Scared?

I watched Jeremy as we walked back into the Grill, his hands stuffed in his hoodie pockets, his face still half-flushed from the teasing he'd endured from Elena and Amara. For a second, I wondered if I should tell him the truth. About Katherine, about what I knew, about what I was. But the moment passed. It wasn't time. Not yet.

I slipped into a booth near the back, and Jeremy slid in across from me. He looked distracted, tapping his fingers against the table.

"You're quiet," I said, keeping my tone light. "What, did your sisters actually manage to embarrass you?"

He rolled his eyes. "That's their favorite pastime. I'm used to it." But then his expression turned serious, his eyes locking on mine. "What do you think about all of this? Katherine, the whole doppelgänger thing. It's… a lot, right?"

I hesitated. "It's more than a lot. It's dangerous." I leaned forward, lowering my voice. "Jeremy, doppelgängers aren't just random lookalikes. They're… connected. Their existence usually means something's coming. Something big."

He frowned. "What do you mean, 'something's coming'?"

I sighed, running my fingers through my hair. "I don't know for sure. But think about it. Katherine didn't just show up here by accident. And the fact that she looks exactly like Elena? That's not a coincidence. Add in Amara, and the three of them sharing that birthmark—the streak of blue? That's not normal."

Jeremy's jaw tightened. "Yeah, I get that. But what do we do about it?"

I glanced around the Grill, making sure no one was paying attention to us. "We need to figure out why she's here. Katherine always has a plan. Always. And whatever it is, it's not good for Elena or Amara."

"Do you think she knows about the streak? About the birthmark?" Jeremy asked, his voice dropping to almost a whisper.

I nodded. "If she's smart, and she is, then yeah. She knows. And she'll use it."

Jeremy leaned back in his seat, rubbing his temples. "This is insane. My sisters are caught up in some… supernatural crap, and I don't even know how to help."

His words hit me harder than I expected. I wanted to tell him he wasn't alone, that I understood. But I couldn't. Not without revealing what I was. Instead, I reached across the table and grabbed his hand.

"You're helping," I said softly. "Just by being here. They need you."

He looked at me for a long moment, his eyes searching mine. "What about you? How do you know so much about this stuff?"

My heart skipped a beat, but I kept my face neutral. "I've just… heard stories. My mom was into all that folklore and supernatural history. Some of it stuck."

It wasn't a complete lie. My mom had told me stories. She'd also been a vampire, like me, but Jeremy didn't need to know that part. Not yet.

Before he could ask more questions, my phone buzzed in my pocket. I pulled it out, grateful for the distraction. The message was from an old contact—someone who knew more about Mystic Falls' supernatural underbelly than I ever could.

"Katherine isn't the only one. Be careful."

My stomach dropped. I quickly shoved my phone back into my pocket, trying to keep my expression calm.

"Everything okay?" Jeremy asked, his brow furrowed.

"Yeah," I lied. "Just a friend checking in."

But my mind was racing. If Katherine wasn't the only one, then who else was here? And what did they want?

That night, I went out alone. The streets of Mystic Falls were quiet, the autumn air sharp against my skin. I didn't tell Jeremy where I was going. He'd just try to follow me, and this wasn't something he needed to be involved in. Not yet.

I ended up near the old Lockwood ruins, the shadows stretching long under the moonlight. This place always felt… heavy. Like it was watching you, waiting for you to make a mistake. I didn't like being here, but if there were answers to be found, this was where they'd be.

"Looking for something?"

The voice came from behind me, smooth and cold. I turned to see Katherine leaning casually against a tree, her arms crossed, a smirk on her face.

"How did you—" I started, but she cut me off.

"You're not as subtle as you think, Anna." Her gaze flicked to the streak of blue in my hair. "You've been digging, haven't you?"

I swallowed hard, keeping my expression neutral. "Maybe. Someone needs to figure out what you're up to."

Katherine stepped closer, her heels clicking against the stone path. "And what makes you think you can?"

"Because I know what you are," I said, my voice steady. "And I know you're not here for a friendly reunion."

Her smirk widened. "Smart girl. But you're out of your depth. This isn't your fight."

"It is if you're planning to hurt them. Elena, Amara… they're my friends."

Katherine laughed, low and dangerous. "Oh, Anna. You think you're protecting them? You have no idea what's really going on."

"Then tell me," I said, stepping toward her. "What's this all about? What does it mean?"

Katherine's smile faltered for just a second, but it was enough for me to notice. Whatever this was, it mattered to her, maybe even more than I realized. She tilted her head, studying me like I was a puzzle she hadn't quite figured out.

"You're brave," she said finally, her voice softer now. "Brave, but reckless. That's going to get you killed."

"I'll take my chances," I shot back. "Now talk."

For a moment, I thought she might actually tell me something. Her lips parted, and her eyes flicked to the streak of blue in my hair, like it was a thread she could unravel. But then, just as quickly as the moment came, it was gone. She stepped back, her smirk returning.

"You're not ready for the truth," she said. "Not yet. But don't worry—it'll find you soon enough."

She turned on her heel and started to walk away, her movements as graceful as ever. I should've let her go, but something inside me snapped.

"Stop hiding, Katherine!" I called after her. "If this is so important, then why are you running from it?"

She froze, her back still to me. When she spoke, her voice was ice. "You think I'm running? Oh, Anna. You're the one who doesn't understand what's coming."

Before I could respond, she vanished into the shadows, leaving me alone in the ruins.

When I got back to Jeremy's house, it was late, and the lights were off. I climbed through his window like I had so many times before, landing silently on the floor. He was sitting on the edge of his bed, his head in his hands.

"You're still up?" I asked softly, closing the window behind me.

He looked up, startled, but his expression quickly softened when he saw me. "Yeah. Couldn't sleep."

I sat down next to him, our knees almost touching. For a moment, neither of us said anything. The quiet between us wasn't uncomfortable—it never was—but tonight it felt heavier.

"I talked to Katherine," I said finally.

His head snapped up, his eyes wide. "What? Are you crazy? What did she say?"

"Not much," I admitted. "But she knows more than she's letting on. This whole thing—the doppelgängers, the birthmark—it's connected to something bigger. And I think she's scared."

Jeremy frowned. "Katherine? Scared? I don't buy it."

"Neither did I," I said. "But it's there, Jeremy. I could see it."

He ran a hand through his hair, frustration written all over his face. "This is insane. I just… I don't get why this is happening. Why them? Why now?"

I hesitated, the words catching in my throat. I wanted to tell him everything—that I wasn't exactly who he thought I was, that I'd been keeping secrets from him since the day we met. But I couldn't. Not yet. Not with everything else going on.

Instead, I reached for his hand, my fingers brushing against his. "We'll figure it out," I said softly. "Together."

He looked at me, his eyes searching mine, and for a second, I thought he might say something—something important. But then he just nodded, squeezing my hand.

"Yeah," he said. "Together."

But as much as I wanted to believe that, I couldn't shake the feeling that Katherine was right. We weren't ready for the truth. Not yet.

And when it came, I wasn't sure we'd survive it.