Hello, my lovely readers. This chapter is not for everyone but I am not offering spoilers here. On with the show…
Chapter 29: Why the Wolf Cries
I'll always remember the events of that night. It was a Friday. There was an unscheduled Dare Club meeting that was supposed to take place. But all our plans blow up when something that shattered the remnants of our safety came to pass. Each of us changed a little bit more that night. Some more than others. One of us found a path toward something like redemption. A friendship crumbling renewed. A wolf howled. Bones broke. And another secret was revealed.
Seven Hours Earlier:
"Got plans tonight?" Damon asked me. He slung his bag over his shoulder. We were headed out of the middle school. Our footsteps carrying us toward the parking lot.
"Nope," I replied with a shrug. "Care's staying at home." I did not add the part about her being at home while Hayley packed up to leave early. No one else knew. Caroline swore me to secrecy. Elijah would find a letter. He would have Aiden all summer. But when fall comes, Hayley would come back from New York to collect the baby. She wanted him with her until the holidays. Then they'd come back.
"Cool. Dare club meeting." Damon looked around at the traffic before heading past the line of cars picking up kids from the sidewalk.
We were walking home today. Elijah had a shift at the Grill. I spotted Kat in the line. Her eyelids looked kind of puffy and I thought I saw a sweatshirt that had seen better days covering her shoulders. She caught me looking but I ducked my head.
Elijah and Kat had not talked since the "Prom Night from Hell" as we had dubbed it. The one time I heard she'd gone by the Grill, Elijah had refused to wait on her and had hidden in the walk-in freezer until she left. "It was childish," Elijah explained to me, later, "But I would do it again. Sometimes it is better to be childish than to say something you will later regret."
I had not replied. Frankly, I thought Kat should have never told anyone the truth. If she had, she and Elijah would still be happy. No one outside of our group had heard the tale. No one got hurt. I wasn't sure why Hayley became so angry. Everyone lied. I'm sure she had her own secrets.
Rolling my eyes, I continued down the street. "Hey, Klaus. Damon!" Tyler came running down the sidewalk after us.
Damon glanced at me. "Let's keep going," he muttered, speeding up a bit. To say that Damon was not Tyler's number one fan would be an understatement of the century. Probably the whole Tyler trying to kick Damon out of the club still irritated Damon. Perhaps they would move past it, one day.
"Come on, guys! Wait up!" Tyler shouted, still chasing us and gaining ground. "Matt's in the hospital!"
"What?" I stopped and turned around. My brows went together. "What happened?"
"His mom got drunk," Tyler cried out, bending over and trying to catch his breath. "Matt was in the car with her when she ran into a phone pole."
"Is he okay?" Damon asked, tilting back on his heels and blowing out a breath. Matt was one of ours. No matter whether we were the best of friends, or not, he was part of the club, that meant something.
"Yeah. I mean. I think so. I don't know for sure. My mom took me there. This morning. He was eating pudding. But he's got a cast and was a little groggy from some pain meds." Tyler reported while he unzipped his book bag. "Anyway, I bought him a card. I don't know. Might be lame. Should have gotten him a football."
"'Cause he doesn't have enough of those lying around," Damon muttered, his eyes on the cement.
Tyler did not seem to hear Damon. "You guys want to sign. Say something funny?" He looked hopeful and I realized that Tyler and Matt actually looked up to me and Damon. It never would have dawned on me. We were older, but not Elijah older. So to be considered the cool, older kids because of…the Dare Club? The thought made me smile.
"Sure." I slid my bag onto the sidewalk and fished out a pen from the front pocket. I held out a hand for the card. I wrote:
Dear Donovan,
The club will not be the same without you. Who else will be able to eat the dip before we realize someone brought it down? Or to offer a dare a year. Oh, yes. You are truly an invaluable part of the club. Do get better soon. Otherwise, we'll have to replace you with a painting.
Nik
Damon took the card and rolled his eyes. Watching over his shoulder, I found myself smirking as he wrote:
Matty,
If you don't come back soon, I'll finally be able to tell Lena if avocado dip tastes like ass. And Nik's painting is over your ass. So, don't be an ass and get your ass back here! Pronto!
Damon AKA Your Lord and Master
Tyler took the card and grinned. "You guys are the best. He'll love it." Folding the card, Tyler placed it back in his bag.
"Great. My life's mission is fulfilled." Damon shook his head. "Club meeting is tonight. Be there. Or we'll send you to the boarding school for the summer."
"Okay." Tyler seemed to think Damon was joking until he saw the glint in Damon's eye. "Right. I'll be there."
Five Hours Earlier:
I dropped by Caroline's house to see how things were progressing and kind of wished I had not.
Walking into the house after I found the door unlocked, I wandered to the back. "Caroline?"
"I can't believe you!" Hayley shouted.
"I told you I was sorry! Again!" Kat's voice. Oh, no! Sneaking forward, I popped my head around the corner to see Kat sitting on the end of Hayley's bed. "I left voicemails. I even asked Lena to write a letter for me. What happened to it?"
"I burned it!" Hayley hissed back, folding a shirt by crumpling it in a ball and tossing it inside a duffle bag.
"You can't just run away!" Katherine yelled back. "You don't know anyone in New York!"
"So what! What do you even care! You wanted me gone since the day I came here! Be happy! This is the last you'll ever see of me!" Hayley yelled, tossing more clothes into the duffel bag. "I hate this stupid town! I hate all of you!"
A little sniffle came from across the hallway. Turning, I caught sight of Caroline. She stood in the doorway of her room. Her eyes were red-rimmed and she let out a quiet sob. "I thought we were family now?" Fat tears ran down both her cheeks and I felt my fists ball at my sides. "Why are you doing this?"
"Caroline… This is about you, sweetie," Hayley began when Caroline pointed a finger in her face.
"You said you hate all of us!" Caroline shouted. "You hate me?" Shaking with rage, she turned away and went into her room, slamming the door in Hayley's face.
"Shit," Hayley groaned. She began to knock on the door. "Caroline? Caroline Elizabeth Forbes! Open this door!" She jiggled the doorknob but her answer was pop music beginning to blast through the house. "Damn it."
"Let me try," I said, startling Hayley.
"Klaus, what are doing here?" Hayley demanded. Katherine came to Hayley's doorway to glare at me like I had intruded which I suppose I had. However, I did not mean to. Did it still count?
"I came for Caroline. If you two wish to continue your little argument, go ahead. My business is not with you." I turned my back on the older girls and I focused on Caroline's door.
Hayley groaned and walked away. "I'm done anyway. Soon as I get my crap. I'm out of here." Her way of letting me know she'd returned to her room was a slammed door.
Katherine left out a huff. "Whatever. I don't know why I even bother with any of you anyway." The sound of her retreating footsteps was muffled by Caroline's music.
Tapping on Caroline's door, I called, "Care, sweetheart, it's me. Niklaus. Let me in."
"Go away!" Caroline replied.
"Car-o-line, please?" I called.
Caroline did not reply. Rolling my eyes, I turned and slumped against the door, curling my knees in front of me. She would let me. Or her mother would show up and I would be forced to go home.
I did not have to wait long. After another half hour of silence, the door opened and I fell inside. "Hello, love," I greeted Caroline.
"Nik," Caroline sighed, shaking her head at me. I didn't know that she would give me that same look of exasperation as the years passed which I would grow to love more and more. "What are you doing?"
"Wait for you." Turning over, I pushed myself to my feet. "May I come in?"
Nodding, Caroline stepped aside, letting me in and closing the door behind her. She walked over to the bed and plopped down. "I let her into my house and this is how she repays me. I am sooooo lucky I was born an only child." She pouted with pulling a pillow onto her lap.
"Yes. Perhaps you were," I sat down on the end of the bed.
Glancing up, Caroline looked at me through narrowed eyes. "You don't agree with me, do you?" There was an accusatory tone to her voice.
"No. Not truly. I'm sorry, Caroline. Siblings are difficult. One day you would kill for them. The next you would happily kill them. It's confusing." I watched Caroline sniffle. "Oh." I moved down the bed and pulled her head onto my chest. "It's alright, Caroline. She'll come around in time."
"You think so?" Caroline looked at me like I could make this come true for her.
"I believe so." I hoped I wasn't wrong. Deciding to change tactics, it felt like she needed a distraction. "We're having a club meeting. Would you like to come?"
"Yes. Just get me out of this house," Caroline said.
"Right." I slid off the side of the bed and helped her up. "Oh, and, Matt was in a bit of an accident."
"What?" Caroline froze. "What happened?"
"Tyler says Matt's mother had a drink too many and they landed in the hospital. Apparently Matt is alright. Just a bit banged up." I watched Caroline's brows come together.
"We need to go to the hospital," Caroline told me. Her tone did not leave room for an argument.
"Yes." I repressed a sigh. "How?"
Caroline smiled and marched over to her door. She walked across the hall and hammered on the door. When Hayley opened up, Caroline did not waste time. "Matt's in the hospital. We need a ride."
"Okay." Hayley had her duffle bag hitched over her shoulder.
"Great. I'll get my jacket," Caroline went to fetch her jacket while I consulted her clock. We might be a little late for the Dare Club meeting, but it was an unofficial one. I was not worried. Maybe I should have pushed for us to go to the meeting and to see Matt in the morning.
~0~
Four Hours Earlier:
"Matt!" Caroline cried, going inside the hospital room. She held a bouquet of flowers that I had helped her purchase. "Oh, look at you!"
Poor Matt had a black eye and his right arm appeared to be broken, if the cast was any sign.
"Hey, Care." Matt sat up as much as he could. "Klaus. Thanks for coming." Matt watched Caroline put the flowers down and I tried not to feel annoyed when they hugged. "Ty told me he told you guys what happened. Thanks for the card," he added, to me.
I shrugged. "Least that I could do."
Matt nodded. "Sorry I won't be able to make the meeting."
"It's okay. You take care of yourself," Caroline said, patting his uninjured hand.
"I'll try to," Matt said with a grin.
I wanted to say: "It's been nice to see you. We really must be going."
Caroline seemed to sense my impatience. "We'll come back tomorrow. Or visit you at home," she said. "Get some sleep."
"Will do, Nurse Forbes." Matt grinned another one of those grins.
"Doctor." Caroline waggled a finger at him. "Bye." She returned to my side and we walked out of the room.
Hayley was pacing the hallway. "Are you done? I'm going to miss my bus."
"In such a hurry to leave in your dust?" Caroline quipped, striding past Hayley like the older girl wasn't there. "Maybe we should catch a ride with someone else."
"I can take you to Klaus,'" Hayley grunted, following me down the hallway. "Caroline?"
"Whatever," Caroline snapped.
"Caroline!" Hayley called.
Caroline stopped walking and turned, her arms folded over her chest. "What?"
"Will you give Aiden a kiss for me? Before he goes to sleep tonight?" Hayley asked.
Caroline scoffed. "He's your kid. Not mine. Come on, Klaus. I'm finding a payphone to call Rose. I'm sure she can find the time to come and get us." Whirling on her heel, Caroline continued down the hallway and toward the bank of elevators.
Three Hours Earlier:
Caroline's legs swung back and forth as we sat on a bench, just outside the hospital. I handed her a bag of M&Ms we were dividing between us. "She's late," I said.
"Um-hmm." Caroline replied.
Then we saw headlights and Rose pulled up. "Hi! Sorry I'm late!" She ran a hand through her hair and we looked her over. The buttons on her shirt had been put through the wrong holes and one end of the shirt hung down while the rest bunched up. And her skirt had tell-tale wrinkles.
"Boyfriend?" Caroline inquired with a smirk directed at Rose. My eyebrows rose and I began to smirk as well.
Rose blushed. "Oh, dear," she groaned, looking at her shirt.
"No biggie," Caroline said, opening the backdoor.
Rose rolled her eyes. "Thank you."
"We should be thanking you," Caroline said. "Hayley's so over her 'sister' duties, her mother duties, and her friend duties. Let's just go." She fell back in the seat and crossed her arms over her chest. "And I am so over her."
"O-kay," Rose glanced at me with a "What happened?" look. I simply shook my head. "Should we pick up food at the grill?"
"Yes," I said, glancing at Caroline. She must be hungry by now.
"Whatever," Caroline said, staring out the window.
~0~
"We're swamped," Elijah told us as he moved from table to table. "You should call Damon. Tell him we're running late." He passed a tray to another server. "It's really too bad you two are too young to help us out."
"I can help," Rose said. "Throw me an apron."
"Right. I hope that Jenna is not overwhelmed with Aiden. He tends to fuss when I don't arrive on time," Elijah said, checking his watch.
"I'm sure she'll be fine," I said, glancing at the clock. I went into the back of the Grill to call Damon. Too bad I was wrong about Jenna.
~0~
Two Hours Later:
"This is a lot of food," Rose joked. "Are we feeding the town?"
"I have a discount. And you've seen the children eat. Like a pack of little wolves," Elijah replied with a smile.
Caroline glanced at me. "You think Elijah's the boyfriend?" she whispered to me.
"Not that I know of," I replied.
We carried the food down the stairs and Damon appeared at the bottom. "Where have you been?" he demanded. "Tyler's here. Stef's here. Jer. Lena. Josh. Kol. Bekah. Henrick. Ric. Mason. The only people who are missing are Kat—not that I care—you four, Matt—for obvious reasons—and Hayley."
"She's gone," Caroline told them.
"And we have to go back out and collect Aiden from poor Jenna," Elijah said. "I did want to get the food home first. Before we make a quick trip to collect the others."
"How thoughtful," Damon's irritation was palpable. "Whatever, just get your asses back here. ASAP."
~0~
One Hour Earlier:
Nothing seemed out of the ordinary as Elijah stopped in the Sommers' driveway. Not that things always pop out at first glance.
Elijah got out first. I followed him. Caroline stayed in the car. We made our way up the walk and Elijah noticed something wrong as we got closer to the door. "Is that blood?" he asked. He pushed me behind him. "Niklaus, go to the neighbors, and have them phone for 911."
I turned and ran for the car, instead of doing what Elijah told me to do. "Caroline, I need you to go to the neighbors and have them call 911!" I told her before turning back to the house.
"What?" Caroline looked shocked.
"Just do it!" I shouted before turning back to the house. Steeling myself, I went to the front door and then entered the house. There were broken things. Glass. Wood. It looked like one of those crime shows. A whimper toward the back of the house.
I made my way through with caution. Jenna's voice. She was talking to Elijah. "He came for the baby, Elijah! He thought Hayley might come for him! He was crazy! He kept saying the baby was his! I couldn't stop him! I'm so sorry!"
"It's not your fault, Jenna. I sent Niklaus to get help," Elijah stopped talking as I came into the room. Jenna sat on the floor. There was so much blood and swelling. I could barely recognize her. "Niklaus, you did go for help?"
"I had Caroline go," I told him.
And as if on cue, Caroline came in. "What is going on? Jenna?"
"I need to go!" Elijah said. "I am sorry, Jenna. He has my baby," Elijah got to his feet.
"Go, Elijah!" Jenna replied.
I turned, moving to follow my brother. "Nik!" Caroline called after me.
I shook my head and ran after my brother. I barely made it into the car before he backed out of the driveway. "You shouldn't be here!" Elijah said, turning the car around and slamming his foot on the gas.
"I'm not staying behind!" I argued.
Elijah shook his head. "I am going to kill the son of the bitch!"
"With your bare hands?" I asked. Elijah shook his head. "How will you find him?"
"I don't know. But I'll figure it out," Elijah snapped.
Elijah drove around and around. I kept my eyes out for a truck I'd hoped to never see again. Of course it seemed to make sense that I would spot it out by the Salvatore's woods. He meant to hide in the depths.
"Hayley's car," I pointed the car out.
"Damn it!" Elijah said, banging on the steering wheel. He pushed his door open. "Do not do anything stupid, Niklaus. This is not one your little dares."
"I know that!" I snapped, rolling my eyes.
I waited until Elijah got out of the car before I slid out and then I waited until he'd gone into the trees. I made my way through the woods, my heart pounding in my chest. It did not take a long time before I heard the sounds of shouting. "Let him go! He's not yours!" Hayley cried.
I pressed close to a tree and could see the back of Hayley's adoptive father's back. I could hear my nephew's screams. It made my fists close. If this man hurt the baby I would kill him myself.
"Come home. I don't need my wife. Got you," the garbage said with a laugh. "Come here, girl. Give me a kiss."
"I would rather die first," Hayley snarled.
"Fine. Be that way. Maybe I start with the little bastard."
"Leave him be!" Elijah's voice. I pressed closer so I could see my brother coming through the woods. His hands were up. "If you need to kill someone, start with me."
"Elijah, get out of here!" Hayley shouted. I could see the tears on her cheeks. She was shaking. "Just give him the baby. You can take me instead. I'll go willingly." She moved closer but the man stepped away, shaking his head.
I saw a piece of wood and inhaled. My rage was building and I moved forward, taking the piece of wood in my hands and edged closer. Lifting the wood, I hit him on the back of the head. He let out a cry and I heard Aiden wail.
"Elijah, get him!" Hayley cried.
"Oh, no you don't!" a gun shot rang out and I let out a scream of fear when a red spot appeared on my brother's shoulder.
Elijah fell on his knees as Hayley plowed forward, trying to get the gun. Her tormentor let go of Aiden who began to crawl toward his father. "Got ya," The man said, he placed the business end of the gun to Hayley's head. "No one's gonna stop me. We're leaving now."
"No. You're not!" Katherine. An axe came down on the man's gun hand and he screamed in shock.
Hayley let out a growl and sent a shoulder into her attacker's chin. His head bounced backwards. "Kat, axe me." Kathrine handed over the axe and Hayley let out a puff of air before she hefted the axe between two hands. "I've been waiting a long time for this."
"Girl, please!" the man begged.
Kat and I moved out of the way.
The axe went in a wide arc and a head went flying.
Hayley let out a quiet laugh. "That felt good."
Katherine nodded before leaning over and puking. "Can we go home now?" she choked out, waving a hand to Hayley for help to stand up.
Hayley moved forward when she let out a cry. Her eyes connected with mine. The look of confusion on her face must have mimicked my own.
Then Hayley's body began to make cracking noises and she screamed. "Help me!"
"Time to go!" a familiar voice said. Anna? She took hold of Kat and beckoned me closer.
"What's going on?" Elijah demanded.
"She's a wolf," Lexi said, grinning. "Here, doggy, doggy. Chase me!"
I watched in shock as Hayley ran after Lexi. "Huh."
Thank you for reading, faving, following and reviewing.
Peace,
-J