Dean got a room in the nearest motel in Beacon Hills. He dropped his stuff on the bed in the room then sat down to review the case he was currently on. Bodies were dropping in the woods near this town and it looked like the work of a werewolf. After finding the location of the last body dropped, he headed out to investigate the area for clues.

Ten minutes later he found himself on the edge of the Beacon Hills preserves. The road up ahead was chained off so he got out of the Impala and grabbed what he needed from the trunk. After he locked his Baby up, he headed out into the preserved woods looking for clues.

Fifteen minutes later he discovered what looked like the crime scene and started searching for clues. As he was searching, he felt eyes on him and tried to pinpoint where they were coming from without giving himself away. Once he thought that he had found where they were hiding, Dean took off in the opposite direction to set up a trap.

He heard a roar in the distance and the sound of somebody or something rushing off behind him, heading in a different direction. He quickly turned and he took off after it to see what it was, like if it was possibly the killer. He soon came upon a werewolf fight which was one of the strangest things he's ever seen.

It looked like two werewolves fighting a separate, more out of control werewolf. He watched from behind cover as the others were trying to take down the vicious wolf. The two had the wild wolf in between them. They were trying to keep the wild one contained between them but it found a quick escape and ran right at Dean. He shot it through the heart with the silver bullet and it dropped dead.

As the wolf fell over and Dean aimed his gun at the other two wolves, he saw another hunter appear from behind the trees on the opposite edge of the fight area. He looked at the werewolves that were remaining and wondered why they didn't attack him. They didn't run away, either.

Meanwhile, the hunter kept his gun pointed at Dean as he stood in front of the wolves. He stated, "I'm Chris Argent. A fellow hunter who lives in the area. I'm asking you to put down your gun. These wolves are not a danger to you."

Now Dean was even more curious as to what was going on. He watched them both wolves slowly fade into their human appearance, even though it was a full moon tonight. He wondered what the hell was going on. He was shocked to see that one of them was Derek.

"Dean. I let me explain," Derek lightly pleaded.

Argent stated, "I'm Chris Argent. What's your name?"

Before Dean could give an alias, Derek answered for him, "Dean Winchester."

Argent nodded and advised, "Okay. It looks like we're gonna have a quick lesson on wolves."

Dean just had to ask what had been bothering him the most, "Why aren't you two out of control? It's a full moon. You shouldn't have been able to change like that."

Derek explained briefly, "We're not like other werewolves. We have control and more in common with shape shifters than the werewolves you typically hunt. And we don't drop bodies. The Omega that you just shot down was the one who is doing the killing here. We police this area for the supernatural with Argent's help"

"I've never seen a werewolf having complete control on a full moon," Dean admitted with confusion and wariness.

"Like the man said, a wolf from their lineage has control. These are different species of the normal werewolves that you normally can fight and hunt. They don't drop bodies or I take them down. Maybe we should go have a drink and talk. All of us," Chris suggested calmly.

Dean had really come to like Derek and Derek had helped him out, more than once, without asking for anything in return. Plus, Derek called and checked on him regularly which is more than his family did. He owed him at least a chance to explain. He just was unsure if he was losing a friend over this.

He did want to know one thing though. "Who was following me earlier?"

Derek sheepishly raised his hand and added, "I thought I smelled you when I was trying to track the Omega. I wanted to investigate to see if my senses were accurate."

"Once you saw me, why did you keep following me?"

"There was a dangerous wolf in the woods. I wasn't going to allow it to attack you."

Dean started to respond indignantly but Chris interrupted the brewing argument, "How about that drink? Do you know any place in town you want to meet? Any bars or diners, maybe?"

Dean gave him a slight glare then suggested tightly, "Al's."

Chris nodded and also said verbally, "We'll meet you there." He motioned for the others to follow him but Derek shook his head.

"I'm following him to his car," Derek argued and ignored Dean trying to argue. "I don't know where Peter or Kate are and they are still very dangerous. Either I walk with you or I will follow behind. It's up to you, Dean?"

Dean growled in irritation then spun on his heel and stalked towards his car. Derek nodded to the other two then followed quickly after Dean. He didn't walk with Dean. He was a few steps behind him, giving him some space.

After a few minutes, Dean spun around again and demanded, "How long have you been a werewolf?"

"I was born this way."

Dean's eyes flew open wide at that and wondered, "How does that happen?"

"Well, Dean, when two people really love ea . . ."

"Shuddup, wise ass, I've never heard of that. The only way I knew that you became a werewolf was with a bite."

"Like I said, we are a different type of wolf," Derek reiterated. "Want to talk while we walk?"

Dean huffed but turned around. They were now walking side by side. Dean continued to rehash the encounter in his mind then he realized what else was bothering him. "You knew I was a hunter. For how long?" Derek looked at him innocently and questioningly. "Don't give me that innocent look. You were not surprised to see me there and you weren't surprised when I shot the omega. I noticed your look of relief."

Derek sighed and admitted, "I knew the first night when you were ill. I saw a lot of things while I was taking care of you."

"Why didn't that scare you off?"

"I hadn't done anything wrong. I wasn't ever planning on turning in front of you so why would I be scared of you. Look, from the time I met you, I've enjoyed your company and wanted to be a friend to you but I understand if you don't want me around anymore," Derek ended with resignation.

Dean narrowed his eyes at his friend and could sense that he probably didn't have a lot of people he was close to. He was still undetermined as to what he was going to do about all this. But he still felt the pull of friendship or something to this wolf.

"I haven't said that," Dean argued softly.

"Yet," Derek filled in.

"Don't put words in my mouth," Dean snapped irritably. "We definitely need to talk more before anything is determined here. Let's just get to the bar. Are you riding with me?"

"Can I?" Derek verified hopefully.

Dean rolled his eyes at the puppy dog look that crossed the wolf's face. "Whatever, fur ball."

"Please don't start that," Derek begged.

"Problem, rover?" Dean teased lightly.

Derek growled and unintentionally flashed his blazing blue eyes.

Man, that's hot! Dean didn't know where that thought came from but he quickly squashed because he so wasn't gay. He shook his head and saw that they had arrived at his baby. He put away his stuff in the trunk then he and Derek got it and headed towards Al's, just listening to the classic rock playing in the car. It didn't take long to ride at Al's. Dean circled the parking lot to find the best spot for his Baby.

Derek gave him a questioning look when they finally parked then commented, "We passed some open spots on the way in."

Dean looked shocked and dramatically replied, "I can't leave my Baby in a place where she might get scratched or dinged. What the hell are you thinking? Come on, man. I thought you appreciated classics."

"Well, I appreciate you," Derek shot back.

"Watch it, dog boy. I can muzzle you, you know," Dean retorted sassily.

"You are welcome to try, beautiful," Derek taunted in kind as he opened the door for Dean.

"Still not gay, Fido," Dean argued back as he entered the bar.

Just to mess with the macho hunter, Derek slapped him on his ass.

"Dude!" Dean startled, looking around with wide eyes.

"You love it and you know it," Derek teased lightly as he quickly made his way to Chris's table.

Dean stared after him open mouthed until his body figured out what it was doing because he shouldn't have felt the spark that he did at the slap. No, it wasn't a spark. It was a shock. Yes, that is what it was.

He was starting to lose the wolf in the crowd when Derek looked back and winked at him with the biggest smile on his handsome face. Dean shook his head and hurried after the wolf so that he didn't lose him. He was so going to pay Derek back for that.

Derek had already sat down next to Chris at a table in the back of the bar when Dean got there. It was darker here and quieter here although it was still loud. Both men sat with their backs to the corner walls, leaving Dean chairs where his back was to the crowd. He didn't like that, plus he was unsure who to sit next to at the four corner table.

Familiarity won out so he sat down next to Derek who smirked at him. Dean gave him a WTF glared back, ignoring the heat he still felt in his right butt cheek. Chris observed dryly, "Glad to see that you made it and no one else died."

"It was touch and go," Dean replied testily.

A barmaid appeared at their table. Chris already had a beer in front of him so Dean ordered a beer and a shot of whiskey, just to calm himself down. He was so off balance at this moment. Derek only ordered a beer.

After the barmaid left, Dean started, "So what do you need to tell me about these wolves?"

"My family has lived here for centuries," Derek started calmly. "We are the protectors of Beacon Hill. Our lineage stems from the natives who lived here long before it was colonized. They used their ceremonies and rituals to become one with their spirit animals. Some of them went too far and actually learned how to become one with their animals, to become werewolves and other werecreatures."

"When the settlers came, they shifted to protect their villages and their lives. That is what my ancestors were and what I was born out of. My mother was the Hale pack Alpha, although my father was completely human."

"Unfortunately, hunters don't stop to find out which type of wolf they are hunting before they kill it. One of the real reasons I came back is that I found out my family home was burned and most of my family was killed in the blaze. They had been locked inside when it was set on fire. There were kids in that fire, my younger siblings, and my parents. The only one to survive was my uncle but he was burned so badly that he is barely lucid. Only two of my sisters and brothers survived and that was because they were in school."

"Some of my family were fully human. Not all of us were born werewolves. The hunters didn't care about that," Derek finished emotionally with hidden anger.

Dean felt for Derek but he had to ask incredulously, "If you knew all that, why in the hell would you ever help me, a hunter?"

"I told you already because I liked you and you needed help," Derek answered nonchalantly.

"How do you know that I wasn't one of the hunters who did that?" Dean prodded, unable to believe that Derek would take such a chance.

"Because you didn't know about me," Derek explained patiently. "And I know a hunter who did. We know she did it."

"She? Who?"

"My sister," Chris answered tightly with regret. "We pieced it together before Derek had to leave to bury his friend. I kept watch over his brother and sisters while he was away. Kate knows that we know so she left but we have a feeling she might come back."

"Your sister," Dean verified with confusion.

"I know what you are thinking. If my sister did it, why am I helping him?" Chris assumed correctly. "The Argent family lives and hunts by a code or, at least, it's supposed to. I grew up my whole life believing it. 'We hunt those that need to be hunted.' We are not supposed to kill indiscriminately. We hunt only those wolves who have taken innocent lives, human lives. Those are the ones we kill."

"How do you know that they have?" Dean wondered curiously.

"That's another thing that is different about these wolves," Chris expounded. "Their eyes change color based on status and whether they have killed humans or not. Pack alphas have red eyes. Others have golden eyes until they kill. Once they do, their eyes change to blue, like Derek's."

Dean cut his eyes over to Derek remembering that fact at the same time it was mentioned. Derek sighed heavily and stated regretfully, "I'll explain after your other questions."

Dean shook his head and rebutted firmly, "That's the main one right now."

Derek glanced at Chris who was looking at him expectantly so he started, "In high school, junior year, I had fallen in love with this girl, Paige. We were together for over a year when she found out about the real me. She wanted to be with me forever, you know, young love. So she asked for a bite. Only problem was that the bite had to come from an alpha to turn you and I wasn't that. My mother would never agree to it. So my uncle asked one of the pack alphas that was visiting us without me knowing. The alpha, Ennis, had just lost a pack member to hunters so he agreed."

Derek paused a moment to collect himself before he continued a bit slower, "Thing about the bite is it will either turn you or kill you, if your body rejects it. If it kills you, it's not quick. It is several long hours of intense suffering. This was all explained to Paige beforehand and she still wanted to do it."

"Let me guess," Dean hypothesized regretfully. "Her body rejected it."

Derek nodded slowly with wet eyes. He took a breath then continued, "She was in so much pain. I tried to take away as much pain as I could because that's something our wolves can do. There was still plenty that was left."

"After hours of this with me holding her and taking as much pain on myself as I could in addition to five hours of her begging me to end it for her, I couldn't take her being in so much pain anymore. She couldn't take anymore, either. I ended it for her," he finished as softly as I could.

He took a moment then added hoarsely, "My mother found me hours later, still holding her body. My eyes had changed the instant that I took Paige's life. It isn't an experience I would wish on anyone."

"I didn't know," Chris consoled him honestly. "My condolences."

"Same here," Dean added with a lot of sympathy.

"She was the only one I ever killed other than out of control omegas and other creatures," he admitted sadly.

Dean passed him his whiskey shot but Derek shook his head and passed it back, explaining, "It would take a bottle to even get me a bit relaxed with my metabolism. Or something stronger, like Everclear. Thanks, though. It will take a moment but I'm good."

After giving Derek a moment, Chris turned to Dean and suggested, "Let's exchange phone numbers so that if you have any more questions, you can call me. Or if either of us needs help with a case, we can contact each other."

Dean nodded and pulled it out his phone. They exchanged phone numbers then Chris asked curiously, "So what do you hunt normally?"

"Whatever is killing people," Dean answered evenly. "I don't pick favorites. If it's dropping people, I'm going to drop it."

"How long have you been doing this? I mean, you're . . . what? Twenty?"

"All my life," Dean quipped before expounding, "Actually hunting things started when I was ten but I was helping my dad do his research since I was six or seven. I was raised in the life."

"What got him started, if you don't mind me asking?" Chris pried curiously.

Dean contemplated him then saw Derek's interest. He didn't know why but after all that Derek shared, he figured it was only fair. "Something killed my mother when I was four. It wasn't natural because I saw her gutted, stuck on the ceiling of Sam's nursery, which was on fire, before my dad sent me out of the house, carrying Sam who was only six months old." He remembered that night vividly as it was one of his recurring night terrors.

Chris looked slightly surprised then wondered, "Have any ideas what it was? I haven't heard of that MO in monsters that I know of."

Dean shook his head then added, "If my dad knows something, he's not sharing."

The barmaid came back and asked if they wanted anything else. They all added another beer to their tab. They turned the discussion to less personal matters, like previous cases and how Derek and Dean met. It turned into an enjoyable evening after all.