Human is Just a Word 84/85
Chapter 84
Derek wanted to resurrect Peter just to kill him again.
Introducing Tom to the other pack members had gone as well as expected, Derek was still surprised that he hadn't died of a heart attack when Erica had scented him. It had been worse then when Stiles had come into the pack but thankfully even Erica had notice it and had backed off immediately.
Now they were on their way out of Beacon Hills and Derek hoped that Tom would calm down over the ride. He and Lydia had the back of Stiles' jeep to themselves with Stiles driving and John in the passenger seat.
Derek and Stiles had come to a silent agreement to surround Tom with the human members of the pack but Derek had made a mental note to talk to Mark and Isaac in private once they were back home. Mark was probably the best choice to help Tom to adjust to his new werewolf nature, he had been there just a few weeks ago and sometimes he was still struggling with control.
And Isaac …
Interacting with Tom reminded Derek a lot of his early days with his beta. Back then Derek had only just become an alpha and Isaac had been his first beta and they had struggled to find their roles in their little pack of two. But that had only been the cherry on top of the crap pile that had been their life back then.
Just like Tom Isaac hadn't been able to look him in the eye and his mood swings had put a real strain to their relationship. But they had worked it out. It had taken time but Isaac had learned to trust him. Eventually Isaac had dared to believe that Derek would never hurt him.
Derek didn't know if Tom would ever get there but if anybody could understand what he was going through, it was Isaac.
The way his beta had looked at the new pack member, Derek was sure that he already had a pretty good idea of what was going on in Tom's head.
It was late in the evening when they finally arrived home but even Jeremy and Stacy were still awake and waiting for them.
Derek had called Charles earlier and he knew that at least Isaac and John had called their mates as well, so everybody knew that Peter was dead and that they would bring home a new pack member.
The second Derek stepped into the loft, he was caught in an epic group hug. There were hands and noses all over him and for a while he just let himself drown in the scent of pack and the feeling of his pack all around him. Somehow Stiles wiggled his way to his side, making the alpha couple the center of the hug.
When they finally broke apart, Derek had to take a deep breath to clear his mind. Only then he noticed Tom, John and Melissa watching them from afar. They were pack, all of them, but he understood that they were not quite ready for a pile hug. Or for the epic pack night they would have tonight. But even if they didn't stay for the night, he was sure that they would at least stay for a little while before they would retreat to their own place.
Erica was already on the phone to order pizza for all of them and the rest was making themselves comfortable after the long ride.
Isaac had Sean plastered to his side and he was nuzzling his mate's throat as if he hadn't seen him in years. Across from them on the couch sat Stephen with Charles and Megan, already animatedly telling them about their fight with Peter.
There were glances at Tom but they knew to not ambush him. The new beta hid behind Lydia and through the bond Derek felt his anxiety.
"You're Tom, right?" Gina marched right up to him with Jeremy in tow. The twins hovered in the background, they were itching to meet the new pack member as well. Only a sharp look from Ellen kept them from standing right there with the little ones.
Tom nodded, obviously not sure what to do with the kids in front of him.
"Can I show you your room?" Gina asked while behind her Jeremy climbed up to Melissa's lap for a better view.
"My room?" He looked over to Lydia for help but she only gestured a "go with it" at him.
"It's Uncle John's room but he doesn't use it." Gina explained, already marching over to the door. "We tidied up and Megan made us dust it. And Sean put new sheets on the bed."
The only reason Tom did follow her was because of Melissa ushering him from behind with her wheelchair. John was last, his good hand on the handle of her chair.
The last thing Derek heard before the steel door fell close behind the little procession was Melissa telling Tom that he was more than welcomed to stay with them.
"I told him about Scott." Stiles sneaked up behind him and stood now plastered to his back with his arms tight around his torso. "So, you know, he would be prepared for the wheelchair."
Derek hmmed to that. He would be surprised if that had been his mate's only reason to tell him. Stiles always had a hidden agenda. But he had to admit, Melissa's story would most likely make it easier for Tom to stay with them.
"He knew about Scott. The pack was talking about him." Stiles continued but now his voice had a hard edge. "It was a joke to them. The whole pack has been laughing their asses off about the omega who almost killed his own mother." Stiles tightened his hold on him and rested his forehead on the nape of Derek's neck. Derek felt the wetness of tears on his skin.
"A fucking joke." Stiles repeated, choking on the words.
"It's over." Derek twisted around to gather him in his arms. "We got him. Peter paid for what he did."
It wasn't enough, it was never enough, Derek knew that. He hadn't felt better once Peter had killed Kate. Some nights the guilt still tried to pull him under.
It had gotten better lately. With Stiles in his arms and a pack around him that loved him. He had gotten better. But it would always be there, he couldn't change the past. Stiles had to live with what Peter had done. Same with Melissa and John. Everybody from Laura's pack. And now Tom. They had to live with it. But it could get better.
John and Melissa came back upstairs with the kids but Tom preferred to stay in his own room for now.
When the pizza arrived, Derek put three slices on a plate, Tom was still healing and needed some calories, and carried it downstairs. He put the plate on the dining table before he went over to his room.
"Tom?" He knocked at the door. Behind it he heard a sharp intake and a rapidly beating heart. "Can I come in?"
"Come in."
Tom was standing next to the bed, visibly shaking.
"Are you hungry? There is pizza." He gestured at the table behind him.
It did feel like a victory when Tom actually sat down at the table.
Derek got them glasses and apple juice and after a moment of prompting Tom reached for a slice of pizza.
"Thank you, alpha."
After the first slice he was eyeing the other two on the plate but he didn't dare to take more.
"You can eat as much as you want." Derek inched the plate a little closer. "Your body is still healing." And he needed to put on some weight, he was way too thin, but Derek didn't point that out.
Seeing that his beta was eating, Derek relaxed and leaned back in his chair. It had been a long day and he was looking forward to just curling in with the rest of the pack in the den.
He sagged deeper into the chair with a content sigh.
Tom froze with his half-eaten slice of pizza in the air. Then he dropped it on the plate and was out of his chair before Derek could make sense out of his behavior.
"I'm sorry, alpha." Suddenly Tom was on his knees, crawling closer until his head was almost between Derek's spread thighs. He hadn't even noticed how he was sitting.
"I forgot to take care of you." Tom's voice trembled and so did his hands when he reached for Derek's fly. "Please forgive me, alpha."
"Tom, stop." Derek caught his hands and gently pushed him back.
"I can make it good. Please, let me." He tried again, but when Derek held him back again, he dropped boneless to the floor. "Please, alpha, I'm sorry." Shielding his head with his arms, he was waiting for the first hit.
Derek dropped to the floor next to him.
"Tom, it's okay." He reached for his beta but Tom flinched away. "I'm not mad. It's okay."
At a loss what to do, Derek did the only thing he could think of. He stepped back and hurried to shed his clothes.
A second later he ducked his wolf head under Tom's arm and let out a low whine. Tom shrieked back but when Derek flattened himself to the floor and rested his head on his paws, Tom stopped.
"What …?" He started but couldn't quite form the question.
For a moment they just looked at each other.
On his belly and with little whining noises, and he was really glad that Stiles wasn't here to call him adorable alpha again, Derek inched closer until he could butt his head into Tom's palm.
Patting his alpha had most likely on top of his no-no list so far so Derek wasn't surprised when Tom didn't move his hand.
It took a while but in the end Tom was sitting with his back against the leg of the table with Derek's head in his lap. He was still reluctant with actually patting him but they were getting there. At the moment Tom's hand was on his neck, just resting there, and Derek thought it was a good start.
With Isaac, and to a degree Stiles as well, it had helped when he'd put on his fur. It sometimes made things easier.
Since he couldn't speak in this form the other one usually didn't feel the need to keep up a conversation but if he wanted to talk, Derek couldn't talk back or interrupt, he was bound to just listen. It helped.
"Peter never …" Tom started but bit his tongue. Derek let out an encouraging huff. "I've never touched a wolf before." He said it with such awe that Derek believed him. And it made his blood boil. Tom had been claimed, he had been part of the pack. Just as every other pack member he needed touch and closeness, it came with the bond. And he had never touched one of the other pack members? Had he slept alone night after night?
Tom must have sensed his anger and went rigid, waiting for what Derek would do next.
Slowly to not spook him Derek lifted his head and then he licked his fingertips. If it was an apology or a promise he didn't know.
Derek didn't know the details but he was getting the picture now. Over the last year the only touch Tom had gotten was when Peter had been molesting and abusing him. He had never felt the comfort of the pack, the closeness.
Those were wounds that wouldn't heal over night. If ever.
So Derek just lay there and when Tom reluctantly started to scratch him behind the ear he hummed in content.
Tom didn't start to talk. But when he started to sob and finally broke and basically collapsed on top of Derek, he let him cling to him and cry into his fur.
The others must already be sleeping in the den by the time Stiles came looking for them.
Exhausted Tom had fallen asleep on top of him and didn't even stir when Stiles came into the room.
"My dad and Melissa have crashed at Boyd and Erica's place." He said in a low voice and didn't come closer to not wake Tom. "They won't bother you tonight."
Derek let out a low wuff. He would have liked to join Stiles and the others in the den but Tom needed him more tonight.
"You're a good alpha, you know that, right?" Stiles said and through the bond Derek felt his love. He was glad for his fur so Stiles couldn't see him blush. But his mate was already out of the door anyway.
Chapter 85
Masterpost