Killer | Derek Hale

BEFORE ME

"She's staying in that cell."

Stiles frustratedly ran a hand down his face, "Malia, she's sorry. She's vulnerable and scared. I mean, look at her!"

He gestured to the monitor to the left of them. The pack all looked to the screen and saw Maia curled up in the corner of her cell. Her arms wrapped around legs and she slightly rocked.

"She betrayed us!"

"Okay, think of it like this," he reasoned, "If she's in there, we have no advantage against Eric."

"What advantage would that be?" Argent asked, "She's already made it clear that she can't fight him. And he clearly doesn't care about keeping her alive."

"She's been running from this guy her whole life. If she can't beat him then she can at least buy us some time to figure it out."

Scott shook his head, "She doesn't have time."

They all looked at him with an ominous feeling around them. He raised his head from his hands and addressed them all.

"Eric and Roan will come from her," he stated.

"And she can't protect herself if she's stuck in a cell!" Stiles defended.

"Stiles is right," Lydia agreed, "Logically, letting Maia out is our best option."

"Logically, yes. But she could still betray us!" Malia argued, "What if this is all a trick? Maybe her brother just wanted her to get close to us so that he could tear us back down?"

A frustrated silence lingered between them. They knew Malia's theory was probable, but Stiles was also right.

Scott knew in his heart that Maia regretted what she did. He wanted to forgive her, since he had done it with so many other dangerous people. But for the sake of his pack, he was reluctant.

They waited for Scott's response.

He sighed and glanced at his older companion, "The choice is yours Derek."

The man, who had barely said a word since the whole ordeal, looked up. His brows were furrowed and he looked unforgiving. Everyone thought that he would say no.

But he didn't say no. He actually didn't say anything. Instead, he got to his feet and marched down to the cell Maia was in.

They watched in confusion. They turned to the monitor as Derek appeared in the camera's view.

"We shouldn't watch this...right?" Liam asked.

"Definitely not," Lydia said.

Stiles nodded. But he slowly crept over to the screen, "But if someone were to accidentally hit the button..."

He pretended to bump into the monitor, touching the microphone button. They lightly glared at him and he held his hands up in surrender. But they hesitantly watched the interaction.

When Derek got down to the cell, Maia's face lifted. She got up and walked to the bars, but he stayed a good distance away.

She hadn't seen him at all during her time down there, so she was disappointed when he backed away. Disappointed, but not surprised.

"Why did you do it?"

"I wanted to bring back Colin," she answered simply, "I didn't mean to bring back Eric. Roan tricked me."

He grit his teeth, tired of the repetition in her defense. He wanted her to show some real remorse. So far, it felt like he didn't get any real sorrow.

"Why did you help us escape?"

"Because Eric would've killed you. He would've killed all of us. I was just trying to protect y-"

"Stop!" he shouted, his anger rising. He scoffed and moved closer, "Can you admit just for once that you were only trying to save yourself? Like you always do!"

She frowned and tears started to build. Instead of sadness, she felt the need to spill everything to Derek, even her insecurities.

"You want me to tell you I'm selfish?" she asked rhetorically. Her voice wavered, "Fine, I'm selfish! I make choices that benefit me and hurt others. I have always been like that. Do I wish I could change it? Yes."

"Then change it!"

"I can't!"

"Yes, you can!" he said, his voice turning almost desperate, "You're just too afraid to put someone else before yourself."

"I put you before me!" she screamed, tears running freely down her face, "I don't put the pack before me; I don't put Scott or Stiles or Lydia before me; I put you! Because you are my pack!"

His face melted. He was shocked. He had no clue that the woman he cared about cared about him too. But right then, they were exposed and vulnerable. They were willing to do anything to get each other back.

"Please just tell me what to do to fix this," she whispered brokenly.

The pack watched from the screen anxiously. They wondered what Derek would do since he had only frozen in his spot.

The man looked down at the keys in his hand. He glanced up at the woman, breaking down by the second. But his anger got the best of him.

He walked away.

Maia called out to him until he slammed the door shut. He marched past the pack, who scrambled to act normal as if they never watched the ordeal.

Derek tossed the keys to Stiles, "Let her out for all I care. Just keep her out of my sight."

-

Presently, Stiles and Lydia were the only ones willing to actually interact with Maia. They hadn't forgiven her full heartedly but they were mostly friendly again.

Stiles drove the girls to the sheriff station. Maia was in the back seat, staring blankly out the window. Tears glistened in her eyes but they never fell.

She hadn't spoken since her conversation with Derek. Even when Stiles rushed down to let her out, all she did was give him a weak hug.

She avoided everyone's gaze. She couldn't bring herself to see the pain in their eyes. And she didn't want them to see the pain in hers.

Stiles and Lydia looked over their shoulders to see how she was doing. When they saw that she was still in the same spot, they sighed and looked at each other worriedly.

Stiles pulled into the parking lot of the station. He got out and helped Maia walk towards the door, seeing as she was still injured despite her rapid healing.

"We shouldn't be out in the open," she murmured.

"Don't worry," Lydia assured, "Eric won't find you."

The blank, yet terrified, look in Maia's eyes conveyed otherwise,

"He always finds me."

---