the truth

chapter twenty two

Ray's unease grew palpable as Klaus continued to speak, his mind racing with thoughts of escape.
"I think I'll be going," Ray announced uneasily. However, before he could make his move, Klaus stopped him with a menacing smirk.
"Not so fast, mate," Klaus interjected, his tone laced with a hint of menace. "You only just got here, and your type are very hard to come by."

Desperate to leave, Ray attempted to sidestep Klaus, only to bump into Aurora. Stefan, another unexpected presence, appeared at her side, further reinforcing Ray's sense of captivity.
"I wouldn't do that," Stefan warned, his voice low and threatening.

As Ray stumbled back towards the counter under Stefan's gentle yet firm guidance, he muttered under his breath, "Vampires."
"You're swift, Ray! Yes!" Klaus exclaimed with a touch of amusement. Klaus gestured towards Stefan, "My friend here is a vampire and he compelled everybody in the bar so don't look to them for any help. I however, I'm something else, a different kind of monster. I've got some vampire, I've got some wolf. And this one," he nodded towards Aurora "has all three."

"You what?" Ray's voice rumbled low, his instincts on high alert as Klaus revealed his intentions.
"A hybrid, Ray. I'm both," Klaus declared with a smirk, relishing in the tension he caused. "You see, I want to create more of me. And you, being the first werewolf I've come across in many a moon, pun intended, Ray! I need you to direct me to your pack. So, where can I find them?"

"You can't compel me, it won't work," Ray retorted, defiance flashing in his eyes as his jaw clenched, refusing to yield to Klaus's demands. Meanwhile, Stefan, began to scratch his head—a silent cue that Klaus was all too familiar with. With a knowing glance, Klaus nodded, and Stefan sprang into action.

"Can you bring out the darts, please?" Stefan called to the bartender, his tone casual yet calculated. Then, turning back to Ray with a wicked grin, he proposed a twisted game. "Tell you what, Ray. We're gonna play a little drinking game, something I like to call truth or wolfsbane."

Ray's heart sank at the mention of wolfsbane. He watched warily as Stefan produced a pouch of the deadly herb, his stomach churning with unease.
"Oh, this is gonna be fun, Ray," Klaus remarked, his eyes glinting with malicious delight as Ray swallowed hard, steeling himself for the dangerous game ahead. As the scene unfolded, Ray found himself pinned to the wall by Aurora's formidable magic, his body pierced by darts laced with wolfsbane. Despite the agony coursing through him, Ray remained steadfast, his loyalty to his pack unshakable.

"Ray, you can end this right now. Just tell us where your pack gathers for the full moon," Aurora demanded, her voice cutting through the silence like a blade.
"I can't," Ray grunted, his resolve unshakeable. "Surely as a wolf, you understand that."
"I wish I did, but I'm what they refer to as a 'lone wolf.' So tell us, where does your pack gather for the full moon?" Aurora's expression hardened, her patience wearing thin.

Before Ray could respond, Stefan cut in with a mocking tone, already knowing what Ray was going to say, his words dripping with menace. "I know, I know. You live by code and all that, but see, he's not gonna let us stop until you tell us. And we do whatever he says, so that's the way it goes around here."

Amidst the chaos, Klaus was approached by Claudine, a woman with crucial information regarding Damon's whereabouts. As Klaus absorbed her report with a calculated nod, Stefan and Aurora approached him.
"Damon's still on our trail?" Aurora questioned knowingly with an annoyed sigh.
"He's getting closer," Klaus admitted "I'm gonna have to deal with that."

"No, no, no! Let me handle it," Stefan interjected, grabbing Klaus's arm in protest, his eyes ablaze with determination.
"Why should I let you leave?" Klaus mused, his tone laced with amusement.
"Because you'll know I'll come back," Stefan declared
"Do I?" Klaus pondered aloud, his gaze lingering on Stefan's unwavering gaze.
"You saved my brother's life; I'm at your service," Stefan declared, his voice resolute.