Derek was starting to think that making contact with Paige – with Mae - was a bad idea. What if she remembered Paige's life? More importantly...what if she remembered Paige's death? He should have kept his distance for longer but he couldn't help it. The memories of Paige stuck with him all his days. How could he possibly not make an attempt to get to know Mae?

Mae shifted her weight a little as the awkward silence hung in the air between them in the distillery. She couldn't help feeling that she knew this wolf or at least had seen him before. He looked at her like he was seeing a ghost and Mae wasn't too sure how to process that. One thing she knew for certain, if one of them didn't start talking then this was going to continue being weird. "Who are you?" she asked, finally breaking the silence.

Derek couldn't help but finding that she had to ask his name a little amusing. The tables were turned, it seemed. Before, Paige knew who he was but he didn't know her. Now, Derek knew who she was but she didn't know him. It was also a bit of a relief but it also made him a little sad that she didn't remember him. Then again, perhaps it's for the best. It was all very conflicting. Finally, he answered her question, "Derek. Derek Hale."

"Bond. James Bond," Mae imitated said character because of how he introduced himself and did the same when she gave her name, "Mae. Mae Thorne." Suddenly, it clicked. "Hold on. Hale? As in the Hale House?"

Derek nodded in confirmation. "That's right."

"My family just bought that place from you," Mae crossed her arms with a chuckle because she figured that's why he seemed familiar – Like maybe his scent was still lingering on the property or something. "Well, Damon bought it from you." Mae corrected herself because she didn't have any say in the matter.

"That your father?" Derek asked, curiously.

Mae made a 'pfft' sound before saying, "Hell no." She then remembered how her mother has had an affair with Damon and her expression changed. "I don't think so...oh god, I hope not." She shuddered at the thought of it and really hoped that wasn't the case.

Changing topics, she asked, "What are you doing here? Make a habit of following people?"

"I tend to keep an eye on the new wolves that come to Beacon Hills," he replied. Derek twisted the truth enough to keep it in a gray area and prevent her from picking up on it.

Mae listened to his heartbeat when he answered and didn't detect a lie there, so she made the joke "What? No welcoming party? That's lame."

Before Derek could get another word out, Mae said, "Well, nice seeing you again." She took a step then realized her words with a laugh. "I mean, nice to meet you." Mae had no idea why she said that it was nice to see him again when she had never seen him before in her life. At least, as far as she could remember.

Derek wanted to stop her but didn't. He let Mae pass and leave without another word. It went against every fiber of his being, but he still didn't stop her.

Derek walked out of the distillery and watched as Mae took off for the woods. There was so much he should have said or done and yet he stood there and did nothing. Then again, maybe their meeting did more than he thought. After all, she did say that it was nice to see him again. Maybe Mae knew more of Paige's life than she realized - even if it was just subconsciously. Still, he wasn't sure if that'd be a good thing or a bad one.

Mae thought about Derek the whole way home. She couldn't seem to get him out of her head. Mae had never had this kind of reaction to anyone before and yet she felt the same sense of dejavu she'd felt a million times since moving here. It wasn't just dejavu that she was feeling. It was like he had gotten under her skin all the way to her heart. But how was that possible? She'd jut met the guy! Right?

Mae was pulled from her thoughts when Ty moved off his seat on the porch steps and went over to her. "Where the hell have you been?" he practically demanded to know.

"I went for a run. I told you that before I left," Mae defended, not liking his tone.

"I know that," he retorted. "Maybe I should have asked who the hell have you been with?" When Mae looked at him, confused, he added in, "You have a...scent on you. Who's is it?"

"I ran into one of the resident wolves," Mae answered honestly. "But I barely brushed up against him when I walked by. Hardly enough to get his scent on me like that."

Ty looked at her skeptically. "It's all over you, Mae. Damon's not going to be happy about this."

"Why? Because he expects us to be together?" Mae shot back. "I know Damon expects members of his pack to be with other members of his pack. And the last I knew, that just left us." She took a deep breath to compose herself. "I didn't do anything, Ty. But even if I did, it wouldn't matter because you're the last person I'd ever be with."

Ty was a bit hurt by her declaration. "Would that be so bad?"

"We've always been like Jo and Laurie," she explained. "And just like them...never gonna happen." Mae left it at that and went up the porch steps, into the house.

Damon was right there waiting for her when she walked in. "You missed dinner."

"Sorry," Mae muttered and tried to make it to the stairs but he blocked her path. "What is it?" she asked, her patience growing thin.

Damon leaned forward and inhaled deeply. "I don't recognize that scent. Who is it?"

"I ran into the previous owner of this house. That's it. Now, can I go and wash up, please?" Mae really wanted to get out of his path before something happened.

Damon's posture straightened when he heard her explanation. "You are to have nothing to do with the Hale. You understand?"

Mae had no idea where that came from. "No...I don't understand. Why?"

Damon had enough of Mae questioning him and backhanded her across the face because of it. "Because it's an order!" he shouted with eyes glowing red. "Do you understand that?!"

Mae gasped as soon as his hand made contact with her face. She quickly placed hers over the painful spot and looked at him with dry eyes. Mae was not going to let him see her cry. "Understood," she practically spat back before running up the stairs to her room.

Clara heard the commotion and rushed out to see what was going on. "Damon...you can't do that to her. Not now. Not when you're so close to getting everything you wanted. If she leaves..."

"She won't!" Damon bellowed then calmly yet firmly added, "Not if she knows what's good for her."

Clara tried to get him to see reason. "Damon..."

He cut her off. "She was with the Hale."

Clara almost gasped when she heard that. "The Hale? How? I thought he was in New Mexico now."

"That's what I was told," Damon replied as he walked into the kitchen with Clara right behind him. He was not pleased with this misinformation. "I would have timed things differently had I known he was still here!"

"She clearly doesn't remember anything," Clara reasoned. "If she had then she wouldn't have come back. We just need to keep a closer eye on her."

"Mae is not to leave this house until the Blood Moon." Damon was very adamant about that decision.

Clara had another idea in mind. "You should let her go," she softly countered. "Perhaps we can use the Hale to our advantage."

Damon was intrigued but didn't follow. "Explain."

"Mae needs to be a willing participant in the Blood Moon, correct?" Clara asked, hoping he'd catch on.

Damon nodded. "That is what Shaiya said."

It was clear that she'd have to fill in the blanks for him so she moved closer and wrapped her arms around his neck as she smiled. "Then perhaps we can use the Hale to make sure Mae does what she's supposed to, instead of Ty."

Damon needed a moment then he figured it out. "The Hale could give her a more compelling reason," he answered with pleased darkness to his tone.

Clara moved closer and whispered, "Exactly," with a wicked little grin upon her face.

Damon laughed as he looked at her. "I like the way you think, woman."

That night, Mae couldn't sleep no matter how hard she tried so she sat on the front porch curled up in one of the wicker chairs, looking out at the forest. She gently touched the spot on her face where Damon had hit her. Even though the pain was no longer present she could still feel the sting of impact. Mae knew she was lucky to have only gotten that when she had received and seen Damon give out far worse in the past.

Mae quickly pulled down her hand when she heard the front door open. Upon seeing her father, she asked, "Can't sleep either?"

Kyle eased into the chair beside Mae but didn't look at her until he asked, "Did your mother ever tell you that you were an unexpected child?"

Mae shook her head in reply. She wasn't sure why her father was telling her this, but she'd let him continue.

"It's true. We didn't even know you were coming until one day you were here." Kyle looked at her softly – perhaps the softest he had ever looked at her. "I knew you were special the moment I first laid my eyes on you." He rose to his feet as he said, "You're destined for great things, Mae. I'm sure of it." Kyle gently kissed the top of her head before heading back into the house. "You should get some sleep. You have school in the morning."

Mae had no idea what the hell that was all about. She'd never seen her father like this before. Yeah, he was way 'softer' than Damon was, but this was a whole other level. Mae was starting to get the feeling that there was more going on than she knew.

After her father went inside, Mae felt the urge to get up and walk around for a bit, so she walked down the porch steps and towards the trees to do just that. Hopefully, if nothing else, it'd tire her out so she could actually sleep.

Meanwhile, Kyle went into the living room and found Clara sitting on the sofa waiting for him. "I'm surprised you're still awake," he commented as he went to pour himself a drink from the cart in the corner.

"You can't allow yourself to get attached to the girl." Clara rose to her feet and walked over to her husband. "How many times must we go over this?"

Kyle finished off his glass with one gulp and sighed. "She's our daughter, Clara."

"No, she's not," Clara answered firmly. "She was never supposed to be a part of our lives."

"And yet she is!" Kyle exclaimed in a hushed tone. "Do you honestly believe that the Nemeton gave her to us just for Damon?"

Clara couldn't believe what she was hearing. "Are you having second thoughts about this?" She scoffed heavily when Kyle didn't answer her, let alone look at her. "You are. You know what Shaiya said..."

Kyle almost broke the glass in his hand when he heard Shaiya's name again. "I don't care what that Darach has to say. She believes in fairy stories!"

Clara took offense to his words. "Shaiya pulled the wool from our eyes and let us see things for what they really are. That does not make her a Darach, Kyle. You know as well as I that the legend is far more than a fairy story." She walked right up to him to make something perfectly clear. "The Blood Moon is approaching, Kyle Thorne. You are either with us or against us. I believe you know what happens to those who are against us."

Kyle knew very well and didn't wish that upon himself but he didn't wish Mae's fate upon her either. With his voice breaking, losing his composure and strength, he said "She's our little girl."

Clara scoffed as she whipped around to leave the room. "Stop saying that! She's not our daughter, she never has been and she never will be!" Throwing her hand out, she added, "Mae is nothing more than the means to an end."

"What happened to you, Clara?" Kyle couldn't keep that question to himself any longer. "What happened to the woman I fell in love with – who I married?"

Clara's blue eyes glowed as she turned back to face him. "You know as well as I what happened to her."

"That was Damon's doing, not yours." Kyle remembered that night and it ate at him to this day. "He made you kill them. That wasn't your fault. We should have left his pack long ago."

"You finally said what you think of me," Damon said from the doorway.

Kyle was instantly filled with fear when he saw his Alpha standing there. "I – I'm sorry," he stammered before looking down. "I was upset."

Damon walked over to Kyle and placed his hand on his shoulder. "Do not apologize. I am glad you finally expressed yourself."

Kyle looked up to try and understand why Damon was being so...fine about this and soon realized the truth when he felt Damon's claw being thrust into his chest.

"I've been waiting for an excuse for this," Damon said darkly before ripping Kyle's heart out. He dropped it on the floor beside Kyle's lifeless body then wiped his hand off on Kyle's shirt.

Clara was in a state of shock. She knew that Damon had threatened to do this to Kyle many times, but never thought he'd actually do it. "What have you done?" She finally spoke.

"What I should have done long ago," Damon answered without a care as he finished wiping off his hand. "Do you have an issue with this?"

Clara could almost hardly process these events and gasped when she saw Mae had joined them. "Mae –..."

"Mae what?" Damon demanded to know then turned around to see her standing in the doorway.

Tears were streaming down Mae's face as her eyes locked onto her father's body on the floor with his heart lying right beside him. Her entire body shook as the realization set it – Damon had killed her father. Without even thinking, Mae wolfed out and growled before lunging at Damon with every intention of killing him.

Mae was strong for a Beta but she was still nothing compared to the strength of Damon. He incapacitated her with ease and threw her against the wall. Before Mae could get her bearings, Damon grabbed her by her throat and lifted her up so her feet dangled.

Damon was wolfed out as his snarled at her, watching as she tried to break free from his grip as she struggled for breath. "Insolent girl!"

"Damon!" Clara shouted, and rushed over to them. "You can't do this! You can't!"

Damon wanted nothing more than to kill Mae right then and there for her insolence but if he did then all this would be for nothing. So instead, he threw Mae aside like she was nothing more than a rag-doll. "Take care of this mess," he spat at her before storming out of the room.

Mae rubbed her throat as she coughed and gasped for air, looking up at her mother. "How could you let him do this!" she finally managed to shout at her.

Clara walked over to Mae and pointed firmly at her. "Kyle brought this upon himself. And if you don't keep yourself in check the same will happen to you." Clara had enough of this night and too left the room.

Ty had been woken up at this point and went downstairs to see what was going on. He froze when he saw Kyle's body and Mae crying on the floor. Ty instantly went over to Mae and wrapped his arms around her.

"Damon killed him," she cried. "He killed him!"

Ty took care of burying Kyle's body and cleaned up the living room so Mae wouldn't have to. It was morning when all this was done and on the way back into the house he found Mae sitting on the front porch steps. Ty didn't know what to say that could even remotely make her feel better so he just sat down beside her.

Mae confided in Ty in that moment. "I want to kill him. One day, I will kill him."

Ty sighed as he wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "You'll never be strong enough to take him on, Mae. It's a suicide mission to even try."

"Maybe not today, or tomorrow, but one day...Damon will die by my hand. I swear it." After making this vow, Mae pulled off Ty's arm and picked up her backpack that was behind her.

Ty watched as she started to head off and asked, "Mae...where are you going?"

"School." She answered like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Ty thought she must be having some sort of a breakdown or something. "Mae...your father just died. Don't you think you should be home, grieving?"

"My father didn't just die. He was murdered," she retorted. "One of the last things he said to me was that I was destined for great things, and I'll be damned if I don't try my best to live up to that."

Mae could hardly concentrate at school. Who could blame her? Granted no one knew what was going through her mind – she couldn't tell anyone. All Mae wanted to do was scream on the rooftop and kill Damon, not necessarily in that order. But something she found herself wanting to do more was to see Derek Hale again. It almost drove her crazy not understanding why after what happened the only person she wanted was him.

Mae was so consumed with her thoughts that she didn't even notice that a red head girl had taken the seat across from her at the outdoor lunch table. When she finally did, and saw that the red head was looking at her oddly, she shot out "What?!"

The red head tilted her head to the side as if she was examining her and asked as if she was almost in a daze, "How are you not dead?"

Mae thought this girl was insane and was about to leave but stopped when Stiles came over and sat next to the girl, saying "Lydia, there you are. We've been waiting for you." He then turned to Mae, "Hey."

Mae was about to answer but the red head – Lydia – spoke. Lydia turned to Stiles saying, "I got distracted." Smiling at Mae, she added, "Hi, I'm Lydia."

"Mae," she answered then stood up and walked away without a word.

"That's not right," Lydia thought aloud and started to go after her.

Stiles had no idea what was going on so he followed, asking "Lydia, what are you doing?"

"She's supposed to be dead, but she's not meant to be," Lydia replied, trying to keep Mae in her sights as she made an attempt to catch up.

Stiles was all the more confused. "What are you talking about?"

Lydia stopped in frustration and exclaimed. "I don't know!" She took a breath and said more quietly, "All I know is what I feel and I feel that even though this girl is supposed to be dead...we can't let her die." Lydia realized that they had stopped walking and she had taken her eyes off Mae so she tried to find her again but failed.

Mae walked out of the school's doors and headed towards the parking lot. She had no idea where she was going but knew she just had to get the hell out of there. Mae was just about to cross when a Toyota SUV pulled up to her. A wave of relief moved through her when she saw that Derek was the driver.

"What are you doing here?" she asked as he rolled down the passenger window so they could talk. "You stalking me now?" Mae was clearly joking with that question and that made her feel bad for even being able to make that joke.

Derek leaned over a little bit with his reply. "Someone's got a big ego," he teased then could tell something was up. "You doing alright?"

Mae took a deep breath and crossed her arms with a shake to her head. "No," she answered with her voice breaking slightly. "Not really."

Derek leaned over and opened the passenger door for her. "Come on."

"I was raised never to accept rides from strangers," she replied as she opened the door the rest of the way.

Derek didn't even think about his answer when he said, "Am I really a stranger to you?"

Mae didn't know how to answer that but she did know that every fiber of her being was telling her to get into the car...so she did.

Derek sat across from Mae in the diner and waited for her to tell him what was going on with her – if she even wanted to. So far, she hadn't said a word about it and just placed an order for chicken fingers and curly fries – the same thing Paige would always order.

Mae was sipping on her soda in silence. This whole place, this whole scene, Derek...they all seemed so familiar to her. Mae felt like she'd been here many times before and yet this was her first time coming to this diner since moving to Beacon Hills. She had to talk about it with someone so she asked, "You ever feel dejavu?"

Derek wasn't expecting that to be the first thing she said, but he answered nonetheless. "Usually no, but I have to say lately, yes."

"Is it because of me?" Mae asked, wanting – no – needing to know.

"Now why do you think that?" Derek replied, wondering just how far this was about to go.

"Because I feel it around you. Hell, I feel it just by being in this town." Mae pushed her drink aside with a sigh. "Maybe I'm just going crazy."

"You're not," he instantly assured her.

Mae almost chuckled. "You sound pretty sure of yourself there."

Derek looked at her with serious and sincere eyes. "Because I am." Changing the topic, he asked, "What was bothering you back at the school?"

Mae didn't appreciate the segue but felt she owed him that explanation – even if it wasn't the whole truth. She wasn't sure how Derek would react to finding out that her Alpha had killed her father so she said, "My father's dead."

Derek wasn't expecting that to come out of her mouth. "I'm sorry." And he genuinely was.

"I really don't want to talk about it." That was most certainly the truth.

After their food came, Mae had to change the subject. If she didn't then she was going to fall apart, "You never answered my question."

Derek knew which question she was referring to. "Yes."

Mae had a slight double-take moment there. "What?"

"Yes," he repeated. "My dejavu moments are because of you."

Okay, now Mae really wanted more answers. "Why?"

Derek should have lied but she'd likely have picked up on that. "Mae..." he was trying to find the right words to say. "If we go down this road...there's no coming back."

Mae had no idea what he was talking about and needed to understand. "Derek, I need to know. What's going on?"

Derek didn't answer her until they were back at the high school. The school was pretty much empty by that point so Derek thought it'd be the best place to discuss it.

"Are you going to tell me now?" Mae asked him as she sat in one of the chairs in the empty music room. "I think I've been patient enough, don't you? And why did this have to be discussed here of all places?"

Derek pulled over a chair and sat beside her. He had no idea what to say or how to say it. All he could seem to do was look at her – who she was and who she had become.

"Derek," Mae pleaded, "tell me."

"Do you trust me?" he then asked.

Mae nodded. "I don't know why but yeah, I do."

Derek waited a moment or two before asking his next question, "Do you love me?" There was no beating around the bush with that question. Derek just dove right.

Mae laughed at him like he was nuts. "I just met you yesterday, Derek."

Derek took her hand in his and looked her right in the eye. "Do you love me?"

Mae's eyes locked with his and they were held there. Her subconscious took over as she said softly, "I hate you."

Derek smiled, hoping he was doing the right thing, as he whispered, "You love me."

In that moment so many things came rushing back to Mae. It wasn't everything about Paige's life but it was far more than enough. In an almost state of shock she jumped to her feet, knocking over the folding chair as she did. Mae couldn't find the words to speak because so much was happening to her all at once – voices, images, memories of her past as Paige were filling her mind.

When Mae could finally feel like she could function again, even if she didn't fully understand, she looked at Derek with tears in her eyes because looking at him was like coming home. "Derek..."

Derek could see the change in her eyes. It was like realization had finally set in. He hoped he wasn't being selfish in this decision, in helping her remember. When Mae said his name like that, he went right over to her and held her close. "I'm here. I swear I'm not going anywhere."

Mae practically melted into his touch as she held onto him for what felt like dear life.

When things calmed down, they went outside to the parking lot. They both sat on the hood of his vehicle and just let things process. Finally Mae said, "The dribbling makes so much sense now." When Derek looked at her in question, she elaborated. "The other day when I was practicing I heard a basketball being dribbled out in the hall. Only when I went out to give them a piece of my mind no one was there." She smiled as she looked at him. "I was remembering the day we met. The day you and Paige met, I mean." Mae was still trying to wrap her head around that. "Does this mean I'm her reincarnation or something? I didn't even know those existed."

"I didn't either until recently," he admitted. "And yeah, you pretty much are."

"Is it weird that we're handling this so well?" Mae asked as she pointed back and forth between them. "I mean...shouldn't there be more freaking out? You think there'd be some major freaking out or something." It was almost humorous as to just how little there was.

Derek answered with what he felt. Now whether or not it was accurate, he couldn't say, but it's what he felt. "I don't think it is. We both know it's the truth and have accepted it. What more is there?" Suddenly a scent caught Derek's attention. "Someone's coming." He got off the car and stood ready, just in case.

Meg caught the scent as well and instantly recognized it as Ty's. "Crap," she said to herself as she slid off the hood of the car to her feet. It wasn't long after this action that Ty crossed the parking lot and walked towards them.

Ty didn't acknowledge Derek's presence and spoke only to Mae. "It's time to come home now."

"I'm good," Mae retorted, crossing her arms to emphasize her stance.

Ty chose his words carefully since there was a wolf outside of their pack present. "Damon wants you home."

"Well I don't want to go," she shot back. "I want nothing to do with him. Not after what he's done."

"Mae, can we please discuss this elsewhere?" Ty pleaded because he knew how bag things could get if they let an outsider in on what their pack was like.

"How about we don't discuss this at all?" she countered, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "If you're an ounce of how smart I think you are, you'll get out too."

Ty couldn't let this progress. "Mae..." he started but was soon cut off.

"She's not going with you," Derek protectively interjected. "I think it's time for you to go."

"Well I think it's time for you to mind your own goddamn business," Ty shot out. "This is between me and her."

Derek ignored his words and looked at Mae in question. "Boyfriend?"

"Yeah," Ty answered in a territorial manner. "Got a problem with that." His eyes turned golden as he stepped forward with a growl.

Derek answered with his ice blue eyes but didn't move an inch because Mae got in between them with her hands held up towards them both.

"Back up, boys. This isn't some teen drama." Mae made herself pretty damn clear as she turned to Ty. "I don't care what Damon's rule is. We are not a couple. I'm Jo, you're Laurie and that's all we're ever going to be. Now will you please just leave me alone and trust me?"

Ty didn't want to pull the card he was about to but he had no other choice. "If I don't come back with you, you know what he'll do to me."

Mae had so much swimming around in her mind that she honestly hadn't thought about that and now that she had...well, she felt like she had no other choice. Mae turned to Derek and regrettably said, "I have to go."

Derek didn't like what he was hearing and could easily imagine what was being exchanged between the lines. "Mae..."

She cut him off by placing her hands on her shoulders and smiling. "I think we've both come to realize that if there's one thing I'm good at, it's surviving." Mae smiled again and started walking off with Ty. After a little bit she turned around and walked backwards while saying, "You're not going to get rid of me that easily."

Once they were out of earshot, Ty scoffed. "What's so special about him?"

Mae turned to him and answered in what she truly believed. "He's my destiny."

End Chapter 4