Alpha in Vampire Diaries

The tension between Elias and Lila grew like an unspoken storm. Though she had agreed to help him, her demeanor had shifted. Her words were polite, her actions deliberate, but the warmth from before had cooled. Elias noticed it in the way her gaze lingered on his hands, his movements, the subtle way she avoided standing too close.

It wasn't unfamiliar to him. Back in Beacon Hills, he had seen the same wary glances from humans who had discovered what he was—or suspected it. The memory of those days stirred a pang of nostalgia, but he pushed it aside. This wasn't Beacon Hills, and Lila wasn't like the others.

"You're quiet," she said one evening, her voice breaking the silence.

Elias looked up from the fire he had been tending. "Just thinking."

"About what?"

"About why you're afraid of me."

The bluntness of his words startled her. She froze, the bowl of water in her hands trembling slightly. "I'm not afraid of you," she replied, too quickly.

Elias raised an eyebrow, his expression skeptical but calm. "You've been avoiding me ever since you saw how fast I healed. It's okay to admit it, Lila. Most people would react the same way."

She set the bowl down and crossed her arms, her defenses rising. "It's not fear. It's… confusion. People don't just heal like that, Elias. It's not normal."

"Neither am I," he said simply, his voice carrying a weight that silenced her retort.

Lila sat down across from him, her gaze fixed on the flames. "Then what are you?"

Elias hesitated. He had always been cautious about revealing his nature, even back home. But here, in this strange world, surrounded by people who wouldn't understand what a werewolf was, the truth felt even heavier.

"I'm… complicated," he said finally. "And I don't think you'd believe me if I told you."

"Try me," she challenged, her tone softer now.

Elias sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Where I come from, there are stories about people like me. People who can heal, who are stronger and faster than normal humans. But it comes with a cost. We're not entirely human anymore."

Lila's eyes widened slightly, but she didn't interrupt.

"I'm one of them," he continued. "I didn't ask for it, but it's who I am. And it's why I can do things that… scare people."

For a moment, she said nothing, her expression unreadable. Then she leaned back, her arms wrapping around her knees. "So, you're saying you're some kind of… creature?"

Elias chuckled softly, though there was no humor in it. "I prefer 'werewolf.'"

Her eyes narrowed. "You're serious."

"As serious as I can be."

The fire crackled between them, filling the silence that followed. Lila's gaze dropped to the ground, her thoughts clearly racing.

"Why are you telling me this?" she asked finally.

"Because you deserve to know what you're getting involved with," Elias said. "I don't want to lie to you, Lila. Not after everything you've done for me."

She looked up at him, her expression softening slightly. "I don't know if I can believe all of this. But… you don't seem like a monster."

Elias smiled faintly. "I'm not. At least, I try not to be."

The tension between them eased slightly, though it didn't disappear entirely. Lila still seemed wary, but her curiosity outweighed her fear for now.

---

Over the next few days, they settled into a fragile routine. Lila continued to help Elias, though her questions about his past and abilities became more frequent. Elias answered what he could, carefully avoiding the darker aspects of his nature.

But the peace was short-lived.

One evening, as the sun dipped below the horizon, Elias caught a familiar scent on the wind—one that sent a chill down his spine. Vampires.

"They're coming," he said, his voice low and urgent.

Lila looked up from her work, alarm flashing in her eyes. "What? Who?"

"Trouble," Elias said, rising to his feet. "Stay inside. Lock the doors and windows. Don't come out, no matter what you hear."

"What about you?" she asked, her voice trembling.

"I'll handle it," he said, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Before she could protest, Elias stepped outside, his senses on high alert. The forest around the village was quiet, too quiet. He scanned the shadows, his claws extending as his instincts took over.

From the darkness, a figure emerged. Then another. And another.

"Elias," one of them said, its voice dripping with malice. "We've been looking for you."

Elias's red eyes glowed faintly as he faced them, his stance steady. "You found me. Now what?"

The vampires laughed, their fangs glinting in the moonlight. "Now, we finish what Corvin started."

Elias smirked, his claws glinting as he prepared for the fight. "You can try."

The battle began, fierce and brutal. Elias fought with a ferocity that matched the vampires' speed and strength, his instincts guiding his every move. But as the fight raged on, he couldn't help but worry about Lila.

He had to protect her, no matter the cost.