Greenwich Territory Claim

[youronlylaw]

1. (OPEN)

James and Cowards talks had been...rather good for both parties in his opinion. They had actually managed to overcome the ire between their respective factions to make arrangements. At first, they had just been the promise of support against the Fae; little things that they could disavow if needs be and pretend never happened to save their own skins.

James had already let the pack know what was happening - and was very happy that the reaction was positive. He may have omitted who was helping him, just to keep the bloodshed at a minimum. Letting the vampires in Greenwich know, however, was a lot less easy. He had decided to make it the announcement in person, going to each and every vampire's nest to tell them they had until the full moon to leave Greenwich. That was more than fair, he thought.

Millicent wasn't informed however, and that was the worst part about this. That it could all blow up in his face in the form of a bullet in his face was inducing a tension headache.

Gone were the days of claiming sick and going home for a day, though. If he was going to be Alpha - and he wanted to - this was where he had to show his true colors.

Anyone in Greenwich could catch him during any time of the day; though he would be more willing to chat during his breaks for food or at the end of the day when it was time to call it a night.

2. (OPEN)

Good Lord, some of these vampires were horrifying. And not in the blood sucking kind of way. James didn't have to worry about that. In his experience, most wouldn't deign to drink from a werewolf. Which was just fine with him. But this one was a total nightmare in every other respect.

She was old, turned in the 1900's when she was in her seventies by her lover - or so his sources said. She was also apparently terrified of the outside world and had enough money to be so.

There was no tolerating vampires inside werewolf territory though. She had to go, or the pack would figure out how to make her leave through less pleasant means. James didn't want to start with threats, which meant something much less direct. James knocked for the fifth time on her cramped townhouse door.

"Madame St Just, I would like to speak with you. Please open up!"

There was a slight pause, then shrieked from what sounded like the second floor:

"Go away you filthy mongrel! I'll have none of your carpetbagging here!"

Ugh.

"...Madame I can assure you I --"

James didn't even get to finish before she snapped back.

"I said go away."

This was going to take all day at this rate.

3. (OPEN)

Finally having cleared out every vampire nest in Greenwich, James decided (with a little nudging from Skip) to host a celebratory dinner for the pack. It wasn't a formal affair; something easy and fun with plenty of benign food that generally appealed to everyone. The only caveat was that no vampires were allowed to attend - which made sense publicly. But James wondered if any of them knew they had a vampire to thank for this new territory?

Probably not. And it wasn't exactly something he wanted the pack to know either. Especially when it meant his candidacy for Alpha being on the line.

Coward would never get credit for basically handing them Greenwich. Something he felt would come back to bite him in the end.

At least for now they could celebrate. Live in the moment, as he kept being told by a really unbelievable number of people.

James isn't much of a party person though - and can be found away from the more crowded areas of the event.

4. (for Alex)

As easy as it had been to secure Greenwich, that didn't mean that there wasn't at least a small number of vampires who were greatly opposed to the idea of giving up a long disputed territory to the East End Pack of all groups. Still, James had managed to convince a great number of them that this was at least better than the Fae taking over it in the future.

But - as always - there were those who were a little less easy to convince. Those that force was the only thing that would make them back down.

So he gave up being a talker for a few nights in the following weeks and joined in the patrols of Betas that had risen up to protect their newly claimed territory.

One girl in particular was new to the area. James thought it'd be only fitting to do one with her personally, just to cement any bonds.

Plus it'd be a great way to figure out if she were spying on them. Just because he and Coward had a mutual understand didn't mean he trusted the man.

5. (OPEN)

The one bad part about becoming a more public figure in the pack was that he had to set an example for other wolves. This meant he had to say goodbye to taking risks and using the forest for the full moons so he could avoid being chained up all night, which really wasn't a bad choice.

It was just his one outlet for freedom. And now that was gone too.

James didn't know exactly where to go to find this kind of stuff. It was all so medieval. Wall mounted chains? Come on.

He was going to a hardware store to start. How to restrain yourself wasn't exactly something he had gotten to talk about with the werewolf that turned him.

6.

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2

[dredefulchilde]

There was a small boy standing off to the side, watching James struggle with obvious amusement. When Madam St. Just tried to send the werewolf packing yet again, he couldn't help but giggle derisively.

Joscelin had promised not to get involved, but that didn't mean he couldn't point and laugh while a werewolf failed utterly. He'd learned to appreciate the simpler things in his old age.

"She's just a kid," he pointed out eventually. Obnoxiously. "Taking this house away is like stealing a favorite teddy bear."

[youronlylaw]

James whipped around at the sound of a child giggling. From the looks of him, he was probably a vampire. Which meant his guard had to be up. And that he couldn't be as rude as he wanted to. Lest he fuck this up. So he smiles, and talks through his teeth.

"I intend to give her a bigger 'teddy bear'."

True he's working against sentimentality. But that doesn't mean he can't do it. He was a pretty good lawyer after all. James starts talking at the door again.

"Madame, were you aware that your husband's family has a mansion just outside of Kingston?"

A pause. The sound of someone stepping downstairs and the door was cracked open a touch.

"What?"

Good. The hook was in.

[dredefulchilde]

Joscelin merely yawned, feigning boredom.

"You're being awfully nice for an uncivilized dog. It's almost like you've got someone else holding your lead. Oh wait, you do."

He grinned, showing off a bit of fang.

"My, my. Lord Coward's got himself a pet. How does it feel to be in league with your species' sworn enemy?"

[youronlylaw]

James jaw tightens visibly at the jab. It's a hindrance, having such a temper, and he knows it. But that doesn't mean James won't try to work around it as best he can. Especially when there was someone else watching. Madame St Just's presence was all that kept him in check.

"Excuse me," He demurred to Joscelin before turning back to pay attention to the problem at hand.

He explained to her at length that unless someone claim it, the mansion would go to public auction for a fraction of it's price - thanks to her husband's family going bankrupt. Unfortunate proceedings, but these things did happen.

It helped that his firm was facilitating the auction - but she didn't need to know that.

"They can't do that! I'll claim it!" The old woman nodded angrily, as if that would make everything work out.

"That's excellent!"

Now to convince her to move there as well.

[dredefulchilde]

"How do you suppose you're going to do that, Edna?" Joscelin called sweetly. "It's a bit hard to claim familial relationship when you're meant to have died before the Great War." Of course, the Nest had its own resources to call upon in such a case; it was how Coward had gotten his peerage back, after all.

Still, no need to let technicalities get in the way of his fun. Teasing wolves was a particular pastime of his.

"Don't let the wolf trick you, Edna. He just wants to move some more of his friends into your lovely home."

3

[wolfmarked]

The party was, essentially, her doing, and Skip took it as an actual responsibility. At least the mingling. Unlike the prospective new alpha, she was in the heart of the goings on. She spoke to everyone, thanked them for coming, filled their glasses. The men, she flirted with and stroked their egos. The women, she spoke of little things in the community.

Ultimately, though, she was something like a politician's wife. She knew everyone, and made sure everyone knew her. And she never missed an opportunity (without shoving it down their throats) to remind them who was to thank for this victory.

After the first two hours, she flitted up to James's side with a grin and a glass of wine. "Better watch out, y'know. They might be expectin' a speech."

[youronlylaw]

James smiled fondly at her as she sidled up to him. This would have been a complete and total disaster without her helping him arrange everything from the menu to the venue. She seemed to like party planning. Which was just fine with him.

Seemed Skip had her uses more than as a promising marriage. Not that she knew she was talking to her fiance. The fiance she was cheating on. With him.

God, this was a mess. But a fun one.

"Well I'm pretty good at talking out of my ass."

His grin turned self-deprecating. He knew his stereotypes.

[wolfmarked]

"Oh! There's the man of the hour!"

Skip glanced at the woman speaking. She was in her late fifties and had her hair dyed a brilliant blonde that didn't look natural in the slightest. Instantly, Skip stepped forward. When she spoke, there was no trace of the crass Irish girl. She sounded, actually, like she'd been born and raised in Chelsea.

"Missus Stanton, please. Allow me to introduce you to Mister Memon. Mister Memon, Janice Stanton. She's the wife of Mortimer Stanton, the man who owns the youth centre down the street."

"Miss Hughes," Janice said, shaking Skip's hand briefly before allowing it to be offered to James, "it's wonderful to see you here."

[youronlylaw]

James was impressed with his own self restraint in that moment. Firstly because someone dared to call Skip by her real name, and secondly because of that accent. It was convincing yes, but it was like watching a pig recite the alphabet.

Some things just weren't supposed to happen.

Still, he he knew what his response needed to be.

"Thank you for coming Missus Stanton, it's a pleasure to meet you."

4

[facethewolves]

Alex was still extremely unsure of where she fit into the pack. She'd been alone and on the run for so long that being a part of something felt almost unnatural, and while she wanted to feel like she belonged, it was a slow process. She'd gone patrolling by herself every night this week. It made her feel like she was doing something useful while not having to actually interact with anyone.

Tonight, she wasn't alone, and that made her a lot more wary and on edge than usual. She didn't think James would attack her or anything, but her instinct to defend herself from everyone, no matter how unlikely they were to be a threat, overrode the sense of comradeship she might normally feel for a packmate. As she walked through the dark streets, keeping an eye out for vampires, she also watched James, sizing up how fast and strong he looked and whether she could take him in a fight if he started one.

[youronlylaw]

James could feel Alex's occasional glances at him. He didn't mind them. It was understandable - he did the same thing when he'd been introduced into the pack. James didn't look particularly intimidating. Underneath his suits he was more wiry than anything - but size meant nothing with a wolf. His real strength was that of his ability to talk to people. Of which he was doing very little with Alex - something he would like to change.

"Coffee?"

He nodded to the small 24/7 hole in the wall on the other side of the street. It was cold enough to warrant something warm.

[facethewolves]

Alex didn't stop for another few feet until she hit the next corner. She peered around it, then back at James, reluctantly lingering there with her hands jammed into her jacket pockets as her gaze shifted towards the little shop they'd just passed. It was cold and late, and coffee would be nice, but patrolling was supposed to be patrolling, not sitting down for a drink or strolling along with a nice hot beverage. And, of course, there was also the threat of uncomfortable small talk that came with coffee.

"Shouldn't we finish going through this area before we take a break?" she asked, a little awkwardly, as she took another step away from the shop.

[youronlylaw]

"Not a multitasker?"

James was hoping they could patrol and drink at the same time. If only to loosen the ice a bit. But Alex, it seemed, was bent on duty first. It was a good quality to have. One he wanted to make sure was a universal trait in all his pack members. Alex would be good for that.

3

[whatmatters]

Ringer heard rumor of a celebratory dinner in Greenwich for the East End Pack's latest claim. It hadn't occurred to her to care until a loose tongue at the Hillingdon House mentioned the name behind it: James Memon. She had stupidly assumed he was an unaligned human when questioning him at the courthouse. Learning he was part of the East End Pack had been a surprise, one that cast new suspicion on the death of the vampire he was defending. But learning that the territory had been granted to him specifically brought forth a slew of questions she felt needed addressing.

It was the only reason she made her way to the party that night, elegantly dressed and, for once, almost entirely unarmed. The small silver rings were buried well enough in her purse not to draw casual attention from the werewolves, but anyone she spoke with at length might begin to catch scent of them, which is why she keeps to the walls and makes an active effort not to speak to anyone at any length.

It's surprising to her how hard it is to find the man of the hour and she's almost given up when she turns the corner and nearly bumps into someone. Ringer takes a step back, ready to apologize to the man in the otherwise empty hall when she realizes who it is.

"I was looking for you," she blurts out without proper thought.

[youronlylaw]

"My favorite cousin," he smiled, looking a little tired but happy enough to see her. He had no idea why she wanted to talk to him - but hopefully it wasn't to act out on a sudden anti-werewolf line of thought.

"What can I do for you?"

Eyes were on him, and he needed to appear diplomatic at all times. This was a much less vulnerable version of James than what she was privy to that day.

ignore that bit about the silver, I forget they don't affect werewolves

[whatmatters]

Ringer was less than amused. With his full attention on her and the sudden realization as to how on top of his game he was now after the vulnerability of their last meeting, she began to panic a little. The girl focused on remaining calm, trying to sort through the complicated melange of questions running through her mind.

Although not timid, Ringer definitely wasn't quite so bold as she was during their last meeting, being in the East End company having her on edge. She was smart enough to understand her place and when she was in a dangerous situation.

"I came to ask you some questions," She replied carefully. After a beat, she added, "If you have a moment."

no worries~

[youronlylaw]

"Sure." Here, he wasn't worried about someone attempting to murder him. Too many wolves and not enough places to hide where they couldn't find you. It may have been a public place, but that was sort of necessary for this evening.

James would lead her, if she would follow, to the hallway outside the ballroom they were hosting the party out of. It was an old building and there were many little offset sitting areas inside the larger area. James led her to one such area and sat on what looked like an antique couch.

"This private enough?"

He wasn't about to put them in a completely secluded room together. He might think she wouldn't try to kill him, but that didn't mean he trusted her implicitly.

1

[occultdisciple]

It was impossible not to tell the vampires what was going on or to leave it fully in the wolves' hands. After all, he didn't want this to turn into a bloody, confused mess. So, in his own time, Coward was making his rounds. The vampires who would see him, he explained the situation to. A withdrawal now for later gains. Let the wolves have the territory; they could expand their own greatly soon.

While it was hardly popular, he'd met little overt resistance.

So, when he saw James getting coffee, he got himself a cup and approached the man's table. "I trust things are proceeding smoothly for you so far, Mister Memon?"

[youronlylaw]

"Lord Coward," James greeted him with familiarity.

"As well as they can." He didn't want to come across as arrogant. Especially when he couldn't be sure if they weren't being listened to or not. It helped - that the Daybreak witches were making such a strong statement of intent to everyone else, and that no one would dare not pay to any move Sylvia Redbright made.

"And you?"

[occultdisciple]

"As well as they can," he echoed.

After all, the matter wasn't particularly difficult. If anything, the surprise of it lent an ease to the shift. The real trouble would come later, as the matter began to really settle. But he would handle it when it came.

[youronlylaw]

He had to smile at that. It was the only appropriate response, at least by his reckoning, and the familiarity of the sentiment was pleasant to hear coming from him.

"Would you like to join me?"

He didn't know the intimacies of a vampire's dietary needs, but surely sitting down for a moment wouldn't be too awful for the man?

5

[fatherswatch]

The bonds he'd made last time had kept him secure last month, and, hopefully, they would do the same this month. However, it never hurt to replace a few hooks in the wall that had been nearly torn out. This time with heavier gauge.

Which was when he smelled another and looked over.

He knew that look. It was one he'd had when his mentor had first taken him to learn how to do this. Before the wolfsbane had started.

He approached with a slight nod. "What sort of space are you working with?" A typical question for two men talking about a home repair project or the like.

[youronlylaw]

James looked up quickly, slightly alarmed at the stranger. It took him a moment to register the scent as one of his own kind, but the weight was visible dropping off his shoulders as he did.

The look on his face spoke to complete inexperience. Poor boy.

"Basement. Concrete. Walls two feet higher than me."

He hopes it's enough, because it's all he's got.

[fatherswatch]

"A large space," Illya said with a small shrug, almost disapproving. To him, it was just more room to move in. To twist and struggle. "I suggest a system. Not just a chain attached to the floor."

A single point was surprisingly to wrench up and pull out of even concrete, especially if it hadn't been built into the floor but, rather, attached later.

[youronlylaw]

"Pulleys, that kind of thing?"

Great, this just got way more complicated. The excitement is easy to see on his face. God, being a good example was a shit time.