![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sibylmoon.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/teenwolf-final-e1642881824862.png?resize=780%2C476&ssl=1\")
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Title<\/b>: Intangible, Untamed, and Wild <\/p>\n <\/p>\n His head ached. That was Stiles\u2019 first thought when he woke. His next was that he should have just let Hisashi have his way with the Argents in the preserve last week. It would have saved him whatever the hell this was going to be.<\/p>\n Curled on his side, Stiles didn\u2019t move from his position. He’d obviously been tossed wherever he was with little care, given the way he felt bruised head to toe.<\/p>\n Stiles didn\u2019t know how long he\u2019d been unconscious, but he guessed that it had been a couple hours at least. He could only hope that the spell he\u2019d cast the protect Mel and Malia had made them innocuous enough that the hunters hadn\u2019t grabbed them as well. It wasn\u2019t a spell that would hold up long-term, but Stiles was hopeful since the encounter hadn\u2019t taken long that the Argent hunters had cleared the area before they could take an interest in the Hales.<\/p>\n Stiles cracked his eyes open a touch to get his bearings. He could make out the bars that ran from the floor to the ceiling of a cell. It seemed to take up what looked to be a quarter of the dimly lit concrete room. The basement of a house, if he had to guess.<\/p>\n Not sensing anyone nearby, he opened his eyes a bit more but still didn\u2019t move. Studying the area around him, he noticed it was a dilapidated room, water damage evident everywhere he looked. Mildew and rot interspersed with the scent of dirt, but he could also make out the faint smell of acrid smoke and feel the tingle of electricity trying to worm its way under his skin. There was something oddly familiar about the room, but he couldn’t place it.<\/p>\n Stiles heard footsteps on wooden steps, echoing oddly against the stone and earthen walls and floor. He forced himself to relax and wait to see what was coming next.<\/p>\n \u201cWake him up.\u201d<\/p>\n Footsteps echoed in the room, but Stiles couldn\u2019t make out anyone for a long moment. There was a click, and the room was flooded with light, causing Stiles to flinch back before he could stop himself.<\/p>\n \u201cFuck,\u201d He groaned, not even attempting to hide the fact he was awake. Stiles lifted his arm to ward off the bright light, his head throbbing even more.<\/p>\n \u201cHello Mr. Stilinski,\u201d Gerard Argent said, stepping out from behind the glare of the spotlights that had been set up around the room. \u201cIt\u2019s a shame we couldn\u2019t meet again under better conditions.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou need to learn to take no for an answer,\u201d Stiles said, levering himself up until he was sitting with his back against the wall furthest away from Gerard and the only part of the cage that seemed to be part of the building. Hopefully, that meant it wouldn\u2019t carry the voltage or other surprises he suspected the caged sides of the setup did. \u201cI wasn\u2019t interested in meeting up with you again.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOh, but I\u2019m interested in talking with you Stiles,\u201d Gerard said, swinging a metal folding chair around right in front of the bars of the cell before sitting. He was smiling congenially at Stiles. Gerard looked utterly harmless if you avoided looking at his eyes. There Stiles saw the ice – the utter lack of empathy that radiated from them. \u201cI\u2019m sure you have some very interesting things to tell me.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t think so.\u201d Stiles pressed his head back against the concrete wall trying to buy himself a little time. He didn\u2019t heal like a shifter, but he would be able to lessen the headache and think a bit better with a bit of time. He had a feeling he was going to need every bit of his mind available for what was coming. \u201cYou know that kidnapping and imprisonment is very illegal right? And <\/i>my dad is the sheriff?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI wouldn\u2019t worry about that,\u201d He continued to smile, a dark edge creeping into his voice. \u201cWe\u2019re just going to have a conversation. You answer my questions and I\u2019ll send you home no worse for the wear.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou have me locked in a cage after assaulting me and knocking me out,\u201d Stiles said, glaring at the man. \u201cI think you\u2019ve already crossed the line buddy.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIf you hadn\u2019t been so difficult to persuade then we wouldn\u2019t have had to resort to such measures,\u201d Gerard replied. \u201cThough you surprised us with your – talents – We weren\u2019t aware that you were so equipped. Fortunately, we\u2019re prepared for such eventualities, even if some of us were caught off guard.\u201d He glanced at the shadows behind the lights.<\/p>\n Stiles had already suspected that Gerard hadn\u2019t come into the room alone, but he fought back a shiver when it was confirmed. He didn\u2019t know how many hunters stood in the shadows or how they were armed. Stiles knew that was part of the tactics that Gerard was using on him. He refused to let the man see that they were working.<\/p>\n \u201cNow, it\u2019s rude of me to talk to you while you\u2019re so uncomfortable. Let\u2019s fix that, shall we.\u201d Gerard waved a few fingers above his head, and two men came forward.<\/p>\n Stiles grimaced. \u201cIf you\u2019re planning to let me go, I\u2019m not going to object, but if you think we\u2019re going to sit down and have a conversation you\u2019re delusional.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCome now we can be civilized,\u201d Gerard said calmly, a parent talking to a child. \u201cAfter all we<\/i> aren\u2019t animals. Listen to Gregory and Steven and we\u2019ll all get along just fine.\u201d<\/p>\n Stiles kept his eyes on the men as they unlocked the cell door and entered. He noticed that they were armed with tasers and stun batons instead of guns. His mind began to formulate an idea. He just had to make it through the next little while and hope things fell into place.<\/p>\n \u201cStand up,\u201d The stocky blond ordered, kicking Stiles\u2019 foot.<\/p>\n \u201cNow Gregory,\u201d Gerard called out. \u201cThere\u2019s plenty of time for that later if he\u2019s difficult, let\u2019s not start off with it. Then where would we be?\u201d<\/p>\n Greg grunted his agreement. He reached for one arm while Steve, the bald and wiry man, reached for the other and began to hoist Stiles to his feet.<\/p>\n \u201cHey, easy there,\u201d Stiles complained. \u201cI\u2019m delicate, you\u2019ve already bruised me enough today.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cShut up,\u201d Steven said, shoving him towards the door once Stiles was on his feet. \u201cGo.\u201d<\/p>\n Stiles stumbled forward out the door, Greg dragging him around the side of the cell until he was in front of Gerard.<\/p>\n \u201cGet the boy a seat,\u201d Gerard instructed, leaning back and crossing his arms. \u201cWe want him to be comfortable enough to answer my questions, don\u2019t we?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019d much rather go home,\u201d Stiles said, sighing as he was shoved into a chair that looked like someone had stolen from a dining room set. As soon as he was seated, Steven strapped his wrists to the chair with a set of zip ties. \u201cThis is definitely not comfortable or friendly.\u201d Stiles stared at Gerard, raising his brow. \u201cIf you wanted to make sure I didn\u2019t escape, you could have just left me back there.\u201d He jerked his head behind him towards the cage.<\/p>\n \u201cNow,\u201d Gerard said as if Stiles hadn\u2019t spoken. \u201cLet\u2019s begin.\u201d He smiled, the corners near his eyes crinkling. His eyes went crystalline and cold, though. Stiles didn\u2019t see an ounce of warmth there.<\/p>\n Stiles caught the other two hunters taking up positions just behind Gerard, both standing in what Stiles imagined was supposed to be a standard guarding position, feet apart, hands clasped over the stomach and facing forward. They looked a little too robotic to Stiles in that moment, and he suppressed a shiver.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve been asking around town about what happened here all those years ago when my daughter was murdered,\u201d Gerard said, the smile finally falling from his face as he leaned forward. \u201cNot many people are willing to talk to me about it, but I had enough information before I came here that what they have told me has filled in an interested picture.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt would have to,\u201d Stiles said, shifting in the chair, he felt the headache he\u2019d woken up with finally fade away, but he kept the relief off his face. He twisted his hands and wrists just enough to test the restraints before turning his attention back to Gerard. \u201cConsidering that Kate wasn\u2019t murdered. It sounds like someone gave you the wrong canvas entirely.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThere is no way that Kate was killed by some freak accident while she failed to carry out her duty,\u201d Gerard said vehemently, leaning forward even more until he was in Stiles\u2019 face. \u201cShe would never have been caught if there wasn\u2019t some sort of interference. I\u2019ve been looking into it for years, puzzling it out, and I think I\u2019ve finally come across the answer-\u201d He sat back, grinning, and that was when Stiles realized that Gerard Argent wasn\u2019t insane, but he was crazy. \u201cOr the source to get those answers – one way or another.\u201d<\/p>\n Stiles had already accepted that he was in danger, but knowing it and staring it in the face were two different things.<\/p>\n \u201cI haven\u2019t heard a question yet and I don\u2019t think I have any answers you\u2019re looking for,\u201d Stiles said, his voice calm even while his mind ticked over his options. His eyes flicked back over to the hunters behind Gerard and their weapons. It wouldn\u2019t be the best idea, but it might be enough to get him out if he could time it right. He\u2019d be a livewire afterward, and he\u2019d have to hope that Hisashi was already looking for him and nearby enough to ground him almost immediately. That would have to be the plan of last resort.<\/p>\n \u201cOh, I think you\u2019ll give me all the answers I want.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know about that,\u201d Stiles began to say before Gerard lashed out, backhanding Stiles across the side of his face so hard his chair rocked back. Stiles grunted as the chair hit the ground. He tasted blood and spat it out before he lifted his head and looked back at Gerard. \u201cThat wasn\u2019t nice.\u201d He tongued his teeth but figured the blood came from biting into his cheek rather than anything else.<\/p>\n \u201cThat<\/i>, was your warning,\u201d Gerard said, as he leaned back again and stared at him with those dead eyes. \u201cNow I want to know about the night my daughter was murdered.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t know what you want me to say,\u201d Stiles said after a long moment. \u201cI was fourteen and there was a fire, so I called my dad. I don\u2019t know a whole lot more beyond that.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat would be good enough, if it were true,\u201d Gerard said, and Stiles fought to keep from showing any reaction to that. He knew he hadn\u2019t given himself away to the Argents. \u201cBecause I heard that you sat with Derek Hale for hours while they put the fire out and my daughter lay dead on the ground like she was nothing!\u201d His voice began to steadily rise until he was shouting the last few words.<\/p>\n \u201cThere is nothing I can tell you,\u201d Stiles repeated, not sure how much relief he should feel that Gerard was more focused on Kate and the Hales than on the possibility that Stiles had actually been the one to end her life. \u201cYou don\u2019t want to hear what I have to say-\u201d Stiles rolled his shoulders in an awkward shrug.<\/p>\n Gerard leaned forward into Stiles\u2019 space. The tension drew taut and then suddenly snapped. Gerard stood, his lips peeling back from his teeth in a smile that showed gnashing teeth.<\/p>\n Stiles arched his brow at the dichotomy Gerard was presenting. He was smiling and attempting inane pleasantries while at the same time snarling and drawing blood. Stiles doubted that Gerard meant for him to leave the room alive.<\/p>\n \u201cI see you aren\u2019t going to be cooperative at all,\u201d Gerard said, tsking. He stepped closer and placed his hand on Stiles\u2019 shoulder, his thumb pressing against his collarbone. \u201cIt\u2019s a shame you can\u2019t work with me, Stiles. You\u2019re forcing me into an uncomfortable position here.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m sure you\u2019ll find a way to deal with it,\u201d Stiles said dryly. He managed to glance up at Gerard without baring his neck.<\/p>\n \u201cYou think you\u2019re funny, don\u2019t you?\u201d Gerard pressed down with his thumb and twisted.<\/p>\n Stiles felt the tension in the bones stretch until he thought they\u2019d snap. He\u2019d been in worse pain before, but it wasn\u2019t something that had happened often and wasn\u2019t something he sought out. Gerard released his shoulder a moment before Stiles thought he\u2019d scream.<\/p>\n \u201cI think I\u2019m fucking hilarious,\u201d Stiles said, his voice hoarse from the pain.<\/p>\n \u201cString him up,\u201d Gerard ordered, stepping back. \u201cGet him ready to give me those answers by the time I get back.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, sir.\u201d Steve and Greg said as they moved forward and began to untie Stiles from the chair. Otherwise, they remained silent, tying his wrists together and moving to each grasp one of his arms.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Gerard leaned down, patting Stiles on the cheek.<\/p>\n \u201cThis could have been over so quickly and painlessly,\u201d Gerard said, shaking his head in mock sorrow. \u201cNow we have to get messy.\u201d He moved back as Stiles was hoisted to his feet. \u201cI\u2019ll be back soon to get those answers from you.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI won\u2019t have anything new to say,\u201d Stiles replied, his breath catching as his arms were yanked over his head, tied and secured to a hook he hadn\u2019t seen earlier. \u201cFuck, gentle on the merchandise Greg.\u201d<\/p>\n Gerard chuckled as he moved past the floodlights, \u201cYou won\u2019t be getting anything gentle right now. You should of cooperated.\u201d<\/p>\n Gerard\u2019s footsteps thudded up the steps and Stiles heard a door open, and slam shut this time, now that he was listening for it. He turned his gaze back to the hunters he\u2019d been left alone with.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd then there were three,\u201d Stiles said, already feeling the ache and pull in his arms and shoulders. They left his feet free, though, which would make his plans easier to pull off. \u201cYou know, you really should just let me go. This is going to go badly for both of you if you don\u2019t.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou aren\u2019t going anywhere,\u201d Greg said. He pulled back his arm and jabbed Stiles in the stomach. \u201cYou\u2019ll answer Mr. Argent\u2019s questions when he comes back, or it\u2019ll go worse for you.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah,\u201d Steve said, pulling out his baton and switching it on. \u201cWe\u2019re going to give you a taste of how bad it could be if you don\u2019t tell him what he wants to know.\u201d<\/p>\n Stiles hummed once he caught his breath from Greg\u2019s punch. When Steve switched on the baton, he felt the answering hum under his skin and bit his lip to hide a victorious grin. He hadn\u2019t had to push far at all to get them to pull it out.<\/p>\n \u201cOh look, you brought toys.\u201d He fluttered his lashes as he rolled his head against one arm, balancing as best as he could on the balls of his feet. \u201cUsually I don\u2019t allow that sort of thing until we\u2019ve had a few dates and a couple conversations about limits.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYour limits don\u2019t matter,\u201d Steve said, thrusting the baton against his side in a sudden movement.<\/p>\n Stiles\u2019 body arched into the electricity even as a part of him screamed to get away from the pain. His very cells sucked down the simulated version of what they needed. Steve pulled the baton back too soon, and Stiles resigned himself to instigating another attack.<\/p>\n \u201cHit me again Sam.\u201d Stiles grinned at Steve as his body shook from the residual shocks. He didn\u2019t know what the guy had the baton set at, but Stiles doubted anyone else would be able to handle it as well as he was. \u201cThat made me all tingly.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re a fucking pervert,\u201d Greg muttered just before backhanding Stiles across the face hard enough to send him swinging. \u201cShould of known, what with you fucking Hale.\u201d<\/p>\n Stiles felt his shoulders pull taut and winced. He sent out brief hope that they would stay in place for now. He swung back, and Greg punched him again in the side, sending him spinning. Greg had his fun rotating between full punches and backhands, and Stiles was getting dizzy from spinning on the chains.<\/p>\n His shoulders and arms ached, but they were holding up. Stiles was sure the muscles would be a bitch to heal after this was over. At least the joints hadn\u2019t given yet, and that was all that mattered right now.<\/p>\n He knew the two of them weren\u2019t going to be asking any questions, and he briefly wondered how far they would go to soften <\/i>him up for Gerard before the old man returned.<\/p>\n \u201cMy turn,\u201d Steve said, reaching up and jerking Stiles to a stop. Steve grinned wide lips stretched over gleaming teeth, his gums shimmering pink in the lights. \u201cYou like my baton, do you?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAh,\u201d Stiles said, spitting out a wad of blood before he swallowed any more. \u201cShould have guessed you\u2019d be the kinky one. You look like you get your rocks off over this kind of thing.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re a mouthy shit,\u201d Steve said right before he slapped the baton across the center of Stiles\u2019 chest, very near to his heart.<\/p>\n \u201cStop, you can\u2019t kill him!\u201d<\/p>\n Stiles would have laughed, and he wasn\u2019t sure he didn\u2019t. Steve had turned up the baton, and Stiles was flooded with synthesized electricity. His depleted stores were overflowing, and whatever had happened that had dampened his abilities was shattered.<\/p>\n He didn\u2019t know if they\u2019d thought he was a druid, and they\u2019d lucked across something that had nullified some of his ability while he\u2019d been so weak, but now full of the power of lightning – the power of the storm – he was unstoppable.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat the fuck?! Why is he glowing?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGo get Gerard and Allison!\u201d<\/p>\n “Fuck, just shoot him!”<\/p>\n Stiles was the lightning, and the world exploded in light and silence. He smelled charred flesh, and even before he opened his eyes, he knew what had happened. Without a ground, he hadn\u2019t been able to control that amount of power. He was fortunate the expulsion of it hadn\u2019t taken him with it.<\/p>\n Stiles snapped the bindings, still somehow holding him. He rolled his shoulders to ease some of the aches while he rubbed his wrists. He looked around the room, and sure enough, the bodies of both hunters lay dead near the stairs. He chose not to examine them too closely. The lights had all shorted out, and all Stiles was able to see by now was his magically enhanced vision. At least he wasn\u2019t glowing anymore.<\/p>\n Stiles guessed the event had gone unnoticed when no one rushed into the room, as inconceivable as that seemed. Now all he had to do was figure out how to get out of this place without getting caught. He edged his magic out a touch to get a feel for where he was, but there was something about the room that had him blocked off. Still, he got the buzz off familiarity again. He thought he was in the preserve, but where he didn\u2019t know.<\/p>\n He started to walk towards the stairs and caught his breath, the pain in his side was sharp, and it took him a moment to adjust his movements to account for it. Greg had had a nasty punch on him. Even with Stiles\u2019 ability to heal slightly faster than most, he expected he would be feeling this beating for a while.<\/p>\n He managed a couple of shallow painfilled breaths before he leveled out and began to make his way to the stairs. It looked like he had expelled the energy outward, burning – to varying degrees – what was directly in front of him, including the hunters. Though he had a feeling they\u2019d been killed by the strike of energy rather than the flash burns that were visible when he passed by.<\/p>\n \u201cI guess if Gerard pays attention, he\u2019ll have his answers when he comes down here after all,\u201d Stiles muttered to himself as he began to climb up the stairs, using the wall to rest against halfway up.<\/p>\n His energy was coming and going in waves, and he knew it was his magical stores bolstering his abused body. Between his kidnapping, the beating he\u2019d just taken. His magic and a bit of leftover adrenaline was the only thing keeping him on his feet.<\/p>\n Reaching the door, he noticed it was a solid wood door. He caught a faint whiff of damp ash and smoke again underneath the sour mix of ozone and burnt flesh that were currently overpowering the basement. He opened the door with care, listening, but he didn\u2019t hear anything in the immediate vicinity.<\/p>\n Stiles stepped out of the basement, the old wood beneath his bare feet familiar as his gaze took in the hall before him.<\/p>\n \u201cFuck me,\u201d He breathed out. Wary of using his magic anymore in case he lost control of it again, he didn\u2019t try anything more than muffling the sounds he made as he began to move down the hallway.<\/p>\n They\u2019d brought him to the Hale house. Wasn\u2019t that a fucking kick in the balls? The house was due to be demolished in a matter of days. Once Gerard had his answers, all he had to do was leave Stiles\u2019 body to be buried in the rubble, and if Stiles was found, the Hales would be the ones answering questions, not the Argents.<\/p>\n Stiles headed towards the kitchen, where he knew a side door was practically hidden by damage from the fallout ten years ago. He\u2019d wandered the place often enough over the years since the Hales had abandoned it. He knew just about every board and nail in the place. He\u2019d just gone through the kitchen to reach the side door when he heard voices coming from out in the hall.<\/p>\n \u201cHe\u2019s gone, it looks like a motherfucking explosion went off down there.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHe couldn\u2019t have gone far, search the house,\u201d Gerard ordered. \u201cFind out what happened down there. Now!\u201d<\/p>\n Stiles didn\u2019t wait around to hear anything else but slipped out the door he\u2019d already begun to open. With a quick glance around to make sure there wasn\u2019t anyone nearby, he took off for the tree line. He got under the brush just as a large SUV pulled up. They parked almost on top of him. He held his breath, sure that they\u2019d seen him.<\/p>\n \u201cGet him out of the back Lou.\u201d The driver called as he crawled out of the vehicle.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m not going back there by myself, he nearly took my arm off before we got him down.\u201d Lou said, coming around the front of the SUV. \u201cGerard is going to shit when he sees who we captured, isn\u2019t he James?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHe sure will,\u201d James slapped Lou on the shoulder, and they headed to the back of the vehicle and opened the trunk.<\/p>\n Stiles moved cautiously to avoid attracting attention, but he wanted a better view of whoever was in the back of their vehicle.<\/p>\n \u201cThe great Alpha Hale,\u201d James said, snickering. \u201cTied up like a turkey for Thanksgiving.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHave to let Ms. Allison know that those darts work on the Alphas just fine,\u201d Lou said, poking at the bundled lump with the baton he\u2019d pulled from his belt. \u201cHe seems to still be out of it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDerek,\u201d Stiles mouthed behind the hand he clamped over his own mouth to keep from saying the name out loud. He had to get him out of there, and he had to do it quickly. It wouldn\u2019t be long before Gerard, and those in the house spilled out into the yard.<\/p>\n \u201cLet\u2019s get him out of there then, I don\u2019t want to be around when he wakes up.\u201d James reached in to yank Derek out of the back of the SUV.<\/p>\n Derek came up with a nearly silent snarl. He grabbed the hand that Lou had been using to poke at him with his baton and thrust it at James, so when Lou reflexively ignited the switch, James\u2019s mouth opened in a silent scream, and his body arched. Derek didn\u2019t pause. Yanking Lou in, he smashed the man\u2019s head into the side of the vehicle.<\/p>\n \u201cFuck,\u201d He growled, pulling a syringe from his side as Lou dropped head bloody, but he looked to still be breathing.<\/p>\n \u201cDerek.\u201d Stiles stood up and gestured to the other man. \u201cGet out of there and get over here before someone comes out of the house.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cStiles?\u201d Derek frowned at him but managed to break the bindings on his ankles with a tug. They obviously hadn\u2019t used ones meant for a shifter, relying on whatever had been in those darts and syringes.<\/p>\n Derek stood, a slight wobble to his step as he made his way towards Stiles. He\u2019d just reached him when there were shouts behind them.<\/p>\n \u201cI see him. By the trees and someone is with him.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cFuck, we have to go,\u201d Stiles said, tugging at Derek. He wrapped his arm around his waist as much to hold Derek up as to lean against him. They began to stumble their way deeper into the preserve. \u201cMy magic is too unstable at the moment to be of much use. What about you?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m not any good like this,\u201d Derek said. He glanced back over his shoulder. \u201cThat back there was mostly luck. I don\u2019t know what formula they\u2019re using, but it\u2019s going to be a bitch to get out of my system.\u201d He shuddered, a film of sweat lining his face. \u201cI think I can do my full shift and at least move faster.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cLet\u2019s do that then, and make for the nemeton, we should be able to find some safety near there.\u201d Stiles turned his head to glance behind them, he heard the hunters crashing about, but it was the ones he couldn\u2019t hear that worried him. \u201cI should be able to use the nemeton to ground enough to offer some defense if they find us there. Or hopefully you\u2019ll have purged enough of that poison from your system.\u201d He watched as Derek turned his head to the side and spat a mouthful of black blood.<\/p>\n \u201cHisashi and Peter were going to your place to finish running your program and then we were supposed to meet up to search for you,\u201d Derek said as they moved into some thicker brush. \u201cI imagine by now they\u2019re looking for us both by now. The others are at one of our safehouses.\u201d He shot a look back the way they\u2019d come. \u201cWe didn\u2019t expect them to be here.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGerard is obsessed with what happened to Kate.\u201d Stiles shrugged, shivering as the breeze began to pick up.<\/p>\n \u201cHere.\u201d Derek paused and took his jacket off. He reached over his head and pulled his shirt off, handing both to Stiles. \u201cThis should keep you warm and I\u2019ll be in wolf form as soon as we can stop long enough.\u201d They\u2019d continued to move forward as they\u2019d had their quiet conversation.<\/p>\n \u201cThanks,\u201d Stiles said, grabbing the shirt and shrugged into it. He winced at the pull in his shoulders. \u201cFuck.\u201d Air hissed through his teeth as he pressed a hand to his side when he moved wrong.<\/p>\n \u201cStiles.\u201d Derek gently pushed his hand away, feeling along the side and over the ribs. \u201cIt doesn\u2019t feel broken, but we need to get you out of here.\u201d He glanced at Stiles. \u201cIf something fractured your ribs or worse-\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI know,\u201d Stiles replied, laying his hand over Derek\u2019s and pulling it away from his side. \u201cWe don\u2019t have time to worry about that now and I\u2019m fine.\u201d He grinned a little at the scowl Derek directed at him. \u201cFine enough to get out of this and seen to afterward,\u201d He amended. \u201cBesides, you\u2019d notice, even with your senses somewhat dulled if I was in serious trouble.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou don\u2019t smell dangerously of blood,\u201d Derek said as he lifted his shirt away from Stiles\u2019 skin and pressed his face gently against the skin drawing in a breath.<\/p>\n \u201cThen let\u2019s get you transformed and get out of here,\u201d He said, even as he threaded his fingers through Derek\u2019s hair for a moment. \u201cIf I can hear the hunters behind us, I know you can too.\u201d<\/p>\n Derek grumbled, leaning into Stiles\u2019 hand for a moment before pulling away. He nodded to the jacket Stiles had dropped when he\u2019d put the shirt on. He leaned down and picked it up. \u201cPut that on while I try to shift.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, sir,\u201d Stiles replied, grinning at Derek\u2019s eye roll. He was more careful as he slipped his arms into the leather than he had been with the shirt.<\/p>\n He watched as Derek stepped back a little further and tilted his head. They could both hear their pursuers, but Stiles knew the preserve enough the know that this little bit of brush would hide them for the moment.<\/p>\n Derek seemed to shrug, and the air around him shivered. There was a shifting sound, not quite the cracking of bones that Stiles always expected to hear when shifters changed, but something almost like a grinding and popping of displacement and realignment. It took a few moments for Derek to settle into the form of a large black wolf. Stiles knew it had taken as long as it did only because Derek was still impaired by the hunter’s drugs.<\/p>\n Stiles made a note to figure out what exactly had been used on the alpha. Hopefully, it would be in the data his program was stripping from their servers would have it in there, but if not, he\u2019d have to make it a point to find out what it was. For something to put an alpha down like this, even temporarily, was dangerous.<\/p>\n Soft fur brushed under his fingers, bringing him out of his thoughts, and he looked down into Derek\u2019s overly expressive gaze. Stiles nodded and briefly tightened his hand in Derek\u2019s charcoal black fur before letting go.<\/p>\n \u201cLet\u2019s get out of here,\u201d He murmured. Stiles paused to listen for the hunters, judging their whereabouts and distance. After a moment, he began to head out of the brush towards the nemeton.<\/p>\n Stiles\u2019 bare feet on the forest floor were a gift and a curse. A gift because he could draw power safely through the soles of his feet. Which helped move his healing along. A curse because the forest debris caught his every stumble, tearing his feet a little more, adding to the healing that needed to be done. This might be the one time that he regretted not having his shoes with him.<\/p>\n Stiles stumbled as a hunter lunged out of the trees at them, a gun raised. Before Stiles could do more than suck in a harsh breath, Derek was in the air.<\/p>\n Derek and the hunter disappeared behind a couple of trees to the sound of snarls and swearing. Stiles steadied himself and followed behind them, keeping his gaze searching for anyone else that might be hidden in the foliage.<\/p>\n \u201cCall him off,\u201d The hunter cried when Stiles stepped into view. He was backed against the tree, his gun on the ground some distance away. There was a nasty gash on his arm, and he looked to be covering another on his abdomen.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t think so.\u201d Stiles slid his hands into the pockets of the jacket and watched the man reach for something behind his back.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m not going to turn into some animal when he bites me,\u201d The man snarled, lips peeling back from his teeth as he pulled a knife. \u201cI\u2019ll gut you both where you stand, I don\u2019t care what Gerard and the matriarch want.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cRight,\u201d Stiles said, tilted his head a little. He stayed back and let Derek take the lead. Stiles wasn\u2019t carrying any weapons other than the magic humming under his skin, and it wasn\u2019t very reliable at the moment. Derek at least came with a set of claws and teeth. \u201cI\u2019ll just stand over here and tremble in fear.\u201d<\/p>\n The man lunged, and Derek met him, taking him to the ground. Derek wrapped his jaws around the man\u2019s throat, and Stiles\u2019 attention was pulled away by a sound in the distance before the inevitable happened.<\/p>\n \u201cWe need to go,\u201d He said, turning back to Derek, who was wiping his muzzle on the dead man\u2019s shirt before he turned to join Stiles.<\/p>\n Stiles started to walk away before thinking about it and stepping back to grab the man\u2019s knife and tucking it into the jacket’s pocket. The gun might have come in handy, but after a quick glance around and not finding it where it had been before, he decided to let it go.<\/p>\n Derek came up behind him and, with a huff, began to push him out of the area. Stiles felt a smile curl his lips as he moved, despite the seriousness of their situation.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m going,\u201d He said, looking behind him. \u201cCan\u2019t blame me for wanting a weapon of my own though.\u201d<\/p>\n Derek just huffed and rolled his eyes at him, trotting off as Stiles followed behind. They made quick time through the forest, ducking as many of the hunters as they could. Those they couldn\u2019t – Derek and Stiles dealt with them as quickly and quietly as possible.<\/p>\n \u201cDid they bring more hunters into town when I wasn\u2019t looking?\u201d Stiles looked down at Derek, who just shook his head. \u201cThey must have slipped them in somehow,\u201d He said, wiping the blade off on a scrap of cloth. There was going to be so much clean-up needed after this. At least with his program running, the Argents would be done for after this.<\/p>\n \u201cOver here,\u201d Gerard shouted. He sounded like he was practically on top of them.<\/p>\n \u201cFuck. Shit,\u201d Stiles hissed out a breath, ducking down even though he couldn\u2019t see the man anywhere near them. \u201cDo you know where he\u2019s at?\u201d He looked at Derek.<\/p>\n Derek tilted his head, listening for a moment, and then nodded his head off to the side.<\/p>\n \u201cThen we\u2019ll continue the way we were going,\u201d Stiles said, already moving. \u201cI\u2019m not sure if they\u2019re tracking up by normal means or the bodies we\u2019ve left behind up like signposts. We need to make the nemeton immediately.\u201d<\/p>\n Derek growled, but he didn\u2019t shift back as they made their way forward. Stiles wasn\u2019t sure if that was because he couldn\u2019t or if Derek felt he could defend them better while he was shifted.<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, he\u2019s not my favorite person either,\u201d Stiles muttered as he ducked under some branches. \u201cWe\u2019re close to the nemeton, we just need to get there.\u201d<\/p>\n Stiles clenched his hand around the knife as the humming under his skin picked up again. He risked a look above them, but he couldn\u2019t see the sky through the canopy. He knew a storm was rolling in, but he wasn\u2019t sure if it was one of his own making or not. It’d been years since he\u2019d been out of sync with his ability to sense the nature of storms.<\/p>\n \u201cCome on,\u201d He said, passing Derek, who had paused to look back at him. \u201cI really need to ground in the clearing.\u201d He stopped and looked down at Derek, meeting his gaze. \u201cIf Gerard catches up to us before I do that, I need you to get clear of me because I don\u2019t know how much longer I can hold onto the storm building in me. That coupled with the one rolling in.\u201d He ran his tongue over his bottom lip before sucking it into his mouth and chewing on it for a moment. \u201cIt could be bad.\u201d<\/p>\n Derek butted him in the hip, and Stiles reached down to brush a hand over his head. The static shock surprised them both. It caused Derek to yelp and Stiles to curse.<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, we gotta go,\u201d Stiles said, shaking his arm out. It hadn\u2019t hurt, his own magic rarely hurt him even when it burned him out, but it had left his arm a little numb at the edges.<\/p>\n Derek nodded, and they were off again. Stiles heard the others behind them and briefly wished that one of them would have had the forethought to grab a cellphone before they\u2019d had to run, but there hadn\u2019t been time, and none of the hunters in the preserve seemed to have one on them.<\/p>\n It didn\u2019t take them long after that to make it to the border of the nemeton clearing, the opposition seemed to have thinned out, or they\u2019d made it by everyone who\u2019d gotten ahead of them.<\/p>\n Stiles bit his lip as his magic churned uneasily around him. He knew his hair was letting off tiny sparks of static electricity. He could see them out of the corner of his eye if he looked for them.<\/p>\n \u201cThey shouldn\u2019t be able to follow us this well, not here,\u201d Stiles said aloud. There wasn\u2019t anything he could do about the fact that the Argent hunters were closing in on them and the nemeton. If he\u2019d thought that they\u2019d be able to follow him and Derek straight to the nemeton, Stiles might have thought twice about heading for it.<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019re through here,\u201d Gerard called his voice closer now.<\/p>\n Stiles didn\u2019t have time to contemplate another option anymore. He stepped through the border of trees lining the clearing. He sighed as he felt the nemeton\u2019s wards’ magic wash over him. He winced, feeling overly raw and sensitive.<\/p>\n \u201cCome on,\u201d Stiles said, gesturing to the nemeton itself. \u201cWe should be able to hid in the trunk while I see if I can ground. I\u2019m not sure how they are tracking us, but I can\u2019t count on the wards keeping them out right now.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Derek watched as Stiles stumbled into the trunk of the nemeton, his fingertips were now leaving little trails of light, singeing where they touched, and the ends of his hair flared with bursts of electricity.<\/p>\n Derek wrinkled his nose at the scent of burning ozone, but he moved forward, nudging his head under Stiles\u2019 arm. He ignored the little shocks that zipped through him like biting needles. He considered shifting, but decided to wait until he could get Stiles settled. Derek wasn\u2019t sure what would happen if he tried to shift pressed up against Stiles\u2019 magic while it was acting like this.<\/p>\n \u201cI just need to rest and then I can ground here,\u201d Stiles said, pressing his hands against the trunk of the nemeton. \u201cSorry, that baton did a little more damage to my control than I expected.\u201d<\/p>\n Derek\u2019s ears laid back against his head when the air around Stiles shifted with a suddenness that had him stepping back. The air began to crackle, and Derek had a vague memory of one of a video from science class. Lightning looked like it was trying to arc off of Stiles, but it kept being pulled back in.<\/p>\n Derek shifted back, \u201cStiles, what do you need me to do?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cStay back,\u201d Stiles said, his words only vaguely intelligible between his clenched teeth. \u201cI\u2019m having trouble grounding. I\u2019ve almost got it though.\u201d<\/p>\n Derek nodded even though it went unseen, but before he could say anything else, he felt the ward barrier around the nemeton break. It shattered over them like a glass dome, and Derek expected to find himself covered in wounds from the debris of it. He\u2019d barely been aware of the wards around the area, beyond what he\u2019d been told about them. He\u2019d never felt magic like that, not unless it was used against him. Peter always said he had the affinity of a rock.<\/p>\n \u201cThis is not good,\u201d Stiles said, drawing in huge gulping breaths behind him. \u201cI don\u2019t know what the fuck they think they are doing, but they\u2019ve just signed their end. I can\u2019t let them leave here with wiping out the location of the nemeton from their minds.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCan you do that?\u201d Derek stepped back and a little to the side as they watched Gerard and the hunters break through the tree line into the clearing.<\/p>\n \u201cNot very well,\u201d Stiles admitted. \u201cHisashi is pretty good at adjusting memories if he has to.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou don\u2019t sound like he\u2019ll be able to do that this time around,\u201d Derek said, allowing his claws to emerge.<\/p>\n \u201cOh, he\u2019ll be happy enough to poke around in their heads,\u201d Stiles said, shrugging out of Derek\u2019s jacket and hanging it on a branch near them. \u201cHe\u2019s just not fond of these guys and will likely leave them with scrambled eggs for brains.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell, I wouldn\u2019t be against that,\u201d Derek said, raising a brow at Stiles. \u201cIf you want my opinion, that seems kind of tame for him.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYeah, well,\u201d Stiles said with a shrug. \u201cWe try to avoid situations like this.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cAny idea about how he found us and broke the wards?\u201d Derek moved himself into position to face Gerard as the man moved forward. Gerard hadn\u2019t said anything yet, but it wouldn\u2019t belong. The man did love the sound of his own voice if Derek\u2019s memory was correct.<\/p>\n \u201cNot exactly, but the amulet around his neck would be my first guess,\u201d Stiles said a little dryly.<\/p>\n Derek looked at Gerard as he came closer and saw the man was wearing an amulet in the shape of a tree under a full moon. It had a faint glow to it, and Derek felt a chill trickle down his spine. The Argents hadn\u2019t relied on magic in the past. They tended to lump it all in as unnatural. For Gerard to use something like that and still have hunters behind him meant the man was up to something worse than simply trying to appoint false blame for his daughter\u2019s death.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat a surprise to find the two of you here,\u201d Gerard said, clapping his hands together before he clasped them behind his back and walked forward as if he was a foreign dignitary ready to be greeted. \u201cAnd this must be the great tree.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019ve been chasing us through the preserve,\u201d Stiles said, sighing. \u201cIt can\u2019t be that much of a surprise.\u201d He paused, nudging Derek until he glanced at him. \u201cUnless the rumors are true, and Gerard is going a little soft up top?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHe looks like he\u2019s going a little soft everywhere,\u201d Derek said, raising his brows at Stiles, asking the man if he was sure he wanted to play it this way. At Stiles\u2019 nod, Derek turned back to see Gerard turning an interesting shade of red. \u201cIt could be age catching up to him, I suppose. They didn\u2019t catch us until we stopped.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTrue, true,\u201d Stiles said, nodding. \u201cThe Argents have definitely lost their edge in the last decade or so.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cShut the fuck up,\u201d A blond hunter shot forward, only halted by Gerard putting his arm out. \u201cBut sir-\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThey mean little to nothing in the end,\u201d Gerard said, drawing himself up. \u201cLet them have their attempt at humor. It will only make their death that much sweeter.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHe really is a two bit villain,\u201d Stiles said, disbelief edging his tone.<\/p>\n \u201cTwo bits might be over paying,\u201d Derek said. He glanced over at Stiles and noticed that the other man had his toes dug into the soil next to one of the nemeton\u2019s roots, and Derek noticed the dirt was emitting a slight glow. Stiles must still be grounding, which would explain the lack of sparks coming off his skin and hair since the wards broke.<\/p>\n Thunder broke overhead, cracking so loud Derek felt it echo in his bones. He heard Stiles suck in a breath, but the man\u2019s expression hadn\u2019t changed when he glanced at him. There was a new sheen of sweat glistening on his brow that Derek could just make out in the gloom of the gathering storm.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re going to pay for every bit you owe me dog,\u201d Gerard said, his face pinched, even as his lips pulled back in a snarl. \u201cI\u2019ll see you gutted before I\u2019m through.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re welcome to try,\u201d Derek said, spreading his arms wide, baring his chest to them. He was suddenly tired of the games and the posturing. He felt only the barest hint of the drugs in his system and knew that his healing factor had neutralized the majority of it while he\u2019d been shifted. Stiles was obviously still unwell and needed to get to Hisashi. They didn\u2019t have time for Gerard\u2019s bullshit, and Derek was just done.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat are you doing?\u201d Stiles moved closer, his voice hushed under another rumble of thunder.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m not interested in dragging this out, unless you have a reason to keep him talking?\u201d Derek met Stiles\u2019 gaze, he noticed that Stiles\u2019 eyes were unfocused, and he wondered what Stiles was actually taking in about what was going on.<\/p>\n \u201cNo.\u201d Stiles sighed, his gaze cutting over to the hunters and Gerard. \u201cI\u2019d hoped to be able to regroup here, but he managed to find something that led him in here and it had the power to break the wards. Nobody has done that since I\u2019ve been guardian, but then again, no one has attempted it either, as far as we know.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSo, we can end this and get out of here,\u201d Derek said, nodding. \u201cThen we can send Hisashi back here to set up some sort of protection for the nemeton while you recover.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re definitely an alpha,\u201d Stiles said, the corner of his mouth curling into a weak smile. \u201cBut you aren\u2019t wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n Derek reached out and brushed his fingers over Stiles\u2019 shoulder, plucking at the collar of the shirt he was wearing, \u201cI wouldn\u2019t mind seeing you in my clothing in a more private setting.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ll see what I can arrange,\u201d Stiles said, smirking.<\/p>\n Lightning split the sky, and thunder rolled around them again. The storm was on top of them. Derek turned to face Gerard and end the confrontation. He looked around the clearing and saw that there were only four other hunters with the man. It wasn\u2019t the best odds, but Derek had no doubts about his ability to take them.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019re done here Gerard,\u201d Derek said, taking a step forward. \u201cYou can take your men and go home or stay and bear the consequences of breaking the treaty of Beacon Hills.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve signed no treaties,\u201d Gerard said, voice rising above the wind and the thunder.<\/p>\n \u201cYour matriarchs have signed them in your name.\u201d Stiles stepped nearer to Derek, but with enough distance that they would both have room to move if they needed to. \u201cYou\u2019re as bound by them as they are so long as you\u2019re one of their men.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI am bound by nothing!\u201d Gerard\u2019s voice whipped around them on the wind as the sky broke open and the rain began to fall. \u201cThe hunters are mine to command and I will not sign any treaties with beasts.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI wonder what your matriarch thinks about that,\u201d Derek said, tilting his head to the side as he stepped forward, ignoring the way the hunters tensed, their weapons seeming to focus on him even more if possible.<\/p>\n \u201cFuck what she thinks,\u201d Gerard spat, stepping towards Derek, his eyes bulging. \u201cShe\u2019s a child! Kate should have been the matriarch, but your family killed her.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cShe died by lightning Gerard,\u201d Stiles said, his voice cutting through the wind and the rain. It rang around the clearing.<\/p>\n Derek felt his ears pop as lightning split the sky again, and thunder cracked. He felt the sharp points of shock he\u2019d learned to associate with whatever was going on with Stiles\u2019 magic a moment before all hell broke loose.<\/p>\n Lightning struck one of the hunters, causing him to cry out and crumple. It drew the attention of everyone before Gerard whipped back around to stare at Stiles.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was you,\u201d Gerard said, realization alighting on his face as he lunged towards Stiles.<\/p>\n Derek was there to intervene, his claws piercing the man\u2019s abdomen as they came together in a gross parody of a lover’s embrace. He felt the knife the old man had thrust into his arm and felt his eyes flash as he felt the burn of aconite, but he shoved his face into Gerard\u2019s.<\/p>\n \u201cFuck you old man,\u201d Derek said, twisting his hand. \u201cThis is over. The Argents are finished.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNever,\u201d Gerard gasped out, struggling against Derek\u2019s grip.<\/p>\n \u201cYou can keep your delusions, but you\u2019re going to die in the dirt where no one will find you,\u201d Derek said, thrusting the man away from him. The knife fell away, and Derek realized that Gerard had only managed a glancing blow. He glanced down at the cut and saw that it would be longer to heal, but he wasn’t in any danger.<\/p>\n Gerard lay gasping on the ground, and the other hunters had left their dead companion and were circled around him now. They turned their weapons on Derek. He had a feeling that the only reason they hadn\u2019t fired on him before was that Gerard was in the way.<\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t fucking think so,\u201d Stiles said. His hair was plastered to his head, and Derek\u2019s shirt had become a second skin. He was sparking again, his aura glowing a dangerous hot white. His eyes flared with the same burst of white. He looked like lightning personified.<\/p>\n \u201cStiles,\u201d Derek said, holding his hand up as he saw that the ground around Stiles was beginning to char and smoke even through the downpour.<\/p>\n \u201cKill them,\u201d Gerard ordered, his voice pained but loud enough to echo in the false night. \u201cKill them both now.\u201d<\/p>\n Derek couldn\u2019t say what happened next as the clearing filled with the scent of ozone so strongly that it overpowered everything else. Thunder exploded above them, rendering him temporarily deaf, and the burst of lightning filled the clearing.<\/p>\n \u201cFuck,\u201d Derek groaned, rolling over onto his back and reaching up to wipe mud and grass off his face. It was still raining, but the storm was moving off if the sound of the thunder in the distance was any indication. Derek didn\u2019t know how long he\u2019d been down for, but he struggled to his feet and looked around the gloomy clearing.<\/p>\n Gerard and the hunters were clearly dead, curled up on the ground in almost the exact same positions they\u2019d been in when Derek had last seen them, only not one of them was breathing or had a beating heart. Derek dismissed them to think on later now that they weren\u2019t a threat.<\/p>\n \u201cStiles?\u201d He glanced around and caught sight of the other man slumped against the nemeton. Derek rushed across the distance, separating them, slipping in the mud and rain as he got to Stiles.<\/p>\n Stiles was still sparking, like an old radio that was constantly on static. Derek ignored the bites of pain that cut into him as he used his claws to get the shirt off of Stiles and check for injuries. Derek carefully threaded his fingers through his hair to check for any damage to his head. He didn\u2019t find any.<\/p>\n \u201cDerek?\u201d Stiles\u2019 words were slurred and hushed as his head lolled back into Derek\u2019s hands. \u201cWhat\u2019re you doing?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cChecking for injuries,\u201d Derek said, his voice just as hushed. \u201cIt looks like you took a bad fall when the storm took out the others.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThat wasn\u2019t the storm,\u201d Stiles said, rolling his head until their eyes met.<\/p>\n \u201cI know,\u201d Derek replied. He brushed a bit of hair off Stiles\u2019 wet forehead before kissing the spot. \u201cYou\u2019re still sparking and glowing. Is there anything that I can do to help?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNot unless you can ground me.\u201d Stiles smiled without humor, and Derek saw the blood in his teeth. \u201cI\u2019m the next thing to a live wire, magically speaking. I charged myself up getting out of the house and then with what I just pulled here – let\u2019s just say my control is slipping.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI thought you were going to ground on the nemeton,\u201d Derek said, gathering Stiles up against him once he\u2019d ascertained that his injuries were minor. \u201cCan\u2019t you still do that?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo.\u201d Stiles shook his head. \u201cThat was only going to be a stopgap measure at best anyway. It would have worked until I got to Hisashi, but now it\u2019s too late. I went too far tonight. I need a full ground and I don\u2019t have one.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cFuck,\u201d Derek said, shifting around until he was resting with his back against the nemeton. Stiles was half draped across Derek\u2019s lap and chest as he tried to impart some of his natural body heat to him. \u201cWhat does that mean?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIf this doesn\u2019t naturally dissipate,\u201d Stiles said, pushing himself up shoving his back into Derek\u2019s chest. \u201cI\u2019ll burn out and die.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI got that part,\u201d Derek said, biting his tongue when the words came out harsher than he\u2019d intended. He didn\u2019t want to think about Stiles dying in his arms at the nemeton. It was too much like nightmares that had haunted him as a child. None of them had turned out to be true then. He had no desire to see them made true now. \u201cI meant what does it mean to be a full ground for you?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt would mean tying your life force to mine,\u201d Stiles said, rolling his head to the side and looking up at Derek. \u201cIt\u2019s as binding as any mating ceremony.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIs that why you haven\u2019t found someone to ground you before?\u201d Derek mulled the issue over as he waited for Stiles to answer.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s also a matter of compatibility,\u201d Stiles said, shrugging awkwardly. \u201cEven if we\u2019d been romantically inclined, Hisashi and I aren\u2019t magically compatible enough to bind ourselves together. His chaos magic and my storms are an epic disaster in the making if we ever even attempted that. Then there are those who would seek to bind me to them just to have access to the power I could wield once I can ground sufficiently.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThey\u2019d see themselves as your control,\u201d Derek said with a sick realization.<\/p>\n \u201cThe finger on the trigger of a gun.\u201d Stiles nodded. \u201cHisashi and I have disabused the few individuals that have come looking for something like that. Most think that we\u2019ve found a way to ground me to someone around here since I\u2019m still alive.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIs there a reason you haven\u2019t asked me?\u201d Derek wondered if he wasn\u2019t compatible or if this was a matter of trust between the two of them that they hadn\u2019t reached yet.<\/p>\n \u201cI might have if we\u2019d had longer.\u201d Stiles smiled. His teeth and lips were now letting off the same bursts of electricity as the rest of his body.<\/p>\n Derek ignored the pinpricks of sparks as he pulled Stiles closer. \u201cAsk me now.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDerek?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIf you think we\u2019re compatible enough, I\u2019m more than willing to be your mate or your ground Stiles,\u201d Derek said. He moved Stiles around until they were face to face. \u201cI\u2019ve never felt connected to anyone the way I have to you. I don\u2019t know where you thought this was going, but by the time the first night was over I knew that I was all in. This isn\u2019t even a question for me.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOkay,\u201d Stiles said, shaking. \u201cThere isn\u2019t any ceremony that has to be done. I mean we can be ritualistic about it if we want, but it\u2019s just about accepting each other on the base magical level. With you as a shifter, it would require the mating bite to seal your side of it.\u201d He hesitated.<\/p>\n \u201cI wasn\u2019t planning on mating with anyone else,\u201d Derek said. \u201cYou\u2019re it, if you don\u2019t know that.\u201d Derek smiled at him. \u201cWell then I guess this is me telling you. I love you Mieczys\u0142aw Stilinski and even if I had planned to let our relationship settle a little more before we got to this point-\u201d Derek shrugged. \u201cI\u2019m not upset about this. Are you?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI feel like I should be,\u201d Stiles said, tilting his head to the side. His eyes were beginning to flare white again. \u201cBut I\u2019m not, with anyone else I would be livid, and I\u2019d probably be trying to plan just about any alternative. But I love you, and this feels inevitable in all the right ways. I\u2019m furious that the Argents put us in this position, but I\u2019m not mad that it\u2019s you.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGood,\u201d Derek said as he brushed his hand over Stiles\u2019 throat, he watched as the white orange sparks trailed after it. \u201cNow that that is out of the way tell me what to do.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDo what you would do for the mating bite,\u201d Stiles replied, swaying towards Derek. \u201cI\u2019ll use the bond created by that as a conduit to bind my magic to you and then ground myself on our dual bonding. That\u2019s what makes us so compatible by the way, the dual bond.\u201d Stiles smiled when Derek nodded. \u201cI\u2019m not sure how it will feel with how much power I need to ground right now, and it will probably be painful for the both of us, but it won\u2019t hurt us beyond that pain.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019ll be okay Stiles,\u201d Derek said, pulling him close. He drew his hand up Stiles\u2019 arm to his neck, watching the sparks trail after him once again. Leaning forward he began to bring his shift to the surface when a thought occurred to him. Pulling back, he looked at Stiles. \u201cHey,\u201d He said waiting for Stiles\u2019 eyelids to flutter open, and he met his gaze. \u201cWhen we do this, we\u2019ll be equals in all things here. It would be that way except that I\u2019m the alpha of a pack and you\u2019re the guardian of this territory. Even though you\u2019ve allowed us in with a surface claim, our bonding will tie our pack to the land.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m aware,\u201d Stiles said, a soft smile curling his lips. \u201cIt won\u2019t give your mother or any other Hale that access. Only those that you bring into your pack and your direct line from yourself down. It was part of what you swore when you made your surface claim and signed the treaty with Hisashi and me.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019ll be co-alpha with the pack,\u201d Derek said. He frowned as he thought about how to explain it. \u201cIt won\u2019t be like being the official alpha, but your word will carry more weight than the betas and the fact that you\u2019re also the territory guardian gives you even more authority than most co-alphas in your position.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou won\u2019t be a co-guardian,\u201d Stiles admitted. \u201cI don\u2019t think there is a position quite like that, but you will be the full alpha of the land. It will bring a new level of protection to the land and community here. The wards here might stick better this time.\u201d He frowned over his shoulder in the direction of the Argent hunters.<\/p>\n \u201cOkay,\u201d Derek said, his hand still cupping Stiles\u2019 neck. He smoothed his thumbed along his jaw and tilted his head back, cradling it in his hand.<\/p>\n \u201cI trust you.\u201d<\/p>\n Leaning in, Derek let his fangs drop. He moved his other hand from Stiles\u2019 hip and around the small of his back, running it up to brace the other man between his shoulder blades. Derek felt Stiles grip his shoulders as he leaned his head into Derek\u2019s hand.<\/p>\n Derek let the tips of his fangs scrape over Stiles\u2019 skin and closed his eyes as the scent of Stiles\u2019 arousal overwhelmed the ozone that had been permeating the air. Carnations and spice, thick and syrupy, filled his senses. Derek got the hint of clean ozone that washed away the stink of the tainted ozone that had been following Stiles since they met up outside the Hale house earlier. He leaned into it, his fangs piercing the other man\u2019s flesh.<\/p>\n The bite was a gift, and each bite was a matter of intent. Almost all alpha bites were meant to turn, even those accidentally given. It was a simple matter of the magic that imbued them and a need for that magic to create a pack. There were two instances where the bite was given and turning was not the intent. One was to bring an individual into the pack, and the other was when an alpha decided to take a mate.<\/p>\n Derek felt the bond taking root within him, mixing with his other pack bonds, but standing alone as it shone brightly. Shining orange and white, reminiscent of the sparks that Derek had seen trailing over Stiles\u2019 skin.<\/p>\n He felt his cock harden as Stiles pressed down on him. Derek pulled his fangs out of Stiles\u2019 flesh as Stiles moaned, rolling his hips forward and down.<\/p>\n \u201cDerek.\u201d<\/p>\n Derek\u2019s fangs retreated, and he ran his tongue over the wounds to hurry the healing process along. He moved Stiles\u2019 head as he lifted his own and met his mouth, nipping at his lips with human teeth, sinking his tongue into his mouth, and drinking in the sounds that Stiles made.<\/p>\n Stiles pulled back with a moan, the hands he had on Derek\u2019s shoulders migrated to his hair, and he pulled Derek back in after a few gasping breaths.<\/p>\n Losing himself in the sensations of Stiles; his taste, his touch, his scent. It took Derek a few moments to pull back and another to stop the movement of Stiles\u2019 body with his hands on his hips.<\/p>\n \u201cStiles,\u201d He said, getting the other man\u2019s attention. Derek swallowed hard when Stiles looked at him, lips swollen, cheeks flushed, and eyes hazy. \u201cEquals, remember? You have to bite me.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cFuck,\u201d Stiles muttered, voice breathy he leaned forward, pressing his head against Derek\u2019s collarbone. \u201cOkay, yeah. I can do that. I don\u2019t have fangs though.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe bonding magic will grant what you need.\u201d<\/p>\n Stiles sat up; his hands had slid out of Derek\u2019s hair to rest on his shoulders once again. He leaned in, and Derek tilted his head, baring his neck. He had the brief thought that he hadn\u2019t done that for anyone since he\u2019d become an alpha, but it felt right all the way down to his bones to do it here for Stiles.<\/p>\n Derek felt Stiles\u2019 breath brush over his skin just before his teeth pressed in, piercing into the flesh. There was a split second of pain before Derek was thrown into a storm of pleasure and power. He felt the bond between them snap fully into place. There would be no tearing the two of them apart without their consent from this moment forward.<\/p>\n Derek thrust up as he pulled Stiles\u2019 hips down. Stiles moaned against his throat, his teeth releasing, but his mouth still pressed down. Stiles pulled back, and their mouths met in a rough, biting kiss.<\/p>\n \u201cFuck.\u201d Derek pulled back this time, his head hitting the trunk of the nemeton.<\/p>\n Stiles gasped, his head falling back as he arched, his hands splaying out wide. He almost looked as if he was about to take flight. The sparks were now covering every inch of his skin, creating a golden glow that fizzed and popped.<\/p>\n Unable to help himself, Derek drew his hands up from Stiles\u2019 hips, over his waist, and up his ribs. The sparks began to cover Derek\u2019s hands and run down his wrists. Derek reached Stiles\u2019 shoulders and ran his hands down his arms until he could clasp Stiles\u2019 hands.<\/p>\n \u201cAre you ready?\u201d<\/p>\n Stiles came forward in a slow movement; Derek leaned in to meet him, eyes fluttering closed. Stiles’ hands rose to cradle Derek\u2019s jaw. Derek\u2019s hands returned to his hips. Stiles’ forehead pressed against Derek’s, and he sighed. When Derek opened his eyes once again, they were both covered in the sparking light.<\/p>\n \u201cDerek?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes. I\u2019m ready.\u201d<\/p>\n Fire and ice raced through his veins. For endless moments all he knew was pain and Stiles. The world went star bright and then black. Derek\u2019s last thought was to hope that Peter would find them before someone else did.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Stiles blinked awake, soft confusion clouding his senses. He was in a bed, an arm heavy around his waist. He turned his head enough to see the top of Derek\u2019s head, the rest tucked into the back of his neck.<\/p>\n \u201cStiles?\u201d Derek\u2019s voice was gruff as he pulled back, his gaze dazed with sleep. He glanced around. \u201cWe\u2019re in your bed?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSeems like,\u201d Stiles agreed, his mind finally cleared enough to recognize his surroundings. \u201cAny idea how we got here?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNot exactly,\u201d Derek said, sitting up on his elbow and running his hand over his mouth. \u201cI\u2019m going to assume Peter and Hisashi found us.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHuh.\u201d Stiles shifted and sat up, gathering the sheet around his waist. \u201cI don\u2019t know how I feel about your uncle seeing me naked and unconscious.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYour pack,\u201d Derek said, tilting his head. \u201cDoes it really bother you?\u201d<\/p>\n Stiles thought about it, running his hands through his hair and scrubbing his scalp.<\/p>\n \u201cI guess not,\u201d He said. \u201cI mean, it\u2019s not something I want to repeat.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNo, I\u2019m not interested in repeating the situation either,\u201d Peter said from the doorway. A tray full of delicious smell things in his hands. \u201cWe came into the clearing thinking you were both dead. I could barely hear your heartbeats. Dragging you home and cleaning you up wasn\u2019t the worst of what we had to deal with yesterday.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cLet them eat before you start lecturing,\u201d Hisashi said, coming in behind him holding an identical tray. \u201cI\u2019m glad to see you both awake. I thought you\u2019d be out a couple more hours at least.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat happened after-\u201d Stiles frowned, leaning back as Hisashi ignored him and set the tray of food and drink over his lap. \u201cIs everyone else, okay?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cEveryone else if fine,\u201d Hisashi said, arching his brows at Stiles and crossing his arms. He frowned until Stiles picked up his fork.<\/p>\n Stiles glanced over to see Derek shifting to a sitting position and getting the same treatment from his uncle.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat about the remaining Argents in town.\u201d Derek glared at Peter when he handed him a spoon. \u201cStop that, I\u2019m not five.\u201d He took the spoon.<\/p>\n \u201cThen quit pouting and eat,\u201d Peter said, smirking. \u201cBetween your kidnapping, taking out Gerard and then bonding in in the nemeton\u2019s clearing, you need to rebuild your reserves and rehydrate. Both of you.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThe Argents are done, as far as my network can tell me anyway,\u201d Hisashi said once they started eating. \u201cYour program worked wonders. Their accounts have been emptied or locked down. Almost all of those involved in the business<\/i> have outstanding warrants from various government agencies with varying levels of seriousness. Rumors are already flying about who they pissed off.\u201d<\/p>\n Stiles took a bite of his toast while he thought. He drank some coffee, exchanging a glance with Derek. He felt their bond flowing between them and was only slightly surprised by how much of a comfort it was.<\/p>\n \u201cWe\u2019ll let the rumors go for now,\u201d Stiles said. \u201cNo sense stirring any direct interest unless you think something is up.\u201d Hisashi shook his head in negative. \u201cThen unless it gets out of control, I\u2019d rather not draw any more attention to us than necessary right now. We need to get wards back up around the nemeton and I\u2019d like time to settle after all of this.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat about the pack?\u201d Derek turned to Peter. \u201cThey feel calm, but I\u2019m surprised I didn\u2019t wake up with them camped out in here.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMel and Boyd have them in hand right now,\u201d Peter said. \u201cOnce they knew you were okay and that the disruption they felt was caused by your mating.\u201d He waggled his brows at them. Derek sighed. \u201cThey agreed to wait to see you when you woke up and were ready for them.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhat about Allison?\u201d Stiles looked at Hisashi as he set his mug down with a clunk. \u201cShe wasn\u2019t among those at the house or in the preserve. What happened with her?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe had a discussion about the repercussions of bad decision making,\u201d Hisashi replied, his shadows rising from him and swirling like vapor. \u201cI told her that a career change would be wise.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cHe also told her that she wasn\u2019t welcome in Beacon Hills ever again,\u201d Peter said, smirking. \u201cIt was very thrilling.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI noticed you enjoyed that part,\u201d Hisashi smiled wickedly over at Peter.<\/p>\n \u201cYou were very-\u201d Peter ran his tongue along his bottom lip. \u201cTerritorial.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cOkay, yeah. How about no.\u201d Stiles clapped his hands, breaking the tension gathering between the two. \u201cThe two of you are great, I\u2019m very glad you found each other. Blah blah blah. I really don\u2019t need to see you eyefuck each other in my bedroom. While I\u2019m naked in bed!\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI have to agree,\u201d Derek said, dropping his spoon onto his tray and pushing it off his lap. \u201cIs there anything else we need to know right now?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cNothing immediate,\u201d Peter said, still grinning at Stiles. \u201cWe can talk more later and bring you up to date, but there hasn\u2019t been a lot of change in the last twenty four hours.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGood, because I need a shower and another cup of coffee before we talk about clean up,\u201d Stiles said, handing his tray to Hisashi when he reached for it. Stiles sighed when Hisashi pulled a bottle of water from a pocket and handed it to him pointedly. \u201cYes mother.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTake your time,\u201d Peter said as he gathered Derek\u2019s tray and headed to the door. \u201cEverything has been taken care of.\u201d He met Stiles\u2019 gaze after exchanging a look with Derek. \u201cThere isn\u2019t any reason to hurry.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIn other words, little Stormbringer,\u201d Hisashi said, grinning, his vulpine nature on display. \u201cThere isn\u2019t any clean up to worry about. Think of it as a wedding gift.\u201d He winked before gliding out the door behind Peter and pulling it shut.<\/p>\n \u201cWhat exactly does that mean?\u201d Derek looked at Stiles with raised brows.<\/p>\n \u201cIt means that Hisashi\u2019s shadows have been busy,\u201d Stiles said, meeting his gaze. \u201cThe bodies of the hunters and the evidence of their deaths has all been destroyed.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWell-\u201d Derek broke off, looking lost for a moment.<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019s not a tactic I enjoy, but I think Hisashi made the right decision this time around.\u201d He cracked open the water bottle and drained half of it immediately before securing the lid and setting it on the nightstand.<\/p>\n \u201cI can\u2019t disagree,\u201d Derek replied, throwing back the blankets and swinging his legs over the side of the bed. \u201cWant some company in that shower?\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI think I could stand it,\u201d Stiles said, slipping out of bed and striding across the floor. \u201cI\u2019m hoping you don\u2019t plan on keeping your hands to yourself in there though.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWasn\u2019t planning to,\u201d Derek said, laughing as he wrapped his arm around Stiles, turning him and kissing him quickly before moving past him through the door into the bathroom.<\/p>\n Stiles grinned and followed, watching the muscles move across Derek\u2019s back and ass. The man has a very nice ass. Stiles watched Derek bend over to turn the water on for the shower. He ran his tongue over his lower lip and stepped forward to smooth a hand over the arch of Derek\u2019s back and then palm his ass.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re stupidly attractive.\u201d<\/p>\n And you\u2019re fucking gorgeous,\u201d Derek stood shrugging. He reached out, grabbed Stiles\u2019 hand, and dragged him into his arms. \u201cLet\u2019s get in the shower. I want to see you all wet again in better circumstances.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYou have a thing for me naked and dripping, don\u2019t you?\u201d He smirked, delighted when Derek\u2019s ears began to turn pink.<\/p>\n \u201cOf course, I do, who wouldn\u2019t,\u201d He replied, pulling him into the stall and under the spray. \u201cAlso fuck you.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, definitely fuck me.\u201d<\/p>\n Derek pressed him against the wall of the shower and kissed him hard, his tongue driving into Stiles’ mouth. Derek\u2019s hands were tight on his hips. Stiles arched off the cold tiles with a hiss, even as he scrambled to grab Derek\u2019s arms and bring him in closer.<\/p>\n \u201cYou\u2019re such a smartass,\u201d Derek said as he began to move, biting kisses down Stiles\u2019 jaw.<\/p>\n \u201cFuck.\u201d Stiles rolled his head back when Derek reached the spot where he\u2019d bitten him during the bonding. Pleasure arced through him when Derek bit down with human teeth, pulling back before settling his mouth at the point and sucking a biting kiss to the spot.<\/p>\n \u201cThat\u2019s the plan,\u201d Derek said, pulling off his neck to meet Stiles\u2019 gaze. \u201cHere or in the bed?\u201d He trailed a hand from Stiles\u2019 hip to grasp his cock, giving it a tug as he smirked at Stiles.<\/p>\n \u201cFuck,\u201d Stiles wheezed a laugh, rolling his hips. His cock was fully hard now. \u201cHere, definitely here.\u201d<\/p>\n Derek leaned in, his hand sliding off Stiles\u2019 cock. He kissed Stiles and slid to his knees.<\/p>\n \u201cJesus fuck.\u201d Stiles closed his eyes, trying to gather his fraying control. The sight of Derek kneeling at his feet was enough to have him on edge.<\/p>\n \u201cGoing to be okay up there?\u201d Derek smirked up at him.<\/p>\n \u201cAnd you call me a smartass,\u201d Stiles said, huffing a laugh. He reached out and carded his fingers into Derek\u2019s damp hair. As his laughter faded, he felt his smile soften. \u201cI love you.\u201d<\/p>\n Derek pressed his mouth to one of his hipbones, dropping a soft kiss. \u201cI love you.\u201d He moved to the other side and pressed a second kiss to that one as well. \u201cI adore you.\u201d When he moved back, his breath was warm and tantalizing as his lips brushed over Stiles\u2019 cock. He grinned when Stiles shivered.<\/p>\n \u201cFucking tease.\u201d Stiles forced himself to let go of Derek\u2019s hair and braced his hands against the back of the shower wall.<\/p>\n \u201cNever a tease,\u201d Derek said. \u201cI\u2019ll always give you what you want.\u201d<\/p>\n Derek pressed a hand against one hip and wrapped the other around Stiles\u2019 cock. Leaning in, he slid his mouth over the head.<\/p>\n \u201cJesus fucking christ.\u201d Stiles felt the warmth of Derek\u2019s mouth envelope him, and it took everything he had not to let his eyes roll back in his head. Everything was so good, his mind went hazy white, and Stiles had to bite his lip to keep control. \u201cYou\u2019re too good at this. So good with that mouth, fucking hell Derek.\u201d<\/p>\n When Derek pulled back a few moments later, it was all Stiles could do to keep his knees from giving out.<\/p>\n \u201cGodamn, you\u2019re a gorgeous sight,\u201d Derek murmured, standing up. \u201cI\u2019ve barely even started, and you already look half fucked out.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYour mouth should be illegal,\u201d Stiles said, his breath coming in soft gasps. \u201cFuck Derek.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTurn around and I will,\u201d He said, stroking himself with one hand briefly before reaching for the lube Stiles had started leaving in the shower for situations like this.<\/p>\n \u201cKiss me first,\u201d Stiles said, reaching for Derek; they met in a brush of lips at odds with the fire burning in Stiles. He was desperate for more. He thrust his hand into Derek\u2019s hair and pulled him in, biting at his lip as he pressed his body against the other man.<\/p>\n \u201cStiles,\u201d Derek said his name on a moan. It was a curse, and a prayer rolled into one. He slid his tongue into Stiles\u2019 mouth, and they kissed for long, drawn-out moments.<\/p>\n Stiles pulled back; his lips felt hot and swollen. \u201cNow, Derek, please.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cCome here.\u201d Derek finally obtained the lube he\u2019d been reaching for earlier and popped the cap. He trailed a hand down Stiles\u2019 back until he reached his ass.<\/p>\n Stiles moaned when Derek\u2019s fingers entered him. He thrust forward, looking for friction and then back, wanting more of the sensation. Derek slid his body closer to Stiles, locking them together in a lover\u2019s embrace that was older than time.<\/p>\n \u201cDerek,\u201d Stiles murmured, his head falling forward onto Derek\u2019s shoulder. \u201cPlease, I\u2019m ready.\u201d<\/p>\n Stiles tried to roll his body back as Derek pulled out his fingers and reached with his other hand to grab the bottle again for more lube.<\/p>\n \u201cJust a little more,\u201d Derek said, leaning in and leaving soft biting kisses at Stiles\u2019 neck as he inserted three fingers this time. \u201cFuck, just a little more.\u201d<\/p>\n Stiles arched, wanting to move forward and back at the same time. Pleasure arced through him like lightning when Derek pressed all the way in. They may not have had long together, but Derek knew how to play his body to perfection.<\/p>\n \u201cNo more, Derek, fuck.\u201d Stiles clutched at Derek\u2019s arms. \u201cI\u2019m going to take over if you keep teasing.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSo, fucking impatient,\u201d Derek said with a strained laugh, but he pulled his hand away. \u201cHang on.\u201d With a few efficient moves, he\u2019d slicked up his cock and secured the bottle out of the way.<\/p>\n Stiles was getting ready to turn when Derek grasped him at the waist and lifted him straight up. Stiles flailed for a moment before wrapping his arms around Derek\u2019s neck.<\/p>\n \u201cWrap your legs around me,\u201d Derek said as he pressed Stiles back against the wall of the shower.<\/p>\n Stiles gasped as his back hit cool tiles, his legs hooked around Derek\u2019s waist.<\/p>\n \u201cHang on to me,\u201d Derek said, lifting Stiles up at the waist.<\/p>\n \u201cFuck,\u201d Stiles said in one long, drawn-out moan as Derek\u2019s cock filled him. \u201cYour perfect. Fuck. Every time you fill me so good.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cStiles.\u201d Derek laid his head down on his shoulder, his fingers tight on his hips as he held Stiles flush against him. \u201cYou\u2019re so fucking tight. Fuck.\u201d<\/p>\n They stayed like that for a long moment, reveling in the connection – in the pleasure building between them. There was nothing but the sound of the water running and their harsh breaths filling the bathroom air. The steam from the shower was swirling around them, adding a dreamlike quality to the moment.<\/p>\n \u201cMove Derek, please,\u201d Stiles said, his voice hushed and almost lost in the patter of the water falling around them.<\/p>\n Derek lifted his head and met his gaze; he nodded and lifted Stiles just slightly off his cock, a minuscule drag of motion that had Stiles curling his toes. Derek pulled him back in.<\/p>\n \u201cOh god, fuck, fuck, fuck,\u201d Stiles breathed out, already beginning to shake at the intensity of the feelings rocketing through his body.<\/p>\n Derek held his gaze as he continued with the slight dragging and lifting motions. Stiles found himself attempting to roll his hips in an effort to speed up the pace, but Derek\u2019s grip was iron-strong as he continued to draw out their pleasure.<\/p>\n \u201cPlease, Derek.\u201d He didn\u2019t think he\u2019d ever had sex this intense before, and he didn\u2019t know how much more he could take. \u201cFuck, I need it.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cFuck, yeah. Okay.\u201d Derek hitched Stiles up with a groan. He braced one hand against the wall and wrapped the other around his back.<\/p>\n Derek began to increase the pace a little more, adding a roll to his hips that had Stiles\u2019 eyes rolling back in his head.<\/p>\n Stiles leaned in, using the hand in Derek\u2019s hair to tilt his head back; he kissed him. He started soft and sweet before pressing in harder, nipping at his lip before kissing Derek thoroughly, sucking his tongue into his mouth. They kissed until they had to part for a breath and then kissed some more.<\/p>\n Derek finally pulled away to kiss along Stiles\u2019 jaw and moved further in to suck at the spot just under his ear.<\/p>\n \u201cDamn it,\u201d Stiles hissed, sparks bursting behind his eyelids. He wrapped a hand around his cock and began to stroke himself. Pleasure tingled in this fingertips and toes. \u201cFuck, please.\u201d His breath hitched, and he knew he was shaking, even as he stroked himself.<\/p>\n \u201cYes,\u201d Derek said, his movements speeding up as he adjusted once more, getting his hands on Stiles\u2019 ass and beginning to move hard and fast. \u201cFuck, you feel so good.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cYes, fuck Derek.\u201d<\/p>\n Stiles ran out of words. All he knew were the sensations shooting through his body. Pleasure roared from deep within. He felt his balls begin to tighten and knew that he wouldn\u2019t be able to hold off any longer.<\/p>\n \u201cNow, Stiles, please say you’re close,\u201d Derek cried out. He lifted him again, hands clenched tight on his ass. Stiles knew he’d have bruises there in a few hours. Lust shot through him at the thought. “Stiles, god. Fuck!”<\/p>\n Derek brought Stiles down on his cock hard before lifting him again. He did this twice more.<\/p>\n They were both trembling now.<\/p>\n “Yes, yes, yes!” Stiles’ eyes flashed open to meet Derek’s gaze.<\/p>\n Derek’s eyes were glowing red, and he was growling guttural deep in his chest as he thrust into Stiles.<\/p>\n “Fuck Derek, please-” Stiles’ eyes fluttered shut again as his head fell back and his back arched.<\/p>\n Derek lifted Stiles once more. He brought Stiles down on a hard thrust, his fingers digging in and pressing Stiles firmly against Derek’s hips.<\/p>\n Derek let out a rumbling roar that echoed in the room, then he shoved his face into Stiles’ neck, taking in gulping breaths of his scent.<\/p>\n Stiles arched, Derek’s cock pressing just right inside him. He felt the world explode in absolute pleasure, leaving just him and Derek as the only two inhabitants. Pleasure arced through him, shooting down to his toes as they curled tight and up to the tips of his hair. Stiles was dizzy with it. Sparks tingling like champagne on his tongue and bubbles in his mind. Pleasure buzzing up his spine. He was sure he blacked out for a moment.<\/p>\n When Stiles came back to himself, Derek was easing him down off the wall, and they were both standing on trembling legs, half leaning on the shower wall and half on one another.<\/p>\n \u201cFucking hell, Derek,\u201d Stiles said, struggling to catch his breath. \u201cIf we keep getting better at this, I\u2019m not going to make it to my next birthday.\u201d<\/p>\n Derek\u2019s laugh rolled off of him to bounce around the bathroom and echo back.<\/p>\n \u201cI think you\u2019ll be just fine.\u201d<\/p>\n Stiles took pleasure in the fact that Derek sounded as breathless as he did. Knowing that he could affect the other man that much was ego-boosting.<\/p>\n \u201cLet\u2019s get cleaned up,\u201d Stiles said with a laugh. \u201cI think I might need another meal and a nap after that.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m sure that could be arranged,\u201d Derek said, smirking. \u201cI wouldn\u2019t mind spending more time in bed with you after I\u2019ve checked in with the pack.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cIt\u2019ll be nice getting to know them without being in the middle of a crisis around here.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSo, you think things will be quiet around here for a while?\u201d Derek began to shampoo his hair.<\/p>\n \u201cThings are never really quiet in Beacon Hills,\u201d Stiles said, grinning. \u201cBut yes, I think things will be our type of quiet for a while.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cGood,\u201d Derek leaned in and kissed Stiles. \u201cI\u2019m looking forward to settling back in here.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI didn\u2019t think I would be, but I\u2019m glad you came home,\u201d Stiles said, meeting Derek\u2019s gaze with a smile.<\/p>\n Derek kissed him again, hands slick on his hips.<\/p>\n When they left the shower sometime later, the water was cold, and there was laughter on their lips.<\/p>\n \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 THE END<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Title: Intangible, Untamed, and Wild Author: Sibyl Moon Fandom: Teen Wolf Genre: AU, Romance, Supernatural Relationship: Stiles\/Derek Word Count: 50K Beta: keldjinfae\u00a0 Warnings\/Rating: NC17, Canon-Typical-Violence, Discussion-Torture, Torture, Murder, Explicit Sex Summary: Stiles is a wild thing born of storms and lightning, he\u2019s been the guardian of Beacon Hills since Talia… Continue reading<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[57,42,9],"tags":[11,60,39,58,62,24,59,30,31],"class_list":["post-589","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-efrb","category-sterek","category-teen-wolf","tag-au","tag-canon-typical-violence","tag-derek-hale","tag-efrb","tag-explicit-sex","tag-magic-stiles","tag-romance","tag-stiles-stilinski","tag-teen-wolf"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sibylmoon.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/589","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sibylmoon.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sibylmoon.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sibylmoon.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sibylmoon.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=589"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sibylmoon.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/589\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sibylmoon.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=589"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sibylmoon.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=589"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sibylmoon.net\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=589"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
\nAuthor: <\/b>Sibyl Moon
\nFandom<\/b>: Teen Wolf
\nGenre:<\/b> AU, Romance, Supernatural
\nRelationship<\/b>: Stiles\/Derek
\nWord Count: <\/b>50K
\nBeta:<\/b> keldjinfae<\/b><\/a>\u00a0<\/b>
\nWarnings\/Rating<\/b>: NC17, Canon-Typical-Violence, Discussion-Torture, Torture, Murder, Explicit Sex
\nSummary<\/b>: Stiles is a wild thing born of storms and lightning, he\u2019s been the guardian of Beacon Hills since Talia Hale abandoned it with her pack a decade ago. Derek is a newly made alpha returning to Beacon Hills with only the few that chose to follow him and he\u2019s determined to make a home for his small pack.
\nAuthor\u2019s Note:<\/b> Halestrom is a fantastic and lovely artist who created such a wonderful piece of art that inspired me so much. I just adore it.
\nArtist: Halestrom<\/a>
\n<\/b><\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sibylmoon.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Chapter-Breaks.jpg?resize=515%2C67&ssl=1\")
<\/p>\n<\/h1>\n
Chapter Seven<\/b><\/h1>\n
<\/p>\nChapter Eight<\/b><\/h1>\n
<\/p>\nChapter Nine<\/b><\/h1>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/sibylmoon.net\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/01\/Chapter-Breaks.jpg?resize=776%2C101&ssl=1\")
<\/p>\n<\/h1>\n
Intangible, Untamed, and Wild – 2\/3<\/em><\/a><\/h1>\n
Intangible, Untamed, and Wild – 1\/3<\/em><\/a><\/h1>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"