——— HALEY STARED AT ELIJAH, knowing he must've been hungry for long, being daggered into the coffin. "You're the one they call honorable." Davina told him. Haley frowned. Elijah smiled. "Yes, that's what they call me. And yet, I followed my brother here to New Orleans to engage in a war. So, I ask you. Does that sound honorable to you?" He asked. Haley sighed. "You don't look well." Haley spoke softly. Elijah's eyes flickered towards her, knowing how compassionate she was. "Well, only this morning I had a mythical dagger embedded in my chest, so I'd say I'm holding myself together quite well." Elijah told her. He knew Haley knew this, Davina, did not. Davina pursed her lips together. Haley sighed, walking closer to her. "I trust you." Haley spoke softly, offering her wrist. "Drink." She told him, her eyes held trust, reassurance and understanding. Davina frowned, curious. Elijah looked at Davina. "You see, Davina, I believe that you and I have the power to end a war between witches and vampires before it truly begins. I, by keeping my brother and sister in line; you, by behaving like your true self— not some tool for Marcel to use." Haley rose an eyebrow, as she still held her wrist out for Elijah. Elijah gently grasped it. "And why should I trust you? And why is Haley here?" She asked him, tilting her head. "Well, for one thing, in spite of a ravenous hunger, I have not tried to take your blood." Elijah told her. "As for Haley, she and I are linked, how? I am afraid I do not know." He spoke simply. Haley turned her head to Elijah, eyes widen at the new information. "Why not? I'm the only one here besides Haley. And she's offering you her wrist." Davina told him. Elijah sighed. "Even in my present condition, I would not feed from a child and a adult." Elijah spoke. Davina nodded to Haley, Haley held her wrist for Elijah to take. "Take it, I trust you." Haley repeated her words. Elijah stared at Haley. "For someone like you, I would have killed you, yet, you have tried to protect my family, in return, I have promised to protect you." Elijah spoke, before gently biting her wrist, and taking only a bit of blood. After a moment, Elijah's skin returned to its normal complexion. Davina looked pleased. Haley smiled softly at Elijah.
The next day, Haley was at the Mikaelson Plantation with Athena, Rebekah and Hayley waiting for Klaus to return with Sophie. After Marcel found her in a park alone, Haley had kept Elijah's word and not spoken of his return, nor his help for Davina and herself during a predicament, so Haley kept his secret for now, knowing Athena would have throttled her if she knew and Athena did not. Klaus rushed inside with Sophie, pushing her into a chair. "We had a deal, you protect my unborn child, I dismantle Marcel's army. And whilst I've been busy fulfilling my part of the bargain, you allowed Hayley and little Gilbert to be attacked and almost killed by a gaggle of lunatic witches." Haley stayed silent at the nickname. "I had nothing to do with it, I swear." Sophie told them. "Hayley, and I are linked, remember? She dies, I die." Haley furrowed her eyebrows, sounding similar to her own situation with Elijah. Athena walked towards her. "Then who were they?" Rebekah asked, extending her arm to Athena. "They are a faction of extremists." Sophie answered. "Sabine stupidly told them some vision she had about the baby." Hayley and Haley both leaned forward. "What kind of vision?" Athena asked. "She has them all the time." Sophie told her. "They are totally open to interpretation. I'm guessing she's wrong on this one." Athena growled lowly, her eyes glowing. "Well, how, may I ask, was this particular vision interpreted?" Klaus asked. "Pretty much that your baby would bring death to all witches." Sophie answered. Haley's breath hitched, as she realized Davina too. "Ah, well." Athena told them. "I grow fonder of this child by the second." Rebekah nodded in agreement with a tiny smile. "Sophie, look, Athena promised Haley and Elijah, that we would protect the Mikaelson miracle baby whilst he tries to win your witch Davina's loyalty, and in return, they figure why Haley is involved, and the fact that Elijah is smitten with her." Rebekah told her. "Elijah's talking to Davina and Haley?" Sophie asked, turning to said question. Haley nodded. "Elijah actually drew me to the place, I forgot what it's called, seeing Davina took it out of my memory, but Elijah wants Athena and I to protect Hayley and the baby." She told Sophie softly. Athena scowled as she crossed her arms, pacing on the floor. "Yeah." Athena added in. "As we speak, I imagine, and I find it curious that my brother and Haley is linked." Athena slipped on the name. "And why, we do not know, but it has to do with witches." Athena spoke, narrowing her eyes. Haley shuffled, uncomfortably. Sophie sighed. "To why Elijah and Haley is linked, I do not know." She was shocked to hear that. "When did this happen?" Sophie asked. Haley frowned. "I don't remember, one morning I woke up at the cemetery, and a black witch spoke to me." She offered. Sophie furrowed her eyebrows. "I'm guessing she'll have plenty to say about that crowd." Sophie spoke, continuing on track of their conversation. Klaus narrowed his eyebrows. "Do tell." Klaus told her. "I.. wasn't always an advocate for the witches." Sophie told them. "My sister was devoted, like our parents, and our upbringing was very strict, which drove me nuts. The minute I turned 21, I left the Quarter to travel... and play. But I wanted to be a chef, so I came back to Rousseau's." Sophie explained. Haley knew that feeling very well, it was why she went to North Carolina when she had been 16, but when Greyson died, she had returned and sucked into a world she didn't truly wish to be in. "What the bloody hell is a Harvest?" Athena asked Sophie in confusion. "It's a ritual our coven does every three centuries, so that the bond to our ancestral magic is restored." Sophie answered. "We appease our Ancestors, they keep our Ancestral power flowing." Haley frowned. "And why haven't I heard of this?" Klaus asked. "Because a Harvest always seemed like a myth." Sophie explained. "A story, passed through generations like Noah's ark or the Buddha walking on water. The kind some people take literally, and some people don't. I voiced my disagreement." Sophie told them. Haley sat down as she crossed her legs across, in thought. Sophie looked at Klaus, Rebekah and Athena. "They had the girls of our community preparing for months. Four would be chosen for the Harvest. They said that it was an honor, that they were special. I thought it was a myth." Haley was interested in it, as she furrowed her eyebrows. "Was it?" Rebekah asked. Sophie looked guilty. Klaus' cell phone rang. He answered. "Marcel. Bit early in the day for you, isn't it?" Marcel was walking through the hallway of the abattoir compound with Diego. "I know, I make this look easy, but I still have an empire to run." Athena's lips twitched. "Rather you than me." Klaus told him. "All that responsibility seems like a such a bore." Athena snorted, but quickly covered it up. "Well, this night spice things up." Marcel told him." Diego just told me about a bunch of dead witches out in the bayou. The kinda damage a werewolf might do, only there was no full moon. I have an informant out there I need to meet and I would love for you to go with me." Athena looked intrigued by his words. "Dead witches in the bayou?" Klaus told him. "Sounds like less of a problem, and more like a cause for celebration." Haley rose an eyebrow. Selina, who can't be seen rolled her eyes, raising her arms in a what the hell gesture. "Well, something killed them." Marcel told him. "And may be still out there. And with your blood the only cure for a werewolf bite. I would love for you to accompany me." Athena rose an eyebrow. Two people, actually. Athena thought. "Oh, why not?" Klaus asked. "Haven't been to the bayou in ages." Athena smiled at the lie. "I'm on my way." Klaus smiled wickedly. "Peace out, brother." Marcel told him. Klaus hung up. Sophie looked at Klaus. "You can't go out there now. I need to gather the witches' remains and condecrate them. If I don't get to them before sundown, we'll loose the link to their magic." Haley scoffed. "Those witches, tried to kill Hayley." Haley stood up, crossing her arms across her chest. "I'd prefer for Marcel's informant not to find anything that would lead him back to ya, to her, or to.. you know,.." Klaus pointed to Hayley's stomach. "That, and the human." Klaus pointed to Haley. "You are all class." Hayley told him sarcastically. Haley rolled her eyes at Klaus' words. Klaus pointed at Sophie. "Stay put. And save the rest of your story till I return." Klaus walked out, leaving. Haley closed her eyes, sighing as she swayed a bit, dizziness appearing. "Lizzie?" Hayley asked concerned. Haley waved it off. "I'm fine." Haley sat down as she looked at Hayley. "Probably Elijah's end." She mumbled, as she sat back and closed her eyes. Athena and Rebekah both shared a look, assuming Elijah hadn't fed in awhile, causing Haley to become less apparent. Both said nothing to anyone. Sophie sighed.
Haley and Hayley entered the mausoleum. "Hey." Sophie told them. "What the hell?" Haley folded her arms. "You're going out there anyway, aren't you?" Hayley asked. "We wanna go with you." Haley opened her mouth, but Hayley gave her a look. "No, thanks." Sophie told Hayley, having seen the look towards Haley. "Already got assaulted by Klaus this morning. Don't need a repeat." Haley sighed, closing her eyes for a moment. "What if whatever responsible for all those dead witches is still out there?" Hayley asked. "We've already established that it likes us and hates witches, so you'll be safer with us." Haley didn't know if the wolves liked her, but she noticed they haven't came to her... yet. "Sorry if I'm not buying your sudden concern for my safety." Sophie told her. Haley rolled her eyes. "Listen." Haley started. "The whole reason Hayley came to this stupid town in the first place was to learn more about my family. Your sister's the one that told her Marcel ran the werewolves out of the Quarter, into the bayou. And last night, we're pretty sure that some guardian angels-wolf saved our lives. So, we're coming with you." Rebekah and Athena walked in to join them. "Could you three be more idiotic?" Athena asked. Hayley, Sophie and Haley looked at them, sighing. "Three can play the follow-game, you know. You heard Klaus, he and Marcel are headed right where you're going." Haley bit her lip, nervous and anxious of being caught. "So distract them." Hayley told them. "Because unless you wanna see lick a hormonal, pregnant werewolf in a tomb, I'm coming with you. And wouldn't Elijah be mad if he heard that the baby, Haley and I died of asphyxiation?" Rebekah looked at Hayley, annoyed. Athena rolled her eyes, sighing, resigned. Haley looked at Hayley wide-eyed and contemplating on the next move.
Sophie, Rebekah, Hayley, Athena and Haley continued to walk around the bayou to look for the dead witches. Athena looked at Sophie. "So, this Harvest thingy. Tell me more." Haley sensed wolves nearby, her eyes subconsciously looked around. In the shadows, three wolves watched them. Two of them watched with curiosity, one watched with wariness, curiosity and wonder. "Klaus said to wait." Sophie told her. "Yes." Athena agreed. "He also said to stay out of the bayou and yet here we are, amongst the crawly, buzzy creatures." Haley rose an eyebrow at Athena's words. "We're here." Hayley told them. They reached the place where the witches were killed. They were all bloodied, ripped apart, wounds where arrows had shot, and a dismembered head lied near the bodies. Sophie looked sick, kneeling down to dig around her bag for the ingredients she needed to consecrate her fellow witches. "Whoa." Hayley told them, seeing a huge paw print in the mud. In a nearby tree, there were three bloody scratches in the bark. "Is that a wolf track?" Sophie asked. They heard a crunching noise, like footsteps, nearby. Haley aimed her bow & arrow, ready to shoot. "Who's there?" Rebekah called out. A male vampire approached them, looking at Rebekah. "What the hell? Original?" The vampire rushed away, leaving the girls alone in confusion. Haley frowned. "What the..?" She trailed off. Athena frowned. Haley bent down to the paw print, and closely examined it, furrowing her eyebrows in concentration, touching the outline of the print. Athena and Hayley watched her intently and curiosity on their faces. Meanwhile, Rebekah was on the phone. "Let me understand this." Klaus told her, walking outside of the bar. "Against all logic, you, Ena, Hayley and Gilbert went to the bayou, where you ran into a man you think may be Marcel's informant, and then you lost him?" Rebekah sighed. "Yes, and now that we've established that I am a failure as a sister, and a friend, and an Original, you should probably know he's on his way to Marcel right now to rat us out." Rebekah told him. "Skinny guy in a hurry, looks like he saw a ghost." Athena sighed. "He thinks Rebekah is the only one with the way he said it, Nik." Athena chimed in from beside her sister. "I'll handle it, but I'll need a distraction." Klaus told them, smiling. Rebekah and Athena understood what he meant. "We're on our way." Rebekah hung up, swatting at a mosquito that landed on her arm. Athena rolled her eyes at her sister.
Hayley, Sophie, Athena and Haley were returning to Sophie's truck. "Those people, all this, because of a vision about the baby you don't think is true?" Athena asked skeptically. "Look, I love Sabine, but she's the witch equivalent of a drama queen." Sophie told them. I've learned to take little stock in whatever she says or sees. Just kinda wish she'd kept her mouth shut." Haley hummed. "The Harvest ritual." Hayley told her. "You said you didn't believe in it. Were you right?" Haley frowned. "No." Sophie answered. "I saw it with my own eyes. It was working, it was real." Haley and Hayley exchanged a look. "So, how can you be sure Sabine's vision isn't?" Athena asked. Sophie didn't have an answer. Hayley and Haley looked at one another, Haley's eyes flashed gold, as Athena noticed, but now wasn't the time to ask. She made mental note to talk to Thomas. Back at the Mikaelson Plantation, Athena poured several drinks for Rebekah, Hayley, herself and Haley. "I don't care if we have to get you a leash, that was your last trip to the bayou. What is it with you and those wolves, anyways?" Rebekah asked. Athena bit her lip, with a knowing smile. "I feel like we're connected somehow." Hayley answered. "I don't know. Maybe it's just some pipe dream that I have of finding any real family out there. But sometimes, when I feel like it's me against the world, it keeps me going." Rebekah have Hayley a sympathetic look. Athena gave her a smile, handed each of them a drink, as Haley took hers from the table. Athena remembered Hayley was pregnant and couldn't drink. "Oh, right." She sighed, taking her glass, drinking it in one swallow. "Well, if you ask me, family is a pain in the behind." She drank her own drink. Hayley rolled her eyes. "And as for being in it alone, how dare you? I don't ruin a perfectly fabulous pair of boots traipsing through the bayou for just anyone." Hayley smiled. Rebekah downed her drink. Haley set her glass on the table, still full. Klaus opened the front door, walking in. "Nik, finally." Rebekah told him. "What—." Elijah walked through the door with a huge smile. Rebekah and Athena walked towards him, wrapping their arms around him. Elijah saw Hayley and Haley over Rebekah's shoulder. They both smiled at Elijah, as he in return. Hayley walked out, leaving. Haley followed Hayley as well. "Elijah. You're safe. Now that you're home, is your first plan to kill Niklaus?" Elijah smiled, pulling back. "Excuse me, just a moment." Elijah walked out of the room, leaving. Rebekah looked at Klaus and Athena. "Where's he going?" Athena frowned, Klaus shrugged. Hayley was standing with Haley outside. Elijah walking outside to join them. "You're back." Hayley told him. Haley smiled. "I'm back." Elijah agreed. Hayley and Elijah looked at each other for a moment. Hayley slapped him across the face. Elijah looked at Hayley in surprise. Haley's eyes widen in shock. "Don't make promises you can't keep." Hayley told him. Elijah looked thoughtfully amused. "Welcome home." Hayley walked inside. Elijah touched his face where she slapped him, and smiled to himself. Haley smiled, amused. "Hayley, huh?" She mused to Elijah. Elijah rose an eyebrow. "Are you well?" Elijah spoke. Haley hummed. "I'm good, although, I may not for long." She mused, knowing Athena had questions for her. Elijah nodded, lost in his own thoughts. Haley walked to him, and kissed his cheek, before she walked inside. Elijah smiled to himself once more.
Klaus, Elijah, Rebekah, Hayley, Athena and Haley sat in the study. Elijah stood behind the desk and explained everything that he had learned from Davina. "Everything that brought us here that Sophie Deveraux fabricated, this struggle for control of the French Quarter, this war between vampires and witches, wasn't over territory at all, this was over Davina." Haley frowned, tilting her head. "Elijah looked at his siblings, Hayley and Haley. "Eight months ago, Sophie and her sister Jane-Anne lost everything. Now, four months after that, a young pregnant girl wanders into their restaurant. Suddenly, all hope is renewed. Jane-Anne actually sacrificed her life so that her sister can use you to find Davina. If Sophie Deveraux is successful in capturing Davina, she can return Jane-Anne's daughter back to life. We thought we'd come here to wage a war for power. This is about family. In order to return her niece to life, Sophie Deveraux will fight to the death. That makes her more dangerous than anyone." Haley and Hayley looked at one another in surprise, but they couldn't form words. Athena's eyes were wide in shock and horror, and worried for her wolves.
After the talk, Athena went to the bayou to meet with Thomas. "We have a problem." Athena spoke, as she looked at him. Thomas frowned. "The human. Nathan's already drawn to her." Thomas spoke. Athena's eyes widen. "No." She breathed, in shock. "You don't think..." Athena trailed off. "No, no, she is not coming here. No way. I tolerated her for Elijah, no way am I going to be goody goody two shoes." Athena scoffed, folding her arms. Thomas closed his eyes, sighing. "It's most logical, Ena. Haley is his soulmate." He told her softly. He hated it as much as Athena did, but they had no choice. Athena sighed. "I don't think Haley is human, I don't think she knows that either, she hadn't even noticed." Athena admitted, grudgingly. Thomas furrowed his eyebrows. "What do you mean?" Thomas spoke, frowning. "Her eyes, they glow like yours, Thomas. I think Haley isn't a Gilbert." Athena ran a hand through her hair. "I can't do anything because of Elijah, and I promised him. But that doesn't mean I can investigate her." Athena smirked with a wicked glint in her eyes. Thomas rose an eyebrow, a small smile upon his lips. Meanwhile, Haley was in the apartment she lived in, asleep in her bed. Selina smiled lovingly at her descendants, as she watched Athena and Thomas talk. "Long live the Nyx's." She whispered, fading away to nothingness.
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•• And another chapter is up! Here's chapter 5 of Wolves!
•• So, things are going to be a little different, I apologize for short chapters, but I don't feel like writing every single scene that Athena nor Haley would be in, but once the wolves appear, they'll get longer!
•• Athena knows something is up, Haley remains oblivious.
•• Elijah's back, and more to come.
•• So Haley's connection with Elijah, the wolves, Athena and Hayley will come to light soon enough, but they have to deal with Sophie and Sabine first.
•• Stay tuned for Fruit if the Poisoned Tree!