Authors Note: HEYO! XD Please tell me what you think; I would love to know XD I own nothing and no one, apart from: Henry, Charlie, Michael (Mike).

JUST SO YOU KNOW: like everyone else, I have no idea what Stiles' real name is, I'm going along with what everyone else puts :) I've made his middle name up XD

Also, I made up Derek's dad's name :)

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Stiles

Right, so, turning to face everyone after Henry, Michael and that had driven away, I honestly thought I was going to be bombarded with questions. You know, all of them asking why I didn't say anything...or something. The only answer I had probably wouldn't be good enough for them though...

But, as soon as I turned to face them all, I was almost bowled over by every single member of my Pack – including Derek and Jackson! This was a new development in our Pack... There was rarely any touching in our Pack, and when it was there was only touching of the couples or of the people who were friends...

"Ok... Uh, guys, I still need, you know, oxygen!" I breathed, as I was squashed by three humans and six werewolves.

Slowly, they all backed off, as if reluctant to move away and stop touching me. Of course, Scott didn't stop. He stayed attached to me, refusing to let go. I couldn't really get mad at him though... Scott was my best friend, so he kind of would be like this.

I was just glad that he wasn't preventing me from breathing.

"Can we do this inside?" I sighed, hooking an arm around Scott's neck since he wouldn't move. "It feels weird doing this out here."

In the living room, we were all sitting on the floor, just gathered there. For some reason, everyone was doing like a puppy pile – Derek and me in the middle, Scott lying on my legs, Isaac next to me and everyone else just squished together.

It was strange... But a really nice strange.

I hadn't said anything about what had happened. I didn't really want to and it wasn't like anyone was asking. So we all just stayed quiet, nothing but the sound of our breathing.

I think they were all surprised that I had been able to stay quiet for so long – well, except Scott. Scott knew I could get really quiet if I wanted to, he knew this from when we were ten, after my mom died. I didn't speak to anyone for weeks; even when I did start to talk again it was only little sentences every hour.

My best friend knew it took time.

Right now, I was quite happy with being surrounded by my new family. Because that was what they were to me. I didn't care about anything that had happened between us all because, at the end of the day, I knew we all cared about each other. Otherwise they wouldn't have bothered to run upstairs to stop Charlie, and they wouldn't be doing the puppy pile.

In some way, we were all a family, whether they all liked it or not.

Because I definitely liked it!

Sure, I loved my dad, and I could deal with just having him being the only related family member here, in Beacon Hills. But it was nice to know that I had other people I could care about too and that actually cared about me.

"Why didn't you tell us?" Isaac asked, his voice muffled from his face being pressed into my shoulder.

I sighed, knowing that someone would ask that sooner or later. I just hoped that it would have been much later than this.

"Because I couldn't stand to mess this up, like I do everything else." I replied, feeling defeated, repeating what I told Michael. "I mess things up all the time, it doesn't matter what it is. And it's never anyone else, and even if it is, it's never noticed. Only when it's me does anyone pick up on it... I love being a part of this Pack, don't get me wrong, I love you all. But I can't help but feel like I'm doing more harm than good most of the time..."

I shook my head a little, running a hand through my hair.

"I just... I just wanted to make sure something went right, for once." I shrugged, before looking up at Derek. "We need other Packs on our side, right?"

The look on his face was not one I had ever seen him have before. It was almost...pained. Only then, what Michael said about my 'Mate' being a 'good Alpha' came back to me... Mate?

"If it means someone in my Pack is in danger, I don't care about having other Packs on our side. "Derek said, looking me right in the eyes, before looking around at everyone as he continued. "I mean it. If anything like this happens again, come speak to me. I just want you all safe."

Michael was wrong. Derek wasn't a good Alpha.

He was the best Alpha.

We all stayed in the puppy pile, even as everyone fell asleep, one by one. It had been a long day, so we had reason to sleep.

Only Derek and I were left awake.

Somehow, we had moved around enough that now I was on my side, facing Derek, while Derek's arm was trapped under me, resting on Isaac's head on the other side of me... Even if he wanted to move it, he was adamant that he wasn't going to.

"I screwed up again, didn't I?" I whispered, staring down at Derek's chest. "I know they agreed to side with us, but... I messed up, right?"

"No." was the immediate response. "You were stupid and you should have told me... But you didn't mess up."

"But..."

"I mean it, Stiles. You didn't mess up."

I looked up, finding Derek staring down at me, his faded forest green eyes wide and honest. I nodded slowly, not looking away.

'Your Mate is a good Alpha.'

Now had to be a good a time as any.

"Derek..." I started, quietly. "Did you hear anything that Mike said to me, before they left?"

Sourwolf nodded, turning his head away. But I caught a slight redness to his cheeks that I had never seen before.

"So you heard him say you're a good Alpha?" I questioned, taking a deep breath before going on. "And that apparently I'm your Mate?"

Derek tensed a little, but nodded once again.

"Where you ever going to mention it?" I whispered.

A shake of the head this time.

"Why not?" I asked "And...please talk."

Sighing slightly, Derek looked back, face red and guarded. His expression softened once he was looking me in the eyes again, his body slumping further into the mass of pillows and blankets.

"You're too young." Derek muttered. "Too much shit has happened. Neither of us knows what fully means. And you could never like me like that..."

That last point was said so quietly, so sadly, that I almost didn't hear it. Almost. But I did.

He thought that I couldn't...

And I thought that he couldn't...

Well...that was definitely not the rejection I thought I would get...

In a moment of bravery, I pushed forward just a little. Just the small amount it took to close the gap.

Man, was it worth it.

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