Existing without his personal lifeline made things difficult. Every important contact remained on this. He wasn’t giving it up any time soon. There’s nothing wrong with it as far as missing it went. Of course they went through it all. All his messages which he realized were multiple. Texts and voice messages but he didn’t pay attention to that. His eyes strayed to this officer he recognized from the hospital. Same one who had given Alice looks before. Landon seemed stuck on the image of her asking the man to talk to her…

“Mr Wynter?” Jackson tired to get him to focus. Clearly taking a gander where the director’s gaze shifted, he realized Frank had gone to speak with Miss Lee.

“What?” Landon’s tone came out harsher than anticipated. He sighed, clearing his throat. “Look I’m – grateful for finally getting my phone back. But I’m not in the mood to answer questions. Or go over anything for court.” The director’s leaned back in his chair. A torture device is a better word. Stuck there while she went off with that cop soured his mood; he should have never motioned to open the door.

Landon’s unpleasant mood did not go unnoticed by Frank even if they were out of sight. “Can try to give them a push out of here if that will help him.” Can only do so much but he’s guaranteeing Hunter won’t disagree. They saw a lot of media on the way over here. "How are you holding up?” @xwildheart // prev

“Hope you don’t mind me disagreeing with how special you are because that is exactly what I think. Special, Alice. No one should be left in a dangerous part of the city.” Nobody wants to hear a lecture. Farthest from doing so but his anger at her so called boyfriend leaves a sour taste in his mouth even now. When things seem fine after he luckily came across her. What if it wasn’t by chance? Why has he been unable to get her off his mind? He’s never felt so connected with someone in a short period of time like this before. It all seems too good to be true in his view. Falling too easily might bring complications. Trouble is what he expects from every other corner of the city. He only senses an odd longing, forever attached to her. People in general speak on fates. Humans do believe in soul mates. Does she? He wonders and it’s burgeoning on the tip of his tongue.   Until she pulls away, scent souring in anxiety. It’s prominent. The way he can feel it in his veins over just heightened sense overpowers any other thought.

Landon had no idea he was holding his breath. Letting it go, breathing in that chilled air, he swallowed. Alice is all over. Surrounding him and she’ll be leaving a part of her very essence behind within his jacket. “Alice, wait…” Hesitant on interrupting he had to reel back away. Furthering these complications for her back home clearly isn’t his intention. If anything he’d rather die than let her – The man froze. Eyebrows knit together as his expression flickered into confusion. Briefly he assumed he lost his mind. Honestly he didn’t know Alice well enough to immediately want to wage war over anything he saw. If it meant protecting her? Yes, he would. That is the perplexing part. Realistically he should leave her alone considering what he is. But he can’t. He can’t turn away. Not when she deserves better. “You don’t have to go,” Landon said so with such conviction, if she wanted him to he’d get her out of whatever situation she’s in right now. “I mean – I wish we could have more time together.”

Great save. Better than acting as if you’re trying to come between her and whatever that man is. He smelled wrong. Something is not right and Landon’s sure it’s a reason she’s so terrified. Instincts brought him closer, reaching out to settle a hand against her back. “Alice, if you ever need me.” At the risk of assuming or overstepping he took her phone. Sliding into Google Maps, he input his address and turned the phone back over to her. “That is where I live.” @xwildheart // prev

No family sounds hard. Something he’d never know as even those not blood are considered family in his culture. Werewolves have a way about that since they ever existed. As far as he knows it’s embedded. To imagine her all alone, orphaned gave him some pause. Slowing his pace, Landon’s gaze softened. If it ever could soften anymore while having Alice in front of him; he gradually removed his jacket and draped it around the blonde’s shoulders. Adjusting it snugly, he shook his head at her. “How could I ever pity you? I don’t. I think you’re a strong person. Who needs no one to save her or so you told me that night.”

Landon smiled. Stopping there on the sidewalk, passersby nonexistent when all he sees is Alice. There’s a strong pull. Stronger when she’s wrapped up in something that belongs to him and she’s going to leave a scent to it. They’re closer than they should be. He knows. Part of this seems unfair in his eyes. That she can’t come with him. As crazy as it sounds he just KNOWS discovering her in that par t of the city happened for a reason.

“Family is what you make it. I’m sure one day sooner than you think you’ll have something better.” Hands ran down her arms. A show of comfort but more importantly how well he means those words. There’s something integral in them. Even if he has no idea there IS much more to their story than he realizes yet. “Mine isn’t so conventional Being head of it isn’t what you think. Trust me. I’d rather pay attention to everything else. Pay attention to someone like you, Alice. Too forward of me to admit but true. Would be presumptuous to offer an invitation to you anytime you want isn’t it?” They hardly know each other. Another reason it may come off wrong. “One day I may visit London. You’ll have to be my guide.” @xwildheart // prev

Any comfort she could give made him feel ten times better. Just the way Aniyah’s voice breeze through him is a soft cushion. Breaking his fall into exhaustion and whatever else is going on. He offered her a little smile. Shaking his head, he lurched forward at the table. Resting elbows on its surface gave him some support. “Yeah, I’m – alright. Swear. It’s just some weird dreams. But I can’t go back to bed. You know that.” Any other time he might be so inclined if he were able to drag her with him. Just tangle together, wile away the hours and live in the moment. She’s worth that and more. Still he can’t screw around. He truly has to do this.

“Contacted by the current owners of the Arnold Estate,” the journalist hinted to why Rhode Island. Most these days call it the Conjuring House due to a series of films. The reality of what happened there is much worse. “Suppose to do a thing about the property. So I need to dive into some research. A bit more than what fiction dictates.” @xwildheart // prev

“I’m a fucking werewolf!” he sneered, huffing at her incessant questioning. Despite having witnessed all of this she possess enough bite. He didn’t want to reveal it to but now he can’t take it back. “Wanted to tell her before you but there. And no I haven’t coerced her. A mate means my lover for life. Are you satisfied?” Could be a reason for her to simply attempt to kill him where he crouched but he chose to drag the vampire further back into the alley. Placing it beside a dumpster for camouflage, Landon rose to his feet and groaned.

“Ugh I have their scent all over me.” Disgust laces his breath and he’s sure she has no idea why that aggravates him. The stench of decay is unpleasant.

He levels his gaze with the brunette. Eyes are back to a shade of dark chocolate. They nearly border on black especially in the nighttime. Artificial light beams from a back door where he hopes no one comes from. Would be hard to explain if they were stumbled on which is why they need to do this now. Maybe Dahlia will help him by be quiet if he agrees.

“I do take her seriously. I love her. Look I will tell her. Can you please let me deal with this first? I need you to trust me here.” Easier asked than expected from a hothead; Landon stuck a hand inside his jacket pocket.

With a semblance of acknowledgement to him telling the truth he found it slightly better to handle. She’s unpredictable. As far as humans go probably one of the most unpredictable he’s come across. In a way that could prove detrimental to his clan and to her sister. Something he doesn’t want is losing his mate. Now with Dahlia knowing his secret there’s extra caution in him. She DID shoot first and ask questions later.

“Luckily for you I can heal so Daisy doesn’t wonder,” the man added in hopes she’ll keep quiet. “I told you. I’m not human. But I’m not dead like them.” Is that enough? With her who knows.

Landon exhaled, crouching down near the body. “Since they came into my people’s territory not much to do. But ask someone I know to clean it up.” Nothing an easy spell can’t fix but he’s reluctant to ask with Dahlia as a witness. Keeping others safe from human knowledge is a priority to him. “I know you probably will use this against me in order to keep me from your sister.”

Something is telling him to listen to Liam for once. The man seems pretty adamant Savannah didn’t sign anything. Least of all for his termination and looking back when she wanted him to stop pursuing outside the division it was out of love. She was worried over him. Concerned he might get into dangerous situations with no way out. She made him feel better about it. Sure he didn’t want to back out but her feelings mattered more. That’s why this whole thing threw him. All of it made no sense. If it wasn’t sincerity coming Mercer than why would he be so invested?

“Okay. Okay, I – I believe you. Alright?” Yes he believes his story. Why would he make it up? It’s not like he’d be the one trying to break them apart. If Lan’s assumptions are bordering on being right then investigating this is a good idea. What else can they do? Besides it’s not as if Sav is here to tell them not to. Probably a bad way to look at it but what else has he got? “First time anybody’s asked me to look into anything for a while. I know she doesn’t want me to but think about this.” Landon leaned forward, hand wrapped around his coffee. “If someone actually forged the signature to throw this rift between us then who? Who would want that so badly? What if it’s who we're close to catching in this case?”

One way ticket back into the fray; Landon put it out there as plausibility. In reality he’s itching to get back on this. Off the record or not what more can they do? “Seems fishy all this happened to ruin our investigation. Doesn’t it?” Appealing to the man’s side of justice is all he’s got. If anybody wants to track this to the root it should be one of the guys on it, right? “If we look into this maybe we can see what information stirring on this drug ring. Could be linked. Nobody else seems to want this solved but three people. You. Me. Savannah. Weird coincidence.” He trailed off quickly when the waitress returned, prompting him to shake his head at an offer for anything else. @xwildheart // prev

“No… no I’m alright.” Waving off her worry comes with a quick change of subject. Never wanting to focus too much on the obvious busted leg that’s continuing to heal, Landon’s truly not someone who wants to burden others. Probably is one of his worst nightmares to rely on someone else when he wants to do it. “Alice, wait – I’m fine I just moved around too much.” With her touch gone it felt colder. All night he felt well rested. Following a nightmare it helped him destress. This morning he wants to do as much as he can himself. Whether she agrees is another story. There’s a ritual to this now. Landon’s mood dips every day with it but he tends to keep it quiet. Alice is a saint. Helping to get ready doing normal mundane things which ultimately put him back in that chair; he wished he escaped his first attempt. He might have saved his leg.

Once he’s downstairs fully fresh and dressed, Landon’s whole ordeal begins. Another day stuck unable to leave his house without making a scene. Different in the world of Hollywood where people gawk, photograph the weak. The director wants to go back to work but he can’t. Instead he’s staring down at his hands. Shifting fingers over his wrist is a memory of bruises embedded from shackles. Whenever he gets in his head that’s where he goes. Right back to his personal horror movie. “Thank you,” a low murmur of gratitude for Alice. The one who nearly got away but she’s here. She’s not going anywhere. He has to make sure he proves it’s worth staying with him. “Not my idea of a morning with you. I’d rather be up making you breakfast.” What he would have done that night if he wasn’t an idiot. No sense dwelling. Dwelling is a monster that drags him down further into his head. Buried in water almost he doesn’t want to suffocate. When Alice is with him he wants to make sure he gets better. “Guess I can deal with ordering out again. I’m actually in the mood to eat breakfast today.” No mood for visitors though. Raising an eyebrow at the doorbell chiming, beginning to wheel himself in that direction out of habit. @xwildheart // prev

Lurching up over as she pulled him in, Landon took in her expression. Brilliance is a word he could use for works of art. Right now he described how blissful she was beneath him. Hovering towards her side to keep from weighing down against Alice, his fingers curled around her hip beneath the shirt fabric. A gentle tug drew the blonde closer. Matching her need to have him close, he allowed his lips to capture hers. A shared taste of what he gladly devoured only moments ago. “I still plan to,” breathing coyly, a huff tempted him to go further. But he knew he can’t right now. In the moment it wasn’t about him. This is all about Alice. She deserved to feel desired. She needed to know how he saw her, what he’d do for her and how desperate to fulfill those needs he truly is. “You taste perfect. Do you know that?”