Derek watched wide eyed as the hunter turned his gun to Isaac who froze in fear. The Alpha's red eyes flicked between the Hunter and Isaac and the three of them knew, there was no way that Derek was going to get to them in time. He could smell the wolfsbane on the Hunter, and it was a head shot.

They were out here looking for his two lost betas, Peter was on the other side of the preserve 'organising' seeing as he was too weak from being brought back to be of any use searching. It was just the two of them, and he was about to watch a pack mate, his beta, Isaac being killed.

He took a breath and shifted his stance, making it clear what he was about to do, and he watched the Hunter's hand falter. He couldn't stop one of them getting hurt or killed, but maybe if he distracted the hunter into shooting him, Isaac could have a chance to run. And it might not be a head shot for him, if he was lucky.

Before he could move however, before the hunter's gun could even move from Isaac there was a furious bellow. The three of them turned to see a red form coming out of the trees right behind the Hunter. And before he could do more than widen his eyes a baseball bat came down hard on the arm holding the gun outstretched at Isaac.

Even if Derek had been human he would have heard the bone snapping from where he was standing. The Hunter let out a pained scream and then another when the baseball bat was swung again and again at him.

"I have had...enough of fucking...hunters! Stay away...from my werewolves!...Stay the fuck away...from Beacon Hills...stay away you...pricks!" Stiles was doing a fairly good impression of a growl as he spoke between blows, not stopping when the Hunter hit the floor.

"Stiles!" Isaac touched the human's shoulder, stopping the onslaught before he killed the Hunter.

"Are you ok?" Stiles asked looking between him and Derek wide eyed and panting.

"Yes, this idiot was passing through and heard there were Hale wolves back on the land. Thought he would make a name for himself killing one of us," Isaac explained.

"Stiles," Derek injected a little bit of Alpha into his voice when he saw the human's fingers twitch on the bat.

"You're lucky I don't have time to bury a body!" Stiles glared at the hunter. "You leave Beacon Hills, Beacon County, anything with the name Beacon in it and you leave now! If I find out you have lingered for one second longer I will kill you!" Stiles warned.

"I need a hospital!" The Hunter groaned.

"Should have thought about that before you broke the code and tried to get yourself a trophy! According to the Hunter laws, a pack have the right to defend themselves, to the point of killing, against any hunter that threatens them when they have shown no danger to humans. So, you leave now, and I will know if you stop by the hospital, I have contacts!"

Derek had reached them at this point and watched as Isaac turned his smile into a smirk as not to give the game away as he realised Stiles 'contact' was Melissa.

"You're a human, how can you betray your own kind with these animals!" The hunter snarled.

"The only animal I see here is you, now go!" Stiles swung out and kicked the Hunter hard in the ribs. Groaning the man scrambled to his feet, glaring when Derek's foot came down on the gun he was reaching for. Like he would be stupid enough to allow the man a weapon, or even that he would allow the man to take the weapon he had threatened his beta with.

Conceding with another glare the Hunter turned and hobbled away as fast as he could. Leaving the three of them standing there watching until they knew he was not doubling back to catch them unaware. Only then did Derek turn to look at Stiles curiously.

"What are you doing here?" He asked.

"Hello Sourwolf, nice to see you too, yes, it is a lovely day, and no no problem, you're welcome for helping you!" Stiles groused.

"Don't encourage him," Derek rolled his eyes as Isaac snickered. "And I meant why are you up and about, I could smell the pain on you in the warehouse the other day, I can still smell it, you need to be at home,"

"Whoa whoa, what you doing?" Stiles blinked stepping back when Derek reached for him. Rolling his eyes again the Alpha just moved faster than the human could hope to, and gripping his wrist started leeching the pain from him. "Whoa!"

"Now, what are you doing out here?" Derek asked as he carried on leeching the pain from the human, frowning at how much pain exactly he was in. Isaac's eyes grew concerned as he saw the black veins continue to draw up Derek's arm, indicating to him exactly how in pain Stiles had to have been.

"Dude, I am feeling a little woozy," Stiles blinked rapidly.

"It is just because you are suddenly not in pain," Derek explained, reaching out with his other hand to steady Stiles. "Why are you here?"

"Hmmm," Stiles peered at Derek curiously. "Oh, I'm looking for Erica and Boyd,"

"You're...why are you looking for them?" He frowned.

"I left them," Stiles face pulled down into a little frown, but the high from the pain loss was still evident.

"You left them, where?" Derek asked confused.

"In the basement, with Gerard, I left them, this is my fault, I should have made sure they were ok, I should have been quicker," Stiles swayed on his feet. Isaac's eyes turned yellow and a growl fell from his lips as he stepped closer to Stiles just as the black veins faded from Derek's arms and awareness rapidly returned to Stiles' face. His own eyes flashed red at Isaac and then turned to Stiles.

"He left them!" Isaac snarled motioning to Stiles who was still firmly in Derek's grip.

"No, he didn't," Derek growled.

"Yes, I did, I..." Stiles was fully aware now and stared down at his feet, shame written over his face and scenting the air.

"No, I know you Stiles, I know what you do for people. You're the idiot that comes running out the woods at a gun wielding idiot with only a bat,"

Isaac's growls stopped at that, his eyes returning to normal as he took in what Derek was saying.

"I was with them, they were right there and..." Stiles' fist clenched in Derek's grip, and the scent of pain filled the air again. Except this time it wasn't physical and Derek realised that it had been there the whole time.

"What happened Stiles?" He asked softly, but he might as well have slapped the human.

"I left them, that's what happened! Gerard took me and put me in the basement, and he was there and he wanted to make a point to you and Scott, and he... the three of us he... he dragged me out and dumped me and I left them!" Stiles rambled.

"Stiles!" Derek injected full alpha into his tone this time and watched with...something low in his stomach as Stiles automatically averted his eyes downwards and exposed his neck to Derek, to his Alpha. "But Scott said..." Derek said confused, his eyes locked on red as his wolf howled close to the surface.

"Scott isn't my Alpha," Stiles said softly, a faint tremble visible. With a look, Isaac disappeared further into the forest, though not far enough that a shout wouldn't be heard and answered straight away.

"He's your pack," Derek answered once Isaac was far enough away.

"Yes, he is, and he always will be," Stiles nodded eyeing where Isaac had disappeared.

"But?" Derek sensed the word hovering in the air between them. Stiles was still baring his neck but he was looking at him now.

"But, he doesn't make choices for me, he isn't my Alpha. I know that you only took me because you wanted him, but you are my Alpha."

The squeak that Stiles let out wasn't very manly, and was a little scared, a lot startled and a good part shocked when Derek let out a loud growl and clamped his human teeth over the vulnerable skin of Stiles' neck. The human reached up and held tightly onto Derek's shoulder as the Alpha clamped tightly onto his flesh and held on. Even though he was only a human Stiles could feel something between them, he could feel an electricity between them.

His heart was pounding in a way Derek couldn't possibly miss, and he was trembling. He could feel Derek being very careful not dig his teeth in too deep, but breaking skin. Before he really realised it, his body was pressed closely to Derek's, and all of the lingering pain and stress melted from him.

Finally, Derek pulled back, eyes Alpha red, and watching Stiles closely as he held onto him. The moment was completely unlike anything that Stiles had ever felt before, and he couldn't take his eyes from Derek, blinking rapidly at the Alpha unable to believe what was happening, what this seemed to mean. There was also something in the back of his mind forming, something like an awareness that he had never felt before. It was like ribbons he decided, six of them drifting off, one of them to Derek, and the others he would guess to Isaac, Peter, Jackson, Erica and Boyd, pack links.

"I never once put up with you for Scott," Derek said lowly, his eyes locked on Stiles.

"But you and I and I thought and you and..." Stiles quickly shut his mouth when Derek growled and yanked him closer. Which Stiles was frankly impressed with because he was quite sure there hadn't been more than a hairs breath between them. And where the heck did the saying hairs breath come from?

"I wanted you too! More than Scott to be honest. He is unreliable, unfocused, self-centred, righteous and to be fair a little slow. Whereas you are clever, quick, you are there every time me or the pack need you and whether you are happy about it or not you help. Tell me, with what you know about pack, who would be more desirable to an Alpha?" it had to be the most Derek had ever said to him, and Stiles could feel his face burning.

"But...Erica and Boyd?" Stiles frowned.

"Stiles, it is not your fault. You were hurt too, and you don't heal like we do, you didn't leave them, Gerard took you and dumped you, probably to die except for the fact that you're too stubborn," Derek said with what Stiles was fairly sure was fondness in his voice. "I don't blame you, and I know they won't. You were hurt Stiles,"

"They were hurt Derek, and scared," Stiles was horrified to feel tears in his eyes as he remembered how the two had looked at him when he was being dragged from the room.

"And we will find them," Derek was determined, so sure.

"I want to kill Allison, I can't be near her, or hear her name," Stiles admitted, trembling faintly.

"I noticed you were venting a little there," Derek's lips twitched as he pointedly looked into the forest where the hunter had hobbled away to.

"I have seriously had enough of fucking hunters," Stiles scowled.

"Tell me about it," Derek sighed. Stiles reached out and touched Derek's cheeks before he could even think about it, and then the look he got stopped him from pulling away. "I need you in my pack Stiles," Derek said softly.

"Derek?" Stiles frowned.

"I wasn't...I wasn't good at it before. I tried but, I was never meant to be the Alpha, it was always Laura. I didn't...I didn't do it right last time, Erica and Boyd, they left because they were scared, because I was weak. I had it wrong, I thought weakness meant not showing it physically, so I pushed them and pushed them, but, I realised with Lydia and Jackson, werewolves, we're powerful and strong, but it is our emotions that make us stronger. Pack bonds, trust, loving each other,"

Stiles stared a little stunned at the speech, he had really never heard Derek say so much. And he could see the guilt and pain on Derek's face as well. He had never really seen anything but smug, stoic or anger on those features, and seeing this... it made Derek more human.

"So you be better, we be better. All of us, we can all improve, we can all do this better. So next time something rolls into town that wants to wipe us out, it finds a real pack instead," Stiles grinned.

"Be better," Derek repeated, looking up meet Stiles' eyes.

"You can be a good Alpha Derek, I know you can. The fact that you chose Isaac, Boyd and Erica proves that. You gave the bite to three people who could make the most of it. You may not have ever been meant to be the Alpha, but you are, you're our Alpha. So, we will work this out, we will get Erica and Boyd back, and we be a pack," Stiles nodded.

"And if Scott never wants to join my pack?" Derek asked, looking shockingly vulnerable.

"That won't change my choice," From Derek's face he knew that he had heard the unfaltering heartbeat.

"Then, as my pack member, I have my first request for you," Derek rubbed his thumb over the place he had bitten Stiles, making electricity dance through Stiles body and relax him at the same time. "I want you to help me teach Jackson control,"

"That's cheating," Stiles accused mulishly, knowing he should have felt indignant but not being able to summon the feeling as that amazing feeling continued through his body.

"I know," Derek grinned, actually grinned at him, and he knew he was done.

"Fine!"

"Thank you. I need your help, my method did not work so well with Scott," Derek grimaced. "And I don't think my method of training the others was particularly good either,"

"I expect payment in the form of lots of reeces for this, and you Alpha Jackson if he starts being a dick," Stiles grumbled.

"Agreed," Derek nodded. "Now, I want you to go home, and rest,"

"What? But, Erica and Boyd!" Stiles protested.

"Isaac and I will continue looking, you need to rest Stiles, not romp through the woods, you need to heal. I want you to go home and..."

"And bench me! Like everyone else, god I can't believe I nearly fell for your..." Stiles squeaked, again, when Derek growled loudly, tugging him in close once more and flashed red eyes at him.

"Let me finish Stiles!" Derek growled before turning the eyes down. "I am not 'benching' you. I want you to go home, plot out where you know the Argents have been active since this whole thing began, and start trying to come up with a more logical search pattern that does not include just running through the woods. Even as werewolves that would take months. We need to do this smarter, and if anyone can figure that out, it's you!"

Stiles stared at him for a few beats before he nodded. "Ok, I can do that," Stiles nodded. He went to move before found Derek's fingers wrapped around his throat, thumb pressing against the tender and throbbing bite mark on his neck. He knew that he should feel intimidated and threatened, especially considering their past. Instead, he found himself going limp and relaxing in Derek's grip.

"You go straight home, no stopping off anywhere, no getting distracted, straight home. You get into bed and heal, and you pick up nothing heavier than a map and pen," Derek ordered softly.

"Yes, sir!" Stiles saluted.

"Just for that I am sending Jackson to you tomorrow for some provisional learning," Derek smirked. Slowly he released his fingers and let Stiles go. "Isaac!" He called.

"Yes?" Isaac jogged over.

"I want to you to take Stiles to his jeep, make sure he gets straight to it," Derek added.

"Hey!" Stiles protested. "I don't need a babysitter,"

"You kind of do, I can smell the pain and tiredness son you right now," Isaac shrugged.

"And what will you be doing?" Stiles frowned at Derek.

"Going around as we have been until you come up with a better plan," Derek smirked. He turned to leave.

"Derek..." Stiles started to say before withdrawing a little.

"What is it?" Derek turned his attention fully to him.

"Check in, when you're done? Please?" Stiles asked.

"Of course," Derek seemed so shocked that he had said it that Stiles shook his head.

"After everything that has happened I want to know you're safe," He said softly. Be better echoing around in his head.

Derek stared at him for a few moments before nodding his head and then jogging off. Leaving Stiles and Isaac standing awkwardly in the forest.

"Come on then," Isaac motioned back the way Stiles had come from.

The silence between them was a little awkward as they walked in silence for five minutes before Isaac finally snapped. "I'm sorry!" He blurted out.

"What? What for?" Stiles blinked confusedly.

"I have been a bit of a prick the last few months, and I know that you were just trying to help and do your best. And well, I felt your bond snap properly into place, and I don't want things to be weird between us. I mean this is bad enough, our other packmates are Peter and Jackson - one who I don't really know anything about besides the fact that he is apparently a freaking zombie or something and was the psycho responsible for everything that happened at the start of all this, and the teenager that has either made my life hell or just ignored my existence. Erica and Boyd are missing, and well, its all a mess really. I don't want things between us to be weird because I turned into an asshole, I am trying to get that anger under control,"

"How long have you been holding onto that for?" Stiles asked stunned.

"A little while," Isaac sighed. "I haven't fully liked the person I became, we all became,"

"Isaac," Stiles stopped walking and turned to face the taller teen, a thoughtful look on his face.

"What?"

"Isaac, you're not your father. What you felt was a supernatural adrenaline rush, it will calm down and you will become yourself again. You're not him," Stiles said softly. Isaac jerked back as though Stiles had punched him, but then he took his breath and looked down.

"The things I have been doing..."

"When it mattered, when it came down to it, you were a good person, and that is all that matters," Stiles shook his head. "You didn't leave Derek, you could have but you didn't, that is good,"

"Derek needs me as much as I need him. He is a good guy, just..."

"Emotionally stunted?" Stiles grinned.

"Yeah," Isaac laughed. "Come on, let's get you home before you drop,"

"Derek?! Ow!" Stiles groaned as he jerked when Derek startled him by coming through the window. Derek was quickly sitting on the edge of the bed gripping his wrist and draining the pain from him so that he could let go of his aching ribs. He sighed and relaxed back into his pillows as the pain drained from him.

"Sorry," Derek grunted.

"It's ok, just wasn't expecting you to pop through the window, you haven't done it for a while," Stiles grinned opening his eyes. He was relieved to see Derek smirking a little.

"Come on," Derek grabbed the map and notebook that were sitting on Stiles' lap and moved to the bedroom door.

"Huh? Wait, where are we going?" Stiles trailed after Derek down the stairs and into the kitchen. He placed the items in his hands onto the kitchen table and then moved to open the fridge. "Derek, what are you doing?" Stiles prodded.

"Cooking," Derek grunted. "Sit down," He rolled his eyes seeing Stiles hovering.

"You're cooking? For me?" Stiles blinked.

"Sit,"

"I didn't even know that you could..."

"Will you sit down!" Derek growled a little. Before he realised what he was doing Stiles was sitting down at the table.

"That's cheating! Stop doing that!" The human huffed. Derek just smirked and turned back to digging things out of the fridge.

"Nope, not if it means you will actually look after yourself,"

Stiles stared wide-eyed at the Alpha's back as Dere stared cooking something up.

"Stiles?" Derek turned looking confused.

"What?" Stiles blinked pulled from his thoughts.

"Your heart just went through the roof, are you ok, what happened? You know I will never make you do anything that you don't truly want to do,"

"That's not it," Stiles shook his head playing with the edge of the map, picking his pen back up to fiddle with it, his leg started jittering under the table, full set of nervous habits.

"What is it then?" Derek asked, turning his back to give Stiles an illusion of privacy.

"It's just...it's been a long time since someone has wanted to look after me," Stiles bit his lip.

"I could say the same thing, and then you came into my life," Derek snorted. "Even when you thought I could be in league with Peter, you were trying to help me. Even with this whole thing, you tried to look after me. It's been a long time since I have had that as well,"

"You're a good guy Derek,"

"No I'm not, but I'm going to try," Derek shrugged. "Scott..."

"Derek, listen to me," Stiles waited until the alpha turned around. "You have done wrong things but did things for the right reason, Scott does the right things for wrong reasons,"

"Stiles..."

"I love Scott, I do, but I also know his faults. He could have told any of us about what was going on, he could have told me about his plan, and he didn't, and I'm supposed to be his best friend. The whole time we have all been running around chasing our tails - pun intended - while he has been plotting behind our backs. Plus Allison pisses me off,"

"Allison?"

"Oh come on! Look I'm sorry that her mum died, or felt that she had to do what she did, but seriously! Scott didn't tell her that Mrs Argent tried to kill him and you, and instead allows her to go all psycho bitch, again, take Erica and Boyd captive and try and hurt them, and he still loves her!" Stiles growled.

He frowned when Derek took the pan from the stove and moved to crouch down in front of him, reaching up to cup his neck and look intently at him. Shaking his head Derek sighed and leeched a little more pain from Stiles before speaking. "Stiles you were taken too, and she allowed you to be hurt as well, you matter,"

"That looks like it hurt," Stiles smiled reaching out to loop his hand around Derek's wrist before he could withdraw.

"I am not good at this,"

"You're doing just fine big guy," Stiles assured him. Derek looked unsure but he stood and moved back to the cooker.

"I wanted your help with something actually, in regards to being better," Derek started serving up as he spoke.

"Ok?"

"Can you look into how I go around adopting Isaac please?" Derek asked placing two plates on the table as Stiles blinked at him before he smiled.

"Of course, leave it to me, I will have you the model figure for adoption. But I can tell you one thing straight off the bat you will need," Stiles said as he pulled the amazing looking omelette towards himself.

"Get a house?" Derek sighed.

"Sorry big guy. I am fairly sure that you could rent somewhere for a while and put on the adoption papers that you intend to buy somewhere else. It's lucky you're werewolves, gods know what you would have caught hanging around that station," Stiles shuddered before groaning as he took a mouthful of the omelette. "Oh my god, you can cook!"

"Not a lot of things, but what I can cook, I do alright," Derek shrugged taking a big bite of his own.

"Alright?! Alright?! This is heaven, my friend!" Stiles groaned shoving another forkful into his mouth. "My Alphaness?" Stiles grinned after Derek growled at him. Derek rolled his eyes and nodded towards the map.

"Go on then, tell me what you have,"

Stiles stepped into the room and eyed the werewolf standing in front of him. He wasn't sure what he should think about all this. Peter had been the big bad. He had been the one that had started all this, he had been the one to open this world up to them.

He had also been quite clearly clinically insane.

That madness was absent from his eyes this time, there was still a cruel edge there, a mercenary one, but then that was something that Stiles could understand and appreciate even at times.

"You look saner," Stiles said slowly as he walked into the room fully, Isaac and Derek looking up from where they were sitting on one side of the train carriage. Jackson and Lydia from the other.

"I feel it, thank you for noticing no one else seems to have," Peter grinned with a lot of teeth.

"Ah, it's one of those things people don't always like to comment on. So what, do we have to feed you on brains now?" Stiles asked moving over to sit between Isaac and Derek when they made space for him

"No, though I do prefer my meat a little rarer," Peter leered.

"Did you just make a sex joke?" Stiles grimaced as Derek snarled next to him. Peter dropped his eyes but he smirked a little. "Hmmm,"

"What?" Peter frowned at Stiles.

"You accepted Derek as your Alpha, right?" Stiles asked.

"Yes, I did," Peter smiled.

"Yeah, but you are planning on betraying Derek if it means you can get more power," Stiles shook his head. Peter tilted his head and looked closely at him.

"And what are you going to do about it if I do?"

"Set fire to you again and make sure that there isn't enough left of you to bring back," Stiles said factually. Peter snarled and lunged forwards at the reminder of who had set him on fire last time. Derek was suddenly in front of Stiles and slamming Peter back, his eyes glowing and fangs extended.

"Enough!" Derek growled.

"My apologies. Warning understood I betray you and Stiles hurts me," Peter smirked holding his hands up. All eyes, however, turned to the other side where Jackson stared back at them having just snorted.

"Problem?" Derek frowned.

"Come on, what exactly is he going to do," Jackson sneered waving at Stiles. The human couldn't help but draw slightly into himself, thoughts of how useless Scott now appeared to find him echoing around in his head.

"Might want to reconsider your position on that, if it wasn't for Stiles your little girlfriend would be dead and you would still be scaly," Peter, shockingly, answered him as he moved to sit down in front of Stiles.

"Not to mention that he is going to be the one helping you learn to control yourself. You have respect for all pack members or you have no pack," Derek frowned. Isaac pressed himself against Stiles' side as tension rose in the room.

"He's not pack, he's a human!" Jackson frowned.

"Everyone is pack, everyone in this room. Human or wolf! And you will treat them all with respect! You are the lowest of the rung here Jackson, and you will act accordingly. Stiles is a participating member of this pack," Derek warned. Stiles couldn't help but stare at the Alpha, he knew what Derek had said to him, and in the last couple of days, he had been different with him. But this was something else. This was in front of other people.

"What do you mean, I would be dead if it wasn't for Stiles?" Lydia frowned.

"Yes, what do you mean by that?" Derek frowned.

"I would have killed her on the field that night, until Stiles came along and offered to go willingly with me if I let her go. He convinced me that he was of use to me for my plan," Peter shrugged.

"Oh,"

The silence was echoing and no one seemed to know what to say. And so Stiles broke it of course. "So, can I put the first pack discussion into the fact that we should meet at my house until Derek finds a place,"

"You're finding a place?" Isaac asked.

"What about your dad?" Derek frowned.

"One, yes he is finding a place, it's part of the Big Plan, I also have internet, heating and food, along with cleanliness, and a much lower risk of tetanus. As for my dad, he is spending a lot of time at the station right now, getting things sorted out and hiring new staff," Stiles rambled.

"Why don't we head there now, please," Lydia scrunched her nose as she looked around her.

"That's good idea!" Stiles nodded already standing.

"Oh fine," Derek sighed. Stiles paused for a moment before looking around himself and rolling his eyes.

"Get your stuff,"

"What?" Derek blinked.

"All three of you, get your things," Stiles rubbed his forehead.

"What?"

"You can't stay here, it's not good for any of you. The three of you go and get your things, you will stay at mine until you find your own place, a proper place," Stiles ordered.

"Even me?" Peter blinked pointing to himself.

"Yes, even you zombie wolf," Stiles shook his head.

"Stiles are you sure, that's a lot..."

"We're pack, I...I want to make sure you're safe, this isn't safe," Stiles frowned.

"Ok," Derek nodded.

Half an hour later they were in Stiles' house, Derek, Isaac and Peter had had one bag each, and they were stashed upstairs in the spare room. Derek and Stiles were in the kitchen making tea and coffee for everyone before they started.

"What is it?" Derek asked softly. Stiles hesitated before turning to him.

"Peter, don't treat him with suspicion or keep him at arm's length, be wary of him, yes, but don't push him away. What happened, I really don't think he was fully himself, but if you push him out he will become dangerous. If you give him pack, home, positive reinforcement his brand of dangerous could be on our side," Stiles said quietly enough that the others wouldn't be able to overhear them, luckily the kettle boiling and the dishwasher Stiles had put on helped with the werewolf hearing thing.

Derek looked lost for a second. "I'm torn. I want to welcome him back in, I have no other Hales left, I want to have family with me, and the advice of another born werewolf, but at the same time, he killed Laura, the only other person I had for years,"

"Derek, Laura...I get the feeling she wasn't the best Alpha..." Stiles grimaced when he was slammed against the side, Derek's hand wrapped around his throat. "Derek,"

"She was my sister!" Derek snarled.

"I know," Stiles stayed calm and loose, not challenging the angry and upset Alpha, lowering his eyes to the floor. Slowly he reached up and gently wrapped his fingers around Derek's wrist. "But that doesn't mean she was a good Alpha,"

"She did the best she could!"

"Yes, but that doesn't mean she was a good Alpha either. Derek, the saying that people lead by example exists for a reason. The way you were these last few months raised a lot of red flags, plus..."

"Yes?" Drek growled, his fingers still present around Stiles' throat but there was no threat there, there had never been, and Stiles knew it.

"Peter, a good Alpha wouldn't have just dumped Peter here and run. He was still alive and stuck in there. She wanted to get you and her to safety I get that, totally, but if Isaac was in a coma and you had to move away, would you leave him here in a home or would you transfer him to a home by where you are?" Stiles said softly.

"I...I..."

"I'm not wanting to slag Laura off, she was your sister and you loved her, and I am sure she loved you. She was all you had for a long time. But at the same time I have concerns about the way she treated you, and Derek, she's not here, Peter is, mostly sane and can help you,"

"Your concerned about him helping me?" Derek suddenly smirked.

"Of course I am," Stiles frowned looking up at the Alpha and then freezing at the intent look he was receiving.

"Hmm," Derek smirked and turned taking some of the mugs and walking to the living room.

"What do you mean hmm?" Stiles scrambled to get the other mugs and chased after Derek.

"Nothing," Derek said airily.

"Derek!" Stiles whined.

"Oh good, we thought you were shagging like rabbits through there," Peter said dryly as they walked in. Isaac started coughing and Jackson gawped at them.

"Not yet," Derek handed his uncle a cup making the older man blink at him before accepting the mug. Stiles meanwhile was gawping at the Alpha who showed no sign on having been joking.

"So, training," Lydia coughed, obviously fighting down amusement.

"Oh yes, a present for you," Stiles grabbed his bag from where he had dropped it when they came in and dug out the Amazon packet from inside throwing it at Jackson.

"What's this?" Lydia frowned taking the heart rate monitor from Jackson.

"Control," Stiles answered knowing she wasn't asking the obvious question.

"A heart rate monitor?" Peter frowned looking curious.

"Yes, you're going to wear it, and you need to learn to get control over yourself. A raised heartbeat makes you lose control of the wolf, lust, anger, stress, worry, embarrassment, anything at all that raises your heartbeat. Scott and I realised how unaware you are of your heartbeat. This will tell you when you are losing control, I have set it to give a warning to Derek and Lydia's phones when it gets to the level Scott used to transform on, but we will probably have to adjust it for yourself. Lydia is your anchor, when you feel that control slipping you will need her, once you have that control you won't need to rely on an anchor as much," Stiles explained.

"Interesting," Peter hummed.

"Very interesting," Derek nodded. "Put it on,"

"This is really supposed to work?" Jackson frowned at the heart monitor.

"When you have managed to train a werewolf you can raise questions. Until that time you will do as you are told and wear the monitor. Unless you don't care for control?" Derek said. Stiles pressed his hand to Derek's thigh when they all saw how low that blow had hit.

"I will wear it," Jackson muttered.

"For the rest of it, there is no exact science, no meditation or yoga or anything like that. When your heart rate starts rising you need to find a way that calms you, something that works for you. It could be skin contact with Lydia, it could be concentrating on her smell, her heartbeat, her breathing, her voice, it could be remembering moments with her, one of those things will give you that control though. My suggestion would be one of us get you wound up, and we try different things until we find out the one that works,"

"Sounds good," Jackson gave a short nod before hooking himself up to the heart monitor. Stiles felt a stab of sympathy for the other teen as he could see the strain of what he had been through had taken on him.

"I have one other suggestion," Stiles said softly, not sure how this was going to go down.

"Ok?" Jackson frowned.

"Marin is opening up a private practice for counselling, particularly for supes. I think...I think it may be a good idea if..."

"I am not going to a shrink! I am not going to some shrink I know you think I am damaged and..."

"Jackson, you became the kanima for a reason, until you get that straightened out in your own head, you risk losing control, you risk everyone, including Lydia. And I was actually going to say I suggest we all attend, every one of us," Stiles said calmly.

"All of us?" Derek scowled.

"All of us, you, me, Jackson, Lydia, Isaac, zombie wolf, and Erica and Boyd when we find them," Stiles nodded.

"I..." Derek looked at the rest of his pack before nodding. "That's a good idea,"

Stiles let out a breath, he had been worried that Derek especially would not go for this, and of everyone, Derek needed the help.

"Ok, so the search for Erica and Boyd..." Derek moved on.

"Therapy?" Derek's voice made Stiles startle and nearly hit the roof. Turning he glared at the Alpha whose lounging against the doorway watching him.

The wolves had headed out to go and do a search for Erica and Boyd using the plan that Stiles had come up with, they had been out for a few hours now, and he had not been expecting them back for a little while. During that time his dad had come and gone within the space of half an hour.

"Dude! You gave me a heart attack!" Stiles scolded turning to move the pan from the stove.

"What are you cooking? It smells good," Derek walked over.

"Pasta bake," Stiles answered.

"I'll stir," Derek placed the pan back onto the ring and started stirring. "So, therapy,"

"I didn't think that you would go for it quite as easy as that," Stiles sighed. "Go on then,"

"You really think it will help?" Derek frowned at the pan.

"For you, or on a whole?" Stiles asked softly, not trying to make eye contact with the other.

"Both...me," Derek dropped his head. "Stiles I'm not...fixable, so much has happened, not just the fire and..."

"Derek calm down," Stiles removed the pan from the heat again, and prised the now battered spoon from Derek's fingers, throwing it into the sink. "Derek, I know,"

"No, you don't," Derek shook his head.

"Derek, I. Know," Stiles said firmly. Derek's breath caught in his throat and he looked like he had been trapped.

"H...How...how did you...how did you..."

"When I was looking into the fire, when I was trying to figure out who the Alpha was and why he was killing, I figured it out then. I looked into the plans for the Hale house and realised that someone had to have told Kate information for her to get in," Stiles said carefully.

"You know it was my fault then," Derek slumped back against the counter.

"It wasn't your fault Derek," Stiles shook his head stepping into the Alpha's personal space.

"It was, I told her how to sneak into the house so I could sleep with her! I told her how to get into the house to kill my family, if it wasn't for me, if I wasn't so weak, if I wasn't so stupid they would all be ok. It was my fault!" Derek snarled.

"It wasn't your fault, listen to me Derek, listen, it wasn't your fault, it wasn't! You were a kid, and she manipulated you, she used you! It was not your fault! You didn't want to hurt anyone, you didn't want to hurt your family. Derek, it was not your fault," Stiles shook his head.

"I don't..."

"Derek the only person to blame for this is Kate Argent and Gerard Argent. Not you. But this is why you need to speak to someone. You should have a long time ago. You've been blaming yourself for way too long," Stiles reached up and touched Derek's cheek, not flinching when the werewolf snarled.

"Don't!" Derek gripped his wrist pulling it away from his face, but Stiles just pressed their bodies together.

"Going to keep on doing it I'm afraid, I'm not letting you pull away," Stiles said firmly.

"There is an again in there somewhere," Derek frowned.

"Yeah, there is. We have had...something between us for a little while haven't we?" Stiles asked shakily, sounding 98% more uncertain than he had wanted to. Derek closed his eyes and Stiles could feel humiliation welling up inside of himself. Wonderful yet again he had made a fool of himself and misread the signs, yet again.

"Don't, don't do that," Derek sighed cupping his hips and pulling him in close again.

"Do what?"

"I can smell your emotions, there is nothing to be embarrassed about, you're right. There has been, but you deser..."

"Don't, don't say that," Stiles shook his head.

"You..."

"I deserve love, and I think that you can give me that. And you deserve love just as much, and I know that I can definitely give you that,"

"Stiles," Derek said shakily.

"Don't. Derek, I'm in love with you," Stiles smiled softly looking up at the Alpha gently.

"Stiles," the longing was obvious, and it didn't take much for Stiles to go up on his toes and press their lips together. When he got no response besides Derek tensing like a bow strong he pulled back with a frustrated sigh.

"Fine, I guess I can go and find an Alpha who will kiss me properl..." He squeaked as he was spun around and pressed against the counter firmly and Derek was pressing their lips together again.

"I know you were taunting me you little shit," Derek muttered against his lips when they finally parted, Stiles panting like he had run a marathon.

"Of course I was, no other alphas, betas or humans that I want to kiss," Stiles shrugged running his fingers through the short hair at the base of Derek's neck in a way that seemed to soothe them both.

"What about...whatever the hell Lydia is?" Derek frowned.

"Nope, not particularly. I admire her, but I've not felt the same for her for a while, since a certain meeting in the woods when a dick threw an inhaler at me and my friend and told us to 'get off of my land'," Stiles put on an awful farmer accent and was treated to a small, shy, but honest smile from Derek.

"I will go," Derek breathed out.

"What?" Stiles blinked confused by the jump.

"To therapy. I want to be better, for me...you...the potential of us what we could have together,"

"Good, thank you," Stiles stroked his fingers over Derek's cheek. "And we can enjoy a future together, you, me and our pack, all of them," Stiles said firmly.

"Does that include Scott?"

"Not right now, no," Stiles said a little sadly.

"There is something else that I want you to consider," Derek said cautiously making Stiles pull back to eye him concerned.

"Yes?"

"Telling your dad,"

"No, no its..."

"Stiles I know you were trying to keep him safe by not telling him, but this last few months have proven that not knowing is just as dangerous as knowing. Plus, Stiles I have barely been here a day and I can tell that things aren't right between you both,"

"It's..." Stiles closed his eyes and pressed his head into Derek's shoulder. A strong hand cupped the back of his neck rubbing soothingly. "He's so angry with me and disappointed. He knows I have been lying to him, repeatedly," Stiles clenched his eyes as tears threaten to spill over. Derek's hand tightened around the back of his neck.

"We will tell him, together, make him understand. Stiles, it will be fine,"

"I don't think he would even notice that you guys are here," Stiles laughed bitterly.

"Why else did you ask us to come here?" Derek asked.

"Because I'm lonely, and I don't want to feel like that anymore," Stiles pressed even closer, trying to bury his face into Derek's shoulder.

"You aren't alone, you won't be ever again. No matter what else happens, you won't be alone. You have pack, and we will always be here for you, I will, that's what pack is,"

Before Stiles could respond the sound of the pack entering the house hit them, they came tumbling in, Lydia and Peter were bitching at each other...but seemed to be reaching some sort of agreement of neutrality, Isaac and Jackson were discussing the first moon from the sound of it. Then...

"Oh god, that smells good! Is supper cooking?" Isaac called.

"I'm starving!" Jackson groaned.

"It smells really good even to my human nose," Lydia agreed.

"Food!" Peter grunted and footsteps came towards them. "Finally!" he added when he saw Derek and Stiles pressed against each other.

"This could be a bro hug!" Stiles protested.

"Is it?" Isaac grinned.

"No," Stiles grinned.

"It's hot," Lydia said then smirked when they all turned to look at her.

"I always knew you actually had a thing for Danny, but he insisted no. He's going to be gutted," Jackson said.

"What?" Stiles blinked.

"Who is Danny?" Derek frowned.

"He made a comment about wanting to teach you a few things, and a few comments about how your lips would look wrapped around certain parts of his anatomy, he just didn't believe you," Jackson shrugged.

"Wow, I did not see that one coming!" Stiles blinked.

"Who the hell is Danny?!" Derek snarled.