Shielding The Innocent - Niklaus Mikaelson

Chapter 4

Hope, Aunt Freya, and I are back at the run down house in the woods. Our aunt wants to see what we are capable of, physically, so Hope and I are dressed in workout clothes and tennis shoes. "Okay. Let's see what you can do." Aunt Freya says. Hope and I smirk at each other and then, at the same time, leap straight up to the second floor. We high five and giggle, before smiling down at Aunt Freya.

"Pretty cool, huh?" Hope smirks smugly.

I swing my leg over the railing, the other one following, until my back is against it. I jump and turn my body, flipping and landing on my feet in front of Aunt Freya. Hope, on the other hand, leaps from railing to railing all the way down, without, using her hands, until she plants herself next to me.

"So?" I urge.

"What do you think?" Hope asks.

"I think I wish I had core muscles like you guys." Aunt Freya smiles.

"And that's nothing compared to what we'll be able to do once we trigger our werewolf side." Hope exclaims excited about our potential. The smile disappears from my face and I swallow thickly.

"Yeah." Aunt Freya agrees. "Um... Has your mom talked you guys through turning?"

"A little." Hope nods, after taking a drink of water from her canister. "And we-we have friends. I mean, the whole killing a human part sounds kind of rough, but..."

"Kind of rough?" I raise my eyebrows. "If I can avoid turning, I will. I don't want to kill anyone. Not that most werewolves do. I just am not looking forward to any of that. Mom described the freedom of being in wolf form and that sounds nice. But, I don't feel like the consequences are worth the outcome, if I can avoid it."

"What about the whole breaking every bone in your body part?" Aunt Freya inquires. "You know, when your mom talked to me about it, when she, um, really described it, it sounded worse than almost anything I could imagine. And, honestly, it's... it's not what she wanted for you."

"Wants." I snap. "Not what she wants for us."

"That's want I meant." Aunt Freya smiles.

"No." I scoff. "I don't think you did." I storm out of the house. All Aunt Freya has done since she got here is stall us and give up any hope of finding my mom and aunt alive. I don't know how much longer I can tolerate her here.

_______________________

"Hello?" Her distracted voice answers after a few rings.

"Aunt D?" I whisper into my phone, staring at the water. Salvatore Boarding School has a lake on the ground and it's a great spot to think in private.

"Bexi? What's wrong? Are you okay?" She worries, giving me her full attention.

"No." I mutter, bluntly. "Hayley and mom are missing and I feel like I'm going in circles and there's no light at the end of the tunnel."

"I know, sweetie." She sighs. "I promise, I'm doing everything I can here to find them."

"It's all my fault."

"No, it's not." She disagrees.

"If I had been more persistent about the plan to put them to sleep in the first place none of this would have ever happened." I argue.

"Listen, you and your sister are strong and very capable, but you're still just kids."  She says. "Kids who were pushed into a situation that isn't fair. You missed you're dad. No one blames you for that. Your mom and Hayley are a force and we will find them."