Peter watched his nephew's Camaro ride off from his old bedroom window. True the house had seen better days, but it was liveable. He was starting to seriously rethink this deal with the alphas. Not only did part of him not want to hurt Derek, but the alphas had really lit into him the night before. They'd said he wasn't doing enough to incite Derek and Scott against one another. It was time for him to pay Jackson a visit maybe. Was this really what he wanted? Peter had acted rashly. He got that now, but now it was too late to turn back. Derek had looked so happy. He'd secretly been watching from the top of the stairs. Stiles and Derek. His nephew really happy and in love for a change. Peter thought about his brother, Derek's father. What would he say if he knew what Peter was doing? What kind of person had he become? Here he was planning a repeat of destroying his nephew's life. Derek had been so devastated when their family had been burned alive. Peter looked in the mirror above his dresser, his reflection that of a conflicted and broken old man. Yet he saw something else too. He saw that he should be alpha. This reflection of a man who had once had that greatness. Who would have it again. It was time to stop being conflicted. No matter how this played out it would destroy Derek. Go for broke. Destroy him completely. Peter's brother had always said if anything is worth doing, do it all the way. It was rather ironic that he'd be using his brother's advice against his own son. Derek was so much like him. Adam Hale...

ooOoo

Derek and Stiles walked into Los Amigos holding hands.

"Reservation," Derek told the greeter. "Hale."

The greeter called for their waitress, a spicy raven-haired latina with lucious copper skin. Stiles and Derek both goggled a little.

"You two are so cute together," she gave them a wink. "My name is Ari, and I'll be your server. Follow me."

Derek and Stiles both watched her ass sway back and forth in her tight skirt, both of them being werewolves sensed the other's arousal. She sat their menus on the table.

"What'll it be to drink boys?"

"We'll have vodka," Derek told her.

Stiles looked at him a little surprised. Derek grinned and took his seat in the booth. Stiles blushed a little when Ari winked at him.

"Vodka it is," she said.

She gave Stiles another once over before walking away.

"She knows you're underage," Derek told him. "She's cute."

"Yeah," Stiles agreed with a smirk. "I'll say."

Both of them being bisexual, they were quite comfortable to compare women. Derek glanced at Stiles, licking his lips.

"You're cute too," he told him.

"Why thank you!" Stiles exclaimed. "You're not bad yourself Mr. Sourwolf."

Both of them laughed. It was so easy to laugh with Stiles. Derek found himself thinking how strange it was just to laugh, to love, yet how right Stiles made it feel.

"Here you are boys," she said, placing two shot glasses and the vodka on the table.

She lowered her voice, leaning in closer to them.

"Don't mention his age," she whispered, looking at Stiles. "Let me know when you're ready to order."

She left them. Derek picked up his menu and started flipping through it.

"What shall we have?" he mused.

"I dunno," Stiles replied, flipping through his own. "Think I want the burrito plate."

"Then that's what I'll have," Derek said smiling, and putting his menu aside.

He grabbed the vodka bottle and poured them each a shot.

"My dad would kill you," Stiles told him seriously.

"Its our first date," Derek shrugged his shoulders. "You're not a child."

"But I am underage."

Derek handed Stiles his shot, throwing back his own, the liquid burning down his throat. This wasn't the boy's first time with alcohol. He sometimes snuck whiskey from his dad's liquor cabinet. Derek's eyebrows raised in interest when his mate threw back his shot with equal ease.

"Bad boy," Derek teased him. "You've been sneaking your dad's alcohol."

"Sue me," Stiles remarked with a smirk. "I have serious emotional issues."

Their waitress interrupted them.

"Ready to order?"

ooOoo

Danny and Jackson sat in the luxurious Whittemore living room, playing PS3 on the big screen TV. Jackson always kicked his ass, but Danny didn't mind. The werewolf incident was over. Danny was back to himself. He noticed the screen pause suddenly.

"Crap," Jackson said, pulling his buzzing cell out of his jeans pocket. "Yes?"

"Jackson we need to talk," Peter's voice spoke.

Jackson looked sidelong at Danny, hoping he couldn't recognize Peter's voice. Not that he could ever recall his best friend having met the older werewolf.

"Now isn't really a good time," Jackson told him. "Besides I'm not doing it. Deal's off."

"What!?" Peter asked. "You can't call the deal off Jackson!"

"Well I am," Jackson replied cooly. "I'm with Scott now. Goodbye Peter."

Danny eyed him strangely.

"Derek's Uncle Peter," Jackson explained. "Believe me, don't ask. He's real weird."

ooOoo

Derek watched Stiles devour his chicken burrito. What was it about his mate eating that attracted him? That was just it, everything about Stiles got him. He guessed that's what happened when you were mates.

"Stiles," he spoke suddenly.

The boy looked at him.

"Hm?" he asked, mouth full of burrito.

"Do you consider me your mate?"

Stiles chased down the rest with vodka, answering.

"Of course I do Derek," he answered. "I mean yeah its all so fast, but the truth is... you make me feel like I matter."

"You do matter," Derek told him softly.

Stiles watched the alpha's hand reach for something in his jeans pocket. He put a little box on the table, and then brought out a second box right after it. Stiles was curious. Derek handed him one of the boxes.

"You keep that one," Derek told him. "You're going to give it to me. They're symbols of our being mates... partners."

The word sounded weird to Stiles, but so right. His eyes softened and he smiled. Derek held out the box he was holding and slowly lifted the lid. There was a golden chain inside with Derek's name attached to it. Stiles grabbed the chain and carefully removed it from the box. He held it in his hand a few moments, cherishing it. It was the nicest thing anyone had ever bought him.

"You'll wear it won't you?" Derek asked.

"Of course I will," Stiles said gently. "You wanna put it on me?"

"If you put mine on me," Derek replied softly.

Stiles nodded. Derek stood up, walking over to his side of the booth. He helped lock the gold chain behind Stiles' neck. It gave him a certain feeling of pride to see his name in gold letters around his mate's neck. Derek looked at him expectantly. Stiles opened his box and raised the chain.

'Stiles'

His eyes shimmered with affection as he tied it around Derek's neck. The two of them shared a short kiss, not wanting to attract attention to themselves.

"I love you," Derek told him.

"Love you too Sourwolf," Stiles replied gently.

Their waitress was back.

"Those are nice," Ari said, indicating their chains. "Here's your bill."

Stiles couldn't wait for everyone to see his new chain. It made him feel strangely happy to be wearing Derek's name. He felt loved and desired, and to see his own name around Derek's neck. It made his wolf want to howl at the moon.