Losing Him (Only His Series: Book 4) *OLD VERSION*

Chapter 34

Alex's P.O.V 

I was in my bedroom, sitting on the ottoman at the end of my bed, where I was looking at a handwritten list Hayley made with the following names: Aurora de Martel, Aya Al-Rashed, Takahashi Fukuda, Arthur Bailey, Candace Flynn, Isaac Pack, Claire B, and so many more. Aya and Aurora's names have been scratched off. Just then, John walked into the room, and I quickly crumpled up the list in my hands.

John had been staying here for a few weeks. We were friends now and he would look after the kids when Klaus and I couldn't. I could still tell he was in love with me, but at least he respected the fact that I was with Klaus now and nothing could change that.

"Thought you were in the Bayou with Hayley?" John asked. I put a finger to my mouth and shushed him.

"Shh. I just came home to feed Hope and Shawn, put them down for a nap. I'm heading back out soon." I said to him. I stood and surreptitiously put the list in my back jeans pocket, but when I headed towards the door, John noticed something on my forehead and frowned in concern.

"Stop. What is this?" John asked me. He wiped away some of the blood with his thumb, and I jerked away from him, looking evasive.

"Nothing. I just got caught on a thorn." I said to him. I walked away from him, purposely not looking him in the eyes, and John seemed skeptical of my claims.

"You've been spending a lot of time with the Crescents lately," John said.

"Well, they need me. Hayley needs me to be there for her. Ever since Jackson..." I started to trail off, it's been a while since I've said his name. I looked away, and John realized how still deep in grief I was. I then grabbed my coat and put it on before looking back at him. "Do you need something, John?" I asked him. John was clearly not buying my act and seemed concerned when he replied, though he attempted to hide his worry.

"I came to check on the children. Elijah says Klaus is a little overwhelmed with everything." John said and I sighed.

"Well, maybe he's right in being paranoid. Seems like every time we pause to catch our breath, someone ends up dead." I said to him. I hesitated before I continued on. "They'll be asleep for another hour. Do you mind?"

"Of course not." He said to me.

"Thank you," I said gratefully. I grabbed my knapsack and headed out with it.

~

It was later in the day and I was in a warehouse. Hayley and I made a hit-list of people involved with Jackson's death. Hayley found the people on the list, I killed them. I needed something to take my anger out on.

A female vampire had been bound to a chair, the hybrid bite visible on her neck as she whimpered in pain. I walked around her in circles with a menacing expression. When the vampire gave me a vicious look, I, annoyed, grabbed an ax and got ready to swing it at her just as someone arrived and looked at me, visibly appalled by the sight in front of him.

"Alex! What do you think you're doing?" John asked me and I glared at him. I turned back to the vampire and swung the ax as hard as I can, decapitating the vampire and splattering my face with blood in the process as John watched in horror.

~

John was angrily confronting me about my behavior at the warehouse. Honestly, it was kind of annoying. "This has to stop!" John yelled at me.

"Why are you defending these people, John? Oh, that's right, because they're the only ones that can protect you from the white oak. Well, guess what? I don't need their protection." I took out the hit-list from my pocket. "This is a list - of all the Strix who took down me, Hayley and Jackson. The ones responsible for his execution and Hayley's death, which I was forced to watch." I said to him. John took the list from me and opened it to read for a brief moment before he looked back up at me.