Derek stepped across his loft, expression blank and anxious. His fingers drummed against the large window of his loft, thinking about Stiles. Why him?

He thought about what Stiles said, he made him feel safe. No, that didn't make sense. Derek threw him into things.

"Derek what are you thinking about?"

The alpha turned and gave Cora a thoughtful look.

"Nothing," he lied.

"Bullshit," Cora snapped at him. "You aren't exactly good at hiding strong emotions."

"If I tell you the truth you promise not to judge me?" Derek questioned.

"Judge you?" Cora asked in confusion.

Derek sighed, running his hand through his raven locks, deciding to take a chance.

"I'm thinking about... someone."

"Someone... you care about?"

Derek nodded.

"Someone you love?" Cora went on.

"I don't know," Derek said quietly. "I haven't figured that out."

His mind went back to Stiles.

"I know I shouldn't ever love again," Derek whispered.

"Why?" Cora asked gently. "Why do you think that?"

Derek didn't answer. He didn't want to talk about her. She was the only person he'd ever loved, and look what it had cost him.

He tried not to feel these things for Stiles, but when the kid was around he somehow got inside, he brought Derek's walls down.

Did he love Stiles? What scared him more than anything was that his feelings for his new beta were much stronger than any feelings for Kate had been. His heart literally ached with longing from a need to have Stiles in his presence.

He walked over to his dresser suddenly and took out a sweater, pulling it over his t-shirt.

"Where you going?" Cora asked him.

"Out," Derek told her.

She watched him leave the loft with a sigh. It would do no good to question him further.

ooOoo

"Mind telling me why you stayed at Derek Hale's last night?"

His dad eyed him from across the kitchen table, expression saying he expected the truth.

"Derek's?" Stiles asked, trying to sound oblivious.

"Cut the crap Stiles! Enough with the lies. Please? Scott told me you weren't with him. He said you stayed at Derek's last night."

Stiles opened his mouth and closed it. How could he explain this one? He could just tell the truth, except now the truth entailed also telling his dad he was one of them. He'd taken the bite out of fear and desperation, but there was no taking it back.

"Answers?" his dad continued pressing him. "Or is it grounded?"

Stiles felt the wolf rise inside of him at his dad's show of authority. Who was he to treat him like some little boy?

"Do I owe you an explanation for every little thing?" Stiles scowled at him. "How old am I dad? Maybe Derek's a friend."

"A friend Stiles?" his dad asked skeptically.

The wolf jumped. How dare his dad question him.

"Yes a friend dad," Stiles grit out, trying to contain it. "Anything else?"

"You watch your tone young man."

Stiles was across the room in a flash, grabbing his dad's arm in a steel grip.

"No dad, you watch your tone with me! Because I am sick and tired of you treating me like a child!"

Stiles gave his dad's arm a little squeeze, making him gasp out.

"Oh that hurts dad?" Stiles asked coldly. "Imagine how I hurt. You never listen to me, about anything. You treat me like I'm eight! You never want to talk about mom. Never!"

"Stiles stop this," his dad commanded.

Stiles gave his arm another death squeeze and his dad cried out.

"Stop ordering me around," Stiles hissed at him.

What was he doing? Yet it felt so right to do it. His dad should stop treating him like a child.

He released his dad's arm. This wasn't him. This was the wolf fueling his aggression. He turned away from his dad, wishing he could feel regret, but he didn't. He deserved it.

"Did you ever think maybe I'm scared Stiles?"

The hurt in the voice shocked him.

"I'm scared I'm losing my little boy. I don't know how to deal with this new Stiles, the one I see in front of me right now."

Stiles turned to face him with a cold look.

"Well I'm not a little boy," Stiles told him. "You need to realize that. Stop ordering me around all the time. Please?"

The sheriff sighed. He'd have to face that Stiles was growing up sooner or later.

"You're right Stiles. You can stay at a friend's if you want."

Stiles stepped toward him, placing a hand on his shoulder, cinnamon eyes gentle once more.

"Thank you. That's all I want, for you to trust me."

"I try," his dad replied.

Stiles removed the hand and walked past him.

"I'm going to bed."

ooOoo

The light in the bedroom had gone off about thirty minutes ago. The window was open and Derek could smell that scent from across the road.

He could hear snores and the occasional nonsense Stiles said in his sleep.

He ran toward that scent, jumping as high as he could, landing perfectly on the window ledge. He'd done it a hundred times.

Slipping quietly through the window he looked at the boy, his beta stretched out on his bed, face wearing an adorable smile in sleep. Derek approached and looked down at the face, feeling a rush of emotions again.

He sighed and reached out a hand, wanting to touch that fair skin, but he might wake him and the sheriff was here.

Derek settled for plopping into the desk chair. He closed his eyes, taking in that scent. Everything was perfect now that he was close to Stiles with that scent filling him.

He was barely aware of slipping into sleep. The last thing he heard were Stiles' snores.