𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐦𝐬𝐨𝐧 𝐩𝐞𝐚𝐤

forty-six

𝐍𝐄𝐖 𝐎𝐑𝐋𝐄𝐀𝐍𝐒

The afternoon sunlight guided their steps as they trekked through the Bayou. After talking to the Crescents, Klaus, Ishmael, and Cary made their way towards Kilian's camp. The three of them walked in silence each lost in their own thoughts.

Klaus didn't like the different emotions assaulting him through the bond as he walked. Bonnie's emotions were all over the place, he felt a hint of nervousness, confusion, surprise, anger, and fear. The emotions were so strong, he closed his eyes for a brief second as he tried to comprehend what was going on from her side. What had happened?

And then there was nothing.

Bonnie's side of the bond closed unexpectedly. The bond was still there. Unlike the time, she had been taken to the other side and the bond was suddenly ripped from him, this time, he could still feel it. Klaus knew she was alive and well and still at the safe house as he used their unique connection to pin point her exact location. But for some reason Bonnie had shut her side of the bond. Why?

"We're here," Ishmael said.

Klaus immediately spotted the three werewolves waiting for them at the edge of the camp. He looked at the older man first. He looked to be in his fifties, he had silver hair, wrinkles around his brown eyes and mouth, and a small scar on his chin. He seemed rather serious and tired. Hardworking, honest, and respectful, the wolf inside him immediately assessed the man. Insignificant, his vampire side dismissed the man with ease.

The teenage boy next to him was rather short and scrawny, he had spiky brown hair, a rather big nose, and dull blue eyes. A green boy, eager to prove himself, the wolf decided in a heartbeat. Weak, useless, the vampire dismissed him as well.

Neither man was a threat to him.

The last man on the other hand gave a completely different vibe. He stood tall and proud, black hair pulled back in a short ponytail and arrogant honey colored eyes that stared right at Klaus. Strong, arrogant, and smart, the wolf noted right away. Look at this one, the vampire chuckled. He thinks he's your equal, what a fool.

What a strange and yet wonderful thing it was to have his vampire and wolf side in harmony. To finally be complete at last. Rather than waging war inside his head, each trying to be the dominant part, both sides of him were now one. The vampire and the wolf now worked together and had combined their individual strengths to make him stronger, to make his senses sharper, and to enhance his abilities to new lengths. It was exhilarating. Klaus was finally at peace with his nature.

While Kilian and Klaus stared at each other, carefully assessing one another, introductions were made.

Once again, Klaus let Ishmael do the greetings and begin the conversation. He was far better at such things than Klaus was, he definitely had more patience. Ishmael had been a wolf his entire life, he knew what the best approach for this sort of thing was. He would never openly admit it, that was not Klaus's way but he appreciated Ishmael's council and had also come to rely on the old wolf's experience to guide him when dealing with the wolves.

The older man accompanying Kilian was named Gregory, he was the Alpha of a Russian wolf pack while the teenage boy was named Andrew, he was one of the few werewolves left of the Paxton bloodline apparently.

"I didn't think there were any Paxton's left," Cary commented as he studied the scrawny teenager with interest.

"Only a handful," Andrew replied with a shrug. He barely glanced at Cary as he spoke, his eyes were drawn to the hybrid. He was staring at Klaus with wonder and awe, he could hardly believe his eyes. He was dying to ask so many things but he tried his best to contain himself. He needed to act mature in order to be taken seriously. He was barely eighteen and had just recently become the Alpha of his small pack after his father's premature death. He had a lot to prove.