Chapter 34

Tyler tailed Stefan and Caroline's car from the hotel. His blood was boiling when he saw Salvatore's arm wrapped around his property. He didn't know if this was Caroline's way of getting back at him for cheating on her but if that was the case ... He was going to rip Stefan's head off and make Caroline watch as he kills her lover. Then he would deliver Elena to his sire and he would be first in command for the hybrid army Klaus plans to build. Vengeance would be his and victory would be even sweeter.

Damon barely had time to think about his brother's true love's fate, when a cab made its way down the muddy driveway. Katherine turned and walked away when she saw the approaching vehicle. Now that Damon knew what she knew there would be no happy ending for Stefan. He would lose someone that was destined for him. Damon had been sure that Stefan would crack after Lexi's death but looking at the situation now, Damon could confirm that his brother would kill himself if something happened to Caroline. And Damon wasn't prepared to lose his brother.

Stefan frowned when he and Caroline got out the car. Damon was looking at them not with his usual smirk or cunning smile. His brother looked empty and lost as he stared right at them.

"What's wrong with Damon?" Caroline asked immediately as she too became aware of Damon's lack lustre stance.

"I don't know." He murmured before he walked right up to Damon.

"Damon are you alright?" His voice was laced with concern as Caroline stood beside him.

Before Damon could answer a multiple of disastrous acts preceded one another. Elena came running out the cabin and another car screeched into the driveway. Tyler muscular frame stepped out the car.

"Damon! Grab Elena and get her out of here." Stefan shouted when he saw Tyler.

Caroline stiffened in fear as she saw her derange ex boyfriend looking at her with bloodshot eyes and his veins pulsing along his neck. She recognized the tell tale signs and grabbed Stefan's hand. Out of the corner of her eye she could see Damon dragging Elena back into the cabin.

"Stefan he's turning!" Caroline screamed.

But as she said it, Tyler had already changed into his wolf phase and was now snarling at them. Stefan immediately shoved Caroline behind him. Instincts took over and Stefan stormed Tyler until he was rolling on the ground, holding and preventing a snarling wolf from biting him. Caroline gasped when she saw that Stefan was no longer himself. The ripper was back. His eyes were dark as he wrestled inhibited.

Caroline tried to move in and help him but Stefan swung Tyler several feet in the air before turning to her.

"Stay out of this. Go inside." He snarled.

But as soon as his back turned towards Tyler, Tyler had jumped and sunk his teeth into the back of Stefan's neck. Stefan shouted in agony as he felt the wolf's teeth sink into his neck. However Stefan reached behind him and gripped Tyler by the scruff of his neck and pulled him over his shoulder.

Caroline was shell shocked when she felt a pair of hands around her waist. Damon was carrying her way from Stefan. An injured Stefan who was still fighting despite his injury.

"Let me go!" She shouted as she struggled to break his grip around her waist.

Damon didn't let go as Bonnie passed him and began chanting a spell that instantly made the wolf stiffen as he wailed in agony. Suddenly Tyler was no longer in wolf form but in his human form but that didn't stop him from going after Stefan.

But what Tyler didn't know was that it wasn't Stefan he was fighting. It was the ripper. And ripper Stefan, despite the bite wound, was fighting back with so much vigour that Caroline could hear the crunching impact of his fists on Tyler's body.

Caroline was able to free herself but as she ran towards Stefan, he had plunged his hand into Tyler's chest and ripped his heart out. Caroline watched in horror as Tyler fell to the ground, his brown eyes open as he stared up towards the sky. Unmoving.

Stefan stood unmoving as he dropped Tyler's heart on to the ground. He fell to his knees beside Tyler's body. He had killed an innocent who was just under sire orders. He felt sick to his stomach and the ripper wasn't there to switch it off – too switch off his humanity. Guilt swarmed him and he could feel himself crashing.

Caroline rushed beside him and fell down on the floor in front of him. He was gripping himself so tight that she was sure that he was going to rip his own limbs off. Caroline clasped her arms around him trying to get him to calm down as he whispered over and over that he wanted it off. He wanted his humanity off.

"You can't turn it off, Stefan. You did this to protect me. I forgive you. I love you." Caroline whispered over and over until Stefan's body stopped shaking.

Stefan looked up until he was looking into grey eyes that kept him grounded, his anchor that kept him from floating away. He no longer wanted to turn it off. He didn't want to ever lose a second of his love for her.

"I love you." He whispered softly, so softly that Caroline could barely hear him.

"I know. I love you too." She whispered as she kissed him.

Stefan forgot about everything the minute her soul engulfed his in a passionate embrace. He forgot about the blood on his hands, the dead body lying a few feet away from them. He just remembered his love for her as he forgot about the pain in the back of his neck.

"Stefan! You've been bit ... we need to ..." Elena shouted as she ran outside but she halted when Stefan and Caroline pulled away from their kiss and looked at her with wide eyes.

Elena knew now. She was no longer the centre of Stefan's universe.

An: Evil laugh at Elena. I got so much satisfaction writing the last bit. I really hope Caroline hooks up with Stefan – The writers of TVD are really messing with us, with their sneak peeks and synopsises! So I've Kinda shaken things up but I did warn you that it was going to get more complicated for our favourite pair. Updates might be slow over the next couple of weeks – I've recently started a new job and its taking up most of my free time. I will try my best to update at least once a week but if I don't I'm really sorry for the inconvenient – Just need time to adjust to a new schedule and so forth. I will not abandon this story – I'm determined to get it done so that I can start my new Steroline and Hunger Games story. So be on the lookout for those in the near future. Think there might be 10 more chapters, give or take of problematic situation. So it's nearly done and I have an ending in mind that will throw you lol so you'll just have to wait till then.

But mostly I just wanted to say thank you to my readers and reviewers. I'm always amazed, happy and surprised when I come across a new follower or reviewer. I might not always reply to your reviews or pm's but please know that I do read them and they really make my day! So thank you so much for your support and I hope that you will be patient with me over the next few weeks.