Wilde, wine, and werewolves

[Brigid Plunder]

"It just feels like you're only our friend until we screw up," she sighs.

[Stephanie Kaltiera]

"Well this was a big screw-up!" she hissed, trying to rant softly enough for her neighbors to not hear every word.

"Do you know how long I've wanted to have an actual pack? Friends who understand everything I go through? I spent months in the wilderness this summer, and not a single wolf would even come near me. And very few people here understand the sensory overload, the urges--the hunger--that I just want to let free but I can't.

Last night was incredible! I haven't felt that alive in years! And now, you fucking bit someone else, and now people are going to start asking questions about why we have people with a curse that they can spread running around campus!"

[Hannah Murphy]

"Unless we do something about it," Murphy says. "Take care of it."

"Together."

[Stephanie Kaltiera]

"....how? What are we going to do?"

[Brigid Plunder]

"Murphy's got the right idea."

"If you want a pack, Steph, then it's time we started acting like one."

[Theresa McMasters]

Theresa crossed her arms, just watching Steph's response.

[Stephanie Kaltiera]

Steph looked around at the girls nervously, then down at the floor "But...how? I don't want them locking you up either..." she trailed off, seeming to struggle to form words.

It's a curse. It's dangerous. People could get killed. You need to stop this right now...you're an X-Man. A teacher.

Deep in her mind, she stood in the middle of a forest, staring down her wild half, an enormous wolf. It stared at her, looking almost pleading.

You could finally have a pack...finally belong...



"...and....I don't want them taking the cur....no. It's not a curse. It's a gift. And...and we are a pack. And...we can figure this out..."

She looked back up at them, "Can't we?"

[Hannah Murphy]

"'Course," Murphy says.

[Theresa McMasters]

Theresa snorted, "I don't trust her. I think she'll sell us out." She paused, letting the words sink in before adding, "We're low on options though."

[Brigid Plunder]

"Pack's not going to work if she keeps thinking of it as her and us."

[Stephanie Kaltiera]

Steph's eyes narrowed, and a low growl escaped her lips as she took several paces forward and got right in Theresa's face. "Do you want my help or not, you little bitch?"

[Theresa McMasters]

"I've got first hand experience with your character," Theresa said, growling back at her. "You're not one of us. As soon as you feel you have to, or as soon as it'll make you look good in front the Headmistress,you'll Sell. Us. Out. You have a problem with my assessment, bitch, then you have to convince me I'm wrong."

[Stephanie Kaltiera]

She's right...you can barely tell a white lie about liking someone's skirt...and you *aren't* like them.

Stephanie responded in the most reasonable way possible, by baring her fangs and shoving Theresa.

"You *are* wrong."

[Hannah Murphy]

Murphy growls, "Enough."

"Not one of us," Murphy says. "True."

"Easy fix."

[Theresa McMasters]

Theresa looked like she'd been about to respond with a shove of her own, but Murphy's growl stopped her.

[Stephanie Kaltiera]

Steph looked at Murphy as she silenced the room, clearly a bit stung by the words "not one of us."

"An easy fix? ...oh..."

She looked hesitant. NO. What are you doing? Can a wolf shifter even get lycanthropy? Why are you even considering this?!

"F-fine," she said nervously, pulling up her sleeve. "You want me to prove myself? P-Prove that I'm worthy of being the pack? If this doesn't show I'm committed, then I don't know what will." She held out her bare arm to the group defiantly.

[Hannah Murphy]

Murphy grabs hold of Steph's arm tightly and pulls her closer.

"Sure?" Murphy asks.

[Brigid Plunder]

"Better be," Brigid chimes in.

[Theresa McMasters]

Theresa didn't say anything. She just stared at Stephanie.

[Stephanie Kaltiera]

"....do it." she said grimly.

[Hannah Murphy]

Murphy leans forward, her lips brushing against the place where Steph's shoulder and neck meet.

And then she bites down. Hard.

[Theresa McMasters]

Theresa eyes narrow slightly at the choice of location, but in the back of her mind she supposes she had that coming.

[Stephanie Kaltiera]

Wait where's she going that's not my ar--

Steph shivered momentarily as Murph's lip brushed but she quickly gasped in pain as her teeth sunk into the meat of her shoulder, blood gushing from the wound. She grit her teeth, her fangs becoming more pronounced, her body trying to shift to help jumpstart the healing process. She grabbed a hold of Murphy, half embracing her, half just trying to stay on her feet.

[Brigid Plunder]

"...still not used to the blood," Brigid mumbles, waiting.

[Hannah Murphy]

After a slightly inappropriate amount of time being held in Steph's embrace, Murphy breaks away and wipes the blood from her mouth. Her ears are slightly more pointed and there's a yellow gleam to her eyes.

"Better," Murphy says.

[Theresa McMasters]

"If you're quite finished, we still have a situation to deal with."

[Stephanie Kaltiera]

Steph dropped to her hands and knees, gasping, applying pressure to the bite marks that were already starting to close, blood dripping onto the floor. "Satisfied?" she growled in Theresa's direction.

[Brigid Plunder]

"I am," Brigid nods.

"Jen's gonna need us."

[Hannah Murphy]

"Situation's simple," Murphy says. "Dangerous. Either joins pack..."

"Or we put her down."

[Theresa McMasters]

Theresa just inclined her head in a slight nod in Stephanie's direction, "As satisfied as I can be at the moment." She looked at Murphy, "You pitch it like that and she's going to go running straight to the faculty."

[Brigid Plunder]

"We need to help her understand what's happening to her."

[Hannah Murphy]

Murphy snorts, "Not a people person."

[Brigid Plunder]

"...I'm the one that did it, I can take the lead. If things get weird, you guys are there to back me up."

[Stephanie Kaltiera]

Steph looked up from the ground, no longer bleeding. "Can't make her run to tell people...need to convince her...that sounds like a good plan Brigid."

[Theresa McMasters]

"I agree with Steph," Theresa said, though it looked like it pained her to admit that. "Murphy's not a people person and Steph's an authority figure."

[Brigid Plunder]

"Then let's go," Brigid says, heading for the door.

[Stephanie Kaltiera]

"Let me change into something a bit less...blood-stained."