the legacy of A Past Life

Ethan was still standing there, his phone warm in his hand after hanging up the call with his mother.

The afternoon sun was beginning to rise, casting long shadows over the field where the students continued to play, their voices echoing in the background. He could feel the humming in his bones pulsing softly, his mother's words about the imprint swirling in his mind. The idea that his soul might be linked to someone—maybe Hope—made him uneasy, but also curious. He'd never felt something so strong for a girl before, and the fact that it felt right, even so quickly, confused him. He decided he'd research it more later, maybe ask a werewolf or two at school to get a better understanding. For now, though, he felt heat rise to his face just thinking about Hope hearing something like that, and it embarrassed him. He needed air, to be away from her for a moment, even if it was just instinct.

Not far away, Hope was still a few feet away from Ethan, leaning against a tree, her cell phone still in her hand, now determined to call someone. Her blue eyes followed him discreetly, her heart racing since she had picked up his conversation with her mother with her werewolf hearing. She was also thinking about the imprint, those words echoing in her mind. What was it? Was it real? She had never heard of anything like it, not even in the stories her family told about werewolves. Intrigued and confused, she decided to look for answers. Moving a little further away to a less crowded corner, but still with Ethan visible in the distance, she called her aunt Freya.

"Hope?" came Freya's warm voice on the other end of the line. "What happened?" Hope took a deep, hesitant breath. "Auntie, have you ever heard of something called an 'imprint' between werewolves?" she asked, her voice low. Freya paused, thoughtful. "Imprint? No, I've never heard of anything like it, at least not until now. What is it?" Hope bit her lip, feeling her heart race as she explained. "I heard a boy, Ethan, talking to his mother. She said his father, Clark, told her about it. That some werewolves feel a connection to their soulmate, and the feelings grow fast and strong. And… I don't know, Auntie, but ever since he arrived, I've had feelings for him. It's crazy, everything is happening so fast, and I don't understand."

Freya laughed softly, a light sound that brought Hope some relief. "It seems my niece is in love," she teased. "Tell me more about this Ethan." Hope blushed, but continued. "He's new here, actually new is his nickname, he arrived yesterday. Strong, mysterious… there's a buzz in his bones, like he's supernatural. And his eyes, one green and one blue, are… different." Freya was silent for a moment, intrigued. "Ethan, you say? The name Clark sounds familiar to me. I remember Klaus and Hayley mentioning a Clark a long time ago. He was special to her, a close ally. In fact, we all know that Clark was Virgil's father, Hope. But… something strange happened."

Hope frowned, her heart racing. "What happened?" she asked, her voice thick with curiosity. Freya sighed, her voice more serious. "When you and Virgil were about to be born, Clark simply disappeared. Disappeared. Klaus, Hayley, Marcel, Rebecca and almost the entire Mikaelson family… we were all mobilized to find him. We searched for months, used tracking spells, tracked down any clue, but it was as if he had disappeared from the planet. We never found anything, not even a trace of him. Hayley was devastated—Clark was special to her, he was protective of her and treated her differently than other people. It was more than just a romance; it was a friendship he built with her, someone she trusted deeply. To this day, no one knows what happened to him."

Hope was silent, processing Freya's words. She already knew all of this, her mother occasionally mentioned Clark in her words. "So... Ethan is his son?" she asked, almost in a whisper. Freya answered with a thoughtful tone. "If his mother said so, then yes. And if he's there, maybe the answers about what happened to Clark are closer than we think. I'll do more research, Hope. But if you feel this way about him, maybe it's worth exploring. And who knows... maybe that 'imprint' is part of who Clark was."

While Hope hung up, still lost in thought, Ethan had decided to mingle a little more. He walked to the center of the makeshift soccer field in the back of the school. The place was full of students, laughing and playing, the sound of their voices filling the air. He stood there for a moment, watching as Lizzie Saltzman approached, her blond hair shining in the sun, her blue eyes sparkling with curiosity. "Ethan! Are you here to mingle?" she asked, her tone cheerful. He half-smiled, shrugging. "I guess so," he replied, his voice husky.

Lizzie clapped her hands together, clearly excited. "Great! Let me introduce you to the gang." She pulled him by the arm, leading him to a group of students. "This is Pedro, he's a super fast vampire," she said, pointing to a skinny boy with a mischievous smile. "And this is Kaleb, she's a killer at basketball," she continued, indicating a tall, confident girl. Ethan greeted everyone with a polite nod, his voice gentle. "Nice to meet you." They welcomed him, inviting him to play, and he accepted, stepping onto the field with a mix of nervousness and determination.

The game began, and it quickly became clear that Ethan was no ordinary player. He ran with almost vampire-like speed, dribbling past Pedro with ease, the buzzing in his bones guiding his movements. When Kaleb tried to block him, he leapt with impressive force, slamming the ball into the basket with a loud bang that echoed across the court. The surrounding students stopped, eyes wide, especially the vampires, who exchanged surprised glances. "Man, how are you so fast?" Pedro asked, approaching with a curious smile. "Are you a vampire?" Kaleb crossed her arms, intrigued. "At least a hybrid, huh?"

Ethan laughed, a little embarrassed, rubbing the back of his neck. "No, I'm not a vampire," he said, his voice hoarse. "My mom thinks I'm more of a werewolf, but… I don't know, it's all confusing to me." He frowned, the buzzing in his bones throbbing louder as he tried to make sense of himself. The others were silent for a moment, surprised. "A werewolf that strong without shifting?" Pedro muttered, scratching his head. "That's not normal. Do you think he's a hybrid? Like, a werewolf with something extra?" Kaleb nodded, his eyes fixed on Ethan. "Maybe. I've never seen a werewolf that fast without a full moon."

After the play, the entire court seemed to vibrate with Ethan's energy. The girls, who had already found him attractive because of his heterochromatic eyes and mysterious air, were now completely crazy. They crowded around him, their eyes shining with admiration, whispering among themselves. "He's everything!" said one of them, a dark-haired vampire, with an exaggerated sigh. "Strength, speed, and on top of that, handsome like that?" another girl, a witch with a shy smile, added, almost breathlessly. "I've never seen anyone like that!" Lizzie, in the middle of the group, laughed, casting even more intense glances at Ethan, clearly enchanted. They surrounded him, asking questions about his moves and complimenting every detail, turning the court into an uproar of whispers and laughter, while Ethan, a little overwhelmed, tried to maintain a polite smile.

As he played, Ethan felt the buzz in his bones throb again, but this time it was quieter, as if the activity helped him connect with the place. Lizzie stood nearby, casting admiring glances, clearly fascinated by his heterochromatic eyes. "You're good at this," she said, laughing, but Ethan just smiled back, keeping his emotional distance. His thoughts were still on Hope, and even among his new friends, he felt something pulling him back to her.

Not far away, Hope watched closely, her phone still in her hand. She saw Ethan dominate the match, his strength and speed drawing all eyes, and her chest tightened. That conversation with Freya had left her even more confused. Was the imprint real? And what had happened to Clark? If Ethan was his son, then perhaps he was connected to her own family's past and Clark's in a way she didn't yet understand. Something inside her—perhaps her werewolf side—responded to every glance she cast in his direction, leaving her torn between curiosity and fear of what might come next.

Some time later, Hope pulled away, her heart still racing. Suddenly, a memory hit her like a wave. She'd never been in a relationship, never let anyone get close enough. And friends? She'd had few, almost none, other than Alaric and sometimes the twins. It was because of who she was—a tribrid, a unique being, like Virgil, her brother, and now, from what she knew, Ethan. The loss of her mother, the pressure of being the last Mikaelson in her line—it had all isolated her. These feelings for Ethan, this imprint she didn't even know was real, were too much for her. They were a storm that threatened to shatter the walls she'd built around herself.

Hope paused, taking a deep breath, and made a decision. She needed to lock these feelings away, or at least try to, at least for now. It was all too much on her mind—the mystery of Clark, the possibility that Ethan was like her, a rare supernatural being, and this attraction that consumed her. But at the same time, she knew she needed to understand what this imprint was, if it was true, if what she felt for Ethan was really this. As a tribrid, she was unique, and maybe Ethan, with that buzzing in his bones, was the same. She needed answers, but for now, she decided to walk away, pushing those thoughts to the back of her mind as dusk took over the sky.