Searching for Always and Forever

Chapter 7

The guests sat down in the tiny living room area. Elizabeth tried to get warmed by the fireplace, while her father sat on the couch. Grace quickly disappeared in the bedroom and got dressed, then she put some extra wood on the fire. She even asked the blond girl if it was warm enough for her. Hope checked on the little kids. They were sleeping soundly. She grabbed an extra blanket, put it on Jack and Riley, then closed their bedroom door, then she returned to the living room. She pulled a chair from the dining table and sat down on it. She wasn't going to sit next to this man, even though there was enough place for her on the couch next to him. Grace sat on the floor next to Elizabeth, right by the fire.

"You mentioned your parents... where are they?" blondy asked Grace.

"They are dead." Grace replied to the girl, but Alaric was paying attention to them as well.

"Oh... I'm so sorry for your loss." Elizabeth replied quietly.

"How old are you?" The man asked, aiming the question to Hope.

"I'm eighteen and my sister is sixteen." Hope replied impatiently. "Can you tell me about the Crescent pack now?"

"Of course... but you two live out here all alone?" He asked with shock in his voice.

"What do you know about the Crescent pack?" Hope asked more firmly this time.

"Okay..." He sighed. "All I know is they are from Louisiana, New Orleans... but they fled their home years ago. I don't really know the reason, but I'm pretty sure it had to do something with the evil hybrid who rules that city." Hope looked at the man confused. "I really don't know much about this subject, but I know the two leaders of the pack did some kind of ceremony which freed the whole pack from their tie to the moon. Since then, some pack members returned to their original home to New Orleans, that's where Henry comes from. He is a fifteen year old kid, recently activated his curse and he is the only wolf in school, who isn't forced to turn by the full moon."

"You said a hybrid?" Hope questioned curiously.

"Yes, a thousand year old pain in the ass... a vampire werewolf hybrid... but it's another story." He added.

"Wow. Do vampires really exist? Wolf-vampire hybrids?" Grace asked, amazed.

"Of course! We have a bunch of vampire students in school. My mom is a vampire too... as for hybrids I'm pretty sure Klaus Mikaelson is the only one." Elizabeth giggled as she replied to Grace.

"He is the only one." Alaric stated firmly.

"Klaus Mikaelson?" Hope wondered out loud.

"Yeah... you know about him?" The blond girl asked.

"Never heard this name before." Hope replied honestly, but something still intrigued her inside about this evil hybrid.

"Look. I know you said you don't need our help. But I have a good feeling about the two of you. You would fit in our school perfectly. And you wouldn't have to live alone in the middle of a forest. The school would help you build a life. After you learn everything you need about your wolf nature in our school and learn to control it, you'll have a better life within a human world. You could go to college, get a normal job. You wouldn't have to hide because you are different." The man continuously tried to convince them. Hope looked at Grace, who was completely convinced. Hope knew Grace wanted to go, be with other kids like she was. She didn't want to hide anymore.

"We are hiding because our parents were brutally slaughtered by humans three years ago. I'm sorry, but I cannot risk the same faith for my family. The only way I am able to protect them is if we stay together, alone, where no one else could bother us." Hope replied, but she wasn't so sure of herself now... They seemed honest... and if this school would be a possibility, she could truly give a better life to her siblings than this little cabin... and she'd had a real chance to find those bastards responsible for the slaughter.

"I'm truly sorry about that." Alaric replied, and that's when the closed bedroom door opened and little Jack stepped out to the fire lit living room. He was hesitant at first, but as soon as he locked eyes with Hope, he started to walk towards her, as he was hugging his stuffed wolf with one arm. Hope panicked and got up from the chair immediately.

"Jack, what are you doing out here?" Hope rushed to him, and picked him up quickly.

"I couldn't sleep, Why did you close the door?" He complained in Hope's arms as she was heading back to the bedroom with the boy in her arms.

"Who were they?" Jack asked in a sleepy voice as he laid his head on Hope's shoulder.

"Just some friends. Go back to sleep now." Hope laid him back on his bed and tucked him in.

"Don't close the door." Jack said half asleep, as Hope was leaving the bedroom. She left a crack open, so some light from the fireplace would light the completely dark room.

"So, it's not just the two of you." Alaric said with a surprised tone. "Your sister here says that you two have two little siblings..." Hope nodded at his words. "You know our school is for all ages, we have younger children in the lower school. Although I am sure your siblings haven't triggered their curse yet, they would be welcome too."

"Hope..." Grace looked at her with pleading eyes. Hope was torn. She wanted what was best for everyone, but she wasn't able to let herself trust in anyone other than her siblings.

"I need to think." Hope folded her arms, got up and walked to their small kitchen area. She took several deep breaths. She was terrified for her siblings but she wanted this to be true. She really wanted it to have a place for them, where they could be accepted, where the little ones didn't have to grow up in fear and hiding. Grace would be so much happier, she was so social, she really needed people around her, she would make friends so fast. She was already so friendly with this girl who was the same age as her. Hope knew she'd do great in the school. Riley could start in a real school, she could learn so much more than Hope or Grace could ever teach her. She was young, she would adjust to this new life easily. Hope wouldn't even mind if someone else other than her helped with discipline... Riley was sometimes so mischievous. As for Jack... he was just too young for this, Hope had no intentions to let the little boy out of her hands. But if they could stay together, she might be able to imagine her life in this school... She turned back to the living room and gave a slight nod to Grace, whose eyes lit up immediately.

"Perhaps this school wouldn't be so awful for us." Hope said, as she sat back in her chair.

"Great!" Alaric said. "We came as far as we could by car, we can head back as soon as you are ready.

"We'll wait for the little ones to wake up in the morning, then we can leave." Hope added firmly.

"Thank god. I'm so tired, I don't think I could walk back to the car right now." Elizabeth said.

It was the middle of the night, still several hours till morning, but Hope for sure wouldn't close her eyes. She grabbed Grace's arm, and pulled her up.

"Umm... you can lay down in that bedroom." Hope said to Elizabeth, as she pointed at her and Grace's bedroom. "And you can stay out here." She said to Alaric, as she walked to the little kids room with Grace. She left the door wide open.

"You want all four of us to sleep here?" Grace whispered skeptically, as she glanced at the bed where Riley and Jack were sleeping. They pretty much took all the space in the bed.

"You can fit in there. Just get some sleep. I don't think I can sleep tonight." Hope said and as Grace squeezed herself next to Jack.

"I'm so happy you agreed. Our whole life will change from tomorrow." Grace whispered as she closed her eyes.

"I bet it will." Hope said quietly as she watched her siblings sleep peacefully.