A/N: Many thanks to brandileeder and BlueRoseJuliet for your amazing ideas and suggestions. You guys are awesome!

Chapter Seven

"What the hell were you thinking, boy?!"

Derek flinched at the incredulous anger and disappointment in his uncle's tone, feeling much like he had when he'd accidentally broken his mother's favorite vase as a child. It had been the only time Peter had yelled at him, the vase having been a gift for his parent's anniversary, a protective ward for the house.

It was the first thing anyone had said since Stiles left with his…husband and his child, and god, did that thought hurt.

He loved Stiles, had for a long time, and he'd ended their relationship on the basis that he didn't want the boy to get hurt. When they'd broken up. It had taken everything in him to kept from going back to the spark, who'd given him the most heartbroken look he'd ever seen on his face. He thought it was the worst expression Stiles would ever direct at him.

He was wrong.

The anger, the betrayal in those topaz eyes had left him speechless, more than the fist across the face he'd been gifted with upon Stiles' arrival.

He'd fucked up, big time.

No matter how badly he'd messed up in the past, Stiles had never threatened to leave the pack. Hell, most of the time, he seemed to love them more than Derek did and they often turned to him whenever they needed something or whenever they had a problem with Derek. He'd assumed the position of Alpha Female with little to no hesitation and it had never crossed Derek's mind that he would threaten to leave them over an outsider.

Then again, he never expected Stiles to be married either.

"Stiles has sacrificed more for this pack than anyone in this room and the one time he doesn't tell you something, you kidnap his husband and send him into a panic attack!" His uncle continued and his eyes shot up to meet blazing blue.

He knew Stiles had suffered panic attacks after his mom died but the teen had told him they ended. The only recent one he knew of was the one Scott had told him about during the nogitsune debacle. The guilt he felt made his stomach churn.

"What?"

"The boy, Danny, told me that he found Stiles having a panic attack because Ares wasn't answering his phone and Bazyli was still at daycare. He had to drive him because he was in position to do so."

"This wouldn't have happened if he told someone about his so-called husband!" Lydia sneered and he wanted to hit her. Peter obviously wasn't in the mood to hear their excuses, weak as they were, so why did she insist on pissing the Beta off more.

Peter was the most dangerous member of their pack, despite how much he liked to pretend otherwise, and considering his past as his mother's enforcer, he was not someone to cross. Hell, Lydia should know that better than anyone.

Before he could berate the girl, Allison turned and glared at her.

"He was protecting his son! Hell, I wouldn't have told you either if this how you act! He told me what you and Scott said to him after me and Aiden died. He told me how you laid the blame entirely on him when he was possessed. Worse, he believed you! He got on his hands and knees and begged me and Aiden for forgiveness! He begged us not to kill him, because his family still needed him! It took us almost three hours to convince him it wasn't his fault! With friend like you, who needs enemies, Lydia?" She snarled, and only Aiden's hand on her arm seemed to keep her from hitting her former best friend.

Said wolf only shook his head, disappointment clear in his gaze. "Since Stiles brought us back, I've noticed that none of you seem to even notice him if you don't need something. He doesn't come to pack nights, and I've never seen any of you text him to ask why or even invite him in the first place. Jackson missed it last week and most of you called him to see if he was coming, then texted him afterwards to confirm it. Scott, you and Lydia didn't even thank him for bringing us back, and Lydia, you told me it was only right he did it because he killed us in the first place."

He paused. "My brother and I, we've killed before, willingly. None of you ever blamed us or treated us with an ounce of the same disregard you've treated Stiles and even Peter with. We helped kill members of your pack and you still let us stay. And we weren't possessed, we weren't being controlled by anything but our own self-preservation and inferiority complex. Jackson, killed people as the kanima and none of you so much as cared when he joined the pack. He wasn't treated with indifference or scorn like Stiles."

Jackson nodded in agreement, for once siding with Stiles.

"He was being controlled!" Lydia yelled and Peter growled,

"So was Stiles! Or did you all forget the mental torture the Nogitsune heaped on him! It turned his greatest asset and fear against him! Then attacked the people he cares for the most! Did you honestly think that trauma just went away?"

He snorted. "It didn't. That boy has nightmares more often than not, or did you not notice the absurd amount of research he accomplishes in an extremely short amount of time. Did you think that was just him being fast? Jackson still has nightmares and you all coddle him, why is Stiles not afforded the same treatment?"

The Beta shook his head in disgust.

"Make things right. Otherwise you'll lose him. And I can guarantee you that without him you'll find the number of allies you have remaining is exceedingly small."

"He's my mate." Derek whispered softly and his uncle's gaze softened. "I know. Which is why I'm saying let. Him. Go."

"But-"

"His father is my mate," the statement stunned him into silence. "Your mother knew but seeing as he was married already when we met, I had to let him go. I married Irena, and I was happy. She knew as well."

"How did you get past the pain?"

"I waited. After the fire, I was broken and I knew it. But when I came back, I waited. If you love someone, you must let go even when you don't want to. If it's meant to be, they'll come back to you."

Everyone was silent taking in the surprisingly sound advice the Beta had given and Derek frowned when the man turned to leave.

"Wait, where are you going?"

His uncle smirked. "Mine came back to me. I have a date."

*/*

"What happened?"

Noah asked as his son entered the house with dried tear trails on his cheeks and amber eyes full of anger and betrayal.

"My pack is full of idiots!"

Ares followed and the Sheriff's eyes widened at the vivid bruise marring the man's face.

"What the hell?!"

"Derek Hale." His son-in-law replied, amusement glinting in his gaze even as he kept a concerned eye on the pacing teen beside him. Stiles let out a wordless snarl at the name and the lights flickered.

"Stiles!" He snapped, grabbing his shoulders.

"What. Happened?" He repeated, watching as Ares sat on the sofa, Bazyli sitting in his lap dozing slightly.

"Derek kidnapped Ares, Dad! I don't- they followed us last night and they took him because I didn't tell them! Who does that?! Why couldn't they just talk to me?!"

"Calm down, son. I'll talk to them, okay?"

"No! I already did, and I'm sure Peter is already doing it. Just, I'm sorry. I know you were having a good day with your upcoming date with Peter, and I just ruined it with my drama. I'm sorry."

Noah rolled his eyes hugging the teen.

"You didn't ruin anything, Kid, alright? I'm here for you to talk to when something happens, that my job as your father, Stiles. Nothing that makes you feel like you do is ever just drama to me."

"I don't understand, dad." Stiles said, his voice small and broken. "I love them, I do everything I can to help the pack. Why couldn't they just trust me?"

"I don't know, Kochanie." He heard his breathing beginning to even out, the day's events having exhausted him emotionally, and Ares stood, pulling the boy into his arms and handing Bazyli over to him.

"I'll get him settled upstairs. He wants us to stay here until he can re-ward the house. Hale and his pack really set him off today."

Noah nodded.

"How are you, kid?"

He shrugged. "My jaw hurts like hell. First time I've been punched by a werewolf."

The sheriff snorted.

*/*

Peter glanced around the room one last time, making sure everything was in perfect order. The table was set, a single candle burning in the middle, and breadsticks, fresh from the oven on an elegant plate only a few inches from it. The smell of lasagna permeated the air, and old classic rock music played in the background, a suggestion from his surrogate cub.

All in all, he thought everything was well structured for his first date with his mate, and just in time too as he could hear the man's car pulling up in the parking lot of his building.

Taking a shuddering breath, he straightened his black button down once more, inwardly lamenting the fact that he felt very much like a teenager going on their first date. Still, he could hear Noah's footstep as the man came up the stairs and closer to the door, then finally a knock echoed throughout the room with the same intensity of a gunshot.

He'd never been more excited.

Or more terrified.

Because this was something he'd dreamed of happening, even before the fire. Irena had known they weren't mates, but they'd been best friends and he'd loved her more that he loved even his sister. But Noah Stilinski, he was something else, much like his son. The man was all alpha, human or not, and he'd fallen hard for the deputy when they met all those years ago despite them both being married. Of course, much like Stiles, Noah was loyal to a fault and oblivious as well, and Peter, despite knowing Noah was his mate, would've never cheated on Irena. She deserved better than that, and so he'd resolved himself to this being a pretty fantasy. A dream he'd never achieve.

Now it was here…and he had no clue whether that was a good or bad.

Steeling his nerves, he answered the door, his eyes widening slightly at the sight before him.

Well, now.

The sheriff wore a dark blue short-sleeved button-down shirt that showed off his well-muscled arms and torso, paired with black slacks that showcased strong thighs and clung in all the right places. A silver watch adorned his right wrist, a gift from Stiles, he'd been told, contrasting his tanned skin.

"Gonna invite me in?"

Peter did not blush, not even lightly, anyone who said otherwise were liars. Instead he allowed him to enter his den, closing the door behind him.

"You look great."

Noah smiled wryly. "Thank you. My son in law, did it not me."

Peter chuckled. "I'll be sure to thank him. How's Stiles?"

"Better. When I left he was cooking dinner, and I think he's planning to invite Mahaelani over as well."

Nodding the Beta led him towards the dining table and gestured for him to sit.

"Hope you like lasagna."

The man's eyes lit up and Peter's stupid heart gave a lurch.

Fuck, he was gone on this man and the oblivious bastard had no clue.

Fucker.

*/*

Dinner was amazing.

The lasagna had been one of the best he'd ever tasted, definitely on par with Stiles at his best, and being in Peter's company had made the evening all the more amazing. They'd talked about everything and nothing, reminiscing about the friendship they'd shared before the fire as well as Stiles, Baz and Ares, and anything else they could think of.

The whole experience left him reeling and by the end of the night he was certain of one thing.

He was definitely falling in love with Peter Hale.

Soft lips met his and he groaned, pulling the younger closer and trying to remember when the other had even gotten so close to him. The strong arms were wrapping around his neck and pulling him closer and he all thought left him. All he could think of was the feel of Peter's lips on his and the heat of the wolf's body against his own and he knew.

Nothing would ever replace Claudia, but at that moment he was where he was meant to be.

He was home.

*/*

Derek didn't know what to expect when he smelled scent of an unfamiliar wolf outside of his door but it wasn't this.

A female omega, newly turned, stood outside his door, her entire body trembling as if she'd collapse any moment. Long dark hair fell below her waist, tangled and matted with dirt, her clothing shredded even though there was no wound to be found. Worse?

She bore a striking resemblance to the man that had married his mate.

"Stiles?"

She whimpered, and he understood.

She must've followed Stiles' scent to his loft.

But who was she?

He went to ask, but before he could she collapsed.

He groaned and brought he inside, laying her on his sofa. Then he dialed his emissary's number, praying the teen would answer.

"What?"

"It's an emergency. I need you at the loft, bring your…husband too."

TBC…

A/N: I'm on the fence about this chapter, mainly because of the date scene. But whateves, hope you enjoy!