It would be easier to blow him off, if Stiles didn't have a point. If he wasn't looking Derek in the eyes and saying that he knew the werewolf thought things would have been better without him, but that he was wrong. That if it wasn't for him, that Scott might not have turned out so well, or might have died. That Stiles could have died. He didn't want to admit how much he needed to hear the exact things coming from the teenager's mouth, but he did. There was a part of him that didn't want to leave, although ignoring that had been easy enough before Stiles had come running.

"Scott's an Alpha now. He'll be able to handle these things better. He's got his Pack, he doesn't need me."

And Derek didn't think he'd be able to answer to Scott as his Alpha. He still had his pride. Even if he stayed, he'd probably still be a lone wolf, at least somewhat. He'd help, of course. But much like Scott had never been able to just accept that he'd be better off as part of Derek's pack, Derek didn't think he'd be able to accept it either. But, he'd be here, and that would still be something.

"Why do you want me to stay?"

He's looking for an excuse to walk away, but Stiles makes it so damn difficult. Not as if the teenager has ever made his life easy.