Vampire Diaries Imagines

The Bait - Tyler Lockwood

The old Salvatore boarding house was alive with tension as the group gathered in the parlor. The flickering firelight cast shadows on the faces of Mystic Falls' most unlikely team of allies. Y/N stood with her arms crossed, her lips pressed into a tight line as Damon's latest scheme hung in the air like an uninvited ghost.

"Absolutely not," she said firmly, glaring at the older Salvatore brother.

Damon leaned back in his chair, swirling the bourbon in his glass with infuriating calm. "It's the best plan we've got, sweetheart," he said with a shrug. "Klaus has a soft spot for you. Use it."

Y/N's eyes darted to her brother, Tyler, expecting him to back her up. But instead, he avoided her gaze, fidgeting with the edge of his leather jacket.

"Ty?" she asked, her voice laced with disbelief.

He finally looked up, his jaw clenched. "I don't like it either, Y/N/N, but... he's right."

Her stomach dropped. "You've got to be kidding me. You're my brother, Tyler. You're supposed to protect me, not throw me to the big bad wolf-literally!"

"Hey," Caroline cut in, raising her hands defensively. "It's not like anyone's actually throwing you anywhere. Klaus won't hurt you-he's obsessed with you."

"That's exactly the problem!" The Lockwood girl snapped, spinning to face her best friend. "I've spent months trying to keep him at arm's length. I'm not about to let him think he's won just to lure him into some half-baked trap."

"It's not half-baked," Stefan interjected, his calm voice doing little to soothe her nerves. "If we can isolate Klaus and separate him from whatever army he has behind him, we have a chance to neutralize him. This might be our only shot."

Y/N scoffed, throwing up her hands. "Oh, and I'm supposed to just-what? Bat my eyelashes at him while you all sneak up behind him with a dagger?"

"More or less," Damon said with a smirk, taking another sip of his drink.

"Damon!" Elena hissed, elbowing him in the ribs.

"What? I'm just saying what everyone's thinking." He gestured toward Y/N. "Look, you're tough. I mean you got that almighty werewolf strength behind you, right? You can handle him. And, bonus, Klaus doesn't see you as a threat. That's the whole point."

Y/N felt the walls closing in around her. She glanced at Elena, hoping for an ally, but the younger Gilbert girl wore the same expression as the rest of them-grim determination.

"Y/N/N," Elena said softly. "We wouldn't ask this of you if we had another option. But right now... that's the only plan we've got."

Y/N's heart sank. Even Elena?

"This is insane," she muttered, running a hand through her hair. "You're all insane."

Tyler stepped closer, his expression softening. "Y/N/N, listen to me. I hate this as much as you do. But if we don't stop Klaus, he'll keep hurting people. He'll keep coming after us. This isn't just about us-it's about everyone as a whole."

His words stung, but they were true, and that made them worse. A frustrated groan left her lips as she started pacing the length of the room.

"What if it goes wrong?" she asked, her voice cracking slightly. "What if he figures it out? What if he-"

"He won't," Stefan said firmly. "We'll be there, Y/N. The second he makes a move, we'll strike."

"And if you're not fast enough?" she shot back, her voice rising.

"Then I'll kill him myself," Tyler said, his tone resolute.

Y/N froze, staring at her brother. His words were like a punch to the gut. Tyler hated Klaus more than anyone-she knew that. But hearing him say it so plainly, knowing he was willing to risk her to make it happen... it hurt.