Chapter Text
Mystic Falls,
The hunter had been spotted in town again.
Klaus and Rebekah were once more at odds. After everything with Alaric’s dark persona, Klaus had faked his death without telling Rebekah. She found out later and, furious, destroyed the last batch of doppelgänger blood-filled vials and turned Elena into a vampire.
Klaus had not forgiven her for either.
So the tension between them was already thick when word spread that the hunter had returned.
Now, Connor Jordan, a supernatural vampire hunter of the ancient Brotherhood of the Five, was chained inside the Mikaelson mansion.
Rebekah, Stefan, and Jeremy surrounded him.
Jeremy sat slightly off to the side, sketching the map only he could see, trying to stay out of the siblings’ drama, though he was very much listening.
Kol suddenly materialised at the mansion gate and stepped inside, only to find Charlie, Elijah’s witch, sitting on the couch, reading, while muffled grunts echoed from deeper inside the house.
“Nice to see you again, Charlie,” Kol greeted casually.
“So he finally let you go,” Charlie replied calmly.
“Yes. They are starting tonight at midnight,” Kol said.
Charlie hummed in response.
“My siblings?” Kol asked.
“Torturing a vampire hunter belonging to the Brotherhood of the Five,” Charlie replied.
Kol’s expression flickered with surprise.
“One of the Five? We have not crossed paths with them in centuries.”
Without another word, he vanished into the house.
Klaus stood near the bar while Rebekah hovered close by, tense.
Stefan watched them both, occasionally glancing at Jeremy, who continued sketching Connor’s shifting tattoos.
“Go on, Rebekah,” Klaus said. “Tell him what the hunter told you. What is this weapon that can end the vampire species?”
Rebekah exhaled shakily and glanced at Stefan.
“A cure. Alexander said there was a cure.”
Jeremy froze mid-line but did not look up.
“There is no cure for vampirism,” Stefan said, stunned.
“He is telling the truth,” Rebekah insisted.
“Then why didn’t you search for it?” Stefan asked.
Klaus answered before she could.
“Because when the hunters died that night, the marks disappeared. The map was gone. The Brotherhood of the Five was extinct. For nine hundred years, nothing. Until our friend here showed up.”
He gestured toward Connor.
Rebekah stepped closer.
“We have the map now. What do we do?”
Klaus scoffed.
“We do nothing. You cannot be trusted, little sister. You would tell the first boy who calls you pretty. It is pathetic how easily you fall for affection.”
Jeremy paused again, uncomfortable, but kept drawing.
Rebekah’s expression faltered.
“And yet I stayed with you, letting you drain every bit of happiness from my life. I fared better than Finn, at least. You daggered him simply because you did not like his judgment.”
“Finn was a bore. More entertaining in a box,” Klaus muttered.
“You want the cure for Elena so you can make hybrids again,” Rebekah snapped. “That is why Stefan is here. Because you knew he would help you, even though he hates you.”
She stepped back, anger rising.
“You know what? Keep your cure. I am telling Elijah everything. Let him deal with you.”
Klaus stiffened slightly at Elijah’s name.
Rebekah stormed out.
Jeremy finally looked up, unsure whether to continue.
“Keep drawing, Gilbert,” Klaus ordered sharply.
Jeremy immediately lowered his head and resumed.
Kol entered, cheerful as ever.
“Hello, brother.”
Klaus looked up, surprised. Stefan gave Kol a wary glance. Jeremy shifted slightly but remained focused on the sketch.
“No greeting, Nik?” Kol teased.
Klaus recovered. “Kol.”
“I hear you caught yourself a hunter. And the map is disappearing again. Wonderful.”
Kol circled Connor, studying the markings.
Then, suddenly serious, he said, “Cut off his arms and legs. That makes him useless. He will die slowly.”
Jeremy froze again, eyes widening. Stefan stared at Kol. Klaus looked irritated.
“His body is the map to the cure,” Stefan said.
Kol shot him a look.
“Why is he here?”
“Potential ally,” Klaus muttered.
Kol shrugged.
“Then have Charlie wipe his memory of the cure. And perhaps you should forget it as well. Because if Elijah finds out you told these desperate baby vampires about it, he will not be pleased.”
Jeremy shifted again, clearly wishing he were anywhere else.
“And finding the cure means waking Silas,” Kol added.
“Who is Silas?” Stefan asked.
“A powerful immortal, in eternal sleep. If he wakes, he will bring chaos upon every supernatural being alive,” Kol said, his eyes fixed on Klaus.
Klaus scoffed. “Stories, Kol. Tales. Myths.”
Kol’s expression darkened.
“If Silas walks the earth, you will be his first target. And honestly, I almost hope he is resurrected, just so you realise I was right.”
Even Jeremy swallowed at the venom in his voice.
Kol turned back to Klaus, a slow smirk forming.
“You want the doppelgänger to be human again,” he said.
It was not a question.
“You are still dreaming of your little sire-bonded family. And doing so behind Elijah’s back.”
His grin widened.
“I remind you, brother, you answer to him now, just like the rest of us.”
Klaus felt a chill run through him.
Kol was not wrong.
Kol turned and walked out, still smiling, though something colder lingered beneath it.
They never trusted him.
Not even for a moment.
And he would not inform Elijah. Not yet. The ritual was starting tonight, and he would not interfere.
“I plan to deal with Silas when he awakens.”
Charlie’s voice broke the silence from across the room.
“I tried to reason with them for the past week, ever since the hunter arrived. They would not listen. I expected Rebekah to ignore me, but Niklaus as well? It seems all of them are set on finding the cure.”
Kol leaned back slightly.
“You could simply tell him. What can Niklaus do about it?”
Charlie shook his head.
“I do not want Rebekah to know who I am. Klaus avoids being alone with me. Your sister already doubts my intentions.”
Kol nodded.
That sounded like Klaus.
“What will you do, then?” Kol asked. “We cannot inform Elijah right now. Not during a dark magic ritual.”
Charlie nodded in agreement.
“I will not disturb him. Not when I am here. It would be a failure on my part as one of his witches.”
Kol said nothing.
He knew Elijah’s inner circle consisted of seven witches. Everyone in Oasis knew how fiercely loyal they were. And Charlie was one of the most devoted among them.
“Let them proceed for now,” Charlie continued. “Once they get closer to the cure, I will intervene. Before Silas awakens, I will ensure the cure is used, and he is destroyed.”
His decision was firm.
He would not fail again.
“I assume you are aware of what they are not,” Charlie added, glancing at Kol. “There is only one cure.”
Kol’s lips curved into a grin.
“You know that.”
Charlie simply nodded.
Any witch who had lived long enough would know. Over centuries, truth blurred into myth, but pieces remained.
Silence settled between them.
Before Kol could respond, Rebekah walked in.
“Looks like you two know each other,” she said, eyeing them.
“Yes, sister. He is Elijah’s associate. We met in New Orleans. We have known each other for quite some time,” Kol replied.
Rebekah studied him.
“Are you going to help find the cure?”
“No,” Kol said simply. “I have no interest in this end-of-the-world mission.”
He tilted his head.
“Why are you so eager to find it?”
Rebekah did not hesitate.
“Because I want to be human again.”
Kol stared at her.
Charlie turned sharply as well.
“Are you certain you understand what you are asking?” Kol said. “You cannot make such a decision without consulting Elijah. Without his permission.”
“I will,” Rebekah replied. “I am not foolish enough to become human without a plan. Once I have the cure, I will speak to him. I can persuade him. He rarely denies me.”
Kol said nothing.
The idea alone was absurd.
He simply shook his head.
What his sister thought, even he could not understand.
There was no point arguing.
When Elijah returned, he would get the point across her much more efficiently or his brother could always just flip her over his lap.
+*+*+*+*+*
4 Days Later
The next few days were absolute chaos. Damon killed the vampire hunter, and Jeremy became the next hunter. With it came an uncontrollable urge to kill his own sister, followed by the constant struggle to suppress that desire and protect the only family he had left.
On the other side, despite Charlie asking Kol not to meddle, Kol had been enjoying himself. He deliberately caused problems at every step, killing vampires before Jeremy could reach them. He had become a complete menace.
That was when Elena came up with a plan to kill Kol to complete Jeremy’s hunter’s mark. She realised that killing an Original would wipe out their entire sireline, just like when Finn died, and it would instantly complete the mark.
At the Mikaelson mansion, Rebekah and Kol got into a heated fight. In his outrage, Kol threatened her with the white oak stake when she threatened to dagger him again.
Once Kol left the mansion, he slightly regretted it. He could still see the look of betrayal on his sister’s face. However, he also knew that if Elijah got even a hint of what had happened, he would not take it lightly.
Kol made his way to the Gilbert house after receiving a call from Jeremy. It was a trap, and he walked straight into it, carrying the only weapon that could kill him.
The moment he realised it was a setup, his anger flared. Not thinking clearly, he called Klaus and accused him of plotting his death. Klaus was stunned. He had only intended to use the dagger he currently had until Elijah returned. He never meant for Kol to die, not permanently. Before Klaus could explain, Kol, blinded by rage, ended the call.
Kol turned back to the siblings, his anger simmering. He began threatening them and soon decided to cut off the hunter’s arms as a precaution.
The Gilbert siblings and Kol clashed. Kol quickly overpowered them.
He knocked them down and pinned Jeremy against the kitchen countertop, grabbing a butcher’s knife, ready to cut off his arms.
But suddenly, Elena caught him off guard. She sprayed vervain-laced water directly onto him. The liquid burned through him, making him stagger back, blinded and searing in pain.
Meanwhile, Klaus had already reached the Gilbert residence. The moment he realised it was a trap, he knew Kol would have walked straight into it, driven either by anger or his reckless sense of amusement.
He stood at the doorway, blocked by the invisible barrier, slamming his fist against it as he watched helplessly.
His eyes locked onto the white oak stake protruding from Kol’s jacket, now dangerously within Elena’s reach, while Kol writhed in pain, completely unaware.
A cold dread settled into Klaus.
They fought, they argued, they tore at each other constantly, but Kol was still his brother. His baby brother.
Unlike Finn, this loss would matter.
More than he would ever admit.
Everything slowed.
Elena grabbed the stake.
She tossed it to Jeremy.
Klaus knew in that moment Kol would not survive.
A wave of guilt hit him. They had only just come back together after centuries, and now this.
He had wanted the cure, yes. He had wanted Elena human again.
But never at the cost of his brother.
Memories flashed through his mind, from their human days to the recent weeks in Elijah’s kingdom.
Then suddenly, the air shifted.
It was subtle, but unmistakable.
Even Klaus could not track the movement, but he felt it.
A presence he knew too well.
“Elijah!?” Elena blurted out, her eyes wide with shock.
She had not expected him.
Elijah stood there, his expression ice cold.
Before anyone could react, the room filled with the sickening sound of bones being crushed, followed by Jeremy’s scream. The hunter who had dared to raise the stake against Kol was now caught in Elijah’s grip.
Klaus, still near the entrance, exhaled sharply in relief. His throat felt dry, but he knew one thing for certain.
Elijah would not let anything happen.
Jeremy screamed, struggling as Elijah’s grip tightened, his bones cracking under the pressure. Unable to bear it, he dropped the white oak stake.
Elijah caught it.
“Niklaus,” he called, his tone stern, controlled, and inhuman.
Without looking away from the Gilberts, he tossed the stake toward Klaus.
Klaus caught it instantly and hid it within his coat, vowing not to let it out of his sight again.
“How dare you?” Elijah growled.
The siblings stood frozen as he stared straight into them, his darkened eyes unreadable.
“Eli… Elijah…” Elena stammered, fear evident in her voice. She knew they had taken a gamble, and they had lost.
“How… how are you here?” she asked, her voice shaking.
“I have my ways, dear Elena,” Elijah replied calmly.
His grip on Jeremy tightened again, forcing another scream from him.
“Please, Elijah… Kol… he was going to kill Jeremy. We had no other choice,” Elena pleaded.
“I could say the same now,” Elijah replied coldly. “You tried to kill my brother.”
“It was a trap,” Klaus added sharply from the doorway. “They invited him in. They planned to kill him to complete the hunter’s mark.”
Elijah’s gaze remained fixed on Elena.
“I thought you were compassionate,” he said. “But no. You were ready to cause the death of thousands, perhaps lakhs, of vampires. Innocent ones. All because you do not wish to be a vampire.”
Elena stood speechless.
She had never seen Elijah like this. Not like this.
“Elijah… I…” she struggled to respond.
Before she could finish, his voice cut through.
“Kol. Kill them.”
He did not raise his voice. He did not need to.
The restraint in his tone made it worse.
Kol straightened, a grin spreading across his face as he stepped forward. The siblings backed away instinctively.
With Elijah inside and Klaus outside, there was nowhere to go.
“Elijah, please… I had no choice,” Elena tried again.
Jeremy stood in front of her, attempting to shield her as Kol approached, deliberately slowing his steps.
“If you justify killing my brother,” Elijah continued, “then you must also answer for killing Finn and attempting to kill Kol. Should I simply let you walk away from that?”
“Lijah, we cannot kill Jeremy,” Kol chimed in. “He is the hunter now.”
Elijah glanced at him.
Kol immediately straightened.
“I will cut off his arms and legs,” Kol continued, more carefully. “Take his eyes, let her watch, and then kill her.”
Fear was now clear on both Elena and Jeremy’s faces.
Their only hope had been Elijah.
That hope was gone.
“Elijah… please…” Elena whispered.
Before she could continue, Klaus suddenly cried out in pain, clutching his head.
Bonnie appeared.
Her hand was raised toward Klaus.
Elijah moved toward her instantly, but she raised her other hand, casting the same dark magic at him. Pain struck him as well, forcing a brief groan.
At the same time, she snapped Kol’s knees, bringing him down, while holding both Klaus and Elijah in place.
Both brothers growled at her, making her flinch, but she held her ground.
Even so, she knew she could not hold them for long.
Kol, through the pain, realised what this meant. Elijah had just returned from the five-day ritual. He knew those rituals drained him, even if Elijah never showed it.
“Jeremy, invite him in!” Bonnie called out, her voice strained.
Jeremy hesitated.
“I can trap them. Trust me!” she insisted.
After a second, Jeremy nodded.
“Come in.”
The moment the invitation was given, Klaus was forced inside. Bonnie quickly reinforced the barrier.
Klaus lunged at her, but the barrier held.
Kol moved closer to Elijah, steadying himself, while the barrier sealed them in.
Only then did the others allow themselves to breathe.
But Elijah simply straightened.
He brushed invisible dust off his coat and sleeves, as if nothing had happened.
“Do not be relieved just yet,” he said calmly.
The room fell silent.
“I would advise you, Miss Bennett, after this display of bravery, that you and your friends begin running. All of you who were responsible, directly or indirectly, for Finn’s death and the attempt on Kol’s life.”
His gaze was steady and cold.
“You are aware this barrier has its limits. That limit is the only head start you will receive.”
He paused.
“Once I am free, I will hunt each of you to the ends of this earth. I will begin with the Bennett witch and end with my favourite doppelgänger.”
No one moved.
No one spoke.
“You have my word,” he said.
That was what made it real.
The way he said it, quietly and without hesitation, made the air feel heavier.
Even Klaus and Kol went still, exchanging a brief look.
It had been a long time since Elijah had made a promise like that.
Bonnie felt something shift inside her.
Something old.
Something familiar.
Her grams journal.
A writing she had not forgotten since the Originals came to town.
—
“I had feared Klaus once, as everyone does. Today I learned fear had the wrong name. It is not Klaus. It is Elijah. He does not rage. He decides. And when he does, there is nothing left to beg for. I wish to never stand before him again, not after what I witnessed that day.”
Bonnie snapped out of her trance as Klaus suddenly screamed,
“Free us, Bennett!” he growled.
But even then, Elijah’s words echoed in her mind, along with her grandmother’s. Maybe only now did she truly understand what her grandmother meant.
“Why would you do that to us?” Elena asked, still shaken by the threat.
Klaus scoffed at that. “My brother already mentioned that you killed our siblings.”
“You wanted Elena to be human again. You remember that you need her blood to make hybrids,” Jeremy said, looking at Klaus, hoping he might intervene.
“It was not until you tried to murder my brother,” Klaus snapped. “You are mistaken if you think I would choose some bloody hybrids over my own flesh and blood.”
Jeremy frowned, surprised. “That was the reason you wanted the cure for Elena?”
“Boy!” Elijah called darkly.
Jeremy’s eyes snapped to him, a shiver running down his spine at the tone alone.
“If Niklaus had been involved in killing Kol, or if he had chosen anything over his own family, I assure you he would have been one of you,” Elijah said coldly. “One of my prey that I would hunt across this earth until he learned his lesson.”
His words were not just for Jeremy.
“Am I right, Niklaus?” Elijah asked, his gaze still on Jeremy, but the question was meant for his brother.
“Yes. Yes, Elijah,” Klaus replied instantly.
The room fell into an uneasy silence.
It had just become clear to everyone present that the Original hybrid feared his brother.
And that realisation unsettled them more than they expected.
“Let’s go. We need to complete Jeremy’s hunter’s mark,” Elena said quickly.
The others nodded. With Bonnie there, it would be easier.
Elijah took a slow breath, steadying himself.
“Niklaus, you have the stake with you, correct?” he asked, stepping closer to the barrier, studying it.
“Good. Our sister is out there alone. At least the weapon is with us. That keeps her safe.”
He raised his hand toward the barrier.
“My magic is currently sealed, but I can attempt to siphon it.”
He rolled up his sleeves, bit into his hand, and closed his eyes as he released the seal on his magic.
Kol immediately stepped forward. “Elijah, no!”
Before he could stop him, Elijah placed his palm against the barrier.
A sharp hiss escaped him.
Black veins began forming across his hand, spreading rapidly up to his wrist as the magic burned through him.
Kol grabbed him and pulled him back.
“Do not do this, Elijah! Your body has already endured too much dark magic. It needs time to recover,” he said urgently.
Kol knew enough about magic to understand what five days of ritual would have done.
“Seal your magic back, brother, or your body will keep trying to absorb it,” he added, concern evident in his voice.
The veins had already spread to Elijah’s elbow.
Without a word, Elijah closed his eyes and sealed his magic again.
He already knew it would not work, but he had tried anyway.
The moment the magic settled, everything changed.
Before anyone could react, Elijah moved.
He grabbed Kol by the neck and lifted him off the ground, pinning him against the wall, his legs dangling.
Kol struggled immediately, trying to pry Elijah’s hand off, but it was useless.
He clawed at his wrist, trying to breathe, his movements growing weaker with each passing second.
After a few moments, the struggle slowed.
Kol’s vision blurred.
For a second, he thought Elijah would snap his neck.
But just before that point, Elijah released him.
Kol dropped to the floor, back hitting the wall, gasping for air, his breath uneven and sharp.
“What were you thinking?” Elijah growled.
He stepped forward, grabbing Kol by the front of his collar and yanking him up.
Before Kol could even respond, Elijah struck him. The sound of the slap echoed in the room.
Kol’s head snapped to the side, his cheek already reddening.
“Have you lost all sense?” Elijah continued, his voice low but furious. “Waltzing around with the only weapon that can kill you. A weapon that should never have left the mansion, let alone been carried openly.”
Even Klaus felt the shift in him.
Kol certainly did.
“I…” Kol tried to speak, but the words failed him under Elijah’s gaze.
Elijah shoved him back down onto the floor and turned away, closing his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose as he forced himself to calm down.
He could feel it, the edge of losing control.
He would not allow it.
Turning back, he pointed at Kol.
“From this moment on, you will not touch that stake without my permission. The same applies to Rebekah. Do you understand?”
Kol nodded quickly. “Yes.”
“If I see that stake near you ever again, I'll skin you alive,” Elijah added coldly.
Kol lowered his gaze. “Yes, Sir.”
He felt the guilt settle in.
Elijah exhaled slowly before lowering himself to one knee in front of Kol.
Their eyes met.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
Then Elijah reached forward, gripping the back of Kol’s neck and pulling him closer, their foreheads touching.
“You idiot,” he said quietly. “You were moments away from your death. What would I have done if something had happened to you, too?”
Kol’s throat tightened.
“I give you a week of freedom, and you nearly get yourself killed by a hunter and a month-old vampire,” Elijah continued. “My brother. A Mikaelson.” Elijah was staring into Kol glisterning eyes, as he spoke
His grip tightened slightly.
“It seems I'll have to keep you on a much tighter leash.”
Kol knew there was no arguing with that.
“I am sorry,” he whispered. “Forgive me, it won't happen again” he added,
Tears slipped down his face.
Elijah did not respond immediately.
“We will discuss your actions and their consequences later,” he said.
Kol understood what that meant.
Elijah leaned forward and pressed a soft kiss to his forehead before standing up.
Klaus watched the entire exchange quietly.
“Are you alright, Elijah?” the hybrid questioned, noticing his brother's pale complexion.
“The ritual has taken a toll on my body,” Elijah replied. “It will recover in a few days.”
“I regret that I cannot get us out of here in my current state. My witches are also drained, attending to matters at Oasis. This barrier is powerful, tied to the moon. It requires full strength to break.”
He turned toward Klaus.
“Where is Charlie? He was sent here to protect my family.”
His voice carried clear disappointment.
Klaus and Kol exchanged a look.
“He went with Rebekah and the others,” Kol answered. “To ensure Silas does not return.”
Elijah nodded slowly and sat down, his exhaustion now more visible.
“How did they learn about the cure?” he asked. “Very few know of it.”
Before Klaus could answer, Kol spoke.
“Nik did. Along with Rebekah.”
Klaus’s eyes widened.
“Apparently, the hunter was right. Our brother wanted the cure for the doppelgänger to create more hybrids.”
Elijah’s gaze shifted sharply to Klaus.
Before he could respond, Tyler entered, taunting Klaus about how they would use the cure to turn him human and kill him.
Klaus smirked, planting doubt in Tyler’s mind, suggesting that if he took the cure, his entire sireline might turn human, just as Finn’s line died with him. Tyler hesitated, but quickly dismissed it.
Soon after, Caroline entered, mid-conversation with Tyler, only to stop when she noticed all three Originals.
“Elijah? When did you get here?” she asked.
“A while ago, Miss Forbes,” Elijah replied politely. “I am afraid we have not met properly. Under different circumstances, I would have introduced myself.”
Caroline glanced between them, unsettled.
Her phone rang.
It was Elena.
She explained that they needed a sword from the Mikaelson mansion attic to decode the hunter’s mark.
Elijah listened quietly, conserving his strength, while Kol sat beside him, mildly entertained by everything unfolding.
Klaus stepped closer to the barrier.
“Pass the phone to my sister,” he said. “I wish to speak with her.”
Caroline hesitated, then handed over the phone.
“Hello, Nik. Make it quick,” Rebekah said.
“Nothing, sister,” Klaus replied. “Just thought you should say your farewells. Do not get too attached.”
She started to respond, but he cut her off.
“The doppelgänger, her brother, and the Bennett witch tried to kill Kol with white oak.”
Silence.
“Is… is he okay?” she asked quietly.
“Do not worry, sister,” Kol’s voice cut in. “You will not be attending my funeral.”
Rebekah exhaled shakily. “Thank God you are alive.”
“Elijah arrived just in time,” Klaus added. “Another second, and we would be planning a funeral.”
“The great Kol Mikaelson, killed by a human and a baby vampire,” he added dryly.
Kol rolled his eyes but said nothing.
After a pause, Rebekah asked, “Is Elijah there?”
Klaus smirked slightly.
“Now he is aware of everything,” he said.
“Does he know?” she asked.
“That you are out there chasing the cure with the same people who tried to kill me?” Kol added.
“Now he does,” Klaus confirmed.
“Would you like to speak to him?”
Before she could refuse, Elijah took the phone.
“Hello, Rebekah.”
Rebekah froze slightly. “Elijah…”
“The moment I arrive, I learn that our brother was nearly killed, and my sister is with the very people responsible,” he said, his tone cold and controlled.
Caroline and Tyler exchanged a look.
“May I ask who gave you permission to leave for that island?” he continued. “I allowed you freedom, not recklessness.”
Rebekah said nothing.
“When you return, we will discuss this. Then I will decide.”
A pause.
“Did I make myself clear?”
“Yes,” she said quietly. “Yes, you did.”
Elijah ended the call and handed the phone back.
Caroline stared, stunned.
She had never seen Rebekah that silent.
And for the first time, she understood.
Klaus may have been the strongest.
But Elijah was the one they answered to.
“The three of you will be the death of me,” Elijah sighed.
Kol and Klaus exchanged a look and smirked slightly.
Elijah shook his head, but there was the faintest hint of a smile.
+*+*+*+*+
Nova Scotia,
On the Island
The Original sister stood frozen, speechless after Elijah had ended the call. She could feel the fear of her impending doom settle deep into her bones.
Stefan and Elena approached her cautiously.
“Give my phone back,” Elena said, a bit more rudely than necessary.
Rebekah flinched slightly, still lost in her thoughts. The vampires around her could hear her heart pounding rapidly in her chest.
She slowly lifted her gaze, glaring at Elena and Stefan, before pressing the phone into Elena’s outstretched hand.
“You tried to kill my brother, Elena,” Rebekah hissed, taking a step forward.
Elena straightened, trying to hold her ground. “Yes. He was going after Jeremy, and we realised it was the fastest way to complete the hunter’s mark.”
Rebekah let out a sharp, disbelieving laugh. Her eyes flashed with anger and disgust.
“Really? Are you acting dumb, or are you actually that dumb, Elena?” she snapped. “Don’t you understand? Killing Kol would have erased thousands, maybe lakhs, of vampires across the globe.”
Elena faltered for a fraction of a second.
“After Nik, it is Kol who has the largest sire line.”
Stefan’s jaw tightened slightly. He shifted closer to Elena, protective but silent.
Rebekah’s gaze snapped to him.
“And you,” she said, her voice quieter now but laced with hurt, “you stood there with me, distracting me so I wouldn’t interfere.”
Stefan didn’t deny it. That silence said enough.
Rebekah swallowed, her expression hardening again.
“I should kill you both right now for even thinking of killing Kol,” she said, her voice dropping dangerously. “But now that Elijah is here, you are already dead. You just don’t know when yet.”
Elena’s eyes widened.
“You are saying he is going to hunt us?” she asked, her voice quieter now, uneasy.
Rebekah held her gaze.
“If Elijah has marked you as his target, your only option is to run,” she said calmly. “And pray to whatever God you believe in that he doesn’t find you.”
A heavy silence followed.
Elena shook her head, trying to push back the fear creeping in.
“You are bluffing. Elijah is one of the good ones. He will understand.”
“Yes,” Rebekah cut in, her tone flat. “He is. Until you are on his hunting list.”
That shut Elena up.
Rebekah stepped closer, her voice lowering.
“I don’t like you much, Elena,” she admitted. “But even I wouldn’t wish for you to witness Elijah’s bad side.”
A pause.
“I assure you, he is far worse than Niklaus.”
Even Stefan shifted slightly at that.
“You tried to harm Kol this time,” Rebekah continued. “Finn was different. He never wanted to live in the first place. Elijah may have let that go.”
Her eyes hardened.
“But this… You attempted to kill Kol. He will never let this go.”
Elena and Stefan exchanged a look, uncertain and unsettled.
Rebekah inhaled deeply, steadying herself.
She was doomed anyway.
At least if she got the cure, she might be able to convince him.
“Why are you so terrified?” Stefan finally asked.
Rebekah let out a hollow breath, almost laughing.
“You have the luxury to run,” she said. “I don’t.”
She looked away briefly, her composure cracking for just a second.
“After this, I have to go back and face my brother.”
That alone was enough to send a chill through the room.
Suddenly, Charlie walked in, his eyes moving between the three of them.
“What happened?” he asked, his tone already tense as he looked at Rebekah.
Rebekah didn’t sugarcoat it.
“Your friend and my brother is back in town,” she said.
Charlie stilled.
“Kol was almost killed. Elijah arrived at the last moment, and now he knows I am out here with the same people who killed one of our brothers and tried to kill another.”
The colour drained from Charlie’s face instantly.
He stepped forward.
“Is… is Kol alright?” he asked, his voice unsteady.
The slight tremor in his tone didn’t go unnoticed.
Rebekah nodded. “He is alive. Elijah got there in time.”
Charlie visibly exhaled, but the relief didn’t last.
“Did… did Lord Elijah mention me?” he asked. The title slipped out before he could stop himself.
Rebekah’s eyes narrowed slightly. Stefan glanced at Charlie, picking up on that immediately.
“No,” Rebekah said slowly. “He didn’t mention you. He was too busy scolding me.”
A beat.
“Why do you look so terrified?” she asked, studying him now. “What exactly are you to my brother?”
Charlie ran a hand over his face, trying to steady himself.
“I am Elijah’s witch,” he said finally. “I was sent here to protect his siblings from any possible danger.”
Stefan frowned slightly at that.
Rebekah’s expression shifted, understanding but not softened.
Charlie swallowed.
“With Kol nearly being killed, I am answerable to him,” he continued, his voice tightening. “I failed to protect you. I failed my duty.”
His jaw clenched.
“And I know what that means.”
A silence followed.
Even Elena felt it, the weight of that statement.
Charlie looked down briefly, then back up. Something resolute settled in his eyes.
“I will fix this,” he said quietly. “No matter the cost.”
Because failing Elijah was worse than death.
Rebekah watched him carefully.
For the first time, she saw it clearly.
This was not just loyalty.
This was devotion, fear, and something dangerously close to reverence.
And it told her one thing for certain.
Charlie knew exactly what kind of monster her brother could become.
And he was just as afraid of disappointing him as she was.