I own nothing other than my OC's. And please thank Bookfreak25 for doing the cover image.


Claire POV

Clearing my mind of Bekah I tried to focus on the task at hand when I heard a group of people trampling through the foliage a few yards away. It had to be them, no (sane) hikers would be out here this time of the evening looking around this deep in the woods. Prepping myself I strode towards them while pocketing my phone and plastered a smile on my face knowing this was it.

"Who's there?" A slightly panicked sounding voice belted out as I stood on some dry leaves heading towards the small pack.

"Claire?" I heard from a surprised member as I came into view to see the half set up campsite that must have been established yesterday or earlier before we arrived.

"Yeah hi Renee!" I exclaimed, smiling at the leader.

Renee was beautiful with a narrow face, piercing blue eyes and a head full of red curls, her curved body was on the larger size but she wore it well with amazing skinny jeans and a black hoodie that was speckled with dirt.

"Well girl never expected you to leave that forest of yours. How have you been, girl?" She nearly shouted happily. She had a Brooklyn accent where she originally came from.

"Not bad, met someone, new pack mate and so we decided to travel and meet other wolves, how about you all?" The all was more curtoursy as I only knew them by face value, most packs kept to themselves. She was one of the only friendlier - genuine ones that cared to talk to me and so I would get a feel of this hybrid business with her first.

"That's brilliant so what are you doing here?" She asked as the others in the pack started settling in to have dinner before the change in the form of a large BBQ.

"Looking for you, my pack leader was interested in others like us having not met many like us and those he has met haven't worked out well." I responded. Not a lie... technically.

"Ah fair enough so where is this mystery man?" She smirked.

"At the local bar I came ahead so I could see if you would be open to meeting him, especially so close to the full moon." She nodded knowingly.

"He's welcome to join us for the evening but I don't think that it would be wise to change or shift to close as we are quite territorial of this area it is our main spot unless we decide to change things up but as a male I think he would fight with the other males in the pack." She said,

"We understand, don't worry" I said, sensing him nearby.

"I'm curious," I started as I relaxed."If you had the option would you change still or not?" I asked loosely as we settled into a stroll around the compound.

"Well it's an odd question but I think I would still change if the wolf is a part of me as it is all werewolves so it would be hard to just get rid off if that's what you mean?"

"No, what if you could have unlimited control over your wolf and your change?" I verified.

"It would be a new type of freedom, why ask the impossible?" She asked, looking slightly on edge now.

"My pack mate has a way to make that happen." I stated as Klaus approached from behind just out of sight, silent as a shadow.

"How?" Now she looked almost skittish.

"Good question luv." Klaus stated as he emerged from behind me with the boyish grin playing on his lips.

And so ensued a panicked pack backing up their leader.

"Nothing to fear, this is a good thing. I can make you immortal, make you stronger and you will be the start of a new empire. An empire... of hybrids. Not vampire trapped by the sun, nor werewolf trapped by the moon but free from both. No limitations and all it takes... is a little blood and eternity will be laid at your feet." He said in his almost... hypnotic speech that he uttered to the pack I was conversing with when he crash landed at our campsite months ago.

"Your the hybrid?!" One of the wolfs stated from the back.

"Yes mate, that would be me but not the only one by the end of this meeting should all goto plan." He started circling the encampment as his words caused confused looks.

"W-we have a choice?" Renee asked, her eyes flickering to me and him in rapt attention as she stood in front of the younger wolves automatically.

"Well. You wouldn't normally but Claire here convinced me to try and appeal to you instead of just rushing in, force feeding you and snapping your necks." He stated in an almost annoyed look but we agreed before we arrived that we would try it this way at least with this pack as I knew them rather well.

"Claire? You're not one are you? You smell the same..." Renee asked, confused as she took a deeper sniff of my direction.

"No I'm not one, he gave me the chance to wait so I am." It was a little white lie but I don't think telling her that there was a glitch with the first few packs,then we became packmates so he can't physically hurt me now will convince her to join us.

"May we think about it?" She asked, obviously picking up the pack's nerves.

Klaus and I looked at each other nearly telepathically conveening. It would work well as we would be able to change tonight's run, then come back in the morning for the final choice and while a couple will try to run they would return here as a wolf with the pack leader - Renee. And she wouldn't dare run with less then an hour to the full moon when it would possibly endanger human lives as it was a popular hiking trail all around these valleys only an hour out which is why they come in so deep.

"Ok, but if you run I won't be forgiving." Klaus said with an eerily cold smirk in Renee's direction as she nodded, she only let the slight shake pass in her knees as Klaus turned and slowly started walking away back towards the way he came.

"It would mean never turning if you didn't want to, turning whenever you did and it wouldn't hurt as much as your pain tolerance would be higher with the vampire side helping your transitions along so give it a thought." I said in a comforting voice as she looked at me blankly torn with anger or betrayal and interest. Sharply nodding, she looked me in the eyes.

"We will talk about it, but if we get turned without consent you will be the person we hold accountable." She said in a tense voice, I could see she was interested but needed this to be clear - I agreed nodding, before following my Alpha.

It was a quiet walk as we headed far enough away that when we turned we wouldn't cross the other packs paths.

"I don't see why we don't just do it and they will thank me after." Klaus pouted.

"Because hopefully rumors would spread that your 'liberating' peoples curses not building an army, this way people will not run the moment they see you. Just give it a go this once and if they say no then we can leave and you can go about it your way the next time we find it." I replied to it feeling like the 100th time arguing my point.

Sighing he scooped me up and sped us a further distance.

Jumping at the sudden movement I latched onto him, scowling the whole time.

"I can feel you smirking." I stated with a pout as he sniggered.

We had developed a rather close bond, him knowing he could trust me was good for him and in turn I knew I could rely on him no matter what and that we would alway help each other, save each other and it would be like that forever.

"It's time..." I groaned, feeling a shoot of pain down my spine as my thoughts ended abruptly as the turn enraptured me.

Stopping he put me down and started stripping himself folding his clothes up so he could turn also.

It was time for our wolves to come out and our monthly run.


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