How do you explain the end of the world to someone? 

I cursed myself mentally, I'd been so focused on the clean-cut man only a few yards from me I'd allowed myself to forget just how little these people had been incorporated. While it seemed the population had a general idea of the situation, hearing it out loud and confirming it was much different than propaganda and the occasional theory. 

I hedge, trying to think of the best way to put this, how to convince these people that our cause was worth fighting for, yet it's Tyler who steps forward and does my job for me. The right person, I would suppose, as he had to do it before when they brought us back from our time. 

The man before me is improved, more sure of himself, and convinced of his path. While I never had confidence issues with Tyler as with Helen, we hadn't gotten to spend the time together that I had hoped for. But seeing him today, it would seem that he had progressed beyond needing me for things as simple as inspirational speeches. 

"The world is sick, we all know this, and anyone who has lived in this city for any amount of time shouldn't be surprised by this information. What we are dealing with is not an end clock; we ain't watching the timer tick down till our demise, but instead, we have been given a final chance. As Nicolas said before, this is our chance to make a last stand.

 We don't have time to fill in all the details as the details have been before us for our entire lives. What we need now are cooperation and action, it will take all of us."

He hesitates, searching the ground before facing Helen and taking her hands. "That's it! Superheroes!" He says excitedly. 

Helen blinks at him, uncertain if she wants to be associated with his outbursts. "Mhm?" She attempts, trying to pull it out of him. 

"Why didn't I think of that? Jed, you're a genius!" The room falls silent as his excitement, and finally, he decides to enlighten us on what's got him so excited. "Superheroes don't need identities, they run around dressed up, and no one knows who they are. They hide behind masks and costumes, they have superpowers. Red is targeting Verando and Nicolas, right? 

Well, how can she tell who they are if we all look the same? Nic is supposed to be dead, but if every one of us pairs off with a lycan and we find a way to match coat color... we can camouflage. No one will know who does what and nobody can track us. The fledgling lycans all look pretty much the same."  

He practically speaks over himself he's talking so fast. I try and follow along considering it's a topic I don't know very well.  

Helen nods in agreement, "That could work?" She turns her attention to Johnathan who taps his chin, mulling it over as he slowly paces. 

"I could hold a press conference and be your voice on the inside, everyone thinks I was abducted, so it would make sense if I was a sympathizer. Things might get bad at first, but if we can make it look like we are fighting against the cats, which we will be, it might just work."

Tyler stomps his foot in excitement, "Yes! A press conference! Ya don't even have to support it right away, but it's a start. The more we poke that bear, the less she's gonna be payin' attention to details. She'll walk right out in broad daylight, and we'll have her." 

My focus stays on my warlord, watching the calculated expression as he processes this plan. It seems pretty optimistic; as I glance around, I note the excited faces, though I can't help but wonder if it's for the plan or because the concept is familiar. Something that people can relate to is always easier to swallow. 

"Do not underestimate Red, she's not going to give herself up," Verando tells him firmly. "You're putting green with green, untested magic users with untested lycans. There are going to be mistakes."

"That's where you and Nic can teach us! Papa, they can't see you with us. You're too iconic and somehow, I don't see you dressing up in a costume to blend in. You can teach us here and we can perform it out there. We can do this." She sounds so confident though his frustration with her lack of professionalism has the situation looking more doubtful in his eyes. 

I resist the urge to chew on the joint of my thumb, shifting my weight to my hip as I try and find the flaw in their plans and yet it's becoming a much better plan than I had. Superheroes? Who comes up with this stuff? How much time is wasted trying to do things the old way in modern times?

Finally, I came to realize that my contributions have been lacking. "You can get her to come out," I respond quickly. "Verando, she trusts you. Maybe not now but she is going to want round two, you cut her fingers off. When the time is right, we can bait her. We can come up with the logistics later; leave Red to Verando and me. What this group needs to be focusing on is this city." 

They will be the ones who must defend it when we are gone. If one of us dies, they lose both of us. 

Tyler links his arm with Helen's, facing the collective group. "Our job will be to start cleaning up this state. Water sanitation and purification are our main focus but showing these people we don't need Red or people like her, who want to rule us with what she can offer. We want to live amongst these people, I want to draw out these cats- I want to help these communities who have been forgotten even though things are getting better.

 I want to establish a coalition like this in every state. In every city. It starts with us." 

I take a step back as the group begins to surround the two, and Verando gravitates toward me. They look excited and energized, and that's what we wanted. But in the midst of all this, I see Helen shrinking back. Tyler takes center stage, she rubs her arm as he holds her to his side like a child more than a partner. 

This seems to bother my warlord, who appears reluctant to let it slide, yet I can tell by the tightness of his jaw he'd leave her to fight her own battles. 

My eyes flick towards him as he comes to stand beside me and I sigh. "I think I might have made some of the wrong decisions..."

"How so?" He questions, not looking at me but focusing on Helen's defeated expression. She wouldn't look at him, to embarrassed to admit she'd so easily stepped out of the way.

I sigh, running my hand through my hair. "Sending you away, picking this over us. I was so worried they would see-" 

I can only shake my head at myself; it sounds so ridiculous. 

"I have wasted so much time when I should have done this in the first place. I was so worried they would find out that we were together, that they would turn against us like the people in our time did. Yet, for the life of me, I really can't think of many who cared about what we were when they found out."

Verando scoffs, slipping off his overcoat and draping it over my shoulders. I happily wrap it around myself, nuzzling my cheek into the collar. "I thought you were afraid they would turn away because of me."

"They are afraid of you, but I think it's okay. I was afraid they would find out about us, but the truth is, I don't think they care. Hell, I'm afraid of you some days, and I'm so in love with you I can't think clearly. Hence the blunder earlier." 

I pull the front of the dark-colored coat closed, happy to be surrounded by his warmth and his scent. "Can you forgive me? For being horrible?"

"So you're in love with me?" Verando asks casually, making me wrinkle my nose at him. He bends to kiss my forehead, chaste but thoughtful. "Of course. How does it feel to be obsolete?" 

It feels strange. Watching the pair, surrounded by lycans and magic users bustling with excitement, I can't help but feel a little jealous. 

Allowing my shoulders to rise and fall dismissively, I manage a half-smirk. "I think it's unfair. They did it so much quicker than we did, but I guess I should be happy; it just means the times are finally changing, and there is more love than there is hate. What we could have accomplished if we had an idea such as this? Superheroes... what a thought." 

I feel warm for the first time since I've been here and instinctively, I inch closer to him. His very presence charges me and sends my magical side into a dormant state as if it finally feels at ease. I can't help but lean into the sweet relief.  

"You know what they say about youth and enthusiasm." He comments before putting his arms around me. "Come on." 

Dragging me back into the fray, we approach the ambitious Tyler and the defeated Helen, who looks uncomfortable with the attention. 

"Why don't you two stay here for a bit instead of Nic? There's a lot to do, and this pack is going to need its Alpha if we're going to pair off as you suggest. Tyler can work on figuring out these people skills, and Helen can do personality assessments and pair everyone up with a lycan. We can meet back here in two days to go over your new findings, and then we can possibly arrange a hunt. I think there is a wooded area a bit down the coast. It would charge up your wolves to go hunting, and help you think more like a pack." 

Helen perks up excitedly. "A hunt?! A real hunt?! Like a deer?" 

A gentle smile curls onto his lips, not wanting to show her that it amused him yet unable to hide what could be a bit of pride in how she'd accepted her new role. He had to miss it, or he wouldn't have done it for so long; guiding these young wolves seemed to be a passion more than a pastime. 

"Maybe.. probably something smaller, but you never know. It'd be nice to scout out these woodlands for hunting; lycans eat a lot and as I'm sure you all know, 'human' food tastes horrible." 

The group grumbles in agreement, and Tyler shudders at the memory of his starving wife. 

I'm shocked by the disconnect. Helen doesn't comment, she merely smiles with a soft shrug while Tyler appears visibly ill by the thought. Was he suddenly not okay with the wolf?

"If it's good for you, baby girl, then that's what we'll work towards. Nic can give us a crash course while you take the pack hunting. We will get together after and start the process of fixing this. Hunting cats and rebuilding our planet sounds easy enough." 

It all sounds easy on paper, I must remind myself this is just a tiny portion of the work to be done, and dividing it out was the wise thing to do. Regardless it's our job now to stand as ambassadors for these new leaders. 

While Johnathan and the twins don't look so convinced, our small force has quickly become excited about the prospect of standing up for their nation, and that's the first step. 

As the evening concludes, the temperature begins to drop, and the crowd starts to disperse. Homes are set up for the lycans, and it doesn't surprise me that these fledglings want to live in only a tiny number of quarters. They've been designated an abandoned hotel, and instructed to stay on the lower floor where the massive apartment-style suites were located. 

I can't help but notice the reluctance in my warlord as he watches them leave, truly relinquishing the hold on them and placing them in Helen's uncertain hands. She stands before us, a large grin on her face now that the small pack has been redirected. 

Turning to Verando, she practically does a little dance of joy, hopping and wringing her hands with as much containment as she can muster. He recoils from her happiness, pulling his eyebrows down as she beams up at him. 

"Ok. I know you're not into the whole.. emotion... but-!" She holds out her hands, gesturing to her and Tyler. "That was pretty Alpha-like!" 

Waiting for calm, he allows a slight nod, and she throws her arms around Tyler to hug him. It would seem the tension had dissipated, whatever was getting to her earlier was smoothed over by her excitement in the passing of the torch. Tyler, slightly more relaxed, seems to be smirking, too. "That felt good. Real good. They all seemed to like what we had to say?"

"Well, you haven't had to tell them no yet." I remind him, but I don't want to crush his spirits. "But you did a good job; you both did. I am sorry, to all of you, about this whole mess. I should have just brought everyone together in the first place. We're a week behind now because of my short-sightedness."   

Tyler touches my arm, giving me a firm squeeze. It's the same presence I saw earlier with Helen, an older brother, and yet a man trying to take control. It almost made me feel uncomfortable.

 "Nic, you did what you thought was right. We didn't know these people, we still don't, but you callin' us in gave us all confidence we weren't about to be ambushed. That, alone, was worth it."

 I smile back at him, weak as it may be. I'm too tired to delve into my emotional needs, and frankly, I don't need the blame. Pascal approaches, plucking at my hair from behind. 

"We need to hide you if you're going back. I believe a woman in town can color your hair magically. It's a concealing spell; just for now, it'd be best if you weren't a redhead. It would help if you matched us. All of you." 

Her eyes stopped on my warlord, who growled low in his throat, and she quickly shirked away. 

"Alright. Not all of us." 

"Black for the wolves, that'll match their coat colors." Helen shrugs, indifferent about losing her pale hair. I touch my locks and frown. Get rid of the red? Stealing a broken-hearted look at Verando, he isn't giving anything away, and reluctantly I nod, instructing him to wait for me by the car as Helen and Tyler follow along after me. 

Grayson returns from escorting our lycan friends and quickly jogs up to walk alongside me, eyeing the coat I'd taken from his boss.

"So... you're going back with him?" He asks timidly. I'm not quite in the mood to be entertaining, knowing I'm about to change how I look. 

"It would seem so." I allow, trying not to look too thrilled by the prospect. I didn't want them to think I was in a hurry to leave them, much as I was with the temperature dropping. We enter the shabby home of a dark-haired woman with long, fake nails. 

It smells of curry and incense in the small space, mostly made up of trinkets and knick-knacks. It would seem she was a collector or possibly a hoarder. 

Pascal introduces us and begins making arrangements for hair color. Grayson shifts awkwardly onto his heels, "Do you want to go with him? You don't have to, you know. If you're cold, you could.... erm.. stay with me?" He scrubs a hand through his hair, avoiding eye contact. 

I try not to recoil, while it isn't that I don't find the man to be decent looking, it isn't what I expected from him. 

"I had just thought that.. we were.. you know. Hitting it off pretty well since you've been here. I'd like to get to know you better- to train, that is."

Pulling the coat tighter around my body, I lean back into the collar from the embarrassment. "I'm engaged, Grayson," I tell him simply, stepping away from him quickly to get to Pascal and this strange woman, who both glare daggers at the timid man. "What did we decide on."

"Black." The woman rasps, smelling of some floral scent that seems artificial.

"How vibrant." I sigh. 

"Blends in. When you're ready for it to come off, say a releasing spell and ensure you're near water because it'll run." Searching the cluttered shelves, she cusses and grumbles, her ample hips swaying and bumping into all the items piled in the cramped space before finally snagging a jar of what looks like ash. 

"Your roots shouldn't show; no need for a touch-up. Don't try ta bleach it, it won't work. Now, close your eyes, cutie." 

Making a face, I obediently do so and gag as she blows the dust in my face. Convinced I'm now covered in the stuff, I fan my face and hunt for a mirror that Helen produces. Snatching it with almost too much enthusiasm, I blink away the soot and spot the black tendrils of messy hair where my startling red used to be. 

Frowning, I brush it lightly, but none of the black clings to my skin. 

I look bland. It darkens my eyes even, giving them a deeper hue. It will have to do; I can't be recognized. Thanking them, I slipped out of the house to leave my companions to their fate, hurrying my pace when I felt Grayson slip out behind me. 

He runs to catch me, walking alongside and twiddling his thumbs as if he had something to say. "So you're engaged? Didn't act like it."

"Public displays of affection aren't my thing," I respond sharply, glaring into the distance for the sports car. "We are professionals with a job to do."

"What about just as friends? We will be working together a lot, what about a coffee? Throw me a bone, Nicolas." 

The offer seems innocent enough, but I know better than to believe that there isn't an ulterior motive. It's a honeymoon phase; I'm the shiny new thing, and he has some god complex he can't escape for whatever reason. What shocked me was the boldness. Did he think my fiance would allow him to live if he tried to get close to me on that level? 

I'm tempted to let Verando handle it, tempted to run to him and hide behind the large man that I know could quickly put this man in his place. Yet, I start to slow my pace and feel that urge creeping in on myself. I don't need to run to him; I can handle myself. 

Spotting the gray hair in the distance, I see he's leaning up against the hood of his car, and I know he can see me. I stop, standing my ground as Grayson fumbles forward in surprise. 

"I don't feel comfortable with this. Please keep things professional from now on; it's not my obligation to answer questions about my personal life with you, so please stop asking." It was a hero syndrome; I couldn't blame him, considering how our meeting just went. I didn't need saving, my salvation was waiting for me yards away.

I enunciate each word on the ending, narrowing my eyes. The innocent-looking man watches me, startled, as I storm off, and he remains. I'm breathing hard when I reach the car, clutching for my door, jerking the handle roughly as if willing it to open any faster. 

Verando cautiously grabs my hand, opening the door and allowing me to slide in before closing it behind me. He hesitates for just a moment, facing away from me in the direction that I came before coming around to get in. 

"I'm proud of you. That was very brave."

Oh right. He can hear everything. 

"Let's just go home. I'm exhausted."