<i>"If it would help I'd be happy to look after her. She can help me with some research, I could use another pair of hands."</i>Raelyn handled being thrown under bus much more gracefully than he was handling having a new dogbed. Lyfe had the insipid desire to stare fondly at the witch for her petty actions. Only Raelyn would actually a buy a werewolf a goddamn bed from a pet store. And probably make him sleep in a it a couple nights to prove a point. But since the pack had assembled he couldn't afford to stare too long; or revel in the feeling of her acknowledging him like she used too. Or playing  games with him like she'd never stopped. Roderic was watching him closely. Wary of what little heated looks he'd seen already between them.<br/><br/>So when they all piled into the car, Lyfe took the passenger seat and peered quietly out the window.<br/><br/>He didn't let his hand fall possessively across Raelyn's thigh like he might have if they were alone. Nor did he respond when she spoke again.<i> I have to run a few errands, but I'll drop you guys off first. I assume Grace will want to talk to you.</i><br/><br/>"Of course she will." The gruffness of Roderic's reply surprised no one. He was under a lot of pressure to lead, and negotiate but that didn't mean he relished begging for help from their mortal enemies. It probably burned him to have to ask for sanctuary; and a temporary truce to deal with a bigger threat. Lyfe couldn't fault him for his irritation. But he didn't hold the same contempt for the witches Roderic did. He'd never truly been able too. Not with what he knew of them. Not with his feelings for Raelyn always hovering near the forefront of his mind. He watched her out of the corner of his eye as they made the trip back to the coven grounds. She was humming and seemed almost content.<br/><br/>A side effect from him being back?<br/><br/>He wanted to ask but that wouldn't be the subtle or appropriate approach that he'd agreed to take with her.<br/><br/>The wolves all climbed out with their bags as soon as the car stopped. Lyfe was the last one to leave and he made an effort to focus on helping Corey so he had something else to focus on besides the witch driving away. The boy wasn't in shock anymore but he was clearly still not over the loss of his parents. And still not ready to talk about it. Roderic was perhaps not the right one to be taking him under his wing. Lyfe dropped the kids bags off in his room before strategically leaving his stuff in Raelyn's. Then the older wolf went to seek out Corey. He found him in the kitchen grabbing bottle of water, and flavoring packets for it.<br/><br/>"There's no soda here." Corey grumbled as he sat down at the counter; his face scrunched up in annoyance.<br/><br/>Lyfe snorted in amusement because of course there wasn't. The witches didn't invest in unhealthy shit. They didn't have the endless metabolism of a wolf.<br/><br/>"You don't need Soda kid--You'd do better with Hard Vodka." He informed him pulling a seat next to him and letting his hand rest on his upturned palm.<br/><br/>""I'm a minor.  Corey groused, eyeing Lyfe like he was taunting him.<br/><br/>Lyfe blinked,and an amused smile curved his lips. "I was drinking younger than you for dumber reasons." He hummed, grabbing a glass- and filling it with some of the whiskey Raelyn had been nursing earlier. He'd rather Corey experience his first drink with someone monitoring him and have the ability to ask permission; than go seek out alcohol on his own one day and go overboard. Today was a good a day as any. And since the boy was a wolf one cup would hardly effect him. Corey eyed the dark liquid uncertainly, picking up the glass to sniff it before taking a swig. He immediately sputtered at the potency, and Lyfe chuckled as the boy tried to control his coughing.<br/><br/>"Smooth puppy." He droned, drawing a glare from Corey; who had finally gathered his bearings.<br/><br/>"Why do you like this shit?"  Corey shook his head, pushing the glass away from him.<br/><br/>"It starts tasting good after a few drinks." Lyfe explained, "Gives you a little buzz. Gives you a minute to forget your problems."<br/><br/>"They're still there though. After you finish the bottle." Corey wasn't looking at him anymore. He was eyeing the whiskey--because he already knew drinking, or smoking, or any other type of problem causing wouldn't bring his parents back to yell at him.<br/><br/>"Yeah kid they will be." Lyfe nodded; refusing to lie to him. He'd have to deal with his ghosts.<br/><br/>Corey wouldn't ever recover if he ignored his grief. The kid sighed and laid his head on the countertop barely suppressing a groan. "This sucks. I wanna leave--I wanna just--stop feeling like this.I keep waking up--and like waiting for my dad to tell me I slept in, and to stop being a lazy ass--or see mom in the kitchen cooking. And every day its just silence. And Daya asking me if I'm okay. I'm not fucking okay." Corey was up and pacing now. Fury evident on his face as he whirled on Lyfe. "And I'm tired of Roderic babysitting me. Like I'm gonna shatter into a million pieces if he leaves me alone. I'm not just a weak little kid---I'mma wolf too." He was almost snarling by the time he was done, and before Lyfe could tell him to relax--Roderic was in the room. The storm summoned by Corey's anger.<br/><br/>Roderic takes one look at Corey's face and shakes his head. "Outside. Now."<br/><br/>Corey's about to shift. He's that upset. Roderic moves to physically move him out of the house, but Lyfe steps between them--staring Roderic down--and lightly shoving him back. "I got him." He knows nothing good will come of Roderic using his Alpha side to make the boy submit. That wasn't what Corey needed right then. He ushered the kid outside--past Roderic's simmering figure and took off his shirt. Shifting as the discarded material hit the ground. Lyfe didn't pause before he used his brawny wolf form to leap up on to Corey; and use his superior weight to drag him to the ground. Corey landed with a snarl, fighting, shifting as he struggled; and Lyfe didn't let him up till he was in his full wolf form.  Even as a wolf Corey was tense--and couldn't sit still.<br/><br/>Lyfe took off on him--Letting out a bark as he ran for the boy to follow.<br/><br/>He ran through the trees. Through the woodlands. Over the creek he'd found. Pushing his body to become a blur--that Corey would struggle to keep pace with. He was going to tire the kid out before bringing him back.