Through the years

52.

"What is it?" Jeremiah asked his son, finally able to push Derek off of him and brushing the invisible dust of his pristine clothes. Derek had barely moved an inch from the other alpha's shove but it was enough to let go of him. Derek took a step back, making sure to be on high alert just in case Jeremiah decided to try something again. 

"Don't you smell it?" Jonah replied, his grin unfaltering as he scanned Stiles' body curiously. "It's faint but I bet in a few days time, it'll be all you can smell on him." he chuckled and Jeremiah, although confused, took a deep breath. He had to filter through every scent in the room but eventually, he found the brunette's scent and he focused entirely on it. After poking and probing at it for a second, Jeremiah found it. It was deep in the brunette's scent, barely noticeable indeed, but it was still there. 

"You're a wolf?" Jeremiah said in a deep voice as he opened his eyes and glared at Stiles. It wasn't long before his gaze shifted to Derek, the look in his eyes turning even more fierce as a growl shook his ribcage. "How dare you? How dare you ruin it? Ruin him?" Jeremiah was utterly furious, claws digging into his palms. 

"I'll let you know that I do whatever the fuck I want with my pack." Derek spat back at him. "It was his choice anyway. Not that it concerns any of you."

"He should've remained a human." 

"And why is that?" Peter asked, arms crossed over his chest and a glint of hatred in his eyes which was heavily reflected in his scent. "I recall you have some issues with the human kind."

"Making him a wolf is taking away all that it means to be a protector." Jeremiah spat. "It takes away the magnificence of his prowess. It’s rendering him as basic as any other wolf out there." 

"If you think that way," Cora cut in, standing by Derek's side. "then that means you don't understand what it truly means to be a protector. But that doesn't really surprise me." Cora's remark seemed to be the last straw for Jeremiah and his last restraints snapped. With a loud roar, the alpha was about to pounce on the young woman when his, now, glowing red eyes caught sight of Derek and Stiles still standing side by side. His movements came to an abrupt stop and he stared dumbly at the sight. 

"You greedy little bastard." Jeremiah snarled in disbelief. 

"What?" Sophia asked curiously and her husband told his pack to flash their eyes at the two. Doing as asked, they all looked at Derek and Stiles with glowing eyes. Curious, Derek's pack did the same only for everyone to be left in awe. "Oh."

"What is that?" Liam whispered to Scott who shrugged in return. The alpha couldn't take his eyes off of them. 

Actually no one was able to take their eyes off of them. 

"What is going on?" Noah asked as him, Chris, Melissa, Lydia, Allison and Mason were all standing extremely confused and feeling left out. 

"I don't even know how to describe it." Scott replied. "It's just so....magical. I've never seen something like this before. It's like...they're linked to each other, connected by thousands of tiny threads, intertwined and floating around them. The threads are glowing a bright golden yellow. It's so bright, it's nearly blinding me." he described as best as he could. "It's creating an aura around them. It's so beautiful. But I've never seen it on them before." 

"What is this, mom?" Luna asked, her eyes wide and sparkly as she gazed at the couple as if they were rare diamonds. 

"A mate bond." Sophia replied with a kind of longing in her voice which she hadn't been able to hide. "A lifelong mate bond. It is unbreakable. Unremovable. They are forever linked to each other. It's the most beautiful and precious bond for a wolf. Something you do only when you meet the person you are sure to share the rest of your life with. And even then, most wolves don't bond for life. Because once it's done, there's no turning back. It's rare to see such young wolves sharing such a bond."