Julien cautiously followed the taller woman into an employees-only corridor, the music fading as they went further and further into the back of the club. His heart was pounding as his head spun a mile a minute.
Who is she? Why is Andrew already like this when the full moon is still a few days away? Could I escape if I turned back around right now? Do I want to?
He wanted to ask, but something about her presence made him not want to open his mouth until she spoke first.
He continued to silently trail behind her until she opened the door to an employees-only lounge. He stayed in the doorway, shuffling on his feet as he took in the room lit by moonlight streaming in from the back door. Meanwhile, the tall woman spoke to him as she lowered Andrew onto a burgundy cross sofa in the center of the room.
"What are you doing here and how much do you know?"
He felt compelled to answer.
"We came looking for answers…"
He looked at his sleeping companion whose brow was furrowed and jaw tight in a severe grimace.
"He's a werewolf, right?"
Saying it aloud felt like a fever dream, but the lady confirmed it without much thought.
"That is what we are called on this side, yes."
She sniffed the area around Andrew and scrunched her nose with a scowl. She muttered to herself.
'Definitely one of ours.'
Hovering one of her hands over Andrew's feverish body, she whispered a few words he didn't understand and a small purple light appeared in thin air—a thread, then two.
One was thin, connecting him to Andrew, while the other was mistier, leading from Andrew's left side out the door—both were fragile.
Julien blinked a few times, his brows furrowing as he tried to discern what he was looking at.
Is that… magic?
She frowned.
"Looks like it will not take long."
Glancing at Julien—her eyes a nebulous purple with specks of gold surrounding her pupils—she gave him a reassuring, motherly smile.
"You do not know much, but he is not fresh, correct?"
Julien scrunched his face in confusion, but he did manage to relax just a fraction.
"If you're asking how long he's been this way, it's only been two months."
She nodded. Coming up to him, she pulled him closer to Andrew's sleeping form. Julien tried resisting being pulled further into the room but it was futile, she merely chuckled.
"You are bound to this man, no?"
He pursed his lips.
"You'll have to tell me what you mean by that."
He stole a glance at the thread connecting the two of them together.
Crossing her arms—the bangles on them jingling from the movement—she tilted her head a few times before simply ruffling his hair and stepping off.
"I will tell you later. For now, stay close to that man."
She thought for a moment.
"Do not fret, he will not wake."
Then she left the room.
Julien stared at the door, then looked down at Andrew's scrunched up face. He cautiously took a seat next to him, and, seeing that the other man didn't rouse, he rubbed at his collarbone and frowned.
It's not as bad as I thought it'd be.
Glancing over at the man's face, he reached over to smoothen the wrinkles from Andrew's brow when he froze.
Looking over to the door, the tall woman was standing in the doorway again.
I thought she already left.
Not that he was doing anything worth being shy over.
"What is your name young man, and that of the other fellow?"
"Julien."
He committed to his action, pressing the area between Andrew's brows until the man relaxed his face.
"This is Andrew."
She smiled gently.
"I am called Afenia. May the moon continue to bid your favor."
Julien gave her a strange look as she walked away again.
Was that, supposed to be reassurance?
He leaned his head back against the sofa and sighed.
"May the stars be ever in your favor too."
—
Julien didn't realize he'd fallen asleep until he heard raised voices from the hallway leading up to the lounge room. He frowned, adrenaline forcing his body to sit up. He listened silently as the argument came closer, a man's voice coming through first.
"Let's talk about this, it's a misunderstanding!"
What he assumed was Afenia's voice followed suit.
"What misunderstanding, you naughty, naughty boy. Have I not taught you shame?"
"I haven't nuthin' to be ashamed about, it's been under control this whole time!"
The arguing parties entered the room and Julien stiffened when the grey-haired man pointed in their direction.
"Look, they're just fine, I was gonna step in if I had to."
Why hello to you too.
"Then why did you not say anything in the past two months since it happened?"
Silence.
Afenia clicked her tongue, muttering to herself.
'Miris stay my hand.'
"What are you, a child? You are too old to be making these types of mistakes by Gai'ia."
"And I'm tellin' you I'm not at fault—ok maybe a little bit, but I—"
"Save it. If you were really handling it those boys would not be here right now. Go, introduce yourself."
She nudged him forward and the man stared at Julien with a grudging expression.
Julien stared at the man in front of him as well. He had nickel-grey hair, warm brown skin, sharp golden eyes, and gold jewelry that matched Afenia's, though he also had facial piercings to match—like Nevaeah.
He looks a little too familiar.
"Rasheeda… right?"
The young man's strained expression shifted into a calm smirk and his voice into a more androgynous tone.
"You know the name~"
Afenia facepalmed.
Julien stared at him for a few minutes, trying to reconcile the foggy image of Rasheeda's beautiful face with the… admittedly still beautiful, if not punchable face of the young man in front of him.
Brownie points lost for the stalking.
"You're… not a girl?"
Afenia looked at him strangely.
The man replied in the same almost seductive tone from last night and Julien suddenly felt a little exposed.
"Did I look like a girl to ya hun?"
Remus sat down beside him and leaned in, a smug look on his face as he continued in his normal range.
"I'm flattered. That means ya think I'm pretty right?"
Julien nearly leaped up to defend himself, but he remained seated and merely glared at the other with burning cheeks.
I never said that!
Afenia pressed.
"Remus."
"Aish– I'm gettin' to it, I'm gettin' to it."
He poked Julien's forehead.
"Oi."
Julien swatted his hand away.
"Genuinely, what is wrong with you?"
"A lot. Now, only gonna say it once poppet, so wake up yer teddy bear."
Julien glanced at Andrew beside him, then looked at the back door.
The sun's back up so it should be fine.
He thought about ignoring his demand but given Afenia didn't say anything and he was getting tired of this conversation already, he shook his sleeping companion until the man grabbed his hand and grunted out.
"Deja eso."
Julien took that as a sign to give him the space to get up and adjust.
The man slowly sat up, looking around the room before slumping forward to rest his head on Julien's shoulder. Julien froze for a second, wondering if the other was going to bite him again, but when he just quietly fell back asleep, Julien awkwardly patted him on the back with his free arm.
At least I'm not being mauled this time.
He briefly wondered if it was Afenia's spell that was making the other so slow to respond or the handful of pain meds he'd downed last night.
Turning to face the grey-haired man again, he looked at him with disdain.
"Looks like you're just gonna have to say it twice, asshole."
The man looked like he was going to clip back at him, but one look over Julien's head at Afenia and he settled with simply crossing his ankle over his knee.
"Remus. It's my displeasure to officially meetcha princess."
Afenia shook her head.
"Such a child."
She shot Julien an apologetic look.
"I am sorry to say he must stay here."
Yippee.
Julien couldn't imagine anyone having worse luck than he did.
He glanced at the man on his shoulder.
Maybe one person.
Remus looked like it was the first he was hearing about it as well.
"Hey hey, they don't even need me, his phenos is strong enough… for the most part—look, they're cuddle buddies."
He reached forward to grab at the two of them and Julien shifted away.
I don't want to be stuck with you either, Jackass.
Remus scoffed.
"See? No room for lil' ol' me, right poppet?"
Remus stood up, dusting his hands on his pants like he'd just touched something nasty.
"'Sides, don'tcha need me to find that rift or whatever?"
Rift?
Julien felt his right ankle throb.
Afenia pushed him back onto the sofa.
"You know full well what your role is here. You will not be a part of anything else until you take care of this mess you made."
She nodded towards the red-head and the stone.
"You know the rules, no sneaking past it, Yeye."
Julien felt an alarm bell sound off in his head when Remus's smile began to fade. He started subtly shuffling away.
They wouldn't kill me for knowing too much right?
Remus's gaze landed on the two of them as well, his voice unusually quiet as he asked.
"Ya want me ta slay the princess, A'ye?"
Maybe they would.
Julien felt his body go cold and he not-so-gently began pinching Andrew in an attempt to get his useless bodyguard to wake back up.
He really did have shit luck.
Remus glanced at him, then at Andrew, his expression going deathly still.
"I'll make it quick."
Before he realized what was happening, Remus's nails extended and Afenia grabbed his wrist before sharp claws could meet tender flesh. She chided him with a sigh.
"That is not what I meant."
Remus's serious expression lingered for half a beat longer before he lifted up his free hand with a friendly smile.
"Well ya shoulda led with that."
He innocently tilted his head at Julien, reaching out to give him a friendly bump on the shoulder.
"Didn't mean a thing by it princess, forgive me?"
Julien stared at his hand with a grim expression, his mind whirling with quiet dread.
Peeking at Afenia who actually did look apologetic, then at the hand she let go of after it turned back, he was made completely aware of his own helplessness.
Julien slowly moved his lilac irises to meet Remus's golden ones.
That wasn't for present Julien to think about.
"You just make the best impressions, don't you?"
Remus's eyes widened and his fake smile became an amused smirk.
"Well you've made an impression on me too, Julien."
So you did know my name.
Afenia massaged her shoulder.
"I apologize on his behalf."
Julien looked her way as she continued.
"Remus… nevermind, just release your phenos, you should connect instinctually."
Remus looked like he had a question of his own but after glancing at Julien, he didn't voice it.
"You're the boss."
Then he moved to sit closer to Andrew and fell silent.
Once she confirmed he was following her instructions, Afenia knelt in front of Julien—with how tall she was, it put the two of them at eye level. Her gold-kissed purple mirrors met his pale lilac ones and her brows furrowed before she bowed her head.
"Julien, I promise you and your partner will be safe under the pack. Unfortunately there is no way to separate you as of now, but it will only take another ten months for your life to go back to normal, I swear it on my name."
Another deadline.
He stared at the crown of her head, glancing at the less-than-amused Remus hidden behind Andrew who was concentrating on… releasing phenos or whatever.
Then he looked back at her.
He wasn't being given much of a choice here.
"Alright."
He squeezed Andrew a little tighter, a spark of conviction igniting in the depths of his heart.
There was still one choice he could make.
"We'll be in your care then."