Bella's wolf
Part 4
REWRITTEN MARCH 2022
It had been two days since Stiles had been freed from the Nogitsune and things were good for now. Bella and Derek had gone on two dates, one each day and loved spending time together so much that they were barely apart anymore. They were good together, they fit well and understood each other.
"That was Scott. Malia will meet him this afternoon to learn her control. Stiles is picking her up." Bella informed her boyfriend.
"Do you think we should meet her there and just tell her who she is?" he asked her.
"I do, but maybe wait until her first training session is over. Anyway, Stiles and Scott should know about it too. She probably thinks that the accident that caused her mother and sister's death is her fault. Learning that it was caused by her birth mother might help her feel better and make it easier for her to learn control but it still won't be easy to hear for her."
"You're right. Well, that leaves us with a few hours of freedom..." Derek hinted before Bella chuckled and let him kiss her, knowing they'd probably end up in his bed once more.
"So much time to kill... What ever shall we do." She joked, accepting his kiss and kissing him back.
She loved how easy it was for her and Derek to be together. They just clicked, like they had been meant to be. It also scared her a little because it had felt that way too with Edward, but she had decided to take a leap of faith and to trust that it would work out between them. Derek was much more open that Edward, he was not hiding that he wanted her in every way and that he respected her choices. He didn't try to control her every move either, even when he didn't agree with what she wanted to do. He didn't take decisions for her either.
He had even confessed, just the day before, that he was worried that she'd end up leaving him for someone else some day, realizing that she was too good for him, that she could do better. Derek had mentioned the fact that the newest deputy, Jordan Parrish, was obviously interested in her, they had seen and spoken with him when they had driven Stiles to his father, once everything was solved, but Bella had reassured him. Of course Parrish was handsome, but she loved Derek (that's when they first exchanged the much desired 3 words) and that she didn't feel anything other than respect for Parrish. She, too, wanted to be with Derek, in every way, for as long as possible in this world.
"That's new! I didn't notice it before." Bella realized.
They were in his bedroom, getting dressed once more and she only now realized that he had several new pieces of furniture in there.
"Well, you spend so much time here, I figured I should make it more comfortable. This way you can store your clothes here." He explained with a smile, making Bella smile back at him fondly.
It was small gestures like this that showed her that he loved her. He always thought forward and he knew what she'd want, what would make her comfortable.
.
When Bella and Derek finally made it to Scott's house, Melissa was about to leave for work and she let them both in on her way out. Hand in hand, they climbed the steps to Scott's room and arrived right when Malia managed to get her claws out for the first time, earning herself applause from Stiles and a bright smile from her new Alpha.
"Good timing guys. Malia just did it!" Stiles told them with a bright smile on his face.
"Congratulation Malia." Bella smiled.
"Thanks. Scott said that you needed to talk to me?" The girl asked them curiously.
"Yes. It won't be easy for you to hear what we have to tell you but we think it's important that you know." Derek told her.
"Alright. I'm listening." She nodded.
"Why don't you sit down, first." Bella advised.
Once Malia was sitting between Scott and Stiles, Derek and Bella exchanged a look and Bella started to talk:
"Do you know that you were adopted?" She asked Malia in a careful voice.
"Yes, I do now. My father told me when I came back from Eichen House. Does it have to do with what you have to tell me?" Malia nodded.
"Yes, it does. At first we wanted to tell you when you're alone but Bella figured that you might need friends once you know the truth but if you want Scott and Stiles to leave, they will." Derek replied.
"No, I trust them." Malia nodded, already considering Scott and Stiles as friends and members of her pack.
"Did they tell you about my family?" Derek asked her.
"Yes, Stiles told me everything yesterday. The fire, your uncle, your sisters... Everything."
"Good. What we have to tell you has to do with my uncle Peter." Derek started to say.
"The crazy killer who's now dead?" She asked in a calm voice.
"Yes, him. I... there is no easy way to announce this so I'm just going to come out and say it... Peter is your father, though he didn't remember it because my mother, his sister and a powerful Alpha, had taken the memory of it all from him to protect you." Derek spoke carefully, trying to make it easier to accept for Malia.
It was silent for a few seconds. Malia seemed deep in thoughts but remained calm enough.
"My protection? What does it mean? Was he crazy back then too?" She asked Derek.
"He wasn't exactly sane but he hide it well. She hide you to protect you from your birth mother." He replied, trying to sound as friendly as possible.
"My birth mother?" She asked and this time, it's Bella who answered her.
"She's a bounty hunter who uses the code name of Desert wolf. I've made a file for you with everything I managed to find about her, Stiles' dad helped me but it might not be the kind of information you want to know... She's really a bad person." Bella warned her before she handed Malia a red file she had carried in her purse.
Malia took the file and nodded, still unsure if she was going to read it or not. For now, she kept it closed but in her hand.
"I've added a couple of pictures of her so that you know what she looks like, in case she comes around here." Bella added.
"I don't get it though. I get that she's a bad person but I'm her daughter. Why was I in danger from her? Was it because they were afraid I'd become bad like her?" Malia asked Derek and Bella.
"No Malia... I... In the were-coyote species, when a female gives birth to a daughter, she gives half of her power to that daughter. My mother called it an incredible gift to pass it along to a child but your mother... She called it theft. She wanted that power back and probably still does. I know all of this because Lydia helped me get in touch with my mother by using her claws. Anyway, we have good reasons to believe that the Desert Wolf was behind the accident that killed your mother and sister." Derek replied.
"I... It was on a full moon! She was going to kill me? This is why they died? It wasn't because I changed... It's not my fault?" She asked him and he nodded.
"It's not your fault, it never was. It's hers. Now listen Malia, I know that finding out who your parents are isn't easy, especially in this case, but know that it does nothing to change who you are. You get to make that choice and you're not alone. You're my cousin, no matter what. It doesn't matter that your last name is Tate, you'll always be a Hale to me and no matter what you need, I'll be there for you." Derek told her.
"How can you be sure that I won't turn out evil like them?" Malia asked him.
"It's nature versus nurture Malia. It doesn't matter who gave you your DNA. What matters is who loves you, who you love and the people you have in your life. People change people, it's one of the secret of humanity. The ability to be good is in everyone, it's the choices we make along the way that matter." Bella told her encouragingly, smiling when she remembered hearing something similar in one of the few TV shows she had watched when she was a kid: Boy meets World.
"I don't want to be like them." Malia decided.
"Then you've chosen the right group of friends, none of us will ever let you become like them. None of us will ever give up on you." Scott intervened.
"Thanks." Malia nodded.
"Scott's right, he never gives up. None of us do." Bella smiled.
"Now Malia, there's something else I'd like to tell you about. In the family vault, I'll show you were it is and how to get in later, there is some money that used to belong to Peter. Now that he's dead, it's yours. I suggest taking what you need for now and waiting until you're 18 or 21 to get the rest. Just know that no matter which college you want to go to, you can afford it, along with a few bad decisions." Derek told his cousin who nodded, obviously not caring about the money.
Already, Derek was planning on taking a couple of millions the next day and placing them in a special bank account for Malia, just in case she made too many bad decisions and ended up with nothing.
"You also need to be careful, the Desert Wolf is still alive and she could still come for you, to take her powers back. She can only do it during the full moon and the process would kill you. Don't stay alone on these nights, not until we know she's caught." Bella warned her.
"Thank you, really." Malia nodded.
"How will you know she's caught? Are you leaving to catch her?" Scott asked his cousin, worried.
"No, not me. I want to stay in town now. But a few friends of mine are after her, friends I've made along the way. I told them that she was after someone important to me and that catching her was urgent. Even the official human law wants her. I don't think she'll stay free much longer but you never know... Better be prepared. I'll place protections against her in the places you guys usually hang out and around Malia's house as well, better safe than sorry." Bella replied.
"I had nightmares about that night... Lots of them. A tall angry woman on the road, forcing my mother to drive off to the side. The fear and shock triggering my change... I thought it was just my imagination, my mind trying to help me make peace with everything... now I know it's all real. It's all her fault, not mine." Malia told them in a small voice.
"Will you be okay?" Derek asked her.
"Yes, thank you. I... I'd like to talk to you some more later though." She replied.
"Of course, no problem, you know where to find me. You'll always be welcome there, even if what you need is a place to stay, even if you don't want to talk. You can always come over. If I'm not there, just make yourself at home." Derek replied before he left with Bella.
Indeed, since he owned the entire building anyway, Derek had renovated a few lofts. One of them was lived in by the twins and he had offered a room to Isaac as well but the Beta liked to live with Scott and Melissa McCall. It made him feel like he had a family, a loving one. And Melissa didn't mind, Isaac wasn't hard to have around and she knew that he was an extra protection for her son and especially herself.
The rest of the lofts and apartments of the building, Derek decided to rent a few of them, to make sure that money kept on coming in, and he kept the two small one room apartments in case he needed a room for a member of the pack.
.
A week after Bella and Derek had told Malia the truth about her birth parents, Chris Argent came back in town.
He was unharmed but tired and satisfied because they had managed to catch his sister and to keep her alive. It hadn't been easy but he had managed to convince Araya to give Kate a chance to learn control and to become a good person, even though she was already a terrible human being before she was bitten.
He quickly thanked Bella for being there for his daughter before she left them alone, knowing that they'd need to talk a bit. Before she left, Bella and Chris exchanged a look that told her what she needed to know: Kate had been stopped, but she wasn't dead, she was still alive for now. She'd get the details later, she wasn't worried.
"So, you've been gone a while. Where have you been? Bella said that you were safe but nothing else. I deserve to know. I'm not a child anymore dad." Allison insisted.
"I know you do, I just didn't want you to know about this before it was over." Her father nodded.
"Why? What did you do?" She asked him, trying to hide that he had hurt her feelings.
"Your aunt Kate is alive. I found out only recently that Peter turned her when he slashed her neck. I had no idea, didn't even consider that she could be changing but the Calaveras did. The Mexicans were hunting her and Bella warned me so that I could save her if I wanted to. I joined them and convinced them to let me make the decision and to forgive her for not killing herself like the code dictated. They finally agreed and when we caught her, I took her to a place I know in France. She's locked up and will learn control and be rehabilitated so that maybe, one day, she could be freed and allowed to hang around people without risks. It'll take some work because as you remember, even as a human, her morality wasn't exactly the best or she wouldn't have burnt down the Hale house when it was full of people, including children. I asked Bella not to tell you. I didn't want you to put yourself in danger by trying to chase her." He confessed.
"Rehabilitated?" She asked him, trying to hide how hurt and angry she was by the fact that he hadn't told her what he was doing before he left.
"You have to remember that Kate set the Hale house on fire, she killed innocents and this isn't right. Where she is, she'll learn to see the error of what she did and to behave better. It will take time but it will be worth it." He explained.
"I want to see her." Allison demanded, her face hard as stone.
"No Allison. You can't. At least not right away. You need to trust that I know what's best for you." Chris argued.
"Why? Why can't I see my aunt? I want to speak with her!" Allison argued back.
"Allison, NO! I don't want a repeat of what happened with Gerard last year. You're... you're too suggestible, I can't trust that she won't manipulate you once more, Kate's good at that. She did it with Derek when they were in school, she did it to you when she came back... I won't have it. I know it's not easy but it's no! Maybe next summer, if everything goes well for Kate, if she's made progress, but not now." Chris ordered in a hard voice.
"Suggestible! You think I'm weak?" She yelled.
"I'm not speaking of physical weakness Allison and you know it. You've let them get under your skin too easily in the past and I have to put my foot down for this. I have to protect you. All it takes to go down the dark road is one step, one action you can't come back from. I won't have that." He told her, trying his best not to yell at her.
"Fine, be like that. I'm going out. Unless you think Isaac will get under my skin too." Allison replied sarcastically before she grabbed her jacket and slammed the front door behind her.
About 15 minutes later, a worried Chris received a text message from Bella informing him that Allison had just arrived at Scott's house and that she was going to try and calm her down. He thanked her and went into his office to do some work. He was glad his daughter had someone like Bella in her life. She was a kind woman and a good guide for the teenagers. He hoped her plans to be hired at the High school would work.
.
"So you're sleeping on the couch when you're spending the night here?" Derek asked Bella as they cuddled in front of the TV at the McCall house.
Derek found it refreshing to have small moments like this, normal moments.
"Yes, for now. I let Isaac have the guest bedroom. I'm looking for a place to rent for myself though." She told him.
"Why?"
"Because I don't want to sleep on my aunt's couch forever silly." She chuckled.
"I know that but why look for a place of your own? Why not move in with me?" he asked her seriously.
"Move in with you? Is this something you'd want?" She asked him.
They hadn't been together that long but she didn't feel like this was rushed or anything of the sort. She wanted it, deep down, she wanted to take the chance, even though it scared her a little.
"If it weren't, I wouldn't be asking. Plus, aren't you the one who said that my place needed a woman's touch? And I got all these new pieces of furniture for you... There's definitely room for your motorcycle in my garage..." He smiled back at her.
"I... Are you sure? It's an important step to take. Definitely a serious one." She warned him.
"I know. I want to take it with you. Don't answer now and think about it. I'll ask you again later." he suggested, already picturing himself asking her while presenting a set of keys to his place with a bow on it or in a pretty box, or in a box with a bow.
"Alright then." She nodded before she kissed him.
Deep down, she knew that she'd accept. She wanted to take that chance and she knew that she'd sleep much better in his arms, in his bed than she would on this couch.
When the door opened, they broke apart to see who had come in. It was a very angry looking Allison. She nodded in Bella's way, letting her know that she understood why she had kept her father's secret, and rushed up the stairs to Isaac.
"I better text her father to warn him that she's okay and here so he doesn't worry." Bella told Derek.
"I gather that she didn't like what her father was doing." He suggested.
"I think she's angry that he didn't tell her because he was afraid she'd let herself be manipulated by Kate again. She thinks that it means her father thinks she's weak and it angers her. She's hurt in her pride. Like every teenager her age she wants to be treated like an adult but she's not ready yet." Bella replied.
"You think they'll be okay?" he asked her.
"I know they will. They just need time." She smiled resting her head on his shoulder.
"And maybe your magical touch and great advice?" He asked, already knowing her answer.
"Of course." She nodded, amused.
.
Upstairs, things weren't going the way Allison had expected it to. Isaac and Scott were taking her father's side and it was making her very angry. How dare they? They were supposed to be her friends, Isaac was even her boyfriend. Didn't they have to be on her side and to agree with her? Couldn't they at least pretend? No, instead, they spoke out in favor of her father, to defend his point of view and it angered her that they were making sense. She didn't want them to be right.
Before things could get too bad, Bella intervened and suggested they had a girls night, that they all needed it. Allison agreed and they both headed to Lydia's lake house, where Lydia and Kira would join them. On the way, they stopped to invite Malia along. Wanting to get along well with her new pack and to make friends, Malia agreed.
"What are the boys doing tonight?" Malia asked Bella once she got in the car with them.
Indeed, Derek had offered Bella to trade for the night. He'd use her motorcycle and she'd use his car.
"They'll hang out at Derek's, probably order pizzas and watch sports or something of the sort. Maybe watch an action movie. Unless Stiles gets his way and forces them all to finally watch Star Wars so that they can finally understand his references." Bella replied with a smile.
"He might end up locking them all in so that they don't have a choice but to watch it.
Bella knew that Malia was more comfortable with the boys of the pack and she was happy to see that she was at least trying to make an effort to get along with the girls, to get to know them.
Over the course of the night, Bella managed to help Allison calm down and understand her father's point of view. She managed to admit that he had done the right thing, that he was only protecting her because she was all he had left and the next morning, she went home to apologize for her reaction and the incident was forgotten.
As it turned out, Malia got along pretty well with the other girls. Once she took the time to get to know them, she realized that she had a few things in common with each of them and that they were pretty good company to keep.
.
A few days later, Bella and Derek were having dinner together in a fancy restaurant when he asked her once more to move in with him, presenting him her with a set of keys to his place with a pretty red bow on them. Of course she agreed, there was nothing she wanted more than this at the moment.
"I've even gotten the internet installed so you can keep on taking your online classes there without having to go out each time." He added once she had agreed.
"That's great, thank!" She smiled brightly.
He had also installed an office for her in one of the rooms upstairs, where she'd have a desk, a comfortable chair, shelves to put her books... Anything she could want really.
"And the best thing is that if we ever argue and you don't want to sleep with me, one of us can use one of the empty one bedroom apartment I'm keep for emergencies." Derek chuckled.
"For future references, a fallback option in case of an argument isn't the best way to get someone to move in with you." Bella chuckled.
"Noted. You're still going for a teaching degree?"
"Yes, I am. I like it when I tutor people, I do see myself teaching in a class full of people later. Until then, I've applied for a counselor's position at the High school. Given everything that's going on, they don't have many candidates and even if I'm still studying, I have several recommandation letters and given the fact that my grades are very high, I have a fair chance at the position. I have the minimum required diploma... I'm hopeful." She informed him.
"You know that if it's about money, I have plenty, you don't have to work." he reminded her, willing to share all he had with her.
"It's nice of you but money isn't the only reason I'm doing it. If it was, I'd get back on the road and be a Supernatural Bounty hunter once more. If they hire me, I'll be close to Scott and the rest of the pack in case something happens." She replied.
"True, that's a smart move." he nodded.
"And even later. I mean, there will always be supernatural teens in Beacon Hills. It's always a good idea to have someone at the school who knows about them and is able to help them if they ever need it." Bella added.
"True, I would have loved to have someone like you there when I studied. Every time I had problems with my control... It would have helped." he smiled.
"Did you take Malia to the vault yet?"
"Yes, I did. I showed her where her money was, told her that I've placed some in a bank account for her and she took a few more to store at her house, just in case. The rest will stay in the vault until she needs it. If she doesn't, it'll be for her children." Derek replied.
"Is she planning on spending it yet?"
"No, I don't think she cares that much about money. As long as she has friends and family around her, she'll be fine. When she lived in the woods, she didn't have any material possessions and because of that, money doesn't mean much to her right now."
"Well, she's starting school tomorrow morning. That's got to be interesting for everyone. I think Stiles and Isaac have been betting on her doing weird things in class or something. And Lydia has been coaching her so that she doesn't do anything weird." Bella smiled, amused.
"Well, even if she does, she'll be fine. I trust Scott. He's a better Alpha that I would have ever been." Derek replied.
"Alpha or not, you're my wolf now." Bella smiled, flirting and eager to get back to Derek and her's place.
She loved that he had made place for her in his life and that he was letting her make her own decision. She had thought that she was finally herself and complete when she became a druid but now that she was with Derek, she was even more herself. Somehow, he helped her be more herself. They completed each other and made each other better.
.
In Alaska, the Cullen Family was packing. They had bought an almost perfect house in Beacon Hills, Carlisle would start at the hospital soon after they moved in and even though finding Bella was harder because Alice couldn't see anything, they were hopeful. They "kids" were all signed up to start school a couple of weeks after their move as well.
"We'll have to be careful, it's California. We won't be able to be at school often, you better plan for a good excuse to explain it, Carlisle." Rosalie frowned.
"I've looked online. Even though it's California, it's cloudy enough most of the time. Plus, with the woods and all, the usual excuse of family hiking should work." Jasper replied.
"If it doesn't you'll pull us out and say that we'll be homeschooled and it'll be fine." Rosalie added.
"I can't see much, whatever is blocking Bella is also blocking me from seeing the town and our life their. We'll have to see when we get there." Alice shook her head, nervous.
"Don't worry, it'll be fine." Esme smiled reassuringly.
Edward didn't speak. They were all still pretty angry with him and every time he tried to speak, one of them ended up snapping at him. He decided to be discrete until they had Bella back in their life. Then, they'd all forgive him.
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Lorelei Candice Black