New update, finally lol

At least it's long!

The sky was clear that morning and remained so well into the day.

The sun shone brightly overhead and for a moment, Skylar almost forgot that it was meant to be winter.

Weather typically didn't matter one way or the other to her.

She loved the sun and summer and long days with long nights that seemed to last forever.

She loved the spring. Fresh flowers filling the air with their intoxicating scents, the earth rich with recent rain and new growth.

She loved the fall. The changing colors, the sweet smells, the cooling breezes.

And she loved the winter, as not only did her birthday falling directly in the middle of it, but colder air meant less people out and about, which meant she had more freedom to be herself.

Winter meant snow fights and Christmas, her mother's favorite holiday, and a crazy amount of food with the best decorations.

It also meant a hard ground, the best for claws to push against for optimal speed, when the Pack had a run.

And thanks to her father's absence, and her day off from school, she was getting to experience just that.

Kicking up Earth behind her, Skylar stretched her body out, drawing to her full potential.

There was no denying that she was the fastest in the Pack, except for maybe her mother, but they hadn't raced in years.

The males were somewhere behind her, Stefan's howl filling the air, a beckoning.

She circled back around, dodging a few trees in the process, and found where the others were sauntering near the path.

There were fewer members out than usual today, and the lack of her mother and father's darker fur was extremely noticeable.

Stefan and Klaus, both a sandy blonde, were at point, the Enforcer taking lead in the Alpha's place.

Mason and his collage of multiple colored fur was nearing the back of the group, and next to him, running just outside of the formation were the two younger wolves.

Daniel and Michael.

The contrast of their coloring made them most noticeable, Danny's being nearly as black as their father's, while Kael's was almost white, his fur was so blonde.

Skylar sprinted over to them, and launched herself through the air in the last second, aiming for her twin.

Surprise was the only reason she managed to knock him over, and she wasn't about to give him the chance to recover from the blow.

Moving fast, she danced around him, trying to get her mouth on his throat.

Daniel growled out a warning as she bit into his neck and he thrashed to get her off.

She managed to hold on until he rolled over, and she lost her grip.

Prepared for a counter attack, she jumped up, but her brother was simply shaking out his fur.

Taunting him, she dropped down and barked out a challenge.

He rolled his eyes, which were both blue now, and gave a small shake of his head.

Disappointment drew her up and she fought the urge to stick out her tongue at him.

Buzz kill.

She had half a mind to swish him in the face with her tail as she passed, but a nudge of her shoulder caught her attention.

Michael had come up beside her and motioned to the path ahead with his nose.

He was offering a race.

Internally, Skylar smiled.

This would be too easy.

She nudged him back then took off, knowing he'd read the acceptance and be on her heels in the matter of a second.

The path was worn; one they'd traveled a million times and it wasn't long before she pulled ahead.

Michael knew he couldn't keep up with her, but she appreciated that he was willing to try.

He did manage to at least keep to her flank for most of the run, but she had a solid victory by the time Alaric's voice hit the air, calling through the backyard for the Pack to come in.

Slowing down, Skylar changed directions, Michael following easily enough, and they came out of the forest's clearing only a moment before Daniel and the adults did.

Alaric was waiting for them at the back porch, so Skylar threw herself into the Change.

Once she was human again, she couldn't help but tease her companion.

"You know, if you want to run with the Pack, you might want to try to actually put effort into running," Skylar smirked at Michael as the group reached the area in the yard where their clothes laid in a pile, "You were eating dust back there."

"Sorry," he shot as they all started looking for their items, "We haven't all been doing this since we were kids."

She laughed, "Excuses, excuses."

"Cut the boy some slack," Stefan said, slipping into his pants, "For a newly transitioned, he's keeping up with your speed well enough."

Skylar turned on him then, "Right, and that's going to matter if we ever have to face down a rogue wolf?"

"You won't be facing down anything," Daniel interjected protectively, walking over now that he was dressed, "Rogue or otherwise."

This time Skylar did stick her tongue out at him, then pulled her shirt over her head.

"Alaric's waiting," Klaus told them, motion over to the ex Alpha, "It's probably about that time."

"Loading up," Mason nodded, then looked over to Daniel, "Bags packed?"

Her brother nodded.

"Good. We'll need to head out soon."

They walked up and sure enough, Alaric was standing with keys in hand, "Everything's in the SUV. Grab whatever bag you're bringing and let's head out. Damon's gonna be pissed if we're late."

"Please," Mason scoffed, "I'll bet he's so wrapped up in Elena's little ass he doesn't even know it's dayli-

"Okay, that's enough, thanks," Skylar reached over to cover his mouth as Daniel and Michael flinched at the mental image their uncle was painting.

"Seriously," a female voice chided, and Skylar turned to see Caroline coming out the back door.

"You heard that?" Mason's brow raised as he knocked Skylar's hand away.

Caroline's gave him an expression that almost put Danny's best bitch face to shame, "I don't need supernatural abilities to hear your loud mouth, though I do hope you use a better choice of words around my children than you do Elena's."

"I do," Mason said.

"He doesn't," Michael admitted at the same time.

The others laughed, and Klaus moved to place an arm around his mate, "It's not his fault that he has no common sense, love. We shouldn't pity the less fortunate."

"It's about to be his fault that he has no testicles," she muttered, but visibly relaxed under Klaus's touch.

The male leaned down then to kiss her, his hand twisting up in her blonde hair, and Skylar wiggled her eyebrows at Michael in response.

His eyes rolled but there was a slight smirk on his face.

His parents being all lovey dovey in public wasn't as embarrassing to him as it was to her and Danny.

Though, in their defense, Klaus and Caroline usually kept things PG, whereas their parents...not so much.

"Ten minutes," Alaric instructed, then he and Stefan began discussing protection protocols with Mason.

"Let's go inside," Daniel motioned toward the patio and Skylar nodded, "Good idea."

Upstairs, the three teenagers camped out in Daniel's room until he was sure he had everything in his bag and it was nearly time for him to leave.

"I'm sorry," he said to his sister, sounding sincere, "I know how badly you wanted to come."

Skylar shrugged, "Next time, right?"

"Yeah," he agreed, but sounded about as hopeful as she felt, "Do me a favor and stay out of trouble while I'm gone."

At that, she smiled a little, "I'm an absolute, rule abiding angel. You know that."

He huffed, but was smart enough not to comment, choosing instead to wrap an arm around her and pull her into a hug, "I love you, Sky. Be safe."

Sighing against him, she wrapped her arms around his waist and squeezed, "I love you, too, Danny. And you're the one who needs to be safe. New Mutts and all."

"I'll call you with all the details," he promised, releasing her and grabbing his bag.

His gaze moved to Michael then, who pulled himself off the bed.

"Hold the fort while I'm gone, yeah?"

Michael nodded and the two did their one armed bro hug thing that Skylar would never understand, and Daniel brushed a kiss against her head on the way out of the room.

They followed him down the hall and watched as he walked down the stairs and out the front door.

Moments later, an engine started, gravel span down the drive, and eventually all the sounds faded until there was nothing but the conversation Stefan was having with Michael's parents outside to be heard.

Skylar squeezed the railing at the top of the stairs, still staring at the front door.

Daniel was gone on the trip she'd been dying to take, and she was still here, still restricted, still deemed less important than her twin when it came to Pack business.

She'd managed to push off her annoyance at the situation, but now, looking at that door...it flooded her.

How many more closed doors was her father going to throw in her face simply because he thought she required more protection than her brother?

Heat boiled in her mind, through her body…because being born a female somehow translated to being incapable in her father's eyes.

Had she not shown him, over and over, that she could handle anything that Daniel could?

It wasn't fair!

"Skylar," a low voice in her ear pulled her attention, and she felt a pair of arms close around her wrist.

Michael's body was pressed against her back as he peeled her hands from the railing, "You're smoking."

She blinked.

There were two charred hand prints where she'd been holding the wood.

She shook her head and turned, Michael loosening his grip enough for her to do so, "Sorry. I got a little lost in thought there."

"You're pissed about being grounded here," he guessed, looking down at her palms which were turning from a glowing red to their normal color.

"Yeah...a little."

Michael peered up at her, challenging her point, and she sighed, "Okay, a lot. I hate that my dad doesn't trust me to be as good as Daniel. It's not fair, Kael."

"It's not," he agreed, "But it keeps you safe."

She rolled her eyes at that and pushed out of his embrace.

"Safe," she scoffed, heading down the hall to her room, "You mean suffocated."

"It only feels that way right now," he reasoned, following her, "But one day-"

"One day, what?" she challenged, shutting her bedroom door behind him for at least the illusion of privacy, "I'll suddenly gain some merit in the Pack? Please. As long as he's alive my father will be over protective, and as Alpha I can't dispute him."

Michael was silent for a moment and she fell back on her bed, letting her legs dangle off the mattress.

"You could challenge him," Michael suggested, after a moment, and sat on the bed beside her.

Skylar glanced up at him, "No. I can't."

"You don't want Alpha?"

"I…"

She thought about how to answer that question.

It wasn't that she couldn't imagine being Alpha, but in the Pack, it wasn't so much the title that she wanted.

"I love my dad," she told him, "I don't want to fight him like that. I doubt I could even win, and if I did, it would be with magic. No one is going to respect an Alpha who has to use outside means."

"Your magic is apart of you," Michael disagreed, "Not some outside force that-"

"Danny and I are freaks of nature," she laughed humorlessly, "Everyone here just loves us too much to admit that. We're a hybrid breed. Halflings-"

"And stronger than anyone else in the Pack with your powers," Michael assured her.

Skylar considered that, "Yeah...maybe."

He turned so that he hovered above her, "You are, Sky. And having those abilities doesn't make you deserve Alpha any less."

"Yeah, well, I'll settle for mutual respect and equal opportunity," she reasoned, "And in the meantime…"

She sat up and grabbed Michael's shoulders, flipping him so that he was the one laying down and she was straddling his hips, "I could use a distraction."

"Equal opportunity, and yet I'm only here to be your distraction?" he faked offense.

Skylar smirked, "You love it."

Before he could protest, or agree, she had leaned down and was kissing him.

Their chests flushed against one another, she wrapped her fingers in his hair, and his gripped her hips.

Michael sat up then, keeping her in his lap, but wrapped her legs around his waist and his hands trailed up her back, grazing under her shirt.

Since she wore no bra today, his nails were able to run over the length of her back with no hindrance and she arched into him at the sensations.

When her head fell back, his mouth moved to her neck, attacking the thinner skin with open mouthed kisses, his tongue flickering out for a taste before his teeth nipped slightly at her collarbone.

This time, she trusted him not to bite, and he didn't.

His hands worked circles on her back as molded against him, placing small kisses on top of his head.

His scent filled her nostrils as her breath quickened, and she loved everything about it.

He smelled like home.

Like the Earth they'd ran through, the river they'd drank from, and like the wind that his hair had caught.

He smelled one hundred percent male and a new heat spread over her at the recognition of it.

She was so lost in it that she didn't even stop him from turning her, hell she'd barely even realized that he had until her back touched the mattress.

Then he was in the curve of her body, his hair spilling over her face as their lips reattached and all of that hard muscle against her washed away any remaining annoyance that she might have had about her current situation.

"Mhmm," she moaned against his touch and he pulled away just a little.

Those screaming silver blue eyes bore into hers and the admiration and loyalty in them melted her heart.

"Do you want to just run away?" she asked dreamily.

Michael smiled, "Just you and me?"

She nodded.

"Where to?" he asked, playing along, and kissed the side of her neck.

Her hands came up to cup his, "Anywhere and everywhere. I don't care. Are you up for it?"

Those eyes returned to her face, "I'd go to the ends of the Earth with you, Skylar Rose. You know that."

And she did.

So she smiled, and she kissed him; because she could.

Until a knock sounded on her door.

Michael jumped up quickly, and Skylar hurried to readjust herself, "Yeah?"

"Is Kael with you?" William's small voice spoke through the wood.

Both of the teenagers relaxed and Skylar went to open the door for the youngest future Pack member.

"He's here," she told the boy, smiling down at him.

Will looked a lot like his older brother, but his hair was a shade darker and cut short because he was still young enough for Caroline to have her way with it.

His blue eyes were the same as Michael's, the same as their mother's, and even though he was small, she knew he would grow up to be a similar size.

He smiled when he saw his brother and made his way into the room, "Can we go swimming? Mom said we can go to river as long as you are keeping an eye on me."

Michael's gaze flickered over to Skylar who shrugged.

Maybe a swim would be a better distraction anyway, considering they had less of a chance of being busted for anything inappropriate if they were away from the adults.

"I'm game."

Michael nodded, "Sure. Go find your swim trunks and we'll meet you on the patio, out back."

Will grinned, "Thanks, Kael!"

He was gone then, sprinting down the hall faster than a blink.

Skylar laughed, "He worships you."

"He's ten," Michael laughed, "We're all easily impressed at that age."

"I was never that easily impressed," she argued.

Michael smirked, "You still aren't."

She laughed, "You should remember that. Now, you should go get dressed, and I need to change too."

"I'm cool with staying for the show," he teased.

She hit his shoulder, "Out."

He chuckled and went for the door, "Then at least do me a favor and wear the red one."

"You're a sucker for pain," she shot with a laugh and he merely shrugged before disappearing out of the room.

She shook her head and closed the door behind him.

"You awake kiddo?" Mason asked, turning to glance into the back seat of Alaric's SUV.

Daniel opened his eyes said thickly, "Somewhat. Are we there?"

"Almost," Alaric told him, adjusting the GPS sitting on his dash, "A few more miles to the hotel, then we'll head up the mountain to Jonas' with your parents."

Daniel nodded, "Alright. The pack's expecting us?"

"They're expecting your father," Alaric answered, "And I'm sure they won't be surprised that he brought a few Pack members along. No one is taking this new wolf situation lightly."

Of course not.

Over the past years, his father had cracked down on the Mutt idea.

Wolves that wanted to live rogue lifestyles had always been a major Pack issue, and no one had been better at handling them than Damon.

But since there were bigger secrets to protect now, such as his and Skylar's existence, there was no room for rogues.

No room for disloyalty.

It had taken a while to trace down all the Mutts, from what Daniel remembered.

His father and mother had taken many trips, from the length of days to a week, along with Klaus and some of the others, to be sure that there wasn't a single wolf left in the country that would defy the Pack.

To this day, he still didn't know how many lost their lives in those years, for refusing to do so.

And now there was a new rogue.

Maybe not by choice, sure, if the story of his being Giuseppe Salvatore's bastard was true, it was possible he'd just been lost to the human world.

It had happened in the past, when Alaric was Alpha.

Sometimes a wolf doesn't know that they've impregnated an ex, or a one nighter, and sometimes that child is born male.

However, from the stories he'd heard, it seemed unlikely that Giuseppe would have been that careless.

He understood his father's suspicion.

"How old is the wolf?" he asked, curiously.

Alaric's eyes found his in the rearview mirror, " Nineteen or twenty. Just few years older than you."

"And he survived undetected since his transition?"

"Apparently," the older male made a turn into a parking lot, "But that's the kind of thing your father is going to have him answer."

"And if he lies?" Daniel wondered, glancing out the window. They were at the hotel.

"God help him," Mason said, serious for once.

Daniel shuttered internally.

He'd trained his entire life under his father. He knew how lethal Damon could be.

But he'd never actually seen his father in action with his own eyes.

He wasn't really wanting to change that today.

"There they are," Alaric's voice drew his attention back to the window.

Sure enough, Damon's Camaro was parked a little down the way, and his parents were standing next to it, talking.

Daniel felt a slight relief at the sight of his mother.

Damon was always more family man and less Alpha when she was around.

Perhaps her influence would be enough to keep things peaceful when they met the new wolf.

Alaric parked the SUV and they got out.

Elena was the first to move, her smile covering her face as she walked over and pulled him into her arms.

His father's scent was all over her..

"Hey, baby," she hugged him quickly, "How was the trip?"

"He slept most of it," Mason teased and Daniel smirked, ignoring him, "It was alright. Went by faster than I expected."

She nodded and he caught the sight of a fresh bite mark on her neck. As in, within the last hour fresh.

A few years ago, he might of been embarrassed by its presence, but he'd grown so used to them now that only the rawness of it merited notice.

Idly, he thought of Jessica, and how his own mark would look against the dark skin of her long, beautiful neck.

Not that that would ever happen, despite the fact that his control seemed to slip around her.

He would not put her in pain, no matter how much his instincts pushed him to claim her.

"Is Skylar holding up okay?" his mother asked, and he pushed Jessica to the back of his mind, hoping his expression was still neutral.

"She's pissed," he admitted, focusing on her question, "But she'll be fine."

Elena nodded again and ran a hand through her long hair, "I hate that she's not here with us."

"She's safer at home," Damon's voice cut through the air, and Daniel straightened as his father joined them.

The male's presence demanded attention and had a way of making even the wide open parking lot feel small, especially since he was in Alpha mode, but apparently this didn't register with his mate.

"I know that," Elena said, turning to face him, "And like I told you last night, I understand why you want her distanced from this, but that doesn't make it fair to her. She's been cooped up lately, and she was really looking forward to this trip that she is no longer attending."

Damon sighed and placed his hands on her waist, "I hear you, kitten. I hear her. I know. I'll make it up to her."

When Elena gave a nod, he kissed her head then turned his attention to his son, "How pissed is pissed?"

Daniel shrugged, "Not blow up the house pissed, but I definitely feel sorry for the ones that have to deal with her pissed."

A smile crossed his father's face, fleetingly, "I'm sure they'll manage. Right now we have our own situation to handle."

Daniel nodded.

"But if it all pans out well, the kid integrates and there's no threat, maybe we can all take a family trip. The Ozarks aren't a bad tread to run."

"Sounds good," Daniel smiled, thinking that he'd at least have some good news for his sister, "Sky will be happy."

"Good," his father agreed, then, in a blink, the Alpha was back, "Alright, we should head out. Alaric, we'll take the SUV up, since it can handle the terrain better. Jonas knows we're arriving soon and is expecting us."

"I messaged Bonnie, too," Mason interjected, "They're ready for us."

Damon nodded, "Good, and as for the Mutt, I want us all on guard until we get some answers. I have Elijah's feedback, but I'm not taking anything into consideration until I meet this wolf myself."

"He can't be too much of a threat though, can he?" Daniel asked curiously, "I mean, he hasn't tried anything so far and he's been with Jonas's pack for a litt-

"Just because he hasn't acted yet, doesn't mean he's incapable of it," his father pointed out, "Either way, we'll find out exactly what we're dealing with."

The others expressed their agreements, and soon they were all loading back into the SUV.

The trip up wasn't long, but Daniel had plenty to occupy his mind.

A new wolf, a possible threat, and what they were about to face.

Skylar and how he could feel how upset she when he left earlier, despite her smile and smart ass remarks.

Michael, and how the poor bastard actually seemed to have real feelings for her.

And Jessica...and how he wanted more than anything to be spending today at school with her, studying or impressing her with hidden magic tricks during break, instead of being here, doing his duty to the Pack he didn't want to inherit.

Let me know what you thought :)

Sorry about the wait, I'll try to get the next chapter out faster, but I can't make any promises right now.