Hi, everyone. Obviously this is a ChloexDerek fanfic, and my first ever. I know the chapter is short and I apologize, but hopefully I'll improve with time. Please read and review, and critiques are appreciated as I would like to write more in the future.

Note: This takes place after The Awakening, and they've already been at the safe house for a few weeks.

Disclaimer: Really? The rights to Kelly Armstrong's Darkest Powers series aren't for sale? But I could've sworn.

DPOV

I looked at her face and into those overwhelmingly beautiful, blue eyes. I could see how concerned she was, how worried she was making herself…over me. That last thought replayed itself in my head. She's worried about me. Chloe. Beautiful, strong, wonderful Chloe is worried about me. She must care. She has to. I had to face facts though, what if she didn't? What if Chloe only cared about me because I was her friend? Not because I was……I drifted off again. All the little memories came flooding back, of her helping me through the change, her hand on my back, her smile, God how I loved that smile, and her eyes. The beautiful eyes that always showed how much she cared. She had to care. I don't think I could bare it if she didn't. But I had to be sure. I had to know.

"Chloe?" I barely managed to whisper the word. Her blue eyes bored straight into my green ones.

"Derek? A-Are you okay? You seem so distraught. Is it the change? Is it coming again?" Her voice was tinged with anxiety. I didn't want her to suffer, or feel this way on my account. But at the same time, I couldn't help but think: She really does care. If she's this worried, she has too. You have to tell her. Now. The last thought came out as more of a low growl then the others had, and I realized it wasn't just the human side of me batting the idea around in my head any more. My inner wolf was there too, and he wanted Chloe to know. Wanted her to accept him, to need him.

Apparently, I must have been quiet for more time than Chloe thought necessary because when I looked at her, I noticed something had dramatically changed. Chloe was touching me. Her hand was on my forehead, then her palm on my cheek. But then it didn't move. Her soft skin remained close to mine, and I couldn't figure out why she wasn't pulling away. She already knew by my forehead that I didn't have a fever. I guess the mixture of confusion and shock showed on my face, because Chloe pulled her hand down to her side at an incredible speed, and began facing the floor.

The awkward silence that followed probably would've been deafening to most. But I didn't notice, all I could hear was the quickening beat of my heart, and the corresponding speed of Chloe's heart. They match. With that, a slight smile made its way to the corner of my mouth, but I quickly corrected it before beginning again.

"Chloe?" She raised her head and I noticed that her cheeks were still tinted with the slightest shade of pink. She turned her head because she was blushing. She blushed at touching you. That has to mean something. Doesn't it? Wait…that's good right? What if she was blushing because she thought it was weird and inappropriate? Crap. She couldn't think that. Not after all this time. Her intense stare pulled me out of my inner ramblings, and I saw the expectant look in her eyes. Why was she looking me like that? Because you said her name stupid. That's why. Oh, right. I suddenly had the urge to slap myself in the head for acting like such a moron.

"Sorry, Chloe. I got kind of, well…distracted for a minute." She looked up at me, and had the smallest hint of a smile on her face. "That's okay, Derek. Just tell me what's wrong. Please. I don't like to see you like this." The smile vanished and was replaced with nothing but concern once again. I inhaled deeply trying to prepare myself for what I was about to do. It helped, but somehow I knew that I would never be ready. Now was the time to do it though, regardless, so I continued.

"Do you remember the night at the park?" I saw her visibly shudder, and couldn't help but reach out and grab her shoulders. I needed to steady her, to prepare her for what I was about to say. The slight shaking stopped immediately at my touch and her stare transformed, but into something I couldn't read, emotion behind it that I couldn't decipher. What is she thinking?

A small, "Y-yes," escaped her lips. I knew she was replaying the experience in her mind, and it was troubling her. I needed to get past this as fast as possible and make that scene stop.

"Do you remember what Liam said?" By this point, she looked almost on the verge of crying. "W-Which part?" she replied and shuddered again. "The part where he kept telling Ramon, that I had found myself…" I cleared my throat, as if that would help me to say it somehow, "…a mate." The threatening tears vanished and she had the mysterious look on her face again.

"Y-y-yes." She nodded her head. "I remember."

"Well, you see, the thing is," I paused before saying as quickly as I possibly could, "he was right."

"W-what? Derek, what do you mean, 'he was right'? I don't understand." Oh God. The thoughts were whizzing through my head at such a fast speed that they were hard to receive in correct order. She's going to reject me. She's going to be revolted by the idea of being my mate. I knew it. She'll run, and I'll lose her forever. It was too late though now, the next words were already coming out of my mouth with no help from me.

"Chloe. You're my mate. Now, I know that sounds very strange, and even possibly appalling, but what it means is wonderful. It means that you are the only person I ever want to be with. You are the one I want by my side for the rest of my life. You are my mate, the one I need always. I belong with you." I dropped my hands from her shoulders, allowing her to escape at her own will, to escape from the monster before her. I stared at the floor not wanting to see her retreat. Then something happened that I didn't expect; there was silence. That long and beautiful silence. It had to last for at least two minutes before it hit me: She's not running. Maybe she's just in shock. She'll run eventually, it's inevitable. Why would she want to be with a monster like me? Because she's your mate of course. The wolf was intruding on my thoughts again, but I wasn't about to let his positive outlook get my hopes up.

"Derek." At the sound of her voice, I looked up. She was still standing there and staring very intently at me. "Yeah?" I responded.

"So what you're telling me is, basically, that you l-lo-love me?" I met her gaze with as much intensity as I could possibly muster. "Yes Chloe. Of course. I'll love you for the rest of my life."

"And you want to be with me?" There was a hint of something in her voice, and her lips were turned up ever so slightly at the corners into a mischievous smile. Now I was really confused.

"Yes, Chloe…more than anything." Suddenly I saw a flash of white. It was bright and warm, and Where did that come from? I tore my eyes away from Chloe's to realize she was clutching my hand, and bringing it towards…her chest. My shoulders tensed, wondering exactly what she was doing and where she was going with this. Eventually it came to rest slightly beneath her neck, above her heart. I just stared at it.

"Derek…" Even Chloe's voice couldn't tear my gaze away from the connection between us. "…I love you too." That did it, my eyes hit Chloe's again. Did she just say what I think she said? Yes. Yes. She definitely just said she loved me. She loves me! By this point, the wolf was smiling confidently. Now show her how much she means to you. For once, I didn't resist the wolf at all. He was right, he had been right, and it was about time I start accepting it.

Well I hope you enjoyed it. This was only the first chapter out of many.

Once again, Please read and review! ^_^