Benjamin's POV
After our encounter with Jakob, Darius and I made our way into the woods trying to find the local wolfpack. I decided to follow my nose because their scent was getting stronger and stronger the further in we went.
"I like it when you act all animal-like," Darius said with a flirty tone in his voice. I turned to him and smiled.
"And I like it when you get all witchy." I leaned in a gave him a peck on the lips.
suddenly, an alarm went off inside my head.
"We're not alone." I paused then took a quick look around.
"They've surrounded us," I said taking a few steps forward.
"Hello, I'm Ben and this is Darius," I said loudly gesturing toward my husband.
"We're here to help you. We want to take down Klaus once and for all, just like all of you," I paused and glanced around again.
I could see their glowing eyes all in the darkness.
"We are looking for Hayley! We are here to help her turn into a human again." I finished calmly.
I kept my gaze on the treeline, I knew that was where they would be coming from.
Slowly but surely a wolf emerged from the woods. I took a knee and held my head low, showing that I was no threat.
"I know you can't verbally communicate with me in wolf-form, and I know you can't change back because of what Klaus did," I said looking the wolf straight in the eye.
By her stans, I knew who she was. The leader, and there's only one person that could be...
"You must be Hayley." I smiled.
"Behind me, you can see my husband, Darius. He is a powerful witch. He is here to help." I paused
"Will you let him help?" I asked.
The wolf looked over at Darius and then back to me.
She slowly nodded.
"Okay, good. Darius, come here and do your thing." I said and moved aside.
Darius started the ritual to turn Hayley back to normal.
It didn't take long before she was her normal self again. I quickly threw some clothes at her, so she wouldn't feel indecent. She grabbed the clothes mid-air and put them on.
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"Scarlett, wait!" I heard Jakob yell from behind us.
I felt a breeze and then May was standing beside me. Something about her was off. She looked feral.
Blood was covering her hands, face, and hair.
Worst of all her fangs were on full display something I've rarely seen
"I'm sorry. I couldn't catch up to her." I felt another breeze beside me and there was Jakob, looking bewildered.
"It's fine," I replied.
I leaned in close to Jakob and whispered as I watched Darius fill Hayley in on the details of our plan.
"What's up with Scarlett?" I asked him.
"She's pumped up on human blood, man," he replied sounding on edge.
"That's not good..." I said as the realization slowly sank in.
"That's really, really bad," I replied sounding as on edge as him as I turned to her.
It was as if she was in a trance. She was slowly swaying from side to side completely focused on Darius and Hayley. Every once in a while she would lick her lips and a small smile would appear on her face.
"How much did she take?" I asked as if she was on drugs, in this situation...? It was almost like she was.
"15-20 bags, at least," Jakob replied scratching the back of his neck.
Well, this is going to be interesting...
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I kept a close eye on May as Darius communicated with Hayley.
Darius had explained the plan to her and they were now discussing her pack's involvement and how Darius was going to "fix them". As in making them able to turn back into humans when they wanted to.
"The children will stay hidden with their mothers, the mothers and elders will not fight," I heard Hayley say with her arms crossed appearing very Alpha-like.
"Of course, Miss Hayley. Only the willing will join this fight." Darius stated sternly.
He looks so good when he is serious. A smile crept onto my face.
I was lucky that I found him... well, that he found me.
I was snapped out of my thought when I saw movement in the corner of my eye. May was moving toward Darius and Hayley in a slow and controlled manner.
I reacted quickly and jogged up beside her.
"May? Scarlett? What are you doing?" I asked.
no response.
Her eyes were fixated on Hayley.
By now Darius and Hayley had noticed her approaching them.
"What is going on, Benjamin?" Darius asked.
I gave him a concerned look in response.
I watched as May walked past Darius as if he did not exist and then stopped in front of Hayley.
"Children... You have a child, don't you Hayley?" May asked Hayley.
"Yes, I do," Hayley responded sounding confused and on guard.
"Little Hope. I heard you care for her very much. And if you help us, her father will never be able to separate you like this again. She will be your little Hope, forever." May finished tilting her head to the side with a sly grin on her face.
I was unable to recognize her.
This was not the fun May Clocksworth I knew so well... this was someone else.
Man, that name is actually such a bad name...
I stopped myself from snickering.
"Who are you?" Hayley responded with anger and concern in her voice, Ignoring Scarlett's inquiry.
I could see May's smile widen, her fangs fully visible.
"I'm Scarlett Night," She paused.
"I cannot die as a normal vampire so it's not worth trying. Also, I have the same creator as the others, so one might say that makes me an Original vampire ." She laughed lowly.
Hayey looked at her attentively and clearly still confused.
Scarlett's appeared to notice it and clarified.
"My sire is Mikael, little Hope's grandfather." She said the last part in a pouty baby voice.
Hayley looked at her in shock.
"That can't be true. Mikael never turned anyone besides his children." Hayley exclaimed in disbelief.
Why are you telling her this, May?
"If I tell you who I really am and you refuse to believe me, I can hardly be blamed for your disappointment when you realize that you have been lied to," May replied appearing completely gone again.
Then she slowly turned around and started to walk towards Jakob not before keeping eye contact with Hayley for as long as she could.
What is she trying to achieve with this? I don't understand...
Darius' POV
I watched as Scarlett stalked toward Jakob.
I think I know what she's trying to do.
She's intimidating Hayley but at the same time telling her to trust her.
"Hayley, who hates Klaus more than anyone?" I asked hurriedly.
"Mikael." She responded slowly.
"Exactly and with Scarlett on our side, you know that she is not lying about her intentions. She wants to kill Klaus just as much as Mikael, just as much as you. Resulting in you being reunited with Hope." I said calmly.
Hayley nodded understandingly.
She paused for a second then replied.
"See you at midnight tomorrow." She smiled, then she ran in the direction she came and disappeared into the dark woods.
As she did the glowing eyes in the darkness started to disappear one after the other until there were none left.
I turned towards Jakob and Scarlett.
She was whispering something to him.
I could not hear what she was saying but in one sudden movement, she was standing in front of Benjamin, holding his face gently in her hands just as she did Jakob.
"Listen to me, Ben. Tomorrow you will not show up. You will leave town by morning, and you will never look for me again. To you, I am dead." She was compelling them and if I knew Benjamin well enough he had forgotten to drink his vervain today.
"Do you understand, Ben?" She asked in an unnaturally calm voice.
"Yes, I understand, May," Benjamin replied as a tear slipped from his eye.
"Good. Now, go home. Darius will meet you there." She commanded.
"Okay." He replied and walked off.
Whatever she told Jakob made him leave too. Then she turned to me.
"I don't have to do this to you too, do I? You're probably on vervain anyway, right?" She chuckled lowly.
"You understand. I know you do, Darius. You will do the right thing and leave with Jakob and Benjamin and never mention me to them again." She said almost threateningly.
"We will not leave you, Scarlett. You are our family." I said in a loving and concerned voice as I stepped toward her.
"Then I'll just have to kill you, don't I? " She smiled evilly.
I caught the gaze of her dark, red eyes and I couldn't see an ounce of humanity left in her, not an ounce of the Scarlett I once knew so well.
Before I could even blink she charged at me.
She was ready to kill.
She was quick, luckily for me, I was quicker. I used my magic and snapped her neck.
"I'm so, so sorry," I whispered as I ran after Benjamin.
I will always hate myself for this but Scarlett is gone.
Her asking us to leave was her last moment of clarity before she succumbed to what she was trained to be, a monster.
In the end, she wanted to protect us and I will fulfill that wish. I will always make sure to remember her as she was with my brother and not what she became in the end.
I will protect Jakob and Benjamin and make them leave by morning.
Good luck, Scarlett.
I know you will need it.
End of Chapter 32
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Until Next Time
~Eldriel