Vulnerable / Klaus Mikaelson {Book 1} (EDITING)

Chapter 25: Hey Brother

"I came here as soon as I-" Scarlett cut herself off when she noticed Klaus sitting at the dining table with all of his brothers. They all looked to be actually fine rather than ripping out each others throats. "Great. I got ambushed into a family therapy session again."

"I thought you'd want to see your BFF, Kol before he irritated me enough for me to want to murder him." Klaus remarked, earning an eye roll from Scarlett. Scarlett sat down at the empty seat besides Elijah, joining them at the table. "Today, a new future awaits. Forget your animosity toward Elijah and myself. Instead, join us against she who truly deserves your ire- our mother. Do this, and we will welcome you with open arms!"

"Well-"

Kol tried reaching for a plate of pastries with his shackled hands when Klaus pulled it out of his grasp. "But, if you continue to oppose us, a denial of pastries will be the least of your concerns."

"If all you wanted was my allegiance against Mother Dearest, you should have said so!" Kol exclaimed. "Save me a night shackled to the wall."

"Yes, this was Niklaus." Elijah chimed in. "My recommendation was to remove your limbs, one by one, until you comply."

Klaus laughed at Elijah's words as he got up from his seat. "We've- we've no desire to torture you." He stood behind Kol and Finn and squeezed their shoulders lightly with his hands. "Provided your vow to stand beside us as brothers."

Finn shrugged out of Klaus' grasp and looked at him with skepticism. "Brothers? Does that word even apply to us? After all these centuries of betrayal? And, has loyalty to you ever rewarded? If so, tell me, Niklaus- where is our sister, Rebekah? She was blindly loyal to you for a thousand years, and now? Nowhere to be found." Scarlett knew about where Rebekah was. She was keeping Baby Hope safe, far away from the city of New Orleans. "Where did our sister go? And, how did she escape your vile machinations?"

Klaus was clearly nervous by his brother's interrogation. He laughed at Finn fakely to cover for his anxiousness and turned back to them. "Heh! You think me vile? What, then, do you make of the one who cursed us?"

"She was trying to make you mortal again!" Finn argued, obviously getting aggravated with Klaus. Elijah grabbed a knife off the table, clearly suspicious and annoyed by Finn's words. "And, you both refused her. It only proves how far you've fallen. But, I expect Rebekah will have a different response to her proposal. See, unlike the two of you, she always did cling to her humanity."

"Rebekah is off-limits to you." Elijah pointed the knife at Finn, threatening him. "You pursue her, and you will suffer."

All of them looked surprised by Elijah's uncharacteristic outburst.

"Do not let him goad you, Elijah." Klaus advised. "Neither he, nor Esther, will find Rebekah unless she wants to be found. And she does not."

"Esther is quite determined." Finn warned his brothers. "She's been searching for Rebekah since the day she returned. I imagine it's only a matter of time."