Guarded, composed and cold. Those were the few words Steph would share if he ought to describe his Alpha.
However, the foreign pit which glistened in his frosty eyes, the melancholic movements and on edge demeanour foretold a different story.
He was conflicted. A rarity for Damien. Inklings of doubt etched into his Beta's mind, this had more to do with a particular brunette than the Sirens. His suspensions were confirmed as the King dropped her name into his drawling, a wave of tension stiffened his Alpha.
Incoherent muttering, the slamming off a desk and Damien was gone.
"First my wife, now my daughter" The king uttered in hatered. "You've brought me nothing but misery"
"I harldy see how Lolita vanishing into thin air has anything to do with my Alpha" Steph huffed out gruffly. "Last time I checked, he wasn't Houdini"
"You should probably go after him" Isaac shot, sensing the growing tension between the wolves. Stepping between the pair, his stern viridescent pupils set towards the lycan causing him to uncomfortably shift towards the a jar open door which swung back screaching as the oak sliced through the air.
"Rip my heart out"
A chorus of voices chocked out a response to the placid demand. "What?"
"Rip my heart out" He repeated fervently, dull orbs glistening with a hint of new found determination.
"He's snapped" The sandy haired boy almost gasped glaring towards the Lycan Damien's command was aimed at.
"Are you sure?" He stuttered, none too hastily.
"You cannot be serious now" Isaac interviened, sarcasticly chuckling in annoyance. "I get the whole i can't live without my mate thing Romeo, but when if we find Lolita" He paused, grimcaing at his own words. "When we find Lolita, i rather hug her, not explain your pathetic romatic gesture"
Amused from his own whitty remark, the smirking boy snapped towards the pair, only to be met with stoic expressions, an inciting coppery fire circling their orbs the only form of communication carved into their rough faces.
"Okay" Steph mutley muttered, much to Isaac and the king's distaste. "But ripping out your heart?" He paused. "It won't work" His shaky finger pointed towards the clear shutters, past the overgrown, wild entanglement of greenery towards an empty steep hole of what would have one ressembled a pool, leaving the others in further confusment. "I'll get the Sulfuric acid"
~~
A thick, bulky barrel clashed into cement resulting into a sick sizzling sound. Steph repeated his action, lazily contributing to the rising liquid until he was satisfied.
"Hop in, before it burns through" Steph jokingly quipped, a crooked smile forming on Damien's troubled features.
"NO"
The irritated wolves jerked towards the resounding noise only to be met with a particular blonde nuisance Damien was growing to hate. His large hands clasped on Vivian's shoulders as he steered the girl towards her brother, both Anna and Lily following closely behind.
The Alpha clicked his tongue, tilting his head to the side he examined the raven haired girl who was forcibly placed in his arms. She instinctively flinched back as he loosened his grip causing him to frown slightly. Damien didn't exactly have the best relationship with his siblings. Chris, he could tolerate. During their younger years his presence was one of the few loose strings holding him from tipping into complete sanity.
Vivian was a different matter entirely. Her birth prompted a slither of light into instincts of protecting another life form other than his own. Driven by this, the young boy did exactly so, manifesting a fiery urge to shelter his precious angel from all dangers the atrocities early Scandinavian life had to offer.
But their brute of a father further leashed his wrath onto the young boy, slowly but excruciatingly stripping the little shards of humanity his son clung to.
Whispers slithered across the land. Rumours grew like wildfire. And fear engulfed all curious souls who cared to listen of the unearthly creature. He could hear them now. Murmurs from his ancient tongue toyed with his mind.
He was the most feared, most dangerous atrocity his sister needed protection from.
Damien's guilt ridden orbs flashed towards the confused girl. His scorn dissolved but the painful void in his frosty eyes stretched towards his beating organ as he recalled the lengths he had gone to push the innocent child away, to make her hate him, fear him. Little did the younger boy register the damage caused by this for it was only drilled into his skull that he could never let anyone love him, care of him. This simply translated into their pitiful demise.
A sharp pain within his pounding head brought him back into the dark reality. He took a step closer. She took a step back.
The brooding Alpha bit lip harshly, drawing blood. He resisted the urge pull Vivian into his embrace, understanding that this would do more harm than earn him the redemption he became fixated upon. That and, he didn't want to tarnish his ever so dark reputation in the presence of the others. Sighing and settling for a slight murmur he expressed his sorrow through foreign words which slipped from his lips.
"I'm sorry"
This too caught each individual's attention, most concluding that their magnified wolf hearing had interpreted wrong. The chances of this arrogant and lethal creature apologising met the same absurdity as a vampire and werewolf kinship. It was unheard of.
His lean body fell backwards into the active chemical, the sickly sizzle of his dissolving form shaking everyone from their thoughts.
~~
"Is it dead?"
A rough stick scrapped the side of Lolita stiff arm causing her startled frame to shoot up abruptly.
"She's alive" the same voice muttered in disbelief.
"What do we do?" He questioned his companion.
"Give her to the boss" He replied firmly, yet his expression softened upon meeting the beautiful brunette's doll eyes.
The pair shifted uncomfortably.
"What's your name?"
Lolita examined the young boys in front of her. Their strong stench overpowered a humans' but gave no indications of high rank or authority. They were merely patrolling the borders of whoever's territory she was on. Although they seemed harmless, she could not yet extend this statement to their leader.
"Aria" She blankly stated.
"Well Aria, you're on our clan's territory" The ashy haired boy declared.
"State your business" The taller one added.
Lolita's head began spinning, they were vampires. Sworn enemies of the wolves, these lethal beasts could end her life with their eyes closed.
So much for keeping me safe. She sighed at the thought of her so called grandmother.
"Hello?"
The brunette faced the irritated boys, before spluttering out a rushed answer in attempts to avoid instant death. Vampires weren't exactly known for their patience.
"I got lost, uh running from a wolf" She grew in confidence from the sympathetic look she received. "I stumbled across onto your territory, i think, that's all I remember I must've hit my head pretty hard"
The pair examined the girl who fluttered his lashes and whimpered clutching the former bruise on her head.
"Those damned mutts" One spoke.
"I know. I'm so sorry though, I guess I'll go now" Lolita whispered, pulling herself from the ground, concealing her shaking with a stiffen posture.
"Hold on" Ashy hair pleaded. "You're hurt, and although you're not a threat" The naive teen chuckled at what seemed to be the picture of a damsel in distress. "We need to take you to our king"
King? Lolita internally stammered. She was right, she could not extend her assertion to the deadly vampire king.
"Yeah, he'll handle this" The other vigorously nodded in agreement.
"But" Lolita was cut short as they latched on each of her arms, helplessness washed over her as she was lead towards her death by creatures of the night.
~~
Damien pushed himself upright, his eyes adjusting to the darkness of the underworld. The Alpha grunted as he probed through his mind, satisfaction slamming into him as he regained control over all aspects. Death had its perks, he mused.
Alert of the haunting reaper which loomed over him a small smirk played on Damien's lips. His creamy features contouring into grim amusement.
"Hello father. I see you've failed to pay the electricity bills again"