Author: Nemesis, Posted: Wed Feb 26, 2020 1:06 AM, Post Subject: Home for the Holidays [P/R]

Nemesis needed everything revolving around this to be handled delicately and secretively. The last thing they wanted was for the council to figure out what they were doing in mass. It wasn't hard to see that Aaryona had firmly understood the situation, though he would love to take the credit for pounding it into her head as one of the first lessons he taught her. "Quite. Kurayo is a battleground itself, though a different beast from a full-scale one." He wasn't keen on having some of Angela's more destructive kin coming here and raising all sorts of hell upon the island. Besides, he wanted this circle to handle this- he didn't want too many eggs in the basket for many reasons, especially if this went wrong. 

Yelena gave them the names of the hunted and Nikolas, upon being given his, nodded and tucked it into his pocket. "I'll make sure Donovan gets it later, no questions asked." Lord Crowley wasn't one that could stand fighting, at least in a physical sense like this. He preferred his men to do that for him, which Nemesis didn't fault him for.

Desmond, on the other hand, didn't mind getting his hands dirty and was looking forward to the hunt. What he wasn't going to put up with was this wholesome, getting to know each other, touchy-feely, sentimental crap that was spreading like the common cold. Especially once yet another woman came in; this time a blue figure. She definitely wasn't from Kurayo, at least no part he's been before. Gabe took a double look at Furtuna, though he was quick to let his wandering eye rest once Vincent came into the picture and proceeded on his quest to calm his lover down.

"Furtuna, there's no mutiny. We are trying to protect you from yourself, at least until Fiona is out." He sighed heavily. "Should have listened to Kyrel and tied you down until she was out." He took the name meant for them and gave it a quick glance over. "Alright, we can handle it. And if you are good, I'll let you go on a blow-everything-up-bonanza after three months", he promised her as he helped her over to the chair. He knew that the alcohol around here wouldn't help matters since she would have killed to have a drink.

The lord looked over to the Brykyn children, "I take it you wish to settle this before your parents arrive home?"

Esme was quick to answer, "Yes. I'd rather them come home on a good note and not have to worry about coming into a battle. Besides, I don't want to have the house have to be cleaned twice." There were some thoughts running through her head as to what to do with Walter.

"I just want the bastard dead", Gabriel spat. "They'd probably drag him through hell and back once they heard what he did to us. I'll do whatever it takes to see to it." Esme nodded, "Then we should send him a dinner request and soon." He looked at her slightly confused before he figured out what she was scheming. Reaver was given a name as well, "I'll tackle this tonight. It's been a while but I can handle taking them on and leaving nothing behind."

While Nemesis was fearful of getting Furtuna involved, he wasn't sure if Ivan was a better choice or not. The gingerwolf looked over his targets let out that stupid grin on his face. "Oh boy, I get to try out my new toy! Wait until they see it, it's going to be sweet!" Which meant to his alpha that it was going to be bloody, messy and noisy. 

Perfect.

Author: Angela Rose, Posted: Tue Feb 25, 2020 7:29 PM, Post Subject: Home for the Holidays [P/R]

Cinder looked up at Sergei and nodded as she squeezed his hand back. The young Rosenite had gone into telling him much about the past of her family and the weight they all carried. The wrong that their family had been through and some of them had participated, however, that was all over now. Angela was merely looking out for Cinder and she could tell that.

Angela and hers nodded in thanks to the introductions. “I do have… more effective killers in our rather large family but…” The goddess paused and rubbed the back of her neck.

“They are loose cannons and in Karuyo it’s not something we can afford,” Aaryona sighed. “Otherwise, I imagine Aunt Toya would be called in for a christening.”

The goddess had brought her hand to her forehead. “Brilliant soldier as she is, I don’t think my sister knows the first thing about leaving the scene rather untouched. She would rather blow it all up and her granddaughter Tempest… She does it by accident. When war needs to be had in our family, they are normally who we call. No one wages war better than the White court. Toya is a one-woman army all by herself Our trump card should anything actually go wrong in Arri.”

Yelena looked frightened, “She… must be lonely. A woman that terrifying.”

There was a chuckle from Nerezza now as she shook her head. “Auntie has been married to the same man for over thirty years now. They had seven kids and a small litter of grandkids at this point. Her husband is a lycanthrope. Uncle Blaine’s philosophy is ‘If the battle isn’t worth waging. Don’t.’ Normally he says it when Auntie is doing something wrong and he’s asked to stop it.”

Angela could tell that the girls were merely trying to cool the air down and appreciated it as she took Emry into her arms. Yelena began to write down names for each of the houses to take care of and evenly divided it among the members participating. “This is everyone involved and where they are located in Karuyo.”

Angela was given a piece of paper with a few names on it and she tilted her head. “They aren’t in Karuyo?”

“No, they live offshore on their ships. I thought about giving it to Ivan but if you know someone better…” Yelena looked at her older brother and back at the goddess.

“Mmm…” Angela rubbed her head. “Yeah, I know someone who could use something to let loose. Give me a second.” She disappeared from the room after handing Emry off to Nemesis. The portal was left open and there was screaming. Shrieking from Angela and shrieking from a voice that made Aaryona groan.

“That’s her plan? To get the pirate involved?” Aaryona facepalmed and it was soon clear that this wasn’t a well-liked option for the sisters.

“I DON’T EVER ASK YOUR SORRY ASS TO DO ANYTHING FOR ME. NOW DO YOU WANT TO BLOW UP SOMETHING OR NOT?” Angela was yelling in the most not Angela way possibly.

“I WANNA DO THINGS BECAUSE I WANNA DO THEM NOT BECAUSE MY ALMIGHTY GODDESS MOMMY TELLS ME TOO,” Furtuna screamed back. “…and a little. I’m bored.” Angela came back through and she was cracking her knuckles. Furtuna who was six months pregnant came out of the portal in a dress with her pirate hat on. Vincent wasn’t that far behind obviously trying to get her to calm down. “So, you will let me get on my airship?”

“No, Vincent has absolutely forbidden it… but I will let you give you command to do it,” Angela held up a finger. For a second, Furtuna was going to argue and the blue gensai just puffed her face a bit.

The pirate looked at her mate then looked at her mother. “All of this mutiny is going to cost you all in three months!”

“…I say eighteen years when motherhood finally lets you go,” Angela got cheeky and handed Vincent the name. “She has the ship name and the crest next to the family who we need taken care of. I figured this might help you a bit since I know she is bellyaching. I can’t have Fiona all upset.” Angela reached out and rubbed Furtuna’s belly. “My beautiful little granddaughter needs to hurry so I can meet her~~”

Furtuna grumbled a bit and looked at the alcohol. “…” A sigh left her lips. “I need to sit my feet are freaking killing me again.” Angela pointed at a chair and Nerezza chuckled a bit. “We’ll blast them out of the water during the dark, they won’t see it coming. Which means I have time for the swelling in me feetsies to go down.”

“Everyone and their babies,” Nerezza seemed pleased as Emry perked up to check out the newest loud arrivals.

Author: Nemesis, Posted: Tue Feb 25, 2020 6:52 PM, Post Subject: Home for the Holidays [P/R]

Nemesis could easily see that Esme's request was not simply for vengeance for the wrongdoings bestowed onto her family, but also for her brother's pain in general. He found himself pitying the boy a bit; he understood well what the pain of heartbreak could accomplish. Unlike the God though, Gabe hadn't become the cruel hunter he had been for centuries and instead indulged in less seedy activities. He didn't speak of it, letting the flames of anger fan themselves among his inner circle. Despite their looks, there were many predators among their numbers and killing came as naturally as breathing for them. One such that went against that grain was Angela, but such was in both her nature and her dogma. He eyed the girl that Sergei fancied for a little while now; still unsure of whether fate or his soon-to-be other wife had been the cause for it. There was just enough skepticism of him to conjure jests about it to her, much to her dismay.

"She has a point", Sergei spoke and while he was a child of both Nemesis and Celeste, he had merely gained his father's looks aside from the elvish ears. His mentality was certainly more of his mother's which was a blessing in the eyes of the Lord. "We should let them handle this, Cinder." He followed up by squeezing her hand a little.

"Aww, ain't that cute?", Desmond said snidely before waving it off. He didn't need a repeat of what happened to him before and now they were talking about exciting things for once. "Just hand me and Saffron some names and we can deal with those ones." It was plain to see that he was more of the ruthless predators in the flock that could kill for the hell of it. He was already annoyed that he would have to oblige to the rules that the houses needed to follow lest the Blackwoods would lose their prestige and end up in the slums where he started out. But this, he could get behind. 

Gabe was still crossed, enough so to ignore Jessa's pet name for him when she and Amorak came. He wasn't as keen on killing as he had been in his past when he was first turned, but Amorak understood what sort of world they lived in and it was for a greater good, a shocking thing for the likes of those in Kurayo. He looked to Gabe, who didn't seem to be as much of an idiot as he thought he was originally thought. A part of him wondered if he had been pushing him and Jessa to avoid what had happened to him and this woman he figured to be Yelena.

His train of thought was disturbed briefly when he was introduced as her boyfriend and stumbled a bit to argue but eventually gave up. 

Kaiser, like Amorak, was both capable and willing to do it if need be. He had a moral code that the abusers clearly didn't and the world would be better off without their evilness. Fortunately, Emry would be kept from seeing such horrors whether be it that she stayed here in the manor or in Arri. 

The God looked over to Gabe and Esme until the latter caught onto what he wanted. After all, it was impolite to learn of one side but not the other when it came to alliances. Obviously, Angela and her small brood were to be inducted into the circle. "Esme Brykyn, the current head of the House Brykyn. My brother, Gabriel", she offered with a hand towards him."

"Ugh, do we have to?", Desmond said, taking another deep taste of his drink, but immediately sank into his chair the moment Nemesis looked his direction. "Desmond Blackwood."  He nodded towards Saffron. "Saffron Blackwood, my sired and wife." He then looked to Nikolas. "The playboy over there is Nikolas."

"Thank you, but she already knows of me", he smiled gleefully much to the dismay of his associate. "Still, all the same, I am Nikolas Crowley of the House Crowley. My friend there, unfortunately, is the head of the House Blackwood. Thankfully his wife keeps him in check", he mused. 
            

Author: Yelena, Posted: Tue Feb 25, 2020 5:48 PM, Post Subject: Home for the Holidays [P/R]

Celeste looked towards Esme and nodded. “You may. I figured this would be the case when we began to plot so many moons ago. The cycle won’t end with Walter’s demise…” She was about to continue when it was Cinder who spoke up.

“No, like my grandmother it has to be killed all the way around until nothing remains but those who can pledge innocence.” Cinder’s family had been through a lot and Angela held a grimace on her face.

“Your uncle won’t like you getting involved in something like this,” Angela was gentle with the girl. “The Black Court has dealt with enough these past two hundred years. I’m going to ask you to refrain.”

Cinder crossed her arms and looked stubborn for a minute before she gave in. “Fineeee.”

Angela reached up and pat her head gently. “Besides, it’s not a good way to remember the start of you and Sergei. Your aunts and uncles would wish you a peaceful start, let us handle this. Yelena, do you think you could ready a list of the families for us to divvy up?”

Yelena nodded a bit but tilted her head. “I was under the impression that you weren’t a killer.”

“Oh, I’m not but I have plenty of children who would do it for their family.” Almost on cue, Jessamyn strolled in wearing a fancy white fur coat. Her blonde hair was rather well done and she had Amarok with her. “I see you got my message.”

“I know the Volkovs a little bit thanks to Idiot,” Jessamyn pointed to Gabe and shrugged. “Guess it can’t be helped since I know his story now.” She shrugged and looked up at Amarok. “We can spare time to help a friend or two.”

Aaryona nodded and crossed her arms as she thought about it. “I could help as well… but who else would you call on for such a task? Surely, you don’t mean to bring Aellie here? She’s got a big temper and I thought we wanted to be more discrete about this?”

“Aellie wouldn’t do for a quiet mission at all… but I suppose it has been a long time since I was asked to do a job so I understand why no one thought of me first,” Nerezza came into the room with Kaiser holding Emry in his arms. “Kaiser and I can help. I don’t know what I would do if someone had managed to take Kaiser away from me. I wouldn’t have our Emmy.”

Yelena seemed pleased and looked around. “I think we have enough people to divide and conquer the list.”

The goddess rubbed the back of her neck. “I should do introductions. I’m Angela, Nemesis’s fiancee. This is Nemesis and Mine’s oldest twin Nerezza, her husband Kaiser, and our granddaughter Emry. It looks like some of you know my daughter Jessamyn and her boyfriend Amarok.” Jessa opened her mouth to object but firmly shut it as there was no point in fighting it. “Knowing the names of allies is important for what we’re about to do.”

Author: Gabriel, Posted: Sun Feb 16, 2020 1:50 AM, Post Subject: Home for the Holidays [P/R]

Esme was already crossed with that family for previous transgressions, but to here that not only did the head belittle her friend and ruin the chance for her and her brother to be happy but, the fact that other girls fell into similar fates or worse made her temper boil. Especially with the dumping grounds being on their property of all places. She was going to make him pay, the whole Byrkyn Clan would. She was barely able to keep a better control over herself than Gabe could; they might not have agreed on much, but they could on this matter. Woe was the person who would be so terrible enough to bring those two siblings together.

She released him the moment he felt that he needed to reprise the role he had given up so many moons ago- to protect Yelena. Things might have changed between them, but as he cradled her in his arms, Gabe felt as though they were in their youth again.

He still loved her or at least a part of him did.

Desmond rolled his eyes before he reluctantly looked to his wife, “Damn right I would have. I wouldn’t be mopey, I would be killer…ly.” he got back up to his feet and helped Saffron up. “So when does the bastard die? I see little point in keeping him alive…”

For once, Gabe agreed with him and continued to hold Yelena tightly as he felt her take to the embrace. As far as anyone was concerned, there would be no tears shed for Walter.

“Walter’s not a man. He’s more of a beast than anyone or anything I’ve heard of, ever”, Eirik growled, not wanting for himself or Aaryona to be placed in a similar situation. He would have been ready to tear that man into shreds if possible. Society and wealth gave too much protection for those that relied too heavily on it and it disgusted him so.

The lord of the house was proven wrong as Angela came around, and what was worse was that she had Cinder and Sergei with her. The latter wasn’t too thrilled with what he was hearing- the idea that someone would try to break him and Cinder up for some meager deal? What kind of sick man would pull something like that?

He didn’t quite understand why they would have to suffer and he didn’t wish to know.

Gabe tucked his hands into his pockets and looked towards Paulina. Nothing was going to happen between him and Yelena- that time had long since passed even though he knew that she was hurting. He was conflicted but he wasn’t going to hurt Paulina after everything they’d been through together. She had been the only other woman in his life that he could say that he loved besides his best friend. Perhaps he still flirted and ogle other women because he felt like he wasn’t good enough to deserve love before now. That the women in his life deserved a hell of a lot better. Life was cruel at times indeed.

Once the mood seems to lighten, Esme went over to Celeste and kneed down to her. “My lady, you and Yelena had done so much with this delicate situation. I ask for your permission to let me and my deal with Walter. He had disrespected my house harshly but attacking Yelena, who I consider a sister.”

Gabe knew from her tone and the fire that burned in her eyes that she was going to see that he suffered greatly before the coup de grace. He wanted to be there as well and dish out his own revenge. With the parents arriving in a few days, they would have to be swift in their actions. But in the meanwhile, he moved over and took Paulina’s hand caressed the side of his face against it. “I’m sorry I’ve worried you.”

Author: Yelena, Posted: Thu Feb 13, 2020 8:51 PM, Post Subject: Home for the Holidays [P/R]

Paulina hadn’t heard Esme and even if she had, the big witch had already made up her mind. She had cornered Gabe on more than one occasion and she even had raised her voice at others before. She only did so when she thought it was needed. What Yelena had to say upset Paulina because she could see the hurt that it had brought Gabe and Yelena. While she was grateful for it because it ultimately saved her she was sad that it happened.

Yelena told her tale and she nodded to Nikolas. “Yes, in some cases I’ve found that the girls mysteriously disappeared but through hard work, I managed to locate their bodies. There’s a dump yard not overly too far from the Zima Swampland near the Byrkyn house. Most of the bodies were there but there was another dump yard not too far from Walter’s house. He’s been doing this a long time.”

Yelena was taken back by how fast Gabriel came to comfort her as she leaned into him. Just like when they were kids he was still a safe spot for her. That hadn’t changed even though she hadn’t seen him in forever.

It was Saffron and not anyone else who spoke up to Desmond. She came over and knelt by him. “But… if it was me you would have burned the entire place down Dessie. Try to understand?” Her voice held a serious tone that most of the time it was missing. Her sire for as stubborn and selfish as he was DID care about her.

Soft crimson eyes looked up at Gabe even though they were almost filled with tears. “It wasn’t your fault Gabe. We were young and you were blindsided.” She finally returned his hug and buried herself in his chest. Yelena was thankful for Reaver punching Desmond as he validated her feelings on the matter with that little act.

Finally, the actual silence of the group broke as Angela strolled in. “We heard enough.” Behind her were Sergei and Cinder. “I was bringing them back from their date in Sularia.” Cinder was clearly upset with the prospect that someone would target her just for existing with Sergei and she was sure that Sergei felt the same way.

“I want to protect them, Gabe.” Yelena came out of his hug. “Because I don’t want to watch people go through the same thing we did. You are my best friend and I am happy with just that but for them, I didn’t want them to suffer. We’ve suffered so much, it’s unbearable sometimes. I just wanted to break the cycle.” She looked at Paulina and gave a smile. “Besides Paulina makes you a better person than I think I ever could.”

Paulina was taken back and she tilted her head. “You don’t want Gabe now?”

Yelena shook her head. “That would be unfair to you. I’ve accepted it and he’s my best friend. I love him but I can settle with friends to have him around. Besides, you never know I might find someone else~ Then Gabe can make sure he’s good enough.” She finally laughed just a bit to make herself feel better. She knew that probably no one would ever be good enough in Gabe’s eyes.

Cinder put her hands on her hips. “I hate to be the bearer of bad news for this Walter guy but I doubt he would have an easy time handling me.”

Angela sighed and nodded. “He doesn’t know what family he’s messing with if he thinks Rose women are weak… or not stubborn.”

“We’re the most stubborn and prideful women in the world.” Cinder clung to Sergei now and nodded up to him. “I’m a trained assassin. It would take a lot to get the drop on me even if you guys didn’t handle him.”

Yelena smiled and looked up at Gabe. “That’s good. You are already so much stronger than me.”

“But not as patient,” Cinder put her hands up and waved him. “I lack patience like most of my family. It's a give and take thing with us. Like my Aunt Toya, majoorrrrrr give.”

Author: Gabriel, Posted: Thu Feb 13, 2020 8:09 PM, Post Subject: Home for the Holidays [P/R]

He felt really uncomfortable being in the same room as Yelena, but it wasn’t for the very reasons she must have thought. He felt as though he wasn’t good enough or possibly that she had an interest in someone else. For a long time, he just didn’t understand why she wouldn’t accept his proposal and the more he obsessed over it, the darker his heart became to cope with it. No, he never blamed her nor would he ever hold any malice to her, but he had to escape the pain. He did everything possible- partying, drinking, drugs, and sex among other things to ease himself of the heartache. By the time he had met Paulina, he was all but jaded to the concept of taking in one mate only. He didn’t want to admit it, but he only sought to use her as if she was just another notch on his belt, with power to boot. But it didn’t turn out that way- instead, they grew close, something he swore never to do again. His eyes caught sight of the necklace he made her when they were younger and tried to hold a stoic look but his eyes were two sad pools of water.

It wasn’t too long before the others showed up after, with Aaryona and Eirik first, then Nikolas and finally Desmond and Saffron, although the vampire was grumbling the whole way about being threatened to come and trying to spare their dragon of her dignity as he marched over to the drinks and poured himself one without permission.

Esme watched the situation, mentally sighing as she had hoped that her brother could push through this situation and followed Celeste and the rest of them into the sitting room. Once everyone was settled, She watched Paulina approach Yelena and winced. Oh no.

“Paulina”, she spoke but once that woman got something in her head, there wasn’t much to be done about it. In a way, she envied her for such courage, regardless of the opinions of others and not having to worry about holding her tongue. Everyone looked at the situation unfolding and after the awkward encounter, the elephant in the room was finally brought up.

Gabriel would have stopped her, telling her that there was no problem, but it was a lie. He watched the woman he loved and the friend he would have given everything to have in his arms talk and the discomfort was too much for him to handle. He turned to leave the room but halted when Yelena stopped him and he turned to hear the painful truth.

It wasn’t what he had expected at all.

No one, not even Nemesis, knew the extent of why she did what she had. He looked on as his daughter spilled her heart out and looked to Celeste, the only other person that knew. He wasn’t angry with her- she knew how he would have reacted and it wouldn’t have been pretty. Meanwhile, Gabe had to restrain himself as he learned that Walter Medvedev had been the cause of all of this. That son of a bitch had to ruin one of his chances at happiness and for what? Some stupid deal? Sadness was being angry and before long, rage but as he clenched his teeth together and started to shake, a hand fell upon his and he looked to see that it was Esme. She gripped hard onto him and yet from the look in her eyes, she too, was mad. She had seen Yelena like an older sister and would have welcomed her into the family just as their parents would. The siblings knew at some point, they would make that old man pay, even if they didn’t speak on it visibly.

“A ring…”, Nikolas spoke thoughtfully, “I wasn’t completely in the know about this, but it hardly surprises me. He is a ruthless businessman that would do anything to get what he wanted.” Still, he was left in the dust when Yelena refused Gabe because at that point, Gabe’s reputation quickly plummeted and the Byrkyns continued to refuse business with his family. Esme had more than enough reason to wage a war against them, but that simply wouldn’t do. No, she was scheming something, but it would only bespoke of later on.
Gabriel sunk against the way as he succumbed to all his emotions- anger, sadness, and grief over what could have been had he simply pursued this instead of running away. He would have fought for her with every fiber of his being. He felt himself sweating and watched as his best friend was unraveling to the point where he eventually made his way over to her and took her into his arms tightly. He didn’t say anything, he couldn’t speak what he felt as she had to silently suffer all this time and he wished he could have helped her.

“All this sad shit is making me sick”, Desmond snorted before taking another drink, but Reaver was quick on the draw and punched squarely in the face. The younger vampire rolled onto the floor and looked up, “What I do?”

“Don’t you dare apologize”, Gabe whispered to Yelena and he held her close. “I didn’t protect you as I’d always promised. I should have known you better, but I thought I wasn’t good enough for you.”

Nemesis interjected, clearly not only displeased with what happened with Yelena but of what was told now about Sergei facing a similar plight. “Over my dead body will this happen against this family. That fool should be grateful that Angela didn’t hear this …”

Author: Yelena, Posted: Thu Feb 13, 2020 2:34 PM, Post Subject: Home for the Holidays [P/R]

Paulina was taken back by the way Gabriel was acting. He had never acted like this over any other female but herself. Instantly, she was threatened but she calmed down once she heard the story. It was sad… “That’s why he hurts. He always hurts. I can tell just from looking in his eyes. He wouldn’t tell me what was wrong or why our relationship hurt him at the start.” She must have been special to him… Why wasn’t her Gabe good enough for this Yelena?

Paulina didn’t say it though before Esme helped her get ready. Once they got to the Volkov Manor Paulina laid eyes on Yelena. She was one of the only people that she didn’t know and she certainly fit what vaewolves were. Yelena was in a short black dress that’s top crossed over almost like a kimono. Her sleeves were up to her elbows and were wide and flowing. Her long brown waves were lightly pulled back at the top and she also looked not to be a fan of the pointy sticks as Paulina looked at her feet.

On Yelena’s neck was a chain with a river rock on it. It looked so out of place but it almost looked like a child had made the pendant. Yelena prized the necklace since it was the first gift Gabe had ever given her but the old rope it used to be on had broken a long time ago, she was surprised the pendant had held up this long.

Celeste watched the exchange from the side and was pleased it wasn’t imploding. “Hello… Gabe.” She was so awkward as she waved. Everyone was watching them it seemed.

“Let’s go in the sitting room to discuss everything,” Celeste finally butted in and escorted everyone there. Reaver helped Yelena with her ankle which she was thankful for.

Paulina had enough of the awkward silence as she approached Yelena and put her hands on her hips. Yelena realized who this woman was and stared into her odd eyes. “Yes?” Yelena squeaked out.

“I have questions.”

“…I… may have….” She paused and hesitated as she looked away. “Answers.”

“Do you know what I want to ask?”

“There’s only… one thing we have in common,” Yelena’s eyes went to Gabe. “You want to know why I told Gabe no.”

Celeste got up from her seat. “We don’t have to discuss it in front o-” Yelena put up her hand.

“It’s alright Mama. I think we’ve hidden it long enough beside it’s fitting I tell him today…” Yelena looked uncomfortable as she looked around at everyone. She felt all their eyes. “Don’t leave until I’ve said my peace.” She demanded it of Gabe as she looked back at them.

“I…” Her voice broke and for a moment she hesitated. “I was going to marry Gabriel when we were just barely adolescents. Everyone expected it of us.” Finally, her hand went to her neck and Celeste held a concerned stare since it looked to be stressing the girl. “On the night that Gabe finally asked me to be his wife I told him no and told him I didn’t love him. That wasn’t true. He was the air I breathed, the light in my darkness, and he was my hero. I had been practicing saying my new name Gabe would give me over and over since I was like ten when he first brought it up.”

Paulina’s glare narrowed and it was clear she was confused but Yelena continued. “The night of the party… I got cut off by Walter Medvedev, he is a trade of fine wares in Kurayo for most of the families. He’s always got his money by marrying his children off. I knew he had been discussing with the Byrkyns with no success about Gabriel and his daughter Scarlett. I was always weak especially when I wasn’t part of the Volkovs.” Her eyes came up and she stared at Gabe. “Scared of not being good enough because face it I wasn’t raised in that great of a noble house. I was told how much of a failure I was for most of my childhood until Celeste and Nemesis adopted me.

He knew that somehow and he played into it badly. Told me I wouldn’t do the Byrkyns justice and I should just stay with the Volkovs and benefit them someway I would be capable of. He said so many nasty things and my heart was hurting because I felt like I failed Gabe. I was trying so hard to be everything he needed me to be and I was torn down so easily. I lost my resolve. Gabe proposed just a few minutes after everything happened and I reacted poorly. I had fresh wounds and I couldn’t bring myself to tell anyone about it… and I didn’t. I continued to hide it until…”

“Until the day I turned her,” Celeste spoke up and finally got up to comfort her daughter. “We share the memories but Yelena was clear with who she wanted to do the honor. She picked me and asked me to take her someplace quiet. She knew about the turning and she knew what might happen. The pain, the anger, the obsession.” Yelena nodded and felt herself tearing up just a bit. “She cried for Gabe during the turning. Told me that it felt like she must have faced that moment a dozen times before she took to the blood. I knew why she did it. Why she asked for me. She knew that Nemesis would have waged war for her. She knew I would enable her.”

Yelena patted her mother’s hand and looked up at everyone. “Vaewolves come into things that make them… Some get obsessions. Some get stronger emotions… And some hold grudges so strong it ruins them. I wanted to destroy that man so strongly that when Gabe came back and asked me a second time I refused because I wasn’t woman enough to accept… and I wasn’t sure if I ever would be able to achieve what I wanted to. The complete dismantlement of the system Walter was using and had been for a long time.

It started with some things. I checked married records, I checked with others, and I began to piece together a web of lies, death, and dream shattering.” She rubbed her neck. “It was a circle of twenty-some family members with Walter at the head of it. I came across girls who had killed themselves over their shame. Other women were so broken they are barely alive at the whorehouse. Everyone was effected… and the men didn’t fare much better. They target weak people or what they perceive as weak. I was weak but I am not weak anymore.

Mama would get hints every once in a while from listening in and would send me on missions to deal with it and see what I could find. We would tell Papa that these things were for trade deals and I would make sure to set up and dismantle trades so that the story fit until we could come out with it. We did this for forty years setting up schemes and… we found information on Walter and his plans. The Liones and the boy I was masquerading with as his girlfriend.

The Liones are actually a victim of it and their son doesn’t know what happened. He just said she just changed before he asked her. Suddenly his new wife was forced upon him by the Gusev family, not that he doesn’t care for her now but she was a stranger then. It happened so fast that he wasn’t sure how to deal with it. The man I was courting for the last three years was a brute and a scoundrel but he was a Kotov. His mother was also one of the girls forced into this and she resented him for it.”

She sucked her air in. “And… I stayed until I couldn’t stand it but also because I got cut off by Walter before the man proposed to me. The same story but I am wiser now. I noticed the scent he had around him. It’s a drug from Abed that can make a person more vulnerable to suggestion. I tried to get myself immune to as much as I could when I was abroad and luckily I was sound of mind. I ran away though like it had worked and staged a carriage accident.

I used the body of Merridith Meknikov, Mother hates her but up until now people didn’t know why. She’s the one who scouted out the girls… Well one of them. The reason why I went to spy on this family wasn’t just for information on Walter… It was because of an interesting rumor. Someone who was interested in Sergei. For his safety and Cinder’s we took the initiative and stuck me somewhere where I might have been vulnerable to Walter. It worked and while I didn’t find out who placed the offer, I did find out he’s still doing it.

Furthermore, to set all of this up I asked Mr. Nikolas,” she pointed out their ally in the room, “to be my husband when I shape-shifted. I used the form to get close to the people before I knew everything the man liked and then I proceeded to shift forms and take on the form of someone he would like.

I’m so sorry Papa we hid this from you but we felt like this was the only way to move with this… Since we know how strongly everyone feels about things like this. When the time was right we would tell everyone but I never thought in a million years that I would be telling Gabe. I thought it would be better if Gabe just believed I was an ass about it all…I feel so guilty for how Gabe has acted and I am so sorry. I fully intend to apologize to your parents. If I had a stronger will… I wouldn’t have fallen for the stupid drug he had. But I am also happy because you have Paulina now and you two look good together.”

And she… She was still by herself by her own hand.

Author: Gabriel, Posted: Wed Feb 12, 2020 10:51 PM, Post Subject: Home for the Holidays [P/R]

Ivan was terrified; he actually believed that what his mother said was true. After all, he knew that she would never lie to him. Not to her most loyal beta, she wouldn’t. And yet, she was laughing while he was scared, it didn’t make much sense to him. Reaver rolled his eyes and started to fill his plate with food while Yelena explained her case. Just as she said, he would handle Ivan if he couldn’t keep himself in check. A couple of beating and he was sure that his fellow beta would get the message. If not, then at least he would feel plenty better about the situation.

Ivan whined a bit but knew that his creator was right- now that Yelena wasn’t running away from the family now, she was to be treated like family, or else it would be his head. He pouted and silently ate his meal. Everything seemed to be fine right before Celeste announced there would be a meeting afterward and Gabe was mentioned. Reaver was taken in slightly with Yelena’s reaction, but after last night, was it possible that he still had a grudge against her? And who knows what would have happened once those two were in a room together.

“A strange one she is, but when she was raised in the woods, then I guess that would do things to people”, Nemesis replied. “Paulina is part bog witch from what I was told, though she doesn’t look the part. They have been together for a while now.” It would at least help to tell her of this so that she would ease more into the idea, especially since the meeting was to share her foundings, even if she wasn’t too thrilled with the idea.

Once breakfast was over, the entire family waited in the foyer for their guests to arrive.

——

Esme had to look up and down the manor, before she found Gabriel and Paulina in the back, doing gods knows what. Fortunately, Gabe was napping on his back before he felt a foot kicking him and behold, it was his annoying little sister. “Get ready. We have to go to the Volkovs’. You too, Paulina.”

“Another meeting? What’s the occasion?”, he said, with his eyes still closed. “We had one a fortnight ago.”

“…Well…”, she started hesitantly, which was rare for her, “Yelena is back.”

Gabe’s eyes snapped open and he lifted himself upward, “W…what?”

“Yeah, you heard me. She’s back now and is reporting on the family she infiltrated.”

He wasn’t too thrilled with this idea. Not with everything that happened between them. This was not ideal at all. It would have been equally strange to see him behave like that. She looked to Paulina, “Yelena Volkov and Gabriel used to be best friends. They knew of each other since they were small children and were inseparable. Then some things happened, and…”

“Just stop”, he said before he got up. “We are going, go and get ready.” He wasn’t in the mood to relive history, not that it mattered. He was ashamed over how things went and for the life of him, he wasn’t sure if she wanted to see him. He marched back inside, and Esme waited until he was gone. “He had planned on marrying her back when they were a few years before adulthood. He had once promised it before when they were ten and everyone thought that it would come to be. But she had second thoughts and told him that she didn’t love him in that way. Since then, he had changed into the Gabe you know.”

She felt like Paulina was owed an explanation before accompanying her to get ready to change. Fortunately, she wouldn’t have to worry about getting dolled up and wear more comfortable clothes. When the three were ready, she had the carriage waiting for them and thus started the long, quiet and awkward ride to the Volkov manor.

They reached their destination within an hour and she led them inside and greeted their hosts. Gabe looked passed them and saw the young vaewolf and lowered his eyes. A hand went to the back of his neck and he spoke in a sheepish voice, “Hey, Yelena…”

Author: Yelena, Posted: Wed Feb 12, 2020 9:24 PM, Post Subject: Home for the Holidays [P/R]

She knew it was hard to see the tree in the forest. Gabe could be a good man and a great husband if he ever got fixed from where she broke him. She cracked a smile and nodded. “I hope not… I hope that he actually comes around instead of avoiding me. I swear I saw him in the market a while back while traveling but the person double backed and ruined a food stand. I didn’t chase after so I’ll never know for sure if it was him or coincidence. I was studying abroad for techniques to improve my silent footing.” She was really quiet that not even a lycanthrope could hear her.

In the dining room, Ayla just quirked her eyebrow. “…He was missing late into the night last night so I just went to bed.” It was more peaceful that way and no one could blame Ayla for wanting a few moments of peace. Celeste was shaking her leg a bit as Ivan spoke to Nemesis. Finally, he was off of her and speaking to the head of the house.

Yelena tightened her arms against Reaver as he piggybacked her into the room. Her eyes were large in shock as Ivan began to scream towards her. Celeste started to laugh so hard she nearly missed her seat when she sat down.

Once she was off of Reaver’s back she thanked him and sat down in her chair as he pulled it out. “I left because you were banging on my walls until late into the night. I figured I wouldn’t make a noise or tell you so you were stuck there most of the night.” Yelena commented on it and smiled towards Reaver. “So I went and bothered Reaver since he was tasked with taking care of me when it came to matters of YOU. Plus my ankle didn’t let me get too far.”

Celeste wiped the tears away from her eyes from laughing so hard and looked at her first beta. “That should teach you to pick on your sister. What if something HAD actually happened to her Ivan? You would have felt terrible or you would be dead.”

After the food came out Yelena dished herself some healthy eats and began to dig in. “Oh, Yelena. We’re having a meeting today with our partners. Esme is bringing Gabriel,” Celeste was delicate with it as Yelena started to choke on her food.

She beat her chest and coughed hard. “ARE YOU SURE THAT’S A GOOD IDEA?! You know how he feels about me, Mama.”

Celeste sighed a bit and rolled her shoulders, “It’s not something we can help and besides I think he’s moped long enough. After all, he has that pretty little girlfriend of his… You shouldn’t be a reason for his fright any longer.”

For a moment Yelena was shocked and taken back. “He actually got a girlfriend?”

Celeste thought about it for a second before shrugging. “She’s interesting… She’ll probably tag along. We’ll hold the meeting after breakfast so Reaver can join us. Angela is finishing up her own things so she’ll probably show up too. I want you there Yelena, this meeting is on what you discovered and did so it’s important.”

There was a frown from the young vaewolf. “Yes, Mama.”

Author: Reaver, Posted: Wed Feb 12, 2020 8:10 PM, Post Subject: Home for the Holidays [P/R]

“Geesh, talk about drama.” He supposed that he could imagine Gabriel as being better than what the rumors had said about him. But the comparison to Sergei nearly made him burst into tears laughing. He managed to calm himself down to a few snickers but then he saved face and shook his head, “You shouldn’t blame yourself for it. You were both young and that was likely his first heartache. I get it takes some time to get over it, but that long?” He would have gone on but then he had to remember the case of Nemesis and how long it took him to get over Andrea’s death. Compared with that, Gabe’s seemed much more understandable. “Are you positive that he dislikes you now? Boy doesn’t seem to be the sort to hold grunge if that’s the case. Besides, the families know each other well enough and sooner or later he will know that you are back as well.” He could see that she was upset and tried to push it aside for now as he came around and helped her move. First to her bedroom to retrieve her robe and down the stairs.

Ivan had already made it downstairs with Celeste, scared out of his mind with the possibility that he had turned Yelena into a ghost. Heaven only knew that meant that Nemesis would turn him into one too, and it was going to hurt. “Please, mama. Don’t make me tell him.” Nemesis had already returned and sat at the helm of the table, and Ayla was a few seats down and he collapsed onto her leg, holding tightly. “Save me! I didn’t mean to turn her into a ghost!” He wouldn’t remain on her for long before he was in front of the father, who was confused with what he had done this time. Nemesis looked up to Celeste and then back to Ivan. “What did you do…”

“I scared Yelena until she turned into a ghost! She disappeared and is nowhere in sight…” He paused when he saw Yelena and Reaver join the room and nearly screamed his head off. “She came to get me! She’s gonna turn me! Someone help!” He hid behind Nemesis’ chair and he sighed before pointing at her. “Does she look like a ghost, idiot?”

“Well, mama said that she was…”, he said, peeking out to see his sister not looking much worse for the wear other than her ankle. “Are you still alive?” Reaver shook his head and pulled out her seat for her. “She is…I’m surprised that you still are, on the other hand.”

Author: Yelena, Posted: Wed Feb 12, 2020 7:55 PM, Post Subject: Home for the Holidays [P/R]

Reaver was a kind man who helped her up and she was thankful for it. “Yes, Gabe’s full name is Gabriel Byrkyn.” She blinked a bit and chuckled. Once he mentioned that Gabe was home thought the color drained from her face. “Yeah… Well, he hasn’t really spoken to me since I turned him down when he finally did ask me to marry him.” She rubbed her neck a bit in shame.

“I’m the reason why he’s such a man whore now. Not that Esme and her folks blame me. Gabe used to be like Sergei.” Which was shocking to anyone who didn’t know Gabriel before he underwent the change. “Don’t ask me why though… I didn’t realize I mattered that much to him for him to throw everything away like that. He started to party, drink, and sleep around once it happened. Then he couldn’t stand to look at me anymore and he ran away. It hurt badly because we were such good friends before, he was my best friend.”

She had a really sad look on her face for many complicated reasons but she finally put all of the sadness away and gave Reaver a smile. “Let’s go down for breakfast. I just need to stop at my room for my robe. I forgot it in my hustle to get away from Ivan.”

Celeste stared at Ivan but she could feel her beta still in the house. “I see… So you scared her so badly she might have become a ghost? How are you going to explain that you killed Yelena to Nemesis? When he shows up from Angela’s for breakfast… You are going to have to break the news that you turned her into a ghost!” She hid her emotions. “Now, let's go-to breakfast… You have explaining to do.”

Once in front of Nemesis she patted Ivan on the back hard. "Go on. Explain to Nemesis what you did."

Celeste took him by the ear and brought him down to the dining room where everyone was gathering. Ayla and Nemesis were already there. Moments after they got there Yelena came down with Reaver in tow. “Sorry, we’re late. I hurt my ankle good yesterday.”

Author: Reaver, Posted: Wed Feb 12, 2020 7:41 PM, Post Subject: Home for the Holidays [P/R]

He apparently fell asleep much easier this time around because when he woke up, he couldn’t recall much after Yelena came to join him. He noticed that she was up close to him than she had been. Apparently this was also something that she figured as well from her reaction. Reaver thought she might have overreacted a little and went to help her up. “It’s fine…” He didn’t make much out of it, and neither should she had.

Ivan was a thorn in her side for some time it seemed, either that or the worse big brother he’s heard about. But when she kept referring Gabe, he didn’t really piece it together until after he elected to get up himself. “Gabe…You don’t mean Gabriel Byrkyn, do you?” He could hardly imagine that man ever having been innocent even in his youth. He just seemed like one of those troublemakers that fathers warned their daughters about. But she had to have meant him- after all she mentioned the Byrkyns. But gods, he didn’t seem like the marrying kind. He slipped into a robe nearby and tied it around his being, still wondering about how the hell that marriage would have worked out. He was familiar with how Gabriel had seemingly slowed down in his wanderings with that one woman he found on the mainland though. “Well, he’s been home for as far as I know now. Doesn’t picture me as the marrying sort though.” But she would know him much better than he could, so he would believe her words.

Meanwhile, Ivan had been nervous ever since he let the charade go on for hours until he got bored and peeked inside her room to gloat. Only she wasn’t there and after frantically searching about, Yelena remained to be seen. That would cause him a lot of trouble if she wasn’t found. His mind went back to the snake pit the elder Volkov put him in the last time he messed with her. He eventually went to his mistress on his knees with fear in his eyes. “I may or may have not been acting like a ghost, wailing and knocking on the walls next to her room. I may or may not have also scared her badly and now she’s not in her room. I didn’t hear anyone leave so…” He would have been biting his nails, but Ivan didn’t feel much like getting his hand slapped for that as well. “I don’t know where she’s at…I’m sure she’s not at the Byrkyns this time…”

Author: Yelena, Posted: Wed Feb 12, 2020 6:55 PM, Post Subject: Home for the Holidays [P/R]

Yelena smiled and snuggled in as he threw the blankets over her. It was always cold in Kurayo and it was actually nice to have a source of warmth, that being Reaver this time around. She fell asleep with no problem and in the morning she had weaseled her way under his arm in the warmth more. Though she spooked herself off the bed once she realized what she had done. Had she really been that comfortable? “SORRY! I haven’t slept in a bed with anyone since Gabe when we were ten!” She was super embarrassed as she put her hands to her face. She got back up and finally acknowledged what he had said to her.

She sat back up on the bed and chuckled. “He’s always been like that even when I was around all the time. He would go out of his way to scare me and he would get punished for it. When I was fourteen… I lied! The last time I slept with someone in their bed I was fourteen. I ran away to Gabe’s house and climbed up his house, opened his window because he sucks at locking them, and climbed in his bed. Startled the crap out of Gabe in the morning when he noticed me.” She chuckled a bit. “Ivan had put a snake in my bed trying to be funny. I freaked out and jumped out of my window and took off. I still don’t really like snakes. Nemesis put him in a hole and dumped a lot of snakes on him asking him how he liked it and left him there for a bit when Gabe finally brought me back home.”

Speaking of Gabe, Yelena got really quiet and sort of sad. “Gabe was my best friend. We’d known each other since we were four. His parents were always taking me cause they hated my parents but it was good business with them. Gabe was always yelling about how he was going to marry me to save me. He ran away from home when we were just becoming adults. Couldn’t stand the responsibilities of being a lord or so he said on his way out. Nemesis is still business partners with the Byrkyns. His sister Esme is in charge of the family now.”

Her stomach growled and she put her hand on her belly and groaned. “I guess it’s time for breakfast…”

Meanwhile, on the other side of the mansion, Celeste was pulling herself out of bed to a startled Ivan. “Calm down…” Her pink hair was a mess and she was about ready to throw a shoe at Ivan. “I SAID TO SETTLE. Now, why are you screaming?”

Author: Reaver, Posted: Wed Feb 12, 2020 6:39 PM, Post Subject: Home for the Holidays [P/R]

Sleep didn’t come easily for Reaver, with a busy mind of what he would have to do for the Chruch tomorrow. Hopefully, his cardinals were able to fulfill the tasks he set for them, by which, he met Isaiah and not his dim-witted brother. He could only pray that he wasn’t busy chasing skirts or caused any sort of trouble. If they were that fortunate, then everything would at least run smoothly. He barely conscious after a bit when he heard some slight movement in his room, though he ignored it since he didn’t hear the door nor the windows open. He figured that it was simply his own imagination up until Yelena’s voice came to his ears.

Barely did he open his eyes to see her, but she was clearly there in his bed. God, he was going to kill Ivan in the morning. He wasn’t sure why she hadn’t gotten Celeste or Nemesis on the fool, but he wasn’t about to question it. That and he knew her ankle was still bothering her so he didn’t want her to keep moving on it. “Sure…”, he spoke sleepily. He threw the covers onto her with one arm before he tried to go back to sleep.

It didn’t bother him to have her sleeping in his room, especially to get away from Ivan. Seriously, he was going to kill that man if he did anything else.

“I don’t get him. Never had and I fear to understand him means I’d go insane as he did.”, he spoke with a yawn. “But at least he wasn’t trying to stab you again. If he did, I would have stabbed him right in the leg.”

Author: Yelena, Posted: Mon Feb 10, 2020 11:08 PM, Post Subject: Home for the Holidays [P/R]

“Honestly, I don’t think you’re wrong. I do seem a bit danger prone at times,” Yelena let out a good laugh as she gave him a smirk. At least he was here to help her so she didn’t have to limp all the way home. She held onto his neck as she leaned into his warmth from the cold air.

“At least I have that going for me. The elk was mighty prey.” She seemed happy that he took her up on her offer to use her hunting grounds and left it at that for the time being.

Celeste seemed happy that the arrangement was working and so there was no real need for her to intervene much more as Reaver carried Yelena up to her room. “I will! You’ll be the first to know!” Hopefully.

Yelena changed into a little nightdress, braided her hair, and pulled herself into bed. She was reading a book when the knocking started. He kept it up for a long, long time before Yelena finally couldn’t ignore it anymore. Quickly she shadow stepped and sucked in air as she hissed at her ankle. Quiet, so Ivan didn’t know she was gone. She had her pillow in front of her as she appeared in Reaver’s room.

She gently pulled at his blanket and climbed into his bed. Her foot touched his ankle and she stared at him for a few seconds. “Ivan is banging on my wall and wailing like a ghost telling me I’ve been a bad girl. Can… I stay here with you?” Her head was already nestled into her pillow as a yawn left her lips. “I tried to wait until he gave up but he’s still doing it. I figured I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction of knowing I was gone.”

Author: Reaver, Posted: Mon Feb 10, 2020 10:54 PM, Post Subject: Home for the Holidays [P/R]

Reaver noticed her hurt leg but didn’t want to make too much trouble out of it. Despite the size difference, Yelena put in some good work in bringing down the elk. He himself wasn’t too hungry but he didn’t refuse going over to take a few bites out of the meat while she got her fill. Once the meal was over, he followed her lead and shifted back as well into his normal form. Gods, he still was trying to get used to it all, but that wasn’t the concern right now as his eyes laid upon her ankle. “Yeah, it got you good.” He kneeled down close enough to inspect before he looked up at her and gave a quick nod. “No trouble at all. Come on.” He got back up and reached down to help her raise up enough before he had her piggyback on him. She barely weighed anything to him as he started to march on back to their manor. “I’m starting to think you are danger prone, Yelena. Gonna make me a tad nervous if you don’t watch it.”, he said with a smug look.

“Don’t fret though, you hunted well enough for not having done it for a good bit.” Of course, she had no reason to impress him, at least as far as he was concerned about the matter. She was to show him some things and he was to protect her from the idiot Ivan. As far as he was concerned, they both held up their ends of the bargain. “Well, I appreciate that. Might just take that off for a while then. Will helped me get in touch with my wolven side.”

He was able to bring her back to the manor where the Female Alpha awaited them after they got dressed up again. “Yeah, she had it until it bucked her into a tree. But she got back up and got some payback and then some”, he confessed. Luckily Celeste must have figured what happened- she had a knack for that it seemed in his brief stay. Heavens knew how his brother was able to cope with that. Then he was reminded of the situation with them and Angela and it made him shake his head with a smile. “Don’t worry, I’ll help her to her room.”

The trek wasn’t as long as it had been in the forest and within moments he helped her all the way up the stairs and towards the direction of where her room was, per her instructions. He assisted all the way until she was good enough to move on her own. “Alright, you be safe. And if Ivan tries something, let me know.” He bid her good night and headed towards his own room where he downgraded his attire and tossed off his shirt before taking to the relaxing pillow of his bed and laid awake for a good hour or so before he drifted away.

The idiot, though, had been waiting for her to come back and for the house to grow still before he went into the adjacent room to hers and started pounding and making “ghostly” noises. “Yelena…Yelena…we come to haunt you, little wolf. You’ve been a bad girl! Yelena! Yelena!” In-between lines, he laughed a bit, hardly able to keep up with the charade but he wouldn’t drop it and give it a rest. In Ivan’s mind, he was punishing her for her transgressions. “Oooooh, we are the spooky ghosts, Yelena. You will pay…Ooooooh!”

Author: Yelena, Posted: Fri Feb 7, 2020 3:28 PM, Post Subject: Home for the Holidays [P/R]

Yelena laughed a bit as she padded towards it. “I… am bruised.” She had a bit of a limp too but she took it in stride. “I didn’t realize how big he was until I was on top of him. I knew he was big but his upper muscles sure gave me a run for my money. I am a little rusty, it appears.” She settled down to take in a big dinner for herself. Using her head she motioned some near Reaver just in case he was hungry.

Celeste was right she needed to keep up her strength. Once she was done she transformed right there and fell onto her butt. She was looking at her leg and then her ankle. “Look at it go,” she said in amazement as her skin had already turned purple. “It’s gonna be a few hours before it heals up.”

She reached up and pushed her chocolate hair behind her ear. “Can…” Her face which was covered in the blood of the elk looked up at him. “Can you carry me back? I don’t want to hurt it any more than I did. Mama will probably laugh though. The first time she took me hunting I got overzealous and went after a bear. The bear smacked me so hard it broke my leg. I thought it was a good idea to show her how strong I was.” Yelena blushed and laughed at the same time. “This is no different. I’m just not as hurt… though I don’t think I impressed you like I tried to.” She was at least honest about it.

“You can come here and hunt in my area whenever you want. I mark the trees so they know it’s mine. I don’t mind sharing. The elk are nice and big here.”

Once Reaver got her back to the house she cleaned herself at a little wash area near the back and got dressed after. Celeste was near the entrance waiting for them. Her eyes went to Yelena's leg and just like Yelena said she laughed. "I told you to stop going for prey bigger than you can handle."

"But I almost had it!" Yelena blushed a bit and looked up at Reaver. "Tell her!"

"I believe you," Celeste waved her hand at the young vaewolf. "You two should get some rest. I'm glad to have you home Yelena." Celeste kissed her forehead and disappeared. "My room is on the far side away from yours. I'm sure that Ivan wouldn't try to come into a girl's room so I don't need to stay near you tonight."

Author: Reaver, Posted: Fri Feb 7, 2020 2:44 PM, Post Subject: Home for the Holidays [P/R]

It hadn’t been like it was the first time that Reaver had hunted before. Of course, it had been few and far times since he was mostly busy with his priest duties and even afterward, he didn’t feel as though he needed to hunt frequently.

With a partner though, it was a strange concept for him to grasp as it was the first time since Nemesis merely showed him the gist of how it worked. He wasn’t too worried about being followed, but all the same, he spoke nothing when Yelena took precautions to make sure her nutty brother didn’t do anything foolish. In comparison to him, she was lithe and quicker than him. The beta snorted right after she pawed him and followed her lead deeper into the thicket. He watched her tactics carefully and lowered his body down as they stalked into a particular spot she fancied.

He hadn’t been in this area much so he had no idea of this place as he pushed himself through the bushes, stopping only when she nipped him. Reaver turned around slipped close to her at the bush. His head lowered, ears pointed the moment he heard the elk enter their territory. Of course, he knew better than to rush straight right in. Their prey looked pretty strong and seasoned despite being alone. Push came to shove, it would be foolish to go in without a plan. Fortunately, his companion knew what it would take and he waited for her cue before he sprung himself to the right while she went left. The elk was caught by her, but it fought back as its life was at stake. She got it good though even with being bucked off onto a tree. Reaver rushed in and corraled the wounded creature. His own fangs went to where she had been and chomped hard against it. It was a clean kill as he dropped it from his maw and licked at his chops.

“You alright?”, he asked, recalling her rough landing. She appeared just fine to the eye. “Didn’t seem like you lost a step, even after years of going without the change”, he nodded. For him, he was simply here to accompany her, hunger wasn’t a motivator at the moment.

Author: Yelena, Posted: Fri Feb 7, 2020 1:03 PM, Post Subject: Home for the Holidays [P/R]

Yelena frowned a bit and shook her head. “Oh, it wasn’t as bad as my biological father used to be. I still remember the shape of the bruises he would leave.” She was rather open about it as Celeste had taught her how to manage what made her scared at night. Yelena thought about it and nodded. “Yes, that would be an acceptable form of death for him I think.” Crushed by the plants she very much loved.

Celeste was thankful for it. “In return, she can help you get used to your form. She took to it like a fish in the water.” Yelena held a blush on her face as her mother complimented her. It was one of the few things that Celeste always complimented her on. Yelena was an excellent tracker which is why she was selected to be the family spy.

Once it was time for the hunt she followed him outside. She was a tad nervous about being in front of him showing her skills. If it was one thing she didn’t want was the expectations of her mother to go to waste. Slowly she stripped and folded her clothes as she placed them in a tidy pile. She covered them up with some foliage just in case Ivan would be by later.

The shift for her was effortless as the chocolate furred wolf rolled on the ground by him. Crimson eyes looked up at him as she let out a huff. A paw came up and smacked his snout before she rolled and took off running. She would stop as various trees and used her claws to put marks on the them. “This way. There is a good hunting spot up here, it’s my favorite and no one knows about it.”

Did no one know about it? It possibly could have been tree as she got them to a little river like area. She nipped at his ear and motioned towards a bush. “And now… we wait. When it shows up… Circle to the right. We’ll cut off its escape.”

Sure enough, a majestic large elk came from the forest. It was like she had scouted the area beforehand as she wiggled her butt and put her body into a go motion. “Wait for it…” She told him. “Wait for it…” Once the elk lowered its guard and went to drink she bolted. “GO!” She circled the left side as the elk got spooked.

The elk was other all huge compared to her but she had a leap as she got close enough. Her paws almost went around the elk as a cat would as her teeth sunk into the vulnerable part of its neck. It fought her and shook her off slamming her into a tree but she was back up in seconds. The elk fell from the damage and she trotted over to Reaver. “…It was much larger than I remember seeing and stronger.”

Author: Reaver, Posted: Fri Feb 7, 2020 12:37 PM, Post Subject: Home for the Holidays [P/R]

“I see. It’s been a while since you were home. No wonder a peabrain like Ivan would have thought otherwise.” Reaver still couldn’t understand that man, not that he’d lose sleep over it. He’d rather remain sane himself than to swim around Ivan’s mind and lose it completely. He still didn’t quite get the idea of how he could have a lover, let alone a wife without her having killed him a hundred times over.

“I’m sure the experience was bothersome, but at least you are home now.” He stepped to the side as Yelena started to feed the plants with rodents. “If only you could throw your former friend in there…”, he humored lightly her. He was sure that the experiences she had with him were horrific, to say the least. His eyes shifted to the madam of the house coming in and greeted her daughter. Just as motherly as he had come to expect out of her, and he was sure that she gave Ivan a nice little tongue lashing. Shame that they didn’t get to hear it.

“Hunting? I guess I can.” Wouldn’t it be more suitable for an experience vaewolf to accompany her? Reaver was just getting the hang of his lupine form, as foreign as it had been from the start. Then again, he seemed to have a knack for handling the idiot of the family well. He had heard of Ivan’s tendency to be ruthless once he had reached his limits. Perhaps that’s was the dangerous side of him that kept his place secured in the Volkovs. Reaver was slightly unsettled in the idea of him possibly being an easy kill for him under those circumstances.

When she was ready, he led them towards the woods close by. The cold evening air was only made chiller as he stripped himself down and brought forth the change in him. A large black wolf stood in place only moments later as he arched and stretched his back out, cracking some bones in the process. Olive eyes lingered at her as he awaited before they would start to prowl about, occasionally sniffing for the scent of prey about.

Author: Yelena, Posted: Fri Feb 7, 2020 11:25 AM, Post Subject: Home for the Holidays [P/R]

Yelena nodded and smiled up at Reaver as they looked at her plants. “This room is one of the few rooms warded against Ivan. I just didn’t have my key nor do I think I was fast enough to lock the door. If he messed up this room Mama would really kill him.”

She paused for a moment and thought about it. “I was away for almost six years. I masqueraded as one of our allies’ wives before I shape-shifted into another woman to seduce the son. Luckily, I only had to spend three years as his girlfriend.” There was a shiver up her spine. “He was really a bad man… You know? But we needed him in power for this to work.”

Pushing out a craft she popped it open and grabbed a mouse out of it. It squirmed in her hands before she tossed it to the Venus flytrap. It snapped shut and a squeal happened eventually a snapping of bones happened. “These are larger and more deadly than regular ones.” She put mice in different ones. “You can tell which ones are ready for food again by the way their little teeth look.”

There was finally a knock at the door and Celeste came in. “I leave for two days and my daughter comes home…” There was a soft smile on her face as she hugged Yelena. “You’ve been well? You look like you haven’t been feeding as you should.” As a concerned mother, she was looking Yelena over.

“I was masquerading as a human, unfortunately… So I didn’t get to go hunting like I needed to.”

“Yelena, your jobs are important but please don’t hurt yourself doing them. If a job fails because you need to take care of yourself so you don’t die… We would understand, Nemesis would understand. You are precious to us.” Celeste put her hands on her daughter’s shoulders before looking at Reaver. “I know it’s a lot to ask of you but I just got done yelling at Ivan.” They hadn’t even heard her… So was it really yelling asked Yelena as she tilted her head. “Can you take her hunting and keep an eye on her tonight?”

“…Mama, I can take care o-”

“You are a very capable vaewolf but Ivan is very upset at you and he’s killed older than you. I’m not going to take my chance of him going off the deep end.” She pushed Yelena’s hair back. “He’s in full belief you’ve betrayed the family and until he learns otherwise you’ll just need to be on guard.”

Yelena nodded and looked up at Reaver. She was hesitant about wanting the help to protect herself but not teach herself. Maybe it was because she saw herself as weaker than the others. “Yes, Mama.”

Author: Reaver, Posted: Fri Feb 7, 2020 10:53 AM, Post Subject: Home for the Holidays [P/R]

Ivan glanced up to his “little sister” and made a gruesome face while running his finger across his neck. Of course, Nemesis caught sight of that and growled at him. “Clean…up…” The assassin saw this and whined a bit before continuing with his duty. But this was not over between him and Yelena; they were far from over in his mind. Once he became vindictive, it was like trying to get a wolverine off you back.

The god had felt some remorse for her plight, namely the suitor that she had to fool and his sickening ways. Had there been any other way at the time, he would have pursued a method that would have left him dead instead of his parents. “His usefulness will come to an end at some point; when that arrives, I’ll gladly share the news of his death with you.” But at least now she was safe and sound back home where she belonged.

Reaver shrugged it off, “All I know is that a certain someone was making an ass out of themselves at the expense of my quarters. Heaven knows that I wasn’t aware of her until afterward.” He wasn’t a hero nor did he paint himself as such. “I didn’t do anything wrong!”, Ivan cried, “I was the good one! She hasn’t been seen in ages”

Nemesis place his hand onto his face and rubbed at the bridge of his nose. If Celeste didn’t get home soon enough, she would be down one less beta, he swore. “Ivan, she’s BEEN ON A MISSION! We’ve told you this several times now.” While those two went at it, Reaver found himself being pulled away from the chaos and ended up in the apothecary room. She seemed to have made a change in mood rather quickly, but she was far younger compared to himself, he had to remember. It was one of the few rooms he had avoided up to this point, and clearly it was something sacred to both Yelena and Celeste. He looked around, entertained as one could be when walking into a room filled with dangerous flora as possible. “Much patience, time and care went into them, I see.” Poisons weren’t really his thing, but at the same time, he could appreciate the dedication they had here.

“How long had you been away?”, he asked as he continued to study the venus flytraps.

Author: Yelena, Posted: Thu Feb 6, 2020 3:42 PM, Post Subject: Home for the Holidays [P/R]

Yelena gave a thoughtful look to her adopted father as he made the comment. “Oh no, it was my own fault for coming home without sending word first. I was just so excited to be able to get a bath in my own tub and sleep in my own bed. Not to mention wear my own clothes again.” The girl watched as her ‘older brother’ got in trouble and even his butt kicked. “Alright, thank you big brother, Ivan, for cleaning up.” Was it cheeky? Absolutely.

There was a furious nod from Yelena as Nemesis described the man she had been sent to. “He tried to crawl into my bed once and I did everything in my power not to crush his sad little neck,” Yelena had a low voice as she held a frown. “I did kick him across the room but thankfully he couldn’t remember. Knocked him out cold but didn’t break any of his bones. I wish I had though… Gosh, Papa he really was a little creeper, still is. I feel sorry for the woman who has to marry him.”

The soft face Nemesis gave her made her smile up at him. He was the father she had never had before the moment Celeste and he took her in. They did everything that a family would have and she was there as a big sister for Sergei when she could be. “I will!” She was ecstatic about seeing her mother once more. “Oh, Reaver? He saved me! He chased Ivan away. I was hiding in Reaver’s closet waiting until you got home.”

Her eyes lit up when she heard he might be able to teach her. “That sounds like fun! I can show him around the apothecary room!” She reacted in excitement as she took Reaver’s hand and started to pull him. “Come! I can show you!” She was young, headstrong, and vibrant. She did have a tendency to be timid but right now she was excited. “I haven’t been in there for a few years now! I can’t wait to be in my own bed either.” She gave a sheepish smile to Reaver as she pulled him along more.

Yelena was excited about having someone to share interests with as she unlocked the door to the apothecary room. “Here it is!” There were several plants around that were obviously poisonous. On the wall of the room was a painting of a very young Yelena sitting next to Celeste and Nemesis. Each of them either having their arm around her or holding her hand. “This is mine and Celeste’s room. We do all of our potion-making here!”

She took him over to a potted plant that was huge. It had large Venus flytraps. “Look at them! We’ve been growing them since I was a little girl because I liked it and Mama takes care of it for me when I’m not here!”

Author: Nemesis, Posted: Fri Jan 31, 2020 3:10 PM, Post Subject: Home for the Holidays [P/R]

Nemesis glanced over to Yelena when she came down the stairs. “I hadn’t expected you home so suddenly. Had I known, I would have sent Ivan on a mission.” Preferably into an active volcano, though he was wise not to speak of such matters in front of his wife at times. Ivan squirmed about, still trying to escape. “But…but…she hasn’t been home in forever.” Nemesis still had his attention elsewhere, but responded just the same, “You fool, she’s a spy! Of course, she’s gone for long periods of time!” It had been explained to him several hundred times and either Ivan couldn’t retrain the information or he was simply stupid. If it was up to Nemesis, he would have decided that it was truly the latter option. But at least Yelena looked unharmed this time, which was fortunate news for her “brother” considering what Celeste would have done this time.

“Fret not over it. Ivan will be cleaning this up.” This time he turned to face the man and he bore his eyes straight at him. “Isn’t that right, Ivan?” “But I hate cleaning”, he whined before his throat was squeezed tighter. “Sure, sure. Where’s the broom?” He gave his alpha a silly grin right before he was dropped onto his feet and he scurred about, but not before he looked Yelena’s way and stuck his tongue at her. Nemesis gave him a swift kick in the rear and sent him on his way to start cleaning.

“I’d imagine. The boy was never a smart one, to begin with, and I had a hunch he might be the sort to be clingy.” He’d have to overlook the documents later on, but he trusted her word that she completed her mission. “You’re being rather careful. Not into killing and simply taking what you need?”, Reaver asked, there was no malice in his tone but he carried fresh memories of how his brother used to operate. “No, I play a much subtle game here. Patience didn’t come to me quickly, but it has netted a lot more gains”, he simply replied, noticing that Ivan was sweeping up the mess he made before turning to the group, having a softer face towards Yelena. “Lovely. She’s always hated that woman. Not sure why, but it’s beyond me to care about it. She should be home shortly so that you can give her the good news yourself.

”I also see that you met Reaver. Aside from his terrible jokes, he might be able to show you a thing or two about espionage, given that he has over two thousand years of experience on his belt.”

]“I’m hardly a teacher, Nemesis.”

“And are you doing anything else of importance in the coming days?”

Reaver rolled his eyes, “If she wants to learn then fine. Also fine if you are ordering me to.”

“Oh, it’s not an order, just a thought.” Of course in Reaver’s head, such play with words didn’t seem like he was given the luxury of an option.

Author: Yelena, Posted: Fri Jan 31, 2020 2:07 PM, Post Subject: Home for the Holidays [P/R]

“Ivan has always been that way. Ayla used to punch him when he would scare me when I was a kid. Nemesis actually banished him for a while until I could settle down.” There was a chuckle from her lips as she thought back about it. Celeste and Nemesis had treated me far better than her real parents ever had.

Yelena nodded as she moved to help Reaver now. “Ayla loves Ivan in her own way but throughout the years she’s almost killed him a half dozen times before she changed her mind.” It was always fun to have her family around, once Ivan stopped trying to stab her that is.

Reaver made her feel better about her role in the family and she nodded. “I still make some mistakes once in a while but I’m also still learning. Espionage is a hard thing to learn and master.” Once he approached her she went stiff a little not knowing what he was up to. She was rather timid he wasn’t wrong about that. “I’ll remember that.” She offered up a smile and nodded.

“Aye,” she looked around Reaver and waited for the yell. “It’s Papa.” Her voice said it in a whisper as she lurked downstairs with Reaver. Once Nemesis addressed her she shook her head. “No Papa. Reaver stopped him. I’m sorry about the house I was trying to get away from him.”

Leaving Reaver’s side she approached Nemesis with no problem at all. She only hesitated near Ivan and moved away from him to give her adoptive father a kiss on the cheek. “The paperwork and everything for the trade deal is on your desk. I diverted all the funding from the Liones to us as you wanted.” She put her arms behind her back. “It was getting hairy the last few months so I had to ghost him. He actually proposed.” She rubbed the back of her neck and laughed.

“Killed myself in a carriage accident. Fire, charred body, he’ll never know the difference… First time setting a body on fire though, it stinks." She was like a doting daughter telling her father the adventure she went on. "I used that woman from that one family that Mama doesn't like for the body. I can't remember their names right now. I made sure they can't figure out it was us." She moved like the shadows just like Celeste taught her.

Author: Reaver, Posted: Wed Dec 25, 2019 12:12 AM, Post Subject: Home for the Holidays [P/R]

Reaver could only look at her with disbelief; the fact that she had been able to survive Ivan's antics for this long was astonishing. But to his knowledge, Sergei was an only child, so he pondered how she was able to be since she was little. He wasn't going to question it, especially since she was Celeste's beta. His brother's taste in strong mind and will women hadn't changed, it seemed. "I don't envy you in dealing with him for that long. Probably should get a badge or something for it though." 

Her mannerism was certainly like a young blood's, that much was for sure. Or perhaps he was just too old and out of touch with how the world worked now. Either way, he chuckled slightly amongst himself before he sought out for answers, which she would soon give him. Reaver listened as he finished picking up what Ivan had knocked down without merit. "I see, so you don't come home often, hence the Ivan situation. Ah, it can't be helped though since you are only doing what you are told", he shrugged it off, "You lot are an interesting breed. You…Ivan…Ayla… I even find her a bit odd for the reason that she's stuck with her mate. Our alpha male is also someone that's been odd, even now." He folded whatever clothes he needed and placed them into the drawer. Her tale wasn't out of the norm, but the end certainly is since Celeste chose to keep her and offer her the turning. It also may have helped that the couple had yet to had a child back then, so for the three of them, it was a blessing in disguise. 

"Weak…strong…it doesn't matter. From what I've seen, loyalty and purpose are what this family is about. Nemesis had learned those lessons well, took him long enough though. Don't worry your pretty little head about it, Yelena."

Reaver looked at her for a moment before he came over towards her. "You are timid, which might make it easy for Ivan to mess with you. If he tries to stab you, stab him first. He seems to respond to pain quite well from what I've seen."

The moment he heard a door open, his eyes flew over to his own, "Sounds like someone's made it home." It was then followed by an "IVAN!" and a few explicit words which all but confirmed Nemesis's arrival downstairs. "Seems like the fun is about to happen, let's go", he spoke leading the way until he made it downstairs in time to see Ivan with a hand around his throat, thrashing about while Nemesis looked at him with hateful eyes. "What happened…" His voice was cool and calm despite his actions and upon seeing Yelena, he dropped Ivan and sighed. "Yelena…I see now. This oaf didn't hurt you this time, did he?" 

Author: Yelena, Posted: Mon Dec 23, 2019 6:24 PM, Post Subject: Home for the Holidays [P/R]

“Ivan has always been like that since I was a little girl,” she answered honestly. She had lived with the Volkovs since before she was turned. She was practically the adopted child of Nemesis and Celeste. “You might be right. When it comes to the alphas I do know that Lady Celeste isn’t nearly as old as Serafina. She is wise though beyond her years.”

When Reaver reassured her it wasn’t her fault Yelena held her hands in front of her and gave him a smile. She was young and continued to act as such even in her fifties. She was aging mentally a lot slower now that she was turned. He sat down on the bed and asked her a few questions. She took her time trying to formulate exactly what it was she had been doing. Soon Yelena was helping him pick up from Ivan’s attack.

“I’m trained a spy and I’m the Volkovs’s poison master. I can also be an effective assassin on the quiet end when Ivan can’t be sent.” She rubbed her arms a bit and stood up. “I must be a lot different than the others…” She knew he had to be thinking of it. “I was brought into the house when I was nine. My father tried to sell me to Celeste and that earned him death but Celeste and Nemesis decided they couldn’t leave me there… So they brought me back here and raised me. When I turned eighteen they gave me the choice to join the family so I could stay because my uncle wanted me to come to live with him. Celeste really doesn’t like my family anymore so she was urging me to accept.”

She blushed a bit and rubbed her neck. “I’m fairly weak for a Volkov but I do try. I’ve spent the last five years dating a bump on the log so I could poison his family and put him in power so Nemesis can dictate their finances better.”

Author: Reaver, Posted: Mon Dec 23, 2019 6:13 PM, Post Subject: Home for the Holidays [P/R]

Despite always have been known to have a level head in comparison to his brother, Reaver's personality seemed to have changed just as much as his blood did when Nemesis turned it. His newfound aggressiveness started out bit by bit at first but individuals like Ivan were able to draw it out in more doses. If he had his way, Reaver would have snapped his neck the moment he saw him, but there were rules that they all had to follow. As annoying as it was, he would have to let him live. But his anger soothed enough to deal with the one that the oaf was hunting down like a madman, and to his surprise, she was such a tiny woman. Why in the nine hells was he chasing her down all over the bloody house?

He got his answer as he cleaned up whatever he could of the mess before starting on the bed and threw the sheets onto it. "I shouldn't be surprised to hear that; Ivan's attention seems to be all over the place at times." So she was sired by Celeste, as Ivan was. Fortunately, the madness didn't seem to take hold of her as the other beta. That was a relief at least. "Well I wish we had met under different circumstances, but I'm Reaver. Sired by Nemesis, who we have a long and winding relationship with before any of you were born, Celeste may be included."

He too was shocked that the alphas weren't here, leaving that fool to run amok in the house. Speaking of which, he knew that they would eventually get home and wonder what would happen. Perhaps Nemesis not so much. He was drawn from his thoughts and eyed Yelena. "No, this isn't your fault. Ivan is unpredictable. I haven't been here long in the house and I know that much." He frowned deeply when he saw the scars that ran down her arms and sat onto the bed as he felt out her personality. There was some trouble figuring out why they had changed this woman- at least from his understanding, the Volkovs was a strong breed. Even Ivan was an effective killer, as troublesome as that could be to believe at times. She was so meek and quiet but he had learned over the years also not to take things at eye value. 

"You say that you are sent on special trips, right? What kind?", he asked, seeking to dig deeper as he went over to the closet and rummage through that of priest wears and certain ones that he donned when he was sent on assassination missions. 

Author: Yelena, Posted: Sat Dec 21, 2019 7:15 PM, Post Subject: Home for the Holidays [P/R]

Finally, Ivan had entered Reaver’s room and she snapped awake. She was attempting to keep herself calm as her heart would give her away if not her smell first. She curled up as close as she could to the back of the closet and waited. If anything Celeste had taught her how to hide herself and be an effective spy but Ivan was trained to come after people like her. It’s what made him so scary.

Once Reaver had chased off Ivan Yelena crawled her way out of the closet. She was small and lithe, she didn’t really look dangerous as the other Volkovs in the house. Her red eyes were held a really gentle and soft look as she looked him over. “Because Ivan keeps forgetting I exist,” she sounded exhausted. “So when he sees me he thinks I’ve betrayed the family. I go away on special trips for Lady Celeste a lot. I’m her other Beta Yelena.”

Her eyes scanned him over. “I thought they would be home so I thought it was safe to come back… I should have written home first but I didn’t expect to be left alone with Ivan. I am so sorry about your room and the house. If I had stopped shadow-stepping he would have stabbed me again. He almost killed me the last three times.” She held up her arms and showed him all the defensive marks that she had from Ivan. “He puts wolfsbane on his weapons for strays and it tends to leave scarring.”

She rubbed the back of her neck. “I’m the youngest Volkov besides Sergei so I can’t defend myself very well against Ivan.”

Author: Reaver, Posted: Sat Dec 21, 2019 7:02 PM, Post Subject: Home for the Holidays [P/R]

“Traitor, traitor, Imma stab you!”, Ivan shouted gleefully at the top of his lungs as he hunted her. She thought that she could just barge into the house whenever she felt like it, even though it had been years since he last saw her? Blasphemy! Mama Volkov would surely want her dead, at least in the recesses of his mind did he believe that to be the case as he nearly made contact with his dagger on her arm. “Little rabbit, you can run but sooner or later I will catch you this time!” He leaped over various furniture, knocking down vases and other objects during their chase. The house looked like it had been ransacked but still, he couldn’t catch Yelena.

At one point, he tripped and fell flat on his smug face, making it easier for her so escape. “Damn rabbit! I will find you and stabby stabby your face!” Ivan spat before getting up and started to sniff her out. Despite seeming like an idiot, he was an effective hunter, which granted him his place in the Volkovs. His job was rather simple- kill those that the alphas wanted dead, particularly those of the family that had betrayed them. He searched all around, save for the private rooms and offices of the masters, but there was one place that wasn’t off-limits and that was the new guy’s room.

Ivan didn’t care that the other man was a beta for he was here first, therefore in his mind, he was his superior. He opened the door and could smell her scent and decided to check everywhere first before the closet, to make sure he wasn’t thrown off on purpose. He tore apart the bed first and looked under it, and then the drawers were searched through. Each move was made as noisy as possible for all nearby to here as he waved his dagger around and practiced his stabbing motions as if he was a child pretending to be a swordsman.

Meanwhile, a particular beta arrived back home from his service for the evening at the Bastion. He had some ideas for Nemesis to open a sort of chain of churches throughout Revaliir as a means to spread His word around and gather more followers. Perhaps his brother didn’t wish for all this “unnecessary” attention but to Reaver, it made sense to him. He came home to see the place being a mess before he ran up, calling for Celeste or Nemesis. So far no answer but as he reached the top of the stairs, he smelled that someone was close. No, two people. And it was coming from the direction of his bedroom. An annoyed growl left his lips as he identified one of them as that insane fool Ivan. The other, though, was a mystery that would soon be solved when he flung the door open and stared at the man that was goofing off and practically destroyed his room.

“Ivan, LEAVE!”, he roared with green eyes seeping into black.

“Huh? But…I have to find the rabbit so I can stabby…”

Reaver didn’t want to hear this nonsense and he made his point clear the moment he launched himself over to him, clasped his hand around his throat before lifting him up and slamming him to the floor. “LEAVE!”

Ivan got up and dusted himself off. “Fine, but when you see her, let her know that I’m waiting.” He stuck his tongue out at Reaver, who merely death stared him before he took his leave. Slamming the door behind him, the beta was still looking at his door when he called out, “Alright, come on out now. He’s gone.” He had no idea who the hell Ivan was chasing, and quite frankly he didn’t care. Unless he heard from one the alphas themselves or someone of capable thought like Sergei or Ayla, then he wouldn’t put up with that man’s antics.

“Why is Ivan chasing you, rabbit?”, he asked as he inspected the damage to his room.

Author: Yelena, Posted: Sat Dec 21, 2019 5:40 PM, Post Subject: Home for the Holidays [P/R]

“WAIT, IVAN NO!” Yelena screeched as the elder vaewolf dived at her. This was the same occurrence that happened every time she came home. He forgot that she was part of the family. “PLEASE STOP!” He was still yelling at her and still trying to stab her. Luckily she was fast as she shadow stepped all over the house. Finally, she found a room just far enough away and shut the door quietly.

Yelena crawled into the closet and sat in the corner. She would hide there until it was safe. It appeared like Celeste and Nemesis weren’t home just yet. Maybe she should have waited until she knew it was safe… Since when did Ivan get to come home so much anyways?

The vaewolf was a beautiful woman standing at five feet even. She had long tresses of dark chocolate hair and Celeste’s red eyes. Her lips were painted a blood red and her outfit was elegant. At least it used to be before Ivan started to chase her. Yelena closed her eyes and she found herself dosing off. She didn’t know how long she would be in the closet but she figured that Ivan would be screaming about her to Celeste… Celeste would stop him and she would be able to come out of the closet.