Chapter Text

✨CHAPTER 5 – The Alpha Who Heard His Wings

Derek Hale was running home beneath a sky heavy with cloud

His thoughts refused to settle.

What is up with Stiles?

The question had been circling his mind since the night before—since the way Stiles had laughed too quickly, deflected too easily, like he was constantly one step ahead of something Derek couldn’t see.

Like he was hiding something.

Derek growled softly under his breath. He hated unknowns. Hated secrets. And lately, Stiles seemed made of them.

He slowed when familiar scents hit the air.

Lydia.
Allison.
Malia.

Derek lifted his head just in time to spot his cousin walking down the sidewalk with the girls. He changed direction, approaching them.

With the Girls

“So,” Lydia said casually, breaking the quiet, “when did Stiles say we had to be at Deaton’s again?”

“This weekend,” Allison answered. “So make sure you don’t have anything planned. Okay, girls?”

Malia nodded, then frowned. “Do you think Deaton is going to teach Stiles how to… you know—”

She stopped mid-sentence.

“Malia?” Lydia asked. “You okay?”

The reason became obvious when Lydia followed her gaze.

Derek was walking toward them.

“Oh—hey, Derek,” Lydia said, a little too quickly. “What are you doing out?”

“I was just heading home,” Derek replied. “What about you?”

“We were going to see Stiles,” Allison said easily.

Derek’s brow furrowed. “At twelve-thirty in the morning?”

Lydia raised an eyebrow. “Funny. What were you doing leaving Stiles’ house around midnight?”

Derek stiffened. “We were working on something.”

“What kind of something?” Allison asked.

“This is between me and him,” Derek said firmly.

Lydia smiled, slow and knowing. “Anything worth hiding usually is.”

“No,” Derek snapped, irritation flashing. “Stiles was just looking something up for me.”

The girls exchanged glances.

They talked a few minutes longer before eventually splitting up—the girls heading toward Stiles’ house, Derek continuing home alone.

But the unease followed him.

Days Later

Beacon Hills didn’t wait.

A few days after that night, news broke—brutal, unmistakable.

The rogue pack had killed again.

Too many bodies.
Too fast.

They couldn’t wait any longer.

A plan had to be made.

And Derek knew exactly who he needed to help with it.

Back With Derek

Derek arrived at Stiles’ house late afternoon, prepared to argue, negotiate, or threaten if he had to.

He wasn’t prepared for what he found.

Stiles was curled tightly on his bed, knees drawn to his chest, skin flushed and damp with sweat. His breathing was shallow, uneven—like every inhale hurt.

“Stiles?” Derek said sharply, stepping forward.

No response.

Panic flared.

Derek turned and shouted down the hall. “Sheriff!”

Nothing.

He pulled out his phone, thumb hovering over Scott’s contact—

“No.”

Derek froze.

Stiles’ eyes cracked open, glassy and unfocused.

“What are you doing?” Stiles whispered.

“I’m calling Scott,” Derek said. “You’re not okay.”

“I’m fine,” Stiles said weakly. “It’ll go away. It always does.”

“That’s not reassuring,” Derek snapped. “You’re in pain. Let me help.”

“No.” Stiles’ voice sharpened, panic creeping in. “Just—leave me alone, Derek.”

“I’m not leaving,” Derek said stubbornly. “Not like this.”

Stiles tried to argue again—but whatever was tearing through him stole the strength from his voice. His breathing evened slowly as exhaustion dragged him under.

He fell asleep.

Derek swallowed hard.

He called Scott.
Then the Sheriff.

He explained everything—what he saw, what to do if it happened again.

No one told him why.

So Derek stayed.

He sat beside the bed, doing the only thing he could—grounding himself, letting his presence calm the air, trying to take the edge off whatever pain Stiles was trapped inside.

Without Stiles ever knowing.

With Scott and the Others

“We have a problem,” Lydia said.

“What happens if Derek finds out?” Allison asked quietly.

“He can’t,” Scott said immediately. “If he does, Stiles would never forgive us.”

“So what do we do?” Allison pressed.

“We keep Derek away from him,” Malia said.

Scott frowned. “How?”

“We hide Stiles,” Allison said after a moment. “At my house.”

Silence.

Then Lydia nodded. “Yeah. That might actually work.”

They called the Sheriff and explained everything.

Later That Night – With Stiles

Noah Stilinski stood in the doorway of his son’s room.

“Pack a bag,” he said gently. “You’re staying at Allison’s for a while.”

Stiles frowned. “Why?”

“Because Derek’s getting too close,” Noah answered honestly. “And I know you’re not ready for him to know.”

Stiles swallowed. “Know what?”

“What you are.”

“…Okay,” Stiles said quietly.

He wanted to try and fly.
Wanted to feel the air carry him.

Instead, his dad drove.

Allison’s House

They led Stiles into a carefully prepared room—mountain ash lining the walls, sealing the space completely.

No werewolf could enter.
No werewolf could smell him.

Not Derek.
Not anyone.

Safe.

Back With Derek

The forest blurred around Derek as he ran with Cora and Talia.

Hours passed.

Then Cora stopped suddenly.

“You okay?” Talia asked.

“Yeah,” Cora said slowly. “I just… felt something weird.”

Derek frowned. “What kind of weird?”

“I don’t know,” she said. “It just—happened.”

Talia studied her carefully. “If you feel it again, tell me.”

Cora nodded.

They ran home.

The feeling never returned.

But Derek couldn’t shake the thought—

That whatever Cora had sensed…

Wasn’t gone.

Just hidden.

Back With Stiles

Behind mountain ash and locked doors, Stiles stood alone in the darkened room.

He lifted his hands.

Closed his eyes.

And let the power hum beneath his skin.

Wings flickered—unseen, but real.

And far away in the forest, something ancient stirred.