[color=darkgray][center][img]https://i.imgur.com/WSq0AyH.gif[/img][/center] [center][color=black][sup]____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________[/sup][/color][/center] [color=yellow][b]Location:[/b][/color] Vex’s Apartment • [color=yellow][b]Time:[/b][/color] Dusk [color=yellow][b]Interactions:[/b][/color] None [color=yellow][b]Mentions:[/b][/color] "H" [center][color=black][sup]____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________[/sup][/color][/center] [b][i]The alleyways cold bit into Vex’s skin like broken glass. She fought like a cornered animal, fists flying, blood smeared across her face, and eyes blazing gold with rage. The men surrounding her were bigger, drunk, and high on cruelty, but she didn’t care. She wasn’t going down without a fight. She [i]never[/i] did. Her punches landed hard, but their numbers were against her. One grabbed her by the hair, yanking her head back. Her snarl twisted into a loud and desperate cry as pain seared through her. “You think you can steal from us and just walk away?” he sneered. The stink of whiskey and sweat clung to him. His breath was hot on her face as his brows furrowed with anger. She could still feel their hands on her. The kind of touch that made your skin crawl. The kind of touch that lingered like rot. Their hands had found their way to places that one should be invited to touch and he certainly had no fucking invitation. “The night’s young, sweetheart,” another man chuckled, eyes gleaming. “Keep fighting. We like it when they squirm.” His snake tooth grin causing her stomach to churn. Vex’s lip curled. She spat blood straight into the bastard’s eye and sent her fist into his ribs. He staggered at first but didn’t fall. It only made him grin with excitement as he began to draw his arm back for another swing. Before she could strike again, a voice cut through the dark. It was low, rough, and deadly calm.[/i][/b] Vex’s face paled as she heard the door close.Zach had left. It felt as if she had been holding herself upwards in attempt to not show weakness. Her body gave into the burn she was feeling as it had been shooting up her arm. Attempting to take a step away from the kitchen counter, the world around her began to spin.Faster, Faster, moving so quick she couldn’t focus on a single object.The temperature in her apartment seemed to rise quickly. A bead of sweat dripped down her temple as her arm reached out catching herself letting out a deep growl as she braced her head in her hand. [b][i]“That’s enough.” Vex turned, teeth bared, already bracing for another attacker. From the shadows, a massive figure stepped into the alley, boots hitting the pavement with the weight of a war drum. Each step he took was calculated, demanding the attention of anyone nearby. “Bear,” one of the men breathed, the color draining from his face. “Your just in time. She’s still warm.” The man grinned nervously. He was a giant, easily 6 feet and 4 inches of raw muscle and scarred Lycan flesh. His presence shifted the air. Every predator in the alley suddenly realized they weren’t the top dog anymore. “You got a problem, old man?” Vex snapped, blood dripping from her chin. Her body trembled with fury. She didn’t care who he was. She wasn’t about to play the damsel. Bear didn’t answer her. He didn’t need to. He didn’t even bother to look at her. “You’re reckless,” he said to the other Lycans, stepping closer. “You’ve been tearing through the city like you’re invincible. Time someone reminded you you’re not.”The men holding her tensed. They recognized the look in Bear’s eyes.“Get the fuck out.” Bear growled, voice deep and guttural. “And if I ever catch you touching a woman like that again, I’ll take your fucking hands.” No one moved. “I said NOW.” The three men bolted, stumbling over each other as they scrambled down the alley. One didn’t even look back.They moved so quickly Vex blinked and they were already gone.She hopped on her feet, bloodied and bruised, her body screaming in pain, but her spirit unyielding. “I didn’t need saving,” she shouted, eyes flashing. “I had it under control!” Bear stepped toward her,the loud thud of his boots slapping against the wet concrete in slow and deliberate steps agian. Vex lunged,wild and desperate. Bear caught her wrist mid-swing and yanked her against his chest like she weighed nothing. She felt her breath escape her as her golden eyes looked up at him. They widened slightly before she caught herself. She twisted in his grip, trying to land an elbow. He blocked it, locking her in place. “Stop fighting me,” he growled. “You’re just hurting yourself now.” he said acting as if she were nothing more then a fly. “Let go of me!” she thrashed around, breathing hard. But before she could wriggle free, he spun her and wrapped one thick arm around her neck, locking her in a chokehold against his chest. Not enough to knock her out but just enough to stop her. “You want to fight?” His voice was a whisper at her ear. “Then fight me.” Her heart pounded. She kicked her foot back into his shin, scratched, and attempted to bite his arm,but he didn’t budge. He was unmovable, like a brick wall. Suddenly she swung her legs around his and pulled, tripping him. [/i][/b] Vex’s foot gave out from under her as she fell to the ground of her apartment. She landed ontop of a pile of dry wall, her eyes staring up at the ceiling. Her pale and clammy skin glistened against the little light that the ceiling light gave off. Her eyes stared up at the ceiling as if attempting to catch her breath to hold onto something. Her mind slip again… [b][i]Bear grunted as they landed but never let go, his arm now protecivly around her waist. She clawed at his arms, pounding her fists against his chest. She let out a deep growl of frustration and anger, but his grip didn’t loosen. “You done yet?” Bear asked unbothered. “Fuck you,” she hissed attempting to catch her breath. Her pride was a burning in her throat. “You’ve got power,” he said, pinning her onto her back onto the wet concreate without effort. “But you waste it. You flail. You bleed when you don’t have to. That’s not strength, Vex. That’s desperation.”Shifting his weight just enough to let her breathe, His thumb pressed lightly against the pulse at her neck. She hated how calm he was. Hated how easily he handled her. Hated that a small part of her respected him for it. “Get off me,” she said, voice hoarse. Bear looked down at Vex for a moment. A pause. He released her slowly, standing without looking away. Then he offered his hand. She didn’t take it. She rolled over pushing herself up from the wet ground as stood on her own, even as her legs shook doing it she stubbornly steadied herself. She leaned over, spitting more blood onto the pavement. Bear’s lips twitched in a grim smile. “ That pride of yours will get you killed.” he said. “But I’ll teach you. And when you’re ready.” He grinned wickedly “you’ll come find me” Bear said confidently before putting his hands into the pocked of his coat. He turned his back towards Vex while pulling out a cigarette and lighting it with his other hand. Vex stood in the dark as rain began to start pouring down. Torn between hatred and something that felt dangerously close to hope she watched him casually stroll away, once again with his slow and deliberate steps. “Don’t think this means you’ve won,” she called after him. Bear didn’t turn. “See you around Sugar.”[/i] [/b] Vex’s hand fumbled toward her back pocket, clumsy and shaking. She could barely feel her fingers, but she knew the phone was there, it had to be. Her vision kept going in and out, flickers of light and shadow twisting the edges of her sight. She got her fingers around it. Pulling it out slowly as she grunted with pain that continued to shoot up her arm. The screen lit up, far too bright. Stinging her eyes as she squinted, her breath catching in her throat as another wave of heat tore up her ar agian. She gasped, teeth clenched, a guttural sound escaping before she could stop it. Focus. Just… focus Vex. Her thumb dragged across the screen. Contacts. Messages. “H.” She tapped it. Hoped it was the right one. Everything was spinning, sliding sideways. Her fingers carefully typed after hititng the location button. “206.”[i]Sent.[/i] Followed by “H”. [i]Sent.[/i] Her fingers fumbled slightly as she attempted another line of text. [i]“Elp.”[/i] Sent. The phone slipped from her fingers and dropped to the floor with a loud thud. Her arm dropped beside her, limp. Useless.She lay there, staring up at the ceiling, trying to keep her eyes open. Everything hurt. Her breath came in shallow gasps. Her chest felt tight. Her skin burned. Then… she felt something cool. Wet. A drop of water hit her cheek. Another. She blinked slowly, but her eyelids were heavy now. Was it raining? Was it real? [b][i]Her eyes fell upon Bear as he continued to walk off, the rain pouring down on them now.” Wait!” she called out. He froze. Taking a drag on his cigarette as the red amber lit up. Bear turned slowly looking over his shoulder with a look that made her knees weak. He smirked and gestured his head towards the road as if tempting her to follow.[/i][/b][/color]