Chapter Text
Chapter 44: Winter Solstice and Christmas Eve, Part 1
The dawning of the Winter Solstice had Stiles and most of the pack at the mall shopping for Christmas. Lydia ironically enough, was with them, though she had already done all of her Christmas shopping online before the snowstorm had hit. And since her folks had already been given their gifts from her early, and they her (they had given her what they always got her every year, which was a stack of giftcards to buy whatever she wanted), Lydia was going to spend Christmas at the pack house. She was basically at the mall with the pack to help some of the boys out picking out gifts.
And Stiles was grateful for that, considering he still had no idea what to get Derek. Scott, he already knew to get him a couple of new awesome Xbox games, so he wasn’t an issue. Nor his dad, who loved simple things he could use - like a new scarf, or a couple of new shirts (although that might be an issue this year since his dad was no longer a power sealed Elf. But, Stiles was sure to come up with something for his dad.
As for everyone else, Stiles didn’t have much of a clue besides what to get Lydia. Lydia was perhaps the easiest to buy for. He had memorized the brands she liked a long time ago during his crush phase, and figured it all still applied. But, Jackson, Danny - what the hell could he get for those two? And Isaac, who was an adorable puppy, but still a goth kid at heart - would he want a new set of barbells for his ears? What about Erica and Boyd? And even Alec - who Stiles still felt a bit like getting the boy rocks for Christmas, to be honest.
Lydia was a calming force with drive, so she basically took Stiles’ hand and separated from the pack for a bit so she could give him much needed advice. “Come on, Stiles, you usually get thoughtful gifts for people. It’s not that hard to pick out gifts for people you care about.”
Stiles let out a whoosh of breath and licked his lips. “I know, it’s just this year is very important to me. I mean, it’s Derek and my first Christmas, hell it’s our first Christmas with a pack. Before, I only had my dad, you, and Scott to think about for Christmas.”
“Really? Weren’t you the one who was the anonymous gift giver to each of the teachers at school last year?” Lydia asked shrewdly, smiling slightly when Stiles gaped and flushed scarlet.
Before Stiles could protest, Lydia added, “It was actually pretty hysterical seeing Harris try to figure out who had given him that nice pair of chemical resistant gloves. He looked like he was in love.”
Stiles chewed on his lower lip and suddenly found his toes interesting. “How did you figure it out?” He finally asked, once he couldn’t avoid Lydia’s eyes any longer as they passed a large store entrance.
“Oh, I’ve always known,” Lydia stated with a shrug, as if it wasn’t a big deal. “I might have not known you at the time, but I still knew you were the one who did it. No one gets that excited watching a teacher open an anonymous gift. But, your secret is safe with me.”
Stiles smiled slightly and nodded in thanks.
“So, just go into a store and use your inner pack mom intuition,” Lydia stated, before she lightly pushed the Alpha into Kohl’s, the pack not far behind.
Stiles huffed out a deep, resigned sigh, and went about shopping as best he could. Lydia was right though, Stiles was, in fact, great and finding thoughtful gifts for people. He just let his teenage angst get ahold of him, sending him in a spiral of doubt.
Derek was having a bit of a rough time as well, although he wasn’t so lucky having Lydia around to help steer him in the right direction. Instead, he had Scott. But, Scott was Stiles’ best friend, so that helped a great deal. Scott knew what Stiles liked, and what he didn’t. Isaac followed them around for a bit like the adorable goth puppy he was, although eventually he went off with Boyd and Erica to get some food at the food court.
Alec stuck around Cora, Jackson, and Danny.
All in all, the pack had a mostly hassle free time of shopping. Every once in a while they would have to deal with rushing rude humans who had not a care for manners this late in the game for Christmas shopping. But, otherwise, there wasn’t much of a hassle besides long lines and annoyed sales employees. Stiles did not envy their jobs whatsoever.
Christmas Eve was when the pack was going to have their get together celebration, barring any supernatural issues. The biggest reason for this was for people who did have caring parents who wanted to spend time with their kids on Christmas Day alone would be allowed to do so. The plan was, after this shopping trip was for everyone to head home to their families and regroup at the safe house on Christmas Eve unless something happened between now and then.
Loaded down with packages and parcels, the pack headed to their vehicles to leave for home or other errands. Stiles started feeling odd on the way back to the safe house, hand running under his medallion and rubbing his chest. Derek noticed it and arched a brow in silent question.
When Stiles said nothing, but winced, he asked, “Heartburn?”
“No, well, at least I don’t think so. Can Weres or Elves even get heartburn?” Stiles mused before he shrugged. “I just feel weird. Like… my chest is heavy or something. Maybe it was all the shopping today.”
“Could be, we haven’t been out and about at a mall - or at least I haven’t in a long time,” Derek admitted. “If it weren’t so close to Christmas or Yule, I would have just done everything online. Crowds and me don’t necessarily get along.”
Understatement of the year, Stiles thought. Derek was still getting used to being a part of a pack again - one that was personal and loving. Even while he was with Laura in the New York pack, they hadn’t really connected. Not like with the pack he had now. Then again, the New York pack didn’t have his mate.
But, Stiles figured Derek wasn’t one for crowded places anyways. Maybe he had a long time ago, before the fire.
By the time they got to the safe house, it was lightly snowing, but nothing to be concerned with. The weather forecast said for some predicted light snow and chilly temperatures for the next few days, but so far, they hadn’t sensed any supernatural type of force with it. The pack was on edge though, just in case.
As they were getting out of the car, Stiles suddenly heard a chilling voice inside his mind:
That which you have stolen, shall be returned to me. I must commend you, child, for outsmarting me and my master. It will not happen again. I will not underestimate you or your pack. You all pose as formidable foes. However, what is mine, is mine. You have held my powers long enough.
And then, Stiles let out a gasping cry as his medallion shattered into pieces, the released power loud and bright as it left the area in a blast. The blast knocked Stiles and Derek off their feet, as well as some of the pack that were nearby.
Briefly, Stiles thought he saw a white snowy swirl with a ghostly maw before he passed into oblivion.
When Stiles woke, he was inside the safe house on a big oversized couch in front of the fireplace. He saw Derek nursing what looked to be a bad slowly healing cut on his shoulder, and Cora was next to him handing out some bandages. A hardened looking handsome man with a vivid scar on the right side of his face was coming from the kitchen, hands holding mugs of hot tea, Uriel right behind him. After a curious sniff, Stiles discerned that the man must be Caleb, for the hellhound was nowhere to be seen.
This was the first time Stiles had seen the hellhound in his human form. He smelled different from when he was in his other form, which was normal. He still smelled odd, like an Alpha, but not as animal. Slowly sitting up, Stiles groaned a bit, feeling like a truck had ran over him and then backed up to finish the fucking job. Caleb gave him a look in sympathy and handed the Alpha a mug of tea.
Stiles thanked him with a grunt, not being able to offer much else for now. Derek looked over at Stiles and sighed deeply. He took up a mug of tea as well and slowly sipped it before he whispered hoarsely, “I assume, that was Glacius?”
Uriel nodded slowly. “It appears so. I miscalculated the powerful sway of the Winter solstice. Much like Halloween does for certain dark creatures of the night, the Winter solstice does for demons and Ice Wraiths.”
“Why can’t we just have one week without something happening?” Stiles finally whined, his throat scratchy from the earlier power surge.
“I guess it’s because it’s Beacon Hills?” Cora said with a sympathetic smile.
“Was it just us? My dad -” Stiles was broken off by Uriel shaking his head with a smile.
“My brother and Peter are at the station, and will be for another hour. It seems that it happened while you were in your most vulnerable position without more of the pack nearby. I am impressed that Glacius was able to draw from the medallion with the wards in place. My guess is that he is far more powerful than we thought. Though weak, the Winter Solstice gave him just enough power to destroy the medallion,” Uriel explained. “Your father was correct in using it for a time, but with that much power it was holding on to, it was a wonder it didn’t break earlier than now.”
“How long was I out?” Stiles asked, cradling the tea in between his palms.
“Only about an hour once Caleb and I were able to recover and bring you two inside. Cora had been already inside, and was secure from most of the blast, though she was still unconscious. Myself and Caleb were on the outskirts of the wards, scouting, and we were thrown off our feet as well,” Uriel said.
“Why hasn’t he tried siphoning my powers yet?” Stiles mused a few minutes later, absently rubbing his chest where the comforting weight of the medallion was missing.
“My guess is that he needs time to get used to his powers again. Or, he could be directed differently by his Summoner. We’d best be on our guard moreso. Like my brother, I have some older relics that can protect the bearer or wearer,” The Elf reached into one of his side pouches and withdrew a ring. It was a simple silvery colored elven ring with no stones, just one small rune of protection.
Stiles warily looked at the ring, remembering the Lord of the Rings ironically enough. Uriel saw his look and chuckled. “No, it is not that type of ring, if you are thinking of the Ring of Power. This is just a simple protection ring. You may use it if you wish.” He handed it over to Stiles.
The Cyger/Elf sniffed the air, and noting nothing seemed strange about the ring, he went ahead and took it from the Sentinel, still feeling wary about it. Once he fit it on his index finger, and nothing happened, he relaxed with a deep sigh. “Thank you,” Stiles said, causing the Elf to nod with a twitch of his lips.
Caleb watched the exchange for a few minutes before he finally told Uriel, “It might be best to go do a patrol again.”
“Agreed,” Uriel said, before he stood with Caleb and made their way to the door, the latter shifting into his hellhound form once again.
Stiles, Derek, and Cora watched them go with interest before they turned and regarded eachother somberly.
“I really hate this,” Stiles said, because what else was there to say? “The always being on edge. Waiting for something to happen.”
Derek nodded. “Yes, but we will handle this when it comes time. The waiting sucks, but there is not much else we can do besides what we have been doing.”
“If it makes you feel any better, the blast didn’t fry anyone’s gifts, and I managed to get all the packages inside and I also bought a bunch of food for Christmas Eve and it’s all put away,” Cora said with a quirk to her lips. “I would have taken down a couple of deer for venison, but unfortunately Kanima bites make meat disgusting, plus hunters being nearby… yeah, it definitely wasn’t an option.”
When both Derek and Stiles looked at her incredulously, she defended herself, “What? The pack I was in the last six years didn’t believe in Christmas or any holiday regardless of the season. I have no problem saying that it would be nice to have gift giving and feasting for once.”
Stiles leveled Derek with a knowing look and both let out soft chuckles.
Glacius shivered as he let the power flow through him. He felt like a weak, newborn lamb, just taking his first steps. The Wraith would be vulnerable for a time while his magic settled. Luckily, his master had not called him since the last time they spoke. Otherwise he might have done a danger to himself or his master. And though he wasn’t too keen on this master, and could choose another, it would take a long time to find the right replacement.
He had no wish to be caught in the netherworld again for a while.
Biding his limited time, the Wraith rested, reveling in the pleasure pain of his magic crackling within his life force.
Soon, Beacon Hills.
Soon your time will be up.
Christmas Eve morning had the entire pack at the safe house, whether cooking, finishing up decorating and trimming a fake tree (due to the fact that they had a few Elves present who weren’t too fond of felled trees being used as Christmas trees), or setting up board games and movies.
Melissa had arrived with her famous pumpkin pies and pecan pies, while John had managed to bring in large chocolate pies and Stiles’ favorite chocolate cheesecake. Uriel had contributed by helping Peter whip up salads with all sorts of vegetables that the pack had never even heard of. Caleb assisted Derek in the kitchen making fried chicken, honey baked ham, roasted turkey, pot roast, and seared salmon. There were various side dishes that the two had spent the day before cooking up - or what meal prep they could do that didn’t matter if it set in the fridge for 24 hours. Casseroles, quiche, mashed potatoes and gravy, various kinds of breads, cheese plates, dips and chips, candy, cookies, you name it.
Stiles’ mouth was watering so much he had to down an endless supply of iced tea and water the whole time due to the various delicious smells. He had tried being useful helping Scott and Boyd fix up the Christmas tree, but then got lasso’d by Lydia into helping her bring in board games from her car. Alec was with Erica and Cora, patrolling outside for a bit, and Danny, Jackson, and Isaac were stacking and sorting gifts on a nearby foldable table to wait until the tree was finished before placing them around it. Melissa, Uriel, and John helped with what they could, but otherwise steered clear of the kitchen, considering Caleb and Derek were in their element.
Once the board games were set up and ready to go, Stiles stretched and yawned, taking a long moment to look around at his pack. His family. To think that the year before he’d just hung out with Scott and Melissa on Christmas Eve and then his dad on Christmas morning before he had to leave because a Sheriff’s work was never done. It was so strange now. His dad still had his cell on just in case something was called in that needed his attention, but otherwise, the entire pack was here and happy.
Food and drink was consumed once the hellhound and Werewolf Alpha started handing out plates. Discussion was quieted for a bit while the pack enjoyed their meal with gusto, and once everyone had their fill of mouthwatering food, they helped with the cleanup and cleared a table to set up board games on a multiplayer team basis. That’s when things got rowdy, and by the time Erica, Cora, and Alec arrived to switch patrols with Isaac and Scott, Stiles had managed to trounce everyone at Sorry twice, and the Sherrif had managed to slaughter everyone with poker. There were a few times where some teammates (Jackson, Cora, and Erica) got into Dominos shouting matches, but at least no one chucked a game piece or three at everyone.
Finally, once Scott and Isaac returned, it was time to open presents.