⋆.ೃ࿔*:･ (xi. a tale of two wolves)
'ALL OF US WERE ONLY DREAMING,
EVERYTHING IS ACTUALLY A MESS'
"𝗜 𝗗𝗢𝗡'𝗧 𝗞𝗡𝗢𝗪 𝗔𝗕𝗢𝗨𝗧 𝗧𝗛𝗜𝗦, 𝗧," Elena muttered quietly, her tone nervous as she watched her dark-haired friend remove the dagger from Elijah's chest.
The two girls had been restless after finding out that Klaus was in town and in possession of Alaric's body, though for two completely different reasons.
Thea wasn't sure whether Klaus was aware of the bond the two shared, and at the minute, she was rather thankful for it. However, the Lockwood teen was certain that the only way she and Elena were going to receive answers was to ask the source directly.
Or at least, in this case, the source's brother.
"Look, Le, we need answers right?" Thea questioned as she sat against the back wall of the basement beside Elena, twirling the silver dagger in her hand. Elena frowned, nodding her head in agreement with a sigh causing Thea to smile softly.
"Then this is the best way to get them," the Lockwood teen assured her friend in a hushed tone, cautious of the fact that Damon and Stefan were still sleeping upstairs.
The two friends sat in silence, watching Elijah's desiccated body boredly as they waited for him to wake up.
Elena wasn't completely sure that what they were doing was a good idea, however, Thea seemed to trust Elijah and Elena had complete faith in Thea. If Elijah was who they needed to be rid of Klaus, then so be it.
After a moment, Elijah's body suddenly began to move; startling the two girls as his back arched violently and his muscles cracked. The two girls automatically rushed towards him, attempting to calm him down so he didn't alert Stefan or Damon.
"Elijah," Thea spoke softly, her tone gentle and barely above a whisper as she laid a hand on his arm, "Elijah, shh it's okay."
The original shifted his gaze, looking into the deep brown eyes of the Lockwood teen as a fleeting sense of recognition washed over him.
Thea offered him a small smile as she noticed him calm a little before his eyes drifted towards the doppelganger next to her. "Katerina," Elijah whispered in surprise, his eyes filled with a haunting sense of longing that startled both Thea and Elena.
The two brunettes shared a worried look just as Elijah's body fell limp as the Original lost consciousness once again. "Elijah," Elena whispered as she shook the original, her brows furrowed in concern, "it's me, Elena."
The original gasped, his eyes flying open as his body convulsed painfully forcing the two teens to shuffle away from him. Elijah stood up quickly, holding his neck as he gasped for air.
"I can't – I can't breathe," the vampire stuttered breathlessly as he tried to cling to any oxygen he could.
Thea and Elena both watched in a panic as Elijah fell to the floor, landing on his hands and knees as he looked up at them helplessly.
"What's happening to me?" Elijah gasped as he got up once again, speeding towards the door only to slam into the doorway. Thea frowned worriedly, rushing over to the original to help him stand as he clutched onto her shoulders desperately.
"I can't- I can't be in this house," the original stuttered through pants as he felt his airways begin to close, clutching onto Thea desperately as he began to lose balance.
The Lockwood teen shifted her gaze towards Elena worriedly, confused as to what was wrong with Elijah.
The doppelganger gasped in realisation as her eyes widened, "you haven't been invited in," Elena revealed. Elijah breathed in shakily as he looked directly at Thea, "get me out of here," the vampire muttered pleadingly.
Before Thea even had the chance to help, Elijah sped out of the cellar, crashing straight into the walls as he went causing both Thea and Elena to wince.
If the Salvatore's woke up, the brunettes were certain they'd be the next ones locked up in the basement.
When Elena and Thea finally caught up to him, Elijah was crouched down on the porch just outside the front door. His clothes were tattered and burnt; thanks to Damon's clever attempt at trying to cook him with a flame thrower.
Noticing the brunettes had joined him, Elijah glared, breathing heavily as he stood to his feet; attempting to lunge for the two friends only to be stopped by the barrier on the door.
"What happened?" the original asked coldly, his narrowed gaze set firmly on Elena.
Thea winced, shushing the vampire as Elena pointed upstairs before pointing to her ears; reminding him that Damon and Stefan were upstairs.
"We'll tell you," Thea assured the original, her voice barely above a whisper as she communicated with him, "not here."
"Can we trust you?" Elena asked quietly, raising a brow at the vampire causing Elijah to look at her in disbelief. "Can I trust you?" the original whispered back in an icy tone that caused Elena to flinch guiltily.
With a roll of her eyes, Thea pulled out the silver dagger from her back pocket, handing it to Elijah as a peace offering. Elena watched the exchange with a nervous expression, still hesitant to trust the vampire she had betrayed.
Elijah raised his brow, looking from the dagger to Thea who remained perfectly unnerved; not feeling any sense of danger within the vampire's presence.
With a ghost of a smile, Elijah took the dagger from Thea's outstretched hand, offering the two friends a nod.
. . .
Elena drove her car down the road towards the Lockwood Mansion, Elijah in the passenger seat draining his third blood bag whilst Thea was sat in the back.
"You look better," Thea commented as she poked her head between the front seats, noticing the colour had returned to Elijah's complexion.
Elijah offered the teen a raised brow, smirking in amusement at her before directing his attention towards Elena. "Where did you get the dagger?" the original asked, his tone somewhat demanding as he narrowed his eyes at the doppelganger.
"I'll tell you everything," Elena assured the vampire with a soft sigh, "but we have to work together, Elijah." Elena quickly flickered her gaze towards the original, being mindful of the road, "I need your word," the brunette stated firmly.
Elijah's expression remained neutral, though both teens could quite clearly see he was becoming more agitated. "Your ability to make demands has long passed," the original retorted with a bitter tone, emitting a sigh from Thea.
"No demands," the Lockwood teen spoke as she set her attention directly on Elijah. "Lena and I are offering you our help, and in return, we want yours," Thea requested softly, her tone and gaze sincere.
Elijah faltered a little at her words, finding it hard to deny Thea. Despite how little he actually knew her, the original couldn't deny that he felt at ease in her presence.
He was so used to keeping his guard up to protect himself and his family, that he so rarely allowed himself to feel comfortable around anyone.
But with Thea, he couldn't seem to help it. It was a gift of hers, he realised. She instilled absolute serenity and peacefulness in those she surrounded herself with. Never once passing judgement unless she had reason to.
"And why should I even consider this?" Elijah questioned, breaking off his thoughts as he looked between the two brunettes; attempting to keep his expression and thoughts guarded.
Elena frowned a little at his hostility, still feeling incredibly guilty for betraying him. "The same reason you haven't killed me," the doppelganger replied with a knowing expression.
"You need me to kill Klaus," Elena stated firmly as Elijah eyed her critically, "and we need you." Before the original had a chance to retort, Thea's phone began to ring incessantly.
The Lockwood teen rolled her eyes, meeting Elena's gaze in the mirror; both already knowing exactly who it was. Thea had barely managed to answer the call and place it on speaker before Stefan's worried voice sounded through the phone.
"Where are you? Where's Elena? Are you both okay?" the younger Salvatore asked quickly causing Thea to roll her eyes as Elena smiled softly at her boyfriend's obvious worry.
"I'm here; we're both fine," the doppelganger answered as she continued to drive down the road towards the Lockwood Mansion.
Stefan let out an obvious sigh of relief after hearing his girlfriends voice. "Where's Elijah?" the younger Salvatore asked next, causing Elena to wince slightly, still not overly fond of Thea's plan and the fact that she was lying to her boyfriend.
"He's right here," Thea replied honestly with a smile as she met Elijah's gaze through the mirror. The original looked at her in surprise, shocked that she'd revealed the truth as Stefan cursed through the receiver.
"Where? I'm on my way," Stefan stated with a tone of finality, causing both brunettes to roll their eyes once again. "No, Stefan," Elena refused firmly, her tone leaving no room for argument, "Thea, Elijah, and I need some time alone."
Thea rose her brows at her friend, surprised that Elena seemed to be on board with her plan as Elijah propped his elbow against the door, listening to the conversation intently.
"Listen to me," Stefan pleaded with both Thea and Elena desperately, "he will use you both to get to Klaus."
Elena took a deep breath as she continued to drive down the road, preparing for what she was about to say. "Elijah is a nobleman, Stefan," the doppelganger began, shooting Elijah a quick look before redirecting her attention on the road.
"He lives by a code of honour. I can trust him," Elena assured the Salvatore, though she was really speaking more to Elijah.
"He knows that I'd be incredibly stupid to betray him again. By removing the dagger, Thea and I have proven ourselves," the brunette finished, earning an amused smirk from Elijah in response.
Stefan was silent for a moment before he sighed in defeat, "you can't do this alone," the vampire stated firmly. Thea rolled her eyes at his overprotectiveness, "she's not alone, Steffie," the wolf reminded with a hint of annoyance.
She may have not been as strong as a vampire but being a werewolf did have some decent perks. She'd be able to protect Elena if the need ever came.
"This is my decision, Stefan," Elena spoke firmly into the receiver, "please respect it."
Elijah looked across at the doppelganger with an impressed expression as Thea turned off the speaker, holding her phone to her ear. "Make sure Damon doesn't do anything stupid," the Lockwood teen requested, knowing exactly what the elder Salvatore was like.
"We'll be in touch," Thea stated with an easy, carefree tone before hanging up on him, not allowing him the chance to reply. As soon as she'd ended the call, Elijah held his hand out towards her expectantly.
Thea raised a brow at him, eyeing him curiously as Elijah remained still. Finally grasping what he meant, Thea rolled her eyes before handing over her phone, Elena doing the same as the original pocketed them both.
Elena sighed deeply as she continued en-route to the Lockwood Mansion, emitting a shaky breath as Elijah looked at her expectantly.
"He's here," Elena revealed fearfully, causing Elijah's brows to furrow in a mix of confusion and shock. "Klaus is here?" the original asked, his tone one of shock as his eyes widened slightly.
Thea and Elena both nodded their heads solemnly in response.
"He's taken over Alaric's body," Thea told him causing Elijah to sigh in annoyance, nodding his head as if he expected it. "Of course he has," Elijah muttered in irritation as he slumped in his seat, "it's one of his favourite tricks."
Thea and Elena both frowned as Elijah looked out of the window distractedly.
"Well, what are his other tricks? What is he going to do next?" the Lockwood teen pressed with a raised eyebrow, wanting to know everything about Klaus in order to protect herself and her friends, "you're the only that knows him."
Elijah smiled sadly with a nostalgic expression on his face as he turned back to face the two brunettes who were waiting patiently for him to answer, "yes, I do."
. . .
Elijah, Elena, and Thea were now stood on the porch outside the Lockwood Mansion; waiting patiently for Carol to answer the door after Elijah rang the doorbell. They didn't have to wait long before the door opened, revealing a very confused Carol Lockwood.
"Thea?" the woman spoke in confusion, her brows furrowed as she met eyes with her daughter. Thea smiled at her mom in return, "I forgot my key," the teen shrugged with a sheepish look.
As far as Carol knew, Thea had stayed at the Gilbert's after last night's Decade Dance.
Carol shook her head with a sigh, completely unsurprised by her daughter's lack of organisation and responsibility. As Thea entered her home, Carol suddenly caught sight of Elena and Elijah, causing her frown to deepen.
"Elijah? What are you doing here?" the older Lockwood woman questioned in confusion as she eyed the originals burnt suit, "what happened?" Elijah offered the woman a polite smile, causing a small blush to decorate Carol's cheeks.
"I've had a bit of an incident, Carol," Elijah responded politely, "I'm hoping you could help." Carol furrowed her brows, sending the vampire an apologetic smile as she checked the clock by the door, "well, I'm on my way to a meeting so I-"
"It won't take but a minute of your time," Elijah compelled her, leaving Thea stood in shock as she watched the scene unfold.
Carol had been mixing vervain in their water system for as long as Thea could remember; not that it made any difference to the twins as they couldn't be compelled anyway due to their werewolf gene, but Carol didn't know that.
Carol smiled at the vampire as she opened the door wider, allowing him and Elena to enter. "Of course, anything you need," the Lockwood woman assured as Thea scowled at Elijah, annoyed that he'd compelled her mother when she could've easily helped him herself.
"Thank you," Elijah smiled politely at the woman as Carol closed the door behind them, "well, first things first, I'm going to need a change of clothing." Carol nodded in agreement, eyeing his suit critically for a moment before a sudden thought hit her.
"Well, we can try one of my husband's suits," the Lockwood woman replied with a hint of sadness in her tone, "I haven't boxed them up yet."
Thea felt a small pang in her heart at the mention of her deceased father, as, whilst they may not have always gotten along, she did miss him dearly.
Elijah nodded at Carol, offering her a grateful smile, "wonderful." Carol smiled as she began to ascend the stairs, leaving Thea, Elena, and Elijah still stood in the foyer.
"Did you just compel my mom?" Thea snapped in disbelief, narrowing her eyes at the original once her mom was out of earshot.
"How did you know she was off vervain?" Elena asked as Thea continued to glare at him. Elijah rolled his eyes, completely unbothered by the harshness of Thea's gaze, "because I'm the one who got her off it," the original replied easily.
Elena's eyes widened as Thea scoffed in disbelief. "Right before you and your friends killed me," Elijah continued, raising a brow at the doppelganger with a sense of bitter hostility, "twice." Elena winced apologetically as Thea continued to glare at the original.
"Well, I had nothing to do with that," the Lockwood teen began, her soft tone juxtaposing the venom that shone in her eyes.
"But if you continue to use my mother as your personal servant, I will happily make it a third," Thea stated coldly, her assured tone making her words sound a lot more like a promise than a threat.
Elijah stood silent for a moment, a hint of a smirk forming on his lips as he eyed the wolf. Whilst Elijah was fond of Thea's ability to instil peace in everyone she knew, he was equally as moved by her fierce loyalty to protect those she cared about.
"If you'll excuse me," Elijah spoke softly, offering the Lockwood teen a gentle smile as he nodded towards the stairs, "I'll be down in a moment." As Elijah walked up the stairs to meet Carol, Thea turned to Elena with an exhaustive sigh.
"Remind me to add vervain to my mom's coffee in the morning."
. . .
"So I assume the Martin witches are no longer with us?" Elijah asked as he, Thea, and Elena gathered in one of the downstairs rooms in the Lockwood Mansion.
Before she left for her meeting, Carol had set out a pot of tea and three cups, much to Thea's displeasure.
She had never been fond of the drink. "No, I'm sorry," Elena apologised with a guilty expression on her face as she sat on the couch opposite the original.
Elijah nodded solemnly in response, "and Katerina?" the vampire asked, "she would've been released from my compulsion when I died."
Thea nodded, "Klaus took her," the wolf replied with a shrug, not really caring much for the doppelganger, "we think that she may be dead." Elijah laughed softly, shaking his head in denial as an amused smirk formed on his lips.
"I doubt that," Elijah replied causing both Elena and Thea to furrow their brows in confusion, knowing that Klaus had been after the doppelganger for centuries.
"Not Klaus' style," the original revealed upon noticing their confused looks, "death would be too easy for her after what she did."
Elena's frown deepened as she looked across at the original, "I don't understand," the doppelganger exclaimed after a moment. "You say you want Klaus dead, but you still made Katherine pay for betraying him," the brunette reminded with a tone of confusion.
"I have my own reasons for wanting Katerina to pay," Elijah revealed with a heavy sigh as a fleeting look of pain formed on his expression.
Thea eyed the original critically, wanting to understand the history Elijah and Katherine shared.
"There was a time..." Elijah trailed as he began to recall a memory, "I'd have done anything for Klaus." Elena's eyes widened as Elijah delved into the memory of when he and Klaus first met Katherine in England 1492.
Elijah's smirk widened as he noticed Elena's expression, "yes, Klaus is my brother," the original repeated. Thea watched in amusement as her friend tried to process the information she'd just been told; she herself having had already known.
"Yeah, I heard that," Elena replied, a look of utter disbelief on her face as she nodded her head, "still processing."
Elijah smirked, an amused glint in his eyes as he looked at the doppelganger, "yes, I'm a little behind on the times," the original began in a teasing tone, "but I believe the term you're searching for is 'OMG'."
Thea let out a curt giggle, amused by the fact that someone of such a class and age as Elijah had just muttered the phrase 'OMG' aloud. As Elijah took a drink from one of the teacups Carol had set out, Elena turned towards Thea with a confused frown.
"Why aren't you as shocked as I am?" the doppelganger questioned curiously with furrowed brows. Thea offered her friend a soft smile, "the dreams I've been having are of Klaus and his family," the brunette informed.
"Elijah often makes an appearance – I kind of just put two and two together," Thea explained with a small shrug as Elena stared at her, utterly dumbfounded that Thea hadn't told her this before.
Elena's jaw seemed to drop even further as she processed what Thea had told her, "there's a whole family of originals?" Elijah smirked at the doppelganger as Thea watched her in amusement.
The Lockwood teen had been through all of those emotions herself when Elijah first told her she was Klaus' unfortunate soulmate. It was amusing to watch someone else have to work through it.
"My father was a wealthy land-owner in a village in Eastern Europe," Elijah began to inform the two brunettes as he sat on the couch across from them, "our mother bore seven children." Elena furrowed her brows at the original in response.
"So, your parents were human?" Elena asked in confusion, emitting an eye roll from Thea as she shook her head at her friend's stupidity.
"No, they were born dead, Le," the Lockwood teen remarked sarcastically with an amused glint in her brown eyes.
Elena rolled her eyes, shoving the wolf playfully as Elijah stood from the couch, fixing his tie in the mirror. "Our whole family was," the original stated as he watched the two best friends in amusement through the mirror.
"Our origin as vampires is a very long story, Elena," Elijah told the doppelganger with a sigh as he turned back to face the two teens. "Just know, we're the oldest vampires in the world," the original stated with a sense of superiority and threat.
Elena stilled beside Thea on the couch as the Lockwood teen watched the vampire wearily, unsure of his intentions. "We are the original family, and from us, all vampires were created," Elijah finished with a serious tone.
"Right, but Klaus is your brother," Thea reminded as she looked up at the original with a curious frown, "and you want him dead?" Elijah faltered for a moment, a conflicted look on his face as he thought over Thea's words.
"I need some air," the original finally spoke after a moment as he fixed the lapels of his suit jacket. "I'm still feeling a tad...dead," Elijah stated as he turned towards the two teens, "come."
. . .
Elijah, Thea, and Elena walked through the vast open space of the Lockwood's garden; enjoying the gentle breeze as they continued to talk. "So, as you've seen, nothing can kill an original," Elijah informed the two girls who listened intently.
"Not sun, not fire, not even a werewolf bite," the original listed, sending a pointed look towards Thea who rolled her eyes in annoyance at his accusation.
"Only the wood from one tree. A tree my family made sure burned," Elijah finished.
Thea nodded her head in acknowledgement, "that's where the white ash from the dagger comes from," the Lockwood teen realised, earning a nod from Elijah in response.
"The witches wouldn't allow anything truly immortal to walk the Earth," the vampire explained as the three of them walked towards the little bridge built over the stream which separated the two halves of the Lockwood's garden.
"Every creature needs to have a weakness in order to maintain the balance," Elijah commented.
Elena furrowed her brows in confusion, "so the sun can't kill an original..." the doppelganger trailed, repeating what Elijah had just told them, "so why is Klaus so obsessed with breaking the Sun and Moon curse?"
Elijah chuckled softly, a faint smirk decorating his lips as he looked between Elena and Thea. "Right. The curse of the sun and the moon..." the original trailed with a tone of amusement, "it's all so biblical sounding, don't you think?"
Thea frowned in confusion as Elijah laughed softly once again. "What's so funny?" the Lockwood teen asked with furrowed brows, sharing a look with Elena as neither of them had a clue why Elijah seemed so amused.
Elijah offered the pair a smile as he took them down memory lane once again; this time telling them of the time he and Klaus were reminiscing and laughing over the various scrolls Klaus had made regarding the Sun and Moon curse.
"I don't understand," Elena muttered with furrowed brows once Elijah had finished, "Klaus drew the Aztec sketches about the curse?" Elijah nodded his head in confirmation, a small smile of amusement decorating his lips as he reminisced.
"Roman scrolls, African tribal etchings..." the vampire listed, "and any other culture or continent we felt like painting it in," he informed with a small smile. Thea furrowed her brows in confusion, "but, why?" the wolf asked plainly.
Elijah smiled softly in response, "the easiest way to discover the existence of a doppelganger or to get your hands on some moonstone, was to have every single member of a warring species looking out for it," the original explained with a shrug.
"So it's not Aztec at all?" Elena questioned curiously causing Elijah's smirk to broaden, his eyes alight with amusement. It was then that Thea realised exactly what Elijah was getting at, "the curse...it doesn't exist, does it?"
Elena's eyes widened as she turned to look at Thea before redirecting her attention back towards Elijah, searching for answers. Elijah smirked broadly, shaking his head in amusement causing Elena's jaw to drop in shock as the original turned and crossed the small bridge.
"What?!" the doppelganger called after the vampire as she and Thea both followed him, her head reeling from all the information she'd been given. The three of them made their way towards the lake at the edge of the Lockwood's property, walking around the outer banks.
"Klaus and I faked the sun and moon curse dating back over a thousand years," Elijah informed the two girls who were still deeply confused with the entire situation.
"But if there's no curse," Thea spoke up as she peered up at Elijah with furrowed brows, "why does Klaus need Elena?"
Elijah sighed heavily as he looked towards the floor, "there's a curse, just not that one," the original revealed, shocking the two teens once again.
"The real ones much worse," Elijah stated solemnly, "it's a curse placed on Klaus."
Elena and Thea both shared a troubled look once again, utterly bewildered by everything Elijah was telling them. "What are you talking about?" Elena questioned in deep confusion, unable to process all the information she'd been given throughout the day.
"Klaus has been trying to break it for the last thousand years, and you..." Elijah trailed as he looked directly at Elena with a hint of sadness, "are his only hope."
. . .
A little while ago, Elena had received a call from Stefan who told her Klaus had attacked Jenna. With the promise to return later, the brunette had quickly left the Lockwood Mansion, leaving Elijah and Thea to continue the conversation.
"So, what is Klaus' curse?" the Lockwood teen inquired, peering up at Elijah from the couch she was sat on in one of the downstairs living areas of the Mansion. "You don't want to wait for Elena to return?" the original questioned with a raised brow.
Thea shook her head in response, "I'm not really known for my patience," the Lockwood teen remarked with a smirk. Elijah chuckled softly, nodding his head as he moved from the fireplace, taking a seat on the couch in front of her.
"My family was quite close, but Klaus and my father did not get on too well," Elijah began with a distant expression on his face, "when we became vampires, we discovered the truth."
Thea furrowed her brows, listening intently to Elijah's words.
"Klaus was not my father's son," Elijah revealed, shocking Thea as her eyes widened considerably. "My mother had been unfaithful many years before, this was her darkest secret," the original continued with a saddened tone.
"Klaus is from a different bloodline. Of course, when my father discovered this, he hunted down and he killed my mother's lover and his entire family," Elijah revealed causing Thea to frown sympathetically.
Her heart broke a little for Klaus as she realised he had never gotten the chance to know his real father and had instead been forced to live with the brute of a man that had often made an appearance in her dreams.
"Not realising, of course, that he was igniting a war between species that rages until this day," Elijah commented wistfully causing Thea to furrow her brows in confusion, unsure of what he meant.
"A war between the species?" the Lockwood teen repeated questioningly.
Elijah nodded his head subtly, "the vampires..." the original trailed as he emitted a soft sigh, "and the werewolves." At his revelation, Thea's eyes widened in shock as she fell back against the couch in thought.
"So, Klaus' real father was from a werewolf bloodline?" the brunette questioned, repeating what Elijah had told her as she tried to wrap her head around it all.
Elijah nodded his head in confirmation as he watched her process the information.
Thea's eyes widened as a sudden realisation hit her, "my God...he's both, isn't he?" the brunette realised with a mixed tone of dread and fear.
"That's the curse he wants to break?" Thea questioned as she looked up at Elijah.
"A hybrid would be deadlier than any werewolf or vampire. Nature would not stand for such an imbalance of power," the original explained with a sad look on his face.
"Therefore, the witches, the servants of nature, saw to it that my brother's werewolf side would become dormant," Elijah revealed causing Thea to frown sympathetically.
Whilst she didn't exactly want to try and identify with Klaus, it was kind of hard not to. He carried the werewolf gene, just as she did, except his had been stripped away from him.
He had been denied a part of himself; a part that Thea could never imagine living without.
Still, no matter the reasons behind his actions, it didn't excuse the fact that he wanted to sacrifice her best friend. Thea pushed away her conflicting thoughts, promptly reminding herself that Klaus was nothing more than another enemy they needed to be rid of.
"So, where does the whole soulmate thing come into this?" Thea questioned, swallowing thickly as she wasn't quite sure whether she wanted the answer.
The brunette was happy with trying to forget that she was soul-bound to an ancient, bloodthirsty vampire - though she was acutely aware her hope wasn't that probable.
Elijah's expression turned sorrowful for a moment as he looked at the teen. "When our mother was forced to bind Niklaus' werewolf side – out of guilt, she created the soulmate spell," the original began to explain as Thea listened intently.
"I've heard it's a common occurrence amongst some wolves," Elijah stated, revealing all the information he'd picked up over the years, "your soul is bound to another's, signified by the mark you both share."
"Yours is bound to my brothers," Elijah revealed causing Thea to let out a shaky breath. Of course, she had already been told this once before, but hearing it for a second time didn't make it any easier to process.
Thea swallowed thickly, her brows furrowed as she peered up at Elijah nervously, "does, um, does Klaus know?" the brunette questioned; unsure of whether or not she wanted the answer.
Elijah sighed, shaking his head in denial much to Thea's relief.
"Not long after we were turned, Klaus and I sought out a witch to explain the sudden appearance of the mark behind his ear," Elijah began to explain.
"At first, we thought it was a remnant of the spell our mother had used to bind his werewolf gene, but she informed us of the soulmate bond."
"In the beginning, Niklaus was hopeful, happy to know that there was someone out there who could offer him the love he desired," the original reminisced with a small smile, thinking of the happier times he shared with his brother.
Thea felt a tug on her heart at his words, feeling almost guilty as she realised she could never offer him that. Especially not when he was so hellbent on sacrificing her best friend.
"But then the years passed, and Klaus grew colder and more determined on breaking his curse until he ceased to believe that a love like that existed," Elijah stated with a saddened tone, the expression on his face one of sorrow.
"He decided then that the witch's words had been a lie," the vampire revealed as he looked back at Thea with a small smile, "I don't think he knows exactly who you are to him."
Thea nodded, feeling slightly relieved by the fact that Klaus had yet to discover the bond the two shared. However, the brunette couldn't fight the sorrow she felt after discovering that Klaus no longer believed in love.
It may have been naïve to think, but the brunette had always believed that love was what made your life worth living. The world was a cruel place, too cruel to believe that there was no good thing in it.
If love ceased to exist, what was there to live for?
"So...if my soul is linked to Klaus'..." Thea trailed in thought, "what happens to me if he dies?" Elijah frowned at her words, shaking his head as if he didn't have the answer she was looking for.
"I don't know," Elijah revealed honestly causing Thea to exhale shakily, feeling both nervous and fearful by Elijah's declaration.
Seeing her fearful state, Elijah plastered on a determined expression in the attempt to reassure her, "I'm sure we can get your witch to block the bond between the two of you-"
"Don't," Thea quickly cut the vampire off with a stern tone as she shook her head, having already made up her mind on the situation. Elijah frowned, furrowing his brows in confusion at the teen, "what?"
Thea offered the original a small smile in response, "Bonnie needs her strength to take down Klaus," the brunette explained with a shrug, "if it comes down to me, or taking down Klaus; we can't afford to miss that opportunity."
Elijah frowned, staring at the brunette in a mixture of bewilderment and awe as he regarded what she said.
"You would truly sacrifice yourself to save Elena?" the original questioned as if he'd never met anyone as selfless as the teen before.
Thea nodded her head without a moment of hesitation. Though she didn't exactly want to die at 18; if worse comes to worst, she would happily lay down her life to ensure the enemy died along with her and her friends were safe.
"She's my best friend, Elijah. I'd do it for anyone I cared about."
. . .
FIRE AND ICE | THE FIRST ENCOUNTER
Imagine Dragons ⎯⎯⎯⎯⎯ dream