Finding Closure (open m/m)

James flinched when what she said at the beginning finally registered in his mind, knowing that any kind of vitriol she felt for him was entirely his fault, and it made his wolf 'wilt' and retreat deeper into his mind. When she asked him who taught him the runes, he let out a heavy sigh. "Mia's father taught them to me. I had to get a warlock to help me get my aural self into his realm, but... I didn't want to rely too heavily on someone from the warlock council..."

Mia took the drink with a muttered thank you, taking a sip from the dark liquid, her eyes closed. Running her tongue over her lip, she was quiet for a moment. "I might need a couple more of these... Clara got dragged into something she didn't deserve to be pulled into. While you were at the pack house helping the alpha, our beta was attacked by who was supposed to be his. He dropped him off at Clara's motel room. I'm so... angry." A faint emerald light appeared around the hand that was holding the glass for a moment, before dissipating. "So I am going to just forget about it for now....:

"If I was in his situation I would do the same thing" Clara said honestly, listening to him as he continued to talk she snorted slightly when he said that he hoped the Goddess wouldn't ask him for something he couldn't give. "She will, because that's who she is" she said casually before she got to her feet and shook out her pelt a little again before she walked closer to James to get a better look at the runes he was doing. "Who taught you to do these?" Clara asked curiously since she knew it was not something he would have learnt in their old pack, "Because I know no one from our old pack knew this crap" she said with another snort.

Eric raised a brow as she spoke, when she said that she knew who he was he couldn't help but laugh softly. "A lot of people know who I am darling, so it makes no difference if you think you know who I am" he said with a smirk, to him it wasn't a bother who knew who he was as he wasn't exactly someone who hid behind anything. "Well, I can help with the giving your brother a heart attack and I can help with the drinks and relaxing" Eric chuckled as Trixie came back and handed Mia a mead before she headed off again leaving them alone.

James shook his head faintly, pausing to look over at her. "He's not doing it to erase that old pain... He is doing it so he can kill Louis." He was quiet for a moment, just looking at her, before returning his attention to the runes. "I only hope she doesn't demand something he cannot give...."

Mia sat down with a faint smile, shaking her head as she let herself relax into her seat. "Oh, nothing like that. My reason is three fold, really. One, just had to see this club of yours. Two, I know who you are, and I know my brother would be having a heart attack if he knew I was here, and three... I want to drink, relax, and not think about the past few hours for a while."

Listening to him she looked down at the grass under her paws for a moment before she looked back up at James, "Maybe his doing what needs to be done...so the pain stops" she said softly. She had considered a few times in her life to go and find the Goddess herself but Clara had never been brave enough to go through with it because she knew she wouldn't be able to live with herself if she did such a thing. "Do you blame him though?" Clara asked with a small frown as she studied him, "You tried it...why shouldn't he?" she questioned.


"I didn't think you were" Trixie said with a smile as she lead her way over to Eric, "Your guest for the night" she said sweetly with a small bow before she wandered away to get Mia a drink to have with Eric.

Eric moved on the lounge and looked up at Trixie when she came over, seeing Mia with her he raised a brow and ran his eyes over her quickly before he smiled and gestured for her to sit down on the lounge beside him. "Lovely to see you again Mia" he said with a soft laugh as he smiled at her "To what, do I owe the pleasure of you joining me here at my club tonight?" Eric asked with a slightly raised brow at her, "No new curses for me to undo?" he joked as he sipped on his scotch wondering why she had come to his club of all places.

James rolled his shoulder slightly, moving his stick onto another of the runes. "Reinforcing the runes around the perimeter and trying to not think of the fact that my beta is on a plane, on his way to Athens... Most likely seeking out the Goddess...."

Mia allowed her gaze to look out of the corner of her eyes, and she laughed lightly behind a hand. "Sorry... I am not laughing at you or him. I just know if my brother found out I was in the club of one of the founders of the council, he would be so pissed." Giving the bartender a slight wave with a pleasant smile, she turned and followed after the woman.

Clara watched James as he reinforced the runes of the barrier, when the wind shifted she knew he had picked up her scent. Getting up from where she sat she moved a little closer to him before she sat back down and tilted her head to the side a little, "What are you doing?" Clara asked curiously as she watched him. She had caught the quick scent of panic roll off of him before it went away again and she was sure that it was her that caused that reaction from him and Clara didn't know how to feel about that since it was never her intention to make him feel that way.

Trixie watched as Mia came into the club and she smiled a little as she followed her over to the bar, standing off to her left she waved her hand at the bartender a little "Cancel that order" she said in a soft singsong voice before she looked at Mia her smiled never faltering. "Please, come with me, the owner of the club would very much appreciate your company for the night" Trixie stated casually as she gestured a little towards the leather lounges that looked over the dance floor, the flashing lights now and again passing over Eric showing him looking very relaxed where he sat.

James sat on a fallen log, using a long dead oak branch to reinforce the magic runes of the barrier. The wind shifted and he went still, feeling his wolf let out a flash of panic, which he quickly smothered, letting out a low breath. He knew that Travis has left, and as much as his beta thought he was being smooth, he knew what the fool was going to do, and he really hoped that she didn't do anything to him.

Parking her car a block down from the club, she got out and headed down the street. Stepping inside, she could feel the stares instantly, but she quickly gravitated over to the bar, ordering a double vodka and cherry, smirking faintly at the look on the bartender's face. "I would have asked for mead, but this isn't the place for that. Thank you."

"It was fun" Clara said with a shrug of her shoulders when Mia thanked her for helping her out, watching as she left she sighed softly and waited for a bit before she left the room herself. Right in that moment she didn't care who knew she was in the house she needed to shift and run. Going outside she looked up at the sky and smiled a little seeing that the moon was completely hidden behind clouds, it was one of her favorite kind of nights to go for a run. Shifting into her wolf form, that was a slightly smaller than normal female but not by much with a pelt of deep gray that it was almost black. Shaking out her pelt she took off running making sure to use James' scent to keep herself within his territory, she knew at some point she was bound to run into him. Finally spotting him Clara slowed her run to a trot before she came to a full stop, staring at him she felt her heartbeat pick up in pace but she ignored it as she sat back on her hunches and watched him.

Eric as normal was sat on a leather lounge watching over his club as he held a glass of scotch in his left hand. He wore a pair of black dress pants, dress shoes and white button down shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, he prided himself on having a little more of a formal rule for how men dressed in his club but the women were allowed to come as they please. "Trixie, another top up please love" Eric called casually over to a kitsune woman who came over and took his glass away quickly before returning with another scotch. "Thank you, now, go to the doors and keep an eye out for anyone interesting" he said with a wave of his hand. The woman in question nodded her head and headed to the doors where Eric liked to send her for her to gather interesting men and women to join him in the VIP area he spent most of his time.

Trixie:

Spoiler:

Mia sat there in silence while she worked. Smiling faintly behind her hand, she said with a light tone, "Only if I don't kill him first." She had caught a faint glimpse of herself in the windows on their right, and she found herself pleasantly surprised at the skill that she had. Letting out a faint sigh, she gave the other woman a faint smile. "Thank you for helping me out, I really appreciate it."

Standing up, she went over and pulled the half-jacket off of the coat rack to the left of her door, she pulled it on and turned to face towards Clara. "Now, time to drop Travis off at the airport and then go scandalize my brother by going into a place he can't see into." She laughed lightly, grabbing her purse then heading out of her room.

Clara stayed sitting on the bed and she waited patiently for Mia to come back out of the closet, when she did she raised a brow slightly as she got up and ran her eyes over Mia for a moment before she smiled. "Good" she said with a small clap of her hands, gently grabbing Mia she maneuvered her to sit on the end of the bed. Going over to her duffle bag she grabbed out her makeup and a curling iron. Looking at her face for a moment trying to figure out what she was going to do Clara looked thoughtful before she started to do Mia's hair and makeup, she went for a dark smokey eye look while trying to keep everything relatively gentle.

"Tell Eric if he ruins your makeup, I'll kill him" Clara said sweetly as she started to work on gently curling Mia's hair so that it fell in gentle cascades around her face. Once she was done she put down the curling iron and smiled a little "There, now you are ready to knock any warlock off of their feet" she said with a grin knowing that Mia was going to be the center of attention at Eric's club.

Mia turned and looked at the woman for a moment in silence, before the closet doors closed with a faint click. Pulling off what she joking called her 'doctor clothes', she took a moment and looked at herself in the floor length mirror settled between two long bars on each side. She stood there for a good minute or so, before pulling off her under garments as well. Fingers passing over the rune of Fenrir that was just under her left breast on her ribcage, she let out a heavy sigh. Grabbing a matching black lace pair of underwear and strapless bra and pulled them on. Pulling on the dress, she sat down to put on the heels. Standing up, she carefully ran her hands down her sides, taking a deep breath and slowly letting it out before she left the closet.

Clara shrugged her shoulders a little with a soft laugh, "What can I say, teasing and picking on people is fun. It's how I pass the time" she joked and rolled her eyes a little. Watching as Mia walked over to the wall and the closet opened up making her tilt her head to the side a little "Huh" was all Clara said before she walked over to it. Stepping inside she began to look through the clothes stopping here and there to pull things out and look at them for a moment before putting them back, every time she did take something out thought it looked as if she was having a conversation with the more human part before continuing on. Grabbing out a little black dress that would hug all of Mia's curves nicely Clara held it up against herself before she turned and held it out towards Mia with a frown, "This" she said and tossed it towards her after she took it off of the hanger.

"Eric appreciates a nice pair of legs, so you'll need some heels as well" Clara said thoughtfully as she looked through a few different pairs of heels before she settled on a pair of black stilettos that had a shimmer to them. Walking over to Mia she held the shoes out to her as well, "Put these on and then we'll do your hair and makeup" she said with a soft sigh as she rolled her shoulders a little before she went over to the bed and sat on the end of it comfortably.

Mia made a face at her, Scowling while trying no to laugh. "Alright, you are definitely more of a pick on people type of person that she is, I see." Standing up, she walked over to what looked like a blank wall. Passing her hand over where the handles of doors should be, there was a faint flash of Norse runes, and the door swung open, showing a rather extensive clothes collection. The closet inside was bigger than it looked like it should be on the outside. "Kind of cool, huh? My brother came over and helped to make this big enough for all my clothes and shoes."

"You don't need to say that you are going there, its the best place to go" Clara said with a soft laugh, when Mia asked for her help to pick out something to wear she smiled and nodded her head slightly. "Sure" she said with a smile before she finished off the food she had, licking her lips a little she got off of the bed and looked at Mia for a moment "Show us what we will be working with" Clara said with a grin as she placed her hands on her hips with a raised brow. She knew if there wasn't something she thought would look good for Mia to wear she had a few dresses of her own that she could put her in. "Don't worry, we'll make sure you look very sexy so you can get more of Eric's attention" she said cheekily.

Mia let out a slightly offended noise, laying a hand over her heart with a faked irritation on her face. "I never said I was going there." She chuckled, letting out a light laugh. "So... after you are done eating, if you two don't mind... Will you help me pick out something to wear tonight? I haven't gone out in so long because of my brother.... I'm kind of embarrassed to say it but I feel like I've lost a bit of my feminine touch, what with having to look after all of the dumb men getting themselves hurt in this misfit pack of ours."

Clara nodded her head a little as she explained what James was doing, raising a brow a little when Mia said that she was going to be taking Travis to the airport and then going out for the night she couldn't help but smirk "I am sure that Eric will be glad to see you at his club" she teased lightly. When she asked if the two of them would be alright she smiled gently at Mia, "We've been through worse" Clara said honestly with a soft laugh "Go, take Travis and then go and have some fun" she said with a small wave of her hand as she smiled. She knew that once Mia had left with Travis she would just finish off the food, but also her wolf wanted to go and run so Clara knew she would have to leave the house for that and that meant the possibility of running into James but they were willing to risk it.

Mia sat on the floor cross-legged, letting out a tired sigh. "He's been patrolling since Travis has been on his feet. Other than that... I cannot say. He's closed himself off of the pack connection. His rage is... barely contained." Closing her eyes, she sat there for a few moments before opening her eyes. "I am taking Travis to the airport, and then I am going out for the night. I need to drink and forget the past twenty four hours for a bit. Will you two be alright?"

Clara nodded her head a little when Travis said that Mia would be the one to call on for anything she needed since he was leaving for Athens. Walking over to the bed she sat down on it and got comfortable while she waited for Mia to come. Opening her eyes and looking at the door when it opened Clara looked at Mia from where she was laying on the bed hanging off of the edge upside down. Her eyes were the soft golden hue of her wolf, moving on the bed she rolled onto her stomach before she sat up and crossed her legs comfortably as she looked at Mia. "Thank you" she said with a small smile. "We can't help but to ask, but, is James okay?" Clara asked tipping her head to the side as she waiting for Mia to put down the tray, taking the cover off of the tray Clara picked up some of the bread and cheese and began to eat slowly.

"Probably sounds like a stupid question coming from us" she said with a soft laugh, her laugh had a gentleness too it that didn't seem to match Clara's normal voice.

Travis smiled faintly, letting her steer the conversation away from the topic they had been on. As stupid as it was, he really hoped that one day, the two of them would be able to sit down and talk. She needed to tell him what it did to her, to a certain point, and James needed to hear it. Travis feared James might step down and put Travis up as pack alpha soon, if he couldn't get his panic attacks under control. "Sure thing. Mia will bring it to you. I... am headed to Athens Greece in a couple of hours. She'll be the person you can call on if you need anything until you leave." He turned and left the room, headed to the kitchen. For this moment, he was glad she wasn't tied too well to James. If she had been, she would have been able to tap into the pack's connection, and know where he was going. If anyone did find out... they would try and stop him. That was not a possibility.

About a half hour later, there was a knock at the door and Mia entered, carrying a covered tray. Shutting the door with her foot, she smiled faintly at Clara, lifting the tray a bit. "I didn't know what you liked so I brought some bread, fruits and cheeses."

Clara frowned a little as she watched Travis closely, "I refused to use, consciously anyway" she corrected with a shrug of her shoulders. She had no doubt that without knowing it she and her wolf reached out to James now and again because of fear or panic, but there had never been anything she could do about it in those times. Normally Clara had a tight hold on the connection to the point of blocking it off so she could not feel or hear it but panic and fear made her lose control of it. "And we never used it before either...we were in two very different groups" Clara said with a small laugh, "Anyway, do you think you could grab me some food?" she asked hopefully with a small smile wanting to steer the conversation away from her and James as she still wasn't ready to talk too much about them.

Travis shook his head slightly and looked away, taking in a deep breath. Holding it for a moment, he slowly let it out, and all traces of his near panic attack gone as he smiled. It was like what he had went through nothing at all. He was that good at pushing it down. "Of course you had to force your way through. Not only did you have to try to reach a man that was in a tranquilized sleep, but the connection was stuffy because neither of you ever really tried to use it over the years since that day."

"You can do it" Clara said gently not push him but wanting to show him that he could still look at her in the eyes, when he said that she and James should come to an agreement she sighed softly. "I forced my way through the connection to get his attention...I don't think there is an agreement we can come to" she said with a small shake of her head, Clara wasn't sure what agreement the two of them could come to as she didn't want to feel like she was tied to a place as it would be harder for her to keep moving from place to place. "If we did, I wouldn't be able to keep moving like I do and...the idea of staying in one place, is scary after years of just struggling to survive" Clara sighed with a shake of her head.

It was pure primal fear, that's what he was feeling. Closing his eyes, he took in a slow deep breath. "Not... easy." He looked back at her, and was quiet for a moment when she brought up James. "You two should come to an agreement." As much as he hated it, he felt a few tears come to his eyes, blurring his vision. "The fact that you were able to reach him through such a stuffy connection, it hasn't withered. It hasn't turned black. I don't... want to see you and James end up anywhere like us...."

Clara took note of Travis' body language, moving over to him she reached out and touched his right shoulder gently. "Look me in the eyes" she said softly as she studied his face waiting for him to meet her gaze. She knew how hard it was to look someone in the eyes after going through something traumatic, it had taken her years to be okay with looking at someone properly. "You know, I can't exactly just exist in this pack house without James figuring out I'm here" Clara pointed out with a small laugh, "I mean, my wolf at some point is probably going to reach out to his" she said with a shake of her head. She knew her wolf wouldn't be able to resist being so close to the one who was meant to be her mate for too long before trying to reach out to him in one way or another.

Travis had his upper right arm held in his left hand, his gaze kept just under her eyes, careful not to make direct eye contact with her. It had been about an hour since he was fully on his feet, and he had found he couldn't look anyone in the eyes, not even James. The man just smiled at him and told him to let him handle the patrols of a while. "No one but Mia and myself will know you are in here...."