Her rampage had ended more abruptly than perhaps the perpetrators of the spell would’ve liked. Connor’s presence, his proximity having been the first target for her bloodlust, had been fortunate for her in that way. Rather than acting as the mortal guards who did go on to render the hall a bloodbath, the Commander had acted with mercy. He’d incapacitated her swiftly, and without more force than needed. That was not to say he hadn’t been thorough, however. The Alpha had stayed like that, in her unconscious state, for the entirety of Warin’s retreat to their lodging. Not the fall, nor the awkward climb to the roof had disturbed her. Nor did the swelling pressure from the force that had been applied to her throat. Her breaths remained shallow with the forcefully induced slumber. She did not dream, only remained in a state of darkness.

That was, until the force of the spell finally broke a while later.

Her breaths deepened abruptly, as the weight of the spell keeping her tied into her other form disintegrated. As an elastic band releasing tension, her body retreated back to it’s other form. Her bones shifted, her teeth retracted, and all traces of her dark pelt disappeared… Leaving a very naked woman with handprints in an angry shade of bluish-purple around her throat. Her tongue felt heavy in her mouth, her head pounding as if she’d drunk an entire keg of liquor. Shifting, becoming aware of her surroundings – she couldn’t remember how she’d gotten there. With another breath, however, a familiar scent reached her nose. Her head turned, her entire body slowly following as she found him curled around himself on the ground beside the bed. That would be a good place to begin orienting herself.

Despite the blinding pain in her skull, she lowered herself down. One of her hands lightly brushed his knee, as her other brushed over his torso – attempting to wake him. “Warin?” To describe her voice as a pitiful crack wouldn’t have been accurate. It was sharp but also raspy, alarmed, despite the difficulty that came with producing such sounds. “What happened?” To you, to me, to get us here… There were many ways the question could’ve been interpreted. She would've settled for any.

Her brows drew together, expression tightening as she watched him seem to struggle. She at least, having just come out of a wolven form, was largely unbothered, with the exception of her throat. He, however, seemed to have sustained much more… painful injuries. Alvina’s gaze dropped from his face, and the teeth that seemed to be struggling to form into a beak, in favor of scrutinizing the way in which his arms wrapped around his torso. Her touch was gentle, her fingers trailing with a lighter touch over his chest, lingering over his ribs.

His explanation of events caused her to slowly drop her hand, however, her eyes widening as a touch like ice skittered up her spine. Screaming, werebeasts attacking indiscriminately… She had done it too? If was as if she’d been a balloon that was deflating. Blood Rose, the Pack, had she done something that would’ve put them at risk? And why, why couldn’t she remember? Her head felt like it was splitting in two, as her heart pounded hard. Fortunately, as his last statement concluded, some of her fear was allowed dismissal.

That would certainly explain the pain in her throat, if not the one in her skull. She slowly nodded, her eyes dropping to his hand as it extended to touch her neck. She didn’t retreat, though inwardly, her heart might’ve jumped again. “I see…” She couldn’t imagine who had done it… Or rather, she could’ve. But, confirmation of that might’ve taken more for words than she was able to produce right then.

Shifting her attention, she half-crawled, half-stretched out until her hand found the water where he’d said it would be. The liquid spilled sloppily at the corners of her mouth when she tempted a drink, only to find swallowing almost impossible. Nose wrinkling slightly, she brushed the droplets away, shifting back to offer him the glass. If he didn’t take it, she’d set it aside, slowly rising, and offering both of her hands to assist him instead. “You should shift. Rest on the bed and heal.” The small gesture of her head toward the bed prompted a small wince. Yes… Inquiries as to the source of his injuries could wait. She could speculate, though, that ‘grabbing her and jumping out of the window’ might’ve had a lot to do with it. In the mean-time, they could both benefit from recovering.

Alvina’s thoughts were far removed from Warin’s. She was immensely frustrated with the potentiality of her having been the one that would’ve brought a proverbial guillotine - or perhaps a real one - to the necks of her pack members. That had been her biggest reluctance in coming, the risk of confrontation. What had actually happened, however, especially given that she had had no control or memory of it… It was far worse. It was as though her deepest fear had been brought forward with a chilling presence. Given the state of affairs, seeking more information was also out of reach. It was isolating, rendering her to a state of powerlessness that was very foreign to the Alpha. Then again, what answers could she have sought, even had she been in a position to do it? The Weres… they’d probably been massacred. She nearly winced, the thought going lengths to turn her stomach.

Her attention was drawn back to the present as Warin seemed to comply. She watched briefly as his form shrank, before disappearing altogether in a tangle of clothes. In an attempt to help, she might’ve reached out to assist in disentangling him, though he quickly proved capable. She watched as he propelled himself up onto the bed, before she moved to settle her knees under her. By the time he spoke, her form had transitioned into a much more predatory, much furrier version of herself.

Agreed. I don’t want to test what fallout may come of this. I’m sure others… It was worse. Worse than it had been for her, anyway. Alvina’s tongue flicked over her teeth, then out along her lips, before she hopped up on the bed. Turning in a small circle at the foot of the bed, she settled herself in a bundle, flicking her tail lightly over her nose. She made no move to speak as she regarded him for a long moment, though when she finally broke the silence, her voice was... distant. Appreciative. Thank you Warin. I think I’d be dead or in a cage right now, had you not been there… Or at the end of a rope. There were numerous options, really, with which there people had been persecuted. None of which she wished to think of right then.

Exhaling a heavy breath, her eyes fell closed. It was not long before sleep fell over her tired, injured body, working iitswonders alongside her inhuman healing abilities.

--

The wonders of sleep certainly proved to do more, however, than Alvina could’ve anticipated. While most of the bruising had disappeared by morning, another change also quietly come to pass. Likely brought through the stress of the night previous, the grip of her animal form was lost during slumber. By the time that sunlight dared to peek in through the window of the inn the following morning, she’d also adjusted herself to a much more comfortable position.  That was, when a small sound of protest rumbled in her throat at the intrusive presence of the sun, she shifted to bury her face sleepily against the bedding. Only, the bedding was not there. Her body, instead, was tangled loosely with Warin’s, her face finding a dark refuge as she nuzzled up against his neck. Shifting instinctively, the rest of her body languidly followed suit as she pressed even closer to his form.

It would’ve been best to say that the movement of the warmth away from her form had awoken her. That, however, was not the case. Certainly it was inconvenient, something her body nearly protested, though not so detrimental to her rest. The sunlight, too, was a bother, though surmountable with the placement of her arm. No, it was neither of those things. In truth, though the sound of his voice that did do something to tug her out of the haze that was a very, very comfortable sleep, not even that quite did the trick. His scent, the warm place left by his form; those together kept her under.

She hadn’t had another body in her bed for what was in all reality… a century. Ever since the loss of her mate, the one she’d been able to rest with no matter their forms - any extra space had remained empty. With the introduction of another presence, even accidentally, she had, perhaps subconsciously, tapped into something which was intensely comforting. Natural. Warm. Her body had craved it for what had been a long time, though not in any kind of way she would’ve actively recognized; to consider such a thing actively would’ve been to reopen a wound that left her soul feeling void and empty. But as it were… she was warm, comfortable. She felt safe with the warmth of sun spreading across her skin and his body nearby, and it was the first time in a long time that such a semblance of peace had been felt for her.

A few minutes passed. The warm space he’d left slowly began cooling, his scent dissipating… With that, she shifted, stretching full out and onto her back in a more relaxed position. Given an opening by the shift, the rays of the sun finally found a small space between her arm and her eyes, once again intruding, and this time successfully awakening her.

Alvina cracked open her eyes lazily, exhaling a small breath, before seeming to become… aware of the difference in feeling beneath her. The lack of fur, padding her from the sheets. The weight of a body nearby. Producing a small, rough sound in the back of her throat, she arched her back, and shifted to sit in a slightly more modest position. Brushing a hand over her face, she cast him a fleeting glance. This was not a situation she had expected. “Morning.”

Yes, certainly not the situation she had expected. Some small part of her longed for the warmth of his proximity, though consciously… she was far more reserved. His voice rumbled. A moment more, and he leaned forward to offer her a nudge. It was an echo of the friendly brushes and touches they’d exchanged the night previous, and something which left her internally feeling torn and all at once… confused. Was it a feeling? What… was going on exactly? His eyes fell away. With that, her eyes flicked to him, as if in chase. “Much better.” Her voice came stronger, though her throat still harbored the then yellowish hue of Connor’s handprints.

Her attention lingered, particularly after he shifted. It was then, in stark clarity, that she was presented with the clear extent of his injuries. Worry knotted her brow at once. “I’m surprised you were able to carry me back here like that.” Concern. That was an easy emotional escape from the situation she’d awoken to. “How does it feel now?”

Her eyes flicked away as he rose, granting him some semblance of modesty. It was then that she sought her own opportunity. Blinking again, she stretched her arm up to brush her fingers through the hair that had since fallen from her carefully pinned braids, seeking to loosen the small tangles left in their place. It was just as she finished releasing the small tangles, that her eyes flicked back to him, covertly granting him a once-over that was perhaps a little more involved than just surveying an injury. He was certainly better looking that she recalled noting. Strong, carrying himself with poise, even despite an injury.

And one of her pack members.

At the first sign of him turning, she diverted her eyes, rising and turning to rifle in her own pack. “I feel the same. I’m sure we ought to be able to find something without too much trouble…” It felt like eons for how long it took her to find a loose dress to tug free from her things.

“I see.” Absently, the revelation that her fine dress from the night before was no where to be seen sunk in. After having the article for so many decades… Oh well. Better that than her life, she supposed. Shaking her head, lowering herself to rifle through her pack with more intent, she quietly quipped, “Well, were roles reversed, I think I could’ve carried you too. Though I can’t say you aren’t heavy comparatively.” Her voice held a dry smile.

Finally, she found the article she’d searched for. Tugging the dark fabric free from the tangles of her other clothing, she set immediately to shaking it out. Holding the garment by the straps, a couple of sharp flicks sent the bunched fabric unfurling. It was then that she seemed to hear him moving, and upon glancing over, found him offering the water. Slinging the dress over a shoulder, she took the offering from him. Fortunately, it was far easier to down the contents of the glass than it had been the night previous. She didn’t even spill that time, despite the vigor she had in drinking. Passing it back to him, she gave the gown one more shake, before slipping into it.

Kneeling, rolling the top of her pack closed, she quickly lashed it shut. His studious attention to security (the chair) and the keeping the details of their visit secret (the hairs) did not go unnoticed. It was upon rising, slipping the straps over her shoulders, that she cast him a look. “Probably not. And speaking of, until that bruising goes away, I don’t want you assisting with any duties that might reinjure them.”

Clearing her throat, her fingers lightly brushed her bruised flesh. After moment more, and giving the room a once over, she made her way for the door. It was only when her hand closed around a knob that a question from the night previous surged up. “What did the Immortal man look like, the one who attacked me?” Without hesitating further, she twisted the knob, and pulled the door open.

Alvina listened with an open ear as he at once, with great vigor, launched into a description. It was at his second turn of phrase, however, that a small choking sound found it’s way from her throat, giving way to a small peal of laughter a moment later. Fucking a frog? Well, to that point he sounded like an ugly bastard. It was when he continued, however, that her amused look slowly was replaced by something else. It would appear that the thought she’d had the night previous was confirmed. That meant, dually, that she owed the Immortal. Her hackles would’ve risen in irritation had she been in her other form. She decided, for the moment, to keep that to herself… Even if picturing the looming, murdering Commander as a slippery amphibian humored her. “I think the situation could’ve taken a far more severe turn, very easily.” Was all she commented, though a part of her itched to share her thought with him.

She lingered in the common room, allowing him to take the lead with the bar wench. It seemed the better bet, judging by the sweet looks the little thing casted him when he offered his easy smiles and flirtatious jests. Unsurprisingly, he made quick work of it, allowing them to walk out with a more handsome bounty of food than they would have purchased otherwise. Just outside of the inn, she plucked the offered parcel away from him, her stomach producing an audible growl of irritation as soon as the food seemed close to reach. “Thank you for swooning that poor girl.” A small smirk curved the corner of her mouth, as she pulled out the apple first.

A crunch sounded audibly as she took a healthy bite. Her chewing slowed significantly, however, as he went on to describe the events of the evening. Immortals ordered to incapacitate. Connor had noticed, then. Or maybe he’d been given orders by the king. Regardless, because of him directly, she had been spared. That was… something. Kicking up her pace, equally eager to be rid of the place, she swallowed. Just raising the fruit for another chomp, she cast him a flat look at his quip. “I’m sure I can find a collar fit enough for a swan. There’s not a need to pin you when I can shackle you away instead.” The crunching of her apple seemed to punctuate the statement.

By the time they’d reached the gates, she’d thoroughly polished off the thing. Ducking her head to avoid the prying eyes of the guards, she drifted closer to Warin as they finally took their leave. Only once they were a ways down the road did she continue with her earlier thought. “The man who incapacitated me. That was Connor – the Immortal Commander, in case you were wondering.” Alvina cast him a small, ironic smile at that.