"Mates?" Derek stared at the veterinarian completely dumbfounded, his mind racing as he tried to comprehend what Deaton had just said.

"Yes, you're each other's mates. You were made to be together" His tone was calm as he observed the alpha, carefully watching his reaction.

"But we're hardly even friends" Deaton sighed, resting his fists against the cool, metal examination table.

"Have you been hearing her heartbeat throughout the day, no matter how far apart you are? Have you been feeling the need to protect and provide for her? Have you-"

"Yes! Okay, I get it" Derek's words rang around the consolation room as dread swirled in his stomach. How the hell was he going to tell (y/n)-someone who he rarely spent time with-that the universe had decided that they were made for one another and were destined to be together?

(Y/n) shivered as she made her way through Beacon Hills preserve, a new creature had been spotted around town and Scott thought it was hiding in the woods which naturally meant that the pack had to spend their evenings searching for it. She pulled her thin jacket across her chest, ducking her head as she braced herself against the wind. Derek seemed completely unfazed as he walked beside her. She glanced at him, her mind thinking back to how strangely he'd been acting recently. For the last couple of weeks, he'd avoided her entirely, groaning in disgust as he was paired with her to search the woods. He hadn't said a word to her yet, instead, falling into a deep, brooding silence. His stare was settled straight ahead, not sparing her a second glance.

Derek was doing everything he could to not look at her. His wolf was crying out for him to hold her and cover her in his scent but he couldn't. He wasn't going to force her to be with him, especially when she wasn't showing any signs of returning his feelings. Deaton had assured him that it was normal for a human to take longer to respond to the bond once it was triggered but she was nothing other than her usual happy self towards him. Derek allowed himself a moment of weakness, sneaking a glance to his side. His wolf howled in alarm when he saw her shivering. Derek didn't stop to think before he was pulling his jacket off. Her brows furrowed in confusion as she watched him extend his arm and offer her his coat.

"I'm okay" Derek raised his eyebrows, clearly not believing her.

"You're shivering, take it. I'll be fine" She watched him for a moment before taking his jacket. Slipping it over her shoulders, she sighed in contentment as it engulfed her in warmth.

"Thank you" Her words were quiet and shy as if she was scared of aggravating him. Derek instantly felt guilty, he was being rude and he didn't want her to suffer because he couldn't control his feelings.

"So-uh-what do you think it is?" A small, pleased smile formed on her lips as she thought for a moment.

"I have no idea," (Y/n) let out a quiet laugh "But I guess it's not a wolf as you guys would be able to sense that, right?"

Derek was about to respond to her when he heard something rapidly approaching them. Without thinking, he moved in front of her, more than ready to shield her from whatever was coming towards them. He jumped in surprise when he felt her hand grasp his. Instinctively, he squeezed her hand in reassurance while he tried to ignore the waves of contentment rolling over him from her touch. His eyes darted across the expanse of trees in front of them, searching for the threat. Embarrassment flooded his veins when a deer ran past them. Bowing his head, he stepped away from her, reluctantly releasing her hand as they started to walk again.

"Sorry, false alarm" He kept his eyes trained on the floor.

"No problem, I'm glad you're here with me. I don't know what I would do if I was out here on my own" She offered him a sweet smile as she burrowed further into his jacket. Derek's heart fluttered as he wondered whether that was a response to the mate bond, it was the first possible sign she'd shown and it was making his wolf go wild.

They fell into a comfortable silence as they made their way deeper into the woods, (y/n) eventually having to turn on her torch so they could see where they were going. She wasn't paying attention as they walked, choosing to watch the stars littering the sky above them instead. It would've been fine if it hadn't rained earlier in the day, making the ground slippery and waterlogged. As they walked down a small hill, her feet gave out from underneath her and she slipped down the muddy slope. Derek rushed to her side as an assortment of curses made their way past her lips.

"Where does it hurt?" (Y/n) flexed her wrists, testing for any sign of pain, when she found none she wiped her muddy hands on her jeans.

"My right ankle is a bit sore but-" Before she could finish the rest of her sentence, Derek had scooped her into his arms. He ignored her shouts of protest as he abandoned their search and started to make his way back towards his jeep. He tried to appear calm but he was panicking, the thought of her being in pain terrified him and made him fasten his steps.

He set her down in the passenger seat of his car, turning her towards him slightly so he could reach her leg. (Y/n) watched as he gently touched her ankle, his eyes widening when he noticed the scrape running across it. Derek cursed under his breath before rushing to the boot of his car to find his first aid kit. His movements were frantic as he swiped an antiseptic wipe across her ankle. She called his name softly as he started to dress her ankle. He was so focused on taking care of her that he didn't hear anything she was saying. (Y/n) reached forward, taking his face in her hands.

"Derek. Derek, look at me. I'm fine" Her eyes searched his as he pulled in a deep breath and pinched his eyes shut. Concern clouded her eyes, but she let her hands drop. He didn't open his eyes, instead, he bowed his head while bracing himself against the door frame, effectively trapping her inside. "Do you want to tell me what that was about?"

Derek gave a slight shake of his head before stepping away from her and pulling deep breaths in through his mouth as he tried to clear his senses of her scent.

"I'm sorry, I don't know what got into me" She hopped down from the raised seat, wincing as jolts of pain made their way down her ankle. Derek was by her side instantly, supporting her with an arm around her waist.

"It's okay, you're cute when you're worried" His cheeks flushed red as she giggled softly. Leaning into his touch, she pressed a kiss to his cheek before hobbling back to the car. She hung her legs out of the car while Derek leant against the back doors.

"How long do you think the others will be?" She pulled his jacket tighter around her chest as she snuggled into the seat. He rounded the car, climbing inside and flicking the heater on.

"I have no idea but we might as well be warm while we wait"

The pack were shocked when they returned to the meeting point and found (y/n) and Derek in fits of laughter. After the two of them had calmed down, they all shared what little information they managed to gather before arranging to meet tomorrow evening at Derek's loft for a pack meeting.

(Y/n) reached to open her door so that she could get a lift with Stiles and Scott, but Derek stopped her, circling his hand lightly around her wrist.

"I'll take you home" She was about to tell him that he didn't have to when she realised she wanted to spend more time with him, even if it was only a ten-minute car journey. Relaxing back into her seat, she laughed softly as Derek started to tell her a story of how much trouble he and Laura got into when they were little and were still learning how to control their abilities. She savoured the moment, he hardly ever spoke about his family and if he did, he usually retreated into himself as he was overcome with grief. But in that moment, despite still feeling the pain of loss, Derek could relive the happy memories and share them with someone else - someone he hoped he would be able to share or even create more memories with.

As the weeks passed, (y/n) found herself spending more and more time at the loft, it became her safe haven, offering her an escape from the chaos of university and the pack's problems. Derek never complained when she showed up, instead, opening the door wider and offering her a drink as she set her work on his table. Some days she got her work done, on others, she would chat with Derek while he prepared dinner for the two of them. Over time she got to know him, seeing behind the cold exterior he displayed to the world. Whenever she got to the loft, the stress of the day fell away and she felt safe, protected almost. Nothing bad could happen if Derek was there. She'd be lying if she said she hadn't developed a small (massive) crush during the time she was with him.

A result of spending time with him meant that she panicked whenever he got hurt.

Deaton had called her in the middle of one of her classes, telling her that Derek had been poisoned by some kind of wolfsbane. She didn't stop to listen to whatever else he had to say, hanging up and rushing out of the classroom while offering her lecturer an apologetic smile.

She was breathless as she made her way into the clinic, bounding into the consultation room. Her heart stopped when she saw Derek lying motionless on the metal examination table. A shiver ran through her body, freezing her to her very core. She couldn't breathe, her vision blurring as the possibility of losing Derek rushed through her mind. Deaton rushed to her side, reminding her to pull in deep breaths. He guided her to sit down, his eyes locking with hers as he brought her back to the present.

"Th-thank you" She struggled to get her words out as her eyes flickered to Derek and the panic returned just as quickly as it had left.

"(Y/n), he'll be fine. I promise. He just needs a little time to come round" She nodded her head, missing the knowing look lingering in the veterinarian's eyes. Standing on shaky legs, she dragged her chair towards Derek. She took hold of his hand, pressing a light kiss to the back of it. The touch brought her a sense of comfort as her eyes scanned his face for any sign of pain. Deaton rested his hand on her shoulder, squeezing it softly before leaving to check on the animals.

It took an hour for Derek to wake up, his eyes slowly fluttering open as his hand wrapped tightly around (y/n)'s. He tried to sit up, only to groan when the movement caused the room to spin.

"Easy, easy" As he relaxed back against the table, a small, smug smile made its way onto his face.

"You're worried about me" She let out an exasperated sigh, throwing him a glare. Standing up, she ran her fingers through her hair.

"Of course I was worried! I got a call from Deaton in the middle of my class saying that you'd been poisoned by one of the most deadly kinds of wolfsbane and then when I get here you're lying motionless on a table-"

Derek braced himself as he sat up and reached for her hand. "I'm okay-hey, look at me" When she reluctantly brought her eyes to his, he smiled at her softly before bringing her hand to rest above his heart. They both tried to ignore the fact that he wasn't wearing a shirt as she visibly relaxed after feeling the steady rhythm of his heart beneath her hand.

"How did you get poisoned?" As her hand slipped away from his chest he caught it in his own, entwining their fingers. A smile threatened to form on his face when he heard her heartbeat pick up.

"Must be new hunters in town, I was running in the woods when suddenly I was hit with an arrow. I barely made it here before I collapsed" Fear ran through her body as she thought of what might have happened if he hadn't got to the clinic in time. Derek squeezed her hand softly. "I'm okay"

"I know, it's just you're my-you're my," She let out a sigh of aggravation as she struggled to find the right words. "You're my Derek"

He tried desperately to ignore the trickle of hope that ran through him as he hung on every word she said. She tried to pull away from him, needing space to think, but he kept hold of her hand.

"I don't know how to describe it Derek but I need you - whenever I'm without you I feel this emptiness like I'm missing something. But then when I'm with you, I feel safe and happy - happier than I am anywhere else"

"I love you too" She froze, her eyes locking with his. Slowly, a smile pulled at her cheeks while a blush spread across them. Derek pulled her closer, winding his arms around her waist. Her hands settled on his shoulders before threading through his hair.

"I love you" Her words were slow as her heart fluttered in her chest. She paused for a moment as she admired the smile resting on his face. "It feels stronger than that, like we're bound together"

A content laugh bubbled in his chest, his arms pulling her impossibly closer. "We're mates"

Her brow furrowed as she smiled at him. His hands dropped to her hips as he looked up at her.

"We're like the soulmates. It happens to werewolves, there's someone we're connected to - destined to be with"

She laughed softly, her eyes growing wide as she processed what he'd said. He joined her laughter as he rested their foreheads together. "Are you sure you want me because once we start making things," He paused, embarrassment flooding his cheeks. "Uh-physical. There's no going back, we'll be connected for life"

Derek's heart started to beat frantically as he watched a heartbreaking smile pull at her cheeks and make her eyes sparkle.

"Sounds good" He leant in closer, his lips brushing hers.

"Yeah?"

"Yeah" Their lips connected, their hearts seeming to beat in sync as (y/n) melted against his touch.