Friend or Foe (Pack)

[axelle]

Axelle had taken off a week ago hunting his ghost but a week away from those he had grown fond of was like years away. He had sought his way back to New Vegas not even bothering to hunt the vampire but he had met quite a few beings and he was still aching because of it. Fast healing didn't mean you were immune to silver. They had hunted him for sport and thought it amusing especially when he got away. He was too busy trying to reach the place he had come to call home in his head.

He missed Raven and how she would give him this dirty look as if to say fuck you when he said some smart mouthed response or another. He missed Selene's way of making everything seem so easy. He even missed Lukias and his telling him off a few times. But most of all he missed Dmitrius. Even when Dmitrius was being a pain in the ass to him. His jacket was torn as was most of his clothing. His backpack even had a hole in it. He was starving and exhausted. But soon he saw the gate to New Vegas.

Home finally! He began to make a run for the gate and then a noise caught his notice but before he could move his aching body a chain was thrown about his neck and he felt the wood of a good sized stick hit him in the ribs. He yelped as he went down. Anger flared in his eyes but when he tried to pull back the chain kept him where he was. Whoever it was meant to kill him! But then everything went black as he fell.

When he awoke it was with a groan since he was being dragged along the road. Where was this fucker taking him? He grabbed a sharp rock even as he faked that he was still out for the count. His eyes slid to the figure that was dragging him and blinked his surprise. Fake it. Don't let her know you are awake just yet. When he was dragged into the lair and left in the middle of the room. He heard her words even as he hid the rock underneath his pained and exhausted body.

"Here is the traitor. Axelle. Has tried to split the pack in two!" He groaned as he got onto his side more hiding the rock more. But then he noticed his necklace was gone. Well, his sister's necklace. "Bullshit! I wouldn't have given Selene that strategy for you or the King piece if it were true, Lukias! I'm part of this pack like it or not and I'm going to kill this bitch!" He forced himself up even as the bitch backhanded him across the cheek. All Hell broke loose.

He stayed on his knees as he slowly began to change forms. It was excruciating on his already exhausted body but it would give him a bit of the upper hand or he hoped so. He stood then on his big pawed feet. But his height reached nine feet on his pawed feet and his fur was light brown blonde and his body was huge. His mouth was full of sharp big teeth as he straightened as if trying to get the kinks out.

It had been a very long time since he had changed forms and the woman wolf was looking horrified because she knew he meant to kill her. "Dmitrius... You can't mean to let this fiend hurt me. He left you!" With a snarl Axelle went to take a bite out of her.

[sydelle]

She was so thoroughly sick of New Vegas. All she'd caught was traces of a scent and rumors. It was infuriating. She should be able to find her own kind, shouldn't she? The reek of filthy humans and vampires was almost making her dizzy. Finally she'd had to give herself a time limit. If she hadn't found a pack by the end of the week, she was gone. She'd never had a pack before, so continuing without one shouldn't be difficult. Still, she found herself searching more fervently, following more false trails, coming to more dead ends.

This one wasn't though. The scent was fresh. Whoever it was had been there within the day...no, the hour. She could feel her hopes getting up even as she tried to squash them. This could be nothing. She told herself sternly. Although she couldn't think of a way it could be. It was definitely werewolf, definitely recent. Her feet were moving faster now, at a steady jog. It was all she could do not to break out into a run. She went by the gate to the sewers and stopped. There was another scent. Also werewolf, but different than the first. She was practically sprinting now, eager to find them.

She followed, accosted by more werewolf scents. She slowed down, wary. If there were so many...she was clearly walking into a lair. She stopped. If she just waltzed in...they could tear her apart before she could even explain herself. She growled in frustration. How much more complicated could things get? If she turned back now, she'd probably end up leaving town. Who knows when she'd find a pack? Or if she'd even try searching for one again. But if she stayed, she could be killed by the very people she wanted to join. She took a deep breath and walked forward slowly. Maybe if she could just keep them calm enough...

Except they were already worked up. She frowned, listening in. Apparently there was a traitor on trial. She took a few silent steps back, trying to assess the situation. The supposed traitor, Axelle, was denying everything. And then threatened to kill his accuser. Not quite sure how that will help your case. She thought dryly. Regardless, action was about to happen. Part of her wanted to jump in. Not out of any sense of loyalty, she didn't know any of these people, but because it was so different from the normal monotony that was her life. But that would only make things worse. So she checked the urge and slid farther back, debating whether or not to leave.

[Lukias Aman]

Lukias was surprised to have his relative peace in the audience room disturbed but then when he looked up to see who it was causing the disturbance, surprise faded quickly.

He knew the man who dragged Axelle in and he knew who he worked for. That bitch had been a thorn in his side for years. She had a thing for Dmitrius which was not mutual in nature nor in dymanics. Normally he would have laughed it off but when all hell broke loose he was very close to losing his temper.

Lukias was the pack leader, not by election, not by choice but by birth. His voice resonated authority, his body reeked of power, his mind was sharp and calculated and everything he did was for the good of the pack. Lukias was pack leader and that demanded respect. Respect in his ranks, respect in his presence and respect in his lair. Having his lair disturbed, intruded on and due respect not show just pissed…him…off.

There were females in the room, many with pup, many with pups clinging to them, wide eyed with fear. They would not become lycan until they were adults and thus, they were vulnerable and as weak as normal humans until they made the turning. And they looked quite frightened, he didn't like that.

Upon hearing the woman’s whining about Axelle leaving Dmitrius as if it would increase her chances with him, he scoffed, “Oh shut up Prudence, I have had enough for your bullshit.” He growled then snapped his head toward the wolf transforming in anger, this was always a bad thing and could not amount to anything good. He did not know enough about Axelle to know if he could control his blood thirst when shifted. He had put an end to it.

In his human form, Lukias towered over most of the other lycan. It was no different in lycan form. He let out a howl of anger as he transformed into the man wolf creature that humans feared so much. He leapt from the small stage where he had been standing near his mate and landed with ease between the angry Axelle and the lying bitch. However, it was not the woman he turned on. He could deal with her, as he had to do on so many occasions. He would not have dissention in his pack! “Axelle!” he growled and shoved him away from the woman.

“Do you think I do not know my own pack?” he leapt at him and pushed him further away. “I know what she is going on about. I know what she has planned and I know her little dramatic stunts. I also know how full of shit she is. This is MY pack; my family. There are pups here you fool!” His enormous black form moved faster than should be possible and shoved him again.

“Do you think I do not know my own pack?” He struggled to hold his temper so he could keep a fight from breaking out when the pack needed to be held together. Their numbers were too low for fights to the death. Although, he and Selene were probably the only two lycans in the place that would stand up for the woman, until now.

“Transform Axelle! Don’t make me do something I’ll regret.” He stepped closer. “For the sake of the pack, the sake of the pups that you are terrifying, transform!” he demanded. If he had to knock him out to get him to transform he would. “Do it! So I can show the pack how I deal with someone who tries to bring dissention to the pack.” He said and pointed at the woman.

He was vaguely aware of the scent of a strange lycan close by but he could not deal with that now and since it was obviously a female, he was not too worried about it. Right now he had to deal with Axelle. “Don’t make me hurt you, don’t give me a reason to banish you from the pack…so not share her fate, for Dmitrius sake.” He warned.

[selene]

Selene had been enjoying the warmth and security of Lukias' scent on the stage that was his place. His rightful place in the lair. Her head rose when she heard and smelled something off and witnessed the scene of Prudence and Axelle. She could feel tension lace Lukias' body before he transformed and leapt down.

The smell of fear in the lair spiking set her teeth to grind and she dropped down and lifted one of the children up into her arms. He'd been playing and Selene knew the mother was hunting. The tiny face buried in her neck as she looked to Lukias and Axelle. This was a dominance issue and she had no right to be anywhere near it. Lukias was the Alpha and he had to nearly constantly prove that fact. Not because the pack didn't feel it in their very bones...but because instinct required him to always assert himself. No pack would follow a placid Alpha.

Prudence's actions had her shaking her head. She obviously needed more than a lesson in pack etiquette. That, of course, fell on Selene's shoulders, since she was Lukias' Mate, she was the Alpha amongst the females. She spoke gently with one of the mothers and handed over the child.

Selene was not a tall woman, nor was she as ripped as Lukias or even some of the other females; Selene had something they didn't, however. Presence.

Selene let out a low growl as she moved between Lukias (and Axelle) and Prudence. She didn't shift, she didn't feel it necessary. "You would drag a supposed traitor to the lair? Where pups play and sleep and eat? You cannot be that stupid. Why do you think we have lungs, Prudence? We howl. Would you drag a vampire you caught here? Of course not!" Baring her teeth as she spoke, standing toe to toe with Prudence. "Your ignorance of how things work has lead to terror within the pups here. Go, you'll sit with them and play with them, comfort them until you're told otherwise."

Snarling low, daring Prudence to tell her otherwise. If she showed signs of dissent, Selene would drag her away from the lair and teach her the hard way why she was Alpha amongst the females. Dismissing Prudence to the realm of children wasn't a harsh punishment, but a humiliating one.

Selene turned her attention back to her mate and watched the pushing. The scent of new wolf caught her nose and she looked towards the entrance where Pru and Axe had come from. She said nothing to Lukias, who wouldn't handle it at the moment anyway with Axelle to deal with. Keeping a sharp eye on the pipe leading out so that she could intercept any wolf attempting to infiltrate.

She may be new to the Pack and new as an Alpha female, but she was taking her role very seriously. She was a mother to the whole of the pack...and a mother protects what's hers.

[gabriel]

It had been around a week since the beginning of Axelle's absence and it was hitting Dmitrius harder than he cared to admit. Whatever his feelings were he wasn't about to tell everyone, he wasn't going to say that the idea of losing the outsider, who had grown so close to him in recent weeks, literally tore him to pieces inside. Ares held his tongue, returning to the strong, stony silence that the other pack members had previously associated with his presence.

The Beta male stood beside his leader and his mate, looking extremely tense in what had been such a relaxed day. No interruptions and no obvious danger meant that the alpha and the rest of the pack could rest, but not Ares. The urge to find Axelle was overwhelming, the way he had spoken before he left, it made Dmitrius worry that he might never see the older wolf again.

While he stood contemplating this, his sensitive ears picked up a sound and he took a step forward before the very man who filled his mind was thrown into the room, followed closely by the infatuated female Prudence. His entire body shook with anger and the stress of keeping his transformation at bay. The man's muscles rippled and tensed, his fists clenched, and a surge of pain ran through his bandaged right hand.

Though he heard Prudence's words he seemed to ignore them, he stepped forward, just behind Lukias, his dark eyes fixed on the man who lay on the floor. Dmitrius had no place in saying much if Lukias was there, despite his high rank the native californian was not about to contest the word of his alpha.

Suddenly, Axelle protested but was struck by the imbecilic female and a growl rose from Ares' throat, his face turning to a snarl as he finally glared at Prudence, while the older wolf transformed. His breathing became shaky, his muscles rippling as he fought for control over his emotions. The grief of the past week and the sudden shock and anger of the moment built quickly and by now Dmitrius was on a hair trigger.

"Dmitrius... You can't mean to let this fiend hurt me. He left you!"

As the transformation was about to take hold, Lukias beat Ares to the punch, transforming and intimidating the entire room.

Dmitrius calmed. If he transformed now it would only make things worse, his breath deepened and he stretched his hands, having cut his palms on his claw like nails. He knew that Lukias wouldn't kill or injure without due cause, and he hoped Axelle would not provide him with it. As his Alpha ordered the change Ares looked over at Axelle, his eyes a mixture of pleading, urgency and what could only be conceived as anger, a look that simply re-iterated Lukias' words.

[auralise]

She'd been out most of the night patrolling and chain smoking. Not two things that went hand in hand with one another, the cigarette smoke dampening her sense of smell. But then again her sense of smell was twice that of a normal lycan, and even smoking she would pick up scents clearly on the night air. She had been making her way past the gates of the city, blue eyes browsing over the guards. A low growl crawling up her throat, she took in a deep whiff and stopped suddenly in her tracks.

The shadows curling around her form as she took another deep scent. Something familiar was close by... AXELLE!!! She thought her heart jumping in her throat. She abandoned her post and followed the scent, her eyes searching the shadows about for him. The scent was a little old, but still fresh enough. She had become fond of him, hell he reminded her much of her older brother, before her life had changed of course. He was smart, and a bit of an ass but he'd pulled on her heart strings, and helped her get in with the pack. Even when he wasn't part of it. She slide a small bishop piece from her pocket and smiled as she remembered the details of his face.

She was still following the scent while she reminisced when the sharp twang of copper cut across her senses. Her blue eyes sharpened and lifted to the path she was on. It didn't take her long to locate the small blood splatters along the ground, and not far from it was a necklace, it's chain broke. Her memory flashed back to the necklace Axelle had always been wearing and knew he would never take it off. Growls rolled up her chest, did the vampires get him?

She moved closer to the scene and took in every bit of information she could. Some one had come up behind him, struck him and dragged him away... and that someone was Prudence. Snarls rolled up her throat involuntarily. She crouched down and picked up the necklace her fingers delicate on the chain and making sure not to do it more damage slipped it into her pocket.

Axelle was in trouble if she knew Prudence, however, should she go to Lukias first? or maybe Selene? No ... Raven needed more information first. She stood and broke into a dead run after locating the way Prudence had dragged Axelle. She only hoped that when she found them she wouldn't do anything stupid. She needed to report. The Alphas had to know.

It took her only five minutes worth of tracking to realize the bitch was actually heading back to the lair with Axelle. Growls rolled up her throat and she leaped down into the tunnels, never slowing until she got close to the lair itself. She'd picked up another scent, a foreign one, a new female. She didn't have time to worry about it though as she walked in and brushed past Syndelle her blue eyes trailing the woman's face for a moment before coming up beside Ares. His tense stature and stern look brought her eyes to the floor before them and her hand to lay on his arm gently as if to say she was there for him. She was only beta female, and normally they would have been mated, but this was also a city pack, not a wild pack. She liked to think of Ares as another brother, or the mate to her brother. Her eyes landed on Axelle's form and her hand tightened around the bishop piece. Her eyes suddenly cut to Prudence.

She pulled out the necklace and held it out for Ares. There was nothing she could do but wait and watch, she was not one to go against her Alpha's she was if nothing else Loyal to the death.

[axelle]

Axelle had lifted his body up so that he was on his knees. He knew it looked more like he was submitting but his aching body wouldn't give him anything more than that before he transformed with his anger. It hurt like hell. His skin felt like it was melting off to be encased in blonde brown fur. His body arched in the mistures of pain and it was a process in itself but anger and pain blazed in his light eyes. He finally though stood up in his full animalistic glory. He was beyond angry. Fury and want of revenge burned in his step as the thud of a paw hit the ground when he went for a bite at her.

But then he saw out of the corner of his eye Lukias getting between him and the woman wolf. He gave an angry growl as he hunched over some and stomped a pawed foot like an angry bull about to fight his way through to what he wanted. But then he heard his name before he was shoved and recognition came to his eyes. How he wanted to shove back but he had respect for Lukias. But even with the recognition he didn't immediately back down but he didn't fight back either. His words came out a growled response more beast than man. "She wants my death!"

Then his eyes swung around at the mention of the pups. He didn't mean to scare them at all. In his pain and anger he hadn't associated that there were any pups here. Granted he had been dragged here like an animal to the slaughter. He huffed his anger and frustration even as he was demanded to transform. But then he heard Dmitrius's name and his head swung to where Dmitrius's scent had been coming from and he saw Raven beside him with her hand on his arm. He saw the look in Dmitrius's eyes and gave a huff once more before he began the slow transformation back.

It was as painful changing into the wolf as it was changing back and plus with all the mixtures of pain he had already going through his body. As his skin turned to the flesh of a human and the fur went away he fell back to his knees exhausted but whispered. "It better be worth it. You make her pay dearly." He slowly lifted his gaze to Lukias. "If it were another he wouldn't have survived what I have and we both know it. If it were another she would be dead by his hands. She wanted my death... She took me from behind and dragged me through the street as if I were nothing more than a bag..."

His voice never rose though anger laced the words. "I will relent because I respect you." He bowed his head to Lukias. But he was kind of swaying some as if barely being able to stay upright and his breathing was uneven. "I should apologize for scaring the pups. Never thought of that..." He brought his hand to his sore ribs and winced. "Glad we had this talk..." But then he fell forward and only kept from hitting the floor with his free hand. "What a night." Exhaustion was taking it's toll on his poor torn up body but he slowly pushed himself swaying to his feet and grinned some even though that shown his pain.

He looked over at the pups. "Sorry for me scaring you all. It was all part of a story from a book and we wished to tell it like on the television! It gets better but we have to wait another night and maybe I can tell you what happens later. Like how the princess falls in love with the evil beast. Beauty and the Beast. Right, Lukias?" He looked over and winced before he fell back down on his bare bottom. "It's Uncle Axelle's way of coming back home." He laughed some for the puppies' sakes even though he hurt. He forced himself to stay awake though and hid his face with the hair that fell forward. Granted he was a lot of things but he knew children were the ones that surpassed them all.

Was it him or was the world spinning? He closed his eyes hoping it would stop spinning with that act.

[sydelle]

Sydelle froze as someone brushed past her. She was prepared to be confronted, by the woman acted as if she didn't even know she was there. At first she was oddly insulted. Was she really that insignificant? Then she chided herself. They have a guy on trial, they can hardly be worried about the newcomer lurking in the shadows. She thought. Perhaps if she'd come storming in demanding attention, she would'v;e gotten a few glances. And then most likely a severe beating.

There was enough drama going down without her causing more. Axelle responded to the Alpha immediately, glancing at the girl that had just walked by. In that one gesture, she was reminded how much of an outsider she was. A small voice told her to just accept her role as al oner and walk away. Her feet wouldn't move. Instincts overrode everything else. She glanced at Lukias, trying to get use to the feel of having an Alpha nearby. Even in wolf form and threatening swift jusitce, she wasn't afraid of him. More than that, there was a feeling of safety. He was so obviously a leader. Even Sydelle, rebellious from birth, thought about how easy it would be to follow him.

She shook her head sharply to clear it. She'd been going on her own for too long. She didn't even know what being around an Alpha was like. The question was, had she been on her own too long? She'd woken up in the hospital with a bite mark and not a friend in the world. She'd learned everything about what she was on her own. There was bound to be gaps in her education. Could she even be part of a pack? Again, the small voice piped up, telling her to leave. She managed a step back before her feet glued themselves to the floor again.

Axelle's excuse to the pups was transparent. She didn't know if it was the situation or the pain he wasi n. The pups, however, just look relieved that nothing would be happening. Their mothers even more so. Coming back home? She mouthed the words aloud, as if it would help them make more sense. She didn't think members of a pack could just take off. Just goes to show how little you know. That voice refused to shut up. Another step backward later, she could just barely see Axelle falling to the floor.

Something about the way he fell reminded her of her mother after one of her more..."eager" customers. The memory was faded and half-forgotten. Like a picture you look at so much you remember the picture more than what was happening when you took it. But the fury she felt was fresh. Her hands turned into fists as she forced the memories away. Her mother had been dead for decades. This had nothing to do with her. She didn't know these people. But the anger at seeign someone hurt for the entertainment of someone else was nearly overwhelming. It was only the fact that the Alpha said he was going to deal with her that kept the transformation at bay.

She grit her teeth in effort to keep control of herself, waiting anxiously for the bitch to get what she deserved.

[Lukias Aman]

Lukias could not worry about anyone else around them. He was vaguely aware of the others in the pack around him but he knew and trusted that no one would defy his authority so he was able to concentrate on Axelle. Axelle was a member of his pack whether he knew it or not. It was the natural order of things. Something in fate kept bringing him back, that and Dmitrius.

Axelle had friends in this pack and the way of the wolf was friendships never ended unless something was done that endangered the pack. This made him glare in the direction of Prudence then back at Axelle. “Bring him a blanket!” he called out and shifted back to human. He walked over and gently stroked Axelles hair with a tender expression, leaned down and nuzzled him for just a moment in comfort and recognition before turning and glaring at Prudence again.

Anyone that knew Lukias, even for a short time would know that he was losing his temper and this would not be a pretty experience for the one he was angry with. “Prudence!” he growled. The woman jumped and backed away from the child she had been attending. “Nursery is too good for you.” The stark naked man strode across the room and grabbed the woman by the arm and began dragging her toward the door as she whined and begged him to let her explain. “Silence, I have heard enough.” He growled. As he passed Dmitrius he shot him a look, “See you our pack mate.” Then as he passed Raven, “See to our guest.”

When the woman jerked her arm from Lukias, he grabbed her by the hair and continued dragging her out into the tunnels, ignoring her pleas.

[selene]

Selene watched the events unfolding. Lukias was the Pack Alpha, and even while she was the Alpha Female, his word overruled hers. It was just the way of things. And even if it didn't...angry as he was, she didn't want to be in his way.

She stood there as Lukias dragged Prudence into the tunnels. And just like that...everything was starting to return to normal. She took a few steps towards the tunnel and kept an ear out for Lukias' sake. Those brown eyes falling on Sydelle as Selene stood there. Raven would see to the newcomer and make sure everything was in order. Lukias would do the rest.

Selene's voice was soft, almost soothing, "You picked a hell of a time to find us, wolf." Smiling softly to the new wolf and then looking back down the tunnels after Lukias.

[dmitrius]

The stare was out of character for Ares, begging the man who had become known as his mate to change his form back, to stop the maddening intensity of the anger which seemed to fill the room. Out of the corner of his eye he saw his fellow Beta, Raven enter the room and come to his side. Ares grunted in acknowledgement, not drawing his eyes away from Axelle.

A sigh of relief wasn't breathed, but a sudden weight left the beta wolf when his lover transformed, as though now the danger was gone. The world was fine. For a second. Dark brown hues found their way to Prudence, snarling once more. In Ares' mind, she had caused this, and she wouldn't be forgiven. If punishment was to be given, it would be dealt by his hand, and he hoped Lukias would accept it as his right.

When Axelle rose, playing off the supposed trial, attempting to calm the females and their pups. The normally slick frenchman seemed to have lost more than a little of his finesse, when he fell Dmitrius hesitated to start forward, unsure if Lukias was quite finished with "Uncle Axelle".

As the Alpha approached Axelle, Ares looked on, worried that his leader was about to punish the old wolf, but instead he nuzzled Axelle, a show of affection despite the anger and shouting moments before.

While Lukias dragged Prudence off a small growl escaped Dmitrius' throat. In his mind it was his duty to punish the insubordinate female, but he wasn't about to go against the Alpha's request. The muscled wolf knelt next to Axelle, taking the blanket that was handed to him by one of the lower males and put it around the other man's shoulders. A warm smile tugged at the edges of his lips as he looked at his bruised and beaten, but still alive, lover.

"Welcome back, Blondie. "