Waves • The Originals [2]

THIRTY-THREE

|33.| NOT TRULY

MANY OF THE WEREWOLVES who aren't under Finn's control and their children have returned to the Bayou, where they are once again living in the encampments for their own safety. Some of the werewolves are collecting firewood and other necessities in preparation for the Unification ceremony. Two young boys are throwing around a baseball, which one accidentally throws the ball a bit too far. As it rolls away, one of the boys chases after it, where it lands right under the foot of Klaus, who has just arrived. Klaus crouches down and smiles at the boy as he picks up the ball, but instead of handing it to him, he carries it with him to address the crowd.

"I wonder if you lot can help me—I'm looking for the hybrid who calls herself your queen." The werewolves stare at him in silence, and Klaus sighs impatiently. "I'd prefer you tell me where she is before I grow irritated. After all—" He tosses the ball back to the young boy. "—there are children present."

Standing near the lake is Cora with a handful of small stones in hand and she takes one, skipping it over the water. Jason walks out to where she is and slightly smiles.

"You scared me. I was worried you ran off in the middle of the night," Jason looks at her, although she keeps her focus out at the water.

"No. I was just out here, thinking." She throws another stone into the water, and Jason picks up a stone to skip as well. "Jase, I know I'm supposed to divulge my great secrets, but I-I can't. I can't even tell you why I can't."

"Cora, do you really think there's a secret you have that's so bad you can't tell me?" Jason faces her and she faces him.

"It's not safe, Jason."

"When have we ever been safe, Cora? Now, our people have been cursed, hunted, exiled. But you and I, this wedding? We can change all that," Jason exclaims and drops the stone he had in hand. "We can create a new pack, one with your ability to turn at will. So, we give each other our secrets. If we don't, then the transfer of power won't work, and we're back to where we were."

Cora looks down at her feet and bites her lip, still hesitant and Jason sighs. "Look, even if we call off the wedding, there's still something that I need to tell you."

"Jason, I'm sure you've lived quite the life, but I can't imagine that your secrets are anything like mine," Cora glances at him.

"There's one." Jason takes a deep breath. "That has to do with your brother...Stefan."

Cora's face falls at the mention of her little brother, and she looks at him eager and worried about what he has to say.

-

Mary is in the middle of chopping up potatoes, tomatoes and peppers in her home when Klaus appears in her doorway. She senses his presence and turns to face him, and he smiles at her as she clutches her knife in her hand protectively