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"It's the beauty of laws, Natalia... laws change depending on where you go," he informed her, simple and sweet. Cyprian wasn't the type of man to pity anyone, and he wouldn't do her the injustice of such. However, there was a twinkle of something else in his eyes. Sympathy? The monster was reaching to understand his victim, to get inside her head without nefarious schemes and motives. He also understood that in the end... he didn't expect her to believe it. Years of resentment and hatred, a vengeance driven mission to kill him would make her doubt him. Her mind had warped an image surrounding him of one anger driven action of his own. His own vengeance sought, and in that moment, they were so much closer than she could've anticipated... yet so different in the lives they'd lead. Quite literally born into two different worlds, with rules and codes that was all they'd ever known. There were always going to be points neither would agree upon, but if they could find some middle ground... His mind whirled with the possibilities. <br/>
<br/>
Admittedly, a part of it was that she was a female wolf. Not for any breeding purpose, but the sheer fact that he had poorly underestimated her ability to survive. Proving the man wrong wasn't an easy feat in all his arrogance, and it left him second guessing himself. <i>How many other times had I assessed wrongly? </i>Something worthy of the books, for sure. At least Roman, his loyal right hand man, would note it. The precise moment where the Alpha second guessed himself, admitted he'd been wrong. Was it even possible?<br/>
<br/>
Her snort was belatedly echoed by his own, married with the distinct roll of his eyes. Though, the mention of <i>dispatching </i>a few of his drew an uncontrollable, reflexive growl from his lips. "And you know nothing of mine, so you'd do well to not speak of <i>dispatching </i>them," he rumbled up to her. <br/>
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As high tension as the whole situation was, it was hard not to take some amusement in it. The sharp switch from aggression and contemplating kill each other to having to pretend to be lovers swept up in passion on the beach. Just so they both weren't killed by another hunter uninvolved with the whole conversation. It was enough to make his lips twitch. "Well, considering I can ignore the fact that your legs are wrapped around me, I think you'll be <i>fine. </i>Count your lucky stars it's not erect," he scoffed, rolling his eyes. The sarcasm in his voice insinuated that it wasn't something to hold her breath over. "As intimate as your intense want to kill me is..." He jested. <br/>
<br/>
Were it not for the adrenaline pumping in his veins, her fingers may have distracted him from what they needed to do. But once he'd established a plan in his head, it was all the easier to focus. Their lingering, sitting duck situation eased some of the tension but only stirred a riskier situation. Keeping her out of view from the threat was easier said than done, but he managed. Even if he was so much more than human, the sway of her hips and the hands on his keeping them there was enough for a temporary distraction. One look. After all, beneath the fur and sharp teeth, he was still a man. At least somewhat. <br/>
<br/>
Around the bend and up the slope, it was clear to him that the night was wearing heavily on her. Another distraction he had to face was the sight of the scars, easier to distinguish now that they were close to being clear from the sniper. The way the moonlight on her skin seemed to accentuate the marks, it was hard not to draw at least some of his attention to it. Though, the way she growled at him seemed to pull him back into the moment. The stare that seemed to soften his features slightly in the dawning of the stories riddling her skin, it hardened with the sharp scowl that shaped his mouth. "Just keep moving," he retorted to her, continuing on and taking off. <br/>
<br/>
Breaching the treeline, it was easy for the wolf to take over then. He didn't shift, as much as the beast in him writhed, snarled and ached to be freed. He knew she wouldn't hear anything about changing, and him doing so would only make her fall behind... more than she already was. Restraining himself and his most primal urges to dart through the woods at his top speed, he hung back so she didn't lose him in the trees and underbrush. Still, he refused to slow himself too much. Not until they were further from the beach, closer to be clear of danger. Her tease earned her a roll of his eyes, a huffing snort from the energy exerted. "We're wolves, not cavemen. Even old dogs can learn new tricks," he glanced over to her, one brow lifting. "We're not too far from... an associate. I keep a car there, just in case. We can swing around and grab it," he informed her. If there was one tool Cyprian had learned to use, was connections outside of his world. Even if he would argue the heathen lifestyle was much more freeing than the stuffy conservative alternative. <br/>
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As he continued forward, his own pace started to slow as he took notice of how she was dragging. "Keep up," he grunted, but it didn't seem to be an option as she stopped. Slowing further until he stopped to that nickname, his feet stilled as he turned his head to shoot her a narrowed glare. "Can't hang with the boys, Buffy?" he retorted, turning to close the distance put between them when she stopped and it took him longer to do so. Sighing, he returned to her side. "I know you're tired, but we need to get moving. You can collapse in the car, but we still have a bit to go. The longer we stand still, the higher the chance your little hunter pal is going to close in." His lips thinned as he felt his shoulders tense with the thought, and he reflexively glanced around. Grumbling, he didn't like to stand still like this. He didn't like to feel vulnerable in any situation, and standing still, in the nude with no weapon on his person, and a sniper somewhere out there... it wasn't a desirable scenario. His jaw clenched and shifted as he moved, but not so much to walk away from her. Instead, he simply walked around her to stand in front, his fingers snapping to get her attention. "Climb on, you're already my baggage, might as well be my backpack too," he muttered, squaring his brooding eyes ahead. </span></span>