The Mikaelson courtyard, once a sanctuary of elegance and power, now lay soaked in blood. The bodies of Hayley's wolves were strewn across the cobblestones, their lifeless forms a testament to the carnage Alexis had unleashed. The air was thick with the metallic tang of death, and the sharp cries of the survivors echoed across the compound.
Hayley stood frozen for a moment, her hybrid senses heightened, as the stench of blood filled her nostrils. Her heart pounded, not just with grief but with a rage that burned so hot it felt like it would consume her. Her pack—her family—had been slaughtered in a place that was supposed to be their safe heaven.
Freya stood on the balcony, her face pale, her hands clutching the railing as if trying to steady herself against the horror. Beside her, Rebecca as " Eva " stood stunned, one hand instinctively resting on her swollen belly. Both witches were appalled at the brutality they were witnessing.
"What the hell happened here?" Freya whispered, though her voice carried a tremor of fear and fury.
Before anyone could answer, Hayley's growl echoed through the courtyard. Her emerald eyes glowed with a furious light as she spotted Alexis, standing in the middle of the carnage, his expression calm, almost smug. Blood streaked his hands, and his cold, calculating eyes flicked up to meet hers.
"You did this," Hayley snarled, her voice low and guttural. Her hybrid fangs extended as she stalked forward, her rage taking over. "You murdered them. My family."
Alexis smirked. "Your family? They were nothing more than a disloyal army of so call wanabe wolves. I did you a favor, little hybrid. Now you know how weak they truly were."
That was it. Hayley launched herself at him with a roar, her claws outstretched. The sheer force of her hybrid strength sent them both crashing into the foyer of the Mikaelson mansion. Alexis struggled beneath her as she sank her fangs into his neck, injecting her venom into his bloodstream.
Alexis let out a guttural scream, thrashing violently as Hayley pinned him down. Blood spilled from the wound, but this time, something was different. His body began to convulse, and his skin darkened as if some sickness had taken hold.
Freya and Eva rushed into the foyer, their eyes wide with shock.
"Hayley, stop!" Freya called out, but it was too late. Alexis's condition had already taken a turn.
Nemeria burst into the room, her normally composed demeanor crumbling as she saw her brother writhing on the floor. "Alexis!" she cried, dropping to her knees beside him.
Hayley stepped back, her chest heaving, her hybrid features still prominent. "He deserves it," she spat, her voice thick with fury. "He deserves worse."
Nemeria glared up at Hayley, her eyes glowing with rage. "You don't understand what you've done."
"He killed members of my pack," Hayley snarled, advancing on Nemeria. "And now he's paying for it."
Alexis coughed, blood trickling from his mouth. His skin was ashen, and the sickness seemed to spread faster with each passing second.
"Klaus!" Nemeria screamed, desperation breaking through her rage. "Klaus, help me!"
Klaus appeared in the doorway, his face impassive as he took in the scene. His sharp gaze moved from the bodies in the courtyard to Alexis's crumpled form and finally to Nemeria's pleading eyes.
"Please," Nemeria begged, her voice breaking. "Save him. I'll do anything."
Klaus tilted his head, a cruel smile playing on his lips. "Anything, you say?"
"Yes," she whispered, tears streaming down her face. "Just save him."
Klaus took a step closer, his hands clasped behind his back. "Then here's my offer, love. You have a choice to make. I can save your dear brother, but it will cost you. If I give him my hybrid blood, he'll live. But," his eyes narrowed, "you must surrender Eva and her unborn child to us and so we're given full custody "
Nemeria's eyes widened in horror. "What?"
"You heard me," Klaus said, his voice cold. "The child of your Sergio's bloodline becomes a threat to my family and obviously yours given the trail of death thats follow you.
It's easy love, You want Alexis to live? Then you'll hand over Eva and the baby."
"No," Nemeria whispered, shaking her head. "I can't. He's my brother, but Eva… her child is—"
"A weakness to you," Klaus interrupted. "And you know it. Choose, Nemeria. Your brother or your ward?"
Nemeria's hands trembled as she clutched Alexis, who was now barely conscious. The weight of Klaus's ultimatum crushed her, and she let out a guttural scream. "No! I won't choose!"
Klaus's smile widened. "Then you've made your decision. Take your brother and leave."
Rage consumed Nemeria as she gathered Alexis in her arms. "You'll regret this, Niklaus, I'll be back" she hissed, her voice trembling with fury. "I'll find another way."
She stormed out of the compound, Alexis barely alive in her arms. On the way, she heard whispers of a new regent in New Orleans—a witch with unparalleled power. If anyone could help Alexis, it was her.
--
The Cemetery Meeting
The graveyard was eerily silent as Nemeria stood before Davina Claire, the new Regent of the New Orleans witches. Davina's sharp eyes assessed the twins, her power palpable in the air around her.
"Why should I help you?" Davina asked coldly. "You're murderers."
"I don't have time for your judgments," Nemeria snapped, desperation leaking into her voice. "My brother is dying. Your magic can heal him."
Davina raised an eyebrow, unimpressed. "And why would I do that?"
Before Nemeria could answer, Alexis let out a sharp gasp. His skin, which had been pale and mottled, suddenly regained its color. The wound on his neck healed right before their eyes.
"What?" Nemeria whispered, her eyes wide with shock.
Davina frowned, her magic faltering. "I didn't do that…"
Realization dawned on Nemeria's face. Eva. She had been there when Alexis was bitten, and now she wasn't. Her absence had allowed the curse to dissipate. The baby in her womb was the key.
Davina, frustrated by her own apparent failure, dismissed them with a wave of her hand. "Leave, now. And don't come back."
As Nemeria carried Alexis out of the cemetery, her mind raced. Eva's child was their weakness. The curse that had made them immune to magic was unraveling in the presence of the unborn baby.
"I'll fix this," she murmured to Alexis as they walked. "I'll find someone powerful enough to sever us from Sergio's bloodline. And when I do, nothing will stop us."