The Other Gilbert

WEREWOLVES IN MYSTIC FALLS

"Thanks for coming, Rick." Stefan said.
"You need something to drink? Bourbon? Coffee? Bourbon in your coffee?" Damon offered as he closed the door behind Alaric and sat back down beside me on the sofa.
"Uh, Luna and Elena mentioned you needed my help." Alaric said, sitting down on the sofa opposite us, where Stefan and Elena were sitting.

"Yeah, we were hoping you could help shed some light on the Lockwood family." Stefan told Alaric.
"Why would I know anything about the Lockwoods?" Alaric asked us.
"Well, you wouldn't. But your dead, not dead vampire wife might." Damon mentioned.
"Isobel's research, from when you guys were at Duke together." I said.
"You said that she had spent years researching this town." Stefan added. 

"Isobel's research on Mystic Falls was rooted in folklore and legend. At the time, I thought most of which was fiction." Rick sighed.
"Like that amazing vampire story." Damon teased him.
"Aside from vampires, what else?" Elena asked Alaric.

"Lycanthrope." Rick answered.
"Wait. Like, werewolves?" I asked him, sitting on the edge of my seat with Damon's arm behind me on the sofa.
"No way. Impossible." Damon chuckled.
"Is it?" Stefan asked Damon.
"I've been on this planet 160 odd years and I've never come across one. If werewolves exist, then where the hell are they?" Damon questioned.

"Well, why do you suspect the Lockwoods?" Alaric asked, curiously.
"Because the vervain didn't affect the Mayor on Founders' Day but the Gilbert device did." Damon told him.
"And it affected Tyler. He crashed his car cause he heard a noise." I added.
"And at the school carnival, his uncle Mason exhibited inhuman behaviour when he fought one of the carnival workers," Stefan sighed. "It suggested some sort of supernatural entity."

"We were hoping that Isobel's research could help us figure out what it is." I said to Alaric.
"Well, all of her things are still at Duke," He cleared his throat. "I mean, her office is still there. She's technically still missing."
"So, can we get access to it?" I asked him.
"Rick, we need to know what we're dealing with. If this wolfman thing is true, I've seen enough movies to know that it's not good. It means Mason Lockwood is a real life Lon Chaney. And that little Tyler punk may just very well be Lon Chaney Jr. Which means Bela Lugosi-meaning me-is totally screwed." Damon informed Alaric.

*One Hour Later*

"Are you sure you want to do this alone? I can come with you if you'd like." Elena suggested as I grabbed my bag.
"I'm not doing it alone. Damon and Alaric will be with me. Besides, you said you and Stefan were going to help Caroline out today." I reminded her.
"We are, but I can come with you. I'm sure Stefan can do it alone." She told me.
"Elena, I'll be fine." I assured her as I put my leather jacket on.

"Luna, you coming?" Jenna called from downstairs. I rushed down and saw her and Alaric at the bottom of the stairs waiting for me.
"I'll see you later, Jenna." I hugged her goodbye before following Rick to his car where Damon was waiting for us. Alaric opened the door to the back seat for me, allowing me to get in and then we were on our way.

When we arrived at Duke, Alaric pulled up right outside and we all got out the car and walked inside together.
"So, Isobel was officially employed by the anthropology department given that most paranormal phenomena is rooted in folklore." Alaric told Damon and I as we approached a woman looking through a file cabinet.
"Excuse me," Rick greeted her. "I'm Alaric Saltzman. I called earlier."
"Yes! Of course. I'm Vanessa Monroe, research assistant. Comparative folklore. Let me just grab Isobel's keys." Vanessa said.
"I'm sorry, these are my friends, Luna and Damon. I hope this isn't too much of an imposition." Alaric told her.

"Oh, please! Isobel's office is right through there. Isobel was one of my first professors. I'm a grad student. She was brilliant! She was actually one of the reasons I went into folklore," She grabbed the keys from one of the drawers in the desk. "I have to ask... Has there been any news?"
"No. No, I'm afraid not." He lied.
"It's right this way." Vanessa sighed leading us to a door to the right. She unlocked it and we all entered the room.