Home Again [Gwen]

[Leonardo K. Mattias]

The words from Raphael caused Leonardo to freeze briefly- his hand suspended over the door handle. Though Raph had said it quietly, Leon had heard it well. For a brief moment he didn't know if he even wanted to open the door or just back away. However, the situation had to be addressed somehow. Somewhere in the back of his mind, Leonardo swore at himself for not realizing how close the full moon was. It wasn't as though he couldn't prepare and move through it smoothly- well as smoothly as Leonardo himself went when it came down to it. However, a sudden thought came to him- was this what was driving up the emotions in him? Was this the reason that even now something less than honest was festering in his chest. He would blame it on that then. That had to be it- heh as if it could be that easy. As if he could convince himself that was all there was to the uncertainty and fear that had been locked away by his eloquence. As if he could hope and pray that this was a single day out of the month and that he could mediate it better next time. He had never had this problem before, but he had also been shot. Those two things combined might have heightened it at least... might....

So lost was he in his own thoughts and excuses, Leonardo didn't even realize that he had already turned the door handle and was now opening it causing the door to fall inwards thereafter. Just as he did so, Leonardo caught sight of Gwen's sudden motion back onto the bed, and a part of him haphazardly flinched as though he were in pain. As she crouched, he stared, but as she growled, he scowled. Damn it all, Gwendolyn. It was only then that his eyes actually caught what had happened to her clothes, and despite himself, Leonardo found himself reaching for the gun still in his pocket. This was quickly abandoned as Leon forced his arm beside himself. No he would not shoot her. He would figure something else out. "Gwendolyn," Leonardo stated as sharply and as authoritative as he could possibly in that moment. A part of himself was sure that it wouldn't help the situation. She was not herself, but he couldn't help but try. Stepping forwards tentatively and carefully, Leon started towards her. "Gwendolyn calm down," he continued speaking despite himself. The hairs on the back of his neck stood on edge alerting Leonardo to the fact that he was playing with fire, but he would have to deal with that. He needed to either get a hold of her or get her to come to her senses enough to do something else.

[Gwendolyn D. Mattias]

At the sound of Leonardo's voice, Gwen's head tilted in recognition. She knew the voice. She stopped growling and her snarl gave way slowly to a more normal curious look. She sniffed the air to gain their scent and slowly relaxed to sit on her heels. Her head tilted in the other direction as her mind processed this information. She knew him. Knew both of them. “Fratello”(Brother) She whispered in native Italian. The word was recognizable even though vocalized as a whine.

Raphael's eyes widened at the state of his sister. He turned and ran. “I have her bag downstairs. Perhaps her medication is in there.” He said over his shoulder as he disappeared from Gwen's view and ran out the door to the elevator. This was going to be some kind of shit storm. What the HELL am I going to tell father?!? was all he could think about..

With Raphael's departure Gwendolyn's mind finally registered that something was different. She held on to that realization and finally gave it the attention she'd failed to give before. Gwen blinked and looked around as if awakened from some sort of trance. Her head and eyes turned wildly left to right to take in her surroundings. Once they settled again on her brother walking toward her from the door and the stare they were giving her, she looked down at herself and gasped. Her eyes widened as she raised a hand and studied it. Her fingers and nails had elongated. New joints looked to be forming and Honey brown hair stubble had visibly grown. Her other hand came up and she turned them both slowly to stare at them as her breath caught a few times. She leaned back and looked down at her tattered clothes. In places there were angry looking scratches that she'd inflicted on herself, in various stages of healing.

She shook her head slowly left to right trying to come to terms with what she was seeing. Hearing her name again as Leon asked her to calm down, Gwendolyn glanced up at the men. No, not men. Brothers. They were here brothers and they were staring at her as if some sort of freak. She backed away, almost falling off the end of the mattress. Her reflexes prevented this as her legs sprung down to catch her so that she landed at a crouch and straightened as she stumbled backwards a few steps. She almost shouted at them to stop staring, but the conflicting mental commands of actual words and a series of yips, bark, and whine noises that formed in her mind only caused a lump in her throat that could not be swallowed. The only outward motions were her mouth opening and then snapping shut as her breath caught.

Gwendolyn turned and ran through the only other doorway in the room. She stopped cold finding herself trapped in Leon's walk-in closet after her short sprint through the bathroom. Before her was a full length mirror with her reflection staring right back at her. She gawked at herself as she stood frozen. Hands slowly raised to her face and she slowly traced the lines of her elongated, almost pointy ears. She turned her head slowly left to right in awe of her misshapen facial features and elongated teeth. She opened her mouth and ran her tung over her canines. So this is what happens.... “Oh my god.... this is SO cool!!!” She said in a high pitched voice after several long moments . She found that she could now 'choose' how she vocalized her thoughts. She smiled and exhaled a laugh, finding that if she just kept focused she could control herself.

[Leonardo K. Mattias]

The fact that she didn't appear ready to suddenly jump forwards and slice his throat was a calming feeling to Leonardo. However, something reminded him to stay on guard, and thus he was carefully with his steps as he drew into the room. The curious look was met with as calm an expression as Leonardo could give back considering all things. The whisper, though quiet, caught his ears, and he gave a nod. "Gemella," (sister) he replied back just as quietly. Raphael's voice suddenly caught Leon's ears, and as his head turned, he watched as his brother made a run for it towards the door. Perhaps her medication was in there- Leonardo was about to shout back that he had some pills in the kitchen, but by the time he had thought of that, Raphael was already gone. Damn it... he mentally swore wishing that he had thought of that earlier. It was probably better if Gwen took her own perfectly prescribed pills ever still.

As his head turned back, Leonardo caught sight of Gwendolyn's expression and her looks of confusion and concern. As she looked down and gasped at herself, Leonardo flinched. Suddenly she was falling back, and Leonardo all but rushed forwards to try and keep her from falling off. However, it seemed Gwendolyn's own response won out and saved her from falling. Stopping in his tracks and staring for a moment as she seemed to stabilize, Leonardo frowned. Suddenly she was sprinting, and Leonardo found everything moving in slow motion as she disappeared behind his bathroom door. All too quickly he turned and ran as well snagging the door that had been slammed shut by Gwen's motions and then throwing it open again quickly running after her.

The squeal of words caused Leonardo to turn around all too quickly and nearly trip on the bathroom's slick floors as he made his way to the walk in closet. "Gwendolyn!" Leonardo's words came out much harsher than intended, but in that moment his ears were now ringing, and a mix of worry, anxiety, and stress was building up all too quickly. "This is not cool," he frowned a bit as his voice dropped back to normal if less proper than usual. Of all the things he could say, that was honestly all Leon could get out in those short moments of time.

[Gwendolyn D. Mattias]

Movement in the mirror caused her eyes to shift slightly so that she could see Leonardo behind her. Somehow she'd forgotten him. With the adrenaline and other chemicals coursing through her veins at the moment, it made it hard for her to remember to concentrate of keeping control. It was like tunnel vision of the mind, in a way. Now that she remembered he was there, all of his actions and words came to her. It was an amazing experience. Even though she'd had her back to him the whole time, she could construct in her mind what he'd done. Just by the sounds of his movements, Gwendolyn pictured her brother's actions. 'Gamella', He'd said to her. The word “Sister” was what helped snap her out of her dream, so to speak. Then she could hear him behind her, in hot pursuit and finally his pause at the door behind her where he now stood. She flinched, her eyes widening at the memory of him calling her name in such a harsh tone. And his response to her words.... They confused her. “Not...cool?” she asked in a small voice. Her eyes shifted to focus on herself again and she studied herself.

Gwendolyn's head tilted right to show she was considering what she saw. To a human, perhaps this was wrong, but they were not human. Far from it. “But, Le...” She said, reaching out to her mirror image and placing her hand on the mirror. Yes, She was different, but its not like this was some sort of accident or birth defect. This was supposed to be normal. Its who she is. Its what they all were. Were they not Lycans? Her eyes shifted to Leon's image again. She studied him. The frown. The way he just stared. He looked disappointed. She felt herself getting angry. What exactly is 'not cool' about it She thought and was surprised then she heard herself speak the words in a low growl. This surprised her again. There was a learning curb that she needed to keep up with.

No...I must remain in control she reminded herself. She felt herself calm, but at the same time there was pain. It was dull at first but shot up to what felt like her blood suddenly becoming boiling hot. “It hurts...” She whimpered. Her hand still on the mirror, Gwendolyn leaned on that hand and grit her teeth, her brows coming together. Her eyes closed as her legs gave way, forcing her to fall to her knees. Her free hand moved to hold her stomach as her head tilted back to scream. The burning sensation spread to the rest of her body. Gwen shut her mouth and grunted with her head bowing and her eyes closed as her face contorted to show the pain she felt. She fell sideways off her knees onto her side, her free hand propping her up so that she was still upright from the waist up.

Just when it was to become so unbearable to cause another scream to escape her, the pain suddenly disappeared allowing her to open her eyes and look at herself. She gasped. She was still changing. The hand on the mirror trembled and she laughed weakly of joy. Her mind was curiously devoid of thoughts. “cool” she whispered again not caring if Leon liked it or not, a smile slowly spreading to show her teeth. Her nose had elongated further along with many other changes. Her eyes and head slowly turned to look at her legs in her reflection. They too were changing. Her eyes darted to the spot in the mirror where her brother's reflection stared back at her. Is it always this slow and painful? Does the change come to all of us at this age? She wanted to ask, amongst a dozen other questions. Instead she just stared.

[Leonardo K. Mattias]

As she repeated his words adding a questioning tone to what was said, Leonardo frowned that much more as though almost a tad irritated that she didn't seem to understand right off why it was uncool. Her words thereafter only made him further register that she was disagreeing with him now. The growl thereafter made him fold his arms in front of himself. The sudden change of expression, the look of pain that ran across her face, distorted Leon's heart quickly, and a flicker of worry came across. The words that followed, a simple 'it hurts', was enough to cause him to start digging up numbers in the back of his mind. He'd call the doctor- bring him over now. The scream that all but burst his eardrums was enough to cause Leon to physically jump. All too quickly he had closed the gap between the two of them and suddenly kneeled down to her.

However, as she turned back and stared at him once more, what thoughts Leonardo had were suddenly gone, and for a few seconds, all he could do was stare. A flicker of unease came and went from his eyes, and slowly now he shifted weight. Damn it Raphael bring that damn bag. Leonardo mentally swore with such a harshness that if he had said it aloud, he probably would have shouted it. "Gwen," he spoke with such an insisting manner that it was as though her name was suddenly an order. "You need to stop, you need to fight it back," he stated before a flicker of his own first change rammed into the tendrils of his mind. It had been a violent process and had taken his sanity from him and in all its glory made him ruthless. He'd torn things apart and had all but mauled his mother if Father hadn't been there to stop him and subdue him in the fastest way possible at the time. It was only because of this event that his younger siblings would be monitored as closely as they were- in hopes to mediate the chaos that he had brought forth. No, he wouldn't allow this. Not at all. "You must stop," he insisted again as though he was sure his words had not been enough the first time.

[Raphael G. Mattias]

The Elevator doors opened in the lobby and Raphael rushed out. The security officer at the doors was startled, yet not stunned. His extensive Mattias training kicked in and he lunged at Raphael as he yelled a challenge. Raph was caught off guard and fell with the officer, being tackled to the floor. He hit the floor and rolled onto his back bringing his knee up to his chest knowing that the officer's next move was to try to restrain him with handcuffs. He grappled with the officer who was trying to roll him on his stomach as per procedure. The officer was surprised at Raphael's movements and was even more surprised when he found himself being flung onto his own back. The officer went for his gun, only to have Raphael grab his wrist and twist it out of his grip. He next went for his boot knife, but Raph knew that was the next step and kicked it out of his hand before he fully removed it from the sheath. “You idiot! Don't you know who I am?” Raphael shouted while pinning one arm under his knee and twisting the officers other hand into a painful hold that would break it if Raph chose to increase the force. The officer yelped in pain. The sound of slides being racked and safety's being disengaged on several hand guns amid shouts for Raph to freeze or be shot caused him to stop after sitting up. His back was to the officers who no doubt had their pistols trained on him. Raph turned his head slowly. “Easy, Gentlemen. There has been a mistake. Let us not make any hasty decisions.” Raphael said. His signature crooked smile appeared. So.. Leon's security isn't half bad after all. He thought setting his sights on the ranking officer, and known long time employee. He released his grip on the officer and slowly raised his arms.

The captain recognized Raphael immediately, and although confused, holstered his weapon and ordered the other officer to do the same. “Master Raphael?...” He asked in the confusion before regaining his senses. “Sir. My apologies. We didn't-” He was saying, holding out a hand to help Raphael up. Raph took his hand but cut him short. “Nonsense, Keith. As you now realize, I was testing security. We shall discuss this later. I am pressed for time and must retrieve something. Please keep the elevator ready for my return.” He said, getting to his feet and with a nod, walking away from the men. He stopped and turned to the officer who was being helped off the floor. The man paled expecting to be told he was fired. “My apologies” Raphael said before continuing forward to the exit. The officer simply nodded.

Reaching his bike, he retrieved Gwendolyn's coach bag. The weight of the purse got his attention. He noticed it before when he was handed the bag by his father before leaving the mansion, but didn't dwell on it. Now that he picked it up a second time, he was curious. His hand reached for the zipper only to stop an inch before touching it. Gwendolyn will be angry. This is her personal space. But I need to see if her medication is in there.... He unzipped it after a short pause and looked inside. The contents were not like any of his girlfriends purses. Everything looked organized. There was a smaller bag which no doubt contained her makeup. There was her phone, which displayed multiple missed calls and messages. Another smaller purse with her credit cards, some miscellaneous items, the medication and.... “Bloody hell!” he said out loud. At the bottom of her purse was a compact handgun and an extra magazine. >What the hell is this doing in here< He asked himself. The ammunition looked to be .45 caliber rounds he didn't recognize, and he thought he knew them all. It had to be special stuff. There was an envelope under the weapon. He pulled this out, even as he subconsciously began to walk back to the hotel. Glancing over it quickly he knew that it was his father's doing. No one could get those kinds of documents and waivers but him. Shit... He thought as he started to understand why Gwen would run off. He shoved the paperwork back into the bag and jogged back to the hotel.

He locked Leon's front door behind him and rushed into the bedroom. Raphael slowed hearing his brother and sister talking. He came into the closet and stopped in the doorway, Gwen's bag in hand. The sight before him had him speechless. Gwen was on the floor and was much further along in her transformation. He was shocked. The full moon was not until the evening which was many hours away. She shouldn't be... unless....
>The brat 'wants' to change< He said to himself.

“I have it, Leonardo.” Raphael said, going into her purse as he walked forward to stand over the two of them. His hand briefly touched the pistol. He almost pulled that out instead as he thought of tucking it into his waist. It's just Gwen... she's not a threat... yet. He told himself as he shook his head pulling out the medication. The sight before him had him unnerved, even if he would never admit to it. It was against father's wishes to change. The first change was not to be done until they were 18, at least. Even on the night of the full moon he would take the tranquilizer and sleep through it. Why in god's name would she want to be awake for the change.. He wondered. The first time was always worst. It was slow and agonizingly painful. The body had to learn to transform. Once learned it would get easier and much faster from the second time forward, but that was just a technicality. It was the lack of control that was the problem. She would be feral and uncontrollable without their father there. The alpha was the only one who could help her.

[Gwendolyn D. Mattias]

Gwendolyn was so confused. She just couldn't think, Couldn't understand why Leonardo was taking such a negative stand about this. Had he not gone through the change? He must have. Yet, she couldn't remember him ever mentioning it. She tried to think of any clue to anyone changing at home and came up with nothing. Or was it that she couldn't think of it due to the effort she was putting into keeping control? “I.. I don't understand, Le'... why?” She asked even as another pang of pain doubled her over. This one was short but the burning sensation lingered on. She sat up again, but her body shook continuously.


Gwendolyn saw, heard, and smelled Raphael before he came into the room. The look he gave her started to anger her. Why was everyone acting this way?. She tilted her head at him trying to figure out what “I have it” meant as eyes darted to the medicine bottle in Raphael's hand. Her eyes widened. She'd forgotten to take her supplement since the day of the incident. Gwen realized that those were not just vitamins. They must have something to do with why she never changed before. She gasped realizing that she'd been drugged for all these years. No wonder she was programed to take those damn pills daily without fail. “Another lie!” she hissed at them. Her eyes narrowed and her lips pulled back to show teeth. She was told from a young age that the change would not come until her 18th birthday. The truth was that it was at a much younger age. Why, daddy? She thought as she growled before she could stop herself. She was loosing it. She grit her teeth and briefly closed her eyes to centering herself. “No. I won't take them.” She said in as clear a voice as she could manage with her misshapen mouth while glaring at Raphael. She tried to scamper back but she only managed a shuffle in her current state since there was nowhere to go, Her back pressed against the mirror. She looked at Leon again. “I'm not going to live a lie and hide who I am.” She declared, unable to keep the snarl of hatred from her voice.

[Leonardo K. Mattias]

Leonardo could hear Raphael the moment the door opened to his apartment, and as he came jogging in, the eldest brother did his best to simply focus his eyes strictly on Gwendolyn as though mentally ordering her to stop. As she asked why, he just frowned deeper. He didn't speak back but mentally pressed a 'don't question me' look onto his visage. The words that escaped from Raphael the minute he came into the closet area were enough to draw a soft sigh from Leon. Good. They'd be able to deal with this then, at least. Gwendolyn's gasp shut these thoughts down immediately though, and a part of him mentally swore thereafter as he himself came to the realization that she would now understand what they were for. Gwen's hiss thereafter caused a growl to reverberate in Leonardo's throat. A part of him wanted to slap her right then and there for such words. It had been for her own good, their own good- the family's good, to keep it regulated, to keep this wolf from taking over, to keep from changing. Even if it was all his father's doing, Leonardo didn't quite care then and there. It kept things in control, and in that moment, Leonardo was fighting for control of the situation that was threatening to unravel quickly.

As Gwen moved backwards pressing herself onto the mirror, Leonardo stood up to full height again extending his good arm back to Raphael waiting for the medicine. Gwen's words didn't faze Leonardo in the least in that moment. "You will take them," he stated flatly once more reflecting the visage and stance of his father. Such authority reverberated in him as nothing short of an alpha, and in an ironic twist of fate, even if his mind feared it, his spirit claimed his inheritance in full and a place much akin to none other than Mitchel Mattias. "Siamo Mattias prima e l'ultima," (We are Mattias first and last) he stated flatly. "Che è quello che siamo," (that is who we are). For a few seconds, his eyes remained frozen in a leer before Leonardo stepped forwards whether having taken the medicine or not. "Now stop this at once." he ordered.

Meanwhile somewhere in the mid-ground to background of Leonardo's very mind something was heaving. All too quickly, in the moment of panic, he had allowed that darkness to enter his heart again. Leonardo was more than a little aware of the fact those words, that stance, and his own actions were not his own. They were what his father would say- were what he had been trained to say. He had allowed himself to be taken over again like the sand upon a shifting tide, and yet this sudden change drew confusion out of him. Was he truly himself? Was he being the big brother that had been shattered and who tried to rebuild his mind? Why had he not been able to lock that up? Why at a moment's notice had he shouldered something that was not his? Why was he allowing the training to take him? Was this just Mitchel's doing or was it truly who he was? Slowly but surely, Leonardo's heart was becoming once more confused and confounded. In one night he had become his own self-analyst in a new light, and in the recourse he realized just how little control he had over himself. Gomdanitall.

[Raphael G. Mattias]

Raphael stared down at the half wolf half girl below him and grimaced at her words to her brother asking him 'why' and 'I don't understand'. The words echoed in his head and for a moment he didn't see the misshapen girl-turning-wolf. He saw the little girl that looked up at him dozens of times and asked the same question of him as he tried his best to please his father by caring for his fathers most precious possession. He'd tried his best to set aside his prejudices, but he couldn't stop being bitter. Not after he'd felt so wronged by her very existence, a mistake that should have been shunned and not embraced. Not while she robbed him of his rightful place amongst his brothers and had him reduced to a what amounted to a nanny. A man-servant. Raphael was charged with her upbringing and he'd done the best he could for love of his father, yet he still felt the bitterness, but now at the same time he felt something else; Pity. The innocence of an ignorant child being shattered pulled at something within him. Yes, he'd lied. She was a child after all. It was for her own good.

The child's eyes widening brought his mind back to the present and the gasp of her realization snapped him out of this thinking. The contempt she was displaying in her hissed accusation and her blatant arrogance as she stated what she would do made his features harden. For the first time ever he saw her 'hate' and for a second the girl was not the sweet little girl he remembered. Even though he understood that it was the wolf and not his half-sibling his temper flared. “How dare you...” Raphael started to say only to stop as Leonardo rose to his full height. His brother's arm extended back and Raph knew to pop the cap off the bottle and place it in the outstretched hand.

Something happened then that had him taking a step back. Something changed in his brother and though not aimed at him, he could feel the power behind the words Leonardo spoke. He had only had a taste minutes ago when he botched his security test and almost gotten himself shot and stabbed. Leonardo asked him to explain his actions and Raphael had taken notice, yet quickly dismissed it. Now there was no dismissing what he was feeling. The authority cascaded off Leonardo in waves as he spoke. The words demanded attention. Commanded obedience. Followed by a prestige that only his father had instilled. A promise of subversion if not heeded.

Raphael's eyes left Gwendolyn's and darted to Leonardo. Where the hell did that come from! Father is still alpha. He has to relinquish this to you, doesn't he?.... there couldn't be two alphas?... could there? He could only think at the moment. He had allot of questions and even more he wanted to say, but now was not the time. He would have words with his brother later. Raphael's attention returned to Gwendolyn.

[Gwendolyn D. Mattias]

Gwendolyn glared at the men before her. Her back was to the wall and her body was not responding properly to her due to the phase of 'in-between' She was in. Hearing her brother growl made anger build up within her and with that, her vision clouded into a red haze. The men before her became a threat and the dilation of her eyes told them that she'd lost recognition of who they were. Gwens head snapped left and right. There was nowhere else to go. She was cornered and looking to escape them. The man closest to her rose from his kneeling position to tower over her. She saw the man reach back with a hand and a flash of memory reminded her that he had a gun. She knew the gun would cause her harm and fear set in as she looked about frantic for a way out. Panic reared its ugly head when she realized there was no other way out. No other way, except 'through' the threat. She snarled and barked a warning as she rocked forward into a crouch. She was no longer of human mind. It was wolf, worse, It was feral. Growling fiercely it prepared to lunge at the men.

'You will take them' The man said and the words burned themselves into its mind. Sharp pain caused by sudden pressure shot through the wolf, but it was a different pain. It was mental more than physical. A pressure so intense that it forced it's head to drop as it found it could no longer look at the man. The wolf fought to raise its head to look at its foe. How could it defend itself without being able to see the enemy. Something familiar about the sensation reminded the wolf that it had a master, but while familiar, the man's voice was not what it remembered so it fought. The more it fought the more pain stabbed at it. The man continued to speak 'We are Matias first and last' and every word burned its mind like a hot poker being pushed into its skull. The wolf yelped in pain, whimpering as it fell over and writhed on the floor, still unable to comprehend what was happening. 'That is who we are' echoed like thunder off solid walls and the wolf finally ceased its fight. The wolf learned that it was not in charge. It learned that it was a subordinate to a much more powerful entity. A new master. 'Alpha' flickered into its mind and it new it must obey this new master even though it knew that there was a first master also. The pain stopped when the wolf accepted its place below the man. It calmed and laid at the feet of the men with one last whimper.

'Now stop this at once' Its master ordered, and like a switch being thrown, the wolf departed and Gwendolyn gasped regaining herself. She blinked her eyes rapidly as her pupils returned to normal and picked her head up and looked up at her brothers. With recognition came tears as she remembered everything in vivid detail. How she'd behaved. What she'd said, and what she was about to do. It was her, yet not her. Confused,she looked at them, shifting her gaze from one to the other and saw judgment in those eyes. She'd lost control way back when Raphael came through the door with the pizzas. No... That was when she began to go feral. Loosing it was before that. It came gradualy when she found herself hungry and drooling over the prospect of food. Everything that happened from then on was the wolf. Even while she still had rational thought and assumed she was in control of herself, she wasn't. It was all a fantasy within the nightmare. She'd lost before she ever comprehended something was not right. Before she realized she needed to think of fighting for herself.

That realization sent her into sobs and spasms of guilt as she realized how close she'd come to hurting her brothers. Leonardo was right all along. Gwendolyn looked away in shame. She knew she would not be able to stand so she wanted to get to hands and knees and crawl forward to embrace one of each of their legs and beg them not to hate her. Beg for their forgiveness. But that was not what a Mattias would do. It was what a child would do. While she knew she was not a child, she was not yet an adult either. While she had much yet to learn, she was Mattias and so she would act like one. She wiped at the tears and willed herself to stop sobbing. She picked herself up to a sitting position and brought her knees to her chest and wrapped her arms around her legs. How they must hate her now. My behavior has been atrocious. I have no explanation. There is nothing I can say in my defense. Except... how sorry I am. She thought, wanting to say the words but afraid of what she would sound like with the memory of speaking wolf still fresh. Could she even speak human now? She sighed. An unwanted tear rolling down her cheek. She put her head down on her knees and waited. She deserved whatever was coming to her. She'd broken father's laws. Perhaps thats what some of the pain of changing was. She could only speculate while she waited, and as she did so, she began to feel herself change back. Slight pressure made her remember about Leo's first command and slowly raised her hand, and though painful due to its deformity, turned her palm out to accept her medication.

[Leonardo K. Mattias]

Somewhere deep inside his chest, Leonardo's heart wretched, and his stomach churned. He hadn't even realized that adrenaline had slipped into his system so easily- an affect of stress that was threatening to splinter his personality. Questions and concerns as to who he was to speak in this way, especially when he knew very well that their father was alive and was still the alpha of this family, clashed heavily with a heightened compulsion to seize something that he felt had been handed down to him for years. A part of him wanted to depart from his father's influence, to define himself as he truly was. The other part was more than ready to visualize something that he had just caught a glimpse of in his own personality- a shimmering shard reflection of his father. He knew it was there and was caught between wanting to dig it out and to nourish it. He was Leonardo Mattias, son of Mitchel Mattias, and future head of the Mattias family and gun business. He was also the child that had wanted more than anything to reflect the vision his father had for him- the child that would warp his personality for that man. However, now his heart shot back fears and accusations- anger and fresh wounds as well as old. Why did he even have to be doing this?

And yet he had to do it. Even as she snarled and barked at him, Leonardo knew what he was having to say and having to do. He would not back down. It was too rubbed into the very fiber of his being to back down. Instead, he took a sharper stance, as though he were willing to fight if it had to come to that. What exactly was rising up in the veins of the man who wouldn't fight even in a sparing match because it was 'too lowly' of a sport for him none could be quite sure. However, it seemed that this was not necessary, his words, and the force behind them, seemed to be having some sort of affect. What exactly was happening, Leon knew not, yet some part of himself simply ordered him to stand strong in that moment, and thus he did so. As Gwen's head dropped, something in Leon clicked. This... this was more than just his father's words. He was pulling at Father's authority... as alpha. Something rippled in Leon, a brief uncertainty at this newest realization. Gwendolyn's last motion, to simply lay at his feet caused Leonardo's eyes to grow. It was a subordinate motion, and...

Before he could finish his thoughts, Gwendolyn had come back to herself. Her motion thereafter was enough to signal that, and slowly but surely, Leonardo's pulse began to drop down once again to a more stable level. He was aware of a ringing in his ears, and as he stood there, for a few seconds, Leonardo simply couldn't move. Even as Gwendolyn began to sob and looked away, Leonardo continued to stare at her without moving. However, as she began to move and draw herself inwards again, Leo slowly began to breathe again. What tension had started to run through him was now all but finished. As the hand was raised palm facing upwards, Leonardo understood and simply set the container in Gwendolyn's hand thereafter. Silence reigned for a short time as Leon drew what he could up into himself to try and compose what had been a breach of personality. After a moment, Leonardo looked sideways towards Raphael. "Grazie, fratello," (thank you, brother) he sighed after a moment wearing an expression of almost exhaustion- as if that had taken much more out of him than he had intended, which was honestly true in that moment.

After a moment, he slowly bent down to Gwen again. He didn't know what to say then and there. Words were beyond him now that orders were said and thanks was given. He could yell at her, tell her never to do that again, yet what good would it do? None what so ever. Instead, he leaned forwards and simply drew Gwen up into a sideways hug squeezing her briefly before letting go again and standing up and turning around. "I need to make a phone call, Raphael, please see to Gwen," were the words that spilled out. It was far from an order and carried none of the authority that Leon had once commanded but a second ago. It sounded wounded, as if the words were escaping from a suffering man rather than one who was healthy.

[Raphael G. Mattias]

Raphael could only watch the spectacle that unfolded before him. He stood frozen watching Gwen going feral and loosing herself to the wolf. The shock of witnessing the transformation from the outside had him frozen and would have made him an easy target to the attack that almost happened. He witnessed the wolf fight a battle with his brother that it had lost even before the battle even began. The poor beast. The pain it went through. It should never had happened. Not like this. Father was alpha. Gwen would have responded to him immediately. To be forced like that. Bent to the will of a second alpha... He could only guess at how this would play out in the future. How would Gwen handle conflicting commands? What would such an even do to her?.

He bore witness to the wolf being tamed and its departure. He stared at Gwen as she looked up at him teary eyed and scared and didn't know he was scowling at her until she looked away and started to flat out cry. Her sobs thawed him and he relaxed his features. His hand rose and reached out to stop her as she wiped at her eyes to get rid of the tears. He was sure she was going to rip her face to shreds with those nails, but she didn't use her fingers. She used the back of her hands, and so he lowered his hand and stopped his lunge forward. She took a deep breath and composed herself and Raph knew she'd come full circle. She sat up and pulled her knees to her chest and then held her hand out for the medication.

Raphael said nothing as his brother thanked him for his help. He merely nodded unable to take his eyes off his sister. Leonardo's next action of bending to her and giving her a hug finally made him lower his gaze. His neutral expression changed to a frown of dis-approval. Leonardo had changed, and he didn't like the new Leonardo who was so alien now. 'The girl should be punished.' flashed into his thoughts. But no sooner had he said it, it felt wrong. He regretted thinking it and his hands at his sides curled into fists. 'Who's the real monster here?. She's suffered enough. Why am I like this towards her?' He thought. His hands relaxed again at his sides when Leonardo stood. His blue eyes met Leon's brown ones upon him turning. Raphael's breath caught even as he nodded. 'What has happened to you, Leonardo.' He thought. His eyes returned Gwen. He felt anger start to rise at the girl at his feet. His hands clenched into fists again as he thought that once again he was to play nanny to her. His eyes widened as he caught himself once more. He sighed letting go of the baseless anger. She needed him. “Yes, Leon. Of course” he answered as Leon walked away. “che cosa hai fatto, fratello maggiore” (what have you done, big brother) he whispered once Leon walked through the door to the other room, not intending him to hear the words.

Gwendolyn hadn't moved. Her small body trembled lightly but otherwise, she didn't move. Raphael took a knee before her and slowly reached out to take the medication bottle from her outstretched hand. He shook a pill into her palm and was surprised to see Gwen's brown eyes rise up to meet his blue ones. 'God... she looks so lost' He thought meeting her gaze. “th-three. One b-blue one” she said slowly, moving her mouth in an exaggerated manner as she tried to make her mouth and vocal cords work properly. She grit her teeth and winced and Raphael knew she was feeling pain the of transformation.

Raphael stared at her not moving. Even in her deformed state between wolf and human, she was still cute, in a way. He thought back to the past. At the little girl who always smiled, even when he'd loose his patience with her and was less than a model guardian. He could never stay angry with her. No one could, except for mother. She always did something adorable and managed to disarm his anger. He remembered himself softening his reactions, yet keeping to his vow not to accept her as his sister. He'd always been there with an encouraging word and a helping hand. He almost smiled at the memories. Almost. He also remembered peeling her off him when she hugged him. Her look of confusion at his disapproving frown at her showing him affection. She'd always smile again after, but he knew he'd gotten his point across.

He shook his head to clear the memories. “phlease” He heard Gwen say, even if somewhat distorted. He locked eyes with her again and understood that she must have taken his shake of the head as him refusing to give her three pills. He already knew what she would do. They were time release suspension pills. She would chew one to get the full days effect immediately and swallow the other for the prolonged release. The blue one was the tranquilizer. She was supposed to take it on the night of the full moon. 'tonight' he thought and nodded at her, dispensing the pills she requested.

She smiled weakly at him. God, she looked so tired. Raphael waited for her to take her medication and he reached out without and swept her into his arms, picking her up. “Alright little one. Off to bed with you” He said like he used to when she was little. He saw her eyes widen as she put her arms around his neck without protest or any other words. Raphael carried her to Leonardo's bed. He tried to set her down but the arms around his neck tightened instead. He felt her shutter and moisture on his chest. He could have put her down, but he found that he didn't want to.
Raphael held on and waited.

[Leonardo K. Mattias]

Despite his own wills, Leonardo's keep hearing caught Raphael's faintest whisper, but he ignored it, refusing to accept the question that had been posed to him then and there least it snap him perfectly into two halves. Instead, he stepped out of his bedroom and closed the door behind him. Taking a few steps, he moved towards the kitchen only to stop short as his heart involuntarily clenched. Before he realized it, Leonardo found himself on hands and knees staring intently at the lines on floor. Despite his injured shoulder, his arm had slipped from its sling to catch him alongside the other one. All and all, it made a gentle thud noise- as if someone had stepped too hard for their own good or in order to make a point during a conversation. Leonardo's own words spoken only minutes ago rang in his ears, and he was aware that he was sucking in a good deal of air as though trying to calm it. His muscles contracted causing his nails to scratch haphazardly on the tile of the kitchen for a moment, and a sharp pain from his shoulder reminded him that he had injuries.

As quickly as the moment had come, it was gone again. Leonardo felt his body relax and was forced to quickly contract again in order to keep himself upright. Slowly forcing himself to stand up from where he had fallen, Leonardo breathed in deeply his fee hand reaching upwards to his chest. What the hell was that? he mentally hissed unable to speak the words as they came. He felt heavy, as if his body had taken on a new weight pulling him downwards, and he was aware of a ringing no persisting in his ears. Slowly finishing his stride into the kitchen, Leonardo turned and did something he often scrutinized others for: sat on the counter. Fishing out one of his phones, Leonardo hit the first call number. "Buona sera, Padre," (Good evening, Father).

There was a brief silence on the other line for a moment- as though Mitchel himself was trying to determine what to say in response. Leonardo was vaguely aware of it, though, his mind returning to the matter that had occurred just a second ago before his thoughts were cut by a reply. "Buona sera, Leonardo," was the initial reply back. "Non suono bene. Sei malato?" (You do not sound well. Are you ill?) was the question posed thereafter. Though his mind was jagged and confused, Leonardo was perceptive enough in that moment to catch the estranged amount of concern in his father's voice. It should have been easy to accept the man he called father was worried about him, yet in Leo's skeptic mind he found it hard for a moment. Pushing it from his mind, he resolved to answer.

"Inviato Raffaello a Gwendolyn. Te L'avevo detto che avrebbe portato il suo ritorno," (You sent Raphael here to bring Gwendolyn back. I told you I would bring her back later.) he stated with an amount of bluntness that he would never have thought to in the situation at hand. "I did not appreciate a surprise guest, Father," he continued refusing to allow Mitchel a chance to refute or rebuttle just yet. There was a moment of silence on the phone, and though he was distinctly aware of the fact that he should rightfully be lectured for having used such a tone and accusatory mannerisms with not only his father but his alpha, Leonardo was already preparing some spiteful comeback to whatever was coming next. He was feeling more bold than usual, to say the least of it, but then again so much was happening that he was aware it would take him too long to get out what he meant by other means.

"Non usare quel tono di voce con me. HO inviato Raffaello come una prova, come immagino che lei è già a conoscenza," (Do not use that tone of voice with me. I sent Raphael as a test as well, as I assume you are already aware.) was the reply. Leonardo had to fight the growl that was threatening to come to his throat. However, the tone of his father's voice claimed authority, and he would bow to that whether he wished for it or not. He had expected to be reprimanded after all. It still drove a scowl to his face, and Leonardo was briefly thankful he was not face to face with the man.

"Mi perdoni, Padre," Leonardo murmured raising a hand and pinching the uprooted junction between his eyes and trying to remember that he needed to be civil. He needed to be civil. That outburst was unacceptable, and he knew that. Then why could he not care right then and there? Once again Leonardo was aware that his heart was pounding in his ears, and he suddenly felt nauseous. "FARÒ Gwendolyn e Raphael casa stasera," (I will bring Raphael and Gwendolyn home tonight) he murmured after a moment. His stomach was churning again, and despite being tall, Leonardo fought the urge to curl up right then and there on the counter.

[Gwendolyn D. Mattias]

Gwendolyn never felt so helpless in her entire life. She was scared. More than even the assassination attempt. She was caught in the stages between transformation that left her vulnerable as a newborn. She couldn't walk or stand. Couldn't speak properly, and her body trembled uncontrollably no mater how much she willed it not to. If this had happened anywhere else but on Mattias property she may have been killed. Even though she saw herself as beautiful though 'disfigured' by the slow initial transformation, she knew she would be seen as a monster to normal humans. She stared at the bottle in her hand and thought how useless and futile it was. She knew she could not open the child-proof cap with her hands the way they were. Raphael taking the bottle from her brought her eyes up to meet his. She felt so pitiful. She tried her best to speak English when she requested what she needed. He just stared and she looked away in shame. What must he be thinking? Was she a monster to him? No... they were the same. He wouldn't think that of her, would he?

Her eyes looked up at the youngest of her older brothers, begging for what she calculated to be the proper dosage of the medication she should have been taking all along to reverse her transformation, she reflected upon what she'd done. 'How did it all go so wrong?' she asked herself. If it was just a failure on her part, she may have considered it a life lesson. Something she could use to improve upon. But things were not that simple. Not any more. The web encompassed more than just her. Her brother Leonardo was forced to do something unthinkable to save her. She didn't fully understand yet, but Raphael's last whispered words that had been caught by her super sensitive hearing were still echoing in her mind. 'What have you done, big brother' She knew it had something to do with Leon going Alpha. How could she have been so stupid? She thought she could retain control on her own without the help she knew now she desperately needed. How naïve she'd been. Lost in a dream turned nightmare and unable to tell the difference between realities. Not being able to tell she'd lost and was no longer in control of herself.

She came back to herself briefly when she felt the pills she'd requested dispensed into her waiting hand. Gwen did her best to smile, but she was utterly spent. She chewed one and swallowed the others and prayed for them to start to work quickly. At this point she just wanted it all to be over. She was so exhausted. She had no hope of standing, let alone walk out of the room, so she let her thoughts drift back to what she was thinking before.

How? What could have caused this? How was she caught so unaware? The answer was there yet she could not see it. She let her thoughts travel back to when her innocence was taken from her. For when the world changed forever. She'd been unhinged by her vulnerability in the attempted assassination. Of the fact that her brother came close to loosing his life in her defense. She was angry with herself for being so weak. Angry at her brother and family for their shunning of what they were. She thought that if she'd had use of her god given ability to transform into her werewolf self, she may have made a difference. She or her Leonardo could have torn that monster that attacked them to shreds. She could have saved Leonardo the injuries that weakened him to this day. But she knew she wouldn't be able to transform until her 18th birthday. Its what she was told and what she thought to be true. She made a decision that day in the waiting room at the mansion. Even though she would not remember her choices the next day having woken from her sleep next to Leonardo. She made the decision to become stronger. To never be put in the situation where she'd cower from an enemy again.

With that resolved she'd given in to exhaustion and her subconscious mind weighed her options and boundaries. Gwen had no real knowledge of the other effects of her 'multivitamin supplement'. She didn't know, but her body knew, and her mind speculated and hypothesized. She worked out a solution that in order to work, would require that that Gwendolyn would have to forget an initial task. It was the only way to circumvent an order of the alpha of the family. She would not be able to do it otherwise. Her mind simply blocked out the existence of the object and the task of taking it. She'd awakened the next day and it was as if she'd never been given the task of taking the pills. Even when she looked in her purse and looking directly at the bottle, would not recognize what it was or its purpose. Mind over matter in its truest form. It was the only working theory she had of the events that led to his day. It was the beginning of her undoing.

She felt an arm slide under her knees and the other under her arms. The cool air brushed past her face and fluffed her hair as she was lifted off the cold hard floor. Looking up into her Raph's face, she saw the familiar crooked smile she loved. His voice rang out sing-song with familiar words that gave her comfort and joy. She put her arms around his neck and gave in to her emotions. There was nothing more she could do. No more will or energy left for her to try to be more 'Mattias' like. She cried, unable to do anything else. "ti amo"(I love you) she whispered weakly as her thoughts spiraled into ineligible gibberish before darkness took her in a dreamless narcotic induced sleep.

Raphael sighed as her arms let go and hung flopped limply at her sides. He kissed her forehead and laid his sibling on Leon's bed. He pulled the comforter over her and stared at the sleeping form. He found it unusual that his mind was blank as he watched her. Tears continued to flow from her eyes as he watched.

Minutes later he turned and walked out of the bedroom into the living room. He closed the door gently and spoke, knowing Leon was there. “She's finally asleep, Leon. I hope you don't mind that I put her in your bed. I could not just leave her on the floor. She was in no shape...” He stopped talking curious as to why Leon was not acknowledging him and turned to look for his brother. He found him leaning heavily on the counter in the kitchen. He did not look well at all. “fratello, stai bene? ciò che è sbagliato?” (Brother, are you well? What is wrong?)

[Leonardo K. Mattias]

A few words would be stated between father and son before Leonardo would hang up the phone only to remain hunched on the counter there. His head spun as words and the room became synchronized ballet pairs twisting one way and the other to make for a chaotic harmony. He felt ill- though it was not his stomach more than his head but his entire body as a whole crumbling like a weathered rock. Somewhere in the back of his mind he was aware he needed to get off the counter, to compose himself again in order to talk to Raphael. However, he made no motion to do so and instead remained where he was even as the sounds of his brother's voice and his feet finally caught his ringing ears. Brother, are you well? What is wrong? The translation came to Leonardo's mind despite the fact that it was not his first language and despite the fact he arguably understood it better in Italian anyways. Looking up, Leonardo stared at Raphael for a moment seeing him but not seeing him.

"Nulla è sbagliato. IO sono solo stanco," (Nothing is wrong. I am simply tired.) he replied back slowly. However, just as he made to shove himself off the counter and stand upright with the new compulsion to get off fully in his mind, Leonardo found his legs refused to sustain him. As feet hit the floor- just a little ways down considering his long legs, Leonardo stood for about a second before they gave way under him causing knees to hit the floor before hands moved again to catch Leonardo. His heart pounded in his ears, and haphazardly Leonardo shut his eyes. Fratello, chiamare un'ambulanza. Penso che sto avendo un attacco di cuore," (Brother, call an ambulance. I think I ma having a heart attack.) were the words that escaped from Leonardo.