Bound in the Shadows / TVD N.M

🦋~° 17 °~🦋

*****************

Liora

24 hours later—yes, you read that correctly.

Rebekah had truly made up for lost time, and by now, both of us had an entirely new wardrobe. We didn't just stop at clothes—Rebekah got her hair cut and styled, and we even had a full spa day, including painting our nails. Her perfectly manicured human nails gleamed with some trendy nude shade, while my claws, naturally, were now a vibrant pink. I wasn't sure what was more surprising: how quickly I adapted to all this, or how much I enjoyed it.

Now, back on the road, the jeep was packed to the brim with our "essentials." Stefan and Niklaus had been forced to carry load after load out of the mall, before finally compelling a few unfortunate souls to pack everything up and deliver it straight to Mystic Falls, because half of it wouldn't even fit in the jeep.

Rebekah and I each had a small bag with the absolute "necessities" we needed for the journey—though her idea of necessities was a little more extravagant than mine.

As the car sped along the highway, the tension that had once hung in the air had evaporated, replaced by the comfortable bickering of our unusual little group.

Rebekah sat in the backseat next to me, flipping through her phone. "Honestly, Stefan, if I'd known you were so useless at shopping, I'd have left you at the warehouse. You barely lifted a finger!"

Stefan, in the passenger seat, shot her a look. "I lifted more than a finger. I carried like, ten bags."

"Ten bags?" Rebekah scoffed, tossing her newly-styled hair over her shoulder. "Please. Liora could have carried more bags in wolf form than you managed with your enhanced strength."

I let out a playful bark from the backseat, tail wagging, and Rebekah grinned, reaching over to pat my head. "See? Even Liora agrees."

Stefan rolled his eyes but couldn't hide the smile tugging at the corner of his lips. "At least I didn't max out three credit cards. We're going to have to compel half of Mystic Falls to make space for your 'necessities.'"

Nik, who had been silent for most of the journey, chuckled from the driver's seat. "Let her enjoy it, Stefan. It's not every day she's let out of her box. Besides, it's worth it to see her happy for once."

Rebekah shot a smirk at her brother. "You do know me so well, Nik. Maybe there's hope for you yet." She glanced at me again, her tone lighter than it had been in decades. "And Liora—darling, when you finally shift back, we're having a proper girls' day. No boys allowed."

I barked again in agreement, imagining what that day would be like. Even though I couldn't speak, it felt like I was already becoming closer to Rebekah, my new partner in crime.

As we drove on, the mood in the car was light, filled with banter and laughter, a far cry from the tension that usually surrounded the Mikaelsons.

But as the sun began to set, and the familiar roads of Mystic Falls loomed ahead, the air shifted. The playful bickering died down, and silence settled over the group. It was like the town itself carried the weight of old grudges, betrayals, and unfinished business.

Nik's hands tightened on the steering wheel, his jaw clenched. I could sense the change in him instantly. He was still trying to brush off the weight of everything that had happened, but we all knew the dreaded drama of Mystic Falls was waiting for us—

"Let's not forget why we're going there," Nik finally spoke, his voice low, his eyes focused straight ahead. "The doppelgänger is alive, and it's no coincidence."