Teen Wolf is known for frightening, gory and heart stopping moments that cause you to shriek so loud you wake up the dog.*
It’s also known for its beautiful, heartwarming, occasionally tragic but always epic, love stories.
Whether you enjoy Scallison, Stydia, Dethan, Lackson, Scira, Stylia or one of the other myriad of couple permutations, there’s a love story for every audience member to enjoy. At its core, Teen Wolf is about the pack and the foundation of a pack is love.
Before Teen Wolf Season 5 begins, and Teen Wolf writers bestow more unforgettable moments to feast upon, let’s take a trip down memory lane and countdown Teen Wolf’s best “Love Story” moments thus far.
*Not anecdotal in nature, but based on real events.
Hot For Teacher
Derek Hale is notoriously non committal. Other than a relationship with Kate Argent as a young wolf (shudder) and a brief flirtation with Erica, Derek’s love life was nearly non existent.
That all changes in Teen Wolf Season 3 when he saves saves Jennifer Blake, the new teacher, from Boyd and Cara. Innocent flirtation turns into more when Derek goes to Jennifer for help after being badly injured. Derek’s injuries begin to heal as they make love.
Was Jennifer evil? You bet. But those are just details. After a scene like this nobody can deny the healing power of love.

Crazy For You
A teenage boy, a coyote adjusting to her new human form and a psych ward. These don’t sound like the ingredients for romance, but somehow Teen Wolf makes it work.
Initially, Malia was angry at Stiles and Scott for returning her to human form. As Malia spends more time with Stiles in the psychiatric ward, she begins to warm up to him. A lot. Curious about her new form, Malia wants to experience all that humanity has to offer. She initiates her first kiss with Stiles, who adorably asks if it was okay afterward. Then Malia initiates a whole lot more and Stiles is happy to *ahem* satisfy her curiosity.
It was definitely memorable and oddly romantic, but that’s the power of Stiles and Malia. Only they can make a psychiatric ward romantic.

Alpha Goes Domestic
Ethan is one half of a teen duo that morphs into some kind of super Alpha wolf that looks like it came straight from the WWE. Watching an uber Alpha fuss over Danny, who’s so wonderfully human, is adorable to watch.
Ethan reties Danny’s tie, fusses with his perfectly coifed hair and offers what I can only imagine is a completely uncessary breath mint. It’s Danny. Anyone with a crush knows you’ll use any excuse to initiate contact. Ethan brought his A game with three.
Still, Ethan becomes serious when he warns Danny to find him should anything happen. It was an honest display of humanity from Ethan. This wasn’t just physical with Danny. He’s important to Ethan.

Lydia Believes In Stiles
Lydia Martin isn’t exactly an open book when it comes to Stiles. The depth of her emotions for Stiles are concealed under carefully constructed disinterest. Lydia is a sharp contrast to Stiles’ completely honest and open approach. Slowly, bit by bit, the Teen Wolf writers pull back on Lydia’s Stiles Stilinski layers.
When Lydia accidentially steps on a werewolf trap, it’s up to Stiles to free her without triggering the device. Unfortunately, Stiles is ungoing a major mind whammy in Season 3; like losing the ability to read. It makes deciphering those very necessary instructions impossible. Both Lydia and Stiles are quite invested in Lydia keeping all her appendages, so she gives Stiles a boost of confidence with blunt honesty. Lydia tells Stiles he’s too smart to need instructions and he’s “the one who always figures it out.”
Lydia’s intelligence is what Stiles admires most about her. It is nice to discover Lydia feels the same way about him. It’s Lydia’s belief in Stiles that made Stiles believe in himself.
Maybe it’s just me, but I think Lydia clings to him a little too tightly for it to be “just friends.”

Don’t Sleep In The Chair
Scott is always a genteman with Kira. It’s one of the things I love most about their relationship. There’s an innocence about Kira that Scott seems almost protective over. Sometimes he’s a little too protective and it’s up to Kira to redefine the boundaries.
Just before Scott falls asleep, Kira tells him not to sleep in the chair. Completely oblivious to her meaning, Scott reassures Kira he’s quite comfortable. Kira repeats herself, more forcefully this time. The second time is the charm and the light bulb goes off. Scott is a gentleman, but he’s not going to look a gift horse in the mouth.
As he lies next to Kira in bed, she reassures him by saying they will save Stiles. Scott carries the weight of the world on his shoulders. Kira has become his support and a soft place to land. Then they kiss and spoon. Fabulous.

Nervous Isaac
Due to his abusive father, Isaac suffers panic attacks that are often exacerbated by his werewolfism. He struggles with confidence and is often nervous, but never more so than when he had to negotiate a gun sale with the Katashi. Issac is convinced the Katashi will see through the ruse and realize he’s just a teenage boy in a suit.
Allison interrupts Isaac’s freak out with a long, slow, deep kiss. Then she slides his hand down for an ass grab. Allison gives Isaac all the confidence he needs in a way that is both sexy and funny. He walks into the Katashi meet feeling like an Alpha.

I’m Not Sorry
Kira’s intent as Scott’s love interest was clear from the beginning. Still, Scott & Kira remain in a bizarre “together/not together” limbo. Partially due to their adorable awkardness. Partially due to the show slowly and respectfully moving Scott on from Allison.
Scott absentmindedly gives Kira a quick goodbye peck as he rushes off to class, leaving her gobsmacked in the halls. It dawns on Scott moments later that’s the first time he kissed her. He tries to awkwardly apologize, but returns moments later with a confident, “You know what? I’m not sorry.” Then he gives Kira a proper first kiss.
The “I’m not sorry” has double meaning. Scott isn’t sorry he kissed Kira and the show isn’t sorry their pack leader is moving on.

I Like You
Stiles lied to Malia about who her biological father is. I can’t really blame the guy. Telling anyone Peter Hale is their father would be a tough pill to swallow. Still, Malia is right to be angry and hurt.
The two are stuck in a classroom together and an argument over a locked door turns into an honest discussion about their problems. It was like a married couple fighting over laundry when they are really mad about money. Stiles apologizes and Malia admits she likes Stiles. A lot.
What is so refreshing about Malia is how direct and honest she is about her feelings for Stiles. She simply wants Stiles to be honest too, which is easy enough because that’s his natural default.

I’m A Survivor
Danny is one of the few Teen Wolf characters who has remained human. He’s also one of the few human characters to survive (fingers crossed).
As Ethan and Danny make love, Ethan notices some scars on Danny’s chest. Danny explains where each scar came from and Ethan asks if he’d want them to disappear. Ethan’s feelings for Danny are growing stronger by the minute and this is his tenative way of asking if life as a werewolf interests Danny. Danny says no. His scars make him feel like a survivor.
Ulimtately, it reminds Ethan (and the audience) that humanity, even in our fragile state, has value.

Second Chances
It is only the second episode, but Scott and Allison are busy racking up memorable moments. Teen Wolf Season 1 focused on Scott adjusting to being a werewolf and with good reason. Even a simple lacrosse game posed great difficulty.
Scott retreats to the boys locker room after wolfing out during a game. Allison checks on him and nearly discovers Scott in his werewolf state. Luckily, Scott gets control long enough to get his second chance with Allison…a first kiss.

Lydia Is Beautiful
When Stiles stumbles upon Lydia crying in a car, she tells him to go away because she doesn’t want Stiles to see her crying. Stiles tells Lydia that he thinks she’s really beautiful when she cries.
It’s another honest admission from Stiles, but it serves an important lesson for Lydia. Lydia often hides who she truly is because she doesn’t believe her friends will accept her. Stiles is one of the few people who truly sees the real Lydia Martin. Not only does he accept her, he loves her unconditionally. Lydia needs to do the same.

Stay Scott
The pack is trapped in school overnight as The Alpha terrorizes them. They are stuck inside the chemistry lab, but there’s a door to the roof. Unfortunately, it’s locked. Why is there a door to the roof in a chemistry lab? Nobody knows. Don’t think. Just go with it. Scott, our hero, volunteers to retrieve the key off the dead janitor down the hall. Of course, he risks facing off with The Alpha.
Allison knows Scott is lying to her, but begs him to stay with a kiss. Despite her anger over the lies, Allison doesn’t want Scott to die. Allison knew how to rise above and priortize. I miss her. Personally, I agree with her. Lydia’s Molotov cocktail looks like a safe bet to me.
Scott refuses to stay or to explain why he can’t. Tired of the lies, Allison breaks up with him. Ulimtately, Scott sacrifices his relationship with Allison to keep her safe. Or…he could just tell the Allison the truth. I know. I know. That’s silly.

Silent Acceptance
Over time Scott has become more accepting of his werewolf side, but he’s never sure if others will do the same. When Kira sees Scott as a werewolf for the first time, she gently touches his face. No words are necessary. Kira not only accepts Scott’s werewolf side, she thinks it’s beautiful.

Playing Hooky
Teen Wolf churns through plot at break neck speed, facing one supernatural crisis after another. It’s easy to forget it’s a show about teenagers.
Scott and Allison skip school to spend the day together. Teen Wolf takes a beat, allowing the story to slow, so the audience can enjoy watching two teenagers, falling in love, take a simple walk through the woods. It is a rare moment of peace and happiness for Scott and Allison.

Malia’s Highlighters
As Malia reviews her color coding system for math, Stiles is struck by how similar it is to his colored thread system. It is easy to see Stiles and Malia’s differences, but the Teen Wolf writers chose the simplicity of highlighters to show that Malia and Stiles have more in common than they realize. Stiles processes this realization by giving Malia a loving kiss.
Just as an FYI, Malia’s flight response to calculus isn’t just a coyote instinct. I react the same way.

I Wanna Hold Your Hand
Scott’s heart rate accelerates so fast he almost transforms in class. But when Allison holds his hand, Scott calms down. Stiles realizes Allison is actually a positive influence on Scott because she gives him control over his emotions.
Allison is intergral to Scott learning control in the early days of Teen Wolf, but the reason Scott’s heart rate accelerated is because his teacher was berating him. Allison holds Scott’s hand to comfort and support him. It is such a simple and loving moment. It also helps Scott realize he’s in love with Allison.

Scott And Kira’s First Date
Kira is a bad ass kitsune. Scott is an Alpha. They are under near constant attack and spend the better part of Season 3 saving Stiles from a Nogitsune possession. It doesn’t leave much time for dating.
Scott makes time though. Their first real date includes Star Wars, a hot make out session and light bulbs. Hundreds of light bulbs. It doesn’t get more romantic than that.

Stiles Protects Lydia
Stiles protects Lydia every chance he gets. There are countless moments to choose from. The scene where the flock of birds bursts through their classroom window is one of my favorites. It’s absolute chaos in the scene, but if you watch closely you can see Stiles using the desks to crawl to Lydia. Once he reaches her, Stiles shields Lydia with his body. Swoon.

Lydia Protects Stiles
Lydia isn’t always the damsel in distress. She protects Stiles as much as he protects her.
After Stiles talks Scott out of committing suicide, his flare accidentally ignites. Lydia knocks Stiles to the ground and shields him from the blast. Love is often instinctual. When it comes to Stiles, Lydia doesn’t think. She acts.

I Will Never Leave You
Malia is confused by Stiles’ refusal to leave Lydia. She explains as a coyote she’d leave Lydia for dead or “if hunting had been bad that season, I would eat her.” It is a hilarious display of Malia’s bluntness and continual struggle with her newfound humanity.
When Malia takes off to fight an animal stalking them, Stiles fears she left them. Malia’s explanation is both honest and funny.
“I would never leave without you. Them, I would leave.”
Knowing Malia will never abandon Stiles speaks volumes of her feelings for him. Give her time on Lydia and Kira. She’ll warm up.

All I See Is You
He is a werewolf. She is a werewolf hunter. Their star crossed status often forced Scott and Allison to sneak around. During one of their more meaningful car chats, Allison remarks she sees a future with Scott beyond high school and college. Scott’s kiss lets Allison know he feels the same.

Isaac Is Allison’s Tether
Until Teen Wolf Season 3 Episode 11, Allison and Isaac only address their budding romance with intense glances and heavy silences. When Scott, Stiles and Allison need emotional tethers to bring them back from the dead, it is clear that Isaac is the person Allison has the strongest emotional connection with. Whoa. That’s certainly one way to acknowledge you have feelings for one another.

Lydia Is Stiles’ Tether
Initially, Lydia volunteers to be Allison’s tether, but Deaton insists her attachment is with Stiles. See? Even Deaton ships them. Stiles and Lydia are certainly a slow burn, but every so often Teen Wolf cranks up the heat. No matter what happens between them, Lydia will always be the person who brought Stiles back from the dead.

Get Off Your Cute Little Ass
Stiles pined for Lydia all Season 1 (and Season 2 and Season 3…) but enough was enough. Fed up with the cold shoulder, Stiles is bolstered by a sudden surge of confidence (probably to mask his mind numbing fear) and demands Lydia dance with him.
But he doesn’t stop there. Stiles simulatenously calls Lydia out for being an ice queen, while declaring all the things he loves most about her – primarily her intelligence. It is classic Stiles.
It’s also a speech no girl, not even Lydia Martin, can say no to. Stiles’ overjoyed reaction to Lydia’s yes and the immediate coziness of their dance are simply the icing on the cake.

Paige Dies
When Derek is 15 he asks an Alpha to turn his girlfriend Paige, his first love, into a werewolf. Derek wants to be with Paige forever, but he is also manipulated by Peter Hale. Unfortunately, the bite doesn’t take. Rather than watch Pagie suffer in agony, Derek breaks her spine to end her suffering. Because he took an innocent life, Derek’s eyes turn from yellow to blue.
Derek and Paige are one of Teen Wolf’s most tragic love stories. The flashbacks offer a window into Derek Hales’ soul and reveal why he’s so emotionally shut down.

Moonlight Rooftop
Allison knows Scott is a werewolf. Scott knows Allison’s family are werewolf hunters. They know they love one another. There are no secrets left between them. Season 1 ends with Scott and Allison finally together watching the moon from the roof of her house. It’s an iconic moment in the series.

Scott and Allison Dance
For the majority of Season 1, Scott keeps secrets from Allison. Big ones. He tells countless lies to keep his werewolf side hidden. Allison also keeps her fair share of secrets about her family.
Ignoring his suspension, Scott attends the school dance. In a rare moment of honesty, Scott tells Allison he loves her. It’s a perfect “high school dance” moment, but it carries more weight than that. Scott’s confession is like a domino effect between them. All their secrets will soon be revealed, changing their relationship forever.

I’ll Be Devastated
In Teen Wolf Season 2, Lydia’s ex-boyfriend Jackson becomes a murdering kanima. She is determined to help him, but Stiles fears she’ll be killed. Frustrated and upset over her lack of concern for her safety, Stiles delivers an unbelievable speech on the realities of death and those left behind.
“I’ll be devastated and if you die I will literally go out of my freaking mind. You see, death doesn’t happen to you Lydia. It happens to everyone around you. Okay? (It happens) to all the people left standing around at your funeral trying to figure out how they’re going to live the rest of their lives now without you in it.”
Losing his mother makes Stiles’ accutely aware of what being left behind is like. There are a million ways to say I love you, but this is probably Stiles’ most heart breaking speech to Lydia. She’s not just a crush to Stiles. He’s deeply and madly in love with Lydia Martin. So much so that a life without her is unfathomable.

Jackson’s Key
After being bitten by an Alpha, Jackson turns into a kanima instead of a werewolf. He spends Season 2 terrorizing Beacon Hills. Jackson is aloof and often cruel, but one of few people who brings out his loving side is Lydia. Lydia shows Jackson, in kanima form, the house key he gave her. It is the memory of their love that brings Jackson back.

Unconditional Love
The truth is finally out. Allison knows Scott is a werewolf. Always Scott’s anchor, Allison’s kiss helps him gain control. More importantly, Allison can see for the first time the effect she has on Scott. His love for her is manifested in his physical transformation.
Then Allison tells Scott she loves him. The timing of Allison reciprocating Scott’s declaration is important. Allison is declaring her acceptance of Scott’s werewolf side by stating her unconditional love. It is the culimination of their season long journey towards one another.

Allison Saves Isaac
Allison Argent was born into a family of werewolf hunters, but she defined for herself what being a warrior meant. The original Argent code was, “We hunt those who hunt us.” However, it is Allison who suggests the new code, “We protect those who can’t protect themselves.” It represents the core of who Allison Argent was.
Allison stops two Oni from killing Isaac, but sacrifices her own life in the process. She honors her code in a stunning act of bravery.
Allison’s death is also a beautiful example of selfless love. She loved Isaac too. Actions speak just as loudly as words.

Lydia Kisses Stiles
Fans waited three years for these two characters to lock lips. The wait was worth it.
Lydia kisses Stiles to stop his panic attack. Apparently, holding your breath stops a panic attack. However, both of their emotional reactions to the kiss reveal it meant so much more to both of them.
Stiles is slightly stunned and overwhelmed that the kiss he’s been dreaming of since the third grade finally happened. We’re right there with ya buddy. Stiles remarks Lydia’s plan was “really smart”, once again revealing it’s her intelligence he loves most.
The real surprise though is Lydia. She keeps her eyes closed long after the kiss ends as if to hold onto whatever she’s feeling. As she explains why she kissed Stiles, tears are shining in her eyes. It’s apparent Lydia’s plan had some unexpected emotional results.

Allison Dies In Scott’s Arms
After saving Isaac, Allison is blind sided as an Oni stabs her through the chest. Lydia’s piercing scream forms Allison’s name and the audience knows it’s too late.
As she falls to the ground, Scott catches Allison in his arms. Scott is in shock, unable to understand why he can’t take away her pain, but Allison knows she’s dying. As Scott begs Allison not to go, she tells him over and over that it’s okay. She is grateful to be dying in Scott’s arms. With her dying breath, Allison tells Scott she loves him. And then…she’s gone.
In a tragic parallel to the iconic rooftop image of Scott holding Allison in his arms as they stare at the moonlight together; Scott now stares at the moon alone…Allison’s lifeless body in his arms. It is a heart wrenching end to Teen Wolf’s original love story. Not all love stories have happy endings, but that doesn’t make them any less epic.

You’re My Brother
I’m cheating a bit. Not all love stories are romantic in nature. Scott & Stiles’ friendship is the foundation of Teen Wolf. Stiles stopping Scott from committing suicide is a perfect example of how far these two brothers will go for another and how much they love each other.
Yes, Scott is possessed and almost in a trance like state, but his speech about the days when he and Stiles were “nothing and no one” is layered in truth. Scott McCall believes he fails to protect those he loves, more often than not. At the core of his suicide attempt is a belief that everyone would be better off without him.
It is Stiles that steps in and breaks Scott’s trance. More importantly, he gets to the heart of the matter.
“You’re not no one, okay? You’re someone. Scott, you’re my best friend and I need you. Scott, you’re my brother. If we’re gonna do this then you’re just gonna have to take me with you.”
Not only does Stiles willingly put his life at risk, but he reminds Scott how much he’s loved and needed. What’s more, he taps into Scott’s protective instinct. Rather than save himself, Scott has to save Stiles. It shows much Stiles understands Scott.
This one scene sums up Scott and Stiles’ friendship. It is by far one of their most emotional scenes and beautifully acted by Tyler Posey and Dylan O’Brien. This scene exemplifies why Scott and Stiles are the foundation of the pack, which is why it’s Teen Wolf’s most memorable “love story” moment.
