[IC] That sure is a big dog you have there !

[BeautifulSnow]

''Here miss, your flowers'' Vanessa said with a smile to the older lady which looked back happily. ''Oh, those are wonderful! Thank you Miss'' the women said and paid for the flowers and the pot plant she bought and Vanessa smiled and gave her the change. ''No no, keep that, its good'' she said and Vanessa thanked the women and putted the money in the pot with tips. Two hours later Vanessa turned the OPEN card to CLOSED and started cleaning up. ''Glad the day is over, I can't wait till I am home with Chester and Taylor again'' Esther said. Vanessa smiled. ''Now hurry, I'll clean up and give little prince charming a hug from his aunt'' Vanessa said. Esther, a blond girl who turned 20 last month and was having a boy from three years old and pregnant now with a second one had asked Vanessa about a job a while ago.

Vanessa owned the flower shop now for a year, the previous owner sold it to her for a small prince. The money she had gotten from the inheritance her parents had left her and which was standing on her bank account since she turned eighteen. That had been the first and last time Vanessa had used the money. Vanessa cleaned the shop and sang along with the music. She smiled and giggled a little bit about herself and when she was done with cleaning, she grabbed her coat, keys and the money of that day and locked the door behind herself. She might be owning a good paying flower shop, she still lived in her little apartment in the backstreets since she kinda got attached to it. There it was where she went now, with the profit from today in her purse and a sharp eye on everything around her.

[Chenzor]

The backstreet was a hard place. Not only because of the petty crime and shady peddling that usually went on, but also because there is an unknown player on the streets of New York. A player that moves in packs, vicious and ferocious, and prayes on the weak, if not each other. Survival for the fittest.

Werewolves.

A few big gang such as the Red Hound Pack and the Snarlwhips control most of the New York "main" backstreets, where they serve as the overlord street gang of all criminals in town. They're of course bitter rivals, and have been at a standstill in their tug-of-war kind of conflict for years now.
There are however smaller, scattered packs that haven't yet come to the mercy or wrath of the bigger gangs. Such as the Up-Town-Pack and the Streetfangs. The streetfangs were among the smallest packs, just five individuals. And Gabriel was their leader.

---

Walking through the now darkening streets with his hood up and his hands stuffed deep into his jacket pockets, Gabriel turned and twisted around the labyrinth-like maze of converging and interlocking streets. In his backpack he had some food for his pack. It wasn't much but it would be enough for them all once combined with what the others had found.
Once he made a turn, the wind changed. He lifted his head and stopped in his tracks, catching the scent of something. Quickly, he stuffed his backpack in a secret hiding-place behind a wall of rubble. He'd come back for it later... For now, it seemed there were some intruding werewolves on his turf. And he didn't like that.

They weren't moving fast. He never lost their scent. The wind was against him so they probably wouldn't catch his smell until he could see them, if at all. After a few twists and turns, he stopped at hearing a sound. A girl walked merrily through the backstreets, probably on her way home from work. It was late, though, and Gabriel could almost hear the coins in her purse. He looked around. The scent was lost. The wind was still. They're around here somewhere.

Suddenly there was a voice, a gruff and mocking voice, from one of the alleyways. "Hey there, miss..." the mischievous fellow said as he stepped out, his hood covering his eyes. He stood blocking the way of the girl. "Say, it's getting late and you're walking through the alleys all by yourself. It could be dangerous out here y'know?"
He took a step forward, and two other shady men came out from the alleyways behind the girl. She was trapped. Gabriel could see them from here, how the other two stood next to each other, blocking the way the girl had come from, while the first one, obviously their leader, blocked her pack up front. "Allow us to 'escort' you home. We'd very much like to carry your bags for you as well." he grinned, as the other two approached her from behind. They were gonna snatch her purse, probably. Who knows what else they have in mind, the beasts. Gabriel was lucky though. They hadn't spotted him, and the wind was still so they wouldn't catch his scent just yet. Up-town-pack. he thought. Morons, intruding on my turf like that.
He remained in his hidingplace for a moment, however. He wanted to catch them off-guard, or if the girl really needed help.

[BeautifulSnow]

Vanessa looked up when she heard someone saying something and frowned, she waited till he was done talking and knew she should not make any stupid ideas up about running because she knew she was locked in between the 'leader' in front and the two followers behind her. She sighed and smiled at the man in front of her, almost charmingly. ''Oh I know it can be dangerous out here during this hour but you know.. I had to close the store where I work and that is why I am still out here'' she said and shrugs. ''But I ain't scared of the dark and I am almost home already so for those last five minutes there is no help needed and the bag I carry here, isn't that heavy'' she said and looked back at the two that stood behind her, she moved her bag closer to herself and gave them now also a charming smile.

Of course what she said, wasn't what they had wanted her to say and so one of the followers tried to grab her bag but Vanessa moved away just in time yet was grabbed by her wrist by the leader which now grinned at her. ''I don't think you totally understood what I said'' he said and Vanessa tried to free herself but his grip was too strong. ''Oh but I know that you are after the money in my bag, you hope it is a lot but after all the taxes are paid, it is just enough to live from for a week'' she said and kept trying to free herself. The second 'follower' now grabbed her bag and opened it, he took the plastic bag with the cash inside it and held it up for his boss. ''That sure looks like a lot more than food for just a week'' the leader said and held her closer to him now. ''You got the money, now let me go'' Vanessa said and spitted in the leader his face.

[Chenzor]

The two underdogs grinned widely as they held up the bag of money, hearing the clink of the coins as they moved it around. "You got the money, now let me go" the girl said. All three of them laughed in unison, until she spat in the leader's face. The alleyway fell into harsh silence. Gabriel almost snorted from laughing, but he held it back and stayed quiet. It was about time to make his entrence.
"Now look here, you wench... I've been nice, I've given ya a chance to do as I say, but you repay me with this?" he says angrily, his jaw clenching and his grip of her wrist tightening. "Why I oughta show you--" "Let her go, dog." said Gabriel, stepping out from behind his corner. All three of them turned to him in surprise. He wasn't exactly a tall fellow and he was hiding behind his hood so he didn't exactly instill fear... But the three did feel an unease when looking upon him. They looked at each other, as if oblivious as to why they couldn't feel his scent until now. "Let her go." he said again. The leader pulled down his hood, revealing a shaved head, disaligned teeth and a big malformed nose, probably having healed in an odd angle after an injury. He even had a scar running through his left eyebrow. Combined, it all made him look quite ugly. "And who the fuck are you supposed to be?!" he said, angrily. Obviously annoyed with the disturbance. Gabriel responded with pulling down his own hood, which made the two underdogs back off. "Step away." he said, taking a step towards them. The leader let go of the girl, but didn't back off. He instead took a few steps forward, coming up face-to-face with Gabriel... And he was a good foot taller than Gabriel was. "What are you gonna do about it, pup?" the disfigured thug said. The underdogs twitched as they heard him say it. They beckoned him to step away. "The hell man, you know who this is! We gotta go man!" one of them said. "Yeah bro that's Streetfang's alpha." said the other. The leader snarled at them. "Cowards! He's nothing but a--" he began, but was interrupted with Gabriel putting a hand on his chest and a foot behind his legs, pushing forward. The big man fell backwards on his ass onto the wet concrete backalley ground. Gabriel kept walking towards the other two, who promptly handed over the bag of money and ran off into the alleyways. "You alright, miss?" Gabriel said, not minding the big thug getting up behind him. He turned to the girl whom the gang had harassed. "Some people ought to learn of manners, eh?" He handed over the bag of coins to her, then turned to the big thug who had just gotten up from his embarassing trip. He was going to open his mouth and start sputtering insults, but Gabriel silenced him quickly with an angry look. "You should know better than to intrude on my territory, dog." he said, staring him down. The big man stayed silent, but soon frowned and scurried away. "Our alpha will hear of this!" he hisses as he leaves. Gabriel sighs. "These alleys are usually safe. I'm sorry you had to be harassed by those asses." he said and turned back to the girl. "I'm Gabriel."

[BeautifulSnow]

Vanessa clanged her teeth together when the leader took a tighter grip and closed on eye, looking at him. When the boy or young man came from out of the corner she didn't know what to say. She wanted him to leave, let her take this and go home to his family but she saw in his way of standing there and heard in the way of talking that he wasn't gonna back off. She wondered why and then she was released, the sudden release on her wrist made her fall back and land on the ground in a little pool of dirty water, yet she tried not to make any sound and looked at what was going on.

This wouldn't be a fair fight, her attacker was taller than him and the boy looked like he just came from high school! She sighed but picked up what they where saying.. Alpha... Streetfang's.. Was this something between some kind of gangs? She shook her head and couldn't help but giggle when her attacker fell on the ground, when her savior walked to her and helped her she gave him a little smile. ''Thank you'' she said as she then saw the attacker getting up. Now he said something about Alpha and she shook her head, gangsters where not her type of people and even though she knew this part of the city wasn't save and even filled with gangsters, both fake and real ones, she tried to not get involved with them. She looked at the boy / young man, she still wasn't quit sure of his age yet and gave a little smile.

''That sure was a nice performance.. And I must say Thank you for getting me save and giving me my profit back'' she said. ''But I must say, you are out of your mind.. Taking on three guys on your own. Now two of the three where scared of you so you must be someone very dangerous around here but I think you are crazy. I don't know a thing of the gangsters and stuff here and Alpha's are mostly used, or the name Aplha is used for Canines but still.. Do you want to get yourself killed?'' she said, she dumped her bag with money back into her shoulder bag and laid a hand on her hip looking at him. ''My name is Vanessa btw and it is nice to meet you but next time, don't travel alone around here'' She said and turned around, she walked away.

[Chenzor]

Vanessa. That was her name. What an odd girl, Gabriel thought. She was the one in trouble, yet she insisted he was the crazy one for being on his own out here. "Nice to meet you, Vanessa. You should take your own advice though." he said as she left. Gabriel pulled his hood back over his head and watched as she disappeared around the next corner. There was something strange with that girl. Something familiar. Her scent was mingled with the makeup that most girls' scents were, but there was something that pierced the veil. He couldn't quite put a finger on what, but he it compelled him to follow her. To make sure she was fine all the way back home.

She had heard the talk of alphas, packs and Streetfangs. Gabriel didn't mind, it's not like she had any idea of what it really meant.

He followed from afar. He knew how to stay hidden in the maze of streets and she didn't have his sense of smell, so she had no idea. He stopped as she came out on a bigger road and found her apartment. It wasn't much to cheer for, but hey, that's way more than he had. He could've taken the money. He could've left her to her fate with the Up-Town-Pack... But he didn't. He wasn't human anymore, yet he wanted to think that he was still humane.

As Vanessa closed the door behind her, she would see Gabriel disappearing behind the alleyway they had come from. Just a split second, but she would still know somehow that it was him.

---

Returning to the hideout, Gabriel greeted his pack with the usual hugs and handshakes. They had all brought back enough food. They would live one more day. When you have nothing in this world, it takes little to cheer you up. And that's exactly what his pack did to each other.
They shared food and drink, talked and laughed together. There were just the five of them, including Gabriel.

There was Jaze, an african-american fellow that was surprisingly a lot of muscle even though he lived on the streets. He had basicly no hair on his head but a thin mustasche still decorated his upper lip. He had brought an almost depleted skewer of kebab from a store that was about to throw it out. He had gotten it peacefully, as he was a gentle soul.

Then there's Conrad, an older man of about 45, but still the one who has been a werewolf the shortest time. He was turned just a few years ago despite everyone thinking you could only be turned during your childhood. They used to joke that he was the exception that confirmed the rule.
His hair was longer and unkempt, with gray strands sticking out here and there. His beard wasn't bushy but still rather unkempt as well. He had lived on the streets longer than any other of the Streetfangs, and was considered the wisest of the pack. Gabriel valued his wisdom highly, as he also had quite a high education and used to have some sort of educated job. Gabriel had never asked.
Conrad had brought a few dry leftover buns from a bontainer behind a bakery. How they were as clean as they were, nobody knew.

Robyn Summers. The only one of the pack that actually had a last-name that she used. She was the youngest of the group, only 16, but had been a street urchin all her life. She had short black hair and a very punk-ish style. Quite the attitude to fit with it, too. She never did like violence however.
Robyn had brought fruits that she had stolen from a closing streetshop. The owner hadn't noticed until it was too late.

Lastly, there was Thomas. A young man who had taken one too many wrong turns in life and ended up on the streets just like the rest of them. He wanted to change his ways and become a better man, and Gabriel had helped him with that. They stood each other close, and considered each other wingmen. Thomas had short-ish brown hair and deep blue eyes. Despite his homelessness, he was quite the good looker. The other teased him about this, calling him princess sometimes.
Thomas had brought a rabbit he had managed to kill in one of the parks.

Gabriel smiled. He didn't care where they were from or what they had done in their previous lives. They were family to him, and they saw him as their leader. He was proud of his gang.

[BeautifulSnow]

Vanessa nodded before she disappeared behind the corner and smiled some by the thought of what he said. Of course he was right! She should be closing the shop a little earlier and get home before the sun starts to set, she knew that would be smarter but closing the shop earlier would mean less money and she had the responsibility to take care of her employee. Yes, she knew it wasn't her duty to take care of the pregnant young women but Esther had tried so many things, Vanessa knew because before she offered the girl the job, she had watched her from a distance seeing her being rejected because she was a mom and had a son that could get sick every week.

Before closing the door from her apartment, she saw Gabriel disappearing into the alley again or Gabriel? A boy / man that looked like her savior but also could be one of the creeps that had attacked her. Yet.. Somehow, she simply knew it was Gabriel and she smiled again. It was nice to know that she lived in the.. how did they say that again? Territory? Oh well, she didn't care about how they called it.. She was just happy to live near a gang that wasn't really that bad. Of course she didn't know about the others of his group, which she was sure of he had or else he couldn't be a leader. But she kinda believed that if the leader was a nice guy, the rest probably was nice too.

---

Vanessa took some leftovers from her fridge and warmed them up in the microwave so she could eat something before heading to bed. Tomorrow she had to go out early because of the flower-market just outside of town. Esther had said she would be there this time but something told Vanessa that she would be alone with the flowers again. She didn't really mind, only that she hated to carry all the flowers to her little van on her own. She would find a way, there were always people around that for a few bucks wanted to help you out.

After her little meal, she washed herself in the bathroom above the sick, cleaned of the make-up from her face and decided that tomorrow would be a make-up less morning. She smiled by that idea and was pretty happy about it, she wasn't really a fan of make-up but had learned from her Aunt that it would help being taken as a serious candidate for new business partners and such. She putted on a old t-shirt and a short and got into bed. Laying down she looked at her ceiling and involuntary she started to think about Gabriel. Where would he be right now and what was he gonna do? Did he had a meal tonight? She shook her head and tried to get some sleep but somehow it didn't work, she set her alarm on 4:30 am and then putted on the radio for a soft background sound and closed her eyes, she doze off this time quickly.

[Chenzor]

When the gang was done eating and the darkness of the night was finally setting in, Gabriel found it hard to go to sleep. All the others in the gang was sleeping already, but Gabriel just found himself staring at the sky. The clear, starry sky was adorned with a crescent moon and it was really beautiful, he thought.
Something made him stand up and sneak away from his pack and off into the streets of his territory once more. New York was truly the city that never slept, for despite the late hours there was still trafic and people walking the streets... Well, the more crowded streets at least.
Gabriel found himself suddenly outside the apartment of that girl, Vanessa. He blinked and looked around. How did he get here? He must've kept on walking when his mind was elsewhere. All the windows were dark and most were covered with curtains. A sound from the backalley made Gabriel twitch, however.

Sneaking around the corner of the apartmentbuilding, he caught a glimpse of a shadow disappearing around the other bend. He could smell them, and they had a similar scent of those rascals he had chased out of his territory before. More from the up-town-pack, perhaps? Unfortunately for them, this was still Gabriel's territory. And this time he was going to set an example for persistant intruders.
As he turned around the corner however, there wasn't two rascals like he had expected, but four of them rather, wielding iron pipes and cracking their knuckles as he came around the corner. They had lured him into their trap.

"Mangy whelps." he growled under his breath. "We've got you this time!" one of them responded, which also happened to be the big ugly one that had stood up to him before (and that Gabriel had put on his ass). They jumped him at the same time. From inside the apartment, Vanessa could hear the crashing of garbage and clanking of steel pipes against concrete, as well as yells and roars from the thugs below. If she woke up, that is.
One or two of her neighbours looked out their window to see the commotion, and lunged for their phones to call the police.

Down below however, Gabriel was losing. He was stronger than all of them, but together they had the advantage of the pack. No one was in their monstrous form, but they were all much stronger than normal human beings.

-

20 minutes later, the police arrived on the scene. Two of the up-town-pack thugs were lying on the ground, moaning from broken bones or twisted limbs. The other two were nowhere to be found, but there was plenty of blood around and the back-door to the cellar of the apartment building was open.

Gabriel stumbled through the corridors. Damn fool... he thought to himself. I should've focused on the scent better. They caught me. He was holding his arm which was hanging limp from his side, and one of his eyes were closed because of the blood that had poured down from a gash on his forehead. He had managed to beat most of them and escape, but now he too must flee the scene before law enforcement finds him.
Hearing the officers in the corridors behind him, Gabriel picked up his pace. With a heavy breath, he ran up the stairs to escape them. The front exit wasn't exactly a good choice right now. Eventually, he came to a hallway and continued his running. One of the doors made him stop. It was Vanessa's apartment. Something made him try the handle. It was unlocked. ((Sorry if I'm being wrong here, you didn't say anything about locking the door in your previous post! :D))
He looked around the apartment. Nobody around. Good, maybe she was still sleeping and wouldn't notice him. He snuck into the bathroom and hid in her shower... But the world was spinning. The blow he had taken to the head was making him dizzy, and he had to sit down. There he sat, huddled up in the corner of some random girl's apartment. With luck, he should be able to sneak out when the police have left.

[BeautifulSnow]

Vanessa woke up in a shock when she heard the noises outside, putting on her bathrobe she walked to the window of her bedroom which had a perfect look out on the dark alley and she saw people fight. A feeling told her that down there was someone she knew yet she couldn't put her finger on it, she grabbed her phone and called the police. Once she finally got trough, it sure was a busy night for a Wednesday one, ''Good evening, there is a fight going on next to my house and it looks very bad.. Can you maybe send someone to see what is going on?'' she asked. ''Where do you live Ma'am'' the women on the other side asked. ''Seventh street of Bach'' Vanessa said. ''I see that a patrol car is send there already Miss, can you tell me how many there are fighting?'' she asked. ''It's very dark but it looks like three or four against one..'' she said. ''thank you miss, I'll send this new information to my colleagues and they will handle it.. Thank you for your call'' she said.

Vanessa putted down her phone and closed the curtains, yet felt very bad for that and she really didn't know what to do, she went to the bathroom and got a glass of water for herself and then went back to bed. [ this was before Gabriel got there ! ] She just couldn't get the sleep and soon she saw the lights of the police car and sighed. She looked on her phone, it was already 3:55 am, it kinda was no use to try to sleep again but she felt she was still tired and so she closed her eyes and dozed of to a light sleep.

At 4;30 am, her alarm went of and she heard the police leaving. They sure had taken there time for it, maybe they got the fighters already. She got up and as always, she took of her pajama first before entering the bathroom which had two doors, one on the hall and one in her bedroom. She then opened the door of her bathroom and putted on the light, closing her eyes as she had to get used to it and closet the door behind her. She opened her eyes slowly and saw something.. Someone sitting in the corner of her bathroom and she screamed, not that it was loud since she had a gentle and not very loud voice, and opened the door behind her and walked out, slamming the door shut. That was Gabriel! She breathed heavy and fast from the shock and tried to calm herself.. What was he doing here? Why had he blood on his face? Oh no.. He had blood on his face! She grabbed her bathrobe, putted it on and closet it tight with the robe and then opened the door again to look at him from behind the door. ''Gabriel?'' she asked with a normal voice now.

[Chenzor]

The blur eventually made Gabriel doze off, and it seems he was able to sleep there in that corner for an hour or so. A voice made him wake up. A surprised scream. He opened his eyes and felt the stinging pain in his head from the lights piercing his eyes. He groaned. He heard his name, and he looked up. "Hey..." he said with a weak voice. "Sorry to intrude..." he closed his eyes, turning away from the light. His senses were a mess right now.

After a minute or two he managed to see her hiding behind the door. The blurr was fading but he was still kind of knocked out. "Didn't mean to scare you... I had to hide from the... The thugs outside." he said, trying to stand but the world spun around, knocking him back to the floor. "They were waiting for me, the cowards... They... Ambushed..." he said with a weak voice, and lost conciousness.

[BeautifulSnow]

Vanessa walked to him and got down on her knees and placed her hand on his cheek, very softly and made him look up. ''Keep your eyes closed, you probably have a concussion.. Even if it's a light one, the lights will feel like its gonna kill you'' she whispered and she inspected carefully the gab above his eyebrow, which even went through the eye brow. ''Next time that you need to hide, you are allowed to come here.. Something tells me your not a gangster.. or at least not one that does illegal stuff.. But wake me up, please'' she said and smiled softly. ''That gab must at least be cleaned and maybe even get stitched'' she then said and got up.

''Stay..'' she said and walked over to a the kitchen where she not only got the first aid kit but also woke up her old school kettle, filling it with water and putting it on the fire for some tea or coffee, she wasn't sure yet. Then she went back to her bathroom and got on her knees again and opened the kit which almost exploded with plasters, cleaning pads, bandages, wipes and everything you need in little emergency's and everything was packed in plastic.

''Hehe.. Always dreamed of the day that a stranger would end up in my bathroom with a gab in his eyebrow... So sexy'' she said a little sarcastic and grinned some. ''This might sting.. well, it is going to sting'' she then said and opened a package with cleaning pads, and took one out very carefully. She took her hand and laid it on her arm. ''just pinch me if it stings'' she said and then softly started to clean the gab, first the blood around it and then the gab it self.

[Chenzor]

Gabriel grinned at Vanessa's joke. This was as far from sexy as he could ever feel, with blood oozing from his eyebrow and his clothes muddy from the streetfight outside. He grunted in different tones as responses, instead of using words. Words hurt. ''This might sting.. well, it is going to sting'' she said, and Gabriel couldn't help but snicker. She... Placed his hand on her arm. ''just pinch me if it stings'' she continued and started to clean his wound. He couldn't feel the sting, or any pain. He felt dizzy, sure but... Her skin was soothing. He gently moved his thumb back and forth, feeling the softness of her arm. He found enough courage to speak. "I'm sorry I woke you up... I'll let you know next time I get my ass kicked and need to hide..." he said, his voice hoarse. He looked up at her for a moment and tilted his head. Why was she helping him anyway? Returning the favor from earlier, when he had stopped the thugs from doing bad things to her? Or something else..?

When she noticed he was staring, he looked away. "Thank you... For helping me."

[BeautifulSnow]

As he started to move his thumb over her arm she looked at it with a little smile and then continued, after the eyebrow got cleaned, she putted a little bandage on it so it could start healing. ''I don't think this will help much, but my nursing skills aren't going further than this'' she said and smiled at him again. "I'm sorry I woke you up... I'll let you know next time I get my ass kicked and need to hide..." he said and she shook her head, laying a finger on his lips. ''Ssshhhh you.. The fight woke me up the first time and the second time my personal clock did because I have to go to the flower market today... For which I am now late but that is okay, I didn't have help for today anyway. she said and took her finger of his lips.

After he looked away and thanked her for helping she giggles and got up. She offered him her hand. ''Come, get up and take a seat on the couch, then I can fresh up and get dressed'' she said and smiled. ''And, your welcome.. You saved me from a bunch of pricks, now I helped you after you had a fight. And, I don't think you are a bad person that does bad stuff.. Maybe you steal for food but even with that I can help you.. If you join me twice a week with my Flower Grocery's I'll pay you for that'' she said with a smile.

Then she laid her hand on his shoulder, turned him around slowly and pushed him out of the bathroom, to the living room. ''Sit down or make some tea or coffee for both of us and sit then, I'll be there in ten minutes'' she said and smiled. She walked to her bedroom and closed the door, grabbing her clothes and then walked to the bathroom. She decided to take a short shower and once she was done she putted on a white blouse with floral print on the shoulders and a black jeans. She came back to the living room while brushing her hair and she smiled at him.

[Chenzor]

Gabriel was stunned. Not only was the scent and feel of her finger against his lip an extacy of it's own, but her carefree smile left him at a loss for words. There was something special about this girl, he was sure. He just had no idea what it was, and why it made him feel this way.
"You would... Offer me a job? A stranger? A homeless person? I..." he said, swallowing as he paused. "Thank you."
His face was shock and awe as she disappeared into the bathroom after she had put him on the couch and nursed him a bit. While she was showering, Gabriel layed there thinking. This was an insane situation he was in. Two days a week wasn't much, sure, but it'd be enough to feed him and his pack once in a while. They wouldn't be starving. Vanessa probably doesn't realize it but she has saved our lives... he thought. I wonder what the others are gonna say when I tell them this. Robyn's probably gonna be pissed when she finds out I'm gone. Jaze's gonna be worried, Thomas is gonna wanna look for me and Conrad would tell them to wait.

Vanessa exited the shower and disappeared into her bedroom where Gabriel assumed she got clothed. Then she came out brushing her hair, and smiled at him. Gabriel smiled back weakly, but was still rather stunned by her smile. "You're an odd girl, y'know that?" he said and chuckled a bit, which made his head hurt so he groaned and relaxed a bit. "I'm in your debt. I'd... Love to come help out in your shop."

Before she left, Gabriel told her about his pack. About Jaze the peaceful brute, Conrad the wise, Thomas his 'wingman' and Robyn the urchin. He told her that if they found her they might be distrustful. If so, she should tell them that 'the wolf never howls alone'. A rather strange sentence out of context, but it was their "password" so to speak. With that, he groaned and closed his eyes to get some more rest. Vanessa probably left for work.

[BeautifulSnow]

Vanessa giggled as she bound her hair in a high ponytail and listened to him. ''Do you call all your bosses odd?'' she asked but grinned some. ''You have to rest and eat properly first, there is food in the kitchen.. First rest some, then eat some..'' she said and looked at him with a serious look. ''Let's say.. I help you because, even though you are probably older than me, I can see something in your eyes that remind me from my teenage years.. Plus I can feel that you been trough a lot, it's in how you speak and how grateful you are for the job I offer you'' she said.

''A girl in your pack? Hmm.. Maybe she can help out in the shop.. If she is a little kind for other people, or at least can be kind to them.. And maybe the others can help me on the flower markets just like you during the week... I know you are gonna say that I am weird but I believe in being good to others will return itself somehow either way sooner or later'' she said. ''That's what I learned.. I'll try to find them later, when I came back from the shop, the market is no use right now anymore but that ain't your fault'' she said before she left.

Once she closed the door behind her, she laid a key behind a loose brick in the wall, and walked outside. On her way to the better streets, only three streets away from her appartment she bumped into a punkish girl which looked at her annoyed. ''He must be here somewhere'' she said. ''Yeah I know'' a male said and walked to the girl. Vanessa looked at them. ''Good morning.. It sounds weird but.. Are you Robyn and Jaze?'' she asked. ''If we were them, who does ask this?'' The punk girl asked on a snappy tone. Vanessa couldn't help but smile at her. ''A friend.. Ehm.. Oh god.. what did he say now.. The wolf.. A wolf... walk.. runs.. damn.. was it now with two or alone..'' she said thinking out loud. ''Okay.. You are weird'' Robyn said and wanted to walk away but Jaze kept her on her spot.

''The wolf never howls alone it was.. I guess'' Vanessa said and looked at them. ''Who told you that?'' Jaze asked. ''Gabriel did.. He had been in a fight and ended in my appartment... that really sounds odd.. But I helped him and he is now resting on my couch.. Seventh street of Bach, appartment 106.. The key is in the fifth brick on the second line from the ground, on the left side of my door... I locked the door so he could rest without being worried about intruders.. go ahead and see him there... After that, eat something and I would love to meet you all in the flower shop: Pure Nature'' she said and then started to walk away, her feeling said she was late and even though it wasn't even close to 09:30 am, she liked to be on time in her shop.

[Chenzor]

Jaze's stern expression eased, and he loosened his hold of Robyn's shoulder. "It seems Gabriel has made a new friend. And an odd one at that. You go check that apartment out and see if Gabe's really there. I'll head over to the rest of the pack and tell them the news. We'll meet back at the flower shop "Pure Nature" at nine thirty. Aight?" Jaze said and left, Robyn responding with a thumb up. None of them owned a watch, so they had to rely on other methods to tell the time.

While Jaze headed back to the rest of the pack, Robyn made her way to the apartment. [letting you take her from here]

Gabriel opened his eyes suddenly. He was sweating and was breathing heavily. It was more than a concussion, probably. He looked down at his ribs, and noticed one of them were probably broken. It was swollen and purple-ish. Great... he thought to himself and tried to sit up. He was dying of thirst... Groaning he managed to get himself up and into the kitchen, where he found a bottle of water. Seemed clean enough. He heard someone at the door... He readied himself.

[BeautifulSnow]

Robyn went to the apartment and there she found the key where it had been laying, she tried the door after unlocking it and it was clinging a little. ''Gabe?'' she asked. ''Are you there?'' she asked and waited for sounds that came from inside. She heard someone stumble to the kitchen, or she thought it was the kitchen and then pushed the door open further. She walked in, closed the door and then looked around. ''Pffft, It ain't much but she sure looked like she could own better'' she said, a little low in her opinion about the young women that lived in this apartment. She walked towards the kitchen and saw Gabriel. ''Wow, you look good'' she said, a little sarcastic but then walked up to him. ''You smell like you've had a fight with the other pack, why didn't you call for us?'' she asked. She helped him back towards the couch and looked around. ''I am gonna grab her sheets and pillows... You need to rest properly'' she said and walked of. In five minutes she was back with the sheets and the pillows of Vanessa's bed. ''There, take this in your back and this will cover you'' she said and placed it all in the right spots.

She then looked around. ''Well.. Can't say that she doesn't live nice'' she said and walked to the kitchen, she grabbed the water Gabriel had tried to take and brought it to him. ''She offered us al a job in her flower store.. She sure is a weird human'' she said and sat down on the floor, looking at him. ''I don't think I am gonna do it, I mean.. It would help yes, I know. But I don't like flowers plus why is she helping us? It's odd!'' she said.

---

While Robyn was at her apartment, Vanessa was making wonderful bouquets and placed them in her store. She then sat down behind the little desk and started to order new gift cards and new presents and cards to add to the flowers her costumers bought. She waited for the friends of Gabriel to arrive but actually didn't expect them to come over, she was a stranger to them.. Why would they believe her? Because she told them that weird line? She started to think about the line and frowned. The wolf never howls alone.. She opened Google and wrote down the line, maybe it was a book or something. She saw a lot of hits on Wolf and Howls but not on the whole line. She stopped her searched and went back to ordering new cards.

[Chenzor]

Gabriel sighed with relief as Robyn entered the apartment. Although he had no idea what she was doing here, he assumed Vanessa had found them. Or they found her. ''Wow, you look good'' Robyn said, a little sarcastic but then walked up to him. ''You smell like you've had a fight with the other pack, why didn't you call for us?'"
Gabriel groaned as he layed back down on the couch. "They outnumbered me. Caught me bare-handed. I didn't want to risk exposing myself to get away, I managed to escape into this building when the police sirens started echoing. Vanessa... Helped me." he had a puzzled expression on his face. "I don't know why she's helping us either but... I'm in her debt. If it wasn't for her I'd lie on the streets with a bad concussion and bad bleedings. And..." he paused. Robyn would raise her brow, waiting for Gabe to continue. "And?"
"And... There's something about her, Robyn." he said finally, with concern on his face. "I can't... Recall her but she seems so familiar. I don't know, her scent is different but it reminds me of something. It's like... I know her from somewhere."
Gabriel stopped talking when a sting of pain bit his head and forced him to lay his head back down. He groaned. "It's okay if you wont take her up on that offer... But I'll help out around her shop. At least until I feel like I've payed back my debt. Besides, with some pocket-money we wont have to steal as much food to survive."

The two kept talking for an hour or two, until Gabriel was ready to stand up. He was weak, but he could walk. He knew Robyn would object but he wanted to gather the pack. He didn't have to.
When the two exited the apartment, the pack was already standing outside, waiting. Most looked relieved but Thomas, the youngling, spoke up. "What the hell, man! You look like shit, what happened to you?" Gabriel raised his brows in surprise as he saw them all gathered. "How did you find me? Ah don't mind me, I got in a fight with the Up-Town-Pack." Gabriel responded. Thomas frowned while Conrad snickered. "Jaze and Robyn met Vanessa, who told them about this place and what happened. Jaze gathered us and we were going to meet outside the flower shop but it's best we pick you up first." Conrad said. Gabe smiled. "To the flower-shop, then. Thanks guys."

-

Once gathered around the flowershop, it was already 11:30. "I dunno maybe she's closed for lunch?" Thomas said. "And why would that matter?" Jaze responded with a smirk. "Hush you." Gabriel said as he peeked around the corner. "I'll go in alone. No buts. You guys stay here in the alley. Try to look natural." he said. The others tried to object but he was already on his way around the corner. He felt the door... Unlocked. He stepped inside and looked around, feeling the different fragrances from all the flowers.

[BeautifulSnow]

Robyn rolled her eyes. ''I am not gonna wait here for you to do, what? Help that weird women out?'' she said and looked at the others, she sighed as they did what Gabriel had said and then she decided to wait too. Yet she didn't like it one bit! Vanessa heard the doorbell ring and walked from the back room, where she lunched most of the time, and saw Gabriel. ''Geez.. What are you doing up?!'' she asked and walked up to him, she laid her hands on his shoulders and raised a brow. She wore not much make-up so her sent for him would be almost natural, yet in the years of teenage to adult her sent did change a bit too of course.

She looked at him again, holding her head a little to the side. ''I told you to rest..'' she said and smiled. ''Go to the back, there stand a plate with sandwiches, I expected your friends to come here too'' she said and thought of it for a moment. ''Maybe they thought I was some weirdo that tried to trick them, I wouldn't blame them'' she said and giggled softly. As she saw he didn't move, also because of her hands on his shoulders of course. She let him go and pointed to the back. ''Today it isn't so busy, and as said, I only need a strong men or two as I go to the flower market'' she said and smiled. ''It's not that I don't want guys in my shop, it's just, most men don't know how to put flowers together properly'' she said and then started to push him to the back. ''There, sit, eat.. And tell me where your friends are'' she said. ''They need to eat as well'' she said and smiled.

[Chenzor]

Gabriel sat down a bit reluctantly. "My friends are..." he glanced at the door. At that moment the entire pack knew it was their queue to enter, and enter they did. Perhaps a bit too enthusiastically. They barged in and stood around Gabriel protectively, eyeing the woman up and down. Basicly only conrad didn't glance menacingly. "Stand down, you lot." Gabriel said. "That's no way to treat your hostess."
The pack eyed her up and down before lowering their guard a bit. She was obviously just a harmless girl. Robyn scoffed. Gabriel waved his hand. "Conrad, Robyn, you two stay. The rest of you, go get stuff done. I'll manage."

The left rest to go about their business, while Conrad and Robyn stayed. "Vanessa just told me here that she needs a strong man and woman for her flower-shop. Robyn is a girl so maybe she has more luck with... Flowery stuff." he looked at Robyn with a grin. He was teasing her. She wasn't the flowery-type of girl and responded with a sharp glare back at Gabriel, still smirking. He looked at Vanessa. "I would like to speak to you alone for a moment, if that's alright." Conrad was about to protest but Gabriel tossed him a short glance, stopping him. He simply nodded.