Claudia Lockwood-Mikaelson

Chapter 48 - Sheer Terror

Although the last chapter was requested, a few of you weren't too keen so please leave your thoughts in the comments here if you want me to change it up:) Thank you♥️

Now, onto the next...

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After our little trip to the Bayou, we make it home fairly late. Rebekah sits in one of the chairs on the ground floor. She must have been waiting for us to come back.

"Nik, please leave," I instruct him calmly as I sense his growing wrath. I don't want him to threaten her when I can see she is looking towards me to say something. I just hope she doesn't blame me again although if she tries I'm sure Nik will step in, even if I want to sort this out myself.

"My love-" Nik protests but I shake my head.

"Your sister and I need to work out our differences. Please let me try to resolve this on my own, I don't want to always need your help and have to ask you to do things for me just because I'm sick. I am grateful but I hate having to depend on you to fight my battles for me. This is can manage. Please."

He looks towards Rebekah with a scowl. "I'll dagger you if I hear anything I don't like."

Her eyes flit towards me to assess how serious Nik is being with his dagger threats but I stop him right there. "And I told you unless you want to sleep alone for the next century, you will not dagger Rebekah."

Nik finally gives in to me and I sit down across from her, allowing her to speak first.

"I'm sorry," she apologises. "I don't apologise often but I know when I've taken it too far. Maeve gave me a slap on the wrist for saying those things to you. I've never seen her so fiercely defend anyone."

I remain quiet, mulling over her words. She does seem truly sorry and I won't withhold my forgiveness from her but it's actually Maeve's actions that surprise me. She's got more fire in her than I thought and she's more loyal to me than I realised. Unwaveringly loyal to a fault. Like Elijah.

When I hated her for lying, when I despised her for encouraging me to fight the hex, she was quietly working behind my back. Out of sight but always on my side, defending me time and time again. She even used magic to help me. Magic, when she's so utterly terrified at the prospect of it.

I think I've been judging her too harshly, seeing her as a quiet little mouse when she's anything but. Hell, I don't think Elijah would fall in love with a woman who couldn't be a brave strong woman when needed, even with the mate bond in place.

As I resolve to judge Maeve's quietness with less hostility, I willingly accept that maybe Rebekah and I have l judged each other a little too quickly in a similar way. I can see how much she loves my mate, and our whole family. Everything she's ever done, every time she has spouted a harsh word to me, it's all been in Nik's best interest. And I respect that.

"There's nothing to forgive," I smile at her. "You're only looking out for your brother as he would do for you. I'm thrilled you care about him so much you're willing to defend him against his own mate like that. You see me as a threat to his happiness because the hex is ruining us. And you're right, this hex is ridiculous, it does hurt him. All his heartbreak has been due to me. But I also I bring him peace and offer him my unconditional love."

She sits quietly, listening and taking in everything I'm saying. I hope she understands where I'm coming from. I forget that Nik is listening to every word that leaves me mouth as I carry on.

"I would do anything for him. If I could fight this hex for him and ignore it, then I would. But I can't and he knows that. He's accepted that. I won't be made to feel worthless by you, like I'm no good for him or like I don't deserve him. I am trying my best and I will eventually be able to feed normally again. If that's why you dislike me so much, then I can assure you it won't be like this forever. But I will not allow you to speak to me like that again."