╔════════════════════════════════════════════╗ ║ Chapter 50 – Blood, War, and Consequences 🩸🔥 ║ ╚════════════════════════════════════════════╝
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Hope's POV
Nova's breathing was shallow.
Too shallow.
Each inhale looked like it hurt.
Each exhale sounded weaker than the last.
Hope felt it through the bond, faint but growing clearer, the pain, the exhaustion, the pull toward unconsciousness.
"Hey—no, no, no," Hope said quickly, cupping Nova's face more firmly now. "Stay with me. Stay with me, baby."
Nova's lips parted.
A soft sound escaped her.
"...Hope..."
Like a prayer.
Hope's chest cracked open at the sound.
"I'm here," she whispered urgently. "I'm right here."
Malia dropped beside them, hands hovering like Hope's had been moments ago.
"Hey, wolf girl," Malia said, voice softer than usual but still rough around the edges. "You don't get to pass out. That's not allowed."
Nova's head lolled slightly.
Her eyes fluttered.
Trying.
Failing.
"Keep her awake," Hope said, voice tight with panic.
"I am," Malia shot back, then leaned closer. "Nova. Hey. Look at me. You promised me a rematch in training. You don't get to die before I win."
A faint, almost nonexistent huff of breath left Nova.
Hope swallowed hard.
"Nova," she said again, more firmly. "Stay with me. Focus on my voice."
But Nova's eyes were slipping.
Her body going heavier.
And then,
"Move."
Klaus's voice cut through everything.
Sharp.
Commanding.
Hope didn't argue.
She and Malia were gently but firmly pushed aside as Klaus and Elijah took over.
Elijah crouched immediately, assessing with quick, precise movements.
"Severe blood loss," Elijah murmured. "Multiple trauma points. The blade is still lodged, good. It's slowing the bleeding."
"Then we fix it," Klaus said.
Without hesitation, Klaus bit into his wrist.
Blood welled instantly.
Dark.
Powerful.
He tilted Nova's head carefully.
"Drink," he ordered, softer than his tone suggested.
The blood touched her lips.
Instinct took over.
Nova swallowed weakly.
Once.
Twice.
Hope leaned forward slightly, hope flaring in her chest.
This would fix it.
It always did.
But then, nothing.
No healing.
No closing wounds.
No change.
Hope's breath stuttered.
"Elijah..." Klaus said quietly.
"I see it," Elijah replied, eyes narrowing.
"This should be working," Hope said, panic rising. "Vampire blood—it heals everything—"
"It's not working," Malia said bluntly.
Hope turned sharply.
"I know what it's supposed to do," Hope snapped, then forced herself to breathe. "It should be healing her."
"But it's not," Malia repeated.
That terrified Hope more than anything else so far.
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Behind them,
Allison stepped closer.
Hesitant.
Guilty.
"Hope—"
Hope moved before she even finished the name.
She was on her feet in an instant, shoving Allison hard back into the wall.
"Don't," Hope warned, voice shaking with rage. "Don't come near her."
Allison flinched but didn't defend herself.
"I was trying to—"
Hope's hand tightened in her jacket again.
"You don't get to explain," Hope snapped. "You don't get to fix this."
Malia didn't intervene.
At all.
Elijah glanced at her briefly.
"You're not going to stop her?" he asked.
Malia shrugged.
"I mean... I also want to hit her," she said honestly. "So this feels fair."
Elijah blinked once.
"...I see."
Malia nodded. "Still figuring out the whole 'human restraint' thing."
A beat.
Then Elijah inclined his head slightly.
"Understandable."
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Across the room—
Kol smiled.
Dark.
Excited.
Kate lunged at him in her werejaguar form.
He didn't dodge.
He caught her mid-air.
And slammed her into the ground.
Hard.
The floor cracked beneath them.
"Oh, you're fun," Kol said, voice almost delighted. "But you made one very big mistake."
Kate snarled, claws raking across his chest.
Kol barely reacted.
"You touched my family."
His expression shifted.
Gone was the amusement.
What replaced it—
Was old.
Dangerous.
Kol moved faster than she could track.
He grabbed her by the throat, lifted, then slammed her into the wall again and again.
No pause.
No mercy.
"Let's see how much you enjoy this," Kol said softly.
Kate tried to fight back—
But something was wrong.
Her movements faltered.
Slowed.
Confusion flashed in her eyes.
"What—"
Kol noticed immediately.
And smiled wider.
"Oh," he murmured. "There it is."
Scott groaned from the floor nearby—
Trying to heal.
And failing.
His wounds stayed open.
His breathing uneven.
His eyes, still that unnatural steel blue.
"No..." Scott whispered.
Kate staggered back, looking at her hands.
At the lack of healing.
At the weakness creeping in.
"What did you do to me?" she demanded.
"No," Kol corrected. "What did you do?"
The air shifted again.
Subtle.
But present.
The curse.
Taking hold.
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Kate laughed suddenly.
Unhinged.
"If I'm going down," she said, eyes locking onto Hope, "you should know something."
Hope didn't move.
"She was fun," Kate added, voice dripping with satisfaction. "Now I understand how you knocked her up so easily."
Hope's eyes went dead.
"And I had a witch," Kate continued smugly, "make sure none of you could fix her."
Silence.
Then—
"Well, that's embarrassing for you."
Lizzie's voice cut in.
Sharp.
Snarky.
She and Josie stepped into the basement.
Eyes locked on Nova.
On the damage.
On the blood.
And they went very, very still.
"Oh, she's so dead," Lizzie muttered flatly.
"No," Josie said quickly, already moving. "She's not. Not yet. Hope won't let that bitch have a quick death."
They dropped beside Nova.
Lizzie placed a hand on Nova's shoulder—gentle despite everything.
"Hey, bestie," she said quietly. "This might hurt."
Then she started siphoning.
The magic unraveled.
Fast.
Violent.
Nova's body reacted instantly, arching slightly, a broken cry tearing from her throat.
Hope flinched but didn't pull away.
"Do it," Hope said.
Lizzie gritted her teeth.
"I am."
The spell fought back.
Nova's body reacted violently to the backlash, her muscles tensing, back arching as a sharp, pained cry tore from her throat.
"Hey, hey, easy," Hope said instantly, shifting closer, one arm bracing Nova's shoulders while the other steadied her at the waist. "Don't fight it, baby. Don't move."
But Nova couldn't help it.
Pain surged through her, making her twist weakly, trying to pull away from the sensation tearing through her system.
"Hold her," Lizzie strained, not looking up as she kept siphoning.
"I've got her," Hope replied, voice tight but controlled as she gently, firmly, held Nova in place, careful not to aggravate the worst of her wounds.
Malia hovered close, ready to help if needed, but didn't interfere as Hope kept Nova steady.
"Stay with me," Hope whispered against Nova's hair. "I know it hurts, but you have to stay still. I've got you."
But Lizzie pushed harder.
Josie placed her hand over Lizzie's.
Together.
Stronger.
The magic cracked.
Broke.
Vanished.
Nova collapsed back against the chair.
Barely conscious.
But free of the spell.
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Elijah moved instantly.
"Now," he said.
Hope stepped closer.
"Wait—"
"We have to remove it," Elijah said calmly. "On my count."
Klaus moved to stabilize Nova.
"Hold her," Elijah instructed.
Hope took Nova's hand.
"I'm here," she whispered again.
Elijah gripped the knife.
"One."
Nova's fingers twitched in Hope's.
"Two."
Hope braced.
"Three."
The blade came free.
Blood followed.
Fast.
Too fast.
"Now," Elijah snapped.
Elijah immediately threw the knife aside once it was free.
The wolfsbane-coated blade clanged loudly against the concrete floor, the sharp metallic sound echoing through the basement like a gunshot.
Klaus pressed down, then without hesitation, he bit into his wrist again, deeper this time.
More blood welled, thicker, darker.
"Drink," Klaus ordered, voice low but urgent as he pressed his wrist to Nova's lips once more.
Nova swallowed weakly again, barely conscious, but enough.
This time—
Something changed.
Faint.
Slow.
The smallest shift.
A shallow cut along her side began to knit together, painfully, unevenly, but it was healing.
"Elijah," Klaus said, sharper now.
"I see it," Elijah replied quickly. "It's working, just not as fast as it should."
Hope's breath caught.
Relief hit, but fragile.
Too slow.
Far too slow.
Hope didn't let go.
Didn't move.
Didn't breathe.
"Stay with me," she whispered again.
Over.
And over.
And over.
Because she wasn't losing her.
Not now.
Not ever.
Derek stepped in then, jaw tight, eyes locked on the weapon lying discarded nearby. He crossed the space in two strides and snatched up the dagger that had been used on Nova.
He lifted it to his nose, inhale, then his lip curled, a low growl rumbling out of him.
"Wolfsbane," Derek said, voice rough with anger. "The blade's embalmed in it." He glanced back at Nova, at the slow, uneven way her wounds were knitting. "That's why she's healing so slowly."
Josie's head snapped up. "If it's on the blade... does that mean it's in her bloodstream?" she asked, alarm creeping into her voice. "How do we get it out?"
Derek's gaze hardened. "Usually? You cauterize the wound, burn it out before it spreads." His jaw flexed. "But this... this got pushed in with the knife. It's already in her system."
Hope's grip on Nova's hand tightened.
"So what do we do?" Hope demanded.
Derek looked at her, then at Klaus and Elijah.
"We might have to wait it out," he said bluntly. "Let her body process it while she heals slower." A beat, then, pointed: "Unless you or your family know a spell that can draw it out of her."
Elijah's eyes flicked to the twins, thoughtful. Klaus's expression went dark, calculating.
Hope swallowed, then looked to Lizzie and Josie.
"Then we find one," she said. "Now."
Kol dragged Kate closer by her hair, forcing her to her knees with a sharp jerk. "I might know a spell that could draw the poison out," he said, voice low and thoughtful, eyes flicking to Nova. "But it's not simple. It requires someone... well-versed. Powerful. Your little prodigies here might not be enough."
Klaus's gaze snapped to him, decision already made. "Then we don't waste time," he said. "We take her back to the school. Freya and Davina will handle it."
Hope's gaze snapped up, fury bleeding through the bond as it pulsed with Nova's pain.
"Bring them," Hope added, voice cold and absolute. "All three. Scott, Kate... and Allison. They come with us. We deal with them later."
No one argued.
Malia stepped back without hesitation, grabbing Allison by the arm, firm, unyielding, as Allison didn't resist.
"Move," Malia said, dragging her toward the stairs.
Kol tightened his grip on Kate, hauling the weakened werejaguar upright like she weighed nothing.
"Oh, this will be fun later," Kol murmured darkly.
Derek turned back, stalking toward Scott, hauling him up by the collar despite his weakened state.
"You're not done," Derek growled.
Isaac moved to Nova, claws sliding out with a soft metallic scrape. With careful precision, he cut through the wolfsbane soaked ropes binding her to the chair.
The tension snapped free.
Hope was there instantly.
She slid one arm under Nova's back, the other beneath her knees, lifting her carefully, protectively, like she might break.
"Easy," Hope whispered, holding her close. "I've got you."
Hope didn't wait.
She turned and rushed up the basement stairs, carrying her out of that place, out of the smell of blood and pain, toward the waiting SUVs outside.
Nova barely stirred, her head falling weakly against Hope's shoulder.
"...Hopey... you found me..." Nova mumbled softly, her voice barely more than a breath.
Hope's chest tightened painfully at the sound, her grip on Nova instinctively tightening as she kept moving.
"I've got you," Hope whispered back, pressing her cheek gently against Nova's hair as she rushed up to the SUV. "I'm right here. I'm not letting you go again."
Behind her, the others followed quickly.
Doors slammed.
Engines roared to life.
Elijah pulled out his phone as they moved, dialing.
"Hayley," he said as soon as the line connected. "Put me on speaker."
A beat, and then Hayley's voice, sharp and alert.
"I'm here. What happened?"
"Freya. Davina," Elijah said evenly, "we need you back at the school immediately. We require experienced witches we can trust. Nova's condition is critical."
A pause.
Then movement on the other end.
"We're on our way," Freya said.
Hayley's voice cut back in. "How's Hope?"
Klaus scoffed from the front seat, eyes dark as he glanced back.
"Kate and Scott laid hands on her mate, Hayley," Klaus said flatly. "What do you think?"
Hope didn't look up from Nova.
But her grip tightened.
"Hope's pissed," Klaus continued. "And very concerned."
A beat.
"And Kate implied she... touched Nova," he added, voice dropping dangerously.
The silence on the line turned sharp.
"Get her home," Hayley said, tone deadly calm. "Now."
The convoy surged forward.
Multiple SUVs racing through the night.
Inside, Scott, Kate, and Allison sat restrained.
Kate's breathing was uneven.
Her strength fading.
Scott clutched his side, his body failing to heal.
The curse tightening.
Not just pain.
Not just weakness.
Something deeper began to unravel inside them.
Kate's breath hitched as her strength bled out, not from injury, but from absence. The wild, predatory power that had always lived beneath her skin... was slipping away. Her claws didn't retract, they dulled. Her senses, once razor sharp, flickered and dimmed.
Scott felt it too.
His healing stalled completely. The familiar pull of his wolf, his anchor, his identity, went quiet. Not suppressed.
Gone.
Like something had reached in and cut him off.
The curse didn't roar.
It stripped.
Piece by piece.
Mother Nature's judgment settling into bone and blood, declaring them traitors to something sacred.
No more power.
No more protection.
No more place among the supernatural.
And worse—
Something unseen shifted beyond the walls of the car.
A pull.
A signal.
Like the world itself had turned against them.
Predators would feel it.
Creatures would sense it.
They were no longer part of that world—
They were prey.
Kate's hands trembled as she looked down at herself, confusion twisting into something closer to fear.
Scott's breathing grew uneven, panic creeping in as he tried—and failed—to call on anything inside him.
The curse wasn't done.
It had only just begun.
Allison, though roughed up, showed no sign of the curse, only shaken, bruised, and silent.
In a separate SUV, away from the prisoners.
Hope held Nova close.
Refusing to let go.
For the first few minutes of the drive, Nova stayed tense in her arms.
Shaking.
Like her body still expected pain.
Then slowly, so slowly Hope almost didn't notice it at first—Nova broke.
A quiet, strangled sob escaped her.
Then another.
Hope immediately tightened her hold, one hand sliding into Nova's hair as Nova buried her face weakly against Hope's neck and chest.
The sound shattered something inside Hope.
Not the screams.
Not the blood.
This.
Nova crying because she finally realized she was safe.
That it was over.
That Hope had found her.
That her pack had come for her.
Her family.
The pack.
The Mikaelsons.
The Super Squad.
Every single person who loved her had come.
Nova clung weakly to Hope's shirt, trembling.
"I was scared," Nova whispered brokenly against her neck. "I tried, I tried to be strong..."
"You were strong," Hope said instantly, voice soft but firm.
Nova shook her head weakly.
"I'm sorry," she mumbled, tears soaking into Hope's shirt. "I'm sorry..."
Hope's expression cracked.
All the rage.
All the violence.
All the murderous fury she felt toward Kate and Scott, and even Allison, she shoved it down.
Buried it.
Because right now Nova needed comfort more than revenge.
"Hey," Hope whispered, pressing a gentle kiss against Nova's forehead. "No. None of this is your fault."
Nova's breathing hitched.
"You hear me?" Hope continued softly. "You did nothing wrong."
Another quiet sob escaped Nova.
Hope held her even closer.
"You're safe now," Hope murmured, rocking her slightly despite the cramped SUV. "I've got you. Your pack came for you. Your family came for you."
She brushed her fingers carefully through Nova's hair.
"And we're taking you home."
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