[Teen Wolf] - Sadness is a Blessing - 3/?
Title: Sadness is a Blessing
Fandom: Teen Wolf
Pairing: Isaac Lahey/Scott McCall
Words: 6976
Summary: When Isaac doesn't respond to Derek's teaching methods, he turns to Scott for training. Lines and boundaries between friendship and something else blur and Isaac finds himself falling. Hard.
Chapter 3
When Isaac wakes up the next morning, he feels stupid. The phrase, “Everything will look brighter in the morning,” has never applied to him more than it does right now.
He rubs his eyes and fluffs his fingers through his curls and nearly laughs himself hoarse into his pillow. He knows that if Derek and Peter are in the house they can hear it and it probably makes him look silly, but he doesn’t care.
Because what the hell kind of mindset was he in last night? To think that Scott was in love with Stiles of all people. Sure Stiles is good looking. Isaac finds he quite admires those large brown eyes, but there’s a pair of brown eyes he finds so much more attractive. Scott and Stiles have been friends for years, haven’t they? Everyone in school knows them as the dynamic duo. There’s no way those two are anything but brothers.
Isaac rolls out of bed and slowly gets himself ready for school. It’s a Wednesday and that means absolutely nothing. Finals don’t start until next week, but the end of the school year buzz has already set upon the students. Isaac makes a mental list of everything he still needs to get ready by next week, including everything Scott needs to get ready, because in spite of whatever the hell happened last night, Isaac is still determined to get Scott some good grades for once. They’ve had a very dry spell on the drama front lately, and Isaac is starting to think maybe that’s why his own mind is creating drama for him.
Derek is downstairs making breakfast which is unusual. Isaac blinks the sleep from his eyes and steals a glance at his cell phone to check the time. “The full moon isn’t for another week and a half,” he says sleepily. “Post moon breakfast is a bit early don’t you think?”
Apparently, it was tradition in the Hale household to have a big breakfast after the full moon started to wane. Despite the fact that usually Derek’s family had had a nice, tasty meal of rabbits or other game, the shift always made them hungry in the morning whenever they finally woke up. While wolves may not appreciate pancakes, the human form certainly did. When Peter made it clear that he was back and back to stay-not just to lurk and offer advice, the breakfasts started again. Derek wouldn’t talk about them, but Peter would. In fact, Peter usually cooked them. So why was Derek…?
“We need to talk,” Derek says, attempting to flip a pancake and failing so that it just folds over on itself a third over. Isaac moves to sit at the table.
“I’m going to be late.”
“I’ll drive you.”
Isaac doesn’t want to pass up a ride in the Camaro so he lets his back pack drop. “What’s up?”
Derek looks uncomfortable and like he’s been forced to have this conversation by someone. Isaac briefly wonders who. “You’ve been improving.”
Isaac raises his eyebrows in surprise. Derek never compliments him. About anything. His training sessions are often filled with negative responses and more pain. If something does go right, he responds with silence. It’s either bad reinforcement or nothing at all. Isaac lights up a little at the praise.
“Don’t get let it get to your head. I know Scott is teaching you.”
“So?”
“So…” Derek looks at him like he thinks Isaac should be catching on by now. “Has he decided to join?”
Of course this conversation is going to be about that. Isaac shakes his head. “I don’t know. We haven’t talked about it. I thought you were done caring if he was a part of this pack or not?”
Derek’s face screws up into an expression Isaac can’t quite place. The faint smell of burning wafts up from the stove and Derek quickly removes the pancake and starts to pour the batter for another one. “I don’t need to remind you how small this pack is. Strength in numbers.”
Suddenly Isaac is angry, and he’s speaking before he thinks. “Strength in numbers? Why are you so bent out of shape about getting Scott into this pack? What about Jackson? Or is the fact that he spent most of this year trying to kill everyone deterring you? And what about… what about Erica? And Boyd?” Isaac swallows hard, choking a little on their names. “Have you forgotten about them so easily? I can’t even smell them anymore.”
Derek doesn’t turn from the stove. “Erica and Boyd chose to leave the pack.”
“You don’t know that.”
“I DO.” Derek says, loudly now. He turns slowly and slams the still hot skillet on the table. Isaac knows nothing about table finishes but he knows enough to know there will be a nice ring there, now. “They ran away. They aren’t coming back.”
“This is their home,” Isaac says, refusing to let himself back down. Derek’s anger is mostly for show. Isaac knows this. “They’ll come back. Now that most of the danger is gone, this is the safest place for them. They’re not stupid.”
Derek glowers.
Isaac takes a breath and continues. “We haven’t heard from that alpha pack, yet. Who’s to say they don’t have them? It’s been nearly two months. Isn’t it time we seek them out? What are they waiting for?”
Derek is silent for a moment and says, “Don’t you think I know that? I think about it every day. But we’re just not strong enough to seek them out. We can’t go on the offense until we have a good plan… a good team. And for that we need more numbers.”
“But you won’t bite anyone else.”
“No, I won’t.” Derek says as if it’s a final statement. Maybe he’s realized that everyone he bites runs away. Everyone but Isaac, and Isaac has no idea why he’s even staying anymore.
Isaac grabs the still hot pancake from the skillet that’s smoking a ring into the table and waggles it in Derek’s eyesight. “I’m going to school. Don’t bother about driving me.”
As he turns to leave, he can practically feel Derek physically slump in the kitchen, as if he’s going to throw out his last ditch effort-because he always needs to have the last word. “We need Scott in this pack. And I know you need him, too.”
Isaac hesitates for a second, but he doesn’t look back. He walks out the door, throws the pancake into the carefully trimmed hedges and runs all the way to school.
*
Throughout the entire school day, whenever Scott sees Isaac in the hallway, his cheeks darken and he turns the other way. If Stiles is close behind, he makes a weird apologetic motion toward Isaac and then turns to follow his friend. Occasionally Isaac picks up the, “Dude what is your problem?” coming from Stiles.
Despite not being able to talk to Scott like he wants, Isaac is determined not to walk the halls of the school with his head hung down. He pays attention in class. He takes notes. He doesn’t even get angry when he catches Jackson’s eye in the hallway and Jackson pouts and makes a slow motion tear glide down his cheek with his index finger. Isaac finds all of it amusing.
Not so long ago, he used to glide down the halls of this school with Erica. She’d taught him how to wear his leather jacket in a way that made it catch the air as they walked. Isaac misses that effect and wonders if he can pick up that attitude again. If he can’t have Erica here physically, then maybe he can channel her in spirit.
So he tries it. On his way to lunch he takes a deep breath and leaves his locker as if Erica were draped on his arm. A pang of loss hits Isaac’s heart but he keeps walking. If this is how he can remember Erica, then he’ll walk this way until he finds her. He can almost feel her there, the way her tiny fingers clutch at his elbow. He can even hear the sound of her hair as it falls behind her, feathering out in the same way her jacket does. He can even smell her body spray.
Except Erica doesn’t wear body spray.
Before Isaac can turn to see who is clutching his arm, a way too chipper female voice says, “Hey, Isaac.”
Isaac turns his head slowly, but he doesn’t come into contact with brown eyes and blonde hair. It’s just the opposite. His heart sinks in his chest and a cold feeling of dread comes over him. His sides give him a sudden stab of pain and he falters in his step. He can barely get out her name. “A… Allison.”
She smiles at him, but it’s a sad smile, and he knows she’s sorry for so much of what has happened. She wouldn’t be walking down the hallways of Beacon Hills High with her arm in his if she isn’t sorry. “How… are you?”
The question is innocent enough but it feels out of place. If Isaac has to fear one person in the world that isn’t Gerard, it is Allison. Her father, Chris, had been on their side during that fight-or so it seemed at the time. No, Allison is the only Argent he fears right now. He is very, very thankful she doesn’t have that werewolf sense of smell because he wants to keep his fear to himself. “I’m good.”
“That’s a lie.”
Isaac’s heart skips and not in a good way. How could she tell? She can’t possibly know something like that. He knows there’s panic in his eyes and she just laughs. “Everyone can tell, Isaac. It’s not a secret.”
“What is this, pity Isaac week?” Isaac blurts out, annoyed.
Allison stops walking and tugs on Isaac’s arm to get him to stop. He can get out of her grip easily, and he wants to, but something unseen prevents him. “I’m not pitying you. I just want to talk.”
“I haven’t done anything.”
“I never said you did. Will you stop being so defensive?”
Isaac can feel the growl building in his throat.
Allison sighs and bites her lip. “It’s about Scott. I know you two are close. I used to just talk to Stiles about this stuff but I can’t seem to get the two of them apart.”
Isaac knows the feeling, but he keeps quiet. He just lets her talk, but he raises his eyebrows to indicate that it’s okay for her to continue.
Allison lowers her voice, but Isaac has no problem hearing her properly. “It’s a stupid request, but I need to get some things back from him. I would normally do it myself but I’m not sure I can trust myself around him.”
Isaac stares at her incredulously, “What, you left a jacket at his house or something? That’s what this is about?”
Allison blushes and when she does, not even her makeup can cover it. She actually looks very lovely when she does that and Isaac can understand why Scott fell for her on a purely aesthetic level. The fact that she’s shot him twice and stabbed him is still putting his teeth on edge. “Well, not a jacket, exactly, but… yeah, basically.”
Isaac sighs and runs a hand through his curls. By now most of the people have either gone to class or to lunch. It’s just him and Allison in the halls. “Why should I do this for you?” he asks eventually.
“Because,” Allison starts out strong and then hesitates. “I don’t have anyone else to ask. If anyone else went into his room secretly it would just look weird.”
“And I won’t look weird?”
“Not if you’re his friend,” Allison says, her eyebrows crinkling in a way that shows she is beyond confused. “I thought you went over to his house all the time. Just… go grab this thing for me when he’s not looking.”
Isaac swallows, hard. “It’s not that easy, Allison. I haven’t been to his place in a long time. I’m not… I don’t even know if we’re talking right now.”
Allison laughs and it sounds like bells. “Whoever said there’s a difference between the sexes is completely wrong. Are you kidding me? Are you having a spat? Is this third grade?”
Who does this girl think she is? She doesn’t know anything. “It’s not like that.”
“Just tell me, can you do this or not?”
Isaac thinks on it for a second. He doesn’t want to, but if it gets him an in with Scott again, he’ll do it. He wants to go over to the house again. He misses the video games and peanut butter sandwiches and Melissa McCall. “I’ll do it. What do you need to get back?”
Allison smiles coyly and looks everywhere but at Isaac as she whispers, “It’s a bra.”
“What?!” Isaac says, a bit too loudly. Allison quickly scrambles her hands in front of his mouth to shush him so he repeats in a stage whisper. “You want me to get your bra?!”
“Not so loud!” Allison says anyway, eyes darting everywhere. “You already said you’ll do it, so you’re stuck. It’s black. And I need it back.”
“Why does Scott even have it in the first pla--- you know what? I’m better off not knowing.”
“He likes my scent,” she says with a shrug like this a completely normal thing.
Isaac can’t believe he’s hearing this. “I can’t believe I’m hearing this.”
“I put it in his top dresser drawer. When I went over to get my things a long while back, I must have missed it. He’s probably been too embarrassed to get it back to me since then.” Allison is still talking. Why is she still talking? Isaac knows his face is bright red. He doesn’t want to be thinking about this. This is not an ideal situation. Before he can say anything else, Allison is giving him a pat on the shoulder and smiling, “Knew I could count on you, Isaac. You’re great.”
Isaac glowers at her as she heads into the cafeteria and he proceeds to hate his life.
However, he knows what he has to do, now. Squashing down the need to shop for some rubber gloves and tongs for his daring feat, later, he makes his way into the cafeteria and makes a beeline for Scott’s and Stiles’ table. He sits down without bothering to make his way through the lunch line for any food (having strangely lost his appetite) and gives his friends a cheesy smile.
Scott shifts uncomfortably in his seat for a second but then returns the smile. Stiles looks like he wants to choke an ostrich. “Isaac. Buddy. Thank god. Where have you been? I’m so tired of listening to Scott mope all the time. Sit down. Stay a while.”
Scott is moping? Isaac quirks an eyebrow at the shorter wolf who is now slinking further into his seat. “Moping?” he says.
“Yeah,” Stiles says offhandedly, before Scott can answer for himself, “He’s being delusional and mostly just stupid and that’s coming from me-ow!” Stiles rubs at his arm where Scott has just punched him. “What? It’s true!”
Scott makes a face at Stiles just short of sticking his tongue out at him. “I’ll get it figured out, okay? Just… shut up.”
Stiles gives Isaac an exhaustive smile.
Isaac wants to just laugh and cry at the same time. He doesn’t want to think about what his brain considered truth last night. His thoughts couldn’t be further from fact. And now, what with his own head going in every which direction with Derek pulling him one way and Allison pulling him another, he doesn’t know which way to go. Sitting at the lunch table with Scott and Stiles again pulls him back into the world he’d once inhabited. The world where they were a trio. For a half an hour he can just forget everything that’s required of him. He knows it will do wonders for his stress.
“Sorry I’ve been so distant, then,” Isaac says with a shrug. “Didn’t realize I had that much of an impact. How about I come over tonight, then? We can live without studying for one night, right?” He likes to think his voice is even, and that he’s not radiating the weird combination of anxiety and happiness. To get to spend time with these two again, especially Scott, is just what he needs. And he can get Allison off his back. Win-win.
Scott gives Stile a panicked look but Stiles says, “Sure! Let’s all ride home in my Jeep. Like old times. Cool?”
“Cool,” says Isaac.
“….cool,” mumbles Scott.
*
The second the bell rings, the three of them are bursting out the doors of class and making a mad dash for their lockers. Sometime between lunch and now, Scott has pulled himself together. He’s even gone so far as to playfully shove Isaac around to make it harder for him to grab his bag from his open locker.
“You can’t stay still, Isaac. What’s wrong?” Scott teases, shoving him every time Isaac reaches for his bag. “Stop moving so much. It’s not an earthquake.”
Isaac is laughing and letting Scott push him. He’s pretty sure he can reach out and grab Scott’s wrist to stop him, but not sure enough to try. Scott has reflexes that he’s been used to for far longer than Isaac has. He’s just thinking about possibly fighting back when Stiles’ voice appears behind them. “Aw, aren’t you girls adorable?”
Both of them flush, and both of them say, “Shut up, Stiles.”
It’s a good day.
*
Isaac forgets the existence of Allison’s bra once they leave the school grounds. In fact, he may have forgotten its existence even earlier. He is so caught up with Stiles drumming out Queen songs on his steering wheel and Scott playing air guitar to really even care about women’s undergarments. He’d much rather help out with back up drums and add the occasional out of tune vocals.
When the three of them pull up to Scott’s house, Stiles turns off the ignition in the Jeep, but they continue to finish Fat Bottom Girls at the top of their lungs as they pile out. Stiles is walking backwards and dancing ridiculously up the walkway and Scott is digging around in his pockets for his house keys. Isaac watches them fondly for a moment before he happens to glance upward at Scott’s door and freezes.
Scott notices it second, and Stiles doesn’t notice until he sees the inevitable looks on Scott’s and Isaac’s faces and turns around.
There on the door, in that same black scorch mark, is the sign for the rival alpha pack.
Isaac’s blood runs cold. They all know the sign. It’s been stuck on the Hale house door for two months as a constant reminder. Despite Derek’s words that morning, Isaac suddenly feels as though he’s been procrastinating, slacking. Maybe the alpha pack is tired of the completely neutral stance Derek’s pack is taking. To act first is probably a sign of turf war or something, and this is very clearly Hale territory. The alpha pack is biding their time for something, and now, they’ve decided, is the time to act.
“How do they know where I live?” Scott is the first to speak.
“Dude, you reek of werewolf. I bet they sniffed every house in the city looking for you. Probably what’s been taking them so long,” Stiles says.
“But they just know that a wolf lives here. They don’t know who the wolf is, right?” Scott says quietly, worried.
Isaac hates seeing Scott like this. Isaac can care less if he heads back to his father’s house and sees that same symbol on the door. The alpha pack can claw the walls down for all he cares. But Scott’s home is different. His small family is different. Isaac wants to protect Scott’s mother. He wants to protect the memories here. He places a caring hand on Scott’s shoulder and the shorter boy looks up at him with worried eyes-those same eyes that worry constantly about everyone and everything, no matter what. They’d been worried for Isaac a few times, and that’s why Isaac knows Scott has a big heart. Knowing his house and his family are in danger… it might break him. “Your mom is strong, and I know for a fact she takes precautions, now, to make sure she won’t get tricked by them. They won’t be able to use her to get to you.”
Scott swallows a lump in his throat, but he doesn’t look convinced. Isaac looks to Stiles for help, but he only shrugs and says, “There’s only one way to find out.”
Scott groans and fishes out the key to his house. To everyone’s relief, the house is properly locked. Despite this, however, the three of them enter it slowly, Scott first, then Stiles, then Isaac.
“Mom?” Scott calls, more for her sake than anything. Isaac knows the second they step inside that Mrs. McCall hasn’t been home for hours. There aren’t any unusual scents around, either. It’s just Scott and his mother and Stiles.
Stiles spins around in the living room and flaps his arms in relief, “I think they just left their calling card at the door.”
“Looks like it,” Isaac says, carefully making his way to the kitchen to open the door to the basement, just in case.
There’s a thud behind him and Isaac whirls around to see Scott sitting against the wall of the kitchen floor with his eyes closed. Isaac’s eyes soften as he closes the basement door, satisfied there aren’t any creepy wolves or vampires or witches or who knows what lurking down there to nab them.
“Scott,” he says gently, wanting desperately to reach out to him. His fingers twitch with want, but he lets them rest at his side, “It’s okay.”
“Is it?” Scott asks, his eyes opening slowly. His jaw is set and his breathing is irregular. Isaac can tell he’s on the edge of shifting and his emotions are going haywire. This was not the way any of them had expected the afternoon to go.
Isaac just nods, seeking to reassure him, “She’s probably still at work. The car is gone.”
“Yeah…” he agrees. He brings his hands to his face, probably willing his claws to stay where they are.
Isaac can’t take the distance, so he closes it a bit by stepping up to Scott’s slumped form on the floor and he kneels down in front of him, ducking his head a little. “Do you want to call her, just to make sure?”
Scott doesn’t answer verbally, but he does nod and pull out his cell phone. After a few strokes of the touch screen, the faint noise of ringing can he heard from the earpiece, followed by the sound of Melissa McCall’s voice.
“Hi, this is Melissa McCall. Sorry I can’t get to my phone right now, but leave your name and number and I’ll get back to you. Thanks.”
The tone for voicemail sounds and Scott is silent for a second before he hangs up. Isaac can sense the tension build again and he quickly takes a hold of Scott’s hand, phone and all. “She’s probably just busy. She can’t keep her phone on her all the time. Can you call the nurse’s station?” He can feel the tremors in Scott’s fingertips… can practically hear the blood rushing through his body.
“Dude,” Stiles’ voice sounds from the kitchen doorway and both Isaac and Scott jerk at the noise. “Let’s just go up there and see for ourselves. No sense waiting around freaking out.” He holds up the keys to his Jeep and jingles them. “She’ll be just fine, Scott, don’t worry.”
Scott nods and Isaac relinquishes his grip on his hand, but only enough to let himself get up, then he extends his hand again to help Scott, even if he doesn’t need it. Scott seems grateful for the hand up, though, and even gives Isaac a small smile which Isaac thinks is a step in the right direction.
They all pile into the Jeep for the second time that day, but this time they don’t sing off key to songs by Queen. The ride is somber and much of it is spent with all three of them gazing out one window or another.
Instead of going straight to the parking lot once they reach the hospital, Stiles pulls up to the front and lets Scott out. “We’ll be right there. You go find her first.”
Scott just nods and dashes inside while Stiles takes the Jeep to the parking lot. Once parked, Isaac leans forward between the seats and asks, “Have you texted Derek about this?”
“Yeah,” Stiles says immediately, holding up his phone. “Did it while at Scott’s place.” A pause. “Wait, why does that fall to me, anyway?”
“You text him more than anyone I know,” Isaac says matter-of-factly. And it’s true. Derek has a specific ring tone for texts from Stiles. It’s still one of the generic ring tones that comes with the phone, but it’s still annoying to hear the deedles at random times of the day.
Stiles just shrugs, “Someone has to keep him in check if you won’t do it.”
“Scott’s probably found his mom by now. Let’s head inside.” Isaac says, desperate to change the subject. He knows he’ll probably get an earful from Derek later on why he had to hear about the symbol from Stiles and not from Isaac who is his rightful beta. But right now, he has more pressing matters to attend to-like a freaked out Scott.
Isaac and Stiles walk casually to the hospital, both very certain that Scott’s mother is blissfully oblivious to the graffiti now decorating her front door. Isaac can scent the apprehension coiling around Stiles and he’s about to ask what’s up when Stiles blurts out a “Thank you.”
Isaac looks at him, dumbfounded. “That came out of nowhere.”
Stiles shrugs and says, “Thank you for doing this, I mean. I know this isn’t how we were hoping things would turn out but… it means a lot to Scott that you’re here. So, thanks.”
Isaac’s heart thuds in his chest and he can’t stop the corners of his lips curling into a smile. He probably looks stupid trying to pull them down, so he gives up the fight and just lets his face light up. “It’s no problem. I missed you guys.”
“Yeah, yeah. Who doesn’t miss me,” Stiles says, but he’s grinning. He kicks a foot ahead of him to trigger the sensor on the automatic doors and the two of them head toward the ward where Melissa is usually stationed.
Isaac hasn’t been to the hospital as much as Stiles has, so he mostly follows the other boy’s lead. Scott’s scent is strong, but it’s masked by the thousands of scents of dying people, disinfectant, other nurses and feet. Stiles knows where he’s going, though, and soon Isaac can hear Scott’s frantic voice and Melissa’s calming tone.
“You know you can’t just visit me at work like this, Scott.”
“But mom, you don’t understand, you could have been hurt.”
“Hurt? In a public place like this?” Melissa ‘s voice is stern but it’s laced with concern. “Honey, you knew I was working. Someone would have to be pretty crazy to try a stunt like that here.” She points to a random spot in the ceiling. “Cameras, remember?”
Scott looks frustrated, but at the same time overjoyed that his mother is okay. Isaac and Stiles exchange a relieved glance anyway. Despite the fact that they knew the outcome of their trip, it’s still nice to see that nothing has happened to Melissa.
“I still want you to be safe, mom. Carry… carry those things we talked about with you okay? I’ll just feel better.”
“Okay, Scott,” Melissa’s face softens and she leans forward to press a kiss to Scott’s forehead. “I promise, okay? But you still haven’t told me why you thought I was momnapped.”
Scott looks around him. There’s people passing by in every direction, but in his search he spots Isaac and Stiles. Isaac gives a little wave. Melissa glances in the direction Scott is looking and waves back with a, “Hi boys!”
Both Stiles and Isaac nod to her and take their cue to walk up to the McCalls. Stiles lets out a, “Fancy meeting you here!” and Isaac just nods.
“I don’t want to freak you out at work, mom, but no one broke in or stole anything. There was a um… a thing and it just freaked me out.” Scott tries to explain but his mother’s face makes him falter.
“No more secrets,” Melissa says. “We talked about this.”
Scott sighs and looks toward Isaac and Stiles for help and while Isaac would love to take the responsibility of telling the truth Scott’s shoulders, he’s at a complete loss for what to say without alerting the entire nursing staff of the existence of werewolves.
Luckily, Stiles is better trained in the art of bad metaphor and just says, “Someone left us a nice present on the front door. Just think of it as a big game of door bell ditching, only with… you know.”
Melissa’s eyes grow wide and she jabs Scott in the chest with her finger. Scott winces, but Isaac doesn’t think it is from any physical pain. If anything, Melissa is probably jabbing him in the soul to the point that Isaac thinks maybe he winces a little, too. “You said all this nonsense was over!”
“Well there’s just… new stuff… now,” Scott’s demeanor has gone from excited that his mom is alive to very nearly scared of her. Well, he isn’t scared. Scott respects his mother. Isaac knows what it’s like to be afraid of a parent and Scott’s mother is someone to love and respect, not fear.
Melissa looks like she’s going to cry, but she steels herself in a way that Isaac’s pretty sure only a mother of a werewolf can and just says, “Be careful, honey.”
Scott relaxes, “I’m always careful, mom.”
Then Melissa looks directly at Isaac and Isaac knows she knows. She hasn’t seen him shift specifically, but she knows. Scott probably hasn’t told her, because to out another werewolf is the highest level of disrespect. No, Isaac’s fairly certain that Scott hasn’t had too many friends over, and now that Melissa knows Scott is a part of something bigger, she might just assume his new friends are werewolves, too. She reaches a hand out for Isaac to take and she holds it tightly. Her hands are cold from the hospital air, but soft. “If he’s not being careful, you let me know. Take care of him.”
Isaac swallows hard, knowing that it’s a big responsibility she is giving him. He makes doubly sure not to break eye contact with her as he nods briefly and just says, “I promise.” He’s telling the truth. He’s already promised to watch out for Scott anyway. There’s no way he can ever let any kind of harm ever come to him. Scott is far too important to him.
Melissa smiles and the moment is over, especially when Stiles throws his hands in the air and says, “I can take care of him, too!”
“Stiles, you just get him into trouble.”
“And I also get him out of it.”
Melissa just shakes her head sternly and says quietly. “Go home, boys. We’ll talk about this later.”
*
On the way back to Scott’s place, they all three get a text at the same time, but they don’t even have to check it to know who it is from. Scott is the first to pull out his phone and he rolls his eyes. “Guess we’re going to Happy Meadows, now.”
Isaac steals a glance down at his phone.
My house. NOW.
Typical alpha.
Stiles lets out a sigh and makes a series of turns while grumbling, “He’d better give me money for gas. This baby doesn’t eat for free.”
“You don’t have to drive us everywhere you know,” Isaac points out. “Scott and I are perfectly capable of running everywhere on our own… and you can always ride Scott’s bike.”
Stiles scoffs, “Are you kidding me? Have you seen his bike? It has a bell.”
“Don’t diss my bike!” Scott says defensively. “Besides, as awesome as running is, I’d rather not have to take a shower every time I go somewhere.”
“Derek runs everywhere… mostly.” Isaac points out.
“And how often does Derek shower?”
“Often enough,” Isaac says, staring out the window. It’s comforting to watch the trees and houses go by. He’d much rather watch Scott, but it’s too easy for Scott to catch him staring in the close quarters of the Jeep, so Isaac has to compromise, somehow. “I’m eternally grateful that I’m not paying the water bill.”
“Hah!” Scott’s voice is filled with mirth and he punches Stiles in the arm. “Maybe he’s taking a shower right now. Maybe if you’re lucky, he’ll be wearing a shirt when he opens the door this time.”
“Shut up,” Stiles says and Isaac glances over just in time to see the blush creep up on his cheeks.
Embarrassment floods the Jeep so thickly that Isaac almost wants to roll down the window and stick out his head. Scott is laughing hysterically.
Isaac is slightly confused. “But Derek never puts a shirt on after he showers. Not if he’s not going anywhere for a while.” Stiles makes a noise and grips the steering wheel harder and Scott continues to laugh. Isaac just shrugs. “I mean, generally he just wears sweats or workout pants, so he’ll probably just be in that. And he goes commando because he says it’s easier when he shifts-“
“Oh my g-Isaac. Shut UP.” Stiles retorts. Scott has tears rolling down his cheeks.
Stiles’ face is red as a beet and the embarrassment he’s letting out quickly turns into something else Isaac has recently identified and suddenly Isaac understands. He understands a lot.
“Oh,” he says.
The three of them are silent for a long while. Or rather, Isaac and Stiles are silent. Scott is still quietly snickering and trying to come down from his fit of giggles. It doesn’t last long with the amount of awkwardness that soon follows, anyway.
When Scott is sufficiently calm, Isaac cracks a smirk. He can’t help it. He’s just so happy that it’s not just him. Sure, with the way everyone treats Danny at school, Isaac knows being gay or even bisexual isn’t as big a deal as it may have been years ago. Despite that fact, it’s always scary for someone to come out like that-even if they don’t even consider themselves anything yet. Isaac himself doesn’t identify as gay, or bisexual or any of the myriad of names people have for things. Pansexual, demisexual, omnisexual, asexual, whateversexual. Isaac never found himself properly attracted anyone but Scott, before. So he’s probably Scottsexual for all he cares. He does still care what his two best friends would think, though, so the fact that Scott is completely okay with Stiles liking Derek is a good omen for Isaac. The fact that Stiles even likes Derek is also a good omen for Isaac. It explains the freak out from the night before, too, and Isaac is embarrassed all over again for thinking otherwise. Now that Isaac thinks about it, though, it makes a lot of sense. Stiles is usually the one wanting to come and see Derek, not Scott. Stiles spent a lot of time with Derek while Isaac and Scott hung out up in Isaac’s room.
But Isaac doesn’t think Derek reciprocates Stiles’ feelings at all. Stiles must know that, too, and yet he still does what he can to stay around Derek. Isaac finds it admirable, and he finds that he sees Stiles in a whole new light. He and Stiles are very similar in that they both want something they can’t have, and Isaac’s heart goes out to him.
But that doesn’t mean he still can’t tease him, so his smirk grows wider and he says quietly, almost at a mutter, “Sometimes I swear he sleeps naked.”
Scott busts out laughing all over again and Stiles grumbles underneath his breath, “I really fucking hate you.”
And yet, all three of them are back in good spirits by the time they reach Happy Meadows. It’s almost as if they’ve forgotten why they’ve been called there. So when Derek opens the front door, fully clothed and with a scowl, it takes everything they have not to erupt into fits of giggles.
The look of confusion on Derek’s face only makes them laugh harder.
Suddenly, Derek practically barks and his eyes flash red. “This is a serious matter and if you can’t handle it properly, leave and come back when you’ve grown up,” he spits out. His words instantly sober all three of them. It is instinct to bow ones head in submission to one’s alpha and Isaac soon finds himself doing just that. Once Derek seems satisfied that he’s successfully cowed the trio, he steps aside to let them in.
Peter is sitting at the kitchen table drinking something amber colored. He gives the three of them an odd look and takes a long drink. He’s usually filled with sarcastic remarks and witty banter but tonight he is silent. It causes a feeling of dread to settle in the pit of Isaac’s stomach. Isaac lets his eyes flicker to Derek.
The alpha stands at the head of the table, silently indicating that the three of them sit down around it, and they take their seats without question, all ears eager to hear what Derek has to say. All thoughts of the laughing moment they’d had earlier vanish.
“They left that mark as a warning,” Derek starts out.
“Well I could have told you that,” Peter says, swirling his drink around. Isaac realizes its apple juice and the fact strikes him as a little odd, but Peter has always been a little odd.
Derek ignores him. “It’s a warning for Scott. Scott may be a part of his own pack, but he’s still considered a lone wolf by normal pack standards, seeing as he is the only wolf in his pack.”
Isaac wants to say that isn’t true. He’s a part of Scott’s pack-in his own way. But instead he says, “So they want to kill him?”
Derek shakes his head and Isaac is filled with relief. “It’s an alpha pack. They want Scott to join them. If he refuses, then they’ll kill him.” The relief disappears.
“I’m not joining some stupid pack of alphas,” Scott says like it’s a bad taste in his mouth.
“How does that even work anyway? Is there an alpha alpha?” Stiles chips in.
Instead of Derek reprimanding him, he just looks at Stiles like he’s that dimwitted kid in class who raised their hand and accidentally got a question correct. “That’s a good question. They work as a unit. No one leader will go above the others, although sometimes that is not always the case.”
“So what does Scott do?” Isaac says, wanting to bring the conversation back to the matter at hand. He’s just promised Scott’s mother that he’ll do anything to protect Scott and he plans to start doing what he can right away. He’s already fairly certain he knows the answer, though. Derek already spoke to him about it that morning, after all.
“He needs to join a pack,” Derek says simply. “It’s either us, or them.”
“Talk about your ultimatum,” Stiles says intelligently.
Scott slumps in his seat, but Isaac can tell he’s thinking. Maybe what Derek said about a pack of alphas would ring true for this pack as well. If there was room for a whole pack of alphas to work together, then there was certainly room in this pack for two alphas. Scott must have been thinking about the same thing because he says clearly, “Derek is not my alpha and I’m not his, correct?”
Derek nods, “Correct.”
“And we work together? And discuss plans as a group?” Scott inquires.
A pause. “Yes.”
“Then I’ll do it.”
Something inside of Isaac swells. It’s like a sense of completion. He knows Scott is no doubt a member of this ragtag pack-and with Scott comes Stiles. The pack of three is now five. This will make them all stronger, and they know it.
There’s a grunt from beside Isaac and Peter stands up, finishing the last of his glass with a scowl. “Now that that’s settled. Ladies, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going out.”
No one stops him. If anything, Peter is a beta. It has to be a blow to anyone’s ego to have the sixteen year old kid he bit now become his alpha. Isaac can’t help but think pack dynamics are strange. Derek told him once before that an alpha can become a beta and that ranks change all the time, but once an alpha loses his status, chances are, he’ll want to get that status back again.
Before, Peter only had to contend with one alpha, and now he has two.
What a wonderful situation.
Except that smile Scott is sending Isaac from across the table makes Isaac quickly forget all about Peter. Scott is now officially his alpha and he is very, very okay with that.
Fandom: Teen Wolf
Pairing: Isaac Lahey/Scott McCall
Words: 6976
Summary: When Isaac doesn't respond to Derek's teaching methods, he turns to Scott for training. Lines and boundaries between friendship and something else blur and Isaac finds himself falling. Hard.
Chapter 3
When Isaac wakes up the next morning, he feels stupid. The phrase, “Everything will look brighter in the morning,” has never applied to him more than it does right now.
He rubs his eyes and fluffs his fingers through his curls and nearly laughs himself hoarse into his pillow. He knows that if Derek and Peter are in the house they can hear it and it probably makes him look silly, but he doesn’t care.
Because what the hell kind of mindset was he in last night? To think that Scott was in love with Stiles of all people. Sure Stiles is good looking. Isaac finds he quite admires those large brown eyes, but there’s a pair of brown eyes he finds so much more attractive. Scott and Stiles have been friends for years, haven’t they? Everyone in school knows them as the dynamic duo. There’s no way those two are anything but brothers.
Isaac rolls out of bed and slowly gets himself ready for school. It’s a Wednesday and that means absolutely nothing. Finals don’t start until next week, but the end of the school year buzz has already set upon the students. Isaac makes a mental list of everything he still needs to get ready by next week, including everything Scott needs to get ready, because in spite of whatever the hell happened last night, Isaac is still determined to get Scott some good grades for once. They’ve had a very dry spell on the drama front lately, and Isaac is starting to think maybe that’s why his own mind is creating drama for him.
Derek is downstairs making breakfast which is unusual. Isaac blinks the sleep from his eyes and steals a glance at his cell phone to check the time. “The full moon isn’t for another week and a half,” he says sleepily. “Post moon breakfast is a bit early don’t you think?”
Apparently, it was tradition in the Hale household to have a big breakfast after the full moon started to wane. Despite the fact that usually Derek’s family had had a nice, tasty meal of rabbits or other game, the shift always made them hungry in the morning whenever they finally woke up. While wolves may not appreciate pancakes, the human form certainly did. When Peter made it clear that he was back and back to stay-not just to lurk and offer advice, the breakfasts started again. Derek wouldn’t talk about them, but Peter would. In fact, Peter usually cooked them. So why was Derek…?
“We need to talk,” Derek says, attempting to flip a pancake and failing so that it just folds over on itself a third over. Isaac moves to sit at the table.
“I’m going to be late.”
“I’ll drive you.”
Isaac doesn’t want to pass up a ride in the Camaro so he lets his back pack drop. “What’s up?”
Derek looks uncomfortable and like he’s been forced to have this conversation by someone. Isaac briefly wonders who. “You’ve been improving.”
Isaac raises his eyebrows in surprise. Derek never compliments him. About anything. His training sessions are often filled with negative responses and more pain. If something does go right, he responds with silence. It’s either bad reinforcement or nothing at all. Isaac lights up a little at the praise.
“Don’t get let it get to your head. I know Scott is teaching you.”
“So?”
“So…” Derek looks at him like he thinks Isaac should be catching on by now. “Has he decided to join?”
Of course this conversation is going to be about that. Isaac shakes his head. “I don’t know. We haven’t talked about it. I thought you were done caring if he was a part of this pack or not?”
Derek’s face screws up into an expression Isaac can’t quite place. The faint smell of burning wafts up from the stove and Derek quickly removes the pancake and starts to pour the batter for another one. “I don’t need to remind you how small this pack is. Strength in numbers.”
Suddenly Isaac is angry, and he’s speaking before he thinks. “Strength in numbers? Why are you so bent out of shape about getting Scott into this pack? What about Jackson? Or is the fact that he spent most of this year trying to kill everyone deterring you? And what about… what about Erica? And Boyd?” Isaac swallows hard, choking a little on their names. “Have you forgotten about them so easily? I can’t even smell them anymore.”
Derek doesn’t turn from the stove. “Erica and Boyd chose to leave the pack.”
“You don’t know that.”
“I DO.” Derek says, loudly now. He turns slowly and slams the still hot skillet on the table. Isaac knows nothing about table finishes but he knows enough to know there will be a nice ring there, now. “They ran away. They aren’t coming back.”
“This is their home,” Isaac says, refusing to let himself back down. Derek’s anger is mostly for show. Isaac knows this. “They’ll come back. Now that most of the danger is gone, this is the safest place for them. They’re not stupid.”
Derek glowers.
Isaac takes a breath and continues. “We haven’t heard from that alpha pack, yet. Who’s to say they don’t have them? It’s been nearly two months. Isn’t it time we seek them out? What are they waiting for?”
Derek is silent for a moment and says, “Don’t you think I know that? I think about it every day. But we’re just not strong enough to seek them out. We can’t go on the offense until we have a good plan… a good team. And for that we need more numbers.”
“But you won’t bite anyone else.”
“No, I won’t.” Derek says as if it’s a final statement. Maybe he’s realized that everyone he bites runs away. Everyone but Isaac, and Isaac has no idea why he’s even staying anymore.
Isaac grabs the still hot pancake from the skillet that’s smoking a ring into the table and waggles it in Derek’s eyesight. “I’m going to school. Don’t bother about driving me.”
As he turns to leave, he can practically feel Derek physically slump in the kitchen, as if he’s going to throw out his last ditch effort-because he always needs to have the last word. “We need Scott in this pack. And I know you need him, too.”
Isaac hesitates for a second, but he doesn’t look back. He walks out the door, throws the pancake into the carefully trimmed hedges and runs all the way to school.
*
Throughout the entire school day, whenever Scott sees Isaac in the hallway, his cheeks darken and he turns the other way. If Stiles is close behind, he makes a weird apologetic motion toward Isaac and then turns to follow his friend. Occasionally Isaac picks up the, “Dude what is your problem?” coming from Stiles.
Despite not being able to talk to Scott like he wants, Isaac is determined not to walk the halls of the school with his head hung down. He pays attention in class. He takes notes. He doesn’t even get angry when he catches Jackson’s eye in the hallway and Jackson pouts and makes a slow motion tear glide down his cheek with his index finger. Isaac finds all of it amusing.
Not so long ago, he used to glide down the halls of this school with Erica. She’d taught him how to wear his leather jacket in a way that made it catch the air as they walked. Isaac misses that effect and wonders if he can pick up that attitude again. If he can’t have Erica here physically, then maybe he can channel her in spirit.
So he tries it. On his way to lunch he takes a deep breath and leaves his locker as if Erica were draped on his arm. A pang of loss hits Isaac’s heart but he keeps walking. If this is how he can remember Erica, then he’ll walk this way until he finds her. He can almost feel her there, the way her tiny fingers clutch at his elbow. He can even hear the sound of her hair as it falls behind her, feathering out in the same way her jacket does. He can even smell her body spray.
Except Erica doesn’t wear body spray.
Before Isaac can turn to see who is clutching his arm, a way too chipper female voice says, “Hey, Isaac.”
Isaac turns his head slowly, but he doesn’t come into contact with brown eyes and blonde hair. It’s just the opposite. His heart sinks in his chest and a cold feeling of dread comes over him. His sides give him a sudden stab of pain and he falters in his step. He can barely get out her name. “A… Allison.”
She smiles at him, but it’s a sad smile, and he knows she’s sorry for so much of what has happened. She wouldn’t be walking down the hallways of Beacon Hills High with her arm in his if she isn’t sorry. “How… are you?”
The question is innocent enough but it feels out of place. If Isaac has to fear one person in the world that isn’t Gerard, it is Allison. Her father, Chris, had been on their side during that fight-or so it seemed at the time. No, Allison is the only Argent he fears right now. He is very, very thankful she doesn’t have that werewolf sense of smell because he wants to keep his fear to himself. “I’m good.”
“That’s a lie.”
Isaac’s heart skips and not in a good way. How could she tell? She can’t possibly know something like that. He knows there’s panic in his eyes and she just laughs. “Everyone can tell, Isaac. It’s not a secret.”
“What is this, pity Isaac week?” Isaac blurts out, annoyed.
Allison stops walking and tugs on Isaac’s arm to get him to stop. He can get out of her grip easily, and he wants to, but something unseen prevents him. “I’m not pitying you. I just want to talk.”
“I haven’t done anything.”
“I never said you did. Will you stop being so defensive?”
Isaac can feel the growl building in his throat.
Allison sighs and bites her lip. “It’s about Scott. I know you two are close. I used to just talk to Stiles about this stuff but I can’t seem to get the two of them apart.”
Isaac knows the feeling, but he keeps quiet. He just lets her talk, but he raises his eyebrows to indicate that it’s okay for her to continue.
Allison lowers her voice, but Isaac has no problem hearing her properly. “It’s a stupid request, but I need to get some things back from him. I would normally do it myself but I’m not sure I can trust myself around him.”
Isaac stares at her incredulously, “What, you left a jacket at his house or something? That’s what this is about?”
Allison blushes and when she does, not even her makeup can cover it. She actually looks very lovely when she does that and Isaac can understand why Scott fell for her on a purely aesthetic level. The fact that she’s shot him twice and stabbed him is still putting his teeth on edge. “Well, not a jacket, exactly, but… yeah, basically.”
Isaac sighs and runs a hand through his curls. By now most of the people have either gone to class or to lunch. It’s just him and Allison in the halls. “Why should I do this for you?” he asks eventually.
“Because,” Allison starts out strong and then hesitates. “I don’t have anyone else to ask. If anyone else went into his room secretly it would just look weird.”
“And I won’t look weird?”
“Not if you’re his friend,” Allison says, her eyebrows crinkling in a way that shows she is beyond confused. “I thought you went over to his house all the time. Just… go grab this thing for me when he’s not looking.”
Isaac swallows, hard. “It’s not that easy, Allison. I haven’t been to his place in a long time. I’m not… I don’t even know if we’re talking right now.”
Allison laughs and it sounds like bells. “Whoever said there’s a difference between the sexes is completely wrong. Are you kidding me? Are you having a spat? Is this third grade?”
Who does this girl think she is? She doesn’t know anything. “It’s not like that.”
“Just tell me, can you do this or not?”
Isaac thinks on it for a second. He doesn’t want to, but if it gets him an in with Scott again, he’ll do it. He wants to go over to the house again. He misses the video games and peanut butter sandwiches and Melissa McCall. “I’ll do it. What do you need to get back?”
Allison smiles coyly and looks everywhere but at Isaac as she whispers, “It’s a bra.”
“What?!” Isaac says, a bit too loudly. Allison quickly scrambles her hands in front of his mouth to shush him so he repeats in a stage whisper. “You want me to get your bra?!”
“Not so loud!” Allison says anyway, eyes darting everywhere. “You already said you’ll do it, so you’re stuck. It’s black. And I need it back.”
“Why does Scott even have it in the first pla--- you know what? I’m better off not knowing.”
“He likes my scent,” she says with a shrug like this a completely normal thing.
Isaac can’t believe he’s hearing this. “I can’t believe I’m hearing this.”
“I put it in his top dresser drawer. When I went over to get my things a long while back, I must have missed it. He’s probably been too embarrassed to get it back to me since then.” Allison is still talking. Why is she still talking? Isaac knows his face is bright red. He doesn’t want to be thinking about this. This is not an ideal situation. Before he can say anything else, Allison is giving him a pat on the shoulder and smiling, “Knew I could count on you, Isaac. You’re great.”
Isaac glowers at her as she heads into the cafeteria and he proceeds to hate his life.
However, he knows what he has to do, now. Squashing down the need to shop for some rubber gloves and tongs for his daring feat, later, he makes his way into the cafeteria and makes a beeline for Scott’s and Stiles’ table. He sits down without bothering to make his way through the lunch line for any food (having strangely lost his appetite) and gives his friends a cheesy smile.
Scott shifts uncomfortably in his seat for a second but then returns the smile. Stiles looks like he wants to choke an ostrich. “Isaac. Buddy. Thank god. Where have you been? I’m so tired of listening to Scott mope all the time. Sit down. Stay a while.”
Scott is moping? Isaac quirks an eyebrow at the shorter wolf who is now slinking further into his seat. “Moping?” he says.
“Yeah,” Stiles says offhandedly, before Scott can answer for himself, “He’s being delusional and mostly just stupid and that’s coming from me-ow!” Stiles rubs at his arm where Scott has just punched him. “What? It’s true!”
Scott makes a face at Stiles just short of sticking his tongue out at him. “I’ll get it figured out, okay? Just… shut up.”
Stiles gives Isaac an exhaustive smile.
Isaac wants to just laugh and cry at the same time. He doesn’t want to think about what his brain considered truth last night. His thoughts couldn’t be further from fact. And now, what with his own head going in every which direction with Derek pulling him one way and Allison pulling him another, he doesn’t know which way to go. Sitting at the lunch table with Scott and Stiles again pulls him back into the world he’d once inhabited. The world where they were a trio. For a half an hour he can just forget everything that’s required of him. He knows it will do wonders for his stress.
“Sorry I’ve been so distant, then,” Isaac says with a shrug. “Didn’t realize I had that much of an impact. How about I come over tonight, then? We can live without studying for one night, right?” He likes to think his voice is even, and that he’s not radiating the weird combination of anxiety and happiness. To get to spend time with these two again, especially Scott, is just what he needs. And he can get Allison off his back. Win-win.
Scott gives Stile a panicked look but Stiles says, “Sure! Let’s all ride home in my Jeep. Like old times. Cool?”
“Cool,” says Isaac.
“….cool,” mumbles Scott.
*
The second the bell rings, the three of them are bursting out the doors of class and making a mad dash for their lockers. Sometime between lunch and now, Scott has pulled himself together. He’s even gone so far as to playfully shove Isaac around to make it harder for him to grab his bag from his open locker.
“You can’t stay still, Isaac. What’s wrong?” Scott teases, shoving him every time Isaac reaches for his bag. “Stop moving so much. It’s not an earthquake.”
Isaac is laughing and letting Scott push him. He’s pretty sure he can reach out and grab Scott’s wrist to stop him, but not sure enough to try. Scott has reflexes that he’s been used to for far longer than Isaac has. He’s just thinking about possibly fighting back when Stiles’ voice appears behind them. “Aw, aren’t you girls adorable?”
Both of them flush, and both of them say, “Shut up, Stiles.”
It’s a good day.
*
Isaac forgets the existence of Allison’s bra once they leave the school grounds. In fact, he may have forgotten its existence even earlier. He is so caught up with Stiles drumming out Queen songs on his steering wheel and Scott playing air guitar to really even care about women’s undergarments. He’d much rather help out with back up drums and add the occasional out of tune vocals.
When the three of them pull up to Scott’s house, Stiles turns off the ignition in the Jeep, but they continue to finish Fat Bottom Girls at the top of their lungs as they pile out. Stiles is walking backwards and dancing ridiculously up the walkway and Scott is digging around in his pockets for his house keys. Isaac watches them fondly for a moment before he happens to glance upward at Scott’s door and freezes.
Scott notices it second, and Stiles doesn’t notice until he sees the inevitable looks on Scott’s and Isaac’s faces and turns around.
There on the door, in that same black scorch mark, is the sign for the rival alpha pack.
Isaac’s blood runs cold. They all know the sign. It’s been stuck on the Hale house door for two months as a constant reminder. Despite Derek’s words that morning, Isaac suddenly feels as though he’s been procrastinating, slacking. Maybe the alpha pack is tired of the completely neutral stance Derek’s pack is taking. To act first is probably a sign of turf war or something, and this is very clearly Hale territory. The alpha pack is biding their time for something, and now, they’ve decided, is the time to act.
“How do they know where I live?” Scott is the first to speak.
“Dude, you reek of werewolf. I bet they sniffed every house in the city looking for you. Probably what’s been taking them so long,” Stiles says.
“But they just know that a wolf lives here. They don’t know who the wolf is, right?” Scott says quietly, worried.
Isaac hates seeing Scott like this. Isaac can care less if he heads back to his father’s house and sees that same symbol on the door. The alpha pack can claw the walls down for all he cares. But Scott’s home is different. His small family is different. Isaac wants to protect Scott’s mother. He wants to protect the memories here. He places a caring hand on Scott’s shoulder and the shorter boy looks up at him with worried eyes-those same eyes that worry constantly about everyone and everything, no matter what. They’d been worried for Isaac a few times, and that’s why Isaac knows Scott has a big heart. Knowing his house and his family are in danger… it might break him. “Your mom is strong, and I know for a fact she takes precautions, now, to make sure she won’t get tricked by them. They won’t be able to use her to get to you.”
Scott swallows a lump in his throat, but he doesn’t look convinced. Isaac looks to Stiles for help, but he only shrugs and says, “There’s only one way to find out.”
Scott groans and fishes out the key to his house. To everyone’s relief, the house is properly locked. Despite this, however, the three of them enter it slowly, Scott first, then Stiles, then Isaac.
“Mom?” Scott calls, more for her sake than anything. Isaac knows the second they step inside that Mrs. McCall hasn’t been home for hours. There aren’t any unusual scents around, either. It’s just Scott and his mother and Stiles.
Stiles spins around in the living room and flaps his arms in relief, “I think they just left their calling card at the door.”
“Looks like it,” Isaac says, carefully making his way to the kitchen to open the door to the basement, just in case.
There’s a thud behind him and Isaac whirls around to see Scott sitting against the wall of the kitchen floor with his eyes closed. Isaac’s eyes soften as he closes the basement door, satisfied there aren’t any creepy wolves or vampires or witches or who knows what lurking down there to nab them.
“Scott,” he says gently, wanting desperately to reach out to him. His fingers twitch with want, but he lets them rest at his side, “It’s okay.”
“Is it?” Scott asks, his eyes opening slowly. His jaw is set and his breathing is irregular. Isaac can tell he’s on the edge of shifting and his emotions are going haywire. This was not the way any of them had expected the afternoon to go.
Isaac just nods, seeking to reassure him, “She’s probably still at work. The car is gone.”
“Yeah…” he agrees. He brings his hands to his face, probably willing his claws to stay where they are.
Isaac can’t take the distance, so he closes it a bit by stepping up to Scott’s slumped form on the floor and he kneels down in front of him, ducking his head a little. “Do you want to call her, just to make sure?”
Scott doesn’t answer verbally, but he does nod and pull out his cell phone. After a few strokes of the touch screen, the faint noise of ringing can he heard from the earpiece, followed by the sound of Melissa McCall’s voice.
“Hi, this is Melissa McCall. Sorry I can’t get to my phone right now, but leave your name and number and I’ll get back to you. Thanks.”
The tone for voicemail sounds and Scott is silent for a second before he hangs up. Isaac can sense the tension build again and he quickly takes a hold of Scott’s hand, phone and all. “She’s probably just busy. She can’t keep her phone on her all the time. Can you call the nurse’s station?” He can feel the tremors in Scott’s fingertips… can practically hear the blood rushing through his body.
“Dude,” Stiles’ voice sounds from the kitchen doorway and both Isaac and Scott jerk at the noise. “Let’s just go up there and see for ourselves. No sense waiting around freaking out.” He holds up the keys to his Jeep and jingles them. “She’ll be just fine, Scott, don’t worry.”
Scott nods and Isaac relinquishes his grip on his hand, but only enough to let himself get up, then he extends his hand again to help Scott, even if he doesn’t need it. Scott seems grateful for the hand up, though, and even gives Isaac a small smile which Isaac thinks is a step in the right direction.
They all pile into the Jeep for the second time that day, but this time they don’t sing off key to songs by Queen. The ride is somber and much of it is spent with all three of them gazing out one window or another.
Instead of going straight to the parking lot once they reach the hospital, Stiles pulls up to the front and lets Scott out. “We’ll be right there. You go find her first.”
Scott just nods and dashes inside while Stiles takes the Jeep to the parking lot. Once parked, Isaac leans forward between the seats and asks, “Have you texted Derek about this?”
“Yeah,” Stiles says immediately, holding up his phone. “Did it while at Scott’s place.” A pause. “Wait, why does that fall to me, anyway?”
“You text him more than anyone I know,” Isaac says matter-of-factly. And it’s true. Derek has a specific ring tone for texts from Stiles. It’s still one of the generic ring tones that comes with the phone, but it’s still annoying to hear the deedles at random times of the day.
Stiles just shrugs, “Someone has to keep him in check if you won’t do it.”
“Scott’s probably found his mom by now. Let’s head inside.” Isaac says, desperate to change the subject. He knows he’ll probably get an earful from Derek later on why he had to hear about the symbol from Stiles and not from Isaac who is his rightful beta. But right now, he has more pressing matters to attend to-like a freaked out Scott.
Isaac and Stiles walk casually to the hospital, both very certain that Scott’s mother is blissfully oblivious to the graffiti now decorating her front door. Isaac can scent the apprehension coiling around Stiles and he’s about to ask what’s up when Stiles blurts out a “Thank you.”
Isaac looks at him, dumbfounded. “That came out of nowhere.”
Stiles shrugs and says, “Thank you for doing this, I mean. I know this isn’t how we were hoping things would turn out but… it means a lot to Scott that you’re here. So, thanks.”
Isaac’s heart thuds in his chest and he can’t stop the corners of his lips curling into a smile. He probably looks stupid trying to pull them down, so he gives up the fight and just lets his face light up. “It’s no problem. I missed you guys.”
“Yeah, yeah. Who doesn’t miss me,” Stiles says, but he’s grinning. He kicks a foot ahead of him to trigger the sensor on the automatic doors and the two of them head toward the ward where Melissa is usually stationed.
Isaac hasn’t been to the hospital as much as Stiles has, so he mostly follows the other boy’s lead. Scott’s scent is strong, but it’s masked by the thousands of scents of dying people, disinfectant, other nurses and feet. Stiles knows where he’s going, though, and soon Isaac can hear Scott’s frantic voice and Melissa’s calming tone.
“You know you can’t just visit me at work like this, Scott.”
“But mom, you don’t understand, you could have been hurt.”
“Hurt? In a public place like this?” Melissa ‘s voice is stern but it’s laced with concern. “Honey, you knew I was working. Someone would have to be pretty crazy to try a stunt like that here.” She points to a random spot in the ceiling. “Cameras, remember?”
Scott looks frustrated, but at the same time overjoyed that his mother is okay. Isaac and Stiles exchange a relieved glance anyway. Despite the fact that they knew the outcome of their trip, it’s still nice to see that nothing has happened to Melissa.
“I still want you to be safe, mom. Carry… carry those things we talked about with you okay? I’ll just feel better.”
“Okay, Scott,” Melissa’s face softens and she leans forward to press a kiss to Scott’s forehead. “I promise, okay? But you still haven’t told me why you thought I was momnapped.”
Scott looks around him. There’s people passing by in every direction, but in his search he spots Isaac and Stiles. Isaac gives a little wave. Melissa glances in the direction Scott is looking and waves back with a, “Hi boys!”
Both Stiles and Isaac nod to her and take their cue to walk up to the McCalls. Stiles lets out a, “Fancy meeting you here!” and Isaac just nods.
“I don’t want to freak you out at work, mom, but no one broke in or stole anything. There was a um… a thing and it just freaked me out.” Scott tries to explain but his mother’s face makes him falter.
“No more secrets,” Melissa says. “We talked about this.”
Scott sighs and looks toward Isaac and Stiles for help and while Isaac would love to take the responsibility of telling the truth Scott’s shoulders, he’s at a complete loss for what to say without alerting the entire nursing staff of the existence of werewolves.
Luckily, Stiles is better trained in the art of bad metaphor and just says, “Someone left us a nice present on the front door. Just think of it as a big game of door bell ditching, only with… you know.”
Melissa’s eyes grow wide and she jabs Scott in the chest with her finger. Scott winces, but Isaac doesn’t think it is from any physical pain. If anything, Melissa is probably jabbing him in the soul to the point that Isaac thinks maybe he winces a little, too. “You said all this nonsense was over!”
“Well there’s just… new stuff… now,” Scott’s demeanor has gone from excited that his mom is alive to very nearly scared of her. Well, he isn’t scared. Scott respects his mother. Isaac knows what it’s like to be afraid of a parent and Scott’s mother is someone to love and respect, not fear.
Melissa looks like she’s going to cry, but she steels herself in a way that Isaac’s pretty sure only a mother of a werewolf can and just says, “Be careful, honey.”
Scott relaxes, “I’m always careful, mom.”
Then Melissa looks directly at Isaac and Isaac knows she knows. She hasn’t seen him shift specifically, but she knows. Scott probably hasn’t told her, because to out another werewolf is the highest level of disrespect. No, Isaac’s fairly certain that Scott hasn’t had too many friends over, and now that Melissa knows Scott is a part of something bigger, she might just assume his new friends are werewolves, too. She reaches a hand out for Isaac to take and she holds it tightly. Her hands are cold from the hospital air, but soft. “If he’s not being careful, you let me know. Take care of him.”
Isaac swallows hard, knowing that it’s a big responsibility she is giving him. He makes doubly sure not to break eye contact with her as he nods briefly and just says, “I promise.” He’s telling the truth. He’s already promised to watch out for Scott anyway. There’s no way he can ever let any kind of harm ever come to him. Scott is far too important to him.
Melissa smiles and the moment is over, especially when Stiles throws his hands in the air and says, “I can take care of him, too!”
“Stiles, you just get him into trouble.”
“And I also get him out of it.”
Melissa just shakes her head sternly and says quietly. “Go home, boys. We’ll talk about this later.”
*
On the way back to Scott’s place, they all three get a text at the same time, but they don’t even have to check it to know who it is from. Scott is the first to pull out his phone and he rolls his eyes. “Guess we’re going to Happy Meadows, now.”
Isaac steals a glance down at his phone.
My house. NOW.
Typical alpha.
Stiles lets out a sigh and makes a series of turns while grumbling, “He’d better give me money for gas. This baby doesn’t eat for free.”
“You don’t have to drive us everywhere you know,” Isaac points out. “Scott and I are perfectly capable of running everywhere on our own… and you can always ride Scott’s bike.”
Stiles scoffs, “Are you kidding me? Have you seen his bike? It has a bell.”
“Don’t diss my bike!” Scott says defensively. “Besides, as awesome as running is, I’d rather not have to take a shower every time I go somewhere.”
“Derek runs everywhere… mostly.” Isaac points out.
“And how often does Derek shower?”
“Often enough,” Isaac says, staring out the window. It’s comforting to watch the trees and houses go by. He’d much rather watch Scott, but it’s too easy for Scott to catch him staring in the close quarters of the Jeep, so Isaac has to compromise, somehow. “I’m eternally grateful that I’m not paying the water bill.”
“Hah!” Scott’s voice is filled with mirth and he punches Stiles in the arm. “Maybe he’s taking a shower right now. Maybe if you’re lucky, he’ll be wearing a shirt when he opens the door this time.”
“Shut up,” Stiles says and Isaac glances over just in time to see the blush creep up on his cheeks.
Embarrassment floods the Jeep so thickly that Isaac almost wants to roll down the window and stick out his head. Scott is laughing hysterically.
Isaac is slightly confused. “But Derek never puts a shirt on after he showers. Not if he’s not going anywhere for a while.” Stiles makes a noise and grips the steering wheel harder and Scott continues to laugh. Isaac just shrugs. “I mean, generally he just wears sweats or workout pants, so he’ll probably just be in that. And he goes commando because he says it’s easier when he shifts-“
“Oh my g-Isaac. Shut UP.” Stiles retorts. Scott has tears rolling down his cheeks.
Stiles’ face is red as a beet and the embarrassment he’s letting out quickly turns into something else Isaac has recently identified and suddenly Isaac understands. He understands a lot.
“Oh,” he says.
The three of them are silent for a long while. Or rather, Isaac and Stiles are silent. Scott is still quietly snickering and trying to come down from his fit of giggles. It doesn’t last long with the amount of awkwardness that soon follows, anyway.
When Scott is sufficiently calm, Isaac cracks a smirk. He can’t help it. He’s just so happy that it’s not just him. Sure, with the way everyone treats Danny at school, Isaac knows being gay or even bisexual isn’t as big a deal as it may have been years ago. Despite that fact, it’s always scary for someone to come out like that-even if they don’t even consider themselves anything yet. Isaac himself doesn’t identify as gay, or bisexual or any of the myriad of names people have for things. Pansexual, demisexual, omnisexual, asexual, whateversexual. Isaac never found himself properly attracted anyone but Scott, before. So he’s probably Scottsexual for all he cares. He does still care what his two best friends would think, though, so the fact that Scott is completely okay with Stiles liking Derek is a good omen for Isaac. The fact that Stiles even likes Derek is also a good omen for Isaac. It explains the freak out from the night before, too, and Isaac is embarrassed all over again for thinking otherwise. Now that Isaac thinks about it, though, it makes a lot of sense. Stiles is usually the one wanting to come and see Derek, not Scott. Stiles spent a lot of time with Derek while Isaac and Scott hung out up in Isaac’s room.
But Isaac doesn’t think Derek reciprocates Stiles’ feelings at all. Stiles must know that, too, and yet he still does what he can to stay around Derek. Isaac finds it admirable, and he finds that he sees Stiles in a whole new light. He and Stiles are very similar in that they both want something they can’t have, and Isaac’s heart goes out to him.
But that doesn’t mean he still can’t tease him, so his smirk grows wider and he says quietly, almost at a mutter, “Sometimes I swear he sleeps naked.”
Scott busts out laughing all over again and Stiles grumbles underneath his breath, “I really fucking hate you.”
And yet, all three of them are back in good spirits by the time they reach Happy Meadows. It’s almost as if they’ve forgotten why they’ve been called there. So when Derek opens the front door, fully clothed and with a scowl, it takes everything they have not to erupt into fits of giggles.
The look of confusion on Derek’s face only makes them laugh harder.
Suddenly, Derek practically barks and his eyes flash red. “This is a serious matter and if you can’t handle it properly, leave and come back when you’ve grown up,” he spits out. His words instantly sober all three of them. It is instinct to bow ones head in submission to one’s alpha and Isaac soon finds himself doing just that. Once Derek seems satisfied that he’s successfully cowed the trio, he steps aside to let them in.
Peter is sitting at the kitchen table drinking something amber colored. He gives the three of them an odd look and takes a long drink. He’s usually filled with sarcastic remarks and witty banter but tonight he is silent. It causes a feeling of dread to settle in the pit of Isaac’s stomach. Isaac lets his eyes flicker to Derek.
The alpha stands at the head of the table, silently indicating that the three of them sit down around it, and they take their seats without question, all ears eager to hear what Derek has to say. All thoughts of the laughing moment they’d had earlier vanish.
“They left that mark as a warning,” Derek starts out.
“Well I could have told you that,” Peter says, swirling his drink around. Isaac realizes its apple juice and the fact strikes him as a little odd, but Peter has always been a little odd.
Derek ignores him. “It’s a warning for Scott. Scott may be a part of his own pack, but he’s still considered a lone wolf by normal pack standards, seeing as he is the only wolf in his pack.”
Isaac wants to say that isn’t true. He’s a part of Scott’s pack-in his own way. But instead he says, “So they want to kill him?”
Derek shakes his head and Isaac is filled with relief. “It’s an alpha pack. They want Scott to join them. If he refuses, then they’ll kill him.” The relief disappears.
“I’m not joining some stupid pack of alphas,” Scott says like it’s a bad taste in his mouth.
“How does that even work anyway? Is there an alpha alpha?” Stiles chips in.
Instead of Derek reprimanding him, he just looks at Stiles like he’s that dimwitted kid in class who raised their hand and accidentally got a question correct. “That’s a good question. They work as a unit. No one leader will go above the others, although sometimes that is not always the case.”
“So what does Scott do?” Isaac says, wanting to bring the conversation back to the matter at hand. He’s just promised Scott’s mother that he’ll do anything to protect Scott and he plans to start doing what he can right away. He’s already fairly certain he knows the answer, though. Derek already spoke to him about it that morning, after all.
“He needs to join a pack,” Derek says simply. “It’s either us, or them.”
“Talk about your ultimatum,” Stiles says intelligently.
Scott slumps in his seat, but Isaac can tell he’s thinking. Maybe what Derek said about a pack of alphas would ring true for this pack as well. If there was room for a whole pack of alphas to work together, then there was certainly room in this pack for two alphas. Scott must have been thinking about the same thing because he says clearly, “Derek is not my alpha and I’m not his, correct?”
Derek nods, “Correct.”
“And we work together? And discuss plans as a group?” Scott inquires.
A pause. “Yes.”
“Then I’ll do it.”
Something inside of Isaac swells. It’s like a sense of completion. He knows Scott is no doubt a member of this ragtag pack-and with Scott comes Stiles. The pack of three is now five. This will make them all stronger, and they know it.
There’s a grunt from beside Isaac and Peter stands up, finishing the last of his glass with a scowl. “Now that that’s settled. Ladies, if you’ll excuse me, I’m going out.”
No one stops him. If anything, Peter is a beta. It has to be a blow to anyone’s ego to have the sixteen year old kid he bit now become his alpha. Isaac can’t help but think pack dynamics are strange. Derek told him once before that an alpha can become a beta and that ranks change all the time, but once an alpha loses his status, chances are, he’ll want to get that status back again.
Before, Peter only had to contend with one alpha, and now he has two.
What a wonderful situation.
Except that smile Scott is sending Isaac from across the table makes Isaac quickly forget all about Peter. Scott is now officially his alpha and he is very, very okay with that.