Hurricane / The Originals

Chapter 23

"Are you stupid, or is it the pregnancy brain?" I snapped, my frustration boiling over. "Hayley, what the hell were you thinking? Now we have a heart-scorned original prancing around town."

Hayley's face flushed with a mix of hurt and defensiveness. "Cleo, you don't understand. These are my people. I had to do something—anything—to help them."

"Elijah's right," I continued, struggling to keep my voice steady. "You've not only betrayed his trust but also put everyone at risk. Celeste's remains were buried in a place she chose to keep her power from disturbing anyone. Now, you've let that power loose, and who knows what kind of trouble it'll bring your pregnant now is your time to sit on the couch and eat food with your feet up not cause world domination."

"Cleo—" Hayley began, but I cut her off before she could say more.

"Listen, I'm exhausted and covered in dirt. I've just come back from the dead, so I'm heading home to take a long, hot shower," I said, my tone resolute.

"Get home safe," she replied, her voice tinged with a mix of guilt and concern.

"I will," I said, with a faint smile. "I'll probably just crash on the couch and watch something mindless. Stay out of trouble."

With that, I turned and made my way out, letting the cool evening air brush against my face. The city streets were quiet as I walked, the hum of distant traffic and the occasional flicker of streetlights providing a calming backdrop. My steps were steady but weary, each footfall echoing my exhaustion.

As I rounded a corner, a figure emerged from the shadows of a nearby alley. A man, his features obscured by the dim light, approached me with an air of casual confidence. His gaze was intense, and I could feel the weight of his scrutiny even from a distance.

"Excuse me," he said, his voice smooth and slightly edged with curiosity. "You seem like you've had a long day. Mind if I walk with you for a bit?"

I stopped, studying him warily. "I'm not really in the mood for company right now."

He raised a brow as I continued to walk.

"Well you don't have to be such a bitch" He sneered grabbing my hand

"Listen Im not sure who you think you are but im gonna need you to let me go before"

"What do you expect when you're dressed like a slut" The man said he said now dragging me down a alleyway.

"Hey let me go perv" I said as he pushes me up against he brick wall.

He doesn't talk but rather man handles me against the wall.

I pushed and screamed, but nothing seemed to make a difference as his hands continued to violate my space. My pleas and cries echoed in the narrow alley, swallowed by the oppressive darkness.

With every ounce of desperation I had left, I summoned all my strength and drove my shoulder into him. The force of my push made him stagger backward, his balance wavering. He tumbled, crashing hard onto the pavement. His head struck the ground with a sickening thud, and blood began to seep from the wound.

I watched, frozen, as he lay motionless. Within seconds, his breathing slowed and stopped, his eyes closing in a final, eerie stillness. The reality of what had just happened hit me with overwhelming force.

Something inside me shifted profoundly. I stood there, trembling, grappling with the stark and horrifying realization of what I had done. The dark alleyway seemed to close in around me, the weight of the moment pressing heavily on my shoulders.

"Oh my God," I muttered, my voice trembling with shock. "Oh my GOD. Oh MY..."

The weight of what I had just done hit me like a tidal wave. I had killed someone. The realization crashed over me with a nauseating force, my mascara streaked down my face from the tears I'd shed in terror and desperation.

I turned and fled, my legs moving as fast as they could carry me. I sprinted through the darkened streets, the cold air stinging my skin, my heart pounding in a frantic rhythm. I needed to get back to the Mikaelsons' house

I burst through the door, slamming it open with a force that echoed through the foyer. In seconds, Klaus was in front of me, his expression shifting from curiosity to alarm as he took in my state of sheer hysteria. Tears streamed down my face, and I could feel the pressure building in my gums, a physical manifestation of my overwhelming distress.

"Love, what is the matter?" Klaus's voice was a soothing blend of concern and urgency as he stepped closer, his eyes searching mine with an intense, protective gaze.

"He was touching me," I stammered, my voice trembling uncontrollably. "And he wouldn't stop, Klaus. I tried—he just kept—"

Klaus's expression softened even further, his concern deepening as he gently reached for my chin. With a careful, tender touch, he lifted my face to meet his gaze. His eyes were a pool of warmth and empathy, and his thumb brushed lightly against my tear-streaked cheek, his touch almost reverent.

"What happened, love?" His voice was a hushed murmur, filled with an aching tenderness.

I could barely hold his gaze, my emotions raw and exposed. "I—I killed a man," I whispered, my voice breaking as the weight of my confession settled between us.

Klaus's eyes widened with a mixture of sorrow and fierce protectiveness. He wrapped his arms around me, drawing me close into a comforting embrace. His touch was gentle and steady, a lifeline in the storm of my emotions. "Shh, it's alright," he murmured, his voice a soft caress against my ear. "You're safe now. You did what you had to do."

He held me tightly, his heart beating against my own, grounding me with his presence. As he stroked my hair and whispered reassurances.

"I feel weird, Nik. I feel different," I whispered, my voice barely more than a tremor.

Klaus's gaze softened further, though a flicker of something intense sparked in his eyes. "Love, you've activated your werewolf gene."

I looked up at him, confusion etched across my face. "What are you talking about?"

"Love, look in the mirror," he said gently, but there was an urgency in his voice.

I moved slowly to the nearest mirror, my legs feeling heavy as I approached it. When I finally looked at my reflection, the sight that met my eyes was enough to make my breath catch in my throat. My eyes, usually a soft, familiar color, had transformed into a vivid, unsettling yellow.

The realization hit me with a wave of raw emotion. I sank to the floor, tears streaming down my face. The reflection of my eyes, glowing with an unnatural hue, felt like a stark betrayal of who I was. I sobbed uncontrollably, the weight of my transformation and what I had just done crashing down on me.

Klaus was at my side in an instant, his arms wrapping around me with a comforting intensity. "It's alright, love," he whispered, his voice a gentle balm against my anguish. "You're safe. This is a part of you, but it doesn't change who you are.

"OH MY GOD IM A FUCKING DOG"