Loving a Particular Werewolf

A/N: Hi guys! This is my new one-shot/drabble however you would like to look at it, about Braeden, Derek and Paige because I couldn't resist Derek's new love story. He is my bby and I hope he finds happiness so here it goes!

I know that Derek's age has never been confirmed, but considering Hoechlin is 26, I decided to go with that. Enjoy!

Warning: Fluff alert!

Disclaimer: All characters belong to Jeff Davis and the people of Teen Wolf, but I wish they were mine.

Truth be told, Braeden had never felt worse. She ached all over, her bandaged arm cradled against her chest, while her left foot balanced all of her weight, her right wrapped up tight with gauze from the sprain. Her chest wound however, seemed to be the worst of all of it.

The drive home from Mexico had been grueling and she's never been so happy to see the Beacon Hills town line in her life. Plus Derek...well, Derek was another story.

The lights across the apartment near the kitchen flickered suddenly, causing Braeden to pull the gun out of her waistband Wwwand pointed it at the open space near the wall separating the kitchen and living room. What was going on? Braeden wondered.

"Are you Braeden?" A small, female voice spoke behind her and Braeden spun around, pointing her gun at the intruder.

"Who are you? Why are you in my house?" The girl looked no older than 17, long brown hair and ivory skin, with her clothes torn and bloody in certain places and a large gash was on her forehead, yet the rest of her face clean. She seemed almost as though she was transparent, her shape shifting in and out of focus at times and Braeden had to focus directly at her to see her completely.

"I...I'm sorry, I don't exactly know how to start this. Umm...my name's Paige, I'm a ghost, who was killed by a werewolf bite around 10 years ago because my body rejected the bite. I, uh...was also kind of in love with Derek Hale."

A rush of surprise runs through her at Paige's words. Derek? As in her Derek? What is this girl taking about?

"How are you here? I didn't even know ghosts were real. Damn." Braeden had met all sorts of creatures, werewolves, windings, banshees, and even swears she met a vampire once, (which is a whole other story), but ghosts? No way in hell.

"It's kind of a long story, too long considering I don't have all that much time. Let's just say I owe someone a favor."

"You just said you're a ghost, like a freaking ghost. What the hell?" Braeden was so shocked, she had absolutely no idea what was happening. Ghosts? Really? This was not Ghost Whisperer. I sure as hell am not Jennifer Love Hewitt, Braeden thought to herself.

Paige laughed for a moment, "Trust me, I wasn't that thrilled on being a ghost myself, it's rather boring most of the time, no one sees you, and you don't really get to touch anything, although the walking through walls thing is kind of cool."

Paige paused for a moment, then asked, "How is he? Derek I mean. I've tried to check up on him every few years just to make sure he's okay." Braeden wasn't sure how to respond to that, but she said hesitantly, "He's okay, a little worn out with having the fight with Kate and the Besurkers, but he's doing much better." Truthfully, Derek was amazing and that's what Braeden is terrified of. What he's going to be like now that he has his power back? Is he going to be different? Is it not going to be the same as it was before? Braeden didn't want anything to change between them and yet, she was scared of taking it further with their relationship.

Paige spoke again after a moment, her voice faint, and filled with emotion. "I used to worry he was losing himself, especially in the last couple of years with all he's been through. But I think he's finally found something to believe in again. Scott and the pack...you. I can see the old Derek slowly creeping back into the new version, and it gives me hope that he will be okay, and that I can finally move on. I just want him to be happy, that's all I care about."

Braeden wants to ask what happened when she was 17, and why she died from the werewolf bite, but maybe some things were meant to be kept secret, secrets too painful to drudge up, she knows she's done that with her own life many times.

"I'm so proud of him, you know, to be able to shape-shift like Talia. I knew one day that he would be an amazing leader, especially with the way he grew up, but I never expected him to become such a unique and particular type of werewolf." Paige looked straight into her eyes for a moment before continuing. "He was the most wonderful and amazing person I ever met, and I loved him so much. Please don't push him away, he deserves so much more, after everything Derek has been through, he deserves someone in his life that will love him." Paige's eyes fill with unshed tears, her voice breaking, "I've see the way he looks at you. He hasn't looked at anyone like that in a very long time, and you are special to him, just like he is special to you."

Braeden looked at Paige in shock. "I don't...I don't know what you mean." Braeden's statements sounds like a lie to her own ears. Derek has been creeping up on her heart for awhile now, and she's done everything she can to deny it, but she's failing miserably.

Paige giggles faintly, "Yes you do, trust me. I see the way you look at him, like you can't even believe he's real, sitting there in front of you. I know because I used to look at him the same way, he kind of has a way of doing that to people. I know you Braeden, I understand what it's like to not want to open up to people, and how difficult it is to tell people how you feel, but don't shut people out just because you're scared. Let him in Braeden, I promise it will be amazing, because he's amazing. Please...take a chance. I'm not saying that it won't be hard, because God, it will be, this is Derek, but it will be worth it." Suddenly, a loud popping sound appeared in Braeden's ear, like speakers, suddenly dying after years of use, and Paige grins, "Well, it looks like my time is up, unfortunately. It was wonderful to meet you Braeden. Think about what we talked about." She faded slowly, white light fading into the air around Braeden.

After Paige is gone, she stands for a moment staring at the space where she was just a moment ago. She thinks about Derek's stupid grin and his scruffy face, which is annoyingly adorable. She thinks about how he's so protective over Scott and the small pack they have, or his little quirks he seems to have. She thinks of the distinct similarities between them, their drive to be independent, their realistic outlook on the world and how even with their damaged hearts, they learned to open up to one another. She thinks of the pull he holds over her, even when they first met, every little thing she's learned about him over the past few weeks about this particular werewolf. Derek Hale. How stupid is she to believe that she can pretend like this isn't big, isn't epic.

It's time to stop living in denial.