Payment (revised)

Chapter 15

edited: 5/13/20

edited: 6/28/23

It was two in the morning, but Derek was wide awake.

He had left Stiles in bed an hour ago. At the time, the boy had been fast asleep, akin to a prince resting in his castle. His allure had only been amplified by the pale moonlight washing over the constellations of freckles on his body. A deep contrast to the dark sheets that lay around him.

Derek longed to go back and hold the boy until morning came, but his thoughts kept him from finding a peaceful slumber. If he stayed he would only be kept awake with anxiety. Flashes of Stiles with blood smeared across his deathly white face plagued Derek's unruly imagination. Isaac's message served as background noise.

"This was only the beginning."

Derek had been warned, he wouldn't let that go to waste. He wouldn't sit back quietly while someone hurt Stiles. Not when the boy had become so important to him. He would not let the hands of time repeat itself.

The Alpha closed the door to his room, pretending he didn't see the frown on Stiles's lips. Once safely in the hall, he breathed deeply, burying his volatile emotions until he felt numb. It was the only way he could do what he had to.

The Alpha made his way to his office, thoughts racing faster than he could attend to them.

Amiss all the unknowns there were some things he knew for sure.

First, something was coming. Something bad.

Second, whatever it was was willing to hurt people he cared about.

Third...

Stiles had to be kept safe no matter the cost.

~~~~~~~~~~

Lydia and Erica stood in front of the Alpha. The girls hid behind masks of lace and beauty, but there was no doubt these two women were warriors. As Derek needed them to be.

He was entrusting them with the cardinal task at hand.

"Protect Stiles. No matter what. Take him out to the market today. Keep him away from here. I'm going to be meeting with important people, people I don't know if I can trust yet. I'm not letting them anywhere near Stiles. You understand?"

"Yes, Alpha," they both replied.

Derek nodded his head, their signal to leave.

He watched them walk away, their skirts billowing around their ankles.

Stiles would be safe with them, Derek repeated to himself like a prayer; he was allowed this one selfish indulgence.

He had to be.

~~~~~~~~~~

Stiles was not happy when he woke up the next morning.

To begin with, Derek was not in bed with him, and Erica and Lydia were.

"What the hell," Stiles mumbled, still unconscious.

The two women were sitting on the side of his mattress, dressed in their finest.

They stared at him like a piece of meat.

"We're taking you out," Erica said, a sadistic smile on her face. Stiles felt his balls mold back into his body.

"What?" He asked, voice hoarse, and now fully awake.

Erica hit him on the side of the head with a pillow, humor relaxed her figure.

"When are you going to learn I'm not trying to kill you," the blonde said.

She then stood up and went over to Stiles's closet, pulling out all his clothes.