"Everything okay?" I asked.
Stiles took a seat on the driftwood log beside me, smiling peacefully with a glance at Derek who was sitting beside Sam.
"It will be," he responded. "I've got a good feeling," he said as he turned to meet my eyes. I hope to god he's talking a least a little about me.
"Oh yeah?" I replied.
His eyes flickered down to my crooked smile and back up again. "Yeah," he bit his lip momentarily.
Sam let out a loud yip, signalling for the pack to gather round. Scott took a set beside Stiles, and Jared beside me. Soon all of the large pieces of driftwood were filled with werewolves. Stiles scooted closer to my side, making a little more room in his other side and goosebumps rise on the arm he was touching.
"Sorry," he murmured shyly. I shuffled closer to him in turn, tangling my leg with his and giving him a smirk as I let my hand rest on his thigh.
"I certainly hope not," I whispered back, earning a giggle from the beautiful boy beside me.
Derek and Sam were standing side by side, and Scott rose from his seat to stand with them formally.
"I don't mean to be so formal. But the Hale-McCall pack came here looking for an alliance. And if it's alright with all of you... I'd like to give it to them," Sam said, cracking a smile at the hooting and hollering that broke out. He rose a hand for silence and continued. "Their emissary- Stiles- will be working out the finer details... but this alliance works both ways. They've offered their help with our vampire problem."
"We're only ever a phone call away," Derek confirmed.
Wait... phone call? Are they leaving? Is Derek doing this on purpose so I can't take Stiles out? I thought everything was okay between them. He wouldn't, would he? My heart started beating faster in my chest at the idea of Stiles leaving. Of my imprint leaving. The anxiety was nearly enough to overwhelm me. What on earth am I going to do when he goes back to his life? He can't stay here with me forever. He's got a pack of his own, a life. A life that doesn't revolve around me.
"You're not leaving yet," I asked, but it sounded more like a demand than a question. I turned to Stiles in question, my eyes searching.
Stiles' eyes immediately snapped to Derek. They stared at each other, seemingly having a silent conversation. Derek gave him a small shake of his head before Scott answered the question.
"No Paul, we're staying for a little while... even if I do want to be home right now..." Scott grumbled the last sentence. I sighed in relief, my happiness returning as the worry subsided. I still have some time.
"Maybe Izzy can come out and meet everyone," Stiles suggested with a smile at his best friend.
"Who's Izzy?" Embry asked curiously.
"My boyfriend," Scott said dreamily, all heart eyes. Dear lord... is that how I'm always looking at Stiles?
"Yes," Edward murmured from across the circle as he winked at me. I just rolled my eyes at the vampire. Always in somebody's head eh? He just chuckled in response.
"What do you think Der-bear?" Stiles asked the alpha. Scott was already turning his huge, puppy dog eyes to Derek. The alpha rolled his eyes and sighed.
"Oh go ahead, just get those eyes outta here," he grumbled, but there was a smile playing at his lips. Scott screeched happily before crushing Derek in a momentary hug and then prancing off away from the circle.
"I'm calling him right now!" He said over his shoulder.
"He's like a giant puppy, isn't he?" I speculated with a chuckle.
"Oh, you just wait until you meet Izzy. They're like this perfect, sweet, puppy pairing. It's both disgusting and adorable," Stiles laughed. His vibrating body was sending little tremors through my side.
"Will we get to meet the rest of your pack?" Quill directed the question at Derek.
"I'm sure that could be arranged," he confirmed with a nod.
I could practically feel Stiles beaming smile before I even turned my head to look at him.
"I can't wait for you to meet Lyds. She's going to love you. I can hear it now- 'he's totally out of your league Stiles'," he laughed. There was a special gleam in his eyes when he talked about her. It wasn't hard to see how much he loved this girl.
"Pffft! I'd say you're out of his, much lower, league," Jake chuckled.
"I have to agree with that one," I said with a nod. Stiles jaw dropped and he snorted at the apparent ridiculousness of the statement.
"I- you- have you seen yourself? No. No way," he sputtered out, his cheeks starting to burn that beautiful red again. "You've got a washboard 8 pack for Pete's sake," he scoffed.
"Nothing compared to your big, honey doe eyes, and the beautiful mole constellations... and we can't forget about the constant sex hair," I shook my head, running my thumb across his cheek as I cupped his face. His skin was burning with an intense blush under my touch.
"You're hilariously delusional," he murmured as his eyes met mine, his tongue flicking out to lick his lips.
I shook my head again, leaning a little closer. "Perfectly sane."
"I have... constant sex hair?" He gulped.
"Mhmm," I mumbled back, moving closer still. This time his eyes glanced down at my lips before looking back up again.
"Heh heh... well uhh- its definitely not from constant sex," he tried to play it off, his hand rubbing the back of his neck unconsciously.
"I know," I murmured. His face fell a little at my words, so I continued. "It's because when you think, or get nervous, or are still too long, you feel the need to run your hands through it. Over and over again. It's intoxicating and makes my fingers itch to do it for you."
My words had a smile spreading on his face and his teeth biting at his lip again. I swear if he does that one more time...
"We've only known each other two days. How could you possibly know that?" His voice was soft as velvet and his eyes were taking turns looking between my lips and my eyes again.
"Because I can't take my eyes off of you," I said, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. Because it was. If Stiles was around, I simply couldn't see anyone else. Nor did I want to.
I would never want to miss his eyes lighting up when he talks about someone he loves, or when they spark with that child-like, yet intelligent curiosity. I would never want to miss his laugh, or his little mischievous giggle. Or the endless, perfect facial expressions he managed. I would never want to miss those long, delicate fingers running through his messy hair or his long, flailing limbs when he was telling a story. I wouldn't want to miss a single thing he did.
"Oh would you two cut it out! Just because you imprinted on him doesn't-," Jared's eyes widened as he realized what he said, and he clapped a hand over his mouth.
"What?" Stiles squeaked, his head snapped around and he gawked at Jared before he looked back to me. His eyes were huge in his head as he tried to process the information.
The entire circle of people were dead silent, all eyes trained on us.
"What did he just say?" Stiles demanded, his voice a little louder this time. I glanced at the fire momentarily before looking back. He was looking at me expectantly. As if to say, 'tell me he's lying'. My heart sank in my chest at that.
"He... he uh. He said that I-," my voice died out and I gulped before steeling myself and continuing. I squared my shoulders and looked him in the eye steadily. "I imprinted on you Stiles. The moment I saw you... I imprinted."
If he wanted to reject me... well I didn't want to think about that right now. But it would be his choice.
"It's what I've been trying to tell you," I said this time, regarding him nervously.
And there it was. His long fingers were running through his hair, ruffling it into a wild mass of strands. His teeth were biting at his bottom lip aggressively. His eyes were fiery and still focused on me. I couldn't help but think how absolutely adorable he looked when he was flustered. My stomach felt like a ball of snakes, writhing nervously. I might puke.
"You... imprinted... on me?" Stiles pieced together slowly.
"Yes," I gulped. This didn't seem to be getting any better.
"I knew it," I heard Scott mutter triumphantly as he rejoined the group.
"You...imprinted...on me," he stated again, still in disbelief. "Like soulmate, love of your life, end all be all, werewolf magic, Quileute imprinted?"
"Oh for god sakes Stiles!" Derek exclaimed, throwing his hands up. "Paul Lahote, imprinted on, you, Stiles Stilinski."
"Bullshit," Stiles announced. I rose my eyebrows at his expression. He looked a little manic, but a little triumphant too. As if he actually caught us in a lie. I couldn't believe that he couldn't believe this.
"Is it really so hard for you to believe?" I demanded in disbelief.
"Yes, yes it is!" He shouted, rising from his seat as he did so. "You're messing with me."
"Why?! We've been flirting no problem for the past two days. You believed that two minutes ago. Think about it- this explains it. This is what I was going to tell you earlier, before Scott showed up. What is there to not believe?" I snapped, also standing.
"So- so what? The first hot werewolf that shows interest in me, is only interested in me because of some freaky- wolf- magic— CRAP?!" He spat, hands flying around his wild hair. My heart was sinking again at his words. This is what I was afraid of. This is why I didn't tell him right away. My eyes moved to Jared just over Stiles shoulder, and I was glaring daggers.
"Stilinski!" Derek shouted at his emissary. "Stop being ridiculous and go for a goddamn walk."
My eyebrows were once again rising. But this time in surprise at the alphas two outbursts. I expected him to be talking Stiles out of this, not trying to convince him.
"Sti... Derek's right. Take a walk," Scott said gently, nodding encouragingly at his uncertain friend.
Stiles was bouncing on the balls of his feet as his eyes moved from one of his alphas to the other. Both were giving him the 'get your ass moving' look.
"Stiles," I murmured quietly. His head snapped to me, cautiously meeting my eyes. He looked like a spooked dear with those big eyes. I gestured down the beach with my head silently, eyes pleading with him.
He sighed, brushing past me with a nod. Before I followed behind him, I found myself looking to the Hale-McCall alphas. Both were giving me a look I could read easily.
'Break him and we break you. Permanently.'
I nodded my understanding before following after the lanky boy walking across the rocks. I stayed a distance behind him, giving him a little breathing room until he was ready. We had gone at least half a mile when he stopped in his tracks. I slowed my steps, but continued to approach him cautiously. Like he was a spooked animal that would bolt if I moved too quickly.
"Stiles I-," I whispered, not entirely sure where to start. As if he could read my mind he interrupted me.
"Start from the beginning," he whispered back. "Explain what it's like."
"It was like... It was like a shift in gravity when I met your eyes. I felt weak in the knees and like I could float at the same time. The only thing holding me to the earth is you. I remember thinking you were the most beautiful thing I had ever seen. I remember walking into the room and seeing the two alphas standing in front of you protectively. I thought- 'They look like they would die for him'," my vision blurred a little as I was re-submerged in the recent memory. It wasn't one I would ever forget. "And when you looked at me, instantly I would die for you. I would be anything you needed me to be. I would do anything you needed me to do. Every time you look at me is like that first time Stiles- and I have a feeling that won't ever change. You are who I'm meant to be with. It's not some 'freaky wolf magic crap'. Well- it is. But that's not the point. It's actual fate. Destiny. Meant to be. I was made for you and you were made for me."
His back was still facing me, but he slowly- painfully slowly- turned around. His eyes were wide and disbelieving again- as if he didn't believe that this was real.
"Why me?" He stammered.