second chances

part 2

" 'Nice? It's the only thing,' said the Water Rat solemnly, as he leant forward for his stroke. 'Believe me, my young friend, there is nothing--absolute nothing--half so much worth doing as simply messing about in boats. Simply messing,' he went on dreamily: 'messing--about--in--boats; messing----'

'Look ahead, Rat!' cried the Mole suddenly.

It was too late. The boat struck---"

"Hey!, So what's the story for tonight?, I hope daddy isn't reading you something by Paulo Coelho again"

He was cut off by Hayley, who leaned against the doorframe with crossed arms.

He let out a soft chuckle before putting the sleeping child in his crib, giving his forehead a little kiss,

A gesture that warmed the tired werewolf's heart before she motioned for him to step outside

And so he followed her, he's known her for long enough to realize there's something on her mind

She delicately fastened her robe, her silky hair flowed down her shoulders as the moonlight lent a gentle radiance to her big hazel eyes ,

As he observed her, A sense of enchantment washed over him and time seemed to slow down while he focused on her every move

She licked her lips, and just before he decided to take the plunge and kiss her, she spoke

"I talked to Elijah today. So, when were you gonna let me know you pretty much gave the vampires the go-ahead to wipe out the pack—my pack—while conveniently keeping me out of the loop?"

Seeing her demeanor grow aggressive made him tense; however, he remained calm.

"I did what needed to be done to ensure your safety and that of the children. The vampires' grievances about creating hybrids from the very wolves they persecuted for decades were escalating rapidly. Believe me, they wouldn't have let it slide unless the danger was dealt with. My aim was to keep both of you safe."

Exasperated, she run her hand through her hair in a swift, agitated motion

"Well... You can't just do that to h-them, and you should've told me beforehand, they're my people Klaus, my pack who welcomed me and your kids as one of them"

He can hear the way her heartbeat quickened imperceptibly, the slight curling of her fingers and her voice taking on a sharper edge,

the subtle rigidity that touched her posture tells him it's a bit more personal and the realization weighs heavily on his heart

"I'm sorry love, but you've never been one to shy away from shedding wolf blood, especially when the situation calls for it—",

"Oh, there's no way you're actually considering these two things to be remotely alike."

A brief silence fell as Hayley awkwardly gripped the balcony rails

"This isn't about your precious pack now is it"

"What are you even going on about, of course it's about them"

"You and I both Know you're worried about that daft, Jackson"
His voice came out weak

And she knew she'll have to tread carefully

"He's my friend, he saved my life, your daughter's life before I can't just sell him out now"

She averted her gaze, unable to meet his scrutinizing look before his hand came to cup her face

The weight of his accusations still hung heavy in the air,

"No need to fret, I'll ensure your special friend remains unharmed".

The baby's noisy cries snapped them back to reality and Hayley was grateful for the save

"I'll go check on him"

Klaus nodded noticing her relief as she rushed into the nursery

He trusts her, of course he does. But he can't help wondering if his dreams of the perfect family with her are mere illusions.

The little wolf, ever elusive