Baseball Bats and Sour Wolves

Chapter 12

Witches. Seriously, no one even likes them. So why did they have to come to Beacon Hills again? These witches seem to be more cruel than the ones that cursed Derek. Stiles sighs as he listens to Scott talk about the new threat to town, about how none of the wolves can track their scent. He tells everyone to be careful and stick in groups when going out, after that Stiles begins to zone out. He tunes whatever Scott is saying out and tries to think of a plan.

First, they need to figure out what these witches want, there's a chance they might not want to harm anyone. After figuring out their objectives they'll have to create a plan to trap them, which shouldn't be too hard. Peter looks irritable, he keeps lifting a lip up and snarling, Stiles doesn't know what's wrong, but he can feel something. It's almost like uneasiness, but more like anxiety. Stiles can tell it's coming from Peter, he doesn't know how all of this pack stuff works, but he just knows that the feeling is Peter's. 

Maybe it's something to do with his spark, the reason he can help the wolves more than the other humans, why he can tell the wolves howls a part, why he can tell whose feelings he's experiencing. He sends reassurance down the pack bond and Peter glances at him from his position on the stairs.

Derek is sitting beside Stiles and he's almost on Stiles' lap, but the pack doesn't question it. Peter doesn't seem to keen on switching positions from the stairs, or letting the pack know that they've made their own little pack.

________

Once the rest of the pack leaves the loft, Stiles turns to glance at Peter. Peter avoids his gaze, staring off into the distance, he doesn't seem any better than when Stiles caught onto his feelings through the bond. Stiles doesn't know if Derek picked up on the feelings, he doesn't seem to, as he's sitting in his chair reading a book.

Stiles walks over to the staircase where Peter's sitting, he hasn't moved since everyone else has left, which also worries Stiles. Stiles starts up the steps, sitting a step in front of Peter, Peter must have been really worried. The only time he let's his emotions run through their pack bond is when he's too distracted to hold it back.

"What's wrong?" Stiles asks softly, Peter doesn't even spare him a glance.

"Nothing's wrong." He states simply, and Stiles doesn't know whether he should push the topic.

"Peter," Stiles starts, Peter glances at him and Stiles isn't sure why Peter decides to look at him now. "I could feel it through the bond, something's bothering you." Stiles finishes, licking his lips nervously.

"Witches just make me nervous, we can't properly track them." Peter says softly, and Stiles contemplates that for a second.

"So, you're worried that something could happen and you'd get hurt?" Stiles questions and Peter's eyes widen, he leans closer to Stiles.

"It's not me that I'm worried about. What if you or Derek are caught off guard?" Peter seems very panicked and Stiles is honestly surprised. "What if they cast a spell on one of you, or Derek goes feral again." Stiles laughs softly, and Peter gives him an incredulous look.

"Peter, your overthinking it. Nothing will happen to either of us, and we're always near you anyways, so if anything happens we'll deal with it together." Stiles responds with a bright grin.

Peter frowns and then sighs, Stiles can feel Peter calming just a bit at his words. Stiles didn't think Peter would be so worried about something like that, he's surprised. He figured Peter wouldn't be worried at all, or if he was worried it would be worry for himself. Stiles guesses this just shows how much Peter's changed.

Stiles knows that the reason Peter decided not to care for anyone else, was because he didn't want to lose anyone else. He didn't want to hurt again like when his family died, or have something to lose, something that enemy's could take advantage of. Stiles understands that now that Peter does have something to lose, he's nervous that it will be taken away from him, and Peter wants to protect both Derek and himself with everything he has.

Stiles stands and stretches out his back, he offers Peter his hand, which Peter takes. He pulls Peter up and then descends the stairs Peter in tow.

"I think it's about time that we start doing a bit more research on the Alpha spark." Stiles declares, and Peter smiles glad for the distraction.

Derek is actually able to help them this time, which means that they might be able to get through more of the books. Because the last time they were doing research it was Peter reading the books out loud, while Stiles listened. Stiles doesn't know how many books they got through, but it wasn't a lot, and there's a lot more to get through.

"Derek, mind giving us a hand this time?" Peter teases and Derek looks up from his book, scowl in place.

"You know if you keep your face like that, it will get stuck Sourwolf." Stiles muses with a smirk.

Derek huffs and places his book on the table beside the chair he's sitting in, he glances between the two and cracks a grin.

"You're both hilarious." Derek states drily, Peter and Stiles burst out laughing. 

They begin researching and going through every book that Deaton gave them, they come up with ideas. That maybe the spark could be passed to a member of the pack that was either dying or severely hurt. The spark could also be given if the Alpha was willing to give it to another and there was another person willing to take the spark, there had to be a ceremony type thing in order to do it though.

Stiles' phone goes off, a text from his Dad, demanding he come home for at least a couple nights. So Noah can at least see his son, Noah was fine with Stiles staying with the Hale's because he had been working so many night shifts, and he didn't want Stiles to be alone so long. It was also quite enough for Noah to sleep until his next shift.

"My Dad wants me home for a couple nights." Stiles states, Peter and Derek pause what they're doing to stare at him.

"For how long?" Derek questions quietly and there's a nervous sort of tinge to his voice.

"I'm not too sure, I guess he's off night shifts." Stiles muses, Peter continues to stare at him.

"Did you want one of us to drive you?" Peter questions, and Stiles smiles at his worry.

"Or least come with you?" Derek asks, Stiles laughs softly.

"No, I'll mange." Stiles smiles and stands up. "First we need to clean up all these books." Stiles states, he begins to pick up the books scattered around the room.

Once they've finished cleaning, Stiles give both Derek and Peter a hug and then heads to the Jeep. He starts it up and heads home, Stiles is happy that he'll be able to see his Dad, but he's a bit worried about the Hale men. They'll manage without him for a couple days.