It isn’t like he and Stiles are estranged, Derek is Scott’s second after all. They’re in contact with each other practically every day. Isaac and Allison treat his house like it’s their second home and Kira’s around almost as often as Scott is. He sees Lydia and Aiden every time a pack meeting lands on a day that they’re in town and Ethan and Danny probably just as often.
No.
He and Stiles just didn’t drift in the same orbit these days. Derek could probably count with two hands the number of times he’s seen the younger man in the past four years. And half of those times Stiles hadn’t even seen him back.
And no, he hadn’t really noticed the absence.
For one thing, Scott the Alpha aka Best Friend kept the pack pretty well informed on whatever was going on with their pack researcher – whose research never got left undone no matter where he was or what he was doing. And for another, it didn’t really feel like he was a five hour drive away. The constant conference calls, five minute glimpses, and how-you-doin-sourwolfs thrown his way pacified Derek’s instincts every damn time.
But now, as he’s racing through the woods, legs pumping as hard as they possibly can without him actually shifting into full beta-form, Scott’s panicked voice echoes in his head over and over again.
And Derek starts to mentally backtrack.
Sifts through all the times he’s seen Stiles.
Tries to spot the kid’s tells by vague, fondly-tinged memories.
Because Stiles had been hiding something.
