Derek smirked as he brought over another plate of food, this time bacon, and placed it on the island where Scott and Stiles were sitting. Stiles hadn't stopped moving since they'd sat down, and now he was spinning in circles on the stool, trying desperately to take in everything at once.

And knowing Stiles, that was highly possible.

Ever since Derek had come back to Beacon Hills as the assistant coach, he had watched all the guys on the team, but especially Stiles. It was impossible not to. He was always––sometimes literally––bouncing from one place to another. And his ADD gave him heightened senses in a way that most people couldn't comprehend. Most people obviously not including Derek.

He was like a hyperactive puppy, and as much as Derek wanted Stiles, and his incredibly frail human body, as far from the action as possible, that wasn't going to happen. He was Scott's anchor in a way that no one else could or should be, so he couldn't exactly be mad at him for figuring everything out either.

He was Scott's lifeline.

When the last tray was set down, Peter and Derek joined Scott and Stiles, filling their own plates, letting the other two know it was fine for them to do the same now. There was a semi-awkward moment of silence as they each piled way too much in front of them before Scott started to shovel food in his mouth with the same gusto as he had last night.

Peter watched Scott for a second before turning to Derek with a perked eyebrow in question.

"He thinks if he does that, it'll get him out of talking," Derek explained quietly.

Stiles snorted and shoved a piece of bacon in his own mouth, chewing at a much slower pace than Scott.

"An admirable effort, but someone has to break the ice, and since I'm the Alpha..."

"You're going to give us the lowdown on this whole wolfy situation?" Stiles interrupted with a question. "Derek gave us, like, a sneak preview last night."

He swallowed hard as Scott remained stoically silent, his mouth completely full.

"No asthma, faster, stronger, super sight, hearing, and smell," Stiles began to rattle off. "Red eyes, blue eyes, dark yellow eyes, fangs, fingernails." He stopped long enough to take a deep breath before he continued on. "Hunters, control, training. Alphas, Betas, and lone wolf. Uh, and King Lycaon and his sons."

Peter laughed to himself and shook his head. "You told them that story?"

"Stiles was being annoying," Derek said with a shrug, "so I messed with him."

"You're rude," Stiles retorted, his mouth full.

"No talking with your mouth full," Peter said automatically. "And that was a little rude, Derek, but perhaps understandable. I assume he always talks this much?"

"Yes," Derek, Scott, and Stiles responded in unison.

"So our newest wolf does have a voice," Peter said with another light chuckle. "Good."

Scott looked down at his plate again, suddenly engrossed in the bright colors on display there. Thankfully, Derek noticed that Peter knew not to say anything about it, instead turning to Stiles. The one person who wanted to talk.

"Your curiosity is rather endearing, Stiles," Peter offered. "I appreciate that."

Derek groaned as Stiles grinned happily. He didn't need him getting a big head about all this either. Yes, he knew more than most, and definitely more than Scott was willing to accept, but the last thing Derek wanted was Stiles in the thick of any of this either.

He was going to get hurt, no matter his intentions.

"I knew somebody would some day," Stiles said. "So neither of you bit Scott, right? Derek already told us he didn't, but he said he was going to ask you."

Derek felt his face heat up instantly from embarrassment as he suddenly found his plate super interesting too, unable to meet Peter's eyes.

"He did ask me. No, I didn't bite Scott," Peter stated simply. "And while who did is most certainly a concern, I'm putting that on the back burner for right now. Because what is far more important is that Scott joins our pack and begins his training." Peter turned to look directly at Scott, or more accurately, the top of Scott's head as he continued. "So, Scott, consider this a formal invitation. As the Alpha of the Hale pack, I would like very much for you to join us."

They all turned to Scott, who was still staring down at his plate, eating slower now, but showing no signs he'd even heard Peter.

"Well, uh, that was... oddly Shakespearean of you," Stiles commented.

Derek couldn't help it as a chuckle escaped his lips and Peter shook his head. "I don't get to rely on ceremony very often, Stiles, seeing as there are only two of us."

Stiles' eyes lit up the minute Peter mentioned that and Derek could tell right where he was headed. The Hale Fire was the stuff of legends in Beacon Hills, but most of it was just that. Legends. The true reason behind the fire had never been revealed, and most of what had occurred afterward tiptoed the supernatural line, so it had to be covered up.

Stiles had to be dying to know the truth.

"Yeah, about that...," he began.

"No. No way. No family history right now, okay?" Derek stepped in.

"Derek's right. We'll make time for that later," Peter tacked on. "As I'm sure Derek explained, Scott, being an Omega, a lone wolf, is dangerous. You'll be vulnerable. Not only to hunters, but to other packs. The simple truth is we're safer in numbers. Especially since whoever bit you is probably still out there."

Scott finally looked up, his face resembling more of a deer caught in headlights than anything else. But Stiles stepped back in before it got too bad. Derek found himself watching both of them again, fascinated by their relationship.

"So if Peter is the Alpha, Derek is the Beta, and Scott is your, uh, new wolf friend, or whatever. What does that make me?"

"Our human," Peter answered quickly.

Too quickly. And too easily. Derek bristled before he could stop himself.

"Our sarcastic human with no filter," Derek mumbled.

"Eh, I can live with that," Stiles said with a shrug.

Peter glanced back to Scott as they bickered slightly, and Derek noticed he had officially stopped eating, but wasn't looking at anyone in particular either.

"Scott," Peter said, lowering his voice to a soft, gentle tone Derek recognized well, "not to put too fine a point on it, but you need to start dealing with this. I'm so sorry this happened to you. Especially this way, but it did happen. Burying your head in the sand and willing it to go away won't change it. It'll just get worse."

Derek and Stiles both watched Scott as Peter talked, and when he didn't respond yet again, he folded his arms over his chest in frustration. A move he used when he was blocking out the whole world, his therapist had told him once.

But, once again, Stiles noticed first and turned to Scott to intervene. "Are you listening, dude?"

Scott nodded. But that was it. Just one curt nod. Any other person wouldn't get away with being rude to Peter, but Derek knew what it meant to be bitten and not born. It was harder than what Derek had experienced. He didn't get to dictate how Scott responded.

Stiles motioned to Peter to keep going and he obliged quickly. "The only way you're going to control yourself is through training. Derek told me you've been lucky so far, and that's good, but you can't rely on luck to get you through every full moon."

He paused briefly, letting as much of his words sink in as possible. "A werewolf's body is its greatest weapon, and without control, people can get hurt very easily. People like Stiles. You don't wanna hurt Stiles, do you, Scott?"

"I don't want you to hurt, Stiles, Scott," Stiles joked, causing the corners of Scott's mouth to turn up slightly. "This, uh, training. Can I come and watch? For, ya know, educational purposes?"

Derek started to shake his head, but Peter beat him to the punch and went against everything they'd ever talked about. Again, Derek bristled without warning. He didn't care why it was happening, but he trusted his instincts. Stiles being involved was dangerous.

"Normally, I would say no," Peter started, "but as it's obvious that you two are rather co-dependent, I'll allow it. But you have to promise to do exactly as I say if he loses control."

Stiles waved his hand dismissively, not making Derek feel the least bit better. "Sure. No problem."

"All this is rather a moot point, of course, if he doesn't join the pack, though," Peter remarked.

"If he doesn't join, you won't help?" Stiles asked, his eyebrows furrowing with worry.

"Of course we'll still help," Derek asserted, injecting himself back into the conversation unnecessarily.

"Derek is right. We can still help. But joining a pack is more than just saying yes," Peter divulged. "Werewolves are... magical is the best word. It's a bit simplistic as explanations go, but it'll do for now." He punctuated the sentence with his own shrug before he prattled on. "Joining a pack creates a bond that literally strengthens all of its members. It's not just symbolic. You'll be stronger with us, Scott. We can try and protect you if you choose to be by yourself, of course, but we'll be at a disadvantage, and you'd be left to navigate many of the intricacies of our world without guidance."

"Maybe ease up a bit, Peter," Derek responded softly. "They're just kids."

"And you were younger than them when pack dynamics came back to bite this family in the ass, Derek," Peter argued.

"Yes, but I was part of this world from the moment I was born. This is being thrown at Scott insanely fast. He just changed for the first time a few days ago. And wasn't even admitting it until last night."

Peter turned to him fully now, his own arms crossed. "And you'd rather he be unprepared, Derek? You might as well hand him over to the hunters before he causes an inevitable scene then. They'll go after him anyway."

"I'm just saying you should ease him into it," Derek grumbled, not used to being reprimanded in front of an audience.

"Okay. And what's your grand plan for easing them into this?" Peter responded tersely.

Derek knew he was being backed into a corner. He didn't have a plan. And Peter was right. Easing Scott into this was no longer an option, if it had ever been one in the first place. As unfair as it was, and it was unfair to the fullest, Scott didn't have a choice. He was a werewolf, whether he liked it or not.

"That's what I thought," Peter maintained. "I know you mean well, Derek, but you're as naive as Scott if you think his time to be just a kid isn't over already. And Stiles too, for that matter, if he is determined to be pack human."

Derek rolled his eyes. "They still have normal, human lives ahead of them, Peter."

"Yeah, sure. Lives that now will always contain threats," he countered. "Hunters, wolfsbane, mountain ash."

"Mountain ash?" Stiles asked, dragging both Peter and Derek out of their bubble. "I know what wolfsbane is. Aconite. Monkshood. Rumored to be the cure for werewolves, or a poison you can use against them."

"It's not a cure," Derek said, shaking his head. "Trust me. There's no cure for what we are."

"And there doesn't need to be," Peter scoffed. "There's nothing wrong with us. Mountain ash can be used as a sort of... barrier for supernatural creatures. If you put a ring of mountain ash around this island, for example, only Stiles could move freely out of it. The rest of us would be trapped."

"That's kinda cool," Stiles muttered.

Derek snorted. "Not to us, thanks."

"Uh, yeah, sorry," Stiles said, rubbing the back of his neck. "I get why you guys would see it that way." He coughed once to clear his throat before he changed the subject back to the task at hand. "Um, so maybe you could tell us more about joining the pack and what that entails. Like what would Scott have to do? Would he have to give up lacrosse?"

Scott's eyes began to dart between Derek and Peter at the suggestion. "Again, normally, I'd say no lacrosse, but since Derek is right there as assistant coach, I don't see a problem with Scott staying on the team. It might even be a good training exercise."

Stiles reached out with a smile and gave Scott's shoulder a reassuring squeeze. "See, man, not all bad news, right?" He turned back to Peter. "What about Allison? Does he have to stop dating her because she's a hunter or whatever?"

Scott's jaw set firmly at the insinuation this time. Derek could tell that even Peter noticed this one, and that Scott would not be giving up his girlfriend, as pointless as it was.

"Okay, you didn't tell me he was dating an Argent," Peter muttered, looking to Derek out of the corner of his eye.

"Uh, yeah, sorry. He's dating Allison Argent."

Peter took a deep breath, clearly considering his options. But, looking at Scott, he didn't have but one. "There's technically no rule against a hunter and a werewolf dating. It doesn't happen often, obviously, but it's not forbidden. So the answer is no, he doesn't have to give up Allison. But, honestly, Scott, I'd take a few steps back. At least until you've started training. You don't want to hurt her either."

"Does Allison know she's a werewolf hunter?" Scott piped up again. "I don't think we've exactly established that. Because it doesn't really matter if she doesn't know, right?"

"She might not," Peter explained. "Chris and Victoria, her parents, represent new school thinking in terms of the Argents. Chris' father, Gerard, however, is very old school. Chris became a hunter well before Allison. But I think he wants to let her be a kid as long as possible and then make an informed decision."

"Even if she is, though, she and her family wouldn't come after Scott without reason, right? That's what Derek said yesterday. They have some kind of code."

"Every animal is hunted. Sometimes out in the open. Sometimes with traps," Peter stated. "And, yes, Derek is right. Hunters won't kill a werewolf who hasn't hurt anyone else. But, without a pack and training, Scott is very likely to hurt someone. And then be on their radar, whether he meant to do it or not. We have a truce, particularly with the Argents, but it won't hold if werewolves start killing innocent people."

"Why don't we just tell them what happened?" Stiles suggested. "Put Scott on their radar? I mean, if you don't know who bit him, that means there could be some werewolf running around who's not following rules. Wouldn't they want to help us?"

Derek shrugged and looked at Peter. "That's not the worst idea."

"Aww," Stiles cooed. "Thanks, buddy."

"It might not be, eventually, but I'd hold off for now," Peter said, ignoring them. "We don't know who bit Scott or what drove them to it. They could be hurt, or in need of help. But with nothing to go on, the hunters might not believe us either, and then we'd all be in danger. Just because they're often our allies doesn't mean we aren't all cautious."

Once again, silence descended on the table as they all contemplated the full meaning behind everything they'd talked about.

"Well," Stiles said, clapping his hands together, "on that cheery note. We're gonna be late for school if we don't leave soon."

"Yeah, you'd better be off," Peter acknowledged. "Don't worry about cleaning up. I'll take care of it."

"Do you guys want a ride? We could always pick up the Jeep after school," Derek proposed.

"No, I can drive," Stiles said, shaking his head. "We have things to discuss, ya know, away from prying wolfy ears. And more importantly, it would be so lame to show up for school with a teacher. Even if he is the hot one."

Peter burst out laughing at Stiles' explanation and Derek rolled his eyes. "Whatever," he mumbled.

Stiles and Scott stood up together, moving as one unit like they always did before Scott turned back to Peter. Derek watched him closely, his breath hitched in his chest as he anticipated his reaction.

"Um, Peter?" he replied softly.

"Yes, Scott?"

"Thanks. For breakfast."

Peter nodded with a sweet smile that Derek hadn't seen directed at anyone but him. He wasn't sure what to make of it. Or the odd need to protect Stiles from himself all of a sudden.

"I'll think about your offer. I really will," Scott said. "It's just a lot to process."

"I know," Peter assented. "We'll talk more later, all right? Derek will be at school if you need anything."

Scott nodded once more as Stiles put an arm around his shoulder and led him toward the door. Derek lingered for a moment, listening to the Jeep start and then disappear from the driveway.

"You think he's going to join?" he asked, turning to Peter.

He nodded slowly. "I think so. Just give him some time and keep an eye on him. You and I can't imagine what it's like for him," he agreed. "We were born into this, like you said."

"It'd just feel more comfortable if we were all together," Derek added.

Peter chuckled and shook his head as he continued to clean. "Don't you think I wanted to follow you to school everyday after the fire?"

"You did," Derek chuckled.

"Yeah, but I stayed out of sight," he teased. "Just be aware of them. Make sure they don't get into too much trouble. I'll poke around and see if I can figure out who bit Scott."

"Thanks, Peter," Derek added sincerely.

"No thanks necessary," he said, heading to the sink. "Now get outta here before you're late for work."

"Yes, Dad," Derek quipped.

"You're a brat," Peter whispered, barely loud enough for him to hear.

Derek laughed loudly as he rounded the corner, picking up his own bag on the way out. As precarious of an edge it was that they all stood on, he knew it was going to be okay too. He wasn't sure how he knew that, but he knew.

He always knew.