Alpha in Vampire Diaries

The battle raged on, but Elias fought with a sharp focus. His claws tore through the vampires, leaving deep, unhealing wounds in their flesh. Each strike seemed to sap their vitality, leaving them weaker, slower.

As he clawed through another vampire, a strange sensation crept through his body—a cold, unsettling darkness. It wasn't just discomfort; it felt as though something foreign was stirring within him, clawing at the edges of his mind.

The leader of the vampires stood back, observing the chaos with a calculating gaze. "What is this?" he muttered under his breath. "No werewolf has claws like that. No wounds of ours should fester like this…"

He narrowed his eyes, suspicion creeping into his voice. "A curse? A witch's meddling?"

Elias didn't hear the words, his focus locked on survival. He drove his claws into another vampire, watching as they crumpled to the ground, their body trembling as if poisoned.

But with every strike, Elias felt a growing weakness. His strength, once boundless, began to waver. His movements became slower, his breathing heavier.

"What's happening to me?" he thought, his vision blurring for a moment.

The leader smirked, sensing Elias's faltering energy. With a swift motion, he disappeared into the shadows.

---

When Elias finally returned to the village, his heart sank. The once-bustling settlement was eerily silent. Doors hung ajar, and the air was thick with the metallic scent of blood.

He moved cautiously through the empty streets, his senses on high alert. Trails of blood led from doorways to the center of the village, where a crude symbol had been drawn on the ground.

"What happened here?" Elias whispered, his claws flexing instinctively.

His gaze darted around, searching for any sign of life. But there was nothing—no movement, no sound, only the oppressive stillness.

As he stepped closer to one of the homes, he noticed deep claw marks on the walls. His stomach churned as he realized they weren't from the vampires.

They were his.

"No…" he muttered, shaking his head. "I didn't—this wasn't me."

But the marks told a different story.

---

Elias's thoughts were interrupted by a faint sound—a groan, barely audible. He followed it to a small house on the edge of the village. Inside, he found an elderly man, barely alive, clutching a deep wound on his chest.

"They… took her," the man rasped, his voice weak. "The girl… Lila…"

Elias knelt beside him, his hands trembling. "Where? Where did they take her?"

The man coughed, blood staining his lips. "The forest… the mansion… they said she's… a bargaining chip…"

Elias's jaw clenched, his anger boiling over. He stood, his claws flexing as he turned toward the forest.

But as he moved, his legs buckled. A wave of dizziness washed over him, and he collapsed to one knee.

"What's… happening to me?" he growled, his voice laced with frustration.

The darkness he had felt earlier was growing stronger, spreading through his body like a sickness. But it wasn't just the darkness—there was something else, something he couldn't explain.

He forced himself to stand, his determination outweighing his weakness. "I don't care what's happening," he muttered. "I'll save her. No matter what."

---

The trail led him deep into the forest, his steps unsteady but purposeful. He could feel the vampires' presence, a faint pulse in the air that guided him.

The mansion loomed ahead, its dark silhouette barely visible through the thick trees. Elias paused, his breathing heavy as he tried to gather his strength.

His claws flexed, a faint glow emanating from them as the darkness within him stirred again. He ignored it, focusing instead on the task at hand.

"They took her," he growled. "And they'll regret it."

With a deep breath, he pushed forward, his resolve unwavering despite the growing weakness in his body.

The mansion loomed like a predator waiting in the shadows, its dark spires piercing the sky. Elias stood at the entrance, his body trembling from the growing weakness. His claws flexed instinctively, though his strength was a shadow of what it had been.

The doors creaked open, and the leader stepped out, his expression smug. "You've caused quite the stir, wolf," he said, his voice laced with mockery. "But you're still standing. Impressive."

Elias growled low in his throat but said nothing. He wasn't here for words.

The leader smirked. "Come. Let's talk."

Elias hesitated but followed. He had no choice. If there was any chance of finding Lila, he had to play along.

---

Inside, the mansion was as cold and lifeless as its inhabitants. Shadows clung to the walls, and the air reeked of blood and decay. The leader led him through the halls with an air of superiority, his steps deliberate.

"You've intrigued me," the leader said, glancing back. "Your claws… they've done something to my kin. Something I've never seen before."

Elias didn't respond, his focus on the leader's every move. He needed to find Lila, and if this charade brought him closer to her, so be it.

They stopped in front of a large wooden door. Before the leader could open it, Elias's senses flared. The stench of fear and dread seeped through the cracks, making his stomach churn.

The leader pushed the door open, revealing a room filled with vampires. They were the ones Elias had fought, their bodies pale and trembling. Deep, festering wounds marred their flesh, refusing to heal. Their eyes were wide with terror, their voices whispering pleas for mercy.

Elias's claws flexed involuntarily as he stepped inside, the vampires recoiling at his presence.

The leader gestured to the room. "Do you see what you've done? They fear death now. Something your kind has never inflicted on us before."

Elias clenched his fists. "What do you want from me?"

The leader's smile faded, replaced by cold determination. "Undo it. Whatever you've done to them, reverse it. And I'll give you the girl."

Elias's jaw tightened. "I don't know what I did. I don't know why this is happening."

The leader's expression darkened. "Then you leave me no choice."

---

Before Elias could react, a wave of dizziness hit him, and his legs gave out. He collapsed to the floor, gasping for breath as the darkness inside him surged.

The leader appeared in front of him, holding Lila by the arm. Her face was pale, her eyes wide with fear. The leader's claws rested against her throat, a cruel smirk on his lips.

"Undo it," the leader repeated, his voice venomous. "Or she dies."

Elias struggled to stand, his vision blurring. "I… I can't…"

Lila's voice broke through the tension. "Elias…"

He looked up at her, his heart breaking at the fear in her eyes.

"I love you," she said, her voice trembling. "I always have. I thought we'd have more time. I thought we'd have a future…"

Tears streamed down her face as she smiled weakly. "But I don't regret meeting you. Not for a second."

Elias's chest tightened, his claws digging into the floor. "Don't do this," he growled, his voice raw with desperation.

The leader sneered. "Time's up."

Before Elias could move, the leader's claws slashed across Lila's throat. Blood sprayed across the room as she fell to the floor, her gaze locked on Elias.

"No!" Elias's scream tore through the mansion, his voice filled with anguish.

The darkness inside him surged, consuming everything as he crawled toward her lifeless body.