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Fable

When I woke up the third time, the room was bright. Sunshine streaming in through the windowed walls all around me. I opened my eyes, blinking a few times and realized that I was not alone. Looking around at my company I smiled. There were two women, one I know as the pretty girl, Rayen, Lupin’s cousin, the other I didn’t know. Her hair was straight and black, her skin light brown and her dark brown eyes watched me from the couch, intrigued and slightly suspicious. There were also two men in the room. The one man looked almost exactly like the unfamiliar girl, except for the intrusion of a long scar, etched from his right temple, stretching across his cheek, and splitting his top lip. He stood near her, in front of the couch. The other man I recognized. Mousy light brown hair, pale skin and light blue eyes. He was built to intimidate, like all werewolves. I smiled at him and pointed, my fingers curling and arm twisting in my vision.

“I know you.” I declared. Even I could hear the slur in my words. All of them raised their eyebrows and some smiled. The man I had pointed at, the wolf that had saved me and held a bucket for me, grabbed the finger I was waving in his face and shook it gently. 

“You sound drunk.” I scoffed, the sound dragged out and warped. The ones that hadn’t smiled started. I rolled onto my back, staring at the ceiling. 

“I’m not drunk, ok.” The man, Tristan, nodded, smiling. “My body is just tired and my mind is de…” I struggled over the word. “Delusional.” I managed spewing, the L’s in the word overly enunciated. A few chuckled and I groaned. 

“This is the worst way to make a good first impression.” Tristan laughed. 

“We promise to forget it ever happened.” I turned and smiled brightly at him, my eyes squinting shut. 

“Lovely.” I muttered. The man with the scar turned to the woman I didn’t know, his eyebrows raised. 

“She doesn't seem like a Death detector.” She tsked waving him away. 

“Of course not.” She shook her head. “We’re never going to get any answers out of her like this.” I smiled at her, lulling my head to the side. 

“Ask away.” The scar man gave the woman a disapproving look but she shrugged and turned to me. 

“Lupin says you're a banshee.” I groaned, arching my back and rolling around unnecessarily. 

“He’s horrible at keeping secrets.” I whined. Tristan bit both his lips, trying desperately not to laugh. The scar-man turned away from judging the girl. 

“You mean you really are a banshee? You scream when someone is about to die?” I stared at him trying to portray how offended I was, I don’t think I succeeded. 

“Nooo.” I sighed, stretching the word. “That happened one time. One time! What does one usually do when they see a dead body? They scream. You know, it’s surprising! One banshee discovers a dead body, screams, and suddenly that's what we do.” I shook my head. “Some people are so stupid.” Rayen cleared her throat stepping forward.

“So banshees don’t sense when people die?” I squinted at her, I still didn’t like her. 

“No, we do.” She blinked a few times, opened her mouth, closed it and nodded. They all seemed to need a minute to absorb this information so I took to studying the ceiling. It was Tristan who spoke first. 

“If banshee’s can sense death, how did the body surprise her?” I nodded and flung my arm at him, pointing again. 

“You ask a very good question, sir.” He smiled gently. “Banshee’s have weaknesses just like all supernatural beings. Ours just isn’t as bluntly named as wolfsbane.” They all flinched as I said the word, but I paid it no mind. “Love is the banshee’s weakness. We can’t sense the death of those we love.” I shrugged. “It’s a blessing and a curse.” A long silence initiated after that. Rane jumped up on the couch and it was then that I realized she had been missing. I took that break in conversation to play with the cat, braiding her long fur. 

Tristan scoffed and I looked at him as he shared an amused look with Rayen. When he looked back he realized my attention. He smiled. 

“While Lupin didn’t keep the secret of what you are, he did forget to mention who you are. Could you tell us your name?” I smiled back at him. I knew I was delirious, but I decided I liked him. 

“Fable.” When I gave no more he nodded. 

“I’m Tristan.” He pointed over at the scar-man. “That's Declan.” Then he motioned to the unfamiliar girl. “That's his sister, Ava. And I believe you know Rayen.” I nodded, closing my eyes in discontent. 

“I don’t like her.” Tristan seemed to choke and Rayen gawked, Declan and Ava pursed their lips trying not to laugh. Rayen stepped forward, her face incredulous. 

“Um…” She looked between her friends and then back at me. “Why?” I squinted at her. 

“You stood too close.” I growled and a beat of silence echoed. Then slowly Rayen smiled and then she laughed. 

“Yeah.” She said, her voice lilting with amusement. “Sorry.” I pursed my lips, not believing her. The others were smiling along with her amusement and I was worming my way into the covers, also trying not to upset the cat. The door at my left clicked open and Lupin walked in.  He surveyed the scene and raised his eyebrows. Oh god he is beautiful. Rationally, in that part of my brain that processed rational thoughts, I knew my reaction to him was due to my delusions, but that didn’t stop me. 

“Lupin.” I sang sitting up straight, the cat jumping off my chest. I reached my arms out to him, like a child wanting to be picked up. I smiled at him and he just stared. Tristan cleared his throat from behind me. 

“She’s drunk.” He informed Lupin. I pursed my lips, dropping my arms. 

“I’m not drunk.” I mumbled. 

“Sorry, she’s delusional.” He corrected and I smiled at Lupin, satisfied, and nodded. 

“Great.” He groaned and I pouted my lips out at him. He blinked twice and nodded, turning away from me. 

“Lupin.” I whined, and I could visibly see him tense as he moved, the room froze with him. But then he kept going as if nothing had happened. I huffed and flopped back down on the pillows. Declan sniggered as Lupin took the seat on the other side of the bed. Ava shook her head at her brother, smiling. And I watched them all, as they watched Lupin. All of them, very aware of his movements. Very attuned to his mood. I closed my eyes and groaned. 

“Fuck me.” I mumbled. Of course, of course!

“Fable?” Lupin asked, concerned. I covered my face with hands muttering curses. “What's wrong?” He asked. I threw my hands out on either side of me and laughed. 

“You're the Alpha.” Everyone in the room froze, and targeted me. I lulled my head to the side, looking at him almost upside down and smiled. “Of course you are.” He studied me for a long moment, his jaw clenched. He was feeling me out, trying to comprehend what I was feeling. I let him, dropping the walls and letting him into that empty core that he encompassed. Slowly his jaw unclenched, and he stared at me, eyes shining. And because my walls were down I could feel him too, his happiness, his awe, his surprise, and the dimmer but still lingering sadness. 

“You're really not upset?” I shook my head, and the room seemed to relax. I closed off the walls, that core empty once again. I looked away from him, I really had no place to judge him, and I didn’t, I couldn’t. I was a much worse sort of monster. 

“Fable?” I looked up, surprised. Because that time I felt it. What it did when he said my name, like a string tied around my rib receiving a gentle tug. He smiled. “You ok?” I nodded. His face fell and he stood up, moving to me. 

“What's wrong, love?” My brows narrowed at him, confused by his concern. He sighed and reached a hand across my cheek, brushing away my tears. I watched him, looking into his beautiful eyes. This was the closest he had ever been to me, the first time he had ever touched me. He was gentle, his fingers rough, it made me feel safe and relaxed. My breath hitched as the crying stopped and I stared straight into his eyes, not above begging at this point. 

“Lupin.” He stopped wiping away my tears. “Please.” I whispered. “Sleep with me.” Lupin’s eyes went wide and he pulled his hand away taking a step back. The lack of his touch made me start crying again. In the background Trsitan was choking and Declan was patting his back, halfheartedly trying to assist. Rayen had both hands pressed against her mouth, trying desperately not to laugh. 

“Please, just lie beside me. You-You make me feel safe.” I implored, through rasping sobs. He watched me for a very long time, his face the picture of torn. He looked almost like he was in pain. Ava sighed and stood up, herding the crowd out of the room. Before she herself walked out the door she turned to Lupin. 

“She’s weak right now. She’s in an unfamiliar place filled with werewolves. She feels unsafe. At this point the rational part of her mind has shut off, she's running only on instinct. And right now instinct is telling her that she is in an unsafe environment and you are unprotected.” He broke his eye contact with me and looked up at her, from across the bed. “If you leave Lupin, she’ll follow. She wants you to stay, not so that you can keep her safe, but so that she can keep you safe.” He smiled softly and looked back at me. “Just lie beside her, Lupin. It will be good for both of you.” And the door clicked shut behind her. He stood there watching me. I looked away. I had curled up, I felt so very hollow. If he left, she was right, I would follow. 

I heard him sigh and felt him move away. A moment passed and I lifted my head preparing to beg. But hands grabbed me from behind. Pulling me by the shoulders and untucking my knees. He folded me against him and I wrapped my arms around his waist, forming my legs against his hips and tucking my head into his chest. His arm was draped over my shoulders and the other brushed through my hair. 

We both let out a sigh of relief. This was something we had wanted to do since the first moment we saw each other in the crowd. I heard his heart, beating fast, in his chest. He was alive, so very alive. He was real and he was mine. Here we were safe, here I knew where he was and that he couldn’t get hurt. If he were to leave… 

I latched onto my hands and held him tighter. He cooed in my ear, smoothing down my hair.

“I’m not going anywhere.” He whispered and my arms relaxed. I closed my eyes and the world faded to black.