A Different Path Taken

Chapter 10

Mia POV

"Apparently he went back to Florida." Tyler told me as I went to sit next to him on his bed. My heart filled with guilt as he talked about Mason. My dad ripped his heart out and sent it to Katherine, wrapped like a present.

That night Jenna stabbed herself from Katherine's compulsion and made Elena break up with Stefan. Me, personally, wanted to ask my uncle if we should celebrate his freedom but dad told me not to.

"And he was the only one helping you with your problem?"

"I'm sorry, Mia. I wish I could tell you but you wouldn't understand it." I nodded, hating the lies that were building between us, all on my fault.

A knock the door and soon Carol opened up. "Sorry kids, I just wanted to make sure Mia knew of the Masquerade Friday night."

"Oh dances aren-"

"Starts at 7, hun!" She ignored me and closed the doors. I could hear her giggling as she went down the stairs and I turned to Tyler who shrugged with an amused smile.

"I have to admit. Your moms awesome." I said as I searched my bag for my phone. I needed to text Caroline so she can go dress shopping with me later. I'm so glad Liz had taken the vampire secret easier, probably glad that this gave her a better relationship with her daughter than when she was human.

"Yeah I'm sure your mom is too. What's she like?" He asked and I froze, not knowing how to answer that. I put my purse down and wished we could just skip this conversation.

I never liked talking about my mother, I never met her. I was the reason she died, the reason my dad lost the girl he loved as a human. I didn't even have a picture to remember her by, seeing as she was a slave and was only known as 'Nadia.'

My family knew that was a sensitive topic to me so when I asked them never to mention it, they didn't. Part of me was scared that my dad lost memories of my mom, was scared that he wouldn't have memories of her to tell me.

I was scared he would miss her and blame me for her not being here with him. Then I thought of it, would Katherine had killed my mom to keep my father's attention? Would my dad have left her for Katherine? Left us?

"She died giving birth to me." I felt his hand on my back and shrugged it off, standing up to walk over to the window. "I'm sorry I just.. I don't really talk about her. I don't have any memories of her or pictures. I only know her name."

"Mia? Do you ever cry from this? Or do you just completely block it out?"

"Once in a big while I'll cry about it. I'll never do that in front of my dad, the guilt would be too much since I was the reason."

He stood up and walked over to me, pulling me to him and I laid my head on his chest. "Mia you're not the reason. I can't take away how you feel, but know that was never your fault. She loved you, I'm sure."

"I only know her name. Nadia. How sad is that?" I laughed softly until I felt tears replace my smile. "Only her name." I cried into Tyler's chest, holding onto his arms.

He held me the whole time, not saying anything and I felt even more guilt that he was comforting me when I didn't deserve it. I pulled away from him and begged my family not to hate me for what I was about to do.

"I don't deserve your comfort."

"You deserve it and a lot more, Mia. I wouldn't have gotten through a lot if it wasn't for you."

"No, Ty. I deserve your hate." I stepped back from him as confusion filled his eyes. "I'm not what you think."

"Mia I don't care, hell you could be worse than Caroline and I'll-"

"I'm not human." I cut him off, watching his eyes go wide.

"I knew it. Something was always telling me you were different. You're a wolf too, aren't you!" He growled and I couldn't stop the laugh that came out.

"You think I'm a wolf?!" I laughed hard, clutching my stomach as it started to hurt from how hard I was laughing. I heard him growl anomalistically and felt myself being pinned against the wall roughly.

"Admit it!" He shouted and I felt instinct take over from a wolf growling at me so I flipped us, pinning his arms down and hissing at him. "Oh my fucking god... Mia."

I stepped away from him and grabbed my purse. "I need to go."

"No!" He wrapped his arms around my waist and I froze. "Don't. I-I won't say anything. I promise. I just need answers."

I nodded and he had us sit on the bed. I told him the truth... the full truth, even with Mason and I saw anger fill his eyes. "He worked with a bitch that was hurting my friends and you?"

"Ouch. I'm not a friend anymore?" I pouted and he glared at me.

"Mia I think I've made it clear I never wanted to be just friends with you." I bit my lip and looked down at my hands, not knowing what to say. "I won't tell anyone, but I don't appreciate Damon...well your dad, killing my uncle. He was the only one who knew about wolves and now I'm alone."

"You're not alone." I grabbed his hands, "I promise I'll find out as much as I can and I'll help you. I'll help you for the rest of my eternal life."

I smiled at him and he smirked. "Can you show me your eyes again?"

"No! That only happens when I'm upset or hungry." He smirked and pushed me back on the bed and laid next to me.

"Then drink me."

"You're insane." I smiled at him, but still complied and phased a bit, making him touch under my eyes. He cupped my cheek and I looked into his eyes. "I promise you're not alone."

"I know." He smiled at me and leaned down to kiss me, making me hold onto his cheeks to keep his lips on mine. We pulled back and I remembered something that Mason said.

"I know how to trigger the wolf curse. You have to kill a human. Then your a wolf every full moon for the rest of your life." He nodded and rubbed my cheek with his thumb. "I won't let that happen."

"He told me the pain would be horrible and I don't think I want to be a murder machine when that happens."

"You won't." I promised him, "If it happens, we'll find somewhere to chain you and I'll be there every step of the way."