<div align="center"><span class="bbc_size" style="font-size: 18pt;"><span class="bbc_u">A status-3 NPC wants your territory and is working to get it</span></span></div><br/><em>Location: Sunset Park</em><br/><em>Time: Midday</em><br/><br/><div align="center">(https://media.lasvegasweekly.com/img/photos/2020/08/12/Best_Park_by_Christopher_DeVargas_t1000.jpg?c76bf34eada957f64a0b14990027a576ff9bf379)</div><br/><br/><div class="floatright">(https://americanbutler.ru/uploads/images/parks/las-vegas/sunset-park/sunset-park-las-vegas-01.jpg)</div>Blaine sat at the edge of the pond. Her bare feet submerged in the cool water. Soft giggles and gasps left her lips as a variety of ducks and geese swarmed her. Frolicking about, nipping at the food she dolled out, as well as her feet. It was such a treat. Not only being able to safely enjoy the park amenities once again. But also the attention of the birds. Considering they were in the presence of a predator. If nothing else, Blaine was proud creatures did not perceive her as a threat right off the bat. Whatever alpha was within her, it was obviously one willing to coexist with prey. Blaine searched her soul and found her wolf calm, content. Completely happy to observe the ducklings quacking about through Blaine's eyes. There was no restless urge to give chance. To feel the rush of adrenaline from chasing prey. There was a yearning. But that was something else. It had no baring on the here and now.<br/><br/>The mere fact that Blaine could now sit quietly with the ducks, smiling happily, was a huge success. Since only a few months ago she was a still sullen, depressed shadow of her former vibrant self. Losing her aunt and Clea had made her so. Pulling herself from the bottom on her own had been the second hardest thing she'd ever done, aside from burying her loved ones.<br/><br/>Blaine's ears twitched with the sound of twigs snapping behind her. But she stood still, keeping quiet she'd been alerted of the approach. When a tiny body torpedoed her from the back in an attempt to launch her into the pond, Blaine swiftly turned in the last second and gently engulfed the giggling child into her arms.<br/><br/><strong>"Tryin' t' dump yer alpha in the lake, ye rascal, are ye?"</strong>Blaine tickled the little girl as she shrieked and giggled in delight. Dwayne, Illona's single dad was standing a few steps behind, smiling nervously.<br/><br/><strong>"S-sorry, Miss Blaine. I t-tried to stop her. Bu-but she loves to play 'wolf pack' with you too m-much."</strong>Dwayne's subtle stutter was nothing if not endearing and Blaine grinned wide at him.<br/><br/><strong>"Dwayne... I've told you a million times, it's just 'Blaine'. No 'Miss', no 'Ma'am'. Just Blaine!"</strong>The were alpha said as she hoisted the still wildly giggling girl up and stood to her full height easily. The tall, thin as a waif man was Blaine's next door neighbor. It was how she and the little girl, squirming in her arms, had bonded up to the point to playing 'wolf pack'.<br/><br/>Before the conversation could take hold Blaine's hackles rose so fast Illona fidgeted within the circle of her arms. A frown of uncertainty marring her cherubic features.<br/><br/><strong>"Now ain't that adorably quaint!"</strong>A male voice announced in a debonair sounding southern drawl.<br/><br/><div class="floatleft">(https://m.media-amazon.com/images/M/MV5BNjAyYmZlNTYtOWVjYi00OTM0LTk4NGItOTVlZTE3MmVkZDgxXkEyXkFqcGdeQXVyNjc3NDgwNzU@._V1_.jpg)</div>Dwayne seemed to also sense something was off as he quickly accepted Illona, when Blaine transferred the fussy girl into his outstretched arms. Facing the direction the voice had come from, the ex-Coastie, turned carpenter, was greeted by one of the most unassuming men she'd ever met. Dwayne's clipped steps in the opposite direction gave Blaine some piece of mind. While the man was the epitome of unassuming, the quiet danger that radiated from him could not be ignored. Certainly not by Blaine. And especially if a normie like Dwayne had picked up on it too. Illona was another matter. Kids are generally more intuitive to things such as this than grown-ups.<br/><br/>But, back to the man. At least three inches shorter than Blaine, he still managed to somehow look larger than life in his blazer, tie and gold-rimmed reading glasses. He was sporting proudly, it seemed, a receding hairline and a goatee. He appeared, in every sense of the word, the very opposite of a powerful alpha. And yet, it was precisely what he was. This fact did not bother Blaine. Alpha weres were not like Highlanders. It was no like 'there could be only one!' The troubling fact was what was an alpha such as him doing in her territory?<br/><br/><strong>"Aw, I do hope they didn't leave on my account."</strong>The overly-sweet twang lodged itself in Blaine's ears as she faced off with the other alpha.<strong>"Now, now... don' be gettin' all prickly with me, sugah."</strong>The man raised his hands in an amicable gesture.<strong>"I ain't come here to make a fuss. I've just been hearin' all those lovely things about your quaint lil neighborhood..."</strong>Honey dripped from the man's lips, but his eyes could cut steel in two.<strong>"And I just had to come and see, you understand! I am a lover of things brought back to brilliant life from the clutches of mediocre obscurity. You see, Miss Moore, I am a fan."</strong>The man touched his forehead as if tipping a top had to her in salute.<strong>"I have a couple of your fine carvings as well as a number of fine cabinets restored back to their old glory by your fine craftsmanship."</strong>The man paused. Looked Blaine straight in the eyes. Blinked slowly. Smiled even slower and continued.<strong>"I hope you understand... I simply must have more!"</strong><br/><br/>The meaning behind his words, while veiled to the rest of the world, was crystal clear to Blaine.<br/><br/><strong>"We don't always get to have what we want."</strong>Blaine replied in the same civil, cordial manner. However powerful this man was, Blaine was not intimidated. Not after growing up with Loup Garou.<br/><br/><strong>"You know, people keep tellin' me that. And I keep provin' them all wrong. Wouldn't you know!"</strong>Again the man tipped his imaginary hat at Blaine, turned and simply walked away.