Next level

Melanie did a smaller grimace, to be fair, she had thought she had told at least one of them, but like everything else, Elias and Leon had just arrived Yesterday - and her mind had been on making it possible for them all to be here. But she waved it a bit away, because in the end, it didn't matter if she had told them or not, it mattered that people got to be here together.
Irina took another deep breath in, they were slipping right from the events on her grandmother being an immortal werewolf, to the events on how her and Natasha had been turned into werewolves, which was almost enough to make Irina's breath away. "I'm going to be very rude and sit down before greeting everyone - otherwise I think I will pass out," she chuckled a little and sat down. To be fair she was feeling lightheaded just by the hit of emotions and memories, the facts and how things were put together.

So, she sat down and breathed out as she placed a hand on her stomach, as if it calmed her down, but it did. "Well, my turn wasn't really graceful - I got involved in some messy situations in Russia, but I got out, this alpha was told to follow me and turn me in exchange for his own freedom - so, I guess you can find out what he chose," she licked her lips a little bit. "But its like seven years ago, and I've had some great teachers - so it's fine," Irina added quickly. Then looking towards Natasha who folded her lips a little bit. "Well, I got turned back in June - I chose it. Mostly in a blind sense of rage, but the alpha who turned me didn't really care for the outcome," Natasha confessed. It was two days ago since she had met Deacon in the forest, which she had spoken to Melanie and Damian about, mostly because she did not know how they looked upon other packs in the area - and it wasn't like she had appreciated Deacon just using his head to think with. "I got here back few months ago, Damian has been helping me." Natasha nodded towards Damian with a small smile before looking towards her grandmother again. Angel let go of Damian to walk over towards her mother and place a comforting hand on her shoulder, giving his nieces a soft smile. Two irresponsable alphas see that was tea for the pack's coffee table. "But wait, how are you related into all of this?" Natasha then asked her grandmother, wondering if her grandmother was just a part of the pack or what the hell was going on.

Lexie took the glass and nodded as a thank you, looking shortly behind her, letting them figure things out. "Lexie, youngest," she replied with a little chuckle before toasting with him. The mad house, it just reminded her of the fact that Ash had asked if she could make it to the Nelson house tomorrow, but honestly she had said no for once, also depending on how this was going she wanted to be here. "Why thank you," Lexie looked towards him shortly with a tender smile. It was different than whenever you had Sebastian, Aleks and Ash in the same room, because there was never any drama - at least not to be spoken up about, people just sat there talking about what was going on and some light talking, and that was it.

It was first when Irina said the needed to sit down that Zoe realized that her granddaughter was pregnant, and she couldn’t help but smile by the thought. “Of course, no passing out on my watch” she looked towards Leon that rolled his eyes. He then smiled towards Lexie before he walked into the kitchen, found some water, and walked back to hand it to Irina “here you go” he answered and then stepped back again, placing himself besides Lexie. Zoe walked over and sat down in the big family room everyone seemed to have immigrated to. All the while she let fingers glide through her long brown hair, trying to understand what the hell was going on. Turn her in exchange for his own freedom? How the hell did that work, and who thought that would be a good idea to turn someone into something. It would in the end just end up biting them in their own asses. Werewolves weren’t to be tempered with, and they had only given her a stronger set of skills, if honed of course. Changed because, rage? What. Moping a little she looked from one of her granddaughters to the other. What the hell had happened after she had left? There was a fine line between keeping taps and knowing how much it hurt not being a part of that family anymore. So, she had decided not to keep an eye out, mostly because – what could have gone wrong? Everything it would seem.

Zoe then looked towards Natasha as she asked how she fit in, in all of this. “Damian and Melanie are my uncle and aunt, I’m the daughter of the third child of Verdammt and Andromeda, former King and Queen of Theronida” she explained scratching the back of her head, knowing that was a lot of take in “So, I’m a little over two-thousand years old” she breathed out looking towards Leon that shrugged “still just a little baby compared to the rest of us” he joked giving her a big toothy grin “Oh shut up” she mumbled grabbing his drink drowning it. “Hey!” he mumbled a little offended before he walked over and repoured himself a new one.

She then looked towards her daughter and gave her a small smile "And this is my daughter Angel, my granddaughters Irina and Natasha" she introduced, and took Leon's glass once again. Making him groan loudly, giving up on having a glass for his own.

Irina took the water looking at the other werewolf with a softer smile, "thank you." She moved her eyes towards Natasha, still thinking her younger sister needed to work on her explanations. But also understood that right now was perhaps not the best setting to talk about how Bratva had been stealing her son and gotten her husband killed. Well, no time was really nice to discuss that part of their pasts. Melanie clicked her tongue a little feeling a bitter taste in her mouth from Natasha and Irina's words, now she had been talking with Natasha about the events to making her take that choice. Still didn't give the alphas the right to just drop them like that, it had been lucky they had found Natasha when they did.

Natasha blinked a little as she got her answer to the question and the former question on why it had mattered bringing Irina here as well. Irina pressed her brows together taking a sip of the water she had been giving, really happy by now that she was sitting down. Their grandmother was over two thousand years old? Immortal royal werewolf, what stone had Irina been sleeping under. She quickly assumed that leaving them in the dark of all this had been for their own safety, it had been the same when she in the beginning had wanting to hide the supernatural for Mila's nose - but in the end also realized she couldn't hide an entire world for her that they both were so deeply involved with. Knowing just a little bit of history she knew Melanie and Damian were rather old, but it still didn't change the slight shock of finding out you were connected so closely to such powerful beings. "So much for the family legacy I never thought I would hear about," she breathed out remembering when she had been little always wanting to know stories, but only from her grandmother, because she told them the best. Now the next thing was if she should tell Cecilia and Tyler - well of course she should, but when - how?

Angel smiled politely at her nieces, and walked over to give them a firm friendly handshake. "Nice to meet you, I wish Johanna was here, my daughter, your cousin, but some other time perhaps," she smiled. She chuckled a bit before stepping over to Leon, "what is going on grumpy, jealous I didn't give you a hug first?" Angel gave him a warmer smile, opening her arms not letting him get away with not giving her a hug.

Zoe gave her a soft chuckle “yes well, since that whole branch of our family were all human, and you didn't share the same curse as us -” she licked her lips taking in a deep breath while looking from Irina to Natasha  “there where circumstances where I needed to leave, and I’m of course very happy to see both of you now, but that is also the price we pay as a family with this curse upon us” Damian nodded slowly and let go of Angel as she walked over to greet both Natasha and Irina. Leon couldn’t help but laugh as Angel mentioned that he was grumpy, and if it was because she hadn’t greeted him first. “Yes, no, I think you have me confused with that wolf over there” he said pointed towards his older brother, but nonetheless he gave her a big hug wiggling her a little from side to side.

Damian took in a deep breath looking towards his son and his sister “So, food?” he asked, clapping his hands together nodding and walking towards the big dining table that would be able to seat all of them. Leon nodded and quickly let go of Angel and walked after him. To be fair he was really hungry at this point.

Irina frowned a bit mostly because she didn't understand how they could know if they shared the same curse if they hadn't really died yet. Not that she wanted to figure that out the hard way, and looking at Angel who so nicely presented herself - she was human, but she also smelled a bit like Dion, which was weird, but then she recalled Evelina had told her about this thing that had happened - perks on being team mother with Evelina - they got to share all kinds of stuff with each other. Natasha was more quite than Irina remembered her to be, but it had also been ages since the two had been sitting in the same room and actually had much of a conversation. "I get it, it took some time for me to figure out how much of this world I wanted to share with my daughter as well," she acknowledged, which seemed to make Natasha realize she at some point had to find out what world she wanted her son to live in.
Angel chuckled a little to Leon, and looking over at Elias for a second chuckling, "oh yeah, might be -" then closed her arms around Leon in a bliss of a laughter.

Elias looked towards to Melanie at the request of food and Melanie nodded, "yes." She let go of her grip around Clayton and started to walk towards the dinning room, letting the staff know that they were ready to dine. Lexie followed her father and Elias, while letting her eyes wonder around the room. Melanie never did anything half hearted that was very clear and despite how short of time she had been, everything was still planned out rather well. Angel bounced after Leon and the others. Irina got up going over to give her grandmother a quick tight hug, happy to have her back and breathed out. Natasha standing a little bit in the background yet walked over to her sister.

Then walking into the sit down with the rest. Clayton gave Irina a little smile, "what about Cecilia and Tyler," he wondered. "We can tell them together one day, I wouldn't want to keep anything from them. Learning all this has just been a little tough on Ty, but I reckon we will find the right time," she gave Clayton a little smile,  looking over at her grandmother before sitting down, because she also deserved to meet Cecilia and Tyler. Clayton looked towards his mother with a small chuckle. "Always making sure there is a feast," he sat down next to his mother. "Well of course, can't have any of you starving now can we," Elias chuckled by the comment, looking over everyone. He enjoyed so many people being together, time to get to know everyone by simple chatter.

They all sat down, scattered around the giant dining table as food was placed in front of them by the staff. Now, Leon had never been very keen on the whole, being superior and therefore have people to do everything for you. The worst thing had been when they had thought they should dress him, he hated those days. Especially that had been when they had started to marry into stronger alliances. At least he had been so luckily to steer clear of those arrangements. He knew that Zoe had been running from those obligations as well. Now, they could do as they choose, thankfully for that.

Leon looked towards Melanie and then Clayton. “So, I heard that there where a situation at the hospital not that long ago?” he breathed out, taking a bite of his food and washed it down with the glass of wine that had just been poured for him. “Just let me know if I have to step in and smooth things out” Damian had to take a deep breath in for that reminder, mostly because he hated how Oscar always needed to make a big thing about everything. Show of force, which had also been one of the reasons that he hadn’t liked that Melanie felt the need to spend time with him again. But he had learned from his mistakes and steered clear from his little sister’s personal life. Even though he could disagree with her so many times.

Melanie folded her lips a little bit together by the mention of what had happened at the hospital. "Rumors do travel fast," she chuckled a little and reached to grab a glass of wine. "But thank you, but I think we got it - at least for now" Melanie looked towards Clayton for a moment, well it was been a long range of bad timing. Of course they hadn't talked to Diego afterwards, and Clay knew if he had to face Diego again, perhaps he would need for Danica to actually be there. Melanie couldn't help herself for looking a short moment over at her older brother, well she did have two children with Oscar, Clay being the youngest of them, and she knew that Damian wasn't really fond on the whole her talking to Oscar again idea - which she understood, and Clay was old enough to speak and spend time with his father alone. But maybe there was a part of her that wanted to make sure that she could trust Oscar to be around Clay and not get him into something his bloodlust couldn't control. "I am however terrible sorry that you had to witness that, that day," he looked towards Irina and then Natasha, even though Natasha hadn't seen the worst of it, he then gave Zoe a smile. He hadn't really known it was her granddaughters at that time, that he actually had known her grandchildren for so long - otherwise he would have informed her about it a long time ago.

"I am curious cousin," Elias finally spoke and looked towards Zoe, pointing at her with his fork. "What did make you move here? I thought you were all about the ranch life and cowboy hats?" Elias had tried to convince Zoe to move back home to them for years. Mostly because he missed his favorite cousin. Angel chuckled a little, making everyone around the table know that there was something.

“You know it’s my job, and anything that results Diego and Oscar running around throwing words towards each other” well, then there was the fact that the sources was telling him that it had been because of Clay and an anger burst. But everything had escalated after Oscar had joined. Which wasn’t all that surprising. Funny how that man could have two children that wanted absolutely nothing to do with him. Damian just ate and drank at this point, not trying to let his own thoughts about the matter show, mostly because he knew how it could hurt Melanie’s children that she had gotten with Oscar. So, he had found out that saying nothing was much better, as he wasn’t a man that usually sugarcoated things.

Zoe smiled towards Clay, and then gave him a small nod. “I’m guessing that it concerned a woman, if it was you that started it” Zoe mumbled and couldn’t really hide the crocket smile that formed on her lips as she took a few more potatoes on her plate. Then she looked up as Elias asked what made her move here. The big smile that formed on Zoe’s lips was more than enough to reveal what was going on. “Oh, you know, all it took was a two-meter mountain of a man, that looked good in said cowboy hat and when he went home, well color me surprised when I hopped on the first and best plane here, after he had gone” she shrugged as it was no big deal. Even though everyone around the table knew that no man, could pin Zoe down. And that she might be one of the freest spirits that you could find. Which also had been one of the reasons she had left Russia as it had felt like her children had gotten a good start, and build their own families.

"Yeah, and I will come to you if I see there is a need for further digging into it," Melanie replied and licked her lips a little bit, getting the small drops of wine on her lower lip. She had been friends with Diego back in th day, and she liked to think that she could ask Oscar to stay off. Then, it just came down to Clay not snapping Diego's neck. What was it again with her boys and anger issues? "I will talk to Oscar - " She drank another sip of her wine, knowing her brother's opinion on the matter was on the tip if his tongue, and if she wished for the words to say there, she should not ask him about his thoughts - because then she would get them. "But otherwise I bet we can figure out if there is more to do on the case after?" Melanie suggested, and gave Leon a small nod.

Clay took a deeper breath in, "it was. To be fair, he treated Danica like -" He stopped himself, also not sure if he wanted to have Diego on his toes for exposing some of Diego's toxic behavior to his friend that sat in front of him. Elias remembered Danica, he also recalled having seen Diego before at some point. To be fair there was a lot of people Elias had seen before. But he was rather curious about Zoe's little quest to Athena. So, he raised his brows a little as she mentioned that she had met a guy. "Where did you live before?" Irina asked a bit curiously, she did know one guy who was referred to as a mountain - but of course Ethan wasn't the only tall guy on earth, but she remembered Elenora and Archie telling about the ranch they had visited Ethan and a girl he had been seeing. But also, she was curious about what her grandmother had been up to.  "She lived in .. California right?" Elias replied, making Irina frown a bit, mostly because it reminded her that Elenora, Archie and Ethan had been in California. "You should have invited Ethan, I like him," Angel commented from next to her mother before taking a bite. Irina pressing her brows a bit more together. "Ethan, as in Ethan Davidson?" Irina wondered as she took a glass of water. Funny when the worlds sometimes turned out to be much smaller than you realized.

Lexie kept eating really just minding herself while looking shortly over her father, now this wasn't nothing compared to surprises - no matter what this sort of banter and talk was far more interesting than the phycological, medical and all the above conversations she normally had at the Mitchell's house. At least it made her have rather lot of knowledge in the area.

Damian really tried, he did, but when Oscar’s name was mentioned, he let out a small growl. “Isn’t he running around one of those girls Jones now, Iris Jones or something like that?” Damian muffled and looked towards Leon that just rolled his eyes as his father, before looking at him with eyes that was telling a clear story of; I didn’t tell you those things just so you could use them against Melanie. Damian clearly having the look of; what? Then he just sighed a little defeated and returned to eating again.  

Zoe not really listing to what her uncle was saying just lifted a brow as Clay mentioned Danica, and that her seemingly new boyfriend wasn’t treating her right. “Danica is a big girl and can take care of herself” she reminded her cousin, mostly because no woman really liked being fought about. No matter how right one of the boys had been. Even if Diego treated her badly, then there were much better ways of helping her.

“She? Now you’re talking about me like I’m not even here?” Zoe laughed at Elias and shook her head, before she nodded to tell him that she had lived in California. Only to look towards Angel as she had commented on the fact that she should have invited Ethan. “Maybe, but he still doesn’t know about all of this” she mumbled then having to redirect her gaze towards Irina as she asked if it was Ethan Davidson. Zoe slowly nodded “The one and only” she laughed a little confused “how do you know him?” she asked a little curious.

Melanie clicked her tongue a little bit, taking a smaller more controlled breath in raising her brow a little at her older brother. But before she could say anything, it seemed like Leon was quick on it - so she let it be for now, if anything they could discuss it later. Lexie pressed her brows a little bit together after all, she did know Iris, they lived on the same street. But she chose not to take part of that conversation, after all she was more of an observer than a debater and she had no idea why this Oscar guy was so bad news - at least not yet.

Clay sighed a little bit, but chose not to come with the list of arguments on why he wished he could just rip Diego's head off. That werewolf temper with the increased emotions weren't always a good combo. And if that wasn't enough there weren't anything easier to jump into fight than two angry wolves wanting to rip something apart.

Elias turned his head towards Zoe with a innocent slightly apologetic smile, "true," Angel breathed out and folded her lips a little bit. She knew after all too well about taking some time before spilling the bag of family drama over someone. Irina frowned a bit when it was confirmed that it was indeed that Ethan she had spoken about. "Oh well, there is a few linkers," she licked her lips a little trying to figure out what was the best way to describe it, "my boyfriend's brother Archie is engaged to Ethan's twin sister Elenora," Irina started and nodded a little taking a small sip of water. "But he has been friends with Cecilia for some years, if I'm remembering correctly. Yeah, her and Tyler knows about this world too," she added with a small head tilt. Tyler was still very green in the supernatural world, where so was Cecilia but Cecilia had way better hands on it than Tyler. "You work together with Cecilia, don't you?" Melanie asked Clayton who gave her a small nod to confirm.

Zoe widened her eyes, now that was some connections. Now she knew that Ethan’s sister was soon to be married, but she had never thought that there was a connection to some of her own family. Even if it was directly but because Irina was dating the brother of the soon to be groom. But she still couldn’t help but smile “The world is truly small, huh?” she said looking towards Damian and Lexie, feeling a sense of warmth spread in her heart, knowing that it was at least small enough to bring back lost family members, giving them a chance to get to know them. Even if they hadn’t been there through the childhood. Now it didn’t really surprise her that both Cecilia and Tyler had found their way into the supernatural world. Now that was also a part of the family, she then needed to explain why she was still alive. But that had to wait for another day.

She then looked towards Clay as he confirmed that he worked together with Cecilia, another link that that just connected everything.

“So, Alexandra” Zoe redirected the conversation towards her, even if it might seem a little daunting and much more relaxing just observing now that you were introduced to so many people. “What are you doing with your life now?” she asked with a big smile, clearly very interested in the answer to the question. Actually anything Alexandre felt comfortable sharing with the rest of them would be something Zoe would hear about.

Lexie turned her head towards Zoe when the conversation had been directed towards her, she chewed off and downed the food with a sip of wine listening to the question. "Well, I did some studies in zoology, and just spent two years in the Amazon rainforest, there was this project," she told moving some hair behind her ear. Now, she had always been rather fascinated with nature and everything about it. Not just due her magic being mostly nature based, but being around nature had always reminded her of her family. "I got back to Aston back in July - so right now I'm just taking a few follow up studies and yeah," she chuckled a little bit, Alexandra just had an eye for wanting to know as much as possible and learn. She functioned the best when she was working or studying so she could work better. Lexie was just happy she hadn't taken that extra third year in the Amazons, because if she had - she wouldn't have been here right now. "But as of right now, I'm just going to focus on catching up with everyone," she added knowing very well that she couldn't sit still and she would end up doing some studying as well on the side - mostly just because she couldn't help herself.

"If you want to visit our homeland one day - guided tour or not, let me know - I have a few quick hacks to get there," Elias chuckled a little bit. Elias often travelled between this estate and Theronida, also he was the one who was the fastest at getting there because of his key. He noticed a few curious stares, which was normal - because either people assumed he could teleport but he always liked a little chance of showing off, so he fished his key up his pocket. "A key?" Natasha asked a little confused and pressed her brows together, "is that a metaphor for something or?" Elias chuckled a little bit before putting it away again. "No, and yes - I will show you just how it works one day." Elias replied in his own mysterious manner.

Zoe nodded intersted in what Lexie told her about what she was doing with her life now. But what warmed her heart the most, was seeing her uncle looking at her with such proud eyes. It was so easy to see how happy Damian were that he finally had found his daughter again. She could even see it in Leon and Elias, that it was like a calmness had found a place in them. Not having to see their father suffer because he had child out there, he had absolutely no idea where were. But now, it was like everyone was together once again. And there was just an energy around a table, where family surrounded it. On good or worse.

Both Zoe and Leon shifted their direction towards Elias as he started talking about his hacks of getting anywhere. A little groan left Leon as he drowned another drink and kept eating as everyone that didn’t know about this looked curious towards him. Clearly wanting to know just how he meant, taking her there, and how. Then he pulled at the key. Leon lifted his hand and counted down from five before one would comment on the fact that it was a – key. Making him roll his eyes, as Elias tried to be mysterious about it. Not unnoticed by Zoe that started laughing. “Oh, come on, give your brother a moment where he can be mysterious, not like he has much else in his life” she teased, looking towards him with a big grin on her lips.

Elias looked towards Leon's groan, and shook his head, but before he could comment on the eye roll, Zoe commented on it. "Thank you Zo - see that is the problem Leon, you never truly appreciated my work of art over here," he sighed dramatically to prove his point before shaking his head a little bit. "Then of course I just think he is mad that I almost left him at home," he chuckled a bit to himself before taking a sip of his wine. Irina clicked her tongue a little bit, this kind of family dinner drama was different in many ways from the ones she had had over the past months. But oh well, it was connecting with a side of the family she never had encountered and some she thought she wouldn't have gotten a chance to speak with again. But somehow a few things also made sense, her and Natasha's powers, Cecilia's powers. Coming from such a powerful line of strong immortal werewolves, who so also happened to be the first of the species - great powers had to part of the package - especially with Elias flashing his key. But if anything Irina looked forward to see the look on Nigel's face when she told him what she just had learned today. But overall she was happy to see that it seemed like Natasha was thriving in this.

Angel chuckled a bit by the whole situation giving Leon a short glance, mostly hoping he wouldn't bite on what was Elias lazy attempt to get under his skin to provoke. The sibling love all over again, but even if it sometimes seemed so that the two brother could and would rip each other's heads off in a heart beat - and as a matter of fact could tumble enough around for the scene to unfold, it wasn't like there was any doubt it was just how they were. And some things didn't change no matter the age.

Leon just shook his head, not wanting to start an argument at the table that would possibly end up with Elias challenging him to fight him. Something he really didn’t feel like doing, so he just kept eating. Looking towards his aunt and then Clay giving him a small smile. Before turning back to his food.

A rather nice atmosphere formed around the table. Letting talk and laughter pass freely through the family members. Catching up on everyone and figuring out slowly how they were all doing and what was going on. Zoe clearly delighted on Damian’s behalf with finding Lexie. Herself finding Natasha and Irina, finding out that she wasn’t only going to be a great grandmother, but already were. More than once. She had to figure out if she should meet up with Tyler and Cecilia as well if they would even be able to recognize her. Of course, there was the fact that she hadn’t changed much if at all.

It was a nice way of just rounding up everything and get together again after all that had happened over the last couple of years. Now it was only a matter of looking forward. Gathering strength and next thing would be figuring out what to do with Neil, but with the help of everyone around the table Damian was sure that they would be able to get his nephew and Melanie’s son back in between their ranks as a healthy pureblood.