Chapter 27

Stiles watched everything happen in slow motion. He finally saw his dad again! He was anxious to see the man again but so happy to be with him again finally. To feel safe in his arms and his arms alone.

When his dad raised the gun, Stiles's hope plummeted. But then his dad aimed the gun at Derek and shot.

Derek grunted and grabbed his arm where he was hit.

''What the fuck, dad!!'' Stiles screamed, rushing over to Derek to check the wound. He took Derek's pain in a reflex and saw Derek relax at his touch.

''You told me my son was dead!'' Stiles's dad bellowed. When Stiles looked back, he saw tears rolling down his dad's face. He was glaring at Derek.

''The bonds broke, everybody thought that he had died!'' Derek yelled. The wound was already closing, and when Stiles inspected it, he saw that nothing critical was hit, plus it was a regular bullet. Not wolfsbane.

''I told you that if Lydia hadn't screamed, it couldn't be! I told you!''

''Maybe we should take this inside?'' Stiles said uncertainly when he heard the neighbors coming outside. Super hearing still was awesome.

Peter guided them all inside. When they all were in de living room, his dad finally pulled him into a hug he had been waiting for.

''I can't believe that you're actually here!'' His dad was sobbing now against his shoulder. Stiles just cried along with him, too emotional to say anything at the moment.

After at least fifteen minutes of just hugging, his dad pulled away. Stiles wiped his eyes and let out a nervous laugh. He knew what was coming next.

''What happened to you?'' His dad asked carefully, sadness shining in his eyes and wafting through his scent.

''Well-'' Stiles then flashed his Alpha eyes at his dad before continuing.

His dad seemed shocked by the revelation, his eyes widening, even Peter, who was standing just behind his dad, let out a gasp.

''A lot.''

Two hours later, Stiles had finally told them all what had happened to him. It would have been easier to have Tessa with him. But he didn't want her to be attacked again.

His dad had now attacked Derek, and Stiles could live with that. How awful it seemed, Derek would heal.

Tessa too, but Tessa was Stiles's beta, his first one. She was special to him. Not that Derek wasn't special. Stiles saw the guy smile, and his heart somersaulted. And by the smirk he got in response, it was heard by Derek too. Cocky bastard.

His dad hadn't left his side during the explanation. He kept touching him. As if afraid Stiles would disappear again. Stiles was a little afraid to tell his dad about the last month because he had been in London the entire time, free to do what he wanted, but hadn't let anybody know that he was still alive and kicking.

But his dad seemed to understand why he had done it. He only asked one question, and it made Stiles think hard about the answer.

''Do you feel better now?'' And that was the big question, wasn't it?

Did he fucking feel better? Well, no. He didn't know if he ever would feel completely better again. But he was getting there, at least, that's what he thought. He had Tessa and Jackson, and his dad again.

And hopefully the rest of the pack. He really should talk to Derek about that. If two Alpha's could live in the same territory or did Stiles need to move? Derek said that this was his home. So hopefully, Stiles's could stay.

''I'm getting there-'' Stiles ground out. ''-It was hard the past ten months. I was alone for most of it unless I was tortured or fed or needed to fight. Nobody really talked to me. And it was like I didn't matter. Like I was being forgotten. It was awful.'' Stiles finally murmured.

He heard Derek growling low. He probably wouldn't have heard it if he wasn't a wolf. But he could hear it now.

He looked at the other man and took a big sniff. Stiles calmed instantly from Derek's scent. Wood, lemon, and freshly cut grass.

His dad pulled him into a hug again, and Stiles melted into the embrace. He then heard the familiar sound of the rental car outside and untangled himself.

He grinned at his dad and Peter.

''I would like you to meet my pack.'' He beamed at the word. The doorbell rang, and he was quick to answer it.