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After everything from Kanimas to Alpha Packs to Demons to Hábróks and more, the Beacon Hills Pack finally solidified into something serious. Derek was an Alpha again after a vicious struggle with Deucalion. He and Scott ran the pack together, and for the most part it was pretty smooth. The only minor hiccups were about internal pack relations.
Scott got back with Allison, before they broke up again. Then he and Kira dated, while Allison began seeing Isaac again. Stiles began dating Cora, who’d come back to stay. Derek was proud to say he only threatened Stiles once, and then it was only in jest. He knew Cora could take care of herself. Danny was brought into the pack more firmly when he began dating an Omega, Ben, they had adopted. Scott and Kira had a big blow up, where they broke up for good. Soon after, Lydia and Kira became a couple. Scott didn’t seem bothered by it, only happy for his friends. Melissa and Jack started dating, with much cheering from the pack when it was announced. Derek never bothered to date anyone, since it usually ended in disaster. Scott decided to stay single for awhile and focus on the pack.
Peter drifted in and out of their lives because Derek and Cora couldn’t bring themselves to get rid of him forever. The others didn’t like it, but they understood.
The pack joked that Derek and Scott were ‘mom and dad’ of the group. Derek smiled slightly when Cora first mentioned it.
“As long as I’m ‘mom’,” Scott spoke up. He smiled at Derek and continued, “I’m much more affectionate.”
Derek laughed. “I’ll grant you that. My way of showing affection is scaring people!”
Cora shoved his shoulder. “That’s not true. Scott’s just better at giving comfort. Derek’s never been the hugging type.”
“You know,” Lydia said without looking up from her physics work. “That’s very heteronormative and kind of sexist.”
“Scott said it, not me,” Derek replied. “Stiles, come help me cook.”
“Yes ‘dad’.” Stiles gave Scott a gentle shove. “Melissa is gonna own you for being heteronormative.”
“Shit,” Scott mumbled.
****
The problem with having a pack, Derek found out, is that they were nosey. His family usually left him alone when he went off to brood. His new pack, followed him around until he broke down and confessed.
Well, Lydia did mostly.
Like right now, Derek was in the kitchen, baking a cake, and listening to Japanese on tape. Lydia appeared next to him and said, “You’re in love with Stiles.”
Derek nearly lost his grip on the bowl. “I’m sorry?”
She smiled widely and dipped her finger into the cake batter. “You’re in love with Stiles. We all know it, even Stiles and Cora.” She licked her finger.
“I…”
“Don’t bother denying it.” Lydia gave his shoulder a pat. “We think it’s great of you to put Cora ahead of yourself.”
Derek was speechless.
“You always do,” Lydia continued on. “But you should think of yourself first someday.”
“I did. Once,” Derek said slowly. “It didn’t turn out well.”
“I know,” she said sympathetically, “but you shouldn’t let Kate hold you back.”
Derek frowned down at the bowl as he stirred the batter. “You aren’t suggesting I break up Stiles and Cora are you?”
“No! God, no. Just…” Lydia shrugged. “Don’t let your past keep you from having a happy future.”
Then she left, leaving Derek to contemplate what she said.
****
The other problem, Derek found, was that the whole pack did think he was in love with Stiles. Even Stiles and Cora.
He wasn’t in love with Stiles.
He was in love with Scott.
****
He never denied being in love with Stiles because no one would believe him.
“It’s because you two bicker like Stiles and I bicker,” Cora whispered to him one night after dinner. They were washing the dishes.
“What?” he whispered back.
“Like Hepburn and Tracy,” Cora said. “Like Dad liked.”
“I know who Hepburn and Tracy are,” Derek hissed. “I’m not…”
“It’s okay,” Cora cut him off, placing a wet hand on his forearm.
Derek shut his mouth and clenched his jaw. He nodded curtly and they went back to washing dishes.
****
He obviously never told anyone. Derek didn’t think anyone knew, not even Peter, which he was grateful for.
It’s just that.
Scott was so kind and helpful and all these things that Derek wasn’t and couldn’t be. Derek was happy that Scott gave him another chance to prove they could be good together. As a pack.
He was happy to stay the course of being single and watching his pack have relationships.
****
Although, once he had thought about confessing. It was at a party. The Beacon Hills pack had invited other packs from the area for a big get together. Derek had worked himself up and was going to confess to Scott. He was going to insist that nothing would change, Derek would never force his feelings on Scott or anything. He just...needed to get it off his chest.
As he stepped outside to do just that, Stephanie Adams from the Sacramento Pack, waylaid him. She was in her late fifties, with only slightly greying hair. Stephanie had brought her youngest children, one was a boy of twelve and the other was a girl around his packs age. Derek hadn’t learned their names yet.
“Alpha Hale,” she smiled.
“Alpha Stephanie,” he smiled back. “What can I do for you?”
“This is a little awkward, but since you are the oldest pack member and so am I, I thought it was best.”
Derek cocked his head in confusion and stared at her.
“Alicia, my daughter,” Stephanie laughed. “She wants to know if Alpha McCall is single!”
Derek smiled, but it felt tight on his face. He looked over Stephanie’s shoulder and saw Scott and Alicia talking.
“Yes, he is. He was taking a break from relationships, but from what I can see, I think he might be over that,” Derek replied. His chest felt a little tight too. He took a breath and let it out slowly.
“Yes, I could smell his interest as soon as they met. And don’t worry,” Stephanie said. She touched his shoulder in comfort. “I wouldn’t take Alpha McCall from you.”
Derek laughed awkwardly. “Yeah.”
He talked with Stephanie for a little while longer, before going back inside the house. He made a beeline for the kitchen and began putting together some more food.
****
Derek knew he didn’t have a shot in hell with Scott, not after everything that happened, so he kept his mouth shut. Scott was happy with Alicia. Everyone in the pack was happy. Even Derek.
He was happy his pack was happy.
And if he spent more time than ever in the kitchen cooking and baking and listening to languages on tape, well, everyone just assumed he was brooding over Stiles.
Derek knew who he was in love with and that was enough for him. It would have to be.