#sbraven

"Of course I trust you, Derek."

"Then trust me when I say Raven is not a threat," Derek's arms fell to his sides, his jaw unclenching.

"You only trust her cause she claims to know your mother," Stiles pointed out gently.

Derek's posture immediately tensed once again, "Stiles, drop it."

"Derek, listen to me, I know you want her to be a friend, but something isn't right, can't you see that? What if she's the one killing the wolves?" Stiles threw his hands up.

"Why would you possibly think that?"

"She shows up on your door step three days after the first incident and you don't think that's suspect?" Stiles scoffed at the werewolf.

"No, Stiles I don't and I'm not having this conversation. I have a pack meeting to get to and if you're not there, I'm starting without you," Derek turned to leave the room.

"Wait, why'd you come here? Why didn't you send Scott or just call?"

"I did call. You didn't answer. I was worried you were our next victim," With that Derek stalked out the door leaving Stiles searching for his phone.

Sure enough he had three missed calls from Derek. That was the rule, three calls in a row means it's an emergency and you better answer. Oops.

Stiles leaned his head down on the desk with a thunk. If he was wrong about Raven, Derek would never let him forget it, but if he was right and he didn't look into it further, Derek could get hurt.

"Hey, kiddo, what was that about?" Sheriff Stilinski asked suddenly at Stiles' door.

Stiles bolted up in his seat and slammed his laptop closed.

Stiles' dad raised his brows in curiosity.

"Derek was just mad cause I was late to a pack meeting," Stiles said dismissively. His hand still planted protectively on top of the laptop.

"You're never late to pack meetings," Noah commented before reaching over and pulling Stiles' laptop from Stiles' grasp.

"No, wait-" He grimaced as his dad opened to see the FBI database pulled up.

"Stiles, I'm not stupid, I know you do this," Noah waved a hand at the screen, but you do it for good, so I turn a blind eye."

Stiles deflated in his chair, he thought for sure his dad would murder him.

"Who's Raven Oxford?" Noah asked looking at the page his son had pulled up.

"She's this woman that showed up claiming her mother was friends of Talia," Stiles explained grimly.

"Derek's mother?"

Stiles nodded.

"And you don't trust her?"

"Not at all, and Derek won't listen to me. I'm telling you, dad, something doesn't add up. I don't know what it is but..." Stiles trailed off, his hands flailing as he spoke. "Do you think I should stop? Derek wants me to."

"You know what I always tell my new officers? Trust your gut, it's there for a reason. And you Stiles, your gut is never wrong," Noah handed back the laptop with a small smile.

"Thanks dad," Stiles returned the smile. His dad always knew the right thing to say.

-

Stiles knew it was risky showing up at Deaton's without Derek knowing. Derek would be seriously pissed when he learned he was not only not giving up, but also investigating his mother.

"Stiles, what can I do for you?" Deaton asked kindly, allowing Stiles into his office.

"I have a question. Did Talia ever mention anyone by the name of Aundrea Oxford?" Stiles bit at his lower lip as he waited for Deaton's answer.

"Aundrea Oxford? Yes, she was an old friend of Talia's," Deaton nodded with a questioning frown.

Stiles slumped in his seat. That had not been the answer he was hoping for.

"I'm guessing you were hoping for a different answer?" Deaton noted Stiles dismay.

"I just...There's this woman and she showed up on Derek's door claiming to be Aundrea's daughter and that her mother was friends of Talia, so Derek's treating her like part of the pack, but it doesn't feel right," Stiles huffed out. How could he have been so wrong?

"Raven Oxford?" Deaton asked in a tone that made Stiles look up in question.

"Yeah."

"Stiles, Raven died when she was sixteen. She was murdered. It was an Emissary that was lashing out at Aundrea. Leliana. They had been close friends. She wanted to be Aundrea's emissary, but Aundrea had chosen her brother instead. Leliana, in turn promised to have her revenge. She promised Aundrea that she would strike when she least expected it. It took sixteen years but Aundrea finally got her revenge. When Raven turned sixteen her mother grew ill and was to inherit her mother's alpha status. After the transformation Leliana siphoned the spark within Raven. In doing so she took Ravens life, ending the Oxford pack. It darkened Leliana's magic. She became a Darach."

Dread washed over Stiles. If Raven was dead then that meant Leliana was posing as her. -

Stiles held his breath as he reached the top of the stairs of Derek's loft. He hesitated before pulling open the large door.

All eyes turned to look at him as he stepped into the room. The pack was still gathered around for the meeting and sitting next to Derek was Raven, or rather Leliana.

"Look who decided to show," Derek growled out, as his eyes met Stiles'.

"Sorry I'm late, I was running a lead on the Porter pack. I think I have something that could help," Stiles stepped forward. He fought to keep his tone even and not look suspicious.

"What did you find?" Scott frowned at his best friend.

"The deaths were magic for sure, whoever did this is, did it from the inside." Stiles glanced at Derek who let out a huff. He knew what Stiles was getting at.

"Stiles," Derek sighed out.

"Raven, something like this happened to the xOford pack, right?" Stiles turned his attention to the woman next to Derek.

"Yes, it's what killed my mother," Raven nodded, she looked relaxed and unfazed by Stiles' knowledge of the situation.

Stiles smiled widely.

"Wait, you're not a wolf," Derek growled standing. He turned to Raven with a frown.

Her eyes went wide at the realization. She'd fallen into Stiles trap.

"Well she's not, but Raven was. Before she killed her, right?" Stiles gave smug smirk as he saw the panic grow on Leliana's face.

"What is he talking about?" Derek's eyes turned their alpha red. The pack was all now on their feet.

With a wave of her hand, Lydia, Malia, Liam and Scott were thrown back, clattering into Derek's furniture.

"You surprised me, Stiles, I thought you were a weakness in the pack. A human. Who allows a human to be part of a werewolf pack? But I could use someone like you," She took a step towards him.

Derek stepped in between her and Stiles, "Who are you?" he demanded. He refused to let her anywhere near Stiles.

"Her name is Leliana, she's a Darach," Stiles answered. Fear gripped at him as he kept his stance. What if Deaton had been wrong? What if Stiles couldn't do this?

"I'm a better version of those druids," She sneered, looking past Derek, at Stiles.

"Then prove it," Stiles taunted.

"What are you doing?" Derek snarled at Stiles.

"Can't you see, Derek? He's trying to prove his worth to you. You're so dismissive of him. I feel his pain," She looked sympathetically at Stiles then.

"I'm nothing like you," Stiles sneered. His heart picked up it's pace as she stepped towards him.

Derek let out another warning growl, his body still shielding Stiles'.

"He doesn't deserve you," Leliana spoke softly, ignoring Derek's warning. "You're smart and have so much potential. He should trust you more."

Stiles swallowed thickly.

"He doesn't truly care about you. You know I'm right," She continued taking another step.

"Don't listen to her, Stiles," Derek growled.

"What has he ever done to prove otherwise?" She took another step.

Derek put his hand back pushing Stiles back gently by his chest.

"Derek, it's fine," Stiles stepped forward around Derek.

"What are you doing, Stiles?" Derek snapped, grabbing the human's arm.

Stiles turned to look at Derek, "Trust me, please?" Stiles asked, his tone pleading.

Derek clenched his jaw. He knew what Stiles was doing, but he couldn't let Stiles get hurt to prove a point.

"Stiles, I'm sorry I didn't listen to you, but please, let me handle this."

"You see? He'll never trust you," Leliana shook her head sadly. "Let me show you your potential. I could make you more powerful than Derek. I could teach you the ways of the druids. You would make a wonderful emissary. For someone else, someone who appreciates you."

"Stiles, don't listen to her, she's lying. She's just trying to get in your head," Derek's tone was full of worry.

"What do you say, Stiles?" Leliana held out her hand.

Stiles glanced at Derek, his eyes begging Derek to understand.

"Stiles, please, don't."

"Okay," Stiles took Leliana's hand.

Derek lunged forward towards the Darach.

She threw him back with a flick of her wrist.

Stiles took the momentary distraction to pull out a syringe. Yanking her closer by their clasped hands, he sunk the needle into her neck.

She let out a scream as she gripped at her neck.

"Mistletoe," Stiles grinned.

Derek took the chance and attacked again.

She tried to use her magic, but the mistletoe rendered her useless.

Derek reached for her and twisting her neck, breaking it easily.

Stiles stumbled back. He'd done it. He'd figured it out and he got close enough to inject her.

Derek turned to Stiles.

"Derek, I'm sorry I didn't tell-"

He was cut off by Derek's arms wrapping around him, pulling him in close.

"Oh," Stiles gasped in surprised.

"I thought for sure I'd lost you. I'm so sorry I didn't listen to you. I promise to listen from now on," Derek said, pulling back to inspect Stiles for any injuries he might have missed.

"I'm just glad I was able to do it. I didn't think I could," Stiles shook his head. He was still reeling from the excitement.

"Are you kidding? Of course you could do it. You're incredible in so many ways and I'm sorry I made you feel otherwise. I was just too afraid of losing you, and I wanted so desperately for her to be who she said she was...I didn't trust you," Derek's hands were holding Stiles' face as if afraid he'd disappear.

"It's not a big deal, Derek. I'm used to it," Stiles gave a small shrug.

That caused Derek to tense. "I never want you to get used to it," He growled.

"I'm just a human," Stiles shrugged again.

"No. You're so much more. To the pack and to me."

Stiles bit at his bottom lip. He never heard Derek talk like this, he didn't know how to react.

"Thank you, Stiles. From now on I promise to trust you completely."

"Derek, what's going on with you?" Stiles grabbed Derek's hands in his, pulling them from his face gently.

Derek's eyes stared intently into Stiles'.

"You're making this out to be a bigger deal than it is," Stiles continued.

"I thought you were going to go with her. I thought that me keeping you at arm's length had finally driven you away. I was scared I'd lost you," Derek admitted, his eyes dropping to where Stiles was still holding his hands.

"I would never leave you, Derek. And I just thought you were keeping me at arm's length because I'm human," Stiles' own eyes dropped to their hands. He went to release Derek, but Derek held on tighter.

"I keep you at arm's length because I love you," Derek sighed out, his head bowing in shame.

Stiles froze, "Wh-what?"

"I'm sorry to burden you with that, but I need you to know why I treat you the way I do. I need you, Stiles. And I thought the best way to keep you safe was to keep you at arm's length but then when she was talking about how I didn't deserve you, I was afraid you would leave and it would have been because of me pushing you away all the time. I don't want to risk you actually leaving someday, so I'm just going to be honest with you. I'm in love with you, Stiles and I'm terrified of losing you," Derek's eyes were closed as he spoke. Waiting for Stiles' to lash out in some way.

Stiles pulled his hands from Derek's. He reached forward cupping Derek's chin in his hand, lifting so their eyes met.

Instead of responding, Stiles' lips met Derek's.

"About damn time," Lydia's voice spoke up from behind them, causing the pair to break apart.

Stiles and Derek had forgotten about the rest of the pack.

"We're fine by the way," Malia quipped next.

Stiles let out a laugh. He looked at Derek who was smiling down at him in a way Stiles' hadn't seen before. If he was being kept at arm's length before, he couldn't wait to see what the opposite of that was.