Devil ♡Elijah Mikaelson♡ [2]

Chapter 20: Devil's Funeral

Jackson is in the middle of digging a grave out near his grandfather's when Hayley comes outside with Hope in her arms, Coney putting her phone away in her back pocket joining the, coming outside to update him on what is happening. Jackson is in the middle of hammering a wooden gravestone, which has been carved and burnt with the initials 'A. L.' and a crescent moon. Sitting next to Jackson is a homemade coffin with Aiden's body inside.

"Elijah called. Freya is doing a locator spell to find us. We need to leave. Now," Coney says when she and Hayley finally notice that Jackson is digging a grave for Aiden. "Wait, you're burying Aiden here?"

Jackson sighs. "We can't keep carrying him around forever. Just give me a minute to get him in the ground and we'll get out of here."

"You said that this is how wolves bury murderers and traitors. I know that Aiden was answering to Klaus, but he was loyal to the pack in the end! That's what got him killed, Jack," Hayley says and Coney is stunned to silence.

"You don't think I know that? You think this is how I wanna..." He says, gesturing at the grave. "Put Aiden to rest?" Hayley and Coney look at him sympathetically and rocks Hope as she coos. "I don't have a choice, Hayley, Coney. You said it yourself, we gotta go."

"It's not right. If we expect the wolves to put their lives on the line for Hope, they deserve to know that those lives matter to us," Coney says and Jackson nods in agreement, and Hayley sighs deeply as she thinks for a moment.

"We'll take Aiden down-river, give him a true Crescent funeral," Hayley says and Jackson looks impressed and thankful for this suggestion. "Too much has been taken from our pack. I won't let them lose this, too." Hope continues to coo in Hayley's arms as Jackson walks over and pulls the grave marker he made for Aiden out of the ground.

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Hayley, who is still holding Hope in her arms, is walking with Jackson, Coney, and the rest of the Crescents through the forest on their way down the river. Several of the men are carrying Aiden's coffin, and all of them are wielding melee weapons. Jackson and some of the others have a bow and a quiver full of arms, while others have axes, short swords, or machetes. While they walk, Jackson, Coney, and Hayley talk quietly.

"You used to run these woods when you were cursed to your wolf form?" Coney asks, curious.

"And before it. I was an angry kid. I was pissed we were exiled, I was pissed at my parents, pissed Hayley was gone..." he says and he smiles at his wife, who smiles back.

"Every kid with the wolf gene is angry. I was a nightmare. Triggering the curse actually settled me down," Hayley says and Coney scoffs.

"I was locked up in the attack for my entire life. Imagine how I felt," Coney says and everyone laughs.

Hope starts to stir in Hayley's arms and whimpers.

"Not me. I got worse. Of course, it was different, you know, when I triggered my curse, the Crescent curse kicked in, so I was stuck as a wolf all month long. One full moon, our Alpha didn't show up. He was killed. So, I stepped up. Protected these people, kept them safe, and that calmed me down... at least, for a little while," Jackson says.

Suddenly, Hope starts crying loudly, clearly tired and unhappy, and Hayley looks stressed out, while Coney just looks tired.

"Hey, I need to stop and feed her," Hayley says.

Jackson and the other wolves stop walking and turn toward her. "There's a hideout about a half a mile south from here. Grab some guys to watch your back. I'll round up the rest and we'll make a perimeter. This bayou is our territory, and we'll defend it," He says and Hayley smile at him, grateful. The wolves all split up to start to set up their security arrangements, leaving a very worried Hayley with Hope, A very tired Coney, and several other wolves.