Chronicles of The Omniverse Archived Lutetia City: Lupaix

as written by Tiko

"And just forget about Jesse in the meanwhile, who the police aren't looking for?" Jacques asked suddenly.

Jacques wasn't a particularly outspoken individual. Not anymore anyways. Not since he had challenged Baron for pack leader several years ago, and lost. Baron hadn't forced him out of the pack, as many pack leaders where apt to doing, but Jacques had largely withdrawn from the political and hierarchical aspect of the pack after that night. Where in the past he had been at the forefront to speak his mind and to challenge Baron's decisions every step of the way, he now tended the bar, he watched, he listened, and he kept quiet.

Tonight though... tonight he spoke. Perhaps it was the lack of Baron that had prompted it.

"The longer we don't have people out there in those woods trying to pick up Jesse's trail, the colder it's going to get. The Scions of Aodhan haven't given us trouble in years. They're still licking their wounds from last time. We can spare the people."

Meanwhile Carlisle knelt down next to Alfred and turned the man's head to the side to get a look at the split skin where Julienne's boot had caught him upside the head. He was breathing, and his pulse was strong enough. The wound was already showing signs of clotting, and it didn't seem like medical intervention would be required.

"Jacques has a point," he said while he checked on Alfred. "I don't trust the police anymore than the rest of you, but at least Sophia has people looking for her. Jesse's got heart, but he's a city boy through and through. There's worse than wolves out in those woods if we pull our people off the search."
 
as written by Script

"Agreed." Snow said, "The Ardelean Society is helping us find Sophia as well, and as much as I'm loathe to place too much trust in them, they have a lot of resources and seems committed to the cause. If just me and Bastien follow up on any leads they bring in, we can call in extra help if and when we need it." Ivan's entrance drew his eyes briefly, but he recognised him as one of them and refrained from interrupting the discussion to comment on his appearance.

Nieve frowned thoughtfully, "You are right about Jesse. The wilds are dangerous even for one who knows them. We need to find him quickly. Now that I'm back, I can lend my aid there. If there's a trail to be found, I will find it."

"Good." Snow nodded, "As for the wolves in the Phantom Quarter... we still need people there. That situation is only going to get worse the longer we leave it. Whoever's making the attacks, they're growing bolder by the day. We should prioritise Jesse, but we can't abandon the search there."
 
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as written by Sentry

Ulrich nodded. There was a good reason he wasn't the leader. This was just it.

"Got it," he said, folding his arms. "I'm not as good in the woods. I can help in the Phantom Quarter."
 
as written by Architect

"hmmpf." Alfred let out a quiet grunt as his eyes opened, looking up at Carlisle. "Well, that was about as bad as I was expecting."

Sitting up Fay rubbed at the back of his head, the entirety of which was extremely sore. He looked around, noting both julienne's and Chloe's absence. pressing down on one nostril, Alfred cleared his nose with a huff, a small glop of blood flying out onto the floor.

He sniffed the air, the only blood he smelled was his own. Well, at least something came of his beating. With a self-satisfied smirk, he turned back to Carlisle.

"So what I miss? Have you lot actually made a decision yet? Or are we still at square one?"
 
as written by Tiko

Carlisle scowled at Alfred's words and stood back up. If Alfred didn't learn some humility, he was going to have a hard time of it around here, and this would likely only be the first of many incidents.

The rest of the pack didn't pay him too much mind as they resumed discussing the matters at hand. They seemed largely in agreement on continuing the searches, and they soon moved on to discussing other matters of concern until the pack finally dispersed two hours later.
 
as written by Tiko, CelticCat, and Knosis

Desmond pulled the vehicle up into the small garage off from the side of the house he and Brendan where renting in Lupaix. Well, more Brendan than Desmond, given Desmond's instability in the work field.

"Come on, let's get 'er inside. An' close the garage door," he said as he turned the engine off and got out of the car. "Is she awake?" he asked.

The garage was a bit dingy, but largely bare of anything to accumulate clutter, and a weather worn door with chipped paint opened into the main house which was in a modest state of repair - though a bit rough around the edges. Run-down

Raquette frowned and shook her head, pulling out her phone and quickly typing. "Unconscious," the monotonous voice responded as the girl gave Chloe a concerned glance. She stuffed it back in her pocket and exited the car as well, moving to help get the garage door closed before attending to Chloe.

Raquette's movements were strained and awkward and her mind seemed to be drifting from the tasks at hand.

"We can put 'er in me room," Desmond said. "I won't be gettin' much sleep while she's 'ere anyways. Don't want to wake up wi' me face chewed off."

It wasn't a particularly large house, and given that Brendan was largely paying the rent in the small one-bedroom house, the basement doubled as Desmond's room.

It did have the advantage of affording a slightly higher level of safety for the rest of the people in the house in the event that Chloe shape-shifted again, and for a basement it wasn't too dreary. If anything, it looked well lived.

Desmond and Raquette had made their way back upstairs, while he was rummaging through the cupboards for a glass to fill with water to take back down to Chloe.

"Wish Jesse was around to come take a look at 'er. Don't much like the look of 'er. If she gets much worse, might need to take 'er over to Cornell's."

It was a difficult situation. If they let her go and she went to the police, it could be problematic. If they kept her, the Ardelean Society would come looking for her eventually. And killing her now that she wasn't otherwise trying to kill him anymore wasn't really on the table.

Raquette fidgeted awkwardly, slowly taking glances over the place as she typed. "Do you think she'll be alright? Will anything be alright? The meeting didn't sort anything out before we left," the phone chimed without emotion. Raquette's expression kept shifting between carefully distant to worried, then to scared, then to sad and back again. It was never easy for her to communicate to others what she truly meant, and now was even worse. She didn't even understand everything going through her head.

"I don't know. It's a right mess, isn't it?" He pulled two more glasses down to put them on the counter. "You old enough to drink? Because I could use a drink, or five."

He pulled a bottle of whiskey out and started to fill one of the glasses.

Raquette bit her lower lip and slowly nodded. "I'm old enough." She shuffled on her feet a little, awkwardly tugging at her sleeves. She'd never really had much alcohol before, not even when she quietly lounged around in the bar. However, even that thought made her more willing to do so now. "I could use a drink, too," she hastily typed out, before she could change her mind.

He filled the second glass for her before tucking the bottle under arm, and picking up his glass, and the glass of water.

"Come on, let's 'ead downstairs. We can keep an eye on 'er until she wakes up."

He led them down the steps to the basement where there where more than a few chairs seated around a table that was covered in empty bottles of beer and playing cards that where leftover from some recent hangout.

"When do you need to get 'eadin' out?" he asked as he sat down in one of the chairs with a wince.

He probably should grab a shower and get his arm cleaned up at some point, but drinks first. Besides, tending to the arm would be substantially less arduous of an ordeal with a few drinks in him. And frankly he didn't feel comfortable leaving Raquette alone with Chloe for any length of time.

"Me brother should be 'ome soon," he told her.

Raquette picked up her glass with her free hand and followed his lead, slowly sitting down at the table. She set her glass down to respond. "Whenever's fine. Nieve won't miss me." Raquette glanced over Chloe again and took a small sip from the glass, coughing slightly as it burned her throat.

He refilled his glass before placing the bottle down on the table and settling back into his chair with a relaxed sigh. Wasn't any day that couldn't be fixed with a few drinks, and a comfortable chair he determined.

"She's not going to come bustin' me balls about this later is she?" he asked.

He really didn't want to cross that particular woman.

Raquette fidgeted and shook her head slowly as she tried to think over the best response to the question. She took a somewhat larger drink from the glass with an accompanying cough before placing the glass down again.

"She shouldn't. She's gone so much and I'm an adult." Or she was trying to be, with mixed success.

Chloe began to groan and come around slowly. It was worse now, and dehydration and hunger was now a major factor in it. Feeling the chains around her still, she remembered exactly what kind of situation she was in. This was not her day. Not her day at all.

Tears fell from her eyes and she gritted her teeth as her wounds screamed.

"Fuck me.." She grumbled, her words slurring around her sticky tongue.

"Finish your drink," he told Raquette as he got up from his chair with a grimace of pain. He set his glass down on the table and picked up the glass of water to head over to Chloe.

"'ey, easy there. 'ow are you feelin'?" he asked.

He was finding it harder and harder to hold any ill feelings towards this woman for nearly killing him earlier. About all he could muster up right now was sympathy.

"Look, I'm gonna loosen up these chains a bit, so you can get a bit more comfortable. Just don't try anythin'," he warned. "Okay?"

Raquette made as if to move to Chloe, but slowly sank back into her chair with a nod. She silently nursed her drink, trying to finish it up quickly. She suddenly felt very disconcerted by this whole endeavor. The chains, the distinct pain on Chloe's face, and even the soft words from Desmond...it all stirred up deeply buried pain in her psyche. She slowly let out a breathy sigh and downed the last of the whiskey.

"I feel like I've been shot.." She said, trying to muster up some humor, but failing.

She swallowed hard, trying to get some moisture in her mouth. "I'm not sure I'm in the best condition to attack you right now.. I'm pretty sure it will hurt me more than it would hurt you... Which I honestly don't want to hurt more right now.." She groaned again.

"Aye, sorry about that one," he told her.

"Can you 'old this 'ere a second?" he asked Raquette as he held the water out for her.

Chloe didn't appear to be an immediate threat, and it was likely safe enough for the girl to come give him a hand. He tried his best to be gentle in the loosening of the chains, to give her some freedom of motion in her arms and legs again.

He didn't particularly want to put her through the humiliation of him having to give her food and water by hand, and he could always chain her back up later.

Raquette moved quickly to Desmond, taking the glass and shoving her phone in her pocket for the moment. She looked over Chloe more carefully, trying to get a better idea of what exactly had happened with her. She frowned a little as she looked at the wounds, but ended up simply shaking her head and staring neutrally at her face. Chloe didn't seem like anyone terrible, but she didn't trust appearances overly much.

"Eh.. I deserved it.. Sorry about your arm.." She muttered, and for the the first time truly sounded as though she meant it.

She groaned as he loosened the chains, but sighed in relief as soon as she could move somewhat freely again. As soon as she could spread eagle out on the bed, she did.

"So.. What are you going to do with me..?" She asked, swallowing again afterward.

"Eh, 'tis just me arm. Nothin' a nights sleep won't fix."

"And I can't say that I rightly know. You've put us in quite the pickle with you. I can promise you though, that I don't want to be keepin' you 'ere anymore than you want to be bein' kept 'ere."

"Think you can sit up enough to get a drink, or are you going to need a 'an'?"

"I think so.." She muttered. Gritting her teeth, she pushed herself up agonizingly slow. She hissed through her teeth and silently wished that that she was still asleep.

She took the cup of water when it was handed to her and sipped it slowly, coughing as it hit her dry throat. "Sunova.." She cried, stars appearing in her vision once again. She didn't even realize she was flat back on her back again until the vision cleared.

She took a deep breath and swallowed hard again, her face pale. "I don't mind being here.." She whispered. "If it means I don't have to move.. Then I don't mind it so much at all.. Just please for the love of whats holy, don't make me sit up and stand up again.."

"We usually 'ave a doctor 'round, but 'e's off somewhere," Desmond said. "If we can track 'im down, we can get 'im over 'ere to 'ave a look at you."

He took the glass of water from her as she lay back before she spilled it and he set it on the end table next to the bed.

"Can I get you anythin'?" he asked.

"Whatever you have in the other glass.." She pointed to the glass that Desmond had the whiskey in. "I'll have a lot of that.."

She had needed a drink before this ordeal. Now she -really- needed it. Especially if it could help numb some of this pain away.

Desmond gave her request some thought before shrugging.

"Eh, sure, why not. Let me grab another glass," he said.
 
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...3 hours later

A somewhat tipsy Raquette had cleared out for the night, and Desmond was resting in his chair while Chloe slept. The bottle of whiskey sat empty, and the alcohol had helped to dull the pain of his arm. It wouldn't begin to heal properly until he got a solid nights rest though, which he didn't expect to get this night.

He yawned lightly and checked the the clock on the bookcase shelf. The glowing numbers read 11:30.

He hadn't heard Brendan get home yet.
 
as written by Knosis

Chloe had passed out long before now after helping finish the bottle of whiskey. The liquid had help to dull the pain just enough that she could sleep. And sleep she did, albeit somewhat restless.

However, she groaned and started to wake again around 11:32 PM. She didn't even need to look at what time it was, this was almost instinct by this point. Being in a strange room spurred her to wakefulness more quickly than it normally would have, and she forced herself reluctantly to begin to think again. The booze had started to wear off, and the pain in her side was returning, but a rush of energy made her move.

Sitting up slowly and gritting her teeth, she hoped to not find Desmond still in the room and hoped to find herself chained back up. That was not the case and when her green hues locked on to Desmond, a grim expression fell on her face. "You need to chain me back up and get out of here. Now."
 
as written by Tiko

"'ey, what's the matter?" he asked as he got up from his chair.

Instinct told him she was being dead serious though, from the grim expression on her face. He approached her warily. The gun was still in its holster, nestled in the small of his back.

Rechaining her up would be quite a feet though. Removing them with one arm was substantially easier than replacing them with one arm. He hadn't expected her to wake before his brother got home.

He could feel it as he got closer though, the energy that left the skin on the back of his arms standing on end. It spoke to the wolf within him, and his eyes found her own. He didn't need her to answer the question.

"On your side," he told her, as he started to collect the chains from their place on the bed with her.

He didn't want to restrain her in a position that would further injure the woman when she shape-shifted.
 
as written by Knosis

She shook her head. "No no no.." She murmured. Her breath was coming in rapid spurts now and she was boarder line panicked as it was. She looked around for something to chain herself to, but found nothing. Her eyes met his, fear in her eyes. Not for herself, but for him.

"Wrap it around my arms and legs. Don't worry about hurting me, use it to your advantage." She groaned, her eyes beginning to glow a slight neon color. "You don't have.. Much time. Hurry." She grabbed the chains end and began to wrap them around her ankles.

"And Desmond.. Don't hesitate. If you think you can't contain me.." She looked up at him, knowing he would understand what she was talking about. "Please." She pleaded, her eyes begging. "I don't want to hurt anyone else.."
 
as written by Tiko

As he looked back into her wolfish eyes, he had a choice right then and there. A choice made all the harder now that he had the chance to see her as a person.

"Aw fuck me," he said finally as he abandoned the chains and reached around behind himself and started to remove the gun holster, which he set atop a nearby shelf.

He then fished his phone out of his pocket to give his brother a call, but it went straight to voice mail.

"I don't know where the fuck you are, but get home will you. We 'ave a problem," he spoke into the phone before snapping it closed and tossing it on the shelf to join the gun.

"Don't wreck me place too bad, eh?" he asked.

He eased his arm out of the makeshift sling it rested in so he could get the tattered coat off, and his shirt and shoes quickly joined it on the floor. He had seen her wolfish form, and it was large, but so was he. And he wagered he could hold his own against her while she was in the state she was in.
 
as written by Knosis

She watched him begin to undress and shook her head, a miserable chuckle escaping her throat. "I can't believe this.. This is the second worst day of my life.." She whispered hoarsely. She bit her lip and closed her eyes, taking deep breathes, trying to calm her heart rate down. She had to try, for Desmond's sake, to control it.

But every effort thus far had only lead in disappointment. What would make Desmond, nearly a complete stranger, any different? "I am.. So very sorry.." She whispered, opening her eyes to gaze at him again, tears streaming down her cheeks.

And just like clockwork as 11:43 pm hit, pain contorted her face. Her fingers dug into the mattress of his bed, her entire body trembling at the effort of trying to fight the inevitable. She folded over and gasped for air to fill her lungs and he could hear her bones begin to pop and contort. She was losing this battle.
 
as written by Tiko

The process was far less agonizing for Desmond, and swifter as he let it rise without a fight. There was pain, always pain, but it was a familiar pain coupled with a sense of physical relief as his body gave way to the wolf within. He doubled over as if he might be sick, but he managed to get the rest of his clothes off before he was on his knees, dark fur sprouting along the length of his body.

It took only a few moments before a large wolf was shaking itself off.

His massive bulk was pushing eight hundred pounds, and most of that weight was in raw muscle. Thick fur left him looking all the larger as well, and a pair of golden eyes shone out through the brownish-black fur of his face

There was an intelligence to those eyes though as he waited for what seemed to be the inevitable.
 
as written by Knosis

She let out an agonized cry, the thought of Desmond's safety long gone from her mind. This was now a personal battle, and she wouldn't relinquish to the wolf within without a fight. He could see the wild anger in her eyes even long before he watched her shift into the raging wolf.

Her body popped and contorted, muscle and sinew reforming and reshaping painfully slow. A small eternity would pass before the familiar blood thirsty, raging white and red wolf stood before Desmond, panting heavily after the effort it took to shift. Her green eyes met his golden ones and a tired snarl formed at her lips. Chloe no longer had control of herself, and nothing but an angry ball of fur, muscle and animal instinct stood in front of her.

Desmond was a good size bigger than her. With her in pain, he may be able to fight her off.
 
as written by Tiko

Desmond lowered his head and his hackles raised as her snarl was met with a growl of his own. He stood angled slightly away from her, to shield his injured leg while keeping himself between her and the stairwell at his back. Their eyes met for only a moment before she was on him.

The pair crashed through the table as their bodies collided, and broken glass, playing cards and beer bottles went flying in all directions from the mass of fur and teeth that snarled and snapped at one another. When they pulled free of one another, they both had their licks to show for it, but Desmond wheeled about to keep himself in her path once more.

The floor was dotted with blood spatters, but their wounds where largely superficial at the moment.

The same couldn't be said of the room itself, which was was in a complete state of disarray with broken furniture strewn about the floor.
 
as written by Knosis

Chloe panted heavily, her fangs still bare as she growled at the other wolf. However, her body was showing another story. The large wolf couldn't hide the fact that she was barely holding herself up. Her limbs trembled violently and the anger was melting away to more pain than anything.

Most of her wounds were cuts and bite marks that weeped now, but her previous wounds from the encounter with Snow and Desmond before had reopened again as well. The lack of nutrition between transformations had also taken its toll on the woman. All in all, she was in sad shape.

The light in her eyes shifted and change came about how she held herself. Desmond could feel the tension from the other wolf nearly disappear almost instantly. Weariness flooded over her and she let herself collapse in a heap onto the floor. The snarls were replaced by low whines and whimpers. All fight had left the red wolf for now, and she looked up at him with something that seemed foreign for her so far.

Her gaze begged for forgiveness.
 
as written by Tiko

Desmond growled lowly, the sound reverberating deep into Chloe's bones as he stood there over top of her. He didn't for a moment think she wouldn't have a go at him again if he let his guard down, but neither did she seem inclined to continuing the fight.

He took a few steps back from her, still favoring his injured leg as his golden eyes stared her down.

Was he waiting for her to do something? Judging her? Or perhaps simply watching?

It was near impossible to read what lay behind those eyes that shone through the dim room. One thing was certain though, he didn't seem inclined to move.
 
as written by Tiko

When morning came, Desmond found himself half sprawled across the bottom steps of the stairs where he had fallen asleep at some point during his watchful vigil.

Realization of this brought him to with a start, but Chloe was still there, asleep on the floor where she had collapsed the night before. Both of them had since shed their wolf forms.

His arm felt better. It was sore, but the wounds had knit closed with sleep and he gave it a few experimental bends to make sure everything was working properly before he reached over to grab his pants which he pulled on. With that seen to, he go up gingerly avoiding the broken glass and splinters of wood that littered the floor.
 
as written by Knosis

Chloe hadn't moved from where she had collapsed. She hadn't healed well, and some of her wounds were still weeping even now. In fact, it was questionable that she was still alive until she began to groan and wake up.

Even conscious, she was reluctant to move. Transforming was never easy, and twice in less than twenty-four hours with no food for that time frame was nearly suicidal for her. Her eyes flickered open as she heard Desmond move around. "What a party, huh..?" She asked quietly, rolling over to lay on her back. Even her humor had no effort in it.

"I'm sorry.." She said again. "H-how's your arm..? I didn't hurt you badly, did I..?"
 
as written by Tiko

"Good as new," he said as he held his arm up for her to see.

"Can't say the same about me room though," he added as he managed to find his shirt among the debris. He shook it out before pulling it on over his head. "Think you can walk?" he asked. "Or am I bringin' you breakfast down 'ere?"

He seemed more comfortable with her in his home, as it became more and more apparent that she had been being truthful the day prior. Something had changed in him, after seeing her shapeshift, some understanding that had been lacking before. The sympathy was there, in his eyes, hidden by his seeming jovial demeanor this morning.
 
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