'So if you're my Alpha what do I get out of it?' Jennifer asked curling her nose up as Linda set a plate of cookies on the coffee table.

'Quit bullshitting and hold your wrist out Jen, you already told me you were going to do it when we went jogging this morning.' Laura said sipping her coffee and snatching a cookie from the plate. She waved it under Jennifer's nose before taking a large bite out of it.

Jennifer rolled her eyes. 'I want to hear what he has to say for himself.'

Laura burst out laughing. 'It's Derek he has nothing to say for himself other than "do as your told bitch or I'll rip your throat out!"' She said putting a pretty good impression of Derek on. 'Jesus, becoming the Alpha hasn't suddenly given him morals, ideologies and a vocabulary. He's still a fuck now and question later kind of guy.'

'Don't swear Laura.' Linda said.

'Don't swear, but you don't defend what she said about me.' Derek questioned his mother.

'I agree with her one hundred per cent.' Linda shrugged. Derek agreed too, nothing changed since he became Alpha other than a desire to protect his family, but that had always been there, and a need to claim his mate, who wasn't ready for such a step. And his appetite. He found he was hungrier, eating more to sustain the power coursing through his veins. Still didn't mean he wanted to let Laura get away with bitching him out.

'Whatever. Daniel may be my brother but he's a moron. Peter's an even bigger moron. You, my sexy nephew, god I wish we weren't related, are my Alpha.' She said thrusting her wrist under his face. Derek had to jerk his head back so she didn't punch him on the nose. He carried out the loyalty ritual. 'Charlene. Give Derek your wrist.' He took Charlene's wrist in his hand. 'Won't be the first time you two have shared fluids now will it.' Jennifer teased. Derek glared at her before sinking his teeth into Charlene's creamy wrist.

The sheriff walked back out of Alan's office. 'Hello Jennifer.' He smiled.

'I hear you had a bit of bother.' Jennifer smiled back, crossing her legs so her skirt eased up her thigh. Derek rolled his eyes, Jennifer may have found a mate but she would still mount just about anyone, including family if you allowed her.

'Just a bit.' John said. 'Derek if it's ok with you we'd like to take that offer. I've called the insurance company and they'll be out in the morning. I'm going to go over and see if there's anything salvageable.'

'I'll come too.' Stiles said springing from his seat.

'I'll drive.' Derek said bolting from the house. 'Fucking women.' He muttered as he got into the car.

There wasn't much left, they found when they got there. John found a few knick knacks here and there but there was nothing worth keeping. Thankfully Stiles had spent one rainy afternoon scanning every family photo he could find and saving them both to a cd and on the hard drive of his laptop. That laptop was currently sitting in Derek Hale's bedroom. Of course priceless family heirlooms had been lost, like a rocking chair that was old when John was a boy and a quilt that had been wrapped around Stiles as a baby, used for his mother before him too.

They collected what they could and headed over to the station to drop the sheriff off. He told them he would find some way home and gave Stiles a handful of bills with the instruction of 'normal clothes son, no batman t-shirts.'

That's how Derek ended up at the mall with Stiles, Amy and Judith. Derek hated the mall, and Stiles looked a bit sick at how excited Judith and Amy were at the prospect of dressing him. He sent Derek pleading eyes that had Derek handing Judith some cash and sending her off to hang out with some friends she spotted. Amy he could handle but not both of them.

It amused Derek that his mate and his little sister had the same taste in men's fashion. She picked several t-shirts that Stiles stuffed into Derek's arms. He grabbed jeans, boxers, a few hoodies, a few pairs of sleep pants (that Derek promised would be a waste of money), socks and a heavy jacket. He grabbed a similar amount of stuff for his dad, replacing crazy t-shirts for fine checked button downs. When they got to the register Derek handed his credit card over and ignored the cash Stiles held out to him.

'I like spoiling my mate.' Derek explained, watching as some clothes that would suit an eleven year old girl rather than Stiles appeared in the pile. They bought sneakers and boots in the shoe store and Stiles made a mental note to order new lacrosse gear.

They found Judith hanging with her friends at the food court. Derek's eyes lit up and he ordered Stiles and Amy to take a seat while he trawled for food.

'You enjoy spending his money?' Stiles asked Amy with a grin.

'I enjoy making him pretend to be grumpy.' Amy grinned back. Stiles laughed as he watched Derek walking towards them with a large tray of food. Derek sat down, setting the tray in the middle. There were burgers and curly fries, milk shakes and those apple pie bars that Stiles loved as well as ice cream.

'Dig in.' Derek said grabbing a burger. Stiles was busy chewing when he noticed Allison and Lydia walk past. Lydia looked amazing as ever. Allison spotted him and waved, making her way to their table. Lydia trailed behind, scowling until she spotted Derek, then she looked interested.

'Hello Stiles.' Allison said sitting down. Amy glowered at her and leaned against Derek's arm. He put it around her protectively, understanding she wasn't happy.

'Hello handsome. Where have you been hiding all my life?' Lydia said smirking at Derek. Stiles rolled his eyes and kicked Derek.

'Um, far away.' Derek said looking back. His normal mode would be flirt but with his mate here he had not interest.

'I could show you around town.' Lydia offered.

'I know it.' Derek said shortly taking bite of his burger. Lydia frowned.

'Well I'm going to drag this one off before she molests your friend here.' Allison said dragging Lydia off by the arm.

'What was that?' Derek asked.

'Lydia Martin. Ex crush.' Stiles said watching her go. He snapped his eyes away from her butt at Derek's growl.

'She's a hunter.' Amy whispered. Derek frowned down at her.

'Who?' Derek asked quietly looking around the food court.

'That girl that was talking to Stiles.' Amy said nodding to where Allison had been sitting.

'What Allison?' Stiles scoffed. Allison was a lamb, she almost cried in biology when they had to dissect dead rats.

'Allison…' Derek prompted.

'Argent.' Stiles said. 'She just moved here like last month. She's Scott's girlfriend.'

'Damnit.' Derek snarled. 'Her family is made up of hunters.'

'Good for them.' Stiles frowned slurping his milkshake.

'Werewolf hunters Stiles.' Derek said watching Stiles until he caught a clue.

'Oh. Oh my god that's horrific.' Stiles said but Derek was getting up from his seat and dragging Amy behind him. He collected Judith and they went outside. Derek didn't speak until he was in the car.

'Fucking hunters and rogue wolves and stupid teenagers and fucking family that can't be loyal and more werewolves than I know what to do with and conspiracy theories and set ups and almost getting arrested and yappy sisters and whiney needy mates with disastrous lives and fucking fuck! Don't tell mom I swore in front of you two.'

'You know what Derek you're just a jerk like you've always been.' Judith snapped. 'Yappy sisters, sisters, if you'll remember, who were the first to offer you their blood.'

'I didn't mean it like that I-'

'Just take us home.' Stiles cut him off. Derek sighed and started the car, pulling out of the parking lot. The tension was thick in the car as Derek drove a little faster than he should have, eventually pulling into his parking space at home. Stiles was first out of the car, followed closely by Judith. Amy just gave him a disappointed look before she followed her sister, clutching her bags in her hand.

Derek took a deep breath, he felt like such a jerk. He was only twenty four and suddenly the responsibility of the family weighed heavily on his shoulders. There was danger around every corner and he didn't know what was going to happen next, so much had happened in the last few days. If anything happened to any of them, if anyone died then Derek would never forgive himself, and worse he'd probably just let Peter take what he wanted. He wondered if she should talk to his grandfather about giving up his position as Alpha but he couldn't face the disappointed look on his face.

He got out of the car, slammed the door and made his way through the house. Stiles was standing by Derek's bed sorting the clothes into two piles. Derek recognised one pile as belonging to John.

'Stiles.' Derek started stepping forward.

'I don't care.' Stiles cut him off. 'I'll do whatever I need to, I'll do whatever it is that mates do but I don't care what you have to say.'

'Mates listen to each other.' Derek offered moving to lean against his dresser so he had a better view of Stiles's face.

'Yeah well I listened to you earlier.' Stiles said.

'Look I didn't mean…'

'No you did because I can tell. I'm a whiney needy mate. I'm a disaster. I'm a loser. I'll live.' Stiles said.

'Stiles don't be like this, just listen.' Derek pleaded. He needed Stiles to listen, to understand. normally when a wolf became Alpha they had the luck of already having a well established mate who could help shoulder the responsibility of a pack. Derek had a seventeen year old mate, not ready for this but changed against his will and dependent on his Alpha because their wolves had unfortunately bonded when Derek healed Stiles. It killed Derek that he'd allowed the bond to happen, if he hadn't then Stiles wouldn't be standing here now, arguing. Stiles would be happy elsewhere with a home and a father and, ok so he would have been a werewolf and Derek would be stalking him but at least he wouldn't be burdened with Derek's problems.

'I don't want to talk to you. Ok. I just want to organise these clothes and get somewhere to sleep for the night.' Stiles said. Derek stared at him. He looked so small with his too big jacket and his sad face. Derek wanted to take him in his arms, kiss away the hurt he caused. 'Why don't you go talk to your sisters or something?'

'I know my sisters; I'll make it up to them. Stiles I wasn't talking about you.' Derek took another step closer.

'Well I don't see any other needy mates around here.' Stiles said stepping back from the bed and waving his arms about. Derek tried not to let Stiles's body language hurt too much.

'I do.' Derek said.

'Yes, you do. So how are you not talking about me, explain that huh!' Stiles demanded.

'Because I'm talking about me.' Derek snapped.

Stiles snorted out a laugh. 'You're life, your problems buddy. Look I'll do the mate thing. I'll bend over and you can fuck me and I'll lie in your bed and make you an all powerful Alpha and I'll stand up to anyone who threatens you and the pack or whatever, so just drop it ok. I know how you feel; now you know how I'll feel.'

'What you're just going to kneel there on that bed while I shove my dick in your ass and not care about anything but myself. You're willing to do that? You're willing to degrade yourself?' Derek said. His words were harsh but he needed to make Stiles understand what he was offering.

'Sure, why not. You and your family have degraded me for years.' Stiles snapped.

'What the hell is that supposed to mean?' Derek asked raising an eyebrow.

'I'm a dork. The Hale's, there the big things around school, ever popular. Everybody loves you guys, adores you. Me, I'm just a fucking loser who takes a punch to the guts or a slushy to the face because your sister seen it on Glee and thought me covered in freezing ice would be a cool idea. I've got news, not pleasant.' Stiles said turning and grabbing a handful of clothes to stuff back into the bag.

'Judith did that?' Derek asked resting his hand on Stiles's forearm.

'Yes Judith, and Lydia and Jackson. Why the fuck do you care? You only want me around to give you strength in numbers.' Stiles mumbled.

'Who punched you?' Derek asked quietly.

'It doesn't matter.' Stiles sounded tired.

'It does.' Derek said.

'No it fucking doesn't ok. I'm a loser, I'm a punch bag. I was a punch bag before I was a werewolf and I'm going to be a punch bag now. You're verbal punch bag.' Stiles said again, obviously hurting.

Derek snarled and launched himself at Stiles pushing him into the wall. 'Let's get one thing straight here Stiles, what I said earlier, I meant me. Who keeps taking your hand, who puts their arm around your shoulder, who fucking stalks you when you're perfectly safe with your own father just so he can be close to you. I'm the needy one. I'm the whiney one. My wolf wants to be around you all the time; he's never been like this before. So demanding, so possessive. So fucking hard to deal with. He wants you. I want you. So what I said back there in the car, I mean it for me.'

Stiles stared at him, he knew now Derek wasn't lying. His heart rate had only picked up due to adrenalin. 'Ok.' Stiles said bringing tentative hands up to Derek's arms. 'Hey, you better relax or you're going to cut off my airways.'

Derek did relax, just slightly. He didn't let Stiles away though. 'Who punched you?'

Stiles sighed. 'Look, it doesn't matter. It was last year.'

'Was it Carter?' Derek hissed. Stiles just nodded. 'Fuck.' Derek said. 'I hate bullying. Always did.' He snarled pushing himself away. He paused for a second, listening. Carter was out.

Derek paced around the room for a second before turning and pressing Stiles back into the wall. 'Here's how this is going to go. I'm falling in love with you. You make me cuddly. I don't want to be cuddly, but I can't help it. You are a part of my family. You live in this house; until I find my own if I can ever get my hands on a goddam newspaper. You will feel safe in this house. Bullying within my pack will not be tolerated. When you're ready I'm going to lay you out, I'm going to make love to you. I will fuck you afterwards, but when I begin the claiming process I will be gentle and easy and make it as pleasant as I possibly can. Are we on the same page here Stiles?'

'Yes.' Stiles whispered.

'Good. Now, I'm hungry because I left half my food in the damn mall. Are you coming downstairs for food?'

'Yes.' Stiles whispered again. He leaned forward brushing his lips against Derek's. Derek growled wrapping a possessive hand in Stiles hair and holding his head still as he fucked Stiles mouth with his tongue, pulling away with a nip to Stiles lip.

'Tell anyone I admitted to liking to cuddle and I'll make sure you have to babysit Meathead's monsters every Saturday for a decade.' Derek snarled pushing away and grabbing Stiles' hand, tugging him down the stairs. Stiles trailed behind him trying not to laugh at Derek's threats.

XXX

'What did I tell you about bullying?' Derek asked Judith slipping into her room. She snapped the lid of her laptop closed and looked at him.

'What do you mean?' She asked but Derek heard the slight skip in her heartbeat.

'Bullying.' Derek said again.

'You said don't do it.' She said shrugging her shoulders.

'And…' Derek prompted.

'And I don't.' She shrugged.

'Stiles told me you threw ice in his face or something you seen of some programme.' Derek said.

'Glee. And that was just a laugh.' Judith defended.

'At someone else's expense. It's called bullying. Do you bully anyone else at school?' Derek cocked his head to the side.

'No I do not.' She sighed.

'If I find out you are I'll be pissed.' Derek said. 'I'm sorry about earlier. I actually mean Laura as the yapping sister because she's a yap.'

'It hurt.' Judith said.

'I said I'm sorry. Just try to understand what's happening to me here to. This time last week I was hanging on the beach at a bonfire. Now…the family's in my hands.' Derek said. He didn't want to burden his sister with too many of his feelings but he did want her to understand.

'I know.' Judith said getting off her bed and wrapping her arms around her brother's waist. 'I'll try to remember you're a grumpy jerk.' She said tucking her head under his chin.

'Whiney bitch.' He said.

'Can I borrow your credit card?' She asked.

'Dream on.' He said letting her go and pushing her playfully. He heard her laugh as he went out the door.

Amy was a little harder to convince. Derek flopped onto the pink duvet on her bed while she sat with her head phones on ignoring him. He kept inching towards her as he traced the little heart patterns with his fingertip. Amy shifted away until he grabbed her around the waist and tickled her. She squealed and kicked and pushed at him but she laughed too and he knew all was right with the world when she let him pull her onto his lap for a cuddle.

'I'll be a jerk. And I'll get things wrong.' He said into her hair. 'But I need you to tell me so I can fix it again.'

She nodded against his chest but didn't speak.

'Friends?' Derek asked softly, not daring to open his eyes.

'Of course dumbass.' She punched him on the shoulder. He kissed her head and dropped her on the bed.