The cold night air hit my face as we stepped out of the Cullen house, the door softly clicking shut behind us.
The chill should’ve made me shiver, but Klaus’s arm wrapped around my waist pulled me closer, his presence radiating warmth and reassurance.
For a moment, I just stood there, taking in the crisp scent of the forest and the silence of the night, letting it settle over me.
Klaus tilted his head down, his blue eyes softening as they locked onto mine.
He gently stroked my cheek, his thumb brushing against my skin in a way that sent a familiar warmth spreading through me.
“That was harder than I thought it would be,” I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper, my mind still caught in the whirlwind of emotions from the goodbyes inside.
“You’ve always had a kind heart, Isabella,” Klaus murmured, leaning down to press a kiss to my forehead, his lips lingering there. “But this is where you belong—by my side.”
His words echoed in the stillness, and I felt the truth of them resonate deep within me.
For so long, I had tried to find a place where I fit in, where I could just exist without fear or conflict.
But that place wasn’t a house or a family—it was here, in Klaus’s arms, wherever we were together.
“I know,” I whispered, a small smile tugging at my lips.
Klaus pulled me closer, his lips brushing against mine in a soft, lingering kiss that made my heart skip a beat.
“You’re mine, love,” he whispered, his voice filled with that possessive undertone that had always made my pulse quicken. “And I’m never letting you go.”
I let out a soft sigh, my fingers curling into the fabric of his jacket as I leaned into him.
“I wouldn’t want it any other way,” I whispered back, feeling the steady beat of his heart against mine.
As we stood there, wrapped in each other’s arms, the future stretched out before us—uncertain, but ours to shape.
Mystic Falls awaited us, with all its complications and chaos.
Tyler, the hybrid Klaus had created, was becoming a problem.
We would have to deal with him, and I knew it wouldn’t be easy.
But we would face it together, like we always had.
Klaus pulled back slightly, his gaze searching mine as if he could sense the direction of my thoughts.
“We’ll handle Tyler,” he said confidently, his voice a low rumble. “He’s become a problem, but nothing we can’t fix.”
“I trust you,” I said softly, my eyes meeting his. “But why did you wait until now to tell me everything that’s going on in Mystic Falls?”
Klaus’s jaw tightened slightly, and for a moment, he seemed to debate how much to say.
“I didn’t want to pull you back into that mess, love,” he admitted. “You’ve been through enough. But now… now things have changed. It’s time for us to settle things once and for all. And I won’t face that without you.”
His words hit me with a force that left me breathless.
Klaus had always been the type to carry the weight of the world on his shoulders, to protect me by keeping me in the dark.
But hearing him admit that he needed me—that we would face this together—it was everything I hadn’t realized I needed to hear.
I reached up, my fingers gently tracing the sharp line of his jaw before resting on his chest.
“I’m not afraid, Klaus,” I said firmly.
"I’ve stood by your side through wars, through betrayals, through centuries of fighting. Tyler isn’t going to be the thing that breaks us.”
Klaus’s lips curled into a slow, satisfied smile, his eyes gleaming with a mixture of pride and affection.
“That’s my girl,” he said softly, leaning down to capture my lips again in a kiss that spoke of promises, of love, of a bond that would never be broken.
As the kiss deepened, I felt the tension between us melt away, replaced by a familiar sense of belonging.
No matter what lay ahead, no matter the challenges we would face in Mystic Falls, this was home. Klaus was home.
---
By the time we returned to the Cullen house to gather my things, the emotional weight of the goodbye still hung in the air.
The Cullen family, while confused by my true identity, had accepted it with an air of quiet understanding. But as we prepared to leave, I knew one final conversation was inevitable.
Edward stood near the front door, his eyes downcast, arms folded across his chest.
He hadn’t said much since Klaus had arrived, and the tension between them had been palpable.
But now, as the moment of parting drew near, he finally stepped forward.
“Bella,” Edward began, his voice tight with barely concealed emotion. “I... I wish things were different.”
I sighed softly, feeling the weight of the words that hung between us.
“Edward, I’m sorry. I know this wasn’t fair to you, pretending to be something I’m not.” I glanced toward Klaus, who was watching the exchange with a quiet, calculating gaze, his arm protectively around me. “But this is where I belong. With him.”
Edward’s jaw clenched, but he nodded slowly. “I understand,” he said quietly, though the pain in his eyes told me that understanding didn’t mean it hurt any less. “Just… be happy, Bella. That’s all I ever wanted for you.”
Klaus stepped forward then, his hand resting on my lower back as he looked at Edward. “She will be,” he said simply, his voice carrying a weight of finality that left no room for argument.
With that, we turned toward the door, ready to leave the Cullen house—and that chapter of my life—behind.
---
The car was waiting for us outside, the headlights cutting through the darkness as Klaus and I prepared to leave.
As we slid into the sleek black vehicle, I couldn’t help but glance back one final time.
The Cullens stood on the porch, their faces shadowed in the dim light.
It was strange, how much they had come to mean to me in such a short time.
But now, it was time to return to the life I had known for so long—a life filled with danger, power, and the undying love I had for Klaus.
Klaus reached over, his hand finding mine and giving it a gentle squeeze. “Ready, love?”
I nodded, feeling a mixture of sadness and excitement swirl inside me. “Yes. Let’s go home.”
The car pulled away from the house, the Cullen family growing smaller and smaller in the rearview mirror.
I leaned back against the seat, my fingers laced with Klaus’s, and closed my eyes.
Mystic Falls was waiting, and with it, the next chapter of our story. But for now, I was content to just be here, in this moment, with the man I had loved for over a thousand years.
No matter what came next, I knew we would face it together.
YOU ARE READING
Lost in Love
Fanfiction[Book 1- in the Isabella series] Isabella Petrova Mikaelson, the wife of the Original Hybrid, had been living with the Cullens for more than a year, yearning to be reunited with her husband. As the days turned into months, she found solace in her ne...
