Derek bursts through the vet clinic's door in a rush, head turning right and left. The waiting chairs are empty, but he sees Danny sitting on the floor in front of ICU's door.
"Danny!" He called, stepping hurriedly to the human.
Danny looks at him and stands up immediately. "Oh thank God. Derek."
"Isaac..?" Derek asked with overwhelming fear in his voice. Allison called and informed him of what had happened. As Allison's words ran through his brain, Derek feels like both wanting to curl into a ball and ripping out someone's throat. Some bastard hurt his pup and he wasn't even there. Some Alpha he is. Fuck.
"Deaton's got him, Melissa's here to help. We don't know yet." Danny said miserably.
Derek rubs his face tiredly, he still could not believe that all this had happened. Everything was just perfect this morning for him and Stiles.
Stiles.
Derek's eyes widens as his mind sets on his pregnant mate. He looks around the waiting room again, searching for his mate in sudden panic.
Danny grips his shoulder. "Derek, calm down, Stiles' safe. He's in Deaton's office. Allison and Lydia are staying with him."
Derek doesn't wait any longer, he runs to Deaton's office to see his mate. As he focuses his senses to his mate's presence, he can hear Stiles' soft sobs and weak heartbeat.
"Stiles!" He called frantically, bursting through the office door. He then sees Stiles laying down on the long couch, his eyes are closed but not peacefully. Allison who rubs his foot and Lydia who holds his hand, turn their heads as they hears Derek's panic voice. They get up and step away immediately to give their Alpha space. Derek kneels beside Stiles and grip his mate's hand.
"Stiles.." He called, cupping his mate's cheek. Stiles is unconscious, but still sobbing softly. Stiles' face is wet with tears and his clothes are stained in dry blood and black goo.
"He passed out from exhaustion, I guess his body couldn't handle the shock." Allison explained. Worry grows instantly in Derek, he takes his car keys from the pocket of his jeans and tosses them to Allison.
"I have clean clothes in the trunk, bring them here." He instructed, Allison nods and leaves the room.
Derek gently wraps his arms around Stiles' shoulder and sits Stiles up. When Stiles whimpers, Derek hushes softly and holds him close. "Ssshh.. Hey, it's alright, I'm here." He whispered to Stiles' ear.
Stiles half opens his eyes. "D'rek.." He called weakly. "Is'c.. Is'c.." He sobbed.
"I know, I know. Everything will be alright, I promise. Come on." With the help of Lydia, Derek strips Stiles clothes off very gently. When Allison is back with his clean henley and sweat pants, Derek helps putting them on his mate.
"I w'nna see Is'c." Stiles whimpered in his half asleep state.
"Not now.. Isaac's in good hands, he will be alright. You just rest a little bit, okay?" Derek honestly doesn't even know who he's trying to convince, Stiles or himself. Isaac just has to be okay, Derek won't have it any other way.
Derek kisses Stiles' temple and lays Stiles down very carefully. Allison hands him a blanket, she must have found the supply room. Derek sets Stiles in a cocoon with it. Stiles' breathing is calming down, exhaustion pulling him into deep sleep again. Derek caresses his mate's belly, checking on their baby. The baby's heartbeat is still strong and steady, even stronger that Stiles' itself. Derek sighs in relief and leans in to kiss the baby bump.
"Be strong for your papa, okay kiddo?" He whispered. His lips quirk up slightly in pride when he feels a very soft kick on his palm. Derek kisses Stiles' forehead and stands up on his feet. "Stay with him." He said to Allison and Lydia, who just nod and take Derek's place.
Derek gets out of Deaton's office and pulls out his phone. His thumbs pressed the buttons so hard, there's a cracking sound comes from the keypad. He clenches his jaw as he waits the call to connect.
"Scott, please tell me you got the bastard who did this." He hissed at the phone.
"Derek, I think it's a hunter. You gotta look at their equipment, Man. What shot Isaac was not even human, it was a gun controlled by some computer or some crap like that." Scott answered.
Derek growls. "So you're telling me there wasn't even a trail there!?"
"No, someone was here to set it up, the scents were still notable, but they were long gone when we burst in. We found a camera attached on the window seal, they've been watching us from afar."
"Fuck." Derek cursed under his breath. "How many?"
"I smelled two humans and one werewolf."
"There's a trespasser in my territory!?" Derek roared, eyes flashing Alpha red.
"Yes, Derek, apparently so."
"Memorize the scent, Scott, all of them." He ordered.
"We all already did. You probably want to come down here and pick up the scent too?" Scott asked.
The thought of hunting and killing those sons of bitches right here right now is very tempting, Derek can feel his inner wolf growl in anger. But more nagging instinct bothers him, his fear for his pup's condition. Derek takes a deep breath to control his wolf down and leans his back to the wall. "Soon after I hear about Isaac."
"Derek, is he alright..?" Scott cut in, worry is thick in his voice.
Derek pinches the bridge of his nose. "We don't know yet, Deaton and your mom still have him."
He hears Scott huffs in frustation. "Okay. Okay, what do you want us to do now?"
Derek straightens up, regaining his composure. "Send Erica to Deaton, just in case they come here. You divide into two teams, each go to different side of the town. I want thorough trail searching, you hear me, Scott? I don't care how, we're gonna find these bastard and I'm gonna tear them apart." He hissed. For once, Scott doesn't argue with him.
"Derek." Danny called, gesturing to Deaton coming out of the ICU. Derek cuts his conversation with Scott and hangs up the phone, rushing to the vet. Deaton looks tired and the view doesn't help to boost Derek's positivity at all.
"Deaton, how is he? Is he—" Derek couldn't even think of the possibility.
"He's surviving."
Derek exhales a breath that he unconsciously held.
"But there's a complication." Deaton added.
Derek freezes. "What..?"
"The shot was this close to his heart, thankfully it missed. But Isaac won't heal, it's wolfsbane, so the problem is.."
"The bullet." Derek breathed his revelation.
Deaton confirms with a nod. "The bullet. You have to find the exact same bullet, Derek, I don't know the exact species of wolfsbane that they use. I need it to make the antidote." The vet explained.
"How long do we have?" Danny asked.
Deaton shakes his head. "We're lucky, the shot was clean through. The amount of the wolfsbane is not enough to stop his heart. Even without the antidote, Isaac won't die. He just won't get better."
"So, if we don't find the same bullet.." Danny trailed.
"Isaac won't wake up." Deaton finished for him.
Derek takes a deep breath to clear his mind. He has to arrange some plan to find those hunters and retrieve the bullets immediately.
"D'rek.."
Derek abruptly turns around to the source of the weak voice just to see Stiles walking his way with the help of Allison and Lydia. The girls just look at their Alpha helplessly, like they don't know what else to do. Obviously, Stiles was too stubborn to just lay down.
Derek rushes to his mate. "Stiles, what are you doing? You should be resting.." Derek takes Stiles from the girls, supporting him with his own two arms.
Stiles shakes his head and leans into Derek's embrace, letting his mate hold his tired body. "Derek, I couldn't pr'tect him.. I failed him." Stiles sobbed, tears falling from his scrunched eyes.
"Stiles, hey, hey, listen to me." Derek cups his mate's cheeks with his palms and locks their eyes. "It's not your fault, you hear me? It's not your fault."
Tears keep streaming down Stiles' face. "But I was right there.. And he was so close to me.. I-I should've—"
Derek shakes his head. "No, Baby, stop. Whoever did this, they already planned everything. There's nothing you could've done. Let it go, we will figure this out, okay?" Derek pulls Stiles back in and wraps his arms around him.
Stiles buries his face to the older man's neck. "I can't lose him, Derek.."
"You won't. Isaac won't die, the wolfsbane is not strong enough to stop his heart."
"He's 'kay..?" Stiles asked, the vulnerability in his voice breaks Derek's heart.
"Yes, he's just in a deep sleep. All I need to do is looking for the same bullet to identify the wolfsbane. And I will do anything in my power to achieve that. Do you trust me?" Derek asked, pulling away and wiping the tears on his mate's cheeks with his thumbs. Stiles nods, letting his mate's words calm him down.
"Good. Now I want you to lay down and rest. Al, Lyd—" Derek's cut by Stiles' squirming and shaking his head.
"No, I wanna see Isaac." Stiles demanded, trying to break free from Derek's arms around his waist. Derek can understand Stiles' instinct to be close to his injured pup, but Stiles doesn't even have the energy to stand on his own two feet right now.
"Not now, Isaac's resting, and you should too. You can see him after you wake up, alright? Deaton." Derek called the vet. Deaton is ready to check on the Alpha's mate, but Stiles is reluctant to be helped. He stubbornly insists to see Isaac.
"No.." Stiles trashed weakly, resisting Deaton's touch.
"Stiles, stop." Derek tightens his arms around his mate to stop his movement. "Hey, don't be like this, you have to look after yourself too."
"Derek, please, let me see Isaac first. Please." Stiles begged with his wet pleading eyes.
"But—" Derek stares right at those eyes and he knows he's losing, so he just sighs in defeat. "Fine, but promise me you'll get some sleep after seeing him." Derek pressed. After he gets Stiles' "promise", Derek nods at Deaton to let them get into the ICU.
Melissa smiles at them in sympathy when they come in. Isaac really looks like he's just sleeping. There's a big patch on his chest and one on his back. Two IVs are attached to his wrist, one contains nutrients to keep him going and the other contains blood to restore what was lost. But that's it. He's still breathing on his own and his heartbeat is just as strong as usual.
Derek guides Stiles to reach the spot next to the bed where Isaac lays on. Stiles reaches for Isaac's wrist and holds it like a lifeline. Derek hugs his mate from behind, supporting him who can barely stand without swaying. Stiles leans back to Derek's chest and sighs in misery, his eyes set on Isaac's angelic face. Derek nudges Stiles' temple with his forehead to comfort him.
"He's strong, he'll get through this. All Isaac needs is that antidote and he'll be good as new." Derek whispered his reassurance.
Stiles runs his fingers through Isaac's curls. "Still, I can't stand seeing him like this.." He whispered brokenly, single tear running on his pale cheek.
"I know.." Derek presses his lips on the side of Stiles' head and tightens his arms around the sad human. "I know. I hate to see him like this too."
Erica arrives not long after, reporting to Derek where the others go. She, Danny, Allison, and Lydia then join the Alpha pair, gathering around the bed where Isaac lays. The Betas just stare at their injured pack mate sadly, Derek can hear Erica whimper softly.
Everybody in the pack knows that even though Isaac was not the last bitten wolf, he is indeed the 'baby' of the pack. It's an unexplainable occurence, even Derek is not sure why it's like that. Maybe it's the hierarchy where wolfs settles their ranks in the pack. Or maybe it's not related with that at all, maybe they're just protective toward Isaac because Isaac is that kind of innocent kid who bad people seem to set eyes on. No one in the pack actually cares about the reason, it just feels that way and everyone just goes with it.
Stiles refused to leave the room, he ended up falling asleep sitting on a chair beside Isaac's bed with his head on Isaac's side. His hand still grips Isaac's wrist tightly. Derek had predicted this, so with the help of Danny, he moves the couch to the ICU.
Derek gently pries off Stiles' grip on Isaac's hand and carefully lifts his pregnant mate. Deaton and Melissa are waiting by the end of the couch, ready to examine the pregnant teenager's condition. Stiles protests in his sleep when Derek moves him from Isaac's side.
Derek whispers soothingly as he lays his sleeping mate in a more comfortable position on the couch.
"Calm down.. I'm not making you leave, Isaac is right there. You can still see him from here. I just want you to lay down."
Like hearing Derek's words, Stiles' breathing is calming down and turning into soft snores. Derek breathes in relief.
"Please make sure he's alright, Deaton." Derek said to the vet.
"I understand, Alpha Hale, your mate is in good hands." The vet promised.
Derek covers Stiles with the blanket properly and lays his hand on Stiles' belly. Derek looks at Isaac, at four Betas who gather around their injured pack mate looking like kicked puppies, and then back at the face of his sleeping mate.
"I'll set things right, Stiles." Derek said in determination. "I'll be back soon." He kisses Stiles' forehead before standing up. Deaton and Melissa take over his place to check on Stiles right away.
"Stiles is not going anywhere alone and he's not to leave this building. No one but pack comes near Isaac." Derek instructed to his Betas as he walks to the door. After he sees his Betas nod at him, Derek walks out through the door and growls. Somebody messed with his family, and he will find out who.
-----------------------
Chris Argent is busy crouching in his backyard when he hears someone growling his name from behind.
"Chris!"
He turns around on impulse. He hasn't even stood up fully, before Derek grabs the collar of his shirt and roars at his face.
"Buddy of yours shoot my pup!"
"Derek, what the hell!?" He batted Derek's hand from him. "Get off me! What is your problem!?"
"Give me names!" Derek growled. Peter and Boyd stand aside few yards away.
"What names!?"
"They were here." Boyd confirmed.
Derek growls at that and roars at Chris. "The hunters that entered my territory!" Derek's eyes flashing alpha red.
"Nephew, calm down, this isn't helping our investigation." Peter said, stepping closer. Derek is still tensed and breathing heavily, but retracting his claws and fangs away.
"You met the hunters? When?" Chris asked in genuine curiosity.
"Oh, so you know that there are new hunters coming into town." Peter stated.
Chris scoffs, feeling insulted. "Of course I do, I'm not ignorant."
"And you didn't care to tell me!?" Derek growled.
"Why should I bother, I kicked them out of town the second I caught them!" Chris spatted back.
Derek is suddenly frozen on his spot like something in him snapped. "They have gone..?" He asked shakily. Boyd fails to hold back his whimper.
Peter grips Derek's shoulder, offering strength. "Derek, we're not sure yet."
Chris cuts in. "Well, I am. My men brought in two hunters and a tied werewolf to my house this morning, reporting to me about trespassers making a commotion in the woods. After I taught those rude hunters the manners of hunting in other's people ground, I drove them out of the borderline myself." He notices the distressed expression on all the werewolves in front of him, something had happened. "What is this all about? I thought you'd be relieved to hear they were gone."
Derek pinches the bridge of his nose and rubs it as he grunts, like he suffers a really bad headache right now. Peter seems to understand and takes over the conversation.
"Isaac was shot by a wolfsbane bullet three hours ago. We smelled two hunters and a werewolf from the crime scene and now we can smell their scents here. Your rude hunters are the same hunters that shot Isaac."
"That Lahey kid? The one with the puppy eyes?" For a brief moment, there's sympathy in the hunter's eyes. "But they were long gone before he was shot, are you sure they were the shooter?"
Peter explained to Chris everything that they found in the abandoned building. "Our best hypothesis was that they had mapped out everything, coming in town to set their game into action and getting themselves 'kicked out' before it's started. We didn't catch the werewolf's scent before, and we should have if the werewolf wandered around for days. Maybe the hunters brought him with them all along for alibi." Peter added.
Chris frowns from the information and shakes his head. "Well, damn. I didn't see that one coming."
Peter sighs. "We know, your confusion gave that away. But we need to find the bullet to heal Isaac, therefore, we need to find them."
"Wait, the kid survived?" Chris asked.
Derek growls at the hunter. "What do you mean by that!?"
Chris raises his hands and gesture Derek to calm down at the same time Peter grips his nephew's shoulder to hold him back. "That's not what I meant. I was just trying to say that it's odd. Hunters as sophisticated as what you just told me, I met some before. And trust me, if they want to kill someone—or something—Derek, they won't leave room for mistakes."
"They want something from us." Peter said, everything clicks in his mind.
Chris nods. "Yes, that's how I'd play it out too. They made you need something from them, so they can propose an exchange."
"But what would it be..?" Peter wondered.
"They'd let you know, you wouldn't be able to find them. I know this game, they'd be the one to contact you." Chris said.
Derek huffs a breath in frustation. "You're probably right but I won't stop trying. Is there anything else you could tell us?" The Alpha asked.
"Their names are Brian Fold and Kirk Helsen, but in this case, I'm not sure those are real names. Do you need physical description?" Chris offered.
"Their scent is enough for us. But it'll help if you can inform Allison about that." Derek answered.
"I will." Chris said. Derek nods once and then turns to leave, but Chris calls him again.
"Derek, I'm sorry for what happened. Even in our bad days in the past, he always seemed like a good kid." He genuinely said.
Derek doesn't answer, the young Alpha only stares hardly at the ground before taking off, Boyd following on his tail.
"Don't mind him, he's just upset his pup's hurt." Peter said to him.
Chris just nods. "I understand. If the pack needs any help or information, just come."
"Oh? I can come?" Peter asked with a smirk.
"For help or information." Chris pressed clearly.
"Delightful offer, I might use it in the future." Peter flashed a foxy smile.
Chris mentally rolls his eyes, this one particular werewolf in Hale pack is really annoying. This one should have just stayed dead.
"Anyway, there's something really nagging me since I first stepped on your lawn, I just have to ask is that tomatoes behind you..?" Peter grinned playfully, peeking over Chris to see the freshly planted stick of vines on the ground.
Chris' shoulders tense, heat creeping to his face. "I believe our conversation is done here. Leave my property." He said with a cold stare.
Peter's grins wider. "Chris Argent, were you in the middle of gardening when we came here..?"
"I said leave my property, your Alpha is not even here anymore." Chris takes his gun from the back of his pants in warning.
"Okay! Relax.." Peter raises his hands up, offering peace while stepping back. "Cute hobby, by the way." He commented in a teasing tone.
Peter is gone the second Chris' bullet reaches the ground where the werewolf's shoes were.
-----------------------
As the evening goes down, Derek has to swallow the taste of defeat in his mouth when his searching party doesn't find any trail of the hunters in town anymore. Just like what Chris said, they already left.
"We will go see Isaac." Scott said softly when they get into the clinic. Derek just nods silently, everybody but him disappears through the ICU door with Scott.
Derek goes for the chairs in the hallway and plants himself on one of them. He can't bring himself to face Stiles. What should he tell his mate? Another failure? Another excuse? How can he tell his worried mate that his pup has to wait to wake up another day because his useless Alpha was successfully outsmarted?
He rests his head on the wall behind him and closes his eyes. He tries to think of another plan to do next, but all he gets in his head is a wave of fatigue. Time passes as he sits there in silence and alone, beating himself up for his crappy job as a leader and a protector.
"Derek?"
He already knows who called his name even without opening his eyes, but he does it anyway and turns his head to the voice. "Hey, how have you been?"
Stiles takes a seat beside him, leaning with his side on the back of the chair so he can face Derek. The color of his beautiful face is back, he looks better than the pale features that Derek left to sleep this afternoon.
"Stronger. After a nap and Scott's mom shoving food into my face."
Derek chuckles softly. "I should thank her for that."
Stiles' hand moves to the side of his head and scratches it tenderly. "You okay?"
Derek sighs and nods slightly. "M'kay."
Stiles' idle hand sneaks around his abs, Derek rests his hand on top of it, absorbing as much comfort as he can.
"My dad brought food. The others are eating, you want some?" Stiles asked.
Derek can't help smiling at his mate's concern, the pack 'mom' is back in charge. "Later. I have to go back out there."
A frown forms on the human's forehead. "Where to..? It's late."
"The hunters left Beacon Hills."
"Yeah, Scott already told me."
"Chris said they're likely to contact us."
"Actually, I'm thinking the same as Chris."
"Yeah well, I'm not going to just sit and wait. I'm gonna follow their trail out of town." Derek decided.
Stiles shakes his head. "Not tonight. It's been a long day, Derek, everyone need to rest."
"I know, send them home. I'll go alone on this one."
Stiles narrows his eyes at him. "When I say everyone, that includes you."
No matter how hard Derek argues, Stiles won't let him out of the door. His pregnant mate practically drags him to sit down in the clinic's kitchen and eat the chinese take out that the Sheriff had brought.
"I miss the sobbing mess I took care of earlier today." Derek complained half-heartedly.
Stiles smiles lovingly at him and kisses his cheek. "Yeah well, every rabid dog has its rainy days." He shoves a pile of food in a carton to Derek. "Now chop-chop! I'm gonna check on everyone and that better be half-finished when I get back!" The human mate threatened with a finger pointing at the pile of food before disappearing to the other room.
Stiles sends everyone home. Their pups try to reason to stay the night, but Stiles takes none of it. In the end, only the two of them stay with Isaac. The others leave with a promise of coming back first thing in the morning.
The expected call comes the next morning. Derek is sleeping on the couch with his mate pressed to his chest when Stiles' phone rings. Yes, not his, Stiles'. Derek doesn't like where this is going.
Stiles puts it on loudspeaker, answering the phone with his usual smart and snarky comebacks. They don't recognize the voice of the man that makes the call, but the man claims his boss knows them.
The phone call is short but the message is clear. The hunters indeed agree to do a barter for the bullets. The problem is, they want something that Derek will never give.
They want Stiles.
The hunters want the Alpha of Beacon Hills to hand over his pregnant mate.