IC Contact post

[wolftones]

You've reached Paige, leave a message.

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[doesntlikeguns]

Were you ever going to tell me?

[Ignorance is not always bliss. Not when guilt eats away at you. He'd of never found out either if not for his uncle.]

[wolftones]

[She doesn't even think about it when she hits play, not expecting to hear that voice.

She'd thought they were all dead, had read the articles about the fire and there'd been no mention of survivors, no word on Derek at all when she'd tried to look into it.

And now this.

Paige stares down at her phone, checks the number and save it before deleting the message. It's days before she even decides whether or not to respond and there's a text finally.]

I promised I wouldn't.

[doesntlikeguns]

[A part of Derek wonders if Peter lied to him. If the number that he was given was wrong. So he tries to put it out of his mind for a few days, intent on focusing on the burnt husk of a house that he's bought out. That he's decided to rebuild.

When he gets the text, though, he frowns.]

Promised who exactly? I had every right to know that you were alive and not dead.

[wolftones]

...It doesn't matter who, does it? [ When she finally responds, that text followed by another not long after.]

...How did you find me?

[doesntlikeguns]

It does matter. Who told you?

[He's not exactly the happiest right now.]

Who the hell decided to make my life a living hell? As for how I found you, that's the part that doesn't matter.

[wolftones]

Things were...messy, Derek, and... [Paige stares at her phone, deletes the message and dials, waiting for him to pick up.]

[doesntlikeguns]

[When her name pops up on his phone he almost doesn't answer it, almost. A part of him wonders why in the hell he's bothering. Why he's putting himself through the hell.]

Paige.

[wolftones]

Derek.

Look, they thought it would be best if everyone thought I was dead. I mean, they probably would have told you once things settled down and all...

But with everything going on, having me far away was the best way to protect me and...I didn't know who else to turn to.

And then the fire happened and...[Paige pauses for a moment, takes a breath to steady herself.]

I'm sorry.

[doesntlikeguns]

No. It wasn't best for everyone to think that you were dead.

[His voice is a bit hard edged, verging on angry.]

Peter is alive. So you're trying to convince me that thinking you were dead was for the best? With ME thinking that I'd killed you. They could've told me then.

[Honestly? He didn't want to hear her say sorry. Not with how long it's been.]

Now who told you to keep this from me?

[wolftones]

You remember how I was turned? Everyone had to believe I died, Derek. They didn't want me in that pack and your family had no claim on me.

Even if we were dating at the time.

So it was...they were trying to protect me. [Paige inhales a breath, eyes closing for a moment.]

Deaton and your mother. You know what the pack situation was like back then, Derek. You know who turned me.

[doesntlikeguns]

Actually, my pack had claim on you. If you were told otherwise then you were lied to, Paige.

[He grits his teeth not that she can see it.]

We could've protected you just fine.

[At the information, however, he frowns.]

My mother wouldn't of let me believe that you were dead. Not with the link that I had with you. Which is why my pack would've had claim over you.

[wolftones]

I'm just telling you what I was told, Derek. That it was safer this way. [Paige's fingers tighten on her phone for a moment.]

[doesntlikeguns]

You up and left anyway knowing that I thought I killed you.

[There's a low growl out of him.]

Where did you end up?

[wolftones]

I was sixteen, I... I thought they'd tell you when things calmed down. [The growl has her inhaling. ]

Arizona.

[doesntlikeguns]

They didn't tell me a damn thing, Paige. I only found out because I overheard Peter mention you.

[He's not even sure what about now though.]

So you've been under my nose this whole time.

[He was going to murder his uncle. Again. Then murder Deaton.]

[wolftones]

Well for a couple of years. Then I went to college, got my degree. I think they were going to tell you before that happened. [She hesitates before the last two words. ]

And then I applied for a job at the high school...

[doesntlikeguns]

[He represses another growl and closes his eyes trying to stay calm.]

What high school?

[wolftones]

[There's a moment where she's just quiet before she answers.]

Beacon Hills. I thought enough time might have passed that it'd be safe to come back.

[doesntlikeguns]

[Of course she was coming back to Beacon Hills.]

For how long?

[Sorry, Paige, but he doesn't believe that you're staying. He's not even sure if he's ready to see her yet or not, on top of it.]

[wolftones]

...I've been here since the winter break ended. I'm not going anywhere.

[doesntlikeguns]

And I'm meant to believe that?

[wolftones]

You can believe whatever you want, Derek. I signed a contract and my parents left me my old house. I'm not asking you to forgive me or even see me.

I'm just...trying to live my life.

[doesntlikeguns]

Your parents don't know what you are, Paige.

[He knows, for a fact, that Deaton nor his mom would've given them that information.]

I'm not sure what the hell I want when I've been lied to my whole life and the girl that was my mate, I thought was dead because of ME.

[wolftones]

[She's quiet after that, letting the silence stretch for a little while before she finally speaks.]

For what it's worth, I had no idea they never told you, Derek. I mean, I didn't even find out about the fire until years later, and then it was too late.

Or I thought it was too late.

[doesntlikeguns]

Too late? You could've tried to call. Maybe things wouldn't be so hard.

[Maybe then he wouldn't be at odds on what in the hell to do. Especially with his not so dead mate living in his city. It might of not been Hale territory anymore, but it was still home.]

I don't know how to do this, Paige.

[Losing her and his family had made him harder. Less... happy, as it were.]