Derek Hale has a secret. It's not a secret that could end up killing someone or leaving him guilty and brooding for years. He has some of those, had some of those, will probably always have some of those. And, you know, refuses to continue thinking about those right now. No, this secret is a little more... embarrassing?
It's not like he intended to keep it a secret, after all. It just kind of ended up that way. It's not really even his fault because it's not like he bought the damned thing. That was all on Stiles.
It's not like it's the first he's ever owned. He was young once. But it's been... a long time. A long time since he was a child. Since he was innocent. And a long time since everything fell apart.
There is no possible way that Stiles understood what it meant, but-Derek can't help but look at the damn thing and remember the one he used to have. The one his parents gave him when he was born.
A symbol of his family history.
He keeps the stuffed wolf a secret from everyone, even Stiles.
It was given as a joke, but it means more than it should.
And he doesn't want to think about what that means.
