What Hunts the Hunters

Chapter 3 — What Hunts the Hunters

The growl echoed through the forest again.

Low.

Deep.

Powerful enough to make the trees tremble.

For the first time since Elara had met them, both Stefan and Damon looked genuinely alarmed.

"It's here," Damon muttered.

"What is?" Elara whispered, unable to move.

Stefan stepped in front of her instinctively.

"Run."

"What?"

"Run, Elara!"

A huge black shape burst from the trees.

It wasn't a wolf.

It was far too large.

Its glowing amber eyes locked onto Stefan before it charged.

Stefan met it head-on, throwing himself into the creature with impossible speed. They crashed through bushes and disappeared into the darkness.

Damon cursed under his breath.

"I was hoping it wouldn't find us this soon."

Elara stared at him.

"Tell me what's happening!"

He looked at her, the usual smirk gone.

"My brother and I are vampires."

The words hung in the cold night air.

"You've officially lost your mind."

"I wish I had."

Another deafening roar echoed nearby.

Damon grabbed Elara's wrist.

"Whether you believe me or not, if that creature catches you, tonight will be your last."

Before she could protest, he pulled her behind an old stone mausoleum hidden deep in the forest.

Moments later, Stefan appeared, breathing heavily. His jacket was torn, but the wounds on his arm healed before Elara's eyes.

Her heart pounded.

"That's... impossible..."

Stefan looked directly at her.

"I wanted you to find out differently."

Before Elara could answer, the creature stepped into the moonlight.

It looked almost human now, standing on two legs with long claws and golden eyes.

It smiled.

"Well," it said, its voice calm and chilling, "the brothers are reunited."

Damon's expression hardened.

"You should've stayed dead."

The creature laughed.

"You know that's impossible."

It slowly turned its gaze to Elara.

"So..."

"It finally found her."

Elara frowned.

"Found me? We've never met."

The creature tilted its head.

"No."

"We met when you were five."

A sharp pain shot through Elara's head.

Suddenly, flashes of memories she had never remembered before flooded her mind:

A rainy night.

A burning car.

Someone carrying her through the woods.

Red eyes glowing in the darkness.

A woman's voice crying,

"Protect her at all costs!"

The visions vanished as quickly as they had come.

Elara collapsed to her knees, gasping.

Stefan rushed to her side.

"It's starting..."

"What is?" she asked weakly.

Before Stefan could answer, the creature smiled.

"The truth."

"It won't be long before she remembers who she really is."

Then, with one final grin, it disappeared into the forest.

Silence returned.

Only the sound of Elara's shaky breathing remained.

She looked up at Stefan and Damon.

Her voice barely rose above a whisper.

"My parents' accident..."

"It wasn't an accident... was it?"

Neither brother answered.

And in their silence...

Elara found the answer she feared most.

What do you think Elara is? Any guesses

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