RP:The Past Bites Back

Summary: Franz issues his first attack on the couple and it has horrific consequences. First, Lanara and Queen Lunalesca of Enchantment both receive letters from each other, asking to meet in the Forest of Shadows. They must come alone as a surprise is waiting. The handwriting is incomparable and bears the royal seal, so while both women feel that something is amiss, they both decide to go and see what awaits them. Once there, both women meet and realize that they’ve walked themselves into a trap! A ‘gift’ explodes and the guards shout ‘treason’ and accuse Lana of trying to kill the Queen, before a fight ensues. Bjorn, thankfully, steps in to save the day and ends up killing the two guards. Queen Lunalesca succumbs to her injuries and slips into a coma.

Meanwhile, Tiber is running some errands in Cenril and he happens to make a stop at the bank. Everything is going fine until he makes a quick detour down a back alley and gets jumped by two seasoned fighters. The lycan holds his own, but two more men join the fray and it seems that this isn’t a common robbery, this was planned in advance. Franz shows up and states that this attack is just the tip of the iceberg. He also informs Tiber that Lanara is either dead or soon to be, before taking his leave.

(For this rp, Tiber npc’d Lunalesca and Lanara npc’d Franz.)

Part of the Waxing Crescent, Wayward Course Arc

A Royal Attack

(Post 1 of 2) Lanara is sitting on the couch, curled up with a book in her left hand and a mug of coffee in her right. It’s rare for the woman to have a day entirely to herself, as she’s not needed at the sanctuary or the university. She also doesn’t have any Pack obligations or chores around the house that need tending, so she’s guiltlessly enjoying a mystery novel and looks quite comfortable in a silk robe and slippers. Tiber left earlier to run a couple of errands and they have plans to prepare dinner together and play board games when he returns. Lana is engrossed in her book, leisurely flipping the pages and sipping her coffee, when there’s a knock at the door. The alarms didn’t go off and signify an intruder, so she knows that it must be Greyson or Bjorn, likely delivering the mail. “They should have just slipped it under the door…” Mildly annoyed, the witch folds the corner of the page she’s reading and goes to answer the door.

(Post 2 of 2) Bjorn stands there with a cocky smirk on his face as he hands her a large envelope bearing the royal seal of Enchantment. “Did you just get out of bed? Guess you and Tiber had a long night, huh?” He waggles his brows in a suggestive manner and steps into the home as Lana pores over the contents of the letter. “That’s strange… Queen Lunalesca asks me to meet her at two, in the Forest of Shadows? And she wants me to come -alone- as she has a surprise for me?” Lunalesca wouldn’t want her to travel alone anywhere, least of all in that particular section of the lands. Something is amiss, but the letter -is- in her handwriting and it bears the royal seal!? Confused, Lana lifts her head and glances at the clock, “Bjorn, would you mind escorting me in an hour? You can wait nearby, that way I don’t ruin the surprise, but I promised Tiber that I wouldn’t go anywhere alone.” Lana doesn’t wait for an answer as she heads upstairs to get dressed and scribbles a note to her husband that reads, ‘Meeting with a friend but should be back soon! Took Bjorn with me. Love you!’

Lunalesca had been up in her quarters as her personal wardrobe advisor was pulling on the strings of a corset on the fairy–making sure the Queen was fit for a day of pleasing the public and solving political issues. The dark haired fairy is staring in a mirror at herself, admiring the design of the new dress that was handmade for her when a designated courier did a soft knock on the door. The hobbit courier bowed respectively before parting his mouth, “Your majesty, sorry for interrupting, but there is a letter for you from Lanara B–Lowell. I was going to wait, your majesty, but I figured you and Lanara are close, so I imagine it was more of an urgent read.” Since the two were friends, right? Lunalesca gives a soft smile. “Lanara, of course.” She takes the purple tinted envelope from the hobbit. “Smart call. Thank you.” The hobbit then bows again before parting off to deliver other important messages. The fairy unfolds the envelope to find the Kelvarian’s handwriting. A surprise? She then lets out a huge breath–mostly because the air was being sucked out of her due to her corset. “Forest of Shadows?” A small smile shows, perhaps the witch had something to show her. She trusted Lanara, well enough. “Pamela, will you round up two guards to escort me to the forest? I can finish up getting ready,” she nods to the wardrobe advisor who is nodding in return to fetch the guards at the Queen’s request. Eventually, Lunalesca would be on her way with the two royal guards to make way to the darker neck of the area of Enchantment’s boundaries.

Lanara walks through the forest beside Bjorn, worrying her lower lip between her teeth as she’s deep in thought. Why is her intuition prickling so heavily with each step she takes closer to the gates that lead into Enchantment? Queen Lunalesca wouldn’t do -anything- to ever hurt her, so why can’t she shake this feeling of dread? Clad in a loose off-the-shoulder, pale yellow dress and white sandals, Lana realizes she’s not exactly dressed for combat should she fall under attack. It’s summer and a day of relaxation, but she finds thoughts such as these to keep slipping into her subconscious. The switch refuses to be turned off and by the time they cross the elven rope bridge and head to the dark forest, Lana’s desperately trying to fight off a panic attack. Bjorn nudges her with his elbow and quirks a brow but Lana’s quick to dismiss him with a fib, “I guess I’m just nervous. It’s been a while since I’ve hung out with royalty.” They walk along and stop on the outskirts of their destination and Lana feels as though she should cast a protection spell. Instead, she feigns a smile at Bjorn, “You wait here in the bushes. I don’t want to ruin the surprise! If I call for you, please, come running.” They exchange a worried glance before Lana slips into the shadows and tries to maneuver along the forest floor. It’s dimly lit, even at this hour when the sun is most powerful, but her eyesight is better than most thanks to the lycanthropy that flows through her veins. A small clearing to the south draws her attention and she quickens her pace as her gaze falls upon a neatly wrapped package with a large red bow. Lana’s witchy radar is in overdrive now and she avoids nearing the present because it seems to be the cause of her distress. She picks up the scent of the Queen and instead pushes through the thickness of the trees to try and locate her friend.

The Queen of Enchantment walks gracefully with her guards. A floral patterned corset shapes her frame and a cream dress flows as she strides across the earth. The sun begins to become swallowed by the darkness of the treeshade. These forests were not welcoming, as there was plenty of dark magic around every corner, but perhaps Lanara found some beauty within, so Lunalesca relies on trust. Faith in her friend. The guards keep side-by-side with the fairy, and swords remain in their hilts. Plus, they had their fair-share of magical ability, as well if anything came at them. Lunalesca is fully protected. Coming through the thickets, bright blue eyes notice a dainty package with red ribbon. Perhaps this was the surprise? But where was Lanara? Knowing her friend, Lanara would probably do something silly by jumping out and yelling a ‘surprise’ when Lunalesca opened it. “Stay here. I don’t want you to scare her like you did when she was bound to stay in the borders of Enchantment when she was on trial. You probably traumatized her.” She then parts through to the opening where the package lies. She glances left and right. She was in the right place, she was sure? And a package this neat? This had to be Lanara’s doing. The fairy leans down and pulls at the silken bow that is tying the paper together–the paper then falls…

(Post 1 of 2) Lanara crouches behind a thick trunk and peeks around the side as she hears a twig snap a few yards away. She narrows her eyes and tries to catch a glimpse of the two men that are huddled together and staring into the clearing where the present waits to be opened. The tall one snickers and speaks to the man that’s about Lana’s height, “Ha! Here she comes! He followed through after all! Who would think a member of the Queensgard would actually work for Franz!? Let's report back to the boss that it’s done!” They both snicker and exit the area as Lana balls her hands into fists, knowing now that this was a set up and that her instincts were right. The urge to follow them and force them to give her answers is great, but there’s still another piece to the puzzle that leaves her a tad confused. “They said -she- is here but they weren’t looking at -me- so that means…” Queen Lunalesca is in danger!!!

(Post 2 of 2) Lanara runs as fast as she can through the thick forest, snagging her dress and hair on thorns and branches so many times that she loses count. Her ankles feel as though they are broken as she sprints into the clearing on sandals with a three inch heel. “Luna! NO! Put the present down!” Lana continues to shout warnings and Lunalesca turns when she hears the familiar voice, the two women locking eyes for an extended moment before their worlds turn upside down. The witch lunges across the remaining distance and collides with the queen’s body, but she’s a split second too late, as the package combust into a thousand tiny fragments of metal and glass. She still tries to push the present from Lunalesca’s grasp and hurl it as far away as possible, but the damage is done. Several shrubs are upended, small trees seem to explode from the inside, and dirt and debris cloud the air. A ringing sound blares in Lana’s tapered ears and her head is throbbing, but she still tries to push herself to her feet and make sure that her dear friend is alright. Palms press against the earth and it’s then that Lana realizes she’s badly burned. The flesh on her right arm looks as though it’s melting and blood and pus ooze from puncture wounds that must have been made from the metal shards. She’s shaking from head to toe and covered in blood that isn’t her own. Struggling to breathe and cradling her broken ribs with her good arm, Lana cries out, “Bjorn! Help! We’ve been attacked!” At last, she locates Lunalesca’s body lying a few feet away with her head perched on a tree stump. Is she breathing?! Panic sets in and the witch sobs as she weakly tries to get closer, “Are you okay?”

Tiber :: That moment of blue holding that familiar chocolate gaze had some slow motion meaning. That expression on the Kelvarian’s face–clueless. Worried. ‘Luna! NO!’ Lunalesca looks back at the fallen paper that then explodes and the ringing pierces her ears, but she cannot process what is happening. Everything happens in a flash. The metal catches her eyebrows and catches on her skin, creating rips across the skin. Gashes. Blood. She flies back and hits the tree knocking her unconscious, giving her a head injury. The fire singed her corset and burns lined up her chest below her neck and the burn marks lined both of her arms. Skin melting, blistering. She is badly injured and in a critical condition. If anyone was to check her, she is faintly breathing with the corruption, but it would not last long if she stayed here. Lunalesca needed medical attention, and quickly. The two guards that were protecting the Queen missed the explosion, but were hollering in the background. “The Kelvarian! She did this! Arrest her for treason!” The guards wade through the smoke and flame as they try to get a sense of direction. One of the guards used the element of water to douse the trees that got nicked with fire, so nothing spreads, and so the Queen is out of any more danger. The other guard pulls out his sword for protection, but also moves to Lanara to pry her from the area, since the man does not want her to escape.

Lanara collapses on the ground at Lunalesca’s side and feels for a pulse. Thready, but it’s there, and she hopes to somehow get her to a healer in time. She cannot imagine her life without the jovial Queen and she’s riddled with guilt. She sensed that something horrid was going to happen but she couldn’t prevent it. Hot tears scald her cheeks as she cradles Lunalesca’s head on her lap and crimson flows steadily into her palms. She must have struck the back of her head when she fell and the amount of blood loss is startling. Lana’s afraid to move her, so she looks up when the guard appears with his sword brandished, “Go get the carriage. She needs a healer right away!” She blinks in confusion when the guard grabs her roughly by the arm and forces her to stand up, “You are hereby charged with treason and under arrest by-” Suddenly, the singed bushes part and a low growl emanates from Bjorn as he tackles the guard to the ground. They scuffle on the forest floor for several minutes and Lana just stands there, covered in the queen’s blood, wondering how the idiot guard is accusing her of treason when she was also attacked?! Bjorn snaps the guard's neck and moves over to the queen’s side, trying to carefully lift her into his arms and carry her like a bride. “Lana. Where should we go? We can’t take you home or to the Pack house… It’s not safe and you are going to be hunted until their Queen is safely returned.” Lunalesca’s face is stark white and her chest barely rises and falls. Will she even make it? Lana cannot think clearly and is having difficulty staying awake, but she manages to lift a finger and point at the second guard that rushes up behind Bjorn. It takes all her strength to cast one last look at her packmate and friend, before she loses consciousness and lands in a heap on the forest floor.

Tiber :: Bjorn watches that finger trail up to signal to look behind him. Then, Lanara passes out, as well. Quickly, in a swift move, the ex-guard of Alastor takes a step to the side against the grain of the forest. The tall man knocks a fist and crunches against the jaw of the Enchantment guard. The Enchantment guard stumbles back and then reaches for the handle of the sword to pull out of the sheath. The long blade is up and trying to swing at the lycan, but Bjorn pulls something greater as he backpedals. Limbs begin to crack and shift and Bjorn groans and screams in agony, as it was still an adjustment phase for him. A black wolf appears with dark brown eyes. Massive. The guard has widened eyes at this point, but he knows he needs to defend his kingdom. For the Queen of the Fae! The guard charges, but the wolf charges faster and pounces on the guard. Risking it all for the Lunation. For Luna Lanara. Fangs gnaw and claws thrash against the face of the guard. There is only one winner… Bjorn. The blood-covered wolf then runs back to Lanara and Lunalesca before looking up through the thickets of trees. A large howl echoes through the forests. A signature howl–a cry for help. A call for the Amber Lunation. Bjorn waits wrapped around the girls for protection. Greyson Briars is first on scene when the call is given, as he was working in Enchantment that day. Greyson comes prepared–clothes and all for Bjorn at the call before finding the Queen and Luna on the floor. “... Whatever happened, Tiber’s going to go ballistic. Shi–really, the Queen?!” Greyson looks around the area. “Let’s get them to Nick and Corrine’s. Corrine won’t like it, but we don’t need blood on our hands.” Bjorn shapes back, gets dressed, and the Beta and Delta scoop up the girl’s individually before taking the thick way through the forests instead of the open trails to hide Queen Lunalesca from the public eye.

A Calculated Ambush

Franz tosses the butt of his cigarette to the ground and squishes it beneath the sole of an expensive loafer. He’s sitting on a bench before the bakery and has his eyes glued to the entrance to the bank of Cenril. Two of his best men are on either side of him, their eyes also trained upon the bank, and they smile at their boss in admiration. Franz chuckles, “I told you, boys! Lowell is predictable! Sure, we had a hard time catching either of them alone and out of the public eye, but old habits die hard. I knew sooner or later he’d turn up and sure enough, the greedy bastard takes a trip to the bank and I -know- he will go down that back alley before heading home.” He lights up another cigarette and sharply inhales, before he slowly blows the smoke from his lips, “Carl and Aslo are going to jump him, but if Lowell should get the upper hand, I want you two to join in. Don’t kill him! I want to deliver a little message and prove a point.” He could finish Tiber off another day, but first he will enjoy toying with the lycan. “This is personal and what will happen to you two, should you ever betray me like Lowell did.” The men exchange a glance but know better than to open their mouths.

Tiber woke up rather early to hit the bank first thing in the morning, as Cenril was a risky place. Tiberius was quiet on the errands he was running with Lanara, as he did not want to worry the Kelvarian, and he needed money. The man finishes his last signatures to get the exchange from the bank. The bank teller stashes the coins in a suitcase Tiber brings with him to carry it back to Sage. Tiberius wears a grey business suit with a white button up and brown loafers on his feet. He is trying to make it appear that the suitcase he brought was for business rather than for carrying cash as this was a rogue city, and the Catalian is smarter than that. After profit is given, the man parts out of the bank. He looks both ways to make sure he is in the clear before keeping close to buildings with that brown case at his side. To pull off a sneakier move, he avoids the main strip of Cenril and decides to go to the outskirts of town, so he can dodge the possibility of Franz or anyone else searching for him. Tiber thinks less of the bakery, as he is walking tightly close to the buildings across the cobble where wagons and horses are crossing.

Franz clenches his jaw when Tiber exits the bank with a briefcase, as if just the mere sight of the Catalian puts the refined older man on edge. Never one to lose his cool in a public setting, he enjoys the rest of his smoke and feigns interest as a few people cross his path. Franz purchases a newspaper from a boy and gives him a hefty tip, winking as he tells the lad to keep the change. A group of ladies walk past the bench and he greets them with a curt nod and tells them to have a lovely afternoon. Horses and carriages move left and right, pulling his gaze from Tiberius for a mere second, but as predicted the lycan heads down off the beaten path and down the exact alley that Franz had swore he would. The two men at his side rise from their seat and make their way over to the end of the alley, so that Tiber will realize he’s trapped from both ends, once he meets the other two that are waiting for him. For now, Franz opens up his paper and reads an article about the new mayor of Cenril. He acts like a proper gentleman that is leisurely enjoying the beachside city, not a single inkling detected that he’s having an old associate beaten to a bloody pulp just a few blocks away.

Tiber takes a sharp right, and in the back of his mind, he idly thinks of stopping by the florist in Sage to pick up some flowers on the way for the Kelvarian. Once he moves down the alley, he finds two men staring at him at the end of the alley. Blocking it. The blonde twists around to part to risk the main strip, but then there are two other men blocking the entrance. This was not coincidental, this was purposeful. Strides are taken forward as he was going to get out of the damned alley and back to his wife, so he pivots back to continue the course. Instead of throwing a fist or reaching for a blade, Tiberius plays their game. “Wrong guy, fellas. Today is not the day. Move.” His eyes narrow at the two that are planning to jump him. If they take a swing, however? Tiber will try to clock one of the guy’s with his briefcase.

Lanara :: The two guards to the rear remain rooted in place, each of them crossing their arms and shaking their heads ‘no’ when Tiber glances back their way. They are not going to move and he’s clearly not getting past their physical barrier. Aslo and Carl wear wicked grins as Tiber tells them to ‘move’ because there’s no way they are letting him just stride on by, especially with Franz watching. Also worked a few jobs with Tiber in the past, so he doesn’t feel the need to throw the first punch. It doesn’t mean he’ll be quiet though, “You brought this on yourself, Lowell. You -knew- Franz would be insulted! You ran off and married that witch chick and bought a fancy house and went on a ritzy honeymoon. Minutes after Skitch went missing and his office was cleaned out?! No way is that a coincidence! You backstabbed Franz and now you gotta pay!” He cracks his knuckles and glares at Tiber while Carl throws the first punch, aiming to plant his knuckles in the lycans right eye. The punch is followed by another that’s aimed at his jaw, and finished with a knee to the ribs.

Tiber wears a tight line on his mouth. Tiberius sees the first punch which he is able to dodge and knock the corner of his suitcase against the man’s temple, but Tiber does not see the other punch come for his jaw. Aslo. The knee is given to the ribs, and although air is knocked out of the Catalian, he backpedals slightly and gains his ground. The suitcase is dropped to the ground so the lycan has two hands. “Two against one? You two were always a bunch of sissy ass-kissers.” The man then lunges back for Carl with his own fist while trying to grip onto the man’s clothing to throw him powerfully against the brick alley wall.

Lanara :: Both men are throwing punches at Tiber at this point, as they knew he wasn’t one to back down from a fight. Carl takes the briefcase to the temple and for a moment he’s a little woozy. How much gold is in that thing?! Fists are flying and knees are knocking against bones as each man gives and takes a few hits, before that briefcase is dropped and the Catalian talks smack. Aslo rolls his eyes, “You -knew- how this was gonna go, so don’t act like you’re all high and mighty because you don’t need Franz’s coin anymore!” Aslo lunges for Tiber and aims to put him in a headlock as Carl picks up a metal trash can lid and tries to pummel it into his torso. The two men from the rear of the alley see that Franz is finishing up with the newspaper so they sprint down to join in on the fight, too. It’s now four men against one, and the new guys to the beatdown happen to be wearing brass knuckles. The more Tiber fights back, the worse the beating will be. The minutes tick by and eventually the well-dressed man with salt and pepper hair strides down the alleyway, whistling a happy tune, as he admires the work his men had done.

Tiber is fighting neck and neck with Aslo now, and is ignoring the words spewing from his mouth. “You’re mad because I made the move first.” Tiber avoids the headlock by lifting his head to knock Aslo in the face with it. A solid head-butt. It works. The garbage tin that comes at him is unexpected as it is thrown against his torso. He blows air out and knocks back against one of the building walls. He coughs as he is trying to get the wind back into himself and he can feel the bruising on his stomach already. Tiberius stands and continues further as he reaches in his pocket for a pocket knife. The man reaches out to slash against Aslo, catching the man’s chest as the knife slides through the fabric to Also’s skin… Then, he is being swarmed by the two other men. Four total. The blade is thrown in another direction to slice a guy’s arm… he is not sure which guy it is, as he has eight hands on him. One of the men takes the knife from the lycan’s hands before socking the blonde over and over again. All four men do. He can feel the brass piercing his skin. And then he tries to donkey kick a couple of the men in the chest before they attack his legs and a couple stumble back with the blow. A charlie horse knots into his upper thigh from the brass as it sinks in his quad. He’s punched in the ribs, and the face over and over again. Tiberius can feel the blood in his mouth dripping from his nose. The warm taste of iron. The lycan is overshadowed and now on the damp floor of the alley. Tiber is losing the fight, and will not win this battle. A whistle echoes through the length of the alleyway. Tiber lies battered and in a haze. His vision is fading in and out at the blows to the head, but he is still conscious and probably for Franz’s purpose. Franz always loved a good show.

Franz has the audacity to applaud his men and it’s likely the clapping sound that has Tiber maintaining his consciousness. Two of the four men look like they need to see a healer, especially Aslo as he took that mule kick straight to the chest which caused his head to snap forward and he nearly bit off the tip of his tongue. Franz looks at each of the men before he waves a hand, “Get out of here and get patched up. I’ll be in touch about the next job.” He waits until they leave the alley before he crouches before Tiber and looks long and hard into the man's traitorous amber eyes, “You wounded me first, Tiberius, so don’t act like this is personal for you. The way I see it? We are getting closer to being even, but this is just the beginning of your penance.” He smiles and lights a cigarette as he stands up now, taking a few puffs while he eyes the pitiful form of the battered lycan. “Oh! That reminds me… I should offer you my condolences. I heard that there was a terrible accident and that Lanara was either killed or very close to dying.” Franz lifts a hand to his chest, “It hurts me, too, you know? Considering that I paid for your wedding and honeymoon, hell, she’s my wife more than she’s yours!” He shakes his head, “Her blood is on your hands, Lowell. Your. Hands.” Franz steps around Tiber and continues walking down the alley as though nothing had happened.

Tiber holds tightly to his rib because one is either broken or severely bruised. His breathing is sharp. Franz is talking, and Tiber, somehow, is able to hang on every last word the man says. At Franz’s smile, Tiber tries to spit blood at the man hovering over him, but the older man stands. Condolences are offered, and Tiber rolls onto his back because Lanara… dead? Did he break past the alarms on their home? Full panic settles in the back of his foggy head. The man blinks and he can feel moisture brimming. He feels nauseous from the pain, but he has to see past it. He has to get home. “Screw you.” He musters, and his mind ticks. Franz is gone, and is left to finally let the tears stream down his bloodied face. Get up, Tiberius… Luca calls. With every fiber of Tiber’s being, the blonde shifts and stands. He sways through the alley and leans over to throw up. He gasps before eyes stare forward. He has to get home. He has to find… her.

A Horrendous Aftermath

Lanara wakes up on the floor of Corrine and Nick’s bedroom, curled up in a ball, with a pillow tucked beneath her head and a threadbare blanket haphazardly covering her frame. She’s wearing nothing more than her undergarments and it’s obvious that someone tried to tend to her wounds as best they could. Wincing, she tries to sit up but falls back onto the floor. She’s weak and in tremendous pain so she lies there and tries to steady her breathing, as a bandaged arm protectively rests against her severely bruised middle. Even with her enhanced senses, she’s unable to hear the Pack speaking in the next room, and her vision is blurred from tears and pain. Lana had been so close to the blast that she knows she’s lucky to be alive but she’s unsure if Lunalesca has survived. Turning her head slowly to the right she sees the Queen of Enchantment lying on the bed with her head wrapped in gauze. Someone put her in a clean cotton nightgown and tucked her neatly beneath a warm blanket. There are bandages on her face, and the burns on her arms and chest are covered in a thick salve to keep the flesh moisturized and reduce the chance of infection. Lana tries to inch her way up again, but Celeste enters the room and forces her to lay on her back, “You need your rest. I’ve done all I can for both of you, but you both need to see an advanced healer.” There’s an urgency in her tone that she tries to mask, “Queen Lunalesca is alive but she is in a coma. I’m not sure if she’ll wake up and if she does wake up… I don’t know what her mental function will be like.” The healer glances away and sighs, “You broke some ribs, needed some stitches, and your left arm is -badly- burned. It almost melted -off- and I’m unsure if you can heal on your own.” Lycans have superior healing capabilities but it sounds like the witch needs a miracle… Or some magical healing! “I’ll heal myself -and- Lunalesca when I’m rested…” Tears spill onto the pillow as she turns her head to the side and feels ashamed, “I sensed something was going to happen but I didn’t know what and now this is all my fault…” Asha stirs faintly in the background and is worried about Luca, which has Lana sitting up so suddenly that she screams from the pain that seems to emanate from every part of her body. “Where is Tiber…?” She softly whimpers out his name before Celeste gently coaxes her onto her back and lets her sip some milk of the poppy to dull the spasms.

Tiber does not really remember how he fought to get home, but he stands on the lawn of the giant estate battered and bruised. He had to stop to vomit a few times on the way home, he remembered as his head was knocked. Most likely the man had a concussion after being jumped by Franz and company. Eyes stare at the home only to find Violet sitting on the porch of the house. She was waiting, and when the silver-haired girl caught Tiber’s state, her honey eyes grew wide. “Tiber,” she stands before running up to him. “Oh my Gods, are you okay? Tiber…? Tiber?” She is trying to wave in his daze, bloodied face. “Where is she? What happened to her?” He asked in his own hazy concern. “She…” Violet halts. “She’s in a critical state. She was set up. Queen Lunalesca and her… but.. But Alpha, what happened to you?” Tiberius waves Violet’s question away. “Where is she now? Is she inside?” Amber eyes look down at the woman. “No, she is at the…” she looks around. “C and N’s location. Tiberius, I think you need to go to the nearest clinic,” Tiber shakes his head at that statement. “Take me to see Lana,” he demands and Violet nods in compliance before assisting the Alpha to Corrine and Nick’s home. Once there, the pack members watch Tiber with widened gazes. “Dude…” Bjorn breathes out. “Where is Lanara?”

(Post 1 of 3) Lanara feels drowsy as the medication takes effect but she maintains consciousness partly because her anxiety won’t let her sleep and partly because she refuses to close her eyes until she sees her husband. What if she doesn’t wake up? The bruising on her stomach and ribs could signify internal bleeding and she doesn’t trust that Celeste had been entirely honest about her condition. Lunalesca is fading away on the bed and she doesn’t have the energy to try and magically heal the fairy, nor is she strong enough to go out and locate her husband. What if Franz had set up Tiber, too?! The tears continue to trickle from her eyes and she slaps Corrine’s hand when the woman rests a straw against her lips to try and get her to sip water. “Go. Away. Both of you.” Lana’s hurt and angry and of no use to the Pack in this state. She cannot call upon Penelope to come and save them because she doesn’t want to implicate her best friend. She doesn’t want to ask Talyara to come, because it would mean placing her sister in danger. Lanara is going to be hunted and thrown into a cell, or worse, put to death for committing treason. Her only hope is that Queen Lunalesca will wake up and they can find out who in the castle is behind the attack, to prove her innocence and to save other lives that could potentially be at stake.

(Post 2 of 3) Bjorn and Greyson each take an arm and try to carry their Alpha into the bedroom, but neither of the men can quite meet his eye. They hold the burden for what happened to their Luna and guilt is written on both of their faces. Lanara flinches and lifts her head as Tiber appears, their eyes locking for a long moment. She’s relieved that he’s alive, even if he is beaten badly and cannot stand on his own. She’s so emotional that she cannot speak, so she merely stares at him and cries openly, not having the energy to shield her face or dry her own tears. Bjorn trails his gaze to Lana’s body and clears his throat, his voice just above a whisper so he doesn’t disturb the resting women, “Lana’s arm almost melted off… It’s really bloody, blistered, oozing, and there’s not much skin left. She also took a hit to the stomach and rib cage and there’s various cuts and bruises… We don’t know if there’s internal bleeding but we can’t risk moving her because-” He cuts off and looks to the Beta, as it’s better if it comes from him. Greyson fills Tiber in on what happened, “Lana got a letter from the Queen asking to meet and it said to come alone as she had a surprise. We’re assuming that the Queen received the same message. Anway, Bjorn and Lana went to Enchantment to meet with the Queen and Franz had some sort of device enchanted to explode wrapped in a gift box. Lunalesca opened the package and Lanara intercepted to save her, and they both paid dearly.” He clears his throat, “The Queen lost a lot of blood and sustained a head injury. She’s in a deep coma.” There’s a pause before he continues, as he doesn’t want to rile Tiber, “Before Bjorn killed the two guards, they tried to arrest Lana and accused her of treason. It’s not long before they find the dead guards and go knocking on doors and wonder what happened to the Queen. Bjorn and I didn’t have time to bury the bodies and we don’t know who the Queen talked to before meeting with Lana, or if the letter is somewhere in the castle.”

(Post 3 of 3) Lanara finds her words once the initial shock of seeing Tiber wears off, “Are you okay?” She needs to know that he’s safe and in no danger of imminent death. She tries to lift her injured arm and yelps in pain as the searing burn sends spasms up and down the right side of her body. It takes several moments for the pain to dissipate and the witch is panting and sobbing, but she lifts her head and looks at Tiber, “Lay with me. We can rest together.” That’s all she can muster at this point. She spent any remaining energy just staying awake until he returned home. All the others in the room leave, save for Celeste, who will be monitoring their progress throughout the day and night. Nick finds some clean clothes for Tiber to wear and Corrine readies a pot of water so that they can clean his wounds. Lana whimpers when Tiber eventually lies beside her on the floor and she whispers, “I love you.” The witch falls into a deep sleep as the milk of the poppy drowns her suffering.

(1 of 2) Tiber did not ask for help from the two pack members, but they do it anyway as he is completely out of sorts. Celeste can see it in his eyes automatically. A concussion. She follows quietly behind, even if she is itching to take a look at their Alpha. Once Tiber is escorted to the room where Lanara rests, “Oh, baby…” He blinks tightly because Lanara looks in agony with her state, and she is crying too. This is all his fault. Getting tied up with the wrong people. Being the wrong man. The stubborn man is in tears because of the Kelvarian’s state, and for Bjorn and Greyson, it is hard to watch their Alpha fall into the pits of emotion, as he was supposed to be the strong one. For the whole pack. Tiberius knew what Franz was capable of, and at the beginning, it was no joke. Tiber breaks from Greyson and Bjorn to settle down and kneel by Lanara who is weeping. “I’m so sorry,” he whispers. “So… so sorry. I want to take the pain away…” He feels raw. Would this incident make Lanara look differently at him? Bjorn and Greyson are talking to him now, and when they mention the Queen, yellow eyes lift to find the Queen resting on the bed and tucked in. The Queen…? Now, the Queen is missing. “We won’t have long before they catch us with the Queen. All of us will be imprisoned for it, as we are hiding her.” He clenches his teeth. He is angry and still sick physically with his own aches.

(Post 2 of 2) “I’m going to kill him.” His voice is tight. “But Lanara has a letter, too. From the Queen, herself… But you killed the guards…” Tiberius cringes and then looks to Lanara who is asking if he is okay. “I’m not okay. This is not okay. I’m so sorry, Lanara.” That was not what she meant. When she coaxes him to lay down, he is weary, but he does. “Do not sleep, Tiberius. I need to make sure you’re physically sound,” Celeste comes from behind the Delta and Beta. Tiberius then responds, “I’ll wait until Lanara sleeps… And then I’ll let you examine me.” Tiberius then looks over his wife and kisses her forehead. “I’m going to fix this. I love you so much, Lanara, and my vow the day of our wedding was that our third chance would be our last time looking for each other. To protect you. We will win.” He then strokes the Kelvarian’s hair before pressing up against her with a sharp breath of pain, but he brushes her hair. “Close your eyes, Lana. You’re safe now.”