Stiles The Teen Wolf

Episode Four: Magic Bullet

Stiles The Teen Wolf

Episode Four: Magic Bullet

Stop being stupid. Derek wouldn't…he just wouldn't. Come on Stiles, you're being an idiot. Open your mouth, ask for an explanation. Come on, do it. Just open your mouth and-

"No."

And that was it. That was all it took. Stiles' felt his resolve strengthen, his certainty was locked in place and no matter what Derek had done, he wouldn't kill. Not someone innocent and sure as hell not someone already injured. "You didn't kill him. It wasn't your fault and it wasn't mine. Now sit down, stop looking at me like that and tell me what the hell happened."

Derek didn't respond at first, just continued to stare at him with that determined gaze, and then did sat down. Right there on the last step of the big staircase leading up to the second floor of the burnt down Hale house. And Derek told him. About how he went to see them man to get answers, about his question, about the man's answer and his apology. 'Hale. Hale, I'm sorry.' It was all weird and unfocused and choppy but Stiles was getting the hint. Derek had thought the stress of seeing a Hale had pushed the man over the edge and right through death's door.

Stiles spent most of the night reassuring Derek that he wasn't a fault, the man would have died had Derek went to see him or not, Grayson just wasn't strong enough.

And then he went home. One second of doubt, one tiny little second and he felt like he had betrayed Derek all over again.

Derek had been so broken by the thought that he had killed the man just by seeing him. So repulsed and dejected by himself that Stiles was ashamed for letting Scott's words get the best of him. Never again. I won't doubt Derek, ever again. It was a promise to himself and his pack mate. They needed to trust each other because really, no one else trusted them.

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Danger struck again a few nights later. Neither Derek nor Stiles had been expecting it.

Ever since the attack on the bus driver, Stiles had gotten a good whiff of the Alpha's scent. He had been helping Derek track the beast when it happened. Stiles had tracked the beast and stayed behind to flank the Alpha when the Argents descended like some self-proclaimed angel of vengeance. Shots rang out and Stiles almost swallowed his own tongue when he smelled Derek's blood.

Then he heard it. Her voice.

"Chris, there were two of them."

"The Alpha?"

"I don't know. But one of them tried to kill me."

Stiles didn't know if this was important, but he had to stay put. If he went to look for Derek now, he would be seen too and he would be in no shape to help Derek if the Argents saw him.

"Well one of them was going to lead us to the other. He can't do that if he's dead."

"Well I can't help kill either of them if one of them kills me first."

"How long will it take?"

"I give him forty eight hours. If that."

And just with that, Stiles felt his heart hit the pool of acid in his stomach. And then they were off, leaving Stiles behind to look for Derek, but Derek was gone, the scent of his blood was everywhere as well as something that almost seemed to…numb his nose. He knew exactly what it was. Wolf's bane. But how did it get here?

He went home that night with no idea where Derek was and no way of finding him because of the damned wolf's bane that seemed to be following him around.