Southern Howls

@werepoke-blog

Warren Smith, 3rd for the Columbia Basin Pack

192 posts

7: Worst nightmare.

“Living it right now actually.”

Ian kept quiet, shifting his coat tighter around him, he did not expect the weather to take a turn for the worst. Walking besides Warren Ian tried to put away his bias for the temperamental wolf that had attacked his brother. Understanding to a degree, he pulled Warren’s hand in his as they continued down the block hand in hand, for comfort. “It won’t change anything to beat yourself up. Nothing could have been done to change the outcome once the demons made up their mind. If it weren’t then…” Shivering Ian pulled Warren to a stop.

“You’ll get through this. You have to… New York is without an alpha. They’ll be looking towards you as the second to leader or hold strong until he returns.”

Ian’s hand slipping into his, felt like a tether, holding him to the street, and the moment. Not letting him sink into the hole of his mind. “I should have been watching Ben. Hell I shouldn’t have let him come in the first place. He wasn’t ready for something like this.” He let Ian stop him, staring at, but some how though the warlock.

“I can’t do it, Ian. I did the motions, and got everyone to the house, but I can’t go back there. I’m here drinking myself into...something. All these new pups...Ian I’m lost.”

mindovermatter-catarina

“Andie is in bit of an emotional state. Which I don’t blame her. Losing two alphas in a lifetime is hard” Cat stated knowing all too well what that felt like. Listening to the rest of what he was saying, he was extremely intelligent on this matter, and knew her brother made the right choice with having Warren by his side. Taking a deep breath she nodded. “I will.” She stated turning about to go inside but turned around to say one other thing. “You know its okay to be hurt. If you need someone to talk to, I’m always here” Cat stated as she put her hand on the door handle.

He let out a deep sigh, rubbing his fingers against his forehead. So many wolves, so much baggage for one pack. “I know. Use your discretion with her then. And the rest of them, Zara and Lana probably won’t handle it well either.” Warren slipped on his jacket, grateful for the chance to get out of the house. Too much of Adam was imbued in its walls. “I’ll let myself be hurt, when everything else is under control. I’ll talk to you later.”

mindovermatter-catarina

Looking into his eyes, she began to feel a bit better, she didn’t understand why, but he had a calming effect over her. Taking a deep breath Catarina diverted her eyes down for a moment. Catarina nodded “I can. I can certainly do that” Cat stated looking back up at him, feeling more sure of herself. “We’ll keep everyone safe.”

“I’ll go round the rest of them up. Find them and send them here. See if Andie is interested in helping out. She can cook dinner, maybe it’ll take her mind off of it.“ Warren moved away from her searching for his keys to the house. “You’re second right now, if any of them give you trouble just call on your dominance to get them to stay. Once they’re all here, call me. I need to make sure there’s enough food in the house and finances in the fund.”

“Because… I heard the news.” Ian said softly looking away from Warren. Kyle and Patrick may have moved away but the pain of knowing Stefan, Thaddeus, and Felix were gone forever maybe him want to curl up and wither away. He had no idea how Warren must feel about Ben and Adam. “I needed to know you were okay.”

“Fine.” Ian agreed following after him.

“I’m not.” That was all there was to say. He couldn’t be around his pack, because his pack needed him to be Warren. The calm one, the grounded one, their alpha. And he couldn’t do that right now. Not with the whiskey swimming in his head and the tears the closest they had ever been to falling. He didn’t want to be at home tonight, couldn’t be.

They walked in silence, the bitingly cold air surrounded them both.“I can’t get his body out of my head. Or the smell.” His voice broke the wall of pain closing in on him. “I’m good with death. I’ve been alive for over a century. I know what it’s like to lose someone. But-” As his voice cracked the wolf stopped talking all together.

mindovermatter-catarina

“I-I know. I’m trying” Cat stated taking a deep breath. Adam wasn’t just her alpha. He was her brother. But she knew she had to be stronog for her pack.

Warren held her shoulders, staring into her eyes. “He’s fine. There are a million reasons connections get cut. But if you’re panicked those kids are going to be panicked. Everyone else is the priority, ok?” He decidedly shut down the side of his brain that held the sight of Ben’s dead body, the part that knew this was the reason everyone was thinking of. “We need to keep everyone at the house, until we know it’s safe? Can you do that?”

mindovermatter-catarina

“Something feels wrong”

“We don’t get to feel that Cat.”

“How could I miss the messy hair and scruffy bread from across the room?” Ian frowned looking at the glass of whiskey once he was close enough to smell the alcohol off his breath. “Could have fooled me. You’re not thinking straight.”

“How about no?” He sighed gesturing to the bartender not to do it. “I had enough and so have you. How about we talk and you tell me whats gotten under your skin?”

“Doesn’t explain why you’re here in the first place. A normal mortal bar? In Brooklyn no less.” He glared at the man, sliding the glass back and forth between his hands. ”I’m thinking just fine thank you.”

Sliding the glass forward, Warren stood up abruptly. “I’m certainly not going to do it here, come on.” The wolf slouched on his jacket before beginning to stalk out of the bar.

Ian stared across the bar as Warren talked to someone that seemed too young for the werewolf. Huffing he grabbed his drink and crossed the bar. Sliding in between them Ian placed his hand around Warren waist and glared until the kid got the picture. Stepping away he frowned at Warren. “I know Mr. Brooks is no longer with us but do you really want to catch a case?”

“Following me Ian?” His voice was husky with whiskey, as he stared down at the warlock. “I wasn’t going to do anything, Christ Coventry I’m not some creep.” Turning away from the man, Warren grabbed the rest of his drink, downing it with a flinch. Baring his teeth gestured for another one. “Anything to drink Ian?” He turned his head nodding for him to sit.

“Well, alrighty then.” She gave the larger knife a look before she picked it up and went to start on the veggies, “So, my knife skills still need some work. But I’m good at cooking the food.”

“Sure.” Warren rubbed his forehead before grabbing the dirty knife and bringing it to the sink. Scrubbing in silence, the older wolf looked up toward the window. “How are you liking the pack?”

mindovermatter-catarina

“How else am I suppose to try a different way?! There is no way I can zip this up on my own” Catarina stated with her hands on her hips

“I’m sure there are plenty men who would love to help you out with that. I am not one of them.”

princedastancoventry

“Do not talk to me as if I’m a child, wolf!” Dastan huffed. He pulled out another paper and started over. “I’m helping you because of Ian. If this potion doesn’t work in time for the next full moon then maybe it wasn’t meant to be.”

“Aconite Potion alleviates the worst symptoms of lycanthropy… Wolfs bane is one of the main ingredients. I can’t snap my fingers a make something better without it…” Dastan made a distressed sound and started rewrite another route for the potion.

Warren held his hands up as he backed off, not really understanding what was happening on the age, but could feel the waves of aggravation flowing from Dastan. “I know, and I appreciate you taking time to do this.”

“I have a bad reaction to wolfs bane, at least I did in the past.” He hopped up on the edge of the table while looking over the scratch writing. “Are potions your specialty?”

“So, should I use a different knife or…” She set the knife down and looked at the veggies, “I just wanna make dinner.”

“Yeah...” He took the thin knife out of her hand putting the bigger chef’s night in front of her. “That one’s a bit better for carving, this one is for chopping.”

“No, definitely don’t do... that.” Warren stared at the younger person. “How about we try it a different way.”

@ His Office

Ian slowly looked Warren over and bit his tongue to remain silent. “My brother was attack and hasn’t been himself since. Pardon me if my tolerance these kids and their possession are extremely low.”

“Warren, I am not okay… None of us are. I don’t believe that anyone understands the measures of attack. They’re people still unaccounted for….”

“Ian.” His voice was low, trying to keep the warning out of it. Species fighting with each other was the demon’s plan, if they fell for it, it would just get worse.

“I know there are, but everyone running around separately looking for their own is just going to prolong the process. We need to combine efforts if everyone is going to be found.” Sighing he sat on the edge of the desk, facing Ian. “You can’t fight the world on your own, you know that right?”

@ His Office

“…” Ian looked up from his court papers with an unwelcoming glare. “I suppose you’re here to deliver Adam unofficial apologize for his packs behavior at the Ball?” He asked slapping the folders on his desk closed. “No offence to you Warren but if so you can tell you’re alpha where to shove it and we’ll be waiting to speak to him in person.”

Warren as assaulted by his tone, not expecting that of all things to come from his mouth. He moved toward the desk despite the insult and waited for Ian to look him in the eye, instead of at the papers.“They were kids, possessed by demons. Something I thought you’d be sensitive to considering Sebastian, but no I’m here on my own business.” Sighing he leaned against the desk. “I wanted to make sure you were ok, but obviously you are.”

@ His Office

“…. Come In ….”

“Howdy.”

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