A/N: Obligatory copyright statement – I do not own Teen Wolf, nor any of the characters represented in this story. Thanks for all the favs and follows, it's my first time writing fan fiction and I am having fun! I should mention that this story takes place at some ambiguous point in the future where Stiles is living the rebuilt Hale House with Derek, Peter, and Isaac. The rest of the pack are mated couples (Scott/Allison, Boyd/Erica, Jackson/Lydia) who have an open invitation to stay over whenever they want but have their own homes in town.
The hunting cabin that the Sherriff owned was situated within a campground complex just outside the border of the Beacon Hills Preserve. The complex was set up so that families and recreational campers could use one side of the property which had RV hookup sites along the main road through the complex, and campsites placed further out grouped near a large lake. The hunting cabins were located along the outside edge of the property closest to the Preserve and were quite secluded from each other and the main recreational camping areas. At the main entrance there were several buildings including an office, a gas station with a grocery store, and a large dining hall complex for events and parties.
Stiles finished setting up the cabin about 30 minutes after arriving, He was going to stay for the rest of Erica's heat, and would offer to let Ethan stay as well. The Sherriff's cabin was one of the most secluded with the back porch steps away from the Preserve. There was a hiking trail that led to a quiet pond a little way into the Preserve that Stiles and his mother used to frequent on their visits. As Stiles wandered along the trail, it was quiet and peaceful and although thinking about the loss of his mother was still a sore subject, Stiles was grateful that this place still held happy memories. Maybe he would take Derek here for a weekend getaway someday soon.
Unfortunately, thinking of Derek at that moment soured his disposition as the jealousy and hurt crept back in to his mind. He squared his shoulders and strengthened his resolve to find the answers he needed for his 'Happy Ever After.' Stiles knew that Erica felt guilty and could see the painful resignation in Boyd's eyes after each heat, but things were just not adding up in Stiles mind. Everyone knew that those two were mates and outside of those three days every third moon, their relationship was almost as grossly lovey-dovey as Scott and Allison's. For this reason Stiles knew that there was something else going on here. Something Derek wasn't telling him or didn't know since his family had been taken from him at such a young age.
And now Stiles was feeling guilty. Derek hadn't had it easy, and he was essentially learning as he went while still grieving over the loss of his family. The Alpha Pack helped him develop his leadership skills and mold the pack into working as a cohesive unit. While developing fighting skills, learning pack hierarchy, and getting along with each other were things that had been very much needed for the pack; romantic relationships had not been topics of discussion. While most of the Betas assumed that Derek would tell them anything they needed to know about dating and sex if it was different for werewolves, Stiles knew that Derek's one and only other relationship had been with the woman who murdered most of his family. It had taken Derek a long time to be able to trust Stiles with his heart but Stiles never pushed him. He knew he had to wait for Derek to open up to him, and Stiles warmly accepted the gesture when he did.
Stiles' natural instincts were to care for everyone he loved. After his mother died, he focused all of care and love into his father and Scott. After Scott was bitten, he did everything he could to help him and even Derek had wormed his way into his caring heart even though they never explicitly trusted each other back then. After the Alpha Pack, Stiles often found himself caring for the whole pack. He would cook for anyone who was staying at the rebuilt Hale House, he often listened to the pack's personal problems and offered advice or comfort where needed. He was fiercely protective over the pack and quite frequently referred to the Betas as "his pups." This of course resulted in them teasing Stiles by calling him "Mom" but Stiles secretly loved it. Not for the slight at his gender, but because he knew they loved him as much as he loved them, plus it also validated his and Derek's relationship in the pack's eyes.
Stiles knew that the pack would ask Derek for sex advice eventually, but he also knew that giving that advice could potentially open old wounds that were better left closed. So Stiles had a plan that would prevent any potential heartache and give the Betas the information they needed, but it involved Peter. Stiles had grown to trust Peter again throughout the Alpha Pack's time with them. It was a slow process and while Stiles and the pack continually teased Peter and gave him nicknames that always had some variation of "Uncle-Undead-Creepy-Bad Touch-Creeper Pants," Peter had shown himself to be a better person and he was treating his resurrection as a third chance at life. He was also significantly weaker than the Betas as his rebirth took a lot of his strength. Peter was content and happy now; he had a new family and a new pack that relied on him for his experience and knowledge, which was bestowed on them with all his usual sass and wit. So he fit right in, in Stiles' book!
Peter was an important part of Stiles' plan but he needed Uncle Creepy to understand that his snarky or condescending comments had no place in discussing sex with his pups. He and Derek were the only born werewolves and the Betas had only experienced the human side of sex, so if there were other things that needed to be considered as werewolves, he should use it as a teaching moment and a chance to earn their trust further. Stiles and Peter's relationship was such that after everything was agreed upon Peter smirked and invited Stiles to be his first "client" and ask him anything. Stiles blushed furiously but without missing a beat told him he had his own born wolf and their sex life wasn't his business.
Looking back on it, Stiles probably should have asked a few questions that first time. But he figured Derek would be able to tell him anything he needed to know. Now, however, he was thoroughly embarrassed to ask anyone in the pack about sex because everyone knew Derek was helping with Erica's heat, and he knew that asking Derek wasn't going to be productive as their relationship was already strained to the breaking point. So Stiles went out and sought his own solutions, and he wasn't coming back until he got answers.
After going to the campground grocery store, Stiles returned to the cabin and was putting the last of the food away when he heard a car pull up outside. He glanced out the window and saw it was Ethan so he walked out on the porch to greet him.
"Ethan! How are you? It has been way too long!" Stiles said as he strolled out to Ethan's car and gathered him in a tight hug.
A look of shock passed across Ethan's face quickly at the affection from another Alpha's mate before he returned the hug and said, "It's good to see you too, Stiles. I've been doing great, thanks. How are you? I gathered from our phone call that something might be bothering you?" Ethan pulled back from the hug but held on to Stiles' shoulders and looked him in the eyes searching his facial features. His nostrils flared and then his eyebrows furrowed in confusion as he said, "I still smell Derek on you, but it's too faint for a claimed mate let alone a claimed Alpha's mate. Did something happen?"
Stiles sighed and closed his eyes for a minute before they shot open with his eyebrows shooting to his hairline as Ethan words finally registered in his brain. "Wait… What do you mean by claimed mate?" His eyes narrowing as he spoke, realizing there was something else that he didn't understand about werewolf mates that Derek had yet to explain. "And yes, something did happen… or has been happening… is happening right now as far as I know, but that is a much longer conversation. So come inside and we can get settled while you tell me what you meant by 'claimed' mate, because I'm not sure I understand the distinctions you're implying."
Stiles wrapped an arm around Ethan's shoulders and led him inside the cabin to show him around while the made small talk before Ethan excused himself to the bathroom. Ethan was thoroughly perplexed. A little over a year had passed since they finished in Beacon Hills. Surely Hale would have claimed Stiles by now? He should have at least marked him if he hadn't claimed him yet, or have turned him since an Alpha's mate is usually a major target for hunters and rival packs. He wondered if Hale was playing the martyr and broke things off with Stiles in some misguided attempt at not tying him down to a life-time commitment, even though anyone could see Stiles' fierce protectiveness and unyielding loyalty to the Pack, his family and Derek. Sighing, Ethan finished up in the bathroom while mulling over the questions he needed to ask Stiles. Maybe he'd get another chance to date him if Hale was stupid enough to let Stiles go.
A/N: Thank you to everyone who submitted suggestions as to how the story should evolve. I'm not going to give too much away, but you can definitely expect another chance for Stiles to get the Bite. Also, in case anyone was overly concerned, Erica is not going to get pregnant. She's not my favorite character on the show and I will most certainly find inventive ways to torture her in future stories, but it would've messed with the pack dynamics if she got pregnant in this story. So no worries! You will still see a Sterek happy ending!