Alastor did so love having guests over to Elysium! He loved it even more when he was hosting wolves he actually enjoyed the company of too! In this case, it was the lovely Briar, the esteemed Queen of the Hallows he and Manea had visited a couple of seasons ago and had attended the wedding of shortly after. She and her now husband had come to their island home for a visit themselves, and the Mendacium couple had received them with open arms and warm smiles. After all, they'd had such a good time with the pair during their vacation! While Manea was off discussing alpha matters with Artorias and attempting to broker an alliance between the two packs, the Mendacium patriarch had led Briar around Alias Island to show off their home to her. The tour ended with the fluffy-furred dire wolf leading the Austral queen up the mountainous paths to show her the views they had from their home, as well as their home itself where they could relax and chat while they waited for their respective partners to return from their walk.

"And here we are! Home sweet home!" Alastor declared when they rounded a bend in the path and the large mountain cave came into view. He turned a wide, toothy grin to Briar and with a wave of his paw, he gestured her inside. "Please, come in! Make yourself at home!" Alastor meandered into the den, crossing the large common living space to grab a few of the plushest furs they had on hand and spreading them out for the two to get comfortable on. "You know, I've been meaning to ask you something, Briar. How do you manage to keep all your fur so pristine and well kept?" The behemoth of a wolf slid down onto the spread of furs, gesturing to his own long flowing ebony and ruby fur while he waited for Briar to join him. "As you can see, I'm not very good at maintaining it myself."

After a moment of chitchat, an expression of realization crossed Alastor's face, his obsidian eyes shooting wide with alert. "Oh, I nearly forgot! You had mentioned you'd brought some of your new wines for us to try. Well, we'll need some things for that!" Shooting Briar a casual smile, Alastor stood once more and padded over to the shelves the family kept their everyday wares on and grabbed a couple of small stone bowls more akin to larger cups that his daughter had crafted and carried them over, setting them down between himself and his guest. "Ordinarily, I'd offer you the liquor as our guests, but I do remember how much you take pride in your winemaking. Are these more of your own creation?" he asked with a curious raise to his brow while he watched Briar prepare their drinks for them.

"Alastor Mendacium"

Briar was both eager and nervous to visit the Elysium leaders. The night they had spent together still felt a bit like a hazy dream and in the setting of the wedding they hadn't had any opportunity to be alone with the other couple so she hadn't really needed to confront the reality of the fact that Manea and Alastor had seen her and Artorias in some extremely compromising—and pleasurable—positions. She wasn't ashamed of that night by any means, but she was worried that her nerves or shyness might take over when put with the lecherous pair again. Luckily, it seemed like that wasn't the case. There was a moment of uncertain awkwardness on her part when they were first greeted by Manea and Alastor, but they were both so warm and welcoming that relaxing around them again was easier than she had expected. Alastor in particular had a certain charm about him that she was fond of so when Artorias and Manea stepped away to talk about some of the more pressing and business related matters of the pack she didn't have an issue with spending some time alone with the ebony and ruby man. She followed him as he gave her a tour of their island home, landing them at the Mendacium's den at the end of it. She smiled as he invited her in and gave a small, thankful dip of her head as she walked in with graceful strides. "Thank you, I will. You're a wonderful host."

Once he laid out a few plush, comfortable furs for them to relax on, she gave him another nod and settled in on the one he offered to her. A content sigh escaped her as she relaxed, lifting her turquoise gaze up to the larger male as he spoke again, asking her about how she kept her coat so neat. The question made her grin and laugh lightly and she gave him a sympathetic glance as she looked over his long, plush, and luxurious fur. She could imagine that it was indeed quite a task keeping all of that fur groomed. She had her long tail to contend with, but her fur otherwise was more sleek and contoured to her body than his. "Well, admittedly, I've always been a bit particular about my fur and staying groomed," she admitted with a chuckle. "So some of it is just being in such a habit of bathing every other day or so, plenty of brushing, and using soaps and oils that keep it smooth. The other part of it is having a close friend and handmaiden that helps me with things like braiding my tail to keep it neat." Her tail curled over her thigh as she glanced down at the thickly braided fur, steaks of tan, ivory, and turquoise all interwoven with one another. She was sure she'd have a harder time with it if she didn't have Lia to help her re-braid it when needed.

Her gaze was brought back to her host when he suddenly remembered the wines that they had brought with them and she watched him curiously as he got up, a smile crossing her lips when she spotted the bowls that he retrieved for them both. "We certainly will!" she replied with a chuckle and she stood for a moment as well, retrieving one of the bottles that had been stowed near the front of the cave with the rest of the small gift they had brought for the Elysium couple. Bringing it back to where they had been laying and settling back down on the furs, Briar started to pull the cork free with her claws and gave Alastor a grin when he mentioned how much pride she showed in her wine making. "They are! I always try to bring at least one of my own bottles when we're visiting with someone or giving gifts so I can hear others opinions on it. I know what I like of course, but I like to hear what other wolves think of it too!" She poured some into each of the bowls as she added, "This is made from the harvest of berries we got from the Wildberry Grove at the end of the summer. The berries were very ripe at the time so it made for a very sweet wine I think." Setting down the bottle between them, she pulled her own bowl closer to take a drink while she peeked at him at waited to see his reaction.

"Briar Carpathius"

It was still so funny for Alastor to look back on how far he had come in his life. There had been a time in his youth where he had been an unhinged, dangerous killing machine with no soul, heart, or conscience. Now, thanks to Manea's love tempering him and mellowing him out, he had become something of a house husband, willingly playing host to their guests when they came for some extracurricular diplomatic purposes. At least, that's what Alastor assumed the Carpathians were here for as well, and not just to stop by to say hi and drop off some wine. Briar, bless her heart, had been so nervous and awkward when they'd greeted the alphas at their borders, but she once again showed her resilience and constitution with how easily she settled herself back in amongst the Mendaciums. She was becoming more comfortable and confident with herself; it was a truly impressive sight for Alastor to behold and know he'd lent a paw to that change!

His initial question about how Briar maintained her fur seemed to help put the Hallows queen at ease with how mundane and normal their conversation was. What, did she just think he and Manea walked around all day in a constant state of horniness? If they did, then no work would ever get done around Elysium, and Alastor was indeed capable of behaving himself when he needed to! Not often, but he could do it! Briar looked over him with an empathetic glance, then detailed her grooming regiment to him. Alastor listened with keen interest, already dreading the idea of needing to take baths every other day and with oils and soaps, but hey, if it would help him tame his unruly coat, he was willing to try anything. "Well, you've done a wonderful job caring for your coat, my dear! I can't recall many, if any, other wolves with a coat as pristine and beautiful as yours!" he replied with a hearty chuckle.

Black eyes landed on Briar's tail while it rested across her thigh, ever so subtly following it up along the curve of her leg to where it connected with her shapely rump. An appreciative murr rumbled in the dire brute's chest, though it could have been mistaken for a sound of acknowledgement. He then cast his dark gaze down to his flowing tail, giving it a couple of flicks before turning a sly, mischievous grin back to his lovely guest. "Do you think Manea would want to braid my tail, or would that look silly on a brute like me? It could be helpful, especially when she's trying to get to certain parts of me." While Briar's braided tail was an elegant accent to her natural beauty, something told Alastor that the hulking, muscular, dark Commander of Elysium would look more ridiculous than anything else with his tail done up in braids. Battle braids didn't exactly have a great ring to them.

He mentioned the wine she'd brought and Briar lit up with ecstatic glee. Her mood was infectious, and Alastor was equally as giddy while he gathered up the bowls for them to drink from. Settling back down near her on the furs, he watched with keen intrigue while she expertly uncorked the bottle of wine and began to serve them both. Alastor enjoyed listening to Briar speak about her sommelier passion with such gusto. He found it fascinating to learn what other wolves were passionate about. When Briar handed him his bowl, the dark dire scooped it up in one giant paw and studied the bright red liquid within. He gave it a tentative sniff, already smelling the sweetness of the sugar from the fruits infused in it. Briar explained this vintage and its inspiration. "Well, in that case, cheers to your bountiful harvest!" And then Alastor brought the bowl to his lips and took a long, slow drink of the rich wine. Briar was right—it was very sweet indeed! He suspected a wolf with a sweet tooth or one new to the flavor of alcohol would like this one. While sweeter than he would normally prefer, Alastor could not deny that it was indeed tasty! Smooth, light-bodied, with a delightful sweet-tart finish.

The Mendacium alpha smacked his lips and ran his pink tongue across the ebony end of his muzzle while he considered the wine. "Mmm you can definitely taste the berries!" he remarked, taking another slow sip to get a second sampling to round out his verdict. "This is going to be a popular one, I think. It's crisp and light, easy to drink. I'd let my yearlings try this as an introduction to wine and they'd probably love it. The added fruit flavors help bring a unique flavor to it as well. It's a delightful blend! I think claiming the berry grove was the best move you could've made!" Alastor then lifted the bowl to his lips and downed the rest of his wine in one long swallow. He set the bowl back down and slid it over to Briar, a silent request for more of the alcoholic beverage while they relaxed and waited on their mates. "What got you into winemaking in the first place, Briar?" asked Alastor, making small talk while he waited for his refill. "Do you do all of this work on your own? The planning, the recipe making, the harvesting...?"

"Alastor Mendacium"

Briar's cheeks flushed at Alastor's complimenting of her perfectly maintained fur and how beautiful her coat was, making her give him a shy smile in return. "Oh, well, thank you. That's very kind of you to say." She had never been very good at taking complements, especially not when it was about her appearance, but she always appreciated the sweet words regardless. Her gaze shifted to his tail when he started questioning whether Manea would want to braid his tail or if it would make him look ridiculous, Briar giggled at the thought, trying to imagine someone as big, hulking, and intimidating as himself with a beautifully braided tail. It was something that sounded like one of his young daughters might do as a silly prank, but even she could admit she couldn't see him walking around with a braided tail. It didn't fit the aura that he gave off normally. However, when he mentioned keeping it out of the way when Manea was trying to get to certain parts of him... She chuckled softly, her cheeks flushing again as a little grin tugged at her lips. "Well, you don't have to braid it, necessarily. Just tying it up in a couple of places to help keep it from flowing everywhere should help."

As their attention moved on to the wine she had brought with her, they both took generous sips from their respective bowls, the sweet, slightly tart drink flowing over her tongue. It was a familiar taste to her now, but even she had to admit this was one of the better iterations of her experiments and trails with the berries they collected from the grove. She was eager to hear his opinion on the wine and has he started talking about how he could taste the berries and how popular this one would be she couldn't help but grin, her tail wagging gently behind her. She was proud of her work and she was always glad to hear when it was paying off. She took another sip of the wine when he mentioned how this would be a good one to introduce young wolves to for their first alcoholic drinks and she nodded in agreement. It was sweet and easy to drink without the bite and sting that some alcohol had. She grinned again when he reaffirmed that claiming the wild berry grove had been the best move they had made. "I have to agree with you there. The berries there are an obvious bonus, but it's just a beautiful location and has all kinds of herbs and prey as well. It's been a good addition to our lands."

They both finished off their first bowls quickly and when he pushed his bowl toward her with a silent request for more she giggled softly and easily complied, tipping the bottle to fill both of their bowls again before she nudged it back in his direction. She glanced up at him when he asked her about what had gotten her into making wines and whether or not she did it all on her own, an easy smile lingering on her lips while they chatted and enjoyed each other's company. "Oh no, I have lots of help with it, especially with the harvesting. I handle most of the planning and working out the recipes, but I get a lot of help from the pack for gathering the grapes and berries to make it with and with the process of making it as well. Its become a bit of a hobby for several of us around the Hallows." She took another sip of her drink, gently swirling it in the bowl for a moment as she pondered the first half of his question. "I guess I really got into it after I moved to the Hallows to be with Artorias and I was just trying to figure out the best way to make myself useful." She shrugged a little and smiled as she lifted her gaze from her drink to look at Alastor again. "The Hallows already had a supply of wine in the cellars from whoever once used and owned the castle long ago, but I thought that making our own wine and creating new variations on it would give the pack another unique and more sustainable item for trade with other packs. It gave me a project to work on and helped me get settled into this whole directing and organizing other wolves thing once I became Queen."

"Briar Carpathius"

Alastor listened with keen ears while Briar explained to him the habits and methods of producing the wines that came from the Hallows. She explained how it was not a single person's endeavor, but a whole affair of the pack, with multiple wolves working together to make the final products, and while she did most of the brainwork behind the recipes and brews, she did not do it all alone. The dark dire wolf hummed with consideration while he glanced down at the dark merlot liquid in his cup, swishing it about gently and taking another long sip. Briar's story behind her motivations to be the official sommelier of the Hallows was adorable and endearing. A little smile touched Alastor's lips while mirthful black eyes turned back up to the nubile queen in repose across from him. "I'd say you certainly found your calling, my dear," he remarked with a rumbling chuckle, taking another gluttonous swig of the wine. "It was a wise move, too. The Hallows is well known across Boreas for its wines by now! You built an entire market around your product, and you've done it very smartly." Was he flattering the young queen a bit? Perhaps. But he was also being honest. You'd be hard pressed to find any wolf in the north or south continents that hadn't partaken of the Hallows wines at some point.

Raising the cup to his lips, Alastor once again downed the remains of his beverage in one long gulp, starting to feel the pleasant tingle of the alcohol in his bloodstream. He was a large wolf and it would require a good amount of liquor to get him drunk or even tipsy, but that pleasant buzz was already starting to kick in. It was also beginning to affect the more... baser sides of Alastor's personality. If Manea and Artorias didn't return soon, they may very well come back to find him already making moves on the lovely Hallows queen. "Elysium doesn't do much in the way of open trade, though I know Manea is hoping to strike a deal with your husband in their talks tonight. We have some metals and gemstones we pull from our mountains, locally growing flora for the healers, and a curious little treat my wife's consort makes." Rising to his paws, Alastor padded over to the den space Irilyth occupied. The little healer wasn't in right now, so Alastor helped himself to one of the clear vials containing a pale gold liquid, bringing it over and placing it before Briar with a salacious smirk on his lips.

A giant paw lifted to tap a siam claw almost musically against the glass vial, drawing attention to it. "This is a special kind of treat for wolves looking to let themselves be a little more free and loose in their sex lives," he explicated to the tawny fae, abyssal eyes shining with an amusement and curiosity to see how she would perceive of Elysium's sole product. "It's an aphrodisiac. A powerful one too, at least according to its maker. She calls it Ambrosia. I haven't tried it myself, but Manea has told me it makes your bedroom antics otherworldly and mind-blowing." With a husky chuckle, Alastor pushed the vial closer to Briar's paws, allowing her to pick it up and inspect the drug closer. "That one's for you, my darling Briar. A free sample for you and Artorias to enjoy together sometime. If you like it, well, you'll be able to trade for as much as you'd like once our partners get through their negotiations. Though it might be some time. Manea does like to ensure she stays on top."

The brute gave a chuckle at his own innuendo. Then Alastor's expression perked up some as an idea came to him then. "While we wait for them, could I interest you in a back rub, Briar? Much like you and your wines, I've started to fancy myself something of a masseuse, and I'd like to get your opinions and feedback. With our partners carrying the burdens and responsibilities they do, it's nice to be able to do something to help them unwind, and I want to make sure I'm doing my best for my mate. Plus after your long walk to the north and then all the way out here, I'm sure you'd appreciate a nice massage." He flashed a wide, toothy smile to Briar, putting on a humorous show of puffing up his chest proudly and giving her a charming grin. "All you'd have to do is get comfortable and enjoy your wine. I'll take care of the rest. What do you say?"

"Alastor Mendacium"

Briar couldn't help but grin shyly as her cheeks flushed at Alastor's compliments over the wine she had been working on and the market she had made around it. "Well, thank you. I'm just glad that others enjoy it. Making all this wine wouldn't mean anything if no one was interested in drinking it." They both continued to drink from their respective cups, Briar being a bit more conservative in her drinking than Alastor. Even still, she could feel the warmth and the buzz of it fairly easily. She was significantly smaller and lighter in build than her drinking partner of the moment so she already knew he would be able to handle much more of the wine than she could. She had built up a fairly good tolerance for it though with all of her testing and enjoyment of her own product. Alastor went on to talk about Elysium's forms of trade and how Manea hoped to strike a deal with Artorias over it in their talks today, listing off a few of the things their pack had to offer. Some of them were expected like gems from the mountain and plants that typically only grew in this kind of climate. When he brought up the concoction that was apparently was made by Manea's consort, Briar gave him a curious look with a lifted brow while she took another sip of her wine.

She didn't have to ask him what he meant, however, since he then got up and walked over to one of the offshoots of the main cave they were laying in and came back out holding a small glass vial that was filled with a gold-hued liquid. Her antlered head tipped with intrigue as he explained what it was—an aphrodisiac that the creator called Ambrosia. Briar's face flushed pink at the thought and description of it, but she honestly couldn't think of a more fitting product to come from the lecherous couple and it made her chuckle softly, amused by the fact that the couple that had managed to get her and Artorias into bed on their first real meeting together would be marketing such a thing. She was surprised to hear that he had never tried it himself, but then again he certainly didn't seem to have any issues getting 'into the mood' for those sorts of things either. She glanced up at him as he pushed the vial closer and she took it in one of her paws, shifting it a bit and watching the liquid swirl within as he gifted it to her and mentioned how it could be available to get more once Manea and Artorias' talks were finished—though those might take a while considering how Manea liked to stay on top. Briar chuckled and grinned bashfully, putting the Ambrosia just off to the side. "That's very generous of you, thank you. I'm sure Artorias and I will enjoy it."

Then Alastor surprised her again by offering her a back rub. At first she was a little taken aback, but as he began to explain how he fancied himself a masseuse and wanted her feedback just as she had wanted for her wines she couldn't help but smile. For such a massive, intimidating individual, he did have some surprising interests and softness about him. It amused her to picture this undoubtedly deadly brute giving his wife a massage at the end of a long day, but it just endeared him to her even more. "Sure, why not?" she agreed with a little chuckle as she shifted a bit to lay on her belly, stretching out on the furs they were resting on and laying her head down between her paws, letting him show her these skills he had been developing.

"Briar Carpathius"

As shy and demure as Briar still seemed to be regarding any topics of the depraved nature, she was quickly coming around to involving herself in them more readily. Perhaps a growing effect of the time the four alphas had shared together in a wine-induced foursome back at the Hallows a couple seasons ago? Manea would be so proud of the growth Briar was showing, of that he had no doubt, and the thought made Alastor's grin widen a touch. He couldn't wait for his wife and the Hallows' Aegis to return so she could see for herself how Briar was developing. As the Queen pocketed the Ambrosia he offered her and thanked him, he dismissed her gratitude with a smile and wave of his paw. "Don't mention it, my dear! I'm sure you and Artorias will have plenty of fun with it!" He punctuated his statement with a somewhat ribald laugh. He could just imagine the prim and proper Queen turning into a carnal beast and going savage on her husband behind closed doors once she took a sip of Irilyth's little drug. Ah, what he wouldn't give to be a fly on the wall of that room!

When Briar accepted his offer for a massage, Alastor's expression visibly brightened on his face, long flowing tail swishing behind him as it began to wag. "Wonderful! Now, you just get comfortable, my darling Briar, and I'll take care of the rest." While Briar got herself stretched out and relaxed on the furs, Alastor rose to his paws and vanished down the tunnels that led to his and Manea's bedchambers, picking out a spiced body oil that held a sweet, spicy aroma to it he thought she might like. Returning to the common area with the bottle held carefully between his teeth, Alastor got set up just behind Briar, surreptitiously letting his dark gaze rove over her spread out body with subtle lecherous intent. "I had a feeling you'd like the smell of this," he said after removing the stopper on the bottle, presenting the oil to Briar to sniff, notes of sweet cinnamon, ginger, and vanilla wafting from the bottle. When he had received the Queen's approval, Alastor gave her a gleeful smile and climbed over top of the prone fae, carefully settling his body back so he was positioned just behind her rear.

Alastor hummed a tune while he dabbed a good amount of the oil onto his paws, rubbing it together to warm it some before leaning down over Briar's form and resting his massive paws on the tawny fae's shoulders. With the good difference in their size, it was easy for him to be able to lean forward and reach any part of Briar. He began at her shoulders and the base of her neck, rubbing squishy paw pads into her muscles as he felt around for any signs of tension or knots. His digits rubbed and kneaded her muscles in firm yet pleasant circles, following the natural planes and curves of her body down her back. As he worked, he massaged the oil into her skin, leaving Briar feeling silky soft and smelling delicious. He had done this for Manea from time to time whenever his mate needed a bit of pampering, and seeing how much she had enjoyed her spa day, it became something he used in his repertoire for getting his wife in the mood for some passion. The lustful part of his brain wondered if it would do the same for Briar also...

The giant dire wolf continued to hum while he rubbed his paws down Briar's sides from her shoulder blades to her waist, pausing every so often to get more oil on his paws before continuing, grinning to himself while he watched what his massage was doing to Briar. "How does that feel so far, Briar?" asked Alastor after some time, kneading with a gentle pressure into her lower back just above her pelvis as he worked a knot out of her muscles, then sliding his paws back up along her spine from waist to the base of her neck and rubbing in hard there. "Am I pressing too hard? Would you like me to focus somewhere in particular?"

"Alastor Mendacium"

Briar glanced up as Alastor slipped away for a moment, disappearing down one of the tunnels that branched off of the main chamber they were using before returning with a bottle of something between his teeth. She gave him a curious look and soon he explained that he felt she would enjoy the scent of the oil he retrieved. She tipped her nose up to smell the fragranced oil and hummed with delight as the notes of the spiced, sweet smelling oil filled her nose. "You were right about that," she replied with a chuckle before she lowered her head again. She did her best to not feel self conscious as Alastor moved to sit behind her, his large, masculine form beginning to lean down over her much smaller frame. After all, it was just an innocent massage and he had already seen her in far more compromising positions than this so surely there was nothing for her to be nervous about. Of course, in her own attempts to relax and calm herself she only made her face flush at the thought of everything he had seen of her, but she still held still as his paws reached for her shoulders with the warm, spiced scent of the oil he was using filling the air around them.

Immediately she could see why Alastor had started to see himself as a masseuse. He had quite the talent for it and as his massive paws started to kneed out any knots or stress in the muscles around her shoulders and the base of her neck she quickly forgot about anything that had been making her nervous before. She hummed with a pleasantly surprised delight, her eyes flickering closed while he put just the perfect amount of pressure into her shoulders and started to work more of that delicious smelling oil into her fur and skin. He occasionally pulled another hum or quiet groan from her as he worked, the longer he massaged her the more relaxed she became till she was practically putty under his paws to manipulate however he wanted. As his massaging started to work further down her sides and away from her shoulders it made her heart skip a beat, the feeling of him sitting behind her with his paws drifting down closer to her waist and hips starting to kindle a hint of that spark that she had felt the last time he and his wife shared a bed with her and Artorias.

She didn't realize it at first, not until his steadily working paws neared her lower back and waist and a slightly louder groan of enjoyment escaped her before she could stop herself. It made her face flush hot when she heard herself, her eyes blinking open with her shock at herself, but she made sure not to move so maybe she could hide her own embarrassment. There was no doubt about how amazing his massage felt, but it just felt so unlike her to give into something like this so readily and easily. It was hard to untangle how much of it was purely just from how good everything felt and how much she was simply enjoying this time she was spending with Alastor. Even though he looked so intimidating, Alastor really had proven himself to be a very thoughtful and sweet individual—who also just so happened to be very talented with his paws. When he asked how that felt and questioned her for some direction of how he might proceed, Briar easily replied with a little chuckle, "This feels amazing, Alastor. Manea is a lucky lady." She grinned a little and considered if there was anywhere she wanted to ask him to focus and her cheeks burned at the immediate answer her mind came up with. Instead, she allowed herself to lean in that direction without making a total fool of herself. "I really liked when you were massaging my lower back," she admitted with a slight shyness, a little smile tugging at her lips.

"Briar Carpathius"

A delighted grin slowly crept its way across the dire wolf's maw when he heard that first humming murr come from the alphess beneath his massaging paws, taking her pleased sounds as the highest compliment he could receive. He uttered a low, rumbling chuckle deep in his chest while he listened to Briar's hums and groans, using them like waypoints to navigate his paws around her back, seeking out each spot of tension or tensed muscle and giving them focused, specialized attention before moving on to the next one. He felt Briar relax beneath his ministrations, her body turning to putty in his paws as he masterfully manipulated and worked each muscle in turn. He would only pause every so often to apply more of the body oil to his paws, rubbing the spiced scented lotion into her skin until her naturally delectable scent was accentuated with the fragrance of sweet cinnamon and spicy ginger. She smelled like a delicious baked good now, and it was getting difficult for the dire brute to gaze down over her long, svelte body without thinking of devouring her like one too.

The lower his paws worked, the more vocal Briar became with her sounds, her quiet groans growing in volume and frequency. Alastor raised an intrigued brow above a dark eye, his grin widening and shifting from pleased to predatory. She certainly wasn't making it any easier on him to keep his mind on track and off of some of the more compromising positions he had seen the Hallowed queen in before. Though he didn't see her embarrassed reaction to her own enjoyment, Alastor did feel Briar's body tense up for a fleeting moment before sinking back into relaxation again, drawing another chuckle from the dire brute. "Sounds like somebody's enjoying themselves," he teased her with playful jest, giving her sides a particularly good squeeze to punctuate his statement. Briar confirmed his hunch with her own words; what he was doing felt amazing. Alastor gave a rumbling laugh and beamed proudly. "Why thank you! I do enjoy spoiling my lady and making her feel good," he remarked, then leaned his larger form down over Briar's until his muzzle was near her ear, whispering in a husky, seductive purr, "All of my ladies..."

Just as Alastor was sitting back upright, Briar responded with a hint of shyness that she had enjoyed him massaging her lower back the best. With a quiet hum of attraction, Alastor grinned down at the tawny fae beneath him, letting those massive paws ever so slowly run down her back, following the natural curve of her spine to her waist. "You tell me how low you want me to go." With his simple instruction given, Alastor began to press and roll his giant paws into Briar's lower back again, letting his deadly claws extend just enough to knead carefully into her flesh, not enough to pierce her skin but enough for her to feel the gentle pull and tug against her muscles. Humming to himself again, Alastor kept ruby-tipped ears perked to catch every one of Briar's sounds and reactions. He didn't want to miss a single one while he unwound and relaxed the muscles of her lower back, just over her waist. After a few moments, his paws moved lower, strong paws working over and around her hips, just above her rump. Obsidian eyes shifted from his paws up to Briar's face, watching her expressions and reactions closely while he waited to see if she'd bid him go lower still. "Like this...?" he asked, a subtle tease and promise of more if all she did was ask and give herself over to him.

"Alastor Mendacium"