Thanks: for all followers and your comments **hug**

and also great thanks for my beta-reader Anniely **grin**

Teen Wolf

[ My Mate ]

Part 3

The next day, Stiles avoided the Werewolves at his school.

"Hey, why are you being so clingy today?" Danny asked bewildered. "Aren't you usually with Scott?"

"And you? Shouldn't you be with Jackson?" Stiles gave back.

"I guess he has enough company as it is," Danny mused dryly.

"Great, then I can keep you some," Stiles said and sat down next to the boy without asking.

"I'm reading," Danny waved him off without looking up.

"I don't mind," Stiles claimed, but tried to not disturb the other boy. He managed to sit still for exactly ten seconds, before turning to Danny and asking: "I've got a question."

"No," Danny immediately replied.

"Come on, it's a really harmless question," Stiles said.

"My answer is still No," Danny tried again.

"Are you sure?" Stiles asked cheekily, happy to have found another victim.

"Yeah, I'm sure. Belive me, Stiles, you annoys the hell out of people," Danny supposed without looking at Stiles directly. He wasn't sure if he could allow himself a small smile or just an annoyed snort.

One thing was for sure: Stiles stood out in a crowd. He wasn't attractive at first glance or especially sporty, but very smart and, which Danny found admirable, he had unlimited optimism and energy which helped him through every day. A typical Stiles-mixture that was only endurable in small doses.

"There's got to be something you like, right?" Stiles asked, having noticed that Danny was indeed thinking about his question. "And if not, you can get to know me anytime. If you want, we could meet some time? Not like a date. I mean, not that I don't like you, I don't care that you're gay; but I just don't think we'd work out. We're just too different, you know? Don't get your hopes up this is a harmless invitation to dinner."

"Okay." Danny nodded and couldn't suppress his grin any longer. Seeing Stiles getting tangled in his strange ideas was too funny.

Stiles finally gave up and just asked: "Was that a Yes?"

"We'll see," Danny replied vaguely, but he knew that he wouldn"t be able to resist this meddlesome boy for much longer. And what had Stiles said: A harmless invitation to dinner. Why not?

"Great, I'll think on the when and where," Stiles said and went back to his seat to rows back. Just know he saw that he was being watched by one of his classmates and that said classmate went over to Danny as soon as Stiles was seated.

"What did he want?" Jackson asked grumpily.

"Nothing important," Danny just gave back.

"And what's with you two? I thought you were merely lab partners?" Jackson didn't let go and looked over to Stiles with a hard gaze. When Danny just shrugged his shoulder, Jackson narrowed his eyes and turned away with a last warning look at Stiles.

"What was that?" Stiles wondered, a little confused. He had seen the Co-Captain angry before, but rarely like this. Why should it be any different today? And why was his aggression suddenly aimed at Stiles? As far as he knew, he didn't do anything that he hadn't done the last few years and he had never made anyone that angry. He did annoy people, occasionally, but he didn't provoke them.

"Seems as if Jackson's having a bad day," Scott said, sitting down next to his friend. He, too, had seen the hostile looks Jackson had been throwing Stiles. "Did you do anything that could have made him angry?"

"Scott, please, I'm the personification of gentleness. How would I make anyone angry with that?" Stiles asked innocently.

"Derek, that's all I'm going to say," Scott replied, a worried look on his face.

"That guy is pissed at everything and everyone for no reason at all," Stiles corrected. "Have you ever seen him smile? No, because that would be some kind of weakness and we can't have that. Words like benevolence or constraint don't exist in his vocabulary. Really, Derek could try to keep out of my life and concentrate on his own."

"Maybe you're part of it?" Scott suggested.

"Yeah, sure. All that threatening should really have gotten me to think: At the bottom of his heart Derek likes me. Come on, Scott, stop trying to make me laugh."

"That's not what I'm trying to do, but at least think about it." Scott couldn't let this one go. It would explain why the Alpha had been behaving strangely recently.

"We're still talking about Derek Hale who hates people more than anything and last time I checked I was human," Stiles reminded his friend. "So I certainly won't suddenly have won his favor."

"Maybe he likes your company?"

"Sure, because you're occupied with Alison." For Stiles that was the only logical explanation. "By the way, are you seeing her today?"

"They are having a family dinner that I don't wanna miss."

"Perfect son-in-law."

"Are you angry?"

"No, I'll just invite Derek and we'll have a nice, cozy tee party," Stiles joked, almost certain that the Alpha would really make an appearance today. "I'm sure it'll be fun, you know, with a bit of Kibbles and an animal documentary."

"The thought of being alone with him doesn't seem to scare you anymore," Scott realized a little surprised.

"No, he totally still scared me, but he's also a good distraction. As long as I don't have to be bored, I'm looking forward to his visit."

Then he would even have the chance to ask his latest question.

And to find out the reason for Derek's strange behavior.

OoOoOoOoO

Stiles started to get the feeling that Derek felt at home at his place.

He wasn't just staring at Stiles any longer, but started exploring his room.

Touching everything he could get his hands on, going through Stiles stuff-

"Hey, you don't have to look in there!" Stiles raced over to Derek to stop him from opening the drawer with his underwear. "Seriously, if you're looking for something just tell me and I can lend it to you."

The Alpha seemed perfectly alright with that.

Derek looked around the room as if seeing it for the first time. His eyes finally landed on Stiles and his red-white plaid shirt that he was wearing over his Batman nightshirt. Derek made it look like he was just feeling the cloth and ran his hand over it. But he really just wanted to satisfy his curiosity and find out what was hiding under the shirts. He could feel firm muscles and a fit body. He made an approving sound.

"Your shirt," Derek finally decided.

"That'll never fit you," Stiles argued. The other man was at least one head taller, more muscular. "Besides, last time, you complained that all of my clothes were too small. So why do you want to put on my stuff now?"

"I want that shirt," Derek growled, which made Stiles roll his eyes.

"Yeah, yeah, anything else? And you could try being a little friendlier, you know? You can't just bark orders and actually believe that you will get whatever you want."

"Oh, it's really working quite well," Derek mused, but let himself get distracted. "And I always get what I want so give me your shirt, if you'd be so kind."

"No," Stiles said.

"Either you give me that shirt or I will rip it off," Derek gave back. He was barely holding back and his urge was fuelled by today's moon phase.

"You've got some really bad habits," Stiles told him. "Okay, don't look at me like you want to eat me, I'm shutting up. I was just wondering why you aren't bothering Scott. You're like brothers, you could borrow his stuff, right?"

"But I'm staying here tonight," Derek said.

Stiles was right about Werewolves having a deep connection to their brothers and wanted to be close to them when they were feeling lonely. But they were even more drawn to their Mates than other wolves. And they wanted to be there as much as they could, to protect their Mate and enjoy their company.

Besides, that was the only way for Derek to make sure that no one would get too close to the boy. No one but himself.

"Why would I let you?" Stiles asked, not understanding the other man's insistence.

"Because you won't regret it," Derek said. "So don't even try to change my mind. I've stayed before, I know your bed is big enough for the both of us so me staying here is no problem."

"That one time was an exception, because you couldn't go anywhere else, remember?" Stiles corrected the Alpha, reminding himself to never do the wolf a favor again. "And since you don't have to hide your refugee-ass anymore, you can just go and leave."

"Sure, when I have what I want," Derek agreed and Stiles lifted an eyebrow suspiciously.

"You want the shirt, right? Alright, fine, here and now have a nice evening," Stiles grudgingly handed over his shirt, which earned him a satisfied smile.

"Then let's go to sleep," Derek maneuvered the boy over to the bed.

"With you?" Stiles didn't like that idea at all. "I'm not crazy."

"Why not?" Derek asked, scenting the shirt in his hand. It smelled like Stiles so much that Derek couldn't suppress a content growl.

"It's clean; I just put it on this morning," Stiles informed the Alpha and watched him sniff his shirt thoroughly. "And I'll tell you why I don't want you in my bed: It's the full moon and you're a werewolf or have you already forgotten?"

"I'm not going to attack you," Derek promised, trying to sound as calm as possible.

"That's very reassuring, but we should play it safe: Which means you go home and I sleep in my bed alone," Stiles suggested.

"Stiles." And there went Derek's as calm as possible.

"Yeah, that's much more convincing," Stiles said sarcastically.

"Stop irritating me," Derek warned. Instead of getting into another argument with the teen, Derek started undressing. He only put Stiles' much too tight plaid shirt back on, leaving the buttons undone. The material of the shirt stretched over his muscles.

Horrified, Stiles watched Derek wear out his shirt. Even Derek's well-build body and him practically stripping in front of Stiles wasn't much of a consolation.

"Hey, if you wanna stay you better keep your boxers on, okay? You won't be getting near that bed otherwise," Stiles demanded, when Derek put his hand on the waistband of said - almost last - piece of clothing. "I already told you: My house, my rules. You're welcome to sleep on the floor, or better yet, in the bathroom, but you won't be getting anywhere near my bed if you get naked -"

"Fine," Derek agreed and wondered why he didn't mind the boy talking back at him. Maybe because he was the only human who dared to annoy him with nonsensical conversations despite his fear. Most people didn't bother talking to him, most likely because of his short temper. But Stiles didn't seem to be bothered by that very much.

"Satisfied?" Derek asked, taking his hands off his waistband. Calm washed over him, as the boy eyed him up and down, seemingly approving of what he saw.

"Yes," Stiles said, not being able to think of anything else to keep the wolf away from his bed. "Hey, Derek?"

"What?"

"Could you, maybe, take your hand off?" Stiles asked, when Derek put his arm around him as if it was the most normal thing in the world. "And don't try anything while I'm asleep. I'm serious, if you get hungry in the middle of the night, just go to the kitchen. Don't even think of trying to eat Dad or me, are we clear?"

"Are you done?" Derek was tempted to try something just to annoy Stiles. He had especially like the part about him eating Stiles. That thought had made some very explicit pictures come to his mind; he focused on Stiles' lips, for now.

"I'm just saying." Stiles shrugged, before adrenaline suddenly hit and he turned around to his bedfellow restlessly and curiously. "Derek, can I ask you something?"

"Will you shut up?" Derek seriously doubted that Stiles would give up that easily. Maybe he should just kiss the boy, that would surely make him speechless and Derek would get his well-deserved silence. It was truly astounding how Stiles managed to breathe while talking one mile a minute.

"Can't promise that," Stiles admitted. But he had to use the opportunity of having a Werewolf right here in his bed and who would not have questions in a situation like that? "Okay, tell me: If it's so dangerous for me outside during the full moon, why should I feel safe with you of all people?"

"Because I can protect you."

"Why would you do that? We aren't friends, I'm not even part of the pack."

"Wrong, we are friends, and that's why I'll protect you."

Stiles was staring at the wolf as if he had lost his mind.

It was hard for him to accept that Derek was just taking from him, but was speaking of friendship at the same time. It seemed impossible, since Derek neither had friends, nor tried very hard to get along with people. Why should it be different with him?

"I tell you, dude, we most definitely aren't friends," Stiles said empathically.

Derek didn't agree, but he didn't want to be too harsh to his Mate. He was sure that Stiles would see reason soon enough.

"Sleep" Derek said, grinning despite himself.

"That sounded almost nice," Stiles said. "Wow, you actually can do more than barking and being a pessimist. That's an improvement, Derek, soon we'll be able to let you among humans without a leash."

"Sure, though I am happy spending time with one particular human," Derek told him and moved a little closer.

"You're having me on, aren't you?"

"No, I like being with you."

"Why? Why would you like that?" Stiles asked, the question from last night surfacing. He got impatient when Derek didn't answer, but instead tried to get his arm around Stiles' again. As long as the Alpha answered him, he didn't particularly mind.

"So? Are there too many things that you like about my shiny persona, or are you simply too embarrassed to tell me?" Stiles wanted to know. "Come one, I can take criticism, I mean, I have to take a lot at school and my Dad, well, he hopes I'll get somewhere someday and stay out of trouble. Easier said than done if you fall into those kinds of things and… "

"Stiles," Derek interrupted the chatterbox next to him. He had watched the boy for quite a while, finding him to be both surprising and fascinating. "You aren't a magnet to women, you can't be stopped when you're eating or talking and you're hyper, let me tell you that."

"I got the feeling that you're keeping the best for last," Stiles remarked dryly.

"Have I mentioned that you're pretty stubborn, curious, tend to like danger and act without thinking?"

"Yeah, okay, alright, you don't wanna tell me."

"What? Not what you were expecting?"

"Well, I thought you'd like my humor and my discretion and you'd be thankful that I saved your little werewolf butt, something like that." Stiles shrugged which wasn't that easy lying down. "There's got to something that makes you like me."

Derek wondered if he really had been that unclear. He had listed features that not many appreciated, but Derek found them to be alluring, like all of Stiles' crazy and loveable qualities.

"I'm not going to repeat myself," Derek let him know.

"Alright, suit yourself," Stiles gave up. "I'd be much more interested in how you got to be a Werewolf and if that change changes you, anyway. I know you get all furry and get fangs and even your eye color changes, which is pretty cool, but what else? Have you just always had a hard time being pleasant?"

"Stiles," Derek warned.

"I'm just curious as to why you'd hang out with me even if you don't like me, or people in general. I think even Vampires have more contact to other people than you do. You can read that up in books and on Wikipedia. By the way, Vampires do exist, right?"

"Stiles," Derek growled now.

"What?" Stiles wasn't disturbed by the low threat. "If everything about you Werewolves is true, why should the things about Vampires not be true, as well? I'd love to meet one, just for scientifical reasons, of course and ah~"

"Not another word, Stiles. Sleep now, tomorrow is going to be an exhausting day," he demanded and stopped every word of protest by continuing. "And don't even think about discussing this with me. You'll shut up now or I'll make you."

Stiles believed him. Derek could be very persuasive when he wanted and he could feel the wolf's hand on his neck. He was looking for a good place to get his claws into his flesh, most likely.

"Shutting up now," Stiles gave up for the night.

"Sleep," Derek ordered contently and took back his hand to pull Stiles' fragile body against him. He wanted to make sure that in the morning he would find Stiles exactly where he was now: In his arms.

TBC