Chapter 11

Derek POV

I cant believe this. What the hell is she doing back here and NOW of all times. 'Isabel'. her face kept playing in my mind, her voice that I've had missed so much kept ringing in my ears. Belle, my Belle was back home.

She had changed so much in the years that I've not seen her. Her hair is much longer and slightly darker now, her gorgeous face has matured over the years but it still held that youthful glow of a nineteen year old.

And her body, she was no longer the flat chested little girl I had once known, she was tall with legs that looked like they went on forever, her long beautiful neck was met by strong yet feminine shoulders, and then there was her chest. Her white tank top gave me a glimpse of the top of her creamy breasts, the moment I saw it I just wanted to... 'Stop it derek don't even go there. This is little Isabel your having these thoughts about. She's practically apart of your family, having thoughts like these about HER is WRONG plus wasn't it just a week ago you had jenifer in your bed you should be thinking about her not the girl who was practically like a sister to you at one time' I mentally scold myself. But honestly I can't really blame myself for having these thoughts, Belle is absolutely beautiful and I am a guy.

God what the hell is wrong with me. I can't believe I'm even thinking about this right now. With the alpha pack on my tail a distraction is the last thing I need. Even if that distraction is Belle. I just need to keep my distance from her, at least until I take care of Deucalion.

That's another problem. Belle seriously needs to keep as far away from Deacalion as she can. I remember the little run in she had with him all those years ago and I know for a fact that once that bastard has his eyes on something he won't stop until he gets it. And I know that once he knows that she is here in Beacon Hills and even worse that she is now an alpha he will do anything he can to have her.

I can't let that happen. Because even though we haven't spoken in 6 years belle will always be my best friend and I will always do everything I can to keep her safe. She will always be MY Belle.

I sighed as I reached the loft. I am going to have to tell Cora that Belle is home which was going to be a little difficult considering Peter and I didn't tell her that Belle even survived, far as she knew Belle was died along with the rest of our family in the fire. Also from what I remember that Laura had told me, Phoebe was under her guardianship which meant that she was probably home too and I'm sure cora would want to see her, after all they were best friends

I opened the loft door and spotted Cora in the kitchen area. She was getting lunch I guess. She looked up as I walked in. "Your back early. I told you the vet would be no help." She said with a smug look and I rolled my eyes at her.

"We didn't get to speak properly, we were interrupted." I said looking out the window. I heard her scoff before she replied "And who dared to disturb the might Alpha huh?" She asked sarcastically and I gave her a sharp look.

"Belle" I stated simply and walked towards the kitchen and took a beer out of the fridge. "What did you just say?" cora asked as she followed me into the kitchen. I took a deep breath and spoke again. "Isabel is back in Beacon hills and I'm pretty sure she brought Cayden and Phoebe home with her."

Cora said nothing. But I could practically feel her anger radiating of her. She clenched her fist and before I knew what was happening, she jammed it into my jaw with as much force as she could without shifting.

"They were alive all this time? Why the hell didn't you tell me this? Did you not think it would be important for me to know that there was two other members of our family that were alive huh?" Cora screamed at me.

"Look I'm sorry. Belle and I haven't really kept in contact since the fire so it just slipped my mind okay." I said hoping she would believe it. The truth was I didn't want to go through the pain that would have come with explaining to my sister why Belle hated me.

she gave me a dirty look before she walked towards the door. I didn't have to ask to know where she was going.

A few hours later my phone started ringing and an unfamiliar number flashed across the screen.

"Hello" I said into the phone.

"Derek?" I heard belle ask form the other end. Cora probably gave her my number.

"Hi. I'm guessing cora found you alright?" I asked.

"Yes. I can't believe she is alive. This is one of the best things that have happened in a really long time." I heard her sniff and I felt a tug at my heart at the sound.

"Yea" I said back stiffly and I heard her sigh on the other end.

"Derek I think you and I should talk" she said and I scoffed

"We are talking" I replied

"Derek you know what I mean. Please will you just meet me somewhere it doesn't have to be today. Maybe tomorrow afternoon or something? Please Derek." She said and I could practically see her pouting on the other end.

"Fine then. Where?" I asked.

"Thank you Der. Will you meet me at our spot at the lake?" She said and I froze. Our spot at the lake. I hadn't been there since the fire. It hurt to much to may memories of Belle and I. And also of the rest of our Pack.

"Fine ill meet you there at five." I said and I cut the call.

I got up and went to my room. Honestly I didn't want to think about this any more. Right now I just was to sleep which is what I did.

THE NEXT AFTERNOON

I looked at the time. It was 4:30pm. I decided to take a slow walk to the lake. Hoping that it would calm my nerves a little. When I reached the lake I stopped and looked out to our spot. It consisted of a large flat rock that was situated at the end of the lake. Belle and I use to spend almost all of our free time together there when we were younger and eventually started calling it 'our spot'

I laid down on the rock and closed my eyes soaking in the sun it would be setting soon.

After 5 minutes I heard her, I looked up and there she was. She didn't look at me when she spoke she just sat down beside me and looked out at the water "I think its time you and I really talked." She said and I laughed.

Was she serious, its been six years and NOW she wants to talk. "I have nothing to say to you Belle, whatever relationship we had ended along time ago" I said and Belle look up at me with hurt written all over her face.

"Relationship? Derek, you were my best friend. You were practically like my brother. We were... We were a family or do u not remember that." Not it was my turn to scoff.

"You know what I honestly don't see why your even here. Yes You WERE my best friend but our friendship ended the moment you turned your back on me, so how about you do us both a favor and pretend you Didn't see me and I will do the same." With that I turned to leave but not before I caught sight of a tear falling from her eyes.

I felt the guilt wash over me. I could never stand the sight of Belle crying in the past and I guess that hasn't changed. I sighed and turned back around and just looked at her. She really has grown up from the little girl she was in the past. I walked towards her and stopped when we were only inches apart.

"Look I'm sorry okay. But did you really expect that you could just show up out of nowhere and things between us would just go back to the way it was before?" I asked. "No... Honestly I have no idea what I thought would happen, I.. I just didn't think you still hated me." She said quietly.

"Me hate you? Are you crazy Belle? You are the one who is supposed to hate me" I all but screamed and she looked up at me surprised. "What?" She asked as the tears surfaced once again in her eyes. "You should hate me Belle, your not suppose to be here trying to help me fix my problems. You should hate me, I killed our family remember." I whispered. In that moment I saw so many emotions flash through her eyes.

Belle threw herself at me. Her hands made their way around my back and her head was pressed against me chest. I stood there shocked. I haven't felt this in almost 6 years and I have to say I really missed it.

This was my Belle, my best friend who used to love me and care about me. The one who I thought I would never see again after what I did. The one person I thought would never forgive me for all the pain I put her through. Here she was in MY arms. Holding me. Slowing, hoping she wouldn't pull away I put my arms around her returning the hug.

I let out a content sigh. I really missed her even though I would never admit it.

"I could never hate you derek." She whispered. I almost shuttered at the feeling of her breath on my ear. I looked down at her I was mesmerized by her beauty. I still couldn't believe that this was the same Belle. My Belle "I don't deserve anything but your hate Belle. I don't deserve your forgiveness." I said quietly and belle sighed and just held me tighter.

"No that's not true. Yes You made a mistake Derek, you were young and you put your trust in the wrong person but don't you think for one second that it was your fault Der. She already knew what our family was and she would have still done what she did even if you never met her. Kate is the one to blame Derek not you, so don't you ever feel that the fire was your fault," she said and I looked at her I couldn't believe she was saying this. The night of the fire it was her who said that she blamed me. As if she heard my thoughts she spoke again

"I know that, that's not what I said to you the night of the fire Der but I didn't mean anything I said to you that night. I was angry and hurt and in just so much pain. And I have regretted it everyday since that night. Derek please forgive me, will you give me a chance to make it up to you. Please." She said and I could find my voice to reply so I just pulled her into my arms and nodded

"No matter how hard I tried in the past, I couldn't forget you. I couldn't hate you Belle, I realized that I will always love you." I mumbled into her hair and I could feel her smile she went to pull away but I just held on tighter "you know I didn't think I would ever see you again, you don't know how good this feels to hold you again." I said and she laughed.

"Your my family Derek, it doesn't matter how far away we are from each other or how long we don't speak to each other, I will always come back to you. I will always be a part of the Hale pack. Here with you and cora and even peter Is where I belong and you should have known that." She said to me as she held my face between her hands.

"Belle..." I whispered but she cut me of. "I've missed u so much, you know that? I want to start over I want thing to go back to the way it was before. I want my best friend back Derek. But for that to happen I need u to let me in, when we were younger you never kept anything from me, I could read you like a book. Some would even said that I knew you better than you knew yourself and vise versa and that was true. I want that back Derek. I want you to give me chance to be your friend. Because... Because I've missed you. I've missed you so much that it literally hurt right here" She said as she placed my hand on her chest directly above where her heart rested. I stared at her and when her eyes finally met mine I felt myself melt.

Belle had always had me rapped around her little finger and I guess that the six years we spent apart hadn't changed that fact either. "Let me help you Derek. Let me help you save your pack, let me help you." She said. "Forever Belle?" I asked and she gave me the most breath taking smile. "Forever" I gave her a small kiss on the forehead just like old times. We sat there for an hour after that just talking about what's been happening in our lives and for the first time in a very long time I felt happy and safe.

"I should probably get home now. I still have to make dinner for Phoebe and Cayden. You wanna come over, I can cook now." She said smiling, the sun had just went down. But I shook my head. "No I actually have something I need do tonight." I said and Belle nodded, she gave me another small smile before she left. I sighed as I watched her make her way back into the forest.

I still felt as though this was just a dream. My Belle had come back? She was here, and she forgave me. She wanted to be in my life, she was home back where she belonged.