"I'm sorry you missed another dance." My words echoed throughout the empty corridors as Rebekah and I made our way to the main hall. She woke me around seven this morning to come help her on the clean-up crew. I hadn't seen her since the day her mother appeared out of the blue at the mansion to 'die'. Well, the real Rebekah I should say. We should have known something else was at play, other than a remorseful mother, coming home to be with her family as she drew her final breath.

"Nothing I haven't endured before." Rebekah replied coldly as we entered the hall. "I'm sorry my bastard brother used you like that. He can be cruel."

I slowed my pace behind her as she continued on. I could hear the sadness and distance in her tone and it made me fill with deep commiseration for her. She seemed to always be the scapegoat out of a situation, and I knew how that felt...most of the time. Mine was nothing compared to hers though.

"I'm still sorry for the part I played in your mothers death." I sighed heavily.

"If you'd had a choice in the matter, would you have done it?"

I frowned, "Of course not."

"Well, then," Rebekah smiled weakly, "How can I put all the blame on you when it was my brothers doing."

I nodded, "I guess."

"Besides, I think you've more than paid for killing my mother now."

"How so?"

"You triggered your curse." Rebekah stated, "Every full moon you'll repeat the process. I think that's torture enough, don't you?"

"When you put it like that," I absentmindedly ran my hand over the back of my neck. My body was still aching from last nights events. I barely had any sleep once Klaus brought me back to the mansion in the early hours of the morning. I couldn't sleep. The guilt was eating me up from what I had done to their mother. "What did Klaus say to you?"

"Just that he compelled you to do it. That you had no say in the matter." She smirked, "I didn't believe him at first, then he told me that you triggered your curse and were in enough pain as it was." Rebekah stalked into the room as I followed. "He wouldn't stop rambling on about how beautiful you were."

"What?" I all but yelled.

"Your wolf form, sweetie." Rebekah smiled.

"He saw me?"

"You don't remember anything?"

I shook my head, "All I remember is the agonizing pain from my bones breaking." I smiled halfheartedly, "He saw me once I transformed?"

She nodded, "He said that you were one of the most beautiful wolves he'd seen."

As I was about to reply, Rebekah grabbed two trash cans and pushed one in my arms.

"Let's get on with it, shall we?" Rebekah handed me a blue trashcan with a weak smile. As I took the plastic bin, we began to pick up the litter leftover from last nights dance. I smiled to myself as I thought back to the dance. Once again, Klaus was sweet and caring, but not without having a dig at Tyler. After what he did to me last night, throwing me under the bus like I was nothing. I didn't mind the jabs Tyler took at him anymore. "What are you smiling at?"

I snapped my head around to face Rebekah as she stood a few feet away, watching me. "Ohh, uh, just thinking about the dance." I gave her a tight-lipped smile. Hoping that I hadn't upset her further with my happiness about last night.

"Was it as I hoped?" She asked.

I nodded, "It was great...for the most part." I placed the bin on the ground and walked closer to her. "You would have been so proud, Rebekah."

It was the first genuine smile I had seen from her all day. I grinned, bearing all my pearly-whites as she bumped my shoulder with hers. I turned my attention towards the door as I heard footsteps closing in and I was surprised to see my sister entering into the hall, her phone swinging limply in her hand. She stopped briefly as her eyes fell upon mine.

"What are you doing here?" She asked in a surprised tone. "Where's Matt?"

"He bailed." Rebekah answered her before I could open my mouth. "He got called into work the last minute."

I can't lie and say I wasn't a little uneasy being in the same room as her, especially after what unfolded last night. I chose to be the bigger person and leave it where it belonged, in last night. It wasn't something I was ready to hash out, not yet.

"Are you kidding me?!" Caroline scoffed, "So it's just us three?"

"Yes, and you're late." Rebekah scolded her, "Clean-up crew started at eight o'clock."

Care looked at her phone, "It's, like, 08:02."

"Exactly. Jessica and I managed to arrive here on time, and I didn't even get to attend the dance that I organised." Rebekah sighed as she made her way past Caroline and emptied the trash into a bigger bin.

"I'm sorry about your mom." Care said quietly, her eyes meeting mine as I dipped my head in shame. "I mean I know you like, hated her and everything, but still...I'm sorry."

Rebekah gave her a weak smile, slightly taken aback by her friendly words. "I'm sorry about your teacher. He seemed like a nice guy."

"Yeah, he was." Caroline and I said in unison.

Rebekah's gaze flicked between that of my sister and I before she picked up another trashcan. "I'm gonna get started on the gym. You two can start in here."

The atmosphere was suddenly thick as Care and I were left alone in the hall. She nervously tapped her finger nail against the back of her phone as her foot bounced back-and-forth.

"I'm surprised you're here." She finally spoke with a hint of sadness to her voice. I began to pick up the trash from the tables as I spoke to her.

"What do you mean?"

"After what happened last night," She frowned, "Elena told us everything that happened, Jess. I'm so sorry you had to go through that alone."

I gently shrugged, "It is what it is, Care. There's nothing I can do about it now."

"He shouldn't have done that to you, Jess." She groaned in frustration, "Don't you see what he's like?"

I raised my hand, "Stop! I've been through enough shit these past few hours, we all have. I don't need you picking fights."

She slammed her lips shut, "I'm sorry."

I nodded my head and began to pick up some more trash from the tables as she closed the gap between us.

"I'm still surprised you're here," Caroline sighed once more.

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, Tyler's at Klaus' right now, packing his bags." Caroline said as I looked at her. A hand resting on my hip as she continued. "Are you really leaving with him Jess?"

I bit my lip, "Let me guess, Tyler told you?" She fell silent, which was what I was expecting, "Did he tell you the part where I never said I was leaving. I said I was thinking about it."

"That to me sounds like you're leaving."

"I'm not!" I shouted a little to loud. My voice bounced off the walls before the room fell silent. "I-I just don't know what to do, okay." I placed the bin on top of a table and made my way over to her. "I didn't have much time to think last night before shit hit the fan." I rolled my shoulders back as the muscles still ached, "I went through one of the worst times in my life last night, Care. I really don't want to argue with you right now. I don't have the energy."

"I know," She sighed and rested a hand on my tense shoulder, "I wish I had been there for you."

"In all honesty, I'm glad you weren't."

"I was there for Tyler," She informed me, "Don't get me wrong, once he started snapping his jaws, I was out of there." She laughed lightly as I smiled.

I wrapped my hands around her neck and pulled her into a hug. She reciprocated as she wrapped her hands around my back.

As we pulled apart, my eyes widened in horror at the sight before me.

"Listen..." Caroline sighed but instantly fell silent.

I placed my hand over her mouth, silencing her immediately. She frowned before turning around to see what had me so shocked.

"Alaric?" She gasped.

"You're supposed to be dead." My brows knitted together as he stood in the entrance of the doorway. His face was tense and his hair was dishevelled. My eyes instantly lowered to the object in his hand. It looked to be a White Oak stake, but we burned them all.

Didn't we?

He never replied as he rushed towards us. I pushed Caroline with all my strength to the side, getting her out the way of his path as I took the brunt of Alaric's painful blow. I went flying across the tables and chairs that were staked up behind and rolled onto the floor as Caroline watched on in horror.

"Run!" I screamed.

She headed my plea and whooshed out of the hall. Alaric grunted, his face contorted into a furious scowl as his eyes fell upon me laying on the ground. I pushed myself up onto my hands and knees as he slowly began to stalk towards me. As I was launched across the room, many wooden chairs were broken in the process. I was glad as my eyes flicked to the left and spotted a wooden chair leg, snapped in two just within arms reach.

I waited for my moment to strike as Alaric lunged towards me once more. As he was inches from my body, I pushed myself off the floor, grabbed the chair leg, and plunged it into his abdomen. He shrieked in pain as I twisted the wood deeper before I vanished out of the hall.

As I fled the school, I ran into Caroline in the car park as she waited for me.

"Go, quick!" I yelled as I rushed over to her, "We only have a few seconds." As we ran further into the car park, I fumbled inside of my pocket looking for my keys to the car. Once they were in my hand, I tried to hit the electronic button to open the door, but my hands were shaking so much that they caused me to drop the keys to the ground.

"Hurry!" Caroline gasped from behind as I bent over and retrieved the keys.

Once I was in an upright position with the keys firmly back in hand. The spine-chilling sound of bones cracking cause me to freeze on the spot. It didn't take long after that before I heard a body hit the ground. I looked at the reflection in the window and gasped aloud as Alaric stood staring right back at me. His skin was red and was beginning to blister as the sun beamed down on him. I made a move to turn around and face him as he grabbed a fistful of my hair and thrust my face into the driver-side window of my car, causing the glass to shatter onto the seat below.

I let out a bone-curdling scream as the pain flared throughout my head. I collapsed onto the gravel and held my head in my hands as he delivered another blow to my face, causing my head to snap to the right and the blood to splatter out of my mouth onto the ground. I looked towards the sky, dazed as little circles appeared floating in the air.

My arms fell above my head as Alaric grasped my ankle, along with my sisters and dragged us back into the school.

I think I blacked out a little as we entered back into the vacant school. Alaric dragged us through the corridors and into his classroom before releasing his grip on us. I winced as he lifted my body from the ground and placed me into a seat before he did the same to Caroline. He placed two beakers of liquid on the desk to my left and draped bandages inside before pulling them out, dripping wet.

"Wha-What are you doing?" I mumbled as my head lulled back in pain. "How are y-you still alive?"

"Well, technically...I'm not." He glanced at me. His lips curled up into a devious smirk as he walked closer and wrapped the bandage around Care's mouth, causing her to instantly wake and scream in pain.

"Leave her alone!" I yelled and tried to push myself out of the chair. I was weak, too weak to fight him off this time as he grasped my shoulder and forced me back down into the chair. I watched on as he approached his desk and retrieved a few pencils. The devilish look on his face made my skin crawl as he slowly walked forward. "What are you...Agh!" I screamed as he thrust a pair of pencils through the flesh on the back of my hands, pinning them to the tabletop effortlessly.

"There," He grinned, "That'll stop you from going anywhere."

I dropped my head forward as I took a sharp inhale. "Why are you doing this? This isn't you, Alaric!"

He walked back over to my sister and tied the gag tighter around her head before slamming pencils into the back of her hands as well. She shrieked in pain and lulled her head back. The skin around her mouth began to burn as the vervain soaked materiel ate away at the flesh.

His fingertips blistered as he placed another bandage into the other beaker. I knew what was coming next, but I still wasn't prepared for the pain that accompanied it. Alaric kneeled down in front of the desk I was seated at and draped the bandages over my arms, causing me to strain against the burning pain.

"Stop...Please, stop!" I begged him, but he only laughed sadistically in reply to my agonizing pleads.

"Quiet." He instructed as he got to his feet and pulled out his cell. Alaric sat on the edge of his desk and watched on in amusement as my sister and I gasped in equal amounts of pain and fear. Caroline turned her head to face me, her eyes were bloodshot as her lips blistered. As I met her gaze, I tried my hardest to give her some form of reassurance, anything I could to let her know that we were going to be alright.

I hope we'll be alright. I wish someone would reassure me right now.

"Listen closely," I turned my attention back to Alaric as he spoke into the phone. "I'm at the school, I have Caroline and Jessica, and if you want to keep your friends alive, I need you to get in your car and come down here right away."

I could hear the fear in Elena's voice on the other end of the call. It was a trap, and we were the bait. "Don't, Elena!" I shouted.

Alaric's lips curled as he slammed his hand down on top of one of the pencils in the back of my hand, causing it to tear into the skin further and the wolvesbane, dripped bandage to seep down into the open wound.

I shrieked in pain once more as he stood back and snarled. "I warned you!" Alaric backed up and sat against the edge of the desk and continued talking into the phone. "If you tell anyone where you are going, I will kill them."

The call was ended moments later as he slipped the phone back into his pocket and rested his open palms face down on the desk, curling his fingers around the edge.

"I thought you weren't going to transition.?" I asked in a broken tone.

"How would you know?" He smirked, "Weren't you off somewhere, turning into a beast?"

I narrowed my eyes at his vile words, "E-Elena text me. She told me everything that h-happened."

"Of course she did," He smirked once more, "Poor little Elena. Always has to be the one at the centre of attention."

"So..." I panted, "Why did you transition?"

"What can I say...I didn't have a choice in the matter." He smiled coyly from the desk.

"Even so," I started to cough up blood as I felt the warm liquid coat my tongue. "Agh," I groaned as the skin on my hands tugged slightly. "You'd still be you."

His eyes narrowed at my comment, "Are you still 'you', Jessica?"

"Y-yes," I moaned, "I'm still me."

"I don't think so." Alaric grinned and walked towards us. He untied the bandage from Care's mouth and dipped it back into the beaker before wrapping it back around her mouth.

"Please, stop hurting her." I pleaded with him. "Do it to me."

"Ohh, I have something much more spectacular planned for you." Alaric smiled, "Do you know the trouble I had to go through to get this wolvesbane specifically for you?"

"How generous of you," I winced as he stalked towards me, "W-what do you have planned for me?"

He lulled his head back in annoyance before removing the bandages from my hands and plunged them into the beaker. "Ugh, did anyone ever tell you that you ask to many questions?" Alaric pulled out the soaking wet fabric, "No? Well, you do." I flailed my head back to avoid him wrapping the bandage around my mouth. Alaric grew tired of my constant attempts to defy him as he pushed down on one of the pencils and my mouth immediately flew open, giving him the opportunity to shove the bandage inside.

The instant the fabric touched my tongue, the burning sensation ran down my throat as I inhaled and cried out in pain. The skin around my mouth began to sting and blister as it rubbed on the flesh. My eyes began to water as the fumes travelled through the air.

Alaric ignored our cries as he took a seat behind his desk, twirling the White Oak stake between his fingers. He continued to reapply the potent liquid to our bandages every few minutes, so that we would keep ingesting it to become weaker.

He turned to face the door as the brunette that he was waiting for appeared in the entrance.

"Care! Jess!" Elena gasped as her mouth fell open. "Let them go, Alaric!"

"Free them yourself," He motioned towards us.

Elena held his questionable gaze for a few moments, wondering if she could trust him before she rushed into the room. She hurried over to Caroline as she was closer and kneeled in front of the desk, rubbing her arm reassuringly. Caroline released a small whimper as Elena gently tugged on the embedded pencil, but before she pulled it the whole way out, Alaric appeared behind her and slammed it straight back into her hand, causing her to scream loudly.

I winced and shut my eyes tightly as I couldn't bare to hear her screams anymore.

"You said that you would let them go!" Elena gasped as she stood up.

His eyes were dark as he looked down at her, "How many times do I have to tell you, Elena? Stop trusting vampires!" He yelled. The room fell silent for a few moments as Alaric made a call to Stefan. I couldn't hear much of the call for the sound of Caroline and I's cries.

Alaric crossed the floor as he entered back into the room and stood behind me as he untied the bandage and pulled it out of my mouth. I gasped for air as my lips burned with great pain. I could feel the flecks of skin peeling off them as my tongue ran across my bottom lip, trying to sooth the intense heat.

I shook my head slowly as Alaric made his way behind my back, the freshly dipped cloth in hand. "No, no, please, no more!" I whimpered.

"Alaric stop!" Elena yelled.

She was quickly silence as Alaric forced her into the chair beside Caroline. "Sit down!" He bellowed. "This keeps the wolvesbane in her system. It's like inhaling razor-blades with every breath."

I tried to keep my lips pressed firmly together as he hung the bandage in front of my face, slowly brushing it across my lips until they parted and the bandage was pulled inside. I cried once more as the sensation of the burning intensified as he tied a knot at the back of my head.

"Why are you doing this?" Elena said sadly.

"To make it easier for you when you put them out of their misery." He smiled and walked over to his desk, retrieving the stake before walking back towards her.

Elena eyed the stake, shocked by his words. "What!? No!"

"Isn't this what you wanted, Elena?" Alaric groaned, "For me to teach you how to kill a vampire?" He elongated his arm with the stake towards her, "Well, here's one, and here's a werewolf, Elena" He grinned menacing, "Call it a two-for-one special. Kill them."

She shook her head quickly, "This Isn't what I want."

"Of course it is." He smiled, "All those hours you spent training, getting stronger, you could be a hunter, Elena. But you've never actually staked a vampire though the heart."

Elena fell silent as she stared at the stake in his hand. Alaric persistently held the stake out to her, waiting for the moment she would take it.

The moment never came and Alaric grew more and more aggravated with each passing second before he began to pace back and forth.

"Why are you doing this?" Elena asked again.

"Because you need me." He spoke in a bitter tone, "Because you're an eighteen-year-old girl without parents of guidance or any sense of right and wrong anymore."

"Look at you!" She yelled, "How is this right?!"

Alaric scoffed and pointed towards Caroline with the stake. "She's a murderer. She told me she killed someone and liked it." His eyes instantly flicked towards me as I looked up at him, my chest heaving as I awaited what was to come. "And this one," He teased and twirled the stake in his hand before he gently pressed it to the centre of my chest. A wicked grin grew on his face, "She's, well, she's the worse of the two."

"What are you talking about?" Elena asked in confusion.

"Jessica here is a beast." He grinned wider, "Isn't that right?" Alaric's condescending tone made my blood boil as he continued to belittle me further in front of my friend and sister. "Jessica here has just killed someone. She triggered her curse and she will continue to hurt people. Not to mention she's shacked up with the baddest beast of them all." He fell silent for a brief moment before his eyes narrowed and his lips tugged at the corners. "But it's what you wanted, isn't that right, Jessica?"

I eyed him sceptically.

"You wanted to trigger your curse, because then you wouldn't be left out of the 'supernatural club', isn't that what you said to me the other day?"

I shook my head. He had taken what I said out of context.

"There she goes again," Alaric scoffed, "Lying to save her tail." He swung the white-oak stake in his hand and chuckled to himself, "No pun intended."

I could feel the stares coming from Elena and Caroline as I avoided their gaze. The resentment I held against myself was already eating me up from inside, but I couldn't think about that right now. I couldn't have a thousand different scenarios floating around my head. It had to wait.

"Now tell me, Elena. How is that right?" Alaric asked her. "Listen, your parents led the council. It was their life's mission to keep this town safe. They weren't dead six months before you undid it all."

"You don't know anything about them." Elena replied bitterly as he used her deceased parents in an attempt to win her over.

"Why, am I wrong?" He asked, "Do you actually think that they'd be proud of you?" Alaric made a move towards Elena and kneeled down in front of her desk. "If you don't side with the humans, you're just as bad as them. Now kill them." He held out the stake once more. "Start with Jessica. She's the worst out of the two." I squeezed my eyes tightly as the tears began to gather. Not because of my impending death, but because of Alaric's words. They hit me deep, deeper than I thought any words could. "Or I'll do it for you and I'll make it hurt. Get up!"

He grabbed Elena roughly by the arm and tugged her out of the seat. He placed her in front of me and forced the stake into her hand before stepping back. Elena stood in front of me, her hands trembling as I looked up at her, the tears beading down my cheeks. She took a sharp inhale, like she was about to plunge the stake into my body, but she instead spun on the spot and made a move to stake Alaric. He was ready for her betrayal as he grabbed her wrist, stopping her in her tracks.

"I thought I taught you better than that," He growled softly.

"You did." Elena sneered and grabbed the beaker filled with the vervain from the desk before she smashed it over his head. He screamed in pain as his flesh began to sizzle and blister rapidly. She turned around and yanked the pencils out of Caroline's hands and removed the cloth from her mouth. "Get help!"

I gave Caroline a quick nod for her to leave as Elena made quick work of freeing me from the same restraints. Caroline fled the room quickly as Elena helped me to my feet before we made a move towards the door. I gasped as Alaric rushed in front of us and blocked our path to freedom. He grabbed us both and threw us out into the hallway with great force. I flew across the corridor sideways and collided with the lockers.

"Agh!" I yelped as I sunk to the ground. I pressed the palm of my hand to the the large gash on my forehead as it gushed thick, red blood. Looking up through blurry eyes, I saw as Elena struggled to breath as Alaric held her by her throat in the air against the lockers.

"I should kill you," He growled. "I should gut you like Brian Walters, Bill Forbes, and all the other cowards I plan on ripping apart." The rage inside burned high as he mentioned my fathers name, but I was too weak to move, let alone fight him. "You're the worst offended of them all, Elena. You don't deserve to live."

"So then, why am I still alive? There's obviously no humanity left in you, so what's stopping you, Alaric? If you want me dead then kill me." Alaric's eyes became red and the veins began to appear as he snarled at her. "Do it! Kill me!" Elena yelled once more.

"No!" I screamed from the ground behind them.

A long, agonizing moment passed before Alaric's face returned to normal and he released Elena from his grasp. It was in that moment that Elena and I realised the magnitude of the situation at hand. Alaric couldn't kill her. No matter how much he wanted to, he couldn't.

Out of nowhere, Stefan and Damon whooshed past me and flew towards Alaric. As they grasped his arms, momentarily immobilising him, the deeply underestimated his newfound strength. In the blink of an eye, Alaric effortlessly pushed them away, snapping Stefan's back and breaking Damon's neck in one swift movement.

My mouth hung open for the briefest of moments before another blast of air washed over me as Klaus hurled himself towards Alaric. "Klaus!" I screamed in panic as I watched on. He thrust his fingers into Alaric's chest, causing him to cry out in pain. After what felt like a life time of watching them struggling together, Alaric twisted Klaus' wrist back as a loud 'snap' echoed through the hallways, followed Klaus' cry of pain.

"Klaus!" I screamed once more in horror. The sight of seeing him in pain triggered me deeper than I thought it ever could. Alaric threw Klaus across the hallway before slamming his body against the lockers, causing me to flinch as he leered over his body, the White Oak stake positioned over his heart. Waiting to take the plunge.

I mustered enough strength to push my body off the ground and lean back on my heels. Watching on at the scene that unfolded before my very eyes.

"Stop!" Elena yelled. I turned to face her and widened my eyes as she held a sharp blade against her throat. "Let him go or I'll kill myself."

"Put it down, Elena." Alaric instructed her as he continued to battle with Klaus.

"Why? Because you need me alive?" She questioned. "There's a reason why Esther used me to make you, isn't there? She didn't want you to be immortal, so she tied your life to a human one. Mine. That way you only have one life span to kill all vampires and then you'll be gone. So, when I die, you die too. That's it, it has to be!"

Alaric hesitated for a moment, but it only confirmed Elena and I's suspicions.

"You're wrong." He sneered.

"Am I?" Elena began to draw the blade along her neck, causing the blood to trickle out as she winced in pain.

"Stop! Stop, stop, stop!" Alaric yelled in a frenzy.

In his moment of panic, Klaus looked towards me, his eyes filled with worry as I gasped for air across the hallway. He seized the moment during Alaric's delirium and threw his body off of his before rushing over to me and grasping my arm, along with Elena's before he fled the school.

The next thing I knew, we were back at the mansion as Klaus carried me into my room and placed me onto the bed gently. I blinked rapidly, trying my best to clear the blood from my sight as Klaus took a seat beside me at the edge of the bed.

"There, there, love." He cooed and stroked my hair back from my face, "You're safe now."

I cleared my dry, broken throat, "W-Where's Elena?" I asked.

"She's safe, too. You need not worry about her." He informed me and I blew a sigh of great relief in knowing she was somewhere safe. "You've had quite the day, haven't you." Klaus smiled, almost apologetically as he stroked my face with his thumb.

"I thought..." I trailed off as I pictured Klaus on the ground with Alaric looming over him, inches away from ending him and all his sires. "For a moment there, I thought Alaric was going to succeed in killing you."

Klaus smiled, "Nonsense," he chuckled lightly and placed his hand on my shoulder.

"We need to do something, something to stop him."

"Don't worry, he will be stopped." He reassured me, "I'm taking care of it."

Klaus' hand trailed from my shoulder to the open wound on my forehead. I winced in pain as he gently brushed his fingers over it before he stood from the bed and lifted my back up before slipping behind me and lowered my body onto his. He bit into his wrist and held it in front of my face. The smell of his blood caused my senses to peak straight way as I inhaled his delicious scent.

"Drink." He instructed and I gladly gave into his command.

I looked at his bleeding arm momentary before I turned my head to face him.

"Won't I heal faster now that I'm a wolf?" I asked curiously.

"Yes." He said, "But my blood will heal you even faster."

I narrowed my eyes, "I swear to god, Klaus. You better not turn me into one of your hybrids."

He smirked, "Would I do that?"

"Yes." I bit back.

He chuckled lightly and stroked my hair as I rested against his chest. "You have my word. I won't touch you."

I nodded and winced slightly as I parted my lips and the dry skin began to crack. My tongue swept across his forearm, lapping up the beads of blood as he tensed his fist into a ball. Seconds later, my teeth penetrated his skin as I sunk them into his arm and began to suck in silent bliss. I could already feel the effects his blood took on my body as the skin knitted back together and the burned sensation subsided.

Once I had my fill, I peeled my lips from his arm and lowered it down into my lap. Running my fingers along the fresh bite mark, I smiled as he chuckled lightly behind me.

"Feeling better, sweetheart?" Klaus said softly.

I nodded, "Much. Thank you." My hand trailed down his arm until I reached his hand, entwining my fingers with his own as he held me, brushing his other hand over the top of my head.

"You should rest," He said, before lifting me off his body and slipped out from behind. "Like I said, you've had quite the day."

"Not going to argue with you there." I chuckled lowly. "Where are you going?"

I noticed the slight hesitance in his reply, "I-I have some loose ends to tie up. It won't take long."

"Okay," I smiled. "I'll see you later?"

"Absolutely." Klaus said as he stood from the bed. He placed a gentle kiss on the back of my hand before he left the room.

I followed him with my gaze until the door was closed and he was no longer within ear shot before I rushed to my feet. He was lying, the hesitance in his voice gave him away without him even knowing it. As I rifled though my drawers grabbing a change of clothes, my mind cast back to the moment in the hallway. Alaric's face when Elena threatened to take her life was one of fear and shear panic.

That's when the penny finally dropped. When Klaus said that he was 'taking care of it', he didn't mean in due course, he meant right this second However, the only way to stop Alaric was to kill the source giving him life. To kill Elena.

"No..." I gasped as I quickly pulled on my trousers and a fresh t-shirt. I peered out of the door and looked down the hallway, it was clear so I made my move. Slowly, I walked down the hallway in my bare feet until I reached the top of the staircase and peered over the railing. I jumped back as someone tapped my shoulder.

"Fuck!" I gasped quietly.

"I'm so sorry, ma'am," Daniel said as he stepped back. "Do you need something?"

"What? No." I whispered.

"Mr Mikaelson requested that you stay in your room for the time being."

I glared at him.

Of course he did.

"Look, Daniel, thanks for your concern, but this doesn't require your input!" I groaned and peered over the railing once more to see another man carrying a box outside.

"I'm afraid I'll have to let Mr Mikaelson know that you're not cooperating with his wishes, Miss Forbes." As Daniel turned to leave in search of Klaus, I grabbed the back of his shirt and yanked him back to face me.

"No!" I held his neck tightly as I began to suffocate him into silence. He struggled against my grasp, fighting for air as I applied more pressure. Moments later, he fell silent and his eyes rolled to the back of his head as he became unconscious.

I dragged his body into the bathroom across the hall and closed the door, locking him inside. Once I was sure no one else would sneak up on me, I made my way down stairs and once I reached the parlour room, I gasped as I saw the back of a brunette head sitting in the chair with a blood bag at the side, slowly filling up.

"Elena..." I said quietly as I entered into the room.

"Jess..." She gasped sleepily as she looked up though her lashes, unable to lift her head all the way up. I ran over to her and began to unwind the rope that bound her to the chair, but just as I undone the first knot, I was snatched away and found myself standing on the other side of the room.

"I see you didn't heed my order." Klaus glared down at me as I peered up at him.

I pushed him back, breaking his hold of me. "What the hell are you doing!?" I motioned towards Elena on the chair as he followed my gaze. "Let her go, Klaus."

"I'm afraid I cannot do that, love." He replied stoically. "I'll be painless, I promise. She'll simply just fall asleep, once she's been drained of all her blood."

I felt the tears prick at the corners of my eyes. "W-Why are you doing this?"

"She said it herself. To kill the hunter, she must die."

I shook my head, "No! We'll find another way. There's always another way."

"Not this time, love."

"I won't let you do this, Klaus." I took a step back, creating more distance between us as he attempted to touch my arm. "I'm taking her out of here." I turned on the spot and made a move towards Elena when he whooshed in front of me, blocking the way.

"I warned you, Jessica." He growled, "Go back upstairs."

"No."

"I don't want to compel you, love, but I will if you don't cooperate." Klaus warned. I felt my eye twitch at his low, commanding tone. It sent shivers down my spine. I knew I was no match against an hybrid, let alone an Original, but I couldn't just leave Elena here to die. I wouldn't.

"I can't let you hurt her, Klaus."

"I'm afraid you don't have a choice in the matter. The hunter must die."

I laughed, "Don't make this about Alaric, Klaus! You're taking her blood because you want more hybrids, aren't you!?"

"Don't be ridiculous!" He raised his voice as he scowled.

"It true, isn't it?" I placed my hands on my face as the reality of how bad the situation was becoming was settling in. "Is your family not enough for you? Am I not enough?"

His eyes glazed over slightly at my words before he caught himself, narrowing his eyes into a cold stare. "This conversation is over!" As he stalked towards me and grasped my arm, I tried to fight against him but it was a feeble attempt. Klaus pulled me out of the room and forced me into the one adjacent and slammed the door behind us. "Stay in here, Jessica. I won't ask you again."

"Let her go, and I will." I panted as he released me, the adrenaline was coursing through my veins rapidly.

"This isn't a game!"

"You think I don't know that!" I yelled, "She's my best friend, Klaus. I won't let you kill her."

"I'll come for you when it's over." As Klaus whooshed out of the room. I flew after him but he had locked the door to stop me escaping.

"Fuck!" I yelled and frantically began banging against the wood. "Let me out!"

I continued to bang against the door until my knuckles began to exude blood until I stopped. It was pointless. I paced back and forth until I heard the lock on the door turning. I ran behind the door and waited for whomever it was to enter so that I could blindside them unexpectedly. A moment passed before the door opened and a man walked inside. I rushed out from behind the door and grasped the sides of his face as I tugged his head to the side. As I tried to snap his neck, he quickly grasped my wrists and flung me over his head. My back collided with the wooden floor as I gasped for air.

"Tyler?" I frowned as he stared back at me.

"What the hell, Jess?!" He groaned quietly and rubbed his jaw.

"I thought you were someone else," I got to my feet, "We need to get Elena, Ty."

He nodded, "I know, I was looking for you first." As I looked at Ty, his face was filled with a deep, deep sorrow. "I-I'm so sorry."

"What?" I frowned.

"About what happened to you," he sighed, "I should have been there for you. To help you through it, Jess."

I shook my head, "It's sweet that you want to play the dotting brother, Ty. Really. But right now we have bigger things to attend to. Come on!" I ushered him to follow behind as we left the room and crossed the hall.

Klaus was no where to be see as we entered into the room. Once we were inside, Tyler ran across to Elena and began to undo the rope with ease as I removed the restraints on her ankles. I looked up to see her eyes widen in fear as she looked behind us towards the door.

I slowly closed my eyes before standing straight and nudging Tyler to do the same. We both turned around to be met with an icy stare as Klaus hoovered in the entryway.

"So much for that sire-bond." He said bitterly, avoiding all eye contact with me as he spoke to his hybrid.

Tyler squared his shoulders, "I'm not your little bitch anymore."

My throat began to rapidly dry as Klaus walked towards us. I had no idea what consequences I would be facing for defying him, not once, not twice but many times. However, in this very moment, I didn't care. I knew I had to do everything I could to protect Elena.

"How did you break the sire-bond?" Klaus asked.

"By breaking every bone in my body a hundred times for the girl I love." He answered.

"That's impossible," Klaus narrowed his eyes in disbelief.

"Is it?" Tyler replied, raising an eyebrow before he walked closer to Klaus. "Or maybe real love is stronger than fake loyalty. But what would you know about that?"

Klaus' eyes flickered towards me and I could see the hurt in his eyes at Tyler's words. I couldn't hold his gaze anymore, so I dropped my eyes to the floor. He gained his composure once more before replying to Tyler. "You know, you should be thanking me. I gave you a gift. I took away your misery."

"You didn't give a crap about me! You just didn't want to be alone!"

I could tell by the look on Klaus' face that Tyler had once again stuck a nerve. He turned his back on Klaus and walked back over to Elena and removed the last restraint before helping her to her shaky feet. I grasped Elena's other arm and held her weight. As she took a step forward, Klaus whooshed over to us and pushed Elena backwards, causing her and the chair to fall over. There was a loud thud as Elena's head collided with the step leading out of the parlour.

I stumbled backwards, only just catching my footing as Klaus grasped Tyler by his neck and and pushed him against the wall. "Goodbye, Tyler."

I screamed as Klaus raised his arm in the air, preparing to rip Tyler's heart from his chest.

"No!" I screamed.

Tyler grabbed Klaus' arm and twisted it until a loud crack echoed throughout the room. He groaned in pain as Tyler pinned his arm behind his back. Out of nowhere, Stefan flew into the room followed by his brother, Damon. Damon grabbed Klaus' other arm and held it behind his back as Stefan grasped Klaus' shoulder and thrust his fingers into his chest, causing him to groan in intense pain.

"Stop! What are you doing!?" I yelled and flew towards Stefan. I grabbed his arm and managed to pull his hand from Klaus' chest for a brief moment before he nodded towards his brother. Damon released his gasp of Klaus' arm as Tyler took over, holding him in place. Damon vamp-sped around Stefan and grabbed me by the arms, pinning them behind my back, much like Klaus as he tugged me away, causing Stefan to drive his fingers back into his chest once more.

"Get off!" I struggled against Damon's grasp. My eyes widened in horror. Whatever Stefan was doing, it was weakening Klaus as he didn't even attempt to fight back. He was completely helpless, and it broke my heart to see him this way. Klaus' eyes slowly moved towards me as he gasped, locking into my own as I cried out for his release. The tears began to spill over and roll down my cheeks. "Please...Stop...Please!"

His skin began to turn grey and veins appeared as he became immobile. His eyes widened in terror as he looked back towards Stefan, realising what was happening to him. Eventually, Tyler and Stefan carefully lowered his motionless body to the floor.

"No..." I whispered.

Damon slowly released his grip of my arms as I slumped to the floor. I crawled on the floor towards Klaus' body and hovered beside him as Stefan took a step back. My hand lightly brushed over his grey face as I wept softly. His body was unable to move but his eyes were very much still alert. He looked towards me as a stray tear dripped onto my fingers.

"I've got her," Tyler said, causing me to look up behind Klaus from the floor.

"Stay the hell away from us!" I growled viciously.

"I'm sorry, Jess." He said as he grasped my shoulders, lifting me from the floor.

"No!" I gasped as I clutched onto Klaus' hand tightly. "No..." Our fingers gently slipped apart as his hand dropped back down to the floor motionlessly.

Tyler pulled me back as I fought against his iron-like grasp while Damon helped Elena to her feet. I watched on helplessly as Damon and Stefan lifted Klaus' body and lowered it inside a coffin before wheeling it out of the room, followed by Elena. The pity stare from Stefan was enough to tip me over the edge.

"Jess-"

I saw red. The anger inside of me was spilling over, and I let it. I snapped free of Tyler's grasp before I forced his head to the side, sinking my teeth into his tender flesh. He groaned in pain as I bit down deeper. He fought against me until he managed to throw me off of his body.

"What the hell, Jess!" He yelled loudly and placed his hand against his neck.

"Bring him back to me!" I ordered. The blood spilled out of my mouth and ran down my chin before dripping onto my clean shirt. "Bring him back!"

"I can't!" He yelled in reply. "Even if I could, I wouldn't."

He was gone...He was truly gone.

I felt a surge of pain radiating from my fingertips as my nails turned into claws, "Get out."

"Jess, please." He spoke softly as he held his hand against his neck wound.

"Get the hell out of here, before I rip you apart, Tyler."

He heeded my warning and dropped his head, "I'm sorry." Tyler kept his distance as he passed me by to leave the room and eventually the house. I looked around the now empty room before I sat down where Klaus' body lay moments earlier.

The tears began to flood over as I sat silently and wept.

I don't know how long I had been sitting in the same spot, but It was now dark out. As I had my knees hugged tightly into my chest, the tears began to dry on my cheeks as I rubbed my face with both hands. A noise startled me as the front door flew open and someone entered.

"Jessica?" I looked up from my knees to see Rebekah enter into the parlour room. A shocked expression on her face as she looked around at the mess. The broken chair, the empty blood bags discarded on the floor along with the full ones. "What the bloody hell happened here?"

I got to my feet quickly and ran over to her, enveloping her into a tight hug. "Thank god you're alright." I sighed as hugged her. "You just vanished from the school when Alaric appeared. I thought he'd killed you."

Her hands rubbed my back gently before she pushed me away to look at my face. "I'm glad you're alright as well. What happened here?"

I shook my head, "T-They took Klaus."

Her eyes widened, "What are you talking about? Who took Klaus?"

"Damon and Stefan," I clarified, "They ambushed him and done something to his body so that he couldn't fight back."

As I peered over Rebekah's shoulder, another familiar face appeared in the room.

"Elijah?"

"Good evening, Jessica." Elijah's replied silkily as he walked further into the room.

"We have another problem." Rebekah said as she turned to face her elder brother.

"What is it?"

"Those Salvatore brothers have taken Nik." She informed him.

"Tell me what happened, Jessica." Elijah said before he narrowed his eyes at my appearance. He walked across the room and stood before me. His fingers ran across the now dry blood on my chin. "What happened to you?"

I smiled, "It's not my blood," I said as I looked up at him, "It's Tyler's."

"The hybrid?" Rebekah grinned, "I hope you made it hurt."

I chuckled softly as Elijah withdrew his hand and placed it inside his pocket. "Not now, Rebekah." He scolded his sister before looked back at me, "What happened here."

I shook my head, "It all happened so fast. They ambushed Klaus and immobilised him or something. He couldn't fight back." Elijah nodded his head slowly as Rebekah's mouth hung limp. "His body just shut down and turned grey, but his eyes...His eyes were still alert, like, like he was still aware of what was happening." I felt the tears gathering in the corners of my eyes. "I tried to stop them, you have to believe me."

"Of course. Of course." Elijah said.

I was thankful that they believed me. I didn't want them thinking I had a hand in what happened tonight.

"Sounds like they used a desiccation spell." He spoke confidently.

"Desiccation spell...What's that?"

"It's just as it sounds," Rebekah sighed.

"They stopped his heart. Just like the witch done many years ago to Mikael." Elijah clarified for me. I was relieved to know that he was still alive, but if Alaric finds him before we do, he'll certainly be dead before the sun comes up.

"We have to find him before Alaric does."

"We will." Elijah said, "You should go upstairs, get yourself cleaned up."

I nodded in agreement before I left the parlour room and headed up the grand staircase.

Once inside my room, I was far to distracted to enjoy the warm water on my skin as I washed the blood off. I wasn't long in the shower before I hopped out and pulled another pair of clean clothes from the set of drawers and placed them on top of the bed. Putting on an emerald green shirt along with a pair of black jeans, I brushed my hair back from my face as my phone began to ring from the dresser.

Caroline's number and face flashed on the screen, causing me to scoff at her nerve to call.

"What do you want, Caroline?" I snapped into the phone.

"I-I wanted to make sure you're alright, Jess." She all but whispered into the other end of the call.

"Ohh, I'm just fine," I replied sarcastically, "I hope you've had a great evening also."

"Don't be like that, Jessica." She snapped back. "I had no idea that they were going to do that."

"What difference does that make?" I laughed bitterly, "Would you have told me before hand if you did?" Her hesitance to reply already gave me the answer I already knew. "You got what you wanted, Care. You all did. Klaus is gone."

"Tyler told me what happened-"

"Don't mention that snakes name to me ever again!" I snapped.

"Please, Jess. You have to believe me that I had no idea no idea until he came back and told me." My sisters voice croaked out.

"How do I know you're not lying to me right now?"

"Are you seriously doubting my sincerity right now?"

"I don't believe anyone right now, Caroline." I sighed as I took a seat on the end of the bed.

"I-I'm truly sorry, Jess." She said quietly, "I'm here for you...When you're ready to speak to me."

Before I replied to her, Elijah and Rebekah walked into my room. I placed a finger against my lips to silence them as they approached. "I have to go, Caroline."

I hung up before she could protest and placed the phone to the side.

"Do you have any idea where they would have taken Niklaus' body?" Elijah asked as he fiddled with the cuff-links on his suit.

"No...Somewhere far away from here, that's for sure." I said as I got to my feet. "Alaric has the White Oak stake. If he uses that-"

"They'll all die along with him." Rebekah sighed before meeting my gaze.

"Yeah..." I replied sheepishly.

If Alaric does get to him before us. The whole line will be wiped out in the blink of an eye.

"Rebekah," Elijah turned to face his sister, "Stay here with Jessica. I'll find out where they've taken Niklaus and when I do, you'll be able to retrieve him."

Before he left the room, I called after him. "Elijah?" He turned around to meet my gaze, "Please, don't hurt them."

He dipped his head, "You have my word."