Sorry for the wait, but here's an update! :)

Oh, and for the record, the packs are the good guys...keep that in mind. Not all characters will be the same as in the show, so don't just assume they're bad because of their names lol.

If that makes sense...

Also, I don't speak Latin, so sorry if something is wrong with the translations.

Anyway.

The doors opened behind us, and the others appeared.

Apparently the howl had been heard all the way inside.

"Danger?" Jonas asked, coming out behind George and Tyler.

Alaric shook his head, "I don't think so...it's an arrival."

Sure enough, the sound of tires on gravel filled my ears.

Whoever it was had passed the entrance gate and was coming up the drive.

Alaric motioned towards the front of the house with an inclination of his head, "We should meet them."

The rest of us fell into step behind him, as he led us around the corner of the house.

A dark sedan had pulled up, with Illinois license plates.

"The Chicago Pack?" George guessed.

Alaric nodded, as three men stepped out.

The driver was dark skinned, and very tall, contrasting to the shorter, sandy blond wolf who was behind him.

I'd never met these two.

The third, however, I had.

"Aw, you guys didn't have to meet us out here," Oscar grinned, "We do know how to knock!"

Alaric smirked, "We were already out. It's good if you to come."

"Our pleasure," he assured, then looked at me, "Elena, gorgeous as ever!"

He moved to hug me and I smiled, "Hey, Oscar."

I'd met him a few years ago, on a run with Damon.

The blond haired wolf spoke to Alaric, "Julian wanted to send more of us, but we can't leave the city open for Mutts."

"I understand," Ric nodded, "Thank you."

"He does send his regards though. It's strange that-"

"Oh, come on Malcolm," Oscar interrupted, "Business can wait until the others arrive! Let's enjoy the pleasantries for a bit, shall we?"

Malcolm rolled his eyes, "Yes, very well."

"Great," Oscar grinned, then nudged me, "This here is Malcolm, our Alpha's second. Stick in the mud. And this," he motioned to their other pack member, "Is Beau...he doesn't speak anymore. Nasty fight with a Mutt left him mute."

I tried not to show pity as I looked over at him, "It's nice to meet you both. I'm-."

"Of course we know who you are," Malcolm assured me, "The she-wolf."

"And you know George," Alaric stepped in, "This is his youngest son, Tyler-"

As they finished the introductions, Oscar looked out towards the woods, "Your boy toy out there?"

I smirked.

Oscar was one of the few wolves I'd actually seen Damon get along with.

"Perimeter run, with Stefan and Mason."

"Ah," he nodded, "I thought I saw something on our way in."

"I'm sure they'll be coming up soon-"

Even as the words left my mouth, and whistle rang through the air and I turned to see Mason jogging over from the forest's edge.

Damon and Stefan were walking behind him, all in human form now.

"Chicago Pack," Mason mused, "I thought for sure Oklahoma was gonna beat you."

Oscar smirked, as the two hugged, "Not a chance, brother, not a chance…and here's Damon! We were just talking about you."

My lover smirked, coming up to stand next to me, "I'm glad you were able to come."

"Well we weren't about to miss the action," Malcolm pointed out, having looked over at the new arrivals, "It would seem your father is making quite the stir."

"A mistake of his that we intend to rectify," Damon assured the man, who grinned, "Looking forward to it."

The Chicago Pack was the first to arrive, but other followed in the next hour.

The pack that resided in the Oklahoma mountains was only able to send two young wolves, named Jamie and Harper, who Jonas and Luka knew from past encounters.

They were polite, though their eyes did roam over me a little longer than I imagined Damon would have liked, had he not been helping Alaric explain to the others what their plans for strategy were.

I tried to listen in, but Bonnie had pulled me off to the side, under Mason's supervision, to begin my "practice".

"This feels ridiculous," I told her, as we sat on the floor of the upstairs hallway, which was now the only semi-quiet place in the house.

My legs were crossed and my hands were hovering over two bowls, one filled with water, another with dirt.

A lone candle burned next to them, but thankfully, Bonnie hadn't instructed me to hold my palms over that.

"It will feel strange at first," she told me, "But your magic will be drawn with the elements. It's the best chance to find out if they exist at all."

"I'd listen to her, baby girl," Mason advised.

I stuck my tongue out at him, not caring if it was childish.

He grinned, "Just saying. She knows her stuff."

I rolled my eyes, but refocused, as Bonnie placed her own hands on top of mine.

"Okay, we're going to try something very simple," she said, "Extraction. We're just trying to get your magic to surface."

"Right," I answered, as if I understood, "And what exactly will that do?"

She shrugged, "Could be a number of things...trigger premonitions, start fires, blow open doors...it's different for each witch."

"Great," I muttered, but tried to relax."

"It'll be alright," she promised, "Chances are nothing will even happen the first few tries...just breathe."

I took a breath, "Okay."

"Good," she smiled, "Now, close your eyes and repeat after me. And keep taking deep breaths."

I did as she said, shutting my lids so that the world went dark.

I could feel her hands on my own, and smell the smoke from the candle flame.

I inhaled slowly.

"Alright," Bonnie began, "Ready?"

I nodded, and I felt her arms tense.

"Repeat after me...Vim ignis et aqua et terra…"

"Vim ignis et aqua et terra."

"Vim virtutis intus et de nihilo."

"Vim virtutis intus es de nihilo," I echoed, and when Bonnie didn't correct me, I assumed I'd pronounced everything correctly.

"Tibi dicimus sanguini sanguini," she continued.

"Tibi dicimus sanguini sanguini."

Her hands squeezed mine now, "Potestates surgee de mea sanguini."

"Potestates surgee de mea sanguini."

She repeated the sentences, and I followed her lead, the words getting easier and easier to mimic until they were flowing from my tongue almost effortlessly.

"Vim ignis et aqua et terra. Vim virtutis intus et de nihilo. Tibi dicimus sanguini sanguini. Potestates surgee de mea sanguini."

We chanted over and over, falling into an endless chorus.

All other sounds died out, until the only thing reaching my ears was the rhythm of our voices, the flow of our words, over and over and over.

"Vim ignis et aqua et terra. Vim virtutis intus et de nihilo. Tibi dicimus sanguini sanguini. Potestates surgee de mea sanguini."

"Vim ignis et aqua et terra. Vim virtutis intus et de nihilo. Tibi dicimus sanguini sanguini. Potestates surgee de mea sanguini."

"Vim ignis et aqua et terra. Vim virtutis intus et de nihilo. Tibi dicimus sanguini sanguini. Potestates surgee de mea sanguini."

Then Bonnie dropped my hands.

I opened my eyes at the lack of her touch, and found her sitting exactly as she was before.

Mason was staring at us with an amused expression.

"Why'd you stop?" I asked.

She cleared her throat, and motioned behind me.

I turned my head, and saw Damon, looking at us with an expression that proved he didn't find this nearly as entertaining as Mason did.

Strange. I hadn't even heard him come up the stairs.

"What are you doing?" he asked, his voice calm.

But I knew better.

I climbed to my feet and positioned my body between his and Bonnie's, "Just trying to see if there is any truth to this witch blood crap."

Damon's eyebrows pulled together, "You're doing magic?"

"Trying to see if I can," I corrected.

His eyes didn't leave my face, "Why didn't you tell me you were planning to do this?"

I shrugged, "I didn't know I had to."

His expression only hardened further, "Until we figure out what exactly is going on, you do."

I fought back the stubborn retaliation that rose in my throat just enough to say, "It's fine...nothing happened."

At least I was pretty sure nothing had.

I looked back at Bonnie, "Nothing happened right?"

She motioned to the candle on the floor, "The flame's out. Though that could have just been from the force of my magic as well."

Disappointment turned my stomach slightly.

I had actually began to hope a little that I did have some kind of ability that could help us take down Giuseppe.

"See," I forced a smile for Damon, "Nothing to worry about."

He didn't relax, "Are you planning to continue this?"

"Maybe. There's no harm in being sure."

He lifted his eyes from me to glare back at Bonnie, "This is safe?"

I turned to face her as well, shooting her a look that would suggest she'd better embellish the truth.

To her credit, she answered with a straight face, "Yes. If she shows any sign of magic at all, I can control it."

Damon only seemed half convinced, and crossed his arms, "Alright. But I'm staying."

"If that makes you feel better," I allowed, before turning back to Bonnie, "You good to go again?"

"We can," she nodded, "Though only once more. It's best not to over do it on your first try...and don't be too surprised if nothing happens, okay? Like I said, I studied for months."

I nodded, "Sure."

We resumed the positions we'd originally taken, but before she could even touch my hand, a knock shook the front door.

Damon, who was leaning against the wall next to Mason, straightened, his head shooting up as we heard the door open.

"Anybody home?" A voice called out, and to my surprise, it was vaguely familiar, though I couldn't place it, until Mason grinned and shot down the stairs.

Next George's voice floated up, "It's good to see you, brother."

Richard Lockwood, I realized, Mason and Tyler's uncle, from the Arizona pack.

Damon still stood tense though, and his eyes darkened, "He brought a friend."

He was heading down the stairs before I could ask what he meant, and after giving Bonnie an apologetic look, I stood up and followed him, taking the stairs three at a time.

What met me at the bottom was unexpected.

Richard was inside, with a young dark-haired wolf named named Liam that I'd met once before.

But behind them, shutting the door, was the cause of Damon's heatedness.

"Klaus?"

The blonde wolf turned, and smirked at me, "Hello, love."

Damon was in Klaus's face before I could respond, "Do you want to explain how you're already here?"

Klaus didn't even flinch at his angry tone, "Well there's this wonderful new invention called Uber. You can arrange to be picked up from almost anyw-"

"You know damn well I'm not talking about a fucking car service," Damon growled.

Alaric and the others had entered the foyer now, and Damon turned to George's brother, "Did he come with you?"

Richard shook his head, a little more wary of Damon than Klaus seemed to be, "No...he was at the gate when we arrived."

Klaus smirked a little, "Easy now, mate."

Elijah, who realized it was his brother Damon was all over, stepped forward, "What's going on?"

"I would like to know that as well," Alaric demanded, placing a hand on Damon's shoulder, which he immediately shrugged off.

"Mutts are to update the Pack with each move," Damon reminded them, "Particularly when the move involves changing continents."

"We're aware of the laws," Elijah assured him.

"Is your brother?" Damon demanded, then fixed his gaze back on the younger Mikaelson, "The Pack was updated on you weeks ago, and you were in Bulgaria. Surely, knowing the law so well, you wouldn't be stupid enough to enter the states again without informing us before hand."

"You knew I was coming here," Klaus defended.

Damon's eyes flashed dangerously, "Then explain this to me, Mutt. How is it that you've somehow managed to arrive on our property this quickly? Reeking of hotel soap, no less. Or did you expect us to believe that you had time to catch a twenty hour flight and a shower, before reaching our doorstep in the eighteen hours since we've called?"

Nobody spoke now, as the two men glared at each other.

When Klaus remained silent, Damon rose a brow, "Eighteen hours since we called, twenty hour flight...using my basic elementary math skills, I have to say, the numbers don't add up. Unless you were already in the country."

Klaus's gaze hardened, "So what if I was?"

"Niklaus," Elijah chided, "Tell me you weren't…"

"I got back last week," he admitted, "Heaven forbid I don't pay the piper the second I've returned."

"It's the price you pay for your insubordination," Damon growled.

"Yes, how could I forget?" Klaus straightened, so that he and Damon were nose to nose, "If you're not with the Pack you're against it. Is that right?"

His tone dropped harshly, "Perhaps we should ask your female? Or did you not have the balls to keep her on the run, after she left you?"

Damon's jaw flexed, barring his teeth.

My own anger stirred, at the comment, but Klaus only smirked, "No? Well then…"

He took a step back, and raised his arms.

"Behold, gentleman, Alaric's mighty Enforcer, brought to heel by a woman."

I growled, Damon lunged, and four different pair of hands reached out to restrain him.

But strangely enough, it was Klaus who was flung backwards, into the door, as if shoved by invisible hands.

The same way Liv had forced me into Giuseppe's chair.

Everyone froze, even Damon, and Elijah's eyes shot to Bonnie, who was standing closer to the base of the stairs.

"You have a witch?" Klaus hissed, pulling himself to his feet.

Alaric stepped forward, "Enough."

"Shut your mouth," He gave Klaus a hard look before shifting his gaze to Damon, "And as for the law, it holds, but we have bigger issues. Giuseppe is our priority, and like it or not, for the moment, we are all on the same side."

He looked back at the Mutt, "If we're going to have an issue with getting along, feel free to leave, and kiss your one chance at revenge goodbye."

Klaus straightened with a scowl, "I'll play nice if he does...but no more magic blowbacks."

Alaric nodded, shifting his gaze to Bonnie, "Let us handle it next time, alright?"

She shook her head slowly, "...I didn't do that."

Then her stunned gaze fell to me.

Little cliffhanger there ;)

I'll try to update soon!

Review please!