Crosshairs (closed)

[Sleepless_Dreamer]

"I'm... sorry to hear that." Elise said in response to James's story. And she meant it. Elise was rough around the edges, but she wasn't a monster. She cared about people. Otherwise, she would have never joined the force.


Sitting there, she cradled her chin in her hand, her elbow propped up on the table. She remembered when she'd been bitten. By whatever wolf had killed the guy her squad had been after. She wondered if it had just been an unstable stray like her. She wondered what had become of it. Part of her wanted to know, so she could make him pay for what he'd done to her. For taking her whole entire world away from her. But she knew that revenge wouldn't make her human again. And it wouldn't bring her sister back. Elise sighed.


"I've been living the better part of a year now as a wolf. On my own. I guess it was just easy somehow. I was so busy caring about Anne that I didn't care about myself. I ignored what had happened to me and tried to pretend I was still human. I held onto it for as long as I could but..." She dropped her eyes down to the tabletop. "But it's like the longer I try to pretend I'm human, the more feral the wolf becomes. I can't... I can't find that balance."


She turned her eyes to James and even went so far as to offer him a small smile. It seemed her rage from before was forgotten. Elise could be hot-headed, but she tried not to hold grudges. And the longer she was exposed to James and Robert, the more her inner wolf started responding to being around like kind. When he offered help, she nodded.


"I'd like that."


Robert's footsteps echoed in the hallway and eventually brought him where James and Elise were. He was surprised to see them sitting next to each other. He honestly would have expected Elise to come out guns blazing, but it seemed like James was getting through to her at least a little bit. Still, he kept his distance, knowing that the competitive back and forth relationship that he and Elise seemed to have would not be conducive to her recovery.


"Marcus will be over this evening after he gets off of work. Tony won't be able to make it in until tomorrow, though." He glanced at Elise. "Which is probably good. Tony's my brother. And he's even bigger and louder than I am."


Elise sized Robert up and found that very hard to believe. But it was probably good that not everyone met her at the same time. She didn't know if she could handle a whole room full of them just yet.

 

[Soliloquy]

Robert brought up a valid point - even if she was calmed down now, it wouldn't take much to heat Elise up, or so it seemed. James clasped his hands together, ready to shake the depressing tone out of the air.
 


"Well, that gives us plenty of time to clean up and go from there," he reached over and picked up Elise's plate, moving to start cleaning up the remnant of breakfast. On the counter he picked up a remote, pressing a few buttons until the room was filled with a lively tune, decades old, but still catchy. Motioning for the two to join him he began the clean up process.
 


"You're not gonna leave me to this alone, house rules," he winked at her before beginning to sing along with the song, deciding the original lyrics weren't satisfactory. "Come on Elise, Oh I swear Roberts means well!" His lips were wrapped up in a goofy grin.

 

[Sleepless_Dreamer]

Robert wasn't exactly the cleaning up type, but he did at least eat whatever was left on the plates... which wasn't much. He handed the empty dishes to Elise, who put them in the dishwasher after a thorough rinsing. He tried to make his time in the kitchen as brief as possible because... well James was a horrible singer. A fact that Elise would have agreed with wholeheartedly. She decided that James was strangely... chipper. She would have expected a man like him to be you know... brooding or whatever. Instead, he was large, ruggedly handsome, and strangely goofy. Whatever floated his boat, she supposed.


When everything was said and done, the three of them found themselves in the large den on the ground floor. The fireplace sat empty, but ashes and charred chunks of wood indicated a fire had burned there not long ago. The mantle was tall and made of deep red bricks. Some old pieces of what looked like colonial era art littered the walls here and there, along with some taxidermy work of deer, rabbits, and things of the like. Elise found their black, blank eyes kind of unsettling. But she also found that they made her kind of hungry.


"Tony and I were born into it," Robert was saying. "So, from about age five we were already learning about the wolf and how to handle it. I definitely don't envy anyone who gets bitten in. No offense."


Elise envied Robert. Going from human to something decidedly not human was a really hard leap. She had learned that a lot of people went insane, unable to handle the schizophrenic-like aspect of having two entities locked inside of one body. The suicide rate among those bitten in was high, even higher among those who were bitten at a younger age. She also learned that many females bitten in died during the first change. Their bodies, naturally smaller and weaker than men's, sometimes could not take the metamorphosis and they died mid-change looking like some mangled heap of bones, muscle and hair. She was at least thankful that, that hadn't happened to her.


"You wouldn't have lasted the first day," a male's voice, deep and slightly tinged in a British accent, sounded from the entryway.


Marcus stood in a finely tailored suit, holding a cell phone in his hand. He had starling blue eyes that sized Elise up easily enough. His pouty lips turned up into a small smile as he entered the room and walked up to Elise. This allowed for an opportunity to sniff each other so to speak, but he was also extending his hand for a handshake in a very normal, very human gesture.


"Elise," he said in his charming tone. "Pleasure to meet you. I'm Marcus."


Robert made a gagging sound from where he sat on the couch. "Ugh, Casanova, turn it off!"


Elise chuckled, but shook Marcus's hand with a smile. His charm seemed to work on her, which was no surprise to Robert and probably not to James either. When the initial greeting was over, he handed her the cellphone. "You'll find all of the necessary contacts are programmed in. See..." He touched the phone, pulling up the address book. There were only four names thus far. James, Anthony, Marcus, and


"Juggernaut?" Elise lifted her gaze.


"Ah yes, that would be Robert... naturally."


"Naturally..." Robert mimicked Marcus, doing his best to sound like a pompous Brit, but his accent wasn't all that great.

 

[Soliloquy]

Their conversing was comfortable and pleasant, Robert sharing his past with Elise as well. James watched her as he spoke, pleased to see her now completely relaxed among them and in the situation. He had just folded his arms behind his head, relaxing on his portion of the large section count when Marcus' voice sounded from the door. He gave a half upward nod in his direction.
 


"Hey Marcus, good to see you man. How was work?" he asked, taking the opportunity to stand up and stretch. Looking down at his watch he registered the time. It was still early. "So, you've met three-fourths of our group, now what? Did we hear back from Anthony and his current trip? Or....shall we take a trip of our own?"

 

[Sleepless_Dreamer]

Marcus acknowledged his superior with an equal nod. He was older than James, but he still respected the young Alpha. Despite James's self-proclaimed setbacks, Marcus thought he was doing a good job in his new role. Especially considering he didn't want it.


"Tiresome, as always." Marcus responded when asked about work. The law firm he worked for was a big ball of stress all wrapped in divorce drama, but it kept him in contact with some very important contacts. Contacts that were necessary to keep on hand should they need things taken care of quickly and quietly.


"Don't get married," he told Elise. "It's not worth the divorce." He winked at her and moved further into the room, loosening his tie as he did so. He came to a decanter of scotch and pulled himself the accepted two thumbs width.


"Anthony will probably be back in sometime tomorrow. He said things upstate took a littler longer than expected." Robert said. "If you ask me he's hooking up with what's her name again and she's trying to sink her claws in him like always."


Charming bunch, Elise thought. She had the feeling that Robert and Anthony were very close. It made her heart ache a bit for her sister. Elise and Anne were your typical twins. Inseparable all throughout childhood and into their adult lives. So much so that they had opted to move to the same city in Ohio together. Now, Elise regretted that decision. If they had gone their separate ways, she wouldn't be lying in a hospital bed hooked up to a breathing machine right now. Sadness attempted to settle in on her, but James's words broke into her mind.


"A trip?" She stood up from the leather chair she'd been sitting in. "I, uh... Have that... Thing... Tonight."


She didn't elaborate too much. She knew how Robert felt about her dealings with the vampires, and she didn't know how much Marcus knew or how he would handle it. But she knew that James knew what she was talking about. She knew he didn't like it either, but that was part of the agreement.

 

[Soliloquy]

James' eyebrows knitted together briefly before he nodded. He was not at all fond of the idea that she was going to go back to them so quickly, but he also couldn't expect her to suddenly stop going, that would draw attention to herself.
 


"The phone Marcus gave you is strictly to communicate with us, no one else," he stressed, rubbing his chin and the five o'clock shadow that was forcing its appearance. "If you need a ride, Robert or I are gonna be your best bet. Just call or text us an address."
 


He paused, looking out the window where it was still light out. "I'm assuming you have time before you're expected. Marcus, I take it you're not expected anywhere, shall we grab a bite to eat?"

 

[Sleepless_Dreamer]

Elise nodded her understanding. These were strict rules that she had no intention of breaking. Her own phone was more than sufficient for her contact with Clay. She appreciated the tight operation that James ran. She also appreciated his concern and offer to help, but she didn't plan on needing it. She had managed to scrape by with the vampires for this long without assistance; she hoped she could continue to do so. Her main concern now was the three other werewolves she would be spending time with.


"Fine. I won't have much of an appetite after I deal with them anyway. But nowhere near the city. And I'll have to go by foot after. Let the cold air wash your guys' scent off of me. No offense."


Marcus was on the same page as the others in his disapproval of Elise's... dealings. He didn't know why she did it, but he knew why James had agreed to let her continue to do it. His main concern was for her well-being more than anything else. If he passed any judgement on her, he hadn't let anyone know about it. He held his wrist out in front of him and checked his watch.


"No... and if someone tries to call me back in I will be issuing death threats." He said with that charming grin. More Cheshire cat than wolf, almost.


Robert, of course, was already grabbing his coat. The mention of food always spurred him into action. Plus, if he had to listen to Marcus and his charming bullshit anymore, he might just lose his own appetite. The day had been serious enough. He was ready to get back to being his usual, shallow self. He walked by Elise, resisting the urge to slap her on the rump, and instead bumped her with his elbow instead.


"I think you owe me a beer. Or at least something for knocking me out?"


"She knocked you out?" Marcus asked as he fell in step beside Robert, leaving the room.


"Oh yeah, I'll have to tell you all about it."


After they had gone, Elise looked at James. As he was about to walk by her, she gently grabbed him by the arm to stop him. Her touch was warm, her hands soft, but strong. She looked up at him. "Hey, uhm... I know I haven't told you yet but... thank you. You know, for not killing me and all." She offered him up a rare smile, then promptly let him go and followed the others out into the foyer.

 

[Soliloquy]

James had to admit, he was quite pleased with himself, but more so for the other two and how approving they had been of the situation and Elise's choices. He had been one of the last ones out the door, preoccupied with the idea of hearing Robert retell the story of his ass whooping when Elise had stopped him, completely catching him off guard. As she disappeared after the guys to leave the house, James watched her go, smiling once again.
 


Oh, you may be a big bad bitch, he thought to himself, following after the others, But underneath your hard crunchy shell, you're a sweetheart, aren't you.


"Can we settle with pizza or wings? Or is that too shabby for Sir Marcus," he jabbed, the closest he generally would get to insulting Marcus was a light tease. Robert and Tony on the other hand, were completely free game.

 

[Sleepless_Dreamer]

Per usual, at the sheer mention of food, Elise felt her stomach growl. She swore it was like her stomach was a bottomless pit. She could eat and eat and eat and still not feel full. She had, had a pretty high metabolism even before she'd been turned. Now, with the wolf, it was like it was impossible for her to be satiated. Her mouth salivated at the thought of chicken wings. They were, coincidentally, her favorite food.


"Oh, God... the things I would do to some buffalo wings right now." She was saying, mostly to herself, but loud enough for the others to hear it.


Robert looked at her, perking a single brow. "Is it weird that I'm strangely aroused by that, or...."


Elise shot him a glance, and raised a hand as if she were about to smack him, but Marcus interceded. Ever the smooth one, he deftly caught Elise's arm and transitioned it into his own, so they were now walking peacefully with their arms linked. He placed his opposite hand on her wrist and patted gently. Something about him seemed familiar and comforting. Elise's frustration at Robert was immediately replaced by her positive regard of Marcus.


"Yes, Robert, it is weird." Marcus answered the question while leading Elise away. "Why not have both?" He looked at James, tossing him a grin. "I'll buy, of course."


This was his way of jabbing back at his Alpha. The pompous card. While Marcus was anything but, he liked to make people think that he was from time to time. And he knew that his insisting on paying for things drove James up a wall. James, who was always trying to take care of everyone and everything, couldn't even relinquish a bar tab unless Marcus was there to swoon the waitress into giving him the check instead of his Alpha.


"You simply lead us to the place where we can procure all of the greasy, deep-fried garbage you want." Patting Elise, he let go of her arm but not before telling her quietly: "To be honest, I have grown quite fond of all of that deep-fried garbage."


Ultimately, James would be the one to pick the destination, and everyone would go along with it. Robert drove James and Elise, and Marcus drove separately. He would be going his own way after dinner, so he figured it would be easier to keep his car with him. Elise would, of course, be going it on foot afterwards. She had no idea what here night had in store for her, or where she would end up... so this was easiest for now.

 

[Soliloquy]

James decided for the group on a small sports bar that was in a suburb, plenty of distance for Elise's cleansing but still good food. Their drive was a short one, with he and Robert conversing while music was on, the current topic a recent movie release and their disagreement on the casting for the lead. Gravel crunched beneath the truck as they pulled in and piled out, meeting up with Marcus before taking up a corner table, the small establishment bustling.
 


He quickly requested several orders of buffalo wild wings and burnin' hot ones along with pitchers of beer. He had placed himself between Robert and Elise, as a precautionary measure, Marcus on her other side of the round table. The close males continued to bustle with chatter, occasionally pulling Elise in to the conversation with them.
 


Shortly after and finishing off another glass, James sat back in his chair, a satisfied look on his face. "Amazing," he grunted, rubbing his stomach. Robert and Marcus had similar looks of satisfaction on their faces. Before Marcus had a chance, he snatched the bill from the waitress, completely aware of his previous comments but choosing to ignore them. Actions were stronger than words after all.
 


It had grown dark outside and he gave Elise a torn look with a small frown. She'd have to go soon and he wasn't pleased with the idea. He knew she had to, but knew that once she had left their territory he'd have no way of protecting her.

 

[Sleepless_Dreamer]

Elise continued to astound with how much food she could put away. When she had a graveyard of chicken bones in front of her, Robert gave Marcus this sort of "I told you so" look. Marcus could hardly believe his eyes. How Elise could put away that much food and still retain that slender runner's build of hers was a complete mystery to him. She looked at the wondering eyes of her new pack mates and simply shook her head.


"You're gonna have to get used to it eventually. This is how I eat. All of the time."


"I'm never gonna be able to get used to that," Robert commented.


Marcus was quiet and thoughtful, just finishing the rest of his beer. His observant eyes had taken notice of the way James was looking at Elise now. He had that look of worry on his face that Marcus knew so well. It stirred worry within him, too. Elise felt her phone buzz. She looked down at it to see the alarm she had set for herself was going off. She disabled it and slowly slid her chair out. She grabbed her black coat and slid it over her torso, zipping it up all the way and flipping her blonde hair out from underneath. She stood up and noticed the looks that were being given to her.


"I'll be fine," she assured them. "I was doing this for weeks before you caught me." She offered them a wink before turning and leaving.


As soon as she stepped outside, however, that confidence of hers deflated. The dread that overcame her every time she was going into vampire territory took over. It was that fear that had kept her alive and on her toes, but it was still the cause for quite a bit of anxiety. She could practically feel the eyes of James, Marcus and Robert on her as she disappeared from view. It was a long, cold walk into the city, but Elise managed. As suspected, when she arrived, the scent of the others had washed off of her and was replaced with the sterile cold of the night air.


"Your timing is impeccable as always," Michael said when she arrived at their meeting spot. They were in an old parking lot outside of a shut down school. A black, unmarked car idled next to where Michael stood. His transportation, no doubt.


Elise rubbed her hands together and looked Michael up and down. He was wearing one of his smart suits as always, tailored to fit his long, lanky build. No coat, which wasn't unusual. But... "Where's the briefcase?"


Michael turned toward the car, and the door of the backseat opened. Elise's heart dropped into her stomach.


"C-clay..." She said in surprise.


Clay exited the vehicle, holding a large black briefcase in hand. He had on a long black coat that covered the majority of the suit that he, too, was wearing. His hair was perfectly sculpted as ever. His lips and brow lines were sort of scrunched together, as if he were thinking about something. He and Michael exchanged glances, and Clay gave Michael a nod. Faster than the eye could follow, Michael closed the distance between himself and Elise and grabbed her arm. He ripped the sleeve of her coat as if it were paper, revealing the bandage that was wrapped around her forearm. His grip was like stone, threatening to crush her bones. With his other hand, he tore away the bandage and revealed the healing bite marks beneath.


"Sss....." he made a sound. "That look like it hurt."


Clay approached, stopping just a few inches short of Elise. "And how did this happen?" Her raised a brow at her.


"Rough sex." Elise said, practically spitting the words at the vampire.


In another flash, Michael had released Elise, only for Clay to grab her. It was as if they shared one mind, working like a well-oiled machine. The coven leader had taken Elise by her throat and slammed her back against the car. The wind was knocked out of her, but she couldn't cough because the grip he had on her larynx.


"I don't find you funny, dog. I thought we had discussed that. Now," he squeezed a little tighter, "try again."


He released her and backed away. After coughing for a few seconds, Elise was finally able to talk.


"I ran into a wolf... last night. One from the local pack or whatever. Apparently they have some stupid rule about mutts in their territory. He attacked, and..." Elise's words faltered.


"And what?" Clay pressed.


"I may have told him that I was under the coven's protection. Since I have been doing runs for you. Unsettled him enough to chase him off. Must've been scared that you'd-"


Whack!





This time it was Michael, delivering a backhand to Elise. It was like being hit by a wall, and she felt her lip split open and start bleeding instantly. He was lifting his hand to his face to lick some of her blood when Elise charged him. She shoulder tackled him onto the ground and was just about to rip his face open with the claws that had formed on her hand when Clay shouted.


"ENOUGH!"


A shudder sent down her spine, and Elise stopped what she was doing. She hopped off of Michael, positively seething. Her eyes were glowing gold, but she had managed to get her hand to change back to normal. She turned toward Clay and ripped the briefcase off of him.


"Either one of you touches me again, and I'll give those wolves something to be mad about."


With that, she took off. Several hours later, the drop was finished and the money had been transferred to the account. Elise was none the wiser about any vampires that may have been following her around Clay's territory. After a while, she made her way back to the manor. She took a cab part of the way there and then opted to walk the rest. A hand-shaped bruise had already started forming around her neck, and her lower lip was split. Not to mention the fact that her jacket was completely ruined now. Needless to say, she was pretty sour about it all. It was late, though, around three in the morning, when she walked into the manor, so she did her best to be quiet and not disturb anyone.

 

[Soliloquy]

As instructed, Ambrosia had watched the brutal attack on Elise from the abandoned school building, a cruel smile on her cherry-red lips. This was exactly what the little dog deserved, and was more than enjoyable for her to witness. It had taken an immense amount of self control to stay within the building and not join them, longing to mangle her body. But, she was given this as a chance to redeem herself, a chance she wasn't going to take for granted.
 


Elise ran away, bloodied but on her assigned task and Ambrosia gleefully followed for the next few hours. There was always a good distance between the two females, still easily within Ambrosia's heightened vision as she clung to the shadows. At one point through the night she nearly had lost her, distracted by what would have been a delicious, easy prey to snack on, but she forced herself to resist temptation. She needed to prove herself to Clay more than a scrumptious morsel.
 


As Elise reached the edge of the vampire territory, she paused, knowing better than to follow outside of protected lands. She was slightly upset by the fact that during the night the dog hadn't done anything suspicious for her to report back to Clay. No phone calls, no other scents of wolf around her. She unproductively sighed. If she couldn't get information she was going to wind up nearly as beaten as Elise.
 


Begrudgingly she returned to the high rise, opting to wait until being summoned by Clay. It was best if she didn't interrupt anything, business or otherwise.


The trio of male wolves had remained at the table for a few minutes longer before deciding to call it a night. Marcus had driven off alone and Robert and James returned to the manor. The entire ride home and most of the night, James was quiet, staring out the windows, clearly worried and deep in his own thoughts. Robert had done his typical attempts to bring James back up, but after a few had decided it was best to leave him alone.


Around midnight, James attempted to force sleep, but it was pointless. He tossed and turned every few minutes, before finally giving up two hours later. He trooped out of his room and down into the den, the house eerily quiet. He had turned a television on to a mindless late night show and sat, legs propped up but not registering what was on the screen while sitting in the darkness.
 


The soft creak of the front door opening snapped him to attention and he rose to his feet. "Elise?" he called out, imagining it could only be her. He moved through the den and to the foyer, now able to pick up her scent and confirm he was correct. "I just wanted to make sure you got home sa-" He stopped mid sentence. The smell of dried blood billowed in his nostrils, which he was amazed he hadn't smelled before.
 


Reaching over he flipped the light switch, illuminating the room. She stood before him, the gash in her lip the source of blood smell, bruised neck showing despite any attempts to cover it, and her jacket sleeve torn. James' jaw tightened and it took him a moment before he could speak.
 


"Who did this? And don't you dare try to brush this off as something that normally happens, Elise," while his voice was stern, his eyes were filled with overwhelming concern.

 

[Sleepless_Dreamer]

Entering the house, Elise was able to see the blue light from the TV coming from the other room. It was late, though, so she could only hope that someone had fallen asleep in front of it. It was a guy thing to do, after all. So, she ignored the light and was proceeding toward the stairs when she heard movement that was promptly followed by James's voice. She knew it was dark, but she had kept her back turned toward him when she heard him approach. When he suddenly stopped mid-sentence, she froze. He knows.. She thought. And sure enough, the light was turning on. With no other choice but to face him, Elise turned around to meet James's gaze.


"It's... not at bad as it looks."


Her hand idly lifted to her bruised throat. The aftermath of Clay's raw, unbridled strength was quite evident. He could have crushed her throat; snapped her neck, with one hand. She had always known of his strength before, but he had never demonstrated it against her. Nor had he and Michael ever teamed up against her like that. She had gotten into a scrap or two with Michael before, but this... this had been different. She stared at James long and hard, but she found herself unable to tell him anything but the truth. His dominance as Alpha was already beginning to affect her.


"Clay and Michael," she answered as she dropped her arm to her side. "Somebody... somebody must have seen you last night before we left Clay's territory. When I met up with Michael, Clay was with him. They went right for my arm, and when they saw the bite marks..."


Elise groaned. She suddenly felt a headache forming. It started down at the tension in her shoulders, radiated up her neck, and then formed a halo around her head. She closed her eyes and took a couple deep breaths in an attempt to calm down.


"I told them that I had gotten into a skirmish with one of the wolves for staying in town too long. I told Clay that I had said I was under the coven's protection. He wasn't happy about it... obviously." She pulled her lower lip into her mouth and tasted the coppery blood that had dried there. "But he believed it. He was just pissed that I would have the audacity to think they would protect me just because I do some runs for them."


She stepped toward him.


"Look, James, I'm sorry, but he doesn't know anything alright? I would rather him suspect me of consorting with wolves than have any inkling that I am doing these runs for him because I have someone I care about. I can't let him have that sort of leverage over me."


---------------------------------------------


Back "home" Clay's temper had subsided but a fraction. He had been cursing Elise's name up and down for making the wolves think that the coven was protecting her. The last thing he needed was a stupid dog at his door. He needed to keep his distance from them. The closer they got, the more they might realize that Clay was technically bending some of the rules of their agreement. As soon as Ambrosia arrived, he went to her.


She would be able to feel him coming before he got there, so by the time he was rapping on her door she would have hopefully been prepared. When she allowed him admittance into her room, she strode in and stood near the door. He was clearly agitated; anxious.


"Were you able to learn anything about that bitch?" He nearly hissed the words. "Did she meet up with any of the wolves? Do anything out of the ordinary?"

 

[Soliloquy]

James had listened silently, fighting to contain rage that boiled within him, the wolf pacing back and forth, begging to break out and avenge her. As she moved closer, he closed the gap, cupping her chin and lifting her head up, examining both her lip and neck before focusing back on her eyes.
 


"Do you think I give a shit what they know?" he asked, his cool hand moving to where her own had been moments before on her throat. "I care that those pretentious bastards did this to you. You could have died Elise, and you're lucky you didn't. I know you're worried about your sister and more, but you don't have to be so tough all the time."
 


The bite from earlier was showing as well and he glanced down at it momentarily before back to her face. "Have you been had trouble breathing?"


Ambrosia rose as Clay neared, watching him pace the room. There was no point in putting off the inevitable. "Nothing happened in our territory," she admitted, daring to cross to him, placing a hand on his back in an attempt to assure him. "But she could have been nervous and this is only the first night you've allowed me to follow her. I swear to you that something is happening if he is in involved. I will find out what."
 


Her dark eyes glowed with determination, not only to please Clay and earn proper ranking among the coven, but also to destroy the wolf pack. An age-old drive pushed her along, fueled by personal hatred.

 

[Sleepless_Dreamer]

"They weren't going to kill me, James!" She protested. She was trying to calm him down, but raising her voice wasn't going to help the matter. Her eyes followed his as he seemed to frantically shift between thoughts. He was angry. He was enraged, she could see that. She had been, too. It wasn't like she just stood by and let it happen. They were just so fast; like they operated on one mind.


"It's not like I just let it happen. I was this close," she held her thumb and index finger about an inch apart to gesture, "to ripping Michael's throat out when..."


She remembered Clay's single word, and how the authority behind it had been so powerful that she completely stopped what she was doing and backed off. So had Michael. She didn't feel like talking about that, though. She focused her attention on James, and the hand that was on her neck, gently testing the tender flesh. Her face showed some pain when he did, but she didn't make a sound. When he asked about her breathing, she shrugged.


"Other than when a vampire was crushing my larynx, no."


Her eyes on his face, Elise saw the way James reacted to her sarcasm. He was in no joking mood. Sighing, she decided to let her smart ass attitude drop for a second. Gently, timidly, she touched his arm. Her own inner wolf was trying to calm his it seems by a subtle display of submission.


"I'm sorry," she said softly. "I'll be more careful next time. I promise."


-----------------------------------------


Clay had paced around while Ambrosia offered her explanation. Eventually, he came to her dresser, where he placed his hands and stooped over ever so slightly. He looked at his own reflection in the mirror, then looked at Ambrosia's reflection behind him. There was obvious disappointment on his face at the news, but not disappointment in her. Disappointment in the fact that the night had proved so fruitless.


"Which end of town did she leave our territory at?"


He asked. He pulled up the map in his head, and tried to place whereabouts James and his positively disgusting manor was located. He then tried to correlate where Elise stepped outside of the territory versus where James's territory began. But upon hearing Ambrosia's answer, he could not make a connection. Either she was smart, and going out of her way when leaving town, or she truly wasn't going to them at all. But Ambrosia was right. If he was involved, then there was surely something more going on.


"I suppose we'll just have to keep an eye on her, then." He said, slowly standing up. He turned around and captured Ambrosia's hand before it could fall completely away. His other hand tenderly touched the side of her cool face. "If you see her doing anything that puts our operation at risk... Kill her."

 

[Soliloquy]

While he had still been fighting the urge to rip both Clay and Michael's heads clear off their necks, Elise's touch and tone calmed him down significantly. His wolf could sense hers and reluctantly laid down. He ceased his examination of her wounds, withdrawing his arm until his hand was against her, clasping it between both of his hands.
 


"I know you will try, but you cannot control these monsters," his voice was also soft, sounding almost pained. "I won't tell you that you can't go back, that'd be pointless for me to say. I just hope this made you realize what they're capable of."
 


He released her hand, instead rubbing his temples. "If you want something for the pain, text Marcus. We have an arrangement and you won't need to go to a hospital or clinic. And please," he looked up at her, nearly pleading, "Tell us if you need anything else."


She obediently responded to his question, standing patiently at his side as he evaluated the information, watching him through the mirror as well. Her free hand moved to relocate a strand of hair that had fallen in her vision.
 


Ambrosia's full lips curled into a sadistic smile. "With pleasure," she purred, eyes locked on his. She stood before him, feeling like a well-behaved pet who had just earned herself a treat.
 


"Anything you say."

 

[Sleepless_Dreamer]

"Thank you."


There was a strange sense of guilt that settled deep in Elise's stomach. James was very tormented about this, and something told her it had a deeper meaning than what met the eye. He cared about the well-being of his pack, yet, but he was just about pleading with her about this. What happened in your past? She wondered. Her eyes searched his face for a moment, but she did not speak her thoughts. Instead, she felt anxiety bubble up inside of her. She took a couple steps away from James.


"I... I'll be sure to let Marcus know if I need anything. Good night."


She turned and quickly headed up the stairs to her room. It was a weird sensation that she was having. Like she did something so big and so wrong yet didn't know what it was yet. It reminded her of anytime she would hang up the phone with her college boyfriend with a friendly good-bye, but knowing that they had not resolved their issues. Knowing that there were much bigger problems at hand. Elise closed her door behind her and went to her shower. Undressing, she stepped inside and tried her best to wash Michael and Clay off of her. Their scent, the memory of their cold, steely grips, the malice in their eyes. But try as she might, she could not. The bruises they left on her body were nothing compared to the ones they'd left on her mind.


After showering and drying off, Elise wrapped herself in a warm, purple robe and crawled into bed. She lay staring at the ceiling for some time, thinking about what Clay would do if he found out her other secrets. Anne's hospital was across the state border, but it was only a few hours away. How quickly could Clay and his vampires get there if they found out about her? Would Elise be able to stop them? When she finally fell asleep, she had nightmares about running as fast as she could and still not being able to outrun the vampires.


---------------------------------


Clay regarded Ambrosia with observant eyes. He searched her own eyes, back and forth, for traces of the madness that was still buried in her head. Right now, she seemed coherent and in complete control. This was Ambrosia's best self. But it was when that darkness took over that the problems arose. She became very difficult to control, and despite her want to prove herself to the coven, often made mistakes. He hoped that he was not making a mistake in putting her on this task.


"Now..." he let his hand fall away from her face. "What other news do you have for me?"


And, like a good father or diligent husband after a day of school or work, he sat by and listened to everything that Ambrosia had to say about her nightly excursions. He sat on the edge of her bed, leaning forward with his elbows on top of his knees, and watched her as she dramatically shared her stories with him. She had a flare about her, in the way she moved about the room or gestured her arms this way or that when she spoke. Quite entertaining to watch. And watch Clay did, until the sky began to lighten ever so slightly, and the automatic timers on the windows caused the blinds to roll down.


"Get some rest, Ambrosia." Clay said as he stood up. "You'll need it. You have your work cut out for you."-

 

[Soliloquy]

James didn't argue as she ended the conversation, watching her disappear upstairs. Sighing he returned to the den to turn off the television before retreating to his own room, collapsing in bed. While he was anything but pleased with Elise's conditions, he was relieved she was home and alive. He fell quickly to sleep.
 


The next morning he was shoved awake by a shrill tone of his phone. Rolling out of bed he fumbled with it before answering the call.
 


"What the actual -" he grumbled into the device, overcome instantly by a booming voice.
 


"Come on little J, don't tell me you were still in bed," Anthony's voice teased over the phone, continuing before he could answer. "I'm almost back to base .You should wake the she-wolf so we can go do territory rounds."
 


"Tony, it's only," he paused looking at his alarm clock, "Eleven in the morning. Why do you have to be functioning so loudly already?" The other male responded with a booming laugh.
 


"I'll take that as a yes. Be back in thirty, so be ready! Oh, and was Robert kidding about her? From what he said she's smoking hot, like a-" James cut him off.
 


"A respected member of this pack and honestly man, more than capable of kicking your ass. I'll get her ready but you better have breakfast, ass." Ending the call, he rose stretching while looking out into the forest. It had been ages since he'd slept so late. He fumbled, getting dressed in a pair of cargo shorts and white t-shirt, slipping into a pair of sandals.
 


Shuffling down the hallway he knocked twice on Elise's door but didn't open it, instead talking through the heavy wood. "Rise and shine, sleeping beauty," he ironically yawned toward the end. "Get dressed and in the den in thirty, duty calls." He paused, waiting for a response.

 

[Sleepless_Dreamer]

Sleep had not been easy to come by. By the time she had fallen asleep, it was probably close to 4:30 in the morning, and when she arose it was only 9. But, try as she might, she could not go back to bed. Elise had risen instead, and went into the bathroom to check out her wounds. The bite marks on her arm had almost completely closed and were little more than red dots on her skin. The bruise around her throat was less purple than it was the night before, but still a very obvious hand print. Her lip was a little swollen, but nothing too terrible. Still, she groaned at her appearance.


"Won't be breaking any hearts this evening, I see." She said to herself.


Restless, Elise geared up for a run. The two-legged kind. She put on a pair of black and gray, paint-speckled running pants, and a white tanktop over top a black sports bra. It was cold, but her already elevated body temperature would only get higher when she ran. She pulled her hair back, laced up her tennis shoes, popped her headphones in her ear and headed off. She took to the woods, avoiding the trails and doing more of a free run through the thicket. She used her nose and eyes to guide her, and eventually came to the edge of the woods where things cleared out into a half-frozen lake. She basked in the glory of it for a while before eventually heading home.


As she headed up the steps, skin glistening with sweat, she removed her ear buds just in time to hear James's voice. Perking a brow, she crested the steps and turned the corner to see him at her closed door. "Hey," she said suddenly, perhaps surprising him in his tired state. "Duty, huh? Good thing I got my warm up in, then." Her 'warm up' was a five mile run. She lifted the bottom of her tank top up to wipe her face briefly.


"Let me shower, and I'll be down in twenty."


She went to work with undoing her ponytail as she brushed past James. Her scent was strong and alive from her run stirring up all of her pheromones. Its potency seemed to be a reflection of her own strength. She disappeared inside her room, and as promised returned downstairs twenty minutes later. She was dressed in jeans and black ankle length combat boots, a black zip up and a gray scarf that hid the majority of her bruising. She grabbed a cup of coffee and awaited whatever "duty" called.

 

[Soliloquy]

James spun around, startled to hear her voice from behind, even more surprised that she was not only awake but clearly had just been out for a run. He stepped back to let her pass, shaking his head as he walked away.
 


"Why is everyone so awake this morning," he grumbled, trucking down the stairs and collapsing half asleep on a couch. She startled him once again when showing up in the den. He eyed her and shook his head at her attire. "Way too much, you gotta dress simple, less cost to replace if it has to get shredded."
 


"Oh, one way or the other, that can get shredded," a deep voice sounded before Anthony entered the room. As promised, he was both larger and louder than his brother. Filling up the majority of the doorway, he stood with four cups of coffee in a carrier in one hand, a box of donuts in the other. Like James, he was wearing a pair of cargo shorts but was shirtless, rippling pectorals and abs glistening from a light layer of sweat. Fully entering the den, he set both containers on the middle ottoman as an offering to James before asserting his attention to Elise, letting out a dropping whistle.
 


"You're gonna end up with matching bruises to your brother," James muttered, picking up one of the coffees cups and taking a sip as he watched the interaction.
 


"Hot," Anthony flashed Elise a full, white smile, "Gotta love a woman that can bust a skull."

 

[Sleepless_Dreamer]

Elise gawked at her new Alpha. "Too much? Well, I'm sorry Mr. Mystery, you didn't exactly tell me what we were doing."


She stood there with her hands on her hips. There was a pep to her step, feeling refreshed after her run. She wondered just what the day had in store, and what she was supposed to be wearing. Then, his comment hit her. More specifically the word "shredded". Oooh.... It sounded like she was supposed to be embracing her wolf today, something she didn't want to do. She parted her lips to speak with a very strong scent hit her nose. Not the wolf, but the coffee. Elise spun around just in time to see Anthony as he entered.


Holy shit...


She thought, but didn't dare give anyone the satisfaction of saying that out loud. This was Anthony? Robert's brother? Big brother, very big brother, from the looks of it. And much to her chagrin, he seemed every bit as colorful as his brother. Oh boy. Biting her lower lip, Elise dropped her hands at her sides and canted her head to the side.


"Usually I have the time to take my clothes off before the change," Elise said, ignoring whatever reaction this would surely garner from Anthony. "You just kind of... forced my hand yesterday." She said while looking at James.


Regardless, she at least went as far as to take off her scarf and her zip up. This left her in a black and gray racerback tanktop that hugged her torso. Her shoulders, arms, and torso were all toned without losing their feminine charm. James would notice that she had no bandage on her arm today and that the marks had mostly healed. Now all that was left was for her neck and lip to heal up fully. Folding her things, she set them aside.


"Alright, so what's the plan?"

 

[Soliloquy]

"Oh we can get them off fast enough," Anthony had no fear in commenting, arms folded over his chest as he gave her an approving smile.
 


James shrugged his shoulders as he took a sip of coffee. "You typically aren't going to have notice to undress when you need to change," James pointed out, snatching a glazed donut out of the container and taking a bite that nearly encompassed a fourth of it's entirety. Once it was swallowed down with more coffee he continued. "However if you would like to continue putting your clothes at risk of being torn to pieces, be my guest."
 


"I find it's easiest to be shirtless as much as possible," Anthony added to Elise, "You're more than welcome to join me."

 

[Sleepless_Dreamer]

"Well, James, I'm sorry to break it to you but I can't go parading around naked all the time. As much as I'm sure you would all just enjoy it."


Elise shot a dangerous glance at Tony, who paid it absolutely no mind. God, he really was a worse version of Robert. And taller, which would make punching him in the face that much more difficult. She approached the coffee and donuts. Taking a coffee, she rifled through the donuts until she found a Boston cream. She took a big bite and succeeded in getting some on the corner of her lip. Looking at Tony, she used her middle finger to swoop it up and stick it briefly in her mouth. Winking to him, she turned and walked over to the couch and sat down.


"How about you tell me what the hell we are gonna be doing, and I'll decide whether or not I need to change?"


She kicked her boots off one by one as she ate. Judging by James's and Anthony's attire, she wasn't going to be needing them. Ideally, Elise had always been able to quickly undress before the change. She really didn't care too much about nudity, it had kind of Coke with the territory of being a wolf. James and Robert had already seen her naked after all. Granted she was so pissed they dare not look anywhere but her face, but they'd gotten a pretty good view when she had walked away. Still, there had to be some middle ground between not ruining her clothes and not turning into a full blown nudist. She finished her donut and chased it with some coffee while patiently awaiting a response from at least one of her companions.

 

[Soliloquy]

Her belief that they would enjoy seeing her naked was an accurate statement, one that caused James' cheeks to flush and he averted his eyes. Anyone would have to be blind not to notice how attractive she was, with body that was at a seemingly perfect balance of toned and curves.
 


"You don't have to be naked, unless you'd like to. Then we won't object," Anthony tossed in, giving James a second to catch himself. "But we all normally bring along shorts, I'm sure J will show you how in a bit. But really, what's the plan boss?"
 


James finished his coffee, nodding. "We're doing a run of perimeter. It's important you know where our land ends," he directed the last comment to Elise. "No matter how fit you are, you'd never keep up unless you're wolf. And...whether you like it or not, you're gonna have to change often to learn to control it."
 


Reaching under an end table, he pulled out a canvas bag that was oddly shaped with large straps. Unbuckling it, he held it out so she could see different fabric within it.
 


"One of us changes first and gets to carry around clothing, should we need to change out before we're back here. No one should need to see anyone naked often."
 


"But, it is option," the ever-charming large man offered before reacting to a beeping noise from his shorts. "Robert was running a couple errands but is almost here. We're going to wait for him or...?"
 


"Might as well wait. Is Marcus coming since it's a weekend or is he tied up with work?"

 

[Sleepless_Dreamer]

Elise was not happy about having to turn wolf again. But at least this time she would be running and not fighting. She also knew that, while surrounded by four other wolves, if she got out of hand they would be able to control it. She thought that Tony himself would probably be able to handle her, but she didn't think it wise to risk anything on a venture. Her wolf was new, and her power was unchecked which made it hard to handle. Standing up, Elise walked over to the bag to observe it.


"I'll carry it," she volunteered. "Seems like good exercise. Might help to tire me out a bit." Realizing she had probably opened herself up to a lude comment, she looked at Tony quickly. "No, that was not an invitation."


"Speak of the devil and he shall appear," Marcus's voice sounded a couple minutes later. Elise was glad to see him. She seemed to have a soft spot for the charming Brit. He wore black sweats and a white crew cut t-shirt. It was odd seeing him in something that wasn't a suit, but he was still attractive all the same on a of weathered sort of way. As he approached, he noted Elise's current state.


"What happened here?" He asked while placing a thumb on her lip. He was much more unabashed about his contact with her. Probably because she had her to threaten his life.


"It's a long story," she replied. "The short version of it is Clay and Michael."


Marcus said nothing, but he did share a disapproving glance with James for a brief moment. He made a clicking sound with his tongue and shook his head from side to side. Gently, he lowered his hand away from her.


"Are you sure you should be doing this today, then?"


"I'm fine," she assured him.


A short while later, Robert arrived to complete their pack. This was the first time they were all together and Elise was surprised by how comforting it felt. She felt safe, surrounded by all these wolves. All of them so capable in their own right. Her eyes went about the room and just took them all in. The brothers were, of course, being fools together. Marcus was slowly peeling off his shirt. James was observing them all as a proud King surveys his kingdom. Elise was surprised to find that the wolf within her was excited, in a happy way, at the opportunity to run with her new brethren. Elise smiled.


"Well then..."


She stepped out of the room, peeling off her tank top as she did so. Her bare back was the last thing to be seen before she disappeared around the corner. The sounds of her change could soon be heard. It still seemed painful, but she was getting through it. A few moments later, the white and gray wolf in all her untamed glory came trotting around the corner. Her clothes dangled from her mouth, and she set them gently into the bag.