As Proud as a Father

Pride

Scott sighed as he stepped out of the shower. He felt emotionally exhausted after everything he was and had been through in only a few weeks. Getting bitten, Derek, the hunters, learning control, Kate, and then Peter trying to get to him through his own mother.

Everything was piling up on top of him. The last straw was his grades. He couldn't help but fail classes with the state his life was in. It made him feel worse when he had seen that despite everything, Stiles was keeping up his own perfect grades. He didn't know how to explain it to his mom, how to tell her it wasn't his way of rebelling or something.

He had heard her on the phone to his abuela. She had been whispering, not aware of her son's supernatural hearing. She thought he was acting out because of his dad. Scott couldn't help but feel like a horrible son when he had no other excuse. He had let her believe it.

Scott very much did not care about his fathers absence, at least that's what he told himself. But he was a teenager, a growing boy, he needed love and support and guidance. His mother couldn't provide all of those things all of the time, not the same way a father figure could. Scott found himself wishing for things to be different in his life, late at night when he could forget it all in the morning.

As much grief as he had caused them, he missed his dad. He wanted him, needed him. He felt alone most of the time. It was a silly thing to feel when he had his mom, Stiles, and the Sheriff but it wasn't the same. Wasn't the same as having a father.

Scott shook the thoughts of his dad from his head as he grabbed a towel from the rack and began to dry off. He wiped the condensation from the mirror and looked himself over.

He looked as tired as he felt.

Scott suddenly froze, picking up on another heartbeat in the house. He quickly wrapped the towel around his waist and grabbed his phone from the sink to check the time.

His mother was working the night shift, there's no way she'd be home so early. If it were Stiles he'd have already broken the lock and waited in the bathroom while Scott showered, they were weird and close like that.

Derek was the only other person Scott could think of that would break in and yet he knew the second he thought it that he was wrong.

Scott extended his claws in fear as he turned the door knob and ripped open the door.

He was met with his bedroom exactly the way he left it. Nothing was out of place. He frowned as he glanced around his room. No one was there.

He took a hesitant step forward, refusing to close his eyes even to blink. He couldn't afford to let his guard down. He could still hear someone else's heart. Scott cautiously moved further into the room.

The bathroom door snapped shut behind him, disturbing the eerie silence. He spun around to face the intruder.

Peter stood there with a smirk on his face as he eyed the young boy. Scott hunched in on himself self-consciously, suddenly remembering just how naked he was.

"Scott," he greeted as though it was a normal occurrence.

"What're you doing here?" Scott glared at the man, preparing to fight.

"Now, now, Scott. Is that any way to greet a guest?"

"I don't recall inviting you." Scott bit back, his wet hair falling over his eyes.

Peter stepped forward. His smirk widened when Scott mirrored him with a step back.

"I think we need to have a little chat. Alpha to beta." Peter spoke wistfully, like he hadn't been threatening everyone in Scott's life the past few days. He spoke like they were pack. It made Scott furious.