Chapter Text
"Soooo…? What's it gonna be like?" They were driving to the airport and Stiles was becoming restless and giddy.
"Mostly incredibly boring. I'll have a lot of meetings and you can mingle with the other mates."
"So I can do a little sightseeing? Wait I have to do that alone?"
"You can do a LITTLE sightseeing. This is not just important for me, but for you too, to make valuable connections. And I'm pretty sure Katharine and Jason would be delighted to accompany you, if you go out. Maybe you make a few new friends as well."
"I don't know." Stiles' mood was suddenly dampened. "You said I was a lot different from other mates. Way stronger than other humans, but weaker than wolves. How am I to connect with anybody that way?"
"Katharine likes you and Jason gets sparkles in his eyes every time he sees you." Derek chuckled softly.
"Jason doesn't understand it yet."
"I think he is a better judge for these kinds of things than anybody else. He still relies mostly on his instincts and those told him that you were not just strong enough to protect, but also trustworthy."
"You think so?"
"Stiles, I know so." The werewolf squeezed his hand for a moment.
"Is anything on the agenda today?" The human asked, when the plane started its descent.
"Just dinner tonight, where everybody meets and is introduced. It's mostly the same people, with few variations."
"Which are?"
"New alphas, as you can imagine, that doesn't happen all that often. New mates, also not that often. Mostly children, but they don't care." The alpha grinned cheekily.
"Jason is a first timer too, right?"
"Yes."
"Hey, we can bond over that." Stiles grinned widely.
"How do you think that will be going?"
"Splendidly." He answered his mate enthusiastically.
"Wow. This is our hotel?"
"Yes. The conference rooms are in the upper floors, gym and pool in the basement floors and a big pool area outside on the other side." He glanced over to the younger man. "How do you not know that already?"
"I was busy." Stiles had been busy. Figuring out the details for their wedding. Though it would be small, his nag for those details had him changing things, adding and removing them as he saw necessary. Also his preparations for college were taking up time. He had thought about renting a flat for Lydia and himself, but rather opted for the dorm experience, at least for the first year. They could share an apartment later on.
"Derek Hale." The werewolf told the receptionist.
"Room 0531, fifth floor. Two room keys for you, Sir."
"Thank you." Derek handed one of the key cards over to Stiles, while the young woman chattered down general information and handed him another piece of paper with their WiFi key and other information.
When the doors of the elevator opened they stepped into a long corridor. After a few steps Stiles dropped his bag and smiled, when he saw a little blond boy suddenly running towards them. The human caught the child in his arms and righted himself.
"Hey, little wolf." Jason immediately rubbed his face all over Stiles' neck.
"Jason…" They heard Katharine yell after her son and Connor stepped into the hall, but stopped when he recognized them.
"Derek and Stiles are here." He told his mate quietly, while the two younger men made their way to them. Derek had picked up Stiles' bag, continuing to check the numbers on the doors, theirs was still up ahead somewhere.
They shook hands and Katharine hugged Stiles and took her son back.
"You're here early." Connor observed. It was only two in the afternoon.
"Yeah, the flight was on time and we got out good. You are, too." Derek answered with a smile.
"We wanted to give Jason some time to get used to the new surroundings."
"Understandable. Hey you wanna explore the hotel with us? We're just gonna put our bags away."
"Stiles, I'm sure they…" Derek tried to stop his mate.
"No, it's fine. We were about to do that anyway. You're welcome to accompany us." Katharine said.
"Great. We just need to find our room." Stiles all but jumped ahead and stopped a few doors later. "Found it." He unnecessarily yelled back.
"We'll get you in a few minutes. That okay?" Derek looked over at the other alpha.
"Yeah, take your time."
"Oh my god, this room is huge." Stiles flung himself onto the large fluffy bed.
Derek went to the bathroom to splash some cold water in his face and freshen up. He dried his face with one of the soft towels. When he looked up into the mirror Stiles was standing behind him.
"Hey." The human laid his chin on the older man's shoulder and slid his arms around his middle.
"Hi." Derek eyed his mate carefully. "Still nervous?" He covered the other's hands with his own.
"Not as much." Stiles murmured into his ear.
"Then come on. We don't want to let them wait."
"One minute." He replied and shoved the wolf out of the bathroom.
The small group made their way through the hotel taking a look at the important areas, like the restaurant, the gym and indoor pool, before they sat down on one of the terraces overlooking the pools. The grownups got coffee and Jason a juice.
"So, what's new?" Katharine asked lightly.
"We…" Stiles glanced at Derek and pulled the envelope out of his hoodie pocket. "…have something for you." He handed it to the woman and watched her with anticipation. Katharine's eyes widened for a moment, then she smiled and handed the card to her husband.
"Really?" Stiles nodded. "Of course we'll come."
Connor agreed. "Yeah, definitely."
"Great." The human beamed at them.
"You can stay at the house, if you want." Derek offered.
"That would be nice. You sure?"
"Yeah, we have the room and it's save."
"There's no-one else coming from out of town?"
"Just my aunt and two cousins, but they are staying with my dad."
"I'm assuming they don't know about…our nature?" The woman asked cautiously.
"No, but outside this crazy bunch…" He pointed at Derek. "…my dad and I don't have any other family, so I invited them and you furries will behave yourselves."
"When do we not?" Connor raised an eyebrow at him.
"I'm sure you will, mostly anyway. My puppies are another matter entirely." They laughed freely. Even Jason giggled, not knowing why, though.
"They can't be that bad." Katharine questioned.
"Just wild at times. I can handle them." He glanced at his mate, who smirked. "Mostly." He conceded. Another round of laughter erupted. When they finished their drinks the Fletchers stood.
"The little one needs a nap." The woman explained apologetically.
"It's okay. We'll see you later." Derek smiled at them and waved at the toddler.
When they were out of sight, Stiles turned back to his alpha. "I think I could use a nap, too."
The older man merely nodded and took his hand, leading them back upstairs. Stiles kicked off his shoes as soon as they entered the room and continued to lose his jeans and dropped his hoodie, before he let himself fall onto the bed. He huffed out a deep sigh.
"I hate flying." The alpha mate mumbled into his pillow, laying on his stomach.
Derek slowly made his way over and straddled his thighs. "Why?"
"It smells bad." He felt Derek's lips at the back of his neck and the light scratch of stubble.
"You have to tune it out. Dull your senses."
Stiles turned onto his back to face his lover. "When's the dinner start?"
Derek glanced at the clock. "Two hours. You have some time."
"Will you join me?" He reached one hand out to the wolf's face to cup his cheek.
"For a little bit." He kissed his mate and sank to the bed beside him, rearranging his body, until he was spooning the boy.
"Is there something I have to do or don't do tonight?"
"Just…be yourself I guess. Maybe tread a little careful around the older alphas, some of them don't entirely approve of human mates."
"How do I know which one's the alpha and which is the mate?"
"It's obvious once you see them."
"O-kay."
"Believe me, you'll know. And the humans are easy to sniff out."
"Me, too?"
"You are still human." He pressed a kiss to the side of his neck. "Did you change your mind?"
"No." The teen wiggled backwards into the larger body. "Do you have any other friends here?"
"Jessica is kind of a friend. She's from New York."
"You didn't want her to come to the wedding?" Stiles craned his neck to be able to see the wolf's face properly.
"I didn't get close to anybody, while we were in New York. The connection to Jessica's pack gave us stability, but I wasn't in any position to appreciate that."
"But you're better now. You have a pack. You have me."
"She reminds me too much of Laura. She's nice and all, but I can't be that close to her."
"It's okay." Stiles' left hand came up and cupped his lover's cheek, to pull him down into a deep kiss. He turned completely and buried his face in Derek's neck. A few deep breaths calmed him down and he settled into a light daze, breathing his mate's scent.
Half an hour later Derek woke his fiancé up, with light caresses. They showered together and got dressed, recycling their prom attire from the week before. Nobody had to know and they looked great, so why not. Stiles stood in front of the mirror, tugging at his tie.
"There is no need to be nervous." The older man whispered in his ear.
Stiles hummed his reluctant agreement, before he grabbed the offered hand and twined their fingers. The dinner took place on the roof terrace. It was a beautiful evening and the view over the lake was incredible. Only when the tight grip on his hand loosened slightly, Derek noticed the change in his mate's demeanor. Stiles had schooled his features and straightened his posture. The alpha opened the door for them and let his mate pass first. It was five to six and more than half the attendees were already there. Most heads turned to the young alpha pair as they entered. An older man came towards them and Derek tilted his head slightly in greeting, when he stopped in front of them. The gray haired man looked directly into Stiles eyes and he too tilted his head respectfully.
"So this is your elusive mate." He said with a warm smile.
"Henry, this is Stiles. Stiles, this is Henry, one of the elders."
"Hi."
Derek had half expected a snarky comeback, but nothing came, just his greeting delivered in a firm steady tone of voice. A middle aged woman joined them and greeted them as well. In that manner they moved through the room.
When Stiles noticed the Fletchers had come in he watched the little boy for a while. Jason looked at everybody with big blue eyes and clung to his father's leg. After a while a cluster of people had formed around the alphas from San Francisco. Derek and Stiles were chatting with Dorothy, the alpha from New Orleans and her mate Malik, when Stiles felt small fingers digging into his pant leg. He looked down with a surprised smile and then bent down to loosen the grip from the fabric and pick the boy up.
"What is it little wolf?" He asked gently, in turning halfway, to see the mass of people around his parents. "Too many people, huh?" The child averted his gaze shyly and then buried his face in Stiles' neck.
"Who's this?" Malik asked in reaching out, to pat the toddlers back, who turned his head and growled at the dark skinned alpha mate. "Wow."
"Jason." Stiles implored quietly. "What does your mother say about growling in public?" And the little face was back at his neck, along with a small whine.
"He is Connor and Katharine's son." Derek explained.
By then almost everyone was present and another couple came to them. A big dark haired man, with a petite dark blonde woman, wearing too much make-up. Stiles mused that Derek had been right, it was very easy to tell who was the alpha and who was the mate, even from a distance. Derek was a little disturbed by how much his mate suppressed his usually warm and welcoming nature, with this calm and somewhat distant façade he was currently displaying.
"Oh my god, isn't he the cutest." The woman squealed, which made everyone else in the group cringe, including Stiles, who leveled her with an icy stare, which froze her movement to touch Jason.
"He is asleep." The teen said almost too quietly for the other human to here, already so used to never having to raise his voice.
It seemed everyone was there then, because Henry cleared his throat and held a short to the point welcome speech and opened the buffet. The tables and food were under the roof, walled by windows on three sides, one of which was opened up.
"I'm gonna go outside for a bit. Excuse me." Stiles announced and pecked Derek's lips, before he left. He found a quiet corner with a lounge chair. Jason let himself be rearranged easily into a more comfortable position. Stiles enjoyed the view of the lake for a while, until a tall woman stood herself close looking down at them. The teen fixed her with a hard stare.
"You are Stiles, right?" She asked.
"And you are?"
"Jessica." The alpha extended her hand in greeting, which the boy shook gently.
"Hi."
The werewolf smiled. "Who's he?"
"Jason." He stroked over the toddlers back. "Fletcher."
"Oh, another newbie."
"Yes, just like me."
"Derek left you here, all by yourself?"
"I needed a little breather. We both did."
"He seems to be doing fine." Jessica grinned winningly.
"I should probably give him back soon." As he finished his sentence Jason started to snuffle and wake slowly, blinking up at Stiles. "Hey." The child looked around a little confused and started to whimper. "It's okay we'll go find your mom." He got up quickly, hugging him close. "Sorry." The human smiled weakly and moved past her. It took him only a few seconds to locate Katharine at the same table Derek was sitting, with two other couples he hadn't met yet.
"Look, there's your mommy." Jason immediately stretched his short arms out and was handed over to the young woman.
"Did you have a nice nap with Stiles?" He nodded at his mother and then grabbed a fry to munch on.
The human gave them a small smile and sat down beside his mate.
"You want me to get you some food? You look a little pale." Derek offered.
"Just a long day. I'll get some in a minute." He did down the whole glass of water beside Derek's plate though, before he stood back up and wandered over to the buffet.
"So you're human, too?"
Someone had sidled up to him while he filled his plate and Stiles recognized the woman's shrill voice. "You can't tell?" The teen eyed her a little surprised.
"I've only been learning for a little over a year. I'm Nicole, by the way."
"Stiles." He tried a small smile to ease her nervousness.
"You must have been mated for awhile. Everyone says Hale was hiding you or something."
"Uhm, not really. Almost two months now. And I just couldn't make it last time."
"Oh." She blinked a few times. "So what's so special about you?"
"Nothing." He told her flatly.
That seemed to satisfy the young woman. "Hey, a few of us will be at the outdoor pool tomorrow, will you come?"
"That's a nice idea. I'll make sure to come by." He smiled and made his way back to his own table.
"Making new friends?" Derek smirked at him.
Stiles shrugged. "I guess." And started eating.
He had asked Katharine, if she wanted to go to the pool as well.
"I wanted to do that anyway. Jason loves the water."
"I remember." The human smiled fondly down at the child. "Hey Eve, do you want to come, too?"
Eve Sanders was another alpha mate in her late thirties. "Sorry, I already made plans for tomorrow."
Derek had vacated his seat some time ago and another man, Stiles guessed in his early thirties sat down beside him. The human looked up from his plate into dark chocolate brown eyes and a smiling face. While many of the male wolves packed quite a bulk of muscles, this one was on the leaner side like Stiles himself. "Uh, hi."
"Paul." The wolf held his hand out, which Stiles grabbed.
"Stiles." He raised his eyebrows at the man.
"Jessica's mate."
"Right, sorry."
"Just wanted to say hello."
Stiles glanced around and let his gaze settle back on the werewolf. "Am I the main attraction tonight?"
"A little bit." Derek whispered into his ear and placed a light kiss to his temple. "Hi Paul."
"Hey Derek. Just wanted to introduce myself."
"That's what this dinner is for." The alpha started to gently knead Stiles' shoulders.
Paul turned to his other side and looked at Katharine. "And who's this little one?"
"Jason." The toddler looked at his mother's face at the sound of his name. He leant forward to sniff Paul's proffered hand, but turned away quickly from the strange scent.
"Someone is picky who he makes friends with." Paul smirked at the woman.
"He is." Connor agreed. Like on cue Jason crawled from his mother over onto his father's lap, farther away from Paul.
"Well that was clear." The man leant back with a smirk on his face.
"You got the nice treatment." Derek told him amusedly. "He growled at Malik earlier."
"He did?" Connor lifted an eyebrow at Derek.
"Kid needs his beauty sleep." Stiles piped in, which got him a round of laughter.
Derek was relieved to see, that his mate slowly warmed up to the situation. The evening went smoothly and when it came to an end and the room emptied Derek and Stiles also made their way back to their room. Stiles once more discarded his clothes piece by piece as soon as the door closed behind them. He splayed himself on the bed naked, laying on his back. Derek wasn't a weak man, but he didn't pass invitations like that up either, so he removed his own clothing quickly to join the younger man.