Derek had just about finished filling out another job application, the fifth one of the day. Things were starting to settle now. His pack was getting stronger, no life-threatening missions, no more deaths, even Peter had started to calm down, helping the betas and joining in on pack meets and actives. He still disappeared once and a while, but he was never gone for more than a month now where before he would have disappeared for months on end reappear for a couple of days and then go again. Something nudged the back of Derek's head, he looked over his shoulder from where he sat on the floor, back facing the couch. Stiles had turned his sleep and now his knee was slightly digging into Derek's head.
A couple of hours ago a very angry and pissed off Stiles had turned up at Derek's apartment. Scott had blown him off again. Whenever something bad happened or if Stiles was upset or lonely or after some company he would always find his way to Derek or vice versa, more often or not it had something to do with Scott.
Scott had slowly started to build his own pack, it was small and weak compared to Derek's, and somehow Stiles had ended up in the middle, not wanting to choose sides. But if Scott keeps treating him like shit, he might make up Stiles mind for him. Derek wasn't looking forward to that day, the day when Stiles had enough of his bullshit. Stiles was the only one keeping the peace between the two packs, and when that peace goes, so will a pack.
Derek was reading through his application form one last time before sending it when his phone buzzed next to him, quickly checking that it hadn't waking up Stiles he answered.
"Please tell me you're going to this stupid Alpha meet up this year?" A very British, very feminine voice greeted him before he even said hello.
"Hello to you too Holly." He couldn't help but smile at the sound of her voice. After the fire Laura had sent him to England to train with a powerful ally, they had became strong friends, her pack was one of the only packs not to turn their backs on the young Hales.
"So are you going? Fathers making me go with him this year says it will increase my chances of finding a strong mate."
"Like you need help with that" Holly was beautiful, Smart and the daughter of the most powerful Alpha in England.
"So are you going? I haven't seen you in ages."
"I don't know" Stiles moves behind him so he gets up and goes into the Kitchen. "I don't even know if i wanted there."
"You've been invited.
"Doesn't mean i will be welcome." He gets the later out of out of the draw that it was hidden in and reads it over once more.
Alpha Hale
We welcome you to the annual Alpha conference hosted by Alpha White of Alaska.
The conference will take place at Glacier Bay Country Inn.
As usual we shall be posing as the Wild Wolf Protection League.
We shall be looking forward to seeing you and your mate on the last weekend of November 2014, Friday-Sunday.
Please find Booking details attached.
Yours,
Mille White Mate of Altha White.
"Of course they want you there. The great and powerful Hale Pack back in action, and besides if you don't come I will drag your ass to Alaska myself." That wasn't a threat, Holly doesn't make threats.
"If I do go, I will need to find a mate." There was no way Derek was getting out of this now.
"You have a mate." He could feel the roll of her eyes through the phone.
"I do?"
"Stiles, the kid you always talk about in your emails? You're telling me he's not your mate?" she asked, the confusion thick in her voice.
"Um, No, I mean, where did you even get that idea?" They were both confused.
"Whatever you say Hale."
"You know nothing Thomas."
They talked for another hour about their packs and about life in general before Stiles strolled into the kitchen.
"Who are you talking to?" He asked rubbing the sleep from his eyes
"Sorry, did i wake you?" he pulls his phone away from his ear but could still here Holly say,
"Thats him, I know it"
He quickly told her to shut up before he putting the phone down.
"Naw it's fine, i was up anyway?" he asked pouring himself a glass of milk.
"Just a friend, I need to show you something" He passed Stiles the later
"You have friends?" Stiles joked.
Derek rolled his eyes,"Just read the goddamn later."
Derek watched as he read, the way his eyes moved over the page, stopped at the word mate, looked out, Derek shrugged and Stiles continued reading.
"What do you think?" He asked as Stiles read it over for the second time.
"It could be a good opportunity to reconnect, I take it's not every pack that gets invited?" Stiles ask taking his eyes off the later.
"Just the big ones, Alphas from strong blood that have a say, help keep things ticking "
"And that includes you?"
"The Hales had one of the most powerful packs, one of the biggest voices. Now I'm trying to do things right there letting us in again, i guess" To be honest he wasn't too sure he had been invited, most of the other packs had turned on him after what happened. "I will set up a pack meeting for tomorrow and see what the other say."
"Is it ok if i crash here tonight? It's Friday and Dads going to be gone until late morning? and seeing as there's going to be a pack meeting it will save me on patrol" Stiles didn't have to ask
"No problem, i will set up the couch, you can take my bed" It wasn't a question so Stiles didn't argue. "What happened tonight, with Scott anyway?"
"Same old. We were meet to go see a film; He let me down last minute, we had a fight, I came here." Derek knew there was more to it than that, but he didn't push.
"Ill put some Popcorn in the microwave, go find something to watch on Netflix."
"Best Idea you've had all day Sourwolf." Stiles make his way back to the front room.
While the Popcorn cooks, Derek sends the pack a message telling them to at the apartment for twelve the next morning.
Hot bowl of popcorn in his hands Derek, joins Stiles on the sofa, "What are we watching?"
Halfway into "Avengers" Stiles had fallen asleep, snuggled into Derek, carefully he carries Stiles to his bed and places him under the covers. He was going to turn and leave when Stiles calls out to him. "You don't have to sleep on the couch, I mean your bed is big enough for both of us." Even in the dark Derek could see a slight blush on Stiles cheeks.
"Ok." Derek doesn't know what made he stay that night, but he was glad he did. "Ok."
Derek wasn't sure what woke him the next morning, the heat coming from Stiles, it turns out they were spooning or his painfully hard erection that was rubbing up against Stiles ass. He jumped in the shower before Stiles could wake up.
It was no surprise to see Isaac sitting at the kitchen table eating toast when Derek emerged fully clothed from the shower. Isaac spent little time at home, it was only on the a rare occasion that the poor kid went home.
"Sleep well?" Isaac looked from his plate, a claim expression on his face, eyebrow raised out of curiosity, for a low ranking wolf, he could get a little cocky.
"I have no idea what you're on about" Derek replied as he poured himself a cup of coffee. Isaac most of put on a pot when he came in.
"Sure you don't."
Derek replied with a small but threatening growl, Isaac dropped the subject and continued his breakfast.
Throughout the morning, the rest of the pack started to make their way into the scene. Not long after Isaac finished his toast Boyd, Derek's second turned up along with Erica. Shortly followed by the two new members Michael and Tony (joined from a local pack, turned out to be two strong and reliable wolfs). Then came Jackson and Danny (Danny was Jacksons and a little bit of Stiles idea), Peter was last, just on time, but he had pizza so Derek couldn't really be mad.
Once the pizza was finished and light conversation had been made Derek read out the letter.
"Our old Alpha would have killed for an invite, " Tony said
"You should go, reconnect, it would be good to ally with these types of Alphas." Erica piped in from her position on Boyds lap.
"I could take care of things here for you?" Boyd agreed
"There's only one Problem nephew," Peter said from the window, " They assume you have a mate."
"I don't even know if I'm going yet uncle" Derek replied, "I could be dangerous, these people abounded us at our time of need remember."
"Not all of them," Peter said under his breath.
"If I do go, If i do, I will need someone to pose as my mate" Derek addressed the pack, eyes falling on Erica.
"Hell no, you can't take her!" Boyd growled
"Who do you suggest I take then? I can't take anyone else, they would see right through it, I would be forced to mate with one of their kin to keep up appearances, an alpha needs a mate." Derek flashes his eyes at Boyd.
"They want see through everyone," Isaac said looking over to Stiles.
"Stiles" "Me" Derek and Stiles said together.
"He has a point" Jackson agreed with Isaac. The whole pack was nodding along with him, apart from Peter, who just looked Snug.
"Ok, well put it to a vote," Derek sighed, " All those in favor of the conference." Everybody raised their hands, Isaac was a little hesitant. Derek will speak to him later, "All those in favor of me taking Stiles" Derek was surprised to see Stiles hand in the air.
"It makes sense, I'm not 100% pack, it wouldn't be as awkward if it were me, we could make it believable, seeing as we don't share the same connection."
"You got that right" Peter whispered, Derek choose to ignore him.
"If you do this you will have to smell like mine that you belong to me," he began. "We'll have to sleep in the same bed almost every night. You'll have to wear my jacket at school. Scent its the main factor in this, and we will have to get comfortable around each other, intimate touches, think you can do it?"
"Piece of Cake" A nervous smile creeps onto Stiles' face.
"I shall book it now then, if anybody has any other thoughts on the matter say now?" silence, "Oh and Stiles the sooner we start this, the easier it will be."
"You got it" He sent Derek a wink.
"I going to send the confirmation email, Isaac if I could have a word, the rest of you are free to go."
Isaac follows Derek into the kitchen, not looking up.
"Isaac?" Derek speaks softly, " Isaac I need you to look at me" he places a gentle hand under Isaacs chin, slowly Isaac eyes come off the floor.
"I'm sorry" his voice was so soft, so scared, it always hurt Derek to see him like this.
"You have nothing to be sorry for pup" Derek softened his voice a little more, " I just wanted to make sure that you are going to be ok when Stiles and I go."
No reply.
"You can stay here, i can ask Boyd to stay with you too?"
"I'll be fine" It's not as convincing as it sounds.
"I will call you every night, ok?" Derek asked
"Ok," a Little better.
"Good" he stroked his cheek before letting him go, " I'm sure you have some work to do" Derek watched him pick up his bag before sending the email. Stiles returned about an hour later with his college application forms.
"Might us well start straight away, right?" he asked
"Right" Derek replied and handed Stiles his jacket.
