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chapter twenty-four ━ her knight in dull armor

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❝ i'm the knight for the nyxs ❞

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IF IT WERE anyone else she was trying to attack, Thomas would have just stood back and admired the show, loving it when she kicked people's asses even if she was not that great of a fighter. However, Haley was human and though she had admitted to being a Gilbert, crossing into territory that would certainly make his mate angry, it would be hypocritical of him if he let her get hurt, merely because she was stuck with a last name that had a downright awful history behind it. Haley was not Elena, she was her own person, she was not tied to the girl in anything other than a name, and it was clear that she wanted nothing to do with her. Thomas himself hated his last name because of the memories it brought back of his father. Wouldn't it be wrong if people assumed he was also an abuser, merely because his father was one and they share a last name? Yes, it would, which is why when his girlfriend lunged for the human, he stepped forward, wrapped his arms around her and pulled her back, holding her to his chest to prevent her from landing an attack.

Thank heavens he was physically stronger than she was because Athena put up quite a fight. She kicked her legs and flung her arms out in an attempt to escape his grip and it was hard to keep her still. She was not pleased that he stopped her because he heard her growl, the sound low and threatening. As he kept holding her, he noticed that her hybrid face was still very much apparent, her violet eyes glued to Haley's frightened expression, baring her razor-sharp fangs at her. Something else he took note of was that she was very capable of using her vampire speed to slam him against the wall to get him to release her and yet she never did so, allowing him to hold her.

He did not say anything, knew that if he would she'd just tell him to shut up so there was no point in opening his mouth. He stood there, waiting for her to calm down and eventually she did, her squirming ceasing, her face returning to normal. To be safe, he still kept his arms around her waist even when she relaxed because he didn't want to let go, only for her to jump again and succeed in tearing out her throat. He took a few more moments of silence before clearing his throat, looking at Haley even though he was addressing his girlfriend.

"Can I let go of you now?" he asked gently, carefully, treading lightly just in case she snapped at him or something.

Athena huffed and he felt every ounce of fight and tension in her body dissolve by the mere sound of his voice. "Yeah." His grip loosened, making sure she wasn't tricking him, and then finally fully let go, allowing her to move on her own again. She sighed heavily and looked down at the ground, pressing a hand to her forehead. "You Gilberts are a pain in my ass."

Haley forced a laugh and shrugged her shoulders, not quite sure how to respond to that. "I'm sorry?" Then she straightened her back, swallowing thickly. She truly did not want to push her limit by forcing herself into their personal living space but she knew that it was best if they found out she was a Gilbert from her, instead of finding it out on their own, which would then lead them to believe she was some sort of traitor. And she didn't want them to think badly of her.

"I can leave. . ." she trailed off, not quite sure what else to say because what was there to say? It wasn't like apologizing for the things her niece has done would make any difference. If anything, it would make matters worse for her because she would be making the original relive the things that she was trying to leave in the past. And she didn't come here to cause mayhem or drama or hurt people, she came here for a new experience, one away from drama.

"I think that would be best," Thomas replied with a nod, staying close to Athena who was still looking at the ground, breathing steadily to calm herself down. He kept himself rather close to her, but not enough to invade her personal space and make her uncomfortable. He was already feeling bad for holding her hostage, even though it was to save someone else and to save her from making an irrational decision.

Haley nodded, agreeing with him. She didn't put up a fight because she knew it would be wrong of her too. This was not the time for her stubbornness to shine through. So she simply withdrew her phone from her pocket and clicked on the contacts app, glancing up at them, seeing that Athena's eyes were now focused on her. But they looked sad, defeated.

"I can leave my number if you'd like? Do you have a pen and paper?" Thomas nodded and ran a hand through his hair, walking to the kitchen which was only a couple of steps from where he was originally standing. He opened a drawer, grabbing a pad of paper and a pen from within it, closing it with his hand before coming over and placing the items on the island counter. "Thank you."

She jotted down her number, looking at it on her phone twice to make sure she was correctly copying the numbers. She clicked the pen and set it down on the paper, turning to look at them after she pocketed her phone, her movements wary since she did not want to upset the Queen more than she already has. Her mouth opened but then she shut it. Saying goodbye or saying "talk to you later" just didn't sit right with her, it felt wrong in this situation. So she dipped her head in farewell before making her way to the door, opening and then closing it behind her.

The second she was gone, Athena's shoulders deflated, another sigh escaping her body. She guessed that getting a vacation or a break was damn near impossible when you're a Mikaelson. She well and truly thought that the biggest thing she had to worry about was figuring out how to kiss her boyfriend without him pulling away and telling her they needed to "slow down". Even the issue with the Crescent wolves wasn't that big of a deal compared to her relationship ongoings. And yet, the second a Gilbert she's never heard of comes rolling around, suddenly she has more things on her plate.

When she turned around to look at said boyfriend, he stared right back at her before arching a brow, crossing his arms over his chest while giving her a look she already knew fairly well. She groaned and darted her eyes away, avoiding his eyes.

"You're so mean to me," she told them.

"You weren't saying that earlier."

Athena snapped her head back to him and stepped closer to his face, giving him the finger with a sweet, fake smile on her face before she spun on her heel, looking like an absolute brat. She walked over to the paper, seeing Haley's number written in neat, clean handwriting. She found herself scoffing, forcing herself to say something rude about the obviously kind woman.

"Her handwriting sucks ass."

Thomas dropped his arms and walked over, snatching the pad of paper, getting out his phone. She looked over at him discreetly from her place by the couch, watching him type something into his phone. He was adding her contact info. She felt a pang in her gut, feeling bad for acting nasty to Haley, but she had a valid reason. And he knew that valid reason. Despite it, he was typing in her phone number into his phone.

She didn't quite understand why that bothered her so much. Maybe it was because she wasn't used to him having contact with females she didn't know well or trust. He's had plenty of contact with girls. She knows that. She's okay with that. And she's never found herself being jealous about it, not even once, not even for a second. But him having contact with someone who was related to someone who ruined her family's life and was known for being alluring, beautiful, and deceiving, made her blood run cold.

Did he really not think about how that would make her feel? Sure, maybe she was being dramatic, stupid, overbearing, or whatever other negative emotion there was out there that could be used to describe how she was feeling. But to Athena, what he just did made her worry. He wouldn't leave her or cheat, she was confident in that. That didn't mean Haley Gilbert couldn't try taking him and ripping him to shreds with just her words. She wasn't jealous of Haley. She feared her. Feared what she could bring or cause. And now her boyfriend, her mate, her best friend had direct contact with her.

As if sensing her thoughts, Thomas turned back around, his eyes softening. She simply stared back at him, her chest rising and falling while she stood with her arms across her chest, but not to challenge him, but to hide her shaking hands. Guilt flashed across his expression and he looked down at his phone before pressing something on the screen and then ripped the piece of paper from the notebook. He pocketed his phone and then brought the paper over to her. He stopped in front of her, but still a few feet away, giving her distance.

"I deleted her contact," he murmured softly. "Just say the words and I'll rip up this piece of paper, toss it in the trash, and I'll make sure she doesn't bother you again."

Athena felt as if she was taking advantage of him. Thomas was thoughtful in the sense that he never thinks about himself and always thinks about her. He wonders what she would want, what she does want, but he never does something for himself. Suddenly she was reminded of how she acted early, to convince him to make her food. That was her taking advantage of him. And if she told him to rip up the paper, she'd be doing it again. He didn't deserve that. If he felt the need to do something, she needed to be supportive of him, just like he was of her.

"No, it's okay. Keep her number, I'll add it to my phone as well." She hesitated for a moment and then took the paper from him. "Maybe she's not like her."

The words were quiet as if she were pleading, begging, and hoping that Haley was not like Elena or the rest of the supernatural residents of Mystic Falls. She wanted to believe that she was good because she did seem like a genuine person. Unfortunately, from her experience, people weren't always what they appear to be. It was a sad truth, one she had to face and deal with every single day. However, she would take a leap of faith because he was willing to. They were a team and if he was going to jump, so would she.

"Yeah," he whispered, his voice just as quiet. "Maybe."

———

Nathan was not at all nervous about talking to his alpha, not even deep down. Despite that, his entire body was shaking. It wasn't apparent if someone were to look at him, but that did not mean he didn't feel it, because he did. Ever since he left the café with his future alphas, he felt unsettled, anxious. Nothing was going on to make him feel that way which is why he was so incredibly confused. He had gone home to his cabin, attempting to get sleep but found himself restless. His body refused to calm down, his senses heightened, his awareness piqued. The source of all of this was unknown, though he did not let it stop him from confronting Jackson and Oliver, in the hopes of convincing them.

Maybe it would have worked if Oliver wasn't such an asshole and a typical rage-filled wolf. He was part of that group of wolves that gave the rest of the species bad reputations. It annoyed the hell out of him but there was nothing he could do but stand back and watch with a displeased expression on his face. For some reason, he insisted on fighting the idea of Athena and Thomas ruling over them, even though it was inevitable. And he made sure that everyone in the pack knew about his views, further displaying how much of an ass he was.

"I'm not interested in letting a redhead who's dating a five-year-old lead this pack."

Like he said: asshole. Oliver had an undying hatred for them both and that hatred stemmed from nothing other than the fact of who they were. If Nathan had to guess a motive behind his ways, he'd say jealousy in an instant. Who wouldn't be envious of the couple? They were royalty, more powerful than they could ever hope to be. Still, they were good people and they had proved themselves several times already and yet Oliver wouldn't budge. He had persuaded an entire group to believe in his thoughts, creating a divide between the pack that Jackson couldn't mend.

Nathan ignored him, looking straight at Jackson who had his head in his hands, so very clearly vexed by the words spoken about their rulers. "Over half of this pack has agreed to allow Thomas and Athena to become alphas. Surely that percentage is enough to get you out of the title and get them in."

"It isn't," Oliver spoke before Jackson could, the latter raising his head with a roll of his eyes. "You need over eighty-percent of the pack's consent to become an alpha. And so far, you have only a little over fifty. Kids don't count, you know that." He walked closer to the other male wolf as if challenging him to disagree with what he was saying. "Why are you even trying? They've done nothing for you, you mean nothing to them."

Nathan stepped closer to him, eye level with him, and though he was not as broad as Oliver was, he was much faster, giving him an incredible advantage over him. "They're my friends and they deserve this. They've waited a thousand years to rule and have a pack. We have the choice of becoming the most respected, powerful, and safe pack on the face of this Earth and you are denying it because why? You're jealous you couldn't be King?"

"Shut your mouth you piece of—"

"Face it, Oliver," Nathan spoke, cutting him off swiftly. "If you were King, we'd all be dead by now because of your recklessness. Our pack would be extinct in seconds. And I think you're forgetting that the only reason why you're still in this family is that if we let you go, it would break Mary's heart. But the second she stops giving a shit about you, you're gone. If you think you'll last when Thomas becomes alpha, you are mistaken. You'll crumble and if you're lucky, you'll get to live."

Silence stretched out before Oliver finally broke it by scoffing. He shoved past him and left the room, looking utterly pissed off about what he had said. Nathan knew he struck a nerve but he couldn't bring himself to care because he deserved it. He was breaking their pack apart, he was tearing their family apart. And he wasn't going to rest until he fixed what he had done to them.

"You really can't do anything?"

"No, I can't," Jackson told him sincerely, giving him an apologetic look. "If there was something I could do, trust me, I would. When it comes to packs deciding whether or not they want a new alpha, I have no say. The best I can do is try to convince them which I have been trying to do but Oliver is adamant and it's making it difficult. If it helps, the older wolves are on our side, it's the younger ones that are joining Oliver."

"So then what can we do? There must be some sort of way we can get them."

"As of right now you and I can't do anything. Our best bet is to wait and see if they change their minds. Thomas said he plans on visiting at some point and giving some sort of speech so perhaps that'll change their minds."

Nathan doubted that the King showing up and addressing the entire pack would do anything. With the kind of power that Oliver had gained from defying their rulers, it would take more than a few well-woven sentences to get them on their side. They were not old fashioned, words would do nothing so perhaps actions would. But what would the Queen and King have to do to prove themselves? Save the cubs of the pack? Cook for them? Train them? It was hard to say what would be the right path to take.

He had enough for today so he turned on his heel and left, muttering a goodbye to his current alpha, waving his fingers lazily over his shoulder as he walked out of the cabin. He walked down the steps, reaching the dirt floor and made his way to his own place, hands in his pockets. While he did so, he could feel eyes on him, though he found no use in turning to look because he knew who it was. Oliver just couldn't let it go, could he?

What Nathan didn't know was that he just dug himself six feet under for how he disrespected the wolf who wanted to be King.

———

The apartment she got for herself was rather mediocre but it suited her well. Haley was not interested in getting some high-tech, modernized, expensive loft. She was more into the woodsy type of living space and unfortunately, the place she got to herself was nowhere close. However, it still had a calming vibe to it so she supposed it would do just fine until she managed to get enough money to buy herself a cabin in the woods or build herself one. But she wasn't very confident in the idea that she would be able to do that because she only made enough money to get by.

She did have her nursing degree but in order to gain money to be able to afford her rent, she would sell paintings she made herself. They took a long time to create, hence why she sold them in the hundreds region. She was by no means famous but she was locally known where she went to college, families, professors, and even some students buying her paintings. It was a passion of hers, though it was one she had grown of over the years. At this point, she just did it to sustain herself money wise.

Still, it got her the apartment she was standing in right now. Haley sighed, tossing her keys up on the counter, fixing her messy hair. Because she was merely human, she had not noticed the figure standing behind her, nor was she able to fight back when she was knocked to the ground, battling to stay conscious. She lost that battle, finding herself sitting in a chair, her wrists tied as well as her ankles. She woke up to the sound of someone making themselves a drink, hearing what seemed to be glass clinking together.

When she opened her eyes, she came face to face with an unfamiliar person. The woman was older than her, maybe in her late thirties. She had rich brown skin, her hair in beautiful curls. She was wearing the typical attire that any witch in New Orleans would wear, which is why Haley figured that this woman was not human and was a witch, rather than a vampire or a wolf. The type of feeling she got from her was strange, it was dark almost.

"I apologize for knocking you out," the woman hummed as she swirled a spoon in her cup of what she assumed was tea. She took out the spoon and put it in the sink of the kitchen that was in her view. She walked over to her, sipping the drink before sitting down on the couch across from her. "I'm sure you're confused, wondering why I have brought you here."

Haley didn't answer, her heart beating fast. She had never been kidnapped before and thank goodness she hadn't because she couldn't fight for shit. Her fighting skills were downright terrible and she happily admitted so. She knew that she could do nothing to escape the witch, leaving her vulnerable and weak against the supernatural being. Her silence appeared to be a good idea because the witch sighed and got right into the reason why she was kidnapped.

"I understand that this may be hard to believe, considering that you do not know me, but I implore you to hear me out because what I have to tell you is crucial to the balance." 

Off to a wonderful start. Haley wasn't sure she was ready to hear what this woman had to say but she supposed she had no choice but to sit there and listen. She couldn't fight back, she couldn't leave, and she couldn't snap back without fearing the idea of getting her head removed.

"You just arrived here in New Orleans, yes?" Without waiting for an answer, she continued speaking. "You tell yourself that you're here by chance, that you're here just because and there's no particular reason other than your fascination with the culture. Well, Miss Gilbert, you are wrong." Haley's eyebrows furrowed at that. "You are here for a very specific reason and that reason is closely tied to the couple you visited earlier today. You see, those two are important to the balance which I'm sure you already know, seeing as you know who they are. Though you may not know the full tale of the King and Queen, I'm sure you have enough knowledge of medieval lore to know that every King and Queen, has a trusted Knight at their side."

Haley was not sure what that had to do with her. Yes, she had seen enough medieval-type shows and movies to know the basics, but what did that have to do with her being in town? Suddenly her eyes widened, the realization dawning on her quicker than the woman had anticipated because humans were utterly stupid in the witch's honest opinion.

"Now you understand," she hummed. "You aren't here because you felt like having a change of scenery. You were drawn here by fate. You, Haley Gilbert, are the Knight for the Nyxs."

That exact sentence rang in her head when she was let go by the witch, when she laid in bed, and when she stood in front of the Luna café, the windows clear enough to where she had a perfect view of Athena Mikaelson standing in the same place she had been the first time they met. Haley felt her hand trembling and still, she managed to walk forward, pushing the door open.

She deserved to know what she had found out because Athena was the Queen for heaven's sake. She ruled an entire species and for Haley to withhold information that could change everything would be selfish and wrong. Even though she knew she shouldn't be anywhere close to her because she clearly made a terrible first impression, she was walking up to her, her heart racing.

Athena turned around and saw her standing there, her once calm expression dropping into a serious one. She stiffened, the phone that was in her right hand now suddenly closer to her body as if she were ready to make a call if needed, or maybe she was holding herself back. Her eyes never wavered from her though she never took a step back, firmly placed in the same spot.

"You really shouldn't be here," she told her simply, her voice tense. Then she looked back at the elderly woman who was making her usual, and Haley realized that there was only one cup, not two. Athena came alone. "We wouldn't want a repeat of earlier, would we now?"

"There's something I need to tell you."

"I think you've said enough." The Queen walked to the counter and grabbed her drink, opening her mouth to tell the owner to put it in a to-go cup now because she did not want to be in the same room as the Gilbert any longer than she needed to be. But before she could speak, the said woman spoke up behind her.

"I'm the Knight of the Nyxs." Athena froze up and then turned to look at her. The elderly woman noticed and then quickly looked to Haley and that's when the human realized that the woman knew exactly what they were talking about. She was a wolf too. Or maybe she used to be one, seeing as she looked far too old to be able to withstand a turn.

Athena narrowed her eyes. "I beg your pardon?"

Haley took a deep breath, her voice shaky. "Every King and Queen have a Knight. Please just. . .can we talk about this privately? I think you're going to want to hear this." She was afraid of her being attacked again and so she took a step back, trying to show that she meant no harm and that she only wanted to tell her what she had learned. And for a second, she thought that Athena was going to brush her off or lunge for her again. Instead, she frowned, looking sad.

"Okay, we can talk."

———

I'm beyond happy about how easy it is to write for this story now. This chapter was over 4,000 words and I feel like I've written barely anything which is a great feeling since I don't feel exhausted lol. I never realized how tiring following the canon plot of the show was until now. But anyways, I hope you guys are enjoying this reboot! Going into this chapter I never intended for Athena to have a sad moment but as I began writing I realized that she would start thinking certain things since she is becoming more aware and mature.

With that being said, we'll have our first sexual themed scene in a few chapters, but I'll give you guys a hint: Thomas isn't involved.

I hope you guys have a great day/night and don't forget to vote on this chapter, comment your thoughts, and follow me for updates!

( credit : @pepperronys )