Author's Note: Hi everyone! This is the first story I've written in a while so please let me know what you think about it. Constructive criticism is welcome! Enjoy! : )
On your eighteenth birthday, a tattoo appears on the wrist of your right hand - a pack symbol. Usually, the pack symbol matches the pack you were raised with, but sometimes it differs. Those whose tattoos don't match their pack's tattoo are exiled and need to find a new pack. They're considered outcasts and outsiders by their own family members. The tattoo can be determined by both fidelity and fate. If a wolf from one pack has an affair with a wolf from another pack, the cub's tattoo could potentially not match their mother's and her mate's tattoo meaning that the cub would have to leave the pack, but this is very rare. Werewolves mate for life and cheating is considered high treason in a wolf pack. The fate of the tattoo is determined by witches or the balance of nature. Some do not know why their tattoos differ from their pack's but they trust that it is nature's way of keeping things in balance even if they are not necessarily aware of what is being kept in balance. However, even though the tattoos can be decided by fate, packs still fear members with opposite tattoos so they exile them.
Werewolves are exiled from the Kingdom of Wisteria because of the vampires. Hundreds of years ago, the vampires and werewolves fought against one another to claim the throne of Wisteria and the vampires won, claiming the crown for themselves. When they took over the throne, they persecuted the werewolves and made the humans and witches servants and subjects within the kingdom. Witches were prohibited from practicing magic and wolves fled to avoid persecution and formed packs on the outskirts of Wisteria. Packs stick together in order to protect themselves from the vampires and thus are wary of other packs and their tattoos. The motto is: "Trust the pack and no one else." Packs do not know whether to trust other packs and their members. Some turn other wolves into vampire authorities for money or work for the authorities directly. So, when a pack member receives a different pack's tattoo, they are immediately exiled. The exiled wolf must look for their new pack and face the dangers of traveling as a lone wolf to do so. Today marks the 300th anniversary of the Great War and the celebration of the eighteen-year-olds in the Forbes pack receiving their tattoos. Caroline Forbes, the daughter of the Forbes pack Alpha, sat eagerly on her bed glaring at her wrist waiting for her tattoo to appear.
"Uh! Why is it taking so long?" she whined frustrated. Almost all of her friends had already received their tattoos and were celebrating out by the river with beer, music, and undoubtedly displays of PDA. Even her boyfriend Tyler had already received his tattoo. It's not like she didn't know what her tattoo was going to be: she was the heiress to the Forbes pack after all. Her boyfriend Tyler sat on the bed next to her and lovingly gave her a kiss on her neck.
"Relax, babe. I'm sure it'll show up eventually. Remember, lots of us turned eighteen days even weeks ago. Your birthday is today so it might take some time to show up," he said. Caroline looked up and sighed.
"I know, but didn't yours show up the morning of your birthday exactly?" she questioned impatiently. She just wanted to see the ink on her skin so she could go to the huge end of the year party her friends were throwing to celebrate wolf adulthood. She was the coordinator of it after all.
"Yeah," Tyler said, interrupting Caroline's thoughts. "It did show up right when I woke up, but that doesn't mean anything. Remember James? His tattoo didn't come until the minute before midnight."
Caroline laughed, "Oh my god! He was so freaked. He thought he was never going to get one..." She trailed off when she realized what she was saying. Tyler smiled.
"Exactly. And he got his, didn't he? Don't worry. It's coming," Tyler said. He rolled up the sleeves of his black henley and showed Caroline his wrist.
"See? Here's the Forbes moon crescent," he explained, pointing to the black crescent on his wrist and the trailing his finger slightly across the flesh. "And here's the arrow piercing through it." Caroline smiled, looking at the familiar ink of an arrow cutting a crescent moon in half.
"And soon this will be on you too," he finished smiling. "You know what?" he asked suddenly and stood up, offering his hand to Caroline. "Let's go to the party anyway. We know the tattoo is coming in and at this rate, we'll miss the whole thing. So, let's just go."
"Really?" Caroline questioned. She didn't really want to go without having her tattoo to show off.
Tyler snorted, "Yeah. Everyone's going to be too busy partying to notice or ask about the tattoo." Caroline gently bit her lip and then hesitantly sighed.
"Alright. If you say so," she said and then stood up.
"Cool," Tyler exclaimed clapping his hands together. "Let's go party! Wooh!" he screeched running to the bedroom door and then hurriedly ran out the front door.
"Hey! Wait up!" Caroline laughed running to catch up to him. Tyler winked at her.
"Catch me if you can!" he yelled and the sprinted off toward the river.
Caroline screeched, "No fair! You started first!" She started running after him and then smirked when she sharply turned right, digging her shoes into the dirt and then abruptly running forward. She knew a good shortcut. She was totally going to beat him to the party.
Meanwhile, at Wisteria Castle
"Damn it, Elijah!" a man snarled slamming his fist into the mahogany table, making the blonde woman next to him flinch. The man who he was yelling at simply stared at him and sighed.
"Niklaus, you know the wolves are getting more clever at hiding and disguising their whereabouts. It's not as easy to find them," Elijah patiently explained.
"Well, you'd better hope you find some, Elijah. I am not in the mood for this. Two packs tried to infiltrate Westermore earlier this week and one almost succeeded. Station more guards there and tell them to imprison any wolves they see," Klaus growled.
Elijah bowed his head and responded, "I will do so." He turned on his heel and then walked out of the room. Meanwhile, the blonde woman next to Klaus sighed.
"Still looking for what this means?" she asked pointing to the tattoo on his wrist that was still currently attached to a clenched fist.
"Yes. Although it is not a priority at the moment. We still need to find the doppelganger," Klaus huffed and then turned to Rebekah, "Speaking of, how is your search progressing?"
Rebekah frowned, "I've checked bloody everywhere and there's no sign of her. Perhaps she's sought shelter with the witches?"
"Perhaps," Klaus mused. "Summon the Bennet witches and see if they know anything. Whoever has information on the doppelganger will be rewarded handsomely."
Rebekah nodded and then stood up. "I'll see to it." She started walking towards the door and then spun on her heel. "And what of that?" she questioned pointing to his wrist.
"Leave it. It shall be revealed soon enough."
Rebekah nodded and then closed the doors behind her leaving Klaus alone to look at his wrist and walk to the mini bar by the fire.
"Soon," he muttered. "Soon."