Epic

Chapter One: The Beginning

                                                                         Autumn 1001 

"Niklaus! No!" I screamed, dashing through the underbrush of the forest. I could hear his footsteps behind me, faster than mine. He was gaining on me. His chuckle echoed through my ears as my blood raced through my veins. I looked to my left and right, to see if I had a way to escape. 

Suddenly, I knew what I had to do. I gathered up my skirt higher and despite the ache in my chest, I ran faster. 

"MOIRA!" he roared behind me. I squealed. He sounded so close to me. "I'll catch you, love!" 

I took a ragged breath in and reached my hand out to my left. My hand smacked into the bark and I dug my nails in, using my momentum to swing me to the left and towards my way to freedom. I was so close! The water was roaring now. I felt a smile touch my lips. The ledge was so close. I did it. 

"Yes," I whimpered in between breaths. I did it. 

A blur to my right came out of nowhere and then, suddenly I was on the ground. 

"Moira, my dear," Niklaus said, giving me a dimpled smile. I blushed. "You have been naughty, running from me." I giggled and he brought his nose down to mine before nuzzling me. 

"Niklaus!" I giggled, wrapping my arms around his torso. His shoulder length dirty blond hair fell over his shoulders. 

We were so close that I could smell the mint he wore in his hair from the festival the night before. He groaned before getting up, his blue eyes darkening with something I couldn't place. He got to his feet while I pushed myself up on my elbows. He ran a hand through his hair and I could hear his siblings playing in the forest distantly. He brushed off his tunic before he offered me his hand. 

"NIK!" Rebekah called from the distance. "I want Moira back! She's my friend!" I could almost hear the pout from across the forest before Niklaus both laughed. I took Nik's hand and got to my feet. 

"Well, Moira, love, you are quite the chase," Niklaus murmured to me, offering me his arm. I blushed and put mine over his before we started walking back to the others. I rested my head on his shoulders, my heart fluttering slightly. 

Despite being around each other all summer, he still had the effect of a million stunning sunsets on me. He's been nothing but kind and gentle with me. I had avoided him before this spring. His reputation preceded him; aggressive, dominant and overpowering. Though he wasn't a Wolf like my family, he carried the same attributes as the Wolves. Sensing my fear, he had reached out to me this sumer, to show me he was different, to show me that there was more to him. And more there was. After weeks of being with him, the kind, strong man I've fallen in love with presented himself to me and we've been inseparable ever since. But...it's dangerous for us; for him. 

"Niklaus..." I hesitated. "Nik...I...we can't keep doing this." I took a deep breath. "My father..he'll kill us. We have to stop seeing each other." Nik almost growled in his throat before he placed a kiss on my forehead. 

"Moira, my love," he whispered. "You have been the only thing keeping me here in my miserable life. I'd risk it all for you." My heart nearly stopped right then and there. I stopped and tore my arm from his. 

"No, Niklaus!" I shouted. "He'll hurt you. He'll tell Mikeal and he'll hurt you. I'd take any beating for you if I could but they'd kill you." My eyes welled up with tears. "Niklaus, my love, I can't let that happen." 

Hurt flashed over Nik's face and before he could say any more, I hurried away from him. I hiked up my skirt and started to run when he called my name. I looked over my shoulder to make sure Niklaus wasn't following me. He was a couple feet behind me, looking destroyed.