Erika Greyback

“She had been innocent once, a little girl playing with feathers on the floor of a devil's lair. She wasn't innocent now, but she didn't know what to do about it. This was her life: magic and shame and secrets and teeth and a deep, nagging hollow at the center of herself where something was most certainly missing.” ― Laini Taylor

[mini-alpha-erika]

Wonderwall

[mini-alpha-erika]

the-forgotten-brother‌:

He nods, accepting the answer. “Somewhere not a city but not the middle of the forbidden forest?” He adds on, almost hopefully.

“No forest, I promise. We’ll find somewhere in the middle that works for both of us.” Erika assures.

[mini-alpha-erika]

Wonderwall

[mini-alpha-erika]

the-forgotten-brother‌:

The old instinct to snap an answer is there, bubbling under the surface of his skin, an old tactic used to push away the overwhelming emotions or fears of hurt. They are still there, but the hour is too early and frankly, he’s aware it can’t keep going on like this. Firm choices had to be made. “Look. I for what it’s worth, you aren’t a bad alpha. I’m not an idiot. I know I’m difficult and you’re trying…” He starts, looking at her. He hates exposing this broken side, but if anyone knows about it, it’s her. “-but I’m not exactly good at being happy. Or believing in what does. I don’t think I’ll ever be, someone who can just…be satisfied with the little things. I’ll want space and I’ll want to push.” Jules shrugs, “That being said, it’s not like I’m unhappy or that I want to leave again. Not like I did. That’s about all I know, Erika. I’m just as lost as you when it comes.”

“You’re no more difficult than I expected you to be,” she smirks before taking a bite of bacon. “We should find a house then. One with a space we can convert for you for the full moon. And also so we can actually have our own space instead of invading each others. That’d be a good start at the very least.”

[mini-alpha-erika]

Wonderwall

[mini-alpha-erika]

the-forgotten-brother‌:

He’s about to take the joint, but pauses at her words. The words we need to talk have never, in the history of words, ever meant a good or pleasant conversation was going to be hard. With a frown he sets aside the joint to retake his coffee, takes several large sips and sighs. “Alright then. I mean, I’d like to eat first, but fuck it.”

“You can eat, I’ll talk.” Erika offers with a shrug. “As we both very well know I have no idea how to be an Alpha. On top of that this wasn’t exactly something done because you were just super hyped for that wolf life. Add in our history and I’m pretty sure there’s at least one god out there laughing at us. It’s been really hard for me, Jules. Instinctually I want what’s best, I want you to be happy and there was a time when I thought I knew how to make you happy. I was wrong then and now I won’t even pretend to know. So you need to tell me. If you want to leave you know I’ll respect that decision. If you want to stay then we need a bigger place because such close quarters is not exactly healthy all things considered.”

[mini-alpha-erika]

Wonderwall

[mini-alpha-erika]

the-forgotten-brother‌:

Jules isn’t a morning person by nature, but food is worth leaving the nest of blankets. With a slow yawn he manages to follow the scent of food (without stubbing a toe or walking into a wall) to where Erika is cooking. He steals a cup of coffee, fills it to the brim with creamer and takes a seat with a long sip. 

Tucking the joint between her lips Erika plates them both up and sets on in front of Julius before folding herself into the chair across from him and offering the joint wordlessly. Sipping at her tea, she swallows before speaking. “I think we need to talk. About this whole situation and shit.”

[mini-alpha-erika]

Wonderwall

“Today is gonna be the day that they're gonna throw it back to you,” Erika sings to herself while cracking an egg one handedly into a pan sizzling with butter. Her other hand is occupied with a joint that she puffs before continuing, “by now you should've somehow realized what you gotta do. I don't believe that anybody feels the way I do, about you now.” In the oven bacon is crackling happily and she’s all but salivating, more than ready to dig into breakfast and enjoy a lazy Sunday in her pajamas.

[mini-alpha-erika]

[the-forgotten-brother]

Haunted

[mini-alpha-erika]

the-forgotten-brother‌:

“I do.” He nods, not really understanding it -if only because he can’t really seeing feeling that protective about his own brothers (both who would probably feel insulted if he did) but…well he loves Juliette so maybe he can. “With one of my parents sending him back, that’s different and will probably be okay.”

Erika nods and lets out a breath she didn’t know she’d been holding. “I just to ask...do you want to create some new world? I mean you’re not ugly, maybe kind of a dick but that’s not the worst thing, if you really wanted to just have a baby and avoid everything else I have to doubt it’d be the hard for you. So why go through all of this trouble?”

[the-forgotten-brother]

Haunted

[mini-alpha-erika]

the-forgotten-brother‌:

For the first time since meeting her, Jules gives her a real smile. Small as it is, “Nothing extreme. I mean, my father might question you within an inch of your life and make you fill out some sort of questioner -he likes that, paper work and notes- and maybe a small experiment of your power in a safe zone.” He explains. 

“And if I subject myself to all that can you promise my brother gets home safely first?” Erika questions, throwing a worried glance to the sleeping toddler. “I feel like you must realize by now I’ll do anything to keep him safe.”

[the-forgotten-brother]

Haunted

[mini-alpha-erika]

the-forgotten-brother‌:

Jules tilts his head, taking in the knowledge that is new and instantly curious. He of course knows of other worlds, and wolves; but not intimately, just what he’s read about in his father’s library. “Chances are right now, not well. I might have paused the game, but the Labyrinth still views you as an intruder. Any magic you might throw at it would in turn rebound and come back you…it’s a natural defensive land. My mother’s people built to be a fortress and there are parts of it even I can’t fully control.” Normally, he liked that bit. The challenge of it. “Perhaps your powers could help in making a new world, but I’d have to talk to my family and we’d have to study you first.”

“Yeah, why do you think I didn’t try to burn your stupid labyrinth down? I had no idea what was in place to fuck with my own magic.” Erika states while crossing her arms over her chest. “Study me...that sounds really fun. I mean a total blast absolutely.”

[the-forgotten-brother]

Haunted

[mini-alpha-erika]

the-forgotten-brother‌:

Jules ends up looking away, feeling his cheeks heat up at what he’s about to confess. “I’m not that type of king.” He isn’t ashamed of it -usually- but it seems like a dent to his ego to admit it to a stranger. “I’m a second son, my brother has the better kingdom and therefore more power. Not to mention the backings of parents….If you want it put simply….I rule over the lands no one else wants. Look around. Does it seem like a normal castle to you?” He gestures to the lack of noise or bustling servants. There are no courtiers or ambassadors to his part of the world. Just goblins and himself, the way he likes it, minding his own business. 

“It’s...quiet.” The castle she and her family reside in is a sprawling thing with all the waitstaff they could need. Plus pack member and an eve growing array of siblings. Sometimes it was impossible to think or find even a second to herself. In that way she deeply envied her sister, always riding out, living in a different kind of chaos. “But what if...I mean I might...have enough power...” Truthfully she’d been wary to use her magic here. Since she doesn’t exactly know where here is she doesn’t know if it could backfire or not work at all. But she’s officially feeling very last resorty. “I mean I’m half faery half born alpha werewolf and a queen. So if all of that didn’t get somehow scary jumbled when you brought me here it’s possible I could help.”

[the-forgotten-brother]

Haunted

[mini-alpha-erika]

the-forgotten-brother‌:

He doesn’t know what to do in the face of her blunt apologizes and offers; it’s not what he’s used to after all, since his world is made up of hidden tricks. Where words don’t always mean what they should and offers are always more than what they seem. “I can’t do that.” He ends up admitting. “Sending you back, with your brother would take a huge amount of magic. Magic that would garner attention and none of it good. Like I said before, there are even rules I have to follow. If only not to start a war or cause an unbalance in the realms. And nature always has a habit of righting itself…usually with blood.”

“There must be something you can do. I mean with the fuck is the point of being king if you’re bound so tightly? And why should I have to pay the price for your mistake? At least send him back, just send him back and I’ll run your stupid bullshit labyrinth till I die.” No, she doesn’t want to, but she wants her brother to be safe. She hates the way her voice breaks in her pleading. Carefully she puts her brother down if only because her claws are extending in her frustration and the last thing she needs is to wind up accidentally hurting him.

[the-forgotten-brother]

Haunted

[mini-alpha-erika]

the-forgotten-brother‌:

Moodily he slumps into his now vacant throne. “I don’t want to do any of this. I want to be left alone, I want to rule as I always have which is hardly at all.” He sighs, and runs his hands through his hair. “-but my brother is having a child, a half mortal one and that means it needs a kingdom of it’s own. It’s either I give mine up or I help create a new one, which would difficult because that means splitting mine and my eldest siblings kingdom…not impossible, but I have to make a promise so to speak. An offering of new power in this realm, a future. Otherwise, it’s going to my brother who can. That is my situation. In a nutshell.”

“That...that sucks. I’m sorry.” Though she can’t entirely relate she does feel for him. Her brother stirs in her arms and she shushes him softly back to sleep before continuing. “And I’m sorry you stole the wrong set of siblings. It probably would have been easier for you if you’d gotten the right ones. Some soft mortal girl who made friends and got through the labyrinth...or i guess didn’t and died before she could annoy you.” Erika muses with with a laugh. “Anyway, in the name of my brother’s safety and preferably preventing the snatching of other children, my offer stands. But I understand if you don’t want to take it and would rather just send us home.”

[the-forgotten-brother]

Haunted

[mini-alpha-erika]

the-forgotten-brother‌:

He can’t control the sigh that leaves him -he is so fucking ill-prepared for any of this, and he can’t help but think it’s a cosmic slight now. Like the heavens gathered to trip him up, and he can do nothing but fall. “So what, you don’t want to talk about this at all? What if what I’m offering is terrible enough that you’d rather take your chances out there?”

“I’m a queen. I deal with a lot. You’ve yet to tell me what you’re offering but I doubt it’ll be more troubling than what I dealt with out there of what I’ve dealt with in my own kingdom. If you don’t want to because you just simply don’t, well shit I get that. I’m just tell you that of all the choices you have here, sending me back in there isn’t one of them.”

[the-forgotten-brother]

Haunted

[mini-alpha-erika]

the-forgotten-brother‌:

Julius bides his time in answering by sipping slowly on his drink, a million replies on his tongue but none of them pass. It seems too good to be true to be honest, and his kind is known for trickery so he is hesitant to jump for it. With his kind of the verge of extinction, deals like this aren’t exactly rare, but it’s something he never truly prepared for. His parents were relaxing and loving, his brother the heir with a horde of children. Till this situation -which no one could have foresaw- he never had to think twice about having his own. 

Now. Now, however he’s backed into a corner and the world has demanded he make a choice. Albeit a daunting choice either way. “It’s not just your insanity I’m thinking on. A child…is a heavy thing. I never expected to be a father, and yes, it solves things that a major fact right now but also it comes with it’s own problems. I’ll need more than a second to simply agree with this, you will isn’t the only thing in question here.” 

Erika snorts. “Kids are easy.” Of course her parents were constantly having them so she had more than her share of experience. “I’m not going back into that labyrinth. It’s a hell I don’t deserve nor is it one I signed up for. My brother deserves to be home and safe with his people and a castle that isn’t filled with goblins. So fine, don’t knock me up, but don’t think you’ll be sending me back there.”

[the-forgotten-brother]

Haunted

[mini-alpha-erika]

the-forgotten-brother‌:

With a snap of his fingers, they both reappear in the castle throne room. Where her brother still naps on his throne, with a blanket and a goblin shaped toy. Jules walks a small ways to bar built into the stone walls and starts pouring himself a stiff drink. 

Immediately she goes for her brother, lifting him carefully into her arms despite his momentary fussing. Quickly he settles and falls back to sleep as she rocks him lightly. “Look,” she starts softly while coming over to him, “I know it’s insane what I’ve offered. But I’m-” Erika loves her home, her family, her kingdom...but it’s all she’s had her whole life. An endless cycle of responsibility she didn’t entirely choose. So maybe this was a small kind of escape for her as well. “I am willing. You shouldn’t count it out only on it’s insanity. Consider it at least for a moment before you decide it’s all wrong.”

[the-forgotten-brother]

Haunted

[mini-alpha-erika]

the-forgotten-brother‌:

“That’s not- I mean,” He attempts to backtrack, to explain that’s not how this is suppose to go, but it could; so he can’t lie about that. At the same time, there’s a reason he hasn’t gone out of his way to knock some random girl up. “There’s…There’s a lot more that would happen, and needs to happen before that point and I…” He feels a headache coming on, and winces. “How about this. How about we pause the whole game and we go back to my castle, and I explain why that is a bad idea and then we go from there?”

“Yeah, works for me.” Literally anything to get away from here and this game worked for her. Especially because it meant seeing her brother and knowing without a doubt that for now he’s safe.

[the-forgotten-brother]

Haunted

[mini-alpha-erika]

the-forgotten-brother‌:

Jules is too in shock to properly respond in a timely manner. Instead he stares her down, blinks slowly as if waking up and then opens his mouth to reply -but nothing really comes out, because his brain is still processing her words- and so he has to close it eventually. Letting the silence draw out. “…I…I…What?” 

Erika shrugs, slowly becoming aware of just what she said. But she also won’t take it back. “Look, I would do anything for my family, if this assures my brother’s safety and also stops you from potentially nabbing some other kid... I mean why not? You’re not exactly hard to look at so sex wouldn’t be some tragic burden. And I gotta admit ninth months of growing a child is way more appealing than another minute in this stupid labyrinth.”