Soulmates | Derek Hale - Chapter 38: Chapter 38

Derek, Maeve and Isaac watched Scott approach Chris in a quiet car park, an anxious smile on his face. Chris whirled around, pulling his gun out of his jacket, aiming it at Scott. Maeve rolled her eyes, of course Chris would take weapons to a grocery store. It was practically Argent rules to carry weapons everywhere.
"Do you think this is gonna work?" Isaac questioned.
"Nope," Derek answered, trying to listen to Chris and Scotts conversation.
"Me neither. So your, uh... your sister..." Isaac trailed off noticing Dereks hands clench around the steering wheel, "Sorry, yeah, it's... It's bad timing, I'm sorry. I'll ask later. It's fine."
Derek slowly turned, a glare on his face causing Isaac to stutter nervously, "Or never. Yeah, yeah, I'm good with never."
Maeve smiled, shaking her head, "Ignore him Isaac, he's being protective. Her names Cora, she's the same age as you."
"Right," Isaac nodded, glancing out of the window, "Couldn't you talk to him? He's your uncle, isn't he?"
"We're not on chatty standards at the moment," Maeve shrugged, "We need to focus on Cora, not my family drama."
Maeve hated that things hadn't gone back to normal with her relationship with Chris and Allison, she was scared after the death of Victoria that things had finally strayed too far between them. Being in the middle of their hate for Derek was exhausting, she just wished they saw Derek for the person she saw him as.
Maeve scowled down at the mud making her walking even more difficult than it needed to be as they approached the cliffs edge.
"When's the last time you saw your sister?" Chris questioned.
"Eight years," Derek replied, "We thought she died in the fire."
"I helped her out, apparently," Maeve sighed, "I don't remember it though."
It was eating her alive not remembering what had happened between her and Cora at the fire, whilst relieved that she had saved Cora, Maeve was incredibly guilty about Cora being alone for years when they could've found her if she'd just remembered.
"Do you have a lock on her scent?" Chris asked the couple, the both of them shaking their heads, "Scott, now confident are you in your skills?"
"Honestly, most of the time I'm trying not to think about all the things I can smell," Scott replied sheepishly.
"All right. The problem is when they breach the woods and hit the residential area. Once they're past the high school, they're right in the middle of Beacon Hills," Chris explained.
Isaac stepped forward nervously, "They're not gonna kill everything they see, are they?"
"No," Chris answered bluntly, "But there is an important difference to recognise. Wolves Hunt for food, sometimes their mates. At a certain point they get full. Boyd and Cora are hunting for the pleasure of the kill. For some primal apex predatory satisfaction that comes from the ripping of warm bodies to bloody shreds. And who knows when that need gets satiated."
"We can't kill them," Scott stated firmly.
Derek looked hesitant, "What if we can't catch them?"
"Then maybe we just need to contain them," Chris suggested, "There's no-one in the school at night, is there?"
"You want to trap them inside?" Derek realised.
"If there's somewhere with a strong enough door, no windows or access to the outside," Chris continued.
"What about the boiler room?"
"And the hunted becomes the hunter. You really think a few high-tech dog whistles are gonna help?" Peter asked.
"I don't see you offering a hand," Derek bickered, helping Maeve step over a mile of mud.
"Personally, I'm trying to cut down on futile endeavours," Peter hummed, leaning back against a tree.
"Cora's alive," Maeve reminded, "Most people are happy about things like that."
"I heard. One of my many returning family members. So let's throw the reunion party when she's not an unstoppable killing machine," Peter replied bluntly.
"I can stop her," Derek told him confidently.
"Sure you can. By killing her...Which happens to be the point of this little exercise. Deucalion wants you to kill them," Peter pointed out, "Which you don't want to do."
"He wants you to get rid of his baggage, making it easier for you to join his pack. The fact that it was supposed to happen in the vault, and not up here, out in the open, doesn't change his plan. It just means that Boyd and Cora are gonna kill a few innocent people first," Peter explained.
"And I should just let them? I should be okay with innocent people dying?" Derek argued impatiently, "This is my baby sister, i'm not letting her become a killer! I can catch them. I have to."
Maeve squeezed his hand, smiling softly, "We will. We're just going to need help."
"Oh, come on. How much damage can they do? So they off a few homeless people, a drunk stumbling out of a bar too late. So what? Let Scott deal with it. Let him be the hero of his morally black and white world. The real survivors, you, Maeve and I, we live in shades of grey," Peter replied, switching on the light, "Then again, even if you do kill them, you're still an alpha. You can always make more werewolves."
"Said the pessimist," Maeve argued, "Didn't cleansing your soul bring at least a little optimism?"
Peter pretended to think for a moment, "Nope."
After Boyd and Cora's excursion in the woods, Derek sent Maeve home whether she liked it or not, not wanting her around any more fights.
They'd successfully locked Cora and Boyd in the school, but Derek had to take the brunt of their anger. Scott and Isaac sprinted down into the basement, pausing as they spotted a bloodied Derek knelt on the floor. Derek breathed heavily, his chest aching from his wounds.
"There's a teacher," Derek told them tiredly, "Get them out of here."
Scott and Isaac did as he said, Isaac lifting up Cora whilst Scott helped pull Boyd to his feet. Derek tiredly pulled himself up, slowly approaching the filing cabinets where Jennifer hid. Slowly opening the door not to frighten her, Derek entered the room, Jennifer tearfully looked up at Derek, he held out his hand to help her up, Jennifer shakily accepting.
Talia was stood waiting outside of the school as they walked through the doors, tears already streaming down her face at the sight of her daughter. The past five months not knowing if Cora was alive or not was torture. Isaac gently set Cora down as she spotted her mother, running on weak bones into her mother's arms.
"Mom," Cora sobbed, wrapping her arms around Talia.
"Cora," Talia mumbled in relief, kissing the top of her head, "You're home. You're okay."
Talia relaxed, her family was back together, she couldn't be happier in that moment, but then she remembered Derek was the one to fight Boyd and Cora.
Talia looked to the remaining teens, "Is Derek alright?"
"He's helping a teacher, said to take Cora home," Isaac nodded.
Laura and Kieran came rushing up the steps, they didn't even reach the top before Cora was crashing into their arms, reunited with her siblings.
Maeve knocked on Dean's bedroom door, "Dean? Are you hungry?"
"No," His muffled voice replied.
Maeve walked into his room, smiling sympathetically at his broken expression. Dean hadn't left his room since finding out Erica had died, grieving over his first girlfriend. Grief was familiar for Dean, but it didn't make it hurt any less.
Dean rolled over, hiding his face in his pillow, "I don't want food, Maeve."
Maeve sat down beside him, "I'm just checking you're alright."
"I'm not alright," Dean grumbled into the pillow, "Erica's dead."
"I know," Maeve sighed sadly, "I know, Dean."
"She didn't deserve to die," Dean's voice cracked, glancing up from his pillow, "She's gone-"
Spotting his tears, Maeve brought him into a hug, "I know, sweetheart."
Dean was one to never show his emotions, much like Derek, and Maeve was one of the only ones he let see him upset. But Maeve had never seen him in such a state before.
Downstairs Luna was impatiently waiting for Derek to come home, she'd caught onto his scent next door and was growing frustrated that he hadn't come back yet.
Deciding if he wasn't going to come home, she was going to go there, Luna pulled on her boots and hurried out of the loft. Crossing the hallway she was met with the problem of being unable to reach the latch on the door.
Luna huffed as she jumped up, trying to lift up the latch, only to discover after multiple attempts that the door was already open.
Derek looked up from the sofa as Luna wondered in, trying to hide his bloody shirt behind a cushion but like her mother, nothing gets past Luna.
"Are you hurt? Do you need mommy?" Luna asked with wide eyes, hurrying across the loft, "Mo-"
"I'm okay now," Derek assured her, "All healed."
Luna didn't look convinced.
"I'm fine, Lu," Derek stated, making a deal out of lifting her up into his arms, "See, wouldn't be able to pick you up if I was hurt, would I?"
Luna hooked her arms around his neck, "Well, you could..."
Derek rolled his eyes, thankfully Luna was distracted by Laura's food stash on the desk. It was well known in the family that Laura was a stress eater.
Luna grabbed a packet of chocolate biscuits, grinning at her dad. Derek tried to ignore the fact she was using his shoulder as a plate.
"Your mom won't be happy about that," Derek pointed out, but Luna continued to munch away, "Im going to have to talk to Laura about you picking up her bad habits."
"Mommy's not here," Luna added cheekily, "And you won't tell her, will you, dad?"
"Derek?"
Derek turned to find Cora stood at the bottom of the staircase, staring at them in complete disbelief. Luna hugged Derek tighter at the sight of a stranger.
Cora couldn't believe her eyes, her brother had a child. Derek had never been the most paternal of a person, and after all the stress caused by their own father Cora wasn't sure Derek would even want kids.
But then there was Maeve to think about, one of the most maternal people Cora had ever met. Cora was almost certain the young girl was Maeve's child, they were freakily alike. They even had the same curious stare.
"Cora this is my daughter Luna," Derek introduced with a small smile, "Lu, this is your auntie Cora. We've told you about her, remember?"
"Hi auntie Cora," Luna grinned, Derek gently set her down.
"Why don't we meet you back at home? Can you check on uncle Dean for us?" Derek asked, Luna nodded quickly, dashing off our of the door to find Dean.
Luna watched the blonde skip off, looking to her brother curiously, "Maeve?"
Derek nodded, guiding Cora out of the loft after Luna.
"God, they're identical," Cora laughed, smiling widely, "I can't believe you have a kid!"
"Sometimes neither can I," Derek admitted.
"How old is she?" Cora questioned.
"Seven," Derek replied, "We found out Maeve was pregnant after the fire."
"You were eighteen? I bet mom went ballistic," Cora exclaimed.
Derek sighed, "That's a long story, probably better for another day."
Luna rushed upstairs, pushing open Deans door instead of knocking, climbing onto his bed when he made no effort to move.
Luna crawled to sit on his back, "uncle Dean?"
"Hey Luna," Dean mumbled into his pillow.
"I need to show you something," Luna told him urgently, playfully punching his shoulders, "Get up!"
"Not right now, Luna," Dean grumbled.
"Please? It's important," Luna whined.
Dean sighed, rolling over causing Luna to fall off his back, "Fine. Get on with it."
Luna grinned, grabbing his hand to pull him downstairs. Dean blinked at the sudden brightness compared to his curtain drawn room.
"Dean!"
Dean stumbled back in shock, eyes wide, "Cora?"
With family members popping up out of nowhere, dead or alive, Dean couldn't say he was surprised to see his sister. But everyone knew Cora was Dean's favourite sibling, they were close enough in age to be twins after all. Dean pulled her into a hug, smiling for the first time in days.
Derek leant against the doorway of the kitchen, watching Maeve decorate Luna's pancakes into faces with a smile on his face. It was moments of these, moments of normality, that it really hit Derek that he was finally home where he belonged.
Maeve looked over her shoulder at him, raising her brows curiously, "What?"
"Nothing," Derek smiled.
"Derek," Maeve rolled her eyes, setting aside the chopped fruit in her hand.
"Nothing," Derek repeated, walking in to hug her from behind, "Can I not appreciate my wife?"
"Yes because dark circles from sitting up all night worrying about you is so very attractive," Maeve pointed out, leaning her head back on his shoulder, "Calling me your wife usually means legal documents saying we are in fact married."
Derek hummed, "Maybe we should get one."
Maeve patted his chest, walking out of the kitchen, "If you're going to propose for the second time I expect a lot better than that."
Derek shook his head in amusement, following her out of the kitchen, spotting the familiar brown hair.
"Cora?" Maeve gasped excitedly, smiling as Cora let go of Dean, rushing to hug her.
"Maeve!" Cora exclaimed.
Maeve pulled away from the hug, taking in how Cora had changed the past seven years, "Look at you."
"Look at you!" Cora laughed, motioning to Maeve's bump.
Maeve smiled, playfully glaring at Derek, "We can all thank Derek for turning me into the size of a whale."
"You're not the size of a whale," Derek argued.
Maeve pulled Cora into another tight hug, "I can't believe you're here!"
"Why are you never this excited to see us, Maeve?" Kieran teased as he and Laura strolled into the loft.
Kieran laughed as Luna bounced over, tackling them both in a hug, "This is the greeting we deserve."
"Shut it," Maeve rolled her eyes.
Luna sniffed the air, looking around in confusion, "What's burning?"
Maeve's eyes widened, darting off into the kitchen, "Breakfast!"
Derek hurried off after her, knowing he'd reach the kitchen before Maeve could waddle her way over, their bickering echoing down the hall as they went.
"They've been insufferable since they got back together," Dean told Cora sitting down on the couch, careful to avoid Luna's cat snoozing away on one of the pillows.
Cora frowned, "They broke up?"
"Drove us all mental for about a year and then they finally came to their senses," Dean explained, smiling as Maeve's laugher rang out from the kitchen, "I reckon Maeve's now just angry at him because he knocked her up."
"If she hated him that much she wouldn't of given him an opportunity to knock her up again," Laura snorted.
Kieran pretended to look angry at his siblings, covering Luna's ears with his hands, "There is a child present."
Luna whacked away his hands, "I know what sex is, uncle Kieran."
Kieran went white as a sheep, Dean let out a laugh that sounded more like a bark and Laura grinned mischievously. Cora watched the interaction with wide eyes, being introduced to the force that is her niece.
"How do you know that?" Kieran stuttered.
"School told Sammy's class," Luna hummed, "Sammy told me."
Dean and Kieran scowled at the mention of her best friend, "Did he?"
Luna nodded, smiling innocently, "Then Uncle Peter told us sex before marriage was a sin. He also said you would-be going to hell, Uncle Kieran."
Luna picked up her cat and wondered over to the kitchen, "I'm hungry."
Laura grinned in amusement at Cora's startled look, "That Cor, is our little LuLu."
Lorraine had had enough.
Not only were her children acting immaturely, her grandchildren were too. All the arguing between them was to stop.
So Lorraine decided to do something about it.
Maeve plonked herself down on the couch, the cat hurrying to sit on her lap, Elizabeth sat opposite on the other couch beside Chris, Allison irritably sat down beside Maeve.
From her place in the armchair Lorraine looked to her family in disappointment, "I've gathered you all here today since none of you are capable of getting along. Acting like children, the lot of you! So we're going to hash everything out, and no one is leaving this room until we do so!"
"Like group therapy?" Maeve frowned, already feeling awkward.
Chris nodded in agreement, "Don't we need a therapist for that?"
"I -" Lorraine started confidently.
"A qualified one," Elizabeth interrupted knowingly.
"I will mediate the discussion," Lorraine decided.
"What if we're mad at you?" Chris asked.
Lorraine blinked in surprise but motioned to the group, "Bring it to the table."
Maeve rolled her eyes, her grandmother had been watching too much daytime television.
Luna settled down on her beanbag, nodding at Lorraine having an unspoken conversation. Maeve raised her brows but Luna smiled in response.
"Let's start with issues with me then, shall we?" Lorraine began.
"How are you a werwolf?" Chris asked his mother first, "Why didn't I know when it happened?"
"I was bitten on a hunt," Lorraine answered simply.
Allison frowned in confusion, "Then why aren't you dead?"
"Your aunt Kate did a poor attempt at killing me," Lorraine chuckled, "Always a bit dim that one."
"A bit murderous more like," Maeve grumbled under her breath, but her comment caused Allisons attention to land on her.
Allison turned to Maeve, "I want to know why you kept Luna a secret."
"Maybe it was our sociopath of an aunt that you're so fond of trying to kill me?" Maeve answered truthfully.
"I'm not fond of Kate," Allison defended, looking slightly horrified at the accusation.
"Didn't look that way to me," Maeve shrugged.
Allison sat up to argue, Chris tried to intervene, "Girls."
"Why'd you turn on Scott, you knew he'd never hurt anyone?" Maeve questioned before Allison could, "If you loved him why abandon him like that?"
"I didn't turn on him!" Allison exclaimed, "I didn't know what to do. You know what Gerard's like!"
Maeve let out a sigh, "I do. But you can make your own choices too. I had to."
Allison's cheeks burned in embarrassment, "But you chose Derek over us!"
Maeve's heart dropped, it looked like they'd gotten to the fault of the problem between her and Allison. Derek.
Maeve frowned, "Thats what you think? That I picked Derek over you lot? I did what I had to do to protect my family! If I had things how I wanted Luna would know you as family and not just Scott's girlfriend, but I didn't get that chance."
Lorraine watched Maeve cautiously, speaking up before Maeve blew her top, "Allison, Maeve didn't have the option of staying in contact with you and your father. You all saw what happened when Kate found out about Luna. Maeve, it's obvious Allison has missed you and felt neglected. Have I gathered that all correctly?"
Her granddaughters nodded, "Good. That's you two sorted. Who's next?"
Maeve's glare settled on Elizabeth, "Why didnt you tell me about dad?"
"Because she's a coward," Chris answered for her.
Elizabeth turned in her seat, whacking her twin brother.
At the sight of violence Luna jumped up from the beanbag, squeezing herself between them on the couch, "Foul!"
"My turn," Luna declared, everyone bar Lorraine turned to her in surprise.
"Go on," Lorraine encouraged.
"Why aren't I allowed at pack meetings?" Luna asked her mother.
"You're seven," Maeve answered bluntly, "End of discussion."
Derek paused in the doorway as he entered the loft, too many Argents in one room usually meant trouble. He noticed the scowl on Maeve's face and wished he could turn around and leave, she was one comment away from screaming at someone.
Chris protectively glared at Derek, "Why are you here?"
"I live here?" Derek replied in confusion.
"Since when?" Chris asked again.
Derek hugged Luna as she ran over, frowning, "Since months ago?"
"Wait, you're back together?" Allison realised, looking between the couple in surprise.
Maeve looked around in disbelief, "My god! Do you all just think i've got fat?"
Chris and Allison looked at Maeve's stomach, suddenly realising what was going on. Chris still looked unhappy at Dereks presence despite his surprise.
"You're pregnant?!"
Allison now realised that Stiles was making sense when he was rambling on about training for his new uncle duties. Chris had to remind himself that Maeve was an adult and could make her own choices, but it didn't stop him from wanting to punch Derek any less.
"Isn't it nice to all get along?" Lorraine interrupted with a smile, the group turned to look at her silently, "Yes?"
"Yes," they grumbled in response.
"How about a bonding trip?"
"No!"
"We're going to be late Maeve!"
They had an appointment to check on the baby and were very late, not that Maeve seemed to mind.
Maeve huffed, turning to look at Derek stood in the doorway, "There's no point in going if I didn't have my medical details, is there?"
Derek rolled his eyes, watching Maeve rummage through the doors in their room, "Don't they just give you new ones?"
"Derek I really don't need to explain to you how a checkup works, do I? We've done this two times around," Maeve grumbled, dumping a load of paperwork onto the carpet.
Scanning through the paperwork, Maeve paused spotting a familiar folder, slowly turning to Derek with it in hand, "Derek? What are these?"
Derek looked to the folder, confused about her reaction, "Our divorce papers?"
"Why are they here," Maeve added, holding up the post it note with the words to post in bold, "You were supposed to send them to the solicitor."
Derek frowned, "No you were."
"It's my handwriting on the note," Maeve waved the note dramatically, "Telling you to post it."
"I don't remember you giving them to me," Derek muttered, taking the papers from her.
"My god," Maeve groaned, eyes wide, "Are we really not divorced? How stupid are we that we can't even file for our own divorce!"
Maeve couldn't believe what she was seeing, they really were still married. How long would they have gone realising they were still married if she hadn't found the papers.
Not that she was disappointed, she was thrilled knowing she and Derek were still married. As was Derek, but he wouldn't care if they were married or not, he was just happy to be with Maeve.
Derek dropped the papers onto their bed, chuckling, "Apparently very stupid."
"Why are you laughing? This isn't funny!" Maeve exclaimed, holding out her hands for him to help her up.
"It is pretty funny," Derek mused, helping her stand.
Maeve picked up the papers, raising a brow at Derek, "Double checking, you're sure you don't want a divorce?"
Derek scowled, "Now that's not funny."
Maeve grinned, tearing the papers in half before tossing them in the bin.
"Well wife, we have an appointment we're very late for."
"I still need to find the book!"
"Maeve..."
—
"Will you stop fidgeting?"
"Excuse me for being nervous!"
Melissa smiled in amusement as the couple bickered, setting up the ultrasound machine. Maeve had passed the date where they could find out the sex of the baby but with them spending most of her pregnancy in Italy and then returning to find an alpha pack they hadn't had the time.
"It's a girl," Derek stated confidently, "There's no way it's a boy."
"It's a boy!" Maeve rolled her eyes, "It's a 50/50 chance, there's definitely a way of it being a boy. You do have two brothers, you know?"
"I also have two sisters," Derek argued, "But our family is known for having girls. Especially the Argents, you blonde haired, feisty Argents."
Maeve decided to ignore that dig, luckily Melissa distracted her by putting the gel on her stomach.
"It's in my stomach, Derek," Maeve pointed out, "I have a feeling. I know it's a boy."
Derek watched the screen intently, "And I have a feeling it's a girl."
"It's a boy!" Maeve declared.
Derek shook his head, "No it's a girl!"
Melissa smiled moving the picture on the screen, "Well, you're both right. One boy, one girl."
If Maeve weren't lying down she definitely would have fallen down. Derek turned very pale at the sight of the screen, whilst Maeve seemed to be frozen in shock.
"Twins?" Derek asked hesitantly, "Are you sure?"
Maeve scoffed, "Have you gone blind? You can see!"
Derek went silent, suddenly realising they weren't going to be parents of two, but three kids.
"I didn't agree to one but now we have two," Maeve cried, continuing to stare at the screen in disbelief, "No wonder i'm so fat!"
Melissa hid her laugh, "Well both seem to be doing well and healthy. You most likely didn't see both babies at your previous scan since baby boy is doing a very good job of trying to hide his sister from us. Your mother is a twin, isn't she Maeve?"
Maeve nodded, "Argents have twins surprisingly often."
Derek looked ill at how pale he was going, "How are we going to cope with two? We can't even handle one."