Body & Soul - Klaus Mikaelson

Eighteen

I trail behind Klaus and Stefan, glancing at my watch for about the eight-thousandth time. I feel like we've been climbing the Smokey Mountains all morning. Stefan is grumpier than usual, which is saying something. It doesn't help that Klaus is purposefully getting on his nerves for his own amusement. And I don't understand why we can just vampire speed to the place we're trying to reach. They might be dead, but my muscles hurt.

I watch Stefan's back muscles ripple as he shifts Ray across his shoulders. The werewolf is still out cold from last night. I would have thought he would be awake by now but maybe it takes longer for Werewolves in transition rather than humans. 

I have kept my distance from Klaus since last night. His actions still rattling my bones. I don't think he understands that I am what he is looking for. That I can be what he wants. But if he expects me to bow down and become another hybrid, he is wrong. I may let him boss me around. But I am not dying to become his slave. 

"You ok?" Klaus taunts Stefan, "Is Ray getting heavy?"

"I'm fine," Stefan grumbles. 

"You sure about that? You know, we've been walking for quite some time now. If you need some water or a little sit-down..." Klaus offers mockingly.

Stefan shakes his head. "You know, I get that we're, uh, we're stuck together, but if we could maybe just skip the chitchat, it'd be great."

"So much brooding," Klaus looks back at me with a smirk, I return it with a sneer, "Your self-loathing is suffocating you, my friend."

"Maybe it's because I'm a little tired of hunting werewolves." Stefan glances at Klaus with annoyance. "We've been at it all summer."

We round a corner of trees, slowly coming to a stop. I catch up him them, standing next to Klaus. In the clearing in front of us are people, werewolves, pitching tents, and sharing laughs. This is Pack. And for a moment I long for it.

I long for the idea of having people to transform with. To have that comfort as every bone in my body breaks. I long to meet the people who knew my father better than anyone else. Those three months I spent roaming North America after my mother's death, I went looking for my father's Pack. Instead, I found Hayley, and she helped me more than I could have asked for.

"Thanks to our pal Ray, we found ourselves a Pack," Klaus says with watchful eyes, "There."

As the three of us walk further into the site, their talking ceases. They slowly move towards the three of us as Stefan not so gently sets Ray's dead body down on the woodland floor. The Wolves' eyes quickly scanning us before falling on their dead Packmate. 

"Ray! Oh, my God! What's going on?" A woman comes charging at him. She holds his body trying to figure out what is wrong. She glares at Stefan with a look that could kill. "Who are you?"  

Klaus steps forward into the spotlight, his favorite place to be. "The important question is who am I. Please forgive the intrusion. My name is Klaus."

The woman stands with fear, grabbing ahold of the man next to her. "You're the Hyrbid."

"You've heard of me. Fantastic," Klaus remarks, a brilliant smile on his face. He walks around the werewolf sight as I plop down on a rock with Stefan. So not ready for another one of his monologues, "It's fascinating really. A werewolf who isn't beholden to the moon, a vampire who doesn't burn in the sun. A true Hybrid"

The wolves around us tremble with fear. Klaus's reputation definitely gets around. I can feel their eyes on me, and I know they can smell what I am. Their thoughts must be running marathons trying to figure out why I'm with the Hybrid, and why I'm not one of them. I wonder if they feel betrayed by my actions.