Wellesley could hear Lucifugus's heart thudding in his chest as well as his own heart. He hoped Lucifugus wasn't also trying to intentionally listen to his heart. That would be embarrassing.
You can rest assured I'll be present as asked. Thank you for informing me," Lucifugus managed in a polite tone that felt cold and distant. Like being nice was the best he could manage as opposed to normal playful sibling conversation.
Luciana sighed. "Alright. That's fine. And..I'm sorry about earlier, when I yelled at you, Luci" she apologized.
Lucifugus didn't reply. Wellesley looked nervous wondering if he'd been caught up in more than he realized.
"How do you know Luciana Blackwater?" He demanded when Lucifugus released him which meant it was okay to talk. Maybe Luciana had walked away.
"She is my sister, what's your excuse," Lucifugus commented.
Wellesley did a double take. "She's my class president representative... I know her from school..." He admitted.
"She's never mentioned you." He mumbled
Lucifugus's eyes widened. "Okay... Crap,"
He ran a head through his hair. "You can't tell her or any one of them that you know me," he insisted. Then he realized what he did and pushed the bangs back down covering his forehead a gold disc with a waning gibbous moon fell on the floor. The tattoos from before were now completely gone.
'Hey he looks good with his forehead visible,' Wellesley flushed and pushed the thought aside. "Okay but why?"
He heard a clink almost akin to the sound of a coin and felt like he suddenly went in high alert. He relaxed as he realized it was Lucifugus taking something out of his hair.
The faint clinking noise was the sound of the discs that had been in his hair being dropped into a small case. He shifted slightly, the volume had suddenly got really loud then dropped to normal, putting him in a state of unease.
"It'll be bad for you if you know me even in passing, don't mention me at all, lie if they ask or we see each other," he explained.
"But-" Wellesley started.
"You'll find out why soon enough, it'll be made a point of when they introduce you to the community pack." He said speaking over Wellesley.
"So how long until I start developing...?" Wellesley asked after a few minutes of silence.
"Hmm, after the first signs appear you should have a minimum of four hours, less if you had an adrenaline rush when you were bitten," he explained.
"Four hou-" Wellesley exclaimed in dismay then caught himself. "That's not a lot of time for me to get settled or get my stuff," he lamented.
"So... Your name.. it's Lucifugus?" Wellesley asked filling the silence he felt was awkward.
"Mm" he hummed disinterestedly and opened a box. He seemed to have been looking for what was inside because he pulled out a glass polygon shaped vial. It seemed like an octagon, filled with dark purple liquid.
"The medicine is technically good for almost twenty years but most werewolves don't take care of it or share it. I don't mind sharing since I no longer need it, but ....." He cut himself off and Wellesley couldn't help but notice his sorrowful expression.
'they don't want anything to do with me' Lucifugus didn't voice the rest of the sentence.
Wellesley looked over the polygon vial.
"No more than a drop per day. " The newly dubbed Lucifugus advised. Wellesley looked at him.
"if you take the medicine I gave you it'll slow down the transformation a great deal. Buying you a day for each drop. Be warned that it's just prolonging the inevitable and isn't a cure. Don't pretend it is one." He advised letting Wellesley go and he sighed in relief.
Finally Lucifugus grabbed a dark green sweater with braided detailing on the arms. It smelled nice, like apples and what he remembered Prim and his mother's favorite flower to be; orchids.
After that Lucifugus put on some heavy looking gold chains with large crescent moon shaped outline charms on them.
Instinctively Wellesley stepped back, though he wasn't sure why.
"Ah sorry, forgot to warn you: stay at least four feet from me when I'm wearing these," He said simply.
Distantly he noticed that Lucifugus had changed pants, now wearing dark grey trousers with an blackberry leaf pattern bordering the side.
"... these chains are made of silver and soaked in wolfsbane. Common things to weaken a werewolf," he explained.
"Why are they gold colored?" Wellesley asked.
"It's a coating for aesthetic, I wasn't in charge of the design," Lucifugus remarked casually. "Let's go,"
"Wait what are we doing?" Wellesley panicked.
Lucifugus took his arm heading towards the window.
"But-- we don't have a rope-!" Wellesley protested.
"We didn't have a rope to get in and you weren't complaining," Lucifugus said simply.
"We weren't heading straight down then!" He explained, looking worse for wear the more he looked at the ground.
Lucifugus half-lidded his eyes in a deadpan expression.
"Mm," he hummed disinterestedly and let go of Wellesley's arm to wrap it around his frame to cover his mouth preventing him from yelling.
"Wha- mmph!" Wellesley protested only to fall silent as the hand was over his mouth. He was starting to wonder if it was unwise to be so trusting and friendly towards this person. Luciana never mentioned her brother. But he also didn't really know her that well apparently. However she did seem really interested in the dream Primrose told her about while they were studying.
The jump was surprisingly far less scary than his memory of getting on a roller coaster. But it was similar in that he was suddenly going down very fast. They rolled as they landed, or rather Lucifugus rolled and Wellesley had no choice since he was being held.
"Come on you need to get to the entrance" Lucifugus said standing up.
He offered a hand to help Wellesley stand upon noticing the wince as he rubbed his shoulder.
They'd quickly scaled the fence bordering the house and walked around the house and made their way to the entrance. A once wooden fence that was now covered in thick vines. Wellesley bristled as the vines looked like they were moving a little.
"So I can't tell anyone about your identity, what am I supposed to say?" Wellesley asked.
"Just say that Nouveau Eclipse' took you here. That after he appeared at the arcade, you tried to run off and attempted to fix your," he guestured at the bandage on his shoulder.
".. Injuries, you got caught again before anyone noticed and we're told you may have been bitten," he said rubbing uncomfortably at his own shoulder. The chains clattered noisily and Lucifugus winced.
"You sure they're gonna believe that? I can keep your secret if you don't want them to know. But don't werewolves have really keen senses?" He asked.
"Just act scared and confused. Shouldn't be too hard for you," Lucifugus mentioned. The chains rattled at the action.
Wellesley tried to look offended but given how he'd freaked out over a jump that wasn't that serious, it seemed hard to argue.
"The guards will be approaching soon. I imagine the vines have warned my father, Alpha of the Blackwater Community about you, by now" Lucifugus added.
"What about you? Won't they mention you?" Wellesley asked turning to face him as Lucifugus backed away likely backtracking his steps.
Lucifugus snorted. "Me? I live here,"
You play it safe, don't mention meeting me and do as they ask. You'll be fine if you can manage that," was Lucifugus's final comment as he disappeared into the trees.
Wellesley looked apprehensive as he leaned forward and touched the fence. Soon enough, the werewolf guards came and surrounded him as Lucifugus said. Along with someone who vaguely resembled Lucifugus in terms of facial expression and strong jawlines. However if this was Alpha Blackwater, he differed from his children greatly with tan skin and deep brown eyes. His own hair was brown but it has faded streaks that bordered on grey.
"A Transmogrified Werewolf. Very well, we'll offer you hospitality. Welcome to the Blackwater Community." The man they referred to as Alpha Blackwater decided, then gestured for him to follow.
Wellesley gulped nervously. He had no reason to believe Lucifugus wouldn't put him in a situation to hurt him, but the jump hadn't turned out so bad. Discreetly he stuffed the gifted potion in his pocket and complied as he was told.