Derek gripped the steering wheel of his Camaro a little harder than he meant to. Why was he suddenly so conflicted about Stiles? Because until now he'd taken the boy's presence in his life for granted. There had been no real danger that Stiles could leave, could even become an enemy. That danger was present now. If the boy chose Scott...

'No matter what happens I'd always be your friend,' the boy's voice replays in his mind.

Derek's grip on the wheel tightens again as his inner wolf seems to whine with emotion.

'We're the most unlikely team ever. Sourwolf and his nerdy sidekick.'

Derek smiled a little at the thought. Yeah they were.

ooOoo

Peter was pacing around the living room of the Hale house. Isaac wasn't there at the moment, he'd gotten a text from Scott about thirty minutes ago and bolted. That left the older Hale with his thoughts... his schemes. He should have known the alpha pack would do things their own way, not that he didn't think this was all very amusing. He'd expected them to declare him the second alpha. Then it would have only been a matter of winning over Derek's betas. Now he had to stick it out at his nephew's side a little longer and keep playing his part. Gods, listen to him! He sounded like the most selfish uncle ever.

"Hey," Derek greeted him, coming through the front door.

"Good evening nephew," Peter managed in that usual faux-gentleman voice. "Where have you been?"

"Stiles'," Derek replied, deciding he could be truthful.

"Ah," Peter nodded, retreating back into his thoughts.

Derek didn't require anyone to say very much, which was fine by him. He wasn't the type that needed to talk all the time. Not like that Stiles boy. His thoughts returned to his plan, being careful to keep his thoughts guarded around Derek. The alpha could sometimes pick up on thoughts. The sight of Derek standing tall and proud, chiseled chest puffed out sent a fresh wave of anger through him. His nephew was vain as a peacock. He'd have to teach the whelp a lesson. He thought about the beating he owed Derek when his alpha status was restored, and he smirked a little. Derek thought nothing of it. His uncle was always smiling like that. He had always been quirky. Poor unsuspecting Derek, Peter thought amusedly. He would never suspect this. Peter had to shrug off a wave of guilt as he thought about it in quite a different way. He and Derek were family. Hadn't the boy already hurt enough? Why not just follow Derek's leadership? Peter shoved these thoughts aside though, thinking back to the power and prestige he used to feel as the alpha. Derek was unworthy of both. That's how the old man would attempt to keep justifying to himself what he was doing. Derek was too weak and unconfident to be alpha. He needed him. It would actually be a great relief to surrender being the alpha back to Peter, a great weight of Derek's shoulders. The thoughts dispersed the guilt and Peter smirked again, eying his nephew rather hungrily. He was going to be alpha again. Nothing would stop him. Now he just needed to think of how to really get Scott and Derek fired up against one another, an all out war. Only once the alpha pack saw that Derek was unworthy to be alpha could Peter begin the next phase. They would make his nephew drink a potion that would strip him of his alpha powers and revert him to a beta. After that it would be a matter of child's play convincing Scott to make Peter alpha. Scott was young and naive, easy to manipulate if you knew how. Well, Peter better go cause some damage in the ranks...

"Derek," he spoke. "Can I borrow your Camaro?"

"Why?" Derek questioned with a scowl.

Peter knew that his nephew didn't like anyone but him driving his baby, but he'd allowed it before.

"I need to run to the store," Peter lied, keeping his breathing in check. "That's all."

Very few people could lie to another werewolf like Peter. He was good at it.

"I guess so. Don't be long."

Peter nodded and grabbed the keys off the coffee table. Derek had returned to whatever magazine he was reading.

"Thank you Derek," Peter said with a grin the alpha didn't see. "You're too kind to your old uncle..."

"Yeah, yeah," Derek grumbled, not interested in being sentimental right now.

Peter smirked to himself as he exited the house. He sure knew how to play his part well. Time to play that part for Jackson, the first he would turn against Derek.