Alaric and Estella arrive at the Boarding house at the same time. Damon opens the door, "Thanks for coming, Ric. Can I get you something to drink? Coffee, bourbon? Bourbon in your coffee?" Estella walks in aswell when Damon hands her coffee to her with a smile.
"Elena mentioned you needed my help." Alaric says ignoring Damon's words. "Yeah, we were hoping you could help shed some light on the Lockwood family." Stefan says sighing slightly when he sees Estella not look at him.
"Now, why would I know anything about the Lockwood's?"
"Well, you wouldn't. But your dead, not-dead vampire wife might." Damon says taking about Isobel. "Isobel's research from when you guys were at Duke together."
"You said that she had spent years researching this town."
"Isobel's research here in Mystic Falls rooted in folklores and legends but at the time I thought much of which was fiction." Damon speaks up, "Like that amazing vampire story."
"Aside from vampires, what else?" Elena says not acknowledging Estella's presence scared she would attack her again.
"The lycanthrope."
"Wait, like werewolves?" Elena says looking at Alaric for confirmation. "No way, impossible, way too Lon Chaney."
"Is it?" Stefan says.
"I've been on this planet one hundred and sixty some odd years, never came across one. If werewolves exist, where the hell are they?"
Estella having enough of their talking back to forth speaks for the first time, "The Lockwoods are werewolves."
Damon goes to disagree when she gives him a knowing look, "They have a gene that when they take the life of a human they unlock the curse within them making them turn into furry little dogs on the full moon. The reason you haven't seen them is because they've been hunted by their prey of choice."
"Which is what?" Damon asks knowing his best friend knew the truth.
"Vampires. It is written that the bite of a werewolf is fatal to a vampire and there is no cure." Estella says, she looks up seeing the horror in their faces and the doubt in Elena's.
"I mean if you don't believe me go to Duke." She stands up going to the kitchen. "Oh and er, say hi to Vanessa for me and try not to get shot." She says to Elena before walking off again.
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Because Caroline didn't need to learn control with Stefan he had tagged along with Damon, Elena and a forced Estella. She didn't want to go but Damon did not want to be with the couple the whole day. She sat in the front while they sat in the back and Alaric drove in front of them.
Estella looks back in the rearview mirror seeing Elena and Stefan's intertwined hands that made her a little upset seeing them. Damon looked over seeing what she was looking at and put his hand on her leg rubbing it comfortably. She looked at him and smiled gratefully.
It was then and there that Estella knew what was wrong with her. She was jealous, because she had feelings for Stefan Salvatore.
"How are you doing back there? You know, this whole pretending to hate me thing is getting a little silly." Damon says to Elena.
"I don't think she's pretending. You did kill her brother." Stefan says to him frowning at the hand on Estella's leg.
"There is a huge asterisk next to that statement: he came back to life." Elena scoffs, "Yeah, thanks to a ring that you didn't know he was wearing."
"Why are you so sure I didn't know?" She turns to him looking at the mirror, "Did you?"
"Yes." She looks away from him, "You're lying."
"Elena, I saw the ring! It's a big tacky thing that Estella spelled. Hard to miss."
Estella's phone starts to ring when she sees a familiar name and answers. "Hey, you're awake, when I left, you were still in bed." She says to the person on the phone. Damon knowing who it was keeps driving but keeps glancing back at Stefan who had an unreadable look on his face hearing her conversation.
"I was a little tired after last night, but I didn't find you so I wanted to check if you were okay." The voice, Enzo, said still heavy from sleep.
"Yeah I'm heading to Duke with Damon and I forgot to tell you sorry." He chuckles and says, "It's fine don't worry gorgeous, I'll see you later."
"Yeah, bye" She hangs up and looks back up to the windshield when in the corner of her eye she sees Damon look on the verge of laughter.
"What?" she says looking confused. She turns to Stefan to see if he knew but he only looked down to his lap with a clenched jaw and Elena looked confused not having heard the other side of the conversation. "What is going on?"
Damon couldn't hold it in. "You made it sound like you two slept together." Estella's eyes widened at the accusation and she turns a deep shade of red, "Oh my god no. It was Enzo, he was tired from when you went drinking with him last night and I didn't leave him a note saying I was leaving and he got worried. I did not sleep with him."
Stefan visibly relaxes at the reality and he knew then and there what was wrong with him. He was jealous, because he had feelings for Estella Santos.
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Arriving at Duke, Alaric turns to everyone, "So Isobel was officially employed by the anthropology department given that most paranormal phenomenon is rooted in folklore." They all arrive at an office seeing a woman at the entrance.
"Excuse me, hi. I'm Alaric Saltzman, I called earlier." The woman looks up to him accepting his hand shake, "Yes, of course. I'm Vanessa Monroe, research assistant, comparative folklore."
Hearing her name Elena, Stefan and Damon all turn to Estella remembering her words. 'Say hi to Vanessa for me.'
Vanessa turns and looks strangely at Elena before turning to Estella and widens her eyes slightly that no one noticed.
"Uh, let me just grab Isobel's keys." Alaric smiles politely and turns to introduce everyone. "These are my friends Elena, Stefan,Damon and Estella. I hope this isn't too much of an imposition."
"Oh please, Isobel's office is right through there. Isobel was one of my first professors. I'm a grad student. She was brilliant, and one of the reasons I went into folklore. Uh, I have to ask - has there been any news?"
Alaric looks down on the topic, "No, I'm afraid not."
"It's this way." She opens Isobel's office door, they follow her and enter the room. "I'll grab the light, feel free to look around. It's fascinating isn't it?" She leaves and everyone start to look through the room.
After a few minutes Damon looks up and asks, "Where'd she go?" Vanessa comes back with a crossbow and goes to shoot at Elena but sees Stefan in the way so she turns to the Chaos Witch. No one noticed the weapon so when they heard it they didn't get there in time.
"Holy fuck." Estella growls out when the arrow embeds in her shoulder in her back. Alaric catches Vanessa and pushes her against the wall, restraining her with Stefan at his side.
Damon and Elena go towards the brunette witch to check on her. "Here let me get it out." Elena goes forward to pull the arrow out but stops when Estella raises her hand. "Don't touch me. I wouldn't be in this mess if you all believed me about the werewolves." She stands up and pulls the arrow out her self using her magic to seal the wound.
"That bitch is dead." Damon says angrily about to walk towards Vanessa but Elena blocks his path. "You're not gonna kill her."
Damon glares at her, "Watch me."
"You touch her and I swear I will never speak to you again." Estella turns to her with a look of confusion. "What makes you think that has any power over me? Because you happen to be dating Stefan? You're severely overestimating yourself."
"Right. I forgot that I was speaking to a psychotic mind who snaps and kills people impulsively. Fine, go ahead, do whatever you want." Elena says rolling her eyes at him.
"I mean if he doesn't kill her, I sure will. Now stop trying to manipulate him." Estella says glaring daggers at the doppelgänger. "If by "manipulate" you mean 'tell the truth' okay, guilty." Elena says to them before leaving.
"Please! I freaked out okay? Alright, you would have done the same thing, it's not possible! Katherine Pierce can't be alive, the Salvatore brothers died in 1864 and the Chaos Witch should not exist. Okay? I read Isobel's research." Vanessa pleads with Alaric and Stefan.
"I'm Elena Gilbert, Isobel's daughter and a descendant of Katherine Pierce. And this is Damon Salvatore and Estella Santos who you just shot." Elena says trying to make sense of the situation.
"I'd be really nice to me right now because I don't really feel like killing someone so pretty." Estella says with a flirtatious smirk on her face. Damon snorts at her actions. She flirts at the most inappropriate times, what a girls got needs.
"Look, we need your help okay? We need to see all of Isobel's research, anything related to Mystic Falls."
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Vanessa comes back with a box and hands it to Elena. Estella had got bored and sat on the couch upside down, her feet laying on the back just staring mindlessly. "This box checks Katherine's arrival to Mystic Falls in April 1864."
"Is that all there is about her?" Elena says taking it from her.
"All that I'm aware of." Elena finds vervain in the box and after she looks at Damon in the other room she gives it to Vanessa. "Here take this."
"Does vervain really work?" Vanessa says keeping her voice low.
"Nope, not at all." Damon says listening to their conversation."Can he hear us?"
"No, that would be creepy."
"Can he read minds too?" Vanessa says trying to make a joke.
"You know, if you want to see me or Estella naked, all you have to do is ask." Estella looks up at Vanessa at the sound of her name and winks at her with a teasing wave, satisfied when she blushes and looks away. "No, that he can't do. He is very capable of being a first rate jackass." Elena says ignoring the interaction between Estella and Vanessa.
While everyone was distracted Estella decided walk out the room and to call Caroline. After a few rings she answers, "Hey Ella."
"Hey Care, just checking in, what you up to?"
"Oh me and Bonnie were going to go to the swimming hole for Tyler's party but then I remembered it was a full moon and how you warned me about the werewolves so we stayed in." Estella sighed in relief hearing her words, "Good, I was worried but i'm glad you're safe. Now what's wrong?"
"Wh-what do you mean? Nothing is wrong." Estella laughs at her lie. "You want to tell me the truth."
Caroline sighs sadly, "Me and Matt broke up." Estella silently cheered but made sure Caroline didn't hear. "Oh mi amor you okay?"
Caroline nods even though she knew Estella couldn't see, "Yeah it was getting a little vanilla for me anyway, you know. It just sucks."
Estella laughs at her choice of words and gets an idea. "Hey, i'm only going to be another hour or so, go to my house with Bonnie, Enzo should be there to let you in and theres a cabinet of alcohol. We are going to drink and dance until you forget all about average-small-town-boy-Matthew-Donovan." Caroline laughs her description before thanking her and hanging up.
Estella heads back in to the office where she sees them all around a table with worried looks on their faces. Estella chuckles lightly and gains their attention. "Guess I was right huh, werewolves, curses, fatal bites. What a day." She smiles sarcastically when they all send her glares.
"How are you so calm about this?" Stefan says to her, a tone in his voice that he never spoke to her with. "Yeah, you knew all of this and not once did you tell us." Elena says narrowing her eyes accusingly.
"Guys." Damon tells them in warning, knowing if Estella hid something it was for a reason.
She shrugs and before leaving turns and answers vaguely, "Because in the end, i'll be the one to save you all."
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While heading back to the car to head back to Mystic falls, images starting to flash in front of Estella's eyes.
"Elena?"
"Nope, try again."
"Katherine"
Estella doesn't waste time and leaves in a cloud of red mist and ends up in front of Caroline glaring at Katherine who stood back in shock at the appearance.
"Zdraveī , Katerina" (Hello, Katerina.) she snaps her fingers making both her and Katherine disappear to a house located just on the outskirts of town.
Katherine immediately when getting out of her shock tries to attack Estella but stops at a barrier for not being invited in. "I'm impressed, not a lot of people can one up me." Katherine says a slight drawl to her words.
Estella looks at her for a bit, "Let me explain, come in Katherine."
She walks into the room, the vampire following her. "Bourbon?" Estella says offering the vampire a drink, her nodding in return.
They both take a seat in silence for a bit, kind of reminding Estella of her encounter with Damon. The witch finally breaks it, "You may be wondering why you're here and it's because I like you Katherine."
The 500 year old vampire looks shocked at her words.
"How can a friend of Elena like me." Katherine asks causing Estella's face to contort into one of disgust. "Ew, no I am no friend of Elena Gilbert i'm only keeping her alive for a mutual friend of ours." Katherine tenses with the possibility that Estella knew. She couldn't, could she.
"Yes Katherine, Klaus." Estella says, she sees how Katherine was prepared to leave again so she adds quickly, "I'm here to help you."
"What could you possibly give me." Katherine asks curiously.
"Freedom."
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Estella had gotten Katherine to work with her and help gain her freedom for the price that the ones she loved stayed safe. The moment the deal was broken, let's just say Estella would not be pleased. The loved ones:
Caroline , Bonnie , Jeremy , Stefan , Damon , Jenna , Alaric , Tyler
Estella had gotten closer to Tyler, they bonded with their daddy issues. Broken people herd together apparently. She was also planning to tell him about the supernatural soon. She wanted him to have a different outcome than the writers did for him. Him hurting Haley Marshall in 'The Originals' was not it for Estella.
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The next day Estella heads to the Lockwood Mansion, she was going to explain everything to Tyler and hopefully catch Mason before he left for Jenna's barbecue.
She had gotten out of her Impala when Mason was heading out of the house. "Mason!" the werewolf turns confused, "Estella right?"
She looks up at him getting closer, "Yeah thats me, I need to talk to you and Tyler." Mason looks suspiciously at her, her scent was off, she wasn't a vampire, she smelt kind of like a witch but it was more potent. "Why?"
Estella smiles softly, "I want to help you, with your furry little problem." Mason's eyes widen and nods leading her back into the house.
"Yo Mason, I thought you left." Tyler says before seeing the brunette behind him, "Stella?" she waves before she asks if they could talk.
Leading them in the living room Mason gets to the point, "Talk."
Estella sighs before crossing her legs and starting, "I know that you both have the werewolf gene and Mason has triggered it and Tyler you haven't." Tyler looks at her shocked, "How?"
She tilts her palms upwards balls of red energy swirling above before forming a circle and making it look like a mirror. Images start to form in it and Mason's first transformation shows up, then Tyler's. They both looked scared but Tyler is confused. Seeing this Estella explains. "I'm what they call a Chaos Witch, I can also see someone's past and their future." She says the last part looking sadly at Tyler. She kept the same story she had told everyone no one can know she wasn't from here.
Tyler is almost in tears at seeing that he broke his curse, Estella stands up and sits next to him, "Hey listen to me, if you do break your curse i'm going to help you, you are not alone if you need me i'll be there."
She looks up at Mason who was already looking at her, "I can make it painless and give you control of the shift." Mason perks up at the news, "Really?" he breathes out, his voice full of hope and desperation. He couldn't take the pain anymore.
She nods and takes one of the many rings on her hands, encasing it with her magic she whispers a small spell under her breath. The two Lockwoods watch in awe at the display. When finishing it she gives it to the older Lockwood and tells them to follow her.
When outside she takes them where no one can see them, she faces him and seeing the ring on his finger she says, "Shift."
Mason looks scared but the reassuring look on his face he starts to go to take his clothes off. She laughs, "You can keep the clothes the spell lets you keep them on through your shift." He huffs out a laugh and turns. In his space was a grey wolf, his amber eyes shining in happiness at the witch. Tyler watches in amazement at the action.
Not containing his happiness Mason pounces on Estella and licks her face gently making her laugh, "Okay, your welcome. Now try shifting back." Mason turns back and smiles brightly, "Thank you."
When Mason left to Jenna's barbecue she had warned him about Damon trying to stick silver into him and she stayed with Tyler. She told him about witches and also vampires. He was shocked at the revelation and who were the supernatural people in town.
Before leaving she offered to train Tyler at the same time as Jeremy so he was protected without relying on his wolf abilities. He said yes in a heartbeat.
She reminded him that she could always come to him and he agreed trusting her even more than he already did.
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