– La Push, Washington –
Klaus sat on the porch swing outside Billy Black's house. The wheelchair-bound man refused to allow the vampire into his home. Not that Klaus could fault him for that. Knowing what he knows about the world, Billy was only protecting himself and his young son.
In his hand was a glass of iced tea, given to him by the lovely Quileute woman, Sue Clearwater. Her husband, Harry, sat on the porch steps, his eyes red where he'd been crying.
"It started three weeks ago," Billy Black explained. "Three members of the pack were on patrol when Embry Call went missing. The pack searched for him but found nothing."
Across from him, Sam Uley, the Alpha of the pack, spoke. "No scent. No footprints. No trail to follow. It was like he'd vanished into thin air."
"About a week later," Billy continued, "it happened again. This time Leah Clearwater was taken."
Harry let out a strangled sob and shot off the porch. Sue went to follow her husband but was stopped when Billy grabbed her hand to hold her back. From the corner of his eye, Klaus observed the pair, noticing the intimacy of their touch. It might mean nothing. Or, from his experience, it was leverage.
"I apologize," Sue said softly. "He blames himself. We never expected Leah to shift, you see. It was supposed to be our son, Seth. But, so far, he hasn't shown any sign that . . . that he'll shift anytime soon . . ."
With her hand still in his, Billy reached up with his free hand and grasped her arm in comfort. "It'll happen, Susie," he assured her with a gentle tone. "You know it will. Old Quil has assured us. Just give the boy some time. He's still young."
There was something in her eyes, a desperation. Klaus wasn't sure what that was about, but one way or another, he'd find out.
With tears in her eyes, Sue nodded her head. "He's just fourteen . . ." she told Klaus. "We haven't even told him about all of this. He thinks Leah's gone to stay with some family friends for a while after—" Her eyes hardened and narrowed as she looked over at Sam, whose eyes also narrowed.
"As far as we knew, females couldn't shift," Billy said quickly, trying to divert Klaus' attention back to the problem. "It's never happened before."
Klaus nodded but kept his mouth shut. He wasn't going to tell them the history and knowledge of their kind is completely skewed.
Why the bloody hell wouldn't females be able to shift? They're just as capable as men! More so, in some cases. There are plenty of shapeshifters all over the world. Females are an integral part of their pack dynamics. Some are even alphas.
Then again, these people believe they're werewolves because that's what their stories tell them. They aren't. They're shapeshifters. Protectors of the innocent. Not all shifters come from Native American Tribes. This bloodline just happens to run through the Quileute people.
From what he could tell, the pack and their group of elders were filled with chauvinist men. And poor Leah suffered because of their ingrained beliefs that she was somehow less than they were.
Absently, he wondered if Sue was also suffering under the weight of a bigoted male.
It didn't matter. It wasn't his job to educate these people. Nor did he have the time or patience for their plight. He would help them with this one problem because he owed Ephraim. But once it was over, he would never set foot on their soil again.
"We were all so surprised when Leah shifted," Sue said softly. "She'd been moody and steadily growing angrier by the day but we never thought . . ." she shook her head. "When it happened, Harry had a heart attack. He almost died!"
Seems a bit dramatic . . .
"Thankfully, we were able to get him to the hospital in Forks. Dr. Cullen was on call that night and saved his life. I wouldn't ordinarily praise a cold one but I'll be forever grateful he saved my Harry."
In his wheelchair, Billy shifted uncomfortably. "Yes," he cleared his throat, "we're all grateful to Dr. Cullen."
Klaus sensed Billy would rather his friend die than be treated by a cold one doctor.
Though, granted, that in itself was an unusual thing. He'd never seen or heard of a cold one with the kind of strength and control it took to become a doctor. He's seen traditional vampires go into various medical fields, but never a cold one. They typically lacked the kind of discipline it takes to manage their bloodlust and most, if not all, have a complete lack of empathy toward humans.
He couldn't decide if Carlisle Cullen was an extraordinary man with unparalleled compassion that allowed him to completely resist the temptation of human blood. Or if there was something off about the Cullen coven and their leader.
From Klaus' experience, when something or someone seems too good to be true, it usually is.
"Four days after Leah was taken," Sam stated, getting them back on track, "my Beta, Jarred Cameron, was taken. And two days ago, Quil Ateara went missing."
"Four members of the pack," Billy sighed, running a hand through his long, black hair, "all trained, fast, and powerful, have inexplicitly gone missing and we have no idea where they've gone or who took them. Can you help us find them?"
Instead of answering, Klaus asked; "There've been no leads?"
"Nothing," Billy said adamantly.
From the look on Sam's face, he was holding something back. Perhaps, something he didn't want to share with the two elders.
"Right then," Klaus said, placing his iced tea on the porch railing as he stood up. "Why don't you show me where they were taken, and we'll go from there."
With a nod of his head, Sam led Klaus out into the surrounding forest and toward the place Embry Call had been taken. He was right, there was nothing there. No sign of a struggle. No lingering scents. Though, it had rained since the boy's disappearance, so that wasn't surprising.
Next, they went to the sight where Leah Clearwater disappeared.
"Are there any similarities between each disappearance?" Klaus asked as they walked.
"No."
"What about the time? All different or the same?"
"Different."
"Were they in their animal form or human?"
"Human."
"How do you know?"
Sam looked back at Klaus, crossing his arms over his bare chest as he glared at the vampire. "You don't honestly expect me to answer that, do you?"
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Klaus' relaxed posture irritated Sam. It was like the man . . . the leach wasn't afraid of him at all! Even the pathetic Cullens knew to give the pack a wide birth. The fear was almost palpable whenever their paths crossed.
But this bloodsucker showed none of that. And it was starting to piss Sam off!
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Klaus smirked. "Forgive me if I'm wrong, but I get the feeling you don't want my help."
"I don't," Sam growled. "It wasn't my idea to call you. As far as I'm concerned, you're a filthy bloodsucker and no better than whoever took my boys."
It took everything in him not to retaliate and rip the child's heart from his chest. Ordinarily, he'd kill the lot and wash his hands of the whole thing. But there was something about this mystery that intrigued him. It wasn't every day someone was powerful enough to take one shifter let alone four. If there was someone that powerful on his mate's doorstep, he wanted to know who it was. And then he'd kill the whole bloody lot and be done with it.
He would not allow his Isabella to live in such danger. As soon as he could get her out of this backward Podunk town the better! From what he could tell, she'd be safer in Mystic Falls with her grandmother and vampire uncles than here.
"You don't consider Leah a member of your pack?"
"She's a female," Sam hissed. "Her place is at home, not within my pack! And this just goes to prove she isn't strong enough to handle being one of us."
"I see," Klaus nodded slowly. "And the male who was taken before her? And the two that were taken after . . ."
Sam shrugged. "Embry's newly turned. He was probably taken by surprise and forgot to alert the rest of us. Jared and Quil likely came across Embry's location or something that would lead us to him and then got caught themselves. It wouldn't surprise me if this was all Leah's fault. She's too emotional to be a wolf, too angry. She lets those emotions guide her and it gets her into trouble. She's more wolverine than werewolf."
"Why is she angry?"
"Because I dumped her when I imprinted."
Well, that explains a lot. No wonder the mother was glaring at him . . .
"Imprinted?"
Sam sighed. "It's like finding your perfect person."
"Like mating . . ."
Sam growled. "No. Fuck no. Wolves don't mate like you leaches. We imprint on our perfect person. It's . . . well, it's not love at first sight. Love has nothing to do with it. When we find the human female we are meant to be with gravity moves us. We become unconditionally bound to her for the rest of our lives. A glowing heat fills us, and everyone and everything in our lives becomes secondary to her. There's no choice," he shrugged. "But, why would we resist such a wonderful bond when it's meant to be?"
Klaus could think of a dozen reasons just off the top of his head.
"What if the female refuses?"
Sam shrugged. "My Emily tried. She was angry when she first found out about the bond and that it couldn't be denied. But," he laughed, "what woman can resist that level of commitment and adoration?"
Again, Klaus could think of a few women who'd fight like hell to keep her independence and free will.
"Is Emily a wolf, like you?"
Sam's eyes hardened. "Women have no place in my pack. A woman's place is at home. From the beginning my Emily knew her role was to keep my house in order, cook for me and my boys, and carry my pups. That's it."
"What about outside interests?" Klaus wondered. "School. A job. Friends?"
"I am her only interest," Sam growled. "Her only job is pleasing her imprint. That is how imprinting works. I am her sole focus. Until I decide to give her children."
"And the others who imprint, that's how it will be for them, too?"
"Of course," Sam nodded. "I've taught my boys everything I know about imprinting. Jared was so excited when he met his imprint she's already carrying his first pup. Quil got the better deal. His imprint is a toddler. She's two, I think. He'll have plenty of time to train her and teach her how to be his perfect woman."
Teach her to be his perfect woman! What the bloody hell?
"Two?" Klaus asked. "She's a baby?"
He couldn't fathom what he was hearing. This boy, who was still just a teenager himself, was grooming a two-year-old to be his ideal mate! Where the bloody hell were her parents? Didn't they have something to say about this?
Sam nodded. "Perfect deal if you ask me. Makes me wish I'd met my Emily sooner."
He was starting to wonder if he wanted to find these shifters. Maybe it would be better for the imprintees if their males died!
Is this how it would be for him and Isabella? If so, he doesn't want any part of it. Nor would he want that type of relationship for her. He doesn't even know who she is yet, but already he'd hate for her to lose herself to whatever bond had manifested between them.
As much as he would like to keep her at his side every moment of the day, he also wants her to have her freedom. To have ambitions, dreams, and goals. He wants her to want things from life, not just to bow down to him and cater to his every whim. It might come as a surprise to most, but that was not the kind of man he was, nor was it something he desired in a relationship. He'll be the first to admit, he likes being in control, but there should be more to their lives than the relationship and mating bond.
Realizing all of this, Klaus knew his bond with Isabella would be nothing like what Sam was describing. Sam is a shapeshifter. Klaus is an Original vampire. And one day—hopefully one day soon—he'll break his curse and become the Original Hybrid. True werewolves do not imprint. They mate for life.
Over the years he's met a few wolves who've mated and their bonds are the polar opposite of what Sam has explained. A male wolf is completely devoted to his female. She is his world. There is nothing more important to him than her happiness and safety. But the female is not trapped in the bond, it's her choice. She is not subservient to her mate. They're equals. In every possible way.
That was the kind of relationship he wanted to have with Isabella. It was a thing of beauty. True love and devotion to one another.
"Are you done playing twenty questions?" Sam snapped, breaking Klaus out of his thoughts.
"Yes. If you don't wish for my help, fine. I'll leave you to find your pack members. Call if you change your mind."
Before Sam could answer, Klaus was gone.
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"Hey, mister! Wait up!"
Klaus turned to see a young boy chasing after him. He was tall and gangly with a youthful face and a huge, happy grin.
"Wow," he breathed as he caught up to Klaus. "You're really fast, like Superman or something! That's totally cool."
Klaus chuckled. He'd been compared to many people in his lifetime—most of whom were evil—but never Superman.
"And who might you be?"
"Seth," he held out a hand, "Seth Clearwater. Nice to meet you!"
Klaus took the boy's hand and shook it, immediately sensing what lingered beneath the surface. "Your mother and father are unaware that you've recently transitioned, young shifter."
Seth huffed and rolled his eyes. "I'm not telling them anything. They want to keep secrets, I will too! And I'm not loyal to Sam, either. He's a woman hater!"
"What makes you think that?"
"Didn't you hear that baloney he was spewing back there? How women should be at home cooking and having babies, it's disgusting. And I want no part of it!"
Klaus smiled.
"This whole being a wolf thing, it's totally sick and warps the mind! I'm a feminist and, it seems to me, being a werewolf really sucks for females. Leah can't possibly be the only one . . ."
"She isn't," Klaus assured him. "And you aren't werewolves. You're a shapeshifter."
Seth frowned. "A shapeshifter. Not a werewolf? Are you sure?"
Klaus nodded. "Positive. Werewolves only transition on the night of the full moon. You can shift at will, which means you're a shapeshifter. Or, in some cultures, you would be known as a guardian."
"What's a guardian?"
"A shapeshifter, or a guardian, is a supernatural protector of the innocent. They're like the police of the supernatural world. They protect humans, mostly," Klaus grinned, "from all those things that go bump in the night."
"Wicked cool, man." Seth nodded. "But I still want no part of it . . . which," he dropped his gaze and sighed, "is why I followed you . . ."
"What do you think I can do to help?" Klaus wondered, leaning against a nearby tree as Seth began to fidget nervously.
"Well, I dunno," he shrugged. "But I overheard my parents and Billy Black saying you were this super old, super powerful vampire and I figured, if anyone can," he shrugged again, "you can help me and Leah."
The young boy reminded Klaus of Marcellus. They were both very brave and fought back against those who wanted to own and use them for their own purposes.
"See," Seth said softly, "the thing is . . . my parents think being a wolf will fix me. Like it's some magical cure or something. But I've been shifting for a month now and I'm still the same Seth I was before this happened! Except now, I'm fighting the desire to bow down to a man I hate and," Seth began to shake, "and I really hate him!"
Darting forward, Klaus placed a soothing hand on the boy's shoulder. "Calm yourself, young shifter."
The anger coming from him was intense. Though, it was admirable how he managed to get a hold of his emotions so quickly. From what Klaus saw of the Alpha, not even he had the kind of control Seth had just demonstrated.
"What problem is supposed to be magically fixed with your transition?"
Seth sighed. "I'm . . ." he bowed his head again, looking dejected and upset. "I'm gay."
Klaus frowned. "So?"
Seth huffed. "They think becoming a wolf will fix it. That I'll suddenly start liking girls or something."
"That's ridiculous."
"I know! And I totally agree. But I overheard them talking to the other elders; Billy Black and Old Quil. Old Quil said the wolf would make me normal! It's like they think I have some kind of incurable disease and this will fix it! And Billy Black even agreed! He said that I'll imprint on a girl and my wolf will know what to do. Well, guess what? My wolf is as gay as I am!"
Klaus shook his head, appalled by the boy's parents. "Surly there have been other shifters who've been gay . . ."
Seth shrugged. "I dunno. The elders seemed pretty sure once I shift and imprint on a girl that'll be that!" He blew out a breath. "They're more interested in strengthening the pack and ensuring its future than about me and what I want."
Klaus frowned. "Strengthening the pack?"
"Mm." Seth nodded. "From everything we've always been told by the Elders, essentially, that's what imprinting does. The females we imprint with are supposed to be our perfect breeding partners to ensure the pack's survival and strength. Once we imprint, the female is stripped of her free will. Even if they fight against it, as Emily did, she'll eventually give in to her imprint constantly perusing her. Though," he sighed.
"Though?"
Seth looked back at Klaus. "Emily didn't give in to Sam until after they got into a big fight, he lost his temper, turned, and mauled half her face off! After that," he shrugged, "she was all over him. Like someone had flipped a switch in her brain and she couldn't be without him. It's disgusting! She hated Sam because he was with Leah. And Leah's her best friend. They were practically sisters. Emily's our cousin. We all grew up together. She refused Sam. She told him she wouldn't do that to Leah. Again, and again she said no to him! But he just kept stalking her. Mom always taught me that when a lady says no, it means no. I guess that doesn't count if you're a wolf who's imprinted!"
It was worse than Klaus imagined.
The Alpha had stalked the girl and pursued her relentlessly. Then physically harmed her.
Klaus has done a lot of evil, despicable things in his life. He tore apart entire villages because he was bored. Killed families and slaughtered countless innocents. Hell, he even went through a phase of keeping the love letters from his victims. But this was something else entirely.
Despite all he'd done, all the evil he'd inflicted upon the world, he could say without a doubt, that he'd never abused a woman. He never forced one into his bed. Hell, he'd never even compelled one into his bed. And if he did take a woman to his bed—a willing woman—she was usually dead by morning.
He didn't have preferences. Males and females were all fair game when it came to murder. But abuse, especially sexual abuse, was a line he'd never crossed. As unimaginable as that might be. He couldn't bear the thought of someone doing such a heinous act to his baby sister. That thought alone was enough to ensure he never crossed that particular line.
That's not to say he didn't enjoy taking a woman to his bed. He did. He's a man. He's lived for over a thousand years. He's dabbled in all manner of sexual activity. The lines and boundaries humans set for themselves mean nothing to vampires. Not when they live so long and have a heightened libido. And why shouldn't he immerse himself in whatever desire or kink takes his fancy? Women are beautiful, ravishing creatures. He delighted in not only receiving pleasure from them but watching as a female came apart beneath him. He relished the sound of her cry as she moved with him. The feel of her naked body against his own.
Admittedly, as much as he enjoyed these moments, they were rare. He was particular about who shared his bed. Humans came and went, most died in his bed after a night of passion. He rarely, if ever, shared his bed with a supernatural woman. Most, if not all who'd heard of him, were terrified. Either that or they wanted something from him. It was sometimes easier not to bother.
Forcing a woman into his bed, compelling her, it held no interest to him. He'd rather have a willing partner than one he had to compel to be with him.
"I don't want that to be my future," Seth admitted. "I don't want to turn into Sam or any of the others. My parents and the elders think becoming a wolf is some magical cure. But I don't need or want a cure! I like boys. I'm not ashamed of that. But my parents, the pack, and the elders are . . ." Tears welled up in his eyes. "Leah was the only one who accepted me for me. She doesn't want this life any more than I do and now she's gone and I can't . . . I need . . . she's . . ."
Without thinking about his actions, Klaus did something very un-Klaus-like. He pulled the young boy into his arms and hugged him. He wasn't sure why. Perhaps, now he's a mated man, he was going soft. Maybe it had something to do with the boy's similarities to Marcellus. He didn't know. But it felt like the right thing to do at the time. And when the boy clung to Klaus, holding onto him like a life preserver, he knew he'd help him. However, he could.
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For the next hour, Klaus and Seth—who was in his wolf form—scoured the forest for any signs or clues to the whereabouts of the missing pack members. Seth had been busy eavesdropping on every conversation he could for the past month, so he had as much information as Sam if not more. And, unlike the Alpha, Seth was happy to share his knowledge with Klaus. Eager to, in fact.
As it turns out, Sam had lied to him and the Elders. Seth had overheard him talking to the other members of the pack one night. There were signs of a struggle where each shifter had been abducted. Sam found tranquilizer darts that had been used to subdue the shifter, which meant, the shifter was likely in animal form when they were taken. There was a trail, with footprints and tire tracks, but it went cold at the forest edge when they were loaded into a vehicle. From there, there was nothing. And with no CCTV it would be difficult to find out where the vehicle had gone.
As Klaus and Seth walked, trying to pick up a trail or scent, Klaus made a few phone calls—the first to Damon and Stefan. He doubted they'd find anything in the forest, but he wanted to be sure. The forest was vast, he and Seth wouldn't be able to search it alone, and since the two young vampires weren't doing anything productive to help Isabella, he figured they could be of use to him.
The second call he placed was to his favourite witch, Maddox. The easiest way to do this was with a locator spell. A little of Seth's blood and hopefully they'd have Leah's location. But it would take Maddox a few days to get to Forks. And Klaus worried they didn't have any time to spare. Leah had already been missing two weeks. Embry three. The chances they were alive were slim.
He could have asked Marie for help but he didn't want to pull her away from whatever she was doing to help Isabella. And Isabella, despite being a witch, was new to the craft. She might be powerful, but that didn't mean she was knowledgeable.
Half an hour after he hung up with Damon, the brothers found them in the forest. Hearing the newcomers, Seth bounded across the forest floor to greet them, coming to a stop beside Klaus.
"What the fuck is that?" Damon asked, staring up at Seth, who towered over the vampires.
Seth gave Damon a loud bark and flopped down onto the forest floor, tongue hanging out the side of his mouth.
Klaus chuckled. The young boy was like a big puppy. "This is Seth," he introduced. "Seth, this is Damon," he indicated to the black-haired vampire, "and Stefan." His eyes turned back to the two vampires. "I've offered Seth my help to retrieve his sister. She went missing two weeks ago, along with three members of the pack she belongs to."
"Right," Damon nodded, his eyes still on the massive animal before them. "And, uh, what is he, exactly?"
"Seth, his sister Leah, and the pack are shapeshifters. Guardians."
"Guardians of what?"
"Humans, mostly. But they'll offer their protection to anyone who needs it."
"And what are they protecting humans from?"
Stefan rolled his eyes. "Us, Damon."
Damon scoffed. "Right. There's a whole group of giant dogs protecting humans from us. Why haven't we seen them? I've killed plenty of humans and I've never come face to face with Rambo-Pup."
Klaus shrugged. "Perhaps they didn't think you were worth their time."
"And not all of them are wolves like Seth," Stefan added, surprising his brother and Klaus.
"You've seen one of these things?"
Stefan nodded. "1915. Josephine Harper. She was a cat. A Leopard. She and her pack were hunting a vicious vampire who liked to tear the heads from his victims."
"What happened to her?"
"Nothing," Stefan shrugged. "We talked. Had a few drinks. I bought her dinner. And then parted amicably. She went back to her hunt and I went on my way."
Klaus wasn't sure if that was the truth or not. He'd seen the way Stefan looked at Seth. In his wolf form, there was no way Stefan could know the boy's age. Or how strong the boy is. If it were a lie, it would probably be for the best that Seth never found out the truth. If Stefan was lying.
"Right," Damon cleared his throat and turned back to Klaus, "So, why are we here? Don't you think we have enough to deal with back at the house? Or have you already forgotten about your mate?"
A low growl ripped through Klaus' chest. He took a deep breath as he fought back the desire to rip Damon's heart from his chest. He had a feeling he wasn't going to like Damon as much as he'd enjoyed Ripper Stefan's company in the twenties. Though this version of Stefan—who clearly wasn't drinking human blood anymore—seemed more like a wet blanket than the fun version Klaus remembered.
"We're here because something is hunting supernatural creatures and if it's powerful enough to take down four creatures the size of Seth," he looked at the giant wolf at his feet, then back at the two vampires, "then it's a danger to my mate! One I'd like to eradicate before it takes an interest in her and the problem she's found herself in."
"Why don't you start by telling us what's going on and how we can help," Stefan suggested his tone calm.
Klaus filled them in, telling them the story he'd heard from Billy Black, the information he gleaned from Sam Uley and everything Seth had told him. By the time he was finished, it was starting to get dark and he knew they wouldn't be able to do much more today.
"Fine." Damon nodded. "We'll help."
Stefan nodded in agreement.
"We'll have to pick this up in the morning. I'd like to get back to Isabella . . ." He said, his eyes scanning the forest.
He wasn't going to tell them about the pain in his chest and the unease he was feeling being away from her. It was a weakness; one he wouldn't allow anyone to exploit.
"Are you talking about Bella Swan?" Seth asked, suddenly, making the three men jump.
"Whoa!" Damon averted his eyes. "Dude! Pants!"
"Chief Swan's daughter?" He asked, ignoring Damon. "She's your mate, Klaus?"
"Yes."
"Is a mate like an imprint? If it is, that's totally not okay, dude. Bella's awesome. Have you tasted her pie yet?"
Damon cocked an eyebrow. "Is that supposed to be a euphemism for something?"
Seth shrugged. "I dunno what that is, but Bella makes the best pecan pie! And when she comes to the Rez with Chief Swan, she always brings cookies and makes a few extra just for me!"
Klaus smiled. There was something so innocent and carefree about Seth. Unlike some of the others he'd met recently, he greatly enjoyed Seth's company. He hoped that, despite the world he was a part of, Seth never lost his optimism and compassion. It was truly a gift.
"Are you going back to the Swan residence?" Seth asked. "Can I come with you? I'm sure my parents won't care. Harry and Charlie are best friends. They go fishing every weekend."
"You call your father Harry?"
Seth's eyes met Klaus'. "I told you, my parents have been lying to me and Leah. Harry Clearwater is not my father."
"Then who is your father?" Klaus asked, wondering if he already knew the answer.
"Billy Black."
AN: I love Seth. He's so sweet and innocent. As a wolf I imagine him being floppy and cute, like a giant puppy!
What do you guys think? Any thoughts on what's happened to the pack or who took them? Let me know in the comments. xoxo