Soulmates | Derek Hale - Chapter 5: Chapter 5

"You okay?" Chris questioned, glancing over at a nervous Maeve staring out through the window at her new school.
Monday came around much faster than Maeve expected, the pushed aside nerves and worries about the first day that shed pushed aside came flooding in as they reached the school. Even in the hundreds of possibilities of everything that could go wrong, Maeve still felt a slight comfort knowing Derek would be at the school with her too.
Maeve nodded gently, smiling over at Chris "Just nervous, i haven't been to a real school in so long."
"You'll do great, i promise," Chris told his niece, pulling his car out front of the school, encouragingly motioning to the door "Go before you're late."
Maeve took a deep breath, swinging open the door to the SUV much harsher than Chris would like, the older hunter sighing in disapprovingly, noticing Maeve's bag on the floor as he turned away from her.
"Maeve!" Maeve turned around in confusion, leaning against the car door as she turned to Chris questioningly.
"Your bag," Chris pointed down at the black slouchy tote bag laying on the car floor, shaking his head in amusement at Maeve.
"Oh!" Maeve gasped with a laugh, reaching back in to grab her bag, twirling on her ankle boots to walk away letting the door slam behind her "Bye, uncle Chris!"
Maeve shivered, glancing down at her tights wishing she'd opted for jeans instead of her floral dress, the importance of first impressions overtaking the realities of the harsh winter weather coating Beacon Hills.
Maeve stared at the school with wide eyes, glancing down at her timetable before scanning the students hurrying in and out of classes, realising she had no idea where the hell she was going "Great..."
Derek stood in one of the many hallways, rummaging through his incredibly disorganised locker for his textbook for the next class, his two best friends, Jamie and Archie, joining him.
"Coach is so gonna kill us after that last game," Jamie complained, the beacon hills basketball hoodie pulled over his brown hair, leaning against the lockers beside Derek "I sat my fine ass on the bench the whole time, so actually, everyone else is gonna get killed."
Derek had been neglecting the basketball team on many occasions over the past months, full moons and lack of control took priority, along with his mothers stern disagreement on his involvement with the sport.
"It couldn't of been that bad," Derek sighed, taking out a biology textbook from his locker, glancing back to his two best friends stood beside him.
"Dude, i don't think this team could survive without you," Archie groaned, glaring playfully at Derek as he noticed his cap in the werewolves locker, taking it out to place it on his curly hair "We didn't even score once."
"Guys! Look!" Jamie tapped their shoulders, nudging them in the direction of the staircase at the end of the hall "New girl alert. Oh! She's hot, too."
Derek sharply turned as the familiar scent filled his scenes, staring at the blonde he'd become fond over these past few days making her way down the stairs, looking around in confusion as she tried to find her way around.
A sudden anger washed over Derek, ducking his head as his eyes began to glow, resisting every urge to fight Jamie over one simple assumption.
"Shut up, Jamie," Derek told him angrily, breaking the lock in his hand, quickly hiding it inside his locker before Jamie noticed.
Archie watched Derek's every move in concern, glancing between Maeve and Derek with a sigh, moving to stand between his best friends to make a buffer. Being the only friend of Derek's aware of the supernatural, Archie Deaton did not have a easy time watching out for his impulsive best friend, thats even before you throw girls into the picture.
"Easy, Derek," Archie whispered, Derek's growls quietened but were still noticeable as he kept his stare on Maeve. Archie speaking up louder "You know her or something?"
"Yeah, i do," Derek replied, blinking slowly as he turned away from Maeve, closing his locker to walk in her direction.
"Derek!" Archie called him back, rolling his eyes as Derek turned around, raising a brow at them in annoyance "Practice?"
Derek shrugged, smiling at his friends slightly "I'll go tomorrow,"
"Your funeral," Jamie muttered, Archie nodded in agreement, picking up their bags from the ground, walking in the direction of their own classes.
"Maeve?" Derek called out to the blonde, smiling as Maeve turned to him, a relieved sigh escaping her lips.
"Derek, hey," Maeve greeted, dodging the groups of teens crowding around her to reach Derek, laughing as a much taller teen knocked into her, slamming her against Derek.
Derek wrapped his arms around the shorter girl, holding her tight so she didn't fall straight to the ground, the both of their heartbeats spiking at the sudden interaction.
"Falling into my arms again, Maeve?" Derek joked, Maeve grinned looking down in embarrassment, stepping out of Derek's hold.
"You go here now?" Derek questioned, motioning down to the stack of new books in her hands, going against pointing out her nervous lip bite.
"Yeah, completely lost though," Maeve muttered, holding out her timetable in utter confusion, Derek laughed taking it from her.
"Come on," Derek scanned the paper, placing his hand on Maeve's back to lead her through the hallway.
Alarm bells rang in Maeve's mind, doing everything possible not to embarrass herself, trying not to make the situation awkward which was her best skill, zoning out that Derek's had was on her back.
"Thank you," Maeve followed Derek closely through the hallway, nervously wrapping her trench coat around her, wincing as loud shouts shot into her hearing.
Derek noticed her discomfort, the loud chanting of the basketball team was normal to his ears, nodding over in the direction of the gym doors slamming open "Thats the basketball team, you'll get used to it."
Maeve took her hands away from her ears, staring at the rambunctious teenage boys ahead with a sigh "They sound like hyenas."
Derek groaned as he noticed the team walking in their direction. "I'm apologising in advance for whatever they're about to say," Derek warned, forcing a smile at his team mates.
"What?" Maeve frowned in confusion, stumbling as Derek suddenly stopped walking, once again falling against him as the team reached them.
Maeve wondered if her clumsiness and Derek's natural ability to catch her every-time was a coincidence, or if she was lacking in some part of the werewolf abilities that Derek clearly had. Maeve's breath hitched in her throat as Derek's hand wrapped around hers, the pink sparkly blush on her cheeks shining brighter than any makeup could create.
"Derek!" Maeve's eyes widened in realisation, going to let go of Derek's hand but the team had already noticed, pulling away would be obvious, thankfully Derek didn't seem to phased by it.
"Derek's finally found himself a new girl," Milo, the only player that could rival Derek on the team, greeted, looking Maeve up and down with a slanted smile "Hey, beautiful."
Derek's emotions would've fallen at the pure mention of his previous girlfriend, but watching another boy stare at Maeve in the exact same way Jamie did, Derek was consumed with anger instead.
"Lay off," Derek growled, as humanly as possible, Maeve squeezed his hand, also forcing a smile up at the team.
"Chill, Hale, we're just being friendly," Another player from the group added in, Milo nodded in agreement causing Derek to continue to glare, claws digging into the strap of his backpack whilst the hand Maeve held remained in control.
"I'm Maeve," Maeve butted in with a grin, eyelashes fluttering as she purposely stepped forward, lightly nudging Derek behind her.
Maeve had surprisingly been a natural to control, maybe it was the whole 'loose control and you'll get killed over breakfast' situation she had going on, but Maeve had more control in days than Derek had in his whole life. Covering up for a werewolf loosing control, that was new to her.
"Milo," Milo replied, running a hand through his beachy blonde waves, nodding down in the direction of the werewolves interlocked hands "How'd you meet our boy Derek?"
"Our families know each other," Maeve informed them almost instantly, the lie rolling off her tongue effortlessly, gazing back to Derek squinting her eyes at him "Feels like for hundreds of years, right Derek?"
"Yeah," Derek mumbled in agreement, Maeve sighed at his lack of help, turning back to the players cheerily, making up for the happiness Derek was unable to show.
"Are you new to town then?" Milo questioned, suspiciously following Derek's gaze down on the both of their hands, curious about his teammates new relationship.
"I am, boarding school, but my family is originally from Beacon Hills," Maeve lied, dramatically waving her hand about as she spoke, blonde curls bouncing along with it, successfully grabbing the whole teams attention away from Derek "Fresh start, my family wanted me back to help with the family business but Derek convinced me to come back to school instead."
"You made a good decision," Milo filtered, Maeve's eyes widened in surprise, gulping as Derek growled again, pulling on her hand as she took a surprised step back.
"We should go, i have no idea where anything is and Derek is my new tour guide," Maeve rambled quickly, rushing after Derek as he pulled her away, glancing back at the team over her shoulder as she waved "Bye guys!"
Maeve waddled, cheeks flushed in embarrassment, as she tried to catch up to Derek's speed, jogging on her heeled boots, grumbling "Thank you, Derek, for that tremendous support!"
Derek raised a brow down at the blonde, muttering slowly, slightly lost for words "You're a, uh, surprisingly, good liar."
"Its a talent," Maeve shrugged, a playful smile forming on her lips, frowning as she noticed Derek's sudden closed off appearance "Whats wrong? What was the deal with you and the team?"
Now away from Milo, or in Derek's case 'the threat', the first comment from the boy had taken its toll, the grief that had slowly began not to consume him came flooding back. As much as Derek wished he could tell Maeve about Paige, oddly feeling like he could trust her, telling her would also mean he was letting her in much faster than he'd hoped for.
"Its hard hiding who i am from my friends, you know?" Derek answered half-heartedly, trying not to lie at Maeve's genuine concern, but sighed shaking his head "And you have to hide it from your whole family."
"Speaking of..." Maeve trailed off, rocking on her feet with a nervous sigh, "We need to talk."
Derek and Maeve stood opposite to each other, the tiny light of the janitors closet filling the room as the both of them stared down at the contents of Maeve's bag scatted onto an empty shelf, 'a gift from Kate' Maeve would describe it.
"Why are you laughing?" Maeve questioned in disbelief, leaning back against the stocked cupboards behind her.
Derek shook his head in-between laughs, motioning to the knife's, bottles of wolfsbane and even silver scattering the shelf "I just can't believe they want you to kill me,"
"Are you doubting my capabilities, Derek?" Maeve joked, a serious undertone in her question, Derek glanced back over to her in surprise.
"Should i be?" Derek playfully brought the knife in his direction, Maeve rolled her eyes taking it from him, shoving it into her bag as he teased "Because you apologised to a squirrel for throwing a stick in its direction,"
"Well, i, uh," Maeve stuttered defensively, exclaiming as she pulled her bag over her shoulder "I can be mean! To those who deserve it..."
Derek noticed her sudden glare on the ground, shaking his head in amusement "I don't want to know. So, what are we going to do?"
Maeve turned away from the door, raising a brow at Derek "We?"
"You don't think you're alone in this do you? I'm going to help you." Derek promised, hope flashed in Maeve's eyes, her bright blue eyes avoiding Derek's questioning gaze.
"You're going to help me pretend to try and kill you?" Maeve sighed at Derek's confident nod, a small smile landing on his lips, holding back her laugh at the stupidity of the whole situation.
Derek gently took her arm, leading her out of the janitors closet, "I don't need to sign a contract do i? 'I, Derek Seth Hale, declare to assist Maeve Argent in the action of plotting, aiding and commencing fake homicide, on the innocent werewolf myself, any real homicide should be treated as any other'."
Maeve's laughter filled the quiet hallways, shaking her head as her cheeks burned from her bright smile, dimples on full display "Shut up!"
Derek leant down to nudge her shoulder with his, whispering "Was i wrong?"
Maeve playfully smirked, "My names actually Diana," patting his shoulder as she walked ahead, leaving Derek dumbstruck in the middle of the hallway behind her.
"Wait. What?"
Derek and Maeve sat side by side at a table in the chemistry lab, Archie and Jamie on the seats opposite, all four of them messing around instead of paying any attention to the lesson.
Archie and Jamie argued over stationery, neither of them having an adequate pen for the lesson, causing Maeve to hand them both a pen, returning to her notes as Derek doodled on her arm. Maeve rolled her eyes at the smiley face, raising a brow at Derek who shrugged, glancing down to the page of notes he'd easily missed.
Maeve sighed, sliding her notes over for him to copy, Derek smiled gratefully, the pair of them looking up in confusion at the annoying coo's of Derek's best friends. Archie and Jamie teasingly awed over them both, blowing them a kiss and drawing hearts with their hands, Maeve obliviously laughed at their joke whilst Derek groaned, throwing his book at them.
"Mr Hale, please leave Miss Argent alone," Adrian Harris began with a sigh, looking up from the chalkboard with a sigh, "We don't want you, or your posse of idiots putting out a bad influence, do we?"
Derek grinned, shaking his head as he leant back on his seat, stretching his hands to the back of his head "Of course not, Mr Harris,"
Jamie mockingly pouted, flexing his bicep, an accurate representation of Derek's glare on his face "'Of course not, Mr Harris,'"
Maeve tried everything in her power to hold in her laughter, but Jamie going to draw on Archie's arm broke it, sliding forward on her chair as she burst out into laughter.
Maeve's hand flew up to her mouth, looking up to her new teacher apologetically, removing her hand as she spoke between quiet laughter "Sorry?"
Maeve's converse slid across the carpet as she made her way through the living room, keeping her breathing quiet as she moved out from her hiding place behind the sofa, a sleeping Gerard snoring away slouched back in the armchair. Maeve bit her lip, wincing slightly as she reached up to his jacket pocket, smiling in victory as her fingers curled around the office keys, quickly crawling away before he woke.
Sneaking around the house was like a rehearsed dance to Maeve, but accessing the main office was something she'd never done before, but it was important and Maeve didn't care about the consequences.
Sliding the key into the lock, Maeve silently let the wooden door click shut behind her, rushing over to the wall of filing cabinets, scanning for anything that could lead her to her mother. Maeve didn't buy the story about her mother, knowing there was more to the story and she intended on finding it out.
The beta sighed in relief, rushing over to the cabinet labelled Elizabeth, eyes widening in surprise at the first thing she pulled from the draw was a hospital bill. Maeve went to grab more, but a more alarming draw gained her attention.
The Hales.
Maeve instantly pulled open the draw, finding one folder laying inside it, flickering through the pages of the magnolia folder to find hours of research printed all about the Hales. Thoughts of what to do flickered around her mind, but there was only one thing she could do to get the family to trust her.
Holding the folder close, Maeve went to leave, but the locked draw in the corner of the room with 'Maeve' in bold letters sent anxiety running through her veins like a hit to the stomach. A door slamming upstairs sent her running out the door, but the cabinet was far from forgotten.
After being welcomed and invited in by a overly excited Cora, Maeve navigated her way through the large Hale house in search of the alpha. Maeve approached the living room nervously, spotting Talia sat beside the fireplace.
Talia glanced up through her reading glasses in surprise, putting her book down on her lap as she sat up, a confident glare settled on her face "What can i do for you, Miss Argent?"
Maeve stepped forward, pulling the folder out from her coat, holding it out to Talia. The alpha raised a brow at the young beta, sitting up to take the folder from her.
"This is everything i could find on your family, all of my aunts information on the Hales is in this folder," Maeve handed her the brown file, nervously stepping back as Talia glanced down at the papers, scanning through it in surprise "Gerard's up to something with my mom i can't figure out, Kate wants to take you down but now she has nothing on you. Your family is in the clear for now."
Talia placed the file aside, her permanent intimidating exterior fading for a small moment "Thank you, Maeve. I can imagine the risks it took for you to take this for me."
Maeve twirled the ends of her hair, glancing down to the wooden floors "I'm not like my family. I want you to know that, I'm not your enemy, we all share the same worry of being hunted now."
Maeve sent her a weak smile, turning to walk out of the house as Laura came bolting down the stairs, headphones in and a magazine in one hand, almost crashing into Maeve as she walked to find her mother.
Laura leant in the doorway, staring over at her surprised mother as Maeve walked out of the house "That girl really is something, huh?"
Talia sighed, straightening out her white blouse as she stood from the couch "She's definitely tougher than she looks."
Laura lost her balance, stumbling into the living room as Derek barged past her, glaring at her younger brother in annoyance "Derek!"
Derek's expectant smile faded as he looked around, finding Maeve nowhere to be found, "Was Maeve here?"
Maeve had found no correlating medical records to match the receipt from the hospital, nothing, any information on her mother from the past months had been a lie, now she had to find the truth. Maeve smiled as she placed the photo of herself and her mother in the box to disguise the contents of it, hours of research on the hospital and records sitting inside.
Maeve placed the box in her wardrobe with a sigh, turning to her board resting on her desk worriedly, all theories pinned and written up but nothing had made sense, yet.
Maeve knocked the board down at the crash behind her, instinctively grabbing the closest weapon to her, which happened to be hairspray as she tackled the intruder, slamming them to the ground, holding the bottle down to their face.
"No! Not the hairspray!" Derek cried jokingly as he shielded himself from the bottle, raising a brow at Maeve's choice of weapon.
"Derek!" Maeve exclaimed in shock, jokingly hitting his shoulder with the bottle, gasping as the shock settled in "God, don't do that!"
Maeve quickly realised their positions, skilfully avoiding Derek's gaze as she hurried off his lap, rushing to check her door was closed "What are you doing here?"
Derek pulled himself up, moving to sit on the edge of Maeve's bed, "My moms letting me help you, well, teach you everything you need know about being a werewolf. Come over tomorrow after school?"
Maeve dropped a highlighter in surprise at Talia's attempt at trusting her, turning to Derek with a smile as she tried to clear up her investigating "Sure,"
Hearing the footsteps marching up the stairs, once again, Derek was shoved into the wardrobe, watching in confusion as Maeve nervously went to hide the research on her desk.
Kate barged through the door, angrily shoving Maeve back as she shouted "Where is it!"
"Where's what?" Maeve faked confusion, stepping back from her aunt as Kate rushed around her room, trashing every surface as she searched.
"The file on the Hales, idiot, you stole it!" Kate accused, glaring harshly over at Maeve "I want it back, now!"
Derek growled protectively, thankfully it was muffed by the clothing and boxes surrounding him, but seeing Kate push Maeve was enough to make him want to break down the doors.
"I didn't steal anything," Maeve argued, carefully following her plan as she stepped over to her wardrobe doors, kicking Derek's jacket aside as Kate followed after her.
Kate threw out her arms, patience running thin, eyes beaming with rage "Then where the hell is it?"
Maeve slowly opened the wardrobe doors, discreetly nodding at a terrified Derek, reaching up to grab the file from her shelf, turning back to Kate with a fake smile "You gave it to me, remember?"
Kate snatched the papers from her niece, with her confidence at a high, Maeve faked concern, placing her hand on her chest as she sarcastically commented "Is all the plotting and murdering starting to mess with your brain, auntie Kate?"
"Dont test me, Maeve," Kate called out as she waltzed out of the room, slamming the door behind her, the hinges weakening with every slam.
"I thought you gave the file to my mom?" Derek questioned, stepping out from the wardrobe, motioning in the direction of Kate's departure.
"I did," Maeve replied, returning back to cleaning her desk, explaining to Derek as she pulled her long hair into a messy bun "I replaced Kate's with false information, she'll be chasing the wrong leads for weeks."
"You, Maeve Argent, are a genius," Derek complimented with an impressed smile, walking to stand beside Maeve as she lifted up the large board she knocked down.
"I'd say devious, but genius works too," Maeve added in with a laugh, smiling gratefully as Derek moved to help her carry the board into her wardrobe, propping it up against the shelves.
Derek finally noticed the contents of the board, titling his head as he scanned all of the information pinned up to the wood "Nice murder board,"
"Investigation board," Maeve corrected instantly, smiling in amusement as Derek rolled his eyes, "To find my mom."
Derek pointed to the family tree scattered across the board, staring at it in confusion "You still figured out how you're a werewolf yet, have you?"
"Its probably from my dad, but i have no idea who he is," Maeve muttered in frustration, her eyes remaining on the large red question mark on the empty space in the tree.
"This wasn't what i expected!" Maeve complained, quickly ducking down to avoid Derek's boxing glove, her bright pink yoga leggings out of place in the middle of the preserve.
As someone who opted out of every voluntary sport, Maeve was struggling with her new athleticism and attempts of learning to fight as a werewolf.
Derek laughed shaking his head, motioning her forward with the red gloves covering his hands, "Come on!"
Maeve sighed, shaking her head, going to punch the glove but bit her lip instead, taking steps back "I don't want to hurt you!"
"You won't," Derek argued encouragingly, smiling as Maeve huffed, sitting herself down on the grass, crossing her arms over her chest like a child.
"I already know how to fight!" Maeve pointed out in annoyance, groaning as she lay back on the grass, the sun shining through the trees, the heat around them rising.
"As a human," Derek lay down beside her, taking off the gloves as he rested his head on the slightly damp grass "Fighting a werewolf is completely different to fighting a human, especially when fighting for survival."
Maeve sighed in defeat, turning her head to look up to Derek "I can't punch you,"
Derek smiled shaking his head, taking a breath as he gazed up at the sky, Maeve smiled as her sight remained on the beta, an unknown happiness beaming through her.
The two betas noticed Peter walking through the trees with his head held high, arrogance within him shining as he tauntingly smiled down at the friends "Him, i could punch."
"There's my favourite hunter," Peter greeted, sloughing back against a tree as he smirked down at them "Hurt any innocent today?"
Maeve and Derek shared a glance, taking
Peter followed their gaze, shaking his head instantly "Not a chance,"
"Scared i'll hurt your pretty face?" Maeve mocked his previous taunting smile, smiling gratefully as Derek held his hand out, pulling her up from the grass.
"My good lucks will never fade, Argent," Peter argued, glaring at his nephew as Derek passed him the red gloves, motioning for Peter to walk ahead.
"Shame its the only thing you have going for you," Maeve bickered as Peter hesitantly stepped towards her, confidently holding up his hands to fight.
For some reason, Maeve and Peter formed a friendship solely on bickering, though frenemies is a more fitting term for whatever they had between them.
Maeve sighed, nodding her head as she walked forward, Derek proudly watched as she lifted her fist, sending it flying against Peter's cheek. Maeve cheered as Peter stumbled back, turning back to Derek excitedly, only to look down in surprise as a loud thud echoed behind her.
Maeve's eyes widened, her mouth falling open as she turned back to Derek "I didn't just do that, did i?"
Derek slowly looked between Maeve and Peters unconscious body, holding onto his hoodie covering his chest as he leant over in laugher. Maeve rolled her eyes, "Don't laugh!"
Derek's laughter filled the quiet surroundings of the preserve, Maeve sighed, throwing her arms her arms out in embarrassment "Derek!"
"Leave him, he'll be fine," Derek suggested, holding in his laughter as she stared down at Peter laying facedown on the grass, a red bruise forming as it healed.
"We can't leave him unconscious in the woods," Maeve blinked in surprise, walking to stand by Derek's side, the pair of them staring down at Peter before looking around for any onlookers "Maybe we can,"
Derek took Maeve's hand, pulling her along with him, Maeve laughed running after him, the contact with Derek becoming less frightening and awkward every-time he held her hand.
"Your family really trusted you alone with weapons?"
The next school day ticked by, the betas had no classes together causing disappointment between the both of them, but after briefly hanging out at lunch between studying, it made the day a whole lot better for Derek.
Derek walked out of the school doors with Jamie and Archie running ahead of him, shouting insults at each other as they argued, Archie tackling Jamie down to the ground, Derek laughed as they fell onto the concrete shaking his head.
Derek smiled noticing Maeve sat on the steps waiting for her uncle, waving at the blonde as she noticed him. Maeve went to stand to walk to Derek, but a new body blocked her from walking forward, jumping back in surprise, an urge of jealousy hitting Derek.
Milo smiled down at Maeve, effortlessly beginning a conversation with the overly nervous girl, Archie rushed to Derek's side before Derek could wolf out in front of the whole school, hurt and anger painted on the betas face. The youngest Deaton sighed, Maeve's laughter audible to the human ears, pulling Derek away before he noticed the blush forming on her cheeks.
"Hey, isn't that Maeve?" Archie glared at Jamie in disbelief, grabbing onto the side of his hoodie as he pulled along the brunette with Derek "Hey! Hold on, what the hell is she doing with Milo?"
Archie rolled his eyes, wincing as Derek's claws dug into his arm "Jamie, for the love of god, shut up before Derek knocks you out again."