[ Chapter Sixteen ]

RAYLYNN MONTGOMERY'S life had been hard. Harder than most. After she witnessed the murder of her parents at eleven years old, her world went into a downward spiral. There was no way to stop it. No way to slow it down.

Raylynn laid awake at night and thought of them. Not her parents, but the family stripped away from her. A little over five years ago, they were taken from her. From her best friend and sister, Hayley Marshall. But most importantly, from their two children. Ryan and Hope.

They were deprived of the large, loving family that sacrificed so much for them to even be alive. Along with a father who did everything for them.

Raylynn could not help but think of them. How were they in Freya's Chambre de Chasse? Were they okay? Were they lonely? Were they angry with how their lives turned out?

But especially, she thought of the fate of Klaus Mikaelson.

Over the years, Raylynn thought about the prospect of going back to New Orleans. Take on Marcel to save the man she loved. But, she couldn't. She could not leave Ryan. He needed her, and Raylynn was not about to abandon him for a suicide mission. She loved him too much.

At just five years old, Ryan became the spitting image of his father. With his slightly curled, dirty blonde hair and his gorgeous blue eyes, he could not look more like Klaus. Although, his button nose and rosy cheeks certainly came from his mother.

Raylynn leaned against the doorframe that lead to Ryan's bedroom. The little boy sat on the roadmap rug splayed across the hardwood floor and pushed a few toy cars over the dyed fabric. A fake motor sound escaped his lips as he played without a care in the world.

Since Raylynn and Hayley bought a large home deep in the wilderness of Eastern Texas, their lives had been quite peaceful. No neighbors for miles. The perfect place to raise two magically gifted children. It was not easy, not by a long shot, but it became their life.

One where they did not have to go on the run.

Vampires and witches around the world had been searching for them since the day they fled New Orleans. The day of the Mikaelsons' fall. Raylynn and Hayley posed a threat to the supernatural worlds newfound independence. That was what they called it now. Their lives without the Originals.

So far, they remained in the shadows. They did not venture far from home, and they only left for groceries or when a new lead popped up about the seven original werewolf packs.

In the first few years, Raylynn and Hayley searched the better half of the Southern United States for the hidden wolves. They asked them for their venom in exchange for silence about their whereabouts. The task became difficult over time when others caught on to their plan, but they did not stop. Six out of seven were discovered. One more and they would have everything they needed to wake the Mikaelsons.

And that morning, Raylynn and Hayley received word that the day may come sooner than they expected.

At the sound of Raylynn's knuckles on the wooden door, Ryan's head swiveled in his mother's direction. He smiled and lifted a blue car in his hand. "Wanna play with me, Momma?"

Raylynn produced a smile of her own. "I would love to," she exclaimed and padded barefoot across the cool hardwood. The summer heat made it hard to wear more clothing than needed. And shoes were not a necessity where they lived. She crouched down to her son's level and held out her hand. Ryan placed the car on her palm. "Which car is this?"

"A Porsche convertible," Ryan said and picked up another car. A red one. "This is a Charger."

Raylynn's smile widened. "When did you get so smart?"

Ryan shrugged. "Beats me."

Raylynn released a huff and set the Porsche onto the floor. "Alrighty then, Mr. Smarty-Pants," she voiced and he giggled as she poked him in the side. "How about we go see what Hope's up to?"

Ryan nodded and leapt to his feet. He launched forward and wrapped his arms around his mother's neck. Raylynn stood to her feet, adjusting him on her hip to exit the room.

A groan escaped her lips as she said, "you know, one of these days you're going to get too big for me to carry you."

Ryan shook his head. "No, I'm not."

"Oh, but you will," Raylynn countered and made her way through the living room to where Hope's room sat opposite Ryan's. "You might even get taller than me."

Ryan frowned. "Nuh uh."

"Uh huh." Raylynn came to a stop where Hayley stood in the doorway of Hope's room.

Hayley turned to them and asked, "are you two fighting, again?"

Raylynn and Ryan replied at the same time. "No."

Hayley rolled her eyes with a laugh. "Sometimes I wonder if I'm actually raising three kids."

"Momma started it," Ryan said and pointed to his mother.

Raylynn gapped at the little boy. "I did not. I'm just stating facts, Ry." She crouched down and set him down onto the floor. "Go draw with your sister."

A bright smile returned to Ryan's face as he spun on his heel and ran into the room.

Raylynn stood up to find Hope sat on her bed with a colored pencil in hand. She dragged the tip across the page of sketch book, one that Raylynn got her for her birthday a few months back. The little girl's long reddish brown hair hung loose around her shoulders, except for a few strands pulled into braids over her temples. Her bright, blue eyes shone in the sunlight that poured in through the window. The same blue as her brother.

Hope looked up from her work and grinned. "Hey, Ry. Wanna color?" she questioned, patting the empty space beside her.

Ryan climbed onto the bed, with some difficulty due to his size, and plopped down next to her. "I wanna draw a dragon."

Hope handed him a green pencil and let him draw on the mark free page next to her already started work.

In that moment, the roar of an old truck rumbled outside. Raylynn knew who it was. Only one person had her and Hayley's location.

Hope's attention snapped to the window and then to the two women in the doorway. "Is that her?"

Hayley exchanged a look with Raylynn, pushing off the doorframe. "Lemme check. Stay inside."

Hope nodded as her mother left the room.

Raylynn watched Hayley moved through the living room and out the front door. She turned back to the children. Ryan had his head bowed as he drew, while Hope continued to look at her. "Watch him, okay?"

"Don't worry, Aunt Ray. I got him," Hope told her.

Raylynn gave the little girl a light smile, before she pivoted on her heel and went after Hayley. She emerged onto the front porch and found an older, blue pickup truck in the driveway. Hayley made it halfway across the yard, forcing Raylynn to walk a bit faster to catch up.

The driver's side door opened to reveal the white hair of Mary Dumas. She remained their one and only confidant and assistant when it came to their lives and the search for the seven werewolf packs. A few days ago, she found a lead. Raylynn and Hayley asked her to drive up to take care of Hope and Ryan, while they check it out for themselves.

Mary slammed her door closed, smiling as she moved forward. "Well, hello. Aren't you two a sight?"

"Are you sure no one followed you?" Hayley questioned, placing her hands on her hips.

Mary gave the hybrid a blank stare. "I've been avoiding trouble since well before you were born. Now, where are those two adorable children." She pointed toward the home and moved to head in its direction, but Hayley stopped her.

"Did you find it?" Mary stopped in her tracks. Hayley maintained her placid expression. "Mary, please. After all this time we are this close to getting them back. We found the cure for Freya's poison, even got a witch to siphon Rebekah's hex..."

"So, you're really gonna do it? Cure them and then wake 'em up," Mary exclaimed as she glanced between the two women. "Did you ever stop to think Hope and Ryan might be better off without them?"

Raylynn pressed her lips together and crossed her arms over the bodice of her violet sundress. "We made a promise, Mary. And we're not going to break it."

"To who? To Elijah? To Klaus?" Mary asked her. A slight agitation in tone.

"To our children," Hayley stated. "We promised them a home where they will be safe and protected by the people that love them." She took a deep breath. "Mary -they're Mikaelsons, too. They've inherited all of their enemies, and a power that neither Ray or I understand. They need someone to help them control it."

Raylynn exhaled, dropping her arms. "We can't do this on our own."

Mary stared between them for a long moment, before she sighed. "You told me to wake the Mikaelsons you needed to find all seven werewolf packs. You found six. The last one," she said and smacked her lips, "I though they were killed off." She reached into her jean pocket and pulled out a folded piece of paper. "According to this, there might be one left." Hayley reached out to take the paper, but Mary held up a hand. "Hayley, Ray, the both of you looked for five years. You found nothin'. Then, suddenly, I have word of a lead. What if someone else found it, too? What if it's a trap?"

Hayley remained silent and grabbed the paper from the older woman's hand. She then turned back to the home without another word.

Raylynn sighed, staying back to walk alongside Mary. "Don't take it personally. It's been rough since you've been here last."

Mary smiled lightly. "I don't remember you being the confortin' type."

Raylynn laughed, before her expression fell. "Five years changes a person."

_______

Raylynn packed herself and her best friend a bag each, while Hayley took the Mikaelson siblings coffins from the attic and placed them in the back of their moving truck. If all went according to play, they would have them back by the next morning.

Raylynn's heart nearly beat out of her chest. That meant one step closer to rescuing Klaus.

She shook the thought from her mind as soon as it entered. She could not be distracted. She needed every bit of focus to catch the last remaining member of the Malraux pack and to not be killed by vampires who would seek them out. Ryan and Hope needed her and Hayley to stay alive.

Raylynn hopped down the porch steps, a jean jacket thrown over the thin straps of her dress. She had a duffel bag slung over her should and placed it in the back of the moving truck before Hayley slide the door closed.

They turned away and moved back to there their children stood next to Mary in the front yard.

Hope raised her arms, dropping them in a dramatic manner as she asked, "do you have to go?"

Hayley sighed. "We do. But, we'll be back very, very soon." She smiled. "And we son't be alone."

Hope grinned, while Ryan jumped in place. "For real?" he questioned.

Raylynn laughed, crouching to his level. "For real." She reached out and took his small hands in hers. "Do you remember what I told you?"

Ryan nodded vigorously. Sometimes Raylynn though his head would pop off by how fast he moved. His strung from the moment he could crawl. Raylynn loved him for it.

"Listen to Grandma Mary, and don't play with your weapons," Ryan exclaimed.

Raylynn's smile grew. "You got it." She released his hand and then held one of her out in front of him. Ryan did not hesitate to grab it, leaning forward at the same time as his mother to kiss her knuckles as she kissed his. Raylynn pulled back just in time for her son to launch himself at her for a bone-crushing hug. "I love you, little king."

"I love you, too, Momma."

Raylynn hid the tears that gathered in her eyes and stood to her feet. She gave Ryan kiss on the forehead, before she switched places with Hayley to say goodbye to Hope. "Take care of your brother, okay?"

Hope nodded. "I will. Promise."

Raylynn raised her two fore fingers, pressing them to her lips. Hope did the same, and they connected them together. Raylynn kissed the little girl's forehead and then turned to walk away with Hayley. She sniffled, wiping under her eyes.

"Keep your guards up. Stay moving. If you smell trouble, you run," Mary instructed them as she followed them to the cab of the truck. She patted the side of the vehicle to emphasize her next words. "Those folks back there -they've had plenty of life. What the two of you need to do is stay alive for your kids."

The three of them stopped next to the driver's side. Hayley released a sniffle of her own and turned to face the older woman. "Everything we do is for them," she said and then climbed into the cab.

Raylynn faced Marcy for a moment longer. "Thank you, again, for watching them. Especially Ryan. I know he's not your grandson, but..."

Mary cut her off. "Don't you start talkin' like that. I love that little boy as if he were my own." Raylynn smiled. "You along with him."

"Thank you, Mary."

Mary nodded, watching Raylynn walk around the front of the vehicle to climb into the passenger seat. She secured her seatbelt just in time to feel the truck lurch into motion. Her gaze shifted to the side mirror, seeing her little boy grow smaller and smaller and smaller as they drove up the driveway and away from their home.

I'm doing this for him. We're doing this for both of them, Raylynn reminded herself to hold the guilt at bay. She hated to leave him, even for the smallest amount of time, but she had to. She did it for him. And after the next few days, they would hopefully have their family back together.

_______

It took them a few hours to arrive in Austin, Texas. The last known location of the last remaining Malraux wolf. A woman by the name of Keelin. Raylynn managed to track her to a small bar on the outskirts of the city. Easy enough spot to grab her.

Raylynn pulled her shorter, lighter brown hair up into a ponytail as she separated from Hayley. Divide and conquer. She tried to keep her head down to not draw suspicion to herself, but she became popular in the supernatural world. No one would have a hard time recognizing her or Hayley. They had to be fast.

Raylynn positioned herself at the bar, while Hayley sat on a couch nearby. Both women had their eyes trained on a dark haired woman a few feet away.

Keelin stood from her table surrounded many intoxicated women and moved to where Raylynn remained. She approached the bar, signaling the bartender for another drink.

After a moment, Hayley appeared on the woman's side. She also signaled to the man behind the bar, before she tossed her also lightened hair over her shoulder. "You look like you're having," she addressed the wolf and took the beer offered to her by the bartender. "What's the occasion?"

Keelin turned to the hybrid and said with a smile," I just finished my residency, which makes me an official ER doctor."

Raylynn blinked, sipping on her own beer. Great. She's a Grey's Anatomy character.

"Congratulations."

"Thanks."

Hayley nodded. "Does it help with the guilt -given what you are?"

Keelin's expression faltered. "What did you say?"

Raylynn decided to jump into the conversation. "Keelin," she voiced and forced the woman to whirl to her, "you need to listen to us."

Keelin's eyes narrowed. "How do you know my name?"

"A friend gave it to us. She said your grandmother's maiden name was Malraux," Hayley stated, causing the woman to step back.

Raylynn reached out and snatched Keelin's arm to hold her in place.

Keelin glared at her, flashing her yellow eyes. "You better back off -right now."

Raylynn smirked in response. "You don't scare me, little pup." Her own eyes flashed a bright blue. A new development she acquired in the last five years.

Keelin's yellow faded and she looked over to where Hayley showed the amber shade of her hybrid status.

"I wish we could," Hayley said when her eyes returned to normal. "We need a favor. Five minutes. Outside. We can explain."

The three of them move through the bar to the rear exit. Raylynn pushed through the door that lead to the brick alleyway behind the building. Dumpsters and cardboard boxes littered the area. Not the best place for a conversation, but it would have to do.

As soon as the door closed, Keelin leapt into action. She elbowed Hayley in the face, before she slammed her fist into Raylynn's.

Raylynn stumbled back and glared after the werewolf, watching as she jumped over the dumpster and hopped the brick wall at the end of the alley. The huntress exhaled and held out her hand to Hayley. Once their palms connected, Raylynn snapped her freehand and they blinked out of existence. They appeared on the sidewalk, right where Keelin jumped to "safety" and came face-to-face with them.

"That was cute," Raylynn voiced, releasing her hold on Hayley to clasp her hands in front of her dress.

Hayley did the same. "Don't do that again."

"I'm not going without a fight," Keelin said and readied herself for an altercation.

The two women exchanged a look. "Will you relax?" Hayley exclaimed with a shake of her head. "We're not here to fight you."

"We need you," Raylynn stated and stepped forward. "You're the last of your pack which makes you very special for reasons you can't even begin to comprehend."

"I don't care about your problems," Keelin retorted.

"You should." Hayley moved to stand next to Raylynn. "Because there are others who know how important you are." She lowered her voice. "They will come for you."

"I have a life, career, relationships -someone tries to take that, they'll have to kill me."

Raylynn noticed when Hayley turned her head to listen for something. When she sighed, the huntress knew that they had bigger issues than a simple werewolf kidnapping.

"I'm sorry," Hayley said with a tight-lipped grimace. "We don't have time for this." She reached out at a blinding speed and slammed Keelin's head into the brick wall next to them.

Raylynn took Hayley's hand in hers when Keelin fell unconscious into the hybrid's arms. She snapped her fingers and transported them to a safer place. One where the men chasing them could not find them.

And to think, Raylynn thought they were being careful. Oh, well.

_______

In an abandoned warehouse outside of Austin, Raylynn and Hayley set up what they would need to wake the Mikaelsons. Hayley fetched their coffins, while Raylynn placed the vials of the werewolf venom they acquired over the years and the ingredients to wake Freya on a table. She kept her attention on the items when she heard Keelin start to wake up behind her.

The werewolf had been secured in chains spelled by Raylynn so she could not escape. They needed for for a little bit longer.

"You can relax, you know," Raylynn called out at the sound of intense rattling. She examined one of the red-orange vials labeled Paxon. "We're not the enemy, here. In fact, Hayley and I just saved your ass from being slaughtered."

"Let me guess, we're on the run from vampires," Keelin exclaims, a bit breathless. "Your friend has the same stink they do."

Hayley chose that moment to enter through an opened door, pushing the last of the Mikaelsons' coffins.

"I'm special," Hayley spoke as she placed the grey casket with the others. "I'm a hybrid. Half vampire, half werewolf." She turned to the woman. A hand on her hip. "And, considering that we just saved your ass, you should show us some respect."

"How do I know you two aren't the ones who lead them to me?" Keelin questioned.

Valid point.

"Doesn't matter. They know who you are, and they want you dead," Hayley said and moved over to help Raylynn with the ingredients. "The only way to survive -is to do exactly what we tell you."

Keelin huffed. "It's not like I have a choice."

Raylynn nodded. "You're right. You don't." She picked up a mask used to extract werewolf venom. One she and Hayley swiped from Lucien Castle's corporation before they burned it to the ground. "If you would have just listened to us before, we could have done this the easy way."

Keelin's eyes widened at the sight of the mask connected to a long, clear tube. "Hey, look, I don't know what kind of pervy stuff you two are into, but I am not that kind of girl."

Raylyyn and Hayley exchanged blank stares.

"This is a device to extract your venom," Hayley told her, walking over to Freya's coffin. "And yes, it will hurt."

"Why are you doing this to me?"

Raylynn sighed and moved to Hayley's side to raise the coffin's lid. Freya appeared the same as she did the day they were forced to sleep. She missed her. She missed them all.

"We're trying to save our family." Raylynn faced the werewolf. "Keelin, look. The people in those coffins are dying. The only think keeping them alive is a sleep spell suspending them in their own minds." She pointed to Freya. "She is the only one who can save them. She's a witch, an extremely powerful one. And she left us instructions on how to wake her up early. The only thing missing is your venom."

"And with any luck, no one has to die," Hayley added from her best friend's side.

Keelin took a deep breath. "So, if I give you what you want, will you let be go?"

Both women nodded. "You have our word."

Hayley took the mask and secured it around Keelin's head, while Raylynn mixed the ingredients needed to wake Freya. She loaded them up into a massive syringw and tapped its side to settle them.

Keelin breathed heavily when their extraction ended. "You got my venom. When do I get to go?"

"As soon as we know it works," Raylynn stated, holding up the syringe to make sure there were no air bubbles.

"And when will that be?"

"Believe me, you'll know when you see it," Hayley said as she placed the woman's venom with the rest.

"To wake up Sleeping Beauty, right?"

Raylynn steppe dup to Freya's open coffin and groaned. "Could you be quiet for a minute? The questions are driving me insane."

Raylynn readied herself as she raised the syringe and slammed the needle into the witch's chest. Freya's eyes snapped open. She gasped and jerked into a sitting position when Raylynn removed the syringe.

"Freya," Raylynn breathed, pulling the blonde into a tight embrace.

Freya reciprocated the action and continued to breath heavily. "Do you have the ingredients?" she questioned, released the huntress to hug the hybrid at her side. Raylynn nodded. "Good. We need to begin. If I can't turn all that into a cure, Elijah and Kol are going to die."

_______

Freya immediately began work on a cure for the Mikaelson brothers. The spell would be difficult, but Raylynn was sure that she could do it.

Thanks to their amazing stroke of luck, the vampires after them found their location. Raylynn and Hayley would have to fight them off long enough for Freya to enact the spell. Not the hardest job. The two women were used to fighting off vampires who wanted them and their children dead.

Almost a dozen vampires greeted Raylynn and Hayley when they exited the warehouse. The cars were parked behind them with the lights on and aimed forward. The hybrid kicked and punched her way through them, while the huntress used her newly discovered magic.

Raylynn let the magic spread from her heart toward her palms as she faced the vampires. She held her arms away from her chest, watching her skin erupt in blue sparks that danced over her skin. She pushed forward and sent the light toward three vampires. They feel to their knees as the magic swarmed them. The process too a lot, but it was worth it when they feel to the ground in a blackened heap.

Hayley appeared at Raylynn's side and grabbed a vampire that rushed for her friend's back. She grabbed his arm and sunk her fangs into his flesh. A chunk of skin, muscle, and bone remained in her mouth, and she spit it out as she dropped is body.

"Ooh" A man strode forward with a smirk and an expensive leather jacket. "Your bite is nasty, but you two are out numbered. Give up now, and we'll end this quick."

Hayley wiped the blood from her mouth. "I have a better idea."

Raylynn kept her stare on the vampires as Hayley's body shifted and snapped as she transformed into her wolf form. A large, grey wolf stood at her side and lunged for the arrogant man. She tore into his throat, making his scream, before she twisted in a violent manner and dropped his limp body. Hayley moved from the dead vampire and turned to the remaining men and women as blood dripped from her fangs.

Raylynn smirked at the vampires not at Hayley's mercy. Blue sparks danced around her fingers and gave the area an eerie glow. The vampires stepped back, but Raylynn did not give them the chance to run. Her hands jutted out, forcing them to freeze in place. "Arràcer soit je," she chanted, dropping the vampires to their knees. Blood bubbled to their eyes and streamed down their cheeks. They fell forward as more and more blood poured around them.

Raylynn spun on her heel when she noticed Hayley grab a fleeing vampire. The hybrid hauled the woman back across the ground and sunk her fangs into her throat.

Hayley shifted back into her human form. Bare and covered in blood.

Two of the downed vampires somehow found the strength to stand.

Raylynn rolled her eyes. "You people just don't know when to quit."

Hayley licked her lips and held her arms out. "You want more? Come on."

Both women paused when one of the men slammed into ground. And not by their hands. Seconds later, another vampire flew backward into a far wall.

Raylynn waited for more vampires to show themselves, but the warehouse parking lot fell silent. Her body stiffen when another presence materialized a few yards away. She and Hayley were poised to attack. But at the sight of the mystery being, Hayley released a long breath and slacked in relief.

Elijah Mikaelson stood there in all his suit-clad glory.

Hayley reacted first, rushing forward to launch herself at the man. She pulled him into her and captured his lips with hers. He returned the embrace, before they separated to hold each other in their arms.

Raylynn gapped at the sight. A watery laugh bubbled up her throat as tears brimmed her eyes. "It worked," she breathed. "We actually did it."

Elijah nodded over Hayley's shoulder. "Yes, you did. You brought us back."

Raylynn laughed, again, and gripped the sides of her head. They did it. They actually did it. They brought their family back together.

Now, they only had one more person to save. Raylynn would not stop until she he stood at her side.

Marcel Gerard, watch out. The Mikaelson family are on their way.

<February 22, 2019>

We made it to Season 4. Personally, my favorite season aside from Season 1. I just love it so much.

Don't forget to vote and comment.

-Jordan

P.S. Unedited chapter.