Seconds passed and added to the mounting tension behind his eyes. Lawrence squeezed them shut for a few counts; hoping that the pressure would help alleviate the ache.
It didnโt.
The headache remained a constant when his eyes opened. Sights a tad blurry, they automatically shifted towards to a figure not too far away. Truth be told, he didnโt realize how openly he stared. Then when it clicked, a flush of embarrassment sank in.
โSorry, didnโt mean to..โ Words trailed off as he tried to clear the imaginary lump in his throat. โWant a scone? I got an extra and itโs got.. blueberries.โ
seeing how lovely the weather was, it was too good to pass up going out for a stroll. or a run. in her werewolf form, she passed through any accessible area to roam around, loving how it felt to be on her paws rather than feet. before she knew it though, she was starving. maybe she should have cared with how she appeared considering she looked exactly how one would be after running and playing through the woods and grass. leaves covered her locks with dirt sticking to her skin. stepping into downtown, she could feel stares toward her, but the one that caught her attention was lawrenceโs. walking over to him, gigi shook her head before saying,ย โitโs alright. iโm kind of a mess right now, so i get it.โ with the mentioning of scones, she couldnโt help licking her lips and giving a nod.ย โif thatโs alright with you, then yes, iโd love to have one.โ
sheโd be lying if she said she was excited to meet her partner. curious, perhaps. a little anxious maybe. however, she remains uncharacteristically silent as sheโs guided by an elder and handed over all too silently. she stares at the elder from the corner of her eyes, half expecting them to stick aroundย ย ย ย thereโs a rush of relief when they donโt. gaze settles finally on her partner, a lopsided smirk on her lips as head cocks to the side.ย ย โlooks like you get to keep me.โย she taunts, holding out a hand.ย ย โclover.โ
the word keep rubbed him the wrong way. he didn't think of courtships that way and he'd rather not think of them like that. he wished the arrangements weren't a thing at all. he believed people should freely choose their own mates, but since this is actually happening, atticus could only hope whatever the elders are thinking would be for the best of the packs and not for the worst.ย โwell, i wouldnโt exactly say that, but itโs nice to meet you, clover,โ he responded, smiling slightly.ย โiโm atticus.โ glancing over at the food table, his head nodded in that direction.ย โi guess this is the part where we try to get to know each other, huh? did you at least eat yet?โ
ย ย ย while nellie was on the shorter side, she sure made up for that in energy, you canโt be invisible when you have one of the biggest personalities in the room right ? here she was making her way through the throngs of people to take a seat for a second and have a drink when someone knocked into her frame.ย โ hey, watch it asshole, โ annoyance dripping from her tone as she felt her drink spill down her leg. whoever it was, was clearly inebriated and hadnโt even noticed how theyโd inconvenienced her. taking a moment to take a breath before losing her temper, nellie scampered off to find the closest table. plopping down in one seat she reached for the nearest napkin. โ hope you werenโt planning on using this, โ she said to the person sitting next to her, without even looking in their direction.ย โ sorry, just trying not to let this all dry. โ
in all honesty, theo had no interest in this event or for the arranged courtships. he didn't want to deal with it in the first place, so he chose to ignore it. he wouldn't even feel sorry for who had to deal with him. letting out a yawn, he was heading straight for the snacks, not wanting to socialize. only wanting to shove his face with food and get out of here. after grabbing a plate and sitting down, he watched the brunette's drink spill onto from afar and shook his head. "i was actually," he stated, rolling his eyes. they were introduced earlier, but he pretty much forgot her name. or pretended to.ย โremind me again, who are you? you seem oddly familiar.โ within seconds, he took a bite out of his sandwich while his eyes tore away from the other.
ย ย ย ย โ This is a BALL not a day out to the park or a cookout or a casual date . I rather have you wearing NOTHING than this attire disaster . โ Zaya might be a medic and herbalist but the girl had taste and always looked good . She didnโt dress for anyone or to impress anyone . That was never the case . She dressed to please herself and to look good . Atticus looked GOOD . Heโs an attractive guy but the attire was not it .ย โ โWhere are you staying ? Surely you had something BETTER than that .ย โ She put her hands on her hips .ย
hearing her explanation, a smile was placed his face as he rolled his eyes. "why does it matter if it's a ball? itโs supposed to be a ceremony for all of us to gather and mourn for the royal pack and those who have lost their lives,โ he spoke.ย โwe should be wearing black if anything, but weโre not.โ as she spoke about where he was staying, atticus could only shrug. he may have a decent jacket or two, but not suits. they were too expensive and he preferred saving money than spending. especially when it came to clothing.
ย ย ย ย ย As soon as zaya spotted him , she felt like crying or calling the fashion police . There should be a fashion police . Nothing was wrong with the outfit . but the occasion did not call for it .ย There was a time and place and this is A BALL . It was not the time to go all casual . Not caring who he was or his rank , in the usual zaya fashion , the brunette walked up to the beta and stood in front of him . โ โWhat the hell are you wearing ?โ She demanded . Was this just a prank or was he seriously walking around the ball as if this was some sort of cookout .ย
trying to enjoy the ball as much as he could, he spoke to a few others, mainly discussing how they felt toward the arranged courtships. however, when he was about to speak up, he watched zaya step in front of him and saw the random people stepping away. furrowing his eyebrows, he shook his head. "what do you mean what am i wearing? iโm wearing clothes," he explained, gesturing to his outfit. in his eyes, he saw nothing wrong with wearing such attire. even when he was surrounded by those who wore fancier things.
he nods and takes a moment to think about her words, head cocked to the right and hazel eyes searching her darker ones in silence as he ponders their options.ย ย โitโs important for us both to be here for the burning ceremony,โย he starts, glancing around briefly before his eyes find her once more, a small smirk dancing on his lips with an arch of an eyebrow.ย ย โbut we could sneak out for a half hour if youโd likeโฆ go somewhere more quiet? maybe talk a little?โย elijah shrugs.ย ย โor not. iโm good with sitting in silence too.โ
"i assume you wonโt take yesย for an answer if i say we should ditch this event entirely?" overall, she saw no point in having this ceremony. especially when everyone who hasn't mated was forced to be in an arrangement. it wasn't like this for years, so why start this again so suddenly? her lips curved slightly into a small smile upon hearing his suggestions. it was sweet of him to mention being away from the crowd. "how about forty-five minutes?" she was originally going to ask for an hour, but thought it was pushing it.
he knew he ought to be socializing โ or at the very least making nice with the elders, but daemon had disappeared into the throng of his gathered pack mates the moment it had been socially acceptable and had yet to leave. this was, after all, where he would prefer to beย โ overseeing the lot of them ( arms crossed and eyes ever watchful for danger ). at a familiar body settling to stand beside him, daemon didnโt hesitate from reaching out to pluck the glass from the other mans hand a take a sip. โnot really strong enough for this nonsense.โ he remarked, handing the glass back. โbut at the very least our siblings seem to be enjoying themselves so i suppose i canโt exactly complain to terribly.โย
atticus wasn't exactly sure how to feel about the event or the arranged courtships. he believed everyone should mate who they want to, but since the elders wanted this, he could only hope good things would come out of this. upon seeing daemon, a wide smile instantly appeared on the man's face. however, as soon as the drink in hand was taken from him, he showed a look of shock. "what? too lazy to get your own?" he joked with a shake of his head, smile returning. "and i didn't pick the drinks out. i would have done a way better job." at the mentioning of their siblings, his head nodded. "let's just hope they don't get into too much trouble tonight. wouldn't want the elders to be disappointed after all, right?"
his shoulders seem to tense as her face comes into view, not because heโs not happy to see her, but more so because heโs still not sure how heโs supposed to act around her. he wants to give her all the space and time she needs to come to terms with this arrangement set up between themย ย ย ย ย ย ย last thing he wants is to make her uncomfortable. still, elijah offers her a smile, body shifting so heโs facing her and welcoming her into his space. thereโs a chuckle as he glances down at the penny in her hand, taking it from her fingers as if the gesture could be symbolic.ย ย โi donโt know, all of this isโฆ weird, isnโt it?โ eyebrow raises, hazel eyes gaze into her darker ones.ย โi know my pack looks to andres and i for answers, but none of this makes much sense to any of us, i donโt think.โ clearing his throat at the realization that he may be thinking too much of himself, he straightens his back and offers her a small smile.ย โhow are you, by the way? with all this.โ
everything about this arrangement was the last thing on her mind. she didn't take it seriously yet, she assumes the elders will eventually take their word back. plus, there's no point in stressing what she can't control. it's not like anything serious has happened yet between a courtship. "agreed," she responded. "being forced to be in an arranged courtship is definitely weird." she'd rather pretend it didn't exist and go on with her life, but in the end, she'd feel more guilty toward elijah if she avoided him. especially since she was certain he didn't want this either. "well, if you want the truth--... i just want to go home right now." where she could be in the comfort of her own space.
Heโs anxious about the whole event. The symbolism of it all is important and so is mourning the fallen ones - their people, regardless of pack. Elijah, however, feels the pressure from all sides. The pressure from this new law that forces them into something not all are necessarily comfortable with, a law that makes something otherwise natural to them a little more forced. Itโs not that he doesnโt think itโll work, he just hopes it works well enough that several arenโt unhappy with who they choose. Thereโs also the pressure of this event as a whole, the pressure to be around each other and relax during times when relaxing is easier said than done. The Whisper Forestโs second in command is engrossed in his own thoughts when he notices someone standing beside him and steps back.ย โShit, sorry. Iโm blocking you.โ He offers a small lopsided smile, stepping aside.ย โMy mind was elsewhere.โ
open event starter, feel free to assume connections~
the fact every pack was here made her wish she could have stayed home. being surrounded by too many people was a bit much for the brunette. she didn't even bother dressing up. it was more like she dressed down while every other person seemed to be wearing suits and gowns. it kind of made her stand out, which was something she regretted a little. eyes scanned the room as her arms crossed with a sigh. it was only within moments that she heard a voice beside her and took a small step forward before turning her head to elijah. digging through her pocket, she took out a coin and held it out. โa penny for your thoughts?โ
meet rowen fox. thatโs the 35 year old cis female and omega who has facial features that favor crystal reed around here. she is generous and obstinate and belong to the dark raven pack.
i. about
traitors. that was what her family name was labeled as. she was sick of it, but even after changing her last name from clarke to fox, it didnโt make a difference. she could feel the stares stares and whispers about what her parents have done. they were notorious for taking things that werenโt theirs. from both their own pack as well as the other four packs. it was only in due time until they were caught and once that happened, they were banished from the pack. however, it was decided that rowen could stay to be taken care of. it was around the age of four her parents left, so she hardly has any memories of them, yet she knows their story from everyone else.
after gaining knowledge of their history, the first thing she wanted to do was change her surname when she was old enough. she didnโt want to have any association with them. in the end, it didnโt matter. some people would keep their distance from her and eventually, she got used to it. the brunette felt like an outsider in her own pack and decided to let it be. instead, she mostly keeps to herself.
ii. details
pinterest
aesthetics: laying in bed while staring at the ceiling for an hour, keeping earphones in, having a closet full of plaid shirts, not wanting to stay inside for long
one of her favorite things to do is go on nightly walks. whether itโs with someone or by herself. she also enjoys running in her wolf form at night too
her clothing usually consists of plaid shirts, jeans, and black boots.
she only has thisย tattoo on her right shoulder, but eventually wants a few more
she doesnโt speak much of her family. when asked about her past, sheโll most likely lie about it, talk as if she has a happy life with her parents
cooking isnโt her forte. she would just end up making instant noodles
fashion is the one of the least important things to her. she could wake up, get out of bed, wear something casual, walk out the door, and feel comfortable with just bedhead, a shirt, and jeans
being an omega didn't really bother her, but she takes suppressants once in a while because she hates the feeling of being in heat and having to rely on someone for it