A Coward 'Till The End, Lies.

The basement was freezing.
Every inch of Xander's skin stung with the cold, the damp soaking into his skin turning it numb.
His moonstone dagger sat embedded in his thigh right up to the hilt denying his ability to heal even as his flesh tried knitting itself together around the jagged blade. He could hear every drip of his own blood hitting the floor in a steady staccato paired only with the incessant mantra of StilesStilesStiles echoing through his mind.

It had been a little over an hour since his father had stopped his beating claiming he had 'more important business' to attend to, and most of Xander's wounds we're healing, but it was sluggish. He was too tired, too cold. Too hopeless.

His father knew about Stiles, or at least he had his hunches and for a Tannin hunter, for THE Tannin hunter, that was more than enough means to murder her, and Xander couldn't stop it.

'And neither can they.'

The breath escaped his lungs as his head connected with the damp concrete.

Fuck.

How had this become his life? 21 and ready to sacrifice everything for one girl. He'd promised his mom he wouldn't become a martyr and yet...

'Tick tock, tick tock.'

Squeezing his eyes shut he sent a prayer to whoever was listening before preparing to break his promise.

I'm so sorry mom.

The chains snapped.
Amara appeared at his side, barely visible, more mirage than anything else. Her ghostly hand settling on his shoulder sending shivers down his spine.

'It is time young one.'

XXXXX

Stiles paces back and forth around the kitchen whilst the sheriff sits curled around a lukewarm coffee that he hasn't even sipped.
The pack have been gone for two hours and nothing.
Not a peep, not one whiff of Xander's scent, not a single clue as to where he could be.

Jarvis keeps kicking at Stiles' stomach, obviously sensing her anguish at being stuck at home with no way to help.

“Ugh this is just ridiculous! We should have heard something from them by now, it can't be that difficult-”

The ringing of her phone cuts her rant off before it even really picks up steam, and she flings her self towards the kitchen table to grab it but-

The sheriff gets there first.

“Derek?” pause. “You've caught his scent?” He exclaims, meeting Stiles' gaze with wide blue eyes. Stiles' starts making grabby hands for the phone but her dad brushes them off.

“West side of town? Huh, there's nothing there but some old factories. Yeah, no, it's definitely a great place for a hide out I agree.” Stiles' strains against her dad's hand trying to eavesdrop but to no avail.

“Okay, yeah I'll be there in 20 minutes tops. No don't worry Stiles' will stay here. Okay, I'll tell her, bye.”

The sheriff hangs up the phone with a solemn expression, instantly clambering to his feet and pulling on his holster.

“Dad, dad what's going on? Where are you going? Just give me a second to get my coat and I'll come with you.” Stiles' is frantic, following her dad as he straps on his weapons.
Xander's in trouble, Xander needs her. Her pack needs her.

Finishing getting his things together, the sheriff turns to his panicked daughter and grips her shoulders tight, blue eyes boring into honey brown.

“They're across town at the old industrial estate, they've caught Xander's scent and it's pretty fresh but there's, there's blood honey. There's a lot of blood.”

The sob's out of Stiles' mouth before she can even hope to stop it.

'Xander no! Why did she bring him here, why did she get him involved, what if he's dead? What if-'

“STILES! Hey sweetie, he's going to be fine, we're going to save him okay? Derek knows how important he is to you and to the baby, we'll get him and kill these hunters and then everything will be fine baby girl, I promise.”

Stiles nods into the worn fabric of her dad's sheriff jacket, dragging the pieces of herself that have shattered back together. Straightening up, steeling her eyes, fists clenched.

“Okay.” she announces after a quick moment. “Lets go.”

John shakes his head and gently pushes his daughter into the chair he just vacated.

“Honey, no. You're staying here, Derek's orders, hell, my orders okay? You keep my grandchild safe y'hear?” his smile's soft as he presses a kiss to her forehead before heading to the front door, “We'll be back before you know it.” he calls over his shoulder.

Stiles is on her feet in an instant.
“Wha-! No! Dad, it's Xander, I have to come help, I-”

The sheriff spins round.

“I swear to god Stiles' you stay right here!”

“But-”

“NO STILES! I mean it, you mean too much to too many people, keep Jarvis safe. Can you imagine how pissed Xander would be if you got hurt trying to save him?”

Stiles' slumps back into the seat in defeat.

“I love you honey, keep your phone on and I'll keep you in the loop.”

Stiles nods and her dad heads back to the door, he's half way out when he suddenly spins back around, a bright grin stretching his face, “Oh and by the way, Derek says to tell you he loves you. I'll be back as soon as I can.” And with that the door slams shut leaving Stiles to the silence of an empty house.

“This is gonna be a long night.” she mutters feeling Jarvis wiggle in agreement.

XXXXXXXX

Twenty minutes of deafening silence is all Stiles can take before she's grabbing the keys to Xander's truck, along with the curved hunting knives Allison had gifted her with one Christmas and jogging from the house.

"Oh screw it!"

Derek may be her alpha but the baby growing in her stomach was one as well, and right now their pack was in danger and they'd be damned if they didn't do everything in their power to save him.

“Hold on Xan, we're coming.”