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Post by Thea on Dec 20, 2023 2:11:08 GMT -5
VentiaNorth Haven was - in a word - quaint. A dead-end town an hour away from the nearest big city, it had an old-world charm. There was only one major road that connected the town from the outside world, an off shoot of a major interstate highway that on a map was labeled as Highway 67. To the locals it was just Main Street. Along that narrow strip of asphalt were crowded buildings and their respective parking lots. This wasn’t considered “down town” by any stretch of the means. There was a gas station, a boutique, a general store. The clinic where Quill was born, and the diner that Gamma Henry ran. Further into town was the heart. The place where the 500 wolves of the North Haven Pack crawled over each other. Downtown was a booming hubbub, with an antique saloon that shared a wall with a two-screen cinema. Across the street was city hall, strategically placed by the police station and jailhouse. Two streets down was the local park, where ages ago it might have been safe enough to hold summer baseball tournaments while little sibling played on the monkey bars nearby. The bed and breakfast wasn’t too far away from that, along with Lydia’s house slash practice. Despite her best efforts, there was a pang in Quill’s chest. She missed her birth pack. The people - her people. And her wolf did too. On the way to City Hall she saw so many familiar faces through the tinted windows. A part of her wanted to roll hers down and wave. Have Keith stop the car so she could catch up with them and introduce Ian. But Vincent was right behind them and wasn’t sure where to go. That, and she was already feeling the urge to cry bubbling up within her. The last thing she wanted was to blubber about homesickness that she swore to herself she didn’t feel. She felt Keith’s hand slide over her knee, his warmth comforting her. Too tired to feel ashamed for it, she squeezed three of his fingers in acknowledgment before Ian’s voice broke her reverie. “North Haven Museum?” His voice was starting to change. He wasn’t quite ready for his First Shift, though they’ve had the conversations in regards to it. He looked about 12 human years old, even though only a year had passed since he was born. Quill envied humans then. They always complained about time going way too fast. But they didn’t know that time was much kinder to them than her. “Pop Pop didn’t say anything about that!” “It’s nothing much, really. Just old photos from City Hall’s basement and rusty mining tools from when North Haven was called Howardsville. Pop Pop insisted on putting my first find in there, too.” “Your first find?” He sounded genuinely interested. According to her human colleagues their children at this age was starting to grow disinterested or even embarrassed about their parents. She was glad Ian didn’t seem to feel that way about her. “Yeah, some fossils at the top of the mountain.” Their eyes met when she turned to look at him, his conveying curiosity while hers didn’t. She’s had greater finds since then, with one of them being just recently. “I couldn’t tell you much about them. Something about a sea during the Cretaceous Period? I don’t know.” She shrugged. Of course she knew, but Quill also knew herself. She could spend a whole hour talking about a subject while still not getting to her point. “Though if you wanted we could ask Pop Pop for the key to the museum. It’s only supposed to be open three days of the week during wonky hours, but I’m sure no one would mind if we snuck in.” “Sweet!” Ian said, fist-pumping. They pulled into the City Hall parking lot, tired munching on gravel instead of concrete or asphalt. There were no designated parking spots, so Keith parked by a newer Toyota Camry in a deep maroon shade. Vincent pulled in afterward. His vehicle stopped hard before it got turned off. With the way Vincent practically threw himself out of it, Quill would wager he was sick and tired of driving. Before she could make a mention she heard a shrill cry before being pulled into a tight embrace. “Oh my god, oh. My. God. Tranquility Chambers you ought to be ashamed!” Her assailant pulled back just far enough to press cold palms to her cheeks. “You were supposed to be here at one! It is one-oh-eight.” “I’m sorry, Aunt Bee,” she lamented, grinning sheepishly at the older black woman. “I had to take one more potty break than intended and the G-P-S decided to glitch on more than one occasion.” Aunt Bee’s dark eyes narrowed at her suspiciously, before stepping back and planted her hands on her hips. Quill allowed the Beta’s mate a few minutes to assess her, even going so far as to turn this way and that. “See? One piece.” “Mm-hmm.” The last time Quill saw her Aunt Bee, she sported a large afro. That was over two years ago - the woman has had several hairstyles since then she was sure. Right now she wore her hair in braids that went down to her waist. At this elevation, the air was a bit chillier than what it felt like in the New Dawn. Even so, Aunt Bee wore a bright and airy blouse with white-washed bell bottoms, jewelry and makeup to match. She refused to let the environment affect her. Or the more-than-massive energies the McClellan brothers exuded. She turned to Ian first, a bright smile on her face. “This is my baby nephew? Oh he looks like you, Quilly.” Quill had to laugh. “That’s funny.” To her group she said, “Ian baby, Keith, Vincent. This is my Aunt Bee. Shes not going to let you call her anything else.”
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Post by Ventia on Jan 27, 2024 19:37:33 GMT -5
"Nice to meet you, Aunt Bee." Keith said in a charming voice by Quill's side, one hand on Ian's shoulder and watched as everyone else got their greetings in. Ian was still a bit shy but under his mother's warm eyes and Aunt Bee's sweet behavior, his son brightened up. Keith used that moment to slip away from the group, going to the trunks. He was still trying his best to act a certain way, but there were many times he felt excluded and quite frankly like a joke for trying to act so tame.
He sighed, watching from the windows as the group kept laughing and smiling on without him, Vincent taking his absence as a chance to scooch closer to Quill and charm Aunt Bee for extra brownie points for Quill. He checked the tires after realizing this probably wasn't the place to drop their bags off and then slowly made his way back to Quill. Like a dog going back to its master. Keith wouldn't mind being Quill's pet for a change.
He came up from behind her and enjoyed how tiny she looked next to him, he knew how well she fit in his arms too. Missing her, Keith pressed forward and with the faintest pressure he touched her back, and her touch settled his nerves.
"Where will we be staying? I can put the bags away first while everyone says hello." Keith explained, not wanting to be a mood kill and ignored Vincent's roll of the eye.
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Post by Thea on Feb 13, 2024 2:29:43 GMT -5
Quill knew better than to believe Aunt Bee didn’t notice how Vince and Keith acted toward her. The woman could sniff out ulterior motives quicker than a cheetah. It was what attracted Uncle Lo to her, the way she saw underneath the surface and guess nine times out of ten why. Though with how the older she-wolf was sizing Keith up more than Vince, Quill wasn’t sure if her father didn’t tell the rest of her pack what happened like she asked.
Back in the Dark Moon Pack, she had finally caved to Keith. His words of reassurance to her was the final nail in the coffin. She should have taken it as a warning, him not going anywhere when she confessed her nightmares to him. Instead it was like he activated a magnet, and she couldn’t help but be pulled to him again. We will try a relationship on my terms, she conceded. For now, nobody can know. Of course Keith wasn’t happy with it. She understood that he was the type to let others know what he considered his. (Hello, underboob brand mark.) She just couldn’t deal with the looks of disappointment on her parents’ faces right now. It had been bad enough when she told them she and Keith were going to coparent.
Creating space between herself and the McClellan brothers, she started walking into city hall - a building that used to be the Howardsville bank. Ian slipped his hand into hers, his adolescent hand nearly identical in size to hers, and walked in tandem with her. “There’s a bed and breakfast down the road,” she threw over her shoulder with a smile that said she wasn’t angry with him. “Booked two rooms last week.”
“Speaking of,” Aunt Bee said as she opened the door for them. The warm smell of antiquity hit Quill in the face, like a baseball thrown at 90 miles an hour. “June said there was a mistake in the reservation process. Has she told you already?”
“Yeah she called me the day after it happened. Had me on the phone for 30 minutes catching me up on the hot goss.” The last two words were said witch such emphasis; nothing happens in such a tightly knitted pack like New Haven without everyone knowing.
“What, that Danni got caught sleeping with Benji? Girl, your father got dragged into that one.”
“No way!” Quill slapped her free hand over her mouth, eyes wide.
“Bee, let’s not drag other people’s dirty laundry on the lawn.” Don emerged from the shadows of a hallway, followed by Uncle Lo, an older man with dark skin, piercing eyes, and greying hair buzzed close to his head. Both them had small smirks on their faces, conveying their amusement in the scandal.
“Look who the Mountain dragged in,” Uncle Lo announced before Aunt Bee could defend herself.
“Looking better than ever, Lo-Lo,” Quill used the nickname she gave him when she was the age equivalent of 2 as she accepted his side hug. Introductions were made swiftly, wherein Ian ran to his pop pop and threw his arms around him.
“Mom said you had the keys to the museum.” Ian looked up at Don with a puppy dog stare. It was the same one Keith used on Quill back in the “Great Snow-In of Christmas” as she ruefully called it. She wasn’t sure if Ian learned it from him or the other way around, but it had the exact same effect on her father. “Can we go see it pleeeeeeeeeeaaaaase?”
“How can I say no to the birthday boy?” Don caved within seconds, fishing out a huge ring of keys from his pockets. “Wanna take the golf cart?”
“You have a golf cart?” Ian asked, awed.
“Uh, ch-yeah.” Jingling the keys he motioned for Ian to follow him as he started down the hallway. “C’mon kid, we’re burning daylight!”
Quill’s hair at the nape of her neck stood on end, causing a shiver to run down her spine. What seemed like an innocent phrase held deeper meaning in her home town. Quill couldn’t help but to look out the window, gauging how much longer they had until the sun set. It was only half-past one. They had about seven more hours. Even so she didn’t stop looking until she found the sun, even while Ian turned to ask permission if he could go with Don.
“Go ahead, son,” Keith’s deep voice broke her from her stupor. In her mind she felt a caress as if his thumb was rubbing her cheek. What’s wrong?
Nothing. Was it more terse than she would have liked? Maybe. But now wasn’t the time to explain what goes on at night in New Haven. “Do you guys need help with Founder’s Day?” Quill asked her aunt and uncle instead.
“We’ve got it pretty much ironed out. Silas planned out the parade route already, Gamma Henry is pulling out the food truck. Your mother is in charge of the vendors and bake sale. There’s a lot of interest outside the city coming in. And Jedediah is supposed to be coming down too.”
“Really?”
“Mmhmm,” Aunt Bee chimed in, nodding with a bit of exaggeration. “Surprised us too.”
Quill felt compelled to explain to Vince and Keith who Jedidiah was and why it was a shock to them that he was coming into town: “He’s human, but considered pack. Lives 35 minutes up the mountain and a total recluse. He hardly comes down unless he needs something he can’t catch or grow on his own. He’s antisocial on a good day.” And downright hateful on a bad one, she didn’t need to add.
“Sounds like a charmer,” Vince said with a chuckle.
“Yeah,” Quill agreed with a similar laugh. She hadn’t thought about Jed in ages. The guilt that formed with the thought ate at her insides like acid, because he wasn’t the only one she seemed to have forgotten. Uncle Lo’s mention of Silas had memories stirring in the back of her mind. She was sure her childhood best friend would show up before the day was over, but she hadn’t spoken to Silas in over two years. At least not since before she was kidnapped.
After double checking she wasn’t needed to help out with the big day tomorrow and sending a text to her father that they were going to be checking into the bed and breakfast, she hugged her family goodbye and let Keith and Vince lead her out to their vehicles.
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Post by Ventia on Mar 11, 2024 22:32:38 GMT -5
They followed after her like faithful puppies at their master’s heels, which Keith supposed wasn’t that far off the mark. Despite his many warnings to his brother, Vincent seemed permanently glued to Quill’s hip whenever the wolf could get away with it. Possessiveness flared over him, the urge to lock her up in the motel the entire visit flashed in his mind again and not for the first time. Instead, Keith huffed out a little breath and watched the sway of Quill’s hips as she moved in front him. And felt the tension begin to fade.
She was beautiful, another thought that kept popping up in his head. He’s been mesmerized with each and every new interaction and how her face completely transformed so full of life. Tranquility may have found her digs to be the most interesting and rare finds but for Keith, it was the woman herself that was the rarest find of all. No woman like that should be kept hidden inside, because try as he might have, Keith knew he couldn’t give her everything she wanted by himself. No she needed to be surrounded by her people, to truly thrive. Keith was determined to give her that, and he would be happy just to be able to stay by her side and watch.
They made it to the cars and Keith slid around the pair and held the door open for Quill, blocking Vincent from going any further and getting in between. Her scent was strong today, excitement for going back home no doubt, and Keith inhaled it greedily as he leaned against the open passenger door.
“Thank you.” Her tone was friendly as she slid in and Keith waited till she was settled before closing the door after her. He turned to Vincent and was met with another one of his famous glares. It was past annoying. The urge to put him in his place was always there since childhood, maybe it was what his father had drilled into him at a early age that made Keith feel like he needed to prove himself to others.
“Are you going to continue acting like this?” Keith asked calmly, and when Vincent moved to go around him, Keith blocked him again.
“I want an answer Vincent.”
“It won’t be one you like. So move Keith.”
“This has gone on long enough. Quill aside, how long are you going to act like a child? Ian acts more mature than you do.”
“Ian doesn’t know the atrocities you’ve committed.”
“Think what you want to but I don’t need you spoiling this visit for them. Acting like you got something stuck in your ass the whole time gets old, Vincent.”
“And you think you can just waltz into everyone’s lives again like you’ve done nothing wrong. How is that any better. God I’m so sick at looking at you. I don’t know why everyone’s trying to be nice to you.”
“They’re tolerating me-being civil for Quill. See the difference between them and you, is that they know how to keep a poker face. Take some notes, and work on them. Because I will not be tolerating this the whole trip like it was back at Christmas.” With that, Keith moved out of his way and went around to the driver side, got in and buckled up. He ignored Quill’s pointed stare, started the engine and backed out before his temper could spike and he retorted to more drastic measures.
He was going down the road and when Quill didn’t tell him he was going the wrong way, Keith relaxed and kept going. He didn’t know why he kept bothering with Vincent, it was clear to everyone how much he detested him. He glanced at Quill, they were alone now, but he wasn’t sure if that meant he could touch her.
Tentatively he sought out her hand, wanting her touch, needing that comfort, he was almost surprised when she slipped her fingers with his. He sighed, his arm flexing and his grip tightening, he rubbed a thumb along her knuckles and asked her once words could form in his throat where was the bed and breakfast.
With her directing him, Keith wasn’t even annoyed when he noticed Vincent’s truck following. They parked, not much else was said as they unloaded the trunks and followed Quill into the building, carrying most of their possessions with them. He wasn’t sure whom was rooming with whom, and so he stayed behind Quill as she spoke to the first desk, once again her face brightening up as she spoke.
He took his gaze off of her and took in the open lounge area, like everything in this town he was beginning to see, it felt almost picturesque. Homey. Like a town out of a hallmark movie. It should have done something for his nerves but he felt as out of place as he always did, along with his uncomfortably. Something about Quill’s hometown just didn’t feel right.
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Post by Thea on Mar 15, 2024 23:19:42 GMT -5
It was mainly just catch-up talk, Quill leaning on crossed arms over the desk with keys to the rooms she's booked for the four of them. June, a woman who looked only five years her senior, talked animatedly about her three children that Quill used to babysit. "Heather even said she wanted to take over the b-n-b! She's getting a degree in business management. Even though I told her it was probably going to go to her anyway, as the oldest. And her father and I never went to college." June made a show of sighing. "Ahh, well, maybe she can learn a thing or two about getting people to book. We're lucky if we get ten bookings a month."
Then June looked behind Quill's blonde head to catch sight of the two men who came in behind her. Black irises scanned the newcomers, curiosity etching into her features. "Oh hello! Are you two with Quill?"
"Yes, they are," Quill answered on their behalf. "They'll be taking the double." Though she feared the conversation she heard through the car door was a sign that the brothers shouldn't be in close proximity with each other. "My kid is with his grandpa."
June gasped before squealing in delight. "Ohhhhhh, your mama showed me pictures of him! Ian, right? He is such a cutie. He's got your eyes. Rena tried saying he's got her nose, but I didn't see it," she said with a giggle.
Quill forced a chuckle, straightening from the desk. "He looks like his daddy for the most part. Almost four months pregnant for him to just have my eyes? I was robbed." Something that she's lamented before, to Keith especially. The brush of amusement against her mind showed her that Keith never got tired of hearing it, either. The woman just hoped that June didn't put two and two together later when Don dropped Ian off in a few minutes.
"You know, I've heard that the first ones always look like their fathers," June replied sagely, nodding her head. "Heather does. Winona-"
"Miss June!" a voice called from the second story, followed by two sets of heavy footsteps. Its been over two years since she's heard that voice, but she was sure that she could pick it out from any crowd. "Bad news."
"Silas, I told you not to say that to me ever," June groaned exaggeratedly. "Them's fightin' words around here."
The owners of the footsteps made it to the main floor, one going behind the desk where June was while the other stopped and stared at Quill as if she were a ghost. Quill met brown eyes set in a dark-hued face, trying not to fidget in place. She wasn't sure what she saw in Silas's face. Awe? Surely not. That hatchet was buried a long time ago. Or it should have been. Disbelief? That didn't make sense, because everyone knew Quill was coming back home for the weekend. Whatever it was, Keith didn't like it; she saw Silas finally look away from her, gaze moving up before his face smoothed out into placidity. A professional smile found a home on his mouth, teeth-bearing as it was as he acknowledge'd Vince's presence with a nod. "Hey Quill. When did you make it into town?"
"Almost an hour ago?" It sounded more like a question. "We just got checked in."
"Surprised you aren't staying with your parents."
"They wanted to come along." It wasn't hard to figure out who she was talking about. Both brothers stood like ominous shadows. "Plus I never miss an opportunity to help pack. And Ian's birthday is tomorrow, he wanted Mom and Dad to celebrate but-"
"Founder's Day. Auspicious." Silas huffed out a chuckle. "Can't wait to meet him." He turned to June, clearly done with the conversation. "That new sink is too big. You're gonna have to return it."
Feeling utterly dismissed, Quill led the way up the steps to the second story. "I haven't had the time to tell you guys. June wasn't able to give us three rooms like I originall ywanted. So we have a double queen, and a king. I figure you guys would want to have your own beds. Ian and I will take the king. Unless you two want the king. Either way, I don't care. Afterward we can hit the diner, or Mom offered to cook for us. Totally up to you." Just please make a decision, she wanted to say. That way it didn't feel like she was forcing them to do anything they didn't want to do. Or that they made this trip just to play bodyguards.
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Post by Ventia on May 1, 2024 15:25:55 GMT -5
Both men grumbled under their breaths at the news that they would be roomies but what could they do? In Vince's case he rather have his bastard brother rooming with him than trying to room with Tranquility and in Keith's case it wasn't like he could make a scene here at Quill's hometown. Plus, if Vincent proved to be too annoying, there was always the outdoors, or he could try and sneak into Quill's room. She gave them the keys to their own room, thankfully there was two so Keith tossed Vince the second pair and watched as he growled under his breath as he almost didn't catch it. Keith placed his own bag down in front of their room but still stayed behind Quill as she began to unlock her own room.
"I'll put your bags down." He told Quill and before either of them could say something ducked inside the room and walked in, he heard her say something to his brother and then turned back to see her closing the door behind herself, a eyebrow arched on her pretty face. Silently, he walked back to her and raised his hand, locking the door behind her.
He bent, feeling her breath on his face and inhaled deeply, taking in as much of her scent as his lungs could manage. He held his finger to his lips for a second and then trailed his hand down her arm until he caught hold of her fingers in his. Gently he pulled her into her room and once in the middle of it, sadly let go of her hand.
"I'll put the bags down here," he said as he walked to a desk and began unloading Quill's and Ian's things. Then he checked the room, unable not to, he wouldn't be able to sleep if he wasn't sure they were okay. Everything seemed to be in working order, Keith didn't know what he expected as he checked the bathroom and closets, and as he was staring out the windows overlooking the side of the inn, he finally let out a breath and turned back to gaze at Quill.
"Well, everything looks fine. I'll err leave you be for now. I'm sure you want some time to get settled in. Take your time, we can go out to eat after you've relaxed." Then he began to leave.
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Post by Thea on May 5, 2024 0:20:54 GMT -5
"He's fine, Vince," Quill assured the man who looked as if he was going to have an aneurysm. "I'm safe here."
At least during the day. Keith couldn't hide her away in the heart of her birth pack. Her father would lead the mob with torches and pitchforks. Walk straight up these steps and tear the door down before Keith could bat an eye. Keith wouldn't do that, though. No, she wasn't afraid even as he locked the door behind her. Instead, she took in the sight of him. His nostrils flared slightly as he inhaled. Like a weight had been lifted off of them, his shoulders slumped. Calloused fingers beseeched her freshly manicured ones. Then she let him lead her to the middle of the room with no complaint but a skip in her heartbeat.
It wouldn't have been the first time since the compound they kissed. But those moments were so few and far between. Miraculously her job at the university was still hers. So between that, Vincent, being co-parents, and her fear of what others would think of her and Keith's relationship, there hardly ever was time with just ... them. Time to explore what a relationship could look like without the unfair dynamic between them. Who they were to each other. At the very least, Quill wouldn't have minded a quick peck right then. She refused to feel the disappointment threatening to creep between the cracks of her facade when he didn't end up bending down again. She just let him check the room thoroughly as she sat on the edge of the quilted bed and checked her phone.
Two messages. One from her mother. One from Lydia.
Your father and I want to know if Ian can stay the night with us, tonight. We plan on having a movie night. Also, are you and Vince coming to the house for dinner? Stated the one from her mother. It wasn't lost on Quill that Serena left Keith out of the invite.
Just had my last patient for the day. Wanna grab some grub at Henry's? Or do you have plans... said the text from Lydia. Quill groaned low, exhibiting her exhaustion and disgruntlement. Neither Keith nor Vincent gave her a definitive answer to her earlier question. She was going to have to choose. As much as she didn't want to, her mother made it easier.
That would be great. You know how much he loves movies. I was actually wanting to eat at Henry's. Meet us there instead? Quill sent that one to her mother. The one she sent to Lydia was quicker, filled with praying hands emojis/ Henry's Henry's Henry's pleaaaaaaaaase. We'll meet you there in less than twenty!
Then she stood up, walked to the mirror above the desk, and touched up her lipstick from the makeup bag Keith pulled from her suitcase. Quill couldn't help but watch his reflection as she did, eyes following his every movement. He still had the body of an epic hero. His hair had gotten longer too, just a tad. A vein in his arm bulged beneath the tattooed flames. And as he rose from looking underneath the bed, her gaze strayed to his broad chest, where she knew her name was branded into it...
She sheepishly looked away before his eyes landed on her, down at the tube in her hands while she twisted it closed and put it away. Her feet then carried her to his side, and she pressed a hand against his arm to keep him from opening the door just yet. "If I relax I'm going to fall asleep," she said, somewhat jokingly. But in their mate bond, she continued, Mom and Dad want Ian to stay the night with them. I told them he could. I know that you and Vince rooming together isn't ideal, but if you wanted you could stay in my room.
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