Stiles' life had changed significantly since before Scott was bitten six months ago. Not just because the supernatural now ruled his entire world. No, he could probably handle all that, if it didn't come with Derek.

Derek Hale. Perfect Derek Hale. With his stupid bunny teeth, his leather jacket, his perfect hair and his bitable jaw line. Okay so, maybe over the past six months he had developed feelings for the man. It was a crush really. He wouldn't even say he liked the older man, necessarily. But he trusted him. More than he cared to admit out loud. He was also gorgeous. But so damn sour that Stiles didn't know what to do with him. It's not like they could be friends. Derek didn't even want to tolerate Stiles, let alone be his friend.

So, Stiles just pined. Miserably. And silently for once. Because how do you tell your best friend that you might possible have a more than crush on the scary werewolf Alpha, that likes pushing you into walls. That's right. You don't. So, Stiles pined in silence.

It's not that there weren't reasons that Derek was amazing. Hell, he had saved Stiles life. At least twice now. But Scott, pure little puppy Scott, only heard the growling and saw the scowls on Derek's perfect face. He didn't pay attention to Derek's actions. Not like Stiles did.

Even the first time they met. Derek's actions spoke louder than his words. Stiles just wasn't listening at the time. He knew Scott based a lot on that first meeting. The angry man yelling at them to get off his property, but it was likely that if they had kept heading in the direction they had been, they would have ended up at the Hale house, Derek's house. So, really he was keeping them from bumbling around directly in his front yard. The front yard of the house he had lost his whole family in and then buried his sister next to.

Thinking back, Derek had every right to be territorial. Stiles was a human, and humans had taken his family from him, and Scott was an unknown wolf. He actually probably should have been more territorial, but no, he just threw Scott his inhaler and sent them on their way. God, how had he been so stupid to just assume that that man with the sad, growly face was a murderer. That he would murder his own sister. Derek was protective and surly, but he wasn't a murderer.

Even when he was threatening to rip out Stiles' throat with his teeth, Stiles may have been a little scared, but never enough to actually fear for his life. Not after Derek almost died and still didn't do it. Even after Stiles punched him in the face to wake him up from his brink of death. Especially since Stiles tended to be a sassy asshole on a normal day, but death and mayhem and the possibility of cutting off another man's arm definitely brought it out of him to an extreme.

But now the thought of Derek threatening to rip out his throat, really just turns him on. Just the words rolling around in his head are probably filling the whole room with a disgusting amount of lusty chemo-signals that Scott's going to complain about.

He was suddenly brought out of his Derek musing when Scott exclaimed in a loud whisper across from him at the lunch. "DUDE, you reek. What could you possibly be thinking about, while eating lunch?"

Stiles just shrugged and murmured. "Lydia." To which Scott just grinned and laughed in reply because it was more reasonable to tell him that he still liked the same girl from third grade, than it was to say a big bad Alpha in leather and tight jeans. Stiles sighed because his life was unreasonably difficult. He wasn't even seventeen yet and he just felt old.

His attention was once again pulled, but this time it was to a commotion by the doors of the cafeteria.

A girl walked in decked out in leather and a short skirt. All red lips and flirty smile. Swaying her hips and winking at a few people as she walked by. Holy Shit, that is Erica Reyes. Stiles' mind was a whirlwind trying to understand what was going on. Did Derek actually take his advice? Was Erica a werewolf? Was she just better?

She stole an apple off someone's tray and took a flirtatious bite. Eyes on him and Scott. He felt dirty just watching her watch them. Then, she walked away with an extra sway of her hips.

"Dude! Erica's a wolf." Scott whispered harshly, not bothering to let Stiles' even turn around. "How the hell did Derek even know she might want it?"

Stiles turned around guiltily, looking down at his plate.

"Stiles!" Scott hissed. "You knew?" He had his self-righteous face on and damn it, Stiles didn't want to hear it.

"No, Scottie. I didn't know he turned her, but I stopped by, okay? I told him that she was hurting and that if the bite could cure her, he should help her. She could have died the day she fell. If you hadn't been a wolf, you never would have known she was falling. I didn't want her to get hurt and I wanted her to have a choice. A choice to live without the disease."

-
It was late. Stiles had spent the afternoon and evening at the hospital with Scott, hoping that they would be allowed to check on Erica, but they weren't. Melissa said that Erica didn't want any visitors from school, but that she should be okay.

Stiles managed to ditch Scott pretty easily by feigning homework and chores, then drove out to the old train depot on a mission. He made sure to drive in circles and stop a few times, just to be sure no one tailed him though. He didn't want to be responsible for Hunters showing up where Derek slept.

He parked Roscoe close to the door, but hidden from the road, that way no deputies would spot him wandering into the dark building. He wasn't sure how they lived like this. Derek and Isaac. It definitely wasn't sanitary, and it didn't look like it had much electricity, but he followed the gentle hum of a generator to where he hoped Derek was, since he wasn't really sure what he would do if Derek wasn't home.

He had hoped eventually that he would get used to werewolves being able to sneak up on him, but today wasn't that day. When Isaac jumped down from a rafter above, him pinning him hard to the floor, it took the breathe from his chest. Earning a grunt and a whine from Stiles in response.

Isaac had his forearm pressed against Stiles' throat and his teeth bared. Now Stiles may not be that afraid of Derek's teeth, but Isaac is definitely a different story. Isaac might actually kill him. Even if it was by accident. He wasn't a born wolf like Derek and Stiles knew that it allowed Derek to have more control.

"What are you doing here?" Isaac snarled, lisping around his fangs. Eyes burning gold.

"D-D'rek." Stiles gasped slightly because he couldn't actually breathe that well.

Isaac let up when he realized that Stiles couldn't actually talk, but only enough so he could breathe.

"I want to talk to Derek." Stiles murmured, keeping his voice soft hoping that it would keep Isaac from ripping him apart. Isaac quirked an eyebrow at that, causing Stiles to continue. "It's important. Not like Argents or imminent death important. But important. And I don't have his phone number. He just kind of shows up, yells at me, throws me into a wall, then leaves."

Isaac hummed in response before letting him up and pulling out his phone to text Derek.

Derek stomped into view ten minutes later shirtless, barefoot, and covered in sweat.

"What do you want Stiles?" He didn't sound murderous, like Stiles had often witnessed. Just wary.

Stiles' eyes immediately shot to the floor, careful not to look at Derek's bare chest. He wrung his hands together trying to figure out what to say. Derek closed the space between them easily, backing him up against a wall.

"Why are you here?" Derek snarled, planting a hand on either side of Stiles head.

"Well. There is a girl at my school. Her name is Erica. Reyes. She's really nice. Kind of quiet. But she's sick. She has epilepsy and she had a seizure… while climbing a rock wall today. She could have died, if Scott didn't catch her or at least really gotten hurt. And uh. I read a lot you know, especially about werewolves because of Scott and the whole discovering the Supernatural thing, but I read that the bite can cure people and it cured Scott's asthma. And well. She's a good person. And people bully her because of the seizures and she doesn't deserve it. I don't want her to get hurt again. So, if you can. If it will help her, you should ask her. See if she wants it. Tell her the risks though! Because I think she will want it and I think she would make a good wolf and I know that wolves are stronger in packs and since its just you and Isaac, I thought maybe you needed more wolves." Stiles spit out every single thing he could possible think to say in one breath, then held his breath waiting for Derek to respond.

Derek quirked his head to the side, kind of like a dog, but mostly like he was really trying to understand Stiles and he just didn't know how.

He backed away from Stiles with a sigh, rubbing a hand over his face.

"I will think about it, okay? Is she still in the hospital?"

Stiles grinned up at Derek brightly. "Absolutely. You think all you need to Big guy. She's in the hospital probably for the next few days, so she's safe from any seizures on rock walls, while you decide." Stiles didn't even think before he crossed the gap between them and threw his arms around Derek, who stiffened and didn't move a muscle until Stiles scrambled back.

"Uhh.. sorry Dude. I shouldn't have done that without asking. But thanks for listening to me ramble about Erica! I have to get back before my dad, see you around."

He left a dumbfounded Derek in his wake.

Scott looked wary and like he might try to argue again, but Stiles cut him off.

"Besides, maybe she just got close to Isaac or something and is just covered in the scent, maybe she isn't really a wolf. Your nose could be wrong. It's been known to happen on occasion."

"Fine. I guess I understand why you told him, but I want to see where she goes after school." Stiles just nodded, taking a bite of his own apple, wondering how Derek's mouth might looked wrapped around it.

Notes:

So, anyone who has read my other fic, Not Meant to be Alpha, knows I write in spurts, but I at least write once a week. I have a lot less already planned for this fic, just the first few chapters running through my head, so if you have any ideas shoot them at me. They are always welcome and I will see what I can do to incorporate them.

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