Alice awoke and leapt out from under the thick fur blanket that had been placed on her. Her eyes dart around the room desperately trying to figure out what was happening. An ungraceful tumble has her sprawled on the floor with her legs in the air and her eyes glaring at the ceiling. With all the noise she made she was not surprised when the door burst open and two people leapt through. The first was a man, almost as tall as Convel but not the same build, he was lean and sharp looking. His chest being exposed allowed her clear view of his defined body behind black course hair. The second was a girl. Her long black almost blue hair curled at the tips that touched her ankles and her red lips did not seem to suit her young body. "Thank goodness you're not hurt." the voice is barely a whisper as the girl comes over to check on the overturned Alice. Her topaz eyes seemed to glow and spread warmth through Alice's body as she sits up and looks at the strangers in bewilderment.
"Of course how rude of me, introductions, I am Madeline and this is Trent." she gestures at the man without a shirt and he smiles and bows slightly. "You of course are Alice and Convel has had you brought here for your protection." her red lips seem to make her smile brighter as she explains things softly. "Forgive me as I cannot go further into detail as I think Convel would be best to talk to you but if you have any basic questions I will try to answer them as best I can" Alice barely notices that Madeline had taken her arm to assist her to stand as her mind tried desperately to figure things out. Trent had already decided that there was no danger and had silently left the room.
"Where am I and what is going on?" Alice tries to give an icy stare at Madeleine but can't muster the emotion required to do so. Madeleine seems so sweet and gentle that being anything but nice to her was far beyond Alice's bitch factor.
"Perfectly reasonable questions and my responses are; you are in the forest with me at the Dens shared accommodation. You were attacked and Convel rescued you." she smiles again somewhat pleased with herself as Alice grasps at her faint memory. She only remembers walking into the tent, after that, darkness.
"Ok so that makes it twice he saved me. What happened to the man I was with? Jason?" the question seems to throw Madeleine off guard. Her eyes flash a shade of red before switching to a deep emerald green.
"I'm not sure. Either Convel said nothing about it or Trent didn't relay the information. I'm sorry Alice." her eyes seemed to dive into Alice's and sooth her completely. Alice's surprise at the colour change melted into nothingness as her body relaxed completely. She knew that she should be freaking out. She knew that eyes don't just change colour on their own and it wasn't normal yet it seemed as natural as breathing to her having stared at Madeleine for the better part of half an hour now. She was something special and it was pleasant to be with her.
"How old are you Madeleine?" Alice couldn't help herself this girl felt older than she looked and, if her suspicion held, older than natural.
"Ask me again some other time Alice. I can hear the return of Convel." she pulled her dress out and curtsied slightly then turned on her heel and seemed to glide out the door. It remained open. Perhaps she was meant to follow? Alice stares at the open door bewildered. She did want to see Convel and hear what he had to say. She takes a step toward the door, her gown lightly sways around her ankle and that's when she notices that she was not wearing her own clothes and her neck had a pad on one side. Her arm looked as though a needle had been stuck in her. Her heart began to hammer as the strength left her legs. What the fuck was going on?
Convel approached the den casually. Sheena was tired after her fight, fortunately she was in no danger of death, and just needed to sleep. Orion almost ran to Convel having smelt the blood and seen that he was carrying someone. He had thought it to be Blare but the figure was too petite. He reached out his arms and Convel placed Sheena into his care and continued into the house. No one had noticed except maybe Convel, but since Sheena had been brought in, Orion had almost become a different person. He wanted her. He wanted to love her and protect her but being who he was he doubted very much so that it would be possible.
Her weak state causes a slight growl from his throat and a glare towards Convels back. He checks himself and gives himself a mental punch. She did not smell of sex and marks on her body that were healing slower than they should suggest that she had been fighting. He knew that Convel would never hurt his own pack for no reason and not only would Sheena be in a worse state had it been him, she would defiantly not have been carried back here in his arms. The whole thing was too much for Orion to figure out so instead he hurried inside to Sheena's room.
The all too familiar aroma filled his nose as Convel stepped into his den.
He never really knew who was going to be here, as the smell of every member is always in the air mixing with fresh and old.
Stepping inside he notes Trent lazing against the banister of the second story and sees Madeleine walking from the guest room. He takes a deep breath and revels in the delicious scent that Alice gives off.
He walks towards the stairs eager to be with her when Madeleine stops him.
"Weren't you taller when I left?" his gaze sweeps over her young form, his brows furrow slightly and he looks her dead in the eyes.
They had shifted again. This time they were a deep royal purple. She smiles and curtsies slightly
"You don't like the young looking me" she pushes her lips out in a mock pout, puts her hands to her cheeks and tilts her head to the side, she blinks a few times and tries to melt him with her puppy dog eyes.
"As gorgeous as you may be Madeleine, you know your charm only gets you so far. What is it you want?"
"How did I not pick up on Jason?" her voice is calm and level, which only confirms Convels' suspicion that she was not happy. That and the hint of red she was trying desperately to keep out of her eyes.
"He came to an unfortunate end that I will explain later. If you will be as kind as allow me some time to see Alice, I will talk to everyone at the meeting." He steps past Madeline and heads to the guest room.
"Tonight?" her voice, so small so delicate, yet still able to get to whomever she was speaking even in the loudest of rooms.
"Yes. Gather those that can make it, and we will talk tonight."
He steps through the door and inhales sharply. She sits on the floor hugging her knees close and doesn't look up. Her hair is messy, and her face is blotted with redness. Had she been crying?
"Alice" his voice is calm and soothing enough to have her look to him. Her arms wrap around his body and he holds her to him tightly as she squeezes as hard as she can.
"What's going on?" her voice is barely audible and it quivers slightly.
"You are with me and I am with you. I will tell you everything but I think it would be better if we do this downstairs. Please Alice no matter what comes next know that I love you. Now hold my hand and let's go. Everyone here wants to know you." he unwraps himself from her arms and stands holding his hand out for her. She places her hand in his and allows herself to be stood up. He brings her close and holds her to his chest and waits. She soon comes to the realisation that had he let go she would've crumpled back down into a heap on the floor. Forcing the strength into her legs she stands properly and he leads her out the door.
The Den was incredible. There were at least six other rooms on the second floor and an additional twelve on the first. Not to mention other stairways and even higher ceilings that led to the conclusion that place had more than three stories. Convel led the stunned Alice down the stairs and into the lounge room where some of the others had gathered.
The first person she noticed was Madeleine, she looked like a doll sitting in a chair that looked as though it was built for a giant. The next was Trent whom sat to the left of Madeleine with an unreadable expression plastered on his face, he had, Alice noted, put a shirt on for the occasion. The other people she saw she had not been introduced too yet, but they all seemed to stiffen as her gaze fell on them. Did she put them on edge? Or was it simply that she was with Convel? She did not really get much time to think as Convel sat her in a chair on the right of Madeleine. It was then that she took note again of just how big this room was. There was another twelve chairs in the room all of then seemed larger than they needed to be yet all were well used and incredibly sturdy looking. The cushions on the chair seemed to mould around her body and allow her to sink in and keep warm with ease. Alice relaxed into the chair and felt Madeleine's hand find her own and squeeze gently. Her eyes flicked to Madeleine's and saw her eyes had turned into a deep sea green blue.
"Madeleine, she needs to be able to express herself without your aid when we tell her" Convels voice was commanding as Madeleine immediately responds by turning her head away but not before Alice caught the shift in eye colour to an intense swirling grey.
Alice looks at Convel almost as if she had never seen him. He stands in the centre of the room and smiles at her. His presence practically blanketed the room and nobody spoke. Alice quickly realised, Convel was in charge.
"For those of you whom are yet to be informed, Alice was brought here today under my orders before having been told about us. Madeleine and Trent were in direct control of the situation whilst I attended to another matter with Sheena. It was due to this that Alice was brought here prematurely and why I am requesting your assistance in this matter." Convel's voice was heavy. The others in the room shift slightly in their chairs and some even stole a glance at Alice as if to confirm something. Alice felt her face flush slightly at the words and looks. It wasn't her fault yet she was hopelessly lost and felt as though the blame was on her.
