When Derek left Stiles' house he barely made it to his Camero parked a block or so away without shifting. Once in his car, he drove as fast as he could to the Preserve and did three laps, running as a wolf, before he felt even slightly calmer. He finally stood up in a clearing not far from where his house once stood and took deep breaths. He couldn't remember the source of the agitation that has been bothering him for almost a month. The wolf under his skin growled and snapped in way it hadn't since becoming an alpha and he couldn't, for the life of him, understand why.

He knew, though, that somehow Stiles was involved. He'd been watching Stiles go off on his own more, not exactly sneaking around but not acting like before. That untrackable scent hung around Stiles like a cloud somedays and it grated at Derek. Something had to be done. Derek fought hard to ground himself, letting that inner anger pull his humanity through, but it barely worked.

He made his way back to his car and pulled out of the Preserve and drove in the direction of Scott's house as the sun started to set. When he saw Allison's car in Scott's driveway, he almost turned around. Not that Allison bothered him really, he just felt a sudden sense of awkwardness at disturbing the two of them. Not that he'd admit that, ever.

Before he could put the Camero in reverse, Scott was walking out onto the porch of his house. Derek sighed and got out of the car and made his way up to the house.

"Is something wrong?" Allison asked as she walked out on to the porch as well, toweling her hair and smelling like lavender shampoo. Derek didn't say anything, just glared at the ground while Scott tilted his head, looking worried.

"Allison, do you mind, uh, giving us a few minutes?" Scott said, finally, moving back into the house. She raised an eyebrow, but gave him a small smile and kissed him on the cheek before saying she was going to get going anyways.

"I can see this is some super secret alpha business. I'll see you tomorrow," she said, nodding to Derek as she ran a bush through her hair quickly and grabbed her bag to leave.

Once she left, Scott sat on his bed and Derek stood nearby, crossing his arms and staring back at Scott. Scott sighed and asked him what was up. "You've been more broody than normal lately, Derek. And I can tell you're wolf is always too close to the surface. Just spill it ok?"

Derek wasn't sure what to say. He uncrossed his arms and finally sat down on the chair by Scott's desk. "It's… about Stiles."

"Ok… what about Stiles?"

"He's hiding something."

Scott looked confused. "Hiding something?"

"Yes, hiding something from the pack!"

Scott studied him for a moment before a knowing look spread across his face. "Hiding something from the pack, or from you?" Derek kept a straight face very well, but Scott caught onto the subtle change in Derek. "Is that why you've been snapping at him so much? Looking like you're going to strangle him at pack meets?"

Derek wanted to say no, of course not, but he knew he couldn't get away with lying to the other alpha. The way Scott had developed into a true alpha had drastically changed their relationship. It dawned on him months ago, the last time they had a real falling out, that even after finishing off Peter and gaining alpha powers, he just didn't have it in him to gain alpha status. Being an alpha of a pack, especially one not born from the same family, took an understanding of others that would always allude Derek. Once he came to this realization and finally understood that being alpha in that sense wasn't even what he wanted, he had felt at peace. He had knowledge and experience that Scott didn't so Scott, and the pack, still needed him and even respected what he had to say and the wolf in him was actually content with that. Maybe he just had a more beta nature than he knew.

"Look," Scott started, breaking into Derek's thoughts, "Stiles is nearly physically incapable of keeping secrets. Trust me. Have you tried talking to him?"

Derek frowned. "Yes. It didn't end well."

"What did you do?" Scott said, his eyes flashing red.

Derek grudgingly told Scott about the earlier conversation. Scott leaned back on his bed, looking to the ceiling before muttering about teaching Derek people skills. "Ok, this is what you're going to do. You're going to apologize. And mean it. You're going to then tell him what's really bothering you. Maybe then you two can stop sidestepping the issue and just go with it. I'm pretty sure you'll find Stiles isn't keeping any secrets, you're just too thick headed to take a hint." Scott looked back at Derek meaningfully.

"Wait… what?" Derek felt like he'd missed something, like there was jump in the conversation.

"C'mon Derek. Do I have to sick Lydia on the two of you? Because I will. And I guarantee that'll be the worst, most awkward way to go about this. She's merciless."

Derek's eyebrows went up with confusion and then it clicked. "You think Stiles has feelings for me."

Scott rolled his eyes. "He's not the only one with feelings. It's ok to feel things Derek, you maybe an asshole and a total creeper but you're not a horrible person. You shouldn't be so hard on yourself."

Derek went to stand up, sat down, and then shot back up. He was embarrassed but mostly angry because he'd come to Scott with a legitimate concern for the well being of the pack and he felt like he was being mocked for it. Not that he thought Stiles was a laughing matter. That's not what he meant. Despite what some people may think, Derek wasn't some tortured soul unwilling to be happy or in-tuned with how he felt. He'd come to terms with a great deal of his emotional baggage and right now he was incredibly pissed that his friend, his alpha, hadn't even acknowledge it. His pack treated him like he was almost delicate, like someone to be weary of and he hated that. The only who didn't, the one who constantly bothered him, grated his nerves and came to check on him after a fight was holding something back from him and it pissed him off.

Derek hardly felt his claws dig into his own palms, didn't notice the growl coming from his chest until another growl was answering and Scott was gripping his shoulders…

"Derek," Scott's voice cut through the anger like a knife through butter. Derek came back to himself with such force it was almost dizzying. He wanted to shove Scott away because he was still pissed, but he didn't move. After a long moment, Scott let go and it felt like the floor had slipped out from beneath him, but he held steady.

"How long has this been a problem?" Scott asked, his eyes fading to brown. Derek looked down at his already healed palms. "Derek. How long have you been unable to anchor yourself?"

"Since…" Derek thought hard, "since the strange scent in the woods."

"I thought that turned out to be nothing?"

"No, it's definitely something. Something to do with Stiles." Scott looked confused, but before either of them could say anything, both picked up the scent of vomit, cheap whiskey, and then unmistakable voice from outside by the front door.

Stiles almost fell over when Scott opened the door he was propped against. He was waving at the tree line and then oops no door! and looked at Scott incredulously when he caught him from falling.

"Scott! Hey, what's up man?"

"Stiles…" Stiles held up his hand like he was in class. "What?"

"Permission to come aboard oh mighty Alpha!" and then Stiles threw up on the floor at Scott's feet.