Human is Just a Word 81/85
Chapter 81
Stiles rode with his father in the ambulance and in the light of the car he finally saw the damage. He almost fainted.
There were deep gashes over his dad's torso and was there bone showing in one place? Peter had used his claws on him and his whole upper body was soaked with blood but it looked like the ribs had protected him from more serious injuries.
"He'll be fine." One of the paramedics told him with an assuring smile and coming from a professional, Stiles believed her. When his dad had said the same earlier Stiles hadn't been convinced.
He had seen Mark back on his feet. The wolves were all a little banged up but they were already healing, Stiles could feel it. Derek was still there, a strong and pretty much alive beacon in his head.
Peter was dead.
They did it and they came out alive. Euphoria washed over him and Stiles felt like whooping and laughing and maybe a little silly dancing but he had to sit here, wedged into a corner while the paramedics were working on his dad.
Stiles saved the victory dance for later. Maybe he could convince Derek to turn it into victory sex. But that would have to wait until they got home.
At least they would be able to go home soon. John was the only one needing medical attention and at the moment Stiles hoped that a few stitches and bed rest was all he needed. Maybe a blood transfusion to replace what he'd lost.
It took him a while to notice that there was something else. Someone else. The weakest of weak connection in his mind. For a moment Stiles had totally forgotten the man who had shot Peter.
Stiles had been so concerned about this father that he hadn't paid much attention to the man but now it was hard to miss that there was a connection in his mind that hadn't been there before.
It was so weak that at moments Stiles wasn't sure if it was still there but it flared up again every single time.
They arrived at the hospital where they wheeled his father away, leaving Stiles lost and alone in the waiting room.
"Stiles?" Lydia called his name and then she was holding on to him for dear life. Shaking with sobs she just clung to him and Stiles hugged her back. He didn't even mind that her hands were up to her elbows covered in blood.
"Is any of this yours?" He asked, stroking her hair. It was matted with blood as well.
"It's his." She rested her forehead against his chest, not quite ready to let go. "It's all Tommy's."
"How is he?" He knew that Derek had bitten him to save his life but that was all he knew about this Tommy.
"Ethan." She cleared her throat and raised her hand to wipe the tears off her face but Stiles stopped her before she could smear blood all over her face. Gently he wiped the tears off with his thumb.
"Ethan, he attacked Tommy." She said. "There was so much blood. So much." Only now she seemed to notice her hands. She tried to wipe them on her pants but the blood was already too dry for that. Over the bond Stiles felt the rising hysteria and he reached for her wrists before she could work herself into a full blown panic attack.
"Let's clean you up, shall we?" He asked. He led her over to the nearest bathroom and on the way he took stock of himself. He wasn't injured but he had blood on him as well.
While they washed their hands and faces, Lydia continued to speak.
"Tommy was claimed." She said with her eyes fixed on her hands. The water running down the drain was red. "Derek bit him, you think that saved his mind?"
Stiles didn't know.
"He didn't want the bite." Lydia said in a low whisper. "He wanted to die."
That made Stiles pause. Paper towels clenched in his hands, he needed a second to process what she'd just said. Cold dread settled in his stomach.
"Derek bit him against his will?"
"What? No!" She hurried to say. "I … I ask Tommy to trust me. And he said yes."
Stiles thought about it for a moment. According to his dad Tommy had been claimed by Peter a year ago. He didn't want to think about the physical and mental damage the alpha had caused during that time. And then there was the broken bond. If Tommy pulled through and the bite took hold, which was still a big if, his body would heal but what state his mind would be in … Stiles didn't want to go there.
"He's in surgery, right?"
She nodded.
"You should be there when he wakes up."
Lydia was the only one he knew. The only one he trusted. Stiles doubted that Tommy would feel comfortable with werewolves around but he would need Derek. He needed his alpha while the bond was still forming. And he needed his alpha to control his werewolf side.
Standing in an hospital bathroom, washing blood off his hands, brought back memories of what would happen if a freshly bitten werewolf was left omega.
Stiles threw the paper towels into the bin with more force than necessary and then he hurried out of the bathroom. And ran right into his mate.
"Stiles." Derek breathed against the skin of his neck. Relief washed through him and Stiles couldn't tell if it was his or his mate's but it didn't matter. They held on to each other for a moment, nuzzling each other's neck in search for the familiar scent. They only broke apart when Lydia threatened to kick Stiles' ass if he didn't move out of the way and let her out of the bathroom.
"Everybody okay?" Stiles asked when they moved over to the waiting area. Everybody was there and even if they looked worse to wear, they were werewolves, their wounds had already healed. Which didn't have to mean that they were okay.
So Stiles made the round, hugging every one of them and let them nuzzle his neck. They needed to make sure that he was okay just as much as he did.
"We're good." Erica said but didn't even bother to stop running her nose from his collar bone to the spot behind his ear and back again.
"I called Sean to let him know we're okay and that Peter is history." Isaac informed him with grim satisfaction in his voice.
That was one thing off Stiles' to do list. And before he could think of the other things on that list, a nurse came looking for him.
"Your dad's waiting for you."
His dad was lying in a hospital bed but he was still in the ER and not in a room so Stiles figured that he would be allowed to leave soon. He had his right arm in a sling and there were bandages poking out from under the hospital gown.
"Hey." Stiles said when he entered the cubicle.
"Don't look at me like that." His dad brushed him off, when Stiles was trying to read him. "Three cracked ribs, a dislocated shoulder and stitches. I'll be fine."
Stiles wasn't that convinced. Punctured lung and concussion were on his mind and he wondered if the doctors had checked for those. They most likely had, it was their job, but a small voice in the back of his mind just didn't want to shut up about possible complications.
"Stiles." His dad drew him out of his thoughts. "Stop. I'm fine."
This time Stiles nodded, his dad would be fine.
Right on cue another nurse came in with paperwork. After that they would get prescriptions for painkillers and antibiotics and then John would be free to go.
"Just make sure that he takes it easy for a few days." The nurse told Stiles and then laughed at the sheer horror on John's face.
"Let your son take care of you for a while, Sheriff." She teased.
"You have no idea what you just did." He groaned and didn't correct her on the sheriff part. "He's going to throw the whole pack at me."
Now she did look uneasy, eyes shifting over to Stiles as if only now she remembered the rumors that were most likely going around in Beacon Hills.
"It's not like that." Stiles said but didn't know how to explain it to her. "Derek's a good alpha." He finished lamely but by then she was already hurrying to get away from them.
"Don't blame her." His dad said, shifting uncomfortably in his bed.
"I just want to go home." Stiles dropped in the chair next to the bed and reached for the paperwork. The sooner they got this done the sooner they could leave.
At least that was what he was telling himself. There was this weak little beacon in his mind that told him that they would be stuck in this hospital for a little while longer.
Tommy was still in surgery. They didn't have to work miracles, they just needed to keep him alive long enough for the bite to take hold. If it didn't take he would die anyway. But for now they could only wait.
Stiles didn't stay alone with his dad for long.
Isaac sneaked in first and just silently stepped up behind Stiles to rest his chin on his shoulder and hug him from behind. If they weren't in a hospital, Isaac would be in his fur by now but he would be equally plastered to Stiles.
Boyd and Erica were next. Erica joined the little group hug while Boyd sat down on the bed at John's other side. A minute later they were talking about the job John should have started next week at their company. Now that would have to wait for a few more weeks but that was not the point.
Stiles watched his dad and his beta, quietly talking about things he had no clue about, and warmth spread in his chest.
"He's okay." Erica whispered in his ear and slowly the tension melted out of Stiles. His dad would be okay, he had most of his pack around him and his mate was just down the hallway with the rest of the pack. For a moment Stiles managed to let go.
"Did you check for other humans?" His mind wasn't build for running idle.
"Tommy was the only one." Isaac answered with his nose still in the crook of Stiles' neck. "The rest are wolves."
That was another thing they needed to think about. Peter was dead but his pack was still there, now a bunch of omegas. As the alpha that was mainly Derek's problem but Stiles was his mate so it was his problem as well. He didn't want to take them in, most of them were assholes, but they couldn't just let omegas run wild in their territory either.
What would they even do with a territory this big? It was the old Hale territory, finally united again, and Beacon Hills had been the center of it. The alpha had always lived here but Stiles didn't know if he wanted to come back here. Could Derek hold a territory this big from the outskirts?
"You worry too much." Erica said and sat down in his lap. This way she could hug and nuzzle him without ruining her back.
Stiles uffed at the sudden weight in his lap but she just glared at him, daring him to comment on it.
Then with a snap the connection in his mind took hold. The three wolves felt it too. They all froze, eyes going distant while their minds shifted to make room for the new pack member.
"Looks like he made it." Isaac said and Stiles wasn't sure if the beta thought it was a good thing or not.
Chapter 82
Masterpost