Chapter 47: Trust

Elijah sat at the edge of his brother's bed his teeth set hard as he stared at the device on his right thigh. It tensed slightly and the phone wavered like a little boat shook by a wave. He had called. Twice. Yet no answer had prevailed. Part of him wished to seek her out in that instant and he knew he would be able to find her and far too easily at that but something held him back. It didn't make sense but there it was, that tug of self restraint. Her scent was branded upon his brain by now. He was in love with her. It was primal. He felt a surge of worry as he thought about Celeste and her intentions. He knew Hayley was no timid creature but he also knew better than to doubt Celeste's mind games. Elijah took a deep breath. He knew that his former lover would surely exploit Hayley's desire to free her wolves and the thought of this exchange made him shiver with anxieties.

Along with his worries about Hayley however, Elijah also had the issue of his siblings at hand. His eyes now glazed over his brother's body and Elijah sighed deeply knowing that he had to face what was to come. He had hoped that disabling Klaus had given their sister enough time to get away and now it was time to release Klaus from the anguish of the mystical weapon.

Elijah slowly undid his cufflinks and rolled up the sleeves of his shirt watching his brother with an ominous expression. He then continued to protrude a clawed hand against Klaus's chest. His hand sank inch by inch into his brother's chest cavity, eventually curling around the handle of the blade. Elijah gripped.

Klaus's guttural growl filled the room.

Elsewhere, Hayley sat in the bayou cabin clutching her phone tightly. He'd called twice and each time she had forced herself to press decline. I have to do this alone. She told herself firmly. Despite her alliances with the Mikaelson's their name was hardly popular among the pack and the last thing she wanted was clan drama. Celeste had been knocked out stone cold and Hayley had barely slept a wink all night. She groaned softly into her palmed and found Eve in front of her as she looked back up. The woman handed her a cup of warm tea and Hayley sipped it eagerly. Eve smiled at her softly as she drank from the rustic looking cup and Hayley examined the shotgun hanging against her hip. Gotta love Eve. She thought and in that short second she realised how much the woman had come to mean to her.

"We reckon she's coming round." Eve told Hayley, who blinked getting up to her feet fast and slamming down the cup. She wanted to get this sorted once and for all.

"Let's do this." She then spoke confidently and strode out of the cabin with Eve following behind her. The first thing Hayley saw was Celeste's rouge smile. Even as a messy hostage bound to a tree she still managed to flash that signature smirk with style. She wondered what Elijah had seen in her. Was that it, her smiling at the wake of destruction? Revelling in chaos? Did he find that alluring? But then again, after reading his journals the Celeste now just didn't seem to fit his description. Time had changed her. Hayley found herself wondering if this was something Elijah was afraid of. Is he afraid that I'll become her?

"Of course he is honey" Celeste then suddenly spoke her nasal voice filling up the forest as she wiping dried blood from her plump lip.

Hayley squinted and Eve stepped forward slightly. Did she just reply to me? Hayley shivered internally. She knew Celeste liked games. No. Celeste loved games.

Yet Hayley continued to glare with anger and hidden confusion. She then spurt forward and crouched down to Celeste's level ready to teach the witch bitch a wolfy welcome. But before Hayley could act Celeste's next words froze her.

"You wondered if he's afraid you'll become me." Celeste whispered. Internally Hayley wavered. This wasn't going to plan but she wasn't about to show everyone else that.

"Whatever you're playing at drop it." Hayley hissed and suddenly she grabbed the shotgun next to her and skilfully fired at the tree stump. Celeste jumped and put up her hands.

"Okay okay. I see that you don't want to play nice." Celeste spoke but Hayley noticed the smile behind her stolen eyes. The body jumping witch sure loved to play with fire. Hayley's fingers curled around the gun as she gulped slightly and her eyes flickered down to the group for a short second as she realised. So did she...

Luckily however, Celeste did not notice.

"Why Hayley?" she asked instead.

"What have I done to you?"

Eve glared at the witch incredulously emerging from behind Hayley.

"Hayley and Jackson could have died in that fire." She spoke with disgust, looking down at Celeste who raised her brows in defiance like a stubborn teenager.

But then her head lowered and Celeste looked towards the ground before facing Hayley once again.

"Okay so I tricked you but I knew Elijah would go after you Hayley." She spoke in a tone of confession.

Hayley pursed her lips.

"I knew he'd save you, you forget that I was you." Celeste continued with a strange knowing look in her eye and passionate tone that bought Hayley no comfort.

Hayley felt her heart patter inside her chest but she aimed her gun once again and Celeste halted. Don't give into her Hayley. She told herself, keeping herself cool and her stare cooler.

"Oh come on Hayley." Celeste then repeated disappointedly but raised her hands in lie with the gun.

"What are you planning on doing, kill me?" she then asked with a slightly pleading tone.

No way bitch. Thought Hayley.

"Oh I know about your body jumping Celeste so no, we're not going to kill you but if you don't do ask we ask, I can assure you, I can do much worse." Hayley replied, looking Celeste in the eye.

Celeste rolled her eyes.

"And this thing you want..." Celeste drawled.

"The cure." Hayley replied bluntly.

Yes honey, I already know.

Hayley blinked as the thought formed in her head.

Celeste smiled.

It's a simple thought melding spell. Celeste spoke to Hayley telepathically and Hayley internally filled up with rage as she realised. It was her all along. Hayley realised as she recalled her recent increasingly reactive mind and odd trails of thought and it all snapped into place. She's kept pawning it off on hormones but her instincts had been right it was more. It was Celeste.

Celeste looked pleased.

"Ah yes, the cure. Now this is staring to make some sense." She played along, while Eve who was unaware of the mind link listened.

"You want to free your wolves don't you?" Celeste asked.

"Yes and you're going to do it." Hayley spoke with narrowed eyes.

"Gladly." Celeste replied and Hayley internally filled up with some doubt.

Why is she so willing? She thought.

"Look you're not the one I'm after okay. I never have been. If you'd only just listen. I'll break the freaking curse, just untie me." Celeste spoke.

Hayley turned back to look at Eve who seemed just as much surprised.

Can we trust her? Thought Hayley and strangely as she scoured her innermost instincts her heart said yes.

But then again there was that one doubt. Hayley turned back around and knelt down to face Celeste.

You've been messing with my head. Hayley thought loudly.

"How am I meant to trust you?" She then spoke aloud.

Yet before an answer could be given, a figure appeared from within the trees and Celeste greeted him with a smile of amusement. She then tilted her head back against the tree bark and bit her lip.

"Now the fun begins." She purred.