Havana's head throbbed so intensely it felt like it might burst. The searing heat from the fire burning near her face only worsened the pain. She lay on the ground, slowly slipping back into consciousness as the fire Esther had ignited crackled beside her. The memory of Luke—if that was even his real name—hitting her hard came rushing back. She gingerly touched the side of her head, feeling the sticky warmth of blood on her fingers.

"I'm sorry we had to resort to violence, but it was necessary. You are the key to bringing all of my children here," Esther explained, her face devoid of any remorse.

"I always knew I'd dread having a mother-in-law," Havana muttered, loud enough for the older woman to hear.

Esther ignored Havana's sarcastic remark and piercing glares, focused entirely on her witchcraft. It was clear they weren't alone. Finn, the one Mikaelson Havana had never truly connected with, stood by his mother's side, watching her like a hawk. His eyes were fixed on Havana as if expecting the injured girl to somehow muster the strength to stand and attack his mother at any moment. Luke, now revealed as one of Esther's errand boys, was also there. He spared no glance at Havana as he continued assisting Esther in preparing for the ritual.

Havana said nothing, too weak to move or make a run for it. But just because her head was pounding didn't mean her brain wasn't working—she had plenty of jabs ready for Broomstick Granny and her two flying monkeys. The Original Witch remained composed, but the other two had to hold themselves from reacting to her sharp, biting comments.

"Shut your mouth right now or I cut your tongue out." Finn hissed after hearing her nicknames for them.

"Before you go all tough guy, maybe you should check with your mommy first. We both know you can't make a move without her permission." She stuck her tongue out at the eldest Mikaelson sibling infuriating him even more.

Finn was a split second away from speeding towards her and snapping her neck when Esther intervened stopping her son from the violent impulse. "Finn, you must control yourself and not give in to her childishness. She must stay alive and fulfill her destiny. Once we get rid of my creations for once and for all, balance will be restored and beings like her will now live in peace without vampires roaming around destroying everything they touch."

Havana furrowed her brows, confusion creeping in as she struggled to understand the witch's cryptic words. Esther had always been an odd character, her behavior teetering between eccentric and unsettling. At first, Havana had chalked it up to Esther trying to adapt to the modern world—a world far removed from the one she'd known a thousand years ago. But things had changed after that day. The day Esther sliced open her palm without warning, collecting Havana's blood as though for some odd witchy reason. Since then, she had been speaking in riddles, muttering about Havana's fate and the "true origins" of her ancestry. Havana found herself growing more uneasy each time Esther's piercing gaze settled on her, watching, waiting, as if expecting something to happen. Whatever theory Esther had brewing in that ancient mind of hers, it made Havana feel like she was being scrutinized—like a puzzle piece Esther was trying to fit into a much larger, darker picture.

Before she could delve deeper into her thoughts, the sound of footsteps crunching through the fallen leaves snapped her back to reality. The noise broke the tense silence, drawing the attention of everyone around her. Someone was approaching.

Bonnie and another woman who looked like an older version of her appeared. As soon as she saw her friend clutching her head on the ground, Bonnie ran to Havana's side nursing her wound. 

"You said that you wouldn't harm her!" Bonnie screamed at Esther.

"We had no other choice." Esther mimicked the emotionless expression she had when she told Havana the same thing. She did not stay on that topic for too long as she asked them, "Is it done? Were you able to perform the spell?"  

Bonnie had no answer busy tending to her friend making the older woman-presumably her mother-nod acting as a spokesperson for the both of them.

It all clicked for Havana. Bonnie and this woman were working with Esther to kill the people she loved. No doubt that the others were part of this arrangement as well which would explain why Klaus suddenly doubled in pain at the grill.  

"You little fucks couldn't even wait until after my wedding?" She glared at her friend. Her headache worsened by the minute.

The sound of leaves crunching was heard thus gaining everyone's attention again. It was undoubtedly the Mikaelsons who already caught up to their scheming since the look on Esther's face was tense and full of fear.

"They're coming Mother," Finn announced confirming her suspicions.

"No. It's too soon. The moon isn't high enough," Esther muttered, her voice tense as the rest of her sons emerged from the shadows. Her eyes widened with urgency. "You must leave now. Quickly!" She gestured frantically for the Bennets to escape.

Bonnie rushed to Havana's side, grabbing her arm. "I'm not leaving without you!" she vowed, her voice thick with desperation.

But Havana shook her head, her resolve hardening. "You have to go. I'll only slow you down, and you know it." She could feel Klaus's presence looming closer, and the thought of what he would do if he saw her like this made her stomach twist. He wouldn't think twice before decapitating everyone who had a hand in this.

"I'll be okay, Bon Bon," Havana whispered, forcing a weak smile as she gently pushed Bonnie away. She tried to mask the pain, but the brief flinch that crossed her face gave her away. Bonnie could see it—the subtle tremor indicating that Havana's head throbbed far worse than she let on.

Bonnie hesitated, eyes wide with worry. But Havana's expression was resolute. "Go."

As soon as Bonnie and the others disappeared into the trees, the Mikaelsons arrived. Their faces mirrored Bonnie's earlier look of alarm as they took in the sight of Havana crumpled on the ground, blood trailing down the back of her head. The concern was evident in their eyes—except for Klaus. His expression was anything but worried.

Klaus's face twisted in fury, his eyes dark with rage. The sight of Havana hurt, her blood staining the earth, ignited a wrath in him that threatened to boil over. His fists clenched at his sides as he fought to contain it, but the simmering anger was clear as he sped toward her. The flames Esther ignited surrounding them caused him to step back. 

"You got what you wanted," Klaus snarled, his voice trembling with fury. "You used her to lure us here. Now use your blood to heal her!" His words were sharp, laced with venom, as he glared at his brother Finn, who stood motionless by their mother's side, cold and indifferent.

Finn's expression remained unchanged, his gaze distant as though Klaus's outburst barely registered. He didn't move, didn't even flinch, which only fueled Klaus's rage further. 

"That's lovely! We're stuck out here while the favorite son plays sacrificial lamb. How pathetic you are, Finn." Kol hissed staring down at his older brother. 

"Be quiet Kol. Your brother knows more about virtue than you ever will." Esther quickly defended.

"Whatever you think of us doesn't matter. A mother killing her own children would be an atrocity." Elijah added staring intensely at his mother.

He and Kol stalked along the firey circle observing if there were any weak spots that they could enter from. Klaus stood directly in front of Esther coming as close as possible to the barrier without a drop of fear in his eyes as he said, "Enough Mother. End this now or I will force you back to hell."

"My only regret is that I did not let you die a thousand years ago. I was forced to watch all of you and felt the pain of every victim. I suffered while you shed blood. Even you, Elijah, with your claim to nobility. You are no better. All of you are a curse from this Earth. If you have come to plead for your lives, then you are wasting your time."

Esther closed her eyes and started chanting feeling the energy of a thousand witches flow through her body due to the Bennets' participation. Unluckily for her, Damon had just caught up to the two witches running through the forest and forced Bonnie's mother to drink his blood before snapping her neck making her lose her powers and status as a Bennet witch. The fire from the barrier started to get weaker. 

"Sisters! Do not abandon me!" Esther pleaded to the sky feeling the cosmic energy draining from her body.

Suddenly, the flames erupted to the sky blocking the Mikaelson sons' view of what was happening inside the circle. Esther was losing this fight, Finn stood anxiously beside his mother not knowing what to do, and Havana lay on the ground with wide eyes witnessing everything.

While everyone was distracted by the display, Luke grabbed the potion Esther made with Havana's blood mixed in it and a large kitchen knife which Esther told him to pack in case there were any unwanted surprises—much like this one. 

Havana screamed in agony feeling her skin burning from the liquid that was just poured on her and a heavy body going on top of her with a knife raised at her head. She cried out desperately trying to fight Luke off of her. But it was all in vain as she stood no chance.

Her life flashed before her eyes thinking of her earliest childhood memories with her family to the proposal last night marking it as the happiest moment of her life. She closed her eyes in defeat letting the tears flow down from her face. 

"I love you" She barely whispered into the air. 

Despite all the commotion, she was sure that Klaus heard her final proclamation of love to him.

The hybrid eyes grew wide and started to run into the blaze in a panic. It took all of Elijah's and Kol's strengths to hold their brother back from his suicide missions. Klaus with all his might tried to fight them off. 

The cold blade pressed against her stomach, and Havana sucked in a sharp breath, her body going rigid. It lingered there, barely grazing her skin for only a few seconds, but it was enough to send a chill through her. Before she could fully process the sensation, she felt Luke place the knife in her hands. Confusion clouded her thoughts as she opened her eyes, trying to understand why he had done this.

She barely had time to adjust to the sudden brightness when, without warning, Luke gripped her hands—still clasped around the handle of the kitchen knife—and plunged the blade into himself. Over and over, his hands forced hers to follow, his movements swift and brutal. Havana's mind spun in disbelief as the horror of the situation unfolded before her, each stab driving deeper into his flesh, blood beginning to stain her body.

 She let out the loudest scream she had ever unleashed in her entire life when his deceased body landed limp on top of hers. It was a raw, gut-wrenching sound that tore through her throat. It echoed off throughout the forest, filled with terror and disbelief, as the reality of what was happening sank in. Her body shook uncontrollably, but she couldn't pry her hands away from his, still gripping the knife. The scream seemed to stretch endlessly, the world around her blurring into a nightmare she couldn't escape.

The fire died down and vanished completely, leaving behind only a faint wisp of smoke. In its absence, Esther and Finn also disappeared, their forms consumed by the flames, swallowed by the dark void left behind. 

The Mikaelson men rushed toward Havana, their hearts racing at the sight of her sobbing uncontrollably on the ground. Klaus wasted no time; he tore Luke's lifeless body away from her and cradled Havana in his arms, desperate to offer some semblance of comfort. Acting purely on instinct, he pressed his wrist to her lips, urging her to drink. There was no time to assess her injuries—the wound on her head, the bloodstains soaking her dress—none of it registered in the chaos of the moment.

It wasn't until Kol's voice cut through the haze that Klaus realized something was amiss. "Klaus, it's not her blood." Kol examined.

The brothers exchanged tense glances, each of them grappling with the heavy weight of confusion and concern. They were left to ponder the grim mystery of the motives behind Luke's apparent suicide.

"I killed him! I killed him! I killed him!" Havana wailed with her entire body still shaking from the trauma. The men tried to assure her that she didn't but it was her hands that were holding the blade. "I never imagined to kill anyone in my entire life. Why? Why did he do that?" She continued to exclaim as if any of the brothers had an answer to that question. 

Suddenly, Havana's screams subsided, replaced by an unsettling stillness. A strange, tingling sensation coursed through her body, radiating from where Luke had poured the liquid. It was as if something profound was shifting within her, and a haunting theory flickered in her mind, one she dared not articulate. The air felt electric, charged with the possibility of transformation.

But just as quickly as the sensation surged, it faded into a false alarm. She doubled over, her body rebelling against her, and then she vomited violently, expelling the contents of her stomach onto the ground. The overwhelming wave of nausea swallowed her senses, leaving nothing in its wake but the stark reality of her situation. 

Nothing had changed. She was just engulfed in a whirlwind of shock.

─── ･ ｡ﾟ☆: *.☽ .* :☆ﾟ. ───

The Wedding

It had been over a week since the ritual, and Havana remained haunted by Luke's actions. The memories clung to her like shadows, but each day brought a glimmer of improvement. She was deeply grateful for Klaus, who had refused to leave her side, his presence a steady anchor in the tumultuous sea of her emotions. The Mikaelson siblings surrounded her, acting as her steadfast protectors, while her friends and cousins, unaware of the dark plans made by Luke and Esther, offered their support and love.

Everyone treated her as if she were a fragile doll, delicate and easily broken. Normally, Havana would have been annoyed at such treatment, irritated by the way they hovered over her. But now, in this vulnerable state, she welcomed their care. It was a comfort in her healing process, a reminder that she was not alone in this battle.

With that resolve, she decided to go ahead with the original wedding date, which was today. The whirlwind of last-minute planning over the past week had provided a much-needed distraction, easing her pain and helping her regain a sense of normalcy. The flurry of organizing flowers, seating arrangements, and last-minute details kept her mind occupied, allowing her to momentarily escape the haunting memories of what had transpired. Each task was a small step forward, a way to reclaim a piece of herself amid the chaos. And now, it was time to finally be Mrs. Klaus Mikaelson.

"It's not too late to ditch the whole 'marrying a hybrid freak' thing, you know." Damon's voice oozed sarcasm as he appeared behind Havana, leaning casually against the doorframe while she fussed with her dress.

"And what?" she teased, catching his eye through the mirror, her voice matching his playful sarcasm. "Run away with you? Are you going to confess your undying love to me now, Damon?" She rolled her eyes, turning back to her dress, but the smirk playing on her lips said she wasn't entirely serious.

Damon pushed off the doorframe with a lazy grin, strolling closer. "Undying love? Please," he drawled, tilting his head with that signature smirk. "I'm more of a 'mildly tolerating your existence' kind of guy. But hey, it's better than marrying the drama-prone hybrid with a god complex."

He took a few steps forward and placed his hands on his best friend's shoulders. "You look beautiful so stop  touching your hair before Vampire Barbie and Original Barbie catch you." 

Havana's arms dropped to her sides as she envisioned the two blondes walking in and  scolding her for ruining their "work." Everyone had pitched in to pull together this last-minute wedding, but no one had been as hands-on as Caroline and Rebekah. The two of them had taken on the unofficial roles of wedding coordinators, often treating the planning process as if they were the ones getting married. 

"Oh great. That would be the only thing they'd actually agree on," she muttered.

In the week of wedding prepping, the two self-appointed wedding coordinators with strikingly similar yet fierce personalities were often clashing heads. In fact, there had been a fire at the florist's office that unintentionally started after one of their many arguments, plates thrown at each other's heads at the cake tasting and several of their deaths by the other hand. The mix of Caroline and Rebekah was a recipe for an eventful (often violent) event but nevertheless, they were of great help to the bride. Havana was thankful to have them as friends.

A knock interrupted the best friends as Elena's head peaked out from the door. "The ceremony is starting in five." She let them know not before giving a warm smile to her cousin. It was understandably so that Elena was one of the few people who did not look forward to this union but learned from the mistakes of her past, she had kept her mouth shut and supported her older cousin.

"Let's get this show on the road shall we?" Damon offered his arm to Havana. The two started walking out the door with their arms linked together.

The wedding ceremony unfolded in the garden of the Mikaelson mansion, nestled beneath a centuries-old willow tree. The expansive lawn, typically capable of hosting around a hundred guests, now held fewer than twenty—Havana's closest family and friends from the supernatural world—offering a serene and enchanted aesthetic. Yet, the spaciousness served a dual purpose; it was also large enough to conceal any potential conflicts that might arise between Havana's new family and her old one.

She had taken it upon herself to warn every one of them—including her fiancé and best friend—about the consequences of any drama. Still, it was better to be safe than sorry, especially with Caroline's suggestion to install a plant wall at the end of the garden that would discreetly hide any altercations. Rebekah had scoffed at the idea, calling it "atrocious," but it was effective.

Both the entourages of the bride and groom moved gracefully across the flower-strewn grass, making their way to the altar where Klaus awaited his bride's entrance. As he stood there, the world around him faded, and his breath hitched at the sight of a white dress emerging from the crowd.

As the umbrella was finally lifted, revealing the radiant bride, a deeper smile spread across her face upon locking eyes with the blushing groom. In that instant, time seemed to stand still. This was the moment he had been waiting for—the culmination of their journey together—and he couldn't help but marvel at her beauty, illuminated by the soft sunlight filtering through the leaves.

Klaus had never expected to find love; he had always viewed it as a weakness, something to be avoided. But that night he had seen her dancing in that bar had changed everything. Her laughter had drawn him in, a siren's call he could not resist. Now, standing before him, she embodied everything he never knew he needed. At that moment, surrounded by family and friends, he realized further that she was the missing piece of his heart, the light that had broken through the shadows of his tumultuous past.

The bride and groom smile brightly at each other with their eyes both threatening to spill tears of joy. With each step, Havana took closer to Klaus, the dream of spending eternity together was really starting to turn to reality. 

Nothing was stopping them from getting their happy ending now. 

Unless...

The look of horror that suddenly morphed on Havana's face was unmistakable; something was terribly wrong. Klaus felt his stomach drop as she collapsed to her knees, agony etched across her features. A gasp rippled through the crowd as her screams echoed, piercing the serene atmosphere.

Her closest circle—the groom, the man of honor, the best man, and her cousins—rushed toward her in alarm. But as she screamed again, her hand shot up, signaling them to back away. A violent instinct surged within her to start attacking anyone who dared come near her, and the sensation of her bones cracking and reshaping overwhelmed her. Just as the transformation was completed, she bolted into the woods, disappearing into the shadows.

Her friends and family stood in stunned silence, witnessing the shocking revelation of a truth none of them, not even Havana herself, had known: the bride had just transformed into a wolf.