Teen Wolf || Steter || Teen Wolf || Steter || The Clever One || Steter || Teen Wolf || Steter || Teen Wolf

Title: The Clever One – How Stiles Beauty-and-the-Beast-ed Peter Hale

TW Disclaimer: All rights reserved to Jeff Davis and MTV. This fanfiction on the other hand is entirely mine. No money is made with this, though reviews are more than welcomed.

Tags: m/m, Alpha Peter, Erica Lives, Boyd Lives, Jackson Doesn't Leave, Pack Mom Stiles, Pack Feels, True Mates, Spark Stiles, magic, fluff, hurt/comfort, slow-burn, m/f

Main Pairing: Peter/Stiles

Side Pairings: Scott/Allison, Boyd/Erica, Jackson/Lydia

Teen Wolf Characters: Peter Hale, Mieczysław 'Stiles' Stilinski, Derek Hale, Erica Reyes, Vernon Boyd III, Isaac Lahey, Jackson Whittemore, Lydia Martin, Scott McCall, Allison Argent

Summary: A rewrite of season 2 with Alpha Peter. Peter had called Stiles the clever one but Stiles wasn't sure if Peter realized how true that was, because that was the day Stiles figured out that he was Peter's mate. The reason why Peter never harmed him when he had no qualms maiming and killing others. Stiles decides to use his new position as Alpha Mate to his advantage, to shape the new Hale Pack and to make Peter work hard to earn Stiles as his mate.

The Clever One

How Stiles Beauty-and-the-Beast-ed Peter Hale

Chapter 1: The Alpha Mate

The first time Peter and Stiles talked – really talked not just a brief acknowledgment of Stiles' existence in the hospital hall before Derek could come barreling in – Peter had called Stiles 'the clever one', but Stiles wondered if Peter really knew just how true that was. Because that day was the day Stiles figured it out. Figured Peter out.

Because his best friend was a werewolf and Stiles, being Stiles, had poured his everything into researching werewolves. He'd come across the concept of mates a couple of times, to varying degrees romanticized like it was a fairy tale for children. But enough sources seemed legitimate and resonated with what Stiles had observed between Scott and Allison to make him realize that nope, this one was real, werewolves actually had soulmates they recognized upon first meeting.

The way Scott had heard Allison from the moment she got to their school, how in-tune he was with her right away, just how quickly and hard they both fell in love with each other, how Scott – even when he was willing to threaten and hurt Stiles – never could lay a hand on Allison, how Allison calmed him down when nothing else could. That wasn't just love. If love could anchor like that then damn it all to hell Stiles could have been Scott's anchor – if not romantic, they did love each other some fiercely, and these things should not differentiate between romantic and platonic love. But it wasn't about love, it was about the mate-bond that anchored Scott.

The evidence was glaringly obvious in every single interaction Stiles has had with Peter. He would have to be an idiot to not put it together. And he wasn't an idiot. He was the clever one.

Even feral and driven by instincts, Peter had only bitten Scott. Not Stiles. Even though he had been lurking about, could have bitten them both that night but had waited until Stiles was gone. Was safe. Because he couldn't force the bite onto Stiles, couldn't intentionally hurt Stiles.

The way he'd ever so slowly approached Stiles in the hospital, when Stiles realized Peter was the Alpha. Near taunting him, with no intention to harm or kill, even though if it had been what he wanted, the werewolf could have rushed over to him in a split-second and killed or bitten him.

And how he had mauled Lydia. Lydia – Stiles' date for the night – but when Stiles begged for her life, to be allowed to send someone to get her help, Peter had allowed it. Had then kidnapped Stiles with no bodily harm coming to Stiles at all, which stood in even greater contrast to the state he'd left Lydia in. Like Peter was incapable of hurting Stiles, something further proven by Peter's nurse dead in the trunk of the car. The woman who'd aided Peter, so easy to be discarded, to be killed, once she was no longer useful. Yet he didn't kill Stiles, not even after Stiles fulfilled his use. No, all Peter did was bent Stiles' keys. Didn't even harm the Jeep, much less the Stiles.

And he'd offered Stiles the bite. Offered. Not forced on him. Backed off when Stiles said no.

Offered, because Stiles was the clever one, because he regretted not turning Stiles. But the clever one knew to put all these bits and pieces into context and looking at the evidence, it was impossible for Stiles not to see the truth behind it all. He was Peter Hale's mate.

Derek was quick to switch onto Peter's side. His only living family. His Alpha.

Stiles was… doubtful. Reluctant. Confused. He found himself talking more with Allison, about her and Scott. Couldn't believe he willingly exposed himself to that, considering he already had to hear it all from Scott's side. But what he wanted wasn't the wolf side, he wanted to hear what the human side of a mate-bond felt. Because it was clear that Allison also felt something, not the same level as Scott, the same instinctual bond, but she had fallen as hard and as deep in as short a time.

"As nice as this was, and it really was," Allison smiled a little, tilting her head. "Why did you ask?"

"I don't…" Stiles licked his lips. "If Scott did something bad, would you still love him?"

"Yes," Allison looked as surprised by the quickness of her reply as Stiles. "But… I don't think he would? I mean, you know him better than me. I think that if he ever did something bad, it would be because there was no other way, because it was to prevent a greater evil from happening? And I think that he would suffer from it too, from having done something bad, so I would want to be… there for him? If that makes sense?"

And it did. Because Scott was not Peter. Scott was this pure puppy-dog of a man who believed in second chances and in the good in people and in better solutions. Peter believed in violence, an eye for an eye. He was manipulative and cut-throat and Stiles was a bit afraid of how much of himself he saw in that approach. He too was manipulative and he had no qualms using violence for payback. Heck, he didn't even necessarily think Peter was wrong for wanting the people dead who killed his entire family. What Stiles was however hung up on were Laura and Scott.

/break\

Stiles walked into the broken, burned out husk of the Hale House like he owned the place. Just to be stopped by a hand on his chest and blue eyes flashing at him from Derek's annoyed face.

"What are you doing here, Stiles," Derek growled.

"I'm here to talk to your glorious Alpha," Stiles tilted his head with an uncaring air.

He was not going to let Derek threaten him. Sure, in the past his heart would jump and he would be afraid, even if he still helped Derek out. Right now, Stiles was fully confident in his own safety. Derek narrowed his eyes in irritation, smelling or hearing that Stiles wasn't intimidated.

"You fought him, in the hospital. You fought him to protect me," Stiles argued with a frown. "He killed your sister, Derek. Why did you join him?"

"You wouldn't understand," Derek was close to snarling.

"Try me," Stiles threw up his hands. "I understand a lot more than you think."

This time, Derek did snarl. Just to receive a warning growl from upstairs. A cocky grin spread over Stiles' lips. He'd known the Alpha was here too. He'd known that as long as Peter was close by, Derek wouldn't get to do any threatening or bodily harm. The beta ground his teeth and stepped back. Hah. Oh, Stiles was absolutely going to revel in the fact that he now outranked Derek. Alpha Mate beat out the Alpha's right-hand. His grin turned a note of shit-eating.

"He was in a coma for six years. Slowly healing. Aware of everything around him. You couldn't understand what that is like for a wolf, especially…" Derek swallowed hard, looking away. "Everyone was dead, me and Laura were gone. He was alone with it all."

"He went insane," Stiles nodded. "I feel like we established the insanity part in the hospital. You fought him in the hospital. I want to know what changed since then."

"He's still healing," Derek's voice dropped even more. "He wasn't fully healed when he killed Laura, he was… feral. Acting on instincts. Seeking to get better. Becoming Alpha… did that."

Stiles could hear it. He could hear the despair in Derek's voice. Stiles closed his eyes and heaved a soft sigh. Asking Derek was useless, Derek desperately wanted to believe this. Because what was the other option? That his only living family had willingly, or even joyfully, murdered Derek's sister? No. Of course did Derek cling onto the hope that things could get better now.

"Okay," Stiles sighed. "You can go now, Derek."

The beta stared at him incredulously. "You don't tell me what to do, Stiles. Werewolf, human. We established this. Why do you think you can tell me what to do, in my own home."

With all the confidence he could muster did Stiles raise his head, not cowering, holding Derek's gaze with a calm pulse. "Because Alpha Mate outranks right-hand."

And oh this felt good. Stiles smirked cockily. Even as a not werewolf, he could feel the tension in the air. The shocked look on Derek's face – genuine shock, meaning Derek hadn't put it together yet and Peter hadn't told him, oh damn, Derek hadn't even known. A laugh barked out from upstairs.

"I knew you would figure it out on your own. I didn't think so soon though," Peter sounded both amused and nearly fond. "Leave us, Derek."

Grounding his teeth together, Derek shot his uncle one last look before he headed out. Peter only walked into view at the top of the stairs after they could hear the Camaro roar to life and drive off.

"Tell me that he's right," Stiles ordered, crossing his arms over his chest. "Tell me that you are still healing. Getting better. Because, you know, the bit where you mauled one of my best friends-"

"She was all over you," Peter growled, his eyes flashing red. "You were all over her."

Stiles swallowed, the cockiness cracking some. Not because the growling and red eyes intimidated him, but because of how much they turned him on. No one had ever been possessive over him. Heck, no one had ever been interested in him. Sure, Lydia had gone to Homecoming with him in the end, but that had been more coercion from Allison and pity than Lydia actually wanting him. Lydia still wanted Jackson. Still loved Jackson. Might always love Jackson.

Peter cleared his throat, all calm and professional again. "I am still healing. The outside heals the fastest, it's… the inside that needs more time, even with wolf-healing. A large part of me is still very… feral and reduced to base instincts. I attacked her because my inner wolf felt threatened by her, threatened by the way she was making advances on my mate."

Stiles' heart jumped a little at that. So he had figured it out, but actually hearing himself referred to as Peter's mate was something else entirely than figuring it out on his own, for himself. Stiles bit down on his cheek, his arms tightly crossed in front of his chest. Part of him was grateful Peter was still at the top of the stairs. Physical distance between them. This whole conversation was a lot. Though Stiles had come to the realization that he was Peter's mate, he had not fully come to terms with that fact. He didn't know what to do with it, or what it could or should or would mean.

"I'm not going to do anything to you," Peter's voice was soft, which might be the weirdest part of this entire conversation. "Or with you. Not yet. You're more child than man, Stiles. But I can already tell why my wolf chose you as my mate. You are clever. Brilliant. Tricky. Manipulative. Cunning. Quick-witted. All the qualities I cherish the most."

Stiles couldn't help but flush at that. "Yeah, well, don't make it sound like that's your grand gesture there, I am not exactly tripping over myself trying to get into your pants either. You turned my best friend into a werewolf, without his consent – even though you proved that you are capable of asking for it when you asked me if I wanted the bite – and you mauled Lydia. I'm not considering you Prince Charming. And from what my research showed, a werewolf mate-bond is something that strengthens and grows over time. So, I guess, you still have time to prove yourself."

Peter quirked his lips, looking absolutely amused by him. "Prove myself, mh?"

"Again. Maiming and mauling of people I love," Stiles narrowed his eyes. "You say you don't want anything romantic or sexual with me yet, but this mate-bond thing is a life-long bond. At one point, you will. Because you're the wolf here. You can feel it. So, if you want me to be on the same page by then, you better prove yourself to me."

The grin on Peter's lips looked near amazed or excited and Stiles didn't know what to do with that. It was like the Alpha enjoyed being challenged, enjoyed that Stiles wasn't just swooning at the prospect of having a soulmate, but gave Peter conditions to earn it. Weird.

"You've seen what I'm capable of," and it was clearly implied here that Peter didn't just speak of his werewolf abilities but morally, the depth of the things he was willing to do. "So tell me then, what do you think you can demand of me?"

"What I think I can demand of you? Pretty much anything, as long as it's about me," Stiles huffed amused, cocking his head. "You can't hurt me. I mean, physically can't. And I think that… even emotionally, you couldn't, not intentionally. Heck, part of me thinks that you turning Scotty was for me, in a twisted, weird way, because your wolf could smell me all over him, thought it would appeal to me if you had my best friend in your pack. And Lydia. You attacked her irrationally, feral and threatened, but when I asked you to let someone come and help her, you agreed. Because you saw how much her condition was getting to me. I think I can ask pretty much anything of you."

"Manipulative," Peter pointed out, and he sounded proud and impressed and pleased. "Well, then."

"You will never lay a hand on anyone I love again," Stiles eyes were hard and his voice was cold, his body-language conveying how serious he was. "Not my dad, not Scott, not Scott's mom, not Lydia. Reign your possessive wolf instincts in. She's not interested in me anyway. If you ever hurt any of them again, I will put a wolfsbane bullet in you myself."

"Threatening," Peter smirked. "Cute."

"I'm not joking," Stiles frowned annoyed. "I'm the sheriff's son. I know how to use a gun. And I know where to get wolfsbane bullets from."

The playfulness left Peter when he realized that Stiles needed to be taken seriously here. "Okay. Noted down. I don't plan on hurting my pack anyway. Of which Scott is a part of now, whether he likes it or not. And Lydia, well, the cuts were deep so who knows if she will end up joining my pack too. Your father is safe, I promise you that."

There was still quip and snark in his voice, but that last sentence was spoken with sincerity and Stiles nodded pleased. "No more turning anyone without their consent. Scott hates this, hates being a werewolf, if he'd had a choice he would have said no. I get that a pack of three isn't going to do you much good, I know you're going to turn more people, strengthen the pack. But everyone you bite will first be informed of both the good and the bad, they will be given a choice, and that choice is going to be respected by you. The way you gave me a choice, and respected it."

"I have no problem with that condition," Peter waved a dismissive hand. "Scott is more trouble than he is gain to me, as is. A beta who doesn't want to be a werewolf is not an asset to the pack. Betas who are loyal to their Alpha, who will be willing to listen to their inner wolves, will be assets. I only turned him out of instinct, the need to strengthen my pack while not being… mentally there enough to actually think things through. Believe me, I will plan out my pack in the future."

"Our," Stiles corrected unflinchingly. "Alpha Mate. Makes this my pack too, doesn't it?"

The look on Peter's face was nearly smug with delight. "Our pack."

Pressing his lips into a thin line, Stiles nodded slowly to himself. Good. This was going better than expected. He had known he could ask anything of Peter, but he had still somehow expected resistance. Protest. Even annoyance, to be honest. After all, Peter was stuck with an obnoxious, loud-mouthed sixteen year old as his mate. Part of Stiles had thought Peter would be annoyed.

"I'll not stop killing," Peter offered as the silence between them stretched on. "If that's going to be your next condition. I'm not done. I will not stop."

"I won't ask you to."

At that, Peter's head snapped over to stare at him in genuine surprise. "What."

Turning his head, Stiles avoided looking at the Alpha. "They killed your entire family. Adults and children alike. Everyone you loved. Trapped you in your own body for years. They deserve it. The ones who did it. I will demand that you stop killing innocent people though. Like your nurse. Reign it in. Channel your anger and murderous tendencies toward those who deserve it."

When Stiles looked up again, he saw a strange expression on Peter's face at the word 'deserve'. Like he couldn't believe that Stiles would deem anyone deserved it. Well, he wasn't Scott. He didn't have that same belief in second chances and the goodness of every person. Someone who trapped an entire family in their home and set it aflame without hesitation didn't deserve better. Though a part of Stiles suspected that the viciousness in his mind might also be linked to the mate-bond, may be Peter's feelings bleeding through, or represent Stiles' own ties to Peter's pain.

"Very well," Peter tilted his head, looking pleased with himself. "I… will not kill those who don't deserve it, then. As long as you don't try to stop me from killing those who do deserve it."

Stiles nodded, sharply. Pleased with this agreement. They'd covered everything that Stiles deemed important. If Peter could adhere to these rules – well, honestly, Stiles didn't know. Right now, looking at the other man, Stiles really didn't know. Peter was handsome, sure. Stiles didn't mind the age-gap, maybe it was even kind of hot. He was disturbed by how attractive he found the decisiveness and even the ruthlessness. Yes, Stiles was aware that he was a manipulative bastard himself, and he found that quality attractive in others – always had, as proven by his long-time crush on Lydia Martin. Stiles couldn't tell what may happen in months, a year, who knew how long. It all really did depend on what Peter was going to do next.

/break\

Peter smiled pleased to himself as he sat on the armchair in the burned out remains of the Hale library, holding a glass of wine. Derek was still out, probably fuming about the fact that a loud-mouthed, flailing teenager now outranked him. Stiles on the other seemed to love that. And Peter found that delightful. He found a lot of things about Stiles delightful.

When he'd realized his mate was sixteen and human, he thought the fates just weren't done punishing him yet. Still, he kept observing Stiles, watched the way this human with no prior knowledge of the supernatural world absorbed knowledge, managed to teach Scott control over his wolf quicker and more effective than Peter had seen some born wolves do. Figure things out that even born wolves struggled with, like the mate-bond – those who didn't find their own yet often didn't understand what the bond really meant, yet Stiles had seen Scott and Allison and understood. Stiles figured things out, solved problems. He had a brilliant mind. And even more so, he had an unwavering loyalty, was fiercely protective of those he loved and would fight tooth and nail for them. Oh, to be so lucky to be counted among those, Peter's inner wolf whispered.

This was his mate. This brilliant, clever, loyal and also manipulative human was his mate. And that last one, that Peter had really thrilled at. Stiles wasn't soft and sweet, he was vicious and violent and not even above hurting those he loved himself if he saw a need for it.

Every little bit he learned about Stiles made the human more appealing to Peter and his wolf. Finally, he understood what mates really were. Not about some fairy tale love, but about finding someone who was compatible, who completed and complimented them. Stiles was his.


Author's note: I'm currently rewatching Teen Wolf and that Peter-Stiles dynamic in season 1 knocked me out. The way he doesn't hurt Stiles, which contrasts so hard when he hurts and kills EVERYBODY else he meets, asks him if he wants the bite and then doesn't do it when Stiles declines, compliments Stiles. Like. Unreal behavior. So I had the urge to write a mates fic for Steter, but somehow, this story refused to stay a oneshot because after I wrote the Peter-Stiles conversation I went "okay but Peter staying alive and Peter being the Alpha and Peter and Stiles rebuilding the Hale Pack" so now I'm gonna rewrite season 2 but with Steter and with Pack Mom Stiles!

Next chapter, we're gonna see the hard conversation of trying to convince Scott to join the pack, and we're gonna kill Kate!