Stiles Wilson

[11.] M A L I A__P R O T E C T I O N

The sound of Derek's Camaro could be heard from a good few miles before it appeared just outside the loft and the engine cut off. His door creaked open and then it slammed shut. He stomped his way up the three steps before ripping open the loft's entranceway and making his presence blatantly known to both his uncle and cousin.

His head was pounding with thoughts he never wanted to think about. He had the urge to growl but all that really came out was a faint whine from the back of his throat. He was sad, confused, and incredibly jealous.

Peter could distinguish which emotion was heavier in his nephew's heart while all Malia did was scrunch up her nose and roll her eyes. It had been months of this, weeks even, but these last two days had really been the worst of it all.

Since Stiles had come back the pining Derek had been doing for how long was downright tragic. Malia wasn't heartless she did feel bad for her cousin and the state her best friend had brought him to. But then again, she couldn't bring herself to feel guilty for standing up to Derek and picking Stiles's side over his. He cheated on the assassin, broke his heart, and then ran away from the consequences of his actions.

Besides that, Stiles was happy now and she could see it. He smiled more, joked more, and the dark sarcasm he'd been using for years was now light and humored. Malia hadn't met the Winter Soldier yet, but she was pretty sure he was the reason for it all. Because she knew for certain that if she'd asked Stiles six months ago to stay an unnecessary week in Beacon Hills he would have shot her down immediately, coyote eyes or not.

Malia growled in surprise when Derek threw the vase of flowers off of the table and watched as it shattered on the floor. Peter only huffed and rolled his eyes, his abnormal amount of sass still shining through. But he knew better than most when the drama was soon to ensue and so he climbed to his feet and left for his room upstairs.

"What's wrong with you now?" Malia asked.

Derek's claws scraped against the table as he leaned down on it. He growled again before finding a focus point so that his fangs didn't bite into his bottom lip. His blue eyes gave way to his green ones and he looked at Malia angrily.

"You knew, didn't you?"

"Knew what?" she asked and looked up from her travel magazine.

"That he moved on. That's why his scent's different and why he doesn't want to talk to me alone. You knew that, didn't you?" Derek asked again. "You kept it from me on purpose."

"I didn't keep anything from you, Derek," Malia sighed. "I only found out about it yesterday, but that doesn't change anything. Because even if I knew about it earlier I wouldn't have told you. It's none of my business who Stiles chooses to move on with but more importantly, it's none of yours either."

"How is it none of my business, Malia?" Derek shouted at her. "I love him, you know that. You and Scott are mates. Stiles is my--"

"Nothing," Malia said. She climbed to her feet and glared at her cousin. "Stiles is nothing to you. He's not your pack and he sure as hell is not your mate. You lost any chance of that six years ago. You broke his heart and just left him here when he needed you the most."

"I didn't mean to," Derek tried to defend himself. "I just needed time, I told him I needed--"

"You cheated on him, Derek!" Malia exclaimed.

"I made a mistake."

"Yeah, you did," she agreed. "And now he's happy. Stiles is happy with someone else, someone who isn't you. Someone who probably won't ever hurt him the way you did."

"How do you know he won't?" Derek questioned. "Have you even met the guy? You said you only found out about it yesterday."

"I did, but I know Stiles," Malia stated proudly. "I know what he's thinking. I know when he's sad and when he's happy. Scott's my mate and I love him more than I can ever put into words, but Stiles has never stopped being my anchor," she took in a breath and calmed some. "I know he's happy and I know that right now he's happier than he's ever been. Try reading his chemo signals sometime when your head isn't stuck up your ass. Stiles isn't anxious anymore, he isn't scared, he isn't nervous. Stiles is calm."

"I can still make him happy," Derek tried to reason.

"He already is," Malia growled out. She walked up to her cousin and pushed at his shoulders with enough force to make him stumble back and when he caught his balance again she had her claws at his throat. "I'm warning you, Derek. Don't do anything stupid, don't try and ruin what he's waited years for, for years. Because if you do, I'll kill you myself."

Derek could see the threat in Malia's brown eyes. It wasn't an empty promise but a filled vow. She and Stiles had always been the closest in the pack ever since Eichen House and it showed with how Malia was willing to kill for the assassin. She knew very well what their pack stood for and what Scott was against no matter the circumstance, but she didn't care.

He opened his mouth to say something but didn't have to when the loft's door slid open and in rushed Scott. He pulled Malia off of Derek with wide eyes while hers never left her cousin's.

"Malia! Derek!" he exclaimed, glancing between them. "What the hell are you two doing?"

"Nothing," Malia said calmly, she bit back saying anything more and let her claws fade back into her fingertips.

"Nothing," Derek copied her words.

Scott let out a sigh, he let his hold on Malia go and she went back over to the couch. She picked up her travel magazine again and it was like their argument just never happened. Derek huffed with frustration but luckily kept his cool as he went to sit down in front of the table.

"Anyway, putting aside whatever's going on here," Scott said cautiously before a smile broke out onto his face. "How did the setup with Stiles go?"

Derek shook his head with a sigh while Malia threw her magazine down on the table. She couldn't believe she loved this idiot. Maybe Peter was right when he told her she shouldn't fall in love with a dead man because right now she just might end up killing him.

"Malia, what's wrong?" Scott asked, worried about his fiance's sudden attitude.

"Scott, enough," she told him.

"What?" he looked confused, looking from her to Derek and back again before a frown met his face. "Why, what happened? Did he blow you off again? Dude, I'm so sorry I'll try and talk to him."

"He's moved on," Derek murmured out.

"What?" Scott asked, his eyes wide and his mouth hanging open.

When did that happen? Why didn't Stiles tell him? But he and Derek were perfect for each other.

"We're going home," Malia declared.

She stood up ignoring Scott's spluttering and Derek's sudden depression. She grabbed her fiance by the arm and when he tried to fight her she gripped at his ear and literally dragged him out of the loft.

Peter heard everything from upstairs. He was amused by Scott's natural dumbassness while holding a mixture of pride for his daughter who was truly alpha female material. He then rolled his eyes when all he could feel was his nephew's guilt and sadness.

God, he really needed to find his own place and soon.