Bro I just want to take some time to thank everyone who has read this book and has written such kind comments. This was my first fanfic for TVD. I think my first ever fanfic was a Jeff the Killer fanfic in 5th grade and that sucked.

Thank you all for making my damn year.

Things had been calming down for the last few weeks. Caroline and Nik were now together as a couple, much to Elena and Bonnie's dismay. It didn't matter to the two of them, Caroline was an adult and a senior, she could be with her mate if she damn well pleased. I would have thought that getting one of the artifacts made to imprison the Heretics was easy, but I think that we can all say that a coven of crafty witches will be able to hide their ascendant pretty well.

Elijah has all sorts of ties with witches. While he did not tell them why he needed the object, I think that they were going to piece the puzzle together eventually. My brother is a noble man, that is what they know right now. He is trying to get an artifact to add to his and Kol's shared collection. What was the real harm in that?

As long as the witches stayed blind, we were in the clear.

The words spoken to Caroline after she had met her mate were harsh to say the least, Elena and Bonnie almost cursing her out for not trusting them. The poor girl was on the verge of tears as she called them out on their bull. The blonde had often been left out of the loop, not knowing what was going on or why people did what they did. Not only that, but this dark magic would have caused Caroline and Nik to go feral at some point, their vampires and Nik's wolf longing for the untriggered bond to reappear.

Bonds like that could not be broken, just diluted or blinded. The fact that Nik could sense his mate and relentlessly tried to sniff her out is proof of that very fact. What Caroline's ex friend did was wrong on so many different levels. I can get that they might have wanted Nik to suffer, but to do this to their friend as well is unforgivable.

I knew what I had to do, but I really didn't know if I had the strength to do it.

The Bennett witch had caused my brother and his mate more pain than I could ever imagine. She could not be allowed to live in this town. In fact, she could not be allowed to live in this world. No, she would die and go to the other side. Then, she would never be able to harm my family. Elena knows no other witches that could do her bidding. She would be rendered powerless with the death of her best friend.

It was punishment for what both of them had done to my family.

At this point in time, Caroline was just as good as family. I would have tried to pair her up with one of my brothers before if it weren't for her unwavering loyalty to Elena. Now, that loyalty was no more. She would be perfect for Nik. He needed someone to ground that anger deep inside of me. Also, she seemed to love the mysterious bad boys. When that mating bond snapped between them, Caroline had become a Mikaelson. She was a part of Always and Forever, no matter what happened.

I would protect the girl with my life if I had to.

Even going to school at this point was getting hard. Bonnie tried everything in her power to use her magic on me. Nothing ever worked, her own dark magic protecting me from her spells. The girl was getting annoyed, and decided that she would come up to me during our elective, making sure that the people at the table heard.

"What the hell are you doing to my magic? Why the hell did you take away the spell on Caroline?" Bonnie questions. Bitch, is that a trick question? You were ruining my brother and my new sister!

"I siphon every spell you try and cast at me. You should know why I took away that spell. You know, you're a shitty witch. Even the bitchy witches that have tried to kill me and called me an abomination knew that mates are a sacred thing that are not to be messed with," I insult her. Bonnie looks like she wants to explode my head. I can tell that she's trying to burn me with her magic. I laugh and continue siphoning the magic radiating off of her. If you keep this up, you'll die. It won't be as nice if you just kill yourself with magic than if I rip off your head.

"You took everything from me! You take everyone away! Elena was human, Astrid, and you killed her. Do you care for nobody but yourself? Caroline, I would have broken the bond for you. There has to be a way, there always is. You gave these monsters your trust. The Originals care for nobody but themselves. You aren't a Mikaelson! They'll use you!" Bonnie exclaims. Jer and Henrik roll their eyes at the table.

"Oh yeah, just like you used me to get to Nik. He's my mate, Bonnie, you have no right to break that bond! You blinded me from him without my permission! You are the one who uses people to get what Elena wants. It's always about her! Believe it or not," Caroline looks at Elena, who is watching with a glare from afar, "Not everything is about you Elena. Nik is my mate and I will love him until the day that I die. You can't do anything about it. Fate has put us together and at least I listen to fate. You're a witch, you should be able to accept the fact that mates are a part of nature, a way of giving supernatural creatures everlasting love and devotion."

Bonnie growls and leaves the table, stomping off like a child who hasn't gotten what they want. Honestly, why haven't the spirits just taken away her magic already? Maybe they have. That may be why she's using dark magic. She doesn't have the power of nature anymore. God, she is a pain in the ass. I don't think that I've met a worse witch in my millennia of life.

"Why the hell does she want to break a soulmate bond?" Jer asked me before turning to his sister and sneering, "You know, Elena, you're no longer my sister. I am not related to you anymore. I am hereby," Jeremy clinked his water bottle, "disowning you. Never speak to me again."

"You can't disown me, Jer, you live with me," Elena deadpans.

"Wanna move in, Jer?" Henrik asks. Oh god, they would be cute together. I can see it. Maybe Jer can turn and he can join the family. Kol seems to be quite fond of him. They even play video games together on the weekends.

"You can't move in with the Mikealsons, Jeremy Gilbert!" Elena shrieks. Jer and Henrik laugh while Caroline rolls her eyes and reapplies her lipstick. "Caroline, you can't allow my own brother to live in a house full of vampires! You're supposed to be on my side!"

"Well, I guess I'm not what I'm supposed to be then, Elena. Jer can do what he wants, he can live with us if he wants. It's not like you can do anything, you can't even get in the Boarding house. If you try and keep him inside the house, we'll kill you, Elena Gilbert. Don't be an idiot," Caroline warns.

"I don't think she can not be an idiot, Care," Henrik snarks. Elena just turns back and growls in frustration. Bonnie looks like she wants to cry.

Oh, Bonnie, let those tears flow. You won't be able to after school.