Hey guys, thanks for your amazing reviews! This was originally going to be a one or two shot, but since you seem to like it (more then I thought you would!), I'll continue it :)

Just a quick note that I am from New Zealand, and over here we spell words like 'favourite' and 'colour'. Sorry if this annoys you, but I'm going to continue to spell the way I know how.

I hope you enjoy the direction I chose to go in!

Stiles and Derek had shared a bond, a bond that had formed once they were mated. During the better times, Stiles loved the fact that he could always faintly feel his partner's emotions. The closer they were to each other, the more intense the bond was. Even when Stiles was exiled from the pack, he could still faintly feel Derek. It made the last few months even harder than they usually would have been. He knew had to get away, really far away, before he did something he would regret. So he packed a bag and he drove. The further away he drove, the more he could feel the bond fade away. It was like having a weight lifted off his chest. He hated having to feel Derek when he wasn't allowed to see him. He hated that he could feel it when Derek was hurt and he couldn't do anything about it. The pack was out running tonight. Derek wouldn't get his email for a few hours. So Stiles kept driving. He drove for days and slept in cheap motels when he was tired. He drove in such a way, that he didn't think he would ever be found. Not that anyone would look for him anyway. By the time he reached Chicago on a Friday afternoon, he couldn't feel the pull of the bond at all.

"You smell like you're sad."

Stiles flew a mile in the air.

"Please tell me you're not going to jump off."

Stiles had found a cliff, one he thought was quite far from other people, and was sitting on the edge when the voice snuck up on him. To his left a boy, who looked to be in his early twenties, was making himself comfortable.

"I don't know quite yet. I like to watch the waves though. It's beautiful, really. They crash into the rocks and that really must hurt, yet they continue to go back that way. They just keep crashing into the rocks. Maybe I'm a wave. But I don't think I want to be a wave anymore." His laugh was hollow.

"You're not a wave. You're just a boy who's had a rough time. Where are you from anyway? You don't smell like anything from around here. But there is a hint of pack. A pack you haven't seen in a while?"

"I'm from California. Beacon Hills, to be precise. I was cut from the pack three months ago for cheating on the Alpha. But why would I want to cheat on the best thing that's ever happened to me? He wouldn't listen to me though. He was convinced I didn't want him anymore. So he cut all ties with me. My best friend hasn't spoken to me since. Two weeks ago it was my 18th birthday. Nobody remembered. Nobody acknowledged it. I guess finally had enough of being ignored by everyone. So I left. I don't really know what I'm looking for, but I do hope I find it soon. I've been sleeping in crappy motels since I left. I'm Stiles, by the way." He added as an afterthought.

"Dean." The boy replied.

After a few minutes, Dean broke the silence.

"Well if you've decided not to jump, would you like to have dinner with me? There's a diner five minutes from here."

Luci's Diner had really good waffles. Plus they came with strawberries and bananas and had real maple syrup. So Stiles was impressed.

"I want to know more about you Stiles. We don't have any humans in our pack."

"I was the main researcher. Give me any magical creature and I can find out everything about it in short amount of time. I also helped to come up with some of our weapons; I'm currently concealing four on my person. I helped with the cooking on full moon nights too. I liked to think I was pretty helpful. I guess they didn't need me as much as I thought."

Stiles ended up telling Dean quite a lot. He told him about his old pack, his father, his old school and his life before and after the miscommunication. Stiles learnt about Dean and his pack too. Dean was 21 and he worked at the local panel beaters. He lived in a place in the woods with the rest of his pack. The Alpha of his pack was a man they called Sonic. At 28, he was considered a young Alpha like Derek was. Dean's pack was also quite small, with 8 wolves in total. They talked so much that they were still at the diner when it was about to close.

"You got a place to stay tonight, Stiles?"

"The Inn just up the road looked, uh, cosy?"

"Nonsense, you can come and stay with me! We have a couple of spare rooms."

"Shouldn't you be asking your Alpha first?"

"Don't worry, I'm his favourite." Dean replied with a wink.

The drive took them around half an hour, but Dean chatted away and pointed out everything that he thought Stiles would like. By the time they reached the woods, all Stiles wanted to do was sleep. But he knew he had to partake in a formal introduction to the Alpha and his wolves. As soon as he pulled up to the driveway, he saw 7 people standing in front of the house. Once he had stopped the jeep, and he and Dean had gotten out, the group lined up, leaving a space between the Alpha and the next person. So Stiles assumed that Dean was either the Alpha Mate or the Alpha's second.

"Dean. Who have you brought home with you?"

"Sonic, this is Stiles." Dean nodded at Stiles and went to take his place with his pack.

"Stiles. Come here, son." Sonic looked like a nice enough guy, but Stiles knew he had to be greeted the formal way, or he would not be respected by the pack.

"With all due respect, sir, I would like to introduce myself first." Stiles really hoped that Sonic didn't consider that a challenge. But he just smiled.

"By all means, go right ahead."

"I am Stiles Stilinski from Beacon Hills, California. I request safe passage through your town. It would also be appreciated if I could spend a few nights, as I have been traveling for a few weeks. In exchange, I will grant you a weapon of your choice from my collection."

"Safe passage and stay accepted. I am Sonic, the Alpha of this Chicago pack. You know Dean, he is my mate. Butch is my second." Sonic gestured down the rest of the line and introduced Ryan, Cassadee, Kellin, Reed and Breeana.

"It's nice to meet you all."

"It's nice to meet you too, Stiles. No payment is necessary since Dean has taken a liking to you. I do hope you enjoy your stay with us. I would like to talk with you tomorrow, but for now, please step forward."

Stiles walked up to Sonic and let him sniff his neck. He did this down the line with the rest of the pack, so they would all recognize him. Once Breeana had gotten his scent, Dean broke out of the line and grabbed Stiles by the hand.

"Come on, I'll show you around."

The house was huge. Three stories with ten bedrooms, four bathrooms, two living rooms and an enormous kitchen. Dean finished off his tour in a room of the second floor, a room that Dean had already dubbed 'Stiles' Room'.

"Our room is just across from yours, so if you need anything just knock." Dean said with a smile. "Goodnight Stiles."

"Goodnight Dean."

For the first time in a long time, Stiles smiled too.