A/N: Okay my loyal readers. This chapter had bumped up the Rating of the fic to M. This chapter has man on man (Dream) action and a sneak peek into Derek's POV due to my Best Friend "PlainKate" being so helpful in giving feedback and motivating me to finish this chapter. I don't have work for the next couple of days so things will be updated periodically this week. :) I hope you guys enjoy the Epic amount of STERK in this chapter.

Stiles The Teen Wolf
Episode Five: The Tell

The dreams started that night. The night he admitted his own feelings for Derek to himself. What is it exactly that gives 'knowledge' power?

At first, it wasn't too bad. Derek's face etched with concern and fondness, the smile crinkling his eyes and actually showing his teeth, hands holding onto his own and soft lips against his. Stiles didn't have a problem with those dreams, in fact, he woke up from them feeling up beat and strongly optimistic.

Of course, those small and innocent dreams didn't last very long. He was a healthy teenage werewolf after all, innocent was hardly a word used to describe either a teenager or a werewolf.

A strong and sure hand gripped his hip, the pressure just enough to feel restraining but not painful as pin prickly stubble followed the trail of a wet and warm tongue up his abs slowly. Stiles struggled with the instinct to pull away. He was ticklish after all, but he didn't want to pull away, he wanted to be closer, wanted to plaster himself chest to chest with the hard mass of muscle that held him forcefully on his back.

Lips kissed their way up his chest, taking the time to lick and bite each hard little nipple once before making a steady rise to his neck. Teeth grazed his flesh, right where his neck and shoulder met and Stiles couldn't hold down the breathless groan that forced its way out of his mouth. The hand on his hip tightened for a moment only to loosen and tighten again, claws raking his skin as little shockwaves forced their way through his already leaking erection pressed firmly against the planes of a well-defined six pack. There was an answering stiffness held still right against his vulnerable entrance, the ring of muscle twitching in time with the throbbing of the head at every beat of Derek's rapid heart. It wasn't intrusive, Derek was waiting for something, waiting for him to be okay with it. Still, it was enough to drag a grunting growl from the chest pressed to his. He felt the vibrations in pleasant waves and he needed more of that sound, needed to make this man feel just as good as he was.

He pressed himself against the slick flesh of Derek's cock.

He wasn't dense, he read about and watched enough porn to know that this part of sex (gay and virginal) was supposed to be painful, but he didn't feel the pain as Derek breeched the ring of muscle, sinking slowly into Stiles' body. The arousal was overwriting his brain, his systems were focused on one thing and one thing alone – getting closer.

"D-Derek!" Stiles cried out, his eyes closed tightly as he tried to regain his composure. The only answer he received was a kiss to the side of his neck, such a gentle gesture that it made this whole act that much more intimate. The kiss didn't stop at one, Derek kept kissing his neck as each hot and wide inch dug almost forcefully into his body.

Stiles could feel the stretch as his body accepted Derek's into it. It was torture, how slow Derek was being, how careful. Stiles wanted to scream, 'go faster, harder, please Derek please let go, let the wolf go', but his mouth wouldn't form the words in his mind. The only thing he heard coming out of himself were whimpers, moans and Derek's name.

"Please!"

Wow, that was a new word; and apparently, it was the right one.

Derek's hips jerked forward, almost as if it was involuntary, and Stiles screamed. His vision went white as he felt the radiating pleasure. It started in that one spot inside himself and washed like a wave over the rest of him. Derek found it, that sweet spot inside him. And that's when the control was gone. His and Derek's.

Another sharp thrust and Stiles howled, the sound so animal that he startled himself, but Derek only echoed the call.

His arms were around Derek's shoulders and Derek held him right back, the weight of the bigger wolf settling on him almost uncomfortable but the pleasure pushed that thought away. He could take Derek's weight if the wolf just kept moving like that, just like that.

His own need pressed eagerly against their stomachs, the friction it gave was overwhelming whatever part of his mind had managed to resist the thought that Derek was claiming him. Derek was taking him, claiming a mate.

"Derek!" Geez, it was the only thing he could say when there was so much in his mind, but it didn't matter. Derek heard it, the plea in his voice.

There wasn't even any warning before a sharp sting on his shoulder alerted Stiles that Derek had bitten him. The mating bite, the claiming bite, a wolf's ultimate sign of submission. He couldn't have held it in if he'd tried.

"Derek!"

Sweat covered his skin and his sheets but Stiles didn't care. He was tried to breathe through his hazy mind. His excitement, confusion, and strange disappointment engulfed his senses and he was almost reeling with it. The scent of his seed soaking his boxers didn't go unnoticed and neither did the scent of blood. His blood.

Glancing at his arms, his torso and then his legs he didn't find any wound, but when he moved his left shoulder, he felt it.

He stood from bed, ignoring the sudden shiver of revulsion as the evidence of his dreams started a straight path down his thigh. He made his way quietly to the bathroom across the hall, grabbing his towel as he went.

The mirror showed him what he couldn't see on his own. There were marks on his shoulder, the meaty part. Almost where his neck and shoulder met, that smooth chunk of muscle was now red and raw, and had five deep punctures Stiles knew had to be from claws. His own claws. And just to be sure, he looked at his right hand. His nails were bloody, the red liquid getting darker by the second as it dried under his nails.

"Oh my god, that did not just happen." He breathed before he released an amused snort at himself. The laugh came next, a genuine quiet one that sounded rather sad.

Stiles met his own eyes, the glow of the yellow wolf eyes making him want to look away, but he didn't.

"You are so screwed…" He whispered to his reflection before stepping back and turning the shower on. It was going to be a very long day.

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He was right.

Of course he was right. Who was he kidding? Stiles hadn't had a calm and relaxing day once since he was turned, why did he expect that to change anytime soon?

It started off as a normal patrol with his dad. He hadn't honestly spent time with the man in so long that when the Sheriff had asked his son if he wanted to join tonight, Stiles didn't hesitate. Fast food was only a slight bonus.

"Did they forget my curly fries?" the Sheriff asked through a mouthful of burger. Stiles wanted to roll his eyes but he refrained, just barely. He had to text Derek soon, let the other wolf know where he was. That was how they had been communicating recently. Ever since his revelation, it was just slightly awkward for him to be around the object of his affection, whether or not Derek know his feelings.

"You're not supposed to eat fries. Especially the curly ones." Stiles argued back. He was looking for the fries though, curly fries were his favorite too.

"Well, I'm carrying a lethal weapon. If I want the curly fries. I will have the curly fries." Sheriff John shot back confidently, but Stiles heard it. The stutter of his heart. It wasn't really a big deal, but to Stiles it was everything. It was his job now after all, to keep his dad healthy.

"If you think that getting rid of the contractions in all your sentences makes your argument any more legitimist. You. Are. Wrong." Okay so he was just slightly 'bitchy'. It wasn't his fault he wasn't getting enough sleep lately. (And the full moon, less than a week away, really scratched at his control) but he had been fine with keeping himself human so far.

And that's when the murder was reported.

A video store. The Alpha had gone after the clerk and Jackson. Lydia had been in the car waiting for her boyfriend when she'd spotted the glowing red eyes. That was Stiles' guess though, not that he would tell the police any of it. Still, the Alpha had killed the clerk but not Jackson.

"We're predators Stiles. We don't have to be killers. There had to be a goal here. Not even animals hunt for sport." Derek's voice brought him back from his own mind.

Stiles rolled his eyes as they pushed the door to the Hale house open. "Yeah I know, they hunt for necessity." He repeated like he had heard it a million times. He hadn't, but it was a basic concept. "By the way, we should do something about this house man. Rebuild it, renovate it, something. I'm starting to feel the doom and gloom forcing its way into my life too."

Derek snorted before he turned to face Stiles. "Not everything's a joke Stiles. The Alpha's not going to stop. In less than a week, either you kill with him or he kills you."

Stiles furrowed his brows and stuffed his hands into his jacket pockets. He'd taken to doing this when the need to reach out and touch Derek arouse. His insides turned before settling. He was good at ignoring his feelings and besides, this was serious. They had to figure something out.

"Who made up these rules anyways?" Stiles asked, more curious than anything. It couldn't be wolf instinct alone could it?

"It's a rite of passage into a pack." Derek answered. "You know that."

Stiles nodded. "Like in human society." The raised eyebrow he got in reply made him smile. "You know, like graduating from high school. Getting your license and things like that."

Derek nodded. "Yeah, like those things. Except you don't have to kill anyone to do them."

Stiles shuffled his feet, having run out of things to say.

Strong arms wrapped around his waist and dragged him forward. A hot mouth pressed against his neck, sniffing and licking until it decided on a spot. Sharp teeth grazed the area before they clamped down, the skin offering little resistance as Stiles struggled to contain his moan.

"So-" his voice was higher than he was proud to admit, but he plowed on before Derek could comment. "Why can't we sniff him out when he's a human? We only go after him when he's a wolf, does his scent really change like that?"

Derek looked mildly impressed before he nodded and smirked. "Alphas especially have radically different scents sometimes. The human and animal part are two different halves of the same person, but it really just depends on the person. You for example, doesn't smell much different as a wolf and a human."

Stiles snorted. "You don't either you know. The wet dog smell follows you everywhere."

When Derek glared and rolled his eyes, Stiles couldn't help laughing.

"Can we get back on topic please? You're a wolf now, your ADD should be gone." Derek didn't sound as mad as he ought to be, and that realization made Stiles grin to himself.

"Yeah yeah, go on then. How do you purpose we find him?"

"You."

Stiles frowned before turning around and taking a seat on the bottom step of the decrepit staircase in the Hale house. "What do you mean by 'me'?"

"You have a connection to him. A link you can't understand. We have to work on controlling your powers. Once you have control, you can find him." Derek answered, taking a seat as well one step up from Stiles'.

"But I have pretty good control. You said so yourself, no one has ever taken to the bite as fast before." Stiles remembered the day vividly, he had been particularly proud when Derek had praised him like that.

"True, but we had been working on the physical so you could be able to retain your humanity during the shift on the full moon and keep from harming people when he called for you. Now, we are going to be expanding your sense. Internal more so than external. We need the pack bond to search him out, otherwise we won't ever find him."

Stiles bobbed his head in understanding before he stood. "Come on then. Dad's on this new Video Store murder case so I'm safe for the night. Not like I'm going to get any sleep anyways, so why don't we start now?"

Derek smirked a bit before holding his hand out. Stiles grabbed it and pulled the older wolf up. Not that Derek needed help, Stiles knew, but it was a gesture; Camaraderie. Stiles would take it. Even if he wanted so much more.

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Training hadn't been as fun this time around as the physical portion had been earlier. Still, Stiles had spent the time with Derek, the older wolf walking them through certain aspects of a pack bond as Stiles tried to locate the pull to his will, his heart almost.

It was frustrating how dull that pull really was and sooner rather than later, the training was done. Stiles holding his head as he felt the edges of a migraine setting in.

"He's trying to stay hidden. It won't be easy for us to sense him, but you will find him ever when he doesn't want to be found. There are a lot of bonds inside of wolf, the bond to a human form and an animal form being the strongest. Then there is our bonds to the moon, to pack members and families. We run on instinct and feelings, and that's what we are going to use to find the Alpha." Derek had explained after Stiles complained again how much easier the physical training had been compared to this. Hell, even their friendly game of 'I Spy' was fun, this was just torture. Keeping his wolf right there on the edge of his control so that he would connect to ever bond he had, it was surprising he hadn't shifted and ran out the door. But he was too good for that. Better than most in the control department.

"Even born wolves have more trouble than you seem to have now, and you are only a couple of months old. You're doing really good pup." Derek's praise and the smile he'd received made his stomach turn like cake batter. It felt so nice to be good at something. It almost felt at times like he was made to be a wolf, he was born to take the bite. Even if he hadn't asked for it.

So it was no surprise that Stiles was in a very unusual mood when he got to school the next day.

Scott had refused to talk about werewolves, or hunters, or Derek, and Stiles had agreed. Now though, he knew his best friend had left school with Allison. Stiles heard them talk, heard the car turn on and drive away and he left them to it. After all, hunter or not, it was Allison's birthday and Stiles could allow his friend some room.

Only, Scott had about the worst timing in the world.

"Has anyone seen Scott McCall?"

Of course that question would be directed at Stiles. They were best friends after all, it's no surprise really. So Stiles shook his head, the cap of the highlighter he'd been using still in his mouth

And then Jackson Whittemore walked in. Stiles could smell something off about the other boy, but he couldn't identify why. Jackson smelt of fear and confusion and anger, his heart rate was really rather high and he was pale, eyes sunken and hands shaking. Stiles already knew what the boy had seen in the Video Store but now he could ask all the questions that'd been rowing circles around in his head.

And then Harrison opened his freaking mouth.

"Stillinski, you might want to try putting the highlighter down between paragraphs. This is chemistry, not a coloring book." And Stiles could feel the wolf bristle.

He spit the cap out of his mouth toward the ceiling, catching it in his hand when it fell back down. Then he noticed who was in the seat in front of him.

Danny. Jackson's best friend.

He leaned forward, speaking softly so Harrison wouldn't feel the need to interrupt. "Hey Danny, can I ask you a question?"

"No."

The blunt answer was a little shocking as well as just a little bit hurtful, but he carried on anyways. It was important after all.

"Well I'm going to anyways. Um, did Lydia show up in your homeroom today?"

He heard the sigh, and listened close to Danny's heartbeat. There was no stutter when he answered. "No."

"Can I ask you another question?" Okay, so he was sort of pushing it, but still, this was all just as important.

"Answer's still no."

This time, Stiles ignored it. "Does anyone know what happened to her and Jackson last night?"

"He wouldn't…tell me."

Stiles heard it loud and clear, the hurt in Danny's voice.

"But he's your best friend."

And that's when Danny's scent changed. Oh shit. Oh my god, Danny's crushing on Jackson! It was such a revelation that Stiles didn't really know what to do with it, so he decided to put it out of him mind. The only way he knew what to do that was to think about Derek. And with that though:

"One more question."

The irritation colored Danny's tone. "What?!"

"Do you find me attractive?"

Now Danny's scent was screaming confusion, but also something else, something Stiles didn't recognize. He leaned forward more, trying to get a clear whiff of the scent so he could distinguish it. Stiles didn't noticed when he'd leaned too far until he was falling out of his seat, flailing to get himself righted and back on his bench.

Okay, bad idea. He got back in his seat and played it off, tossing everyone who stared at him a sharp glare. He was spending too much time with Derek because the glares worked and everyone looked away.

It was two classes later that Stiles noticed the familiar scent of Derek gracing the hallways. Not that Stiles was going to go looking for Derek. That would be stupid and stalker-ish. Chances were, if Derek was here, the wolf was here for him anyways, right? Yeah right. So Stiles went to his next class without following the path the strong and heady smell made.

Instead he texted Scott. And he texted Scott. And he texted Scott in ALL CAPS! So, he called Scott.

"What?" Scott's voice was low and angry and Stiles knew why, he could hear Allison's breathing, the hum of the engine, and the crunch of gravel. But he ignored all of it.

"Finally, did you get my texts?"

"Yeah, like, all nine million of them."

"Do you have any idea what's going on? Lydia is totally MIA, Jackson looks like he's got a time bomb inserted into his face! Another random guy is dead and you have to help me do something about it!"

"Like what?"

"Something!" Stiles could practically feel Scott's disdain for the situation. "Look, I know we agreed to just not talk about it, but I can't keep doing nothing while people keep dying and me and Derek can't do it alone…Scotty we're going to need some help."

"O-okay. I'll deal with it later…"

And then Scott hung up. Just like that. 'I'll deal with it later.'

Stiles couldn't hold back the stab of anger at his friend. People were dying left and right and still all Scott cared about was Allison freaking Argent.

"Stiles."

Derek's voice washed over him like a water fall, crashing down on his senses and helping him regain the wolf. "Stiles, you're growling. Calm down." He was trying, honestly he was trying.

And then Derek's warm and strong hand was on the back of his neck and the scent of the other wolf was filling his nose. Derek's shoulder against his forehead, having been pulled there so that his face is hidden from the rest of the crowded hallway.

Slowly, he was able to calm down. The anger still aching in his chest for a best friend who could care less about him. Ever since this whole werewolf thing. Ever since Allison Argent, their relationship has been strained. Different. Distant.

"I'm losing my best friend." He whispered into Derek's leather jacket.

"Hey pup, if he doesn't want to be here, we don't need him. You don't need him. You got me, remember? We're pack. I won't leave you alone." Derek whispered back, his head bowed a little so his nose was right against Stiles' temple.

Stiles didn't feel the anger anymore. The warmth was something else entirely and he would take this over that any day.

"Really?" God his voice sounded so weak, but Derek didn't bring that up.

"Really Stiles. You're the only pack I have left, so I have nowhere else to go."

With a grin he pulled back from Derek, the hand on his neck falling away. He let his eyes flash gold and he saw Derek's answering blue. A long deep breath calmed the rest of him before he opened his eyes and decided to share what information he had with Derek.

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It was actually the bigger wolf's suggestion that he go visit Lydia. Whatever she saw, it must have truly frightened her is she skipped out on school. Anything she could tell us would help, so Stiles agreed.

And it worked. Not that Lydia could talk at all, doped up on all the drugs she took for her nerves, but her phone was a different story. A video of the Alpha. Lydia had managed to take a video of the Alpha's escape without even realizing what she had done. If the police had found it…Stiles didn't even want to think about the possibility. So he called Derek.

Who, didn't pick up.

So he called again, and again, and again, and now even Derek was ignoring him.

"Hey…it's me again. Look, I found something and I don't know what to do. Okay? So if you could turn your phone on right now, that's be great. Or else, I'll kill you. Do you understand me? I'm gonna kill you. And I'm too upset right now to come up with a witty discretion of how I'm going to kill you, so I'm just gonna do it, okay? I gonna…ugh! Goodbye."

He tossed his phone on the bed, it bounced there twice before falling on the ground and Stiles growled for a minute, stewing in his own anger. Derek said he would leave Stiles alone. He promised it, but now Stiles can't reach him and he's so worried something happened, but so upset that Derek had lied. No, not lied. His heartbeat had been steady, he'd meant what he said, so what could keep him from answer Stiles' phone calls?

The second he sst down, the knock on his door startled him back up.

It was his dad. He breathed out in relief before he actually heard what the man had said.

"Please tell me I'm going to hear good news at this parent teacher thing tonight."

Stiles can't really lie to save his life, so he opts for distraction. "Depends on how you define good news."

The sheriff raises an eye brow. "I define it as you getting straight A's with no behavioral issues."

"You might want to rethink that definition." Stiles admits, a guilty look crossing his face. That was all the answer the Sheriff needed.

"Enough said." He head his dad say as the man walked away. He listened for the boots descending the stairs and then for the slamming of the front door before he grabbed Lydia's phone and watched the video of the Alpha again.

"Come on Derek…where are you?"

It was supposed to be rhetorical, but when he heard his window being pulled open, it became literal.

"Derek!"

The older wolf climbed in, his face pale, his body covered in sweat and most important of all, completely shirtless.

Stiles felt the arousal increase in his brain and his heart and his pants.

Oh my god he's like MADE of pure muscles. Oh let me touch… He surged forward when it looked like Derek would fall over, grabbing Derek's beefy arms to steady him. Hard, really, incredibly, hard muscles. If he wanted to he could pin me to a wall and sex me up raw and I still wouldn't be able to fight him off. It was true, Stiles was faster than Derek, but not stronger.

He was so turned on, it was so hard to keep his scent from showing it. So much so that he couldn't manage it.

Stiles noticed the very moment Derek got a whiff of it. The look of shock and the flash of blue eyes made him wince in pure embarrassment. Distraction! Got to distract him.

"What happened?!" Stiles asked, ignoring his bodily reactions to Derek's body as he helped the taller body onto his bed. Derek accepted both the help, and the way out of the awkward situation.

"Hunters. Can't go back to my house." Derek breathed slowly, drawing breath in through his mouth. Smart move.

"You can stay here tonight. Dad's at Parent Teacher conference and I'm doing some research. No one will bother us tonight." Geez that sounded like an invitation for sexy time! Not that Stiles would be opposed to sexy time with Derek…god he'd actually beg for it if – OH-KAY, not going there.

"I'm just gonna go back to the, yeah." He sat down at his desk chair and turned it back around so he was facing the computer, not that he was actually paying any attention, his sense were all focused on Derek, shirtless on his bed. HIS BED! SHIRTLESS! Temptation you are one cruel mistress.

There was shuffling from the bed and the sound of Derek standing up, and then the scent, oh god that scent. It mirrored his own, his arousal, his attraction. And Stiles had to leave the room.

"I'm gonna go see what my dad has on file!" Stiles almost screamed as he bolted up and left the room before Derek could ever say or do anything. He'd been planning on getting the files anyway. Looking for connection between the only werewolves he knew and the people who were killed. The safest place to start would be the Hale Fire, his dad had all the files down in his office and Stiles knew where he left the spare key.

He hadn't expected Derek to follow him though, but he felt it. The presence of Derek behind him, the other wolf's footsteps soft but sure.

"Stiles." Derek called, halting his awkward shuffling steps.

"Yeah?" Stiles called back. He didn't turn around, he didn't want to see Derek's face, or Derek's body. Okay, total lie, I want to see Derek's body.

"Is it just…lust?"

Now that was a very left field question. One Stiles wasn't sure how to answer to be honest. Did he lust for Derek? Hell yes. Was it Just lust? Hell no. But if he said that, what would Derek think? He had reacted to Stiles arousal, but the smell itself was enough to affect any wolf equally, it was a husky scent that Stiles smelled often around school so he knew what the affects were. So was Derek's own arousal honest or a reaction?

"Not sure what you're talkin' about Der, but I really gotta get those files while my dad's not home, so just…yeah." He only took one step forward before Derek's heavy hand landed on his shoulder.

"You're lying."

It was a statement of fact, nothing more, but it sounded so much like an accusation. Stiles knew his heart was about to explode. The pounding even echoed in his own head, blood rushing to his face and thumping in his ears. Oh god he thought he could hide it, who the hell was he kidding? The dude was a freakin werewolf. Hell, Lydia was human and she'd known, then again he wasn't the best at hiding…or lying or anything like keeping secrets.

"Stiles."

"Derek just…please just let it go." He's voice was desperate, no matter how obvious he was being, he wasn't ready for this, he couldn't handle this right now, if ever. Derek knew, Stiles knew he knew. It was so plainly presented there in his scent, in his actions, in his desperation to avoid the topic.

When Derek's hand slipped away, Stiles felt his heart sink.

He'd asked Derek to let it go, he knew it was his fault, but Derek just gave up, just like that. Obviously Derek didn't feel the same.

"I'll…I'm gonna go get the files. You can look through them with me." Without turning back, Stiles walked to his dad's office. Derek didn't follow him this time.

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(Okay people, this is a little gift to all of my loyal readers for taking so long to update. My best friend started reading this and she talked about how much she wanted to read Derek's point of view, so I'm giving you guys this little sneak peek into what Derek things of the situation. I hope you like it.)

Derek swallowed down the lump in his throat as Stiles walked away. The scent of the boy's arousal lingered, but it was overwhelmed by fear and mortification now. God he was so stupid! He had the chance, right there, probably his one and ONLY freaking chance to own up to his own emotions and he just let it slip away like water.

"'Is it just lust?'" Derek mocked his own words as he turned around to head back into the younger boy's room. "What kind of stupid question was that? I should know him better than that by now!" Derek chastised himself, his steps falling heavier than usual.

Stiles wasn't like anyone Derek had ever met before. The boy had a quirky awkwardness to him that Derek found endearing, even if at first it had only been annoying. Everything at first had been about getting the boy's help to find out who killed his sister.

But now? Now it was about so much more.

When had it happened? When had his feelings changed the way they had? The clearest memory he had was about the first game they had ever played of 'I Spy'. He had been pushing Stiles, telling him that if he couldn't control the physical changes, he would kill the teen without hesitation. At the time, he'd meant it whole heartedly. That's when Stiles' eyes shifted and he huffed out a set of colors.

Derek had been so confused at first. Was this some weird version of human meditation?

"Over your shoulder man. It's blue."

Curious and slightly put out, he'd turned around and strained his own sight. It wasn't hard to find, what Stiles meant, it was the only blue item in that direction after all, but it was quite a ways away. "Your jeep, about five and a half miles out. What's your point?" When he turned back to the boy, the grin on his face was startling.

It lit up the boys eyes and lightened is features so much. Derek remembered his exact thought at that moment. Holy shit, the boy is attractive. And that was when the thoughts started. The game became a normal pass time and Stiles started to grow on him.

And now here he was, laying on the boy's bed without a shirt and inhaling the smell of the boy that surrounded the room.

Stiles' voice had been so…strained. A desperation there Derek didn't understand. He'd never thought Stiles would feel anything for him, the boy had feeling for that red headed girl, the one with so much perfume she smelled almost toxic. Derek could always tell when the girl had been around Stiles because the scents would cling to the younger wolf.

But why? Why would Stiles get aroused by Derek and just blow it off. And his question, why did it get such a reaction. 'Is it just lust?' He wanted to know, he wanted to be sure, wanted the words. But Stiles had begged him to drop it. Begged him to let Stiles walk away without having to explain it.

He likes me. At least, Derek thinks he does. There is no other explanation for the reaction. For the fear. Stiles was scared of Derek's reaction to his arousal. Or he just wasn't ready to admit to the attraction.

Or maybe he just doesn't want anything to change. Well, okay then. Derek could deal with that. He didn't honestly want anything to change either. His relationship with Stiles was perfect as it was right now. The connection to a person he could trust, who wasn't family, was overwhelming. He thought he'd never trust again after Kate.

Kate…she was back.

And now Derek had to wonder if he should tell Stiles. Everything. If it would help the boy with his 'investigation'. That's another thing about Stiles that he absolutely adored. The boy was smart. Far more so than anyone gave him credit for half the time. Stiles had figured out that there must be a connection between the murders or Jackson would have been killed too. And Stiles was well on his way to figuring out what that connection was.

Derek liked Stiles. But if Stiles wanted them to remain the same, just the way they were, then Derek could do it. After all, he'd been planning on doing just that from the very beginning.

"Okay, I found the files on the Hale Fire. Supposedly it was an electrical malfunction, but it also said Possible Arson. Someone set that fire on purpose."

Stiles' voice broke through his thoughts, the words sinking in next turning his bones to ice.

"Someone planned it alright." Derek growled. "The Argents."

Derek saw Stiles nod his head from the corner of his eyes. He pushed himself up until he was sitting, eyes the boy who looked much calmer now.

"Do you really want to ignore it?" The words were out before he could stop them and he literally winced at his level of tact. Why don't you just chase the poor boy out of his own house already Derek!

When Stiles' body stiffed almost to the point of pain, Derek sighed, read to open his mouth and let the younger wolf off the hook when Stiles finally spoke up.

"Yes. For now. Yes."

And just like that, the tension was gone and Stiles smiled at him. Those eyes warm but guarded. Derek felt a sense of loss at that. Stiles hadn't ever been guarded with him. Not since they had gotten closer. "We need to focus on this. When we find the Alpha, when everything is over. We can talk."

Derek nodded, taking the answer with a small smile of his own. He would be okay with that. As long as this wasn't over yet. Whatever this is.

When Stiles' phone rang out, they both jumped, Stiles diving for it on the floor next to the bed.

Derek peered over the edge and watched as Stiles picked it up.

"Stiles speaking."

The voice of Scott was heard on the other side and Derek had to keep himself from growling. The boy wasn't any good for anyone, much less Stiles.

"Dude, Allison's dad just shot a mountain lion and your dad got bumped by a car. We're at the school I think you should get here, like now."

Stiles glanced at Derek, eyes wide and scared and Derek could feel the protective instinct rise up within him. The need to keep Stiles safe, to keep anyone who is important to Stiles safe.

"Lets go."