I chose to wear a pair of form-fitting jeans and long-sleeved V-neck I knew accentuated my figure. Standing in the mirror of my parents' old bedroom, I noticed my stomach had a somewhat noticeable roundness to it. I smiled, placing my hands over my baby-bump, feeling him press against my enclosed hands.

He had been actively kicking for only a few days now, but each time he did, I marveled at it. My son, Derek's son, our son... He was in me, very much alive.

I turned from the mirror as Derek's footsteps approached the bedroom. He opened the door and entered quietly, stopping to look over me as he shut the door.

I smiled bashfully, feeling my face redden, and said "Yes, ?"

"Just looking...And wondering if you're ready to do this." I went to him, and he brushed a few stray hairs from my eyes. Derek ran his finger through my hair and said "You're hair is growing...I like it longer." I chuckled. My hair was just past my ears, but not yet to my chin.

"Then maybe I'll let it grow out a little...And I know you're worried about me Derek." He didn't say anything. "And you're worried about our son. But you've listened to Ryan explain things, that I'll be safe..."

Derek grabbed me roughly by the arms and said "Yeah, but what if you aren't? What if this Jakob doesn't believe you and tries to hurt you?"

"Derek..." He loosened his grip on my arms, and I took his hands in mine. "I'm not going to reassure you, because even I'm not 100% sure this will work. But we have to try. And I'll take Stlies and my phone with me, so if there's any trouble, he'll be able to call you."

Derek snickered and said "What the hêll can he do? He's useless."

"That may be true...but Jakob and his wolves will be less likely to attack if I'm alone. And Stiles is human, so they won't suspect anything."

Derek shook his head. "It won't work...I have to come along."

"You can't go anywhere near them, you know that. Jakob won't be too surprised to see me, but he'll kill you. You've already invaded his territory and stole three of his pack members."

"Technically, you've stolen three of his pack members. Your cousins agreed to follow you. And

congratulations on having a pack of your own now."

I smiled and shook my head. "Don't change the subject." I heard another pair of feet scuttling up the stairs. As the door opened, I said "I'll be down in a minute Stiles." I looked over to see Stiles nod and leave the room.

I removed my hands from Derek's, and he followed me slowly down the stairs. Scott was in the sitting room with Danny and Tyler, and Stiles was already outside with Ryan. Derek went straight outside, but I detoured over to Danny and Tyler.

"Guess we didn't get to catch up much with all the drama going on...Anything I should know before squaring off with Jakob?"

Tyler answered first. "He hates it when someone challenges him, especially a male...But I don't think that stiles will be a problem." I laughed. "And he has a girl, one of the other wolves, but he isn't very faithful if you get me. He'll go for anyone that will make him stronger or more powerful in the pack. I'd say an Alpha with family ties like yours would be something he'd definitely go for."

"Ryan said something like that...Jakob still a world-class jerk?"

"To an annoying degree."

I laughed and said "This'll be perfect...Guess I should get out there."

I turned and went out the front door. Derek and Ryan were waiting for me beside the Camaro, with Stiles already jammed in the passenger seat. By the almost terrified look on his face, I guessed Derek had to force him in the car.

I went to Ryan first, accepting a gracious hug.

"Make sure you use all the family charm and trick the hêll outta that Jakob." I chuckled.

"You're not even in the family, Ryan." He shrugged and passed me off to Derek, who immediately planted a warm kiss on my lips. " ...In front of all these people?"

He ignored my jibe, leaning his mouth in close to my ear and whispering "If you're not back in an hour, I'm coming after you. Cousins or not." I nodded, hugging him tightly. I prayed desperately that this would work.

I released Derek and climbed in the drivers seat of his car, starting it and shifting into 1st gear in the same fluid movement. I watched Derek through the rear view mirror as I turned out of the driveway, and away from the house.

I said to Stiles "You gonna be okay Stiles? You don't have to come, you know."

"It's OK, I want to...Really..." I laughed.

"Even if I wasn't a wolf, I'd know you were lying. Derek threatened you again didn't he?"

"Can you call him off or something? I swear to god I'm gonna have a concussion if he hits my head against the wall again...Freaking wolves..."

"Watch it, those are my people now. I'll see if I can Derek to lighten up a little with the beating."

I turned left at the first light, pulling up in front of the bar where Jakob liked to hang out, according to Ryan. I remembered the place. It wasn't quite a dive, but not-so-nice people were known to hang out there. No wonder Jakob had chosen it as his hang out spot.

As I walked up to the door, Stiles came up and said "Are you sure about this place? Looks like a piece of crâp bar to me." Several noises came from within, and I knew the wolves inside had heard Stiles.

A little loudly, I replied "We're here to see Jakob, and if we don't get to, I'm gonna be pissed."

All the noise within stopped immediately, and I grinned satosfactorily.

"Come on Stiles, they definitely know we're here now." He followed steadily behind me as I pushed the door open and stepped inside.

It was dimly lit, and the only people inside sat at a few booths near the back. In the middle of them, looking rather smug and self-confident, was Jakob. His dark brown eyes widened in surprise as I reached him.

He stood and the ones around him, all wolves I could tell, moved out of his way.

"Ian Moore...What a surprise it is to see you here."

"I'd like to say the same, but it's not. I always expected you to land in a place like this after high school." His smug smile only faltered a bit. "I've come to ask you a few questions..."

"That'd be...alright." He waved a hand and the wolves scattered to the opposite sides of the bar. I sat across from Jakob and Stiles beside me. "And who would this be?"

"None of your business. Stiles is here simply to ensure all goes well." Jakob laughed.

"And what could this scrawny one do?"

"He'd call my Alpha werewolf fiancé to come kill you." Jakob dropped the smile. "Of course, I could always do it myself." Jakob tensed, and so did the seven or so wolves in the bar. By the count my cousins had given me, two were missing.

"So you know about us wolves now...And you are one?" I nodded.

"And that's how I know everyone in here except Stiles is too, and that you're the Westwood Alpha. And that two of your pack members are missing." Jakob frowned now.

"You're...perceptive. You've been to see your cousins, haven't you?" I nodded again. "So, you know all of this about me. What should I know about you?"

"I'm a wolf, engaged to an Alpha wolf from another pack, and here about my parents. You remember them, don't you?"

"How couldn't I? People still talk about that grizzly car accident...Pretty torn up, weren't they?" I didn't buy into Jakob's taunting and kept a straight face.

"That's what I'm here about. You see, I've recently had another look at the police report of their accident, and something wasn't right..." I motioned to Stiles and he pulled the file out, setting it on the table before Jakob. As Jakob flipped through it, I said "It occurred to me that their 'accident' might not've been such an accident."

"And you're coming to me why..?" He tossed the file back across the table, not looking at all surprised.

"As you had to've known, my father was the Alpha back then...And there's only one way you could've turned into the Alpha." Jakob chuckled evilly. "I haven't come to make trouble...yet."

"You aren't going to be making trouble ever." Jakob leaned over the table, an intensely hateful stare in his eyes, aimed right at me. His eyes flashed red. "This is my town now. Whatever you think you're gonna do, rethink it. You either join my pack here, or my wolves will come after you. Get that Moore?" I groaned, hating how he called me by my last name. It came out as a bit of a growl though.

I stood and squared up, looking right into Jakob's eyes as I spoke. "You have no idea what I can do, or who I have with me." I felt Stiles tug on my arm and ignored him.

"Nobody can help you beat me. Nobody." I grinned now, regretting only a bit that'd I'd have to play the Derek card so early.

"Now even Derek Hale?" The bar fell silent once more, and Jakob, for only a second, looked scared. He quickly regained himself, the smug look returning from earlier. "And he's not the only one."

"A Hale...I didn't think you were that desperate."

"Who else would I be engaged to? You? Not a chance." I pulled Stiles up out of his chair and steered him toward the door. "I suggest you watch yourself the next few days Jakob...All your minion wolves won't protect you like you think they will." He was silent as Stiles and I exited the bar.

Stiles threw his hands in the air and said "What the hêll was that?! You weren't supposed to tell them about Derek!"

"I had to say something didn't I! And I couldn't say...the other thing." I pointed to myself, knowing the wolves inside were all still listening. There had been no movement since I exited. "Come on, we should be getting back. They'll be worried about us."

I was careful not to mention names. I'd already said too much when I mentioned my cousins and Derek.

Stiles and I climbed back in the Camaro and left, heading back to my parents house.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"What did you tell Jakob? He just called me, pissed as all hêll." I faced Ryan as we stood in the backyard of the house. Everyone else was inside.

"He got mad when I mentioned my parents and threatened me, and I had to use Derek to get him to back off. It seemed to work just fine."

"But you told him you had other wolves. Did you tell him you're an Alpha too?" I shook my head.

"I'm not that stupid. I just made it clear to him that he'd better watch himself the next week or so."

"Well, he just told me to warn Tyler and Danny that if any of us see you or Derek, we're supposed to call him right away. You're enemy number one in this town now, Ian."

"Only to Jakob and his followers...But we'll be staying cooped up inside this house while we're here anyway. Derek and Scott can't go outside at all. Stiles and me are OK, he's seen the both of us. And Jakob will be more cautious about trying to find me if he thinks Derek is with me. You should've seen it Ryan...Jakob looked scared shîtless when I mentioned Derek was my fiancé." Ryan laughed.

"Anybody should. Danny told me how he almost crâpped his pants when Derek came up on the doorstep when you first got here. That family is practically a legend now, because of what happened in Beacon Hills. It might actually be good to have that guy around..."

Derek's low voice inside the house muttered "You're dâmned right" and Ryan and I laughed.

"I think I'm gonna go inside now...Time to feed Derek Jr."

As I turned to head in the back door, Ryan said "And congrats on the baby. He gonna be a big strong Alpha like both of his parents?" I laughed.

"Definitely." I pulled the screen door open and stepped inside, hearing it clang shut behind me. I went immediately to the refrigerator and opened it, pulling out a small plastic package of strawberries.

As I stood and popped a whole one into my mouth, I heard Scott say behind me "Too much junk food will make you fat."

I scowled and replied with "Strawberries aren't junk food, they're healthy food. And I can't help being always hungry." He laughed.

"My mom said pregnant people eat a lot. She showed me some pictures when she was pregnant with me before..." Scott cringed and I laughed, careful not to spit out the strawberry I was eating.

I swallowed it and said "I doubt I'd get fat. I'm a werewolf with a high metabolism, and so is the baby. I think I've actually lost a few pounds since moving to Beacon Hills..." I didn't mention the fact that half of that was probably the lovemaking with Derek nearly every day. I smiled to myself and popped another strawberry.

Scott opened his mouth to say something, but the incessant vibrating of his phone cut him off. When he cringed at the caller-ID, I guessed it was his mother. We hadn't told her we'd be leaving for several days, and she'd undoubtedly be pissed.

"Mom..?" Scott could barely get that out before his mom started shouting through the phone. I could hear all of it, though probably wouldn't repeat most of it in conversation.

"Go outside...She sounds pissed."

"She'll probably disown me when I get home." Scott hurried out the back door and his mom's voice faded, and I laughed again.

Thinking of parents...

I set the strawberries down and jogged up the stairs to find Danny. He was in his bedroom, my old room, listening to his stereo while scribbling in a notebook. He looked up when I opened the door.

"Hey."

"Danny, do you know where all of my parents' stuff is? I wanna look through it."

"You never told anyone where you wanted it, so Kay told them to box it up and put it in the attic."

"Good old Kay...Thanks." I pulled his door shut as I ran to the stairwell at the end of the hall.

The attic was done up as a third-floor bedroom, though nobody used it. There were enough bedrooms downstairs, and a bunch of cardboard boxes were spread about the floor.

All of my parents' things.

I went to one labeled 'clothes' and opened it to find some of my dad's things. His business suits and button-down shirts, and in another box underneath it, his casual clothes. I laughed as I looked around and found twice as many boxes full of my mother's clothes.

Pants. Shirts. Skirts. Dresses. Even her gloves and scarves from wintertime. I pulled out one that I remembered from my youth as my favorite. It was a body-length blue scarf, made of the softest cashmere wth fringed ends. She'd had it since her own childhood. My grandmother handmade it for her, I remember her telling me.

I draped the long scarf around my neck several times, letting the long ends trail to my waist. I plucked a matching knitted cap my grandmother had also made from the box and put that on as well. The fuzzy fabric clung to my hair as I sped down the attic stairs.

Danny was coming out of his bedroom and stopped when he saw me.

"Where'd you get those?"

"They were my mom's. My grandma made them for her when she was a kid."

"Looks nice...Matches your eyes."

"Really?" I went to the nearby bathroom and looked in the mirror. The soft blue fabric did match my eyes, almost exactly. My eyes were a shade darker though. "Even better...I rubbed the end of the scarf against my face, remembering when she'd given it to me.

As a Christmas present. I'd been so happy.

"Ian." I turned to see Derek approaching me instead of Danny. I peered around Derek to see that Danny was gone.

"Where'd Danny go?"

"I sent him downstairs when I came up and saw you crying."

"What? I'm not..." I wiped at my eyes, and there were indeed tears there. "...crying..." I wiped furiously at my eyes until the tears disappeared.

"You don't have to pretend you weren't..."

"It's not that..." I sighed. "I was just thinking about when my mom gave me this scarf and hat for Christmas when I was a kid. My grandma made them for my mom when she was a kid, so she gave them to me. I was maybe...five at the time."

"Do you have other stuff of your mom's?" I nodded.

"Her and my dad's stuff are all in boxes in the attic. Apparently, Kay suggested they be put there..."

"Guess you'll have to thank her..." I wrapped my arms around Derek and he did the same to me, and we swayed slightly in our place, in the middle of the bathroom floor.

"Besides slow-dancing in the bathroom...why'd you come up here?" Derek chuckled.

"To get you. You left your food on the kitchen counter and I thought you'd gotten sick or something."

"I haven't had mourning sickness at all...Thankfully." Though I'd probably just jinxed myself, I thought. "I was thinking...Do you want to go back to Beacon Hills?" Derek pulled back to look me in the face. "I mean, I have my own pack here now, and you have Scott back in Beacon Hills, and they're so far apart...I don't think I could stay away from you." And I knew wolves could leave a pack, but could an Alpha leave it's pack? I'd sure as hêll never heard of it.

"I wouldn't want you too..." Derek sighed loudly and pulled me back to him. "I don't know what we should do...You can't just 'undo' being an Alpha. Just...do whatever you want to do."

What I want to do. I groaned to myself.

I wanted to go back to Beacon Hills, to rule the pack there with Derek and continue our life together like I'd originally planned. My wolf side, my Alpha side, wanted to stay here in Westwood, to rule this large pack by myself, in the place where I had come from. And, just a little, I wanted to stay for my parents. They'd lived here, my grandparents had lived here, and it was all I'd ever known before Beacon Hills.

Derek, or my pack? My new family, or my old family? Beacon Hills, or Westwood?

Even now, cuddled to Derek's chest, his arms wrapped protectively around me, I knew I didn't have the answer.