Chapter Text
The moon overhead was almost a perfect crescent, a beautiful picture in the sky, but it cast only the barest glow on the earth below. But it was a long time since even creatures of the night relied on something as inconsistent as moonlight to do their work under. Tonight’s business was taking place under the dull yellow glow of a few neglected public light posts, perfectly adding to the very sketchy aesthetic of the dirty deal about to go down.
The trunk of Derek’s overcompensating sports car gave a lurching shake as the person inside objected to their situation. Well. One of the people inside the trunk objected. The other one was not in a position to complain about anything ever again.
Peter wasn’t going to lose sleep over it.
“You said you have a proposition for us, Hale?”
Deucalion, Alpha of Alphas and so much more, looked over the two remaining Hales with a bland expression that Peter almost envied. He personally preferred for his enemies to know how far he felt they were beneath him, but there was something deliciously maddening about Deuc’s ability to remain unfazed and Britishly mild about even his worst enemies, as he showed tonight.
“Of course. I wouldn’t be wasting your time or my own for anything less, and the situation as it stands doesn’t exactly provide time for catching up with old friends.”
“Alas,” Deuc agreed, blandly.
“I have a rogue pup who is a risk to himself and everyone he comes in contact with." Peter stated, getting right down to business. His wolf was a tense, unhappy thing pacing the cage of his mind, and it would be in everyone's best interest to get this over with before he lost patience. His control wasn't what it used to be, before his untimely death. "He’s a frat boy nightmare of a selfish brat and for reasons I won’t go into detail about I cannot even remotely be connected with his death so, unfortunately, I need him to survive." He sneered, a growl barely suppressed. "Which, unfortunately for him, means he needs discipline and a pack somewhere not here. We would be greatly in your debt if you could take him off our hands.”
“In my debt? So you aren’t looking to make a trade tonight?" Deucalion seemed genuinely surprised, although Peter couldn't imagine what the wolf had thought would happen when he received contact from the once powerful, then completely decimated Hale pack after years of scared silence. "I was led to believe you had something to offer me, not just a favor to beg.”
“I don’t beg. But, I never said we came empty handed. We have a gift for you, something I’m hoping you will appreciate enough to make my little problem go far away.”
“He has a gift for you,” Derek grunts, unhappy to the bitter end. “I’m just delivering.”
He popped the trunk, hand shooting out to drag Scott out before he could attempt any escape on his own. Scott objected, of course, at the rough handling. Or maybe he was objecting to the wolfsbane ropes binding him firmly from ankle to shoulder. Or maybe he was objecting to having been stuffed inside the unbearably small trunk space that he was forced to share with the still oozing body of what used to be Gerard Argent.
Or maybe he was complaining about the weather. It wasn’t Peter’s favorite time of year either but you didn’t hear him whining.
“Sorry for the mess, but we figured it was prudent to call you while he was still...fresh.” Peter gave a not so nice grin, but it was lost on the Alpha, who was staring at the body with glowing red eyes and gripping his cane in a claw tipped death grip.
“Is that?” Kali, Deucalion’s second in command, broke off her obvious question with a grimace as Peter delicately hauled the black goo covered body out by the edges of the tarp Derek had laid down in a futile effort to keep the mess contained. It was a miracle that Derek had agreed to this at all, but even newly resurrected Peter could tell Derek had changed, possibly for the better. For sure, he understood now what it felt like, to be an Alpha with no Betas.
A wolf with no pack.
It had, possibly, mellowed him out some in regards to his once murdered now alive again uncle. At the very least the most recent betrayal in Derek’s sad life had taught him to do what was necessary to keep his pack safe.
“We will take the pup.” Deucalion’s voice brokered no argument, even if Kali did shoot him an annoyed look at not being consulted. “Put him in the van. I trust you have a dossier for me? As a minor he can’t just disappear off to rehab like grown adults so often do.”
“I have everything you need on him, and his mother has already tentatively agreed to having him mentored out to another pack.” Peter said smoothly, ignoring Derek’s scowl at the mention of Melissa, who had not so much agreed as capitulated to their demands. She was a smart woman who knew that her kid was in over his head and she realized pretty quickly that the only way he was walking away alive was if he left town.
“You have a deal, Hale. I appreciate your …gesture.” Deucalion said, stepping forward and tipping the dead man’s head over with the tip of one expensive leather shoe to stare blankly into the sky.
The moon was slowly obscured by clouds as the wolves concluded their business below. A struggling Scott was loaded unceremoniously into the back of the van and the door closed on his muffled yelling with an innocent click of the child safety locks. Kali rewrapped the remains of the once infamous hunter back in the tarp and dragged it along to the back of the van, where it was also removed with little fanfare.
Derek and Peter watched the Alpha pack leave in silence, each deep in their own thoughts.
"I still don't trust you," Derek said petulantly, but there was little heat in it. Peter didn't bother to respond. It didn't matter really. Trust or no, they both knew Derek would rely on him and allow him to do as he wished. There was an understanding now, and Peter wasn't particularly interested in currying favor with the Alpha when he could guilt his way to Derek's acceptance instead. He had his pride, and he didn't trust his nephew either. There was a lot of work to be done between him and the Alpha, none of which interested him now that his ultimate goal was in sight. Who cared about unreliable, angst ridden former pack betrayers when there was a shiny new and currently vulnerable pack member dangling before him?
He gave his nephew a sarcastic salute and left without another look back. He had a sarcastic little spark to woo to his side. And this time all the pieces were properly in place.