Chapter 3
Because He's My Friend

Stiles Stilinski gave a startled jump as a tray was slammed down across from him at the lunch table. His eyes grew wide and he fought to chew the curley fries that were stuffed into his mouth, causing his cheeks to buldge in a very unflattering way.

"How do you deal with it?"

Stiles looked over at Danny who had sat directly across from him. Normally Danny hated speaking with Stiles. Danny found Stiles annoying, so he was slightly confused when he saw the other teen sitting across from him. It took him a few moments to respond as he finished his mouthful of food and washed it down with some water.

"How do I deal with what? My devilishly good looks? I tend to just use my lacross stick to beat the ladies away" He made a gesture like he was whacking something with a stick before noticing how Danny was looking at Scott and Jackson who were talking together easily. The two had formed a sort of friendship now that they were both wolves. Jackson looked up to Scott because at the current moment, the other teen had more control over his wolf. That...and Scott had kicked Jackson's ass a few times during training. "Oh, you mean their 'furry little problem'?"

Danny simply gave a nod as he looked back at Stiles.

"Didn't really have a choice in that matter. Scott is my best friend. It's like...guy code that you help out your best friend when he gets turned into a werewolf. He needed me. And in case you haven't noticed, being a werewolf seems to be freaking awesome." The last word had come out in a singsong voice. "There is the super fast healing, the increases senses and stamina. Not to mention the super strength. But mostly I can deal with it because I'm a good friend and Scott needs me. Scott needs me just like Jackson needs you. Hell, Jackson may even need you more than Scott needs me."

At those words, Jackson looked over at the two as if he had heard what Stiles had said, and gave Danny a bright smile.

"It's like he just heard you."

"That's because he did. Wolf senses. Like I said, freaking awesome. Now, you gonna eat that?" Stiles gestured to Danny's untouched tray. He watched as the other teen pulled a disgusted face before sliding the entire tray over towards him. His look of disgust only grew when Stiles proceeded to stuff his face.

Danny had no idea how Stiles could fit it all in. He would think that Jackson being a werewolf would eat more than Stiles, bit it seemed that the Sheriff's son had two hollow legs as well as two hollow arms. Danny shook his head to clear the thoughts running through his head. He still had more questions for Stiles.

"Have you ever been offered the bite? Do you want it?"

Stiles stilled in his furious attempt at devouring Danny's food and swollowed another mouthful of water.

"I was offered it once, by Peter Hale. You know about him right?" Danny gave a nod to Stiles's question. Derek had told him how Peter had killed his sister to become an alpha and then killed those people in town. "Well, he offered it to me but I turned him down. He was insane. If I'm going to be tied to some alpha werewolf it isn't going to be the insane type that wants to make me kill my friends."

"And Derek isn't that type?"

Stiles leaned close to Danny, knowing he had the other teen's attention. He also knew that both Scott and Jackson were listening intently for his next words.

"Derek likes to pretend that he's some bad ass alpha. But there is way more to him than that and I intend to find out every little thing that I can about Derek. I'm going to fix him, even if it takes the rest of my natural life."

Stiles leaned back and took a large sip of his water just as Danny cracked a girn.

"Sounds like you're in love with him."

Danny ducked out of the way just in time to avoid the majority of the spray that came from the other teens mouth. Scott was by his friend's side in an instant, smacking him on the back to get the water out of his lungs.

Beacon Hills had a game against their rivals that night. Beacon Hills and Pine Ridge had been at one anothers throats for the past twenty five years. The two teams fought hard against one another in everything that they did, weather it be sports or academics. Tonight's game was going to be brutal but Beacon Hills had what Pine Ridge did not. Beacon Hills had teen wolf co-captains.

The battle was fierce, even with Jackson and Scott using their wolf powers to help them win. Despite the valiant effort that Pine Ridge gave, they just couldn't compete with Beacon Hills and they lost by four points.

Scott and Jackson figured that Derek would be proud that they hadn't shown off as much as they could; especially with the Argent's watching the game.

The two teams lined up on the field to shake one anothers hands, and that was when the problems started. It turned out that the Pine Ridge Badgers were sore losers. They made fun of Jackson's status as 'adopted' as they came to shake his hand, and one even had the audacity to slip a thumb tack into his hand before taking the young beta's hand.

From his spot behind Jackson, Danny could feel his friend stiffen as he fought off his anger. He watched as his friend ran behind the now empty bleachers after the confrontation. He made his way into the darkness and found that he was only able to see two glowing blue eyes.

"Danny...don't."

Danny ignored Jackson's warning. If Stiles could be around Scott when the teen wolfed out, then so could Danny. He made his way closer until he was able to rest his hands on both of Jackson's shoulders.

"Just breathe Jack. Don't let them get to you. Their idiots."

Jackson growled and tried to pull away, only for Danny to tug his friend down, forcing Jacksons' head against his chest as he ran his fingers through Jackson's hair as he had done thousands of times before when the other was stressed or upset. Even in the darkness, Danny knew that Jackson's wolf features were melting away.

"Why? Why would you risk it?"

Danny smiled softly from over Jackson's head and continued running his fingers through his sweaty hear in a comforting manner.

"Because, I'm your friend. When you need me, I'll be there; no matter how dangerous it is for me to be. I'm not going to run away Jack. I'll always be right here."