Bonnie was still getting used to the increased appetite that came with being a werewolf. She had demolished two stacks of pancakes and a half pound of bacon for breakfast. The worst part was that Bonnie wasn't even full. She was merely sated for a few hours. She could already tell that she would require an equally large lunch. Tyler promised that her appetite wouldn't be quite so voracious forever. His appetite had leveled off a few months after triggering the curse. Tyler still required more food than he did as a human. However, he stopped feeling like a bottomless pit. Bonnie thought 'bottomless pit' was the perfect way to describe how she felt.

She curled up on the couch after breakfast and thumbed through the Tyler's annotated family tree. She was trying to find the hybrid mentioned in his ancestor's journal. Tyler had told her about his discovery over breakfast. Bonnie had made a promise to herself last night after the spirits returned her powers. She wouldn't abandon the things that mattered to her in favor of saving her friends, the world, or the Other Side. Bonnie planned to make time for both endeavors because they were equally important. Her body was rapidly changing and she needed to understand what it meant. Her grandmother didn't have much information to give on what to expect. However, she was able to confirm that Ayana's children were the first in their bloodline to carry with werewolf gene. She had cursed the Bennett bloodline to prevent the creation of a witch/werewolf hybrid. Unfortunately, Ayana couldn't have known that dying and being resurrected would unravel the curse.

Sheila had told Bonnie that no one on the Other Side seemed to know where to find Ayana. She had only learned the truth about their bloodline from other deceased Bennett witches. Their ancestor had bore three children to the alpha of the North East Atlantic Pack. She had kept the paternity of her children a secret for a myriad of reasons. The most important reason being that the pack distrusted Ayana because she was so powerful. Sheila and Amelia had been searching for Ayana since Friday night when Tyler bit Bonnie. The entire Bennett bloodline had felt the moment when Tyler and Bonnie consummated the mating mark.

Tyler walked into the living room wearing an amused smile. He had just finished giving Katherine a couple blood bags for breakfast. She had tried to charm her way out of the basement—it was comical. He pumped her full of vervain the moment she finished draining the blood bags. He could hear her in the basement still hurling abuse at him. Keeping the vampire weak lowered the risk of her trying to escape the shackles. Tyler was certain that he could stop Katherine even if she managed to free herself. However, he was mindful that she was in Elena's body. He didn't want to hurt her unless it became unavoidable.

Bonnie looked up from the book when Tyler sat down on the couch. Her enhanced hearing meant that she could hear Katherine's colorful insults, too. Bonnie couldn't be sure but it seemed as if Katherine was mixing Bulgarian curse words with English ones. She smiled at him and asked, "How is our houseguest doing?"

He chuckled and joked, "She's not pleased with the amenities. I am afraid that she has asked to speak with management immediately."

She rolled her eyes playfully. "I will be sure to take her complaints under advisement. She should be nicer to us. I convinced Stefan to find a vampire to be her new vessel. He and Damon wanted to shove her in a human body."

Damon was out of town procuring the ingredients that Lucy needed. Meanwhile Stefan was trawling local vampire nests to find a vessel for Katherine. The vampires were sitting ducks during the day since daylight rings were not exactly common. No one wanted to prolong Katherine's possession of Elena's body. They were all dealing with a massive amount of guilt. Moreover, it was only a matter of time before Nadia started looking for her mother. They thought it would be wise to have a solution on hand to prevent any violence. Nadia was an old vampire and she was strong. They could probably take her down but it would be messy and at a great cost. It was better to deal with the situation diplomatically for as long as possible.

Tyler lifted an eyebrow at her. "That is nice of you considering everything Katherine has done."

The hybrid would need an abacus to keep track of all the truly messed up things Katherine had done to them. Stealing Elena's body had to be somewhere near to the top of the list along with making Damon think that she was in the tomb. However, she was also the reason that Tyler had triggered the werewolf curse. She was the reason that Caroline was a vampire. She had compelled Stefan into loving her while sleeping with his older brother. Katherine had personally altered all of their lives in unforgivable ways.

Bonnie said, "Not really. I figured that we should just cut out the middleman. Katherine obviously wants to be a vampire. If we find a human vessel, she will just have Nadia turn her."

"What are the odds that Damon lets Katherine live after we stop the travelers?" he asked.

The green-eyed girl shrugged with a wry smile. "I suppose that depends on Katherine. If she is smart, she will run as far away from Mystic Falls as she can. Damon is only playing nice now because she is in Elena's body. He is going to rip out Katherine's heart as soon as he gets the chance."

"I don't blame him," he muttered.

"I wouldn't blame him either but it will put us in an awkward position with Nadia. She spent centuries looking for her mother. I can't imagine how she will take Katherine's death."

Tyler hummed in agreement and pulled Bonnie's sock covered feet onto his lap. "It is still hard to believe that Katherine is anyone's mother. She doesn't seem like the type of person to have any level of maternal instinct."

Bonnie's thoughts drifted to her relationship with Abby. Mother and daughter spoke sparingly over the phone. However, Bonnie was the one that always initiated contact. Sometimes it felt as if Abby only spoke to her out of some warped sense of duty. The stilted tone of their conversations meant that they were incredibly short. Usually, they both gave a brief rundown on any developments before trading pleasantries and ending the call. Truthfully, Bonnie had held warmer conversations with the older woman that owned the local garden center. Bonnie couldn't explain it but she had a feeling that one day her mother would stop answering those calls. She wasn't sure if that ending would break her heart or start the long overdue healing process.

She smiled wistfully and said, "I wonder what their relationship is like. I mean they have to be close since Katherine was hiding pictures of Nadia in the dorm room. That suggests some level of affection, right?"

Tyler's brown eyes drifted to Bonnie's when he felt a sudden shift in her mood. However, a brief shake of her head warned him away from asking any questions. They were still learning how to navigate the effects of the bond. Just because they could feel each other's emotions, didn't mean that it was always appropriate to inquire about the meaning. It had taken Tyler some time to come to the same conclusion about his enhanced senses. He knew many things about their friends that he never voiced because it was a violation of their privacy.

He said, "I guess that is true. What are you looking at?"

Her mood brightened when Tyler changed the subject. She said, "I decided to give your family tree another look now that we have a name. The Lescheres were wealthy and important. It isn't likely that a family tree with this attention to detail would have skipped such a notable relative. Surely the person that compiled this information would have included the Lescheres family even without a factual link."

Tyler frowned and said, "I didn't even consider checking the family tree last night. In my defense, I was a little conflicted about the decision to involve my pack in our drama. I went straight for the genealogy website and ran a couple dozen useless searches. I used the parents names but nothing came up."

"That's fair. I probably would have been a nervous wreck waiting for answers if I hadn't been napping at the time," she joked.

He chuckled and rested his hand on Bonnie's knee. He asked, "Are you having any luck finding the name of my hybrid ancestor?"

She said, "Not yet but I have found several people with the last name Lescheres. I am following the branches up to see where they lead."

"Looks like my nutty relative's obsession with our heritage might just pay off for us," he said.

"Maybe." She bit her lip and said, "Grams said something to me last night while I was in the trance. I probably should have mentioned it last night but I knew that bringing up this person's name would have killed the mood."

He lifted an eyebrow at Bonnie. "Okay…"

"I really wanted to have sex last night," she added.

Tyler chuckled and said, "Oh, I remember that you were quite eager."

Bonnie rolled her eyes at him as her cheeks warmed with embarrassment. "I wasn't the only one."

"Can you blame me?" he asked with a heated gaze. He was really enjoying the way Bonnie's leggings clung to her thighs like a second skin. It was as if she was trying to tempt him.

She tugged a fleece blanket over her legs and muttered, "Behave. We could have guests at any moment, Ty."

He shrugged and flashed a brazen grin. "They can wait outside."

Bonnie feigned a glare despite the fact that his idea didn't sound half bad. Her heat was over but it seemed as if her libido was making up for months of inactivity. Tyler was the first person that she had been intimate with since Qetsiyah resurrected her. Frankly, she hadn't been particularly interested in sex after dying, being resurrected, and then spending time as the anchor. However, that all changed after Tyler bit her. He had awakened something inside of her and it wasn't merely her dormant wolf side.

Tyler put his hands up in mock surrender. "I will behave myself…for now. What did you want to tell me?"

"I know the name of the werewolf that fathered Ayana's children."

He looked confused. "Why would some dude that has been dead for several hundred years ruin the mood?"

"Do you know the name Ansel? He was the alpha of the pack that lived here in Mystic Falls."

Tyler's posture stiffened at the mention of Klaus' biological father. He had made a habit of listening whenever Klaus and his siblings were talking or arguing. Tyler had hated being sired to the bastard. However, his position had given him uncommon access to the hybrid. Klaus never seemed to care what his hybrids overheard because they were all under his thrall. On more than one occasion, he had actually shared stories about his life turning Europe red with blood. Tyler wasn't sure if Klaus liked him at the time or if he was just lonely.

His reaction confirmed everything that Bonnie needed to know. She said, "Apparently, Ansel took up with Ayana after Esther ended their affair. They had three children: two boys and a girl. The girl, Drue, was the eldest of the three children. She was also the progenitor of my bloodline. Grams and my great-grandmother are looking for Ayana on the Other Side. There are endless places to hide if a person doesn't want to be found so the process has been slow."

"For the moment, I am going to ignore the fact that you are related to Klaus. Maybe if we find the name of the hybrid in my family, your grandmother could find him or her on the Other Side. Finding Ayana might be good for some background but we're more concerned about if you can safely be both a witch and a werewolf. I mean you have your magic now, it means you are a full-fledged witch again. I just want to make sure that you are not in danger somehow. You know what happened to the first hybrids that Klaus tried to sire…"

Bonnie said, "I don't think that we need to worry about me dying. I would have already started showing symptoms by now. Klaus' hybrids died because the mix of werewolf blood and vampire blood is lethal. I don't know of any such problem for witches. Witches have been turned into vampires before and they survive the process. The only consequence is losing their magic."

"Do you think that you might lose your magic after we defeat the travelers?" he asked.

She shrugged. "I guess the spirits might decide to take my powers again to punish me. They aren't exactly thrilled with me becoming a hybrid. However, I don't think that I would lose access to my powers simply because I am a hybrid. The only reason that vampires can't also be witches is because they are dead. Once you die, you lose your connection to the living. Life and nature are what fuels witchcraft. Werewolves are very much alive. They are almost as connected to nature as witches are because of their dual animal nature."

Tyler relaxed when he realized that Bonnie wasn't in any immediate danger. However, he was concerned about the spirits taking her magic again. He had witnessed firsthand how she had struggled without it. Tyler had watched her sit outside communing with nature and trying to channel the elements. She had been relentless, but many nights she returned home disappointed at the lack of progress. Yet she always returned to the Falls the following night to try again. He admired her optimism and dedication.

He chuckled and said, "You are related to Klaus."

Bonnie groaned and rolled her eyes at him. "I am only related to him very distantly. Like a million generations removed. Anyway, you aren't exactly in the position to tease me since he is your sire. You literally have his blood in your veins."

Tyler grasped Bonnie's chin and then pulled her in for a kiss. "Don't remind me."

She sighed happily against his lips. Bonnie pulled back and said, "Let me put the book down, Ty. I don't want to damage the pages."

He took the book and placed it on the table. "Better?"

Bonnie laughed, "Yes."

Tyler was about to move on top of Bonnie when he heard a car pull up outside. He groaned and rested his forehead against her shoulder. "What time is it?"

Bonnie grabbed her phone and said, "It is noon."

He huffed and climbed off the couch. "I could have sworn that we said two o'clock."

She laughed and sat up on the couch. "Are you really surprised that our friends aren't capable of following directions? We are lucky that they waited this long to show up."

Tyler's frown deepened when he heard a second car arrive. He muttered, "If it is Jeremy, I am going to punch him in the face."

"Ty!" Bonnie chided him.

They both knew that dealing with Jeremy's anger was inevitable. Bonnie couldn't have been more clear with the teen when she ended their relationship. Unfortunately, he hadn't believed her at the time. Jeremy thought she was going through some kind of phase until last night.

Tyler opened the front door and tried not to scowl at their much too early guests. However, judging by the way that Matt winced upon seeing him, he wasn't doing a very good job.

Jeremy was helping Caroline get some bags out of her car.

Matt shook his head and said, "Sorry, man. I held them off for as long as possible."

Tyler just smiled at his friend. He knew how often Matt was dragged into other people's drama. In general, he lived a fairly calm existence. He often wondered why Matt continued to live in Mystic Falls. He could be living a normal life in almost any other city in the United States.

Caroline walked up to the front door with a bag in her hand. She said, "Good morning!"

Jeremy didn't bother hiding the scowl on his face.

Tyler cleared his throat. "Hey. I thought you had classes this morning, Caroline."

She walked into the house. "I figured the travelers trying to destroy the Other Side was a good excuse to miss my classes. Besides, I am caught up on all of my assignments and I can get notes from classmates."

He pushed the door closed once everyone was inside. Tyler asked, "What's with the bags?"

She looked down and then shook her head. "Oh, I packed a couple bags for Elena. I didn't know when we would be able to get Katherine out of her body. I just thought that she should have clean clothes, make up, and hair products. I am sure that she is going to want to take a very long bath. I know that I would feel filthy if Katherine had possessed my body for even a day."

"I guess you have a point there," he said.

Caroline tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. "I am sorry for everyone showing up so early. I convinced Jeremy and Matt to come with me. I tried to get Damon and Stefan to join us but I guess they already know what is going on here."

The two older vampires had stayed behind last night looking for an explanation. They already knew some pieces to the puzzle. Bonnie and Tyler had explained just about everything to them. However, they left out details about the bond and the heat. It just seemed too personal to share with anyone else.

He nodded. "They do."

"I just thought it would be a good idea if we all cleared the air. We are going to have to fight as a team to win against the travelers. We can't do that with the way things are now," she added.

Tyler wasn't looking forward to this conversation but Caroline was right. The group needed to trust each other or they would fail. Unfortunately, in this situation failure meant death. "Uh, Bonnie is in the living room."

Bonnie was standing in front of the couch when everyone walked into the room. She had overheard their conversation. "Hey."

"Hi, Bon," Caroline replied awkwardly.

"Uh, let's all sit down," Bonnie suggested.

Caroline sat down on the couch with Bonnie.

Matt and Jeremy sat in the chairs across the room.

Tyler sat on the arm of the couch to be close to Bonnie. He really didn't know how to kick off a conversation this awkward. However, his gaze was firmly on Jeremy. For now, the kid just seemed to be brooding. Tyler could understand and even tolerate brooding.

Caroline said, "I guess my biggest question is how long have you and Tyler been together."

Bonnie sought out Tyler's hand without even thinking about it. "Honestly, our relationship is very new. We didn't get together until Friday night at Damon's party, but we have liked each other for months."

Jeremy glared in response. He still couldn't believe that Bonnie had gone home with Tyler. She wasn't the type of girl to do that sort of thing. Her refusal to have sex was one of the reasons he had started cheating on her again. At the time, Jeremy thought he was doing the noble thing by not pressuring her for sex.

Tyler said, "I don't know if like is really the right word, Bon."

"True," she agreed.

Caroline looked between the two of them. She asked, "What does that mean?"

Bonnie said, "As you probably figured out last night, I am a werewolf. Everyone on my mother's side of the family has the werewolf gene, but one of our ancestors cursed our entire bloodline. She wanted to prevent us from becoming hybrids."

"Like Klaus?" Caroline asked. She glanced at Tyler when she mentioned the original hybrid's name but he didn't react at all.

The green-eyed girl nodded. "Yes, only the curse was passed from generation to generation ensuring that we would never become werewolves. It worked until I died. When Qetsiyah brought me back, I was different. I didn't understand what was happening to me at the time, but the curse was slowly unraveling. The more the curse unraveled, the stronger my wolf side became."

Tyler said, "Werewolves believe in soul mates but it isn't like the human concept. We are actually drawn to our mate when we are in his or her presence. When Bonnie was resurrected, I was drawn to her and she was drawn to me. We both ignored those feelings because we knew it would complicate our friendships with you and Jeremy."

"What changed?" Jeremy snapped.

Bonnie decided to be honest with their friends. "The moonshine at Damon's party and the approaching full moon lowered our inhibitions and brought our wolf sides closer to the surface. Tyler shifted and bit me. The rest is history."

Jeremy's fists clenched.

Caroline's eyes widened. "Tyler bit you? Are you okay?"

"I am fine, Care. The bite is how werewolves mark their mates. He wasn't trying to hurt me. Tyler's wolf side was just following a biological imperative. He found his mate and he had an overwhelming urge to mark me."

Jeremy asked, "Can't you find a way to break it? Matt told me that your cousin is coming to help with our traveler problem. Maybe she could help you with this, too."

Tyler growled and his eyes flashed amber in warning.

Everyone in the room, except Bonnie, was taken aback by the hybrid's reaction.

Bonnie squeezed his hand. "Ty…"

He quieted down but his eyes were still amber and trained of Jeremy.

Matt gauged the distance between him and Jeremy. He hoped that he could jump in front of the kid if Tyler decided to pounce. He trusted that his friend wouldn't beat him to the pulp to get to Jeremy.

"I don't know if there is a way to negate the mating mark, but I don't care to find out. I am happy with Tyler. I wouldn't want to change what we have now."

Caroline tried to phrase her question delicately. "Is this what you really want? Do you have free will? Is this like Elena and Damon with the sire bond?"

Bonnie was offended for a moment but she also understood why that was a fair question. "No, the mating mark isn't like the sire bond. I have free will and so does Tyler. We don't control each other or have undue influence over each other."

That wasn't exactly true because of the mating mark and the bond. However, Bonnie didn't want to share that information with them.

Caroline was struggling to make sense of everything Bonnie was saying. However, she didn't want to make things awkward. She also had no right to object to their relationship. She joked, "I guess you never got over that huge crush you used to have on Tyler."

Bonnie's cheeks warmed up. She complained, "Caroline…"

"You had a crush on me?" Tyler asked with a cocky grin.

"No," she said immediately.

"When we used to talk about our future husbands, Bonnie always choose you," Caroline said with a giggle.

"You had a crush on me," he said smugly.

Matt chuckled. "Don't feel bad, Bon. He had a crush on you, too."

Bonnie lifted an eyebrow at Tyler with a grin. She mocked his voice and asked, "You had a crush on me?"

"Maybe…" he joked.

Tyler had been interested in Bonnie but she always seemed turned off by his shallow personality in high school. She couldn't adapt to his personality change. Their friendship had become almost nonexistent even though they were still in each other's orbit. He was on the football team and Bonnie had of course made the cheerleading squad.

"I am happy for you…both of you," Caroline said.

Jeremy was slowly simmering with rage. He couldn't believe that Caroline had caved so easily. He had hoped that she would be on his side. Jeremy decided then that he was going to find a way to break up the happy couple. He thought about Katherine shackled down in the basement. He wanted his sister back in her own body but he could use her doppelganger's deviousness. He and Katherine had become quite close since she possessed Elena.

Jeremy pretended to resign himself to the situation. "I am sorry for how I treated you, Bon. I am glad that you are happy now, too."

Bonnie was legitimately surprised by Jeremy's reaction. However, something seemed off and she couldn't put her finger on it. Her wolf was warning her about something. She said, "Thanks, Jer."

Tyler eyed the younger boy suspiciously.