Habitual

Marie rests in a clearing after running for some time. Max plops next to her and nuzzles Marie. "Time to head back home." Max tells Marie as he licks her face.

"Let's go then." Marie whips her tail and takes off running. "Last one there is a rotten egg!" Her laughter is filled with joy as Max runs after her.

When they get to camp, Marie almost runs into Helen, jumping just in time not to hit her, Marie rolls to a stop as she laughs loudly. "Sorry Ma!"

Max jumps and lands behind Marie, laughing "That was not a fair race!"

"Marie!" Helen puts her hands over her mouth in surprise. "You, you can shift?!"

"I just did it today! I feel so invigorated!" Marie smiles at Helen, tongue hanging out and all.

"Congratulations dear. You two go get cleaned up, I'll see you at dinner." She chuckles as she continues down the path.

"Last one there is a rotten egg!" Max whispers in Maries ear just before taking off running.

"Hey!" Marie shouts as she runs after him.

Vale is walking through the city when he picks up a faint smell of blood. He follows the scent cautiously wondering if someone is hurt. He walks for at least half an hour before coming to a door that is slightly opened. Vale hesitates, what if he is already to late? 'Just go forward you coward, your already hear!' He scolds himself briefly before pushing the door silently. He can hear someone panting in the next room, their heart is racing like a trapped animal. Max can hear another calm heartbeat in the same room, this must be the predator. "Lady what have we done?" A mans voice filled with fear. Vale slowly moves forward so he wont be heard and comes to the doorway. There is a woman with a long black dress, her long salt and pepper hair hanging down her back. She has black laced gloves that you can see her deep red nail polish through. "Well dear, I was forcefully removed from my position on the high council. Now I am seeking my revenge. Unfortunately for you, your coven is my first stop. Nothing personal dear, I'm simply letting the high council know I am coming." This woman states in a cold, matter of fact way. "We just wanted to live a quiet peaceful life, we don't want anything to do with all the politics of the high council!" The man coughs blood. "Lucky for you, I will be leaving a few of you alive to tell the council I am coming. Make sure you pass the message dear." Vale ducks underneath the stairs as the woman turns to leave. "I don't even know who you are!" The man yells as he coughs more blood. "Madame Lucinda." She chuckles coldly as she walks out the front door and slams it with a powerful gust of wind.

Vale is left spooked by her cruel laughter and cold heart as he moves quietly to the man. "Is there something I can do to help you?" He whispers.

The man jumps slightly "who are you? Are you with that crazy woman?!"

"No! Shh, let me help you. Where are you bleeding?" Vale doesn't want to move him if it will make it worse.

"It's all internal, she came in and blasted us with a powerful spell." The man points to the counter. "Hand me the vial with the red lid."

Vale quickly grabs the vial and hands it to the man. "We? I can only hear you."

The man chants quietly and the liquid begins to glow. "Open it for me please."

Vale opens the vial and the red shining liquid shoots out in several different directions including into the man. Suddenly Vale can hear several heartbeats and crying of children. "What was that?!"

"An elixir to pull one from the clutches of death." The man sits up, no longer injured, and stands.

"I thought there was a large price for that kind of magic." Vale asks quietly.

"As long as they haven't crossed over, they can be brought back. And yes there is a price for this magic, Vampire." The man stands a chair and sits. "Please go check on the children."

"Ok, but I want some answers." The man nods and Vale does as he is asked.

Marie begins to panic as she struggles to turn back from her wolf form. Max tells her to calm down but as she begins to gasp for air she passes out. Marie can hear Max's voice far in the distance but is unable to answer. She finds herself sitting in a large clearing surrounded by wild rose bushes. Marie knows this is not where she should be, and that perhaps she should be afraid, but she is calm. As she looks around at the deep reds, blues and yellows of the rose bushes she feels heavy and tired. Marie lays on the soft green grass and takes deep breaths, enjoying the scent of the earth beneath her as she closes her eyes.

Max begins to panic as he shakes Marie. He howls for his mother to come, unwilling to leave his mates side. Helen soon rushes in. "What is it?" Max explains what happened and Helen looks over Marie. "Son, let her rest. She is still learning and it has been a long time, her wolf will naturally be uncooperative at first. I'll bring you some food." Helen knows her son is not going to be moving unless it is necessary.

Marie opens her eyes slowly and smiles 'that wolf is so beautiful' she thinks to herself as she reaches her hand out to touch it. The wolf slowly turns its head to her and backs away. "I don't want to go back in!"

"In where?" Marie sits up slowly, still feeling heavy, but she feels as if she should be upright for this.

"I don't want to be locked away again." Marie can see the panic and fear in this beautiful spirits eyes.

"Ah. I don't want to lock you away." Marie lays down unable to fight the heaviness.

"You want to go back! I don't know if you will let me out again!" The wolf yells loudly.

"Of course I will. I loved running with you." Marie struggles to speak clearly as the sleep takes her again.

Vale sits in a dark room with the man and his family. He listens as the man explains to him what happened and who his family is. "We are one of the oldest families, it makes sense she would think we are strongly connected to the council."

"So she was using you to send a message, But what message? Seems a bit extreme for just a 'hey guys here I come' don't you think?" Vale suspects there is more to the story.

"Well, our family used to be on the council, but after their deaths we no longer participate in the politics of the covens." The man replies.

"I see, and why was your family killed but not the others?"

"My daughter believed that people should be free to love whoever they want. She had the rules changed and married a werewolf. Their life was only beginning, she was powerful and he was a leader." The man pauses as he looks out the window. "And my granddaughter was so beautiful, I only wish they were not taken from us, but so many are stuck in the old ways, Lucinda being the most unmovable of all. She didn't like the changes and was furious when my daughter received a seat on the high council."

Vale stares at the old man, speechless, could this be Maries family? "What was your granddaughters name, if you don't mind me asking."

"Marie, they never found her body." He sighs sadly. All these old memories are still so painful.

"Wow, now I know why she attacked you." Vales mouth is dry as he thinks about how to move forward with this information. He can't call max, he would probably be pissed if he just brings a large group of people to where they are. 'What am I going to do?!'

"What do you mean by that vampire?" The man rises from his seat.

"Well, I know your granddaughter. She attacked you to send a message not only to the council but the pack as well. Now I have to figure out how to get ahold of the alpha."

"Pack? Are you part of a pack?"

"Yes, the pack still believes what your daughter taught. And your granddaughter is safe now."

The old man sits down. "You know my Marie? We must go to her! Immediately!"

"No, the alpha will kill me if I put the pack in danger." Vale laughs a humorless chuckle. Max would definitely kill him.

"Please we can make ourselves invisible to her. I'll send the message to the council and we can go. Please I must see my granddaughter." The man begs as tears run down his cheeks.

Vale sighs. "You need to prove to me that you are invisible, and we can go. Just be warned, Max is not going to be happy."

"You got it!" He jumped up and started all the preparations.

Lucinda was taking a hot bath, satisfied with her day. She knew that old loony had a spell to heal himself, his family was extremely powerful. If only they weren't such cowards she chuckles to herself. That silly man was probably sending word to the council by now. She had decided to send a message first to see how they would react. She was curious to see if they would take her seriously, they never did back then. She smiles as she thinks how afraid that old bat was, she must celebrate, that family wasn't going to be a problem for her. She sips her red wine as she plans her next move, not suspecting the wheels of fate turning slowly.

Max lays beside Marie with his head across her neck. She is still breathing, he wonders if Angel will be able to help. He sent someone to find her hours ago, as he begins to worry if they will find her, there is a tap on the door. Max shifts as he answers the door, "I was beginning to think they wouldn't find you!"

"What's going on?" Angel asks worried, Max doesn't usually call on her.

"Marie, she was having trouble shifting back and was panicking. Then she passed out and has been asleep for days! I don't know if there is anything you can do."

"Let me see." Angel sits next to Marie and pets her behind her ears before laying her head down on Marie's head.

Max watches as Angel lays on Marie for a short time and sits back up. Angel pets Marie gently before looking at him. "Well?" He asks hopefully.

"This is between her and her wolf. You are just going to have to wait." She says gently. Max shifts and lays next to Marie. "It will be ok Max." Angel pets his head before quietly leaving.

Marie opens her eyes and blinks slowly. How long has she been here? She sits up easily this time, the air no longer feels heavy. "Did you mean it?" Marie looks up and is face to face with the wolf spirit. "Mean what?" Marie still feels slightly dazed from when she last woke up. "That you don't want to lock me away?". Marie tilts her head to the side "Yes, I loved running, I love being here in the forest. I promise I wont put you in a cage." Marie looks down at her hands "That was done by the woman I thought was my mother. She didn't want me to be whole I guess. First she took my family, then you and all my power. I don't know what the future holds for us," Marie looks the wolf in the eyes "but I hope we will do it together." The wolf steps closer and Marie puts her arms around her as they truly become one.

Max feels Marie move beneath him. As she stands in her wolf form she changes to herself. "Marie!" Max shifts as he grabs her and holds her close. "You scared me!"

"When did you become so clingy Max?" Marie laughs quietly.

"Clingy?" Max scoffs as he releases her from his grip.

"One would almost say, a worry wart." Marie gives him a playful look.

"Well, the constant near death experiences are enough to make anyone a worry wart! Quite honestly I don't know how you have survived this long." He returns her playfulness.

Marie laughs a bit as she hugs him and buries her face in his chest. "How long this time?"

"Oh, just four days, nothing to worry about." Max places chin gently on her head as he hugs her. "What happened?"

"My wolf and I had something to work out. I didn't mean to worry you."

"Your starting to make it habitual." He smiles as he wonders when she became so deeply rooted in his heart. Or has she always been there?

They release each other when there is someone pounding on the door. "Security breach!" Marie follows Max closely as they rush to where all the commotion is. "Report!" Max is now in alpha mode. "There are witches approaching. A group of fifteen or more teleported to the old village and three are on foot, heading in this direction." A young man answers Max quickly. "Marie, take the women and children to our hut and stay there until I come to get you. Mom, help her get everyone gathered. Men! Lets go!" Max gives Marie a quick kiss on the cheek before taking off in the direction he was told they were coming from, the other men do the same with their mates and follow Max. Marie looks at Helen who nods and Marie gets to work. "Everyone with a child, elderly or disabled go straight to my hut and get in! Helen, help them! Ruby, take this side of the village get everyone to my hut! I'll check the other side!" Helen and Ruby nod. Five minutes later Marie Meets up with Ruby at her door. "Find anyone?"

"No we are all here." She hesitates to enter when Marie opens the door.

"Ruby, leave it in the past." Marie ushers her in as she nods. They all sit quietly waiting for the men to return.