Rue | Klaus Mikaelson

Chapter 1

There was no way in hell she would allow her brother to marry Hayley when, one, Hayley hardly knew him and didn't see him as more than a friend, and two, Hayley was in love with another man. Ibeth didn't trust Elijah and what he might do if Hayley married someone else. Either way, she knew Hayley would never be satisfied with Jackson if she was still involved with Elijah. Ending that involvement quickly for an emergency wedding could go down poorly.

This was for the best.

Or so she tried to tell herself.

Things had been so different just a year ago. She'd been in her wolf form, leading her pack and trying to help them survive each full moon. Jackson constantly snuck away to supervise Hayley, all while Ibeth had to rush around stealing food and gathering supplies so that Eve and the children wouldn't go hungry.

She met Hayley when the Crescents were invited to a party at the Mikaelson plantation house. No one had expected it to be a trap. Jackson and Hayley had nearly died inside the living room when Ibeth had gone out to instruct the wolves to start making their way back into the Bayou.

She met Elijah when she was pounding on the door, screaming and hoping desperately that the spell would lift, that she'd be able to break inside to save them before they burned alive. She was thankful to him for having rescued them. But she hadn't trusted him one bit when she saw the way he glared at Jackson for no apparent reason.

She met Klaus the night of the peace treaty party at the Compound. He'd invited her up to his art room, roping her into his plan.

"I'm so glad you accepted my invitation," came Klaus's voice behind her.

She turned, having been looking at a fresh painting of the New Orleans skyline. He'd made it seem as if the city was on fire. "I imagined denying would be a death sentence," said Ibeth realistically. "I can't imagine anyone survives after standing you up." She extended her hand. "Ibeth Kenner."

He shook her hand. "Klaus Mikaelson. Hayley has told me about you. Alpha at the age of fifteen. How did that happen?"

"Our Alpha disappeared," she said. "Eve told me he was supposed to meet her— in wolf form— to deliver supplies before the full moon that day. I went looking, found a poacher loading him into a truck. He was already dead. So I killed the poacher. I had some time to arrange my things before I turned once the moon vanished from the sky. I became the leader because I avenged the Alpha." She tapped her elbow. "I don't imagine you called me here to hear my life story. Am I here to die?"

"I'm not here to kill you," said Klaus. "I'm here to offer you a gift."

"We're exchanging presents now?" asked Ibeth. "And here I thought your heart was made of ice and stone."

He smirked. "Our hearts are more similar than you might realize. You see, long before I evolved, mine beat as a werewolf. I know your power. I know your burden. I'm here to take the latter away."

She backed away, holding up a finger. "You are not turning me into a hybrid. I still intend to have children one day, furthering my family line. I refuse to be part vampire. I am the Alpha, and I am not compromising myself. If I were a hybrid, you could compel me and force my loyalty. My pack is my priority. I wouldn't be able to prioritize them if I was a hybrid."

"That pride, that sense of loyalty? Well, that's exactly why I haven't snapped your neck yet."

"How touching," said Ibeth curtly.

"I wish to give you back the city that was taken from you," said Klaus. "What do you think of that?"

"I think it makes no sense considering your brother is literally holding a peace party outside. This isn't what he wants. I thought your whole motto was 'always and forever' regarding family loyalty and all that. Isn't this going behind his back?"