NOTE: Thank You for your kind reviews. At the risk of making my story be another version of Twilight with yet another love triangle involving a girl, a vampire and a werewolf. Cliches...cliches... I tried to avoid it but Aaarh I couldn't help it... :) especially since I imagined Tom Welling as Kael. Hehehe. He is gorgeous... :P Aniwae...no Klaus here but next chapter...which should be released on Friday...fingers crossed.
Chapter Fourteen
I didn't quite know how to face Kael after the nightmare and the embrace that followed. Everything just seemed so awkward and uncomfortable afterwards. He didn't say much but I could tell from the look in his eyes that he was thinking, strategizing, figuring out how he was going to use me to draw Klaus and the Originals out. I hated it, being used like a pawn in this ridiculous centuries old feud that was not of my doing or even that of my family's.
Kael took off the chains from my legs and hands and he let me wander through the Lycanthrope campsite during the day. It was kind of him to do so and I appreciated his gesture. I thought that he was just being considerate seeing how traumatised I was after that nightmare. But that wasn't why he released the chains. I discovered later from one of the women that Kael might have developed feelings for me. Feelings that I could not yet return.
"He likes you…" Serena, one of lycanthrope women whispered to me. She was tall, with wheat colored hair and green eyes. The Lycanthropes were all tall, the women willowy and long limbed and the men, broad shouldered and muscular. I was oblivious to what she meant and just stared at her.
"Our Alpha…he has his eye on you," Serena motioned and I turned to look. Kael was with a few of his men and I saw his eyes on me. It lingered for a while and then he looked away.
"No…you must be mistaken." I told Serena. "I'm a married woman." I smiled at her. "I'm sure he does not have his eye on me."
"We don't recognize that here.." Serena spoke.
"What do you mean?" I asked her.
"You may call us pagans. We worship the moon goddess, so your laws of man does not apply here. To Lycanthropes. You are still unwed."
"I am not a lycanthrope or a werewolf," I told her and frowned.
"That's why Kael is so fascinated with you." Serena said with a wistful smile. "You're different."
"I'm married to Klaus. His half brother." I insisted quietly. I did not want to give the wrong impression. It was strange but despite everything, I still consider myself married to Klaus.
"But he's not a good man, your husband," Serena sighed. "Why would you still see him as your mate."
"Maybe because I still love him…" I admitted woefully. My feelings for Klaus was still confusing to me. Especially after the vivid dream or nightmare that I had of him. Seeing him so broken and miserable actually affected me.
"Then you are a stupid woman." Serena told me. Lycanthropes, I had realized during my time with them, were not one to mince words. "To love such a man." She then gave me a sympathetic look.
I smiled sadly at Serena. "Maybe I really am."
Kael was feeding me dinner again, it was night and he had to chain my legs and hands, afraid that I would escape when everyone was sleeping. I stared at him as he fed me. Though I wished he wouldn't. I was not an invalid or a child.
"Tell me about your childhood." Kael asked me. He had finished feeding me and sat on the floor leaning against his cot.
"Why do you want to know?" I looked at him, eyes narrowed suspiciously.
"Because I'm curious," He replied and gave a sneaky smile. "I'm always curious about you."
I breathed and started describing to him how I had lived. Life was simple then just a year ago, when Karina and I were by the river that afternoon talking about love and how drastically it had changed over the course of twelve months.
"I grew up in a farm. My father reared cows, sheep and we have some horses…" I found myself missing home and Mama and Papa.
"Our house is not large but it was good enough. My mother likes to weave and Papa smokes his pipe in the evenings. There's a river nearby and I liked to swim there and fish."
"I've always wondered how it is to grow up in home," Kael smiled and continued. "Our kind move around too much. I've never had a permanent home."
"It's the best thing." I said suddenly feeling sorry for the Alpha and his lack of a permanent, stable abode. "You should have one. It's a place you'll feel warm and safe. Away from the rest of the world."
"Maybe I should," He agreed. "I'll have a farm and raise horses. I've always wanted to do that"
"Do you have any siblings?" Kael questioned.
I nodded. "One sister," I smiled thinking of Karina. "She means the world to me."
"Just like Lila was to me…" Kael said, I saw the sadness in his blue eyes.
"She is your sister?" I looked at him.
"She's a small little thing with hair like yours but curly and big brown eyes…" Kael described. "She wanted to follow me everywhere, even on a hunt." Kael breathed. I looked at his eyes. And he seemed so distant. I saw him wincing, remembering a past tragedy
"She was only a cub when it happened. My mother was holding her in her arms that night. I heard her crying and the screams that followed..."
"I'm sorry…" I spoke and touched his arm, my chains rattling. He then took my hands and I saw him break the chains. I stared at him, shocked that he had done that.
"I shouldn't have kept you here…" Kael suddenly said.
"Why?" I asked him. I was surprised at his sudden change of heart.
"You were right. This feud has nothing to do with you. It is between me and Lord Lucas." Kael spoke and broke the chains from my legs too.
"Enough innocent blood has been shed." He told me, this fury in his voice. I stared at him, amazed somewhat. He was so different from Klaus. Klaus would not hesitate in killing innocents to justify the means and sometimes even for his own pleasure.
"You're letting me go?" I asked, my eyes just staring at his.
"You've suffered enough Eleanna," Kael told me, eyes looking deeply into mine. "I'll not have you suffer for my sins."
"You're a good man Kael." I said quietly, not knowing what else to say.
"I'm just a Lycanthrope." He said. "That is all." He gazed into my eyes. "I only want to see justice served. For my people. My family. Eye for an eye. Blood for blood."
"Even if it kills you?" I asked him. "The Originals are powerful. You cannot win a fight against them. They cannot be killed."
"Yes they can..." Kael said and gave a secretive smile. "There is no such thing as a being so powerful on Earth that can't be killed. The Mother goddess would not allow it. Nature would not allow it."
"You mean God..." I said, still not used to a feminine God.
"I worship a different deity than you." Kael said. "The Mother goddess is all knowing and all around."
"Do you not believe in hell then?" I asked him. I was rather curious of his beliefs. It fascinated me somehow.
"I believe that hell is what we create." Kael said simply.
He then looked at me intently. "Your hell is this attachment you have with Klaus. A bond that you refuse to let go and give up. It is within your power but you don't want to. You let yourself be enslaved by it."
"It's not that easy." I said sharply. "He is still my husband. And I do love him. This attachment you speak of, is called marriage."
"But you left Eleanna. You decided to leave him. How could there be any marriage? You are not happy..."
I kept quiet hearing that. My heart was beating faster than usual and I was trying my best to calm down. I was angry at Kael for questioning my relationship with Klaus. He had no right to do so. Whatever feelings, emotions, I have for Klaus, however conflicted they might be was mine and mine alone.
"Why do you let yourself be tortured by him?" Kael asked, I heard the strain in his voice. It was obvious that he wouldn't back down from this pointless inquisition. "You're free Eleanna."
"I'm not!" I said, my eyes staring at Kael's. "You kept me prisoner here...what makes you so different from Klaus then?"
"Because now I realize that I have to let you go..." He said softly. "You can sleep in the tent. I will bring you back to your sister and the witch in the morning. You have my word."
Kael then rose and walked towards opening. He turned and stared at me.
"Do you know what my hell is?" He asked me. I only looked back at him, unsure.
"My hell is falling for someone who I know will never be mine."
He stared at me, this longing in his eyes that I could not return. I kept quiet and looked away and he left the tent. I lied down on Kael's cot and breathed in that distinct, unique scent of him. He smelled of the forest. Of fresh dew and wood. Maybe there was something wrong with me to have such unexplained overpowering love for my cruel, crazy husband and none whatsoever for an honorable gorgeous Lycanthrope. Anthony was right we don't choose who we love.
Kael kept his word and took me back to the cottage the next morning. I was so happy and relieved to finally reunite with Karina and was utterly surprised when I saw Mama and Papa there. Elsa with the help of her trusted witch friends managed to bring my parents safely to where Karina was and I would forever be grateful for their help. I was crying when I hugged my parents. I never cried so much in my life.
"Oh Elly...my sweet child," My father hugged me. He kissed my forehead and cheeks and looked at me. I saw the tears in Papa's eyes and I felt like crying again.
"How I have missed you..." Papa said and hugged me again. I went to hug my mother who cried in my arms as well. The cottage must have been quite cramped with all of us inside but Elsa insisted that we all should live there and she had also insisted for Kael to stay for dinner.
My sister whispered to me afterwards, "He is quite handsome. This wolf of yours..."
I looked up and saw that Kael was talking to my father outside. My father had decided to let Kael try his pipe which he did and they were laughing about something together.
"He is not my wolf..." I told Karina with much emphasis.
"You were with him for three weeks Elly...surely you must have noticed the way he is around you..."
"What do you mean?" I asked my sister.
"He looks like a man in love." She gave a knowing look and smiled at me.
"You are mistaken Sister." I gave a small frown. "He is not in love. And if he is, it's not with me." I looked at Karina. "He can't be. I'm married."
"Yes..." Karina whispered in my ear. "But we both know that Klaus is not a man you want to be with anymore. Husband or not."
"What are both of you talking about?" Mama asked as she walked towards us.
"Nothing..." I told my mother and tried to hide it with a smile. My sister looked at me and gave a conspiratorial smile too.
Mama gave us a frown. "You sisters and your endless secrets..." She shook her head. "You're going to be the death of me."
Suddenly Karina groaned and held her tummy... "Aargh..." She screamed. I stared at her, shocked by it. "What's wrong?" I asked.
Mama turned and looked at us. "Alexander!" She called Papa
My father and Kael immediately went in. "What is it? What happened?" Papa asked.
"Karina.." I called her and set her to sit on a chair. She held her tummy and stared at me. "It's coming Elly...The baby's coming..." I looked down and saw that there was a pool of liquid at my sister's feet.
"Alright..." Elsa came to my sister's aid. She looked at me. "Elly...boil some water and we need some clean blankets and sheets..."
Mama immediately searched for blankets that were folded neatly in a trunk and I went to get the water boiling on the fire.
"Is there anything I can help with?" Kael offered as he went to me. I looked at him and he gave a smile. I couldn't help but smile back at him. Not many men would offer help with anything. Then Kael wasn't an ordinary man.
"No...no..." Elsa spoke and shooed him and my father out of the way. "Childbirth is not for men...you'll be scarred for life. Just wait outside."
"Aaargh...Uurgh" My sister screamed again. I looked at her fearful of what would happen. I knew of women who died in childbirth and seeing my sister groaning and writhing in pain terrified me beyond measure. I just prayed that she would make it through.
Elsa made my sister sit on the bed as she spread her legs ready to give birth. I held my sister's hand as she started to push. Mama wiped the sweat from Karina's forehead while Elsa stood in front, coaxing Karina to keep pushing. She was screaming in pain and she squeezed my hand. I stared at her and nodded. "Come on Karina..."
"I can't do this Elly...I can't..." Karina cried.
"Yes you can." Elsa spoke and encouraged. "Just breathe in...take deep breaths and push."
She groaned again and gave a push before heaving and shook her head. "This is too hard. Where's my husband?" She looked around erratically as if she could find Elijah in the room. Karina was sweating badly and I saw the tears in her eyes. "Where's Elijah... I need him."
"It's alright. I'm here Sister," I told my sister and kissed her forehead. "I won't leave you..." I held her hand. "I won't." I promised Karina
"Oh Elly...He should be here...I don't think I can do this without him..." My sister wept and looked at me, tears raining down. She then looked at my mother and pleaded with her. "Mama...Please. Make it stop. Make the pain stop."
"Shhh...Just be strong Karina. You are a Petrova. You will pull through.." My mother said firmly.
"Aargh!" Karina screamed again. I stood next to her, trying my best to ease her pain as her screams went on.
The labor went on for hours and I grew worried. I had to boil water a few times. Karina was exhausted, Elsa let her drink a potion to ease the pain and I guessed it worked because my sister was not screaming so much. Mama wiped the sweat from my sister's brow, cooing gently at her. My father kept smoking his pipe the entire time. He was pacing back and forth outside, sometimes looking in through the doorway.
Kael walked inside and went towards me and pulled me aside. "The birth is taking too long..." He whispered.
"Elsa said that the baby is not positioned correctly...She's trying to move it..." I told him. I saw Elsa touching Karina's tummy trying to massage it.
"Well I hope the witch has some spells up her sleeve because we are running out of time," Kael spoke. He looked rather serious a he said it.
"What do you mean?" I asked, getting even more anxious .
"If the baby doesn't get out soon, he might suffocate inside the womb and your sister might not make it through the night." Kael told me.
"She will make it..." I told him. I was sure. I couldn't lose my sister. I turned and saw Elsa reading her grimoire. A few candles were lit and she started to chant.
"What are you doing?" My father asked, almost horrified by Elsa's chanting. He immediately stormed into the cottage.
"I'm trying to save your daughter's life." Elsa replied bluntly and continued. "And your grandchild's."
"With Witchcraft?" My father asked appalled. He looked around and saw the pentagram and symbols drawn on the floor .
"It's the devil's work! I won't have it!" Papa said angrily and tried to take the grimoire from Elsa who wrestled not to have him take it.
"Stop it Alexander!" My mother shouted and covered her mouth, shocked by his behavior, especially at such an inappropriate time, when my sister was wrought with pain during childbirth.
"Papa No!" I cried and watched as Papa threw the grimoire to the ground. Kael stepped in and stood in front of father.
"Calm down old man.." He said, staring straight at my father's eyes as he held my father's shoulder. "Let Elsa do her work. She is a healer. There is no evil in what she does..."
"She is a witch..." My father said in dismay, looking at Elsa, who seemed to be in her own world, chanting her spell, ignoring everything that might distract her.
"And I'm a werewolf," Kael growled. Papa stepped back seeing Kael's pale blue eyes glowing. Kael's eyes went back to his normal blue. "But we are here to help..so step aside." He said, his voice had turned calm. My father acquiesced.
My father turned to look at me, aghast by what was happening around him. "What is going on Eleanna?" He asked. "What hell have you brought me and your mother to?"
"Oh Papa...please trust me. Elsa and Kael are my friends...and they are good people Papa. They would never hurt us." I told him. My eyes searching his. I needed to reassure my father that everything was alright and that he had nothing to fear and worry about.
"Friends?" He stared at me, shocked by it. "You are friends with a witch and a werewolf?" I breathed. I wondered how he would react if he found out that both his son in laws were five hundred year old vampires.
"Alexander please..." Mama said coaxing him. "Elsa has been nothing but kind to us...We have nothing to fear."
Papa sighed, almost resigned to it. He shook his head and Mama led him to the bench by the window. Mama put her arm around him and gently stroked his back as they talked quietly to each other. I went to my sister and Karina looked much more calmer and at ease and I was relieved. I smiled at my sister and held her hands tight. Karina pushed as hard as she could.
"I can see the head now..." Elsa spoke and looked up at us, her violet eyes beaming. "That's it push again Karina..."
She paused and breathed in deeply, eyes looking at me. "You can do this..." I whispered. Karina nodded and pushed again, her voice hoarse and strained.
"One last push..." Elsa said.
My sister groaned and gave it all her might, her fingers gripping me tight and I heard cries from below. My parents rose and walked towards us. I saw the baby, all red, wet and slimy, writhing and wailing as Elsa held it up.
"You have a son Karina. A beautiful, healthy boy," Elsa announced happily.
Elsa gently washed the baby and wrapped it up in a soft blanket. Elsa placed the baby gently in my sister's arms. Karina stared at her son, tears still in her eyes. I could tell she was amazed and overwhelmed by him.
"He's beautiful..." I whispered in awe at my new born nephew. He was beautiful as he blinked and cooed at us.
"He is..." Karina smiled adoringly at her son. "He looks like his father." She said and I heard this deep sadness in her voice.
She looked at me then at Mama and Papa. I saw her tears that still fall as she gazed at me. "I'm going to give him his father's name Elly. He should have at least that."
I sat on the wooden chair outside the cottage, exhausted by the whole ordeal. My sister fell to sleep with her son beside her. We named him after his father and called him Eli. Mama and Papa slept on the sheepskin rug by the fireplace and Elsa soundly asleep on her rocking chair. I stared out seeing that dawn was breaking. I was tired but I did not want to sleep, afraid that Klaus would be there waiting for me.
"You should rest..."
I turned and looked at Kael, shaking my head. "I don't want to." I told him.
"He's in your dreams because you let him..." Kael spoke and sat next to me. I kept quiet not wanting to talk about it and switched to another, more pleasing subject.
"Little Eli is beautiful isn't he?" I asked Kael and smiled as I thought of my nephew. How perfect and beautiful he looked.
"He is..." He nodded an agreement. "Should be no surprise. His mother is beautiful." Kael spoke.
I grinned at him and gave a soft laugh. "Why?" Kael smiled and looked at me curiously. "What is so funny?"
"Nothing..." I shook my head. "Karina has always been the beautiful one. Everyone would notice that about her."
"No..." He said and looked at me so closely. "I noticed that about you too. Both of you are beautiful. Beautiful Petrova girls..."
"Why haven't you had a mate yet?" I asked him, suddenly curious of why he was still not married.
"I haven't found the right one," Kael spoke and looked ahead. He sighed and looked at me. "Or maybe I just keep falling for the ones who don't feel the same about me."
"Well..." I said and breathed. "Whoever your mate will be, she is lucky..."
"Why?" Kael asked. Eyes intently on mine again. I just wished that he would stop looking at me like that. It makes a girl uncomfortable and queasy to see his piercing blue eyes and gorgeous face staring at her.
"Because you are a good man Mikael..." I said, averting my gaze from him. "Any girl would be lucky to have you."
"If you say so..." Kael spoke quietly. He didn't sound convinced by it.
Kael then rose and I was surprised that he was going somewhere. I suddenly did not want him to leave my side. Having him around the past weeks have made me somewhat depended on his company. He made me feel safe. To have his warmth near me and that forest, woody scent of him that I had grown to love. Strange I was even thinking of that verb. Love... Klaus had said that there was no other for him and that it was the same for me. We belong together. Body and Soul forever... Could I only truly love and be with one person for an eternity? Was I then doomed to only feel such deep love and passion for Klaus and no one else? But don't I deserve better...
"Where are you going?" I asked him, my voice quivered somewhat that even I was shocked by it.
"I have to go back to the pack..." He said and gave a somber smile. "We have a battle to prepare..."
"You are going to fight Lord Lucas?" I stared at him, shocked that he was going through with it.
"I have a duty Eleanna..." Kael told me. "I'm the Alpha. I have to get justice for my pack and my family."
"You could die..." I uttered. It was true. He could die. And others too.
"Then so be it..." Kael responded with a shrug. "At least I've tried."
"How can you be so cold?" I whispered. "How can you treat it so lightly? The Originals are dangerous Kael. They can hurt you..."
"And I can hurt them too..." He told me. That determination so evident in his eyes and face.
"I wished you wouldn't." I said and looked down.
"Why?" He asked. I looked up and saw his eyes piercing mine. "Because you don't want me to hurt your husband is that it?" He demanded.
"You don't want your precious Niklaus to come in harms way? You can't bear it?" He whispered harshly back, mindful not to be too loud to wake the others still asleep inside.
"No..." I stared at Kael. "Because I don't want him to hurt you...I don't want any of them to hurt you." I bit my lip. "I can't bear it if you got hurt..."
There...I said it. I didn't even know what that meant. I just had to say it out, fearful if I didn't let Kael know. It might too late. He stood there and stared right back at me, dumbfounded.
"I have to go Eleanna..." He said after a pregnant pause. His eyes gazed at me. "I wish things were different between us but it is not. I wish you well." Kael said and gave a curt nod. "I really do hope that you'll be happy one day."
I just sat there and watched Kael go. Stunned at myself that I had blurted it out in an incoherent, emotional way. I didn't know if I loved the Lycanthrope. But I knew that I cared for him enough, that if he got hurt I would be greatly affected by it. I fell asleep outside and Klaus wasn't in my dreams. Instead I dreamed of black wolf with piercing blue eyes running in the fields next to me.