Roxie watched, surprised at Alban's sudden and intense reaction.  She was still a bit slow, thanks to the mead and just walking up.  Lance had made the suggestion that they were right for each other before, but Roxie had always ignored it or brushed it off.   She felt an energy coming off of Alban as he settled the younger wolf down into a seat.<br/>Lance needed to be put in his place, but bullying the son of the two lost alphas probably wasn't going to help.  Roxie took a deep breath, readying herself to do a bit of damage control over the situation and Alban's scent and presence filled her senses.<br/><br/>That was when it hit her.<br/><br/>Alban once again filled her vision, and it was both the power she felt and something else entirely that triggered it.  The packs needed some kind of intervening force, but it was more than that.  Roxie felt a sudden need for<i>him.  </i>Her instincts hummed with the need, even as she shoved the thoughts and feelings down as far as she could.  "<i>No.  Not him.  Anyone but him.  It's never going to happen." </i>She repeated in her mind, but the irrational parts of her being didn't listen.<br/><br/>She took a step forward, until she stood shoulder to shoulder at Alban's side.  The edge of her arm brushed against his, and that little bit of contact was enough to calm her instincts slightly.<br/><br/>"Get him cleaned up,"  Roxie said to Lance's buddies, who immediately moved to do as she asked.<br/><br/>"Alban and I will look into what's happened to the pack leaders, together.  I don't claim to be impartial in this, I..."  Her words drifted, but Roxie did her best to keep her eyes forward.  She worried if she looked at Alban she would lose her nerve and everyone would see it.  "I miss my parents, and I want to see justice brought to whoever did this.  For now, we need to all try to work together.  Our packs have not always seen eye to eye, but there have always been friendships and kindness across pack lines despite that.  Whoever did these horrible things, I don't want to let them ruin that..."