The Lycan Within

c. thirteen

I had already braced myself to hit the floor, but the sharp contact never came as I felt an arm around my waist, and I opened my eyes that had been tightly closed only to find the pools of greens and blues that were Sebastian's eyes. I turned away when I heard a small grumble beside me, and turned to see the red headed beauty grumbling at Sebastian. I looked over her features and my breath was taken away. Her skin was of a smooth bronze complexion, with freckles dotted all over her face. Her dark eyes stared up towards me warmly, with a small smile on her small but plump heart shaped lips. Her cheeks were full and I noticed the dimples that appeared on her cheeks.

I allowed Sebastian to help me stand, although my eyes never left her own. She helped herself up, and shot an apologetic glance my way.

"I'm Irene," she said gently, her eyes raking up and down my body and I squirmed under her gaze slightly, my muscles tense. I felt Sebastian gently place his hand in the small of my back, and I eased into his hold. She grinned at me.

"The oaf beside you failed to mention exactly how gorgeous you are!" she said excitably. I smiled at her in embarassment.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Irene," I offered politely and she turned to Sebastian.

"She's so cute!" she said, glancing down at me, "How am I supposed to train such a precious little thing?" she asked and I tilted my head in confusion, turning to Sebastian.

"I swore it to you, I would never let anything happen to you, but that doesn't mean you should remain unaware the true power you have," he said, his hand reaching up and stroking my cheek gently, and the tender moment was interrupted by the squeals of Irene as she clapped her hands together.

"See, butthead here knows, I'm the best fighter out of all of us," she said, shrugging her shoulders confidently. I turned to Sebastian with a quirked eyebrow.

"She's one of the oldest out of us all, so she has more experience."

"Aren't you all hundreds of years old?" I asked, looking between the two of them.

"I'm celebrating my second millenium, precious," and at this, my mouth fell open in shock. She was alive before anything I'd ever known. And she stepped forward in a blur, pushing my jaws together with a giggle.

"You'll catch flies," she said simply before turning back to the counter. She had made herself comfortable eating her plate, and I turned to see Benjamin waltzing in through the door, and his eyes narrowed at Irene who sat humming to herself quietly as she ate.

"I know crazy when I smell it," he sighed, and Irene turned, raising an eyebrow towards him in question.
"I missed you, Red," he said with a bright smile adorning his face. In a blur of colour, they were in one another arms, holding tightly to each other, as though their lives depended on it.

"I'd say you've grown, but we don't really age," she said as they pulled away from one another, looking at each other with affection in their eyes.

"Irene practically raised Ben," Sebastian whispered gently into my ear. I couldn't help the jealous pang that tore at my heart strings, at my lack of a family.
"They care about each other, alot," I said with a tight smile. Although he read my mind, he pulledu my chin up towards him,
"We're your family until our last breaths, which won't be for a while," he said, a small smile adorning his plump lips.

We'd all sat around the counter, Catori nowhere to be found.

"I do have something important to tell you all, before I begin with you dear." she says offering a small smile and Sebastian hummed, asking her to continue.

"After the death of Winston, I was alone for centuries, but moon's graced me with another mate," and at this Benjamin beamed and had opened his mouth but Irene silenced him.