A/B:Hey, hi, hey! Not abandoned! Sorry for the delay, holy wow, I did not mean to go that long between updates. But I like making myself suffer and sign up for Big Bangs and then not write it until right before its due and end up writing over 120K within four weeks then promptly deciding I don't wanna write ever again.
Clearly that last bit ended up being a lie, because lo! An update!
This chapter is completely self-indulgent with possessive!Derek and Erica (ERICA!) whom I adore and is not dead, but instead living in France raising her pups with Boyd and hanging with Isaac and Allison. My denial game is strong. Also, let's talk about Danny leaving to follow Ethan as they road trip around the US like their own roaming li'l two man pack, shall we?
Anyhoo, enjoy the chapter, sorry on the delay, I would love to say it won't be that long between updates again, but I don't wanna lie soooooooooo... yeah okay bye :D
Derek dreamt about Stiles that night.
Not really all that surprising considering the events of the day. Which meant the subject matter of the dream wasn't all that surprising either. Stiles on his back, Derek's body pressed on top of his, the Alpha pinning his hands by his head, head buried in the crook of his neck. His knot was held tight within the Omega, long legs wrapped around his waist, shudders wracking him as his body remained on the edge, the littlest thing making him orgasm once more. Stiles was trembling beneath him, teeth sunk into his own bottom lip to hold back the whines, hips bucking up as he fought the hold the Alpha had on his hands.
"Please, Derek," he whimpered out, voice raspy from arousal and crying out during their previous round. Evidence of his earlier orgasm was smeared between their bodies, his hard cock pulsing against the elder man's abs, demanding another release.
"Relax," he breathed out, nuzzling his nose further into Stiles' skin, hips grinding in a slow circle. "You know I'll take care of you."
A shiver raced through the Omega, a gasp escaping past parted, kiss-bitten lips, Derek purposely rubbing his knot against Stiles' prostate. He knew Stiles could come from just this, had made it happen before, could feel that it was working again by the way his Omega was clenching him tighter, the way he was shuddering more, gasping for air. His scent grew sharper, spicier, stronger, dancing on Derek's tongue as he breathed in through his mouth, air gusting out against sensitive pale flesh.
"Such a good Alpha," Stiles groaned out, head tilting back, submitting further. "Take such good care of me. Always good to his Omega."
Derek moaned, a fang dragging up along the tendon on the side of Stiles' neck. He felt claws prick the back of his hands where his fingers were tangled with the younger man's, hips bucking forward as he tried in vain to thrust further inside his mate.
Stiles cried out in pleasure, his own pelvis rocking upwards, clenching down more. His stomach was rolling in an attempt to try and get more friction on his cock, to try and reach orgasm that much faster. "More," he breathed out. "Derek, more. Please, Der."
The Alpha shuddered at his moniker being gasped out like that, his wolf rumbling in contentment and joy at his name rolling of the younger man's lips. He moved the teen's arms up, pinned his hands above his head with one hand, freeing the other to reach down and wrap around his cock.
"Je—fu—Derek"
He groaned at the way his name was spoken, needing to see the expression Stiles was wearing, needing the visual to go with the aural and the scent and the taste. Licking his lips, he opened his eyes, lifted his head, and—
And big mistake. Because suddenly he was awake and alone in his bed, one hand grabbing at the top of his mattress, the other wrapped around his knot as he ground his hard cock against his bed. He could feel his come saturating his boxer-briefs, the copious amount soaking through to his sheets, and his entire body was covered in a thin layer of sweat.
Derek slipped his hand out his undies before pushing himself up onto his knees. His pillows had been knocked onto the floor, top sheet tangled around his feet and one of his legs, boxer-briefs shredded where he'd impatiently tried to wrap a hand around himself. Shit, it was worse than when he'd been going through puberty and suffering wet dreams. Sure, he'd woken up covered in a few different bodily fluids, but he'd never actually destroyed anything.
Not until Stiles.
With a sigh, he wiped his hand—his clean hand—over his face, checking the time on his alarm clock. Three am. Great. Just perfect. He let out another sigh before clambering off his bed and making his way over to his desk with shaky legs. He discarded his soiled boxer-briefs, tossing them over to his hamper, then pulled a pack of wet wipes out one of his desk drawers. It was a quick clean up, still half-asleep, cock and knot still sensitive, not in the mood or mindset for a full wipe down or shower. Feeling less sticky, he crawled back in bed naked, conscious of the giant wet spot he'd created, dragging a pillow onto the mattress with himself.
He punched the pillow a couple times to fluff it up, flopping his head down on top with a grunt. Closing his eyes, he let exhaustion take him away and hoped like hell he didn't have another dirty dream.
Just like every other time, what he wanted didn't happen. He woke up to an even bigger wet patch, a shredded fitted sheet, and a wolf that was suffering the same kind of upset that he'd only ever experienced after the empty orgasms during a solo heat. Definitely not the best way to start his day.
Fuck, he hoped it got better from there.
It definitely didn't get better from there.
His run had sucked, mind unable to let go of everything the way it usually did, and his body felt exhausted from the workout it'd gone on while he was supposed to be asleep and resting.
He'd spent too long in the shower, trying to scrub away the scent of come and shame from his body, only to get a weird look from Scott anyway, followed by a comment from Maria over the cost of water and that he'd better not clog her drains with his fur. Melissa barely spoke a word to anyone, hurt and upset hanging around her like a storm cloud, fake cheery smile on her face as she kissed her mom's cheek goodbye and hugged Scott before leaving for work, completely ignoring Derek. Not that he didn't deserve it, but his wolf wasn't too pleased at being shunned by a pack member.
He'd then spent a few minutes in his room, trying to figure out if there was any way to save his sheet—and his underwear—before deciding they were completely trashed. And a search of the linen closet yielded no results, meaning he was gonna have to stop by somewhere after school to buy some new ones, further meaning he'd have to dip into his savings account. Always great.
But prolonged shower and sheet debate resulted in him arriving at school late, barely sneaking into History before the final bell sounded. He'd also barely made it to his Calc class after making the stupid mistake of trying to Google a nearby Target or Wal-Mart between classes, slipping inside before Ms Kali shut the door on his snout and being greeted by a beaming Erica who waggled her fingers at him with bright red nails.
"Heya, Alpha-man!"
He studiously ignored Erica and her pout at her unreturned greeting as he sat at his desk, slapping his notebook on top, eyes focused forward. Which, of course, just brought his line of vision onto brown hair, pale skin, and a whole lotta moles. He'd totally forgotten Stiles sat in front of him.
Stiles, whose scent shifted to something a little sour, embarrassment stiffening his posture, his leg shaking beneath his desk. Derek cocked his eyebrow at the shift in the Omega's mood, only to remember what he'd caught sight of him doing in his bedroom.
Shit.
He forced his thoughts elsewhere, peering around Stiles to get a better glimpse at the board, wishing his half-chub away. But the other male was squirming in his seat, his sour scent soon joined by that spicy-sweet one Derek had inhaled while pinning him to his car the day before. Yeah, smelling an aroused Omega was definitely gonna calm his own libido. Just great.
On his left, Lydia pursed her lips, eyes narrowed as they flicked back and forth between the two males, obviously putting two and two together. On his right, Erica was grinning wickedly, pen cap between her teeth as a small chuckle left her lips. And directly in front, Stiles was trying to surreptitiously peek over his shoulder at Derek, only to be caught peeking.
His day was gonna be even longer than the one before, he just knew it.
The day dragged on, teachers beginning their lessons and delving right into educating the masses. Well, not as big a mass as the ones at his old school, but for a small town, he figured the classrooms were decent sized.
But the smaller sized classrooms meant he was more likely to be called upon to answer a question, like Ms Kali did during Calc and then again by Ennis during his lecture on Shakespeare's life. Thankfully he was left to his own devices during Art, although the teacher did lean over his shoulder to inspect the paper on his easel, telling him to let go of whatever it was that was bothering him and let the art flow freely. He scowled at the hippie-dippie bullshit she was spewing, saying nothing as he ground his jaw and stared at the stupid fucking stereotypical still-life set-up of a bowl of fruit, wondering what exactly was supposed to be emotional about that. A glance around the room found Isaac peeking at him out the corner of his eyes repeatedly and Lydia flat out staring, lips pursed and green eyes narrowed in thought.
"That's Scott's brother?" The incredulous female voice was supposed to be a whisper, he knew, but to his wolf hearing, he picked it up loud and clear.
Peeking at the opposite side of the circle the easels were set in, he caught sight of the brunette he now knew to be Allison leaning over to gossip with Lydia. The redhead nodded, left hand moving her pencil over her paper, lips still pursed, head tilted to the side. Allison glanced over at him briefly before flipping her dark eyes back to her own easel, brow knitted in confusion.
"And he's the one Stiles—"
"Ah, ah, ah," Lydia interrupted, wagging her pencil at her friend before pressing it to her own lips in a universal signal to shut up. Green eyes flicked over to Derek, catching him watching the exchange, and the female Alpha rolled them and mouthed at him to draw.
Because she hadn't just been doing the same thing.
Heaving a sigh, he put his pencil to paper again, trying to recreate the curve of an apple and hating the fact that it was still twenty minutes until lunch.
He regretted wishing for lunch almost as soon as it'd started.
Because lunch meant Erica and Erica meant yet another request over forming a pack, something he was dreading the second she sat down on his right. Boyd took the empty seat to his left, Isaac across from Derek, and the Alpha had the overwhelming sensation of being a trapped animal. Given the toothy grin Erica wore and he felt more like prey than any apex predator had any right to feel.
The two males delved into their paper bag lunches, Boyd tossing Erica an apple behind Derek's back, red lips sliding back to reveal fangs before she sank them into equally red skin. The Alpha cocked an eyebrow at her, she grinning in response as she chewed, turned in her seat so she was fully facing him, dark eyes sparkling behind even darker make-up.
"If this is another lame attempt to show me what a good pack you three would make—" he stated warningly, letting a slight growl color his words.
The lone female sat up straighter, face full of mock offense, hand flying to her chest. "How rude!" she exclaimed and Derek didn't for one second buy it. "We're just eating lunch."
His eyebrow remained raised as he let out a dubious "uh huh."
She slumped once again, shrugging a shoulder beneath her leather jacket. "Believe whatever you want, Alpha-Man, but we know the truth."
He rolled his eyes this time, lifting his slice of pizza off the tray and holding it near his mouth. "Whatever," he muttered before scowling. "And don't call me 'Alpha-Man'."
"Why not?" she questioned innocently, lips twisted in curiosity, lipstick still perfectly in place. "You're an Alpha and you're a man, therefore, you're Alpha-Man."
Derek snorted, head bobbing with the action before tearing off a large bite of his pizza slice. He knew her reasons were bullshit, as were her intentions for sitting with him. Really, the stupid nickname was the only way she'd be able to get away with calling him her Alpha and not have her throat ripped out by the anti-social male. And calling him "Alpha" in any sort of fashion would be calming to her wolf, would help anchor her and focus them both so they could live in better harmony. He knew—unfortunately—from recent firsthand experience, that a wolf without an Alpha was pretty much a wolf without a purpose in life, lost, adrift, confused, scared. And this was with him being an Alpha himself. He could only imagine the sort of turmoil a Beta would be going through, how much worse off it would be for them.
His eyes glanced at the three seated around him, Boyd silently chewing his homemade turkey club sandwich, Isaac popping half a puffed Cheeto into his mouth, Erica crunching into her apple. He had to wonder what kind of home lives the three of them had if they were looking elsewhere for an Alpha, wondered if they didn't have one for a parent. It was possible, werewolf children still being born to two Beta parents. Was much harder for a Beta to have a werewolf child with a human—though not entirely impossible—and he had no idea if they were purebreds or mutts like himself.
No matter the case, he still found it curious and a little weird that they'd look for an Alpha in a complete stranger. And the way Erica had spoken the day before, they'd obviously been searching for one for a while. He wondered why the desperation, why the intense need, to the point where they were questioning someone they didn't know and were pestering him despite being rejected—twice. Something deeper had to be going on, something that went beyond a wolf's instincts and desires for a pack and an Alpha.
"So I'm pretty sure I'm gonna fail Calc," Erica stated nonchalantly, creating a conversation out of nothing before biting into her apple once again, nibbling around the core and managing to avoid the seeds.
Isaac snorted in disbelief, ripping open a two-pack of snack cakes and taking one out before sliding the other to Erica. "It's the second day of class, how are you failing already?"
She pouted, twisting her apple this way and that for any flesh she may have missed. "It's math and math hates me," she stated with a shrug as though it was the most obvious thing in the world before chewing off the scant amount of apple that was left.
Derek cocked an eyebrow at her actions more than her words, wondering why she was trying to get every last morsel off a freaking apple, only giving up when it was just a stick and some seeds. He bobbed his eyebrows in dismissal, deciding not to get involved. Maybe she just really liked apples. Who knew and who cared.
Not him, that was for damn sure.
"Boy-oyd!" she sing-songed as she leaned forward over the table, looking around Derek at the larger Beta, sugar sweet smile on her face. "Can you do me a favor, baby?"
"No," he replied flatly, turning a stoic expression on her, wiping his hands on a disposable napkin he'd brought from home.
"But you don't even kno—"
"I'm not tutoring you in math."
She leaned back with a huff, folding her arms over her chest as she pouted. "Okay, fine, so you do know what I'm about to ask."
The dark-skinned male pulled a bag of Sun Chips out his paper sack, holding it up as he opened them, speaking in a no-nonsense voice Derek couldn't help but respect. "Every time I try to tutor you, no matter the subject, you turn it into an anatomy lesson and sex ed."
Okay, so it was respect with a small amount of being disturbed, but respect nonetheless.
Isaac groaned as he covered his ears, face screwed up as disgust colored his scent. "Oh god," he whined, reminding Derek of when Scott had figured out what smells he was scenting off their parents the day after Valentine's. No one liked to be made aware that their parents had sex more than the necessary number of times to create each child they had.
Boyd and Erica both rolled their eyes at their friend's reaction, the blonde reaching out to ruffle curly hair. "Don't worry, Isy Baby," she cooed, pursing her lips as she cupped his chin. "Some day your prince will come, and you'll get to come, too."
"Oh god!" he groaned louder, pulling away from her and thumping back against his seat, face covering his hands as he raised his face to the ceiling.
Erica cackled—because there was really no other word for the laugh she let out—head tilting back as her hand flew to her chest, obviously more than amused at her friend's mortification. Boyd smirked, an expression Derek was pretty sure he'd never seen before, although his dark eyes were focused more on the lone female than the cause of her laughter.
As subtly as he could, Derek scented the two Betas on either side of him, catching the faint note of the other underneath their own natural scent. Clearly an item then, maybe even mates. Not entirely unheard of at their age. Werewolves tended to act closer to their animal brethren than their human ones, especially when it came to relationship and sex. Finding one's mate was more instinctual than the human fashion of going on dates and starting a relationship and staying together for years before figuring out if they were "the one".
Not that that didn't happen with werewolves either. Dating around was still pretty common, especially for those in Derek's age range. But if one found their mate, then it was no more dating around. That was it, for life.
Kinda scary when Derek thought about it, being tied down to one person and not really knowing what else was out there. Then again, he figured it wouldn't feel like a huge loss and there wouldn't really be any desire to find any other possibilities for a relationship after one found that perfect person who was made specifically for them.
His eyes flicked over to the table of juniors, seeing Stiles laughing wildly, hand slapping the table as he hung off the shoulder of a tan male, eyes closed tight as his entire body shook with loud guffaws, head damn near resting on a muscular chest held within a too-tight v-neck tee. He felt an overwhelming mix of emotions: joy at seeing the younger teen so happy, jealousy that he wasn't the one making him laugh, anger at the other boy he was seemingly all over, a dark possessive streak demanding he march over and yank the Omega away, snarling at anyone who dared touched what was his.
"What about you?"
Erica's voice snapped him back to the table he was seated at, head jerking towards her, finding her already staring back at him, eyebrows raised in expectation as she chewed on a Little Debbie snack. He stared dumbfounded at her, mouth hanging open, brow furrowed, jaw twisting this way and that as he struggled to find the words he wanted to form. Not that he even knew what the hell she was talking about.
Unless...
Unless she knew he'd been scenting her and Boyd all over each other and was asking if he had anyone himself. Unless she'd caught him staring at Stiles like he was the Alpha's property and therefore not to be touched by anyone else—not that he was that archaic to where he wouldn't let his mate be hugged by anyone, but there's a difference between hugs and whatever the fuck was happening between Stiles and that tan guy and so help the kid if that was the scent he'd caught on his Omega yesterday afternoon...
"Think you could help me out with math?"
Oh.
Shit.
Right.
Derek continued to just gawk at her, brain scrambling to wipe away homicidal fantasies involving a certain coconut, pineapple, and Armani smelling Alpha fuckheaded asshole prick and wow, did he need to rein that in. His eyes briefly switched to his wolf vision and he slammed them shut, rubbing at them as though something irritating had gotten in them.
Not all that far from the truth, since the sight of Stiles hanging off another Alpha—assuming that was even the Alpha Derek was thinking about—was pretty fucking irritating. Beyond irritating really.
Fuck, when'd he become such a possessive and obsessive Alpha douchebag? He was worse than Kate when she'd snarled at a new Beta female for asking him where the science hall was so she could find her next class.
Although Derek felt as though he had more of a right to wolf out and snarl since his Omega was hanging all over some other Alpha.
No. Not his Omega. Just an Omega. And chances were, not the Alpha he was thinking about.
Fucking hell, why couldn't he stop thinking about this?
"Helloooo?!" Erica stretched the word out, waving a hand in front of Derek's face as he continued to just...stare. Unresponsive. Mind completely out of it as it struggled to push past thoughts of Stiles with... with... that guy. "Earth to Derek," she called out, eyebrows raised in question, head twisted in curiosity. "Calc tutor? Yes? No?"
The bell rang somewhere in the background and the Alpha was only dimly aware of his body rising, of it turning and walking off, tray in hand, backpack hanging off one shoulder, everything moving on automatic. Something hit the back of his head, Erica yelling out a gruff "rude!" as he dumped his trash in the can and deposited his tray where it belonged. He barely registered the smack of it, the huff she let out, the shocked and offended gasp that came from Isaac, judging by the pitch. Not that it mattered really. He just...
He couldn't fucking think about anything except Stiles hanging off that tan guy, if they were an item, if they were just flirtatious with each other, if they were one of those annoying couples who weren't actually together but acted like they were and clearly had a thing for each other yet neither will locate their balls and make a move already.
His nose caught the scent of coconut and pineapple and Armani fucking aftershave and he trained narrowed eyes on the Alpha it belonged to as he passed.
The tan guy.
The one Stiles had been hanging off of.
The one who currently had the Omega in a headlock and was giving him a noogie, the mole-covered one giggling as his scent lit up with mischief and delight.
A low growl rumbled in his chest at the sight, narrowed glowing eyes watching as they disappeared behind a closing cafeteria door. His gums tingled and fingers itched as he longed to let his fangs and claws slide out, as he longed to go after the Alpha and make sure he knew whose Omega he was all over.
If the Omega didn't already actually belong to that Alpha.
No. No way. Stiles wouldn't have reacted the way he had to Derek if he already had an Alpha, wouldn't have become so pliant and willing against his car, wouldn't have submitted so easily, wouldn't have presented his neck in an open invitation to claim. But not being taken by an Alpha didn't mean he wasn't already in a relationship with one, wasn't already dating one, wasn't already flirting a whole lot and maybe about to start dating one.
But if that was the case, Derek had no problem fighting the other Alpha for the rights to claim Stiles. Incredibly archaic and caveman of him, but he knew it was his instincts at play, that it was his wolf driving his thoughts more than the human part of him. Although the human part was pretty on board with that plan, judging by the way his fists clenched at his sides and his lip peeled back in a sneer, right foot moving forward to stalk after the other Alpha.
Two hands clamped down on his shoulders, one thin and feminine, the other broad with thick fingers, both successfully stopping him in his tracks. Three distinct scents hit him, alerting him to the presence of Erica and Boyd on his sides and Isaac on his rear, the female tapping a clawed finger against the leather of his jacket.
"Not here, Alpha-Man," the blonde's slightly raspy voice whispered directly into his left ear. "We're still in school and the administrators here won't hesitate to suspend your ass for the slightest hint of wolfing out, especially if it's to challenge another Alpha."
Boyd nodded stoically on his right, before bobbing his head up towards one of the corners. Derek followed his line of sight, finding a security cam hanging there, red light flashing as it recorded them. Shit. He'd completely forgotten where he was, that he was in school and that there were consequences for wolfing out and fighting another Alpha over the right to claim an Omega. It was why Queens had a separate school just for Omegas, to prevent exactly that type of thing from happening.
And he'd nearly fucking done it himself.
Terrific.
"At least wait 'til after school," Erica went on, now resting her forearm on his shoulder as she leaned on him casually, flicking her hand towards the exit. "Then you can tear him apart all you want."
"Just not on school grounds," Isaac quickly added from behind, anxiety rolling off him in waves.
The lone female see-sawed her head in concession before flicking her hand around again. "And if you need back-up to help you take care of him," she offered, pausing to pat his chest with her hanging hand. "We've got your back, Alpha-Man." She smiled proudly, the same emotion coloring her scent. Isaac still smelled nervous yet determined, as though he was entirely uncomfortable with the idea but willing to go through with it if it was what the pack wanted. Boyd remained as indifferent as always, scent flat, not seeming to care either way.
Derek shrugged them all off, adjusting his falling backpack strap before striding out the cafeteria and to his next class. They weren't his pack, he wasn't their Alpha, and he had no right to try and claim Stiles—not that he even wanted to claim him.
His mind flashed back to the Omega pinning himself against the Camaro in a blatant invitation, followed by the fantasy image of the same male pinned to his bed, tied to his knot and begging for more.
Okay, he could admit to himself that he wanted to claim the Omega and make those dreams become a reality. But wanting and doing were two totally different things and while he was fine with the first, he wasn't about to let the second happen.
With that thought in mind, he slammed his hand against the door and shoved it open, fighting against every urge he had to follow Stiles' scent—and the scent of that pineapple-coconut-Armani Alpha bastard—before he did something he regretted. Although at that moment, it was a fifty-fifty split between claiming an Omega and fighting an Alpha. Either way, not something he was gonna go through with.
Instead, he moved with determined strides towards the science hall, mentally preparing himself to suffer through another hour of Harris' Alpha assholism and resolutely not think of any Omegas or claims on them.
Wishful fucking thinking.
The rest of Derek's school day was as shit as the first half. Isaac spent most of Physics apologizing for Erica having thrown an apple core at his head and saying that he hoped her actions didn't reflect badly on his image of them as a pack. Derek simply ignored him the whole time, hand cranking down tighter around his pencil as Isaac's puppy dog eyes grew more pathetic with each passing minute.
American Lit was spent with his head in his book, when he wasn't sneaking glances over at Stiles, who alternated his time between paying attention to the lecture, making stupid faces at Scott, exchanging notes with Allison, and surreptitiously peeking back at Derek. But as much as his wolf lit up and its tail wagged like crazy at the attention, the human part of him was consumed with thoughts of that other Alpha and the way Stiles was hanging off him.
Phys Ed brought a reprieve of sorts as Finstock had them run laps around the track that encircled the entire building—standard lycan dimensions really—Derek finally feeling his mind go blank the way it hadn't during his usual morning run. Most everyone had grouped off, spending more time gossiping than jogging, and it was on his second lap that the Alpha found someone else had fallen into step with him. But as always, Boyd remained stoic and silent, content to simply run alongside the other man. And rather than speed up and try to get away from the Beta, Derek kept the same pace and allowed him to remain at his right.
Everything came rushing back once he hit the showers though, thoughts and reminders pounding at his head the way the water hit his skin. Stiles. The tan Alpha. Erica and her constant hints at them becoming a pack. Shit with Melissa, Scott, Maria, his dad. His life was shit, no way around it really.
Erica was waiting for him by his car, leaning back against the passenger door, neon pink and black checkered messenger bag hanging off one shoulder. Derek wasn't all that surprised to find her there, although he was still irritated as hell, and he let out a harsh sigh as he scowled while approaching her.
She stepped away from the Camaro, hands up in innocence, head tilted to the side with her blonde curls swept back behind her. "I'm not here to nag you into becoming our Alpha; I just need a ride home," she stated without prompting, heartbeat steady, scent free of guilt or any sort of devious motives.
Derek paused in front of her, eyes narrowed in suspicion as he peered down at her, not entirely sure if he believed her or not. Wouldn't she normally have some other ride home? Clearly had to if she made it to school in the first place, not to mention all the years of heading home before he'd showed up.
"Really?" he questioned dubiously, crossing his arms over his chest, looking down his nose at the blonde.
She sighed as she slumped, cocking a hip out as her own arms folded under her ample chest. "Yes," she replied with a hint of offense that anything else would be the truth. "Boyd usually drives us but he and Isaac have cross country try-outs and I don't feel like sitting around school being bored and I am not about to ride the bus with a bunch of freshman—" She sneered at the word like it personally offended all of her senses at the same time. "So I'm stuck without any sorta ride. Hook me up?" She clasped her hands in a pleading fashion and held them under her chin, bottom lip stuck out in a pout.
Another sigh left the Alpha as he rolled his head, trying like hell to find a way to get out of helping her. But all he could think of was Melissa's voice chastising him for being rude and that she didn't raise him that way, followed up by his dad giving him stern pointers on how to treat females and Omegas and to be respectful and kind to them at all times—unless they were an asshole, he'd added with a wink. And since Erica hadn't actually done anything to be considered an asshole—apple core tossing aside—she obviously fell into the category of Females to Be Treated With Respect.
Crap.
Gazing about the lot, he found Stiles, Scott, and their friends all gathered around a few cars, including a powder blue Jeep he recognized from the driveway next door to Maria's house. The tan Alpha was leaning back against the trunk of a silver Porsche, a blond male with a sharp jawline and even sharper eyes seated next to him, although he was being ignored in favor of the Alpha chatting with—of all the students in the school—Stiles.
Seriously.
Fucking. Hell.
An idea formed in his head and he turned back to Erica with a slight curl to one side of his lips, devious glint no doubt in his eyes and his scent. "I'll give you a ride on one condition," he agreed, gripping the strap of his backpack with one hand as it hung off his shoulder, pointing to the group of juniors. "Who's the tan Alpha?"
Erica followed his direction, snorting when she recognized who he was gesturing to, sneering slightly. "Like I would know who any juniors are," she scoffed, heart skipping a beat with the lie.
Derek sighed again—terrible fucking habit he was forming—rubbing at his forehead in frustration. "I can hear your heartbeat so I know that's a lie," he pointed out flatly before dropping his hand to his side. "And even if I couldn't, you said you guys were looking for an Alpha who wasn't a junior, leading me to believe that you already knew who all the Alphas in the school are." He fixed her with a steadfast look that dared her to argue with him and prove him wrong, Alpha or not, and she crumpled under the weight of it, head tilting to the side again.
"Okay, fine," she gave in before huffing and raising her head. "Danny Mahealani. Nice guy, killer dimples, apparently has a better six-pack than Budweiser, although that's whatever, I'm more of a Miller girl myself." She smirked at that before waving it all away with a flick of the wrist. "Anyway, he and Isaac were, like, nearly a thing last year until Isaac closed that door and now he's with this guy Ethan."
The Alpha felt his heart speed up at that info, hope flaring up inside of him. Danny was with someone else? Meaning that he had zero claim on Stiles and wouldn't fight if anyone else tried to mark the Omega as theirs?
"Ethan?" he croaked out, clearing his throat of the emotional lump that had formed, willing his wolf to calm its furry as it bounced around in his head.
"Mmhmm," she chirped, turning back to him. "One of the Beta twins, but don't ask me which one," she quickly suggested, hand held up in a stopping motion before dropping it. "I honestly can't tell them apart until one of them is sucking face with Danny or Lydia."
Both of his brows perked up at that, shit becoming even better for him. Because not only was Danny no longer a viable option for Stiles' affections, but so was Lydia, the redhead the Omega was smitten with.
Not than any of it meant that Derek actually had a chance with Stiles. Feelings had to be returned in order for that to happen.
And right on cue, his mind brought up the image of Stiles halfway presenting himself against the side of the Camaro.
Okay, so maybe the feelings were returned, but that didn't mean Derek was gonna act upon them.
"So," Erica began sharply, bouncing on her toes as her scent lit up with excitement, white teeth sinking into red lips as she grinned. "Now that I've done you a favor, you can do me one."
Derek frowned at her, unable to believe the gall of this chick. But he had to admire her moxie and the way she went after what she wanted, even in the face of multiple rejections. Took a lot of guts and an incredibly thick skin to do that. "The favor was giving you a ride," he pointed out, slipping his keys out his pocket and sorting through them.
"Okay, fine, another favor," she amended with an overdramatic full body sag, eyes rolling behind dark shadow. "Be my Calc tutor? Please." She turned the begging face on him again, hands clasped under her chin once more, and Derek suddenly felt back for the girl's parents. Clearly an only child if she was so used to getting her way with just a pouty lip and some begging hands.
But he could work it to his favor, much like he had when he'd gotten info on Danny—and inadvertently Lydia. And said info had put him in somewhat of a good mood—as good a mood as he ever got in recent times at least—so he decided to indulge her.
Kind of.
With his own terms, of course.
"If you, Isaac, and Boyd all stop your hints, your suggestions, your innuendos, your implications, and your flat out requests for me to be your Alpha," he agreed, arms crossed as he stared down at her with hard eyes, letting them flash red briefly.
The brief glance of crimson worked, Erica tilted her head in supplication once again, a heavy sigh leaving her. Her lips twisting in annoyance, brown eyes narrowing as she thought it over, body sagging with another sigh. "All right," she agreed lowly before rising up to her usual stance, eyes peering up through mascared lashes to meet his. "No more asking or hinting or whatevering you into being our Alpha and you help me in Calc because math is seriously a foreign language to me and it's not one I understand."
"Deal," he stated, hand held out towards her and she shaking it in the human custom of reaching an agreement. Terms set, Derek unlocked the doors to the Camaro with his key fob, moving to step around the engine.
"Think we can start today?" she questioned as she opened the passenger door, watching him move. "I have no clue what the hell Kali was talking about in class. I live up to my hair color when it comes to math, I swear to god."
The Alpha was about to agree as he opened his door, only to remember the state of his room—or, more accurately, the state of his bed sheets. Not exactly something he wanted anyone to witness and he'd yet to buy replacements for them, something he needed to do ASAP before Melissa or Maria found out and he was stuck answering a whole bunch of questions he didn't wanna answer and dealing with a whole lotta Spanish-tinged judgment over what he was and habits he couldn't control.
Wasn't like he'd wanted to wake up in shredded sheets and practically swimming in his own come.
God, it was gross to even think about it.
He hoped the mattress was okay. He definitely couldn't afford to replace that. Worst case scenario, he'd flip it over and hoped it worked.
"I actually gotta run a couple errands," he replied vaguely as he opened the driver's door, belatedly remembering he also had to stop and get gas. Shit, his wallet was just bleeding that day, wasn't it?
"I'll come with!" Erica volunteered brightly, bouncing on her toes again as she grinned widely over the roof of the Camaro. "Not in the mood to go home and running around town doing boring stuff sounds a whole lot better than what's waiting for me there."
He wondered what exactly it was that she was avoiding, before deciding he really didn't wanna go there. Erica's life was her own and he wasn't a part of it—at least not a big part beyond being a classmate and now an apparent tutor. He wasn't getting involved in anyone's shit, not anymore. Besides, finding out about that meant finding out about Erica as a werewolf and that further led to attachments and relationships and all the shit he was avoiding.
So rather than trying to get answers, he gave in, nodding at her before sliding in behind the wheel.
The blonde let out a squeal, bouncing in place as she clapped her hands and slipped inside the Camaro, tossing her bag into the backseat and shutting the door. "All right, Alpha-Man, let's get the fuck outta here."
Derek cocked an eyebrow at the stupid nickname before bobbing both in dismissal. The sports car roared to life with the turn of a key and a quick glance out the windshield found him making eye contact with an already staring Stiles, the Omega watching them with sad eyes and downturned lips. The Alpha didn't hesitate to put the car in reverse and peel out the parking space then the lot, putting as much space between himself and the younger man.
Better than trying to find out what exactly that upset look was about.
And even more better than trying to replace the sad expression with a happier one.
Erica gave him a curious look, manicured eyebrow cocked at him, but he ignored it, focusing on the road and his destination.
Wal-Mart was about a ten minute drive from the school, during which Erica scrolled through Derek's iPhone and judged him loudly over his musical taste, mentioning artists he'd never heard of that he apparently "needed to check out, like, soon before you die of blood loss out your ears from all this screaming manpain". He ignored her suggestions, snapping his device back and dropping it into the cubby hole on his door, scowling at her in a way that didn't seem to intimidate her in the slightest.
The trip around the store itself took longer than necessary, despite the twosome heading straight for the housewares department and Derek finding a set of black sheets to fit his bed almost immediately, snatching up a set of curtains as well on a spur of the moment decision. But then Erica decided they needed to stroll around and check out the other aisles, spending an obscene amount of time in the Halloween section picking up this decoration and that costumed hat without actually keeping something to purchase. She did, however, fill his basket with various packs of funsize candies, informing him that they'd need snacks in order to study. Which then led to him being dragged to the grocery section of the store and having his basket filled further with a plus sized jar of peanut butter, a pack of Oreos, three different kind of pretzels, four flavors of Pringles, and a six pack of Mountain Dew bottles.
Derek stared down at the overflowing basket with a small sense of awe, cocking an eyebrow as he turned his attention to her. "Where the hell are you putting all this stuff?" he questioned dubiously, thinking of that show about humans who weighed over 600 pounds and needed special surgery because they ate crap like that all day.
She just grinned at him, brown eyes sparkling in delight. "Werewolf metabolism is a beautiful thing, huh?" she asked back, winking as she pat his stomach then flounced off down another aisle to grab a box of Cheez-Its.
The Alpha wound up paying for all of it, Erica spending more time flipping through a gossip mag that paying attention as they were checked out, and he mentally winced at the dent it was putting in his savings account. Shit, he'd probably have to get a job soon. He was able to get away with not having one back in New York since he was practically always busy with some sports practice or another. But having given those up meant he had no excuse to not gain employment somewhere, cringing at the thought of having to be social and deal with people as he worked for a living.
The ride to his house was spent with Erica singing along to someone called "Lorde" that she played from her own iPod, head bobbing back and forth as she texted on her cell phone, one with a sliding keyboard that Derek hadn't seen in a long time. He shoved the observation aside though, knowing not everyone had a smartphone like himself, instead hoping like hell no one else was at his house so he wouldn't have to deal with a thousand questions over Erica and her presence.
For once, the universe shone down on him, the driveway empty—as was the Stilinski's and he ignored the way it made his wolf howl when he noticed a lack of powder blue Jeep—and no heartbeats inside the house. The twosome both carried the bags up to his room, Erica wrinkling her nose in disgust as she reached the top of the attic stairs.
"Jesus, Alpha-Man, how many times did you guys fuck?" she grimaced as she placed the plastic bags on his desk and dropped her messenger one on the floor beside it.
Derek felt his ears grow hot as he flushed, putting his own wares next to the ones she'd handled, cursing werewolf noses. "No clue what you're talking about," he muttered out the lie, knowing his heart was more than likely giving it away.
The blonde snorted as she slipped off her leather jacket, revealing the teal corset she wore underneath, the lack of straps making it dress code inappropriate. "Oh please," she scoffed, dropping her jacket onto her bag and folding her arms under her chest. "This place reeks of sex, come, and Omega and you are seriously acting like you don't know what I mean?" She let out a disbelieving laugh, rolling her eyes as she shook her head. "I may be blonde, but I'm not that dumb."
The Alpha removed his own jacket, placing his with care on the back of his desk chair before digging through the bags. "There was no sex," he informed her, hating how his blush spread to his cheeks, hating that he was actually having to give away details of his sex life—or lack thereof really. In New York, Kate was constantly sharing the more intimate details of their relationship to her friends, leaving practically nothing sacred and secret between them, something that had made him incredibly uncomfortable. But when he'd asked her to stop, she'd scoffed at him and told him that he should be glad she was bragging about how good he was in bed, that it could've been worse.
Didn't make him all that okay with it though.
Because for him, sex should be something between two people and no one else. Didn't matter if someone knew he was getting laid or not, but the details of it all, the acts themselves and what occurred during them, that should be kept private.
Yet there he was, having to be open about his own sexual activities with a girl he barely knew and honestly didn't want to know all that well.
"I, uh," he continued, pausing to clear his throat and hating how awkward he felt, hating how her eyes were glued to him, brow knit and lips pursed in focus and curiosity. "I had a dream last night."
She smirked at him, red lips twisted up to one side. "Must've been some dream then," she commented salaciously, scent flooded with mischief and delight. "But I'm still smelling Omega in here. A familiar one at that." Point made, she swung a foot around and began meandering around the room, scenting the air as though trying to place the exact smell and why it was there in the first place.
Shit.
With a sigh, Derek pulled out the package of sheets he'd been trying to find, tossing them on the desk before crossing over to his bed. "Scott's best friend is an Omega, one who happens to live next door," he explained, tossing his pillows onto the floor before setting to work snatching up the ruined sheets. "He helped move this mattress in before I came here and he's been in this room a couple times." Sheets balled up between his fists, he paused, staring down at the mattress. The scent of his come was still embedded in the mattress itself, his mind flashing back to the reason why it was there, the dream he'd had of sinking his teeth into a pale neck as he knotted a lean frame.
"He also happens to be in our math class," he muttered, tossing his sheets towards the stairs before smearing a hand over his face.
"I knew it!" Erica cheered, pointing at him and smirking in victory. "He's the reason why you got pissed at Danny earlier, isn't he? You have a thing for the sheriff's kid."
Derek didn't say anything, which was probably as much an answer as actual words.
Picking the ruined sheets up, she slipped a hand through a tear in the fabric, still grinning wide, that devious scent swirling about her. "So what exactly did you two get up to while he was in here?" she questioned with a wag of the eyebrows.
He snatched the sheet away, grabbing the second and hurling both down the stairs to be taken care of later. "Nothing," he stated harshly, teeth gritting, jaw set. "It's not—I don't—" He huffed as he struggled to come up with the right words, hands on his hips and shaking his hanging head as he drew a blank.
Erica pointed a finger at him in warning, one hand on her own hip. "If you tell me you don't want him like that, I'll punch you, Alpha or not," she warned before sauntering over to the desk and dropping down on the chair with a plop. "No one gets that aggravated over another Alpha hanging all over an Omega unless they themselves want the Omega," she explained as she rummaged through the bags, pulling out the peanut butter and a bag of pretzel sticks. "You got all old-school territorial over him, which clearly means you want in his tight li'l maroon pants, so why you're denying yourself is beyond me." Leaning back, she crossed her ankles on top of the desk, opening the snack packages and scooping out some peanut butter with a pretzel before chomping it down.
Derek knew exactly why he was denying himself, why he was refusing to open himself up to even the possibility of getting into Stiles' tight li'l maroon pants, as she'd so delicately put it. It was the same reason why he didn't want a pack, why he had been trying to find somewhere less populated to turn during full moons, why he'd called his mother "Melissa" the previous night. He was done with emotional attachments and letting people get close so he could be ripped wide open when he lost them.
And he was clearly doing a fucking terrific job, considering the other werewolf currently lounging in his room and his obsession with the Omega next door.
God, he was fucked.
"Can we talk about something else?" he groaned, scratching his jaw and feeling the roughness of his stubble. "Anything else?"
The blonde swallowed, digging out another pretzel stick and scooping it in peanut butter like all the others. "We can talk about why you moved to Beacon Hills."
He scowled down at his mattress, absently deciding it would be better to not sleep on that side of it, consciously deciding he didn't like that conversation topic either. "I'd rather talk about Stiles," he grumbled, reaching down and lifting up his mattress to flip it over.
"I was just gonna tell you that I get it," she stated, pausing to bite half a stick off, chew, then swallow. "My folks died in a wreck when I was nine so I understand a little of what you're going through, that whole losing your pack and your Alpha thing."
Derek paused his movements, staring down at a flipped yet askew mattress, hands hanging loosely by his sides. His chest felt tight at the reminder of his loss, the pain still fresh even all those months later. And while he knew that it wasn't possible for him to be the only person out there who'd suffered through their Alpha being taken from them, it was still a punch in the gut to hear it from another mouth.
"I'm sorry," he murmured, not knowing what else to say, hating how superficial the words were and wishing he had something better to tell her.
She shrugged a shoulder before flipping blonde curls behind it, rummaging through the bag again. "You go on," she commented, scent carrying a note of sadness and grief, yet a resolve and acceptance of her lot in life. "I was just lucky to have my grandma so I didn't completely lose all my family, ya know?" Pausing, she put the snacks on the desk and rummaged through for a drink, snapping a bottle off the plastic rings. "Me, Boyd, Isaac, we all come from shitty places, we all have shitty backstories, but it's okay, 'cause we have each other. We made our own pack."
Turning his head, he saw the wistful smile she gave the bottle in her hands, not seeming to notice—or care—that she was being watched. Her thumb absently stroked along the label, the condensation smearing with the actions, and she let out a breathy laugh.
"I dunno, I guess it's part of the reason why we keep bugging you to be our Alpha," she admitted quietly, running a hand through her hair. "Because we get it, what you've been through. And we thought it'd be a win-win, that we'd get the Alpha we've been looking for and wanting, and you'd get people who understood where you were coming from and could maybe help you rebuild a pack you lost." She looked up at him at that, brown eyes carrying a glaze of shine that hadn't been there before, tears being held back as she shrugged a shoulder. "Wishful thinking I guess."
He slowly nodded once, taking in her words and mulling them over, not breaking eye contact with the female who'd seemed so strong and resilient before but now looked so broken and fragile. His heart clenched in his chest, part of him glad he'd found someone who got it, who understood the pain of loss and the agony of a parent, an Alpha, taken too soon.
And for some reason, he thought of Stiles, of the Omega's apology and how he'd brought up the loss of his own parent and how he should've known better than to push the way he had. Erica wasn't the first person Derek had met who'd suffered like he was, and she was most likely not gonna be the last.
"I don't want a pack," he said thickly, not bothering to swallow away the lump in his throat or hide the rawness of his emotions. "I don't want any attachments to anyone. It'll only hurt worse when they're ripped away from you."
It was the first time he'd admitted it out loud, but the gravity of it all was lost on him. Because Erica was pressing her lips together in a hard line and ducking her head, nodding as she sniffed, her scent flooded with rejection and upset.
"I get it," she whispered, her own voice thick. "I was the same way when I was a kid, not wanting anyone around, doing the whole cliché lone wolf thing." She lifted her head and it was like she was a different girl again. Gone were the unshed tears and the upset scent, replaced by a determination that she frequently wore like her corseted tops and dark eyeshadow. "But you're still gonna tutor me," she decided, pointing at him. "A deal's a deal. And one day, you may just change your mind about not wanting a pack." She cocked an eyebrow daringly at him before twisting open her soda and drinking.
Derek just rolled his eyes and adjusted his mattress so it was squarely on top of the box spring, dismissing the latter half of her statement. He wasn't changing his mind, not for anything.