•. 𝕷𝖔𝖓𝖌 𝕷𝖔𝖘𝖙 𝕷𝖔𝖛𝖊 .• 𝐾𝑙𝑎𝑢𝑠 𝑀𝑖𝑘𝑎𝑒𝑙𝑠𝑜𝑛

Chapter 15: Mommy Dearest

"IT IS THE OCEAN WAVES SHE CHOCKING"

Outside the Old Ancestral Witches Manor

Audrea shuddered, scowling darkly at her mother-in-law, who stood by Finn and the two Bennett witches. Her head was ringing and her body was aching. Looking back, she probably shouldn't have tried to attack her mother-in-law once she'd heard the damn woman's plan, but hearing Klaus and her siblings-in-law-the ones she actually liked-threatened hadn't sat well with her. Finn had tackled her to the ground, and though Audrea was stronger than him, the power of three witches' aneurysm spells made it quite impossible to do anything but fall to the ground in pain. She also probably shouldn't have repeatedly tried to rip Finn, the traitorous bastard, to shreds, and the pounding headache, broken legs, and wounds she was now sporting were a testament to that.

She'd tried to take advantage of Finn's temporary incapacitation to escape, but then she had blacked out from the force of another wave of aneurysm spells that were even stronger, given that the Bennetts were backed up by the spirits of their ancestors. And now, she was trapped, off to the side, with a stupid confinement spell. Gods, she hated witches. They were pests, almost as loathsome as werewolves, and that was saying something.

Audrea still couldn't believe Esther had even entertained the thought that she might join the fucking plan. She'd rather burn in the sun. A mother, willing to murder all her children? The mere idea of it stunned her. She had never been able to produce a child herself, and would never be able to, so she knew nothing of a mother's love except the love her own mother had shown her.

Her mother had been the sweetest woman, loving, and accepting. Audrea couldn't fathom how cruel a woman would have to be to intentionally kill the children she brought into this world. And Klaus, oh, sweet, insecure Klaus. He had been right. Audrea had lost her temper with him when she found out he'd murdered Esther, for she had loved her mother-in-law. He'd tried to reason with her but she wouldn't hear it. It had taken years for her to forgive his offense, and now here she was, about to be witness to Esther's unforgivable crimes. It was Klaus's worst nightmare come true.

A movement at the edge of the clearing tore Audrea from her thoughts. She sucked in a breath when she saw Klaus stepping up towards them, followed closely by Kol and Elijah. His gaze was on hers, and her lip trembled when she saw the concern in his expression, though she knew he was trying to hide it so his mother and Finn wouldn't see his vulnerability. His dark look, however, combined with a dangerous expression that was directed toward his mother and eldest brother, sent a tingling feeling rushing through her. Her husband always did look so fucking good when he was angry, though Audrea thought to herself that this was probably an inappropriate time to notice such things, considering the fact that her mother-in-law was trying to murder them all.

If Esther was surprised to see the three of them, she didn't show it.

"My sons. Come forward."

Finn threw out an arm and warned his mother, "Stay beside me."

Esther stepped nonchalantly into the circle she had created. "It's ok. They can't enter."

"That's lovely." Kol mocked, "We're stuck out here while the favorite son plays sacrificial lamb. How pathetic you are, Finn."

"Be quiet Kol," Esther said. "Your brother knows virtue you cannot even imagine."

Elijah directed his words at his mother, "Whatever you think of us, killing your own children would be an atrocity."

"My only regret is that I did not let you die a thousand years ago."

"Enough!" Klaus drawled, though his eyes remained on Audrea. "All this talk is boring me. End this now, Mother, or I'll send you back to hell."

Esther shook her head regretfully. "For a thousand years, I've been forced to watch you, felt the pain of every victim, suffered while you shed blood."

Klaus raised his chin and turned his gaze on his mother.

"Even you, Elijah, with your claim to nobility. You're no better. You as well, Audrea." Esther turned to look down at Audrea, who could feel her legs complete their healing. "You are my son's wife. And yet, centuries of bloodshed later and you've done nothing to stop it. This is not what I expected when I allowed Niklaus to marry you. All your talk of your love for my son..."

Audrea lifted her chin proudly, but her mother-in-law's words stung. She had loved Klaus for centuries, and would continue to do so until the end of time. To hear her love for Klaus dismissed so easily, by his own mother...but she wouldn't cry, she was stronger than this.

"Don't speak to her like that." Klaus growled, and something swelled up inside of Audrea when she heard his defense of her. "You know nothing of what she's done for me."

"I know what you've done for her. I know she's been corrupted by you." Esther retorted. "I know that she was a good woman, before the deaths of her family. I know you allowed her descent into darkness! The two of you are not good for each other, and I regret the day you two met."

Klaus stepped forward, clearly enraged, but was quickly repelled by the boundary spell.

Esther continued, her eyes glimmering with unshed tears, "All of you...you're a curse on this earth, stretched out over generations. If you've come to plead for your life...I'm sorry. You've wasted your time."

Suddenly, it was as if a strong, invisible force swept against Esther and she stumbled.

"No!" Esther cried out. "Sisters, do not abandon me!"

Something had gone wrong with her plan again, it seemed. If Audrea had to hazard a guess, the unfazed expression on Elijah's face told her that he probably had everything handled. The witch looked around desperately.

The flames on the five torches roared upwards violently and Audrea flinched at the brightness and looked away. She heard Finn cry out, "Mother!" and saw Klaus, Kol, and Elijah look away as well. She could feel the heat of the flames licking against her skin and drew back as far as she could. The wind howled violently, whipping through the trees and stirring up the dead leaves.

Then all was silent.

Audrea lifted her head and blinked at the space where Esther and Finn had stood, the fires having been extinguished. She tentatively reached an arm out past the boundary that had been drawn around her and felt relief when nothing stopped her hand.

There was a moment of confusion and stillness before she felt a faint flutter of wind against her cheek and two strong arms sweeping her up. She let out a strangled sound and flung her arms around Klaus's neck, exhaustion quickly replacing anything else she was feeling as the realization hit her. They had almost died.

"I've got you, love. You're alright now."

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