Derek woke up to the smell of lavender. He'd fallen asleep with his cloths on shortly after s Laura had fallen had showed him into the room. Light streamed in the large picture window on his right. Last night he had notice how huge the how was, he never seen such a beautiful house. He'd never lived in one place long enough to know how the rest of his kind lived. Derek felt a ping in his stomach at the thought of his father. They hadn't exactly lived in the most beautiful of places usually abandoned homes, but Derek missed the feeling of their small home. Derek sniffled whipping the wet tear away from his eye he was alone now in a strange house full of strangers. He missed his father so much it hurt, but he almost missed their pack more. When his mother had died when he born his father hasn't been very good at maintaining friendships. They had both accepted Ralph an old wolf that died last year, but his father wasn't a very strong alpha so he didn't feel the need to grow their pack. Derek wondered if they had more like the Hale's if his father would still be alive, he whipped his eyes feeling frustrated.

"Derek."

He jumped in the air; it was Laura Derek whipped his eyes.

"Yeah umm come in," he felt weird this wasn't even his room.

Laura came in her hair was tied up in high ponytail today, and she was wearing work out cloths. She smiled at him Derek was suddenly painfully aware of the fact that he was covered in blood and smelled like something that had been scraped off the floor. She came and sits next him on the bed, and Derek was surprised how at ease he felt around her. She hands Derek a pile of cloths.

"Their Peters they might be a little big but we'll get you some new ones before school stats."

"School?" Derek said frowning.

"Mom hasn't told you yet your saying," she chirps in happiness.

Derek frowns at his shoes, he wasn't shore how he felt about this new information. The Hale's were nice shore, but they just weren't pack it didn't feel right.

"Your not happy about this," Laura said wisely.

"No you've all been really nice, I'm sorry."

"No I'm sorry that was insensitive. Do you want to talk about it?" Laura said kindly.

No Derek did not want to talk about how he'd left his father to die. How he had ran and hide like a coward. Derek could feel tears tugging at his eyes he turned away from Laura ashamed. Then felt Laura reach for him. She was held him like she would a brother and for a long time they just sate they're in silence grieving together. It felt horrible and nice not to be alone all rolled into one.

"Mom cooked pancakes lets come on Derek let's eat," Laura said after awhile.

Talia had laded out a feast in the Hale's amazing dining room. Derek didn't realize how hungry he was until he saw the food his stomach rumbled loudly. Peter was already at the Victorian table inhaling food. He glanced up at them when they entered, but then went back to eating with out so much as a good morning. Laura happily pored Derek a glass of orange juice with out him having to ask. She also took it upon herself cut up his pancakes for him. Derek heard Peter snort in amusement, and he blushed he wasn't shore how old Laura thought he was.

"Derek," Talia said appearing in the doorway in a yellow dress.

Derek swallowed his mouth full of pancakes.

"Hi," he said.

"So I hear Laura told you that you'll be staying with us," tears suddenly sprung to her eyes, "we are so very happy to have you."

She didn't seem very happy to Derek. His father hadn't spoken much about Talia Hale, but from what Derek could gather she was a very powerful Alpha. Derek knew that a shape shifter was rare gift that was most commonly found in women he glanced at Laura wondering if she had inherited this gift.

"Thanks for everything." Derek said cringing at how lame that sounds.

Talia smiled a kind motherly smile like she understood that he was overwhelmed, and Derek suddenly saw the striking resemblance between her and Laura.

"Peter," Talia turning on her brother in law like a hawk, "you'll take Derek to basketball practice with you."

"Why" Peter said his mouth still full.

Talia pursed her mouth in frustration.

"Because your brother is coming home," Talia said her voice tight.

Derek watched the odd exchange curiously. He knew that the Hale men would be hunting all big powerful packs did this before the fall. He could only assume that since Talia was pregnant her husband had gone in her stead, or maybe they didn't like a women hunting with them he couldn't be shore. He knew one thing for shore that Talia did not want him here when her husband returned. Derek could only assume that the Hale men would not take a new young werewolf on their territory very well. He just hopes that the return of the Hale men wouldn't lead to his outing. Derek was suddenly stricken with fear that he would be kicked out the Hale house.

"Alright come on kid," Peter said.

Derek had to almost run to keep up with Peter. Peter strides with purpose balancing a basketball in his hand his tall body having an advantage over Derek's much shorter one. He doesn't talk to Derek on the walk to Beacon Hills high school, and when arrive all he says is.

"Do what you want, just meet me at the entrance at four."

Peter disappears shortly after that, and Derek wasn't stupid enough to try to follow him. Derek hadn't been to school since Ralph had died his father said that they had to consecrate on strengthening their pack, but Derek would be lying if he said he didn't miss it. Beacon Hills High School was bigger than Derek's last school.

When Derek saw then sign for the pool he couldn't quite believe his luck. One summer when Derek was eight they had lived in a small town in Colorado and they had a community pool Derek had swam every day. As he looked at the blue water he wondered if the Hale's really appreciated all the privileges. Derek was more than surprised to see a curly sandy haired boy around his age swimming laps.

"Hi," the boys said his head bobbing in the water.

"Hi," Derek said it was the summer he hadn't expected to see anyone.

"Swim tryouts were last week'," the boys said pulling himself by the rings of the pool latter."

"Oh I-I wasn't – I was just looking," Derek said his face burning hot.

The boy cocked his head in interest, his face still friendly and open.

"I'm Cam by the way," he said "my dad's the swim coach so they let me train hear."

"Derek."

"You new Derek?" Cam asked clearly curious.

Derek wasn't shore what to say his position in the Hale house was shaky at best, and he wasn't used to speaking to strangers no matter how friendly they seemed. Cam seemed to sense his discomfort because he started talking and just wouldn't stop. It amazed Derek how much the kid could talk he didn't seem to need to breath, but Derek found to comforting. He almost liked hearing about Cam's training, how he hoped his mom would have a little brother, and how he thought Peter Hale was the coolest. When Derek had mentioned that Peter had brought him their Cam had looked at him with eyes filled with worship.

"You live with the Hale's?" Cam said his eyes filled as big as saucers.

"I guess," Derek said looking his old tennis shoes, "its still kind of a new."

Derek liked Cam more for not asking why he was suddenly living with the Hale's.

The tow boys stood by the display case in the hallway. Cam pointed out Peter's picture in it to him, and Derek glanced at Peter's cocky expression, he thought back to Peter finding him in the basement Peter hadn't looked cocky then he'd looked scared.

"Cam!"

Derek and Cam turning around to see a angry looking man with glasses barreling towards them. Cam's back suddenly straightened, and the smile slipped from his lisps.

"Dad hi," Cam said now looking at his shoes.

"Your suppose to be practicing boy," Cam's father spat, "You think practice space comes cheap?"

Cam was shaking his head viscously.

"He was showing me around," Derek said before he could stop himself.

Mr. Lahey turned his hawk like gaze on to Derek, but Derek didn't flinch.

"Who are you?" he hissed.

"Derek."

"While Derek I happen to be a employee hear, and you look to young to be a student here so maybe we should call security to handle this matter."

Derek's heart raced he defiantly wouldn't be welcomed in Hale house if he was arrested.

"Coach I see you've met my nephew Derek."

Peter appeared in the hallway his hair wet from the showers the same cocky grin from the picture plastered on his face.

"Mr. Hale," Lahey said looking uneasy," I wasn't aware you had nephew."

Derek jumped as Peter clapped him on the back.

"I have a large family coach as you know," Peter said.

Derek noticed that Mr. Lahey blinked as though he had been slapped at the mention of Peter's family. It almost seemed to Derek he had been threatened, but Derek wasn't shore what the threat was.

"Well I see best be on your way Hale," Mr. Lahey his voice suddenly deep.

"We will sir," Peter said guiding Derek past Mr. Lahey.

Derek truned around and gave Cam a small wave for witch Cam barely returned.

Peter still didn't take his hand off Derek's shoulder even once they were out of view of the school. Derek had an awful feeling in his gut the silent walk to the Hale house. He didn't even want to think about Peter's brother reaction when they returned to the mansion. Derek wondered if they would wait the night before they kicked him out, Derek's stomach clenched at the thought.

Derek didn't remember stopping walking. He didn't remember hitting the ground. He didn't remember his hitched breaths getting stuck in his throat. Derek did however remember Peter slapping him.

"Kid are you alright," Peter said his face close Derek in concern.

Derek nodded his throat dry.

"You had a panic attack," Peter said his voice slow as though he was talking to his small child, "just take deep breathes."

"Pe-Peter," Derek said his voice horse.

"Shh don't talk," Peter said softly.

"Don't kick me out," Derek blurted out all politeness forgotten.

Peter reared back in shock.

"Derek you're not leaving unless you want to," Peter said softly, "I'm pretty shore your stuck with us."

Derek blinked in shock he had expected Peter to say many things, but that wasn't one of them.

"You know when my brother Richard brought Talia home he said sometimes we're born to a pack, and sometimes we make them," Peter leveled his gaze at Derek, "We Hale's chose wisely Derek."

Derek felt something warm enter him for the first time in days.