The Power of Love

by ncbexie25

Bella's on the run, fighting against the oppressive mating bond she shares with Edward. Running to Mystic Falls, however, she stumbles straight into the arms of a mate who will give her the truest love she's ever known. But Edward warned her of the consequences. He'll come for her. How will the Originals handle this threat to their new family member, while battling her scars?

13. Eclipse (All Yours)

... Anyone there? *Peeks out*

Yeah... I'm sorry about not updating like I said I would. See, the problem is and I'll just be straight with you, this story doesn't seem to be losing readers, but half of its reviewers. And to be honest, it makes it really difficult to write for this story when the reviewers are so much slower than they used to be.

Between that fact and personal issues, such as a chronic illness and depression that is worsened by a drop in self worth which happens when people don't review... yeah...

I won't lie; I start overthinking it and wondering if my writing has gotten poor and getting angry with myself because I'm sure it's because I'm not updating regularly.

And yet every time I write a chapter and update, I get like this because only half of my reviews seem to return regularly and it's much slower than before.

So please, guys, if you want to help me and get this story updating regularly again, please review. Even if it's just a smile. You have no idea how much it helps.

ENOUGH WITH THAT though... I do have some other important things to say as well.

1. This chapter is not edited by Chandrakanta, just by me.

2. I'm not making promises anymore on the updating schedule but CHANCES ARE you will get MORE FREQUENT UPDATES if you review...

And I think that's it...

See you down the bottom, loves...

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Chapter 13—Eclipse (All Yours)

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Kol Mikaelson's keen eyes scanned the room he'd just barged into. The snarl on his face, which was concealing his panic, deepened as he found nothing. Upon awakening and removing himself from the proximity of his brother and Bella, he'd quickly ascertained that his mate was not in the room. Originally confused, it was only once he had ventured out of the room and found Ansel standing vigil that confusion became concern.

Now, however, he was feeling particularly murderous. His visage was barely held back and that familiar lust for carnage was rising—the need to destroy as something he considered precious (someone in this case) was held from him. Whether by her own designs or not, it was of no matter. He extended his hearing and sighed with relief, worry defused when he heard her heartbeat. She was inside the compound at the very least…

And then his brow twitched, eyes tightening as he cocked his head. He concentrated on the sound of her heart.

Fluttering, quick…

He could not hear her crying which meant she was nervous. The reason, however, was—

The Original breathed in sharply as something that he had neglected whilst within Bella's mindscape suddenly sprung to the forefront of his mind. Hands curling into fists, he tried to abate his anger as it burned through him again. He knew that going out and unleashing his anger was out of the question; despite his knowing the reason why she was nervous now, her wellbeing was still at the top of his priorities. And wasn't that strange? Kol Mikaelson could not remember the last time another's wellbeing had been placed above his own, even with the Silas business…

When none had cared for him, he'd had to do so himself.

But now… now he believed he had found someone who would care for him. That in junction with the better relationships he was building with his family, and Kol felt hope he'd never had before.

Taking another breath, he pushed his thoughts away, powering himself with the familiar—a pounding anger. But he lowered it to a level that was manageable as he neared his mate. His witch's heartbeat grew louder with every second, her scent stronger, and he inhaled it with greed, allowing it to calm him.

At last he stood in front of the door, clutching the handle for a moment before turning it and pushing. He was stealthy and silent as he entered the room, watching her with a small smile on his face. But every second of it only harshened his anger, to know that this innocent image could have been taken from him forever because she had not done as he had asked—knowing the reasons why he had.

Davina bit her lip, looking down at her hands. She knew he was there, knew he was watching her. Her eyes filled with tears that were harder to hold back the longer he remained silent. It was some minutes before her expression crumpled and a little sob broke from her chest as she looked over her shoulder.

"I'm sorry."

Kol gritted his teeth, swallowing at the small whisper his fierce mate spoke in. He breathed in deeply, growling at the smell of her, swallowing. "Davina…" he began and then he trailed off, unsure what he could possibly say. He was feeling so many things: anger, hurt, concern, and an abundance of love—the combination of which threatened to overtake him. His hands twitched, muscles in his whole body bunched in anticipation for the reaction that, this time, he could not give. It took some time, but he realized what he'd have to do. Gritting his teeth and refraining from releasing the growl of frustration and almost… embarrassment—for he was so unused to this method—he looked at her from a distance.

Then he spoke.

"Are you all right?"

His tone was clipped and Davina looked away, sniffling at how so very cold it sounded. It was unlike any tone he had ever used with her thus far in their time together. She bit the corner of the inside of her lip as tears swam in her eyes and, unable to speak, she nodded.

Kol breathed a sigh of relief, looking her over for himself and breathing in her scent. Sensing her magic in the air, he nodded to himself. "Protective spell… that's how you hid yourself…" He smiled despite his anger and upset; his girl was a masterful little witch and the grin only stretched wider across his face as pride grew. The light in his eyes dimmed, however, the grin fading, at the little whimper he heard. He swallowed. "Darling…"

"I'm sorry!" she cried in a sudden burst, spinning around to look at him. Her eyes were wide and red, cheeks colored as well, and her shoulders were slumped. He watched almost in awe as a determined gleam overshadowed her shame, jaw locking defiantly. "I wanted to help. I thought maybe… maybe if you needed me, I could help." She swallowed, the determination and confidence that made him breathless gone in the same rush it had appeared in. She looked down and mumbled, "And then I could prove that I'm not useless…"

Kol growled, gritting his teeth as he cursed Bekah and Nik again. Their words had messed with his mate's head and once more he felt that impulse to give in and do things that in the past would have ensured a very long stay in his designated box.

But he stayed himself.

"You're not useless," he told her, his face set in a way that, when her head flew up and her eyes took him in, made her breathless. "Love, you are not useless. You are the most talented witch I've ever met; you show such raw promise, power, you're just… untrained." His hand cupped her cheek in a move most tender when she began to look away, his voice still soft as he continued, encouraging. "That's because of the ritual; untouched power is strongest, needed for something only performed every three hundred years. We're working on it." He smirked. "Once I'm through with you, Davina Claire, you'll be the most powerful witch there ever was."

A small smile lit her face as she looked down, the tension between them gone. Anger left Kol the longer he brushed tears from her tear-streaked face, the longer he held her, smelled her scent, and came to terms with the fact that she was safe with him and uninjured. He pulled her in closer and the kiss he pressed to her forehead produced such a blush that he could not help but kiss her again… her cheeks, her lips… everywhere he could reach. His hands gripped hers and brought them up to his mouth, brown eyes smoldering as he looked into her blue ones. That unmistakable mischief was evident when her breath hitched and her tongue peeked out to wet her lips as his teeth scraped her wrist. The sting was then soothed with a wet kiss before their lips sought one another's again.

A rush of breath was released from both and the passion overtook them in a second, a frenzy building. Davina gasped as she found herself pressed against the bookcase of old and new grimoires. Her hands already in his hair, she leaned into him, shaking a little from her nerves. Kol's eyes seared through her and she bit her lip, waiting for him to find whatever it was he was so obviously searching for.

"I love you, Davina Claire," he whispered but a moment later. His large hands framed her small face, the smile on his face gentle. The look in his eyes was tender but afire with passion, the vehemence of his voice even at the lowered volume something that resonated inside her in this little room that had become not just his, but theirs.

It was surprising, the confidence inside her at that moment. She could not find even an ounce of shock at the words. Instead, a blinding happiness before the words brimmed on the tip of her tongue, ready to be expelled from her own mouth in a rush of breath that was no more or less passionate than his own declaration had been.

But then he continued, almost desperate and a whole lot chaotic. It was the side of him that she had never seen before, only heard of from his siblings. The pang that that thought alone caused made tears well in her eyes as she tried to hush the words he spoke, all to no avail whatsoever, so acute was his need to say them.

"I wilted without magic, Davina; for a thousand years I tried to find something that would equate to that rush of power, that rush of… of life. I wanted so badly to feel that again." His hands tightened just a little on her face and he was vaguely aware of her speaking in a low and steady, urging tone, the feel of her hands on his face, on his chest, not pushing but soothing. But the sensation of that was overwhelmed by the images of his life as they flashed before his eyes every time he blinked. Refocusing on her, he grinned. "You've given me that, darling. You make me feel alive again. You are what I was searching for." The grin was gone just as quickly as it had appeared, a desperation creasing his brow, clenching his jaw. "I don't want to go back to living without that, Davina. I never want to go back to that," he whispered so none other than the one the words were intended for would hear. His eyes stayed connected to hers, searching for answers.

"You won't," she whispered back, lowering her voice as much as she could. Her hand lifted to his cheek and this time he calmed at her touch, leaned into it even. She understood the importance of this moment and she swallowed as the words that had been on her mind and that she had admitted to in her head so many times already, that had been on the tip of her tongue but that she had never had the strength to speak... finally fell from her lips. They came in a whisper but it was the strongest whisper Kol had ever heard, every word meant with a ferocity and sincerity that was undeniable. "I love you, Kol. I. Love. You."

Now it was his turn to feel a shock, and it was evident in Kol's eyes as they tightened, his brow pinching. His breath hitched at the words as they repeated in his mind. His mate loved him. Another desperation filled him, the words spilled from his lips before he could even think to hold them back. "You're mine." He'd never had someone who was his before—never had anyone at all, really. Thus it was only natural and right, in his eye, that he was thoroughly possessive of his little witch already. But hearing those words from her lips… he knew now that any who so much as dared to look in her direction would be dead in the next second. Davina Claire was his and his alone.

The teen witch blushed and looked down. It was undeniable, how much she loved to hear those words, how much she needed those words… how much she wanted to hear them over and over again. The look in her eye as she glanced back up at him made him growl low in his chest, but she was nodding. "I am," she answered, swallowing and lifting her head. She wasn't afraid. That familiar determination he loved so much in her eyes again, he drew her in closer, swallowing her words as she spoke them, "I'm yours…"

Kol's need to protect the witch only grew at her admission. Finally, he had someone who loved him, who wanted him, who was his. He would allow nothing to jeopardize that.

The growl in his chest rose and vibrated through her as he pressed her into the wall harder, stepping closer. She gasped and swallowed at the way it made her feel, her eyes staying on his as they darkened, and a small smirk curled the corners of his lips as he smelled her. "Davina…" he began, his hands coming to rest on her hips as he looked into her eyes, not saying the words and not needing to.

His little witch knew exactly what he was asking.

Davina swallowed, licking her lips, nervousness rising a little at the thought. But she could not deny the fact that it was something she utterly craved, something she ached for not only physically but emotionally and mentally. She wanted to be closer to him, she wanted the experience of…

"Yes," she breathed, the word a whisper as she slowly lifted her hands, running them up his arms to loop around his neck. Her eyes dropped from his face to follow her actions which were filled with trepidation, her heart once more fluttering quickly as she pressed her lips together. She was shaking ever so lightly as she let her eyes slowly trail from his chest to his face, connecting with his eyes as the dark brown orbs watched her.

"You're sure?" he asked, locking his jaw as he stepped closer. "Because darling, once I start, I don't know that I'll be able to stop. The need to…" he growled, licking his lip at the low moan she let out as it shook through her body which was pressed hard into his.

"Please, Kol," she asked him, her eyes showing determination then, her voice louder and level. "I'm sure. I want you…"

A possessive, pleased, rumbling purr built in his chest and her breath caught as Kol used his extra speed to grip her legs, wrap them around his hips, and flash out of the room. In less than a heartbeat, they were inside his room—the room they'd been sharing for a while now—and he had let her back down onto the ground, walking her back to the bed. "I've wanted to make you mine since the night I first saw you up on that balcony bringing every vampire of the Quarter to their knees, darling…" he told her, his tone proud and seductive, making her lick her suddenly dry lips.

And yet, despite this, she could not help but giggle at his words, blushing a little even as she raised an eyebrow at him. He gave no verbal reply as he shrugged his shoulders, barely concealing his lopsided grin as he stepped forward just once more, causing her knees to hit the side of the bed.

She sat down on it, making him have to look down at her, and her up at him. The gaze held for but a second before he pulled her back up to stand so he could slowly begin to undress her. Her breaths became pants from the first glimpse of his fingers on her skin as he took his time, running his hands down the sides of her dress to the hem. He paused again, his eyes as soft as his touch as they peered into nervous blue.

It was a request, she knew, and the witch nodded. Immediately, his fingers slipped underneath the hem, skimming the backs of her thighs and then her ass as he pulled the cotton up her body. He moved slowly, his eyes remaining on hers the entire time as the dress was pulled up her torso, up her chest and then over her head. Even still, he did not look down to view what was being revealed to him, wanting to set her at ease first.

"Lay back," he told her quietly and she swallowed before sitting again, shuffling back with both her hands flat on his King sized mattress. She watched him from the center of the bed as he shrugged out of his jacket, his fingers then curling around the hem of his brown long sleeved shirt to pull it over his head. Her breath hitched as rippled, muscled skin was unveiled, her eyelids growing heavy as her teeth scraped her bottom lip. His lips curled at that image, at the evidence of her want, and he inhaled deeply, a rumble vibrating his chest on the exhale, his eyes flashing.

"I'm glad you like, darling," he told her, his tone perhaps a little smug, the smirk on his lips curling wider. She blushed but didn't look away, her nails digging into the palms of her hands at the urge she felt. Something that Kol noticed. "Touch me, Davina Claire. Don't hide away those pretty little fingers…" His eyes softened infinitesimally, as did his smirk and the tone of his voice. There was a soft burning heat in his eyes that wasn't quite possessiveness, or lust, or love, but somehow a combination of all three and more. "I'm yours to do with as you please."

That knowledge seemed to make her grow bold as she glanced up into his eyes before slowly rising to her knees, still on the bed. He sighed at the feel of her palms pressing against his chest before they moved down, running over his abs, fingers tracing and eyes following every single move she made as she explored her mate's torso for the first time. With her distracted from her shyness, this gave Kol the perfect opportunity to finally lower his eyes and feast them upon the skin newly revealed to him, the dark brown darkening further, his cock twitching at the sight of her tanned skin, the swell of her breasts framed by the light grey cotton bra. Her curves were subtle but gorgeous, her skin tantalizing and obviously soft, his fingers aching to touch.

Feeling his gaze, she looked up to see that he had been looking at her just as she had been looking at him. With a light blush, she nodded at the request she could see in his eyes and, finally, Kol let his fingers whisper against the softness of her collarbone. They curled around her shoulders and skimmed down her arms before winding around her waist and pulling her just a little closer in his greed.

Davina paused what she was doing at the action, glancing at his face again to see the soft curve of his lips as he leaned in. His lips brushed the side of her neck and her eyes widened then fluttered closed, lips parted as her breath left her in a slow, shaky rush. She arched her neck a little more without even deciding to, a move made on instinct, the ends of her hair skimming his fingers on her lower back as she did so. In response, Kol hummed and breathed in her scent, exhaling over her skin to make her shiver. He grinned and moved his lips down to her collarbone, parting them slightly to take the bone between his lips, swiping his tongue and sucking before grazing his teeth, a swish of his tongue to play with the raw skin immediately after. She let out a tiny whimper at the teasing kiss he finished with and the sound made him close his eyes, pull back, and lock his jaw against the desire to throw her down and see exactly what else he could pull from her lips by his own design…

But his little witch was a virgin—the possessiveness at the thought that she would be all his for eternity nearly making him purr—so he had to be slow, gentle. Which he could be… for her.

If there was anyone in the world that Kol Mikaelson could be those two things for, it was Davina Claire.

And with his own needs eclipsed by her own, it was easier than he'd once have thought it to would be.

The youngest Original brother leaned back to take his mate's face into his hands, looking at her for a moment before leaning in and taking her lips with his. She sighed into the kiss, moving closer as she wound her arms around his neck. This was something she knew, something they'd done countless times, and it was easy for her to lose herself in his kiss. His hands skimmed up her back and, knowing what he was going to do, she hesitated for a split second before pressing further into him, tilting her head as he deepened the kiss, his tongue tangling with hers and exploring her mouth with more gusto to distract her from what his fingers were doing. Unclasping her bra deftly, he slid it off her shoulders, not looking down as she moved back slightly so he could take the wretched thing and throw it somewhere, anywhere—he didn't care. He just wanted it off her. He surged forward again as soon as it was gone, Davina giving a short hum as her breasts skimmed his chest, nipples already hard. Their lips met with even more passion, their need for each other rising with every layer of clothing they removed.

His hands grew bolder on her skin, moving down to cup her behind and bring her closer and she couldn't help the moan she released as his growl caused a vibration on her nipples. She rubbed them harder against his chest, stimulating them as desperation built. Sensing this, the tips of Kol's fingers dipped into her matching grey underwear whilst he nipped at her lips and her fingers threaded in his hair, breathing shaking nervously when he began to pull them down. She paused and gripped his shoulders as they reached her knees, standing unsteadily so he could pull the material the rest of the way off, balancing herself as she looked at him. His eyes darkened as he looked up her body, the angle making him groan and lick his lips. Letting the wet material fall to the floor, his fingers traced her skin on the way up to her breasts, and she inhaled sharply, breath a hiss as her core ached when his thumbs rubbed over the sensitive nubs. He purred as the smell of her arousal intensified, his mouth watering; she was right there for the taking and bare before him. He licked his lips pointedly, making her whimper and grip his shoulders harder. She wanted his mouth on her skin, feeling herself pulse, harder this time, just at the thought of what he could do to her…

The temptation too strong, he hooked his arm behind her knees and yanked with a wicked grin, catching her as she fell, chuckling at she squeal. Lowering her onto the bed, he raised an eyebrow and licked his lips as she immediately crawled backward 'til her head was at the pillows. Then she watched as he crawled up after her, reaching for him, her body knowing what she wanted, needed, even if she didn't exactly.

"Not to worry, darling… I'll take good care of you…" he said, eyes dancing, and he smirked at her when she swallowed and bit her lip, not doubting him for a second. He parted her legs, growling as he looked at her core with pure want, closing his eyes with a shake of his head. She was so wet and now her scent was so much thicker in the air, he could taste it, taste her… "Hmm… mine," he said, moving closer, stopping at her knees. He settled himself down between them, trailing his hands up her legs and grinning at the tremor that ran through them. "So responsive…" His eyes grew slightly playful, pupils blown with lust as he stared into matching, needy blue. "I wonder how you'd respond if I did this…" He swiped his hand hard through her lips, curling his fingers to flick her clit. She cried out softly, jolting into his hand and he moaned at the feel of her wet, heated, velvet skin, immediately bringing his hand to his mouth to suck her juices off them. The first taste of her and he growled, moving fast as he settled closer, hooking his biceps under her upper thighs and tugging her closer before descending.

Davina cried out even louder this time as his mouth full on devoured her, bucking into him as her fingers found themselves in his hair. Her thighs were already shaking, her expression crumbled, and she wanted to move away from so much pleasure just as she wanted to press harder for so much more. She screamed his name as he growled harder and raked his teeth along her clit then sucked, his tongue flickering out against her skin to lick up more of her essence. Gone was the need to go slow as he lost himself in her taste, in the feel of her so needy for him, his virgin mate feeling things she'd never experienced before because of him.

It made him all the more possessive, the last growl melting into another, this one louder, before he pulled back. Breath sawing out of her chest, her skin was flushed and eyes glazed over as she looked down at him, her core pounding for more. "Kol…" she whimpered, shaking. "Please… more… don't stop, give me more…"

He hummed, leaning in and licking her again, swiping his tongue hard from her entrance and up over her clit. "Is that good, darling? Do you like that?" he murmured against her flesh, his thumb pulling the hood from her clit and rubbing slow circles.

"Yes!" she moaned, gyrating her hips just a little, the pleasure making her bold. "Kol, please… I need—"

"Oh, I know what you need, my little witch…" he practically purred as he pressed a finger against her entrance. She was wet, drenched, and she quivered as he rubbed his finger over her, looping it in circles around her entrance then dipping it in before continuing the same maddening cycle. He eased his pointer finger in just a little, rubbing his hips into the bed at the feel of her. He swallowed as he fought for control, reminding himself that he didn't want her in any pain, that he had to take this slow, be gentle. Thus he paused and gave more attention to her clit as his finger slid into her, giving her plenty of time to get used to the new sensations. He paused, only giving her more pleasure as he curled his finger and searched. He knew he'd found it when she groaned and jerked her hips, pressing into his hand and mouth as he rubbed her g-spot, loosening her for another finger and then eventually another.

She came like that around his fingers, making him moan and lick all of her up as she shook and called his name, driving him crazy and making him all the harder. His breath was quick as he pulled back, sucking his drenched fingers into his mouth as he moved slowly off the bed—remembering again that he still needed to be slow, that he could not get caught up, the risk of scaring her still there. His fingers undid the button of his jeans, pulling the zipper down, and he felt her eyes on him as he pushed his jeans off of his hips before they flew to the floor. He was bare before her, not wearing any underwear, and she swallowed, clearly nervous at the sight of him.

He crawled back onto the bed, frowning a little, not liking her worry, however understandable it was. He smiled at her, taking her face in his hands and kissing her, smiling as she hummed and melted back into the covers at the touch of their tongues meeting in a dance they now knew very well. He lowered the rest of his body against her slow and easy, pausing every time he could tell her nerves had risen a little until she was relaxed and languid on the bed, his body pressing completely against hers.

They shared a sweet smile, his fingers skimming her body—up her legs, over her waist, dancing across her breasts to curl at her neck. He would mark her, and she him, the magic of the mating bond giving her the ability to do so. He could only hope that she wouldn't react negatively to such a need that was both alien and natural at the same time.

Her eyes were his prompt, the love in them calling to him, and he pressed his lips to hers as he moved his cock to her entrance. She tensed only slightly before forcing herself to relax, her hands shaking as they combed through hair then linked around his neck. She inhaled before nodding just once. He whispered those three words she already loved so much just to see her toothy smile as he entered her, pressing his forehead to hers at the feel of his mate. Even at a thousand years lived on this earth, this was a first for him in more ways than one, unlike anything he'd ever experienced.

It was a thousand times better.

Her brow furrowed and he grunted as she tightened around him in pain whilst he pushed through to the hilt, slow but determined. He paused once he was buried inside her to the hilt, lavishing her skin with his lips and teeth and tongue, making her whimper and moan and hum in pleasure. He only moved again when she whispered for him to, and her breath hitched at the feel of him moving back a little only to thrust shallowly forward, rocking more than thrusting to allow her to get used to the sensation. It was soon that she was gripping his shoulders hard, nails digging in with pleasure, as began to move with him. And then their lips met, adding to the frenzy as he made love to her harder, passionately, both of them needing and wanting more, more, more…

Then they reached it, her clamping around him and arching into him, taking all of him as they came together, riding their orgasms. She cried out his name louder than she had any time before when his teeth pierced skin to mark her as his forever more, startled but understanding as the need rose for her to do the same. She did so without hesitation after a brief look into his eyes and, now marked and bound utterly for eternity, the pair melted into one another, Kol pulling his witch under the covers as they fell asleep in one another's arms…

~TPoL~

Silas gritted his teeth, suspicion clawing at him as his eyes swept over each person in front of him, analyzing the circle of witches in front of him. They were nervous, worried they were disappointing him, and scared of what he would do to them now that they had given an answer he obviously did not like.

"You have no idea where she is?" he asked, his green eyes piercing through the elders.

"Qetsiyah has not made it public knowledge… in fact, she has been quite careful about concealing the whereabouts of your Amara's body," one of the younger ones—still older than Silas in physical age—answered, her tone quiet, head bowed.

He reacted first in anger, bristling at the word from her lips. "She is not dead so how about we stop the talk of her 'body.' I will find my mate alive, not dead," he spat scathingly. Her breath hitched and, had she been strong enough to look up into his eyes, he would have seen the naked fear within them at the tone. So inhuman, so cold… a sneer on his attractive face. "Of course the bitch is secretive. She always knew I'd get out and when I did, she'd be gone… She doesn't want me to know where she's hiding Amara because she doesn't want her little ruse to be up. She wants me stuck on the Other Side, forever separated from the love of my life…" He smirked. "Unfortunately for her, she underestimated the power of the bond of soulmates."

Finished with his rant and now calm enough to think, the witch elder's words gave him pause. She stiffened slightly as she felt his gaze on her as he turned toward her. He said nothing as he walked slowly to stand in front of her.

"Look at me," he ordered her, his voice gruff with displeasure.

Hesitating before she did so, Silas swallowed thickly at the sight of brown eyes. so much like his beautiful Amara's… This witch resembled her strongly but his soul, for all the similarities, remained indifferent; she had the same olive skin, but a thicker build, and the same colored eyes but they were different. Her features were the same and yet so innately different as well. He swallowed and looked away, the sight of her unnerving for if he looked hard enough he could see his mate and not the woman twenty years older than he truly there before him.

And some part of him wondered how much his mate would have looked like her had they simply been content with what they'd had.

Suddenly not feeling comfortable amongst this coven any longer, he took a step back. He eyed them fleetingly, glimpsing over the one that so looked like his mate and yet didn't, before his eyes found the lead Elder. "If you can't tell me anything else, I'll leave now. Perhaps another coven of witches who kiss the ground I walk on can help me…"

"Why can't you find her yourself?" a young witch blurted out, feeling offended by his words. That offence added heat to her tone that she'd have never spoken with had she controlled herself and, her eyes going wide, her hand clapped over her mouth at her own gall.

Silas gritted his teeth. He wanted to kill the girl, but instead he answered after a calming breath or six, tone gruff and irritated. "We've been separated too long; Amara is too weak and the cloaking magic that Qetsiyah is using is too powerful for such a strained bond."

The lead Elder looked meaningfully at the younger peer, who blushed and nodded once with an apology that Silas ignored. He turned his eyes back to the leader. "I'm leaving," he told her.

The older woman dipped her chin in acknowledgement and respect, keeping eye contact with him a moment longer. She looked to the east. "Go that way. You may find guidance there. But I do urge you to be careful… There are some covens in this world that fall under Qetsiyah's influence, and there are supernatural beings that have the sole purpose of—"

"Killing me. Yeah, I know. I got the memo," he said with a pissed off, bracing smirk as he revealed a healing scar on his shoulder. He shrugged. "No matter. It's easy enough to confuse them and since I got the last batch killed, it's probably going to be a while before they find five replacements. I can't imagine them finding five hunters smart enough to handle a psychic Immortal."

"I would be more concerned about your jilted ex," the lead Elder warned, raising a contemptuous eyebrow. "She may be dead but she still has eyes and ears…" Her glance at their surroundings was meaningful and loaded.

"The Other Side, I know…" Silas answered. "If she wants to stop me, the bitch is gonna have to come out and face me," he said, and he raised his voice, sure his 'jilted ex' was most likely watching from the other unseen plane. He almost got caught up in wondering where she was standing before him, the need to kill her just itching at him… He was so frustratingly close to getting the answers he desperately needed, his mate suffering every second he spent trying and failing to find her.

He refocused on the coven in front of him, smiling pleasantly. "Thank you for your help."

The witches nodded as one, watching as he turned and disappeared.

"Why did you not tell him of the Harvest Girl, the newest mate to be found of the Original vampires?" a younger girl, barely in touch with her magic, asked. She had of course not been present at the Mikaelson ball herself, but the coven leader had sent one of the other elders in their place as representation just as every other coven in the world had. By now, every supernatural being world wide knew of Isabella Swan and Davina Claire, and the dangers that swarmed them—in particular the Original Hybrid's mate. Witches all over were also aware of the war brewing. "Her magic would be strong enough to find his mate…"

The lead Elder shook her head, sighing and rolling her shoulders before turning back to the group. "Kol Mikaelson would kill anyone he deemed a threat before they had the chance to come near his mate. And do not forget he is spawn of the most powerful witch this world has had since Silas and Qetsiyah. He himself was a prodigy. His passion for witchcraft never left him and he has run with our kind, mingled, for centuries. He knows more than any one coven from his travels. Thus, he is far too knowledgeable about Silas… He knows exactly what would need to be done to make the unkillable killable."

She left it at that, leaving in silence back for her own tent. She paused, one hand draping back the curtain, as she turned to look at the moonlight sky, a small smile on her face that gave way to a worried frown at the stars. The lead Elder turned back to her fellow witches. "We will leave tomorrow, prepare your things tonight. I fear it is no longer safe for us to stay here…"

And true to her word, the nomad coven were gone without a trace by dawn the next day.

~TPoL~

"When will we know she is pregnant?" Edward asked, his eyes following the raven-haired witch's movements almost obsessively.

The woman paused, a look of distaste and annoyance on her face as she stood to her full height. Her expression cleared just before she turned to him, a small smile on her lips instead. "You will hear about it, I am sure. The news of a miracle child will travel fast, cause a ripple in the supernatural community that will undoubtedly reach you sooner or later. You must simply be attentive and listen." Then she walked for the door. "You will not hear from me again; my role here is fulfilled…"

"It isn't if you have not given me a mate," the Cold One growled, speeding to stand in front of her. The witch was not intimidated. Quite to the contrary, it seemed she couldn't care less about the fact that a being stronger and deadlier than her, was angered and seconds away from an outburst. It gave the copper-haired teen pause, made him frown, belatedly suspicious of his new sort-of ally, but he recovered quickly and stepped forward. "If Isabella is not pregnant you have not succeeded, you have not given me what you have promised."

She smirked, unfazed as he stepped closer. Instead she watched as the coven gasped and fell to their knees, clutching their heads. She walked through the threshold. "If she is not pregnant, I will return to you. But do not accuse nor insult me before you have received your gift, Edward," she warned. "I have the power to give just as I have the power to take away…"

And with that final word of almost foreboding warning, she was gone.

It never even once occurred to the impulse frozen seventeen year old child that the witch's agenda was far different to his own… so tempted to trade one life for another, he never thought to wonder why this stranger was so inclined to give him a mate.

Never realized that perhaps she had her own machinations for the child to come.

~TPoL~

In New Orleans the following day, a mated pair woke to the serenity of a full bond in one another's arms, still recovering from the trauma of the night previous. The sun hidden by clouds, the room was filtered by a soft glow as Klaus, the first to wake, held his still sleeping mate.

But not for long as her breathing indicated only minutes later the first sign of her awakening, a smile on her lips as she began to move a little.

"It feels different…"

Bella's voice was but a whisper as she lay in her mate's arms, head on his chest as her hand traced patterns on his side. She sighed contentedly and made no move to open her eyes, burrowing closer as she felt her Hybrid's arms around her tighten, shift. A shudder ran down the brunette's spine as his large hand slid up from her behind to wrap around her waist, hoisting her up his body.

"What does?" he asked, his own voice just as quiet. Hand curling around her cheek, his thumb rubbed back and forth as his eyes wandered her features, taking in the smile on her lips, the sparkle in her eyes. His hand twitched with the desire to sketch, to paint—somehow immortalize her beauty in this moment as they lay bathed in muted sunlight.

Brown eyes widened a little, plump red lips parting as she shifted to lay higher on his chest. Her elbow rested on his body as she cupped her jaw to look down at him, memorizing just as he was. Both his hands came to rest on the small of her back as she inhaled and looked away as she spoke. She was quiet, the conversation not something she wanted others to hear. It was just for them as the two shared their own world. "You… this…" she tried to explain inadequately, and he smirked, amusement dancing in his eyes.

She gasped as she found herself on her back, laughed softly and grinned as his stubbly lips pecked at her skin, lavishing it with attention as her hands came to his hair, to pull him back.

"I think if anything, love, you feel quite the same…" he breathed between kisses to her flesh, innuendo strong as the purr in his voice when he leaned back to look at her. His hair was mussed, eyes smoldering but light with happiness at the sound of her carefree laugh. There was a hint of a growl rumbling in his chest as he leaned down again, scraping his teeth along her neck, making her moan and wrap her legs around his hips in a flash, thighs squeezing.

"Nik…" she hummed, licking her suddenly dry lips before tugging on his hair and dropping her legs from around his waist. "I'm serious… it's different now; I'm all yours…" Her hand combed through his hair, scratching at his scalp, and she grinned and bit her lip as he leaned into her touch with a loud and proud purr emanating from his chest.

"That you are…" he whispered, eyes glinting a dark, attractive amber that sent shooting arousal through her body. "All mine…"

She swallowed. "And you're mine…" she whispered, gnawing on her lip almost nervously. And just like that, the atmosphere changed, heating up as a searing feeling rose inside her chest and spread through her entire body. Her lips parting as her eyes narrowed in on his neck, her body seemed to throb in time with his heartbeat, with the throb of the artery in his neck, her gums aching. There was a drive within her, something she felt compelled to do, and her breath hitched, a whine rising as the image of her teeth buried in his neck flashed behind her eyelids with every blink. "Nik…"

The Original in question licked his bottom lip, eyes amber and head cocked as he stayed above her, arms locked to hold his position. He could feel it, the urge inside her, and his cock twitched at the phantom feel of her lips on his neck, of her fangs sinking deep and searing her mark on his skin forever…

"Follow your instincts…" he told her, eyes serious but hooded with need. "You want to claim me as yours as I've already done to you... and you can now that the connection you once felt to another is gone… making you mine and mine alone…" The words were a growl, his jaw clenched, eyes flashing as he glimpsed at her neck, the desire crippling to reopen the mark that was on excellent display. He forced his eyes back up to hers to continue, muscles bunched. This was about her; she carried his mark already whilst he was without hers, and he wanted it… he wanted her teeth buried in his neck. "Give in to your urges, little wolf…"

Bella licked her lips, the need in her making her clench her thighs and the moan that emanated from his chest was coarse and desperate, released just a bare second before he lowered himself over her, their lips crashing together as she arched up into him. Her fingers threaded through his hair and she growled, flipping them again and straddling his hips, on her knees above his lap. She tugged the thick curls atop his head once, her breath quickening as his hands ripped clothes from her body effortlessly before drifting over the bare skin of her torso. They ran firmly up her sides, conforming to her breasts to play with hardening nipples and she whimpered, nipping at his lips as she bore down on his clothed erection. A split second later it already wasn't enough, a growl in her throat as she ripped the jeans and every other article of clothing that she had not allowed him to pull away from her last night to remove off his body in seconds, the shreds surrounding them as she settled above him, pushing hard on his chest.

"Mine," she growled, the wolf inside her rising, eyes flashing and nostrils flared.

"Yes…" He smirked and wrapped his arms around her, using his superior strength to bring her in against him hard, her breath hitching as he rolled his hips against her pussy. Her hands clenched his shoulders as she righted herself and moaned, crashing her lips onto his as he continued his ministrations. She let him as she sucked his tongue into her mouth, hand in the soft tufts of hair at the back of his head as she wrapped her legs tight around his waist, sitting in his lap. She smirked when he snarled as she leaned back, pulling away to look at him, to run her hands along smooth, rippled, lightly-muscled skin, her eyes taking in every centimeter of him with such greed, such possessiveness, that the cock pressed against her entrance only twitched harder.

"I want to mark you everywhere."

Klaus hummed his acquiescence and understanding, knowing the urge well. He gripped her hips and brought her down on his length harder, a hand escaping to wrap around himself briefly before she slapped the hand away. He looked up at her, somewhat annoyed she could tell by the lock of his jaw, and she smirked, eyebrow raised as she replaced the hand with her own, stroking hard, teasing, running her nails lightly on the underside before she positioned herself and slammed down.

The younger hybrid cried out, arching into her mate, head falling back as her features crumbled in pleasure. She rocked her hips as his fingers wound through the hair at the back of her head, fisting it with a possessive growl of his own. He yanked her back to see more of her body, raking his teeth over her nipple before sucking it into his mouth, flicking his tongue just to feel her clench around him. His eyes smoldered as he looked up her gorgeous body, feeling her fingers in his hair pull him closer. The other arm at her waist wrapped around her tighter to control their thrusts, fucking her deep as he pulled her down onto him again and again, occasionally switching up the angle to hit her sweet spot dead on.

A plethora of moans, gasps, and whimpers left her mouth as he controlled the actions of her claiming. It was minutes before she remembered the fact that this was her time to make him hers, that she should be in control and that she damn well wanted to be. She wrenched him off her breast at that point, pulling off his cock with a hum, and shoving him back into the pillows hard. On all fours, she crawled over his body, smirking like the predator she was at the heated, wanting look in his eyes as they moved over her, seeming to catch on her swaying breasts. His nostrils flared and then his dark blues flashed to her brown, but she caught his wrists in a binding grasp and pushed him back.

"No, Niklaus… I'm already marked, remember… and yet your skin is entirely bare…" she growled, eyes narrowing, her tongue flickering over her top lip before she bit her bottom one with her fang. He moaned as her hand encircled his cock, stroking hard and rough just once, twisting to catch the precum on his head in the palm of her hand. She hummed, eyes flashing as she smirked at the way he thrust into her hand with a snarl, eyes fluttering closed as he was pushed down once more into the mattress. "Stay just like that, my mate… it's my turn to fuck you…"

He grunted at her words, eyes flashing once more with his wolf as he raised an eyebrow. The hint of a smirk on his lips, he gestured to his lap. "Then by all means, love…"

A purring growl, she was on him in a flash, her fingers threading through his on either side of his head, pressing them harder into the pillows for leverage. The younger hybrid ground her pussy down along his cock, riding him and smirking as Klaus raised his hips into her, wanting more, but she rose off him until he settled himself back down on the mattress, jaw clenched with impatience. She hummed and leaned down over him, licking her lips, his eyes flickering between them and her eyes. His hands clenched into fists and his eyes rolled back into his head as she lowered her body over him again, still not taking his cock inside her, a moan that vibrated through his body also passing through her parted lips.

"Do you want me to fuck you, Nik… hmmm… want me to claim you?" she whispered against his lips, rolling her hips, her whole body settling higher on him as she leaned her forehead against his, her hair cascading around them, shutting them out from the rest of the world. Every breath and he could only scent her—her arousal, her skin, her breath… it made it all the harder to let up his own control so that she could play him, when he wanted so much to turn her onto her stomach and fuck her hard into the mattress, stake his own claim…

"Isabella…" he spoke, voice low, a growl in his tightly controlled voice. His eyes bore into hers. "Yes…" he hissed, jolting his hips against her pussy, making her moan.

"Hmm…okay," she breathed, and then she was gone, sitting up straight again, hands on his chest as she slammed down onto his cock again. He groaned, moving his hands without permission though she didn't care as his fingers plucked at her nipples, twisting and rubbing and rolling them in his palms to heighten her pleasure as her walls clamped rhythmically around his cock. She whimpered. "You feel so good… Nik-klaus…" she cried slightly, voice cracking, bearing down on him harder and biting her lip as she rode him, rocking her hips back and forth, unrelenting and fast and needy.

He purred, a smirk on his lips as he dug his heels into the mattress. With a snarl that matched the satisfaction in his eyes, he jolted up into her and they rutted against one another like animals in heat, his hands ever moving on her skin, to yank and pull her this way and that for their combined, shared pleasure. He watched the sway of her breasts, watched her expression as she grew closer, growled at the way she tightened and tightened and tightened around him, the coil in her abdomen almost growing to be too much of an ache that was unfulfilled…

She needed more.

And when her eyes opened, blearily looking down below her at the man giving her so much pleasure, she knew what was missing the second her eyes fell to his neck. A growl burst from her chest, filling the room as she swooped down, fingers under his head curling into hair and tugging him to a good angle. She slowed herself down as she felt his nails dig into her hips, using the extra leverage to thrust harder and faster. Her tongue swirled along his skin, her teeth joining to suck and bruise the column of his throat. His own growl matching hers perfectly, he brought her down harder onto him, pulling her head closer as he tilted his head and arched his neck for her, offering himself up on a silver platter, ripe for the taking.

And take she would.

"Mark me, love," he urged her, pleading, the three simple words all the encouragement she needed. She whimpered as she bared her fangs, moving back before slamming forward, nearly falling into him completely as his blood burst on her taste buds, filling her mouth then sliding down her throat like the warmest hot chocolate, sweet and rich and perfect. She cried out into his neck as she came around him, the taste of him as she claimed him, teeth searing a mark onto his skin that was permanent and binding combined with the feel of his cock inside her, massaging her as he moaned hard and long and loud from the sensations she was evoking in his body all overthrew her. She descended into a haze of pleasure as their connection flared to the highest of heights, finally entirely complete and secure.

For now he was hers just as much as she was his, one connection eclipsed by another, this one finding its foundation in choice and love and equality. Now, she was not afraid—and she had no true reason to be...

The feel of his release inside of her caused a purr and she pulled back to lick and seal the mark, her eyes wide as she took in the sight of it. The pleased rumble in her chest grew louder as she calmed, the frenzied unease she'd had brewing inside her ever since awakening her wolf now gone. In its place was a serenity she could never have imagined.

She collapsed on his chest as they panted, grins on their faces as they each nuzzled the marks on the other's skin. The feel of them being touched provided sensations not there previously and they quickly became lost in one another again.

All the while, they were entirely unknowing of the life they had already created, the witch's spell having taken affect.

~TPoL~

Some days passed and they were in the week of Thanksgiving. A calm had once more engulfed the inhabitants of the Abattoir, only this time it was genuine and long-lasting, accompanied by a sense of victory that had everyone in good spirits.

It was on a slow but sunny weekday that Isabella sat reading a book in the open courtyard at the heart of the compound. She was content in the light breeze, the heat staving off any cold to hit her pale skin, supernatural perks meaning she could feel the dual sensation of cold and hot without truly being affected. She was content to be on her own during this particular hour just gone midday, her wolf able to sense her mate, attuned to the sound of his paintbrush on canvas, comforted by it. The fingers of her left hand rose to play with the mark on her skin and she sighed, calming even further.

The various other vampires and witches and werewolves of the building were off in their own world, two mated pairs wrapped up in each other whilst the two Originals without their mates were out conducting their own business… meaning Rebekah was most likely compelling herself a new wardrobe while the eldest was off no doubt holding some meeting, presumably with the city council on some issue or another.

Bella refused to touch on the subject of Ansel, whose presence within the Abattoir walls could have only been described as ghostly. Near three weeks he'd been here now and there was no sign of him ever venturing out to find his son. Though the younger hybrid could only presume he was waiting for her stubborn mate to come out of his damned art studio to find him.

Men, she sighed, frustrated, her lips pulled up into a lopsided, sardonic smile. She had no idea if it were the werewolf gene that made obstinacy more pronounced—for she, too, was known to be quite stubborn—but those two idiots would never find a resolution for their relationship if they kept away from one another and pretended the other didn't exist. Well, at least it was Klaus who was doing that… she had seen the look in Ansel's eyes whenever all three resident wolves somehow managed to be in the same room—a rare occurrence to put it mildly. She knew that the former Alpha's greatest desire was to be more acquainted with his son but damn if he wasn't going about actually telling his insecure son as much in entirely the wrong way. But there was nothing she could do, anyway; she hadn't it in her to push Nik toward his father when the Original Hybrid had not a clue what to do with a father he'd wanted all his life. She just couldn't do it.

She was fucking Team Switzerland, she decided with a decisive nod, her expression steeling before she turned back to her book, almost glaring at the words, daring them to provoke more of these maddening thought patterns as she determinedly set about reading once more. She allowed her body to relax as much as it could back into the chair, her legs bent at the knees and tucked under her bum, a serene smile on her face in minutes. It was nice, but something she was still not quite used to... this freedom from prodding and sudden harrowing visions of the family she had come to be a part of, come to love, all dying around her as she was made to watch by Edward. She honestly doubted she would ever truly get used to it.

Finally settling into the book in her hands, Bella was off in her own world, reading and thinking and relaxing in the sun. Thus she did not hear Klaus's phone ring, or the sound of him zipping away from the canvas he was currently working on to answer it.

"Elijah," he commented in greeting, his tone even as he sauntered back to the easel and collection of paints. He pressed the phone to his ear with his left hand as the right took up another paintbrush, this one thinner, which he swiped through a muted, sedated blue then dabbed repeatedly on the palette to spread the paint evenly on the brush. Then he plotted it onto the canvas, adding extra detail here and there to his latest work. "To what do I owe the pleasure?"

"I was merely finishing up some business, Niklaus, and thought I would call to see if your mate was still where she was when I left this morning," was the elder's response. His tone was cool, revealing nothing as he looked around then crossed the street, entering a café just outside city limits.

All this the blond in his art studio could hear as he paused mid-stroke. His eyes narrowed as he put the paintbrush down, suspicion fighting anger. Edward's invasion into Bella's mind had caused his protectiveness to soar to new heights as of late. "And why do you want to know that, brother? What concern is my mate of yours?"

A smirk appeared upon Elijah's lips as he sat at a table pre-agreed upon, listening out for the person's arrival. He could hear the purr of the car, meaning they were close and this conversation could not last much longer. "Do you recall, Niklaus, the conversation we had perhaps a week ago?" he prompted. He had taken Klaus's answer before to mean that the dear Isabella was indeed within Abattoir walls and as such he had no intention of spilling the beans prematurely.

It was a short second before The Hybrid answered, his posture straightening, his voice lowering in volume. "You said you would keep me informed of any developments," he said, his anger barely concealed. He stretched his hearing to his mate, taking in her calm and even breathing, allowing it to calm him.

"I said I would, yes, and I am," Elijah calmly responded, used to his brother's jumps in suspicion and anger. Thus, he worked to placate him with solid fact and a strong tone that was unyielding just as it was even. "I placed the suggestion immediately after our conversation and have only received confirmation of movement this morning."

The car stopped on the other side of the road, both Mikaelsons listening as the door opened and then closed, footsteps following.

Klaus's jaw locked and he took a hard breath, exhaling as he picked up his brush. He repeated his process of acquiring paint onto it then dabbing and stroking it onto the canvas, swirling the instrument firmly in water before changing to another color; a violent, murderous blood-red. "Keep me informed, Elijah," he warned heatedly then he hung up before the brunet could so much as fill his lungs in preparation to speak, focusing his energy on the easel in front of him, listening to the breeze play with his mate's hair, the calm even pumping of her heart his ideal musical accompaniment.

It was not fifteen minutes later that he received a simple line of text from Elijah and he took a breath, opting to leave the easel as it was so the now-complete painting could dry. He again listened to his mate's heartbeat and breathing, smiling to himself as he whooshed down to join her.

She grinned as she looked up, the breeze picking up and the noise of his arrival bringing her out of her book-induced haze. The grin on her face influenced one of his own to stretch across his lips, and the Original Hybrid leaned an arm on the table, watching her then glancing at the book she clasped loosely in her lap.

"What are we reading, love?" he asked her softly, raising an eyebrow and leaning forward to catch the book which she used her speed to blur out of reach. Instead, she moved her fingers to reveal the title. "Another classic…" he said with a chuckle, amusement playing in his eyes as he stared at the worn cover of Dracula.

"I figured it was one of the must-reads for any relatively new addition to the vampire community," she giggled, folding the top corner of the page she was halfway through then closing the book in her lap.

"Of course," he said with a smirk. "Kol and I were quite amused by Bram Stroker's interpretation of our species. Kol was contemplating meeting with the author but Elijah quite vehemently refused… although that may have something to do with our younger brother's desire to compel the writer to include the true version of a vampire in his next book…"

Her lips twitched. "I can see why that might have been a problem…"

"Indeed…" he answered, tone somewhat more serious. He looked back at the book. "Are you enjoying it?"

She shrugged. "It's quite a bit tamer than I thought it would be. And very amusing as a half-vampire, I'll admit. I don't think I'll read it again though…" She grinned. "I'll stick with my Austen and Bron..." She trailed off as her breath hitched, her wolf rising as a powerful tug straight from her heart almost lurched her from her seat. The hybrid gripped the arms of the chair hard, analyzing the sensation, vaguely aware of her mate's arms closing around her, a rumbling growl aimed to comfort and calm emanating from his chest and vibrating through her entire frame.

But the sensation was not bad. In fact…

"Daddy?" she whispered, gone in a blur, the loose arms around her easily broken of their hold as she whooshed to the gate. She swallowed thickly as she stretched out her hearing, eyes wide as she heard the car, the heartbeat, felt the tug forward again, that awareness of family expanding to engulf another person. Someone she never thought she'd see again.

Her father.

A whimper straight from her wolf left her, a tremble in her frame, emotion clawing at her throat and stinging her eyes. She remembered vaguely, what seemed like a lifetime ago, driving past the police station with a whispered goodbye on her lips, an apology as she ran for her life, abandoning her beloved father, the parent she felt a stronger connection to.

Now so much had happened and the thought of seeing him again did not have her in nervous stitches, afraid for his anger as perhaps she should have been. She was nervous in the regard that she worried what her werewolf father would have to say about her running, but about Nik… she was not afraid; Charlie Swan could say whatever he wanted. She only feared he would hate her for the choices she'd made.

Even then, she knew she could not stop now that she knew who she was, who she wanted to be, and Nik made her shine.

Her life had only truly started when she found him, fell in love with him, unlocked her wolf, and thus had started the journey to become who she was always meant to be…

The only thing she wanted was to give in to the overwhelming need for her father to just hold her, for her to breathe in his scent and let his calm wash over her. It was a triumph within itself that she would see him again, a thought she'd have never thought possible not too long ago.

Emotions lost to her now, she felt arms around her waist and her breath hitched as she turned into Nik, again blindingly happy and feeling so fucking lucky. Another window had opened back up to her because she'd had the ability to choose and she had chosen him.

Then the car stopped just meters away and she swallowed, shaky as she looked over her shoulder, turning just a little in her mate's arms. The tears in her eyes dispelled as she squeezed them shut, the figure in front of her getting out of the car nothing but a blur. But that was okay, because she knew… she simply knew that it was him.

"Daddy…" she whispered thickly, becoming a blur as she moved into his open arms and she finally let out a sob as she felt it. Warmth, safety, security—her father's arms locking around her and pulling her closer, a grumble in his chest straight from his own wolf.

"My little Bells," he whispered, his hand on the back of her head as he pulled her closer, pressing a kiss to her hair then resting his cheek against her head, his eyes closing. He could tell that she was a wolf now and his heart ached at the thought that his little girl had unlocked her gene, something he'd never wanted for her, something Renée would have, if she knew, been devastated by. He leaned back to take his daughter's face in his hands, looking at her, seeing the amber of her wolf just as she saw his. He smiled shakily and traced under her right eye. "My beautiful baby girl…"

"I'm sorry," she whimpered, burying her face in his chest and biting her lip hard to keep from sobbing, her body antsy in her upset. "I… I had to leave, I didn't know… I had to so he wouldn't… he would have… I thought he could have killed you… I didn't want to l-leave…"

"I know," he whispered, the words strong and understanding, and it was all she needed to hear. With a low whine, she settled in his arms, her own wrapped around him as she breathed in his scent over and over. She didn't think of the fact that this could only be a temporary visit; that her father would have to leave once more at some point—at least she thought he would. Wouldn't he? She sighed and pushed the thought away, burrowing harder and squeezing her eyes shut. She didn't want to think about that right now.

Internally, Charlie's wolf was growling, hackles raised as he took in the obvious emotional turmoil his daughter had been through. He half blamed himself, but most of it was directed at the Cullens. His eyes raised as he felt another wolf he seemed loosely connected to nearby, and they narrowed on the blond watching them steadily, expression removed but eyes a storm as they stayed focused upon his daughter.

Feeling this, Bella straightened in a flash, her intelligent father immediately picking up on the fact that her supernatural speed was faster than it should be. He cast that question aside for later. That mattered not half as much when compared to the fact that his little girl was leading him toward another man, the love and nerves in her eyes only equaled by what he could see in the blond's.

"Daddy," she said, tone falsely strong as she stood between the two males. "This is my mate, Nik. Nik, this is my father, Charlie."

There was silence for a while, the Original Hybrid eyeing the wolf in front of him, Charlie Swan doing the same, his eyes narrowed. Then he sighed. "You're something extra. So is my daughter, but you're more powerful. I'm presuming you changed her?" His tone gave nothing away, hard and unrelenting, expecting an honest answer and promising anger if it was not readily given. He could also sense that the man in front of him was infinitely more powerful than he was, but that didn't matter at all in light of the fact that this was about his daughter.

Klaus glanced at Bella. "I did, yes..." He swallowed, locking his jaw. "My name is Klaus Mikaelson. My family and I are—"

"The first vampires in history, and you the first and only Hybrid," Charlie blew out in a breath. He was more than a little shocked. His daughter, mated to the Original Hybrid. Every parent knew their child was capable of greatness and deserved the world, but… the Original family now his family? That was a hard pill to swallow. "So my daughter is a hybrid now?" he asked, his voice harder, louder.

"I asked him to change me, Dad," the younger hybrid in question answered, her own voice firm as she saw Nik's eyes tighten. She stepped between them, pressing her back into her mate's front, taking his hand and feeling the Original's muscles relax as their connective trait soothed him. "There's a lot to catch up on…"

"So it would seem…" Charlie said, officially dropping the topic—at least for now—at his daughter's glare. But he sent one final look back to her mate, one that said this conversation was not over, the stare matched and understood. He sighed. "All right, let's… sit somewhere. Have a nice catch up or somethin'…"

Bella nodded sharply, jerkily; she turned to Klaus. "We can do that. Nik…"

Charlie took a moment to stare at her though, not moving as he did so, looking his child over again and then frowning. "You still dress like them…"

Bella swallowed, abruptly uncomfortable as she felt Nik stiffen behind her, his arm wrapping around her waist. She could hear the almost imperceptible growl rising in his chest. She sucked in her cheeks and bite the left side as she looked down. She shifted under the weight of her father's worried stare and her mate's actions. "I…" She glanced up at him. "Can we please sit before we do this?" she begged him.

Charlie nodded with a sigh, incapable of saying no to her, and Klaus led them to a more comfortable setting. Seeing the look on his mate's face as well as her father's, Niklaus refused to leave them alone together as he'd thought to a moment ago. His mate needed him, and even her father could acknowledge that. Instead, he sat beside her, his arm around her tensed and nervous form bringing her comfort as she sighed and leaned into his touch, their light a balm to her soul.

"I know their mold his hard to break out of so... I brought you something," her father began once they were all settled, his tone soft. He rose just as the door opened then abruptly paused at the sight of some minion bringing in the bag he'd left in the boot of the car, sitting warily as the vampire put the bag down in front of Bella then flashed out. There was a moment of unease before he decided to simply ignore what had just happened, focusing his attention to watch his daughter with a small smile as she opened the bag. Her eyes widened.

"My clothes…" she breathed, swallowing as she glanced up at her Dad then picked up a flowy, floral top and a pair of leggings, dropping them as she brought out a loose, relatively plain dress. She frowned in confusion. "How…? I thought Alice torched them that day…" Flashes of memory hit her as she remembered coming home to an entirely new wardrobe, the clothes she'd loved so much—some hand made by her grandmother, some gifts from her family—and the style that was so entirely her swapped out for designer bullshit that screamed of another girl. It had hit harder than she ever would have expected it to when she was already floundering with so many other changes that she had no ability to thwart and rebel against at the time.

"She did most of them," the wolf answered gruffly, "but not all. I managed to… persuade her… to give me some things." He took a moment to simply enjoy his daughter's reaction as she smiled to herself and picked at the pull of a cotton dress's hem, one that she remembered with a grin that her Grandmother had given her the last Christmas they'd had together. It still fit. Her eyes were drawn away as she heard her father shifting, leaning forward, his elbows braced on his knees. "I know that it's hard, baby girl, something as fundamental as dressing the way you choose. It's why I thought this would work. Instead of buying new things I wanted to give you back what they stole from you, at least as much of it as I was able to save…"

Bella smiled at him, the look watery, her hands shaking slightly as she held the clothes in a tight grip. She knew he was right. Buying new clothes for herself would have been difficult, and she never would have worn them, not with the ease she could wear these—what was taken from her in the first place, now rightfully returned. Already she wanted to run to the bedroom, strip off the clothes she had on now, and immerse herself in the small hint of pre-Cullen, pre-broken Bella, wearing clothes in the style she adored. "Thank you," she whispered, pressing herself harder against her mate as her emotions overwhelmed her, needing the light only he could give as it pushed everything away.

There were several minutes of silence before Bella could not take it any longer. The brunette cleared her throat and seemed to steel herself, wiping her eyes a final time before looking up at her father. "How long are you staying?" she asked as she rose from her mate's side. Her father stood as well, seeing that she wanted to escape, her wolf feeling caged.

"Not too long," he told her softly. "Elijah said that we should stay in hiding still just in case. We all know I don't need to be there, but we also all know your mother will pitch a fit and leave if I don't return." His tone was dry, full of exasperation as he shook his head. "You know what your mother is like, Bells…" There was a hint of that old anger, that resentment that Bella had never uncovered the reason for in his voice, and that familiar feeling of her father once again meaning more than he would ever fucking say.

"Yeah," she whispered vacantly, trying not to let the tears spill over at his confirmation of what she already knew. She took a breath and beat back her emotions, smiling blandly then turning and taking her clothes, flashing out of the room. Klaus was already on his feet to follow but stopped at the door when he heard Charlie address him.

"I think it's time we had a chat," he said, his tone firm.

Klaus's jaw locked at the order—for that was what it was—and he took a breath, looking down with his hands in fists before looking over his shoulder. He flashed to stand in front of his mate's father despite every particle of his being calling for him to go after her and comfort her. The two stared at one another, their eyes tightening at the sound of Isabella's sobs from their bedroom. The Original Hybrid said nothing as he waited impatiently for the man to speak, wanting him to be done with it already so he could comfort her; it was painful for him not to be there with her already.

And start Charlie Swan did.

"What's happened since my daughter ran away?"

It was a simple question but it was spoken in such an iron tone that Niklaus Mikaelson, the Big Bad Wolf, had no choice but to tell him everything; their meeting, the symptoms getting worse, her kidnapping, finding her in wolf form, the condition she had been in... all the way up to her ending the connection to Edward by choosing him.

Once down, Klaus waited but received nothing like the reaction he'd been expecting.

Instead, Charlie Swan sighed and sat back down, taking several moments to think before he looked up at the blond still standing in front of him, his gaze hard.

"Look, I don't know you, but I know of you. Every damn werewolf out there does. Your origin story is something every wolf kid hears of in our world. And I'm telling you now that if you hurt my daughter, bring that little girl up there any more pain than she has already experienced, I will find a way to fucking kill you. Because she means more to me than you will ever understand."

"I love her; I would never hurt her," Klaus answered, his tone clipped and angry, a growl disguising the words into something barely understood. His eyes flashed amber, nostrils flared as he stepped forward but he took in a deep breath through his clenched jaw to calm himself. This was Bella's father, he reminded himself. "I would tear apart cities just to make her smile, kill every single being on earth to keep her safe. Make no mistake that I am every bit the monster you've heard of… but I would be far worse for her, if that was what she wanted... if she were threatened."

Brown searched blue, the two locked in a long stare before the father answered with one word.

"Good."

They parted ways then with a terse shake of hands, the Original Hybrid flashing out of the room with a speed the Chief had never experienced. With that conversation out of the way, Klaus now focused on his mate and his need to get to her, the older man's daughter.

And Charlie Swan smiled as he listened to the man he hardly knew, but the man that he knew his little girl loved, take her into his arms and comfort her. His wolf calmed as he knew then that his Bells would be taken care of just as she had always deserved to be.

~TPoL~

A few more days passed until the twenty-eighth, Thanksgiving, fell upon the Mikaelsons. It was just dusk as a nervous young hybrid looked in the mirror, biting her lip as she smoothed the cotton fabric of her knee length dress. She smiled to herself as her eyes took in the older image of a much changed girl in the clothes she loved.

The past few days as Bella had woken, this was her ritual—trying on clothes from another time before vampires and Cold Ones and mating bonds. Only this time would be the first time she walked out of the room with them on, the clothes of the Cullens gone.

She was not afraid.

Taking one last breath, she squared her shoulders, smiling as the nicely falling fabric spun around her as she turned toward the door. On her feet were ballet flats that her father had also managed to save for her; they were a little worn from the amount of love they used to get from frequent wears.

But they were hers, her choice, not one made for her.

A knock sounded on the door and she turned to see blonde hair peeking through and then blue eyes as Rebekah slipped through. She took in the sight of the girl, smiling to herself at the very Rebekah style dress. "You look good," she complimented warmly.

The youngest Mikaelson sibling smiled. "Thank you. So do you, although we may have to do something about those shoes, love…? They're looking a little worse for wear…"

Bella shrugged. "I like them."

The blonde said nothing more on the subject, instead sighing as she pursed her lips and crossed her arms over her chest. "Nik is complaining downstairs," she informed her sister. "Something about having agreed to a little sprucing up and not the bloody parade of decorations that's engulfed his lovely home. Wanker… if he was going to be so prissy, he should have done it his bloody self," she growled under her breath.

The male in question's mate pressed her lips together to hide the budding grin, amusement dancing in her eyes. Rebekah, seeing this, raised an eyebrow, unimpressed, only for the hybrid to shake her head, the grin released from captivity as she passed through to venture to her mate. Maybe she could lift his spirits…

Of course, she already knew that was exactly what the blonde had come to see her for.

"Just make sure he doesn't kill anyone tonight, would you? He likes to take out his aggravation on the staff and I'd rather they all remain intact and alive at least until next month is over. Christmas is a bitch of a time to be getting new maids in, bloody impossible… not that Nik would care…"

Brown eyes rolled. "Yes, Rebekah," was the placating if not dry response Bella gave before she flashed off.

"Holy…" she muttered, her expression aghast as she took in the utterly remodeled downstairs. No wonder Nik had mouthed off about it… it looked like someone had literally thrown up a garden of flowers, all consisting of some variation of the color of vomit. Her nose wrinkled at the scent of the flowers and her eyes fell upon her mate's face, the look shared as he chuckled, feeling better despite it all.

"I see you don't like it either, sweetheart," he smarted as he downed the rest of his drink and Bella, having straightened her features, gagged as he whooshed to stand in front of her, the action stirring up the flowers in the room and making the scents all the more potent.

"Stop that," she grumbled, slapping at his arm, walking into them as slow as she could manage. He chuckled in that way that made people want to punch him as she buried her face in his chest. "I don't fucking blame you…"

She didn't see the smirk on his face, but she felt the laughter in his chest as Rebekah appeared with Elijah. "Not you too," the blonde teen complained, growling as she turned to Elijah who was barely able to mask his own reaction, his features taut.

"The scent is… quite overwhelming, Rebekah…" he offered. "Perhaps some adjustment is needed," he suggested, looking around quickly as he took a long sip of his drink, licking his bottom lip as he tried to stave off the need to breathe.

"By 'overwhelming scent' our older brother means 'terrible stench,' sister. And I agree; change it lest you kill all the guests," Kol interjected, gesturing around with a grin before leaving his siblings and mate to get a drink.

Davina, on the other hand, was confused.

"What smells?" she asked, looking between the other supernaturals.

Rebekah brightened, vamping in front of the girl. The poor thing looked like a deer caught in headlights, not used to having the only female Mikaelson all up in her face like so. "Do you like the decorations, Davina?" the blonde asked, her tone hinting at something that made the younger teen swallow nervously.

"Um…" she responded, her lips pursed as she snuck a glance toward Bella, her eyes wide. She grinned, brows pulled up. "Sure…"

"No, she doesn't," Kol responded as he appeared behind her, winding an arm around her waist and pulling his mate into his chest as he sipped his liquor. A smirk appeared on his lips. "Even with senses not as keen as ours, the orange and red and yellow is still too obvious for human eyes, Bekah." His lips twitched, eyes lit up. "You're an Original, sister, how on earth were you blind to the colors you picked?" he goaded her, letting out a laugh as he dodged a hit.

"Shut up, Kol!" she growled, glaring at him before her expression cleared to a grin as she spun to watch Ansel and Charlie descend the stairs together. She flashed to stand in front of them. "You like the decorations, don't you?" she asked, flashing them a smile as she tilted her head.

The pair of wolves glanced at one another then looked toward the courtyard, Charlie shrugging his shoulders as Ansel nodded. The Original in front of them deflated.

"It's more the smell than anything else," Bella commented, her tone light even as it was muffled by her mate's chest. She swallowed thickly.

"Let's just get this over with," Klaus grumbled, the hint of a growl in his throat as he flashed to the table, Bella following behind. He looked up with a grin as the last pair descended the stairs, Camille as oblivious as Davina in stark contrast to Marcel's scrunched features. They expression cleared as he smiled and nodded to Rebekah, who sighed and straightened to her more 'confident' self. The three approached the table as Elijah joined their youngest brother and the witch Davina, Kol commenting loudly to Camille for her to just nod if Rebekah asked her opinion.

"Stop with all the fuss, Kol, Rebekah…" Niklaus demanded, glaring at his siblings then replacing the look with a pleasant smile as he turned to the other side of the table where the rest of the guests stood. "Please, sit…"

Everyone did so as the meals were brought out, the traditional Thanksgiving food enjoyed. Wine and champagne and an array of non-alcoholic drinks were handed out as the group conversed and ate, the decorations debacle forgotten.

Soon another conversation began, everyone with their own opinion.

"We should go around the table," Bella argued, raising an eyebrow at Rebekah.

"Or we could just continue with dessert," Klaus suggested.

"No," Elijah responded, looking between his siblings. "We should indulge our guests…"

"Why, brother? I for one have no desire to hear all about what Nik is grateful for…" Kol complained, arm thrown over his mate's shoulder as he swirled the amber liquor in his glass. He took a swig, leering at Davina with a smirk that made her blush. "I say we have our own party, darling…"

"Come on, Nik, please?" Rebekah tried, siding with Bella as the two pouted for him, eyes pleading. "It's tradition."

"It's not our tradition," he denied. "We've never religiously celebrated Thanksgiving, sister. And we certainly haven't gone around the table and asked what everyone is thankful for."

"Might have something to do with none of us being thankful for you repeatedly storing us in boxes, Nik," Kol smarted under his breath despite the fact that everyone but Camille could hear him. Smirking as the hybrid growled, the wily fox watched from his chair as Klaus stood, bringing Bella with him.

"This is silly," Davina mumbled to Camille who shrugged.

"I'm starting to understand that the Mikaelsons just bicker for the hell of it. It's like it's a habit or their weird way of bonding or something…" the therapist replied, leaning into Marcel who smirked and nudged her for a kiss, silently agreeing as he waited it out.

Poor Ansel and Charlie, who'd bonded some over the past two days as the fathers of the mated hybrids, just looked at one another and sighed. They didn't truly care either way, although Ansel hoped that this would be allowed. He did have something to be thankful for after all, and he thought maybe this might get his son's mate to stop grumbling under her breath quite pointedly about idiot Alphas…

"Let's just go around the table. We can only say one thing. It's simple and done, and everyone is happy. Okay?" Bella suggested, raising an eyebrow as she stared at her mate unyieldingly.

He sighed and took another long swig of his drink, Kol groaning obnoxiously as Bekah grinned, both knowing he was giving in.

"I'll go first!" the blonde exclaimed as the party settled. They waited expectantly, facial expressions ranging from politely interested to bored to annoyed. "I am thankful that Kol is still with us, and I am thankful for the way your death and resurrection has brought us back together. I'm also thankful for Bella… our sister." She grinned at the girl, Davina mutedly slapping Kol's hand as he went to interject with a witticism.

Rebekah turned to Elijah who sat next to her, looking expectant. The eldest Mikaelson smiled and looked down as he thought. "I am grateful for Isabella and our family's revival. Family above all." The sentiment was echoed by his siblings as Elijah regarded Kol, the warning look for him to behave making the youngest brother pout.

"It's going to get repetitive if we keep saying the same things," he pointed out, his smirk becoming a smile as he shrugged his shoulder. "But I'm thankful for the same as you two and for finding my little witch…" He looked down at Davina with a grin, eyes full of the love he had for her, and she blushed and slapped her hand over his mouth as mischief rose in his brown orbs.

"Don't even begin that sentence, Kol, or I can promise you, you won't have anything to be thankful for… for a long, long time…" she promised.

Klaus chuckled at the look on his brother's face, leaning forward, not bothering to hide his enjoyment of the way the little witch was able to shut up his mouthy brother.

"I'm thankful for this past year," Davina said when it was her turn, looking at Marcel with a smile that he returned. "I'm thankful for Marcel saving me. I'm thankful for finding Kol… and I'm thankful for all of you guys." She was returned with smiles, only one person speaking, their voice quiet but not enough…

"Darling, that was more than one…"

"Kol…" she deadpanned, eyes serious as she looked at him, raised eyebrow. "I meant what I said earlier," she told him pointedly, though inside she was really hoping he'd stop. She did not want to withhold sex.

"I think we'd all be thankful if Kol would shut up," Rebekah suggested sarcastically, shooting him a glare before turning to his mate. "Maybe you should withhold sex regardless, Davina. We all know Kol is addicted already if the last week hasn't been evidence enough. Might teach the wanker something."

The witch flushed as she looked away, pointedly keeping her eyes on her mate. She was going to ignore that suggestion…

The smirk on his face told Davina that the wily fox knew how much she did not want to keep her promise even as he raised his hands in surrender, eyes mockingly innocent. "I was only saying…" Thankfully, he left it at that.

The teenage witch sighed, looking at Charlie with a polite smile.

"I'm just grateful my little girl is happy and alive," he said, looking down at Bella, who smiled and looked down, her hand squeezing Klaus's fingers as they threaded through hers. Given that she was looking at her mate's hand as she felt emotion welling up again, eyes stinging, she missed the warning her father gave the Original Hybrid to make sure he kept her that way.

Klaus gritted his teeth as the eyes around the room turned onto his father, his own following as he sensed identical blue on him. He seemed to be trapped by that gaze as soon as their eyes connected, this time gripping his mate's hand hard for support as he curled his hand into a fist, his expression cold and betraying nothing. He was as guarded as he could be under the light of his mate's touch.

The former Alpha's eyes were warm, his voice gentle. "I have only been resurrected a few weeks ago, so my list is short. But I am thankful for receiving the chance to right my wrongs, to be able to live with my son and tell him how proud I am of him, how sorry I am that I was not there for him before, and how much I wish to be there now. How much I hope he will be able to forgive me for my past failures and how much joy it brings me to see him complete with his mate after centuries of anger and betrayal and let downs. You deserve everything you have now and more, Niklaus. I am thankful, perhaps most of all, to have you as my son."

The Original Hybrid breathed in deeply, locked jaw flexing, his stare into his father's hopeful gaze heavy. Ansel watched the glimmer of… something grow, developing into a storm before those blue eyes the Original had inherited from him were ripped from view.

It hurt, yes, but the elder wolf understood and was pleased that his words seemed to have some effect at the very least. He only hoped it was the right one, and if he were to trust his wolf—which he did—then he could rest easy knowing he'd been successful in taking the first step.

He turned to the dark-skinned protégé of his son next to him and nodded.

"I'm thankful for my mate… I'm also grateful for my place in this family," he answered, feeling just as awkward as most everyone else at the table did after the deep, personal admission from the Alpha next to him who was still looking at his silent, struggling son.

Pretending to be ignorant to the awkwardness still flowing through the room, Camille grinned. "I'm grateful for the way my life is right now," she generalized, kissing Marcel's lips and leaning into him as she looked around the room, gaze meeting briefly with Rebekah, Davina, and Bella.

Another short silence overtook the group as they all looked to Klaus, who took a moment before he raised his head and looked to his mate, caressing her cheek with his free hand. "I'm thanking for my siblings, for our safety and unity, and I am thankful for you…" He spoke quietly, ignoring everyone else as Bella leaned into his touch with a gentle smile, kissing his palm.

"You can get a room in a minute, Nik. Bella has to tell us what she's thankful for first and then we're all free for far more interesting pursuits…" Kol said with a gleaming, cheeky look as he wiggled his eyebrows at his mate, whose lips twitched even as she tried to give him a look that said 'shut up'.

The youngest brother was only slightly disappointed when his older brother didn't answer, Klaus's attention still stolen entirely by his mate.

Feeling his need to be alone with her after Ansel's admissions, Bella laid a hand on his thigh and squeezed to reassure him.

"I'm thankful for choices," she began, her eyes sweeping over every person in the room. "I'm thankful for this new family, I'm thankful for my freedom… I'm thankful for being gifted with you, Nik, and for your love, your protection, your guidance… I'm thankful that I have the opportunity to see my father again," she said, grinning at the man. "I'm thankful I'm alive," she continued, her voice shaky. "I'm just… thankful for everything I have right now and thankful for the fact that despite the scars that litter my skin, despite the fact that they represent every battle I've lost, they also represent the fact that I'm here now where I was always meant to be." She blinked, a tear streaking down her cheek that she wiped away with a watery giggle, shaking her head. "Damn emotions…"

Soft smiles met her speech, words left unsaid. They weren't needed. The group disbanded soon after, returning to their own living quarters.

All except one…

Elijah Mikaelson slipped out of the Abattoir gates, phone in hand as he disappeared to the city limits, away from prying ears and eyes. He was perched on top of a building looking out to the moon as he brought his attention back to the device in his hand, smiling softly to himself as he raised the phone to his ear after pressing a button.

She answered after a single ring.

"'lijah," she sighed, happiness and contentment seeping into her tone, the throb of their shared heartbeat, their individual connective trait, lessening at the sound of his breathing and of her voice.

"Beloved…" he greeted, his voice quiet as a whisper. "Happy Thanksgiving."

A smirk curled her lips, her head tilting, a remark on the tip of her tongue. But she said nothing for a moment, tone soft when she spoke. "Happy Thanksgiving, Elijah. Here's to five hundred years…"

"And here's to five hundred more…" he finished. "I feel it still; I always have."

His mate swallowed thickly, her breath shaky as memories made her look down, lips pursed. "I feel it, too," she whispered, and his jaw clenched at the tone of her voice, knowing what she was thinking. Those three words they'd never managed to exchange, knowing they'd never let go if they did, were on the tip of his tongue. But he knew he could not do that to her.

"Go, 'lijah…" she prodded him, making him growl just a little. He closed his eyes, lips parted as he exhaled, shaking his head and swallowing. His eyes burned as he waited but a moment longer, listening to her breathing, to her heartbeat despite also feeling it inside him… He listened to the sounds of her life without him for as long as he could before it grew too painful, the hour too late, and he truly had to go.

He hung up, wrenching himself back to reality with a pained exhale.

Not long, Elijah pledged, the vow silent as he stared at the glowing moon for a minute, unwilling to leave this safe space. If he did, he would have to return to a life without his mate...

As much as he didn't want to, he turned and disappeared back into the city, returning home.

Soon, was the thought his mate never voiced before she smiled wistfully to herself and shook out of the gloom of her thoughts. She could not wait for their life to start, to be all his and have everyone know it… even if she was beginning to think she'd be taking the knowledge of his love to the grave, in secret as it had already been for so long…

Swallowing at the thought, she glanced around, taking in her surroundings. Growing a little antsy, she slipped on the mask she portrayed to the world easily, sauntering off with a smirk as she slipped through the crowd and disappeared.

~TPoL~

On the other side of the country, another group was secretly planning an attack.

Two teens grinned as they shoved playfully at one another then sat down next to the rest of their friends. The herd of absurdly built teen boys surrounded the bonfire, some sitting with their imprints as they waited for the tribal meeting to begin. Their skin glowed from the campfire, illuminating the tattoo present on each pack member's right shoulder. The atmosphere was serious as a man in his wheelchair came to a stop in front of the group. They would be leaving in perhaps a week, some sure to not return.

But they were devoted to the cause.

"You will attack in two weeks exactly," the Chief told them, his tone quiet but demanding a respect that was effortlessly given, quieting the more rambunctious in a second.

Several of the russet skinned teens looked to their Alpha, whose eyes were narrowed as he turned to the Chief. "Why then?"

Beady black eyes took in the group before him, exchanging looks with the other elders, eyes falling upon the tribal tattoo on the shoulder of each half-naked young warrior before him—the reminder of their duty.

"We have received new information on the whereabouts of a certain man once considered a friend to this tribe. We wish to send a message to him."

The look he sent each of them told everyone just what that message was.

---

Thanks for reading this chapter. I do hope you enjoyed it. I myself can definitely say that I did once I got going with it.

As stated above, PLEASE REVIEW... it's really the only way to get me to write regularly. This story is something I love to work on but unfortunately I rely far too much on what others think of me and the stories I produce not to be effected when half my readers suddenly stop reviewing. So please, if you want regular updates, review. But please don't review me with flames for trying to... I don't know, get people to review for the review count. I'm literally asking so that I don't slip into depression wondering how I failed when only half the people who used to review continue to do.

Thank you everyone for sticking it out with me...

See you next time... hopefully sooner than last time.

ncbexie25