What happens behind closed doors

Ikigai was such a sweetheart. Without anyone to help him with his new fur coat, he had resorted simply to letting his fur get messy and tangled, then just bathing more at Manea's behest, but it never really solved the issue. More like it delayed the inevitable. Ikigai, however, offered to show him how to care for his fur, even offering him some gifts to help him out. "That's very kind of you, Ikigai," he replied with a small smile. "Thank you." But that moment of happiness was short-lived as he noticed the injury to her face and immediately set upon her like a father tending to a child who had just taken a tumble.

The Abraxas princess was instantly shaking her head in an attempt to dismiss his concerns, but Alastor was having none of it. His paternal instincts had kicked in and he was compelled to take care of her. The biological need to protect had to make sure Ikigai was all right. Dark eyes clouded with concern when the alabaster fae shifted her eyes down from his in shame and embarrassment, the demure acceptance of what had happened to her striking his heart like a nail had been driven through it. As Commander of Elysium, he was responsible for the pack's safety from all threats—both external and within. The fact that Ikigai was sitting here by the lake bearing her injuries meant he had failed her. Suddenly, the innocuous scent of lilac didn't seem so innocent anymore.

There was no doubt in his mind who the culprit behind her injuries was. He didn't know Deimos well, but he knew enough of the brute to know that if someone else had done this to the princess, he would have torn them apart already. The fact that no such violence had occurred meant he was the guilty party. Ikigai further confirmed his suspicions when she deigned the incident "a hazard of the agreement". That comment set Alastor's blood on fire, and he gently yet insistently urged Ikigai's chin up with the massive paw on her cheek. "The agreement? My dear, no wolf has a right to lay a paw on you with malicious intent. You are a princess of Ashen, soon of Elysium, and any wolf who does you harm will be dealt with according to our laws." Alastor had placed a heavy emphasis on "any" to show Iki that no wolf, Mendacium or otherwise, was above the pack's tenets. Her betrothed, a Mendacium, was held to the same rules as everyone else, and no one was above the law.

The fact that Ikigai was so readily accepting of taking such abuse from her future husband as a part of her normal life broke Alastor's heart. Looking at her, Alastor saw the faces of his sisters, watching them progressively become more and more broken and damaged until his abusive father had snuffed the life out of every single one of them. He had seen the danger and the escalation of domestic violence firsthand. It had made him into the monster he was today. The murderous, wrathful side of him wanted to march over to Deimos' den right now and dole out some well-deserved justice. The fatherly side of him wanted to comfort and ensure Ikigai's safety foremost. That side of Alastor won out for now, and the giant wolf fixed obsidian eyes with the young woman's argent silvers before wrapping trunk-like forelegs around her sides and pulling her into his fluff to embrace her. Alastor didn't say anything for a moment, just offering the hurt princess a reassuring hug and a comforting presence. "Oh Ikigai..." sighed Alastor, his expression falling now that it was no longer within her sight. "If you want me to keep this quiet, from your mother and Manea, I will keep my lips sealed. But please... don't ever think allowing yourself to be made a victim is something you must do. You are so much more than that."

"Alastor Mendacium"