AN: I own nothing hope you all enjoyed Thanks for the wonderful reviews that I have gotten so far they help my muse a lot. Each time post the new chapter(s) they will be complete in line with this series. It might be couple days till post next chapter, but I will.

Secret Love

Story 8

Chapter 1

It had been a week since everything that happened at the Founder's party. The party that kicked off the month of events that lead up to Founder's Day. It had been a party that Caroline wanted to forget forever. It was the night that she'd witnessed how violent the Mayor could really get. She had made up her mind though and she had called the one person she hoped that could truly help.

Caroline walked down the stair case at the Mystic Fall's Founder's Hall. She heard her name being called and smiled, but it was more of the fact that Tyler's name was being said as well. They had come up with the excuse that her escort backed out and he had offered. His mom said nothing to him filling in as an escort. Caroline couldn't be happier when he was standing at the bottom of the stairs.

His body had mostly healed up from what his dad had done to him this time. He still had one huge bruise on his back though. Tyler had been staying at her place most of the week. She had also called Mason back the next morning. She had told him everything she needed to get it out. Tyler had her to hold on to and she had him as well. However, she couldn't exactly vent to Tyler how she felt about what his dad did.

Mason was supposed to be in Mystic Falls soon, within the next few hours soon. She had kept it a secret that he was coming. Thanks to the picture she'd sent him he would know what Tyler looked like now. He still had him being twelve in his mind. It told her how much he had been cut out of their lives. He had told her why he had left. She couldn't believe that he'd been cut out of Tyler's life just because he called his brother on what he did. Tyler had wanted him there so many times, just to have somebody that gave a damn. When he had been there she knew Tyler practically stayed with him he was the cool Uncle.

She walked outside with her arm looped around Tyler's. She hated the dance they had to perform, but it was part of the celebration. She wanted to glare as she walked past his dad, but kept her smile going. She was glad that they could have this today and he had agreed to ride on the float with her. Caroline had squealed when she'd gotten him to say yes to that. She had to be picked now and it would be them on the float.

She could actually enjoy herself here; nobody suspected that Tyler was her boyfriend, just filling in. Her she had no boyfriend and her other escort had to work, but there were hand full of people that knew the truth. She felt his arm around her waist, before taking her hands when they finally could touch in the dance. He had been taken those dance lessons with the rest of the founding families.

Tyler watched her; she was beautiful in her dress. He had been watching her coming down the stairs and all he could think about was right now. He got to hold her in his hands and dance with her. Her hair was down and it framed her face just right. He had kept his mouth to his self so to speak so not to give her any hickey's that her dress would show.

Caroline looked up at him and saw him watching her. She smiled at him thankful to be here with him. He'd been in pain all week and it killed her to watch him suffer. The first day afterwards he'd been passed out on her bed. She knew his routine too well, get drunk as he could and try to let the alcohol take the pain away.

After that it was some kind of drug, but she didn't let him near those. He'd given her that pleading look but she didn't cave. Pills and hangovers weren't the way to ease the pain and last he'd just let the pain fall away in her arms.

The dance was coming to an end and she didn't want it to. It would mean that this closeness would have to end too. She kept the smile on her face not letting it go because it matched the one on his face. It had been almost seven days since he'd smiled at her. Talking had been reduced to her telling him she loved him.

He tried to fight her the first couple days to get her to leave him alone, but she wouldn't have it. He was hurt, angry, broken and lashing out at her. She'd just told him that he would get better, reminded him of their plans to leave soon they were eighteen and high school graduates. He had finally talked to her last night it had been wonderful to hear his voice again.

Mason couldn't believe his brother would really hurt his own child that much, but he had always had a temper. The fact they had the werewolf gene didn't help at all. His brother had always been the bully even when they were kids. They had different circles of friends at school and in the town. He was the one supplying his best friend, Jenna Somers, with alcohol at school. Richard was the one getting drunk in secret like he didn't do it.

He wasn't sure when it started, but their dad went after his big brother instead of him. He wondered if it was because he already knew, as their dad had said, to fight like a man. Mason knew how to fight; he had learned that early on. He also learned how not to get caught by their dad. The man was nothing like Richard seemed to be though. Then again, he was not the one being lectured weekly.

He knew nobody would be home right now, but Caroline told him where the key was at. Mason parked so the Ford Bronco would be out of sight. He hadn't been back here in ages it seemed. Four years were a long time in his mind. It seemed comical because what had brought him back was the thought of seeing Jenna. It had never been romantic between them; she would always be his best friend. He protected her back in high school from all the guys like Logan Fell and John Gilbert or had tried to.

The two guys had been his friends at one point, but after they broke Jenna's heart they'd fell out. Hell they were both part of the town's secret Council. He hadn't believed in all of that, but now he did. He was a werewolf how could he not believe. He didn't want part the council though they'd try and kill him. Vampires were bad in their eyes and werewolves would be too, it was survival 101.

He let his self into the Forbes house thankful he didn't have to have an invite to get in. Mason left his bag in the truck for now. There was a guest room, but he didn't know if Tyler was in it or not. Caroline had been sketchy on the details, but he was staying here and Tyler was dating Caroline. He hadn't told anybody that he was coming to town.

Hell his girlfriend didn't even know he had left Florida, he knew it was freaky as hell how Katherine was the spitting image of Elena Gilbert. It wasn't what had drawn him to her though, it was something different. He should hate her, want her dead, they were supposed to be mortal enemies a werewolf in love with a vampire.

He didn't care though, she had stolen his heart and didn't care how pissed off his other werewolf friends were. He would never be part of some pack. It was more like tolerated them instead of being friends the more he thought about it.

Jules and Brady wanted him to join them be a part of something that spanned the course of a lifetime. That wasn't what he wanted, being there for Tyler, was what he wanted. He had to stop his brother before he put Tyler in the hospital next time or worse, killed him. He had felt the anger go through him when he saw the pictures. He'd wanted to know how bad it was and Caroline sent him the pictures when Tyler was asleep.

He hated he could never fix things with his brother or make him turn things around. However, he wasn't going let him lay another hand on Tyler. He would make damn sure he kept his promise to Caroline. He didn't know how much longer Tyler could remain intact after one these bursts of anger. It had been four years how his nephew was still able to function was beyond him. He didn't know how broken and shattered his soul was right now.

Caroline smiled hearing her name called as Miss Mystic Falls. She couldn't believe it had been her chosen. She had been sure it would be Elena after all she lost her parents and everything. However, it was her that was being crowned. She looked out at the people gathered around and saw Tyler. He was smiling at her again and she felt pure joy. The smile on his face was wonderful to see the second one that day.

She wanted to go over to him kiss him in front of everybody, end their secret love. Today was not that day though it would be there one day maybe. She touched the crown before she gave her thank you speech. She looked at Tyler the entire time because she hoped he knew that even if he didn't thank him out loud, he was biggest part of her life. He had changed her from the shallow girl she had been. He loved her for who she was and she loved him the same.

Tyler knew she'd win because she was Caroline Forbes; she practically put everything together in the town. He knew what she wanted to say in her speech, she kept her eyes on him. He wasn't looking away either, he felt alone all the time except when she was there. He needed her close by, but he didn't hold her like he possessed her. That wasn't what he felt for her; he didn't need to show he had her to the world. He had won her heart and he could just think about her and know he was safe.

The entire time his dad was beating him he held to her in his mind. That feeling of her arms around him afterwards. She hadn't let him do anything stupid either, she never did. Caroline had this thing about her, god he was in love with her. The way she told him he wasn't taking the pills to drown the pain. It wasn't an order it was a pled. She was begging him in that moment not to do what he always did. She let him drink, but she cut him off before he could drink it all.

She didn't yell at him when she'd found the whiskey bottle in his hand just took it and kissed him. She led him out of the woods where he always went to drown himself in the bottle. She took him home with her and didn't say a word. He heard the phone call to somebody when she thought he was asleep. She never said the person's name just asked them for help. He heard her break down after the phone call before she'd come back and held him.

She looked weak, but she was strong, she held all her pain inside. He knew it hurt her to watch him in pain, but he hoped she never left. Without her he would have no way of getting up off the floor. He would have still been lying on his bedroom floor broken. This last time was the worst he'd ever felt, but she had been there like always. He didn't ask how she had gotten there so fast; he knew she'd been in the closet. She had seen what happened this time, but she didn't tell him.

Caroline saw Bonnie driving off after something had happened. She didn't know what it was, but then she felt somebody behind her. She turned around seeing the Mayor standing there. She wasn't sure what he wanted, but she could careless. She went to walk past but he took hold of her wrist.

"Let me go now," Caroline hissed jerking her hand free this time, "You will never hurt me like you do to your son," she was furious that he had gripped her like that. Who did he think he was just because he was the Mayor didn't mean shit in her eyes.

"You know nothing about Tyler, or what I do,"

"I know that you hurt him, that you beat him and try to break him down," Caroline said trying not to shout it at him, "I know that you are a bastard that needs to be taught a lesson, and you will Never touch Tyler again," she put emphases on never and saw the man's face shift he was getting angry, but she couldn't help it.

He had gotten away from it so long, he thought he was invincible, but he was not. She knew it was bad idea cornering him like this with what she knew. He started it though he had touched her. She would be damned if he laid another hand on her. It was his mistake if he tried to hit her she would defend herself.

It would have been better to keep her mouth shut probably, but that just wasn't in her nature. Caroline wished that somebody would show up. "You stay away from Tyler, you hear me, whatever you two are doing is over," those words meant nothing to her, she would never leave Tyler. "I saw you two, the way you kept looking at him, it ends now," he said adding emphases behind now. Caroline was pissed off how dare him tell her what she was going to do.

"NO," she shouted it at him, "I will not break up with him, and I will not leave him broken or alone. YOU do not scare me, you're a coward," Caroline couldn't help herself she had to add those last three words, but he was. Beating on his son made him a coward not a man. A man he would never be, he did not show any qualities of that. If anything out of the two Lockwood brothers Mason was the real man. He didn't want to hurt anybody. If his brother hadn't cut him out he would already been here for Tyler.

Tyler was trying to find Caroline; he'd seen the police cars outside. Her mom had stopped him from going outside. Something inside of him told him that something bad had happened. He had to get to Caroline before anything happened to her. Elena had looked like she was upset and he went over to her.

"What happened? Where's Caroline at?" he was nervous, he'd seen the way his dad had been eyeing her. He knew Caroline would never back down if she was cornered. That was not who she was anymore and she would try to defend him. He wasn't about let his dad touch her though.

Finding her was his top priority because she tended to not keep her mouth closed sometimes when she should. He could see the wheels turning in his dad's head, he was putting it together. He knew that he would know about them, if he didn't already.

"There was animal attack," Elena said, "I don't know where Caroline's at, I haven't seen her since she was crowned," she had been thinking about Stefan and how he'd almost killed the girl. Bonnie had done something to stop him from attacking Damon again. He'd looked in pain before he'd just taken off.

She had seen the Mayor walk outside though. When everything was going on, but he hadn't gone up to the sheriff he had went a different direction. "I thought I saw her talking to your dad now that I think about it," she said before Tyler was gone.

Elena didn't know what was going on, but the last week Caroline had been distant towards them. She had gone right home after school. Tyler hadn't been at the Grill like usual either, something was going on. She had been so scared for Stefan that she had completely forgotten about her friends. Bonnie already was upset she couldn't turn her back on Caroline and Tyler too. She hoped Stefan was okay, but she took off after Tyler. They needed her right now too something told her.

Caroline knew that he was going to hit her, the way he looked. She wasn't going to close her eyes though. Before the hand could land on her face the Mayor was back against a car that was good foot from them. Caroline could feel herself moving faster than she'd ever moved in her life.

The air felt like it was leaving her lungs. When she finally stopped on the side of the Founder's Hall she took a breath. She closed her eyes trying to get the dizzy feeling to stop. She held back the urge to throw up before she was met with green eyes. She wanted to know what just happened but she couldn't speak yet. Her voice had not returned from the sudden fast run she didn't understand.

"Hi Caroline,"

TBC

AN: Find out who it is that saved her in the next chapter. Is it Mason or somebody else? Thanks for all the reviews on this story so far they mean a lot.