Through the years

35.

"Stiles, dear, can I have a word with you?" 

Stiles looked up from his book and raised a curious brow in the woman's direction as she sat down next to him on the couch. 

"Sure, what's up?" he asked as he put down the book and gave the woman his full attention. 

She seemed rather serious which didn't give the brunette a good feeling. Had he done something wrong? He couldn't recall. However, something must have been important enough for Talia to wait until everyone was gone and it was only the two of them in the house to ask to speak. 

"I have something to ask you, Dear." she announced, her words chosen carefully. She looked afraid of saying the wrong thing and perhaps, by doing so, offending Stiles. "It's been a while since you got here, hasn't it?" she smiled as she took the brunette's hands in between hers and rubbed the back of his hands affectionately. 

"Talia, what's going on?"

"Just...listen, okay?" she asked softly and, although reluctant, the brunette nodded in agreement. "You know we all appreciate and love you a lot, right? And, we don't know when you're gonna leave us, sadly. But contrary to everyone else, I know we are not gonna see each other ever again after you leave." she said, sadness clouding her expression. "I've had a serious conversation with everyone on the subject and they all agreed."

"Agreed to what?"

"We all agreed that you deserve to have the bite, Stiles." she announced and Stiles remained frozen in his seat. From everything he had expected, this certainly hadn't even made it to the list. 

"What?"

"I know you've always wanted it, Dear." Talia admitted. "Everytime you've told me you were glad Scott was the one bitten and not you, I could hear you were lying to me. You may not realise it, but deep inside you do know that you want the bite as much as we are willing to offer it to you. Stiles, you are part of this pack and, with the bite, nothing and no one will be able to argue with that fact. We want you to be able to feel the bond of the pack and the one linking you to Derek. The mate bond is one of the most incredible feelings in the world, Stiles. I want you to feel all those things you've been missing out on." she told him and the brunette was left speechless. 

"I..uh.."

"You don't have to give me an answer right this second, Dear. Take your time and then, when you're ready, tell me what you want." she smiled tenderly and he gave her a soft smile in return, watching her stand up and leave the room. 

Stiles sat there for a long time, his book now completely forgotten as he replayed his conversation with Talia over and over again. Had he been so obvious that she had noticed he wanted the bite? He had spent years hiding that fact from his first pack. None had known nor discovered his secret desire for it. 

It had been mainly because of his fear of dying that Stiles had started to want the bite more. At first, he found it cool. He had always been a sucker for mythology and now that his best friend and friends had brought this mythology to life, he couldn't help but crave for more for himself. He hated being the only weak one in the lot. He hated how everyone needed to protect him all the time, to make sure he was safe. It made him feel like a bother to everyone and he despised that feeling more than anything. 

However, he knew Scott well enough to know that the wolf would never give him the bite and the brunette hadn't been too keen on asking Derek for it. If only he'd known how bad he'd want it, Stiles would've gladly accepted Peter's offer years ago. But he hadn't and now he was stuck in a dilemma. Yes, he still wanted the bite but his mind kept reminding him how he no longer truly needed it. He was strong enough now, he wasn't the weak and defenceless Stiles they all knew. He was a protector of an incredible pack.