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Post by Aleksander “Alek” Eiriksen on Dec 28, 2016 2:13:06 GMT -5
He brushed her hair behind her ear after it had fallen into her face as she turned to meet his eyes. "Three days total; the two days leading up to the full moon and the full moon itself. You should keep clear until its all over."
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Christine Montgomery
 
Seventh Year[M:10]
In order for the light to shine so brightly, the darkness must be present.
Posts: 925
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Post by Christine Montgomery on Dec 28, 2016 2:18:42 GMT -5
She nodded. She really wasn't the needy sort, but she felt strangely vulnerable and didn't want to leave. Perhaps she hadn't really settled into her new place yet either, or perhaps she was looking for some kind of validation about what they had done.
"Will you be safe?"
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Post by Aleksander “Alek” Eiriksen on Dec 28, 2016 2:30:23 GMT -5
"If I'm not, you can play my nurse again," he said jokingly.
"Don't worry, love. I'll be fine. I've run the Raun for two years now and there's rarely a problem. Mostly infighting among the participants. Barely more than a squabble."
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Christine Montgomery
Seventh Year[M:10]
In order for the light to shine so brightly, the darkness must be present.
Posts: 925
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Post by Christine Montgomery on Dec 28, 2016 2:34:24 GMT -5
"Well," she said stretching as she sat up and gave him a superior grin, "just let them know that if they hurt you they have to deal with me." she teased him, as though she could protect the Alpha from a threat that he couldn't face on his own, that would surely be the day the world begun spinning in reverse.
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Post by Aleksander “Alek” Eiriksen on Dec 28, 2016 2:50:00 GMT -5
"They'd never suspect this young slip of a girl to pack such a punch," he said admiringly. "But nothing's going to happen. The first few challenges aren't very dangerous and we'll weed out most of the unworthy." Alek wasn't sure why he was explaining this to Christine. Perhaps it was the afterglow of their night together.
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Christine Montgomery
Seventh Year[M:10]
In order for the light to shine so brightly, the darkness must be present.
Posts: 925
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Post by Christine Montgomery on Dec 28, 2016 2:54:10 GMT -5
"Weed out the unworthy?" she asked, she knew that the Raun was an initiation of some sort, and that wolves fought for pecking order, but she didn't know that it was essentially a test to see if a wolf was good enough for a pack.
"It's a test?"
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Post by Aleksander “Alek” Eiriksen on Dec 28, 2016 3:13:23 GMT -5
Alek looked at her suspiciously. "What did you think it was?" He sat up. "What on earth did it say in that lousy book you were reading?" he said with a chuckle.
"Raun is an ancient ritual that determines which wolves exhibit the skills most coveted by the pack. Each pack has their own challenges, most of which have existed for thousands of years. Only the best are permitted into the pack."
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Christine Montgomery
Seventh Year[M:10]
In order for the light to shine so brightly, the darkness must be present.
Posts: 925
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Post by Christine Montgomery on Dec 28, 2016 3:18:45 GMT -5
Christine averted her eyes, as Alek had said before the books really were awful and biased.
But it struck a chord with her now that he had begun talking about it, "So packless wolves travel from all over in the hopes of being skilled enough to join a pack, but if they're not then they're just sent back again?"
There was no judgement in her tone, she was smarter than to judge something she didn't understand, but there was sympathy in her voice.
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Post by Aleksander “Alek” Eiriksen on Dec 28, 2016 3:41:32 GMT -5
"Its my responsibility to protect my pack. If a wolf doesn't demonstrate the abilities we need for our family to flourish we have no use for them. There are exceptions of course, but..." Alek trailed off. He was talking too much and it had started to make him uncomfortable.
It might have been the subject matter that made Alek feel uneasy. He had commanded the Raun and led his pack successfully in the years since his father's disappearance, following the teachings of his ancestors. But if he had not been born into the pack, if his father hadn't been the Alpha, Alek knew he would have never been strong enough to win one of the challenges. His father knew that. Alek was reminded constantly that it was Eirik's curse to be saddled with an unworthy heir. If he were anyone else's burden, Alek would have been sent away and would have received the same sympathetic tone from Christine that she had now.
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Christine Montgomery
Seventh Year[M:10]
In order for the light to shine so brightly, the darkness must be present.
Posts: 925
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Post by Christine Montgomery on Dec 28, 2016 4:02:36 GMT -5
"But there's more to life than combat and war." she said chewing her inner lip, " And just because someone doesn't show promise initially doesn't mean it's not there, what about families and friends, things that make a community strong, things worth fighting for?"
She looked at him then and turned red with embarrassment, "I'm sorry Alek, I have no idea what I'm talking about. Just forget I said anything."
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Post by Aleksander “Alek” Eiriksen on Dec 28, 2016 4:22:26 GMT -5
Alek watched her impassioned argument but had nothing to say in response. This was simply how it was done. He couldn't change thousands of years of traditions because the pretty girl next to him thought it wasn't fair.
Alek smiled at her and pulled her to his chest. "Come here," he said playfully.
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Christine Montgomery
Seventh Year[M:10]
In order for the light to shine so brightly, the darkness must be present.
Posts: 925
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Post by Christine Montgomery on Dec 28, 2016 4:28:28 GMT -5
He could change it because he was the Alpha and his word was law. He also ran one of the largest packs in Europe, they had more than enough to protect the weak and strong alike.
But Christine had no place thinking about those things, and her mind was sufficiently occupied after Alek pulled her to him.
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Post by Aleksander “Alek” Eiriksen on Dec 28, 2016 12:53:44 GMT -5
Alek wasn't currently aware, but Christine had given him much to think about. His father had used the pack as an army, building it up solely for the purpose of destroying their enemies. Alek had followed in his father's footsteps, and one-upping his father's memory by expanding their reach further, faster, and with more force than Eirik had as Alpha. But perhaps there could be other ways.
Alek put some more wood onto the fire as the flames grew low. They had been at it most of the day, taking breaks to rest or simply talk. Alek had not been as forthcoming in later conversations as he had about the Raun, but he gave more than expected. He refused to talk about his father and only mentioned his mother in a disgusted tone briefly. He answered her questions about the pack or his childhood with his sister, but whenever he felt too close to Christine he grew uncomfortable and would kiss her silent.
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Christine Montgomery
Seventh Year[M:10]
In order for the light to shine so brightly, the darkness must be present.
Posts: 925
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Post by Christine Montgomery on Dec 28, 2016 16:57:21 GMT -5
She frowned, "It's getting dark." and her young human body couldn't go another round. She had wanted answers, wanted to feel as though she were close to him, and she had succeeded in spades. He wasn't open about everything, she didn't expect him to be. He wasn't some patient for her to psychoanalyze, but if they were ever going to be more than friends she had to know something personal. And now she did, and now they were.
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Post by Aleksander “Alek” Eiriksen on Dec 28, 2016 21:25:21 GMT -5
Alek nodded. "You should go," he said softly just before he pressed his lips to her forehead. He ran his fingers through her hair, then lifted her chin up to meet his gaze.
"Would you mind doing me a favor? Lex has been staying in the city and I haven't heard from her in a while, could you check in on her for me? I'll be too busy with the Raun." Alek had grown concerned about the strain he had put on his sister's friendship with Christine. Lex had very few friends ever since her childhood friend was left for dead in the woods and Alek followed his former plans to ruin his half-brother blindly, not being bothered how it was impacting his beloved sister. But he did love his sister and sooner or later he always came around and did right by her. He hoped there was something still salvageable in Lex's relationship with Christine. Of course he couldn't just come out and say that to Christine, that would be admitting too much and he'd already shared so much of himself with her that he felt more naked than he actually was, so he pretended to be concerned for his sister's welfare instead.
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Christine Montgomery
Seventh Year[M:10]
In order for the light to shine so brightly, the darkness must be present.
Posts: 925
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Post by Christine Montgomery on Dec 28, 2016 23:42:37 GMT -5
She leaned into his kiss, and frowned when he made his request. "She's pretty upset about us isn't she?"
Christine couldn't understand why, other than the fact that Lex was Dorian's partner. It would have made sense if Lex had been upset with Christine, but instead she was upset with Alek. She hated to think that she had caused any strife between the siblings, particularly with how close they were.
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Post by Aleksander “Alek” Eiriksen on Dec 28, 2016 23:56:59 GMT -5
"She thinks I've stolen you away. Be a doll and show her it isn't so." Lex wasn't solely worried about Alek stealing her friend, it was more a fear of Alek stealing Christine to get to Dorian. That had been the case of course, but it was different now. He would find some other means of seeking revenge on Dorian for his father's mistreatment. He knew now he couldn't use Christine as some pawn in his game, no matter how enticing the results might have been.
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Christine Montgomery
Seventh Year[M:10]
In order for the light to shine so brightly, the darkness must be present.
Posts: 925
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Post by Christine Montgomery on Dec 29, 2016 0:26:36 GMT -5
"Oh I don't know..." Christine said with a teasing smile, "You may have stolen me away just a little bit." she kissed him lightly.
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Post by Aleksander “Alek” Eiriksen on Dec 29, 2016 0:44:59 GMT -5
That was true on both accounts. He'd occupied more of Christine's time and limited her availability to Lex. He'd also inadvertently succeeded in his original goal of bedding Christine and whether he had intended to or not, he was sure it would hinder Dorian's happiness. Alek didn't feel guilty in that regard, as his intentions with Christine were pure, he now realized.
He kissed her in return. "Well then, love, you'll just have to pretend, won't you?"
Alek stood and pulled Christine to her feet. It was growing late and he didn't want her in harm's way, no matter how competent and brave he knew she was.
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Christine Montgomery
Seventh Year[M:10]
In order for the light to shine so brightly, the darkness must be present.
Posts: 925
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Post by Christine Montgomery on Dec 29, 2016 1:05:47 GMT -5
"I could be convinced." she teased then pulled back with a sigh, "But if you start, then we won't stop..." she looked at the window, "And that could be bad."
Christine changed reluctantly, and perhaps with a little bit of a reverse strip to taunt Alek. Finally she gave him a goodbye kiss making him promise to be safe in return for allowing his men to escort her home so he could prepare.
Once home however the isolation began to get to her. She showered, then called Lex to come over.
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