Eustace had already been up for hours, moving through the kitchen with practiced ease. By the time everyone else wandered in—some half-asleep, some grumbling—he had plates arranged and waiting.  

Golden meat pies, roasted game, fresh bread with honey, and warm, spiced grains. Fruits were neatly sliced alongside it, their vibrant colors standing out against the rich spread.  

“Eat first, complain later,” Eustace smirked, motioning toward the table.  

The grogginess faded quickly as they settled in, the warmth of the food grounding them before the day’s work began.  

Each of them ate their fill, focusing on eating quietly.

Mahou’s eyes had been following Eustace nearly the whole time they were eating.

After they all finished eating and were cleaned up, they went downstairs and sat around in the library, waiting for everyone else to arrive.

Maki and Farren were the first.

Farren ran to Rose, wagging his tail while sitting in front of her.

“Good morning to you too, Farren.” She smiled and pet his head.

Maki chuckled and followed Farren. “Some good morning, huh? He wasn’t that nice to me. He hit me in the face to wake me up.”

Sakura chuckled. “That sounds like something Oscar would do.”

Oscar huffed “I would not!”

Indigo pinched Oscar’s hand “but it is.” Oscar gasped, “hey! That was mean!”

Indigo shrugged.

Maki sat down on the couch and groaned “Never share a bed with a wolf, or you will have back pain.”

Farren would respond, but he was caught up in the pets he was receiving from Rose.

As they were all chatting and having fun, the Badiales arrived.

Kenan walked in with wide eyes. The amount of books fascinated him. Emrys followed behind him, staying close so he could protect him.

Everest and Sage walked in behind them. 

Eustace stood up and welcomed them all in, “I’m glad you all could make it.”

Everest smiled and nodded. “I was told I’d get to kick ass so here I am.” Rose snickered.

Indigo rolled his eyes and walked to one of the library shelves.

Sakura sat next to Eustace, legs crossed as she scanned over the guests in the room. Painting a mental image of their behaviors and stances.

Mahou leaned forward, arms crossed as he spoke, “I ask that you join us. Your strength and knowledge will help.”

Sage sat at the center, his posture composed, fingers resting lightly against the table as he considered the request. His expression gave nothing away, but behind his sharp gaze, calculations—every risk, every possible outcome weighed before he spoke. 

His decision would be final, and it would not be rushed. 

Beside him, Everest sat close, silent yet perceptive, his unwavering loyalty a quiet force. As both Sage’s mate and a vampire, he was an asset not just in strength but in strategy, adding another layer of advantage to whatever path they chose next.  

Kenan sat quietl, his thoughts distant, unreadable. But beside him, Emrys kept close, one hand resting on Kenan’s arm in a protective, grounding touch. He had always been watchful, taking in the world around him without speaking much. 

Sage exhaled, eyes locking onto Mahou. “You’re asking a lot. I have one condition.”

Mahou tilted his head “what is it?”

“You help track down my sister. She is a part of this pack. She is my family.” Sage was proud, he didn’t hesitate with his words, which Mahou respected.

“Of course. We will help find her.” Mahou nodded. 

Everest nodded once, quick and firm, backing Sage without hesitation. Sage remained still for a moment longer, weighing the situation.  

Then, finally, he leaned forward. “Fine. We’re in. But we don’t follow blindly. If something feels off, we pull out.”  

Mahou allowed himself a faint smile, a flicker of relief barely visible beneath his usual restraint.

“Now that that’s settled, where do we start?” Everest was eager to get to work.

Mahou smiled. “We have a few things to figure out before we set off. You can come with me and Eustace to check the maps.”

Everest went into another room with the two of them.

Maki looked at Sage and Kenan and smiled, he wasn’t sure how to ask them for help.

Kenan walked over to Maki and Extended his hand to him “Hello, I’m Kenan! It’s nice to meet you!” He went to shake his hand but Farren growled at him. He pulled his hand away and looked at Maki with confusion.

“Ah, sorry about that..Farren’s not usually like this. My name is Maki. It’s a pleasure to meet you too.”

Sage walked over as well and sat next to Maki. “Good to know Ken is making friends.”

Ken looked down at Farren and smiled. He sat down and held his hand out to him.

Farren’s ears flattened as he moved forward and sniffed Ken’s hand. Once he registered his smell, he barked and wagged his tail.

Ken giggled and pet Farren’s head “thank you!” 

Maki looked at the two of them then at Sage and tilted his head. “What was that?”

Sage chuckled. “We can understand other wolves. Farren told Ken he’s pretty.”

Maki watched Farren with a slight smile, eyes flickering as he listened to the wolf’s thoughts. "That’s interesting… I can communicate with him through his thoughts."  

Sage nodded, leaning back slightly, his expression thoughtful. "It’s basically the same process for us." He glanced at Farren, then back to Maki, voice shifting—calm, but edged with something deeper. "But anyways, something’s up, isn’t it?"  

Maki sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Yeah. He’s stuck like that. Like it’s some kind of curse."  

Sage didn’t react immediately. He let the words settle, his gaze turning distant. He had heard stories—whispers passed down through generations, warnings of magic that couldn’t be undone. Finally, he spoke. "It is a curse. A very powerful one. The Beast’s Binding—it’s a curse that forces someone into a wolf’s form against their will. It was meant to be permanent. But over the years… a reversal has been discovered."  

Farren’s ears perked up, his tail wagging wildly as he turned to Sage, eyes bright with hope.  

Sage allowed himself the smallest of smiles. "But, no one here knows the reversal. My sister does." His hand moved gently to Farren’s head, fingers brushing through his fur. "We have to find her first."  

Maki exhaled, the tension in his shoulders easing just slightly. "At least we made progress."  

Farren lay down and whined.

Ken frowned and continued to pet Farren. “It’s ok. We will help you.”

Farren’s tail wagged ever so slightly, the small motion betraying the hope he refused to let go of. Trapped in a body that could not speak, he clung to the thought of one day being himself again—of standing beside Maki as more than a shadow, of sharing words instead of gestures, of meeting the others without the barrier of fur and fangs. For now, all he had were these quiet signals, but each flick of his tail carried the promise that he was still here, still trying, still waiting for the chance to be whole.