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The hand upon her shoulder was the only thing keeping her in place… stopping her from turning her back on the pups, and from doing something that she knew she would regret later on; though if she did, well it wasn’t going to be on her head that the choice would be made. How dare he… how dare he attempt to explain things he knew nothing about, to try and take the attention away from those more important in the room right now; how dare he undermine her in every sense of the word…

How dare he try and speak for an alpha..!

The anger was clear in her eyes, the crimson orbs showing a bloodlust like never before seen as she let her gaze fall upon the angel in question; the woman more than ready to cross the room and rip the very wings he held dear from his back, if not throw him clear into the hall without so much as a second thought. However, what use would that be..? It would give the pups no indication that they could trust her… give them no reason to follow after her; and for the others, it would only instil the fear she could feel behind their lingering gazes. So it was simple; if he believed himself able to do a better job… then he could go ahead and do it.

“The pups need you.”

Before she had a chance to move, she was stopped, the sound of her beta’s voice speaking softly in her ear causing her to hesitate… to second guess her actions as a gentle though still ever threatening growl emanated from somewhere deep within her chest as his words sunk in, and yet once again, he was playing the voice of reason when she seemed willing to allow her anger to consume not only her mind, but also her actions.

“They need you, and I’ll be there, every step of the way. Don’t throw it away. You’re a good alpha, Zoé.”

He was right… these pups weren’t going to make it far in this world unless there was someone there to help guide them, to show them how survive; and not just against other supernatural’s, but against the humans… especially, those who posed a threat… those who made their living as hunters.

They need you, and want you.”

They wanted her..? If they did, then it wasn’t made clear, and any chances of her sticking around were dwindling away by the second; though the gentle squeeze upon her shoulder was enough to keep her in place where she stood. He wanted her to stop… to think about what she was going to do before she did it so that she wouldn’t make that mistake of leaving them alone when, in reality, this was the time that they were going to need her the most. But right now she didn’t care…

Right now; she was almost completely blinded by her anger.

“But… you’re wrong, dad. Zoé can’t claim us… we have to claim her.”

The very moment that the words hit her ears, her anger seemed to pass, her soft lips parting ever so slightly as she turned her head, her bright eyes staring at the young girl as she spoke. Pack mentality was something that, while they might not completely understand, came naturally to all wolves no matter how old or new they might have been- but the fact that she had picked it up so quickly… the fact that she had managed to figure that out on her own, without having to be nudged in the right direction…

Shooting a quick glance back towards her beta, Zoé met his gaze, seeming to share a conversation in the silence before her eyes were once more brought back to the girl in front of her; the girl who had, not minutes beforehand, went and challenged her power… her authority, just as her father before her had done. Allowing herself to meet with the girl’s eyes, she watched her move, her bright iris’ following each and every step until the girl seemed to settle in front of her, both of them holding one another’s gaze; each as intense as the others, though her own seemed to hold a hint of worry… of curiosity…

“My name is Cassandra Arvantis. And I am a werewolf. And you… are my alpha.”

Her eyes losing their brightness in color, she blinked a couple of times, allowing them to once more take on that comforting darkness that those in the room with her were used to as she let the words spoken sink in- she had been accepted… Cassandra had blatantly accepted her as her alpha without so much as a second guess, and the very thought had her heart swelling with pride as a small though not unnoticeable surge of power flitted through her being.

This was why she was here… for them; to help them through the major defining change that had, for all intents and purposes, been forced upon them, and that would change the rest of their lives. Each of these children had just been thrown into something that they knew nothing about; none of them had asked for this… none of them had wanted this- hell, none of them had ever known about any of this; even when there were the few that were held so close to some who shared in this particular life-style.

Either way; that was one name.

“I don’t know what’s going to happen… I don’t-… I don’t truly know what has happened to us… but we are what we are now… and I am glad to not stand alone. Is-… is there anything else I need to do..?”

“..Cassandra…” The tone of her voice… the look in her eyes… she was asking for help; and what’s more, she was asking for her help. This was what Quinton had been trying to tell her- that no matter how angered she was, they needed her now more than ever… and more than that, they wanted her… How could she dare even think about turning her away..?

“I am Connor Vos. I-… I was bitten, two months ago, in a wolf attack. I woke with no injuries, and since then, I’ve been floating along… eventually coming here. Kaylee…”

Her attention caught by another voice before she could speak any further, Zoé turned her head, her eyes tearing away from Cassandra’s to instead meet with that of the guy who was speaking- he was young… slightly more mature than the other young pups gathered, though still lacking any training or discipline that came with being in a pack; the young girl held close against his body in his arms however…

“Kaylee is my… mate. And… if you’ll have us… You are our alpha.”

Mated… a quick glance around the room told her that they weren’t the only imprinted pair within the group; whether or not that was going to be something that helped or hindered them was yet to be seen. Letting her attention fall back down to the pair, Zoé took a moment to take them in, and while the male of the pair still had much to learn, there was something about the young woman that told her she had that maturity… she had fought beside both of them.

Werewolf… weredingo… That was three names.

“Why should I trust you? You are capable of manipulating me easier than the people I live with.”

The very moment those words hit her ears, her heart broke. Gage… Aron… she never wanted to ever manipulate either of them; she couldn’t, but helping him to understand the difference between the authority of an alpha and manipulation wasn’t going to be an easy task. Gage was someone who, out of the two of the boys, was extremely guarded… the fire and fighting spirit in him something she had always admired.

It was just going to pose that little bit more of a challenge to her…

Both of the boy’s words were lost as she continued to let her dark eyes flick back and forth- she had always held the twins close to her heart, sharing a close bond with the both of them that she didn’t believe herself able to share with others that she had come across in her life. That wasn’t something that she was willing to compromise due to the sudden situation…

“My name is Aron Brooks… and-… and I accept you as my alpha.”

Aron… sweet Aron… The meaning behind his words was clear: Please don’t take advantage of my trust. And how could she even think of doing that..? She loved the boy like her own- loved both of them as if they were her own, and if things went to plan-… That was four names.

A soft shuffle caught her ear, causing her to reluctantly tear her gaze away from Aron’s to instead meet with that of the male siren that was slowly (but surely) approaching, his unhealed injuries making it hard. No one could say he didn’t have courage… the fact he had approached the alpha, and while surrounded by the ever-growing pack, especially one that was full of newly bitten pups..? She couldn’t help but admire the young man for his bravery.

“I’m not a werewolf. I-… S-Sirens have no place in a pack. I don’t belong here. We don’t belong here. What do you want us to do?”

Holding his gaze, Zoé gave herself a few moments to take the young man in- he was terrified… that was clear in his features, behind his eyes… even in the way that he spoke; though the fact he refused to let it keep him from standing tall before her very eyes was something that only helped to instil the sense of pride that was swelling within her heart. He wasn’t one of them; he wasn’t a werewolf… but he wasn’t the only one. Even so, how could she hold that against him..?

“Sebastian… you were attacked, the same as us… you’re our friend… I’m not going to abandon my friends just because… we are what we are now.”

Cody… always so sweet, and ever the gentleman. How could she even consider breaking apart the young inprinted couple; it wasn’t something that could be done, and she wouldn’t ever dream of it in the first place. Where Aron went, Cody went; that was their life now, and she wouldn’t have it any other way… That made five names.

Hesitating a moment longer, she lifted her arm, her movements slow… purposeful as she reached out towards Sebastian, her touch soft and loving as she cupped her hand around the back of his neck, her body leaning in closer as she pressed her forehead gently against his own, the action both to show them all that she was accepting of the young siren into her pack, and as an attempt to comfort and ease the boy from his terrified state- he was a brave young thing… to stand up to her the way that he had, and for that, he had forever earned her respect. No harm was ever going to befall him, or Syleste while she still had breath in her lungs, and the will to stop it.

That was six names.

The warmth of another’s hand taking her own was enough to catch her attention, causing her to pull herself back from the young siren before she turned her gaze, allowing it to linger instead upon the familiar figure that had approached her. Miranda Burke had always been an important person within her life; even when she herself, didn’t know it. She was an amazing young woman… one of her best employees… and she had let her down. The very thought had her heart breaking.

“I won’t pretend to say I understand what is going on, because I don’t. Back in the hallway out there, you told me to trust you… Zoé, I have always trusted you with my heart, you have been so good to me ever since I came to you looking for work.”

At the gentle squeeze of her hand, Zoé once more allowed herself to fall into the comfort that the girl had to offer. How was it that Miranda was able to have such a calming effect on her..? It was a talent that was greatly admired, and right now, one that was also much appreciated. Curling her fingers lightly, she reciprocated the gentle squeeze, doing all that she could to give the young wolf both the comfort and support that she was seeking from her.

“You have given us a second chance at life, no matter how different it may be… You gave us all another chance. I don’t blame you Zoé, I thank you. I am probably not doing this right, but you are more than just my boss, more than just my friend, you… are my alpha, and I gladly accept that. I am glad not to be alone too.”

And with that, there were seven names.

Her eyes closing as she felt Miranda’s lips against her cheek, she sighed inaudibly to herself, her lips parting ever so slightly as she allowed herself to be lost in the moment… to just relax enough to be able to think about even a fraction of what had just happened- her pack had grown, substantially so in what was less than twenty four hours. She had gone from having five members, to instead twelve and the evidence was clear; she could feel it… the strength of the pack had increased, and with it, her own power as an alpha had grown tenfold.

Staying where she was just a few moments longer, she eventually pulled herself away, slowly making her way through the small crowd gathered before eventually, she broke free, her feet barely making a sound over the ground as she crossed the room, her gaze falling so that she was able to meet with that of Gage as she crouched down in front of both him and the young girl held so close in his arms- he was cautious… and with all that had transpired so far, she had given him little reason to trust her, though she wasn’t about to just give up on trying… not for him.

Hesitating a moment longer, she made a show of reaching out towards them with both of her hands, making sure that both were in his line of sight at all times before finally, she allowed them to come to a rest; one gently caressing the boy’s cheek, while the other lay lightly over the girl’s forearm. The pain the young girl was in… she could feel it, and her heart went out to her. Syleste was always such a sweet and innocent young thing; she had always been different, the young siren never knowing just how different she was, though it was still no reason for her to have to suffer the way that she was.

Pulling her hand back from where it was rested against his cheek, Zoé brought it down to meet with her other upon the girl, her brows furrowing slightly in concentration as she let her attention turn down to the arm that she held, the veins within her own arms becoming visible as they turned black, the pain drawn out from the young siren and into the woman instead as she did what she could to help make her just that little bit more comfortable, her dare eyes (now pained) lifting to meet with Gage’s once more, though she spoke to the group as a whole.

“..I will do everything in my power to earn your trust… and you have my word no harm will befall any of you while I still have breath in my lungs, and fight in my body… You are all familia now; and familia comes first… every time…”

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The mere fact that everyone seemed to follow her lead, with the exception of Gage, made Cassie feel like she had done something right. Although she wasn't too sure, and she watched Zoé, to try and see if she had done the right thing. It seemed that she had, that she had...changed something in Zoé, even slightly. She let out a soft sigh, glancing away, a little overwhelmed. Okay, more then a little, and she looked to her father once more, feeling utterly...terrifed. Wrapped in his coat, their scents mingling, Cassie couldn't help but feel a sense of loss. This was something that her father couldn't truly understand, just like she couldn't understand being an angel...even as she wondered why...she wasn't an angel too. She wanted answers, but she didn't know how to ask them, what to ask. She met his gaze, holding it for a moment, snuggling closer into the coat.

For a moment, she felt like she was on a cliff edge. That she was constantly rising, but never getting anywhere. She looked back to Zoé, managed a smile, a nod, before she retreated back to her father for now, looking up at him. She drew in a deep breath, and approached him again, a safe zone, seeking to nuzzle in against his side. For so long, it had been them against the world. just the two of them. And now...she looked around at the others, the inner turmoil in her twisting her about. Now...her friends weren't just her friends anymore. But her father had been her family, her...her pack for her entire life. She didn't have many memories of her mother...her voice...a simple warm feeling of...love. For so long though, it was her fathers love and warmth that kept her going, through so much.

Nuzzling against her fathers side, Cassie wasn't sure what she felt anymore. Torn? As everyone continued what she had started, Cassandra watched. One by one, her friends accepted Zoé as their Alpha. Ir was quite hard to know if this was beneficial, but it seemed to calm Zoé down as the older woman's eyes changed back to normal. For which Cassie was relieved. She watched as Zoé approached Gage, and by default, Syleste. Family. Could her current Family, her father, blend with this one? she didn't know, and that worried her. She bowed her head, trying to stablise herself, before she looked up at her father, studying his face, that she knew better then her own. She studied him, looking into his eyes. Why did she expect the answers to be there? perhaps because they always had been.

It would always be them against the world, no matter what. Making maple bacon sundae's, falling asleep on the couch trying to watch the new starwars for the upteempth time, making sure he ate right, and not always the twix bars he was so fond off. She loved him, and there simply was no question. He'd always be apart of her life. Nothing would change that. She sighed again. She seemed to be doing a lot of that, at the moment. "Dad..." She said after Zoé had finished talking, looking back to the Alpha "are we allowed to go home?" She wasn't too sure who she was asking, she just knew that it had been a long day, and while her injuries had, it seemed, healed, she was hurting. She was terrfied that the wolf that had attacked them would return to finish off the job. And she was upset that her father had never told her before now what he was. But mostlyt, she was hurting because there still seemed to be so much that she didn't understand. Like...was her mother an Angel too? She bit her lip, tired and filled with emotions she couldn't quite understand, right then.

What she wanted more then anything right then was to go home, curl up on the couch with her father and go to sleep, watching a show or movie. But she suspected they'd have to be around here, for a while. Her father, certainly, with Syleste. "Syleste and Sebastin need to be seen to as well..." She said, her tone weary. She leaned back against her father. Her eyes drifted over her friends, just wanting everything to be...okay again.

[the tagging skills are lacking]

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Aron nuzzled Cody back before he approached Sebastian his mind wondering about sirens....but also concern about gage. What would he be if he didn't accept the alpha? A lone wolf? What did that mean for him. Aron turned and watched Zoe approach his brother and lightly looked down. His brother was far more guarded. Less likely to trust.

Gage seemed fully focused on Syleste until Zoe approached. He watched her with a weariness that would rival a real wolf and flinched when she touched him. His jaw clenched and his eyes shut. As if he fully expected to be hit. Instead she caressed his cheek and his eyes slowly opened. He watched as she began to do....something. It looked like take his girlfriends pain. His eyes met hers and kept the stare. His voice came softly. "Eventually we have to go home. How can we be protected from that?" his gaze kept Zoe's it was unwavering...but for a moment the walls slipped and his eyes showed the fear the anger the swirling abyss of pain that Gage kept locked away before he looked down at Syleste and those walls shot back up.

Aron looked down. His brother was right. He trembled somewhat. They both knew what would be waiting now. Aron looked at Cody while still trembling. He was scared and he hated to admit that but he was.

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Cody watched Zoé, a little relieved that she hadn’t seemed to have any negative response to Sebastian. He looked back over to Aron, giving him a smile, and seeking to return to his side, watching as Zoé approached Gage, a little tense himself, but things seemed to go alright...mostly, and Cody looked to Aron, seeing that he was trembling. Cody covered the distance between them, and took Aron in his arms, hugging him close, and nuzzling him, wanting to protect him from everything, protect him from those that shouldn’t treat their kids like they had Aron and Gage. Adopted or not. He kissed Aron softly, not caring that there was a room full of people. He wanted to soothe, even as he wanted to...do something drastic.

He hated seeing Aron scared, and he’d do anything to make sure Aron was never scared like he was now, again. Anything. ”You don’t have to go back there.We will figure something out” He said, to Aron. ”i mean it. You can stay at my place. If you want”

He hugged Aron tightly, never wanting to let him go. He wanted to make Aron feel safe, warm and loved. Even as part of him wanted to go show their crazy adopted parents what it meant to mess with Aron was with...him. But he didn’t know if that was truly him or...what was happening and it unnerved him a bit, so instead he focused on Aron. And that was a heck of a lot easier than anything.

”I just want you to be happy…” He said softly to Aron, knowing that no matter what, he wasn’t going to leave Aron alone tonight. He wanted to be with him.

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There were many things that Quinton knew about himself. He knew he often seconded guessed himself, and yet, when it came to others, he knew he had been described as the voice of reason. He knew he wasn’t made to be an Alpha, but he was made to be the one who watched, waited, and gave advice. That was just his temperament. Of course, it hadn’t always been so. As a teenager, experiencing the changes of not only puberty, but being a young werewolf, it hadn’t been easy to keep a hold of his anger. Foster had been patient, and kind, even if he had been strict, and found a way to connect with Quinton. That it had beeing pool, was quite amusing to Quinton. Foster never let him win, instead giving him something to focus on.

Beating him.

It had worked. For two years, Quinton honed his skills, and subsequently his anger, gaining control with few mishaps, determined to beat Foster. By the time Quinton was sixteen, he had adapt control over himself, and a healthy respect for the man that had not only saved his life, but become something like a second father to him. Quinton had learned reason, control, and determination at such an age when he could have been a destructive force. Which had put him right back on track to...being what he was, inside and out. A patient, reasonable man. Who would do anything to protect his pack.

And so, he was ready to do what he had to, to help Zoé in what was now an incredibly difficult situation. Not that it hadn’t been, already. He could understand Xerxes need to have that connection, understanding with his daughter, but to do so at the risk of Zoé abandoning the pups...that Quinton couldn’t abide by. If Xerxes wanted to be apart of this, for his daughter, then he had better learn pack mentality, and the quicker the better. Although Quinton wasn’t too sure that Zoé wanted anything to do with the Angel anymore.

He could not tell if his words were sinking into Zoé, yet his mere presence by her seemed to be enough, for the moment, to keep her in place. For how long, he didn’t know. He thought that maybe, she was just going to walk off, turning her back on the pups, because of Xerxes. It did not seem to matter that Cassandra, Connor and subsequently Kaylee had spoken for her. The absolute anger that he could feel emanating from Zoé seemed to swamped everything, and Quinton looked over to Xerxes, eyes narrowed slightly. He wanted the angel to understand he had overstepped his boundaries, before looking away.

Quinton had excellent control over anger.

Slowly, one by one, the other pups seemed to accept Zoé, and Quinton relaxed slightly, although his gaze rested on Gage for a moment. The young boy seemed so troubled, so at odds, and Quinton sighed softly. There were so many differences between the pups. Cassandra, quick to anger and with a fierce need to protect those she cared about because of this, nevertheless seemed bright, quick to the uptake, and more importantly, understanding. Acceptance. With some training, lessons in control, she would be a valuable asset to the pack. Connor...the young man had certainly proved himself willing to leap into danger, and help even if he didn’t understand what was going on. Brave, courageous, and chivalrous, he had all the makings off, and he blamed Abigale for his extensive knowledge on all things Harry Potter, a true Gryffindor. Kaylee, his mate, seemed just as new to being what she was as the pups, at least, she hadn’t developed the fine control of one that had long been a were creature. And yet, when her friends had been attacked, Kaylee hadn’t seemed to hesitate,already shifted long before Quinton had arrived on scene. Cody. Reasonable, loyal, and willing to speak up when he needed to, the boy had a good head on his shoulders, and that would be needed in the days to come. Aron...the timid young boy nevertheless seemed to have a good heart, and strong to have come this far. They’d all come out stronger, after this. Gage, the hot headed twin, rash, quick to anger, but wanting to protect those he loved. Soothed by the presence of Syleste, Gage, Quinton figured, would have control issues without her. A challenging road lay ahead, one he hoped they were prepared for. Miranda. The young girl had yet to do much so far, beyond accepting Zoé, seemed a bright young girl, willing to go to any lengths for her friends, judging from how she clutched to Cassandra. Finally, Quinton turned his sights to the two in the room that weren’t werewolves, or weredingos, or even Angels. The sirens, rare it was odd to come across two, but then again, this was Klamath Falls, a beacon for everything supernatural it seemed.

It was certainly going to be an interesting few weeks. Challenging, for sure, and yet...they were a pack. Watching Zoé, Quinton smiled slightly, which faded at Gages words, and he sighed once more, watching the scene play out.

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”She can only manipulate you if you allow it” The words had left Connor’s mouth before he realised they had been a thought. ”I mean...if any...wolf could manipulate you, I’d be under the control of the prick that killed my father. Its like Cassandra said. We have to choose her” he said, rather embarrassedly, falling silent once more, instead he looked back to Kaylee, feeling that that was the safest place to gaze right then. It certainly was the best view. As the others spoke, one way or another accepting Zoé, Connor listened, but it didn’t hold his complete attention. Nothing seemed to, when he was around Kaylee. There was that constant need to make sure that she was alright. Because he’d do anything to make her happy.

Things did seem to be calming, for a moment there it had seemed that the air was going to burn with anger, now...a sort of calm seemed to have fallen for which Connor was grateful. As Cassandra asked if they could go home, Connor winced. He had been staying in the forests, but there was no way he was going to return there tonight. Since the attack a few months ago, Connor had been traveling from one town to another, in his ute, the faithful old car chugging along and he occasionally camped out, preferring solitude to company, to people asking why a young man was on the road like he was. He’d set up camp in the forest, not wanting to go into town, and while roughing it didn’t bother him, the scent of blood from the teenagers camp site would be overwhelming. He had nowhere, really to go...and he didn’t really want to be parted from Kaylee again, in anycase. Still...he couldn’t very well ask if she wanted to go to a hotel with him, could he? He knew she had family, and they’d probably be worried about her.

He just didn’t know what to do.

He watched her for a moment, holding her close. ”Kaylee…” He said softly, not knowing why she seemed to be everything to him, but knowing that it didn’t really matter. ”I...what...do we do now?” He would do whatever she wanted, he didn’t care. If she wanted to go to the moon, he’d find some way of making it happen. Nothing seemed impossible now.

@Caits@Legion02

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Magnus stared at Callie for a bit while his other eye continued to watch for Linus. He then looked at the sleeping Abigail and sighed. A sleeping one can't do too much...though he didn't much like what had just transpired between all of them. He bent and gently scooped up the small girl and gently managed to settle the sleeping puppy as well. He walked past Callie with an air of 'I don't much care for this and you put me in this situation'. Mangus managed to find the room abigale was staying in and gently tucked her in and settled her puppy on the bed with her. He quietly snuck out of the room and paused at the doorway looking in...his heart giving a twist before he gently shut the door and made his way back down stairs.

He paused as Alexis started speaking before he fully went into the room and found a seat. Settling in his other eye traveled toward a bat that flew close to the hospital. The creatures sight wasn't as good, but he managed to see that things had gotten emotional before leaving his scout. He looked at Alexis. "Considering the age of the new pups....I am fairly certain your classmates are now werewolves" he paused feeling the connection between him and the owl wearing resulting in him pulling from that bird and shooting into another owl to try to keep watch on Linus.

"I have a feeling I will be busy tomorrow" the comment was more toward himself then to the two women...though he managed to look at Callie before looking at Alexis. Rimmed eyes suddenly seemed to hold a look of someone who's been alive too long before recovering back to the overconfidence. "They are fine...shaken for sure...emotional and different, but fine."

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"Sebastian...you were attacked, the same as us...you're our friend...I'm not going to abandoned my friends just because...we are what we are now."

Cody's voice was soft as he gently rested his hand on Sebastian's shoulder. A tiny flare of pain ran through his arm, however he was too terrified to react. Cody's display of comradery comforted the Siren; it was encouraging to know that he didn't stand alone. But Cody wasn't the Alpha.

Zoë stared deeply in Sebastian's eyes, pinning him in place with her gaze alone. As the woman's slowly started to approach, every muscle in Sebastian's body stiffened, forcing blood through the open cuts across his body and tearing a couple of stitches. His breathing quickened. Even if he could have, Sebastian wouldn't have backed down. If she was going to strike him down, the Siren would stand tall with pride as he met his mother's same demise.

Zoë reached out and grasped his neck, but the cold claws never tore through his vulnerable threat. Instead, she gently cupped the back of his neck and leaned her forehead against his, silently accepting him into her pack. Her soothing fragrance and powerful touch elicited an unconscious hum of pleasure and relief from Sebastian as he was accepted into a pack, something he was certain was unprecedented.

As Zoë moved past him, the young Siren slowly staggered backwards, unintentionally falling against Xerxes chest as his legs gave out, crumpling beneath him. His wounds overcame him as the adrenaline faded, inducing a pounding headache as the room began to spin.

Cassandra's words faintly reached his ears, as if he were underwater (despite his perfect aquatic hearing). She spoke something about Syleste and Sebastian, however their meaning was lost on him as darkness overtook his vision.

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The faint purple light pulsed weakly, softly casting its light throughout the darkened room. Faint whispers and quiet voices flickered in a spidery dance, bending and twisting the light. A deep inhalation disturbed the silence, followed shortly by a breath being let out slowly. The light pulsed again and flared up, promising a vision.

Leo sat cross legged in the middle of the magical circle, with a perfectly straight back and unblinking eyes. He stared deep into the light as he lifted the cigar to his lips, breathing the smoke into his lungs. With the spell now ready to be enacted, Leo tilted his head back and exhaled the smoke through his mouth and nose simultaneously. The gray fog swirled around swiftly, pulling the corporeal light with it into the air as the brilliance of the circle dimmed to give energy to the spell now pooling above the Warlock's head. The smoke and light mixed together and began warping, providing vision into an event far away.

As the spell completely consumed Leo's senses, his consciousness traveled to a location miles away from his body. When the fog faded, he was high in the air, surrounding by a dense blanket of clouds. The spell pulled his mind towards the earth, gently tugging him through the misty veil and into the forest below.

A silver light glinted in the distance, moving perpendicular to him at an incredible speed. The invisible force suddenly yanked him towards the silver streak, forcing him to travel a foot above the ground at an incredible speed. Trees and shrubbery turns to blurs as he twisted and turned to avoid crashing into the obstacles. Not that it mattered, as he was simply viewing the event as if through a non-corporeal camera.

As he approached the light, he began turning to the right to travel parallel with the light. Once he had mimicked the speed and direction of the light, he spun to the left, fusing with the light.

When the silver iridescence faded, the back of a furry creature came into view. The powerful muscles rolled underneath the dense fur, propelling the creature along at an immense pace. A series of deep gouges were noticeable on the creature's right shoulder, clearly indicating where it had been severely wounded at one point. The creature exuded an aura of masculinity, revealing its gender-

The creature jerked its head up as it detected the strengthened scent of its prey. He immediately increased the pace of his bounds, whizzing through the woods with his head low to the ground.

Faint laughter echoed through the trees, betraying the true location of the unsuspecting prey. The creature loosed the unmistakable howl of a werewolf and leaped forward, crashing into the campsite of a group of teenagers in a flurry of claws and teeth.

Immediately, two of the humans were on the ground, screaming in agony as blood gushed forth from their wounds. The wolf swiped its tail through the bonfire, immediately destroying the only source of light as flaming logs burst into the air.

The screams of the various prey pierced the night as they all dove away from the creature, engaging in a futile attempt to escape. In less than a second, another human had fallen to the wolf. As it turned to down a fourth victim, a shrieking cry rang through the night and burst the right eardrum of the creature. Blood gushed out of his ear as he howled in unexpected pain.

The humans took this opportunity to get to their feet and flee, calling out to the others to flee. The wolf was down for only a moment before its powerful haunches exploded from their coiled tension, propelling the creature through the air towards a pair of humans. The larger one, clearly a male, carried the smaller, most likely female, human.

The wolf landed on the pair and knocked them to the earth, grabbing the male by the leg and viciously dragging him through the dirt. After it finished mauling the poor man, it threw him with a flick of its neck, sending him crashing into the nearest tree as it turned on the weaker female.

Her dazzling pink hair shone brightly in the firelight as it prowled towards her, growling lowly. Just before it lunged to bite into her abdomen, a sudden force from the side knocked the wolf to the ground. A boy appeared between the girl and the creature, his mouth opened to release a deafening screech. The wolf didn't allow itself to be got off guard again; ignoring the pain in its ears, it snapped at the boy's leg.

With surprising agility and force, the human pulled his leg up and met the creature's jaw with a powerful kick, eliciting a sharp yelp of pain from the creature. Unfortunately, it merely gave the wolf the opportunity to seize the thigh of the boy's leg with its jaws.

It pinned him to the earth with its paws and tore the boy to shreds, ripping up his leg and torso with savage brutality. Once he had been sufficiently mauled, it turned and bounded towards the few remaining humans. They had attempted to flee, however in the darkness and confusion, they hadn't gotten far. One by one, it took them down, mauling them before moving onto the final human.

As the last human fell, the spell pulled away from its vantage point on the werewolf's back and floated back into the sky, allowing the creature and its' victims to hide beneath the canopy of leaves the trees provided. As the wolf became hidden from view, Leo's final view of it was of the deep scars along its shoulder.

---

Leo fell onto his back with a gasp, breathing heavily as sweat coated his body. The horrors of what he had just witnessed raced through his mind, momentarily disabling him.

After a moment, his disciplines kicked in, forced him back to reality. The Warlock stood on shaky legs and grabbed his phone off of the couch as he snuffed out his cigar. He quickly unlocked his phone and dialed an emergency number.

"911, what's your emergency?" A female voice crackled over the line.

"There was an animal attack in the mountains. A group of teenagers, east of OC&E Wood Line Trail and Justin southeast of Crater Lake. They had a bonfire. Hurry, there isn't much time." Leo spoke quickly, a very clear note of concern and panic in his voice. He stayed on the line just long enough Tom came inform the woman had all the information she needed before hanging up. His number was untraceable, a little trick he had picked up from a Druid in Canada.

Leo opened his messages and pulled up his conversation with Zoë, sending her Ann urgent message.

To:Zoe Florès
Werewolf attack on teens in woods. Police on the way. Get to SLMC.

Leo moved about his house as he used his phone, gathering his keys, shoes, and jacket. He attempted to dial Callie, however her phone rang through to voicemail with no response.

"Dammit, Callie." Leo growled, walking over to the corner of his bedroom and pulling up a plank with magic. A metal container approximately five feet in length lay under it, sealed with a rune. Leo's touch caused the rune to flare and release its hold on the box, giving the Warlock access to the contents.

Inside were various charms, amulets, gemstones, and other magical artifacts. Leo grabbed three amulets, one composed of the hexagon of a turtle'a shell. The other two amulets contained gemstones, however one was a metal construct that contained six different gemstones, ranging from sapphire to moonstone. It possessed multiple, powerful defensive charms that Leo had labored over for years. He had only worn it once before, as it was for the most extreme of circumstances. With a bloodthirsty, ravenous werewolf on the loose intent on hunting, Leo deemed it a worthy case. Especially for a wolf so powerful.

Leo finally grabbed a wand of Ceder Ash, etched with various tunes across its dark surface. An unrefined diamond was fused to the base of the wand, fueling its powers.

After tucking it into the back of his pants, Leo spun around and headed out the door, rubbing his bracelet. He was on guard for any danger. He figured it was highly unlikely that the wolf would attack him, but he wasn't taking any chances. After all, it was a full moon.

Leo attempted to call Callie again as he hopped in his car, pulling out of the parking lot as he once again was sent to voicemail. "It's Leo. There's been an attack. Call me."

Leo hung up and increased his speed, making sure to stick to well lit roads and populated areas. It slowed him down, but he was much safer in the light.

---

Leo's car pulled into the Inn's driveway half an hour later, the tires grinding the gravel underneath them. The odd path had delayed him quiet a bit.

He cautiously got outnumbered of the car and hurried to the doorstep, casting a glance into the shadows. When he neared the building, he became aware of the activated defenses. Clearly, Callie was aware of the threat, or she wouldn't have activated so many of their defenses.

It wasn't until Leo touched the doorknob when he realized the inn was completely sealed, preventing any kind of access. Leo muttered a few words under his breath and twisted his fingers, revealing a score of runes across the doors. He set to work, manipulating them to allow him and him alone access. It took a few minutes, and Leo felt terribly vulnerable in the open. Once he finally bypassed the runes, he opened the door, keeping a hand on the wand in his waistband, hidden under his jacket.

The entry hall was empty, however Leo could hear faint chatter from the living room. He quietly walked through the hall, wincing at every creak the floorboards gave. As he approached, he was able to make out Magnus' musing to himself.

Breathing a sigh of both relief and slight irritation, he eased his grasp on the wand and stepped into the room.

"Damn it, Callie, turn on your phone for once." Leo pulled her close to his chest and hugged her, sighing again, this time mostly in frustration. "I've been trying to reach you, even though you apparently already know what's going on."

Leo pulled away and nodded to Magnus. "Magnus, good to see you. Why are you here?" It sounded a bit rude, but Leo didn't care.

Before Magnus could answer, Leo noticed the third person in the room. He didn't recognize her, however she seemed to have a magical aura. "Oh, hey there." Leo was surprised at her presence, and wondered if Callie had brought her there for safekeeping from the danger.

"I'm Leo. What are your name?" The crisis was momentarily put in the back of Leo's mind as he introduced himself to the girl. He smiled as he looked her over. She couldn't not be more than eighteen, with a short stature and redish hair. She wore multiple amulets around her neck, most of them Callie's, however he didn't recognize an amulet shaped like a wave inside of a circle. The bone it was composed of revealed that it wasn't Callie's. The Witch disapproved of bone magic.

She was young, and that meant the world to Leo. She seemed uncertain and uncomfortable, and that made Leo want to comfort her all the more. He gave her a kind smile and nodded gently, encouraging her to introduce herself.

---

---

Callie gave Magnus a sweet smile, knowing full well ehe had a love hate relationship with children, but knowing that in thenlong run, Abigale would win out. The girl was just too adorable, and she had a tough path ahead of her, one enitrely her own, not connected to her wolfy heritage, but one connected, Callie suspected, to her mother. Watching Magnus take the girl to the room she had set aside for her, Callie smiled, a little sadly. There were timee when visions or "vibes" could be both distressing and disturbing. She sighed again, and looked back over to Alexis. She gave the girl a kind smile, an odd air about her. "Have no fear, Alexis. Sometimes Faith is all we need. You are under my protection now, and Zoe is many things, but she is not foolish. Nor is she a bad person. I have already promised that i won't let any harm come to you, have faith in me, if nothing else" she assured the girl, stepping back as Alexis realised her friends were in trouble.

She watched her, her heart aching for the girl, who wanted to belong. She waited patiently, for Alexis to calm down, to do what she had to do. "As Magnus said, your friends will be alright. Zoe will look after them, and they will come out of this stronger. You need not fear. If i may offer you some advice, Alexis? Don't be afraid to take that leap, to speak and interact with them. You may find that you have more in common then you think, and you will benefit from their presence, and, i think, they will fro, yours" She said softly, glancing to the door as her wards were being bypassed, she reached for some power, forming a spell juste in case, but let it fizzle with a smile. When the man entered withput trouble, Callie shifted, watching.

As Leo stored in, wrapping his arms around her, Callie let herself lean into him, imto his steady warmth, and presence. Leo had become a constant in her life, one that she took a lot of reassurance from. Having a coven of her own once more...it gave her a sense of security, knowing there was someone there, standing with her always. She sighed, letting herself relax somewhat. "Leo" she breathed, clutching to him a moment when he pulled away, before letting go. She smiled, holding out her phone, so he could see that it was indeed on "the defenses barr the use of phones within here, when set to active mode, Leo. Don't want calls getting through to break the defenses, after all". She said, her tone shifting xlightly to that of teacher. As coven leader, her job was never done in the teachings of magic. After everything had happened, she had never expected to have a coven again, let alone be tne leader of it.

She gave Alexis a smile, reassuring her that everything was alright, "its okay, he's one of mine. Actually, he's the only other person in our coven"

---

---

---

---

The siren had fallen unconscious… the angel’s daughter asking to go home… but right now, the only thing that held her attention was the young pup curled up on the floor in front of her, cradling his young pink-haired girlfriend within his arms. He was confused… scared… and the way that he’d just flinched when she went to touch him-…

Her heart went out to the boy…

He didn’t deserve any of what he got… he didn’t deserve it, and neither did his brother; and it was because of this that she had been working non-stop with her sister for over the past year to try and help in her own way. The process was a lengthy one… but it had been worth it when she had gotten just what she had been waiting for these last few months- now it was just up to them… and up to what they wanted… she could only hope that maybe, maybe it was the same thing she wanted.

The once blackened veins visible in her wrists slowly returned back to normal, the pain she’d pulled from the girl still running through her system, though she refused to let it get to her; whatever she could do to help make those she cared about more comfortable… happy… she would do it. Taking a moment to calm her breath, Zoé continued to hold his gaze, her lips parted as she brought her voice down to something softer, more gentle as she spoke, her head shaking lightly from side to side causing her long dark locks to brush back and forth over her back, “..Gage…”

Lifting one of her hands up, she reached out towards him, her touch light as she once more caressed his cheek, her features full of love and worry as she fell silent once again, pausing long enough to gain the courage in order to continue speaking her mind- this could go one of many ways… it wasn’t something that she had spoken to the boys about before; how could she..? How could she have ever thought of raising their hopes when before, it hadn’t been certain that things could go the way that she wanted them to… letting her free hand slip back over her thigh, her fingers curled slightly, the motion stopping as her palm came to a rest over the pocket of her jeans where inside sat the very thing she wished to speak with them about.

“..you have my word, Gage… I will protect you and your brother… from everything…”

---

---

As Zoé's attention was brought to Gage, Quinton looked out over the others in the room. He might be overstepping his boundaries, yet Zoé had a lot to do, and he could make things even slightly easier for her, in the capacity that he could do. Shifting towards the unconscious Sebastian, he crouched, and lifted the boy into his arms, as if he weighed little. Gently cradling the boy, he took him to the bed that had been left unoccupied by the others, and carefully laid him down. One thing down. He turned to the others, looking over the teenagers, his heart heavy.

"Alright guys" He said, his voice calm, carrying around to the teens "Please, its time for you to return home. I'm sure your families are worried about you, and you best hop along to reassure them you're okay. For now...tell them it was less serious then they may have heard. All they need know is that only two of you were hurt, the rest of you were okay, but the EMTs thought it best to take you in, get you checked over, alright?" His tone had a little bit of dismissal in it, as he sought to nudge the teens along ,"If anyone needs a lift home, I will drive you" He said,

He looked around them once more so young... Of course, he himself had been younger, yet that didn't discount the teens youth. They were going to have a few trying months, perhaps years, but they had a good base. His gaze drifted to Zoé, In her, at least, they do He thought to himself, before looking back over the teens. "Go, get some rest. We'll meet up with you tomorrow"

^{Interacting With: Xerxes Arvanitis (@YoshiSkittlez), Quinton Matson, Connor Vos and Cody Treadwell (@Caits), Sebastian Monroe (@December), Miranda Burke (@Damo021), Zoe Flores, Syeste (Vos) Nioré and Kaylee Evans @Vicier[and anyone else i missed]}

---

Gage watched as zoo's veins went back to normal and he held syleste in such a way that it was clear she meant everything to him. A look of worry passed through his face for a moment before he went back to zoe when she said his name. His gaze had been unwavering until she went to touch his cheek once more. He looked away and his jaw clenched. It took a lot for him to not flinch away again. Gage was ignoring everyone else in the room. It was as if there was only the three of them. As he slowly calmed down he realized that he pretty much confirmed how bad the house of terrors was for himself and his brother. shit He hadn't meant to.

His gaze went back to zoe as she said she would protect them from everything. An eyebrow rose and he slowly rose with slyeste in his arms. "I won't be joining until you can prove that. His voice was soft, but he was clear in what he said. He moved to another empty bed and gently put slyeste on it. He faintly heard quinton and turned to face him. "I am not leaving." His face was set to one of blankness, but his voice had a firmness to it that said he was not going anywhere.

Aron was still locked in a hug with cody until he finally pulled away. "Thank you....I...I should stay with Gage for awhile." He made his way over to his brother and both stood in a sort of silence that seemed to convey everything to each other. "We will be fine here." Gage nodded.

---

@Caits@Legion02@December

---

Magnus looked up as leo walked into the room. He chuckled and went to answer, but he seemed to freeze for a moment. The eye he was spying on linus through suddenly flickered to snake like before a trickle of blood oozed out of the tear duct. He grabbed a cloth from his pocket and held it there as his eye bled. He had pushed it for too long and now he was bleeding. awesome. The horrible part of it was that leo was here. He did not have a crush on the guy...no, but he did like him. He pulled the cloth from his face and sighed. The cloth was now stained with his blood and he was tired.

He listened to the two and barely made any noise. He was thinking that much was obvious, and magnus thinking usually lead to the most interesting of places. He saw the glow of the magical book earlier and now he was watching it from the corner of his eye. The girl hadn't mentioned it and that had him wondering what it was all about. Though, witch problems were not usually his forte. He kept to the more animalistic side of the supernatural.

Finally once they all had stopped talking magnus spoke. "We wait. Though I am be needed tomorrow, so being exhausted probably would not be in my best interest." He looked at callie. "So am I staying here for the night or am I leaving?" Black rimmed eyes held a more serious expression that usual. The question was more of would you need me here then it was of him simply staying the night. He was a druid and not a witch, but that meant he had a different view on magic which could prove helpful for teaching, but he was not going to trod into magic territory unless he was wanted to.

---

---

"The defenses barr the use of phones within here, when set to active mode, Leo. Don't want calls getting through to break the defenses, after all." Callie's warm embrace was missed as soon as Leo let go, but he was content knowing she was in the most secure place in Klamath Falls. Leo raised an eyebrow and gave her a semi-stern look, however Callie was one of two people he couldn't really be paternal towards.

Leoo turned his attention back to Alexis as Callie gave her a smile, reassuring her that everything was alright, "It's okay, he's one of mine. Actually, he's the only other person in our coven."

“Alexis. Farreacher” She said. “I’m new.. sort of. I mean, with magic too. But aslo to Klamath. I’m a warlock. My –euhm- grandma sort of taught me.” The girl was obviously uncomfortable, however that was understandable. Being thrust into a situation like this, even without knowing the full extent of it, would've made Leo uneasy.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Alexis." Leo smiled warmly, softly placing a hand on his chest to motion to himself."I'm Leo Kwon, resident clairvoyant of Klamath Falls. Me and Callie go way back." Leo had really only known Callie for a little under five years, but it felt like his entire life. They had grown immensely close over the years, through both natural and magical means.

“So… what do we do now?” Alexis returned her attention to Callie, however before the Witch spoke, Magnus interjected.

"We wait. Though I am be needed tomorrow, so being exhausted probably would not be in my best interest." He looked at Callie. "So am I staying here for the night or am I leaving?"

Leo's brow furrowed in concern as he saw the blood soaked rag pressed against the Druid's eye. "Magnus..." There was a note of concern in his voice as he crossed the room and gently put his hand on the back of Magnus' neck without bothering to ask permission while the other hand gently pulled the cloth away so that Leo could get a better look at the source of the blood.

"Here, let me see." The Warlock ignored any potential discourse the Druid gave him. Despite being somewhere around a sixteenth of the age of the Druid, he could still be paternal towards him with no issue. The blood stemmed from the eye of the Druid, causing Leo to bite his lip a little as he gentle cast a wordless spell. The blood coagulated and slowed, very slowly forming drop by drop at the surface of the eye. The bleeding hadn't stopped, however any blood that left the Druid's body chilled, dropping to a near freezing temperature to slow its movements.

After he was done, Leo pulled back and shook his head. "No, you're staying. It's not safe for anyone, not even a werewolf, out there right now. The creature..." Leo trailed off as he cast a glance at Alexis. She was already skeptical, and Leo didn't want to speak about a highly powerful predator hunting people her age in front of her. "Can't come close to getting into the house. It's the safest place in the Falls."

Leo's salvaged comment about the creature hunting the young in the night left a note of tension in the air, however he didn't bother to dispel it further. Not only would it probably worry Alexis more, but he couldn't find it within himself to do it. His clairvoyance earlier that evening had left a growing seed of dread in his stomach that he couldn't quite place; something about the werewolf was unnatural, yet also... familiar.

Leo gently shook his head to rid himself of the thought and turned back to Magnus. "No one should be out there right now." He repeated.

---

---

”You will find, Alexis, that while they will be changed, their personalities will fundamentally be the same. Just because they are now what they are...does not mean that that will change who they are as a person” Callie said, her voice soft and kind. ”You are not just what your magic makes you, just like your friends aren’t just werewolves. Do not fear” Callie said encouragingly, giving Alexis a kind smile once more. She watched the girl a moment interact with Leo, satisfied. Alexis would be okay, she was sure, with a little bit of gentle encouragement and maybe a nudge in the right direction every so often. The girl was strong, and did think quickly. Callie was sure she would make a fine witch, one day.

Callie looked over at Magnus and gave a soft sigh. The problem child of Klamath Falls. He would be a much needed asset in days to come. He just needed to realise his potential. They all did. It would be a long hard road, yet Callie couldn't help but think that Klamath falls would be all the better for it. The teens would learn. And the coven...well, if Alexis wanted to be apart of it, she could be. As for Linus...she hoped that he would come around. Perhaps she could send Leo to speak with the boy, in the morning. That might be the best course of action, for all of them. Leo had a way with children.

Her gaze drifted back over to Leo again, and she smiled softly. Just with him here, she felt safer. Together, they could hold back a heck of a lot, and with Magnus, well, she was sure they could handle anything that came their way. Plus...it was Leo. He’d been a steady constant in her life for five years. He was her coven. Simple as that. And in a very real sense, the only sort of family she had. She watched him cross over to Magnus, and assist him with the bleeding, a small smile on her face. Leo was...in a word, pure. Then she sighed softly, and nodded. ”Yes, you cannot leave at the moment. It would be too dangerous” She glanced about her, thoughtful.

”You may have…” Callie thought for a moment, then smiled brightly ”The room next to Abigale is free, if you’d like that” She said, quite innocently ”And Leo can have the one of the other side, with Alexis next to him. That way, we will all be near one another, and can protect the children, if anything gets through” She reasoned, knowing full well that Magnus would know what she was doing, yet could she not have a little bit of fun of her own, in these trying times.

Although Callie doubted that she would be getting any sleep. Chances were, she’d be in her private kitchen, whipping up a few potion.

---

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---

---

“Kaylee…”

His voice cut through all others in the room as her name passed through his lips, and the moment it had, her attention was locked once more on him. Her dark eyes lifted to meet with his own, and her heart fluttered- she was never going to be able to get used to this… the way he made her feel… the way he made her heart both race and come to a stop all at the same time... Wherever he went, she knew she was going to follow; whatever he wanted to do, she was going to support him with all she had… In a matter of moments, Connor had become her world; her everything…

There was no way she could ever let him go…

Turning slightly in his arms, she lifted her hands up, both coming to a gentle rest against his chest as held his gaze. Something within telling her she knew what it was he wanted to say to her; he didn’t want to be apart from her. It was clear in his eyes, and she was sure as hell that it was just as clear in her own. Connor was her mate… her true mate. Once found, there was no separating them.

“I… what… do we do now..?”

Her soft pink lips parting ever so slightly from one another, Kaylee continued to gaze at him, seeming to get lost within his eyes once more as she thought on his words. She didn’t want to leave him- she couldn’t. There was nothing in this world that could get her to leave his side now that she was there; now that she had found him. Lifting a hand from where it had been resting over his chest, she placed it lightly against his cheek, caressing it lovingly for what felt like a lifetime before giving any sign that she was going to answer his question, her eyes fluttering to a close as she pressed her forehead gently against his own.

“..let’s go home… together…”

---

---

Kaylee seemed to understand what he wanted, what he just couldn't seem to say, and Connor was grateful for that, she didn't want to be parted from him either, and that made him feel warm, even as a certainity filled him. And yet he hesitated, looking about tat the others in the room. It seemed that they were being dismissed, which Connor thought was for the best, the leaders, the...adults had, it se3med, a lot to deal with, in protecting those that had been attacked, and in a round about way, protecting Kaylee and that was all Connor needed to know for the moment. He looked back to Kaylee, and smiled.

Yet still he hesitated. Home. Connor hadn't had a home in whaf seemed like a long time, he missed it, and yet...Connor hadn't thought of settling down, he had been drifting for for a couple of months now. Perhaps one could even call it running away, but now....this was where Kaylee was, and so it was where he belong. That much was certain. Perhaps then, it was time to...make a home. He thought on that a moment, and then he nodded, "alright, as long as its with you, I'll be happy". Connor was aware that that meant he'd be going home to her family...and he wasn't sure how he felt about tnat. It throw him off balance, and he felt nervous and worried. What was he meant to do, meeting a girls...and not just any girls, family?

So he simply took reassurances from her, in his arms, forehead against his, and drew in a slow breath, inhaling her scent, and giving himself courage. He could do anything, so long as she was by his side. "I just want to be with you, Kaylee...no matter where that is". He took her hand in his, curling his fingers around hers, wanting...no, needing, tnat constant contact as he slowly let his ar s fall from her, knowing that she was there, that they had found each other, that they weren't going to be separated. Not for anything.

He paused a moment, before finding some paper, a pen, writing down his number, and giving it to Quinton, noticing that Zoé was busy, feeling that that was the right thing to do, in case they were need, before turning back to Kaylee, "lead the way" he said with a smile, following kaylee out,making sure he kept a hold of her hand, and that their legs brushed against each other with every step.