POV: Nero
After everything that happened, they brought us to their village. I had to admit—it was beautiful.
Most of the homes were built high in the trees, connected by wooden bridges and rope walkways. A wide waterfall poured down the cliffside nearby, mist drifting through the air and catching the sunlight. The whole place almost looked heavenly.
But as I walked around, something felt off.
There were far too many houses for the number of people I saw.
I noticed the absence immediately.
People had given us clothes—if you could even call them that. Mostly leather scraps and bone decorations. Tribal wear. Functional more than anything else.
Still, it beat walking around in torn travel gear.
Right now we were inside what I assumed was the clan leader's home. The structure was larger than the others, carved wood walls and old symbols burned into the beams.
But something stood out.
The clan leader wasn't here.
And I knew it wasn't the old witch or Diana. During this era, werewolf clans didn't let women lead.
So I looked at the older woman.
"Where's the clan head?" I asked.
Diana suddenly let out a laugh.
The witch lifted a hand calmly.
"My husband, David, died two months ago," she said gently. "My son Daniel is now the clan head."
I blinked once.
Then I looked toward Diana.
"And what's your name? Daniella?" I said jokingly, nudging Jamine.
The kid snorted.
"Yes," she replied seriously.
I paused.
"Wait… huh? Are you serious?"
Diana burst out laughing.
"Mother," she said, wiping a tear from her eye, "stop playing with him."
The witch smiled warmly.
"My name is Lalo."
I nodded slowly.
"And like my daughter told you," she continued, "I believe you are the one who will save us from ourselves."
"Oh yeah?" I said flatly. "Well believing and knowing are two very different things, Miss Lalo."
People like this irritated me.
They expected some random person to walk into their lives and magically solve every problem they created themselves.
Like it was destiny.
Like it was my job.
"Whoa, calm down, uncle," Jamine said quickly. "Sorry about him, Miss Lalo."
Lalo waved it off.
"It is perfectly fine, little one. Not everyone wishes to be a savior."
"Good," I muttered. "Because that job sounds exhausting."
Then I leaned forward slightly.
"Now before we get into some inspirational speech… why exactly did you bring us here?"
Lalo smiled faintly.
"Very well."
And suddenly—
Everything went dark.
When the darkness faded, we were standing in a massive open field.
Wind rolled across tall grass.
Lalo stood beside me.
"Before all of this," she began, "there were only witches… and humans."
I sighed quietly.
I already knew where this story was going.
Indau.
The Hollow.
She showed it just like it was showed in the tv series
A powerful witch feared by her own tribe. Strong enough that they believed she would one day destroy them all.
So they killed her.
A magical axe buried into her body.
But on her dying breath…
She cursed them.
Every one of them.
To become the creatures they once hunted.
Wolves.
The vision faded again.
Darkness swallowed the world.
Then we appeared somewhere else.
A cave.
Cold. Ancient.
In the center stood a tomb.
This time it was only me and Lalo.
I stepped forward slowly.
"Okay," I muttered. "Now this part I definitely don't remember from the show."
I placed my hand on the stone lid and pushed.
The tomb opened.
And I froze.
Inside…
Was me.
My body.
Dead. Decayed.
I slowly reached down to touch the corpse's face.
Then—
Its eyes snapped open.
But they weren't mine.
They were red.
Slitted like a predator's.
Its hand shot up and grabbed my wrist.
Claws.
Long fangs filled its mouth.
Even the canines were extended—top and bottom.
Something far worse than a vampire.
Then the vision shattered.
We were back in the real world.
I rubbed my temples.
"What the hell was that?" I demanded.
Lalo looked at me calmly.
"You think you have seen vampires, Nero."
Her voice grew darker.
"But you truly haven't."
"There are things older than the Originals."
"Older than the immortal Silas."
"Things far worse."
Before I could respond—
Another vision began.
This time there was only darkness.
Complete darkness.
Then—
Two glowing purple eyes appeared.
"I see you… Lycan."
A voice whispered.
Something rushed toward me—
And everything snapped back to reality.
I stood there breathing slowly.
"What the hell was that supposed to mean?" I said, staring at Lalo.
"Why was I in a tomb?"
"And who the hell had purple eyes?"
Inside my head another thought echoed.
Lycan.
That was the name I planned to give myself after completing my serum.
But I had never told anyone that.
"How did it know that…?" I muttered.
"It is what will come to pass," Lalo said softly.
"It's your destiny, my love," Diana added as she stepped forward.
I looked at her sharply.
"You saw that too?"
She nodded.
"I saw the future. The world in your hands."
Her expression darkened.
"But I also saw those purple eyes… draining life from everything."
I folded my arms.
"And how exactly do I know you people aren't messing with me?"
Lalo chuckled.
"Come now, Nero."
"You are not a stupid boy."
"You know that vision was real."
Diana gently touched my arm.
"Come," she said softly. "Let me show you our village. It might help clear your mind."
I looked back at Jamine.
"You gonna be good kid?
"Yeah," he said. "I'll stay here."
"Actually," Lalo said, turning toward him, "I could use your help with something little one."
I stared at Lalo.
Then Jamine.
Then Lalo again.
"If he dies," I said calmly, "I pray you never meet Monna Bennett."
Lalo just smiled.
Diana showed me the village afterward.
And honestly…
It surprised me.
They weren't warriors.
They were artists.
Some played instruments made of carved wood and bone. Others painted symbols and landscapes across stretched animal hides. Children ran across the bridges laughing.
It was alive.
But the biggest surprise?
The food.
I had fully expected terrible tribal cooking.
Instead it was incredible.
Fresh meat, herbs, fruits I didn't even recognize.
I leaned back on a rock overlooking the village while eating.
Diana sat beside me.
The moon hung low in the sky in a perfect crescent.
"So," I said between bites.
"What is it, my love?" she asked.
I paused.
"Yeah… I'm still getting used to that."
She laughed softly.
"I was going to ask something," I continued.
"Where's your brother?"
"And where's the rest of your tribe?"
Her smile faded slightly.
"My brother… is difficult."
"How so?"
"He doesn't believe in my visions, he never did."
"He always said they were just dreams, that I was a freak."
"So when father died," she continued quietly, "he took all the moonlight rings and left."
"Taking half of the village with him ."
I raised my eyebrows.
"Wow."
"All that because you had something he didn't?"
You know where I'm from, I said.
We call that envy.
She studied me.
"I'm surprised you're not on his side."
"Why would I be?"
"Because…" she hesitated. "You don't believe it either."
I chuckled and leaned back, looking up at the moon.
"Let me tell you a secret, Diana."
She tilted her head.
"Oh? Already sharing secrets with your wife?"
I smirked.
"Well… that's kind of the rule."
She blushed slightly.
I continued.
"I have visions too."
Her eyes widened.
"Visions of the future."
"I know what might happen in this world."
"And I have two choices."
I turned to look at her.
"I can let the future happen naturally and do nothing as I watch it unfold as it should."
"Or I can take control of it, and make them future completely mine."
She studied me carefully.
"You choose control."
"Exactly.", I said
"But right now," I said quietly, "I'm not strong enough for that."
"I need power."
"Something so strong it would make Satan himself nervous."
"Something… unkillable."
She stared into my eyes.
Not with fear.
With belief.
"I will help you get there," she said.
I raised an eyebrow.
"Oh yeah?"
"And why would you do that?"
"Because of the bond we share?"
She shook her head.
"No."
"Because I believe in you."
"You believe in me?" I repeated.
"Yes."
Her voice was steady.
"I saw you in my dreams long before today."
"And now that I see you in front of me…"
She leaned closer.
"I see the hunger in your eyes."
"Not cruelty."
"But hunger, for more."
"Like a predator."
Her fingers brushed my hand.
"I will help you become the hunter of hunters."
"The predator of predators."
"The apex predator of this world."
Not because of the bond.
Because I believe you are what this world needs, peace or destruction
For a moment…
I didn't say anything.
No one had ever said something like that to me before.
Especially not in this world.
And this someone…
Was now my wife.
We stared at each other quietly.
Then she leaned forward.
Our lips met.
Slow at first.
Then deeper.
The moon hung above us as the village lights flickered below.
Like the Dothraki saying from another universe—
Everything important should happen under the gaze of the moon.
And that night…
It did.
A week had passed.
Jamine was learning magic from Lalo, which he said was a very good teacher.
I, on the other hand, spent most of my time with Diana.
Talking.
Walking.
Learning small things about her.
Her favorite flowers.
Her favorite songs.
Her habit of humming when she thought no one could hear.
I also learned something else.
You couldn't lie to your bonded partner.
Which I discovered when I cooked dinner one night.
She took one bite.
Then looked at me and said bluntly—
"This is terrible."
I stared at her.
"You couldn't even pretend?"
She shook her head helplessly.
"I physically can't lie to you."
"That's unfortunate."
Right now we were lying in the woods outside the village.
Covered by a bear hide.
The night was quiet.
Then—
A branch snapped.
My eyes opened instantly.
I stood up and scanned the trees.
Footsteps.
Fast.
I turned just as someone lunged.
I grabbed his arm and twisted it behind his back.
A tribal warrior.
But i had seen most of the warriors in the village and he wasn't one of them
Then, something caught my eye.
The ring on his finger.
Moonlight ring.
"Oh," I muttered. "So you're with Daniel."
He tried to pull away.
I shoved him back easily.
"Trying to ambush a guy with his pants down huh?
I looked down and there was no pants on me
"Literally" I said
I rushed forward and knocked him out.
Diana stirred awake from the noise.
"Good morning, sleeping beauty."
She rubbed her eyes.
"What happened—"
Then she saw him.
Her expression changed.
"Micah…"
I raised an eyebrow.
"You know him?"
"Yes," she said quietly, wrapping the bear hide around herself.
"He was a childhood friend."
"Oh."
I smirked.
"So he likes you."
She shot me a look.
"Jealous?"
"You're crazy as hell." I said
She knelt beside him.
"We need to take him to my mother."
"She'll be able to read his mind ."
I Alright I said while wrapping a cloth around my waist
"Let's go."
When we brought him back, the entire village knew something was wrong.
They knew who Micah was.
If he was here that wasn't good sign
Inside the clan house, they chained him down.
Lalo entered with Jamine behind her.
"So," I said, "are you doing your magic brain-thing?"
Lalo shook her head.
"Jamine will."
Jamine blinked.
"Wait… me?"
"Do you think you can?" Lalo asked.
He hesitated.
Then nodded slowly.
"Yes."
He approached Micah.
The man seemed to be cruising us out in his language.
Then Jamine placed his hand on his head.
Micah instantly went silent.
Jamine's eyes rolled back.
The room stayed quiet for nearly a minute.
Then he collapsed.
I caught him before he hit the floor.
"Whoa, whoa there, kid."
"Your mom would kill me if you got even a scratch on you ."
Jamine looked up at me.
Eyes wide.
"Nero…"
"They have it."
"Have what?" I asked.
His voice shook.
"They have a piece… of the White Oak."
I froze.
The only thing capable of killing an Original... and me.
"Well…"
I exhaled slowly.
"Oh shit.