Cruel World

He Was A Coward

He couldn't see them but he knew they were there, his pack surrounded him. He could barely feel the pack bond though, it felt so weak between them. 

He looked towards where he assumed Isaac was, thats usually where he sat in their meetings. 

Derek said grimly "I don't want to talk long so lets get to the point. I had a visit from Stiles a couple of hours ago" 

He practically felt the tension in the air and how the pack stiffened at this realisation. 

"Stiles?" Scott asked, unsure how to react because he couldn't let his true feelings towards Stiles show now, it just...wasn't right. 

Isaac on the other hand had no such problem with speaking his mind. 

"What did that monster want?!" 

Derek wished he could properly glare at Isaac as he growled "Isaac!" 

"Are you seriously defending him? Especially after everything he did to you? Whats wrong with you?!" Isaac snapped. 

"He wasn't in-" 

"Derek, he ripped your eyes out, don't you think defending his actions a little odd?" Erica said slowly, though her tone was much calmer and defiantly not as hostile as Isaac's. 

Boyd said nothing but Derek could tell by his emotions he agreed with Erica. 

Scott then stepped in "Derek... I... want to defend Stiles too but... I can't. You're my alpha and his made you-" 

"Made me what Scott?!"  Derek growled.

"Made you weak" 

Derek had expected that to come from Isaac, or Scott or possibly Erica but he never expected it to come from... 

"Boyd" He said shakily. 

Boyd spoke slowly but there was a sadness and understanding in his voice that the others lacked "We can't help it Derek, werewolves need a strong alpha, without your eyes, you can't fight, you can't be an alpha..." 

The alpha let out a shaky breath "What are you saying?" 

Boyd didn't reply for a while but none of the other wolves butted in, waiting for Boyd to talk more but when he did, everyone was shocked at what he said. 

"I understand why your acting this way, why you're forgiving him so easily. I've known for a while, you both didn't get it for a long time but I think you've finally realised, haven't you? When he bit you, we know you both reacted in a unusual way, the way you look at each other, why you aren't blaming him or at least blaming him not as much as you should. You started to talk about Stiles, he came to you for something, I at first thought he might have confessed or you did but you wouldn't be acting like this if he did, so...the only reason he'd visit you, especially after what he did, is to ask for your help and the way your defending him now? You agreed to whatever he wanted from you, didn't you?"

Derek suddenly felt like he wasn't breathing properly, he wanted to refuse, protest everything Boyd said but he couldn't.

"Derek, what is he talking about?" Erica asked, confused. 

Instead Derek addressed Isaac.

"Isaac, Stiles told me the hunters left before he could catch them, do you know where they are? And...where you the one that tipped them of?"

 Erica looked confused and irritated that he didn't answer her even though he knew, he knew the answer but he couldn't reply, not yet, he didn't have the guts to say it out loud, he was a coward.