Chosen Family

"Where are we running to?" Stiles asked as we passed tree after tree.
"I don't know, anywhere away from the crazies!" I panted. "Wait. The clinic." I turned right and continued on.
"Why there?" Scott asked as he kept an eye on our surroundings and listening for followers.
"Deaton has mountain ash, Stiles and I will be at least safe while we think of what to do."
"What about me?"
"You can chill in our circle of protection if you want." I smiled as we continued running. "Hear anything?"
"No, right now we're good." We continued running, even when our sides and lungs started to burn.
"Where are the others?" Stiles asked.
"Not quite sure. I came to you, while the others went to find the intruders and Gerard." Scott replied.
"Awesome." Stiles quipped. I saw a shadow to my right and I sucked in a breath. "It's okay, it's Jackson. Boyd's coming up on our left."
"Yay reinforcements!" Stiles cheered with labored breaths. The relief was short lived when we all stopped short due to enemy werewolves in our path. Boyd, Jackson, and Scott started growling while the other wolves laughed.
"What's a few pups like you going to do to us, hmm?" The tallest of the men laughed. "Plus, you have two humans you have to protect."
"Who said we need protecting?" Stiles yelled.
"Shut up." The four of us yelled at him.
"Let's test your theory skinny male." The crueler female grinned, sporting sharp teeth. Then the enemies lunged at us and we immediately went into action. Scott, Boyd, and Jackson each took a wolf, while Stiles and I tried to run away.
"Not so fast little ones." The female cackled as she cut us off. We tried running but never got too far. "We could do this all day, or until I get bored." I looked at Stiles and we both ran in different directions; me hoping she would go after Stiles. Luckily she did. As she ran after Stiles I cocked my wrist crossbow, aimed, and let it fly. It imbedded itself in her neck, which distracted her long enough for Stiles to get away and for him and me to start running again.
"When did you get that!" He shouted.
I looked sideways for a second, "When we were in the jeep and you were driving."
"You keep a crossbow in my car?"
"Yeah." I replied like it was obvious. "How many times do we randomly get attacked?"
Stiles went to protest, but stopped and thought, "Touche. Where did you get it?"
"Allison." As soon as I answered I ran into someone. "Shit! Allison, hi!"
"Hey, what are you doing out here?" She asked as we both got off the ground.
"I should be asking you the same thing. We ditched the car for a run in the woods; lovely night."
"As sarcastic as ever. I'm here trying to track the pack of wolves."
"Where's everyone else?"
"They are out here." We heard a howl and decided to head towards it. After sometime we met up with Derek, Erica, and Isaac who were fighting more werewolves. The fighting became intense and eventually the others joined us; even Nix. Nowhere was safe as we fought the wolves that wanted us dead however, we never once saw Gerard. When I was free, I looked around for him, but never once saw him.
An infinite amount of time past before I caught a movement out of the corner of my eye. A large object came bounding towards Allison, who wasn't paying attention as she aimed at her target. Hoping she didn't hit any of our men, I lunged at her and knocked her to the ground while I got pounced on. I felt pain in my left arm, but disregarded it as I jammed the knife Allison had given me into the wolf's side. It roared in pain as I continued to stab it in its side. Finally it got off of me and attacked someone else. I winced as pain shot through my arm as I got up, still trying to ignore the pain. The fight continued for an hour or so longer before the intruder pack ran off, leaving Hale Territory.
The pack was bloody, our clothes ripped to pieces, and tired as we trudged back to the Hale House. Once there, we all flopped somewhere. "That sucked." Stiles groaned into the couch.
"Really? I had no idea." Jackson replied wryly.
"Shut up, Jackson." Scott growled as he sat next to Allison and checked to make sure she was okay.
Jackson went to say something, but Derek quieted him with a look. As he went to speak I headed to the bathroom. "Zak, where are you going?"
I was tempted to reply sarcastically but refrained, "Medical supplies." He nodded and started talking to the pack, I listened as I looked for the medical supplied. Once I found them in the bathroom, I took a quick inventory of my wounds; cringing at the wound on my left arm. I rolled down my sleeve and brought the stuff out to the living room. I opened the box in between Stiles, Allison, and I so we all had access to it. I helped Stiles with some of his wounds that he either couldn't reach or had difficult binding due to them being on his right side. By the time Derek finished talking with us, Stiles was completely taken care of and I had my right side done.
"We're going home with Allison." Stiles informed me.
"I'll see if Derek can take me, I have to talk to him for a second."
"Why?"
I rolled my eyes, "Don't worry about it."
"Zak." He looked at me sternly.
I sighed, "It's about the fight okay? I'll try to pick up the jeep too."
"Fine. I'll see you at home." He stared at me a moment; analyzing me. I looked back at him with raised brows.
"What?"
"Nothing, never mind. Later." He turned and left with everyone else.
"What?" Derek asked behind me. I turned and looked at him expectantly. He was quiet until, "They're gone, what's wrong?" I looked down and I heard him stumbled back a step, "Shit Zak!"
Finally I looked up with fear in my eyes. I lifted my arm and let the sleeves of my jacket fall, showing off the wound, "This is what I think it is, right?"
Derek's eyes focused in on the teethmarks, within a blink he was next to me with my arm in his hand. "How did you get this?"
"I don't-I don't really remember." I replied.
"Zak, you have to remember." He put a hand on my shoulder as he continued to look at my forearm.
I closed my eyes and tried to calm down. After a minute, I was able to thinking clearly and tried to think back. "It was... in the thick of the fight... someone was in trouble... it was... Allison! She was... doing something and didn't see... someone attacking..."
"Who was this someone, Zak?" His voicing was calm as he tried to get me to think.
"Big... the person was big, he pushed me down..." I thought hard, tried to picture it. The pain was first, then the weight, "He was heavy..." Something was off about this person. Then the image came to me. I felt a tear slide down my cheek, "He was hairy... he had red eyes... he was a wolf." My knees buckled and I ended up in a crouched position. "Gerard bit me." I sobbed quietly. Nix landed on my shoulder and tried to comfort me. I was shaking and I felt the salty water drip down my face like it was its job, leaving water dots on the dark floor. I didn't look up, but I knew Derek had crouched down in front of me; he let me cry without saying anything.
Once I had finally gotten myself under control, he spoke, "It's going to be okay Zak, we'll figure everything out. Even try that theory if you wanted to."
It took me a minute, but I understood, "I'm not afraid of becoming a werewolf. I like being human and all, but I don't really care about turning into a werewolf. It happens, I've seen that over and over..."
"Then what is it?" I could hear the perplexity in his voice.
My heart started to beat faster as I sat on the ground and cradled Nix. "I'm part of his pack aren't I? Gerard's." His silence confirmed my fear. He bit me, I'm his. "I'm afraid that he'll make me do something against my will. Like Peter did to Scott. There's already so much I can't control, but I can control what I do. I-I don't want that taken away from me."
"We'll think of something Zak. No one in this pack is going to let Gerard control you." I looked up, into his eyes.
"I can't just switch packs?"
He gave his head a small shake. "Not that I know of. Or at least not right away. Gerard's the one that bit you, you are technically part of his pack."
"Can't I not submit to him?"
"Knowing him, Gerard will either force you to or kill you." I was afraid of that.
I sighed and scooted myself so I was leaning against the couch. "This is awesome..." We were quiet until an idea came to me. "We don't know where he is, correct?"
Derek looked at me carefully, "Yes."
"And he won't present himself until he wants too." A nod this time. "Use me as bait."
"What?" He asked startled.
"Use me as bait. He's going to summon me, not doubt about it. Follow me when he does."
"Zak, no. We are not doing that."
"Think about it Derek. He won't expect me to be under surveillance all the time, he'll think we'll relax after a while. We can include the hunters if we want. Don't give me that look, we have a standing truce with them. Chris will want to protect Allison and if Gerard being batshit crazy isn't enough incentive, if Chris knows Gerard can control me, he'll want to watch me. The moment I act weird, an alarm will sound and I'll be followed. He definitely won't see hunters coming to attack."
"Besides the fact that your life will be endangered, which by the way will not be supported by anyone, Chris goes strictly by the code. If Gerard and his pack haven't killed anyone, he won't hunt them."
"They're a threat to the people in this area and especially his Only daughter, he'll do something even if it's just capture. And technically, they've already attacked three humans, the code allows for some kind of punishment." I smirked.
Derek let out a frustrated breath, "You're being clam about this."
I shrugged, "Planning I can do, if I stop I'll probably start freaking out again." I let my head fall back, "I guess this makes my college decision easier now."
"How so?"
"I'll just go to the local community college."
"What were your options?"
"It was between BHCC or a place in the mid-west. I guess I have to stay here."
"That sucks."
I let my head roll so I was staring at him, "I'm not as disappointed as I sound, I just like my options open. I hate being forced to do things."
Derek nodded, "You could always transfer."
"True, that'd be cool." I watched Derek's face which gave an almost invisible sad expression. "I'd like to see the world before coming back to stay."
"You've already decided you want to stay here?" He asked with a raised brow.
I nodded, "Yeah, this is where my family is, I'm not going to leave them. Family is important to me."
"The Sheriff and Stiles would be sad if you decided to move across the country."
I chuckled, "They would, Stiles would end up caving first and calling me to come home. But just so you know," I started as I got up and stretched, "They aren't the only family I was talking about." I finished with a smirked.