He tore through the forest with no idea of where he was going. There hadn't been any more howling after the one he heard but he knew it meant something. He had to get to wherever Derek was.

His feet pounded loudly on the ground. The sound of the leaves on the tree rustling caught his attention, he turned towards the noise while walking backwards. His foot caught on a root sending him sprawling back. He put his arms out behind him to break his fall and instantly felt pain shot up his arm.

He stayed on the ground catching his breath and cradling his wrist to his chest. Stiles was really regretting running into the forest now without a cell phone. He had no idea which way to go from here and all he had to show for it was an injured wrist. Attempting to distract himself from the pain he bit down on the inside of his cheek but it was useless.

A twig snapped behind him catching his attention, he turned towards the noise but there was nothing there. He had his back against a tree and had to lean around it to scope out the area.

"Derek?" He called out warily. "If this is your idea of a joke it's not funny. I'm not into this messed up version of hide and seek."

The laugh that followed made his blood run cold.

Out of the darkness stepped an old man. Seriously, that kind of thing was only supposed to happen in movies. The man was old enough to be his grandfather, flanked by a person on each side. A bit away stood a younger man with a teenage girl tucked to his side.

"You're not Derek." He needed to say something because the way that the old man was staring at him was giving him major creeps

"No, I'm not." The girl stepped forward but before she could speak he held up a hand to her. "Not now, Allison."

It was stupid, he knew it was, but his fight or flight instincts kicked it. Judging by the impressive guns they were all sporting, and Allison with her crossbow (it was huge how did she carry that around?) he chose flight. He pushed off the ground with his one good arm and into the trees, hopefully back the way that he came.

All he could hear was his feet pounding on the ground and his blood pumping in his ears. This was stupid, he should have never came out here alone. He could still be in Derek's room, all warm and without a possibly broken wrist. He should have stopped running a whole ago, his muscles aching in protest, but the adrenaline pushed him further. The lights from the school could be seen faintly ahead giving him a point to run to.

He kept running in the same direction, dodging through trees, never letting the lights of the school out of his sight. He could hear them catching up, their heavy footsteps loud behind him. A body flung into him from behind sending him sprawling to the ground. Before he could push himself up a heavy boot held him down on the middle of his back.

His breathing was laboured as he attempted to buck the foot off him.

"Gerard," he couldn't hear see who was speaking from his position with his face pressed into the dirt but the foot let up enough for him to roll over. Gerard stood in front of him while his lackies had their gun trained on him. C'mon, he was as human as they came, four guns were definitely not necessary.

He spat out the dirt in his mouth. He cheek was getting pressed hard into the ground and he could feel little rocks digging into his skin. When the weight on his back finally let up he struggled to push himself up. He couldn't see much except for Gerard's boots from where he knelt down in front of Stiles.

"That's Scott's friend-"

"Allison, be quiet."

"Running wasn't a very good idea, Mr. Stilinski." Gerard's eyes were trained on him despite the fact he clearly wasn't going anywhere. He stood up and pushed Stiles back against the ground with a heavy foot in the middle of his chest.

"What do you want?" Stiles managed to force out. The lack of air combined with the pain of his wrist was causing him to see stars. He could feel every bit of his breath deep out of him as the boot pressed harder into his throat. His hands wrapped around Gerard's foot pulling at it to get a bit of give.

"We heard that Derek was trying to expand his pack and came to give him a little warning. Think about this, son. You're getting in way over your head with those abominations."

"What's it to you?" Stiles spat at him. He was dragged up from the ground with the collar of his shirt and pressed quickly against a tree, the sharp bark was digging into this back, he tried not to let the pain register on his face.

"Just don't want to see such an impressionable youth be wasted." For a moment Stiles thought he was being sincere. He played the concerned grandfather well, but it was offset but the gun strapped to his waist.

"Thanks for the concern, but-"

"We have your best interests in mind, son."

"Why do people keep saying that?" Stiles exclaimed, memories of his meeting with Peter earlier came back to him. "You don't give a shit about me."

He could feel every bit of his breath deep out of him as the arm across his chest pressed harder into his throat. His hands grappled at any part of Gerard he could hold onto, pushing to get a bit of give.

Gerard's was yanked away from him and Stiles sucked in air greedily. He didn't know where that unexpected bout of strength came from until he saw Derek crouched in front of him. His teeth were bared and he tracked Gerard's every movement as he steadied himself.

Derek pulled him close, hands roaming over Stiles' body looking for injuries. Stiles stifled a groan as his hands ran over his wrist. He pulled it away tucking it against his chest.

He could feel and hear the low growl building in Derek's chest where they were pressed together.

"It's fine, Derek. My dad always told me to drink more milk." Stiles knew he wasn't listening to him by the way his eyes bled to red as he turned to face the hunters.

"We mean no harm. Just stopped by to have a chat with your newest recruit."

Derek's hands latched to his waist, pressing Stiles so hard he could feel the tips of his claws digging into his side.

Stiles tuned out the conversation but it was escalating quickly. Derek was yelling at Gerard without releasing his hold on Stiles. Gerard was yelling at Derek, while Chris yelled at him but all Stiles could focus on was the lovey eyes Scott and Allison were giving each other. It was so sweet he though he might get cavities from watching them. Shame about the whole hunter/werewolf thing.

"You need to leave." Derek's voice snapped him back to attention. Gerard smiled back, one hand resting on the gun strapped against his side. "We haven't done anything wrong."

"Yet." His eyes move from looking at Derek to how he was clutching at Stiles desperately. Something about him made Stiles think that this wouldn't be the last time they crossed paths. "Take care, Mr. Stilinski."

The group of hunters, along with Allison, were gone before he could snap back at Gerard about he was perfectly capable of taking care of himself and people needed to stop hinting at how he couldn't.

Derek held Stiles at an arms length, his eyes taking over his body taking in the small cuts and dirt that flecked his face to his injured wrist.

"You're heart is beating like a jackhammer."

"Considering I just ran through a forest chasing after your werewolf ass-"

"You shouldn't have done that."

"I heard-" Derek's grip on him was becoming increasingly tight on his arm and he struggled to pull out of his grasp.

"Derek," came Isaac's warning growl as he stepped closer to the pair. Derek ignored him and continued.

"I told you not to do anything that could get you hurt." Derek sounded so pained. Stiles has never heard him so worked up, it was different from when Lydia had brought Stiles along to a pack meeting. He was angry then and it was obvious, but now Stiles couldn't tell what was happening in his head. Derek's grip on him was nearing painful but Isaac stepped in before it could get any worse.

"Derek, let him go." Isaac had stepped closer to the two. His hand up showing that he meant no harm.

Derek ignored him, his gaze steady on Stiles was a steady red.

"Derek." Isaac repeated. Stiles stumbled back when Derek released him. Within seconds Isaac and Derek were circling each other with their claws drawn. Neither making the first move in the show of dominance.

"Lydia, take him and leave." Jackson commanded, he pulled Stiles up and shielded him with his body. He didn't leave nay room for argument, pushing Stiles and Lydia back towards the school.

Stiles struggled against Lydia's hold on him but her grip didn't falter. She ignored his please of how he just needed to talk with Derek and calm him down.

They hadn't made it more than a few steps away when Derek noticed Stiles trying to flee and broke the circle he and Isaac made attempting to follow. Isaac jumped in front of him before he could and landed a blow to Derek's side and dragged him down. The rest of the pack crept in so that Stiles couldn't see anything happening. He kept resisting against Lydia but stopped once she threatened to throw him over her shoulder.

She got him away from the group quickly, the sounds of multiple wolves snarling followed them. As they neared the edge of the forest a howl rang though the silence causing the both of them to flinch.

Stiles could tell Lydia wanted to be back there as much as did he. He had to restrain himself from breaking away from her.

Her arms wound around his waist as she led him back into the school, not letting go until they were inside his and Scott's room.

"Stay here." Lydia warned. She pushed him gently into bed with one hand on his chest. She made an effort to tuck him in tightly being careful of his wrist. He was wrapped so tight he was sure he resembled a human burrito, which pleased Lydia immensely.

Nether of them acknowledged it but they both knew she was going right back to the pack when she knew he was safe.

"Don't be worried. They won't hurt each other, it's just part of the dynamics. Isaac threatened his authority so Derek will put him in his place." Lydia told him, answering the question Stiles couldn't ask.

He counted to sixty once he heard the click of the door as she slipped out of the room. And then another thirty just to be safe. He wrestled with his blankets until he got some give and got out of the overwhelming heat of his bed.

He didn't know where he was going but wandering the halls seemed like a good idea. He couldn't just wait or one of the pack to come back and he couldn't imagine sleeping now.

"Looks like you have a problem."

Peter stood at the end of the hall inspecting his nails as if he'd been waiting entirely too long for Stiles to show up. He was dressed in his day clothes without a hair out of place.

Peters eyes trailed down to where his arm hung limply at his side.

"It would seem like it."

"Care to explain what happened?"

"Not particularly." There was a reason why Peter was shunned from Derek's pack. He just didn't know why, but he was the only person Stiles could turn to.

"Stupid werewolves and their stupid fast werewolf healing." Stiles muttered under his breath earning a small smile from Peter. He held Stiles' wrist in his hand gently.

"I should probably go through the normal procedure for these kind of things."

They have procedures for when you get thrown around by a group of hunters then manhandled by your boyfriend? Stiles wanted to ask.

"If someone is hurting you; another student or a significant other, you can tell me in full confidentiality. There are steps we can take to ensure that you have a safe environment." Peter recited lazily. Stiles could feel the pain ebbing away from his wrist as Peter ran his palms over his wrist.

"It's not broken, just sprained. You'll need to see the nurse in the morning. " He pulled his wrist away, tucking it against his chest. "I told you that bad things would happen Mr. Stilinski. Whatever you and Derek have, it's not too late for you to end it. I can write you a lovely reference letter for another school within your catchment."

He looked Stiles over; his torn sweater, the cuts on his face and the tired look in his eyes. Taking it all as a sign of a boy who was in over his head.

"Come find me when you've made a decision."

The nurse looked him over with pursed lips and her hands on her hips.

"I need you to tell me how you came about this injury." She had her clipboard in front of her as she waited to fill in the last question on her paperwork.

"I told you already. I had too many books in my hands and slipped down the staircase. Apparently putting your arm out to break your fall isn't a good idea." Stiles repeated with a shrug.

The nurse just raised an eyebrow, her lips a thin line on her face, and scratched an answer down on the paper work.

"I expect to see you back here in a week so I can monitor the healing. Take it easy." She sent him from her office with a stern glare and a sucker which the promptly stuck in his mouth.

Derek was standing outside of the office when he exited. His eyes trained on the ground and his hands tucked in his pockets.

"Dude, why haven't you responded to any of my texts?" Stiles swatted him across the arm with his notebook. "Is everything alright?" He knew it wasn't but it felt as if he needed to ask.

"Stiles, I-" Derek eyes landed on his wrist wrapped in a tensor bandage. "I don't think-"

Stiles turned whacked Derek harder with his notebook across the chest.

"This better not be the beginning of you breaking up with me. After the whole Isaac thing and last night you seriously-"

"I shouldn't force you into this, Stiles. It's not good for you and you deserve better." Derek looked as if he was about to bolt but Stiles' hand fisted in his shirt stopped him.

"I know what I'm getting into. This, the situation, it's crazy but I can't imagine not knowing now that I do."

Derek untangled Stiles' hand and held it like it was breakable, following the arm until he was staring into Stiles' eyes.

"Would you stop looking like such a wounded puppy and just come here?" Stiles pushed Derek back against the wall and pressed their lips together. Stiles plunges his tongue into Derek's mouth immediately, one hand clutching at his shirt while the other gripped his hair and held his face to his.

"I won't say I'm not scared, werewolves were definitely not on the agenda when I came to this school. But, you're kind of stuck with me now."

The smile on Derek's face was infectious as he pulled Stiles in for another kiss.