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❧ masquerade parties and kidnappings ❧
≪•◦ ❈ ◦•≫
Everyone gathered in the living room of the Salvatore Boarding House, the atmosphere thick with tension. A fire crackled in the hearth, but it did little to ease the weight of the conversation. This wasn't just another plan to thwart one of Katherine's endless manipulations tonight was different. Tonight, they were planning to kill her.
"Are you sure you guys don't want me there tonight?" Alaric asked, his tone firm, but there was an undercurrent of concern in his eyes as he glanced between Stefan and Damon.
Stefan shook his head. "No, I need you to stay with Elena," he said, his voice steady but with an unmistakable hint of protectiveness. "I don't want her to know about this."
Alaric nodded, though it was clear he wasn't entirely comfortable with being sidelined. "Okay. Well, I'll make sure she doesn't leave my sight."
Just as Alaric's words settled, Damon pushed off from the wall, his eyes glinting with the hint of something darker. "I think we're forgetting about one key player here," he said, his voice cutting through the tension like a knife. All eyes turned to him. He let the silence hang for a beat before continuing. "Amalie. No doubt she'll be following Katherine around."
At the mention of her name, Jeremy stood up, his expression hardening. "I'll distract her," he said, the determination in his voice leaving no room for argument.
Stefan, however, wasn't so easily convinced. He frowned, his jaw tightened as he studied Jeremy. "No," he said firmly, shaking his head. "No, she tried to kill you yesterday."
Jeremy's gaze didn't waver. "I can do it," he insisted, his voice unwavering. "Trust me."
Stefan hesitated, the weight of the decision clear in the tightness of his posture. His protective instincts warred with the reality of the situation, but eventually, he gave a slow nod. "Alright," he said, though there was still a flicker of reluctance in his eyes. "But if anybody wants to back out, I'll understand."
Damon stepped forward, his eyes sweeping the room with a cold intensity. "Yeah. Cold feet, speak now," he said, his tone almost mocking. "I don't want this going wrong if someone chickens out." His gaze flickered over to Caroline. "Caroline?"
Caroline's eyes flashed with a mix of defiance and hurt, but her voice was steady when she spoke. "I won't," she said, her chin lifting slightly. "Look, she killed me. Fair's fair. As long as there's no werewolf running around..."
