The Trail of Wolves

[KageYuuki]

Leaving the City of Kings, the Ethelwolf pack strikes out to free any enslaved lycans.

And destroy their masters.

 

[KageYuuki]

Back at the Ethelwolf manner Morrigan and the few remaining wolves worked to pack up the last few items of value before sunset. Morro and the pups had all gone on ahead. The only Ethelwolfs who remained now we're Morrigan, her new sired pup, and those she'd selected as her council. However, there were still two missing. Selene and Olaf had yet to return from clearing out the bar. As the sun crept further down the horizon the Ethelwolf’s new alpha was growing more and more anxious.

Selene sniffed the air as she led Nathan inside, seemed most of the remaining wolves had already cleared out. At least Morri was there. Though there were bound to be plenty of questions once she caught the scene of a stranger in her house.

As Nathan followed Selene inside, the scent of multiple wolves hit him, but not enough to form an entire pack. He immediately assumed that the rest were already on the move to wherever their new hideout would be. One wolf in particular, a female according to the scent Nathan caught, emitted strong pheromones, which probably meant she was the alpha. Nathan decided that he’d keep quiet, feeling it best to avoid saying anything that might get him in trouble there.

“God, this place seems so dead now…” Selene muttered while looking around. “Now where the hell is Morri?”

Almost instantly Morrigan picked up on Selene's return, and with a stranger. She was quick to home in on the scent. True to any alpha Morrigan didn't hesitate to approach, rounding a corner there was no surprise in her emerald eyes as she caught sight of the unfamiliar wolf. In her usual confident stride, Morrigan walked up to the two, eying the new wolf as she took in his scent, mentally sizing Nathan up no doubt. Deciding Nathan was no threat her gaze shifted to her sister.

The scent of mortal blood caused Morrigan to crinkle her nose disapprovingly, but that could be dealt with later. “Out making new friends?” She asked lifting a curious red brow.

“You could say that,” Selene nodded towards Nathan. “New in town and wants to raise a little hell with the Kindred.”

“That’s certainly one way to put it, can’t say I’m not a sucker for a little chaos here and there,” Nathan took a short step forward so he was closer to Morrigan. “Of course, it does sweeten the deal considerably when said chaos is directed at bloodsuckers.” His eyes went wide and he frowned a little at his complete oversight of basic manners. “My name is Nathan Cross, my hobbies include killing, drinking, and long walks on the beach where I can think about the previous two.” He held out his hand towards Morrigan, smiling a friendly smile in her direction.

A faint grin tugged at the corner of Morrigan’s lips. They hadn't even begun raiding and already the promise of such had drawn a new member to the pack. “I am Morrigan Ethelwolf, daughter and heir of Cahal Ethelwolf who defied the chains of Dracula.” She introduced in return, extending her hand to shake Nathan's. Her grip was what one would expect of an alpha of her age, firm and confident, only extending her reach so far so that Nathan was forced to reach further than herself to meet the alpha's hand, a clear display of her dominance.

“So, do you merely seek to join in a few of our raids, or are you looking to take up a more permanent residence with my pack?” Morrigan inquired, preparing to express the rules assigned to either scenario.

Nathan shook Morrigan’s hand, smiling at the alpha’s display of dominance. He didn't smile because he thought it was funny, but because he had met a good number of alphas in his time and they all seemed to have their own ways of establishing themselves as dominant. “Well, I haven't been a member of a pack in years, been purposefully avoiding that issue to avoid complications. I am, however, aware of the strength of the Ethelwolf pack to an extent, and if the few things I've heard are more than mere rumors, then I don't think I'll have anything to fear here.” The man took a quick moment to think about his final answer, seeing as there was quite a reputation behind the pack and there was the matter of Selene as well. “If you'll allow me, I'd like to make our arrangement more permanent.” He grinned in satisfaction, happy with the answer he came up with.

“Then I welcome your strength.” Morrigan grinned, motioning for the two of them to follow as she turned to head for the garage. “There are of course certain rules you'll need to follow. The first is to do nothing that would endanger the pack. This includes revealing yourself to mortals. I don't mind killing mortals when needed so long as they are not what most would consider innocent. However, our main targets will be those who keep our kind as slaves.”Morrigan spoke as they walked. “You will follow the orders of your elders and defend the pack whenever possible. What are your combat skills like? Any weapons of choice?”

Nathan smirked and tipped his hat in anticipation before following the she-wolf through her manor. “You won’t have to worry about me, I’ll keep all my personal endeavors within the boundaries of the rules, and will be sure to show no mercy to any who would dare keep a fellow wolf as a slave.” The rules seemed simple enough for Nathan, though he might have an issue with having to limit his killing but he figured it’d be better to keep that to himself for now. He raised an eyebrow and grinned when questioned about his fighting skills and preference of weapons, while unexpected he couldn’t say he was excited to get into it. “Getting straight to the point huh? Well, I mainly prefer hand-to-hand combat, given my world-class Muay Thai and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu skills. As for weaponry, anything sharp would be preferable, though I can work my way around a firearm. But they aren’t that satisfying when killing.”

Selene kept her arms crossed as they began to walk further inside. So far things seemed to be going well enough. Sure, there was still the whole issue on… the little incident involving a few mortals, but she’d deal with that when the time came. The wolf snorted, not even trying to hide a fanged smirk. “You’ll be hardpressed to find anyone with firearms in this pack. Melee’s more our style.” Not that she couldn’t throw her spear a long ways…

Nathan’s gaze shifted from the alpha werewolf to Selene as she spoke up. So much anticipation and thoughts about the pack and their adventures almost made him forget that she was still there. “Well that's just dandy, isn't it? Guess I'll fit right in!” Some might take his words and tone as sarcastic in nature, but in actuality, they were mainly genuine, granted it was the first time he'd felt excitement about anything (or anyone) in a long time. “So is there any particular place the pack is moving to or are you just kind of living on a day-to-day basis at the moment?”

“Hand to hand will do just fine.” Morrigan replied with a smirk. “If you'd like we can have you fitted for armor later.” Stepping only a massive garage that looked more like a parking lot Morrigan made her way over to a key rack hanging on the wall. Despite the size of the garage, there was only a handful of vehicles left.

“Take your pick.” The alpha invited, the tags on the keys numbered to match the parking space their respective vehicle was parked in. “Any we have to leave behind will be sold off with the house anyhow.” Morrigan informed Nathan and Selene. “For now we're heading to a farm owned by one of our brothers and his mate. Just long enough to regroup, then we'll be heading for Europe.” She explained while grabbing herself a set of keys for a classic Harley motorcycle.

“Well, it looks like you've got this whole thing figured out. I must say that I've never been to Europe, wonder if we'll get chances to have fun over there.” Nathan grinned as he walked over to the set of keys on the wall with an excited look in his eyes. He eyed the keys, images out of movies of cars speeding down the road and pulling up flashing through his mind with each individual key he looked at. “I'll take this bad boy for a ride, always wanted one.” Nathan chuckled happily as he pulled the keys to a black Dodge SRT Hellcat from the wall. This was certainly a lot more than he had hoped for. “I guess we should take off then.” He walked over to his vehicle and eyed it a little before opening the door and getting in.

Selene chuckled, grabbing the keys to her own motorcycle. Things might just work out.

 

[Shandragontear]

Night of the Full Moon​

The horizon glowed a in shades of red and orange as the sun was quickly disappearing behind it. Not wanting to be caught without a cage on her new pup's first full moon, Morrigan had decided to keep the pack on her brother's farm till after tonight. A cage out in the barn had been preped with several deer carcasses they'd hunted down during the day.

The past few weeks had been spent training and preparing Richard for tonight. Additionally Morrigan had tasked the rest of the pack with selling off material wealth that was too large to travel, as well honing their combat skills.

Throw the last deer corps onto the pile Morrigan turned toward Richard with a teasing grin. "Might wanna strip if you like that outfit." She said stepping out of the cage, holding the door open for her new pup. "The more you fight it the harder it'll be to control yourself. Remember to embrace the wolf." She added her last bit of advice in a more serious tone.

 

[Orikanyo]

Richard Ethelwolf(Formerly Coques)

​

Richard sat near naked in the cage as yet another corpse was slapped down upon the inside. He had started taken off most of his clothes, but still would not give up his underwear, especially in front of his "mother" and pack leader, sure, he'd have to deal with it after the fact, he he had spares... Plus he'd like to keep what little dignity he had left on him until it really came down to it. the others had been rather helpful answering any questions he had, such as "Don't wear any clothes your gonna miss." and "Just let it happen and embrace it."

Easy enough for the people who have done this for likely a century to say.

Richard sat on the floor of the cage, rubbing his nose slightly as the pain suddenly stopped him from doing that, forgetting the fact it was broken, and promptly set back in place, in the latest training they did. "Yea, I get you. And every other person show told me that so far." the man sighed, a tad bit frustrated as he removed his shirt, revealing more slowly fading bruises. "Still not used to this whole healing thing, but I guess I should soon... From the way it sounds things are only gonna get weirder after this.. No offence meant." he held up a before tossing his shirt, and soon pants, out of the cage before sitting on the side opposite to the deer stack.

"So what are we expecting here? Eat the dear, chew on the cage for a few hours? We better not be taking pictures, I don't wanna see myself in some dumb photo album alright? ..Actually now that i say it I kinda do wanna know what I look like..." he mused on it, finding it to at least calming some of his frayed nerves. "..Just try and keep the pup outta trouble alright?"

 

[Shandragontear]

"Once your initial hunger is slated you should be able to control yourself." Morrigan informed as she closed and locked the cage. "So long as you don't fight your new instincts. If all else fails I'll be able to command you." A playful grin curled her pink lips as she added. "If you'd like I can set you up a mirror?" She teased.

Meanwhile back in the large farm house a very swollen Morro paced back and forth in front of the fire place. Her hands rested upon her engorged belly as another contraction caused her to pause and blow out a slow breath. It wasn't uncommon for werewolves near their due date to give birth during the full moon. Likely something to do with the pup transforming in the mother's womb.

"Mom sit down." One of her older sons said. Morro simply shook her head, determined to walk out this pup tonight, even if it killed her.

 

[Orikanyo]

"I think I'll be fine." the man sighed as he absent mindedly began scratching his leg, damn, when did he get so itchy? "Man.. Kinda getting bored just sitting here... I guess it just sorta happens whenever, can't hurry the moon to haul it's ass and make me turn, don't think werewolves can do that type of shit... Why the hell am I so damn itchy!?!" His final complaint seemed to be the final thin g he said before it began, well, the single coherent thing that wasn't a long string of curses and creative formations of the word fuck. His body began it's first change, bones breaking and setting, growing and shaping into the form chosen by the curse, hair sprouting all over the man's body in a thick peppery grey coat upon the fervently cursing man.

It was far from a graceful transformation, itching and scratching, blood being drawn as much from the new shifting body and the newly forming claws scratching all over in his attempts to sate the impossible to defeat tingling feeling all across his body. Groans and moans of pain became bestial and filled with hunger with each and every passing second causing the man to grow and grow in strength, size, and in appetite!

he was barely done that transformation before the wolf dragged him towards the carcasses, beginning to feast even with half formed fangs, the ripping and tearing of meat sinew and the snapping of bones for the delicious marrow filled the air like a deranged display of true feralism. Deep within his mind, Richard was barely holding onto the leash of this new found beast, performing the mental equivalent of trying to walk a dog that was roughly the size of him and DEFINITELY wanted to chase after a run away rabbit.

It was about the time that he tore of the head of the second deer in his rather impressively messy display of eating that he finally came into his full size, a full formed man and wolf in one, happily chewing on fresh raw bleeding meat before him like it was the best damn thing this world he has ever tasted. Between the aching hunger in the pit of his stomache and the ride he was being taken on by the beast, Rich was not having a very easy time with this whole "Accepting his instincts" as it was more he had very little grip on the situation as is, as his body took over to clean off every single scrap of meat within the cell all while being messy enough to put a two year of with a cake in front of them to shame.

Thankfully, despite his lack of control on the matter, the wolf was more than happy to snap, chew and rip his way through the mound before him, easy enough to predict. it was midway through the fifth that he finally managed to gain some sort of control, forcing himself to look at himself, even if he still had a haunch lodged between his jaws.

Yep, underwear did NOT survive the change.

Not that it mattered considering his new coat, covered in splotted red and what have you from the deer carcasses he quite liberally tore into, he wondered, in his brief moment of clarity, what he could do to a person.... That thought was then drowned in the drive for more meat.

It took a little bit of time, but as he chewed on the last bone he spotted Morri once again, placing an unfamiliar hand upon the iron bars of the cage, the other aiding his mouth in snapping the bone currently in his teeth.

What would be his first words as a wolf?

Standing tall and mighty before the woman who is his leader and mother?

"FUCK THAT HURT- GAH! My tung!" he yelped, pain coming from his mouth as he had bitten into it during the attempt at speaking with the newly formed body.

 

[Shandragontear]

Morrigan watched her new pup's transformation with what looked like only mild interest. She was in fact somewhat fascinated as to what it must have been like for sired wolves. Of course in her younger years she'd been under the moons sway, but never had she become starved or injured badly enough to feel that same uncontrollable hunger a newly sired wolf did. Hopefully the battles they would soon face would not change that.

Once the deer corps were stripped clean Morrigan waited for some sign that Richard was once again in controle of himself. A faint grin curled her rosy lips when he tried to speak. Taking a step back the pale redhead began to unlace the brown leather bodice she wore before pulling it off. With little regard for who might see her bare flesh beneath it Morrigan dropped her top to the floor before moving on to kick off her black boots. Finally a pair of dark wash fitted jeans were pulled off along with her under garments. Once completely bare she moved to unlatch the door to Richard's cage before transforming herself.

The more experienced wolf made the transformation look much more graceful. Snow white fur sprouted across her body as she fell forward on to all four. Her hands shifted to paws before touching the hay covered floor of the barn. Her mass grew at least five times her original size till she'd taken on the appearance of a fully formed dire wolf.

Seeing Richard still looking a bit humanoid Morrigan gave a haunting howl, an alpha's command blended with pheromones to aid him in shifting into a full wolf form. Her ears shifted towards him as she stood tall, tail erect as a clear show of dominance. So long as Richard did not resist his wolf instinct would have him respond in a submissive pose. Body language was a large part of the wolven tongue.

 

[Orikanyo]

With the howl, the final stages truly began, his stature changed, upon all fours he ended up and groaning in the final moments of pain. A hunger that was once sated returned in full force, pushing the beast against the bars of the door to open it. The wolf began to paw its way into the room, eyeing the new world around it, each breath taking in more and more new scents that caught upon the wind, his ears catching sounds he couldn't begin to place as a human, but as the beast he knew they were of those of whom he calls friend. But hunger disagrees, and wants nothing more than to find it's next meal, hunger is a demanding beast, but the wolf wants control nonetheless.

Hunger wants to rend and bite, the wolf wants to obey, and it was Richard, the human within the wolf's skin that held the leashes.

But before Morri the new wolf got down low, it's tail between it's legs and was submissive, but looked as if it was still caged the rising hunger surging forth like a flood barely contained. The beast wanted to eat, it wanted to run, ti wanted to feel the hot crimson blood between it's fangs and it wanted it now.

But the wolf stayed still, if it was due to simply being more afraid of the being before it, or perhaps the pheromones of the alpha before him, he had no true way of disobeying his progenitor. A new collar that chaffed uncontrollably, but forced upon him without question.

How was this any different from the times before? how he rolled over and accepted his new situation? How he simply allowed them to take him wherever they so pleased? One god damn fucking mistake and he ended up a bitch. Or maybe he was always like this? A sodden worthless pile of filth? A fucking stupid hungry pup.

So hungry, so very hungry...

 

[Shandragontear]

Morrigan's piercing emerald eyes watched her new pup warily for a moment. Though it seemed hunger still gripped him, the offered corpses had sated him enough to at least make him capable of obeying his sire. The freshly crowned alpha would be sure to maintain her control of him till that hunger was satisfied fully.

Morrigan's wolf lips seemed to almost smirk seeing Richard submitting to her. Without a sound she turned, motioning with her head for him to follow. Outside of the barn several other members of the pack stood waiting, already in full wolf form. The wolf in front of the group was clearly Mshindi, his more slender bangle colored wolf form making him stand out from those behind him.

Already he was falling into the role of Morrigan's heir, leading the pack in her absence. However, his sire had not yet official placed the rank of beta upon him, no doubt still debating if he was old enough for it or not.

As Morrigan stepped from the barn Mshindi fell in line to her right and a step behind her. Know instinct would help Richard translate the mix of body language, pheromones, and subtle growl that made up the wolven tongue, Morrigan instructed her new pup to stay close as the rest of the pack fell into formation behind Morrigan and her two sired pups. Leading the hunting party towards the forest, the scent of wild game suggested Richard's hungry would soon be satisfied.

 

[KageYuuki]

The setting of the sun had cooled the air around them somewhat. It was a warm summer night, the perfect kind to be out with friends around a bonfire telling stories and laughing the night away. A light breeze blew through the trees and dry grass. Crickets and tree frogs sang to one another as fireflies danced and twinkled in a silent waltz all their own.

Barks, yips, and howls cut through the night as the hunting party made their way forward. It was easy to hear another pack nearby leading a hunting party of their own. The small group had been there long before the Ethelwolfs had. The Children of Gaia they called themselves, seemingly a branch from a much larger tribe of the same name. But an agreement had been reached not long after the new pack's arrival: the Ethelwolfs don't encroach on the pack's sacred grounds or interfere with their hunts and all would be well between them.

There was something off about the night as the hunt progressed, an unshakeable feeling of dread that suddenly pervaded the air. Any supernatural creature no matter their age would suddenly find themselves feeling on edge. Some of the pack members even stopped suddenly, their gazes locked on something only they could see as fangs were bared and fur stood on end.

Picking up on the scent of blood nearby, Selene and a few of her brothers broke off from the party to investigate. They didn't have to travel far to find a lycan, likely one of the Children of Gaia, lying dead by a tree. They were in their hybrid form, meant only for war and destruction. Hastily carved into the tree above them was a lone glyph resembling a paw print or perhaps a flame.

Meanwhile, the rest of the hunting party soon picked up another scent on the wind. Foreign and foul, it was headed for them. And it wasn't alone. Several creatures came bursting from the underbrush and surrounding forests. Covered in thick, chitinous armor the creatures were armed with tendrils tipped in sharp barbs. As soon as they emerged the beasts lunged for the wolves, aiming to maim, kill, utterly destroy the hunting party before them.

 

[Orikanyo]

Holy fuck.

Holy fuck holy fuck holy fuck holy fuck!!!!

Nobody had explained this, NOBODY HAD TOLD HIM ABOUT THIS!?

What was going on!?

Where was Selene and the others? What were these things?

WHAT WAS HE GOING TO DO!?

He watched as one came closer towards him,it was as if he was alone, signaled out even as the pack fought all around him.

Panic had set in, even under the feverish pitch of hunger these base emotions broke through, something even the beast could not answer so easily. Monsters, the basest description of these beings were such, horrid creatures that almost had no rhyme or reason to their construction. Like a child's drawing of a nightmare become life. Eyes all over like bulbous pulsating sacks of pus, a dog like head, three spiked tendrils that wiggled and writhed in it's attempts to strike at whatever was around it, it's legs were practically bones, the only thing holding it up being the sickening mass of tendrils that droop down from it's rapturous maw of teeth and muscle.

Fear, what more base instinct is there but fear? it is a point where we become our most primal, furtive and vulnerable as we run and hide from the monsters that want to eat us. But not everything is so simple, for much like a coin, there is two sides of fear. Flight, something that we all know of, the easier way, for those with no option but to run like the prey they were. The other side of the coin, fight, was a complex yet very simple thing. We've all heard the saying "Fight like a cornered cat/rat," the act of something that is rather weak suddenly becoming exceedingly vicious once brought into a corner.

Well for this instance, surrounded by his pack being hurt, to busy fight battles to help, watching the beast come closer and closer.

He found the corner.

And there was nothing left but to fight.

His body acting on it's own for the shifting, becoming a hybrid before he could even truly understand the meaning behind it. His body had weapons, and his mind was already putting them to use as he rushed towards the beast with an outstretched claw, with the beast taken by surprise the claws struck deep, bursting the pustual like eyes upon it's right side in a long slice of five razor-like claws. The retaliation came swiftly, as was the instinct of a beast of destruction. Two tendrils came to return the favor, one hitting it's mark and leaving a deep wound upon the pup's back. Were he human, that strike would have ended him, tossed him aside like a miserable heap of trash to be consumed by the atrocity this thing called a mouth below it.

But not today, he was no mere human, he was an thrice damned Ethelwolf and this fucking thing was gonna die.

the pain spurned him to continue as he grabbed one of the tendrils upon it's right side, jerking it forwards with a heavy pull as the elastic membrane began to pull. it was tough, durable, but could not stand against the maw of the enraged lycanthrope as he bit down hard upon it, severing the beast's appendage with a show of black ichor.

Stunned, Rich continued forward to grab the other tendril on top by the base, practically climbing atop of the beast as it fell to it's side, desperate to flung off it's attacker with it's boney legs. it squealed like a stuck pig as it flailed it's middle tendril at Rich again and again, barely making a mark as the second was torn from it's place, the other stuck beneath the writhing beast. But to kill the beast, that was the puzzle, covered in chitin armor, he would be hard pressed to kill it even with the upper hand...

But gazing at the hole he made, he had suddenly gotten a plan...

Flattening his clawed hand he thrust his arm deep into the open wound reaching deep into the meat and then downwards, slicing and clawing his way through as the beast continued to struggle in vain. He grasped deep within the beast and ripped out it's innards, still pulsing in it's complex senseless life. Until, he bit into it.

The beast beneath him fell dead. Rich was bloody, quickly regenerating his light, in comparison to other's, wounds. But now he knew how to fight them, as grizzly as it was, he would aid the others while he can, starting with those nearest.

He found pleasure in the victory, HIS victory, nobody but he brought it through his own power. His strength, the instinct that saved his life, the beats that lurked within. They were the things that shall make him grow, grow until nothing will stop him.

Come what may during this night, these things will die by his claws.

 

[RoninN7]

Ever since that fateful day when Nathan met Selene and joined the Ethelwolf pack, things have been interesting for him. Life with the pack was a lot less complicated than he initially thought it'd be, but getting acclimated to the pack life once again proved to be more difficult than he'd thought. Nathan would often find himself venturing away from the pack to be alone often, feeling a certain nostalgia to his life alone. The memories of the past lingered and haunted Nathan every waking moment, and he couldn't help but feel like at some point the fate his first pack suffered would befall the Ethelwolf pack. Despite all of his doubts and the sleepless nights, Nathan still found himself unable to want to leave the pack. The feeling of having found a family, of sorts, was just something that he couldn't pass up. Not to mention that this pack was much stronger and larger than his previous pack, so it would certainly take more than a few hunters to put an end to it.

On the night of the full moon, Nathan was somewhat on edge, realizing that a hunting party would be assembled for a full moon hunt. Nathan was never a cautious person, especially when it came to full moons, but this time around he had a pack around him which meant that his life was not the only one he had to look out for. While he was never great at taking care of others, Nathan decided to trust Morrigan and Selene as the leading wolves. As the party advanced, Nathan remained towards the back of the group, keeping his ears open, picking up the sounds from the neighboring pack, and keeping track of the flank to make sure there was no ambush on the pack. Initially, everything was going smoothly, and Nathan was even starting to relax a little bit, then something became... off. As soon as the scent of blood hit him, he noticed Selene run off with a few wolves, probably to track the scent down.

This made him incredibly uneasy, but also flipped a switch within him. Suddenly, his body started to shift, stretching and compressing all over, pulling his wolf form onto two feet, pushing out horrible claws and teeth meant for killing. As if tearing through his very being, this monster took the form of a killer within Nathan, and his body followed suit, changing into its hybrid form. "Nathan" as Selene and Morrigan knew him was gone, replaced by a killer fueled by bloodlust and an instinct to protect himself and the pack.

...kill...

Kill...

KILL!

Like a concert band in crescendo, the killer within Nathan started to speak to the beast that stood in place of the man. It roared, reverberating through his mind, demanding violence... demanding blood. As if on cue, a violent rustling in the leaves turned into growls and tearing. It was the sounds of the violence Nathan so desperately craved. Before he got a chance to rejoice, a pair of tendrils shot out from the underbrush at him. He quickly dodged to the side, watching as a small, but well-armed creature burst through and landed in front of him.

YES YES YES!

Nathan smiled wide, the killer within him rejoicing at the monster that stood in front of him. To Nathan it wasn't a monster, it was salvation, the means by which Nathan would quench his thirst for blood. For just a moment, Nathan forgot about everything that was going on around him, only seeing himself and his victim standing before him. Another tendril shot towards Nathan, but he wasted no time grabbing it, poking a hole into his hand. The pain that shot through his arm was like a button that had just been pressed, indicating that Nathan was finally free to kill.

He took hold of the tendril with his other hand and pulled the creature with all his might, throwing it over his head, causing it to land head-first onto a tree trunk. A strange liquid splattered everywhere as many of the creature's eyes had ruptured upon impact, staining the forest around it. Refusing to let go, Nathan pounced forward, clawing at the tendril and tearing it off, causing the thing to produce a horrible sound of agony. The two remaining tendrils flailed towards Nathan, but posed no threat to the experienced killer. Years of honing his combat prowess as a human made Nathan's hybrid form a force to be reckoned with, compounding his primal instincts and natural killer instincts with his combat experience and massive physical enhancements that are characteristic of werewolves.

Deciding that this victim had entertained him long enough, Nathan pouned on top of the creature, taking hold of its two remaining tendrils with each hand. One after the other, Nathan tore them off with razor-sharp teeth that cut through the creature's flesh with ease. Seeing the chitin armor, Nathan smiled again, deciding that he would simply have to put its durability to the test. Nathan's methods were far from civil, but were effective. He raised his right hand as if to throw a punch, clenched his fist tightly, and drove it into the armor.

Then came the left fist, then the right, then the left, then the right once more... Nathan pounded on the creature with all his might until his fist went straight through the armor and onto the soft flesh. He felt ecstatic, like a child would upon realising he could reach the highest cabinet in his kitchen. Nathan recoiled a little as the creature continued to wail horribly and loudly, which only served to anger the werewolf further. Since the armor was broken, Nathan took a bite out of the creature's back, allowing the taste of its blood to overtake his taste buds. It was weird, unlike human blood or animal blood, but it was still blood. His claws dug into the wound and violently tore through the thing until Nathan found himself scratching dirt. He got off the thing, leaving it's lifeless body to rot as he turned his attention to the pack.

That was when Nathan remembered Selene, and began to make his way towards her scent. At least he would have if he hadn't noticed the absolute carnage that was unfolding before him. Tendrils and claws alike tore at flesh, quickly turning the grass they stood on into a pool of blood and torn meat. As much as he wanted to go find her and make sure she was okay, or at least let her know what happened, Nathan decided to stay. While the killer within him was still very hungry, another side of him appeared, a protector.

He refused to let another tragedy take his pack from him. Never again.

 

[Shandragontear]

As the strange beasts appeared Morrigan canted her head curiously for a second, assessing the attackers as quickly as possible. Armored bodies, multiple eyes, bladed tentacles. This should be fun.

Lifting her head a commanding howl was given, calling bank the search party Selene had lead to rejoin the rest of the pack for battle. Next she gave a series of barks and howls to comand the rest of the pack into their respective combat position. The lighter faster wolves, like Mshidi, would use their speed to distract the flailing tendrils. Meanwhile the larger heavy hitters, like Morrigan, took advantage of the creatures distractions to move in for the kill. Of course there were some forced to take on a monster solo, or who didn't know their position yet, such as Rich. Some even seemed to prefer taking a beast on by themselves, much like Nathan. So long as the threat was eliminated with minimal injuries to the pack it made no difference to Morrigan.

With no blind spot to attack from Morrigan rushed one of the monsters head on. Though swifter wolves were distracting it, the creatures many eyes still spotted Morrigan in time to deliver a sizable gash across her left should, dangerously close to her neck. The alpha wolf still managed to land on her mark, pouncing onto the beasts face she remained in her full wolf form and began to literally dig into the creatures eyes. Pus and blood splattered every direction, quickly staining Morrigan's snow white fur.

The monster howled in pain, it's tendrils blindly flailed at its attacker, leaving a few sizable cuts along Morrigan's back. When she'd finally dug down to the creatures brain the alpha wolf's maw clamped down on to the gray matter, causing the monster to fall limp as she tore it out and swallowed it.

Drenched in the creatures blood Morrigan paused to observe how the rest of her pack was fairing. She was particularly pleased to see you newest sired holding his own, a faint smirk even curling her wolven lips seeing his handy work. Confident they would win the night she pressed on to her next target.

 

[Compel]

Morrigan Ethelwolf
Alucard​

Having sent the pack back to look after Morro and the pups, Morrigan moved carefully through the woods. She wanted to inform the local Gia pack of the creature who'd attacked them, assuming the other pack hadn't already encountered them. She was careful to keep her posture and pheromones submissive, as uncomfortable as it felt to the alpha wolf, to show she meant no threat. Still in a full wolf form, her paws pressed softly into the dirt, wary of making too much noise. Knowing more of the monsters could be lurking about her nose and ears were constantly scanning the air for any sign of the beasts or other wolves. A mix of blood and pus matted her normally bright white coat, denying it's normally brilliant glow under the full moon’s light.

A thick, black mist rolled in through the trees, lingering in the air before the alpha. Within a few moments it assumed a familiar shape- that of a dark-haired Kindred in a black suit and red shirt. Tired crimson eyes peered up into those of the wolf towering above him. “Morrigan,” he started, his tone gentle. “I’ve been searching for you…” he trailed off, noticing the blood stains on her fur. It was a strange scent that he couldn't place. “What’s happened to you?”

As the black fog began to roll in the fur on Morrigan’s neck and back stood on end. The mohawk of fur was a clear sign of aggression, making Morrigan look larger and more intimidating. As the mist began to take form, and a familiar scent filled her nostrils, Morrigan’s suspicions were confirmed. Her lips curled back in a warning snarl, growling fiercely when Alucard came fully into view.

Having no regard for his words of concern, Morrigan lunged forward. It might have seemed a bit déjà vu-wish, a white wolf charging in intending to kill. Perhaps she'd truly become her mother, their previous falling out sealing Morrigan’s hatred towards kindred much as her father's death had done for her mother.

The dark mist quickly took the former King’s place once more. With the speed of his celerity, the mist shot through the air and past the alpha. The Kindred reformed again, this time, several yards away. He knew she could still hear him speaking, and it was obvious now that keeping some distance between them was going to be mandatory. “I understand your desire to kill me. It’s justified.” He hesitated, shaking his head. “I’ve spent weeks searching for you. I’m only asking that you tolerate me for a few moments. If I ever meant anything to you, even for a moment- I’m hoping you’ll give me at least that.”

Hearing and smelling Alucard behind her now, Morrigan leaped around to face him. She seemed ready to charge again but it seemed her heart hadn't hardened completely against him. Though it pained her pride to do so Morrigan held her ground. As she stood waiting for Alucard to say his piece, the way her claws dug into the dirt and the constant snarl on her lips suggested he had better speak quickly.

A wave of relief washed over Alucard as he realized that ending him was no longer the only thing on her mind. “There is no apology that will ever be sufficient for what I’ve done; the ways that I failed you. I entrusted the safety of your pack to Fenrir and his family when I should have been the one ensuring your safety against my enemies. I was foolish, prideful, and as much as I hate to admit it… I succumbed to the Beast; to its desire for vengeance and blood. My weakness nearly cost your sister her life, and…” he paused for a moment, attempting to steady his voice. “I realize how insufficient it sounds, but I am.. so sorry, Morrigan.” The Kindred paced for a moment, running a hand back through his hair. “Whether you choose to believe it or not, everything I said to you before- ordering you out of the city; everything- I meant none of it. I had no choice. Just being here is taking more effort than I care to mention. The result of yet another mistake of mine.” His crimson eyes moved over the white wolf for a moment, the hints of a smile on his lips. “I just didn’t want to-” he stopped, a slight, dry laugh escaping him. “I couldn’t stand the idea of never telling you any of this. I’m just grateful you gave me that chance.”

Morrigan’s growls eased as Alucard spoke, though she still stood rigid and tense. When Alucard fell silent she stood silent as well. Considering his words, her drive to kill him seemed to diminish. Finally, after a minute that must have felt like hours, the massive white wolf shrank back into a petite redhead.

Rising to her feet Morrigan’s bare form was still painted in the blood that once stained her wolf form, those wild crimson curls even more disheveled than usual. Her sharp emerald eyes studied Alucard as she considered how to reply. Though she'd chosen mercy, Morrigan wanted to be careful not to grant him much more than that.

“If your words were not your own then, how do I know they are your own now?” As she presented the question Morrigan drew a deep breath through her nose, hoping to figure out how her mother could discern the truth from a lie.

Alucard lowered his gaze to the ground, unable to look her in the eye. “The Queen, she…” he sighed, actively struggling against the remaining hold the blood had on him. Telling Morrigan about this was a direct threat to Lucinda, and he was nearly shaking with the effort it took to produce the words. “She took my childe; all of my ghouls. She threatened to kill them if I refused to enter into a blood bond with her and… I agreed.” He finally met Morrigan’s gaze again. He knew she was unfamiliar with much of the world of Kindred. He would have to explain in a way that she could understand.

“The connection you feel to your pack… that feeling at the core of your being that tells you that you would die for them and do anything to protect them? The pull that keeps you together and drives you to seek each other out when one of you is lost? The instinct that makes a pack obey its Alpha...” His tone grew harsh as he continued. “I feel that for her in every inch of my body. I feel that loyalty for a woman I hate more than anything else. She took everything from me, Morrigan. She still killed Seras and all of my ghouls. She killed Fenrir, his wife, their daughters…” He gruffly wiped away the trails of crimson that streaked down his face. “She destroyed my entire family. She encouraged me to shatter what was left between you and I.”

With a hard sigh, he steadied his voice to answer her question. “I’ve been away from her for nearly a month now. The bond weakens over time; faster if you can fight it. I’ve had no contact with her since then. As long as it stays that way, she can’t control me.”

The bond of a pack Morrigan could certainly understand, and if this blood bond was indeed just as strong then Alucard would hopefully understand why she could not simply welcome him back into her life. “I see…” Morrigan said, still unsure what more she could say.

“Then you understand why I cannot put my pack at risk by getting involved with you again… I am alpha now. If they even knew I let you live it would be enough to call my leadership into question.” It was all she could afford to say and though Morrigan knew she should simply walk away now she felt compelled to remain. Some part of her still didn't want to end things like this; wanted something more, but her devotion to her pack couldn't allow it.

“I understand…” he whispered, taking a few cautious steps toward her. She could still change her mind and kill him, but he wasn’t sure if he would survive to see her another day. The temptation to get a final look into the emerald eyes he loved was just too great. “I wish I could be everything you need right now. Everything you deserve.” He stopped mere inches from her, now completely within her grasp. “If I can stay alive for a few more months, then…” He sighed. She didn’t need to know about the Blood Hunt. Better for her to think he’d disappeared; run off to the ends of the earth in his typical, unreliable way.

“Soon the bond will break completely, and I will find a way to kill her. The Kings are completely under her control. With them, she controls the Council. All of the houses move at her command; nearly all Kindred. You could say she has become the Alpha of our entire race. If you allow me, I will present her head to your pack and beg for clemency. Perhaps that will be enough to sway them.”

Slowly, he reached up to brush a strand of hair away from her cheek. Being this close to her still made him ache. “I know I don’t deserve you, Morri… But maybe, once all of this is over… once she’s gone you could consider me again?” He leaned just a bit closer, gently cupping her chin. “I’m never going to be able to stop loving you. I just don’t have it in me.”

Even if he could accomplish killing a woman with so many other Kindred in her pocket and live to tell the tale, Morrigan knew it was still a long shot that her pack would trust Alucard; or any kindred for that matter. Still though, something about the look of his eyes made her constitution weaken, leaving her wanting for him back at her side. The touch of his fingers in her hair and upon her chin stirred a weakness in Morrigan she knew she could not afford to give into.

“If she is as influential as you say, you will not be able to simply take her head without suffering for it at the hands of your own kind…” Though she might not have been that savvy with kindred politics, Morrigan knew enough to know that an individual of power would not go down unavenged. “If you intend to take her down you must start with her reputation. See which allies are not so loyal to her; find out who can be swayed. Then you must find a way to create doubt in the minds of those who cannot be swayed. You must cut down the fountain of her power before you cut off her head.”

Lifting a hand Morrigan pressed it to his cold cheek, locking her gaze with his, her voice growing soft and sweet. “Tear down her reputation and you will have your crown again… And the power to offer my pack a pardon for our supposed crimes. Such salvation would be a far greater gift than the head of a queen..” As the last few words trailed from her lips Morrigan leaned up to close the distance between them, pressing her lips against his.

Alucard inhaled sharply as Morrigan’s warm lips met his. He’d half expected her to strike him down. He returned her kiss tenderly at first and then with fervor, drawing her close. The stains that had matted her fur now covered his suit, but he barely noticed. That spark was still there, just as powerful as the first time he’d ever tasted her lips. At least now he knew that she still felt it too. Even if he failed in this task of vengeance, knowing that he hadn’t completely lost everything… Knowing that his first love was alive and that she still cared for him was worth far more.

 

[KageYuuki]

Richard
Selene
Now, being sent back to the house was all well and good, and hell Rich was more than happy to comply with the orders given by the howls and weird mind controlling farts. But once there, a large concern came to his mind, as in his mind he had largely accepted the nature of being always on the go hunting and killing thing… But bringing himself down was another story, yes, he was being dwarfed by others around him, yes he had fought not too long ago, but damn if he didn’t feel like running off to find something to chew on.

It was like he was driving a car for awhile, and only now noticed he couldn’t find the brakes. This left him in a predicament, and highly agitated, the beast had it’s filled but still had room for dessert, fat bastard it was. He was on all fours now, back to what he considers his wolf form, but he couldn’t do much to bring himself down but walk around in a circle a bit away from people, hoping maybe a rabbit or something would get brave enough to pop out of the nearby brush.

Nobody would miss a rabbit right?

Selene laid nearby, only half-heartedly watching the pup. He was still wound up, but so were a lot of the younger wolves in the pack. Being attacked by… god knows what during their hunt didn’t really help matters. But, he’d wear himself out eventually.

He continued to pace and pace, occasionally looking at his “sister” nearby who was more or less looking about as calm as ever. They had barely traded words throughout the time they’ve been “Family” and if they did… it wasn’t really important. She was probably told to look over him, like a damn babysitter! At least Mshindi was a friend, she just looked bored!

Man… Why couldn’t he just settle down!?

Why couldn’t he just chill and-

He suddenly stopped as he heard a rustle of nearby bushes, his ears moving and twitching about as he looked around for what made the noise! Was it one of the monsters again? Was it...

It was!!!

Sitting none too far away, with its glossy eyes staring at the pack as it chewed on whatever it had found, was a big, fat hare. To any of the others, it was likely just a tiny morsel, but to Richard… Ooh how he wanted it.

So he got down low as he stared at the thing not to far off, looking very intently at the cute nibbling bunny.

Selene raised her head as he suddenly crouched. Sniffing the air, she was able to pick up what he likely spotted. It was the full moon, if he wanted to hunt still who was she to stop him? A rabbit seemed like a waste of energy though… So long as he didn’t hurt himself, she was content to just sit back and watch things play out.

Rich immediately began to rush towards the fluffy creature, the salt and pepper beast rushing to catch the last meal of the night. He had caught the rabbit by surprise for but only a moment, but the hare quickly leaped up in what looked to be a hurried mess of a somersault to get the hell away from the wolf bearing down on it.

What happened instead, was the rabbit, in its flurry ending up kicking Rich in the face and rushing off into the woods as he reeled from the unexpected kick from the fluffy thing. But that wasn’t the end, oh no, for that rabbit was now top priority over anything and everything else during this night. He would have that fluffy bunny as dessert damn it!

And with that, he rushed into the woods after it. With about as much grace as a truck hurtling down fully stopped highway. His sister gave an amused snort before starting after him.

The chase was a winding one, the rabbit apparently being a paragon of its kind used whatever tactics it could to get out and stay out of Rich’s maw. Weaving through tree roots, narrowingly escaping bites and attempts to pin it. Rich didn’t even notice the fact Selene was watching him, and likely having quite a laugh at his expense as he tried to dig out a rabbit’s burrow as the creature had come out another end, watching him act like the most foolish thing in the woods.

Pulling his head from the dirt and smells of rabbit, he bolted off after the hare again, clambering over a rotted log laying in the path. He was getting closer and closer! Soon he would be done with this chase and its meat would be his!

The wolf chased the rabbit to a clearing, the rabbit just inches away from his maw, he was so focused that he didn’t notice that this wasn’t only a clearing, the underbrush of the forrest giving way to the sharp stones of a cliffside.

It was mere inches from the edge of the cliff that the rabbit leapt up once again, clambering along Rich’s back towards safety as he kept moving forwards. And to where you might be asking?

None other than the far drop into the lake below.

The rabbit, triumphant in escaping the foolish wolf, stared down at its quickly descending opponent, and with a quick wiggle of its nose, it hopped off to do its business for the evening.

However for Richard, he continued to plunge into the waters below with a howl of defeat, ending with a rather sizable, and somewhat comical, splash down below…

Selene peered over the edge of the cliff, a loud bark of laughter escaping her. The paragon of the hunt, the fiercest predator in creation, bested by a single rabbit. She’d be sure to tell the rest of the pack once they returned. But first came the matter of fishing out her now waterlogged brother.

The older wolf’s dive was far more graceful, shifting into a hybrid form to better snag Rich and haul him back towards shore. “Can’t say I’ve ever seen a wolf outsmarted by a single bunny before.”

Richard coughed and hacked, spitting up half the water in the lake, and maybe a few fish, as he tried his best to recover from the dive he took. “That rabbit.” he coughed. “Had home field advantage! It’s been a rabbit longer than I’ve been a wolf!” he shivered and shook the water from his fur, coming off now a lot more fluffy than he was a minute ago.

Not that he cared, his pride was hurt, and the beast finally sated, or perhaps simply not bothering coming out again out of embarrassment. Cause god knows there was tons of that…

“Well you certainly didn’t inherit Morri’s hunting instincts, that’s for damn sure.” Selene laughed as she shook most of the water from her coat. “Or maybe it’s reaction time and grace you’re lacking?”

“Well I’m sorry if I haven’t gotten much practice..” he grumbled, pulling a splinter from his leg with a bit of a yelp. “I lack luck more likely… it’s always been like this.” he licked the small trickle of blood coming from the paw, he really didn’t feel like getting retold he was a idiot. That fall was more than enough.. Not to mention she was going to tell half the world about this.

“Must have used all the luck to survive getting mauled by Morri last month.” Selene started up a nearby hill, they’d have a bit of a walk ahead of them to get back.

Rich followed easily enough, body already correcting whatever damage was done from the fall. “Likely, curiosity got me turned into a werewolf, can’t say it killed the cat though.. He’s taken pretty well to this whole thing…” Boot had indeed kept up pretty well, even if most the pups wanted to play or pet him.

“At least tell me this type of crap has happened to SOMEBODY else before!”

“Well, obviously.” She looked back at him with the closest thing to a smirk her wolven face could manage. “Still beautiful blackmail material though.”

“Grr… Fine… whatever…” he grumbled, feeling only worse about his situation. He padded behind Selene when something caught his ear again… Something he didn’t quite expect… it was soft… Almost implacable in the woods around them.

It was… Giggling?

“...Umm… hey do you.. Hear that?" he asked, getting a bit creeped out, as he gazed around, trying to find the source. The last thing he needed was to hear voices, he solved that problem a long time ago when he got rid of his imaginary friends. Granted that's what they were, imaginary, but he didn’t need any more as an adult damn it!

The darker coated wolf’s ears pivoted, trying in vain to catch any unusual sounds. There weren’t any foreign scents on the wind either, “You… must have hit your head pretty hard back there.”

The giggling died down once Selene began to speak, as if they were but an echo in a long hallway. “I… yea.. Maybe…” he still felt odd, a shiver ran down his spine. “Last thing I need is to start going crazy. I’m already a dumbass, adding that and you all wont let me out of a straight jacket.” he padded along faster now, really just wanting to get back.

“I heard the old alpha gave birth. Since I’m done being stupid for the night, wanna go see?”

“If any of the other wolves let us get close I guess.” She didn’t sound interested, but Rich no doubt looked forward to no longer being the youngest in the pack.

“Ah… Guess I’ll wait then… Oh yea, where's Morri though? She kinda just sent us back and went off. You think we should see if shes all good out there?” Seems he finally got to talking with the woman, even if it took falling off a cliff to get to it.

“There’s another pack nearby, Ben and I found one of their members dead before the whole attack started. She went off to let them know what’s going on. Maybe they’ll have some information for us.”

“Ah..” he nodded, as much as he could as a wolf. “Oh shit, never got to ask what those things were, everything happened so quickly... They didn’t look like anything I’ve ever seen before, freaky things and hell we’re nowhere close to Australia and that tops the list for freaky shit.”

“I don’t know, Olaf called them ‘Banes’ though. Not like that really gives us much to go with.”

“Banes huh, good enough name for the ugly things.” he sighed, suddenly noticing just how much his stomach didn’t like to be reminded of its contents. “..Might’ve eaten a bunch of their.. Whatever… Hope it doesn’t mess me up…”

He walked a bit further ahead and shrugged off a nearby branch, coming into view of a little opening in the brush. All coasts were clear thankfully, after mentioning the banes he worried he might find one again. He then stopped a familiar scent caught his nose, and another one he didn’t know about as well, Morri, he quickly recalled, smelled like this.

But he couldn’t place the second person… Maybe one of the other wolves that Selene was talking about? Certainly didn’t smell like a wolf…

“Hey Selene, you catch that?”

A deep growl rumbled in her throat as her ears fell back. “Vampire…” Was all she snarled before tearing off in the direction of Morri’s scent. It seemed close to her, too close for comfort.

“Oh, so that's the smell of a…” Rich clued in and suddenly looked shocked. “WHAT!?! A VAMPIRE!? Here!? Why!? How!? Where!? Who- Morri! Wheres Morri!? Lets go! Right?” a mixture of excitement of finally seeing a vampire, and fear of having to finally see a vampire and one being close to his Alpha was more than enough to cause a bit of a ruckus.

..But admittedly he wasn’t as good at following trails yet, so he followed behind Selene for now.

Unlike Richard just moments ago, she seemed to deftly avoid roots and clear fallen trees. Pure instinct and rage leading her swift pace. There was still no smell of blood in the air, were they at a standstill? She doubted any Kindred could talk there way out a fight with one of her packmates. Especially not after Morri called for any vampire in their path to be struck down.

What the wolf didn’t expect to see in the clearing ahead was their Alpha kissing one of the former Kings. Pure rage was in control as Selene’s hybrid form erupted from the trees.

Rich soon followed skitting to a stop and looking around before seeing the duo not too far in the clearing, and his older sister rushing forwards.

His alpha kissing a vampire, Selene in a outright frenzy and Rich standing there confused as can be…

Just how could this get any worse?

 

[Shandragontear]

Morrigan
Selene
Richard
Alucard
​

As Selene rushed in Morrigan made a quick display of her strength and power. Not even bothering to shift into any kind of wolf form Morrigan caught Selene in the chest mid leap and promptly slammed her younger sister into the ground. It might have seemed harsh from the outside looking in, but to a Lycan this was barely a spanking. Ignoring any gashes she might receive from Selene as she held her down, a rush of pheromones suddenly flooded the air from the alpha wolf. Though the heavily dominating pheromones were more than enough to subdue a less dominant wolf, the subtle mix of seductive musk and the way Morrigan’s emerald eyes suddenly shot towards Alucard were a clear indication they were not meant to pacify her sister.

“If you truly seek redemption, then deceive, con, manipulate and kill whoever you must till the council and its queen crumble, and all Kindred bow at your feet… And then you will bow at mine. This is the only way.” Morrigan’s voice boomed from her chest, with a commanding tone. It was a full-on alpha's presence, clearly intent on dominating Alucard, but whether this was just a display for her sister and sired, or she truly intended to rule the kindred through Alucard was for the former king to decide.

Alucard looked on in silence as Morrigan subdued her enraged sister. The Council had been enraged at his sympathies for Lycans before, constantly plotting to overthrow him for his beliefs. To take control once more and then turn control of the High Vampiric Government over to a group of hostile Lycans… It wouldn’t be the best way for either of them to stay alive. If he was honest with himself, he wasn’t interested in ruling again. Ensuring that his nemesis did not was far more important to him at this point. Even so, he nodded. “If that is the only way, then so be it.”

With the pheromones in the air, Selene trying to tear a chunk out of that… thing not too far from them and Rich not knowing what the hell was going on... Rich took a few steps back, looking incredibly wary of the whole situation.

“The hell did I walk into…?” the newly made wolf questioned, eyes looking from the two werewolves to the strange man not too far off. Redemption? All Kindred? Morri sounded like a damn maniac from his perspective, even if he didn’t know what the hell the context was, she certainly had some hellish stakes in this. And just who was this guy? A vampire? Weren’t they kissing not too long ago?

Selene thrashed in Morrigan’s grasp, snarling and snapping at both Alucard and her sister. The pheromones that hung heavy in the air did little to pull her from her frenzy.

Morrigan gave a mild grunt now and then as Selene’s claws left gashes that would horrifically disfigure a mortal woman, if not kill her. To Morrigan they seemed only an irritation as she waited for her sister to come to her senses, the wounds already beginning to heal as soon as they were made.

“You need to leave,” Morrigan spoke again to Alucard before turning her focus fully on her sister. The heavy pheromones in the air suddenly shifted to a calmer almost motherly presence. Morrigan’s emerald eyes locked with her sister’s as she spoke in a calm soothing tone. “Shhhh, calm your mind. I need you to listen. Do not let hate and vengeance cloud your judgment…”

Alucard merely nodded his understanding. He turned his attention to Selene, shaking his head. She carried this rage against him for the actions of one of his enemies. He supposed it was all he could ask for that Morrigan didn’t seem to feel the same. “I know my word means little to you, but it was another that brought you harm all those nights ago. Kindred Elders are powerful and devious. Many of them have spent centuries dealing with Lycans. It may be difficult to hear that you cannot even trust your senses and your instincts, but…” he knelt down near Selene’s face, one good snap away from the Lycan’s fierce jaws. “The wise learn from such things, rather than nurturing senseless rage.”

Standing once more, Alucard met Morrigan’s gaze. “I hope I do not fail you again.” A moment later, the deposed King dissolved into a cloud of thick, black mist and was carried away on the evening winds.

Once certain Alucard's scent was gone from the area Morrigan turned her full attention to Selene. “I know your rage, but do not let it deny you revenge in favor of your own death. My father once told me ‘The gods are far better at sealing a traitor’s fate.’ Let the gods have him, and he'll keep the kindred’s council busy while we attend to our own affairs.” That said Morrigan released her sister.

Standing up the alpha wolf began to stroll back towards the farm, leaving it up to Selene and Richard as to whether or not they'd follow. Until she heard Olaf sounding an alarm. “We need to get back,” Morrigan said firmly while glancing back at the two of them.