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When I woke up this time it was slower. Less of a startle from the reprieve of pain and more a rousing from a short nap. My head was foggy but it was a sleepy comfort. Rationality seemed to have returned as I remembered every embarrassing moment of what had happened. I groaned, pulling the blankets over my face, refusing to open my eyes. 

A moment of mortification passed and then I remembered something else. And then I heard it. The quiet thumping of a resting heart. Repetitive and constant. Something deep inside of me ached and I opened my eyes, turning my head to look at him. Resting my chin on his shoulder and feeling the rise and fall of his chest. 

A gentle rumpling snore echoed the repetitive beat of his heart. I smiled, every part of my soul content with just watching him. He was still breathtakingly beautiful. Even in the sunlight, though it was different. His hair, I had thought was an unforgiving black, shone with red and gold in the sun. His tan face glowed in the light and it was obvious to me that he was born pale. His closed eyes curled in long black lashes. And hidden, right under the line of his jaw was a knick of a scar. I hated it, the idea that he may have been hurt. I pressed a finger against the skin, gently dragging my nail across it. 

For it to have scarred a werewolf it must have been impressive, typically they heal too fast to scar. I sighed, succumbing to the repetition of rubbing my finger against the inch long lightened flesh. Belatedly, I realized the stubble running down his throat and over his cheeks had lessened, though it was still there, I could feel my fingernail catching on the rough surface. He must have shaved at some point. 

“It’s an old scar.” I started out of my reprieve, lifting my head to face his beautiful eyes. He regarded me gently and smiled awkwardly. “I got it when I was twelve. Thought it’d be cool to climb a fence. I got all the way to the top when I slipped and my chin went straight into the barbed wire.” I grimaced slightly, the image unkind to my soul. I pulled away from him, resting my head into the pillows, all too content to just listen to him talk. Half of me was terrified he’d just disappear. I could tell his fear was the same as he prattled on, it was nice, in an odd sort of way.

“My mother was convinced I was going to die.” His face scrunched up in amusement at the memory. “My father was secretly proud, but knew if he showed it my mother would give him hell. With time it healed,” he turned to me, smiling. “And I didn’t die, but I was young and it left a mark.” I pulled the blanket closer to me, shivering. He sat up slightly.

“Are you cold?” He asked, and the genuine concern was a little disarming. I shook my head. 

“Banshee’s run cold, we like it.” I explained simply. He reached out, intrigued, and grabbed my hand. His eyes narrowed. 

“You don’t feel cold.” I laughed lightly, shaking my head again. 

“No, we don’t, never quite understood it either. But winter is still our favorite season and you can almost always find a banshee curled up by the fireplace. Even in the dead of summer.” He raised an eyebrow, his lips still pulled in a smile. I shrugged, or tried to, while lying on my side. “It’s true, it’s odd, even to me. But it’s true all the same.” He chuckled lightly, and turned away to stare at the ceiling. A long comforting moment of silence passed. Just listening to the other breathing, still a surprise that we were so close, so real. 

I sat up, leaning against the headboard. Finding Rane curled at my feet. As I moved she lifted her head to regard me, eyes slightly squinted with sleep. Apparently satisfied, she stood up and curled up in my lap. I smiled and brushed my hand across her back, she purred along. I glanced to the side at Lupin, eyes raised at his wolfish grin. 

“My cat likes you.” Was all he responded with. I shrugged, and continued petting. 

“Ok, what are we going to do?” I asked. He huffed a sigh, apparently he didn’t want to have this conversation. I waited, it was important and he had no choice. He smiled, siftly amused and turned to me. The amusement faded and the seriousness of the conversation settled on his face. 

“I can’t go back to pretending you don’t exist.” I took a long deep breath and shifted to look at him. 

“Me neither.” A smile pulled at his lips and I gave him points for trying to hide it. I shook my head and turned back to the expanse of the room. Being close to him was comforting but it definitely had it’s problems. I groaned internally, trying to calm down my heart beat. I knew he could hear it but he didn’t say anything, he got more points for that as well. 

“So?” He started. I leaned back and looked at him. He sighed, forging ahead. “Do we put all our cards on the table or are we going to learn as we go?” I huffed a little sigh and started twisting the cat's long fur between my fingers. Lupin sniggered softly. “Well I know what that means.” I turned to him, imploring. 

“You don’t know me, Lupin.” He sighed, refusing to look at me. “You can’t trust me and I can’t trust you.” His jaw tightened. “I can’t give you all my cards, not now. And maybe not ever.” His eyes darted to me, glowing a dim silver. The wolf was peering in. I sighed and grabbed his open hand. “I’m giving you an out, Lupin. It’s possible you won’t want to trust me after all of this is over.” Slowly his eyes dimmed and the hand I was holding, held mine back. 

“I am willing to give you everything.” I shook my head, even as my heart contorted. 

“You don’t know me, Lupin. What happens if a skeleton falls out of my closet and it freaks you out so badly, you don’t even want to look at me.” He smiled softly, apparently amused. 

“I don’t think you're capable.” I sighed, taking his hand in both of mine and looking him right in the eye. 

“Trust me, I am.” He watched me for a moment and slowly nodded, once. I tore my eyes away, letting go of his hand but he held fast to mine. I let him keep my hand. I think he needed it about as much as I did. A connection, a centering, shutting off the aching need, subsiding it, just slightly. 

“Do you have any cards you want to put on the table?” I smiled at him and nodded. He had offered me everything, it was only fair that I give him something. 

“Well first off I’m a banshee. My entire family consists of banshee’s. I have three siblings. My older brother, Salem, my younger brother, Arrow, and my sister, the youngest, Echo.” I shifted, looking up at the ceiling as he softly brushed his thumb over the back of my hand. “I’m twenty-six. My birthday is April 15th. I grew up in New York, the state not the city. I moved to Philly for college. I attended and graduated from the University of Arts. I am now a successful artist, and that's rather difficult to do. I own two apartments, one that I live in and one that I work in.” He raised an eyebrow and I rolled my eyes. “Sometimes I need to host and entertain art collectors, sellers, or buyers. I must woo museum owners and art producers, and for that I need… fancier accommodations.” He nodded his head and I scoffed. I bundled deeper into his mountain of pillows and blankets. Rane softly protests at the movement. 

“Your turn.” I muttered, closing my eyes. His fingers were still fiddling with my hand, it was managing to be calming and intoxicating at the same time. An all around frustrating experience, that I didn’t want to end. 

“Very well, let's see,” He hmm. “I’m a werewolf and the Alpha of the Pennsylvania Pack. I was raised here, in this very complex, though I resided on a lower floor. When my sister and I were old enough to take care of ourselves my parents left. They decided to live out the rest of their lives in the valleys and views of Virginia. We call often but with me being an Alpha of a different pack, visitation is difficult. My older sister, Ember, is the Judge for the Pack. She deals with the laws and rules. If a dispute breaks out and the laws don’t clearly state a solution she steps in and mediates. You’ll meet her at some point, currently she’s trying to smooth over some of the disgruntled folk that don’t approve of you being here.” I sat up concerned, the cat sulked off the bed, offended. Lupin gentled me back down. “It’s fine, Fable. They’re old traditionalists and have no actual ground to stand on, Ember will win. She always does. And even if she didn’t you are allowed to be here, by my decree.” A growl deepened his voice and I chuckled. 

“Scary.” He narrowed his eyes but slowly smiled. 

“If you were anyone else…” I smiled brightly at him.

“But I’m not. I suppose it’s a good thing all of my instincts say you're the safest thing in the world.” He shook his head but the smile stayed on his lips. 

“I suppose so.” I giggled at his attempt not to show his delight. I knew what it was to be a monster, you just expected others to view you the same. It was always a surprise when they weren’t afraid. But I had never been afraid of him, and I truly believed I never would. 

“Continue.” I demanded simply and he chuckled, but obliged. 

“As time went on I got stronger and bigger. People started challenging me, just to prove that they could win. When they didn’t, I started to rise. Unintentional as it was, I really had no say. If a wolf is challenged they must agree, so I fought for my life and won. It got to the point where I could rise no farther and no one else could challenge me. I suppose you could say I accidentally became Alpha.” He smiled, but I could feel the pain of it through the Bond. Like every monster, I also understood what it was to take a life. To kill, even when you didn’t want to. He felt my understanding, just as I had felt his pain, our eyes met for a moment sharing in our hurt. He grunted and turned away. 

“As I rised, so did my friends. Now don’t get me wrong, they are entirely capable on their own, but with my increasing power in the Pack a path was easily cleared for them. Rayen and Ember are my only blood relatives but they are all my family. We grew up on the same floor, basically we were raised together. Not to mention that Tristan is Rayen’s Mate and Declan is Ember’s.” I couldn’t help but smile at the love I felt from him when he talked about is family. “Ava is my Emissary and has yet to find her Mate. Declan is the Pack’s Executioner. Tristan is the Chief of Security. And Rayen is my Second, if I’m not around she’s in command.” I smiled at him. 

“They seem like a fun group.” He shrugged. 

“I mean, I’m biased.” I chuckled and we lapsed into a comforting silence. He smiled warmly at his inner thoughts and I raised my eyebrows. He turned to me and prepared a response.