Chapter Thirty Eight: Change
Klaus was waiting for Hayley outside the Abattoir. They both knew that Marcel could handle things when they were gone, so he knew there was something going on. He had not missed the way Hayley's eyes had flashed when the witch had stopped them.
Inhaling, he picked up her familiar scent before he saw her. She approached the Abattoir quickly, head lowered, shoulders hunched.
"Hayley?" Klaus called.
She froze, lifting her eyes to meet his gaze. "Oh. I thought you'd be inside."
Klaus stepped closer to her. "What is it? What did the witch have to say?"
"It- It was..." Hayley bit her lip, unsure of what to say. How could she possibly tell him what she saw? "Nothing," she finished.
Klaus' eyes narrowed immediately. "I may be many things, little wolf, but a fool is not one of them."
Hayley flinched slightly at the nickname. "Klaus..."
The Hybrid stepped even closer, reaching out to touch her cheek. His eyes widened when she stepped back, growling in warning. Her eyes flashed gold, and they stared at each other for a long moment.
"You have never kept secrets from me," Klaus said slowly, breaking the silence.
Hayley's eyes melted back to green as distress etched itself into her features. "Klaus, I can't- I don't know..."
"Is it something so terrible?" There was a pause. "Is it about me?"
Hayley hesitated for a moment too long, and Klaus pulled himself away from her, a snarl erupting from his throat.
"No, Klaus! You don't understand!" Hayley cried, reaching for him, wishing he would understand. But the vision of her with gold and black eyes, there was only one way that could possible happen...
"I understand that you feel the need to keep secrets from me, your mate," Klaus spat. "All thanks to some witches-,"
"They were trying to warn me!" Hayley blurted out, and immediately regretted her word choice.
Klaus' eyes blazed. "About me? Because I'm the Original Hybrid, the Summer King, the monster others tell their children about to make them fear the dark!"
"No! That's not it!" Hayley managed to grab his hand, and she dug in her nails. "It was... It was about me, not you."
Klaus stilled, looking suspicious and angry. "Then why don't you tell me!"
Suddenly, a large black wolf appeared by them, snarling as its gold eyes stared at Klaus in warning.
"Mason!" Hayley called, recognizing the peppered fur. "Stand down!"
Mason shifted, watching Klaus warily. "Is everything all right, Hayley?"
"I... yes. What is it?"
Mason turned to look at her, frowning. "Aiden is missing."
Ooo0ooO
Hayley paced the length of the sitting room, eyes narrowed and lip curled.
The fight between herself and Klaus was put on hold thanks to Mason's announcement, and the temperamental Hybrid had stormed off before Hayley could stop him. Hayley quickly instructed Mason to have Tyler check on the witches, in case Klaus' temper got the better of him.
Mason now sat on the cream colored couch, watching Hayley as she paced. His hands were folded in front of him, and his forearms rested on his knees.
"How do you know?" Hayley asked.
"His Beta, Laura, sent word. He's been gone for a few days and they haven't heard from him."
"And this is unusual?"
Mason nodded. "Laura is his mate as well as his Beta. She said he's been... off. Distant. And then he disappeared..." Mason saw Hayley's eyes blaze with temper. "I know he isn't your favorite, but why do you assume he wasn't taken by someone?"
"Because the truce still stands," Hayley growled. "Jeremy would've told me if one of his Hunters had gone rogue."
"What if it's the witches?"
Hayley shook her head. "The local coven hasn't sensed their presence since they killed Alaric."
"And you're sure Jeremy is being upfront to you?" Mason asked slowly.
As if summoned by the sound of his name, Jeremy was darkening the doorway with an uneasy look in his eyes. Hayley approached him right away, eyes narrowed.
"One of my own is missing," Jeremy said as he stepped into the room.
"Yeah, well, who isn't right now," Mason muttered, running a hand through his greying hair. Then his gaze snapped up, meeting Hayley's. "You don't think-,"
But the look on Hayley's face had him stop. She looked utterly terrified.
"Jeremy," she breathed. "When the witches killed Alaric, did you see a white stake afterwards? He had it in his hands, he was going to... was going to..." The color seemed to drain from her skin.
"No," Jeremy said, looking confused. "You mean a white oak stake?"
Hayley nodded slowly, now looking green. "And the white oak stake..."
"Can kill an Original," Jeremy finished, catching on. "You don't think- no, that's not possible..."
Hayley's fists clenched and trembled by her side. "I need to find Klaus and get word to the pack. Now."
Ooo0ooO
Eve sat at the edge of the forest, eyes closed. She listened to the quiet sounds around her, mediating under the setting sun.
She was left in charge of the pack while Hayley and Mason were in New Orleans, and she was enjoying the quiet. But something was nagging at her, like a feeling she couldn't identify, or a voice whispering and telling her that something was wrong. She could feel the change in the wind.
"Eve."
Eve opened her eyes and looked to where one of the younger scouts stood.
"There's word from Hayley," he told her quickly. "Something's happened."
Eve stood and together, they rejoined the others, who were all gathered to listen to what was going on.
Someone handed her a phone, which Eve pressed to her ear. "Hayley?"
"Eve," Hayley said in a shaky tone.
"What is it?"
Eve listened as her Alpha quickly explained everything, and felt a sudden chill go down her back. When Hayley finished, she asked, "What do you need me to do?"
"Tell Lana and Oliver," Hayley said immediately. "I don't know what's going to happen next and I don't know who's a target- apart from..." Hayley trailed off, but then continued, "We need to warn them."
"And the pack?"
"I'll be leaving shortly."
"And Klaus?"
There was a long, tense pause. "He's... staying here."
Eve narrowed her eyes at that, but let it be for now. "We'll await your return then."
"Thank you, Eve."
When the call disconnected, Eve looked at the scout who had collected her. "Gather several of our fastest runners. We need to get word to the other packs."
When she turned to the others, she saw lots of apprehension and some fear. "Hayley will be here soon. It seemed one of the Alphas has gone rogue... and the same goes for one of the Hunters."
Shouting erupted.
"We should not have trusted those Hunters!"
"Which Alpha?"
"Are they coming for us?"
"And what about the Hybrid?"
Eve lifted a hand for silence. "Hayley will tell you everything when she gets here. In the meantime, we are going to double the patrols and we are going to stay out until our Alpha says otherwise, is that clear?"
Although Eve was not an Alpha herself, being the pack elder meant she still had some pull. The others lowered their gazes and nodded respectively, before moving about to do as she said.
Eve sighed, casting her eyes upward. The sky was a deep shade of red as the sun set, and she could not help but feel it was ominous, like a sign that a new war was to come.
Ooo0ooO
Hayley handed Mason's phone back to him. "I need to find Klaus."
Mason eyed her. "Hayley..."
"I can't just leave things, not like that," she said, looking frantic. "Mason, if anything happens to him..."
"I know," Mason sighed. "Go. I'll go get Tyler from the witch's, I'll tell them everything."
Hayley grabbed his shoulder, squeezing it in thanks, and took off. She shifted when she hit the line of trees, using her heightened sense of smell to track down Klaus.
She found him out in the woods, in the clearing he had found her when she had first arrived to the Quarter. He was in his wolf form as well, and his back was to her.
She padded over, knowing he probably heard her. When she was next to him, she looked at him.
His gaze was pointedly fixed towards the darkening sky.
Sighing, Hayley shifted back. She frowned at him. "Are we really going to do this?"
Klaus glared at her, but went back to ignoring her.
"Klaus, you have to know that any secrets I keep from you are not because I have any ill will towards you. What I know..." She shook her head. "What may happen, it's not... You have to know..." Hayley felt her throat close. "I love you," she whispered, lowering her gaze.
"Is it that terrible?"
Hayley flinched at the sound of his voice. She looked at him, with red rimmed green eyes. "Yes, but no. It's... complicated."
"Uncomplicate it."
"I can't," she murmured.
"Hayley," Klaus whispered, touching her cheek now. "Please."
Hayley released a shaky breath, meeting his gaze. "The witches showed me a vision. I saw a white stake, the same one Alaric had... And I saw me, but I... I had gold and black eyes. Hybrid eyes."
Klaus seemed frozen to the spot. "Witch's visions aren't always-,"
"I know," she breathed. "But they will happen, in some way."
Klaus seemed to think it over. "Does the image of the stake frighten you? Or the one of you as a Hybrid?"
Hayley's eyes widened slightly. "The stake! I know what it can do, I know what Alaric tried to do!" She smacked at his chest. "How could you ask-?"
Gripping her upper arms gently, Klaus stared into her eyes. "Are you afraid of becoming a Hybrid? Of becoming like me?"
"I wish you wouldn't say that," Hayley whispered.
"Answer the question, Hayley."
"I'm afraid of losing you," Hayley growled, now gripping his shirt front. "And if I... if I become..."
Klaus remembered how long before he had fallen for Hayley, he had briefly thought about changing her like he had Tyler. That had all dissolved when he fell in love with her, and now...
"If I become a Hybrid," Hayley said, in a much calmer tone. "Then I'll be with you forever."
Klaus' hand tightened involuntarily against her. His heart clenched at the thought of spending forever with her, his mate, his little wolf. "But it has to be your choice," he whispered in an urgent way. "Your choice."
Hayley stepped closer to him, pressing a hand to his heart. "The choice was made when I chose you."
Klaus released a breath he felt as though he had been holding for a thousand years. He drew her closer, kissing her softly, then more passionately, burying a hand in her hair while the other cupped her throat, his fingers grazing the mark there.
Hayley responded in turn, sliding her hands around his neck, clinging to him. She whimpered against his lips.
When they drew apart, with matching gold eyes, they allowed themselves a moment to gather themselves.
"I have to go to my pack," Hayley said once her blood had cooled.
"I'll go with you."
"No," she said instantly. "You need to stay and make sure the witches and the vampires are safe. Aiden is my responsibility."
"Are you sure?" Klaus asked, brushing the hair away from her eyes.
Hayley nodded. "Come on. I need to leave soon."
Ooo0ooO
Disclaimer: I do not own the Originals.
Author's Note: Please review!
Announcement: There will be two more chapters until TSK concludes... but fear not... I am pleased to announce that TSK will have a sequel, which will follow up right where TSK leaves off. It will be called Eternal Reign.