Through the years

8.

"How is he?"

It had been the first thing Stiles heard as he stepped foot into the living room. 

Ten days had passed since Paige's death and it was the first time the brunette was able to leave the bedroom. 

They had heard the news of the girl being found the next morning by two joggers and the funerals were to take place today after it was decided that Paige had been attacked by wild animals.

"Not good." Stiles sighed, exhausted and chest feeling heavy from how sad he'd been feeling for the wolf. "He's sleeping right now. It's the only reason why I'm here, he refuses to let me go otherwise." 

Stiles didn't understand why but Derek was clinging onto him ever since they had gotten back home that night. 

They spend the day in bed every single day with Stiles holding Derek against his chest, only moving when someone kindly knocks on the door for the human to come and fetch food at the door. 

The young wolf refused to have anybody aside from Stiles enter the room. 

It was Stiles, Stiles and Stiles only.

It wasn't like the brunette minded staying inside the house or staying in bed all day. 

It wasn't having the wolf cling to him and acting so out of character which bothered him either. 

It was just how worried he was for the wolf that started to feel heavy on his mental health. 

The only thing he could think of was wondering if Derek was alright, if he was going to be alright and what he could possibly do to help him get better. 

"His wolf found comfort in you," Eviana spoke up with a sad smile. "it's very rare and beautiful in its own way." she said but Stiles really couldn't seem to find anything beautiful in this situation. 

"You look tired, dear."

"Yeah, I can't sleep." Stiles said which brought a frown on Talia's forehead. 

"Why not?"

"Derek has nightmares," he announced, hesitant on whether or not he should be talking to them about this. "he usually wakes up screaming her name and can't fall back asleep for hours." he finally admitted and they all looked broken. 

The walls of the bedrooms were soundproofed. That explained why nobody had heard about it and they felt even worse for not knowing. 

A pack member was clearly hurt, Derek was in need of the pack but they couldn't even help him as it was mainly his wolf which had taken over his senses. 

It had been too painful for Derek so he had let his wolf take over his mind, letting it deal with the pain in his place. 

And the only person who was close and had comforted him was Stiles.

Derek's wolf created an attachment to the human and it was the only person capable of calming him down, to reassure him, to ground him. 

But Stiles didn't quite understand that and that was okay because the hale pack was here to explain these kinds of things to him. 

And that was the reason why when a hysterical Derek stumbled down the stairs in a frantic search for the brunette, tackling him into a massive bear hug when his eyes caught sight of the human who stood with wide eyes of disbelief, the pack was there to reassure him that it was normal, it was okay and everything was fine. 

"Derek's wolf is in charge of his mind and body right now." Caleb said in a quiet tone, loud enough for the human's ears to pick up but quiet enough to not wake the sleeping wolf on Stiles' lap.