That's putting it mild ¦ Jack

[Lyra Horváth]

May 5th 2028; late evening

Lyra had been lost in the days that followed Calan Mai and the run in with her mate, or rather ex-mate she had finally come around to the idea of. Until she had seen him, and it had all become real, there had been a level of denial to her existence. Deep down she truly believed he'd leave Sienna, realise his mistake and come back to her. Or somehow, like they'd first found each other, the primal magic would bring them back to one another.

Except it hadn't.

For the days that followed, she'd locked herself away in her office at the Shard, with strict instructions not to be bothered, and made a pretty dent in the stores of Whiskey. Well, when she could stomach it that was. Otherwise she vomited what she could into the waste bin under her desk, and then sometimes when she was strong enough she'd wave her wand and vanish it. Not that it helped much with the smell.

The full moon was only days away. That and the true rejection of her mate made her feel the worst she had ever felt. Every time her transformation was upon her, she thought it couldn't get any worse. And yet here it was. The pains rattling her bones were excruciating. The horrible restlessness and sweating was just the cherry on top of the bucket of shit that was her life at the minute. She momentarily wondered if it was too late to try and get a bed in St Mungos. Perhaps one of the Healers would sedate her enough to get through the next days. If she would be so lucky. Maybe she'd even be so lucky, they could put her down like a lame dog. With a clunk, her head rolled back into the heavy wood of the desk as another spasm shot through her and she gasped in pain, hoping and praying it would pass soon.

JOHN ELLIOT CLARK

[JOHN ELLIOT CLARK]

Per his contractual agreement with Lyra and the 96th, Jack continued playing a few nights a week. Though it wasn't necessarily his dream, he needed cash and while he was still writing and recording his first album, this was the best way to come by it. This gig also came with the added benefit of Lyra the temptress, who had lured Jack into her web. Well, that was putting it mildly. He had been all too willing to accommodate her needs. He thought of Lyra nearly as often as he thought of Addy, two distinctly different woman who were beyond stubborn in their own ways.

However, Jack had noticed a shift in Lyra's attitude the past week. She didn't greet him, nor speak to him at all. In fact, Jack didn't see Lyra at all. The security at the venue were under strict instruction to keep her secluded, but Jack didn't understand why that had to include him. He presumed something bad had happened to her, and she was nursing her wounds. But what better way to nurse wounds than to get undressed? Jack was confident that he could tease a smile out of Lyra, either with a song or a shag, and was determined to do so. While he wasn't the best wizard, he was able to convince the security who protected Lyra's office that he urgently needed to see her. Business, you see.

The security guard eyed Jack suspiciously, and Jack crossed his fingers in his pocket. At last, the guard allowed him five minutes to discuss his contract with Lyra, and opened the door. Jack slipped into her office, and looked around. He mentally cataloged all the places he'd been intimate with Lyra, before turning his attention to the woman on his mind. "Fucking hell, Ly, are you alright?" asked Jack, concern lacing his tone as she groaned, cracking her head against the heavy wood of her desk. At once, Jack was at her side, kneeling before her. "When you went silent I figured something happened. We have too much fun together for you to just fuck off like that. What happened?" asked Jack.

Lyra Horváth

[Lyra Horváth]

Had she been distant from Jack in the last week? Absolutely, it was much easier for her that way. Had she expected him to notice, or particularly care? No, actually. Lyra had assumed he’d keep himself busy elsewhere when he wasn’t busy with work that was. Lyra wasn’t so special in that way, Jack was a good looking guy with a tongue that could charm the pants off of just about anyone. She was fond of him, yes. He was more than an amazing shag, he put her at ease quite a bit when she didn’t realise she needed it. In saying that though, they weren’t especially exclusive or anything like that; so she hadn’t really thought to include him in her little lock down. She had expected him bursting in on her even less. The closest of her security were aware of her status as a werewolf, and cognisant of her cycle. They were especially protective of her at this time and kept a tight lock on the office and her back rooms. She trusted them and knew their knocks on the door. With Jack there had been no knock or warning of entry of any kind. As he entered, her head snapped forward and she tried to focus her gaze on him.

The times this close to the full moon and her transformation had never been fun; but the months since losing Rob had been torturous. The pains worse. The hunger. The restlessness. The nausea and vomiting. Like an addict strung out in the worst possible high, without the actual high. The come down at the end of it all unbearable. Just as the days before and after the full moon was.
Lifting a hand, she glanced down again. The hand was meant to hold him off while she tried to pause and gather enough strength to string together something to say to him. It caught her off guard, the shame of it all. She hadn’t exactly kept her Wolfish side a secret. It was an unsaid fact that it was why so many half-breeds and creatures felt at home at the 96th; the half-breed owner. But Jack hadn’t copped on to that yet, and if he had, he had never said anything about it. Of course he’d seen her scars, at intimate times even traced his fingers over them like asking about them was on the tip of his tongue; but he never did.

Eventually, the hand she had held up to act as a barrier between them fell away and she tried to bar out a laugh. ”I didn’t think I looked that shit but alright then Jacky, thanks…” After a moment, she looked up to him again, and shifted where she sat. She tried to do it with ease, but it caused a pain to shoot through her abdomen she hadn’t quite been prepared for and her face tighten in pain. ”Fuck” mumbling, it eventually passed and she was able to look him in the eye. Sweat had settled on her forehead, causing some of her unruly curls to stick there at the side of her face. She knew she was less than a pretty picture. Feeling his gaze raking over, and taking in every awful detail made her nausea even worse. She never let people see her like this. In her eyes it was a weakness, even if it couldn’t be helped. It was just who she was. She had let rob see her like this, sure, they had transformed together, but then when they had been together it had never been quite this bad. With another silent curse in his direction, she hoped he was having just as rough a time as she was.

Rolling her tongue in her mouth, she tried to pick her words. As she did so, she took advantage of a few fleeting pain-free moments to push herself up from her spot on the floor and grip onto the desk. Maybe she’d just get to her bedroom in the back. It was only across the office. She just had to get that far, but then there was Jack as an obstacle first.

Her knuckles white as she held onto the heavy wood of the desk. It would support her for now, but she wasn’t sure for just how long it would work. Regardless, she couldn’t let him know just how bad it was. She was not that weak. Sighing, she admitted defeat, and glanced down, away from him. She didn’t want to see his reaction. ”I’m fine. It’s just…full moon tomorrow night.”


JOHN ELLIOT CLARK

[JOHN ELLIOT CLARK]

Jack wasn't the sort of person to worry about any girl. He looked out for his mates, which had gotten him in trouble on more than one occasion. He looked after his mums, who were grateful for two strapping boys who loved them fiercely. And he looked after Mal, who got himself in trouble more times than either of them could count. But Jack's concern for Lyra had grown. He enjoyed her company, and he liked the way she kept him on his toes. He also liked the power dynamic between them, which was something he had always been interesting in exploring. Yet Lyra had shut herself away all week, and was avoiding any sort of conversation. Which, in time, led to Jack lying his way into her office.

The words were out of his mouth before he could stop them. He lifted a shoulder in a half-hearted apology before stepping further into the room, the door closing behind him. He thought about helping her up, but Jack was certain that Lyra would swat him away. She looked pale, her big eyes sunken into her face. "Well, I won't lie. You've looked better," said Jack quietly, eyeing Lyra.

Jack's mouth dropped open, and he snapped it shut. Fuck. He'd forgotten about the whole her being a werewolf thing. Or did he know in the first place? Jack racked his brains, but couldn't figure out when he'd found out, and when he'd subsequently forgotten. "I er... I'm sorry?" said Jack, his tone lifting at the end in something of a question. "I er... do you need some crystals or some shit? Chakras aligning?" He offered her a grin to lighten her mood.

Lyra Horváth

[Lyra Horváth]

Still white knuckled, gripping the table her face grew softer. But that was simply a result of the muscles there relaxing just enough for her to forget to hold them so tightly. The wave of pain that had rocked her was ebbing away just enough for her to catch her breath. The nausea and burning of her skin still ran through her of course, but they were almost secondary at this stage. She could deal with that once the pangs of agonising pain had washed away.

Quietly she nodded, avoiding his gaze "I'm sure I have. I don't disagree" Her tone was quiet. Not as confrontational as she had tried to muster, as if she was too tired and weak to keep that particular fight up.

She wasn't looking at him, but she couldn't exactly miss the shift in his demeanour either as it hit home about her Werewolf status. Maybe he had been blissfully ignorant enough to have not realised it yet, but now there was no ignoring it. She stood for another moment, clinging to the heavy wood of her desk as an anchor. She was quiet as he processed it all, giving him time to think about it. Well, as quiet as she could be when she was breathing as heavy as she was. Eventually he spoke, trying to make light of it all. So like Jack. Other times she would have been glad for it. She would have needed it. But right now she didn't have the energy to join in, or to fight back either. Even if the ghost of a smile did tug at the edges of her lips.

After a few moments had lapsed she shook her head and spoke low and quietly. "No. Nothing can really help. I've taken all my potions to try and ease some aspects, but they don't really always help." another mini pang shot up her spine. Not as long lasting as they had been, but enough for her to close her eyes and bare her teeth in a grimace, waiting for it to pass. She was glad when it only lasted a minute or so, and tried to carry on what she was saying like nothing had happened "I just have to ride it all out..." after that last wave she had somehow found the strength to push herself off the desk and stumble across the office to the couch on the other side of it. Collapsing onto the cold leather, she frozen for a second. It wasn't exactly plush and comforting, it was for business purposes. She didn't want it to be welcoming. But the coolness of the leather had been a shock, even if it was quite soothing against the parts of her bare skin that felt like she was on fire. She tried to relax and control her breathing. It wasn't totally successful, but she was able to sit still and be a little more serene. Eyes closed, she wondered for a moment if she could eventually settle to sleep like this; though it was unlikely she'd be that lucky.

When she spoke again after a few minutes of edgy silence, she surprised herself. "It wasn't always this bad. Sometimes it was almost fun. The last year or so definitely was anyway until he-" A gasp of torment erupted from her again. It was probably a good thing that another shock of pain erupted from her head and spread down her body. Stories of her very recent past life had almost slipped out there. No she wasn't ready to address that with Jack yet. He didn't need to know that. Instead she just rode out the grip her body had on her for another agonising few minutes before she was able to settle herself enough to say just enough more to him

"You need to go Jack." Her eyes were closed and she sat poker straight as she worked to try and control her breathing, like she was scared that any extra movement might bring forth another wave of torture. Even if her voice was quiet, and weak, there was still an edge to it "Get out"

JOHN ELLIOT CLARK

[JOHN ELLIOT CLARK]

Jack was not the sort of person to dig deeper into feelings. He'd had to keep his life surface level for so long - if you didn't allow yourself to feel, you didn't get hurt. It had been a mantra he'd carried from his youth to this very day. So when concern for Lyra crept in, Jack was alarmed. It was different with Addy - they were both so stubborn and headstrong, Jack knew that she could take care of herself. And he'd had the same impression of Lyra... until now. She looked like she was going to lose contrrol.

Jack opened his mouth to speak, utterly bewildered at the halting way she spoke. "Lyra..." he started, his eyes flickering with some emotion that he didn't voice. He didn't know anything about werewolves, and had actively forgotten that Lyra was one until about three seconds ago. He ran his hands through his already messy hair, panic beginning to set in. He wanted to help her - but he also didn't. It was a strange line to walk.

Jack took a step back, and then another. "Okay," he said quietly, feelings mixed. "Okay. Lyra. Be careful," was all he could manage. He gave her one last searching look before turning and leaving, feeling very much like it was the wrong thing to do.

-end Jack-
Lyra Horváth (figure since this is pretty outdated we can do a newer one)