A Place to Hide Away- Sterek

Part 2

    The first thing Claudia heard as she came to was the sound of Merlin's voice talking softly to someone.

    "I did as much as I could, but there was only so much I could do. The bullet had fragmented! I can't do anything with shards of the bullet. And a full body cleansing requires more than what I have on hand. I don't have that kind of power, Alpha Hale." His voice was hard set like if this wasn't the first time he had made this point.

    "Then go and find the things you need." Talia's voice replied.

    "Talia, don't be so hard on him. He's done the best he can." Alana's voice said comfortingly.

    "She'll barely be able to survive like this! She was born a were, her fox is something she's always had. Denying a were their other side is inhumane, Alana!"

    "Her brain would deteriorate at a faster rate if she was in her animal state." Merlin said, his words were cut off as he noticed that Claudia had opened her eyes and was looking at the two of them with worried eyes. Talia turned on her heel, catching Merlin's expression.

    "Claudia," the Alpha werewolf sighed, her voice tired.

    "What are you two talking about?"

    Her two friends looked at each other before focusing their attention on her again.

    "You were shot with a foxbane bullet." Merlin said softly, moving to sit next to the bed she was on. "And since they took it out, we couldn't heal you the way we usually would. The only way I could keep you from dying was to force you to transition back into a complete human and put a magical block on any transformation." At Claudia's horrified expression, he hurried to continue. "I can take it off, but since you were kept trying to shift back, I had to do something. I've managed to partially heal you, but....it can only do so much."

    "What does that include?" Claudia whispered.

    "It's not going to kill you immediately." Merlin said, his eyes looking sad and older than his age. "I don't know how long it can last, but I would say two...maybe three years before it finally takes full effect. But the incantation I put on you only works if you stay in complete human form. If you even go into beta mode, the foxbane would use the were genes to slip past the defenses I put in place." Tears were falling down his face explained and he kept taking shaky breaths as he wiped them away.

    Claudia blinked, lifting a shaking hand to her mouth as her eyes began to water and blur her vision. On her other side, Talia and Alana were standing next to the bed.

    "I deeply apologize, Claudia." Talia said. "I should have... I had promised you protection and safety from the hunters, but you are hurt a-and dying. If there is anything  I can do, please let me rectify the situation."

    Claudia paused then looked down, overwhelmed by everything that was happening. She fisted her hands in her lap and said the first thing that came to her mind.

    "I had been on my way to talk to you about the Buddings. I think that there should be more distance between our packs." Claudia stated resolutely. "They killed humans in their pack just because they were associated with weres."

    Talia reared back as if struck.

    "The last thing I'm going to do is put more distance between our packs!" Talia said with a hurt expression on her face. "We need to protect Stiles."

    "No!" Claudia tried getting up from her reclined position but let out a hiss of pain. "I want you to stop associating with Stiles! I managed to make him human but if the Argents are killing even humans, then Stiles STILL isn't safe. I want you to take away your pack's memories of my son."

    Talia was about to argue but her wife, Alana, placed a hand on her arm.

    "She's right, Talia." Alana said. The Hale Alpha looked overwhelmed.

    "Please, consider this my dying wish." And that drove the nail home with a slump of Talia's shoulders.

    "I'll grant you this. As the Hale Pack Alpha, I swear to fulfill your request." She rubbed the bridge of her nose in frustration. Claudia relaxed and leaned back against the pillows of the bed.

    "How will that work with Stiles and Derek?" Merlin asked. The three women looked at him in confusion. "Well, if they're mates, wouldn't Derek's instincts be a wreck?" The Stilinski Alpha looked down, unaware of the scent of grief, growing in the room.