Focus was on getting the moonlight rings created for the Crescent wolves, though the task wasn't off to a great start. Jackson and Oliver had been sent to collect the stones that were needed, but when they hadn't returned when they were supposed to, it became clear someone had taken them. Convinced it would only be Marcel brave enough to interfere, Klaus went to get answers on where the boys had been from Davina, and soon had a location. 

   Audrey joined Elijah and Klaus on going to get them, her going the only thing that put Hayley's mind slightly at ease, who'd been getting more stressed the longer they were missing for. When the three arrived at the docks, they found Jackson tied up inside of a warehouse, a black hood pulled over his face. 

   Jackson flinches as Klaus pulls the hood off, calming down when he realizes who it is. Klaus takes his chin his hands, looking over his beaten and bloody face. "Accolades to Marcel, he did quite a dance across the bridge of your nose." He hummed, before dropping his chin and giving him a look. "Where is he now?"

   Jackson said nothing as he looked around, his eyes falling to the ground and onto the leg of his chair, making Audrey look down as well. They both saw a black explosive rigged to each leg, the wires from them running along the floor to a crate. "Stop moving." The Gilbert girl warned him, seeing Jackson shuffling in his seat.

   "Nowhere to be found." Elijah answered his brothers question, following the wires to the crate and lifting the lid, to reveal an even large explosive inside. "Although, he did leave us a delightful parting gift."

   Klaus raised a brow at Jackson. "Where are the stones?"

   "I don't know. Untie me." Jackson begged frantically. "I'll help you find them!"

   "Sit still." Elijah warned him, bending down beside the chair to examine the explosives. "You'll be freed as soon as it's safe."

   "Our focus should be on the stones." The Mikaelson hybrid crossed his arms. "Considering Jackson's failure to keep them safe, I think you'd agree." Audrey simply gave him a look, before hitting him around the back of the head. "Knock it off." He grumbled, swatting her hand away.

   "Don't be a ass then." She told him bluntly.

   Elijah glanced up at Jackson. "Disregard my brother. Over the course of the last millennium, his capacity for tact has somewhat diminished."

   "Well, that's typical, isn't it?" Klaus scoffed. "Marcel fills a room with dynamite, and yet, I'm the tactless one."

   "Maybe it's sign you have a problem?" Audrey offered with an innocent look, carefully moving around the back of the chair, looking for a safe way to undo Jackson's restraints.

   Elijah smirked slightly, before his look grew serious. "I recognize these explosives from the attack on the Bayou. Could you remind me, again, why you believed that Marcel was innocent?"

   Klaus just shrugs. "Remind me to ask him before I pull out his innards." He then lifts open another crate, examining the contents before looking up at them. "Okay--" He gestured to the crate. "--Exercise extreme caution in this general area. Bit of a mess."

   Audrey rolled her eyes, grabbing her phone as she felt it begin to vibrate in her pocket. She glanced at the screen, before she tossed it to Elijah, who caught it was ease. "Could you?" She asked, before focusing back on the restraints.

   "Of course." He hummed, before looking at the name on the screen himself. "Impeccable timing." He mused as he answered it, placing the call on speaker.

   "What's going on?" Hayley's worried voice asked.

   "Jackson is fine. He's...a little tied up right now." Elijah answered vaguely, earning a snicker from Klaus. "Can we call you back?"

   "Really?" Audrey looked at the pair, unimpressed.

   "Oh, lighten up, love." Klaus grinned at her, as he lifted open another crate. They all heard a small buzz, and the smirk on his face dropped into a frown. "Oh, that doesn't bode well."

   Jackson glared at him angrily. "Are you trying to kill us?"

   "Elijah, tell me what's going on, now!"

   Elijah said nothing, and watched as his brother lifted a piece of folded paper out of the crate. "This is for Thierry." He whispered, his once careless attitude now disappearing.

   Both Mikaelson brothers frown as they realize what's happening, Elijah and Klaus quickly rushing to grab Jackson and Audrey, rushing them out of the warehouse as the explosives detonate behind them.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

   "Thank God, you're alive!" Hayley let out in relief, as Elijah helped Jackson inside when they got back the compound. She wrapped him in a hug, looking at Elijah over his shoulder, mouthing. "Thank you."

   Elijah gave a simple nod in reply, watching as she sat Jackson down on the couch to tend to him, as Klaus and Audrey arrived behind. "I'm fine, too. Thanks for asking." Klaus huffed in annoyance. 

   Hayley ignored him as she looked at Audrey, who gave her a reassuring smile. "I'm fine." She told her, walking over to Elijah who wrapped his arms around her. Other than patches of soot and ash on her clothes, she was completely fine, just like the two Originals. "Focus on him."

   "What about the stones?" The Marshall girl asked.

   "Scattered across the bed of the Mississippi, I'd imagine." Elijah informed with a sigh.

   Klaus pours himself a drink. "Marcel's not a fool. He knows an empowered werewolf army would mean the end of vampires in New Orleans. The explosion is his way of saying he means to prevent that. For all the good it'll do him." He said knowingly.

   "Well, it did him pretty damn well, didn't it?" Hayley shot back. 

   Jackson groaned slightly in pain, guilt on his face. "This is my fault. I'll find a way to fix it."

   Hayley sighed, rubbing his shoulder affectionately as she shook her head. "No, Jack, you're hurt. No one's blaming you."

   "I'm blaming you." Klaus spoke up bluntly. "Those stones will be hard to replace." He looks over at Elijah, a wicked smile tugging at his lips. "Fortunately, I always have a backup plan."

   As he turns and walks out of the room, Elijah, Audrey, and Hayley exchange a look, before leaving Jackson and following after him. As they make their way out onto the balcony, they spot Francesca Correa walk into the courtyard down below, five other men in suits walking in behind her.

   Hayley looked at Klaus in disbelief, as they made their way down to meet her. "You can't seriously mean her! She's a gangster!"

   "I see her more as a means of procuring rare items at short notice." He replied, before looking at Francesca and her entourage. "Greetings, Ms. Correa. I see you've brought company."

   "These are my brothers. I always include them in delicate business matters." She turns to the five stood behind her. "Fellas, meet Mr. Mikaelson."

   Klaus sent them all a smile. "Please, call me Klaus. All my friends do."

   "I don't know if I'd call us friends." The Correa woman said, reaching into a briefcase one of the brothers held open, and pulling out a black drawstring bag. "But, if you and Marcel are planning on having a little throw-down, I'd prefer my family to be on the same side as the inevitable victor."

   "Then, you have what I asked for?" Klaus rose a brow at her.

   She holds out the black bag to him. "Not enough for an army at such short notice, but it's a start."

   Elijah frowned slightly as he stepped forward, as Klaus poured the stones from the bag into his hand carefully. "Strange, I wasn't aware she was familiar with our plan."

   "My price for doing business is full disclosure." Francesca told him. "Your brother complied."

   Elijah's look didn't change, watching her carefully. "And what does the human faction stand to benefit from all of this?"

   "I only want us to solidify our allegiance to the ruling class." She stated simply. "It's good for business."

   "I'm sure." Audrey muttered, crossing her arms as she glared at her slightly.

   Klaus glanced from the stones up to Francesca. "If only everyone shared your capacity for reason."

   "Sadly, they don't. Marcel is being especially vindictive. I'm worried he might come after me, or my family, just for meeting with you." She takes a deep breath. "It might be in our best interests if we combine our efforts."

   "So be it." Klaus agreed with ease. "The more bodies we have to defend the compound, the better. Let's get started, shall we?"

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

   Once Hayley finished cleaning him up, Jackson made his way back to the bayou, knowing the full moon would be out in a couple of hours. Once Francesca's brothers were stationed around the compound, the four joined Genevieve in the dining room, as she agreed to spell the stones for the moonlight rings. Klaus, Hayley, Audrey, and Elijah watched as she got to work, her hands hovering above the stones spread out on the table, chanting with her eyes closed in concentration. 

   "Tua virtuse. Materi lunare tua virtuse. Materi lunare tua virtuse." She recited on repeat.

   Francesca quickly walked into the room, looking at the other four in worry. "My people say Marcel is on the move, and he's bringing friends."

   Klaus frowned and looked at Elijah. "Get Hayley to safety." He ordered, before turning and walking out of the room.

   Elijah glanced at Audrey, who nodded and the two began to move, Elijah gently taking Hayley's arm as he went. "Come with us."

   "No." Hayley didn't move, looking at the couple. "Someone needs to watch her. "She nodded to Genevieve, who frowned at the comment, but didn't break her spell.

   Francesca glanced between them, before she focused on Elijah. "You should help Klaus." She told him. "My brothers and their security detail won't be much against a vampire army. I'll stay with Hayley."

   Neither Elijah or Audrey looked pleased at the idea, but the look on Hayley's face made it clear she wasn't going to leave. The Gilbert girl rubbed her face with a sigh. "Fine, then I'll stay with them." She said, Elijah's frown deepening. "Go." She told him, cupping his face and kissing him softly for a moment. "We'll be fine. Go help, don't hold back."

   Reluctantly, he nodded in agreement as he kissed her back. "I'll be back soon." He promised, before leaving to help his brother.

   The four women stayed in the dining room, the other three watching as Genevieve continued her spell on the stones, ignoring the sounds of fighting they could hear from outside. Hayley and Audrey stood on one side of Genevieve, as Francesca stood on the other side of the room, all of them waiting in silence.

   The door opens, and one of the Correa security guards walks inside, walking toward Francesca in worry. "Ms. Correa, we need to go. Your brothers have already headed out the back."

   "Not yet." She shook her head, holding her hand up toward him.

   "Materi lunare tua virtuse. Materi lunare tua virtuse." Genevieve continued to chant. Hayley glanced to her phone as it began to ring, ignoring the call without a second thought as she continued to watch Genevieve. "Tua virtuse. Materi lunare tua virtuse. Materi lunare tua virtuse." After a moment, she stops chanting, picking up one of the stones and looking at it carefully. "The stones are finished. I've done my part. Now, it's up to you."

   "I'll get them to the bayou." Hayley nodded, moving forward to grab them.

   "Actually, she was talking to me." Francesca walks toward the witch and holds out her hand, Genevieve handing them over with a guilty expression. 

   "What the hell is this?" The Marshall girl demands.

   "Call it a side deal." Francesca glanced at her and Audrey. "The point is, I'm taking the stones."

   "You've lost your mind." Audrey let out as they followed after her. "The human faction doesn't stand a chance against Klaus and Elijah."

   "No, they don't. But I'm not human." Pulling a knife from her pocket, Francesca uses it to slit the throat of the bodyguard, who chokes before dropping to the ground dead. As he fell, the Correa woman doubled over with a gasp of pain, before looking back up with her eyes flaring gold. "I'm like you, Hayley." She smiled wickedly, as the pair stared at her in shock. "And now, I'm gonna take back my town."

   "Like hell you are!" Hayley lunges toward her.

   Before she or Audrey can do anything, Genevieve lifts her hand up and mutters something under her breath, causing the two girls to fall to the ground unconscious. "Don't look so sour, Genevieve." Francesca said as she stepped over them, taking the rest of the stones from her. "We both got what we wanted."

   As she left, Genevieve stood quietly as she looked at the two on the floor, nerves and guilt growing all over her face.

*  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *  *

   When Audrey and Hayley woke up, they found them selves being dragged by two witches each, Genevieve and two of the Harvests girl following behind them. They fought desperately as they were dragged inside St. Anne's church, down the isles of pews toward the sacristy. 

   "Get her down on the floor!" Genevieve orders the witches holding Hayley, who quickly laid the girl down on the steps. "Keep her restrained." She told the two holding Audrey, who nodded and pulled her to the side, away from the tearful Marshall girl.

   Monique grabbed Genevieve's arm. "We should take them to the city of the dead."

   "We won't make it." The red haired woman shook her head. "The baby is coming now."

   "No! It's too soon!" Hayley denied, terror in her voice as she cried out in pain. "Ahhh!"

   "Apparently not." Genevieve muttered.

   The Deveraux girl didn't let go of her arm. "The plan was to induce her when the sacrifice was ready."

   "I had to subdue her, and the trauma caused a placental abruption." Genevieve snatched her arm away, giving the teenager a firm look. "So, the baby is coming, and we'll just have to adapt."

Hayley thrashed violently against the witches holding her down, glaring at them in pure hatred. "AHH! LET ME GO!" She yelled and screamed.

   "Let her go!" Audrey shouted, kicking desperately against the men holding her. "LET HER GO!" 

   Genevieve ignored the doppelganger, as she and Monique both bent down in front of Hayley. "You need to be calm, Hayley."

   "Why are you doing this to me?" The pregnant wolf whimpered in fear, making the guilt appear in Genevieve's eyes once more.

   Noticing her look, Monique kept a cold look as she helped in holding Hayley down. "To be reborn, you must sacrifice." She answered.

   Hayley pushed the Deveraux girls hand away furiously. "What does that mean, you psychotic little BITCH?!"

   "The ancestors demand an offering in exchange for power." Genevieve spoke up.

   "You and your child will be a fine offering." Monique finished. 

   "No!" Hayley shook her angrily. "NO! You will not take my baby, I will kill ALL OF YOU!" She yelled.

   "No, you won't!" Monique snapped at her, Hayley's threats not effecting her in the slightest. "And neither will Klaus, or Elijah. When your baby is born, you will offer her up to those who came before us."

   Hayley cries and shakes her head as she struggles against the witches restraints. "I'm sorry, Hayley, but this is the way it had to be." Leaving the other witches to keep her down, Genevieve got to her feet and walked toward Audrey, who glared as her as she struggled herself. "I'm truly sorry for this." She said as she placed a hand on her shoulder.

   "Let her go! It's an innocent baby!" Audrey snapped at her. "You don't have to do this!"

   "I do--" Genevieve gasped and pulled her hand away, going silent for a moment almost as if she was in a trance. When she snapped out of it, she looked at Audrey with a mixture of awe and sympathy. "Oh..."

   "Oh?" Audrey glared at her, letting out a groan of frustration as the witches tightened her grip. "What the hell does that mean?"

   "You don't know." The read head let out quietly, letting out a deep sigh. "Oh, Audrey, I'm so sorry." She mumbled, before lifting her hand like she did at the compound, and sending the girl to the floor in an unconscious heap.

   "No! NO! Audrey!" Hayley cried out through her screams of pain, and fought the best that she could as she was held down, screaming in hopes someone would hear her. "NO! NO! AAH! AAH!"

I promise there won't be a long wait for the next chapter, our final chapter of season one. I should be able to get it posted today, if all goes to plan. But, yeah, a lot is about to happen. I've had all of this planned since I started Anomaly, and now we're finally here, I can't wait to share it with you all. 

I hope you all enjoyed!