Devil of Wolves (Sterek)

Chapter 20 (Future's So Bright, I Gotta Wear Shades)

This is it, folks. The longest chapter I have ever written. No, seriously, it's about 42,600 words. Hehe, yeah...my bad. So while you enjoy this last chapter, you might want to grab a snack and get comfy :)

We need more happiness in this world and I hope this ending achieves that.

Enjoy!

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Take my heart, don't break it

Love me to my bones

All this time I wasted

You were right there all along

You and I stargazing

Intertwining souls

We were never strangers

You were right there all along

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The moment Stiles and Derek walked into the office together, everyone knew something had changed. It was in the way they smiled at each other, the way their hands brushed briefly before they parted, Stiles heading toward his desk and Derek to his.

They thought they were being subtle, but the entire office had been waiting for this to happen for months—probably the entire year.

Derek was the quiet one, always focused on his work, quick to keep them in line and help anyone who needed it, yet he was reserved in a way that kept people guessing. Their boss was elusive but he was damn good. Stiles, on the other hand, was the life of every office gathering, effortlessly charming and quick with a joke after coming out of his shell.

They balanced each other in a way that everyone could see, but for the longest time, it seemed like they couldn't.

It started with little things—lingering glances over morning coffee, shared lunches, and the way Derek would always wait by the elevator until Stiles was ready to go. Slowly, it grew into inside jokes and late nights working side-by-side, seemingly oblivious to the smiles and nudges from their coworkers.

But now, finally, it was official.

"Did you see them?" whispered Megan, one the office receptionist, leaning over to her friend Lisa's desk. "They came in together. Holding hands!"

"Finally!" Lisa grinned. "I was beginning to think they'd never figure it out."

Throughout the day, little hints of encouragement appeared around Stiles and Derek's desks—an anonymous bouquet of flowers from Isaac with a note that read About damn time! A box of chocolates was left on Stiles' chair from Cora, and even a few "Congratulations!" emails were sent around the office. Every time one of them found a new note or gift, they'd blush and share a quiet smile at the absurdity.

At lunch, the team gathered in the break room for an impromptu celebration. Erica walked in carrying a cake with Finally Together! written in big, frosted letters, and the room erupted into cheers and laughter. Boyd gave them both a big thumbs up. Stiles and Derek exchanged a look, both a little embarrassed but clearly happy.

"Alright, alright, settle down!" Stiles laughed, holding up his hands. "Yes, we're dating. Officially."

"About damn time, too!" someone called from the back, and everyone laughed.

Derek shrugged, taking Stiles hand with a small grin. "Well, good things come to those who wait, right?"

"You guys literally could not have waited longer."

"I got gray hairs watching you two."

"Ugh, never say that again. It was torture."

As everyone settled into eating cake and chatting, Derek and Stiles shared a quiet moment, smiling at each other as their coworkers celebrated around them. They'd finally taken the leap, and it felt like they had the whole office floor cheering them on. For once, Derek was glad they'd taken their time. This felt right, like something worth waiting for—and now, something worth celebrating.