Human is Just a Word 59/?
Chapter 59
Stiles would have liked to stay with his mate but there were other pack members who needed him. Plus, he didn't think having Lydia in the same room as Derek was a good idea right now. He didn't blame Derek, he didn't know Lydia and to him she was still part of Peter's pack. If he was honest, Stiles was surprised that Derek had let her stay just like that.
It was clear that Derek didn't trust Lydia but he did trust Stiles. Stiles loved his mate even more for that.
"You know." Stiles said once they were back in the hallway. "If you're double-crossing us, I will kill you myself." He had been in love with her for years and even now she was just perfect in his eyes and he admired her in a totally platonic kind of way but if she endangered his pack, he would kill her.
The way she looked at him, she got that he meant what he said. She knew about his crush, in a weak and completely drunk moment he had told her, but that wouldn't get in the way if she turned out to be a threat, they both knew that.
"I heard them dying in the fire." She said, steel in her voice. "I had to do something. I've looked away for too long. I'd understand if Derek doesn't want me around, though."
"It's either staying with us or migrating to France. By now Peter has probably noticed that you're gone."
"I wouldn't bet on that, he doesn't exactly keep track of his humans when he doesn't need them for his amusement. Or setting houses on fire." She said darkly. "Don't look at me like that, Jackson likes to proclaim that I'm his mate, remember? That means hands off, even for Peter."
It wasn't really reassuring but Stiles didn't know what to say to that. He had ended up in a pack in a very similar way to her just that he had been lucky and had gotten Derek as his alpha.
Before they left to search for the rest of his pack, Stiles wanted to check on Loreen. He found her father sitting vigil at her side pretty much like Derek did at Mark's. With the only difference that Charles wasn't a werewolf and couldn't take her pain.
"How is she?" Stiles asked softly but the way she was whimpering already told him the answer to that.
"I think what they gave her has stopped working." Charles said, his fingers gently curled around her upper arm where the damage wasn't that bad.
"I'll send down Isaac or Ellen." Stiles promised. "They can help with the pain."
When they left, Lydia had a curious eye on him.
"Why Isaac or Ellen and not Stephen?" She asked.
"Stephen is not pack." Stiles said as if it was obvious but then took a double take because he hadn't even thought about it. It had just come naturally to him to offer the help of one of his pack members.
"I could ask Stephen, I guess." He added after a moment. "But I can't make him." Not until Derek had accepted him in his pack.
"But you could make Isaac or Ellen?" Lydia raised an eyebrow at him. Even with her face covered in grime it was a perfect eyebrow.
"I'm the alpha's mate." Stiles said. He could explain it to her but he was too tired and exhausted for that. Besides, he felt his pack members just around the corner.
The second they reached the small visiting area, Stiles had Isaac in his arms. The beta was more clingy now, rubbing his face against Stiles' throat in search for a familiar scent. Which reminded Stiles that he should at least freshen up somewhere soon. But they were all reeking of smoke and that wouldn't change until they had a thorough shower.
"I'm here." Stiles murmured into Isaac's ear, rubbing up and down his back. When he looked up he noticed Ellen hovering close by. She was biting her lip and she clearly wanted to join the hug. It took only a tilt of Stiles' head to tell her that she was more than welcomed to do just that.
They took a moment to feel close again and take in the scent of pack.
"Loreen is in a lot of pain." Stiles finally broke the silence. "Would one of you …" He didn't need to finish the sentence, Ellen was already volunteering with a "of course". She held on to both of them for a moment longer but then she left to take care of Loreen.
On a couch behind Isaac Stiles spotted Stephen who had fallen asleep with little Stacy sleeping on his chest.
"Where are the others?" Stiles asked when he didn't spot any other kid around.
"They have a room. They didn't want to sleep alone" Isaac answered with a tired smile. Stiles didn't know how long they had been up by now, he had not the slightest idea how late it was, but he was too tired to actually care.
Just to make sure that the kids were alright, Stiles opened the door Isaac had pointed out and had a look for himself. The two beds in the room stood together to make an improvised den.
Becky and Jeremy were in their wolf form but all the kids were just a tangle of limbs. In the dim light coming from the door Stiles noticed that Megan's eyes were open but she didn't move. She would wake up the others if she tried to get out of bed.
"Any news?" She asked in a low whisper.
"Derek bit Mark and Loreen." Stiles told her. Relief washed over her face but then the worry was back.
"Did it take?"
"We don't know yet." Stiles stepped closer so he could lower his voice even farther.
"My mother?"
Stiles shook his head. He didn't know if she had been one of the three bodies they had already recovered or if she was one of the still missing pack members but there was no hope that she was still alive.
Megan's face crumbled. Without a word she hugged Jeremy closer to her chest and turned her head to bury her face in Benny's hair.
"I'm sorry." Stiles said when he heard her sobbing. For a second he wondered if he should leave her alone but then he carefully sat down on the edge of the bed and put a hand on her back. She didn't shake him off.
He thought she would cry herself back to sleep but to his surprise she spoke again.
"I was so mean to Derek." She said, back still turned towards Stiles.
He didn't know what had led to that statement but it became clear when she continued.
"Dad needs an alpha and I … I …" She was shaking now under Stiles' hand.
"Derek won't kick you out." Stiles said louder than intended. Jeremy's ears twitched but he didn't wake up. "He wants you in his pack."
"You don't know that." She snapped. Jeremy seemed to notice her distress and snuggled closer in his sleep until his nose was tucked under her chin.
"After what I said to him …" She shook her head. "He hates me."
"He doesn't hate you." Stiles said but he knew that it wouldn't change what she had build up in her mind. Even if Derek still held a grudge against her, she had just lost her mom and her dad needed an alpha, there was no way that Derek would refuse her a place in his pack.
Stiles thought about it for a moment.
"How about this." He finally said. "I'm going to accept you in our pack."
Now she turned enough to look at him.
"You can't just accept me, you're not the alpha."
"Yeah but I'm the alpha's mate and I can make decisions when Derek isn't there to make them himself." He made a point of looking around. "I don't see him, do you?"
She gave him a watery smile.
"But seriously, I know Derek, he loves you." Stiles said in earnest. "You and everybody else is welcomed in our pack."
She wasn't a werewolf so she couldn't hear the truth in his heart-beat but he hoped it was enough for now.
Stiles stayed with her for a little while longer but with that off her chest Megan's lids started to drop rather quickly and she was sound asleep not much later.
Stiles tiptoed out of the room and he let out a relieved breath when he made it out without waking one of the other kids. If he could put off telling them that each of them had lost a parent, he would take it. And he somehow hoped that somebody else would take over that job. Maybe Ellen.
He hadn't even thought about it until now but Miranda hadn't made it which meant Stacy and Jeremy were orphans now.
Gina would hopefully keep her mother but it was still not certain if Loreen would survive. Her husband hadn't made it out either. If worse came to worse Gina would have at least her grandpa. And the pack.
"You handled that pretty well." Lydia said. He hadn't even noticed that she had been listening in to them.
"I'm trying." They moved over to the visitor's area where Stephen was still sleeping but Isaac had taken over Stacy who had become fussy.
"She okay?" Stiles asked.
"I think she's hungry." Isaac eyed her skeptically. She wasn't screaming yet but she was working up to it. Miranda had still been breast feeding her but even if she had fed her bottles, they would have been lost in the fire anyway. In his mind Stiles started to make a list of what they would need for the baby but first they had to get her fed.
"I'll see if I can find a nurse." Stiles straightened, already looking around. It was the middle of the night so there wasn't a convenient nurse around. "This is the pediatric station, they should have that bottle stuff."
By the time he came back with a warm bottle of milk Stacy was desperately sucking at Isaac's finger and her wining had a demanding touch to it now.
"Can you give her the bottle?" Stiles handed it to Isaac who took it with an uncertain nod. He hovered with the bottle over her, clearly debating if he should just shove it in or not, when Stacy took the matter in her on chubby little fists.
"That works, too. I guess." Isaac smiled down at her but she was too busy sucking for dear life to care about him.
Stiles watched them for a moment. He would love to just curl up next to them on the couch, his whole body was aching with exhaustion, but he needed to check on Derek and the freshly bitten werewolves. They were still weak little dots in his mind, the connection hadn't taken hold yet, and there was nothing he could do to make their bodies accept the bite but at least he could be there for them during the transformation.
"I should check on Ellen." He teared his eyes off the peaceful picture in front of him. "See if she's okay with draining the pain. And I want to see Derek …" He was more talking to himself than to Isaac, already walking towards the elevator, when Lydia stepped in his way.
"Stiles." She grabbed him by the shoulders and forced him to stop. "Sit down."
"I have to …" He protested but she just shoved him over to the nearest chair where he dropped like a rag doll.
"You need to eat and drink something." She said sternly. "And no, I don't mean coffee. And then you need to take a nap."
"I'd love to." Stiles let out a sigh. She had no idea how comfortable the chair was, he would love to just sit here for a moment. Maybe have one of the water bottles someone had placed on the table along with a small pile of snacks. Those looked tasty, too. "But I have to …"
"You have take care of yourself." Lydia interrupted him. "You won't be of any help if you collapse. They'll be alright for half an hour."
Stiles considered it. Then he reached for a water bottle.
Chapter 60
Masterpost