Meanwhile, Deucalion indulges his own fascination. Training Alexei is an exercise in patience. The boy's spirited determination and suspicious distrust of him make their work more challenging. Deucalion enjoys the tension, constantly brewing. When it's reached a fever pitch, come time to dump it on the unsuspecting pack, he suspects he'll enjoy the burns- metaphorically. Most of the deaths will be by claw.

It becomes clear fairly quickly that Alexei is better at this than James is. Despite their identical faces, the younger twin is taller, fitter, and better fed than the older, and more than that, he has a talent for combat, often understanding and incorporating new tactics into his fighting style on the fly. He clearly enjoys it, as well, much as he distrusts the instructor. 

Jamie's focus makes up for a lot of his lack of talent, in comparison to his brother. If he weren't learning alongside him, his progress might seem fairly impressive. As it is, he's clearly the weaker combatant. He does take in Deucalion's more questionable tactics more easily than Alex does, however, seemingly unbothered by the immorality of them. 

Working with James is easy. With him, he finds a sort of simple comfort that he hasn't felt in years; someone who understands him and who is working with him. It's almost like trust, if not for all the stark differences.

Alexei holds promise, but his quibbles about morals will need to go. Luckily, they have time.

Ennis befriends the betas. Most of them are interesting enough. He finds that he can get along with most people; he'll hate having to kill them, but he's killed people he likes before, in service of his pack.

Davin observes. It's clear that Alexei and Deucalion are interacting outside his view, but he's hardly surprised by that. The young beta's clear distrust is entertaining. He wonders if Deucalion intends to do anything to change it, or if he'll hold to his stated intentions.

The man did say he was staying to observe Davin's own projects, however, much as Alex is also clearly a draw. Eventually he turns from amusing himself with watching that situation play out, and back to his own work.

And thus, one afternoon, neither twin shows up at the clearing where they have been meeting. 

...well. He sends Kali to entertain Davin, as they usually do when he's with Alexei. Davin has long since puzzled that out, which will make it less suspicious when they finally move. Ennis is with the betas, as usual.

He looks for Alexei.

He's made some effort to be difficult to find, but Deucalion has some advantages most lack. He'll eventually come across him hidden curled up among the roots of a large tree not far from the clearing where he'd met them originally. He appears to be in a lot of pain, despite being physically unharmed. 

"Get up, Mr. Starr. We need to save your brother."

"-I. What?" He shoves himself up, staggering a bit when another wave of pain-terror-stifledpleading hits him from Jamie's side of the bond. 

"This nonsense with Davin has gone on long enough. We had planned for James to be the one to do this, but I can't leave him with that man any longer. I imagine you feel more strongly about that than I do. We should move now."

"I cant-" he stops, voice faltering as he tenses up with the next wave.

...He can't kill Davin because then he will have to kill the betas. But. Deucalion is right - he can't leave Jamie in there. Not now that he has the ability to help him. But the betas- but he was going to stand back and let Jamie kill them anyway- does he care more about not getting his hands dirty than he does about his brother- no, but maybe he should care more about dozens of lives-

His agonizing grinds to a halt as Jamie gives up suppressing the pleading and reaches out for him. He's said before not to listen to him when he's like this, but in the current situation- 

It tips the scales. 

Still gritting his teeth from the pain, he nods at Deucalion. "Plan?" Or is this more of a 'rush in and kill him before he kills me' sort of situation. Honestly, he'd be good with that.

"We won't need anything that sophisticated. I can grant you a share of my power- make you my heir. All you have to do is be worthy of that trust- in an even fight between you and Davin, I trust that you'll win. I'll be there if you need any help in those final moments."

"...Okay," his tone is very tense and clipped. He tries to push aside the distractions in his own head to focus. "How do you do that."

"Stand still. I'll scratch you lightly with my claws. You'll feel the pain for a second before I can take it away. You should feel a noticeable increase in your strength- and if we're quite lucky, in your side of the bond with your brother. You'll be better able to handle what comes from his mind to yours."

Hopefully. He doesn't need his newest recruit crippled instantly, before they've killed his slaver.

-he nods. After a moment, he holds his arm out in offering, clutching the branch he's using for support a little tighter with the other. 

He scratches his newest beta.

The pain is, as promised, light. The feeling of power coursing through him...that, unexpectedly, is intoxicating. Not enough to impair, but enough to distract.

Deucalion has no interest in compromising the boy's memory, but he likes knowing how easy it would be.

-the shift is involuntary. 

On the plus side, he's not being nearly overwhelmed by Jamie's emotions anymore. It's hard to tell if this is because of an increase of control of the bond, or if it's because of the surge of fury that overtakes him alongside the increase in power. 

...a surge of fury that Deucalion feels as well, echoing back at him over the new bond that just formed. Alex is too distracted to notice it, trying and failing to get a handle on himself, but it is very obvious on the other side.

What was his mantra- he can't remember it- 

The branch he's holding snaps as his hand tightens into a fist around it. He growls, going tense as a bowstring about to snap, all his mind occupied by the need to get to Davin and Jamie right now.

"Patience. Not long now. You will have your chance, Alexei. Let me bring him to you. A gift. You will finish him, and avenge his countless abuses against your brother. Not long now."

He adds just a bit of a growl to his voice. It's a challenge, from one alpha to another; the newest part of Alexei's mind will respond to that, looking to impress and intimidate him in return. Pointless posturing, but useful for control in this moment. Besides, he won't need control for long.

Patience does not come easily to Alex, even when he isn't struggling like this. An enemy alpha, one he hates and is disgusted by, has what is his. He doesn't want the man to be made a gift for him, he wants to deal with him himself. 

Deucalion is standing between him and the easiest path out of the corner he'd holed himself into earlier. He advances towards him, still growling.

"Get out of my way." 

He can work with this. Alexei will come to heel when he realizes what he's done. Deucalion will work on easing his path forward.

He leaves the alpha to his work.

-Deucalion and Alexei are coming towards the rest of the pack too quickly. Ennis works on getting the betas as far from Davin as possible.

Good. Once the other alpha is out of the way, he sets off through the woods at a run. 

Despite Ennis' work on getting the betas away from them, there's still a few around when he reaches the outskirts of the compound. Most of them are smart enough to recognize the difference in him and scatter out of the way. Some of them, however, are idiots, or let idiots do their thinking for them.