Hey guys just wanted to clear up something, I know some of you get it. Damon mounting Nathan was not rape or about sex in any form. It is a common practise in animals to show dominance in this way, so don't be distressed. Nathan's reaction was simply because he had to finally submit to Damon being the alpha, whereas it was a grey area for them both beforehand. Also, animals which live in packs can commonly have more than one litter of cubs from different mothers and it doesn't negatively impact them – cubs belonging to one alpha are still all treated the same and as with lion cubs, all the females in the pack care for them like their own. In wolf packs in particular, not all females are allowed to have cubs, generally only the alpha or a subordinate if the alpha wolf chooses to or allows a beta wolf to breed also.

Although I'm using some research on wolf mating, remember that we are also dealing with people who are human and vampire too so that's why their behaviours are not entirely like a real wolf pack.

A note of caution too guys – this chapter involves some heavy serious stuff, as in real life sort of trauma so please bear this in mind. I hope I don't upset any one, it's just the way the story is going. I hope I can handle it with due care and empathy.

X

Chapter 26 BF

Damon's wolf fell back asleep peacefully after much snuggling and scenting. He'd finally made the bonding bite and it seemed to make it feel more secure. He licked over the wound proudly and sighed. He tried to imagine what the cubs would look like. Would they have his colourings? Would they be more like the wolf? He hoped they'd still be strong like he was and not too much like the wolf in personality. His wolf was a little too soft and emotionally tender. Those traits didn't make a great mate but somehow he found them increasing enduring. He wanted to protect the wolf as best he could. It made him feel strong to do so and in return the wolf adored him completely.

He should check on the beta wolf. He had taken submission to hard and had sniffled on the floor for a while afterwards. He oddly sympathised. It wasn't that the beta wanted to be alpha of the pack really. It hadn't shown any interest in hunting for them or protecting them all. He simply wanted the little one. That much was obvious. It was a pity they had no other females or partners in heat in their pack, as he would have allowed it to mate. He bit his lip and carefully extracted himself from around his wolf, climbing out of the nest.

He looked to the beta and sighed. It looked at him but didn't move from its position on the floor. He got down on hands and knees and moved over cooing. It grunted back and he scented its face and nudged its nose with his and it rolled onto his back submissively. Damon smiled. It had learned its place and was showing that it meant no aggression. He nipped at it playfully and it slowly began to respond, nipping back and chuckling. Everything had felt so serious in this pack – all hunting, fighting and heat. There had been no time to fool around and bond with each other really.

They began to fight playfully, pushing each other over and nipping. It felt good and cathartic. The little one looked over and smiled. He wanted to play too but his wave was on him and he was trembling with fever. Damon and the beta wrestled and laughed for a while, enjoying how strong they both were, when they froze suddenly. The creature that was looming seemed near. They could almost smell it. They both sat on their haunches, ready, as they sniffed and looked around. A shadow passed them even though there was no one in their habitat and they both growled and snapped their fangs at the invisible intruder.

Damon began to prowl the room hissing and showing his vampire face to show how strong he was and the beta did the same, taking up his flank. The shadow seemed to pass and they sat together and waited, huffing and scenting each other's faces as they continued to bond in defence of the pack. Now they were a unified force, they'd be ready for any predators coming.

They heard footsteps outside of the hall and they tensed once more, ready as they looked to each other in silent communication. The door opened and in stepped the scary man who'd taken the female from him in the beginning of the heat. He propelled himself backwards. This man was the strongest he'd seen and he couldn't figure out his motivations at all. It had strangled him recently and then let him go without harm. He growled and the beta stepped back with him but did the same. He wasn't sure whether this creature was a friend or a foe but he couldn't take the chance.

"Don't make this hard on yourself mate. This has to end." The man said and stepped towards him.

His stance was threatening and Damon stood up on two legs to puff himself out. He doubted he'd win in this fight but he had to at least try. His beta whined, sensing Damon's fear, but stood up too. Klaus shook his head and blurred so quickly Damon couldn't see where he'd gone. He twisted around to look and saw his beta being thrown across the room towards the pond. It yelled in surprise and landed in the pond with a huge splash. Damon panted and looked around for the perpetrator but he was suddenly lifted from his feet and squeezed by the throat like last time. He gasped and fought wildly again but it was too strong. His cubs! His mate! He couldn't let them be harmed.

He cried out angrily and struggled harder and the little one whined for him and stood up. His wolf trembled and whined in the nest and the beta choked and coughed as it climbed out of the pond.

"Don't make me hurt you Stefan. This is necessary." The man spoke to the little one.

Stefan? Was that the little ones name? How did this man even know?

The white spots began to dance in front of his eyes again and the man stood him on his feet and pushed him forward, holding his scruff just as tightly as it had his throat. He could feel the power in the hands and he knew that this man could break his neck easily should he not comply. He coughed and moved his feet as he was pushed onwards, out of their habitat. He heard growling and was pushed face first into the wall as there was a scuffle behind him. He looked around, feeling the muscles in his neck complain and saw both the beta wolf and the little one…Stefan, fighting with the man. They were defending the wolf probably and he sighed in thanks but couldn't utter a sound as his neck was so raw.

The man tossed them aside easily and closed the door, locking them inside as he broke the little protrusion off. Damon frowned as he watched. It didn't want them? Or perhaps it just didn't want them to escape and find another nest so it could come back later and claim them. If it did, it would kill his cubs and claim his pack. He tried to growl a warning but coughed instead and the man turned back to him and grabbed his scruff again, pushing him towards the stairs. He tried not to move but the pain was too intense and he gave in and was directed onto the first floor, where the females from earlier were assembled with some others. He tried to stop his feet, in fear at what was happening as one of the females began to chant and glow.

He felt fear like never before and the man had to throw him over his shoulder and carry him the rest of the distance, dumping him on the floor in the middle of them all.

"Be careful and stay back!" The man ordered and Damon sat up immediately and growled.

He was terrified and didn't understand what this was. This wasn't other predators coming to kill him to claim his pack. They weren't even wolves some of them and weaker, yet this crazy man was collaborating with them. He panted, his eyes wide.

"Do it Bonnie."

They were going to do something to harm him. His body vibrated and he stood up growling, when he felt the presence again. He looked around wildly and saw the shadow pass over one of the walls. The crazy man also noticed it and he growled and sniffed too. Another wolf here also kicked into defensive action too, holding one of the females as he looked around.

"What is that?!"

"What?"

"Didn't you see that shadow?"

"Something is here." The crazy man said and Damon decided to make a run for it while they were distracted.

He blurred back towards the stairs but was caught by the crazy man and thrown back onto the ground. He howled in fear now. He didn't like this! He panted and whined. He could feel his neck tightening as though he was being strangled again and he gasped and held it confused. He coughed and whined in fear and saw one of the females hide her face against the chest of another male. She was distressed by his fear. He crawled in her direction, hoping for aid and cried out as his neck tightened further.

"God just do it! Why's it taking so long?"

"Don't rush her!"

"I can't watch him suffer like this!" The brown haired girl cried and left the circle, followed closely by the man who'd been holding her in her distress.

Damon felt a crack and he froze and gagged. Another crack. It was his bones, they were cracking! He cried out desperately for assistance and fell onto his back, trying to scream but unable to and he heard the other females weeping, even the one chanting. He screamed one note and then his vocal chords shut off as he blacked out.

He lay broken and dead and everyone let out a shaky exhale that it was over.

"That was horrible. So horrible." Caroline wept against Tyler.

"That was unnecessarily torturous for all Ms Bennett." Klaus pointed out almost disgusted and she wiped her own tears.

"It had to be done this way. Magically, to disrupt the link he has with the spell." She advised but he everyone could tell how grieved she was at having to be the one to torture a frightened creature to death.

"You did what you had to do." Matt pulled her into a hug that she gladly accepted.

"Besides, it's not like he wouldn't have done it you, to any of us." Jeremy added.

"Is that it?" Tyler asked and looked to Klaus.

Klaus chewed his lip, looking as though he was deep in thought.

"I still feel…" He began when suddenly there was a scream.

Everyone looked to the direction it came from and Caroline, Klaus and Tyler blurred to check it out. Bonnie moved over to Damon to do some more chanting and touch him to ensure the link had been severed.

Klaus reached the guest bedroom and ripped the door open, gasping in horror as he saw the two mates writhing in agony. They were grey in colour and had strange veins pulsing over their bodies.

"What's happening?!" Caroline shouted and then the other mates started to scream too.

They opened the rest of the doors and found all the mates in the same way. Klaus's eyes widened and he blurred away to check on Elizabeth and Caroline panicked and blurred to look for Stefan. In a matter of seconds the house was filled with the sounds of screaming and pain and Elena and Rick ran back into the lounge as Bonnie panicked and tried to chant to awaken Damon again.

"What's happening?!" Elena cried out.

"They're dying, all of them!" Tyler cried back at her.

She rushed over to Damon, no longer afraid of him attacking her and cried out when she saw his grey skin and veins underneath pulsing. Bonnie was weeping too but trying to use magic to speed up his coming back to life again. How had this happened? Why hadn't it worked?

Bonnie and Elena were thrown backwards onto the floor as Damon's body arched upwards and gold dust came flowing out of his mouth and up into the air.

"What the hell is that?!" Jeremy called and Bonnie stood up.

"The spell, it's taking their energy because I tried to stop the connection. It'll drain them dry!"

"Do something!" Elena cried out and tears ran down Bonnie's face as she struggled to think.

Her usual magic wasn't helping, what could she do? How to bring him back to life to stop their bodies being drained all at the one time?

Plants, she gave plants life to grow. She couldn't grow people to death but maybe she could grow more life into them – kind of. She knelt before his arching body and lay her hands on his abdomen. This was the part of his body that was alive thanks to the spell – the part of his anatomy alive to create sperm that could fertilise. She felt a tingle of the life there at her touch and she focussed all of her mind on that. She disappeared into his blood cells and began to focus on spreading life again. She didn't know if it would work but she had to try. At the rate his body was being drained, he'd really be dead in a matter of minutes.

"Bonnie, please…" Elena cried next to her and held Damon's face in her hands as she tried to speak to him to rouse him. "Damon, I love you…please wake up."

Finally she felt something happening. A flash of colour inside of him and energy moving around to repair him. She pulled back slowly along his blood vessels again, seeing some of them spin strangely unlike the rest – the vampire part or wolf? She wasn't sure. She came back into her own body and removed her hands as his body relaxed back into the floor again. She looked at his face as Elena sat back in hope. He still looked grey but the pulsing veins were fading and his mouth was closing slowly. They all held their breaths as they waited.

The screaming from the others died down and the house became silent once more as they all held each other.

Damon's skin grew pale but more normal coloured as Elena stroked through his hair and whispered to him comfortingly. Bonnie stood up and Matt held her again.

"You did it Bon." He said and she nodded.

It didn't feel like a triumph at all. She'd thought for sure disabling him might end the spell, at least temporarily but it had only intensified and almost killed everyone. She was hardly a saviour. She broke away and moved to the kitchen to sit down and think, while Caroline came back from the upstairs with tears on her face.

"They're alive." She said to Elena and Elena nodded thankfully. "I thought…"

"Me too."

"I guess we're back to square one." Tyler sighed and embraced Caroline.

"Ty." She whispered and he looked at her face in concern as she swallowed. "I think you should check out the wolves."

"What's wrong?" He asked and she frowned in anxiety. "Care?" He prompted but she simply led him upstairs, towards their room as Matt and Jeremy inspected Damon's body.

Tyler followed her as fear gripped him. She said they were all still alive so why did she look so anxious. They entered Damon and Stefan's bedroom and he looked around. Stefan lay shaking and groaning, but pale and weaker than before. Nathan was draped around him and looked half dead too. He went to Nathan and touched him. Nathan seemed dazed, so he got down on his hands and knees and titled his chin, looking into his eyes.

"He'll be ok. He just needs to eat and sleep." He said and let Nathan tucked his face into Stefan's back.

"Ty." Caroline said indicating to the bed where there were clothes and blankets all bunched up to make a nest.

He rose and moved over, peeking inside. Mike was inside and he looked poorly.

"Mike?" Tyler whispered and the Mike opened his eyes slowly.

"I couldn't get to him, he kept snapping at me." She said and Tyler nodded and peeled some of the nest back so he could get better access.

As he removed some of the blankets, Mike whimpered in fear, so he cooed and stroked through Mike's hair. It was like he'd become a vet or something, trying to creep around a wounded animal. Mike looked as though he was in pain and Tyler ran his hand down his back soothingly as he sniffed and tried to tilt his chin. Mike held his stomach and whimpered and Tyler frowned at the strange behaviour. It was almost as if Mike was protecting his stomach. Why? His eyes widened as he realised. Mike must be pregnant. He climbed further in and tried to tune into his inner wolf, cooing and humming to calm Mike. Although he wasn't his mate or alpha, hopefully Mike would understand he didn't want to hurt him and let him sniff his belly. If he was pregnant they should check the cubs were ok.

The wolf in Tyler drove him onwards and he rolled Mike onto his stomach, much to Mike's annoyance. He snapped at him and Tyler had to hold him still as he leaned down to sniff there. Caroline tapped her foot impatiently and waited. She looked over at the others nervously. Neither was in the mood for protesting at strangers entering and touching one of the pack, thankfully. The gold dust being drawn out of their bodies had looked painful, as though their souls were being ripped out that way and she shivered and held herself.

Tyler climbed out of the nest and sat with his feet on the floor, looking down at his hands sadly.

"Is he ok?" She asked and squeezed his shoulder.

He looked up at her with a torn expression and tears in his eyes.

"I don't understand any of this." He sighed and she sat down next to him. "Mike and Stefan are guys. They shouldn't even be in heat."

"What's wrong?" She nudged and he shook his head and clenched his jaw.

"I think Mike was pregnant somehow."

"How do you know?"

"His scent is weird, I can smell pregnancy hormones on his skin, around his…" He blushed and she nodded, "…but there aren't any cubs inside of him."

"They'd only be tiny cells though. We wouldn't be able to see them this early on surely." She said but he shook his head.

"Isobel's book said that wolves conceived at this mating time once a year, grow a lot quicker than human babies. Plus Damon is…whatever the hell he is. I don't know Care. The way he's reacting…it's as if he could feel them before but he knows they're gone now." He said gravely.

"How?" She frowned and stood up, looking in at Mike.

"I don't know." Tyler croaked and she looked at him confused. "Maybe the spell took them from him. How is any of this happening?" He shook his head and clenched his fists.

Caroline sat down numb and they both looked at the floor.

"Bonnie said that she thought something was trying to come over from the other side using the energy involved in creating new life. Is that what's coming out of their mouths?" She hypothesized and he shrugged. "And when they're not pregnant or in heat, it's their own life force that's being taken?"

Tyler wiped at a tear from his eye and shrugged, standing up.

"We should bring Damon back up. He should tend to Mike." He said and she nodded.

"Shouldn't we let someone else have a look at him?"

"Like who Care? A vet? A doctor? What do you think they'd say, seeing a grown man miscarry half vampire babies?"

"I know." She stood up and tried to soothe him.

He felt like he'd failed Mike somehow.

"I wonder if it's happened to any of the others." She said. "I'll go get Damon. Stay here and just…make sure he's ok." She said gently and he nodded.

She walked back down to the lounge feeling like she could sleep for a hundred years. This was taking its toll on everyone. As she approached she saw Elena speaking gently to Damon and helping him drink from one of the bottles. They'd placed him on the coach and he seemed docile enough. Probably too weak to fight or attack them. She bit her lip and went over to Rick who was drinking from Damon's supply.

"Everyone ok up there?" He asked and she nodded.

"Except Mike."

"Is he dead?" He paused at his drinking as he asked and she shook her head.

"No, but he's…" She struggled to say it, it seemed so impossible. "…Tyler thinks Mike was pregnant and now he isn't."

Rick looked at her horrified and turned to look at Bonnie as she walked into the room and zeroed in on their conversation.

"Oh god." Bonnie whispered. "It's happening just like I thought."

"What is?" Elena looked up as Damon closed his eyes and actually allowed her to pet his hair as he lay his head in her lap.

"The spell is making them conceive and once they do, it takes that new life from them." Bonnie gulped as though she was going to vomit. "Is Mike alive?"

"Yeah, he's just…" Caroline trailed off and she nodded.

"He won't be the last. It'll keep happening."

They fell into silence as Damon snuggled his face into Elena's hand. Elena gave a sad smile as he licked her hand. He obviously trusted her again.

"If their pregnancies aren't taken, then the spell will drain their bodies." She said and Bonnie nodded. "So we have to let this happen. If the spell takes the…" She couldn't bear to use the word babies, it would make it seem too real and horrific, "…foetus will it be enough to satisfy the spell and leave them alive?"

"I think that is the intention of the spell." Bonnie gave a slow nod.

"Then we have to let it happen."

"Elena, we can't just watch." Caroline swallowed and Elena nodded and ran her hands through Damon's hair.

"What choice do we have? It their nature to want to conceive right now and we all saw what keeping them separated did to Mike. If it's the only way to save their lives…"

Rick put his glass down and exhaled.

"You're right." He said and Caroline held herself.

"Can't you just, give whatever is trying to come through enough life Bonnie?" Caroline suggested and Bonnie frowned at her in disbelief. "You give life to plants and you helped Damon heal. Can't you do something?"

Bonnie shook her head.

"I'm not god."

Everyone lowered their eyes and Bonnie felt her chest tighten. They were all thinking the same as Caroline. Even if it were possible, what the hell was even coming through? Was it still Klaus's mom like they'd thought or was it something else? Something that could endanger everyone?

Klaus came into the lounge looking harassed and shot her a glare. She stood up straight, ready for battle with him.

"You almost killed them all." He said dangerously.

"She couldn't have known this was going to happen ok? We all need to put our heads together." Rick defended and moved to her side.

"So, it turns out that his continued existence is necessary." Klaus looked over to Damon and snorted sarcastically.

"They used his blood as a catalyst." Bonnie confirmed.

"How convenient." He said menacingly and Elena looked to him, not liking his expression.

"Klaus, one of the wolves was pregnant and the life has been removed." She said and he frowned and looked to her. "We think if we allow it to take that energy, they might survive."

"Or your witch goes back to her grimoire and does her job properly!" He hissed.

"I'm doing the best I can." Bonnie said tightly.

"And what is that love? Huh? Because from where I'm standing you've done nothing but let the spell continue from day one." He challenged.

"You're the expert here! What the hell have you been doing?" Caroline fired back at him and he shook his head and growled. "Maybe it's time to get off your hybrid ass and help us!"

Jeremy entered the living room and froze at the tension.

"Uh, guys the human potentials…" He spoke and everyone looked at him, "…they're getting it on. Should we stop them?"

"Did the energy transfer affect them?" Bonnie asked, kicking herself for having forgotten about the humans Caroline had rounded up in town with her mom's help and had put into other guest rooms securely.

"They seemed ok actually, just…you know." He blushed and she nodded.

"Maybe because they are weaker? Diluted?" Caroline hypothesized and Klaus sighed loudly.

"They are just entering heat." He advised as though he was talking to children.

"One thing is for sure, unless we want to watch them all scream like they did earlier, we have to a) – keep Damon alive and b) – let them continue as they were." Rick said. "Elena, Mike needs him."

She nodded and looked down at Damon's face. He still seemed drained and a little weak. She hoped he could understand her.

"Damon. Your mate needs you." She said and he looked at her.

"Can he stand?" Rick asked stepping over to her and she shrugged.

"Be careful." Klaus said and Rick moved to lift Damon when Damon growled at him.

"This will be one hell of a tale for the drinks at the Grill brother." Rick joked lightly as he tried again, but Damon snapped his fangs at him.

"For goodness sake!" Klaus said irritated and pushed past, lifting Damon into his arms as Damon struggled.

Klaus walked back up the stairs without another glance as Caroline followed hot on his tail. Klaus pushed the door to their room open and Tyler stood up.

"It's a miracle any of you have survived this long into your lives. Get out." Klaus said and Tyler moved out of the way as Klaus lay Damon down into the nest.

He stopped and eyed Damon's wolf, sniffing.

"He was pregnant." Tyler advised, seeing understanding cross Klaus's face.

"Indeed. Well he isn't now and he never would have been. Not till the end anyway." He said and looked to Caroline. "At least you won't have to worry about Stefan dying on his own now."

"Why?" She asked and Klaus looked to Tyler knowingly.

"Damon won't want a wolf that can't bear cubs. No wolf would, so I guess Stefan is back in the running."

Caroline frowned and looked to Mike, feeling her chest tighten in pain for him. Was Klaus right? Would Damon just abandon Mike now like an animal would? She could imagine anything more cruel and heart-breaking. She looked to Tyler and gulped and he sighed unhappily.

"It's just instinct." Tyler confirmed.

"It's not fair." She whispered, grieved.

"Life isn't fair." Klaus said and ushered them out of the room.

He turned and looked to them all and felt a moment of pity. He could smell the wolf's decay already and Tyler no doubt could too. It had already been a weaker animal and it wouldn't have long to go. It was already dying. The spell had just taken too much from it.

He sighed and left, closing the door behind him.