Posted originally on the Archive_of_Our_Own at https://archiveofourown.org/
works/528866.
  Rating:
      Explicit
  Archive Warning:
      Underage
  Category:
      M/M
  Fandom:
      Teen_Wolf_(TV)
  Relationship:
      Derek_Hale/Stiles_Stilinski, Allison_Argent/Scott_McCall, Danny
      Mahealani/Jackson_Whittemore
  Character:
      Derek_Hale, Stiles_Stilinski, Allison_Argent, Scott_McCall, Danny
      Mahealani, Jackson_Whittemore, Kate_Argent, Laura_Hale
  Additional Tags:
      Alternate_Universe_-_BDSM, D/s, Light_Sadism, Light_Masochism, Subdrop,
      Aftercare, Underage_Sex, (Stiles_is_just_17)
  Stats:
      Published: 2012-10-04 Chapters: 5/5 Words: 18658
****** Even Forbidden Fruits Get Picked ******
by flitterflutterfly
Summary
     When Stiles’ best friend gets himself bitten by a rogue werewolf,
     Stiles convinces him to seek aide from the local pack. Stiles tags
     along, ready to help Scott despite the knowledge that he likely
     wouldn’t be welcome. After all, Doms rarely ever approved of Stiles
     and he thought the Hales would be no exception. So he was surprised
     to find that not only had the rogue seemed to develop some kind of
     creepy fascination with him, the young alpha wolf, Derek, seemed to
     want him as well.
Notes
     Written for the Teen Wolf Big bang and this kink_meme_prompt.
     Thanks to diva0789 for being an awesome beta.
***** Chapter 1 *****
“Kneel for me.”
Stiles glared, his eyes probably flashing golden, but the werewolf opposite him
simply laughed. “I can see why Derek likes you, boy.”
Peter moved and Stiles took a step back. His throat worked, his breath coming
fast. He knew the werewolf could hear his accelerated heart rate. “Stay away.”
“Don’t think to tell me orders,” Peter snapped.
Where was Derek? Stiles thought wildly. Scott? Hell, he would settle for
Allison’s creepy dad if that’s what it took.
Peter’s breath smelled rancid against his lips. Stiles jerked, wide-eyes
staring at the cruel gaze right there in front of him. There were hot hands on
his waist, pinning him with claws that raked his side. One grasped his arm and
pulled it up, red eyes staring at the leather on the wrist. “His cuff?”
“No!” Stiles protested, though he knew he could do nothing. That he was
powerless here under this rogue alpha’s grip.
The claws dipped under the supple leather, scratching against his flesh. “I
don’t think you need this anymore, Stiles,” Peter sneered. “You’re mine.”
“No, don’t,” Stiles said again, weakly, as the torn cuff fell to the floor.
                                     - – -
FOUR MONTHS EARLIER
“Scott,” Stiles hissed.
Scott poked his head up from under the blankets on his bed. “What?”
“You need to go talk to the pack,” Stiles said, not for the fifteenth time that
night.
“Fuck the pack,” Scott groaned. “I was normal, alright. A normal teenager with
the hots for a willing submissive who seemed to actually like me and now,
what?”
“Allison won’t-” Stiles began.
“Her parents are code-watchers!” Scott growled, his eyes flashing.
Stiles put up his hands in surrender, ignoring the flash of arousal that spike
through him at the sight of his best friend’s wolf canines that slowly settled
back to human. It wasn’t like he and Scott were ever going to play, despite the
whispers of their classmates that said no submissive and dominant hanging out
was ever just about friendship.
Besides, the one-time Scott did tie Stiles up on the bed; they both ended up
laughing too much to get aroused so that was out of the question. Just because
he had a kink for werewolf fangs didn’t mean he was going to jump his best
friend.
“Code-watchers, Scott,” Stiles pointed out. “You didn’t break the Code, the
rogue attacked you. You didn’t beg for the bite or anything stupid. It’s the
pack’s duty to take you in and train you before you hurt someone!” Scott
smirked. “Permanently,” he added. That wiped the smirk off.
“But Stiles, what if I find my destined mate and it’s not Allison?” Scott
whined.
Stiles rolled his eyes. Seriously, was he the only one that paid attention in
theirSupernatural Beings: Separating Truth from Myth class? “Werewolves don’t
have destined mates, Scott, that’s a load of bull. Yes, heightened sense of
smell helps detect pheromones which lead to knowing who is a more appropriate
mate, but it stands to reason that you’ll still like how Allison smells. Humans
take into account pheromones, too, you know. We just don’t usually realize.”
“You mean you,” Scott said.
“What?” Stiles frowned.
“You said ‘we’,” Scott told him. “I’m not human anymore.”
“Good!” Stiles beamed. “Acceptance is the first step. Now, the Beacon Hills’s
pack is actually one of the strongest in the California area, so you should
have no trouble once you get basic control down.”
“If they’re one of the strongest, how come they let a rogue alpha loose in
their territory?” Scott asked.
Stiles frowned. “I don’t know, Dad’s still trying to figure that one out. The
pack is enraged about it, apparently, but the rogue has been covering his
tracks well.”
“Or hers,” Scott said.
Stiles punched him in the arm, or tried to at least, except that Scott caught
his wrist in a death grip, eyes gold again. “Scott?” Stiles said hesitantly
when his friend didn’t let go.
Scott took a long sniff, crowding closer to Stiles on the bed. Stiles gulped.
“Scott, snap out of it.” Scott pushed him down on his back, canine’s coming
close to Stiles’ jugular. “Scott!”
There was a blur of movement, and then Scott was on the other side of the room,
panting. His hands shook as he buried his face in them. “Shit.”
Stiles sat up slowly, rubbing his wrist to get feeling back. He made no move
towards his friend. “You okay?”
“The wolf, it was like I knew instinctually that you were an unclaimed
submissive,” Scott took his face out of his hands, staring at Stiles in horror.
“Oh god, Stiles, what if I attack Allison?”
“I’m fine, man, thanks for asking,” Stiles frowned. “You weren’t attacking me,
you were…” he trailed off. “I don’t think you’ll harm your girlfriend. I’m
pretty sure werewolves have some drive to protect subs, more heightened than
human Doms.”
“I need to go to the pack, I need to learn control,” Scott said, ignoring
Stiles completely.
“That’s what I’ve been telling you,” Stiles shook his head. “Besides, they need
to know. If this alpha has no trouble biting innocent humans, then the pack
will probably want to look out for more offspring.”
“Offspring, really?” Scott grimaced.
“You’d rather me say children?” Stiles countered.
“No, no, you’re right,” Scott agreed. “Tomorrow, I’ll go.”
“I’m going with you,” Stiles said.
Scott stared. “What? Are you nuts, Stiles? You saw what I just did. You’re an
unclaimed submissive, you want to walk into the middle of a werewolf pack?”
“They won’t hurt me,” Stiles said, hoping rather than stating. “Besides, if I
know werewolf biology,” and he’d better, he’d aced that test, “then you’ll wolf
out the minute you get near any of them. They’ll need someone to explain what’s
going on so they don’t attackyou thinking you’re the rogue.”
“I don’t like it,” Scott stated.
“Don’t treat me like a sub now, Scott,” Stiles said. “I know what I’m doing.”
“You are a sub,” Scott reminded him. He sighed wearily. “Okay, fine. But if
they start to get all handsy, you’re calling your dad.”
“Deal,” Stiles grinned.
                                     - – -
School the next day was just as much torture as usual, except more so now that
Stiles had something to look forward to. Other subs ignored him, Doms sneered
at him, and teachers took turns praising and scolding him. Just a normal day.
History, Stiles got a paper back. An A, normal. Math, Lydia (hot, dominant,
didn’t spare him more than a glance) finished the equation on the board minutes
ahead of him, normal. Lunch, Stiles sat across from Scott like normal. Normal
and boring. Supernatural class, however, decided that it was the day to learn
more about werewolves and Stiles perked up.
“Who can tell me the difference between an alpha and an omega?” Kate Argent,
their teacher, experienced Code-watcher, Allison’s aunt, asked.
No one raised their hand. Kate (as she preferred to be called, saying ‘Ms.
Argent’ made her feel old) raised an eyebrow. “Jackson?”
Jackson, resident jock and one of those dominants that quite liked to push
Stiles around, and not in the fun way, scratched his head. “Uh, alphas are Doms
and omegas are subs?”
“No,” Kate frowned. “You are incorrect.”
Jackson scowled, but Kate was already moving on. “How about you, Stiles?”
Considering that Stiles was one of her best students, he wasn’t too surprised
to be called on. “Werewolves are born with an inherent ranking system beyond
the dynamic system that everyone is born with. That is alphas, betas, and
omegas.”
“And the differences between them?” Kate prodded.
Stiles ignored the glare that Jackson was giving him like he always did. “It
depends on strength and shifting abilities. Alphas can shift into full wolves,
betas into sort of half-wolf hybrids, and omegas only have some of the
instincts and senses of wolves.”
“So then how can one tell the difference between an omega and a human?” one of
the girls in the class asked.
“All weres, including omegas, flash different eye colors based upon high
emotions,” Kate explained easily. “The eye color is always different from their
natural and always brilliant, but contrary to popular belief, not all alphas
are red-eyed. There is no actual correlation to the eye color and the status a
were is born in.”
“Is it true that only born werewolves can be alpha?” Lydia asked, smacking her
gum. “And that bitten wolves are usually omegas?”
Stiles saw Scott lean back in his chair. His friend was a beta, which was one
of the first things they’d figured out.
“Not quite,” Kate shook her head. “Yes, so far as us normal humans know, all
recorded alphas have been born into wolfdom. However, omegas can also be born,
but,” Kate said, “all bitten wolves are betas. Just as all humans mated to
wolves, if not bitten, are omegas. Through claiming, the human begins to
exhibit omega traits and usually by a year after being claimed, they are full
transformed.”
“Then why can omegas be born?” Stiles asked, curious. This hadn’t been in any
of his research (not too surprising, considering how most werewolves taught
their young traditions through oral learning, not written word).
“Two omegas will always bear an omega child,” Kate said. “A beta and an omega
have a fifty percent chance of creating an omega. Two betas, however, will
never have omega children, though they have the chance to create an alpha.” She
glanced around and everyone began to take notes immediately. “An alpha, matched
with any type, will always have an alpha child.”
Fascinating, Stiles thought. He wondered at the genetic reason for that.
Obviously, alpha was the dominant trait, but then how could two betas create
one? And if beta was a dominant trait and omega recessive, then how come a beta
and omega could create an omega. Unless the beta was carrying a recessive omega
gene, in which case it would make sense-
“Stiles,” Scott whispered.
“What?” Stiles turned to his friend.
“Do you think Allison would be okay with becoming my omega?” Scott asked,
tugging at his hair worriedly.
“How should I know?” Stiles frowned.
“But-” Scott began.
“Ah, Scott,” Kate called. “Can you hypothesize what would happen if a werewolf
and a wandering spirit were to meet?”
Scott winced. ‘Help me,’ he mouthed.
Stiles hid a laugh behind his hand.
                                     - – -
“You’ve got your phone, right?” Scott asked as they trudged along in the woods,
aimlessly headings away from the main town.
“Got it, it’s charged, stop being a worrywart,” Stiles said. “This is taking
forever, can’t you, I don’t know, howl or something?”
“I don’t want to risk trying to change when it’s just two of us alone in the
woods!” Scott said. “You might be annoying, Stiles, but I don’t want to kill
you.”
“Is that any way to talk to your best friend?” Stiles mock-gasped.
Scott froze suddenly and Stiles, watching him closely as he was, froze too.
When nothing happened for several seconds, Stiles frowned. “What is it?”
Scott growled and spun in place to face a seemingly empty section of trees.
Stiles took an aborted step, and then a man stepped out of the brush. He was
tall, buff, hot, and undeniably a werewolf.
“Who are you?” the wolf asked, eyes only for Scott.
“This is Scott,” Stiles said, because, like he’d thought, Scott was in no way
able to answer for himself at the moment. “And I’m Stiles.”
The werewolf didn’t even glance at him, but acknowledged the words at least as
he called Scott by name. Stiles wondered if it was some sort of were hierarchy
thing.
Or maybe the guy was just an ass.
Scott didn’t seem to want to follow the other were, which fully defeated the
whole purpose they were there in Stiles’ mind, but the other didn’t seem too
surprised. He shook his head and raised his chin, letting loose a piercing
howl.
Stiles jumped slightly and Scott made a sort of low growl, but the howl was
being echoed and soon they were surrounded by weres.
Damn, Stiles thought. That was fast. His hand began to jitter against his side
and he attempted to calm it.
A chocolate-haired female stepped forward from besides the male. “I am Laura,
one of the alphas of the pack. Can you explain yourself?”
Scott was circling in place, taking in all the wolves surrounding them. Stiles
began to get a prickling sensation on the nap of his neck and he took a step
closer to his friend. Immediately, Scott was at his side, grabbing his arm and
clutching it.
“Ouch, man, watch the claws,” Stiles hissed. He glanced at the other weres and
then at his friend. His original plan of speaking to the wolves himself didn’t
seem so viable anymore; they were hardly paying any attention to him. “Calm
down, Scott,” he murmured. “Pull it back, okay?”
It took a moment, but the physical contact seemed to help and eventually Scott
took a shuddering breath and turned human. He let go of Stiles immediately.
“Good,” Laura praised from several yards away. “You have control for one so
young.”
Scott studied her briefly. “My name is Scott McCall.”
“When were you bitten?” Laura asked. “And by whom, if you don’t mind my
asking?”
By her tone, Stiles figured that Scott would have to answer even if he did
mind. Scott seemed to get that too. “A couple nights ago, by the rogue the
police have been after, I think,” he winced. “I was taking a jog; it was dusk,
and the next thing I knew there was a wolf jumping at me.”
“So you’ve come to us,” Laura nodded. “A wise choice.”
Scott flushed. “It was Stiles’ suggestion.”
“I wouldn’t call someone wise who is stupid enough to bring their unclaimed
submissive into the forest,” the first man said, almost a growl as he finally
looked at Stiles.
Oh, Stiles thought. They thought he was Scott’s and therefore didn’t want to
piss him off by paying Stiles too much attention. “No,” he protested
immediately. “We’re just friends. I’m unclaimed, yeah, but it was my choice to
come here.”
“Derek,” Laura said, apparently referring to the were that had spoken. “I
think-”
“Yes,” Derek nodded immediately.
Scott and Stiles exchanged a glance. “Uh,” Stiles said, confused.
Laura took pity on him. “We’ll deal with Scott’s training, Stiles; do not worry
about your friend. You, however, cannot stay here.”
“Why?” Stiles asked.
“I don’t mind,” Scott said immediately. “He, um, helps calm my wolf.”
“He would,” Derek rumbled. “He is submissive and has some pretty strong
pheromones. But unless you want to claim him, you don’t want your wolf to get
attached.”
“Oh,” Scott flashed horrified for just a moment. “I have a girlfriend.”
“You’ll need to discuss things with her,” Laura said. “But that is for later.
Now, Derek will take your friend home and we can figure things out, okay?”
Scott hesitated for just a moment and Stiles frowned at him. “See,” Derek said.
“Your wolf is already beginning to be possessive.”
“If you don’t want that, you need to cut it off now,” Laura nodded. “Come with
me, Scott.”
Scott moved then, following Laura and several other weres away.
Still more weres moved closer to Stiles the minute that Scott was out of sight.
“Hey!” Stiles said. “Back off.”
Derek growled, low and dangerous. Stiles looked between him and the other
weres, breathing out as they began to disappear into the woods. “Thanks,” he
murmured.
“You need to be careful,” Derek said, eyes flashing bright blue. “You are
tantalizing to our wolves. Not many humans smell as strongly and as purely as
you do. Now that they know of your existence, especially if you continue to
visit your friend, then you can be sure to get attention you may not want.”
“What?” Stiles frowned. “Seriously? No dominant ever even looks twice at me,
now you’re telling me I’m some sort of werewolf forbidden fruit.”
“Forbidden?” Derek murmured, walking close and standing in front of Stiles.
Stiles felt his pulse start to race. Derek was hot, and a werewolf and he was
looking at him now like Stiles was the most delicious thing on the world and
wow he must be dreaming.
“You’re not,” Derek frowned.
“Did I say that aloud?” Stiles scratched his head. “Damn.”
Derek’s lips twitched a sort of smile. “Come on. Let’s get you home before you
tempt me too much.”
“Tempt you to do what?” Stiles asked.
Derek’s eyes flicked towards him, then away. “I truly hope you’re not that
oblivious.”
“Oh,” Stiles blushed. “Right.”
Derek took Stiles back to his car, though how Derek had known it was Stiles car
was another question. One he asked.
Derek tapped his nose and raised an eyebrow. Stiles winced. “Right,” he said
again.
Derek grabbed Stiles’ keys and drove them back, despite Stiles ample protests.
They stopped in the driveway of Stiles’ house and he scowled, holding his hands
out for his keys back.
“You’re not very submissive,” Derek noted as he handed them over.
“See,” Stiles rolled his eyes. “That’s the problem, isn’t it? I’m not
attractive to dominants, so you can tell your pack to give up before they
figure it out themselves and then decide to blame their unwanted minute of
courting on me, despite the fact it wouldn’t have been my fault.”
There was a strange look in Derek’s eyes. “A strong mate is in no way a
deterrent to a werewolf,” he said clearly. “What do you mean, blame it on you?”
Stiles thought of Jackson and the rest of the Doms on the lacrosse team,
barring Scott but including the coach. “Nothing,” he said, shaking his head. He
didn’t want to think of that headache right now. “Thanks for the ride, I guess.
Wait how are you going to get back?” he felt suddenly horrified, the were
wasn’t going to steal his car, was he?
Derek snorted. “Run,” he said simply.
“Ah, right,” Stiles blushed again. “Well I should probably go inside; my dad
will be home soon.”
“Your father, the sheriff,” Derek said as if to remind himself. His fingers
twitched as his eyes moved down from Stiles. “Forbidden fruit, huh?”
“You’re weird, man,” Stiles said as he grabbed his bag and hopped out the car,
quickly pocketing his keys.
Derek walked him to the door, which was just going a bit far. “I’m fine, go
back to your pack, geeze,” he muttered.
“Stiles,” Derek said, and then seemed to think better of whatever he was about
to say. Instead, he nodded. “Goodbye.”
“See ya,” Stiles waved a hand, trying to ignore the heated gaze on his back as
he unlocked the house and stepped inside.
Later, he knew, he would jerk off to the thought of those bright hazel eyes
flashing blue and canines piercing his shoulder, claiming him.
But now, Stiles ignored the werewolf as he made to close the front door and
caught one last look at him. Because despite how much he just wanted to run up
and fall to his knees and beg to be stroked and praised, he knew better than to
give any Dom fodder. He’d learned a long time ago to hide his attraction behind
nonchalant shrugs and fake smiles.
If only Derek wasn’t so goddamn tempting.
                                     - – -
Stiles caught himself in a yawn and smothered it in his hand. Mr. Harris hated
him enough without adding fuel to the fire by seeming bored in his class.
“You have fifteen minutes to complete the three questions before we go over the
answers,” Harris stated. “Begin.”
Stiles looked down at his sheet of paper and then around the classroom. Most
everyone was working on the assignment with their lab partner, but there were
an odd number of students in the class and Stiles was the one left to work
alone.
Sighing, Stiles scribbled down the chemical equation and attempted to balance
it. Maybe a 3 for O, no… a 2 for H? He wondered if the Hs or the Cs would be
easier to balance first.
Stiles eyes drifted away from the paper towards the giant periodic table of
elements on the side wall. There was a W on it, for toungsten, but it made
Stiles think of werewolves.
He missed his best friend. Sure, yeah, Scott wasn’t avoiding him on purpose or
anything like that, but the pack had him training day in and day out. Hell,
according to Scott’s mom, he was barely even home anymore. And he’d dropped out
of the rest of their junior year in favor of take home tests.
And yeah, sure, that was probably better. Stiles shuddered to think of the
chaos that would occur if Scott were to lose control and shift in the middle of
the cafeteria… but it had always been him and Scott together against the
bullies and the jocks and now, well now it was just Stiles.
At least Scott had said that he’d be back for their senior year. A lot of
werewolves homeschooled, or would that be pack schooled? Regardless, Stiles
could make the month or so until their junior year ended and then he’d have his
best friend back for their last year. That’d be nice.
Stiles sighed, eyes drifting towards the Ag, silver. He wondered how Allison
was faring without her boyfriend.
Sure, when they’d first started dating, pretty much immediately after Allison
had moved to Beacon Hills in their sophomore year, Stiles had been jealous of
the girl. And she hadn’t been the happiest of his not-so-real prior claim on
Scott. But once the misunderstanding that, no, Stiles wasn’t Scott’s sub, got
worked out and they became friends, well Stiles grew to really like her.
Not so much her family, because the code-watchers still freaked him the hell
out, even Kate as much as she was a cool teacher, but Allison said she had to
turn twenty-one before they would let her join their ranks, if she even wanted
to.
They’d been dating for over a year now and Scott had been turned via the very
actions that family was supposed to prevent.
Stiles resolved to sit with Allison at lunch that day. Yeah, she usually sat
with Lydia and Jackson, but at the very least he could see how she was doing.
And it would prevent Stiles from being that one lonely kid in the cafeteria.
“Mr. Stilinksi,” Harris called, sounding as if he’d already said Stiles’ name
several time.
“Uh, yes, Mr. Harris?” Stiles winced.
Harris’ eyes glinted behind his glasses. “Why don’t you tell the class your
solution to the second equation?”
Stiles slid down in his chair, staring at his blank paper. “Uh, well, you see…”
                                     - – -
Stiles threw his bag in the general direction of his desk, frustrated. He
flopped down on his bed and stared blankly at the ceiling, willing his headache
to go away so that he could get started on his homework.
He lay there for several minutes before he realized something was off. Stiles
sat up, frowning, and looked around his room. Maybe his dad had been in to
clean, though that was unlikely, usually he made Stiles clean his own room. And
the rest of the house.
Not that Stiles blamed his dad for that. The sheriff worked late hours and,
well, it made Stiles happy to take care of his dad the way his mom used to.
The room looked exactly the way it had before Stiles had gone to school that
morning, but there was something that he couldn’t put a finger on. Stiles
stood, turning in place.
Bright blue eyes caught his and the teen wheeled back, letting out a squeak of
surprise.
An eyebrow rose on the face of the Dom outside his window and Stiles’ fought
down the blush on his face. He hesitantly walked over to the closed glass and
opened it. “Derek, right?”
The werewolf nodded. “Stiles.”
Stiles paused, wondering if Derek would say anything else. When he didn’t,
Stiles stepped back. “Um, come in, I guess.”
Derek slithered gracefully through the open window to stand in Stiles’ room. He
gave the place a sweeping view and then turned his gaze on Stiles, piercing
hazel that flashed brilliant blue every now and then.
It was fascinating.
“So,” Stiles said, going to sit down on his bed. Derek continued to stand in
the room as if he was perfectly comfortable there. Stiles wondered if it was a
Dom thing, a werewolf thing, or just a Derek thing. Maybe all three.
Derek cocked his head to the side. “You’re home alone?” It both was and wasn’t
a question.
“My dad’s working,” Stiles frowned. He wondered if he should be worried about
having a Dom, much older than him and definitely stronger, faster, and more
dangerous, in his room alone. But for some reason he didn’t feel unsafe around
Derek. Not necessarily comfortable, but not unsafe.
Derek nodded and then walked over to Stiles computer chair and sat down, his
legs spread and his pose relaxed. “Your friend is doing well in training.”
“Is he?” Stiles shifted so he faced Derek more fully. “That’s awesome, man.”
Derek nodded. “He has good instincts, once he listens to them.”
“Have you been training him, then?” Stiles asked, curious.
Derek’s lips twitched, as if Stiles had said something funny. “No.”
“Oh,” Stiles sat back. “Laura then? The other, uh, alpha?”
“My sister,” Derek looked away. “She and some of the betas have been helping
him. She’s a… better teacher than me.”
Stiles wondered if by ‘better’ Derek meant patient. For some reason, the
werewolf really didn’t strike Stiles as the patient-type.
“Have you guys made any progress on the rogue?” Stiles asked.
“No,” Derek looked away. “Not enough, but we will. Now that we have Scott.”
Stiles frowned. “What does that mean?”
“It means,” Derek said, “that Scott has a connection to the rogue and once he
gets enough training he should lead us right to the alpha.”
“Oh,” Stiles leaned back farther against his headboard and looked up at the
ceiling. Derek made a soft noise and Stiles glanced back his way, only to find
the werewolf looking hungrily at his throat. “Derek?”
Derek’s eyes snapped up to Stiles’. He stood. “I should go.”
“Wait,” Stiles said, confused. “Why did you even come here?”
Hesitating by the window for a moment, Derek sighed and spun on his heel,
stalking right next to Stiles. He leaned down in, face so close that Stiles
could make out every one of his eyelashes individually. “You smell…”
“What?” Stiles breathed, heart hammering in his chest.
Derek pulled back and shook his head. He looked at Stiles with an unreadable
expression before crouching, his face shifting into a sort of half wolf shape,
and then he jumped out the window and was gone.
Stiles returned his gaze to the ceiling, still frowning. “The hell was that?”
he asked.
The ceiling didn’t answer.
***** Chapter 2 *****
“Stilinski!”
Stiles winced and then tried to cover it up by adjusting his backpack. Too
late, though, he felt himself surrounded on both sides and his shoulders
slumped just slightly. “Hey, Jackson, what’s it like being a douchebag today?”
He flashed a shit-eating grin to his right. “Oh, wait, sorry, you don’t know
any different, do you?”
A large hand clapped him on the shoulder and then stayed there, holding him.
“You better watch how you talk to your superiors, bitch,” a low voice said,
right next to his ear.
Stiles recognized both hand and voice as Ethan and he felt worse for it.
“Bitch? That’s a new one, oh wait, no it’s not.”
Ethan hissed. “What do you think, Jackson? I think maybe we should gag him.”
“Nah,” Jackson said, coming to walk just in front of Stiles and turning over
his shoulder. “He’d probably just enjoy it, the whore.”
“Too right,” Ethan laughed. “Can’t trust subs to know goddamn punishment if it
bit them in their asses.” He shook his head. “Can’t trust subs,” he repeated.
Stiles wanted to ask Ethan which sub in his life left him, but he didn’t get
the chance to say anything as the bully pushed him hard to the left, sneering
and jogged to join Jackson, who was already sauntering away.
Rubbing his head, Stiles sighed. It wasn’t usually so bad, with Scott around.
Not that Scott had been able to stop, or had even noticed all of what it meant
that Stiles wasn’t the usual blushing high school sub. But Stiles didn’t blame
Scott for that, no- he blamed Jackson, even though Jackson rarely got his hands
dirty and would, on occasion, leave when things got too rough.
But Stiles would always blame Jackson, because it was Jackson who started it
and often instigated it and wasn’t man enough, wasn’t dominant enough to even
see it through.
Of course, he doubted he would ever say that to Jackson’s face. If only because
he wasn’t sure what he would do if Jackson reacted to it.
                                     - – -
The words on the computer wavered, blurring in and out. Stiles groaned,
blinking his eyes as he tried to read the text. He had bruises on his arms,
leftovers from the too-rough grip that Ethan had begun using whenever he wanted
to get Stiles’ attention. Stiles cursed his fair skin and had begun wearing
long sleeves even though the weather was well on its way to the mid-eighties.
It’s not that Stiles didn’t want Ethan to get in trouble, more just that he
didn’t care to think of the consequences that Ethan would push onto him should
he.
And Jackson continued to laugh in the background over it.
Stiles breathed through his nose, trying to calm down his racing heart. He
wondered why he was so panicky all of the sudden. Sure, he was home alone, but
that wasn’t anything new.
He was jittery, also not a new feeling, but this was different. This was… it
was lonely.
Stiles was lonely.
He took a shaky breath and stumbled out of his chair, over to his bed. Emotions
were whirling up inside him and he shuddered, closing his eyes against them.
Without much conscious thought, he knelt there, on the floor besides his bed.
There, Stiles breathed. He felt calmer, the storm subsiding as he continued to
kneel, sinking into himself.
And then, for just that moment, he felt a bit at peace. It wasn’t enough,
something still wasn’t right, but kneeling there by his bedside had him
swallowing his nerves enough to, an hour later, be able to go to sleep.
                                     - – -
“And then, Laura came at me from behind and I sensed her coming!” Scott
exclaimed, excited as he waved his cheeseburger around. “I totally felt her and
I dodged out of the way.”
“Dude, man, that’s awesome,” Stiles proclaimed, slurping up the last of his
milkshake.
“I know, right?” Scott leaned back in his chair, grinning. “They even let my
mom come out the other day and see my progress.”
“Really?” Stiles blinked. “What’d she say?”
Scott shrugged. “She was impressed, I guess. I think so.”
“Hey, that’s cool,” Stiles said, smiling. “So you’re… happy, huh?”
“Yeah,” Scott shrugged. “I mean, it’s not what I wanted, you know. But it’s
better than I thought it would be. I have a goal, I guess, I know I can learn
to control it, so…” he pushed his plastic tray away. “Laura’s been helping a
lot with that.”
Stiles nodded, shifting in his seat. He felt clear-headed, as if his weird
panic attack several nights before had been a dream that he’d only now woken up
from. “Have you talked with Allison, yet?” he asked, because Scott was starting
to give him a weird look.
“No,” Scott said shortly. “Not ‘til, not until I have more control. Laura said
that I might accidentally mate with her, which is like marriage for werewolves,
you know, and I love her, but my mom would kill me if I got married while I was
still in high school. Collaring is one thing, I mean that’s a commitment but,
it’s not mating, it’s not marriage.”
Stiles laughed. “True,” he ran a hand along his neck and wondered if he would
ever feel a collar there.
Scott’s eyes followed the movement. “How’s school?”
“Same old, same old,” Stiles shrugged and hoped his heart hadn’t just skipped a
beat or something stupid like that. He quickly changed the subject. “So, Derek
said something about you helping them find the rogue.”
“When were you talking with Derek?” Scott frowned and Stiles winced.
“Not important,” he said quickly. “The rogue?”
Scott was still frowning, but he answered. “Yeah, we have a pack bond because
he bit me. He’s been calling for me to come join him sometimes. Laura’s been
helping me resist, use the bond to learn more about him instead.”
“Him?” Stiles prodded.
“Yeah,” Scott said. “Him.”
The back of Stiles’ neck prickled and he rubbed it. “Well that’s… good? I
think. You’re closer, right? To catching him, I mean.”
“Something like that,” Scott frowned. “He’s… he wants me Stiles.”
“Like, as a sub?” Stiles gaped.
“No,” Scott rolled his eyes, and then his gaze narrowed. “Well, he’s lonely for
that too, I think, but no, he wants a pack. It’s hard, resisting him.
Sometimes. It helps when I’m with the Hale pack. They do something.”
“Supplement the pack bond?” Stiles guessed.
“Something like that,” Scott shrugged.
There was silence and Stiles felt an itch between his shoulders. He looked
around, but all he could see was a man with sandy-brown hair paying his check.
He looked back. “Man, this is depressing. Tell me something awesome.”
Scott laughed. “So, the other day, one of the betas decided to give a hand in
the kitchen,” he began.
Stiles grinned and settled himself down for a good tale.
                                     - – -
The bleachers were warm underneath his pants. Stiles sat back against them,
bouncing his lacrosse stick on his knee. The sun was still high in the sky, but
the day had been a long one and he felt tired.
So tired.
Stiles sighed, rubbing a hand over his head, his buzz-cut prickling his
fingers. He remembered the barber’s face when he’d asked for that, how she’d
told him that subs usually wore their hair longer, dear, and wouldn’t he rather
a bit of an attractively shaggy look?
But Stiles had been persistent and she’d finally given in.
He wasn’t the usual sub. Stiles had known that for far too long, but it drained
on him, some days. Like today, as he waited for the rest of the lacrosse team
to be done in the locker room before heading in. He didn’t feel up to getting
pushed against a locker, or for the lewd stares as he changed. There was a
reason not many subs joined sports teams.
Stiles’ felt his hands begin to shake and he took off his gloves, clasping his
fingers together. He wondered what more it would take to make him cry.
A lot, he thought. He hadn’t cried since his mom had passed away.
Stiles took a shuddering breath and cursed himself. He was glad no one was
there to see this small weakness.
He wondered if he should quit the lacrosse team. Now that Scott wasn’t there
anymore, it just wasn’t as fun sitting on the bench being sneered at.
His clasped hands began to shake as one and Stiles pressed them harder
together. He realized after a moment that it was his whole body that was
quivering and he closed his eyes tightly.
“Stiles.”
He wondered if he’d just imagined Derek’s voice. Why would Derek be at the high
school if not in his daydreams?
“Stiles, look at me,” a command.
Stiles opened his eyes and looked up, the vision of Derek swimming before him.
He wore his usual dark leather jacket, but his eyes were cool as he assessed
Stiles. “Derek,” Stiles murmured. “What are you doing here?”
Derek shook his head instead of answering and stepped closer. “You should go
get changed.”
Stiles nodded, because he should, but he didn’t move. Warmth spread through him
as Derek walked the last couple of steps to stand right next to his sitting
form. Stiles shuddered and he leaned just slightly so that he was resting his
head on Derek’s thigh.
Fingers began to cart through his short hair, rubbing his head and then down to
his neck. Stiles closed his eyes again and began to concentrate on steading his
breathing.
After a moment, Derek shifted and then sat down, pulling Stiles towards him.
“This is a dream,” Stiles whispered as he moved. “It has to be.”
Derek shushed him quietly and arranged him so that Stiles’ head was leaning
against Derek’s shoulder, half in Derek’s lap as Derek continued to stroke his
neck and back.
The world warped and then settled as Stiles’ shoulders relaxed for what seemed
the first time in weeks. Ever since Scott had gotten bitten, he thought.
“Why are you being so nice to me?” Stiles asked.
A soft pressure soothed him and Stiles realized that Derek had just kissed his
temple. Now he knew it was definitely a dream.
“You’ve never experienced sub-drop, have you?” Derek asked, his tone rumbling
from his chest.
“Sub-drop?” Stiles blinked his eyes open, but all he could see was Derek’s
shoulder. “I thought that was only after,” he paused, blushing, “a scene.”
“When the dominant doesn’t properly take care of their submissive after a
scene, yes,” Derek said. “That is usually how it happens, but not always.”
“I’ve never done a scene,” Stiles said, because he figured dream-Derek wouldn’t
laugh at him. “No Dom has ever wanted me, not like that.”
“You’d be surprised,” Derek said. “But it doesn’t have to be a scene. How long
have you been Scott’s best friend?”
Stiles screwed up his nose, thinking. “Ten years.”
“He grounds you,” Derek calmly told him. “He probably doesn’t even realize it,
apparently you didn’t, but I bet your body thought he was your Dom.”
“We never,” Stiles bit his lip, “did anything.”
“You didn’t have to,” Derek said. “Even platonically, a sub needs a steady
presence in their lives to ground them and he was yours.”
“He left,” Stiles muttered into Derek’s shoulder. “He got bitten and he left
me.”
Derek’s hand pressed harder on his neck, soothing him before he could get
himself too upset again. “I know. I know, Stiles, but it had to happen. He’s
not your dom. He has his girlfriend-”
“Allison,” Stiles said.
“-and you’ll find a Dom one day,” Derek finished, voice just slightly sharper.
Stiles buried his face harder, a slight apology for cutting in. Derek drew a
spiral on his back, forgiving him. “You’re not a dream, are you?”
Derek’s laugh was short and it shook his whole body, but somehow it made Stiles
smile. “No,” he said. “I’m not.”
Stiles nodded. “I’m sorry,” he said. “For making you take care of me.” It was
his Dom instincts, Stiles rationalized. A sub in need or some shit like that.
His face burned with mortification as he realized he had draped himself over
the werewolf.
“You have nothing to be ashamed of, Stiles,” Derek said.
Stiles drew back, looking into Derek’s hazel eyes. “Why aren’t you like the
other Doms?” he asked before he could stop himself.
Derek’s lips quirked. “Because they’re young. They haven’t figured themselves
out yet, they don’t know how to take care of or appreciate you,” he paused, “or
any sub.”
“So, what, in six years they’ll be totally different?” Stiles frowned.
“I’m also a werewolf,” Derek shrugged. “That changes things. And I’ve never
gone for the normal, well-” he stopped himself.
Stiles wondered what that meant, but he put it aside. “Thanks,” he said. “I
should get changed before the janitor closes the locker room.”
Derek nodded and stood, drawing Stiles up with him. “You’re strong, you know,”
he said. “For standing up to them, not letting them see how much they get to
you. A lot of subs your age would be wrecked over it.”
“Did you not just have to spend like half an hour calming me down?” Stiles
raised an eyebrow. “That’s pretty wrecked.” He wondered briefly how Derek knew
about the bullies, but he wasn’t too surprised.
“No, Stiles,” Derek shook his head. “That wasn’t wrecked, that was lonely.”
Stiles watched him walk away, frowning but feeling already so much better than
he had been.
                                     - – -
There was a tap on his window. Stiles didn’t even look up from his homework as
he called, “Come on in!”
The window opened and then closed. Stiles glanced over and smiled shyly at
Derek. “Hey.”
“You shouldn’t invite just anyone into your room,” Derek told him. “The rogue
is still out there.”
“You don’t actually need my invitation to come in,” Stiles rolled his eyes. “If
the rogue wanted me, he could just break the window, it’s not that hard. But he
doesn’t.”
“You can’t be sure of that,” Derek said, but he no longer looked quite as
worried.
“Why are you visiting me again?” Stiles asked, curious for the same reason that
he didn’t know why Derek would be worried about him. “As an alpha of your pack,
I figure you probably have better things to do than check up on me.”
Derek shrugged. “You’re important,” he said, as if he was just commenting on
the weather, stating a fact.
Stiles froze. “What?”
“How are you doing?” Derek asked. “No more side-effects?”
“I’m fine,” Stiles replied automatically. “I feel great actually, but sorry can
we go back to where you just said I’m important. Important for what?”
Derek looked amused and something… darker, just under the surface of his eyes.
“You’re important to me.”
Stiles stood. “I don’t get it. I’m not… I’m just Scott’s weird human best
friend. I don’t matter.”
“Don’t say that about yourself,” Derek said, just a hint of a growl in his
voice. He stepped closer and Stiles stepped back.
“Why not?” Stiles raised his chin. “You can’t order me around.”
You’re not Jackson, he said silently, half begging to himself.
Derek took another step and Stiles’ back hit the wall. He stayed there, frozen,
as Derek stalked up to him and put hands on either side of him. “I want you,
Stiles.”
“Why?” Stiles laughed, bitter. “Because I’m easy? I’m sorry to tell you, but
I’m not, okay. Just because no one else is interested,” he cleared his throat
and looked away from Derek’s piercing eyes. “I’m not easy.”
“I wouldn’t care if every Dom in your high school was begging for your
attention,” Derek murmured, face far too close. “They don’t deserve you
anyway.”
“And you do?” Stiles challenged.
Derek closed the distance and pressed his lips to Stiles. Stiles gasped into
them and his eyes closed. He’d never been kissed before and somehow he’d
expected fireworks.
It wasn’t, just a dry tingling that went down his spine and held him close.
Stiles melted into Derek’s sudden embrace, like a fantasy he didn’t want to let
go.
All too soon, though, he felt something tugging at him, a frightened
realization, and he pulled away, ripped himself out of Derek’s grasp.
Derek stared at him, eyes startled, and Stiles panted. He wondered what had
just happened; only that he couldn’t handle this right now. He didn’t know what
he was supposed to be thinking, feeling.
“Stiles,” Derek said, his voice hoarse. It had Stiles shivering slightly.
“Please,” Stiles said, and his own voice cracked. “Just go.”
“I’m sorry,” Derek said. “I didn’t want to… I just wanted to prove to you that
I do want you.”
Stiles turned his face away and nodded. “Okay.”
“Do you,” Derek paused. “I’m sorry,” he said again.
Stiles wondered how often Derek apologized. He didn’t seem the type to. “Leave,
please. I need, I need time.”
Derek nodded, though Stiles only caught that out of his peripheral vision.
There was the soft sound of the window sliding open and then Derek was gone.
Stiles collapsed on his bed only to stand a moment later as a knock sounded on
his door. “Uh, come in?”
His dad stepped into the room and looked around. “Stiles.”
“Dad, hey,” Stiles gave him a weak grin. “What are you doing here, in my room?
Where I’m just doing homework.”
“I thought,” his dad looked at him, “I heard someone.”
“Yeah, it was, uh,” Stiles looked over at where his computer was off and cut
off his, ‘it was Scott on video chat’. “Nothing. It was nothing.”
“Son,” his dad said. “If you’re having a Dom over, I want you to know I don’t
mind, okay? I just want you to tell me.”
Stiles thought about Derek, intimidating, older, and a werewolf. “Thanks Dad,
but it was nothing.”
“Are you sure?” his dad asked.
“Yes, yes I’m sure,” Stiles said. “No one is… I’m a bit of a loud mouth, you
know? Doms aren’t just lining up at the door.”
His dad blinked, as if surprised by the bitter twinge in Stiles voice. Stiles
winced and then his dad was coming forward and hugging him. “Oh, Stiles.”
Stiles buried his head in his Dad’s neck. “Sorry.”
“No, kiddo,” his dad shook his head over him. “Never apologize for who you are,
to anyone. Your mom was the same way, you know. She never let anyone push her
around and she got a lot of crap for it from traditionalists, but I never
wanted her to change. You’ll find someone, someday.”
“Mom was loud?” Stiles blinked. “I didn’t… know that.”
His dad chuckled and pull back. “You two are so alike, Stiles. Sometimes I look
at you and it’ll be as if she’s right there.”
There was something sad in his tone, but also fondness and it had Stiles off
guard. “I don’t, I mean, really?”
His dad nodded. “Did I ever tell you of how we first met?”
Stiles shook his head. The sheriff rarely talked about his former wife and sub
and Stiles never asked, not wanting to bring up memories that were still too
raw. By his dad’s small smile, he understood all of what Stiles just didn’t
say.
“It was a very humid afternoon,” his dad began, herding them both to sit down
on Stiles’ bed. “And I had gotten a call of possible misconduct in one of the
banks. There she was, your mom, arguing with the teller.”
“Like, full-blown arguing?” Stiles asked.
“Her hands were waving, her voice was raised,” his dad said, eyes lost in
memory. “I went up and asked what the problem was and she turned to me and she
poked me right in the chest and she said, ‘Officer, the only problem here is
that this man is so blinded by his bigotry that he can’t read the notice in
front of him’.”
“Mom said that?” Stiles gaped.
“She sure did,” his dad nodded. “We got it all straightened out, it was all a
miscommunication and the teller hadn’t been very kind to her because of her
status, but then afterwards I offered to take her to lunch to apologize for his
attitude and, well, she accepted.”
“And you started dating?” Stiles asked.
“Hell no,” his dad laughed. “She made me work for it, she did. Took me a year
to even get her to admit that we were committed to each other and another three
years before she let me put a collar on her, but,” he smiled at Stiles, “it was
worth it. Sometimes, you just know. And I knew, the minute I saw her, I knew.”
                                     - – -
Stiles nodded. “Sure, that makes sense to me.”
Scott shook his head. “I still don’t get it.”
“Dude, I totally should have been the one to get the bite,” Stiles groaned.
“You’re a crap werewolf.”
“Hey now!” Scott protested. “Laura said I was doing well.”
“And is that it?” Stiles asked.
“Is that what?” Scott sat back in his seat; already the insult rolling off of
him like Stiles knew it would.
“The good news,” Stiles prodded. “Come on, man, you said you had good news.”
“Oh, yeah,” Scott’s face broke into that dorky grin Stiles knew only too well.
He sighed. “Allison?”
“How’d you guess?” Scott asked and then shook it away before Stiles could
answer. “Yeah, Stiles, I talked to her parents.”
Stiles blinked. “And this is good news?”
Scott nodded. He twisted in his seat, a reminder for Stiles of the hard chairs
of the park they were sitting in. “They agreed to let us continue dating!”
“Dude!” Stiles reached over and slapped Scott on the shoulder. “That’s great!”
“I know,” Scott said. “I was so nervous, but they said that so long as we don’t
get mated ‘til Allison finished college, then they are fine.”
“But wait,” Stiles frowned. “I thought Allison was eighteen? They don’t really
have any authority over her anymore, do they?”
“Yeah, but she still lives at their house,” Scott said.
Stiles nodded. “I wouldn’t want to get kicked out either, that makes sense. And
hey, waiting on mating, that’s not so bad.” He paused. “I think. Hey Scott, is
mating permanent? I would ask Kate, but the last time I asked her a werewolf
related question she kind of snapped at me, which is weird cause she usually
likes me, but we’ve switched onto the topic of pixies in class-”
“Stiles,” Scott interrupted him. “Yes, Laura said mating was… more permanent.
Not one hundred percent, but for the wolf,” he paused. “Well, it makes the mate
go through changes too, if they aren’t a wolf already.”
“Becoming an omega,” Stiles nodded. “So it’s a big commitment.”
“Huge,” Scott said. “They drilled that into me a lot,” he winced as if reliving
a nasty memory. “A lot. It’s pretty easy to accidentally do it. Well, to start
it, at least, sometimes the omega thing begins to happen before full mating
takes place but,” he shrugged, “it’s complicated.”
“Right,” Stiles looked away. The back of his neck was prickling again, like the
last time he and Scott had hung out. He wondered if that had anything to with
what Derek had said, how Scott had grounded him for so long…
Stiles shook his head, throwing that thought away before it fully form.
“I smell a were,” Scott said suddenly.
“A what?” Stiles asked.
“A werewolf,” Scott murmured, his eyes flashing gold. “It’s… there’s another
wolf-” he twisted, looking around.
Stiles frowned. “Oh, man, are you smelling Derek?”
“What?” Scott frowned. “I don’t think… maybe. Is Derek here?”
“No, my shirt,” Stiles said. “Can scent stick?”
Scott leaned in close to Stiles and sniffed. Stiles flinched back and then
opened his eyes, curious. “Huh,” Scott said, leaning back. “I do smell Derek.”
“He was, um,” Stiles blushed, realizing he hadn’t actually wanted to bring that
up.
“He’s what?” Scott frowned. “Your heart beat just elevated, Stiles. Has he been
threatening you?”
“No, no,” Stiles flushed. “No, he’s been… nice. He’s been really nice.”
Scott looked skeptical. “Really?”
Stiles nodded and pulled himself away from his convoluted feelings on Derek.
“Really,” he assured his best friend.
***** Chapter 3 *****
The air was still as Stiles made his way to his jeep, keys jingling in his
pocket, clanging against his phone haphazardly. Stiles paused and reached into
his jeans to pull the keys out, clutching them in one hand as he continued his
way to the nearly-empty parking lot.
Dusk was falling, giving the world a twilight haze. It was a little creepy,
Stiles thought, but he reminded himself not to be a scared little boy and just
get into his jeep and get home, hopefully before his dad did.
There were shadows around the jeep. Stiles slowed his pace and his heart sped
up. The prickling on the back of his neck intensified. “Hello?” Stiles called
out. “Is there someone there?”
A growl rumbled up from the shadowed asphalt. “Derek?” Stiles asked, prayed.
“Scott?”
The growl intensified and then from the shadows came a dark shape, a werewolf
in half-man form, crouched on all fours.
Stiles took a startled step backwards, and then another, but the werewolf’s red
eyes pinned him in place before he could fully retreat. He froze, heart
pounding wildly in his chest and the rogue, and it had to be the rogue, walked
over and began to circle him.
“You don’t want me,” Stiles said, because his mouth was both his first and last
defense mechanism. “I’m not tasty. All skin and bones, yuck.”
The rogue alpha growled and then stood on two legs. It was still mostly wolfed
out, so much so that Stiles couldn’t see a human face even if he knew where to
look. He could, however, see that the alpha was male and… and Stiles shied away
from what that meant.
Stiles gulped. “Maybe you don’t want to eat me, but I don’t really want you to
turn me. Really, I wouldn’t make a good werewolf. I have ADHD; I’d be all over
the place.”
The rogue’s head cocked and then it dropped back down to all fours, coming up
right close to Stiles. He sniffed at Stiles and then his jaws opened and he
closed the distance to Stiles’ neck.
Stiles’ closed his eyes, utterly terrified, as the rogue’s jaws moved over his
shoulder, not biting but as if it was marking territory.
He didn’t want to be this monster’s territory, not when it had already taken
his best friend from him, but Stiles was caught. One move and he could impale
himself on those too-large fangs. Or worse.
There was a long howl and then the heat of the alpha’s breath was moving away
from him. Stiles opened his eyes just in time to see the rogue being tackled
away by another large shape.
“Derek!” Stiles gasped, though he had no idea how he knew that the new werewolf
was, in fact, Derek. Only that he did.
The rogue growled and threw Derek off of him. He looked once more at Stiles,
red eyes gleaming, and then loped away.
“Derek,” Stiles repeated, rushing up to where Derek had fallen. He knelt down,
but even as his hands were reaching for fur the fur receded into skin and Derek
sat up. “Are you okay?”
“Am I okay?” Derek’s voice was hoarse and his eyes were still brilliantly blue.
His strong arms grabbed Stiles and clutched him into his chest. Stiles let
himself be taken there, craved it even as he realized he was shaking hard. “Did
he hurt you?”
“No,” Stiles murmured into Derek. “I’m fine.”
“You’re not fine,” Derek noted and he shifted, spreading his legs so that
Stiles could kneel between them, both of them still clinging to each other.
“It’s okay, Stiles, it’s okay, he’s gone now.”
Stiles shivered harder and pressed closer.
“I’ve got you,” Derek murmured into his hair. “I promise you, I’ve got you
now.”
“Derek,” Stiles croaked out. “He- why me? Why was he here?”
“I don’t know,” Derek said and his arms clenched tighter around Stiles. “But I
won’t let him have you, Stiles. You’re mine.”
Stiles breath caught in his throat. “I’m not…”
Derek’s body had gone stiff under him and then he was standing, taking Stiles
up with him. “I’m sorry.”
Stiles shook his head and let Derek herd him towards the jeep. “Your
instincts,” he murmured, giving Derek a way out. “I get it.”
“No,” Derek said. “That’s not it. I want you, I want you so much, but you’re… I
shouldn’t have said that while you were still recovering from-”
“I said I’m fine,” Stiles snapped and then blushed. “Sorry, that was- sorry.”
Derek’s lips twitched. “Give me your keys, I’ll drive you home.”
“Yeah, okay,” Stiles nodded and threw his keys over with still slightly shaking
hands. They both got into the jeep and Stiles took comfort from Derek’s
presence. “Thank you for, well, that.”
“I have obligations with the pack,” Derek stated, eyes on the road as he drove.
“I can’t watch all the time. As it was, tonight I was nearly too late, but I
will have you protected, Stiles. I don’t know if the rogue will come after you
again, but I’m not willing to chance it.”
Stiles had nothing to say to that. He couldn’t think of a response if he wanted
to. Derek drove them in silence until they pulled up in the driveway of Stiles’
house and then turned off the jeep.
Stiles climbed out and took back his keys as Derek walked him to the door. It
reminded him of the first time they met; only that it was dark now and Stiles
was still shivering slightly.
“You said you want me,” Stiles murmured, not yet willing to open the door to
his house. “You mean that?”
“Yes,” Derek murmured back. He took Stiles’ chin in a firm, but not hard, grip
and twisted it so that their eyes met. “I would have you as my sub, Stiles. Any
day, if you got on your knees for me I would cherish you.”
Stiles’ knew his face must be red and he closed his eyes softly as Derek leaned
forward and took his lips in a kiss. His hands came up to clutch at Derek’s
shirt and he felt his back bend back slightly as the pressure increased.
Then Derek was pulling back, hazel eyes dark. “You should go inside. Think
about my offer, get some sleep.”
“No, but-” Stiles cut himself off and nodded. “Okay.” He pried his own fingers
off of Derek.
Derek took in a deep breath, as if he was trying to control himself, and then
gave Stiles just one more chaste kiss. “I’ll be watching over you tonight. I
promise you’ll be safe.”
Stiles nodded, reassured and trusting of Derek. He felt… hazy, as if he’d
somehow slipped into subspace.
All he knew was that Derek wanted him and he wanted Derek, but Derek had told
him to think it over and he would. Maybe tomorrow his mind would be clearer.
For now, with the knowledge that Derek was watching over him like some dark
angel, he’d sleep deeply.
                                     - – -
Stiles slipped his backpack onto his shoulders and closed the door behind him,
locking it easily. Keys spinning in his hands, he turned only to scream.
The male standing by his car raised his hands, a placating gesture. “Calm down,
I’m not going to hurt you.”
Stiles clutched at his chest, feeling his heart racing beneath. “Easy for you
to say.”
The male grimaced. “Yeah, sorry, I take it Derek didn’t warn you?”
Stiles made to shake his head, but paused halfway through the movement. “He
said something about getting someone to protect me…”
“That’s me,” the male said. “I’m Danny. It’s nice to meet you Stiles.”
Danny didn’t put his hand out to shake, but then again Stiles wasn’t sure that
was a werewolf thing to do anyways. And Stiles was pretty sure Danny was a
werewolf, if the not-so-discreet sniffing was anything to go by. “What are you
doing?” he asked curiously.
Danny’s head dropped slightly. “I’m imprinting on you.”
Stiles’ jaw dropped. “Hold on, isn’t that in Twilight, where the werewolf-”
“No,” Danny said, cutting him off. “No, no. Twilight’s shit, Stilinski. I’m
imprinting your scent in my memory so that I can track you easier if I need
to.”
“Right,” Stiles knew his face was bright red. “Sorry.”
Danny shrugged. “We’re going to be late, aren’t we?”
It was a subtle hint. Stiles went around to the driver’s side of the car and
climbed in, looking over as Danny got into the passenger seat. He glanced down
at the backpack. “You’re not at Beacon Hills High; I think I would remember
you.”
“I am now,” Danny said. “I’ve transferred from the pack to Beacon Hills for the
last couple of weeks.”
“All because the rogue wanted-” Stiles stopped himself. “All because Derek
said?”
Danny shrugged. “Derek is one of our alphas, yes, but it’ll be an interesting
experience. I’ve never been to a public school before.”
“Oh,” Stiles said. “So, wait, are you in all of my classes?”
Danny glanced at him. “You catch on quickly.”
“Well, no, yes, but, um,” Stiles’ blush, which had never really gone away,
brightened. “One of my classes is sub-only.”
“I was given a free period then,” Danny gave him an indulgent look.
Stiles nodded, a bit nervous but not exactly threatened by Danny. It all, he
thought, came down to his trust of Derek. Which was a bit of a heady thought.
“Thanks,” he said. “For doing this.”
Not, he thought, that he needed protection.
Then again, the rogue had… had looked at him like he was bacon, actually. Or at
least, how Stiles looked at bacon. Which might not be the best comparison
because Stiles did not want to get eaten.
“Are you okay?” Danny asked.
“What?” Stiles began to back up from the driveway, because they were going to
be late if he didn’t and since it was Danny’s first day that would be doubly
bad.
“Your fear scent spiked,” Danny said.
Stiles blinked. “You can scent that? No, of course you can. Werewolves.” He
shook his head. “It’s nothing, really.”
“Hmm,” Danny raised an eyebrow but he didn’t comment further as Stiles merged
into traffic.
                                     - – -
“So, Danny,” Stiles leaned over, his pencil tapping on his desk. “Do you know
what time Derek left last night?”
“Derek was in your room last night?” Danny sounded startled, but he kept his
voice low, which is better than Scott would have done.
“No,” Stiles shook his head and wondered if he was blushing. “No, he was
watching me from outside… er, not that he was watching me, just… watching over
me. Because of the rogue.”
Danny’s lips twitched. “I get it, Stilinski. No need to give me a play by
play.”
Stiles ducked his head and gave an awkward laugh. “Yeah, huh, so you don’t
know.”
“I don’t,” Danny shook his head. “Though there was a pack meeting this morn-”
“I know you are new to this school, Daniel,” Kate said, slamming the textbook
onto the desk. “So I’ll just give you one warning. When you’re in class, you
are expected to be quiet and listen to your teacher. In this case, that’s me.”
Stiles sat back, stunned. He’d never heard Kate sounds so vicious, and (by a
glance around the room), the rest of the class was shocked as well.
“Oh, and Stiles,” Kate said. “You’ll talk with me after class.”
“Yes, ma’am,” Stiles murmured, wondering if his teacher had woken up on the
wrong side of bed that morning.
Forty minutes later, Stiles stood in front of Kate’s desk as the last of the
students filed out. Danny gave him a glance as he left, and Stiles shook his
head, hoping to convey that he didn’t need to wait up for him.
“Stiles,” Kate said. “How are you doing, kid?”
“Um?” Stiles blinked. “Fine, I’m fine.”
Kate gave him a sympathetic look. “I know how hard it must be, losing your best
friend to those-” she stopped suddenly, “to the pack.”
“It’s okay.” Stiles shrugged. “Scott and I still talk.”
Kate frowned. “I don’t want you to think that you don’t have anyone to come
to,” she said, as if he hadn’t just spoken. “You don’t have to turn to
strangers. You don’t know anything about this boy. I’m sure Jackson or Lydia,
or one of the other students would be happy to hear your problems.”
“I’m sorry, what?” Stiles asked. How could Kate think that he and Jackson were
friends? And Lydia never spared him so much as a glance, let alone would listen
to him talking to her. “I’m not replacing Scott with Danny. He’s just,” he
stopped himself before he could say that Danny was at school because of Stiles.
“He’s new; I thought he needed a friend.”
“Be that as it may,” Kate sighed. “Look, kiddo, I know you’re sixteen-”
“Seventeen,” Stiles interrupted, but Kate waved it away.
“I remember myself at that age, always looking for someone to satisfy the urge.
I get it, and I will admit that this Danny isn’t too bad looking, but there’s
not need to go to awerewolf, Stiles. That’s unsafe. What would your father
think?”
Stiles scowled. No one brought up his father like that, not when they were
giving an unfounded accusation.
Well, maybe not completely unfounded, he thought as Derek popped into mind.
But regardless, Kate had just fallen from his favorite teacher to his least,
even under the coach. “Ms. Argent,” Stiles said, using the address she hated.
“With all due respect, that is my dad’s choice, not yours. Danny and I are not
together, are not going to get together, I was just being nice to the new kid
and I think we can become friends. So if you would let me go to my next class,
which I’m already late for, we can forget we had this conversation.”
Kate’s eyes darkened with something dangerous, but Stiles was already backing
up and escaping through the class door.
Danny waited for him in the hallway. He waited until they were far enough away
before turning to Stiles with a raised eyebrow. “Friends?”
Stiles took a calming breath and his shoulders slumped. “Yeah, sorry. I know
you probably don’t want to. You probably don’t even like me, you’re just
helping cause Derek told you, but it was the only thing I could think of saying
to her and-”
“Stiles,” Danny cut him off. “I would be happy to be your friend.”
Stiles looked over, searching Danny’s face for anything that would indicate
that he would later turn around and make fun of him, but Danny’s eyes were
sincere and he nodded. “Okay, yeah. I would like that.”
Danny smiled. “What do we have next?”
“Chemistry,” Stiles groaned. “But hey, I guess we’ll be lab partners. Do you
know how to balance chemical equations?”
“I’m sure we can figure it out,” Danny said, one hand hovering over Stiles back
and he directed him towards the hallway to the science classrooms.
Stiles wondered why Danny didn’t touch him, wondered how Danny knew where the
science classrooms were, wondered what Kate’s problem was. Except, Danny
probably didn’t touch him cause he didn’t want to spook him or maybe because
Derek had told him. And the science classrooms were clearly labeled by the
large sign above the wing.
He still had no idea what happened to his cool Supernatural teacher, but that
was a mystery to solve later.
                                     - – -
Ethan slammed Stiles against his lacrosse locker. “Think that your new pet
bodyguard is worth anything, Stilinski?” he asked. “How do you pay him, huh? Do
you bend over for him; let him tap your worthless ass?”
“Who would even want him?” Jackson added in, leaning against the opposite
locker with his arms crossed.
“You’re just jealous because Danny’s better at lacrosse than you,” Stiles bit
back.
And yeah, he wondered why he’d been surprised by that, but today was apparently
the day when all of Stiles expectations got turned on their head. Stiles still
got the lucky position of bench-sitting, but the coach had decided to try Danny
out, since he’d stayed after school for lacrosse practice to watch Stiles
anyways, and Danny had been a surprisingly good goalie.
Ethan pulled Stiles closer to him and Stiles had a moment to think, ‘Oh, crap’
before he was being slammed back against the locker again. His head smacked the
metal ridges, making the world spin before his eyes.
“Let him go.”
Stiles blinked hard, trying to make the world visible again around the black
spots that had dotted his vision.
“What’s it to you? Is he paying you to be his pet guard dog?” Ethan asked,
faint to Stiles ears.
Stiles shook his head and suddenly the world was back in focus. He noticed
first Danny, standing just in front of him, staring at Ethan, who had backed
off nearer to Jackson. Jackson now stood frozen, staring at Danny with an
expression Stiles couldn’t read.
“Stiles isn’t paying me anything,” Danny said. “I’m just being a decent
dominant. You think you’ll ever get someone to bend their knees for you with
that attitude?”
“Oh, and you can?” Ethan sneered.
“I don’t need to get in a pissing contest with you,” Danny stated, still calm.
“It would be boring. Leave, before I get really angry. And don’t touch Stiles
again, or you’ll have to answer to me.”
“Yeah?” Ethan scowled and crossed his arms. “So he is your little boy, is he?”
“No,” Danny growled and Stiles looked down, noticing that Danny’s fingernails
had lengthened into claws. He wondered what color Danny’s eyes were flashing,
but from his angle he couldn’t see. “I was asked by my alpha to guard
over his sub and I take my duty very seriously.”
Stiles wondered if he should protest that, but there was a shiver of excitement
that rolled through them as he thought of Derek introducing Stiles to Danny as
his sub and he found that he couldn’t open his mouth to deny it.
Ethan had grown pale. “You’re… you’re a were-”
“I am,” Danny said and in his tone was a feral grin. “And so are Stiles’ Dom
and Stiles’ best friend. So I would suggest you back off.”
Ethan gulped, audible even to Stiles ears, and looked over at Jackson, but
Jackson was still frozen in place.
Danny growled, loud and dangerous and Ethan fled quickly.
Stiles turned to Jackson as Danny did. Jackson’s eyes were wide as he stared at
Danny and his Adam’s apple bobbed.
Danny shifted and lifted his face, sniffing the air. Because he’d angled
himself differently, Stiles could now see the werewolf’s face, and what he saw
there had quickly changed from anger to curiosity. “Jackson, isn’t it?”
“You-” Jackson took in a deep breath. “I should go.”
Danny nodded. “Then go.” His voice was much gentler than it had been with Ethan
and Stiles felt… strange. There was something going on between Danny and
Jackson, but then Jackson’s face hardened and he spun on his heels and stalked
out.
And the moment was gone.
                                     - – -
Stiles squeezed the toothpaste out and put his toothbrush in his mouth. He
brushed in quick strokes, circling his molars with practiced care. Making sure
to brush his teeth well was one of the things his mom had always preached to
him.
At the time, he’d rolled his eyes at her, but ever since the car crash he’d
made sure to be diligent with his dental hygiene, if only in the hope that she
was watching him for some higher plane of existence and knew that he was now
following her word.
Stiles sighed and turned his thoughts to Derek like a bruise he wasn’t quite
sure would hurt if he poked it. Derek had said he wanted him, that he wanted
Stiles to be his sub, and Stiles wasn’t sure what he thought about that.
Sure, he had a good amount of lust for the older werewolf, but he was a
teenager, that was to be expected. And yeah, Derek did actually seem to care,
but could Stiles be sure that he actually meant that? That he wouldn’t just
drop Stiles when the next begging sub came along?
That was unfair, Stiles thought as he switched his toothbrush to the other side
of his mouth. Derek had done nothing to warrant his distrust, not yet.
Innocent until proven guilty. Good until proven bad. Interested until proven…
not.
Stiles spit and rinsed his mouth, putting the toothbrush back on the counter.
He raised his eyes, staring at himself in the mirror.
His usual brown was gold. Stiles blinked, and then his normal color came back
and he shook his head.
Omegas, he thought. Scott had said that sometimes the changes began before
there ever was an official mating.
“Huh,” Stiles said out loud, laughing slightly at himself.
Seems he’d already made his choice.
                                     - – -
Sometimes Stiles wondered whether or not his memories of his mom were real, or
if they were influenced by the pictures he held in his hands. His finger traced
one, a photo taken at his fifth birthday party. He remembered his mom’s laugh
as she cut the cake for him, just as the photo showed her, mouth open in a wide
smile and eyes glowing with happiness as little kid Stiles clapped his hands
together.
Stiles flipped the page of the album towards the beginning, smiling at his dad
and mom, both much younger. His mom was clasped to his dad’s side, a new collar
shining on her neck.
His eyes fixated on that collar. It was silver and had taken up nearly all of
his dad’s salary. Stiles had once asked why his dad hadn’t gone for a leather
collar, or even a cloth one, and his dad had laughed.
“Because your mother would have never accepted for anything less than complete
commitment,” he’d said.
Stiles wondered what that meant now as he looked at that picture, at his mom’s
twinkling eyes and his dad’s exuberant grin.
There was a knock on his bedroom door.
“Come in,” Stiles called. The door opened and Derek stepped in.
Stiles frowned, closing the photo album. “Surprised to see you not coming
through the window.”
Derek’s lips twitched. “Your father let me in.”
“Dad?” Stiles sat up straighter. “Did you talk to him? Did he ask why you were
here? What did you say? What did he say?”
“Calm down, Stiles,” Derek murmured, stepping fully into the room and closing
the door behind him. “He wanted to know my intentions. I told him.”
Stiles frowned and opened his mouth to ask for more details, but Derek shook
his head and he closed it again.
“Danny has gone back to the pack for the night,” Derek said. “And your father
is off to the grocery store. He said he would give us at least an hour.”
“An hour for what?” Stiles asked, heart starting to beat heavily in his chest.
“That depends on you,” Derek said. “Have you thought about my offer, Stiles?”
Stiles nodded, because he had. “Yeah.”
“And?” Derek shifted and suddenly Stiles realized that he wasn’t as confident
as he appeared. He didn’t know how he could tell; only that he could, and
remarkably, that calmed him more than anything else would have.
Stiles stood and approached Derek. He stopped a foot or so in front of him and
took a steading breath. “Yes,” he murmured. “My answer is yes.” And then he
sank down to his knees, not as gracefully as some, but once he was there it was
like he never wanted to get up again as he clasped his hands behind his back
and arched his neck towards Derek.
Derek’s sharp intake of breath had him smiling slightly. “Oh, Stiles,” he said.
His hand came to softly rest on Stiles head. “You’re so beautiful like this, at
my feet. If I could, I would have you stay there forever.”
Stiles wanted to say that he would like that, that he would totally do that if
Derek asked. Except Derek hadn’t given him permission to speak yet and Stiles
wasn’t so sure he couldkeep kneeling forever, not once the medicine he took for
his ADHD wore off.
He wondered why Derek would want him, but doubts were swept away as Derek’s
fingers grasped his chin. “Look at me.”
Stiles did, shivering as his gaze met brilliant blue. Derek’s eyes widened and
Stiles wondered if his own eyes were golden.
“I want you to stand and strip, everything,” Derek said after a very long
moment. “Then go and kneel in the center of your bed.”
Stiles nodded and peeled off his shirt. He wondered if he should make it slow;
try for a strip-tease or something, except he’d probably look ridiculous so he
just settled for getting naked as quickly as possible. He kept his back to
Derek as he slipped off his boxers, embarrassed despite himself.
The bed dipped under his weight. Stiles balanced carefully in the center,
sitting back on his heels with his hands on his thighs. There was the soft
sound of clothing rustling and jeans being unzipped and Stiles took in a deep
breath.
He looked. Derek stood in front of the bed, nude except for his boxers. His
chest was hairless, something Stiles had learned was a werewolf thing, though
it made very little sense to him, and toned. Stiles licked his lips as his eyes
traveled along it and he wondered again how someone as hot as Derek would ever
want someone like him.
“Stop that,” Derek commanded.
Stiles eyes snapped to Derek’s, confused. “Stop what?”
“You had that look in your eye, like you doubt this,” Derek frowned. He moved
closer until he was within arm’s length of Stiles. “At least give me this
night, Stiles.”
Stiles shivered at the want in Derek’s eyes and he nodded. “You’re just so
hot,” he blurted out and then flushed. “Sorry.”
Derek’s expression was stunned for a brief moment before it wiped away. “You’re
beautiful.”
Stiles opened his mouth to argue, but before he could Derek climbed onto the
bed in front of him and plundered his mouth.
Damn, Stiles thought, closing his eyes. One of Derek’s hands came to wrap
around the back of his neck and hold him steady and it had Stiles aching inside
with something he couldn’t quite quantify.
Derek broke the kiss. “Hands behind your back. Spread your knees.”
Stiles did as demanded. Derek thrust a hand between his legs the minute they
were apart, exploring Stiles’ cock and balls with harsh fingers. Instead of
flinching away, as Stiles would have thought he might, he found himself
groaning as that calloused hand pulled roughly at his genitals.
He didn’t know that about himself.
Derek pushed against him and Stiles went, falling back on the bed. There was a
moment of awkwardness as Stiles had to disentangle his legs out from under him,
but then they were spread open and Derek was nestled between them like he
belonged there.
Stiles arched his head back, giving Derek access to his throat. Derek took it
with sharp teeth and Stiles gasped aloud. The Dom stuck his fingers in Stiles’
mouth as soon as it was open.
Stiles mouthed around them, for a moment uncertain. Derek began to rub them
against his tongue and then Stiles understood, sucking on them with fervor.
“God, Stiles,” Derek murmured. “I want you so badly.”
Stiles wanted to talk, to tell Derek to take him, dammit, but it was like
speech had been lost to him. Instead, he bucked his hips up in offering and
moaned as Derek rolled his hips down in reply.
Please, Stiles tried to say, but out of his mouth just came a gasp of pleasure.
Derek seemed to understand though, as he nipped against Stiles earlobe and drew
back just enough to get a hand between Stiles’ legs.
The finger that breached his entrance was cool and slick. The logical part of
Stiles’ brain wondered when the Dom had grabbed lube, but that part was swept
away soon by sensory information as the finger wiggled inside him.
Stiles gasped aloud and tried to buck his hips again, only to Derek’s free arm
hold them down. He whimpered and Derek shushed him. “I’ll take care of you,”
the Dom promised as he added another finger and scissored them.
Stiles was lost in himself, aware of only the connection to Derek through the
fingers inside him. A third was added, twisting and turning like a dance. He
practically whined as they were taken away, only to be replaced by something
warmer, bigger.
Something all Derek.
Stiles stilled, relaxing completely under his Dom’s weight as Derek thrust into
him with one steady stroke. It burned, but that burn was just a reminder of
their connection and Stiles craved more of it.
Derek thrust harder into him, muttering nonsense against Stiles’ neck. Stiles’
hands came up to clutch at his Dom’s shoulders, his cock aching between their
rocking bodies.
“Come, Stiles,” Derek said softly into his ear.
Stiles felt as though a dam had been released inside him and then he was coming
against Derek’s chest as Derek continued to pound himself to completion.
***** Chapter 4 *****
Stiles bounced on his toes, shivering as the constant movement reminded him of
the burning in his backside. His smile was wide on his face, but he couldn’t
seem to make it go away as he closed his locker and turned.
Ethan stared at him, mouth twitching as if he was dying to say something.
Stiles saw Danny step up out of the corner of his eye. The werewolf raised an
eyebrow at Ethan, a warning gesture.
The bully turned around and walked away quickly.
“You’re happy this morning,” Danny stated once Ethan was out of sight.
Stiles felt his cheeks heat up in a blush. “Maybe.”
“Congratulations,” Danny gave him a knowing smile.
That’s one of the things Stiles liked about Danny. Scott would either have
leered or laughed at him, good-naturedly of course, but still. Danny was a nice
guy.
The first bell rang and they began to walk towards their shared English class.
“So,” Stiles ventured. “Do you have a sub? Or, ah, an omega?”
“No,” Danny shook his head. “I don’t. My last sub joined another pack and ran
off with their alpha.”
“Oh, uh,” Stiles blinked. “Sorry.”
Danny shrugged. His eyes watched the crowd steadily; something Stiles had
noticed he did often. He wondered if he did it consciously, as a bodyguard, or
if he just liked people-watching.
Stiles wondered what sub in their right mind would leave a man like Danny. The
werewolf was super attractive, though not quite Stiles’ type.
Of course, Derek was Stiles’ type now, so it was a mote point.
“Watch it!”
Stiles stepped back, colliding into Danny as he attempted to dodge Jackson.
Jackson glared at them both, brushing himself off as if Stiles was contagious
or something.
“Sorry,” Stiles muttered, brushing it off. He was still in too good a mood from
the night before to be bothered by Jackson.
Jackson snorted and stepped forward. Stiles planted his feet into the ground,
his body used to Jackson’s signature move of brushing against him enough to
knock him over as he walked passed.
Only, this time, Danny used a hand on Stiles’ shoulder to gently nudge him out
of the way. With his other hand, he grabbed Jackson by the arm.
Jackson’s eyes widened and his whole body froze. Stiles looked between him and
Danny.
“It wasn’t just Stiles’ fault,” Danny said after a minute, slowly, as if he
were talking to a child.
Jackson’s shoulders were tense. “I’m not apologizing for anything.”
Danny frowned, but he let go of Jackson without another word and turned back to
Stiles. “Let’s go.”
Stiles nodded and let Danny herd them back on track, but after a moment he
looked back only to see Jackson still stopped in the middle of the hallway, his
eyes fixed on Danny’s back and a half-horrified, half-longing expression on his
face.
                                     - – -
Stiles’ cellphone rang as the last bell rang at the end of the school day. He
looked at the caller ID only to not recognize the number. Frowning, he glanced
at Danny, and then opened the cell. “Hello?”
“Stiles,” Derek said from the other line.
“Derek!” Stiles’ grinned. “How’d you get my number?”
He could practically here Derek’s smugness. “Your dad.”
“Oh,” Stiles blushed, not sure what he thought about that. “What’s going on?
Did you miss me? I mean, well I guess it’s only been like eight hours so it’s
pretty ridiculous to ask that, but I just thought I should say it and-”
“Stiles,” Derek cut him off. “Yes, I did. I’m outside your school. Have Danny
drive your jeep home and join me.”
“Yes, sir,” Stiles murmured, already reaching in his pocket for his keys. He
looked over to find Danny giving him an amused look. “Where are we going?”
“You’ll see,” Derek said.
Stiles wavered, wondering if he should ask again. Nah, he figured, he’d only
been Derek’s sub for a day, and he could behave for a little while longer. “Oh,
I need to drop a paper off to one of my teachers first.”
“You’ve got five minutes,” Derek told him and hung up.
“Even brusquer on the phone,” Stiles said fondly as he pocketed his cell and
handed Danny his car keys. “I’m guessing you heard him.”
“I promise not to crash it,” Danny said.
“You’d better,” Stiles warned. “My baby doesn’t have fast acceleration and her
brakes squeak sometimes. Be gentle with her.”
“Don’t worry Stiles,” Danny laughed. “You want me to wait for you and we can
walk to the parking lot together?”
“Nah,” Stiles shrugged. “Five minutes and I’ll be with Derek anyways.”
Danny nodded and Stiles waved him away as he headed towards Kate classroom. He
swung his backpack over his shoulder and opened it, ruffling through it to grab
his extra credit paper.
The hallways were deserted by the time he got to his teacher’s room. The door
to it was cracked open, which was strange, and he walked up to it, a hand
raised to knock.
“Then come and get me, bitch!”
Stiles froze, hand still raised. That had sounded like Kate’s voice, but he’d
never heard her use that half-taunting, half-angry tone before. He shifted and
then pushed the door open just enough to be able to peak through it.
Kate stood with her back to him. In her arms was the largest knife Stiles had
ever seen.
Facing her was the rogue alpha.
“Didn’t get enough, did you?” Kate laughed harshly. “Needed to come back for
more? Huh, well you could have had all of this if you’d mated me.” She rolled
her hips and then laughed again. “Not anymore, sweetheart. Why would I want
you? Why would anyone want you?”
The alpha roared and charged, only for Kate to roll to the side and stick him
in the arm with her knife. He flinched back, retreating away again.
“Not even your own pack wants you,” Kate hissed. “They never wanted you. They
were glad when I took you away.”
The alpha shook its massive head and barred its teeth. Kate just sighed. “You
think you can scare me with that, hun? I’ve lived with you for six years; your
temper tantrums don’t bother me.”
Stiles’ brain caught up with his fascination and he quickly reached for his
cell, only just then the alpha’s eyes moved to the left slightly to land on
him. Stiles froze, but it was too late. Kate had caught the movement and she
cocked her head. She began to turn her head to look in his direction.
Stiles ran.
Clawed feet sounded in the hall behind him and Stiles gasped for breath,
sprinting all the way out to the main hallway.
Derek was near the front door, moving in his direction.
“Derek,” Stiles said, already reaching for the dom. Derek’s arms caught him in
a firm hold and held him against his large chest. Stiles burrowed his head
there and shook. “He… the alpha, he’s here!”
“I know,” Derek growled. “I heard everything.” There was silence for a moment,
where all Stiles could hear was the pounding of his own heart against Derek’s
chest, and then Derek’s body relaxed. “It’s okay, they’re gone. They’re both
gone.”
Stiles felt his shoulders collapse down and he leaned his entire weight into
his Dom. Derek shifted and Stiles felt the Dom’s face press against his hair.
After a moment, Stiles let his breathing return to normal. “Sorry.”
“Don’t apologize,” Derek murmured, but he pulled back so they could see each
other. “That bitch code-watcher… we should have known.”
“I didn’t know,” Stiles licked his lips. “Kate… what was she talking about?”
“Come on, let’s go to your house,” Derek said. Stiles nodded and they walked
back to Derek’s car and got in. Only once they were on the highway did the
werewolf start talking again. “Six years ago, my uncle went missing from the
pack. We searched for him, but whoever had taken him was good. They used anti-
scenting powder, which is really rare. Only code-watchers have it in supply.”
“So Kate, what, kidnapped him?” Stiles frowned. “Why?”
Derek sighed. “My uncle wasn’t the most dominant of wolves. Many other packs
mistook him for one of the subs and he’d always laughed it off.”
“She said something about mate,” Stiles gasped. “Are you saying she kidnapped
him to make him her mate?” His mind raced. “Maybe she wanted to become an
omega. It’s a lot of the perks of being a were without most of the problems, I
could see why she would like it… but he couldn’t mate her because he’s a
dominant. Damn, so she kept him locked up for six years? No wonder he’s gone
insane.”
“He wants a pack,” Derek said. “I don’t know why he hasn’t come back to ours…”
“Hey,” Stiles reached over and laid a hand on Derek’s arm. “She hurt him. He’s
not the same uncle you knew.”
“Yeah,” Derek still looked upset, but Stiles could understand that so he let it
go.
Derek parked in Stiles’ driveway. The minute Stiles was out of the car, Derek
was by his side. Stiles smiled to himself and they both walked together into
the house.
The house was empty. Stiles walked up to his room with Derek close on his heels
and set his bag aside the minute they were through the door. Stiles knew that
if he was by himself, he’d be jumping at shadows, but with Derek he felt safe.
“Stiles,” Derek said. Stiles turned to look at him and his eyes drifted down to
the box in the Dom’s hands.
“What is it?” Stiles asked curiously, reaching towards the box. Derek let him
open it.
Stiles took in a quick breath as a leather cuff was revealed. He looked up at
Derek, whose eyes were hooded. “I asked your dad if it was okay,” he said. “I
know it’s fast, but I don’t want anyone else to think you’re available. I want
you to be mine, for as long as you’ll have me.”
“As long as I’ll have you?” Stiles repeated, stunned. He looked back at the
cuff and reached into the box, picking it up with slightly shaking hands.
It was a softer leather, but dark. The border was braided and a metal wolf
could be clearly seen in the center. There was only a single buckle in the back
and Stiles undid it.
“Stiles,” Derek murmured.
Stiles grinned up at him and sank down to his knees, holding the cuff up with
both hands. “Please, Derek?”
“Of course,” Derek agreed. He set the box aside and then grabbed the cuff from
Stiles’ hands. His fingers traced along Stiles left arm and Stiles eyes closed.
He opened them again after just a moment, watching Derek’s electric blue eyes
flash as the Dom clasped the cuff onto his left wrist.
Derek tugged Stiles up and Stiles went easily, melting into Derek’s open-
mouthed kiss. “Thank you,” Stiles whispered between breaths.
“Always,” Derek whispered back, picking Stiles up and depositing him on the
bed. His hand continued to clasp tightly over the cuff now on Stiles’ wrist and
Stiles shivered, his arousal growing as his Dom’s body covered his.
                                     - – -
“Pay attention,” Lydia snapped.
“Sorry,” Stiles winced, turning his eyes away from Danny and Jackson back to
the female Domme. “What problem were we on?”
Lydia sighed and tapped her paper. Stiles looked down only to notice that she’d
finished the whole sheet. He flushed and quickly copied down her answers.
They were currently in History working on the Civil War, one of Stiles’ least
favorite subjects. Once, he would have been ecstatic to get paired with Lydia
Martin even for a daily work assignment, but Derek’s cuff rubbed his wrist as
if to remind him that he was now claimed and he didn’t even let his eyes stray
to where her breast peaked out from her low-hanging shirt.
“Hey Lydia,” Stiles said, keeping his voice low. “Can I ask you a question?”
“No,” Lydia told him.
Stiles frowned, and then shrugged it off. “Well, I’m going to ask you anyway.”
He ignored Lydia’s glare and nodded his head towards where Jackson was sitting
as far away from Danny as possible, despite the fact they’d been partnered
together. “What’s up with Jackson?”
Lydia’s lips pursed. “Sorry?”
“You’re best friends,” Stiles said. The two hottest Doms in school had been
inseparable since their start at Beacon Hills. “Right? He’s been acting really
strange lately, hasn’t he?”
Lydia looked at him for a moment, and then her eyes flickered down to the cuff
on Stiles wrist. “Let’s go out.”
“What?” Stiles reeled back. “Did you just ask me out?”
“I did,” Lydia flipped her hair over her shoulders. “This Sunday, let’s go on a
date.”
“No,” Stiles said, surprising even himself by the conviction in his voice. “No,
sorry, Lydia, I have a dom.”
“Danny?” Lydia asked.
Stiles shook his head wordlessly. After a moment of the Domme’s staring, he
finally said. “His alpha.”
“Derek Hale,” Lydia stated.
“Wait, you knew?” Stiles gaped. “Why did you ask me out?”
Lydia didn’t answer. Instead, she turned her eyes back towards Danny and
Jackson. “I imagine Jackson is finding it hard to resist new temptations.”
“What?” Stiles scratched his head and then looked back towards the two males.
Danny was looking down at his paper and Jackson was staring at the werewolf,
his eyes dark and his face pained.
A strange thought flickered in his mind. “Lydia,” Stiles said slowly, dropping
his voice even lower. “Is Jackson a switch?”
Lydia laughed. “Oh, Stiles, Jackson hasn’t ever been dominant.”
Stiles’ mouth dropped open. For a moment, he just stared at her, wondering if
she would retract her statement, but Lydia just stared at him.
“Wait,” he said after a moment. “Have you and he ever…”
“It was convenient,” Lydia shrugged. “I’m bored of him anyway.”
Stiles wondered if she was just saying that because it seemed as if Jackson had
moved on, but then the teacher was calling them up to present their problem
solutions and he was forced to put the issue aside.
                                     - – -
“I’m home!” Stiles called. “Dad?”
“In the living room,” his dad called back.
Stiles wandered in the direction of the couch and plopped down next to his dad.
“Hey.”
His dad paused the TV show and turned to face him. “How are you doing, son?”
“Good,” Stiles said automatically, and then paused to think about it. “Really
good.” He fiddled with the cuff on his wrist.
His dad’s eyes traced his hands. “Derek’s treating you right?”
“Yeah,” Stiles blushed and nodded. “He’s really protective, which is
understandable with the rogue, I guess, but… I think… I think I love him, Dad.”
It was weird for him to say out loud, very weird. But as much as he just wanted
to say that he really liked Derek, his emotions for the werewolf couldn’t be
contained in such a small word.
“I know,” his dad smiled. “I’m happy for you, Stiles.”
Stiles paused. “You don’t think I’m too young?”
“Oh, Stiles,” his dad leaned back and smiled. “I fell in love with your mom the
moment I saw her. There is no magical moment, no magical age. It happens when
it happens and there is no point in denying or regretting. Think of Scott and
his girlfriend.”
“They are definitely in love,” Stiles snorted. “Sickeningly so.”
His dad winced. “I might have to agree with you there.”
Stiles stared at his dad for a moment longer and then dropped his gaze.
“Thanks, Dad. You know, for letting Derek cuff me and being understanding.”
His dad shifted and then cautiously wrapped his arms around him. Stiles leaned
into the embrace, comforted by his dad’s familiar scent. “My little boy’s
growing up,” his dad whispered in his ear.
Stiles pulled back and made a face. “Goodnight, Dad,” he said pointedly.
His dad chuckled and waved him away. Stiles went, taking the stairs up to his
room two at a time. He opened the door and grinned at Danny, who sat on his bed
with his phone in his hand.
Danny looked up from the cell. “That was adorable.”
“Shut up,” Stiles said, but he was still smiling. “Who’re you texting?”
“Jackson,” Danny murmured, his thumb tapping away for a second before it
stilled.
Stiles dropped his bag. “Jackson?”
“He asked me out,” Danny said, his eyebrows furrowed.
“Um, sorry,” Stiles frowned. “I thought you were the Dom.”
Danny glanced up finally and frowned. “He’s been hiding his true nature for
quite a long time, I think. This would never happen in the pack.”
“No, I don’t suppose it would,” Stiles said, scratching his head. “Are you
going to accept?”
“I did,” Danny said. “He interests me and he smells fantastic, but…”
Stiles figured Danny wasn’t talking about Jackson’s cologne, which was
interesting. “You have to show him who’s boss?” he guessed.
Danny nodded. “Something like that.” He looked back at the cell. “He wants to
meet now.”
“Then go,” Stiles shrugged.
“I can’t leave you alone!” Danny said. “Derek said-”
“Call Derek,” Stiles suggested. “He’s probably on his way here anyway.”
“I don’t know,” Danny frowned. “The last time I went before you were safely
with Derek, you ran into the rogue alpha.”
“What are the odds of that happening twice,” Stiles rolled his eyes. “Go, I’ll
be fine. Look, I’ll even text you when Derek arrives and you can tell me what
happened with Jackson.”
Danny wavered, but Stiles could tell his mind was on Jackson and finally he
nodded. “Okay. Text me the minute he arrives.”
“I will,” Stiles promised. “Go on, go woo Jackson.” He pulled back the urge to
shudder at the thought of Jackson in any sort of romantic relationship, because
he supposed that if Danny did manage to claim him that’d make them in-laws or
something. That’d be weird.
“I’ll call Derek on my way,” Danny said. “Just stay in your room, okay?”
Stiles nodded and sat down on the bed, holding out his hands as if to say,
‘see, I’m a good boy!’
Danny shook his head, but he was smiling and soon after he left the room,
cellphone to his ear.
                                     - – -
Stiles flushed the toilet and washed his hands, humming to himself. He opened
his bathroom door and stepped back into his bedroom.
The light was off in his room, the window outside showing that night had just
fallen. Stiles wondered if Danny had managed to convince Jackson to be his yet.
In the corner of the room, a dark shadow shifted.
“Derek?” Stiles asked as he flipped on the light.
The shadow receded, revealing a man. “Stiles, isn’t it?”
Stiles frowned. The man seemed familiar, but he couldn’t place him. “Who are
you?” He wondered if Derek had sent someone else after Danny had called him.
Maybe his Dom was in a meeting or something.
“My name is Peter,” the man smiled and it was probably supposed to be calming
but all Stiles felt from it was anxiety.
Stiles stepped back, uncertain. “Did Derek send you?”
“Derek?” Peter hummed. “No, I don’t suppose he knows I’m here.”
Stiles stiffened as Peter’s eyes flashed red. “You’re Derek’s uncle. You’re the
rogue.”
“Very good,” Peter praised. In a flash, he’d moved, coming to stand right up
next to Stiles. “You have such potential, don’t you?”
Stiles breath came faster and he flinched back, trying to stumble away, only to
be caught by a strong arm around his waist. “Get off me.”
“Don’t talk back to your superiors now,” Peter tutted and it sounded so like
how Ethan used to that Stiles hissed.
“Derek will find you,” Stiles said. “He’ll catch you. Let me go.”
“Shush boy,” Peter’s eyes were completely red now and his teeth had sharpened
into fangs. “You don’t have to worry about Derek anymore.”
Before Stiles could figure out what that meant, he felt a sharp pressure on the
back of his neck and then the world was fading into darkness.
                                     - – -
He woke to an empty room. Stiles froze immediately as memories came back in a
rush. The room was plain, bare walls and no furniture. A single door stood
closed in front of him.
Stiles stood off the ground and walked towards it, but before he could reach
the handle the door opened. He gulped and stepped back as Derek’s uncle stepped
inside the room and closed the door behind him.
“You’re awake,” Peter smiled, his canine teeth sharper than normal and his eyes
red-tinted. “I’m so glad.”
“What do you want with me?” Stiles asked. “Let me go.”
Peter shook his head. “I can’t do that. Not until you’re mine.”
“Why?” Stiles paused, trying to buy time. “I would be an awful werewolf, you
know. Terrible.”
“You’re already halfway there,” Peter pointed out. “Oh, but Stiles, I don’t
want to turn you. You’re not fit to be another beta. No, you’re much more than
that.”
Stiles was starting to really freak out. He had no idea where he was, only that
he was trapped with this madman. “You just said, I’m an omega. That means I’m
claimed already. Unless you want Derek in your pack, which, okay, I can see,
but-”
“Derek is not fit to be yours!” Peter snarled. “Traitor, he is one of the
traitors. They do not understand the meaning of pack.” The were’s face shifted,
growing a snout, before it snapped back and Peter smiled. “But you do, don’t
you Stiles? With you by my side, Scott would stop running to my former pack. He
would join us. We would be a family.”
“Scott’s happy where he is,” Stiles said, but he knew that, yeah, if it came
down to it Scott might just follow him. Well, unless Allison really opposed it
which she probably would, being a budding code watcher.
Peter ignored him. “You will be such the perfect mate to lead the pack,” he
said. His eyes had gone pure red.
“Why would I be yours?” Stiles asked. “I’m Derek’s.”
“I’ll show you,” Peter told him. “Why I am so infinitely better than my silly
nephew. Kneel for me.”
Stiles glared, his eyes probably flashing golden, but the werewolf opposite him
simply laughed. “I can see why Derek likes you, boy.”
Peter moved and Stiles took a step back. His throat worked, his breath coming
fast. He knew the werewolf could hear his accelerated heart rate. “Stay away.”
“Don’t think to tell me orders,” Peter snapped.
Where was Derek? Stiles thought wildly. Scott? Hell, he would settle for
Allison’s creepy dad if that’s what it took.
Peter’s breath smelled rancid against his lips. Stiles jerked, wide-eyes
staring at the cruel gaze right there in front of him. There were hot hands on
his waist, pinning him with claws that raked his side. One grasped his arm and
pulled it up, red eyes staring at the leather on the wrist. “His cuff?”
“No!” Stiles protested, though he knew he could do nothing. That he was
powerless here under this rogue alpha’s grip.
The claws dipped under the supple leather, scratching against his flesh. “I
don’t think you need this anymore, Stiles,” Peter sneered. “You’re mine.”
“No, don’t,” Stiles said again, weakly, as the torn cuff fell to the floor. It
wasn’t so much the loss of the actual item, but the realization that he was now
on Peter’s control that had Stiles shaking.
Peter’s lips came to replace where the cuff had just been, his teeth scraping
Stiles’ wrist. The sensation was enough to snap Stiles out from the terrified
fugue he’d been in and he jerked back quick enough to catch the alpha by
surprise.
Stiles stumbled backwards, his back hitting the wall hard. Peter’s mouth
twisted into a nasty frown. “Don’t think you can run away from me, boy,” he
growled. “I will have you. I will have-”
The door cracked from behind him and Peter spun just in time for the whole
wooden panel to explode inward, showering the werewolf in small shards of
plywood. Stiles sank back farther against the wall, wondering why he wasn’t
born the kind of person to jump into the middle of the fray. To be the hero.
Instead, he shook in the corner as several werewolves invaded the room,
circling Peter like he was prey to take down.
Stiles closed his eyes and turned his head away as Peter roared in agony. There
was the crunch of breaking bones, and then something in Stiles calmed.
Derek, he thought. Stiles opened his eyes again and turned back to the fight,
his eyes fixating on Derek’s wolf form. His Dom stood over Peter’s fallen body,
his teeth bared as he methodically tore his uncle’s throat out.
Stiles felt his stomach rebel and he threw up in the corner of the room. He
winced as soon as he was done, wiping his mouth on the back of his sleeve.
“Stiles!” that was Scott’s voice. Stiles turned back to see that the weres had
all changed back. Someone had covered Peter’s head and neck with a jacket and
judging by Laura’s bare arms, it was hers. Danny was there as well, guilt clear
on his face as he looked at Stiles.
Scott stepped forward, but Derek was already brushing past him and gathering
Stiles in his arms. Stiles sank into them, immediately comforted. “I’m so glad
you came,” he muttered.
“Are you okay?” Derek asked. “Did he hurt you?”
Stiles shook his head. “I’m okay, I’m fine now.”
Derek growled softly, hearing all the unspoken things in Stiles’ tone. He
gripped Stiles closer. “Your wrist.”
“He cut it off, Derek,” Stiles pulled his head back. “I couldn’t do anything
and he cut it off and I’m sorry. I didn’t think I’d miss it so soon, but I do,
and I’m so sorry, he came to my room like you said he might and-”
“Shh,” Derek murmured. “You’re okay now. We’ll get you a new cuff, Stiles. I
promise. It’s all over. He’ll never hurt you again.”
“What about Kate?” Stiles asked, his voice small.
“We turned her in to her family,” Laura said from behind Derek. “Don’t worry,
she confessed everything. She won’t be hurting anyone again.”
Stiles shifted so he could see his Dom’s sister. “Thank you.”
Laura smiled at him. “Anything for you, Stiles. You’re family now.”
“Thanks,” Stiles said again, flushing as Derek continued to hold him tightly in
his arms. He looked from Danny, whom he gave a reassuring smile to, to Laura,
and then to his best friend Scott.
Scott smiled at him, his eyes happy, and Stiles, with Derek’s comforting
presence soothing him, smiled back.
***** Epilogue *****
FIVE YEARS LATER
Derek gripped Stiles’ waist tighter, holding him steady as he pounded into him.
Stiles made a muffled noise behind his gag, his eyes rolling back in his head
as Derek hit that sweet spot in him dead on.
His Dom groaned and thrust one more time before his cock pulsed in Stiles and
began to spurt seed deep inside him. Stiles’ head fell forward, his body
shivering with need even as Derek’s cock began to soften. His own cock was
dripping, fully erect and purple underneath the cock ring.
Derek reached around, tugging the leather ring off. Stiles bit into the gag in
his mouth, screwing his eyes shut so as not to come before he was given
permission.
His Dom kissed his ear softly in reward. “Go ahead and come. You’ve done so
well.”
Gasping around his gag, Stiles did, his arms jerking as they were stretched
above his head. He fell; limp, against the sheets and lay there even as Derek
unbuckled the gag.
“How are your shoulders doing?” Derek asked, one hand lightly rubbing along
Stiles’ back.
Stiles rolled his shoulders back, his arms still cuffed together at the head of
their large bed. “Fine,” he answered honestly. They’d played longer and harder
than what had just happened before and he knew his own limits. He could stay in
soft bondage for a few more hours if his Dom wanted.
Derek didn’t, it seemed, as he unlocked the cuffs and took Stiles’ hands in
hand, rubbing the wrists to regain blood flow.
Stiles smiled and shifted to lean against his Dom’s chest. His speech always
left him during scenes, but it wouldn’t take too much longer for it to come
back.
“Congratulations,” Derek told him softly.
“Quite a graduation present,” Stiles grinned.
“Not every day you graduate college,” Derek noted and then he slipped off the
bed and padded over to the chest of drawers. “Come here, Stiles.”
Stiles did, curious as Derek took from the top drawer a thin box. “Is that what
I think it is?”
Derek smiled softly at him. “We’ve been together for a while and I’ve known
since the beginning that I love you. The only reason I haven’t done this sooner
is because your dad asked that I wait until you graduated. Now that you’re
done… I can finally ask. Stiles, will you do me the honor of wearing my
collar?”
Stiles felt his cheeks heat, but it was with pleasure not embarrassment as he
nodded. “Of course, Derek. Yes.” He got on his knees before his Dom could ask
and bowed his head.
Seconds later, Derek’s all too familiar hands circled his neck and then they
were replaced with something heavier, and soft. There was the click of a lock
closing.
“Stand,” Derek told him. Stiles stood, one hand coming to touch the collar now
locked on his neck. “Go on, look in the mirror.”
Stiles grinned and leaned forward to give his Dom a peck on the lips before he
raced to the bathroom. He flicked the lights on and stared as his new collar
was revealed.
It was silver in color, but not white gold. Platinum, he thought, surprised.
The actual metal didn’t touch the skin; instead there was a softer cotton
lining that wouldn’t rub. He would have to take it off for cleaning, probably,
but that wasn’t a problem because he waswearing Derek’s collar!
“You like it?” Derek asked, stepping up behind him and encircling his waist
with large arms.
“I love it,” Stiles said honestly, fiddling with the small tag that read:
PROPERTY OF ALPHA DEREK HALE etched over a wolf background. “I really love it,
Derek, thank you.”
“Of course,” Derek murmured, repeating Stiles’ earlier words. “How long do we
have until the graduation party?”
Stiles checked the clock out in the bedroom. “An hour,” he said. Derek’s new
pack would all be there: Scott and Allison and Danny and Jackson and several
others they’d collected along the way. They still visited the larger Hale pack
occasionally, and sometimes Lydia came down from Berkley to hang out with them,
but that central pack was as close as family.
Stiles loved all of them, but none more than he loved his Dom.
“An hour?” Derek smirked. “Enough time for a lengthy shower, isn’t it?”
Stiles shivered. “Hell yes.”
Derek laughed and kissed his lips and then down to the junction of his neck and
collar. Stiles leaned into him, more content than he could ever remember being
in his life.
Please drop_by_the_archive_and_comment to let the author know if you enjoyed
their work!