*Right after Stiles left*

"And what would make you think I would ever want that?" Derek spoke much calmer than he felt. "What makes you think that I would ever want to put Stiles in a position that would make him be in danger. "He rubbed his hand over his face. "Come on Scott, everyone I have ever loved has died because of me. I can't have that happen to Stiles. If something happened to him..." He sniffed softly, feeling his heart ache at the thought of Stiles being in danger because of him. If Kate had taught him anything, its that he couldn't keep someone close to him. They always got hurt because of him. And it made him scared to death to take that leap with Stiles.

He had been instantly attracted to the teen when they had met. Stiles had a fire in him that made him shine brighter than anyone Derek had ever met. He was not afraid to stand toe to toe with him and argue if he believed in something. Was not acared to throw himself in harms way when it came to protecting those close to him.

He knew he was fucked when Stiles had jumped in a pool to save him, then held him above water for over two hours while he had been rendered paralysed. They had grown closer and Derek knew his wolf called to Stiles. Knew Stiles was the mate he had longed to find for so long. Had known almost since the beginning. But a small part of him not acting on it was Stiles age. He was only sixteen at the time. He still had alot of life to live.

The bigger part of that was Dereks own fear. The fear of finally giving in and having Stiles the way he wanted only to have him ripped from his arms. He wouldn't be able to survive that. He had lost so much in his life and somehow survived it. But losing Stiles would be what finally does him in.

Scott moves toward him and puts his hands on Dereks shoulders, making the Beta look him in the eye. "Derek, you gotta tell him how you feel man. It's not fair to you or him. And you have the pack behind you. You know we wouldn't let anything happen to Stiles. Eventually, you gotta start doing what makes you happy and not let the shadows of your past keep stopping you."

Derek looked into his Alphas eyes and knew he could see the truth in his words. Stiles deserved everything good in life and maybe, just maybe, Derek could try to be one of those things. But he would have to talk to Stiles about that. To Scott he said, "When the hell did you get so damn grown up?"

Scott laughed, "I like to think that this grumpy guy in a leather jacket that kicked me off his property once ended up teaching me what it was to be a good Alpha."

Derek smiled at that, then patted his hand as Scott withdrew them. "Thanks, and your right. I never meant to pull Stiles along. You know that, right?"

Scott nodded, "Yeah, I know. But Stiles often reads too much into things. And when you push and pull him around, it messes with him." Scott grew serious. "Just don't hurt him Derek. Hes liked you for a long time. And if you get with him then change your mind or decide you either can't or won't do a relationship..." Scott shook his head as he stepped back. "Just don't hurt him."

He walked out into the living room, leaving Derek reeling from the talk he just had. He knew it wasn't fair to Stiles how he had been acting. He was like a drug. The closer Derek got the more he wanted. Then he saw what he was doing and backed away. It probably had confused and hurt Stiles and his wolf did not like that he had hurt his mate. The man didn't either.

He drew in a deep breath and was getting ready to pour him a drink when he heard Scotts voice from the living room asking their pack members where Stiles went. Derek walked in as Lydia told him that he had went to get them refills then came back saying that his dad needed him home.

Erica chimed in, "Yeah, it was kind of weird. i didn't hear his phone ring. And you can't miss that ringtone." Stiles had put on the most annoying buzzing ringtone once he knew how it grated on Dereks nerves. None of the wolves could miss it. He looked at Scott and felt his stomach drop to his feet. If Stiles had went to the kitchen at any point in the last few minutes, he would have heard his and Scotts conversation.

Scott was pulling out his phone before the Beta could and dialed Stiles. When he answered he whined softly, hearing the tears in his mates voice and knowing he had put them there.

Scott was telling Stiles how he could hear him lie through the phone and he was getting ready to snap the phone out of the teens hands when Stiles started to answer then he swore his and every wolfs heart stopped when they heard Stiles voice curse loudly followed by crunching metel, painful grunts and gasps from Stiles then after what felt like a lifetime, silence.

Scotts voice was frantic. "Stiles! Stiles, can you hear me? STILES!" By that point everyone had circled around Scott, trying to hear anything from their pack mate.

Derek ran to the Loft door, ripping it open and running down the stairs into the woods, Scott following close behind him. Part of him heard Scott tell the others to get the car and find them as Stiles would need help, but almost all of him was focused on breathing in the scents around him. He smelled oak, a herd of deer somewhere close by, and just a whiff of motor oil from Stiles Jeep. It had a slight leak in the engine that he remembered Stiles complaining about needed to get fixed. He centered around that scent as it lead him up the side of the main road.

A million thoughts ran through his head as he ran, none of them good. He keeps going back to his talk to Scott at the Loft and berating himself for not relalizing that Stiles had been within hearing distance. How could he be so stupid. He was careless with his words and his own fears and Stiles had ran. He couldn't blame him. He knew he was a messed up head case. He could only home that he would have the chance to make it right.

Scotts still on his tail when the air shifts and all he can smell is motor oil, smoke and Stiles blood. A lot of Stiles blood.

Scott whines as they come up to a curve in the road and there, right at the base of the curve, is the Jeep. Turned over on its top. Smoke coming out of all parts of it, glass shattered and broken body. "Oh god." He whispers as he slides to his knees next to the driver side door. Stiles is passed out in the seat, upside down, the window of his door filled with spider web cracks and Stiles blood coating it. He instantly knew he had hit his head against it.

He ripped the door clean off and heard the most wonderful sound in the world. Stiles heartbeat. He was alive.

But as he moved closer to cradle the humen in his arms he could hear the rattle in Stiles breathing, the heartbeat that had brought him so much joy to hear too slow. Too much blood. His arm twisted at a morbid angle.

"Get the belt." He ordered Scott, who had fallen beside him. Tears filled his eyes as he cut the belt away, Stiles safely in Dereks arms. Taking him a good distance away from the mangled jeep he fell back to his knees, Stiles never making a sound as he's justled.

Scott ripped his shirt off and laid it behind Stiles head as Derek lay him on the ground between them. Derek placed his hand to Stiles cheek and closed his eyes, honing in on his heartbeat. It was weak, thready and too slow. His heart was having trouble pumping. He could hear the struggle Stiles had to take in a breath, possible a collapsed lung. He opened his eyes and looked to Scott. When their eyes met Scott let out a gasping cry and held his friends hands to his chest.

He could hear the Camero come barreling down the road but no matter how fast they made it they would not get the teen to help in time. Stiles was dying.

"Stiles? Stiles, wake up man! Come on!" Scott was slapping Stiles in the face, trying to get the teen to move. Erica Isaac and Boyd ran to their sides, with lydia parking the Camero and running to them. All of them had tears running down their cheeks.

Derek looked to Stiles again, noting his face growing ash, his heart beating so slow he had to strain to hear it. There was no other choice. "Scott, you have to bite him!" Everyone looked at him, wide eyed but he kept his eyes on Scott, whos eyes had turned crimson and fangs descending.

Scott looked at his best friend then back to his Beta. "He could still die."

Derek shook his head, "You know how strong he is. He'll make it."

Scott only hesitated for a millisecond before he pulled up Stiles shirt. Derek held Stiles hand tightly in his, eyes never leaving his mates face. He heard the wet sound of Scotts bite but still didn't look away. He felt hands come down on each of his shoulders and knew by smell that it was Boyd and Isaac.

Scott stayed kneeled on Stiles other side with Erica and Lydia, all of them looking down at their friend and pack mate. Derek wants to bundle him up and rush him back to the loft but until they knew if the bite would take, he didn't dare touch him for fear of hurting him more.

Derek leaned down and placed his head gently on Stiles chest, the teens hand still in his own. He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply. Past the scent of blood, smoke and pain was Stiles true scent. Honey, Oak and a natrual citrusy that had always been addicting to Derek with its odd combination.

His tears feel even harder until he couldn't hold back and started sobbing. Stiles could still die and he would die thinking Derek didn't want him. When in truth Derek had wanted him since he came upon him in the woods when he was 16. He had never wanted anything more.

And now he could still lose him. If they were too late he would lose him. And there was no way he would survive it. Arms came around him, holding him close as he held close to Stiles. His pack surrounded him as he slowly broke down over his injured mate. Everyone there knew what Stiles was to him. They all were extremely close to the teen and losing him would break everyone. But it would destroy Derek.

Time stood still has his sobs ebbed and he heard Stiles heart beat. Before it was so quiet even the werewolves could barely hear it. Now it beat stronger. Not as strong as it should be, but stronger than it was before. They all pulled back and watched as his breathing slowly started to clear, color slowly returned to his skin, and very slowly, the cuts and bruises on his face and body were closing up.

Erica laughed a waterly laugh. "It worked!" She danced around then hugged Lydia, who was now sobbing on her shoulder. Being the only human with them she couldn't hear the change to his heart, so Derek imagined hearing those words were what broke the young girl.

Scott was still crying but his smile was bright as he looked down at his brother. Isaac and Boyd were still behind him, light touches of their hands on his back. Giving him some of their strength.

Derek looked down at the boy he loved. Not hesitating he leaned down to place a soft kiss on his lips, reilishing the warmth he felt there. His tears feel on the teens cheeks when he pulled back, shocked to find his eyes open. "Stiles!"

Everyone came around him as he looked to them all. "Wha...wha happn'd?" his voice was soft and rough, slightly slurred. His eyes still glazed over in pain. Derek tenderly took one of his wrists and pulled the pain from him, black veins going up his arms and disappearing under his sleeves. Stiles let out a soft sigh of relief.

"We were hoping you could tell us buddy. We found you like this." Scott said, eyes moved to Derek then back to his friend.

Stiles seemed to think about it for a second before he chuckled softly. "Fucking deer."

There was a moment of intense silence before almost everyone erupted with laughter.

Even Boyd, ever serious Boyd, couldn't contain himself. "You run around with werewolves and you let a deer take you out!" More laughter fell from them. Because of course something so harmless as a deer would be what took Stiles out. It could only happen to Stiles.

Stiles started trying to flail his arms out as he said, louder this time. "More than one dude. Bunch a deer!" Derek quickly grabbed his arms as one of them was still healing from its break.

Stiles calmed as he looked at Derek. Derek looked back, knowing how vulnerable he looked at that moment but not caring in the slightest. Because this was Stiles.

He saw his eyes start to droop as he said, "I heard you."

Dereks breath caught. To hear him say it, sounding so small and broken, killed him. "Stiles.."

Stiles eyes closed as he whispered "Heard you..." before his breathing evened out. It didn't surprise anyone there. His body was going through a big change after a big event and it needed to rest.

Scott was thinking along the same lines. "We need to get him back to the loft. Get him cleaned up and laying down. He needs rest. Derek nodded as he looked at the other four in thier pack. "You guys run back. Get the first aid kit ready. The deeper cuts will need to be cleaned. Make sure we have towels and hot water ready."

Boyd, Erica and Isaac ran off with Lydia staying behind. "I'll drive you all back. Get him in and make sure he's comfortable." Her voice left no room for arguing. Not like anyone would. You don't argue with Lydia Martin if you want to live. She made her way to the driver side of the Camero and waited as Derek and Scott rose, with Derek lifting Stiles in his arms and cradling him to his chest.

As they walked to the car Scott turned to him. "You know there's a chance he might hate us right?"

Derek paused, looking at him." What do you mean?"

Scott went on "He never wanted to be a werewolf. Kept saying he'd be no good, how he was much happier being the frail little human in the pack of wolves. He never once asked me, so he might not be happy with us taking it out of his hands."

Derek truly hadn't thought of that. But as he looked down as his mate in his arms, his heartbeat getting stronger and color almost returning to normal, he could not regret their actions. "I'll be ok with that Scott." He looked back to the teen wolf at his side. "Because then he would be alive. I'd rather he hate us for doing this to him, than him being dead. I can live with anything but that." His voice shook as he said the last part but he saw Scott nod his head and knew he agreed.

They bundled Stiles in the back seat with Derek sitting beside him, eyes never leaving him as Scott took the front. As they drove back to the loft all of their thoughts were on their hurt friend, and what would happen once he woke up.