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Seven heats. Stiles spent seven heats with Derek. They had to arrange an agreement, of course, because he’s still underage. The law, though, says he has to be mated by the time he’s eighteen. If not, they’ll provide him with an Alpha. But still, seven heats. That has to mean something, right?
He asks Derek on a Thursday.
“Derek, my birthday is coming up,” Stiles says slowly. He doesn’t want to ask Derek, he wants Derek to ask him, maybe in a fit of passion.
Derek immediately stiffens. “I know.”
“I mean– I know it’s kind of improper, but I guess I have to ask.” Stiles tries to diffuse the tension by chuckling, but Derek’s back is still ramrod straight and his knuckles are white on the steering wheel, grip tight to the point of painful. “Will you, um, be my Alpha?”
Derek stays silent for a very, very long time. Like thirty whole seconds. That’s not exactly promising. Stiles feels himself start to sweat. They’re sitting in front of Stiles’ house, in Derek’s Camaro. The seventh heat just ended, and they’d spent it at Derek’s home, with all of his family running around. At least Derek’s family has a heat room. Speaking of Derek, why is he still being silent and not kissing Stiles by now?
“No,” Derek says.
***
Life goes on. Scott and his dad get him a cake for his birthday, which Stiles pretends he likes. He loves his family, but he doesn’t want to celebrate. He has to go register for an Alpha in the morning, and he just doesn’t want to.
“Thanks, guys,” he says, voice thick with emotion. They cut the cake–chocolate, because what else–and his dad offers him the first piece.
“Do you want me to give you a ride to the courthouse tomorrow?” his dad asks.
Stiles only shakes his head and they conversation drifts off after that.
***
Erica goes with him to the courthouse. They sit in his car for a long time before she finally says, “We can go home.”
“No we can’t. I have to register. I’m eighteen.”
Erica smooths back his hair. “You know Derek–”
“I don’t want to talk about it,” Stiles says. He opens the car door and locks the Jeep when Erica gets out. “I just want to get an Alpha.” The walk up the staircase to the doors takes five minutes. Stiles is so reluctant to give up Derek. It’s only thirty steps, but he feels like Rocky by the end of their climb.
“I’ll wait out here,” Erica says. She gives Stiles a gentle push and he tumbles through the doors.
“Hi, hon,” a sweet-looking woman says happily. She gives him a pointed look. “Here to register for an Alpha?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“Alright. Fill this paperwork out and we’ll match you with an available Alpha. You should have his name in about two days.”
“Thank you,” Stiles says emptily.
***
He gets his letter in the mail in three days. He immediately drives to Scott’s house.
“Mama McCall, is Scott home?” he asks Melissa as soon as he knocks on the door. She too is an Omega, she can sense how frantic he is. Stiles is on the brink of a panic attack.
“He’s upstairs with Isaac,” she answers. “Who’s your Alpha?” she asks, eyeing the envelope in his hand.
“I’m opening it with Scott,” Stiles says while he climbs the stairs. He knocks on the door, because who even wants to know what they could be getting up to in there, and enters when Scott tells him to.
“What’s up?” Scott asks.
“I got it.” Stiles holds up the envelope. There’s a golden crest on it, the mark of Beacon Hills. “I got it.”
“Who is it?” Isaac asks from where he’s laying stomach-down on Scott’s bed.
“I didn’t open it yet,” Stiles says. He gives it to Scott. “I can’t.”
Scott has no trouble, where Stiles almost had a panic attack. He rips open the envelope and scans the letter. There’s a thick packet of papers Scott ignores for now, probably information on his Alpha, and he blanches when he sees the name.
“Stiles,” he squeaks. “You don’t have to– You can decline the first three matches.”
Stiles grabs the letter and that’s when he sees the bolded name.
Peter Hale.
***
He knocks on the door to the Hale house and not even a second later Derek’s stepping out onto the porch.
“What do you want?” he asks, almost confrontational about it.
Stiles shakes his head. “I’m not here for you.” He holds up his envelope and Derek balks at the official crest. “Can I come in?”
“Did they match you with Laura?” Derek demands.
“Can I come in?” Stiles repeats in a hard tone. Derek slumps and lets Stiles pass. Talia is standing in the foyer, with Laura and Cora behind her. Cora and Talia are smiling, but Laura looks worried. She has no reason to be. Stiles gives her an almost imperceptible nod and she relaxes. Stiles can feel Derek breathing down his neck, he’s so close.
“Stiles, good to see you again.” Talia hugs him. “How have you been? I haven’t wished you happy birthday yet! Cora and Mikey chipped in to get you something. It’s on the dining room table.”
Stiles nods his thanks and offers her the envelope. “I seem to be matched with a member of your pack, Alpha Hale.”
She shakes her head, “Do not be formal with me, honey. It’s always Talia to you and you know it.” She smiles at the practically shredded envelope and then takes out the letter. Her face remains neutral, but he can feel her surprise. Omegas are more sensitive to emotions that Alphas or Betas. “Oh my. You’re accepting the match?”
Stiles nods, “I am. The Hale pack is like family at this point. I’d rather make it official.”
“Did you tell your match yet?” Her eyes flicker to Derek and Stiles can tell she doesn’t want to tell him while Stiles is here.
“Not yet. I already know my match and they sent me a packet with their entire life on it. It was kind of funny,” Stiles admits. He clears his throat. “Uh, you can keep the letter, I guess. I’m not going to frame it or anything.”
Talia gives him a calculated look. “Does your father support this?”
“He supports it more than a match with a stranger.”
“Touché,” Talia says. She smiles and folds the letter back up. “Welcome to the family. Though, you’ve been family for months. You know that, darling.”
“Of course.” Stiles smiles, a real, genuine smile, and then Cora sweeps him up in a huge hug.
“Who is it? she asks. Stiles adores her. Throughout his relationship with Derek, they’ve become very close. Cora is like a sister to him.
“Wouldn’t you like to know?” he flicks her nose. Cora rolls her eyes at him. “When things become more official, I’ll tell you. Alright?”
Cora nods and Stiles takes his leave. Derek follows him out the door. Stiles braces himself for a shouting match, but Derek only stares. “Who is it?” He’s barely collected, but it’s different with Derek than Cora. Cora was excitement, Derek looks like the world is falling down around him.
“Peter,” Stiles admits softly.
“Peter? You’re accepting a match to Peter. He’s fourteen years older than you!”
“The limit is twenty. It could be worse,” Stiles retorts. “And you have no say in who my Alpha is, Derek. In case you forgot.”
“I didn’t–”
“Goodbye.” Stiles turns around swiftly and leaves Derek standing there without another word about it.
***
Peter Hale and Stiles Stilinski. Peter. Hale. Stiles. Stilinski. Peter and Stiles Hale. Stiles Hale. Stiles Hale. Stiles Hale.
Stiles Hale.
Wrong Hale.
***
He and Peter announce it to the Hale family three weeks later. Stiles’ heat is in three days and Peter’s arm is around his waist. He feels detached, like this isn’t happening. Like it almost hasn’t sunk in yet. Like it won’t sink in.
“Will you spend the heat here or at your apartment, Peter?” Talia asks. Derek sits two chairs to Talia’s right, behind Laura and his older brother Alexander. Stiles ends up sitting almost directly across from him. He wonders if Derek knows Peter’s hand is around his waist. He wonders if Peter knows Derek has left hickeys–his marks–on the exact place his thumb is tracing idle circles. He wonders if Derek regrets saying no.
But that doesn’t make sense.
“My apartment, I think. Is that all right, Stiles?” he asks, voice close to Stiles’ ear. Stiles meet’s Peter’s heady stare and nods.
“Perfect,” he supplies. “Romantic,” he teases, kissing Peter’s cheek quickly. There are twin girls, both twelve, and they coo over them. The adults all know, they can all still smell Derek on Stiles. They know this isn’t what was supposed to happen. They don’t say anything. Alexander keeps glaring at both of them equally, but Laura and Derek look angry at Stiles and Peter respectively.
“My apartment it is,” Peter announces with a flourish.
“And you’ll allow him to go to college, I assume,” Talia says.
“Anywhere in the state, yes,” Peter answers calmly. His thumb is still on Stiles’ hip and he wants it to move because that’s Derek’s spot. His entire body is Derek’s spot. He doesn’t want Peter on him, but how can he deny his Alpha? He can’t.
“I’ve already been accepted to Berkeley,” Stiles informs her. “I got my acceptance about a week and a half ago.” It was a blaze of light, of happiness, in his awful month. He remembers being with Derek when he submitted the application and then almost having a panic attack that Derek talked him down from. Derek had made him promise to tell him the second he got his acceptance letter, like he was so sure he was going to get in. He wonders if Derek remembers.
“Congratulations,” Talia says coolly. Stiles tries to smile and he almost fails.
“What about children? Will it be a long wait?” Alec asks. He always asks the questions Talia won’t, and that’s what makes them such a good pair. There’s a small snarl and Stiles isn’t sure if it’s Derek or Laura.
“I do want children, yes.” Stiles intercepts the question calmly. He’d been letting Peter speak for most of their interrogation and the Alpha looks glad he’s speaking out now. “But not soon. Maybe in five or so years?” he looks to Peter questioningly.
“Perfect timing, love. As long as it’s before I’m forty,” he jokes.
“Whatever you want,” Stiles answers dutifully. He hears nails on wood and Derek’s claws are out now. That’s when Peter stands and pulls Stiles up with him.
“If you’ll excuse us, the anger is palpable and I’d rather choke on something other than anger.” He winks at Stiles and Stiles nearly does choke, but not on anger. He hears Derek’s quiet snarl and Peter steers Stiles out to his car.
“That didn’t go well,” Stiles sighs. He leans against Peter’s Toyota and his Alpha, oh god his Alpha, cages him in against the car with strong and sure arms. Stiles feels safe, but he doesn’t love Peter. And he knows Peter doesn’t love him.
“Hey, it’s fine. We’ll grow on them. I still can’t believe you accepted the match, what with Derek and all.”
Stiles’ eyes are pained when he looks at Peter. “Please, can we not mention Derek?”
“Of course,” Peter says. He kisses Stiles gently on the mouth. His lips are soft and they’re a different shape than Derek’s. He tastes like toothpaste and apples. When Peter pulls back, Stiles opens his eyes slowly, blinking a few times before he offers Peter a small, small smile. “We all know you love him,” Peter says gently. Stiles winces and thinks of anything he can say to that.
“At least you can kiss well,” Stiles teases. He pushes Peter’s shoulder back and Peter laughs openly. This is good. He could have a traditionalist Alpha. Instead he gets an Alpha that wants an outspoken Omega, an Omega to love. He should be grateful.
When Stiles slips to the passenger side of the car, he sees Derek standing on the porch with Laura by his side. She looks resigned and he looks wrecked. They make eye contact and Stiles is the one that breaks it, just like how Derek broke him. He gets into the car.
***
He feels the first stirrings of his heat only fifteen minutes after Peter drops him off that night. It’s early. Stiles whines into his pillow and he tries to calm himself down. Sweating and an elevated heart rate only bring it faster. Peter has to work tomorrow. He can’t go without an Alpha, not anymore, his feverish mind tries to tell him. Not after Derek showed him how a heat should be.
A heat should be with Derek.
He texts Peter that his heat is starting early and that he shouldn’t call off work. He’ll spend the first day alone. Peter doesn’t seem too happy, but his phone rings a minute later and he doesn’t look at the caller ID.
“Peter, Jesus,” Stiles groans out. “I’ll be fine. The first day isn’t bad, I promise.”
“Stiles,” Derek growls.
“Oh my god, I thought you were Peter,” Stiles says. He whimpers. Just hearing Derek is making heat pool in his abdomen. “What the fuck do you want?”
Derek’s silent for a long time before he says, “Your heat is early.”
“I know.” He happens to be the one that’s in heat, thanks. He’d know.
“It shouldn’t start until Friday,” Derek snarls. “Where’s Peter? Why isn’t he helping you?”
“He works tomorrow. I’ll see him after.”
“Stiles,” Derek whines. His voice is so pained that it makes Stiles want to cry. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry I can’t help you. I’m sorry I said no. I’m just sorry.”
“I’m sorry, too,” Stiles admits. He listens to Derek breathe for a long time and eventually Stiles whimpers and whines because a wave of lust crashes over him. He shakes his head, but Derek can’t see him. “I have to go.”
He hangs up the phone right after Derek says his name one last time.
***
Peter comes into his bedroom when he’s delirious and out of his mind. His father is right behind Peter. The Alpha gently sweeps Stiles up into his arms and coos sweet things into his ear for a few seconds.
“Thank you, Sheriff. I’ll take him to my apartment.”
“Are you sure it’s a good idea? You live in the middle of town. Alphas on the street could challenge you for him. You’re not mated yet. I’d feel safer if you took him to the heat room at the Hale house.”
Peter sighs and Stiles whines, rubbing himself against the smell of Alpha Alpha Alpha. “Of course. I’ll call Talia.”
***
The drive is fuzzy at best. He can vaguely remember some things Peter says on the phone.
“Talia, he’s in heat. No. Derek’s there. No. Yes. Derek won’t do that. You think?”
Stiles whines louder, rubbing himself into the seat. He can feel the slick gushing between his thighs. He hears the car rev and then hot hot hot.
***
Peter carries him into the house bridal style. Alec and Alexander are both holding back a wild-eyed Derek at the top of the grand staircase. Stiles’ eyes catch his and then Derek’s eyes bleed red and he snarls loudly.
“Mate,” Derek says. He’s struggling against their hold, but it’s no use.
“Thank you, sister. His father wasn’t comfortable with him being in my apartment with his heat already started. He didn’t want us to go through town.”
“I understand.” Talia sighs. “I just feel bad for Derek. Take him downstairs and then come back up to get him some water. He looks dehydrated.” Talia puts a soft hand on his forehead and Stiles mewls pitifully.
“Thanks,” he manages. His voice is scratchy. Derek howls from the top of the stairs.
“Oh, honey,” Talia says softly. She smooths his hair out of his face and Derek growls for her not to touch him. “I’m sorry about Derek making a scene.”
“S’okay,” Stiles slurs. “Derek’s ‘kay.” He looks back up at Derek and Derek looks like he’s in pain. His eyes are huge and vulnerable. Peter kisses Stiles’ forehead and Derek’s back to angry and fighting in a second. His snarls echo throughout the room. Stiles breaks eye contact first.
“I’m going to take him downstairs now,” Peter tells Talia. Derek cries out an anguished protest that catches Stiles’ attention and at that point Alexander bodily picks him up and carries him away, not at all struggling even though Derek is. Stiles only watches as his eye contact with Derek is broken when he disappears around the hall.
Peter takes him down the stairs and gently lays Stiles on the bed. “I’ll be back in a minute, love.”
“Nonono, don’t leave. Please d’leave,” Stiles cries. “Be good, I’ll be so good. D’leave.” He grasps for the nearest source of Alpha, but it’s out of his reach.
“I promise I’ll be right back. You need something to drink and I need to get your birth control.” Peter’s gone in the next second, leaving Stiles alone in the dark room. Derek never left him alone down here. He barely wanted to let him go.
It’s minutes before Stiles hears the door open again. He’s reduced to stripping himself and rutting against the mattress by then.
“No, shh,” Derek says against his skin. He pulls Stiles into his warm body and Stiles can’t even think to protest.
“Derek, what–”
“We’re going to the fucking courthouse tomorrow. You are not mating with Peter ever.” He puts Stiles on his back gently and asks, “You didn’t hurt yourself, right?”
“Nonono, please, Derek, please.” Stiles wraps his arms around him and there might be tears on his cheeks. “Too late, s’too late.”
“Take this.” Derek helps Stiles swallow one of his birth control pills and then Derek’s lips are on his neck. “I’m sorry, so, so sorry. Never again.” Stiles feels overwhelmed.
“Derek!” Stiles cries as Derek’s blunt teeth scrape against the spot right above his collarbone, he’s told Derek a few times that that’s where he wants his claiming bite, and having Derek so close to claiming him sends his hormones into overdrive. “I love you, please, please claim me.”
“I trust you,” Derek says brokenly. “I know you know what you’re saying when you’re in heat. Do you want this?”
“Yesyesyes, y’s,” Stiles sobs. He’s clutching Derek tightly. “Please, hurts so bad. S’hot, fill me, please. My Alpha, mine.”
Derek’s elongated canines break the skin as he bites down right above Stiles’ collarbone. Stiles throws his head back and screams, hips bucking up against Derek’s. There are tears now and Derek holds Stiles tight against him as he slides his teeth out of Stiles’ neck.
“I love you,” Derek whispers reverently into his skin. “Thank you, thank you, thank you.”
Stiles doesn’t see Peter for the rest of his heat. He’s expecting some kind of reprimand or anger from the Hale family when they finally emerge from the heat room almost a week later.
Stiles gets a confetti cannon in his face, courtesy of Laura, and Peter hands them a cake which says ‘congratulations on the sex’ on behalf of the entire Hale family. Derek has an arm around Stiles’ waist and he only nuzzles into his shoulder when he sees the cake, frame shaking with quiet laughter. Everything is going to be fine.