𝐒𝐎𝐍𝐆: 𝐘𝐨𝐮 𝐅𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝 𝐌𝐞 𝐛𝐲 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐅𝐫𝐚𝐲

...🌑...

𝐏𝐑𝐄𝐒𝐄𝐍𝐓, 𝑀𝑌𝑆𝑇𝐼𝐶 𝐹𝐴𝐿𝐿𝑆

𝐌𝐀𝐑𝐂𝐇 𝟐𝟎𝟏𝟎

"𝐒𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮'𝐫𝐞 𝐣𝐮𝐬𝐭 𝐠𝐨𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐨 𝐚𝐜𝐭 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠'𝐬 𝐰𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠?"

I pulled my hair tie out and turned to my sister. She cocked her brow and looked at me expectantly like she couldn't be that I did nothing. But nothing is better than the alternative that Elder Rowan gave me when he knocked on my door this morning.

"What would you have liked me to do?" I sighed running my fingers through the wild mane that is my hair. "I can't exactly go against the elder's vote."

"The fuck you can't," Orianna growled, her eyes flashing gold. "Tell them to fucking shove it."

I could feel her anger radiating off her in waves. I pushed myself to my feet and away from the cardboard that littered my room. Elder Rowan didn't give me much time to pack, and as much as I knew my dear sister despised what the coven was doing to me, I was too tired to fight them.

"You're their queen." Orianna pointed out. "They can't just throw their queen out. I don't fucking care if they elected Morana to replace you."

I rubbed the spot between my eyes, feeling the headache that just wouldn't go away. It's been a long past twelve hours. Not only did I just survive Katherine trying to kill me and dealing with whatever the fuck was going on with Damon, Elder Rowan went through with his threat. While I was fighting off the witch hazel that was slowly killing me, he went to the elders, and they came to a vote, much to my mom's annoyance.

They kicked me out of the coven.

"Why aren't you fighting this?" Orianna asked.

Good question.

I didn't have an answer for her, much less myself. Maybe I was too numb from everything, and it would hit me later. Maybe I was sick of the elders dictating our every move. Maybe for what felt like the first time since the elders made me the heir after my sister...I could fucking breathe.

"If you're going to yell at me, can you at least help me pack?" I stared at her, knowing my sister wouldn't let it go.

Orianna growled and moved, grabbing my sketchbooks and markers. I watched her crouch and put them into one of the boxes littering the ground, muttering under her breath the whole time.

I grabbed the tape gun from my dresser and taped the box closed on my bed. I did another box and then another. I moved around my room like that for who knows how long. Orianna would put my things in the boxes, and I would tape them shut.

It wasn't long before my room was a shell of itself. All the pictures of Orianna and Mom on the wall were gone, but the sun stains from where the pictures used to be were still on the wall. Every single memory and piece of me was stripped from the room, leaving it bare.

I looked up when Orianna pulled me to her side. My arms instinctually wrapped around her. "Thanks."

"Does Elena know you're coming?" Orianna asked, pulling back and brushing my hair away from my face.

I nodded. "She said the guest room mine. I mean, I practically live there anyway."

Orianna's frown deepened, and I could tell she didn't appreciate me making light of my new reality.

"What about you?" I asked, searching her hazel eyes.

"What about me?"

"Are you going back to New Orleans?"

My heart clenched at the idea of not having my sister around blood or not.

We never really addressed it. But even though I learned that Elena was my biological sister, it didn't change how I saw Orianna. She would always be my big sister, looking out for me, even though, at times, it seemed like she was putting her life on hold for me.

"No Sel. Not till Katherine's gone." Orianna explained. I opened my mouth, but she cut me off. "I know you can take care of yourself, little sis. Plus, I really want to rip her head off after what she did."

"Please don't." I sighed. "Between you and Damon—"

Orianna smirked, grabbing a box off the floor. "Damon, huh."

"Don't even start."

I grabbed a box from my bed and headed for the door, ignoring Orianna's laugh as I did.

...🌑...

I sighed, staring at the boxes filling up the guest room at Elena's house—well, I guess it's my house now.

That's going to take some getting used to.

With Jermey's and Alaric's help, I had most of my boxes shoved in the corner. I knew that I needed to unpack them, but I just didn't have the energy. I couldn't get their sneers out of my head.

Witches can be vindictive when they want to be.

I was just glad they didn't take their anger out on my mom. Did I deserve to get kicked out of the coven? No. But neither did my mom deserve to have her crown taken from her. Because if she had chosen me, that would have happened. I couldn't deal with that guilt; it would eat me up from the inside until there was nothing felt.

"You want some pizza?"

"Sure," I shrugged, climbing off the bed and following Elena downstairs.

"I'm sorry," Elena sighed, heading to the living room once she stepped off the stairs. "I can't help but feel like this is my fault."

"It's not your fault," I told her. "Morana was going to plead her case to the elders either way."

"I feel like an invalid." Jenna groaned, her voice reaching us.

I moved, sitting in the armchair and opening the pizza box as Elena sat beside Jenna on the couch. The guilt at seeing Jenna lying on the couch, trying not to wince in pain, ate at me. I know that Katherine did this to punish Elena for still seeing Stefan, but I couldn't get over the weird, I guess, fascination that our vampire ancestor had with me.

"That's because you are an invalid." Elena sighed, grabbing a slice of pizza. "Where's Jeremy? Isn't he hungry?"

I glanced around when Jenna spoke, "He already left for the Lockwood party."

"He did?" I frowned. "That doesn't sound like Jeremy."

"I know," Jenna shifted slightly on the couch. "He needs to have more fun. Lose some of that emo thing."

"We're gonna get some napkins."

As soon as the words left Elena's lips, she grabbed my hand, pulling me up and away from Jenna. She stormed into the kitchen, quickening her pace, never letting go of my arm until we were in front of Alaric, who was opening a wine bottle.

"What's going on?" Elena demanded.

"What do you mean?" Alaric set the bottle down on the counter, glancing between us.

I frowned when Alaric avoided my gaze, turning back to Elena.

Something going on?

"I haven't heard from anyone all day," Elena explained, turning to me.

I nodded. "Yeah, it's like they're avoiding us."

"Exactly, and now Jeremy's supposedly at the party?" Elena furrowed her brows, leaning against the counter. "He hates stuff like that."

"I don't know what to tell you, Elena and Selene." He shrugged.

My gaze snapped to Alaric's phone buzzing on the counter. I watched Elena reach for it, but Alaric swiped it before putting it into his pocket. He cleared his throat, and I just stared at him because if I wasn't suspicious before, I was definitively suspicious now.

I looked at Elena, and I knew that we both weren't falling for his bullshit. "You're sure it's nothing."

"Yep," Alaric answered.

"So then you'll be okay if we just head out, try to meet up with everyone," Elena suggested.

She moved, and I went to follow after her until Alaric's hand shot out, stopping us in our tracks.

"Wait, wait, wait." Alaric pleaded. He glanced over his shoulder, finding Jenna still resting on the couch before turning to us.

"What are you hiding, Ric?" Elena ordered.

He looked from her to me, sighing. "Stefan and Damon asked me to keep an eye on you two, just in case Katherine showed up while they were at the party."

"Why do I feel like you're not telling us everything?" I pushed.

"Just let this one go. Okay?" His eyes pleaded.

As he walked away, I wondered what our friends were up to if everyone knew about it but us. I looked at my sister. I sighed, noticing the determined look in her eye, and my gut twisted in anticipation.

"We're going to that party," Elena said.

I closed my eyes. "Of course we are."

...🌑...

I'd never been to the masquerade, but hiding behind a bush with Elena, watching people dance and wear masks that conceal half of their faces, I still didn't see the appeal.

"Do you see any of them?" Elena whispered.

I shook my head but stopped when I saw Jeremy glaring at Katherine in the sea of people dressed in suits and gowns. I could see his lips moving but was too far away to hear anything. Katherine walked away, and Jeremy simply shook his head in frustration before walking down the path and heading straight for us.

He pulled out his phone, and before he could get too far, Elena grabbed his arm, pulling him behind the bush.

Elena didn't give him a chance to speak. "What the hell is going on?"

He looked between us and sighed. "We're killing Katherine."

I blinked, feeling as if I had heard him. "I'm sorry, it sounds like you said you're trying to kill Katherine?"

"Yes," Bonnie nodded, coming up behind Jeremy.

I frowned, leaning against a picnic table, as Jeremy said, "We saw an opportunity, and we knew we had to take it."

"Who's 'we'?" I asked, trying to wrap my head around who was involved in the "kill Katherine" plan.

Elene nodded. "Yeah, stop with the "we." Are you guys crazy? You're gonna get yourselves killed."

"We know what we're doing." Bonnie voiced.

I could hear the reassurance in Bon's voice, but that didn't help the feeling in my stomach. "Sorry if I don't believe you guys, but this is Katherine."

"How are we supposed to feel if one of you guys gets hurt because of us?" Elena pointed out.

Jeremy stared at us, and I could see the determination in his eyes. "It's not just about you guys anymore. She's messed with all of us, and she has to be stopped."

I ran my fingers through my hair, feeling that Elena and I weren't going to change anyone's mind and that they would see this plan through until the end. No matter what. Because it meant that Elena and I would be safe.

"You lied to us," I explained, looking between him and Bonnie. They avoided my gaze. "Why—"

Suddenly, a sharp pain shot through my back, tearing a scream from my lips. My body arched instinctively, desperate to escape the agony, but my legs faltered, sending me crashing to the ground. Strong arms caught me—Jeremy's. I squeezed my eyes shut, overwhelmed by the searing pain.

"What's going on?!"

I struggled to steady my breathing, but another scream tore from my throat. My eyes flew open, locking onto my blood and spreading across my arm, seeping through the fabric of my gray long-sleeve shirt.

"What's happening to her?" Elena cried out, coming to my other side.

"It's Katherine." Bonnie gasped and grabbed Jeremy's arm. "She's linked to Katherine. Get them to stop! Now!"

A whimper escaped my lips when Elena and Bonnie slowly lowered me into the chair. I could feel my body shake from the pain, my body throbbing with agony. Tears fell down my cheeks, unable to stop them.

"We're here, Selene," Elena murmured.

Another scream ripped from my throat as I watched in horror. A deep cut carved its way across my hand, stretching from one side to the other, a trail of blood pooling in its wake.

"Bonnie!" Elena cried out.

"I can't break the spell, Elena. I'm sorry, but I can try to take some of her pain away. Okay? Okay, Selene?"

I looked at her through my pain haze and simply nodded. The pain has taken my words. Everything ached, and all I could do was let Bonnie take my hand because anything was better than this agony.

"Ascinda, mulaf, hinto, ascinda..." Bonnie recited, closing her eyes.

"Mija!"

My gaze snapped from Bonnie's, and I saw my mom lifting her dress and trailing behind Jeremy. She rushed over to my side and frowned.

"Katherine linked her," Bonnie explained, looking at my mom.

"Then she brought a witch." Mom explained. "We need to find her." Bonnie turned and ran, but my mom stayed. She ran her hand through my hair before muttering, "No one messes with my daughter."

White hot rage filled my mom's eyes, and the wind ripped around us before she followed after Bonnie.

"Your mom is scary," Jeremy mumbled.

Oh, you have no idea.

...🌑...

"Are you going to be okay?"

I rubbed my arms, trying not to wince from the ache of my wounds slowly healing. "Yeah, Elena. Go." I stared at her, rolling my eyes at her furrowed brows. "I know you want to see Stefan. I'll be fine. Go."

"Okay," Elena said, her voice wavering.

I love how everyone worried about me, but I can walk to Elena's car. Not to mention, I didn't want to see if Stefan and Elena would make up or if it would be more longing stares. I just couldn't do it tonight, not after everything with Katherine.

"Sunshine?"

A gasp escaped my lips when Damon's hand suddenly cradled my head. The cold from his touch soothed my warm cheeks, and my eyes fluttered closed, feeling exhaustion hit me.

"I'm okay, Damon," I said, lifting my eyes to his. "Bonnie took away the pain." He stepped back and pulled down the sleeve of his suit. I grabbed his arm, stopping him. "No blood. I'm healing."

He stared at me, and for a half second, I thought he would go through with it despite how I felt. But Damon simply shrugged out of his suit jacket before putting it on my shoulders. I sighed from the warmth, tugging the jacket closer, happy to escape the cold.

"I couldn't get to you," Damon said a few minutes later. He grabbed the lapels, pulling me closer, and I had to crane my head back.

"I know." I breathe.

My heart ached from the pain I could see in Damon's eyes. That wall Damon had put up to keep everyone at a distance was down. I don't know if he knew it or not, but he always kept his walls down around me. But maybe I'm reading too much into it.

"I have to take Katherine to the tomb." Damon sighed, cupping my cheek.

"Okay,"

Neither of us moved.

I was supposed to be pissed at him. He snapped Jeremy's neck, and then there was Katherine's warning that Damon was keeping something from me.

But I could care less.

I was tired. Tired of fighting this thing between us. Tired of what my friends thought. Tired of the coven. Because no matter what I did, they would always hate him, and I was tired of trying to please everyone.

Orianna was right.

It was time I started doing things for myself.

"Sunshine—"

I grabbed his tie and pulled, crashing my lips against his. The shock only lasted a second. He kissed me back, devouring me. He swallowed my gasp when his hand dug into my hair, wrapping it around his fingers while his arm pushed me flush against his chest. Moving my lips against his, I poured everything into this kiss, not caring who saw because all I wanted was him, and I was done trying to convince myself that I didn't.

He broke the kiss, resting his forehead against mine. "Sunshine..."

"Damon, we got to go!" Stefan called out.

I stepped out of his reach and nodded to his brother. "We can talk later."

Damon stood there staring at me like he didn't want to leave. I could see the war happening in his eyes before he kissed my temple, and then he was gone in a blur.

"Ready?"

I turned, finding Elena with a knowing smirk on her lips. "Yeah."

"He's good for you." Elena started walking beside me as we moved through the parking lot. "He can be an ass, but with you, he's...tolerable."

I smiled, rolling my eyes. "So if—"

"You don't need my permission or vote," Elena told me. "You love him, and he loves you. Even though he's not my favorite person in the world, he makes you happy, Selene and everyone will get over it."

A hand slams over my mouth, and a muffled scream escapes me. Elena's eyes widened, and she moved to grab her phone when I felt a sharp pinch in my neck. My body shakes as white-hot pain burns through me. Through a haze, I can find Elena's eyes filled with concern before I'm swept into someone's arms.

A masked face is the last thing I see before everything goes black.