First fic ever. In fact I can't remember ever writing fiction that wasn't for school. I'm sure this is sickeningly trope-ish (is that a word?), but we all have to start somewhere.

I am very much open to constructive criticism. Un-beta'd because I don't have one of those.

I am pretending that season 3 doesn't exist on a few different levels. One of those levels is this story.

"Erica and Boyd will survive, but they will take some time to heal. It would have been easy for the Alphas to kill them. This is clearly a message, and I think you already realize that it's only going to get worse from here unless you do something." Deaton tells Derek as he finishes his work on the two unconscious werewolves lying on his exam table and moves to the sink to wash his hands.

"Unless I do something? I'm doing all I can to keep people from dying. If you have any suggestions, I'm…" Derek flinches as he cuts himself off.

"Well, since you're finally open to suggestions, I'm only aware of one way that the pack will become stable and powerful enough to deter or defeat the Alphas. It's the same possibility you've been aware of and doing your best to ignore from the beginning."

"We both know that's not really a possibility." Derek sighs, as though this conversation he's been avoiding desperately is one they've had many times.

"What I know is that the only thing making it impossible is your refusal to pursue it." As usual, Deaton sounds as though his vague statements are precise instructions that the listener is deliberately trying to not understand. It's the first time that's actually been true.

"As though my decision's the only thing keeping it from happening. You said yourself that he doesn't trust me at all, and you think he loves me?"

"I knew you realized that I wasn't talking about Scott. And he doesn't love you. It's not instinctual for humans. You have to put the work in. but your wolf wouldn't have chosen him as your mate if he couldn't feel the same way about you."

"I'm pretty there's no amount of work that will get him there from hating me now."

"He doesn't hate you. I'm beginning to believe that he's incapable of hating anyone. He doesn't trust you. You haven't given him the opportunity to. You threaten and assault him every time you interact with him. You never tell him what's happening."

"This is the most I've ever heard you talk."

"We've already established that you deliberately ignore me when I'm not specific and direct." The 'about how you're being an idiot' seems to be clearly implied.

"Since you're in such a sharing mood, you want to tell me how the hell I'm supposed to go about getting someone I've spent my time threatening and assaulting to fall in love with me? I'm not the best with people."

Deaton flashes him a wry grin. "You don't say. The best advice I can give you is you is that you might want to start by apologizing." The bell over the front door rings. As Deaton goes through to the reception area, he has one last thing to say. "How you go about wooing him after that is on you."

"Wooing?"