Charlie Hart's Story

Charlie



Paramore blasted through the cat headphones that currently rested on Charlie's head. Her hips swayed back and forth to the music as she alternated between music notes and new lyrics on her window. Blue Expo marker for music notes, black for lyrics. She had a system and to anyone else her room would appear graffiti ridden. From the walls covered in papers to the mirrors and windows written on, everything about her room screamed music. She loved it although few knew to what extent her love went.

The young wolfling paused only when no more lyrics came to her. She looked up at her clock to find that it was morning which made sense since she could smell breakfast cooking. She'd spent the night writing like she did most nights. Scratch that, most of the night. With a sigh, Charlie put the Expo markers down and switched off her music. Last night had been okay. The pack Alphas had thrown a party to which she felt uncomfortable. Like most parties, Charlie snuck down and kept to the edges. She watched as everyone, excluding Aziel who promptly left after devouring some food, have fun. No one really noticed her, not that she would complain. Small talk was never for her. She'd stare at the person, mumble something incoherent, and flee the scene. She was never going to find her mate at this rate.

With a toss of her headphones, she slipped on her shoes, strapped her viola to her back, and headed downstairs pausing when she heard two males talking. It didn't sound happy. Crouching down, she listened as Aziel verbally battled with Calvin. She knew she shouldn't eavesdrop, but she wanted food before heading out to practice. About a month back Charlie decided she wanted to take up the viola. While in the local music store she listened as one of the tracks played an enchanting tune that featured a viola solo. That deep, rich noise it made spoke to her and thus she decided to try it out. It was harder than the other instruments she had learned over the years. The piano required the use of both hands simultaneously playing different keys, while the guitar demanded one hand moving up and down while the other moved side to side and up and down. It didn't help that for some reason she bought a right handed guitar instead of a lefty thus resulting in her playing upside down. Mica, her twin, still gave her shit for it. With the viola however, using a bow proved to be especially difficult. she was used to feeling the instrument under her fingers instead of the vibrations via an intermediate source. There was no way she was going to practice (badly mind you) in a household full of wolves. She was weird enough, she didn't need another thing for people to tease her for.

Once Calvin departed, Charlie took a deep breath and almost silently entered the kitchen. Without looking at anyone and trying to stay off everyone's radar, she stepped up next to Rachelle. "Morning. Smells good." She smiled before retrieving a glass and finding the orange juice. Not wanting to be rude she quietly greeted, "Good morning Alpha Jason. Aziel." She turned her attention back to Rachelle and asked, "Do you need help with anything?" She looked down into her glass and spun in carefully as she waited for an answer.

♫ Touch of Grey ♫

Scented candles filled the air of Russell's bedroom as he sat there Indian style in perfect silence on his bed. He breathed deeply, focusing on the smells of his room, letting everything else drift away. He ignored the sounds he could hear coming from the kitchen as his pack mates began to stir, as well as the smell of Mrs. Sutton's cooking. He continued to breath in and out. "Uniți în ceartă, împreună în pace. United in strife, together in peace." He repeated to himself. It was a sort of a old family motto, one that is often repeated for meditation purposes.

'LET. ME. OUT! YOU WASTE TIME PLAYING HOUSE WITH THESE MUTTS WHILE THE HUNTERS ROAM FREE! BLOOD DEMANDS BLOOD!' The grating voice of his wolf howled in the back of his mind. Russell took in a deep breath, focusing on his sense of smell. 'An eye for an eye makes the whole world go blind Fluffy. We looked for I don't know how long, we lost their scent. There is nothing we can do.' He argued with his wolf. He merely heard a low growling in the back of his mind. 'YOU CAN'T HOLD ME BACK FOREVER! I WILL HAVE A OCEAN OF HUMAN BLOOD!'

After a few minutes of growling, and snarling Fluffy finally began to settle down, well enough so for him to be able to think. Meditation does help quite a bit, he should have a few hours before he gets rowdy again. And then he'll have to meditate more. Such is his life now. Russell hopped up off his bed, and began blowing out the candles in his room. He had been awake for hours now, and he was already fully dressed with his torn blue jeans, and favorite Nirvana shirt. He grabbed his leather jacket, and was out his bedroom door.

Russell put on his jacket, and took out a pack of cigarettes, and his silver zippo lighter. Russell shook his pack of cigarettes, making one pop up. He picked it up with his mouth, and lite up. He placed the rest of his pack back in his jacket pocket. As he approached the kitchen area where everyone was gathering up he continued to flip open, and close his lighter. Once he was in sight he stopped, and put his lighter back up in his pocket. "Good morning. Mrs. Sutton, Mr. Sutton, Charlie, Aziel, Evangeline." He greeted them all with a nod.

Russell made his way to the nearest window, and leaned next it. "I'm not hungry. I've already ate, but thank you for the breakfast Mrs. Sutton." Russell explained. Though Russell has been apart of the pack for about a year now he still refers to Jason, and Rachelle as Mr., and Mrs. Sutton, despite protests to refer to them as otherwise. Russell cracked open the window he was next to so he could blow the smoke from his cigarette out of it. A few complaints have been said to him about his nasty habit.

Russell looked over at Aziel, and Evangeline with a raised eyebrow as she was flailing around on top of him like a child. 'AND THEY ARE SUPPOSED TO BE THE ALPHA'S CHILDREN?! PATHETIC! A USELESS DRUNK, AND A CHILD?! THEY COULDN'T BE HALF THE ALPHA WE WOULD BE!' His wolf snarled in his mind. Russell clinched his jaw, and uncomfortably rolled his head on his shoulders as he ran his fingers through his hair. "Uniți în ceartă, împreună în pace. United in strife, together in peace." He muttered softly to himself to calm himself down. He then took in a deep puff of smoke, and slowly exhaled it.

He looked back over at the others. "Did anything interesting happen at the gathering last night?" He asked. Russell hadn't showed up at the gathering last night, not even bothering to make a quick appearance. Nope, he spent most of his time out in the woods, only sneaking back in after everything had died down. Social events weren't his jam. He spent his night just relaxing under the night sky, gazing at the stars. Nice, quiet, and peaceful. Just the way he likes to enjoy his nights.

Aziel Sutton - Rachelle Sutton - Jason Sutton

As Aziel took a second bite of his abnormally large sandwich he saw his sister Evangeline wonder into the fray. Her small quip at Calvin made him smile before continuing his sandwich demolishing. Luckily their mother hadn't seen, her back turned as she cooked at the stove.

Then, as Aziel expected Charlie meekly entered the Kitchen. He had smelled her scent some time ago. She had been hiding out of sight, he wondered if perhaps she forgot in a house of wolves it wasn't easy to hide your presence. Though she probably couldn't know what it was like to smell everything around you yet. The concept of not having a wolf in the back of your mind was now alien to him, it had been many years since he was without his wolf having found his at a young age.

"Morning. Smells good." Charlie smiled before retrieving a glass and finding the orange juice.
"Good morning Alpha Jason. Aziel."

Aziel nodded to her waving his sandwich as a hello before taking another bite.

"Morning, oh-so-glorious parental units," Eve then sang, a bit of sarcasm in her voice but the smile of someone only joking on her face.

"Good Morning Eve, Charlie" Jason gleamed pulling up a seat at the head of the breakfast bar, he had collected his newspaper from the living room showing Calvin out. Unfolding it he leant back in his chair as the sound of the paper crunched with every page turn. "Did the both of you have a good nights rest?" he asked casually.

Rachelle smiled towards them and began to reach for a plate to begin loading food.

"Do you need help with anything?" Charlie asked looking down into her glass.

"Oh don't you worry about me dear, my job is to keep you and these animals" she cocked her head towards Jason and Aziel with a raise of her eyebrow "from withering away. You take a seat and I'll get you served up" she motioned to the breakfast bar.

"Ahem Animals?" Aziel made a face at his mother.

Suddenly a piece of bacon lifted up out of the frying pan Rachelle had been monitoring.

"Hey!" Rachelle exclaimed when Evangeline nifty took a slice of bacon and began to stack a plate of pancakes. "If I've told you once I've told you twice each some vegetables!" she tried to put some roasted tomatoes on her plate but Eve had already escaped her grasp. "Tch" Rachelle tutted at her before chuckling at her daughter's cheekiness. "you'll be the death of me someday" she joked. She's much like your mother her wolf coarsed through her mind.

"Not if I have anything to say about it" Jason replied causing Rachelle to smile. Those children need more disicpline his wolf echoed in his head. Jason tried to ignore it but he knew his wolf was right.

"Old sop" Rachelle laughed shaking her head as she began to plate up some bacon, eggs, beans and tomatoes for everyone.

Aziel was down to the second half of his sandwich when suddenly the sound of a plate dropping on the table disrupted his attention for a moment as Eve his sister plopped down beside him. Her Ukulele made a slight sound as it was placed on the floor along with her bag.

She knocked him on the shoulder to which Aziel decided to ignore. Eve was being Eve.

Bad choice it seemed as her response was to lean completely over and shoved her way onto his lap. He quickly lifted his precious sandwich out of the way of her attack as she sprawled across his lap hands flailing.

"Answer me, oh brother dearest! Darling, loving brother of mine, how I missed you overnight! I yearned to see your loving face once daylight broke," she chorused, her voice echoing in the large room.

Before he could respond however Russell entered the room. Not the best position to be in for a surprise morning greeting.

"Good morning. Mrs. Sutton, Mr. Sutton, Charlie, Aziel, Evangeline." Russell greeted them all with a nod.

"Ah morning Russell its good to see your up" Rachelle greeted him but frowned slightly when she saw his cigarette. She didn't approve but she had mentioned that to him before.

"It's Jason and Rachelle Russell" Jason raised an eyebrow but knew he probably wouldn't get the boy to call them that for a while yet.

Russell made his way to the nearest window and leant next it. "I'm not hungry. I've already ate, but thank you for the breakfast Mrs. Sutton." Russell explained.

"Come now Russell you couldn't have eaten already it's morning?" Rachelle placed a plate of food down for Aziel and Charlie.

"Did anything interesting happen at the gathering last night?" Russell asked after muttering something to himself.

"Nothing I know about" Aziel replied glaring at his sister on his lap. "Will you get the hell off me bird brain" he ate his remaining bit of sandwich over her so the crumbs fell on her head. "You can yearn all you like to see 'my loving face' all you'll get is this" he motioned to quickly thwart her strangeness by standing up. With a heave, he pushed back his chair and stood to give her body nothing to rest upon.

Jason looked to Rachelle as they shared a moment of understanding regarding their children before taking a deep sigh and closing his newspaper as Rachelle handed him a plate of food.

"Well," Jason looked at Russell "you missed some of the children running around growling trying to turn into wolves which was rather amusing." he chuckling thinking back to them. "Caroline and Andrew announced their engagement date, Jared got too drunk as always and fell over the garden statue" he chuckled again at the thought before his face soured slightly.

"A few of the older members of the pack mentioned some discrepancies with the human town nearby. Apparently some of our members have been pushing their luck and getting a little much with them. Showing off their superior strength and such. If any of you have any plans to go into town I would advise you don't bring attention to yourselves" he said somber knowing he had to make an action plan to resolve the situation.

Rachelle paused aware of the situation looking to them all to assure their reactions. She didnt want any of them to worry but she understood Jason's reasoning that there shouldnt be secrets between pack members. It was his way as Alpha.

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"God doesn't create a lock without a key. Even the toughest doors can be opened - so long as you hold the ability to open it."

---

"Good morning Eve - Charlie. Did the both of you have a good nights rest?"

Eve paused in annoying her older brother, perking up a bit to see her father over the edge of the table.

"Oh, I slept gloriously, father dear," she sang, easily hiding her lack of sleep - seeing as she was studying all night. Despite her front of a perky and energetic young woman, she was normally running on very little or even no sleep from studying throughout the nights. Whether it was wolf-related or school-subjects related, she tended to pull all-nighters quite frequently. It didn't matter if there wasn't a test or a quiz the next day; she was always determined to remain at the top of the classes. She had, of course, heard the whispers from the other wolf students - that she was only top of the class because of her pull with her mother and father. The fact was, however, that despite her airhead output, she was one of the most intelligent young woman throughout the packs. "I awoke to the beautiful chirping of the bird," she joked, her lips twitching at the corners in a smile.

Glancing up at her mother, Eve courageously fought down her laughter.

"And if I've told you once, than I've told you twice - no vegetables! I claimed long ago that I'm allergic and I'm holding to it," she insisted, pulling down her left lower lip and sticking the tip of her tongue out jokingly at her mother.

When crumbs started landing on her face, she sputtered and swatted at them in the air. "Hey! Rude!" she puffed, Agent tilting his head down at her. The small bird had come to rest on the table and peaked over its edge to see what the hullabaloo was about. "Agent - attack!" she sang out. The bird simply tilted its head to the other side, before turning and walking away with a flip of his tail as if to say, Nope, you got yourself into this mess. Good luck!

"Traitorous leach!" she cried as her brother flipped her from his lap, rising from the chair in one motion. With a loud squeak of surprise, she fell with a thud onto the floor, groaning as she made contact.

"Can't ... Move ... Think I'm ... Dead ..." she rasped dramatically, her arms and legs splayed out across the floor around her. When this gained her no sympathy, she sighed and pushed herself up, pulling herself into her chair.

"You know, you could've really hurt me doing that. I could've died," she drawled out, turning and jutting her nose up towards her brother. When this, too, didn't grant her any attention from him, she muffled out another sigh and turned her attention to one of the newcomers that had arrived during her theatrics.

"Morning, Rapunzel," she sang in greeting to Russell. Every few days or so she would come up with a new name to tease him about his over-grown hair, and every few days he would taunt her back, seeing as more times than naught he brushed aside her joking words. Standing from her chair in a lithe movement, she danced across the room, reaching around him from behind and plucking his cigarette from his fingertips. When he went to take it back, she scampered away and shook it in front of him, just barely out of his reach.

"You know, these things kill you. They don't call him Death Sticks for no reason," she pointed out, waggling her eyebrows. "Plus, they're disgusting to smell. I may not have made my transformation yet, but I still have a heightened sense of smell. The smoke is suffocating," she said. It was obvious she was trying to get on his nerves, while at the same time being a bit serious. Not only were cigarettes bad for him, but they also caused harm to those around him, and the ecosystem. Plus, they weren't biodegradable, meaning that they sat there and would rot for the next few hundreds of years.

Rolling her eyes, Eve skipped back over to him and placed the mouth part between his lips, making sure to get into his personal space. She felt a slight thrumming in the air between them, as though their attitudes were combating each other just as Negatives do when placed with other Negatives, and Positives with other Positives.

Tapping it slightly in the middle so that the ash showered down and and onto the outside of the windowsill, she smirked and gave him an exaggerated wink before scampering off once more.

"A few of the older members of the pack mentioned some discrepancies with the human town nearby. Apparently some of our members have been pushing their luck and getting a little much with them. Showing off their superior strength and such. If any of you have any plans to go into town I would advise you don't bring attention to yourselves."

Immediately Eve's attitude went sullen, a bit of annoyance radiating off of her.

"You know, not all humans are evil," she grumbled, returning to the table but remaining standing. "They just don't understand us is all. If we just offered to educate them, I'm sure that -"

A loud crashing sound cut her off, instantly perking up her senses and causing her to tense alarmingly. After a quick survey of the room, she relaxed, finding it to be Charlie being clumsy as usual and not some unknown assailant. As the surprise began to ease out of the room, Eve went over to Charlie, snatching at her wrist before she could grab the shards.

"Don't just bare-hand them, dummy," she teased, beaming a smile down at her. Dropping into a crouch, her black legs stretching across her toned legs in the motion, she patted the older girl's hand who reminded her much of a mouse instead of a wolf. "You'll just cut yourself. You should never pick up broken glass without anything to help you," she said logically. Releasing the girl's hand, she pushed herself up, skirted from the room, and returned moments later with a broom and a dustpan. Without another word, she quietly began to sweep up the broken glass.

Agent, on the other hand had remained on the table during the commotion. Finally he took off, having puppy-eyed his way into quite a bit of nibbles from those at the table, and dropped down on Charlie's leg. Quirking his head to the side, he peered up at her with his intense black eyes before squawking out, "Don't be sad. Be happy! Happy, happy, happy!" while fluttering his beautiful sapphire wings.

"Happy, please! Happy!"

♫ Touch of Grey ♫

Russell merely brushed the nickname Evangeline gave him aside, paying little mind to her. If there's one thing he's learned when dealing with Evangeline it's that if you just ignore her she'll eventually just tire herself out, and find something else to preoccupy her time. That, and the fact that nothing he can say will bother her as much as saying nothing at all. And oh how she's bothered by it. 'Yeah well at least I don't look like goth metal puked on my head.' He mentally replied in his head. Of course he wouldn't say it out loud, he'd just give her the satisfaction.

When Evangeline came up behind him and snatched the cigarette out of his hand he merely glared her. He tried to take it back but she kept herself out of arm's reach. He groaned in annoyance, he wasn't amused. 'JUST GRAB THIS BITCH BY THE NECK, AND SQUEEZE UNTIL SHE STOPS THIS CHILDISH BULLSHIT!' His wolf growled in his head. Russell closed his eyes, and took in a deep breath, and exhaled to calm himself, and his wolf down. He rolled his eyes when she told him that smoking kills, not like he hasn't heard it a million times before, and will a million times after.

"Yeah, well old age is overrated." He stated in his ever straight, and serious tone. "And smoking can actually be a useful tool for a wolf. Helps dampen your sense of smell, works especially best when in big cities where there's a million and one stronger scents, and keeps you from getting overwhelmed." He added. He was reaching into his jacket pocket ready to pull out another in case she didn't want to give it back. Which wouldn't surprise him one bit. But she was apparently in a good mood as she decided to give it back to him.

As she placed the cigarette in his mouth he kept a straight face, not blinking or reacting to her attempts to get under his skin, even given her exaggerated wink. "Thank you Evangeline." He always made it a point to call her by her full first name, if only to just annoy her. His attention was brought to Jason as he brought up the fact that some of his fellow pack mates have been harassed by some humans. He clinched his left fist tightly, growing somewhat more tense, but not too noticeably.

When Evangeline began to talk about communicating with humans, being more active with them he rolled his head on his shoulders. He was obviously not too keen on that idea. But before he could say something Charlie had interrupted the conversation by dropping, and breaking a plate. The sudden crash of the plate took Russell by surprise, causing him to jump slightly, and grow visibly uncomfortable. 'HUMANS?! HUMANS?! THIS DUMB BITCH WILL HAVE US ALL LYNCHED! BET DADDY DEAREST IS GONNA CAVE IN TO HIS LITTLE GIRL. YOU SHOULD CAVE IN THAT POMPOUS ALPHA'S HEAD, SLIT HIS BITCHES THROAT, AND SHRED ANYONE IN YOUR WAY TO PIECES!'

Russell took in a deep breath, and exhaled. All this talk of humans was beginning to rile up his wolf. "Yeah, historically humans have been so kind, and accepting of those who are different." Russell uncharacteristically snapped. Russell ran his fingers through his hair, and huffed out a puff of smoke angrily. "I must have misunderstood the past.........thousands, upon thousands of years of human history. What was World War 2 about? Oh right! One group of as-" Russell stopped himself from saying anything else. "All I'm saying is if you don't learn from the past you're doomed to repeat it."

"Look, we can't expect them to care about us. When push comes to shove they will always pick there own over us. What we need to do is keep our head down, stay off their radar for awhile. Let things settle back into the norm." He suggested. Russell took in several deep breaths to try and keep his wolf settled down, who was just barking in his ear. "I....uh I'm going out. I'll just be walking around woods, be back later." He stated as he went out the door.

Charlie


"Don't just bare-hand them, dummy," Eve teased, beaming a smile down at Charlie. The younger girl dropping into a crouch, her black legs stretching across her toned legs in the motion, she patted Charlie's hand as if trying to be reassuring. To be honest it had the opposite effect. Charlie wasn't only embarrassed, now she felt like a child being told something she already should have known."You'll just cut yourself. You should never pick up broken glass without anything to help you." While Eve got up and went to fetch a broom, Charlie thought I'm using a dish towel not only my hands. I'm used to picking up broken objects. There was no malice in her inner thoughts. Merely a statement as she got up and pulled out two brown paper bags to put the broken glass in. She learned early on you never want to throw sharp objects away without putting them in something first. It was one of the few things her mother taught her before she was sent to live in the pack house.

Kneeling down again so Eve had less of a distance and chance to drop the large pile of glass swept into the pan, Agent dropped down onto her leg. Quirking his head to the side, he peered up at her with his intense black eyes before squawking out, "Don't be sad. Be happy! Happy, happy, happy!" while fluttering his beautiful sapphire wings. Great, even a bird is telling me to not be so gloomy. Today was not turning out to be great. She gave Agent a small smile, stroking his head to inform him she wasn't so much sad as uncomfortable. Her eyes shot up as Russell gave his opinion on humans. Charlie smirked to herself feeling she should probably stand by her fellow humans, but even she knew deep down she didn't quite see herself that way. It was them, humans, and us, wolves. Even though she technically hadn't shifted yet, she was still part of the pack. Still a wolf even if she was in a sleeping state.

She watched him. She could see him struggling inside, his wolf giving him problems. Although they never talked about it, hell they barely said two sentences to each other, she'd watched him long enough to know that he and his wolf weren't perfectly insyc. His usual composure snapped as he talked about humans and seemed to get more riled up the longer he spoke. Then he left out the back. He wasn't wrong per se. Just as wolves will choose their pack over anything else, most humans would choose their kind over werewolves. It was the way of the world. Humans were still racist towards each other, how could wolves expect humans to fully accept them? It was stupid, but it was how the world worked.

Once all the glass shards were double bagged, Charlie sealed it, placed Agent back on the table, and threw the bag in the trash. "Morning Phoebe." She greeted softly as she went to retrieve her Viola. She stared at it a moment, all desire to play it went out the window. She was too frustrated to try and practice a new instrument. Messing up and sounding terrible wasn't going to make her feel better. Bouldering would probably help settle her more than music right now. Placing her bag back on her chair, she went to get more juice, this time in a plastic cup, as she weighed her options for the day.

Jason Sutton

Jason leant his head on his hands as he spoke his concern regarding the pack's recent activities with the humans.

As he did Phoebe walked into the room and poured herself a cup of coffee greeting them.

"I would be happy to go down and take care of it" She said with a quiet intensity before she taking a sip of the coffee she poured.

Jason looked towards her nodded in greeting "Morning Phoebe, if you don't mind I think first and foremost some reconnaissance is needed. We need to figure out exactly what is happening and who is doing what before we take any action. I won't just take the elder members word on this, but I do trust your observations" he stroked his chin leaning back in his chair. As he spoke a clatter shattering interrupted his thoughts. Charlie had broken some glass, he was happy to see Eve helping her but her words on the humans caused him to frown.

Expectedly Russell did not appreciate them as he bluntly worded his opinion before leaving the room out of the back door. A voice pushed at the back of Jason's mind as he listened to the argument. 'His wolf has good reasoning for hating the humans. They are weaklings, we can overpower them with ease, their only strength is their numbers, there is no honor fighting that way' Jason's wolf spoke its mind to him.

Pulling a hand through his hair Jason Stood. "Evangeline, I understand your intentions mean well. But we can not educate humans they are not children. They understand their actions just as you and I do. Understanding is not the issue, it is accepting us that is the problem. Like wolves, yes there are those accepting and those not, just as we have pack and Rogues, they have their own internal differences. We must also accept them for who they are first. To do that, we must learn not to push their emotions by showing off our strengths against their weakness. This is easier for some wolves than it others. We all have a past with humans one way or another. Just like them, we need to accept them as they are. It will take both humans and wolves to break the barrier between us. As Alpha, it is my role to ensure we do not push against that barrier out of stubborn pride for what we are. Many of our members refuse to treat humans as equals. Yet, this is what we must do if we are all to have a brighter future with them."

Jason spoke addressing Evangeline but he intended his words to be heard by all of the young wolves in the room. It was a lesson that they needed to hear if they were going to lead the pack into the future.

"Phoebe, please could go you into town and investigate the situation?" he paused for a moment thinking. "In fact, I think it will be of good benefit if you all went into town with Phoebe. Follow her instructions and watch how the wolves causing this disturbance cause issues for our pack. Learn from their mistakes. I am trusting in all of you to grow as people and as wolves." he looked at them all meaningfully.

"Take care of the house and any visitors please dear" he wrapped an arm around Rachelle's waist kissing her cheek before leaving through the back door which Russell had left from.

Strolling towards the woods he followed Russell's scent to find him. Eventually, he came across the boy. "May I join you?" he asked trying to be calming for him. Jason knew of Russell's past well and understood the emotions he was probably feeling.

---

---

Rachelle Sutton

As Phoebe entered the room Rachelle immediately began to put a plate together for her. As Jason spoke regarding setting up a reconnaissance she handed Phoebe the plate for her breakfast before moving back to the stove. Picking up the pans she moved to the sink and began to run the tap in order to clean them.

As the water splashed into the sink bowl a shatter made her jump ENEMEY ATTACK ?!? WHAT IS IT? PROTECT THE YOUNG ONES Rachelle's wolf jumped along with her before she turned around to see it was only a smashed glass that caused the noise.

Picking up a clean towel she wondering over to Evangeline and Charlie as they began to clear up the mess. However, she paused as the argument Russell began to make caused some tension in the room. She listened quietly as Jason spoke to them all. Making peace with the humans was something Jason had wanted since he was a boy. She knew he had many discrepancies with them, he understood the pain they caused but he also understood the necessity of co-operation if the future was going to be well lived.

Jason wrapped his arm around her waist as he finished causing her heart to flutter in familiarity for a moment. "Take care of the house and any visitors please dear" he spoke before pulling away.

"Yes, of course, I'll call you if something comes up" she smiled as he kissed her on the cheek before he went after Russell. Knowing Jason he probably wanted to ensure he was alright. He cared for all the wolves in his pack. With a heavy sigh, Rachelle continued walking towards Charlie who had just placed the bag of glass in the trash.

"You're not cut anywhere are you?" She asked concerned holding out her hand as a gesture that she wanted to check Charlie's hands were cut free. "These things happen I wouldn't worry about it" she smiled trying to make her less embarrassed about the whole mess. Charlie was a shy girl, much like she had been when she was a child. Rachelle understood she was probably feeling more than she let on.

---

---

Aziel Sutton

"Traitorous leach!" Eve cried as Aziel flipped her from his lap, rising from the chair in one motion. With a loud squeak of surprise, she fell with a thud onto the floor, groaning as she made contact.

"Can't ... Move ... Think I'm ... Dead ..." Eve gasped dramatically, her arms and legs splayed out across the floor around her. When this gained her no sympathy, she sighed and pushed herself up, pulling herself into her chair.

"You know, you could've really hurt me doing that. I could've died," she drawled out, turning and jutting her nose up towards Aziel.

Aziel raised an eyebrow at his sister. "You'll only ever die when this world grows too boring for you" he shook his head at his sister sitting back down at the table.

He immediately began to eat the beans and eggs that had been placed in front of him as Eve changed her attention to Russell. Aziel pitied him for a moment before his father began to tell them what had happened at the party last night. Aziel paused mid eating some Bacon as his father spoke.

"A few of the older members of the pack mentioned some discrepancies with the human town nearby. Apparently some of our members have been pushing their luck and getting a little much with them. Showing off their superior strength and such. If any of you have any plans to go into town I would advise you don't bring attention to yourselves."

Letting his fork drop onto his plate Aziel frowned as Eve began to talk of educating humans, before moving to help Charlie as a glass broke. Aziel leant back in his chair as Russell generating some comments in response to Eve's before he walked out of the room. Aziel had barely noticed what had been happening around him as his mind clouded for a moment, he didn't even register Phoebe enter.

The humans were distasteful to him. He had been in many a bar fight with them when they made passing comments to him in regards to his species. However, he had never openly caused the arguments. He always stuck to himself, not going out of his way to make it known he was a wolf. It was unseemly to him to show off his strength to those weaker than him. In fact, he considered that a weakness in itself. To be strong didn't require showing off your strength to those that don't have it.

As his father spoke to Evangeline he began to trail addressing the room more formally. Aziel listened intently as he father spoke about accepting the humans for who they are and the struggle it was going to be. In all honestly, Aziel agreed with his father's statement. But he believed his father was sometimes too optimistic in achieving his goals quite so soon.

"Phoebe, please could go you into town and investigate the situation?" Jason paused for a moment thinking. "In fact, I think it will be of good benefit if you all went into town with Phoebe. Follow her instructions and watch how the wolves causing this disturbance cause issues for our pack. Learn from their mistakes. I am trusting in all of you to grow as people and as wolves." he looked at them all meaningfully.

Aziel sighed pulling a hand through his brown hair, scratching a spot on his chest. "alright, we'll go and 'observe'" Aziel rolled his eyes. He was fully aware of the human world and the way they treated wolves. But he was slightly interested in seeing how some of the pack had been treating them, curious to know who was being such an idiot. "these two are going to be trouble though if something happens. They can't exactly protect themselves yet can they?" he gestured towards Charlie and his sister Evangeline.

Rachelle was checking Charlie for any cuts at the moment Evangeline was being Evangeline. Aziel hadn't noticed any blood on the small girls hands. He hadn't been surprised that she broke the glass, though. He had slowly learned living with the mousey girl that she had a tendency to be a little clumsy. At first, it had slightly concerned him, he was worried she may accidently break something valuable in the house. But now he was just amazed she hadn't managed to injure herself yet.

"I imagine Father wants Russell to join us as well, so what would you suggest be our assault method?" Aziel asked Phoebe. If the two of them who didn't yet had wolves were attacked it would be difficult for Phoebe alone to protect them all and gather information for his father all at the same time. Especially if they were grouped upon by the humans. They couldn't exactly kill the humans, it was a very big No under his father's rules which would make it much more difficult to keep them safe if anything happened. It's far easier to kill someone then knock them out.

Charlie


Charlie had just put the her cup of water down when Rochelle took the younger girl's hands in her own. "You're not cut anywhere are you? These things happen, I wouldn't worry about it." Charlie knew the Alpha was only trying to lessen the embarrassment. She connected with Rochelle better than most because Rochelle had been shy just like Charlie was now. However, this was one of the times she wished no one reacted as they had. She was without a doubt clumsy. Everyone knew it, her family teased her endlessly for it (some more cruelly than other). It made her insides rattle and freeze whenever someone tried to help her or make sure she was okay. Especially when other people were around to watch her. Realistically Charlie understood Eve and Rochelle were only trying to be nice, however the illogical part of her mind didn't see it that way. It made her feel like she was a failure. Nonetheless, she gave a small smile to her surrogate mother (she never admitted this out loud) as a thank you.

Shaking her head, Charlie replied, "No, I have basically mastered the art of picking up broken object without wounding myself. Thank you though." I believe I am the new record holder of breaking things. The least I can do is know how to effectively and efficiently clean up the mess with as little blood as possible. She smiled at the older woman, gently withdrawing her hands. She turned her head to listen as Jason suggested that everyone go into town to investigate the situation at hand lead by the pack's Beta. Charlie couldn't exactly refuse the Alpha's order and nodded. Her eyes drifted down at Aziel's comment about her and Eve being trouble if something happens. Although not voicing it out loud or showing any signs to the differ, she was actually quite offended. I'm not exactly a liability. I may not have the added bonuses that come with being a wolf, but I have learned to protect myself. I walk the town alone often... I know the basics of defend and evade. What trouble is he planning to get into? She thought better of her question however knowing how often he came back from a fight.

Finally placing her cup in the dishwasher, Charlie walked over to her viola case. "Let me change and I will be ready." Her faded well worn sweatpants and shirt were not appropriate for being out in public. Lounging around the house or practicing in the woods: Yes. Being seen by people other than the pack: Definitely no. She would never purposely make the pack look bad. Taking the stairs two at a time, Charlie quickly went to her room and quickly put together an outfit. As she walked back down stairs, she pulled her hair out of its messy bun and put on her beanie. "Ready, when everyone is." She muttered softly, her fingers quietly and unconsciously playing a melody on the kitchen table.

~*~♫~*~


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"Nowadays ... People know the price of everything, and yet ... The value of nothing."

---

"If the world ever grew so boring that I were to die, I'd be glad that I did, because living in a boring world is like living in nothing at all," she quipped in response to her brother's comment.

Eve ignored the fact that Russell had called her by her full name, and his lack of response to her taunting. Instead, she focused on finishing up cleaning the broken glass, giving the task back to Charlie as she double bagged and threw it away. Agent teetered across the table, stealing little pecks of food as he went and darting away when he was caught, crying Innocent! Agent never here! Innocent! as he went. Eve snorted a bit in laughter at her bird's antics, rolling her eyes as he took off from the table finally and came to rest on the bird perch that she had built inside of the kitchen. With a fluff of his wings and his beautiful feathers, he tucked his face underneath his arm and promptly fell asleep, despite the loud volume filling the kitchen and dining area.

It was only then that Eve noticed Phoebe's appearance and, without a word, she nodded to the older woman. It wasn't that the two of them didn't get along; they simply didn't pay mind to each other. That didn't mean that she wouldn't be polite and greet her when she entered a room.

"Evangeline, I understand your intentions mean well. But we can not educate humans they are not children. They understand their actions just as you and I do. Understanding is not the issue, it is accepting us that is the problem. Like wolves, yes there are those accepting and those not, just as we have pack and Rogues, they have their own internal differences. We must also accept them for who they are first. To do that, we must learn not to push their emotions by showing off our strengths against their weakness. This is easier for some wolves than it others. We all have a past with humans one way or another. Just like them, we need to accept them as they are. It will take both humans and wolves to break the barrier between us. As Alpha, it is my role to ensure we do not push against that barrier out of stubborn pride for what we are. Many of our members refuse to treat humans as equals. Yet, this is what we must do if we are all to have a brighter future with them."

Eve frowned at her father's and Russell's words, her air of a constant good mood slowly growing sullen instead. Although her father was, for the most part, correct, her pride warred against her ability to admit to such. Whether this was simply her personality or if it was her hidden wolf showing a bit of it's only characteristics was unbeknownst to her, but she honestly cared very little as to which it was. Russell, on the other hand, was clearly speaking out of anger and hatred, not through that of a clear head or logic.

"There's pushing understanding and then there's showing them that they have no reason to fear us," she ground out, her mood obviously one of annoyance and a bit of anger. "Just because I'm not technically an adult yet, and just because I haven't gone through my own change yet, doesn't mean I'm stupid or a child!" she snapped, glaring at the few in the room who had voiced their anger over her opinion. "Maybe if we didn't ostracize ourselves from them and showed them that we aren't going to hurt them unless provoked, then maybe it would help push forward a change between our balances. Because right now, our races are teetering very precariously on the edge of a war - one the likes of which none of us has ever seen or heard of."

"These two are going to be trouble though if something happens. They can't exactly protect themselves yet can they?"

Clenching her fingers into fists, she turned a glare onto her older brother, her anger from the past few years of his absence reaching a boiling point.

"And as for you," she began, approaching the table and placing her hands on the edges, curling her fingers into the wood and nearly breaking her nails in the process. "You have no right to make assumptions on my capabilities as either a wolf or a person. You don't know me. You couldn't possibly know anything about me! I can't protect myself? Oh, I'm sorry. I seemed to have forgotten all about the years of Martial Arts and Hand to Hand Combat that I've been trained in. I've also forgotten about my training in strategics, Crossbow, and Archery, too."

Leaning closer to him, she glared into his eyes, her teeth ground tightly together.

"Don't you dare pretend to know anything about me, Big Brother, when you haven't been there to see or even bother to get to know me," she snapped. "I'm not the one who left, and I'm not the one who abandoned his family."

With that, she turned and let out a soft, short whistle. Agent perked up, jerking awake, fluttered his wings, and quickly swooped from the perch to her shoulder. Without another word and headed towards the door, pausing only to look back and over at Phoebe.

"I'll be outside in fifteen minutes. Right now, though? I can't even stand to be in here. The air's too toxic," she growled, shooting a dagger-eyed look over at her brother. Stepping outside, she slammed the door just shy of hard enough to crack it.

Once on the other side of the door and the breeze began to slowly drift across her face, Evangeline loosened her clenched fists, only then realizing that her nails had dug so deeply into her palms that blood had begun to speckle out of her skin. Looking down and into the creamy white of her hands, she pressed her lips firmly together, her fingers blurring. When she pressed one fingertip to her eye, it came back with a tear on it.

A burst of anger shot through her. Flinging her hands away from her face, she took off towards the small crick near the mansion of a house. She obviously couldn't stay there long - she had to be at the meeting point in front of the house in fifteen minutes - but there was no way in Hell she was going there to meet everyone when she was as angry as she was.

Reaching the crick, she rolled up the bottoms of her pant legs and wadded in so that she was ankle-deep in the cold water. Instantly her skin prickled with goosebumps, a dull ache entering her bones from the chill of the stream. The stones below her naked feet felt smooth, and the sound of nature surrounded her. Closing her eyes, she tilted her head back so that her face was to the sky.

Almost instantly she felt her anger and irritation draining from her body. In replacement of that was a mixture of calm serenity and a bit of hurt.

Hurt over her brother abandoning her.

Hurt over the harsh words that Russell had dealt out.

Hurt over the insinuation that she was incapable simply due to her age and lack of a shift from human to wolf form.

Tears pricked at the back of her eyelids, feeling hot and wet against the corners of her eyes. Opening them, she stared up at the still-brightening morning sky. Agent had flown down to the water and splash around in it, chirping and singing in the morning air, and she dropped her head so that she could watch him do so.

Although he was just a bird and there were millions of his species flitting throughout the world, he was one of a kind. He understood more than most birds, and was more in tune with humans and werewolves than people gave him credit for. Even though when he spoke it was the jilted, childish way of a creature with very little advancement in its vocal chords, he still spoke with the literacy of people, and was constantly there for Eve when she needed him to be.

He knew he had his freedom if he were ever to want it, and he was allowed to come and go as he pleased, but he still chose to stay with her.

Unlike those she was expected to call 'family'.

Her brother had abandoned her. Her parents put up with her because she was their daughter. She knew that she annoyed Charlie. Phoebe could barely tolerate her. And Russell thought of her as a child.

Granted, she acted like a child for the most part, but that was only because it helped bring an air of enjoyment to a room, no matter what anyone said about it. Even if people denied it, she tended to brighten a room when she entered it. That was her goal, after all.

Wading over to the bank of the crick, she dropped down into the grass, drawing her knees up to her chest.

"I'm not a stupid, insolent little brat like they all think," she said quietly, staring at Agent as he washed himself in the water. Tears threatened in her eyes again and she tightened her lips so as to avoid allowed her lower one to tremble. "They all act as though they're better than me. As if I don't know anything and I'm lacking in the intelligence department. I'm not stupid, and I'm not a liability," she whispered, tightening her arms around her knees. "I can take care of myself. I'm intelligent enough to do so, too."

Burying her face in her arms, she closed her eyes and spent the next few minutes steadying her emotions and her breathing. She knew she had time to do so - it had only been about five minutes, and she didn't need to change her clothes - so she took advantage of her lull in the morning events.

As Jason left out of the back door after Russell Rachelle focused her attention back on Charlie.

"No, I have basically mastered the art of picking up broken object without wounding myself. Thank you though." Charlie shook her head at Rachelle answering her question if she had hurt her hand.

"Well good then" Rachelle smiled towards the girl "I'm glad you're alright. That's a good skill to have" she chuckled at Charlie's comment in regards to being able to pick up broken objects without wounding herself. That skill only comes from practice, which she knew Charlie must have as things had a tendency to break around her.

Releasing Charlie's hands so she could go and change Rachelle froze in place as the tension began to build up in the room. She listened to her daughter's reply to Jason and her verbal assault on Aziel. Though she understood her daughter's feelings, she must be hurt by Aziel. She loves him so and he was a little cruel doubting her capabilities like that, maybe she should intervene?

However before she had the chance Eve slammed the back door behind her as she too left. It was then she frowned at Aziel's response, she also understood his anger. He was hurt too by his sister's words.

Stepping forward Rachelle moved towards Aziel -

(continued in Aziel's part!)

---

---

Jason saw the apprehension in Russell as he asked to join him. Russell eventually nodded in compliance however so Jason moved to join him.


"I'm sorry I lost my temper. It shouldn't have happened." Russell sighed as he took a big puff of his cigarette. "It's just.....I don't know, with my wolf it feels like I'm on a raft during a hurricane. Just barely being able to keep afloat." He explained. "And Evangeline is just......well you know what she's like."

Jason listened carefully to Russell. "That's a well-put analogy Russell, I know it's difficult for you to keep in sync with your wolf. However, you mustn't be hard on yourself. You have never given up on the human part of you, you are who you are because you fight your wolves instincts. You strive to be better" Jason paused looked out into the forest for a moment. He thought something had moved for a moment, but when he didn't see anything again he decided to ignore it for the time being.
"Evangeline is as you say, she's Evangeline. She always means well, don't forget that. She may act strong most of the time, but she is a kind girl. She can have a tendency to talk before she thinks though" he sighed. "go easy on her. She will grow on you I promise." Jason looked towards Russell with a grin "She's grown on me since the day she was born, but then again I am her father, I could be bias" he chuckled. He had loved Eve from the moment she cried out as a baby. No matter what he would stand by her at her worse times, just as he would Aziel.

"But still, I shouldn't have let my frustration get the better of me. I'm sorry." Russell added. "Focus on what you can control. Everything else will fall into place." He stated out of nowhere. "That was something my mother always told us." He explained.

"Wise words indeed" Jason nodded in thought. "Your mother was a wise woman"

They continued to walk into the green lush forest in silence for a short time before Russell broke it. "I should go apologize to her, shouldn't I?" He broke his silence followed by a heavy sigh. "Seeing the good in people isn't something that we should get upset over." He added as he ran his hands through his greasy brown hair. [b]"I'm gonna go find her." He stated as he turned away from Jason. As he walked away he stopped for a moment and turned his head back slightly towards Jason. "If you want me to go with the others into town I'll go."

"I think you should go Russell. I believe it will be a good lesson for all of you too see how our own actions can affect the course of our future. How our treatment of humans will be returned if we do not show them the same respect we ask for Jason said as Russell turned to leave.

He was glad the boy had decided to apologise on his own. Jason knew despite his past Russell, like Evangeline, meant well with his actions. However, they both had much to learn if they were going to grow into capable adults who could help lead the pack into the future.

Looking ahead now that Russell had left, Jason straightening his posture and glared towards the spot in the forest he had seen something move before. It hadn't seemed natural enough to be an animal. He was glad Russell hadn't noticed. Getting out his mobile phone Jason made a call.

"Could you pop by the pack house?" he spoke to the person on the other end of the phone. "now if you can. I'll tell you when you get here Jason hung up after a few moments more. Taking another look back into the forest he gazed at the trees.

Something felt off. He didn't like it.

---

---

---

---

“If Russell wants what is good for the pack he will follow his Alpha.” Phoebe said simply in reply to Aziel's question. “I suppose it won’t be that simple," she sighed but then grinned in Charlie and Evangeline's direction "maybe one of these pretty ladies around here can help coheres him...”

Aziel raised an eyebrow at Phoebe, was she trying to lighten the situation? He shook his slightly, couldn't blame her for trying he figured.

"Russell will only come if he truly wants too. I doubt one of these two could convince him" he grinned teasing them.

Aziel then leant back in his chair placing his hands behind his head. As he spoke in regards to Charlie and his sister not being able to protect themselves he noticed Charlie's subtle change in posture as her eyes looked downwards. He could feel her heart rate change slightly at his words. She was offended, that much he could tell. However, her shyness didn't allow her to voice it as she instead brushed him off and picked her viola case.

Protecting the pack is utmost importance. his wolf beckoned at the back of his mind.

“Besides, I believe that if need be these two will do the right thing and run…Your father knows what’s best” Phoebe said muttering. It was a quite voiced opinion but Aziel's wolf ears heard her words.

"Let me change and I will be ready." Chalie said before venturing away from the kitchen to change.
“Meet me out front in fifteen minutes.” Phoebe replied as she scraped her plate and washed it.

Aziel knew what he said may come off as rude, but he meant what he said. He got into fights often in town, he was used to fighting numbers. The humans always fought in groups, never alone. Without training or the strength of their wolf they would surely get hurt some way or another. He also knew that they sometimes picked fights unprovoked if they knew a werewolf when they saw one.
His face was unfortunately quite familiar in the town. He didn't want to risk pulling anyone into his personal history with some of the rougher humans. They knew to take on a wolf they needed numbers, they would use that to their advantage against wolves who hadn't developed their senses yet.

He worried for them, but he wouldn't say so as much. It wasn't in his nature.

However it was clear evangeline did not appreciate what he had said. After shouting at their father she quickly turned her attention to Aziel.

"And as for you," Eve began, approaching the table and placing her hands on the edges, curling her fingers into the wood.

Aziel dropped his hands from behind his head as she did so.

"You have no right to make assumptions on my capabilities as either a wolf or a person. You don't know me. You couldn't possibly know anything about me! I can't protect myself? Oh, I'm sorry. I seemed to have forgotten all about the years of Martial Arts and Hand to Hand Combat that I've been trained in. I've also forgotten about my training in strategics, Crossbow, and Archery, too."

As Eve let out her frustrations Aziel could hear her teeth grind as she leant closer towards him. He only frowned at her, annoyed at her quick response to anger.

"Don't you dare pretend to know anything about me, Big Brother, when you haven't been there to see or even bother to get to know me," she snapped. "I'm not the one who left, and I'm not the one who abandoned his family."

With that, she turned and let out a soft, short whistle. Agent her bird following behind her. Eve only paused for a moment to reply to Phoebe.

"I'll be outside in fifteen minutes. Right now, though? I can't even stand to be in here. The air's too toxic," Eve growled.

Aziel fist had clenched so tightly his short nails had dug into his skin. He rose from his chair slamming his fist on the table causing a shattering noise to echo through out the house. "Bluddy girl" he also growled.

"Does she think I left for fun?! Telling me I abandoned this family. Where did she get the idea I left because I wanted to abandon anyone? Has she not paid any attention to the pack in all this time?!" Aziel shouted in anger at no one in particular.

"Aziel!" Rachelle shouted back at him. "Calm down, she's just reacting because she felt hurt" Rachelle place her hand on Aziel's shoulder giving it a gentle squeeze.

Aziel felt his mother's calming gaze. He sighed his shoulders dropping, her kindness never faulted to calm his anger. "Didn't you tell her why I left?" he asked more calmly removing his fist from the table. A dent now resting on the black surface.

Rachelle half frowned taking a heavy breath. "Your father thought it best that we keep the reason you left private. We didn't want Evangeline to worry. She - " Rachelle paused for a moment. "she can be quick to be protective of those she loves without concerning her own safety" Rachelle pulled up a seat at the table glaring for a moment at the dent Aziel had made. She wasn't pleased about that.

"I figured as much" Aziel guilty looked at the dent. "Sorry." He apologised.

His mother shook her head at him. "You Can apologise to me later. For now, do as your father says and go with Phoebe. Make sure to talk to your sister too."

"It's not like I can refuse too go is it?" Aziel grinned at his mother.

Rachelle pursed her lips "Not if you want to eat tonight" she grinned back at him as Aziel got up and headed to the door way. "Aziel, Rachelle called before he walked away pausing him. "keep an eye on Charlie, she's not as confident as some of you" Rachelle said concerned. She wanted to be sure all of them would be safe, but she knew Aziel would look out for them if she asked.

"I dont have much of choice not to look out for them if their going to stay safe" Aziel replied "I'll make sure they're alright. Phoebe is with us too." he said about to leave.

Rachelle nodded before returning to clean the dishes they were left behind.

However, that's when Charlie returned after changing her clothes as she sat at the kitchen table. Aziel wondering how much she may have heard of his conversation with his mother.

The small girl had changed out of her sweat pants and had pulled her hair out its messy bun. A beanie hat now sat on her head. Aziel couldn't help but crack a smile. It amused him that she cared so much about her appearance that she would go such an effort to change when knowing they were heading to town. He personally was quite the opposite, he didn't care if he looked like a slob. His black t-shirt and jeans were enough for any occasion.

"Come on Charlie, Phoebe's reserved the front seat for you. Russell and Eve will be joining soon enough" he nodded his head towards the porch knowing she probably hadn't heard phoebe's voice from such a distance as she hadn't developed her wolf hearing yet.

Heading towards the porch Aziel felt a little guilt slime its way under his skin. He knew he had hurt his sister, he hadn't meant too. When they were kids he always looked out for her, more often than not he used to grab the back of her dress to stop her from tripping over her own feet and falling into a pile of mud. She was right that he hadn't been there the past 5 years, she had changed in that short amount of time. However, so had he. She was still the same fun-loving little sister she had always been deep down. He knew that, and he didn't like upsetting her, but he still meant what he said. Even if she did have self-defence training, training and using it in real life were two very different things. He wasn't trusting enough to leave her be alone in the human world yet. If she ever got hurt it knew he would only blame himself for letting her out of his sight.

As he reached the porch he saw Phoebe in her car indicating for Charlie to take the front seat.

"Guess I'll take the back then" he grumbled annoyed he missed calling shotgun.

Charlie


One of the first things that Charlie noticed was the dent in the table. She wasn't particularly surprised. Even while changing she had heard someone, apparently Azial, slam their hands down. Someone had said something to anger him and from the little Charlie had caught of the latter conversation the young man had with his mother, Eve had said something. She wanted to get annoyed that Rochelle had specifically asked Azial to look after her, but honestly she wasn't that surprised. Rarely anything surprised Charlie, but it made her feel like she was a kid still. She was 20, an adult too almost everyone but the pack. Granted she was aware she acted younger than most 20 year olds, but at least she wasn't out partying and getting high/drunk every weekend. Hell she barely drank anything, alcohol just wasn't for her. She'd rather play DD than get too drunk to walk.

Her head jerked up and fingers stopped when Azial called, "Come on Charlie, Phoebe's reserved the front seat for you. Russell and Eve will be joining soon enough." It took her a second to stand, her instancts needed to stop being prey behavior, and then she was up. She gave a quick good-bye to Rochelle before jogging to catch up to the other wolf.

Biting her lip, Charlie, clearly not thinking, shot out her hand and lightly gripped Azial's bicep. What the hell am I doing? "Azial?" Her voice was quiet as usual. When he stopped, Charlie's mouth moved as if she was a fish gasping for air. This is rediculous! She lightly scolded herself. Her tongue licked her lip as she managed to stutter out, "Um... I um, I will obviously ah listen to you and Pheobe if... if something happens, but um," Her eyes were cast down as she picked at the non-existant strands on her shirt. Perhaps she shouldn't have picked white today. "I may not... not have claws or wolf abilities yet, um but I am proficient in macing someone." An amused smile spread across her lips as she remembered the hours of learning how to "Poperly use mace" Mica made her do both with regular mace and gel. First with regular mace because that stuff can come back at you if you aren't careful. Then with the gel because it was easier to control and to some degree more dangerous. "And I have an uncanny ability to disappear when I choose to hide." She looked up then with a small entertained smile, for a moment uninhibited by her usual shyness. "Thank you for looking out for us." Then the uninhibited moment was over and she became self-conscious once more. With an uncomfortable nod and a bite of her lower lip, she darted out the door and over to where Pheobe was. "Thank you for looking out for me today." She nodded at the older woman before slipping into the car. Apparently she had picked up a thing or two from the hours of watch anime and reading manga.

As she waited for everyone else to fill the car, Charlie slipped her phone from her back pocket and read the new email she recieved.

Muse,
The Nation Orchastra is holding auditions for a year long contract this coming Thursday. I sent a friend of mine, who is the director *winkwink*, a copy of the beautiful song you composed. He absolutely adored it!He believes-

With a clenched stomach, Charlie swiped the email away to be read later... When she wasn't in the company of others. Letting out a soft frustrated and slightly hurt sigh, she looked out the window head resting on her palm. As much as she liked Jocalyn, the director sometimes annoyed the girl. Unlike many of the teachers at the college, for Charlie was a private girl, Jocalyn knew why Charlie never accepted any of the music schools around the country or world. The woman was there when she recieved her acceptance letter from various music schools and proceeded to decline their offers. She only told four people she got into them: Mica (of course, she rarely kept anything that important from him), Rochelle, Cal, and as metioned Jocalyn. She found no point announcing it to anyone when she was not going to attend any of them. She thought about requesting a year of in hopes of find her mate, shifting, and then convincing said mate to move with her for four years to the school. As the years passed, Charlie was both glad and frustrated that she didn't attened any of the schools. Glad because here she was two years later anxiously awaiting for her stubborn wolf to finally wake up. Then frustrated because she feels stuck. Although she is still practicing, got her associates in buisness, performs, and writes, everything has been done in the small confines of the pack house and the town. She loved her family and friends, but she felt like the mariner after he killed the albatross; stuck.

From years of practice, Charlie shut off the music school train of thought and brought herself back to the present. They would be leaving soon for town and she needed to pay attention to the now not the then or could have been.

---

---

A soft sensation gripped on Aziel's right arm as he was about to leave the porch. Pausing he turned to see Charlie had stopped him, she looked meekly up at him biting her lip as though she was nervous. Aziel pondered what she could possibly be nervous about. Was he that scary?

"Um... I um, I will obviously ah listen to you and Pheobe if... if something happens, but um," Her voice was quiet, it never surprised Aziel how much this girl reminded him of a mouse. Her eyes cast down from his as she looked away from him fumbling with her clothing before continuing what she wanted to say. "I may not... not have claws or wolf abilities yet, um but I am proficient in macing someone."

Macing someone? His eyebrows raised with slight amusement, he never even considered maces.

"And I have an uncanny ability to disappear when I choose to hide." She returned her gaze to him then gaining some confidence for a moment it seemed as she appeared amused by her own words. Aziel's own lips half upturned into a smile before dropping when she spoke again.

"Thank you for looking out for us." as the words left her quiet voice her shyness returned as she quickly nodded to him before darting over towards the car and joined Pheobe.

Stunned for a moment Aziel lifting his hand and pulled it through his brown hair as he watched her get into the passenger seat.

"Gotta Say I didn't expect that" he muttered to himself on the porch. He could count the amount of times someone had thanked him on one hand since his return after five years. So far that would be the first. It surprised him that of all people the shyest girl he knew was the first person to thank him for something.

Though, he knew he hadn't done much for people to thank him for since returning, not a least anything the pack knew about. It wasn't in his nature to inform his Alpha of all the drunken brawls he usually broke up. Then again he did start most of them whenever werewolves were insulted.

With a half disbelieved smile Aziel plodded down from the porch and slid into one of the back seats of the car.

"Ready for this road trip?" Aziel said sarcastically addressing both Phoebe and Charlie. He wasn't exactly looking forward to this. "If you want I can go and lure my sister over. I'm sure if I threaten one of her pets she'll rush over" he said jokingly before leaning back on the seat.

Charlie's frustrated smile didn't pass him though as she looked at something on her phone. He began to think of what she had said to him and a smile spread across his face "I hope you have more than one dose of mace with you Charlie, we may need it just to get those two into the car" he referred to Evangeline and Russell.

"Being crazy isn't enough. Dr. Seuss."

---

Although she lacked the history of transformation from human to wolf state, Evangeline's senses were still a bit more heightened than a normal human being's. Instead of having limited hearing, for instance, she could hear up to one mile away and see clearly up until then, too. Not nearly as powerful as a transformed werewolf, or even one who has been through the initial transformation, but still fairly impressive.

This was why she wasn't caught completely off-guard when there was a soft rustling from behind her and the sudden sound of a quiet thud as though someone had sat down. She waited a few seconds, sensing no immediate threat, before slowly turning her head to look at her visitor. It was unsurprising to her to see that it was Russell - she could recognize most scents quite easily - but she still quirked an eyebrow up at him, instantly concealing her upset state.

Obviously her efforts were mute, for the first thing that came out of his mouth was obviously aimed at the fact that she had been crying and discouraged only minutes before.

"Focus on what you can control, everything else will fall into place. I'm sorry. I shouldn't have yelled at you like that. I let my emotions get the better of me ... You see good in people. That's not always a bad trait to have. Me, I've seen too much bad in people to have any hope for them."

Quirking up her other eyebrow, she watched as he pulled his bangs back to reveal the porcelain-white scar beside his eye. It wasn't surprising - she had seen it before - but in that moment she could tell that it wasn't a common thing for him to actually acknowledge its existence on his face. For the most part he tended to look as though he were ignoring its presence and would go about his day normally. For him to acknowledge that it was there was almost unheard of. Staying quiet, she waited for him to continue.

"I envy that. I wish I could do that, see the good in people. But I can't ... I envy a lot of things about you. You've still got a family, friends, people who care about you. Never take that for granted. Because before you know it, it all could turn to ash. I'd give anything for that again. Chances are I'm just gonna end up as some bitter old hermit living in the woods all alone, with no one to care about."

Before Evangeline could even respond to that, Russell had begun speaking again.

"You want to be alpha right? Well, that means putting your pack before all others. You do what's best for them, and not worry what others think. Though I might not agree with you about how to handle humans, if you think it's right then don't stop. To hell with what others think. Leadership is about making the hard calls that others can't. But you're not going to get anywhere pouting about it. Prove them wrong, prove me wrong. Leadership, true leadership is something earned by action. Always remember, Uniți în ceartă, împreună în pace. United in strife, together in peace. That's what wolves are, what we are, and what you will be....Eve."

She hesitated.

His hand was inches away from her, and for a few moments, she hesitated to take it. Instead she simply stared at it, the thoughts clearly churning in her head as she mulled over his words.

He was right, of course.

It seemed that Russell was right quite a bit. Not in reference to how to act towards the humans, but about everything else he was pretty much spot on. This wasn't an exception.

She was worrying to much about the opinion of others. While it was understandable seeing as the people who's opinions she worried about were her families', it wasn't excusable.

Looking forward for a moment, she bit her lower lip. When had she turned into such a sniveling baby? Evangeline Emmaletta Sutton didn't cry, and she sure as hell didn't lose her spunk. She wasn't annoying for no reason, after all - it was all simply a part of her plans. So when had she forgotten all of those facts? When had she succumbed to the viewpoints of others and allowed them to affect her so masterfully that she had forgotten and dismissed who she was?

After a few moments, she turned and grabbed his hand, using it to hoist herself up. After she had brushed off her bottom and made sure there were no grass stains on her jeans, she jerked her head upwards, her shocking eyes boring into his. She didn't have to say what she was thinking - it was clearly written across her face - and she would never admit it out loud anyways.

He was right.

And she was too stubborn to just give up on her goals.

Lifting her hand, she jabbed him in the chest, leaving the tip of her finger against his chest bone and staring directly at where it connected to him.

"I'm going to prove the shit out of you, Rapunzel. And by all of the God's names I swear - you're going to admit that I was right. You understand me?" she asked, jerking her head upwards again and staring into his eyes. "I'm going to show each and every one of you, because I take this as a challenge."

With that said, she turned and let out a quick short whistle. Agent perked up, let out a chirp to the little woodland friends of his that had joined him in the river, and then took flight. Landing directly on her head, he snuggled into it and promptly fell asleep.

Reaching up she lightly tugged his hair, going on her toes as she did so and beginning to walk in the same motion. Before he could react, she had dropped a soft peck on his cheek, one that spoke her thank you so that she wouldn't have to say it out loud. Skipping away from him so as to avoid retribution for the hair pulling, she stopped just out of his reach and faced away from him, her hands clasped behind her back. A glance over her shoulder and she met his eyes with her own one last time.

"And Russell?"

Those words in and of themselves were surprising. She had used his name, not some convoluted nickname driven to gain a reaction. Instead, it was his name. Plain and simple.

She waited until he was listening to her before continuing.

"Don't ever tell yourself that you envy me of my family and friends - of me having people who care about me. Open your damn eyes and look around you before telling yourself that you need to envy me of those things. Because you're blind if you think that you don't."

Before he could even begin to respond, she had turned forward once more and started off towards the house again.

It didn't take her long to reach the kitchen. Eve instantly took note of the dented table but brushed it aside, simply grabbing her bag and ukulele. She sent Agent off to go about his own business, grabbed a bottle of sweet tea from the fridge, and quickly made her way outside to the front. Noticing everyone already piled in the vehicle - minus Russell, of course - she approached it and purposely went out of her way to avoid her brother, choosing to take the very back of the van instead of the open seat beside him in the middle. Dropping her bag and ukulele on the floor of the van, she leaned back in her seat, propped her boots on the back of her brother's seat directly beside his head simply out of spite, and popped in her earbuds. Immediately Everybody's Fool by Evanescence began to blast in her ears. Letting her head drop back, she closed her eyes and crossed her arms, hunkering down in her seat, her exhaustion from lack of sleep easily putting her into a light nap.

♫ Touch of Grey ♫

Russell watch Evangelina as she took a moment to mull over his words. After a few moments she finally took his hand, and lifted herself up. When she abruptly jerked her head upwards, and stared into his blue eyes with her vivid, and wild eyes Russell kept a straight face, losing the small smile he was developing moments ago. As he looked into her eyes he could tell what she was trying to say, even if she wasn't going to say it out loud. Russell gave her a nod of approval. He sees the potential in Evangelina, while she wouldn't be his first pick for an alpha successor, he won't say she couldn't do the job, she just needed more experience.

When she brought her hand, and jabbed it into his chest he raised a curious eyebrow as he down on her. Upon her statement that she'd show him, and everyone else that they were wrong about her Russell let out a slight chuckle. "I guess we'll have to see. Saying, and doing are two different things." He stated, purposefully adding fuel to her already raging fire. Then she reached up, and tugged on his hair, causing him to growl softly at her.

Before Russell could say or do anything else she surprised him with a peck on the cheek. Russell looked at her in confusion as he touched where she had kissed him with his hand, and she turned away from him. As she turned her head back to face him he had abruptly brought his hand down to his side. When she used his actual name rather than just some silly nickname that she gave him he raised his eyebrow up once again in curiosity. "Yeah?" He replied as he cocked his head slightly, curious as to what would cause her to use his first name.

Russell clinched his fist tightly, and looked down to the ground as he listened to her talk. He looked back up, and before he could respond she was already on her way back to the house. Russell shook his head, and a smirk ever so slightly began to form on the corner of his mouth. He figured he had better follow suit, and head on back to the house to join back up with the others. 'YOU'RE PATHETIC! YOU KNOW WE SHOULD BE ALPHA, THAT CHILD COULDN'T LEAD SOMEONE OUT OF A WET PAPER BAG!' His wolf snarled in his head.

Russell took in a deep breath, and exhaled. "Maybe at one time, maybe at one time. But that was a lifetime ago, and too much has changed." He softly whispered to himself. Russell stopped in his tracks, and sniffed the air around him for a moment. He then brushed his hair behind his ear. 'YOU SENSE IT TOO? AN UNEASINESS IN THE AIR.' Russell's eyes darted around the woods surrounding him. Something was definitely off, he couldn't hear any animals anymore. Not a bird chirping, a squirrel rummaging around, nothing but an unsettling calmness.

Russell flicked his cigarette to the ground, and thoroughly stomped it out before he went on. He couldn't sense anything else out of the ordinary, there was nothing he could do. Perhaps it was just his paranoia. Whatever it was Russell put it in the back of his mind, and continued on his way back to the house. As he got there he saw Evangelina climbing into the van that the others had been piled into. Russell went over, and sat down in the seat next to Aziel. As he got in he looked forward at Phoebe, and Charlie, giving them a nod.

"Mr. Sutton wanted me to join you all in town." He stated. "Hope that's ok with you Miss Danica." He added with a slight cock of his head. He knew of the Beta's feelings towards him, her dislike, and mistrust of him, and it was something he in fact found comforting. He does not in fact dislike Phoebe like many others think, no he respects her and is glad that there is someone there keeping an eye on him in case he goes off the deep end, and loses control of his wolf. He likes that safety net she provides, and has no doubt that she'll do what is necessary if, or when the time comes. Russell then proceeded to buckle himself up.

Charlie


Charlie's idle thinking of nothing in particular was interrupted when Azial got in the car and teased about threatening one of Eve's pets to get her in the car. Although she knew he was joking, if Eve ever heard him say it the tension between the two would probably escalate more. Her fingers drummed against her cheek while they waited for the last two to arrive. She only stopped when the older wolf addressed her.

"I hope you have more than one dose of mace with you Charlie, we may need it just to get those two into the car." Charlie turned in bewilderment at someone actually talking to her. She saw his smile, but didn't match it right away too confused. Rarely anyone spoke to her unless she did something klutzy. Either being scolded for once again breaking something or being told it was okay and to be careful. But she broke out of her surprise and with a ghost of a smile replied innocently, "I could donate one to the cause, however I need the other." She always carried two canisters of mace on her. Contrary to popular belief, she wasn't naive about the world. She was plenty aware that she was female and thus being female made it a little more danger to walk around alone. Interestingly enough, but not surprisingly, Mica was the one to insist she carry two with her. One for the initial hindrance and the second just in case someone followed her after she ran. She's only had to use her mace once, but you could never be too careful. Especially at night.

Turning around, she watched as Eve came to the van and took the seat in the back away from her brother. Unconsciously, Charlie stilled any movement she had previously been doing (mainly her fingers drumming on her leg). It was a response she came to acquired over the years. Whenever there was tension she'd freeze. Not out of fear, but rather to try and induce a calmer atmosphere. To this day she still has no idea why she does it, but nonetheless she response by freezing and trying to send out calming vibes. Does it work? She doesn't know, no one's told her.

Next Russel arrived and nodded at both her and Phoebe. She gave a slow nod back, before looking forward with her head slightly turned to keep the pack members in the back in her peripheral vision and slowing her breathing. Everyone was in the car now, this was going to be an interesting day in town.

Charlie


As the car moved through the street and eventually into town, Charlie stared out calming down from the slight anxiety from the hostility that still lingered in the car. This was familiar. Riding along the pack's house street towards the town she spent just as much time in as the house. Familiarity was key to calming her anxiety and the lull of the car was doing wonders. She could drive the route to the town with her eyes shut... if it wasn't dangerous or illegal. A smile formed as they passed streets and stores she knew too well. The tea shop she bought bubble tea. The park her friends and she would hang out at. The music store down a side road that was basically her second home. The people milled about like any ordinary day and to be fair to them it was. She even recognized a few, not that she waved or anything. Charlie even chuckled quietly as a little boy hopped happily along the side walk with an ice cream in hand. This was life and she loved seeing it.

Her anxiety-free mood was slightly killed when Phoebe parked the van outside a bar and grill she had never been in. With some caution, Charlie unbuckled and slipped out of the car somehow without stumbling. She slowly did a circle taking in her surroundings. They were in a part of town she had only walked through a few times. It was where werewolves frequented more than humans and since her friends mainly consisted of humans now, werewolf watering holes weren't her forte. Granted Mica had dragged her numerous times to different werewolf clubs to dance and drink. Rarely did she do either, but she played DD and often got free drinks while she occasionally chatted with the bartender. One thing she learned while trailing behind her energizer bunny brother, always make friends with the bartender. They would protect you if they liked you... and if they weren't skeevy. Most weren't which was lucky for her. Those clubs and bars were not on this street however. This environment was almost completely new to her. Taking a deep slow breath, Charlie calmed down so her heart rate wasn't thumping like a birds. That only portrayed her as prey which would be the worst idea ever when entering a room filled with unknown wolves.

As Phoebe started towards the building, Charlie began to follow but looked back to catalog where everyone was. Her eyes caught Eve's wonderment of the town. Unconsciously, her head cocked slightly at the younger girl. Eve was looking at the town as if it was something precious to behold and Charlie supposed it was. Unlike Eve, Charlie was never restrained to the pack house. She was only home schooled until Morgan was old enough to attend school and by then Mica had annoyed her parents enough for them to send them to public human school. From second grade to now, Charlie had attend school with humans and frequented town often. She loved the place but the awe had worn off once she became a regular. Maybe next time Cal and I hang out I can invite her. Mr. and Mrs. Sutton shouldn't have any qualms about it if I ask. I may be invisible and shy most of the time, but I am responsible and my friends would look out for her. It was a nice idea, she just hoped the Alphas would be okay with their daughter hanging out with humans. She would talk to Rachelle before she brought the idea up to Eve, she didn't want to get the girl's hopes up.

Taking another calming breath, she walked into the establishment to find it full with boisterous wolves. The room's volume decreased as the small group entered. All eyes were on them. Charlie shifted so her back was closer to the wall and she was hidden more behind Phoebe. Her eyes swept the room slowly only snapping to attention when a tall young man approached. Something about him put Charlie on alert; he was too charming. She rarely trusted people who were too charming because she learned long ago they tended to mean trouble. Her analysis of the young friendly man broke when Eve stepped forward to talk with him. Her fingers twitched, wanting to grab the other human but knew better. Movement in Charlie's vision told her some of the other werewolves stood ready to defend the young man. Peter, his name is Peter Green. The wolves only settled down when Peter offered the small group to sit and talk. Instead of listening to what Eve and Peter had to say, Charlie kept her eyes on the other wolves. They were outnumbered if something broke out. These wolves were ready to defend their friend. This couldn't be a large pack and Peter didn't seem tied to anyone. While keeping track of the mood of the other wolves, she mentally noted exits and places to hide if anything happened. Please, let nothing happen. A blood bath is not something we need... Looking back at Russell and Aziel she took note on their reactions of the situation.

---

---

Aziel had noticed Eve's hospitality as she had got into the car. He ignored her actions as her feet appeared beside his head as she sat behind him. With a heavy sigh, he leaned back and watched the scenery as Phoebe started up the car and began to drive into town. He smiled at Charlie's as she offered to donate a maze. Soon familiar buildings began to pop into view as they left the canopy of trees that made up their estate and trailed down a few dirt roads. He recognized the garage they passed he often visited when in need of spare parts to fix up one of his motorbike projects. Humans milled through the streets laughing their hands full of shopping bags as they blissfully lived out their lives. They had no pack to worry about.

Soon Phoebe pulled up into the carpark of a familiar Bar and Grill Aziel had spent a few nights in the past drinking at. He hadn't visited in very long time due to one particular disagreement with another wolf they ended up in a blood nose and hurt pride on their part.

As they trickled out of the car one by one Aziel hovered nearby to make sure they were all out of the car before closing the doors behind them. He saw Eve's slight hiccup with the seat belt and her attempts to brush it off naturally making him grin behind her back. She was clumsy sometimes it was amusing to him as it reminded him she was still his little sister. Eccentric and boisterous as always.

As they reached the bar door's Phoebe's expression showed she was on full alert as she spoke
"Stay together, and as inconspicuous as possible. We need to find out exactly what is happening and how to correct it."

"Easier said then done" he muttered as she opened the doors.

Instantly the smell of wolf struck Aziel. All them were different, unique. However, he could pick up the undertones to some of the scents signifying their were pack members. When a wolf was a part of a pack their scent always had a very slight undertone which was the same of the packs. It was their Alpha's smell, it was buried in them as wolves. Only pack wolves could notice their pack, wolves outside of a pack wouldn't be able to tell. Aziel had always found it strange but it made it easier to tell friend from foe. The bar was busy, the bar women winked at a customer some of the men rowdy, others sticking to themselves. They were a few women, most of them were with other male wolves clearly having a good time either eating or drinking more than likely with their mates.

As the volume of the room decreased slightly upon their arrival Aziel glanced around taking in more of his surrounds. A few eyes watched them curiously, a few didn't seem too welcoming.

"Hey guys. Can't say that I've seen you here before. Unless I'm mistaken, you lot are a bunch of fresh new faces. Mind if I take a gander as to what brings you all here?" suddenly a young man approached them. Aziel immediately looked him over, he was tall much like himself. His hair was a wispy brown, his eyes a clear blue. His accent threw Aziel a little, he wasn't expecting to see a British wolf in these parts. It irritated him that he didn't know this wolf living so close to their estate, in their pack territory. His father more than likely knew him, no wolf outside of the pack was allowed to enter another's territory without greeting the resident Alpha first. As per tradition.

"The name's Peter. Peter Pan James Green. I know, genius, right? As in Peter Pan and the Lost Boys? I thought it was creative too," he introduced himself with a grin.

Aziel scoffed a little under his breath. What unusual parents to give their son such a silly name.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Peter. I'm Evangeline, but most people call me Eve. My friends and I," Eve responded so comfortably with this wolf as she motioned to the group. "Are visiting from out of town and simply looking for a place to eat. We've been traveling for quite a while and would love to sit down and order some drinks and food,"

Aziel glared at her a little bit. How could she be so comfortable around a foreign wolf. She needed to learn to put up more guards for her own protection. He was impressed that she knew to lie though, she was smart enough to know not to reveal who their really were.

"Well, you lot chose the right place than. There's no better place to eat in town than Zum Schwarzen Adler. Why don't I sit down with you all? I could answer any questions you may have about the town, seeing as you're visiting," Peter's tone hinted he didn't quite believe Eve, but he didn't seem to be calling her out on it. It may cause trouble if he did.


"Well, I can't speak for all of us, but I wouldn't mind learning a bit more about this town from the man who seems to know it all," Eve smirked, tilting her head up and giving him a challenging look. Peter simply chuckled in returned and shook his head before turning his gaze to Phoebe.

"Well? You seem like you're the one in charge, m'lady. What's your say on the matter?" Peter bypassed Evangeline, he clearly could see Phoebe held a dominance well. She was a strong woman and wolf. Any amateur of body language would be able to see she was taking the lead on this group.

Glancing towards Charlie Aziel could see the hesitation in her eyes. She must be uncomfortable in this sort of place, as a shy girl she probably didn't go to places like this often. Stepping forward in front of Charlie he intentionally put her behind him as a guard, he needed to keep Charlie and his sister safe. His sister may be more difficult though with her clear enthusiasm for not showing unease.


"Peter is it?" Aziel didn't falter eye contact with this wolf folding his arms defensively. "Name's Aziel, how about I get some drinks whilst Phoebe picks a table. She has her preferences" Aziel said knowing Phoebe would choose a good spot out of the way, Peter may take them to a table in a busy area. It was best not to be sat near too many open ears. Though in a wolf bar that may be difficult.


"Eve I'll get you the usual, what's your drink, Peter? From a guess, I won't say your a cocktail guy" Aziel raised his eyebrows at him, he wondered if Eve's usually was still the same as of five years ago. A few eyes watching them caught his attention but Aziel didn't remove his gaze from Peter. They were pack wolves, they more than likely knew who Phoebe was but may not recognize him after his 5 years away. He needed to do some damage control and make sure they didn't blab unintentionally.

"I could use a hand carrying the drinks back if anyone cares to join" he said looking towards the group. It was best not to go anywhere alone and stay in pairs.