𝘾𝙃𝘼𝙋𝙏𝙀𝙍 𝙎𝙄𝙓
ミ★ ( reign of wolves, act one ) ★彡

Rhea wasn't too sure how to decipher the mood that filled the atmosphere around her. She would describe it as tense yet peaceful, but she's been on edge ever since Elijah woke up because she's just waiting any second now for things to erupt around her between the two brothers; whom were contently sitting opposite from one another in the living room as each of them read their own book. Rhea was sat on Elijah's lap, as if she was playing a barrier between them, reading the same book he was and smiling every now and again when Elijah pressed a kiss to her shoulder where her desiccation once was, as if it would heal the already healed wound. The bond was hurting, and therefore hurting her, while he was daggered and felt guilty because of it. He wanted to make her feel better even though Rhea was adamant that there was nothing he could've done to prevent Klaus from doing what he did, and it wasn't his fault. She was just glad he was back.

Klaus was reading 'A Poison Tree' by William Blake, and Elijah was reading one of his mother's grimoires while a dead girl lays on the coffee table, her neck bleeding from puncture wounds in her neck, while they listen to classical music. Despite the horrific sight of the dead girl, the room was quite calming; at least until Rebekah entered the room with a look of disdain, "So, this is what you do the first time we're back together as a family? Vampire book club?" She snapped.

Klaus only continued reading, not looking up at her as he says, "Reading edifies the mind, sister. Isn't that right, Elijah?"

"Yes, that's quite right, Niklaus." Elijah says as he flipped the page.

This is what Rhea means by the tense yet peaceful atmosphere. She would almost prefer the fighting to having to read between the lines at their psychological attacks.

"And what's this business?" Rebekah gestures to the dead girl on the table.

"This is a..." Elijah gestured as though he's searching for a word, "...peace offering."

Klaus sighed, "I presumed, after so much time desiccating in a coffin, that my big brother might be a bit peckish."

Elijah grew annoyed almost instantly as if he realised that his brother hasn't listened to a thing he's said previously, "And I explained to my little brother that forgiveness cannot be bought. I'd simply prefer to see a change in behavior that indicates contrition and personal growth." Klaus rolled his eyes guiltily and Elijah gestures to the girl on the table, "Not this nonsense."

Klaus grinned, "Well, I couldn't very well let her go to waste, could I?"

Rhea can feel how tense Elijah was and she leaned down into her soulmate's ear to ease the tension as she murmurs, "She was tasty. You have to admit." He only sends her a pointed look in response, but, he was less tense from her distraction.

"Well, I suppose I'll go fetch the rubbish bin, because she's staining a two hundred-year-old carpet." Rebekah scoffed in annoyance as she storms out of the room.

Elijah looked up from his book to see the girl bleeding out onto the table and his eyes follow where the blood drips onto the floor, "Ah, yes." Was all he said before he pressed a kiss to Rhea's shoulder, "Let's go make some breakfast." He says before taking Rhea to the kitchen where they find Hayley going through the fridge to make herself some food.

"Good morning." Hayley greeted them as the couple walked into her line of sights. Elijah smiled at her but their nice moment was interrupted as Rebekah entered through the back door, dragging a trashcan behind her. Rhea chuckled at her as she went through the cupboard to find something for Elijah to make her breakfast, "Listen, I know I'm the only one in this house that actually drinks milk, but would it kill any of you to make sure it's on the grocery list?" Hayley grumbled.

"Speaking of, add bleach." Rebekah stated as she stomped through the kitchen while Hayley pulls ice cream out of the freezer.

Rhea handed Elijah the ingredients and be began cutting up and mixing them together for her, "You know, I do hope everyone was hospitable to you in my absence." Elijah says, slightly eyeing his fiancée who only returned the look since she did do what he asked (even though she didn't want to) and looked after Hayley.

"In your absence, as you like to call it—which is a way-too-polite way of saying that your brother put a dagger in your heart," She looks up to see Elijah bringing a bowl, a spoon, and a bag of cereal to the counter, "I have been attacked by French Quarter vampires, I've had to live in a house with a secret dungeon full of coffins, and I was nearly murdered by witches who are convinced my baby is Lucifer." Elijah smiled sympathetically as he pulled orange juice and milk out of the fridge, pours Hayley a bowl of cereal, and then fills it with milk before returning to making Rhea's breakfast.

     When Hayley realises that they had milk all along, she looks slightly embarrassed for snapping earlier, "Oh... milk." She mumbled before looking at Rhea briefly, "They've been fine. They are weirdly protective, I know I have you to thank for that."

Elijah smiled at Rhea who sent him a smug look, "I guess I'm just happy to see that you're in one piece and no one got you killed while I was gone." He admitted, he knew Rhea wouldn't jeopardise the baby's safety but he was quite aware of her hatred for Hayley, so he wasn't sure what route she would take, "So, back to the murderous witches. I have some concerns."

"They're evil. And, my life is still magically linked to Sophie Deveraux, which is not comforting." Hayley said worriedly.

"Yes, I think it's time we took care of that little problem." He mumbled as Rebekah suddenly re-enters the kitchen, dragging the corpse of the girl Klaus killed across the floor behind her.

"I am all for it. As soon as they're unlinked, we get to leave this crap town. Who do we have to kill?" The blonde original asked.

Elijah considered it for a moment, "Probably no one."

"Don't lie, babe." Rhea scolded as they gave him a look of disbelief.

Elijah rolled his eyes and sighed, "Alright, potentially everyone."

Rhea was watching as Rebekah scrubbed at the bloodstains in the carpet while Klaus continues to read his book, "Are you going to help?" She asked Rhea, "You did after all did partake in this."

Rhea put the spoon in her mouth as she said, "But you do it so much better." She pouted and Rebekah rolled her eyes.

Her blue eyes then turned to Klaus and the book he was reading, "Poetry about poisoned apples from dead trees. Looks like someone's worried about impending daddy-hood."

Klaus shook his head, "Nonsense. Elijah's back. In his presence, all problems turn to pixie-dust and float away!" Rebekah side-eyed him and grinned, and Klaus grinned back.

Elijah heard them talking about him and joined them in the living room, "Strange, I don't recall any pixie-dust from the darkness of the coffin I was recently forced to endure." He remarked as he opened Esther's grimoire and flipped through it.

Rebekah recognised the book and asked, "What are you doing with Mother's spellbook?"

"Well, in exchange for my freedom, I promised the witch, Davina, that I would share a few pages from Mother's grimoire to help her learn to control her magic. I thought we'd begin with a little unlinking spell." Rhea smirked at Elijah's plan while Rebekah and Klaus look at each other in confusion.

Rebekah was stunned, "Wait, you want to use her to unlink Hayley from Sophie Deveraux?"

"Genius." Rhea sang quietly.

"Sophie brought us here under false pretenses." Elijah explained his reasonings, "She doesn't just want us to take down Marcel and his minions, she wants to take Davina back. So, she yolked her own cause to ours with magic, threats, and half-truths. Well, no more. As of now, our deal with Sophie Deveraux is null and void." Klaus and Rebekah smile wryly at each other, while Elijah continued, "Niklaus, I need you to come with me. I need five minutes alone with Davina. You need to make certain that I am not interrupted." He pointed to Rebekah and Rhea, thinking for a moment before giving his order, "You two stay here and watch Hayley."

He then turned to leave the house. "How did we get elected super-nanny?" Rebekah asked the rest of them with annoyance.

"More importantly, who put him in charge?" Klaus asked.

"He is in the suit." Rhea remarked as Klaus reluctantly follows Elijah out of the house.

That afternoon, Hayley was in her bedroom she suddenly yelped in pain and instinctively grabbed her neck. When she pulled her hand away, she notices blood on her fingers from a small puncture wound that is already starting to heal. Rebekah hears her shout and rushes in the room, "What the hell was that?" She asked, unnerved.

"Hell if I know. It felt like I was being stabbed." Hayley answered before realisation dawning on them that something bad was happening.

Rhea entered the room with a plate in her hand, "Time for the demon spawn to snack!" She sang.

Hayley chuckled in amusement, "I really wish you wouldn't call her that."

"Well, considering who her father's is, it's just a fact that she's a demon spawn." Rhea remarked before she froze and turned to her, "Unless you've picked out another name?" Hayley rolled her eyes, a smirk on her lips as she was enjoying the slight teasing from Rhea despite their history. It made her feel accepted, "What was all that screeching about before anyway?"

"I don't know. I felt like I was being stabbed." Rhea looked concerned as she quickly assured them, "I feel fine... which is weird. I'm sure it's Sophie-related."

"Just do us a favor, and don't die on our watch. We'll never hear the end of it." Rebekah stated and Rhea chuckled in agreement.

"You know, when I first met you, I thought you were a real bitch." Hayley said to Rebekah.

"'Were'?" Rhea questioned, "She still is."

Rebekah smiled tightly as she elbowed Rhea, "What changed your mind?"

Hayley laughed at the two of them, "Oh, I still think you're a bitch! I've just grown to like that about you."

The blonde Original chuckled, "Aw, well, that's sweet of you to say." Her face becomes more serious, "Remember it when I'm gone."

Hayley looked confused, "Gone? Where are you going?"

"I only came to town to make sure everything was okay with Elijah. When I found out he was daggered, I stayed to make sure Rhea was okay for him. Now he's fine, and he hasn't punished Klaus for daggering him, so... as usual, they'll be thick as thieves, and I'll be left to clean up the mess. It's time for me to fly the coop."

"Oh..." Hayley mumbled, feeling awkward and goes to take a bite of the food that Rhea had made for her but suddenly starts to feel woozy before she gets the chance to eat it.

Rhea frowned, "Okay, I didn't think my cooking was that bad. What's wrong?" She asked.

Hayley shook her head, "No, it's not that. I don't know, probably morning sickness..."

Rebekah placed hand on Hayley's forehead and frowned in concern, "Oh, you're burning up, actually."

"That can't be good." Rhea's frown deepened, actually starting to grow concerned. Werewolves don't easily get sick, especially not when they're growing a child that has accelerated healing abilities from their vampire ancestry. Something was wrong.

Hayley's was lying in bed as Rebekah blotted sweat from her forehead and chest with a washcloth. She had grown significantly worse in such a short amount of time and they had immediately called Klaus and Elijah, letting them know what was going on, "Stop fussing, will you? Elijah will be here any minute." Rebekah scolded Hayley.

Hayley groaned, "I feel like I've been microwaved."

"Hey! Just because you're carrying a baby doesn't mean you get to act like one!" Rhea snapped as she paced around the room, "You need to keep calm."

Rebekah smiled fondly, "Exactly, I'm sure my little niece is healing you up as we speak."

Elijah then runs in with Sophie. Rebekah stands to greet them, but is appalled when she sees who Elijah has brought with him and Rhea stands protectively in front of Hayley almost instinctively, "What the hell is she doing here?" She snarled, glaring at Sophie.

Sophie signed as she holds her hands up in defence, "I'm trying to help."

Rebekah scoffed, "Help? You're the reason we're in this bloody mess!" She snapped before looking at her eldest brother, "Why aren't we unlinked with this witch already, Elijah?"

Elijah sighed, "Let her do what she can."

"I may know a way to slow the fever down. But, I'm gonna need some special herbs." The witch insists as she goes to Hayley's side and turns and looks at Rebekah, "I'll text you a list."

Elijah nodded at her in encouragement, and though Rebekah does not look pleased to be being ordered around again, she eventually relents and smiles at them patronisingly, "Fine. Happy to play the fetch girl." She says as stomped out of the room, and shoves the washcloth she was using into Elijah's chest as she leaves.

"What the hell is even happening to her?" Rhea questioned the witch accusatively.

"Agnes pricked me with a dark object. The one she used is called the Needle of Sorrows. It has only one purpose: to kill a child in utero by raising her blood temperature." Sophie explained and Hayley looked horrified while Rhea looked furious, "It will do what it's meant to by tonight's high tide. And believe me, it will work."

Rhea bit her lip in thought. She wants to jump over the bed and strangle Sophie to death but she knows it's only success will be in the death of her and Hayley and the baby—which no one wanted. Unfortunately, they need Sophie, "Then we need to do whatever we can do to keep her cooled down." She decided after some thought on how to help the situation, even by a little. She looked to Elijah, "Get her outside. Now."

Elijah nodded in understanding and grabbed Hayley to ran outside and sat her beside the swimming pool; the fresh air doing what it can to keep Hayley cool.

Rebekah returned moments later with the herbs and she gave them to Sophie before she ran to Hayley's side to check her temperature. Elijah was assisting Sophie with the herbs and he shrugged off his jacket and rolled up his sleeves.

Rhea placed a hand on Hayley's forehead, seeing her swaying around and her eyes rolling into her head, looking as if she was about to pass out, "Elijah, she's burning up!" She exclaimed, feeling the heat from her forehead before she had even touched her.

Elijah looked at Sophie, "We need to do this now."

Sophie nodded in agreement, "Get her in the water!" She ordered and Elijah jumped into the pool and helped Hayley in. Sophie mixed herbs in a cup and followed them into the water as well.

"I don't see how a midnight swim is supposed to help." Rebekah frustratedly snapped.

"Her temperature is sky-high. The water, with the help of the herbs, should cool us down." She handed Hayley the herbal concoction, "Drink this!" She ordered the werewolf before she turned to Elijah, "You're going to have to get her heart rate down."

Elijah looked confused, "How do you suggest I do that?"

"Hold her. It's a natural human remedy to slow the heart rate and reduce blood pressure." Sophie explained and Elijah looked up at Rhea, his eyes silently asking if it was okay.

Even though everything screamed at her to say no—she hated Hayley for what she had done to her and Tyler, and she hated the idea of any other girl touching him, she clenched her jaw and nodded. It was an innocent baby's life at stake, and not just any baby—her niece.

Rebekah gnawed on her bottom lip with worry, "This is never gonna work."

Elijah picked Hayley up and held her bridal-style in the pool, "Davina will break the link, we just need time." He assured them all as Hayley clung to him and groaned as she gasped for breath.

Hayley then began to hyperventilate, "I can't breathe!" She shrieked in panic and pain, her concern for her baby's life making her breathing quicken.

"Okay, long deep breaths, Hayley!" Elijah said as he held onto her tighter, "Look at me. Long deep breaths, just focus on the sound of my voice." He lowers his voice to a whisper, "You'll be okay. You'll be okay."

Hayley screamed in pain and thrashed in Elijah's hold, the water splashing around them as she felt like she was being ripped apart from the inside. Rhea can only pace around praying that Davina manages to perform the unlinking spell on time.

     Thankfully, Sophie started to gasp as the linking spell begins to lift. Hayley continues to groan in pain as Sophie looked up at the sky, looking almost disappointed, "I just felt it lift."

Rebekah and Rhea sighed in relief. Hayley started to calm down, and Elijah looked stunned. Hayley stands up on her own, but still leans against Elijah, still weak from the spell. Sophie removed one of her earrings and pokes her palm with it. Hayley looks at her palm, and she and Elijah both look relieved when she's not injured. Elijah held her hand and leads Hayley out of the pool.

Sophie grew worried with what was going to happen next, "Elijah... as soon as your brother finds out that the link is broken, he'll kill Agnes. I know you don't owe me anything, but please, don't let him kill her." She pleaded and Elijah zooms out of the pool and pulls his phone out of his jacket on the table. "Elijah! She's our only access to the power we need to survive. Promise me that you'll stop him!"

Elijah ignored her and dialled a number into his phone before raising it to his ear. "It's me, where are you?" He asked and there was silence as the person on the other line answered, "Don't hurt her. I'll be there shortly." He hung up and turned to Sophie, "I'll make you one last promise. I won't let my brother kill Agnes."

Sophie nodded at him gratefully, missing the smirk that was on Rhea's face from her missing the slight detail in his promise, and Elijah picks up his jacket and shoes and walks away, pressing a kiss to Rhea's head on his way out.

Sophie and Hayley turn to get out of the pool, but Hayley stops Sophie at the steps, "I know you were just using me to save your people, but, try it again, and I'll kill you." Hayley then leaves, and Sophie sighs in defeat.

Rebekah walked into Elijah's bedroom while he's finishing getting dressed in dry clothes and stands in the doorway. She smiled, "The unlinking worked! Maybe now we can make plans—"

"Not now, Rebekah. Can we discuss this when I return?" He interrupted her and her smiled dropped as he walked toward the door in a hurry.

Rebekah sighed in frustration, "I won't be here when you return." She told him bluntly, trying to remain stoic despite her heart breaking at his lack of care for her.

Elijah stopped walking and turned to Rebekah, "That sounds like a goodbye." He stated.

"I guess it is..." She shrugged hesitantly, "I only came to New Orleans to make sure you were safe. You are. I thought that I might be able to convince you and Rhea to come with me, but here you are, rushing into whatever Klaus and Marcel and the witches have cooked up. And I finally get it." She starts to tear up, "You'll never leave this city. You'll never leave Klaus, even if it means hurting your relationship with your own soulmate."

Elijah looked at her sadly and walked toward her, "Then you should stay."

Rebekah shook her head, "This thing that you, Klaus and Marcel have, I want no part of it." Tears fell down her cheeks as she cried, "I just want to be free."

"Well, then, go." He said sadly as he kissed her on the cheek, "You are free."

Elijah then left the room and he saw Rhea at the bottom of the staircase, leaning against the wall with her arms crossed, "One of these days you're going to wish you hadn't let her walk out this door." She said, "She's your sister. Not someone you can just throw to the side whenever you and Klaus are finally on good terms."

Elijah sent her a sad glance as he walked down the steps to be in front of her, resting his hand on her cheek, "You know that I would never push you aside for anything, right?" He asked her.

Rhea let out a huff, "We can't be sure about that." Was all she said, seeing how he pretty much had been already but she wasn't in the mood to pick a fight with him after only just getting him back. Her eyes then looked up to Rebekah's room, "I'll make sure she gets to the airstrip okay."

The Original nodded hesitantly as if he doesn't want to let her out of his sight, "Okay, drive safe." He tells her and pecked her lips, "I love you."

"I love you, too."

Rhea was driving Rebekah to the airport when she received a call from Elijah, they were barely out of town and were talking about what Rebekah had planned for her brother free future. "Goodbye means goodbye, Elijah." Rebekah stated to her older brother rather frustratedly with an eye roll, "You can't be missing me already."

"Is she with you?" Elijah asked worriedly, causing the girls to look at each other in confusion and concern.

"What the hell are you talking about?" Rhea asked, grabbing the phone out of Rebekah's hands as she keeps her eyes on the road.

"Hayley's gone. Where is she?"

"WHAT?" Rhea and Rebekah both snapped as Rhea quickly turned the car around and hit the accelerator all the way to the floor to get back to New Orleans.

"Marcel was here." They heard Klaus tell Elijah before the phone dropped to the ground and the line ended.