I Was Meant To Die In Your Arms (Steter)

Chapter Fourteen

Stiles couldn't help but find the fact that Peter wanted to meet at the same pavilion that brought the mage nothing but disappointment just yesterday amusing. Still, he was happy that there was a chance that it could become their place – at least for the time they decide to remain in Beacon Hills. If they did decide to make frequent trips to the pavilion however, they would need to set up a better pathway.

Having to dodge low hanging branches and exposed tree roots loses its appeal after an hour into the walk. The scenery is wonderful though and quiet in a way that leaves Stiles feeling at peace. That peace is broken by excitement when he finally sees the pavilion just ahead of him. It sits in an open space where the light of the sun seems to shine directly on it.

"Still looks just as magical as last time," Stiles finds himself saying to the open air.

He had arrived a little before noon, so finding himself alone wasn't surprising. He took the time to think about what he'll say to Peter once he arrives. Obviously, they'll have a lot to talk about, if Peter felt that meeting in secret like this was necessary to avoid his family. Plus, he'll have to let him know about his magic situation and figure out how much his soulmate knew about the supernatural. But most importantly, Stiles just wanted to spend the time getting to know each other and planning how they'll spend their year together.

The sound of the bushes shifting broke Stiles out of his thoughts. He turned towards the noise, a smile already breaking out on his face, and raced towards the person that was breaking out of the tree line.

"Peter, you're-," The rest of his sentence died in his throat as he was faced with a tall woman with a slicked back ponytail and a furious grimace.

"You're not Peter." He took a step back the same time that she took one towards him. The overwhelming sense of danger was starting to crawl up the back of his neck. He looked around trying to figure out how quickly he could escape.

"No, I'm not," she replied. Her eyes started to bleed red as she kept slowly approaching Stiles. Suddenly it clicked for the mage as to where he knew her from – she's Talia Hale. She was in the photo that Stiles found online yesterday. However, the eyes told him that she was the Alpha that Ms. Jennifer has warned Cora of. Does this mean that Peter was a werewolf too?

She gave a dark grin as her face began to shift more into one of a wolf. "I see you know who I am. So, you must know why I'm here then?"

By this time Stiles had re-entered the pavilion. Thinking over Talia's question he was remined of Peter's letter and how his soulmate said his family might be a problem. Facing Peter's sister now, Stiles couldn't help but think that potentially murderous was a far cry from "problem". He needed to buy time and figure a way out of this.

For the first time in almost a decade Stiles wished his parents hadn't decided to bind his powers. A repeat of the light incident would be helpful right now.

"No, but I can guess. What did you do to Peter?" While Stiles doesn't think that Talia as a sister would hurt her brother, he can't be sure. But he also hopes that she's the type to monologue.

"Peter will be fine now that I've stopped him from making the mistake of throwing his life away. I still can't believe he could be so selfish to go against my orders and what's best for the pack. You know how many times I've had to make him forget that stupid mark just for me to find him sneaking away from your house with some self-satisfied smile like he was getting away with something?"

By the end of her speech both her and Stiles where underneath the pavilion on opposite sides. Stiles could piece together a little bit of the fucked-up puzzle that was Talia's abuse towards Peter. Taking away his choice is one thing – but not unheard of in the cases of soulmates – but completely altering his memory is insane.

He realizes that at this point Talia isn't going to want to simply argue with or warn away the guy who she's deemed a danger to her brother. The sight of her red eyes flashed in his minds' eye again. Stiles looks around once more trying to think how he'll get out of this. Talia is a person who believes the extreme measures she's taken are justified if it keeps her brother from dying due to the soulmate curse.

Wait.

"So, you did all this to prevent the timers from starting?"

A clawed hand swinging towards his face was what greeted him in answer. Stiles narrowly dodged, scrapping his arm in the process, as he jumped away from her attack. He looked down at his arm briefly as he felt the sharp pain that signaled the skin was broken. Blood slowly trailed down his arm as he tried to think of a way to make his lie work.

To make Talia believe she's too late and that Peter isn't in danger. How to lie? He needs to make he believe that he has the timer, he needs too.

"Stay still brat," Talia growled as she lunged towards Stiles again, her mouth open as she aimed towards his throat.

Stiles threw up his arms up out of instinct more than the belief that his arms would protect him. He's scrapped arm burned briefly, probably from the quick movement. As he closed his eyes, he couldn't help but wonder if Peter will ever know what happened to him.

After a few moments of no pain or the sudden feeling of death Stiles let his eyes open one at a time. He was greeted with Talia's look of disbelief and slacked face. Confused Stiles begins to lower his arms only for her to quickly grab his injured arm and turn it towards him.

"Why do you have a timer on your arm?" What?

"Uh," was Stiles' response, his brain trying to catch up with what was going on. At Talia's tightening grip his mind cleared up in response to the pain and he realized this was his chance.

"Why do you think soulmate timers show up?" He hoped that by phrasing it this way he could avoid the supernatural lie detector test that all werewolves are born with. However, he was partially asking that question to himself. Because Stiles and Peter never touched, the older wolf actively avoided it so Stiles would have time to think. Plus, the mage would've noticed if a life expectancy countdown showed up on him overnight. So how did Stiles get a timer on his arm?