Human is Just a Word 78/85
Chapter 78
"You know, there is a chance that Peter will accept your challenge." Stiles said.
They were lying in bed in their dark apartment but they were nowhere close to sleep.
"I know." They had been over the plan over and over again and it was risky, Derek knew that, but it could work. Besides it was the only plan they had and Derek doubted that they would come up with something better any time soon. And waiting for Peter to die of old age was not an option.
If they didn't act, he would. Rather sooner than later. Derek just wanted to live in peace with his pack but with Peter out there, it wasn't possible. Not in the long run.
"You don't have to do it." Stiles continued. "We can think of something else."
Stiles snuggled closer, resting his head on Derek's chest and Derek carded his fingers through his hair. Maybe for the last time, tomorrow one or both of them could be dead. They wouldn't sleep, not tonight, and they wouldn't have some weird we-might-die-tomorrow sex either. They were just lying in bed, holding on to each other.
The pack was upstairs in the loft and they should probably be with them, it was possible that this was the last night for some of them as well. Or for the pack. Without an alpha there would be no pack.
"Satomi will take them in." Derek said, not quite putting his fear in words. "And I called Maria, she'll help as well."
If they failed, at least what would be left of their pack would have a place to run to. The kids would be safe.
"Even if he accepts your challenge." Stiles continued, his breath puffing over Derek's naked chest. "You can still win, fair and square."
It was possible, they might be even now. Peter still had the larger territory and the bigger pack but Derek was mated and even if his pack was smaller, they were bonded tighter.
In a way that was Peter's fault. When he'd killed half of Laura's pack, leaving them without an alpha and with so many losses to moan, they had turned to each other and they had found strength in that.
They were a pack forged in fire, literally, and they were bonded in a way Peter could never understand. Some of Peter's own pack members just barely accepted him as their alpha and if there were humans in his pack at the moment, Lydia wasn't sure if the one she knew of was still alive, Derek was sure they outright hated him. Lydia hated Peter enough to turn on him.
Derek felt it. Even now with a floor between him and the rest of the pack, he felt the closeness through the bonds, he felt the strength of his pack. A pack grew stronger with number but that wasn't all.
"I have a strong pack." He put at least part of his thoughts in words.
Stiles glanced up at him but for once he didn't speak.
Like predicted they didn't sleep that night and in the wee hours Derek slipped out of bed and Stiles followed him without a word. They both felt the pull of the pack bond. They didn't bother with clothes or even turning on the lights, Stiles trusted him to guide him safely out of their apartment and up the stairs to the loft.
The pack made room for them and surrounded by his pack Derek actually drifted off to an uneasy sleep.
When it was time to say goodbye in the morning, they tried to keep it as lighthearted as possible for the sake of the kids but they all felt that something big was going on.
"Are you coming back?" Gina asked with big eyes and Derek didn't know what to say. He wasn't planning of dying but it was a real possibility, they all knew that.
To his surprise it was John who crouched down in front of the little girl.
"We want to." He said and drew her into a tight hug. Gina might not know what they were planning but she knew that it was dangerous. She clung to John and whispered in his ear: "You have to come back."
John put the girl in her grandfather's arm and kissed Melissa goodbye.
"Go, get him." Melissa locked eyes with him and Derek knew she would be with them fighting in the front line if she could.
John held her gaze for a long moment before he gave her a sharp nod. Then he turned and left the loft. Derek and Stiles were right behind him, followed by the others.
In the car John called Deputy Parrish to get their plan in motion and with that there was no turning back. The deputy knew that something would happen tonight but more important, they were counting on one of Peter's guys getting wind of it.
Through the rear view mirror Derek glanced at the jeep following him but then he put his eyes straight ahead on the road. They could do this, they could win.
It was already dark when they arrived in Beacon Hills. Derek didn't bother with driving into town, he drove directly out to the preserve.
A barrier was blocking the way to the mansion, Peter didn't like cars coming out here uninvited. Derek knew that from earlier visits and Lydia had confirmed that it hadn't changed.
They parked half a mile down the road. If the pack was patrolling the woods, they shouldn't immediately notice them here.
Lydia's call was the key to their plan and they waited to the last moment for that, they didn't want to give Peter too much time to think.
Derek watched Lydia, who was sitting alone in Stiles' jeep to not blow her cover with a noise from somebody. Even from the distance he heard every word and if he had been at the other end of the line, he would have believed her. She even looked terrified of her own vision. Her voice cracked when she begged Peter to not burn Derek's pack alive and it sounded so real, for a moment Derek wasn't sure if she was faking it or not.
If a banshee said that there would be death and fire, there would be death and fire. He just hoped that Peter was the only one going to die tonight.
"Think he bought it?" Stiles asked when she had ended the call and got out of the car. She just gave him a look.
"We shouldn't waste time." Derek intervened before Stiles could launch into a rent. They were all on edge but it was too late for second thoughts, they had to do this. Now.
Derek drew Stiles in for a fierce hug and a quick kiss, they might never see each other again, and then he turned and started walking into the preserve. He didn't want to look back, it was bad enough that he felt his mate's emotions through their bond, he didn't need to see it on his face.
Stephen and Ellen fell in step behind him and it was eery how much like Laura's walk into these woods this was. With the only difference that Boyd and Isaac were with them as well. The two betas didn't stay at his side and melted into the woods instead. They knew what to do.
Laura had come here to talk.
Derek was coming to challenge Peter.
He didn't need to see it, he felt Stiles and the others moving in a different direction. His mate had his father, Erica, Mark and Lydia with him and Derek just hoped that it was enough. If things went like planned Stiles would be the one facing Peter and Derek would have loved to surround him with all the wolves he had but it would have looked weird if Derek didn't have a few strong pack members with him.
The rest of the pack had stayed home, in Sean's and Megan's case under protest and Charles hadn't been keen on being left behind either, but if their plan failed, the kids would need them.
They didn't speak while they walked down the path leading to Peter's mansion. They could have just taken the barrier apart and drove up here with the car but this would give Stiles and the others time to get into place. Plus, it was more dramatic, werewolves stalking through the woods. Stiles' words, not his.
It didn't take long before they were noticed.
Derek's step didn't falter and he kept his eyes straight ahead, even when he noticed the two werewolves shadowing them. He wouldn't be able to see them anyway. They wanted to be noticed but not seen.
They were so fixed on him that they didn't seem to notice Boyd and Isaac who were on their way to flank them.
Derek almost rolled his eyes at that but kept walking
The mansion was just around the corner, when a familiar trio stepped in his path. Derek stopped and crossed his arms in front of his chest. Ellen and Stephen fell into formation behind him, mimicking the trio in front of them.
Jackson and the twins kept their distance but it was clear in their stance that they wouldn't just let Derek and his escort pass.
"What do you want?" Jackson asked after a long moment, the twins silent shadows behind him.
"Your alpha murdered my sister in an unfair fight." Derek raised his voice and he was sure that he would be heard even inside the mansion. If Peter was still there, he would hear him. "Your alpha murdered six members of her pack without giving them a chance to leave his territory."
He paused to let the words sink in. Judging by the frown on Jackson's face, he knew exactly where this was heading.
"I'm here to challenge Alpha Peter Hale." Derek said loud enough for everybody to hear.
Jackson laughed. He threw his head back and laughed.
Derek just waited him out patiently.
"You're joking." Jackson composed himself rather quickly and made an angry step towards Derek, jabbing his finger at him. "Leave now. Run with your tail between your legs and hide." He stepped even closer, his face now only inches from Derek's. "And maybe, just maybe Peter will let you live for a little while longer."
Now Derek did roll his eyes at him.
He was an alpha, he was quicker and stronger than the beta in front of him so when Derek snapped his fangs at Jackson he almost bit his nose off. The red glow of his eyes reflected in Jackson's wide open ones before the beta stumbled backwards with a curse.
The twins were at his side in a heart-beat, ready to attack, but they hesitated at sight of the alpha baring his fangs at them, flanked by equally shifted betas.
Instead of attacking they averted their eyes and just dragged Jackson back.
Jackson glared at Derek but when the alpha let out another growl, he was quick to turn to the twin to his right.
"You heard him." He shoved the beta in the direction of the mansion. "Tell Peter that Derek's here."
The beta ran and Jackson watched him for a moment before he turned back to Derek who had retracted his fangs and was now just standing there.
"Coming here is the stupidest thing you could have done." His arrogance was back. "Saves Peter time, I give you that, maybe that will put him in a good mood and he kills you quickly." He gave Derek a feral grin but that vanished when Derek raised an eyebrow at him. Jackson might be Peter's second in command but he'd never grown a backbone.
"We'll see." Was all Derek had to say to that. With his arms crossed over his chest he waited for either Peter to accept his challenge or for their plan to work. Strangely, he was content with either. He would fight Peter if he had to and who knew, he might even win.
Then the first Molotov cocktail flew and the world burst into flames.
Chapter 79
Masterpost