"Scott!" Stiles exclaimed, finally catching up with his best friend in the woods.

Scott didn't respond at first. He simply looked at Stiles. He first eyed him up and down before his gaze settled on his mouth.

That was when Stiles realized the reason that Scott looked at him like he was a monster: his face was still stained with blood.

Alarmed, Stiles wiped his mouth with his forearm before shaking his head frantically.

"No, no, no. Scott, it's...it's not what it looks like. I️ swear," Stiles said, putting his hands in front of him in defense.

Scott took a deep breath. He pressed his lips together into a thin line, nodding.

"Just tell me what happened," he said. He sounded less accusatory than Stiles had anticipated, so that was at the very least progress.

Stiles nodded in agreement.

"Theo, he took me to the bunker," Stiles began. He didn't really know where to start or how to explain any of this to Scott. He was ashamed to say the least, ashamed for giving into his own monstrous desires like he did. He should've fought harder, should've been able to resist the thudding heartbeat and the intoxicating scent of Theo's blood.

"What did he do to you?" Scott asked bitingly.

"He..." Stiles began, hands balling into fists at his sides. His face twisted with anger as he recalled how Theo forced him to become a monster and a danger to everyone he cares about. His expression then softened again as he remembered how Theo essentially risked his own life to save him. He remembered the way that Theo actually worried about him. Stiles shook his head, looking down at his feet.

"He saved my life," Stiles concluded, looking back up at Scott.

Scott furrowed his brows in confusion before shaking his head. Why on earth would Theo Raeken of all people save his best friend? What motive could he possibly have?

"I️ don't understand," Scott replied.

Stiles sighed. He didn't understand either. He had no clue what Theo's agenda was or exactly why he did what he did. He was sure that Theo didn't actually care about him, but there was no denying how nice it was to feel cared about. He supposed he was finally starting to understand why Theo was so damn good at tricking people.

"I️ was dying, and Theo fed me his blood," Stiles explained.

Scott nodded, clearly still trying to process everything that the other was saying.

Stiles swallowed the lump in his throat. He shook his head as he looked down at his own shaking hands.

"It's not...I️ didn't want to...I️ mean, I️ wanted to, but..." Stiles began before cutting himself off.

He took a deep breath, reminding himself not to show his best friend what a monster he was, at least, as much as he could avoid it, anyway. He decided that Scott only needed to know the basics. He didn't need to know about the bloodlust or the desire to kill. That was something it was best for him to keep to himself (even if Theo didn't seem to judge him).

"I️ was starving and I️ couldn't help myself, so I️ drank Theo's blood and completed the transition," Stiles explained, a hitch in his voice from the shame.

Scott still had that unreadable pensive look that was driving Stiles nuts. He just wanted the werewolf to say literally anything.

Scott exhaled.

"Okay, we...we'll figure this out. First we should probably get you home so your dad knows that you're okay," he said.

Stiles shook his head frantically.

"No, no, no, absolutely not. I️ can't go home. Not...not like this," Stiles argued.

Scott scratched the back of his neck.

"Uh, yeah, about that..." he began.

That was when Stiles noticed the sound of someone running toward them. The person had a rapid and frantic heartbeat. Stiles jumped slightly, alarmed, before the man came into view. It was his dad.

"Stiles? Oh, thank God," his dad said before rushing toward him and embracing him.

Stiles stiffened at the physical contact, not returning the hug. It was in his father's arms that he found himself hyperaware of the fact that he was dangerous.

With that, the sheriff let go, eyeing his son with suspicion.

"What's the matter?" he asked.

Stiles cleared his throat, wishing that he didn't still have the taste of Theo's blood in his mouth.

He looked down, unable to meet his father's concerned gaze. He didn't even know where to begin. He felt his eyes grow misty before he forced himself to look his dad in the eye.

"I'm sorry," was all he managed to muster.

Noah shook his head in confusion.

"Stiles, what are you talking about?" he asked.

Stiles sniffled. He began to nervously fidget, still unsure of how to explain any of this, of how to admit to his own lie.

He decided to go back to the beginning.

"Remember how I️ told you that something supernatural attacked me that night in the woods?" Stiles asked.

The sheriff nodded.

"Yeah, I️ remember," he replied.

Stiles exhaled. He wasn't quite sure if he even needed to breathe anymore or if it was more of a reflex.

"It was a vampire that attacked me. And, I️ had a choice. I️ could either die a human or drink blood and become a vampire," Stiles explained.

His father, surprisingly, didn't look angry. He looked disappointed and hurt, which was about a million times worse.

"Why...why didn't you tell me?" he asked.

Stiles tried to fight back more tears.

"Because it was my choice, and I️ didn't want you to try and talk me out of it. You'd lose me either way, so that way just seemed easier," Stiles admitted.

Noah shook his head.

"Stiles..." he said, taking a step forward and reaching out to his son.

The vampire aggressively flinched away from his touch, moving backward.

"Don't," he said. "The choice...it was taken away from me. And now I'm...I'm this thing."

The sheriff shook his head.

"Hey, you know I️ love you no matter what. Just come home and we'll figure it all out. We always do," he assured.

Stiles shook his head.

"You don't get it. I'm dangerous now, and I️ need to stay away to protect you," he explained.

At that point, Stiles could see a slight hint of anger in his father's expression.

"Stop. I'm supposed to protect you. You're my son," he said.

Stiles closed his eyes briefly, allowing more tears to fall.

"No, I'm not. Not anymore," he said.

The two just looked at each other for a moment, the words sticking each of them like daggers.

Stiles wanted to go home. He wanted everything to just go back to normal and to carry on like nothing's changed, but he knew that he couldn't.

"You'll always be my son, and I'll always love you," Noah said, eyes growing misty.

Stiles wiped the tears from his face.

"I️ love you, too, Dad. And that's why I️ can't come home," Stiles replied. It was with that that

Stiles disappeared off into the woods.

Frantically, the sheriff began to call out his son's name.

Scott then stood in front of him, looking him the eye.

"I'll find him, and I️ can help him learn control," Scott said.

Reluctantly, Stilinski nodded, fearing that he was just about out of options.

"Just, look after my boy, okay? He's all I️ have left," he said.

Scott nodded.

"I️ will. I️ promise."