mansion Library

[Kitsuyumia]

 

A small lounge room where the books are mostly kept.

Edited February 2, 2022 by Kitsuyumia

[BladeRunner]

The library was a place of knowledge, a sanction of fantasy and facts, a quiet area of the Midnight Mansion that many go to read. An unexpected visitor was sitting in the room keeping to himself, reading one of the many chronicles of fantasy. Massive in height and muscle, the large beast in question was none other than Auvunux Stormcaller, a leader of the house and of his people. It wasn't difficult to understand why he was leader to begin with, with what his intimidating appearance more of a stone creature, unmoving lest to turn a page, his visage held that of calm and quiet. For now that was. 

Carefully turning the page to a fantasy book he was reading, Auvunux, or "Austin" for simplicities sake, sighed as he begun dozing off. The only thing that woke him immediately was the loud crackle of the massive flames built up in the fireplace, causing him to inhale and straighten up from his comfortable position on the couch. Clapping the book closed, he moved to put the chronicle back in it's rightful place and begun looking for another one. It was merely a sense of browsing and not curiosity, Austin has read these things over and over ever since he took the place as Alpha some years ago. His mind was blank seemingly from just staring around for nothing at all, just a few thoughts of the lack itself. 

While it wouldn't be challenged any time soon or even at all, Austin was very loose on his rules and guidelines for the Midnight Pack, he was strict on the important things. One of those things being hunters. Being out in the wilderness like this and miles from the nearest town, they usually see hunters here and there going for small and big game. Recently two hunters, a father and son, were out trying for elk which were popular in the area, and as such Austin respected them from a distance but dared not interact. Much like the pack they were simply enjoying themselves and spending time with each other and since they were after werewolves in particular they would be left alone but observed. He wasn't sure if they were there, but he welcomed other predators on the prowl for prey. 

With another sigh, Austin had moved all around the room at a tortoise pace, carefully putting mismatched books into their correct spots. When one looked at the man he wore a black t-shirt, jeans that complimented them with boots, all tailor made to fit his body, and even unlike some pack member's he always used his other half sparingly, they had the luxury of finding clothes that fit them. While Austin was used to and even in control of the beast inside he didn't use it often, he didn't have to, with what having bows and arrows, and rifles and shotguns to hunt with. But there were times when another member wanted to play or wrestle that he transformed ever now and again. Or it was a good night of hunting. 

Edited February 12, 2022 by BladeRunner

[Icarian Dreams]

”Ah, there you are-” There was a note of clear impatience in Daliah’s voice as it broke the silence of the mansion’s library. The Beta had managed to quietly slip into the room, with perhaps only the faintest of smells of sweat, herbs, and… just a bit of blood, carefully masked with incense, betraying her arrival to the pack’s Alpha.

She took a moment to assess the situation as she walked in, letting her eyes scan Auvunux’s form up and down carefully, feeling a familiar tension build in her muscles as the pack-leader’s frame, even from afar, easily towered over her lithe figure. She exhaled a controlled breath, not betraying the uneasiness she felt to the werewolf, and wordlessly shuffled into the room, finding her attention pulled to the few carefully arranged books that currently served as a backdrop to the Alpha’s titanic figure. Fantasy, Auvunux? A careful smile danced on her lips at the thought, and she retreated her gaze back towards the werewolf. I never would have though.

“Alpha-” She tasted the ever-bitter sound on her tongue, keeping her eyes pinned inquisitively on the man while she gave him a gentle, reserved nod of respect. Her steps took her to the old cushioned couch, placed right next to the flickering fireplace, and she sat herself down onto it, lightly crossing one leg over the other, and feeling herself relax slightly as the heat of the flames warmed her pale skin, still cold from the time spent out in the chilly night. Her slender hand almost mechanically slid towards a tiny leather pouch near her hip, with a seemingly practiced motion coiling her fingers into the tight confines of the container to pull out just a small pale pill, one that the woman promptly raised towards her firm lips, pushing the drug right in-between. After a second of quiet that passed when she swallowed, her words resounded once again, not letting the silence around her get too uncomfortable.

“Another patrol failed to report today. A third this month,” she informed in a strangely monotone voice, shifting her back deeper into the sofa. The thick material of the furniture’s covering barely even budged under her meager weight. “The vampires are growing bold. We’re getting picked off on the edges of our own territory. If this keeps on going, we’ll lose this fight before it even had a chance to properly begin.” She grunted with discontent, taking a moment to look at the gloomy forest behind the window. The faint rays of moonlight bathed the outer contours of the trees in a gentle, silvery light, gilding the leaves with almost eerie kind of glow. “And I can’t help but feel something larger is brewing. There’s something… strange in the air tonight... You would have felt it too if you left the mansion.” She adjusted the fine crimson robe that flowed down her shoulders, not even bothering to try and veil the accusation nested in her words. It would hardly have been the first time she let the Alpha know of her distaste regarding his… more seclusive tendencies.

Edited February 27, 2022 by Icarian Dreams

[BladeRunner]

The library was a place of knowledge, a sanction of fantasy and facts, a quiet area of the Midnight Mansion that many go to read. And that was what it was there for, for Austin in his mind. His mind lingered as he could smell the faint incense enter the room signifying someone else entering. By now he's kept track of who was coming and going by smell and sound, but by no means did he perfect unlike his beastial form. He heard the words and immediately recognized the Beta Daliah, much to his surprise that is. As she took her sweet time Austin merely continued to look over the books until their end of the shelf to him to the large window, away from the fire but still feeling the warmth of the room. He stared out directly at the sun and exhaled through his nostrils, feeling that tinge of disappointment in his heart. 

"Alpha-" Daliah started. 

"Out with it, woman." Austin interjects, feeling the words like poison coming from the Beta's tone. Oh yes, he knew fairly well of her distaste of his rank and further of himself... Well he thought, of himself at least. However his words didn't greet Daliah with anguish or threat, instead it was low and deep, but a softness was carried about it that was ominously quiet. It was almost as if he knew what she was going to say. And unfortunately it was true, more wolves lost to vampires. 

These words drew in a sharp inhale, and immediately his right fist clench causing thick bone to crack and pop. He waited for any other action, Auvunux had awaited to see what game this had become but with the disappearance of now three scouts it was turning into something else. Then the next words plucked him, harmlessly, but enough to grab his attention, "I know something is coming, I have felt it days before. These spaded tongues... I should have taken care of this myself when the problem arose the first time. If I'm being honest I didn't want to blunder into some trap or ambush, but now it is clear these cowards wish to pluck us one by one. We will launch counteroffensive, we will have small and nimble groups, mask our scents even. However this is beginning to sound more like they're advancing to expand territory, my only thought is violence and example, what of you?"

[Icarian Dreams]

Daliah held a groan as the Alpha interrupted her. And she was the one getting called the snake in this relationship. She shook her head ever so slightly. At the very least she had the manners to treat him with the respect adequate to his position – even if she wasn’t meet with the same from his part. She relaxed her lips from the tight line that they pursed themselves into, and intentionally waited a longer second before picking the topic back up again, trying to take a tone seemingly unfazed by this interruption. Thankfully, he had enough common sense not to disregard her in the matters of the pack…

...She flinched at the sound of Auvunux's bones crackling when he heard the news, feeling the hairs on her neck stand and her shoulders raise instinctively in a defensive manner, relaxing slowly only when she got to breathe out and calm herself down. So many years she knew him, and she still couldn’t stop herself from shivering every time she saw him tense up. The fact that he was three times her size and could possibly snap her in half if he only wanted to was likely some justification, but she still despised herself for not being able to control just that one tiny instinct. At least she could take some comfort in that her words did seem to have an effect on the man as well, even if all the reaction she got was a slightly more intense stare from the pair of his hazel eyes.

But there was another reason she was worried. His reaction was sharp and brazen, and… exactly what she had been expecting from the older werewolf. For all the might he had, he still acted brash and hastily all too often. And after all the scuffles they've had in the past with him, the vampires surely realized it too. This was dangerous territory to tread.

“Or, Auvunux, they’re trying to provoke you to do just that.” She voiced her concerns firmly, moving forward in her seat as if to emphasize her words. “A direct counteroffensive would definitely do great for morale... until we charge headfirst into an ambush,” she exhaled, trying to keep her tone away from mockery. It was not the point here. Her eyes turned towards the bookshelves behind the man as she considered the possible solutions herself. She spoke up just a few seconds after.

“I say we take things slowly for the time. Shadow the patrols. Have them call for aid if they spot anything suspicious. Chances are we’ll catch one of those bloodsuckers by surprise instead. Beat them at their own game.” Her gaze returned to him again, and glazed over for just a second, another thought entering her mind. She took a deep breath, not sure whether she should even voice it at all. She already knew what his answer would be, after all... “But what if we are sending the patrols in too deep? Going too far, spreading too thin. Our strength is in the pack after all, and it's not like we can't regain control during the day.” She sighed, not really believing these words herself. These vampires were like rats. once they let them in, they’d never get them out. They were sure to conjure some harm one way or another. But... the pack’s strength was dwindling, and the next mating season was not that far away as well. If they lost more warriors now, they were at the risk of simply getting ran down once the vamps realized. Maybe it would be wise to just take a step back for now.

Edited February 27, 2022 by Icarian Dreams

[BladeRunner]

There was a long held silence in the room after Daliah spoke. This meant numerous things, the wrath of the patient man, the blinding of a fool, the million miles worth of thought's, and the very latter was where Austin was at. The only audible thing in the room were the cackling of fire. He stared out the window still but had enough light from the fire to cast the pale reflection of the woman into the lower corner. He admired her separate from things he loathed about her, though it wasn't fair on his end that he didn't mate, converse like friends, or let alone allow anyone to touch him with gentle grace, Daliah's actions years ago when she didn't receive the passage of Alpha had always been set in his mind, and the undermining and mockery she held since then... Well, the former of those two were dealt with one way or another, so that one wasn't an issue. He had called her a snake at one point and throughout the pack it simply stuck, an argument no one else should have been around for however he wouldn't have said it if weren't truth. 

But in the back of the Alpha's mind held the variety of answers, and in some sense he could feel the mockery held away in Daliah's tone, a wise choice on her end for it wouldn't have bode well. He wouldn't lay his hands on her, that isn't was Austin was about. His gaze seemed sharp, he bit the inside of his cheek that, for once, the woman was correct and it was the wisest decision. It was more him trying to strike back at something that happened almost ages ago involving the vampires when he was newly turned as wolf-kin, when he first came into the pack he already had a family. It was a sour taste that no one held over him, that very few people knew, but those who knew the Alpha well also knew the story of how he slew several scores of the undead in one night, on his own, from a tragedy that had struck in territorial disputes.

Since then, the vampires had feared the Windcaller for a variety of reasons but that was nearly twenty years ago, and much could change such as him becoming more brash yet so passive in the coming days. Austin didn't believe in peace, yet, he's allowed for it, and it made him... Soft, something he would never admit. Carefully, Austin chose his words the best he could and said in a surprising turn of events, "Perhaps... Then... You are correct." 

It was a miracle, normally he was stubborn, headstrong, but this was a new development even for him. The Alpha still had many years to live and yet it seemed so short, his heart was always in the battle, the passion he held for bloodlust and worthy foes, yet he wasn't a Newblood nor a Warrior, he was an Alpha, meant to show his strength but wisdom, his passion but allow for the sour word peace. But the words he had said slowly were cautious, a ghost of what the Alpha normally states. Perhaps he was coming around finally? But no one should settle on that, and he was not one for letting the last go, nor were he forgiving. 

"Perhaps our territories have grown too large, perhaps I... Since the last great battles years our numbers have been... Dwindling. It seems change is inevitable, a fate we cannot control. How long has it been since we have seen the clan Midnight at full strength? Breeding won't be enough," This ended with a heavy sigh not of relaxation, but Austin continued, "We cannot risk ourselves, I want to launch a counteroffensive, but without the packs' strength it cannot be reinforced like it could have been many years ago, and I feel that even looking over the scouts won't be enough... Very well... We will send word to retract our trajectory, pull back and scout the innermost territories, we'll reclaim the outer woods when we can. This makes me uneasy, Daliah, it shows weakness but if there is nothing else we can do without losing more to an enemy of unknown strength and numbers, then it is the only choice. Let us hope this will not backfire."

Much of the Alpha's words were uneasy altogether, almost as if one thing that could go wrong and he would do as he said before. In truth, he was unafraid of the vampires, being outnumbered, like a time before it actually thrilled the large man. But this time he had others to think about, lesser numbers to be concerned about, and most importantly himself to preserve. If the Windcaller was downed it would give those spade tongued bastards all the more sense of courage to wipe out the pack or advance to gain more ground. No, he needed patience, but he also felt that patience was wearing thin. 

 

Edited February 13, 2022 by BladeRunner

[Icarian Dreams]

The silence that filled the room after her words eventually brought Daliah’s gaze up to the man’s face. She couldn’t read what was going through his mind, but somehow she did sense the intensity of his stare, even if she couldn’t quite discern where it was coming from. She shifted uncomfortably at the sensation. It made her feel… exposed, in a way, even though there was really no malice or judgement in the stare she felt. More like a quiet assessment, a predator waging his chances… or perhaps something even different. In fact, she didn’t feel any threat flowing from the man, it was more like… reflection. So she just watched him quietly, not wishing to interrupt him in this moment, and unconsciously, found her own thoughts wandering as well.

They were no strangers to exchanging growls and barks, neither did they ever hold back from critiquing each other in an open, often practically insulting fashion. And yet, throughout the years, she couldn't help but feel that this underlying sense of… respect between them both had built. A quiet agreement, that perhaps, despite their shortcomings, there had been some merit to be found in each other’s judgement, or… even though Daliah didn't quite realize it herself... maybe something in them recognized that even with a pack full of people around, there was still a certain shared... loneliness, that they both had experienced.

"Perhaps... Then... You are correct." Daliah's head rose from thought to the man’s tired voice, for a moment unsure whether it was just her own mind twisting what her ears have heard, but quickly realizing that, indeed, Auvunux had been speaking to her, and that her senses stayed true. She found herself opening her mouth without really a word to say. For once it was an answer she didn’t expect, and she found herself feeling… a number of things. Surprise, obviously, but also… disappointment, and almost anger that this was the conclusion that the man came to. “You're sure…?” Her own voice shook as she asked, feeling the doubts gather in her own brain. Was this really an act of wisdom? Or just another retreat of a man hiding in a mansion, failing to balance on the edge of two extremes?

But... he was not wrong, and she agreed. How distant were the times when the pack truly ruled the forest? When the warriors would come back home boasting their kills and not just with scars and empty hands… if at all? A part of her wondered if it was ever the case. If maybe it was just the wonder of her childhood imagination that made her see things better than they actually were.

“Morale will suffer. The warriors walk in your steps. They won’t appreciate you taking one back.” She replied quietly, raising herself from the couch. Moments ago she would have done so with anger, but now there was little more than just resignation in her movements. Slowly sliding one leg ahead of the other, she strode over to the fireplace. “One mating season won’t solve that either. We’ll need something to take their minds off of this.” She sighed herself, looking deep into the flames.

"I don't like it either, Austin. Not any of this. We were not meant to be prey." She found herself cutting her speech short, as a wave of shame ran through her body. Who was she to say this - she, who could not even remember when the last time she bloodied her teeth in battle was...

Edited February 27, 2022 by Icarian Dreams

[BladeRunner]

"I know they will not appreciate the decision. I remember when Warriors and Berserkers cane home with the fangs and skulls of their enemies, their scars carved of magic and claws and silver as testament of their victories and hunt." Auvunux was reminiscing at this point, the glory days of the hunts and when they had a chokehold on the vampires, there was no even fight there, but when their leader was killed and a new one arose things quickly changed.

Auvunux had strode from the window to behind Daliah, silent as cool wind, looking into the flames as they licked the spasmed upward. He knew they were in a dire situation, "This may not be the best course of action, I don't know what is, but it will suffice. Appreciative or not, they will fall in line, I will not see the pack hindered by lesser numbers than what we have now. Sometimes to take a leap, you must take a step back. And sometimes when the predator is wounded it must rest and heal, otherwise it becomes prey." 

The words of the Alpha were true, and his statement of falling in line were his way setting things in stone. The turn of events were dangerous, and they were entering a waiting game. However one had to wonder how long the tides would turn? They'll trail behind and allow the enemy confidence, but when the time comes there will be no mercy for the weak, no mercy for the wicked, and the pack will take back what is rightfully theirs. 

There was something that Auvunux, or Austin, still had for Daliah in sentimental value. His hand slowly raised to her shoulder height until his palm slid to calmly grasp the woman's shoulder, not in any form of aggression or disappointment, but rather something missing since their fall from grace. There was tenderness in his grasp, however temporary that was, the tired man was not one to reveal any true feelings. Whether she moved to remove his hand was not of the Alpha's concern, instead it was a moment to take in, a moment that, as Auvunux stated, "Sometimes to take a leap, you must take a step back."

 

[Icarian Dreams]

“There’s a window, in the Gamma’s wing, that goes out straight onto the woods to the north. I used to stay and watch after lessons as the warriors came in and out.” A faint smile spread on the woman's face as she reminisced the memories. “I still remember when they first brought you in. Even then you stood over two heads taller than the rest of the group." Her head shifted slightly, looking back at Austin from behind the platinum curtain of her hair, her lips giving him a tiny smirk. But then her expression grew serious. “Do you really think they would have fallen in line if the old man told them to? Or would they have sneaked out between watches to hunt on their own terms?” The question hung in the air as she breathed out in wistfulness.

Her heart still ached a little at the memory of the previous Alpha... The old leader made it all look so easy. Made it seem like he had it all figured out. And yet again Daliah wondered how much of it was true. How much of his confidence was just that – a good face to whatever game he was playing at the moment. It felt like such a long time since she and Auvunux were his Betas. It always felt like he was trying to teach more than actually take council from them.

And yet there they were, years after his death, struggling with what felt like the most obvious of threats.

She felt the motion of air on her arm even before he caressed it, making her head twitch, alerted, and turn slightly towards him. Her eyes looked up towards his face, then lowered, focusing on the hand that rested on her shoulder, staying in that position for a few seconds longer, seemingly lost in thought. She could have shifted away. Perhaps she should have. But even as she deliberated, he could feel her muscles relax under his hand, her shoulder fall slightly downwards. “And yet some paths you can only walk once..." Letting out a quiet, nostalgic breath, she turned slightly under his grasp, sliding her other hand up the arm that held her, gently starting to roll his sleeve up. Her eyes followed the motion as it moved up his body. "...and some wounds...” Very faintly, her finger rested down against his muscles, feeling out the rough texture of his skin, before, in a slow, careful caress sliding down alongside the edge of one of the countless scars that marked the man's flesh. "...they run just too deep to heal," she finished, with the last word turning her eyes towards the Alpha, seeking out his. Her hand slowly finished its course, and yet lingered on his arm, her fingers coiling slightly, almost comfortingly into his skin.

Edited February 27, 2022 by Icarian Dreams

[BladeRunner]

"Hmph! That old bat?" Austin said the statement like he were insulting him, but that was his he spoke of the Old Man, and even around the other pack member's everyone tread carefully as larger and the scrawny men bantered back and forth. He said the statement as if the original Alpha were still there next to the two, trying to get a rise out of him, and in some sense he was. He let loose a held breath and stated, "There... Would have been a few who listened, I doubt they would but it's wishful thinking. Still to this day I can't figure out how he'd beat me in matches all the time- I was stronger, faster, more durable yet he had it all figured out, how to handle me in just a few hits... Everything seemed like a game to him, maybe inside he did worry and stress, but you could tell he wanted us to..." 

Austin begun feeling the fingers slighter up his sleeve. He still stared into the fire, but tried not to get distracted by the woman, "He would have wanted us to view the world as he did. That old man helped me after my family... I think that even if he were handling this particular situation, it would have been just another day for him. I never really got to thank him." 

“And yet some paths you can only walk once... and some wounds... they run just too deep to heal." 

The Alpha looked downward at that last sentence, his earthy spheres directly into the cool eyes of the Beta. He could feel her soft hand caress and finish it's course, but it still lingered, and this would bring back a sense of longing. He almost opened his mouth to speak but his lips didn't part. For what were just mere seconds felt like an eternity, and finally Austin made his move. He closed his eyes and adverted the direction of his gaze, pulling away from the woman as he started for the door. No, not yet, not now. He stopped about mid way and said, "Relay the message. I need a walk." 

A "walk" was something that resembled being alone. However his version of it varied, extremely unpredictable acts, and he knew it was going to be something that would indefinitely piss Daliah off. Oh well. His path was something that the old man would have done, maybe have openly been scornful of, but regardless he would have done the same. Austin was leaving to investigate the scene of the ambushes later, and he pondered on whether he needed to bring an Warrior or two with him.

 

[Icarian Dreams]

“Old bat” Daliah scowled. She knew that Auvunux was merely teasing, but she did feel that their old leader deserved more respect than that. She nearly always felt that way when the two had been exchanging blows, be it verbally or out there, in the field. The brashness and pride of the younger wolf…. Yes… it was not difficult to gather why Austin had been losing every clash with his predecessor. The old Alpha could see things other people didn’t. Daliah smiled to herself. She wondered what he saw in her that made him choose her as his second back then. Whatever it must have been, it only made her grow proud.

But then, fallen into this deliberation, Auvunux’s inquisitive eyes pulled her out of it, and… practically kept her pinned as she felt her heart thump a little stronger, a certain… ache building behind the amber cover of her irides. Her hand pressed a bit deeper into his arm, conflicting emotions fighting for dominance inside of her. She could see the same thing happen to him... Why… if she had just stated her position on this…?

And then, finally, he moved. Doing exactly what she should have hoped he would do, and yet leaving her only more frustrated than she had been in the first place. Her fingers, so abruptly removed from his arm, curled into a fist, her nails digging into the textured skin of her palm. She felt… angry. At him, for… getting so close… and this… emotionless disregard that he treated her with… And at herself, for coming off like some desperate teenager, trying to… woo a boy she fancied. What was she even trying to accomplish…?

She exhaled deeply and slowly, trying to clear her mind, pull herself away from this building… turmoil of emotions within her. The decision he voiced only made it ever so harder. So that was his idea? Run away and leave her to deal with this mess? She closed her eyes, staring into the fire through her closed eyelids, trying to focus on the blurry shapes of light trying to push through to distract herself from the frustration building up within her. Fruitlessly.

“So that’s what you're gonna do? Leave, hoping that things will solve on their own while you aren’t looking?” She snarled quietly after him, but felt the voice shake faintly in her throat, finding herself expressing perhaps a little bit more than she intended. “Is it a walk you want or an escape from responsibilities?”

The bottom of her loose-fitting robe swept almost aggressively across the floor as she shortened the distance between her and Austin in a few quick, long steps. Her eyes yet again turned to his face intensely, this time, however, filled with a different kind of determination. Her hand twitched, wanting to push into his chest accusatorily, put him on the defense on the physical level as well, but she barely managed to control herself, merely looking at him with a certain savagery in her eye.

“Have you even been listening to what I said? You’re sending me to relay an order that you know won’t be followed, to an audience whom you know won’t be pleased with it.” And you know damn well who gets blamed when bad news are delivered.  "And that's your entire plan...?" She took a breath, preparing to spit out a few more passionate words at him, but then breathed out again, lowering a hand that she just realized she had raised. Her head shook in what could only have been disbelief. “You know what? Fine. Go, take your walk. I'll do what you asked.” And sort out your mess. Again.

Edited February 27, 2022 by Icarian Dreams

[BladeRunner]

Before he exited, Austin stopped just at the exit. He awaited for the woman to speak, for Daliah to say anything. His teeth gritted at such an inopportune time when she spoke, not out of anger toward her but at himself more so. He wasn't blind, yet his decision-making wasn't the best as if recent perhaps offering more lax than opposed to the... It wasn't anything strong nor anything to rule, merely he was failing at his job to run a pack properly. 

When Austin took over he gave much inspiration, though lost, his more aggressive nature took a backstep and though he was excitable at nearly all moments he actually had to think for a change. And now, given years of decadence, he was the former man he used to be, less attuned with his bestial side and seeming more of a pitiful Human. Austin was not who he used to be, so what was wrong? With a sigh a good minute after Daliah lectured him out of anger, disappointment and disbelief, that same sigh seemed more like... Relief? 

"No," Austin starts softly, trying to find the correct words but instead spoke what he felt instead of what he thought for the first time in what seemed like ages, "Rest, take a break, come tomorrow morning when all are awake I will notify them myself. Then... I will... see that Gamma the old man was always urging me to. I'm..." 

Austin's right foot was already out the door, and he finally said, "I am not who I used to be. And I could... Maybe... Use- Need help in reconnecting myself to the pack. I'm... Sorry." 

Either something was wrong which was quiet evident or Austin actually opened up, just by a little. He finally walked out of the library, however he felt nothing more than defeat and exhaustion on an emotional level. The Alpha especially apologized, an extremely rare occurrence that few got to witness, and the honest admission he gave to Daliah was unexpected as well. He was too proud an individual to admit defeat or even aid, he always did everything himself, but he delved too far back into the weeds and became trapped in the mud. But when Austin meant something like an apology and what he had said to Daliah, it didn't matter if the damage was done, he still says it. 

 

[Icarian Dreams]

Daliah felt herself heat up as she saw him just... ignore her, let her rant right in his face without giving even a reaction aside from a single disappointed sigh. She fumed, feeling herself suddenly thrust into an situation she didn't know nor anticipate, one where she suddenly realized she had no idea why the Alpha was reacting the way he did or what exactly was she getting herself into- It was... almost scary, but the emotions she felt channeled only further into her fury, making her end up with her face practically inches away from Austin's before she finally managed to get a hold of herself.

"No."

There it was. Her expression hardened, her muscles tensing as she prepared for his inevitable retort, ready to pounce at- "Rest, take a break." She froze. Not at his words, but rather at the tone of his voice that he conveyed them with. Tired... defeated... making her finally understand that the disappointment in his sigh was not directed at her... it was meant for himself. It seemed as if her face didn't even twitch, stuck in this twisted visage it took moments ago, and yet... something in her eyes, her demeanor, changed... softened and almost... backed off in a way, giving ground to a certain hesitation building inside of her.

But he didn't let her react or voice it out. He stepped out of the room before she could cohere what just happened, and... apologized on his way out, leaving her even further stupefied with his behavior.

...

"You... damn fool-" she wanted to shout after him, get him enraged somehow, but her voice came out just in a shaky whisper under her breath, making her feel like the fool instead, with her knuckles turned white from the pressure of the nails pressed into her palm and her breath trembling in a combination of anger, confusion, unease, and humiliation. What the hell happened to him? It was not how Austin reacted. It was not how he ever reacted, not how he should have reacted, and Daliah found herself just... deeply uncomfortable with that entire situation, catching herself realizing that a large part of her not only expected, but actively wanted him to bite back at her, prove correct all the things that she always used to call him and... justify her outburst in a way. Not just... roll over and apologize.

She let out a groan, no, almost a growl, and turned back into the library, storming back into the center of the room, and staying there, uncertain. There wasn't really anything she needed from the library, her only purpose here was to find Auvunux, and yet... she couldn't bring herself to leave and risk running into him again. She looked at the row of books that the Alpha so meticulously evened, and practically pushed herself to walk up to them, harshly pulling a tome out of the shelf, with her rough handling, thrusting the surrounding volumes into a state of disarray.

She inhaled. Her eyes glazed over the cover of the one in her hands. The title, the contents, author, none of this was important. What was important is that Auvunux has been holding this very tome before her. Reading it most likely. And right now, this alone was enough to make her want to just toss it straight into the roaring blaze of the fireplace, see it scorch and burn as the tongues of flames devour it whole, her fingers clenching down, leaving nailmarks on the hard cover and-

"Grrargh~!" The book crashed into the wooden floor, bouncing once and falling onto its pages just inches from the fireplace, the burning inferno raging only inches from its fragile make, trying to, but never quite reaching far enough to catch the tome aflame. Daliah's gaze followed it absently, her hand still shaking from the gathered frustration. A tear slowly rolled onto her cheek, an empty chuckle leaving through her clenched throat. Look at me, acting like an angsty teen over... practically nothing... Her breath shook in a silent laughter as it calmed, having finally found an outlet to all her bundled-up emotions. Now, she felt just... dumb after it all, and glad that no-one was there to see her react like that, fallen prey to this near-silent rage. Now, it was just deep breaths. Wiping the tear off her cheek. She fell onto the couch, tired and weakened, and felt herself enjoying the soft padding giving in to the weight of the back of her head... Maybe Austin was right. Maybe she did need a break...

Edited February 27, 2022 by Icarian Dreams

[IsabellaRose]

Lupita heard the end of a conversation through the back door of the library on her way in. A male voice was saying, "...reconnecting myself to the pack. I'm... Sorry."

She stopped just outside the door, but then heard feet retreating out the main entrance. She was certain she wasn't meant to overhear even that much, but she let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding and slipped silently into the library.

Once inside, her eyes were instantly drawn to the tall, slender, gorgeous woman standing in front of the fireplace with a book in her head. Lupita opened her mouth to speak, but the woman let out a growl and slammed the book onto the floor, then seemed to stand there... laughing? crying? Shit, thought Lupita. She thought this was Daliah, the beta of the pack, and and now she had obviously intruded on a private moment. But if there was one thing she knew with werewolves it was that there was never any sneaking silently away from the older wolves. Their senses went beyond the mere physical. Daliah would know she was in the room as soon as Lupita moved.

"Bad ending?" she said in an attempt to break the silence with humor. "I know I've wanted to toss a few books when they didn't turn out the way I wanted."

She stood just inside the door, uncertain if she should even be here. Her black tank top and biker shorts were form fitting and left none of her curves to the imagination as she offered a hopefully reassuring smile and moved toward the plush couch. "I'd offer a recommendation, but I'm afraid my reading is mostly academic these days. No one wants to read Wolves: Behavior, Ecology, and Conservation, even the other students."

She stood in front of the couch, her messenger bag over one shoulder. "I'm Lupita, by the way. I don't know if you remember me. We met very briefly when I arrived, but you were busy." She looked up at the taller woman, the second in command of the entire pack. "I'm sorry, should I go?"

Edited February 23, 2022 by IsabellaRose

[Icarian Dreams]

Maybe not quite no-one, Daliah realized, as something… someone alarmed her acute senses. Her eyes snapped towards the female figure, now frozen a few feet from the entrance to the room, visibly as perplexed by the situation as the Beta herself was. A wrinkle formed between Daliah’s brows. How long has the girl been standing there, listening? And more importantly – what should she even do with her?

For better or for worse, the girl decided to break the tension before Daliah managed to find a solution, and… actually managed to get the Beta to smile, amusing her with the joke and causing her to look back at the recent conduit of her frustration. “Yes… you could say that,” she admitted, and relaxed her posture slightly, signaling that girl was at no immediate danger, and letting herself rest down on the couch – keeping a calm but steady eye on the unexpected interloper.

The tight and unscathed clothing on the girl signified to her that she must have been relatively new to the pack, new enough not to be a warrior in active duty at least… or she was going by her Alpha’s example and apparently frequented the Spruce Moore clothing stores. Whichever was the case, Daliah couldn’t help but notice how well the material highlighted the delightful curves of the woman’s body, making her almost forgive this otherwise rather impractical outfit.

“No, stay.” Ancestors know I could use the company. Her eyes still had a certain sternness to them, even though she returned the reassuring smile, and she crossed one leg over the other, examining the woman more thoroughly, now that she could see her illuminated by the fireplace’s glow. “You’ll have to forgive me the lack of a proper introduction then, Lupita. I’m Daliah. I hope the pack has been welcoming?” She leaned back in her seat. "You're an academic, you said? I'm afraid our library may not be of much value to you, though our Gamma could have some texts you'd be interested in."

Edited February 27, 2022 by Icarian Dreams

[IsabellaRose]

"I am, well... was, a wolf biologist." She realized how strange that must sound coming from a werewolf to another werewolf, and quickly added, "don't laugh. It was what I chose to study before..." Before my professor changed in front of me, chased me through the woods, pounced on me, took me like an animal in heat, bit me, and changed my life forever. "Before I was bit."

She stood still, uncertain what she was supposed to do. Bow? Lower her eyes? She couldn't remember anything Tabor had taught her about packs. It had been all rushed out as asides while he taught her what seemed much more important at the time, how to control the change, what to wear. She had, of course, ignored practically all of his advice. She didn't want to change. She didn't want to be what she was. She wanted to go back, to be just a human again.

She looked up quickly, flashing a small smile. "The pack has been very welcoming. I just..." Just what? I'm not not certain I belong? God, Lupe, stop being such an idiot. "I'm still trying trying to find my place," she said as quickly as she could, trying to cover the long pause.

She smiled, the same smile she used to put on for her professors when she didn't know if she said the right thing. She had been told her smile was cute, that it made people feel at ease. She felt silly standing there smiling like an idiot. She was acting like an idiot quite a lot today.

[Icarian Dreams]

Daliah paused for a moment as she heard the sudden hesitance turn up in her visitor’s voice. Her eyes narrowed, slightly confused, then turned slightly wider in understanding, as she slowly came to realize why the girl struggled with her words for a moment there, perhaps even mistaking some of the indecision that followed as stemming from grief and not confusion, as it really was.

“I see…” she acknowledged, giving a gentle, yet slightly sorrowful smile towards the woman. “I’m sorry you had to join us that way,” she expressed, even though… she couldn’t quite bring herself to find complete sympathy. To Daliah, lycanthropy was a gift – not a small one at that. What price would be too big to pay for a blessing like this? To become the hunter amongst the hunted? The predator instead of prey? She sighed. “But I’m sure you’ll find yourself here eventually. You’re clever. You have a fine, strong body.” She raised a hand to gesture at the woman’s faintly athletic build in a way that only seemed to lack a glass of wine nested between her slender fingers. “You’d make for a good warrior.” And a good mate... she decided not to add, knowing how prudish some of the outsiders could have been, though her eyes did linger on the woman’s shapely hips. Recent times new queens were just as sought-after as warriors, after all...

It wasn’t intentional, but the Beta found herself smirking as well at the slightly awkward smile that the girl gave her. It was endearing, really. She leaned back in slightly, getting closer to Lupita, her tone calm, trying to comfort the biologist. “I can tell Caleb to test you. You'd enjoy the hunt. Everyone does." Her smile turned a little bit sour, perhaps reminded of her own... inadequacy. She quickly concealed it. Wouldn't want the new girl to see her weak. "One of the many perks of our form I'm sure you'll learn to cherish."

Edited February 27, 2022 by Icarian Dreams

[IsabellaRose]

Lupita remembered hunting with Tabor and his wolf pack, remembered the smell of their prey on the night air, trailing the caribou for days, assessing the herd, looking for the weakest animals, the easiest targets. She remembered waiting until the herd moved from the open, wind-swept plains and into heavy, crusted snow where her paws would act almost like snowshoes while the hooves of the caribou would break through the crusted snow and bog them down, slowing them, making them easier targets.

She remembered the howl that signaled it was time to make their move. She remembered moving with the other females, darting back and forth in the path of the prey, herding them, causing confusion and preventing escape while Tabor and the larger males moved in for a quick, aggressive takedown. She remembered seeing the caribou collapse, legs working ineffectually as it tried to rise, watching Tabor seize the caribou by the nose, holding it as it thrashed, watching its struggles weaken as it began to bleed out.

The herd fled and she remained with the rest of the pack, out of reach of the flailing hooves, observing its slow death until it was time to feed. She remembered feeling her muzzle inside the body of the caribou, her snout covered in blood, the metallic smell, the coppery taste as she devoured raw animal flesh. She remembered the satisfaction of a successful hunt, the growling camaraderie as they devoured their prey...

She remembered the next morning, waking naked in human form curled up beside wolves and Tabor, the taste of blood in her mouth, tendons stuck in her teeth. She remembered retching blood and raw meat and crying into Tabor's chest as he remained emotionally distant.

"I have hunted," Lupita finally said. "With the man who turned me and his pack in Alaska and the Northwest Territories."

She tried to hide her mixed feelings on the subject. It was magnificent, liberating, the only thing she ever wanted. It was terrible, brutal, something she never wanted to do again.

"I do not think..." she started then stopped. "I am not a hunter. Killing does not come natural to me. I... I wake with regret. When I am myself again."

She looked at the floor, then back up at Daliah. "But in the moment, that feeling, the freedom, the pure joy of running with a pack around you, your senses alive like they've never been before..." 

Her eyes filled with unshed tears. "I'm sorry. It's just... my human nature, my upbringing, is so different from my wolf nature. I was brought up a pacifist. I was brought up to believe that all life is sacred. Now I take life. I know, I know it's to survive, but it's just... it's hard to reconcile who I thought I was with who I am become."

She shook her head, wiped at her eyes. "I'm sorry, you don't need to hear about my petty problems."

[Icarian Dreams]

Daliah’s eyes turned towards Lupita, and she went still for a moment, realizing the sudden change in demeanor of the woman in front of her, the silence that fell for way too long… Her brows furrowed, confused. Was there something she said that Lupita took offense in?

Her eyes shot up attentively as the girl finally spoke up, as the words began to spill out of her mouth, the worries that she had seemingly held deep within her up until now. She sat quiet, not daring to interrupt, even though as she learned more and more, she found herself… struggling to understand this pain, this… sensitivity. Who’d cry over a fallen animal? Over prey that was meant to be hunted?

For someone who was born a wolf, to whom shifting came as natural as breathing or walking, who truly was at least as much a beast as they were a man, this… this was nearly incomprehensible. The hunt was glorious. It was free, natural… true. It felt like becoming one with this earth again, connecting with what put them there in the first place. How could one willingly reject that side of self? And how could one feel… hurt by it? At first, Daliah couldn’t help but feel a sense of almost… contempt at even the suggestion of such a thing. A wolf dulling its teeth was little more than a lapdog after all. From Auvunux to Samara, wherever she saw this happen. This… disconnect from the beast, it only led to weakness. To pain. To frustration.

But as she kept on listening, as she saw the pain so clearly in Lupita’s eyes, even as she remembered others that came before her – confused, estranged, struggling to find themselves in this new world that surrounded them... something moved in the Beta's heart. They didn’t have the comfort she had, the experience of growing up true to her lupine nature. To those like her, they were little more than just pups, really, thrown into this world roughly and with next to no help. And they- Lupita, needed someone to guide her through it, not judge. Console, not critique... And Daliah cursed herself for not realizing this earlier.

She rose up a bit too rapidly at this frustration, but then quickly softened her moves, letting her robe flow softly from the couch in track of her form. Her hand raised slightly as she approached, wanting to help… to do what she needed to do, even if she wasn’t exactly sure what that was. Her instincts helped. Gently, careful not to startle her, her fingers rested on Lupita’s arm, then, after a hesitant second, pulled her closer, quietly taking the girl into the Beta’s embrace, into the warmth of Daliah’s own body...

“Shh now… It’s alright…” the woman quietly assured, feeling her own breath – slow, controlled, and yet deep with worry… anxiety. She had held rituals, roused crowds into combat… and yet it was moments like these that were always the most difficult… “No one here will force you to hunt…” Her fingers gently stroked through Lupita’s hair, letting her rest on the Beta’s shoulder while she herself turned, pressing her lips into the girl’s head. She didn’t know what to say, so she just… spoke. Whispered softly, into the sea of pale locks whatever felt like the right thing at the time... “No one will force you to fight or kill… You won’t be anything you don’t want to be, darling… You’re safe…”

And her lips pressed together just at these two words, remembering the conversation she had with the Alpha but moments ago… the three missing scouts… Auvunux’s very behavior… Could she really guarantee safety in a time like this? Her hand pressed a bit stronger in the back of Lupita’s hair. It was hard to say who, in that moment, took more comfort in that quiet gesture… Breathing out faintly, Daliah tried turning her thoughts away.

There were things she could still do to help… things she remembered from her years as Gamma minor… and some from her own findings. She shifted back a few inches, looking the biologist in the glossy eyes with a certain determination of her own. With a caress of her fingers, she wiped a few tears from the girl’s cheek. “The transformations can be controlled,” she explained softly, remembering the pages of her books The hand-drawn pictures of the previous Gammas... “Wolfsbane weakens the call… helps control yourself under stress. And…” She breathed quietly, continuing only after a brief pause. “I could give you something to… help you forget too. Just for a moment, but… it helps when you need it to…”

She fell silent for a moment, struck with… worry? Regret? But then took a step back, looking at Lupita with a sorrowful smile in her eyes. Keeping her hand gently rested on the woman’s arm. If she needed the support, she would be there. “You’re family now, darling. We take care of our own…” she assured tenderly.

Edited March 1, 2022 by Icarian Dreams

[IsabellaRose]

Lupita was engulfed in the woman's arms. Her entire body tensed and went rigid for a moment, but then slowly, muscle by muscle, she began to relax. She felt safe. Protected. When Daliah pressed her lips against Lupita's head, Lupita melted into that embrace. It felt so right, so comforting, so much of what she had not had for over a year. She hugged Daliah back, her slender arms wrapped around Daliah's back, probably squeezing harder than Daliah had expected. Lupita had been desperate for this kind of connection, and now that she had it, she was reluctant to let it go. As Daliah spoke, Lupita felt her worries assuaged, her fears lessened.

When she had first been bitten, she had been terrified of her transformations. But she had grown to love her wolf form, her wolf senses, the freedom of running. She had studied wolves for years, but now she was a wolf. She had the most unique perspective she could ever have hoped for, the most amazing and wonderful experience any human scientist could have dreamed. But when those vampires had hunted her Alpha, picked off the actual wolves in her pack one by one... when her Alpha had fallen and she fell from that precipice, then later woken alone wrapped in a blanket, "rescued" by humans from a "vicious wolf attack"... she had lost everything in one night. She had wandered, alone, searching for something, trying to fill the void. She had resisted the change, associating it with all the bad that had happened. She had tried to reassert her humanity.

But she was no longer human. She thought what she was missing was the connection she had with humans, the strength of her convictions, the beliefs instilled in her by a pacifist mother since childhood. But hearing Daliah speak, stating the facts of her situation, the truth she had known deep down, that made her feel different. She had tried to explain it, the problems she had when her humanity reasserted itself, and then Daliah, almost a complete stranger, had embraced her, offered to help her control the transformation. That care, that willingness to help Lupita despite what the pack needed... that was what she had been missing. She had been missing the pack, the feeling of belonging, the knowledge that she was one with something greater. 

Daliah stepped back and offered a smile, those big eyes filled with sympathy. Lupita felt tears well in her eyes at the sudden strong connection she felt. She had known it deep down inside. This was what she had needed.

"Thank you," she said, trying not to get over emotional. "I must seem so scattered to you. Sometimes I'm bad at explaining myself."

She took a deep breath. She had been inspired by words meant to comfort. She continued. "I know I said that I feel guilt and regret after the hunt. But that's what I need to work on. I feel weak, chained to my humanity. I don't want to control or lessen the transformation. I don't want to avoid the hunt."

She stood up a little straighter, fire in her eyes. "I want to rid myself of the regret. I want to divorce myself from the guilt. I want to embrace the wolf."

[Icarian Dreams]

Daliah felt a soft gasp escape her lips as the girl’s arms clutched firmly, needily around her frame, seeking out the Beta’s embrace, taking her by surprise with the sheer magnitude of affection she was suddenly being shown. She found herself tensing up at that very moment, her voice breaking slightly mid-speech as she looked down on the girl within her arms, slowly coming to accept the firmly returned embrace. It wasn’t really all that unexpected, given the sympathy she had been trying to express to Lupita, and yet it felt… rather strange to end up as the target of all these emotions. Almost disingenuous in a way, like she wasn’t the one Lupita had actually wanted to hug, and was just tricking the girl into sharing all these emotions with her – even though that had never even crossed Daliah’s mind before now. It was the Beta comforting a pack member, but Lupita embracing Daliah.

So when she pulled back to look into Lupita’s eyes, for Daliah it was more of a retreat, a strategic withdrawal from this strangely intimate position she had put herself in, rather than anything else. And behind the genuine sympathy still lingering in her eyes hid also a slight embarrassment, an internal conflict of someone who felt as if they had just seen something than they were really privy to. Quite ironic, considering the circumstances of their encounter… Hearing Lupita speak up after her, she did find herself relieved a bit. It gave her a moment to sort the mess that were her emotions.

“It’s alright-“ she assured quickly after Lupita expressed her concerns, not letting the girl know that at that very moment the only person she considered most “scattered” was really herself. But as she was going to follow up on that, she paused, hearing that there was more to what the pale-haired biologist had to say. And as she listened, her expression shifted, realizing she had once again misjudged the woman’s character. A smile warmed her visage, as if her problems had been resolved just by hearing this single assertion of Lupita’s determination.

“Your words already prove you’re stronger than you think.” Daliah’s grasp grew slightly firmer on the girl’s arm, her own voice gaining strength in response to Lupita’s confidence. "And you won't have to face your troubles alone," she reemphasized, though her words started to carry a bit more personal weight than she might have originally intended, feeling like she owed it to her.  "As long as you're with us, Lupita, we'll support you every step of the way, be it through the hunts or in those periods between them. That's what the pack is for." She smiled, finally pulling back a bit, giving the girl some space.