"How are you not surprised?"Andrea questioned as she leaned against the headboard of the bed.
Ezekiel slowly sat down on the edge of it and shrugged it off.
"It's not that hard to understand it. I was born a werewolf and magic turned me into a vampire,"he explained.
"The rest of my siblings, however, were just made into vampires. That is all they've ever been and will be,"he said.
She glanced down at her stomach and rested a hand on it. Ezekiel shut his eyes and listened in on her heartbeat and the heartbeat of his child.
A small, faint beat.
"I can't stay too long,"he cleared his throat and stood up.
"You're afraid,"she said, reading the change in his expression and the way he avoids her eyes.
"What is there for me to be afraid of?"he scoffed.
"The witches won't harm you. You and our child will be fine."
"No... You're afraid of this, just like I am. You're scared that you won't be worthy to be this child's father,"she said as her lips slowly lifted to form a smile.
"I don't think it's something to smile about,"Ezekiel said with a frown.
He paced around the room before facing her, and with a deep breath, he decided to tell her of his dark past.
"My father used to be the greatest man I looked up to,"he began and he sat on the edge of the table leaned against the wall.
"The man before he knew of my mother's repeated affair and the man after were so so... different."
"Little brother, will you taste this for me?"Rebekah called out to him as she used a spoon to scoop up the soup she made using their mother's recipe.
Ezekiel neared her and she fed him.
He nodded his approval.
"It tastes incredible. Mother won't have to cook for us anymore, you shall do the cooking from now,"he joked and she rolled her eyes.
"There is more to learn, my daughter,"Esther smiled and stroked her hair gently.
"Where is he?"they hear the angry search of Mikael.
"Mother,"Ezekiel gasped and his eyes turned to the woman in fear.
"Don't be afraid,"Esther whispered.
"Hiding behind your mother, boy?"Mikael entered the room and pulled out his belt.
"I have done nothing wrong,"Ezekiel said.
Mikael grabbed his arm and pulled him. Ezekiel refused to follow and fought back, snatching his arm out of Mikael's grasp.
"You dare disobey me?"Mikael questioned.
"I am not afraid of you,"Ezekiel muttered.
Esther pushed Rebekah behind her.
"Mikael, please. What has he done wrong except to taste his sister's cooking?"she frowned.
"Silence! He's a coward and an abomination, just like Niklaus. He deserves to be treated like one,"Mikael spat and raised his hand with the belt.
"Even on days where I didn't do anything, he would find fault in what I do,"Ezekiel said.
"He just turned into this angry man that I didn't recognize... and I don't want to be like him."
"You won't be like him,"Andrea said confidently.
"How can you be so sure? Have you met my family? Have you seen my brother?"he scoffed.
"You won't be like him,"she repeated again.
"I know you wouldn't want this baby to go through the life that you had to go through. So yes, I'm sure,"she shrugged and laid down, pulling the comforter above her waist.
He gazed at her and shook his head.
"I'm sorry I left,"he said.
"You were afraid,"she said.
They let the silence linger on before he pulled out the spare phone and left it on the bed.
"My number is already inside... Promise me you'll call if something happens to you?"he questioned.
"I promise,"she nodded.
He opened the door and spared one last look at her before he left the hotel.
Ezekiel returned to the compound and Marcel watched him as he climbed up the stairs to his bedroom.
"You humiliated me today,"Marcel said.
"Humiliated you? And how have I done so, Marcel?"Ezekiel questioned.
"You made people question how much power I have over my own city,"Marcel turned his body around to face him.
"I let you into my city, because you were like a brother to me. Now, I'm not saying I trust you just yet,"he said.
"But I do respect you. Another stunt like that and I'll have you exiled."
Ezekiel scoffed and shook his head. He remembered the deal he made with Sophie and heaved out a sigh.
For the safety of Andrea and his child, he had to watch himself.
"I'm sorry. I won't do it again,"he reassured and headed into his room.
"You're city, your rules,"he said before he closed the door.
The next morning, Ezekiel left the compound to go see the last place on Earth Marcel would think of.
A place he hasn't come back to in a long while.
He gazed at the white mansion by the apple plantation, the same old mansion they saved Marcel from. He pushed open the door with barely any force to reveal their covered furniture still right where they left it.
He pulled off the white sheets and the dust flew into the air.
"Alright,"he coughed.
Ezekiel went back to the hotel to get Andrea and bring her to the mansion. The sanctuary they will be in for the next few months until he could unlink Sophie from her.
She gasped at the home.
"It's huge,"she said.
"It's all ours,"he pushed open the door and nodded her to come in.
"But you won't be here with me. Does it mean I'll be all alone?"she questioned.
"I'll be here. Just trust me,"he reassured.
"Where did you find this place?"she glanced around as she walked down the hallway.
"It's my family's,"he said.
"It'll be ours."
She turned to him.
"So, which one's mine?"Andrea questioned and headed up the stairs.
"Whichever. Afterwards, we can go shopping for your clothes and groceries.... This will be our lives for the next few months,"he folded his arms and leaned against the doorframe.
"And when do I get to go back to my own life with my pack?"she turned to him.
He heaved out a sigh.
"Andie, you're safer with me,"he said, following behind her.
"What will you say to Marcel?"she questioned more as she walked into a room and sat down on the bed.
"That I have found my own place,"he shrugged it off.
"I'll bring in a maid or two to help us unpack. We'll be fine."
He walked toward her and cup her face in his hand, planting a brief kiss on her forehead.
"Your safety and the safety of our child is my priority... and I will protect you with all of my strength,"he whispered.
Ezekiel kept his promise as five whole months went by and they watched her stomach grew with his child.
He made sure suspicions were thrown off his tail and no one in the whole of the French Quarter knew of Andrea's presence. Once a month, her pack would come visit and they would feast together.
They've grown quite a liking to him despite being against the fact that he was what he was.
Marcel neared him as he walked down the street, looking through the shop's windows for anything Andrea might like.
"You've been busy,"Marcel said.
"Busy how?"Ezekiel questioned.
"Thierry tells me you've been shopping a lot for clothes that aren't for you,"Marcel stopped him in his tracks with his hand on Ezekiel's arm.
"If you're with a woman, just tell me you're with a woman. What's the shame?"he chuckled.
"I haven't interfered with any of your business in the Quarter. I think I deserve to keep my secrets,"Ezekiel smiled and patted him on the back before walking past him.
"Why don't you bring her to the charity gala I'm having tonight? I'd love to welcome her to the city,"Marcel extended an invitation card.
"I'll consider it,"Ezekiel grabbed the card and left him behind, heading toward the stand with fruits.
Andrea had been craving for tons of sweet fruits the past few days and he wanted her to have as much as she wanted.
He returned back home to see Isabelle in the living room with Andrea.
"Hey,"he greeted.
"I got you guys some fruits. You alone today, Belle?"he questioned as he called for the maid and handed her the bag.
"Yeah, just dropping by. I couldn't stay away from the baby for too long,"Isabelle smiled.
"Have you guys found out the gender?"she questioned.
"Not really.... We're waiting it out,"Andrea shrugged.
"What's that?"she pointed to the card in his hand.
"Marcel invited me to his charity gala tonight. I think he's getting suspicious,"Ezekiel let out a sigh and sat down beside her.
He reached his hand out and stroked her bump gently, a smile replacing his frown.
"Go,"Andrea said.
"What?"he scoffed.
"Go to the gala,"she shrugged.
"Isabelle will keep me company. Get Marcel off your back and come back home to us."
"You sound like a wife,"Isabelle laughed.
He considered his options, ignoring Isabelle's little comment as Andrea pinched her arm.
"I'll be out and back quickly, okay? I can't stay away from you too long either,"he said.
"And we are not getting married no matter how many times you push me to,"he pointed to Isabelle before heading up to his room.
She knocked on his door that evening as he took one last look in the mirror in his suit.
He hadn't been in one in so long ever since he left Mystic Falls and found out he was going to be a father.
"You look dashing,"she smiled and she glowed with it.
The past few months that's all she's been doing - glowing.
He loved watching every moment of it.
"I just need to look decent,"he rolled his eyes and headed for the door.
"I hope you have fun tonight,"she said.
"I hope you have your own fun with Belle,"he said and leaned down to plant a brief kiss on her bump.
"I won't be long,"he promised.
The rest of the house was asleep early as she wondered out into the back of the house where the pool rested.
She glanced up at the night sky and took in the cold breeze as it hit her.
"You shouldn't be out here,"a voice said.
She turned around with a gasp.
"What are you doing in my house?"she questioned.
"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to scare you. I'm Sabine, I'm one of Sophie's friends,"the woman introduced.
"I came by to check on you and the baby,"she said.
"We're fine,"Andrea said and headed toward the door to the house, abandoning her plans for a night walk.
"Aren't you curious? About the gender?"Sabine questioned.
"I can do something about that... It's not magic, it'll just be an old trick knowledge I'll be passing on to you."
Andrea narrowed her eyes at Sabine and folded her arms.
"Okay,"she agreed and they headed into the kitchen.
Ezekiel leaned against the bar and took a sip from his glass of whiskey as Marcel neared him.
"What is it now, Marcellus?"he heaved out a sigh of defeat.
"I heard from a little bird that there's a werewolf somewhere in town,"Marcel said.
"That doesn't happen to be your lady, is it?"he questioned.
"And what if it is?"Ezekiel turned to him.
"Zeke, I have allowed you to be in my-"
"Yes, you've made that very clear over the course of my stay,"he scoffed.
"You are making me hard to trust you,"Marcel said.
"Trust me, it's a mutual feeling,"Ezekiel downed the rest of his drink.
"I see the look of distrust in your eyes, I'm not an idiot. You don't believe that I fought for you the night of the fire,"he said.
"And I don't believe you're the same person I considered to be my brother. I guess we have many years to make up for."
He handed Marcel a check for donation and walked away.
He returned back to the mansion completely exhausted with the socializing at the gala, unwilling to do anymore.
His brows furrowed when he entered the kitchen to see Andrea with a smile as she sat on the high stool with a cake on the table.
"You baked a cake in the middle of the night?"Ezekiel questioned.
"Just cut it open,"she said and handed him a knife.
He cut a slice to reveal pink frosting in the middle of the cake and he dipped his finger, stealing a taste.
"Not bad,"he nodded.
She groaned and gently slapped him on the back of his head.
"Read it,"she scolded.
He read the words on the cake.
'My gender is...'
He turned to her with wide eyes and a bright smile.
His dead heart beat like it never did before ever since Adela's death.
He was going to have a daughter, one he would raise like she was a princess in his kingdom. They would raise her happy and well in their own little home.
"I could kiss you right now,"he laughed and glanced down at her bump as she gazed at him.
"You're going to be the greatest father for her,"she whispered and she blinked away the tears from her eyes.
Would he love her like this if she wasn't pregnant with his child? Would he love her at all?
"You should get some sleep,"he said.
He took a bite of the cake and fed some to her before keeping the rest in the refrigerator for Isabelle.
"Come on,"he held out his hand and she placed her palm on his.
"I know where my room is you know,"she said as he followed her up the stairs and into her bedroom across from his.
"I know."
"Goodnight, Andie,"he said and headed into his own room.
Andrea didn't sleep as she stayed up thinking of names for her little girl.
"Asteria,"she blurted out the next morning when she walked into the kitchen to see Ezekiel.
"Last I checked, my name was still Ezekiel,"he said and glanced around to make sure she was talking to him.
She rolled her eyes.
"Asteria O'Brian-Mikaelson,"she said and he understood her.
"Why Asteria?"he frowned.
"Did you get any sleep last night?"he questioned.
"Aster is derived from Asteri, the Goddess of Stars, and I happen to love Greek and stars. She'll be our little star,"she smiled.
"The brightest."
Ezekiel's heart squeezed and expanded with happiness.
His little princess.
"Aster Rebekah O'Brian,"he said.
Named after his favorite sister and the strongest person he has ever known.
"She can't have my name, Andie. It's too dangerous for her."
"How will she know you're her father if anything happens?"her brows furrowed and her hand rested on her bump.
"She'll know,"Ezekiel reassured.
"Don't worry on this too much,"he said.
He turned back to the breakfast he was preparing and a small smile danced on his lips. He didn't want his daughter to have his qualities but he knew he would appear in her.
She is what he is, and she would be better.