ᴛʜᴇ ǫᴜᴇᴇɴ⚜𝓔. 𝓜𝓲𝓴𝓪𝓮𝓵𝓼𝓸𝓷

⚜Chapter 24⚜

The man opened his eyes as he got up to find two men looking at him with venomous green eyes as their hands dripped with the blood from the witches.

"Who are you?" The man asked Rupert and his son as he looked at them warily.

Rupert smiled, "I am Rupert, son of Marcus, and the alpha of the Elarma werewolf pack. This is my son, Kaleb." He introduced them both as his son nodded in polite greeting, "We are not here to harm you." Rupert added.

The blonde man almost scoffed, "No one can harm me." He spoke bashfully.

"That did not seem to be the case a few moments ago, my friend." Rupert jested jokingly.

The blonde-haired man smirked, "Witches have a tendency of going against us vampires. And so do werewolves, I imagine." He spoke as he examined the people in front of him.

Rupert chuckled, "We are not that kind of werewolves, my friend. We are a peaceful lot as long as we are not provoked." 

The man in front of them smiled as he looked at the two with his oceanic blue eyes that were all but gentle. He stepped forward and smirked when he found no sign of fear from either of them as he went on to extend his hand.

"Do forgive my manners, I am Niklaus Mikaelson. You have my sincerest gratitude for helping me from them." He said with a charming smile as Rupert joined their hands.

"You're one of those, right? The Originals?" Kaleb questioned excitedly as Niklaus looked at him with a surprised smile on his face before he nodded.

"I indeed am, young man. I am surprised by your knowledge about us, though." He spoke softly.

"Your family is infamous, Mr. Mikaelson. Considering your younger brother Kol's enthusiastic charades." Rupert stated in the politest way possible. Niklaus laughed.

"Yes, I can imagine. My brother is a little ill-mannered, to say the least. Doesn't really care what we say to him." He shrugged.

Rupert nodded, "I know what you mean. Kaleb's uncle sort of has a similar temperament." 

"Where are you headed to, though? This is an odd timing to be found in this part of the county." The Elarma alpha asked as he gestured to their secluded and dense surroundings.

Niklaus looked to the ground before he spoke, "You know about my family, so you must know of my father's quest to hunt us down, I presume. Commonly they call him the Destroyer." 

Rupert's eyes widened slightly before overcoming with sympathy, "I imagine you are looking for a place to stay the night?" He asked politely.

Niklaus nodded, "Precisely. I went to the coven of these witches but you know how that turned out to be." He shrugged looking away.

Rupert was moved by the truthfulness and open nature of the man in front of him. Without giving it a second thought, "You should come with us then."

Niklaus looked up in surprise and as did Kaleb. His father had always instructed him to never tell the location of their village to anyone. And here he was, leading an Original inside, on his own.