[Isaac nods once, confirming Derek's words. All this time, and he's known, he's kept it from the other man, hidden his own apprehension as best he could. How could he tell him? Isaac wasn't sure if Derek would believe him, if Derek would even try to acknowledge it. What if he just shifted the blame? What if he made it worse, if he said that Isaac might as well leave now? He couldn't risk that.
He'd watched for signs, of course. He's pretty sure that he saw them, but nothing concrete enough to come forward with what he'd been told and try to work things out. Why would he? It hadn't even happened to either of them at that time. There was no reason to stir more upset in their already tremulous relationship.]
I... I don't know.
[It's not like he hasn't thought about it. He's wondered, gone back and forth between making excuses for Derek and thinking the worst of him. Isaac doesn't know what he thinks now, but he keeps his eyes downcast, purposely avoiding his alpha's gaze to stare down at his coffee.]
I guess I thought that I wasn't useful to you anymore. [It makes sense. It's what Scott had told him at the skating rink, what feels like forever ago. He's just using you for his own power. Isaac hadn't cared then, and maybe he was even using Derek for power as well. But somewhere along the line, things had changed, Derek became all he had, and he'd looked up to him- followed him, stayed loyal... hadn't he?
It's not a stretch to think that Derek wouldn't agree. Especially not after losing the other two betas.]
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He'd watched for signs, of course. He's pretty sure that he saw them, but nothing concrete enough to come forward with what he'd been told and try to work things out. Why would he? It hadn't even happened to either of them at that time. There was no reason to stir more upset in their already tremulous relationship.]
I... I don't know.
[It's not like he hasn't thought about it. He's wondered, gone back and forth between making excuses for Derek and thinking the worst of him. Isaac doesn't know what he thinks now, but he keeps his eyes downcast, purposely avoiding his alpha's gaze to stare down at his coffee.]
I guess I thought that I wasn't useful to you anymore. [It makes sense. It's what Scott had told him at the skating rink, what feels like forever ago. He's just using you for his own power. Isaac hadn't cared then, and maybe he was even using Derek for power as well. But somewhere along the line, things had changed, Derek became all he had, and he'd looked up to him- followed him, stayed loyal... hadn't he?
It's not a stretch to think that Derek wouldn't agree. Especially not after losing the other two betas.]