Another week passed by. Quicker than any. Maeve was back in Georgia constantly under the watchful eye of her beloved aunt and the warrior troop she trained with.

Everyone walked around her on eggshells, unsure of what to say or do. It was at Thursday dinner that Maeve finally addressed the elephant in the room.

"People please!" she asserted strictly, "I am fine. Yes, I hate that I had to give up my magic, but please stop with the eggshell ramp walk you have got going on. Nothing can be done. I mourned and wallowed in the pain of the loss, but let's move on."

"Yes. Let's." said Ezekiel setting down his fork on the plate. "Okay, so Vittori and the rest of the Zucchini's are coming tomorrow to finalise the new agreement. You ready?"

Maeve nodded her head, "can we just call them the Italians or something?"

"What's wrong with Zucchini's?" asked Florence. "It's such a hilarious nickname."

"It's not. It's demeaning and insulting and we are above all that BS." Maeve said slightly angrily raising brows of the three at the dinner table. Maeve sighed calming herself slightly, "it's just...I don't want anything Elijah around."

"What'd he do?" asked Amara. Maeve looked at her aunt, masking her pain, her hurt and heartbreak quite nicely,

"He gave up on me." she told her. "He gave up when I wanted him to fight. Flore? Call Ben, Lolita, Ace and meet me in the study room. I have a plan to get them to do our bidding." Maeve announced and left the table, scattering herself from the room as quickly as she could.

Amara gazed at her son who cowered under her scrutinizing look. "Don't look at me like that. I told you everything and I should probably go after her..." he made himself scarce from the room.

Maeve was inside the study, sitting down on a chair that was pulled right next to the leather cushioned revolving chair that sat like a throne in the room. She sat down with her eyes straining on the file she held up in her hand, an attempt to hide her saddened eyes glazing with unshed tears. The words were blurred but she kept staring at them.

"Alpha?" a small voice asked for her. She set the file down, and looked up. Florence, Ben, Lolita, Penelope, Ace and Ezekiel stepped inside the room.

"Good! You are here. Let's start then." She stood up. Everyone took a seat on the couch and faced her waiting patiently for her to begin.

"Alright so about the three musketeers, I've got concerns."

"Santorini is having meetings with Bagrov Igor Yanovich and Vittori with Tatsuno Atsumori. He wants them to back up them, in pleading to the council of ensuring that you and your brother fight each other to death for the position of Alpha."

"And that brings me to my idea. We shake hands with Bloodcrest and Wintercrest." everyone's eyes went wide, jaws dropped to the floor hearing her plan.

"That's it then. Elijah fucked with your brain." said Florence slapping her thighs. Maeve rolled her eyes,

"He did not. It's a good plan."

"It's not. You are spit balling here. They are Mafias, Maeve." said Ezekiel warning her, his arms held up, with a warning look on his face.

"Yes, I am aware about that but right now that's all the plan we've got."

"What about Amberskey?" Maeve slapped her hand on the table glaring directly at Ezekiel.

"Zeke all of these packs are far more invested in their deep rooted Patriarchy and Misogyny and have inflated egos a little too tight to bear to them to see a woman in power. Amberskey included."

"But you like their Alpha..."

"Social interaction, Ezekiel. You fake a smile."

"What good will it do to shake hands with the ones that went underworld?" asked Ben.

"Because that is the only way I know I can protect us."

"But..."

"I cannot be the reason this pack suffers anymore!" shouted Maeve. "This pack──this family has been through enough because of me...who I am──or at least who I used to be. My decision to retain the position of being an Alpha has already invited unwanted fucked up attention of the world. This is my way of ensuring they don't anymore──any longer raise their brows."

"Why don't we cut off from them?" Lolita offered an alternative with a shrug of her shoulders.

"Financially draining." stated Maeve dismissively. "Lawyers, courtroom drama, settlement, negotiations. Time consuming. We can do compounding. Build up a barrier and then crush them like bugs on a windshield." she said, fisting her fingers to demonstrate what her plan is.

"Maeve..." Ezekiel began, "are you sure?"

"I am. I have the perfect plan. Just...trust me on this, please."

"Tell us more."

"Both the packs have no gender barrier. And the rest of the packs fear them──even the council by a mile at least. This deal could help us."

"How will that help with Italians?" asked Ace. He stood up and made his way to the liquor cabinet to get a drink for everyone. "They will still be around."

"Yes...slowly, we start selling our part of their shares. I mean almost negligible to them. With Bloodcrest and Wintercrest, we can──under the radar of course, break through their board of directors and get ourselves a spy. When the time is right, they will have no choice but to call bankruptcy."

A thinking silence coaxed over them. Finally, it was Ace who broke the silence. "Alright, I'm gonna go up and say it. Smart."

"What next?" as if on queue the door to the office opened again, this time waltzing in was the most unconventional business partner slash friend to any Lycan.

With a wide deviant smile laced with pride and a proud feeling, and a diabolical twinkle in the brown shade of his eyes, Marcel Gerard strolled across to Maeve and pulled the girl into a hug.

"Hey Swiper!"

"Dora! I've missed you."

"Ahem." Ezekiel cleared his throat drawing attention to him. "Your best friend is in the room."

"I see you, Zekey. I see you."

"Marcel Gerard." said Florence with a blushed look. Marcel looked at her with a lopsided smile, both equally entranced by the other person.

"Florence June." Marcel stepped closer to her, "you manage to look more beautiful every time we meet."

"And you look just the same...always." she commented.

"If you two are done flirting..." began Ezekiel.

"Oh shut up! They've barely even begun." Maeve argued for them. "But yes, let's get a move on."

"So, I have already made a start with Amir Botros, Beta for Wintercrest. He was quite interested in the proposal and more than happy that it was Maeve who was making the plan and putting a hand of friendship."

"The politics of diabolicalness meets power." Ezekiel smiled triumphantly.

"Yes. They have beef with the three Italians."

"Excuse me..." prompted Penelope, "we need to play this right. One slip up could cost us the whole plan."

"That I've got covered." Marcel announced confidently. He pulled out an envelope from his pocket. "Official letter from the alpha of Bloodcrest. A meeting in New Orleans tomorrow."

"But nobody knows who their Alpha is, not that Franklin retired."

"Precisely. Going incognito in New Orleans is not difficult. Both the Alphas of Bloodcrest and Wintercrest are unknown to the world. This gives us an added advantage."

Ezekiel hummed. "I agree. Situating yourself in New Orleans could be useful. We can just say──Maeve is learning the business, the international trade from the HQ in NOLA. Nobody sniffs around. The whole shindig of hating Vamps and stuff."

"Don't sugarcoat it."

"You know I love you, Marcellus." Ezekiel blew a kiss teasingly looking at the vampire.

"Alright. Don't say stuff like that, Maverick might feel jealous." Maeve said making everyone in unison yell,

"WHAT?" Marcel blew a wolf whistle which turned into a yelp when Ezekiel punched him on the arm with full force.

"Maverick? The witch slash businessman?"

"Yes. That one."

Florence nodded his head, "he's a feast for the eyes. Nice one, Alpha two."

"Really? That bearded man?" inquired Marcel with a look.

"Why? You insecure you cannot grow a beard?"

"I could if I wanted to."

"Then please do." Florence challenged him.

"People let's get going before they start having an angry makeout or sex right here." Maeve ushered everyone towards the door, not before each one got a clean look at the beetroot coloured face of Florence and a smirking one from Marcel.

The thing about memories is that they can be triggered by many things; smell, that one particular song, food, photographs and even places. Maeve rode her newly purchased fancy Harley Davidson in Matte Black through the city of Mystic Falls. The last place she wanted to be in.

After a brief conversation with Sheriff Forbes, someone who had warmed up to her after Caroline's birthday a few months ago, Maeve now headed to the small boutique in town where she knew she'd meet her favourite blonde high schooler.

Maeve stepped inside, her helmet in one hand and the other busy fixing her knotted hair. Her face, that had a smile when she noticed Caroline now turned sour immediately seeing who waltzed into her line of view. Elena Gilbert was speaking to Caroline──most likely being overtly a nuisance than help.

"If it isn't Katherine version 2.0" Maeve berated looking at the doppelganger.

"And if it isn't the devil's little pet dog."

"Wow. Even your attempt at insults matches Katherine. Sheesh, I think the Salvatore's need some therapy session if this is what they fell in love with."

"At least they did. What can you say about you and Elijah?" Maeve glanced over at Caroline masking her reaction quite well. Unfortunately Elena was not in a mood to be discreet or even be silent.

"Shut up Elena. Please." said Caroline. Maeve realised that she knew something but was shielding her from the news.

"Please Caroline, I think she should know. You know how I know you both are not together anymore? Because, a, who'd want to and b, I know where Elijah has been all this time."

"Go die in a ditch Elena."

Elena laughed with a dark undertone, "oh sweet naive foolish Maeve. Don't you know, Elijah was just passing his time with you."

Maeve pushed past her and went to Caroline. "How's my favourite blonde babe?"

"Getting ready for Prom." Caroline replied ignoring Elena.

"You can ignore me all you want. But──"

"Elena enough! Get lost." Caroline said a little too loudly.

"Wha──what's going on?"

"Elijah is with Katherine." Maeve's heart thumped against her ribs before she felt it drop to her stomach. Caroline looked away from Maeve immediately avoiding being confronted by her.

"He was helping Katherine with the cure and bartering a deal with Klaus for her freedom. Katherine who killed my brother." Elena told her coldly. "He thought I was Katherine and he kissed me. That is how I know you and him are finished."

"Why should I believe the words of a bitch who's always hated me." Maeve asked, growling throatily.

"Believe me, don't believe me, I don't care. If you'd like, ask Rebekah. She was there with me." saying this Elena strutted out of the boutique leaving Maeve alone with Caroline with a heavy silence weighing her down.

All Maeve wanted was, in that moment, for the earth to crack open beneath her and swallow her whole. She looked up at Caroline,

"She's just trying to get to me, right? He wouldn't do that to me."

"It's Elena. She's not herself. Of course she's playing you."

"Somehow I find it hard to not believe her."

Maeve arrived at the house, Rebekah was occupying for the time being with a series of questions in mind. Her harsh knock on the door was enough for a giveaway to Rebekah, that it was Maeve who stood out on the porch and she had heard a few harsh notes of a song she hoped would never float over to her.

Rebekah opened the door with the best smile she could crack. After all, the blonde original was dearly happy to see Maeve well. "Maeve!" she yelped and went in for a bear hug.

Maeve feeling safe as usual with the originals hugged her back. "you──thank you for helping me through everything." Maeve mumbled to her.

"Why wouldn't I? You are my sister." said Rebekah pulling away but still held Maeve's hand in hers. "We may not share a blood but you are just as important."

"I'll leave you to your business──" Maeve cleared her throat. "I just have one thing to ask." Rebekah hated where Maeve was leading the conversation.

"Is what Elena told me the truth? Do you know about that?" of course Rebekah knew.

"What are you talking about?" she acted like she didn't know anything.

"You know exactly what I am referring to. Stop acting innocent."

"Maeve...not entirely. Listen──"

"Is it the truth or not?" Maeve insisted now in a assertive voice.

"I don't know what Elena said but you cannot trust her. You know Elijah, he isn't like this." Rebekah argued with Maeve.

"I don't even know who he is anymore." said Maeve struggling to control her tears and trembling hands. "When I needed him the most...he was helping Katherine with the damn cure? When I wanted him to be there for me, he was with Katherine? With her? He kissed her?"

Rebekah shook her head. "Nothing was going on between them. They never kissed, Maeve. He was loyal to you."

"Bullshit. If he was, why help that bitch who never cared about anyone who wasn't named Katherine Pierce or Katerina Petrova." Maeve wiped away the single tear that fell down her cheeks. "You know what? Tell that brother of yours to shove a stick so far up his ass that it comes out of his mouth. I'm done."

Maeve stormed away ignoring the pleas of her name, from Rebekah. She was done. She had enough and this was the final day of hers in Mystic Falls.

**************************************
Ladies & Gentleman. On this heartfelt note, I declare ACT I as over.

Next stop: New Orleans

How'd you like the act? Honest thoughts, opinions etc. Please give me your comments. I love reading them.

Honestly, half a mind to pair her briefly with someone else...yk like a fling.

And yes, people the Slow Burn will happen hereafter and this time around I plan on making it more irritatingly good ;)

Also, a slightly different note. Updates may slow down for the coming 3-4 weeks, I have my exams due but I will hopefully find some time in-between to quickly update.
But please be patient with me until then. See you in New Orleans next.

Take care everyone!

Raven :)