On My Own | Hale - TVD/TO/TW [4]

35 | Certain Death

When Lexi opens her eyes, she finds her wrists bound by metal chains. She tugs against them as she looks around the Bayou—only trees and dirt to be seen, The large trunk against her back digs into her skin, scratching her enough to draw beads of blood to the surface.

"Tyler!" She shouts as her claws dig into her palms. "Come out and face me, you coward!"

She turns when she hears his footsteps. He comes up behind the tree, his expression forced neutrality. He does not flinch when Lexi jerks forward to be stopped by the chains. "You won't get out," he says. "They're spelled to contain witches."

"You don't think I bloody know that?" She grits her teeth as she pulls. "You come into my family's home. You take Hayley, and you bite me. Is that any way to say thank you?"

"Thank you?" Tyler scoffs. "Why would I be thanking you?"

Lexi rolls her eyes. "I don't know, letting you live?" She snaps her jaws. "After all of your betrayal, we let you live. And the last time I saw you, I saved your life."

Tyler takes a step towards her but not enough to let her touch him. "Your brother killed my mother."

"He kills everyone's mother. Deal with it."

Tyler looks as if he might punch her. Instead, he asks, "Have you seen anything yet?"

"Seen anything?" Lexi glances around the Bayou. "You mean, from your bite?" She shakes her head. "I am not stupid enough to let you know my weaknesses."

"Funny story." A cruel smile spreads over his lips. Tyler leans against a far tree as he stares at her. "I did some research. I have been running with wolf packs all over the states. Do you know what I found out?"

Lexi goes quiet. She drops her hands to her sides as she looks at the dirt. "What do you think you know?"

"I think the most surprising thing I've learned has been that the Original Alpha decided to settle down in California." Tyler gauges her reaction—he gets nothing. "That, after her little breakdown, she went back to her pack and defeated a dark spirit."

Lexi clenches her jaw.

"Also heard you had a boy toy."

At that, Lexi laughs, throwing her head back against the tree. "I'm sorry," she chuckles, trying to hold her stomach. "I couldn't keep it in anymore. You are mistaken, Tyler. There is no pack in California. There is no boy toy as you call it. Simply me. Alone. As always."

Tyler purses his lips. "You see, that's what I thought. I told those packs, 'That can't be. Lexi Mikaelson is a monster. She'd never do that.'" Lexi bites down on the inside of her cheek as she forces herself to giggle. "But then I visited Beacon Hills."

The smile drops off of Lexi's face.

"Turns out, no one had ever heard of you." Tyler shrugs as he smirks at her blank expression. "The wolf I talked to hadn't even heard of the Original Alpha. Which is weird because all of us know at least the legend."

"You have your answer then," Lexi says, her voice cold and sharp. "Your wolf friends were wrong."

Tyler nods as he pushes off of the tree. "But I'm not done with the story. Don't you want to hear what I found out?" Lexi's nostrils flare as she glares. "As I was searching, I followed a wolf to a vet clinic. Cute kid, somehow an Alpha who didn't realize I was following him."

Lexi's eyes flash blue. "I would be very careful if I were you."

Tyler smirks. "There was a single poster on the wall. A police sketch of your face underneath a MISSING sign. When I asked the kid about it, he had no idea who you were. The vet, on the other hand—"