Disclaimer : I Own Nothin, but my wishes and dreams
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Elijah's POV
It has always been like this—Klaus and Kol making things difficult, causing mayhem, and leaving me to clean up their mess with diplomacy.
As for my sister, she has always been fiery and uncompromising. Even when we were human, we were all stubborn in our own ways.
That, perhaps, is the one truth about us that never died. We do not bend. We break others instead.
This family is all I have left in this world. That is why I had always tried to curb my siblings' reckless tendencies—to keep our father's gaze from finding us, to ensure his ears do not pick up our whereabouts. Every choice I make is in service to that fragile, eternal goal: survival through restraint.
For a millennium, that has been my mission.
The other? Helping Klaus. Making amends for a betrayal that spans just as long. My penance, unending and self-imposed.
That is why I never gave the command to free Katerina.
Doing so would have invited my brother's wrath—his centuries-old hunger for vengeance, for both our betrayals throughout history, to be unleashed upon her.
That is why I left her. Every damn time.
Because sometimes mercy is cruelty dressed in silence.
But now that we are free…
I have met this era's doppelgänger.
At first, I was genuinely surprised. For a moment, I thought Katerina had perfected her deception—elevating her theatrics, perhaps even enlisting witches to mask her vampirism. My mind sought logic; my heart, however, recognized the face before reason could form a protest.
But no. This was a new one.
Tugging at old heartstrings. The same face. The same pleading expression. The same tone that once promised redemption and ended in ruin.
It was at that moment I realized… perhaps I am growing weak, as Kol has often suggested.
Not in strength, but in will. My composure is a shield, and shields, when dented often enough, remember every impact.
And now, it seems, Kol has killed her—and turned her into a vampire.
For a fleeting second, my restraint wavered. Oh, how I wanted to attack him. To fight him for her honor—or for the memory of who she once was. But I hesitated.
Because perhaps, buried beneath his madness, there is some truth to his deduction of my peculiar fascination with doppelgängers.
Let's not voice that dangerous thought.
As I step into the mansion, I find the troublesome brother on whose yoke this family runs.
"Well, brother, you missed quite a bit of fun," Klaus drawls, a knowing smirk playing on his lips. For the briefest moment, his eyes flash amber before settling back to their usual color.
It is the kind of look that speaks not of power but of hunger barely leashed. Kol's trinkets have only worsened that.
Damn Kol and his troublesome inventions. He just had to strengthen Niklaus, tethering him even closer to his wolf nature with that cursed amulet.
"Yes, I heard," I reply, keeping my tone even. "You killed our mother's latest creation. And, on top of that, you let Elena die."
Klaus's smirk widens, his amusement evident. He enjoys my disapproval. He feeds on it. It's our oldest ritual.
"Why, Elijah, you sound displeased," he muses. "I thought your affections lay with a doppelgänger who is now enjoying her freedom. Or perhaps she isn't—perhaps she still believes I am hunting her. You can never tell with Katerina."
I move in a blur, faster than thought, gripping his throat and slamming him against the bar table. The sound of shattering glass echoes through the room.
My control breaks, if only for a second.
"My, my… it seems our brothers are back to their usual selves, Bekah," Kol's voice rings out as he strolls in, Rebekah at his side. His tone is lazy, but his eyes are sharp, curious—he enjoys walking in on tension he didn't create, just to see what burns.
I release my hold on Klaus and turn to Kol instead, my voice a picture of calm once more, though my hand still trembles faintly at my side.
"Tell me, Kol," I say smoothly, "how was your trip to New Orleans? Did you enjoy stirring up old ghosts?"
There's a flicker in Klaus's eyes—curiosity, longing, perhaps even a buried sadness. Good. It means he remembers. It means the humanity he buries still stirs beneath all that rage.
Kol's smirk remains, but I can see the sharpness behind it. "Oh, just tying up a few loose ends," he says airily. "And, while I was at it, acquiring an apprentice."
His smirk deepens—an expression that, in Kol, always signals trouble long before words confirm it.
"The heir to the Claire family. That would be the granddaughter of your old friend, wouldn't it?"
The mention twists something quiet inside me. Another ghost, another link to a time I can never revisit.
I press the wound further, letting the irritation slip through my composure. Perhaps Elena's death has unsettled me more than I am willing to admit. Perhaps I am tired of silence being mistaken for weakness.
Kol chuckles darkly. "My, it seems you have quite the reliable sources, Elijah. Should I set my sights on that particular morsel?"
His grin stretches—too wide, too sharp. There's something gleeful and ugly in it, a kind of madness that has learned to masquerade as charm.
He is talking about Katerina.
And I cannot let him hunt her.
Because if he does, her demise is inevitable.
Kol will kill her without hesitation, without bargains, without mercy. And worse—he'll make it personal.
He watches me, eyes bright with mischief and malice, waiting for a spark of anger to bloom. Waiting for me to falter first.
"I should warn you, brother," he continues, his voice light, teasing. "I've taken quite the liking to this era's doppelgängers. Such tragic little creatures, always running, always afraid. It's rather entertaining."
My grip tightens around the glass in my hand until I hear the faint crack of pressure threatening to shatter it. But I remain still. Stillness, after all, is my rebellion.
"Oh, come now, Elijah," Kol presses, his tone all mockery and mirth. "You know as well as I do that doppelgängers are meant to die. They're nature's little resets, cursed to suffer for eternity." His gaze flickers to Klaus. "Isn't that right, Nik?"
Klaus chuckles, sipping his drink. "Well, I do have a rather long history of chasing them to slaughter." He gives me that familiar, amused look. "You were never particularly good at letting them die, were you, brother?"
My jaw clenches, but my tone stays level. "I was never particularly fond of senseless slaughter."
Kol hums in amusement. "Ah, but is it senseless if it's fate?"
I have heard enough. "You will stay away from her," I say coolly.
Kol blinks, feigning innocence. "Who, dear brother? Which one? You'll have to be more specific. You seem to have collected quite the list of people to protect."
I step toward him, slow, deliberate. "You know who."
Kol tilts his head, smirk curving. "Oh, I see. You're referring to our dear Katerina. What a shame, Elijah. I thought you were done with her."
He pauses, his grin sharpening like a blade. "Or is it Elena? The doe-eyed girl with two brothers wrapped around her fingers, making them dance to her tune and whim as she pleases?"
Even Niklaus tenses at that. The amusement in his eyes falters.
I resist the urge to lash out. That is what Kol wants. That is always what Kol wants.
Klaus snorts, but the humor feels forced. "Please. Elijah is never done with Katerina."
Kol chuckles lowly, leaning in as if sharing an intimate secret. "And yet, you left her again—for your family. She always chooses, doesn't she? And she knows you will always choose this family. You can't even protect your woman. Instead, you cozy up to a girl with the same face—the one who reminds you of the first girl you loved, the one you fought Nik for."
Kol's grin cuts deep. "How unfortunate."
Instead of lashing out, I exhale slowly, smoothing the sharp edges from my voice. Every breath is a negotiation with my rage. "Consider this a warning," I say. "Stay away from her."
Kol's smirk does not waver. "And I ask again… which one?"
His eyes gleam—mirth and cruelty intertwined. He enjoys this—poking the cracks in my restraint, knowing I cannot answer without betraying more than I intend.
I meet his gaze. "You know precisely who."
For a moment, the world stills. We simply stare at each other. A silent duel. No weapons, only will.
Then, Kol grins and claps his hands together. "I don't."
He winks, unbothered. "Well! This has been delightful. But I must be off. Busy schedule, you know how it is."
He saunters toward the door, whistling softly, entirely too pleased with himself.
Rebekah sighs, swirling her drink. "And to think I actually missed you lot when we were apart."
Klaus smirks. "Oh, you love us, Bekah. Admit it."
She huffs, rolling her eyes. "I tolerate you."
As Kol disappears into the night, I finally exhale. The air feels heavier, as if even the house shares my unease.
I do not trust him.
I never truly have.
And if he does go after Katerina…
I will stop him.
No matter the cost.
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Hello Everyone,
So first of all, I want to apologize to you guys. I've been suffering from some health issues, and on top of that, I had to complete my obligations in terms of posting attendance and preparing for my finals. Hence, I couldn't even open my drafts due to lack of time.
Because of my health issues, I couldn't even write properly — it was trash. I was suffering from side effects of the medicine, which generally causes lethargy and brain fog.
Now I am back to normal timings. Even though I have finals from next Monday, I will be posting some chapters today and throughout the rest of the week till Saturday, whenever I have some free time.
Thank you guys for following me till now, and please do forgive me if the following chapters are not up to the mark — I will try to rectify any problems afterward.
Thank you for the support and understanding