Damon and I walked down the stairs, hearing loud music come from speakers around the house as people greeted me with smiles and a 'Happy Birthday'. I gave them all a smile back or a thank you before Damon and I finally stopped in front of the living room and I felt my mouth drop. The amount of people that I didn't know or most likely didn't want to know, was unbelievable. "Chug, chug, chug!" The crowd said as a guy was hoisted up above a keg, drinking beer before the crowd cheered once he was out down. "You like?" Caroline asked, emerging from the crowd in front of me and I rose an eyebrow at her before she pointed at me. "Don't answer that." She added quickly, hinting at my reaction and I sighed.
"Elena is going to kill you.. What happened to keeping it small?" I asked, chuckling at her and Caroline smiled widely. I looked over the cute black dress that she wore while she held a red solo cup in her hand. "What are we drinking?" I asked in amusement and she squealed, taking my hand and leading me away from Damon and through the crowd.
~~~
Caroline and I laughed, holding onto our cups as we walked into the library and she groaned. "Oh. Stoner den.. Buzz kill." Care stated in annoyance as the smell of marijuana hit us.
"Hey, guys." Matt said coming over to us and I smiled at him.
"Matty, Hey." I greeted, looking him up and down and he smiled, pulling me towards him and planted a soft kiss on my cheek.
"Hi. Happy birthday." Matt stated with a bright smile as he pulled away from me and I chuckled at him.
"Thank you." I replied and watched as he looked at Caroline, dropping his smile before he walked out of the library and Care sighed deeply.
"He hates me." Caroline stated and I sighed at her. "His hatred of me has driven him to drugs." She added dramatically and I rolled my eyes.
"He doesn't hate you. He hates that he's not with youâ" I started and cut myself off as I scanned the room around us before raising my eyebrow. "Is that my brother?" I asked, tilting my head at Jeremy who sat with his back to us in a lounge chair. I sighed, handing Caroline my cup and she took it gladly. "Thank you." I stated as I walked over to Jeremy who held a blunt in his hand, smoking off of it. "Hey, Jer." I stated with a smile and he sighed up at me, holding out the blunt and I gave him a fake smile. "Yeah, thanks." I stated before I smoked off of it and Jeremy rose an eyebrow at me.
"What happened to being the big sister who actually cares about what she puts into her body?" Jeremy asked jokingly and I rolled my eyes at him.
"You have the wrong big sister. It's a party, lighten up." I stated in amusement and Jer laughed and went to grab the blunt again but I pulled it away from him. "Yeah.. On second thought, I think I'm just gonna keep it." I added and he rolled his eyes as I walked away. "Give me a minute." I stated, looking at Caroline who nodded and went back to the party with our drinks. I walked out onto the balcony pad where Damon, Elena and Ric were talking.
"Hello, birthday girl." Damon stated with a smirk and I sighed, gesturing at his bourbon.
"Drink." I stated and he rose an eyebrow, handing it to me. "Jeremy's smoking again." I pointed out and looked between Elena and Alaric.
"Is his stash any good?" Damon asked sarcastically and Elena rolled her eyes at him.
"You're an ass." Elena stated in annoyance before she looked at Ric. I shrugged and gestured at the blunt, answering Damon's question and he chuckled, shaking his head at me. "Talk to him, please? He looks up to you." Elena stated, looking at Alaric before she took a deep breath and went back into the party. I watched her go, seeing her white dress flow as she walked.
"You're screwed." I stated, looking back at Ric before I handed him the blunt I took from Jeremy. "Lighten up a bit before you do. You look sad and old." I joked, earning a chuckle from him and Damon. "Just make Jenna doesn't find out that you did it or that I'm the one who gave it to you." I added in amusement and seriousness as Alaric took it.
"I am every parents worst nightmare. I am the chaperone teacher from hell." Alaric stated as he looked down at the blunt and I handed Damon's glass back to him.
"I love high school parties." Damon countered as he looked over the terrace and into the woods surrounding the backyard.
"Did you guys check on the lead I gave you?" I asked, changing the subject as I looked between them now that Elena was gone.
"It was him alright." Damon answered in a serious tone as he downed the rest of his glass and I slowly nodded, looking away slightly.
"Isn't Andie supposed to be coming?" I asked, tilting my head at him before he looked back at me.
"Ten O'clock broadcast, she'll be here in a little bit." Damon answered with a shrug and I slowly nodded before shaking myself back to party mode.
"Welp, I am going to find someone to possibly make the worst or the best decision of my life with." I countered with a short nod and walked back into the party.
~~~
I leant against the doorway of the living room and drank from a bottle of bourbon as I stared at Tyler and Sophie who danced in the middle of the crowd. His hands swaying her hips roughly as she hugged him tightly from behind. "Since when are they a thing?" Matt asked, coming up and standing beside me.
"Since tonight, I guess." I replied shortly, taking my eyes off of Tyler and Sophie as I looked at Matt. "Why are you ignoring Caroline?" I asked, furrowing my eyebrows at him.
"I haven't been ignoring her. Every time I've tried to talk to her, she's with Tyler. I mean, aren't they supposed to be mortal enemies?" Matt asked loudly, raising an eyebrow at me and I sighed as he caught Tyler's attention.
"Caroline helped him out for me when I couldn't. She was being his friend.. Which is what I thought you were." I pointed out and looked away from him in disappointment. Matt sighed back at me but didn't say anything as he looked away. "Matt, you gotta figure it out. Come on, man." I added and gave him a small pat on the back while he slowly nodded.
"Yeah, I guess I have been out of it lately.. I'm Sorry." Matt replied in defeat. I gave him a reassuring smile as he walked away. I walked into the living room as Tyler and Sophie stepped in front of me.
"What was that about?" Ty asked, raising an eyebrow in the direction that Matt went but I shrugged at him.
"Nothing." I answered and looked at Sophie who smiled at me widely, looking me up and down.
"Great party, Mariana. Happy birthday." Sophie stated with a laugh and I slowly nodded back at her.
"Thanks." I replied shortly and shook my head, walking away from them. I walked over to the juice bar before Elena came over to me, hurt flashing in her eyes.
"Did you know?" Elena asked in anger and I furrowed my eyebrows at her.
"I'm gonna need a little more information in order to to answer such a vague question." I countered, looking over her in some concern. "What's wrong?" I added and she folded her arms over her chest.
"Damon has been tracking Klaus without us, Mariana." She informed and I looked at her in confusion. "He has a ton of maps and articles tacked to his closet. He's been doing it for weeks." She added and I sighed, looking at the juice bar in annoyance.
"I need something stronger than this." I pointed out with a sigh before I turned away from it and my eyes fell on Damon who walked through the front door across from us.
"You want answers, let's go then." I pointed out and gestured towards Damon before we followed him upstairs to his room. He shut the door behind him and I furrowed my eyebrows. He never shuts his door. Elena quickly walked in without any warning and Damon turned towards, after looking down at all of the papers scattered over his bed that Elena had put there.
"WhyâWhy didn't you tell me? Why did you keep it a secret?" Elena asked, gesturing at the closet beside us that was wide open for us to see. Damon sighed and looked away from her, not giving her an explanation. Something was wrong.
"Can we not do this right now? I'm having a really bad night." Damon stated in defeat and I furrowed my eyebrows at him.
"All summer, every time I came to you with a lead, you made me feel like an idiot for having hope." Elena stated angrily as she walked over to him and I narrowed my eyes.
"Elena." I warned but she ignored me as she stared at Damon expectantly and he finally met her gaze.
"You were an idiot." Damon countered emotionlessly and I watched as Elena furrowed her eyebrows. "We all were." He sighed, walking over to his dresser and she scoffed.
"Tell me what you know, Damon." Elena stated through gritted teeth and I sighed at her.
"I know you and Mariana need to get back to your party, Elena." Damon answered, gesturing towards the door and I slowly nodded.
"Lena, let's go." I agreed, not wanting to push Damon but Elena didn't waver.
"We're supposed to be in this together, why didn't you tell me that you've been tracking Klaus' victims!" Elena asked angrily and Damon whipped around to face her.
"Because they're not Klaus' victim, Elena. They're Stefan's." Damon answered angrily and Elena looked at him in shock.
"What?" Elena asked quietly, her voice almost broken as she talked now.
"He's left a trail of body parts up and down the Eastern seaboard." Damon pointed out, shaking his head at her.
"No, you're wrong." Elena replied as she looked between Damon and I in disbelief.
"I've seen it happen before. He's flipped the switch, to full-blown ripper!" Damon stated in anger as he grabbed the papers from his bed and shoveled them into his hands and I narrowed my eyes at him.
"Stop it, Damon." Elena stated, shaking her head at him and I folded my arms over my chest.
"No, you stop, Elena. Stop looking for him. Stop waiting for him to come homeâJust stop!" Damon yelled out and I looked away from him. "Stefan is gone and he's not coming back." He added quietly, realizing his outburst on her and Elena just stared at him, unmoving. "Not in your lifetime." Damon stated, holding his gaze with hers before he walked past Elena and I before out of his bedroom. I sighed in defeat as I walked after him and down the stairs, only to run into a small crowd, blocking me from getting through.
"Happy birthday, Mariana!" Most of them said as I pushed through. I rose an eyebrow at one of the girls holding a full bottle of vodka from the liquor cabinet and I grabbed it.
"Cheers!" I said loudly, fake smiling at all of them and they laughed with me before I walked down the hall only to be stopped by Tyler.
"What is your problem? Are you pissed that I brought someone? Caroline just compelled her away." Tyler stated in annoyance as he looked me over.
"I didn't ask Caroline to do that but why would I be pissed? You brought a date. You're datingâthat's great." I stated sarcastically, shrugging at him and trying to get past him but he stepped in front of me again.
"Okay, should I not be dating?" Tyler asked, looking at me expectantly and I sighed deeply.
"HeyâYou're horny all the time, right? You're a guy who has needs." I pointed out sarcastically and Tyler tilted his head at me.
"Because if I shouldn't be dating, all you gotta do is say something. If you don't say something, then I'm going to keep dating." Tyler stated as he stared at me and I looked away from him as I brought the vodka bottle to my lips.
"What would I say, Tyler?" I asked in annoyance and he groaned, making me look back at him.
"Oh, don't do that, Mariana! We've already been here a few times. And every time, you shut me down. I'm not going back there again unless you make it crystal clear thatâ" Tyler started but I cut him off, kissing him. I pulled quickly away to see him taken aback only before he grabbed my face in his hands and kissed me again. Tyler and I pulled away for a few seconds before he kissed me harder and I wrapped an arm around him tightly. "Let's get out of here?" Tyler asked and I quickly nodded, following after him.
-Time Skip-
I groaned, rolling over in bed before I felt gentle fingers run across my arm and I opened my eyes to see Tyler. "You stayed." He observed as he looked down at me. I slowly sat up and turned away from him, sitting on the edge of the bed as I grabbed my dress and shoes from the floor.
"I was tired, I guess. Plus it was late.. And I was drunk." I pointed out and he scoffed, making me raise an eyebrow at him from over my shoulder.
"So that's what this was? A drunken booty call?" Tyler asked in annoyance and I rolled my eyes. I leant over to him and kissed him gently, letting my hair fall over his face.
"No. That isn't what this was." I whispered reassuringly before I pulled away with a smile on my face and he smiled back at me.
"Mom made coffee." Tyler stated, getting up from the bed and I furrowed my eyebrows at him.
"You can smell that?" I asked with a chuckle and he shrugged.
"Wolf-genetics and all that." He replied as he grabbed a pair of shorts from his dresser and I watched him put them on and I tilted my head, staring at his toned torso fondly.
"You don't happen to have an extra change of clothes by any chance, do you? I mean, obviously your mom is going to say something." I stated, shaking my head as I looked down at my dress. Clearly not morning attire.
"My mom loves you. Besides, that dress could be worn a bit more often." Tyler stated in amusement as he grabbed a shirt. I smiled and walked over to him as he started putting it over his head and I grabbed the bottom of it, pulling it gently over him, tracing my fingers over his skin as I went. Tyler smiled down at me before he kissed my forehead an I furrowed my eyebrows as Damon came to my mind at that touch. I looked away from Tyler and grabbed my shoes, pushing the thought of Damon away from me. I slipped on my heels as Tyler put on a pair of Nike's. We went downstairs and into the living room as Carol stood beside a small table where a pot of coffee and a few mugs sat. "Hey, mom." Ty said, greeting her with a smile and kiss on the cheek, making her smile.
"Morning, sweetheart. Mariana, Good to see you." Caroline stated, smiling at me in greeting and I gave her a sheepish smile as Tyler grabbed the pot of coffee. "Coffee's hot." She added towards him as he poured some.
"Mar?" Tyler asked looking at me and I nodded, smiling at him before I looked back at Carol who held a glass of bourbon in hand.
"Rough night?" I asked gently and she chuckled, looking down at it.
"Uh, Rough week. I'm just stressed. What about you two?" Carol asked gesturing toward Tyler and I as she put down her glass and he handed me a cup of coffee.
"Feeling pretty good." Tyler replied with a nod and I sighed at his obvious awkwardness as he went to the kitchen and I followed.
"You know, MarianaâI always tell Tyler if he is going to bring a girl home, that I wish she'd have the tact not to sneak out like a prostitute." Carol stated with a sigh and I rose an eyebrow, turning back to her. "I'm thankful that you're not one of those girls." She added with a smile and chuckle. I looked at Tyler who awkwardly sipped his coffee before he furrowed his eyebrows.
"Whoa.. I think the creams bad." Ty stated, shaking his head, as if changing the subject. I sipped my coffee slightly and furrowed my eyebrows and slowly nodded in agreement. Tyler grabbed our cups and put them back next to the coffee as Carol watched us.
"Thank you for having me, Mrs. Lockwood." I said smiling at her and she nodded back at me. Tyler and I walked away and I furrowed my eyebrows, remembering what the coffee tasted like... Vervain.
~~~
"Just can't stay away, can you?" Damon asked sarcastically as I stood in his doorway while he took down the sticky notes and papers down from his closet.
"You've been dodging my calls." I pointed out and folded my arms over my chest as I walked into the room.
"Yeah, well, busy dating a dead fake girlfriend and all." Damon replied coldly and I looked over my shoulder at the news of Andie Star's death last night.
"Why didn't you tell me? I knew something was wrong." I stated quietly as I turned back towards him and he scoffed.
"Happy birthday, Mariana. Stefan killed Andie. Cake?" Damon asked sarcastically as he brushed past me, going over to his fireplace.
"He called Elena, Damon." I stated, tilting my head at him and he turned back to me in confusion.
"What?" Damon asked, looking me over as if I had said something different and I slowly nodded, turning to him.
"Stefan called her last night." I pointed out and Damon rose an eyebrow.
"Well, what'd he say?" He asked, raising an eyebrow and I sighed.
"He didn't say anything. But it was him. Elena asked Sheriff Forbes if she would trace the call's origin. It came from Tennessee." I informed and Damon narrowed his eyes at me for a few seconds.
"Where he's binge drinking on the country folk." Damon replied with a sigh of annoyance and walked away again. "We went through this, Mariana. Stefan's gone." He added, throwing the papers into the fireplace and grabbed the box of matches that sat above him. "And I don't mean geographically." He stated in amusement and I rolled my eyes.
"If he were really gone, why did he call her?" I asked, raising an eyebrow as he lit the match and threw it into the fireplace. I slowly nodded in defeat before I walked out of his room, leaving him.
~~~
I broke up the pool balls while Tyler stood behind me, staring down at his phone. "Still no word from her?" I asked, tilting my head as he tried to reach Caroline but got no luck and I put the pool stick on the table.
"You guy's moving in or something, you've been here forever." Matt stated jokingly, coming over to us and pouring coffee into mugs.
"I thought I was meeting Caroline." Tyler pointed out as he stared down at his phone, sending her another text.
"You haven't seen her, have you?" I asked, raising an eyebrow at Matt and he sighed.
"Not keeping up on her comings and goings anymore." Matt answered emotionlessly and I furrowed my eyebrows at him.
"Look, man, I never meant for me and her being friends, to be a problem for you." Tyler stated as he put his phone in his pocket.
"It is what it is." Matt replied with a shrug as he walked away but then stopped. "Tonight's the full moon, right? Caroline usually helps you." He pointed out and Tyler slowly nodded in agreement. "Do you uhâIs this the kind of thing that you need another person for?" He asked, furrowing his eyebrows.
"I can handle it. Thanks though." Tyler replied, drinking his coffee before he groaned in annoyance. "Man, What is up with my taste buds today?" He asked, shaking his head and Matt chuckled.
"Heh. It's the vervain. The Sheriff has me slip it into the coffee here every now and then." Matt pointed out and Tyler furrowed his eyebrows at him.
"This is what vervain tastes like?" He asked in confusion and I slowly nodded in agreement.
"The coffee usually hides the flavor but since you're not human, there you go." I added and Tyler looked at me confused. "Elena and I drink vervain a lot so I know the taste." I stated, looking between Matt and Ty. Matt walked away from us and Tyler put his cup down.
"Speaking of Elena, she was in here asking me questions about werewolf packs and all that before you got here." Tyler pointed out and I rose an eyebrow.
"Werewolves? What was she asking for?" I asked and he shrugged, looking back down at his phone.
"She wanted to know where werewolf packs meet on full moons. Like if they have a special place. Then she asked about Tennessee wolves.. So, I gave her a map for the Smoky Mountains." Tyler stated and I shook my head, pulling out my phone. "Is everything okay?" He asked in concern once he noticed my face.
"Elena thinks Stefan is in Tennessee." I informed and Tyler furrowed his eyebrows at me as I called Alaric.
~~~
"How could she be so stupid?" Damon asked in annoyance as we followed the trail that Alaric had sent us. The trail they had taken through the Smoky Mountains.
"Well, she's stubborn and madly in love with your brother." I pointed out in a matter of fact tone and he scoffed.
"Yeah, well, that might end up getting her killed." Damon stated emotionlessly and I furrowed my eyebrows at him before he put a finger to his mouth.
"Do you hear them?" I asked in confusion and Damon smirked before vamping ahead of me. I rolled my eyes in annoyance and walked faster before I heard Elena scream from up ahead. I widened my eyes and ran forward, seeing a lake come into view beside the path. There was a clearing before it and I stopped as I saw Alaric holding a crossbow at Damon before putting it down in relief.
"Damon!" Elena exclaimed loudly in annoyance as she stood in the body of water in front of us and I rose an eyebrow. "How are you even here?" She added and Alaric sighed, walking closer to Damon as I stood in front of her also.
"Thanks for the tip, brother." Damon stated, looking at Alaric from the side.
"You sold me out." Elena stated, breathing heavily up towards Alaric who scoffed.
"You think I'd take you to a mountain range of werewolves on a full moon without backup?" Alaric asked undoubtedly and Elena clenched her jaw at Damon and I. I gestured for Alaric to get the bags as I folded my arms over my chest.
"Get out of the water, Elena." I stated in annoyance at her and she folded her arms over her chest.
"If I get out of the water, you're going to make me go home." Elena stated with somewhat of a pout and I rolled my eyes.
"Yes, because she's not an idiot like you." Damon countered in irritation and she narrowed her eyes at him.
"Right now, you're both acting like idiots." Alaric countered from behind me and I smirked at him in amusement.
"You gave up on him, Damon." Elena stated as she shook her head at Damon and looked away.
"I didn't give up on him, Elena. I faced reality. Now get out of the water." He ordered but she scoffed back at him.
"No!" Elena protested loudly and I felt my eye twitch in annoyance now. I put my hair up in a ponytail and walked forwards.
"What's your big plan, Elena? Huh?" I asked, moving down into the water and she furrowed her eyebrows at me. "You gonna walk into a campsite full of werewolves, roast a marshmallow and wait for Stefan to stop by?" I asked, walking through the water toward her and she slowly backed away from me.
"My plan is to find him and help him. Mariana, this is the closest that we've been to him since he left. I'm not going home." Elena argued and I scoffed in annoyance.
"Klaus thinks you died when he broke the curse. That makes you safe." I warned, tilting my head at her. "This? This is not safe." I pointed out as I gestured around us.
"I'm not leaving before we find him." Elena stated emotionlessly and I rose an eyebrow at her.
"It's a full moon tonight, Elena." I argued through gritted teeth and she walked closer to me.
"Then we'll find him before then." Elena countered and I narrowed my eyes at her quietly. I looked over my shoulder at Damon and Alaric who rolled their eyes at me, clearly not down for the plan. "Mariana, please." She added pleadingly and I looked back at her.
"Ok.. Okâbut we are out of here before the moon is full and Damon is werewolf bait." I warned and Elena nodded in agreement at me.
"I promise." Elena replied and I sighed, turning away from her as I walked back over to Alaric and Damon.
"You made me get my favorite shoes wet with lake water. So thanks for that." I stated in annoyance back at Elena. I grabbed Damon's hand that he held out to me as he helped me out of the water.
~~~
"How you doing?" I asked Elena in amusement as she trudged down the path, hunching as the bag she carried weighed her down.
"Fine." Elena replied heavily, obviously struggling and I slowly nodded and sighed.
"You sure? I could help you." Damon suggested playfully as he walked behind me.
"No thanks." Elena replied in another heavy breath and Damon shrugged.
"Just one little fwoosh." Damon pointed out, gesturing ahead of us and Elena rolled her eyes.
"Yeah, with my luck, you'd drop me." Elena countered and I smirked a bit at the thought.
"What are you guys, twelve?" Alaric asked in annoyance at us I looked over my shoulder at him in amusement. "We got about a mile left." He added and I looked down at the crossbow he held.
"The suns about to set." I informed, looking through the trees at the orange light hovering over them.
"I can see that, Mariana." Elena stated, clearly irritated and I shrugged back at her as we walked.
"I'm just saying." I pointed out with a sigh and Elena rolled her eyes.
"The moon doesn't reach its apex for awhile. We have time." Elena reassured and I rose an eyebrow at Damon who sighed before a twig around us snapped, making us go on high alert. I rose an eyebrow as Alaric and Damon stepped in front of Elena and I as we came to a stop and listened. Alaric quickly held up the crossbow as someone came from the trees ahead of us. I watched a man emerge, breathing heavily while blood trickled down his face and onto the t-shirt and flannel he was wearing. His eyes were bloodshot and blood stains trailed down his cheeks, like tears almost.
"Stay where you are." Alaric warned, aiming the crossbow at him and I narrowed my eyes, knowing full well he was a werewolf. I watched the man stop in his tracks and examine us all slowly, carefully.
"Vampire." The wolf whispered, looking at Damon who gave him a slight shrug. Damon and the werewolf quickly vamped at each other before the wolf pinned Damon up against a tree. He was in transition. Klaus must be close. The wolf tried to bite Damon but was held back as Damon held his throat away from him. Elena searched through her bag as Alaric shot at the werewolf, piercing a stake into his side but it had no effect on him.
"Damon!" Elena warned as she grabbed a wolfsbane bomb from her backpack, pulled the pin and threw it to him. Damon caught it in one of his hands before it exploded and the wolf screamed out in pain while his face burned. He knelt on the ground yelling out in agony and went to get up again but Damon kicked him in the stomach, knocking him out completely.
"Let me guess.. Hybrid." Alaric stated in annoyance as he looked between Damon and I before I scoffed, nodding in agreement and staring down at the wolf.
~~~~
I watched as Alaric tightened the vervain ropes around the tree before I sighed, examining the ropes and chains, holding the hybrid. "These ropes aren't going to hold him much longer. What else do we have?" I asked, looking at Elena who soaked more ropes with the vervain water from her water bottle.
"Mariana, here, take these." Elena stated gesturing them towards me but Damon grabbed them instead.
"Ah!! Ow!" Damon gasped, wincing and drawing his hand back from the ropes in pain as I took them.
"She said Mariana." I pointed out in amusement and he rolled his eyes at me as Alaric and I tied the ropes around the hybrid.
"Alright, that's the last of the vervain." Alaric stated as he tied a knot in the rope and groaned, stepping back. "We don't have enough stuff to hold him." He added looking at Damon in concern. "I don't think we're gonna make that ridge before the full moon." Alaric sighed as he looked at the sun that was setting over the trees.
"If we can get him to talk, we don't have to." Elena reassured him as she walked over to the hybrid and I folded my arms over my chest as she examined his bloody face. I rose an eyebrow as Elena raised a hand to the hybrids face, about to touch the blood that dropped from his eyes before the hybrid gasped, waking up and Elena gasped also, drawing herself backward. The hybrid's neck cracked out of place and I furrowed my eyebrows as his canines started to extend while he groaned in pain.
"Is he turning?" Damon asked in confusion and I slowly shook my head.
"It's impossible. It's still daylight." I countered, gesturing at the sun that was still showing through the trees. The hybrid screamed in pain as his body started cracking its bones out of place and I looked at Damon in disbelief.
"Tell him that." Alaric stated as he narrowed his eyes at the shifting wolf before Damon grabbed the hybrid by his shoulders, trying to stop the change.
"There aren't supposed to be werewolves out here until the moon is full." Elena stated in a concerned voice and I looked at Alaric in worry as well.
"You know, those ropes aren't going to hold the wolf." Ric warned as the hybrid angrily started snapping its canines towards Damon, snarling as his eyes shifted as well.
"Damon, we've got to get out of here." I said loudly toward him, watching him draw back from the hybrid as he still held its shoulders. "We've got to get out of these mountains now." I added but Damon ignored me and I groaned, pulling him by the back of his shirt. "Damon, NOW!" I yelled and he quickly turned away from the hybrid as we all started running back the way we came, hearing the hybrid scream in pain from behind us.
~~~
The four of us ran through the woods as the sun was now fully down and darkness surrounded us. I ran behind Alaric as Elena ran behind me and Damon followed. I heard Elena groan and I looked back at her to see her trip before the three of us stopped in our tracks. Elena went to get up from the ground and I widened my eyes. "Don't move." I warned calmly toward her and she became still, crouching on her hands and knees. Elena slowly looked up and gasped at the wolf snarling from in front of her. The wolf looked at Damon before back at Elena and I narrowed my eyes at Damon who clenched his jaw.
"Here, doggie, doggie." Damon stated tauntingly toward the wolf before he vamped deeper into the woods away from us and the wolf followed in pursuit.
"Come on, let's keep moving." I warned as Elena got up from the ground, dusting herself off.
"We can't leave Damon." Elena argued gesturing towards where he ran off to and I groaned.
"He can handle himself, now let's move!" Alaric said in frustration towards her.
"If he gets bit, he'll be dead. I'm the reason him and Mariana are even out hereâ" Elena started before I cut her off.
"I am the reason that he's out here. I told him I needed his help to get here. Now, I'm telling you that we need to keep moving. Let's go!" I stated angrily at her and watched as she stood unmoving and I narrowed my eyes. "Elena, now." I warned emotionlessly and she narrowed her eyes at me before the three of us kept moving again.
~~~
"Stefan's out there somewhereâAnd now Damon and we're just sitting in this car?" Elena asked in annoyance from where she sat in the backseat and I rolled my eyes as we sat in a valley clearing outside of the forest.
"Let the vampires fight the hybrid zombie mountain man. I'll take care of keeping the humans safe." Alaric replied in some amusement and I smirked at him as we stared out the windows, looking for any sign of Damon.
"I thought you were checked out of taking care of people." Elena countered, tilting her head at him and he sighed, looking at her from the rear view mirror.
"I know what you're doing. Don't. There doesn't need to be a lesson here." Alaric stated in annoyance and she rose an eyebrow, folding her arms over her chest.
"You're better at it than you think, you know?" I stated, adding onto what Elena was suggesting and Alaric chuckled a bit.
"Oh, boy. Are you two a sucker for a lost cause or what?" He asked shaking his head and I smirked a bit.
"You're not a lost cause, Ric.. You're just lost. I mean, so are Jenna, Elena, Jer and I. We lost our family.. We're all any of us have left, you know? So.. We're kind of right for each other." I pointed out, tilting my head at him and watched as he looked at me quietly, pondering something over in his mind.
"I'm keeping the ring then." Alaric replied and I furrowed my eyebrows as he held up his hand. I noticed John's ring that he gave Elena, placed on one of Alaric's fingers and I smiled a bit. I heard footsteps come toward Ric's car before we saw Damon walking out from the woods us in silence.
"Damon?" Elena asked in concern as we all got out and she walked quickly over to him.
"Are you okay? Did youâ" She started before he cut her off.
"Fine. Bite-Free. Get back in the car, please." Damon replied emotionlessly, bumping his chest against hers, trying to get her to walk away from him.
"Can you just give me a minute to appreciate that you're not dead?" Elena asked in complete annoyance at him and I tilted my head as I observed Damon.
"I'll give you the seconds." Damon reassured, putting his hands on her shoulders and turning her back to the car as I looked at Alaric who leant against the hood. "Nine, eightâHey, Ari, do you happen to remember where we parked my car?" He asked, looking at me as him and Elena walked.
"Damon, stop being such a caveman." Elena stated in anger as she tried to free herself from his grasp.
"Seven, sixâ" Damon replied emotionlessly, letting her go and nodding at Alaric as we all got in the car.
"The Camaro should be just beyond those trees." I stated gesturing in front of Alaric who nodded in agreement as he put the car in drive.
~~~
I walked into my room from the bathroom and groaned in annoyance. Damon was leaning on the wall across from me, staring out my window. "Seriously?" I asked, tilting my head at him and he looked over at me.
"I was wrong." He admitted quietly and I rose an eyebrow at him.
"Are you drunk? Because I'm sure I know how these conversations endâ" I started but Damon cut me off with a scoff.
"No." He stated sternly and I slowly nodded, sighing somewhat in relief. "I thought Stefan was gone, but I was wrong." Damon clarified and I furrowed my eyebrows at him.
"You saw him out there?" I asked, looking him over in confusion but he didn't answer. "Damon, is he okay?" I asked again, shaking my head in worry.
"No. He's not okay, Mariana. He's an insufferable martyr that needs his ass kicked." Damon replied in annoyance and I sighed in defeat. "But he can be saved." He added, looking away from me and I slowly folded my arms over my chest.
"What happened out there?" I asked quietly, examining the look on his face and the tension that surrounded his features before he looked back at me. "What changed your mind?" I added shrugging.
"What changed my mind was, even in his darkest place, my brother still won't let me die." Damon answered in defeat and I furrowed my eyebrows a little. "So I figure I owe him the same in return. I'll help you and Elena bring him back." He added with a small smirk and I tilted my head at him.
"Thank you." I replied, giving a small nod in return before I walked over to my bed and sat on it.
"But before I do, I need you to answer me one question." He stated and walked over to me. I took the ponytail out of my hair and looked up at him. "What made you change your mind?" He asked and I slowly shook my head.
"What do you mean?" I asked, raising an eyebrow as I didn't understand the question but he scoffed.
"Well, I saw how hell bent Elena was on staying on that mountain. After your talk with her, you were just as hell bentâthen you just gave up. What made you change your mind?" Damon asked, staring at me intently as he searched my face. I stood from my bed, leaving my phone and walking over to my dresser.
"We were under attack, Damon." I answered in annoyance as he walked up behind me and looked at my face through the mirror reflection.
"You're a witch. Elena brought a bag full of weapons and a teacher with an eternity ring. You could have kept going." Damon argued and I rolled my eyes turned back to him.
"It was too dangerous, Damon." I stated, shaking my head at him in annoyance as he stood inches from me now.
"It was too dangerous going out there to begin withâand you called me in the first place, so what was it?" Damon pressed further, not backing down and I narrowed my eyes at him.
"Why are you being like this?" I asked in annoyance as I folded my arms over my chest in defeat.
"What changed your mind, Mariana?" Damon repeated, more loudly this time as he walked towards me again, closing the space between us.
"I didn't want to see you get hurt, okay!" I answered loudly, watching him raise an eyebrow down at me. "I was worried about you." I added in annoyance and looked away from him as I pushed past him and went back to the bed.
"Thanks." Damon stated with a nod before walking towards my door and I scoffed, turning back to him.
"Yes, I worry about youâYou know I do, so why do you even have to hear me say it?" I asked, shaking my head in disbelief at him. Damon stared at me silently before walking over to me again and placing his hands on both sides of my face.
"Because when you go crawling back to Lockwood after the sun comes up, I want you to remember the things you felt while he was shifting inside of a cellar." Damon replied emotionlessly and I stared up at him silently, looking between his eyes and his lips before he removed his hands from my face and let them run along my skin softly. "Goodnight, Mariana." He added quietly, walking out of my room and towards the stairs as Alaric was walking up them, headed to Jenna's room. "How's it going, Ric?" Damon asked, walking down the stairs. Alaric rose his eyebrow at Damon before he looked at me as I stood in my room silently, not knowing what to say or think.
"You know what you're doing there?" Alaric asked and I scoffed lightly, running a hand along my forehead.
"No, I don't." I replied in defeat as I looked away from him and shook my head before I waved my hand towards the door, closing it.