A/N: What an energy boost the other day when they showed Cat People. So, here you go, I wasn't sure to add another chapter.

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River found herself content when Gabriel allowed her to write a letter; more than likely, he would read every word, every sentence carefully to see if she had no added her own plea to be set free. Though tired, River wrote the letter to her father. Much like the other time, she had thrown wads of paper from side to side trying to make a comforting report in her long stay in Bucharest.

Rafe sat by the iron bars where River leaned. He tried to read her handwriting but she would cover it with her arm or elevate her lap. She wouldn't let him read the letter. Every other Loup-garoux left one by one no longer needed to watch over the cage with River inside. She was fully awaken and alert than their threatening glares didn't faze her. She proceeded to write the letter to her father and worried more if he would receive it on time before he made his own judgement and come after her. River stopped all of a sudden to glance through the bars at Rafe. He looked back at her. Her brows furrowed and she smiled a little.

"You shouldn't lean so much to these bars. People will get the idea that you actually have affection for the new murder of Bucharest."

"Well, Lily," Rafe was not shy to mention. "You were the one that told everyone of our relation so there is no more harm in sitting next to you to keep you warm."

"You aren't really warming me as I'd like. I'm very cold." River never failed to say then set the pen down. "Besides, I needed to be honest with everything and I was true to what I told everyone, especially to your father. Sex for us is somewhat of a bad thing because we can't hold back the desire to Change. I guess everyone gets to that point in the aftermath. Sometimes it can be beautiful, other times, not so sweet. Since I was trying to keep the Change from happening from the start, it was harder when I went with you."

River went back to writing and Rafe continued to watch her. A smile grew even more when she didn't look back at him; he could understand her now, with what she told him, it was logical that she fled so many times. The scent of Loup-garoux was not helping her one bit. Rafe found the advantage of that. He reached in to gently run his fingers over her cheek to distract her. River nudged his hand with her shoulder. And when he did it again, River quietly laughed.

"You are going to get us both in trouble."

–"Well darling there is no point. You are out in the open, you have no reason to hold back. I thought you would have liked it now that you wouldn't be able to flee."

River glared at him with intensity. "Why not try fleeing with something around your neck and wrists, lets see how far you would go!"

Rafe leaned his head on the bars. His hand rested on her hip. "Oh, come now, the kitty doesn't want to play with the wolf?"

"Show me the wolf first, I guarantee you will not last with me. Bound me all you can you still won't win."

"Is that a promising challenge for the future."

River lowered her head a moment then looked to him. "That's if I have a future after this. My father gave me strict rules not to say anything unless I had no other choice. He will be more upset at the fact that I killed his mistress and it wasn't a proper engagement. We fought out of line, but we are known to defend ourselves if we are threatened."

"I think your father can forgive you. Plus, there is a positive side to these sudden turning of events." Rafe smiled at her. "We know that we aren't the only ones out there with a gift. And, you prevented other Loup-garoux from being killed. We owe you for that."

"What I have is no gift as you make see it. It's a curse, not a pleasure. There a more things that I would like to tell you about this but I've told you more than enough, the most personal ailments is enough to know about than anything else." River went on with her writing. She could feel Rafe staring at her as her neck burned.

"Are you done with the letter."

A girl with rich auburn hair approached the cage to abruptly kick at the cage upon order to interrupt the little conversation between the two. Rafe looked at the girl seemingly less interested and more crossed with her than anything. River said nothing in response and went on. The girl kicked at the cage again, whispering something under her breath that both Rafe and River heard.

River hardly resisted taunting the girl. She threw the pen's cap at her and it landed on her shoulder. "You think you are pretty tough kicking the cage. Why not come inside and do it for real?"

Rafe tried not to smile and it was a struggle to keep his stern appearance. The girl looked more at Rafe than to River. She sneered at River and it made things worse.

"Do you have a problem with me or with him? You seem to be throwing the same look at both of us. Excuse me, my lord." River emphasized when looking at Rafe. "What will you have me do? Parade around in the cage without a toy?" She gave him a sad look.

Rafe smiled at her then turned to the girl. "You were very rude. And, if my father told you to do that I will have a talk with him. Try to kick the cage again, lets see if you'll get that pretty foot back."

River sat there with a smug look on her face then lowered her head to continue writing the letter. Obviously, the girl felt threatened not by her but by Rafe. He was next in line to take command of the pack once Gabriel saw to it that his son was enthralled by a woman of his blood. Of course, Gabriel knew that with River present, that trial might not be so easy. Still, Gabriel needed to allow his son as the lead. He seemed pretty confident in talking with River, and whatever she was.

Gabriel watched the conversation from behind the bar. He delved into drinking alone and patiently waited for River to finish the letter to her father. He didn't want to admit that she was growing on him only because of what she was and she revealed only a brief amount; he knew she had plenty to say.

"If she was trying to be threatening, she wasn't doing a good job. Her fear shrouded her too thickly. I can assume that she hadn't seen me except heard the rumors."

"She'll come to respect you."

River shook her head. "I can care less of the respect. It wasn't I whom she looked at more. She fancies you. Don't you realize when females look at a specific male they become competitive to win his heart?"

Rafe leaned back on the cage, his soft brown hair rested on her arm. She would smile very little as it tickled her. "Oh, so you are going to compete for your lord's heart?"

River chuckled. "From what I remember, I am only here to see if you find me worthy, it never turned around."

He lifted a finger. "It did when you allowed yourself to sleep with me."

River abruptly tugged on his hair. That gesture made him laugh further.

"That was because I couldn't help myself. If I could erase it. . . I would." Her last words were soft. Had she really cared? "Either way, fighting for my lord's heart would be extremely difficult because you won't have me. Look closely, we are not the same bloodline. You need to find yourself a woman with your gift, just like that girl. You need to lift your numbers and prosper with the new age. You can't betray your own just as I can't. I have many lined for me whenever I get back home."

Rafe looked into her eyes and she looked away fast.

"Suppose that is one reason why I took this trip."

"You wanted to avoid responsibility?"

River nodded. She folded the letter and slid it past the bars for Rafe to take it. He did and tucked it into his coat pocket. He then gripped the iron bars.

"And you freed yourself for a moment when you were with me. Why did you tell me this earlier?"

River smiled. "Would you have listened, plus I don't really care for the traditions. My bloodline is of many, what is one Dyir to stray after thousands of years?"

Rafe climbed to his feet after he ran his hand through her hair. He wouldn't pressure her to say anymore; he noticed how quiet she became with even mentioning the topic. Rafe went over to hand the letter to his father.

"She wouldn't mind you reading the letter." He said before heading back to the cage. Gabriel smiled briefly when his son left then waited a moment to begin reading her letter.