And In Return...

Want

Derek drove down a boringly deserted road. It was a bit off course but the wolf had no idea where he was going. Next town maybe, however, it didn't make much difference because either way, he left, and probably no one realized he was gone. It took a lot, Derek had to admit, disappearing from his home once again but this time that was not all he left. The wolf found something- or he thought he did. It was good and exciting and didn't hurt like hell until the end. But there always had to be one of those because good things don't last long, at least not in Derek's experience.

The wolf already missed him. He could see Stiles' face in every shadow or blip in the night sky. This wasn't fair, he knew that, but it still ceased to matter. Life wasn't fair, especially not the life Derek lived. He didn't get happy endings or silver linings. All Derek Hale received from life was disappointment, grief, and heartbreak. All of which laced every piece of his broken mind.

The wolf knew that, no matter where he went, the loss would still follow. As much as Derek wished to, he couldn't leave behind feelings. However, he'd thought about this prior to tonight but tried to ignore it. What could he do besides run? The mind-lost beta would be running all his life if he didn't do something. But what? How could he end all of this pain?

That's when Derek figured it out, he now knew what he had to do. Obviously, Scott was no longer going to help him with the alpha so it was pretty much up to him. However, being a beta and taking on an alpha alone wasn't the wisest choice, Derek knew that. The gene-born wolf could be confident but deep down he'd know that finding the alpha would mean death, at least he'd try though. Derek would go down as he'd always been; fighting and putting hope into things he knew from the get-go were going to fail.

Abruptly turning the steering wheel, his camaro made a 180º, now driving in the opposite direction he'd spent hours on. Derek was going back to Beacon Hills.

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He sighed when coming upon his recently abandoned home. There was really nothing to it but Derek had so many memories there; good and bad. It was stupid to think he could leave forever.

After opening his front door, Derek knew something was off. There was a placid yet repetitive beating coming from upstairs. Someone else was in his house. Guess the death battle is gonna start earlier, Derek thought cynically, assuming it was the alpha creeping around again. He kept as quiet as possible while walking up the stairs. Knowing alphas not only had the same abilities as betas, they had more. In other words, if it was the alpha lurking around he'd already detected Derek's presence.

Following the heartbeat, he couldn't deny that it sounded familiar. Everyone had a different scent and a slightly varying rhythm. This was like one Derek memorized- one that he played over and over in his mind like a calming serenade. But it couldn't be, Stiles wanted nothing to do with him and he'd recognize the boy's scent immediately. Of course, it seemed that Stiles' musk laced every inch of this house. After coming over so many times and that one night, the place gave off a portion of his scent when one stepped inside.

The heartbeat trail led to Derek's bedroom, eyes glowing a paley crystal blue amongst the darkness. His door was already cracked open, the cautious wolf gradually pushing it all the way. As much as Derek enjoyed the dramatics of having a clawed throwdown in pitch black surroundings, he decided it'd be more to his advantage to see with light. Derek quickly flipped the switch, eyes taking note of all his drawers hanging open. Okay then that's weird, he thought, breath shortening when someone he never thought he'd see again jumped frantically from his previous laying position.

Stiles' eyes were squinted, trying to make out the figure standing idly in front of the door. But then he knew, a leather jacket bursting through the current aura of his vision.