Bonded

Chapter Ten

A/N: I rewrote this about 100 times and I'm still not sure I like it. Sorry.

Stiles' lips tasted so sweet in that moment that Derek could hardly handle himself and the wolf stirring within him. He had his mate pushed up against the headboard and was attacking his mouth with rough kisses. Stiles seemed to be alright with it, pushing along every time Derek lulled.

Derek's wolf got the better of him for a split second and then he smelled blood; not his own, but the boys'. His mate's blood!

Derek pushed away from Stiles as soon as he regained control and his wolf berated him. "He's mine! I can do what I want with him," it told Derek.

Derek fought against his glowing eyes. "No! He's ours, and we protect what is ours, not destroy it."

"Go!" Derek screeched from clenched teeth. He couldn't look up at the damage he'd done, much less move from his crouched position on the floor without loosing it again.

The door banged open and someone grabbed Stiles up before the boy could fully register what was happening. Good, Derek thought, he's safe.

But his wolf fought back. He needed his mate to help control the beast inside of him, but that had been ripped from his literal grasp. Once Derek realized what actually happened, he stormed his way up the stairs and pounded at the door. "Give him back!"

"""

A bite mirroring Derek's teeth was appearing on Stiles' shoulder. Talia knew this had been a risky idea.

Stiles looked worriedly at the door Derek was currently trying to tear down. "Don't worry," she whispered. "He'll be fine. He just needs to get his wolf under control."

"Can I go back in?" Stiles whispered quietly.

Talia gave Stiles a bittersweet smile but shook her head. "It's too dangerous right now, sweetie."

"But he needs me," Stiles whispered with guilt in his eyes.

"He's managed this long, he'll be fine," Talia responded.

"""

A day and a half later, Derek was allowed out of the basement. The full moon had passed and the wolves were not feeling it's effects anymore. A haggard looking Derek emerged from the basement and searched for Stiles in the crowd of his family. He found him standing by his mother.

Derek slowly walked his way over to the boy and immediately spotted the mark on his neck. The bite was healing well but it would surely scar. Derek brought his hand up and gently thumbed over the wound. As guilt and anguish overcame him Stiles lifted his own hand to Derek's. Derek took a deep breath and leaned his head onto Stiles' should.

Stiles felt hot tears soak his shirt as the Hale family left the room.

"I forgive you," he whispered in Derek's ear.

"""

Showers were taken, kisses exchanged and family hugs were given. Derek was starting to act like his old self but forlorn creeped in the distance. Stiles had forgiven him many times, "It was okay," he had insisted, but Derek knew that couldn't be true.

Less than a month knowing his mate and he had already made a catastrophic mistake. Maybe it was for the best when Derek had no one. Maybe that was the universes way of telling him to keep away.

"Hey," Stiles snuggled his head into Derek's shoulder. "Stop thinking." He planted a small kiss in the junction of his neck and snuggled back to Derek's side.

They were in Derek's room curled up in the bed. It was late and Derek couldn't find it in him to sleep and although Stiles had been snoozing on and off, he was wide awake and alert now.

"We need to talk about this, Derek. You can't just sulk in pity and stay shut up like a constipated elephant. Let it out, big guy," Stiles said teasingly but with reassurance behind the message.

Derek frowned at the elephant reference and pulled Stiles closer to his body. He looked at the mark on his skin and then into Stiles' eyes. Stiles gave him a soft smile, it was barely even there, but that was all Derek needed.

Derek swooped down and placed a delicate kiss on Stiles' lips.  "I'm sorry," he whispered into his mouth.

"It's okay," Stiles reprimanded. "Anyway, makes me look kind of bad ass," he said with a wink.

Derek snorted and sunk down further into the bed. Stiles bared his neck to his alpha and Derek kissed the mark.