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The Mikaelson Pack are considered an enigma in the werewolf community.
Klaus Mikaelson was a born wolf in a family of Hunters. No one knew he was a werewolf, of course, except for his darling mother Esther, who had an affair with an Alpha of a small werewolf pack who was trying to pass through the town undetected.
Esther was a witch. A powerful witch who kept her powers hidden. She never showed her tattoos, and always kept them tucked beneath her sleeves and clothes. Even when she used her magic and her tattoos glowed, she still was able to keep her powers a secret.
She was able to conceal Klaus's secret from everyone. But she slipped up. Mikael, her husband, caught on fast with her and her son's deceit when Klaus turned fourteen. Klaus's mind and body had been itching and agitated by something for so long. Esther had been locking up his wolf, keeping his wolf down behind a door. But it had been too much and the wolf tore down the door and escaped.
Klaus shifted for the first time.
It was painful. It hurt. It hurt so much
why did it hurt make it stop please make it stop stop stop STOPSTOPSTOPSTOP
Klaus howled. He howled loud. So loud that he felt blue. So much blue. But also
green
. So much
green
.
Mikael found out and when he did, he vowed to kill Esther and Klaus for their betrayal. And the Alpha who dared made his wife a sinner.
Esther died by Mikael's hands soon after and was focused on Klaus, the monster. The abomination. The disease. He was going to cleanse their family from this illness in the name of God.
So Klaus fled.
He fled far, far away. Terrified. Scared. Angry. Bitter. Distraught. His emotions festered inside him like thickened tar. He had nowhere to go. He didn't know what he was supposed to do. He found out a secret about himself that brought him shame. So much shame.
Yet at the same time, it brought him power and freedom he had never felt living under his father's rule.
He found other packs who took him in, and showed him what it meant to be a wolf. Showed him what it meant to be pack.
Pack pack pack
.
But each time he felt like he was safe, his father would ruin it. Would always find him no matter what and storm in with his guns and scriptures and curses at him and these
vile beasts
. Mikael would kill every single pack that Klaus had found a home with. Klaus could only ever feel red. Always red. And sometimes blue, deep below.
His father took his mother, took his family, took his pack away.
This was war.
Consumed by anger, Klaus found more packs to join, but he had one goal in mind: to become Alpha. If he became Alpha, then he could protect himself. He could get his pack to fight with him against his father.
But word about how Klaus was tied to the Mikaelson family spread and he was shunned from everyone. They turned their backs on Klaus.
He was too dangerous.
He brought trouble.
He could destroy them.
No one wanted Klaus. No one wanted the poor, lonely wolf who went his whole formidable years thinking he was something he wasn’t. The poor, lonely wolf who was shunned by his family because of what he was. A blight. A monster. An infection. He grew up learning that people like him had to be eradicated. Because people like him were unholy. God would never permit demonic beings like him to exist.
He was a
monster
.
Klaus was red and black.
Red red black black red red red
. There was still blue somewhere deep down, but the red overpowered it. Always red and black.
Always red and black
.
So instead of finding a pack to join, to hope would take him in and protect him, he decided to protect himself.
He knew it was dangerous to be a wolf without a pack. Could easily become an Omega and go feral. But Klaus was strong. He was
so strong
. He didn't need a pack. He didn’t need anyone to get in his way as he fended for himself.
Days turned to weeks turned to months turned to years. He roamed all over the continent, finding shelter where he could while evading his bastard of a father.
Two of his siblings ended up finding him.
Klaus was black. Black black black black
black
.
How dare they come to him.
How dare they show their faces to him.
How dare they plead with him.
His older brother Elijah had been worried about him. How what father was doing was wrong, so very wrong. He couldn't stay with father, couldn't stay with a man who was hunting my brother, my darling baby brother. It hurt me too much to think.
Rebekah wanted to come. Wanted to follow with Elijah because she missed her older brother. She missed the memories they shared when they were a family, she missed when you would braid my hair and chase me around and play with me and protect me from my nightmares.
Klaus was stricken with something he wasn't sure what. It had been so long since he remembered what it was like to be wanted, to be needed, to just
be
.
Elijah and Rebekah walked away from the life of a Hunter. They walked away from their father and they never once regretted it.
So Klaus accepted them.
But he was still an Omega, who would threaten to go feral and die. Or worse, kill the two people who wanted to be with him.
His siblings understood the dangers. Understood that they may die at a moment's notice. But they were former Hunters. They knew what they were doing. They knew how to look after themselves, it's alright, Klaus, it'll be alright.
So the three of them travelled together and made a home for themselves in Belgium.
They were fine, just the three of them. They bought a place, a home, just for themselves using the money Elijah had stored up because he could. Because he wanted to. For his family.
Family family family
.
Rebekah threw lavish parties and invited all the socialites who were willing and wanting to come. She wanted to let her brothers enjoy themselves, to let Klaus enjoy himself because God did he earn it. She was always thinking about her brother because he's Klaus. He's her brother. He's her protector.
Protector protector protector
.
Klaus met people, beautiful people who drooled over him, and who wanted to be with him. And he allowed them the honours of being with him. But he never gave them his heart. Still too wounded from his past, even with Elijah and Rebekah here to ease that pain.
Over a year, Klaus lived proud, basking in the glory of Belgium, and enjoying life with his brother and sister. Nothing was going to stop them.
Until Mikael came.
Mikael always came.
He tracked the abomination down. Figured out where he took dear Elijah and Rebekah. Mikael was disappointed his own flesh and blood turned their backs on him. On their lives. On God. The Hunters rule was to never hurt innocent humans unless they sided with the wolves, then those humans were also sinners that must be dealt with.
He came with Freya. With Finn. With Kol. The last three of his kin who would never betray him. Would never side with the abomination that was Niklaus Mikaelson. God. He shouldn't even have the Mikaelson name. He would only stain the Hunter name with his sickness.
Mikael destroyed everything Klaus and Elijah and Rebekah built.
He almost killed them. He had Rebekah by her hair and pointed a gun to her head.
Klaus was angry. He snarled. He saw only
red red red red red and black
. He pounced, bit down onto Mikael's arm and the man wailed in agony. He flung Klaus away and dropped Rebekah. She was able to scamper away to Elijah, who was fending for himself against Freya and Finn and Kol but trying to reason with them. To make them
see
reason. He almost got Freya and Kol. Almost. But Finn was firm and commanded his fellow Hunters, his
siblings
, to do what was expected of them. To do what
God
expected of them.
The battle was tumultuous. Klaus and Elijah and Rebekah wouldn't be able to survive any longer.
So the three siblings ran again, far, far, far away.
They ended up in Southern France.
They lay low, doing their best to not draw attention to themselves because of course, the lavish parties and the large house were what drew Mikael to them. Of course, it was.
They ended up meeting a pack a month later. A pack of three, like them, but not
really
because Klaus was the wolf and Elijah and Rebekah were humans.
Tristan and Aurora de Martel, and Lucien Castle.
Tristan de Martel was the Alpha, Aurora was his second in command and Beta, and Lucien was his witch.
Klaus was smitten with Aurora immediately. And Aurora with him.
Tristan had been surprised about Klaus and his story. And even more so with two humans, two
former Hunters
with him. But Tristan welcomed them, welcomed all three of them and gave them a place in their home.
But Elijah was wary. He didn't trust Tristan or Aurora or Lucien. He warned Klaus, but his brother was too foolish and blinded by infatuation to listen to words. So Elijah stewed in his suspicion. Stewed so loud that Klaus and Rebekah had heard.
It was odd. It was strange. It was
new
.
Klaus had never heard Elijah so loudly in his head before. And then he realized he could hear Rebekah too. And Elijah and Rebekah could hear each other and Klaus. Klaus was the loudest, though, he was
always
the loudest with
red red red
and
black black black
and
blue
and
red black green green green
.
It was the first time Klaus felt
green
in such a long time—since he first shifted nine years ago. Felt the green of relief and calmness and acceptance. It was an odd sensation to have since he was so used to
red black red black red black
and
blue
and
red black red black red
.
Klaus told Aurora this, trusting her with his kept secrets. She claimed that it must be because Klaus's wolf recognized Elijah and Rebekah as pack.
Pack
Packpackpack
Klaus had a
pack
. He
had a pack
. He felt so much
green
. The green of relief and happiness and hope.
Green green green
. And he knew Elijah and Rebekah could feel and see and hear the
green green green
because Klaus felt the sensation being returned to him in kind.
There was so much
green
.
Pack
Green
Packpackpack
Greengreengreen
We're pack
we are always pack
always pack always always always
always and forever
always and forever
alwaysandforever
we we we us you me
LoveBrotherSisterFamily
LoveBrotherSisterFamily
Tristan found out about this peculiarity. Stated how it must be the bonds between the three of them. He had never heard of humans feeling pack bonds, but he was intrigued. Klaus didn't know what to do with that information, but he didn't mind it. Didn't mind knowing that his brother and sister are now considered his pack.
LoveBrotherSisterFamily
Elijah and Rebekah got used to the feeling of the bond, this tight bond they shared with each other and their brother. It was nice. It was green,
green green green
.
On full moons Tristan and Aurora would take Klaus with them to run the great fields and lands as wolves. Elijah and Rebekah would be there. They wouldn't run, but they still stayed with Klaus because he was their brother. He was their family. Their pack. And Klaus had been so happy, so green.
They had been staying with Tristan and Aurora and Lucien for six months now. Things were calm. Things were nice. Tristan wanted to invite them into his pack, wanted them to be
pack pack pack
.
Rebekah was thrilled. She was so thrilled she was verdant green. Always green.
Green green green
.
Elijah was wary. He was so wary he was azure blue. Always blue.
Blue blue blue
.
But Klaus.
Oh, Klaus.
Klaus wanted nothing more to join a pack, but he felt strange. His wolf felt strange because he already
had
a pack. He had Elijah,
LoveBrotherFamily
. He had Rebekah,
LoveSisterFamily
. They were his pack.
His pack
.
So Klaus turned Tristan's offer down, because he didn't feel right to join a pack when he had his own.
And Tristan understood.
But Klaus was not an Alpha. His eyes did not burn a sanguine red like Tristan did. Klaus was orange. Beta orange. But there had been a flicker of violet, of Omega violet that was drowned out by the orange. Yet, for some reason, he was able to control himself and his wolf. Was able to starve off the feral nature Omegas would eventually succumb to.
Tristan taught Klaus about what it was like to be a wolf. Sure Kaus learned all this from the other packs he'd previously been with before. But Tristan told him the grittier details. The raw feeling of
being a wolf
. Taught him the culture. Taught him the rules. Taught him everything he knew because of course he did, Tristan was an Alpha, he knew everything, so Klaus listened. He listened hard.
He was taught about tethers. Something that grounded the wolf, to remind them of their humanity, to not let themselves succumb to the animal within. They may be wolves but they are also
humans
. Klaus asked what would be considered a tether. Tristan said anything that helped him remind himself of his humanity—a feeling, an emotion, a memory, a person. Every wolf, and witch, had them.
Klaus asked who or what Tristan's tether was. And the man simply responded that it was Aurora. It was always Aurora because she was his sister and he was her brother.
And then Klaus silently wondered what
his
tether was. Wondered if Aurora could be his tether.
Klaus learned that every born wolf would have a stone wolf carved for them by their Alpha. Made out of quartz or shiny black stone, or any material that felt fitting. And he learned that this little stone wolf was very important. Very special. Because there will come a time in every wolf's life where they will meet someone who makes them smile and want to be around and want to have forever. And when that day comes, you will know, your wolf will know, know that that person you smell and want and hold and chase and bite is your Mate.
Mate mate mate
. Giving them the stone wolf indicates that you want to be Mates.
Tristan offered to make one for Klaus, but he refused. Klaus wanted to try. Wanted to try for himself. It made him feel more connected with his wolf.
Klaus spent hours meticulously carving his stone wolf. Because he's certain Aurora is his Mate. She smiled brilliantly like the stars. Held herself like the moon. And looked at Klaus like he was her world.
Elijah didn't think this was a good idea. Same with Rebekah. She didn't trust that woman with the smiles of stars and the glow of the moon. But Klaus dismissed them and told them they need not worry because Klaus knew what he was doing and he trusted his wolf and he trusts Aurora.
But Klaus didn't know that Elijah and Rebekah were slowly being shunned away by Tristan and Aurora and Lucien. They barely saw Klaus or got a chance to spend time with him. Tristan and Lucien kept telling Elijah and Rebekah they needed to go into town for some errands every full moon while the wolves ran under the beautiful moonlit night.
Day by day, Tristan would pull Klaus away from Elijah and Rebekah and teach him more about being a wolf. More about having a pack. Day by day, Aurora would pull Klaus away from Elijah and Rebekah and take him on dates where they could hide in the shadows and kiss each other all over. And each and every day Elijah and Rebekah would feel blue.
He finished his stone wolf. It took him several attempts, but it looked good. It looked
right
. And he was sure Aurora would accept him. Would give him her stone wolf too because they were Mates, right?
And then everything went to shit.
Because when Klaus was looking for Aurora, he overheard Tristan and Lucien talk. Tristan the Alpha, and Lucien his witch, were discussing Klaus. Curious, he honed in on his hearing and captured every word they said.
Lucien asked, “Are you sure you want a
Hunter
to join us?”
Tristan said, “He's a wolf. He's one of us.”
Lucien asked, “And his siblings?”
Tristan said, “Kill them.”
Tristan said, “He's completely trusting of us.”
Tristan said, “If we have someone like him, an
enigma
, then we can grow the de Martel pack.”
Lucien asked, “What if Klaus still refuses? Even with Aurora making him think she loves him?”
Tristan said, “Then use your magic and make him pliable.”
Klaus ran. He ran with his stone wolf that was meant for Aurora. The stone wolf he carved just for her and her alone. His heart was broken. His wolf was howling. But instead of being washed with blue, he was burning with red.
Red red red red red
and
black black black black black
.
Elijah and Rebekah felt him. They
felt his red
. So they went looking for him. Wanted to make sure he was okay because Klaus was their family, he was
family
.
LoveBrotherFamily
.
LoveBrotherFamily
.
They found Klaus, weeping angrily with so much red as he recanted what he heard from Tristan and Lucien.
Elijah was red.
Rebekah was a mix of blue and red.
So the three of them formed a plan. Klaus was never going to let these
people
hurt his pack.
His pack
.
LoveBrotherSisterFamily
.
Packpackpack
.
Two days later, word spread in this little place in Southern France about a man with his three children asking about three beasts.
Klaus knew it wouldn't be long until Mikael caught up to them.
Elijah planted the seed about the three beasts living in that beautiful country home away from the heart of town.
Rebekah spread gossip about how the three living in the beautiful country home away from the heart of town seemed to call themselves
Mikaelson
.
Klaus, Elijah, and Rebekah were ready to flee. Maybe to the States this time? Klaus thought New Orleans would be beautiful this time of year.
New Orleans was different. It was bright and wonderful and had all these
smells
. It felt homey. It smelled homey. Could become
their
home.
But they got into a small fight with the local witches. They smelled of magic and smoke and dirt and brimstone and rain. Klaus tore the throat out of a witch who had used his magic to hurt Elijah. Elijah had been flung into a tree and his back snapped. Klaus was beating
red red red
.
The fight was over but Klaus felt a wave of blue from Rebekah.
Rebekah was crying. She was crying and weeping and sobbing and calling out for Klaus, calling out for her brother because it's Elijah, Klaus, you have to help Elijah, please brother,
please please please
!
Klaus went pale as he felt Elijah's bond start to fade. Started feeling the emptiness replacing the bond that was usually edited filled with Elijah.
No, no, no, no
nononoNONONONO
!
Klaus shook Elijah. Tried to hear his heartbeat. It was faint, so faint. No, no, no. He can't do this to him, he can't
do this to him
,
Elijah do not leave me
,
Elijah no
!
LoveBrotherFamily
.
LoveBrotherFamily
Packpackpack
always and forever
always and forever
alwaysandforever
Rebekah was crying, curling over Elijah's body. Klaus had to do something. He had to
do something
.
So he did the one thing his instincts told him to do.
Klaus half-shifted, dark grey fur sprouted around his head and face, and his face elongated into a snout. His fangs sharpened and he bit down into Elijah's neck.
Something truly magical happened that day.
Elijah became a werewolf, something only an Alpha could do.
Klaus's eyes burned a vibrant red.
Three months had passed since Elijah became a werewolf. Things had been shaky. Klaus had to learn how to be an Alpha. Elijah had to learn how to be a wolf.
There were fights. The brothers snapped at each other. Fought each other. Bared their fangs at each other. Rebekah was the only one who dared to slap them out of their stupidity. Rebekah who had felt the pull of Elijah faded and came back because Klaus saved him.
All of them agreed they would protect one another. To make sure that they would fight tooth and claw to keep this family, to keep this pack safe.
Another month passed and they were out hunting in the Bayou when they came across an Omega. A large light grey wolf with brown stripes on his chest and on his front two paws. His eyes flashed violet and was ready to attack in a frenzy. Klaus and Elijah spotted him immediately and barked at Rebekah to stay behind.
But Rebekah would do no such thing. She was a trained Hunter. She knew how to look after herself. So she stepped up beside her brothers, ready to take on the fight.
The Omega charged at them but his eyes widened and he growled, coming to a stop.
Klaus and Elijah were confused, not understanding why this wolf, this
Omega
, had stopped its attack.
Rebekah wasn't waiting around for a sign so she came to the Omega with her silver-imbued baton. The Omega growled, eyes flashed violet and leapt high until he pinned Rebekah down.
Klaus and Elijah snarled and growled and snapped their jaws at the Omega.
How dare he attack their sister
Must protect sister
Must protect family
protect protect protect
Rebekah needs them
must protect
pack pack pack
LoveSisterFamily
always and forever
alwaysandforever
Rebekah kicked the Omega off of her and the wolf went tumbling over into the water. He whined upon impact.
Klaus and Elijah flanked Rebekah, sticking close to her. Elijah's wolf was big, his head reaching Rebekah's shoulders when on fours. But Klaus's wolf was bigger. To anyone, it would seem like Rebekah was in danger from these wolves. But that was further from the truth.
The Omega had shifted back into a human when he climbed out of the water, completely naked and wet. He was black with a clean-shaven head and a lean body that indicated he looked after himself well. And his eyes glowed vibrant Omega violet, but it flashed brighter when his eyes landed on Rebekah.
Klaus stood in front of Rebekah, not wanting this Omega to get any closer to his baby sister.
But then the man spoke.
Looking directly at Rebekah, he said, “I found you.”
Two more months passed and Marcel somehow joined Klaus's pack.
At first, they were weary of Marcel. He was an Omega who had closely gone feral. Yet when he saw Rebekah and took in her scent, Marcel
knew
.
Klaus despised that Marcel would follow after Rebekah like a lovesick puppy. It was disgusting and unbecoming and he will
not stand for this strange man trying to get close to my sister
.
Elijah thought nothing of it. He saw how Marcel's eyes no longer flickered Omega violet and instead, burned Beta orange like him.
Rebekah didn't mind, of course.
Marcel was a gentleman. He was patient. He was caring. He never treated Rebekah as though she were weak. She liked the attention he gave her. It made her feel wanted and loved. Her brothers loved her, yes, but she was always pining for something more. Something
lasting
.
She also didn't need to be a wolf to tell how Marcel saw her. He practically stared in awe and drooled after her. The small twitch of his nose and the lopsided grin was always his tell that he wanted more with her. It was quite endearing.
Eventually, Marcel proved himself to Klaus when another Omega—much more feral—came tracking into their territory and tried to get at Rebekah. Marcel's wolf launched himself at the Omega, barreling into her and snapping his jaws around the feral creature's throat. It was bloody. It was gory. It was cruel. But Marcel did it to protect Rebekah. Did it to protect his Mate because he needed to make sure she was okay. Needed to make sure she was safe that she was
safe safe safe
.
Klaus accepted Marcel as his Beta.
Rebekah accepted Marcel as her Mate when he gave her his stone wolf after the Omega incident.
Pack pack pack
Green green green
LoveBrotherFriendFamily
LoveBrotherFriendFamily
LoveBrotherFriendFamily
always and forever
alwaysandforever
The Mikaelson Pack had steadily grown strong with the four of them. Their bonds were strengthened every day they spent with each other.
Everything was
green green green
. Klaus had been so happy. So happy with relief and hope that this family, this pack, that he was building of his own would live strong.
He could always feel what others felt so vibrantly.
Elijah had made Klaus his tether.
Marcel had made Rebekah his tether.
Klaus…
He still had no idea what or who his tether should be. So he kept that to himself.
He wasn't losing himself, not really. But there were times when he would go into a full shift and felt himself wanting to stay as a wolf. To never turn human again because being human hurts. Being human causes pain and complex emotions that he doesn't want to deal with. Being a wolf was simpler. Easier. Better.
Elijah was Klaus's second and each time he felt Klaus's pull of wanting the easy way out, he would talk his baby brother out of it.
And sometimes it worked. Sometimes it didn't. Sometimes it ended with them fighting and snapping at each other. And sometimes it ended with Klaus thanking Elijah for being there with him, and for never giving up on him.
Elijah will always be there for Klaus. Will always remind Klaus of his humanity. Because Elijah loves Klaus. He loves his brother. And he would do
anything
to make sure his brother was okay.
Three years later, Freya and Kol found them.
Klaus could only feel
red red red
. Always
red red red red red
.
Elijah and Marcel flanked their Alpha as Rebekah brought up the rear with her baton.
They were ready for a fight. They were ready to protect their pack.
Pack pack pack
must protect pack
must protect pack from humans
from Hunters
Red red red
protect protect protect us us us
no no can't hurt us can never hurt us never never never NEVERNEVERNEVER
But they weren't here to hurt.
Mikael didn't know they were here. He still believed they were in Russia following
a lead
.
Freya and Kol thought hard about their siblings, about Klaus and about their last interaction in Belgium. How Elijah pleaded and begged for them to see reason. Freya and Kol took a while to get there, after following their father for so long and hearing him spew hate and damning Klaus and Elijah and Rebekah every night.
Freya had grown tired. She didn't want to continue chasing after ghosts. She missed her family. Her siblings. She missed their voices, their scents, their warmth. She missed waking up to them and going to sleep after spending the day with them.
Kol missed their past. Missed how things were. He didn't care if Klaus was a wolf anymore. He didn't care if Elijah and Rebekah turned their backs on them. He only regretted not going with them in the first place. He regretted staying with father and leaving destruction in their wake.
Elijah had asked about Finn.
Freya shook her head.
She said, “He's too far gone.”
She said, “I tried to convince him.”
She said, “We left at night when he and father were asleep. They don't know, Klaus. They don't know.”
Klaus was still untrusting. The red he felt burned in his chest like wildfire waiting to blow. He was betrayed many times by them. Many times. How could he trust them now? He couldn't.
He couldn't
.
Red red red red red
and
blue
and
red red red red red
.
Marcel didn't know these people. Sure their scent was familiar and smelled of Klaus and Elijah and Rebekah. But he didn't
know
them. He didn't
trust
them. He stayed close to Rebekah, to his
Mate
.
LoveMateFamily
.
Must protect
.
Rebekah had missed her sister and brother. She missed them and seeing them here before her eyes made her
blue
.
Blue blue blue
. So very
blue
.
Klaus and Elijah and Marcel felt her blue. It came in like a tsunami. Violent and fast.
And Klaus knew that if he turned them away now if he attacked and killed them now, Rebekah's blue would turn red. It would turn
red red red
at him.
So he allowed Freya and Kol to stay.
He said, “Do not mistake my kindness as weakness.”
He said, “I have made a family, a
pack
for myself with Elijah and Rebekah and Marcel.”
He said, “I will not hesitate to rip you asunder if you threaten
my pack
.”
Freya and Kol understood.
They stayed with them.
They stayed with them ever since.
LoveSisterBrotherFamily
LoveBrotherSisterFamily
Freya and Kol became
pack pack pack
.
And everything felt
green green green
.
Freya told Klaus how she discovered she was a witch.
She had always known something was strange with her. Always remembered how their mother would tell her stories about the magic that runs through nature. How it was easy to pluck that energy and turn it into something
more
.
Freya wanted to learn about her magic. She wanted to learn how to use it and control it.
When she was still with Mikael, she had gone off on a small journey of her own to find her Aunt, hoping she would have answers as to what these powers were and if mother ever had the same ones.
Dahlia Black lived far away from civilization. She kept to herself and her magic.
When Freya appeared at her doorstep, Dahlia turned her away. She may be her niece but she wanted nothing to do with Esther.
Freya told her Esther had died years ago.
Dahlia gave her her condolences.
The woman ended up bringing Freya in and teaching her magic. Told her that each witch had tattoos that helped them ground and control their magic, but she would need a tether to remind herself of her humanity.
Freya got her first tattoo a week after training. It was of the stars and constellations on one arm, and the sun and the moon on the other. It hurt, having the magic tattoos burned into her flesh. But when she got them, she felt free.
But Dahlia was ruthless. She was a good mentor, but she was greedy. She demanded too much out of Freya. Kept her away from the outside world. Forbade her from doing anything unless told.
Freya felt stifled and hated it.
She begged and begged and begged Aunt Dahlia to let her go. To let her out.
But the woman refused and used magic against Freya.
She was scared.
So so so scared.
Freya protected herself and used her magic against Dahlia.
Her tattoos burned bright, and the stars and constellations moved down her arm as she summoned forth the earth to pin Dahlia down.
The moon tattoo merged with the sun, creating an eclipse on her arm and it glowed brighter than the stars.
After that, Freya fled and rejoined her father and siblings.
Klaus was impressed by Freya's abilities and was fascinated by how her tattoos glowed and moved around when she used magic. He wondered if their mother was the same. Wondered if maybe it was because of her that he turned out this way.
Freya assured him that she was going to do whatever she could to protect him. To protect their family. To protect their
pack
.
Their
Pack.
Pack pack pack
Klaus was blue and then he was green green green.
Freya became the Mikaelson Pack's witch that day.
And everything was
green
.
Kol was jealous.
He was jealous of Klaus and Elijah and Marcel.
He wanted what they had.
He wanted to become a wolf.
He wanted to
be
a wolf.
Elijah had told him how Klaus saved his life with the bite. That he was on the brink of death before he felt the sharp pain in his neck and the quickened sensation of the pack bonds being strengthened. As a human, he was able to feel the bonds, but as a wolf, he felt them more
strongly
, more
intimately
. He owed Klaus his life.
Marcel had told him how, as a child, he was bitten by a rogue Alpha and fled thereafter. Marcel didn't know what was happening to him. Didn't know why he was going through something like this. But he oddly felt a sense of relief when he became a wolf. Like being a wolf was what he was supposed to do. Like it was what he
was
.
Kol went to Klaus and asked for the bite.
Klaus said no.
Kol asked why,
why why why
?
Klaus said that he would only give him the bite if he felt it was right. But Kol asking for it because he was jealous or because he wanted power was not how he wanted to do it.
Kol was angry. And Klaus felt that through their bond.
Kol was red, he was
red red red
. But he was also
blue blue blue
.
Klaus felt it. He felt it all. But he couldn't give his brother what he wanted. Not when the images of Elijah dying were still seared into his mind.
And Kol.
Kol, Kol, Kol.
He felt
that
.
He felt the ocean blue that came from Klaus. That came from that day. Kol shed tears from the overwhelming sensation.
Kol said, “If you gave me the bite now, that thing that happened with Elijah, you will never have to experience that ever again.”
Kol said, “If you gave me the bite now, I can help protect our family, our
pack
.”
Kol said, “If you give me the bite now, I won't have to fear losing my siblings again. My
pack
.”
Kol was blue. He emanated so much blue it was too much for Klaus. And he knew the others felt it too, felt Kol's blue.
Klaus asked Kol to give him a week to think it over.
Klaus wasn't sure what to do.
He was still struggling to understand what it meant to be an Alpha to this pack, to
his pack
. He wanted to do what Kol begged of him, but he was hesitant. Would it be right? To turn Kol into a wolf like him? What would the bastard of their father say when he inevitably finds them again? Mikael would curse Klaus's name out. Would curse him for sinking his disgusting claws and turning his siblings against him, against God. Would curse Klaus for turning his siblings into sinners and monsters like him.
Klaus went to Elijah for help. For advice on what to do.
Elijah always knew what to do, what to think, what to say.
But this time, Elijah didn't know.
He didn't know what to do, or think, or say.
He told Klaus, “Do what you feel is best.”
He told Klaus, “Do what you feel is best for Kol.”
He told Klaus, “Do what you feel is best for the pack.”
Klaus mulled it over some more until the week was finally up and Kol came to him again.
Kol said, “Give me the bite.”
And Klaus.
Klaus looked at Kol. He
really
looked at Kol. He felt Kol's determination and conviction in their bond. He felt it so strongly. It was white and bright and burned hotly.
Finally, Klaus said, “Okay.”
He half-shifted and bit Kol.
Kol became a wolf that day and he was
green green green
.
Four years passed and the Mikaelson Pack grew larger.
Over those four years, they added Vincent and Davina into the pack. Both were witches.
Davina had been an orphan and was put into the care of a Hunter family after the orphanage sold her off because she was eighteen, she was already too old now. She hated it there. Hated it so much. So she ran. She ran away, far away until she found herself in the French Quarter of New Orleans. She discovered her magic then, but she didn't know how to control it.
That was when Marcel found her and took her into the pack.
Marcel looked after her.
He protected her.
And Davina learned how to control her magic from Freya. Learned all she knew from the Mikaelson witch.
Davina got her first tattoo.
A large oak tree that changes the colour of its leaves when she uses magic. A large oak tree tied to the four seasons.
Then there was Vincent. A witch. A man who had just lost his wife, his
tether
. It was a surprise he was even able to keep himself together. When someone loses their tether, and that tether was a
person
, it would become unbearable. Too painful. Too much. They would lose themselves and go ballistic. So Vincent still holding on to his humanity after losing his wife was a miracle.
He was barely keeping it together. Kept to himself.
Klaus and Freya found him after they were checking the barrier that Freya and Davina put up around New Orleans.
They took Vincent back to the compound and helped him hold onto his humanity. Freya helped him reconnect with his magic, helped him reconnect with himself and all that he lost. Vincent ended up finding a new tether—it was a memory of when his and his wife’s marriage. Yes, he still grieved for her loss, but the memory of their happier moments lived on. And that grounded him. Helped him hold himself together and not allow his magic to burst through him in sorrow.
Eventually, Klaus felt the bonds with Davina and Vincent form between him and the rest of the pack. They felt the two newcomers. Felt their thoughts and emotions.
Davina and Vincent welcomed the bonds. They welcomed it all.
Pack pack pack
packpackpack
LoveBrotherSisterFamily
LoveSisterBrotherFamily
LoveWitchFriendFamily
LoveWitchFriendFamily
packpackpack
we we we
we
we are pack
always pack
pack is us
us is pack
always and forever
always and forever
alwaysandforever
Kol smelled Davina the first time Marcel brought her home.
She was beautiful and kind and sweet.
Her smile made him smile.
Her laugh made him want to hear it more.
She smelled like wheat fields and hot chocolate and rhubarb pie.
His wolf howled loud. Howled so loud in his head.
Klaus knew.
Elijah knew.
Marcel knew.
Even Rebekah and Freya knew and they weren't wolves.
Klaus took Kol aside and told him about stone wolves. About how each wolf will have their own little stone wolf that the Alpha carves for born wolves. And that when they find that special someone, their
Mate
, then they will give that special someone their stone wolf to say they
chose
them as their Mate.
Rebekah had Marcel's stone wolf because he wanted to be her Mate. And she accepted him as her Mate.
Klaus carved his own stone wolf. He would offer to make one for Kol, but he felt like it wouldn’t encompass who Kol was as a person. And he knew Kol wanted to try his hand at making one himself, especially after seeing the glitter and stars bursting out from Kol’s eyes when he told his brother about stone wolves and the importance of it. He knew his brother well.
So that’s what he did. Kol made his own stone wolf.
And it was awkward. It didn't look like how it was supposed to. But he didn't care because it was the thought that counted. This wolf was a part of Kol. And Kol knew he wasn't always perfect, and it should be okay that his stone wolf wasn't okay too, right?
But before he was even able to give Davina his stone wolf, Klaus and Elijah and Marcel and Freya took him aside.
He can't give Davina his wolf.
Not yet, at least.
Because Davina was nineteen, she was still a child. And Kol was twenty-nine. There are ten years between them, it's too big.
Kol was upset. He was frustrated. He didn't understand why his siblings were getting in the way of him being happy with Davina? They all knew that she was his Mate.
But his siblings were right, in the end. He was too old for her. She was still young and had her entire life ahead of her. It was better to not drag her down with him, even if it angered his wolf.
He was so blue.
And they knew.
Davina had an inkling of what was going on. She knew. She could feel it in the pack bonds.
She went to Klaus, her Alpha, and asked him to allow her to court his brother.
Klaus was taken aback by her request. Usually, it was the wolf who would court. But here was Davina. Not even twenty yet and wanted to court his brother.
But he couldn't give her the okay. At least, not now. Maybe when she was older, then, it would be fine.
Davina took his advice with a grain of salt and courted Kol anyway.
Kol, like Klaus and the rest of the pack were taken aback. Here was Davina, this young witch with a tattoo of an oak tree that changed seasons anytime she used her magic. This fiery girl who smelled of wheat fields and hot chocolate and rhubarb pie. But most of all, to Kol, she smelled like
home
.
Home
Home
Homehomehome
Mine mine mine
Pack
LoveMateFamily
LoveMateFriend
LoveMateWitchFriendFamily
Davina brought Kol coffee.
Davina brought Kol muffins.
Davina brought Kol rhubarb pie.
Klaus talked to Davina. Asked her to stop. She was young. She was going to college and she still had so much to do and people to see.
Marcel was there and he agreed. He didn't think Davina was old enough yet. Kol was a decade older than her. What could they possibly have in common?
But stubborn, stubborn Davina refused. Her being told not to do it made her only want to do it even more.
And nobody could stop her.
It went on for a year.
So, in the end, they just let Davina and Kol be together.
Kol eventually gave Davina his stone wolf. But they were made to wait until Davina was older until they could mate. Until they could become
one
.
Kol and Davina were green with a smattering of bright yellow. They were
so green and so yellow
.
Freya met Keelin when she was making rounds to enhance the runes around New Orleans. To keep anyone who wanted to harm the city and the Mikaelson Pack out.
Keelin stumbled upon the wards, hurt and injured. She was a Beta from the Marlaux pack. Her pack had been attacked by two Hunters and her Alpha had remained behind to fend them off.
Freya felt the shiver of
blue blue blue
and the fear that came with it. She brought Keelin inside, back to the compound, and helped tend to her wounds.
Klaus and Elijah and everyone else in the pack were restless.
Klaus didn't like that there were Hunters close by.
Didn't like how this lone Beta had come into his territory injured and pleading for help.
Klaus didn't like having to put himself and his pack out there in danger for something that didn't concern him.
Elijah berated him for being unkind. Keelin came looking for help and sanctuary, and they were the only pack around who could help.
Klaus called his elder brother foolish.
Keelin told Klaus everything she knew about the two Hunters. Described them. Their build. Their physicalities.
Elijah and Rebekah and Freya and Kol shattered in multiple shades of
blue blue blue
.
Klaus, however, was in multiple shades of
red red red red red
.
Mikael and Finn had found them.
Or, they will soon.
But how?
They kept to themselves.
They didn't do anything that would incriminate themselves.
So how?
How how how how how HOWHOWHOWHOWHOW
Freya said, “We need to fight back.”
Kol said, “We need to run.”
Elijah said, “We need to stand our ground.”
Rebekah said, “We need to do something.”
Vincent and Davina wanted to help. They wanted to help protect their family. Their pack. Pack pack pack packpackpackpackpackpack.
Protect
Fight
Packpackpack
Red red red
Blue blue blue
Red and blue and red and blue
Elijah asked Klaus what they must do.
Klaus realized, the bonds from his pack, his family, his friends, soared inside his heart and his head.
They were willing to stand and fight. Willing to fight for their family and their home.
So who was Klaus to deny them that?
Klaus said, “We fight to protect our home. Our
pack
.”
Freya, Vincent, and Davina used all the energy they had to reinforce the wards around the city.
Elijah and Kol periodically did perimeter checks around the city, close to the wards.
Rebekah curated weapons and helped with training regimes. She was not going to let her father and Finn ruin something like this.
Klaus was pacing around. Seething and fuming.
He needed to get out. His wolf was itching and angry and red and he needed to calm it down. So he went to a bar to drink, and even though he could not get drunk or feel its effects, he still wanted to drink for the sake of drinking.
There he met a woman. Human. Bartender. Beautiful woman with a smart mouth that shot back quips and sass. It had been a while since Aurora de Martel, and Klaus was charmed by this woman who called herself Cami.
She humoured him for the night. And he tried to put on his best, but she was smarter than he gave her credit for and he enjoyed that. He enjoyed being in her presence and enjoyed how he felt so
normal
for once. Before finding out his truth.
He returned to the compound, with Elijah and Rebekah and Marcel Freya Kol Davina Vincent were all staring at him, welcoming back but there was a smirk on their faces.
Elijah and Marcel and Kol could
smell
the attraction and arousal wafting off of Klaus. It was hilarious but also disconcerting and gross because that's
Klaus
, that's their
brother and Alpha
.
Marcel teased Klaus, volunteering himself to be Klaus's wingman if he ever needed to. Klaus laughed, brushing it off because he didn't need it. He was Klaus Mikaelson. He had game, he didn't
need
help.
Keelin didn't understand why they were taking things lightly when Hunters three states over had wiped out her entire pack. Freya assured her that nothing was going to happen. They were going to fight for themselves and for Keelin's lost pack.
Months passed and they were still on edge. Kept their wits about them and trained as hard as they could in the Bayou.
Freya and Vincent would send false rumours and gossip about the location of the Mikaelson Pack being somewhere in the Pacific Northwest, close to the borders of Canada just to throw Mikael and Finn off their trail.
At the same time, Klaus had gotten to know Cami more each day. Learned about her studies, her major, her likes and dislikes. He could smell the interest that oozed out of her, and it made Klaus's wolf howl in delight. She smelled of lime and chamomile and the quiet nightlife.
Eventually, Klaus and Cami fell into a romantic rhythm with one another and Klaus felt so much green when it happened.
Green green green
.
Cami found out about their secret.
Klaus had brought her back to the compound one day after she insisted on meeting his family. He warned her that it was going to be a lot. Warned her that what she was asking, she could never forget. But Cami was willing to learn, willing to know, willing to go that extra mile because she cared about Klaus.
During a full moon, he took her past the Bayou where it was quiet and disarming. She was met with four large wolves with glowing orange eyes. She saw Rebekah and Freya and Davina and Vincent standing around the wolves as well.
Klaus started to strip out of his clothes, startling the human woman. But that morphed into a jolting shock when Klaus shifted into his large dark grey wolf.
Klaus smelled fear. Smelled confusion. Smelled intrigue.
Cami eventually processed what she saw.
She said, “You're a werewolf.”
She said, “Oh my god, everything makes so much sense now!”
She said, “Klaus, thank you for trusting me enough to share this secret with me.”
Klaus growled happily.
She's not afraid
not afraid of us
not afraid of wolf
happy
she's happy
smells happy
oh she's petting us
she's laughing and smiling
i like when she laughs and smiles
sounds pretty like wind chimes
oh
we run now
we run lots
full moon we run run run
oh
Cami also runs
she's also running with us
yes
this is good
this is it
Cami’s laughing
Good because Cami’s laugh is beautiful
She’s beautiful
I lick her
Cami scolds me Klaus stop licking me wait wait wait no don’t—Klaus get off you’re heavy
I don’t get off
Comfy very comfy Cami is warm Cami is comfortable Cami is
Green green green
Everything is green green green
Greengreengreen
They managed to keep Mikael and Finn running around in circles for a little longer. And Klaus thought that was the end of their threats, for now.
But he didn't realize there was another threat still out there.
Didn't realize the De Martel Pack was hunting Klaus and Elijah and Rebekah for what they did to them many moons ago.
A year passed and a woman of windstorms and wildfires and rain showers showed up.
Hayley Marshall.
She had come to New Orleans to find her birth parents. Was told that they would have the answers she sought.
Keelin was the first to recognize her and who she was.
Hayley was a wolf. Was the long lost baby her parents had to give up because of Hunters that came through New Orleans to eradicate them, to kill the Labonair Pack. Keelin knew her parents, not well, but well enough to offer her condolences.
“Your parents were good people.”
The woman had been bounced around different homes until she was around eight or maybe ten when she experienced her first shift. Since then, she roamed around, being picked up by different packs who took her in, but none of them ever felt like home. She merely stuck around to hold onto pack bonds so she wouldn't become an Omega and go feral.
Klaus was lost.
He was so lost.
Because this woman before him smelled so much of windstorms and wildfires and rain showers. He had never smelled something like this so intently before. It made his wolf sing and howl and want to go over to her and chase and nip and rub his scent all over her and want her to do the same to him.
He couldn't tear his eyes away from her.
And it seemed she couldn't either.
Klaus and Cami were on a break, they had been on-again-off-again over the time they were together and were currently off. An argument that happened where Klaus was being too pushy and overprotective. Cami hated it. Hated how suffocating it was. Hated how he treated her like she was fragile when she had been training just as hard with Rebekah. She could hold her own in a fight. She's trained with former Hunters, wolves, and witches. She can
handle herself
but Klaus never lets her. He was always too afraid. Afraid to lose the one good thing that made him feel normal.
Hayley kept her guard up.
She didn't let anybody in.
She would snap at anyone trying to get close to her.
She was wounded.
She was hurt.
She was angry.
She was red.
She was
so red
.
Red red red red red
.
Klaus knew what that was like. Knew what she felt. Knew that red that took control of her. Sometimes the red took control of him too. Because even though he was feeling
green green green
, he would still feel
red red red
. It never leaves. But he learned to live with it. Learned to deal with it. Learned to be okay with it.
He kept an eye on Hayley. Made himself scarce when she would wander off alone. Made himself known when she came back to the compound. Some days he thought she would just leave completely. But she would always come back.
Always came back
.
One night when Hayley came back, she spoke to Klaus. Asked him why he always waited by the door.
Klaus responded simply, “To make sure you're okay” and “To make sure you know someone is waiting for you” and “To make sure you always know someone is waiting for you”.
Hayley felt green at that moment, and oddly enough, Klaus felt her green.
Since then, Hayley warmed up to Klaus. She slowly opened up to him and to the rest of the pack. She was still hesitant to run with them during the full moon, but it was fine. Because everyone was accepting of her, accepted her as their own, as pack.
Pack pack pack
.
Klaus felt so much green, like a fresh forest untouched by civilization.
Cami and Klaus ended things near the end of the year.
Klaus was blue, but he was also green.
It had been a long time coming.
He had gotten possessive, protective, and aggressive. Tried to push and push and push, but eventually, it was too painful to handle.
Cami loved the freedom of being with Klaus, she truly did. But she couldn't handle being treated like some kept treasure, unable to fight alongside her pack if he was going to hover around like that.
They remained friends, though.
Cami came to the compound less and less, though.
She didn't run with the wolves, though.
Klaus knew she needed time. Needed time away from the pack and from him.
Cami was leaving the city, planning to head up North for a change of scenery. It didn't mean she was leaving indefinitely, but she had to be anywhere but New Orleans.
Klaus understood. He understood, but he was still going to be
blue blue blue
because Cami was special. She was so incredibly special and made him feel special too. But he knew she needed this. From the bonds he could feel how trapped and suffocated she was getting. And as much as how Klaus wanted to keep her here, keep her beside him, he knew he couldn’t do that. Wouldn't do that.
So he let her go.
Aurora de Martel kidnapped Cami when she left the wards of New Orleans and sent a message to Klaus to meet her at the edge of the wards if he ever wanted to see Cami again. Alive.
Klaus was seething.
His red was affecting everyone else and they had become agitated and twitchy.
Elijah and Rebekah especially as they knew Aurora personally as well.
Aurora was not going to get away with this. She was not going to get away with threatening a member of the Mikaelson Pack.
Klaus did as she instructed.
He was at the borders where the wards kept her out and kept him sage.
Lucien was there beside Aurora, holding Cami with his magic.
Klaus growled, low and dangerous.
Aurora flashed her eyes at him and time stilled.
Her eyes were red.
They were glowing sanguine red.
That meant Tristan was dead and Aurora became the Alpha.
Aurora went on to do a monologue about how Klaus and his wretched family were to blame for killing her brother and ruining their lives. How they spread rumours about the
Mikaelson Pack
that lived in the lavish home away from civilization. How Aurora and Tristan and Lucien had to fight off Hunters—
Mikaelson
Hunters.
Klaus taunted her. Riled her up. Laughed in her face but also threatened her. Threatened that his pack was larger now. That he had people to count on to make him stronger. That they best let Cami go or
you will be in a world of hurts when I get my teeth on you
.
A battle broke out.
It was the Mikaelson Pack versus the De Martel Pack.
Aurora and Lucien were formidable.
Aurora was this lithe orange wolf with white streaks along her back and underbelly.
Lucien's tattoos glowed wildly and brightly and there was a heavy scent of sulphur that emanated from him and his magic.
Klaus was locked in battle with Aurora. Along with Elijah and Rebekah.
The others focused on getting Cami by getting Lucien.
Freya's tattoos glowed brighter than ever before. The constellations sparkled and moved around her arm like they were actually the night sky. On the other arm, the sun merged with the moon and Freya threw a devastating fire spell at Lucien.
Vincent's tattoos glowed. The cards flickered and scattered across his arms as he tore the pavement underneath Lucien in half.
Davina's tattoo glowed. The leaves on the great oak tree changed from green to red and orange and yellow. The autumnal tree quaked and shook with strength as she grew roots out of the hole Vincent made and wrapped the roots around Lucien's legs.
Kol, Hayley and Marcel flanked Lucien, aiming for his neck but getting flung back by Lucien, even while being grappled.
Klaus clawed at Aurora's back while Elijah bit and gnawed at Aurora's legs. Rebekah fired off shots of silver bullets, either grazing Aurora's ear or missing entirely to avoid hitting her brothers.
The chaos of the battle went on longer than anyone had hoped. But they eventually took Lucien down. Hayley had torn his throat apart, her jaw and muzzle buried in his blood.
Cami was free.
Aurora howled in anguish at having lost the last member of her pack, the one man who was with her when she grieved Tristan's death. The man who was with her when she claimed she wanted vengeance. The man who was with her when she travelled across the world to hunt Klaus Mikaelson down.
The anger consumed Aurora and she retreated. The fight was over. She was alone.
Everything stilled. The wolves shifted back, all naked and bloodied and wounded, though their battle scars were healing.
Klaus raced over to Cami and held her in his arms.
He asked, “Are you hurt?”
He said, “I'm so sorry.”
He said, “I should have protected you better.”
He said, “Stay in New Orleans, please.”
He said, “Camille, I love you.”
The woman smiled weakly. She cupped the side of his face and looked him deeply in his eyes. Klaus felt the radiating warmth of
green green green
and
blue blue blue
that struck at Cami's bonds.
She said, “I'm okay.”
She said, “Thank you for saving me.”
She said, “It's not your fault.”
She said, “You know I can't stay.”
She said, “Klaus, I love you. I love you but I can't stay.”
And he knew.
He knew she couldn't stay. Knew she made up her mind and had to do what she felt was better for her, even if that meant suffering the loss and love she felt with Klaus and with the pack.
Klaus knew.
Cami kissed him firmly on the lips.
She said, “I'm sorry.”
He said, “I know.”
He said, “I'm sorry too.”
She said, “I know.”
A week later, Cami left New Orleans.
She will always be pack, and she had promised to come back to visit.
The rest of the pack were all different shades of
blue blue blue
.
Freya and Keelin became Mates sometime after Cami had left.
It came as no surprise from the rest of the pack. The wolves could
smell
the arousal and tension between Freya and Keelin that they would tease the two women to no end.
Freya had a crush on Keelin. Probably ever since she first laid eyes on her. But she kept her feelings to herself, didn't think it was appropriate since Keelin had just lost her entire pack because of her father and brother. So she kept it locked away, and away, and away.
But that night when Aurora and Lucien kidnapped Cami. When they won the battle and got their
LoveFriendFamily
back, she felt the grief of blue when she watched Klaus and Cami end things indefinitely. Watched how Klaus was so torn about losing Cami. Felt the fear of knowing that two people who seemed to work in perfect harmony together could be torn apart.
She didn't want to experience the fear of watching Keelin be torn away from her. Didn't want to fear the possibility of Keelin never being in her life.
So Freya marched to Keelin's room in the compound and confessed.
Freya poured her heart out to Keelin. Told her how drawn to her she was when the wolf first came here. Told her how she always gravitated towards Keelin whenever she was in the room. Told her how she saw how strong and brave Keelin was. Told her how she wanted to stand beside Keelin and be strong with her together.
Keelin was at a loss.
But she couldn't deny the attraction she had to the Mikaelson witch. Nor the obvious fact that Freya smelled of burning papers and candle wax and incense ash and how they gave her so much comfort and
green green green
. Freya was Keelin's Mate.
Keelin gave Freya her stone wolf, and the Mikaelson witch kept it safe and sound.
And then they consummated their new relationship and all the other members of their pack could feel the shocking difference in the pack bonds. Felt the fresh sting of
green green green
that was obviously coming from Freya and Keelin.
The others congratulated them the morning after.
But they also teased them relentlessly, and without shame.
Elijah ended up going on a solo mission up North in Toronto, Canada to plant more seeds of false truth about where the Mikaelson Pack were.
He was in a quaint little bar when he smelled the scent of a lavish bar and music sheets and rich perfumes. It made his wolf howl and itch to come out. He watched the patrons, trying to get the glow of his eyes under control when he finally spotted her.
A beautiful woman with the most dashing smile he'd ever seen was at the piano being lost in the music.
Elijah got up from the bar and made his way over to her until he stood before the stage. Her scent was strong and he couldn't keep his eyes away from her. His wolf was restless and he realized why.
This beautiful woman was his Mate.
And it seemed the woman thought the same.
Because she caught his scent of woodsy cologne and red wine and an early morning day.
After her performance, Elijah offered to buy her a drink and she obliged. They got to know one another, learned her name was Antoinette and she was travelling around Canada to take in the sights. She didn't really have a home to go back to, and Elijah found out she was a wolf, though born and not bitten like him. She wasn't an Omega, as she formed a temporary bond with a local pack here in the city, and she would have been gone a week later anyway.
Quickly, Elijah asked Antoinette if she would like to come to New Orleans with him since he was leaving in a week as well.
She had wanted to refuse, but she realized she wouldn't be able to because she had found him. She had found the person her wolf was begging to be around. And who was she to deny her wolf?
By the time the next week rolled around, Elijah brought Antoinette back and introduced her to the pack.
Klaus was suspicious of her, claiming she had somehow charmed his brother somehow. But Elijah simply told him that they were Mates. Elijah couldn't believe that he would ever have a Mate. But when he saw her at the pub and caught her scent, he
knew
. His wolf howled in delight and such a song of such happiness that it was hard to ignore. Hard to ignore how intoxicating her scent was. It was like one whiff and he couldn't stay away.
Klaus didn't say much after that and let the two be.
But his eyes wandered over to Hayley, and he realized she had been looking right back at Klaus.
Freya and Keelin asked Vincent if he would be their sperm donor.
Vincent was taken aback and asked why, why
him
.
Freya said she trusted him. Thought of him as pack, as family, as someone who will always be there for them no matter what. He's proven himself to
be
pack ever since he joined up. Freya appreciated him, his loyalty and his fierceness to protect everyone.
Keelin said she trusted his judgement. Trusted his knowledge and his experience. Said that he was always looking out for everyone without anyone even realizing it. Said that she trusted nobody else in the entire world than him to help her and Freya with this.
Vincent asked them to let him think about it.
He went to Klaus and asked him what he thought.
Klaus was also taken aback that his sister and mate would go to Vincent to help them start a family. Although, after knowing Freya for so long, he wasn't surprised she would do this. Freya was strong, with convictions that even made Klaus look bad in comparison. But Freya was a star, singing brightly and making those around her gather around her.
So, really, it made sense Freya would ask Vincent.
He told the witch that it was ultimately up to him should he want to help and that he couldn't interject into the affairs of his older sister.
Eventually, Vincent thought long and hard and decided he was going to help.
Freya and Keelin were overjoyed with
green green green
. And the entire pack felt it, felt the rush of green like a mountain breeze.
Keelin was pregnant with her and Freya's first child.
Klaus felt the vibrational pull of all the bonds with his pack. He was elated and felt the emotional whirl of having such a family with people who actually cared about him and didn't see him as a monster.
He felt how happy Freya and Keelin were at their growing bundle.
He felt how amazed Vincent was that he was going to watch his biological child grow up with two loving moms and a pack who will protect and defend them without question.
He felt how Elijah and Antoinette were overjoyed at having a new addition to their family. To their
pack pack pack
.
He felt how Kol and Davina were excited to teach a new generation about love and trust and family.
He felt how Rebekah and Marcel were whispering talks about starting their own family. It seemed most appropriate now.
But the one he felt so deeply was Hayley.
He felt no joy, excitement, or euphoria.
Instead, he felt the grimness of sorrow and the guilt of anger.
Klaus found Hayley, fully shifted, and in the Bayou hunting for food. Klaus stripped off his clothes and joined her. He felt the pull of Hayley and didn't want her to be alone. He wanted to check in on her and make sure she was okay.
They ran through the trees. Hunted animals and shared their meals with one another. Klaus could feel the blue being washed away with green, but the blue was still tucked deep beneath her.
They yipped and snarled and howled together as they let themselves succumb to their wolves. It was freeing, like all the other times, but this felt different. It felt charged. And Klaus and Hayley realized too.
As night fell, Klaus and Hayley finally acknowledged what was there between them.
They finally acknowledged that they were Mates.
A year later on December fifteen, twenty-ten, the Mikaelson Pack welcomed baby Nikolas Mikaelson into the world. And a born wolf.
Klaus was touched that Freya and Keelin had named their first son in honour of him.
Freya said, “Because you are my brother.”
Freya said, “Because I want him to grow up to know how amazing and strong his uncle is.”
Freya said, “Because I want him to look up to you.”
Klaus swore he didn't cry.
And Hayley definitely didn't hold his hand in hers.
Green green green green green
.
Klaus and Hayley spent more time together ever since they acknowledged what they were to each other.
Hayley opened up to him, and Klaus opened up to her.
They were similar, Klaus and Hayley. They understood each other and how they thought. Ever since they exchanged their stone wolves with each other, they haven't dared to take that next step that fully cemented their titles as each other's mates.
Elijah knew how smitten Klaus was—didn’t take a pack bond to know.
Klaus told his brother to keep his nose out of his business and to be more concerned about how things were going with Antoinette.
Elijah laughed, bemused by his younger brother's attitude. But he gave him a bit of advice, told him that if Klaus truly felt the way he did toward Hayley, then he best let her know what he wanted and to let her know how
she
was wanted too.
Klaus let his brother's unsolicited advice stew in the back of his mind for the rest of the day.
Hayley found him in his office, painting colours he felt and experienced. Klaus didn't say anything to her as she sat in an armchair and watched him paint. It was strange to paint while he had an audience. But it was also oddly soothing.
It wasn't until he was finished that Hayley spoke to him.
She said, “You feel it, don't you. Us.”
He said, “Yeah. I do.”
She said, “So what now.”
He said, “Do you even want this?”
Hayley got up from the chair and walked over to him so she stood in front of Klaus. She gently took his hands into hers, and the two stared into each other's eyes.
She said, “Do
you
even want this?”
Klaus guided her hand to his chest and his heart thumped loudly.
He said, “I think you know the answer to that.”
Hayley smirked. With her other hand, she cupped the back of Klaus's neck and pulled him down, their lips pressing against each other.
That night, Klaus and Hayley officially became Mates.
A year later, Elijah and Antoinette announced they would be expecting a child of their own.
Two months after their pregnancy announcement, Klaus and Hayley discovered she was pregnant.
The pack already knew what to do when one of their own was pregnant with a child, courtesy of Keelin when she carried Nik.
However, the pack did not know how to handle
two
pregnant women at the same time. Though Antoinette was just a tad further along in her pregnancy with Hayley closely behind, it still did not make things easier for anyone.
Elijah and Klaus were running ragged trying to ensure their Mates were satisfied with their care. The women had their ups and downs, but they tended to band together to play harmless little pranks on their men just to keep them on their toes.
But aside from that, Antoinette and Hayley appreciated their thoughtfulness and care.
What they
didn't
appreciate was their overwhelming overprotectiveness. It was incredibly suffocating. Antoinette would ease Elijah down from being in his head too much. But Hayley would snap and bark and argue with Klaus to
give me some fucking space
!
It was never a dull moment in the Mikaelson home, and everyone appreciated the colours that these new pregnancies were adding to their growing pack.
Dorothea Mikaelson was born on April eighteen, twenty-twelve.
Hope Mikaelson was born on May second, twenty-twelve.
Everyone felt it when they saw Hope.
They felt the many great things that Hope would achieve in the future.
They all felt how Hope was to become the
next Alpha
.
Mikael and Finn found them.
After years of running around chasing rumours, they
finally found Klaus and the abominations
.
They somehow crossed the wards that barred anyone wishing to harm the Mikaelson Pack in.
Freya, Davina, and Vincent all felt the sharp stab in their mind as something in the wards changed, and for the worse.
The pack came together in the compound, looking to Klaus for instructions.
Klaus Mikaelson was a total enigma of a man. Alpha to the Mikaelson Pack, a completely unorthodox pack. They've faced worse, but together with everyone here, Klaus knew they had what it took to fight back and come out as victors. They had three children to fight for. And one more on the way for Elijah and Antoinette.
They could not lose.
They had to fight back.
For their family.
For their pack.
For their legacies.
Antoinette and the kids stayed back in the pack home with Hayley and Marcel and Davina and Vincent and Keelin. There was a ward set up around the home, ensuring that it was impenetrable. Of course, Hayley and Marcel and Keelin and Davina hated the idea of staying back while their mates were off doing the fighting, but Klaus convinced them this was the best. Besides, the Mikaelson children were due to have a family reunion with their dear father and brother.
Klaus, Elijah, Rebekah, Freya, and Kol met Mikael and Finn.
Mikael was cursing up a storm at how his flesh and blood were all
disgusting sinners
.
Finn had discovered he was a witch as well and had gone to their dear aunt Dahlia to teach him. He was just as vindictive and cruel as their aunt. And when Dahlia tried to control Finn like how she tried to control Freya, Finn killed her. He used his magic and killed her.
Mikael gave his monster of a son one last chance to turn himself in and
maybe
he will allow his siblings respite.
But Klaus would never allow that. Would never give him what he wanted.
He was
red red red
at his father.
Klaus shifted. Dark grey hair grew from his head and face and neck and arms. His clothes ripped and tore into shreds as there, standing before Mikael and Finn, was a large gray wolf and eyes that flashed red.
Elijah and Kol followed Klaus's example and shifted as well.
Three large wolves stood together, growling and baring their fangs at the Hunters. Rebekah readied her pistol while Freya readied her magic.
This fight lasted hours and hours and hours.
Mikael was trained. He was experienced. He
knew
what he was doing.
Finn was like Freya, in that both were former Huntees but now relied on their magic.
Klaus snapped his jaws at Mikael. Dodged bullets of silver and leapt so high that when he came down, he created craters in his wake.
Protect pack protect family protect LoveBrothersSistersFamily can't let bad man take them away away away must protect them
I
I I I
I am wolf wolf wolf
I am Alpha Alpha Alpha
Packpackpackpackpackpack
Protectprotectprotectprotect
Bad man can't touch them can't touch me i won't let him no no no
Can't let bad man have them
Won't let bad man have them
I am Alpha
I will protect mine mine mine
Protectprotectprotect
Packpackpack
The battle ended when Freya pulled all her magic, her tattoos burned brighter and brighter as the sun and moon kissed on her skin, and the constellations moved rapidly like comets. She finally laid waste to Finn, burying him in a thousand shards of pavement and dirt until he was no more.
The battle ended when Rebekah's sharpshooter skills pierced bullets after bullets into Mikael's viral organs while Kol and Elijah ripped his limbs from his body and Klaus sunk his teeth into Mikael's throat.
It was over.
They won.
They all howled as loud as they could to sing the song of their victory. All of them, Klaus and Elijah and Rebekah and Freya and Kol. They all howled victorious.
Everyone came together in the compound, blankets and pillows laid gently on the floor of the living room.
Those who remained at the home welcomed the siblings with open arms and tears of happiness as they claimed they heard their song they heard everything we're safe now you did it thank you thank you thank you I love you I love you
I love you
.
They all lay down together in the plush blankets and pillows.
Elijah and Antoinette curled up together as little Thea was snuggled between them.
Freya and Keelin lay beside Elijah, with Nik between them giggling and tugging at his Mom and Momma's hands.
Vincent rested his head against Freya and Keelin. He wanted to be close to them and the boy he considered his son and nephew. They welcomed Vincent, as they always did.
Davina and Kol embraced each other as they lay above Antoinette. The witch's head tucked into Kol's chest and Kol wrapped a warm arm around his Mate and love.
Finally, Hayley, with Hope in her arms, brought Klaus towards them. Klaus kissed Hayley's lips. Then he kissed Hope's temple. They rested with the others, laid snuggled between Freya and Keelin and Davina and Kol.
Everyone piled upon each other and drifted off to sleep as the spoils of victory washed their bonds with
green green green green green
.
The rest of the years were spent harmoniously.
Elijah and Antoinette welcomed their second daughter, Bernadetta Mikaelson, born on September twelfth, twenty-thirteen.
Then Freya and Keelin welcomed their second son a year later, Finneas Mikaelson, born on February seventh, twenty-fourteen.
And then Rebekah and Marcel welcomed their first child. Viktoria Mikaelson, born February twenty, twenty-fourteen.
And then Rebekah was pregnant again with her and Marcel's second child. But it was that year of twenty-sixteen, did things get shitty again.
Aurora was still on the loose. Prowling and devising a plan to get revenge.
There was also apparently something that happened in some little town in Oregon that shook the werewolf community to its core. This, Klaus didn't care too much about, but it was interesting to hear about how a human man somehow became an Alpha. It was unheard of. Klaus was fuzzy on the details, but he didn't press. Though he did put a pin in that information, wondering if he couldn't come back to it should he need help as a last resort.
Klaus was worried Aurora was biding her time, collecting wolves with no home or pack to join her. Klaus always did hear “What is an Alpha without their pack”.
He figured it was time to leave New Orleans and find a quieter place to lay low.
But they couldn't just move around, not with the children being so young and restless as they were.
So they stayed for another while longer. Just for a bit. Only until they found a place that served their needs and was up to Klaus's standards.
Henrik Mikaelson was born August thirtieth, twenty-seventeen.
Rebekah and Marcel were so delighted to welcome their second child into the world, into their family, into their
pack pack pack
.
They celebrated Henrik's birthday like how they always did with the newborns, a feast that could rival the Kings.
Everyone had their part to do in the feast. Freya and Elijah working on food. Kol, Davina, and Vincent worked on decorating. Hayley and Klaus made sure they had everything they needed as Antoinette and Keeli. kept the children out of trouble.
Hope wandered off and found Klaus and Hayley.
She was Klaus's shining star. Always so curious, always so bold, always so fiercely loyal. And all her attributes seemed to blossom over time. She was five and was already so perceptive and inquisitive.
Hope had asked, “When am I gonna have a baby sibling?”
Klaus and Hayley nearly choked on their tongues.
They looked at each other and for a brief second, they didn't know what to say in response to that. To Hope's question on when she will have a little brother or little sister.
Hope decided they were taking too long to answer her so she toddled off to find Nik and Thea.
Klaus looked at Hayley.
Hayley looked at Klaus.
And then they laughed.
When Klaus was with Tristan, he learned that every born wolf was given a carved stone wolf made by their Alpha.
Klaus tried carving one for Nik when he was born, but it didn't feel right. Not to him. So instead, he made a new rule for his pack. It should be the parents of their children who carved the stone wolves for them. Or, if they're older, the kids can do it themselves. He didn't really mind either way. Because he learned this when he was older, he felt the children should have a choice on what they wanted.
He asked Hope if she wanted one after she saw the stone wolves Klaus and Hayley gave to each other. Hope aggressively said yes.
So they found the prettiest stone worthy of his little girl, a Smoky quartz. Klaus carved most of it, but he did allow Hope to do some as well. It was nice, doing this with his daughter and spending time with her like this.
Hope giggled and smiled and beamed at Klaus.
She said, “No, Daddy, not like
that
.”
She said, “Daddy it's
my turn
now!”
She said, “It's gonna look pretty!”
Klaus's heart swelled with pride as he watched his little girl.
The stone wolf was eventually completed and Hope carefully carried it into her hands.
Klaus said, “When you find your special person, give them your stone wolf.”
She said, “Why, Daddy?”
He said, “Because it's like giving a part of yourself to them. To show them you want them in your life. To show how much they mean to you. But only give it to the person you
really
want to be with.”
“A special people.”
Klaus laughed, kissing her head. “Yes. A
special people
.”
There were rumours of Aurora finding a new pack. But there were also rumours of an Alpha of all Omegas. It was an odd rumour regarding the latter, but one Klaus wasn't privy to. He was much more concerned about Aurora—though he did make a point to have Marcel check out what was going on in Green Creek, Oregon and report back with what knowledge he was able to gleam.
Klaus was spending time watching the pups with Hayley, Elijah, and Antoinette.
Nik, Hope, and Thea were a trio that reminded Klaus of him, Elijah and Rebekah when they were off running away from the big bad monsters that hunted them. Klaus only wished that the bond between the three cousins would only grow and flourish and paint their lives with everlasting beauty. He never wished for any hardships or ruination with them—with
all
the children. These kids were the next generation. They were the Mikaelson legacy.
There had been a nearby attack just beyond the wards that protected New Orleans.
Klaus, Elijah, and Marcel went out to check while the rest stayed at the compound to ensure everyone and the children were safe.
The Alpha sniffed around, smelling foreign scents that made his snout itch with anger.
Bad bad bad people want to hurt. Want to hurt us hurt me hurt everyone. Can’t have that. Can’t have them hurt hurt hurt us us us must protect packpackpack
Klaus heard a growl from Marcel and he and Elijah quickly rushed toward him. They saw the wolf low to the ground, his ears flattened against his head and his tail tense. Klaus didn’t need to see to know who Marcel was growling at.
Beyond the wards was Aurora de Martel. Her wolf was small, and lithe, but also angry and simmering with vengeance. There were a few other wolves behind her, eyes glowing Beta orange.
Klaus growled, snapping his jaws at Aurora as if saying
go! Go go go! Leave this place leave now or I will rip you apart and tear your insides out with my jaw you are not welcomed here you are not welcomed near my home near my pack leave leave leave
.
But Aurora didn’t back down.
No.
She stood her ground and howled a warsong and the rest of her wolves followed suit.
They couldn’t get past the wards, which was good. But the Betas were voluntarily slamming themselves against it. They bruised. They bled. They were injured. But all those injuries they sustained always healed back up. And then they tried again.
Aurora didn’t do anything. She didn’t approach. She just stood there, her eyes burning a horrid red as she stared at Klaus.
Klaus snarled and barked at Elijah and Marcel, ordering them to retreat as they figured out what to do now that Aurora dared show her face.
There was fear that was rooted inside of Klaus. Fear of losing everything he had built. Fear of losing his family, his pack, his
daughter
.
Aurora must be dealt with.
They went back to the compound and all the adults went into a room together while the children all slept.
Nobody agreed with anything. There were conflicting opinions.
Freya said, “We should stay. The wards will hold up. Vincent, Davina and I will make sure of that.”
Kol said, “We should fight. Aurora doesn’t have that many Betas with her. We outnumber her. We can do this.”
Vincent said, “We should leave. We can’t stay here anymore. We have to think about the safety of the children.”
Rebekah said, “I will not risk losing my unborn baby or the other children for this stupid war with Aurora.”
Elijah said, “Niklaus, you are the Alpha and I am your second. You know as much as I do that I have my own opinion on this matter, but I will follow your lead with whatever you decide. I trust you.”
Hayley said, “Klaus. Hope needs her parents.”
Klaus wanted to stay and fight. He wanted to win this war with Aurora and finish her once and for all. But it was Hayley’s words that compelled him to stand down. It was Hayley’s presence that made his devotion to anger and violence subside as he thought about Hope. His daughter. His precious, darling daughter who smiled like the sun, who laughed like the winds, who enjoyed art like him, who always sang songs with her mother, who always played harmless pranks on her cousins, who always went to Marcel and Rebekah when she had questions that only they would know the answers to, who always loved to listen to Antoinette when she played the piano, who went to Freya and Davina and Vincent to learn about their magic and their tattoos.
Nik, Thea, Hope, Bernie, Finn, Viktoria, Henrik, and now Rebekah and Marcel’s unborn child—they should not have to witness bloodshed so young. They should not have to cower in fear, wondering if their parents will come back to them.
They were so young. So young.
Klaus, for the first time in his life, did not wish to take this risk, this gamble of life or death.
So he said, “I am the Alpha of the Mikaelson Pack. But I am also a father first and foremost. We are leaving New Orleans, but not without a fight.”
By the next day, he called Cami with the new number she had given him before she left and asked for some help. He explained everything to her about Aurora being back, about how he did not wish to go into this fight wondering if he or his family would come back alive to see their children. He needed a new home, a new place to hide their family, their pack, away.
Cami made some calls—being friendly with the local pack in Ottawa, Canada when she moved up there. They said there was a sleepy town in Virginia, Mystic Falls, that could be the solution to their problems. There were no packs there, nor witches. It was quiet. It was mundane. It was perfect. A few members of the pack Cami was friends with were happy to help out the Mikaelson pack. A friend of Cami’s was a friend of theirs. Klaus appreciated the added support and thanked Cami for always being there, even when she was not with them.
Two of the few came down to New Orleans to talk to Klaus. To see what sort of plan they could come up with to help them escape a crazed Alpha looking for vengeance with her motley Betas.
Aiden and Josh had recounted diverging paths that the Mikaelson family could use to get to Mystic Falls, while they and the rest of their pack who were in to help would distract Aurora and hers while the Mikaelson Pack made their clean getaway.
Klaus was appreciative of the two mates willing to put them and their pack to help a mismatched crew like the Mikaelson’s. The pair didn’t mind. They had said they’d always wanted to visit New Orleans, and Cami had said how important the Mikaelson pack was to her. She saved the two of them from a rogue Omega a few years back and wanted to owe her back by doing this favour.
All of them continued planning. Continued talking. Making sure that they all got their information right before they set their plan in motion. They needed to succeed, for the sake of the children of the pack.
It was finally time.
The pack up from Ottawa sent their fiercest wolves down to New Orleans to bring Aurora’s attention away from the Mikaelson Pack. Aiden and Josh were to stay with the Mikaelsons until they reached their destination.
The children were restless. They didn’t understand why they had to leave. They loved it in New Orleans. Nik loved being able to play and run in the Bayou and thought that Mystic Falls sounded dumb, it sounds dumb and the place is also probably dumb and not cool like New Orleans.
But Freya and Keelin and even Klaus assured him that Mystic Falls was going to be better than New Orleans. It was going to be their forever home. Their always and forever.
always and forever
always and forever
alwaysandforeverforeverforeverforever
A vicious howl pierced the air and thrummed there like static. Klaus knew Aurora was giving it her all. She probably caught on that Klaus was leaving the safety of the wards and she was on a hunt. A hunt for his head.
Klaus ushered the others away as quickly as possible. He could hear Aurora coming. Could smell the scent of raw anger—of
black
ichor anger in the air. He didn’t want the others, especially the children, to be here while Aurora inevitably arrived.
Hayley refused to leave Klaus’s side.
Elijah refused to leave Klaus’s side.
Marcel refused to leave Klaus’s side.
Rebekah refused to leave Klaus’s side.
Everyone else refused to leave Klaus’s side. He was their Alpha. He was family. He was
pack pack pack
.
Klaus welled with emotions. Of green and yellow and green green green.
Josh and Aiden ended up taking Antoinette, Vincent, Keelin, Kol, and Davina away with the children.
Hayley, Elijah, Marcel, Rebekah, and Freya remained and were ready to fight alongside Klaus. They refused to let their Alpha be burdened with this by himself. They were family. They were
pack
.
And so the six of them waited as Aurora’s wolf prowled dangerously toward them.
Klaus and Hayley and Elijah and Marcel shifted. Their clothes ripped apart to shreds as hair sprouted along the sides of their faces and their neck. Their faces elongated into snarling snouts and soon enough, they were all large predatory wolves. Rebekah readied her guns, loaded with silver bullets—she had become adept with using pistols, especially as she was pregnant with her and Marcel’s third child. Long range was a better way for her to go in a fight like this. Freya’s tattoos glowed and Klaus could almost hear them sing a whispery song of victory as the constellations moved and twinkled on her skin, and the moon and sun started to kiss.
They waited on bated breath, wondering who would make the first move.
Klaus growled, snarling at Aurora who lowered her front two legs, ready to pounce. But Klaus didn’t let her.
Within a split second, all the wolves attacked.
Klaus Hayley Elijah Marcel Rebekah and Freya all found themselves bloodied, bruised, and beaten up, but a burst of colour rang in their heads.
Greengreengreen
Aurora lay on the pavement, bloodied and unmoving. Klaus could faintly hear her heartbeat slow and he was sure that she was finally dealt with.
The six of them turned, anxious to reunite with the rest of their pack.
Mystic Falls was different.
It was strange. With new smells and new people.
Cami had helped them find a home for them. It was an old mansion that used to be owned by a previous pack that had moved away and unfortunately perished several years ago. The Salvatore Pack. They were fairly strong, but numbers dwindled due to betrayal and Hunters who used their in-fighting to their advantage. The manor had been unused for years and nobody had ever claimed it—nobody
wanted
to claim it.
Josh and Aiden helped them get settled before they headed back up to their pack in Ottawa. They promised they were going to say hi to Cami on their way.
The witches of the pack promptly set up wards around Mystic Falls to protect their pack. The rest of them took the time to clear out some of the debris and old furniture that rotted away or collected dust inside the manor.
Klaus felt a wave of emotions swell up inside of him. He could feel the colours swirling inside his head from the pack bonds. There were muted and bright colours, all different. Lots of blues and greens, but yellow was the most prominent he felt among the colours. Of a lazy sunny afternoon where nothing could touch them and they can finally find peace.
Rebekah had been in the middle of repainting the walls of her and Marcel’s bedroom when her water broke. And then she snapped at anyone trying to usher her to the hospital because God
dammit these walls needed to be done! I refuse to go anywhere until the fucking wall is painted in this light teal colour that
I
picked out—Marcel, I love you, my dear, but if you fucking tell me to leave right now I will shove my silver-infused baton up your ass!
The walls of her and Marcel’s bedroom were finally done and Rebekah happily left with Marcel and Keelin to the hospital.
Mila Mikaelson was finally born. October twelfth twenty-nineteen.
It took them about three years to finally get the manor sorted and feel like home. Gone was the S for Salvatore and was promptly replaced by a new gate with an M carved out in brass.
All the rooms were refurbished and painted. There was wallpaper set up in the main area, but the rooms were to each their own. Honestly, there were way too many rooms for all of them, but the pack also appreciated it. They made sure some rooms were soundproof—like the office—so keep away from prying ears. Rebekah, Antoinette, and Elijah had taken the most initiative in ensuring their new home was appropriately decorated with the finest taste that was up to Mikaelson's standard. The others couldn’t care less, but if that made the three of them happy, then so be it.
The children loved it the most. They had more places to play. More places to hide. More places to cause absolute mayhem, those dastardly brats.
The Mikaelson manor was close to a forest, which allowed them to shift and run freely and howl to their hearts' content without fear of anyone catching them.
On their first full moon, after their home was completely finished and
theirs
, they all ran into the forest and howled a song of pack of love of family and of a new legacy.
We are here we are pack pack pack we won’t let anything or anyone come between us. We are wolves. We are stronger together. We will fight for each other. We are pack pack pack hear our song hear our legacy hear our legacysong
Hope hated that she had to go to school when they first moved to Mystic Falls. And she still hated it now at the fresh age of fourteen. But at least she can be with Thea, Bernie, Finn, and Viktoria.
But she hated how her classmates all looked at them weirdly. Or how they whispered gossip and rumours about their family. They always eyed her and her cousins, walking on eggshells around them or fighting to be their friend just for the benefit of popularity. It sickened her.
Bernie and Finn kept to themselves, which Hope liked. She liked hanging out with them a lot more than Thea and Viktoria. Mainly because Thea and Viktoria thrived off of attention and popularity. But they weren’t
mean
about it. Anytime someone said anything bad about their family or any of their cousins or siblings, Thea and Viktoria took matters into their own hands and reminded people just
who
they are and why the Mikaelson’s shouldn’t be messed with. They were not afraid to be vicious and vindictive if it meant protecting their family. Protecting their
pack
.
It always got bullies to back off. Always.
Hope puffed her chest out, pride oozing out from her after watching Thea and Viktoria snap at some rowdy boys making fun of Bernie.
Bernie was so sweet and so kind and gentle. Hope always saw Bernie as fragile though because of how mousy she was and how anxious she was. Bernie hated attention. She hated crowds. She hated new people. It always upset her. Always made her
blue blue blue
. Hope didn’t like that her cousin was always blue, so Hope made sure she stuck close to Bernie so she had some familiarity. She would always put her hand on Bernie’s shoulders or touch her arm or the nape of the blonde’s neck. Wolves scent mark what’s theirs. It gives them comfort knowing that what they scent marked is protected. Bernie always loved being covered in the scent of her pack. It was usually the one thing that calmed her social anxiety.
Finn was more sarcastic and sardonic. But he could be a lot of fun and free when he chose to be. Nobody ever messed with Finn because he knew all the ways to mess with people back. He got a group of bullies in trouble with the teachers with a timely thought-out plan involving paper wads and a cell phone. Hope still didn't understand
how
he did it, but she learned early on that it was better to not question it at all. He was scary when he wanted to be.
Then they went home and Hope saw her other cousins. Nik was the oldest out of everyone, he was only two years older than Hope and Thea and was already in high school learning so many cool and fun things. He was always so laid back and fun to hang with. Nothing ever angered him, unless it were people messing with his family. But even then he would have this scary smile on while he dealt with whoever was causing problems with his younger cousins. He may not scowl or growl or yell, but he sure has his scary side. Just like his younger brother Finn.
Henrik scowled. He scowled a lot. Hated people. Hate being touched. Hated people being in his space. He was a born wolf, but he acted like how a cat does when it came to receiving and giving affection. Hope learned that if Henrik trusted you enough, he would allow you to be in his space, to scent mark him, to be with him. He always went to Hope and Finn because of that. His older sister, Viktoria, is fine, but he hates her dumb gossip and chatting. Plus, Viktoria was always with Thea.
Mila was the baby of the family and Viktoria and Henrik's baby sister. Hope was honestly taken aback by how chaotic she was. She was the complete opposite of Viktoria, who loved dress up and girly things. Mila loved the macabre and the creepies. She loved all things horror. She pranks Viktoria the most, her poor older sister. And sometimes she pranks Nik and Finn. Though Nik's reactions were never fun because he always laughed. Mila had pranked Bernie once, but that didn't end too well, so Mila never bothered Bernie unless it was to watch nature documentaries.
Sometimes they got on her nerves. Sometimes they teased and made fun of her. Sometimes she wanted to snap her jaws at them and tell them to stuff it because Hope was going to become the next Alpha so they should all respect and listen to me.
But other times she appreciated her cousins. Appreciated how they always had her back. Appreciated how they never thought less of her when she felt the weight of being the next Alpha crush her from the inside. Appreciated how they always went to her and comforted her, all piling on her to take some of her stress and worries away.
Hope loved her cousins though, she really did, because they were all she knew. They were who she grew up with. They were family. They were pack.
And Hope was going to protect her pack and keep them safe. Always. Always and forever.
packpackpack
LoveFamilyPack we will always and forever nothing will break us apart
always and forever
always and forever
alwaysandforever
Hope was a senior in high school sitting in the cafeteria at lunch when, for the first time in her life, she smelled something that caught her attention.
“What's wrong with you?” Thea had asked with a petulant frown. The brunette had been talking to Hope, Bernie, Finn and Viktoria about what to wear for her date with one of the members of the boys' volleyball team when Hope got distracted by a smell.
A smell that reminded Hope of sunshine and morning dew and cinnamon. It was refreshing,
really
refreshing, and it made Hope want to smother herself with the scent. Made Hope want to never let that scent go.
“Seriously, what is
wrong
with you?” Thea scoffed.
Bernie and Finn and Viktoria were staring wide-eyed at their cousin from across the table in both concern and confusion. Hope was usually aloof, but seeing her so amped up and jittery like this was new.
Hope took in another deep breath and all her senses screamed. Her wolf barked and snarled and whined at her to find the source of the smell.
And so she did.
She got up from the table, barely looking back at her cousins who were calling out for her.
Hope walked across the cafeteria, following that wonderful scent of sunshine and morning dew and cinnamon. Her wolf was howling in her head and it was getting louder the stronger the scent got. Finally, she found the source.
Two girls were sitting at a table, alone. A brunette and blonde. The blonde was talking about how she hated being a new kid in school; that starting school in the middle of a semester was social suicide. The brunette hummed, nodding along but looked bored. Hope was standing fifteen feet away but with her super hearing, was able to catch everything that was being said.
Her eyes shifted to the blonde, but her nose scrunched. She wasn't the one with the scent. Which Hope was grateful for because that girl reminded her too much of Thea and Viktoria with how she talked and acted.
But then her eyes landed on the brunette. Her dark brown eyes lighting up with a lazy smile she flashed the blonde. Or the way her soft waves framed her face. Her sun-kissed cheeks were flushed and Hope couldn't help but take in her visage, searing it into her mind.
This girl, this brunette, smelled like sunshine and morning dew and cinnamon.
“Hope…” She recognized Bernie's voice. She felt her anxious cousin tug on her arm to pull her back, but Hope ignored her, as she did with her other cousins who were trying to get her attention.
“Oh, no… You don't think…”
“Wait, no, this could be hilarious.”
“Finn, shut up!”
“Ow! Fuck you, Vik!”
“Can you
both
, shut up?”
Hope closed the distance between her and the brunette girl that smelled of sunshine and morning dew and cinnamon until she was hovering over their table, casting a soft shadow on the surface.
Both girls turned to her with furrowed brows and a questioning gaze.
The blonde spoke first. “Can we
help
you?” Her tone was biting and cautious.
The auburn girl shifted her eyes from the blonde and over to the brunette, softening her gaze when she looked into her dark brown eyes.
Hope wanted to say, “It's you.”
Hope wanted to say, “I'm Hope.”
Hope wanted to say, “I think you're that special person I was meant to find.”
But instead, Hope said, “You smell.”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Josie and Lizzie Laughlin were fraternal twins who lived in Seattle, Washington with their single mother, Jo Laughlin. They didn’t know who their father was, but from the little her Mom spoke of him, they figured he was not a good man.
The twins loved their Mom a lot, but sometimes they felt like she was hiding something from them. Something big. But whenever they—though mostly Lizzie—tried to get her to tell them, their Mom would quickly deflect and redirect their curiosity to something else.
Their Mom had these beautiful tattoos of the gemini zodiac sign and constellation surrounded by stars and runes on her arm. Both of them asked her what they meant, but like usual, their Mom deflected and redirected their curiosity elsewhere.
Neither of them knew their extended family. Though one time, without their Mom knowing, they eavesdropped on their Mom talking on the phone with her sister—their aunt. Josie and Lizzie didn't know the entire conversation of what was going on, but they knew it was bad when their Mom started whispering angrily or ended up crying.
They tried not to ask too many questions about their aunt and uncle and grandma and grandpa. They didn't want their Mom to be upset. So they kept their questions to themselves and created a story about them and their family history in their secret notebook that they would take turns writing in.
Grandpa and grandma were well off, running a family restaurant in Portland, Oregon that everyone loved. They wanted their Mom, who was their first born, to take over the family business but she refused, instead, wanting to become a doctor because she loved helping people and saving lives. That's why she moved out to Seattle. Their grandparents never forgave their eldest daughter for her rebellion and cut her off from the family inheritance.
Their aunt and uncle, twins like Josie and Lizzie, didn't have plans to take over the business, but they would still do it if there was nobody else. Their aunt loved to read stories and be lost in the world full of words and imagination. She dreamt of becoming a world-famous author. Their uncle was free spirited and loved nature, always going out on hikes or rock climbing anytime he could. His dream was to travel the world, to see the sights, to hike every mountain out there and take in the view of nature.
Their Mom, after moving to Seattle and being accepted into med school, bumped into their father—a chance encounter at a coffee shop where she accidentally spilled her coffee all over his nice cardigan and sweater vest. She was so embarrassed and apologetic, offering to pay for his dry cleaning. Except their father refused and instead, told her she could repay him if she went on a coffee date with him. It was really cheesy, but Mom seemed to be okay with it. She thought he was really cute, so it worked out in the end. At least, for now.
They went on their coffee date and fell in love immediately. But things were hard because Mom was still going to school and overworked herself. Their Dad was patient and patient and patient until he wasn't.
Mom got pregnant with Josie and Lizzie and their Dad freaked out, leaving her indefinitely. Mom was absolutely heartbroken. But she continued with school even though she was pregnant. Mom would never abandon her kids, no matter what. They were a part of her and she loved them so much unconditionally.
Of course, this got back to grandpa and grandma and they were livid. Said Mom disgraced the Laughlin family for too long! She was excommunicated from the family soon after.
But Mom didn't let that break her. She grew stronger and harder and fiercer than ever.
She graduated med school and started her internship. Then she became a junior resident. Then senior resident. Then chief resident. Then fellow. And then she became an attending.
And somewhere along the way, Josette and Elizabeth Laughlin were born—March fifteen, twenty-fourteen.
It was a little odd that their Mom, Josette Laughlin, named her other daughter Josette Laughlin. It got confusing, and sometimes there were people who thought Mom was being narcissistic. But the twins figured that maybe the name Josette was passed down each generation. Maybe their grandma was also named Josette. So the two of them took it in stride. Though Josie much preferred to be called Josie than Josette. Which helped because their Mom Josette was usually referred to as Jo.
Lizzie hated that she was named Elizabeth though. She always thought it was an old person's name. She would much rather have the name Josette. When she was younger, she would pretend she was a Josette as well, but called herself Jessie for some reason. Josie always liked that, because it made it easier for them to call. Jessie and Josie. Josie and Jessie.
But Lizzie eventually grew out of that phase when she turned six. No longer wanting a fake name like Josette “Jessie” Laughlin, and instead, embraced Elizabeth “Lizzie” Laughlin.
Their Mom was quite happy about that too.
Everything was just as it should be. Josie and Lizzie and their Mom who loves them so much.
But they couldn’t help but taste an underlying current of secrets and sparks that tingled their body as they heard a faint and distant song calling to them in sweet lullabies.
One day, their Mom pulled the twins out of school early with a frantic look in her eyes.
Josie and Lizzie wanted to ask, “What's wrong, Mom?”
Josie and Lizzie wanted to ask, “Is everything okay?”
But they kept their mouths shut.
They got home and the twins felt a shift in the air. Something putrid and sour. But like before, they kept their questions to themselves.
Their Mom said, “There's a very bad man—my twin brother, your
uncle
, broke out of a place trapping him inside.”
Their Mom said, “Your uncle killed your grandparents and uncle and aunt.”
Their Mom said, “He's on a warpath to find and kill me. He doesn't know about the two of you.”
Their Mom said, “I'm so sorry. I've been keeping a secret from you two.”
Their Mom said, “I was only doing it to protect you both.”
Their Mom said, “But now I will tell you everything. About our family. About our legacy.”
Josie and Lizzie learned about werewolves and witches. Learned that their Mom belonged to a well-known family of witches—the Parker witches. They had been the witches for a local werewolf pack in Portland where their Mom was from. The Kinsley Pack.
Their grandpa had been the Kinsley Pack's witch. Before that it was his father and before that his mother. Their Mom was supposed to become the pack's witch to the next Alpha, but she tarnished the Parker name when she fell in love with a Hunter named Alaric Saltzman.
Hunters were people who wanted to wipe out the existence of werewolves, seeing them as unclean and impure. Seeing them as monsters that defied the laws of nature. A stain on God's world. And although there weren't as many Hunters now than there were back then—probably because of a rogue wolf by the name of Richard Collins, who was so determined to become Alpha that he corralled many Omegas to him and commanded them with his anger and clouded judgement full of vengeance, killed as many Hunter clans—new and old—in the name of revenge for what happened to his pack, the Bennett Pack, all those years ago.
Everyone knew what had happened. How Meredith King—no, how
Elijah
King—sought after the Bennett Pack and nearly wiped them out. She was one of the more brutal of Hunters who took the Bible too seriously. Abel Bennett had perished and then his son, Thomas Bennet, took up the mantle of Alpha to the Bennett Pack.
But even so, Hunters were still dangerous, vile, hateful people who would do whatever it took to cleanse the world of God from monsters like the wolves or witches.
And their Mom fell in love with that. A man capable of slaying beasts without remorse.
She assured them he wasn't like that. That he renounced his Hunter ways. Wanting to turn over a new leaf because he truly fell in love. He truly fell in love with her.
Her family didn't believe it.
Wouldn't
believe that a Hunter would hang up their silver bullets and knives for good.
Their Mom was kicked out. So she and their Dad decided to move to Green Creek, Oregon to start their new life. They thought things could become better. Thought that they could have that happily ever after. She had heard whispers of the Bennett pack there, or what was left of them, their Mom wasn't entirely too sure. But she had heard of how a human man became Alpha. Oxnard Matheson. It was unheard of, but even through winds of gossip, she could tell that that human, that Ox, was going to become something
more
.
But their Mom was too optimistic and blinded in her love for her new family.
On the day she and their Dad left, her twin brother, Kai Parker, went on a rampage and killed the Kinsley Pack because he wanted power. He wanted to become an
Alpha
.
Kai tried. He tried so hard to get the Alpha to give him the bite. But the Alpha refused because a witch being given the bite could kill them. They were already brimming with magic, but an added layer of the bite, transforming them into a wolf was dangerous. It was so dangerous. The high risk just wasn't worth it. And a power like that given to a crazed man like Kai—it didn't matter if the bite eventually took, it didn't matter if he overcame death itself from his magic and the bite being at odds with each other. Because a man like Kai Parker should
never
be given that kind of power.
But Kai didn't care.
He just wanted power.
He always wanted power.
Jo needed to turn back. To make sure her family was safe. Just because she was kicked out didn't mean she no longer cared. She was a Parker Witch. She was Josette Parker. A Parker Witch who would not let her twin brother go down this path.
She was pregnant at the time, but wasn't showing yet.
Jo said, “We have to turn back.”
Jo said, “I can stop him with my magic.”
Jo said, “I can't let my brother kill any more innocents.”
And Alaric listened to her.
Alaric said, “Of course.”
Alaric said, “Anything you want.”
Alaric said, “You’re not in this alone, Jo. I will always stand by your side.”
They turned back around, back to Portland, to stop Jo's twin brother.
By the time they arrived back home, there were bodies of murdered wolves, some shifted, some half shifted, lying on the ground. It was disgusting. It was gory. It was sickening.
Her family was injured. Her younger brother and sisters had been killed by Kai's hand. Liv and Luke, twins, managed to protect themselves, but they looked rough and it hurt Jo’s heart to see her siblings in this state.
Her Dad said, “Kai killed the Alpha when he wouldn't give him the bite.”
Her Dad said, “Kai heard about a human man becoming Alpha.”
Her Dad said, “He's going to Green Creek to try and take that power.”
So Jo and Alaric and the rest of her family chased Kai down. They chased him until he was barely ten miles outside Green Creek. Jo could
feel
the wards that barred anything wishing to harm those that reside inside. The Bennett Pack.
A battle waged on between Kai and the rest of the family.
But it was Jo who tore him down after Kai had killed Alaric Saltzman.
The tattoos on her arms glowed vibrantly. She slid her finger down a fire rune on her wrist and conjured a wall of fire that surrounded her brother. Then she rubbed the earth rune and pillars of rock jutted out in diagonal angles, piercing Kai's body. The gemini constellations danced around the gemini zodiac sign, playing with it innocently. Jo conjured up lightning and whipped it around Kai, vibrating and shocking whatever exposed skin that wasn’t warped by the diagonal rocks piercing his body. She felt her magic vibrate inside her body, inside her blood her bones and flesh. She felt the power being peeled back as she forced her brother, her
twin brother
, to stand down,
stand down, Kai! You don’t have to do this, you
can’t
keep doing this I WILL NOT LET YOU!
Her parents and Liv and Luke channelled all their magic to trap Kai and strip him of his power.
Her parents took Kai back, but they wanted to call Michelle Hughes, the temporary Alpha of All, and see what else could be done with Kai. Though there didn't seem to be much trust with Michelle, seeing how another fearsome witch escaped and got his powers back. Something that happened under her jurisdiction.
Robert Livingstone.
She remembered the news of how he levelled a neighbourhood, killing so many people and his wife. All because he lost his tether.
Eventually, things settled and Kai was no longer a problem.
Until now.
Their Mom cried, her hands shaking, but still forced on a brave smile as she told Josie and Lizzie about magic. About werewolves. About their legacy as Parker witches. Because Kai was coming for them. He wanted revenge.
He had killed their family back in Portland in revenge for ripping his magic from him.
And he was coming to find their Mom to kill her for being the one responsible.
She did her best to conceal her whereabouts. And she knew that without his magic, it’ll be impossible for him to pinpoint her location. But there was still that fear and terror eating away at the back of her mind.
Josie and Lizzie looked at each other. They remembered all the fun stories they made up about their family. About what they were like. They could never imagine something so devastating as this.
They held their Mom in their arms, whispering how they understood. How she did what she did to protect them. That they appreciated her. That she's not alone anymore because you have us now, Mom. We'll protect you now.
Josie and Lizzie were only twelve when they were brought into the world of beasts and magic.
Their Mom taught them magic. Told them everything about her tattoos. She didn't want to, but she had to give Josie and Lizzie tattoos as well since both were eager to learn. It was going to help ground them, to help tame their magic until they have better control over it.
She didn't give them too many tattoos, at least, not yet.
Lizzie got a tattoo of a peregrine falcon while Josie got a tattoo of a sunflower.
It had hurt.
It had hurt so much.
The way their Mom's magic was infused into their first tattoos. But it was so they will carry a little piece of their Mom with them. In case of emergencies.
It took three months for their tattoos to be finished.
Their Mom had their tattoos high up their arms—around their shoulders—so they would be hidden by their clothes. Though tank tops and very short sleeves were something they won't be able to wear freely anymore, not without people questioning why two young girls had tattoos.
Josie loved magic. She loved how the sunflower on her shoulder spun and its stalk grew down her arm, blooming more and more sunflowers. She loved the feel of magic bursting in her hands as she made a spark with her finger tips.
Lizzie, on the other hand, wasn't as good with magic as her sister. She could barely hear her own thoughts let alone hear the magic that surrounded them. She still practiced when she could, but Lizzie tended to fight with sharp words.
Either way, Josie and Lizzie made a pact that they will protect each other and their Mom. Magic or no. Nothing will stand between them and family.
Seven months after the twins turned fifteen, their Mom heard news that Kai Parker was in Washington State.
Eight months after the twins turned fifteen, their small family of three moved across the country to a small town called Mystic Falls.
It was the first day of school for the Laughlin twins. Josie was sitting in the cafeteria with Lizzie as her sister droned on and on and on about how she hated being the new kid in the middle of the semester.
The brunette listened, barely. But she still nodded and replied appropriately whenever Lizzie stopped her blabbering to wait for Josie's input.
But suddenly there was a soft shadow cascading over their table. Josie and Lizzie snapped their attention over to the person responsible.
And Josie couldn't help but have her breath be taken away.
“Can we
help
you?” Lizzie’s voice was ever so cautious and rude.
But Josie was too distracted to reprimand her twin. A girl who looked about a few years older than Josie stared down at her. She flushed red, taking in the girl's beauty. Her sharp eyes and soft features made her look untouchable, like she was someone to fear. A predatory animal.
The older girl had gazed at Josie with such intent that the brunette was starting to get shy from how aggressive she was looking.
And then the older girl finally spoke.
“You smell.”
Josie's eyes widened and her heart stopped. Her lips were pulled into a deep pout and felt herself shrink in on herself. She felt the stinging heat from her eyes and blinked the tears away as best as she could.
Suddenly there was an overwhelming sensation of voices around her, coming from the people behind the girl who told Josie she smelled.
The brunette girl said, “Oh my god.”
The blonde girl said, “Oh no…”
The boy said, “Holy shit, I knew you sucked at social interactions, but you
really
suck.”
The dark-haired girl said, “Hope! You can't just
say
that!”
Lizzie slammed her hands on the table and stood up, getting into the older girl—Hope's—face.
“What the
hell
did you just say to my sister!?”
Hope gaped at Lizzie, eyes never leaving Josie, however.
Lizzie clocked this and shoved Hope back. That caught the attention of the people behind Hope. The brunette with her hair long and sleek and eyes just as dark pushed Hope away from Lizzie and snarled at her..
“Hey! Watch it!” She snipped. “Don't touch my cousin.”
Lizzie scoffed. “Then maybe
you
should tell your cousin to mind her damn manners.”
Josie bit her lip, reaching her hand out to Lizzie, silently asking her to stop. To sit down. To leave it alone, it's hard enough being the new kids, it's another to get into a fight with the local kids.
“You don't know who you're messing with,” the brunette spat. Her voice was cold and biting like the harshest of winter with a hint of a storm.
Lizzie jutted her chin out. “Yeah? And you don't know who
you're
messing with.”
Josie could sense Lizzie's magic. Just like how Lizzie could sense hers. She could feel the peregrine falcon on Lizzie's opposite shoulder flutter its wings. She could almost hear its caw in her head like a vicious song hungry for food.
“Lizzie. Stop,” Josie said firmly.
The blonde glanced at her. A show of acknowledgement and sympathy. Josie felt the falcon relax, which made Josie relax.
“I knew small towns had their quirks. But to think a group of locals like you would succumb to small town stereotypes and bully the new kids is disgusting.” Lizzie sat back down, flipping her long flaxen blonde hair behind her.
The group that was with Hope stared at the two of them. But Hope only stared at Josie. It was weird. It was creepy. And Josie felt uncomfortable despite a weird sensation in her blood that sparked anytime the auburn girl continued to look at her.
“Come on. Let's go,” the brunette said. Her attitude almost mimicked Lizzie's as she spun around and dragged Hope away. The others followed suit.
Josie let out a sigh of relief, slumping forward as she sent her sister a sharpened glare. But her sister wasn’t even looking at her. Lizzie’s deep blue eyes had been trained on the group who had bothered them. And then Josie felt a wave of magic—it was subtle and barely noticeable, but it was still there and she could feel it singing in her blood. Lizzie flicked her finger and juice box seemingly exploded right as Hope walked past, soaking her completely.
“Lizzie!” Josie hissed when she saw the vindictive grin spread across her twin’s face.
“What? I’m only doing the sisterly thing and avenging your honour. That redheaded bitch had it coming. Who the hell goes up to someone and tells them they
smelled
? And did you see the way she was eyeing you up like you were her next poor victim in her bullying? You really need to learn to not let people walk all over you, Jo.”
“Doesn’t mean you use your
magic
. Mom told us we don’t
ever
use our magic like that,” Josie lowered her voice to a whisper.
Lizzie snorted. “It’s fine. No one knows it was
me
, Josie.”
Josie gave her a withering look. She turned back to the strange senior and her family and felt her heart stutter when all of them stared right back at them. The witch gulped.
“Lizzie…” Josie muttered. “They’re
staring
at us.”
Her twin lazily turned her gaze over to the group of students who were bothering them and furrowed her brows with clear disgust. She flashed them the middle finger. “Fucking weirdos.”
Josie watched as the brunette who had talked back to Lizzie narrowed her eyes at them and stormed off. The others trailing behind her. But the auburn girl, Hope, waited a beat—still staring at Josie—before she too, left the cafeteria.
Something about that was strange. But Josie couldn’t put her finger on why.
Their Mom always said that each witch felt magic differently.
Mom’s magic always felt like a calm lake at night where you can row a boat out and feel the chill night air and listen to the way the water ripples along the surface.
Lizzie’s magic felt like the muddled voices of her fears taunting and eating away at her. And there was no way for her to escape except to dive deeper and deeper and deeper into the void.
Josie’s magic felt like an inferno. A warmth that seared through her blood. A roaring power that burned inside her chest, waiting to be unleashed.
Josie and Lizzie stepped inside their history class and the brunette heard the sharp snarl from her twin sister. There sitting at their desks were the two kids who were with Hope earlier this afternoon at the cafeteria.
“You’ve
got
to be kidding me.”
“Lizzie. It’s fine. Just… Calm down, please.”
Her sister was about to refute her but no words came out. Instead, Lizzie huffed indigantly and stormed over to one of the vacant desk adjacent to the boy from the cafeteria. Josie followed quickly after to another desk on the opposite side of the dark-haired girl from the cafeteria.
Neither boy or girl gave Josie and Lizzie the time of day. They either ignored their existence, or would sneak glances over to them with judgement in their eyes.
The boy's dark brown eyes roved over Josie before a sardonic smirk pulled at his lips. He ran his hand through his thick black hair and nudged the girl beside him.
The girl shook her head, her soft black hair shimmered behind her as she did. But she did look pointedly at Josie and scoffed.
Josie felt her magic throb between her fingers. It was itchy. She wanted to flex her wrist but she knew she couldn’t. She had to keep it controlled. Had to command the inferno to settle.
When class started, Josie learned their names.
Finneas Mikaelson and Viktoria Mikaelson.
Josie and Lizzie decided to go into town and grab some drinks or eat some snacks once school was out.
They had only been in Mystic Falls for about a week but haven’t had a chance to take in the sights of the town because they were so preoccupied with the move and settling in and getting prepared for school. So this was the perfect opportunity for the Laughlin twins to familiarize themselves with their new home.
“Let’s get some food,” Lizzie stated. She had pointed over to a restaurant with a huge sign that said
The Grill
.
“Okay.” The twins linked arms as they made their way over and were shown a seat on their outdoor patio.
Josie watched the flurry of students from their school laugh and chat as they gravitated toward the restaurant, getting the same idea as her and Lizzie. She glanced to her sister and watched her make eyes at one of the waiter of the restaurant. He was attractive, his hair buzzed to the scalp and had the most refreshing smile Josie had seen. She would probably compare him to a fairytale Prince.
The fairytale Prince walked over to their table, flashing them his warm and inviting smile.
“Hi, are you both ready to order?”
Josie’s eyes quickly flitted to his nametag pinned above the breast pocket of his black shirt. Rafael. A name to put to the fairytale Prince.
“One regular cheese burger with a side of french fries, please,” Lizzie responded quickly. She batted her eyelashes at him and pulled out her best charming smile. Josie immediately felt the glimmer of jealousy as Rafael’s eyes tracked Lizzie for a brief moment before he turned his attention to her.
“And you?”
“One vegan burger and a coke, please.”
He nodded, scribbling down their orders before he politely excused himself and trailed back into the restaurant.
Lizzie sighed dreamily, her eyes already lit with something Josie was all too familiar with. Even back home in Seattle, Lizzie always captured the attention of people. She was a bright and shining star while Josie was forced to stay as Lizzie’s shadow. Josie didn’t mind sometimes, but there were other time where she wished
she
was the bright and shining star while Lizzie was
her
shadow.
“He was totally checking me out, right?” Lizzie asked suddenly.
Josie grunted and looked over to her right, trying to find some tree to focus on. But what she found was Hope. The strange senior who told Josie she smelled.
And she was certain Lizzie spotted her as well because Josie could hear her sister sputter with anger as Hope and her family walk towards The Grill. At the same time, Rafael came out with Josie’s drink. He sets a tall glass and a can of coke at their table before turning around when someone called out his name.
“Raf.”
Josie watched as Lizzie’s face fell when Rafael’s face lit up when he saw Hope and the rest of her family trailing behind her.
“Hey,” he said. “How was school?”
The brunette briefly glanced at Josie and Lizzie. She didn’t say anything to them but smirked and fluttered her eyes at Rafael. “Oh, you know. The usual boring shit. But you already know that.”
Rafael laughed, bringing his hand up to his chest as the corners of his eyes winked in delight. Josie thought his laugh sounded soothing. She could listen to him laugh all day if she could.
A low growl rumbled from somewhere.
Josie whipped around and saw Hope glaring at her.
Josie suddenly shied away and fumbled with opening her can of coke to drink, all while ignoring the intense glare the auburn girl was sending her.
“Stop glaring at my
sister
you freak.”
Josie’s head snapped up. “Lizzie! Stop!” Her voice came out broken and hoarse.
“Oh, I’m sorry, did you hear that?” The brunette asked, looking around at anything
but
Josie and Lizzie.
“Thea… Stop that…” The blonde behind the brunette said as she tugged on the other girl’s sleeve. But the brunette shook the blonde off.
“Do you all know each other?” Rafael asked.
Lizzie scoffed. “Absolutely not. My dear sister and I don't
associate
ourselves with people who think it's appropriate to
bully
the
new kids
.”
His brows shot up and he faced Hope and the others. “What?”
The brunette, Thea, rolled her eyes and shot a glare over at the Laughlin twins. “Please. Hope wasn't bullying anyone. She's just too socially constipated to understand that going up to someone and telling them they
smelled
is not a good idea.”
“I'm
right here
, Thea,” Hope snarled.
Rafael's confusion flickered to something of amusement. He laughed, craning his head back. He had reached out and clapped his hand on Hope's shoulder, which she quickly slapped away like a petulant toddler.
Hope grumbled something incoherent that Josie couldn't hear, but the others around her seemed to have chuckled and started ribbing her. Well, all except the mousy blonde, who still looked like she was caught in front of headlights.
There was a call from inside the restaurant and Rafael excused himself. But before he went back to work, he said, “Landon should be going on break soon if you guys wanted to stay around.”
“Yeah, sounds good.” Hope nodded.
Rafael ducked back into the restaurant and Josie could feel Lizzie's seething from across the table. She lowered her head, focusing on her coke in front as she took a huge gulp of it as a distraction. Hope and her group moved along to one of the empty picnic tables just across the street from the restaurant.
“Can you believe that?” Lizzie hissed. “They totally made
us
look like the bad guys in front of our cute waiter.”
Josie nodded solemnly. It was rather embarrassing. But the other girl wasn't technically wrong. Hope and her group hadn't been bullying her or Lizzie that afternoon in the cafeteria. Sure it was absolutely mortifying to be told by some random person that you smelled, but Josie hadn't felt any malicious intent behind the words.
At least, Josie
hoped
there wasn't any malicious intent behind her words.
Rafael came back out with hers and Lizzie's orders before ducking back inside. Then, a boy who seemed just a few years older than Josie, walked out. He had full curly dark hair that flopped every time he took a step. He had a white apron and a dish rag tucked in the front pocket of his apron.
Josie thought he was pretty cute.
She tracked him with her eyes and watched him go over to the picnic table where Hope and her friends were. Josie pursed her lips at that.
“Ugh. She's totally one of
those
girls who can get any guy's attention without even trying.”
“Lizzie…” Josie sighed.
“No, no, I'm not shaming her. I'm just annoyed at her. I mean, how does she
do it
?” Lizzie wagged the long toothpick meant to hold her burger up in the air.
“I don't know.”
“God… Why did we have to move
here
?” Lizzie shook her head. “Out of
all
the places Mom could have moved us to, she chose
this place
.” A pause. Lizzie ducked her head down and quietly, she said, “I miss our old home.”
Josie reached out and put her hand over her sister's. “I miss our old home too.”
But they knew why they had to move. Why it was
important
for them to move.
Because moving was the only way to keep their family alive.
After their Mom told them everything that day, Josie had taken the chance to ask her about their uncle.
Her Mom said, “He wasn’t always like that.”
Her Mom said, “But things at home weren't good.”
Her Mom said, “My parents always treated him like an outlier.”
Her Mom said, “And I guess I did too…”
Her Mom said, “He was always obsessed with becoming stronger. Obsessed with becoming powerful.”
Her mom said, “He must have felt betrayed when I chose your father over him and the family.”
Josie was reassured that Kai was never going to hurt their family. That she will do whatever it took to protect you and your sister. You are my family now and I won't ever let him get to you two. My daughters. My two loves. My legacy.
It was a full moon.
Lizzie was watching television and their Mom had a late shift at the town's clinic. So Josie decided to take a walk around the quiet neighbourhood.
The town felt softer and quieter at night. Everyone retired to their cozy homes, but Josie was restless and needed something to do. Her magic bristled and itched. The sunflower on her shoulder fluttered its petals and the stalk slowly grew down her arm.
But Josie stopped that. Putting her hand over her shoulder to calm the sunflower.
She glanced up at the sky, the darkness enveloping the space above her head as the full moon glowed brightly, surrounded by the stars.
Josie ended up finding her way at the lake. It was glorious and large and held such melancholic peace that soothed the brunette. She sat down on the dock, watching the waters surf ripple. The moon reflected in the lake and Josie could almost taste the sweetness of it in her mouth.
Then Josie heard howling.
She heard
multiple
howling.
Josie sucked in her breath and looked behind her.
Nothing.
She remembered her Mom's words about werewolves. How there were quite a few packs spread out all over North America. They were slowly replenishing the numbers of werewolves after all the threats seemed to have diminished. All thanks to a man named Ox Matheson, an enigma in his own way. How he was a human who became an Alpha. Then was given the bite and became a wolf. And then became the Alpha of all Omegas.
Josie wasn't sure what happened after that. But her Mom said that he and his pack, the Bennett Pack, had helped Omegas being placed in temporary packs who would take them in. And some of them ended up joining indefinitely.
She briefly wondered if one of those many packs that Ox and the Bennett's helped resided here in Mystic Falls. But that would mean there were werewolves here, and Josie knew better than to assume.
The sunflower on her shoulder grew its stalk again and Josie’s fingers flexed, tempted to use what she learned to protect herself from whatever was in the dark. But she didn’t. Instead, she calmed herself and the sunflower stopped growing, shrinking itself once more.
Not wanting to take her chances, she got up and headed back home. Her Mom was probably already on her way back by now. And Lizzie was probably getting worried and anxious with how long Josie's been gone.
Josie breathed in, hearing the remnants of the howling echoing in the night air. It almost sounded like a song, begging her to find them.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
When their Mom told them of beasts and magic, she also told them about tethers and how important they were for every wolf and witch. She said, “A tether helps remind you of who you are.” She said, “A tether grounds you back to your humanity.” She said, “A tether prevents the wolf from giving into their primal instincts.” She said, “A tether prevents the witch from succumbing to the rawness of their magic.” Lizzie was the most interested in tethers. She had asked what their Mom's tether was. She said, “The two of you are my tether.” Josie had wondered deeply about her answer. She had questions that ruminated in her mind. She wanted to ask more. Wanted to ask what happens to a wolf or witch who loses their tether. “What is considered a tether?” Was what Josie asked instead. Their Mom smiled. She brushed her hands through the twins's hair and planted a soft kiss on each of their foreheads. She looked them in the eyes and smiled. And for the first time since their Mom told them the truth, her smile was genuine, reaching her eyes. Their Mom said, “A tether can be whatever you choose. A memory. An object. An emotion. Or a person.” That same burning question Josie wanted to ask but was too afraid to had flared up in the forefront of her mind again. But she kept her mouth shut because she knew Lizzie would call her a downer and tease and berate her for turning something so beautiful and romantic into something macabre and depressing. So Josie smiled back and hugged their Mom. Lizzie quickly mirrored Josie's action not a second later. The next morning, their Mom was in the kitchen preparing their lunches when Josie came downstairs. Lizzie was still in the bathroom trying to adjust her appearance for the tenth time. Josie watched her Mom hum and dance along to a song she put on through their shared bluetooth speaker and smiled. “Morning, Mom.” “Morning, sweetie. Slept well last night?” Josie shrugged. “I guess.” Then she remembered the howls of wolves singing a harmonious song of family and home. She drummed her fingers along her forearm and bit down on her lip. “Mom. How do you know if someone’s a werewolf?” The woman paused, turning toward Josie with wide eyes. “Uh, well… It’s something you can pick up on when you’re surrounded by wolves your whole life, or stories about them. I guess I hadn’t thought about the possibility of you or Lizzie encountering any on your own terms.” “Did you hear the howling last night?” Josie asked softly. Her Mom smiled. “I did, sweetie.” A beat. Then, Josie asked again, “Are there werewolves here in Mystic Falls?” Her Mom didn’t say anything and instead, continued smiling. Lizzie came down at this moment with her lively attitude and dramatics. “Josie! Why didn’t you tell me to hurry up? We’re going to be late for school!” Josie rolled her eyes and grabbed the lunch bag their Mom placed on the kitchen counter. Lizzie snatched hers up and pulled Josie away without hesitation. “Bye, girls! Have fun at school!” “Bye, Mom!” “Love you, Mom!” As the twins charged out of the house, Josie looked up at the bright blue sky and thought about how the colour matched a certain auburn girl’s eyes. School was never without a strangeness. Lizzie’s fighting to rise to popularity despite being the new kid. And Josie’s just trying to keep to herself but can’t because Lizzie’s dragging her into her popularity scheme. It’s exhausting and Josie hates it. Or maybe she hates it is because it’s Lizzie who’s helming this plan. It’s Lizzie who was initiating all these interactions with their peers. It was always Lizzie. Sometimes Josie hated her sister for her unwavering confidence because Josie wanted to be like that. Wanted to be a shining star that everyone turned to when she entered a room. But then Josie appreciated Lizzie’s unwavering confidence because she was able to talk her mind and stand up for herself when someone wronged her. Josie could never. And then sometimes Josie wondered if their two contrasting personalities wasn’t just contrasting, but complimentary. They were sisters, twins, after all. Lizzie was light, Josie was dark. One cannot live without the other. “Hey! You have something to say to my sister, four-eyes!?” Lizzie snarled. There were still a few kids who gave her and Lizzie a hard time just for being the new kids. Josie hated the negative attention and the whispering words of mockery being directed toward them. Lizzie too, but she channeled her shame into sharp, silver-tongued words. The girl wearing glasses was taken aback by Lizzie's fierceness and shook her head. The other kids with the girl looked scared too. “Didn't think so,” Lizzie spat. “If I ever hear you talking shit about me or my sister again, you'd better watch your back because I am not afraid to go full Carrie on your asses.” The group of kids scurried off, muttering curses and defamatory words Josie tuned out immediately. Lizzie huffed, turning around and putting her hands on Josie's shoulder. “Are you okay?” Josie nodded. “Thanks, Lizzie.” “Of course. You're my sister.” Lizzie dipped her head down until their foreheads were touching. “We have to look out for each other. To protect each other.” “Yeah.” Josie decided, then, that should anything happen to her sister, she would burn the whole world asunder. And unbeknownst to Josie, she would later realize far, far into the future, that Lizzie was her tether. During one of Josie’s electives, she befriended her classmate named Milton, though he'd prefer to be called MG instead. He was kind and friendly and was the first person to actually go up to talk to Josie. She appreciated him a lot. MG sat with her and Lizzie for lunch and it turned out he and Lizzie had a lot in common, which made Josie beam brightly as the pair dived into talks about superheroes and comics and the current issue they were waiting to be released. “There’s a comic store here in town that always has the best stuff,” MG stated brightly. “I know the owner and she’s super cool. She always saves me a copy of any new releases.” “We should check it out after school, right, Jo?” “Hm?” Josie frowned. She wasn’t really a comic book fanatic like her twin or her new friend. She was already so lost by the words they’ve been tossing back and forth between each other. “Uh. Maybe you two go on ahead. I sort of want to get started on some homework.” Lizzie pouted. “What?” “It’s fine, Lizzie. Go.” Lizzie stared at Josie far longer than the brunette was comfortable with. But Lizzie eventually relented and harumphed. “Fine, fine. But you’re going to totally miss out. Right MG?” He nodded. “Right.” Josie laughed, rolling her eyes and sunk her teeth into her sandwich that her Mom made that morning when she felt a stinging chill of eyes all over her. When she turned around, she saw Hope’s piercing blue eyes bearing into her. Josie frowned. Even with Josie staring right back at the other girl, Hope held eye contact until one of her cousins broke her concentration and was promptly swept away into conversation with something else. Josie frowned deeper. “The Mikaelson family are pretty mysterious.” “Huh?” Josie turned back around and MG was smiling at her, nodding over to Hope and her family. “The Mikaelson family. Hope, Thea, Bernie, Finn and Viktoria Mikaelson. They’re cousins. And their family are pretty well known in town but in a way that’s really mysterious,” he explained. “They’re super rich, they live in that huge manor near the outskirts of town and they own like, the entire land around there. No one really knows who they are, but they do contribute a lot to keep the town thriving.” Lizzie scoffed. “Doesn’t matter if they’re some secret celebrities. I don’t trust any of them. Not after that redhead said Josie smelled. Bitchh.” “Hope’s…” MG paused. Then, “Hope’s not really goot at social interactions with people who aren’t her cousins. Don’t take it too personal.” He looked at Josie and grinned. “If it helps, Hope once growled at me when we were standing in line for food last year.” That didn’t exactly help her, but she appreciated his gesture. “Still doesn’t mean she can act like a spoiled, privileged bitch,” Lizzie glowered. Josie didn’t even care about what happened anymore. Even though Hope’s sudden bluntness was off-putting, there was still something about the girl that captured the brunette’s attention and she didn’t know why. Her magic thrummed quietly in her blood and she felt the sunflower rotate slowly. She flexed her hands and the sunflower stopped moving, but she still felt her magic sing and hum. Lizzie and MG headed into town to check out the comic book store MG talked about. Josie was happy that her sister found someone who shared the same hobbies as her. Josie would have been poor company if she had gone with them. Instead, Josie walked back to the lake to relax and take her mind off of things. She sat down at the dock, her shoes and socks off to the side as her toes dipped into the chill water. Josie laid back down, eyes looking up at the sky as clouds floated delicately across it. Josie made out a cloud in a shape of an apple and she giggled. And then her calming picture of the clouds was obstructed by a beautiful girl with auburn hair and sky-blue eyes peering down at her. “You’re going to freeze your toes.” Josie squealed with a start as she quickly sat up and sucked in a gasp. “What the hell?” The girl cocked her head to the side and frowned. “You’re going to freeze your toes. It’s November. It’s cold.” Josie flushed and rose her feet from the water. The chillness of the air brushing against her wet feet did make her toes curl. She quickly wiped her feet down before slipping them back into the warmth and comfort of shoes and socks. “What are you doing here?” Josie pinched her brows together as she glanced up. Hope shrugged. “Just here to clear my mind.” “Right…” “Can I join you?” Josie wanted to say, “No, actually.” Josie wanted to say, “You said I smelled.” Josie wanted to say, “Shouldn’t you be with your cousins?” But instead, Josie said, “Yeah. Okay.” Josie shuffled over as Hope took her spot beside the brunette. Josie tried to keep her eyes forward, but the curiosity in her betrayed her as she turned to take in Hope’s profile. The way the bridge of her nose sloped before rising again at the tip, or the way the corner of her lips were pulled upwards, or the way her eyelashes were long and full as she stared across the lake. Her auburn hair blew against the cold November winds and the strands danced around the air like flickering embers. “Take a picture. It’ll last longer.” Josie inhaled wrong and started to cough. She slapped her chest and swallowed thickly as she tried to calm herself. When she looked back up to see Hope, the older girl stared back with a pretentious smirk. Josie frowned. “I-I wasn’t…” She wasn’t what? If she lied about not staring at her, it would have clearly been a lie because she had and she was caught staring. So instead, she groaned, rolling her eyes and bringing her knees to her chest. She hid the bottom half of her face behind it and looked out. She heard Hope chuckle beside her and Josie decided she didn’t like her. Another lie. “You know, don’t you?” Hope hummed. “Know that you’re a Mikaelson whose family is super mysterious but helps the town thrive? Yeah. I know.” Hope laughed again. “That’s not what I meant. But sure. Mysterious family who helps the town thrive.” There was a slight pause—a hesitation of some sort, and Josie thought that was the end of whatever weird conversation they were having. But she was wrong, because Hope continued. “I’m Hope.” Josie swallowed. “I know.” “What’s yours?” “Liv.” Hope snorted. “You’re lying.” Josie looked at Hope this time and frowned. “You don’t know that.” The auburn girl stared blankly at her as her eyes searched her for something. A smirk tugged at her lips once more and she cocked her head to the side, her cheek pressed up against her shoulder as her hair draped behind her. “Yeah, no. You’re lying. What’s your actual name.” Josie bristled, but she couldn’t be too angry because Hope was right. She was lying. “My name’s Josie. Josie Laughlin.” Hope hummed and fell silent. Her eyes roved Josie, giving her a once over before she turned back to the lake and silence overtook them once more. Josie listened to the whispers of the wind against the trees. Listened to the ripple of the lake’s song. Listened to the auspicious orchestra of crows cawing in the distance. But no matter what nature had for Josie, she could not stop hearing the soft song of warmth and melancholy emanating beside her. And the curiosity that burned inside her—just like how her magic burned inside her—took over for a moment. “People say you suck at social interactions.” Hope growled. “I do not.” Josie smirked. “You told me I smelled.” Hope deflated and Josie could almost hear a whine coming out of her closed-mouth. “It… There’s a… I mean, c’mon. You know, don’t you?” Hope almost sounded like she was pleading with Josie about whatever it was Josie was supposed to know. Except Josie didn’t. She didn’t know what she was supposed to know. Hope sighed with frustration and she pushed a hand through her hair. Josie couldn’t help but track the movement and watched as her hair was toussled around yet made Hope look like some sort of model. It was quite unfair. “Well, I know what you are.” Suddenly the tattoo on Josie’s shoulder began growing down her arm as the blood pumped inside her body. Her Mom told her that it was better to keep the secret of being a witch from anyone who weren’t wolves or witches. Just as a precaution. Just as a way to keep her and her family safe. So Josie deflected. “I’m the new kid. Duh.” Hope narrowed her eyes. “No. No, that’s not it.” A beat. Then, “it’s faint. The other smells blanketed it. But it’s there. There and faint. I know. I know what you are.” The tattoo buzzed on her skin and her magic was sparking to life. She only had the sunflower and even though she was a quick learner with magic, there were still moments where she’d lose control. And this felt like one of those moments. Josie quickly got up from her feet and grabbed her things. “Sorry, but, I don’t know what the hell you’re talking about. And I think it’s better if you left me alone from now on.” Josie fled shortly after. Her magic was still buzzing in her ear and her hands felt hot. Burning hot. Josie didn’t tell Lizzie what happened at the lake when her twin came back home from her fun trip to the comic store with MG. She knew Lizzie probably had an inkling Josie was hiding something, but Lizzie didn’t pry when Josie shot her a steely gaze. Instead, Lizzie talked Josie’s ear off about the comic book she ended up buying and a new series she picked up with MG. It was some Dungeons and Dragons thing created by some people who live-streamed their actual-play Dungeons and Dragons campaign on the internet. They were apparently really huge and even had an animated television series based on their first campaign. Josie was utterly lost, but she did her best to follow along since it made Lizzie happy. Josie appreciated how her sister knew her without having to say anything. The rest of the week flew by with little to no problems. She still had Hope staring at her from across the cafeteria like a weird stalker, but it seemed she had taken Josie’s words at the lake to heart and hadn’t bothered her since. She learned more about her new friend, MG, and how he liked reading sci-fi and fantasy books and not just comic books. How they liked cooking class because they got to make all the delicious food they made. How his favourite animal was an owl but his favourite mythical creature was a griffon. How they are really bad at Chemistry but really good at History. How he wasn’t fully out with being nonbinary but felt like he could trust the twins because I know you two won’t judge me or think poorly of me—she did also learn that MG told his closest friend, his best friend and brother. MG introduced that very friend, Kaleb, along with his girlfriend, Cleo, on a Friday during lunch. Kaleb Hawkins was fun and talkative and grounded. He knew all the best places to go to in Mystic Falls and knew all the right people that could give the Laughlin twins an experience of a lifetime. Josie noticed he always dressed well, with crisp coloured dress shirts and pristine coloured waistcoats. He had been the lead in every single school play and wanted to pursue theatre, with a back up in wardrobe or costuming. Josie thought he could do it. She could sense the ambition and confidence Kaleb had in himself and his skills. Cleo was kind and friendly and understanding. Last year, she had transferred to Mystic Falls High in the middle of a semester, so she knew exactly what the twins were going through. Josie always saw dried clay caked under her nails or on her cheek or side of her neck and learned Cleo loved pottery. She loved art in general, but she really loved pottery. She loved how the clay felt between her fingers, or how she could mold the clay into the vision she had in her mind and bring it to life. Cleo was going to pursue a major in ceramics because she was good at it. She was so good at it. Josie had seen some of her works from pictures she took and Josie thought they should be in museums. Cleo blushed, thanking her for her compliment. Josie was so grateful for two more new friends, and she could tell Lizzie was too. After school, Josie, Lizzie and Cleo were waiting for MG and Kaleb so they could head into town to grab a meal from The Grill before walking around aimlessly. And it was then that Cleo had pulled the twins aside to talk to them about something gravely important. Josie and Lizzie were confused, but also worried. They had just met Cleo today and had already felt such kinship toward her. So to hear that she had something important to discuss with them had the twins reach for each other’s hands and gripping tight. Cleo pulled them into the girl’s bathroom and checked the stalls for anyone before locking the door. Josie and Lizzie exchanged weary glances and the twins could feel their tattoos flutter against their shoulders. The older girl turned towards the twins with a patient smile. There was a weird hesitation and Josie and Lizzie gripped each other’s hands even tighter. Cleo said, “I know what you two are.” Cleo said, “Don’t be alarmed.” Cleo said, “Because I am like you.” She pushed her sleeve up and Josie and Lizzie’s eyes widened as matching gasps escaped her lips. There etched into her dark skin were different runes and elemental symbols surrounding a beautiful picture of a statue of some woman Josie didn’t recognize. But then the tattoos glowed and Cleo brushed her fingers against a symbol by her wrist and flicked her finger toward the sinks. All the sinks faucets turned on. Cleo was a witch. She was a witch just like Josie and Lizzie. Cleo still wore a patient smile as she rolled her sleeve back down. Lizzie said, “You’re a witch.” Josie said, “You’re like us.” Cleo nodded. Suddenly, Josie felt a weight lift off her shoulders as she realized someone else shared this secret with her and Lizzie. Once the five of them were in town, they made a beeline towards The Grill. Josie was excited to try out their beyond the meat menu that they had just announced was being released today when she saw Hope and her friends eating outside, but this time there was another boy with them. Hope peered up from her burger and cocked a brow at Josie. Before the brunette could even react, Lizzie interjected first. “You're kidding me. Why do we have to keep seeing these assholes outside of school.” The blonde groaned. She had her arm looped around Josie's and clung to her twin tighter. Josie watched Hope sneer at Lizzie while the others with Hope turned to glower at the blonde as well. Josie found it peculiar that they had all turned to look at them right after Lizzie complained. They hadn't even been close enough for them to hear anything Lizzie had said. But they neared the restaurant and an older woman showed them to one of the patio tables next to Hope and her friends. Josie sat on the side that allowed her a good view of the next table. Her eyes roamed carefully, spotting all the familiar faces except for the one she noticed before. He was busy bothering Hope to notice he was being watched. His light brown skin was dusted with a few freckles which seemed to be made even prominent under the cool autumn sun. He was smiling wide that Josie noticed he had cute little dimples. His eyes were dark but kind. His hair was cropped short and styled the front bangs up. Then she saw Rafael and the curly-haired boy she had gathered was Landon from last time coming out of the restaurant in casual clothes. It appeared they had just gotten off shift and sat down at the table Hope and her friends were at. Josie continued watching from the top of her menus as Rafael and the other boy, whom Josie found out was named Nik, conversed intently. She could even spot the blush on Nik's face when his attention was focused on Rafael. A crush, probably, because it didn't seem like Rafael was even aware of how Nik saw him. How it looked from an outsider. Hope and Landon were busy talking too, with Finn occasionally piping in from time to time. Landon was leaning in close to Hope, showing her something on his phone. And Hope would laugh at whatever he said, smirking and playfully slapping his arm in retaliation. For some reason, Josie didn't like how close the two of them were. Their waitress came and took their order. Josie chose a chicken beyond the meat burger with a side of salad and coke to drink. When Josie was done ordering, she glanced back over at Hope's table and saw her staring right back at her. Hope smirked knowingly. Josie blushed and refused to look back over at the auburn girl after that. Their Mom had come home early that night. Lizzie was upstairs doing her homework while Josie was channel surfing, her homework already done. “Hey, sweetie. Where’s Lizzie?” Her Mom put her keys into the little ceramic bowl on the table stand by the front door. “Upstairs doing homework.” Her Mom stared at her. “And you're not doing homework because…?” “I already finished.” She laughed and hung her coat up on the coat hooks drilled into the wall. She also hung her purse up too. Her Mom came around and plopped down on the sofa beside Josie. She wrapped her arm around the brunette and pressed a warm kiss against her temple. “How was school?” Josie shrugged and made some sort of noise at the back of her throat. “That bad, huh?” “No. No, not really.” She pulled away from the television and looked at her Mom. “Lizzie and I met another witch today. A senior at school. She's really nice.” Her Mom didn't even seem taken aback at this confession. She merely nodded. “And how was it, meeting another witch?” Exhilarating. Exciting. Exuberant. “It was cool.” Josie gently touched her sunflower tattoo that was hidden under her pyjama top. Then, “Do you know if there are other witches here? Or… Werewolves?” Her Mom paused for a moment, considering Josie's inquiry. Finally, she said, “No. I don't believe I know if there are any other witches or werewolves here.” Josie carefully watched her Mom as she processed her words. Because for some reason, she felt like her Mom was lying. “Why? Were you hoping to meet other witches or werewolves here?” There was a playfulness to her words but Josie could sense something else was tucked between the lines if her cadence was anything to go by. Josie thought back to the lake with Hope. How she knew what Josie was. How she expected Josie to know what Hope was. “No, not really. I just thought it'd be nice to meet other witches like us. Or maybe meet a werewolf. After all, we're Parker witches, right?” Something unreadable flashed across her Mom's face, and Josie was able to gleam it for a second before it was replaced with a practiced smile. “Yes. That's right. Of course. Parker witches.” Her Mom excused herself after watching ten more minutes of whatever show Josie had been watching before she came home. Josie was left alone on the couch as her magic crackled deep inside her.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
When Josie and Lizzie were younger, they loved doing everything together. They never ventured too far from each other or one of them would cry. They hated being separated. Hated how they had to be their own person because why would they have to do that when we have each other?
They loved sticking together. They loved sharing things together. They loved being a part of each other’s lives. So why would they have to be separate from one another when their sisterly bond was what made them special?
Their Mom didn’t mind that the twins were co-dependant on each other. She knew she should have stopped it. But watching Josie and Lizzie reminded her too much of her and Kai, and that made her feel guilt rise inside her. So she just let the twins be. Because somewhere down the line, the twins will only have each other.
Josie was eleven when she found Lizzie in the school bathroom having her first panic attack.
She didn't know what to do. Didn't know how to help. And it pained Josie so much watching her sister going through something so scary and not knowing what to do.
So Josie called their Mom as she stayed with Lizzie. Her arms wrapped around her twin sister as whispered to her. Whispered encouraging words. Whispered pleasant words. Whispered words that helped soothe Lizzie because she was important and Josie couldn’t lose her I can’t I won’t please don’t leave me Lizzie please don’t leave me all alone you’re going to be okay Lizzie you’re going to be okay please be okay
please
.
And somehow, Josie felt the tingling of
something
beneath her fingertips as she continued holding onto Lizzie with desperation. She wasn’t sure what the something was as she hadn’t learned about werewolves and witches and magic and monsters yet.
By the time the principal, vice principal, school nurse, and their Mom showed up, Lizzie’s panic attack had calmed and was sleeping in Josie's arms. Nobody knew how that happened. Not even Josie knew in that moment, or when she looked back on this memory years from now.
Josie's fingers were threaded through the flaxen blonde locks. Feeling the smoothness rub against her skin. Her sister's face was hidden in the crook of Josie's neck. She wrapped her arms protectively around her twin as the adults came in. She refused to let anyone near her and Lizzie. Even their Mom. She would sneer at anyone trying to take her sister from her. Would bite at them and cry and scream. Nobody was allowed to touch Lizzie. Nobody. They couldn’t separate them. Josie made sure of that.
Josie stayed by Lizzie's side when they got checked up. And she still stayed by Lizzie's side when they returned home. Eyes all red and puffy but still calm and patient as she hugged her twin sister tightly. Hands shook as she did. She was so scared. So scared that something bad was happening to Lizzie and that she would lose her twin, her sister, her best friend, forever.
Josie had been practicing magic at home, reviving an aloe plant that seemed to have withered to almost nothingness. The sunflower bloomed along her arm and she could almost hear the crackling of the stalk growing down and all around her. Sunflower heads sprouted along the stalk and spun with their golden petals shining against her sun-kissed skin.
Then, Lizzie walked in with a frustrated pout. She stormed up to Josie, not saying a thing, and hovered. Josie suspected Lizzie had wanted her to notice. Had wanted her to ask what was wrong. But Josie chose to ignore her sister and focused on the task at hand.
Which, in all honesty, was the wrong choice to make. But Josie had been feeling a little childish and petty that day because Lizzie had used Josie's favourite shampoo without asking her. Again.
“The Mikaelson’s are throwing a party.”
Josie didn't miss the way her sister hissed the Mikaelson name bitterly.
It's been two weeks since they first arrived in Mystic Falls and attended the local high school. Lizzie had always tried to one-up the Mikaelson’s with something-or-other. Josie couldn't care less about what antics her twin would get up to and instead, would focus on perfecting her magic so she could be ready. She wasn’t sure
what
she would be ready for. But Josie wanted to be ready.
“They’re having a
Thanksgiving party
.”
It was also the weekend before Thanksgiving.
Josie beamed when the aloe plant was brought back to life.
“Jo!” Lizzie slammed her hand on the table. Josie had no choice but to look up at her twin.
“What? Who cares if they’re having a Thanksgiving party? We have our own Thanksgiving
party
with Mom anyway.”
“They live in that ridiculous mansion by the forest. They’re throwing a party before Thanksgiving. That’s pretentious and entitled.”
“I don’t think that’s–”
“We need to crash that party.”
“We are
not
crashing someone’s Thanksgiving, Lizzie,” Josie replied hotly. The sheer idea of doing something like that out of petty jealousy was something the brunette could never understand from her sister.
“It’s not
crashing
if everyone from school is invited—or at least everyone in our grade and above.”
“Lizzie.”
“Josie.”
“
Elizabeth
.”
“
Josette
.”
The brunette groaned out loud. Throwing her hands up in the air before they slapped onto the surface of the table. Her aloe plant wobbled from the vibration before settling still.
“Mom’s not going to approve,” Josie stated pointedly.
“She’s going to be working that night of the party. I checked her day planner.”
“You mean you
went through Mom’s things
,” Josie scoffed dryly.
Lizzie pulled a chair over and sat down in front of Josie. She reached her hands out, taking Josie’s into hers and staring into the brunette’s eyes.
“Aren’t you furious? Or even curious? They’ve been nothing but trouble for us—for
you
when we got here. Hope said you
smelled
! And she never apologized!”
Lizzie did have a point. But Josie also was keeping the interaction she had with Hope at the lake from her. She had been thinking back on that day ever since. Josie had a feeling Hope didn’t actually know how to interact with people and defaulted to whatever social ineptness she may have inherited or learned. That day at the lake, Josie didn’t sense any maliciousness from Hope. Aside from the jarring pleading where she was woefully convinced Josie
knew
who she was. That was something she was still puzzled about and wanted answers. Though trying to get a direct answer out of Hope felt like plucking rusty nails with your bare fingers, especially since the senior had respected Josie’s wishes and avoided the brunette.
“I think she’s just… Socially awkward.”
Her sister shot her a dry glare. “Going up to someone for no reason and telling them they smelled and then not apologizing is not being socially awkward. Being socially awkward is like, being unable to stop rambling about some weird factoid you learned on the internet because you ended up going down a large rabbit hole and couldn’t stop researching that topic.
That’s
socially awkward.”
Josie pouted. “Everyone has their own social awkward moments. Not everyone’s is random trivia ramblings.”
“Ugh. You’re right.” Lizzie flopped over on the table. Her hair spread out across the surface as her eyes were affixed on Josie. “But that still didn’t give her the right to say that to you and I’m upset that
you’re
not more upset about it.”
Josie could sense there was something more behind Lizzie’s distaste for Hope and the entire Mikaelson clique at school.
“Lizzie. You don’t have to worry about me.”
“But I
have to
!” Lizzie huffed. “You’ve constantly been worried and looking out for me our entire lives growing up. I… I feel like I haven’t done anything to show how much I appreciate you being there for me all the time. Even on my lowest days…”
Josie leaned forward and wrapped her arms around Lizzie, pulling her twin into a tight hug.
“I do appreciate you. Anytime you’re happy makes
me
happy.”
“I’m worried it’s not enough and you’ll toss me aside because I got too much for you to deal with.”
Josie looked at her sister. “You will
never
be too much for me to deal with, you got it? I am your sister. I will always have your back. I will always protect you. I will always make sure no one will ever think about hurting you because if they did, they would find themselves plummeting into the ground and never to be seen again. I will make every single person who’s ever tried to snuff out your light and
ruin them
. Do you hear me, Lizzie? I won’t let anything bad happen to you.”
Lizzie quivered as she buried her face into Josie’s neck and cried.
Her words she spoke were true. They were so true. So true that even the sunflower on her shoulder began to burn into her skin as magic rippled in her blood with an intensity that she wasn’t able to put into words.
It was the Saturday before Thanksgiving week and Lizzie had convinced their Mom to attend the Mikaelson family’s Thanksgiving party.
Their Mom said, “I’ll be at the clinic all night, I’m sorry, girls. Have fun though, and please be on your
best behaviour
. I’m looking at you, Lizzie.” And then she kissed the twins on the tops of their heads before scurrying out the door to go to work.
MG, Kaleb, and Cleo tagged along after Lizzie had asked them to come as well. Cleo was actually a little bit closer to Hope, having taken the same art classes ever since she transferred to MF High and had gone to one of these grand Mikaelson parties before.
“They’re not all too bad. It’s mostly a lot of socializing and getting to know people,” Cleo had said one day at lunch.
“It’s settled then,” Lizzie beamed. “We’re
all
going!”
So here they were, in front of the Mikaelson mansion that was located far from the heart of Mystic Falls. The Mikaelson mansion that had an entire forest as its backyard. The Mikaelson mansion was big enough to house an entire neighbourhood of people.
Josie was dressed up in her nicest dress. It was a powder blue dress with a silvery shimmer to it. She wore a simple white cardigan overtop her dress and her hair was pulled up into a beautiful ponytail with braids. Lizzie was beside her and was in a white dress with long delicate lace sleeves. Her hair was down and straightened with a black headband in her hair, pushing back her bangs. The twins held onto each other’s hands as they and their friends walked through the opened door of the luxurious Mikaelson mansion.
It was warm inside. Warm and inviting. The place was decorated with autumnal leaves and harvest iconography to really emphasize this was a Thanksgiving thing. Josie caught a chalkboard sign propped up with the words scrawled neatly on it
Thanksgiving Charity Event
. There were people inside, mingling with flutes of champagne or some non-alcoholic beverages in their hands or hors d’oeuvres being plopped into their mouths.
Josie saw a lot of her classmates around, along with the teachers and faculty from school. But she also saw a few people from town, mingling around and laughing. Her eyes widened at the grandness of it all, but she also felt so small.
“Hey–” Lizzie’s voice cut in and Josie turned her head to look at her twin. Her calming blue eyes stared right back at her and she had a tiny smile tugging at her lips. “I got you, okay?”
Josie mirrored her sister’s smile right back at her. I gently squeezed Lizzie’s hand. “And I got you too.”
“Hope and her cousins are just over there,” Cleo said as she came up from behind the twins.
Josie’s eyes wandered over to the main den and saw Hope standing there. Beautiful as ever.
She was in a dark blue knitted sweater and dark corduroy pants with a light brown skinny belt. Her hair was pulled back into one thick braid that was then pulled up into a bun, with just a few strands of her warm auburn hair framing her face.
Cleo, Kaleb, MG and the twins all walked over to Hope and her cousins—Josie even spotted Rafael and Landon amongst the group, chatting away with one another. Hope was the first to shift her gaze to Josie though when they started to approach. The auburn girl’s nose flared and her eyes widened. Josie wasn’t sure why she was looking like that and shifted uncomfortably, squeezing Lizzie’s hand in the process.
“Hello, Hope,” Cleo greeted kindly.
That seemed to have snapped Hope out of whatever weirdness she was entranced by as she pulled her sight away from Josie and onto the other senior. With a smile, she reached over to give Cleo a friendly hug.
“Thanks for coming,” Hope said. She pulled away from Cleo, but her eyes trailed over to Josie’s. The brunette cleared her throat and looked away.
“Of course,” Cleo responded. She gestured to Kaleb, who stood beside her with his arm around her waist. “You remember my boyfriend, Kaleb?”
Hope nodded. “It’s good to see you again.”
Kaleb flashed her his charming smile and nodded back.
MG stood beside Josie, feeling a little lost in everything. They were in a dark orange and brown cardigan with autumnal leaf patterns on it—fitting for an occasion such as tonight. They also wore black slacks and had their head pulled back into a short ponytail.
“I’ve brought some of my friends.” Cleo turned to the three of them waiting anxiously in the back and she introduced them starting with MG and ending with Lizzie.
One of Hope’s cousins, Nik, seemed intrigued by the exchange and surprisingly stopped his conversation with Rafael to turn to the rest of them. He leaned over Hope and ignored her squawks of indignation and curses and shouts to
get off me you fucking asshole what the hell!?
“More of our little Hopey’s friends?” Nik grinned as his eyes roved over each of them. He gave them a two-fingered salute before continuing. “I’m Nik, her dashingly cool older cousin.”
MG was the first to respond in kind. “Hi. Uh. I’m MG.”
Lizzie was next. She gave Nik a practiced smile, but Josie knew that behind that mask was a girl who was just as confused, just as nervous, and just as irritated. “Lizzie. And this is my sister, Josie. We’re twins. Fraternal. Obviously.”
Nik’s eyes widened and was almost on top of Hope again when she successfully shoved him off of her. Hope was flailing and the rest of her cousins seemed to be amused by the whole act, not even stepping in to stop. Even Bernie, whom Josie briefly remembered from school—was hiding a smile behind her hands as she stuck close to her sister, Thea.
Josie took a closer look at Hope’s cousins and found they were all wearing dashing or extravagant outfits. She assumed that made sense, considering it was a charity event.
Nik seemed to have struck up a conversation with MG flawlessly as they both seemed to be really into the same nerd shit Lizzie was into. Landon ended up joining in on the conversation as well and the three of them were lost in their world. Josie could tell from her periphery how much Lizzie wanted to join, but she was glued to Josie, shooting daggers from her eyes at Hope anytime the senior looked over at the twins.
Thea, who had her beautiful brown hair down in soft waves and wore a red dress with a black shawl draped across her shoulders, had been eyeing Lizzie from Hope’s side. Her wrist was adorned in a beautiful gold bracelet and Josie was already exhausted by the Thea versus Lizzie situation. And it seemed like Thea’s younger sister felt the same. Bernie shuffled away in her cozy patchwork dress and fluffy white sweater with a little girl who looked no older than ten, who was adorned in all black, along with Finn—who was wearing a simple blue dress shirt, black pants, and thick black framed glasses that he kept pushing back up onto the bridge of his nose.
Viktoria, in a simple powder blue dress and her dark black hair curled in beautiful ringlets, came over to the rest of them while the group had been chatting and stood on the other side of Hope, staring at Lizzie and Josie. But even then, surprisingly, Thea, Viktoria, and Lizzie were conversing with each other—it was quite stinted but still amicable.
Josie licked her lips. Her throat felt dry and she was desperate to be anywhere but here. She slipped her hand out of Lizzie’s, earning a worried look from her twin.
“Just going to get some fresh air. I’ll be back,” Josie reassured.
“I can come with–”
“No. I’ll be fine. Stay here and shine bright like that star that you are, Lizzie.”
The blonde Laughlin twin pouted but nodded as she resumed conversation with Thea and Viktoria.
Josie quietly excused herself from her friends and roamed around the main floor of the mansion. She stuck close to areas that didn't have many people, or the walls so she could observe. Finally, she found a large ornate double door that led outside into the back gardens.
She gingerly stepped outside, her low heels
clicked
and
clacked
against the stone pathway.
Josie wandered around, a bright smile on her face as she looked at all the beautiful plants in the garden beds. It was cold so there weren't quite a lot of flowers in bloom, but with the ones that were still kicking, Josie appreciated the sight.
Along the garden path, there was a simple stone bench propped up against a fountain that had been turned off. Josie peered inside the bowl of the fountain and found quite a few fallen and soggy leaves. With her curiosity satiated, she plopped down on the bench and let the chilly autumn night wake up her senses.
She was out there for about five minutes when she saw someone approach her.
“Are you not cold?”
Hope Mikaelson.
Her eyes, even under the dim light, were sparkling brightly.
Josie
was
cold, but she wasn't going to let Hope know that.
“I'm perfectly fine.”
Hope snorted. “A lie.”
Josie flushed at being so quickly caught in her false words but brushed it off. Hope gestured to the empty spot on the bench beside her, silently asking if she could join her.
Like before, Josie wanted to refuse.
But instead, Josie said, “Okay. Yeah.”
Hope sat beside Josie. The bench wasn't that long like the dock, so the two of them had their shoulders brushed against each other. Josie felt a spark from that but didn't acknowledge it.
“You're right. I. I'm not great at social interactions.”
Josie let out a small puff of laughter. “Gee. I would have
never
guessed.”
Hope scowled and Josie briefly thought she looked cute with her nose scrunched up like that.
“I take after my Dad with… The socializing. Or so I've been told.” Hope crossed her arms. A pause. Then, “I'm sorry about freaking you out. At the lake. Thought you knew.”
And there it was again. The assumption that Josie
knew
something she was supposed to know.
“Well, I don't. Know what you think I'm supposed to know. But thank you.”
The silence wrapped them up again. Josie could feel her magic vibrate beneath her skin. Could taste the rinds of dirt from the earth's magic calling to Josie in a series of pleading lullabies. It made the sunflower in Josie's shoulder bloom slowly and steadily.
Josie thought that was going to be the end of it. End of the conversation. Had expected Hope to get up and head back inside.
Except she didn't.
Instead, Hope turned to face Josie, her sharp blue eyes staring directly at the brunette.
Hope said, “Sunshine and morning dew and cinnamon.”
Josie balked.
“Uh. What?”
“Sunshine and morning dew and cinnamon.” Hope paused for a moment. A small shy smile tugged on her lips. “That's what you smell like. To me. It's sunshine and morning dew and cinnamon.”
Before Josie could get a chance to compose herself and demand an explanation, Hope got up, brushed the wrinkles out of her clothes, and flashed Josie a bigger, toothy grin.
“See you around.”
Then Josie watched, flabbergasted, as Hope retreated from the garden and slipped back inside her home.
Josie spent the next ten minutes processing what happened. Confusion was mostly the main emotion she felt as she replayed Hope's words in her head over and over and over again.
Sunshine and morning dew and cinnamon
.
After that night, things started to shift for Josie.
Somehow, Josie's friend group and Hope's group merged and started to hang out more and more.
During lunch, they would all sit with each other and dive into separate little conversations. Josie tried to keep up with most of them but realized it wasn't worth it. Instead, she ended up talking to Bernie more, enjoying her company despite how skittish and nervous the blonde Mikaelson was.
What surprised her the most was Lizzie and Thea and Viktoria. Before, Lizzie would have never been caught dead talking to the other two Mikaelson girls. But it seemed whatever happened at the Mikaelson's Thanksgiving Charity Event changed Lizzie's mind. And Thea's and Viktoria's as well.
Josie learned a little bit more about each Mikaelson kid.
She learned that Finn was an exceptional mathematician and always won at every science fair with his projects. And how he absolutely hates tomatoes.
She learned that Viktoria had a huge collection of different vinyl records of old eighties rock bands. She also had two younger siblings, Henrik and Mila.
She learned that Dorothea was also in the school's drama program and had been in charge of wardrobe since freshman year.
She didn't learn much about Hope, other than how her cousins—sans Bernie—liked to tease the auburn about her social ineptness or how she had murder eyebrows or how she still kept her stuffed elephant from when she was a baby next to her pillow.
Finn said, “She named him Mr. Chartuerice. One time, she cried because her parents told her Mr. Chartuerice couldn't eat cheese. Or food in general.”
Hole scowled at Finn and kicked him harshly under the lunch table. Poof Finn wailed in pain.
“Mr. Chartuerice is quite a unique name for a stuffed elephant given to by a kid,” Josie teased.
“It was a good name.
Is
a good name.”
After school was where it got even more interesting for Josie. Both groups headed to The Grill and were greeted by Rafael immediately. As they were shown to their table, Landon came out shortly after to greet everyone. Rafael and Landon were introduced to Josie and Lizzie and Cleo and Kaleb and MG back at the charity event, but there never was a good moment to hang out with the two older boys since they both worked full-time.
Josie learned Rafael and Landon lived in the same foster home in Maine before moving down to Mystic Falls once they reached eighteen. The two of them were always together, thick as thieves, and had considered each other as their brother.
Landon had been saving up to attend college next Fall. Rafael was saving up to buy a car.
Josie had briefly wondered how Rafael and Landon knew the Mikaelson family but was too afraid to ask, so she quietly sipped her coke as Lizzie ended up asking the question.
“So how did you two meet the Mikaelsons?”
Landon flushed, avoiding eye contact with Lizzie and quickly muttering how he needed to go get back to work. Rafael laughed as he scampered away. Josie quirked a brow at Landon before he disappeared inside.
“We just got hired here a year ago and they came by one afternoon on a weekend. The lunch rush was really testing us but we made it work. Thea was…” He flushed. “Well, she was practically flirting with me.”
“You're
very
handsome, Raf,” Thea chimed, batting her eyelashes lovingly.
“Thank you, Thea. Always appreciated.” Rafael shook his head with a chuckle, though Josie didn’t miss the flush that dusted his cheeks. “After that, we sort of all got to talking, me and Landon and the rest of the Mikaelson kids.”
“We're
very
sociable,” Finn said as he stared directly at Hope.
Hope elbowed him in the ribs. Finn doubled over.
Josie thought it was sweet that the Mikaelson's were so warm and inviting with Rafael and Landon. But she hated how it was different with her and Lizzie. Why were things different for them than it was for Rafael and Landon? Was it because they were attractive older boys while Josie and Lizzie were teenage girls?
The rest of the hangout ended with Josie simmering in her thoughts as the sunflower buzzed along her skin.
But she could also faintly feel the frantic flutterings of the wings of a bird just beside her.
That night, Josie comforted Lizzie in their shared bedroom.
Lizzie sobbed, “What does Thea have that I don’t?”
Lizzie sobbed, “I hate this so much. I hate this. I hate this.”
Lizzie sobbed, “Why am I like this all the time?”
Lizzie sobbed, “I’m sorry. I’m sorry, Jo. I’m sorry.”
Josie just held her sister tightly. Brushing her long blonde hair out of her face and whispering soothing words.
Josie whispered, “You’re amazing and confident and thoughtful.”
Josie whispered, “Please don’t be so hard on yourself.”
Josie whispered, “You care so deeply and love so passionately.”
Josie whispered, “It’s okay. It’s okay, Lizzie. It’s okay. I’m here. I’ll always be here.”
The sunflower on Josie’s shoulder and the peregrine falcon on Lizzie’s shoulder fluttered and moved in sync with each other. Despite being separate, Josie and Lizzie could feel the falcon and sunflower coming together. Could feel the falcon perch itself on the growing stalk of the sunflower. Could feel the roots of the sunflower coil and grow down and out, reaching for Lizzie’s hand. It was an odd sensation, but a welcoming one.
And Josie continued to hold her sister in her arms. Comforting her. Soothing her. Reminding her that Lizzie was loved. That Lizzie was
always
loved.
Their Mom told them every witch had a signature when it came to magic. An identification that told other witches who cast what. Like a unique fingerprint.
She said, “So wherever we go if we get separated, I will leave clues for you to find.”
She said, “These will be imbued with my magic.”
She said, “And you two will know it's from me because we are all connected.”
She said, “Never forget that you two will never be alone.”
Josie and Lizzie practiced their magic and identification. Or at least until Lizzie decided she'd had enough and went on to do something else.
Josie ended up staying though. She practiced and practiced and practiced and practiced until the sunflower on her shoulder ached and her nose started dripping blood.
Their Mom found Josie shortly after and ushered her inside. Berated her for overworking herself. She muttered how she was to blame for Josie's insistence because the twins hadn't gotten more tattoos to help them focus and balance and borrow the energy of magic from around them.
“Will we get more tattoos?” Josie asked when her Mom made her hold a tissue to her nose.
She paused. And for a brief moment, Josie was scared she was going to say no.
Instead, Jo said, “I think it's time.”
That night, Josie dreamt about a big white wolf with startling blue eyes.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
“We're going to be late!” Lizzie whined. It was the weekend and Josie and Lizzie had made plans with their combined friend group to see a movie. It was the latest release of a new Marvel film. Lizzie, MG, Landon, and Nik were all excited about it and could not stop blabbing to anyone willing to hear. Josie was smiling, though a little overwhelmed by the sheer number of people in their group. Cleo, Kaleb, MG, Nik, Rafael, Landon, Thea, Bernie, Finn, Viktoria, Lizzie, and Hope and Josie. Thirteen people was a lot. And Josie always felt drained when dealing with large groups of people or crowds. She always preferred the quieter hangouts, but she promised Lizzie she'd go, purely to help support her twin with a budding crush on Rafael. It was cute, though Josie couldn't help but sense that someone else may have taken claim to the fairytale prince. Especially when that certain someone else stuck close to Rafael and kept shooting warning glares at Lizzie anytime they all hung out together. Honestly, Josie felt like Lizzie should have caught on that Nik and Rafael may have a thing going on between each other. But who was Josie to go and ruin her sister’s harmless fantastical crush on the older boy? Cleo had offered them a ride with Kaleb and MG and the twins were ever so appreciative of her. Their Mom was in the living room with a cup of coffee and the newspaper on her lap. She turned to her girls, smiling. “Have fun today.” Josie and Lizzie each planted a kiss on their Mom's cheeks. “Love you,” their Mom said. “Love you too,” the twins said simultaneously. Cleo was waiting for them outside. Her small silver Volvo was right by the curb in front of their house. Kaleb was in the passenger seat, which was a no-brainer. The twins ended up sitting in the back with MG. It wasn't uncomfortable, but it wasn't not uncomfortable. The other girl made sure the twins were all buckled in before pulling away and driving off. It took them about thirty minutes to get to the only movie theatre in existence here in town. Lizzie was complaining about how the town should open up one of those drive-in movies because this movie theatre looks like it's a breeze away from collapsing on us and I much prefer to live well into my twenties, thanks . Everyone climbed out of the car once they saw the other group outside. “About damn time,” Finn rolled his eyes. “Finn, be nice,” Nik laughed as he poked his brother's cheek. Finn slapped his hand away immediately. “Here.” Hope thrusted a ticket at Josie without another word. The brunette cautiously took it from her. “Thanks?” “Hey! What about our tickets!?” Lizzie guffawed. Hope scowled at her. “Get them yourself.” Lizzie stopped forward. Josie could already feel her sister's magic buzzing inside her. Could hear the peregrine falcon crying out for release. Josie stepped between the two, pushing Lizzie back but not straying too far from her. Josie made sure she kept her hand on Lizzie's shoulder, squeezing gently for comfort. “What my socially constipated cousin meant to say is that we already got you guys tickets,” Thea stated as she swooped in beside Hope, giving the auburn a reprimanding slap up against the back of her head. Hope growled at her. Thea ignored her and gave the rest of Josie's friends their ticket. Nik and Finn were hiding their laughs behind her hands. Poorly. Viktoria rolled her eyes, but there was a soft smile on her lips. Bernie withered. Shy and trying to hide herself away behind Nik. Meanwhile, Rafael and Landon looked way too amused at the scene. Landon had stepped up beside Hope, smiling at Josie. “Don't mind Hope. She's just awkward when it comes to…” He paused and looked over his shoulder. Then, he looked back at Josie with a goofy grin. “She's just really awkward when it comes to people she wants to know better .” Hope shoved him away. “You better shut your mouth, Kirby, or I'll do it for you.” Landon laughed. Josie felt a strange sensation coiling inside her. It was venomous and sour and bitter and red . For some reason, red was all she could see feel taste touch and hear. “Jo.” The brunette snapped her head around and saw Lizzie wearing a frown on her face. Her hand was gently on her shoulder and Josie reached up, squeezing her sister’s hand for comfort. She didn’t realize it at the moment, but the sunflower on her shoulder stopped growing and receded into just the head of the flower with sparkling golden petals. Everyone filed into the theatre and ordered snacks. Popcorn, candy, iced tea, coke, hotdogs and pizzas. There were about ten minutes before the previews started, so they all took turns going to the washroom before eventually making their way into theatre room two. Everyone found a spot in the theatre right dab in the upper middle. It was away from the congestion of people, but still a good spot to see and hear everything. Landon and Rafael slipped in first, with Nik going after immediately and plopping beside Rafael. Thea went in next, with Viktoria and Finn behind her. Bernie went in after, and then Cleo and Kaleb and MG next. Josie sat down beside MG and was expecting Lizzie to sit beside her, but Hope barged her way past the blonde Laughlin and sat down beside Josie instead. “Hey!” Lizzie balked angrily. Hope decidedly ignored her and passed the buttered popcorn to Josie. “Want some?” Josie just blinked. She looked behind Hope to Lizzie, who was still fuming as she took her spot beside the auburn girl. Then she looked back at Hope and smiled. “Sure.” The popcorn wasn’t incredible , but it was decent enough to get Josie through the previews before the movie started. But the entire time she sat there in the dark, Josie couldn’t help but feel something charged beside her. Couldn’t help but hear the howls of a wolf singing a song to come home.
There were mixed feelings amongst the nerds of the group about the new Marvel movie. Something Josie could not follow along no matter how hard she tried. She let Lizzie and MG and Nik and Landon discuss in length what the movie got wrong and what it got right and what it could have done better. Personally, Josie didn’t have quite an opinion on the movie. She thought it was fun, but that was about in. She was never really into superhero movies, but she could enjoy a few when she wanted to. Eventually, everyone decided to migrate to The Grill to have a meal since it was late in the afternoon and everyone was hungry. Josie wasn’t complaining, though the popcorn Hope shared with her did mitigate the burning hunger that a lot of her other friends seemed to be experiencing. As they got to the restaurant, Hope, yet again, barrelled past Lizzie and sat beside Josie—who was sitting at the end of the table. Lizzie huffed, cursing under her breath as she went around the table and sat across from her twin, all while leering at Hope. But her frustration with the older girl disappeared once MG, Nik, and Landon took their seats and the four nerds continued their discussion about the movie. “You know, if you keep side-lining my sister like that, she’s going to come to find some way to curse you to have bad luck for the rest of your life,” Josie joked. Hope snorted. “Please. I’d like to see her try.” “I don’t know. She can be pretty vindictive and petty when she wants to be.” “My cousin is Thea and I live with her. I think I can handle whatever your sister throws at me.” Josie hummed. “Fair point.” The two of them ended up spiralling into their own little world, the rest of the environment around them faded away into nothingness and white noise. Josie felt even more alive than usual. Felt the magic inside her blood prick against her body and could hear a quiet song gently caressing the back of her mind. Talking to Hope like this was all so strange. So very strange. But she couldn’t help but feel safe. So very safe.
“The Mikaelsons… They’re… Surprisingly okay.” Lizzie and Josie had just returned home after spending the entire day with everyone. Josie eyed her sister quizzically but didn’t stop the smile that stretched across her lips. Josie gently touched her shoulder where her sunflower tattoo laid hidden under her sleeve. “Yeah,” Josie said softly. “They really are.”
A week later, their Mom finally allowed Josie and Lizzie to get their new tattoos. Something that will help them even more when using magic. “We can leave the bigger pieces to later. Right now, you should have some runes of the four basic elements. That will help your finesse and precision when using any of those four elements.” Lizzie, though her magic was not as adept as Josie’s, was excited to be getting something more. She claimed that having more tattoos might just help her be better at wielding magic. Might help her be on the same footing as Josie. Their Mom tattooed the standard elemental symbol for air on Lizzie’s inner bicep, just below the talons of the peregrine falcon. Then she tattooed the standard elemental symbol for fire on Josie’s arm, just above her elbow, facing the same side as the sunflower. Josie felt the inferno inside her burn brighter as the new tattoo was branded on her skin. She grinned calmly.
Before they knew it, Josie and Lizzie were on winter break. It had been fast-paced for them. From being the new kids to then being just some regular kids. But not quite regular kids, because they hung out with the Mikaelsons, and the Mikaelsons were anything but regular kids. Josie didn’t mind though, and she could see Lizzie didn’t either. The blonde had always aimed to be known and thrived to be liked by her peers, and now that they’d been at Mystic Falls for about one-ish month, Lizzie was gaining that high school dream of hers. Lizzie had tried out for the girl’s volleyball team and got in. She even got involved in a few student politics or something. Josie wasn’t too sure, but she was happy for her twin. Josie, on the other hand, had joined the school’s gardening club and volunteered periodically at the school’s library every day after school for about two hours. Their large friend group got brighter and bolder. With Josie and Lizzie knowing more about everyone, slowly, but surely. Josie had even caught Lizzie and Hope chatting amicably without glares or growls or snark or sass. Which was an incredible feat. Aside from their booming school and social life, their Mom had upped their training and made sure she took her time to help them be better. To be stronger. The fear of her twin brother finding them was still so high. Josie and Lizzie knew their Mom would still be troubled by it, so they did what she asked them to. Josie and Lizzie practiced. They practiced and trained their hardest. They even earned their third tattoo despite their second one not fully healed yet. Lizzie got the standard elemental symbol for water on the other side of her bicep. Josie got the standard elemental symbol for earth just below her elbow. Their Mom was proud of them. Proud of all they accomplished in such a short time. Lizzie said, “We couldn't have done this without you, Mom.” Josie said, “You opened our eyes to this new world.” Their Mom just smiled. However, through Josie's quick perception, she noticed how haggard their Mom looked. She didn’t bring it up or tell Lizzie about it, chalking it up to her fear of Kai Parker controlling their Mom. It was no wonder, Josie thought. Each night when Mom wasn't at the clinic and could get a restful sleep at home, Josie would often hear her screaming at Kai to stop. To stop killing them please stop killing them they're my daughters they're my only daughters they're all I have left please Kai ! And after every nightmare, their Mom would wake up and go to the kitchen. Josie would listen from the darkness of the stairwell as Mom sobbed into her hands, praying for the nightmares to stop haunting her.
“You really don't get cold, do you?” “My body runs naturally warm, but I'm still susceptible to hypothermia,” Josie smirked as Hope sat down beside her on the dock. She was in a simple blue thick wool sweater, a black corduroy skirt and black leggings paired with brown ankle boots. Hope, on the other hand, was in a black puffy down jacket with long black jeans and Converse shoes that had little scratches and scruff marks along the soles. They were at the lake again. The water had been frozen over solid with a thin layer of ice. Josie thought about how neat it would be to ice skate here, but she respected herself enough to not accidentally die by drowning or freezing. Josie and Hope had been coming to the lake a lot often now ever since their two groups had merged into one. She had gotten used to the auburn girl's company, whether silent or not. And she enjoyed it. Josie really enjoyed it. “It's beautiful out here,” Josie said. “It is. Makes a great picture for a painting,” Hope added. Josie turned to Hope. A light danced behind her dark brown eyes. “You paint?” Without looking away from the frozen lake, Hope put up her hands and used her fingers and thumbs to create a makeshift frame. “Sure do. My Dad taught me. He's an artist.” Klaus Mikaelson. Josie had learned more about the Mikaelson family after spending more time with them. And Hope's father was one of them. He was a kind man who loved his family tremendously. Loved them so much that he was willing to do whatever it took to protect them. Klaus Mikaelson opened a local art gallery in Mystic Falls when the Mikaelson family moved here. It was a grand establishment, with many patrons lining up just to get a glimpse of the worldly art displayed. He even held auctions and donated all the proceeds to different charities. He'd even invite other local artists to show off their work and spread their talents and skills to anyone interested. Klaus Mikaelson was a kind man who loved his family and loved his art. “Do you paint often with your Dad?” Hope shrugged. She found a small pebble and tossed it out onto the lake. The pebble skidded across the surface, spinning aggressively until it slowed and stopped twenty feet away. “When I was a kid we used to. But now I'm just too busy with school and hanging out with the new kids.” Hope tossed Josie a cheeky smirk. Josie rolled her eyes and gently nudged Hope with her shoulder. The older girl laughed and Josie liked the sound Hope makes when she’s happy. Josie wasn’t going to lie, she was starting to see Hope in a different light than from their first encounter with each other. Having Hope constantly by her side made Josie feel so comfortable and safe. And, yeah, she had a crush on the senior. But she was going to take this secret to her grave. Hope suddenly stopped laughing and snapped her attention to Josie. Her eyes were blown wide and her lips were parted open. Josie blinked back, confused and embarrassed from being watched so intently like that. “What? What’s wrong? Why are you looking at me like that?” But Hope didn’t say anything. Instead, she leaned forward and Josie’s breath hitched. Their faces were so close. They were so close . Josie could feel Hope’s hot breath against her lips and– Josie got up. Her face burned. It burned too much. Too hot. Too fast. Her heart fluttered against her chest, badgering against her ribcage screaming to be set free. The sunflower bloomed down her arm and Josie flinched. “Josie…?” The brunette was too afraid to look at Hope. Too afraid to see whatever broken face the older girl wore. What was wrong with her? Josie thought to herself. Her mind was muddled. Her heart was hammering. Her chest felt heavy. Everything was overwhelming. It was too overwhelming and Josie couldn’t handle it. Couldn’t handle the now. Couldn’t handle the now with Hope. “I-I–” The words were lodged in the back of her throat as if refusing to let Josie make up excuses. Hope was on her feet and strode over to Josie. She boxed Josie in by gripping the taller girl’s shoulders. Josie’s head buzzed because no, Hope can’t touch her she can’t or else she’ll be able to feel the tattoo under my clothes it’s a secret I can’t let my secret out! She reared back, but Hope’s grip on her was strong. “Don’t,” Hope said patiently. “Don’t run away, Josie. Let me in.” The tattoo glowed and burned under Josie’s clothes. She tried pulling away again. This time, Hope let her. Josie didn’t go too far though, just took several steps back away from the auburn girl and held her hands to her chest. “Sorry. I think. I think I need to go–” “No, wait!” Josie spun around. But when she did, the magic that was curdling inside her burst out and she lit a nearby tree on fire. “Oh fuck!” Josie gasped. “Josie!” Hope bolted forward, pulling Josie away from the burning tree. Her arm was wrapped around Josie protectively and Josie ignored the way her heart skipped by the physical contact. “Oh my god–” Josie paled. “Can you use magic to put the fire out?” Hope asked as the fire licked up the tree. “I-I mean, I probably could—wait, what the hell did you just say?” Josie balked. Had she heard her right? Had Hope just– “Josie! Fire!” “Right, right!” Josie looked around frantically until she landed on the frozen lake. “There!” She ran back to the edge of the dock and towered over the body of water. Hope stood beside her and Josie appreciated her being there. The tattoos on Josie’s arm glowed and they stung and burned but it didn’t hurt. It didn’t hurt her at all. Instead, it only fuelled Josie’s power. The Laughlin witch breathed in and out, focusing on the water that slept under the ice. She felt the fire and earth symbol tickle her skin, but what she felt most of all was the sunflower bursting to life down her arm. The green stalk wrapped around her wrist and the back of her hands bloomed more sunflower heads. Josie dug deep into the magical properties of the water and pulled. She pulled and pulled and pulled and pulled . The ice cracked and creaked and shattered as a stream of water was dragged up from out of the crack in the ice. Josie launched the stream of water over their heads and directed it toward the burning tree. Josie ground her teeth together and the sound it made was not something she liked having in her head, but she had to keep her concentration until the fire was completely out. As the water poured all over the tree, the fire finally simmered away into smoke and dripped down the trunk and branches, leaving little frost trails and icicles that melted away in seconds. Finally. Finally . The fire was put out. Josie collapsed but Hope caught her at the last minute before her knees slapped against the slippery dock. Silence. “You did it,” Hope breathed. “Yeah… I…” Josie faltered and suddenly realized a grave mistake. Josie had just done magic in front of Hope . Her secret was out—no, from what Hope said before, it seemed like her secret had always been out. Josie wanted to say, “Who the hell are you?” Josie wanted to say, “It wasn’t supposed to be like this.” Josie wanted to say, “If you don’t give me answers now, I’ll light your hair on fire.” But instead, Josie said, “How?” That one simple word seemed to convey all the questions Josie had melting in her mind as Hope smiled down at the brunette. “I told you,” Hope started. “I know what you are.” And then her blue eyes flashed orange .
When their Mom told the twins everything that day, told them about the truth about wolves and witches, she made it very clear to the twins that they could not let anyone else find out for fear of word getting back to her brother, Kai Parker. Their Mom said, “I just want to keep you two safe.” Their Mom said, “I need you two to trust me.” Their Mom said, “I can’t lose you two, you’re all I have left now.” Josie and Lizzie hadn’t fully understood the severity of their family’s past. But they understood how desperate their Mom was as she begged and begged and begged them to keep their knowledge of being witches—of being Parker witches —safe and sound, deep in their hearts. “What if someone else knows what we are?” Josie asked. “Yeah! What if another witch knows? Or a werewolf?” Lizzie added. Their Mom brushed their hair out of their faces tenderly. Their Mom leaned over and pressed a loving kiss atop their heads. Their Mom looked at them with such melancholy that Josie and Lizzie felt their hearts breaking into pieces because their Mom never looked like this before. Never. She said, “If a witch or a wolf knows what you are.” She said, “If they confront you, knowing you’re both witches.” She said, “Just be sure you can trust them.” She said, “Because sometimes, you never know if they have your best interests or not.”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
“What are werewolves like?” Josie had asked their Mom days after she told her and Lizzie the truth.
They were in the living room watching television. Lizzie had gotten a cold and was resting in her room, so Josie and her Mom were downstairs taking time to unwind from the long week.
Jo smiled warmly and scooped Josie up into her lap. She brushed Josie’s hair from her hair and tucked a lock of it behind her ear. “Why the sudden interest?”
“You spent a lot of time with them growing up, right?”
The woman nodded.
“But Lizzie and I haven’t. We only
just
learned about them. And us. I just wanna know. Are they kind? Do they look scary when they turn into wolves? How big do they get? Are they really fluffy?” Josie’s questions came out in rapid-fire succession and Jo was laughing the entire time.
“Oh, baby,” her Mom started. There was a twinkle in her eye. “The Kinsley Pack were very kind. Their Alpha, Alpha Julian Kinsley, was a good man. He protected everyone in his pack. Made sure everyone was looked after. He was very nice to us, to my family, because my father was his Pack’s witch. And I was to become the next Kinsley’s witch to the next Kinsley Alpha.”
“Is it just Alphas in the pack?”
Jo shook her head.
Jo said, “A pack has Betas, who follow the Alpha.”
Jo said, “You can always tell who’s an Alpha and who’s a Beta.”
Jo said, “It’s in their eyes.”
Jo said, “Alphas eyes are always red. Beta’s eyes are always orange.”
Jo said, “But if you ever encounter a wolf whose eyes glow violet, you must run. Run far, far, far away. Because they are Omegas and they will and can hurt you.”
Then, Josie asked a flurry of questions about Omegas and why they could hurt them. Her Mom laughed sweetly, her eyes smiling at little Josie, but there was also something hidden behind the softness. Josie could almost recall it feeling melancholic.
Jo said, “Omegas are wolves who have lost their pack or their tether and are slowly succumbing to the sickness, the rot, of their animalistic instincts.”
Jo said, “Feral Omegas are dangerous. You must always run when you encounter them.”
Jo said, “Alpha red. Beta orange. Omega violet. Remember these, Josie. Remember.”
Little Josie Laughlin took her mother’s word to heart. Repeated the colours and associations with the wolves over and over again. Alpha red. Beta orange. Omega violet.
Alpha red. Beta orange. Omega violet.
Alpha red Beta orange Omega violet
.
When Hope flashed her eyes at Josie, the brunette remembered all the words her Mom told her that day about wolves and the colours of their eyes.
Josie gasped, “Your eyes.”
Josie gasped, “They’re orange.”
Josie gasped, “You’re a wolf.”
That night, Josie locked herself in her room. Lizzie was worried, trying to get her to open up, or at least open up the door so she could get something. Josie tuned her sister out, squeezing the pillow over her ears.
She wasn’t sure what to do.
The logical side of her is telling Josie to confront her Mom about it. She had asked her Mom if there were werewolves in Mystic Falls and she blatantly lied to her face.
The sympathetic side of her is telling Josie to wait a little longer to confront Mom about it. Maybe Mom didn’t know there were werewolves here.
Josie wasn’t sure about anything.
Except…
The door to the room swung open and Josie stared at Lizzie, who threw her hands up in the air.
“Finally!” The blonde chided.
“We need to talk.” Josie dragged Lizzie inside the room and shut the door behind her. Lizzie flailed out of Josie’s grasp and spun around, hands firmly on her hips.
“Jo, what the fuck–”
“Werewolves.”
Lizzie balked. “Excuse me?”
Josie closed the gap between her and her sister and put her hands on Lizzie’s shoulders. She looked her square in the eyes. Brown meeting blue.
Josie repeated, “Werewolves. There are werewolves in Mystic Falls. I don’t know if Mom knows or not. But there are werewolves. They’re here. And I’m pretty sure they know we’re witches.”
“How?”
Josie bit down on her lip. “Hope Mikaelson.”
When Josie finished telling Lizzie everything—from Hope telling Josie she knew what she was and insisting Josie knew what Hope was at the lake for the first time, to their continued secret rendezvous at the lake, and then to earlier where Josie lit a tree on fire and Hope told her to use her magic to put it out. Hope had known. She had always known. And then she trusted Josie enough to show her her secret. Her eyes that had flashed Beta orange.
Lizzie was understandably upset that Josie had kept her secret tryst at the lake from her.
“It wasn’t a secret tryst!” Josie gaped.
“You’ve been seeing each other at the lake every single day doing gods know what. That’s a secret tryst if I’ve ever heard of one.”
Josie had even told Lizzie about the time their Mom told her about the different eye colours for each wolf.
Alpha red. Beta orange. Omega violet.
“And you asked Mom if there were werewolves here and she said no?” Lizzie’s mouth fell ajar.
“She said no.”
“What if she doesn’t actually know?”
Josie shook her head. “She could. But there was… It felt like she was hiding something. I think maybe she does know but isn’t telling us everything.”
“Alright, so what are we going to do now that your girlfriend knows about us?”
Josie flushed. “She’s not my girlfriend.”
“Yet.”
“Oh my god.”
“Should we go ask Mom about it? I feel like she would be more forthcoming if we both corner her.” Lizzie continued as if she didn't just embarrass her twin. She was pacing around the room, her finger against her chin as she thought. “Or do you think Mom would keep lying? Actually, why was she even lying about it in the
first place
? It literally makes no sense. She told us about us, about who we are and where we came from. She told us about her old pack before our power-hungry murder hobo of an Uncle wiped them all out of existence. So why couldn't she tell us that the Mikaelson family are werewolves?”
“Those are all questions I want answered too,” Josie said. “But I don't know if Mom will be truthful with us or not if we ask her. I'm just scared she's lying to us to protect us or something.”
Lizzie scoffed. “The only thing she's trying to protect us from is our crazy Uncle trying to kill Mom. Other than that, there's no reason for her to keep lying about it.”
“Do you… Maybe we should wait and do some digging of our own before we talk to Mom.”
Lizzie gasped. Then she smiled gleefully and bounced over to Josie, taking her hands. “You mean be a pair of Nancy Drews? Oh, I am
so
down for that.”
Josie smiled. “Of course you are.”
“Who should we interrogate first? Honestly, I say we go straight to the source. Hope flashed her special little werewolf eyes at you. She trusts you. And you said she knows about us being witches anyway. It would only make sense if we talk to Hope and her furry family.”
Lizzie had a point. Then, the blonde spun around and darted to the whiteboard she had tucked under her bed. “Wait. Let's write this down detective style!”
Josie rolled her eyes fondly at the blonde as Lizzie grabbed a whiteboard marker and started jotting things down.
The next day, Josie and Lizzie went over to the Mikaelson manor.
It was strange having to come by when there wasn't some event going on. Josie had texted Hope an hour earlier about having questions they wanted answers to. And Hope was happy to give them that. So they set up a time to meet at her house to chat.
Josie and Lizzie sat in one of the drawing rooms with two glasses of water while they waited for Hope. And her father.
“Can't believe you're going to be meeting the parents so soon,” Lizzie said with a low, teasing whistle.
“If you don't shut up I'm going to light your hair on fire,” Josie hisses.
Lizzie cooed. “Aw. That's cute, Josie.”
Around this time, Hope walked in with Thea trailing closely behind her. Josie was anxious as Hope drew near. She remembered how bright and orange Hope's eyes were that day. And the small comforting smile she gave her too.
It all felt surreal like it was all a dream.
Which was silly considering Josie was a witch.
Then, a man with dirty blonde hair walked into the room. Beside him, another man, brunette, and in a fitted dark gray suit.
Josie briefly recognized them as Klaus Mikaelson and Elijah Mikaelson.
Hope and Thea grinned as both their fathers stood beside them. Elijah placed a gentle hand on Thea's shoulder while Klaus wrapped an arm around Hope.
Klaus caught Josie's gaze and smiled. He dropped his arm off Hope and strode over to the Laughlin twins, though his eyes never left the brunette teen.
“You must be Josie,” he started. He had a clear accent that sounded so calming. “It's a pleasure to finally meet you. Hope has talked
quite a lot
about you.”
“Dad!” Hope hissed as her cheeks flared up with a blush. Klaus laughed.
“We were told you have questions for us.” It was Elijah who talked next. His voice carried that same accent as his brother, but there was a mature cadence to his words and phrases that only struck how different the two men were. And yet, it also showed how similar they were.
Lizzie nodded. “We have
a lot
of questions. And honestly, we know we could ask our Mom, but she was being a little dodgy with Josie's questions before. So that's why we figured we'd better come to the source first.”
Klaus smirked. “Well, aren't you smart.” He laughed again. “Whatever questions you have, we shall answer them in kind. Provided we get to ask questions of our own.”
Josie and Lizzie turned to look at each other. They exchanged silent conversations that only they knew. Then, they turned back to the Mikaelsons and nodded.
“Okay,” Josie said.
Josie and Lizzie listened intently as Klaus and Elijah confirmed their suspicions. The Mikaelsons
are
wolves. Though there are witches amongst them too. But regardless, they make up the Mikaelson Pack. Wolves and witches live amongst the humans of Mystic Falls.
Then Josie and Lizzie told them about them. About their family. About their Mom. About their uncle Kai Parker.
Josie was observant. Always the one who noticed something others may have missed.
Anytime they talked about their Mom or about Kai Parker, Klaus and Elijah would look at each other with blank expressions. As if they knew something—knew who their Mom was. Knew who Kai was.
“Have… Has our Mom talked to you before…?” Josie asked.
Elijah opened his mouth but it was Klaus who responded first.
“Yes, she has.”
“Niklaus.”
Josie ignored the way her heart hammered in her chest. She felt Lizzie’s hand fly to her hand and gripping it. She could even feel how Lizzie shook uneasily as the truth was unravelling before them.
“So our Mom knew about the Mikaelson Pack. Knew you’re werewolves—and witches.” Josie frowned.
“Yes, that is correct. She came here one night, asking to talk to me, to plead her case. You see, my family, my
pack
, have gone through every unimaginable hell you could ever possibly think of. Our own father and brother hunted us–”
Josie sucked in a sharp breath.
“–we were then hunted by my former lover to seek vengeance on us for destroying her pack when it was
her
pack who sought to destroy
mine
. We have gone through hell and back.
I
have gone through hell and back to ensure my
pack
, my
family
, were safe. I protect those who are important to me and I was not going to let anyone come into Mikaelson territory and destroy all that we’ve built. The peace and happiness that we worked too hard to create for our children.” Klaus held himself with such an intimidating aura that Josie and Lizzie were beyond stunned and afraid. But he continued. “Your Mother is a witch, who came onto
our
territory seeking an audience with me. She begged me to take her family in. Promised she would not get in our way or harm my family. She claimed she was being hunted. By her twin brother. And you know how much I empathize with those who are being hunted by their own family. It’s honestly abhorrent how family could turn on one another.”
Josie, somehow through all of this, found her voice again and spoke up. “And you let her. Come into Mystic Falls with us. If you hadn’t, we wouldn’t be sitting here having this conversation.”
Klaus turned to Josie with a keen eye. Hope was beside him, anxious and tugging on his arm, hissing at him to behave. Klaus’s lips twitched into a smile.
“Yes, I did allow your family to cross the wards into Mystic Falls. I saw the desperation in her eyes, but I also saw the fight too. She was willing to do whatever it took to protect you girls. And I applaud her determination.”
“Your mother did as she said she would. Stayed out of the pack’s way—although,” Elijah let out a little smile as he looked between Josie and Hope. The older girl flushed and looked down at her shoes while Josie just sat there patiently with more questions looming in her mind. Then Elijah turned to his brother. “Niklaus, how about we invite the Laughlin’s over for dinner? It’s the break and I think it wise to strengthen our bonds with allies. Especially when those allies may eventually acclimate into our pack.”
“Wait, what?” Lizzie snapped out of whatever trance she was in and frowned. “Why would we–”
“That is a lovely idea, brother,” Klaus hollered as his lips were pulled even wider into an open-mouth grin. He looked at Josie and Lizzie again. “Invite your mother, yes? For all three of you shall come over for dinner tomorrow!”
Josie and Lizzie were unsure of what happened. Everything moved so quickly and surely. Klaus and Elijah were babbling on about hosting a dinner tomorrow and were calling out for someone named Rebekah and Antoinette and—there were so many names the twins were so lost.
Thea eventually mosied out after the men, but not without hesitation. Hope ushered her away, claiming she was fine and the brunette left without another word.
Leaving just Hope and Josie and Lizzie alone in the drawing room.
“So. You’re a werewolf,” Lizzie stated as she tried to fill the silence with something.
“Yup.”
“All your cousins are werewolves too?” Lizzie continued.
Hope shook her head. “Nope. Finn’s the only one who’s a witch. His Mom—Aunt Freya—is a witch and the Mikaelson Pack’s witch. She and a family friend of ours—also a witch—conceived Finn. He’s around, sort of like an uncle to us, but he’s Nik and Finn’s biological father. He and my aunt aren’t like, together though. He was just helping Aunt Freya and Aunt Keelin with having kids and stuff. Sperm donor shit.”
Josie and Lizzie nodded.
“Oh. Neat…” Lizzie bit her lip.
Hope turned her attention to Josie. “What about you? You seem relatively calm learning about me and my family.”
Josie shrugged. “I mean, what is there for me to freak out about? Lizzie and I were told about werewolves and witches when we were twelve. We… We had to keep ourselves and our lives a secret in case it got back to our uncle. We didn’t grow up with wolves, not like our Mom…”
“So you’re okay? With me?” Hope’s voice was so small and so unlike anything Josie had ever heard before. It broke her heart sitting here and witnessing this other side of Hope she had never seen before. Someone anxious and hesitant and so ready for heartbreak.
It hurt.
It hurt a lot.
“Of course,” Josie said finally. “Why wouldn’t I not be okay with you?”
Josie watched Hope let out a huge sigh of relief and her lips curled into a smile. Josie thought a smiling Hope looked much better than Hope being upset and heartbroken.
Hope shook her head. “No reason. Just…” She paused, gnawing on her bottom lip. “I’m glad.”
Josie smiled.
“Alright, can we leave now?”
Josie frowned.
Lizzie eyed the two other girls in the room with mild annoyance as she practically draped herself onto Josie. The brunette tried shoving her sister off but it didn’t work, so she just gave up and let Lizzie lean against her.
“Yeah, you two can leave,” Hope replied simply. “I have to catch up on some homework anyway. Ugh.”
“Yeah, ugh.” Josie laughed.
Lizzie groaned. Loudly.
Josie elbowed her twin and Lizzie groaned. Painfully. Josie didn’t hide her petty smile at all, which made Hope chuckle under her breath and her eyes twinkle with amusement.
“Come on, I’ll walk you two out.”
Josie and Lizzie followed Hope out of the manor, passing by Hope’s cousins and a few adults who smiled and waved at the twins. Josie and Lizzie waved back out of politeness and respect. Their Mom always taught them to have manners.
At the doorway, Hope shifted her weight from one foot to the other. She peered up at the twins, but her eyes were solely locked on Josie.
“I’ll… See you both tomorrow at dinner then.”
Josie nodded. “Yeah. See you tomorrow. At dinner.”
Hope smiled and shut the door soon after.
Josie and Lizzie returned home. Their trip was silent, wrapping their minds around the Mikaelson family and how their Mom
knew
werewolves were in Mystic Falls but kept that from them. Lizzie bemoaned why she would do that when she had told them everything about who they were and their family.
“What should we tell Mom?” Lizzie asked.
“The truth.” Josie shrugged.
“She'll get mad at us.”
“It's okay if she does. We can get mad at her for lying about werewolves being here.”
Lizzie snorted and laid her head against Josie's shoulder. In turn, Josie wrapped her arm around Lizzie. The pair sat quietly on the couch as they counted down the seconds until their Mom came home.
True to their assumption, their Mom was mad.
She would say, “You deliberately went behind my back?”
And the twins would respond, “You lied to us first.”
“I was protecting you two.”
“Protect us from what? Your brother isn't here.”
Their Mom's hardened expression fell and it was quickly replaced with a weary look. Josie quickly clocked how exhausted their Mom was. The red eyes, the prominent bags under her eyes, her pale complexion, how lethargic she's been lately.
“You're not
just
working at the clinic, are you.” It came out as a statement instead of a question. Josie was watching their Mom carefully, always so carefully.
Their Mom smiled. Then she buried her face in her hands.
The twins waited patiently as whatever was happening to their Mom happened. They waited until she got it out of her system and could properly face them and be truthful about what was going on.
But their Mom never said anything.
Instead, Lizzie spoke up.
“Klaus invited all of us to dinner tomorrow.”
Their Mom perked her head up. Her brows were raised in confusion.
“After our talk, he said he wanted all of us to sit down and have dinner together. Bond or something. So he invited us to go over tomorrow night,” Lizzie continued.
Their Mom ran her hand through her thick brown hair and laughed, shaking her head.
With a sigh, their Mom finally spoke. “Alright.”
Sunday night with the Mikaelson family came much too fast for Josie's liking.
Their Mom fussed about, trying to make sure they all looked decently presentable because it wasn't every day they got invited to the Mikaelson's place for dinner—their Thanksgiving charity event hadn't counted since
everyone
had been invited to it.
Josie had one side of her hair pinned back while the other side draped down her shoulder in soft waves. She wore a cozy light gray cardigan over a maroon turtleneck sweater and a simple black shirt with dark yellow leggings.
Lizzie had her hair done in a French braid and wore a white blouse with a cute vest and blazer set. She had on a simple pair of black pants with the bottoms cuffed in an off-white colour.
Their Mom had her hair pulled back and wore something similar to Lizzie. Simple shirt with a simple blazer and corduroy pants and belt to pair.
All three of them stood before the Mikaelson manor door with a bottle of wine in their Mom's hand because they sure as hell couldn't come here empty-handed.
Someone Josie and Lizzie had never seen before greeted them as the door opened. He wore a kind smile and stepped aside. Josie quickly glanced down and saw the tattoos covering his arms and put together that this must be Nik and Finn’s biological father.
“Welcome, thanks for coming,” the man said. “I’m Vincent.”
Their Mom grinned back and handed the bottle of wine over to him as she and the twins stepped through the door.
“Jo. And these are my girls, Josie and Lizzie. Thank you for having us.”
They were quickly shown to the dining room and Josie was in awe at how fancy the setup was. She saw there were a few other people there helping with setting the table or were just sitting and not doing very much.
Josie then saw Hope being one of the ones sitting around. Hope perked up and looked back at the brunette with a grin. Something inside Josie fluttered and she shyly waved at the older girl. She was so distracted by Hope that she didn’t realize her father had come into the room to greet the three of them.
“Welcome to our home,” Klaus said gregariously. He smiled as he caught Josie pulling her gaze away from his daughter. “Glad you could make it.” A knowing smirk.
Their Mom smiled, but it didn’t reach her eyes and it felt tense. Josie and Lizzie were worried she was going to say something rude or get them kicked out or gain another set of enemies when they were still trying to hide away from their uncle.
“Klaus. Good to see you again. Thanks for having us.”
The man grinned, not at all bothered by how terse their Mom was. “I figured it would be better to have all of us gathered around and…
Talk
.”
“Of course.”
Klaus clapped his hands. “Excellent! Well, we still have a little bit left for dinner preparations, but I assure you, it’ll be delightful—oh!” He looked at Josie. “We also made some excellent vegetarian dishes for you since Hope said you’re vegetarian.”
“Dad!” Hope cried out in shame.
Klaus ignored her and laughed. He excused himself and walked back out of the dining room after telling the three to sit anywhere they liked.
Josie ended up sitting across from Hope, with Lizzie on her right and their Mom on her left.
She was slowly being introduced to a few people who were at the table with them.
Henrik and Mila—Hope’s cousins and Viktoria’s younger siblings. Henrik had the same eyes as Viktoria but had the same scowl as Hope. The resemblance was uncanny and Josie couldn’t help but chuckle. Mila was more curious, asking needlessly invasive questions about Josie and Lizzie before Hope had to growl to shut her up. Josie didn’t mind
too
much, though some of the personal questions she could do without.
Then she was introduced to Hope’s uncles and aunts.
Freya and Keelin—Nik and Finn’s mother. Marcel—Viktoria, Henrik, and Mila’s father. Kol and Davina. A few others were in the kitchen finishing up dinner but they soon slowly trickled in and Josie and Lizzie were introduced to them as well.
Rebekah—Viktoria, Henrik, and Mila’s mother. Elijah, whom they’ve met before, and Antoinette—Thea and Bernie’s parents. Vincent, who they met at the door earlier—Nik and Finn’s biological father. And finally, Hayley—Hope’s Mom.
Josie had to admit that everyone in Hope’s family was frightfully attractive. Maybe it was the Mikaelson genes? She did eventually learn that Freya, Elijah, Klaus, Kol, and Rebekah were siblings. And Josie could see the resemblance between their children.
Once dinner began, Josie and Lizzie were startled by how lively it was. Yes, their own dinners were lively, but it was also quiet and calm. Dinner here with the Mikaelson was lively and rambunctious and full of unfiltered chaos.
Mila loved chatting and was always scolded by her parents to eat her food instead of scaring their guests with talks about how she killed a fly and added it to her dead bugs collection.
Bernie shyly shared how she spent the day foraging for anything fun and delightful in the forest. She had made sure to have her guidebook on the different types of flora found in Virginia.
Antoinette and Klaus were discussing music and some of the classics that the two were more fond of. Elijah had piped in to share his opinions as well. He seemed always delighted anytime his wife shared her passion with everyone. And was even more delighted when his brother participated in these discussions.
Nik had come home late and was immediately bombarded by questions about his date. Nik growled at the nosy ones to shut up and it was
not
a date for fucks sake we were just hanging out.
“Nikolas. Watch your language,” Keelin warned.
Every bite of food Josie and Lizzie had made their hearts sing. It was delicious and filling. Even their Mom thought the same as she politely grabbed seconds.
“How's the food?” Freya asked as her attention was directed at Josie. The woman wore a kind smile and her eyes twinkled under the dining room light.
Josie nodded. “It's delicious. I really love the chickpea salad the most.”
Freya's grin widened. “I'm glad to hear. It was Hope who suggested it.”
“Aunt Freya!”
The Mikaelson kids all laughed, even Henrik and Bernie.
Lizzie reached out and grabbed Josie's hand from under the table. The brunette peered beside her and saw the practiced smile Lizzie wore when she didn't want to be rude.
Josie then looked over at Hope. “I'm glad you suggested it. It was really delicious.”
Hope flushed but she preened at her compliment.
Then all the Mikaelson kids at the table groaned and chided Hope to stop whatever it was she was thinking because we can
all smell it, you disgusting weirdo!
Hope growled at all of them, her eyes flickering orange when she did.
“Hope,” her mother chided. The auburn girl grumbled something incoherent and crossed her arms with a petulant pout.
Josie giggled quietly. Although, maybe it was loud enough for her to hear considering the weepy eyes Hope sent Josie. Right. Werewolves had super hearing. She was going to have to be more careful from now on should she want to have private conversations.
Dinner finally came to a close and their Mom was courted away by the adults to discuss the matter at hand, while the twins were left with the Mikaelson children. Josie and Lizzie were antsy. They wanted to join their Mom, to shield her away from the Mikaelson adults. To sit in on the conversation and have their burning questions answered. But they didn’t. They merely stayed where they were, wishing, hoping, praying that their Mom would be fine.
Mila was the first to come up to the twins. Her round dark eyes stared up at them with a strange curiosity that also felt uncomfortable.
“You're scaring them, freak,” Viktoria frowned as she shoved her sister aside.
Mila huffed at her and batted her hand away. “I'm telling Mommy you called me a freak.”
Viktoria rolled her eyes. “Yeah? Then I'll tell Mom how you tried to hide a dead raccoon under your bed last night. A dead raccoon that
you killed
when you
snuck out
into the woods. Again.”
Mila wanted to object, but she shut her mouth after a moment and shrugged. “Whatever. Snooty.” Then, she bounded away.
Henrik was next, walking up to Josie and eyeing her quizzically. His gaze was direct and intimidating, reminding the twins of how Viktoria looked at them when they were all still strangers.
“What do you even like about my cousin? She's so weird,” Henrik asked plainly.
Josie blinked at him. “Uh…”
“Henrik! Fuck off!” Hope stormed over and shoved him. Henrik squawked out at the older girl.
“So sorry about my idiot siblings,” Viktoria said as she sneered at Henrik. “They clearly don't understand how to read the room. Or keep their damn mouths shut.”
“What?” Henrik frowned. “I'm just asking what all of you assholes are too afraid of asking. Besides, she's Hope’s ma–”
Hope slapped her hand over his mouth.
“Shut. Up.” Her face was washed with a deep rosy red that trickled down to her neck. “I’m going to be the next Alpha so you better listen to me or I’ll make you run laps.” Hope’s eyes burned a bright, explosive orange.
“I don't get it,” Lizzie began as she interjected between the squabbling cousins. “What exactly is it about my sister that's made you…” She gestured to Hope. “Like
this
.”
Hope scowled. “Why did you just gesture to all of me?”
“It's because Hope's wolf recognizes Josie as her mate,” Thea responded simply.
The twins both stare at the brunette, agape.
“What the hell do you mean by
mate
?” Lizzie gasped incredulously.
Hope switched her target over to Thea this time. “Shut up, shut up, shut up!”
“It's when their wolf smells something from their mate and it's this epic feeling where they want to roll in their scent forever and have their mate wear
their
scent and–” Nik was tackled by a growling Hope.
“You're one to talk!” Hope hissed. “You don't even bother acknowledging Raf's
your mate
.”
Josie felt Lizzie still. Felt Lizzie suck in a sharp breath. Felt Lizzie's anguish through their bonds.
And it seemed like the wolves did too.
All but Finn turned to Lizzie who did her best to force her smile and hide the bellowing sorrow that seeped out of her body.
“Oh!” She chirped. “Nik and Rafael are a thing?”
Josie winced at how strained her sister's voice was. She laced her hands into Lizzie's and gave her a comforting squeeze.
Nik avoided Lizzie's gaze. Same with Thea, Bernie, and Viktoria. Henrik's face twisted sourly, and Finn pursed his lips uncomfortably. Hope. Though, Hope just stared at Lizzie.
“Wait,” Hope began, cocking her brow and harsh frown. “You didn't think you
really
had a chance with Raf, did you?”
Josie chased her sister as she found herself in the backyard of the Mikaelson manor.
Lizzie was sobbing, her heart shattered as Josie pulled her twin into a tight embrace. She felt her sister's wet face and snot rub against the side of her neck, but she didn't care.
Josie hated Hope. She hated Hope for how callous she was with her sister.
But could she
truly
hate Hope for breaking the fantastical illusion that Lizzie came up in her mind? Sure, Lizzie was going to find out one way or another. So maybe Hope did her a favour by telling her? But did she have to say it so cruelly?
Josie held Lizzie that night in the chilly Virginia winter while she ignored the pittying eyes from inside the manor.
The next day, Josie blinked in confusion as Hope stood at her front door with her father and mother, Klaus and Hayley, behind her.
“Hello,” Hayley smiled. “Is your Mom around?”
Josie shook her head, still wide-eyed at the sight in front of her. “She's at the clinic.”
Hayley frowned. “Oh.” A pause. Then, “Is your sister around?”
Josie nodded. “She's still asleep…” It was still early in the morning and Lizzie always woke up around noon when they didn't have school. “Um… Come in. It must be cold out.”
Hayley smiled and patted Hope, who was pouting angrily. “Sorry for showing up unannounced.”
Josie stepped aside as the family of three waltzed inside. Josie suddenly realized just how much of a mess her home was and how embarrassing it was.
“S-sorry for the mess,” she squeaked and tried to gather up the magazines that were lying haphazardly on the coffee table. Or the shoes that were tossed into a pile by the door. Or the blankets on the floor of their living room.
“You're fine, love,” Klaus laughed. “We should be the ones who are sorry. Like my wife said. We
did
come here unannounced.”
Josie flushed and gestured to the couch. “Please, make yourselves at home…? Um, did you want anything to drink?”
“Oh, no,” Klaus shook his head. “We won't be staying too long. Hope here has something she needs to say to your sister.”
Josie blinked, but understood just what Hope was supposed to say to Lizzie.
“I'll go get Lizzie.”
Josie scampered up the stairs and barged into the shared bedroom with Lizzie. The blonde jumped, poking her head out from under the covers.
“Josie? What the fuck?” Lizzie hissed, though there was a lack of heat due to having just woken up.
“Hope and her parents are downstairs,” Josie said quickly. “Hope has something she wants to say to you?”
Lizzie stared at her sister. Josie stared back. It took seconds before Lizzie finally processed what her sister was saying when she tossed the covers off her and fumbled out of bed.
“What!?” She was more awake now and frantically shucking her pyjamas and finding clean clothes to replace them with. “Why didn't you mention that
earlier
?”
Josie huffed and threw a stress ball at her that she picked up from on top of the dresser. “I
did
you bitch.”
Lizzie was already dressed but grabbed Josie's cardigan from her side of the room and slipped it on. “Borrowing this, thanks!”
The blonde rushed out of their room, Josie followed quickly behind her.
When the twins reached their living room where the Mikaelsons were, Josie stiffened up when her eyes met Hope. She could hear a swell of music sing around her and a feeling so indescribable.
Klaus and Hayley got up, smiling pleasantly at both twins.
“Sorry to have woken you up so early,” Hayley began.
Lizzie gulped, shaking her head. “No. It's fine.” She quickly gave Hope a weary look before she glanced back at her parents. “So… Josie said Hope wanted to tell me something…?”
Josie watched as Hope grumbled something so quietly but being reprimanded by her Mom within seconds.
“You'll have to excuse my daughter for her unsavoury social etiquette,” Klaus sighed, though there was a smirk tugging on his lips. “I truly have no idea
where
she inherited that from.”
Hayley snorted. “Sure, Klaus.”
The man simply grinned at his wife, but there was such tenderness behind his eyes and Josie couldn't help but feel so in awe towards Klaus and Hayley.
“Anyway. Hope, I believe you have something to say to Lizzie?” Hayley gently nudged Hope forward. The auburn girl stumbled just two steps toward the twins and had this perpetual angry frown on her face. She turned back at her parents.
“Do I have–” Hope's words were cut off immediately after Klaus and Hayley both flashed their eyes at her. Alpha red. Beta orange.
Hope gulped and sighed. Finally, she faced Lizzie and stood tall. Despite Hope acting like she would be doing anything but this, Josie could tell there was some guilt that lingered behind her eyes.
“I'm… I'm sorry for what I said to you after dinner last night. About Raf. It was wrong of me make a shitty comment like that to you.”
Josie smiled.
Lizzie was stunned.
“Uh. Oh… Thanks. Um…” Lizzie quickly looked to Josie for help.
Josie stepped forward, putting a hand on her sister's shoulder.
“What Lizzie's trying to say is she appreciates you coming down to apologize. It
was
rude for you to say that. So thank you for taking responsibility.”
Lizzie nodded. “Yeah. What Josie said…” A pause. Then, “thank you. It… Means a lot. And I'm sorry if I made a huge scene about it last night. I just… Sometimes I have all these feelings inside me and it can get overwhelming for me and the people around me.”
Hope shook her head. “You have nothing to apologize for. It was me who made that snide comment. I should have been more respectful. I'm sorry.”
Hope's parents looked pleased at the outcome. The two shared a silent conversation with each other and Josie had to wonder if wolves also had telepathy.
“How would you two like to join us for brunch?” Hayley asked.
“Mom–?”
“What a wonderful idea,” Klaus said, clapping his hands on Hope's shoulder. “Your mother is busy at the clinic all day, yes?”
Stunned, Josie and Lizzie nodded.
“Excellent. Come. Join us for brunch, yes?”
There didn't seem to be any possible reason for them to not take Klaus and Hayley's offer. So Josie and Lizzie agreed.
“Okay.”
They all went to a nice restaurant in downtown Mystic Falls. It was fresh. It was bright. It was different. Josie and Lizzie adjusted themselves in their seat as they peered around the place. It felt too fancy for them, yet at the same time it didn’t seem all that fancy either. But both twins did their best not to feel out of place with their shabbier clothes and ruffled hair as they sat there with Klaus and Hayley and Hope.
“I love coming here with my siblings after a long day at work,” Klaus began as he gently sipped on the tea that he had ordered previously. “Also helps that it’s close to the art gallery.”
That’s right. Klaus’s gallery was close by. Josie had yet to go inside the gallery and take a peek around. Maybe she could convince Lizzie to come with her before the year was over.
“How are you girls liking Mystic Falls? How has school been?” Hayley asked.
Lizzie responded first. “It’s been okay. We didn’t think we could get used to living in a small town, but we managed. Right, Jo?”
Josie nodded. “Yeah.”
“It’s good that you’ve adjusted. It took us a while too, right Klaus?” Hayley laughed.
“You’re not originally from Mystic Falls?” Josie asked as her brows shot up behind her bangs.
The man laughed warmly, shaking his head. He set his teacup down and leaned back into his chair. “Oh, no. You see, my siblings and I are from abroad—a small town in England, but we live around. The longest we’ve ever stayed was New Orleans, which is where Hope was born and grew up.”
“Dad… Stop…” Hope whined with a huge blush streaked across her cheeks.
“Actually, most of the kids were born and grew up in New Orleans—except for Mila. She was born here,” Hayley added.
The waiter came by with their meals and set them down in front of each of them.
“Dig in, dig in. You must be famished,” Klaus gestured to the twins’ meals. Hayley and Hope had already started eating.
Josie and Lizzie looked at each other, shrugged, and ate as well.
The brunette felt Hope’s gaze on her every ten minutes or so with a reserved smile when their eyes met. Josie tucked a lock of hair behind her ear and smiled back. She also pointedly ignored the knowing grins shared between Hope’s parents all throughout their meal.
Klaus and Hayley drove the twins back to their home, though Hope ended up staying behind as well. Her parents didn’t seem bothered, but they did say something to Hope that made her huff and puff and roll her eyes.
“Be back before dinner, Hope. It would be rude to overstay your welcome,” Klaus stated.
“Yeah, yeah, I know, Dad.” She wrapped her arms around her parents and gave them a big hug. Klaus and Hayley laughed warmly and kissed the top of their daughter’s head.
“Thanks again for humouring us today,” Hayley said to the twins.
“It’s no problem!” Lizzie chirped.
“Get home safe,” Josie added as the adults left.
Lizzie shut the door and spun around to Josie and Hope, who were awkwardly standing by the foyer. The blonde’s lips curled into a sinister grin and she marched up to the auburn.
“Got any good gossip on Nik and Rafael?” She asked plainly.
“Lizzie! You can’t just
ask
that,” Josie retorted with her hands on her hips.
Hope smiled, matching the mischievous grin on the blonde Laughlin twin. “Oh, I have
tons
.”
“Excellent!” Lizzie hooked her arm around Hope and dragged her toward the kitchen. “Let’s make some hot chocolate and you can share
everything
. I’m going to need something uplifting and fun to get over my crush on Rafael.”
“And hearing gossip about him and my cousin is going to help?” Hope laughed.
“I’m always down to hear some tea.”
Josie watched as Hope and her sister disappeared into the kitchen, laughing as Hope began to regale her with the embarrassing tales of Nik and Rafael’s supposed story. Josie felt the fluttering of her tattoos sway on her skin. The brunette gently reached up, her fingers touching the sunflower and she could almost feel the silky petals and the bumps of the sunflower seeds. The sounds of cheer from the kitchen were enough for Josie to break her attention away from her tattoo and join the two girls.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Josie stayed awake most nights, replaying the frantic conversation and revelation that she was Hope’s mate. She doesn’t understand what that entails or what it means to be someone’s mate. She didn’t mind it, per se, but she wasn’t sure if she should let it be.
The idea that her fate was already destined was scary to Josie. What if Hope was wrong? What if Josie wasn’t her mate? What if they became Mates but then everything falls apart?
She frowned as she glared up at the ceiling.
Josie thought about it some more. Thought about Hope. Thought about how they were intertwined in some supernatural way. Witch and wolf. Wolf and witch. She was still getting used to everything and everyone in Mystic Falls. She was still getting used to Hope Mikaelson.
Sure, Hope was beautiful and fierce and bright and incredible. Of course, Josie wanted to spend as much time as possible with Hope. Certainly, Josie would be happy standing beside Hope.
Then she thought about what Nik said about Mates. About how the wolf wants to rub themselves in the scent of their Mates and have their Mates walk around in their wolf’s scent too. Did Hope want to do that? Was Josie going to have to wear Hope’s scent like some sort of perfume? The quick image of having to rub their bodies together just to wear each other’s scent burst through Josie’s mind and she had to chase the thought away.
Stop it
, Josie thought as she scolded herself. She couldn’t allow her mind to wander like that, not when she had the whole Mates thing hanging above her head. She still couldn’t wrap her head around the concept of Mates as it sounded too abstract. Maybe she should talk about this whole thing with her Mom. Maybe her Mom will give her some advice. After all, Jo Laughlin was the one who grew up running with wolves.
The next day Josie confronted her Mom about mates.
Jo said, “Sometimes the wolf knows.”
Jo said, “It’s all about the scent.”
Jo said, “The scent of their Mates usually reminds them of home. Or safety. Or a future they know they want.”
Josie left the conversation still puzzled. Still confused. But oh so curious. She made a mental note to research what it means to be someone’s Mate.
“So, are you and Hope a thing now?” Lizzie asked one day as both twins were downstairs catching up on a few episodes of their favourite show.
Josie frowned at her twin. “What? No.” But Lizzie had the right idea asking the question.
Were
her and Hope a thing now? Because of the Mates thing?
“I was just
asking
,” Lizzie whined. “You’re her Mate or whatever, right? That means you two are like,
super
together. Oh my god, you’re like Bella and she’s Edward.”
“I wouldn’t go
that
far to compare us to them.”
“Then would you rather it be Jacob and Reneesme?”
Josie bit her lip and scrunched her brows together. “That’s creepy.”
“Bella and Edward it is then.”
Josie threw a pillow at her sister right after.
The Laughlin family were invited to join the Mikaelson family for Christmas Eve.
Josie and Lizzie still hadn’t found the time to talk to their Mom about everything that transpired. About the werewolves. About how Jo knew. About how she begged for sanctuary for her and her twin girls. Their Mom had been busying herself at the clinic, probably afraid to face them about her white lies.
Lizzie was understandably upset and kept trying to push the topic with their Mom. Josie was too, but she was tired and felt numb.
But hopefully, now that they were invited to the Mikaelson’s home again for Christmas Eve, they could corner their Mom and have her explain everything to them once and for all.
They were all dressed in their best outfits, having gone to the mall for this occasion.
Lizzie wore a deep blue turtleneck sweater and black blazer with white lapels and silver pants that danced with an array of colours, not unlike a prism showing off the rainbow. Her hair was done nicely in braids and bundled up with a single hairpin pressed inside.
Their Mom had on a black dress with a simple gold necklace. Her hair was left down but was curled into beautiful waves. She had a white jacket on as well and simple black flats.
Josie had a long woollen skirt with stars dotting the fabric and an oversized yellow sweater with a white blouse underneath. Her hair, like her Mom, was left down but was straightened out and pulled into two high pigtails.
All three of them stood before the Mikaelson manor, just like before. Their Mom had a bottle of wine that she had to quickly buy from the liquor store but was muttering how maybe it was a bad idea to buy wine and maybe she should have bought whiskey instead.
The door swung open and Josie felt a wave of warmth wash over them. Her sunflower tattoo rattled against her skin in tiny pricks but she ignored it, because on the other side of the door was Hope Mikaelson. Her hair pulled up into a ponytail, showing off the many piercings she had on her ears. She was wearing a jumper with a knitted maroon crop sweater on top. Her cheeks were flushed pink as her blue eyes landed on Josie.
“Welcome,” Hope breathed out.
“Jo, it’s good to see you again!” Hayley peered out from behind the door, opening it wider for the Laughlin women to step inside.
Their Mom grinned, going in for a hug as Hayley wrapped an arm around the woman. “Thanks for inviting us. I brought something. Maybe we could all share it after dinner.”
Hayley beamed. “This is perfect—Rebekah had been complaining about the lack of wine in the house. She’s going to be so pleased. Come in! We’re just about finished dinner preparations.”
They were led to a large living room where the adults mingled. Hayley carefully took the wine Jo brought and headed to the kitchen. Their Mom was immediately pulled into a conversation with Vincent, Davina, and Marcel.
Josie and Lizzie stared at Hope, who merely gestured for them to follow her.
The rest of the Mikaelson kids were in the next room over. Henrik, MG, Finn, and Landon were playing a board game to pass the time while Cleo, Kaleb, Thea and Viktoria were on the couch talking to Rafael. Nik and Bernie were off to the side and apparently, nobody knew where Mila went.
“Oh, hey!” Landon peered up, noticing the Laughlin twins first. “You two made it!”
Josie blinked. “Yeah, we did.”
“You invited the rest of our friends?” Lizzie asked in awe.
Hope shrugged. “It’s Christmas Eve. Holiday spirit and whatever.”
Lizzie hummed. “Guess that's fair. The more the merrier!” She skipped over to where Cleo, Kaleb, Thea, Viktoria, and Rafael were and plopped down beside them. It took her no time to catch up on what the group was talking about.
Josie smiled wryly as she watched. Lizzie seemed to be doing well around Rafael, which tracked. Anytime Lizzie falls out of a crush on someone, she gets over them real fast and acts like it never even happened.
“It's a bit stuffy here,” Hope said.
“Maybe. But it's also pretty cozy.” Josie peered beside her. “Is it always like this with a big family?”
Hope made a strange noise but eventually shrugged. “It is, I guess. Gets overwhelming and annoying because there are so many of us. Worse when we can
hear
and
smell
everything too.” She soured her face as she gestured to Nik.
Josie followed her sight and saw Nik was staring at Lizzie with such intensity that she wasn't sure what to make of it.
“Nik is jealous and his
emotions
is fucking with all our heads right now.”
Josie stared at Hope, bewildered. “What do you mean?”
“In a pack, there are these things called a pack bond. They're these…” Hope pursed her lips. “It's like these strings that connect you with everyone in the pack. It creates these relationships you have with them. Build them up. And with these pack bonds, you can
feel
and
hear
the others. It's like an orchestra in your head.”
“Like telepathy?”
The wolf shook her head. “Not quite? It's… It's a little complicated. I'm not sure how to describe it. Right now, I can tell Nik is upset because in my head, he's pushing out so much
blue
.”
“Blue?”
“We sometimes see emotions with colours. Nik is blue right now. Bernie, Thea and Viktoria are green—meaning they're both pretty content at the moment. Finn and Henrik are yellow, happy and excited. Mila… Mila is also green, but she's also a mix of yellow and honestly? That's a
little
concerning considering I have no idea where Mila is.”
Josie was amazed by how eloquent yet simple werewolves could be and how they bonded with one another. “That's a cool system. Does it ever get too much?”
Hope snorted. “Oh,
definitely
. Sometimes the colours get so overwhelming it's almost suffocating. Or like, if something happens to one of us and we're not there, we send out questions through the pack bonds hoping they'll respond and assure us things are okay. That they're okay. The pack bonds also work a little differently with the humans around. Like. Sure they're witches too, but they're still human.”
“How differently do the pack bonds influence the… Humans? Witches?” Josie was completely enraptured by the explanation Hope was freely giving. There was only so much she could ask her Mom about wolves. Having an
actual
werewolf to answer her questions was a different feeling entirely. And Josie was excited.
“I mean… I guess not too different. But like, sometimes they're there in the back. Like a hum or a soft lullaby. We can still feel them intently. But…” Hope stopped, frowning. “It's hard to put into words. I'm not the
best
at explaining things. Sorry.”
Josie shook her head and bravely put a hand on Hope's shoulder. She briefly saw how the other girl stood up straighter and sucked in a sharp breath.
“You’re doing fine. I'm learning a lot and I'm grateful that you're sharing this with me. Thank you.”
Hope flushed. A smile pulled at her lips. Josie noticed the sparkle behind Hope's eyes and–
“We can
smell that
, Hope! Gross!” Came Finn's grating voice.
Hope growled, flashing her eyes at her cousin. “Shut. Up!”
Josie laughed but suddenly stopped when she realized something.
Rafael, Landon, Kaleb, Cleo, and MG.
She quickly glanced at them, seeing if they noticed Hope's orange eyes. Cleo knew she and Lizzie were witches, but she wasn't sure if Cleo knew the Mikaelsons werewolves too. And did Kaleb
know
about Cleo in the first place?
As if having read her thoughts, Hope answered. “Don't worry. Cleo knows we're wolves. Same with Raf and Landon. Actually, Raf's a wolf too. They're both sort of in our pack. Pack adjacent. Mostly so Raf doesn't turn into an Omega.”
“Oh…” Josie blinked. Then, “My Mom told us about Omegas.”
Hope nodded. “They're wolves without a pack. Lost their home or got kicked out. Maybe even lost their tether. It's sometimes hard for an Omega to reestablish bonds with other packs, but it's possible. But some wolves go around making temporary pack bonds to stave off becoming an Omega. It's not a permanent fixture by all means, but it's an option.”
“Sounds lonely…” Josie frowned.
Hope let out a small sigh and ran her fingers through her ponytail. “Yeah. It is.”
Well, that answered her questions about Rafael, Landon, and Cleo. But what about Kaleb and MG?
“Kaleb and MG don't know, do they?”
Hope tilted her head to the side, her piercing blue eyes staring at the other two boys. “I'm… I'm not sure. I'd assume Cleo told Kaleb about herself. Would assume she told him about us, too. But maybe she didn't feel like it was her secret to tell.”
“So MG is the only one who doesn't know. About witches and werewolves.”
“Seems like it.”
Josie felt something churn inside her chest. It didn't feel right that MG was the only one out of their friend group to be kept in the dark about who they were.
Dinner was called moments after and everyone congregated over to the dining room. The table was set up beautifully with a yule log as the centrepiece. Branches of fresh pine were also laid out across the table with tealight candles layered on top.
Everyone took their seats, with Josie between her Mom and Lizzie, and across from Hope.
Josie kept glancing over at MG, wondering if she and Lizzie should tell him about them. At least this way she wouldn't feel guilty about keeping secrets from him. Lizzie had eyed Josie curiously throughout dinner, trying to get her twin to tell her what was on her mind.
Josie said, “I'll tell you later.”
“I already told them.”
Josie gaped at her sister. Her brain processed the words Lizzie said in response to her statement about telling MG, but it took longer than she expected to truly comprehend Lizzie's words.
“Huh?”
Lizzie narrowed her eyes on Josie. “I already told MG about us. Showed them some magic too.” She paused. “Oh. And I told them about werewolves. Didn't tell them the Mikaelsons are wolves though since this was
before
we knew.”
“When?” Josie frowned. “And why didn't you let me know?”
Lizzie shrugged. “It was during those times when you'd sneak off to have your secret tryst moment. MG and I were hanging out at the comic book store one day and we were talking about supernatural creatures and it just slipped.”
“You should have told me,” Josie gritted. A fluctuation of emotions swirled inside her mind. And hilariously enough, she could
feel
the colours Hope was talking about before. She felt and saw red and blue.
Red and blue red and blue
.
Lizzie hadn't caught on and continued to act carelessly.
“What's the big deal? It's not like we have to do any fighting or anything. At the end of the day, we're just high schoolers concerned about finals, who
happen
to have magic.”
“It
is
a big deal because it's
our
secret. Mom told us to keep this secret safe. MG is my friend too, and you should have let me know you were going to tell him.”
Lizzie rolled her eyes. “Oh my god, Jo, it's
not
a big de–”
“It
is
!” Josie shrilled. She felt the sunflower grow wild along her arm. Felt the stalk pop out more sunflower heads and wrap around her wrist like a cuff. “Why can't you be less selfish for once!?”
Lizzie gawked at Josie. Her eyes brimmed with tears. Josie would usually calm her sister down, but she didn't feel like it this time. She'd rather Lizzie reap the consequences.
Josie turned away from Lizzie and stalked back into the den where the rest of her friends were. She could see some of them turn their heads away, not wanting to make eye contact with Josie out of embarrassment.
But the one gaze that always latched onto her was Hope. Always Hope.
Josie huffed, storming up to the auburn and sitting beside her without another word. Hope silently put her hand on the small of Josie's back. The witch felt her sunflower calm and recede, but she could still taste the spark of magic burn her tongue.
Lizzie refused to talk to Josie when they got home. That was okay with her because Josie didn't want to talk to Lizzie either. Still too charged by the secrets and disregard Lizzie showed.
Their Mom tried mediating between them but it only made things worse.
Josie hogged the shower and took all the hot water, enjoying the way it burned her skin. It felt homey. It felt right. It
felt
.
When she was done, Lizzie barged past her, knocking into her shoulder. Josie hissed from the contact and glared after her sister. Josie trekked back into their room and bundled up under the blankets.
Christmas was supposed to be spending time with family.
Instead, Josie and Lizzie spent it staying angry at each other.
Their Mom was fed up with the feud and chided them for being childish on a holiday meant to bring everyone together.
Lizzie said, “Josie called me
selfish
.”
Josie said, “Lizzie disregarded our safety.”
Jo Laughlin watched her daughters with frustration. Her tattoos glowed on her arm, and Josie and Lizzie immediately felt the shift in the air—the heavy, thick smell of ozone.
The twins turned to their Mom, who was beyond livid.
Jo said, “You two
will
talk things out.”
Jo said, “Today is all about celebration and family.”
The twins gulped, eyes bulging wide at their Mom.
Josie turned to Lizzie. “I'm sorry I called you selfish.”
Lizzie turned to Josie. “It's okay. You were right. I am selfish.” Then, “I'm sorry I told MG about us behind your back.”
Josie said, “Please don't ever minimize something so serious like this again. It worries me.”
Lizzie said, “I'm sorry. I won't do it again. I'm sorry.”
Their apology was enough for their Mom to be placated.
“Good. Remember girls. You two are going to be all you have of one another. Your bonds as sisters, as twins, are important. Don't ever forget that.” She took her daughters's hands and looked at them seriously.
Josie and Lizzie could tell why their Mom was putting so much emphasis on their relationship. Because she lost her connection to her twin brother. The same twin brother who was hunting her down.
Josie and Lizzie turned to each other and for once, they truly feared what would happen should they end up like Jo and Kai.
The Laughlins were invited back to the Mikaelsons once more post-Christmas and Boxing Day. They had been coming over every weekend for brunch, or lunch, or dinner, or all of the above. Both twins didn’t mind that much, because it just meant they got to know the Mikaelson family even more and ask them all sorts of questions about being wolves and being pack.
In addition to that, Josie and Lizzie were acclimating well to the rest of the Mikaelsons, not just their children.
Lizzie and Nik surprisingly got along better than ever. It probably happened after Lizzie told Nik she knew about him and Rafael and no longer harboured a crush on him. Nik, to his benefit, took her words to heart and was no longer side-eyeing Lizzie or wanting to tear her apart for being so close to Rafael. However, Lizzie still could not get Nik to confess to the whole Mates thing.
Josie eagerly asked questions about magic with Freya, Vincent, and Davina. Wanted to know what it was like when they used magic. What they felt. What they heard. The three adults were happy to oblige and even taught Josie a few tricks.
Bernie was warming up to the twins, though she was doing better around Josie than she was with Lizzie. She didn't blame the poor girl. Lizzie was in every way the same as Thea. It was unsettling how similar the two girls were. Which made it even more hilarious when Lizzie and Thea refused vehemently whenever it was brought up.
Lizzie got along super well with Rebekah as the two blondes conversed intently about fashion and decor. Josie saw how cheery-eyed her sister looked when Rebekah explained how she was the one who was responsible for the interior design of the manor, or how she showed Lizzie pictures of when she went to New York Fashion Week two years back.
Viktoria, Finn and Henrik treated the twins no differently than they did their siblings and cousins.
Mila was still a little strange. A little uncanny. A little frightening. She did her own thing and would occasionally pop up around the twins seeking answers to very invasive questions before disappearing elsewhere. Josie silently wondered if Mila was a ghost that the Mikaelsons adopted.
Josie got to chat with Elijah and listened to all the stories he had as he regaled his travels around the world. She asked him which city he favoured the best on his travels and his answer always seemed to land with the one place where he met his Mate. It was awfully romantic and Josie couldn’t help but squeal in delight.
Lizzie ended up talking to Marcel about ways to help his non-profit organization in helping underprivileged families. Giving him ideas for future events to help bring everyone together. Lizzie was always a passionate person and her passion seemed to have won Marcel over when he suggested she come join him and the committee in the new year.
And then there was Hope. The girl who started it all.
She kept to herself, or she would join in with her cousins. But her eyes always wandered to Josie. Always to Josie. It was like Hope was tracking the brunette by her scent. A scent of sunshine and morning dew and cinnamon.
Josie quietly wondered what Hope's scent was. She would come up with different scent pairings in her mind as the seconds ticked down. It helped pass the time when Josie was stuck with something she didn't feel she could be bothered with.
She even saw a change in her Mom.
Their Mom was happier. Freer. More herself before the truth about Kai and witches and werewolves. She was their Mom from their memories. The woman who always laughed and smiled and sang and danced and told stories to cheer the twins up. She was happy. She was
so happy
. So much sunburst yellow flooded into Josie's mind. It was almost tangible and she realized this was what Hope meant. The colours. The feelings. The rush of emotions through the bonds.
Was this Josie's bond with her Mom? Did Lizzie also feel this tug? This pull? This rush of emotions?
Josie turned to Lizzie, who was busy in a heated debate about who would win in a fight, Sailor Moon or Goku when she saw Lizzie pause. Then, Lizzie turned to look at her with wide eyes.
Josie felt the peregrine falcon on Lizzie's shoulder flap its wings and scrape its talon against the skin. She felt Lizzie's relief and hope and acceptance and
green green green green green
. Green like the meadows dancing under the summer sun.
And Josie was certain Lizzie could feel the sunflower on Josie's shoulder, growing and blooming and standing tall along her arm with strength that could rival a great oak tree. How Lizzie could also feel her relief and hope and acceptance and
green green green green green
. Green like the wildflowers bursting from the earth and painting the summer grass with multitudes of colours.
Unbeknownst to Josie, she was also feeling the beginnings of a bond spread towards the wolves who howled a song to their pack. To their legacy. To their legacysong.
On New Year's Eve, every one of the Laughlin and Mikaelson friends was invited over for a celebration of new beginnings.
It had sort of become a tradition for the Laughlins and Mikaelsons—aside from their weekend get-togethers. The Mikaelsons would always invite the Laughlins over, celebrate, and bond over their flourishing relationship.
Josie and Lizzie and their Mom never discussed the growing bond they felt between each other. Nor did they realize the bond starting to grow with everyone else. Or maybe their Mom did realize but chose not to say anything. After all, Jo was filled with so much yellow and green and green and yellow. Happiness and relief. Gratitude and faith. The twins realized it was better this way. To leave the things known unsaid.
Josie watched from the other side of the room as Nik and Rafael were lost in their world. They seemed to have gotten closer, and she wondered what had changed.
Then she watched Lizzie and Finn and MG converse deeply with whatever it was they were saying. Josie couldn't keep up. But she was glad Lizzie was enjoying herself.
Kaleb and Cleo and Thea and Viktoria were talking about the latest musical movie that was just released. However, Kaleb and Thea seemed to be talking about it a lot more about it while the other two sat and listened and smiled appreciatively.
Henrik was with Bernie, playing on his Switch while Bernie was nose-deep in a book about the local fungi and how to identify the ones that were safe to forage and ones to stay away.
Mila, surprisingly, was around. She had been sticking close to Josie, curiously peering up at the brunette with her wide brown eyes. She hadn't asked her any questions like usual. Which was nice. But Josie also worried about how quiet and well-behaved the youngest Mikaelson pup was being.
Hope and Landon were chatting on their own, but Hope would cast cursory glances her way and then glare at Mila.
“Did you need something, Mila?” Josie asked as she tried to be pleasant and respectful. But the young girl shook her head, sipping her hot chocolate and promptly ignored Josie while standing beside her. Josie gave up trying to figure out the youngest Mikaelson. Maybe in time, Mila will open up.
She spotted MG excuse themself from the conversation they were having with Lizzie and Finn and walked over to her. Josie smiled, pushing herself off the wall she had been leaning against and pulled him into a hug.
“Hey,” she laughed. “It feels like we haven’t seen each other in forever.”
“It has, hasn’t it?” MG agreed with a smile of his own. Then, “So… Lizzie told me about what happened… I figured we could talk?”
Josie nodded. “Yeah. I think that would be good.”
The pair quietly left the room and wandered into one of the empty drawing rooms. Josie shut the door, but not all the way and turned to face MG.
“Lizzie already told you, huh?” Josie started.
MG nodded. “She did. Told me about how you’re both witches. Magic glowing tattoos and all. It’s pretty cool. It’s like you’re both superheroes.”
Josie laughed. “Maybe. But we haven’t been doing any superhero stuff lately to warrant being
called
superheroes.”
“Maybe. But it’s still pretty cool.”
“You’re not… Weirded out about it? About us? Or about werewolves?” Josie’s voice was barely above a whisper as she looked at him.
“No, definitely not weirded out.” He paused. “To be honest, I always felt like something was special about Mystic Falls. I always felt like there were things that happened right under our noses that we never noticed. Like how the Mikaelson family are wolves. And witches.”
“You know about them too?”
MG grinned. “Yeah. Finn came up to me and Kaleb and told us about them. I think Cleo already knew about them being wolves since she’s closer to Hope, and I guess they could tell from the beginning anyway. She told Kaleb about herself too, but he doesn’t know about you or Lizzie.”
Josie nodded. The information he told her was being processed inside her mind, but for some odd reason, she just felt numb. She took in a steady breath and flickered her gaze upwards. She was thankful that MG allowed her a moment to collect her thoughts before she could continue the conversation.
“Thanks, MG,” she said finally.
“Hey, we’re friends now. And I will always be on your side,” he replied lightly.
Josie’s face warmed and her heart sang a song of hope and relief. And green. So much green.
The two friends embraced each other into a tight hug, giggling silently as they pulled away as if they shared a secret between the two. They eventually headed back to the rest of their friends with a pep to their step and a smile as big as a crescent moon. Nobody seemed to have batted an eye when Josie and MG returned, but Josie did catch a small knowing grin on Hope’s lips.
Josie eventually told Lizzie about how Kaleb was the one who didn’t know about them. He knew about everyone else, but he didn’t know about
them
.
“What do you want to do?” Lizzie asked.
“I think we should tell him. He already knows about Cleo and the Mikaelsons. It would only be fair if he knew about us.”
Lizzie nodded, her hand slipped into Josie’s hand and squeezed. “Alright.”
They pulled Kaleb aside and told him about them.
Kaleb, surprisingly, wasn’t all that shocked. He shrugged and grinned that cheeky grin. “I figured that was the case. Cleo told me about herself about six months after we started dating, which was surprising, but she’s Cleo. She’s already magical all on her own without her witch powers. But then when Finn pulled me and MG aside recently, that’s when I realized something was probably up with you two. Because why would Finn pull
us
two but not include you two?”
“You’re frightfully perceptive,” Lizzie gaped.
Kaleb laughed. “Oh, I know.”
The three of them ended the conversation without any other words. They only smiled and felt the warmth of their friendship rise and strengthen as they returned to the others.
“10…”
“9…”
“8…”
Everyone gathered around the living room as the television was tuned to the New Year’s Eve countdown celebration.
“7…”
“6…”
Josie stood with her sister as their hands were interlocked. She felt the fluttering of Lizzie’s peregrine falcon’s wings and the sharp talons, mirroring Lizzie’s excitement about ending the year and jumping into the new year.
She even saw their Mom laughing and cheering with the Mikaelson adults as they all held their wine glasses up with whimsy.
“5…”
Josie felt a rush of emotions, all swirls of green green green like an evergreen forest. She felt the bonds between her sister and her Mom. Then she felt something more after that. Bonds connecting her to other people. To the people
in this room
. She didn’t understand it, but maybe she’d always known that something was bound to happen.
But the one bond she felt strongly was toward an auburn girl who was to become the next Alpha. A girl who kept to herself. A girl who was fierce. A girl who smiled like the moon.
“4…”
Josie could hear her voice and thoughts loudly amongst the calls of the others. They were saying
josie josie josie
.
“3…”
Hope glanced over at her, their eyes locked on and everything seemed to sweep Josie away. She promptly forgot she was standing in the middle of the living room inside the Mikaelson manor with everyone together. She promptly forgot that this was a celebration of a new year. She promptly forgot about the world of witches and werewolves and beasts and monsters.
Because all she could focus on was the beautiful girl with an orchestra of thoughts and a song so loud and so exuberant.
“2…”
Klaus and Hayley stood behind their daughter. Their eyes twinkled with something as they glanced over at Josie. Klaus smiled, nodding at her patiently. Hayley wrapped her arms around Hope and leaned down, kissing the top of her head.
“1…”
Josie felt Lizzie’s hand squeeze hers and she squeezed back, but her eyes never left Hope when she did.
“HAPPY NEW YEAR!”
Everyone cheered as the television screamed with the typical New Year’s Day celebratory music.
Rafael pulled Nik towards him and planted a firm, deep kiss against Nik’s lips. Nik looked stunned with his eyes wide, but the shock faded quickly once he realized what was happening. The eldest Mikaelson kid snaked his arm around Rafael’s waist and pulled him flush against his body. He was smiling and laughing, spinning Rafael around in his arms. There was a faint whisper of
mine mine mine
that threaded itself in the air.
Kaleb and Cleo shared a kiss as well. It was tender, it was sweet, it was enlightening. Cleo had her hands placed firmly against Kaleb’s chest as Kaleb had one hand by her waist and the other cupping the back of her neck. They pulled away with large grins on their faces, then they leaned forward and pressed their foreheads together. Still smiling.
Viktoria, Henrik and Mila were with their parents. Rebekah had wrapped her arms around her three beautiful children and pressed kisses against their temples. Marcel put a hand on the small of his Mate and wife’s back while he smiled down at his children. Viktoria hugged her parents back. Henrik acted annoyed but was secretly preening at the attention. And Mila was sleepy but tried her hardest to stay awake just a little bit longer. Marcel ended up picking her up, laughing softly as she rested her head against her father’s shoulder.
Thea and Bernie gave their parents a hug and a kiss too. Antoinette and Elijah looked fondly at their daughters and each other. Bernie, for once, was glowing brightly from the celebration. Her cheeks were flushed as Elijah brought her closer towards him. Thea leaned against Antoinette, smiling as she took a few sips from her Mom’s wine glass.
Freya and Keelin were lost in their world, embracing each other and kissing deeply. All while Finn and Vincent created sparks of light with their magic. Their tattoos glowed vibrantly against their skin and filled the already-lit room with their powers. The sparks danced around the spaces above their heads, floating up to the high ceiling of the living room. It was reminiscent of fireflies. And it was beautiful.
Davina and Kol were refilling everyone’s flutes and glasses with more champagne and wine. The couple were laughing while they went around the room and celebrated with the rest of the family. Davina tugged on the front of Kol’s sweater and pressed feathery kisses along his jaw before capturing his lips. Kol welcomed it warmly.
MG and Landon pulled each other into a warm embrace, laughing along with everyone else in the room. Landon kept his arm around the teen’s shoulder and MG did the same. They started singing along to the song on the television while Landon cheered them on.
Josie and Lizzie found their Mom and cheered at the same time, “Happy New Year’s!” And they gathered together, hugging and clinging onto each other. Josie and Lizzie buried their faces in the crook of their Mom’s neck. Josie smelled the faint scent of calendula and lemon from her, which always reminded Josie of a time when their Mom brought the twins out to the sunflower festival one summer when they were ten.
“Happy New Year’s, girls,” their Mom whispered. Her face was red from the alcohol, but her smile was infectious and warm. Josie and Lizzie felt the bonds with their Mom explode in their mind with an array of green and yellow and green and green and green. It was overwhelming. And it was welcomed.
Josie caught Hope’s gaze from across the room and the auburn girl smiled gingerly at her. The witch waved back. Hope glowed with such elegance and happiness. Josie felt a magnetic pull toward the older girl, but she stayed rooted where she was with her sister and mother. But she did catch Hope mouth something just for her.
Happy New Year’s, Josie.
The flush on Josie’s cheeks grew and inked down her neck and to the tips of her ears. Quietly, she responded, “Happy New Year’s, Hope.”
It was New Year’s Day when Josie and Lizzie and their Mom truly felt a huge shift.
Klaus and Hayley were back on their doorstep with Hope in tow.
“Come in,” Jo said as she stepped aside to let the three Mikaelsons into their home.
Josie and Lizzie stepped towards Hope. Lizzie nodded at her. Josie smiled at her.
“Hey,” Hope responded to them, but her eyes were always on Josie.
Everyone gathered in the living room. Josie and Lizzie grabbed drinks for everyone and sat down beside their Mom. Klaus and Hayley and Hope were just opposite from them and there was some tension in the air. But nothing that would bring about trouble. It was a different sort of tension. Something light. Something free. Something
incredible
.
Klaus took a sip of his water and set the glass down on his lap. He peered up at the Laughlins and smiled. “I assume you know why we’re here?”
It was their Mom who spoke. “Hard to pretend not to.” She smiled wryly.
The man laughed.
Josie and Lizzie looked at each other, confusion on their faces and the low thrums of magic buzzing underneath their skin. They were sitting on either side of their Mom, so they each quietly took their Mom’s hands into their own and gently squeezed.
“The bonds,” Klaus started. “It seems like they’ve cemented themselves already.”
“Bonds?” Lizzie piped up, furrowing her brows.
Hayley nodded. “In every pack, there are bonds that connect everyone. The Alpha, in this case, Klaus, can feel everyone in his pack. It’s like a thread. He can feel his pack, he can hear his pack, he can call on his pack. And his pack feels and hears the same. And we answer back to him. Always. We are strong not because our Alpha is strong. We are strong because of our pack bonds. We call on the strength of our bonds to help aid us. To help keep us safe.
“You probably could feel it with your sister and Mom, right? That rush of emotions that you don’t know where it was coming from until you realize it was from your sister or Mom. An emotion so immense that you can’t help but respond to it.”
Lizzie, dumbfounded, nodded her head. “Y-yeah… It’s like…” She paused, turning to her Mom and Josie. “I
feel
colours in my head all the time.”
Hayley smiled brighter. “And what colours do you feel right now, Lizzie?”
The blonde Laughlin gulped and her face flushed and a small smile perked on her lips. “Green.”
Hayley turned to Josie. “And what about you, Josie?”
With a steady breath, Josie said, “Green.”
Their Mom squeezed the twins's hands. Her eyes were alight with a waiting fire being kept at bay by a sense of loss that neither girls could comprehend.
“Jo Laughlin,” Klaus started. Despite his intimidating aura, there was also a softness underneath it all. “I would like to invite you and your daughters, formally, to join my pack.”
Josie and Lizzie's eyes widened.
But their Mom squeezed their hands again. She tensed her jaw and pressed her lips firmly into a thin line.
“And what if I refuse?”
Klaus shrugged. “Then you refuse. I won't force you and your daughters to join the pack. And if you are worried about our agreement, do not fret. Even if you do not join, I will still ensure that you and your family are protected and hidden from your brother. I never go back on my word once I have made a promise.”
“But surely you've felt it too, Jo. The threads of the bond,” Hayley offered softly.
Josie peeked over at her Mom and saw the tenseness in her face falter. The weariness on her face started to expose itself from the crack in their Mom’s armour.
“Mom…” Lizzie whispered.
Hope had been quiet during the entire conversation. Her clear blue eyes focused on Josie, but also on what was being discussed. Josie had briefly forgotten the older girl was even there because of how quiet she’d been. But then Hope spoke up. Clear as the winter skies.
Hope said, “I’m going to become the next Alpha of the Mikaelson Pack.”
Hope said, “I can already hear your song in my head. Your daughters too.”
Hope said, “My father and I will do everything in our power to protect your family.”
Hope said, “My pack will do everything in our power to protect your family.”
Josie felt the cacophonous swell of cobalt blue trickling in the back of her mind. She glanced at her Mom again and the foundations of her armour collapsed. Jo looked so torn. Jo looked so tired. Jo looked so ready to break.
“Mom…” It was Josie this time who said spoke.
“I don’t want to join if it’s all about expanding your pack and getting numbers,” their Mom said firmly. “I won’t join, or let my girls join if it’s for power.”
Hope was about to argue back but her father held his hand up. He gently looked at his daughter and Hope shut her mouth, leaning back into her seat. Hayley pressed a kiss on top of Hope’s head, placating her fiery daughter. It worked.
Klaus smiled, but it didn't reach the corners of his eyes. Not like how Josie saw him smile before when he was surrounded by his family. His pack.
“I used to be alone,” Klaus started. “I was the product of an affair between the witch who was my mother, and some unknown wolf who was my biological father. I grew up believing I belonged in a family of Hunters who saw someone like me as a monster in God's eyes. My father found out after I shifted for the first time in my early teen years. It had come as a shock to both him and me. My mother hid my true nature well.
“I left. Leaving behind the family I had grown up with and cared for. I was alone. I was so alone. But then somehow, my family found me again. Elijah and Rebekah. Freya and Kol. And we had even added even more people into our family as time went on. And ever since then, I realized I was never going to be alone. Because my family will
always
remain by my side. Always and forever.
“See, I was alone for so long, but I found my place in the world with my family. That is what being in a pack means to me. That is what asking to be part of my pack means to me. It means growing my family so that I, nor anyone else for that matter, will ever have to feel so alone ever again.”
Josie and Lizzie were stunned to hear his confession. To hear his truth. To hear his life story. There was so much anger and hurt in his words, but he overcame them with his family. His pack. The people who made him strong and always had his back. Klaus had such a tenderness behind his eyes as he told them all of this. And it was awe-inspiring.
“You've been fighting so hard. All by yourself, for so long, Jo,” Klaus continued. “And I can respect your wish should you still decide not to join us. I only merely ask that you allow us to continue to be friends. I can speak for all of us when I say we’ve enjoyed you and your daughters’ company these past few weeks. We would be saddened should we have to part ways.”
Josie and Lizzie turned to their Mom, waiting for her to accept, to just accept his offer, Mom, please we know how hard you've worked please just let them take care of you.
Instead, Jo hung her head.
Jo said, “Let me think about it.”
Jo said, “Give me a week to decide.”
Jo said, “Please.”
Klaus nodded with so much patience and understanding. “Very well. I can do that.”
Klaus and Hayley and Hope left the Laughlin’s residence after the heavy conversation. Lizzie had been the one to see them off.
Josie sat there with their Mom when Lizzie returned with a permanent frown on her face.
“Why do you need a week to think about it, Mom?” Lizzie asked. There was no judgment in her tone, which Josie hadn't expected. She would have assumed Lizzie would have made a huge deal about it. But maybe she held back after seeing their Mom look so… Broken.
Their Mom tilted their head back, looking up at the ceiling. The twins gave her a moment of silence to think. They didn't dare interrupt the thick fog of unknown hanging above their heads.
Finally, their Mom spoke.
“Just give me a week, okay, girls?”
Josie and Lizzie had never heard her sound so unlike herself.
But they agreed anyway. Because this was their Mom. The same Mom who worked hard to raise them alone. The same Mom who went out of her way to make sure they both felt safe with her. The same Mom who always made them laugh and smile on happy days. The same Mom who comforted them on their lowest days. The same Mom who brought them into the world of witches and werewolves. Of beasts and monsters.
This was their Mom. A woman who fought alone for far too long and had continued to fight alone.
Later that night, Josie and Lizzie lay awake in bed as they both felt the coldest and darkest of blue wash over them. A feeling of loss and fear and
brokenness
that radiated from their bond with their Mom.
Josie wasn't sure who initiated first, but she and Lizzie stepped out of their room and made their way to their Mom's room. She was still up. They could tell from the muffled sobs from behind the door.
They pushed the door open as quietly and slowly as they could, not wanting to startle her.
Jo peeked up and saw the silhouettes of her two girls at the doorway of her room. She sat up. “Girls? Why are you still up?”
Neither of the twins spoke. Instead, they crossed the room and tucked themselves into their Mom's bed, sleeping on either side of her. Their Mom was stunned for a brief period but it subsided just as quickly.
Jo said, with tears streaming down her face, “Oh, girls. I love you two so much. You two are my world. My everything. My loves. I'm sorry for the secrets. I'm sorry I haven't been forthcoming. It's unfair to you, especially after bringing you both into my messed-up world. I'm so sorry.”
“It's not your fault,” Lizzie huffed.
“Your brother has been haunting you,” Josie added.
“We can help you, Mom, just say the word,” Lizzie said fiercely.
“We want to take care of you too,” Josie whined.
Jo sobbed and laughed as she brought her two beautiful girls into her arms and hugged them tightly; as though she was scared they would disappear.
“Whatever you decide about the Mikaelson Pack,” Josie started.
“We will totally respect your decision. To join or to not join. “ Lizzie finished.
“Because the three of us are family. We're
pack
,” Josie beamed.
Lizzie rolled her eyes, but her lips were wide with a smile. “We're not wolves, Josie. But yes. The three of us are
pack
.”
Jo continued laughing. She kissed her girls with so much love and care and hope. The blue the twins felt slowly morphed into green, although the blue remained tucked underneath.
“We are a pack, aren't we?” Their Mom grinned. Then, “I'll still think about Klaus's offer. But no matter what, we will still have each other.”
Josie said, “All three of us.”
Lizzie said, “A trio of witches.”
Their Mom said, “A pack.”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
A week went by as swiftly as the changing seasons.
Josie and Lizzie distracted themselves from their Mom's decision by doing everything they could to make their Mom feel at ease. They did their best to lessen her workload by taking it on by themselves. The twins divided up the house chores between the two and rotated when they needed to. It was only fair.
Their Mom had confessed she had been tracking her brother's location during her downtime at work and at home. It was the reason she had been looking so haggard and exhausted since they moved out here to Mystic Falls. She had even kept reinforcing the wards around the three of them in case Kai got his magic back and was trying to track her down. She was doing everything she could to protect herself and her daughters. And it showed.
Josie and Lizzie had pleaded with her to teach them how to set up the wards and how to reinforce them so she didn't have to take on that burden every time. Their Mom was hesitant at first, but she eventually gave in when she felt her girls' determination.
Jo said, “Maybe it's about time you got your second tattoo” and “one that will help balance out the first one you got” and “it can help with control when you have two main pieces when using magic.”
Lizzie knew immediately what her second big tattoo would be. A hawk. She never told anyone, but back when they were preteens and were brought into the world of witches and wolves, Lizzie had been hugely obsessed with birds—claimed she was going to be an ornithologist when she grew up. Her favourite had been the peregrine falcon and the hawk, which were commonly mistaken for one another.
“It feels fitting that my second would be a hawk,” Lizzie had said when she and Josie were thinking about their tattoos.
Josie still hadn't thought about what her next piece would be. Lizzie was helpful, in her own way, of tossing out suggestion after suggestion, but none really called to Josie. None of them gave Josie that impact of it being
hers
. Not like how the peregrine falcon and hawk felt like Lizzie.
“I think I'll consider it a bit more,” Josie responded.
Lizzie frowned, but shrugged, not wanting to push the topic.
Josie was going around their home, making sure the runes their Mom placed were still intact. Her magic burned under her skin with a viciousness that only she could control. It took over her senses like a wildfire waiting to burn and burn and burn.
And it only fuelled her to burn brighter and brighter and brighter–
and brighter.
They were back at school during that week of waiting. But they could hardly pay attention to their lessons when all the Laughlin twins could think of was their Mom and Klaus's offer.
Hope gave them quick, worried glances during lunchtime but had remained frightfully quiet unless she had to reply to her cousins or tell Finn to shut up.
Josie could barely make eye contact with the future Mikaelson Alpha. Mainly due to not knowing what the future holds for their families. Hell, Josie still hadn't grasped the whole Mates thing. She was still too shy to initiate a conversation about that with Hope. And she had gotten all she could from her Mom when she asked before, but it still didn't feel enough.
Bernie was the one who caught her attention with her shy anxious smile. Josie smiled back and leaned forward across the lunch table.
“Did you need anything?” Josie asked.
Bernie nodded, tucking her long blonde hair behind her ear. Her eyes fluttered nervously between Josie and Hope.
“I know it's only been a few months since we've known each other,” Bernie started. Her face was so red that it spread to the tip of her ears and the tip of her nose. “But I really enjoy the time we've spent together. And I hope whatever happens, you'll still hang out with us.”
Josie was taken aback by the forwardness of the other girl. Bernie was typically too anxious to speak her mind at times and always defaulted to staying quiet or having her older sister Thea translate her silence for her. Josie was touched, though. So touched that someone so quiet and reserved like Bernie would open up to her and share her thoughts.
She felt like she didn’t deserve to hear it from Bernie of all people. But her large wide eyes stared back at Josie, and the way her long blonde hair curtained around her face—yeah. Josie was also glad she was able to spend time with Bernie and the rest of them. She was happy she got to know more about them. And she’ll be damned if she wasn’t able to hang out with them anymore because of whatever decision her Mom makes by the end of the week.
Like Bernie said, regardless of what happened, Josie was going to hang out with Bernie and all the others. They were her friends now. Always.
Finally, it was the end of the first week of January.
Finally, it was time for Jo Laughlin, former Parker Witch of the Kinsley Pack, to make her decision that would change her and her daughters' futures.
Klaus and Hayley and Hope were sitting in the Laughlin living room once more. Jo and Josie and Lizzie sat across from them like before.
Hayley held her glass of cold water in her hand, drips of condensation gently rolled down onto her fingers.
Hope didn’t have anything to drink. Her hands rested delicately in her lap though her fingers kept twitching and picking at her black stockings.
Josie’s eyes roved over the three Mikaelsons carefully as some sort of way to calm her nerves—which, news flash, didn’t actually help. She wondered what was going through their minds right now, what was going through Hope’s mind right now. She was to be the next Alpha of the Mikaelson Pack. So she was probably trying to come up with charismatic speeches to try and sway her Mom to join their pack should Mom decide to refuse. Klaus probably would have stopped Hope from pushing. He had said, after all, he would respect her Mom’s choice. But the thought was still there. Still lingered.
Nobody spoke for the entire duration of them just sitting in the living room. There was no music playing in the background either, so all Josie could hear were the sipping of drinks, the soft breathing beside her, or her rapidly dancing heartbeat.
Josie could tell Lizzie was getting restless from how much she was fidgeting in her seat. Lizzie was always used to being up and doing something active, or just doing anything that filled in the dull silence. So having to sit on the couch with barely anything to fall back on to ease her or distract her was hard. Josie reached over behind their Mom and put a hand on Lizzie’s shoulder. The blonde turned her head towards her and flashed a small, appreciative smile as she put her hand on top of Josie’s.
Finally, the silence broke.
The Alpha set his cup of tea down on the coffee table gingerly. Then, he glanced up with a patient smile.
“What is your answer, Jo Laughlin?”
The woman pushed her greying hair back. The frown and tired lines on her face stuck out so much that even the twins couldn't help but flinch when they saw their Mom. They held their Mom's hands like last time, feeling the warmth sink into their skin. Josie and Lizzie could feel the low hum of magic tickling just beneath the surface and intermingling with their blood.
Finally, their Mom spoke.
Jo said, “I belonged to a family of powerful witches who worked alongside a powerful pack.”
Jo said, “But my brother destroyed everything I had ever known and loved because he wanted power.”
Jo said, “I lost everyone I cared about because of that greed. Because of power.”
Jo said, “If what you told me before was true, that being part of your pack meant nobody will ever feel alone ever again… Then I accept.”
The twins gasped.
“I, Josette Laughlin, former Parker Witch to the Kinsley Pack, accept your offer for me and my girls to join your pack, Alpha Mikaelson.”
“Mom…” Lizzie's words tumbled out of her lips in awe.
The mask their Mom wore broke and she seemed to have lost that tension she built up in her shoulders. She smiled tiredly at everyone, but specifically at Klaus.
“I've been fighting to keep my family safe from my brother for so long. I had forgotten what it's like to belong to a community that will always have your back. I just wanted my girls to be safe.”
Klaus stood up and crouched in front of Jo. He put his hand on her shoulder and his eyes briefly flashed red before receding to his natural eye colour. He smiled.
“You've fought bravely, Jo Laughlin. You are a strong woman. A strong witch. A strong mother. You've protected your family fiercely,” he spoke with such careful ease. “Now, it's time to let others help take on that task
with
you.”
Hayley came up towards them next and also put a hand on Jo's other shoulder. She glanced at the twins, smiling at them warmly, before she shifted her attention to their Mom.
“We will do everything in our power to help and protect you and your girls,” Hayley said. “We won't ever let you go at this alone. And we would have never let you go at this alone if you had refused.”
Josie and Lizzie felt a surge of emotions, of a vast forest of evergreens that towered the world in its greatness and strength. There was so much green that it was overwhelming their senses, but it was a welcomed thing. It was always going to be a welcomed thing.
Because the Laughlins were not alone anymore.
Because the Laughlins were a part of something bigger.
Because the Laughlins were now a
pack
with the Mikaelsons.
It was odd, belonging in a pack.
Josie felt the sensations of everyone in her head. Could feel their thoughts and emotions. There was an array of colours splattering against the canvas of her mind and it was almost numbing just how constant it was.
She could feel Nik's yellow and green from always being around Rafael anytime he was back home at Mystic Falls for the long weekends or holidays. And the soft whispers of
mine mine mine
that chanted over and over again in Nik’s head.
She could hear the whispers of
you're okay you're fine you're safe
from Thea towards her younger sister anytime Bernie was thrown into an anxiety attack. And the discordant pleas and self-deprecation of
i’m useless they hate me they all hate me
that were pulling apart in Bernie’s mind.
She could sense Davina and Kol’s melancholic blue as they spent time with their nieces and nephews, silently wishing they could have children of their own but unable to.
She could feel the rush of love, of
pink pink pink
, between Elijah and Antoinette. Between Rebekah and Marcel. Between Davina and Kol. Between Klaus and Hayley. Between Freya and Keelin. And the love and pink everyone felt towards each other. Sibling love. Platonic love. Familial love. Everything. It rushed inside Josie’s mind now and again and she couldn’t help but sigh with fondness over it.
It was frightfully overwhelming. But it was such a refreshing sensation.
She could see all the colours and hear all the emotions through the pack bond.
And it was
incredible
.
Two months had passed since the Laughlins had become part of the Mikaelson Pack. They've continued the tradition of going over to the Mikaelson manor for meals, but they've also begun staying over during the weekends. Josie and Lizzie even had their own separate rooms.
The twins were pleased to have their own space for once.
Their Mom also had a room, but she had been flustered and guilty for taking up space.
“You're part of our pack, our family, now. It's okay,” Hayley had said with a reassuring smile.
Josie and Lizzie explored more of the mansion, with Hope and Thea as their guides.
It was that first week where the Laughlin's stayed over when the Mikaelson's invited them out for a full moon run.
Josie and Lizzie stood in the open yard behind the manor. It was huge. It was always huge. But the twins felt like something more was about to happen.
The Mikaelson's were gathered around chatting and prepping. They had even invited Landon and Rafael to the full moon run as well. Though the twins later learned the two boys had always been invited. Pack adjacent. Though Josie felt like they were
pack
pack instead. Maybe they will eventually become part of the pack. Josie thought it would be nice.
They were just a few meters away from the edge of the forest that devoured the edge of town. Josie and Lizzie wondered if the Mikaelson’s also owned the entire land. Though judging by their home, the twins wouldn't be surprised if that were the case as well.
Suddenly, all the Mikaelsons, save for Freya and Rebekah and Vincent and Finn, shed their clothes. Landon had even stood off to the side with the other non-wolves as Rafael joined the other Mikaelsons.
Josie and Lizzie were buzzing with confusion and tried to keep their eyes steady. What the hell was happening and why were they all stripping?
They turned to their Mom, who didn't seem slightly bothered by the sudden nakedness. But their Mom caught their panic and smiled.
She told them, “This is all normal for them.”
She told them, “They strip so their clothes won't rip when they shift into their wolf form.”
She told them, “This is what it means to run with the wolves.”
Josie and Lizzie couldn't help but still be shocked and embarrassed and flustered by all the bits and parts on show. But it didn't last very long because all the wolves began to shift.
Their bones cracked and hair sprouted around their faces and other parts of their bodies. Growling erupted in the space around them and suddenly, they were standing amongst the wolves. And they were
huge
.
“Oh my god,” Josie gasped.
“Holy shit,” Lizzie breathed.
All the wolves howled a pleasant song of family and pack. Josie and Lizzie could
hear
the words
packpackpack
chanting inside their minds as clear as day.
Pack pack pack
We are pack
We are Mikaelsons
FriendFamilyLovePack
We are packpackpack
Hear our song
Hear our legacysong
The wolves ran into the forest, kicking up dirt and grass. Even those who were human had run with the wolves. Smiling and laughing and basking under the brilliant full moon that hung above their heads.
Josie and Lizzie watched in awe as everyone frolicked and danced around the open fields or dipped into the forests as the wolves were free. So free.
One of the wolves, a large white wolf with sparkling blue eyes, approached Josie. Josie knew this was Hope. She remembered watching, her gaze affixed, the auburn girl shifting with everyone else in her family.
She was big.
She was
so big
.
Hope's wolf was as tall as Josie, reaching her shoulder when Hope was up on all fours.
“Hi,” Josie whispered.
Hope growled softly, nuzzling her muzzle against Josie's neck. Josie carefully reached up and brushed her hand against Hope's fur. It was soft. Almost like it was entirely made up of nothing. Hope seemed to like the touch of Josie's hand, so the brunette continued.
“You're not going to keep running?” Josie asked. She glanced up and saw a few of the other wolves trotting back. Some rested on the ground while others playfully yipped and chased each other.
Hope turned back to see her family. She huffed. Then nuzzle again into Josie's embrace.
Josie laughed.
Then Hope growled, startling Josie. She looked behind and saw another wolf half the size of Hope nibbling on her tail. Hope narrowed her eyes and growled. But the other wolf didn't seem to care and almost
smirked
at Hope.
Hope left Josie's bubble and chased the nosy mutt.
Josie couldn't help but laugh at the sight. Lizzie seemed to enjoy herself as well. Her eyes were sparkling as a whole new world was opened to them. Sure they were aware of it from their Mom, but having actually witnessed something so intimate like the full moon run with their eyes?
It was
magical
.
Their Mom came up to them and put her hands on her two daughters. She smiled.
“Welcome to your first full moon, girls.”
Freya, Kol, and Vincent had planted seeds and rumours about a woman matching Jo Parker's description being spotted somewhere in the Pacific Northwest.
Jo wasn't sure if that was going to convince her brother. Why would Jo ever go back to the area where she lost everyone? But Freya, Kol, and Vincent reassured her that it was going to be fine. That she was going to be fine. That she and her two girls were safe and sound here in Mystic Falls under Mikaelson's protection.
Josie and Lizzie listened intently to the adults chattering away in hushed whispers behind closed doors.
“Do you think it’s going to work?” Lizzie asked. The twins had walked away with concerned expressions painting their faces and found themselves by the rich forest.
“The rumour?”
Lizzie nodded. “Yeah. You think Kai is going to fall for it? That Mom’s back in Oregon? Or just around the area?”
Josie hummed. The magic in her blood buzzed dully and her fingers sparked with gentle spectral lights that danced and twinkled in the air around their heads like a halo.
“I don’t know. I mean, it could be plausible, that Mom would supposedly return to her home state. But it would also be a little foolish. For what Mom told us about her brother, he’s smart. Clever. Always several steps ahead.”
“But he’s also blinded by greed and powder,” Lizzie pointed out.
She nodded. “Right, that too.” A beat. “I don’t know. I really don’t know.”
When the twins returned to the Mikaelson manor, Lizzie had gone off to search for Rebekah—her sister had taken up training with the sole non-magic-using human of the Mikaelson siblings to learn how to fight and defend herself. Lizzie still hadn’t gotten a good grasp on her magic and had decided she wasn’t going to try and force herself, her mind or her body to use something innate in her when she was still having difficulties with it. She didn’t want it to backfire. So, she opted to learn from Rebekah. Learned how to fight like a Hunter
without being
a Hunter.
Josie sought out Freya, who was in her study. Like Lizzie, Josie had been training her magic with Freya and Vincent and Davina, but mostly with Freya. The woman was practically a celebrity to Josie. She learned so much from her and was ecstatic every time for their lessons.
Of course, that didn’t mean she stopped her lessons with her Mom. She just wanted to expand her learning, and her Mom was supportive of it. It was her Mom who encouraged it, even.
She stepped into Freya’s study and the woman warmly welcomed her.
“Hi, Josie.”
“Hello.”
Freya quickly started up lessons. Josie, ever the dutiful student, absorbed everything Freya taught her. She showed Josie more things she could do with magic and showed the extension of it through the tattoos. Josie took everything in.
They took a small break and Josie couldn’t help but blurt out a nagging question that hung in the forefront of her mind.
“Would you and your family still have done all this if my Mom refused to join your pack?”
Freya paused, turning to her slowly.
“Of course, Josie. Even if you're not part of our pack, we still would have honoured the agreement between my brother and your Mom. We still would have done what we could to protect your family from your Uncle.”
Josie pinched her lips together. The sunflower on her shoulder grew ever so slowly.
“Would you still, though, if I wasn't Hope's Mate…?”
The woman blinked, eyes wide open as she stared at Josie.
Both looked at each other with differing expressions painting their faces. Josie kept herself steady despite her heart racing with intimidating speed. Her gaze never faltered as she tried to read Freya Mikaelson.
But the woman kept her emotions tightly sealed. Even with a small, placating smile.
“Even if that were the case,” Freya began. “We would have still helped your Mom. The fact that you are Hope's Mate is just… An added something. We would have still helped.”
Josie took her words to heart. At least then.
Josie and Lizzie's sweet sixteen was just around the corner.
And as usual, Lizzie had been swept away with planning the
perfect
party.
“We only turn sixteen
once
, Josie.” Something Lizzie had huffed at her when Josie whined about it being too much.
Josie was following Lizzie around the house, not of her own accord, with a box filled with decorations as Lizzie walked around with a clipboard and checked things off. Josie was resenting the clipboard each and every day.
“We need to make sure the banner gets put up above the fireplace. Preferably inches from the mantle because we can't afford to cover any of the trinkets that are already there, but you know,” Lizzie said briefly. “Oh, and don't forget to call the bakery for our birthday cake order. And send them the image of what we want on the cake.”
“What
you
want on the cake,” Josie muttered under her breath.
“Hm?” Lizzie spun around. “Did you say something?”
Josie put on a plastic smile and shook her head. “Call the bakery and send the image. Got it.”
The blonde hesitated, eyeing Josie before accepting her comment and continuing with the party planning details.
“Everything is
ruined
!”
“Sweetie–”
Lizzie rushed upstairs with a loud and broken sob.
Josie and her Mom exchanged worrying glances, and then a grimace when they heard the door slam shut.
The cake that they had ordered came back but the image wasn't what Lizzie had wanted. Instead of sparkles and elegance with their names written in beautiful cursive, the decorator had messed up both twins's names
and
used green frosting instead of teal.
Eliza and Joseph.
Josie was probably never going to order a custom cake from the bakery ever again.
Their Mom excused herself from the others and headed upstairs to comfort her daughter. Josie, in the meantime, stayed behind to try and humour their guests.
MG came up first with a frown on his face. “I'm sorry your birthday got ruined…”
She shook her head. “It isn't… Ruined. It's just… There's just a small blip in it, that's all.”
He eyed the messed-up cake and grimaced with a smirk. “Whatever you say,
Joseph
.”
Josie snorted and playfully shoved at his shoulder. He grinned, bigger this time, then wrapped an arm around Josie's shoulder and brought her close.
“Happy sixteenth birthday, Josie.”
“Thanks, MG.”
Hope came up next, shooting a soft glare at MG. The other teen backed off, still smiling, and reconvened with Landon and Finn.
“Great party,” Hope said.
“I guess. If you don't count the messed up cake and Lizzie rushing off crushed.” When the words left her lips, she winced at the loud bang from upstairs. “I think Mom needs help…”
Hope shrugged. “Want me to come with? As support?”
Josie's chest rose with warmth at the offer, but she shook her head. “Nah, that's okay. The less people see Lizzie's breakdown, the better she'd feel. But thanks, anyway.”
“Anytime.” A pause. “Happy birthday, Josie.”
“Thank you.”
That night after everyone left, the Laughlins were down in the kitchen eating the screwed-up cake.
Lizzie had felt better after a long cry and comfort from both her Mom and twin sister. She still hated the cake, but Josie watched the smirk curl on her lip as she stabbed the name Eliza with her fork and shoved it into her mouth.
“This was a fucking disaster,” Lizzie spouted.
“Language,” their Mom tutted but there was no real heat behind her tone—in fact, Jo was laughing while taking a bite out of her cake slice.
“The cake is pretty good though,” Josie scooped up the second half of the name Joseph and inspected it humorously before putting it in her mouth.
“It’s confetti cake,” Lizzie stated between bites. “It’s both our favourites.”
Josie chuckled. That was true.
All three of them spent the next hour giggling with a mouthful of cake and eyes alight with serenity and the soft waves of
green green green
.
As a way to brighten up the disaster that was the twins's sixteenth birthday, their Mom helped tattoo Josie and Lizzie's second piece.
Lizzie, as expected, got a hawk. It was located on her upper back with its wings spread out across her shoulder blades and the head was just under the nape of her neck. It looked like a top-down view of the hawk soaring through the air. And Josie was certain she could see and
sense
the hawk flutter its wings. It took two months for Lizzie’s hawk tattoo to complete.
Josie had ended up opting for black roses on her other shoulder. The thorns were a muted green, almost sickly and rotting, while the petals seemed to shine with that dark iridescent hue, not just pure black. The thorns twisted down her arm, ending just above her elbow. It had hurt. Oh, it had hurt
so bad
. But the rush of power that thrummed under her skin and the ease she felt made up for it. It had also taken two months for her black rose tattoo to complete.
Once the twins’s tattoos were done and healed, they were both ecstatic and eager to see what they could do now, even Lizzie who always had trouble with her magic.
Jo was smiling proudly at her girls. They were a year older. A year wiser. And a step away from shining brightly in a world that seemed to want to tamper their brightness. She could see the joy filling Lizzie’s face as she took the time to find herself and discover the kind of person she wanted to be. She could see the dedication and perseverance in Josie’s actions as she focused all she could on her budding magic and finding her voice and identity.
But Jo couldn’t help but pay closer attention to Josie. Couldn’t help but see bits of her brother’s passion in her own daughter’s burning bright brown eyes whenever she indulged hungrily for more knowledge of how to perfect her craft. It scared Jo, almost. Seeing the wildfire set ablaze inside one of her daughters.
Months had passed. The Laughlins had been invited back time and time again for different celebrations and during the full moon runs.
Josie always felt this freedom when it came to coming out with the wolves. She had even run with them, though she wasn't as fast as them. Hope was always beside her. This large white wolf with eyes of pure water, and the temperament of soft snowfall, at least with Josie. With her cousins and family, that was a whole different matter entirely. Which wasn’t so bad, Josie thought. It made Hope feel more grounded. More ordinary.
Hope would growl at anyone trying to get too close to Josie, and the brunette would flick Hope's ear just to get the overgrown dog to stop.
“Be nice, Hope.”
Hope whined, flattening her ears.
Josie rolled her eyes but found Hope adorable.
She spotted in the distance Nik and Rafael curled up with one another—Josie had gotten better at recognizing which wolf was who—and cooed at how cute the two boys were.
Landon had made a small comment about how he wished he had a wolf girlfriend or boyfriend to snuggle up with. One of the Mikaelson wolves—Thea—gently nipped at his hand and tugged him toward Nik and Rafael.
Then, Josie watched, as Landon and Thea disrupted the quiet love birds cuddle session. Nik was furious and chased Thea around. Rafael howled, laughing, as Landon draped himself over Rafael's back and buried his face in his fur.
Josie laughed, and so did everyone else. Even MG, Kaleb, and Cleo—newest additions to the Mikaelson Pack—were enjoying themselves as the Mikaelson wolves ran amok with freedom.
What she was
still
getting used to was that the wolves were all very naked once they shifted back. Yes, she was reminded of it when they had to strip down before changing, but it was still so odd and embarrassing to be reminded of their nakedness. Even worse when they all made a puppy pile. But of humans. Very naked humans.
Josie and Lizzie uncomfortably joined them, but it was more so because they were too hyper-aware of it all. Their Mom fit right in though. Which made sense since she grew up with wolves. This was normal to them. The skinship.
Jo said, “It's natural for them” and “you'll get used to it soon” and “it's one of their ways to strengthen pack bonds”.
They didn't question it. Who were they to judge what wolves did?
It took the twins a little longer, but eventually, they were used to it. Because in the end, it wasn’t a sexual thing. It was skinship. It was a connection that ran deeper than the physicality. It was something more. Something vulnerable.
Josie often wondered what her life would be like had her family not moved down to Mystic Falls. Would she and Lizzie still be involved with wolves? Would Josie learn about Mates? Would Josie have ever met Hope?
The brunette fell asleep with questions running inside her mind and with the silent whispers of
josie josie josie
in the forefront of her thoughts.