During this time, Hayley, along with some of the wolves she and Klaus saved during their ride on one of the 'Kingmaker Land Development' facilities, teamed up to locate more of those laps and save as many wolves as possible.
As they discovered, Kingmaker was pursuing the Appalachian Mountains Pack. But why? This question kept spinning in Hayley's mind. Why has Lucien's company targeted the pack? Until something clicked: The Appalachian Pack accepted wolves from other packs during the last hundred years, and that tradition continues to this day. The diversity of its members and the fact that Kingmaker Inc. had tried to eliminate them all were what helped the Crescent Alpha see the connection.
She became certain when the survivors began to contact friends and family they had in the original seven packs and gather information.
The news was devastating. Several hundred wolves were dead; the remaining ones went into hiding. It was clear that Lucien's company had attacked all seven packs, and what had happened in the bayou with Crescent wolves being hunted down by hired poachers had happened to the Appalachian pack and the other packs as well.
That night, the wolves had a kind of unofficial gathering deep in the woods. Alphas and betas, along with survivors and families of the deceased, met to discuss their next steps in protecting their territory and families.
"The question is one. What is the reason behind these coordinated attacks? One of the elder Poldarks asked
"What we know so far is that the doctors in those facilities needed our venom," said one woman who was held captive for months in one of those labs. "They used the venom to experiment with vampires that were also being held captive in the same facilities."
"We were held in a facility down at Tennessy. In my group, we were told that the doctors were trying to find a cure for the werewolf bite." Another man in his late twenties revealed.
Hayley Marshal remained silent, listening attentively to all the questions and scenarios that those gathered addressed. She looked around her, into those tired eyes. Most of them fought all of their lives for power or territory; others were young and scared. All of them thought they had one thing in common: they were all victims of a war that had nothing to do with them.
Her heart was breaking for all the dead, but also for those left behind. She was tired of seeing people like her sacrificed because someone decided to use them against the Original vampire family. She knew they had a right to know the truth; she had to be brave and honest, but most of all, she had to convince them that they needed to trust her, even if she was also a member of the Mikaelson family. " You were wrong." She finally said, her voice steady and resolute.
"Some of you know me as Hayley Marshal, an orphan that Appalachian Alpha took in when I was young. Others may have heard the name Andrea Labonair, and most of you know me as Hayley Marshal Kenner, Alpha, and Quenn of the Crescent Wolves. I am a wolf, but I am also a hybrid, and I am connected to the Mikaelson family. Hollis and most of the members of this pack know how deep my loyalty to wolves is. "
As Hayley spoke, whispers began to spread throughout the group, some in disbelief and others in awe. "Believe me when I say that, as Alpha and Queen, my priority is my pack. Some of your alphas had pledged loyalty to me and my late husband," she continued. "That makes me your alpha as well, but that is not what I will force upon you. I am asking you to let me help you; now is the time to focus on the things that unite us and work together with all of you for the greater good of our kind." The group fell silent, absorbing Hayley's words and feeling a sense of unity and respect towards their new leader.
"Kingmaker Labs used wolves and vampires to create a cure for our bite, and it was successful. I have seen it work, but there is more to those experiments. They develop a weapon, some kind of venom that can not be healed by the cure."
"So you are saying that hundreds of wolves ended up dead and some packs were driven to extinction, all to create a weapon that could potentially wipe out vampires? That is something that our venom was already capable of." One of the guys in the group spoke up. It doesn't make sense!"
"No, it doesn't!" Hayley agreed, "I believe that the target is not ordinary vampires; the target of this Venom mix is the original family. The person who owns Kingmaker land is an enemy of the Mikaelsons. The wolves were merely pawns in this larger game of power and revenge," Hayley continued, her voice tinged with anger. "If that mix indeed can end an original, it makes sense for Lucien Castel to be hellbound on eliminating the bloodlines that possess the venom used to create it in the first place."
"And how is this knowledge helping us?" some raised voices asked in confusion. "It sounds like you are here, not as an alpha of the wolves but as a Mikaelson," others said. "We know what happened to your pack; we know how your husband died," other voices added angrily.
"This is not our war, Hayley; this is not our fight," a woman said.
"But it is our war, and it is our fight," Hayley responded firmly. "You believe that Lucien will let you live because this is not your war? Yeah, sure, some of you will survive, but most of you won't!" she declared, her eyes filled with determination.
"I am not asking you to join forces with the Mikaelsons," she continued, "but I am asking you to stand with me and fight for our freedom." The crowd fell silent, contemplating Hayley's words.
"Hayley is right." Finally, Hollis, a tall, middle-aged black man with a hulking build said. "We need to protect ourselves and find a way to stop Lucien before he succeeds in his deadly mission."
"And I think I know a way to do it without putting any more lives in danger," a pretty woman who looked in her late 20s said. She had shoulder-length, curly black hair, round brown eyes, and plump lips.
The crowd turned to look at her, curiosity sparking in their eyes.
"I am Keelin Williams," she explained, "and I know that means nothing to any of you, but my grandmother's maiden name is Malraux."
More whispers spread through the crowd as they recognized the significance of the name. Keelin continued, "As it happened to many of you, lots of wolves from my bloodline were murdered a few weeks ago; between them was my father, and since then, I have tracked the work of those hunters across the country."
The woman walked through the group and made her way to the front, her eyes scanning the faces before her and focusing on Hayley. "If what you are saying is true and in a way makes sense, then I may be able to help you; you see, I am a doctor. I never asked for this life, and speed healing made my friends and colleagues freak. Being a medical anomaly sucked. So I accessed a Path Lab. I used my tissue sample to analyze the chemotaxis of my body's enzymes… And when exposed to the right chemicals, even a monster is still a biological organism; it can be weakened or strengthened. I can do the same for you. Analyze the venom, find out a way to neutralize its effects, and potentially even create an antidote. If you reassure me that you will keep the rest of the wolves out of this conflict."
"We need to make sure that the poachers are neutralized, and then we can clock the survivors so Lucien can't track them; I know a powerful witch to help with that," Hayley offered. "Once the threat to wolves and the Mikaelsons is over, the Originals will make sure that Lucien Castle is as good as dead."
"That works for me," the black woman said, giving an affirmative smile. "I would need whatever you have found on those facilities, samples of venom, and a lad to work."
"I'll get started on gathering everything we need for the plan," Hayley replied, happy to take action.
Mary greeted Hayley when she arrived back at the safe house. Jackson's grandmother never liked the Mikaelson's or her connection to them, but she knew her grandson loved Hayley and he loved her little girl.
That was the reason she rushed down to Kentaki when Hayley called and asked for help. She mostly stayed at the safe house, babysitting Hope, but also helped Kayla McInnis, a girl Hayley used to babysit. Kayla was all alone as Lucien's hunters killed her family, and in addition to that, she accidentally triggered her werewolf gene.
"You looked troubled," Mary observed as she handed Hayley a cup of tea. "Is there anything you want to talk about?"
Hayley took a deep breath, her eyes filled with tears. "Mary, I'm at a loss. So many of our kind were slaughtered, just because some lunatic had some kind of grudge against the Mikaelsons. And what if he can kill them with that venom he made, and what if Hope is his next target? How can I protect them all?"
"You owe nothing to those people," Mary pointed out, her disgust evident in her voice. "They had more than the fair share of lifetimes."
"They are Hope's family, Mary; they are my family, and I won't stand by and watch them get hurt," Hayley said firmly.
She shook her head disapprovingly. "I hope you know what you're doing," she sighed. "Several wolves have died already, not to mention cases like Kayla's. She found herself without a family, with her pack hunted down. I understand what binds you to these vampires, but I would not be in good conscience if I did not warn you that it might be better for your little girl to grow up without a family than to grow up in that particular family."
"Even if you are right, Mary, Hope is not just Klaus's daughter; she is a firstborn Mikaelson witch. She possesses a power I do not understand, and I can not help her with that. She needs her family. " Hayley reasoned.
The elder woman placed a hand on Hayley's shoulder, her expression softening. "I understand your concern, but you must also consider the dangers that come with being a Mikaelson," Mary replied, and she stepped out of the kitchen.
Once she was sure that the older woman was out of earshot, Hayley let out a sigh of frustration. She pulled out her phone. Calling Elijah was something that made the fearless hybrid terrified. She had pushed him away so many times, and she had hurt him so many times, but he never gave up on her.
Meanwhile, in New Orleans,
Josh, having adopted the persona of a much older and more confident vampire, just entered Suite 1, at 318 Toulouse Street. He had a mission to fulfil, one that required him to put on a facade of strength and authority.
The two-story luxury apartment was underestimated in size. But outside the size, it was sparsely furnished, aside from a few basic pieces.
Josh's eyes travelled over several male vampires who were scattered through the open space and close to the staircase as Sofya, the female vampire who had arranged the auction, descended.
The blond woman gave Josh a questioning look. "Congratulations, Mr...?"
"Aldous. Aldous Charlamagne. It's a pleasure to meet you!" Josh extended his hand for a handshake, but Sofya's comic expression made it clear that he had been discovered. And without any warning, one of the vampires seized him by the arm and delivered a powerful blow to his face, causing him to stumble into the arms of another vampire.
Josh tried to fight back, launching a series of kicks and punches, but Sofya joined the fray, delivering a brutal kick to Josh's face that left him with a bloody nose and lip.
"You fight better than expected, Mr. Rozsa, but this farce is pointless, don't you think?" The woman advised with a smirk. "Please inform Marcel Gerard that he cannot prevent the inevitable. I answer to someone who seeks retribution for the Mikaelsons' transgressions... And retribution they shall receive." She looked down and observed a smear of blood on her chest, which she wiped away in annoyance before addressing her minions. "In the meantime? Make it hurt."
She moved out of the way, allowing two of the vampires to relentlessly assault Josh.
Josh, severely wounded, expelled a mouthful of blood onto the immaculate white carpet before looking up at his attackers with a bloody smile and asking "Don't you guys know bullies never win?" and before the men could respond, they both fell dead to the floor. Marcel was standing behind them, holding the hearts he had just ripped from their chests.
"Now, that was not necessary, Mr. Gerald," the woman's voice stated from the hallway.
"You know my name; it is only fair to know yours." Marcel checked out the female vampire with an appreciative look.
"You can call me Sofya. And as I already stressed out to Joshy here, my employer wishes to sell the bullet to someone willing to take Mikaelson's down. You are not that person…"
"Says who?" Marcels asks casually, "I am no longer bound to Klaus since my little witch friend broke the sirebond. I have managed to outsmart Elijah, and now the oldest vampire organization answers to me, and truth be told, I do love being the King in my city." Marcel smirked, the need for power and control pulsing through his veins.
Sofya raises an eyebrow. "Oh, please, Mr. Gerard. You were raised by Klaus; you are practically his adopted son; and you are in love with Rebecca Mikaelson. Whenever the need presented itself, you always lined up with the original family."
"As I said, things change, and one of Klaus's lessons was 'keep your friends close and your enemies closer.'" Marcel casually replayed as he took a seat in one of the armchairs. 'It was that with Klaus, or even better, keep them dead!" Marcel explains, displaying a white-toothed smile towards Sofya.
Sofya smirked; perhaps Marcel's loyalty was questionable after all.
Marcel leaned back, crossing his legs. "But we can play this the hard way; I can have the entire army of the Strix Storm in here in a blink of an eye. It is up to you. Either way, I will walk out with the white oak, and you can be either dead or have the Strix pledge to owe your boss a favour." He reasoned
Sofya's smirk grew into a knowing smile as she watched Marcel carefully. "I don't get paid enough to die. Mr. Gerard, you have yourself a deal. Just know that the guy I work for will come after you in case you side with the Mikaelsons."
"Does that boss of yours have a name?" Marcel inquired, his tone calm but curious. But Sofya just flashed a "you are joking!" look, and Marcel simply shrugged. "All right, then. I'll make sure to keep that in mind," he said as he extended his hand for a shake, sealing the deal between them.
####
Davina had been looking around Kols's room and saw a book on the shelf that caught her eye. She picked it up and began flipping through the pages, intrigued by what she found. Kol's entire bookcase contained volumes on every known and unknown type of magic.
As it seemed, his statement that he spent most of his immortality collecting dark objects and rare scripts was not an exaggeration at all.
The young Mikaelson rode into the room, obviously irritated. "Elijah is just going to go for it! Let Finn steal a body and start a new life!" he exclaimed, throwing his hands up in frustration. The young witch approached him and placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "You need to calm down." "Rushing into things won't help anyone," she said softly, trying to ease his worries.
"You know, I've never been in a guy's bedroom before." The sudden change in subject startled the young Mikaelson, who looked at her. "Are you even listening to me?" Kol asked, raising an eyebrow.
But the young brunette just smiled mischievously and leaned in closer, whispering, "I am, but raging about Finn when you're stuck in here and can't do anything about it isn't going to help. What you need is something to take your mind off it..." She suggested as she leaned forward to kiss him.
Kol's heart skipped a beat as he realized her intentions.
He hesitated for a moment. "It won't work," he said before leaning in to meet her lips.
Davina pulled away and gave him a seductive look. "Is that a challenge?" She whispered as her lips traveled down his neck. "You know, I was told that teenage girls can be really horny." Kol's breath caught in his throat as he felt her warm breath against his skin. He could feel the desire building within him. Her hands traced down his chest, sending shivers down his spine. "I suppose we must do something to assist those horny girls, don't we?" he replied while his experienced hands began to unbutton her blue dress.
His mouth latched onto hers, drinking in her kisses thirstily. His lips moved up and down her neck as his tongue traced wet paths from her earlobe to her collarbone. Her smell was divine and alluring. He could feel the blood rushing warmly into her veins. His lips focused on her neck. Licking and biting lightly around the esophagitis vein. And then, without being able to control or stop it, he felt his fangs grow. His thirst was uncontrollable. It wasn't a thirst for blood in general but for her blood, and it was so compelling that it clouded his mind. He could feel the desire—the need not to taste her but to devour her until her essence was completely consumed by him. The primal urge to kill her overwhelmed him, leaving him powerless to resist. He knew he had to fight against his instincts, but the pull of her intoxicating scent was too strong.
Davina, unaware of what was happening, closed her eyes in pleasure, soft moans escaping her lips as she leaned into his touch. Kol struggled to control the monster within him. but the blood vessels around his veins started to darken; he had become so overwhelmed with desire and bloodlust that he was about to sink his fangs into her neck. His fangs were biting and scraping the soft skin around the vein, and she was moaning in ecstasy, completely under his spell. He felt her pulse quicken beneath his touch. Kol managed to stop only when he opened his eyes and saw his vampire face in the mirror in front of them.
The sight of his monstrous reflection snapped him back to reality, causing him to release her and take a step back in horror. Davina looked confused and hurt when she opened her eyes.
" Why did you stop?" she asked. Kol struggled to find the right words to explain his sudden change of heart. He was not ready to explain that he had almost lost control of his vampire instincts, and he didn't want to scare her away. Instead, he simply said, " I told you it wouldn't work."
Kol's heart ached at the hurt he saw in those big brown eyes.
"Fine," she said. "Let's talk." Kol took a deep breath, relieved that Davina was willing to discuss. "I just want Finn to suffer for what he did to me. For what he did to us." It wasn't the truth, but it wasn't a lie either.
"He will!" the witch replied with determination. "I promise you," she added, hoping to ease his pain.
"You deserve so much better than me," he whispered, his heart heavy with guilt. "Nevertheless, you have me," Davina reassured him, squeezing his hand gently.
###
Cami had one of those smiles that could light up a room, her eyes sparkling with warmth and kindness. "It seems that you have a way to make me feel better," Elijah said, grateful for her presence.
"I'm just glad I can help," she replied, her smile never faltering.
She walked into the Mikaelson compound earlier that day, carrying with her an old box of trivial pursuits. "I thought we could use a distraction," she explained, her eyes glinting mischievously as she stepped into Elijah's study.
"Now I got you," Cami said, looking at the card in her hand and a competitive smirk on her face. "Let's see if you can keep up with modern times. Disney's animated movie Frozen is based on what fairytale?" Elijah chuckled, taking the card from her hand. "The Snow Queen by Hans Christian Andersen," he answered confidently, making Cami pout in defeat. "How do you do that?" she asked with a playful glint in her eyes as she prepared for the next question.
"Which team won the first-ever Super Bowl?" She challenged him, but she was interrupted by the ringtone of his phone.
He quickly glanced at the screen and saw that Hayley was calling. "Sorry, I have to take this," he said apologetically as he stepped away to answer the call.
The surprised look and the concern painted on his face didn't escape Cami as she watched him walk away. She couldn't help but wonder what could be so urgent; she was aware that Marcel was trying to get his hand on the white oak bullet.
With her new powers, she could easily eavesdrop on the phone call. But she was not willing to repeat old mistakes. Instead, she decided to respect her friend's privacy and focus on finding the one perfect question Elijah Mikaelson would not be able to answer.
Elijah was listening intently to Hayley on the other end of the line as the wolf queen explained the situation with the venom of the Seven Packs and Keelin's request for access to a lad.
"And when shall we expect you and my niece to return?" Elijah's voice was calm and collected, but there was a hint of concern as he awaited Hayley's response. Hayley hesitated for a moment before finally replying, "We'll be back as soon as you can find me that path lab. In the meantime, I need to tie up a few loose ends."
"We are about to obtain the last white oak bullet," Elijah informed Hayley. "Once we have it, I believe it would be safe for you and Hope to return."
Elijah always spoke, as her safety was equally important to him as Hope's, and in a way, she knew it was. For Elijah, she was not the mother of his niece; she was the love of his life. The one tormenting his soul.
"Elijah…" Her voice trailed off as she struggled to find the right words to express her feelings. "Thank you," she finally managed to say.
Elijah's expression softened, even if she was miles away and could not see him. The depth of his emotions for her was evident in his eyes. "You don't need to thank me, Hayley," he replied softly. "Keeping you safe is all that matters to me. Kiss my niece would you?"
"I will," Hayley promised, and the line went silent as they both hung up, each lost in thoughts of longing and desire for the other.
When Elijah returned to the study, Cami had cracked open a bottle of wine and poured two glasses, a knowing smile on her face as she handed one to him. "You were talking to Hayley, weren't you?" she asked. Elijah simply nodded, unable to hide the love and longing in his eyes.
"She and Hope are coming back."
"And Klaus?" The blond woman couldn't restrain the words from escaping her lips. Elijah's expression was instantly amused at the red colour that crept up Cami's cheeks.
"Oh, shut up!" Camille laughed, taking a sip of her wine. Elijah chuckled at her reaction. "So I am to assume that we're going to war?" She casually asked to add, "Good thinking that I started reading the art of war."
"The art of war!?" Elijah exclaimed with meaning. "I cannot fathom what ignited that decision," his eyes fixated upon her.
"Enough deflecting for both of us," Cami declared with a smirk. "Will you tell me what is happening? Maybe I can help."
"Klaus would not want you involved in any of this," Elijah warned. Cami raised an eyebrow. "Well, Klaus isn't here, is he? He doesn't get to decide what I do," she stated firmly. "I'm in this whether he likes it or not."
Elijah sighed, knowing there was no changing her mind once she had made it up.
"Let me speed you up then." Elijah proceeded to fill Cami in on the situation at hand.
Camille and Elijah were in each other's company, and Kol had taken a distance from Davina to avoid temptation. The little witch sneaked into Klaus's library, where the hybrid kept Esther's grimoires.
She had a plan, and she needed the right spell. She was flipping the pages furiously, searching for the incantation, and when she found it, she smiled with satisfaction. "All right, Finn... Let's see how you like a taste of your own medicine." She thought as she began memorizing the words.
Meanwhile, Kol walked into Elijah's study; he had a bottle of Bourbon in hand, and he was visibly overwhelmed. He said nothing and just walked to the open door and stared out into the crowded streets, drinking from a bottle of Bourbon.
The older Mikaelson and Cami both shifted their focus to Kol, who was drunken and filled with rage.
"Whatever it is you're planning, don't!" Elijah offered.
The young Mikaelson, in a fit of rage, threw the bottle against the wall, and the sound of shattering glass echoed through the room. Cami watched in concern as Kol's eyes flashed with a dangerous intensity, knowing that trouble was brewing.
"He cursed me to die, Elijah. Slowly. In front of her." Kol stares at his brother with despair.
"You don't have the right to let him live happily ever after."
"I would not let you or Finn divide this family, especially now that we are all exposed and enemies are lurking around every corner," Elijah responded firmly.
"He needs to pay for what he did to me," Kol shouted angrily, his fists thrusting into the glass door.
"Control yourself!" Elijah ordered.
Cami, who had been silently observing, could see the pain and anger in Kol's eyes as he spoke, but there was something else there as well. A look that she saw so many times in Kieran's eyes the last month after the witches hexed him.
Davina was walking down the hallway next to the courtyard when Finn came out of the dining room from the other side of the hall. Unable to control his dislike for his brother's lover, Finn shot Davina a cold glare: " If you're looking for Kol, just follow the screams of the innocent. You'll find him close by." The words came from his lips like poison.
The young witch looked at him, and a wry smile crossed her lips.
"Actually, I was looking for you." She cocked her head to the side, a mischievous glint in her eyes.
She was another woman who was caught in his brother's sick charm. Finn had seen the same play so many times that it no longer held any interest for him. He looked at her almost pityingly and said patronisingly. " Poor, naive child. You don't know it yet, but you're on the wrong side. Did my brother ever tell you about the novice Dulcina? You remind me of her. Innocent girl, beautiful voice... She promised herself to God until Kol caught sight of her and found her pretty. Within days, she'd broken her vows of obedience and chastity. Within a week, she was dead. He'd grown bored."
Finn's harsh words surprised the young witch. "I don't believe you," she said defiantly, her voice trembling slightly. Finn just shook his head and said, "I think you do."
Finn's revelations shook the girl, but she maintained her position: "It doesn't matter. Kol's changed. But you're still the monster you've always been." she said, and her hands thrust out using her magic to bring him to his knees.
Finn stared up at her in shock, and then he screamed in agony as Davina started casting the spell she stole from Esther's grimoire.
Before the spell was completed, Elijah, Cami, and Kol were vampspeed there, trying to assert what was happening. Camille grabbed Davina and pulled her away from Finn, while Elijah removed Finn from the hallway and into Freya's room.
"Davina, what the hell?" Cami asked, trying to understand what had just transpired.
"Cami, please move away or I will be forced…" Davina trailed off, looking at her friend with anger.
"You would be forced to do what? Use your magic against me. Hurt me? What Davina?" The blond vampire challenged.
Kol, who had been caught off guard, moved forward and put a hand on Davina's shoulder. "Let's all calm down, shall we?" he suggested, trying to diffuse the tension in the room. Davina took a deep breath, her anger subsiding slightly as she looked at Cami.
"He is going to take the body of another witch; you of all people, Cami, should be thanking me for trying to prevent him from doing so."
"What was the spell you were chanting?" Kol asked.
"I was trying to lock him forever in his original body. It was something I found in your mother's grimoire," Davina explained.
"You did what?" Elijah asked as he turned to the spot, 'Did you complete the spell?"
Freya, who just walked into the room, sent a pain wave through Davina's body. "No, she was stopped just in time," she stated, as the young witch screamed in agony.
Kol was about to attack his older sister, but Elijah's hand pinned him onto the wall.
"Let her go!" Kol demanded, his eyes flashing with anger.
"This is not the first time you went against my family." Freya declared, "No one hurts my family and gets to live." Davina gasped for air as Freya tightened her grip, but Elijah intervened. "That is enough, sister; release the girl." Freya reluctantly freed Davina from her magical grip.
The young witch was about to attack, but Cami held her back. "There is no need for further violence," she tried to reason with the young girl.
The Mikaelson witch was more powerful than Davina Clare, and she was in sync with her anger, ready to tap into that emotion and give the girl hell. But she saw the look on Elijah's face; this clash had to end before things escalated further. Freya took a deep breath, trying to calm herself down. "Just know when you are beaten," she said, irritated, looking at Davina.
But the young witch was determined to act. Camille tightened her grip on her friend's arms, pleading for her to listen.
"Cami, I love you, but the people you are defending are monsters," Davina explained. "They have caused so much death and suffering… Perhaps falling for Klaus made you a monster too." She challenged.
Cami's heart sank at Davina's words. She was trying to keep it together as she was struggling with anger issues of her own, but Davina's words made something in her snap.
"Who do you think you are to pass judgement on others when you have caused just as much pain yourself?" Cami questioned, her voice trembling with emotion.
Davina's eyes widened in surprise at Cami's unexpected outburst.
"You, Davina, have blood on your hands just as much as the Mikaelsons have; do you remember Kara Nguyen and the eleven witches of the ninth ward Coven you ordered to be killed?" Davina's face paled at the mention of the incident.
"What about all the witches that Marcel killed for 'breaking the rules' when he used you to control the covens? Or when you brought Mikael back from the other side? Do you remember putting my life in danger? Mikael almost killed me, and it was Klaus who almost died to protect me." Cami paused, her voice filled with accusation and hurt. "It was you who signed with the coven of the Strix to help them break Elijah's and Klaus's sire lines. You helped Aurora's witch locate me and the white oak. I almost died that night during the attack."
Davina's face contorted in guilt, but Camille had more to say: "Do I need to remind you that your obsession to break Klaus's sire line cost Jackson his life? Hayley was forced to see her husband murdered in front of her eyes; she almost lost her life too. And what about the danger we all face now? Is the result of breaking Klaus's sire line. Hundreds of old vampires are coming to take down this family, killing innocents while they remain in our city."
Camille took a deep breath to calm her voice and concluded "As for your claim that I became a monster because I'm in love with one, I don't see how Kol is better than Klaus; as despicable as his actions may have been, they were the result of trauma, of hurt, of attempts to protect his family and keep them all safe. All Kol has ever done was murder for the fun of it, out of pure malice and enjoyment. Therefore, I apologize if I am unable to discern how your affection for him elevates you to a higher status than I."
Cami's eyes were filled with anger as she stared at her accuser.
"I care for you deeply, Davina, but I will not stand by and let you judge me based on who I love, just to justify your need to act on impulse and resort to violence. Perhaps you are the one who needs to reevaluate your morals."
Camille advised and turned away from the young girl, refusing to engage any further in the argument.
"Kol, I think it is better if Miss Clare returns to her home," Elijah instructed calmly. "It is that, or you make sure she will not step out of line and act against our family's interests again."
"Fine." Kol angrily grabbed with rage Davina's hand. The young witch turned to face him in shock at his unexpected display of violence towards her. But he ignored her, yelling at Elijah. "I'd rather take my chances out there with the white oak than stay here with you lot."
The blonde woman couldn't help but notice the startled look in the witch's eyes, so she addressed the young girl again; this time all the anger and frustration in her voice had been defused. "Davina, I don't take back what I said, but I did act out of anger; for that, I'm sorry! Just a piece of advice regarding Kol; if you want, you can keep it…"
Davina halted, caught off guard by Cami's sudden change in tone.
"I've seen that look before," Cami stated, pointing to Kol's eyes. "I saw it in my uncle... after he was hexed."
"Kol's not hexed! I'd be able to tell." The young witch assured her, but she couldn't help but glance at Kol.
"Would you?" Cami questioned, offering a sympathetic look at the girl.