Hard Enough

(Sorry if this sucks)

Ezra Craik | The Rebel


A lit cigarette loosely hung between Ezra’s lips, the smoke floating up into the air before quickly being dragged out through the open window. His left hand gripping the steering wheel as he drove along a fairly quiet road, his black muscle car roaring loudly as he drove. The fresh scent of rain still lingered on the ground and on the trees that surrounded both side of the road, Ezra was simply just travelling. He had stayed in another town last week, it was time for him to continue moving as he thought it was the best way for him to hide his secret. It also helped that he never allowed himself to grew close to people that he did meet, no one would want him around if they did somehow find out his secret. A werecat may not be common these days, but he could still certainly be dangerous for humans and he was tired of having blood on his hands.

Taking the cigarette he tapped off the ash out the window as he puffed out the smoke that he had been holding, rock music blared from the speakers as his eyes scanned the road in front of him. He had heard many stories of the town he was going to pass through, he knew exactly what was hiding in among the thick forest which is why he’d be passing through the town. He wasn’t planning on stopping until he was a good distance away from the small town, he didn’t want the family of werewolves to be threatened by him. Not that they sure, the stories that Ezra had heard of the family were incredible and frightening. He may be a werecat, but he certainly couldn’t survive an attack from an entire family of werewolves.

Seconds after he drove past the welcome sign, hissing hit his ears and steam came from under the hood of his car. “Fuck,” Ezra cursed as his palm hit the steering wheel, this is the last thing that he needed right now. His car lost all power so he turned his hazard lights on and pulled over onto the side of the road, he was handy when it came to fixing his car but he knew in his gut that he wouldn’t be able to fix this on his own. Which meant he’d need to at least spend a few hours in the town, if not longer if he couldn’t find a garage to fix his car.

---

Evelyn Harmon | Starry-Eyed Wolf


Evelyn’s ponytail swayed from side to side as she moved around the small but cozy coffee shop, her movement graceful as she carried over two hot mugs of coffee and set them down on a table for the couple who had ordered them. She worked at the coffee shop and she loved it, she loved seeing people and chatting with them. Even if her job made her family worried, worried that someone would find out what she was even though Evie had no idea how anyone would, she hasn’t ever told anyone about her deepest secret and she wasn’t planning on telling anyone now. She had been taught by a very young age to never let the family secret out, it had been hard for her to understand the reason when she was younger.

It was only when she became an teenager that she realised why the humans would be scared of her, the humans in the town still told the stories to their children about how werewolves still haunted the forest at night. It was a way for parents to make sure their children didn’t stay out late into the night, or it was because they had been told the same stories when they were kids. Evie hated the stories that were passed around about her family, however she never spoke a work about it because she knew better than that.

She cleaned a few tables that had been used by customers before she moved back behind the counter, when the front door opened and the bell sounded her usual happy smile appeared across her face. Looking up her eyes landed on a rather attractive young man, someone she hadn’t seen before around the town. “Hi, what can I get you?” She asked him once he had stepped up to the counter, Evie had dated a few guys here and there but she found it hard. She never felt like she could truly be herself, her guard was constantly up because of her secret that had to stay like that.

Acacia Harmond | The Sheltered Wolf


Snow crunched noisily under Acacia's feet as she stormed out of the local bar and grill, her car keys jangling merrily in the frigid night air. Tonight had supposed to of been her night out with a few friends from the community college she attended. She'd only made halfway through the dinner before her phone began to vibrate with texts from her parents, Nora and Jacob Harmond, demanding the eldest Harmond twin come home. And normally, Acacia would admit that her parents weren't usually so strict. But tonight was nearly a full-moon. And there was a greater risk for exposure on full-moons for the Harmond Pack. And Acacia knew that as some of the only werewolves in town, the family had to be careful not to attract attention to themselves. It was how they'd been in Lakeridge, a sleepy town nestled in the foothills of Colorado, for generations without attracting the attention of hunters. And while she still felt the pull of the moon, Acacia wasn't ten anymore.

She hadn't lost control over her wolf in years. As the next alpha of the Harmond Pack- she had to have great control over her wolf. So she had to come up with some half-ass excuse to cut out early and head home. Admittedly, Acacia was shy and more often than not, soft-spoken. Human friends were a hard thing for the wolf to make, and with her parents strict rules about interacting with people outside the pack it didn't make anything easier for the wraith-like werewolf. Reaching her car in the dark parking lot, she was tempted to head over to the coffee shop where Evelyn, her twin, was working. But, Acacia decided against it as she slid into her car, putting her bag of half-eaten dinner in the backseat along with her purse. When Evelyn got home, she'd complain, but for now Acacia would let her work. The dark-haired woman was quick to blast the heat of her sleek Infiniti, a gift from her grandparents after her last car had grown too old to run well anymore.

Before too long, Acacia had the car on the road on her way home, her spotify playing quietly over the speakers. The ride was realtively peaceful. Lakeridge was a tiny community. There was never traffic after dark. The stories of wolves prowling the woods often kept people inside after dark. The eldest Harmond twin didn't like to dwell on those stories though. It had been decades since there'd been any incident of a wolf attacking a human in Lakeridge, and she hoped it'd stay that way. She was nearly halfway back to the Harmond's residence when something... out of the ordinary caught her sharp gaze. A car, broken down by the side of the road and someone poking around under the hood. Now, normally she would of kept driving. A stranger in Lakeridge? That in and of itself was suspicious. But it was damned near freezing, and what would her parents do? Yell at her for helping someone in need and getting home a bit later than they wanted? Besides, Acacia was well-assured that if this stranger tried to hurt her... It'd go worse for him than her.

So, carefully she lightly pressed her horn and flicked her blinker on to signal she was pulling over a bit in front of the broken down car and stranger. Apprehension began to leak into her stomach as the stranger glanced up, and Acacia could begin to make out his features. Dark blonde curls crowned his head, while she noted that his gaze was the color of the wild forget-me-nots that grew behind Acacia's home. She had to admit, he was handsome in a devil may care kind of way. With a soft huff of air, Acacia unbuckles herself, and steps out into the night air. The change in temperature makes the girl shiver, pulling her black jacket tighter over her frame. The air, clear and sharp with the scent of pine and ceder is obscured by the scent of cigarette smoke, drifting from the male. There's something else on the air, thick and sweet and not entirely natural which makes Acacia pause. Was this male not human? He didn't look terribly imposing and the wolf feels nervous as she clears her throat. ''It's not a good night to be stuck out here. Do you need a lift into town? A cold northern wind had begun to kick up as the wolf spoke, blowing the male's scent more clearly to Acacia.

Again, there was that underlying scent of something warm and sweet- and not human. She tucks an unruly strand of dark hair behind her ear, frowning. Normally, wolves chased anything inhuman from the territory as soon as they noticed. No exceptions. Growing up Jacob Harmond often told his children that was how they kept hunters away- by not allowing the town to become infested with other supernaturals. But... Acacia was torn. It was her duty as the next alpha to chase this male out, by whatever means. But, on the other hand- what was the point? It wasn't like he could leave without having his car looked at. And it wasn't like he'd come with a horde of supernaturals. From what she could tell- it was just him. And from the looks of him, this creature was a drifter. He didn't look likely to put roots down here and challenge the Harmond pack for power. A few feet away from Acacia she noted how his shoulders had tensed; he had already likely determined she was a wolf. ''Look, I won't bite if you don't.'' she holds out her hands as if to further emphasis that point. ''But, your car is broken and it's freezing. You're not going anywhere tonight, so let me help you out. Then when your car is fixed you can be on your way.'' The offer hangs in the air between them, and Acacia hope he accepts. She really didn't want to ruin these clothes by shifting to chase this creature out.
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James Mercer | The Cynical Hunter


He'd been on this hunt close to a month. James Mercer and his family had first gotten a tip that there was a werewolf pack taking residence in the quiet little town of Lakeridge, Colorado from a friend of the family. Had said that there had been a pack there living beneath everyone's noses for centuries- since the town was first built. Over the years there had been a few deaths, and that was more than enough for the Mercer family to descend on the town. They had gone through all the motions of moving into the small town that any other family would. U-Haul trucks, boxes upon boxes of the Mercer family's things; and the family even attended a welcome party thrown by their neighbor. All the while the family had been on the lookout for the pack of wolves. All James knew was their last name was Harmond. They had two girls about his age, and a large enough extended family that it would make even the most experienced hunter nervous. His job on this hunt was to observe and note. Find a way into the Harmond's home, a way to gain their trust.

It would be easier that way, easier to find out their weaknesses, their movement patterns, and other useful information for putting the pack down. So, that's what he was currently doing. Tracking and monitoring the youngest Harmond daughter, Evelyn from what her Facebook said. She also had a twin sister, Acacia, though the friend that had alerted the Mercer's to the presence of wolves warned them Acacia was supposed to be the next alpha. She would be carefully watched, which was why James had decided to get close to Evelyn. His feet scuffled along the icy sidewalk, pausing outside the local coffee house. The other useful bit of information that Evelyn's Facebook offered? She worked here. Taking a deep breath, hoping that the wolf wouldn't notice what he was, rather mistaking him for just another human, James pushed open the coffee shop's door and stepped inside. At once heat began to seep through his jacket, warming his flushed face. Dark eyes flickered about the place with a vague curiosity of the decor.

From behind the counter he noticed his target, and he had to admit she was stunning. Hazel eyes watched him with an open friendliness, and she greeted him in a sweet sounding tone. “Hi, what can I get you?” At this James paused, and let his gaze lift upwards to the menu. ''Let's see...'' He murmured, though after a few minutes gave a sort of apologetic shrug Besides the two of them, the place was empty. Likely because it was close to closing time. A part of James considered going back to his car after his coffee. He had his hunting gear there, and just wait for Evelyn's shift to be over and put the beast down; but he knew that would ruin his parent's plan. They wanted to exterminate the pack at the same time if they could, less messy that way they'd said. ''From what I've heard, the caramel macchiato is to die for, may I get one of those?" James' own voice was friendly, though not overtly so. He wanted to befriend this wolf, gain her trust. Not scare her off.

Once his order was set and paid for he leaned against the counter as Evelyn began to put together his drink. There was an easy grace about her as she moved, her hands working quickly. Soon enough the steaming drink was handed over to him and James smiled broadly at the wolf behind the counter. So far Evelyn had given no clue that she knew what James was, so he decided it was safe enough to stick around, talk to her; get to know her. After all the sooner he did his part, the sooner the mission would be done and the family could move onto the next town. ''I'm James, by the way. My family and I just moved here." His introduction is simple, and polite as he speaks with Evelyn. ''So, is it always this busy here...?" James playfully gestures to the empty coffee shop, trailing off as if he didn't know the wolf's name.

((Don't even stress- it was great!))

Ezra Craik | The Rebel


Ezra heard the car heading towards him before the horn sounded and the driver pulled over onto the side of the road, he had gotten out several minutes ago to check if he couldn’t fix his car himself. He was hunched over the engine and was cursing everything as there was no way he’d be able to fix his car, signing heavily he glanced over his shoulder as he waited for the driver to get out of their car. If he needed to, he would fight even if this person was human. He had done it before for reasons, and he wasn’t afraid to do it again. Although he couldn’t see why someone would decide to threaten him on the side of the road, but stranger things have happened to him. Straightening his back he turned his body more, so he was facing the young girl who had climbed from her car. He was surprised, he had been expecting a male to drive a car like that. In that second, he inhaled deeply and his eyes narrowed at her when her scent hit him.

She was a werewolf. Her scent was musky, oak bark and fresh rain touched his senses. She was younger than he was, not by much but her scent was strong and sharp. She was the next Alpha to be, meaning he had just gotten stuck in a town where a pack of werewolves lived and protected. Why she hasn’t shifted and chased him from her town was beyond him, she wasn’t threatening him either which he wasn’t used to. ''Look, I won't bite if you don't. But, your car is broken and it's freezing. You're not going anywhere tonight, so let me help you out. Then when your car is fixed you can be on your way.'' Her sweet voice echoed in his ears, he couldn’t tell if she knew what he was yet. She knew that he wasn’t human, werecats were a dying species so she might have only heard stories about his breed.

“I just need a mechanic and a motel,” Ezra spoke as his eyes hadn’t left her, she was gorgeous but she could also be dangerous. “I’m Ezra Craik,” He normally didn’t bother telling anyone his name, as it was no one’s business but this young wolf wasn’t posing any threat to him. His shoulders were tense, however he was always tense when he was around another creature. His life hasn’t been easy, he’s been in more fights than he can remember. His body is scarred from surviving as long as he has, if she wanted to attack him then she would have done it already. “I’ll be gone the second my car is fixed, you and your pack don’t need to worry about me being here.” He assured her as he wouldn’t wear out the welcome she was giving him, she could pass that onto her pack as he wasn’t going to cause any trouble of anyone in this small town.

---

Evelyn Harmond | Starry-Eyed Wolf


Evelyn tapped the order into the computer and took the money for the drink, stepping to the step she begun to make the caramel macchiato. She couldn’t wait to get home so she could tell her sister all about this handsome stranger that she met at work, it wasn’t long before she was handing the hot drink over to the man. ''I'm James, by the way. My family and I just moved here." He spoke as she looked at him, that is who he was. She had only heard that a new family had moved into Lakeridge, she hadn’t yet met any of them until now. It wasn’t all that often that a family moved to the sleepy little town, but it was nice to have some fresh new faces to see. As she stood there cleaning up behind the counter, she inhaled his scent to make sure that he was in fact human which he was. Cedar wood and moss with a tint of clean citrus made her senses pleased, he smelt really good. ''So, is it always this busy here...?" James’ asked as he fished for her name, “Evelyn and yes. It can be busy at times, not really when we’re about to close though.” She smiled at him as she didn’t mind that he had come in this close to closing, she did want to get home and relax but she was still enjoying looking at James.

“What made your family move to such a small town?” Evelyn asked as she was curious, as it was usually married couples that moved to Lakeridge when they wanted to get away from a busy city. Or a family with young children would want to raise their kids in a good environment, some even moved there for work. Evie moved around the counter with a damp cloth in her hand, she wiped down all the table surfaces before lifting the chairs up and placed them upside down on the tables. So the wooden floor could be moped the next morning, by the staff that had the morning shift. “Did you willingly move here?” She asked as she brushed some of her dark hair back away from her face, if she hadn’t grown up in a small town then she wouldn’t want to move to one. But she did love Lakeridge, she would still love to travel and actually see what was outside the town borders.

If her parents agreed to that, she wasn’t sure because Jacob wanted to keep his daughters close to him. He has been training Acacia more often now, to the point where she’s exhausted but apparently that’s what needed to happen if she was to become the next Alpha of the Harmond pack. She was glad it was her sister and not her, Evelyn never wanted to be Alpha. She doubted she’d be a good one, and she didn’t want to be responsible for the entire Harmond family. She didn’t want to deal with pack politics or disagreements between family members, her twin sister was great with that stuff as she could keep her emotions calm and level. Once Evelyn had finished cleaning she left the cloth in the sink and removed the apron that was tied around her waist, she smoothed her t-shirt out with her hands as her shift was nearly finished.

Acacia Harmond | The Sheltered Wolf


A few moments of stiff tension hang in the air between Acacia and the unidentified supernatural. His gaze was intense, in a manner that rose goosebumps on her arms; though she'd equate it to the freezing temperatures. She's sure he's about to deny her request to help. Not that Acacia could of blamed the male. She was an alpha-in-training for a prominent pack among the supernatural communities. And wolves? Well they'd always been the territorial sort. So it's to her great surprise when he speaks a guarded, “I just need a mechanic and a motel,”. Acacia gives a crisp nod, and a small smile, though shes not sure he catches it through the darkness. ''The motel is always open, and usually got a vacancy. They should be able to call you a tow truck.'' She makes sure to speak gently, softly even. She knows it's atypical for an alpha to treat outsiders this way. And she can't explain, but her wolf doesn't feel the overwhelming need to chase the blonde-haired male out. Chalk it up to her recent exhaustion with all the training Nora and Jacob had been putting her through.

“I’m Ezra Craik,” The introduction catches her off guard and the petite wolf scrunches her brows together. It takes another second, but she replies carefully. ''Acacia Harmond. 'S nice to meet you. We don't have too many people never mind supernaturals passing through Lakeridge.'' Her breath fogs in front of her mouth as she speaks, the little clouds drifting upwards towards the darkened skies. He's still tense, and Acacia feels her stomach stir. She's never had to scrape by tooth and nail. From the moment she'd been conceived, Acacia had never been alone. She'd never had to wonder where her next meal would come from, or wonder about her safety. She's not entirely sure the same can be said about the drifter- Ezra. She doesn't know what makes him tick, and he's already on edge; so she does her best to channel her ''calm alpha'' disposition. But, there's not point standing in the cold. She needs to get home. He likely wants to get to town, and out of her company. She has the feeling her presence isn't really putting him at ease.

Not that she blames Ezra. This was pack territory. Just because Acacia was giving him a free-pass didn't mean the other wolves would. So she starts back the short distance to her car. The engine is still purring thankfully, the last thing she wants is to get stranded out here. She's about to open her door when Ezra speaks up again. “I’ll be gone the second my car is fixed, you and your pack don’t need to worry about me being here.” At first Acacia doesn't say anything. Just slides into the drivers seat and lets the heat wash over her body, chasing away her chills. Once Ezra has settled into the passengers seat, she speaks. ''To be truthful... I don't really care about the occasional drifter. As long as you don't cause problems, or bring hunters, we don't have an issue. It's... It's more the other wolves I advise you to stay away from. Not all of them are warm and fuzzy towards those outside the pack.'' As she warns him about the rest of the pack, she pulls back onto the road, back towards town. The radio plays softly as silence unfolds between the pair.

Every so often, she chances a glance towards him from the corner of her eyes. ''So, where were you headed?'' It's genuine curiosity that spurs her into speaking again. ''Lakeridge is kind of in the middle of nowhere, so anyone who wasn't born and raised here is kind of a rare occurrence...'' The brunette elaborates further. Acacia's voice wavers towards a sort of hesitant-friendliness, she sees no reason to show animosity towards Ezra. The roads are empty as they usually are this time of night. In the back her sensitive ears can pick up the vibrating of her phone, likely another text from her parents. Her grip tightens ever so slightly on the wheel with annoyance, though she ignores it otherwise. His odd scent tickles her nose, though it's not entirely unpleasant. Rather it's like cypress and orange blossoms, pleasant- but different than what she'd grown used to. She can't help but wonder, what exactly is the male sitting next to her? She's half-tempted to ask, though decides against it. The last thing she wants to do is stress him further.
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James Mercer | The Cynical Hunter


He feels her gaze flicker over him, though he pretends not to. No need to rush things. “Evelyn and yes. It can be busy at times, not really when we’re about to close though.” At this he chuckles a bit, a small smile touching on his lips. ''Right- sorry about that. After unpacking I thought it'd be nice to explore the town a bit. I'm from Chicago, so I'm not quite used to things closing so early.'' James sounds sheepishly amused at this. The warmth of the cup she had handed over to him scalded against his hands, though it wasn't entirely unpleasant. It had been a cold night out, and even if he was here was to seduce the wolf, James was glad to be out of the cold either way. “What made your family move to such a small town?” It's almost comical, the sweetness in which she addresses him. The polite, small-town friendliness you'd read about. The wolves here had been in power for a long time. They had no idea, no reason to suspect that Jame's kind would show up. So he smiles with a bit of a shrug.

''My parents got sick of living out in the city. We have some family in Colorado, so they decided to move.'' The lie flows smoothly, flawlessly off his tongue. Not even a twitch of his heartbeat to give it away. James had been taught from a young age how to lie to a wolf. ''Did you willingly move here?" At this he frowns, brows furrowing and wrinkling his forehead. ''Well... No.'' He gives a bit of a shrug. ''I wasn't exactly thrilled to pick everything up and move. But, what can you do? I'm just trying to make the most of the situation.'' The drink in Jame's hand has cooled enough to sip, so he does. Still leaning against the counter, chatting with the wolf. She's not what he's expected- he'll grant her that. James thought wolves, the one's he had encountered anyways, were territorial. Aggressive. Skeptical of anything that wasn't pack. But here Evelyn was, casually chatting with him. No signs of aggression or agitation with his presence. But that wasn't enough to fool James. He knew beneath that skin, beneath that smile and her friendly words- was a beast.

A monster who assumed the shape of humans, ready to rip and rend indiscriminately anything that wasn't pack. She was dangerous. All supernatural ones. The only useful ones, were the occasional witch. It's these thoughts that make Jame's just a bit more alert. A little more guarded. These thoughts are a reminder, that this wolf is not his friend. "So, what about you? What's your story?" James pries, geninue curiosity rolling off his tongue. The Harmond pack, from what the family sources had said, lived here for as long as the town had been standing. Perhaps even before then. But he needed more detailed information. Where did they live? How many siblings did she have? It would give him a place to start on this hunt. He takes another sip of the sweet drink, warmth immediately sliding down his throat to his belly. The place smells of coffee beans and pastries, a pleasant atmosphere to the quiet coffee joint. James can only imagine what this place is like on a busy day.

As she talks, he listens; taking care to nod along. By the end of their chat his cup is empty and coffee grants him a bit of a caffeine boost. He's thankful for that at least. It's almost startling how human-like Evelyn is. Hell if he didn't know better, if he didn't know what her kind was, James wouldn't of guessed. But, at the end of the day she was a wolf. He was still here to kill her, and her family and rid this town of the plague it had been unawares to for centuries now. But tonight it's getting late. He needs to get home. Let his parents know he'd made contact. So, he sighs remorsefully down his cup. ''I have to get going, it's getting late and I'm sure you want to get home. I've kept you long enough tonight..." James pauses as if thinking something over before hesitantly tacking on, ''You know, I haven't gotten to really see the town yet, and I really enjoyed talking with you. Maybe we could swap numbers, and if you're ever free give me a tour?" Dark, and convincingly hopeful eyes flicker to luminous hazel ones, a half-smile touching on his lips.

Ezra Craik | The Rebel


Acacia. Ezra found that a slight smile had formed across his lips once the young wolf had given him her name, it was a very nice name and he thought it suited her well. A thought he’d keep to himself, of course. His body was still tense, but she wasn’t. She was staying calm and still hadn’t tried to run him away from her town, the second he had smelt her he had been expecting the chase. For her to shift into her werewolf form and chase him through the forest, but yet they were still standing outside in the cold. It was natural for him now to not trust anyone he met, his guard was constantly up and it was tiring but it’s how Ezra has survived on his own for so long now. Following the brunette towards her car, he patted the pockets of his jeans to make sure he had his wallet on him which he did so he climbed into her car and felt the coldness instantly disappear.

“To be truthful... I don't really care about the occasional drifter. As long as you don't cause problems, or bring hunters, we don't have an issue. It's... It's more the other wolves I advise you to stay away from. Not all of them are warm and fuzzy towards those outside the pack.” Acacia spoke as she started the engine of her car, his eyes quickly scanned her car for any sign that this was a trap. He found nothing that should alert him to a hidden plan that she had for him, “Trust me. I won’t be going anywhere near your family, I completely understand how they will feel knowing I was in their territory. And if any hunters were tracking me here, they wouldn’t last long.” Ezra spoke in his smooth deep voice, he had dealt with a lot of hunters growing up. And he wasn’t proud of it, but he had taken lives of hunters that tried to kill him.

He never once hurt an innocent human, but if a hunter or another creature was going to attack him then he would always fight back. ''So, where were you headed? Lakeridge is kind of in the middle of nowhere, so anyone who wasn't born and raised here is kind of a rare occurrence...” Her airy voice broke the silence that had fallen upon them as she drove her car towards the town, he didn’t speak for a minute as he thought about if he should tell her or not. It couldn’t hurt if she knew because he didn’t actually have a place in mind for where he was going to stop next, “Honestly? I never have a town or city planned out in my mind, I simply just drive until I either get tired or hungry. I go wherever the road goes, or to a place that sounds interesting.” It was the truth and he hoped she could hear that in his voice, he certainty wasn’t there to cause any trouble for her family.

Ezra stole a glance over at Acacia when he noticed her grip tighten on the steering wheel, the quiet buzz of her phone echoed in his ears. “If you need to be somewhere, you can just drop me off here and give me directions to the motel.” He didn’t want to hold her up if she was meant to be somewhere or if he was making her late, he could walk to the motel if he had to. He wouldn’t care because it meant he wouldn’t anger the pack of wolves that lived in this town, and that was important to him. He still remembered what it was like to have a pack of his own, his family had been his pack until they had been wiped out. He knew exactly what it felt like to have a stranger on pack territory.

---

Evelyn Harmond | Starry-Eyed Wolf


Evie smiled as she listened to what James was telling her, she never had to move from her home so she didn’t know what it felt like. But she could imagine how shitty it would be, especially if she didn’t want to move from her home and it made her even more grateful that she has lived in the one place for her entire life so far. “Well I hope this town doesn’t disappoint you,” She smiled at him as she listened to his heart beat at the same time, it was engraved in her that the heart will always give a person up. The heart automatically shows how a person was feeling, if they were nervous or lying or upset. James’ heart was steady and the beat stayed the same, he was telling her the truth and she admired that in a person. "So, what about you? What's your story?" James asks her the question that she knew the answer to, the answer was always the same and Nora had made sure that both her daughters knew the answer off by heart before they reached their teenage years.

“I was born here with my sister, our parents were the same so there’s never been a reason for us to move. I love this town, it may be small but it’ll always be home. I have family here and there, we try to see each other as often as we can.” The words rolled off Evie’s tongue easily, she knew better than to tell people just how close her extended family was to the town. The entire Harmond pack was close enough to the town that if something went down, it would only take a few minutes for the pack to arrive. They could run fast in their wolf form and when family was involved, they could run even faster. ''I have to get going, it's getting late and I'm sure you want to get home. I've kept you long enough tonight… You know, I haven't gotten to really see the town yet, and I really enjoyed talking with you. Maybe we could swap numbers, and if you're ever free give me a tour?" His dark smoky brown eyes looked at her and Evie knew better than to give her number out to a random stranger, especially when she didn’t know him.

But then she thought what it would be like if she ever did move away from her home, what if no one was nice to her? No one gave her a chance? She would hate that and it would make her lonely, “Yeah. I’m sure I can give you a tour sometime,” She agreed as she pulled her phone from her pocket and made a new contact for James, she typed in his number before she gave her’s to him as well. “I’ll see you around, I really do have to lock up now.” She chuckled softly as her shift had officially ended and she wanted to get home, tell her sister all about the handsome man she met. So with the keys in her hands she ushered James back through the front door, she closed the door behind him and watched as he made it safely back to his parked car before she locked up and shut all the lights off. Grabbing her bag she headed through the backdoor which she locked as she huffed from how cold it was outside, she practically jumped into herMini Cooper which she received as a gift from her Grandparents, much like Acacia had because at that time they had been sharing an old car that constantly broke down on them.

Starting the engine Evie blasted the heating to warm her up, reversing out of the parking lot she headed home. There were only a few other cars on the road so Evie was pulling up into the garage in no time, a frown settled between her brows when Acacia’s car wasn’t parked in her usual spot and she was nearly always home before Evie was. Climbing out she walked into the warm home, kicking off her shoes and hanging her jacket up she was greeted by hurried footsteps of her parents. “Have you seen your sister, darling? She was meant to be home twenty minutes ago, how was your day? You look tired,” Nora wrapped her arms around her youngest daughter’s body tightly and kissed the top of her head, Nora was still stunningly beautiful the older she grew and was a splitting image of her twin daughters. However Evie did receive her father’s hazel eyes, “I’m sure she’s on her way. Maybe she took the long way here, you know she does that when she wants to think.” She assured her parents even though Jacob still didn’t look impressed, she was glad Acacia was born first as Evie wouldn’t be able to handle all the training that was thrown at her sister.

Acacia Harmond | The Sheltered Wolf


“Trust me. I won’t be going anywhere near your family, I completely understand how they will feel knowing I was in their territory.'' Acacia has to admit she's relieved to hear this. She and her twin could conduct themselves civilly, but Acacia was worried about her other family members. The Harmond pack had been around these parts as long as their town stood. Her ilk had become quite territorial of this stretch of land, and often bit first and asked questions later. A philosophy she quite clearly didn't agree with. She casts a fleeting, side-long glance towards her mystery passenger, a wry smile tugging at her lips.''And if any hunters were tracking me here, they wouldn’t last long.” His voice is deep, though not quite as deep as her father's. Though unlike her father's gravely timbre, his is smooth as silk- akin to a purr. ''I would hope. We haven't had an issue with hunters here in about ninety years. When my great-grandparents were still around actually. Would hate to break that streak.'' Espeically as she was to be the alpha soon enough. She was still green, wet behind the ears and the last way Acacia wanted to start her role as alpha was to be embroiled in a war between hunter and wolf.

Perhaps it's odd, perhaps it could be chalked up for her need to rebel against her parents that night, but Acacia was rather enjoying Ezra's company. The moonlight streaked silver highlights through his already golden, wheat colored curls as he spoke again, answering her previous question. ''Wherever you want huh?" There's a sort of forlorn edge to her voice, a vacant light touching upon her cerulean gaze. She'd admit- a part of her envied that sort of life style. To go wherever her wolfish heart desired. Not to be tied down to one town, the same faces and places, nor to be obligated to a pack. Just... Freedom. A sort of freedom she hadn't had in her life. But she knows better. Acacia was born to lead. She was born to stay rooted to this town like a dandelion's roots in a garden. Besides, she was a wolf. A creature of social needs. ''Part of me wants to envy you, the other part of me thinks that sounds dreadfully lonely, exploring the world but not having anyone to adventure it with.'' The remark comes off-cuff, a note of seemingly out of place wisdom lighting upon her tone.

It's odd and nearly completely unwarranted, but she doesn't feel as if her life is in danger around this drifter. There's something about him that she trusts, at least in the most basic of ways not to harm her. ''Mom and dad will think I've lost it though. Giving rides to strange men, strange supernatural creatures.'' It makes her want to grimace. But even if he had proven to be a threat, Acacia could of handled herself. But she brushes thoughts of that off. She can deal with the mess that's surely waiting for her back home when she gets there. It's not often she gets the chance to talk with anyone not born and raised in Lakeridge. Already, what feels far too soon, Acacia's car has reached the town- the streetlights peek in through the windows casting Ezra's face with long shadows that illuminate some of his features a little clearly; though she's too busy driving to really make them out. “If you need to be somewhere, you can just drop me off here and give me directions to the motel.” Nearly missing his words Acaica makes a soft noise of protest. ''No it's alright. We're almost there anyway.'' It's true, they're not far now.

The next couple minutes Acacia lapses into silence, putting her attention back to the road. She wants to ask him a thousand questions, what memorable places he'd been, what was Ezra, why was he alone- things of that manner, but the wolf has the inkling that questioning him like that would serve only to make him nervous again. Regrettably and all too soon Acacia is pulling into the motel parking lot. It's nice for a small town she supposes. It's a simple brick building, the bricks being weathered and faded by it's years standing. The inside was nice enough, it wasn't a five-star hotel by any means, but he wouldn't catch bed bugs by staying there. And hopefully he could stay off her pack's radar, and be on his way when the car was fixed. ''They'll give you a towing number inside. There's only one garage in town, but they're pretty quick. And the quality isn't too shabby either.'' Being a small town, there weren't a ton of options. ''Anyways, stay safe. If you need something you can usually find me at the coffee shop. Or my sister.'' She imparts that last bit of advice as Ezra exits.

It's more spur of the moment when she rolls her window down, a playful sort of smirk touching her plump lips as she calls to his back, retreating towards the motel's entrance, ''Hey! Stay gold Ponyboy. See you around.'' And with that she's pulling out of the motel's parking lot. The ride back feels short. Shorter than she'd of liked because too soon she's quietly opening the door, praying by some small miracle that her parents had decided to go to bed rather than wait up. It's to no avail as Acacia notes the kitchen lights on. Sure enough the moment she steps through the creaky front door her father is yelling across the house at her. ''Acacia Harmond! Where have you been? I asked you to be home an hour ago, your mother and I were worried sick about you!'' His voice is enough to stop the young alpha to be in her footsteps, turning to find him in the doorway of the hallway his arms crossed across his broad chest. She opens her mouth to come up with some half-assed excuse when Jacob's nostrils flare ever so slightly. ''Rather, who, have you been with?'' His tone is a deep growl, and Acacia shrugs defensively.

''No one just some guy who's car bro-'' The brunette doesn't get to finish her sentence as Jacob rounds on her. ''You gave a stranger a ride?! What have your mother and I taught you girls since you were old enough to walk?'' It's a rhetorical question as Jacob carries on, making Acacia's wolf cower with surly annoyance. ''Stay away from strangers, and other supernatural creatures! I- forget it. Go to your room Acacia. Your mother and I will be discussing this with you in the morning. I expect more out of our future alpha than this.'' His words cut. Sting more than she'd like but Acacia just narrows her gaze, turns on her heel and hurries up the stairs. Rather than go to her own room however, she quietly approaches her sister's door. It's right next to her room anyways. The wolf can hear her sister and with a soft huff she knocks softly before letting herself in. Sure enough Evie is awake, regarding her sister with mute sympathy. ''Hey Evelyn.'' Her tone is still surly from the lecture from Jacob. Leaning against the door she makes sure to keep her voice a whisper so not to upset her parents further. ''How was your night? As exciting as mine I hope.''
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

James Mercer | The Cynical Hunter


Grins as Evelyn promises to give him the grand tour of the town. This is exactly what he wanted. The wolf was playing right into his hands. James had expected this to be different. His parents had told him wolves were territorial things. Chased out intruders without a second thought. Yet here was a wolf being open, and even friendly to a stranger. It only proved how sheltered this pack had become. But that would change. When his family had lain their traps to ensnare the pack, they would know they were too welcoming. But that was thought for a later day. For now he needed to fully earn this wolf's trust. Get her to take him to her pack house. Meet the rest of the pack. Use her to gain a full picture of what exactly the Mercer's were dealing with here. “Yeah. I’m sure I can give you a tour sometime,” James smiles, his eyes alight with a friendly glow. ''Awesome. You seem like a really nice girl, I'll look forward to it.''

Pausing as if mulling his thoughts over James adds, ''I'm free tomorrow, after lunch if you are. Think about it, and let me know.'' His parents would be pleased that this was going without a hitch so far. “I’ll see you around, I really do have to lock up now.” He chuckles and nods, appearing abashed. ''Of course, I'll text you later Evelyn. It was nice meeting you.'' And with one last winning smile he's heading back to the door offering one last wave before making his way to the parking lot. Once his back is turned to the wolf, his smile drops hardening into a scowl. Just because this first meeting went well, didn't mean that the wolf in question wasn't dangerous, or her pack. While she may of seemed reasonable, there was a wolf in there that was waiting to snap, to take over. And when it did people would die. Innocent people, and it was up to James to make sure that never happened. His drive back home was longer than it was meant to be, mostly because he'd driven past his new street a couple times.

But when he finally made it back home, shuffling through the door and feeling exhaustion cling to his heavy eyelids he found his parents still up in the living room, watching the television. Though they muted it once they noticed their son. ''How'd it go?'' In an instant his mother is on her feet, her weary gaze checking him for wounds or bites. His father watches quietly from the couch, choosing not to interrupt. ''Fine. I got the wolf's number. She said she'd show me the town. I think she's a more viable option to infiltrate the pack than her sister.'' James reported his voice brusque and professional. Cynthia Mercer makes a soft humming noise finally crossing her arms as a thoughtful look deepens her expression. ''That's a good start James. Remember all you need to do is gather information and report back to your father and I. We don't want you facing danger without reason.'' James chuckles shoving his hands into his pockets with an easy roll of his shoulders. ''Don't worry. This isn't my first time hunting.'' This doesn't completely satisfy Cynthia though she backs off with a curt nod. ''Alright... Just be careful. And get up to bed. You have a long day tomorrow.''

James knew she was right. It wasn't easy lying, or tricking a wolf. They had a supernatural instinct for danger, and the last thing James wanted was to blow his cover. At least not yet. Bidding his parents goodnight James headed for the stairs, taking them up to his room. It wasn't fancy, a few boxes stacked in the corner and a mattress on the floor as his bed hadn't been put together as of yet. Shucking his shirt and jeans off, he flopped down into bed clad only in his boxers, phone in hand. ''Hope you got home okay. Thanks for the coffee- James.'' Sending a text to Evelyn, James settled further into his bed, tucking himself beneath the comforter. Tomorrow would be another day, he just hoped it proved as useful as this day had been. That he would get more information that he needed on the wolves. His parents said they had some plan in attacking the wolves, once he got them all the useful information he could. Though they wouldn't tell him, stating that it would be harder for a wolf to know he was lying, if James didn't know everything. And if tonight was any indication, they were right.

Ezra Craik | The Rebel


Ezra had taken notice of the emotion that swiftly flashed across the young wolf’s eyes when he explained to her that he was on his own, it may have sounded wonderful to someone who has never experienced travelling from town to town. And even Ezra had thought in that same way when he had been younger, before his family had been tracked down. “It is indescribably lonely, something I wouldn’t wish on another soul. Although it is all I know now, and I do enjoy exploring new places but sometimes even that can get tedious.” He spoke honestly as he didn’t have a reason not to, he would willingly give up many things in his life for him to have his family back. To have a home and lead a life where he could plant roots, make friends and even settle down to have a small family of his own.

After he mentioned that she could drop him off, they feel into a silence but it wasn’t all that uncomfortable. Which is normally how Ezra made sure people didn’t grow to like him, he knew he gave off a cold vibe to everyone that he met. It was mostly so people chose not to grow attached to him or try to be friendly, but there was another part of him where he wanted people to stay away from him. He had been hurt many times, either by leaving friends behind or having them find out what he was which causes them to run for the hills to get away from him. His eyes scanned the building of the motel, it was decent as he had seen and stayed in worse. “Thank you Acacia, and I do hope you don’t get into any trouble for this.” He didn’t mean from the pack, he meant it as in with her parents or someone close to her. As she probably had somewhere to be at this time of night, although he wouldn’t be in the town long enough to know.

Climbing out of her car, he quickly shut the door as to keep the hot air from escaping. His hot breath instantly turned into fog as he held his leather jacket closer to his body, he chuckled softly to himself at the wolf’s comment before she drove off down the street. He found himself liking the idea of seeing her again, but he knew better than that. She didn’t deserve the trouble they could follow him into this town and her pack would never approve of him, there wasn’t a way for him to stay in the small town without starting a war with the pack. Stepping over to the reception, he moved inside to get some relief from the cold and to pay for a room. Once there was a room key in his hand, he swiftly made his way to his room and locked the door behind him.

It was a standard motel room and would do just fine until his car was fixed. Removing his jacket which he hung up beside the front door, he kicked off his boots before he headed towards the bathroom. A hot shower sounded perfect right now, which is what he did to warm himself up and to help relax the tension in his muscles. Once he was dried off the bed called out to him, climbing under the covers he flicked through the channels on the small television. Not much was on so he settled on a movie that was beginning to play, however he isn’t paying much attention to the movie as his mind wanders back to the beautiful young wolf. She dances on his mind, making it difficult for him to focus on anything but her.

---

Evelyn Harmond | Starry-Eyed Wolf


Evelyn decided it was best to go to her room and stay out of her parent’s way, she knew Acacia wasn’t in any trouble nor was she hurt. Evie would have been able to feel it, she would have sensed that something was wrong and then she would have gone out searching for her twin sister. So she would wait for her sister to arrive home, she’d stay in her room knowing there would be a lecture waiting for Acacia once she was home. A lecture that Evie herself had received a few times before, so she changed into a pair of her pajamas and snuggled under the covers. Her phone beeped with a new message, a smile settled onto her features as she read the short message from James. She didn’t reply because the sound of Acacia’s car pulling up distracted her, Evie waited and listened to the lecture that their father was giving her sister before he sent her to her room.

Looking up Evie’s eyes landed on her sister, “Hey. The end of my day was exciting, I met the boy from the new family that moved here. He’s really nice, Acacia and he’s really cute.” She smiled as she spoke, making sure to keep her voice low as to not alert her parents that she had been talking to a boy or someone that they didn’t know. “I’m going to show him around town tomorrow if you wanted to join us, or are you going to see this stranger again?” Evie couldn’t help herself, she was curious as to who this guy was that Acacia had stopped and given a lift to. Inhaling deeply, she silently tried to pinpoint the scent of the man, he had a musky scent to him but there was something else there as well. He was supernatural but she couldn’t work out what he was, “What is he? I’ve never smelt that before,” Evelyn looked to her older sister for the answer, but could tell that even her sister didn’t know.

“He smells good though, do you want to see him again?” The question fell from Evelyn’s grinning lips, they were expected to find a mate and expand the pack. Although it was Acacia who was pressured more to find herself a werewolf man, which was harder than it seemed. As not many werewolves ventured out to the sleepy town, and if one did then he would need to impress Jacob and Nora before even thinking about impressing the rest of the Harmond pack. And that wasn’t an easy task for anyone to do. “Is he cute? What’s his name?” Evelyn asked quietly as she leaned forward slightly as she sat on her bed, she wanted to know everything about this man who her sister had met and broken one of their parent’s rules. Not to be home later than the time Jacob has given, especially after the sun has gone down.