Headcanon || The why behind Bitten!Melissa part 1
Mkay, so I know for a fact that this is going to be a long, long, looong post about the whys to Melissa of all people getting bitten. First, there's two, maybe three ways I think that Melissa would get the bite: She asked for it from either Derek, Peter, or Scott, Peter bit her after becoming an alpha, either the first time, or the second (I've a whole PILE of headcanon on that one) or one of the Alpha pack bit her in a bit to use her against Scott. This bit is going to cover the first one; Melissa asking for the bite.
Melissa's happy being human, until she can't help and protect her son, and her son's friends from the death that she can see stalking the town. This scares the crap out of her, worse than David, worse than her family leaving and disowning her, because those were known dangers. She could deal with David, bargain with him, or all else failing be his target and keep him off Scott. And once she realized that he was being actually abusive she could call the sheriff's department and leave him. Her family disowning her only affected her and Scott until she realized that Nana never followed popular convention.
Werewolves? and God knew what else? That was something that she didn't have any control over, didn't know how to solve, protect from. And while there were the Argents, and Allison was a sweet girl, Victoria immediately set Melissa off, reminding her of every reason that she wasn't a devout Catholic anymore, why she'd eventually come to terms with her disownment. And Chris? Wasn't much better in her eyes. So who is she supposed to go to for how to protect her family, the most important thing in her life? Herself. Only by being what Scot was could she help him, because then she could lend her own strengths to him.
Now, there are reasons not to get the bite, but in this verse there's more reasons to get it that outweigh everything, when the bite is voluntary. Of the people she'd ask it from there's three: Peter, Derek, and Scott. Scott's the most obvious choice, because he's her son. She already trusts him, and this is shown again and again (with the exception of the searching Scott's room scene, that's paranoid worried momma. I'll tag that in a separate headcanon post.) What better way to help Scott than to become his first beta?
If scott wouldn't/couldn't bite her for a myriad of reasons from Scott wouldn't wish the curse on anyone let alone his mom to Scott never becomes an alpha so she can't get the bite from him, she'd likely go to Derek. This is because of something that a lot of people forget: Melissa watched that boy grow up.
Whether Melissa was a native of Beacon Hills or moved there when she was pregnant or when Scott was young, it doesn't matter. Derek was that gangly, quiet kid that trailed after his sister up the road to the Hale house. The kid that sat reading beneath the trees in the park, always awkward and shy when someone pulled him into playing. Defensive of the bullied kid. She remembers all of this, the Derek that was more open, actually smiled once in a while, and she knows that beneath all the pain and the loss, beneath the self loathing and anger is a truly good person, and she knows that. Having someone that can keep a level head, that the teens are willing to listen to, can perhaps keep Stiles in line a little, and more importantly puts up with none of Derek's lack of planning or Peter's conniving sass would be a huge asset.
If neither first choices were willing or able, then Melissa would look seriously at Peter (allowing that he's an alpha at that point). If she grew up in Beacon Hills, she knows Peter as that cocky kid on the basketball team. Charismatic and a hell of a lot smarter than he ever let on in classes. Heck, she probably considered him more than once as date-able before David swept her off her feet.
And, to be honest, he's the first man in forever that actually followed through on a date. Even if it was to use her as a pawn in his manipulations. The thing is, now that she knows what is going on, Peter and her both know that Melissa will put up with none of his shit, her alpha or not. And he would see that as an asset, because more than anything? Melissa would actually be an equal, which I think Peter would be fascinated by.
