#avswabo

~*~

Derek wasn't proud. Which, in hindsight, is probably why he's been forced to participate in this year's run—for the third unsuccessful year in a row.

Laura started to feel sorry for him. Cora thought he should start acting more "alpha-like" around town so he could nab someone's interest and be able to bow out of this idiotic and outdated tradition. It was how she didn't have to participate in this year's mating run, since the Lahey kid accepted her request to court him last week.

When he suggested only living in Beacon Hills from spring to autumn, Talia growled to him about their family, their roots, and how Derek should refuse to back down from challenges thrown out by bigots like Gerard Argent.

So, not even a week after his twenty-fourth birthday, Derek found himself hiding in one of the few alcoves littered across the preserve. It provided shelter from the light snowfall and wind chill, left Derek alone for the mandatory twelve hours he had to be in the woods for, and still had firewood in it from last ye—

Fire crackled in Derek's ears, which—weird—shouldn't have been happening, since no one ever found this place before. He made sure it was drenched in his albeit weak scent, but...

Some omega he'd never seen before seemed undeterred by Derek's claim on the cave, since he curled up in the deepest part of it with Derek's firewood burning brightly between them, hands outstretched towards the flames to warm his fingers.

Derek cleared his throat. Despite being an alpha he didn't put a lot of force behind it. Just enough to make his presence known—though the omega surely already heard his heartbeat and was ignoring him.

Surprisingly, the omega jumped with a "geh" tumbling from parted lips as he snapped to attention. Eyes landing on Derek, the omega exhaled, "Dude. Wear a bell," before turning back to the fire.

Raising his eyebrows, Derek replied, "Defeats the purpose of hiding, doesn't it."

The omega blinked, brown eyes amber by the bonfire. Looking around the cave with a confused expression, Derek realized how fake the concern was when the omega sarcastically stated, "I didn't see your name on anything."

It was Derek's turn to blink. "This place reeks of me. That should be claim enough, since no one would dare cross an alpha's territory." Looking at a blank expression, Derek amended, "Well. No one sane."

The boy shook his head. "This place doesn't smell like you. In fact," the omega stood, revealing a tall stature, "you don't even smell like anything, let alone an alpha."

It was one of Derek's many alpha-faults. He had been told by many family members how his scent wasn't weak, per se, but his woodsy, burning-maple scent often got overridden by more prominent fragrances others carried. It probably blended into the surrounding forest perfectly, no doubt masking Derek's presence as well, but...

Still.

The only thing that stroked his bruised ego was when the omega gulped and straightened after Derek flashed his red irises. "I assure you," he warned, "I am."

Despite fear clinging to the boy, his chin held high as he stated, "The cave's still mine."

"No," Derek sighed, shoulders resigned as he slowly walked across the stone floor, "it's ours."

The omega—Stiles, he revealed later—appreciated Derek's lack of arrogance as the man popped a squat next to the fire, off to the side to allow Stiles an escape route if he wanted one.

Derek respected the honest opinions—and there were plenty of those—Stiles had, since the alpha rarely received such blunt comments due to people typically cowering in fear around him.

Overall, the twelve hours didn't seem so long when Derek had someone to spend them with.

~*~

The following New Year's Eve, neither man had to spend the day hiding in snow-clad woods. Instead, they spent the evening curled around their own fireplace, encasing their newly-shared living room in a soft, yellow-and-red glow.