Soulmates | Derek Hale - Chapter 33: Chapter 33

I failed geography miserably so if anything's geographically wrong then you guys know why....
Ruth Connell plays Margo!
"Was it wise to leave them both at the villa?"
Peter and Maeve approached the villa in which the Accardi pack resided, whilst Maeve was riddled with anxiety, Peter was curious to what Maeve had signed them up for.
They'd been in Tuscany for almost a week, whilst Peter took vacation seriously and did nothing but relax and bother Maeve, Maeve had been fretting over meeting this healer the whole time.
"Dean is responsible," Maeve defended, "Luna's got her too large toy collection to organise in her room, that will occupy her for at least two hours."
"Only your child could be such a perfectionist," Peter teased, groaning as Maeve hit him in the stomach.
A slender brunette approached them, and Maeve quickly smiled politely at her, "Maeve Hale, right?"
"Yes! Hi," Maeve greeted, rolling her eyes at Peter looking around nosily, "This is Peter."
"I'm Alessa, my pack is the prominent pack of our area," Alessa introduced, shaking Maeve's hand, "We've heard of the Hales, you're famous around here."
Maeve blinked in surprise, squeaking, "We are?"
This time Peter rolled his eyes. Maeve never failed to surprise him.
"It's an honour to help such a pack as yours," Alessa continued, guiding them through a courtyard to a small cottage, "This is where Margo lives. She's a bit vague but means well."
Alessa pushed open the wooden door, motioning for them to enter, "Margo, the Hales are here!"
Maeve and Peter walked into the purple painted room, crystals and feathers hung from the ceiling, a range of shells and stones decorating the wooden furniture.
Margo, a ginger haired middle aged witch, looked Peter and Maeve up and down, beckoning them over to an armchair and a medical table covered in a cream cloth, "come sit."
Peter looked hesitantly at the table, but Margo smiled encouragingly, sitting on her desk, "Needn't to worry, I am a qualified doctor."
"You said she was a witch," Peter whispered to Maeve as she sat on the armchair, "And I thought she was Italian."
"I am, a witch that is, i'm also Scottish," Margo caught on, watching Peter carefully, "you must be Peter, he is the one I'm healing, yes?"
"Yes," Maeve began, fiddling with her floral sundress anxiously, "There was a fire seven years ago-"
"No need to tell, dear, we all heard of the fire," Margo interrupted, squinting at Maeve suspiciously, "It is surprising you are not here for treatment as well."
Maeve frowned, trying not to think of her mental state. It had taken years to deal with what happened with the fire, but Maeve couldn't say she was over it.
"You've let the wolf take over," Margo stated, approaching Peter.
"You can tell that by just looking at me?" Peter raised his brows, Maeve sighed, smacking his leg.
"Peter!" Maeve hissed, "Be nice."
"It is in your aura, boy, your human soul is trapped," Margo picked up his hand, trailing up his arm where burns used to lay, "scarred even."
Maeve shuffled in her chair uncomfortably, "Can you help him?"
"If he wants to be helped," Margo replied, "He must heal himself."
Peter scowled, "Isn't that what you're for?"
"Peter!" Maeve smiled at the witch apologetically, "I don't suppose you have a cure for narcissism do you?"
"There are treatments I can offer," Margo ignored Maeve's joke, letting go of Peters arm, "but they will be ineffective if you are not willing to work with it."
"He's willing," Maeve answered, looking at Peter sternly.
"Lie down," Margo instructed.
Peter flashed Maeve a look of confusion but lay down, Maeve watched intently as Margo muttered a spell, having never seen a witch before.
"So much anger, you were betrayed," Margo analysed, moving her hands from his head to his chest, "and guilt, you unwillingly took ones life, a loved one."
Peters eyes widened as Margo suddenly gasped loudly, her hands trembling.
The candles flickered as Margo removed her hands from over his heart, "You were once deceased?"
"Yes?" Peter answered slowly.
"Death taints your soul, boy," Margo stepped away, glancing to Maeve, "Tomorrow we will start."
"Start what exactly?" Peter asked hesitantly.
Margo glanced at him curiously, "You'll see."
Peter quickly stepped off the table, ready to get out of there. But Margo paused on her way out, glancing back at Maeve.
"Diana," Margo called.
Maeve blinked, wondering how'd she know that, Maeve hadn't told her.
Margo motioned to where Peter was sat, "May I?"
Maeve slowly sat up on the medical table, sharing a look with Peter who looked too smug for her liking. Maeve didn't want to face her demons, she was quite happy pushing them away to a dark corner of her mind.
Margo gasped as her hand hovered over Maeve's heart, and Maeve jumped, terrified something was wrong, "A mate! It is rare, for a wolf and a human to be able to find their mate in the same person."
Maeve relaxed, sighing, "I'm lucky."
"You have suffered great loss," Margo started, her hands moving from Maeve's heart to her stomach, Maeve tensed at this motion, "a child."
Peter sat up with a frown, having no idea what this woman was talking about.
Maeve gulped nervously as Margo's hands began to tremble, muttering another spell, "But you will heal, and your family will become whole."
Reaching Maeve's hands, Maeve gasped as Margo grabbed onto her wrists, pulling her up suddenly.
Peter jumped up, going to stand between Maeve and Margo, "Hey!"
"What power have you been in contact with?" Margo asked quickly, reaching back for Maeve's hands "Tell me!"
"Power?" Maeve exclaimed, looking to her hands, "What are you talking about?"
"A dark force," Margo explained, "You've been touched by an ancient dark magic."
"Will it hurts her?" Peter questioned.
"No," Maeve and Peter sighed in relief, "it is simply the remains, it will disappear over time."
Margo hurried over to her desk, picking up some books before rushing into the other room, "I must research. We will meet again tomorrow."
Peter helped Maeve off the table, Maeve looking completely puzzled at the encounter. Dark magic? All she'd done that week was shop and sip cocktails by the pool. The Hales hurried out back into the Italian heat, slightly scared by Margo.
"Is she like, psychic?" Maeve mumbled, rushing out back through the courtyard.
"Psychotic more like," Peter scoffed, glancing at Maeve, but stopped in place, "You're glowing."
Maeve rolled her eyes, pulling him along, "Shut up."
"No, you're glowing," Peter told her harshly, showing Maeve her hand.
Maeve stared at her hand in shock, watching as her veins glowed golden, travelling up from her hands across her body. What. The. Hell.
"You're glowing!"
Maeve jumped at the excited voice of her sister in law, slowly walking into the kitchen. Luna had been born days earlier and Derek's siblings had rushed to spend time with their new niece.
"No I'm really not, Laura," Maeve yawned, slouching on one of the island chairs, "I'm exhausted. I've never been so tired. She woke every hour last night."
"Yes, it's that post baby glow!" Laura argued, pointing a iced cupcake at Maeve.
"That isn't a thing, Laur. Plus, isn't that when you're pregnant?" Maeve muttered, rubbing at her eyes.
Maeve blinked a bit more awake, looking around the room in confusion, stacks of cakes and cookies littered the kitchen, "Why have you turned my kitchen into a bakery?"
Laura smiled and handed Maeve a muffin, Maeve, who was barley conscious, didn't bother question Laura any further about it.
Maeve ate a piece of the muffin, following Laura back into the living room, "How long have you been here?"
"A few hours," Laura hummed, cooing at the sight of Derek on the couch, "Hello darling brother of mine."
"Wake her up and I'll tear out your throat," Derek whispered with his eyes still closed, not daring to move a muscle with Luna fast asleep on his chest.
"You look a lot less threatening with a newborn on your chest," Laura teased.
Maeve curled up on the couch beside Derek, "Where your brothers?"
"Speak of the devils!" Laura laughed as the duo walked through the door, "I sent for food."
"Like we need more food," Maeve glanced at her kitchen with a sigh.
"Come see Luna!" Laura beckoned the brothers over.
10 year old Dean sipped at his drink, "I don't see the big deal, it's only a baby."
"It's your niece, Dean," Kieran rolled his eyes.
"So? All she does is cry, poop and sleep," Dean spotted the muffins in the kitchen, rushing over.
"He's got a point," Kieran laughed.
They turned expecting the new parents to be in defence of their daughter, but Maeve and Derek were fast asleep, and didn't look like they would wake anytime soon.
Laura carefully picked a stirring Luna off Derek's chest, cradling the newborn, "Shall we let mommy and daddy, sleep, Lulu? Auntie Laura's got you."
Laura's eyes widened as a smell reached her nose, looking to her brothers, "Which one of you knows how to change a diaper?"
"Don't look at me," Kieran's nose scrunched in disgust, waving Laura away.
"You're the eldest," Laura argued.
"The one time Mom let me hold Cora as a newborn I dropped her," Kieran reminded, dashing off into the kitchen.
Laura sighed, looking to Dean, who held both arms out in defence, "Don't bring that demon near me."
"Don't call her a demon," Laura rolled her eyes, rocking Luna as she started to sniffle.
"No human can make that smell," Dean stated, "She's a demon."
"Demon! You're not supposed to swim until Maeve gets back!" Dean scolded, sighing as Luna jumped into the pool, "I don't feel like being a lifeguard today."
"But I want to swim," Luna whined, paddling over to an inflatable unicorn she'd convinced Peter to buy her.
"That sounded really bratty," Dean pointed out, sitting up in the deck chair.
"That sounded really bitchy," Luna mocked, twirling around causing water to splash at Dean.
"Hey!" Dean exclaimed, "You're not supposed to swear."
"I won't if I can swim," Luna bribed, smiling innocently at her uncle.
Luna's luck was cut short as Maeve made her way out into the garden, Peter trailing behind her, "I thought we agreed no blackmailing?"
"Diana, you and Derek raised such a well behaved child," Peter teased with a playful smirk.
Maeve rolled her eyes, shoving Peter into the pool, turning to Luna, "Peter will swim with you."
"These shoes are very expensive," Peter glared as he emerged back up from the bottom of the pool.
"Better start swimming then," Maeve taunted, sitting down on a lounge chair beside Dean.
"How'd it go?" Dean questioned, frowning at Maeve's golden veins.
"Good, I think?" Maeve sighed, relaxing back into the chair, "A little creepy."
"That's what you get for going to a witch," Dean chuckled, "One of your most crazy ideas to date, Maeve."
"She seemed normal, but...a little off at the same time," Maeve defended.
Dean raised his brows, nodding at her arm,"Is that why you're glowing?"
"Like Rapunzel!" Luna cheered.
Maeve flinched, looking to her hand and back to Peter, "You told me it stopped!"
"Like I said, your craziest idea yet," Dean mused.
"Peter's not glowing, she did the same spells on him," Maeve added nervously, tracing her veins up her arm.
"She didn't freak out over dark magic in my veins," Peter argued.
Upon arrival Maeve had been assured by Margo that the glowing veins situation was just the spells way of working, Maeve accepted her reasoning before she went into a full blown panic. But then Margo's treatment of Peter began, and Maeve was on the verge of a panic attack
"I don't think this is a good idea," Maeve stressed.
Peter had to prove to himself that he still had restraint over staying human, so Margo had him fight other wolves and try and stay in as much control as he could.
"Patience," Margo hushed her, watching the fight.
Peter was an hour in and was starting to get tired, he'd had blips where the wolf threatened to take over when he'd been hurt by another wolf, but he was staying strong. Maeve flinched as Peter went flying back against a wall, tumbling down to the floor.
"Peter!" Maeve watched in concern as he slowly stood with a deep growl, "Oh, that doesn't sound good."
Margo glanced between the Hales, "He was whole, once, Yes?"
"Then the wolf will settle," Margo told Maeve a her nod.
Peter stumbled over to the wolf that had thrown him, ready to take him down as he lunged for the neck, but he froze, breathing heavily. Maeve watched hopefully as Peter stepped back, blood seeping down his face.
Margo suddenly clapped, waving one of Alessa's betas away, "That is enough. Peter has shown he can resist the urge to kill when trying hard enough."
Maeve rushed over, checking his injuries that were starting to heal, "How do you fee?"
"Like I just got beat up," Peter groaned.
"Your wolf should've backed down enough by your human choosing to back down," Margo spoke up positively, "there is a spell to ensure he stays this way."
Peter looked to the witch eagerly, "Can you do it?"
At the start Peter didn't really believe in his whole healer business, but he hadn't felt this human since before the fire, and he hoped it would stay that way.
"I will heal the wolf," Margo began, turning to Maeve, "In a trade for the darkness within you. It is a power witches do not often come to contact with. The source, do you know what is is?"
"No," Maeve lied cautiously.
Of course, Maeve did have an idea. She'd lay awake all night thinking about it, and all her conclusions led to the tree stump that everyone liked to tease her for believing it was magical.
"If I take what has been left on you," Margo informed her, "I can channel the power to heal Peter."
"And you'll promise to heal him?" Maeve questioned hesitantly, ignoring Peter's look.
Margo nodded, "You may find a benefit from this also."
"Maeve," Peter warned.
"Okay," Maeve argued, "I'll do it."
Peter pulled Maeve aside, looking to her sternly, "Listen, you don't have to do this, okay? Maybe you should speak to Derek about this."
"It's just a spell," Maeve shrugged, "It will be fine. It will help you, Peter, this is the best chance we've got."
"She said she would heal you too, do you even know what that means?" Peter argued.
"No," Maeve sighed, glancing at Margo who was gazing out to the sea, "but I can't imagine it would be anything bad."
"Maeve just think this through," Peter told her defeatedly.
"I have," Maeve smiled optimistically, walking back over to Margo, "We're getting you back to normal, Peter."
"So stubborn," Peter grumbled, glancing at his phone.
Maybe it was time to call Derek.
—
The next day Margo had prepared the ritual, and it was Maeve who was up first. Maeve felt woozy after Margo had taken a sample of her blood, she turned to swap seats with Peter, but froze in shock at Derek walking through the door.
Spotting Maeve, Derek glared protectively, and by that look Maeve knew she'd messed up.
Maeve glared at Peter knowingly, "You called him?"
"Can I talk to you?" Derek stepped aside for Maeve to follow him, "Outside?"
Maeve hesitantly walked out of the cottage, blinking dizzily but luckily Derek didn't notice.
Stopping in the courtyard, Derek looked down at her in concern, "What the hell are you doing?"
Maeve wrapped her arms around herself defensively, "It's just a spell, she said it's safe-"
Apparently that was the wrong thing to say, Maeve jumped back as Derek's loud voice filled the courtyard.
"You should've told me before you ran off and sacrificed yourself!"
"It's not a sacrifice-" Maeve argued, staring at Derek guiltily.
Derek's glare intensified, "Then what is it, Maeve? How could you be so stupid!"
Maeve gasped quietly, wobbling on her sandals, Derek sighed, shaking his head as he helped her stand steady.
"Look at you," Derek frowned.
Maeve gripped onto his hands, smiling at him forcefully, "I'll be fine."
Derek couldn't argue with her when she looked this frail, deciding to leave the conversation for another time, and helped her back to the cottage. If Maeve was so determined to do this spell, Derek was certain he was going to be there to make sure she was okay.
Derek watched Margo chant spells over Maeve, and from what he'd heard he assumed, whatever was happening to Maeve was happening to Peter in the room next door. Derek itched to hold her hand, but he couldn't interrupt the spell.
It had gone normally so far, but Derek wished for it to be over, Maeve didn't look to be in pain, lying on the medical bed, but she certainly didn't look content.
Margo stopped chanting, taking a breath as she stepped back. Maeve blinked back to consciousness, recognising Derek through her blurry vision. Maeve lurched forward, stumbling off the bed to where she fell to her knees in front of a bin, throwing up.
Derek shot up from his chair, rushing to her side, brushing her hair back, "Maeve?"
Maeve leant back against him dizzily, taking deep breaths, overwhelmed by the sudden sensation.
"She is alright-" Margo began, approaching Derek, but stepped back as he suddenly stood.
"What did you go do her!" Derek shouted, protectively standing in front of Maeve.
"The spells and removal of magic is harsh on the body, she needs rest," Margo assured him, "She should return to her... usual self soon enough."
"Go check on Peter," Maeve croaked, looking up at Derek pleadingly.
Derek nodded, hesitantly stepping into the next room. Margo helped Maeve onto one of the armchairs.
"Peter, did you heal him?" Maeve questioned tiredly, her eyes growing weak.
"His wolf is no longer the problem," Margo replied, wiping the spell work off the desk.
Maeve frowned, "Then what is?"
"Guilt is what's plaguing him," Margo informed her, leaning against her desk, "that's entirely human. You, are also plagued with this. You believe those wolves died because of you."
Maeve closed her eyes, sighing heavily at the thought of the fire, "They didn't deserve to die."
"No," Margo agreed, tilting her head questioningly, "The child you lost, do you still blame yourself?"
Maeve didn't look at her, but nodded slowly.
"You cannot always predict nature," Margo comforted vaguely, "you can change it, but you cannot stop it before it has even begun."
Maeve took a deep breath, "Can you help, heal him from his guilt?"
"He must heal himself," Margo replied, "you both must."
"That wasn't apart of the deal," Maeve looked to her in confusion.
"I believe he will never forgive himself," Margo stated, glancing at the spell she'd wiped away, "So something else must be done."
"Rest," Margo noticed Maeve unwillingly dropping off, "You will need it."
Maeve nodded, easily falling back to sleep by the time Derek arrived back, glaring at Margo.
"Derek," Margo chuckled, "you may trust me."
"I don't trust easily," Derek replied, carefully lifting Maeve into his arms, "I'm taking her home."
"I know you don't. But I have been hired to help," Margo reminded him, "it's in your nature to protect your family. Especially you Hales."
Derek paused in the doorway, "What about Peter?"
"He is safest here," Margo lied, glancing to Peters room, "incase the spell backfires."
Too distracted with Maeve, Derek nodded, leaving his uncle in the care of Margo.
—
Derek carried Maeve into the villa he'd only been in to drop his stuff off, Dean hurried out from the living room, noticing his brother in confusion, "Derek? What are you doing here? Is Maeve okay?"
"Yeah," Derek answered, closing the door with his foot, "the witch said is was the spell, its drained her."
Dean nodded, slightly confused, "Luna's asleep, only took two stories this time."
Derek chuckled, thinking to the record of five stories at bedtime, "Lucky."
Dean watched Derek carefully carry Maeve through the room, and despite how much Derek looked like his father and acted like him in the past, Dean knew he had changed.
"Derek," Dean called after him, "you're not like dad."
Derek blinked, looking to his brother in surprise, "What?"
To Derek, being compared to his father was like the biggest insult on earth, but hearing the opposite was still quite a shock, especially after doing everything to be nothing like him.
"You came back," Dean told him.
Derek nodded slowly, smiling at his brother, "Night Dean."
Derek could happily say that despite the uneasy start, him and Dean had been in a good place these past months he'd been home.
"Night Derek," Dean smiled back, rushing back into his room before he could say anything more cringe worthy.
—
It was a month after Derek and Maeve had broken up when Derek got the call that his dad had been arrested, which was no surprise since it had happened multiple times, but this time he was actually being punished for it.
Walking into Beacon Hills sheriff station was a shock after five years, but Derek felt like he'd been kicked in the stomach spotting Maeve sat hugging fourteen year old Dean. Derek knew she'd gone back to Beacon Hills, but seeing her was confirmation of it.
Kieran approached his brother, a typical Hale scowl on his face, "They told me they called you, didn't expect you to turn up, though, Maeve definitely didn't."
"Yes, well i'm full of surprises," Derek rolled his eyes, noticing Dean's blank stare on the floor, "Is he alright?"
"He will be, he's going to stay with Maeve, I have too many nightshifts and the social wont allow it," Kieran explained, nodding towards the cells, "Dads still here, in case you want to bond over leaving your wives."
Glaring at his old brother, Derek left the room, making his way to his fathers cell after directions from a deputy.
Spotting his son on the other side of the bars, Seth Hale sat up in shock, taking in Derek's appearance. The last he'd seen Derek was before Luna was even born, even then Derek still looked young, but now Derek had grown up, and Seth hadn't even been there to witness it.
"Derek," Seth whispered, approaching the bars, "It's been-"
Derek glared at his father, taking in how weak and ruff his father looked, "Years."
Seth blinked at his sons tone, realising the way this conversation was going to go, "I heard you and Maeve split, heard you have a kid too. Maybe you're more like me than you wanted to be."
Derek could've fought with his father for hours, but his guilt settled in and he left the room in defeat, "Maybe."
Derek bumped into a blonde that he'd recognise anywhere, stepping away from his wife as she flinched at his arrival, "Maeve."
Maeve froze, gulping, "Hi. Where've you been? You haven't replied to any of my calls, I didn't even know if you were okay."
"With Laura," Derek answered gruffly, wanting to leave rather than face his guilt.
"That's - that's good," Maeve sighed, her hand trembling as she reached into her bag, passing Derek a set of divorce papers, "I've signed what I need to. The rest is up to you."
Derek nodded sadly, taking the papers from her, "Maeve, you don't have to do all this, with Dean."
"He's family," Maeve glared, walking back to where Dean and Kieran were waiting for her.
Derek stared at the papers as he walked away, the only thing on his mind was how much he'd messed up.
—
After getting Maeve changed into something more comfortable, since there was nothing she hated more than sleeping in uncomfortable clothes, Derek lifted her into bed, turning off the main lights.
Sitting down on the bed beside her, Derek frowned as she watched the pained look on her face fade as she slipped into a deeper sleep. Seeing her in pain was always horrible, but this time it only proved to Derek that he'd just gotten her back, and he wasn't willing to let her go.
walk in, Bed.
—
Maeve had woken at sunrise curled up in Dereks arms, still plagued with the effects of the spell, Maeve left her room for some air, sitting on the steps facing the ocean.
She didn't know how long she'd been sitting there when Derek joined her, sitting down on the step beside her, "You feeling okay?"
Maeve nodded, turning to face Derek fully, "What are we doing?"
Derek frowned, "What do you mean?"
Suddenly frowning nervous, Maeve picked at her nail polish, "Well.... you know, are we back together? As a couple? Not just... you know-"
At Dereks confused look, Maeve sighed, continuing, "Sleeping together."
"Do...do you want to be back together?" Derek questioned hesitantly, unsure if he wanted the answer.
Derek didn't know if he could handle hearing Maeve say she still didn't want to be with him, it would break him.
But luckily for him, Maeve never wanted to be broken up in the first place, but it happened for a reason and she could accept that now, but all she wanted was to be back with Derek again like they once were.
"We still love each other," Maeve gazed back up at him, "I want to be with you, to be a family again. I don't want it to change ever again."
Derek's gaze met hers hopefully, "You're sure?"
"I married you, didn't I?" Maeve laughed, tears forming in her eyes, "You ever think about leaving again and I'll lock you in the house and never let you leave."
Derek laughed, shaking his head as he held her close, "I don't think that's going to be a problem."
Pulling away from the hug, Maeve kissed him, almost falling off the step as she flung herself at him.
"I love you," Maeve mumbled through kisses.
"I love you too," Derek sighed contently, "Don't scare me like that ever again."
Kissing more heatedly, Derek pulled away before anything else happened, chuckling at Maeve's disappointed frown.
"You're hurt-" Derek started, but Maeve quickly cut him off.
"I'm fine," Maeve rolled her eyes, kissing him again.
Instead of kissing Maeve on the steps, Derek scooped Maeve back into his arms, his ex wife - now turned girlfriend? Laughed as he carried her inside, letting the balcony door slam behind him.
—
The next morning when Peter slowly blinked awake, he first felt like he'd been hit by a truck, but when he gazed across the room, a figure hovering in the doorway, he was certain he was dead, or at least hoped he was.
"Oh you've got to be joking."