Baseball Bats and Sour Wolves

Chapter 31

Saturday came around faster than any of them had expected, Stiles is concerned about having the whole pack there, he isn't sure if any of them even wanted him to become the Alpha, but he knew he couldn't tell them not to come, even if he is nervous. No matter what, once the spark is exchanged Stiles would view all of them as pack, and that would never change. Stiles and Scott had picked the Preserve as the spot, and somewhere a little after seven o'clock.

He is jittery with nerves, Derek and Peter don't really know what to do when they wake up to a larger than usual breakfast because Stiles had woken up early and stressed cooked. Peter seems delighted though, because he loves Stiles' cooking, as he always reminds him, but he isn't quite sure how to calm Stiles down, or at least reassure him. They both know he'll be a great Alpha, he already is even without the spark.

Peter thinks that he might even be able to restore broken trust within the pack, make the bonds stronger than they were before. Peter believes in Stiles, and he lets that slowly trickle down the pack bond, Peter knows when Stiles feels it. Stiles shivers, and puts his spatula down, Peter hides a smile behind his coffee mug, and Derek looks between the two with confusion. Peter is just about to put his mug down when Stiles crashes into him, arms wrapping tightly around his neck and squeezing him in a hug.

Peter gently puts his mug on the table, and let's his hands hover for a moment, unsure what to do. Stiles is crying, Peter can smell the salty liquid in the corner of his eyes, and he thinks that maybe he did something wrong. Maybe he shouldn't have shared his emotions with Stiles, but then he feels happiness and gratitude down the pack bond from Stiles' side and his arms come up and crush Stiles into a hug.

Peter doesn't even realise that the force of his arms dragging Stiles closer has all but pulled his Alpha into his lap, something he'd be sure to laugh in Derek's face for, cause he can feel the little bit of jealousy and confusion leaking through his pack bond. Stiles laughs then, and Peter nuzzles into him, and delights in his laugh again. He really can't wait for Stiles to get the Alpha spark, for the rest of the pack to join them.

Derek is staring at the two of them unsure of what just happened, but smiling all the same, he's proud of his Uncle.  Even if there is a part of him that is jealous as Peter pulls Stiles practically into his lap, but he lets it go, because Stiles doesn't smell of nerves as much. Whatever Peter did worked, and Derek is glad, he didn't know what to do to calm Stiles himself. Derek can also smell tears, which he finds a bit concerning, but he knows Stiles is okay.

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Stiles is jittery still, but he's a little calmer. All three of them watch movies at the loft, curled together on the couch, and Derek doesn't remembered the last time he's was this happy. Because he is, happy that is. He thinks he completely understands all of a sudden why Peter killed Laura, it doesn't justify it, but it explains it. 

Derek, at first, had never understood. He was hurt, wondered if his Uncle would try killing him next. He understands however, that they abandoned Peter, and Laura was his Alpha. Derek hadn't wanted to leave Peter behind, but didn't feel like he was in a position to question Laura's decisions, he figured she knew what was best for all of them, even if it didn't make sense. At the time, Derek had thought that he's family burning in the house was his fault, if only he had realized sooner what Kate was up to, realized she was using him. Realised every word out of her mouth was a lie.

Derek wants to apologize to Peter for leaving, but he doesn't really know how to. He wants to apologize for everything, he can't imagine how scared Peter must have been, knowing the hunters could walk in at any time and kill him and he wouldn't be able to protect himself. Knowing that he had no pack that would protect him either. Derek frowns, and decides to try to send his emotions through the pack bond he has to Peter.

He focuses on the feeling of leaving Peter, of the feeling being in New York and knowing Peter was back in the hospital in California. Knowing Peter was unsafe, and unprotected. He focuses on his understanding of Laura, of his forgiveness, of his regret, both for the fire, and for leaving Peter. He focuses on all those feelings and pushes them into the bond hoping Peter can understand them, will forgive him.

Derek risks a look up at Peter, and can see he's very still. He's eyes are wide in surprise and his hand is over his chest, clenching the fabric of his shirt over his heart, his eyes look like they're watering. Derek's breath catches in his throat. Does Peter understand what he's trying to say? He push his forgiveness further into the bond, showing Peter that he really forgives him, for everything. God, he should've forgiven Peter a long time ago. 

Derek pushes every single emotion through the bond, exposing himself in a way he has never done with Peter, with anyone since the fire. Peter looks up at him then, still clutching his shirt, and Derek smiles shakily, trying to show Peter that this isn't a trick. Peter lets his tears fall, allows his emotions to slip through the bond in return, and Derek is overwhelmed with all of them.

There's regret for killing Laura, understanding as to why they left Beacon Hills, relief that Derek forgives him, but most of all there's his forgiveness and his love. Peter's love is a powerful thing, he loves with his whole heart and soul, and Derek can feel how much of that is directed at Derek now. It's that and the forgiveness Derek feels that springs tears to Derek's eyes.

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Stiles doesn't expect to come back from his snack raid of the kitchen to find Derek and Peter curled together, but it makes him smile. They're scenting each other and crying, Stiles has a feeling they must have worked through their problems which makes him smile all the more. God, it took these two idiots long enough. Stiles shakes his hand, laughing softly as he sits beside Peter, and shoots the two wolves a grin.

They hardly move, or acknowledge Stiles but he's fine with that. As long as they're okay, Stiles is also okay. Stiles wonders what happened anyway, one minute they were half way across the couch from each other with Stiles in the middle, the next they're curled together. Stiles wonders if they'll tell him, but decided that either way it'll be fine.

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When seven o'clock finally rolls around, Stiles is all over the place, he can't sit still no matter how hard he tries. He barely even ate any of his dinner, too nervous, he wonders how the rest of the pack are going to feel about this. He thinks of how close Isaac and Scott were getting lately, of how close Liam and Scott are. 

Liam isn't going to be happy about having to follow Stiles, at least Stiles thinks so, Isaac on the other hand, Stiles isn't really sure about him. Stiles needs to make it clear that if any of them betray the pack itself, there will be consequences, that if any of them purposely hurt each other it will be a problem. He's not having Liam betray him the way Scott did, so Liam is going to need to gain a little more trust, before Stiles fully accepts him into the pack. Can he even do that?

He is however determined to fix everyone's bonds with each other too, he wants all of his pack members to feel safe with one another. Peter and Derek are already a part of his pack, and he trusts them with everything, meaning that if the rest of the pack don't approve of Peter, then they're going to have to go through Stiles about it.

Peter is in their pack, and it isn't up to any of them but Stiles for him to remain that way. The only way he'd kick Peter out was if he tried to do something like kill them all again, which somehow Peter doesn't think he'll attempt, and not just because of the chance he'll be killed this time. 

Stiles is ready to become the Alpha, and that means claiming the land as his own territory, and having responsibility over all of his pack members. Bonds will need to be repaired, and strengthened, if they're going to become a pack, they're going to do it right.