Bloody Symphony | Elijah Mikaelson

Chapter 1

He never shut up.

She hated how wolves howled. It was what they were supposed to do to communicate. It kept the Pack together, strong, safe. Considering the circumstances, she ought to be appreciating how much the species had evolved over time.

But Jackson made it obnoxious.

She trotted over to where her brother was, standing beside the familiar blonde who brought them supplies every full moon, when they got to be human. Today, Eve was holding a flyer, something they couldn't quite read in their wolf state.

"She's throwing a party," Eve said, leaning down to show a picture of the nearby plantation house. "Says there will be food, drinks, clothes, music. Everything a wolf might need on their special night. Plus, a friend of hers who's a witch said she'd remove the curse tonight. Everyone has to be there."

Jackson howled again, so loudly, that his sister felt her eardrums would burst one day from how often he did this in her proximity.

The message was sent. The Crescents would meet Hayley Marshall, or, really, Andrea Labonair, at the Mikaelson plantation house.

She didn't understand his fascination with the girl. Yes, she was supposed to be his wife. But they had clearly lived separate lives. She'd only just learned she was a Crescent, and she wasn't cursed. She didn't like that Jackson wanted to admit it all to Hayley within five minutes of their first conversation. She thought it would overwhelm the poor girl, and lead to some tension between them.

Her brother was a good leader, but he was also stubborn as hell.

They'd gone to check out the area once, to make sure they weren't being lied to. They found Hayley preparing for the party. She saw the two of them in the bushes and smiled, waving at them. "Hello again. I'm looking forward to meeting you soon."

When the moon rose into the sky in the evening, the siblings led their pack to the plantation backyard, where a lengthy clothesline had been strung up, leaving several shirts, pants, and undergarments for the wolves. Jackson howled once more, not only to let Hayley know they were there, but to lead the males away from where some bras were hanging. Their clothes had been set out in a separate location.

She was one of the first to transform back. Nudity no longer bothered her. Every member of the Crescent Pack had seen her naked by now, at least for the few moments it took for her to get dressed at the start of each full moon. She took her time looking through the clothes to find a pair of underwear that would fit, then slipped them on, not bothering to find a bra. Those were too uncomfortable, and her one night of freedom would not be spent wearing an unnecessary article of clothing.

She selected a sundress, which had padding that would at least keep any unfamiliar eyes away from her breasts. She figured the gathering would consist mostly of wolves, but she'd seen who Hayley lived with, and she didn't doubt that one of the Mikaelsons would make an appearance. Rebekah, she was fine with. But she didn't trust Klaus or Elijah.

Music started to play, and the lights came on. They could smell crawfish being made in the kitchen, and moved beneath a string of lights and candles to find instruments, chairs, and a marked dance floor waiting for them.

Almost all the wolves began to enjoy themselves immediately. The woman watched as Oliver made his way into the house, and Aiden got the musicians paired with their instruments. Jackson remained off to the side, guarding, vigilant. Hayley had to be somewhere inside, likely helping with the food.

"We should go in and check on her," Jackson said after a while, once he felt her coming to stand at his side. "Everyone's eating now, but I don't see her."