Cinderella And The Werewolf Prince

Chapter Two

Chapter 2!

Stiles kept his word to Isaac and two weeks later, he was rolled up in his bed, snoring when the trumpets signaling the start of The Choosing roared through the morning air. He didn't even flinch.

Stiles awoke an hour later to the sound of the more trumpets being blown, marking the end of the ceremony. He listened to the sound of a cannon's firing, one for each year of Derek's birthday, as customary to the end of the ceremony. Stiles rolled to the other side of his bed to see out the window. If there were fireworks, it meant that the ever elusive and secluded Derek Hale had finally taken a mate and if there were none, it meant that the Northern part of the kingdom had to wait at least another year to find out who their future ruling pair would be. Stiles' heart did back hand springs in his chest when he saw that the sky was as clear and as blue as possible.

Growing up, he'd always had a very small, very obvious crush on the eldest prince from the first time they met, when a very curious six-year-old Stiles wandered into 12-year-old Derek's room unannounced, and proceeded to place the eight page, handwritten paper on kingdom reform in the shredder, shredding not only Derek's work, but the tip of his finger as well. Derek had found him sitting in a circle of paper and blood, crying and wetting himself in fear. Derek had been fuming and could have easily done permanent damage to the boy, but instead he quickly wrapped Stiles finger before picking him up and carrying to his father. Royal Guard Commander Stilinski had spent the next year and a half apologizing for the incident. Since then, Stiles had kept his distance from Derek, choosing instead to stalk his beloved from afar.

Stiles stretched and got up out of his bed, yawning as he crossed his room to his door. He walked down the hall of the one level cottage he and his father shared to the kitchen. He opened cabinets, opened closets and the refrigerator, unable to find anything that could be eaten. His dad wasn't awake yet, which probably meant that he never returned home the night before, having to make sure security was right for the ceremony. Stiles contemplated forgetting about eating until his dad got home, but his stomach let out a growl that quickly stopped that idea in its tracks.

He sighed before returning to his room and pulling on ripped jeans and an old t-shirt that was too big. The castle's cooks had always had a sweet spot for him, finding his inability to keep quiet endearing, instead of annoying like everyone else. He had spent a good amount of his upbringing in the Royal Kitchen learning all the secrets of the kingdom that were not under any circumstances to be discussed in public, and the gossip about the townspeople that wasn't supposed to be known.

They had taught him how to cook, they had helped him with his schoolwork, and when he was too young to stay at home by himself and his father had to work late, the cooks always made sure that he had a comfortable cot set up near the fire with toys and books and stuffed animals to keep him busy until his dad could get him. Even after he was old enough to be at home alone, he still spent a lot of his nights in front of the fire watching them work and making them laugh. Whenever he was hungry and didn't feel like finding something for himself, he always went to them and he always left with more food than he needed. Stiles smiled as he exited his front door, his overly active imagination all ready conjuring up what the cooks were making for the Choosing Brunch.

An hour later found Stiles struggling up the stairs towards his father's office carrying seven picnic baskets loaded with food. He was carrying three in each hand and the handle of the seventh was in his mouth. He had been halfway up the stairs when he remembered that he could have taken the elevator and being the stubborn jackass that he was, he had refused to turn around and go to it. Now he was silently wishing he had. After an eternity, finally reached the top, nearly collapsing in exhaustion. Coming towards him from his left, he could hear the sound of blurred voices. He quickly righted himself, and started again towards his father's office, not wanting to be seen in such a way. The voices continued to follow him and he walked faster, finally reaching his dad's office at the end of the hall and knocking on it with his head. Commander Stilinski opened the door and Stiles practically collapsed in, rolling over so he wouldn't crush the food. He dad shook his head and shut the door gently just as the voices came around the corner.