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Elena and Caroline glared at Damon and Alaric, both girls were unhappy with Alaric's betrayal of calling Damon knowing he'd drag them back to Mystic Falls without Cordelia. "We're not going home, Damon," Elena snapped at her boyfriend, she didn't care about the concerns with Niklaus, she just wanted to bring Cordelia and Stefan back home. "Yes, you are," Damon argued back, "You're being stupid risking your life when Klaus thinks you're dead." Elena scoffed while Caroline rolled her eyes, "Seriously!? I just want to bring my sister home." Alaric sighed with a frown, he knew how much this was affecting Caroline who had never been apart from her twin.

"You gave up on them," Elena claimed as she looked at Damon, disappointment in her gaze at how willing Damon was to give up on his brother and the girl he claimed to be his humanity. "I didn't give up on them, Elena. I accepted their choices," Damon replied to her, his eyes narrowed. As much as he loved Elena's stubborn nature and the fact she cared so much about Cordelia, he hated it in moments like this where she was endangering everyone. "What's the big plan, Elena? Huh? You gonna walk through a campsite full of werewolves, roast a marshmallow, and wait for Cordelia and Stefan to stop by?" Damon asked rhetorically with an irritated sigh.

"My plan is to find them and help them. Damon, this is the closest that we've been to them since they left. We're not going home," Elena replied to him, Caroline standing tall and backing Elena up, she was glad that the brunette had changed her views of Cordelia and opened her heart to a friendship that seemed to be stronger than everyone knew. "Klaus thinks you died when he broke the curse. That makes you safe. This─ this is not safe," Damon remarked. "I am not leaving before we find them," Elena stated more sternly, she couldn't turn back now. "It's a full moon, Elena," Damon reminded his girlfriend. He wanted his best friend and brother to come home but endangering them wasn't going to help.

"Then we'll find them before then," Caroline voiced with her arms crossed, her eyes narrowed on Damon. "Damon, please," Elena pleaded, her softened expression focused on Damon who felt his resolve breaking before he gave in. "Okay. Okay," Damon muttered, "But we are out of here before the moon is full or Caroline and I are werewolf bait." Both girls nodded in agreement, they were happy that he had given in but that was to be expected with how much he loved Elena and due to how much he missed Cordelia and Stefan. "I promise," Elena assured him before she and Caroline turned to continue walking. "Whipped much?" Alaric teased Damon who scoffed before following the girls.

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Cordelia felt a distant pull of familiarity, her brows furrowed as she subtly turned her gaze towards the distant lake. She did her best to stay calm as to not set of any concern from Stefan or Niklaus that would lead to questions but she was certain that Elena, Caroline, Damon and Alaric were nearby if her magic was reading it right. A large part of her felt rage burn through her at the thought of Elena endangering herself after Cordelia worked so hard to keep her being alive a secret but that smaller part of her felt happy that Elena genuinely cared enough to come searching for her; helping Caroline and Damon in bringing her and Stefan home.

Ray was shaking, his eyes still bleeding mercilessly, "You said it was gonna feel better. Why doesn't it feel better?" Stefan scoffed lightly in amusement, "Some master race." Niklaus turned to glare at Stefan, "Watch the attitude." Cordelia ignored the both of them as she knelt in front of Ray, she carefully cupped his cheek as her eyes began to glow a rose gold. Niklause watched in awe of her magic, he could only guess how much his brother Kol would adore Cordelia and her power. "I can't heal him," Cordelia expressed as she turned her head to Niklaus, the sad look on her face made Niklaus' heart stutter in his chest; he wished to never see such sorrow again.

The woman was the next to wake up, gasping for air desperately before Niklaus instructed the woman's boyfriend to fed her. Before anyone could react, Ray leaped forward and sunk his canines into Cordelia's  neck causing her to scream out in pure pain. Niklaus and Stefan both turned to their soulmate, rage burned through them as Ray ripped himself back tearing Cordelia's shoulder before he took off into the trees. Niklaus sped over to Cordelia, cradling her in his arms as Stefan growled before taking off after Ray with the intent of killing him painfully. Alex kept a distance, his eyes watching the remaining wolves carefully knowing Niklaus' focus would be on his soulmate rather than the pack.

"I've got you, love," Niklaus whispered as he bit into his wrist, leaning over her as if to shelter her from the world, "I'm sorry." Cordelia's half-lidded eyes focused on the storm brewing with Niklaus', the real pain he felt seeing her in such a condition confirmed that he truly did love her as he proclaimed and promised. "It's... not your fault," Cordelia whispered through a pained whimper before accepting his wrist, the sweet taste of his blood healing the wound and wiping the venom. Cordelia leaned in against Niklaus' chest, his head moved to rest on top of her own as his mind drowned in realisation that Cordelia had been moments away from death.

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Stefan's rush came to a halt hearing the voices of his older brother and ex-girlfriend, the latter being someone who couldn't be seen as Stefan didn't trust how Niklaus would react─ he feared what Niklaus would do to Cordelia if he found out how he was betrayed, especially considering the state of his first hybrid. It wasn't long till Alex approached him, "Where did he go? Klaus won't be happy that you let him go after what happened to Cordelia." Stefan stepped closer to Alex preventing him from taking notice of the others present on the mountain, "He, uh... he got away. I can't pick up on his scent." Alex raised a brow as he grabbed Stefan's shoulder tight, "I may have trust in the Starlight but you, not so much."

"What do you mean by that?" Stefan asked, he didn't like the way Alex's eyes brightened at the mention of Cordelia, the almost possessive waves that came off of the Heretic. "It'd be wise not to anger Niklaus, Stefan. Cordelia he could forgive over time but you... he'd rid of you without doubt," Alex warned, his words echoed like a promise before he turned to walk back to the camp, "Don't return without the mutts body... or head. Either works." Stefan clenched his fists tight as he took in Alex's words. He wasn't sure of Alex's true loyalty but he was going to keep Cordelia away from the Heretic.

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The sun was setting, slowly disappearing behind the mountains as Alaric lead the others through the trail. "We got about a mile left," Alaric called back to the others, he noticed the exhaustion setting in on Elena. "The sun's about to set," Damon remarked reminding Elena and Caroline of their agreement to leave before the full moon as to prevent the two vampires from becoming wolf bait. "I can see that, Damon," Elena snarked back to her boyfriend, she was glad to have him there and happy to know he was willing to go along with her plan but she knew he'd drag her back the moment she showed weakness. "I'm just saying," Damon commented, internally he was loving the banter between them.

"The moon doesn't reach its apex for a while. We have time," Caroline stated intending to shut the couple up, any supernatural species in the mountain would be able to sense and hear them if they didn't try to keep silent. They came to a stop as twigs nearby snapped under the weight of someone, Caroline pulled Elena closer to her as Alaric raised his crossbow. Ray staggered out of the brush, staring Damon down with a snarl. "Stay where you are!" Alaric warned, his deep tone threatening but Ray was unbothered by the green eyed hunter. "Vampire!" Ray growled before he rushed Damon, the two began fighting on another.

Ray manages to push Damon against the tree, his inner primal anger filtering through his humanity as he slowly died from the failed transition. He tried to bite Damon, the vampire actively trying to avoid the fatal action as Caroline rushed forward and ripped the wolf away. Alaric fired an arrow at Ray as he moved to harm Caroline, as he went to bite her; a wave of rose gold power shot through the air and struck Ray deep in chest. Ray whimpered as he feel to his knees, tears streaming down his cheeks as he slumped to the ground, his last breath leaving him. "What just happened?" Damon voiced in confusion, lily flowers growing around the area.

"Cordelia..." Caroline whispered, her eyes turned to the mountain before she sighed, "We need to leave." Elena turned to Caroline with wide eyes but before she could argue, they heard another twig snap. "She's right," Stefan stepped out of the shadows, his eyes moved around the group before focusing on Damon, "I already warned you that Klaus learning the truth about Elena could get Cordelia killed." Elena froze at that, she had held on to the faith that Elijah's words about Niklaus' love for the younger Forbes would prevent him from harming her but the fear within Stefan's eyes said all he needed too. "Go home," Stefan told them sternly, he picked the body of Ray up and rested it over his shoulder, "We'll be home soon." And with that, he turned and walked away.

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Meanwhile, back at the camp, Niklaus has stood protectively in front of Cordelia as the remaining pack members woke and fed however, the transitions came with bloody eyes and pained muscles. "Careful. There's only one Alpha here," Niklaus remarked before sighing, "Bloody Hell." Rabid growls left their lips and Niklaus quickly came to terms with the fact that his dream army was still out of reach, he was rushed by the first woman and quickly tore her heart from her chest. Cordelia stepped back from the small battlefield, her eyes watching Niklaus' strength waver with every kill; he was hurting over the loss in a humane way she hadn't realised he was capable of.

As one moved to attack Cordelia, Niklaus let out a snarl and tore their head from their shoulders leaving the campground in a tense silence. Cordelia looked up into Niklaus' eyes, she saw how broken his gaze was at the loss of the pack. Her heart was struck sharply as his eyes had genuinely gone misty for a moment before he took a breath to steady himself, he walked forward as he wiped his hands clean on his own shirt. Niklaus cupped Cordelia's face in his hands, looking her over for any wounds but thankfully, he found none. "Are you okay?" Cordelia asked Niklaus softly, her hand cupping his jaw softly; that simple act soothed all of his woes in the moment.

"I will be," Niklaus expressed as his eyes looked from her own to her lips, that same desire burned through him like a wildfire and he refused to hold back this time. Luckily for him, Cordelia was the one to lean up on her tippy toes and press her lips to his. She expected to have felt self-disgust at the action especially knowing her relationship with Stefan but instead, as their lips moved against each other passionately, she felt like she was on cloud nine. "Where was my invitation?" Stefan's voice interrupted the two, he thought the sight would anger him but rather, it turned him on. "Sorry, mate. You've had her all summer," Niklaus teased playfully, he kissed Cordelia again before stepping back.

Stefan looked around at the bodies of the pack, either killed by Niklaus or died to the failed transition. "They went rabid. Some of them, I killed. The others just... bled out. In the end, they're all dead," Niklaus expressed as Alex approached, his own eyes focused on Cordelia. Stefan dropped Ray's body, he crossed the dirt to approach Cordelia and wrap her up into his arms as Niklaus screamed out angrily. "I did everything I was told!" Niklaus shouted before he regained his composure, "I should be able to turn them. I broke the curse. I killed a werewolf. I killed a vampire. I killed the doppelgänger." Stefan felt Cordelia tense up at the last sentence, he rubbed her back.

"It should have worked," Niklaus muttered in defeat, his head lowered as Alex prepared to burn the bodies leaving no evidence behind. "We're leaving," Niklaus expressed as he approached Cordelia and Stefan, one hand resting on her lower back while the other rested on Stefan's shoulder as he spoke, "It appears you two are the only comrades I have left." Cordelia frowned slightly at the broken tone in his voice, she couldn't imagine the real pain he was feeling. Niklaus stepped away and lead the couple away leaving Alex with the clean up, Cordelia watched Niklaus close before she caught up to him. One of her hands linked with Niklaus' while the other held Stefan's, allowing a moment of solidarity.

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Rosemary Speaks. . .

THANK YOU FOR 300,000 READS!!

Also, yo readers!
It's the 50th chapter of this book <3

Can we get this book to 400k by March!?
That'd be a great b-day gift lmao

Thoughts? Suggestions? Questions?

See you in the next chapter!

Unedited