25 Chapter 25

Stiles felt himself slowly waking up and he stretched out his legs and arms and felt the comfortable sheets that he was currently snuggled in. He inhaled a scent that tickled his memories it was so familiar though he couldn't immediately place it. He smiled and opened his eyes and stared at his ceiling. It took a few moments before he realized that it wasn't his ceiling that he was seeing. Looking around Stiles realized that he wasn't in his own room at all, but the room was familiar, he had been here before. This was Derek's room! It was the upstairs room in Derek's loft that the Alpha had moved into after the pack had driven him out of the living room where he had been sleeping when he first moved in to the loft. Sitting up he looked around and, yep, this is definitely Derek's room.

Pushing down the covers, Stiles looks down and sees that he is wearing a t-shirt that is too big on him and his boxer briefs and that's it. He definitely did not remember getting undressed and this isn't his shirt. Looking around he spots his jeans and shoes folded up in a chair and he moves to dress quickly. He wonders where Derek is and then he gets a strange sensation and he knows that Derek is near, very close. "Derek?" he croaks and feels a surge of awareness wash back over him.

Stiles turns towards the door and then he hears them, footsteps on the circular stairs in the loft. He takes a deep breath and somehow he knows that they are not alone in the loft. He knows that others are here. How does he know that? Stiles is feeling a bit of a panic when the door opens cautiously and he sees Derek looking in with a concerned expression. "Stiles?" he asks sounding concerned about the teen.

"Yeah" Stiles answers but when Derek doesn't reply he sighs heavily. "I'm not gonna lie, I am feeling really confused. What happened? The last thing I remember was that we were in the woods going to find…my dad!" Stiles eyes widen and Derek can smell the sudden fear and concern from the teen hit his nose.

"He's fine! So is Melissa" Derek says quickly. "We rescued all of them and everyone is fine."

Stiles looks at him for a moment before he relaxes and nods his head looking wrung out. "Okay…I'm gonna believe you, but until I see him, I reserve the right to freak out again. So what happened?" he asks again.

Derek sighs heavily. "Are you hungry?" he asks instead and Stiles opens his mouth to argue when his stomach lets out a rather significant rumble that is probably audible throughout the entire loft. Stiles sees the slight upturn of the corners of the Alpha's lips and the smug satisfaction in his eyes. "It's a really long story" he adds and Stiles realizes he is being told to pick between food and answers. He is about to choose information when his stomach growls again and he gives up.

"Okay, food first. I am starving but I still want answers" Stiles complains as he follows after the Alpha as they go downstairs where Stiles spots several of the pack still asleep. Erica, Boyd, and Isaac are all snuggled up together on the floor in a pile of blankets and pillows. He sniffs the air and smells food cooking and worries that Derek went off and left their breakfast to burn but then he spots Peter standing in the kitchen watching over things.

"Finally awake I see" Peter says with a smirk and then a leer "sleep well?" Somehow Peter manages to lace that simple question with enough innuendo to cause Stiles to blush though he isn't exactly sure why.

"It was fine" Stiles mutters looking at the beta and is surprised by the fact that there is something different about him. He isn't quite so…creepy. Still creepy but more…creepy light. Stiles snorts at the thought.

"Lydia said that they are on their way over. She said they would pick up coffee and pastries on the way" Peter informed them and Stiles frowned in confusion. "Lydia, Jackson and your friend Lizzie" Peter clarified.

"Lizzie's here?" Stiles says surprised but then he frowns. He knew that. Didn't he? He really doesn't like not remembering things.

"Allison and Scott are also on their way over too. The Sheriff, Chris, and Melissa are apparently still dealing with the police. Apparently the FBI is here now and that is complicating things. But he said once they were cleared, he would call" Derek assured him.

"The FBI? Why?" Stiles felt as if he was trying to swim through fog or something as he tried to make sense of Derek's explanation.

"The delightful Ms. McCall was kidnapped rather publicly remember? Her return has raised questions and we can't exactly tell everyone the truth" Peter says with a smirk. Stiles frowns at the elder Hale but he can't exactly argue with the man.

Stiles glares for a second at the rather pleased beta who seems to be enjoying himself way too much. "I need food if I am going to deal with you" Stiles finally mutters and steps away from the kitchen. He remembers going into the woods after his dad was taken, following the tracking crystal he had made earlier. He remembers when they got close, sending Boyd and Peter to free them, and obviously it must have worked. He even remembers sending Lydia and Deaton ahead while he…what was he going to do?

Stiles steps up to the windows and looks out and lets out a gasp of surprise. The town is a swatch of colors, placing glowing in various degrees and even little twinkles of lights in the distance and to top it all off, he sees lines of light running through the town, lines that pulse like a heartbeat. The Nemeton! He was going to try and take control of it so Blake couldn't use it against them! But it was too corrupted. He remembered seeing the rot from the Darach's sacrifices and that he decided to burn out her touch.

"Stiles?" Derek is suddenly there and Stiles turns and the werewolf blinks in surprise at the teen's glowing white eyes. "Are you okay?" he asks careful not to startle or touch the teen. Stiles stares at the Alpha and sees the shadow of a large black wolf hovering over him. He somehow knows that this is Derek's wolf and it is actually pretty impressive. He also sees colored lines extending from him, three strong ones he follows that connect to each of the now awake betas who are all awake and staring at him. Stiles smiles at the three wolf shadows that hover over Erica, Isaac, and Boyd. Each of their wolves are different and he doesn't know why this is funny but it is. There is another line to Peter, solid but different from the other betas and two more that he somehow knows connect to Scott and Jackson. What surprises him the most is the two fainter lines that he is pretty sure lead to Lydia and Allison. Looking down he sees the strongest line connecting himself and Derek. He pauses as he wonders how and why he has the strongest link.

"Stiles?" Erica's voice, more timid than he has heard since she was bitten, breaks his chain of thought and he looks up and stares at her, his eyes shining, as he sees a faint line connecting her and Boyd together.

"I can see the pack bonds" Stiles says after a moment and he turns back to see the shocked expression on Derek's face. "And the whole town" he points out the window "it's alive with color and lines of light" he looks back at the amazing display before him.

"Lizzie said you were still adjusting" Derek says gently and Stiles looks back and his eyes return to normal.

"Adjusting to what?" he asks. Derek stares for a moment but then all four wolves turn towards the door and Stiles can almost see their ears all twitching. It's funny enough that it breaks the strange tension he was feeling. "What is it boy?" he asks and Stiles is sure that he feels Derek's eyes roll even though he can't see it happening.

"Scott and Allison just arrived and Jackson is right behind them" Derek says with a heavy sigh at Stiles' joke and there is a shuffle as Isaac moves to open the door while Erica steps into the bathroom to 'freshen up'. Stiles waits, nervous for some reason he isn't quite sure about, and then he sees the goofy smile on his brother's face that immediately replaces the look of concern as soon as Scott spots Stiles.

"Stiles!" Scott yells and all of a sudden he is wrapped up in a McCall bear hug…wolf hug? And then he isn't really worried about it, he is just enjoying his bro. Scott pulls back and looks him over like he is checking to see if everything is there "Are you feeling okay? Are you alright?" he asks sounding worried.

"Yeah. Except for a big blank about last night" Stiles complains just as he spots Lydia, Jackson, Allison, and Lizzie walk in.

"Lizzie!" he says with a big grin and he moves to hug the woman.

"Well, guess that answers where we rank" Lydia snarks and Stiles blushes at her rather fond/annoyed tone. Allison snickers and Jackson looks strangely unconcerned, in fact he looks downright relaxed. It's kind of freaking Stiles out. He gets a quick hug from Allison and Lydia rests her hand on his shoulder in support before walking to the table.

"Lydia brought coffee" Allison tells them and holds up two cartons of coffee that smells amazing. Lydia isn't carrying anything but Jackson has another carton and a large bag with him. "And pastries!" she adds and Stiles' stomach chooses that moment to growl again, much to everyone's amusement and the teen's embarrassment.

"After last night, we should probably feed him" Lizzie says with a smile. "I seem to recall my own boys nearly eating me out of house and home at your age and that was without having just worked a major magical event" she teases Stiles and the teen flushes again.

The next few minutes are a flurry of activity as everyone piles on the food that Lydia brought along with the mountain of eggs, bacon, and sausage that Peter had cooked up. There was no way they would fit at the table so everyone just migrated to the couches, chairs, and the floor with their plates and the next few minutes were mostly eating with some idle conversations. Stiles finished off two plates of food before he was ready to call it quits and he leaned back in contentment and closed his eyes. He felt something strange and looked up and around but he couldn't figure out what was wrong.

"Stiles?" Allison asked noticing the teen's strange behavior. "Is everything okay?"

"It's…" Stiles pauses and looks out one of the windows and realizes he is looking north, northeast and something there is bothering him. Something is…off. Narrowing his eyes he feels the 'wrongness' separate into five different irritations, one stronger than the other four, but definitely there. "I think there is something…not wrong, but…" he trails off and doesn't see the looks of concern from the others.

"Stiles" Lizzie's voice is warm and soothing. "What is it you are sensing?" she prompts and Stiles is about to snort at the question. How is he supposed to know…

"Werewolves. Five of them" Stiles says and he knows that he is right. He can feel them and he knows they are not pack! Stiles turns to Lizzie in confusion. "How do I know that?"

Lizzie doesn't answer but she does nod and looks in the direction Stiles indicated. "How far from here do you think?" she asks softly.

This time Stiles doesn't have to think, he knows. "About 50 miles" he responds easily and feels Derek relax. Stiles looks over at the Alpha in surprise. "You aren't concerned?" he asks.

Derek shakes his head. "Satomi's pack in in Park Hill and that is the direction you are pointing. She was a friend of my mother's and her pack, though small, has been there for a while" he explains. Stiles frowns and looks at Lizzie.

"I am really confused" he finally says and the Druid smiles reassuringly.

"You are familiar with werewolves so it's understandable that you would identify them the easiest. But I suppose perhaps it is time for answers" she says laying a hand on Stile's knee in support. "However, I think your father wanted to be here for this so do you want to wait till he arrives to share everything?" she asks gently and Stiles is suddenly demanding information about his dad instead.

"Mom and Chris just texted to say they are on their way" Scott says holding up his phone. "The Sheriff told them he would be able to leave in about an hour."

Stiles relaxes a bit but he is still anxious about his dad. "Okay, so we got the parents back, what about the rest?" he prods.

The group hesitates but Allison clears her throat. "Do you remember that we took out an Alpha and all the Betas?" she asks and Stiles nods at that. He remembers Allie telling them her good news. "Well Deucalion and Kali both showed up when we confronted Blake so it turned into a giant three-way battle. Blake trying to kill everyone, us trying to stop the Alphas and her, and the Alphas trying to kill us and when they discovered that Blake was Kali's former Emissary, who she failed to kill, they were after her."

"Wait" Stiles stops the brunette hunter. "Blake was Kali's Emissary? So she tried to kill her to join Deucalion's pack of psychos?" Stiles groaned. "Great, so we can add her to the list of wonderful consequences of Gerard's crazy schemes."

Allison freezes at the comment and Stiles suddenly feels bad for the girl. He opens his mouth to apologize but she cuts him off with a shake. "No, you are right. His attack on Deucalion caused a lot of our problems. I will need to inform the Grand Matriarch about this though" she says with a sigh as Scott leans in to give her a hug of support.

"Allison" Derek starts looking very unhappy "I think we might want to consider exactly what we tell her about Stiles" he begins cautiously and Stiles looks from him to a suddenly concerned Allison.

"Me? Why me?" Stiles asks but Lizzie just chuckles.

"Oh young man, I think it would be a very good think to let the Grand Matriarch of the Argents know exactly what happened here" she tells the Alpha with a reassuring smile. "She can pass the word to the rest of the Hunting families about the new situation. Their hunters need to know that coming here without permission could be considered an insult and I am sure that none of them want to risk any provocations or possible reprisals. Knowing the basics of the situation, not necessarily all the specifics" she says with a pointed look at Allison "would probably help you avoid a great deal of potential problems."

"Still lost here" Stiles mutters but it seems that everyone is talking around him.

"Perhaps we could talk about the battle up to a certain point" Lizzie suggests and Stiles agrees. The rest of the pack takes turns telling Stiles about their fight with the Alpha Pack, the Darach, and the freeing of the hostages. Each of the wolves takes particular care to share their version and there is a lot of stops and starts and retelling from other perspectives. Stiles is very concerned about the injuries of Erica, Isaac, and Scott but all of them quickly reassure him of their recovery.

"Yeah. Doc Deaton came over to the loft with a salve for me" Isaac said and Scott piped in that he visited Allison's house as well and "that helped accelerate my healing from Kali's claws."

The story picks up and Stiles gushes proudly when Scott beamingly tells how Allison took out Kali from her hiding spot. That shifts the telling to how Derek and the others took out Deucalion and finally ended the Alpha Pack. Stiles frowned unhappily when he heard how his dad had been in the middle of things but he was glad that he was there to help Derek more than once during the fight. He demanded reassurance again from Scott that his dad was okay and Scotty could never lie to Stiles, not about that. So when he promised that the Sheriff was totally okay, just a little banged up, Stiles was finally able to really relax about it.

They had just finished up when Melissa and Chris arrived and Stiles had to hug his surrogate mom once he saw her safe and sound. "So what have you two been doing? And where's my dad?" Stiles asks them.

"Maybe if you let them sit down. Coffee or breakfast?" Derek offers the two exhausted looking elders. Both nod in agreement and Isaac jumps up to get them cups and plates. Derek signals and Erica and Boyd move to give one of the couches to the two as they shift to sit on the floor.

Derek can see that Stiles is getting antsy but the surprising part is how he doesn't jump all over the adults to tell their story. In some ways it worries the Alpha but he notices that Stiles seems to lose focus every so often and he gets this distracted look on his face like something else is attracting his attention. "So how did everything go?" Lydia asks finally and that causes Stiles to look back to the group with interest.

Melissa looks over at Chris with a smirk as she chuckles. "Well…I am pretty sure that the Sheriff is seriously considering locking up you, Peter, and Chris if the three of you are ever in the same room at the same time." Lydia looks offended while Peter looked proud. Chris just sighs heavily. "He was apparently not prepared for the level of deceit and manipulation that the three of them were capable of when they worked together" Melissa says with a faux disappointing look at the three guilty parties.

"So what happened?" Scott asks his mom with a trace of concern.

"Well, Chris and Peter pretty much were able to stage that cabin to look like a real murder scene and Lizzie used her magic to make it able to stand up to police scrutiny. She assured us that unless they have a powerful magic user on staff, the evidence they will find will support our story. Lydia also helped Chris and Peter create the stories that we all told once we were back at the station.

Lydia looked especially proud as she glanced at Allison. "I also arranged for Allison's cousins to report seeing Ms. Blake a short ways out of town later today. It appears that they were coming back to Beacon Hills from a visit to San Francisco last night and they saw her getting in her car and heading out. They will wait until the police ask for information, naturally though their much heavier accents will probably make things a bit confusing for at least a while." Lydia's smug expression causes Stiles to laugh.

"That's not it is it?" he asks knowingly and sees the redhead smile happily.

"Allison and the other Argents will also arrange for some tips that will lead the police to believe that she is headed towards Mexico" Lydia explains.

"I'm confused about how anyone is going to believe that she was able to do everything on her own. I mean she was pretty small" Isaac asks looking at Chris and Melissa who only smile.

"Well" Melissa glances at Chris who looks overly proud of himself "it appears she had a previously unknown associate who was helping her slash working together with, at least that's what the Sheriff and I saw when she and her associate came in with Chris" Melissa looked smug.

Everyone looks confused at her words but Peter just chuckles. "Yes, apparently her associate is an older white male, blonde, with a slight British accent who apparently was pretending to be blind" Peter says happily.

There is a pause as everyone looks at Peter before bursting into laughter, even Derek. "You told them that Deucalion was her henchman?" Erica squeals delightedly and looks at Lydia with new respect.

The redhead shrugs and looks at Peter. "It was a joint effort. Chris identified that we needed an accomplice to explain how she got both the Sheriff and deputy to the cabin and later Chris. Peter suggested our dear departed Alpha" she adds with a touch of admiration. "Of course, there are quite a few people who will be able to testify to seeing him around town I am certain. At least enough to get a good description, maybe even show up on video somewhere, especially considering how shady I am sure he was acting" she tells them setting off another round of congratulations.

"So why wasn't my dad able to come back with you" Stiles asks Melissa and she sighs unhappily.

"He got taken to the hospital and checked out with both of us, but once he was cleared, he was pretty much overwhelmed with everything demanding his attention. The FBI advance team are here and they are all worked up and bringing in a special team. Some serial killer task force or something. Then Noah was having to deal with the press and the Mayor. Luckily Mayor Roberts has basically declared the Sheriff to be a hero for rescuing Chris and me and officially identifying Blake as the killer since he saw her kill Deputy Murray. She was really talking up how much he risked for the town and everything. There was a rather rude comment about him getting nabbed, but the story about how he and Deputy Murray were attacked helped shut up that reporter" Melissa assured the teen.

"Do you think this will affect his position as Sheriff?" Stiles voice is quiet and uncertain as he looks at Melissa and Chris.

Chris just shakes his head and smiles reassuringly. "I don't think so, unless it makes it better. After what he did, I am sure that we will be able to make sure that he comes out okay" the hunter promises. "Besides, he not only rescued us and identified Blake, he was able to give them information about a previously unknown accomplice in Deucalion. It also appears that there have been several other killings done in the same way outside of Beacon Hills that will probably track back to Blake." Chris leans back in his chair. "Having the Sheriff not only in the know but in a position to help guide everything will change things for the better around here I think."

Stiles turns to Lizzie but the woman just rises and heads to the kitchen. Everyone else is talking among themselves so Stiles stands up and follows her into the small space. "Lizzie? Is there a reason you are not telling me about last night?" he asks directly and sees the woman breathe in deeply.

"Yes" she admits after a moment. "I will tell you what I can, and the pack can describe what they saw, but they are not aware of what it truly means. Even my knowledge of it is limited so you are going to have to discover much of it for yourself. My concern is" and here she pauses and looks back towards the others "are you certain you wish for everyone here to hear all of this? Perhaps you should hear it first and then decide what you will share with them. It is not just your pack in there" she reminds him gently.

Stiles frowns but he doesn't immediately argue with her which almost surprises her. Instead he walks back in and sees the furtive glances of the wolves who are all looking like they weren't just listening in on their conversation. Rolling his eyes, Stiles walks over to the large windows and stares out over the town. It looks normal now but he finds that he can flip his vision to see the magic now almost like a switch. He does it several times just to feel it before stopping to think about what Lizzie just said.

He isn't sure why, but he appreciates that the rest of the pack appears to be willing to leave him alone to consider. He stands for a minute before he realizes that there is someone behind him and he is immediately sure that it is Derek. He doesn't say anything, but rather he stands slightly to the side, looking out the window, and is just there. Stiles appreciates that Derek isn't pushing.

"It's not that I don't trust the pack" Stiles starts and glances over at the Alpha who is watching him quietly. "But…I am not sure what she is going to say. I'm not worried about dad or Melissa, but I know that Allison and Chris are talking to other hunters. And then there's Peter" he trails off looking back at the group who are talking among themselves.

"You don't owe any of us anything" Derek says softly and turns in surprise when Stiles snorts at his comment.

"You seriously think Lydia or Erica will accept that?" he asks with a rather significant side eye. Stiles smiles at the blush on the Alpha's ears when he says that. "I trust Chris and Allie, but I don't know the people they trust" he says carefully "and while Peter seems better, I am not ready to quite to totally trust him."

Derek smiles slightly as he casts his eyes back towards his uncle. "That's not exactly a bad thought. There is a lot he still needs to deal with" he admits and Stiles smiles at the Alpha's support. Derek turns and looks determined "They will have to accept your decision Stiles. I will support you asking anyone to step out, even me" Derek looks entirely serious which reassures the teen.

"Stiles?" Scott's voice is tentative and right behind them. Stiles turns around to see his bro standing there, looking tentative. "Derek's right. You can ask anyone to leave, including me, and we will support you" he promises and his eyes flash crimson causing Stiles to flail.

"Dude! What the hell! How are you an Alpha?!" Stiles yelps and Scott looks guilty for a moment before he smiles sheepishly. Stiles hears snickering and looks over at the rest of the group who are all trying to hide their laughter and failing miserably. "Fine! I guess I am the only one who didn't know this?" he demands. "Who did you kill?" he asks looking worried.

"No one" Derek says just as Scott looks crushed by the question. "It seems that Scott is a True Alpha, that is, he was able to rise from Beta to Alpha based solely on the strength of his convictions. Deaton explained that by turning away from power, more than once, and standing for his principles even at the expense of his own desires, he rose up all on his own" Derek looks actually proud staring at the blushing teenager.

Stiles grins widely. "Dude! That is so cool. Wait" he frowns "so you are both Alphas? How will that work?" he asks looking between them.

Scott shrugs easily. "We'll work it out" he says confidently and without worry. "Besides" he suddenly gets a sly expression as he glances at Derek "pretty sure Derek is going to be distracted for a while by other things" he says smirking and Stiles notes how the older Alpha suddenly growls but Scott is already moving away, laughing and rejoining the rest of the pack who are all equally amused about something.

Stiles raises an eyebrow but doesn't push. Somehow he knows that Derek is embarrassed about something and it involves him so he will let the guy work it out. Several of the wolves turn towards the door and Stiles looks over just as it opens and his father walks in the loft. Stiles moves to quickly intercept the man who appears to be on the same mission to confirm his son is okay. One rough, and much needed, hug later and the Sheriff is updating the group about things he has been doing, basically that he told the FBI team that he needed sleep and would be back in twelve hours but until then his deputies would have to handle things. Until then, he was recovering with his family and did not want to be called.

Everyone settles down and Stiles looks at Lizzie who is watching him with questioning eyes. "Okay, I want the full story now. I trust all of you so I am not going to ask you to leave but I may ask that you not share certain things with people not in this room. If you can't agree to that" Stiles pauses and takes a deep breath "then, well I guess you need to go."

Derek and Scott both glance around but no one seems to disagree. Derek looks at Chris directly and raises an eyebrow. "Based on what Lizzie has told us, I think Allison and I can agree to that condition" he tells the Alpha.

"I do want Clarrisant to know some things, but I won't share anything you ask me not to" Allison promises and Stiles relaxes a bit.

Taking turns, the pack picks up the story from when Stiles arrived to face down Jennifer. The teen goes from intrigued, embarrassed, excited, and then concerned over the course of the recitation and looks at his dad more than once in concern. The Sheriff moves closer to his son and pulls the boy into his side as Lydia gets to the part where Stiles didn't recognize Scott or his father.

Stiles pales and looks at his dad with pleading eyes. "I'm not going to lie son, it wasn't something I want to see again. It wasn't you no matter how much it looked like you" he confesses and Stiles hugs his dad tighter.

Lizzie takes up the story with her investigations and concerns about the teen after they met in England and then her arrival in time to see Blake destroyed and Stiles being lost in the powers that he took from the Nemeton. She tells him how she trapped him in a time spell so that it would take an hour for a second to pass. Stiles looks impressed and she then explains how she had asked the Fae Courts for help.

The pack then takes turns describing the arrival of each of the Queens and Stiles complains bitterly about missing out. "Dude, they were really impressive, but I have to admit, they were also kind of scary. The Winter Queen was seriously terrifying" Isaac tells him.

"Yeah, the Autumn Queen wasn't much better" Erica agrees with a shiver and several of the others nod in agreement.

"It's because of their domains" Lydia says causing them to look at her in surprise. "Autumn and Winter are darker and crueler so are the Queens. Right?" she says looking at Lizzie.

"Not the words I would have chosen" she admits cautiously "but not inaccurate either. Each of the Courts has a purpose and history. Mab and Arethusa are of the Unseelie Court or the Dark Fae and their roles are more connected to death, endings, and loss. They have always been regarded as crueler in myths and legends, but the truth is something far more complicated. Orlaith and Titianna are of the Seelie Court, the Light Fae, and their responsibilities are birth and renewal so they have been cast as 'good' to men. Truthfully, no Fae is entirely trustworthy for humans" she says wisely.

"Still can't believe I missed meeting them" Stiles grumbles but Derek snorts and the teen looks at him in annoyance.

"You don't have to worry about that. They said they would give you time to 'adjust' but they would be back. It seems you are a source of entertainment for them" Derek tells him in a voice that doesn't sound very happy.

Stiles looks confused and glances at Lizzie. "While I would definitely advise not giving offense to any Queen of the Fae Courts, it is also not necessarily a good thing when you are amusing to one either" she advises and Stiles nods slowly.

The story continues until they get to the binding part and Stiles gives Lydia a high five gesture when they tell of her figuring out that his protections would count for the second bond. But when they tell him that Derek bit him, Stiles' jaw drops.

"Wait! You bit me?!" he demands of the Alpha who looks tormented. "So I'm going to turn into a werewolf?" he demands incredulously.

Derek flashes his eyes at the group, several who were going to speak, to cut them off. "No. Your magic was too strong. My bite just connected you to the pack, it made you part of us without changing you." Stiles seems to calm down at that and he reaches up and absently rubs where Derek bit him even though no one had mentioned that particular fact in the story. Several of the pack look really uncomfortable.

"Derek?" Scott says tentatively, the concern clearly there, but he snaps his mouth shut at the look from the older Alpha.

"It's a lot to deal with, we shouldn't push him too hard" Derek says looking around his loft ignoring the expression on Lizzie's face. "Stiles went through a lot, he doesn't need any unnecessary stress or problems right now in addition to everything else. I know that everyone wants him to just be able to figure things out for himself." The pain in the Alpha's eyes is clear to see and they realize that he has decided not to explain the bite to Stiles to avoid making the teen feel trapped.

"Oh hell no!" Lydia snaps in annoyance as she stands up moving towards Derek and Stiles with anger flashing in her eyes. "I am not dealing with weeks or months of this crap you self-sacrificing idiot! You are not going to spout that crap and then leave the rest of us to deal with the two of you dancing around each other, making each other miserable, as you emotionally stunted…MEN…screw things up. No way in hell!" Lydia glares at the Alpha who starts to growl back at her looking ripped up.

"Lydia's right son" Sheriff Stilinski's soft voice cuts the tension in the room and everyone turns to look at him. "Also…I'm did not agree to keep this from him" he says looking at Derek who stares at the man in shocked surprise. He was certain the Sheriff would be happy that Derek was willing to step away.

Stiles is staring at his father's face before he looks back to the angry eyes of Lydia and the guilt ridden ones on Derek's face and recognizes that look. He knows that the Alpha blames himself for a lot of things, things he really shouldn't and this feels like he is feeling like he did something wrong again. He look around at the people in the loft, none of them seeming to be willing to look him in the eyes, they all looked messed up. Pausing he catches the eyes of the person he knows will be honest. "Please explain?" he asks gently.

Melissa looks at him in surprise. She looks up at Derek and Lydia before looking back at Noah before her shoulders drop and the tension leaves her face. "He gave you a Mating Bite" Melissa says gently and Stiles pales. He starts to shake and turns towards Derek, a look of betrayal and hurt on his face.

"I'm so sorry Stiles. It was the only way to save your life and we couldn't lose you" Derek says desperately, looking like he was horrified by what he did. "I would never take advantage of you like that.." he begins when all of a sudden he finds himself flung across the loft to slam into the wall.

"YOU BASTARD! YOU WERE NOT GOING TO TELL ME?" Stiles roars and the rest of the pack scatters at the magically enhanced voice that causes the whole loft to vibrate. Stiles is glowing again, eyes and tattoos, and the air is whipping around. "You were going to pretend like nothing had happened and just suffer in silence like usual weren't you? Because Derek Hale has to be miserable" he yells. "You Stupid!" an arc of lightning shoots out and narrowly misses Derek who jumps out of the way "Miserable!", another dodged bolt, "Asshole!" Stiles yells and his third bolt takes out a bookshelf. "How dare you take that choice from me?" he roars.

"You were going to die if I didn't" Derek says, fear of loss in his eyes.

"I don't mean the bite, I know you wouldn't have done it unless there was no other choice" Stiles snarls. "But not telling me? That was a choice and you were going to take it from me! I deserve to know so I can decide what to do!" he yells and sees the shocked surprise on the Alpha's face."

Scott moves to step between them but the hand on his arm stops him. Surprised he sees the Sheriff who just shakes his head. "They need to work this out" he says simply.

Stiles is breathing heavily but his glows start to dampen as he stalks up to the Alpha who appears to be waiting for final blow with resigned acceptance. Stiles grabs the Alphas shirt and moves in, anger pouring off of him. "If you ever try anything like that again I will make sure that you regret it for a very, very long time" he warns and Derek looks in those whiskey eyes that are staring at him and knows that the teen completely, thoroughly means every word. "I am tired of you punishing yourself" he whispers.

The next moment Derek feels the warm press of Stiles lips on his own as the teen pulls them into their first kiss and he freezes for only a moment before he gives in and returns it forcefully. His hands slip around his mate's waist to grab his hips and Derek pulls him in close to deepen the kiss as the Alpha feels a surge of satisfaction from his wolf and the rather sharp scent of arousal from the man in his arms.

"Oh, well damn" Erica says admiringly.

"Aw man" Scott whimpers.

Stiles hears something but he is too preoccupied with the feel of Derek's lips to really care about whatever it is. His hands starts to drop down the Alpha's back heading south when he hears something that breaks through. "Get some Stilinski!" Erica crows.

"AHEM!" a much more familiar voice clears his throat and Stiles pulls back to see his dad glaring at the two now blushing men. "Just for that, I am having steak and a baked potato for dinner" he says daring his son to challenge him and when Stiles opens his mouth to protest "with extra butter!" Stiles glares at his father but he is nowhere near as accomplished at the look of disappointment that the elder manages.

Derek, wisely, decides not to say anything though he does plan to arrange for a few deliveries to the Sheriff's station to attempt to get on the Sheriff's good side. And he is not going to call it a bribe even in his own head.

"Perhaps we can finish up? I actually could use some sleep at some point" Noah says looking tired.

Stiles nods and they all move back to their seats. "Lizzie, what can you tell me about what all this means. I mean Kelsey mentioned something about an Arcanist, but what does it mean?" the teen asks her.

Lizzie leans back in her chair to collect her thoughts. "First off. My knowledge is limited and shrouded in mystery. The truth is that you will learn more about what an Arcanist truly is than I will probably ever know unless you tell me, but I will share what I have managed to figure out from my memories and the knowledge that the Queens shared. There had been those whose power overwhelmed them and they became Draíochtan. Not just humans, but others as well. However, the first we know of a different outcome was about five thousand years ago in Ancient Mesopotamia. A sorcerer grew powerful and his magic grew and grew until he was on the verge of changing into the magical elemental when all of a sudden he became something different. He lost much of his powers but they were still formidable, nearly supreme without his territory which included all the lands of the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers to the Mediterranean and west to the Indus Valley. He used the title of the Arcanist and he lived a long life and he not only created many magics, his very presence in that place appears to be one of the reasons that so much magic rose there. The Queens shared that his descendants were powerful mages, though they were never his equal. According to legend, one of his son's was responsible for the rise of Egypt.

"The second Arcanist arose in Ancient China about 3,600 years ago. She was extremely gifted Witch and she used her powers to greatly impact the area. As her powers grew, she too appeared to be about to become a Draíochtan when everything shifted and like her predecessor, she claimed the title and powers of an Arcanist. Her territory included much of China and her descendants spread around Asia and had similar impacts on the region for generations afterwards. I've already told you that the third Arcanist was Emrys and he arose in the British Isles. Each of them used their magic to influence the world, but more importantly, their presence resulted in significant changes to the lands they claimed as their territory."

"What kinds of changes?" Allison asks curiously. "I mean, you said it was just their presence?" she clarified.

"An Arcanist and the Draíochtan are similar in many ways. Both relate to magic in its purest form. The Draíochtan is magic and they help create and distribute the magic of the world while the Arcanist concentrates and shapes it. Magic is drawn to magic and it seems to flourish in the presence of an Arcanist. The ley lines in this part of world are actually shifting around as they center on Stiles and his lands and they will stabilize and strengthen over time. The natural magic of the area that is already here will grow stronger and purer and that will draw even more here."

"More what?" Chris asks sounding concerned. Stiles sees concern on several other faces.

"More…everything" Lizzie says eventually. "Magical beings will sense his presence and they will know on an instinctive level that this place will become more and more hospitable to their kind. You will see an increase in magical creatures coming here to make new homes. The magic will be strong enough to physically affect the material world. Rivers and lakes will become cleaner as will the land and air, poisons and chemicals will break down faster as natural processes are supercharged. Some beings will see the place as a possible haven, a place that helps keep the barriers of pollution and technology at bay and provides them with a refuge. Some will come because the barriers between the different worlds will become thinner. I would not be surprised if the Fae are not planning to establish a colony in the area."

"If magical creatures come here to feel safe, won't others come after them?" Lydia asks with a calculating look.

Lizzie nods sadly. "You will see some of the more destructive ones come, either drawn like the others or chasing after them. It is the natural way of balance. The good with the bad so to speak" she tells the redhead.

"So we are about to be overrun?" Noah asks looking more tired than Stiles likes.

"I would not say that, not exactly. Many of those that come will actually want to stay hidden and most of you will probably have little to no interactions. There are many that are shy and wary of men and seek only a safe place to live in peace. Some will come to serve as wardens to the magic of the area, to help guide and shape the healing of the land. And some will come and blend in to live among regular people so that you may never know that they are not human themselves" Lizzie assured the Sheriff. "And their presence will bring many unexpected benefits with them. I would imagine that people will be healthier in general, creativity and ingenuity will blossom, and the land itself will become stronger. The concentration of magic will help cleanse many things. It has been so long since there was an Arcanist we just don't know what to expect."

"But the darker parts of magic are there too aren't they" Lydia insists and Lizzie looks conflicted by her words.

"Would you consider a wolf dark and dangerous? Probably not if you were a tree, but if you were a deer?" Lizzie smiles. "There will be some of those, but those of true evil intent? Those will tend to avoid this place."

"Avoid it? Why?" Jackson asks and then manages to look guilty for showing that he was actually interested in what was going on.

"Because this territory is claimed. This isn't like the territory of a coven or a pack. The land itself will respond to Stiles. The three previous Arcanists were capable of major works in all six domains. The Arcanist is not just the source of all this magic, he will be its master. Inside his territory, very few magical beings will be his equal and many will recognize his authority. Only a true fool would seek to challenge him here. In fact, it would not surprise me if you didn't receive more than a few contacts from the others seeking to meet you" Lizzie says smiling at Stiles.

"The others?" Stiles asks her with a confused look "What others?"

"The Agatheira. The circle of the strongest of each of the Domains. You already know the Sorcerer Supreme and Arthur and I, but each domain has its own most powerful practitioner. I expect that Dionne, the High Witch, will reach out to you sooner than later. The Lord Alchemist and the Grand Enchanter are both somewhat scatter brained, I mean they are highly focused on their projects" she smiles at him "so I have no idea how long it will take them to even notice your presence. The Night Lord will probably reach out to you but I am not sure when, but it has been several incarnations since any Morgaine has had direct interactions with the master of the Necromancers."

Stiles looks fairly stunned by Lizzie's statement. "Why would they come here?" Scott asks into the quiet room.

Lizzie smiles reassuringly at the teen. "The seven of us know and respect each other, even if only by position, if not personally. There is an…understanding…between us and those who use the magic of our domains. Some, like the Witches and Druids, have a mostly loose structure that still recognizes an authority. While the Enchanters often go their whole lives either not knowing or caring about the Grand Enchanter who is often too concerned with his or her own projects. The Alchemists are just plain crazy" she pauses as several of them laugh "I'm serious. You have no idea how many fires, explosions, and general havoc in history have been caused when one of them gets 'distracted' by their work" Lizzie looks seriously annoyed. "Anyways, the fact is that Stiles is a new player on the board and he will most likely be considered to be an eighth member of the Agatheira…my associates are going to be curious."

"What about Arthur?" Allison asks the woman.

"Well, once he figures out I knew something he didn't, he will probably be very annoyed, but he will get over it. There was a reason why our knowledge was locked away and we understand that it happens that way sometimes. He will probably visit too. I would imagine you will also be visited by some of the more powerful magical beings who will wish to take your measure" Lizzie warns him.

"You mean they might attack us?" Derek demands with a flash of his eyes and Stiles grabs his hand to calm the Alpha down.

"Possibly but unlikely" Lizzie admits with a shake of her head. "More likely, they will be concerned that Stiles can be trusted with his power. Emrys' presence in the Isles meant than many magical beings came there and the land benefited from it, but it took time. He had to face immortal beings skeptical of humans. It would not surprise me to see dryads, satyrs, naids, brownies, pixies, sprites, and even fairies show up to see if they can trust him."

"Wait…aren't fae and fairies the same thing?" Isaac asks and then looks hurt by the simultaneous scoffs from Lydia, Stiles, and Lizzie.

"Definitely not. The Fae are ancient, powerful, and not to be trifled with. The fairies come in many forms, often very small and they are warders of the land. Think Tinkerbell…but with a bazooka" Lizzie tells the teen who goes from amused to concerned very quickly. Lydia and Stiles just smirk.

"But what does it mean for me? I mean what am I supposed to do about all of this?" Stiles asks Lizzie and though he tries not to, he knows his voice has a bit of a whine to it.

"You will need to continue your training. There will no doubt be a surplus of practitioners willing to teach you. Having you as an ally or at least having a positive relationship will be very attractive to many. You will also need to test your connection with your territory. Right now you are still very unstable, but you will need to find a true home, a place to declare as yours. That way the land will center itself there. The good news is that once you have done so, then you will be able to move about without causing everything to shift whenever you do so. Just bringing you to the loft caused the whole area to magically shake" she informs the teen.

"So I will be trapped in one place?" Stiles whispers, his face pale.

Lizzie laughs. "Once you have your home established, things will stabilize and the need for your physical presence will lessen. You will be able to move easily about without any effect. I would guess probably twenty or so miles from your home without causing any kind of reaction. You will have to test it to know for sure. After a year or so, things will be stable enough that you will be able to go anywhere in your territory for probably a few days, a week even, before you need to return to your home or the else center will start to shift to follow after you."

Stiles looks frozen as he processes that. He looks suddenly bereft "So I guess college is out" he finally says and sees from the expressions that everyone was surprised by that thought except Lydia, of course.

"Stiles" the Sheriff's voice was heartbroken as he turned to Lizzie. "Isn't there anything we can do?" he pleads.

Lizzie looks at him sadly. "I'm truly sorry Noah, but I don't see how. While there are universities within his territory, if he goes there for any length of time, then things will shift and that will bring all that I mentioned to that place. You could choose such a place as your permanent home if feel it would be better, but remember a large number of magical beings seek your proximity?" she challenges. "Beacon Hills is, for lack of a better word, just about perfect as a good place, much like Camelot was for Emrys. The fact is that while your entire territory will start showing the effects, it will be strongest here."

Scott moves over to sit on the floor next to Stiles. "You know, we could go to Beacon Hills Community College you know?" he offers and Stiles looks at his bro with gratitude.

"Thanks Scotty, but you want to be a vet remember? I mean I had thought about delaying college for a year or so with all the magic stuff, but I figured I would be able to eventually go. But now I can't even go to Kamar-Taj anymore" he says despondently.

Lizzie laughs at the teen. "So what? You can't go there? Open a portal and grab any book you need. If Stephen gives you any grief, tell him you want copies of all the books for your own library. In fact, ask him to help you make a Sanctum here in Beacon Hills so Wong and your other friends can visit."

Stiles' jaw drops at her suggestions. "I can't do that!" he protests looking embarrassed.

Lizzie's face twists and her eyes darken and that otherworldly presence comes forward and Stiles feels it in his magic. Something is in his territory! "Of course you can. You are the Arcanist. The world is full of sorcerers, witches, alchemists, and enchanters. But you are unique. If they want your attention, they will bend. You are the mountain and they will come to you. The other Arcanists all used their position to benefit their territory. The British Isles benefited from Emrys' time there for centuries afterwards. If they want your time…make them pay for it" Morgaine says with a sly smile.

Stiles looks at her as the presence fades and it is once again Lizzie but the woman seems to be in agreement with her other self. "You know" Lydia says looking thoughtful. Stiles looks over and sees the girl's calculating expression. "Everything I read about the Fae Courts say that they don't particularly like or respect humans" she says glancing at Lizzie who nods with a smirk. "And I would describe their interactions with you as at least generous if not respectful." Lydia looks at the older woman with a wicked look. "You said that the Fae would probably want a colony here…but they need Stiles' permission to do so don't they?" she asks with a wicked smile.

Lizzie laughs at the redhead and how Stiles looks stunned. "You are quick my dear. And correct. Magic users, even the Fae, will not come here without permission less they risk his wrath. As I said, I certainly would not seek to challenge Stiles here, and if I wouldn't…" she drifts off.

Lydia laughs heartedly. "Oh Stiles, we are going to have so much fun" she declares clapping her hands. She turns to look at Derek with a determined expression. "So, are you going to make your mate live in this run down place or are you planning to maybe do something about it?" she challenges.

Stiles opens his mouth to object when Derek beats him to it. "I would like to rebuild my family's home. I still own the land" he says quietly before looking over at Stiles. "If you would want that as your home?" he asks cautiously and Stiles heartbeat twitches at the vulnerable expression on the Alpha's face.

"I'd like that" he says simply taking Derek's hands.

Lydia claps her hands and rubs them together and smiles "And now we get to plan it!" she crows and Stiles and Derek both look scared.

THE END