CHAPTER THREE
a new home & new friends

"Behind every successful
woman
is a tribe
of other successful women
who have her back"
-anonymous

THE TWO SUPERNATURAL TEENS sit across from Dr. Saltzman in his office. The three were alone since Landon and Katelyn didn't feel comfortable with others knowing what they were and how they found out. 

"You guys have one chance. Now, explain what you are and give me some backstory." Alaric said, leaning back in his chair with a notebook in his lap and a pen in his hand. Katelyn and Landon glance at each other before speaking. 

"Well... I'm a phoenix." Landon started since Katelyn was a little more complicated. "But I'm also a wolf. An immortal flying wolf." He jokes at the end trying to lighten the mood. Alaric stares at them before giving them a disbelieving stare. Landon groaned slightly before a snarl left his lips and a yellow hue took over his eyes. 

"So, you are a wolf." Alaric nodded but then gave them a look. "What's with the phoenix stuff?" Landon rubbed the back of his neck and looked at Katelyn. She nodded and he stood up, walking away from the desk. He closed his eyes for a second, concentrating before wings made of fire came out of his back. The wings disappeared and Landon sat back down, looking worn. Alaric was staring at him in disbelief. 

"I'm a hybrid. I turned into a wolf when I died..." Landon trailed off, not wanting to remember the painful memory. 

"How?" Alaric pressed. 

"That's a bit of a long story... Katie?" Landon turned to look at her for some help. 

She sat up in her seat and sighed heavily. "You can't tell anyone. I don't want anyone to know what I am. Just that I'm a werewolf. Understand?" The man hesitated but nodded. "Landon was born a phoenix and I was born a tribrid. A witch, werewolf, and vampire." 

Alaric's eyes were wide as they stared at her. "I don't believe you. Hope is the only tribrid known to exist." Katelyn rolled her eyes. She muttered a spell and flicked her wrist. His stapler opened and shot a staple into the wall. She made her eyes turn gold and a growl ripped from her throat. "Hybrid." She rolled her eyes and looked over at Landon. He nodded. She took his arm, grimaced, then snapped it. He let out a painful yelp. "What the--" He stopped himself as Katelyn fed the boy some blood and his arm slowly regenerated. "So you really are a tribrid."

"Yes. But that's not all. When we died... we absorbed each other's magic. I'm a trinix as I like to call it. A tribrid-phoenix. I can fly just like Landon can. Only Rafael knows about this and I plan on keeping it that way. Please keep it to yourself and don't share it with anyone. Not even Hope. Especially not Hope." She pleaded. She wanted to speak to Hope and get to know her before she unloaded all her crap on her. 

"Okay... I believe you. You two have a place here if you want it." Landon and Katelyn looked at each other. 

Katelyn looked back at the man. "All I want to do is get to know Hope and then I'm gone--" 

"What?!" Landon interjected. 

She set a hand on his arm. "I don't want to put anyone in danger here. Wherever I go, shit - sorry for my language - usually follows." She explained to the man with a saddened gaze. 

"What type of danger, Katelyn? We can help you here." Alaric leaned forward in his seat, resting his elbows on the desk. 

Katelyn swallowed roughly and looked between the two. "Um, I- I... It's a bit of a long story." 

"We have time..." Alaric smiled. 

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Lizzie was sitting on her bed, waiting for her father to come in and do his bowl thing while Josie was reading a book while sitting at her desk. Alaric had told her that Lizzie was calmed down when he got there but he didn't say why. 

"Hey, Liz." She said as she looked up from her book and looked at her blonde twin. They locked eyes, a questioning gaze in Lizzies. "Dad said you were calmed down when he got there. How come?" She asked. 

Lizzie's cheeks turn light pink. "Uh, the girl that came with Rafael... she, uh, calmed me down." Josie smirked, raising an eyebrow, silently asking for details. "I almost impaled her with a knife. And then she walked over to me asking me these questions, taking my mind off of the fact I made a complete full out of myself in front of Rafael... anyway, when she touched my wrists, I don't know, I felt... safe?" 

Lizzie looked down at her hands, her cheeks a bit redder than before. She wasn't lying when she said she felt safe with the girl that she didn't know. It was weird but not unwelcome. The girl was really attractive and she just had this aura of power. 

The door opened before Josie could tease her sister about it and their Dad walked in looking like he was processing a lot of things. 

"Hey, Daddy." Lizzie and Josie said, effectively snapping the man out of his thoughts. He smiled at his daughters before showing Lizzie the bowl. The blonde scowled but sat got ready. Josie said goodbye to her sister and father before leaving the room towards the forest where a party was taking place. 

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Landon looked at his foster sister as they walked towards the party that was in the forest. They wanted to see Rafael and make sure he was okay even though they didn't like to party. Especially Katelyn. She liked to keep to herself mostly. 

The two broke through the forest as they heard the music. There was an old building that looked like it could collapse but also strong enough to hold people's weight. They journeyed through the crowds of people, getting some looks that they didn't care about. 

Finally, they found Rafael talking with Josie. The two made their way over. "I could try a summoning spell." Josie told the werewolf who happened to look up at that time. 

"Oh, no need. They're right there." Katelyn's foster brother said as he nodded towards the two incoming supernatural teens. Josie turned her head to look at them over her shoulder, smiling brightly at them. "Where have you guys been?" Rafael asked once they reached them. 

"Nowhere." Katelyn replied with a charming smile. Rafael dropped it with a shrug. She turned towards Josie. "I don't believe we were properly introduced before. I'm Katelyn Mik." She stuck out her hand, feeling that the brunette was a friendly person that she could rely on in the future. 

"Josie Saltzman. One of the headmaster's daughters." Josie said as she shook the older girl's hand. 

"Here, let's get you a drink." Rafael told Landon, patting the boy on the chest before dragging him away from the two girls. 

Katelyn watched them go before turning her gaze back onto the younger girl. "So, I heard that you calmed down Lizzie during one of her freakouts... I wanted to say thank you. Not many people are able to calm her." Josie said sincerely. 

Katelyn gave her a smile. "It's no big deal, really." 

"But it is." Josie insisted. "She's... She doesn't like people seeing her like that and it makes her really insecure. What you did was really helpful." 

Katelyn stuffed her hands in the pockets of her flannel jacket. She hasn't changed out of the clothes from yesterday when they first came here. "Well then tell your sister it's no problem. I'd gladly do it again. Some people just don't understand." She said kindly. 

Josie smiled at her. They both seemed to be doing that a lot. They both started to walk towards the fire in the middle of the party. "So, what exactly are you? My dad didn't give me any specifics." 

Katelyn chuckled. "I'm a werewolf like Rafael. So is Landon."

Josie frowned, her eyebrows coming together. "Then how come Rafael didn't know what was happening to him?" She questioned. 

The blonde sighed. "You ask a lot of questions." The brunette blushed in embarrassment and looked down. "Uh, well, we wanted to keep him out of the supernatural world as long as we could. He's a good kid. Sometimes too good for his own good." 

Josie hummed. "I care too much. It's kind of a problem." 

"And people take advantage of it." The werewolf states making the brunette nod. "I sacrifice myself for the people I care about or really anyone. I've lost a lot in my short existence already and I'd rather be the one to... you know then have someone close to me die." Her voice had gotten quiet at the last part. She remembers painfully how she was taken away from her family which also reminds her that she needs to speak with Hope. Her younger sister.

"You sound like Hope Mikaelson." Josie chuckled a bit, kicking some of the dirt under her feet. Katelyn frowns and looks over at Josie, silently asking to elaborate. "When she was 15 she lost both of her parents and her uncle... but somehow they were brought back. We aren't friends so I don't know much." Josie looked pained when she said that. 

Katelyn's heart clenched. She should have been there. She should have known about her parents, she should have known that she had a sister. She shook her head. It was the witches who took her's fault. Not anyone but theirs. 

She sighed. "That's rough... But, I think you know more than you're letting on." Katelyn said quietly as they each grabbed a red cup that had some type of alcohol in it. Not that Katelyn was going to drink it. 

Josie looked at her before looking back down at her drink. "My sister and I were asked to take the dark magic that was inside of Hope out of her and into her father... we were the reason he died in the first place." Tears welled up in the girl's eyes. 

"Woah, hey. That's not true. You were only doing what you were asked - which you shouldn't have been asked to do in the first place. It's not your fault. Her father made that decision to save her." She made the girl look at her. "You're the reason she's alive or at least good right? And her father is alive now."

Josie sighed shakily, nodding. She laughed softly. "God, we've known each other for like five minutes and I'm already unloading my crap onto you." 

Katelyn chuckled. "It's fine. It takes my mind off of things." Josie surprised her by hugging her tightly, resting her head on the blonde's shoulder. She tensed for a second before melting into it, hugging her back, her hand gently rubbing up and down the girl's back. 

Her eyes caught a ravenette's that was leaning against a tree. There was a glare set in, burning into her skull. If looks could kill, Katelyn would be set on fire and burned alive. 

"Hey, so, there is a girl trying to kill me with her glare... Ex?" Katelyn chuckled as she gave a slight wave to the girl just to piss her off. It worked because the girl scowled, her face hardening with a cold look in her eye. Josie pulled back and looked where she was looking, frowning. She looked back at Katelyn. 

"Yeah. She-who-must-not-be-named. Lizzie calls her that because she's my ex that cheated on me." Josie said bitterly. "She's a witch from the Park coven." 

Katelyn scoffed and flipped the girl off. The witch looked away, pushing off the tree, and walking into the building. "Lovely." Katelyn muttered with a roll of her eyes. 

"Talking about her gives her power." Josie mused jokingly earning a chuckle from the blonde. 

"Hey, JoJo!" Katelyn turned around, seeing the dark-skinned vampire, MG, that choked out her brother. He walked over with a grin which faltered slightly when he saw the glare that Katelyn was sending him along with the golden hue of her eyes. He raised his hands in surrender, fear in his eyes. 

Josie grabbed Katelyn's arm. "What's going on here?" She asked, placing herself in between them. She didn't want MG to get bit and have the new girl get kicked out on her first day. 

"He choked out my brother." Katelyn said in a growl, still staring at the vampire like he was going to be her next meal. 

"Oh." Josie said quietly before looking over at MG. "Don't you have something to say?" She raised an eyebrow making the young vampire nod quickly. 

"Yes yes." He looked at Katelyn. "I'm really sorry for what happened in Dr. S's office. When Landon couldn't be compelled, I acted out of instinct. There were many different ways we all could have handled that situation. I didn't mean any harm and I didn't want to hurt him. Friends?" He stuck out his hand towards the blonde who had calmed down. 

She looked at his hand before shaking it. "Sure. And sorry for rag dolling you into the wall." They both chuckled while Josie looked between them in disbelief which only made them laugh harder. 

Josie shook her head, joining in on the laughing. 

After they've all calmed down, the three engage in a conversation. "So, I'm guessing you are a werewolf based on the fact that your eyes, um, glowed and throwing me with a surprising amount of strength right into a wall." MG said pointing towards the blonde's eyes. 

Katelyn nodded a bit sheepishly. "Yeah, when it comes to the people I care most about... I tend to go a little... overboard and can't control myself." She gives them a dorky smile. 

The other two giggled. 

"So, how long have you been in the foster system?" MG asked before backpedaling. "Sorry, that was rude of me. Dr. Saltzman told me you, Rafael, and Landon were--" 

"MG, it's okay." Katelyn cut him off. "I've been in the foster system since I was twelve. My parents, uh, died in a car crash." She lied. She may feel comfortable with these two but she didn't feel that comfortable to reveal her whole life story... yet. 

Josie frowned while MG gave her a look that wasn't one of pity, but one of understanding. He knew that a lot of people who are here have dead parents and he knew better than to pity anyone. Usually, it just made them mad. 

"How about you guys? I mean, I know your dad is the headmaster but what about your mom?" Katelyn asked the two, the last part directed towards Josie. 

"Well, I kinda have two. My biological mother was killed by her psycho brother Kai at her and my dad's wedding and the last remaining witches from my coven put me and Lizzie into my mom, Caroline - who is a vampire - and yeah." Josie chuckled. 

Katelyn's eyes were wide as she blinked owlishly. She cleared her throat. "Well, damn." MG laughed as Josie giggled into her cup. "That's a sick life story." 

"Right?!" MG said with a bright smile. "My parents are both still alive but I don't see them... ever. Ever since I became a vampire I'm not allowed to come back to the house and my mom rarely visits." 

"Religious?" Katelyn asked hesitantly. The boy nodded solemnly. "At least your parents didn't take you to a priest and try to expel the 'demons' out of you which actually only started your transformation into a werewolf." Katelyn said trying to lighten the mood. The two stared at her with wide eyes. Katelyn smiled at them. "Yeah, Rafael threw a lawnmower through the patio doors and they instantly thought he was 'possessed by the devil.'" 

MG coughed, breaking into laughter, the two girls following close behind. 

"Th- That shouldn't be this funny!" MG gasped in between his laughter. 

"I think we're all a little high on life right now." Josie said as she tried to calm down. Katelyn raised her hand, her index finger and thumb showing a little bit. 

After a little longer of just talking, MG left to go find his vampire friends. 

"So, do you need someone to show you and Landon around tomorrow?" The brunette asked as she turns her attention to Katelyn. 

The blonde nodded. "That sounds amazing. I'm pretty sure, if we didn't hear and see the party, we would've gotten lost." 

Josie smiled. "Yeah. It's a big place but after a little while you'll get used to it." 

"I hope so."

~Authors Note~

Hope you enjoyed it!