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CHAPTER 34: FESTERING GUILT

❝ you're lucky we're friends or i would've just killed you. ❞

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ENOLA HAS SENSED THE PAIN THAT HER MOTHER CARRIED. For a time, she was suspicious to some degree that she was partly to blame for that pain. Therein lies the guilt. This makes sense when considering the limited cognitive development of a child, which sees itself as the cause of all things. If she doesn't address this unconscious belief as an adult, she may still be walking around with it and greatly limiting herself as a result.

Enola learned this the hard way. She could not bear the thought of her daughter growing up with festering guilt. She would create a world where her daughter can be safe and happy and free. So she came clean with Jackson about Hope and completed the wedding trials alongside Klaus. With everything in order, all that was left for them to do was plan their special day. They had been able to get the wedding invites out before Rebekah made a surprise appearance in a body that was certainly not her own.

"That is just not my chin," Rebekah frowned, staring up at the portrait of her old body. "It was much more delicate."

"The only delicate thing about you, sister, is your ego." Klaus smirked teasingly.

"Placed beside the behemoth size of yours, certainly." Rebekah shot back.

"Oh, how I have missed you." Enola sighed. "Somebody has got to keep Nik humbled."

"You do well at that on your own," Rebekah teased.

"Could we dispense with this fascinating dispute for just a moment and return to the subject of our supposed long lost sister?" Elijah huffed through the phone they had put on speaker.

"There is not much to discuss, Elijah." Rebekah sighed dramatically. "Said she was Freya and then darted off into the night."

"And you believed her?" Elijah scoffed.

"I met the girl in a mystical loony bin. She could be anyone, telling any lie." Rebekah deadpanned. "But she did seem familiar somehow."

"And how is she still alive?" Enola wondered.

"A question as ridiculous as its possible solutions given this family's annoying predilection for cheating death," Klaus huffed.

"I don't know," Rebekah sighed. "I'm just telling you what she said."

"Well, did you happen to ask if by some similar miracle our Aunt Dahlia lives as well?" Klaus questioned.

"I barely had a chance to—" Rebekah tried.

"On the list of obvious questions, it would be nice to know if the woman who placed a curse on the firstborns of this family is still breathing air." Klaus spat.

"Well, let me turn back time and do it to your liking!" Rebekah scowled.

"Enough. Both of you." Elijah demanded. "If she is who she says, we will find out soon enough. For now, it is imperative that no one learns of Hope's existence. This has been our salvation thus far."

"Unless Jackson starts flapping his gums," Klaus scoffed, shooting Enola a dirty look. "Perhaps I should take preventative measures and separate him from his head."

"Jackson will do nothing to jeopardize our wedding," Enola spoke with certainty.

"You two are getting married," Rebekah gaped. "What in hell else did I miss?"

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Enola slowly approached Hayley and Jackson who stood on the porch of an old shack out in the bayou. She had been busy with planning out the last few details to her wedding when they had requested her presence. Even though she was technically the alpha now, it wouldn't be finalized until the wedding. Until her power was theirs. In the meantime, Hayley and Jackson would be running point. So when they said jump, she said how high?

"Do you guys have any idea why people keep leaving broomsticks in front of the compound?" Enola inquired. "Is this another New Orleans tradition or something?"

"Well, back in the day it wasn't easy getting a preacher out here." Jackson smirked. "So if you were engaged and you couldn't wait, then the community would let you jump the broom."

"Couldn't wait for what?" Enola frowned in confusion.

"You know what," Hayley grinned teasingly.

"Oh," Enola blinked at the hidden meaning behind their words. "That explains why Nik found it so amusing."

"As cute as you two are, that is not why I called you out here." Jackson claimed.

"Then why did you call me out here?" Enola quirked a curious brow.

"Just show her, Jack." Hayley said, smiling excitedly.

Jackson smiled before leading a confused Enola and a giddy Hayley into the shack. He stepped aside to reveal some sort of object hidden under a white sheet before turning to face them with a soft smile. He slowly reached out and grabbed the white sheet before pulling it back to showcase a beautifully crafted crib.

"I started this for your little girl when you lived out here before," Jackson confessed. "Figured it was time to finish it."

"Oh," Enola breathed.

"Do you like it?" Jackson inquired.

"Like it—Jackson, I love it!" Enola grinned, pulling Jackson into a bone crushing hug. "Thank you."

"No problem," Jackson smiled softly. "Oh, and there is something else." He pulled out of the hug. "I'm getting word from a few packs outside of Louisiana. They want to be here for the wedding. They want in on the Unification Ritual."

"I thought the ritual only affected the powers of the wolves in our pack?" Hayley spoke up.

"Unless they recognize Enola as their alpha," Jackson explained. "Then her power becomes their power."

"You think other alphas will step down and bow to me?" Enola blinked.

"They are coming here today to do just that. They want what you have. We all do." Jackson said. "In a couple weeks, after the wedding, you are going to have one hell of an army to protect your little girl."

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Enola and Hayley watched as Jackson played with a few kids. The alphas had arrived around noon along with any other wolf who had hopes of partaking in the unification ceremony. The bayou would become home to all of them soon enough. All that was left for them to do was relinquish their rule and attend a wedding.

"The meeting is taking place at Mary's," Hayley informed.

Enola went to respond. She snapped her mouth shut immediately. She slightly tilted her head to the side with narrowed eyes. She had been stalked and kidnapped one too many times to not know when she was so obviously being watched. She supposed the only difference between those times and this time was that the perpetrator was someone she knew. She could smell it.

"You go ahead," Enola decided. "I will meet you up there."

"Is everything okay?" Hayley frowned in confusion.

"Of course," Enola smiled reassuringly.

"If you're sure," Hayley muttered in uncertainty.

Enola watched as Hayley took off for Jackson. Only when they were out of sight did she make her move. With a little bit of enhanced speed, she was able to sneak up on her stalker swiftly and proficiently. She harshly grabbed them by the shoulder, forcing them to face her.

"Wait, wait, wait!" Marcel panicked. "I'm not here to hurt you."

"Stalking me is a very funny way of showing it," Enola scoffed. "You're lucky we're friends or I would've just killed you."

"Remember our friendship when I tell you why I'm here," Marcel said. "Finn sent me to get your blood."

"Why would Finn want my blood?" Enola frowned in confusion.

"I assume he needs it for a locator spell," Marcel shrugged. He paused as if contemplating how to go about this. "To find your daughter."

"No," Enola breathed, eyes wide. "How does he know?"

"He put two and two together," Marcel shrugged.

"Where is Finn now?" Enola demanded.

"I don't know. He said he would tell me where to meet him later." Marcel answered honestly. "Listen—I gotta give him something. He is killing one of my guys every hour until he gets it."

"Okay," Enola breathed in thought. "I have to call Nik."

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Hayley and Jackson stood in a single file line along with the six other alphas who had arrived. They were officially relinquishing their alpha rights. They were ready to create a better pack. They were ready to create a better world. They were so close to freedom that they could nearly taste it.

"Wolves are bonded by what is most important to us. The earth of our territory. The blood of our packs." Mary announced.

Enola emerged from the trees with a troubled look. She took a spot near the end of the line. She kept her head low but remained aware of the pair of eyes that followed her every move. She finally allowed her gaze to discreetly flicker towards Hayley who stared right back questioningly.

"We have a problem," Enola confessed lowly.

"What is it?" Hayley inquired, returning her gaze forward.

"Too many ears," Enola muttered. "But I need some blood."

"Do I want to know why?" Hayley wondered.

"It's a stall. I'll explain later." Enola reassured.

"Your timing is perfect," Hayley hummed.

One by one the alphas cut into the flesh on their palms before moving to stand across from Enola. They kept their eyes focused on the ground as a show of submission as they patiently waited for Mary to continue on to the next part of the ritual.

"Mixing these elements, we irrevocably bind ourselves to one another—creating a new Crescent Pack." Mary recited. "I ask each one of you, do you renounce your Alpha status?"

One by one the alphas dropped to their knees—ready to call Enola their alpha. Mary bowed respectively before slowly walking over to Enola. Her eyes fell to the thick crimson liquid in the bowl before flickering up to the werewolf elder with an awkward smile.

"Would you mind if I borrowed some of that?" Enola asked hopefully.

Mary gave Enola a questioning look. The elder still allowed her to snag a vile of blood. She tucked it into her back pocket before taking the ritualistic dagger into her own palm. She watched as it dripped into the bowl, mixing with the others before it was finally complete; Enola was officially the alpha of the Crescent Werewolves.

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Enola paced back and forth in front of Hayley and Marcel. She was waiting to hear word from Klaus or Elijah. She grew more anxious with each passing moment. She wanted—no, needed—to do something. It wasn't right to just stand here. Especially when she knew what she knew.

"Klaus said it was all just a plan to keep us distracted," Enola ranted. "Finn is going after Hope. I have to get there."

"Wait, wait, wait," Marcel immediately intercepted. "You said so yourself—it is six hours away."

"Finn has a twelve hour head start," Hayley continued. "He is already there."

"I can't just stand here and do nothing," Enola refused.

"Listen to me—there is no way Elijah is going to let anything happen to your baby girl today." Marcel reassured. "So go build the army that will keep her safe tomorrow."

"Marcel is right," Hayley nodded. "You have to trust Elijah to handle this."

Enola went to speak. She froze when the sudden sound of a fight breaking out drew her ire. She looked to her companions to see if they heard what she did. They did. The trio rushed out of the cabin and up the hill with vampire speed just in time to stop Jackson from staking one of the vampires who could not control their sudden bloodlust.

"No!" Hayley rushed forward.

"They are under Finn's control," Enola explained, taking a protective stance in front of Mary.

"We just need to keep them at bay until the spell breaks," Marcel continued.

"That is one hell of a spell," Jackson scoffed.

"Get the wolves to the cabin," Enola told Marcel. "I will hold them off."

"I will help," Hayley decided, cracking her neck.

"Try to keep my guys alive," Marcel pleaded.

"Ditto," Hayley shot back.

Enola and Hayley shared a look before jumping into the chaos head first. They fought side by side, back to back until most of their enemies laid on the ground with broken necks. They faltered when the remaining vampires suddenly collapsed to the ground. The spell had finally broken.

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AUTHORS NOTE.
i know this chapter was a little on the short side. but the chapter I am planning to post tomorrow should make up for that. i hope you guys enjoyed reading. until next time, my loves!!!