Hey guys, sorry ya'll had to wait a little, but great news, my hubby's home!

He's been deployed for 6 months, so I'm super happy lol.

So I hope ya'll can forgive my slacking off on the update ;)

Anyway, enjoy!

An hour passed.

Silence floated through the Manor as we waited.

The place was barred, every possible entrance shut off, in attempt to at least hinder the Mutts.

Traps were set in each room, and we all stood ready.

Tyler, George, and Stefan were in wolf form, while Mason, Damon, and I flanked Alaric by the entrance.

A sort of pleasure filled me, in the knowledge that we would actually get to take a physical revenge on the Mutts stirring all this trouble.

On the ones who got Enzo killed.

Morality was not crossing my mind as I thought about what was to come, just a humming blood lust, demanding sedation.

It was only a matter of waiting now.

Finally, we heard it.

A low howl rang throughout the property, a signal.

We all tensed, ready.

Then...

CRASH!

The glass of the window to our right broke open, a Mutt having jumped through.

Three more followed.

Some I recognized from the other night, some were new.

Stefan and Tyler sprang into action, meeting them head on, but the door flew open before we could join them.

Four more Mutts entered, one of them in wolf form.

George lunged for him, as the horde attacked, and the rest of us split.

A stout, light haired Mutt I recognized from a run in the past grinned at me, before he launched himself at my legs.

I flipped over him, just in time for another Mutt to grab me.

The noise of more glass breaking filled my ears, and my determination solidified.

I reached back, grabbing the Mutt who'd gotten ahold of me, and used him to lift my feet, high enough to land a solid kick in the first Mutt's stomach.

Then, with a sharp turn, I spun out of my captor's arms, and twisted around, so I could trip him.

He landed hard on the floor, next to the body of a dead Mutt that Damon, or Alaric, must have gotten.

I jumped on him, quickly, grabbing his head, and twisting until it snapped.

I barely had time to enjoy the victory before another pair of hands closed around me.

"Elena!" Damon's voice called my attention, and I saw him slide the set bear trap my direction.

Quickly, I elbowed the Mutt's face, and slid around him, digging a knee into his back, forcing him down.

The bear trap caught his leg, and his scream rang out.

Damon was there, then, and ripped his heart from his chest.

I shot him a grin, then turned, as the dark Mutt, who'd been in New York that night, charged over.

Damon and I fought him, but he slipped from Damon's grasps, just before he could snap his neck.

Then Alaric's pained cry rang out, from the room over, where the fight had carried.

"Go!" I told Damon, "I'll get the Mutt."

He nodded, and we took off.

The dark-skinned Mutt had ran down to the cellar, and was stuck.

He smirked when he saw that it was me who'd chased him, instead of Damon.

"You're going to lose," he gloated, in a deep voice.

The sounds of fighting rang from above us.

"We haven't lost yet," I growled, and lunged.

He was strong, and big, but I was fast.

We grabbed and twisted, slamming each other against the walls, the cage, random shelves.

I cried out as my head cracked back against one of the filing cabinets, and my vision blurred.

That was all the hesitation the Mutt needed.

His hand closed around my throat, and he lifted me from the ground.

I gasped, and clawed at his hand, kicking out.

I couldn't breath, and his hand was tightening.

Oh god!

But then, miraculously, he was ripped off of me, and I fell to the ground.

I took a long, ragged breath, choking out, "D-Damon-"

But it wasn't Damon who had saved me this time.

"What in the hell do you think you're doing?!" The Mutt demanded the newcomer.

Elijah Mikaelson.

"You know the rules, Connor," Elijah answered, standing clean, and proper as ever, "She isn't to be harmed."

"Fuck the rules!" The Mutt, Connor, growled, "She's a Pack bitch! Let's kill her!"

Elijah sighed, almost boredly.

Then, in a lightning fast move, he struck out, and cleaved Connor's head from his shoulders.

"It's not because she's a Pack member," he said, pulling out a cloth to clean his hand, as both the head, and the body fell to the ground, "It's because she's a lady."

He walked over then, and offered me a hand, which I tentatively accepted.

"Sorry about that," he said, looking down at the Mutt, "Can never trust the psychotic ones, can you?"

I blinked, "What are you doing?"

"What does it look like?" He asked, "I'm saving your life."

"Why?" I asked him.

"Because I've grown tired of Kai and his failed attempts to ravish hell upon the Pack. I'll help you. Just take me to Alaric."

I swallowed, my throat still tight, but nodded, "Okay."

The scene upstairs had grown quiet, but was bloody.

Bodies of the Mutts, all over, in pieces.

Elijah followed me into the kitchen, where Damon was twisting the neck of a final Mutt.

He turned as we approached, his eyes flashing when they landed on Elijah.

He charged, and seeing what was about to happen, I jumped in front of him, grabbing his shoulders.

"Damon, no! He saved me!"

"It's a trick," Damon growled.

I shook my head, "No. Please, just hear him out."

He stopped fighting me, but was still glaring daggers at the Mutt.

"Where's Alaric?"

"Why?" Damon asked suspiciously.

Elijah stepped forward.

"Kai didn't join the fight, but I have a plan that will draw him in."

Damon considered him, "Fine. But if this is another con of yours, I'll gut you myself...Alaric is in the infirmary."

I turned, panic flaring in my chest, "Is everyone-"

"It's fine," Damon assured me, "George was wounded, but not fatally. Tyler will stay with him. A few Mutts escaped, ran off like cowards, but the rest are dead. The attack is over."

I nodded, and he looked back at Elijah, "Come on. We don't have much time, if one of those Mutts finds Kai. Let's hear this plan of yours."

The plan was good, I had to admit.

Let Kai believe the Pack had perished, so he would come to take the Manor.

And it worked.

Less than fifteen minutes after we'd all gotten into place, footsteps sounded from the foyer.

Kai entered the study, where Elijah was waiting.

I couldn't see him, but I could hear him perfectly.

"Elijah...you're alive."

"Don't sound so surprised," the English accent echoed.

"Not at all. I'm relieved actually," Kai was smirking, "If you're alive, the Pack must be dead."

"Afraid not," Elijah stated simply.

A beat of silence, then, "What do you mean?"

Kai's voice was angry.

"Just that your entire plan fell through. So, I suppose it's time to face the music...even if it is our Swan Song."

We all entered the room then, blocking the exits.

Kai spun around, "Oh, you're joking."

He turned on Elijah, "You traitor."

"Hardly," Elijah spat with disgust, "I'm just through with your disaster."

Alaric stepped forward, shooting Elijah a look, "How do I know we can trust you?"

"You can't!" Kai shot.

Alaric glared at him, and he shut up.

"You can't," Elijah repeated, "I've never chosen a side before, simply living off the debris of long cons-"

"And this is just another long con!" Kai insisted.

"No," Elijah argued, "It's not. I'm willing to pledge my allegiance to the Pack, if necessary, but all I ask, is for a swift death."

Alaric studied him.

I wanted to pitch a plea on Elijah's behalf, but knew that this was the Alpha's call.

Finally Ric spoke, "No...I believe you'd be of more use to the Pack alive."

Elijah blinked in surprise, "Yes, well, if that's what you think, I'm not one to contest."

Kai was enraged now, "You'll forgive him of crime, but insist my death?!"

Alaric faced him, "You are far worse, Malakai. This entire scheme of yours cost Pack lives. You will pay for that."

As he spoke, Damon had come up behind Kai, and grabbed his arms, pinning them behind his back.

The prospect of being killed by the person he hated most only fueled Kai's anger.

"Go ahead," he spat, "Kill me! But you won't forget me. I was the first to challenge the Pack in years, and what mayhem sprung from my plans! I won't be the last, and one day, you will lose! So do it! Kill me!"

Damon's voice was low, steady, "I'm not going to kill you."

He spun Kai around, so that they were both facing me.

I glared at him with all the anger this uprising had caused, "I am."

Kai grinned, "Oh, yes."

I extended my claws, and latched roughly to his chest.

"That's it," Kai shuttered, "I always did want my hands on you. And in the end, it's your hands on me."

I dug my claws in deeper, making him wince in pain.

"You wanted more than just your hands on me," I accused, "You wanted me. My future. My children."

"You don't understand," Kai's voice was awed, "They were going to be so perfect. Strong, pure blooded...and you, you were going to be the most important member of our race."

Damon yanked his grip, dropping his mouth to Kai's ear, "She already is."

Kai sighed, his gaze focused on mine.

"Yes, well, know that you always had my heart, Elena."

"And now," I swallowed, plunging my hand into his chest, alms his eyes bulged, "I'm going to break it."

My fist closed around the muscle, and I ripped it free.

Kai fell limp, and finally, it was over.

Well, until next time...

Let me know what you thought! :)