The Hell You Came From [Derek/FemStiles]

True Alpha

“St-Stiles...” Derek stutters. His hands grip the edge of the couch, his heart strains to keep itself steady, his brow is creased with deep concentration as he tries to let his mother see it all as clearly as possible.

Stiles’ name is the only word he can produce above all the whimpers of pain and shivers of shame. Her face is the only thing he can make himself focus on, just so that he doesn’t fall completely apart.

“Easy, my darling. Almost done.” Talia lifts her other hand–no claws–to run gentle fingers through his hair; knowing the touch will help keep him grounded.

“Mhm.” Derek mumbles out through gritted teeth, his breath stuttering lightly as he forces himself to stay calm.

Talia sees it all. In those few moments her claws are sunken into the back of her pup’s neck, she sees the monster.

She sees Kate seducing her boy.

She sees Derek, helpless as he falls in love with her.

She sees their disgusting lovemaking (disgusting, because she knows it was all a manipulation, right from the very start.)

She sees Kate promising Derek the world, and in return, she sees Derek all but worshipping the monster disguised as a goddess.

Then, she sees the cages; sees the fighting rings...

She sees the way Derek fights back.

Then, she sees the moment he gives up...

Talia doesn’t know how she still can’t smell the mistletoe still deeply lodged in his every fibre when she sees the evil hunter using the herb to keep her precious boy from shifting.

Talia doesn’t fucking know how she keeps her anger to a barely audible snarl under her breath as she sees Kate torture Derek, over and over again.

Sees Kate abuse Derek.

Sees Kate humiliate Derek.

Sees Kate lying in a pool of her own blood on the ground...

Talia backs up through his memories at that, finally seeing the moments he feels the most shame around.

(The Alpha would laugh, if her cub wasn’t so distraught.)

She sees, through her son’s eyes, Derek is panicking about what to do after stumbling upon the blueprints to the Hale Manor; the plans to burn it to the ground with all Hale members still inside.

She sees Derek confronting Kate, sees Kate lunging for him, forcing him back into his cage.

She sees Kate reaching for the mistletoe toe when she should have reached for her gun first.

She sees Derek snap Kate’s wrist and shove her backwards after tearing the jar from her hand and throwing it aside.

She sees Kate then reaching for her gun, sees the hunter fire off a few rounds.

She sees Derek managing to dodge all bullets, except for the last one.

She sees Derek grab the gun, sees him snap that wrist, too, sees his other hand grab tightly at her throat.

And then, finally, she sees...

Talia gasps softly in shock. Though, she feels a morbid sort of pride at she looks down in her mind with Derek and sees Kate’s still beating heart in their hand. She may feel impressed, but she can feel her son’s horrific shock at what he had just done.

Talia finally pulls her claws back, smiles softly as she watches her claw marks healing instantly right back up and leans down to press a gentle kiss to the already fading scars.

Derek gulps silently, takes another few deep breaths to steady his nerves. He finally opens his eyes as he hears his mother walk around the couch. She sits down beside him, smiles softly as she takes one of his hands into both her own.

“My brave boy.” Talia reaches out her other hand to run her fingertips across his weary brow.

Derek scowls. “Brave?” He puffs out a bitter chuckle. “I’m a complete dumbass. When the others find out, they’re never gonna let me live it down.”

Talia scowls back at him. “They will not.” She sternly bites out.

Derek finds himself smiling as his mind flashes back to Stiles; “You will not do that!!”

Talia throws him a cutesy knowing smirk, but sighs tiredly and gives his hand a soft squeeze. “You let yourself suffer, because you believed if you didn’t, your family would be in danger.” She explains simply, shoots him that proud smile now as she leans over to give his cheek a peck. “My darling, if you wanted to, you could be a True Alpha some day. You’ve certainly got the heart for it.”

Derek blushes deeply at that. “Yeah, I don’t think so.”

Talia chuckles, gives his cheek another peck. “And that’s exactly why you’ll never be one. You don’t want to. And that’s fine, too.” She grins as she lets his hand go in favour of looping his arm with hers. “I adore how passionate you are about your wonderful little library, darling. At least one of my children chose a career that doesn’t give me anxiety.”

Derek would chuckle, only, he’s frowning as he says, “I know you’re trying to be supportive, and you know I always appreciate that, but you always make me sound like a total loser, you know that?”

Talia smirks up at him as she rests her chin on his shoulder. “Well, I don’t think Stiles has ever thought you were a loser. So don’t you worry your pretty little head about it.”

Derek blinks as she pecks his cheek and rises from the couch. “Wait–what??”

Talia rolls her eyes, but is still smirking as she says, “Whenever Claudia used to have to bring Stiles with her, that girl could never take her pretty doe eyes off of you.”

Derek scowls. “Why don’t I remember?”

Talia chuckles at his sweet expression. “Darling, you were barely five years old and completely obsessed with dinosaurs to care about a three year old girl staring at you.”

Derek sighs out his relief, even chuckles lightly as he says, “OK. Good.”

Talia pats his chest before walking to the door. “Now, we will talk again later. Go get properly dressed and join Stiles for dinner.” She smiles knowingly as she opens the door and quickly scents the air. “The poor girl hasn’t eaten a bite yet.”

This grabs Derek’s concern as he rises from the couch. “Is she–“

“She’s alright. She’s just waiting for you. She’s worried about you.” Talia smiles softly just as her son’s expression softens. “Don’t let what happened with Kate, or Paige, even...don’t let any of it effect how you feel about Stiles.”

Derek smiles back at that, his reply immediate, “I don’t think anything could ever effect the way I feel about Stiles. It’s like whatever it was I felt was instant. It’s never felt like that before.”

Talia smiles knowingly, but doesn’t say a word.

(She knows she doesn’t have to.)