The Forbes family.
Along with the Salvatore, Gilbert, Lockwood, and Fell families, they are known as one of Mystic Falls' five founding families.
As one of the earliest to settle in Mystic Falls, the Forbes estate sits on the town's eastern side, near a valley and river.
The scenery is lovely.
When Hawk pulled up before the timeworn, distinctively Southern manor, he glanced at Gwen with a hint of regret. "You should've brought my cowboy outfit."
Gwen had already spotted her grandfather waiting at the door. Ignoring Hawk's comment, she pushed the door open and ran to the gray-haired but spry man standing at the entrance—William Forbes.
"Grandpa!"
"Haha."
Sixty-five this year, William greeted his granddaughter with a delighted hug, then set his eyes on Hawk, who was stepping out of the car.
After getting out, Hawk fastened the suit button he'd undone while driving, straightened his cuffs, and walked over.
He wasn't fond of suits.
He preferred casual or athletic wear.
But this was different—he was here to meet Gwen's grandfather, so dressing formally was the right call.
"Grandpa, this is Hawk."
"Hawk—my grandpa, William Forbes."
"Mr. Forbes."
Smiling, Hawk offered his right hand to the sharp-eyed elder.
He wasn't about to call the man "Grandpa" before he and Gwen were officially married.
Helen was different—he only called her "Mom" when it was just the three of them. With others around, he kept it formal.
William didn't try any power games. He took Hawk's hand and shook it firmly. "Welcome, Hawk."
Feeling the strength still present in the sixty-five-year-old's grip, Hawk smiled. "Thank you."
Soon after, Hawk followed Gwen—who was walking arm-in-arm with her grandfather—into the main house.
First impression:
A spacious hall, a vintage long dining table, a bright fire crackling in the hearth, and oil paintings on the walls that seemed to recount the Forbes family's storied past.
Those days had passed.
As everyone knows:
The Union won the Civil War; the Confederacy lost.
So a family that had once been a great landholder now amounted, at best, to small-town gentry.
The sheriff of Mystic Falls was Gwen's aunt, Liz Forbes.
And barring surprises, the next sheriff would either be Liz Forbes's daughter, Caroline Forbes—or Caroline's future husband.
But—
None of that had much to do with Hawk or Gwen.
They weren't settling in Mystic Falls; they were here to visit Grandpa and take a little holiday—nothing long-term.
Once Gwen had settled beside her grandfather on the sofa by the fireplace, she asked, "Grandpa, where are Aunt Liz and Caroline? Didn't they come back?"
Her grandfather chuckled. "They stay in town during the week and come back on weekends. I called them this morning—they'll be here this afternoon."
Gwen brightened. "It's been ages since I saw Aunt Liz and Caroline. Oh—Caroline should be graduating soon, right? Did she get her college letters?"
Caroline Forbes—Gwen's younger cousin, eighteen, a student at Mystic Falls High and captain of the cheer squad; fair, pretty, poised.
Don't be fooled by TV and movie stereotypes about shallow, air-headed cheer captains.
In the U.S., being a cheer captain is something you put on your résumé.
Selection is rigorous.
Looks matter, grades matter, and family background matters.
All three, not one less.
Even Gwen had felt a twinge of nerves at the start of term after she and Hawk made things official—because Jennifer Chuck, captain of Midtown High's cheer squad, had tried to flirt with Hawk.
Afternoon.
After lunch with William, and once the old gentleman went down for a nap, Gwen took Hawk on a tour of the Forbes estate.
Of course,
the real highlight wasn't the buildings—it was the old photographs.
Hawk finally saw them.
Yellowing prints of the Forbes lands in their prime—brilliant rows of cotton fields and sprawling melon patches, with teams of draft animals at work.
He flipped through the once-glorious days, shaking his head with a soft sigh.
"Too late."
"Too late for what?"
"Wrong era."
Hawk shrugged.
If he'd crossed over a century earlier—say, into the Civil War—he would've found a way to change the board, powers or no powers, orphan or not.
Not for any grand reason—just because a different outcome would have spared a lot of later pain.
Gwen, watching him leaf through the photos and muse aloud, blinked. "Keep it down—maybe don't broadcast your… leanings so bluntly."
Hawk chuckled and glanced at her.
"Am I not blunt enough already?"
"Uh…"
Gwen thought of Wakanda—the way Hawk had annihilated the regime after they tried to kidnap her.
Clearly,
his stance on certain things was already out there.
She also recalled a few things Sharon had said while shopping together lately. "So that's why S.H.I.E.L.D.'s new, unified roster feels… different these days?"
"Hm?"
"Sharon said so."
Gwen lifted her shoulders. "She said the New York office used to have a lot of different faces, but after Director Maria Hill's reorganization, the ratio's changed a lot."
Hawk raised a brow.
He hadn't known that.
Either way—
"Whatever makes the outfit sharper," he said lightly. "S.H.I.E.L.D. was built by five great benefactors. Competence is what counts."
Gwen shot him a look.
"Our current president's approval ratings are mixed."
"Not my favorite administration."
"Uh…"
"Anyway," Gwen cut the thread off decisively, "you've seen your precious photo wall. I'm taking you into town to look around. There should be a party today."
Hawk's brows tipped up.
"Should be?"
"Yeah."
Gwen nodded. "Mystic Falls has a nickname—Party Town. Know why?"
Hawk shook his head.
"Once tourism became the pillar industry, every mayor kept the policy going."
"Since there are visitors every day—"
"To keep them around, the town started hosting themed parties every few days."
That was the root of the almost-daily party vibe.
Simply put:
Get tourists to spend money.
"Mystic Falls is actually restrained."
"There was a town in the neighboring state that went overboard."
"To keep tourists, the residents role-played Old West cowboys and bandits. When a train pulled in, visitors saw 'bandits' raid the town and 'kidnap' the beautiful saloon owner—big laughs all around."
"…"
Hawk's eyes lit up. "And this neighboring—"
"It went bankrupt in 1970," Gwen said with a small smile. "The town's basically empty now."
"Uh…"
Hawk, who had been ready to visit the role-play town, fell silent at the sudden turn.
Right then—
His brows lifted, and he turned toward the study door.
Because he'd caught a scent—very much like what he'd sensed on the way into town. Vampire-adjacent.
At the same time,
a voice drifted up from downstairs.
"Grandpa!"
"Gwen?"
"…"
Gwen, about to ask why Hawk had turned, lit up at the voice. "Caroline!"
She stepped out into the upstairs hall and immediately spotted Caroline Forbes in the foyer below.
Caroline, standing in the entry, looked up and saw Gwen.
A heartbeat later—
That distinct, glass-scrape squeal—girls' exclusive frequency for surprise and delight—rang through the house.
Gwen hurried down the stairs.
Caroline came toward her.
In the next moment,
the two met at the bottom step, hugged tight, and hopped in place with glee.
Yep.
It was obvious both Gwen and Caroline were thrilled.
"Gwen, I thought you'd come back last year, but Grandpa said you couldn't make it."
"Sorry!"
Gwen smiled, smoothing a golden lock that had slipped loose in her excitement.
Caroline was about to say more when something sparkling violet caught her eye.
She followed the glint—
And her gaze locked on the six-carat purple diamond on Gwen's finger.
"This is—"
"…"
(End of Chapter)
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