Protecting Them (Only His Series: Book 3) *NEW VERSION*

Chapter 12

Alex's P.O.V

"A thousand years estranged, and you choose to walk in silence," Ansel said as Klaus and I walked in front of him. I felt Klaus's grip on my hand tighten and I rolled my eyes. "Surely you have questions for me." Klaus stopped walking and sighed.

"Just one," Klaus replied and I looked at him, hopeful. "Is there a way to cure Elijah without having to listen to the pointless ramblings of an old man?" I sighed and let go of his hand.

"Are you kidding me?" I mumbled. Ansel walked up to his left side and stood beside him.

"I'm afraid the price of my expertise is a conversation," Ansel answered and patted his son's back before walking in front of us to lead the way. I began to follow Ansel as Klaus scoffed.

"You know, I used to tell myself that my real father must've had no idea I existed." I stopped walking and so did Ansel. Except Ansel moved to walk back to my boyfriend as I stayed where I was. "Otherwise he'd never leave me to suffer under Mikael," Klaus told him. At least they're talking.

"Esther forbade me from seeing you, so I waited...knowing that one day you would trigger your curse and need your real father," Ansel informed him. He must have remembered something by the silence that was created. "But when that happened, Mikael found me first. I fought him for you," My breath hitched and I felt Klaus and Ansel gaze at me. I turned to them and looked between them quickly.

"How do you get to the plant from here?" I asked Ansel quietly.

"It's straight ahead," He said and I nodded before speeding the rest of the way there.

Once I got there I saw a tree with an orchid plant growing on it. It was surrounded by vervain plants and I knew Esther did this on purpose. She wanted Klaus and Ansel to talk so that his father could appeal to his humanity. Ansel was working with Esther without even knowing it and I felt sorry for him. One wrong thing and he was a dead man no matter what I said to convince Klaus otherwise.

I don't know why Ansel's words affected me though. Maybe it was me still getting acquainted with my emotions or the fact I remembered how my father fought to know me, only for Mother to lie to him. At least Esther didn't lie to Ansel. Ansel watched from the shadows, so close but so far away. A stranger to his own son up until he died, like Charles and I.

*Flashback, November 1864*

They were walking out of the church. The nanny holding William was walking a little behind Erin. Charles was walking by his side and looking down at the ring I gave him before I left. The empty casket meant for me was in front of them as they walked to the cemetery. I placed my hand over my mouth as tears fell down my face. "I'm so sorry," I whispered, hoping they could hear me, even though I knew they couldn't. "It wasn't supposed to be like this."

*Present Day*

"Alexandria?" I heard Klaus' voice ask. I looked up at him and across the field of vervain to see Ansel getting the orchids. I turned to my boyfriend and he stood me up, pulling me into his chest.

"I'm sorry-"

"Shh," Klaus said while running a hand through my hair. "It's ok. You're still getting used to feeling something again." He led me away from the tree and sat me down on a log. The sun was going down now and it would be dark soon. Klaus kneeled in front of me and brought my hand to his lips before placing a soft kiss on my knuckles. "Do you want to talk about it?"

"Ansel mentioned watching over you when he was dead when we first met, and with everything he said it made me think of Charles," I told him. "That's how I felt whenever I checked into his life until he disappeared. I was a ghost to him. I watched him walk out of church when they buried an empty casket for me, I watched him go to the market and meet his future wife, then go to the fair with his daughter. I should have been there for all those moments." My voice got caught in my throat as a single tear ran down my cheek. "But I wasn't, and I don't think I can ever make it up to him."