter and I was just telling him that I was right. He was going to die because of the werewolves.” Derek admits, keeping his posture while crossing his arms over his chest. Scott narrows his eyes.

“Then?” He asks and Derek looks to Jordan then back to the questioning beta.

“I might have kissed him...” He says, with a sheepish shrug. Scott's jaw drops and Jordan launches herself off the couch and sucker punches the Alpha in the face. She shakes her hand glaring at him as he stumbles.

“You sonuvabitch...” Derek looks to her as she balls her hands into fists.

“You can't tell Brett. It was my fault, Stiles didn't do anything wrong.” Derek says, pleading with her not to tell him. She looks back at him like he's the dumbest person she's ever met.

“I don't have to tell Brett, Stiles can't keep a secret from that guy to save his life. We know, that's why we avoid telling Stiles about surprises we have planned.” Derek straightens back up and shakes his head frowning.

“Stiles said he didn't want...” Derek is cut off as Jordan hits him in the jaw again. Scott yells at her and pulls her to sit. Derek rubs his surprisingly sore jaw. “He didn't want Brett to know.” Jordan glares at the man and Scott looks at him with a similar expression.

“What did he do?” Scott asks when Derek finally breaks, slumping into the chair. “When you kissed him...did he kiss back?” Jordan glances to the beta with a softer expression sensing the hope laced in the words and wonders if that's how Derek's betas all felt. That they wanted Stiles back but that doesn't give Derek the right. And if Stiles kissed Derek back, she was gonna punch that boy as well.

“Yeah, did he?” Jordan asks, raising her brows and pursing her lips, Derek looks up to them and inhales.

Brett looks down at his husband and frowns, Stiles hasn't said a word since they left the house. Something happened and Stiles wasn't telling him something and that scared him. The last time his husband didn't tell him something in Beacon Hills was when he started feeling worse. Brett licks his teeth and narrows his eyes, trying to read his husband. He could tell it wasn't something good but he can't figure it out. He stops and Stiles looks to him, tilting his head.

“What's wrong?” Brett asks.

“What?” Stiles questions. The betas laughs stop and they both look towards the married couple.

“You haven't talked and you're doing the 'something happened' thing. What happened?”

“Noth-”

“Stiles?”

“Derek kissed me.” Brett lets out a breath of air and stares at Stiles. “And I kissed him back.” Brett looks away and licks his lip into his teeth.

“You...?” He looks back to Stiles and his face is etched in pain. Stiles own face is dashed with pain, fear and desperation. “You kissed Derek...?” Brett nods. “Right...okay.” Brett turns.

“Wait, Brett, please, let me explain.” Stiles begs, following after his husband who turns sharply on him, holding up a hand.

“Don't.” Stiles blinks and purses his lips. “We'll talk about it later, I...right now, I don't want to talk to you, I want to be alone.” Stiles opens his mouth but closes it and nods, letting his husband walk away. He waits a few minutes before he turns and slams his fist against a tree, his forehead resting against it. He mentally berates himself for what happened in that room and closes his eyes.

Issac and Jefferson stayed were they were, both looking at each other in shock but neither willing to run after the couple, knowing they needed to talk about it alone. They both sit down after a few seconds in a complete silence.

“You think they're gonna be okay?” Jefferson asks biting his lip and looking towards the direction his Alpha and Alpha's husband ran. Issac looks down to the young boy before looking into the woods himself.

“I don't know...you know them better than I do. What do you think?”

“I never thought Stiles would kiss Derek.” Jefferson admits looking towards the older, curly-haired man. “When I thought about us staying I never saw that as a possibility, not...not while Stiles was still married to Brett anyway.”

“But them not being married was an option.” Jefferson chews on his bottom lip at Issac's question.

“Well, not usually but...it was a possibility. Do you know how many marriages end in divorce?” Jefferson replies before continuing. “A lot, like a majority. So, it's always been a possibility, just not one that actually seemed realistic. Now, though...” Jeff runs a hand through his hair and Issac looks down at him. “It seems like even the impossible is possible.”

“Do you think you'd leave if something happened?” Jeff shakes his head.

“No, we wanted to stay more than Stiles did, and I don't think Brett can stop loving Stiles no matter what he does so I think he'd stay just to make sure Stiles is safe.” Issac nods and then Jeff smiles a small smile. “At least I'm not the last to know about this secret though.” Issac covers his mouth at the laugh that escapes his lips and Jefferson beams up at him.

“I still wouldn't leave.” Stiles tells Derek and Derek listens as Stiles heart thuds a bit faster in his chest. Derek couldn't understand how someone could be like that. He loves it, how Stiles would stay even though he knew he was dying because of love. That's what he needed. “I'm not leaving.” Derek felt his self control slip out the window as he dove down and kissed Stiles. Stiles fell back on the bed and Derek pressed his palms into the bed by Stiles head, kissing him as his ex-lover kissed his back. Stiles hands moved on the bed and Derek kissed harder, putting everything he had into that kiss. Stiles hand went up, a part of Derek waiting to be pushed away and a part hoping to be pulled closer. The hand balled into a fist and socked Derek in the side of the head, knocking him off the boy in shock and horror. Stiles sat up, eyes wide and breath fast. He shot off the bed and turned to point an accusing finger at Derek.

“What the fuck was that?” He almost yelled. “You can't do that! I'm married. I love Brett, okay? You aren't gonna ruin this for me. What the hell Derek?” Derek ran his hands over his face.

“I'm sorry, I don't...I couldn't help myself.” Stiles glares at him before his face goes desperate.

“We can't tell Brett about this. This never happened, understand?”

Scott smirks at Derek before asking “Stiles punched you?” Derek sighs and nods.

“It's not the first time he's punched me.” Jordan lets out a laugh at that before sighing heavily.

“That's not how Stiles is going to see it. He's going to think he did something wrong. You should've came down here and told Brett and took whatever he gave you...probably more than a few punches.” Jordan tells him before sitting down across from him. Scott sits on the table in between them. “The second I can get one more in....I will.”

Stiles pushes himself off the tree and looks in the direction Brett left, wondering if the man was going to come back before or after they went home. He lets out a sigh and heads back towards the two betas he left behind when a hand grabs him. He grunts when he hits the tree and his hands grab onto the arms holding him before he meets the man's eyes. Stiles frowns when he recognizes the face.

“Hey, Mr. Aberro, what're you doing in this town? I know I'm a catch but, sir, I had to quit.” He winces when Steven pulls him from the tree and slams him back into it. “Wow, you're really mad.”

“You killed my brother.” Steven growls at him and Stiles swallows.

“No, you're brother tried to kill me. I didn't do anything to you.” Stiles growls back and Steven laughs in his face.

“You can play innocent to the wolves you meet but I know you, Stiles, I know what you really are beneath that.” He hisses out Stiles name as if it's a poison, which Stiles thinks is a bit funnier than it should be. Steven's smile widens to psychotic levels at Stiles confused face. “You really don't remember do you?”

“Remember what?”

“Back before your momma died, we were like family.” Stiles stares at him, disbelieving, confused. He doesn't remember than. “Then...you killed our baby sister....” Horror fills Stiles eyes and his lips part, searching for a lie.

Aleysha, Dominic, Erica and Boyd are walking north, remembering that the hunters were probably heading towards Washington. There's small talk amongst them about relationships and before the bites. They smell the four hunters long before they find them hidden behind the rock.

“Wait,” Screamed the unfamiliar male as he shoves his hands out. “Please don't hurt us. My names Brian, this is Marcus, Jenny and Kelly. Please.” Aleysha smiles at him and extends a hand.

“We know you're buddies. Nice to see you two again.” Kelly stares at her wide-eyed. “I think we both have the same enemy at the moment and we could really use your help.”

“You don't understand.” Brian says. “It's not just the wolf I'm scared of.”

“What?” Erica questions looking at him. “Hunters don't hurt hunters.” Brian nods before shaking his head.

“Normally, no but this isn't just another hunt for them...this is personal. And I'm the only one who has a way to make the chemical.”

“We know, and we need you to make the cure.” Brian frowns at Boyd.

“I know, the wolf said it wasn't working and he wanted more. I told him I was done and he...he killed Paul and Caroline, said he didn't need anyone telling you guys about him.”

“We already know who it is, now you need to come with us and save Stiles, we can't do this without you and trust me you need us.” Brian looks to Jenny, Kelly and his eyes land on Marcus before he nods and looks back towards Aleysha.

“Alright, let's go. While we head there, I think you deserve to hear the full story.” Aleysha tilts her head and hums, wondering what the man is talking about. What full story?

Brett walks for a few minutes before slumping against the tree. Derek kissed his husband. Stiles kissed Derek. He frowns and stares in the direction he came. Stiles kissed Derek and it bothered him but not as much as it should. Not as much as it should because he knew Stiles still loved him, he could see it in the man's heart broken, scared eyes. He knew because those eyes were scared that Brett was going to leave him and what did he do? He walked away. Because it hurt. What could've been running through Stiles' mind that he would kiss Derek? That he would completely forget Brett and kiss Derek? Brett closes his eyes and inhales slowly, exhaling heavily. But this is Stiles we're talking about and while there is a lot that needs to be forgiven in this situation his husband has the right to explain. For all Brett knows, Stiles didn't kiss back he just hesitated to push Derek away and Brett could understand that. In fact, there's a small part of Brett that understands why Stiles would kiss back. It's the same part of him that screams 'Derek's going to take Stiles', that shrieks he's losing his husband when he knows, he's not. Brett shoves himself off the tree and heads to Stiles.

Chapter Text

Aleysha walks by Brian who kicks at some rocks.

“Before we left New York, Steve told me the story...back when they were younger, Stiles' mom was best friends with his mom. She'd drive Stiles up every so often, they'd play around together. Steven was the oldest, then there was Mitch, and their baby sister Amber. She was probably four at the time and Stiles was a little older than five...”

Stiles stares at Steven as the man growls at him.

“Amber loved you, she'd follow you everywhere. My mom told us, you know, about your little disease...you just let Amber do whatever she wanted. You'd leave to go talk to our moms and just let her follow you as if she was old enough to do things on her own. And one day....you and her went into the woods....”

“Steve, Stiles is going in the woods.” Steven's head shot up and watched as the two youngest kids walked into the woods. He growled lightly.

“It'd be a shame if something were to happen to the little spark wouldn't it?” Mitch looked up at him beaming before following his older brother into the woods. The two young boys crept quietly before a shriek broke out and they ran.

“We went to go find you and when we did, Amber was lying there on the ground bleeding, you're eyes were glowing and she was dying. We yelled at you and screamed for you and do you know what you did?” Stiles shakes his head. “You ran, you ran and left us alone. By the time our parents found us she was dead and your mom said there was no way you did it and you got our own mom to believe you.” Steven growls and draws back a hand catching Stiles in the jaw. Stiles tumbles but is pulled back up and slammed into the tree. He grunts and glares.

"I didn't kill your baby sister! And the least you can do is know what you're talking about!” Stiles yells back. “No one killed her!” Steven glares to him in response.

“Right, you expect me to believe that, when you killed my brother, when you were there!”

“First, I was five. You can't blame a five year old for anything. Second, I wasn't there. I was with my mom. That's why no one believed you. Third, I still didn't kill your brother.” Stiles says and Steven keeps his glare before releasing his hold on Stiles and hitting him again, sending the spark flying to the floor. “For fucksake, even if I wanted to I don't have the power to kill!”

“Stiles was five, how would he kill anyone?” Erica asks and Brian looks to the blond before sighing.

“That's why I came up with the antidote...Steve and Mitch were...they were crazy kids. I uh...I believed it for the longest time that there was no way they were mad for another reason but...I came here and it just didn't add up.” Brian says and Marcus looks over to him, frowning. “The way the spark has not one but two packs that have a track record of no murders it was amazing and I found out he...cares about people. If they were family why would he kill someone he loved?”

“So he didn't do it?”

“Worse, he wasn't even there.” Brian says and Aleysha looks to him, frowning.

“What do you mean?”

“There's a type of fairy that leads little kids into the woods to their little fairyland that no hunters been to and usually they keep the child, sometimes it goes wrong and they cannot leave behind their changeling. In order to lure the child they shapeshift into someone the child trusts a parent, a sibling, a best friend, in this case Stiles...” Brian explains and Aleysha looks to him. “Stiles was with his mother when it happened.”

Brett continues on his walk towards his husband when he hears it.

“Fuck, I didn't mean to kill anyone!” That is Stiles and he's gonna kill the asshole who's hurting his husband, Brett takes off in a run towards his husband. He lets out a growl and pounces, taking the man to the ground. “Brett! Brett! Wait, stop!” Stiles gets up from the ground and pulls his husband off of Steven, who glares at him. “Hitting him isn't going to do anything.” Brett looks towards his husband enraged and cups his face as his features fall to sadness.

“What the hell happened?” Stiles bites his lip and looks down to Steven then back up to Brett.

“I think I killed someone.” Brett gapes at his husband as he feels his heart break and watches Stiles look to the ground, trying not to cry.

“You didn't kill anyone.” Brett whispers, unable to believe his amazing, gorgeous, loving husband could do such a thing. Stiles stares at the ground and shakes his head. What if he did? No one's that mad over something not true, maybe he did accidentally kill someone, he looks up to Brett, tears shimmering in his eyes.

“But I didn't mean to, I was five, I'd never mean to. I don't...I don't even remember it...does that make me worse?” Brett shakes his head and Stiles looks to Steven, who stares shocked. “I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to, I didn't...” He pushes from Brett's grip and hits the tree. “I didn't mean to.” He slides down it and Brett watches him, tears in his own eyes as Steven pushes himself up to his elbows, staring shocked, unsure of what to do.

“Stiles?” Brett asks, his voice soft and hesitant as Issac and Jefferson make their way from the tree, staring shocked and uncertain of what happened. They look form Brett and Steven to Stiles and then to each other.

“I didn't mean to.” Stiles sobs. “I didn't mean to, I didn't mean to.”

“I called Mitch before we left and told him everything.” Brian says. “And he said he knew, he knew but he didn't care. He said he was paid to do a job and that as long as that spark was around...your Alpha's will have the upper hand.” Brian kicks another rock and Kelly watches it hit another. “Plus, Mitch blamed Stiles for more than just his baby sisters death. Steven and Mitch had sworn to everyone Stiles had killed their baby sister...they ended up moving and then their parents disowned them. You see, they were huge in the hunting industry...”

“Yeah, Mitch says that all the time. They hunted everything and they were good at it.” Brian nods and smiles at Marcus before Aleysha snaps her fingers.

“So what happened?” She questions.

“You can't have kids trying to kill what is seemingly a human. No one knew if the spark was going to be a spark or not, he needed to open himself up to it to actually get powers. So they disowned them, they lived off each other for years when finally Steven called it quits, he'd get back at the spark but he wasn't going to be like Mitch.”

“Mitch lost everything?” Aleysha questions and Brian nods.

“Yeah, and he blamed the spark.”

“Stiles.” Erica corrects finally. “His name is Stiles.”

“Sorry, he blamed Stiles. He put together what had to be the most elaborate hunting group ever and he finally got his moment. The wolf here, he called up Steven and told him he would hand them Stiles on a silver platter, our only job was to kill him and his spark. The first year he was there they let a wendigo loose on him and I'm assuming that's when he met your Alpha.” Dominic looked to Aleysha who stares at Brian shocked. Stiles' whole life led up to him meeting Brett and she'd be damned if Derek even thought about getting in between that, well, unless he's literately going to put Stiles in between them because honestly...that'd be kind of hot. “Hunters after hunters after witches after other creatures, nothing killed him. So they invested in something that'd kill his spark and in the end him.”

“Wow.” Boyd says and Dom nods.

“You're telling me.”

Aleysha leads the group in the house. Derek, Jordan and Scott all stand and look at them, relief on their face. Erica raises a brow as she shoves past the group.

“Guys, this is Brian, Mitch, Jenny and Kelly. They're the hunters that are gonna help us save Stiles if we take down Peter. Hunters, this is Derek, Jordan and Scott. Their Alpha, our emissary and his beta.” Aleysha introduces them. The wolves and emissary look at them for a while before nodding.

“What do you need?” Derek asks.

“Well, some of his blood would be a great start but not necessary.” Brian says and Boyd leads him to the kitchen.

“Are they not back yet?” Aleysha asks as Erica calls Allison and Dominic calls Telisa. Scott frowns, realizing how weird it was, they were heading to Peter's.

“No.” Jordan says, looking to the other two men. “They should've called if not shown up by now right?” They both nod and the entire room goes silent.

“Shit.” Scott cusses. “I'll call them, I'm sure they're fine.” The rest nod.

“Yeah, they can hold their own.” Aleysha says. “But you'll never believe the story behind the Aberro brothers.”

Issac pulls his phone out when Jefferson looks at him. He turns and answers it. “Hello?”

“Issac? Where are you? Are you all okay?” Issac turns to glance at Brett kneeling in front of his hysterical husband, who's claiming he undoubtedly killed a four year old, begging Brett to believe he never meant to and crying he's a murderer and Brett shouldn't love him anymore. He takes a few steps away so the hysteric man doesn't hear him.

“Stiles is a little worse for wear. Scott, I've never seen him like this.” Jefferson looks back to Issac before looking to his Alpha and Alpha's mate, frowning. He hasn't seen Stiles like this either.

“What do you mean? What happened?”

“Stiles and Brett got into a fight, I guess they fought more but then...Steven showed up, he did a number on Stiles and...Stiles...he killed someone.” There's a silence on the other end.

“Well, carry him back here, we just got the hunters here and...we can all discuss this.” Issac looks over to the crying man.

“We'll try our best. I'll call you back.”

“Okay, I love you.” Issac nods.

“I love you too.” He hangs up and turns to Stiles, who's now pressed firmly against Brett's chest. He looks to Steven but realizes the man is gone. He looks around for a second before he just can't be bothered to care. One issue at a time. “Brett we need to get back.” Brett glances at him and nods, picking Stiles up with him.

“I killed a four year old Brett, I'm a murderer. I'm sorry, I'm so sorry.” Stiles sobs into his shoulder.

“Sh, baby, we'll figure this out. We'll figure this out.” Stiles shakes his head and Brett follows the two betas.

“I never meant to hurt anyone. Not Amber, not Mitch or Steven, not my mom, not my dad, not Scott and the pack, not Derek, not you and the pack. God, never you. I'm so sorry, I'm so sorry.” Brett presses his lips to Stiles forehead.

“I know, you didn't. You didn't do anything wrong, it's all going to be okay. Just close your eyes Stiles, take a nap. When you wake up, everything will be okay again.” Stiles tightens his grip on Brett and shakes his head.

“Nothing will ever be okay again.” Issac and Jefferson bite back their own tears before glancing to each other, Jefferson grips Issac's arm and Issac hold the hand there.

“What happened?” Jordan asks when Scott comes back in the room, staring at his phone in shock, misunderstanding the exact words that were spoken and assuming something else.

“I...I think Stiles killed Steven.” There's the sound of someone stumbling and a phone falling, as everyone stares at him in shock, the three hunters raising their own brows from between the group.

“What?” Aleysha whispers back blinking. Stiles barely ever hurt anyone. What the hell happened?

Chapter Text

By the time Issac and Jefferson get to the house, Telisa and Allison's groups were both back at Derek's. Scott had explained the situation he believed Issac told him. Steven had attacked Stiles and Stiles killed Steven. The wolves fought that it was self-defense and some said it didn't happen, which led to a fight of Scott telling Aleysha that 'Issac isn't stupid you bitch' and Aleysha saying that 'he must be blind than because Stiles would never'. Telisa, Karen and David were confused for the first few moments of the conversation before Karen decided Issac was crazy and that would be proven when Stiles got back. David went with it and Telisa stood behind Aleysha's words. Allison, Lydia, Jackson and Andre got back after them and sat down, each trying to grasps the situation. Allison still lived to protect humans but it was self-defense. Issac and Jefferson come and cause silence among the wolves.

“Where are Stiles and Brett?” Jefferson settles next to Karen and shakes his head.

“Stiles was...he was pretty beat up about everything and he just...cried and cried and begged us to believe he didn't mean to. Brett took him back home when Stiles knocked out. He thought it'd be better if the two of them talked it over before he had to face you guys.” Issac tells them, looking towards his boyfriend who grips his hand tightly, reassuring that Stiles would be fine. “But, you guys got the hunters.”

“Yeah, the guys are with Dominic making the antidote.”

“Are we even sure it's going to work?!” Everyone looks to Jefferson as he stands, anger on his face. “How do we know they aren't just making something to kill him? How do we know it's impossible to cure and Stiles is going to die thinking he's a monster? This is bullshit!” He shoves at Karen's hands and glares at them. “You're all missing the point that it doesn’t matter anymore!”

“Jefferson!?” Aleysha screams back, staring at the younger man who just growls at her lightly. Issac frowns at him while Karen stands with him.

“Jeff, everything's going to be fine...”

“Nothing is going to be fine!” He yells, shoving Karen to sit and stalking past before stopping and spinning, glaring at the Alpha. “And that's your fault. Everything would've been fine if you didn't fucking....if you just kept your damn filthy hands to yourself.” Jordan and Scott both look to Derek while the rest take on confused faces. Issac looks down. “Everything was fine before you.” He shoves past Issac and Scott and leaves the house, falling to his ass on the porch while the remaining wolves look towards Derek.

“What does that mean?” Aleysha asks, narrowing her eyes. “What did you do?” Derek looks to the ground and sighs before looking back up and raising a brow.

“Derek?” Erica asks, hesitantly. “What did you do?”

Stiles wakes up in his bed, curled to his husband's chest. He pulls away and sits on the edge of the bed, burying his face in his hands. What did he do? Where did he go wrong? Who was he? He had it all figured out, he knew exactly who he was and what he did. Then in one day everything just...fell apart. He kissed Derek, which he didn't necessarily hate and he...he killed someone's baby. He had to have, even if he didn't remember it. For both brothers to believe it, to want to kill him for it, he must've killed her. It didn't make sense otherwise.

“Stiles?” Stiles doesn't answer as Brett shifts behind him. Brett slowly gets to his knees and behind Stiles. “Babe?”

“I'm sorry.” Brett smiles and presses his lips to Stiles' forehead. Stiles closes his eyes and lets his hands fall to his lap. Brett doesn't speak as he lets Stiles get a hold on himself. Stiles turns his head just to meet Brett's blue eyes. “I'm so sorry.”

“I know.” Brett says. “If I didn't know that I wouldn't have brought you home. You didn't...you didn't do anything wrong.” Brett tells him and Stiles turns, placing his hand on Brett's arms.

“I kissed Derek, you get that right? I kissed him. If you, you wanna take the pack and lea-”

“Are you kidding me?” Brett shakes his heads. “You were weak and vulnerable and dying...” Brett's eyes look down before meeting Stiles who's eyes flash a dull green before fading to brown. “And you did what any sane person would do.”

“I killed someone Brett.” Brett shakes his head and purses his lips, he closes his eyes and then sighs. He reopens them and pulls Stiles face to look at him.

“No you didn't. I don't believe that.” Stiles rolls his eyes. “I'm serious. The whole world could try to convince me you did but unless you can tell me how you did it, it wasn't you.” Stiles frowns and looks to him. “I know you, Stiles, I see you.” Stiles blinks and his lips part. “You fuck up, a lot...” Brett lets out a laugh. “you make mistakes from crashing cars into trees to stabbing your husband to laughing inappropriately when Jeff comes home looking like a coloring book.” Stiles laughs at the memory. “But you could never hurt someone like that, I don't care. You don't have the power to hurt people like that now and you sure as hell didn't have it in you when you were five. When that spark inside you...” He presses his fingers to Stiles chest. “Didn't even exist yet.”

“You think so, cause all I can think is I took away someone's daughter...someone's happiness.” Brett shakes his head again.

“I don't believe that. If you did, I don't think their parents would've let you live. To be honest, even if they hadn't witnessed it. They knew what you'd become...they knew and hunters don't care but if you killed their baby girl, unless they had solid proof you didn't do it, they would've killed you.” Stiles licks his lips and nods.

“You think so?”

“I know so.” Brett smiles and Stiles searches his eyes before smiling a little bit. “I should call the group...let them know we're heading on over.” Brett starts off the bed when Stiles hand stops him, a smirk taking over the brunettes lips.

“Or, we could take advantage of my emotionally distraught self and alone time we won't have for a while...” Brett looks to him and Stiles bites his lips, tugging his husband closer. “I really want to take advantage of this.” Brett smiles and leans over the spark, pressing his lips to the other's. Stiles kisses back and readjusts himself so he's leaned up on one elbow and the other is tangled in Brett's blond hair. Brett smirked against Stiles lips and moved to nip at his jaw.

“We can take all the advantages you want, just know...” Brett pulls away and meets Stiles brown eyes. “We're doing it my way.” Stiles laughs and pulls his husband back down.

“There was an incident...” Aleysha's jaw sets as she glares at Derek. “earlier...I don't see how it's any of your business though, if Stiles wants to talk about it he'll tell you.”

“Bull.” She says to him, shaking her head. “You're just being a coward.”

“Hey.” Erica yells back, glaring. “Lay off.” Issac lets go of Scott's hand and Scott looks to him before nodding. Issac heads outside and sits next to Jefferson who is still upset.

“You okay?” They ignore the yelling from inside the house as Jefferson looks to the other wolf.

“I don't know. I just feel like we're wasting so much time. I wanted to come here, you know and see where Stiles grew up but now that we're here, even though you and Scott have been great, I just feel like we wasted time here. Like we did the wrong thing. And I know I only think that because Stiles is hurt but it scares me.” Jeff admits, playing with his fingers. “Back in New York, I saw Stiles and Brett fight so many creatures but...never like this. They're fighting with someone we should be working with.”

“Derek won't break them up.” Issac tells the young boy who looks over to him, curiously.

“How do you know?” Jefferson questions and Issac smiles to him, both wolves unaware of the watching beta or silenced fight.

“Because I know Derek and I know Stiles with Derek and while there are a few of us in there who wouldn't mind the two getting back together we all just want Stiles to be happy.” Jefferson looks to the ground and hums lightly.

“Do you ever wonder what it'd be like if Stiles never left?” Issac swallows heavily and nods slightly, he did. A lot, all of them did. “Ever since we had to work together all I think is...how different it would've been if we never had Stiles. People think because I'm the youngest and hyper and happy a lot that I'm not smart but...we needed him. And we all have our selfish needs to want him...” Jefferson looks up to Issac. “What if we just pretended we didn't want him, which one of us need him now?” Issac looks to the ground and thinks. He wants to say Derek does but that's selfish but they do need him but Brett's does too. He looks to Jefferson. “Why can't we both put everything aside and realize we all need Stiles and yeah, Derek might be hurt to see him with Brett but if he asked they'd tone it down.”

“I don't....I don't know.”

“We were doing good at being friends before why can't we all just pretend we're friends again. Because Stiles needs all of us too.” Scott looks back to the quiet group, sitting and exchanging looks every few seconds. “And we're the same...right?” Issac nods.

“Alright, that should be it.” Brian says as he and Marcus and Dominic enter the room. Brian looks up and at the occupants, eyes resting on Kelly and Jenny. “What did we miss?” Jenny just shakes her head while Dominic looks over to Aleysha, who nods.

“Who wants to call the sick boy?” She asks and Jordan raises a brow at her.

Chapter Text

Stiles is curled up against Brett's chest, holding his hand and playing with the gold band on the blonds hand when they hear the phone ring. Brett's free hand shifts as he reaches on the floor to dig it out of his husbands discarded pants pocket. He answers it and shifts his hand a little bit cause Stiles to shift closer to him.

“Hello?”

“Brett? Is Stiles okay?” Karen's voice says through the speaker. Brett smirks down at his husband.

“I think he's doing pretty damn good.” He replies and Stiles head turns up so brown eyes meet twinkling blue ones. He mouths 'Karen' to the brunette who nods before smirking back at him.

“Okay, well, listen...we've got the hunters and they just finished up with the cure...so if you two are done you should probably head over now.” Brett looks to the ceiling and nods, it felt good knowing Stiles was going to be okay. Well, he better be okay because if not Brett will murder every living thing in his way to killing both those hunters and that stupid werewolf. Stiles lets his hand go and leans up to press lips to the blonds shoulder who smiles lightly.

“We'll head right over.” Stiles presses himself to lean up, using Brett's chest for leverage, frowning down at the older man.

“Alright, we'll see you soon.” Karen hangs up and Brett assumes she knew exactly what they did and how Stiles would inevitably not want to leave yet. Brett places the phone on the bed while rubbing his hand up Stiles' back.

“Where are we going?” He asks and Brett smiles at him, raising a brow. “I don't want to go Brett, not back there, not yet.” Brett's other hand instinctively rests on Stiles' hip when Stiles decides to flip his leg over and pin the blond to the bed, straddling him.

“Stiles, you need to get better, those hunters are the only way that's going to happen.” Brett says back to his boyfriend who raises his own eyebrow and presses lightly on his lovers chest.

“Yeah, but it's not like I'm dying right now. We have a little more time for just a little more fun.” Stiles all but pouts before ducking and pressing his lips to Brett's while his hands travel lower before Brett's hands snap and grab them. Stiles pulls away and meets Brett's eyes. “What?”

“We need a shower.” Stiles smiles brightly at him and leans back down.

“Can we take our time?” Brett rolls his eyes at the man before nodding and Stiles kisses him, Brett kisses back before rolling them over and pulling away. Stiles pulls him back down and nips at Brett's bottom lip. Something told Brett saying they could take their time meant they'd be stuck in bed for another round before taking a shower but the way Stiles wraps his legs around him makes that thought completely perfect. He could spend the rest of his life in bed with this man as long as he knew they'd both wake up.

“Give them an hour.” Karen says, putting her phone away. Telisa snorts and raises a brow.

“An hour? If they were still in bed they aren't leaving it for another hour.” Telisa confirms, causing David to hide a laugh and Erica to gape. “The last time Stiles thought they were alone they went at it like rabbits...me and Jeff had to run out of the house.” Aleysha can't help but laugh, covering her face. “It's not funny, we were in our room talking and Stiles just jumped Brett. I was horrified.” Telisa pouts as the packs try poorly to hide their laughs. “Seriously!” She says. “I'm still afraid to be with them alone.”

“Aw honey.” Jordan says, rubbing her shoulder as she glares at the wolves. “We're not laughing at you.” She promises and Aleysha laughs loudly into her hand, getting slapped on the thigh by Erica.

“Can we leave now?” Marcus asks when the wolves settle down.

“No.” Scott says. “none of you are leaving until it's proven that stuff works.”

“I may be a hunter, but I'm not a murderer.” Brian bites out, standing and the other three nod.

“Not what it looks like from where we stood.” Derek growls back. “So unless Stiles is perfectly fine you and you're buddies aren't going anywhere, understand?” The hunter glares at him for a while before sitting down. Jordan looks over to Brian and then to Derek, at least he really did care about Stiles and wasn't just messing around with something he didn't belong in. She didn't forgive him, not by a long shot but she saw his views and if he cared about Stiles, well, who was she to say it wasn't justified. It was a high pressure situation, just seeing Stiles with someone else must've hurt but if he breaks the only thing that kept Brett strong she would personally murder him.

By the time Stiles and Brett finally pull up, Jefferson is asleep against Issac and Telisa is playing hand games with Aleysha. There is small talk going around the room between the groups, Erica and Boyd talking cute but quiet while Karen and David have their own silent conversation. Jordan and Scott are talking while eying Derek who voices his own every so often (usually with a 'What?' or 'Stop.'). Jackson, Lydia, Allison, Andre and Dominic are sitting and talking quietly while keeping an eye on the hunters who are talking quietly. Stiles is quiet to walk over to Issac and Jefferson before ruffling the younger boy's hair, Issac smiling at him lightly. Jefferson opens his eyes and smiles.

“Hey, kiddo, you doing okay?”

“We were waiting for you...are you okay?” Stiles smiles and pulls Jefferson to his feet.

“I've had better days.” Brett smiles at Issac and helps him up, patting him on the back and thanking him. “But we talked it over. I'll be okay.” Jefferson frowns as they enter the room.

“You know, none of us care if you killed Amber.” Aleysha's hands stop and her head turns to Jeff and Stiles who freezes at the door and stares in painfully.

“Who's Amber?” She asks, standing and pushing Telisa to sit. “Amber as in...Steven and Mitch's baby sister?” Scott's head snaps to the two and Jefferson shrugs while Stiles nods.

“We can talk about it later, right now can we just...get this thing over with.”

“You didn't kill her. Brian told us the story on the way up.” Stiles lips part and he shakes his head. No, obviously he killed her, why else would they be that mad? Aleysha nodded at him as did Erica, Boyd and Dominic. “Stiles, we listened to the story. In fact, Brian made sure we knew you would never, regardless of what the brothers thought.” Stiles raises an eyebrow and turns to the two male hunters, unknown to which is which. The one, who he assumes is Brian, stands.

“Yeah, for what it's worth. Hunters aren't too fond of people killing their offspring so if they thought, even the smallest amount, that you had killed her you'd have been dead when you were five, especially with the Aberro family. But since you killed Steven and Mitch, it doesn't matter they're probably going to kill you anyway.” Brian tells the spark as Issac and Brett push their way into the room, Brett throwing an arm around his husband and shooting a glare at Derek.

“Who killed Steven?” Brett asks, furrowing his brows and Scott purses his lips, looking to Issac.

“Didn't...Stiles kill...no?” Scott asks and Issac shakes his head at his boyfriend, rolling his eyes and giving a pointed look that made Scott shrug. “So...no one killed anyone?” Scott double checks. “Except Brett, who killed Mitch.” Stiles looks to Brett who gives a shrug but Stiles just smiles and winks. Brett furrows his brows, wondering what his husband is thinking.

“Wow, we're so not allowed to ever play telephone.” Stiles decides before looking around. “So, where's this disgusting antidote?” Brian picks it up from the table and looks to Stiles, standing in front of him.

“Now, you have to understand, I have no idea how it's going to taste or make you feel. I do know it's going to work.” Stiles eyes it for a second before extending a hand. “You also have to know that, while I'm the only one who knows how to make it, they are still going to try and kill you. I don't know how many hunters Mitch called but when they find out he's dead you're fair game. That makes us fair game by association so we need to get out of here as soon as possible.” Stiles meets Brian's eyes, searching them as his fingers wrap around the cup. He nods slowly.

“Fine, you can leave. Just...promise it'll work.” Brian nods and Stiles hits Brett with his leg.

“I promise, that should work. If not...I'm lost. I wouldn't know what else to try.” Stiles nods and looks to Brett who gives a single nod.

“Fair enough. Thank you, for all of this and just...be careful, stay out of the woods. There's a route if you get onto the main road that head away from Peter's place, you'll be safer in public eye.” Brian nods.

“Thanks.” Stiles looks down at the liquid and swallows heavily. “You can just drink it, especially since I'm assuming he gave it to you orally.” Marcus, Kelly and Jenny stand and walk behind Brian, watching as Stiles raises a shaky cup to his lips. Brett's hand grabs Stiles free one and watches as his husband downs it before moving the cup quickly away and making a face as he swallows. Brett tries not to laugh as a noise of disgust passes his husbands lips.

“Ugh.” He makes another noise getting a snicker. “Gross, gross, yuck, ew, God!” He places the empty cup down and rubs his hand across his lips. “God, how did I not taste that?” He makes a gagging noise and ignores the laughter of some betas as he turns on his husband. “It works.” He strains, overreacting greatly. “Anything that TASTE like DEATH works...have you ever had medicine before?” Then Stiles frowns and furrows his brows. “Wait...have you?” Brett laughs and pulls his hand away to cover his face while Stiles pouts. Stiles ushers the hunters out, thanking them again before turning on his boyfriend and pointing.

“What?” Brett asks.

“Use you're superhuman speed and get me to the bathroom?” Brett's eyes go wide and he grabs Stiles running to the bathroom just in time for his husband to vomit. “You know...” Stiles says after a few moments, rubbing his mouth. “You think after the amount of times you've seen me vomit these past few days alone you'd no longer be attracted to me.”

“Sometimes...I think the same thing.” Brett smirks when Stiles bats at his thigh. Then he goes serious and raises a brow, Stiles rolls his eyes but let them go green, they had a sort of brightness to it that they had been severely lacking these few days and Brett smiles. “That was the best gift you've ever given me.”

“Yeah, yeah.” Stiles says waving him off, before making a pained face. “My insides feel like they're dying.” Brett chews on his bottom lip, looking at Stiles who smiles. “They aren't...I think I'm okay. We'll know in the morning, right?” Brett runs a hand through Stiles hair and nods, wondering what would happen in the morning. The way Stiles smiles at him makes him realize as long as that's what he wakes up to tomorrow, he could wake up to millions of murderous hunters outside his window and nothing would matter. They'd be okay. Him, his husband and his pack...they'd all be okay.

“Yeah, you'll be fine.” Brett says, pulling Stiles to his feet. “We're all going to be fine.” Stiles furrows his brows but smiles at the blond. He laughs lightly and shakes his head, pressing a soft kiss to pink lips before leading his husband back to the rest of the group.

“How are you feeling?” Erica asks, everyone's eyes on the couple. Stiles gives a shrug and sits down, Brett next to him.

“Better. Now, what are we going to do about the psychos in town?” The group settles into sitting around and leaning against walls to discuss plans of attack on Peter and Steven and whatever other hunters show up that were in Mitch's back pocket.

Fast Forward A Few Hours

Jefferson's curled up in between Issac and Aleysha, Dominic's curled around Aleysha and Scott's curled around Issac. Karen and David are asleep curled into each other against Erica and Boyd who are curled into each other. Lydia, Jackson, and Allison are all curled together while Andre is protectively wrapped around Telisa. Stiles is asleep against Brett who's got another arm wrapped around Jordan, who slowly stands, stretching her legs and yawning. Derek and Brett meet eyes and Derek is quick to look away, causing Brett to scan the room and tighten his hold on Stiles subconsciously. Jefferson had been the first to fall asleep and after that everyone just kind of followed. Stiles mumbles a little and snuggles closer, drawing Brett's eyes to make sure he was okay.

“Well, I need the bathroom, how these kids fall asleep like that is beyond me and I don't think I'll ever be able to do it.” Brett smiles at her and watches her leave while Derek turns to stare at her before bringing his attention back to his pack. Brett looks to Derek and glares slightly.

“Stiles told me you kissed him.” Derek looks up, taken aback. Before he nods.

“Jordan said he would. I'm sorry, I really...I didn't mean to.” Derek tells the blond Alpha. He didn't mean to kiss Stiles because it hurt him but he didn't regret it. He missed...misses kissing Stiles, misses waking up with him, all of it. But he didn't mean to. “If it helps, Jordan already hit me.” Derek rubs his jaw in memory of the hit. “Woman's got on hell of a hit.” Brett smirks.

“Yeah, she's learned.” Part of him wants to hit Derek just so he can but all of him knows Derek's not the only one at fault. “If you ever do something like that again though, her punching you will be the least of your worries.” Derek stares back at Brett as the man sets angered eyes on him. He can feel the threat in there but there's a tiny little part of him that doesn't care what Brett thinks. That doesn't care what the blond could ever do to him because there's a little part of him that remembers Stiles kissed back, so Stiles still loves him. So he still has a chance. And he'd take that chance for all it's worth, to make everything better again. Because he still wanted Stiles, he still loved Stiles.

“Wouldn't think of it.” Derek replies, leaning back in his seat to sit comfortably while never breaking his stare with Brett. That little part of him didn't care because Stiles...Stiles was his first and he at least deserved to make up for what he did. He leans on his hand and looks to Stiles when Jordan enters the room, Brett's eyes no longer burning into him. He holds back a smile as he remembers what it was like, what it used to be like before he got scared, before he made Stiles leave.

“Shh.” Stiles giggles against him lips as he bangs into the picture, knocking it to the floor. “You're gonna wake the betas.” Derek smiles against Stiles and hauls him up enough so Stiles can wrap his legs around Derek's waist as they make-out on their way up the stairs.

“They knew we were going out, they should've left.” Derek mumbles back as his lips reattach to Stiles', trying to keep his balance as he walks up the stairs. Stiles laughs against his lips and grips his hair tightly as he pulls away fro a second, resting his forehead on Derek's.

“They'll be scarred for life.” Derek just tilts his head up to meets Stiles lips again. He licks Stiles bottom lip gently before pulling away.

“Oh well.” He whispers as he opens the door to his bedroom, kicking it shut behind him on his way to the bed where he falls with Stiles on top of him. Stiles snickers against his lips when their teeth hit each other's roughly, digging into sensitive skin.

“Someone's missed me.” Stiles purrs, running his hands up Derek's shirt. Derek gives a little growl at the teasing before using his hands on Stiles ass to pull the man down on him. Stiles laughs again and dives down to Derek's mouth to let tongues battle and explore. Derek runs his own hands up the younger male's back as they kiss, glad to see his boyfriend again.

Chapter Text

“Mmm, morning.” Stiles mutters into his husbands side who smiles lightly and shifts, waking a few of the betas near him and Jordan. Brett runs a hand down Stiles' side and Stiles pulls away and leans to kiss his husbands lips before hiding his face in the blonds neck. “Are they all asleep?”

“No, you woke Jordan, Aleysha and Scott.” Stiles peeks one eye at the waking people. “How're you feeling?” Stiles nods and watches Scott stretch, kicking Karen awake and Karen rubs her eyes, knocking Erica off of her and into Boyd, waking the couple. Stiles snickers lightly at the chain reaction, watching Scott shake Issac, who mumbles and turns, causing Jefferson to growl and show off his canines, Aleysha pulls away from the youngest, elbowing Dominic awake. Andre peeks and eye open to look at the youngest, startling Telisa who bumps into Jackson, waking the two human girls with him. Derek and Brett both let out a laugh at the group.

“Do you see what you do?” Aleysha mumbles as she sits up, covering her mouth with her hand as she yawns awake. Jefferson mumbles incoherently and Issac leans into Scott. Stiles sits up and shifts, letting Jordan sit next to Brett. Brett grips his jaw and tilts his head up, flashing red eyes, causing Stiles to roll his before flashing green ones back.

“What was that?” Jackson asks, furrowing his brows and frowning softly. Stiles rests his head on Brett's shoulders and meets Derek's eyes for a second before turning back towards Jackson.

“I don't know how to explain it...” Stiles says before sighing. “It's like seeing my spark, it reflects my health and exhaustion, you know if I'm using it too much.” Brett smiles down at him nodding.

“When did you get that done?” Lydia asks, leaning into Jackson.

“After their honeymoon.” Aleysha jokes, causing Jefferson to whine and swing clawed hands at her, mumbling as he sits up about Aleysha making sex jokes. Aleysha just snickers, musing his hair. Stiles sends her a glare, ignoring the laughs.

“She's kinda right, they did, they got it three weeks after they returned home.” Telisa sat up a little at Dom's words.

“I remember that,” She tells the group, nodding. “Stiles had passed out, he spent three days in the hospital and Brett was ready to murder someone. Jordan came over with that friend of hers and they did it.” Stiles looks to Brett at the memory. He had rolled his eyes at the time, said it was his own fault, but he had been the first one to bring it up, back when he learned about the rings. The morning after he discussed so many charms they could do if they ever felt they needed to and if it made Brett calmer he didn't mind having green eyes for a while. “They made Stiles flash his eyes and Jordan decided it was working.”

“Because they were green.” Brett corrects and all eyes turn to him and Stiles, Jordan smiling and nodding.

Green eyes gleamed back at her, a small smile on the Alpha's lips and a raised eyebrow on Stiles' face. Connor had looked to her at the green and she nodded.

“They're green, they seem right. Although I wouldn't mind seeing them red in a few years.” Stiles scoffed and rolled his eyes as they faded back to brown. She walked Connor to the door, listening to her wolf and his husband.

“I wouldn't mind them being red when we're eighty either.” Brett said and she held Connor up as an excuse to listen, the man smiling back at her nosy self.

“We'll cross that bridge when we get to it, although...maybe forty. I don't want the bite and it's gonna stay that way but...if we're forty and we have kids and...my eyes are still green, I wouldn't mind it. I wouldn't mind being forced to stay with you.” She smiled lightly at the words, she always thought Stiles was perfect for Brett. They fought a little more than they liked to admit but when they were calm, when they thought the war they were constantly fighting was at a pause they were the cutest things ever, they always knew what to say and how to say it. Aleysha would tell her they were too sweet for her liking but she saw the girl smile everytime they talked cute to each other. She also watched them run away at eyes now and days, they all seemed to know Stiles' and Brett's 'fuck me' and 'I wanna fuck you' eyes. She walked back.

“So, what do green eyes mean?”

“Is there something special about his eyes?” Scott asks and Stiles looks to him smiling.

“She likes to say they reflect the personality of the owner of the spark. I like to say...” He stands. “She's crazy. I'm gonna go make some food, I think we all need some if we plan to get Peter and Steven tonight...” He walks away. “I still can't believe my boss wanted to kill me.” He whispers and Aleysha gives a chuckle while Derek's eyes follow him before turning to Jordan and raising a brow.

“It does reflect his personality.” Brett says. “He's a jealous, possessive little bitch.”

“HEY!” Brett turns wide-eyes to the door at his husband's scream. “You sleep with this possessive bitch, I'd watch what you call me!” Aleysha, Scott and Erica laugh loudly. Jefferson groans and the rest snicker quietly.

“You never learn.” Jordan says, shaking her head and Brett nods repeating the words. “Apart from that, it comes from his love and nurture of others. There's a lot to deciding if the eyes match the personality.”

“Have there been-” She cuts off Erica.

“Yes, some people have had eyes that didn't fit their personality and hence didn't reflect their health well-enough.” Jordan tells her and the blond nods, looking away from her. “I thought it fit well and we haven't had a problem since.” Brett nods.

“I'm going to help Stiles, before he decides to just throw stuff at us.” Aleysha says, easily changing the topic, remembering when Jordan told her the story before. Jordan and her weren't close by any means, the only interaction they really had was when it involved Brett and sometimes Stiles. It wasn't that they didn't like each other it was simply they never seemed to cross paths unless it was her Alphas doing. There were rare occasions – like when Stiles showed up in the first place – that the two of them would talk behind Brett's back or tease him relentlessly to his face. Jordan was a tough chick, she grew up with strict parents and learned how to fight all sorts of things. “Hey Stiles?” Stiles looks to her before placing the eggs on the table.

“Aley, what's up?” She shrugs and asks the married man if he wants any help, Stiles looks at her for a second before smiling and handing her a spoon. “They still talking about my eyes.” Aleysha frowns slightly and gives a small nod, causing Stiles to lick his lips as he cracked and egg into the bowl.

“Do you remember when Jordan told you that your eyes meant all those things and...you told us that we obviously had the wrong color but Jordan didn't think so?” Stiles doesn't meet her eyes, it had only been the four of them that night, Jefferson and Telisa were asleep. “Do you still feel that way?” Stiles pauses in his actions and looks to the floor.

“Green signifies so much more than jealousy and nature.” Jordan told them as they all held mugs with their own separate drinks. “It signifies balance between your head and your heart. Nurturing, good judgment, intelligence, curiosity, loyalty, stubbornness, possessiveness, the need to be loved and love, and the way you put other's first, forgetting about your own self. It's not just jealousy.”

“I don't think you know me very well, Jordan.” Stiles says with a shake of his head and a small smile. “We might have the wrong color.” Brett looked to the man and frowned heavily, opening his mouth but was cut off by the emissary.

“No, I don't think so. I think you've got the right color. Green fits you well.” They all drop it after that, even as Stiles raises a brow.

“Sometimes.” Stiles admits, whispering softly causing Aleysha to look towards the floor. “But sometimes I think...we've got it just right.” Aleysha's smile is small but her eyes read more as she grabs the bowl for Stiles to stir it.

Brett doesn't like this plan, he's made his view on it very clear. Brett hates this plan because it puts Stiles in danger and he's seen Stiles almost lose his life one too many times now. He doesn't want to see his husband get hurt ever again, or at least for another month. A part of him just wants to hold the man and wrap his legs around him and never let him go, maybe even lock him up (at the very least handcuff them together) and never let him out of his sight. He wants to but he never would, he couldn't do that to Stiles, couldn't trap him, make him feel caged, stuck. It doesn't make him hate this plan any less.

“Anyway I could convince you to go for a different plan?” Brett asks and Stiles lets out a laugh before shaking his head. “Not even offering sex for like a week straight.” Stiles laughs harder and shakes his head.

“As tempting as that sounds I'll have to decline, if we don't get him now, we might never get him. He could keep telling hunters about me until one of them finally offs me and he has the chance to kill Derek and be an Alpha again. Whatever his plan is it puts me in danger. Brett, you and Derek won't let anything happen to me. The pack won't let anything happen to me, I'll be fine, you have to trust me.” Brett sighs and runs a hand through Stiles' hair.

“I do trust you.” He says, cupping the back of his husbands head. “I don't trust him. How do you know he won't just snap and kill you?”

“Because I know Peter, he likes things poetic and...he wouldn't want any of it linked back to him, why do you think he attacked the hunters?” Brett gripped his head tighter and pulled him into a kiss, mapping Stiles' mouth with his tongue and using his other hand to rest on Stiles' ass and pull him closer. Stiles fists one hand in Brett's short hair and another in his shirt, kissing back and rocking his hips slightly. Stiles pulls back first, his cheeks flushed and licks his lips. “I'm still going, I'll still be fine.”

Stiles suddenly isn't sure of his plan anymore, his hands shake on the steering wheel. He had heard so many objections in the past few hours that he is almost certain now it was a shitty plan and just wouldn't work. It wouldn't work but they'd still get Peter, with both the packs here what's one little scratch or life...God, he was gonna die. He swerves off the road and onto the shoulder, resting for a minute and thinking it over. Aleysha, Scott, Dominic, Andre, Jackson and Erica were all gonna be posted close enough that if anything went wrong they'd be there before it could but far enough Peter wouldn't be able to sense them. Brett and Derek were with Allison, Jordan and Lydia, they would be waiting to attack and it was to keep the three girls safe – even though they could all handle themselves perfectly fine. Boyd, Telisa, Jefferson, Issac, Karen and David were all posted in odd areas in case something else went wrong – like Steven called in all of his family and they were gonna kill him first. He sighs and looks towards his shaky hands, wondering if he should call it quits and they should just barge into Peter's house and kill him. His phone vibrates and he pulls it out, looking at the text before smiling lightly.

You can do this. He nods, slipping the phone back into his pocket and peeling down the street, racking the emotions he had only two days ago back into his system before turning and speeding into Peter's driveway where he parks and cuts his engine and all but runs into the house.

“Peter, I need your help I k-” A gunshot rang out and he looked next to his head where a bullet was lodged in the wall. His eyes widened and he turned to face his boss, lips parted. “Steven?” He sighs out. His boss makes a face at him, scowling in anger and disgust.

“I'm not like my brother, I don't make deals with werewolves, they kill. But...you know all about that don't you?” The man says and Stiles eyes are trained on the gun pointed at his head. Steven smiles lightly. “When I found out he killed two of my brother's hunters well, I knew I had to kill him but when I got here he was no where to be found. I assumed, you'd know where he is but from the shaky voice you had running in here you have no idea.” Stiles shakes his head and swallows lightly, letting out a breath afterward, pursing his lips together.

“I didn't...”

“I came here because of him you know...this Peter guy, he handed you to us but I...I could never do it, there were so many times I tried but I wanted you to feel the same pain I did when my sister died...”

“Steven, I didn't...”

“Mitch on the other-hand, he wanted it to look like an accident or a disease they'd never figure out in a hospital.” Steven laughs lightly. “And Mitch followed you, the little shit knew everything about you, he stalked you right after Peter gave him you. When he called me I told him I wouldn't come but Peter he calls and says 'you're brother's dead.' told me you'd killed him too.” Stiles makes fists with his hands trying to get them to stop shaking. “Don't worry maybe if I let you live, I'll give you a raise to keep your mouth shut.” Stiles makes a run for it but Steven's finger is faster, lowering his aim and pulling the trigger again. Stiles lets out a scream and falls to the floor, gripping his thigh. Steven walks over slowly and Stiles pushes himself up slightly but Steven just kicks him down.

“I didn't kill them!” Steven rolls his eyes and aims the gun back on Stiles.

“I know but...” Steven shrugs. “my mom says it's our duty to protect those who can't protect themselves and...” Steven frowns down at him. “We can't kill your husband when he has you...” Stiles squeezes his eyes shut before he hears a growl and another shot. He opens them to see Scott on top of Steven and a bullet in Scott's side. Steven punches Scott who claws back before knocking the hunter unconscious.

“Stiles?” Scott pushes himself off the hunter and runs towards his friend. Stiles looks up at him and smiles lightly.

“Took you long enough man...” He retaliates, pushing himself up again. Scott helps him to sit before inspecting the wound.

“We heard a gunshot, didn't think it was here...it was you. Are you okay?”

“Yeah,” Stiles murmurs back before looking towards Steven. He licks his bottom lip and looks back to Scott. “There are more.” Scott raises a brow. “His family...they wanna kill Brett.” Stiles says, looking to his friend. “We need to get to them now!”

Derek and Brett are crouched low as they listen to hunters walk around. Brett licks his lips and looks to Derek, knowing the three girls are safe. Derek looks back, eyes filled with the same worry.

'Stiles?' Brett mouths and Derek frowns, peeking his eyes out to look at the hunters before shaking his head and falling back. Both Alphas stay hidden, waiting and listening.

“They aren't here.” Says a voice, a male voice.

“Steven knows what he's talking about, trust me, they're here and if not, they will be. We've got this place surrounded, no wolf is getting in and no wolf is getting out.” Says a female in reply. “When the Alpha feels his little spark die he'll come running to protect him and we'll finish them off.” Derek head snaps to Brett who grips his ring in his hand, heart pounding wildly in his chest.

“Cause Steven's word is one to go on.” Another male voice scoffs, different from the first. Derek chews his lip, hoping that his betas and Brett's betas were able to protect Stiles from whatever hunter would try and injure him. A howl echos through the air and they hear guns cocking and footsteps turning and shifting slightly. There were a few more howls and gunshots, Brett's head snapped to the door when he heard Aleysha's howl, Derek snapped his hand to stop the man. Brett's red eyes glared at him.

“We're of no use to them if we're dead.” Derek hisses, poking his head out again. Brett nods and sighs, closing his eyes and listening in horror at howls and gunshots. The hunters steps are fast and rushed as they run to assist their attacked hunters. Derek pokes his head out once more before they hear it a single gunshot from inside the house, a shriek of pain and the smell of blood filling the room. Not just anyone's blood either.

“Stiles!” Brett roars, shoving the door open, tearing it from it's hinges. A hunter turns on him but Brett shoves him away, Derek tackling another to the ground before they can take a shot at Brett.

 MEANWHILE

Jordan and Lydia both sent texts to the packs, informing them that the house had been ambushed by hunters and the Alpha's were stuck inside. They all planned to meet up while Allison drove Lydia and Jordan to grab some weapons, returning just in time to see Scott with a wobbling Stiles, eyes met his.

“Stiles refused to go home.” Jackson clarifies to the girls.

“If they touched a hair on his head...” Stiles growls and Scott shushes him softly before they all turn to look at the hunters.

“Okay, here's the plan...” Stiles scoffed and began to walk towards the hunters. “While you're at it just ask them nicely to leave.” Aleysha runs and lets out a howl as the rest of them continue. Jordan and Lydia both fired their guns as Allison was quick to shoot arrows. The hunters were quick to retaliate. Aleysha is able to take out one of the hunters another quick to take aim at her until Jackson punches them in the face, knocking them unconscious and smiling when their body hit the ground. Jackson is quickly tackled by another hunter, who digs his blade into the werewolves side, causing Jackson to let out a howl of pain. Aleysha tackles the human off of Jackson and smashes his head against the ground before helping Jackson to his feet and letting out a howl.

Jordan shoots the gun out of a hunters hand before he goes and tackles Jackson, cussing under her breath as she takes aim at a hunter on Scott, who is growling and snapping at the man. She fires and the hunter falls to his knees, gripping his wound as his gun collided with the floor, Scott stands and kicks him, knocking him to the ground. He pounces on a hunter that takes aim at Issac who is fighting with his own hunter. Her eyes scan the group quickly, landing on a sneaking Stiles. Stiles ducks behind as many obstacles as he can, making himself hidden from the view of hunters that run out of the house, guns firing. His hand still has blood on it and presses against his wound as he ducks down, letting another two hunters join the fight. She realizes he's going in the house and cusses loudly as he runs into the house, stupid spark. She screams when a bullet tears through her arm, she grabs it and her gun hits the ground. Allison stands in front of her and hands her a clip, protecting her. Howls break through the air as the hunters seem to get the upper hand.

Three hunters gang up on Jefferson and Telisa, Karen is hiding the injured wolves which consist of Erica, David and Jackson. She keeps her own against the hunters, keeping them from her injured pack mates. Scott's trying to get to Issac, who is fighting against two hunters but arrows keep him from his man. Allison is fighting bare handed with a hunter while Jordan has her own female hunter. Lydia's gun still has ammo as she tries to protect Boyd and Andre who are fighting against their own hunter. A shriek of pain comes from the house and growls get louder when they hear Brett's cry for Stiles. Jordan knocks her hunter to the ground before grabbing the females knife and dashes through the fighting, wolves overtaking the hunter. Brett. She cusses as she thinks of what might've happened to Stiles. Stiles. She gets a hunter right before the man can make a break for it.

“Go!” He shouts as he stumbles down the rest of the stairs, landing on his knees. “Retreat!” The hunters are quick to follow the mans words, worry filling the betas and females as they rush towards the house.

Chapter Text

Brett's red eyes fall onto his husband a growl ripping through his throat violently, a male hunter quick to dash away from him. Derek lets out his own growl at the female who stands her ground, blocking Stiles from their view, the red blood staining Derek's floor the only evidence he needs. The brunette Alpha is quick to pounce at the female, hearing the other hunter shout for them to retreat as Brett throws another male hunter across the room. The female fires one shot, missing Derek completely before the Alpha takes her to the ground and claws at her throat, growling.

“Stiles, Stiles!” Brett looks to his husband, holding him in a loose grip, heart pounding. One hand is pressed against the wound on his stomach while the other is intertwined with Stiles' hand. The packs stop behind Jordan, staring horrified while Derek is quick to fall to his knees beside the couple and help Brett. It takes Aleysha only a few minutes to call for an ambulance, explaining a bit of the situation to them. Brett and Derek's veins both pulse black as they watch the pain fade off Stiles' face.

Brett goes with the ambulance to the hospital and tells the rest to stay here and that he'd call later. The packs stay together during their time of waiting, trying to give each other comfort. By the time the call does come everyone feels relief flood through them. The doctors called Stiles lucky and Brett swore up and down if he ever got shot again that would be it. Brett also informs them on Stiles' eyes and his drugs for the next few days.

Some Time Later (Few days, some hours)

“How is he?” Brett let's out a snort at the question, when he looks to the two packs sprawled along Stiles' living room, Derek perks up a moment later.

“Is he in the car?” Derek asks, frowning.

“Yep.” Brett nods. “They let him home today, he locked himself in the car and declared he wasn't leaving until one of you went to get him. Next time he's going without medication!” Brett responds before peeking out the window to see Stiles sat straight up, staring ahead and banging his hands on his dashboard in a rhythm only Stiles knew.

“I'll get him!” Jeff cheers before heading out the front door. Brett sighs and sits down, rubbing his hands over his face.

“You knew what you were getting into when you said in sickness and in health....” Jordan says. “Was he really that bad?”

“I shook hands with his doctor and he told the doctor to back off cause he was the only one allowed to ride my disco stick and he pulled out his IV at least three times announcing that we must be in a horror movie and they were pumping hallucinogens into him.” Brett nods, staring at her and smiling. “None of it was really bad until I look back on it, I was too happy he was okay.”

“Yeah, I don't think I've ever heard you threaten an unconscious person and then continue to threaten someone who wasn't even here.” Aleysha laughs before the door open, averting here eyes to Jefferson and Stiles. “Hey, Stiles, how are you feeling?”

“Brett hit on my doctor.” Stiles says pouting before walking over to Aleysha and grabbing her hand. “He said...” He shook the hand. “Thank you so much, SIR!” Aleysha brings up her free hand to cover her smile. “But I'm tired, so I'm gonna take a nap.” They all watch him with a small smile as he drags Jefferson upstairs with him. Brett's eyes stay at the staircase.

“You know, if you don't run after him now, he might not forgive you.” Jordan teases with a smile. Brett turns to her for a second then back to the staircase before he stands and heads up the stairs. It feels a little like nothing's changed. The way Brett's pack knows Stiles will be curled against Brett in a matter of seconds with Jefferson asleep by the married men's feet. The bond between the three of them was like Jefferson never really lost his parents, Stiles made things easier for him especially. It was something they knew Telisa was jealous of but happy about. She liked seeing her brother happy, he took the hit harder than she did. But even with Derek's pack here things felt like they always did, like they always will.

Stiles is never one to rest around when he's hurt, once his brain isn't muddled or clouded by drug-induced madness he's able to get around a lot easier. No one really lets him do anything while his leg and side are healing up. They all kind of pull him to sit down and make excuses for cuddles for the first few days. Stiles knows what they're all doing. He might've spent ten years away from his other pack but none of them changed too much and he still knew them. And he definitely knew his own pack, knew them better than they knew themselves. He didn't mind it that much, he'd let them get their over-protectiveness out of their systems and then tease them all for it later. Plus, since Brett was surprisingly the least protective, Stiles knew the man had something to do with his betas over-protectiveness.

“Hey.” Stiles glances up from the table and smiles at the man who enters the kitchen, he can hear the two packs talking loudly in the living room, three upstairs while everyone waited for the other four to return from the store.

“Hi. I uhm...I didn't get to thank you.” Stiles says.

“For getting you shot?” Derek scoffs and raises a brow and Stiles rolls his eyes in return, standing and bringing his glass to the sink, rinsing it out. He faces Derek again and tucks his hands in his pocket to keep them from flailing in front of his face.

“If you hadn't sent me that text I probably would've been in the house with you and who knows what would've happen? We would've been ambushed and all three of us if not more would've been dead. Plus...” Stiles shrugs one shoulder and smiles. “I've been dying to hear that from you since...forever.”

“Yeah, well.” Derek shuffles lightly, moving until he's standing in front of Stiles. “I knew you'd doubt yourself, no one really wanted you to go but...” Derek nods and smirks. “We all knew you could do it, I was just voicing what you deserved to hear.”

“Well thanks...” Stiles says and the two stand there for a while, just breathing and thinking, unsure of what to say. “I should...”

“Stiles, I...about everything that's happened, what we've said.” Stiles bites his lips and looks down. Derek takes a step closer and Stiles looks up to him, pinned against the sink. “I shouldn't have let you leave. You're good for me, for the pack.” Stiles furrows his brows and shakes his head.

“Yeah, I know.”

“I know you still love me.” Stiles scoffs before smiling and patting Derek on his chest.

“You're right, Derek, I do. I'll always love you, you were my first. My first everything and I don't think I'll ever be able to truly let go of you but...Brett's my last. I love Brett, I'll always love Brett, you...you had you're chance and maybe if you called sooner you'd have been able to do something about that but I'm not leaving him.” Stiles shimmies his way out of between Derek and the counter, Derek's eyes staring at him painfully and sad. Stiles sighs and walks back to him cupping his chin. “But I do love you.” He replies and presses a kiss to Derek's cheek before retreating. He stops at the door and turns. “And who knows, maybe one day Brett'll understand that more than I do...or maybe he'll love you the same way I do but I'm Brett's and Brett's mine forever.” Derek watches him leave and sighs, leaning against the sink. He lets out a sigh. They weren't going anywhere and he really didn't have a chance at getting Stiles back. Why couldn't he have realized all of this sooner? He knew he missed Stiles, everyone knew he missed Stiles but why couldn't he have known he wouldn't have a second chance if he didn't get Stiles back. He should've known, no one would've left for ten years and stayed single, not someone like Stiles. Definitely not someone like Stiles.

Who knew what the future held for them though. They still hadn't defeated the hunters, just scared them off. Though Jordan says she's talked to them and they will not be coming back. No one even knew where Peter had disappeared to but now that there are two Alpha's in Beacon Hills, it was only a matter of time before he showed up and started messing with their life. Derek just hopes the next big issue leaves everyone alive...because it's only a matter of time, only a matter of gunshots until they lose someone. But for now - Derek makes his way back to the living room where Stiles is seated near Scott and laughing, Issac and Jefferson are wrestling, Allison, Aleysha and Lydia are gossiping, Boyd and Erica are siting with Dominic and Andre and talking – for now everything was somehow back to normal. Everything was okay.