"Bitty, come on," Derek tells him, turning to face him with a resigned expression on his face. He wonders if Bitty has always had this much self-doubt and insecurity, or if it's something he's picking up from spending so much time around Derek. "You didn't assume. I told you that you were, and that's not something that I would say just to be nice. It means something."

Derek frowns, shoulders slumping a bit, because if he was a good alpha, nobody in his pack would ever feel any doubt about their place in it. He just can't seem to make it work, not with wolves, not with humans. It's just another reminder that he wasn't meant to lead.

"Come on," Derek says quietly, gesturing down the street with his chin. "You'll catch a chill."