*Hey guys, sorry this update is so late but with everything going on right now my creativity has been at an all-time low. This chapter has not been edited by my Beta yet as she has just started back at work and is very busy, but she will be looking over it during the next few days and I will release it when she is done. I just thought you'd all want it now rather than later, seeing as I have noticed a few of you worried I have abandoned this fic. Just FYI that will never happen, I may be terrible at constantly posting updates, but I will always come back. Also, I love reviews of any kind, but I cannot reply to Guest reviews, so please sign in if you have a question. As always, please let me know what you think, good or bad. Reviews make me smile, and they keep me motivated. There may be a trigger warning in this chapter towards the end. There is an animal death and I don't want to upset anyone. This chapter has been edited by my Beta Casey.*
The fire crackled ominously. The spitting of the logs was the only sound in the otherwise silent room. Elena scooted closer, pressing her body against mine. Her chin tilted downwards as she nervously fiddled with her fingers, eyes flickering around, warily watching the rooms other occupants. Damon stood in front of the fireplace, gripping the mantle so tight his knuckles were white. The fire cast a warm glow against his pale skin, and his hard cerulean eyes stared down into the flickering flames. His shoulder was tight as he continued to grip onto the mantle, riveted to the spot. Stefan stood a few feet away, slowly pacing in a small circle, his usual flawless appearance in complete disarray. His midnight blue button-up shirt was wrinkled, the sleeves unbuttoned and rolled above his elbows. His hair was a flat and tangled mess, the product he so obviously used daily had been put to the test and failed. There were purplish-blue shadows under his eyes, confirming the exhaustion that his disheveled look called attention to.
At the end of his panicked pacing, he paused just long enough to cast his fear-filled gaze on Elena, before the whole process restarted. At the other end of the room, Alaric stood vigil at the bar, his back rigid. The only movement he made was the slow lifting of his arm as he brought a glass of bourbon to his thinned lips. Beside my place on the sofa, Mason and Tyler stood, their arms crossed, and eyes uncomfortably glued to the window. I followed their gaze and noticed the dying daylight; it wouldn't be long before they needed to prepare for the long night. We couldn't have two werewolves shifting in the middle of the Boarding house.
I refocused my attention on the two brothers and the hunter; Alaric always seemed to get sucked into the thick of things. I had no doubt that they were all still angry and held no trust in me, but if they wanted to survive the night and the days that followed, they would have to come to terms with the fact that I was their best bet.
"It seems Damon has drug the lot of you into another shitty situation, but before I offer my help, I think it's best to try to deal with it on your own. I don't want to be accused of manipulation. According to you lot, that is what I do best," I said, pursing my lips and flashing a heated glare at Damon's back.
A warm weight fell on my shoulder, and I leaned forward, rubbing my hands down my knees. I glanced up at Tyler defensively, faltering at the gentleness in his gaze. He stared down at me, shaking his head. His dark eyes held a definite warning, but I could see he would be there even if I chose not to take it. I huffed in acknowledgment, admittedly pouting that, yet again, I was the one who had to hold back. He squeezed my shoulder as Mason stepped around the couch, his biceps flexing as he fisted his hands, jaw tightening. He took an apparent deep breath and stared the two vampires down.
"We don't have time to rehash old arguments. You pissed Jules off and made an enemy of the entire pack. You've been marked, which means she will be coming for you tonight. Anyone who stands in her way will meet the same end. It's truth not legend when they say that one bite from us will kill your kind," Mason said.
Stefan stopped his incessant pacing, turning to face Mason with an expectant gaze. "What exactly do you want us to do? Your pack has been following you since you left Florida. They knew about you and Katherine. You brought them here," he said, jutting his finger out toward Mason accusingly.
Mason's lip curled, and he took a threatening step toward Stefan. Tyler pulled away from me, standing protectively beside his uncle and placing a stiff arm on his shoulder. Damon's hand dropped from the mantle, and he turned around, his expression dark. He lazily walked over to Stefan, and stood casually beside him, tilting his head mockingly, a hatful smiling growing
"You know Stefan, maybe if we just hand over their wayward wolf, they'll be on their way. It's him they want. It kinda pissed them off that he strayed from the wolf way."
Mason's tense form rippled as he shook with anger, and his back arched, his body freezing in place. His face paled the longer Damon spoke, and I almost feared he had stopped breathing entirely. Damon noticed his reaction and went in for the kill.
"Poor guy thought Katherine loved him, it's a common mistake," Damon said, sneering. His eyes flashed to mine, and his expression hardened further. "It's not only vampires you gotta look out for though, Mason. Witches aren't much better. Might wanna watch your back."
I couldn't hold back the wince that his cold stare and hurtful words produced, and his smile grew — eyes shining with spiteful triumph. I could feel a trickle of shock fall over Elena, and she shivered, a frustrated sigh spilling from her parted lips. Tyler lunged forward, his chest heaving, and Mason finally broke free from his own inner drama, gripping him and pulling him back. Damon laughed, an angry, hateful sound. It made my heart bleed for him.
"Aww, Elandra found herself such a loyal puppy. I wonder what her owner will think of that?" Damon quipped.
Tyler growled, turning in Mason's tight grip. He reached toward Damon, his fingers flexing as if he wished to wrap them around his neck, and Damon sneered, leaning against the bookcase. With an angry exhale of breath, I stood, Elena, following behind me. I ran my hands over my face as I stepped in front of Tyler, pressing my back against his chest. I reached in between us and placed my palm on his stomach, pushing him back. As soon as I was in front of Tyler, Mason released him, taking a step back and glaring at Damon. Elena stepped up beside him, eyes scanning my face. She wrapped her fingers around my wrist reassuringly, and I smiled at her before glancing up at Mason. His tight expression flickered for a moment, shining with almost frightening awe before he looked away, nodding. He scooted closer to my very human sister, and hovered there, guarding her fragile form. I appreciated his willingness to protect her but filed away his odd expression for further perusal.
Yet another thing to add to my checklist.
My attention finally focused on Damon, and his blue eyes narrowed, quickly falling from my face. So that was how it was going to be now? He couldn't even look me in the eye? I ran my fingers across my brow and sighed with exhaustion.
"Damon, I understand your anger, I expected it, but you will not take it out on my friends. You are the one who caught wind of a new werewolf in town and decided to try to poison her with wolfsbane! Now you've made a new enemy, and fighting amongst ourselves is not helping. If you want the vampires in town to survive the night, then we have to work together."
Stefan stepped past his brother, hands raised in surrender, and stood in front of me, swallowing hard. His eyes darted toward Tyler when he stepped forward, placing his hand on my shoulder with a growl of warning. Mason chuckled, but Tyler's eyes never left the vampire in front of me. Elena tried to move toward Stefan, but Mason blocked her, his arm lowering like a shield.
"I'm sorry that things have changed so drastically, Elandra, but you have to understand why we can never truly trust you. You are connected to the vampire who plans to kill Elena. Even if you say you have always planned to protect her, I just don't know how you expect us to believe that. You've done nothing but lie since the very beginning. It's hard to believe that you'd choose Elena over the man who you loved so deeply someone cursed you with eternal death," he said.
I shook my head in annoyance, a slight tick in my jaw, and Tyler shifted beside me, his hand tightening on my shoulder.
"My love for Nik has nothing to do with my love for Elena. I can't honestly say that I'm sorry I hid who I am from you for so long, because I know what would have happened had I told you. You would have seen me as some horrible monster and would've taken my sister from me in one way or another."
Elena shuffled her feet, blowing out her cheeks in exasperation, and nodded in agreement. I felt her fingers flex around my wrist, her palm was starting to sweat, and I tried to ignore the heat against my skin. I took a deep breath and glanced back at Stefan. His stony expression left no room for doubt, he still didn't believe me.
"You would have destroyed her chance at true survival. My love for Nik, and the curse it brought me, should not matter; it has nothing to do with Elena. I would never let him kill my sister; I love her. I always protect the people I love. I can and will make sure that everyone gets what they want. What I cannot do is make you believe me," I said, shrugging with exhausted acceptance.
No matter how badly I wished that things could be different, that the Salvatores could understand that I never meant them to feel betrayed. I couldn't force them to see reason. I heard a small clink of glass on metal and lifted my head to look over Stefan's shoulder. Alaric pushed away from the bar, turning on his heel, head bowed. His tongue caressed his lower lip, catching a stray drop of bourbon. He released a harsh breath, rubbing his palms together.
"We are wasting time on petty arguments. Did Elara have her secrets? Yes. Do we all feel a bit pissed off that she only told us what she deemed necessary? Yes." Alaric waved his hands around, pointing and nodding at Damon and Stefan, in turn, his tone firm.
"But it's done now, and there is nothing we can do about it," he said, placing his hands on his hips. "Being dicks is helping no one. She and Elena have a plan, and as she said, it's their choice. If we want a snowball's chance in Hell at helping Elena, we have to accept that and join forces."
I held back a smile, I had missed snarky Alaric. Stefan huffed, rubbing the back of his neck as he awkwardly leaned forward, avoiding my gaze just as Damon had. Apparently, I was disliked by both Salvatores now. So much for family is forever. Then again, I never really was family. Damon had murdered and tortured Stefan and others for centuries, but Gods forbid I hide my past — now that is unforgivable. Note the sarcasm.
I cocked my hip, raising an aggravated brow as Tyler toyed with a stray lock of my hair. I agitatedly swatted him away, and Elena huffed, kicking him in the ankle. With a wince, he shook out his leg, straightening up and crossing his arms.
Stefan turned around, looking at me with determination. "Ric is right, we have more important things to discuss right now. Once we deal with the wolves, I want to be at Elena's side, and if that means working with you, then so be it. I will protect her no matter what, and until she sees reason, you both have your own plan. I would like to be let in on it."
I let off a bitter laugh, slightly shaking my head. How condescending could he get? He expected us to work with him, yet he still went off on a tangent about her seeing reason. I took in a deep breath through my nose, releasing it with a swift body shuddering exhale. Damon stood next to Stefan in a tightly wound state of stress. I knew he had absolutely no plans to work with us. He would take matters into his own hands as soon as he could. Like us, he had his own plans for Elena's survival.
Caroline had already let me know that Bonnie had taken the moonstone's replica and found a way to destroy it. Caroline had been distraught to find out she had been tricked into helping them betray me, even though I hadn't seen it as a betrayal. She hadn't known what the moonstone was when she had taken it from Tyler and had thought she could trust Stefan. After her change, he had been there for her when I couldn't be. It was yet another person they were pushing away to save someone who didn't need, nor want, to be saved.
I was starting to think the Salvatores were both obsessed with Elena. They saw her as the woman they had wished Katherine to be. Someone (definitely not me) needed to tell them it would be healthier if they both moved on. Not that it would matter. It had not come as a surprise that they had destroyed the replica. I had felt Bonnie destroy my moonstone. It felt like a warm rush of heat had enveloped me, encasing my heart in a vise grip of fire. It had lasted only moments before the heat had fled, leaving behind nothing but chilled skin and a heavy heartbeat.
I was just happy that Damon would feel a little more confident about Elena's safety now. It would make him more willing to allow us the space we needed. The replicant moonstone had definitely come in handy. Funnily enough, while doing her research into the stone, Bonnie had become friends with the new witches in town — the Martins. I was quite sure Elijah had set that up to keep tabs on those close to us.
"Stefan, how can you expect me to allow you to work with us when you can't even show me respect during your little speech?" I said, flicking my fingers in his direction.
Alaric raised his hand and stepped in between our two groups. He held out his arms placatingly. "This is getting us nowhere, we can discuss 'joining forces' later-"
"Maybe when we aren't all about to become puppy chow," Damon cut in, scowling.
Alaric harshly rubbed at his face, frowning disapprovingly at his friend, and tried not to wince at his choice of phrase. Mason snorted, his brows flickering, and he elbowed Tyler, mouthing 'puppy chow' with a roll of his eyes. I turned back toward Stefan and nodded, rubbing at my arms.
"Alaric is right, we have plenty of time to discuss this later, right now we need to prepare for when the moon rises," I said.
Mason and Tyler looked down at me, their eyes round and expressions devoted, merely waiting for a command. I floundered. I was suddenly aware that they somehow viewed me as their Alpha. My eyes widened, the power they had bestowed upon me was too much. Why me? I didn't want to be responsible for anyone else. My family was enough. I wasn't prepared to act the part of an Alpha; I was no wolf. I had no clue how to take care of a werewolf, I had killed every goldfish I'd owned!
I buried the panic and steadied my breathing, coming back to the present to find Mason and Tyler still patiently awaiting my orders. I smothered a hysterical giggle and gently pulled Elena toward me, smiling at Mason in thanks for watching over her.
"Um, I think you and Tyler should head to the cellar," I said. "It's getting late, and we don't want you shifting until you're both safely locked up."
Tyler leaned in, giving me a hug, and I wrapped my arms around his neck, stepping onto the tips of my toes. I could hear a muffled curse behind me but chose to ignore it.
"You'll be alright. Just remember this won't last. Soon you won't have to shift unless you want to," I whispered, kissing him on the cheek.
Mason patted me on my upper back, issuing a glare of warning to the men behind us. He took Tyler by the shoulder, pulling him in the direction of the door. "We'll be fine, Ellie. I'll call you in the morning. Just be careful. Jules is no one to mess around with," he warned, a flicker of real fear in his eyes.
I anxiously turned back to those left in the room. Elena was clenching and unclenching her fists beside me, her pink cheeks sucked in as she chewed on them. Her head was turned away from the Salvatores, who were both actively trying to catch her attention. With a swish of my finger, I closed the drapes and folded my arms, nibbling on my lower lip.
"Okay, I guess we just wait for Jules to make her move then. I will spell the house so that she can't burst in on us. I think you both should stay inside."
I pointedly stared at the Salvatore brothers, who both avoided my stern gaze, and released a sigh.
"I'll call Caroline and tell her to head here. It'll be the safest place for her." I started toward the front door before pausing in my tracks and turned back, glancing over my shoulder. "Alaric, it might be best if you call Jeremy and tell him to keep Jenna in the house. I don't want her targeted," I mumbled.
Elena looked between us, her pale face saddened and mildly horrified. She pulled her phone from her front pocket and shook her head.
"I'll call him, Elara. I can help," she said, her voice croaky.
I spun on my heel, continuing to walk backward, and smiled weakly. "Thanks, sis, I appreciate it. At least he'll answer your call."
I could see the sadness in Elena's eyes before I spun back around, heading outside.
I closed the heavy front door behind me and hopped off the top step, running my fingers through my hair. I pulled it free from the confines of the hair tie and released a tired breath, looking up at the dying day. The sun was shrinking into the horizon, and I knew that the pack was making its move against us somewhere. Damon had been a fool to antagonize them, and now we all were going to pay the price. I wrapped the hair tie around my wrist and turned, facing the house. Wearily I lifted my hands, my fingers spread apart, and placed my palms flat against the empty air. I closed my eyes, inhaled deeply, and felt the pull of my magic — the static rising up my arms and into the palm of my hand. The bones in my fingers ached as I opened my eyes to find my hands glowing in a way I had come to find almost soothing. I waved my right arm, murmuring under my breath, and the Boarding house windows started to sparkle a deep majestic blue. I stopped my arms progression, my steady murmuring ceasing as I began to wave my left arm over the other half of the house. Words started to pass my lips again as the glow of my hand passed over the house's door, a spark of power growing and encompassing the structure, securing any weakness.
The blue hue of the stone flashed, locking my spell in place, before disappearing. I lowered my hands, squeezing them into fists, my aching bones mildly protesting, the sizzle of my magic faded, and pale skin followed. I looked over the house, my keen eyes scanning the stone, and I could sense my signature leaking from every inch. Satisfied, I nodded, spinning around and heading for the woods. I took out my cell and dialed Caroline. As I waited for her to answer, I walked the edge of the property, running a glowing finger out beside me. It was a simple detection spell, but it would be enough to give us a heads up when the wolves finally decided to show.
"Hey. This is Caroline. I'm not here right now, so leave me a message at the beep!"
I pulled the phone from my ear at the end of Caroline's chipper voicemail message. My brows furrowed and I tucked my phone into my back pocket. I couldn't stop the stomach-churning fear that swept over me. It wasn't like her to miss my calls, she always had her phone on her. The last time it happened, she had just been turned into a vampire. Like everything else, I pushed it down and nervously itched at my neck's blotchy skin. I headed back to the house, bolting inside to find Elena quarreling with Damon in the middle of the room. Her hands were outstretched towards me, yet she hadn't noticed my hurried entrance. She moved closer to him, her cheeks and neck spotted red with anger, and her eyes were starting to tear.
"I just don't understand you, Damon? After everything, you've been through with my sister. All the love you once shared, you're choosing to treat her like the enemy. It just doesn't make sense to me."
With an irritated sigh, her fingers traveled through her hair. Her knuckles catching on the knotted ends in her rush, and she snarled in agitation, yanking her fingers free. "I've seen the way you look at her, and no matter how much I hate it, I can see that it's real. I don't care what you think you felt for Katherine, it was obviously never as real as what you had with Elara."
She leaned closer to him, and he hesitated, leaning back in repetition. With a self-satisfied smile, she shoved her boney finger into his chest and repeatedly poked him. "I can't believe you'd mess all that up because you're afraid" With a massive step back, she shrugged, raising her hands in the air and shaking her head with an exasperated huff. "You know what? You don't deserve her, and you never did. Don't you ever try to turn me against my sister again!" she yelled, her heated face twisted with disgust and fury.
Damon leaped forward with supernatural speed and took hold of her wrist, the veins around his eyes darkening with pure rage. She released a squeak of pain, her knees buckling. She had been poking a ticking time bomb, and I loved her for it, but I couldn't let him explode anywhere near my sister. I rushed forward, surprised on more than one level. Where the Hell was Stefan and Alaric? I stepped up beside them and took hold of Damon's wrist. His face shot toward me, his red-tinged eyes crinkling, and for a brief moment, I could see how much he wanted to reach out to me, in more ways than one. He looked over my shocked face, eyes lowering to my lips, and then his expression shuttered, his hard mask slamming back into place. With a sigh of vexation, he tossed Elena's wrist away.
"You are starting to act too much like your sister, Elena. It's not a good look," he said sneering.
Elena rubbed at her wrist and hurriedly stepped behind me as I edged around the room, looking for Stefan. Damon crossed his arms and watched me, rolling his eyes in boredom. His pale face cleared, the dark veins disappearing, and I knew he was back under control. Or as under control as he ever would be.
"My baby brother is upstairs. He thought he'd give Elena her space, and Alaric headed to your house to protect Jeremy and Jenna," he said, his eyes darting toward the ceiling.
"And you decided you'd take the opportunity to corner her?"
Damon shrugged, there wasn't an ounce of remorse on his face. "I take what I can get. You spend all day filling her head with your bullshit. I've gotta try to counter that when I can," he said, his tone one of loathing.
Elena stepped around me, facing Damon, and with fisted hands stared him down. "I warned you, Damon, I told you to stop attacking my sister! She did nothing wrong, and you are treating her no better than Katherine," she spat.
I wasn't sure what Elena thought attacking Damon would accomplish, but her eyes held no fear. Despite the pride I felt in her, I quickly intervened, jumping between the two with open arms.
Damon grinned wickedly, apparently on the same train of thought as I was, but he seemed to enjoy her attacking him. "And what exactly are you going to do spitfire?" he asked, leaning around me to stare at my rapidly reddening sister.
Elena's nose wrinkled with disgust, and she flung her bangs out of her eyes. "Ugh, you're a real piece of work. How my sister ever loved you, I'll never know. Then again, you never were meant for her, were you? She already has a soul mate, and sacrifice or not, I bet he is a hundred times the man you are," she taunted, her nose scrunching up smugly.
My hand shot up to cover my mouth, eyes wide, and I looked over Elena with a chuckle of sheer surprise. I still had trouble comprehending her sudden change of attitude. Where was this new loyalty to me coming from? I could hazard a guess that it had something to do with the fact that we had already lost so much. The idea of losing more had flipped a switch in her, but I was a pessimist at heart, and it was hard for me to take her new attitude at face value. I glanced up at the ceiling, and with a sudden rush of breath, decided to call for backup.
"Stefan, get your ass down here and help me!"
I took a definite step in front of Elena, and Damon's eyes bled red. My gaze flickered toward the ceiling again, and I ran my teeth together. Where was my back up?
With an electric flash of azure, my palm lit up, and I twisted my wrist, flicking my fingers toward Elena. She screamed in surprise, her body flying backward, hair twirling around her in a wild mess. She landed spread eagle against the vintage book collection, a rush of breath escaping her lips. I could hear a few thumps as books fell haphazardly on the hard floor but ignored them, my attention captured by the man in front of me. I tilted my head and frowned in hurt disbelief, my fingers glowing in warning. I didn't want to fight Damon, despite my anger at the way he had been treating me, I never wanted to hurt him. I stood protectively in front of my shielded sister and anxiously rocked from foot to foot. Damon growled, baring his fangs, and I rolled my eyes with a giant huff.
"Come on, Day, you and I both know you aren't going to hurt her."
I loosened my stance slightly and lowered my hands. I tried to take a step toward him but froze when he flexed his shoulders and took a threatening step forward. Instinctively my magic flared outwards, pressing against him. He stumbled back, gasping for air he didn't genuinely need. I felt a protective warmth cocoon me flickering across my skin, awaiting my command. I took a steady breath and lifted my hands, raising and lowering them in a calming gesture of supplication.
"Okay, okay. Seriously, Damon, she was just being an ass. No different than you. Come on, you can't honestly tell me you were bothered by what she said. You and I have been over for a long time. I mean, right now, you hate me," I chuckled weakly, overseeing him as he pulled himself straight, red eyes flashing. "Your pride can't have taken much of a hit, Damon. You are the one who chose to end our relationship in the first place, and even though you kind of talked about chasing after me again, you and I both know those were but sweet words."
A welcome breeze fluttered my hair, and I allowed my gaze to fall from Damon, scanning the room to find Stefan standing stiffly in the doorway. He quickly assessed the situation and sped toward me, standing in front of my solid form.
"What the hell is going on?" he asked in stunned disbelief. "I was gone for less than half an hour? Are you all fucking children?"
My jaw dropped, aghast. How was this my fault? The glow of my fingers subsided, and I scowled at the back of his head. Stefan turned his glare of disapproval on me and extended his arm, pointing at the still suspended Elena.
"Are you planning to do something about that?" he testily asked.
I scrunched up my nose. My temper started to rise at his pugnacious attitude — which should be directed at his brother. I ran my eyes over his sour face; he wasn't nearly as attractive when he looked like he had eaten a lemon. It pleased me to find a flaw in the Salvatore's perfection. I snapped my fingers, and Elena was slowly lowered to the ground, landing on her backside. She dropped her head to her knees and took in a few deep gulps of air.
"Please don't surprise me like that again," she almost begged, her bloodshot eyes half- shut.
Stefan rushed to her side, unbothered by leaving Damon unguarded. He brushed her dark hair from her forehead — the perfect picture of concern. With a small wince, she started to stand, trying to step away from him without drawing attention to the fact that she was trying to escape his traveling touch. She pressed her knuckles against her lower back, her face scrunching in discomfort and shot me a glare.
"Oak isn't all that comfortable, El, just FYI," she said, arching a brow.
I snorted a nervous laugh, glancing at the disheveled bookcase, and bit my lower lip in sympathy. I hadn't thought of comfort when I had cast against her. I would need to remember that in the future.
"I'll take a look later, Lena. I can probably take care of any pain and bruising. Sorry...but I'm fairly certain becoming a vampires chew toy would have been a lot more painful, just FYI," I said with a playful wink.
I sheepishly tilted my head, smiling weakly. Elena straightened her back with a roll of her eyes, and laughed, nodding rapidly.
"I'll live, a few bruises are better than blood loss or a broken neck," she agreed, her fiery gaze rising over my shoulder.
I could hear a sinister laugh behind me, dark and deep, and turned around. Damon was still standing where Stefan had left him, but his eyes were back to their standard crystal blue. I observed his casual posture and noticed how, despite his relaxed demeanor, he was still poised to leap into action — his body was tilted toward mine. His arms opened as he smiled, shifting closer.
"Looks like you were saved by the bell, Elandra. What would you have done if I had attacked, huh? You wouldn't have been able to keep up this innocent act anymore. Elena would have seen exactly how far you're willing to go to protect your little blood sacrifice,"
He progressed closer, his expression alight with a manic, almost insane glee.
"What are you going to do when she figures out that you only care about yourself and your original family? That you'll do anything for them, even kill the people you claim to love," he questioned, hovering in front of me.
I had put up with a lot from the people I had protected for most of my life as Elara Gilbert and Elandra Miller. They tended to question my loyalty more than most people ever had and continuously treated me like a child. However, I still loved them and chose to turn the other cheek, but there was only so much a person could take, and this…this was it for me. I would never hurt the people I claimed as my own, and to demean me in such a way.
A white-hot heat spread from my chest to the tips of my fingers, and I could feel the fire in my eyes as they began to glow with my anger. I clasped my hands shut and reared my fist back, ramming it forward to collide with Damon's nose. A sharp crunch filled the air, and I felt warm wetness running down my knuckles, but ignored it in favor of the pain that was growing in my small wrist. I pulled my hand back, cradling my wrist against my chest with a whimper. I leaned away from Damon, twirling around and falling against my sister. Elena took hold of my shoulders, a shocked snicker of approval building from her. She grabbed my arm, helping me support my injured hand. Damon slowly twisted his head back around. His eyes widened as he lifted his hand toward his bloodied nose, popping it back into place with an audible crunch of cartilage. He opened his mouth, wiggling his jaw as he tried to readjust to his newly healed nose. I held my wrist close to my breast and kept my glare firmly in place. I regretted nothing. I was done with Damon's attitude and had no plans to forgive him or try to make things right anytime soon.
"Well, someone certainly showed you how to throw a nasty right hook," he said with a small hint of admiration.
I tilted my shoulder, smirking devilishly. "I've had several brothers who wanted me protected. Not to mention a very possessive fiance. I've been taught a great many things."
There it was, the flash of jealousy I knew he was trying to hide from everyone, including himself. I hated to admit it, but it gave me a bit of a wicked thrill knowing that I had hurt him as he had been hurting me, even if it was only slightly. Stefan came up beside me, briefly glancing down at my hand with an annoyed sigh, and then looked at his brother.
"Are you both done now?"
He looked down at me again and ushered for my wrist, and I reluctantly lifted my arm. My hand was already turning a dark shade of purple. I could feel, even without Stefan examining me, that I had broken something. He gently pressed his fingers against the bruising and shook his head.
"It's broken; I'm gonna have to heal you."
I wiggled my nose uneasily and looked away. I didn't want to owe them anything, and asking for their blood felt like losing a battle. Elena came up beside me, tapping her toe on the floor with a deep frown. "Ellie, just do it. It doesn't mean anything," she muttered. "Besides, you still win, you got to punch Damon in the face. It was epic!"
I watched as she smiled, the glow of it lighting up her face, and gave in, lowering my head in acceptance.
"Ugh fine, let's just get it over with. Someone needs to find Caroline. I couldn't get a hold of her earlier, and I've been wasting time with this nonsense."
Stefan lifted his wrist to his mouth, but before he could place it against his lips, Damon took hold of my shoulder, yanking me to the side without a touch of tenderness. Elena pushed forward, snarling. She tried to take hold of my arm, but Damon spun my body away. He bit into his wrist and shoved it against my lips. Gagging, I tried to fight against his obtrusive actions, but my aching hand wasn't much help, and finally, I was forced to give in. The familiar coppery taste of his thick, almost sweet blood choked me as it rushed down my throat. Coughing, I felt my skin tingle, and he hissed in pain, releasing me as his flesh sizzled. I stumbled backward, my mouth wet with blood, and looked at Damon's raw hands as they slowly started to heal.
I roughly wiped away the evidence of what he had done, avoiding the bright red streak of blood left on the sleeve of my jacket, and glared at him, snarling in anger. "Don't fucking touch me. Stefan was perfectly capable of healing me."
Damon rubbed his healed hands together experimentally and raised a challenging brow. "Maybe, but I'm here, there was no reason for Stefan to heal you. You're my responsibility, not Stefans, and I'll be the one that deals with you."
Elena moved closer to me, gently reaching up to rub my arm soothingly. She curiously looked at Damon, her brown eyes confused and genuinely amused.
"Are you really as blind as you act, or is it all for show? Because I honestly can't tell if you truly believe all the shit you spout anymore," she said.
Stefan cleared his throat, drawing our attention, and I turned away from Damon with one final glare. Elena folded her arms and waited for her boyfriend… or whatever he was to her now to speak.
"Enough of this." he pointed at all of us in turn and sighed, "Elara, you said you couldn't get a hold of Caroline, shouldn't that be your main concern, isn't she's your best friend?"
Damon scoffed, rolling his eyes. "Caroline is as much a prop as we were Stefan. She doesn't really need vampire barbie anymore."
"Really?!"
My eyes widened in disbelief. How could he think everything was an act? I threw up my hands, itching to beat them against his chest until he decided to listen.
"None of you were props! Everything I shared with you was real Damon, as is what I share with everyone else."
I turned back to Stefan, fidgeting with the sleeves of my jacket.
"She didn't answer my call, and that's not like her, maybe if you try?"
Stefan pulled out his cell and turned away, dialing Caroline's number. I brushed my fingers through my hair and watched him with bated breath. I knew something was wrong, I could feel it. A stiff pause in Stefan's steady movement told me I was right, his face paled, and he spun around. His lips curled as he heatedly spoke.
"Who is this?"
He didn't bother placing the call on speaker, but I could quickly tell that whoever was on the other end had struck a nerve when Damon froze his jaw tense.
"Jules? Where's Caroline?" Stefan asked.
I lowered my head in fearful understanding, pain lacing through me. She was all alone with a pack of vengeful werewolves who knew exactly how to inflict pain on her kind. Elena's palm lowered on my upper back, and I felt my chest heaving; I hadn't even noticed that my breathing had become so labored.
"Where is she?" Stefan bit out.
My attention became transfixed on him, waiting for Jules's reply, and my hands trembled. Stefan winced after a tense moment, pulling the phone away from his ear, and even Damon seemed to shiver in pity. A fierce bubbling of anger started to boil within me, and I launched forward, grabbing the phone from his hand and placing it against my ear.
"Listen here, you furry little bitch, if you touch her again I will make your entire pack pay!" I spat, my teeth bared.
I could hear a static chuckle, and it only made my anger heat to volcanic proportions. So much for leaving the pack alive for Niklaus.
"You must be the pretty little redhead I've seen hanging around Tyler. What exactly do you think you can do to us?"
I could hear a sneer in her voice as she laughed, joined by several others with a deeper, more masculine pitch.
"You don't know who you've involved yourself with, little girl. This isn't a game. Where are they, huh, Mason and Tyler? Tell me, and I might just spare you and your family," she said.
I looked down at my feet, smiling despite my anger. At least I now knew that she was the one with no idea who she was messing with. Threatening not only Caroline but my family as well — she was a fool.
"Mason is no longer your concern, and Tyler never was. I am coming to retrieve Caroline, and just know, if she is hurt in any way, I will tear through your wolves with no mercy. You are the one who has no clue what you have just unleashed."
I hung up and tossed Stefan his cell. I zipped up my jacket, pulling up the hood.
"Stay here, Elena. I will be back later," I said, my voice monotone.
I started for the door, my stride steady, and was only pulled back by the pleading sound of my sister's voice.
"Wait, please! You can't just leave me here and take off like some warrior princess, dammit. Damon has already proven we can't exactly trust him."
I turned back, growling in frustration. She was right, after all, it wasn't exactly safe to leave her behind with either Salvatore right now, but I couldn't just leave Caroline to her fate.
"Elena, I'm sorry, but I can't exactly take you with me. You have no place in a fight, especially one involving werewolves. What do you expect me to do?"
Elena shook her head, eyes filled with annoyance, and an exasperated expression flitted across her face. "Good lord, you are supposed to be the smart one. Call your thousand-year-old brother, you dork."
Briefly closing my eyes, I placed a hand on my neck, offering her a fond smile. Why had I not even considered that? I pulled out my phone as Stefan and Damon rushed forward, ever her knights in bloodied armor.
"We can protect you, Elena, you would be safe here, there is no need for you to leave," Stefan said, reaching toward Elena's face. With a smile that appeared to be more like a wince, Elena side-stepped, avoiding him.
"Listen, Stefan, I appreciate that you want to protect me, but I need to be with El. I can't trust that you guys will do what I ask; you trapped me in my own home because that's what you thought was best. I love you, but I've gotta do what's best for my family right now. Please understand," she said, unconsciously moving closer to me.
Stefan jerked back as if she had slapped him, his expression pitiful and rejected. There was an arrogantly satisfied smile on Damon's face, and I rolled my eyes at his juvenile behavior. It was as if neither of them had ever grown up — which they probably hadn't. They had been turned too young, and during an emotional time in their lives. Sometimes, the worst of yourself is sadly, what tends to become amplified after the transition.
"Elena, you won't be safe out there, not even with an Original," Damon tried.
Elena inclined her head, rubbing the bridge of her nose irritably. "Let's not do this again, Damon. I am not staying here so that you can corner me, and God knows what else. My place is with Elara, and I know Elijah better than you do. I trust him," she said, the smug air she had adopted earlier coming back in full force.
I pulled the phone from my ear, tucking it away, and took Elena's hand. "It's time we go. They know where she is, and they are gonna meet us there." I pointed at the brothers, my expression firm. "Stay here, I can't heal you if you get bitten."
Damon gave me a daring look, one brow arched in curiosity. "They? Who are they, Elandra?"
My finger still jutted out toward him, I jerked it forward fiercely. "Mind your own business, Salvatore. Stay here or die; your choice, but I'd rather you live," I said, a sigh escaping me.
Elena shrugged, pulling me away. "I'd be fine either way, but Stefan, please stay here," she begged.
Stefan ran his fingers through his lifeless hair, nodding despite his sullen attitude. With a final glare of warning for each of them, I allowed Elena to pull me outside.
Turning onto the deserted country road, I slowed down, the gravel crunching under the tires as I kept my eyes peeled for the Martins or Elijah. The sky was dark and eerie, the only sounds in the night air the songs of the nightlife in the woods that surrounded us.
"You're sure this is the road they said to turn on because this is turning into something out of the movie Wrong Turn?" Elena whispered.
I chuckled, shaking my head at my nervous sister. "Yes, I'm sure. Besides, I love Eliza Dushku, and so do you."
Elena's eyes widened, and she gestured out the windshield at the dark woods. "Yeah, she is awesome, but I don't want to be attacked by hillbilly cannibals. If we were gonna be in one of her movies I'd much prefer Bring it On! I could survive in that one; I'm a cheerleader, not a warrior," she all but gasped.
I openly laughed at her wide-eyed thoughtful expression. She was acting as if we'd actually been transported into a movie, and she was now worried she'd have to survive. As if our real life wasn't insane enough.
"Oh, Elena, everything is fine, calm your size, Bs," I said, winking at her.
Covering her chest, Elena scoffed in outrage, smacking at my arm. "Whoa girl, I'm parking! Stop trying to send us to the Gods early," I exclaimed.
Shutting off the high beams, I slid from the car, glancing around. The road stopped at a dead end and was surrounded on both sides by thick dark woods. A gentle breeze rustled the trees, and Elena squeaked, running around the back of the car, joining me on the other side. She took hold of my hood, grasping onto me tightly.
"Oh God, this is such a bad idea," she said.
I reached behind me, pulling my hood from her grasp and tried my best reassuring smile. "Everything is going to be fine, Lena. Caroline needs us. We have to help her."
Elena bobbed her head, her body quivering with fear, and I took hold of her hand. "We should only have to travel a few yards through the woods, and then they will be just over the hill. It's where they said to meet."
Elena held onto my waist as we carefully pushed through the dark trees, our way lit only by the flashlight on Elena's phone. I was grateful that I had chosen to wear actual shoes instead of flip flops as I tended to do on my more lazy days. Even with my converse on, I could still feel branches poking at my ankles painfully. Elena caught me as I stumbled over an overturned stump, my hands flailing out around me, and she pulled me back to my feet with a scared, aggravated huff.
"I can see now how you'd so easily die. You're a freaking accident magnet," she said, her expression wary.
We made the trek up the muddy ridge toward a less dense part of the woods, our knees and hands covered in wet earth, and I took a breath of relieved air. Once we reached the top, I could make out the silhouette of two men. They were standing near a disfigured tree a few feet ahead of us. With narrowed eyes, I pushed Elena behind me. Wiping her mud-caked hands on her shirt, she paused, looking down the path at the two darkened shapes.
"You know the rules, stay behind me and don't interfere," I said.
Elena nodded quickly, taking hold of my arm as we slowly approached the shadowed figures. I couldn't make out who they were yet, and I wasn't taking any chances.
I started to relax as my eyes adjusted, and I made out the crisp designer suite worn by the one on the right. Elijah turned toward me, cocking a surprised brow as he took in the sight of Elena all but cowering behind me.
"You brought the doppelganger?"
Elena huffed, stepping around me and only sparing Jonas a single unsure glance. "She brought Elena."
I smiled at my sister, still amazed by her newfound bravery. Maybe she was digging deep and finding some of that Petrova fire. As long as she didn't pull forth some of the less fun aspects of her bloodline, I was totally okay with it.
"I couldn't leave her behind 'Lijah, the Salvatores are proving…problematic."
Elijah's upper lip twitched, his eyes darkening, and I raised my hand. "But they are my problem, and I shall deal with them on my own and in my own way," I firmly said.
Elijah's eyes cooled, and he sighed, nodding in reluctant acceptance. Placing a hand in his pocket, he turned, glancing at the small clearing behind him. "The pack has taken camp about fifteen minutes away in that direction. I have asked Jonas to help you tame them while I go in and rescue the vampire."
Elena wrapped her arms around herself, licking her lips. "And what should I do?" she asked, accepting his lead.
I held steady, keeping my mouth shut. It would be good for them to bond, even in this small way. I needed them to trust one another if I was going to make any progress. I wanted Elena to be accepted into the fold as more than the doppelganger, and that was going to prove difficult. She held the face of two different women who had betrayed both Elijah and Niklaus.
Elijah studied her for the length of a single breath and then turned away, focusing on me. "Elena can stay with you and Jonas. Between the two of you, I doubt a single wolf will survive."
Elena hurriedly came to obediently stand between Jonas and me, and Elijah stifled a smile at her antics. Jonas stepped forward, rotating his shoulders, his eyes alight with the thrill of battle. He bowed his head respectfully. "Are you ready, Lady Rioult?"
I avoided looking at my sister but could see the confusion and surprise forming on her face out of my peripheral.
"Yeah, let's get this over with. Jules is mine. I think she'll be the perfect wolf for Nik's ritual. I have no place for the rest," I said, brushing their existence away with a simple flick of my fingers.
There was a brief flash of surprise on Elijah's face, but he schooled his features with practiced perfection. "How easily you now dismiss life, sister," he said.
I schooled my expression, a fresh countenance taking over. I knew he would soon notice the differences; I had lived through a lot since he had known me as his sister, but I hoped it wouldn't change the way he saw me.
"I am much changed, Elijah. These wolves threatened what's mine, and I don't take kindly to people touching my things," I smirked, only half-joking.
Elena choked on a laugh, covering her upturned lips. "You never did like sharing, Ellie," she said, smiling warmly.
She could see I was becoming uncomfortable, nervous. She offered me comforting in the only way she could, at least right now, when she was fighting her own nerves.
Elijah took a step closer to me, reaching out to cup my face. "You asked me if you were still a part of Always and Forever? Eternally. Nothing could ever stop me from loving you, sister," he said, placing a gentle kiss on my cheek.
I sighed, gripping onto the lapels of his suit jacket as he tried to pull away. I leaned closer, placing my forehead against his chest. "Thank you. I have lost so much, so many people. The idea of losing any of you…. it's unbearable."
Elijah's warm palm cradled my head, his fingers carting through the loose strands of my hair. "We will always be here, Lannie. You don't have to fight so hard anymore, you're not alone. Let me help you," he said.
I fought the heat straining against my eyes, the stinging burn that was threatening to pull me down right when I needed to be at my strongest. He was wrong. I couldn't depend on him. I couldn't allow myself to be weak because, in the end, I was always alone. I placed my palms on his hard chest, pushing away from its welcoming warmth. I took a steady breath and smiled weakly, hoping that he didn't see the war I was fighting on the inside.
"Thank you, Elijah. I appreciate you being here for Caroline and for me," I said.
Caroline…dear Gods, we were wasting so much time on sentimentality. What was this, the Disney channel? I shook myself out of my' woe is me' stupor and looked at Jonas.
"I'm ready," I said.
Elijah took one last worried glance down at me and then straightened his jacket. "I will first take Elandra, and then I will come back for Jonas — Elena, you will be fine until I return for you. The wolves have not ventured from their camp since abducting the vampire." He took a look at the sky, noticing the rising moon and looked back down at me. "They will be shifting shortly, are you sure you're ready for this?"
I cracked my knuckles, a pleasant pulse vibrating through my bones as my fingers started to brighten the darkness.
"When am I ever unsure about kicking ass?"
Elena rolled her eyes, mumbling something about a warrior complex, and I ignored her, wrapping my arms around Elijah's neck.
"Take me away, Mr. Mikelason."
Elijah placed his palms on my lower back, and I felt my stomach lurch as we bolted forward. I planted my face on his chest, holding my breath. His speed was different then I was used to with Damon or Caroline. This felt like being pressed against a brick wall by the force of an F5 tornado. My hair harshly whipped my face, and I felt my lungs burn with the need for oxygen. When I felt like my body could no longer handle it, we stopped so abruptly that I gasped with its shock. My lungs ached as they inhaled the sudden rush of air. If Elijah had not been holding onto me so tightly, my knees would have buckled beneath me. I shakily stepped away from him, and seeing my trembling form, he kept ahold of my waist.
"I'm sorry, Lannie, I know how disturbing that can be for a human, even one with so many gifts," he said, smiling despite the worry in his brown eyes.
I waved him away, bending over on wobbly knees. "Yeah, yeah, no, I'm okay. Go and get the others."
I felt him release my waist as I breathed deeply through my nose, fighting against nausea, and my hair fluttered as he sped away. Slowly standing, I placed my hands on my hips. I looked at the small clearing where Elijah had taken us, it didn't appear any different from the area we had left. We were still surrounded by the thick woods that Mystic Falls was known for, and up ahead, I could see a small area where the trees gave way to a clearing. I took a few tentative steps forward and was stopped by a gentle hand of warning. I spun around, surprised that I had been so caught off guard.
"Their camp is just up ahead, they have an RV and several tents set up in the clearing," Elijah said.
I placed my hand against my heavily beating heart, annoyed that I had been so caught up in my thoughts that he had gotten the jump on me. Jonas stood at my side, his eyes glued to the clearing where I could now see a faint yellowish glow in the darkness.
"It's time to end this," he said.
I clenched my teeth, squeezing my hands into fists. "Agreed."
Elijah left to retrieve Elena, and Jonas and I started toward the clearing. Our feet sank into the wet earth as we trudged through the ankle-high grass. I glanced over at the intently focused warlock. I pointed toward my left, circling my arm around to let him know which position I was ready to take. He nodded in understanding, turning to head right. The tingle in my hands grew, raising up my arms, and I was grateful for the extra advantage that the bright glow provided. My eyes adjusted to the blue hue that now cloaked me. I finally saw the large old fashioned RV and army green makeshift tents that dotted the trees around it. I stopped a few feet away and shook loose strands of hair from my eyes, puckering my lips, I let off a merry whistle.
"Here doggy, doggy!" I hollered.
The door of the RV slammed open, bouncing off the aluminum siding, and a man with short dark hair bolted out. He was wearing a grey button-up shirt and a dark green jacket. His eyes promised trouble, and I couldn't help but wonder briefly if he was Jules's Beta. With a quick intensity, he glanced around the clearing until he spotted me. Growling deeply, his chin dipped, eyes scanning the area behind me for further threats.
"Well, well, you must be Jules's second in command,"
I took a few casual steps closer, smiling as his growl deepened, confirming my guess. There was a rustling behind him, and the tents emptied as several men and women circled him, their heads slightly bowed, waiting for his command. With Jules absent, he was their leader. My eyes fell on each of them, taking in their haggard appearance. They all wore clothes that had seen better days, dirty and lined with holes. They obviously hadn't showered in Gods only knew how long, their hair was matted and covered in bits of dirt and debris. It was apparent they had been 'camping' more often than not. An unfamiliar protective instinct flared within me, and I felt pity for them. Their eyes began to glow gold as the moon rose above me, unshielded by the clouds, and I sighed reluctantly. Suddenly I was uncertain this was the right thing to do. After all, was it indeed their fault Jules had led them down the wrong path? Could none of them be saved?
"I don't want to hurt any of you; Jules is the only one I have an issue with. I know she is your Alpha, but it doesn't appear that she is much of one. You don't have to suffer for her. There is another way," I said, backing up slightly.
Their bodies broke painfully, bones cracking in the silent night air, and I winced, hating this part like no other. The Betas neck snapped as he glared at me menacingly, his golden eyes locking onto my frozen form, and I felt my magic pulse in a warning. A warning not for him, but for me. This was unlike any danger I had faced before, at least in this life. Ten werewolves were transforming right in front of my eyes, and my instincts were telling me to flee, but I knew I couldn't. The Beta wolf flew forward fully transformed, his yellow teeth bared as he lunged for my neck. I lifted my hands, a cloud of magic swirling in my palms, and flung it at the wolf. He hovered, hanging in midair, encased with the glow of my magic. The poor creature whimpered, a pitiful, shocking sound, and I looked beyond him at the other snarling members of the pack. Their paws dug up dirt and grass as they clawed at the earth in their anger. They were leaderless, their Alpha nowhere to be found, and their Beta now having been seemingly defeated. Their golden eyes were glued between their still suspended Beta and me. I was at a loss; I had suspected them to at least attack me, but they were still unmoving for some reason. They were angry but not acting on it. I stepped closer to the agitated pack and watched in amazement as they snarled, jaws wet with foam, snapping at me in a fury but still made no move to attack.
With a cautious hand, I pointed a disappointed finger at them like I would a house pet. "Hush!" I firmly yelled.
Their snapping ceased. They very slowly lowered themselves to the ground, oddly expressive golden eyes wide with what I would surmise as a shock. They could understand me. I had heard of something like it before, an anomaly amongst pack members, but I had never witnessed it. A deep, terrified chuckle tumbled from my chest, and I looked at the obedient pack at my feet.
What. The. Hell. How was this even possible? I'm human; they shouldn't have even considered me an option once their leaders fell. My fingers circled my temple, and I realized that this wouldn't last unless I took care of the apparent problem floating motionless behind me. Who knew what would happen if I released their Beta, and I didn't really want to kill the entire pack despite what I said to Jonas and Elijah. Something had happened when I laid eyes on them. Some new instincts that I wasn't even aware I had, had been triggered. A small part of me was aware that Mason and Tyler, and the weird way they had both started acting probably had something to do with it.
Even though I had an idea, now wasn't the time to go all Hermione Granger and head to research it. I pushed it down with the rest of the crap on and off my checklist and turned around, facing the suspended Beta wolf. I placed my palm on his dark fur, saddened that I was being forced to do this, and closed my eyes against the pain. My magic flowed from my palm and into the wolf, and I felt him twitch under my hand, whimpering. His feet kicked against the empty air as he fought uselessly against the swirling power of my magic. I twisted my wrist, and he went still, the glow around his body fading as he lifelessly floated to the ground. It had been painless for him, but not for me. He hadn't been a good man, that I could tell just by the darkness in his eyes before he shifted, but I still hated killing one of their species. There were so few werewolves as it was. The pack howled behind me, the pain clear for all to hear, and my eyes burned, tears obscuring my vision. I turned around, lowering myself to the ground in front of the grieving wolves. I placed my hand on the brown fur of the one closest to me. Her head was planted on the ground, a paw covering her eyes. I scratched her ear sympathetically.
"I am so sorry that I had to do that. I never wanted to. Jules was the only one of your pack that I came here for, and only because she took one of my own," I said, continuing to rub the wolf's fur.
I tried to stay in the present, and not freak out. I was sitting on the ground, circled by a pack of werewolves. My pack. Jules had obviously left the Beta in charge, and now the pack had somehow been transferred to me. The wolf placed her head in my lap, and I stiffened, taking a steady, calm breath to lower my heart rate. I couldn't show them my fear.
I continued rubbing her fur and looked out over the rest of them. "I can protect you, no matter how odd this all may seem. Once the sun rises and you all transform back into your human forms, I can fully explain what I can offer you,"
I stopped my progression on the wolf's fur, and she harrumphed, her warm breath fanning my arm. I couldn't stop the surprised giggle, raising a brow and smiling down at whoever it may be.
"All I am going to ask of you is loyalty and trust, and to follow a few simple rules. Such as, no harming humans or vampires—"
A chorus of growls interrupted me, and I cleared my throat, adopting what I knew would soon become my Alpha voice.
"Enough! There will be consequences if you disobey me. Am I clear?" I said, with a firmness that could not be denied.
There were a few snuffles and grumbles that sounded like yips of displeasure, but I took it as an affirmative and clapped my hands together.
"Well then, it looks like we are a pack. You all are officially mine to protect," I said, a lead weight settling in my stomach. Yet more people I was responsible for, and my time was like petals on the wind.
There was the squelching sound of shoes on wet grass, and the wolves heaved themselves from the ground, teeth bared and growling menacingly. I sat up on my knees and looked over their stiff forms to find a stunned Elijah frozen in place. His jacket had become unbuttoned, revealing the blue shirt underneath. His much too long hair fell in his eyes as he quickly took me in, nose twitching, searching for injuries.
"Elandra, what happened? Are you hurt?" he asked, lifting one foot as if preparing to leap into action.
I stood, brushing off my knees and the wolves closest to me pressed against my legs protectively. Elijah's back stiffened. The skin around his eyes grew darker as veins started to pulse, his fangs growing as he hissed in warning. I widened my eyes, flicking my fingers towards the now snarling wolves.
"Do they look like they are going to attack me, 'Lijah? Calm down." I said.
Elijah brushed his hair back, his nostrils flaring as he exhaled. "What exactly did you do, sister?"
My cheeks warmed, and I stepped outside of the circle of wolves, looking down at them intently. "Be calm," I demanded.
Their heads bowed, and they whined as they watched me approach Elijah, who was openly staring in horrified realization. "Elandra, this isn't possible, it shouldn't be possible."
I wiped at my tired, itchy eyes and nodded, agreeing with him. I knew the Gilbert line held no werewolf lineage, so I could safely say I would not be sprouting fur someday. "I know, Elijah. I don't know what happened, but after I subdued their Beta, they accepted me as their new Alpha. Bada bing bada boom, I control the pack," I said, a hint of hysteria in my voice.
Elijah took my hand and rubbed circles atop my knuckles.
"We will deal with this, we have to. Can you imagine how Niklaus will react to you being in charge of an entire pack of werewolves?" he said.
I laughed miserably. Yes, I could imagine it. He would flip out, and it would send him into a paranoia spiral. Elijah took a look at the pack, and I could see his eyes flash.
"You need to send them away. Your vampire needs you, and I am sure your sister's patience has worn thin," he said.
I looked at him, brow cocked in evident confusion, and played with the charm on my bracelet.
"I don't mean forever, but they can't exactly move into your house, Elandra. They are not dogs, they are werewolves. Send them hunting. They will find their way back here tomorrow, and we can take care of things then."
With a thankful smile, I turned to the pack, swallowing my nerves.
"You all may go hunt for the night, but remember the rules. You will not harm a human nor a vampire unless they mean you harm. Understood?"
The wolves howled in unison and bolted toward the woods, their speed blinding. Once they were gone, I bunched my fingers in my hair, turning to Elijah.
"I don't know how I'm gonna do this..."
Elijah took me in his arms, hugging me for a moment before pulling away.
"You can and will. You are a Mikaelson,"
It wasn't much of a pep talk, but it was exactly what I needed to hear. Placing my hand on my throat, I swallowed deeply.
"I assume Jonas was the one to handle Jules?" I asked.
Elijah placed his hand on my back and led me toward the RV. "She is unconscious and awaiting your return. Where exactly are you planning to keep her?"
Looking over at him, I rubbed the side of my face nervously. "Oh hell, I was hoping to pass that off on you. Think you can store her away until Nik shows up. I've been told he's on his way, so it won't be long."
Elijah laughed, his brow curved in thought as he rubbed my back absentmindedly. "Who exactly are you gathering your information from? It seems to be the same as mine, but I wouldn't expect you to know anyone connected with us. Otherwise, I would have heard of your existence long before now," he curiously said.
I placed a hand on his chest, patting him gently, smiling ruefully. "Sorry, but I can't tell you that. They will continue to be my little secret, and you'd think me insane for a good reason."
Elijah' tisked,' his tongue rolling over his top teeth irritably. "I would never think you insane, Lannie."
I laughed, my hand falling atop my heart, and shook my head without a hint of real humor. "This time, yes, you would."
We stopped at the RV, and Jonas stepped away from Caroline. She was fussing over her blood-stained shirt, dotted with bullet holes, and my face paled. I rushed forward, my hands hovering in front of her, and she looked up at me, her sheet white face pained.
"I'm okay, really. It's all over. Elijah here brought me a blood bag. I am fairly healed now," she said, her hand touching my cheek reassuringly.
I wasn't sure what she saw in my face: that she would be the one trying to reassure me, but her blue eyes were concerned and kept darting around looking for help wherever she could find it.
"How could you say that? You are covered in blood. They shot you! Who...who shot you, Caroline?" I said, my mind jumping from one point to the next as I pulled at her shirt, examining the bullet holes.
Caroline pulled my hand away from her shirt, my finger getting trapped in the frayed strands, and she brushed my hair from my forehead. "His name was Brady, he was that woman's — Jules's — boyfriend. He left me alone when you started screaming out here," she said, smiling fondly.
Brady, his name had been Brady. I didn't feel nearly as bad now about killing him now. I pulled her into a hug, and she squeezed me tightly, laughing when I wheezed.
"Can't breathe. Human, remember!"
Elena came up beside us, yawning into her hand. "I think it's time we get outta here," she said.
I smiled when I found Elijah quietly talking to Jonas, giving us the illusion of privacy, which I appreciated.
"Thank you both for helping us," I said, slowly approaching them.
Jonas nodded, shrugging. "You and I have an understanding, Lady Rioult. You are bound to my family for the time being. I will help you when I can," he said.
I could hear Caroline scoff, a chuckle building as she elbowed Elena in the ribs. "Lady? Since when is Elara a lady?" she whispered.
Elena shook her head, her dark hair falling in waves around her shoulders.
"Hell if I know. I never understand half of what some people say to her," she answered honestly.
Elijah sighed at their conversation, his dark eyes exasperated, and focused on me. "I will deal with the werewolf. Jonas will keep her spelled until she is needed.
I hummed gratefully, my eyes closing in thanks. "That's great. I already have so much on my plate; it's nice to know at least one thing is being handled by someone else. Someone I can trust."
Elijah's eyes hardened, and he folded his arms. "You can always come to me. My brother's curse is as much my responsibility as yours, if not more so."
I waved away his dark gaze and placed my hands on his tight biceps. "I know I can come to you, and if I need to, I will," I promised.
He didn't need to know my promise was half-hearted.
I looked at Elena, who was now swaying on her feet, her eyes half-lidded. "Now I think it's time we humans head home. Is there any way you vamps could give us a lift back to our car?" I said, shamelessly winking. Elijah's eyes narrowed, and predatorily he started stalking toward me.
My throat dried, and my heart began to race of its own accord. Smiling, he wrapped his arms around my waist. With a flash, my breath was gone, and so were the racing thoughts in my mind.
The night air was stiff and quiet as a black SUV passed the Welcome to Mystic Falls sign, crossing over Wickery Bridge. The unaware man inside didn't realize it's significance to the two people that unknowingly awaited him. Journeying further into town, he parked next to the only open restaurant available, no one was around to notice the new arrival, and that's just how he liked it. He knew that somewhere, his brother was waiting. He expected he would have to deal with his betrayal sooner rather than later. Still, his main concern was finding out exactly what was being hidden from him in this quiet little town. A few weeks back, he had received several conflicting reports. After the phone call — the one that had led to the death of many a useless witch — he was more determined than ever to figure out exactly who was playing games with him. Klaus Mikaelson wasn't a patient man, that was something his family knew best, but when someone was hiding something from him, he showed no mercy. A fact the residents of Mystic Falls were soon to find out.
He wasn't sure who had discovered the truth about her — learned her story. She was something Klaus had hidden long ago, buried so deep that not even he could find the memories. His siblings knew better than to utter a single syllable of her name. Whoever it was had been powerful enough to conjure her from the very fabric of his mind, and that's what angered him so. Who could be powerful enough to dig up something from so long ago? The only person he could even think of would be his mother, and she was long gone. Klaus himself had made sure of that. Even with that in mind, there was no way he could deny that it had been her, he would never forget the sound of her voice, and that had definitely been her.
The torture of it had been enough to send him into a murderous rage. He had torn through witch after a witch, demanding they produce her, or whoever had created the illusion. When the magic proved what he had already known to be true— that she no longer existed — and that there was nothing to find, it was like being forced to watch her burn again. He had felt helpless, and that is an emotion he refused to acknowledge.
Shortly after the incident, he had started to receive reports that his brother had found a potential doppelganger, in Mystic Falls of all places, and that he wasn't alone.
Now that had angered and intrigued him. Who could his brother have teamed up with against him?
Across the road, a brunette woman dressed in a clean white suit sauntered toward the restaurant. Her designer bag clutched against her side. Klaus's lips spread across his teeth in an animalistic grin. Slipping from the SUV, he reclined against the side of the hood, crossing his ankles. The woman slowed her progression, eyes trailing his body as she stumbled, tripping onto the sidewalk.
"Whoa, love, careful there," he said.
The woman's face flushed, her bangs falling into her eyes, and she allowed him to help her as she gathered her wits. He took her arm, leading her onto the sidewalk and toward the front entrance, taking note of the name on the door: Mystic Grill.
"Thank you. That was very kind of you. These damn heels…" she said, lifting her right leg and showing off her black stilettos as an excuse for her earlier blunder.
Klaus leaned as close as he dared, a half-smile pulling up his full lips, and his eyes flashed with triumph when he heard her heart flutter.
"I'm just glad to have been of service. I'm new to town, and you happen to be the first person I've met. Not a bad start," he said, grinning boyishly.
He hated the games, but sometimes they were a necessary evil. By the way, this woman dressed, he could quickly tell that she was an influential resident of Mystic Falls, possibly a member of one of the founding families. He could use someone who could give him the information he needed, not to mention a place to stay.
The woman's glazed eyes danced over his face, and she took a shaky breath. "Are you? Well then let me buy you a drink. I was searching for my son and his uncle, but I'm sure they're okay. My name is Carol Lockwood," she said, holding her hand out expectantly.
A Lockwood? That would do nicely.
My eyes snapped open, my fingers clutched tightly at the pillow beneath me. Twisting around in bed, I reached out for my alarm clock, pulling it forward until the dull blue numbers were easier to see: 4:15 a.m. My cool damp skin stuck to the cotton sheets as I scooted to the edge of the mattress, tossing the covers to the floor in my confused agitation. What the hell was wrong with me? Something was niggling at the corner of my mind, something I couldn't quite remember, but knew was important. A dream? I sat up, stretching uneasily, and looked around the dark room. It was as empty as it had been when Elijah brought Elena and me home only a few hours earlier. There were no dead, or nearly dead visitors, only silence. Yet, it was eerie instead of peaceful, like a calm before the storm. Something had awoken me and every fiber of my being was telling me things were never going to be the same. I took stock of myself, physically I was no different. It was intuition, my magic, that was flaring within me — screaming that things were different now. There was no longer a sense of dread building, instead, there were warning bells going off. I could feel it all over my body. My skin tingled, my hands shook, and I found myself jumping at every little sound. I looked out my window, the rising sun was starting to cast a rosy hue across the sky and the golden light was beginning to seep into my room. I stood, creeping closer to the window, and watched the day break — bringing with it, what felt like, the beginning of the end.