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Chapter 2: Present
The day I ran was the day I was able to breathe again. I had gotten as far away from people as I could, taking up residence in a small cabin deep in the woods just outside Mystic Falls. A place I called sanctuary but was nothing more than a vast prison. One I couldn't leave until I grew older. All I had since that day was what I had packed in my small camping bag, filled with some clothes and other essentials. They would be all I had until I learned to control the magic that took me over the night my parents died.
Caroline's mother had sent me during a period of lucidity I'd had. One of which happened during the weeks that came after the accident. They had locked me up beneath their property where I stayed hidden from my family. There I sat, alone in a damp cell awaiting what would come next.
When she came she told me that I had to go. If I stayed Mrs. Forbes figured it would happen again and that she wouldn't be able to help me anymore. She had told me of a cabin the founders had built long ago for those they found uncontrollable. In my case it wasn't meant as a prison but more of a sanctuary of sorts. She told me of the town's dark history with the vampires and witches. She had even told me of werewolf sightings around the woods just outside of town in the hopes of making me feel better. So I would know I wasn't the only one out there I assume.
Now here I was after four years of learning to harness the great power I had been given. Out here if I lost control I couldn't hurt anyone. Sometimes the magic was so strong all I could do to stop it was to let it take me over. Later on I found that the more I actually used magic the less I would lose control.
There were still so many unanswered questions though. I had no idea why I turned into a wolf during full moons. I had no idea why I hungered, even after gorging myself on whatever I had caught that day. I had no idea if these things were normal for witches. I just knew they were happening to me and there wasn't much I could do to stop it.
On nights when the moon had been full I always felt so uneasy. Like my magic couldn't contain itself any longer. Once I had decided to allow it to run free after I had changed. I woke the next morning after my first shift having no memory of the night before. After a few more instances I had gained some short memories of my time as a wolf, leaving with a small understanding of what I was capable of.
After a few transitions I woke up in a valley far from my small cabin. When I opened my eyes I found a young boy lying7 next to me. We were both pretty nude, but that hadn't stopped him from curling his body into my own like he had done it a hundred times before... Once we had both pulled our clothes back on he followed me home. We had talked for hours about werewolves. He told me that his family had passed the wolf gene on to him. As far as he knew there had never been a wolf with power like mine. Logan was two years younger than me making him twelve. For four years he was my only companion.
I was powerful. There was nothing inside of me I feared more then what I might be capable of doing to others. All I wanted now was to go home and try to figure out just what the hell was really going on with myself. I hadn't heard from or seen my family in four years. My ticket back home was for tomorrow. I would be home this time Monday and I would be taking Logan with me.
The day we left I took nothing with me, only my wallet and Logan. We met up at my cabin late the night before and spent it reminiscing about our life up here. When we met he taught me a lot about my animal side and I would always be grateful for it. He was my best friend. His family was a little overbearing. He had asked me last year,10 that when I finally left that I would take him with me. Of course I had agreed instantly. The thought of having someone with me who I felt so close to made it easier to go home in a way.
Logan's parents had no idea he was leaving with me. They had no idea I even existed and I liked it that way. If they didn't know me then they wouldn't know where I would take him. We would be able to make a clean break.
"I can't believe we are really leaving this place." Logan said, bumping me with his shoulder. I could see the excitement he exuded and it calmed me a little.
"Me either. I just hope people aren't afraid of me." I said trying to ignore the nagging feeling that I should call Elena before just showing up.
"Well didn't you say you parents left you a whack of money when they died? We don't really have to go back to Mystic Falls." Logan knew everything about what happened that horrible night. I had told him everything. He wondered if my family would take me back so easily. Was it worth it?
I shrugged, I wanted to see my sister so bad some days that my heart ached in my chest. We were twins after all. Ever since the day we were born we had been inseparable. So yes, I could just go someplace else, but I really didn't want to run from what I had done any longer. I wanted to go home.
"No it's okay Logan, really. I have to do this." I told him, sighing as we entered the small airport in town. This was it! "I have a lot of time to make up for." I whispered to myself.
We boarded the plane home. I even slept the whole way there,17 right next to Logan even though he tapped his feet the whole time, driving me bonkers.
We drove into Mystic falls around lunch time. Nothing had changed. The small town I had grown up in still smelled the same as the day I had left it. The people were still just as busy.
"So this is it? I pictured less people and more libraries." Logan laughed as we taxied towards my childhood home.
"Yes, well you would wouldn't you? This place had a lot of history you wouldn't begin to understand Logan. The people who live here are pretty serious about it." The founding families were many, and mine was among them; our family went back to the beginning.
"This is it. Pull over here." I told the taxi driver who then pulled into the short driveway. The house looked empty but still stood just as tall as I remembered it. We both climbed out of the cab and walked to the front door. Shakily I rang the bell waiting for someone to answer.
"Yeah! One second!" I heard Jeremy call out from somewhere inside. My heart skipped a beat as I fought to remain at the front door. I pulled my small black dress down a bit hoping I wasn't showing too much leg. What was I even thinking? Like it mattered to my brother?
The door swung open and there he was.
"Holy Shit!" Jeremy ran his hands over his eyes and looked at me again, "Peat?" He whispered. It had been forever.
Smiling and fiddling with my feet I nodded. I hoped he wasn't going to chase me off.
"Holy Shit! Where have you been!?" He rushed towards me, picking me up into his arms and spinning me around. I could hear his heavy breathing and I thought maybe even a laugh or two? He set me down and his eyes dragged over to Logan.
"It is a long story Jere. Can we come in?" I asked him hopefully.
"Are you actually asking me to come into your own house? Get in here!" He said pulling Logan and me inside and slamming the door shut.
Peeking around me I noticed that not much had changed since I had left for the cabin.
"Your room is just as you left it." He pointed up the stairs. "Caroline spent a week or two in there but she didn't move anything." He said as he pulled me further inside. Once in the kitchen I sat down on the bar stool next to Logan.
"So tell me why the hell you left?" He asked, crossing his arms over his chest and eyeing me. Not being able to hold back I told him everything, leaving out only the details I wasn't into sharing just yet. We talked about that night. We talked about the four years of seclusion I had given myself so I could learn to control my new abilities. We didn't discuss my shifting or the hunger.
"You need to talk with Bonnie. She would probably know how to help you." Jeremy said as he eyed Logan again. He wasn't so sure about this guy for some odd reason.
"Okay, I will. But Jeremy where is everyone? Where is Elena?" I asked him. I figured high school had ended for her so was she living somewhere else maybe?
"Elena is different now Peat. Something happened with Matt and she died." Jeremy said. "Elena is a vampire."
I coughed my drink up all over myself as I struggled with the new information given to me. Jeremy went on to explain everything that had happened while I had been gone, from the Originals coming to town and draining our sister to Jenna dying.
"Well now I am not so nervous to meet you." Logan spoke up finally and shaking Jeremy's hand. "Logan Hendricks, nice to meet you."
"And this would be?" Jeremy seemed weary of my friend.
"This is the only person I have seen in four years. He helped me a lot out there. In return for that I brought him here with me." I said patting Logan on the shoulder. "He's my best friend."
"You're a werewolf?" Jeremy asked eyeing him again. How was my brother even able to tell?
"Uhh yeah. How'd you guess?" Logan asked.
"I have some abilities let's say." Jeremy told us. I raised my eyebrow at him. I guess a lot had gone down since I had been gone. It hurt a little.
"Abilities huh? Well I would love to hear all about that for sure." I nudged him with my elbow. "I just hope that everyone is okay that I am back."
"No one holds that against you Peat. We all know you couldn't control it. Elena was so mad when you left she must have shut herself up in her room for weeks."
"Where is she?" I asked him again.
"She is with Damon at the boarding house by the lake. She lives there now until College starts." He told me.
"Damon is her boyfriend then? I never would have guessed all this mystical crap would take us all over." I rubbed my hand over my face.
"She lives there with Caroline and Stefan as well. It is really just one giant house filled with vampires." He grinned back at me. My brother had been living here all on his own all this time?
"Alright, well I guess it is time I pay a visit don't you?" I asked looking to Logan and back to my brother again.
"Yeah. I'll tag along." Jeremy said pulling on his shoes.