Bound in the Shadows / TVD N.M

🦋~° 10 °~🦋

*****************
Liora

I stood beside Niklaus, my wolf form still strong and silent, but inside, my thoughts were anything but. The apartment was a mess, blood bags scattered across the kitchen floor, each one emptied by Stefan, who sat there, defeated, his head hung low. He was breaking, and we all knew it. His hands trembled as they rested on his knees, stained with blood—human blood.

Katherine lounged on the sofa, her expression somewhere between disgust and satisfaction. She loved watching people crumble, especially those who tried so hard to hold it together. I could see the faintest smirk tugging at the corners of her mouth, though she tried to mask it with a grimace.

Niklaus, standing tall and confident, watched Stefan with a cold calculation. He had forced him into this, breaking Stefan's precious diet of animal blood that had kept the ripper at bay. The bargain was clear—Stefan drinks, breaks his self-control, and then he leaves town with us. There was no other option for him, not if he wanted to save his brother.

I watched Stefan struggle, the bloodlust already taking hold of him. His eyes, once full of defiance, now flickered with something darker. He was spiraling, and I knew Nik had succeeded in pushing him over the edge. This was what Niklaus did best—manipulate, break, and rebuild people into what he needed them to be.

As I stood there, feeling the tension rise between the occupants of the room, my mind wandered. Niklaus's plan was clear—he wanted to leave town, probably to start creating his army of hybrids, something he had dreamed of for centuries. He had always longed for others like him, to no longer be the only one of his kind, alone. I had seen the pain in him, the way he hated being isolated, even if he masked it with arrogance and power. But now... now he was on the brink of finally achieving that dream.

The thought of leaving Mystic Falls with him, being by his side as he built his new world, should have excited me. But instead, a sharp pang of worry hit me. Jeremy. I couldn't leave without saying goodbye to him. I owed him that much. He had been my friend, someone who had seen me—even when I was invisible to everyone else. He cared about me, and despite everything, I cared about him too.

I glanced at Nik, my heart heavy with the decision I had to make. He stood so sure of himself, so focused on the future he was about to carve out. And here I was, torn between loyalty to him and the need to give Jeremy the closure he deserved.

The room was silent except for the faint sounds of Stefan's ragged breathing. He looked up at Nik, his voice barely a whisper, "I did what you wanted. Now let me help Damon."

Niklaus tilted his head, his cold blue eyes narrowing as he stepped forward. "You've upheld your part of the deal, Stefan. Now it's time for you to uphold the rest. You'll leave with us tonight."

I felt a knot tighten in my stomach. Tonight. The time was coming too quickly. I had to find a way to see Jeremy before we left, before this chapter of my life closed forever.

But I knew Niklaus. He wouldn't understand. He wouldn't want me to leave his side, even for a moment. And the pull between us, the magnetic connection that drew me to him, made it even harder to consider walking away, even temporarily. But I had to. Jeremy deserved a goodbye. He deserved to know I hadn't forgotten him, that he mattered.

As Nik turned toward me, his eyes softened ever so slightly. He reached out, his hand brushing against my fur in a gesture of affection. "It's time, Liora. Are you ready?"

The decision weighed heavily on me as I stood there, watching Niklaus and Stefan. My heart pulled in two directions—toward Jeremy, the boy who had seen me, who had cared, and toward Niklaus, my hybrid, the one I was bound to. Deep down, I knew I didn't have time. There would be no quiet goodbye, no soft words of reassurance to Jeremy. I felt an ache in my chest, a deep sorrow at the thought of leaving him behind without a word, but I couldn't risk it. Not now.

With a quiet resolve, I trotted after Niklaus, my paws moving silently across the apartment's wooden floor. We left the apartment, the cool night air wrapping around us as we made our way outside. The forest was quiet, the trees standing tall and still as we walked through the shadows. I followed Nik, my senses keen on him, feeling that magnetic pull that always seemed to draw us together. He was leading us somewhere, and I knew without question that I would follow, no matter where it was.

After a short walk, we arrived at a warehouse just outside Mystic Falls. It stood in the darkness, large and imposing, its exterior illuminated by a single dim light above the entrance. As we approached, I could see the familiar sight of the caskets—those of Niklaus's siblings—being loaded into a van. Elijah's grey, veiny body was among them, and I watched as Nik carefully placed him into his own coffin, locking him away once again. Even though I knew Elijah wasn't truly dead, it was always unsettling to see him, or any of the siblings, like this. There was a sadness to it, a reminder of how fractured their family had become.

Nearby, Stefan's fingers danced across his phone, his eyes flicking over the screen desperately, searching for any sign that Damon was still alive. And then, as if the weight of the world had lifted from his shoulders, I saw the faintest flicker of relief in his expression. He had gotten the message—Damon was alive. The cure had been delivered by Katherine, and for the first time in hours, Stefan could breathe again.

Niklaus, meanwhile, was orchestrating everything with a calm efficiency. He had already prepared a spot for me in the Jeep, opening the door and laying down a blanket so I could rest comfortably during the drive. I hesitated for a moment, watching him from the side of the warehouse, the dim light casting long shadows across the pavement. He was in control, as always, directing the events with precision. With a soft huff, I hopped into the Jeep, circling a few times before settling down on the blanket, the material soft against my fur. I waited, my head resting on my paws, watching Niklaus as he finished his conversation with Stefan.

Nik stood with his back to me, his posture relaxed but his presence commanding. I watched as he spoke to Stefan, his voice calm but firm. He was pushing him, just like he always did, testing him. Stefan had already broken his diet of animal blood, but that wasn't enough for Nik. He wanted more. He wanted to ensure that Stefan fully embraced the ripper inside him. And so, Niklaus gave him a simple but cruel task: hunt a girl. Let the bloodlust consume him. Ensure that the old Stefan was completely gone, replaced by the monster that Niklaus could control.

I could see Stefan's hesitation, the flicker of resistance still lingering in his eyes. But I knew, and Nik knew, that it wouldn't last. Stefan would do what was asked of him, and soon enough, he would be the perfect puppet Nik needed for his plans. Niklaus's cold smile told me he had seen the same thing—that small spark of humanity still flickering in Stefan's gaze—but it didn't worry him. It was only a matter of time before it was extinguished.

As they finished their conversation, Niklaus walked back toward the Jeep, his footsteps echoing softly across the pavement. He slipped into the driver's seat, his movements smooth and deliberate, and with a quiet hum, the engine came to life. We pulled out of the warehouse, the van carrying the caskets following closely behind us as we began our journey.

I lay in the back, watching the world pass by through the window. The trees blurred together as we sped down the empty road, the moon casting a pale glow over everything. The night was still, but inside, my thoughts raced. I had chosen to follow Niklaus, to leave without saying goodbye to Jeremy, and now there was no turning back.

The road ahead was uncertain, but I would face it with Niklaus by my side.