Pairings: Kol/Finn (M/m) hand, mild
Freya/Henrik (F/m) hand
Tyler started to panic. Where was his moonlight ring? He was never supposed to take it off. He was cleaning the bathroom earlier. Had it slipped off then?
"What's going on?" Klaus said from the other end of the table. The dinner party was winding down. Everyone was complimenting Elijah's tiramisu recipe.
"I lost my ring," Tyler admitted, holding up his hand in a panic.
Matt hopped up, "I'll look in the bathroom upstairs."
Alarmed, Elijah looked at Alaric, "Maybe you better get the girls home?"
"Yeah, I think that's a good idea. Tyler, I'm sure you will find it. Bonnie, Caroline, you best leave now also and let them look," Alaric said as calmly as possible.
Jenna quickly thanked Freya and Elijah for everything. She was getting tired anyway. She kissed her nephew goodbye and told him to behave himself. She hadn't lectured him about his suspension since she knew Elena was furious and had already done so.
Vanessa started to take the younger two boys up to bed but they started arguing they wanted to stay up.
Kol stepped in, "Hey, stop arguing, lads. It's way past your bedtimes anyway. It's almost...midnight."
Kol and Elijah realized that Vanessa should also get to safety. They didn't know exactly when Tyler would turn, but werewolves had a natural preference for hunting vampires.
Elijah said, "Vanessa, perhaps you should head down to the safe room. Just until we get a handle on this." Elijah kissed her on the lips and she nodded and went downstairs. She didn't want him to have to worry about her.
Kol continued to herd the younger boys up to bed. If they didn't find the ring, then they would have no choice but to lock Tyler up in the secure basement room and let him turn. It wouldn't be pleasant, but no one would be harmed.
Tyler and Matt searched the bathroom.
"Do you remember taking it off?" Matt said.
"No, I never take it off anymore. Never," Tyler said.
Klaus vamped in, "Matt, you and Jeremy better get down to the safe room. We'll take Tyler down in a few minutes if we don't have any luck."
"Okay, Dad. Good luck, man. You'll find it," Matt said patting Tyler on the back.
Freya came up see what she could do. She didn't think she could do a locator spell on an item and not fast enough anyway.
Kol was carrying Henrik and holding Finn's hand to get them upstairs. They had picked up on the nervous energy and were scared.
"It's okay. Come on, let's get your teeth brushed and then you can turn in," Kol said.
"I don't want to brush my teeth, Uncle Kol," Finn whined.
"I know you are tired, lad," Kol said.
Kol took them into the hallway bathroom and set them up with their toothbrushes.
Klaus was down on the floor looking behind the trash can. Tyler was behind him. Klaus found nothing on the floor. Their eyes met in the mirror.
"Dad, I-," Tyler started.
"Son, I know what you are going to say," Klaus said.
"I'm ready. I guess I knew this moment was coming. Can you take me now?" Tyler said.
"To the cave? The wolf cave...It's been drawing you to it," Klaus said.
"Yes, I think we should leave now," Tyler said nervously.
"Drink some water, it may be a while before you get another drink. Come on, Son," Klaus responded. Klaus caught Elijah on their way out and filled him in.
"Will you turn with me?" Tyler asked Klaus as they got neared to the old Lockwood property.
"Yes, I can partially turn into kind of a wolfman form, I'm still conscience, but more wolf than man, or vampire," Klaus smiled.
"I'm not afraid. Not anymore," Tyler said honestly.
"It will hurt, but once you are hunting, you will forget all that. I'll keep you from hurting any vampires or humans. Maybe we'll even run into another pack?" Klaus said hopefully.
"I just can't figure out what happened to my ring...It was kind of big, so maybe it slipped off," Tyler speculated.
"Okay, pajamas on. Quickly, I can't dress you if you fall asleep. I don't think you lads have ever been up this late," Kol said, trying to get Finn and Henrik's night clothes ready.
Kol's vampire hearing heard Finn whisper to Henrik, "Just show him. It'll be worse for you if you don't later."
Kol turned from the dresser with some mismatched sets of pajamas.
"Finn, if this has anything to do with Tyler's ring, you best tell me now," Kol warned.
"That's Henrik's shirt!" Finn exclaimed as Kol approached with the wrong shirt.
"Finn, please, what's going on?" Kol pressed.
Henrik paled, his fists were tight.
Kol grabbed a different shirt for Finn and again heard them trying to whisper.
"No! Don't," Henrik said.
"Henrik, do you know something?" Kol asked quietly.
Henrik didn't answer. Kol threw Finn's dirty clothes on the floor. He laid Finn down on his stomach and smacked his behind. Whack!
Finn struggled to turn back over and threw his hands back in panic.
"Finn, if you know something and don't tell me, you're going to get a real spanking," Kol threatened smacking him a second time. Whack!
"No!" Finn yelped.
Kol pulled down his p.j. and underwear in one motion and swatted him on his bare behind.
Smack!
"Henrik has it!" Finn yelled. Kol stayed his hand. Kol replaced his pj bottoms and went to Henrik's bed. Henrik was backing up on the bed.
"Henrik, where's the ring?" Kol demanded firmly. Time was of the essence. Tyler could turn at any moment.
Henrik just let out a little whine. Kol had it. He knew the lad knew something. He was ready to put Henrik over his knee until this was sorted out. Kol went to grab him and felt a tremendous pain in his head. He crumpled to the ground. Finn got up and ran to the door, but it slammed shut.
-****
Klaus and Tyler got to the cave right before midnight. The moon was shining brightly.
"This is the cave where my family was to hide each month 1000 years ago. The wolves never wanted to hurt anyone in the village. I snuck out and broke that rule and Henrik followed me. I did not know it, but it was my pack I was called to see. All I did was get my brother slaughtered and Ansel's pack destroyed by Mikael," Klaus recalled touching the cold stone.
"Ansel? Is that your real dad?" Tyler asked starting to take off his clothes.
"Yes, but I never really think of him that way. I know it makes no sense, but Mikael has always loomed so large in my life that there was no room for another father," Klaus admitted, now also taking off his jacket.
"I had my share of issues with my old man, but nothing like what Mikael did to you. Ah, I felt something. Like a shifting in my leg. Is it starting?" Tyler gasped.
"Yes, here drink my blood. It will dull your pain and heal the breaks even faster than your werewolf healing," Klaus said cutting open his wrist.
Tyler drank holding on to Klaus' hand. His heart was beating, not with fear, but with excitement. Then, he felt the break in his thigh bone and went to the ground. It felt like a hot blade slide into his bones, and then it happened in ten different places. Tyler's mind went blank.
Klaus whispered, "Become the wolf you were always meant to be, my son."
Klaus' eyes turned yellow and he transformed himself. He howled and in the distance, he heard other howls. The full moon was at its zenith.
"What the hell?" Freya said. She had just seen the door slam shut. Elijah released everyone from the safe room as Tyler and Klaus were gone. Freya tried to open the door and it stuck a moment before opening.
She saw Kol on the ground and Finn pinned to the wall.
Henrik was chanting and clutching something in his fist.
"Henrik, what is happening?" Freya demanded.
"Sorry, Freya. I got scared," Henrik said in a small voice.
"Release Finn, right now," Freya insisted.
As soon as Finn could breath again, he pointed a finger at Henrik.
"He found the ring in the bathroom and took it! Freya, he has Tyler's ring," Finn accused.
"What did you do to Kol?" Freya asked rushing over.
Kol was stirring.
"I think the little bugger did an aneurysm spell on me! Haven't felt that since 1913," Kol sat up and looked at Henrik.
"Sorry, Uncle Kol! I didn't mean to," Henrik said crying.
"Young man, where is the ring now?" Freya insisted.
Henrik held out his hand and the ring was there. Freya snatched it out of his hand with relief.
"Why, Henrik?" Kol asked standing up above the bed.
"I don't know," Henrik sobbed.
Finn added, "I told him to give it back, but he said that Tyler was mean to us. He never lets us play video games with them anymore."
"And that's why you stole his ring?" Freya asked alarmed.
"I'll call Nik and see if he turned yet," Kol said walking away for a moment.
Henrik shook his head, "I found it in the bathroom. I wanted it. I didn't know it was important."
Freya sat on the bed, "You used magic against your family?"
Kol came back over, "I smacked Finn's bare bum for not telling on you. I think you ought to get a few licks just to even out that score."
Freya smiled, "May I, brother? As you know, witches who use magic inappropriately are subject to coven discipline."
"By all means, sister," Kol said going to sit on Finn's bed. He patted the boy, who was watching this all nervously.
"Flip over," Freya demanded shortly.
"No, Freya, sorry," Henrik wailed, curling up so she couldn't turn him over.
Freya flipped him on his stomach. She bared his behind quickly and he yelled out to stop.
"Stop moving," she scolded. Freya gave him five strong smacks that left red hand prints on his bottom.
Spank! Spank! Spank! Spank! Spank!
Henrik thrashed and wailed with each crack, but Freya's other hand kept him from turning to his side or back. Freya was angry and stopped herself from continuing the punishment. Since he was not yet dressed for bed. She peeled off his pants and underwear and tossed them with Finn's dirty clothes. Henrik's hand immediately went to rub and protect his rear end as soon as she let him go.
"That's just a preview of the spanking you are going to get tomorrow, Henrik. I am very disappointed in your behavior," Freya lectured. This caused Henrik to wail harder and she softened and patted him to let him know it was over.
"Come on, let's take off your dirty shirt," Freya said as Kol handed her his pajama shirt. Freya smiled as she noticed the pants Kol had chosen didn't match.
"What? I couldn't find them!" he said in his defense.
"Sorry, brother. They are in the clothes basket," Freya admitted. Elijah's tryst had slowed down clothes distribution a tad.
"Freya, I think you walloped him hard enough that he can just sleep with pants off tonight," Kol smirked.
Freya nodded, she kissed the still crying Henrik.
"We'll talk about this in the morning. You boys need to get to sleep. It's midnight already. You can sleep in tomorrow. I love you," Freya said kissing Henrik again. She went over to where Finn and Kol were.
"You okay, sweetheart?" she said to Finn.
"Yeah," he replied. She kissed him and Kol, but felt guilty about leaving.
"Sister, go to bed. I'll stay. I don't like to sleep alone anyway since Davina's been gone," Kol admitted.
"I love all of you. I have Tyler's ring now," Freya said holding it up.
To Kol, she said, "Let me know if Niklaus needs the ring, but I feel like it's too late. The moon is especially bright tonight, isn't it?"
Kol looked out the window and agreed. His vampire hearing thought he heard a howl. He remembered the night Henrik died in his human life and he was filled with love and gratitude for their baby brother. He would be forgiven, not matter how great or small his transgressions.
Kol told Finn to get up for a second. He moved Finn's bed up to Henrik's to make a double bed. Henrik was sniffling.
Kol got in, still in his clothes, and pulled Henrik and Finn both to him.
"Uncle Kol, I'm scared," Henrik whispered.
"Shh, I know, lad. I used to get scared, too, when I had done something wrong. I'm not going to lie and say you're not in for it, but I think you'll feel better after, okay?" Kol replied in a hushed tone.
"Sorry about your head," Henrik said right as he fell asleep.
"Nice butt," Finn giggled, laughing at Henrik.
Kol glanced down at Henrik's backside and saw a few red marks still visible. He reminded himself never to piss off Freya. That woman had a hard hand. Kol pulled the sheet over them and lay away as the boys fell into the deep sleep of childhood and exhaustion.
The next morning when Tyler came to, he was back at the wolf cave. Klaus was leaning on the wall of the cave in his black leather jacket smiling. Tyler recalled the night in snippets: the running, the chasing, the howling, and the hunt. The snarling, the tearing, the taste of blood, the snap of bone...It felt like a dream, but it has been real. He felt only exhilaration.
"Good, huh?" Klaus said, pushing Tyler's pile of clothes near him with his foot.
"Dad, it was better than I imagined. Turning was worse than I expected, but damn, the hunting. Was that a deer? Jesus, it was...," Tyler was at a loss for word.
"You did great. I was able to guide you around some squatters camping up on that ridge. You obeyed me as your alpha and you did not harm them, though you wanted to. We actually got two deer and you got a rabbit yourself," Klaus smiled. Tyler dressed quickly.
"Did they find the ring?" Tyler asked.
"Henrik had it!" Klaus said checking his cell phone.
"What? Oh, he had come in to use our bathroom. He had been drinking all those juice boxes and almost had an accident, but he didn't say a word. Why would he take it?" Tyler inquired.
"I don't know, son," Klaus replied.
"I know he wanted to play Call of Duty with us the other day. Uncle Elijah said it wasn't appropriate and not to let him. He got mad and I guess I was kind of a dick about it. Do you think that's it?" Tyler pressed.
"Could be, but he's going to get his first good hiding over this," Klaus said putting his arm around Tyler.
"Oh, Dad, don't be too hard on him. He's just a little kid. Of course, at his age, I was getting that stupid helping hand paddle applied to my bare butt on a regular basis. Probably, not as much as I deserved though," Tyler admitted.
"I'm proud of you, son. Long ago the witches tried to make this a curse, but we have made it a gift. We can do this again, or not, it's up to you," Klaus said pulling in Tyler for a side hug.
"Again, please," Tyler smiled and then let out a howl. He was now complete.
Freya had filled Elijah in on what happened after she left the younger boys' room. She was upset about Henrik taking the ring and using magic, but Elijah assured her they would deal with it tomorrow.
Elijah spent the night down in Vanessa's quarters. Though they were underground on the basement level, the suite was opulent. Elijah thought no wonder I had to wire money from that other account. Who puts Italian marble in a basement apartment? Niklaus apparently.
Elijah came up later than usual to start making his typical Sunday morning brunch. He hoped that the boys would all sleep in after the turmoil of last night. He was surprised to see Henrik up and watching tv.
"Good morning, Henrik. Where's Finn?" Elijah said looking around.
"Sleeping. Uncle Kol is upstairs in our room. He's mad at me," Henrik mumbled. Elijah decided to feign that he didn't know what happened to hear Henrik's side of the story.
"Kol is angry at you? I doubt that. Henrik, you know Kol is our brother, right?" Elijah explained gently.
"Yes, Elijah, I know who my brothers are. I don't think Kol is mad at me, but Finn is because I...," Henrik stopped, as tears rolled down his face.
"What, baby brother? You can tell me," Elijah said going to wrap his arms around him. Henrik didn't talk much and he was almost never without Finn.
Henrik pushed him away.
"I was bad. I found the ring, Tyler's ring, and put it in my pocket. Then, I used magic on Uncle Kol and Finn. Freya spanked me and I'm gonna get another...Niklaus will hate me," Henrik sobbed.
"Honey, come here. It's going to be okay. Niklaus would never hate you in an eternity. It's okay," Elijah said.
"No, it's not," Henrik replied.
"Henrik, it sounds like you did do something naughty. Why didn't you tell Tyler you found the ring when everyone was looking for it?" Elijah asked.
"No one asked me. Finn knew I had it, but I just wanted to keep it, I guess," Henrik blurted. He told Elijah about how he found the ring, but he really couldn't explain why he kept it.
"Okay, you can tell Tyler you are sorry when he gets home. And yes, you are going to get punished, but then after that, it's all over okay," Elijah reassured him.
Henrik nodded.
"Now help me make brunch. Do you know how to crack an egg?" Elijah asked.
Henrik shook his head and tried to help.
Shortly after, the door from the garage opened.
"Hello, how was your big night?" Elijah said wiping his hands on his apron.
Tyler was radiating happiness.
"Uncle Elijah, it was pretty awesome. With Dad at my side, it was better than I expected," Tyler gushed.
"Fantastic. Are you hungry? Henrik and I are making a big brunch," Elijah announced, putting his arm around his youngest sibling.
Henrik buried his head in Elijah's chest.
"Uh-oh, I hear that someone caused a bit of mischief here. Henrik, I think you have something to say to Tyler," Klaus intoned kindly.
"Sorry," Henrik muttered into Elijah's apron.
Elijah peeled him away, "Is that the best you can do? Hmm?"
Henrik shyly looked at Tyler and saw that he wasn't looking angry.
Tyler came over and opened his arms,"It's okay, buddy. Everything turned out pretty good. Really."
Henrik went near him and let Tyler embrace him.
"How about we'll play Mario Cart later? Okay? As much as you want," Tyler promised. Henrik nodded and looked up at Klaus.
"Yes, I think that would be okay. We are going to have a talk with you later, though. Henrik, you can go watch television a bit," Klaus said. Henrik seemed okay and went to the great room by himself.
"Tyler, son, why don't you go take a shower and then sleep a little? I need to talk to Elijah a minute," Klaus said looking at his brother.
"So I'm pleased it went so well. Last night was stressful. I swear, brother, every party we have...," Elijah laughed.
"I know, but he did better than I could have dreamed. I turned into my wolf state and he obeyed me. It kept him from attacking some campers and we really had a great time. I never thought I'd have another wolf to be a pack with. But enough about me, tell me about Henrik," Klaus said quietly.
Elijah told him what he knew.
"I know he's feeling guilty and he's worried about his punishment. I think Freya is too upset. She said she gave him five good cracks and told him last night he was going to get another spanking today. Kol is still upstairs sleeping in the younger boys' room. Finn's still sleeping.," Elijah explained.
"You think I should spank Henrik, don't you?" Klaus asked. He knew his brother.
"I'm sorry, brother. I know you are tired and have been doling out thrashings this week one after another, but Henrik looks up to you so much. He's afraid that you hate him. I can spank him if you want, but I think he'd feel more reassured afterwards if it came from you," Elijah admitted.
"I could never hate him. Why would he think that? Silly boy. Let me go rest and bathe myself. I did spend all night as a wolf hunting, you know?" Klaus mentioned.
"One more thing," Klaus said, walking away, "how did Henrik know how to do an aneurism spell? That's something we haven't see since Papa Tunde. Odd."
"I really don't know. Maybe say something to Freya later? I would hope she's not teaching him deadly spells before he can read Latin," Elijah mused.
"Latin? I don't even know how much English he knows yet. Have brunch without me, and then maybe have Tyler bring Henrik to my room right after. I have an idea," Klaus shared.