"Mom.." Niklaus spoke close to Evelyn's ear. "I need to speak with you in private."
Evelyn glanced at Niklaus, he had an austere look on his face.
Evelyn followed Niklaus to the next room, away from the crowd of prying eyes.
"What exactly did you find out about the bond?" Niklaus silently closed the door behind Neil, as he was the last of the group of five to enter the room.
"I couldn't sleep last night after you told me you activated the Ηλεκτροκίνηση Ηλεκτροϋδροδυναμική." Evelyn paused as Niklaus once again seemed displeased by something. "What's wrong?"
"It's. It's just that name is so long and annoying to say." Niklaus sighed as he dragged his palm across his forehead. "Can I just shorten that to Μπουλόνι"
"Epulon? Fine." Evelyn rolled her eyes and continued her story. "Anyways, I couldn't sleep so I looked through our archives and found a scroll written in your great-great grandfather's hand. Summarized, it basically said that when the Quietus finds their mate, they'll unlock all of the secret powers that come with being the gate keepers heir, including the epulon."
"That can't be all there is." Neil folded his arms loosely across his chest. "Niklaus used the epulon before he met Olivia."
"I did, but it's only ever happened under extreme duress and I don't know how to voluntarily activate or control it."
"I believe that due to the.." Evelyn stopped and took a breathe. "Maltreatment that Niklaus endured, his subconscious allowed for him to use the ability."
"I guess that makes sense." Neil turned his head to Niklaus. "You have gone through a lot of physical abuse."
Olivia held Niklaus's hand as Evelyn moved on to explaining the Quietus's mate bond.
"You're father always knew that you two would contain the power of the Quietus. He said that there has never been a pair of MacTear twins that didn't hold the power. 'Always two' he said 'One to contain the living and one to contain the dead, together they separate heaven and hell.'. I never wanted to believe him, I didn't want to believe that I'd lose one of you forever."
"What do you mean?" Everyone was staring at Evelyn.
"On the bottom of the scroll, Michael, you're great-great grandfather, wrote a vague warning. It read 'A twin of death and one of life, that is the quietus. One for the ether and one for the damned, each to maintain a gate of hell. One will fall and the other will rise, the eldest, of course, can never die.'"
"What the hell does that mean!?" Harper's voice was penetrating.
"It means that one of them will control the underworld while the other remains on earth and leads the pack." Evelyn had a sombre look.
She had already lost Neil and Niklaus once and now she'd be losing one of them again.
"Isn't there a way for us to make sure that doesn't happen!?" Harper had a look of panic on his face.
As everyone started to worry and argue about what Michael's message truly meant, Niklaus felt his head becoming heavy and decided he needed to sit.
"Niklaus?" Olivia could feel something was wrong. "Niklaus, are you okay? You look green."
"Yeah." Niklaus sounded groggy and his speech was slurred slightly. "I th-think I need-" Niklaus abruptly ran to the waste basket and pulled it to his face, emptying the contents from his stomach.
Niklaus placed the basket back on the floor and sank to the ground grabbing at his chest hyperventilating.
"Niklaus?" Neil knelt in front of him. "Niklaus. Follow my eyes, okay? Follow me."
Neil's eyes shifted from their caramel brown to Blue's stormy silver.
As Niklaus watched Neil's eyes, his breathing started to calm, slight hitches catching in each breath.
"Are you okay now?" Neil's eyes once again changed, back to their normal brown.
Niklaus nodded and wiped his eyes.
"Is he okay?" Evelyn placed her hand on the back of Neil's shoulder. "What happened?"
"I'm hear if you need to talk." Neil stood and place a kiss on the top of Niklaus's head.
Neil turned to Evelyn and pulled her away from Niklaus.
"You remember that he kidnapped and held captive for nine years. However, that's not the full story. They beat him, they r*ped him, they tortured him, and they broke him over and over and over again. That kind of trauma, over that length of time, it takes its toll on the body and the mind. Niklaus has been doing good for a while now, so I guess we were due for a panic attack and that all of us arguing brought up some things he's still fighting to heal from. After some time, I think.. no, I hope he'll be able to find a mental and physical place where he's better."
Evelyn looked subdued. The worry and sadness bleeding from her face as she looked at her sons.
Niklaus now stood with his back against the door, making sure he was propped against something in case he got sick again.
"Mom, I can't be the alpha of this pack. I'm weak.. the only reason I got away from Blink the first time is because he let me, and the second time it took Harper's father and nine other members of his pack to help us escape. Not only that..." Niklaus raised his arms, making sure everyone could see his scars. "These are all over my body, they cover 60% of me.." Niklaus stood still, his eyes scanning the faces in the room. "Fuck it." He whispered to himself, Niklaus started removing his shirt and showed everyone his scars.
Harper quickly turned his head to Neil, the surprise and worry on his face.
[Neil..] Harper's voice came in soft in Neil's mind. [His arms and torso, that's still less than 60% of the human body.]
[I know..] Neil's voice sounded shaken and sad.
"How do you expect the wolves of this pack to follow someone who's not mentally, physically, or emotionally strong enough?" Niklaus spoke sternly, a slight waver in his voice. "I can't lead an entire pack, half the time.. I don't even see a reason to wake up or get out of bed."
"Niklaus, you are the rightful heir of this pack. Even if it's not your duty to lead now, it will be in the future." Evelyn spoke soft but bluntly.
"If that's the case then I relinquish my duty and pass on the right of heir to Neil." Niklaus left the room before Evelyn could speak again.
Niklaus had promised Nathaniel the previous night that they could go for a run, as he was feeling a little heated he decided now would be a good time to go.
Niklaus found Nathaniel on the couch surrounded by elderly pack members doting on him.
"Prince Niklaus." One of the elders notice Niklaus and made their best effort to bow. "We are humbled that you've taken time to come talk with us."
Niklaus was about to correct them but the man started speaking again.
"I'm Mr. Marsle, I used to carry you and your brother on my shoulders when I'd walk you to school."
Niklaus's eyes widened and a smile crept onto his face as he pulled Mr. Marsle into a hug.
"I'm glad you're still around." Niklaus released the hug, a wide grin on his face. "How have you been?"
Marsle straightened his clothes and smiled as he spoke. "I'm good. I'm a grandfather now."
"Really? That's amazing." Niklaus glanced down at Nathaniel for a moment and remembered his promise. "Mr. Marsle, I promised Nathaniel I'd take him for a run. We shouldn't take too long if you'd like to talk some more when we're done."
"No, it's quite alright. I should return to my own home anyways. I'll find your mother before taking my leave." Marsle bowed and started looking for Evelyn.
Niklaus looked at Nathaniel and gestured with his head for Nathaniel to follow him. Nathaniel nodded and excused himself from the group of old pack members surrounding him. The group had no choice but to let him go seeing as the Κληρονόμος wanted Nathaniel to follow him.
"I figured we could go for a run. You know, to get away from the crowd."
"Oh thank the gods." Nathan let out a relieved sigh. "I probably would've started screaming if I didn't get away from them."
Niklaus chuckled as he held the door open for Nathaniel.
"Niklaus?" Nathaniel looked embarrassed.
"Are you okay, Nate?" Niklaus waited for Nathaniel to answer.
"I don't have complete control over my wolf yet." Nathaniel dug his foot in the ground.
Niklaus smiled. "That's okay. You're only nine." Niklaus started taking his shoes off. "To be honest, you're already farther along than I was, I didn't even have my first shift until I was twelve."
"Wow, really?" Nathaniel seemed to perk up a little when Niklaus said that.
"Yeah.." Niklaus placed his shoes, socks, and shirt by a tree. "I was able to communicate with my wolf and change my eyes, but I couldn't shift completely. Nobody knew why, not even any of the pack elders or doctors."
As Niklaus stood away from the tree, Nathaniel noticed the scars covering Niklaus's torso.
"Woah." A wonderment filled Nathaniel's eyes as he scanned each scar.
Niklaus didn't even think about it when removing his shirt to shift. He realized Nathaniel hadn't seen his scars and the way Nathaniel was staring was starting to make Niklaus more conscious about the scars.
"Those are soo cool!" Nathaniel's eyes were lit up as he spoke. "How did you get all of those!?"
Niklaus was dumbfounded, he didn't expect that reaction. "I can explain a couple after we get back, if you want."
Nathaniel nodded and removed his shirt and shoes, placing them next to Niklaus's under by the tree. "Let's go."
Nathaniel shifted first, Niklaus couldn't believe how much Nate's wolf, Monty, looked like their father's, Glade. Monty had a golden brown coat with yellow/orange eyes. Due to his young age Nathaniel's wolf was smaller than a normal one but was still a decent size for someone so young.
Nathaniel watched Niklaus as he shifted too. Compared to Shade, Monty looked like a new born pup. They both got into running positions and took off into the woods. Niklaus easily weaved and dodged through the trees and over rocks and broken logs. Whereas Nathaniel stumbled a bit and took a couple branches to the face.
Niklaus slowed down and started sniffing the air, it seemed, somehow, Nathaniel passed him. Niklaus looked around and Nathaniel wasn't anywhere to be found. Niklaus released a howl, calling for Nathaniel. He sniffed the air again, catching the scent he started following it. Niklaus wove in and out of the trees, the scent getting stronger with every step. Soon Niklaus was right on top of the scent, or the scent was on top of him, and he heard a familiar disdainful voice that fill his mind with malice.
"Hello.. Little Wolf!"