[ Derek's answer comes quickly, and he's ready to just completely dismiss Nick's worry with a wave of his hand, but - no, this is something worth talking about. ]
This isn't supposed to take anything away from you. Away from him. Having a pack, being a wolf, it's all just - a way to open up the world for him. I'll be here when he needs me, because that's what an Alpha does for his pack, but I'm not interested in uprooting his life. He cares about you, Nick. I'm not a threat to that.
[ He hopes Reggie will be loyal to him to a degree, yeah, but... he held onto Erica and Boyd so tightly that they left him, tried to find another pack, and - they would have, if they hadn't died. Isaac did leave, shifting his loyalty to a different Alpha all together. Derek doesn't want to ask anything of Reggie that'll break their pack up, and the idea of demanding more from him than what he gives to the person he's already loyal to makes Derek's skin crawl. ]
Look - the bite is a gift. What he does with that gift is up to him. I want Reggie to have his freedom, but I can't deny that I'm going to feel some pretty strong responsibility for him if this takes. I want to be something safe for him, if that's ever something he needs - but I promise I won't ask him for anything he's unwilling to give.
no subject
[ Derek's answer comes quickly, and he's ready to just completely dismiss Nick's worry with a wave of his hand, but - no, this is something worth talking about. ]
This isn't supposed to take anything away from you. Away from him. Having a pack, being a wolf, it's all just - a way to open up the world for him. I'll be here when he needs me, because that's what an Alpha does for his pack, but I'm not interested in uprooting his life. He cares about you, Nick. I'm not a threat to that.
[ He hopes Reggie will be loyal to him to a degree, yeah, but... he held onto Erica and Boyd so tightly that they left him, tried to find another pack, and - they would have, if they hadn't died. Isaac did leave, shifting his loyalty to a different Alpha all together. Derek doesn't want to ask anything of Reggie that'll break their pack up, and the idea of demanding more from him than what he gives to the person he's already loyal to makes Derek's skin crawl. ]
Look - the bite is a gift. What he does with that gift is up to him. I want Reggie to have his freedom, but I can't deny that I'm going to feel some pretty strong responsibility for him if this takes. I want to be something safe for him, if that's ever something he needs - but I promise I won't ask him for anything he's unwilling to give.