Soulmates | Derek Hale - Chapter 45: Chapter 45

"You're not being homeschooled, Cora," Maeve argued, stepping out of the elevator leading up to the loft, Freddie in her arms and Florence in Cora's, "Dean goes to school."
"Dean didn't spend six years with a pack in the depths of North America," Cora protested, scowling as Maeve stopped, turning to face her.
Cora had kicked up a fuss for the entire summer about going to school and despite the school term now well under way, she had yet to go.
"What does your mom think?" Maeve asked with a reluctant sigh.
Cora looked down sheepishly, "I haven't asked."
"Cora," Maeve scolded, catching one of Freddie's tiny shoes that he tried to pull off.
"Dean says you always deal with this stuff," Cora shrugged.
Maeve was used to doing all the jobs Talia would've of done, because for years it had been her job, and with Talia back they were both admittedly suffering with the power struggle between them.
"I'm not going to make you go," Maeve agreed, looking to Cora hopefully, "But will you at least try?"
Cora looked up as a groan of pain echoed down the hall, "Do you hear that?"
Maeve rolled her eyes hearing Stiles chatter from inside, looking down at her son with a smile, "Should we go see uncle Stiles?"
Freddie seemed to smile at the concept, unlike his sister who was fast asleep, he clapped his hands and wriggled in his mothers arms. Entering the loft they were met with the sight of Scott laying on the floor with blood dripping from his nose. Maeve blinked in surprise, glaring at the twins who seemed eager to leave at Maeve's appearance.
"What the hell are you doing?" Maeve exclaimed, pointing at the door, "My building is not a fight club, if you're not pack then get out!"
The twins shared a look with Scott before hurrying out of the loft. Lydia helped pull Scott up from the floor, slightly nervous at Maeve and Cora's arrival.
"Freddie, this is evil twin one, and thats evil twin two," Cora whispered mischievously at the babies, "You and your sister aren't evil like them, don't worry."
Stiles stuttered before grinning, "Maeve? Cora? You're back!"
"What are you all doing?" Maeve frowned, noticing Scott's glowing eyes, "Oh, thats what we're doing is it?"
Stiles made grabby hands at his nephew hoping to distract his sister, "Freddie Stiles, have you grown again, my mini me?"
Maeve rolled her eyes handing over her son, "Stop calling him that."
Carrying the baby over to a heavily breathing Scott, he lifted Freddie towards Scott, Stiles' grinned in accomplished as his eyes returned to normal once in close proximity to the baby.
"Stiles!" Maeve exclaimed, "Please be careful, he's a baby not bait."
Freddie eyed the new members suspiciously, faux growling in his little voice that Kieran had taught him, which earned him an earful from Maeve about teaching her son to growl. Dean had been kicked out the room as he tried to teach Florence to bark later that evening.
Maeve stepped between Stiles and Scott, "If you're trying to learn control you've gone to the. wrong. teacher."
Stiles hurried over to Cora who held Florence, their niece blinking awake in confusion, like her brother, she smiled at the sight of Stiles. With both babies in his arms, he made his way back over to his friends.
"Derek's not here," Scott replied, brows furrowed in confusion, "He taught me before."
"Technically I taught you," Stiles muttered, quietening down at Maeve's glare, "Right, never mind."
"You think Derek learnt control all by himself?" Maeve chuckled.
"No offence to my brother, but he was a complete wreck before Maeve," Cora agreed, "Could barely go through a full moon without going all full wolfie."
Scott nodded slowly, "Can you teach me?"
"Thats Lydia," Lydia blinked in surprise as Stiles suddenly placed Florence in her arms, "We like Lydia, don't we, Rory?"
"Stiles, don't call her that, either," Maeve complained, "Your list of nicknames is long enough."
"Luna made that one, actually," Stiles bickered.
Maeve ignored her brother and turned to Scott, "Scott?"
"Yeah?" Scott replied hesitantly.
"This is gonna hurt."
Derek watched his phone flash on the table across the room, groaning in pain as electricity ran through him. He'd lost count of the amount of times he'd been electrocuted by now and he really wanted to punch his uncle.
Derek slowly turned to Peter as the shock wave wore off, Peter raised his brows at Derek's glare, "Why are you looking at me like this is my fault?"
"Because it is your fault," Derek grumbled, tugging on the chains holding them up.
Peter watched the hunter approaching them, twisting another torture devise in his hands, "Yeah, you're probably right."
"Maeve's going to kill you," Derek warned Peter, "You, she'll happily toss to the hunters. Me? No chance."
"Wouldn't of said that a year ago, would you?" Peter winced, "She hated you just as much as she hated me."
"At least she likes me now, unlike you," Derek pointed out.
"Yes, well I don't sleep with her," Peter reminded, cowering back against the bars as the hunter grew closer.
"No, you just sleep with her best friend," Derek added, preparing himself for the next jolt of pain, "So really, you're doomed."
"Stiles, we'll handle it," Maeve repeated, "Let Scott get his true alpha fix and leave the rest to us."
Stiles had refused to leave once Maeve had taught Scott what he needed to know, he was too suspicious as to why Maeve wanted them to do the bare minimum in regards to the Malia situation.
"No, no," Stiles protested, "This is one of those things that you know all about yet you're not telling me, isn't it?"
Maeve placed Florence in her temporary crib in their old loft, now Talia and Lauras, "Its a Hale family thing, alright? Just let us deal with it."
"Be careful," Stiles said defeatedly, placing Freddie down beside his sister, "If I can't know what you're doing, just promise me that, alright?"
"No more questioned?" Maeve asked, Stiles nodded, "Alright, I promise."
Stiles sighed, turning to leave his sister only for Maeve to call after him, "Oh, will you pick up Luna from school later?"
"Love you," Maeve told him with an innocent smile, Stiles rolled his eyes as he left.
"Maeve," Talia called after her daughter in law, "Maeve you need to calm down!"
With Laura in charge of the twins, Talia and Maeve left to deal with Malia. What Talia was not expecting was Maeve's sudden anger.
Maeve ignored her pleas as she stormed through the woods, "This is our responsibility."
"What are you gonna do, turn her back and wait for Peter to come home?" Talia argued, trailing after Maeve, "Hows that going to look? You think Malia deserves that? We don't even know where my brother is!"
"Braeden's bringing them home," Maeve pointed out, "They'll be back this afternoon."
Talia scowled, "Can we trust her to bring them back safe?"
"She works for me Talia," Maeve grumbled, "We can trust her."
Hearing Talia scoff, Maeve stopped walking, whirling around to face Talia, "Talia, you've have been gone for a long time, okay? I had to take over, I know what I'm doing!"
Talia held back her growl, clenching her fists as she followed Maeve. She and Maeve had a lingering tension between them which has been shielded by distractions from their family, but with their biggest conflict from the past, It was only a matter of time before one of them blows.
Maeve returned to her calling, "Malia! Malia!"
Talia sighed, taking a breath as she leant against a tree, "Enough! Maeve -"
"No, this is your fault," Maeve fumed, "We wouldn't be doing this if you hadn't left a child in the woods!"
Talia glanced down at the floor, "I did what I had to do."
"We could've helped her!" Maeve shouted.
"I didn't know!" Talia argued, "I didn't know that she would turn back, for all I knew she was stuck like that! Why would i put Peter through grieving his daughter when he could've lived a normal life."
"A normal life," Maeve laughed, shaking her head, "Peter went psychotic after the fire, and I know that it wasn't just the fire that did that to him. You taking away his most treasured memory did that. You ruined your brothers sanity and you weren't even alive to see it!"
"I know you're protective of him-" Talia admitted.
"Peters my family, they're all my family," Maeve reminded, "I was there to mend everything you and Seth broke, I was there everyday even when I was the one that was broken! Just admit that you screwed up!"
"I screwed up! Are you happy now?" Talia shouted, "You were a better mother to my kids, I know that. You don't know what it was like, Seth shattered every part of happiness I had. You and Derek still had your bond when you split up, Seth and I broke ours. I couldn't love, it pained me to, but I tried my damn hardest."
Maeve faltered, stepping back from Talia, "Why didn't you tell us? Why did you-"
"Choose power, choose being an alpha, over my family?" Talia smiled sadly, "It was a lot easier than trying to fix all my mistakes."
"Derek never," Maeve started with a deep breath, "He never fell down the path of craving power, he always seemed - content?"
"Because he didn't need it," Talia explained, "Why would he when he had you, when he had his pack."
A branch snapped behind them, Maeve slowly turned, feeling her throat tighten at the sight of the coyote behind the tree, cowering at them.
The two Hales fell silent as Maeve slowly crouched down, eyes wide, "Malia?"
The coyote looked to her in recognition, tilting her head as she allowed Maeve to slowly walk closer.
"Maeve," Talia warned.
Maeve held out her hand, blinking in surprise as Malia nudged it with her noses, blinking back her tears, "Its alright, Malia, we'll help you."
—
Maeve climbed out of her car as Noah pulled up beside them at the clearing, Scott had just left and had reluctantly believed Maeve when she said she would handle it.
She spotted her dads irritated expression already, "please don't ask."
"Thats Malia, isn't it?" Noah asked, nodding to the teen in the backseat,"You don't need my permission but you can at least tell me what lie I need to tell."
"Its Malia," Maeve confirmed, "She just needs time to... adapt, before anyone finds out about her."
Maeve couldn't allow Malia to be thrown back into normality, she'd been gone to long and her control was non-existent. She was already overprotective of Malia, Talia could attest to that, and Maeve wouldn't hear no from her father.
Noah sighed, "Are you sure? Her dads been searching for years to find her."
Maeve glanced at Malia in the backseat, fast asleep after being turned back in covered in a blanket Maeve luckily had in her car.
"She cant go back like this," Maeve stated, "She needs time to learn how to be human, she deserves to make her own decisions."
"But her dad is there waiting for the day she comes back," Noah added sadly.
"He wont be there much longer if she tears out his throat!" Maeve exclaimed.
Noah held up his hands in defence, "ok, fine! But she has to go back to her dad soon. Promise?"
"Promise?" Maeve replied cautiously.
Maeve led Malia inside her house, the teen immediately fell calm at the sound of the ocean, she'd panicked upon arrival but Maeve assured Malia that she would be safe here.
Maeve picked up on her husbands scent, leaving Malia to look around the living room as she searched for Derek, "Derek?"
She found him on the patio, within seconds she was embraced in his arms, breathing in his scent, "You're home! Are you alright?"
"Good as I can be after being electrocuted," Derek chuckled, kissing her softly, "At least I'm not getting my finger sewn back on."
Maeve looked up at him in surprise, "That bad?"
"Cant say its been a fun weekend," Derek hugged her close, "I'm just glad to be home. Maybe we can get some peace and quiet?"
"Well about that..." Maeve said awkwardly, taking his hand and leading him inside.
Derek spotted Malia and her familiar scent, eyeing her suspiciously, "Whats going on?"
"This Malia," Maeve introduced, "Malia, this is my husband, Derek."
Malia eyed Derek in a manor to rival his, "He's an alpha."
"Its alright," Maeve soothed, leading her further into the room, "He won't hurt you. You're with me."
"Malia," Derek murmured in confusion, only for realisation to dawn on him, "Malia."
Of course, he knew the truth. It was rare that Maeve would keep a secret from him, though, she didn't feel like telling him about her showdown with Talia in the woods.
—
Maeve sat with Malia, brushing her now clean hair. Malia had been confused at the concept of the hairbrush and hesitantly allowed Maeve to do it for her after her shower.
"What happened to me?" Malia asked quietly, her eyes trained on the family photo on the dresser.
Maeve took a deep breath, "Its a bit unclear what happened around the accident, but what we do know is that you're a were- coyote, thats why you turned. I can imagine it's pretty scary returning to your human state after so long."
"Yeah," Malia mumbled, "Its strange. Does my dad think i'm dead?"
"He did," Maeve answered, neatly braiding down Malia's hair, "Im sure you're curious to why we didn't take you to him straight away. Now you're human again, you have to learn balance between yourself and the coyote - that can be a hard process, and we wouldn't want you to go to someone with no idea if you're not ready. Of course, you can go home if you want!"
"No," Malia agreed, "You're right...I don't want to hurt anyone else."
Malia was still too shocked to process many of her emotions, and she knew alone with her father, a man with no supernatural knowledge, fear would consume her. Malia trusted Maeve, she knew Maeve would help, that she understood - she didn't want to leave.
Maeve closed her eyes as she sighed, she knew Malia needed to know about Peter, she couldn't take anymore lies - but she just didn't know if Malia could handle it.
"You're welcome here for as long as you need it," Maeve told her, "Derek and I, if you wanted, would happily let you into the pack."
Malia eyed her happily, "Really?"
Maeve nodded with an encouraging smile, Malia looked down with a shy smile, "I- I think I'd like that."
Malia was finally asleep around three am after hours of Maeve explaining as much has she could about the supernatural. Maeve was ready to pass out, and after finding Derek not in bed she headed to the nursery, where she found him half asleep with a restless Florence against his bare chest, blubbering grumpily at her father.
Derek sighed at the apologetic look on his wife's face as she lingered awkwardly in the doorway, "Maeve..."
Maeve crawled onto the couch next to him, leaning her head on his shoulder as she reached out to run her hand over Florence's black curls.
"I know, I know," Maeve mumbled, "I couldn't just leave her, Derek, she's so confused."
"So you just kidnapped her?" Derek assumed, raising his brows in amusement, "Surely that would confuse her more."
"I didn't kidnap her!" Maeve scoffed, "Dad said I could."
Derek rolled his eyes, "And what happens when Malia gets better, you're gonna keep her around and hide her from both her dads?"
"I don't know," Maeve shrugged, "Malia deserves the truth after everything, If she wants to go home she can, if she wants to stay with Peter she can. I don't want her to be lied to, especially after all she's been through."
"And if she wants to stay with us?" Derek pointed out, "She was clinging to you like Luna used to."
"She's gone through a traumatic time," Maeve sighed, "If she wants to stay with us, I wont turn her away. I know you wont either, she's family."
Derek nodded in defeat, letting out a breath of relief noticing Florence had finally fallen asleep against his shoulder, "Just be careful about this."
Maeve smiled, leaning against Derek's shoulder that didn't have a baby asleep on, "I love you."
"I love you too, crazy," Derek chuckled, looking up at the sound of footsteps.
Luna came stomping into the room, eyes blazing in fury, "Why is there a girl in the spare room? You told me there was gonna be no more pack without consulting me!"
Maeve motioned for Luna to come sit, "Your dad didn't turn Malia, we helped her because she was all alone. Could you imagine how scary it would be all alone?"
"I suppose its okay then... As long as I can keep my room. But I want to make sure she's not evil," Luna nodded with a frown, curling up with them as she yawned, "But in the morning, I'm sleepy now."
—
Florence had decided to scream her tiny lungs out only an hour after Derek had left her back in her crib, Maeve stood rocking her in her arms muttering in frustration that she had another daughter that clung to Derek like a life support.
"Come on, Flora," Maeve hummed, wiping the tears from Florences cheeks, "Its alright."
As Florence's cries eased a crash sounded from upstairs, Maeve glanced down at her daughter who had fallen asleep, placing her in the crib beside her brother.
Dean hurried out of his room and into Luna's, picking up the sleeping girl much to the growls under her breath and carried her downstairs before setting her down.
Dean rushed into the nursery, tugging a half asleep Luna in behind him, "What was that?"
"I don't know," Maeve stressed, rushing past them, "Stay with the kids while I check."
Maeve dashed up the stairs, heading to hers and Derek's room first, she looked around expecting him to be in bed but instead found an eerily cold room and empty bed. She spotted Derek lying on the floor, running over with a gasp.
"Derek?" Maeve dropped to her knees beside him, flinching at the coldness to his skin, "Derek!"
Derek stirred, shaking at the cold as Maeve helped him sit up, "What happened, Derek?"
"I don't know, " Derek said weakly, reaching out to touch behind his ear, "Something was here - it had these glowing eyes."
Maeve nodded slowly, whirling around as Cora stumbled through the door, "Somethings happened to Isaac!"
Cora took in her brothers frozen state, "The same thing that happened to you, I take it."
Maeve had no idea what was going on, so she called the one person that might have an idea.
Maeve smiled tiredly at her uncle, "Thanks for coming."
Chris smiled softly at her before hurrying over to where Isaac sat on the couch in a trance, Derek stood behind him - recovering from the attack of whatever the hell that creature was quicker.
Chris and Maeve's relationship had been cautious at best, but she knew Chris would always be there when she needed him. Allison lingered in the doorway, awkwardly looking around at Maeve's new house. Her and Maeve's relationship on the other hand had taken a large setback.
Maeve nodded over to the patio doors and they left Chris alone to talk to Derek and Isaac. They settled down on the patio couch, Luna's cat making a dash inside at the sight of another new person in the house. Malia and Mischief did not get off to a good start...
"I know we haven't been close recently, but," Maeve began, "Stiles told me the ritual is causing you to see things. Are you okay?"
"I," Allison started, ready to lie, but sighed in defeat, "I'm scared. I'm seeing Kate, and my mom. It's hard to tell if I'm awake or asleep."
"Sounds pretty scary," Maeve agreed, "Seeing your mom and Kate, both frightening. And the whole nightmare part, of course!"
Allison smiled discreetly, shaking her head, "Maeve, I um, I never thanked you."
"For what?" Maeve frowned.
"It took me being apart of it to realise everything you shielded me from as a kid," Allison admitted, "Stiles told me some of the stuff Kate put you through, and I honestly had no idea!"
"He's such a gossip," Maeve muttered.
"I never understood," Allison continued, "But I do now. I get why you stopped talking to us after the fire, why you kept your distance. I'm sorry our family made you go through all that."
It took loving and loosing Scott, that really made Allison realise the true heartbreak Maeve had been dealing with.
Maeve smiled, sighing in relief, "I love you, you know that right?"
"I love you too Maeve," Allison grinned, eyes suddenly widening in surprise, "I didn't know you got a new cat?"
Maeve whirled around, "What?!"
There sat on the wooden railings was a black kitten, big yellow eyes blinking back at Maeve.
"Luna!"
—
Derek and Chris had calmed Isaac down and the teen had gone up to try and get some sleep, Derek was trying to pry information about what had happened from Chris but he was being suspiciously quiet about it all, claiming he needed time to gather information.
Luna appeared out of nowhere causing them both to jump, plonking herself down on the couch, "I thought we were supposed to be friends. That's what Mommy said. Why are you glaring at each other."
Now Chris didn't hate Derek, well, he didn't like him either - but progress was starting between them. It didn't help that the most of Derek and Maeve's relationship Chris had seen was when they were at their worst, but seeing them so happy was starting to make an impact.
Chris didn't bother Derek per se, Derek just didn't fancy getting shot anytime soon.
Chris and Derek shared a glance, their glares fading, "We are... friends."
"Friends don't glare at each other," Luna pointed out, "you're supposed to smile."
Chris chuckled, "I don't see your dad smile often, I doubt he'll be smiling at me when he does."
Luna scowled, "Well, that's not nice. Dad, smile."
Luna looked to her dad disapprovingly before dashing out of the room, most likely to tattle on them to Maeve.
Chris let out a deep breath, "Wow... she's-"
"Like Maeve?" Derek guessed.
Chris had been pleasantly surprised on the occasions he had been able to have a conversation with Luna, it was truly like the girl he had raised had been brought forward in time. With more sarcasm ( astonishingly )
Chris nodded, "Exactly. Did Maeve ever tell you about her pet rabbit?"
"The one Kate killed?" Derek guessed knowingly.
"Well we never got the truth about that, but yeah," Chris replied, "Anyways, before we even bought her the pet she made us all manuals on how to take care of it and she wouldn't bring it home until we all read it and passed a test on it."
"Sounds like Maeve," Derek smiled lightly, "Did she take the test as well?"
"No," Chris laughed, "Said it was her rabbit, she could care for it as she wished."
"Typical," Derek rolled his eyes, smiling lightly, "Maeve blames me for Luna's personality, but it's all her."
If Derek and Chris could agree on one thing, it was that they both loved Maeve.
Luna poked her head around the door, pointing at her dad in victory, "You smiled! Mom! He smiled!"
"Don't you distract me, Luna Talia, what the hell is this!" Maeves voice rang out from the patio.
Derek raised his brows at his daughter in confusion, but Luna let out a small gasp before sprinting upstairs, most likely to use her auntie Cora as a shield from Maeve's anger.
—
It was sunrise by the time the house had settled down, Maeve had come to the conclusion the cat ( named cinderella, despite being a boy ) was another one of Stiles' gifts and Derek had promptly walked out of the room at the sight of it.
Maeve was attempting to explain to Malia a simple version of what had happened that evening when the front door clicked open. Maeve jumped in surprise, not expecting anymore visitors in the middle of the night.
But only a few people had the key. And Maeve knew the universe hated her when Talia and Peter walked through the door.
Malia blinked in confusion, shrinking back behind Maeve. Peter strolled inside, a scowl on his face from the bickering he and Talia had done on the drive over.
Talia spotted Malia first, sighing in frustration, "Maeve, what have you done?"
She shouldn't of left Maeve alone, Talia knew Maeve would do something impulsive like this...
Maeve found herself unable to form words, looking between Malia and Peter, the resemblance was suddenly so clear.
"Maeve?" Peter waved his hand at Maeve, looking between her and Malia with a frown, "Maeve? Diana!"
"Yes?" Maeve squeaked, closing her eyes as Malia reached out to hold her hand fearfully, waiting for introductions.
"Who is this?" Peter questioned suspiciously.
"Peter..." Maeve started, stumbling over her words.
Peter suddenly caught a scent, eyes glowing as he spoke slowly, "Diana..."