Sapphire's Shorts | 2022/2023

Mis-Taken From Me [Steter]

Stiles was a writer, having obtained a master's degree in creative writing and literature. For the last two years he had been writing a novel. Now after several months of making sure it was perfect, he took his work to a publisher.

However, he barely got started with his presentation when he was being escorted from the premises by security. The head honchos at the Silver Spring Inc. Publishing Company threatened to sue him for copyright infringement, theft, fraud and many more if he dared to show his face there again. Stiles didn't fight them on it, feeling completely lost and numb. He didn't understand how he could be charged with such things when it was his work.

It was when Stiles was walking back to his apartment from the publishing company that he came upon a display at the local bookstore. There, in the front window, sat his book titled, He Ignited My Spark under the pen name, Mischief Managed. Stiles's eyes welled with tears of frustration. It hurt him deeply to see the name. Mischief had been his mother's nickname for him and well Stiles also adored Harry Potter. Now, both of those things felt tainted and he hated it.

It was now abundantly clear that Stiles's book had been stolen and someone was reaping the benefits of his hard work. Not only that, but they used a name that people would believe belonged to Stiles. He hated to think that someone close to him might've been the one to do this, might've been the one to betray him.

Next, he checked online and found out that the book, his book, had become the number one bestseller in the world and was being displayed in the front windows of over a hundred stores across the world. It even had the top spot on the New York Times Bestseller List which had always been one of Stiles's dream. That made this all the more heartbreaking for him.

After grabbing the bare necessities from his apartment, Stiles quickly drove home to see his husband, Peter. They lived in a country home but Stiles had been staying in the city apartment the month leading up to his presentation to Silver Spring Inc.

When he pulled into their driveway, Stiles saw that some of his friends had texted him and others had messaged him on social media. His phone was blowing up, each notification another chip against his armor and another slash of pain to his heart. Everyone was congratulating him, thinking he'd chosen a pen name.

Red_Queen: Congratulations Stiles! What do you say to a shopping trip just us two? You'll have interviews no doubt and it'll be good to get you looking the part. 💋

Catwoman: Hey Batman! Look at you go! Clever name! I approve! We're having an HP movie marathon for our next hangout!

Scarf-aholic: Hey man! Nice job on your book! I get an autographed copy right? Did you put your favorite person in it? Aka me?

Thumper: I am never wrong but apparently this time I was. So, congrats on the NYT Bestseller Bambi! We have to celebrate. Drinks are on me okay? 😉

The more Stiles read, the more depressed and hurt he became. He turned off his Jeep and headed inside, not even caring that he ended up soaked by the sudden rain. It just added to his already terrible day.

Peter was in their kitchen when Stiles arrived home. When the wolf went to greet his husband, he noticed right away something was wrong. However, before ye could ask about it Stiles silenced him with a kiss, plastered on a small smile and turned away from the wolf.

Stiles had no energy to speak, not even to his husband. He was hurt and even more so because no one had realized the book wasn't Stiles. The amber eyed man headed to the bathroom to shower and tried to forget for tonight that his work had been stolen.

Peter was one of the smartest people alive and it didn't take much to figure out what had happened. What was rage inducing was that he was the only one who had figured it out.

When he realized what had happened, Peter was pissed. His mate had gone to bed without eating supper, had curled into a small ball in the middle of their bed and was wearing Peter's clothes. The sight was setting off all of Peter's protective instincts.

With a snarl, Peter paced back and forth in the hallway just outside their bedroom door. His gums were itching and his claws kept repeatedly sheathing and unsheathing.

After a few moments, the wolf halted his movements and his mouth stretched into a malicious smirk. Oh, Peter knew exactly what he was going to do. He kissed his mate's forehead and scented him. Then he headed to his office and shut the door firmly.

It looked like it was time for the alpha to revisit his little black book and his little red book. No one who made his mate cry deserved to breathe let alone have all the accolades that were rightfully Stiles's. Oh, yes. Peter would fix this and he would do it now.