Unexpected

Chapter Twenty: Search and Rescue

Poor sweet Scotty. When will he ever catch a break?
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"Has anyone heard from Scott?" Stiles expressed his concern once the entire pack, Melissa, Peter, and his dad settled in.

Derek had been watching him carefully the entire time making sure he wasn't stressing himself out too much. Derek was sure half of the pack was doing the same and the other half was trying to figure out where the hell Scott was. None of them had heard from him in a week, of course Melissa had reported him missing after he didn't come home from his walk.

"No, he's not answering any texts or calls." Kira shook her head biting at her thumb nail.

Stiles sighed frustrated and took a seat on Derek's lap. Derek wrapped an arm around his waist and murmured soft comforting words. John had gone over his notes three times maybe more, but he had no lead on where the wolf could be. Stiles fidgeted in Derek's lap now facing the older male.

"We need to set up a search party." Stiles spoke with determination that Derek didn't like.

"Stiles, you can start straining yourself." Derek frowned, "the rest of the pack and I will go out and keep you updated."

"I'll put in a search party at the station and we should be out by the morning." John announced.

"Good." Melissa nodded even though you could tell she wanted more to be done, "I'll head to the station with you."

John nodded standing up and grabbing his keys. Melissa stood up with him her eyebrows etched together, Stiles had never seen her so nervous and it was making him anxious. Derek rubbed soothing circles on Stiles's waist smelling the anxiety coming off of him.

John turned back and looked towards Stiles, "be careful please."

"Promise." Stiles nodded and his dad smiled walking out the house with Melissa right behind him.

"Okay." Stiles stood up from Derek's lap his tone strict, "we're doing rotations."

"Rotations?" Liam looked up and Stiles nodded.

"Partners will be going into the woods on rotation." Stiles elaborated and Derek thought his idea over.

"I think you're forgetting about school." Derek pointed out a flaw and Stiles rolled his eyes, "We've already looked through the entire woods and he's not there I say we track him."

"Track him?" Stiles scoffed, "His phone is dead."

"That's not what I meant, Sti." Derek didn't want to upset him so he eased his tone and softened his stare, "I meant we have Malia and I sniff him out."

Stiles could see the change in Derek's face and he instantly relaxed, "Okay, but if that doesn't work we do rotations."

"Okay, Malia let's go." Derek stood up facing Stiles.

"Do you want backup?" Isaac commented and that's when Derek smelled it.

Isaac's anxiety. He hadn't smelled that on the beta in months, but now he was noticing that Isaac had been acting off for a while. He raised an eyebrow at him and nodded his head yes. Any help is better than no help.

"Isaac, I want you to keep an eye on Stiles." Derek ordered, "Kira you're with Malia and Liam you're with me." 

"What!" Isaac stood up abruptly, "why can't I go?" 

"Because emotions blinds you." Derek glared at him, "and we don't need you getting hurt..or worse killed."

Both Isaac and Stiles were gaping at the Alpha suddenly aware of how much Derek cared about the entire pack. Malia and Kira were already out the door and Liam was waiting for Derek by it. Isaac closed his mouth and huffed at the older man nodding. Derek gave Stiles a short, tender kiss before looking at Isaac and then Lydia.

"Take care of him for me you two." Derek squeezed Stiles hand.

"Can you act like you're coming back, please?" Stiles gave him a weary smile.

"I'll be back." Derek smiled before walking out the door and guiding Liam towards the woods.

Stiles shut the back door and looked back at Isaac who had taken a seat with his head in his hands. Stiles sat by him as did Lydia and they both rubbed his back in a comforting manner. Isaac sniffed and brought his head back up his face red. Stiles didn't really understand why Isaac was so emotional about Scott it wasn't like they were dating. Scott was with Kira. 

"Isaac, I know this isn't the time to ask but did you and Scott-" Lydia stopped herself and Isaac let out a sigh.

Stiles watched Isaac intently the other boys face was screwed up while he thought out his answer. Lydia gave Stiles a look that indicated she was just as curious about Isaac and Scott as he was. Isaac sucked in a deep breath and sat up showing his obvious inner turmoil.

"Yes." Isaac spoke after what felt hours.

"Isn't he dating Kira?" Lydia questioned her eyebrows knit together.

"She's covering up for us." Isaac sighed rubbing his face, "it was my idea. I wasn't ready to come out yet and Scott understood that."

Isaac sniffed and his eyes started watering. Lydia pulled him into a hug and Stiles continued to rub his back in small circles. Two tears rolled down Isaac's cheeks and he wiped them away quickly. His face had cooled down a bit only a slight tint of pink.

"When he didn't answer my calls I-I knew something was up." Isaac's voice cracked and Stiles gave him a small smile to encourage him to go on, "we both have trackers on our phone and it took me to a deep part of the woods."

"Why didn't you tell us this?" Stiles's eyebrows knit together, "you could've lead Derek there and he could've tracked him easily."

"There's no point." Isaac shook his head, "his scent isn't there."

"That's impossible." Lydia looked at him skeptically.

"I'm serious, his phone was on the ground covered in leaves and his scent wasn't there." More tears came down and Isaac was practically sobbing now.

"Relax,relax we'll figure this out." Lydia hummed and Isaac nodded.

"I tried to find his scent and next thing I know it's three in the morning and I'm lost." Isaac's voice was raw and his hands were shaking, "I found a small cave and checked inside there and found nothing."

"Why did you go to a cave?" Stiles frowned.

"I thought I was right..but it was just another dead end."

"Or was it?" Lydia stood up suddenly, "think about something told you that Scott was around there."

"So?" Isaac looked at her his eyes bloodshot.

"So maybe there was some type of supernatural magic going on." Lydia answered, "a warding spell, a cloaking spell, something along those lines."

"A witch, maybe?" Stiles added to her theory and she nodded.

"So what do we do now?" Isaac looked at Stiles who chewed at his lips thinking it over.

"Dig into it." Stiles went up the stairs out of sight, "c'mon."

~*~

After three hours of research and about five bathroom brakes for Stiles, they had come up with nothing.  Not one spell online and not a hint to any type of supernatural besides witches that could do something like that. Isaac had to go outside to take a breather, overwhelmed with the thought of something bad happening to Scott. Stiles and Lydia sat in the kitchen drinking hot chocolates watching Isaac from the back door.

"Do you think he's okay?" Lydia questioned.

"Scott or Isaac?" Stiles looked back at her.

"Both I guess." She clutched her mug.

"Isaac's frustrated but determine." Stiles thought about it, "and I really hope Scott is."

"So do I." Lydia nodded taking a sip of her drink.

A knock on the door gained both of their attention and Stiles rushed to answer it. He swung to reveal Galaxy standing there looking panicked.

"Where's baby wolf?" Galaxy entered the house and Stiles raised an eyebrow at him.

"Why?" Stiles was hesitant.

"He's in danger!"