The Howling ▹ Klaus Mikaelson

08.

THE HOWLING.

08. CHAPTER EIGHT : long walk home between parted wolves (n.e)

Eyes full of contrition stared at her as she sat Indian-style on her bed. The blankets surrounding her were still ruffled from the night before, and she still had yet to brush her teeth, but aside from all of that,

"I don't know what you want me to say," Rowan finally said.

Tyler stuffed his hands in his pockets and shifted on his feet. "I made a mistake, Rowan. It - It was like I didn't even have any control. I know you kind of hate me right now -"

"I don't hate you, Tyler," Rowan cut off, shaking her head slightly. "But, God, am I disappointed. And I get it, you want to right your wrongs here, but do you have any idea what you're going to have to go through for this to actually work."

The elder Lockwood sibling sucked in a breath. "I know. That's why I need your help." Rowan had clear hesitation on her face, and opened her mouth, but Tyler intervened. "You helped me on my first full moon, Row, I need you to help me again."

A silent debate formed in her head, and after a few moments, she nodded. "Give me a time and a place, and I'll be there."

The place was somewhere all too familiar though it wasn't at the normal time she would be at the Lockwood cellar. The same bag was always there, filled with chains, wolfsbane, extra sets of clothes, and Rowan picked it up as she walked over to the brackets that were welded to the walls. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed Caroline wince when she began getting everything ready.

"You don't have to be here, you know," Rowan told her as she untangled the heavy duty restraints. "'s not exactly a party."

"I do need to be here." Caroline shook her head as Rowan grunted, picking up the chains. "Do you need help with that?"

"No." True to her word, Rowan didn't need help. She tugged on the chain hard, sighing in relief when it didn't budge."

"How did you learn to control it?" Caroline asked.

"Painfully," Rowan grunted out as she made sure everything was secure. "Mason and Jules helped me. I had to break every bone in my body before I could learn to manipulate the wolf. Accept the pain, the anger, the guilt, hatred of everything. It was hard, hell, there were some days I literally wanted to die, but the pain was temporary, and it was all worth it in the end."

"Because after, you were an alpha. You were strong."

"Because after, I was myself. I accepted all of those things; I accepted the things that I couldn't change, my curse, for example. I accepted my wolf, and my wolf accepted me. It's not about the power or strength, it's about accepting who you are, and all of the pain that comes along with you."

Caroline eyes bounced between Rowan's until she finally had to look away. Both girls tensed slightly when Tyler and Bill Forbes walked into the cellar. Knowing the drill, Tyler took of his shirt, waiting patiently as Rowan began to clamp the chains onto his wrists and ankles.

"How do you know this is going to work?" Caroline asked, her arms crossed.

"It's a progress," Bill said. "It took decades to train myself to resist compulsion. Brain's like a muscle. The more you use it, the more it can do. The sire bond, at its core, is about one thing. Gratitude. You believe you owe Klaus your life. Ask yourself why."

"I was cursed," Tyler answered instantly. "Every full moon, I had to change into a wolf. It was torture. Klaus took that away."

"He took away your pain, you feel indebted to him," Bill reiterated.