Mysterious ways

Chapter 9

It takes another two weeks for Derek to set everything up. By the time his plan is ready, school is over and the summer break has already started. Aside from Stiles and Lydia, who are driving everyone crazy with their bantering, the pack hasn't been doing much in the meantime, mainly just waiting for something to happen.

Derek's text to everyone comes on a Monday afternoon. It says that they need to meet at the loft and that it's urgent. When they are all gathered there, Stiles and Lydia are impatient, not understanding what is so important about the meeting if no one is in danger and there aren't any other news about Peter or Malia.

"I was taking a nap, dude." Almost forgetting who he was talking to, the words are out of Stiles' mouth before he can stop himself and sound harsher than he intended.

"Don't call me dude." Derek snarls, directing him a glare. He actually wants to laugh at the whole situation but obviously can't. First because it would give it away, second because he's Derek. "What, you need your beauty sleep?"

"That's what I was gonna say." Lydia states cynically, not looking at Stiles, instead choosing to check her nails.

Stiles points an accusatory finger at her. "Don't you start. I'm not in the mood." He turns to Derek again. "What are we doing here, then?"

"I needed all of you here as soon as possible because we're leaving in 24 hours. It doesn't give us much time to gather our things."

"And where are we going?" Liam is the one asking.

Derek made sure not to tell anyone about his plans except for Braeden. Scott and Kira are only in on part of it because they are not such good liars and probably wouldn't keep their mouth shut. Besides, Derek has some surprises planned for everyone.

"We're heading southeast. It's a 3-hour drive. We are taking three cars, two if Stiles takes the Jeep."

"The Jeep? My Jeep? Did I volunteer or something? I don't think so..." Stiles' can't control his bitterness and his rambling; his senses are tingling. He can't put his finger on it, but something's up.

Lydia wants to stay quiet and stop being sarcastic, she really does but she can't help it. This whole Stiles' agreement thing has her on edge lately. "Oh, sweetheart." She says rolling her eyes. "I think we're taking three cars. I'm not sure the Jeep can afford such a long trip."

"Don't you dare..." Stiles takes a step closer to her, but Scott puts a hand on his chest, stopping him.

"Derek, what's this trip about? You said there were no news, no sign of Malia or Peter..."

"There's nothing. There are no leads whatsoever and we already did everything we could think of to try and find them. Maybe they just left, I don't know." The older werewolf explains.

It's Kira's turn to inquire. "Then I don't get it. Where are we going?"

Derek grins as he crosses his arms. "We're going camping."

"I am not going camping." Lydia's tone is imperative.

"Wow, look at that. We finally agreed on something." Stiles mutters, gesturing between himself and Lydia.

Derek ignores it and continues. "Actually all of us are, no exceptions. And it's not really camping. We'll be sleeping in cabins, Lydia, not in tents. My family has this huge private property that has been out of use for years just outside this preserve in..."

"So we're going to an abandoned property in the middle of nowhere? I'm sticking with no." The banshee bites back, slightly irritated.

"Lydia, stop interrupting. There are plenty of cabins enough for all of us. And it's not that remote, the main road it's like 10 miles away. And it's near a lake."