CHAPTER ONE | FOR THE NEXT MILLENNIUM 

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MY DEAR REBEKAH, I HOPE THIS FINDS YOU WELL. I write to offer an update and ask for your advice. Our brother remain at odds. Klaus will never apologise— not for the blood he shed, not for his part in Riley's death, nor the suffering Hayley continues to endure. And, Elijah cannot forgive him. Despite my efforts, we are a house divided. Which is not to say I have no good news. 

Niklaus kept his word. Marcel controls the Quarter. There, he has founded a fight gym in the old St. Anne's Church where he tests the mettle of those who wish to join his vampire community. Elijah has begun doing him for sparring. I believe it helps him work through his anger. And, he has much anger.

Riley's transition was tricky to begin with. She hated the idea of what was forced upon her by Niklaus, though day by day, Elijah had managed to help her through it. Their pair have never been so happy, despite the atmosphere in the compound. Even though Klaus insists that he has apologised for what happened to her, Riley still remains stern in not wanting anything more to do with our brother. It appears the friendship they once had is understandably over.

While Hope continues to flourish, it is clear that she misses her mother. Though Niklaus remains the doting father, he has been of no help in finding a cure for Hayley's curse. Despite my best efforts, I have yet to find the means to undo the spell placed on her and the Crescent wolves. And, Hayley herself continues to struggle, unable to see her child except for once a month on the full moon. 

And, we're in no position to ask for outside help. Davina's rage at our family as only grown, even Riley has tried to reason with her, but as Regent of all covens, she is far too formidable to be swayed. Meanwhile, Niklaus has begun to see Camille for what he calls, their little chats. He claims a desire to amend his ways. In truth, he seems utterly free of remorse which only drives Elijah further away.

I wonder if you would write me with any advice you have on how to heal their fractured bond. Until then, I remain your loving sister. 

— Freya. 

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"You know, I never thought I'd get used to the taste of blood." Riley mused proudly as she and Elijah stepped into the courtyard. He had taken her out for a bite, where she showed off her ability to compel and feed without losing control. "And, yet, here I am."

Elijah was amazed at how far Riley had come in the past few months, and how much she had grown into herself.  With a proud smile spreading across his face like wildfire, Elijah nodded. "Every day I marvel at how you have taken this within your stride. I don't wish to call you a natural, but—" 

"—But, I'm the best student you've ever had? Aw. You're so complimentary." Riley teased. Her hands snaked around his neck whilst his delicately rested against her hips. Their lips pressed together in a passionate yet innocent kiss before they headed upstairs to the study.

Freya was seated on the ground with Hope and the pair seemed to have various toys and stuffed animals scattered around them. The witch glanced up toward the door the moment she saw them enter. "She's getting bigger by the second. Tomorrow's the full moon. I can help you bring Hope to Hayley, if you'd like?" 

"Won't be necessary." Elijah took a breath as he kneeled down as if he were about to play with his niece. 

"You've been a constant child-minder whilst I've been learning control." Riley tilted her head toward the Mikaelson witch, a slight smile on her face. "Freya, you deserve a little fun. A night off, even." 

"I'd offer to accompany you myself, but I fear my fragile ego could not endure the litany of insults Hayley has no doubt prepared." Klaus' entrance caused the three to exchange pointed looks as he carelessly sauntered into the study. 

"Yes, I doubt that your presence is particularly welcome anywhere." Elijah's jaw clenched and he rose back up to his feet. 

"My own brother greeting me with such disdain. What do you think, Freya?" The Hybrid's gaze fell to the Mikealson witch. "Is he still angry for my part in Hayley's curse? Or, is it that Riley is now one of us. Need I remind him that both were a ploy to keep them alive."

"Alive? You have got to be kidding me!" Riley scoffed in disbelief as her eyes finally flickered up toward Klaus. She had avoided any sort of contact with him for weeks, completely blanking him when he passed her. But, this comment tipped her over the edge. "I'm dead, Klaus. Don't you dare stand there and act as if we should be grateful for what you did. Don't you even care that the mother of your child gets to see her daughter once a month?"

"Perhaps I'd be more sympathetic if Hayley apologised. After all, it was her that tried to run off with my daughter."

Elijah attempted to stride toward his brother, but Freya intervened. "Oh, if you two must poke at one another, may I suggest doing it elsewhere?" As all eyes lingered upon Hope, who remained cooing on the ground a short distance from them, the arguing stopped. Both Riley and Elijah left the room. 

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When Riley had told Freya to go out and enjoy herself, she never expected the Mikaelson witch to beg Riley to join her in her fun. Over the months that passed and the undivided attention the pair had been constantly paying Hope, Riley and Freya had grown closer. And, so when Freya asked Riley to join her at Rousseau's, the immortal couldn't possibly turn down the offer.

As the music blared through the speakers of the small bar on Bourbon Street, the two women were dancing on the bar without a care in the world. Despite the dozens of warm, sweaty bodies in the bar, Riley did not seem to care about anything other than drinking dangerous amounts of alcohol.

"I am so glad you asked me to come with you!" Riley yelled over to the music. She moved closer to Freya so the witch could hear her better, whilst the smile swept across her face. "I feel amazing!"

"You said I needed a night off, and clearly, you do too." Freya's voice was not as loud as Riley's, she knew the girl could hear her perfectly fine without the need to shout. 

"You have no idea." Riley grabbed a bottle from beside her feet and unscrewed the cap. Freya opened her mouth, immediately letting Riley pour the liquid down her throat until she'd had enough. Freya did the same, yanking the bottle from Riley and pouring it down her throat. "See anyone you like the look of?" 

"You're ridiculous!" Freya laughed off the prospect of leaving the bar with anyone accept Riley.

"I'm serious, Freya. You really should consider getting yourself out there." Riley shrugged. "You're hot. What've you got to lose?"

"Self-respect." 

"Implying you have that in the first place." The girl teased as she heard another giggle erupt from Freya's lips. Their moment was swiftly interrupted by the phone buzzing in Riley's pocket. "Hello?"

"Judging by the sound of the music in the background, I misinterpreted the kind of exhibition you and Freya were attending." Elijah softly chuckled down the phone. 

"Freya attended, then decided a night off was exactly what she needed. And, here we are." Riley glanced toward Freya, who had downed another shot whilst she nodded in agreement.

 "Forgive me, but I fear I may need someone to watch Hope. I have an errand to run."

A heavy sigh escaped Riley's lips. "Are you gonna tell me what you're up to?"

"A necessary evil." The Original vaguely answered which caused Riley's eyes to roll. "I would rather my niece not bear witness."

"Okay. Hang on." Riley slipped her phone into her pocket and let her eyes fall onto Freya. "Would you mind watching Hope? He's up to something and being vague, which means something's wrong." 

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By the time Riley had arrived at the bayou, Freya had used magic to transport herself there as well. Once she arrived, both Riley and Elijah headed off to deal with a poachers that had been called in to kill werewolves that were out in the bayou. The information rattled Elijah, knowing that Hayley was somewhere out in the bayou, unprotected. The couple knew that needed to find her before anyone else did. 

Riley's eyes fell a few feet in front of her where she saw a steel-jawed animal trap, which was presumably set by one of the hunters. "Elijah." The Original's attention moved to the trap that Riley had pointed out. He grabbed hold of it and broke it with ease.

"What the hell are you doing?" A hunter asked. He stepped toward both Riley and Elijah with an assault rifle strapped to his chest. 

Elijah let the trap fall out of his hands before he feigned innocence toward the hunter. "Oh, my goodness. Where are my manners? Permit me to explain—" He sped toward the hunter, disarming him with ease before he shoved him to the ground. Another hunter attempted to run toward Elijah, but Riley sped toward a gun on the ground and threw it through the hunter's chest, killing him instantly. "Are you ready, Riley? Lesson one of the hunt—" He grabbed the hunter from the ground held him in a choke-hold. "—Lay the bait." He dropped his body onto the ground, slamming his foot into one of the traps. 

Whilst the hunter screamed out, feeling the anguish of the animal trap enclosing around his ankle, more approached. "Okay. Well, I think I've got the basics down." Riley smirked, the veins underneath her eyes growing prominent. "You know, what? I'm starving."

Elijah chuckled in amusement. "Ladies first."

As soon as the words left Elijah's lips, Riley sped toward the horizon of poachers that threatened to descend on them. Once she had picked her targets, he sped off to join her. Riley yanked the hearts out of several men with ease, letting them fall to the ground before she finally sank her teeth into one of them.

The sensation of draining the blood from someone's body was a euphoric feeling, and one she would never tire of. She drank desperately until the feeling of hunger relented as she removed her fangs from his neck, and then snapped it with her hands. The couple left one final hunter alive, letting him see the destruction they had caused and he knew that he had one final option left— to run. 

Unfortunately, Riley sped in his way. "You'll give me the location of every single trap you've set, as well as the routes used by any of the other poachers." She compelled him with ease.

"I— I don't know—" Before Riley or Elijah could react, a brown-haired woman appeared and tackled the hunter to the ground. She clawed at him viciously until he stopped moving. 

"Hayley?" Elijah appeared stunned, murmuring the Crescent wolf's name softly. She turned around to reveal that she was not Hayley, but another of the Crescent pack. "Forgive me, I thought—"

"I know who you thought I was." 

Riley's eyebrows knitted together with a pointed look on her face as she wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth. "Do you know where she is?"

"Judging by what these hunters did— the traps they set, and the blood I saw? If she's not with her daughter, she's probably dead." As the words fell from then wolf's lips, both Riley and Elijah exchanged worried looks at the thought of Hayley being dead.

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