Fight With Me

Chapter 30

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New Orleans – Mikaelson Compound

The morning sun filtered through the tall windows of the compound, brushing the old stone floors with gold. There was a quiet peace, almost fragile, as if the house itself were holding its breath. Hope sat cross-legged on the balcony, her fingers tracing the rope of the hammock beneath her. She hadn't slept much, her mind was still half-alert, scanning for threats, for disturbances, for any sign that Lizzie's chaos had followed them. But all that greeted her were the distant calls of birds and the rustle of leaves in the courtyard.

Inside, Josie moved slowly through the compound, her steps hesitant, almost as if she were testing the floor beneath her. Every sound made her flinch, every shadow seemed larger than it was. She hadn't said much since the shift, and the memories of it haunted her: the bone-deep pain, the disorienting surge of strength, the raw, animal clarity of senses she hadn't known she possessed. But most of all, the fear of losing control, the terrifying thought that she might never be the same again.

Her eyes, dark and wide, kept finding Hope. Always Hope. Like a tether pulling her back from the edge.

Hope noticed the gaze and rose smoothly, gliding across the room until she crouched beside Josie. She brushed a trembling strand of hair from her face, letting her fingers linger for a heartbeat longer than necessary. "Hey," she said, voice soft, warm, but carrying an unshakable edge, "you're okay."

Josie flinched at the reassurance, blinking rapidly. "I... I don't know if I am," she whispered. "It... it hurt. My body... my mind... it wasn't me."

Hope's hand tightened around Josie's. "It's okay. It was the bond, the connection, it didn't break you. You're still Josie. And I'm right here."

Josie let her forehead drop against Hope's shoulder, trembling slightly. "I felt so... unhinged. Like I was someone else. And I—I can't control it. I don't even know if I can control it next time..."

"You will," Hope said firmly, her dark eyes meeting Josie's. "I'll help you. Every step. Every moment. You're not facing this alone. You'll never face it alone. Not now, not ever."

Josie blinked, letting the warmth of Hope's body ground her. The fear didn't disappear, but it dulled just enough to allow her to breathe. Her lips curved slightly in a tentative, shaky smile. "I love you," she murmured. "I don't even understand why... why this bond-

Hope pressed a finger gently to Josie's lips. "You don't have to understand. You just have to let me be here. That's all you need."

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In the kitchen, the quiet hum of magical energy surrounded Freya and Keelin as they examined Josie's shift. The room was cluttered with scrolls, enchanted orbs, and vials of shimmering liquid.

"This isn't normal," Freya said, running a hand through her hair in frustration. "I've seen soulmates, yes. I've seen bonds. But this... this is different. The connection is accelerating her, amplifying her abilities, but in ways that defy magical law."

Keelin leaned closer to a scroll, scanning runes and magical formulas. "It's like the bond is rewiring her. Every time Hope touches or even thinks about her, Josie reacts. And the shift... she didn't even know she could do that until Hope was near. That's unprecedented."

Freya pinched the bridge of her nose. "It's dangerous. We don't know what her limits are, or if she can control this next time. And if the bond keeps strengthening, it could push both of them into something we can't reverse."

Keelin's expression darkened. "And if Josie can't control it?"

Freya's gaze hardened, jaw tight. "Then we deal with it. But for now, Hope is her anchor. That's all that's keeping her grounded. We need to watch both of them carefully."

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Back in the compound, Josie lay on the couch, trembling slightly. Hope was beside her, sitting cross-legged, holding her hands in both of hers. The bond pulsed quietly between them, invisible but tangible, something ancient, something dangerous.

"You're beautiful," Hope murmured, her voice soft but layered with intensity. "Even now... even when you're scared. Even when you don't know what's happening to you."

Josie pressed her face into Hope's chest, letting her calm center her like a lifeline. "I don't know what's happening to me," she admitted, voice shaking. "I don't understand the bond. I don't understand why I shifted..."

Hope ran her fingers down Josie's arm, her touch firm, protective. "You don't have to understand yet. None of this is your fault. All that matters is you're safe. All that matters is me being here with you."

Josie tilted her head up, letting her dark eyes meet Hope's. "I... I've never felt anything like this. It's... too much. Too strong. But I can't... I can't stay away from you."

Hope smiled, dark and unwavering. "You'll never have to. And no one is taking you from me. Not now, not ever."

Josie leaned into her again, the tremor in her body softening under Hope's steady presence. There was love here, intense, overwhelming, bordering on chaotic. They were tethered to each other in ways neither fully understood, each heartbeat synced in dangerous harmony.

A soft rustle in the hallway made them both tense, and Freya stepped into the room with Keelin close behind, eyes full of cautious concern. Freya knelt beside Josie, her hand hovering near her, careful not to startle her.

"We're just here to monitor," Freya said softly. "Nothing will happen while we're here. You're safe."

Josie nodded, still trembling, letting the presence of Hope beside her calm her nerves. She could feel Hope's pulse, steady and strong, and it anchored her more than anything else in the world.

Hope leaned down, pressing a soft kiss to the top of Josie's head. "Whatever comes, we face it together. Always. You and me."

Josie's lips curved into a small, almost shy smile. "Always," she whispered.

The sun dipped lower, casting long shadows across the compound. Outside, the world seemed quiet, almost serene. But beneath the surface, tension coiled like a predator waiting for the right moment. The bond between Josie and Hope was growing stronger with every passing hour, unpredictable and untamed. And both of them knew, deep down, that this peace—this false calm—was only temporary.

Something was coming. Something that would test everything they knew, everything they were, and the world they had built around each other.

And when it did, they would face it together, fiercely, unflinchingly, recklessly, and completely, as only soulmates could.

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