There was no way they could take Stiles to the hospital. They knew it was working by the fact that he was still breathing, despite bleeding heavily still. Between the bullet wound and the bite, the only excuse was that his body was healing itself by replenishing the blood first while the rest slowly healed. If they took him to a hospital, it raised way too many questions. And this wasn't some half-baked TV show where they could just make anyone do what they wanted with simple eye contact.

"His father!" Scott's voice broke through the silence suddenly, irritating Derek more than usual.

"Take care of it."

"But Stiles–"

"I'll watch over him. He's part of my pack now; he's my responsibility to keep safe. But he's your best friend, which means that because you know his people, he's yours to make sure no one comes looking for. At least for the next twenty-four hours." Derek's tone was final as he kept his eyes locked on the paler than normal boy. He didn't relax a bit, even when Scott left and he was alone.

The implications of this. That word. Pack. Until the moment he'd sunk his teeth into Stiles and felt the infection spreading in the human's blood as it spilled into his mouth, he hadn't comprehended it either. The enormity of what he was doing.

He'd just bonded himself to another human being – in a manner of speaking – for the rest of their lives. However long those lives were, given their circumstance. After spending years alone, getting his kicks and bailing as quickly as he could, distancing himself from anyone that wasn't his sister…

This happens.

Out of everyone – everyone – on the planet, and he was bonded to Stiles.

But the alternative wasn't an option, either. Not for him and certainly not for Scott. One less human would fix some of their complications, but it would also sit heavily. Scott would lose his best friend, the town would question the brutal death seemingly made by a human and not an animal, and Derek would have the death of a sixteen year old on his conscious for the rest of his life.

He could endure a lot of things, but that wasn't one of them. A morality his sister had shoved down his throat in a time that all he wanted was revenge for their family and fuck the dominoes that fell.

He was going to have to teach this kid. More than he'd ever had to teach Scott and Scott wasn't even his charge. Stiles would be ingrained to listen to him, to trust him, which would make the process a lot easier… if the kid wasn't addicted to Adderall and didn't have the attention span of gnat.

This was a complication.

Derek's ears twitched on an irregular heartbeat and shift in breathing. Stiles was coming to and feeling the pain. Not half an hour before when the Beta had checked on his new packmate, his bullet wounds had mostly healed themselves. His body had worked overtime to fix the fatal injuries. He knew Stiles would be confused, in pain, drained. So he knelt next to the couch to keep the kid blocked in so he didn't get the idea to panic and bolt.

He studied the younger wolf as he slowly came around and looked himself over. He could smell a rival Beta in the air and knew it was Stiles. It was interesting that he wasn't an Omega, but Derek supposed that it was because while he was irritating and mostly made people want to dismember him, he was also loyal and strong and the glue that kept Scott together most of the time. Not Allison, Stiles. His friendship anchored him more than anything.

Derek envied that sometimes about Scott, who could often take advantage of what exactly it is he has.

"Go slow. You're not like Scott who was able to get up and walk away. Not only were you near death, but I'm a Beta and my bite isn't as strong as an Alpha, where it can heal you quicker." Derek kept his hand pressed gently to the groggy teen's shoulder. He wasn't about to go through the physical pain he had to endure too – with changing someone else, feeling like that person was infecting his very soul as well as they connected – just to have the kid irritate his still healing wounds by being his jittery self who had to be walking or pacing or just moving in general. He'd sit on him if it meant he'd stay still at this point.

And that's probably what it'd take, knowing Stiles.

"So, basically, you changed me," was the first thing Stiles said, "Without knowing if it'd work?"

Derek chose not to verbally respond, but he knew that the answer was as clear as day. Especially when Stiles' head tilted curiously when Derek's heart skipped a beat in a fearful response to the question. He'd hoped not to have to go down that road. He'd hoped that Stiles wouldn't remember in his last moments Derek's desperation to change him, to save him. The almost need in his voice as he argued with Scott to use their gift (or curse, as Scott referred to it) to keep him alive.

"So, can I ask you a question?" Stiles started, his face the picture of seriousness. When no refusal or confirmation came either way, he asked: "Do you find me attractive?"

Stiles knew he was playing with fire as he listened to the harsh breaths from the angry wolf next to him, his heart racing in his chest as he refrained from showing the new Beta who was boss. But he figured it was a good start to things if Derek's first instinct wasn't to rip his throat out with his teeth anymore.

For now, at least.

That's the end! It was just a quick prompt fill I did on the fly. I haven't written anything since December, so it was my way of dipping my toes back in the water. What better way than with Derek/Stiles? :) Because several people have suggested it – between here, friends and LiveJournal – this more than likely will become a 'verse. If so, it'll be updated here, instead of a dozen multiple stories. I just say "verse" because I have a short attention span and would suddenly get an idea like 'oh, what about Jackson bullying Stiles and Stiles can now stand up to him' and want to go on that while ignoring any other commitment to the main story… kind of like I want to right now. Lol! So if you'd like, alert this story for whenever the mood to come back tickles my fancy! Because after the super intense 4 minute long promo I just watched on teenwolf-source's Tumblr, I'm probably gonna have some more coming real soon!

Hope you're all having a day. Thank you so much for reading – it means the absolute world to me.