This one is a little slow guys but perk up, more tomorrow. I love your speculations;-) Nothing is ever what it seems with my brain though so I hope I can still surprise you.

Chapter 10 BF

"I don't…what?" Nathan frowned in confusion and Damon put his head in his hands and sighed.

"We are mated." Stefan said simply.

"How? You're vampires. Aren't you?" Nathan squinted at him, searching his face again for any signs of what he was behind the mask of youth and human-ness.

"That's up for debate." Damon grunted and rose to pour himself a bourbon.

Nathan moved over and took a seat as he tried to figure it all out. Stefan kept silent, letting him process it.

"You don't smell like blood and vamps always smell like blood."

Stefan nodded.

"You smell sweet, like honeysuckle or something."

Damon snorted in amusement and Nathan rubbed his chin as he looked at Stefan.

"Our feeding habits are different." Stefan said and Damon slammed his glass down.

"No." He said in command and Stefan sighed at his demand he not divulge anything that could make them seem more vulnerable. "All you need to know wolf boy, is that we are vampire plus, ok? We mated and it's changed us."

"Changed you how?"

"None of your business, just remember that I am Stefan's mate and I can smell you from a mile, especially when you touch him." He growled and Nathan shook his head slightly.

"You can smell me, off of him?" Nathan raised his eyebrows and motioned towards Stefan.

"Too right I can. You reek!"

"That's impossible!" Nathan said exasperated. "Only other wolves can smell scents like that, or dogs. You're not dogs are you?"

Damon growled again at the insult and Stefan put his hand out to calm him.

"How did you get hurt earlier?" Nathan looked to him and Stefan chewed his lip. "It was as if…I knocked his teeth out but you lost some too. How is that possible?"

"Believe me when I tell you that we don't know."

"Believe you? Are you kidding?" Nathan scoffed and stood up.

"Wait." Stefan sighed and Nathan sat down begrudgingly as Damon swirled ice cubes in his glass and watched Stefan with interest. "We've been through a lot. We have to protect ourselves. You understand that above all people. Just trust me when I say that we aren't a threat to you."

Nathan chewed his lip anxiously and Stefan huffed in sarcastic amusement.

"Hell, if anything we're more like you than other vampires!"

As soon as he said it out loud they all fell into contemplation of that. Stefan took a seat.

"So you mate. Why?" Nathan asked tentatively.

"What do you mean why?" Stefan looked confused.

"Well, I mean…" Nathan blushed, embarrassed, "…mating is for, you know…"

"What?" Stefan frowned.

"Reproduction." Nathan's face heated as he mumbled the word and Damon started laughing. "You can't…can you?"

"We're dead genius!" Damon chuckled mockingly. "And dudes."

Nathan nodded as though he'd almost forgotten that gender was pretty important to reproduction. He looked at Stefan.

"You have heightened senses – smell, taste, sight, hearing…"

They both nodded to all and Nathan sat back in his chair.

"What the hell would you need all of that for?"

"Hell knows." Damon commented and drank from his glass.

"How did it happen? Does it happen to all vamps eventually? Like, is it because of your age?" He looked to Stefan.

"No. There are only a few others." Damon huffed as Stefan answered.

"How did it happen?"

"Sex." Damon said, smiling in triumph as Stefan scowled at him. "Lots of it." Damon winked at Stefan.

Nathan blushed scarlet.

"Is it because…" Nathan paused, looking down at the floor for a second as he summoned the guts to ask what he really wanted to know, "…because you're brothers?"

Damon slammed his glass down again and looked at Stefan accusatorily and Stefan ran his hands through his hair guiltily.

"He didn't tell me. I saw one of your family albums." Nathan added and Damon looked menacing and enraged.

Damon, please.

Stefan channelled feelings of fatigue and emotional exhaustion. He looked over at him and Damon breathed to calm himself but was still mad.

"It's your business anyway." Nathan said casually, to reiterate that he didn't care to do anything with the information.

"No, it's not because of that." Stefan answered his question.

"You said something drew me here and I just don't realise. What are you talking about?"

"You spoke to the other wolves?" Damon asked, calming down and Nathan nodded. "The fact they don't know why they came here not an indication of something weird to you?"

"I just figured Mike was a bit of a stoner and Michelle…well, she's in heat. Figured she was looking for a new alpha."

"What?" Damon frowned and looked to Stefan.

Stefan channelled him the memory of he and Nathan's conversation about Michelle from days before.

"So that's why she being such a bitch." Damon snorted. "What the hell is she doing here in this state? Caroline better keep an eye on Tyler." He chuckled and re-filled his glass.

Stefan sat forward and clasped his hands to his mouth as he thought it through.

"If it is Klaus, is he trying to create a pack around Tyler?" Stefan ventured and Damon clicked his tongue as he considered that. "Make a pack and then come and turn them?"

"Klaus who? What?" Nathan looked from one to the other.

"Maybe." Damon mumbled.

Stefan lifted his cell and dialled Bonnie's number and Damon finally sat down in his armchair, crossing his legs casually as he watched Nathan fidget in confusion and anxiety.

"Bonnie, can you come over? We need to talk." Stefan said and Damon sucked his bottom lip into his mouth as he waited for Stefan to explain. "We think we might know what Klaus is up to."

He nodded and closed the phone, looking back to Damon.

She's coming.

Ok.

Nathan watched them.

"Who's Klaus?"

"Your worst nightmare wolf boy."

"Have you heard of the hybrid?" At Stefan words, Nathan's eyes widened and he froze in fear.

"That's a yes then." Damon chuckled.

"You think…he's behind me being here?"

"Yeah. He wants an army of wolves, turned by him, so that he can control them. Tyler is one."

"What?!" Nathan stood up, feeling repulsed at the concept of the nice guy he'd met being some freak of Klaus's creation.

"He's a friend though. He's not part of this." Stefan assured.

"How do we know that? I haven't trusted him ever since Klaus turned him." Damon admitted. "I bet my ass that he's the one getting Elena's donations back and forth."

"He's her friend Damon." Stefan shook his head.

"Stefan, he's a little minion now. You remember." Damon leaned forward.

Stefan felt a jolt of pain slice through him. Damon just had to bring that up didn't he? He stood up, swallowing down bile as he left the room for some water.

Sorry little blood machine. I didn't mean it like that.

Damon stood up and followed him nervously as Nathan sat and tried to process what was going on.

Stefan…

No you can't take it back now.

Stefan turned his back and placed a glass of water under the tap.

We've been through all of this and you forgave me.

I do!

Stefan turned to look at him accusingly.

"Clearly you don't!"

Damon pulled him round to face him and held him tight by the shoulders, pressing him up against the countertop behind him. His vampire face came forward and Stefan stared at his eyes in surprise.

Want to protect you from him!

Stefan swallowed.

All he needs to do is say the words and we are vegetables Stefan. It's that easy for him without vervain. I can't let him near you.

Damon's fear and simultaneous anger permeated Stefan's skin as it radiated from Damon's shivering form and he leaned into Damon's face and licked his neck and throat soothingly. Damon relaxed and lay his head on Stefan's shoulder. Nathan cleared his throat from the doorway and Damon huffed in annoyance.

"Sorry, but you've got some visitors."

Stefan nodded and smiled at him before rubbing his nose against Damon's.

We're not alone. Not like last time.

Damon gave a weak nod and let Stefan return to the lounge to open the door. He had to get his emotion under control here. It was clouding his ability to think rationally and he had to stay on form to protect his mate. He heard Bonnie speak to Stefan and he walked through.

"Finally, where the hell have you been?" Damon barked and she drew him evil eyes. "Have you done your little witchy thing yet?"

"Damon…" Elena sighed as she came in behind her and closed the door, drawing him a look of warning.

"Uh…" Bonnie tilted her head when she saw Nathan sitting looking confused and vulnerable.

"It's ok. He deserves to know what's happening around here too. He knows about us." Stefan said and both girls looked to him in shock and reservation.

Elena looked at Damon and Damon crossed his arms and clenched his jaw. She could tell he wasn't onboard with involving one of the wolves whom they didn't know. For all they knew he could be working for Klaus. Why was Stefan the only one who couldn't see that?

"Ok." Bonnie said as she frowned.

"What do you know Bonnie?" Stefan gestured for them to sit and she sighed and looked to Elena.

"Well, there are definitely witches behind what's happening. Grams communicated from the other side. She said the witches are aware some new big bad is going to endanger us here. They've been trying to channel their power to me…"

"Clearly failing to!" Damon snorted and she clenched her teeth as she glowered at him, before continuing.

"…but, some other witches are blocking my magic."

"Blocking you? How?" Stefan asked.

"They've managed to block my ability to connect."

"Well we're fucked!" Damon threw his hands in the air. "Why did you even come over if you're useless?"

"Damon!" Elena and Stefan both shouted at him at the same time and Nathan cleared his throat as he tried not to chuckle.

"I can still access earth magic, the magic of nature. Grams thinks it'll be enough to stop whatever their plan is."

"Nature magic? What's that?" Stefan sat forward and she looked around the room for anything alive.

"Nature or earth magic is elemental – so I can manipulate water, plant life, air, fire, earth."

"How's that going to help us?" Stefan frowned.

"I'm not sure yet." She admitted and Damon poured himself another bourbon.

They sat in contemplation for a few seconds before Bonnie realised their interloper might offer some answers.

"Nathan, you're a wolf."

"Yeah." He said looking suspicious.

"Apparently, you might have been drawn here because of your connection to nature."

"What?"

"When you're in your wolf state you become part of it, you sleep in the soil, you're affected by the elements, the moon."

"Ok." He nodded.

"We need to figure out how you could be used."

"And why now? I mean, if witches wanted to harness their connection to nature wouldn't they want to do it when there's a full moon?" Elena added.

"Most big spells, the ones where you have to draw a lot of power from other elements or things, usually have a catalyst and a specific timing."

"Like Klaus breaking the curse on a full moon with the blood of all three species at the same time."

"Exactly." Bonnie nodded.

"Or the spell Emily put on the locket to bring Katherine out from the tomb." Stefan remembered. "It could only be done once the comet had passed to access its power."

"Right." Bonnie nodded. "So why are you here now Nathan? What's so special about now?"

They all looked to him and he looked at them feeling somewhat suffocated.

"I…I don't know!"

"Think Nathan, what brought you here?"

"I wanted to find my family."

"No, there must have been something more instinctual, some more…animal." She urged and he chewed his lips as he thought.

He came up empty and looked to Stefan for support. Stefan sighed and gave him an understanding smile.

"What about the other wolves?"

"Well, Mike doesn't know shit." Damon commented. "But he did show up at the conference the other day, which I thought was weird."

"He didn't come for the conference?" Elena asked and they shook their heads.

"Mike didn't even know there was one." Nathan advised and Elena sat back in her chair thinking.

"Michelle is in heat and looking for an alpha apparently…"

"In heat?" Elena wrinkled her nose in disbelief.

"Yeah." Nathan said.

"Wolves go into heat once a year to maintain the heir archery in the pack." Stefan explained.

"Caroline was right." Bonnie looked at her and Elena stood up hurriedly and fished her phone from her pocket, leaving the room to warn her as Damon chuckled.

"Wait." Bonnie said deep in thought.

"What?" Stefan pressed.

"Once a year…"

"Yeah." Nathan confirmed and she looked at Stefan intensely.

"Once a year the wolves mate to strengthen their bond as a pack. They don't do it in wolf form?" She looked to Nathan and he blushed.

"No."

"Really?" Stefan frowned in surprise and Nathan looked at him as though he was stupid.

"They'd tear the female apart between them if they mated as wolves."

"That must be it." She chewed her lip. "It only happens once a year, it can't be a coincidence it's happening now."

"Shit." Damon chuckled.

"How long does it last?"

"A week I bet." Damon snorted.

"Actually, it changes. For some weres it lasts a few weeks. Depends how strong the alpha is."

"Why?"

"The bitches mate until they exhaust themselves. An alpha female is a better partner because she's stronger, has more endurance."

"Michelle's definitely alpha. Thought she was going to bite me the other day." Stefan mused and Damon tensed.

"Ok, so we have a starting point. Now what do the witches want with that kind of energy?" Bonnie sighed.

"And how the hell do they tap into it?" Damon asked and she clasped her hands together.

"The same way I would, they'll use something connected to one of the wolves. Hair or blood or something like that."

Nathan stood up and began to pace.

"What's going to happen?" He asked nervously.

"We won't let anything happen to you Nathan." Stefan tried to soothe.

"Why us and not you?" He asked and Stefan frowned.

"They're not alive, that's why. You can't draw energy from the dead. Vampires are a magical dead end." Bonnie explained and Nathan hurriedly left the room and slammed his door in fear and apprehension.

"Thank god for that, maybe he'll high tail it out of here." Damon chuckled amused at his dog references and Stefan huffed in annoyance at him.

Real smooth.

So what, he's just a wolf. At least we know we aren't the targets anymore.

Stefan shook his head.

"I'll give Alaric a call and see what he can dig up on werewolves mating. There must be something in Isobel's research about them still at Duke."

Stefan nodded in agreement. Bonnie stood up and Stefan hugged her in thanks. She pulled back and stared at him unblinking for a second or two and he raised his eyebrows.

"Something's different about you." She said and Damon walked over to her.

"Can you tell what?" He asked earnestly.

"It's…I can't put my finger on it." She stumbled searching his face.

"I think we're changing again." Stefan admitted, not wanting to spell out the details of their intimate changes.

"Others like us have been showing up here too. You're sure this whole thing is about the wolves?" Damon pressed and she nodded.

"It has to be. You're un-dead. No magic energy can be drawn from your bodies." She said simply and Damon relaxed.

"Maybe our changes are normal then. Maybe that's why the others have shown up. Maybe we are all changing together for a change?"

"Like a pack." Stefan pointed out looking to Bonnie again and she chewed her lip.

"You sure about your magic know-how Bon Bon?" Damon patronized.

"Yes. Vampires don't conduct or produce energy Damon." She said confidently, holding her shoulders firm.

"Ok then." He nodded.

Elena came back into the lounge looking stressed and she and Bonnie left to go and calm down Caroline who was out hunting for Michelle with foam in her mouth. Damon pulled Stefan to him and pressed their foreheads together.

We're going to be safe.

Yeah.

Stefan channelled back, blocking his doubts about that from Damon as they kissed and held each other tight.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Rick spent most of the next few days at Duke, reading into as much of Isobel's research into paranormal beings as he could. There wasn't much about werewolves, considering Isobel's fixation on the vampire element of mythology and fact, but there was some.

He rubbed his eyes tiredly as he turned the pages of an ornately drawn picture book. He'd been reduced to looking at images now, as his eyes went blurry with words. He needed coffee badly or something stronger. He stood up and knocked over the book as he moved to retrieve a cup and groaned at the effort of having to bend down and lift it from the floor again. He paused when he looked down at the image.

The image was an elaborate depiction of a pack during mating season. There were real wolves in the drawings but also that of werewolves in various degrees of shift. His eyes widened as he scrutinized it. How could there be a separation between real wolves and werewolves in this picture? Werewolves couldn't change at will. Damon had told him that Nathan said their heat was right now, when there was no moon. So how could these pictures be accurate?

He flipped his phone open and called him.

"Hey, how long does this mating thing last?" He asked.

"Wolf boy said could be a few weeks if Michelle's exuberant enough." Damon scoffed. "What did you find?"

"I don't know, maybe nothing. Just a drawing that doesn't make sense."

"How so?"

"The werewolves are mating but they're in shift or in partial shift anyway."

"Huh?"

"Exactly." Rick sighed.

"You mean as in, bitey?"

"Yeah, but the full moon isn't for another week and a half."

Damon fell silent as he contemplated that.

"If she's still in this state when the moon comes…"

"She'll be an even crazier bitch in heat." Damon groaned.

"Yeah and she won't be alone. From what I can tell, when the bitch goes into heat the males compete. They'll be more aggressive for her attention and if they can partially shift during that time…"

"Then we're screwed."

"Yup."

"At least she's got a thing for Tyler. He'll be able to control her."

"What about the other two? There's only one female. They could tear each other apart and some of us in the process." Rick warned.

"That settles it then. We'll round them up and lock them in the cellar. Once the witches are done with their creepy sex energy, they'll be human again and we can kick their sorry asses out of our lives finally."

"Good luck with rounding them up." Rick huffed slightly amused and Damon said his goodbyes.

Rick sat back down to study the image again. Getting the wolves together could cause some major chaos, plus Damon was assuming that once the witches had used the energy for whatever purposes they needed, that the wolves would be left alive. He wasn't so sure. After what had happened to Jenna and Elena with Klaus, he had no doubt in his mind that whatever the spell was for, it would need so much energy, the wolves would probably be forfeit.

Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

Mike sat in his usual booth, having polished off his second round of steak. He finally felt full and sat back in his chair relaxed. He liked this town. The people were friendly, the food was good. He could happily settle down here and not go back to his pack. The more days he spent away from them, the less he thought of them. He'd always been an outsider anyway, but his inner wolf had compelled him to stay with them. Now, he felt free and happy. He smiled to himself and caught a whiff of Cardamon.

He sat up and looked around. Damon walked in and sat down at the bar. He seemed tense. Mike took a deep breath and got up from his seat to go and say hello, when he felt a hand on his shoulder. He turned around in surprise to see Michelle.

"Hey." He said in surprise and dread.

"We're moving into the Lockwood Manor with Ty." She informed and he frowned.

"What? What are you talking about?"

"He thinks we should all be together, a pack, so we can protect each other properly."

"I don't even know the guy that well. You expect me just to pack up and go and stay in his house?" He asked incredulously.

"He's our alpha. He can protect us from whatever drew us here." She said clearly and with annoyance and he shook his head and gave a laugh of amazement.

"I'm not going anywhere with you." He shook her hand from him and stepped back looking at her.

"Mike, just do as you're told for god sake!" She hissed and he growled at her.

She stood taller and gritted her teeth at him.

"Heel." She growled.

"No way. I'm staying at the Boarding House. If you want to run off and join a pack, on you go. Good riddance!" He sneered and she grabbed his arm tight, hurting him with her strength.

"You are one stupid wolf Mike. I'm not going to let you be food for any homo vamps!" She snapped and tried to pull him away.

He tried to pull his arm back but her grip tightened. She was too strong. Alpha strong and he struggled. Suddenly Damon was there and shoving her into a chair. Mike gasped at the speed of which Damon had moved and looked at him in thanks.

"You heard the man. Off you run to your alpha - your teenage alpha with the I.Q of a snail. Good luck with that!" Damon spat and she puffed up in challenge to him. "If I were you, I'd watch out for his girl." He grinned.

They stared at each other and you could have heard a pin drop. The human diners seemed to notice and they stopped too, as the whole bar filled with tension. The pheromones seemed to roll off of the three of them, making them want to fight, to challenge and to surrender. After a few seconds the female wolf remembered her inability to finish Damon off without the moon and she stood down, replacing her bared teeth with a mocking smile.

"Fine, keep him. He's weak anyway." She flicked her eyes towards Mike and turned around, sauntering out of the Grill.

Damon growled at the back of his throat and watched her leave, his eyes burning like fire. Mike sat down behind him to calm down as adrenaline pumped through him.

"Thanks." He said and Damon turned to him scrutinising him.

"Why?" Damon asked and Mike frowned.

"Why what?"

"Why didn't you want to go with them? They're your kind."

"I don't want to. I want to stay." Mike said swallowing.

Damon stared at him confused.

"I feel safe around you." Mike added, blushing slightly and Damon gave a huff of surprise.

"I'm a vampire Mike."

"I know that, but you're not like them. I trust you." Mike continued to blush and avoid Damon's eyes.

Damon rubbed his face tiredly and sighed.

"The damn world is upside down." He commented and Mike looked at him again.

"Are you ok?" He asked, seeing how strained Damon was from stress.

Damon looked at him in surprise as though no one had ever asked him that and he seemed to soften a little. He hadn't been sure of how to lure the wolves to the Boarding House and keep them tucked away. He hadn't clued Stefan in on that plan yet. He knew how he would react. Tyler would probably have a similar reaction, but if it kept the rest of them safe and the witches only wanted the wolves, then he intended to ensure he had them all under lock and eye. Mike trusted him for some reason, so it'd be easy to convince him to stay in the basement.

"I don't know." He said. "There's some witchy mojo about to be turned on us and I don't know how to protect us."

"You'll figure it out. I know you will." Mike gave him a confident smile.

Damon gave a small nod. Mike was vulnerable and trusting. He was weaker than the other wolves and didn't seem to have any ulterior motives. Somehow it made him seem like someone Damon should look after almost. What a strange un-Damon like compulsion. He chewed his lip as he considered that. Could it be he was feeling guilty about locking this poor guy down there with that crazy female? He had a feeling that even despite her heat, Mike wouldn't be interested. If anything he'd simply be beaten to demonstrate the dominance of Nathan.

Locking him with them effectively ensured that actually. If only there was a way to keep Mike separate but still locked up. Then again, the witches might kill him with the spell anyway so Damon shouldn't let himself get attached to him.

"Come on." He said, tilting his head towards the exit and Mike stood up ready to go.