The Der-Bear-Est of Them All

Strategy & Love

Jennifer is away from Derek for a couple weeks to finalize her plan. She can't text him while she's gone which upsets him, but she assures him it'll be okay, and she'll be back before he knows it.

It's the weekend after her first week of being gone that Derek's wolf seeks out his mate. Stiles. Who is reading on the porch swing. Derek watches his true mate from a distance as the sun makes his hair look reddish. His eyes are golden. His skin sun kissed, and he feels the breath knocked from his lungs. The sound draws Stiles's attention.

Stiles averts his gaze back to the book and Derek moves closer. "Stiles?"

Stiles turns the page. "Hm?"

Derek tilts his head. "I was wondering um—" he pauses and clears his throat. "I miss you," he whispers.

Stiles's heartbeat races as he glances at Derek again. "You or your wolf?"

Derek frowns confused. "Me and my wolf are not two beings. We are one."

Stiles raises an eyebrow. "If that were true for you then I wouldn't have gone from a cuddly overly affectionate fully shifted wolf pouncing on me to a frowning rude mean and hurtful you, scolding me for merely checking how you were and for being near your room when you never cared before." His tone is icy and has bite to it.

Derek whines in the back of his throat and bares it. Stiles's eyes widen.

Derek whines again and Stiles gently runs his fingers along the exposed throat before sighing. "Der, I don't know what's happening right now. You gotta talk to me."

"I'm scared Stiles. At first, I was fine because she said she'd be back soon but after a couple days of no texting I was throwing up at least twice a day. Then I felt a cramp in my stomach. Then my heart felt like it cracked. Since last night at midnight the only thing I have wanted and cared about is you. That I'd done something and hurt you, but I can't remember what I did but when I realized the lack of your scent I panicked. I sought you out and now I need you my little mate. I've never stopped needing you."

Stiles feels tears filling his eyes. "What about loving me and being my mate?"

Derek carefully takes Stiles's hand and brings it to his own cheek nuzzling it. "I've never stopped loving you and you aren't just my mate. You're my true mate. My Little Fox. My Everything."

Peter listens from where he stands just inside the door. He was on his way to speak to Talia and steps out onto the porch. "Then I would wager dear nephew that you'd want to know the lengths your little leech of a project partner has gone to in order to hurt Stiles?"

Derek's eyes flash and he snarls. Peter smirks and offers a hand to Stiles. "Come sweetheart. Despite being mates until we know the extent of her actions, I want you with me."

Stiles smiles and hops up going to Peter.

Derek whines and Peter shakes his head. "Sorry pup but you're both in danger and because you didn't listen to your mate he's been hurt as has his mother."

Peter and Stiles head inside where they meet with Talia in her study, but when Derek tries to slip in as well, he can't. Talia and Peter see how it hurts Stiles, but he agrees it's better safe than sorry. Jennifer may have said she was leaving for two weeks but did she really? Is Derek faking? Is he being truthful and she's going to use this to further hurt Stiles?

Stiles's gaze lingers on the letter his mother brought to them. What she said when she delivered the letter has given Stiles hope that he'll have his mate back again, but he shifts his focus to the task at hand. "All right. We know what the next step is. For now, can Laura look after Derek?" he asks quietly.

Talia and Peter nod agreeing that Laura is best suited to keep Derek safe and to keep an eye on him.

Now they're all planning what to do to handle Jennifer. Derek will be thirteen soon and recognized mates can make a pre bond claim, should they wish to do so. True mates have a claim almost immediately but when Derek's memory is being warped and his connection with Stiles is slowly being dissolved, they have to have a plan.

Meanwhile, Derek seeks out Laura for comfort and she offers it willingly. She's worried about her brother.