RP:Nothing Lasts Forever

Summary: Corrine uses a glamour potion so that she can seduce Tiber, under the guise of Lanara. As the effects wear off, the true Lana witnesses her fiance and her enemy in a passionate moment, and the evening takes a very dark turn. Tiber and Lanara are both left with broken hearts and the engagement is called off.

Part of the New Moon, New Motion Arc

(Post 1 of 4) Corrine Venger has never felt more confident than she is at this very moment, while unlocking the front door of the Lowell Estate, a wicked grin on her fair face. She silently reminds herself to slide the key back onto Tybalt’s dresser so the little twerp doesn’t notice it’s missing. Only Lanara would trust a little gimp with a key to her house so that he can look after the pets when she’s not home! Today will mark the undoing of Tibarfa, causing a major rift amongst the pack, and leaving Tiber without a mate. Corrine thinks that she will gladly fit the role of Luna of the Amber Lunation and that she will look swell at Tiber’s side, as his mate. However, if he chooses -not- to reject Lanara, she has no qualms about overthrowing the couple and becoming Luna under Nick’s leadership. Life is all about greed and power, and Corrine feels that she is long overdue. So what if it hurts Lame-Uh?! That witch deserves all that is coming her way! Locking the door behind her, Corrine’s smug expression fades into one of disgust as Ranger expectantly eyes her in the foyer. The pup is hesitant to near the woman and his nose twitches as though he smells something foul, before he tucks his tail between his legs and runs off into another room.

(Post 2 of 4) Corrine strides upstairs and into the master bedroom where she rummages through Lanara’s finest garments, before selecting a slinky red dress with a slit in the side that runs the entire length of her long legs and up to her hips. It’s the sexiest gown she’s ever had the pleasure of wearing, and she giddily finds a pair of silver stilettos to complete the look. Hiding her clothes in the large satchel she had brought along, Corrine then goes to sit before the vanity, where she admires herself in the mirror. Lanara Banks looks back at her, or rather, the glamoured version of Corrine under the guise of Lanara! Unfathomable big brown doe eyes scrutinize the looking glass, taking in those high cheekbones, the slightly tapered ears, the deep chestnut silken hair, and those lush lips that form a perfect pout. Corrine rubs some of Lana’s perfume on the inside of her wrists, the sides of her neck, and behind her ears and she hums a well-known tale of heartbreak as she works on painting her face.

(Post 3 of 4) Corrine has meticulously been planning for weeks and she’s certain that everything will go off without a hitch! She had met with a powerful witch that had agreed to make a glamour potion, thinking it was to be a Samhain prank, and it had only cost three strands of hair and a hundred gold coins. As of this very moment, Nick is accompanying Lanara to her final dress fitting at the seamstress in Enchantment. Meanwhile, Tiber happens to be on his way home from a wine tasting in Larket, which he sadly had to attend solo, since Corrine hasn’t shown up. Clad in Lanara’s gown and wearing her perfume, it’s unlikely the Catalian will pick up a foreign scent, but if he does, she has a perfect excuse. A family of skunks had been brought into the sanctuary and sprayed everyone, so her natural scent is a bit off! Corrine has thought of every possible scenario and she’s confident Tiber will listen to her lies without complaint, not that they will be doing much talking!

(Post 4 of 4) An hour later Corrine hears the front door open and the damn dog starts barking and nearly trips her on her way down the stairs. Once she’s in charge around here she’s having that stupid mutt euthanized! Even now, she has to fight the urge to deliver a swift kick to it’s ribs, but she knows better than to deviate from the plan. Pausing at the landing, she strikes a sultry pose and hungrily eyes the Catalian as he steps over the threshold. “Welcome home, Babe. How was the wine tasting?” Striding down the stairs, showing a lot of leg and a great deal of cleavage, Corrine saunters right up to Tiber and pulls him in for a steamy kiss. “Join me for a glass of wine? I know you’ve been sipping it all night, but I want to unwind after being in that moron’s company for hours.” She rolls her eyes and smiles, “Nick thought it would be ‘cute’ to sing the whole way there and back.” Turning away, she sways her hips as she lures Tiber into the kitchen, “If my voice sounds off it’s because the seamstress that Corrine hired is going deaf! I had to shout so much that it’s a miracle I still have a voice!” The faux-witch pours them each a healthy glass of wine, and she raises hers to make a toast, “To our future together… And to an evening we will never forget.” Upon their glasses clinking, Corrine takes a sip and runs her tongue along her upper lip, her voice dropping to a husky whisper “This is good, but I can think of another way to unwind…”

Tiber (1 of 3):: Tiber was miffed that Corrine did not show up to the winery because that was her job to go tasting with him. Tiber and Lanara had to have good taste for their guests, of course, so where was the red head? After about ten minutes of waiting for Corrine to show, Tiber shrugs off the no-show and decides to partake in his own afternoon. Was it acceptable to drink wine alone? After all, it was for a good cause. The Lowell Wedding. The greedy man decides for himself and spends the afternoon sipping samples which instead of just taking a taste and letting the samples go, he decides to drink them all. Cannot let good alcohol go to waste, right? Tiber chooses from a multitude to have at the wedding. Okay, maybe just three different types from the red lovers to the white lovers to just a classic champagne they could pop for the ceremony. The man takes a bottle for the road when the wine tasting is over for his lover back home to get a sample of what was to come on their day. He decides to go with the sweeter for his sweetheart. Tiberius also decides to take a carriage home, for walking home would kill the minor buzz and might as well have fun with booze with Lanara tonight.

Tiber (2 of 3):: The carriage drops him off a small distance away from the estate, and the man fumbles with his keys as he approaches the steps. There is a different smell that lingers beyond the door. It was different, but Tiber does not think much of it with tipsy senses. Luca, however, begins to stir and grumble, but he does not make such a fuss yet, but the inner wolf is alert. Tiberius unlocks the door and as he passes through, there is Lanara standing up the stairs in one of Tiber’s favorite dresses. The scarlet one. The man ogles from afar, and his jaw almost drops a little, but the awe disappears and instead his face turns into a sly gaze. His eyes linger on her frame--the curve of her hips as they sway. “Corrine was M.I.A, but whatever…” His words were slow as Lanara Banks always took his breath away. “It was good, though,” he holds up the bottle to show he picked one to bring home, but that did not matter because her lips were on his. He moves closer, but she pulls back fast. Suddenly, something else stirs, “Where’s Asha?” Luca echoes in the background. There is a growl protruding from the inner lycan. In the back of Tiber’s mind, he thinks, “Chill, Luca. Just give Lanara and I some privacy. Who knows, maybe Asha finally is getting the hint,” Tiber echoes before shaking Luca away who is bouncing and whining.

Tiber (3 of 3):: The bottle of wine is offered at the simple question. “I figured you can try this one I picked out for the wedding. I chose two more. How was the fitt--” and then he cuts off as he watches faux-witch walk away in taunt. The man follows close behind as if he was bewitched. The man was -always- bewitched by his mate. Although the scent was off, he was blinded by alcohol. “Sounds like a rough fitting, but I’m sure you’ll look… sexy.” Eyes dance their way down the witch’s cleavage before grinning back up at her. The drink is poured, “I’m sure we’ll get used to that Backstreet Dork one day. Besides, the guy said he’d jam with me. It’ll take the pressure off of you,” he smirks before clinking the glass. “An evening we’ll never forget? Is this a thank you for your birthday?” He cackles before he catches her tongue running over the glass. The man tips the glass back and drains part of the glass before lowering it and setting it off on a side-counter. The man does not speak, but instead, he goes in for the kill because he is ready to tear that dress right off. “Tiber, don’t!” Luca howls and Tiber presses his lips against the witch to push the woman against the counter due to the lust between them. He breathes against her lips, "Is it a good time tonight to cash in one of those fantasies?"

(Post 1 of 3) Corrine picks up on the fact that Tiber has been heavily drinking, but she doesn’t push him away once he presses her against the counter and kisses her as if his life depends on sating his lust. She purrs against his mouth, teasing his lips with her tongue, before she tilts her head back and looks deeply into his amber eyes, “Corrine didn’t show? That bitch!” She knows from dealing with Lana on various occasions that the woman never shuts up, and also that she’s playful and a bit of a tease around Tiber. “The fitting went wonderfully, as expected.” She pauses when he speaks about cashing in fantasies and she wonders if perhaps the witch had been charging the lycan for sexual favors? If so, she respects her a little more, but since she’s unsure how to respond, she instead steps back and giggles, “This one is on the house! Let’s do this upstairs, I don’t want to dirty the kitchen.” Without waiting for a reply, she exits the kitchen, and hopes that legendary derriere lure is working it’s magic. Corrine Venger must be in control at all times.

(Post 2 of 3) Corrine feels the tingle fading from the effects of the potion, so she quickly peers into the mirror as they walk past the vanity, and head further into the master bedroom. So far, so good, she’s still identical to Lanara, in every way! How long will the potion last, though? She hadn’t thought it would be an issue and she’s hoping that it lasts long enough for Tiber and her to be in the middle of a love making session. Or perhaps cuddling beneath the sheets, right after a steamy romp? She smirks, imagining the horror on Lana’s face when she enters the room and sees what’s happened! Corrine walks over towards the balcony and opens the doors, her eyes scanning the area until she sees the faint glow of a lantern far off in the distance. The carriage is returning home, with Nick, Lana, and some wedding items, and they should arrive within the next ten minutes. She hoped they would arrive a little later, so this means she just has to heat things up that much faster! It’s showtime!

(Post 3 of 3) Corrine wiggles a little as Tiber enters the room and peers seductively over her shoulder, “Unzip me?” She’s not wasting any time, so as soon as she feels the Catalian’s fingertips sliding the zipper down the center of her back, she abruptly turns into his arms and kisses him hard on the mouth. She nips his lower lip so hard that she draws a few droplets of blood as the tantalizing gown slides down her figure and leaves her standing in nothing more than her black lace undergarments. “Take me, Tiberius…” Yearning for the male, as the kiss awakens more than vengeance in Corrine, she grabs him by the shirt and rips forcefully down the center. Every button pops from it’s rightful place and scatters onto the carpet, and the woman drops her gaze to study the man's sculpted torso, before she begins to undo his belt buckle. Corrine trails kisses along Tiber’s neck and shoulder, as her gaze glances beyond the balcony, and she sees that the carriage will arrive any second!

Tiber (1 of 2):: Tiber pauses at the moment of curse about Corrine, but he shrugs the words off slightly. “I thought you were just getting used to her too,” he still keeps kissing the woman between words, but then he falls into what Lanara says. Yeah, Corrine should have showed up, but… he got all the wine to himself, so it worked out, right? He does not think another thought because now… she wanted him upstairs. No dirty kitchen? When was Lanara so picky about their sexy moments? They did it in a corn maze, but they cannot do the deed in the kitchen? When was that a thing? The man was about to take his own control, but he realizes… this is a surprise evening, so he cannot complain. “New rules? Fine, we’ll play it your way tonight. Hotter to me.” As she turns again, he cannot help but follow. The way the red stretches against her backside… Up the stairs he goes…

Tiber (2 of 2):: As they come into the room, he keeps a distance to just gaze over her beauty. Tiber was one to take his time. Lanara would know this. Despite the lust between the two, Tiber was a patient guy, and that made the game of lovemaking more fun. Luca, at this point, is almost shut out completely in Tiber’s world because all Tiber could think of is one thing… Lanara. It did not matter about the smell, the voice, or the lack of Luca’s mate, for Tiber was lost in the idea of lust. As the faux-witch moves her hair for him to find the zipper, he smirks. “Wow, you really missed me today,” he whispers against the woman’s ear and laughs lowly in that teasing way. Warm breath would flow over fake Lana’s ear. Despite Corrine’s eagerness, the Catalian takes his time unzipping the dress. Hands slowly glide over the fabric and suddenly lush lips are connecting with his own. The atmosphere is all breath, lust, and need before the woman is standing in lingerie. The perfect sculpture and the words the slip from the witch’s tongue has him appalled. The wild woman is now ripping his shirt open and his sultry amber gaze is shrugging the shirt off. The man’s pants also slide off which, of course, he is left in his own undergarments nothing more. A simple pair of blue boxers. “Take your time, baby. I’m not going anywhere,” he breathes against her lips in a small smirk before taking her hands and placing them on his chest to regain the control. Both Corrine and Tiber need control, it seems. One hand reaches for the woman’s hair to pull her closer in that deep kiss, so he can begin his patient game again. The carriage should be pulling up right about now.

(Post 1 of 3) Lanara and Nick pay the driver his fare and remove a few boxes from the carriage to bring into the home, and upon finding the door unlocked they take a brief pause in the foyer to remove their jackets. It’s a brisk autumn night and the witch feels obligated to offer the bard something warm to drink before he heads home, but she pauses as she hears a woman's faint moan coming from upstairs. Exchanging a ‘look’ with Nick, she motions for him to leave the boxes in the foyer and presses a finger to her lips so that they both can silently head upstairs to see what's going on. Is there a stranger in the house? Did Tiberius bring someone home and was he torturing them in the master bedroom? Lanara has complete trust in her fiance, so it doesn’t cross her mind that the sounds could be derived from pleasure, but as she nears the landing Asha begins to stir. “Lana. Leave. Don’t go any further…” The scent of Corrine mixed with some lavender and vanilla perfume assaults her senses, and Lana lifts a hand to her chest, as though her heart begins to ache. Asha’s warning is completely ignored. She can’t explain what’s happening, but the pain intensifies with each step, until she steps into the bedroom and sees Tiber and Corrine in a heated embrace.

(Post 2 of 3) Lanara takes in the sight of her scarlet gown and the buttons of Tiber’s torn shirt all over the carpet. She takes in the sight of Corrine’s lips pursed in pleasure, her left leg wrapped around Tiber’s waist, that fiery mane blowing gently from the breeze that enters off the balcony. She takes in the sight of Tiberius Lowell, the man she’s due to marry in a matter of weeks, the love of her life, as he’s kissing and groping a woman that she despises. The two are in a state of undress, left in naught but their undergarments, and it seems if she had been a few minutes delayed she would have witnessed them in the act of lovemaking! Lana’s world comes crashing down as she inhales sharply and chokes back a strangled sob, “Why? How could you...?” Dark chocolate eyes stare accusingly at the couple and she defiantly shakes her head, not wanting to believe what her heart and her mind know to be true. Lanara Banks isn’t worthy of love, she’s a throwaway girl, and her biggest fear has come true. She has forever lost Tiber, her twin flame, the one that destiny chose to put in her life. How could Aunt Sharna get this so wrong?! “I’m going to be sick…” Turning away from the couple, Lana fights a wave of nausea, and although she doesn’t want them to see her cry, she cannot stop the tears that come in a steady rhythm. A few moments later she is full on sobbing, so hysterical she cannot even talk, and she refuses to look in the direction of Tiber and Corrine.

(Post 3 of 3) Corrine was insanely annoyed by Tiber’s patience and need for control, but she finds that once his hands are all up in her hair and he’s eagerly kissing her silken flesh, that her worries are washed away. She heard the carriage pull up, she heard the witch and the bard climbing the staircase, and she felt the effect of the glamour potion wear off. Right. On. Time. Corrine continues to kiss Tiber, as she feels two sets of eyes on their forms, sadistically enjoying the fact that she’s putting Lana in pain. As the Catalian realizes he’s kissing thinner lips, that he’s gripping a taller and heavier frame, and that his fingers cannot slide through straight strands but get caught in curls, Corrine feels that last kiss grow hesitant and she pulls back. She turns to find Lanara kneeling in the corner of the room, facing the wall, and sobbing so hard that she can’t catch her breath. Corrine feigns a look of sorrow, “Oops. We should have been more discreet Tiber, I told you we should just tell them!” Sighing, Corrine slips back into the red gown, and nears the witch, “We started seeing each other about a week before you were expected to die, Lana… It started as a fling. I was backup, in case you rejected the turn, and well, Tiber and I are in love now. He felt forced into marrying you, once you were one of us, but don’t worry! I didn’t mail the invitations! So you don’t have to explain -again- why another engagement failed!”

Tiber (1 of 2):: Nick eventually comes up behind Lanara in caution. The man knew of the plan, but coming up behind the scene watching Tiber pressing his body against Corrine made him feel a weird feeling. There was a ping of jealousy....? To the twisted woman who was doing this to the Kelvarian? No, not just jealousy... Anger that the Catalian was devouring Corrine, although his heart drops for Lanara. His heart drops for the heartbreak Lanara was feeling. He knew that feeling and it made him feel for the witch. “Lanara…” He says quietly in fear to “ruin” the plan, but he is hesitant to do anything at this point due to Corrine and Tiberius’ dominating atmosphere. Corrine is following with the plan and Tiber is pleading for the Kelvarian to come back. This did not seem right, did it? The bard was torn between the two women, but as for Tiberius, he was offered a glare due to the “planned” situation. Perhaps Nick did not realize his feelings would get involved either.

Tiber (2 of 2):: Tiber is getting greedier with each kiss; his tongue teases and taunts the woman’s lips before he moves down to the faux-witch’s neck. “Gods, I love you,” and it’s right at that moment that Lanara walks in to witness the leg around Tiber’s waist, Tiber’s hand in the woman’s hair, his lips in the heat of the moment, and his hands groping different curves of the woman before him. Something feels different, however, as the hair that he grips feels coarser in curls, and curves feel slightly bigger than what he knows. ‘Why? How could you…?’ echoes through the room and instead of the lower voice, it is one of higher pitch. On cue, honey glazed eyes open to find red hair and paler skin rather than dark hair and mocha skin. The man automatically breaks away in the state of confusion and pushes the taller woman back. “What the hell--” the man breathes heavily from the moment of passion and the moment of adrenaline because… That was not Lanara. “No, no, no.” He holds up a finger to Corrine who is speaking supposedly for him. He is so flabbergasted he does not know how to respond to Corrine’s lying words. The man is flustered with heat, panic, wine, and the real Kelvarian’s sobs. “Babe, babe, Lana,” he says in a frantic state and begins to lower himself to inch himself to the corner where Lanara lays in defeat and nausea. “It’s not what it looks like. That’s not right, Lanara, please, babe. You know me. You know -me-.” He presses his hands to his bare chest in innocence. “It’s -not- her, Lanara. It’s -you-. It -was- -you-.” What was that supposed to mean to Lanara? To him, it meant that Corrine was Lanara, but the man can not even muster up the right words in this situation due to the whirlwind and the wave of the Kelvarian’s hysteria. Heartbreak. Her worst fear. “No,” he says breathily. “Please, Lanara. Baby. Please. We need to talk, please.” The man pleads with an intense, stern, bewildered gaze. Fear. He turns to Corrine. "Just get out!” The man roars at the red head on impulse. Something had to stop.

(Post 1 of 3) Asha whines and howls in pain, feeling the rejection from her mate, and should Tiber voice the words that he’s truly rejecting Lanara… Well, the wolf within fears it will be the death of the Kelvarian, since it was his love and lycanthropy that had saved her from the curse. Asha curses and growls at Luca, wondering how he could allow this to happen, because she has never felt so deceived. Meanwhile, something snaps in Lanara, as Corrine has the audacity to gloat about the fact that this time she won’t have to explain to loved ones why a third engagement had failed! It’s also the second engagement that’s ended because the man was unfaithful! She lifts her head and locks eyes with the cruel bitch, before Lana lunges towards Corrine’s mid-section and forces her to the ground. She punches and slaps her face and upper body so many times that both women lose count, but Corrine gets a fistful of Lana’s hair and tugs so hard that the witch sees stars. This causes Lana to rake her nails across Corrine’s face, before she uses her thumb to try and scoop out the woman's left eye. They are both screaming obscenities and trying to gain control, but Lana’s fury wins in the end, and after nearly blinding Corrine, the redhead shields her face and begins to cry. The fight leaves Lanara, too, but she still feels like being petty, so she tugs and tears at the scarlet gown until it’s completely destroyed and off of Corrine’s frame. She may have taken her man, but she will not have that scarlet dress, or those silver heels! The witch rubs her head where she had her hair nearly ripped out, and she looks over the minor cuts and bruises she sustained during their brawl. The pain in her chest refuses to lessen and Asha is still howling pitifully, so with nothing else to do, Lana steals a look at Tiber and fresh tears spill onto her cheeks. “We were -SO- happy! How could you cheat on me with -HER-?!? I love you, like nothing and no one else, Tiber. I am alive because of you and for you, and if you didn’t want to be with me, then you should have just let me die from the curse. I would rather be dead than feel my heart ripped to shreds.”

(Post 2 of 3) Corrine had gotten her ass kicked from the little witch and she snarls once Tiber lowers himself to the floor and tries to plead his case, “So you think we are the -same- woman now, Tiber? I’m pretty sure you were about to take me to bed a few minutes ago, and not Lanara. Whatever. We’ll talk later, Lover.” Blowing a kiss to Tiber, the redhead scrambles for her satchel and shrugs into some clothes. She orders Nick to chase after the carriage, because she doesn’t feel like limping through the forest. She also feels a little disappointed in herself, not because of breaking up Tibarfa, but because she had been a fool not to notice that Nick is a little taken with her. She saw that jealous pang in his eyes and it excites her enough that she will grill him about it on the ride home. Finally, she exits the Lowell Estate and makes her way back to the Amber Lunation home, where she will fill everyone in on what’s happened.

(Post 3 of 3) The clock ticks by and Lana seems not to have anything to say to Tiber, nor can she bring herself to look at him. He’s in his boxers, likely still aroused from Corrine, and he is begging for her to believe him. He also said she’s just like Corrine, the cheap man-eating skank! High pitched sobs fill the room, drawing the attention of Aspen and Ranger, and before long the three of them are crying as they feel the woman's pain. Luca likely feels Asha’s pain, and can sense that her heart rate is much slower than usual, as though she’s dying of a broken heart. Lanara knows how pathetic she must look, and so she tries to shield her face from Tiber, not wanting him to witness her tears. “Don’t fracking touch me… Don’t you dare. Not after how you touched her, in our bedroom, weeks before our wedding!” Tiber has seen Lana angry, sad, sick, happy, and a multitude of other emotions, but he has never seen her this defeated or this broken. She is shaking from head to toe and keeps clutching her chest, their mate bond magnifying that pain, and she looks as though she wants to curl up and die. Every time Tiber comes nearer, she shrinks away, until she’s finally pressed against the dresser. Slowly and shakily, Lana stands up and slides the engagement ring off of her finger, before she rests it on the top of the dresser. “I can look past a lot of things… Murder, theft, a lot of things… But the one dealbreaker for me? Infidelity. You promised never to hurt me… But I can’t unsee what just happened, Tiber. I can’t forgive and forget about this, nor can I marry you.” Now, she shifts her teary gaze to look at the man, “I need to leave…”

Tiber (1 of 2):: “You should have listened, Tiber,” Luca says low in defeat. This was it, this was the end of the mate line. The anxiety seeps into the inner wolf which causes the man to breathe unsteadily. Not from lust, anymore, but from the thought of losing the Kelvarian. Just then, Lanara is lunging after Corrine which has the man yelling and attempting to pull the women apart. Should he have let Lanara blind Corrine despite the lies the red head was spreading? Was that the Alpha thing to do? Eventually he backs up due to Lanara’s vicious attack. This was Lanara’s battle and soon to be his own. Once Lanara gets up from the cat-fight and confronts him, hands move to his hair. “I -am- happy! I -do- love you, Lanara. Please, you’re not even giving me a chance and you know for a fact that Corrine is--” and just then Corrine cuts him off which has him sitting on the ground with palms over his face in frustration and his own devastation. How did this happen so fast? He went from wine to coming home to his beautiful fiance to… hell. How could Corrine do this? Or did -he- actually do this due to the alcohol? No, he loves Lanara too much. He wanted Lanara at the winery. He brought home the bottle for her. “Lanara, we can’t just not talk about this, please.”

Tiber (2 of 2):: The hysterics fill the room and the atmosphere feels tight to breathe. How does he fix this? “Lanara, you know I wouldn’t do this,” he tries to touch her one last time, but she forbids it which causes him to stay in place like a dog who obeys. Her words hurt him just the same as that link is strained between them. “Lanara, I would -not- cheat on you. I love -you-!” Should he get up and get clothes on? He did not want her to leave, so he stayed in his undergarments of shame. This was a whole new sort of anger. This was raw. This was bad. She needed to stay. “She became yo--” he is cut off as she stands up and touches the engagement ring. His gaze is hard as he watches fingers tangle with the ring on her left finger which causes him to shake his head. He stands again in that defense tactic and holds up a hand to have her pause. “No, Lanara. Please, no, Lanara.” And the last words that fall from her mouth have him try to reach out to her because without her… he would be almost nothing. ‘I can’t forgive and forget about this, nor can I marry you.’ In that moment, his heart shatters and those amber eyes that never tear begin to grow glossy. “Lanara, I -need- you.” The man attempts to move after her to stop her. “Talk to me. You’re not even listening. Believe me. It wasn’t her. It was you.” The tears begin to trickle down his face. “Stay. We can fix this whatever happened here. We can still get married. It’s not what it seems or looks like. I love -you-, Lanara. Corrine was never in the picture! I don’t even know what happened. I came home from the winery and you were here. It wasn’t her. It was you. I--” It was Lanara, right? That second-guessing comes into play, although he would have chose Lanara over anyone.

Lanara shakes her head, whimpering as the lies continue, “If you love me, you wouldn’t have been tearing off your clothes and making out with Corrine! You were -not- faithful, Tiber. And that wasn’t me! Stop insulting me. I am not Corrine and she is not me!” The lycan keeps telling her that he doesn’t want her to leave and that he’s confused and still wants to get married, but how can they move on from this?! Still unsteady, and still sobbing hysterically, Lana moves through the room and gathers a few belongings. She rifles through the dresser and closet, finding a few changes of clothes, and some necessities, so that she can last a few days before needing to return. “Can you watch the pets? Once I figure out where I’m going, I’ll come back for them.” She folds and unfolds the same pair of pants three times, before she gives up and rolls them into a ball and hurls them into a suitcase. “I’ll also be stepping down as Luna… Not that anyone will really care.” Bjorn and Tybalt may miss her, Corrine will be elated, and the others likely don’t care who is their Luna. “So, when you officially reject me, you can choose a new Luna.” Her words are a breathless whisper as though the mere idea is too painful to imagine. Will she die when he eventually severs their bond? Tiber is looking at the engagement ring on the dresser and he reaches out to touch Lana again, and although her instinct is to shrink away or slap him, she allows the contact this time. It will be their last embrace, and the finality is so jarring to her, that she shamelessly wraps her arms around him and sobs against his chest. Scalding tears stain his skin as Lanara inhales his scent and listens to his heartbeat, one last time, savoring the contact that she wishes could last forever. Even though he hurt her, she knows she will -always- love him, and no other love can ever compare. Asha whispers to Luca, “I wolf you.” Lanara lingers in the embrace for a moment longer, before she begs the Goddess for strength, and pulls back from the embrace. Teary chocolate bleeds into glassy amber, “I loved you from the moment I met you, Tiber. I will always love you. And I know you loved me, but I guess at some point you just… Got tired of me.” Like anyone else she’s ever grown close to in the past. “Thank you for showing me how to live, even if it’s not long lasting. I-I…” She tries to form the words, to reject him as her mate, to permanently sever that invisible cord and free him from being tied to her any longer. But she cannot, because she loves him and is selfish. “Goodbye Tiber.” The woman turns to retrieve her luggage, nearly missing the handle, as she’s so blinded by her tears.

Tiber frowns as Lanara claims he was not faithful. That was when reality was beginning to set in. Tiber was not drunk. He was buzzed and fully in realization of what happened that evening. Corrine was Lanara. Somehow… some way. This could not have been him. He was a better man now. Maybe three years ago he would have pulled these antics, but not now. Not with Lanara Banks. Never. No, no, he was more than faithful. Lanara was his mate. His bond. His life. He was all in. “I -am- faithful. Deep down you know I am faithful, Lana. You -know-. And you’re marrying me.” The man begins pacing behind the woman around the room. “What are you doing?” Eyes watch her wander to dig clothes out of drawers and the closet. This cannot be happening, can it? Despite the rational tone he had? Three years the man did not have her and when he finally did for the time he had her, she was going again. “I’m not watching the pets because you’re not leaving.” He is determined to keep her here. They can fix it. Fix it. “You’re staying here. We are going to fix it.” The control freak that was the Catalian is planning out their evening in a calm and rational manner. “We’ll talk all night if we have to.” She folds the same piece of clothing three times. She is not listening to him. Why? The glossiness blinks again. The man is a mix of loss of control, confusion, frustration, and heartbreak. “I’m not rejecting you, Lana.” His voice is stern, although those eyes of his look disoriented. Eyes glance at the ring on the dresser and then her body is connecting with his frame and with her touch, the man begins sobbing. Luca beneath the surface whispers in return, “I wolf you,” in his whine-filled way. The loss of control caves in with Tiberius. Lanara was leaving. “Lana, I love you… Please don’t go.” He grips onto her hard and feels the wetness of her tears press against warm flesh. His grip has a shiver beneath due to the anxiousness he feels. The worry. Would this keep her here? Anything? ‘Goodbye, Tiber’. Those words have him break away from her because… she always had a way to bewitch him. A way of having him listen to her. She was leaving. The girl that he took forever to finally say three words to. To have forever with. Should he try again to keep her around or should he watch her go? Tingles begin to form from the anxiety of Luca which reach the Catalian. Tiber can barely move which has him backpedaling to the edge of the bed in defeat. All he can do is... sit. It was happening. Lanara Banks was… leaving him.

Lanara nearly caves when Tiber says he loves her again, because he says it with tears in his eyes, and he’s not a man that cries. He had a tear or two when she nearly died and when he proposed, but the sobs that rock his body are so sincere that Lana cannot meet his gaze. Are they tears of guilt? Or had he been so drunk that he couldn’t tell who he was kissing? The witch hates that he’s hurting, because she feels that pain through their bond. Realization sets in on them both, that this is the end, and that it could very well be the last time they speak. She has nothing left to say, and even if she wants to talk, she’s crying so hard that she can barely breathe. The luggage is lifted and she exits the room, only to kneel, so that she can give Ranger and Aspen parting hugs and kisses. She promises them that she will return in a few days, but honestly? The witch isn’t sure if she will come back, as the memory of Corrine and Tiber stains the walls, and all she feels inside this home now is heartache. Ranger whines softly and Aspen angrily picks up the silver heel that Corrine had ‘borrowed’ and hurls it across the room. The fur babies don’t understand why they have to lose Lana or why Tiber is upset. It further breaks the woman’s heart, but she knows she has to go, that she’s no longer needed. Her head tells her to proudly exit and her heart tells her that something is amiss, that there’s no way what she had seen was real. But it’s her heart that put her in the arms of Tiber, and he had cheated, so she tries to ignore any doubts. Asha mournfully howls with each step away from the room that Lana takes, and when she’s at the landing, the witch firmly states, “Don’t try to find me, Tiber. What’s done is done…” She knows her words will reach his ears. She also knows that it was as painful for her to speak them as it is for him to hear them. Keeping in contact will only cause them both more pain, right? Lanara races down the rest of the steps and exits the house, the breeze drying her tears as she wanders through the forest in hopes of finding shelter for the night.

Tiber :: The crying from the Kelvarian overtakes the atmosphere. Her sobs and Corrine’s wicked ways overtake the bedroom and he cannot make Lanara stay anymore. There was nothing he could say, for Lanara was so caught up… could she even listen. Aspen throws a heel against the wall and eyes watch it make a dent in the paint from the force. A hand rests over Tiber’s eyes to wipe back the waterworks before he watches Lanara go. Actually leave. For real. The walls felt foreign after the tainting of Corrine. What became a dream home eventually transformed into a nightmare. He had felt fooled, and sickened by the red head’s antics. The nausea came in as well because this was not Tiber’s reality. Corrine was Lanara. He was god damn sure of it. The whispers down the stairs pierce through his ringing ears. He could not search for her. That was not an option to her. This was the last time to see her? Where would she go? Would she crawl to Nick? “Please… go up the mountain… or at least stay with the healer,” he mutters. The only thing he could suggest. Talyara was in Frostmaw and Penelope was in Kelay. Would Lanara want to be as far away from the man as possible? Did it even matter anymore. That was the last thing he said because he could hear her walking away. The man turns and grabs a t-shirt to throw on before watching from the balcony. Tiberius Lowell had lost Lanara Banks… What was this house was crumbling at the surface. Tonight… felt like the end.