The Hell You Came From [Derek/FemStiles]

Any Cost

Derek should have known Scott would come looking for Stiles.

It’s only been a couple of hours since Derek deleted Scott’s messages and phone calls.

Derek thought he would, at least, have today.

But maybe he’s just been cooped up for too long. (He may have finally escaped the monster physically, but mentally...)

The truth is, Derek really did know (in the back of his newly Stiles centred mind) that Scott would come looking...for him.

Which is why while Stiles is busy in the kitchen, frying them both up a steak, Derek is already on full alert by the time there’s a knock on the door.

The only reason Stiles doesn’t hear that, or Scott’s motorbike pulling up beforehand is because of the sizzling oil twinned with the music from the kitchen radio half blaring out.

Derek alerts her with a gruff half bark, half snort.

Stiles turns to him with that beaming grin he’s already grown to love so much. “What’s wrong, Maxie?”

Derek watches her jump as the next knock on the door comes back louder, and then, Scott can be heard yelling; “Stiles!? Are you OK?!”

Stiles quickly moves to turn the volume on the radio down low, and puts the flame to the cooker on low, too. “Scott?”

“Dude! Thank fuck!” Scott breathes out a sigh of relief.

“One second.” Stiles says as Derek watches her move towards the front door.

He stays where he is, just hidden behind the kitchen island, just for the moment (just to listen.)

Stiles is confused to see Scott eyeing her up and down with worry, seemingly checking to see if she’s hurt. “Dude, wha–“

“Why the fuck didn’t you answer your phone??” Scott cuts her off, his words coming out in a frantic hiss as his eyes dart around the inside of her house.

Stiles glances over her shoulder to find what he could be searching for now. Then, his words register and she turns back to him even more confused. “What’re you talking about? I always answer my phone. Everyone knows that.”

Shit...

That’s all Derek can think as he tries not to instinctively cower on his spot.

“Uh, exactly! But when I called you this morning and you didn’t answer, I nearly shit my pants! I thought–“ Scott clamps his mouth shut when he sees the wolf slowly walking out from behind the kitchen counter.

Stiles frowns when she sees her friend’s uneasy look, her eyes following his back to Max.

“Oh, no.” Stiles can only think the worst as she sighs sadly, begins to feel her bottom lip quiver already. “Did someone come looking for him?”

When she turns to Scott and sees the sympathy flash over his face, Stiles feels her eyes stinging, though, she dares not to let her tears fall as she asks, “Do I have to give him back?”

Scott looks at the wolf, who looks back at him. And Scott doesn’t know why, but he oddly feels sympathy towards the wolf rather than Stiles.

He’s never seen one of their kind look so lost.

Not even any of the goddamn omegas he’s ever met. They were all pretty happy to be free of their packs, for one reason, or another.

And this wolf; this Derek; this werewolf who belongs to one of the most noble and famous packs on Earth...well, he doesn’t look free to Scott.

He looks broken.

Desperate.

Alone.

All the things he shouldn’t be.

And right now, Scott realises he also looks very much like he’s silently begging Scott not to out him.

Which is why when Scott looks back to Stiles, he smiles softly, shakes his head and tells her, “No. No one came looking for him... At least, not yet.” He adds that last part with a teasing grin, even though he’s being totally serious.

Stiles nods in acceptance, but she can’t help the happy smile that spreads across her face.

Derek lets out a silent sigh of relief, and when Scott catches his eyes again, the wolf gives the fox a slow blink.

Stiles gasps excitedly at the sight. “Scott, look! He slow blinked at you!” She gushes softly, hands clasped together as she stares between both her boys (her best boys.)

Scott chuckles quietly, nods. “Yes, he did. I think we’re friends now. Right, boy?”

Derek’s eyes narrow very slightly while Stiles is busy looking at Scott instead.

Scott simply shoots him a brief smirk before turning his attention back to Stiles. “I can’t stay any longer. I locked up the practice to come check on you. I just wanted to know the wolf didn’t kill you in your sleep or something.”

Derek rolls his eyes at that.

Stiles chuckles, sends the wolf a fond smile before turning to her bro with a happy grin. “He’s been the perfect house guest. He even scratches at the door and goes to the bathroom outside.” She frowns in thought, “I’m not sure where. He’s real shy for a wolf, apparently.” She grins again, “You think I could teach him to use Mrs. Doepeck’s front yard as a bathroom instead?”

Scott laughs, eyes her knowingly as he asks, “The old crone still trying to set you up with her fifty year old son? Ohh, Daddy.” He grins when she shoots him a glare.

“I’m not even gonna dignify that with an answer.” Stiles mumbles under her breath as she flips him her middle finger before running over to check on the steaks.

When Stiles turns the radio up a little bit and continues to potter about getting plates and other various things ready, Scott finally takes his opening.

Derek is already staring at Scott and waiting when Scott’s eyes connect with his. The fox holds up a finger, motioning for him to wait. The wolf simply nods once.

“Hey, Stiles, I’m gonna go. But I’ll swing by after work.” Scott says as he walks over to pull her into a one-armed side hug.

“OK, cool. Be safe.” Stiles leans over to press a kiss to his cheek after he places one on top her head.

“You, too.” Scott gives her a little squeeze before walking over to the front door.

There, he stops for a moment, keeps his back to the wolf and mumbles his next words just low enough for only the two of them two to hear, “Guess you already know your pack’s looking for you. If you’re in some kind of trouble, you need to leave Stiles out of it. She’s already been through way too much. If you’re in trouble and your pack is looking for you, whatever trouble you’re in is probably gonna be looking for you, too. Leave. Tonight. When she’s sleeping. She’ll be upset, but she’ll get over it. She won’t get over being dead.”

Derek watches the door close behind Scott, then, hears the next words a lot clearer as the fox grits out from the other side, “And don’t ever touch her phone again, Derek.”

Derek hasn’t felt this kind of fear in...well, ever, really.

The closest he came was when he knew Paige was going to die because of him...

Protect mate.

Derek knows what he has to do.

What he’s known all along, because it’s what he should have done as soon as he left the clinic with her...

Tell her. It’s always better when they know. Safer. Protect my mate. At any cost.

Even his own skin...