( 10th century — kingdom of norway )

A twig snapped under the pressure of a bare foot as a young blonde girl sprinted through the woods. It was raining, not very hard, but enough for her surroundings to be wet and the dirt to become mud. The blonde leaped over a log, the bark digging into her palm and cutting the skin. Blood leaked but she paid it no mind. She was panting but was trying to regulate her breathing so she could keep going.

The blonde turned her head to look over her shoulder and crashed into a body. She yelped as she was pinned to the ground. A weight settled on her stomach while her hands were held against the mud.

She looked up at the person above her with a scowl. They were smirking down at her, eyes glinting in amusement. "Pinned ya," the young girl above the blonde stated smugly.

The blonde thrusts her hips up, flipping them over and shoving the redhead against the ground. "No, I pinned you," Esther whispered with a grin before she leaned back and sat on her friend's stomach.

Alix pushed herself up onto her elbows, frowning. "You got lucky," she argued and Esther rolled her eyes, flicking the wolf's nose. Alix scrunched it up, pouting.

"You can not lose," Esther huffed with a shake of her head.

"I don't lose," Alix smirked.

"Apparently you do when it comes to me," Esther smirked back, poking her best friend in the chest. Alix rolled her eyes and didn't answer. Maybe she didn't try as hard with Esther then she did with everybody else because she felt like she could be Alix. Not the future Alpha of the Original Pack. Not somebody with the world on their shoulders. Just Alix. But Esther didn't need to know that.

"If you two fífls are done?" A voice from a couple of paces away asked. They both quickly looked over as Esther shot up. Dahlia, Esther's older sister, was leaning against a tree, watching them with a judgemental look. Dahlia was 20 years old and hated Alix.

"Go away, Dahlia," Alix rolled her eyes, annoyed that the girl was interrupting her time with Esther. She got up and wiped off the mud that had gotten on her pants and shirt.

"Mother wants Esther back," Dahlia said with a sneer at Alix before turning to her younger sister, "the Mikaelsons are here." A subtle smirk was found on her lips and it made Alix uncomfortable.

Alix frowned in confusion, her brows furrowed. She didn't know who these Mikaelsons were. Esther's eyes lit up a bit before she turned to her friend. "I have to go. I will see you later, Alix," the blonde said quickly, pressing a kiss to the redhead's cheek before rushing after her already-walking sister.

Alix tilted her head, wondering why these people got that reaction out of her friend. 

( 𝖈𝖆𝖘𝖙𝖎𝖑𝖑𝖔 )

Alix got home and instantly knew something was wrong. The door was slightly open and she could hear her father talking with a slightly panicked voice. She crept toward the door, sliding into the house and taking in the scene in front of her.

A hunter. He stood a bit away from her father, wearing a wolf hide around his shoulders with knives, small axes, and other instruments around his waist and in different places on his armor. Her father was inching closer to his weapon, an axe, stuffed in the corner. Her mother's sword usually accompanies it, but she must be out today.

The hunter was holding a sword loosely in his hand, smirking at her father. "Wouldn't it be so sad if the husband of the bitch was found murdered? My, my, they would be furious," he said darkly.

Elric raised his head, not showing any signs of fright. He stood tall and unwavering like a King should be. Alix's heart stuttered at the thought of her father taking his final breath. No, that would not happen.

She exhaled silently and slinked into the shadows.

"My wife is not a bitch. And, if I were to die, you are right. They would be furious. You would not survive her wrath. She is one of the greatest Alphas to ever take over this pack," Elric said, narrowing his eyes at the hunter.

Then the two clashed. They fought heavily, throwing punch after punch and kicking after kick. The hunter tried to slash Elric with the sword but the man was faster, twisting the sword out of the hunter's hand and into a corner. Elric was faster, but the hunter was stronger.

The hunter got his hands around Elric's neck, holding the man in the air. He smirked bloodily, wickedly up at the Alpha's mate. "That was fun," he murmured, "you would've made a fantastic hunter had you not chosen—" the man coughed up blood, dropping Elric to the floor. The hunter looked down at the end of his own blade sticking out of his chest, right where his heart was.

Then he collapsed to the ground.

Alix was revealed, staring at her father and breathing heavily. Elric coughed a couple of times, trying to wheeze out his daughter's name. They both knew what this meant. They both knew what was coming.

Alix's eyes began to glow gold as a painful pull came from behind her naval. She shook as she cried out, falling to her knees. Elric reached for her...

( 𝖈𝖆𝖘𝖙𝖎𝖑𝖑𝖔 )

"Erika, I understand that Esther seems to like Mikael, but he's almost Dahlia's age. She's fourteen," Regina said to her friend. They were standing a bit away from where Cyprian, Honora Mikaelson, Bertram Mikaelson, Mikael, and Esther were standing.

The Mikaelson's had come from further North. They were one of the wealthier families. Bertram was an old friend of Cyprian's and he had introduced Mikael and Esther to one another. Now, they were talking about Mikael taking Esther's hand in marriage.

"Regina," Erika sighed, giving her friend a look, "I understand that. But they are infatuated with each other. And the Mikaelson's are wealthy—"

"Then have Dahlia marry him," Regina hissed, glaring at the blonde in front of her, "or better yet, neither of them. Wouldn't you want your daughters to marry for love rather than for money?"

Erika glared back, "we were going to force Alix and Esther to be married. Which may I remind you, is not traditional in the slightest—"

"They love each other," Regina argued, shaking her head, "they may not realize it yet, but they love each other the way you love Cyrpian and the way I love Elric. But they will. They love each other, and they will protect one another—"

"All you want is for your stupid pack to have my girl's magic on your side. With that you'll be the most feared and powerful pack to exist," Erika spat, "all you think about is power."

Regina growled, her eyes slowly turning yellow. She took a deep breath and recentered herself. Esther watched from a distance at the two furious women, concerned and confused.

"You can believe what you want of me," Regina muttered darkly to her friend, "but my daughter loves yours. If Esther asked her to die for her, she would. Without a second thought. Do not underestimate my daughter." She glared at the blonde. Erika glared back.

"REGINA!" Everyone turned toward the panicked yell. Regina watched as her husband came running toward her with their daughter in his arms. Alix was shivering violently and Regina watched as her leg snapped, rearranged, and then snapped again.

Regina sprinted toward the two people she loved most, knowing exactly what was happening. Regina gently took her daughter into her arms, gave her husband a 'she will be alright' look, and then took off into the forest.

Esther tried to run after them, but Elric grabbed hold of her. "No! Elric, get off!" Esther yelled, thrashing in his grip, her breathing panicked and her heart beating loudly in her chest. "LET ME GO!" Elric wrapped his arms around her, tugging her close and lowering them to the ground.

"She'll be okay, she'll be okay," Elric whispered into Esther's ear over and over again as the blonde sobbed. Cyprian and Erika quickly were beside the two, trying to calm their daughter and figure out what happened. All three of the Hagens knew what was happening to Alix and they were all scared. 

( 𝖈𝖆𝖘𝖙𝖎𝖑𝖑𝖔 )

It was nightfall when Regina left her daughter to get her some water. Alix had yet to transform despite having begun her transformation hours ago. Regina had been trying to coach her through it, but Alix hadn't been able to focus long enough, to just let the pain take her. She was far too tense and reluctant.

Alix shook, crying out once more as her spine shifted and rearranged before going back to normal. Tears continued to soak the ground beneath her, her breaths tired and exhausted.

Suddenly, a familiar scent reached her nose just as a cold hand touched her cheek. "Alix," Esther murmured in horror at her friend's state. Regina had explained to them the process and Esther knew that the pain only worsened the longer the wolf refused to shift. "Alix, my love," Esther combed her fingers through the redhead's sweaty hair.

"Mm, Esther, no," Alix tried to shove at her friend's leg, but her hand fell limp from exhaustion, "dangerous."

"I don't care," Esther said, sliding in behind her best friend and wrapping her arms around her tightly. Their hands locked together, fingers tangling. Esther pressed a kiss to the redhead's shoulder, uncaring the sweat clinging to her naked skin. Alix whimpered in pain, relaxing into her friend's body heat. "I'm right here. It's okay. Just let yourself feel the pain. Let go, my love."

And Alix did just that. Esther closed her eyes, tears slowly tracking down her face at the noises of her friend's bones breaking and rearranging, of her cries. And then suddenly, Esther didn't feel skin and something was tickling her nose.

She slowly opened her eyes, pulling back slightly when she caught sight of red fur. Her eyes flicked up, meeting golden orbs that were staring back at her. Esther's breath caught in her throat.

The wolf growled softly, leaning forward and licking the blonde's cheek. Esther laughed and hugged the wolf again. The wolf yipped, nipping at the girl's ear playfully.

"Oh, my Gods... you are beautiful," Esther murmured, pulling back and sitting back on her knees. She ran her fingers through her friend's fur coat, grinning when Alix's tail began to wag faster. The wolf bounced on its feet, nuzzling into her cheek with its wet nose.

A twig snapped to their right and the wolf whipped around, snarling. Esther jumped, her hand instinctively raising with a defense spell on her tongue. They both paused when another wolf, bigger than Alix, came out of the woods and into the meadow. Alix whined, shaking out her coat and then wrapping around Esther.

The bigger wolf snapped its jaws playfully at Alix's tail before huffing. The wolf's golden eyes fixed Esther with a hard stare and the blonde instantly knew who it was.

"Sorry, 'Gina," Esther muttered, looking down. The wolf huffed again and nudged her cheek gently. Esther grinned and looked back up, running her fingers through Alix's fur once more. "You should go run. I'll wait right here," Esther said to the red wolf. Alix whined, nuzzling into the blonde and landing on the girl's lap with a huff. "Oof! Hey! You're too big for this," Esther laughed.

Regina pulled at Alix's ear, growling softly. Alix just gave her mother a blank stare. Regina grabbed her daughter's scruff and pulled her up much to the red wolf's protests. Esther grinned and settled down into the meadow, pulling her coat tighter around her. Alix looked back at her, ignoring her mother's nudging.

"I'm fine, Alix. Go," Esther said sternly. Alix huffed and then heeded her mother's urging. The two wolves were quickly darting around, playing and practicing. Esther smiled as she watched and merely waited for them to come back.

Then, the two wolves were in front of her, Alix curling around her while Regina settled in front of them. Esther sighed and sunk into the warmth around her, falling asleep to the soft sound of Alix's rumbling. 

AN: ooo mikaels here

wc: 2058