Derek lent me a pair of his basketball shorts since I would apparently be sleeping there. Scott agreed that it was the best decision, and since his mom was working the night shift, he could easily cover for me and say I was there if dad asked.
Erica and Boyd had left shortly after cleaning the mess Scott and Isaac had made.
Dammit.
Isaac grabbed a backpack by the door and started to leave.
"Don't even think about it," Derek said, not even in the room. "The four of us need to talk."
Isaac sighed heavily and glared at me.
"I didn't do anything?" I spit at him.
"Stop blaming him," Scott growled.
"Enough with your stupid fights," Derek said, sitting down at my feet. "Isaac. Stiles is part of the pack. Get used to it. Especially now that this new pack has decided to prey on him. We protect each other."
"He can't protect us!" Isaac exclaimed.
"Stiles has saved our asses several times," Scott growled.
"It doesn't matter." Derek growled. "This isn't about keeping score."
The room was silent.
"We protect Stiles. Tomorrow we meet here at 6 sharp to get started on figuring out this pack thing, understood?" He was standing with his hands crossed over his chest.
As much as I hated to admit it, he looked hot. God, who am I? Derek Hale is not hot.
He turned and looked at me then, looking concerned. "Your heart is beating quickly. Are you in pain?"
Shit. "Uh, yeah," I said. It was only a half lie. My collarbone did hurt a bit. I hopd it was enough to cover any sense of a lie.
"I told my mom I'd be home to eat dinner with her before she left for work tonight," Scott said, standing. "Isaac's gonna drop me off."
"You were tearing each other's throats out two seconds ago, now you're going to travel in an enclosed space with him?" I asked, rolling my eyes.
"They're fine. Go. Meet back here at six. Don't be late."
They nodded and left. Peter had disappeared long ago.
After five minutes of silence I sighed. "This is stupid. Can't I just go home and sleep it off?"
"You can sleep it off here." He retorted as he went into the kitchen.
"My dad wouldn't bat an eye if I just stayed in bed. I do it all the time."
"He won't bat an eye if you're at Scott's, either."
"He would if he found out I was here."
Derek breathed out heavily. "He's not going to find out, Stiles."
"He'd totally arrest you," I said, sitting up. "I'm still not legal, you know that, right?"
Derek rolled his eyes and laughed. "I wasn't planning on sleeping with you, Stiles."
"So? Do you really think that he'd listen to you?"
"Do you really think he'd believe you? You accused me of murder…twice. I was innocent both times."
"Okay, big guy. First of all, I'm his son, of course he'd believe me. Second, you were not totally innocent."
"I didn't kill anyone," He spit.
"Yeah, you didn't stop the murders, either."
He glared at me. "Stiles, I can't protect everyone." He sat down on the couch next to me. "And if you remember correctly, I was knocked out after being brutally attacked the second time you accused me of murder. I wasn't exactly in proper shape for fighting off Peter."
"And it all comes back to Peter. I don't trust him. I don't like him."
"Nobody does. But there's a lot to learn from him. Especially with this new pack. He has more experience than I do."
"He murdered five people…that we know of! Can't we like, chain him up somewhere?"
Derek shrugged. "I'd never thought of that."
"Genius." I said sarcastically.
He frowned. "Stiles, I have a lot on my hands. A full pack "
"Of innocent teenagers that you bit!" I interrupted.
"They were willing. I told them the consequences."
"What about me? Why did I get dragged into this?"
"You know the answer to that."
I just shook my head. I was so sick of this stupid wolf pack!
"You and Scott have a bond. You're not a wolf, but it's strong enough to bind you to the pack. If you don't want to be around us, you can't be around Scott, either." He swallowed. "It's safer for you if you just let us all protect you."
"When did my safety begin to concern you, Derek? I seem to recall you threating to rip my throat out."
He looked at me finally. "Stiles, please. You are part of my pack. I protect my pack. Let me protect you."
I sighed heavily. As much as I hated to admit it, the idea of Derek protecting me wasn't so bad. I trusted Scott, but he was easily distracted. I can't count how many times he's tried to kill me on the full moon and stopped, not because of it being me, but because he thought of Allison. I mean, good for him. I just figured that if this stupid bond was strong enough to bring a human into a wolf pack, it should've been strong enough to stop one of the said wolf's from killing his best friend.
"I know it doesn't all make sense." Derek said, his eyes closed. "But I need you to let me protect you."
"Okay," I said finally. Derek protecting me. Great.

He turned on the tv and sighed heavily. After ten minutes of watching the basketball game, I found myself watching him. He was staring at the tv, but I could tell he wasn't actively watching the game. He was deep in thought, probably. I wondered what he could be thinking about? Not that it mattered.
I texted Scott, asking him if he ever planned on telling me that I was 'part of the pack'.
He responded with "I was hoping you'd warm up to Derek a bit before I told you that he was your alpha."
I put my phone away. It was just too weird to talk about. And the way Scott said it, too. That he was 'my alpha'. What does that even mean? It sounds like I belong to him, or he belongs to me. And he doesn't. I don't.
I realized I was still staring at him. He had noticed, but I had no idea when. He was watching me with a puzzled look on his face.
"Sorry," I apologized, looking away. "Got distracted."
"By my ridiculously good looks?" He asked.
What?! I turned and looked at him. He was smiling. I laughed lightly. "The big bad wolf has a sense of humor, huh?"
He smiled a bit. Again, as much as I hated to admit it, he had an amazing smile. He was hot. But dammit, this is not how I was going to get over Lydia. Pining after Derek, who is way older and way out of my league and way not interested in men and way intimidating was not the way to get over Lydia.
"Are you hungry?" He asked, interrupting my thoughts.
I shook my head. I was, in truth, a little hungry. But if I could avoid having to have Derek help me to the bathroom tonight, it would be worth a bit of hunger.
"Thirsty?"
I shook my head again. Same reason.
"Are you avoiding eating or drinking so that you won't have to use the bathroom?"
I looked at him and he was smirking slightly. I rolled my eyes.
"Is this still about the whole thing earlier?" He asked, in a slightly patronizing tone, looking at my crotch.
I wouldn't have Derek thinking I was embarrassed about anything. Because usually, I wasn't. But something about him, dammit. "What, that little incident a couple hours ago?" I shrugged, shaking my head.
"Well, if you want to call it little, then sure."
I looked at him out of the corner of my eye. He winked.
Whatthehell?! I cleared my throat. Be cool, Stiles. "I wasn't about to brag."
He just smiled and stood up. "I'm making a sandwich. Do you want one or not?"
"I'm really not all that hungry." I watched him as he worked in the small kitchen. He moved methodically around, using one ingredient at a time, and then putting it back before getting the next one out.
"Why don't you just take them all out at once?" I asked, craning my neck to see around the TV.
He just glanced at me over his shoulder.
"You have like nothing in here," I said. "Why don't you have stuff?"
"Stuff?"
"I dunno, pictures, shelves, books?"
He just shrugged. "I don't really keep stuff."
"Cause of the fire?"
He looked at me and frowned.
"Uh, sorry. None of my business." Shit, Stiles, don't bring up that part where his entire family was burned alive.
He was still staring at me.
"Derek, I'm sorry."
He shrugged finally. "Yeah, because of the fire."
"I didn't mean to bring it up." I said. "Sometimes things come out of my mouth and I don't mean to say them."
He looked over at me. "That's what I like about you." He smirked.
God, how do you respond to that?
I just smiled at him.

I wasn't sure how much later it was, but I woke up to Derek picking me up off the couch.
"Huh?"
"I'm moving you to my bed."
"What?" I tried to move, but more of my body felt stiff and numb.
"I'm working on stuff. You keep waking up and telling me to be quiet."
"Derek, I can't move my arms."
He just frowned and kept walking.
"Derek," I said again.
"I know, Stiles. I can tell. Just sleep. We'll figure it out in the morning."
"What time is it?"
"It's only midnight. Do you need anything?"
I shook my head and sighed as he laid me down.
"Want a blanket?"
I nodded. His room was freezing. "Why is it so cold in here?"
"Wolves have higher normal body temperatures. It feels fine to me."
I shivered. He smiled as he tucked a blanket around me.
"I feel like a baby," I said, groaning.
"An alpha takes care of his pack." He turned and left, shutting off the light and shutting the door.
I fell asleep again quickly.

When I woke up, I was sweating. A lot.
A disgusting amount. I pushed the blanket off of me. I was dizzy.
"Derek?" I called, sitting up. Thank god my body was working. He was in the room within seconds. He was wearing nothing but shorts.
He breathed a sigh of relief. "Your body is sweating the toxins. Can you move?"
I nodded. "God, this is disgusting. Your bed is soaked. I am so sorry, Derek." I stood up and wiped my forehead. I was drenched.
"I knew it would happen. Or hoped it would happen. Don't worry about it."
"Hoped?" I asked. "And what was the plan if it didn't happen?"
He smiled slightly. "I was just going to bring you home and leave you in your bed for your dad to find you."
"That's nice," I said, shaking my head. "Real nice."
He smiled again. "How do you feel?"
"I'm starving." I said. My stomach growled to back me up.
He nodded. "I'll make some breakfast. You should shower, probably."
I nodded too. I looked at the clock on the sidetable. It was 5:15. The pack would be here in forty-five minutes.

Halfway through my shower I realized that the only clothes I had were soaked in sweat. Awesome.
I left the bathroom with a towel wrapped around me. Erica and Boyd were already here, sitting around the table eating.
"Morning," Boyd called. "Glad to see your legs work again. Derek wasn't sure that'd happen."
Derek hit him on the back of the head but grinned slightly at me.
"So I heard." I said, rolling my eyes. I made my way across the loft back to Derek's room. "I don't have clothes, Derek." I said as I entered his room. I knew he could hear me.
He came in a few seconds later. "Your jeans are on top of my dresser. You can look through my dresser and grab a shirt."
"I'm not going to fit in anything of yours," I said, sighing loudly.
"Maybe you should keep some of your clothes at my place, then." He whispered before leaving. And I swear he winked at me.

Oh, god. Was Derek Hale flirting with me?

Author's Note:
Thank you to everyone who has favorited, reviewed and followed! I'd love to hear your thoughts3