AN: So, So, SOOOOOO sorry for the delay. I typed the new chapter and had my power go out before saving. During two different thunderstorms. The second time I saved it on a flash drive...which I lost. The next instance involved me speaking to my post-posting-beta (which sort of defeats the purpose, I know :( but helps me edit afterwards) and upon sitting down and saying "I'm ready to type"; I heard a crash and walked into the kitchen to find that all of the shelving in the pantry had collapsed. Ugh, I had to clean up capers and herbs de provence while everyone else enjoyed the Beacon Hills pool party. I would shake my fist at any errant spirits out there but their impeccable aim makes me err on the side of caution. Don't be surprised if you see any of my unfortunate happenings happen in later fics. I've got to have some fun, right?

Disclaimer: I own nothing except for a lightning rod for a computer and bad luck. Enjoy

Stiles woke up. No, it wasn't a matter of opening his eyes and becoming conscious of his current state of being and environment. He. Woke. Up. Sure he'd heard all about the heightened senses and they were overwhelming in a way that he couldn't describe. He was in Derek's house but it was as if he'd only been there in passing. He could see not only farther but the detail and depth were incredible. Stiles had gone completely Hi Def. Stiles attempted to listen for any mice or creatures hidden in the farther reaches of the house, but it seemed that most of the wildlife didn't take kindly to hanging around a pack of supernatural creatures. He sensed a presence outside. Large, long steady breaths and a strong pulse. Nothing else could be gleaned from the information and it was dismissed as simply being one of the others. He quickly decided that having a superior sense of smell wasn't necessarily an asset as he looked around the room in which he'd been left. There were discarded clothes in a corner and rags that were soiled with what looked a lot like blood. He wasn't quite sure but it probably explained his lack of a shirt. This experience was proving that he'd previously missed all of the subtleties and nuances that signified the presence of various beings in fluctuating moods and constantly changing activities.

Stiles came to a series of conclusions. The last thing that he remembered prior to waking up was immense pain in his back and neck. The only thing that could have left him without a single mark as a reminder of that attack would be Derek giving him the bite. Stiles stood up and marveled at the complete lack of effort that it required. He felt oddly disconnected from each step that he took to cross the room. It was as though he'd been trudging through thick mud all of his life before realizing that there was a dry, resistance-free path right beside it all along. No wonder Scott and Jackson had to screw up on purpose during lacrosse practice and at games. The other players never stood a chance. At this rate, he could join the varsity tennis team and completely demolish his opponents. Well, after he learned the rules and scoring system of course. He felt himself getting distracted and refocused on the changes that he'd gone through. That was a first. His mind had a way of creating a series of pathways that he could never backtrack through. There were still two ideas attempting to overpower his current thought process but he found that he could just push them aside or store them for later contemplation. Everyone had mixed thoughts on his intelligence. His grades proved that he had the smarts. The constant trips to the drug store also proved that the ability to focus wasn't exactly his strong point. Could being bitten also cure his ADD? Did it just speed up his mind or simply help it multi task? His thoughts were cut off as the identity of the mystery being outside was solved.

"Hey, make sure that you and Jackson stay at your house in case the sheriff comes by there. The girls are going to his house now." There was a moment of silence "I don't care what Lydia thinks." Derek hung up without a goodbye or anything remotely friendly. Stiles listened as the sound of the werewolf's footsteps got closer. Derek opened the door and looked startled for a moment before his "Alpha" mask slid into place as Stiles took in his measure.

"I heard your heart rate pick up when you came to but didn't hear you moving about. It seems that you could already teach those betas a thing or two. You even did a threat assessment. Your instincts are good. I'm going to show you how to control your abilities and control the urges associated with being turned." Stiles took this all in but the only thing that his assessment had resulted in was that Derek was a bit...boring. He tried to care but the older man just droned on and on about things that he either already knew or just couldn't find it in himself to care about. Derek was talking about what a new wolf should expect and Stiles allowed himself to block him out. He wandered around the room and examined the debris a bit more closely until the older male mentioned his father.

"Wait, what about my dad?" Stiles hadn't thought about him since overhearing Derek's phone conversation earlier.

"I said that Scott and Jackson took your jeep to Scott's house where the two of them will hang out under the pretense of Jackson being you. The girls went by your house and asked your father if you and Scott were there. They were told that they would be meeting at one of the two houses but couldn't get a hold of you. Afterwards they'd use the house phone to call Scott's house and ask if the two of you were there. They'd thank your dad and drive away. No questions asked." Derek was thorough without going into too much detail. He'd obviously taken everything into consideration except for the fact that Stiles would not be impressed in the least bit.

"That idea was dumb as hell." Short, sweet and as direct as it gets. "I now know what Lydia was complaining about. My dad can track me down better than any of you could ever hope to. He'd have no problem whatsoever walking into what has been like a second home to me since preschool." He added after seeing the alpha's face grow grim. "I must admit that I don't think that he'd get that far. He'd probably be too busy wondering why the girls would assume that we were meeting up at my place since the only vehicle present is his cruiser! I'm going to kill Scott for coming up with this half-assed plan."

"It was my plan!" Derek roared. His eyes took on the tell-tale glow signaling the transition from human to beast. "Apparently the first thing that you'll have to learn is not to blatantly defy your alpha!" He closed his eyes and focused on calming himself before looking at the beta...who was nowhere to be found. It was physically impossible to do anything in his presence without him being alerted. Knowing that Stiles had successfully left his presence; Derek found that dwelling on it wasn't going to be particularly useful. He bolted outside and followed the boy's scent straight to a tree. Stiles had climbed it but was long gone. It didn't make any sense. He climbed up and crouched on a thick branch. Derek went to leap to another branch before it hit him. He didn't even know which tree Stiles would have moved to. There were at least six trees within probable leaping distance and the possibilities multiplied from that point on. Stiles knew that there would be no way to track him! Derek pulled out his cell and dialed Scott again. "Stiles is on the move and I have no idea what his mind set is. He left here pissed about the plan and the bond hasn't formed yet, so it's just you and Jackson for now. Send Jackson to wait outside Stiles' house until I get there." No more words were wasted as the Alpha took off into a hard run.

Thanks for reading. Love the reviews and encouragement. I'll be doing some hard soon. Stay tuned. And now for these messages, etc.