Female Trouble

Taking a step closer to Derek, the robed woman raised a hand, the flesh marked with scars. "Alpha." she whispered, "I thank you." There was laughter in her voice at the look of confusion. "You have served to free me," Then she turned to Peter, "As have you. - You each have helped weaken the bonds that bind me to this place." Peter, Derek and Lydia, shared perplexed looks before her voice pulled their attention back. "Your hands speak for you." The woman said, gesturing with a dismissive flick of her wrist.

Raising them Peter stared, his natural blue eyes blazing with a supernatural glow. Derek caught the familiar scents of Laura and Kate's blood coating Peter's fingers, and his heart clenched painfully. Peter himself paled, inhaling a shaky breath and shook his head, staring at his hand with wide furious eyes. "I…" he met Derek's gaze, a mix of guilt and fear in their depths.

Derek flexed his fingers, noticing the tacky-ness and instantly dropped his gaze, to find his own palms were covered. He choked on the scent coming off them. "Paige?" he whispered, looking from his hand to Peter.

The cloaked woman gave a frustrated sigh and turned away from them. "What you have done in only a few years, my followers have spent centuries failing to do." She shook her head. "I have waited so long to be freed, so many centuries trapped by this…" she turned, hissing at the large tree, "cut off from those who tremble at my every word, but it wouldn't hold me completely," she stepped closer to it, scoffing. "I found a way, and soon I will be free. – Thanks to you?"

"Free? - Do either of them look like Michael Scofield to you?" Lydia mocked, her tone cool and dismissive.

The woman stopped, spinning on her heels. "Did I command you to speak?" she hissed in a snake like manner, stalking back towards Lydia. "You think to mock me?"

"Well, you do make it so easy." Lydia huffed.

"You should know your place, Pagan." The cloaked woman warned, her hand snapping out to wrap around Lydia's throat. "You have no power over me any longer." Struggling against the woman's hold, Lydia clawed her nails across her wrist, but she wasn't released, instead the strange woman simply chuckled, shaking her covered head.

"You thought to bind me here, didn't you? You thought your magic would hold me, but you were a fool. My power could not be restrained forever, and when I am free, my followers and I will lay waste to this world."

"Who are you?" Derek asked, voice surprising calm, despite the hammering of his heart.

The woman turned, her hand still firmly wrapped around Lydia's throat. "You come to a battlefield with no knowledge of your enemy?" she asked, laughing mockingly. She glanced back to Lydia, before flinging her away as if she was little more than a twig.

The teenage banshee sailed through the air to land with a sickening thud behind them and Peter tried to run to her side, only to find himself frozen in place. He shifted, baring his teeth and claws to the mysterious woman, but she ignored him, her focus solely on Derek as she stalked forward.

"Who are you?" Derek repeated, his own features shifting.

She stopped in front of him, her scarred hand lifting to brush at his transformed face. Her cold fingers trailing along his brow ridges, down his nose, and across his cheeks. "You are beautiful." She whispered.

Derek flinched away from her touch, a strong sense of déjà vu. She stared at him for a few seconds. "You come her to fight me, with no understanding of who I am, or your part in this?"

"Well we do keep asking." Peter grunted through his teeth, "Or perhaps you've forgotten your name, being locked away here for so long." He smirked coldly, his rough, gravel-like voice thick with sarcasm and distrain.

She looked over at him, shoving her hood back and Derek inhaled deeply, his heart leaping into his throat as he stared at the woman's face. "You're a Kanima?" he gasped.

She stalked towards Peter, her eyes burning with fury, rimmed with gold, ignoring Derek as she announced. "I am Stheno. Daughter of Typhon…"

"And Echidna." Derek whispered with shock, eyes searching her profile with a sudden flash of understanding. "Sister to Medusa and Euryale."

Stheno turned, fixing Derek with a surprised look. "So you know me after all?" she lifted her chin proudly.

"I…" Derek grunted, "I… I know you killed more men than your sisters combined."

Stheno grinned, her head tilting to the side. "They deserved it, each one of them. They sided with Zeus and his kin against us. – This land," she waved her hand, "The world, it belonged to us. I am daughter of the creators of this world, but it was stolen from us. First by the Titans, then by their treacherous children." She spat, swinging around with a flash of crimson robe, marching back to the tree. "My father and mother created this, and how were their children treated?" glaring furiously to the Nemeton, "Raped, hunted, cursed. – Imprisoned."

Spinning on her heels, she fixed Derek with an accusing gaze. "You wolf; your kin should have been fighting to free me, like the others of your kind, not helping to keep me trapped here."

"And why would I do that, exactly?"

Stheno tilted her head with confusion, moving closer to him once more. "You were cursed by Zeus too. You should want you're revenge."

Derek rolled his eyes, "Whatever power Zeus had once, it's gone now. No one worships the old gods anymore."

Stheno stepped closer, "Is that so?" she hummed thoughtfully, her lip curling, and Derek had the sudden feeling that he'd said the wrong thing. "There are some that follow the old ways, though." She looked over to where Lydia lay, unconscious. "Like the Darach that is trying to free me."

"Just enough to keep you trapped here." Peter said before Derek could answer.

Turning her head slowly, she fixed Peter with a murderous look, "I am growing tired of you."

Peter shrugged, "Well, don't worry, we won't be here much longer. Soon will be pulled back to our world, and then we'll kill the Darach, and you'll never be released."

She slithered over to him, her hips swaying. "If she fails, others will follow."

"You think so?" Peter scoffed, "You said it yourself; you've been trapped in that tree for centuries. Your own people brought you halfway around the world and trapped you in the veil."

Derek looked over his shoulder at his uncle, brows knitted together in confusion. How did Peter know that? Had he been keeping things from Derek too? Of course he had, Peter was almost as bad as Deaton when it came to keeping information to himself, until it served his purpose.

The woman's hand snapped forward, gripping Peter's throat and raising him off his feet. "You think to mock me? You fail to understand who holds the power here."

The sound of grinding bone had Derek panicking. "I'm guessing, it would be them." Derek grunted, nodding off into the distance as three shadowy figures appeared. He stared, straining to get a better look, but all he could see was shadows and golden mist. He turned his head, seeking Stheno out, and finding two more behind him. Each standing over a shimmering golden root. They were all fading to faring degrees. One almost completely gone. Something twisted in Derek's stomach, though he couldn't quite understand why, and a deep sense of foreboding gathered around him.

Stheno tossed Peter aside, turning to glower at the shadows. "You cannot hold me forever." She seethed, strolling casually over to Derek's side and pointing to them, "See how they have almost faded? Soon their power will have been diminished and they will no longer be able to hold me." She took a step closer to them, her voice growling louder. "The last of your kin will die, and I will be free." She yelled furiously at the shadows, "And I will destroy everything you thought to save. You will pay for your betrayal!" she screamed at them.

While she ranted frantically at them, Derek turned to find Peter had crawled to Lydia's side, lifting her to sit. She blinked, shaking her head before looking over to Derek and Stheno.

Stheno turned, moving quickly into Derek's personal space, staring up at him, her features contorted with fury, her fingers raising to grip once more at Derek's throat. "I thank you, wolf, for delivering yourself to me." Her fingers tightened and her sharp nails pierced the alpha's flesh. "I will have the satisfaction of weakening one of my bonds myself." Her eyes flickered over to the darkness where one of the shadows seemed to be struggling to move. "Leaving one less for the Darach to dispose of, and I, one step closer to freedom." tightening her grip. "And there will be no one left to stop her. She will finish the task I set her." Stheno grinned wickedly. "It is a shame, you would have made a beautiful pet." Her head tilted, regarding him with mock regret, eyes rimmed with gold.

"My pack will stop you." He snarled breathlessly, eyes flashing red at her.

The Gorgon scoffed, "Your pack?" she laughed, "Your pack is worthless. Two broken children and a failed alpha," she shot Peter a mocking grin, "They don't even have their human. Once you are gone, they will have no one to lead them." Her nose wrinkled with amused disgust. "Not that you were much of an Alpha to begin with. How could you think to lead when you do not even understand your enemies, nor the power that courses through your veins? You are weak, and thus, were never a match for me."

And with that, pain reverberated through Derek, pulsating out from her touch to course through his body, down his spine. Tearing him apart from the inside. Tearing him in two.

"You are weak." She repeated, sneering, "It is perfectly beautiful that your line should be the first to break." She grinned wickedly as his knees gave way and he crumpled to the earth, her hand never leaving his face.

Derek let out an agonizing cry. He felt as if his head was being crushed, skull shattering beneath its flesh. His vision blurring from the pain.

The last thing he heard before darkness claimed him was a loud roar and a piercing scream.

_(*-*)_/

The scream echoed painfully around his head, seeming to cut through him like a knife through butter. The feeling of being torn apart didn't fade, even while he felt the sensation of falling. Tumbling backwards through eternity.

When he finally landed, he struggled to breathe while his whole body was trembling. There was a damp hot breeze sweeping over his cheek and nose. With great effort, Derek slowly forced his eyes to open, startling when he found a set of burning red ones staring back at him.

Inhaling sharply, Derek's eyes grew wide and he quickly scrambled backwards until his back hit something solid. In front of him the wolf, its thick black fur and red gaze padded towards him. Derek swallowed thickly when the large beast stopped, its nose pressed to his own.

"Mom?" he choked out, tears burning. "I'm…sorry."

The wolf's head didn't move, its gaze locked with Derek's.

"I know." Derek whispered, trying to break eye contact, but found himself unable to move. "I'm sorry." He repeated shakily.

"You have nothing to apologize for." Reassured a voice in his head.

Finally Derek was able to tear his eyes from the wolf and stared past the beast to watch a figure emerge from the shadows. His heart hammered frantically beneath his ribs as she came into view. "Mom?" he gasped, eyes flickering between the wolf and his mother, confused.

Talia strolled closer, her fingers trailing over the back of the wolf the moment it was within reach. "Sweetheart." She whispered, crouching down next to the wolf, eyes locked with Derek's.

"I… I don't understand?" He frowned, voice trembling as he looked between them.

"I know. That's my fault." Talia sighed, shaking his head. "I should have prepared you."

"Prepared me?"

"To be Alpha." Talia clarified, her other hand reaching for Derek, cupping his cheek. "My sweet baby boy." She shook her head, tears in her eyes.

Swallowing thickly, Derek pressed his face into her palm. "I wasn't meant to be alpha."

"Weren't you?" She hummed thoughtfully. "There is such a thing as destiny my baby boy. The gods will have their way." She turned, looking at the wolf for a moment. "We are pawns in a much larger game."

"I... I don't understand. "Derek muttered breathlessly.

"I know." Talia replied, looking back to him. "And I'm sorry for that. If I'd known, I'd have prepared you, but... I was complacent. None of us believed it would ever come to pass. We arrogantly believed they could never erase the bloodlines. There are so many branches to this tree, entwined and merged with others, it seemed impossible." She sighed, shaking her head at her own stupidity, "But I… - No family is ever too far from the Nemeton. It pulls us back no matter how far we try to run."

Lowering her eyes, Talia exhaled another weary breath, "And we should have foreseen them turning us against each other. - After Joey, it should have been obvious." She lifted her watery gaze to meet her son's, "You are not to blame Derek, not for any of it. If anyone should plead for forgiveness it's me. I have set you on your destined path with no preparation for what will lay ahead."

The wolf beside her huffed, knocking its flank into her shoulder, and Talia looked at it. Derek watched as they seemed to silently communicate, his eyes sweeping over his mother's profile. She looked just as she had before her death. Her olive skin, peppered with freckles, smooth and untarnished. Nothing like Peter's had been after the fire. Nothing like what he'd spent a decade imagining. He fell the guilt slowly release the death grip from his heart, allowing it to beat normally again.

Without conscious thought, he reached out, his trembling fingers brushing at his mother's cheek. She felt so real, he could feel the softness of her skin, warm against his fingers. Then he reached for her hair, dragging it between his thumb and forefinger, just as silky as he remembered.

She turned back to him, her hand coming up to capture his. A sad smile on her face. "You have to go now, sweetheart. Cora needs you."

Derek shook his head, tears rolling down his cheeks. "I… I don't want to leave you." He choked out.

Talia sighed, cradling his neck and pulling him to her. "I know, but it's not your time. You have important things to do, the world is depending on you." She gently kissed his forehead, then lowered her own to rest against it. "You must stop the Darach," she whispered firmly, "protect the branches of the tree."

"I don't understand." Derek stammered softly, his throat thick with tears.

"Everything you need is in the vault. Trace the lines, protect those that remain."

Derek pulled back, meeting his mother's eyes. "Vault?"

Talia sighed once more, her hand brushing at her son's tear stained cheek. "The tunnels beneath the town. Everything you need is down there. – Tell Cora I love her. I love you both." Talia got to her feet, her palm still resting against Derek's skin. "And sweetheart. I'm so incredibly proud of you." She lent down and pressed another kiss to his forehead.

Derek choked out a whimper, the tears falling again as she slowly stepped away from him. Opening his eyes, Derek stared up at her, watching as she moved further and further away. Then a low growl came from the large black wolf, and Derek turned, eyes widening in shock as the beast pounced.

_(*-*)_/

Derek broke free of the water with a gasp, his hand flying to his neck as his heart thundered in his ears. His whole body shook, though whether that was from the ice water or the adrenalin, he couldn't tell. It took a few seconds for the fog of terror to clear. The image of the giant wolf's jaws, the phantom memory of them closing around his throat, haunted him for a few more seconds. Finally the memory faded and the bright lights of Deaton's clinic blinded him.

He startled as hands gripped his arms, pulling him free of the water. He looked around to see Isaac and Peter worriedly staring at him.

"We thought we'd lost you." Peter panted, his hands trembling as they held Derek's left arm.

Setting his wet foot on the cold tiles, Derek shook his head, blinking. "I…" he swayed and both sets of hands held on tighter.

"Are you okay?" Isaac asked fearfully.

Sending the beta a reassuring nod, Derek allowed the pair to guide him over to a chair. Before he was even fully seated, a thick blanket was being draped around him, and he looked up to see Nick. "Thank you." Derek muttered breathlessly, gripping the edges and gently shaking off the other man's hands, before focusing on Peter, who was staring down at him, still dripping wet. "You're still h-here?"

Peter shifted, "Wasn't going to let either of these," he jerked his head, "claim the Alphadom when you croaked."

Derek narrowed his eyes at his uncle, before huffing out an amused laugh. "If I'd croaked, it would have gone to Cora. - Assuming she's still alive." He added gloomily.

"Are you alright?" Peter asked, crouching down in front of his nephew and gripping his covered shoulder, eyes searching his features. "I was sure she was going to kill you."

"She?" Jackson frowned, looking between them.

"She tried." Derek whispered, "But…." Shaking his head. Now that he'd regained his equalibrium, he let his gaze travel around the room.

Jackson and Isaac stood shoulder to shoulder just behind Peter. Derek looked from his uncle to Jackson, eyes flickering between them as he took in the similarities in their appearance. How he hadn't noticed them before he couldn't understand, they seemed so obvious now. His thoughts trembled over one another as he replayed what they'd seen. Jackson was his cousin, his blood. – But he was also an Argent. Kate's nephew. Part wolf, part hunter, and he had no idea. If it weren't so tragic, it would be funny. Derek thought.

They would have to talk about it. He couldn't imagine how it was going to go, with the tension and anger already palpable between the pair, thanks to Peter's relationship with Lydia.

"Lydia?

Peter inhaled sharply. "I don't know."

"Go." Derek ordered.

Peter stared at him with surprise, even as he got to his feet. "Are you…?"

Derek gave a nod, which was all the permission Peter seemed to need, because without even grabbing his shoes, he sprinted out of the door, almost colliding with the Sheriff. Derek looked at the older man and his heart skipped, guilt tightening in his gut. He was so focused on John Stilinski, he ignored Jackson's indignant demands to know where Peter was running off to, or what it had to do with Lydia.

"Sheriff?"

John moved hurriedly into the room, twisting as Jackson raced out past him.

"Jackson!" Derek yelled, "Get back here!" he heard the teenager slide to a halt at the front door, then reluctantly backtrack to the doorway.

"She's my…"

"Not anymore."

He fixed Derek with a hard angry glare, and the Alpha sighed, saying nothing more, instead turning back to the Sheriff. The last thing they needed was Peter and Jackson getting into a fight.

"What did you find out?" John asked with an eerie sense of calm. "Do you know where he is?"

Derek focused on his boyfriend's father, his stomach twisting in knots when he opened his mouth to reply. "She doesn't have him."

"What?" The Sheriff frowned. "Then whe…?"

"Manticore." The Alpha announced flatly.

John froze, his eyes staring into the younger man's. He turned away and a loud bang echoed around the room as John kicked furiously at the metal cabinet. Out of the corner of his eyes, Derek saw Isaac flinch and take a step back, the air suddenly growing thick with fear and anxiety.

"Sheriff!" Derek growled, calling the man's attention.

Turning sharply, the older man looked ready to yell, but followed Derek's eyes as they flickered over to Isaac. In an instant John stilled, a look of horror and regret filling his face. "Oh god." He scolded himself, shaking his head and holding up his hands. "I'm sorry son."

There was a tense moment where everyone stared at the young beta as he pressed his back against the wall. Then he exhaled a slow breath. "I-It's alright, Sheriff."

With the young man's forgiveness, John turned his attention back to Derek. "Are you sure?" he asked, almost pleading for Derek to change his answer.

"I saw him myself."

"What?" The Sheriff frowned.

"He was in the back of a van surrounded by armed guards. They had… tattoos." He said meaningfully.

John dragged his hand through his hair and began to pace the room. "I hoped… - How wrong is it that I'd hoped he'd been taken by some supernatural creature?" the man scoffed bitterly. "At least then, we'd have a chance at getting him back."

Derek shoved himself to his feet, the blanket falling to the floor, and straightened to his full height. "We will get him back. I swear it." He promised fervently.

John looked at him sadly, shaking his head. "There's no way…"

"We'll find a way. I'm not… - I'm not losing him too." Derek announced with conviction. There was another few seconds of silent tension, only broken when the Sheriff inclined his head in agreement. "But first, I need to find my sister, Erica, and Boyd.

"Do you know where they are?" Isaac said breathlessly, the scent of fear seeping away. Twisting his head to meet the young beta's gaze, Derek shook it. "So we're no closer than we were before this." Isaac snapped angrily.

Derek shared the teenager's frustration. They'd been hunting for Erica and Boyd for months. "I swear, we'll find them."

"Before she kills them?" Isaac argued weakly, tears pooling in his eyes.

"So what's the plan?" Jeremy asked and Derek turned, finally acknowledging the other alpha's presence. "My mom mentioned tunnels beneath the town. She said everything we need to know is down there."

_(*-*)_/

As Derek cut the engine, his gaze flickered to the rear view mirror, watching as the sheriff's car pulled up behind them. He'd told the man they could handle this, but it seemed John Stilinski was just as boneheaded and determined to interfere, as his son. Sighing, Derek climbed out of the SUV, followed swiftly by Isaac and Jackson, who hovered on the other side of the car, watching him.

Sandwiched between the SUV and the sheriff's patrol car was Nick's rental, the two visiting werewolves stepping out. Derek had tried to tell them to leave, as politely as he could, but Jeremy had put up too good an argument for having them stay, reminding him he was a new alpha going up against an incredibly powerful emissary, and he only had two teenagers for back-up. Derek had argued he had Peter, except for the fact that Peter wasn't there, was he?

So despite how absolutely uncomfortable it was to have his ex, who he hadn't actually officially broken up with, hanging around, Derek had reluctantly accepted their help. "Show our guests inside." Derek ordered Isaac and Jackson, "I'll be there in a few minutes."

Jeremy gave him a respectful nod and followed after the two teenagers, Nick trailing after his after. The patrol car door slammed closed and the sheriff strolled closer, his eyes fixed on Derek, while his hand rested on his weapon. – More out of habit than threat, Derek thought.

"Sheriff, I told you, we can handle this. You should be looking into the woman Isaac told you about."

"Oh yes, the African-American woman on a motorcycle with a barcode on her neck." John grumbled, "I'm sure she's just hanging out at the local Wendy's."

"Sheriff…"

"I'm the Sheriff here, Hale, it's my responsibility to capture…."

"And I'm the Alpha." Derek interrupted sharply, "This, the supernatural threatening this town, it's my responsibility, just as it was my mother and grandfather, and every alpha going back generations." The Sheriff opened his mouth to argue, only for Derek to continue over him, his tone softening somewhat, "There is also the fact that you're Stiles father and if anything were to happen to you, he'd never forgive me, so go back to the station and I'll drop by when we're done."

John bulked at the order, swallowing thickly at the brief flash of red in the younger man's eyes, but then he blinked and shook it off. "I don't care what you are Hale!" the man stated firmly, his back straightening, "I'm coming with you!"

"No!" Derek slammed his own car door, making the vehicle jerk onto its far wheels before settling back on all four. "This is too dangerous and I don't want the news of your death to be the first thing I share with Stiles when I find him."

"I can take care of myself." John seethed indignantly, his hand tapping at his gun, as if that made a point.

Derek scoffed, rolling his eyes. "You're human." He said as if he were talking to a child who couldn't understand why he wasn't allowed to jump off the roof in a superman costume.

"So is my son!" John argued, "And you've been allowing him to…"

"No, he's not." At the hurt look that passed over the older man's face, Derek inhaled sharply, realizing just how that must have sounded, "I mean…" he cleared his throat, "He's not human." He clarified quickly, taking a step forward and lowering his voice. Not that it would stop anyone from hearing what was about to be said. – But given the choice between breaking Stiles confidence and possibly leading John Stilinski into a dangerous situation, he figured Stiles would forgive him. "He's never been human," he continued, staring at the man, "Not completely anyway. He's…" Amazing. Incredible. The best thing to happen to me. "He's a soldier. He has strength and instincts, and skills that surpass even my own, and I'm a werewolf. Stiles has been saving my life, and the lives of others, for over a year. There are times when he's more of an Alpha than I am." He smiled sadly, "And if he were here, I wouldn't hesitate for a second to take him with me, but… you're not him."

John's shoulder's slumped, the fight in him seeming to completely evaporate in an instant, he lifted his hand from his gun and instead slipped both hands into the pocket of his trousers. "Only human." He muttered to himself, lowering his gaze to stare at his work boots. "And not his…." John shook his head and inhaled, raising his gaze, "You should go do what you need to. I'll…." He sighed, turning slowly to head back to the car.

Derek stared at the man, a heavy weight settling in his stomach as he took in the Sheriff's appearance, the shadows beneath his eyes, and the lines making him look older than his years. The stress of the past year and a half, etched into each of them. The way his whole body seemed to crumple in on itself. The familiar bitter scent rolling off the man as he walked away, reminding Derek of his room back in New York, those first few years.

Like a bolt of lightning, Derek suddenly gets it. For months, Stiles had been telling him that his father doesn't see him as his own. That John is distant and cold, and blames him for being different. – Only, that's not it, not at all. It's fear. Fear of not being strong enough to protect Stiles. Fear that Stiles doesn't think of him as his father. Fear of what Stiles had been keeping a secret the past year and a half. - Fear of what will happen when they come for him.

But there's also regret. For not being his father. Not been the man he thinks Stiles deserves. Not being enough.

"He's not…" Derek sighed, dragging his hand through his hair. "Sir? He doesn't help me, us, because he's some kind of super soldier, he helps because it's the right thing to do. He helps because he wants to keep this town safe, and keep his friends and family alive. – Because you raised him to care about others."

John turned his head, hands shaking as he holds the car keys. "That was his mother."

Derek shook his head, "No, it was you. Mrs Stilinski taught him to fight, to be a soldier, but it was you, you taught him to care. You taught him to put others before himself. – Even if it means exposing his secret. – Because you raised him to do the right thing, no matter what."

Memories flooded Derek's mind. That first year of Stiles being there in the middle of every dangerous situation. Sure, Stiles was able to defend himself, but Derek hadn't known that then, had he? But he'd been exceedingly grateful for the annoying teenager's presence. How different might his life have been if Stiles had listened to his mother, instead of following his father's example? How dead would he be? "Whatever his DNA says," Derek added, smiling over at the older man, "whatever you believe, he's your son. - Through and through." With that, Derek turned to head into the house. "So let's go."

Derek doesn't wait for the Sheriff, taking the steps two at a time and bursting into the house to find everyone sat anxiously waiting for him. There's a sudden flood of adrenalin in his body that has his heart racing. When he hears the Sheriff's feet cross the threshold, Derek marches determinedly to the basement, everyone shuffling to follow after him.

While he'd only been in the basement that morning, it feels as if he hadn't been there in years. His eyes travel over to where Stiles little work station is set up and his heart clenches with sadness, he hears the Sheriff's heart do a little jump too and glances over to find him staring.

There's the sound of footsteps above them, then the heavy feet on the stares. Derek turned in surprise to find Peter and Lydia. "What are you doing here?"

"Lydia!" Jackson gasped, hurrying over to where she was leaning heavily on Peter's arm.

"I'm fine, Jackson, just a couple of cuts and bruises."

"You were in a coma." John remarks, disbelievingly.

With a flick of her hand, she dismisses his concern and looks at Derek, "Are you alright? I… I tried…"

Derek smiled, "I'm fine. But you shouldn't be here."

"That's what I said, but…" Peter grumbled beside her.

"This is exactly where I need to be." Lydia argued firmly, shooting Peter a scathing look. "Besides, you're going to need this jerk, and he refused to leave." Derek met her gaze searchingly, "I swear, I'm fine."

There was a moment of silence before Derek exhaled and nodded.

Stepping forward, Derek reached for the giant heavy bookcase that concealed the tunnel entrance, pulling it out to reveal the dark recesses beyond. He'd considered sealing them, the tunnel and the basement, but Stiles had convinced him it would be stupid. They needed a way to escape the house, just in case, and the basement would make an excellent training room/office. Derek had reluctantly conceded, with much grumbling. Now he was glad he'd listened to Stiles. – He was always glad to have listened to Stiles.

Despite allowing the tunnels to remain, Derek had sworn never to step foot in them again. - When Kate had killed his family, she'd seal their escape, allowing everyone to get as far as the intersection before discovering they'd been trapped, which left the stone tainted with the scent of death and ash, haunting him. Reminding him of his greatest sin. He heard Peter's sharp intake of breath, and the uptick of his heart, and knew that his uncle felt the same way.

"You okay?" Nick asked from behind him, the man's hand gentle on his back for a brief few seconds, before it was snatched away, as if burnt.

Giving a brief sharp nod, Derek forced his feet to move, stepping reluctantly over the threshold and into the darkness. A second later a bright beam of light illuminated the area and he turned to regard the Sheriff.

Slowly Derek led the way down the tunnel, Peter at the rear of the line. Derek kept his gaze fixed ahead and tried to breathe in a little as possible. The tunnels were centuries old, here long before Beacon Hills itself.

As a child, Derek remembered stumbling down into them, just the once. He'd gotten lost, and when his dad had finally found him, hours later, shivering and curled in a ball in a dank corner beneath... Derek's heart skipped at the memory as it grew clearer the further he moved into the darkness. The memory of a stone room, ivy hanging from the ceiling and a giant carved Triskelion behind him.

They came to the junction, and Derek looked around the darkened abyss, uncertain which way to turn. If it were an escape, they'd turn left, which would bring them out into the woods. This wasn't an escape however, and Derek couldn't remember which way would lead them to what he now thought may have been the vault.

"Derek?" Isaac said quietly from his side.

When Derek turned to regard him, the teenager was pointing to a marking on the wall. It took his werewolf senses to see the Triskelion painted into the brick, and he smiled to himself. Twisting his head, he looked at the opposite wall and found nothing. "This way." He whispered, turning right, grateful the mountain ash Kate had used a decade ago, had long since been blown away.

_(*-*)_/

They kept a reasonable pace, conscious of the Sheriff and Lydia, which meant it took them almost twenty minutes before they reached what seemed to be a dead-end.

"Well that wa..." Jackson began to grumble, only for Peter's hand to land over the beta's mouth, his eyes flashing blue in warning.

Jackson glared at him as Derek stepped up to the wall, closing his eyes and stretching out his senses to hear beyond the stone. There was movement and quite broken whimpers, angry muffled sounds.

"She knows we're here." Lydia said, seconds before the wall exploded out towards them.

Derek reacted quickly, throwing himself over the Sheriff, stone showering painfully down on his back. He heard Lydia squeal, before she inhaled deeply and screamed. It was as if he were back in the veil, the pain ripping through his head, feeling as if it were about to explode like a scene from Scanners. Making the decision to protect the Sheriff over himself, Derek clamped his hands down hard over the man's ears and suffered the agony of the banshee scream.

As Lydia's scream died, Derek leapt to his feet. Despite his vision being blurred and white, the mix of dust, blood and tears making it near impossible to see, Derek rushed forward, colliding with an enormous body. Thick rough fingers curled around his neck and he felt his feet leave the floor. His heart pounded in his ears as his back hit the wall. He could hear the sound of angry growls and scuffles, and tried to see what was happening, but his view was blocked by the large unfamiliar werewolf, the creature leaning its face closer until its damp breath played over Derek's own.

"Save her." The beast whispered, meeting Derek's eyes. Something in the giant's blue eyes seemed familiar but before Derek could place it, he was flying through the air, landing with a grunt in a large room.

Opening his eyes, he stared up at a familiar vine covered ceiling.

Twisting his body he leapt to his feet, ready to fight the large werewolf again, only to find the creature beyond the rubble, holding a young werewolf, who Derek could only assume was Alicia, while Isaac, Peter and Jeremy held Boyd down as he tried to free her. Derek frowned, then turned his head, only to be met with a cloud of dust.

Staggering backwards, Derek coughed, rubbing furiously at his eyes. He heard Peter and Nick yell his name off to his left, but he couldn't focus, his body felt as if it were on fire, and his legs became weak. He crumpled to the ground and gasped in breath.

"You're a little late for our date, Derek." Snarled a female voice, and he blinked back the tears in his eyes to focus on her face.

"Je-nnifer?" He frowned, confused.

"But you know what they say, better late than never." She reached for his throat, squeezing tightly and forcing him to his feet. Her other hand outstretched towards the enterence, using what power she had to hold his pack at bay. Her golden eyes blazing with anger, "I should have known I couldn't trust you." She spat before turning back to Derek. "At least now I can drop the pretence."

"Pretence?"

"To get you here," Jennifer informed flatly. "I have you and your sister, I can break the first seal in a single night."

Derek stared at her, his body limp from the wolf's bane, and his mind growing foggy. Jennifer scoffed, shaking her head. "Don't tell me you haven't figured it out? I suppose I shouldn't be surprised," she dragged him over to a large round plinth, hoisting him up on the cold stone as if he weighed nothing. "Your emissary is a disgrace." She looked to her left, forcing Derek's head to follow her gaze, where he saw the crumpled body of Deaton, blood pooling around him. Derek's eyes widened in surprise.

"The fool thought to make a deal with me, thought that if he brought me two of the seals, I'd allow him to share in my glory." She scoffed with disgust. "He didn't even know he was a seal himself." She laughed. "You should be grateful I punished the treacherous bastard."

"L-look who's talking?" Derek wheezed, fighting against her hold, so as to look around, but her grip only tightened as she forced him to meet her eyes.

Jennifer stared at him, brow raised. "Meaning?"

"You killed your pack." Derek reminded her with disgust.

"My pack?" She scoffed, "I have no pack. I was simply doing what others would not." At Derek's obvious confusion the woman continued. "They turned a blind eye while the Alpha stalked and turned innocent young girls, but not before he used them for his own sick desires." Her nose wrinkled and tears filled her eyes. "Everyone stood by and let it happen, let Ennis do as he please, even my own mother. – But not me, I wouldn't allow it to continue. So I killed them. I killed them all. Every member of that pack, who stood by and allowed him to take this innocent girl." She waved to the threshold, where the giant wolf held Alicia. "Then I came seeking sactuary, only I was too late. That was when I heard her, the goddess herself. I had begun to doubt her, but she revealed herself to me." Jennifer's voice grew wistful and she smiled, "She praised me for my courage and begged my help. I couldn't deny the Goddess, could I? All I have to do was help release her and she'd give me the power to destroy them all."

"So you've been killing innocent people?" The Sheriff called from the threshold, "You're no better than this guy you killed."

Jennifer spun around, eyes blazing gold, "I'm nothing like him. They had to die, to free the goddess and purge the world of evil men."

"You're insane." Jackson muttered.

Jennifer narrowed her eyes and released Derek, letting his body crumple down against the stone plinth as she took a small step towards the threshold, her power still holding them back, "Jackson Whittmore," she hummed, "Or should that be Hale? Not that you're a real Hale, are you? I mean, not the same way Derek is? - But you are an Argent, so you're on my list."

"What?" Jackson frowned, scoffing disbelievingly at her announcement.

"You so nearly escaped, but luckily the Goddess knows everything, and once I'm finished with these," She gesture to where Derek was perched up against the stone plinth, then over to where an unconscious Cora was stretched against the wall, flanked by a pale and half-starved Erica, and two terrified McCalls. "I'm coming for you."

Peter stepped instinctively in front of Jackson, his eyes blazing blue. "You'll have to come through me." He threatened and Jennifer laughed.

"Now you're going to play the protective caring father? Where was all that parental devotion when you were stealing his girlfriend?" Peter's shoulders curled forward defensively and he let out a furious growl, ignoring her question and Jennifer cackled, shaking her head. "You think you can stop me? You're not even an Alpha anymore, and will never be again. I'll take that boy and I will bleed him dry," her words turning low and husky. "If you're lucky, you'll have enough time before the Goddess rises to bury him beside his mother and brother."

Turning back to Derek, she gasped, staggering back, eyes wide as she stared into blazing red eyes surrounded by deep black fur. A loud growl echoed around the chamber as the wolf bared its teeth before pouncing.

Jennifer's scream echoed off the old stone as Derek caught her off guard, landing on her chest and sinking his teeth into her throat, shaking his head to tear at the flesh and break the bone. Her blood pooling around them, the life fading from her wide horrified eyes.

Stepping back, Derek raised his snout, blood dripping from his fur and looked over at his pack, all of them staring at him with wide shocked eyes. Huffing at them, Derek turned, padding over to where Cora and Erica sat. Melissa startled at his approach and pulled Scott closer to her defensively, but Derek ignored the thick air of fear that suddenly surrounded the pair, stopping in front of the pale blonde, he looked at her with green eyes that were more human than Alpha, and Erica let out a whimper, before jerking her weak frame forward to wrap her arms around the wolf's neck.

"Thank you, Derek. We shouldn't have left. I'm so sorry." She wept into his fur.

Derek pressed his snout into her neck, inhaling her scent and huffed out his forgiveness. After a few seconds he pulled away and Erica reluctantly released him.

He heard movement behind him as the others piled into the room, Isaac carefully moving over to Erica, while the Sheriff hurriedly help Melissa and Scott to their feet, allowing them to shuffle away from the large black wolf, but Derek's sole focus was on his sister. She was still unconscious, features drawn and pale, and Derek poked at her cheek with his nose. He let out a whine then laid his head across her chest.

"M-Mom?" She whispered weakly, her eyes fluttering open slowly. "M-mom-my?" Then with a choking sound, she rolled to her side and vomited. The blackish bile, dotted with mistletoe, landed inches from his paws, and he let out another whine.

Derek needed to change back, so he could hold her, comfort her, but he didn't know how. Hell, he didn't even know how he'd transformed in the first place. He'd just…felt this overwhelming need to kill Jennifer and protect his pack. Had seen the wolf in his head and then, bam, he was stood on all fours, covered in fur and feeling twice as powerful as he had before. – But how did he stop being…

A cough to his right, had his head turning to see the Sheriff carrying over his abandoned clothes. "You might want to put these back on, son."

Looking down at himself, Derek inhaled sharply as he stared at his naked human flesh. Hurriedly he took the clothes from the older man, and stepped into his jeans, not bothering with his shoes or shirt.

Dropping back to his knees beside his sister, he reached out to drag his fingers through her knotted damp hair. "Hey, Gidget?"

Cora's gaze took a few seconds to fully focus on him, and then a tear rolled down her cheek. "Del?" she sniffled, "Del?" It came out as a broken heart wrenching whine and Derek instantly pulled her up and into his arms.

She clung to him weakly, her arms not quite having the strength to hold him tight. "I… Del, I thought you were…dead." Cora wept into his shoulder. "She t-told me you'd…"

"Shhh, it's alright sweetheart, it's alright. I'm here?"

"L-Laura?" Cora asked into his shoulder.

With tears pooling in his eyes, Derek pressed his hand to the back of Cora's head and turned his face to whisper into her ear. "I'm sorry."

He didn't need to clarify, Cora understood and instantly she crumpled in his hold, shaking as she cried for the loss of a sister she'd already thought dead.

After a minute of Cora crying and the others standing awkwardly around them, Derek scooped his sister up and turned to leave.

"Derek?" Peter called after him, "What about?" He gestured to the twins and Boyd, who was looking at Erica tearfully, the tang of guilt and regret rolling off him in waves, while Peter gave Alicia a sharp jerk by the arm.

Derek looked between them all and sighed, "Bring them, I'll deal with them once I have Erica and Cora settled."

"And them?" John asked, jerking to the bodies on the floor.

"Later." Derek replied, marching out of the chamber, his sister curled into his chest.

_(*-*)_/

Derek stared at the large chamber, his heart twisting painfully at the memory it caused to resurface. He could almost hear the pained moans of Paige as he dragged her through the tunnels from the high school, hoping to get her to his mother. Convincing himself that she'd help, that she's save the girl in his arms, yet knowing there was nothing she'd be able to do.

He stood where she'd died, unable to go any further, Derek unable to force the heavy stone door. Swallowing thickly, Derek scrubbed at his eyes and stepped further into the room, turning to take in his surroundings. For the first time he noticed the walls, filled with books and scrolls. The four other entrances, each with a different symbol carved into the stone. Symbols he'd seen in the veil. Each leading to a certain location around the town, and in the center a large stone plinth.

Stepping closer Derek stared down at it. Carved into it, spreading out from the center, was a tree, each branch graced with a name. "A family tree." He whispered to himself, his mother's words finally making sense.

Derek stepped around it, his fingers tracing over the branches, reading the names.

"It's not over, you know?"

Derek startled, looking over to where Nick stood awkwardly on the ruined threshold, his arms folded and his shoulder pressed to the wall. "I know." He replied tightly.

"They'll keep coming." Nick muttered, his eyes drifting to the plinth. "They'll keep trying to free her?"

Derek's fingers grazed over his family name, staring down at it with pride. "And we'll keep stopping them." He announced confidently.

When he looked up, Nick was staring down at his feet, the toe of his expensive Italian shoe kicking at the rubble. "I guess that means you won't be coming back to New York?"

Derek froze, his back stiffening as he stared at his ex. "Uh, No. – I'm… I've…"

"Found someone else," Nick smiled regretfully. "So I gathered."

Derek lowered his head, pulling his fingers away from the cold stone and sliding both hands into the pockets of his jeans. "I'm sorry. I… - I'm probably should have…called or…"

"Emailed?" Nick smirked, huffing out an unamused laugh. "A text to say it's over may have been good."

Derek's shoulders slumped, "I'm sorry, I… - Honestly," he started, looking up to meet Nick's eyes apologetically. "I thought it was over, we'd been drifting apart for months. Ever since…" He looked at Nick, not needing to mention the death of the other man's father. "And it's not as if I planned it. I didn't plan any of it. Staying here, meeting Stiles. – Falling in love." He choked out the last bit. "It all just… happened."

Nick shrugged nonchalantly, though his words belied his supposed ease, "It's not like we were engaged or anything. I mean, I wasn't planning a big gay werewolf wedding." He scoffed, "And it's not as if I haven't…" he lowered his gaze once more, kicking at the dirt, "I've been…you know, seeing people." He sighed, wearily, turning his body so his back was against the wall. "Ever since my dad," he shrugged, "I've just been..."

Derek frowned, an unexpected wave of hurt and disgust rippling through him. "Spreading your seed." He spits out bitterly, even though he doesn't really have the right to feel righteous, or even jealous.

Nick hears the abhorrence in Derek's tone and turns angrily to him, "I'm the last of my family line, Derek, I need…."

"And if I'd decided to…"

"But you aren't, are you? You've found someone else. – And you're not in any position to pass judgement on me, at least my new… well, they're not jail bait." He shot Derek a judging look.

Derek deflated, knowing Nick was right. "He's not… – It's not…" he sighs, dropping his gaze. "You're right, I'm sorry."

They stand there in a thick uncomfortable silence, Derek staring down at the family tree once more, his mind choosing to focus on that rather than the awkwardness of the conversation. At least until Nick speaks again,

"Besides," the man sighs, "Even if you did want me, I couldn't… You're an Alpha now?"

"So?" Derek frowned, looking over at him, confused.

"So, my father's dead, I've taken his place at Jeremy's right hand."

"I… I thought Clay was…?"

Nick smiled, shaking his head. "You've got a lot to learn, Derek. Clay's the enforcer, the one that does all the dirty jobs. I'm Jeremy's right hand, I'm the one that he turns to for advice, to help fix those things that can't be mended by Clay's claws."

Derek lowered his gaze thoughtfully. "And that's how it works?" he tried to think back to his own pack, but he had no memory of the actual pack business, no one expecting him to be alpha. -I should have prepared you.

The sound of a phone buzzing, has Nick digging into his pocket with a sigh, "Jeremy." He answers Derek's unspoken question. Returning it to his pocket, Nick meets Derek's green gaze. "If you've got questions, Jeremy would happily be willing to help. He's a good Alpha, even if he's a little…strict."

Derek nods, aware of just how strict the man was, from what Clay and Nick had told him. Stepping around the plinth, Derek followed Nick back along the tunnels and up into the house where Jeremy was waiting.

"Are you sure you don't want us to take the girl?" Jeremy offered again, "Logan might be able to help."

Derek shook his head, as hard as it was having Alicia Boyd around, as out of control and angry as she was, Derek didn't think separating her and Boyd again, would help either of them recover. "We'll deal with it, as a pack."

Jeremy stared at him for a long moment, before sighing and giving the fellow alpha a nod of approval. "Well, if you change your mind, or if you want me to send Logan down, just give me a call." Derek smiled gratefully, then followed them to the door, then out to their rental car. As Nick strolled over to the car, Jeremy waited, turning back.

"Derek?"

"Yeah?"

"Be careful." Jeremy warned in a low voice. "I don't know what Manticore is, exactly, but… I know it's connected to the Emissaries, and whatever they've got planned."

Derek stared at the alpha, trying not to flinch. "Don't worry. We can handle it."

Despite looking unconvinced, Jeremy gave a sharp nod, holding out his hand for Derek to shake, then turned to leave. "If you need anything, you know where to find us." He said before sliding into the car.

Nick met his eyes over the open car door, then inclined his head in farewell. The car had barely travelled a few feet before his cell began to ring in his pocket.

"Sheriff?" he answered, eyes never leaving the tail lights as they finally vanished behind the trees.

"Derek, you need to come to the station, it's about Stiles."

"I'll be there in twenty minutes." Derek replied, hanging up and turning back to the house.

_(*-*)_/

There was a loud rattling in Stiles head and his whole body ached. Two car accidence in the space of a couple of months is a hell of a coincidence. Frankly, when it comes to his life, he feels like he should just be one's an incident, two's a pattern, three…well, three is where the shit hits the fan.

Moaning at the noise in his head, Stiles tries to bring his hand up to rub at his temple, only… Only it won't move. He can't move. Fuck. Fuck.

Stiles eyes fly open and he finds himself staring up at sterile white plastic, the loud rattling sound coming from all around him. His heart begins to race and he can't breathe, panic weighing down on his chest. He tries to move his head and look down at himself, but something is holding him down. Yanking on his hands again, Stiles realizes there are straps encircling his wrist, and his ankles.

The panic turns to fear and his heart feels as if it's about to burst out of his chest. "Hello!" he yells, but gets no answer. "Hello, I'm… Hello, is anyone there! Doc? Melissa? – Dad?" he yells at the top of his lungs, fighting against the restraints.

"Stop moving." Orders a cold deep voice.

"Hello? Where am I?" Stiles calls back, tears beginning to burn behind his eyes. He can feel his body beginning to tremble as a seizure slowly builds in his body. "Hey? Can you hear me? I want to talk to my dad? Hey!" he screams, but then his throat begins to close up around the words and he's dragged back into the darkness.

A/N: And that's that. – Well, at least for now. I'll be back with a sequel (possibly a third part after that), don't worry. – And this time, it will get written, I swear. I wouldn't leave you all hanging like this. I wouldn't leave Stiles and Derek separated. (Assuming the EU doesn't screw us all over, that is. If they do, I'll find a way to get the story out there.)

Anyway, I can't wait to hear what you all think of this?