Panthera Onca ➳ Derek Hale

08. Visionary

Jade's P.O.V

   Derek and I were running in the woods. The hunters were after us. I don't think I've ever been this scared. Usually I'm with my parents and I never go out alone, they don't want us to go out without an adult. My father would be pissed if he hears this. I can't believe I listened to Derek and followed him. He had put us under so much risk...

   "Derek, what are we going to do?" I asked him as I felt my body shake with fear.

   "I-I don't know." He was scared, like me. We kept running but after a few seconds we were stopped since we saw another werewolf. Maybe he can help us?

   "You're a Hale, aren't you?" He asked Derek. "And you're an Anderson?" He turned to me. Then the hunters shot an arrow towards that werewolf. It went through his throat. Derek and I froze. Oh, no...They're going to do that to us! I don't want to die. I can't let this happen. I hid behind Derek, and he held my hand. That made my heart beat even faster. I wasn't expecting him to hold my hand. I never expected him to act so nicely towards me... The hunters shot the arrow at us, but someone caught it. Peter. He took us with him and we went hiding in a cellar for a few hours. I need time to process that. It was wrong of us to go out when the hunters search for us the way they do... They wait for the moment they can shoot us and kill us...

☼

   My mom told me I have to come back to school. She did everything she could to make me go. Of course, she found out about the whole incident since I felt too scared to leave the house. Just thinking about leaving made my heart almost burst out of my chest. What if they'll try to catch me during school hours? What if they'll try to kidnap me? I don't know how they work. I don't even know if they saw me and know who I am...

   "Jade, please pay attention to what I'm teaching." The teacher asked from me. Oh, great. I forgot we're still studying. Fuck, who is even thinking about that? All I can think about is how safe I need to keep myself. I heard a basketball bouncing in the hallway. Derek.

   "Can I go out to wash my face? I need to wake up." I requested from the teacher. She approved and I quickly left the class. I noticed Paige, one of the girls in my school, in front of Derek, talking to him.

   "Hey, do you guys mind? I'm trying to practice." She asked from them. Derek noticed me standing behind him.

   "How do you know we're not trying to practice here too?" Derek fired back with a question.

   "Yeah, well, see, I was practicing in the music room, and I'm pretty sure basketball practice takes place in the GYM."

   "Well, I'm pretty sure basketball practice takes place anywhere you got a basketball." He busted out with a few dribbling moves and then approached her. "See?" She was about to walk away. "Wait. Hold on. Hold on. If you can get the ball from me, maybe I'll stop." She hesitated. "Come on. It'll be easy." She tried to catch the ball, but she couldn't because she doesn't know that Derek is a werewolf and he's tricking her. "Oops." He mocked. I walked away, feeling disgusted by his behavior.

☼

   As time passed, Derek and Paige got closer and closer. She began skipping class for him and he spent less time at home. I didn't enjoy seeing them together. I didn't understnad why he looks at her the way he did. Why doesn't he look at me he way he looks at her? I don't like knowing how jealous I am of her. This is unhealthy. Besides, Derek's an asshole. He's too busy loving himself that he doesn't try to understand about our world. I, on the other hand, know and study from my parents and my grandma.

   "Stop it, Peter. You cannot tell Derek to give Paige the bite." I told him. I overheard him talking to Derek and he convinced him that he should give Paige the bite so she'd be like us. I don't think it's smart. What if she won't be able to handle it?

   "Why shouldn't I? We both know that the bite is a gift."

   "You'll ruin Derek's life-"

   "How? Tell me. I mean, you can predict. Then predict it. Tell me how am I going to ruin his life?" Does he think that this is easy to do? I can't force myself to predict things. He doesn't need to be such an asshole about it.

   I sighed. "You're the worst uncle Derek could have." I exited the room and began walking faster upstairs since I noticed Derek leaving the living room towards the front door. But when he saw me, he walked after me, grabbing my arm to stop me. "Let go."

   "Why are you being so cold to me?" I didn't answer him. "You know what? Nevermind. You won't talk at all. I know you too well to understand that you won't give me an answer. Anyways, I just wanted to tell you that Peter said I should turn Paige into a werewolf, so he asked one of the alphas to help me and do it for me." Is he an idiot? How could he think that this is a good idea?

   "You're making a mistake, you idiot." I snapped at him and got out of his grip, running to my room. I don't understand what's going through his mind that he thinks this is a good idea. It's one of his worsts. Does Talia even know? I'm sure she won't be happy hearing about this. I heard someone knock on my door. "Yes?" My mom opened it and enterd my room.

   "Is everything okay, honey?" My mom asked me. I wanted to tell her that I was doing terrible but I didn't feel like doing so right now. I'll burst into tears and I don't want that. I nodded at her. "I can see that you're lying to me, and we'll talk about it later, but first, do you know where Ennis is?" Ennis is gone?

   "Why would I know?"

   "Peter claimed that you know." I gave her a confused face expression. Why would I know? What's Peter talking about- Oh, wait. Oh, no. Shit! Derek! Peter asked from Ennis to turn Paige??

   "Mom, I have to go." I muttered and I ran outside. First, I ran to school but no one was there. By the scent, they were here for sure. Derek just left. I ran after his scent, searching for him. I felt terrified. What had happened? I have a very bad feeling. It makes me want to puke... I reached at the Nemeton tree. I was scared to see something I didn't expect to see. I noticed Peter waiting next to the tree, looking at everything that was happening under it.

   "What have you done?" I asked him. I saw Paige with a bite and other scratches on her body. She was whimpering. She requested from Derek to end her life and unwillingly, he did. I saw Derek hugging her so strong that her neck broke gently. "Paige!" I let out a banshee scream. My heart ached. How could Derek be so stupid and listen to Peter? I'm so disappointed of him... The banshee scream drained all the energy I had. My head was dizzy and my vision turned dark. I felt sick. A few seconds later, I fainted.

☼

   "How are you?" I asked Derek as I handed him a glass of water. He was sitting in front of the window he had in his loft. He barely talked ever since what happened with Boyd.

   "I feel like shit." He replied, sipping his water. "You were right, it was stupid of me to go with that plan. It had cost me Boyd." He looked down. I couldn't see him in this amount of pain. I felt bad and I didn't know how to help beside trying to cheer him up. "It's the same with everything that happened with Paige. You warned me and I chose to ignore."

   "It's not the same-"

   "It doesn't matter. I can't make these decisions. I'm ruining the lives of the people around me."

   "No, you're not." How can I help him? "Derek, I'm here for you all the time and if you'd share a little more, I'd be able to help you make the right decision. I'm here to help you. We're partners, this is how it works."

   "I want to protect you-"

   "Stop saying that. I'm not weak. You know it. Help me be involved in your life. We've been together for so many years, you know me so well." I sighed. "I'm here for you, Derek. Forever. Do you understand that?" He nodded.

   "Yes." He quietly responded. "I understand that." I pulled him to a hug. He held me tightly. "Thank you for everything. You're amazing, Jade. I love you."

   "I love you."

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