Lost in Love

Part 1

"Come on, love, we're going to be late," Edward said, his voice dripping with that annoyingly earnest sweetness.

I forced a smile, nodding just enough to make him think I was charmed. But truth be told, I can’t stand when anyone calls me "love" except for my husband.

You know him as the Devil—the original hybrid, Niklaus Mikaelson.

The very name sends shivers down my spine, awakening every shadowed corner of my soul, yet it also ignites a warmth deep in my heart.

He’s a complicated man, a hybrid with a darkness that feels more like a storm than a shadow.

His past is filled with treachery, blood, and centuries of rage, but he’s the only one who has ever truly seen me for who I am.

He knows every crack in my carefully held facade, every piece of the shattered soul I pretend isn’t there.

But as much as I love Nick, our situation is anything but simple.

We can’t be seen together; not here, not now.

Klaus’s reputation precedes him, and his family has left a wake of enemies that spans continents.

My father-in-law, Mikael, still hunts him, an obsessive vendetta against his own son that stretches beyond reason.

Klaus never speaks of him, but I see the weight it leaves on him, the memories he carries in silence.

I suppose I should introduce myself properly, before I lose myself in thoughts of him. I’m Isabella Petrova Mikaelson.

The younger sister of Tatia Petrova, a lineage marked by sacrifice, loss, and curses older than any of us could imagine.

My ancestors have been hunted, used, and broken, but they have survived, just as I have.

Yet some days, that legacy feels more like a prison than a history, a curse I can’t outrun.

For now, I’m keeping company with the Cullens, a family who prides themselves on their civility and restraint.

I know what you’re thinking: Why on earth would the wife of Niklaus Mikaelson be playing nice with vampires who feed on animals?

Believe me, it isn’t easy.

But I’ve learned that sometimes, it’s easier to stay in one place, to blend in, rather than running constantly from the threats that never truly disappear.

The Cullens have grown suspicious of the unexplained animal attacks happening in the area—far more than what they believe could be attributed to mere predators.

They’re smart, and curiosity seems to be their greatest weakness.

So I devised a plan to keep them occupied: I made Edward curious about me.

I played into the intrigue he felt, letting him see only glimpses of the real me, fragments that would make him ask more questions than I could ever answer.

It was dangerous, reckless even, but I needed to divert their attention away from the strange incidents occurring around them.

And Kol—my ever-curious brother-in-law—was just as fascinated by the Cullens as Edward was by me, his intrigue only fueling my plan.

Together, we crafted the perfect distraction.

Kol’s pranks and mind games kept the Cullens on edge, and in return, Edward became so engrossed in my supposed secrets that he failed to look any deeper.

As we walked through the dense, quiet forest toward the Cullen’s grand yet humble home, I glanced at Edward.

He was so blissfully unaware of the chaos lurking beneath the surface of my world.

So convinced that my life was nothing more than teenage heartbreaks and trivial concerns.

If only he knew that every choice I made was a matter of survival, that every word, every smile was carefully placed to shield the truth of who I am and the life I lead.

The weight of my secrets bore down on me, a constant pressure that had long since woven itself into my bones.

But I had to keep up the facade.

For now, the Cullens needed to believe I was just a lost girl seeking sanctuary in a world filled with vampires and werewolves.

Little did they know, I was much more than that.

I am a Petrova, a part of a lineage steeped in magic and tragedy, a history tangled with darkness and light for centuries.

And my heart, though hidden, will always belong to a man who walks on the edge of both.

We finally arrived at the Cullen mansion, looming tall with its walls of glass and steel against the forest backdrop.

Edward opened the door, his hand resting on the small of my back in that gentle, protective way he thought would charm me.

I resisted the urge to roll my eyes, stepping inside and offering him a polite smile.

The Cullen family was gathered in the grand living room, each of them watching us with a mixture of curiosity and mild suspicion.

Alice, with her knowing smirk, was the only one who seemed completely at ease, but I knew she sensed there was more to my presence here.

I felt their gazes studying me, searching for cracks in my story, but I had long since learned how to wear masks.

I played my part perfectly, keeping Nick’s name off my lips even though it felt like a dagger to do so.

Every time I said “Edward” with feigned affection, every time I let him pull me closer, I could feel Klaus’s presence lingering, as if he were right there with me, reminding me of what was real.

The Cullens began discussing the recent animal attacks, each of them theorizing what could be causing such brutal killings.

Edward leaned in close, his curiosity piqued as he studied my face, hoping I might reveal some hidden truth.

I kept my expression neutral, nodding along with each of their theories, feeding just enough into their suspicions to keep them satisfied but never enough to reveal the truth.

But then, a whisper of doubt crept into my mind.

How long could I keep up this charade? I missed Klaus fiercely, missed the nights when we would talk for hours under the stars, the weight of our worries left behind in the dark.

He understood me in a way no one else could, and every moment without him felt like an ache I couldn’t ease.

Yet I couldn’t abandon this mission. If the Cullens grew too suspicious, they would delve deeper, and then everything I was working to protect would come crashing down.

I’d be forced to leave, to sever all ties and lose the fragile stability I had crafted in this new life.

I swallowed back the thoughts of Klaus, reminding myself of the cost of failure.

For now, I had to play the part of Isabella Petrova—the lost, fragile girl who stumbled into the Cullen's world by chance.

And if I succeeded, perhaps one day, I could return to Klaus without the looming threat of discovery, without the endless cycle of secrets and lies.

But as I sat there, weaving my way deeper into their world, I knew that my heart would always remain with him.

Niklaus Mikaelson—my love, my darkness, my constant.

The storm in my soul that I would never escape, even if I wanted to.