The Doppelgänger Mikaelson

The air in the room grew tense as Tyler stepped into the Salvatore house. His presence was unexpected, and there was something off about him. His stance was more confident, almost aggressive, and his eyes carried a weight they hadn't before.

Damon turned to face him, his expression instantly guarded. "What the hell are you doing here, Lockwood?"

Tyler crossed his arms, unbothered by the hostility. "Caroline told me about Elena being the target of the Originals. Figured I should help."

Stefan frowned, stepping closer. "You know about the Originals? How much did she tell you?"

"Everything," Tyler said simply, meeting Stefan's gaze without flinching. "I know they're the oldest vampires. I know they're practically unkillable. And I know they're coming for Elena."

Damon didn't hesitate. In a flash, he vamp-sped across the room, his hand gripping Tyler's throat. "That's a problem," he snarled. "Werewolf or not, knowing about us makes you dangerous."

"Damon, stop!" Elena yelled, rushing forward and grabbing his arm. "Let him go!"

Damon's eyes darted to her, his grip on Tyler unyielding. "You don't get it, Elena. Him being a werewolf is one thing—annoying, sure. But now he knows about us. About you. He's a walking death sentence for vampires."

Tyler glared at Damon, his voice strained but steady. "You think I'm the enemy? I'm here to help keep her alive, not take her out."

Damon sneered. "You expect me to believe that? What's stopping you from flipping the switch and turning into a rabid dog the moment the moon's up?"

"Damon!" Elena snapped, her voice firmer this time. "Let. Him. Go."

With an irritated sigh, Damon released Tyler, who stepped back, rubbing his neck but refusing to look rattled.

"Thanks," Tyler muttered, straightening his shirt. He turned to Elena. "Caroline said you'd be stubborn, but I didn't think it'd be this bad."

"Yeah, well," Elena said, shooting a glare at Damon, "welcome to my life."

Stefan stepped forward, his expression less hostile but still cautious. "Why now, Tyler? You've known about us for a while. Why show up just because Caroline told you?"

Tyler's jaw tightened, his voice lowering. "Because I owe her. And because I'm not going to let these Originals destroy everything. You think I'm dangerous? From what I've heard from Caroline, they're a thousand times worse."

Damon snorted, pouring himself another drink. "Great speech, wolf boy. But forgive me if I don't trust the guy who could turn into a killing machine any day of the week."

"Yeah?" Tyler shot back, his tone sharp. "Well, maybe you should stop being such an ass for five seconds and realize I'm not the one you should be worried about."

Before Damon could respond, Stefan raised a hand, his voice calm but firm. "Enough. We don't have time for this. If Tyler wants to help, fine. But you better not give me a reason to regret it."

Tyler nodded, his posture easing slightly. "You won't."

Elena glanced between the three men, the tension still thick in the room. "Okay, can we focus now? The Originals are coming, and we need to figure out what we're going to do."

Damon downed his drink and sighed. "Fine. But if Tyler so much as looks at me the wrong way, he's gone. Got it?"

Tyler smirked. "Noted."

The uneasy truce hung in the air, but for now, it would have to do.

Elsewhere

The streets of Mystic Falls were quiet as Ivar and Alyssa strolled into town. The dim glow of streetlights reflected off the pavement, and the cool night air carried the faint rustle of leaves. Alyssa walked close to Ivar, her wide eyes taking in everything around her.

"This place…" Alyssa started, her voice tinged with curiosity. "It's so strange but familiar at the same time. It's like my world, but there's something… different about it. I can feel it."

Ivar smirked, his hands tucked casually into his coat pockets. "That's because this world isn't like yours in some important ways."

"Like what?" she asked, glancing up at him.

"For starters," Ivar said, looking ahead, "this world has vampires, werewolves, and witches as its dominant species. They've been here since the beginning. Some people know about them, but most don't. It's all very… secretive."

Alyssa frowned, processing his words. "We have werewolves where I'm from," she said carefully. "But vampires? That's new to me."

"Trust me," Ivar replied dryly, "vampires are real here, and they're a lot more complicated than the stories make them out to be."

She tilted her head, intrigued. "And you? You're one of them, aren't you?"

Ivar glanced at her, his smirk widening. "I am. But I'm not just any vampire. I'm the oldest of the Mikaelson family—the Original family. That makes me the strongest among the oldest."

Alyssa stopped walking, staring at him in disbelief. "You're saying you're… ancient?"

He chuckled, the sound low and almost mocking. "You could say that. I've seen more centuries than you can imagine, lived through countless wars, and watched civilizations rise and fall. Compared to me, everything you know is still… new."

"That's insane," she whispered, shaking her head. "And this world… it's full of creatures like you?"

"Not exactly like me," he corrected. "There are other vampires, but none are Originals except for my family. Then you have the werewolves—nasty creatures when they turn, thanks to the full moon. And witches? They're the backbone of all of this, really. They control the magic that keeps everything in balance."

"And that's it? Vampires, werewolves, witches? No other… surprises?"

Ivar's smirk turned into a knowing grin. "Oh, there are surprises. This world has its fair share of hidden species, lurking in the shadows. But those are rarer, and most people, even in the supernatural community, don't talk about them much."

Alyssa looked around again, her fascination growing. "This place feels so alive… and dangerous."

"Because it is," Ivar said simply. "But you'll get used to it. Or you won't. Either way, you'll learn to survive. Trust me."

She frowned but didn't argue. Instead, her gaze lingered on the quiet town, wondering what secrets it held and how she was supposed to fit into this strange, new world.

A/N

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