Chapter Nine
BRUMAL
Stiles is not as oblivious as it seems. He is observant. He is good at hiding things but never oblivious. He hide the fact that his mother is dead from the school since he doesn't like getting those fake sympathies and condolences from people who actually doesn't care at all. Up to now, Stiles believes that Jackson still doesn't know that his mom is dead. If it's about being oblivious though, Scott is the man.
Anyways, Stiles knew what Derek is doing. The excessive and (slightly) aggressive grooming and comforting is a werewolf thing and an animal thing as well. He knows it is. Like in the wild, wolves will go and help their injured pack mates. As much as Stiles tries to hide it, Derek's wolf senses that Stiles need comforting and that he is hurt. The only reason Derek has a hard time figuring it out are: (1) Stiles is Stiles; he doesn't tell anyone if he is hurt or not unless he can handle it and (2) Stiles is human. The werewolf-human bond is strong but if the human's personality rivals that of the bond, well there will be some complications like Stiles' great ability to hide things from the pack. It irritates Derek to the point of pinning Stiles on the wall. The wolf in Derek's whines a lot when Stiles doesn't give in; he eventually gives in at times though. Derek can easily tell what is wrong with Isaac or Scott since they're werewolves. There was one time that Scott is having nightmares none of the pack knows about it but Derek sensed that and the loft is far-away from the McCall House. Derek ended up in Scott's room comforting the younger Alpha.
A few days after, Stiles decided to run into the woods in his wolf form. It's stupid, a very stupid idea and yet he relented to do it anyway. Nature is calling him. The snow is singing to him. Derek already attacked them and if all things go well either Derek won't find him or Derek would let him stroll around the preserve and forest.
The wounds are already closed and healed. Subconsciously, he knew where the wounds are even though it is completely healed. The only thing that Stiles could think of that it is a good idea was it is already snowing. The forest floor is covered with snow and he can camouflage himself into it. There are trees that already shredded their leaves but there are also a few trees that still have green leaves and were even fuller than before. Stiles walked along the trail with footprints on the snowy ground.
Meanwhile, Derek and Peter are in the newly built Hale House. It is already finished but there are still a few finishing touches needed to be made. They left the other rooms on the disposal of the would-be occupants. The kitchen and dining room, living room, Derek's room and Peter's room are already furnished with their stuff. The two Hales knew that it will soon change when Lydia and Erica found out about the new house and that they'll re-order the things in the living, kitchen, and dining rooms and the other rooms who they will forcefully decorate. Peter actually moved in already and they're just waiting for everyone to start their winter vacation so they can officially announce the new house. It's their new house.
At the shopping mall, Lydia and Allison alongside with their boyfriends Jackson and Scott were there carrying their bags. They're good boyfriends after all. The two girls were doing their last minute shopping spree for Christmas and the two boys have already done their gift lists for Christmas.
Stiles was running and running. He felt free. He rolled around the snow actually enjoyed it. It was like he was a little child again even though almost every time he acts like one in front of his dad or Derek. But his happiness and enjoyment was short lived.
While Derek was leaving the Hale House, he sensed it again. He's here and alone. It has been a few days already since he smelled the winter wolf lingering around his territory. He and Scott got into an agreement not to harm them anymore as long as they wouldn't harm the pack. The Alpha Pack is a different issue though since the winter wolves are generally the nice kind of the werewolf community, according to Deaton, despite being despised by many.
Derek quickly shifted and followed the scent. He found the white wolf as he called it now and watched him play around the snow. The creeper wolf returns. Stiles buried himself in snow and then quickly perked up. His ears were up in the air, full of attention. There was someone or something watching him. Stiles made a threatening growl that made Derek come out of his hiding place.
A pair of glowing red eyes and black fur covered with snow appeared in the distance. The two wolves were in a staring contest and then Stiles decided to leave. Derek showed in his demeanor that the wolf is not welcome in the territory especially this close to the Hale House. Stiles understood and walked away. But Derek barked. Stiles stopped. It wasn't the bark that warns him to go away but rather to stay and play. Stiles raised an eyebrow at him and Derek approached him.
When the two wolves were near enough, both of them can sense that the other is tense. Understandable. The two wolves don't exactly know each other, in wolf terms at least and as far as they're concerned. Derek bowed his head as a gesture that he wants to know the wolf and Stiles did the same thing. Derek actually thought that it was a female wolf but then he realized that he wasn't. There was this annoying voice in his mind that he imagined to be his sister Laura.
"When you see your mate, you'll know it's for you." Laura's voice echoed in his brain. This particular wolf is the one for Derek. Derek summarized it. The wolf in front of him is his mate.
Stiles, on the other hand, is nervous. Why is Derek here? His mind told him. There are many questions in his mind coming in and out but for now whatever happens stays a secret. But Stiles couldn't think of anything, on one hand, he needs to flee and on the other, he needs to stay. He decided to stay, at least his wolf does.
Derek closed in to Stiles personal space and nuzzled his neck. Stiles did the same thing to Derek. He was weirded out at first since it was Derek after all and he never did it to the human version of him. So far the only one Stiles has seen Derek nuzzled is Scott and Isaac. It was especially for Isaac since as Derek doesn't want to admit it, he is his favorite. Derek doesn't admit it as well but Scott is special to him.
The two stopped and looked at each other for a moment. It was like the world had just stopped. That was Derek and his wolf is feeling. Stiles is still confused. The human Stiles wants to dial it down while the wolf Stiles wanted to jump crazily to the other wolf because the wolf is happy. Stiles still needs to get the hang on this. Mainly because, he only meets his wolf during the winter and unlike Derek who is a born werewolf, he and his wolf is fused into one and Stiles is still getting the hang of it.
Stiles broke it off after a few moments. He quickly ran away and hoping Derek would follow him but still he just wants to walk away from it. Derek did follow him though. The only problem is his fur is as white as snow. For a few moments, Stiles seemingly disappeared. Derek howled for him but his didn't get any response. From the back, Stiles and his blue werewolf eyes glowed. He was snickering that Derek seemed to be lost without him well that was the scent he was getting from him.
Stiles quickly ran to Derek and jumped on him. Derek was surprised and they rolled on the snow together. In the end, Stiles was on top of the black wolf that is Derek. The two werewolves smiled at each other and Derek leaned in to kiss but Stiles evaded it. Stiles freaked out a little when Derek tried to kiss him. Playing hard to get, Derek thought. But Stiles still hasn't forgotten the kiss Derek gave him a few weeks back.
Out of nowhere another werewolf howled. Stiles doesn't know who it was since when the werewolves around him howled when he is in his human form. He could only recognize it as a male wolf and there are a lot of male wolves in their pack. Derek knew who it was. Peter was calling him. After all Derek howled. Peter's howl is a worried howl. Stiles quickly jumped out of Derek's momentary distraction and speed off. Derek tried to follow him but he disappeared over the dense snow.
"What happened?" Peter quickly asked. He met Derek half-way. Peter with a very father-like concerned look stands before Derek.
"Nothing." Derek said to his still very worried uncle.
"Then why did you howl Derek?" Peter asked annoyingly. He looked at him with a very piercing gaze. Derek didn't reply but he knew Peter wouldn't drop it.
"Alright. Fine!" Derek said defeated. "Remember that winter wolf Scott and I saw last week." Derek avoided using the word 'attack' since after all it was just a misunderstanding of the situation.
"What about it?" Peter raised his eye brow.
"Well, we were playing and I couldn't find him so I howled for him." Derek said looking on the ground. Peter actually felt that Derek is embarrassed by it and as if this was this a childhood crush like Stiles with Lydia before. Peter didn't say anything and Derek thought it was a mere gesture for him to continued.
"I think he's my mate." Derek said. Peter stopped on his tracks on the way back to the Hale House.
"Mate?" Peter said. Somewhere in his tone was a general concern not to Derek finding his mate but to Stiles. Peter knew that there is a sexual tension between the two and knew Stiles was into Derek even though Stiles hasn't exactly admitted it to anyone. Peter is just being observant.
"Are you sure about this?" Peter asked.
"I think so." Derek said to his uncle. For a moment, Peter wanted to ask the question 'what about Stiles?' but he didn't. Genuinely, Peter like Stiles to be Derek's mate. No questions about it for him. Ever since Stiles got into Derek's life, he seems getting to be like himself before the fire.
Stiles ran back from the snow-covered preserved as fast as he could to his house. While running in a supernatural speed, none of the townspeople, supernatural or not, noticed him run and subsequently changed into a naked Stiles in front of the door. He quickly rushed inside and into his room. His dad wasn't there.
Derek Hale just nuzzled me. Stiles said in his mind. He is trying to calm himself before he could freak out about what just happened between him and Derek. This is as close as he get to kissing the guy. And Stiles has to admit, Derek is way out of his league but still Derek's wolf decided to nuzzle Stiles' wolf.
Stiles has to admit that he like Derek Hale since the first time he met him back in the woods when he and Scott were looking for Scott's inhaler and the dead body. There is a reason that he kept asking Scott and Danny if he is 'attractive to gay guys'. Back in his mind, he was hoping that Derek would like him more than as a friend but then when he got to actually know the guy; he felt that Derek is just comfortable as being with friends to a Stiles Stilinski. However, if he could keep a long-time crush to Lydia; he could do the same with Derek. So far, he hasn't told it to anyone yet. He thinks that everyone doesn't think that way as well.
While getting dressed before any of the werewolves got a chance to come up to his room at random, he thought that maybe only Derek likes the wolf and not the one behind it. He had many thought coming in and out of his mind.
He then realized that the reason for the nuzzling is might be because Derek hurt him and it was a sign of asking forgiveness and/or welcoming by a pack member to their territory. Which when he thought about it now, Derek and Scott being alphas nuzzled Jackson after the whole kanima situation to soothe him and welcome him to the pack. It might be it. Derek was just playing with him to welcome him in the territory.
When Scott became a True Alpha, there was a hesitation coming off from Derek. Stiles asked the two, being Switzerland, at the time of their bickering to hang out and be friends for once. It turned out to be more than that and Scott's wolf decided to shift into the most revered positions in the werewolf community—the ability to turn into an actual wolf. When Scott turned into his wolf form, Derek did the same. Derek approached Scott and nuzzled him and Scott did the same. Stiles saw this for the first time and from time to time, Stiles would see the two alphas playing in their wolf forms.
So Stiles thought, it was just like that between him and Derek. Friendship. And nothing else.
"What do you want Derek?" Scott annoyingly asked. Derek is still parking his car in front of the McCall household.
Scott is on his bed with Allison on top of him. Thankfully, it is only cuddling and nothing more. Allison liked the warmth coming off Scott and Scott being a big cuddler likes cuddling Allison.
"I need your help." Derek said when he entered the room through the window. He smiled at Allison. The couple didn't even budge to move.
"What kind of help? Did the Alpha Pack attack us or something?" Scott quickly asked.
"No, it's not that." Derek said. The worried look on Scott quickly vanished.
"Then what is it?" Scott said annoyingly. Allison sat up and moved next to his boyfriend and mate.
"I need you help with tracking someone, the white winter wolf." Derek said, looking at his feet. He was hesitating about asking for some help. For most of the time, he would ask Stiles for help but for this time he actually doesn't want any help from Stiles. Mainly because it involves tracking some werewolf and frankly speaking Stiles doesn't have any werewolf senses (that is when he is human at least).
"And I don't need Stiles' help since. We are going to track it by scent." Derek quickly said before Scott could say something. The other alpha reluctantly agreed.
