Stiles slipped on his shoes, a mix of excitement and apprehension swirling inside him. Derek had a soft smile playing on his lips.

"He still doesn't expect anything?" Derek's voice was tender as he gently tucked a stray hair behind Stiles' ear.

Stiles grinned mischievously, his eyes bright with anticipation. "Not a clue! At least I don't think so. He just thinks I'm coming for dinner tonight, because of his birthday tomorrow. I had Parrish keep him busy at work this afternoon, just long enough for me to pack a bag." He chuckled, feeling a surge of affection for his dad. "And thanks for letting us use your cabin in the woods by the way."

Derek's smile was soft, his gaze lingering on Stiles with a mixture of fondness and reluctance. "Of course. No need to thank me." He opened the front door, a cool breeze ruffling their hair. "I'll miss you until you're back." He added, a hint of longing in his voice.

"Aww…" Scott's teasing voice interrupted from behind them. He and Kira peeked out from the couch, mischief dancing in their eyes. They were the only pack members at Derek's; the rest had gone on a day trip to an amusement park and would sleep somewhere nearby. They wouldn't return until the next day.

Stiles chuckled, rolling his eyes playfully. "Shut up, Scott!" he teased back, before returning his gaze back to Derek. "I'll miss you too, and of course I'd love for you to come, but I just wanted it to be him and me tomorrow."

Derek's hand found Stiles', a reassuring warmth seeping into his skin. "Don't worry, I understand." He reassured, his thumb brushing over the ring adorning Stiles' finger. "I know he'll miss his favorite son-in-law on his special day, but we'll see each other the day after tomorrow."

"Almost son-in-law." Stiles corrected with a playful smirk. "Plus, you'll be the only son-in-law. What nonsense are you mumbling about favorites." He winked, his eyes twinkling with affection.

Stiles glanced at his phone, a sense of urgency creeping into his demeanor. "Shit! I really have to go now. I'm already late!" With a quick peck on Derek's lips, he dashed from the porch and into his jeep, his hand waving back at Derek until he disappeared from view.

Watching Stiles drive away, Derek felt a twinge of longing tug at his heart. God, he loved that idiot.

~oOoOo~

Stiles glanced in his rearview mirror as the Hale residence faded into the distance behind him. He already missed Derek terribly, but he was determined to make this night special for his dad. A night away at the cabin in the woods was just what they needed. And he couldn't wait to see his dad's face light up when he realized they weren't heading to a restaurant for dinner, but to a cozy cabin in the woods with a fishing pond nearby—the perfect spot for father-son bonding. Just like old times.

Night had begun to fall, and as Stiles drove along the darkened road, his mind wandered at the familiar strains of one of his favorite songs filling the car. The road was deserted, as it often was near the Hale residence, especially at this hour. It was strangely peaceful, and Stiles cranked up the volume, losing himself in the trees that blurred past, their silhouettes dancing in the fading light, and Stiles couldn't shake the feeling of contentment that settled over him.

As Stiles navigated the familiar route towards his father's house, he glanced at the dashboard clock and his heart sank as he realized he was running late. He had promised to pick up his dad at 7 pm, and it was already that time.

Stiles chuckled to himself, a nervous energy bubbling beneath his skin. When was he ever on time, anyway?

But his musings were abruptly interrupted by a sudden movement in the darkness – a deer darting across the road, flying past the jeep. Stiles' heart leaped into his throat as he swerved sharply, the tires of his jeep screeching against the asphalt. Panic surged through him as he fought to regain control, but it was too late as the wheels caught the slippery mud next to the road and the world began to spin wildly. The sound of crunching metal and shattering glass echoing in his ears as the jeep collided with a tree.

Stiles cried out in terror as the impact jolted him violently, his body thrown forward against the seatbelt with bone-jarring force. The airbag exploded in his face and his head collided with the side window. Stiles struggled to remain conscious, his head spinning with pain and confusion. Blood dripped from a gash on his forehead, and his vision began to swim as he fought to focus. Darkness eventually enveloped him as the world faded away, leaving nothing but the deafening roar of his own heartbeat echoing in his ears.

~oOoOo~

Restlessness gnawed at Derek's insides as he paced the living room, his wolf prowling anxiously beneath his skin. He kept looking towards the door and tried to push aside his growing unease, but it clawed at him relentlessly, refusing to be ignored. Unable to shake the feeling of unease that gripped him, Derek sat down on a chair his movements frantic and urgent. Scott and Kira exchanged worried glances, sensing their alpha's distress.

"It's just for a day, Derek." Scott tried to reassure him, but Derek's gaze remained fixed on the door, his mind consumed by worry.

"I don't like this." Derek mumbled, his voice barely above a whisper. Stiles should have arrived at his dad's house by now, but there had been no word from him since he left. The message he sent earlier remained unread, and his calls went straight to voicemail.

"Maybe he's just catching up with his dad?" Kira offered, her voice tinged with uncertainty. "He was running a bit late, and they probably went straight to the cabin. He'll call or text when they get there."

Derek hated how his wolf seemed to be howling at him with desperation, a surge of restlessness coursed through him. "Perhaps." He muttered, his mind already racing ahead and he stood up abruptly. "I'll be out for a while."

He needed to let his wolf out, to ease the rising tide of anxiety threatening to overwhelm him.

~oOoOo~

Derek's heart pounded with dread, his wolf restless and uneasy. Derek struggled to control his primal instincts. "Get it together." He muttered to himself with a frustrated exhale, and he kicked at the dirt beneath his feet. He knew the bond he shared with Stiles as mates was strong, but being separated for even a day shouldn't feel this overwhelming

Moments later, Derek's heightened senses caught a familiar scent in the wind – Stiles, mingled with the metallic tang of blood and the stench of gasoline. Before he could even think about why he would smell Stiles this close-by, his feet had already dragged him forward, his wolf howling with primal urgency. His feet carried him swiftly, pounding against the earth as he raced toward the source of the scent. Fear gripped him tighter with each step, not knowing if he would find Stiles or if it was all a game of his senses and they fooled him.

But then, through the haze of his anxiety, he saw it – Stiles's crumpled jeep around a tree, smoke billowing from the engine like a dark omen. Without a second thought, Derek rushed to the driver's side, dread tightening his chest as he beheld the sight through the cracked window. The metal groaned in protest as Derek yanked the door open, his heart constricting at the sight of Stiles trapped by his seatbelt, his body slumped forward. His mate, unconscious and battered.

"Stiles?" Derek's voice was barely a whisper, filled with desperation and longing as he reached out, his fingers trembling with fear and uncertainty.

But there was no response, no flicker of consciousness from the man he loved. Panic surged through him and his wolf let out a gutteral howl.

He needed help.

His fingers trembled as he reached for the phone nestled in his pocket, the weight of dread heavy in his chest. With a shaky hand, he managed to navigate to the sheriff's number, his gaze never once leaving his mate.

After just two rings, a voice answered, "Hey Derek, you didn't have to call. I guessed as much that Stiles would be late and that he-"

"John." Derek interjected, his voice thick with urgency, causing a sudden hush on the other end of the line. He could almost sense John's concern through the phone.

"Son?"

"He's – he's. Oh god, Stiles!" Tears started to well up in his eyes.

"Derek, listen to me. Take a breath and tell me what's wrong. What happened with Stiles, is he okay?"

"He crashed!"

"Oh my god!"

The words seemed to echo in Derek's ears, followed by a pair of approaching footsteps that drew his attention. Scott and Kira were running towards him, their faces etched with worry. How had they known?

"We heard your pained howl and came as quick as we could." Scott explained, his words mirroring Derek's own thoughts. "What the fuck happened?!"

Derek could only shake his head in disbelief, his hand extending to pass the phone to Scott. "It's John. Tell him where we are."

With a deep-seated need to be by Stiles' side, Derek's heart raced as he awaited any sign of hope.

Stiles remained motionless, a haunting stillness settling over him. It was so unlike his mate and Derek's heart clenched as he inched closer, his hand trembling as it reached out to touch Stiles' arm. Instantly, a wave of agony surged through him, as his veins darkened to black when his instinctivly drew Stiles' pain away. It was overwhelming, and it threatening to engulf Derek in its merciless grip. With a gasp, he recoiled slightly, struggling to maintain his composure. But he also needed to go on. Stiles was in an awful lot of pain, and Derek couldn't stand that.

"Stiles." Derek called out, his voice thick with emotion as he assessed the extent of Stiles' injuries. The sight in front of him was unsettling – a gaping wound marring Stiles' forehead, his arm contorted at an unnatural angle, blood seeping from between his lips. And those were only the things he could see.

Despite the chaos raging within him, Derek forced himself to focus, his senses honing in on the rhythmic sounds of Stiles' shallow breaths and the faint thud of his weakened heartbeat. Relief washed over him momentarily, but it was fleeting, overshadowed by the gnawing uncertainty of Stiles' condition.

"Come on, Stiles." Derek whispered, his voice choked with emotion. "You have to wake up. Please."

Scott had ended the call with John and he and Kira hovered nearby, their faces etched with concern as they watched Derek's desperate attempts to rouse Stiles. They knew how much Stiles meant to him, how deeply he cared for the young man who he couldn't wait to get married to.

"How is he?" Scott asked, slowly getting closer to Derek again.

Derek shook his head, his gaze fixed on Stiles' prone form. "I don't know." He admitted, his voice betraying his helplessness. "He hasn't regained consciousness, and he's in immense pain. We can't just leave him like this. We need to get him out now!" His hand reached around Stiles, wanting to unbuckle the seatbelt, but Scott grabbed his arm. Derek glared at him.

Scott's grip tightened on Derek's arm, a silent plea for restraint. "We have to wait. The ambulance is on its way and I know damn sure to never move a victim unless absolutely necessary." he insisted.

~oOoOo~

John Stilinski arrived at the scene, even before the ambulance had arrived. His heart pounded with dread as he took in the sight before him. His son, unconscious and injured, trapped in the wreckage of his beloved jeep.

"Derek." He said, his voice thick with emotion. "What happened?"

Derek's eyes were haunted as he recounted the events, his voice wavering with emotion as he described what he saw when he entered the crashsite.

John's breath caught in his throat, his mind reeling at the severity of the situation. His son, trapped and injured, alone in the darkness of the woods. The thought sent a shiver down his spine as he glanced around, the shadows seeming to close in around them.

"Where is that damn ambulance!" he shouted, his frustration mounting with each passing second. He knew time was of the essence, and every moment that passed felt like an eternity.

But as he scanned the desolate road, his heart sank even further at the realization that help was still nowhere in sight. Panic threatened to overwhelm him as he turned back to Derek, his voice trembling with desperation.

"We can't just stand here and wait." He declared, his resolve hardening as he met Derek's gaze. "We have to do something."

"We can't." Derek sighed. "We can't afford to jostle him, who knows what..." He inhaled and he flicked his eyes up to the sky. The darkness seemed to press in around them, suffocating them in its intensity. He fought to keep their tears at bay.

"If you won't help me, I'll do it myself!" The sheriff declared and ultimately Derek nodded in agreement, his own fear masked by a steely determination. "You're right." He said, his voice firm. "But we need to be careful. We can't risk making things worse."

Together, they surveyed the wreckage, their minds racing with possibilities. They needed to get Stiles out of there, to safety, but they couldn't afford to cause him further harm.

Just as despair threatened to overwhelm them, a distant sound shattered the silence – the wail of sirens drawing closer and relief flooded through all of them. The flashing light in the godforsaken darkness began enveloping them.

But even as the ambulance pulled up beside them, Derek couldn't shake the feeling of dread that lingered in the air, a chilling reminder of the fragility of life and the cruel whims of fate.

Hiya!

I'm normally in the Merlin fandom, but I wanted to venture out to the Teen Wolf one.

This is my first fanfic in the Teen Wolf fandom, and I'm also used to write in British mannerisms, so forgive me if any have slipped through!

I would love to hear your thoughts on this.

Should I continue?