#c.rowan

Cure, Uptown New Orleans

There were a couple of places in Nola that offered good food and drink. Rowan had preferred to stay away from the hussle of high tourist areas. Drunken frat boys, wild hen nights and boob flashing wasn’t really his scene anymore; if it had been ever. Cure offered him the good drink and food he craved without all the hoopla of what New Orleans was known for; party city of the western world.

“Penny for your thoughts.”

Rowan turned in his chair at the bar, looking at the man who took the seat next to him. Most people gave him a wide berth; tourist that happened upon him in the bar oftern didn’t stick around long because it was too ‘boring’. Locals, gave him a nod but mostly went about their business. Dark eyes ran over the man as he ordered a drink and asked for a menu.

He didn’t give off the appearance of someone unfamiliar to the area. But Rowan was sure he’d never seen him in the bar before. Six months, he lived in a small apartment near the french quarter. Six months he’d been coming to this bar. Seen many attractive men and women walk through the door, went home with a few of them too.

This man, was different.

“ My thoughts aren’t that intresting,” Rowan said.

The dark-haired man chuckled, turning his body towards Rowan. He liked his laugh, his was deep, resonating in his chest;  a slight huskyness to it.

“ I don’t know. Those frown lines on your forhead would say you have lots of ‘em.”

“Or I’m a natural brooder and I wake up like this.” he grinned.

The man shook his head, pointing a finger towards his own chest.  “ That would be me. I came out of my mother's womb with this scowl.”

Now Rowan laughed. He liked talking with him. Not just because he had the balls to approach him - because most didn’t. No, it went deeper than that. He had something, something that naturally drew him in. Tugging at the middle of his chest, leaving him feeling warm and safe in his presence. It should have been a warning sign, there was all sorts of strange and unexplainable things happening in this city. Happening around him, the reason why his memory was fractured and he couldn’t recall much— if any of his childhood. The people he came from, his family.

Solitude was all he knew, with the occasional dalliance here  and there. He had no family, no friends, no home. A tumble weed in a world that seemingly wanted nothing to do with him and always seemed to cut him off at the knees.

It should have been a warning sign, when he streched out his hand towards the stranger. He should have gotten up and left when he felt the jolt of electricity that ran up his arm when their hands met. He should have been nervous as a warmth spread through him, calming and alluring. Making him think of words like home. Instead, Rowan stayed seated, eyes on the other and spoke.

“Rowan Polat.”

The butterflies in his stomach took off, as a knowing smile appeared on the other man’s face.

“ Leo Ronan, it’s very nice to meet you Rowan.”

The Bayou, New Orleans (present)

“Watch out!”

The warning call was enough to pull Rowan out of his thoughts. His hand reaching out to catch the flying object just before it hit him in the face. A group of boys looking back at him wearily. Giving the closest, and seemingly younger boy a wink. Rowan tossed it over to him. Who smiled waving in thanks as he took off running ball firmly in hand as the others followed.

The party was still going, though now it was late afternoon. Apparently, they would stay here until night fall. Before making their way back towards the 7th ward. From what he could gather- and that wasn’t much-considering people were either intrested in drinking, eating, or they were busy trying to figure him out. Which left him confused and looking for the solitude he had lost.

Once he had his fill of ‘meeting the pack’. Rowan had found a tree and took refuge beneath it. Watched as Leo and Jude walked away arm in arm and that left him in even more of a sour mood. So, he nursed a botle of mead someone had made and sat down and people watched.

“ What crawled up your ass pup?”

Craning his head, at the woman that stopped a few feet ahead of him. Rowan decided to ignore her less then steller greeting and focused on one word.

“Pup?”

“Yeah, it’s what we call first-timers. You did shift for the frist time last night right?” she said, arms crossed over her chest.

“ I did, i just didn’t think everyone would be calling me pup. You, Leo, that group of dick heads over there.”

The woman’s eyes followed where Rowan gestured. Burly looking men,  a few feet away. Loud, obnoxious, and giving other people a hard time when ever they passed them.

“Ah yes, the goon squad.” she mused shaking her head.

“ Ignore Dale and is acolytes. Between the five of them, they can’t even fire off one brain cell. Let alone oporate 10% of their own.”

Rowan eyed her a moment before he started to laugh. She was funny, moody but funny.

“Guess I won’t go to them for a philosophical debate?”

She shook her head, “ Not unless that debate involves using your fist or teeth.”

Looking away from Dale and company, their eyes met. A simliar a quizzical look in her dark eyes. He was about to call her on it, before she took on a neutral expression almost bored look.

“Come on, I’ve got to take you to Angelica.”

“Who?”

Letting out an annoyed sigh she glared at him, “ Does it matter, Leo told me to take you to her so that’s what I’m doing.” she quipped “- don’t be difficult. I’m not in the mood .”

Turning she began to walk away from him. The petty side of him wanted to stay right were he was under his tree. But the need to do as he’s alpha said took over and he, reluctantly,  jogging up next to her.

“You aren’t going to tell me your name?”

She raised a brow, “ Is that a line? Cause it needs work.”

“ I just meant everyone has introduced themselves in some way. Even your buddy Dale.” he chuckled at the look of disgust on her face. “ So no name then. Should I call you grumpy? You look like a Grumpy or maybe bit-”

“Geez, Luna alright. My name is Luna.”

Rowan grinned bumbing her with his shoulder,  “See, that wasn’t so hard was it?”

“It was, and you’re annoying.” she huffed increasing her pace

Rowan was able to keep up easily enough, chuckling to himself. Was it to early to say that he liked Luna? He didn’t think so, it was a welcome change. While she might give off the vibe of ‘ leave me be or I'll cut you’.  Rowan found he liked her energy.  It didn’t take long before they were infront of a large tent closer to the woods. Luna turned back towards the other, jutting her chin towards the tent. 

“ Go on pup, she’s waiting for you.”

Rolling his eyes - because the whole pup thing was going to get old real quick. He moved towards the opening.

“And Rowan...”

His footsteps haulted; turning to face her once more. As she ran a hand through her dark hair she gave him a little shrug and smirked, “ Welcome to the pack.”

For his part, Rowan mimicked her smirked giving a nod of thanks before entering the tent. The inside was darker then he would have expected. Considering they were now in the hight of the afternoon. A few candles were ablaze on a table. A wooden bowl in the center surrounded by the candles.  Rowan frowned as he entered. His eyes landing of the figure in the far corner. She wore a long flowy dress, bracelets clinking together as she worked on something. Dark curly hair sat high on her head as her caramel- mocha skin glisten in the candle light.

“ Angelica I take it.” he called .

His eyes continued to take in his surrounding. The collection of plants and bottles strewn around the diffrent surfaces.  When she finally turned around, he was met with the grey -blue eyes he had seen earlier with Leo, albeit briefly.

“ I am,” smiling softly; extending her arm towards the table and the pillow chair in the center. Rowan took the cue ,and made his way towards the table. It took him a minute to get comfortable. Sitting with his legs crossed and pulled under him. Resting his elbows on his knees as he watch her, effortlessly, take the seat opposite of him.

Angelica placed a knife next to the bowl in the center of the table. Her eyes never leaving his. A part of him, was wondering what was different about her. She was different, not like the others in the pack, more like him. Not that he could pinpoint how. Something akin to outer worldly in her eyes.  For the first time, he felt a little on edge under her watchful gaze.

A knowing smile graced her lips, and Rowan was sure that she could feel his apperhension.

“May I have your hand please?”

He raised a brow, eyes drifting towards the knife, “ Why?”

She giggled, “You have a lot of questions Rowan, and not all of them will be answered in a day. All I ask is for you to trust me, can you do that?”

No. He didn’t want to trust her. He shouldn’t trust her. Look where trusting a beautiful face got him. Rowan trusted Leo, a man he hadn’t known only spending a couple of hours with him.   Now he was a werewolf, surrounded by people he didn’t know but  did. His life turned upside down and he had the sickening feeling that his life was only going to become more topsyturvy as time went on.

Even with everything in him crying for Rowan to get up and run, run and never look back. Damn it if he didn’t feel some kind of security with this woman. So, he stretched out his hand towards her. Shivering as soft, gentle hands took hold of his.

Rowan watched as she looked over his palm. Her digits dancing across the lines indented in them. Whispering words underher breath that even with his improved hearing he couldn’t quite make out. It was a diffrent language though. French, Creole?

“Latin,” she supplied her eyes still on his hand.

Okay, that wasn’t creepy.

“Isn’t that a dead language?”

“It’s only dead to the people who no longer use it.” she giggled again reaching for the knife. The wolf inside him was stirring and Rowan couldn’t help but fidget a little in his seat. When her steel eyes met his, he calmed his wolf ready to attack if need be.

“Trust me.” was all she said before she dragged her knife along his palm. His blood filling the bowl in front of them. The pain wasn’t so bad, but his hand did sting. When Angelica released him, he snatched his hand away, looking down to see how bad the damage was. But there was no damage, the cut was gone. All that remaind was slightly pink new flesh.

“How did yo-”

“You’re a werewolf now, we heal faster then most.” she grinned.  “Ignis.”

Brown eyes widen as the bowl that held his blood became inblazed with the reddish, orange flame in the center. He was in awe as he leaned closer towards the flame. Passing a hand through it, he didn’t know what he was expecting. A hologram, some sort of trick of the eye? But as he felt the heat against his flesh he knew it was real. Eyes widen in wonder, he looked up at a very amused face of Angelica.

“Who are you?”

Giving a rueful shake of her head, she flicked her wrist as the flap of the entrance opened up, casting in the afternoon light once more.  

Angelica didn’t leave the tent after Rowan. Instead, she busied herself getting to work. The voices in her head, screaming at her. Telling her what she had already known.  His presence was  known to her instantly. Even before the shift, before he transformed into his wolf. Angelica had felt his presence in the Cresent City the moment Rowan arrived. That was the thing with the prophecy of the blood. It came in a trio, and Rowan was the missing link. A fact, that took some convincing for Leo.  He was taking longer to convince, Jude believed Angelica’s words before she even spoke them. Not surprising. Jude had always been that way. Even in their past lives, Jude was the one to feel the connection stronger than her counterparts. Angelica wasn’t sure if it was because she was an empath. Regardless, in each life. With each new body, personality, persona. Jude rarely needed much convincing.  With Rowan and Leo that was another matter. The pair were so easily confused about their feelings. Often fighting against the very thing they wanted most— each other.

Just having to muddle through their long histories alone infuriated Angelica. She could clearly see the bond there. How these two men could be so oblivious, was beyond her.

“Are you planning on staying here another night?” came the voice. Of course, she had felt Leo’s aura enter the room without turning around.  Rather then greet her pack leader; Angelica kept her eyes on the bowl. Blooms of smoke rising out of the metal cylinder as she inhaled the fumes.

“ You’re ruining my concentration.” she replied.

Hands continuing to waft the smoke up towards her face. She listened as Leo’s heavy foot falls came closer. Closer still until she felt the warmth of his body radiate next to her. She kept her eyes on the bowl. Focused, as she waited to see if the wolf spirit would grant her a vision.

“ Or maybe there is nothing to see.”

She closed her eyes — but not before she rolled them, “ You don’t believe that.”

“ I do, I brought him here for Jude’s sake. You and she were so convinced-”

“And you refuse her nothing.”

She heard him chuckle before he continued, “ I never could after I laid eyes on her. I never will. But Rowan...”

Apprehension coated his words. This caught her attention; her eyes slowly opened as she turned to look at Leo. He wasn’t one to mince words. For as long as she knew him. Leo knew the right words for any situation. To see him  be so stubborn in the lie that he was trying to convince himself — because he would never convince her— was almost laughable. If it wasn’t completely sad to watch. Placing a small hand over his own, she smiled at him. “ — is of the blood.”

She watched as he looked away, head low as he shook it. Pulling his hand out of her reach; shoving them deep into his pockets. “ I don’t feel it. With Jude it was instant. It hit me like a brick wall, there was no way to deny it. Rowan... I... that is... he’s attractive yes. Very attractive but it’s different. Not to mention unheard of.” Angelica raised a brow, “ I’m pretty sure you wouldn’t be the first alpha to have a same-sex mate Leo.” “No I wouldn’t, having two mates? That, isn’t a thing. From what I understand of this prophecy.  One might die so that two can live. Or thee trio will perish and the pack will burn?” he runs a hand through his hair. She can see the frustration building in him. However, Angelica stays silent. 

“ Or some shit like that. So you’re telling me were soul mates but we can never be together? “ I don’t have all the answers Leo. I can only tell you what the wolf spirit tells me. And they are telling me that he is of the blood. Try and convince yourself other wise but he is who I’ve said he is.”

A prophecy scribe so long ago, during the age of the first wolf. The Orginal wolf, the one that came into being at the time the world needed them most. They were the ones that spoke to her now. Whispering at times, yelling during others. Each message clearer then the next. Rowan Polat was of the blood.

He would complete the trio