"D-Derek?" Stiles stuttered, "Was he.. was he talking about me?"

Derek was in his own little world, a small fit of hysteria. Still in his half-form, Derek's wolf willingly helped him start clawing into tree trunks, growling and cursing vigorously as he ripped apart whatever was within reach. Stiles stood frozen in his place, just watching him shred into the bark of another innocent tree. He was a little nervous, but not so much as to run away. In fact, Stiles was more worried for Derek at that moment then himself, leaving his mind with no reason to try and leave... was that normal? Well, Derek had done the same thing he supposed... but Stiles had rationalized it as a territorial wolf thing, like how dogs start barking when you get close to their car. Their territory.

Bark.

"What are you doing!?" Stiles finally chimed, a little more nervous now that Derek's current tree had a cave-sized hole in it's trunk. "Derek!" he tried again.

Growling viciously, Derek turned, "He threatened you! I couldn't do a thing!" he roared, returning to his tree, "I was helpless!" Stiles watched as Derek began ripping nearly all the way through his newest prey... poor little tree...

"Calm down!" Stiles screeched, bravely trying to tame the beast.

Derek stopped his destruction, standing still. For a while, the only movement anywhere was Derek's chest rising and falling as he panted out breaths. Stiles didn't know what to do. There weren't any instruction manuals for this! No 'Calming down your werewolf 101' books he could just pick up anywhere!

Hesitantly, Derek let out words in time with his breaths, "I will take you home."

Stiles felt a little limp. He was sad.. but he didn't know why. His stomach hurt, but he agreed none the less, "Okay.."

Derek let his back droop as he turned back to find the path, pulling Stiles along by his arm. "You should be safe-"

Stiles frowned, "But? I feel like there's a but there..."

"I don't know if they'll follow you home. If they have your sent it would be easy, and I doubt that none of them picked up a whiff."

"So... I won't be safe going home?"

Derek glared at the road as they walked, fighting every urge to attack another tree, "I won't let them hurt you."

There was silence for a few seconds, nothing but the sound of crushing leaves beneath their feet as they trudged along- but his arm was starting to hurt, so Stiles spoke up, "Could you let go of me already Sourwolf?"

"No."

"Why are you so set on protecting me anyway?! I mean.. we only met yesterday!" he whined, trying to pry Derek's fingers open.

"Shut up."

His frown deepened, "No! I think I deserve an explanation!" he demanded, flailing his free arm in the air, "First, this great big wolf stalks me in the woods... and forces me to eat a muffin! As if that wasn't weird enough, I wake up to find out- Hey! He's also a werewolf!"

"Stiles."

"A werewolf who not only decides to follow me home, but molests me against a tree! Then we get attacked by a big pack of angry OTHER wolves, yeah MORE werewolves who all seem to have it out for him, and start threaten me!" Stiles was so busy carrying on that he didn't even notice Derek start to growl lowly, "I don't understand what the hell I'm supposed to do here! At least let go of my arm!"

With a loud roar, Derek flipped around, grabbing up Stiles' wrists angrily before slamming him up against the trunk of a pine. "If you don't shut up I'll do it again." he snarled, his breath ghosting over the boy's cheek as he spoke.

"Bite me!" he retorted, "I still want answers."

Derek's angry eyes switched to irritated ones, "You're annoying."

"And?"

"You ask too many questions."

"So?"

"You're pissing me off."

"Then just answer them."

"If I refuse?"

"I'll keep asking." he grinned, proud of his winning stance, "All the way home."

Derek examined him for a moment, almost looking to see if he was serious. Finally, he let out a heavy sigh, releasing his grip on the boy's wrists before slumping back a few steps. "Fine." he snapped.

It wasn't going to be a fun talk for anyone, but it his own fault. They started walking again, Derek figuring out just how he was going to explain the whole 'mate' thing to this boy he'd only recently met. Hopefully in a way that wouldn't freak him out too much... but maybe that was too much to hope for...

"You're not going to like this..." he warned, stepping onto the top of a log before reaching down to help Stiles over.

Stiles grinned, grabbing onto his hand, "I don't care."

"Fine." he replied, given up completely, "What do you know about werewolf mates?"