It's Never A Bad Time To Deliver Good News
xXx Scott, Lydia, Isaac , Peter & Aiden In Hotel Room xXx
Scott stared at his boyfriend with wide eyes and a furrowed brow. He wore the classic "confused dad"n look so well.
Lydia's mouth was drawn open as if she were made to be a cartoon. Her jaw started to hurt from how dropped it was.
Aiden looked from Isaac to the floor and then to Scott and his girlfriend. Something wasn't right. It felt as if his mind was trying to remember something it wasn't supposed to.
Peter, still in his full wolf form, kept pacing back and forth. His ear twitching every now and then.
Isaac stood up abruptly, opened his mouth, then closed it and sat back down dejectedly.
xXx In Peter's Mind xXx
"What does the curly one know?"
"Mate. Mate. We must find him."
"Home incomplete."
"Pack broken."
"Pups sad. Man Peter sad."
"Mate.."
Just then Peter let out a low broken whine. All eyes snapping to him. Red, yellow, blue, and Lydia's classic hazel eye color.
Isaac slowly got up and made his way to Peter, his head tipped slightly to the side. Submission, defeat, and sorrow were radiating off him and waves. And tonight the four of them were drowning in it.
Scott started to walk after Isaac to stop his mate from submitting to another alpha but Aiden grabbed his arm and shook his head.
"It needs to happen Scott. Peter needs this. Isaac's mind is the only connection we have to Stiles.." Lydia whispered with tears in her eyes.
"Scott, I think I remember something.." Aiden whispered so low, not even Peter and Isaac would hear them in their bubble of despair.
xXx Scott, Lydia, & Aiden In The Stairway Of The Hotel xXx
Scott stood in front of Aiden with his arms crossed and his eyes narrowed.
Lydia, next to Scott with her lips pursed. "Okay babe, spill."
Aiden glanced at the two and let out a deep breath. "I think I might know where Stiles is. Or at least what he's doing. It's weird. I feel connected to him. And not just through the pack bonds cause he's pack mom. But I genuinely feel him talking to me and coaxing me through all this."
Scott nodded for him to continue.
"I don't know how to explain it but one thing I know for sure?" Aiden paused and looked around the quiet stairwell. "We aren't the only ones who've felt and caught his scent. We gotta get back to the diner and ask around. There's something going on here.."
Lydia nodded and turned to Scott. "He's right." she shook her head no. "There's something about that diner that just makes me wanna scream. Someone there has to know something Scott! This can't be a dead end. There has to be another way, something we're missing."
xXx Back In The Hotel Room With Peter & Isaac xXx
"Keep the wolf in the bay.." Isaac whispered repeatedly to Peter and ran his hands through Peter's mangled fur. It was then that the rest of them walked back in the room.
Peter's snout was hidden in the scruff od Isaac's neck and collar bone. Isaac glanced at them, "That's what I said in Polish. Keep the wolf in the bay. Stiles knew Peter would lose control and shift. He's here. He has to be. How else would he have known?"
Peter removed himself from Isaac's company and trotted over to Scott and head-butted his thigh. He sat at Scott's feet and whined low in his throat.
"No Peter, you can't look for Stiles like that. You need to shift back." Scott replied.
Peter turned his head to the side and sneezed, shaking his head. Lydia giggled and Aiden turned his head to hide his smile. "He's right Scott, he's got the best chance finding his mate in his best form."
Scott looked at everyone in the room, studying their eyes. Landing on Isaac's hopeful face last he let out a sigh. "Fine! But if Animal Control gets called to pick you up, you're on your own. Mutt.." Scott said to Peter with total adoration in his voice.
xXx Later On That Night With Stiles xXx
Something wasn't right. Something felt off.
Stiles looked around the clearing and felt someone watching him.
He was in his fox form, trying to get a feel for things. Lauren was due to meet him any minute. What was taking her so long? She never missed their daily night routines.
xXx Meanwhile At The Diner With Lauren & Gang xXx
Lauren was about to close up shop when they walked in, determination set upon their faces like war paint.
"Well hello dearies. Where's the fire?" she asked cheerily, a hint of suspicion in her voice.
"Where's Stiles?" Aiden demanded.
"We know you know something lady. So spill. Where is our pack's anchor?" Lydia growled out.
Isaac ducked his head and slowly pulled out his pendant from his shirt, rubbing it secretly between his thumb and knuckle.
Peter prowled the diner, trying to catch a scent of cinnamon and home.
Scott followed after Peter, making sure he didn't destroy anything.
Lauren took a moment to look at all of them. "Isaac, if you could lock up the back door for me seeing as I won't be leaving anytime soon, I'd really appreciate it."
They shared a look and he nodded, walking to the back. She walked to the front and turned the Open sign to Closed, then locked up.
She sat in the corner booth and motioned for Lydia and Aiden to join her. Isaac came back and sat next to her. Scott stood across from them, leaning against the counter. Peter sat at Isaac's feet, a hand scratching behind his ears.
xXx
Stiles felt uneasy. To the extreme level. He took one lat look towards the path Lauren normally took and ran towards it. He was going to have to go find her. He'd go check the diner first. Maybe something came up, some more late night customers. She never could turn anyone away.
He kept running towards the diner, excited to lay in the makeshift bed she made for him in the back room. The town thought she had found and aided a wounded fox, "The idiots.." he thought to himself while shaking his head slightly, pushing his paws faster on the ground.
xXx
Peter's ear twitched as he head something outside.
The hairs on the back of Scott's neck stood up. Something was outside. Better yet, someone.
"MATE!" Peter's mind screamed as he ran towards the back door.
"Peter wait!" Scott yelled and charged after him.
The rest of them not far behind.
Lauren's eyes wide and worried.
Peter pawed frantically at the back door, whining and howling and yelping. Antsy to get his paws all over his mate, quite literally too. Isaac chuckled, still rubbing his pendant. Aiden doing the same. Lydia looked at the two of them, quite suspicious, taking a good look at both of their pendants. Her eyes narrowed and she looked at the ground for a second. Then her head shot up and she bolted in front of the door before anyone could open it. "Wait! It's a trap!!" She yelled as Peter growled at her for getting in between him and Stiles.
xXx Meanwhile Outside With Stiles xXx
Just as he reached the back door, a flying arrow skimmed his shoulder, making him yip loudly.
Lauren and gang could hear him from inside. They heard the loud "thwap!" the arrow made when it landed in the door Lydia was standing in front of.
Stiles turned his snout to stare at the tree line, his eyes narrowed and his lip curled into a snarl. "Hunters. Fucking bastards." he growled to himself.