Always and Forever: a new life.

Wolf country.

'No good deed goes unpunished.' The words echoed in the back of her mind.

In the quiet depths of the night, Hope had found herself standing at the precipice of a life-altering decision. She knew what this would entail. Despite the risks, despite the personal cost, she could not stand idly by and watch as another innocent life slipped through the fingers. And so, Hope made her choice. A foolish, dangerous and incredibly well meaning choice. As Rose opened her eyes, wounds healed Hope divulged the plan of action to her. Leave today, never return, everyone here will believe you are dead. She had reached out and grasped the hand of fate, defying the odds and sealing her own fate in the process. Little did she know, her act of courage would set into motion a chain of events that would challenge everything she thought she knew, plunging her into a world of darkness and danger from which there may be no escape.

Hope made her choice, when she fed Rose her blood. She remembered the spell her aunt Freya did to fool Dahlia, by making a Golem in Hope's image. That's what she did, and that night it was a Golem Damon buried believing it to be his friend.

In the unforgiving tapestry of life, no good deed goes unpunished. It is a bitter truth that echoes through the ages, a reminder that even the noblest of intentions can lead to unforeseen consequences. For every act of kindness, there is a price to be paid, a sacrifice demanded by the cruel hand of fate. It is a harsh reality that Hope had come to learn all too well. Despite her best efforts to do right by others, she found herself ensnared in a web of hardship and adversity, each selfless act met with its own brand of punishment. And yet, amidst the chaos and turmoil, she clung to the belief that perhaps, in the end, her sacrifices would not be in vain. For in the darkest of nights, even the smallest glimmer of hope can illuminate the path forward, guiding her through the storm with unwavering resolve.

As she stood by the side of the deserted highway Hope watched Rose drive off to safety. In her mind she was at peace, but a small piece clawing at her, telling her there will be consequences. 'No good deed goes unpunished.' Though Hope had acted with the purest of intentions, she couldn't shake the foreboding sense that consequences would soon come knocking at her door.

The TV crackled with noise, it was the next day, Hope was still in her pajamas making her way around the apartment getting ready for the day ahead. A pretty female reporter spoke to the camera 'The authorities believe last night's assailant may also be related to the missing campers and park rangers who have yet to be found, as well as 25-year-old Jessica Cohen, reported missing this morning. The sheriff's department says investigations are pending and no further comment will be made. In related news Mayor Lockwood spoke earlier today...'

The flickering light from the TV danced across the walls of Hope's dimly lit living room as she listened to the somber report. With a heavy sigh, she set her coffee mug down on the worn wooden table, the bitter aroma mingling with the tension in the air. The news anchor's voice droned on, detailing the latest developments in the ongoing investigation. She knew who was behind it all, her thoughts drifting to Damon, his troubled soul a constant source of worry and frustration. As she stirred her coffee absentmindedly her thoughts wandered, Damon was a complex puzzle, his emotions often a turbulent sea of conflicting currents. While he possessed moments of kindness and warmth, there were times when the darkest corners of his soul seemed to consume him whole. It was as if he were a slave to his own instincts, unable to resist the pull of his most primal urges. She wondered if that's what being a vampire always felt like?

In those moments, rational thought gave way to raw emotion, and the consequences were often devastating. It was a side of him that Hope had never seen in the future, not that she knew him well, but looking at him in this time she couldn't help but think that he was a reminder of the fragile balance between light and darkness that existed within each of them.