*WARNING DOUBLE UPDATE*
- - Chapter 11 - Stray
(...cont'. Stiles and Danny came over and they shared in the love of their alpha, and each other in a big group hug.
The room was full of laughter, the scents of happiness, brotherhood, love, and togetherness. It was good and it was perfect. They were family. They were Pack.)
* * *
The renovations at Derek's house are almost complete. The work has been hard and tiring but it has brought the pack closer. Derek, of course, does most of the work himself. He isn't sure why he feels compelled to do it. That's a lie. He knows exactly why. Two reasons: to honor his family to bring their estate back to it's former glory, and for his mate Stiles.
The Pack has gathered, like they do every full moon for the hunt and for recreation and training. Derek is a patient instructor but won't accept from each of his wolves, even his mate Stiles, anything less than their best. He wants them to be the best they can for their mates, for the pack, and for themselves. He pushes each one to take the extra step, swim one more lap, lift 10 more pounds, read one more chapter, each time. He is strengthening their bodies, their minds, and their spirits. He loves each one, and would do anything to protect them. Like a wolf and its offspring, you don't mess with them or you will suffer the parent's wrath.
It is early afternoon, after lunch, Derek is in the backyard, placing the last brick in what will be a very large outdoor barbecue grill. Jackson, Danny, and Stiles are in the pool, splashing and yelling and jumping on each other, enjoying their summer. Last night was the second full moon for each of the young wolves and they are relaxing after their hunt, enjoying each other.
Derek looks up when he hears Stiles yell, "Derek, help!", only to see it's because Danny and Jackson had ganged up on him both splashing him at the same time. He smiled, and his heart rate slowed again.
"You asked for it Stiles. I told you the bucket wasn't a good idea. You dished it out, now take it," he laughs. He looks and Stiles is staring back, his mouth open and arms out with palms up in mock surprise.
Danny and Jackson, pausing briefly because Derek was talking, just looked at each other, then quickly to Derek, seeing an almost imperceptible nod. They grinned and both jumped on top of Stiles, pushing him under, laughing. Stiles resurfaced a few feet away, head popping above the water. "No love. No love I tell you!" he chortled, which got him another round of splashes.
'I love you, you know that,' he thought to Stiles. 'You'd better. And yes, I love you too Der,' was the silent reply he got back. Derek smiled and went back to his work, setting the level on top of the brick he has just set. The final brick.
He was concentrating so intensely that he didn't realize the splashing had subsided somewhat. What he didn't see was Jackson, carrying the plastic bucket filled with pool water, sneaking up behind him. Danny and Stiles were in the pool, bobbing, edging him on silently.
"What?" Derek said as he started to turn, sensing something behind him. Too late. Jackson upended the bucket over Derek's head, soaking the dark haired boy. He laughed and quickly turned to run back to the safety of the pool.
Derek let out a loud growl, whirled and ran after him. Jackson heard the growl, sprinting for the edge of the pool. "Ahhhh! Derek no!" Derek caught him in a full side tackle, and his forward momentum sent them both into the pool, causing a very large splash.
Under the water, Jackson wriggled free and retreated to the side of the pool where Danny and Stiles had high-tailed it too as well. He surfaced between the two boys, laughing and sputtering. The three of them looked and Derek hadn't surfaced. Stiles knew Derek was an excellent swimmer, so he was suspect at the delay.
"Uh, guys, I have a feeling that-" but was cut off mid-sentence with Derek surfacing right in front of them with a huge whoosh of water that nearly drowned them all, growling loudly. They could tell from his scent, even diluted with the chlorine that he wasn't angry put playful, and he started splashing them all.
They caught their breath and then the three of them tackled him, not very successfully of course, but they succeeded in their goal of getting Derek to stop his work and join them for some fun. The four continued to tackle, splash, and cavort in the pool enjoying each other.
Derek had Stiles sitting on his shoulders and Danny had Jackson on his. They were playing a game of chicken in the pool, when Derek stopped and turned towards the front of the house, Stiles falling backwards into the water.
"Hey, why did you stop?" exclaimed Stiles as he came up and Derek's growl silenced him and the others too. They froze in the pool, looking at Derek, sensing something was happening.
Derek sniffed as the wind brought a scent to him that he wanted desperately to smell. The other three caught it too, and Stiles piped up. "Oh, my God. Is that..." and Derek's growl shushed him again.
Derek got to the end of the pool and got out. The boys marveled at Derek's shirtless body, his cargoes clinging to his round and taunt ass like a second skin. Water dripped from his body as he stood, running his hands back through his thick, black hair to squeeze some of the water off him. He shook his hands telling the three to "Stay here. I'll handle this." None of them uttered a word, not even Stiles.
From around the side of the house walked a young, dark haired boy, looking at the scene with a forlorn look on his face. Derek caught his scent again as it shifted to one of fear as he met Derek's gaze.
"What are you doing here?" he asked, his face hard and his tone vibrating slightly. It was the voice of the Alpha but Derek remained in human form. It wasn't loud but it was intimidating nonetheless. "I thought you said you didn't want anything to do with us and that you didn't need us 'stupid wolves' any more?" he asked sarcastically. The young boy, winced at Derek's stinging words.
The breeze brought the scent of submission and supplication to him. The face of the young man was facing the ground now, and Derek saw tears hit the shale stones of the patio, making dark splash patterns.
Derek growled softly and the scent changed, adding fear.
"I'm not going to hurt you," he said, his voice still Alpha. He reached over and took the chin of the boy and lifted the face so he could see his eyes. The eyes did not meet his as the scent of submission flared. Derek was pleased.
"I'm sorry, Derek" a soft voice came. "I was wrong. About a lot of things," the dark haired boy said.
"Look at me," Derek commanded, his voice, returning to normal. The boy looked at him, his beautiful, brown eyes brimming with tears again.
"Please forgive me Derek. I didn't know what to do. I didn't know where else to go. I don't want to be alone. I was so wrong..." and he started sobbing, his head once again drooping.
Derek pulled him into his chest, the young boy gasping then relaxing into Derek's arms, the tears and sobs coming without abandon now. Derek put his chin on the top of the boy's head, and held him in his arms, stroking the back of his hair, trying to console him.
The young boy spoke, between sobs, so Derek had to put it all together. "Are you sure that's what you want?" he asked.
He pulled the brown-eyed face back and his green eyes saw his answer. "Yes, please. I'm so, very sorry." The boy's body convulsed in Derek's arms, sobs wracking him from head to toe.
Behind him, Derek heard the other three boys coming up to stand there and watch. They were silent and still, observing the scene in their backyard. Stiles had tears in his eyes as he felt Derek's scent change to acceptance and love. Danny smiled and leaned his head into Jackson's.
Derek pulled the boy back, his face still dropping, and his arms, hanging at his side. The boy, quieted his sobs, and wiped his face with one arm, succeeding in only smearing the tears. He opened his eyes and looked at Derek, his lip quivering.
He shifted his feet slightly more apart, and bared his throat to Derek, his scent of submission in full. Derek's eyes growled red and he shifted to Alpha form but remained where he was. The dark haired boy closed his eyes, and whispered softly, "Please. Claim me. I want to be where I belong." A single tear ran down his cheek.
Behind him, Derek heard Stiles inhale sharply and cover his mouth. Jackson tweaked him to keep him quiet.
The Alpha didn't respond to the noise behind him. He bared his fangs, and said, "Welcome home, Scott," and sank his fangs into the exposed neck in front of him, claiming the beta as his own. Bringing him back to the pack.
Tears of elation ran down Scott's face and the faces of his three brothers watching just a short distance away.
Their brother was home.
* * * (Okay, yes, I did it again. I made myself cry. I told you, it's that song from Two Steps from Hell back in Ch. 5. Gets me every time. Next chapter, less sap, more angst and action; I promise. Perhaps weapons?)