The Fox and The Wolf - Book One {Sterek}

Chapter 39: The mute

Liam was asleep on one couch, Peter on the other. We had taken a lot of his pain away, and he was slowly healing. He just needed rest. Isaac had stumbled through the door tiredly at around 6am and went straight up to his room to sleep. After I checked him over and made sure he was okay. We had called Scott to check in, and see how the rest of the pack were doing. He said everyone was fine and sleeping, and that we should get some rest too. We would have a pack meeting this afternoon to go over everything again.

I was curled up against Derek's body, listening to his heart beat as my mind ran a mile a minute. This all has to be connected, I just wish I could see how. Wish I could know exactly what the threat Scott and I are sensing is. Either way, I knew I needed to protect my pack from these assassins that were specifically targeting supernaturals. No more wandering off alone. It wasn't safe.

"Stiles... why did you help me with Peter? I thought you hated him," Derek said quietly. I could sense his confusion and warmth. I sighed.

"Derek- he's your family. He's done some seriously fucked up shit, but- and I'm quoting Scott here- everyone can be saved. He deserves a second chance, even if I don't want to give it to him. And he cares about you. He's your family, so he's pack. You've already lost so much... I won't let you lose him to," I said fiercely. And I meant it. I definitely harboured some hate for Peter, because of what he had done to Lydia. And Derek's sister, Laura. But he had been completely out of his mind at the time. He deserved a chance to get better, to be better. The remains of Derek's once very large family were just the three of them now. Derek, Peter, and Cora. I'll be damned if I let anything happen to them.

He didn't answer me, just pulled me against him and kissed the back of my neck. "Get some sleep little fox," he said gently.

I nodded and yawned, shutting my eyes as my brain finally went quiet and allowed me to sleep.

* * *

When I woke up, Derek's place beside me was empty. I had a moment of panic before I felt him downstairs. Felt him? Whatever. I listened to his steady heart beat for a moment and breathed in his scent from the pillow beneath me. His bed was starting to smell like me too, and I loved it. I groaned and stretched my muscles experimentally, swinging my legs off of the bed and pulling my jeans on from the night before. I definitely need to start leaving some extra sets of clothes here. I left my shirt on the floor and opted for one of Derek's. It was a little loose, but not too bad. I came down the stairs to the delicious smell of coffee. Thank god.

Derek was standing at the counter in the kitchen, pouring himself a mug of the liquid gold. From a coffee maker?

"When did we get a coffee maker?" I asked aloud.

"I bought it. I noticed the place didn't have one, so I brought it over last night," Peter said from the couch brightly. Well that was thoughtful. Odd. "And then I was nearly murdered- so it better be worth it."

"Oh, it was totally worth it," I said happily. "Glad you're not dead though."

I brought my attention back to the coffee maker and noticed Derek eyeing me appreciatively. He strode over with a gleam in his eye, catching me with his arms and putting his mouth to my ear.

"That's my shirt," he whispered huskily, nipping my ear lobe with his teeth.

"Yup," I answered unsteadily.

"Seeing you in my clothes is mouthwatering," he said, his breath tickling my ear. "It's not helping my self control."

"Alright, alright- enough of that!" Isaac said, trudging down the stairs and wrinkling his nose.