Live Or Let Die
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We're all fragile in our minds. What makes us strong and indestructible are the people we surround ourselves with, the people that we call family. And family is all we have.
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Southern Romania; 1501 A.D.
"Father, that was exhilarating!" A sixteen-year-old boy exclaimed making his father laugh as he patted his son's back.
"I told you, Kaleb, the first few turns are the most exceptional ones." Young Kaleb nodded with his forest green eyes crinkling in happiness as he looked up at his father whilst they made their way back into their village.
"Father?"
Rupert, Kaleb's father, hummed as he looked at his son to continue, "When was your first turn?" Kaleb asked innocently.
Rupert smiled, "It was centuries ago, my son. I no longer remember the time, or the day but I shall never be able to forget the joy I felt when I first turned. My father was there to help me, you see. He made it feel glorious."
"Why did Papa stop turning? What made him give up his nature?" Kaleb asked after a while as he saw his father sigh sadly.
"My father, your Papa was a very...proud man. He respected and admired strength and only strength and his one weakness was the love he bore for his family. For myself and my siblings. And most of all, he loved our mother. He loved her so much that no one dared question anything she did. They were all scared of his wrath if they did." Rupert chuckled before his eyes were taken over by sadness.
"So, when she died, he did not feel the need to go on. He stopped turning and then his age caught up to him quickly." He concluded making Kaleb look surprised and saddened. This was the first time he was listening to this story.
"How old was Papa before he stopped turning?" Kaleb asked curiously.
Rupert chuckled, "Almost three thousand years, fiul meu, your Papa lived for almost three thousand years. Ever since the dark goddess turned our clan into wolves."
Kaleb's eyes widened listening to that. Rupert laughed at his reaction right before his sensitive hearing caught something and he stopped Kaleb by placing a hand on his chest.
"What is it, father?"
"Someone is being tormented. Stay behind me!" Saying this, Rupert ran in the direction the sounds were coming from and as instructed, Kaleb stayed behind him.
Upon reaching a clearing, the father and son duo saw a blonde headed man kneeling down on the ground as he tried and failed to shield himself from the torturous magic that a coven of witches was putting him under.
Seeing the injustice happening, Rupert motioned for Kaleb to step beside him as he extended his claws. Kaleb nodded and did the same.
They sped to the gaggle of lunatic witches and clawed their backs as they fell one after another thus freeing the man from their magical hold.
The man opened his eyes as he got up to find two men looking at him with venomous green eyes as their hands dripped with the blood from the witches.
"Who are you?" The man asked Rupert and his son as he looked at them warily.
Rupert smiled, "I am Rupert, son of Marcus, and the alpha of the Elarma werewolf pack. This is my son, Kaleb." He introduced them both as his son nodded in polite greeting, "We are not here to harm you." Rupert added.
The blonde man almost scoffed, "No one can harm me." He spoke bashfully.
"That did not seem to be the case a few moments ago, my friend." Rupert jested jokingly.
The blonde-haired man smirked, "Witches have a tendency of going against us vampires. And so do werewolves, I imagine." He spoke as he examined the people in front of him.
Rupert chuckled, "We are not that kind of werewolves, my friend. We are a peaceful lot as long as we are not provoked."
The man in front of them smiled as he looked at the two with his oceanic blue eyes that were all but gentle. He stepped forward and smirked when he found no sign of fear from either of them as he went on to extend his hand.
"Do forgive my manners, I am Niklaus Mikaelson. You have my sincerest gratitude for helping me from them." He said with a charming smile as Rupert joined their hands.
"You're one of those, right? The Originals?" Kaleb questioned excitedly as Niklaus looked at him with a surprised smile on his face before he nodded.
"I indeed am, young man. I am surprised by your knowledge about us, though." He spoke softly.
"Your family is infamous, Mr. Mikaelson. Considering your younger brother Kol's enthusiastic charades." Rupert stated in the politest way possible. Niklaus laughed.
"Yes, I can imagine. My brother is a little ill-mannered, to say the least. Doesn't really care what we say to him." He shrugged.
Rupert nodded, "I know what you mean. Kaleb's uncle sort of has a similar temperament."
"Where are you headed to, though? This is an odd timing to be found in this part of the county." The Elarma alpha asked as he gestured to their secluded and dense surroundings.
Niklaus looked to the ground before he spoke, "You know about my family, so you must know of my father's quest to hunt us down, I presume. Commonly they call him the Destroyer."
Rupert's eyes widened slightly before overcoming with sympathy, "I imagine you are looking for a place to stay the night?" He asked politely.
Niklaus nodded, "Precisely. I went to the coven of these witches but you know how that turned out to be." He shrugged looking away.
Rupert was moved by the truthfulness and open nature of the man in front of him. Without giving it a second thought, "You should come with us then."
Niklaus looked up in surprise and as did Kaleb. His father had always instructed him to never tell the location of their village to anyone. And here he was, leading an Original inside, on his own.
"Oh, no, I wouldn't want to impose at all." Niklaus tried to decline politely.
Rupert waved his hand dismissively, "Nonsense. You won't be imposing. Our pack lives to bring peace all around us, no matter what the world thinks of our gifts." He smiled, "Come on, Niklaus, let us show you our hospitality."
Niklaus smiled as the devil inside him danced behind the curtains of his orbs.
And they did. The Elarma pack welcomed their guest with open arms as they showed him the hospitality of their family. And he envied it. He envied all of it.
Their abilities. Their unity. Their strength.
He envied it and he feared that it would all be someday, used against him.
So, when the fire burned down and all members of the pack went to rest in their homes after leading Niklaus into the guesthouse, Niklaus arose from his bed with only one thing on his mind.
Extinction of everything that was a threat to him or his family. Extinction of everything stronger than him.
When Kaleb awoke again, it was because he felt himself evolve. He felt his fur change color as his body transformed on its own accord into a giant gold wolf as his eyes raged with the extremity of an Alpha.
Afraid of what might be the cause for this sudden transformation, he changed back to his human form and threw on a coat as he hurriedly made his way to his parents' chambers.
As soon as he threw open the doors, a bloodcurdling scream broke through his throat when his saw his father and his dearest mother stabbed through the heart in their sleep.
On looking closely he realized what the wood of the stake was. A mistletoe branch.
Anger rushed through his veins as he realized that this was a planned massacre.
He left his house to find the killer when he was hit by the stench of blood coming from all around him. The strongest was from the ajar door of their neighbor's house.
Fearing what the outcome might be, the sixteen-year-old boy walked inside the house only to find all members slaughtered. The culprit did not even spare a ten-year-old boy.
One by one, he checked every inch of his village and found no signs of life or of the Original vampire who had arrived under the pretense of being a guest.
He dropped to his knees as he screamed looking up towards the ground thinking about why the man left him alive when he had slaughtered every single one of his pack. His family.
That was when a thought occurred to him as he realized that he was still a werewolf.
According to the legend that ran down their bloodline, if under any circumstances, the Elarma pack ceases to exist and the alpha somehow survives alone, they would be turned into a human.
But that was not the case with Kaleb. No. He was a transformed werewolf and possibly the strongest to ever exist. He could feel the powers of the entire village coursing through his veins.
That was when he heard it. The thumping of hearts.
He rushed in the direction and found himself in front of the nursery of their village where their kept the newborns for a few days after their birth.
It was a hidden and secretive arrangement that no one but an Elarma could see considering that it held the next generation of their pack in the most fragile of states.
With fearful steps, Kaleb looked around for intruders and stepped inside to find the newest members of their pack alive and well as they all slept peacefully.
He walked right back out as his hands clenched into fists and he looked back towards the door of the nursery. They were his pack now. He would spend his immortality looking after them and nurturing them.
He would spend his eternity waiting for the right time to strike at the infamous monster that was Niklaus Mikaelson.
⚜⚜⚜
The doorbell at Rousseau's chimed as Isabelle entered with a determined look on her face. She walked up to the bar and smiled politely, "A raspberry tea, please?"
"Coming right up." She nodded before walking over to sit on a table near the window as she watched the streets of the Quarter begin to fill up with life in the early hours of the morning.
Her tea was placed in front of her and when she looked up to thank the waiter, she was met with the eyes of the man she had arrived to meet in the first place.
"Finn." She addressed as she discarded any thoughts of drinking the tea she had ordered seeing that it was brought to her by Finn's hands. One can never be too sure.
"Isabelle." He greeted with a nod as he sat down in front of her, "So, tell me, what exactly did you have in mind when you called me for this arrangement?"
The thousand-year-old resurrected vampire questioned as he placed his hands on the table and looked at the noirette intently.
Isabelle stared at him for a moment before deciding it was best to jump straight to the subject, "I know about Dahlia."
Finn's eyes widened immediately as he looked baffled because of her deadpanned statement, "How can you possibly-, you know what? Don't answer that." He said waving his hands as he sat back and looked as if all his cards were revealed and he had nothing left to bluff with anymore.
"If you know about her, then you also know why I helped mother kill Niklaus' child. Dahlia will come for all of us if that child survives."
Isabelle slammed her fist angrily on the table as she looked at him furiously, "That child, will not only survive, but she will thrive in the love and protection her family will shower her with. And neither you nor your wretched mother will be able to do anything."
Finn shook his head, "No, you don't understand! Dahlia will come for-"
"Dahlia will come for Esther. That is all Esther fears. I might not know the whole story yet but I know Esther and I know that she is the one who must have done something wrong. And when Dahlia does arrive, I will happily send her to hell along with your whiny mother and your dick of a father." She snapped at him.
Finn grew angry by the second as he glared at her and tried to give her an aneurism but she simply smiled as she tilted her head to the side, "Really, Finn? I gave the witches their magic. You think it will work on me?"
Finn exhaled as he stared at her blankly, "What do you want? Why did you call me? If you're so ready for everything then what's the need to have an audience with me?"
Isabelle sighed, "Because I want to give you one last chance. To prove yourself worthy of my trust. Of the trust of your family."
"My family betrayed me. They berated me and judged me. They were anything but a family to me." He raved.
"I did nothing to you! If not for them then help us for the loyalty that I showed you by not letting you die at the hands of the very same mother you are so ferociously defending!" Isabelle retorted as Finn looked down in guilt.
"Think, Finn. All you have to do is just step aside. We will manage the rest. This is your chance to be with your family." She stated softly as she looked at him with hopeful eyes.
Finn looked away as he thought over her words. As much as his mind opposed, his heart wanted to believe her when she said that he would be welcomed by his family once again.
But he knew better. He knew that none of his siblings would want anything to do with him after he had aided in their mother's persistent efforts to kill his niece.
His mother was the only family he had left and as much as he hated it, he knew he had no choice.
"I'm sorry. I can't. My goal is to ensure that Dahlia does not rise again and that is what I shall do. And if anyone tries to cross me, I will not tolerate it." He affirmed.
Isabelle raised an eyebrow as she looked at him with humor in her eyes, "Finn, you might not be able to tolerate it, but there's hardly anything you will be able to do when you will see your entire family standing against you on war grounds."
She gave him one last glare as she stood up, "And this time, I will not stop anyone from killing you." She spat with venom in her voice which made him flinch before he watched her exit the restaurant.
"Quite the ultimatum." Isabelle jumped when she heard her mate's voice as soon as she stepped out of Rousseau's.
"Oh, good lord! You scared me." She exclaimed placing her hand on her chest as she looked at him.
Elijah gave her a blank look, "Yes, but not as much as you scared me by coming to meet my lunatic brother with martyr tendencies."
Isabelle rolled her eyes as she locked her hand with his and started leading him away from the restaurant, "Relax, I just came here to talk to him. Besides, he did try to use his magic but well, we both know that it was a useless attempt."
He came to a stop abruptly when he heard her second statement, "He tried to use his magic on you?" He questioned in anger, ready to speed back and snap his brother's neck.
Isabelle gripped his forearm tightly, "He couldn't. That's all that matters."
He gave her an impassive look before huffing, "I know you can take care of yourself. That does not mean I trust my evil brother around you or anyone else in the family for that matter."
Isabelle smiled, "Well, after the conversation I just had with him, I'm not sure he's trustworthy either." She shrugged as they started walking back, "Come on, let's go home. I'm starving."
He smiled and nodded all the while he looked at her as if she was the only woman alive.
⚜⚜⚜
"...and so, I killed their entire pack without remorse," Niklaus concluded telling his family about his betrayal to the Elarma pack who showed him kindness when he received nothing but cruelty from the world.
"Spitting in the face of someone's compassion. Classic, Nik!" Kol snapped from the top of the desk as he looked at the rest of their family from the desk.
"I always wondered if there was a limit that you wouldn't cross. Turns out there isn't." Davina looked at Niklaus accusingly as she spat her venomous words. Just when she had started to adjust to being comfortable with living in the same house as the hybrid himself, this is what happened.
Niklaus looked away in guilt, "My humanity was off. I had just lost my last hope at becoming a hybrid and I was going out of my mind with the idea of Mikael chasing me. All I could think of was eradicating any threat that existed."
"That's not an excuse," Jeremy mumbled making Stefan's head snap up to him.
"Hey! Knock it off with the judgment, okay? That's enough." He spat.
"What would you like me to say, Jer? That I am sorry? That I regret what I did?" Niklaus muttered looking back up with his eyes shining with remorse, "Because I do. But my regret means nothing now."
"Then maybe you shouldn't have killed them in the first place. Because of your actions, my daughter's life is in trouble now." Hayley spoke up as she looked back at the father of her child.
Niklaus glared at her, "She is my daughter too and I care about her just as much. I cannot change my past but I can protect her. No matter what it takes."
"By what? Killing more of the pack you once slaughtered in your rage?" Davina snapped at him.
"Davina!" Stefan exclaimed as he shook his head at how everyone was making his best friend feel. He shared helpless glances with Rebekah; the only one who was quiet in the whole discussion.
"What? She's just saying the truth!" Jeremy spoke up in the same tone.
"JEREMY GILBERT!" All heads turned towards the door when they heard Isabelle's loud soprano as she entered with a furious expression on her face with an equally mad Elijah behind her.
"You will not speak to Niklaus in such a condescending tone." She affirmed.
"It's his fault that we're in this bloody mess," Kol muttered looking away. Isabelle gave him a glare.
"And you're any better than him?" She sneered, "You slaughtered villages upon villages, earning a reputation of death himself as you murdered your way through the world. And you did so because becoming a vampire took away what you loved most; your magic." Kol flinched at her statement.
She then turned to Hayley, "Niklaus cares just as much for his daughter as you do. And when it comes to murderous tendencies, don't let me remind you of Cabo."
Hayley's eyes widened, "You did not just seriously bring that up! You of all people know that was my weakest moment." The brunette wolf accused in disbelief making Isabelle scoff.
"Yeah? Well, guess what? Slaughtering that pack was Nik's weakest moment too." She snapped making Hayley look away.
"Izzy, you don't have to defend me," Niklaus stated. Isabelle winced at how broken his voice sounded. He was beating himself up because he considered himself the cause for the danger his daughter now faced.
"No, Nik. This is not done." She then turned to Jeremy, "And you, little brother."
Jeremy looked up in surprise at what she would say for him as she continued, "Since the moment you arrived into this city, you have killed endless vampires with their only fault being that they were on the other side of the war. You do not get to berate Niklaus."
Elijah had a proud smile on his face as he gave his younger brother an understanding glance, "We all have done atrocities that we would rather not think of. But this is not the time to be picking on each other. This is a time to stand together and face the threat ahead of us."
Davina looked at the only father figure she had in his life with troubled eyes, "How are we supposed to face them, Elijah? How do we face those revenge hungry wolves that care for nothing but their vengeance against your brother?"
"That's enough!" Rebekah snapped up as she glared at the people staring at her brother with accusations in their eyes, "I am done seeing you all be coward little bitches to Nik. You're no better than him. Most of your sins just haven't had a thousand years to pile up."
Isabelle and Elijah almost grinned at the blonde's words before the angel saw the somber expression on her hybrid best friend's face.
Sighing, she shook her head as she walked up to him and dragged him out of the room by his arm.
"What?" Niklaus spoke up when they came to a stop at the balcony overlooking the ballroom.
Isabelle crossed her hands on her chest and looked at him pointedly, "Stop mentally harassing yourself for something you did five hundred years ago."
Niklaus rolled his eyes, "Well, something I did five hundred years ago has come to bite my arse and I have no idea what to do now."
Isabelle's eyes softened and she placed her hands on his arms as she made him look her in the eye, "You have me now and you have your entire family. None of us will let anything happen to each other. Trust me." She spoke with determination.
"I don't want anyone fighting the battles I created." He whispered meekly as a lone tear escaped his eye.
Isabelle immediately pulled him into her arms as she felt him sniffle on her shoulder.
She clutched the back of his neck and rubbed his back, "This is our fight. All of us against what aims to destroy us. This family has a lot of enemies. If today we're fighting the one you created then tomorrow we will be fighting the one I created. Or Elijah. Or Rebekah, Kol. Even Stefan or Davina or my brother. Or Hayley." She breathed as she held him tighter.
"We fight for our family no matter who's enemy we're fighting. Kaleb is not just against you. He's up against all of us." She said kissing the side of his head as he finally nodded and gave her a smile.
She interlocked their arms as she smiled up at him and they made their way back to the study where their family was.
"Now, do you all intend to be whiny brats or should we discuss the next piece of business?" They chuckled as they heard Elijah's stern tone as if he was scolding a band of impudent children.
Davina rolled her eyes, "Fine, we're sorry for bullying the big bad hybrid." She muttered making Niklaus laugh as he entered.
"Don't worry, love, you did not quite bully me. That's her job." He said pointing his thumb at Isabelle who gasped.
"RUDE!" He laughed again as she hit his chest.
Stefan had a satisfied smile on his face while he walked over to stand beside his best friends. He slung his arm around Niklaus' neck just as Niklaus had his arm around Isabelle's.
Rebekah scoffed, "You three are impossible." She giggled when they all shrugged at the same time.
"Alright, what's the plan?" Hayley asked awkwardly looking between Isabelle and Niklaus. Isabelle smiled apologetically and the brunette immediately knew that her words weren't personal. She had to make her see Niklaus' side.
"I talked to Finn and he is not going to be any help," Isabelle revealed making Niklaus look at her wide-eyed.
"You went to talk to Finn? Without any of us?" He gaped making her roll her eyes.
"That's ancient history now, Niklaus. Keep up." Elijah groaned from his seat by the mini-bar as he sipped on a glass of wine.
"Yes, so as I was saying, our first order of business shall be to get the bloody White Oak stake away from your asshole dad." The noirette continued.
"And how are we supposed to do that with Esther cloaking the bastard and the Elarmas protecting him?" Jeremy questioned.
Isabelle and Elijah exchanged smirks, "We bait him." Elijah answered.
Niklaus raised an eyebrow at that, "And, I presume that I am to be that bait?"
Isabelle turned her head to look at him sheepishly, "Well, considering that he literally spent a millennium trying to kill you, I'd say you make the perfect bait, Nikki." She said bopping his nose making him roll his eyes.
"Fine! He couldn't kill me for a thousand years, there's not much he can do now." He mumbled, although, his eyes showed the slight fear that never really went away in a thousand years whenever he thought of the man who truly destroyed him.
"Brother, we won't let him hurt you anymore," Kol said reassuringly as he looked at Niklaus with gentle eyes when he caught on to what he was thinking.
Elijah smiled proudly as he exchanged a smile with Rebekah, "Yes, we won't." Rebekah added.
"Well, I guess I'll help." Niklaus looked surprised at Davina's words, "I would always want to kill you or give you migraines at least but you'll never be the monster that Mikael and Esther are. From what I know."
Niklaus nodded gratefully at the witch as she gave him a half-smile.
"Alright, what about the pack? I mean did you guys forget that those assholes can literally materialize out of thin air?" Hayley questioned making Isabelle groan.
"Motherhood has turned you into a sour-wolf." She muttered gaining a pillow thrown her way from the brunette as everyone chuckled.
"That's true, Hayls, you've been overly pessimistic. Just saying." Rebekah said sheepishly making Hayley gawk at her.
"I am not pessimistic!" She exclaimed, "Back me up, Stefan!"
"Um...I..." He looked to his best friends for help but they were simply cackling up.
"Seriously?" She gave him a look of disbelief making him smile sheepishly as everyone laughed.
"Alright, coming back to the pack." Elijah stated once they all calmed down and Hayley was done pouting, "They can disappear, yes. But they have weaknesses too."
"Mistletoe." Niklaus breathed making the Parabatais nod.
"Let's discuss the details, shall we?"
⚜⚜⚜
The plan was in motion just as they had all discussed.
Hayley and Stefan stayed home with Hope as the entire Crescent pack assembled to fight in case the need arose.
Kol and Davina were responsible for retrieving the dark objects from the Lycee and taking them to a secure place whereas Jeremy and Rebekah were to play distraction for the Elarma pack.
And as soon as the opportunity presented itself, Elijah and Isabelle would help Niklaus take the stake from Mikael, or better yet, kill the miserable excuse of a man once and for all.
That was the plan and there had to be no mistakes.
And that was all that roamed through Jeremy's head as he kickstarted Kaleb's sports bike before giving the engine a harsh rave as he sped through the gates of the Lafayette Cemetery whilst the rest of the family hid in the shadows, waiting for their cue.
"Oh, this is gonna be a disaster!" Kol muttered shaking his head.
"Shut up, Kol!" Isabelle scolded as she got up for her part when she saw Kaleb walking out of a mausoleum with a furious expression as he flashed his green eyes angrily when he saw Jeremy on his vehicle.
Jeremy made eye contact with the raging Elarma wolf as he gave him a taunting smirk when he attempted to stop the bike with his hands which led to the two skidding on the ground before the bike came to a stop.
"Get off!" Kaleb spat through gritted teeth as Jeremy calmly smiled before jumping off and landing on his feet just behind Kaleb.
Kaleb turned around with a pissed off expression as he thrashed his hands downwards to extend his claws and bared his fangs, "You're so dead, asshole!"
Jeremy furrowed his brows in mockery, "For a few months now." He grinned crookedly.
Kaleb let out a loud growl as he took a step forward to lunge at Jeremy but his body was hit by an invisible wall that burned his skin.
Letting out a shriek he looked down to find himself in a circle made by crushed mistletoe; the one thing that can bring his entire pack to their knees.
"Yeah, my sister is kind of a mad genius when it comes to rare herbs," Jeremy smirked as he looked behind Kaleb making the wolf turn around to find the angelic beauty that was Isabelle Lightwood.
Growing mad, Kaleb tried to take a threatening step towards the noirette who chuckled when she saw his body slam into the barrier again.
She schooled her expressions before tilting her head and looking at Kaleb with an impassive look, "Hi, I'm the bitch you threatened to kill." She spoke sweetly as Kaleb's glare hardened.
Seeing this as their cue, Elijah, Niklaus, and Rebekah left for the Lycee where they knew their parents would be. Kol and Davina waited for the three to distract Esther so they could go in to steal the dark objects.
"What the hell do you want?" Kaleb questioned the angel seethingly as she walked over to stand beside her brother and exchanged amused glances with him.
"How about you tell me what is it that you want from Esther that you are ready to kill a four-month-old little girl?" She jabbed.
Kaleb scoffed, "Klaus killed my entire pack and everyone that I loved. Esther did not have to offer me anything. I would do anything to get my revenge on him."
"Yes, you see, that is what I find hard to believe." She spoke as she took a few steps to stand inches away from the barrier whilst she looked into his eyes, "You've had centuries to get your revenge, and yet you didn't because was stopping you. What happened now?"
Kaleb glared at her before shrugging casually, "Maybe I was waiting for my enemy to have something to lose."
Isabelle scoffed at the petulant lie, "You cannot possibly expect me to believe that you were waiting for Niklaus to have a child before you come to show him the error of his ways."
Kaleb glared at the duo in front of him as he stayed silent. However, they could each hear the sound of his racing heartbeat.
Isabelle turned to Jeremy intently, "Help Kol and Davina, I'm sure the others would have lured Mikael away."
"But, Iz-" Jeremy tried to protest but stopped at the stern expression his sister had on her face. Nodding, the newly turned vampire walked away in the direction of the Lycee as the Lightwood princess turned to the trapped blonde-headed alpha.
Kaleb watched her suspiciously as she examined his eyes for something before sighing.
"Well, clearly I cannot get inside your head to find out your secrets because of the expression running through your veins."
Kaleb's eyes widened, "You can do that?" He asked in shock and for a second Isabelle could almost see a flicker of innocence in his dull and lifeless eyes.
"That and more. Which is why whatever it is that Esther has promised you and your pack, I can fulfill it better and with the single payment being that you promise never to harm my family." The noirette offered.
Kaleb gave her a blank look, "One, Esther is not offering us anything aside from my chance at vengeance from my mortal enemy. And two, you are family to the same man I wish to kill, taking help from you would make me weak in front of my pack." He sneered.
Isabelle gave him a half-smile, "So, there is something you need help with."
Kaleb looked taken aback as he realized his mistake before deciding to not make matters worse by saying more.
Isabelle sighed shaking her head, "The offer still stands, Kaleb. If you truly desired revenge, you would have gotten it already because contrary to popular belief Niklaus has a lot more to lose than any other vampire out there, and yet, you let him be. You have returned now but I can sense that there is another reason for it."
Kaleb looked at her with a cold look before he gave her a crooked grin, "Do you know what you forgot to sense?" Isabelle furrowed her brows as he continued to smirk, "The Elarmas always come to rescue their alpha."
And that was when she flinched at the sudden burst of dark expression abilities being inflicted upon her as she looked around to find herself surrounded by the entire pack.
Rolling her eyes, she raised both her hands and muttered a small enchantment that brought all wolves to their knees along with making her immune to any more of their powers.
"You fools!" She snarled at the pack before turning to Kaleb who had a horrified expression on his face seeing the lives of his betas in trouble, "If you believe that you can overpower me with this, then you are mistaken! I extended a helping hand and you decided to be a backstabbing little bi-"
"NIKLAUS DID THE SAME!" Kaleb yelled at her as she glared at him, still keeping the Elarma's under her powers, "My father extended kindness and hospitality towards him and what did he get? Death. His death and the death of his entire pack. Do not expect me to be humble with people from his family when he killed my own."
Isabelle's eyes glazed over in a somber expression as she looked at the agonized wolves crying out in pain from her magic. She dipped her hand inside her pocket, taking out crushed mistletoe before making another boundary with it, this time, to keep the rest of the Elarmas out before she released them.
Kaleb looked at his pack in worry who seemed to be recovering slowly from the horrendous pain they just experienced.
Isabelle turned back to the alpha, "I do not make excuses for Niklaus' behavior because I know that my regret will do nothing to satiate your pain. All I can really do is help you with whatever it is that Esther has promised you and clearly failed to deliver. The offer will stand as long as it takes for you to agree. But, I will not stand by and watch you get your revenge from my family."
Kaleb continued to watch her with speculative eyes as she took a step back and waved her hand, thus breaking the barrier of mistletoe that was trapping him inside. He furrowed his eyes as he stepped out.
"I can still harm you." He stated smugly making her chuckle.
"I can kill you before you think about it." She replied, "You gave us an ultimatum the last time you met my brothers. Now, here is my warning for you: the next time I see you again standing alongside Esther and aiding her in killing my family? You will suffer fates worse than the ones you are going through right now." She sneered staring into his eyes.
"What makes you think that we are suffering?" Kaleb questioned confidently.
Isabelle shook her head, "I made the supernatural world what it is. The witch that created your pack? I made her too before I sent her to hell. Believe me when I say that I will be a better ally than an enemy." Saying this, she waved her hand and all the Elarma pack members, including Kaleb, dropped unconscious on the ground.
She smiled to herself knowing that when the alpha would wake up again, he would have a lot to reconsider.
On the other side of the cemetery, Mikael and Niklaus aggressively fought each other while Elijah prevented his mother from interfering as he effortlessly defeated each of her blows with his own magic. To say that Esther was getting antsy and impatient because of losing at her son's hands was an understatement.
"Oh, mother, I'm getting tired of seeing you lose," Elijah muttered with a bored expression that made Niklaus chuckle from where he just stood up after throwing Mikael off of himself.
"It's a good thing you've learned your powers, son. It will be useful when I turn you into a witch." Esther said as she waved her hand and threw him into a wall behind him.
Snickering, he got up as he dusted off his suit from the slight debris that now coated the fabric after his collision with the bricks as he held up his hand forward and Esther started to choke on air. Elijah then turned to the side and did the same to Mikael who was just about to stab Niklaus with the stake.
Niklaus got up and watched with a smirk on his lips as Elijah made their wretched parents suffer.
"It has been a tardy and dull saga consisting of a thousand years of betrayal from the very beings who birthed us. This ends now." Elijah smirked as he raised his free hand and the White-Oak stake came flying towards him and Niklaus as the hybrid caught it with ease.
The slight look of horror in Mikael's eyes satisfied the brothers to their core as Elijah made sure to keep Mikael still just as Mikael had done when he got Esther to place a curse on Niklaus.
The irony of the situation was amusing, just as it was justified.
Niklaus walked towards his father with a condescending smirk on his face, "You ran me away from whichever place I called my home. You threatened every waking moment of my life only to die at my hands. And here you are, yet again, inches away from your death by the son you thought of as nothing!" He spat.
"Rot in hell!" Mikael muttered as he refused to show his insecurity and fear on his face.
Niklaus smirked, "Where do you think I came from, father?" The venom in his voice was so strong that it was enough to kill an entire kingdom. Mikael flinched at being called his father which only added to Niklaus' gloat.
Esther's eyes widened as she saw Niklaus raise his hand in the air and just as he was about to plunge the stake into Mikael's heart, Esther subtly took out a small pouch from her pocket and threw the onyx colored Volcanic Ash at Elijah in hopes of releasing themselves from his magic.
Elijah's eyes widened when he saw the substance flying towards himself and as did Niklaus' knowing what it was and what it would do to his brother who was still adjusting to being an angel.
Discarding his thoughts of killing Mikael, the hybrid Mikaelson jumped in front of Elijah at the last minute shielding the elder Original from suffering in pain as the ashes settled on his skin instead. He sighed knowing that at least the ashes did not have any effect on vampires or werewolves.
Elijah stepped back and looked around only to find their parents gone from the space as he turned to Niklaus with wide eyes.
"Why would you do something like that?" He screamed at him in panic.
"Volcanic Ash does nothing to anyone besides an angel, brother." Niklaus shrugged.
"YOU DID NOT KNOW THAT!" Elijah yelled again making him roll his eyes.
"Next time, just thank me." Niklaus smiled at his elder brother making him shake his head before his eyes widened.
"What is it?" Niklaus asked.
"Esther has the ashes and Isa doesn't know that." Now it was Niklaus' turn to panic as the two sped in the direction Elijah sensed his mate to be.
Isabelle was on her way to check on Kol and Davina when Esther appeared in front of her out of thin air. A scowl appeared on her red lips as she shot the witch a glare.
"I see you have some new tricks now." The noirette muttered shaking her head as she prepared herself to fight the woman who believed she could defeat her.
Esther smirked, "My favorite one is still the one your mother provided."
Isabelle looked at her blankly even though she was confused by her words before she watched Esther throw a shimmering black powder towards her.
"Oh, bloody hell!" She muttered as she turned to speed away knowing that her powers won't work in front of her weakness.
Instead, she was engulfed by the strong arms of her mate as she heard the sound of his wings flapping before they shielded them both from the effects of the ashes as they stared deep into each other's eyes whilst his angelic wings cocooned their bodies.
She smiled up at him lovingly as he rested his forehead upon hers when he flinched at the slight burn he felt on his wings and she soothed him by kissing his warm lips.
When Elijah came back to his normal form and the couple left each other's embrace to turn to Esther, they found the witch looking at them with an absolutely baffled expression as Niklaus grinned proudly at his favorite couple.
Esther realized she was on the losing side as she quickly muttered a spell and disappeared from the scene making Isabelle exhale in frustration.
"I fucking hate when she does that!" She muttered stomping her foot.
Niklaus and Elijah chuckled, "Well, I see this as a victory, we got the stake!" Nik stated with a smirk, showing off the deadly weapon in his hands as Isabelle sighed in relief.
"I am gonna make sure I destroy that blasted weapon!" She whispered.
"I don't doubt it, my love," Elijah affirmed in a gentle melody as he cupped her face to kiss her lips once again as Niklaus made gagging noises.
"Get a room!" He grumbled making Isabelle flip him off as she continued kissing her mate.
⚜⚜⚜
Oh, thank God! My family is finally back from its mission. Rusty thought as he eagerly played fetch with Niklaus and Stefan in their spacious courtyard as the rest of the Mikaelsons and their extended family lounged around.
"I never thought I would see my big brother painting a woman's toes," Rebekah commented with an amused expression as she walked in with snacks to find Isabelle sitting with her feet on Elijah's lap as he painted her nails in midnight blue.
Elijah smiled, "Just takes the right woman, sister." Isabelle sent him a flying kiss that he attempted to catch before going back to painting her nails.
"How many women have you dated, by the way?" Davina questioned curiously from the armchair as she picked up Rusty when he came to pick up the softball, okay, I love you my cute human, but if you don't let me play I will eat your slippers again! Rusty screamed internally as he wiggled until Davina finally let him leave.
"Well, first was the dopplewench Tatia, who I hated. Thanks for killing her, Elijah!" Kol answered for the elder Original making him gape at him as Niklaus chuckled.
"I did not reveal that for you to remind me again and again, you child!" Isabelle's Original scolded making her laugh.
"Oh, come on, brother, let him have his fun. At least it's a good thing that we know." Niklaus said from where he had begun to play catch with Stefan as Rusty ran from one side to another in hopes that someone would pass the toy to him, I WANNA PLAY! He yelled as he barked at his humans.
Elijah shook his head but deep down he was glad that he had explained this to Niklaus the first chance he got right after Celeste had decided to show him images from behind the Red Door.
"What did she look like, though? I've never seen a doppelganger." Davina mumbled curiously.
"You're lucky that you haven't." Jeremy breathed gaining a smack on his head from Isabelle as he sat on the ground with his back against the couch she was sprawled over.
"Oh, wait, I have a marvelous picture!" Hayley said raising her hand with sarcasm dripping from her voice as she unlocked Stefan's phone making the Salvatore drop the catch and facepalm himself as he groaned loudly.
Isabelle and Niklaus cackled at his expense.
"There you go," Hayley said passing the phone to Davina after opening up a picture of Elena and Stefan.
Rebekah and Jeremy rolled on the floor in laughter as Hayley continued to glare at the hundred and seventy-year-old vampire.
"That's...not Tatia, is she?" Davina asked in confusion.
"Oh, not at all, that is another dopplewench our dearest Stefan dated, her name is Elena." Hayley jabbed making Davina's eyes widen.
"Who is also Isa and Jeremy's sister," Elijah added with humor making Isabelle stick out her tongue making him laugh.
"Unfortunately," Jeremy grumbled.
"Please tell me there are no more dopplewench stories in this family," Davina stated in horror as they looked at her sheepishly.
"Well, there was one more, named Ka-"
"WE DO NOT TAKE HER NAME IN THIS HOUSE!" Stefan's dramatic yell cut Kol off as Isabelle and Elijah slapped their hands on their foreheads.
"YOU DIDN'T HAVE TO YELL!" Kol screamed back.
"YOU WERE ABOUT TO DO THE FORBIDDEN!" Niklaus retorted.
WHY IS EVERYONE SCREAMING? Rusty thought.
"CHILDREN!" All heads turned to Hayley when she screamed sternly, "Shut up." She affirmed making the three nod sheepishly.
Elijah cleaned off the last of the paint that had smudged on Isabelle's cuticles as he smiled when he caught her staring at him lovingly.
"Anyways, who's up for a quick pizza run?" Jeremy got up and they all instantly agreed.
Isabelle and Elijah snickered as they followed their family out with Rusty beside them.
As weird as they all get, I still love them. Rusty lovingly thought as they stepped into the warm air of New Orleans with his parents beside him.
⚜⚜⚜
Kaleb was talking to one of his betas when he felt his chest tighten as he took the support of a nearby wall. His friends tried to help him when he started to cough violently and when he retracted his hand from his mouth, his palm was covered in a thick blank liquid.
"The condition of our pack is getting worse every day, Kaleb. You said this witch will help us!" One of his betas questioned making Kaleb scrunch his eyes shut in frustration before he stormed out of the room.
It had been happening for almost a year now. An unknown sickness had taken over the Elarma pack as it grew weaker with every day that passed.
Things were worse on days that they used their expression magic.
They had arrived in New Orleans in hopes of finding a witch willing to help them and instead they found Esther.
She promised that she would help find out what was wrong and cure them and in return, she demanded the death of everyone Klaus Mikaelson loved and that her plan goes well and she turns all her children into mortals.
As much as the thought of killing an infant haunted Kaleb, he knew that their pack would not survive the end of this year and before they perish, and this time for good, he had to do something.
The offer Isabelle had made in the afternoon roamed through his mind before he shook his head. He was not going to ask for help from his enemy.
Especially an enemy that destroyed his life.
Getting on his bike, Kaleb left for the Lafayette Cemetery to threaten Esther yet again in order to find out if there was anything that could prevent the fall of the entire Elarma pack.
❇❇❇❇
Hello, my lovely readers, here I am with yet another chapter. I know it took me a little longer than usual but I just had to figure out the details.
Coming to the chapter, idk how the Kaleb and Rupert flashback turned out to be because genuinely when it comes to flashbacks, I write well with the OG characters of this book rather than guest appearances.
But, here this was necessary to explain things about the pack and how they survived after Klaus supposedly massacred them. Honestly, as much as I hated writing that, we all no that a no humanity Nik who had just lost his hope of becoming a hybrid could as well do something like that. His paranoia is what gave him his reputation in the first place.
Izzy going to meet Finn to give him a last chance? Okay. Izzy threatening his traitorous ass? Good. Elijah scaring Izzy? AWESOME!!!
Oh, my. I don't like everyone ganging up on Nik. Izzy, come to my babies rescue please.
Ah, there she is! I loved writing that scene so much.
HAYLEY IS A SOURWOLF. Hmm, who does that remind me of?
Also, petition to make Izzy, Stefan and Klaus the BROTP of the millenium!!!! They're the best!!!
Okay, good plan so far.
What could Kaleb truly want?
Elijah protecting Nik and being a badass? YEAHHH! THAT'S MY MAN.
Nik protecting Elijah? HELL YEAHHH!!!
Elijah's wings protecting Izzy? FUCKING YEAHHHH!!! I couldn't resist writing a scene like that. Those who have watched Lucifer know where the inspiration came from.
Oh boy, this family deserves my heart for throwing the occasional shade at Elena.
So, there's a sickness that's killing the Elarmas. What do you think will happen? Will the Elarmas be cured and turned into allies or will they be a casualty of war?
Also, we haven't seen Lilith a lot these days....hmmm.
Well, this chapter was super fun to write so please vote and comment as much as you can. I practically LIVE for your feedbacks which are awesome to read btw. I love y'all.
IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT: Just as I promised, I have published a Klaus Mikaelson book. Go straightaway to my profile and check out the first chapter. I hope you will enjoy the cast as much as you enjoy this one. I am looking forward to seeing your response to that as well.
It is called THE RAVEN WITCH. And here is the wonderful cover made by me. Again, you know the drill, if you find any of my graphics anywhere but here, inform me.
Vote, comment, and share on both my works. Looking forward to your responses.
With Love, Devu.