It was only a few days that both Serena and Elijah had arrived on the compound but they had worked wonders. Yet, there was still so much to do.

Xavier was grateful that there were other improba there to help him in his cause, to aid the Deprived in their healing process.

It had been a lucky side effect of having multiple Improba on the compound grounds. They had noticed after the first few days that, seeing gentle and friendly Improba other than Xavier, had started to desensitize the Deprived of other Improbas.

Had given them hope that their entire species wasn't composed of monstrosities. Each time one of the Deprived bumped into either Serena or Elijah, they had been showered in praises and smiles, gentle words to caress their ears instead of the demands and sneers they've come to expect.

Even with their busy schedule, they took the time to try and gently coax the Deprived out of their shells. But everything was done on the Deprived' terms. If they didn't wish to stay within the vicinity of the Improba, they were free to leave.

Naturally, the Deprived at first were very hesitant to do so. Eyes darting around the room, hunching down like a trapped cat that was trying to find a way out.

Footsteps resounded through the hallway, both Xavier and Serena looking up from their paperwork as the door opened up.

"Joe, you look absolutely haggard my dear. Please take a seat, before you faint on the spot." Serena urged, fanning Joseph over to one of the office chairs and nearly forcing the improba in it.

"Joseph, Serena. My mother didn't name me Joe." He stated tiredly before closing his eyes with a sigh. Xavier smiled at their exchange, a slight chuckle slipping from his lips.

The other improba shot him an equally amused look before Serena sighed and threw her hands in the air. "Ugh, men. You all need to stop being so emotionally constipated and let it out! I don't care about human opinions of overly emotional men."

Joseph snickered and remarked without opening his eyes, "Last time I showed my emotion, I had to fear for my life."

Serena let out a huff but Joseph had been truthful. His encounter with Jesse had been... very emotional, to say the least.

The improba had arrived a few hours after Serena and Elijah, slightly worn out from surgery, black and grey hair messy from his hands running through it.

"Where is he?" Joseph asked, barely managing to introduce himself to Xavier. The improba didn't mind as Serena shook her head, curls bouncing around. "Manners, Joseph, manners. And Jesse is right this way. Just... prepare yourself."

Joseph's grey eyes had frosted at the warning, a vein pulsing at his temple. And when his eyes first landed on Jesse, his expression was torn between soul-deep anguish and overwhelming hatred.

"Calm yourself- Joseph!" Serena had exclaimed as the man had shrugged out of her hold and stormed towards Jesse, overcome with emotion.

He didn't make it far though. He had made it about halfway before he was stopped in his tracks.

The Leshen heaved out a breath, snorting in Joseph's face as he held the Improba by the lapels of his jacket in a firm, inescapable hold.

Joseph's feet didn't even touch the ground as the Leshen heaved him up, roaring in Joseph's face as it tightened its hold ever so slowly.

And yet, Joseph hadn't even cared. He didn't care about the dangerous Leshen right in his face that was slowly starting to choke him, nor did he care about his friends shouting his name.

Joseph's tearful gaze was fixed solely on the desolate look in Jesse's eyes as the pixie shuffled closer. Reaching up, Jesse started to wordlessly lean on the Leshen's arms, causing the creature to slowly lower Joseph with a wooden groan.

And everyone knew Joseph was lucky to escape the encounter alive, thanks to Jesse. Because the Leshen wouldn't have felt a hint of remorse if it had slowly snuffed out the life within Joseph.

The second Joseph was released from the Leshen's grip, he had Jesse in his arms. Cradling the pixie against his chest whilst pressing his nose in Jesse's hair.

The haunted look in Joseph's eyes showed clearly that the Improba was stuck in horrible memories from the past. And in that moment Xavier was certain, that it wasn't just Jesse that was in Joseph's arms.

Most likely, the improba was reliving the moment he had arrived too late... and held his son's corpse.

Both of them were shivering, Jesse for other reasons that Joseph. But it seemed that, even if the pixie was being held by another Improba, he also realized whom was holding him.

Xavier blinked, shaken out of his memories as Joseph groaned, rubbing his neck and popping his joints. "How did it go?" Xavier asked, watching as the muscles in Joseph's shoulders bulged for a moment when he stretched out.

"Surgery went without a hitch, had to remove a lot of scar tissue but the Deprived will recover quickly." He rubbed shaking hands over his face, showing just how tired he was. "He'll be bedridden for a few days, as I had to replace his hip socket; it was fractured beyond repair."

Everyone in the room cringed at the reminder of what the Deprived under their care went through. Not that there weren't any daily reminders due to the Deprived's natural skittish behavior.

Serena sighed, flipping through her papers before she tucked a loose curl behind her ear. "Well, I have an appointment to go to so I'll talk to you guys later. Xavier, Joe."

"It's Jose- Ugh, forget it!" Joseph scowled as Serena's laughter chimed through the room before it was cut off by the door closing behind her.

"That woman, always getting on my last nerve..." he snorted before grinning as a muffled "I heard that!" echoed through the hall.

Joseph sighed with a slight smile before shaking his head. "I am quite curious though; why haven't you combined the two shelters?"

Xavier blinked, intertwining his fingers at the unexpected question. "We didn't want to stress any of the newly recovered Deprived on the odd chance of new arrivals." He said, sighing and scowling at the large stack of paperwork on his desk.

"Honestly, being able to close up a Deprived' trafficking ring is rare, not to mention the existence of such rings." Xavier leaned back in his seat, tapping his knuckles on the desk while he thought out loud.

"Improba have that stigma of being evil, though we all are living proof that not all of our species are lost." Xavier made a little hand gesture between them and towards the door, Joseph nodding in understanding.

Disgust flashed over Joseph's face as he replied, "To think we have to share our name with filth like that." He shook himself as if feeling perturbed at the very idea before he pushed up in his seat.

"The reason I asked is simple; While I understand your concern that any new, unhinged Deprived might unsettle the recovering patients... it could also benefit the new arrivals."

A spark of interest flashed in Xavier's eyes. "How so?" The improba leaned forwards as Joseph's own enthusiasm sparked inside him.

"We'll have to consult Serena, because I don't want to pretend that psychiatry is my field of expertise. But I do believe that, Deprived being able to witness others like themselves but in a better stage of health, both physical and mental, might give them hope, a goal to look forward to."

"That..." Xavier grinned as he leaned back, "That makes a lot of sense. Surely we'll have to consult Serena, as well as the other compound, but that would solve a lot of security issues."

Both of them nodded, feeling elated at the prospect that they could aid the Deprived even more. A shiver ran over Joseph's back as he added, "Plus, I guess it means we'll have less time to endure that Leshen."

Xavier snickered, catching Joseph's attention before the other Improba's hesitant smile fell as he explained, "From what I've been told, the Leshen is mated to another one at the other compound."

"Ugh. Two of them." Joseph shivered before amending, "At least that means double the protection for the Deprived. Though I wouldn't want to be the poor fool who sets a toe on the compound with the intent to harm one of the Deprived."

Xavier snorted, "They'd deserve whatever fate befalls on them." Joseph nodded in agreement before they both started preparing for a potential move.

It would take a lot of planning and even more effort on their security detail. But when that idea was brought up, both of the men snorted.

Security issues? With a Leshen as their guard?

And it wasn't as if they had to walk over there. Though Xavier knew that they couldn't teleport directly towards the other compound.

It was a necessary safety measure, to make sure that nobody who even had the slightest hint of the Deprived's location, could swoop in.

Though, now with the presence of not one, but two leshens, it was hard to imagine anyone daring to even think of harming their charges.

Especially because of the Leshen's handiwork. They hadn't simply killed the Improba involved, oh no. They had even dragged their mutilated corpses back and had planted them all over the mountain range.

Anyone who came within a certain range of the compound would encounter the horrifying warnings that was spread along the trees.

Only a suicidal fool would ignore the Leshen's warning, a warning that spoke of torment and horrors beyond imagination.

A knock sounded on the door and Xavier smiled at Fabian as the hellhound poked his head in. "Heard the news?" Fabian asked as he walked in, nodding once at Joseph.

"What news?"

Fabian snickered, kicking back as his boots landed heavily upon the table. "Well, the woods that hold Draco prisoner have now been dubbed the Howling Woods by the locals. Humans are pissing their pants from all the screams that echo there. Say it's a haunted place."

Well...they weren't too far from the truth, at least not for Draco. At least that would stop people from trying to venture out into the woods, though Xavier anticipated that the Leshen's would patrol that area to make sure nobody would be able to lay eyes on Draco.

Nobody, except Improba.