[𝟷] 𝘾𝙍𝙊𝙒𝙉 𝙊𝙁 𝙏𝙃𝙊𝙍𝙉𝙎, 𝘕.𝘔. [EDITING]

𝕏𝕏𝕀𝕀

22 | the river in reverse

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀WREN WALKED AROUND THE HOUSE WITH A CUP OF ORANGE JUICE IN HER HAND, her face set into a glare just in case she encountered her mate. He had been strangely absent from the kitchen that morning, and from her room.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀She turned the corner into Rebekah's study, only to stop in her tracks as she saw a blonde sitting at the desk with a typewriter in front of her. The blonde, who she originally assumed was Rebekah, was, in fact, a bartender she had seen at Rousseau's a couple of times.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"-accused me of using Wren for my own gain. Trusting others before their own blood."

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀The blonde had stopped typing and instead stared at Wren with some sort of masked shock. "That girl you're always talking about... your soulmate." She kept her stare leveled with Wren's. "She's standing in the hallway and she does not look happy."

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"Let her," Klaus snapped, "she's siding with all the rest of them."

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Wren scoffed, quickly swallowing her orange juice before she choked on it. "Excuse you?" she exploded, shoving the door open and stomping into the room. "I was the only one that was willing to defend you and then you had to go and bite Elijah - who, by the way, is still in the Bayou! Don't be out here rambling on about how everyone has forsaken you when you are the one who forces them to!" She hadn't even noticed how animated she was being with her hands until Klaus pried the cup of orange juice from her fingers and handed her a napkin.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"Oh, so I forced Elijah to make those vile accusations against me? I forced Rebekah to go and lay with Marcellus when she should be helping me reclaim our home? Please, explain to me how I forced them into such actions!"

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"By being an asshole!" Wren shoved him back as he advanced toward her. "Don't touch me, Klaus."

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀He flinched back like she had slapped him. She'd never called him by that nickname. "Love..."

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀She rolled her eyes, grabbed what was left of her orange juice, and stormed out of the room.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀"Well... she was nice." The bartender shuffled her papers.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Klaus stared after his mate with a mixture of hurt and anger. He turned his head, swallowing his hurt and his pride. "Where were we?" he asked as he poured himself another glass of bourbon.

♔

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Nina walked into the tent, smirking at Elijah. "We have a visitor," she hummed.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀Wren walked in behind her, smiling awkwardly as she saw the sweating vampire. He had been laying on a sleeping bag, his suit coat discarded on the floor of the tent. Another sleeping bag was sprawled out next to him with blankets.