Lucile stood outside with Ciel while Sebastian did only God knew what inside Undertaker's shop. The air was crisp and the sky grey, snow was just starting to fall and Ciel was getting impatient.
"He's lucky he's useful to us." the boy muttered, his hot breath puffing out into the cold air as he spoke, "Keeping me out here in the cold like this...unacceptable." Lucile arched a fine eyebrow at her little master and wondered whether he was referring to Sebastian or Undertaker. Probably both knowing him. Ciel shifted on the footpath and hugged his thick coat around his small body tighter. He looked freezing. Ciel had been a sickly child, the doctors hadn't been sure he was going to survive and even though he'd proven them wrong, he was still more susceptible to the cold than most. Shrugging off her coat, Lucile placed it around the boy's shoulders.
"What are you doing?" he asked frowning up at her.
"My job." she replied, "Keeping you safe." Ciel pursed his lips and went to remove her coat,
"I don't want it." he said still trying to sound strong, "Besides, you're no use to me sick." Lucile put her hands on his, effectively stopping him from what he was trying to do,
"And you're no use to anyone if you catch a cold. Keep it on. I'll be fine." she told him. Ciel huffed but didn't say anything else on the matter. Several long minutes passed until Sebastian finally opened the door, allowing Undertaker's crazy laughter to pour out into the empty street. Lucile wondered just what it was exactly that he did to get that kind of reaction out of her friend and why it was so secret. She followed Ciel into the dark, warm shop and stood by the door.
"I sincerely thank you for allowing me to laugh like this." Undertaker said between breaths, "The dead really aren't as funny as they look. No sense of humour - not one of them. I assume you'd want to get down to business, then, Little Earl?"
"You'd assume correctly." Ciel replied in a bored tone, "You have your hands in all kinds of jars, Undertaker, what do you know about the children going missing?"
"The boys or the girls?" he asked mysteriously. Ciel sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose; he was too cold and too tired to deal with games.
"The boys although both would be ideal." he replied. Undertaker grinned widely,
"I know quite a bit about each. But more importantly, what do you want to know about the vanishing boys?" he asked. Lucile frowned, her grey friend seemed to be a little more evasive than normal. Yes, he normally spoke in round-about ways and riddles, but this was like he was pressing for a direct question, something he rarely did.
"Where are they? Who's behind it? Why?" Ciel replied, "Those are the questions I intend to get answers for but any inform-"
"Lycans." Undertaker interrupted, his face serious as Lucile felt his gaze on her. She looked up from the ground, though it was impossible to actually tell where his line of sight was, he was facing her directly.
"Lycans what?" she asked him, fearing she already knew the answer.
"Lycans are taking the boys." he clarified.
"We've already come to that similar conclusion." Sebastian replied, "We had thought it was a gypsy caravan camped near the village where boys were going missing, however without concrete evidence..." Undertaker's laughter made Sebastian trail off,
"You don't believe a single word you're saying, do you?" he asked the demon. Sebastian started at the gray man silently and Lucile glanced between the two of them, trying to judge their expressions. She huffed and crossed her arms over her chest in annoyance again at the men she knew - if they weren't having a staring contest to see who was more manly, they were having private conversations.
"No." Sebastian agreed finally, "I don't."
"That makes two of us." Undertaker said, seriousness creeping back into his tone.
"Three." Ciel voiced and recrossed his legs, "I didn't particularly want to believe we'd imprisoned an innocent man, however after confirming that at least one of the members of the caravan was in London, I'm no longer able to deny the coincidences."
"Two." Undertaker corrected much to Lucile annoyance. Ciel leaned forward, "Two?"
"Yes, although one claims he's not part of their pack at present." he said but the tone of his voice practically screamed he didn't believe a word of it.
"Seriously?" Lucile muttered getting their attention, "You're actually thinking Lash has something to do with this?"
"Lucy-" Ciel began but she kept talking, he could punish her later if he wanted to.
"He risked his life for me, he almost died to protect me! Why would he have done that if he was secretly kidnapping children?! It's ridiculous! He can't shift and can barely walk, if that's not enough to confirm his innocence, his grandmother and the others are literally miles away. She sent him here to get better, believing that I would help him and yet all you can do is sit around and accuse him of lying!" she growled.
"Lucile, calm-"
"Don't you dare tell me to calm down, Michaelis!" she snapped, swatting the gloved hand coming toward her away, "Even you said you didn't think he had a part in this!"
"I did, I won't deny it. And I still think that way." he said, "But that doesn't rule him out completely. It's possible he could know something, perhaps his grandmother may have hand in it."
"His grandmother?" Lucile shook her head, "She an old woman, there's no way Delphine would be able to like that!"
The room fell silent, a thick, eerie uncomfortable silent. Both Undertaker and Sebastian wore the same look of shock, like Lucile had grown two heads. She was about to ask what had had them both so stunned when Undertaker broke the heavy quiet.
"Delphine?" he whispered as quiet as a mouse. Lucile could have sworn the room became darker and colder and that thunder itself was within his voice when he spoke next, "Delphine?! You idiot! I told you to make sure she never meets with her, do you have any idea what you've done by letting this occur?!"
"Excuse you?" Sebastian asked turning to face the furious shinigami, "How is this my fault?"
"It's your fault for not doing what you're told!" Undertaker snapped back. Sebastian crossed his arms,
"I'm sorry, I see no contract seal on your body nor do I recall ever making a deal with you." he replied snidely, "Ergo, no contract, no deal." Undertaker sighed and threw his hands up in exasperation,
"I never should have entrusted her to you." he growled to the sky, "Who knows what will happen now." Sebastian scoffed,
"Entrusted her? You're talking as if you gave her to me as a present."
Undertaker whirled on his heel and Lucile got the distinct feeling he was glaring beneath his silver bangs at the demon, "Didn't I?" he hissed in a tone similar to how he'd spoken to Lash, only darker. They stared at each other again which only pissed Lucile off even more.
"I swear to God, if neither of you tell me what the hell is going on right now, I'm beating the living shit out of both you!" She growled angrily and stormed over to where Ciel was sitting, watching the goings on curiously.
"Well?" She asked when neither men spoke. Undertaker was the first to relent, he sighed, ran a hand through his impossibly long hair and leaned against the counter.
"You may want to sit." he said softly, the ice in his tone slowly melting.
"I'd rather-"
"Sit." he demanded, Lucile did without another word deciding it would be better not to test his anger further, "This story is a long one and I fear it will destroy everything you know and trust." Lucile blinked at him and looked to Sebastian for some kind of clarification. He shrugged and moved to the corner of the room, "I'm just as in the dark as you are."
"Several decades ago, a young Delphine was engaged to be married to Edmund, a butcher's son. She loved him with every fiber of her being and thought he felt the same, however when he discovered her secret - that she was Lycan - he cursed her and drove her away. Broken hearted, homeless and alone, she went to the one place she knew she could work and make some kind of living." Undertaker began, "The whorehouse."
"Didn't she have a pack?" Lucile asked curiously, shifting in her seat like a child listening to a bed time story.
"No. She'd left them for Edmund." he replied.
"Ironic." Sebastian muttered snidely, Lucile glared at him and waited for Undertaker to continue the story.
"As you can imagine, she soon became pregnant but was unable to rid herself of it. It was a boy and she named him after her love. Four more times this happened and each time she was unable to kill her unborn child, and so she was cast out again into the streets with five young children. She tried as best she could to provide a home and a life for her children, but there was nothing she could do. No one wanted to hire a woman like her and so she did the only thing she could do and abandoned them to an orphanage. Ashamed and broken, Delphine turned to the one thing she knew would never cast her out or leave her - the wolf inside her. She spent years living free as a wolf and each night she would cry for her lost children.
Eventually she came across another Lycan pack and met William. She was welcomed into the pack during the Blood Moon and soon became pregnant once again with William's child, a girl who would be as free and as strong as the wind itself. Watching the child grow, Delphine was sure she would become Alpha female one day. Then on the following year, Delphine's dream started to become more possible when the Alpha female gave birth to her first boy - Marcus. Marcus and Delphine's daughter grew fast friends and Delphine became obsessed with the thought of her child one day leading the pack. That was until a human child was brought to them. She had been fathered by the Alpha and sent to him after the death of her mother. The child received the mark and taught the ways of the Pack. Delphine watched in silent fury as her dream was slowly torn away from her. Her daughter grew up to be even more wild and soon left the pack to live the life of a rogue and Delphine, in her anguish, turned to black magic. She became so obsessed with it she poisoned herself, allowing her the ability to glimpse into the future. There she learned the truth of what would transpire; the Alpha would die and Marcus would rise to lead them claiming his half sister as his mate and on the following year, William, too, would pass leaving her all alone once again. Though she knew there was nothing she could do to prolong William's life, she could get revenge on the woman who stole her daughter's place. For years, Delphine planned the best way to bring them down and the more she planned, the more her desire for dominance grew. Then, almost as if it was God's will, the Alpha's announced their pregnancy. A pure-blooded Lycan child."
"How would that work in her favour?" Ciel asked with a frown, "Don't pure-bloods hold more power?"
"We do." Lucile replied before Undertaker could, "But the strain is too much on the mother and she dies. Since wolves mate for life, the male would usually take his own life afterwards than suffer without her."
"How tragic." Sebastian muttered. Lucile gave him a side-long glare, "You realize I'm part wolf, right?"
"Yes, and I pity the fool you decide to pick as your mate." he retorted before staring out of the window. Lucile arched an eyebrow at him questioningly but quickly forgot he was there when Undertaker continued his story.
"As Lucile just stated, it was common that both Lycan parents die when a pure-blood offspring is born but, though she almost died, the mother survived. Infuriated by this turn of events, Delphine took matters into her own hands and killed Marcus. His mate entrusted their baby daughter into the care of the Beta female and made her swear to take her somewhere safe, somewhere not even Delphine in all her power could find her. Marcus' brother attempted to keep the Pack as one until the princess was old enough to take her parents' place, however Delphine named him traitor, accused him of murdering his own brother for the sake of power resulting in the pack tearing itself apart. She left soon after to find her wanderer daughter and until now had disappeared completely." Lucile blinked at her feet, trying to understand how she was part of all of this and what position she played.
"That was a wonderful story." Ciel said while Lucile thought, "Enlighten me as to why this old woman caused such a reaction and why you insisted that Sebastian, my servant at this point in time, should be making deals with you?"
"Don't you get it?" Undertaker asked incredulously.
"Evidently not." Ciel retorted. From the window, Sebastian sighed deeply,
"He was talking about the downfall of the Aconitum Pack." he informed them, "Lucile's family."
"What?" she asked jumping up from her seat, "How is that...Wait, how the hell do you know that?" Sebastian looked over at her though she'd been talking to Undertaker, it became clear to her that he also knew about her family.
"Both of you? And you never once thought to tell me?!" she yelled at them both - Sebastian she could understand, he never did anything unless there was some kind of personal gain in it for him, but Undertaker?
"I was asked not to." Sebastian replied as if the excuse was enough to absolve him of any responsibility. The look Lucile gave him told him otherwise.
"This was why your uncle refused to tell you." Undertaker said, his voice soft and gentle, as he tried to soothe Lucile's anger, "He knew you cared about Delphine's grandson. Learning she was responsible for your parents deaths...he couldn't do that to you."
Lucile stood silent and fuming. Her whole body shook with fury but she wasn't sure who it was directed at; Sebastian and Barret for keeping this from her, Undertaker for telling her or Delphine for lying to her all this time. She decided that she was furious with all of them.
"Lucile..." Undertaker called but she raised her hand, silencing him, and marched out into the streets.

"Let her go." Sebastian told the grey man holding the door open, "She'll kill you if you try to stop her." Undertaker sighed and closed the door again, deciding that, although the demon knew nothing of the Shinigami's true power it was probably a wise decision to leave Lucile alone until she'd calmed down. Tucking his hands into the sleeves of his long coat, he wandered back over to where he kept his bone shaped cookies, he'd let his mask slip enough for today and needed to resume his usual demeanour around these two. It wasn't time for them to know the truth yet. Still sitting on the coffin, Ciel recrossed his legs and glanced between his butler and Undertaker, waiting for someone to tell him what exactly had just occurred. Undertaker bit into a sugary biscuit and stared at the demon under his silver bangs; despite what he may say, this was as much Sebastian's fault as it was his own. In hindsight, he should have told the demon what exactly was at stake but he'd believed too much in Sebastian's infatuation with the girl. Perhaps it wasn't as strong as he had previously thought, perhaps he'd entrusted Lucile to the wrong man... No, it was always going to be Sebastian.
"Where do you think she'll go?" the small Earl asked, his voice filling the silence that had started to grow.
"Probably to find Lash." Sebastian replied still gazing out of the window, "That's where I would start anyway."
"You couldn't have waited until a more convenient time to tell her this news?" the Earl asked turning to glare at Undertaker. Suddenly the sweetness of his biscuit tasted bitter and foul, sighing again and put the half eaten snack on the plate and turned his back to them.
"The world is full of inconveniences, little Earl." he said softly, "There's more afoot than just missing children and more at stake than one man's happiness."
"What is that supposed to mean?" Ciel asked curiously. Undertaker waved his hand dismissively,
"Too many questions and I'm out of answers. Please come again."
"I demand you answer me this instant!" Ciel growled unwilling to let this slide much to Undertaker's annoyance, "If you have any love for her, you will tell me everything now."
He closed his eyes and floated towards the back room, "Please come again..." he said, his voice barely a whisper now. There was too much he needed to think about, too much he needed to plan. He'd given the child enough information to find the truth to his investigation, that was all he'd promised to do. He had nothing more to say to either of them now, nothing that would help them and everything that would compromise himself.
"My Lord, we won't get anything else out of him. Shall we return to the Manor?" he heard Sebastian say as he closed the door behind him.
"And what of Lucile?" Ciel asked the demon butler, "Are we just going to leave her to her own devices?"
"With all due respect, My Lord, perhaps that's the best thing to do right now..." Undertaker listened as the two voices became quieter and then, once he was sure they were gone, ventured out into the city of London.

"I am aware that you and I both know Lucile very differently, however I know she's not thinking properly and should she do something drastic, the Phantomhive name will be threatened. We could cover up the death of my Aunt, if she loses control in public and starts killing innocent people there will be consequences from which we will not recover." Ciel told his butler as they walked briskly down the snow covered streets, "At the very least, we will stop by the town house. If she's there, you and I will both try to calm her down."
"And if she's not?" Sebastian asked. Ciel stopped walking and stared at his shoes; he knew Sebastian had a firmer knowledge of Lucile's strength and power than he did, he also knew the demon could stop her if he was ordered to but Ciel knew her. He knew she would never hurt innocents intentionally, but she was headstrong and often didn't think when she was angry. Whatever occurred if she was not at the town house would be for her own safety, no matter what it was.
"Should that occur, you have my permission to deal with it as you see fit." Ciel said looking his dark servant in his crimson eyes. Sebastian smirked, "This is quite a lot of freedom you're giving me, what makes you so certain I won't end up killing her?" To that question, Ciel couldn't help but smile. He knew both Lucile and Sebastian believed him to be an ignorant child when it came to certain things, but even he was aware of the odd relationship those two had. The only time Sebastian would ever attempt to kill Lucile would be under orders. But this he wouldn't put into words for the demon, instead he would just smile knowingly and continue on to the town house where he hoped the last remnant of his life before would be.
Naturally, like most situations he was involved in, the town house was a mess. Chairs were overturned, paintings hung askew on the walls and more than one piece of chinaware was smashed. It certainly looked as though Lucile had come here.
"Ciel!" The boy groaned at the cheerful calling of his name and pinched the bridge of his nose, waiting for the smothering attack that was sure to follow. Soma swooped in from nowhere and wrapped his arms tightly around Ciel's slender figure, "Have you come to visit me?"
"No." Ciel wheezed trying to shove the Indian prince off of him, "I'm here for Lucile. Where is she?"
"Lucy?" came a voice Ciel didn't recognize, but judging from Sebastian's arched eyebrow, it must have been the dog. Soma released Ciel and half ran up the stairs, "Lash, you shouldn't be out of bed!" Ciel assessed the tall, tanned, half naked man leaning heavily against the hand rail. His hair was loose and hung past his shoulders, his bangs covering one eye and half of the scar that ran across his nose. Around his waist was what looked to be a fresh bandage, complete with the faintest hint of blood seeping through. Ciel's uncovered eye shifted to the demon by his side, Sebastian had felt threatened by this?
"What happened to Lucy?" Lash asked when no one answered him, "Is she okay?"
"Do you really have to ask that?" Ciel asked shifting his attention to the gypsy Lycan atop the stairs. He frowned down at them, confusion etched into his handsome features,
"What are you talking about?" he asked. Ciel shook his head dismissively and looked to Soma still standing between both of them,
"My question was aimed at you." he told the prince, "Where's Lucile?" Soma blinked his big, golden eyes at the young Earl like Ciel had just started speaking Latin all of a sudden.
"How should I know?" he replied in bewilderment, "I haven't seen her since she brought Lash here." Ciel outstretched his arms, indicating the mess around them,
"Would you care to explain this mess then?" he asked.
"Well actually-"
"That would be my fault, my Lord." Lash said raising his hand and interrupting the prince, "I tried to shift and well..."
"I see..." Ciel said not the least bit impressed. He sighed and closed his eyes; Lucile wasn't here like Sebastian had suspected. She wouldn't return to the manor nor would she just leave in search of Delphine and the gypsies without at least telling him. No, Lucile was still in London somewhere, of that much he was sure.
"Don't worry about the mess, Ciel, we'll clean it up." Soma said interrupting his thought process.
"I don't care about that right now." Ciel snapped and looked up at Sebastian who'd remained silent the entire time, "I suppose I should let you loose then?"
"Are you certain?" Sebastian asked almost as if he were worried...almost.
"Let him loose? What's going on? What happened to Lucile?!" Lash demanded nosily, further testing Ciel's patience. He considered telling the fool it was none of his business but that would only produce more annoying questioning, besides, perhaps it was a good way to let the gypsy know exactly where he stood right now.
"You," he said pointing to Lash, "Shut up." The boy turned back to his butler who was waiting patiently for his orders, "Find her, do whatever you must but find her and bring her back. That is an order." Sebastian bowed deeply, holding his hand over his heart and as he recited the words he often spoke, it seemed to Ciel that for once, they were hollow as if he didn't want to be set loose like this. Not that it mattered much, Sebastian was his chess piece to be moved how Ciel saw fit and right now his priority was getting Lucile back before she caused any irreversible damage. Once Sebastian had left, the young Earl turned to the puzzled faces at his back,
"We're going to need quite a lot of tea..."

Sebastian sighed, a sight which would have looked strange to anyone paying attention to him as his breath, unlike when humans breathed out in cold weather, didn't create a puff of steam into the winter air. He should have been excited to be able to hunt Lucile like this but for some accursed reason he felt as though all the fun had been sucked out of it. He supposed it was because Ciel had ordered him to do it instead of just doing as he pleased. He half smiled to himself; of course his master had worded it in way so Sebastian couldn't kill her if things got out of hand not that he wanted to kill her in the first place.
He tapped his gloved finger on his chin thoughtfully. If Lucile hadn't gone to confront that gypsy bastard then there was only one other place she could be in London; prison. Careful not to draw too much attention to himself, Sebastian made his way as fast as possible to the Tower of London and his Lycan counterpart. The guards gave him little trouble and he was soon searching the dark corners of the prison in search of her.
"Why the hell didn't you tell me?!" Sebastian stopped, a smirk spreading across his lips, he'd know that voice anywhere. Sure enough, as he descended another set of stairs, he found what he was looking for standing at the far end of the long corridor, hands clutching to the iron bars tightly and screaming at the man behind them.
"Lucile-" Sebastian started but she held a finger up to him,
"Shut up, I'm busy!" she growled without looking at him, "You can wait. So? What grand reasoning do you have for keeping the truth hidden from me? Why the hell did you let yourself get imprisoned if you knew it was them?!"
"Which would you like me to answer first?" Barret asked calmly earning a deep growl from his niece.
"Do not test me right now, old man." she barked. Sebastian heard Barret sigh from within his prison cell.
"I chose to keep it a secret from you because you weren't ready to hear it yet. You're still not - but that doesn't matter now thanks to that sketchy bastard." Barret said.
"He wasn't the one who told me." Lucile said pointing to Sebastian before glaring at him, "And don't give me that look! Just because I'm defending you right now doesn't mean I'm not going to hurt you later."
"It's not him I'm talking about, Lass. You know the truth now, who is responsible for the destruction of our Pack, but there's nothing you can do."
"Like hell there isn't!" she spat back.
"Listen to me!" Barret snarled, "Your parents, Annamaria and Marcus, two of the strongest Lycan's I've ever met couldn't bring Delphine down and they had plenty more experience than you do. You'll die if you fight her! I can't..."
"You don't know me. You have no idea how strong I am, don't you dare presume to judge what I can and cannot do!" Lucile snapped back just as furiously.
"I can't lose my family again to that damn woman!" Barret cried, his thunderous voice cracking under the strain of sadness consuming him. Lucile froze mid-yell and took a step back. "If you go after her, that's exactly what'll happen." Sebastian knew the look on her face well; squared shoulders, chest puffed out and defiance written on ever single one of her features - she was about to do something incredibly stupid.
"I guess we'll just have to see, won't we." she told her uncle before turning on her heel and marching towards the stairs and, incidentally, Sebastian.
"You know," he said as she walked towards him, "Ciel ordered me to bring you back to the town house..."
"Good, that's where I'm going anyway." she told him sternly as she side stepped around him. He watched as she ascended the stairs, storm clouds brewing around her fiercely. Normally, he would have been thrilled to see her this furious, but it just didn't feel right. Perhaps it had been the way Undertaker had looked when they left, like he knew something was about to happen, or maybe it was the breaking of Barret's voice but the feeling of foreboding grew steadily greater within Sebastian's stomach. Taking a deep breath, he told himself he was just going insane which was the reasoning behind what he did next should anyone care to ask.
Sebastian cast a long shadow in the dim light, so long it managed to half cover Barret's sullen face and climb up the wall behind him. "Don't you have somewhere to be, demon?"
"I always have somewhere to be," Sebastian replied politely, "And you're correct in assuming that right now, that somewhere isn't here."
"So why're you still around?" the old Lycan asked harshly. Sebastian smiled at the man, "Because I have a feeling that your irritably stubborn niece is about to become neck deep in more trouble than she can handle." Barret stood from his bed and wandered over to the bars, glowering down at Sebastian menacingly, "And why do you, a demon, care about what happens to my niece."
Sebastian just continued to smile pleasantly, "You wouldn't believe me even if I told you." he said earning a confused look from Barret the Bear, "So, how would you like to be free from your cell?" To that Barret laughed,
"Please tell me you're going to bat your pretty lashes at the guards."
"I was thinking of pulling these out," Sebastian replied flicking an iron bar lightly, "But your way sounds so much more appealing."
"Don't bother." Barret said taking several steps backwards, "You may want to stand back a little."

Lucile flung open the door to the town house so hard it splintered and fell off its hinges completely, startling those inside.
"What in Kali's name was that?!" Soma cried from somewhere within the town house.
"I assume it was Lucile." Ciel replied calmly. Lucile stormed into the lounge where her young master, the prince and his manservant and the object of her infuriation were sitting drinking tea.
"You're damn right it's me." she growled, her eyes locking onto Lash immediately, "You have a shit load of explaining to do!" Lash stood slowly and raised his hands non-threateningly.
"I know you're angry, Lucy-"
"Oh, I'm way beyond angry." she snapped back.
"But you have to understand I didn't know about any of this, I swear."
"Save your swearing for God." Lucile said as a wave of hot fury scorched through her and before she knew it, her muscles rippled and she was flying through the air towards Lash, her paws outstretched towards him and teeth bared. Her body connected with Lash's, her teeth sinking deep into his right shoulder, and the two of them crashed to the floor. Lash didn't fight back which only pissed off Lucile more.
"Agni, stop this at once!" Lucile vaguely heard Soma order in the background.
"No! Don't touch her!"
"Good God, there's more of them." Part of Lucile wanted to know just what her uncle was doing here and not still in his prison cell, but the more dominant part of her was too focused on being pissed off. She bit down harder on Lash's shoulder, feeling satisfied when she felt the bones crunch in her jaws. And then, as she was enjoying the pain she was causing him, her own pain made her give a sharp yelp ultimately releasing Lash. She tried to move but Barret's deep growling warned her to stay put as his jaw tightened on the back of her neck.
"I believe that's your cue to get up." Ciel said as he appeared in the corner of Lucile's sight. Barret dragged Lucile off of Lash and kept her pinned to the ground like a petulant pup. Agni helped Lash to his feet as Soma ran to get some bandages and water to clean the blood.
"Lucile..." Lash said softly earning a growl from her, a growl that was cut short but Barret clenching his teeth harder onto the scruff of her neck.
"No please, let her go." Lash begged, "She has every right to act the way she did. What Ciel has told me about my grandmother..."
"Except it's Delphine in the wrong and not you." Soma interjected fiercely glaring down at Lucile with his hands on his hips when he returned. If she had been in her human form she would have spoken back to him, but to do that she would have to shift - she had more sense than to change and become naked in a room full of men so she kept her thoughts to herself.
"Well...that's not entirely true..." Lash admitted, his beautiful green eyes dropping to the floor.
"Oh? Please, do go on." Ciel said. From her place on the floor, Lucile couldn't see her little master but she knew exactly what kind of face he would be making from the tone of his voice.
"What I said about not knowing anything about my grandmother's activities is true - I don't often hang around with the others. Pack life can be very...restricting. There's always that hierarchy and following rules, I hate that kind of thing. I guess my mother is to blame for that." Lash said softly.
"To the point, please. Unlike you, I have other business to attend to today." Ciel ordered sounding more bored than before.
"Right, sorry. Anyway, despite being in the dark about the kidnappings, I am partially responsible for another plot of hers. She wants Lucile to join us, I know you already know that but what none of you know is the extent of which she's willing to go to get her," his gaze dropped to Lucile, "To get you. Since the day we met, when you tackled me in her caravan, she's been using me to get to you." This time Lucile couldn't afford to stay in her wolf form, there were too many things to be said and questions to ask. Giving up her modesty, she began the change. Barret sensed what was happening and released her, satisfied that at least while she was human, she wouldn't be able to do too much damage to Lash if he annoyed her again.
"Sebastian." Ciel said as Lucile was mid-shift and the butler appeared by her side, his long trench coat in hand waiting to cover her with it. Before she had even become fully human once more, the warm cloth was wrapped tightly around her shoulders.
"Thank you." she whispered just low enough for his ears. He nodded but didn't say anything. When she was covered, Lucile stood and faced Lash once more, "So everything you said to me was what she told you?"
"No, well most of what I said was me. There were certain things she told me to say, like how we should become mates. I like you, you're beautiful, brave, smart and strong but it'd be stupid to commit your entire life to someone you literally only just met, right?" Lash said, "I mean back then, when I said it."
"If you didn't believe it, why did you go along with her?" Ciel asked sipping his tea.
"I wanted Lucile to join us. I thought she was being kept as a pet and wanted her to be free but when he came for her I could tell it was more than that." Lash replied, "She cares about you, my Lord. I couldn't take her away from her family and I told my grandmother that, too, but she insisted. That's the reason she sent me here."
"I thought you said she sent you here to get better?" Lucile asked. Lash shook his head, "Lucy, you know the truth about her now. She could heal me easily if she wanted to." The puzzle pieces were slowly starting to fit together; Delphine didn't just want Lucile for her grandson, she wanted her power. Assuming that the gypsies were all Lycans, having a Pureblood descendant of Marius Wolfsblood at her disposal, Delphine could quite literally rule the Lycan world, hundreds of thousands ready to obey her. An army.
"Get out." Lucile told him in a dangerously quiet tone.
"Lucy..." Lash said, begging in his voice.
"Sebastian, please escort him out. If I do it, I'll kill him." Lucile said turning her back to the male Lycan. Sebastian still stood behind her, not having moved after giving her his coat, and now his crimson eyes were staring at her, trying to read her emotions. She kept her features blank and her eyes cold, she wasn't going to let him see inside her this time.
"Lucy, please..." Lash begged again and Sebastian's gaze turned callous and harsh. He moved to the Lycan male,
"After you." he said in mock politeness.
"Don't do this!" Lash cried, "Please, Lucy! Hey, let go of me! Stop - Lucile! The prophecy! Remember what she told you! Lucile!"

Sebastian dragged the foolish boy towards the door, ignoring his screaming and failed attempts to wriggle free. One good thing that had come out of this mess was it was now easier to throw someone out of the town house without a door. Literally throw. And that's just what he did to the Lycan. Lash landed hard on his stomach but quickly scrambled to his hands and knees, blood still dripping from the bite wound on his shoulder that hadn't healed. He groaned as he stood, the white bandage around his middle was rapidly becoming a deep crimson.
"Please, Sebastian...You have to listen to me." the brat begged. Sebastian's eyes narrowed and he dropped the fake pleasant act he was pulling.
"No." he said, his voice just as cold as the winter air, "You're the one who has to listen to me. I've never liked you but when you risked your life to save hers I had respect for you. That respect was the only thing keeping you alive. However, it, like my patience, now ceases to exist." Lash opened his mouth to speak some more but the hellish glare Sebastian gave him made him close it again for good.
"If you come near her again I won't hesitate to rip your still beating heart from your chest and devour it while you watch. I will tear your soul from your body before you have the chance to die and torture you day after day for one thousand years, and trust me when I say that one year feels like an eternity. Then I will slowly consume you, piece by piece, until all that remains is your agony and self-loathing and leave you with the memories of all your regrets forever. " He turned, straightened his vest and coat and walked back to rejoin the others leaving Lash bleeding and alone in the harsh, winter snow.

I know I said there would be more of certain things this chapter but it took a different turn while I was writing it :S Woo foreshadowing. Apologies again for taking so long - I've been really busy with studies and stuff.

Thank you to everyone who followed, favourited and reviewed (Please keep doing so, it really makes my day) and I love getting questions, so if you have any don't be shy - just ask!