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Peter Hale was both lucky and unlucky.
He was lucky in the sense that he had found his mate, which was incredibly rare and a beautiful thing. He was unlucky in the fact that there was a twenty-two year age gap.
That happened sometimes, Talia assured him, though he never asked her for advice, as he watched the five year old in the park. Peter was twenty-seven, an alpha without a pack and currently residing with his sister, acting against his nature as a beta. But there he was, little Stiles Stilinski with a mop of soft black hair running about the playground while his mother watched from a park bench nearby.
‘Go and talk to her, Peter,’ Talia rolled her eyes ‘it’s not going to happen by itself.’
Peter did walk over to her, clearing his throat and Claudia smiled up at him softly ‘Mr Hale,’ she greeted ‘it’s a lovely day, isn’t it?’
He felt the sun on his skin and the gentle breeze across his face and he nodded, clasping his hands together ‘Listen Claudia, about your son, I’m-‘ he paused, it was actually harder to get the words out then he’d thought it would be. He can smell the sourness of Claudia, the illness, all the wolves can, everyone knows she hasn’t got long. She looks well, though.
‘Mommy!’ Stiles runs to her, clutching around her protectively as he looks up at Peter, before smiling impishly, little dimples spreading across his face and Peter’s heart aches, aches with need to hold the boy, provide for him, love him, his wolf wants to emerge, and groom the little boy. It’s unnerving in the least. ‘Hello,’ Stiles waves a chubby fingered hand at him.
‘Darling,’ Claudia runs her fingers through her son’s hair ‘this is Mr Hale,’
‘Peter, please,’ he whispers, voice breaking. There’s his mate. The mate he’s waited 22 years for, smiling up at him, the beginnings of a sunburn on his delicate nose. He’s staring down in complete awe, and Claudia notices.
‘Why don’t you see if Scott wants to play? He looks a little lonely, sweetheart,’
Stiles peeks at the longer haired boy sitting by himself in the sandpit, and back at his mother. He looks reluctant to leave her. So kisses her cheek wetly and turns to Peter ‘Make sure she’s okay! Call me s-straight away if she’s not!’ And he runs off. Claudia smiles after him, before patting the seat beside her. Peter’s never minded the Stilinski’s, and why would he? The Sheriff is a fair and just man, with a heart a little too compassionate but he’s smart. And Claudia is loyal and brave, and he knows she’s been offered the bite numerous times, but knows death cannot be escaped. She has a way with people, she was made to be a mother, and it isn’t fair this is being taken from her.
‘It’s been a long time since you’ve looked anything other than cynical, Peter,’ she says, wrapping her shawl tighter around her despite the warm weather
‘You know?’
‘I know my son, Peter.’ She smiles with mischief in her eyes ‘I know that he talks non-stop about a wolf he saw in the woods once. A wolf who strangely enough only wanted to lay a dead rabbit at his feet. Know anything about that?’
Peter shifts ‘he talks about that?’
Claudia laughs, and Peter almost wants to smile. ‘I suppose the age difference worries you?’
‘No.’ Peter answers honestly ‘I worry it’ll worry him. And you. And the Sheriff will shoot me.’
‘You’ll heal.’ Claudia laughs, and Peter can’t hold back the chuckle. ‘I’ll talk to John this evening. I’ll talk to both of them. Maybe we can invite you round for dinner if everything goes well. Why don’t you bring Derek along? Stiles adores Derek.’
Peter grimaced. He didn’t need to be reminded of that. When Derek came home absolutely reeking of Stiles. The two boys had become friends despite the age difference. Derek always wanting a younger brother and Stiles accepting of everything. It also helped that Stiles’ scent soothed Derek somewhat. His scent soothed all the Hale’s. He was cat-nip for wolves.
…
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…
Peter and Derek smiled at Claudia when she opened the door, and Derek flashed her a grin before rushing into the living room. The thirteen year old and the five year old fist bumping on the sofa, and Stiles hands over the controller watching in amazement as Derek shows him how to kill the zombies and move to the next level. The table is set and the food smells delicious.
‘Peter.’ John appears and even with his reflexes Peter nearly jumps. He smiles politely
‘Sheriff.’ He says respectfully ‘it was very kind of you to invite Derek and I over to dinner.’
‘My wife’s idea.’ John nods, and Peter can see the loaded gun on the table. Ah. So John is the protective one. That’s…not really too surprising. John guides Peter to the living room, and they both sit tensely on the other sofa while Derek and Stiles play.
Derek shifts and Stiles squeals in delight, hugging the wolf tight. Derek licks up Stiles’ face and Stiles giggles. Derek wanders outside then, upon catching sight of a squirrel and Peter rolls his eyes. Stiles stumbles up to Peter, places his hands on his knees and gestures to be lifted.
Peter swears his heart stops beating. He looks to the Sheriff desperately for what to do, but John is just watching with a masked face.
‘Up!’ Stiles demands impatiently, and so Peter helps him up onto his lap. Stiles is so small. So delicate and warm, and Peter keeps one hand up hovering behind his back in case he falls. ‘Hi!’ Stiles grins poking Peter’s face ‘You can turn into a wolf too, right?’
‘Yes,’
Stiles sniffs happily, and then catches onto Peter’s scent and the old man shifts, worried. Oh fuck. Shit. Stiles buries his face into Peter’s head, inhaling deeply and moaning happily, he wraps his arms around Peter tightly, clutching his tiny fists into his white shirt. He’s so young that he’s already in his headspace, loopy and dazed in the scent of his mate.
Peter makes his first mistake by burying his nose in Stiles’ neck in response. It makes him slightly feral, and his eyes beat true alpha red, and when Stiles is being taken from him his fangs drop and he isn’t aware of anything.
And then Derek has him pinned to the ground, Stiles is crying and John is making loud threats while Claudia tries to diffuse the situation.
‘I’m sorry- I’m sorry-‘ Peter chokes, getting to his feet, retracting his fangs and claws. He can breathe now, clear air and he can think. Stiles is bleeding. Three shallow scratches on his arm but he isn’t hurt and that’s not why he’s crying. He’s crying because he’s been so violently pulled from his head space, away from his mate, and he stretches an arm out to Peter pathetically.
‘Daddy,’ he whines, trying to get away from his father but John just holds him tighter
‘Oh Peter,’ Claudia whispers ‘maybe you should go. I’ll call you.’
The walk home is awkward. He can feel his nephew staring at him. ‘Stiles’ scent made you feral?’ He asks, and Peter nods. ‘I thought your mate was supposed to anchor you. Calm you.’ His thick eyebrows are furrowed ‘you scratched him.’
‘It’s been a long time. I haven’t had to exercise that amount of control in a long time.’ He grits his teeth ‘And I didn’t go feral because of his scent, it was because he was being taken from me.’
‘Because your teeth dropped-‘
‘Reflexively.’
Derek shrugs ‘whatever. I’m still telling mom.’
Peter swears at the sky.
…
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…
He’s surprised when he gets a phone call. He’s even more surprised to hear John’s voice. ‘Listen Peter,’ he says with a sigh, and Peter can almost tell he’s pinching the bridge of his nose ‘I didn’t handle last time well. I just forgot I…’ he sighs ‘Stiles is just so young to already be able to be in the headspace. I didn’t think I’d have to worry about him finding a mate until he was so much older- I just. I didn’t handle that well. I’m sorry.’
Times like this Peter remembers anew why he likes the Stilinski’s. They’re honest, good people. ‘It’s okay, Sheriff. I imagine I’d be very much the same. And if you give me another chance, I’ll work a lot harder at controlling myself.’
‘Stiles is desperate to see you.’ John says quietly ‘he doesn’t even know why. I don’t want to tell him.’
‘John.’ Claudia whispers from another room, Peter has to strain to hear it.
‘But I was thinking. Maybe you could come over in wolf form? Would that be alright?’
Peter’s skin is tingling. ‘Yes. Yes that’s perfect.’
…
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…
It’s so much better.
It’s easier for the Sheriff to just imagine Peter is a dog- a large dog with very sharp teeth, and he can almost wrap his body around the little boy who pets his fur and bites his ear like a pup.
‘You’re so pretty.’ Stiles whispers, combing his brush through Peter’s fur. The little boy doesn’t know what it means, but he’s grooming his mate. He’s being perfect, and Peter licks Stiles’ face. Claudia smells more bitter than last time, and the Sheriff spends more time watching her than Stiles.
When Stiles falls asleep Peter covers him completely in his scent, grooming Stiles’ happily and nearly purring in contentment.