THE HYBRID'S MATE, sterek [book 01] ✔

xxiii. semi-expected conscience

     Derek's eyes are darker than ever, and there is a sense of danger in them. He drops me onto the bed and climbs on top of me, Derek's own teeth at their full length and his eyes burning like no fire I have ever seen. I grin up at my Mate and pull him down, simultaneously pulling on the hairs on the back of Derek's neck.

• • •

     I wake with a start, sweat running down my face and dripping onto my bed and sheets. My eyes are wild and my heart is the same. It's beating a million miles an hour, and I can't stop it. The need and longing is pumping through my body, but I can stop that. I squeeze my eyes shut and dig my razor sharp claws into my palms, drawing blood and simultaneously calming my raging pulse.

     "I need to stop this," I growl under my breath. "This is goddamn ridiculous."

     "Are you telling me?" Peter asks, leaning against the doorpost with his arms crossed. "Or are you telling yourself that?"

     "Myself. What are you doing here, Peter?"

     "I sold my apartment, and your father said Valerie and I could stay here until we got a new house. We might be getting one close to you, or one close to Liam's. The rest of the Pack are almost undesirable to be near. Well, except for my murderous daughter that is."

     "Much like you in that department."

     "Not any more. That's because of Liam and yourself. You both showed me a better way. I must admit, I was willing to ignore you and kill Kate myself that night, but I went against my judgement. I'm glad now."

     "You've got a conscience now. How amusing. Peter freaking Hale has a conscience, everyone!"

     Peter playfully glares at me. "Oh shut it, you hyperactive spaz."

     My father pokes his head into the room, his expression hilarious. "Did I just hear you say that Peter Hale has a conscience?"

• • •

     Apparently, everyone now knows that Creepy Petey has a conscience of sorts. I have to admit that it is funny to hear their Pack almost riot through the Pack's shared mind link. I am laying on my bed, almost crying of laughter at the exclamations of my friends and the chagrined expression on the former Alpha's face.

     "Hey, Peter," I say, looking over at my friend. "I didn't mean to cause such an uproar."

     Peter fondly rolls his eyes at me. "It's fine, Sti. They would have found out either way. Better sooner than later, right?"

     "Are you referring to myself or yourself? Hmm?"

     "Both. You and Derek need to fix this before it fixes itself. Believe me, I've seen it. It's not pretty, Stiles."

     I walk out of the room, leaving the Wolf in my room to go through his newly found conscience. I am faintly aware of my body moving - walking out of my house and in the general direction of Derek's loft. I catch the scent of my Mate and snap back into reality. I see the giant metal door in front of me and sighs. Damn the Mate Bond.

     I open the door with little hassle, and close it with the same amount of exertion. I walk over to Derek and stand there, silent, until the Alpha turns around and sees the fragile Hybrid. His eyes flare red and I feel the Mate Bond tugging. It's trying to get me closer to my Mate, but we are both fighting it.

     "What are you doing here, Stiles?" Derek growls.

     I narrow my eyes, still annoyed at my Mate. "Ask the goddamn Mate Bond. Do you think I want to be here?"

     "You tell me."

     "I don't know if I can trust you any more, Derek. You attempted to kill my friend."

     "I'm sorry, Stiles. I don't know what else I can say."

     "That you'll keep your claws and teeth out of my Alpha perhaps. Also, you can prove that I can still trust you. I don't know, Derek! This is on you."

     Derek moves quickly and pins me up against the wall, his eyes burning with anger. "It's not my fault some crazy Werejaguar kidnapped me. It's not my fault the Pack came after me. It's not my fault that you being you got so badly hurt that it tipped Liam over the edge and made him into a True Alpha! It's not my fault you accepted the Bite! It's not my fault you're a goddamn Hybrid with two Mates! It's not my fault, Stiles!"

     I shake my head, my own eyes burning with anger and full of pain. "It's mine. I know. I'm sorry, Der. It's all my fault. If I had of just kept the body in the woods to myself, then Scott would still be human and none of this would have happened. Everyone would still be alive, and no one would be trying to kills us all every second of the day. It's all my fault."

     "No, Mieczyslaw. It's not."

     "You sneaky bastard. You figured it out."

     "I did guess 'Miguel', but then I did some research. You can't hide anything from me."

     "Except that Peter has a conscience?"

     "He what?!"