𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐛𝐨𝐦𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧- 𝐄.𝐌

12. come back to me

An icy atmosphere shrouded and destructively sat in the air of the compound. Alongside Klaus and Caroline, the Compound was hosting many Lycans. Ezekiel, Amara, Onyx, Bartholomew, Maverick, Midas and Gideon with their betas had all arrived as soon as the message was sent that Maeve had been found.

Klaus nervously kept staring at the front door, as did Caroline. Both had been rather vague when it came to informing Maeve's brother, aunt and fellow comrades from the Lycan community about her state.

"They should be here by now." impatience evidently circled around the compound, a halo over every single head.

"They'll be here, Ezekiel. Just hold on for a little longer." Caroline pleaded. She kept picking at her nails nervously.

Her eyes went back to the front door just in time to see two figures emerge through the door, one after another. She could see one carried someone in their arms, the other following after them. She squinted her eyes to take a clearer look of them under the lamplight by the front door.

For a brief moment, all three faces were illuminated by the lamppost. Caroline's face turned pale at the harrowed scene ahead. She couldn't help but let it out──a painful scream of Maeve's name. Everyone around her leapt to their feet immediately, some filled with dread and worst thoughts, others ready to pounce on anyone.

Elijah stepped into the light of compound. Seeing the state of Maeve in his arms, wrapped in the jacket of his suit a deadly silence screamed in the compound. Amara leaned on her son for support. Ezekiel had one hand on his mother and the other was clutching onto Maverick as if his life depended on it.

All of the twenty Lycans who were present for Maeve took a step back from wherever they stood, allowing a moment for the Kalon pack. Elijah avoided looking at anyone──he simply couldn't do it. Elijah held himself in disappointment; that he couldn't find her sooner. All this while Maeve had been subjected to atrocities he couldn't even begin to imagine and he hadn't done anything.

He turned to his brother, Klaus after much deliberation. Klaus had a cold look marred on his face. It was a tell tale sign that Klaus was angrier than ever.

"I──I will take her to my room." Elijah announced to everyone. He walked up the flight of stairs and into the hallway that led to his room.

"Kol..." began Amara, "what happened?" Kol cleared his throat. He looked at his brother and Caroline. Although he had mentioned the state of Maeve, he hadn't told them about the scars, nor had he told them about the shackles or collar.

He stuttered a few sounds before he explained everything. Amara and Ezekiel had to sit back down on the chairs as they listened to Kol narrate everything. Caroline wept uncontrollably. Unconsciously she reached a hand out to hold onto Klaus's jacket. He placed a hand on top of hers, both seeking that support of touch to hold back on the rush of emotions.

"Who did this to her? Did you find them?" asked Klaus.

"There was no one there when we got there." Kol looked like a wreck as he answered their questions. "There's one more thing... it's kind of or maybe completely worse than this." he spewed out words unsure of if it would lessen the blow.

"What?" asked Caroline in a wobbly voice. "What could possibly be more to say? What could be worse?"

"She came to, for a few moments." he told them. "Her last words before she collapsed again were 'must die'."

The world, for centuries had seen the wrath of Klaus, heard stories of Lycans rage but it wasn't ready for seeing a collaboration of them.

"Let's go up." said Ezekiel.