"You've got no idea what I have left," being defiant was in his nature and it was even more so when someone like Elena was trying to call him out on it. There was no point in pretending that his life hadn't been one big mess...for a long time. But that was an apt description for most of Mystic Falls residents now, wasn't it? Something else that Klaus could be thanked for. "There's no leash. I can do anything that I want." It was those digs that bothered him the most; Tyler didn't want to be the person he had been before...selfish, completely arrogant, nothing mattered unless it was able to benefit him somehow. There had been freedom in that, though. Those animal instincts were even harder to deny now than before. Elena Gilbert brought them out in hm; her attitude, the way she looked at him, the inflection of her voice...everything about it just got to him. Created thoughts in his head that he didn't know how to deal with. Wanting to completely dominate her so that she would never so much as raise a question again.
When she closed the distance between the two of them, Tyler didn't know what to think, or what she had planned. His arms stayed down at his sides but he visibly tensed; was it all going to start right then? Maybe part of him wanted it to. The tension was thick in the air; she might not feel it, or ignore it completely...he knew it was there, though. Even her scent had changed ever so slightly; no one else would have picked up on it. Her hand came to rest on his chest; cool, a sharp contrast to how much heat was radiating off his skin. His head tilted to glance down at what she was doing. A bad move on his part; it made it even easier for Elena to whisper in his ear. He wanted to tell her yes; that it was exactly what he wanted. That he would rather grab her and tear her clothes off instead. Tyler didn't though; he breathed out unsteady, it was obvious everything inside of him was fighting having an even more obvious reaction. Then she kissed him; their lips only pressed together for the briefest of seconds, but there had been power behind it. Enough to make the sensation linger. To get just a little taste of her. And then she was gone; disappearing over the balcony, out onto the city streets below.
Catch her if he could? Tyler relished in the challenge; the wolf inside of him wanted to be able to stalk her, track Elena's every movement, corner her until she had no where else to go...no way to get away from him. Closing his eyes, he breathed in deeply, taking in Elena's scent, committing it to memory. No, she wasn't going to get away from him. There wasn't a place in Los Angeles where he wouldn't find her. Displaying the same kind of speed, Tyler vaulted over the railing of the balcony and landed heavily on the street outside. She was going to get him arrested; a half naked man chasing her, looking wild and feral...what did he care? They weren't going to catch him, either. Muscles rippled as he sprung forward, dark eyes alert, looking for any sign of her. "Lena..." His voice was low; almost a growl...he didn't have to speak loud in order for her to hear him. If she was hiding somewhere, he knew the word was still going to reach her. "You think I'm going to give up...I'm not. You picked the wrong person. I'm a wolf...I want the chase." Even if he considered himself the predator, it didn't mean Tyler had every advantage. His heart was pounding in his chest; beating wildly...the sound enough to give him away to any vampire. Droplets of sweat still slid down his broad back.