Derek frowns as he sees a note wedged in the windshield of his car. The frown only deepens as he opens the paper and starts to read, seeing the familiar handwriting brings on a sudden panic.

I'm sorry, but you were nowhere to be found and…I couldn't leave without at least letting you know. I love you. I love you so freaking much it kills me to be away from you. But it's for the best, for now at least. Please don't call, I won't answer. I'll be back when it's all over, I promise. I won't leave you.

Derek crumples the note in his fist after reading. There is a cold first around his heart and a weight in his chest, making it hard to breather at the thought of being apart from Stiles. He knows it is for the best, he knows Stiles is right - he is Derek's only weakness and one that Gerard has tried to use against him once already.

But it's hard. It's damn hard.

"I love you too Stiles," he whispers under his breath, wishing Stiles would be there to hear him, the words he's never said before. But there is nothing but the cold wind swallowing his words.

Derek pockets the note and takes a deep breath, straightens his shoulders and centers himself again. That night when they plan their next move, the pack sees for the first time the alpha they've always wanted Derek to be: strong, determined, dangerous. It doesn't take long to figure out the reason for their leader's transformation, Stiles's absence is obvious. A strange shift runs through the pack, Stiles is important to them too, they would die for him as they know he would defending them.

Now at last they all have a common purpose. Now they are at war.