RP:Hitting The Pause Button

Summary: Tiber and Lanara console each other after their fight the previous night, and they meet up with Greyson at the pack house to discuss upping security measures. Franz is targeting the couple and he will stop at nothing to enact vengeance.

Part of the Waxing Crescent, Wayward Course Arc

(Post 1 of 2) It’s the darkest part of the night, just twenty minutes before dawn and the house is silent. The fur babies are asleep in their nursery, the ticking of the clock is a faint whisper, and even the horse in the barn slumbers peacefully. One wouldn’t guess that a tremendous fight had occurred hours before, between the newlyweds, unless they stepped into the dining room and saw the wine stained wall and floor. A few droplets of blood trail into the kitchen where shards of glass glisten upon the table, as though they had moved with haste to tend to an injury. The master bedroom on the second floor is a bit of a mess, as clothes are strewn all about the floor and the comforter hangs haphazardly off the bed. Upon the bed lies a man and woman, a thin sheet covering their bare bodies, as they doze in each other's arms. A sheen of sweat covers the brunette’s brows and she trembles as a nightmare seems to be disturbing this tranquil hour. Despite the stillness of the home, it’s obvious that her subconscious is in a state of unrest.

(Post 2 of 2) Lanara’s pulse quickens and her eyelids flutter as she’s gripped with fear, the vision of a witch hunter bringing his fist down upon her broken body etched in the confines of her mind. She clenches Tiber’s flesh and her nails lightly dig into his side, as she shakes her head back and forth and thrashes upon the mattress. The tremors continue until she’s had enough and Lana bolts upright in bed, suddenly wide awake, as a drawn out scream escapes her lips. Tears spill onto her cheeks and she shivers, casting a longing look at the closet, as though she’s considering making a beeline for the safety of the miniscule room. Tiber’s fear and anger had taken its toll on her nerves and she still worries that he’s going to send her away once the sun rises. There’s no way that Greyson will take her side, as he -always- favors Tiber’s views, and in truth, she’s more of a target than a threat when it comes to Franz. Is the Catalian still angry? She’s unsure, because they did more yelling than speaking, but they had made love for hours, so surely the fury has dissipated. The fear of abandonment is so great that she turns to look upon her beloved as he sleeps, the first breath of dawn spilling a halo of light on their bed. Lana bends to kiss Tiber on the lips, her damp lashes and wet cheeks visible through the curtain of her long hair, “I love you…” Sniffling, she pulls back and casts another sweeping glance towards the closet, equally torn between wanting to run and hide or wanting to curl up in Tiber’s arms and try to get some sleep.

Tiber slept lightly through what of the night he had left, the guilt settled deep in his chest. The way he was so angry… Ravished in his own hatred of the man who threatened them. Franz. How he took out that rage on his beloved. Let greed and lust do the apologizing. He felt belittled and disgusted by his own actions. He can feel the witch twitching in her sleep. Tossing. Turning. He did that. He was sure of it. Those bursts of anger always got to her, despite their affairs of lustful make up. When Lanara screams, the Catalian can feel the pulse of panic for her. Amber eyes open and a solid hand reaches out to her to pull her into him. “Shh,” he soothes. His voice is calm now. Over the flame of agitation. Himself again. He can see her chocolate stare at the closet. The impulse is drawn, and he does not want it. Instead, he gently tugs her to wrap herself within him. “You’re okay. I love you. I’m sorry, Lanara,” he says gently. Cautiously. “Stay with me. We’re going to be okay.”

Lanara’s gaze shifts from the closet to Tiber as he wraps an arm around her frame and pulls her into him. The mark that Franz had left upon her hip stings, but only a little, as she heals quickly due to the lycanthropy. The bruise, however, is still visible, and a reminder that just a few hours ago she had been in his grasp. He had caused their fight and sent Tiber into such an emotional state, a state which she has never witnessed before. Lana’s small in his arms, but she’s quick to cling to his frame and sniffle against his chest, resting her cheek over his heart. The beating sound is calming, as are his words, and she’s struck with guilt for having woken him up. Nightmares aren’t predictable, but she still shoulders the blame, “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to wake you. I should have-” Words cut off as they both come to the realization that she considers sleeping in the closet to be the alternative. It’s an old habit that brought her comfort, yet it also made her feel alone and pathetic. A hand reaches out to trace circles on his chest and she focuses on the slight ray of sunrise as it slips through the window. As much as she’s relaxing, she’s also growing anxious, because they will have to go to the pack house and speak with Greyson. “Do you still want to send me away?” Her voice breaks on the word ‘away’ and scalding tears splash onto Tiber’s bare chest, as both the witch and her inner wolf are falling apart at the thought of being so far from their mate.

Tiber shakes his head and presses his lips to the top of her head. “No, I was awake,” it was true. Closed eyes. Not sleeping. His hand brushes her back as her ear presses against his chest. ‘Do you still want to send me away?’ it lingers. His face looks blank at the ceiling above. His heart races a beat quicker at the idea of shoving her up in the mountains in winter snow with her sister. “I–” the tears. He feels them, and it sends a small shiver. “I don’t want anything to happen to you…” he says slowly, but he hates the words he spills. “But then again, keeping you close is the only thing that might actually keep you safe.” Because then he has the control on how to protect his wife. He inhales sharply. “We’ll do this together. We’ll tighten the security. We’ll come up with a plan with the pack. Come up with different ways to keep you safe and our home protected and get out of this mess.”

Lanara goes still when she feels Tiber’s heart race and he is about to say something, but then pauses. Is he going to say yes, that he wants her to mope around in a blizzard, rather than be at his side? His fingertips brush against her spine in a soothing gesture and she lifts her head to peer into his dreamy amber eyes, wanting to see his reaction. Of course -she- is a blubbering, tearstained mess, but Tiber always looks handsome, even more so when he’s a little disheveled. The tousled blonde hair and the scruff on his face, the sleep deprived gaze, and those lips that are puffy from a night of kissing, all are reminders of their night together. How can she ever be away from him, especially knowing there’s a threat?! The Catalian reassures her that he’s concerned for her safety but he’s not going to send her away, and the witch nods, “Thank you… I won’t volunteer to put myself in danger’s way, and I don’t mind if I need Bjorn or Greyson to go places with me, if you’re unavailable.” As long as it’s not Nick or Corrine, she should mostly be safe, right? Lana inches up a little more to kiss Tiber, long, slow, tenderly, as though she’s telling him she’s sorry for being such a needy basket case this morning. “Should we stay in bed or do you want me to make us some pancakes?”

There is a wave of relief when she mentions that she would not put herself in harm's way. When she mentions Bjorn and Greyson, he sucks in his cheeks at the thought. Of course. “That… That will work. I know I have my appointments for physical therapy. And I know how social you can be. I still want you to visit your sister and friends. I don’t want Penelope thinking that I took her best friend away, Sven forbid. We’ll lay out a plan today. We’ll call for an emergency meeting. Then again, they’re probably all hungover from the celebration last night of the show. I’m gonna be dealing with a bunch of morons today,” he groaned. Her lips find his, and he grips her tighter and is very gentle with her. He was sorry too. “I don’t want you to do a thing. I want to make -you- breakfast. In bed for you. Preferably.” The man kisses her again before slipping out from underneath her. “Stay put. Maybe try to close your eyes again.” He holds up a hand before disappearing downstairs to whip up a quick meal.

The stiffness leaves Lana’s limbs as she physically and emotionally relaxes upon hearing her beloved agree with her, that she can stick around, as long as she abides by the rules. Have a bodyguard at all times, for as long as Franz is an issue. She’s hoping that he was merely blowing off some steam and making an idle promise, that there isn’t an actual threat, but only time will tell if they are truly in danger. Lana smirks when Tiber mentions the hippie healer, because she can just imagine Penelope storming over to their house and demanding answers. It’s rare that Lana goes too long without seeing her friends, students, animal sanctuary, or sister, and it would raise a lot of questions. “Your surgery is coming up, too. We can have one of the men stay here during your recovery. Just in case.” She’s about to object and make -him- breakfast, but Tiber is fast on his feet, as he plants a kiss upon her lips and grabs his slippers. Lana giggles and nods, tugging the blanket up to her chin as she rests her head on the pillow, a faint smile on her face. Breakfast in bed is just what she needs to erase the awful nightmares and stress!

Tiber cuts up strawberries and divides it into two miniature bowls, topped off with blueberries. His hand works slowly to grasp each utensil and food item. He was getting better, but Lanara was right–his surgery was coming up. The doctor did, however, say the more exercises with his hand the better. Instead of mixing pancake batter, he takes the initiative for an easier breakfast. Scrambled eggs topped with cheese and a few left-over chopped veggies from a previous dinner. Coffee is on the stove, as well and poured into two mugs. The man sets both bowls and plates of eggs on a platter before heading back up the stairs. He rests the platter at the edge of her feet on the bed before walking himself around to the other side. “Breakfast for the wifey,” he slips in bed with her and props himself up. “A man who needs surgery is certainly doing a lot better. Impressed?” He flashes a grin before diving a fork into his eggs. “So, we eat, and then, I say, just bombard the Pack House. I don’t care how hungover they are.” He is straight and to the point. Clearly, he was eager, but with the right to be. “I promise to be ‘nice’. I know they are still on a concert-high. I don’t want to necessarily burst their bubbles, but..” He shrugs.

Lanara can smell the coffee’s aroma all the way up on the second floor and it’s enough to pull her over to the side of fully awake, and she has a smile on her face when Tiber reenters the room. “Morning, Handsome.” Waking up to her handsome husband serving them breakfast in bed is preferred over being scared out of her mind from a nightmare. Lana inches into a sitting position and eyes the big breakfast, delighted that he went through all of this trouble, “Wow. Your hand is definitely getting stronger! I can’t believe you did all this for us!” She forks some eggs into her mouth first, and she half closes her eyes as they taste delicious, “Amazing.” The bowl of fruit is also eyed and she can just imagine her man slicing it neatly into bite sized portions, “You never fail to amazing me!” The plan for the day is discussed and she slowly nods, not wanting to speak with her mouth full, or ruin the deserved buzz that the pack must be feeling after their first big performance. It’s also really early in the morning, not quite eight, and she can’t even imagine the hangover that Bjorn’s feeling. He was a typical party boy and ate up all the attention of the pretty girls that were fawning over their concert. After finishing her eggs and moving onto her fruit, she smirks, “I bet Corrine is in extra rude form today, since she was stuck on babysitting duty.” Poor Tybalt. “Thank you for making breakfast, Babe! I will handle the dishes when we’re done and then get ready to head over there.” Lana leans in and places a quick kiss to Tiber’s cheek, “You’re the best.”

Tiber smirked at her enthusiasm for his ‘cooking’. Mostly because of his hand, but the physical therapy was working. He would just need another surgery and more PT, and he was sure the hand would be functional again. “I can’t even imagine how Corrine must’ve treated the kid.” The man then grins dopely as she kisses his cheek. “Of course, I’ll get ready when you’re doing dishes.” The man finishes off his fruit bowl before giving the witch a parting kiss. He moves to the bathroom to get ready for the wake-up call. He makes sure to take his time with bathing, as he knew Lanara would probably worry more about the state of Bjorn’s hangover than the Catalian would. Once bathed and shaved with teeth freshly brushed, he slides on khaki slacks, a navy button up, and those dress loafers. He should probably get a new forestry wardrobe, but he digressed. As he always meant business. For the meantime, as he waits for the Kelvarian, he decides to linger downstairs with his guitar for the time being. Marking pages until she appears in sight. New music ideas.

Lanara’s genuinely worried about the mental health of Tybalt, because having to endure Corrine for a few hours could greatly cause the kid to regress to infanthood. She’s the absolute worst person and they had entrusted her with the care of a young boy?! It’s a sobering thought and so she moves to quickly finish her breakfast so they can head over and see the damage from Corrine’s babysitting and Bjorn’s partying. That parting kiss before Tiber and Lana part ways lasts a few moments and the witch is eager to play ‘hooky’ and just spend the day in bed with her beloved, but duty calls. After the dishes are washed and the wine is scrubbed from the walls and carpet, Lana casts a cleanliness spell on the stained fabric and her magic restores the rug to its previous perfect state. The glass shards are thrown into the garbage, the fur babies receive fresh helpings of kibble and water in their respective bowls, and the backyard garden is watered. Having done all the morning chores, Lana proceeds into the washroom so that she can bathe and dress for the day. She’s anxious about what Greyson will say and if Tiber will change his mind about letting her stick around in Sage, because she doesn’t want to go up to Frostmaw and impose on her little sister. She doesn’t want to be apart from her mate. Ever. Least of all when there’s a threat at their door! Lana dresses plainly in a hunter green three-quarter length sleeve sweater, white boot-cut denims on her legs, and a pair of tan moccasins on her feet. She runs a comb through her long hair and it’s still damp when she rejoins Tiber in the living room, a faint smile on her face. “Is that a new song I’m hearing?” Seeing him with a guitar always makes her feel mushy inside and she melts a little when he looks up at her after jotting down a note. Even after all this time, Tiberius Lowell still gives her butterflies, and the fact that he’s a musician makes him ten times more desirable in her book. “We should, uh, go.” Why is she stammering? Perhaps she’s a little starstruck? Is that a blush creeping into her high cheekbones? Lana sometimes forgets that she’s -married- to this Adonis, and this is one of those moments. Needing a distraction, she heads into the foyer to grab her purse, “Ready, Babe?”

Tiber strums the chords slowly. Where was this song going? He was not sure. He is not too far into playing chords before Lanara appears down the stairs and in his line of view. He finishes a few new chords before he looks up at her, and then he sets the quill down. She is flushed in color, and he stands before unhooking the guitar from around his torso. “Ready,” he would approach her and kiss her. Long before pulling back quick enough to beat her to the door. He opens it before they are off. As they cross through the forest, he kind of vaguely plans out how he plans to approach the group of housing. They get to the house, and knock, but automatically, Tiber is bursting through. Okay, cue not following calm planning. “Wake up!” Bjorn is passed out with booty cheeks to the air. “Bjorn?! Get some pants on!” Tiber shouts. Bjorn scrambles, “What?! I like the breeze!” Tiber’s hands cover his eyes in frustration, “Go! And get the others!” Bjorn is now moving throughout the house banging on doors.

Lanara greedily returns the kiss and takes Tiber’s arm, as they meander through the forest and head to meet with the pack. Her husband bursts into the house without waiting for an answer, and karma greets them in the way of bare butt cheeks. Bjorn is buck naked and hungover, and while Tiber covers his eyes, Lana covers her mouth and tries to stifle her giggles. She finds this to be hysterical and shakes her head as Bjorn parades around the house to wake everyone else up. At some point he finally locates a pair of shorts and he steps into them, but he points an accusatory finger at Lanara, “Quick laughing! I thought you of all people would understand! You have the finest -female- ass in the realm and I’m trying to claim the best -male- ass. Watch this!” He turns and shows Tiber and Lana how he can clench and unclench his buttocks, peering over his shoulder and winking at his Alpha, “You know I look good!” Everyone congregates in the living room, deprived of sleep and dehydrated, save for Tybalt who sits there looking rather grim. Lana stops laughing at Bjorn and goes to sit next to the boy, “Hey… How did last night go with Corrine as your babysitter?” The kid sniffles and looks up at her with sad eyes, “I didn’t mean to do it! I don’t know what happened! I was playing with that science kit you bought me and the volcano exploded all over Corrine! Her hair is now bright blue and the ink won’t come out! She yelled at me the entire night.” Lana looks like she’s about to bust up laughing again, but instead she hugs the boy, “It’s probably an improvement to her looks, don’t worry.” Greyson approaches Tiber, “What’s going on? Everything okay? Why didn’t you guys want to celebrate with us last night?”

Tiberius listens to Bjorn prance around the house knocking on doors, and the Catalian decides to move to the kitchen to lean against the counter. A finger presses against his temple while his cheek rests in the crevice of his pointer and thumb especially when Bjorn comes back in and does the clenching of his backside. “You’re a moron,” a crinkled expression resides on his face. Everyone who piles in, looks like death. “Tiber, did you really have to wake us up this early?” Violet groans looking all out of sorts. Tiber looks over her direction and almost makes a comment before Greyson approaches. “We… might have a problem. Which is why we are here so early, which is why I didn’t come last night. I would’ve let you all sleep, but what happened last night left unpredictability.” All the lycans then turn their heads towards Tiber, as their sense of hearing is as clear as day. “In the past, I’ve worked with an employer who is one of the higher classes in Cenril. We ran into him and his wife on Lanara and I’s honeymoon. He knows about Skitch.” His mouth is tight. “I assume.” Beat. “He keeps appearing, and… he threatened Lanara last night. Threatened our territory. We need tighter borders and security.” Not the easiest way to start.

(Post 1 of 2) The humor fades from Lanara’s expression as thoughts of Bjorn’s manly rear and Tybalt’s science experiment are pushed to the back of her mind, leaving Franz at the forefront. She vividly recalls the previous night's events and a part of her feels guilty for waking up the Pack this early and putting a damper on their celebration. The memory of the fight between Tiber and herself is still raw in her heart and she drops her gaze to the floor, where it remains for the duration of her mate’s speech. Everyone seems to be in shock, but it’s Celeste that feels the impact of the new threat the most, as everyone’s fear and anger sends shockwaves through her form. Lana locks eyes with the empath, before directing everyone’s attention from Tiber to herself, “His name is Franz and he’s a distinguished man with salt and pepper hair. His attire screams of wealth and he has friends in high and low places, from what I’ve learned… He isn’t too happy that Tiber moved from Cenril and that he’s no longer working for him.” The witch sighs, “He forced me to dance with him last night and he pinched me so hard that he nearly broke my hip. He’s one of us… A lycan. And his girlfriend, Sylvie, is often at his side or doing his bidding. They look like a handsome, well-mannered couple, but we have to be on alert.”

(Post 2 of 2) Lana stops talking because she doesn’t know anything more about Franz and assumes that Tiber will pick up where she left off. However, Bjorn cuts in with, “Yo. He threatened our territory and hurt our Luna?! Why is he still alive, Alpha?!” Greyson shakes his head and shushes Bjorn, “It needs to be handled delicately. Tiber said that this isn’t an ordinary individual tossing around meaningless threats! But… I think it’s best if we lie low and up our security measures. Maybe send Lana to a safe house or something, until this all blows over.” Everyone starts talking at once and firing off questions to their alpha, wanting to know every last detail about Franz and why he’s such a threat. The Kelvarian crosses her arms over her chest and frowns, her sad eyes shifting from Greyson to Tiber, because the last thing she wants is to be sent elsewhere. Her place is at Tiber’s side, now and forever.

(1 of 2) Tiberius lifts his gaze to the Kelvarian who begins to chime in. He tries to keep a stoic look on his face from Celeste’s overwhelming reaction to everything. Lanara goes into more detail about Franz and Sylvie. The man was building up to it, but it was something Tiber was also weary about, as it was a corrupted past that he knew some members would not agree with. The Catalian is about to open his mouth when Bjorn interrupts him, and Greyson chimes in. Tiber folds his arms across his chest as he listens to his second-hand who is talking about sending Lanara away. Tiber knew it firsthand that Greyson would agree with his beginning motives, but casting an amber gaze to Lanara and seeing her closed off, makes him straighten his posture. The pack is talking over each other. He watches the concern in each gaze, and the reaction that is fronted. “Enough!” He booms over the group who begin to fall silent with the agitation wafting off of the blonde. “Lanara isn’t going anywhere… We already agreed that she stays. Look, Franz is mad at me because I no longer work for him. Skitch is gone, and the fact that I didn’t tell Franz about this? That I snaked my way out and found my own? He doesn’t like that. He is a man of greed. A man of entitlement.” Pause. “Look, I did a lot of things I am not proud of when I was under Franz, but that doesn’t mean I don’t care about… our family.” He is honest. Raw. “I’m going to be honest, I had the same thought as Greyson. Sending Lanara away, but it’s not going to solve anything. It’s a selfish action when we need Lanara here. Besides, next it would be someone else, anyway.”

(2 of 2) Tiber finds his way to Lanara across the room, and places a hand on the small of her back. “We need to tighten security measures, and that means Lanara needs to be protected at all costs. I don’t want to send her away. She doesn’t want to be sent. I am dedicating Greyson and Bjorn to watch over her while we deal with this situation. In the meantime, we need tighter borders on our home and the pack house. Shifts of pack guards over the nightfall. Traps of our own. Franz loves the chase. The surprise factor. The unknown.” Tiberius feels sick. “Because of the falling out, the ownership of Skitch’s possessions, he feels threatened. Which is why I think we should move our location of work. Out of Cenril. Whether it be Kelay or Enchantment. We need a new space.”

(Post 1 of 2) Lanara feels Violet and Celeste staring at her and she knows that she’s being judged, even if they won’t outright say anything. At every turn, since they’ve been freed from the laboratory, it seems that trouble has followed. Skitch. Corrine. Nick. And now… Franz. All four of those unsavory individuals had put a target on Lana’s back, so it’s natural that the women feel as though -she- is the problem. Both their Alpha and Luna are now in danger and the Pack has been threatened, so it’s expected when the group starts voicing their concerns and getting loud. Lanara cannot meet their eyes, she feels like she has only just been accepted in her role, and here comes trouble knocking at their door. Again. Violet rolls her eyes when Tiber adds that Bjorn and Greyson will be added to Lana’s security detail and fires back, “So what? The kid still goes to school, Celeste works at the Hut, and I’m supposed to attend classes, by ourselves? We can’t exactly use the buddy system when we’re all going in different directions.” The teen crosses her arms over her chest and looks at Tiber, “I get that she’s your wife and our Luna and should be protected, but she’s also better off than the rest of us, right? She knows the area, she has friends, -and- she can use magic! I think we should just focus on protecting our territory.” Celeste frowns but doesn’t voice her opinion, and Tybalt secretly hopes this means that he can skip school for a bit. Greyson opens his mouth to speak up but after Tiber shuts down his idea to move Lanara out of the area, he knows better than to butt heads with his Alpha. Bjorn, ever oblivious and unable to take anything seriously, fist pumps the air, “Yesssss! I get to hang out with Lana even more! This is awesome! Everyone will be in awe when they see us because we have fant -ass- tic bootays and are the hottest people in the realm!”

(Post 2 of 2) Lanara feels as though the air has been sucked out of the room and her mind is spinning, until she feels Tiber’s hand on the small of her back. It stills her rapidly beating heart and she’s grateful that her mate has made contact, and defended her decision to remain at his side. She tilts her head so that she can catch his amber gaze and she tells him that she loves him, without words. Sometimes a look is all they need to share to know that they are on the same page, and Lana feels as though she can breathe again. “I think as long as I don’t leave Sage, that I should be relatively safe. Right, Baby?” She shifts her gaze from Tiber, to the group, “I have my business, my home, and three close friends that live within walking distance. If Greyson or Bjorn are unavailable as they may be needed to escort the girls, or Tybalt somewhere, I will use extra caution and call upon a friend if I’m traveling outside of the area. That’s assuming that I’m not accompanied by Tiber, because we are almost -always- in each other's presence. I do ask that we increase security at the animal sanctuary, as well as at Corrine and Nick’s place, because they could also be targeted.” She had nearly forgotten about those two, but she wouldn’t deliberately put them in harm's way. There’s a long pause before Lana turns to look mostly at Tiber and Greyson, “I used to rent a small apartment above the flower shop in Enchantment, during the trial. It’s nothing special but the building is sturdy and has decent security, plus, it’s not a place one would expect! Or… I can always use my ties with the Queen and see if she has any ideas.”

Tiber’s eyes flick to Violet in the quick interruption. Tiberius pinches the bridge of his nose another time because the angsty young adult is biting back. He does not think much of this, as he was mostly thinking Lanara and himself were the targets that Franz wanted. There was a chance, however, that any member could get hurt, and then Lanara is off on her own tangent to make the girl’s feel better. Stay at home? Well, he did like this idea. For her to stay home instead of wandering. “Look, Lanara’s idea makes the most sense, and Violet, I’m not only thinking of Lanara, but it appears that she is the main target lately. Greyson, Bjorn, Nick, or myself will escort anyone who needs to travel towards Cenril or Rynvale as those are primary locations where Franz and Sylvie are located. If no one else is available, call on each other, so if that means Violet needs to walk with Corrine somewhere, so be it. Please limit your travel, however. I know that we want things to stay normal, and I know Violet that you have school, so we will adjust.” Beat. His face falls when Lanara talks of the apartment above the floral shop in Enchantment. “You’re not leaving to stay alone no matter the lack of knowledge. We are going to tighten our borders on -our- homes, and as for your friends escorting you, Lana? I’m only trustworthy of Aira as, I hate to admit it, she knows her way around the areas with her skills. Your hippie friend doesn’t check off, and I have no idea who else you wander with…” Penelope was, after all, only a human, but the petite frizzy healer was mighty, but not to Tiber’s knowledge. “If you visit Penelope, you need someone with you.” The Catalian is strict on this report. Tiber sucks his cheeks in at the thought of extra security at Happy Tails. There were not many members of the pack. “Is there by chance animals we can train for security? Magical borders for the estate and the pack home as well as Corrine and Nick’s home? People can take shifts to guard throughout the evening, as well.” The man walks to stare out a nearby window. “We’ll have to have training days too. Defense training. We haven’t done much since Lanara and I were on our honeymoon, but I want everyone to be better equipped and prepared in case an ambush happens.”

Lanara blinks when Tiber misunderstands her words, because she didn’t have any intention of leaving their home in Sage Forest. “I suggested the flower shop in Enchantment to be used as a base of operations… Since you guys are handling Skitch’s clientele now, right?” Violet sighs and shakes her head as she doesn’t want to walk anywhere with Corrine, but eventually she relents, “Fine.” Bjorn’s eyes light up when Tiber mentions Penelope and he automatically volunteers to be Lana’s escort on the days she visits the hippie. Greyson is jotting down notes regarding security measures, enchantments, and defense classes for the pack. Celeste looks out the window as though she already feels like a prisoner and she idly pats Tybalt on the shoulder, as the boy tries to follow what the adults are discussing. Corrine and Nick aren’t present, but Lana knows that Greyson will likely head over there after this meeting to talk to them about the plans. “I can place some magical wards around the properties, and I have a few dogs at the sanctuary that are trained to attack on command.” There is one shepherd with a black muzzle that she even taught how to patrol an area but he’s far too deadly to adopt out, so she considers picking up ‘Max’ when they are done here. “I have quite a few friends, actually, but I don’t see myself traveling very far. If I do need to go somewhere I can use a glamour potion or a shadow disguise…” She’s speaking of the pendant that their group of rogue’s use. Of course she can still be tracked by scent, but in a jam, it’s better than nothing. “Taly can visit me, rather than me heading up to Frostmaw. I will take a temporary leave of absence from the Bardic University. And I cannot stay away from the sanctuary, but I do have guards there to keep the place in order. Maybe I can hire a few more.” Lana pauses and collects her thoughts, struggling to find the words as this is the night after their first live performance. “I think you guys shouldn’t do anymore gigs, until this boils over… Just to be safe.”

Tiber opens his mouth in an ‘oh’ expression at Lanara’s correction. He shakes his head. His brain felt muddled–he might as well been hungover like the rest of them. “Right, right. We move operations to Enchantment. Safer for everyone.” Lanara goes on about the security measures for the sanctuary, and the safety of having her sister travel to Sage rather than the Kelvarian moving to Frostmaw. “I’ll request my absence from the University, as well. Especially since we don’t want our chaos dripping into the college.” When Lanara talks of no more gigs, groans from around the room begin. Phrases like ‘are you serious’ and ‘come on’ echo and everyone starts talking over each other again. Tiberius side-eyes Lanara. As hard as it was for him to step away from the music side of things, “That’s enough.” He says this sternly. “Lanara is right, we shouldn’t book gigs. It’ll leave a paper trail.” Beat. “Doesn’t mean that we can’t still play. Practice. We come up with a few new tunes, and then when we are back, people will go wild. After all, we are up and coming.” He grinds his teeth. “Surely we are still allowed ‘out’, just be cautious. Use the buddy system. Don’t stay out too long. Don’t leave a trail. Hell, sing at an open mic and use an alias–we just can’t plan anything that would lead Franz to ambush us. Kapeesh?” The group look at each other, but there is grim silence in the room. “Kaposh, boss!” Bjorn gives a jolly thumbs up. “So Lana? When are you going to visit Penelope?” The man asks like a drooling puppy. Tiberius glares at Bjorn. “Lanara, let’s go. We should probably start the security measures and head to the sanctuary.”

Lanara nods in agreement with Tiber, even though she’s no longer favored by the Pack since they all share a love for music. “You guys can work on some new material and when you step back into the scene, hopefully by the end of summer, you will truly steal the show!” She tries to feign optimism, even if Violet is still giving her the stink eye. It’s not even Lana’s fault that Franz has targeted Tiber, but the gravity of the situation wears heavy on her shoulders. Tybalt is the only one in the room that seems happy about the fact that the band won’t be having any public gigs for a bit, “Yay! Corrine won’t have to babysit me for a while!” Bjorn brightens at the mention of Penelope and Lana fights the urge to roll her eyes, even if she finds it downright adorable that he’s crushing on her best friend. Who would have thought?! Bjorn fancies Nel and Greyson seemed unable to tear his gaze off of Alvina! “Soon, Bjorn. I’m sure. We never go too long without seeing each other.” Tiber suggests that they get going to the sanctuary to up the security measures over there, firsthand, and the witch nods in reply. “We’ll be seeing you guys, soon. Be safe, everyone!” Lana exits the home with Tiber and immediately takes his hand, giving it a gentle squeeze, “I know canceling gigs was a bit of a let down, but if it makes you feel any better, you can always serenade me.” She smiles and kiss his hand, before they head north and dissolve into tactical conversation. Every few minutes they glance over their shoulders or switch up which path brings them to the shelter, to make certain that they aren’t being followed. It’s going to be a tough few weeks, but hopefully the Pack will buy themselves some time so that they can figure out what to do about Franz.