Samuel Xavier Pierce, from Welcome to Bellingstone, a roleplay on RPG

Setting

Bellingstone, Pennsylvania

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Character Portrait: Samuel Xavier Pierce

Character Portrait: Isabella Gabrielle Clarke

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#2013-05-16 05:23:49, as written by Caged Bird

After so long alone, so long searching for his scarlet haired child, the world was so sweet that Nikolai Lannister felt dizzy. He felt alive, and drunk on the prospect of family. A laugh burst from his lips, sudden as a quail flushed from cover. Nik then ran his hands through his blonde tangled hair, as he oft did when overwhelmed, wishing they were hands other than his own...someone with as soft and fragrant a touch as his mother's fingers. He still remembered the exact feel of her long, delicate hands as they slid through his golden mane whenever he fell ill as a babe, a comforting gesture, a thousand years later...He imagined he would remember it a thousand years more.

However he was soon brought down from his high. "Oh good morning, what can I get yah?" The barkeep asked pleasantly enough, but she reeked, her canine stench engulfing him. Nik really disliked Werewolves. In his experience they often looked like weasels, fought like a geese, and had the courage of an especially brave ewe. Only a handful had been brazen enough to challenge him in his many years and they all paid the price of life for it, but that was no affront. Vampires had challenged him too, hunters as well. His feelings stemmed from two simple facts; Were's acted all too common, not thinking themselves above humans, but thought themselves above vampires. By what right did a wolf judge a lion? However, Nik was gentle with her; mocking Werewolves was so easy there was almost no sport to it. "Just bring me a glass of whatever you have that's oldest, on the rocks." He replied, not bothering to look away from Gabby. Just as well seeing as a rather large male wolf entered and took leave of his senses, scooping up his mate right there. Nikolai just rolled his eyes at the pair and watched his child gulp down her alcohol in a rather sad expression. "You know, I'm not that ugly..." She fretted.

"Of course not, who ever gave you that notion? They should be flogged in the streets for such a crime." He purred, his voice smooth as silk. Nik then rubbed his yellow stubble, hesitant to tell her why he wore that look of recognition. Would she be glad to have him? To know her maker? Or had the years alone turned her thoughts of him to bitter ash in her mind. "Besides, you are a Lannister. There never was an unattractive Lannister to my knowledge..." He added, his light English accent heavy with hints. He waited for the inevitable confusion that was sure to ensue. He did love playing games, and if there ever was a time this was it he decided.

Setting

Bellingstone, Pennsylvania

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#2013-05-16 06:20:01, as written by Caged Bird

The blonde waiter and werewolf hurriedly shuffled to the kitchen, and brought back a bottle of cold water for Derek, but that did not mean he was finished apparently. "I'd watch yourself," the man warned in a hushed tone, eyes shifting about. "We are a very close pack around here, like family. You waltzing in here looking angry and threatening is only going to make it worse. Just be careful," he said, taking his leave then.

Derek shoved his large hand deep into the left pocket of his sweat pants and pulled out a fist full of dollar bills, not bothering to count them out or even ask how much he owed. He simply left the wad of currency on the table along with the undrank beverage and stole out of the diner. The Alpha was there, but too busy to speak with him. So busy in fact he sent his lacky to utter his words of warning. Well Derek would not heed them. He was an alpha by all rights, even if he held no territory. He was not afraid. Fear bites harder than any wolf ever could his father had once said. As soon as he was back outside in the open air, he knew where he would go. The wood. He needed to calm himself quickly, and a wolf run always helped accomplish that.

______________________________

He wretched his head back and howled, a frightening sound, as the change overtook him. His bones broke and reformed in a painful instant, and fur spread over his skin like wild fire on the dry plains. In mere moments it was all over, Derek had been changing his whole life and it came easier to him than it did other wolves.

Slowly the sky lightened around him, but he never saw the sun through the dense folliage. The soldier pines were dressed in somber greens, the broadleafs in russets and faded golds already beginning to brown were laden with snow. His wolf prowled through the trees like a lean black shadow. The soft broken ground was treacherous with half-buried roots and hidden stones, but he found his way with ease. He bounded across ridges, their deep ruts filled with runoff and up and down the rolling hills he went, through brambles and briars and tangles of underbrush, along the bottoms of narrow gullies where branches heavy with snow drenched leaves slapped at his muzzle as he passed. At last he came to rest at where he figured was dead center of the extensive wood, lapping water up from a small bubbling brook, but he wasn't alone. His ice blue wolfen eyes flickered up from the water to a wolf across the stream. A female with charcoal fur, streaked in highlights of silver. His lip curled back over his sharp canines in warning.

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Bellingstone, Pennsylvania

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#2013-05-16 18:23:18, as written by Sly_Mafia

Demetria Hawke

"Bloody hell," Demi swore under her breath, flipping hair over either side of her shoulder to get the silly locks out of her way. She had always kept her hair shoulder-length. It helped with hunting. There was no hair in the way and it was easier to tie it into a nice bun. Now, she let it grow to mid-back length and while it did look exceptionally good on her, it was also a hassle when she sat forward in her seat and was peering closely at her laptop. Then again, her hair wasn't even that big of a deal, was it? It was the foolishness of her co-worker.

Careless. That's what this woman was. She was extremely careless. Her documentation of her last patient, which Demi oversaw because the woman was still new and needed supervision, was lacking crucial concern towards the patient's health. The patient suffered from a severe ear infection. It was slightly uncommon to have had one so frequently. The child had been back to the office five times in the last three months. It was very evident that the child might need some tubes in her ears. The other doctor only prescribed more antibiotics, which obviously didn't work the first few times. Demi bit her lower lip as she typed furiously on her laptop. This was the last thing she had to do before she went on that run she so needed at this point.

In the middle of correcting her colleague and emailing the girl, she glanced up to see that Sam was gone. She had wanted to thank him herself. When he had told her to enjoy, she hadn't really paid any true attention to him. She'd been too wrapped up in the paperwork in front of her. However, one bite into the soft, buttery deliciousness that was pancakes and she definitely set herself some time to enjoy. And enjoy she did! Perhaps it was the fact that she loved food and therefore, eating was one of her favorite hobbies. Perhaps it was because she was already having a bad day and the food made it slightly better. It might have even the prospects of taking an 800 mg Ibuprofen directly after eating that made it taste better. Whatever the story was, the pancakes were pretty darn good and she knew Sam had been the one to make them.

"Done. Finally," she exclaimed, pride bubbling up inside of her chest after having completed her task for the morning/soon-to-be afternoon. Demetria stretched, raising her hands high above her head, and let out a small yawn. Yep, a run after this would definitely get the rest of the sleep out of her. She gathered her paperwork and shoved them back into their original folder. She put her laptop on sleep and gently placed it back into her bag. Almost as soon as she was done, the waitress from earlier returned and Demi asked for the check. She pulled out a clean twenty dollar bill and flashed the girl a smile, "Keep the change, sweetheart." She grabbed her things and left the diner, muscles itching to be in movement.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

And I know
I may end up failing too
And I know
That you were just like me with someone disappointed in you

There was always the thing about running that always got to Demi. It didn't matter how fast you ran. It didn't matter how far your legs could carry you. It didn't matter how many hurdles you leapt over or how many branches you ducked under. It didn't matter what records you broke or if somewhere along the road, you tripped. At the end of the day, you never get as far as you want.

Demi skidded to a complete stop, somewhere in the middle of the forest. She had left the actual trail and disappeared into the vast tree-covered area. She leaned forward slightly, resting sweaty palms on her knees. She greedily sucked in large quantities of air, shaking back a stray strand of light blond hair. The rest was gathered back in a high ponytail. She found herself glancing at the timer on her wrist and realized, with a dead feeling inside, that she had beat her usual time and speed. But it wasn't something she was necessarily proud of. Beating her time only meant that she was faster. However, what exactly did she have a need to be faster for?

"You can never escape this life, Demetria," she recalled her father saying and Demetria stood up ramrod straight. "It is in your blood. It always will be." Demetria shook her head and chose a different Pandora station on her IPod.

"Shut up," she spat to the air and kept running. But her father's voice did not leave her head nor did his final words stop shaking the very foundation of her weakened soul.

"Do you know why I was always hardest on you; why I put so much more pressure on you than your older brother?" Demetria remembered shaking her head, arms crossed over her chest as she stared at her father.

A fight had broke out between them and she managed to jam a knife in his leg. She was across the room from him with a bruised cheek that would be worse in the morning and a bitterness swelling beneath the pride she felt for having injured him. He had glanced up at her and with a stony face that only grimaced through the pain, yanked out the knife. The doctor in her had wanted to tell him that it hadn't been a good idea to do that. Now, the wound would bleed unless he continued to put pressure on it. But he continued to hold her gaze and she had refused to give him the satisfaction of showing that she cared. "It's simple really. You...are the future. You see, pumpkin. We train our sons to be soldiers. Men...we have a habit of thinking with our dicks and our pride. Once we feel challenged, it's a full-out war. Women, however, you are things are tricky little vixens and you have all the power. You can calm a man with just a touch and remain level-headed through the dick-swinging contest. And you, pumpkin, you do that the best. So, again. We train our sons to be soldiers and our daughters...to be leaders."

What he hadn't said was that he was just like her at one point. The favored child...the promising child. Her father had broken the rules when he was younger. He had turned into the leader, overshadowing his older sister. That hadn't been the way and he knew that. But he had excelled, just like Demetria. And like her, he feared the power behind leadership. He hungered for the thrill of the kill, but was not prepared for the responsibility. That was where the difference lay between them. Demi had been ready for responsibility from the day she first realized she wanted to be a doctor. She just lost her hunger for the kill. After all, if she had to become a vicious monster to kill the monsters that everyone else labeled as vicious, then who was the bigger monster?

So, she ran. She escaped her father's controlling clutches, escaped his heartless contamination of her heart and mind and ran away from home. He claimed she'd be back. Demi told him to go to hell. She didn't want that life and she hated when she ended up thinking about it. Because at the end of the day, she didn't want to be Demetria Shailene Hawke. She didn't want to be a Hawke. And, despite how much her father wanted to prove her wrong, she didn't want to be a huntress. She just wanted to be Demi, whoever the hell that actually was.

I don't wanna be anything other than who I've been tryna be lately
All I have to do is think of me and I'll have peace of mind
I'm tired of lookin' round rooms
Wondering what I've gotta do
And who I'm supposed to be
I don't wanna be anything other than me

Setting

Bellingstone, Pennsylvania

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#2013-05-16 19:23:23, as written by Calvazara

"Oh this is wonderful..." The red headed vampire purred as she quickly drank from her glass, Caroline chuckled slightly as placing the bottle down beside the woman "it is" she agreed with a quick nod, before getting back to cleaning the glasses, usually she would have struck up a conversation with the woman, she seemed friendly enough. Although, the blonde did detect that the woman had a lot on her mind and she would have leant a listening ear, it kinda came with the whole barmaid role,people came in, drank, discussed their problems, she listened offering them advice, not that she minded, she liked to think people were specialty and she would help them in anyway she could. Despite being a Vampire, Caro would have undoubtedly offered her 'shoulder to cry on' services to this woman, but the man beside her seemed to occupy her attention at the moment.

Now that brought her on to a different matter, Caroline prized herself on being a good judge of character, from the woman she got a positive vibe, Caroline didn't feel like she needed to keep her guard up, the moment that man walked in, the atmosphere changed, she felt uncomfortable in his presence and she knew that's exactly what he wanted her feel. This man exuded arrogance and the high status of an era long subjected to the history books, from his accent she determined he was British, a vampire, certainly, probably really old also. She shifted her weight onto her other leg, as she watched him cautiously out of the corner of her eye, he seemed to know the woman, although the lady didn't seem to recognise him, there was just something about him that got her wolfy senses going, for the worst.

The door to her bar opened again and in walked Sam, a smile instantly caught her lips, she watched as he tensed suddenly, becoming aware of the two Vampires sat at her bar but soon, his own smile caught his lips as he strode over to her in big steps, spinning her around in a grand gesture before setting her back down, with a kiss to her cheek "you called, my lady and now I'm here" he smirked.

Caroline, threw her head back in laughter, he never failed to surprise her, as the laughter subsided, the blonde wrapped her arms around his neck and placed a soft but lingering kiss on his lips "your such a dork at times" she giggled with jest, quickly glancing behind Sam to see the male vampire seemingly ready to order, finally. Disgruntled, she removed her arms from Sam's neck and walked back over to her two patrons, Caroline immediately felt uneasy, once again, folding her arms tightly across her chest, Caro's gaze hardened, her usually warm gaze, becoming icy as she stared at the man who looked at her in disgust, she couldn't believe this guy, who the hell did he think is!?

Clearing her throat, she tapped her foot impatiently against the hardwood floor, this scrutiny over her quickly becoming more irritating than intimidating "Just bring me a glass of whatever you have that's oldest, on the rocks." Caroline shook her head in disbelief as he dismissed her as if she were a servant, this guy had seriously been watching far too much 'Downton Abbey.' Caro forced her best smile "coming right up" she seethed, a deep contrast to the smile on her face, walking back past Sam she grabbed his hand and dragged him down to the cellar, for the second time in ten minutes "think that asshole would notice if I put holy water ice cubes in his drink?" She mumbled as they trudged down the wooden stairs. Usually Caroline was an extremely tolerable woman, she had met numerous assholes in her life, most of them in high school, but that's another story, but, come into her bar, look at her like she's a piece of crap, talk to her like she is beneath you, tolerance will be thrown completely out the window.

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Bellingstone, Pennsylvania

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#2013-05-17 20:43:28, as written by Army.of.One

The bartender agreed with her about the delicious alcohol, and Gabby smiled. If she wasn't a werewolf, this woman could have potentially been a friend. Hell, she could sure use one. She went back to cleaning the glasses before her, and that left Gabby alone with her thoughts, which was never a good combination. Thankfully, Caro left the bottle on the counter. Gabby drained her glass, then grabbed the bottle and refilled her glass. The incredibly handsome blonde stranger let out a burst of laughter, and Gabby jumped slightly, the unexpected noise startling her. She gave him a sideways glance, her eyes sliding over in his direction, to see him running his hands through his hair.

The door opened once again behind her, and she wondered what else could walk through the door to make the group an even more awkward bunch. As the person walked closer she could smell that it was another werewolf. He walked into her view, and she was surprised to see it was a man. He was extremely well muscled, and had handsome features. Instantly, he walked behind the bar and straight towards Caro. He picked her up and spun her around like you see in all the romantic movies. She sighed softly watching them. Normally, love wasn't something she thought about too often. Especially after what had happened to her the night she had been turned. Trust and love were two things she didn't exactly think she would ever find again after that incident. But watching the two of them together made her want it. They looked happy, and absolutely perfect together. There had to be someone out there like that for her too, right? A vampire to spend the ages with, someone who would love her literally until the end of time.

Gabby watched the bartender intently, and saw her tense up as she approached again. She was obviously uneasy around their race, and the feeling was mutual. Well, for the stranger beside her anyway. Gabby had never been worried about different species. She knew what had torn them apart, but it didn't stop her from wanting to interact with everyone. She'd talk to, kiss, and even sleep with whoever she wanted. No matter the species.

The man wouldn't take her eyes off of her, even as he ordered his drink. It was a bit unsettling, if she was honest. She kept her eyes on her drink, sipping it frequently. Sadly, she didn't feel anything.

At her comment about his disinterest, he responded as if shocked she would even say such a thing. "Of course not, who ever gave you that notion? They should be flogged in the streets for such a crime." She looked at him with surprise. Flogged? Who used that term anymore? The answer was no one. That was her first indication that he was an ancient vampire. It made her feel like a baby. However, his back and forth with emotions was making her dizzy. First he comes up all flirtatious, then his mannerisms change instantly, making him back off. And now at her disappoint, he was flipping again telling her that she was actually beautiful. She just raised an eyebrow at him, trying not to let on at how dumbfounded she actually was.

"Besides, you are a Lannister. There never was an unattractive Lannister to my knowledge..." She set her glass down, afraid that she would be shaking and spill the liquid within. She had no idea what was going on. Who was this man, talking like he knew exactly who she was. "I feel like I'm getting Punk'd..." she whispered to herself. When it came down to it, she realized that even though she was confused, she was aggravated. This man just walked up to her and began playing mind games with her. She was the one to play the games with men, usually.

She glared at him, any attraction or fun thoughts gone. "Look, I don't know who you are, but you better cut out this cryptic shit," she said in her southern accent. There was fire in her voice, and in her eyes.

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Bellingstone, Pennsylvania

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#2013-05-17 23:53:00, as written by Caged Bird

Nik saw a touch of uncertainty in her big green eyes. "I feel like I'm getting Punk'd..." She whispered to her glass, then turning to him she spoke a bit more loudly, "Look, I don't know who you are, but you better cut out this cryptic shit." She drawled in her heavy southern accent.

Nikolai just grinned like the cheshire cat in response. "Tut tut." He clicked his tongue to the roof of his mouth. "And here I thought you recognized me....oh well." He sighed with feigned chagrin. "Very well then, I'm Nikolai Jaime Lannister, first of his name, former of Casterly Rock. You are Isabella Gabrielle Clarke also first of her name sake, former of Louisiana, Baton Rouge. Am I doing well enough so far?" His grin only continued to climb up his face. "Come now, you really do not remember me? nineteen eighty seven? LSU? Ringing any of those pretty little bells of yours yet?"

He rested a hand on her leggin covered knee, raising his brows at her. "I fear I acted most abominably, but you see I was quite out of practice..." Nik moved to brush the hair from Gabby's eyes, his fingers ghosting over the alabaster skin of her forehead. His voice was solem now, sincere. "I am truely and wholely sorry for abandoning you. I did return, but you were long gone by then. I searched for an extensive period of time, more than most would have bothered, but to no avail...you are superb at covering your tracks little fire kissed one." He smiled again, but it was sadder now. "That is why I called you Lannister. You are mine."

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Bellingstone, Pennsylvania

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#2013-05-20 04:42:16, as written by Scarlet Loup

Axel pulled out a rag from underneath the counter top to wipe down the top of the laminate. His hand moved quickly in small, circular motions, making the counter look a little bit cleaner than beforehand. In wasn't much, but he would hopefully have time to finish cleaning when the current wave of customers left. He set the rag down and looked up, catching a glimpse of Leanna smirking with her brow raised. AJ raised an eyebrow slightly, cocking his head to the side in a dog-like motion. Most werewolves seemed to carry some of their wolf movements and instincts into their human form but Axel seemed to do more so. He was known for his common head tilts and pulling up his lip slightly in a snarl-like movement when angered.

"What?" he asked, placing the rag under the counter before leaning on it with his elbows, hands clasped before his lips. Had he said something wrong?

"Are you sure that's such a good idea?" she asked, fighting back laughter until she had finished; then, she let out a laugh. Axel bit the corner of his lip, raising his other eyebrow in confusion. Of course, he didn't get what she was alluding to right away, even though it should have been obvious. He opened his mouth to question her before it hit him.

"Oh, ha ha, funny," he replied, rolling his eyes as he pointed at her and wiggled his finger slightly in a 'oh, you got me' sort of gesture. "That was one time, sweetheart. Besides, I'm not that hopeless." He smirked cheekily, still leaning on the counter. "You don't give me enough credit." Out of nowhere, it seemed, Sam walked up from behind Leanna and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, squeezing lightly. Axel slowly straightened up, as if Sam suddenly touching his mate and holding her close made him defensive, which it didn't...or did it? He couldn't tell anymore, really. Things were getting so out of hand.

"Good morning, Lea" he said to her, glancing between both Axel and Leanna. Axel watched his Beta closely, wondering what he could be thinking. After a few moments, he pulled his arm away from around Lea and looked at AJ again. "Now, Axel, be a gentleman and take this lovely woman's order." Axel rolled his eyes as Sam punched him lightly on the arm. In return, Axel nudged him playfully, laughing under his breath in a bit of a scoff.

"Yeah, yeah," he muttered, watching Sam move off and glance at his phone. Now, who could he be texting...? Well, that really didn't matter now. He looked back at Lea and pulled up the pad of paper again. "What can I get you, hon?" He flipped to a clean page and left it on the table as he moved around the space behind the counter, placing coffee to brew, making sure nothing needed to be refilled, and simply moving to make sure he wasn't wasting time. After a few minutes, Sam suddenly clapped Axel on the shoulder.

"Hey boss, now that we have the extra help, I'm going to take a break," he jerked a thumb toward the waitress who seemed to slowly move along. She'd really only been hired by Axel for the summer months, when he knew they'd be busy. But, at the rate she was moving around, it appeared she wouldn't really be too much help. He'd have to force some sense into her...but, maybe with her help he could work the kitchen the entire day. That'd be better than running around between tables, really. Axel turned to look at Sam and grinned.

"What happened to asking for a break, Sammy?" he chided, nudging Sam as he poured coffee into a mug for himself. "Yeah, go get your ugly mug out of here. You're ruining business." He laughed at his own chiding, shooting a cheeky smirk at his Beta.

"That means you're going to have to work!" said Sam as he started to walk off. Sam winked and Axel groaned softly in a dramatic way as he rolled his eyes.

"Who has time for work?" he joked, sipping the coffee slowly. The hot liquid just about burnt his tongue and he recoiled, spilling some coffee on to the tile floor as he set the mug down and hurriedly grabbed an ice cube from the dispenser, which he pressed to his tongue, hoping to reduce the swelling. Still pressing the ice cube to his tongue with the roof of his mouth, he walked back to Leanna and picked up the notepad to take her order.

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Bellingstone, Pennsylvania

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#2013-05-22 00:40:42, as written by LittleMissGeorgia

Leanna watched as Axel's expression contorted into one of confusion and she bit down on her lip. There was definitely an air of familiarity to their relationship that made teasing and joking acceptable, and they had plenty of shared memories that were inescapable. But Leanna did sometimes worry she'd pushed it too far, probably irrationally so, but this was one of those moments. But, then she saw it in his face as it hit him, and relaxed.

He rolled his eyes and mock scolded her, "Oh, ha ha, funny. That was one time, sweetheart. Besides, I'm not that hopeless." He smirked. "You don't give me enough credit."

Leanna giggled, previous worries forgotten. It wasn't that she was afraid of him, of even uncomfortable around him. She was just aware that their relationship hung on tenterhooks and to damage it may be irreparable, yet she would have no choice. She needed this to work. She couldn't fail the pack again. She was about to reply with something cheeky, but was stopped by an arm suddenly closing around her shoulders, squeezing lightly. She couldn't see the person next to her instantly, as they'd approached her from behind, and anyone else might have jumped. But Leanna could instantly smell that it was Sam and leant into his arm in a friendly fashion, turning her head slightly to smile at him. Out of the corner of her eye she saw AJ bristle and she quickly adjusted her position to be less affectionate. But Axel's actions had slightly confused her. It was so difficult, not knowing where they stood with each other. In a way, she simply wanted to have it out with him and finally know. But, in other ways, she was afraid she might drive him away, or worse, be told something she didn't want to hear. In truth, she was too afraid, and so continued living her life uncertain.

"Good morning, Lea," Sam said.

Leanna smiled back at him. "Morning, Sam."

He slipped his arm from her shoulder, turning to look at her mate. "Now, Axel, be a gentleman and take this lovely woman's order."

Axel rolled his eyes, and was replied to with a light punch from Sam, who was nudged back playfully. "Yeah, yeah," Axel muttered. Leanna rolled her eyes at their exchange and sighed lightly as if to say, 'Boys.' But her actions were in good humour.

Sam left the pair alone then, and Axel flipped to a fresh page of his note pad, asking her, "What can I get you, hon?"

While she thought, Axel busied himself with the arbitrary, day-to-day tasks involved in running the diner. Sam then came over to speak to him. They bantered back and forth for a short while before Sam left. She'd already had toast before she'd left home that morning so wasn't especially hungry, and she didn't really feel like a hot drink since the day wasn't as cold as they had been. She decided on an orange juice, since Axel made it fresh here and it was the best you could get in the whole of Bellingstone.

She watched Axel filled a mug with coffee and take a sip while approaching her. The second the liquid touched his tongue, it was evident it was too hot and he spilt a little on the floor. Hastily, he put the cup down and took an ice cube from the dispenser, pressing it to his tongue. It would've been a funny sight, had it not been evident the experience was not entirely pleasant for him. He made his way back to her and picked up the notepad.

"An orange juice would be really nice, actually," she said gratefully, her tone genuine. She paused, concern in her eyes. "Are you okay?" she asked, nodding ever so slightly towards his tongue.

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Bellingstone, Pennsylvania

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#2013-05-30 04:38:07, as written by Army.of.One

Caroline's laughter was one of the sweetest sounds Sam had ever heard. It always put him in a better mood, and it was completely infectious. He found himself chuckling along while she laughed loudly. She lovingly wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling him towards her slightly as she softly kissed his lips. He placed his hands on her waist, and when she pulled away he could still feel her lips on his. He wanted to pull her back into his embrace, but she had customers, and her bar was one of the most important things to her. "You're such a dork at times," she said playfully, peeking around him to look at her customers. Her expression darkened. She unwrapped herself from him to approach her customers once again. Apparently one of them was now ready to give her their order.

He took the moment to really stare at the two of them, both vampires. The girl had a fiery red mane of hair that was actually quite beautiful. Even though she was a vampire, she didn't give Sam a bad vibe. She seemed genuine, which wasn't a trait most of the living dead had. He was confident the reason his hair was standing on the back of his neck was the second customer, the man. Sam had a feeling that he was extremely old, at least twenty time his age, but probably more. He couldn't even imagine living for so long. How could you adjust to the changes of time, when time literally had no meaning? Sam had an appreciation for every single day of his life, because he knew it wasn't infinite. Especially after his childhood, and watching Emma die, life became about so much more. And after falling for Caroline, he appreciated every minute he spent with her. Perhaps that was why the man felt so out of place and unnatural... he had no meaning for life.

He watched his love become cold and withdrawn, crossing her arms in front of her chest in a defensive manner. Her eyes became cold, something that he rarely saw. Caroline was always warm and inviting, even with those who weren't wolf. It was one of the reasons he had connected with her in the first place. Seeing her this way made his heart hurt slightly. Quickly, the feisty woman he loved returned, as she cleared her throat loudly, obviously for a purpose, and began tapping her foot against the hardwood, the clicking echoing through the empty bar. He couldn't help it, but smirked slightly at this side of her. He knew it only too well. "Just bring me a glass of whatever you have that's oldest, on the rocks," he said, without even glancing in Caroline's direction. That was going to piss her off. To confirm his suspicion, he saw her shake her head, and put on an extremely fake smile. "Coming right up," she said through clenched teeth.

She turned away from the customer and headed back for him, grabbing his hand and dragging him into the back room and down to the cellar, where she kept her best stuff. "Think that asshole would notice if I put holy water ice cubes in his drink?" she said angrily as they made their way downstairs. He chuckled, putting his arm around her shoulders and squeezing her tightly. He stopped her in her tracks and turned her around so he could look at her. He rubbed her arms, trying to get her to calm down. As much as he hated the man upstairs as well, it wouldn't be good for her to piss off one of the oldest vampires in the town. There was already enough bad blood between the two species.

"Just take a deep breath and relax, babe," he said softly, continuing to rub her arms. "He's a jerk, but let's try not to piss off any vampires today, okay?" Even though it was to protect the pack, it was mostly just to protect her. He wouldn't be able to live with himself if she was taken away from him. A devilish smile played upon his lips after a moment. "However, I think we can make him wait just a bit for his drink." He wrapped his arms around her and pulled her body close to his before kissing her lips hungrily.

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Bellingstone, Pennsylvania

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#2013-06-01 17:04:47, as written by Calvazara

As they reached the bottom of the stairs, Sam’s arm wrapping around her shoulders stopped Caroline in her tracks, his chuckle bringing a small smile to the corners of her lips. She sank into his side, loving how his large muscled body seemed to engulf her own lithe frame, even though Caroline was relatively tall herself, Sam still towered over her, something which made many people feel intimidated, but for Caroline it was just one of the many things that made her feel safe. “Just take a deep breath and relax, babe” he spoke calmly, the anger quickly dissipating from Caroline’s body, Sam’s relaxed nature was infectious, just a mere few minutes in his presence and Caro found all her troubles being washed away, she was a reasonably calm person herself, but rudeness just irked every bone in her body, manners cost people nothing and yet some people seem to regard them as a hindrance. “He’s a jerk, but let’s try not to piss off any vampires today, okay?”

Caro chuckled lightly, burying her face into his side as a slight embarrassment washed over her, it quickly subsided as she remembered she never had to be embarrassed around Sam, meeting his eyes she smiled “You’re right…you’re are always right…” she expressed a heavenly sigh, her fingers moving to play with the buttons of his shirt, he was right, of course, the man up in her bar reeked with an attitude which merely hinted at his age, he would probably be able to rip her heart out even before she had chance to transition. “…He just upset me. But, I promise I’ll return to my charming usual self when we go back up” she added playfully with a smirk.

Her heart fluttered as a devilish smirk played on Sam’s lips, something she saw quite often when they were alone “However, I think we can make him wait just a bit for his drink.” Caroline raised an eyebrow suggestively as a smirked tugged on the corner of her lips, his arms wrapped around her, pulling her close to his body and then his lips attacked her.

Caroline was in heaven. There was simply no other word to describe the sensation she felt when herself and Sam shared such intimate moments; before she knew it her back was against the stonewall of her basement, her arms wrapped around his neck, her legs wrapped around his waist. Moments like these made her feel like a schoolgirl once again, the passion and pleasure welled in stomach, forming as a low moan, which escaped passed her lips.

Reluctantly, she broke the kiss, smiling as her forehead came to rest against his “I love you so much” the words fell from her lips as she enjoyed the closeness of his body against hers. Sam had become the most important thing in her life, beating the bar with a gargantuan space in between, she could survive loosing her bar, no matter how painful that loss might be but loosing Sam? Caro honestly believed that she could not survive that, if it was possible to die from a broken heart, she would do in that circumstance. Gazing into his orbs, Caro rested a hand against his cheek, the affectionate gesture feeling incredibly natural, like they had been born for this, born to love eachother “so, so much” she repeated before her lips met his again, drawing him in for a more tender kiss.

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Bellingstone, Pennsylvania

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#2013-07-17 03:31:38, as written by Scarlet Loup

"Yes. Yes I have some experience. I waited tables at a café, il miglior caffè d'Italia, for a Summer two years prior to now." The Italian beauty replied to him, chuckling aloud. Oh shit, had he done something stupid to make her laugh? A blush briefly showed on his cheeks but he grinned quickly and the blush seemed to blend in better when his cheeks raised with the smile. Her tongue ran along her lip slowly and she took her time to look him over now. God damn it, if he wasn't already supposed to be with Leanna, he wouldn't have hesitated to hit Caterina further. Yet, he knew doing such a thing would set him back so many months with his "mate"...so many months that he'd worked so hard to cover.

"Well, um, what's your work ethic like?" he asked next, temporarily stumbling over his words. Damn it, Axel...get it together, he thought, mentally kicking himself. Who's the one who's interviewing here? "However, let me assure you, I am well versed in customer serivce, and can regain any lost traits of import I may have forgotten since." She slowly rung her fingers in her lap. Jesus, she looked nervous, too. How come? Hell, she really had no reason to be nervous, he thought. She was well on her way to the job, anyway. And, even though he wouldn't admit it, it was partially due to her looks. As he gave her time to think over her answer, he noticed Lassiter slam the note down on the counter before him.

"Well, have a good morning, Axel," he said, nodding and then turning to address the Italian. In the mean time, Axel rolled his eyes at Lassiter. Why the hell was he so pissy? "See you later," he replied, waving his hand to the Delta and then looking down at the note just in time to miss him hitting on Caterina. Slowly, he unfolded the note.

"Check your messages."

Axel arched an eyebrow. My messages...? Quickly, he pulled out his phone and noticed the messages that had piled up. "Shit...excuse me," he murmured to Cat before getting up and walking back into the kitchen to read the messages.

"Axel, it's Jo. Something's gone down close to the police department, actually, more like someone. Definitely a fanger attack, the girl's dead. Lassie and I are here, but the Sheriff is as well and the people he was with earlier. There's something off about them. I think they might be Hunters but I don't have anything concrete...yet. I'll keep you posted."

"Human dead. Vampire attack. Brutal. Definitely not the normal blood lust. I’ve got to hang around because Detective Asshat wants full report. Message back with orders"

"Crap..." growled Axel, a low, animalistic snarl coming from the back of his throat. He clutched his phone tightly, making a fist around it. He didn't have time for this, damn it...why couldn't the vampires keep to themselves for once and leave the humans alone? Was animal blood really that bad? Of course, Axel didn't think so. The few animals he'd killed while in wolf form weren't that bad. Actually, they were pretty good if anything. He shook his head slowly and composed another message to the pack.

"Well, I'm not exactly sure exactly what the hell is going on over by the station, but Jo tells me a fanger got to a human down there. Anyone know who she is? But, at the same time, I don't want any of you sticking your noses in places they shouldn't be. If we can stay out of it and leave it to the Hunters, I'd be fine with it. Watch your backs. The Hunters are going to become more active...stay safe."

He sent that and then, sighing, leaned up against the wall while he shook his head. Stupid, stupid vampires. Why had his ancestors even trusted them? Why had his ancestor decided to build a town up with them? Axel pocketed his phone and walked back out to his seat beside Caterina. "So sorry about that," he said, smiling quickly. "Just some business to attend to, that's all."

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Bellingstone, Pennsylvania

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#2013-07-17 10:06:29, as written by Army.of.One

Nikolai's smile changed everything inside Gabby. She took a step back without realizing she had. This man before her - no, her maker, she had to get used to thinking that - was more complicated than anyone else she had ever known. He seemed to change emotions at the drop of a hat. One moment he was sincere, practically pouring his heart out to her and begging her to join him, and as soon as she does the same, he puts his protective guard up once more, as if her words mean nothing. Why couldn't she have had a different maker? One that truly cared about her. The man in front of her was what she had been given, however, and she would have to deal with it. She wasn't sure what Nik's motives were, but she was going to stay wary of him.

"Ah, well then...Shall we head back to my place? Best to discuss such future possibilities away from the prying ears of dogs." She stared back at the staircase the two had disappeared down, not agreeing with the stereotype of 'dog' at all. But she kept her mouth shut, not wanting to infuriate her maker. She quickly strode over to the counter, leaving a bill on the table for the owner, Caro, giving her a hefty tip as well. This wasn't exactly the morning she had imagined when she had woken up this morning. It would have been nice to just sit and talk with Caro, talk about her problems, and drink some liquor. Even though the girl was a werewolf, she had felt some sort of bond form in those few moments before Nikolai had appeared. She would have to return to the bar later, without her maker present, and try to rebuild the bridges that were surely burned between the two of them.

"Alright, let's go then," she said as she stepped out the door and into the sunlight once more. She winced, groaning as she placed her black shades back on her head. The sidewalks held a few individuals, yet the wolf from earlier was nowhere to be seen. Perhaps he had run off with that bitch and ended up sleeping with her. Well, that was his loss. He was truly missing out on something spectacular. She shrugged that thought away. She didn't want to think about how off her game she had been this morning. The sun was too damn bright, and she turned to look at Nik. "Well, lead the way. I have no idea where the hell I'm going."

She took a moment to study him slightly, although she had plenty of chances back at the bar. She knew he was older than any vampire she knew, including the leader of her coven, and yet here he was standing before her. He had explained why he'd left her, yet the pain still stuck in her chest. She had just been thinking how lonely she had been, and how much she had wanted to feel loved. Yet she wasn't exactly sure if this mysterious guy could give her the love she was craving. If he could really care about her the way she was needing. Only time would tell.

Caro buried her head in his side, and Sam just squeezed her closer. The feel of her next to him felt so right, so natural. And not having any prying eyes on them made him feel safe just holding her. She looked up, met his eyes, and spoke softly to him. “You’re right…you’re are always right…” With a sigh, he could feel the tension seep out of her body, and she transformed back into her old self. It wasn't that Sam was always right, but he had the gift of seeing things from an outside perspective, and that normally led him to conclusions others weren't able to see so easily. “…He just upset me. But, I promise I’ll return to my charming usual self when we go back up.” Her smirk, and the way she was playing with the buttons of his shirt made him smile back at her.

Before he knew it, they were kissing each other as if they hadn't seen each other in months, almost as if they were attacking each other. He was hungry for her kisses, and he wrapped a hand lightly in her hair. Somehow she had been backed up against a wall, her arms wrapped tightly around his neck as her legs wrapped around his waist. He let every other thought disappear from his mind, and he just focused on Caroline. Moments like this were rare in their relationship, not being able to spend every night together, seeing as the pack would get even more suspicious than they already were. So he truly cherished these moments more than anything.

She broke away from him, their passion slowly dissipating and becoming something much more tender. “I love you so much." The words poured from her lips, as if she hadn't even thought about them before speaking. "As I love you," he said softly, as she placed a gentle hand on his cheek. “So, so much,” she added before kissing him softly. He returned the kiss, but a large crash from above broke his loving thoughts. He immediately became defensive, placing Caroline behind him as he faced the stairs. "Stay behind me," he said roughly, slowly walking up the steps. One foot was placed in front of the other as he climbed, his ears straining for any abnormal noises. As he reached the top landing, he looked around slowly, surveying the scene. The door clinked softly as the two vampires exited, leaving the bar completely empty.

He took in the stool that had struck the bar and was lying in pieces, splinters of wood all over the floor. There was no way to tell what had happened, but at least the two had left alive, or at least as alive as they could be, and neither had seemed to be hurt. "Looks like the only casualty was a stool..." he said, walking over to begin picking up the pieces. He'd try to replace it for her as soon as he could.

Suddenly, his phone buzzed, and he reached in his pocket to grab it. Staring at the screen, he saw that it was Axel, and swore silently. He was probably wondering where the hell Sam had gone. He opened the message, eyes widening as he read the words.

"Well, I'm not exactly sure exactly what the hell is going on over by the station, but Jo tells me a fanger got to a human down there. Anyone know who she is? But, at the same time, I don't want any of you sticking your noses in places they shouldn't be. If we can stay out of it and leave it to the Hunters, I'd be fine with it. Watch your backs. The Hunters are going to become more active...stay safe."

"Shit," he muttered softly, placing the phone back in his pocket. "A girl's dead," he said, looking up to Caroline with sad eyes. "Apparently it was a vampire. The Hunters know about it, and Axel suspects they'll become more active. He says to stay safe." Sam paused, thinking. "I should head back to the diner and catch up with him, see what he thinks and plan our next move." He paused once more, thinking. "Want to come with me? That way I know you're safe..." his voice trailed off, thinking of how much pain it would cause if he actually lost her. He would make sure that didn't happen, no matter what the cost.

Jeremy seemed to flinch, and Ariana raised an eyebrow questioningly, wondering what was exactly going through his mind. One minute he had been giving her puppy dog eyes, practically drooling over her, and now he was flinching away as she looked into his eyes. Was he not the brightest crayon in the box? Although, he had become an officer, so he had to be pretty intelligent to make it in that field. He stayed silent, apparently seriously considering her offer. She honestly didn't know why. It was harmless, at least on her end. She didn't have any kind of ulterior motive, except for possibly a slight bit of information. He didn't have anything to be worried about, she wouldn't take it any farther than he wanted it to go.

"I'm not old enough to drink," he finally blurted out, eyes wide and eyebrows raised. She had known the boy was young, but not THAT young. Oh well, age was just a number, right? Besides, she drank enough as it is. It would be nice to have a night where she could be sober with someone and not have to wake up with a hangover the next morning. Except, what if he didn't like her for who she was? Not many people did, especially with her profession. They came to her for her looks and moves, not for her personality. Hell, she wasn't even sure if her fellow Hunters truly liked her.

Jeremy's voice brought her back to reality. "We could eat though, dinner is important. We should have it at least three times a day." Instantly, Ariana laughed. She couldn't help it. This guy was genuine, and clearly trying to impress her. Although he was doing a sub par job. But his genuineness made her laugh, and was actually quite charming. "It's good to know I can have steak three times a day. Perhaps I'll put on a few pounds," she said, tapping her stomach lightly, a smirk on her face. She couldn't help playing with him, just a little. Sunlight was finding its way through the branches, piercing the ground in random places. It was actually quite beautiful, although the nature of what had brought her there wasn't so beautiful at all.

"Okay, dinner it is," she said, reaching into her bag and grabbing a blank piece of paper and pen. "Oh! I'm Jeremy by the way, Jeremy Donovan." She looked up to see him pointing at his badge with his thumb, a smile on his proud face. "I figured as much," she said, scribbling her number on the paper and handing it to him. "Here's my number. Shoot me a call or text when you're all finished up here," she said, her hand brushing his slightly when he took the paper from her. "We can decide all the plans then." She figured it was about time she headed to Seb's house, and figured out what the hell was going on. "I should leave you to your job, and I have things to do."

"I'll see you later, handsome," she said with a wink, then she turned and left, heading back up to the road and beginning her trek to Seb's house. It took awhile, but finally she arrived, not bothering to knock on the door, just pushing it open and stepping into the entryway. She didn't find Seb or Annelise, but she found Rick, and she approached him. "What the hell is going on?" she asked, placing a hand on her hip and staring at him.

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Bellingstone, Pennsylvania

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#2013-07-17 11:58:50, as written by Calvazara

As their brief moment of passion was interrupted Caro almost groaned with disappointment, moments like this were rare for them, usually someone was always hanging around and they couldn’t exactly go to each other’s homes every night, no, there were far too many prying eyes in the town for that. As the intensity of their relationship grew the harder it became, for Caro anyway, to keep their relationship a secret, even just a quick slip of the hand could catch them out, hell, she was surprised they hadn’t figured it out already, what with the lingering looks and gentle ‘friendly’ touches, she thought wolves were suppose to be intuitive.

Sam suddenly became defensive, easily placing her down behind him, becoming the protector he was born to be. Caroline couldn’t help but smile at the action, although they both knew she could take care of herself she knew that it would ease Sam’s mind knowing that he was between her and whatever was upstairs. “Stay behind me” he ordered roughly, the noise had obviously startled him. Caro followed him up the stairs just a few paces behind him and keeping to her word and stayed a safe distance behind. Her ears strained seeing if she could hear anything abnormal but nothing stood out to her, as she reached the top landing and gazed over her bar this was confirmed. The two vampires had gone and a wad of cash lay sprawled across the counter, walking back behind her bar she picked it up, counting it quickly before putting it in the till. “Looks like the only casualty is a stool…” Sam spoke as he began picking up the pieces.

“Don’t worry about it babe, I have plenty in the back” Caro commented dismissively and began clearing away the glasses the pretty vampire had left behind. Hearing Sam’s phone buzz she glanced over her shoulder at him as he read the message and almost immediately Caroline noticed the change in Sam’s expression and that concerned her. Placing the glasses back down she turned to face him fully “Sweetie, what’s wrong?” she asked quickly, he was worrying her.

“Shit…” Sam murmured shoving the phone back into his jeans pocket as he turned to face her, “A girl’s dead, Apparently it was a vampire. The Hunters know about it, and Axel suspects they'll become more active. He says to stay safe.” Caroline’s blue hues widened at the news as a uncomfortable feeling stirred within her, the ones who had killed the family last year had all been ‘dealt’ with, however this meant there was someone new who had gone back to human blood and that thought made her nervous. “Poor girl” she uttered sadly at yet another life taken so suddenly. “I should head back to the diner and catch up with him, see what he thinks and plan our next move.”

Caroline nodded in understanding “Of course, go ahead.”

"Want to come with me? That way I know you're safe..." Sam asked, the concern for her wellbeing lacing his voice. It touched her deeply how much he cared for her. Moving around the bar she slipped her arms around his waist and pressed her lips against his shoulder blade. “I’m gonna go and check on Aunt Nettie first, I don’t like the idea of her being out in that cabin by herself.” she spoke with concern for her surrogate mother, the woman who had taken her in all those years ago and loved her as if she were her own. “Once I get her we’ll go straight to the diner, I promise”

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Bellingstone, Pennsylvania

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#2013-08-08 22:21:21, as written by Army.of.One

Caro moved behind him, wrapping her arms securly around his waist, her face resting softly on his shoulder. Sam felt her place a soft kiss on his shoulder blade, and a smile broke out onto his face, despite the situation. She had always had that effect on him, even from the first moment they met. Something she said, or an expression she made, anything could bring a smile to his face. She was completely infectious. “I’m gonna go and check on Aunt Nettie first, I don’t like the idea of her being out in that cabin by herself.” He sighed, knowing she wasn't the damsel in distress he often wished she was. She was strong and determined. His eyebrows furrowed, but her next words calmed his worries. “Once I get her we’ll go straight to the diner, I promise.” He turned to face her, hands moving to gently cup her face.

"Okay, my love," he said, leaning forward and placing a small kiss on her forehead. "I'll see you soon." He wrapped his arms around her, squeezing her tightly for a few moments. He released her and walked out from behind the bar to the front door, grabbing the handle and pulling it open. He turned around once more to get a glimpse of her, giving her one last smile and a wave. Then he was standing on the sidewalk outside, and he turned to head back to the diner. He jogged the entire way back, nervous about the news he had received. Unlike most of his pack, all Sam wished for was peace. He didn't want to believe it was just a vampire going on a rampage killing humans. Hell, it could have been a hunter attempting to kill them and it was only self defense. Until all the facts were straight, he wasn't going to make any assumptions.

It didn't take him long to reach the diner, and he threw the door open, entering into the overwhelming smell of delicious food. His eyes scanned the building, washing over the many patrons. No one looked particularly frightened. Perhaps news of the death hadn't traveled throughout the town yet. He forced himself to appear relaxed, before locating Axel and making his way towards the man. Surprisingly, he was talking to a woman Sam had never even seen before. Yet she was oozing sex appeal and seemed to be making all the right moves. Although Axel's back was to him, he could read the Alpha's body language. He was obviously attracted to her, and his demeanor was flirtatious in nature.

The sight made him pause. Perhaps Axel wouldn't be so upset to find out about Sam and Caroline after all. Hell, Axel was in a 'relationship' of sorts, yet here he was openly flirting with another woman in plain sight. He made a note in the back of his mind to attempt to talk to Axel about his predicament. Perhaps his best friend would be more understanding than Sam feared. Realizing he had stopped walking, and was just standing a few steps from the door, he forced his legs to move over to the counter.

More shocking than Axel flirting with another woman was the fact that Leanna was still present in the diner, only feet away from the scene. Hell, Sam thought Axel was slightly more smooth than that. He felt truly sorry for Leanna, knowing how much she actually craved love. She didn't exactly have the best history, and Sam faintly wondered if Axel had ever truly tried to love Leanna. He assumed not.

Instead of interrupting Axel in his pursuits, he approached Leanna instead. He would try to comfort her, or perhaps just distract her from the sight of Axel and the mysterious woman. He didn't know why, but he had a soft spot in his heart for Leanna. Perhaps it was because he knew how his best friend really was, and the fact that Leanna deserved to be happy. Like he and Caroline were. She probably deserved better than him, if he was truly honest with himself. Of course he loved his best friend, but he could also admit Axel's faults better than the Alpha could himself.

When he was next to Leanna, he finally recognized the man standing before her. Albrecht, Axel's older brother, and the previous Alpha of the Wolff pack. He and Leanna had been engaged, once. Hell, he had probably just walked into a more awkward situation than interrupting Axel and the brunette. Damn. Well, he'd have to play it off as not awkward. "Ho-ly shit," he said, emphasizing the two syllables of the word holy. "Albrecht, it's been a long time, man." He held out his hand, in hopes Albrecht would shake it.

Gabby's maker took the lead, and she followed next to him. Their entire walk was in silence, and she wished she could hear his thoughts. He was entirely unreadable, something that was already beginning to irk her beyond belief. After gaining all of her vampiric abilities, and living even her short life so far, she had gained a particular ability to be able to know how someone was feeling, almost know what they were thinking. Yet this man was complete mystery. And his personality was so completely all over the place that she had a hard time even understanding what sort of man he was. Sure, he appeared charming and suave, yet she had a faint suspicion that was only because he wanted her to see that side of him.

Before long, they had reached the outskirts of town, and without realizing she sucked in a huge breath at the appearance of a building that appeared as if it was from a fairy tale. An astounding four story building that probably had more rooms than Gabby had ever seen in her life. She stopped in her tracks, in awe of everything her eyes were taking in. "No way..." she whispered, shaking her head in disbelief. "Welcome home my sweet," Nikolai spoke, but she couldn't take her eyes away from the building in front of her. Home... he had said, and the word struck her heart with a sharp pain. She hadn't felt at home anywhere since she had been turned. It didn't even need to be a place, no person had made her feel like family.

"Everything that is mine, is yours." His arm swept out in an elegant motion, gesturing to the large property before the pair of them. She walked in front of him, up the steps leading to the front door. Upon opening it, she was once again struck with the feeling of awe. Luxuriousness hit her squarely in the face. Everything was dark, from the deep brown wood to the burgundy carpets. And it was all bathed in a dull, yellow glow. She took a few steps inside, yet it all felt suffocating to her. How would she ever be able to call this place home? It felt like a museum, not a house. Certainly not a home. She had only been inside the house for a few moments, yet she found herself backstepping out onto the porch. She gulped in large breaths of the cool air, even though her lungs didn't need even an ounce of it.

Her brain finally started to process everything she had been through the past few hours. This was absolutely insane. She had known this man for only a speck of her life, and she was following him blindly. She knew nothing about him, besides the fact that he had made her. And now she was going to foolishly go live with him straight away? She had been raised to have more sense than what she was currently portraying. "I need to take a walk," she said, almost breathlessly. "I just need to think about everything. Please..." she said, before turning and walking down the steps out to the street once more.

Once out of sight of the mansion, she began to relax, the tension almost melting away. She had no idea where her legs were taking her, but she let them lead her anyway. Was she supposed to trust this stranger, just because he had made her? She wasn't completely sure. After walking for what seemed like an endless amount of time, she stopped and looked up at her surroundings. She was standing among many large Victorian-style houses in the residential area of Bellingstone. The sight made her cringe slightly, since they somewhat reminded her of the mansion she had just ran away from.

After many moments, she realized there was a figure sitting out on the porches of one of the houses. It took her even longer to realize she recognized the face. She was surely acting more like a human than vampire right now. Her mind was moving at a snail's pace. She approached the man, even though she had no real reason. "Sterling, hey.." she said, and she realized her voice was quavering slightly. She honestly didn't know much about the man before her. He tended to stick to himself, only leaving his house on brief occasions. They were in the same coven, yet had only had perhaps a handful of conversations. He was interesting and mysterious, yet in a completely different way than Nikolai. "Can I join you... or are you busy?"

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#2013-08-08 23:03:46, as written by Scarlet Loup

Albrecht slowly uncrossed his arms and rested his elbows nonchalantly on the table as if he were already getting back into the swing of things back in Bellingstone. Watching Leanna with a broad smile, he took note of her reaction. Muscles tensed, breathing stopped. She looked surprised and shocked, but he really hadn't expected anything less from her. He had been gone for nine years now, or something like that. The last time he'd seen her that shocked must have been when he told her he was leaving town. But, before that, he remembered her surprise when he'd proposed to her.

Everything had been perfect that day, it seemed. In the middle of the winter, he'd popped the question, deciding that he simply couldn't wait any longer. It had killed him to leave her before they were wed. Thinking of it now, he wondered if that meant their engagement was broken. Well, he thought. I could always ask about that later.

She turned to look at him and Albrecht just smiled back, absolute joy showing in his gaze. She didn't look that different either. Of course, in nine years, they'd both aged a bit. Yet, her hair still fell in brown waves on either side of her tanned face which he'd gazed upon so many times before. So many that he'd just about memorized it. She was still so beautiful...so perfect. He couldn't help but just about fall in love with her all over again.

"Albrecht... I, um, what are you...?" She stammered and he laughed lightly in his rich, deep manner. "Hi." The simplicity of the statement she settled on caused him to laugh again and nod.

"Hi," he replied, turning so he was completely facing her now while perched on the bar stool. "God, it's been ages since I've seen you...you're still just as beautiful, though." He grinned, flashing white teeth at her. "I live here again, now. Just moved here today actually. The West Coast got a bit tiresome, y'know." He flushed slightly, rubbing the back of his neck. "Right...you wouldn't know. Sorry." He cleared his throat and smiled again. "So, uh, how are you all? How's my dad, how's the pack? Oh, hell, how's Axel? Did he find a mate yet?" So much had changed in nine years and he was completely oblivious to it all. Hell, as far as he knew, everything was still the same he'd left it. A voice behind him caused him to jump slightly.

"Ho-ly shit. Albrecht, it's been a long time, man." Turning quickly, he grinned broadly up at Sam from his seat at the bar stool.

"Sam?" he asked, standing up. "God, it's been ages." He accepted the hand tightly and took a step closer to the man while wrapping his free arm around Sam's back in a pound-hug. Slowly, he pulled back with the smile still on his face. "How have you been?" Looking past Sam, he noticed Caroline and his smile seemed to grow even broader. "How are you, Carro?"

Setting

Bellingstone, Pennsylvania

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#2013-08-09 20:51:12, as written by LittleMissGeorgia

Albrecht laughed, once such a familiar, comforting sound. Even his laugh brought back a wash of memories that she couldn't ignore or dispel. She didn't think she could possibly feel more uncomfortable. Leanna had already been faced with the stark evidence that the boyfriend she had no choice but to marry eventually disliked their relationship so much that he told women he'd met minutes previously that he was single. That revelation had been hard enough, but Albrecht was a new blow she wasn't sure she could bear to face.

"Hi," he replied, turning fully to face her. There was complete joy written across his face. How could he be so comfortable and nonchalant in this situation when Leanna could barely breathe. "God it's been ages since I've seen you...you're still just as beautiful, though."

His lips stretched into a grin. Those lips she'd become so used to kissing. But Leanna didn't smile back. Now there was a new emotion bubbling to the surface; anger. The pain had been too much for her to deal with and so, subconsciously, it had become anger. All the anger she'd felt when he had told her he was leaving rushed back. Anger she'd never let go with. Anger she'd taken on to deal with what had happened. How dare he? He had let her love him and then he'd left her! He had humiliated her in front of the rest of the pack and caused her to be pushed into a loveless, awkward relationship with his brother. And now he sat there, smiling and throwing compliments at her like they were strangers flirting in a bar. Like their history didn't matter anymore and he could just start afresh after all he'd done. Well that certainly wasn't going to happen! She was about to open her mouth to tell him that when he spoke again.

"I live here again, now. Just moved here today actually."

What? No! He couldn't be back. He had forfeited his place among this pack when he'd left. He wasn't welcome here anymore. She was the Alpha Female and this was her territory he was in.

"The West Coast got a bit tiresome, y'know. Right... You wouldn't know. Sorry."

Tiresome? The life he'd left her for had become tiresome? The precious dream he'd been so desperate to chase and willing to give up everything for was nothing more than tiresome now. And he was back, now. He thought he could just come back, take up his place as Alpha and have her again because he'd got 'tired' of the life he'd chosen? Well life didn't work like that and she was about to tell him exactly that!

"So, uh, how are you all? How's my dad, how's the pack?" Lea froze again. "Oh, hell, how's Axel? Did he find a mate yet?"

Leanna searched Albrecht's face for any sign that he was joking or pretending, but found none. He truly didn't know. And as quickly as it had come, the anger dissolved and was replaced by an overwhelming sense of pity. The situation between she and Axel was something he may not of known, but to be unaware of his own father's death was something Leanna had never realised he was. She thought surely someone would've told him. But he was truly oblivious.

Leanna knew she had to tell him. He was still the man she'd once loved and all his mistakes could not wipe away the emotions she'd felt for him once. He deserved to hear it gently from someone who cared for him rather than town gossip, as she was sure he would hear it from if she didn't tell him soon.

"Albrecht," she said softly, "Your father, he's-" She stopped suddenly, aware of a presence beside her. She turned her head to see Sam. Strangely, his being there brought Leanna an overwhelming sense of relief and she just wanted for him to take her hand and take her away from the whole horrible situation the Wolff brother's had managed to create for her in that diner that day.

"Ho-ly shit. Albrecht, it's been a long time, man," Sam's voice came. He was clearly as stunned as Leanna had been. Leanna looked at Sam with blind panic and concern in her eyes, though she wasn't sure exactly what it was she was trying to tell him.

Albrecht stood up to greet Sam. "Sam? God, it's been ages." He accepted Sam's outstretched hand but pulled him into a hug. "How have you been?"

Setting

Bellingstone, Pennsylvania

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#2013-08-10 23:46:29, as written by Caged Bird

Caterina chuckled lightly, trying in earnest to wipe off the 'cat that ate the canary' smirk she knew rested on her lips. HE IS YOUR BOSS! Why on Earth are you eating up his attention? You have been in town all of five minutes, why are you being such a flirt?! She mentally reprimanded. Cat was never one to seek out a relationship, especially not ones of an inappropriate nature. She had never before had the time for men what with her position on student council, yearbook committee, job at the newspaper, cheerleading squad captain, over achievers club, etc. Yet here she was, fawning over this American like he had all the answers to what she had been missing in life. Pathetic, a petulant voice nagged at the back of her mind, but she quickly brushed it away when he flashed her a smile. The situation might have been, she supposed, remotely amusing to anyone who could of actually found it within themselves to have joined in with the canned laughter on the old sitcoms, though she personally couldn't find anything funny about the slightly increasing speed of the beating of her heart, or the way her eyes were lingering on his mussed-up hair that looked as if he had run his fingers through it about a hundred times. It may have been a cliche, the woman who was crushing on her boss, but it inspired no jokes in her mind.

"I really do truly hope it's the next chapter, I am so tired of waiting to turn the page." She replied, a ghost of some odd distant expression coming and going over her face like a ripple in a pond passing in and out of the sunlight. He politely offered her a drink after that, which in spite of the oddly shaped lump forming in her throat, she refused. Axel's next question was a plea for advice, and she could not have broke into a sweat any quicker. Why would he ask her that? If she says break it off, you obviously have next to no desire to stay with this mystery girl; she looks like some predatory slut, trying to wriggle her way into homewrecker status. If she says why not try to work on things, she seems disinterested and he might leave her alone. She definitely didn't want that.

Caterina parted her lips hesitantly to speak up when she felt it, a low steady note in the marrow of her bones, in the gray matter of her brain, dancing along her nerves with the distant promise of coming pain. It pricked at the bubble of warm, vague happiness that had been fogging her senses since she started chatting up her boss and suddenly everything felt oddly surreal. She clamped her mouth shut, and whipped her head toward the door. Those eyes falling on nothing worth noting took to darting around the room in a flighty panicked way. What on Earth had brought that flush of power to surge in her veins? There was no denying it now, it was her magic screaming at her some vague warning. Wolves are all around you, the diner is filled to the brim with them. It tried to say. Albrecht, Sam, Leanna, Axel; they are everywhere. But she hadn't learned to speak the the language yet.

Caterina just wanted so badly to exorcize, cut that force within her body out like the cancer it was. Her breaths started coming in short staccato bursts through her mouth and she had the dizzying feeling that if she looked out of the corners of her eyes, she would see the world tilting around her in a physical manifestation of the storm brewing in her chest. But before Axel could ask her what was wrong, as that was what was obviously coming next with the faintly troubled line puckering the space between his brows, the static crackling in her blood crescendoed with a pop. Cat's eyes widened in horror as the bulbs in the over-head lights shattered one by one in a line, showering everyone in the diner with glass and sparks.

Setting

Bellingstone, Pennsylvania

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#2013-08-19 22:48:07, as written by Scarlet Loup

Axel sipped thoughtfully at the glass of water clutched in his hand, still watching Cat closely. It wasn't that he didn't trust her or something like that, he was simply still in awe that someone this attractive had come to work in his cafe. Granted, Leanna was still one of the most gorgeous women he had ever met. It hit him then and he realized in a moment of dread that she was right out there and could hear everything he said to this woman, a woman he'd met only hours ago as opposed to Leanna with whom he'd been cultivating a relationship for ages. Fuck...God damn it, he couldn't help but think, jaw clenching briefly until Leanna continued to speak.

"I really do truly hope it's the next chapter, I am so tired of waiting to turn the page." He nodded along with that, agreeing silently. "I hear you," he added to further express his agreement. Her way of thinking oddly reminded him of his brother who had, like her, left his home to start a new chapter. The damn coward...Axel wondered how his "new chapter" was going, where ever he'd chosen to start it. He nodded again when she denied the water, perhaps a bit surprised by it seeing as he could literally smell the rising unease on her. Was everything alright...?

Still nursing the drink of water, Axel waited for some sort of response out of Caterina to address his question. It seemed he'd get one when she opened her mouth tentatively. Without a warning, her mouth shut and she turned to face the door.

"Cat...?" Axel asked curiously, slowly setting his glass down on the counter as her eyes darted around the room like she was suddenly fearful of something. Her breath quickened to the point where he became even more worried and even thought she'd faint right there. A line formed on his forehead, creasing in concern and worry for the Italian beauty. "Cat, wh-?" He began to ask her what was wrong, but he could barely finish his second word before the light bulbs throughout the diner shattered. Instinctively, Axel shielded his head from the flying glass and then waved a hand before his face to clear and sort of debris floating in the air before him. Out in the front room, he heard voices crying out in shock and fear. From the light that filtered through a single window, Axel blinked at Caterina with wide eyes. Obviously, whatever had happened must have correlated with whatever happened beforehand. He opened his mouth to speak at first, but closed it quickly and hurried toward the front room.

It was much easier to see there, though still almost pitch black due to the basically set sun. However, heightened senses came in handy. Maneuvering over piles of glass, he started toward where Leanna had been sitting. Now, however, he saw Sam and Caro. He smiled quickly at the two. "Everything alright?" the Alpha asked, instincts kicking in. Surprisingly, he'd managed to stay calm, but that was probably because he knew getting too worked up would cause him to lose control and go into wolf form. Most wolves had a grip on their powers, but Axel was always a hot-headed man and he tended to lose a grip on reality and shift.

There was one person in the group, however, that he didn't recognize at first. They sat to Leanna's side and had such a familiar, wolf-like smell that he thought it was a rogue who had just moved in. Then, the face came into focus and Axel's hazel eyes widened. "You..." he said softly at first, unable to really put his thoughts into place. "You. You bastard!" Albrecht looked back with a grin as Axel almost lunged over the counter at him, grabbing the front of the older man's shirt. "You think you can leave and just come back here?! What the hell are you doing?!" By then, he was just about leaning on the counter with Albrecht's face held inches from his as the two men exchanged glares. Though the humans in the room wouldn't be able to really see the scene, they still heard the sound of Axel yelling. Their reaction was mixed; some patrons watched eagerly while others left in worry. They knew what the men in that group looked like-- tall and muscular-- they certainly did not want to risk being caught near their fight.

Setting

Bellingstone, Pennsylvania

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#2013-08-26 01:41:19, as written by Scarlet Loup

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Albrecht was absolutely ecstatic. In only a few minutes, just about everything was rushing back to him. He was able to, if even for just a few minutes, pretend he simply hadn't left and he was just being greeted by friends. Or, perhaps, that everything was going to be perfectly fine and would go according to the mental plan he'd made up before coming here. As far as he knew, his father was alive. As far as he knew, he was the next in line to become Alpha male. He was absolutely oblivious and he didn't even seem to care.

For example, he didn't even seem to notice how upset Leanna looked. She obviously wasn't as overjoyed as he was by this extemporaneous meeting. His innocent question, which he assumed she'd be able to answer quickly, seemed to surprise her. Lea gave him a look that almost unnerved him, as if she was trying to read his emotions or thoughts. Her anger dissipated and was quickly overcome with...pity? Albrecht's brow furrowed.

"Leanna...?" he asked, cocking his head slightly. "Lea, what's wrong?" Oh God, had he said something that upset her? Had he done something (besides leave the state) that got her angry? But, then, why was she pitying him with that gaze of hers.

"Albrecht...your father, he's-" Leanna cut herself off when Sam entered and, distracted by the other male, Al forgot completely about what Leanna had begun to say. Next, Caroline entered along with the old woman who Albrecht really couldn't think of a name for. He knew the face and he knew she was related to Caro, but he had completely forgotten her name in his time away.

Having greeted Caro, she cried out in joy and threw her arms around his neck. "You're back! God, I missed you!" Albrecht wrapped his thick arms quickly around the blonde, his broad smile still plastered on to his visage. Perhaps it would stick there forever, seeing as it hadn't fallen since he entered the diner. As she pulled away, he reluctantly let go of her and sat back down at the bar. "God, I missed you guys..." he mumbled, laughing lightly in a breathy manner. "I've missed you all..." In his mind, nothing could ruin this moment.

The blow out of the bulbs around the diner frightened just about all of the patrons. Albrecht leapt slightly in surprise, jumping off of his seat for a moment only to land back on it. Instinctively, he held his arms out to shield Leanna from the flying shards of glass. He may have left her for years but he still did care for her like he had before. Even Leanna would be unable to completely deny that fact. Slowly, he moved away a bit and settled back in his seat, ruffling his ebony locks with one hand to clear the glass from it. The kitchen door suddenly opened and Albrecht looked up as he heard an oddly familiar voice. "Everything alright?" The smile returned, yet again as the man's eyes settled upon his younger brother.

"Axel..." he murmured, expecting the younger man to come running over to greet him. The diner was quickly clearing, but he didn't seem to notice. Instead, the werewolf studied his brother. The clothing style of the shorter werewolf was still just about the same. All of the Wolff boys had worn flannel and jeans for ages. It was warm and it was convenient. But, his younger brother had, it seemed, aged a bit. His forehead had creased with worry upon entering, but he also just seemed older overall as compared to when he was in his twenties. It seemed like, to Albrecht, that the weight of the world had been dropped on to the shoulders of his only sibling. Why was that, he wondered.

"You..." Axel said softly, eyes wide as he looked at Albrecht. The latter smiled.

"Me," he confirmed, nodding.

"You. You bastard!" Al's eyes widened and his grin fell.

"What...?!" In an instant, Axel just about flung himself across the counter and latched on to his brother's shirt collar, holding it tightly in surprisingly strong hands. He must have really gotten more into shape after I left, Albrecht mused, pulling his head slightly away from Axel as the man only pulled Al's face closer.

"You think you can leave and just come back here?! What the hell are you doing?!" Albrecht roughly pulled back and, unable to completely stop himself, fell from the bar stool. In an instant, though, he was back on his feet and glaring at Axel.

"What the hell, Axel?!" he snapped. "I leave for years and that's how you greet me?" Axel's jaw dropped and then he snickered harshly before quickly coming around the counter to stand before Albrecht. The two men were only an inch apart with Albrecht at six feet, one inch and Axel at six feet on the dot. The shorter man sized himself up against Albrecht would stared back with anger evident in his expression.

"You left the pack. You left mom and dad." He snarled. The patrons who had filled the diner now began to leave completely, quite unnerved by how animalistic the two men looked. "You were supposed to be Alpha, not me! I hope you're fucking happy now..." Axel threw a punch at Albrecht, but the taller male easily dodged it and then kicked Axel in the shin, summoning a sharp cry from the Alpha male.

"What the hell do you mean?" he growled. "Dad's the Alpha, I'll be the Alpha after him." A glare of hatred met him from Axel as the Alpha tentatively stood upon his throbbing leg.

"Dad died, you idiot...he's been dead for years and you haven't known?!" Al's countenance cleared and he stepped back slowly, processing the information. He was dead? No...no, that couldn't be right. That would mean Axel would be Alpha and Axel couldn't be the Alpha. He just wasn't capable of it! Albrecht had been training to be Alpha for ages and now it was Axel? No. He wouldn't allow it.

"T-then...then I'm Alpha, AJ. I'm back now and I should be Alpha." Axel had leaned up against a table by then, ignoring the pain in his leg. It was definitely going to bruise for a while but, given his wolf powers, would probably heal overnight. AJ shook his head and then snickered again at Al, which just made the older man angrier.

"You had your chance. I'm not letting an outsider run my pack. No, you left to explore the world and you left us here to rot. I'm not just going to let you run my pack." Al's face contorted in an expression one would easily find on a wolf's face. For a moment, Axel feared the man would shift right then and there in his diner. Instead, though, Albrecht clenched his fists.

"Screw you..." he muttered.

"Get out of my diner, you bastard. I don't want to see your ugly mug around this place again or anywhere for this matter. And if you try to take this pack from me, I will personally claw your eyes out." He stood up quickly, the adrenaline coursing through him and allowing him to rush at the older werewolf who simply glared at Axel, looked over at the rest of his pack members sadly, and then pushed roughly against the door to open it.

Axel sighed and then settled back against the table, breathing slowly to try and calm himself. "I...I'm going home," he murmured, his voice monotonous as he started to stand. "Lock it up when you all leave, Sam." A light yelp came from his mouth, sounding very much like a hurt dog, as he limped into the kitchen to get to the back door. "Cat, I'm leaving. You better head out soon. No use working without lights." He didn't even wait for a response from the woman before he exited the diner and slammed the door shut. In moments, the sound of his motorcycle revving up was heard and Axel raced down the street on his bike.

Despite the pain in his leg, he wasn't going straight home. Instead, he'd probably ride around aimlessly for half an hour to try and piece together what had just happened. Then, perhaps, he wold return to the old cabin.

Albrecht, on the other hand, returned to his home by himself. The man who had helped drive his belongings over had, in fact, left the boxes inside and the furniture (or whatever furniture he had already) outside. For a while, he unpacked things and tried to make his new home as homely as possible. Earlier, he'd thought Axel might let him move back into the Wolff cabin but, now, he knew such a thing was extremely unlikely. By the time he'd set up a bed on his old couch, Al's eyelids were fluttering and, so, he laid down and fell asleep swiftly, still plagued with thoughts of that day.

Setting

Bellingstone, Pennsylvania

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#2013-08-28 02:54:39, as written by LittleMissGeorgia

Leanna watched Caro throw her arms round Al. "You're back! God, I missed you!" Albrecht pulled her into a hug, and Leanna didn't think she could be any more tense if she tried. She caught Caroline's glance of concern and just looked at her, wide-eyed. She simply didn't know what to do with herself. She had to get out of this diner, be by herself, find some space and clear her head. But she was almost afraid that if she took her eyes off Albrecht, he might disappear all over again.

"God, I missed you guys... I've missed you all..." He sounded so happy. And though she was in one mind that he didn't deserve any of this happiness and the moment someone took it from him he would finally get what was coming to him, some part of her wanted him to keep that smile and elated tone for as long as he possibly could, before his fragile world came crashing down around him.

Leanna was knocked from her thoughts suddenly as every single bulb in the diner blew out. The glass shattered and crashed onto the hard floor, sending shards flying everywhere. Immediately, she closed her eyes, turned her head away and pulled her hands up towards her face to protect herself, but she found them colliding with something else before they reached her. Her hands clasped against warm, muscled arms and suddenly she was surrounded by a familiar scent. It was Albrecht; she knew it without even opening her eyes. But she opened them anyway, as if it might change the outcome. But there he was, protecting her, after all these years. A connection that no time or distance could ever truly break. She watched him as he moved back from her slowly, trying so very hard not to let her eyes find his.

Suddenly, Axel appeared and Leanna watched as Albrecht set eyes on him, murmuring his name. The brotherly care and love was completely evident in elder, but utterly void in in the younger. There was a soft exchange between the two, before Axel launched himself at Albrecht. Leanna watched in horror as the youngest Wolff grabbed his brother, who struggled to get away and fell back. They shouted at each other, the argument growing more vicious. And then Axel said it.

"Dad died, you idiot...he's been dead for years and you haven't known?!"

Leanna wasn't the type to sit and let things happen, to simply standby and watch. But she found herself pinned to her chair, unable to say a word. She was usually so strong and resolved in her decisions, but this situation was possibly the worst she could ever imagine. She watched Al work through what he'd just heard, before telling his younger brother that he should be Alpha. Leanna noticeably winced at Albrecht's words. She knew instantly her former love had made a terrible choice. One that would be sure to rile AJ, and he lashed out in response, his words cruel and harsh. Leanna was torn between hatred, pity and loss, and the worst part was she didn't know for which brother.

"Get out of my diner, you bastard. I don't want to see your ugly mug around this place again or anywhere for this matter. And if you try to take this pack from me, I will personally claw your eyes out." Wordlessly, Al finally left, giving them one last, sad look. Axel then announced he was leaving, giving instructions to Sam and the woman he'd been talking to earlier, before exiting. She heard the low rumble of his bike engine as he pulled away.

Leanna sat in shock for at least a minute before she couldn't bear to spend another moment in the diner. It was then that she finally stood up, a shard of glass crunching under her foot, reminding her of the lights. Carefully, she made her way towards Sam.

"There's the number for an electrician on a notepad behind the cash register. Would you mind calling him?" Leanna asked, feeling guilty for asking something more of her friend, for whom the day had been as difficult as it had been for everyone else. She smiled at him sadly, sighing softly, before leaving. She began the walk home to find Axel, fully aware of how painful awkward the evening would end up being. But she had no choice. This was the life she had chosen when she'd picked pack over her own happiness. Her pride and desire to do right by pack had let her be coerced into this, and now she was trapped.

As Leanna walked down the street towards their house, she froze outside another house that had been empty for several years. Brown cardboard boxes and a few pieces of furniture were piled up outside. She watched Albrecht emerge from the property and lift a box up into his arms before carrying it back inside. Leanna's breaths came in small, shallow gasps and her heart thudded in her chest. Even though it wasn't a cold evening, she began to shiver as though it was the bitterest winter night. Then, suddenly, with no warning, she turned on her heel and marched away in the direction she had come, her footsteps fast and unrelenting.

Leanna reached her eldest brother's house and knocked sharply on the door. She heard the sound of someone approaching the door before it opened to reveal Felix.

"Lea?" Felix said, surprised.

"He's back, Felix," she said, stumbling over her words, her voice trembling. "He came back."

Seeing the look on her face, he wrapped his arms around his sister and pushed the door closed behind her. It was only then that the Alpha Female began to cry.