Chapter 7:
The Wolf

"So what are you doing in Mystic Falls of all places, Mason?"

Mason and Taylor had taken to walking around the Lockwood mansion, wandering to no place in particular. The topic of conversation had found its way to their reason for being in the town that seemed to attract supernatural with a magnet.

"What are you doing here," he argued back.

Taylor laughed, rolling her eyes at the behavior of her friend. "I lived here."

"You did?"

"I did and I do," she insisted, before turning the attention on him. "So what about you? I heard your brother passed away."

"Yeah," Mason sighed, running his hand through his messy hair. "It was pretty unexpected."

Deciding to lay it all out, Taylor quickly threw out, "I heard he died because of a device that was supposed to incapacitate vampires."

The two stopped walking, standing far enough from the house to not worry about being heard. Mason raised an eyebrow at the girl before him.

"And?" He asked, clearly not hearing the question in her words.

"He was a werewolf, wasn't he?"

"Not exactly."

"How are you 'not exactly' a werewolf," she questioned, raising her own eyebrow. She crossed her arms across her chest signaling that she would get her answers. Mason took one look at the demeanor of the small vampire before him, her eyes in a curious glance, and he knew he would have to answer her.

"He never triggered the curse."

"It has to be triggered?"

He nodded his head.

"And it runs in the family," she pushed, a sudden sick feeling in the pit of her stomach.

"That it does."

A shiver ran through her spine and she knew the answer to her unspoken question, even before she asked it. "Can Tyler trigger it?"

At the mention of his nephew, Taylor now had Mason's full attention. It hadn't struck Taylor that he didn't know she knew Tyler. They had grown up together; after all, it would have been hard not to know who he was. They were actually close before she disappeared.

"You know Tyler?"

The vampire nodded her head. "I knew him growing up, before I left."

Curiosity surged through the werewolf, who knew very little of the past she carried around with her. "When were you turned?"

Without hesitation, she answered, "A few months before Katherine introduced me to you."

"Who turned you?"

"Katherine," Taylor laughed, as if it were obvious.

"Why'd you leave Mystic Falls?"

"What's with all the questions, Mason," she asked, confused as to where it was suddenly coming from and afraid to delve into her past.

"Just wondering," he dismissed. "I realized I don't know that much about you."

"And what about you? How did you trigger the curse?"

The second the question left her lips she knew it was a touchy subject. He winced, his eyes shifting away from her, glancing off into the distance, though Taylor knew there was nothing in particular he was staring at. After a long sigh, he answered.

"I killed someone."

A gasp left her lips.

"That's how you trigger the curse?" She didn't know why the concept of killing was so absurd to her. She'd done it many times before, often with little thought, some times with much thought. There was just something about linking killing someone with Tyler that put her on edge. She knew the rage he carried all to well and how possible it would be for him to snap and make one mistake. One that would cost him his normalcy.

Mason nodded his head solemnly. "You look worried."

"Tyler," she said, closing her eyes. "I'm worried for him."

"I am too," he answered honestly.

Realizing he hadn't asked her question, she asked again. "Tyler can trigger it? By killing someone?"

"Yeah."

"Oh no," she whispered.

"What? 'Oh no', what?"

She turned on her heel to face him. "Have you seen the rage on that boy?"

Mason almost laughed seeing the concern in her face. "Yes, I have, but I have a feeling he'll be okay."

"And what makes you say that?"

"He's got you watching out for him."

"And that's supposed to make him safe? I can't be there every second of the day."

"No," he spoke, sure of himself. "But you care enough to be there when it counts."

After their conversation Taylor left with a very disturbed feeling running through her body. It was a while as she wandered around, heading nowhere in particular, though it felt like only minutes had passed. The sun had set, the dark falling upon Mystic Falls for an hour or so before her phone began to ring. Surprisingly, it was Stefan. Taylor had forgotten that she'd told him she'd go and see Caroline.

Taylor had been so pent up with her thoughts, wondering about Mason Lockwood, to think about anything else. Feeling guilty, she quickly answered, finally noticing the faint sound of a party going on nearby.

"Stefan? I'm so sorry I totally forgot about Caroline. I was wrapped up and –"

"Taylor," Stefan's frantic voice called. "Where are you right now?"

"Uh, I'm at the Lockwood's. Why? What's happening?"

"You need to get to the boarding house and stay there."

"What? Stefan, what's going on?"

"Elena called. Werewolves exist – Mason Lockwood is one. It's dangerous, Taylor. You need to get home. A bite is fatal!"

"Are you sure, Stefan," she pressed, though she was sure. She was absolutely sure that Mason was a werewolf and that a bite from him would mean her death. She had known and yet she let herself forget.

"Yes, we're sure," He argued. There was a strange growling noise on the other end, faint.

"Stefan? What was that?"

"Taylor, I have to go. Get home!"

The phone went dead. Though Stefan had years on her, she had more experience than he in fighting werewolves. As fast as she could she sped through the forest, listening for any signs of the younger Salvatore brother. When she finally heard him, through the far off sound of kids, she recognized his frantic voice and Caroline's frightened ramblings. Taylor pushed harder, speeding through the trees until she found the two. It was the sound of Matt's heartbeat that caused her to raise a brow.

"Taylor," Stefan was surprised. "I told you to go home. We need to get out of here."

"You two need to leave," she commanded, surprising the two with her tone. "And take Matt. I'll take care of the wolf."

She turned to leave, stopping only when Caroline spoke, grabbing her arm. "You can't go after it!"

"Yes, I can, Caroline," Taylor insisted, pushing a lock of curls behind her head. No hint of fear passed her features. "I've done this before. I can handle myself."

"You've done this before? Fought a werewolf?"

"Yes, Stefan. Now is not the time! Go!"

A growl ripped through the night. Despite the timing, Taylor couldn't help but roll her eyes. "Perfect timing," she mumbled to herself, calm despite the fact that Mason could leap out at any second and rip them to shreds.

Stefan, fully aware of the situation spoke next. "Caroline, we have to lure him away from Matt. We need to run as fast as we can."

Caroline was shaking, fear filling her body. She nodded her head. She and Stefan glanced once in Taylor's direction before they took off, Taylor running quickly behind them. They came to a stop at the entrance of what looked like a cellar that went underground. Surprisingly, Tyler Lockwood came walking out, a questioning look on his face.

"Caroline, Stefan? What are you doing here?" His eyes shifted to Taylor and they widened. "Taylor?" He was always the one who could tell the twins apart.

She opened her mouth to reply, only to be cut off by the sound of Caroline's scream ripping through the night as a large wolf jumped and knocked her down. It snarled, snapping its teeth at her, attempting to bite her face. As quickly as the wolf appeared, Taylor's face changed and she ran forward, ripping the wolf off of Caroline and flying it across the group. A snarl left her lips as she bent down threateningly, willing Mason to realize it was her. The wolf took a few wary steps forward, still snarling.

"No!"

Tyler Lockwood's voice rang through the forest, snapping the wolf from its snarl. After a few seconds it turned and disappeared into the night. Taylor's face changed back to normal and she watched as the others exchanged worried glances.

"Taylor, are you okay?"

The vampire nodded her head, much more composed than the others. "I'm fine, Stefan. Go with Caroline and do what you need to do. I've got to talk to Tyler."

Taylor waited until the two disappeared to turn to Tyler, who remained standing stunned in the same spot he'd stood in when he chased the wolf away.

"Hey Ty," she said, nonchalantly, like things were normal.

"Taylor that was –"

"Mason," she answered.

Tyler nodded his head, finally moving from his spot to get a better look at her. "How did you do that?"

"Do what, Tyler?"

His face-hardened in a glare. Obviously playing things off was not going to work for her. "Pick him up and toss him like he was a feather!"

"Calm down, Tyler," she hissed, what Mason said about the curse floating in her mind. "You need to relax first."

The young boy took a few deep and long breaths to calm himself.

"I've fought wolves before," she answered, deciding to keep it to herself that she'd killed wolves before.

"How did you know it was Mason? How do you know Mason to begin with?"

Taylor shifted uncomfortably. They were entering a territory that she didn't want to go in. "I met him in Chicago."

"Chicago? Is that where you went when you decided to leave us all behind?"

The young girl cringed at the sharpness of his words. Tyler sighed, knowing he had been harsh to use those words, though the anger was true. He had felt abandoned when she'd left.

"Tyler," she whispered, loud enough for him to hear. "I was messed up. I had to do something and I did it. It's not like I left for good. I came back."

"You still didn't answer my question."

"What question?"

"How are you that strong?"

"Tyler," she warned, stepping a few steps back.

The boy continued to press the subject. "Taylor."

"I'm… I'm a vampire."

Tyler's face was frozen. His eyes were widened and she watched as the fear slowly etched its way into his eyes. He gulped, thinking of how absurd she sounded. Then again, he had just found out his uncle turned into a wolf. Maybe a vampire wasn't far from reality, after all.

"Prove it," he suddenly spoke, earning a curious glance from the vampire.

With a shrug of her shoulders, she allowed her face to change, her fangs coming out. He jumped back and gasped, but slowly relaxed. After a few minutes she let her face change back to normal, feeling oddly exposed letting Tyler see her that way.

"Taylor," he asked softly, his eyes looking off into the direction that Mason had disappeared to.

"Yeah?"

"Am I going to turn into a wolf, too?"

She could hear the fear in his voice. The uncertainty of his sudden situation. Taylor ran a hand through her curls. "You have to ask Mason, Ty."

"You know," he accused, turning to meet her gaze.

"It's not my place to tell you," she told him, turning and disappearing into the forest.

The Salvatore house was not empty. She could feel Damon and Stefan hustling about in the house and she contemplated going in, but decided against it at the last moment. For once she wanted nothing more than to be home – somewhere she hadn't been in a really long time. At least it felt that way.

Taylor continued running, stopping only when she got home. She opened the door and walked up the stairs. Not surprisingly enough, Taylor was enveloped in a hug the second Elena spotted her as she neared her room.

"Elena!"

"Taylor! Stefan told me you saved Caroline."

"Uh, yeah. I did," she replied, a sudden fatigue rushing through her body. "Did you guys find anything?"

"Damon found that," she answered, pointing toward an old book lying on her bed.

"Speaking of Damon," Taylor suddenly spoke. "Are you two okay? You seemed a little… on edge when I left you guys."

"Taylor…"

"Elena? What happened?"

Elena pulled her sister into her room, shutting the door lightly behind them. As angry as she was with Damon, there was a part of her that was worried about her sister's reaction. She loved Damon – Elena could see it in her face every time Taylor looked at him.

"Elena," Taylor pressed, getting anxious.

"He killed Jeremy."

"What," she hissed, hoping she was mistaken.

"He's fine now," Elena insisted, though anger filled her words. "He has an old Gilbert ring that keeps him from dying by supernatural beings."

"Did Damon know he was wearing it?"

Elena shook her head. "No. He didn't."

It was like the world crashed around her. Everything that mattered didn't. All she knew was the anger that so easily consumed her. With a flash she was gone, out Elena's window and running down the street toward the Salvatore house.

Damon was dead.

Another chapter out! Mason and Taylor had a nice conversation (definitely not the last). Stefan, Caroline and Taylor had a run in with Mason as a wolf. Tyler knows about Taylor being a vampire. And, most important, she is on her way to confront Damon for killing Jeremy.

Let me know what you think in your reviews!