Warmth.

That was all Evelyn Brown could feel.

She could feel the bite and the venom that was in her system, and could feel the mattress underneath her- as well as hear the heavy breathing of Paul Lahote.

No matter how Evelyn Brown tried, after the apple had been brought to her lips and she'd taken a bite, Evelyn could not move. The amulet sat against her bare skin, warm to the point where Evelyn could practically feel it stuck to her skin.

However, her body continued to grow warmer and warmer, to the point where Evelyn Brown could feel her clothes becoming slick with her sweat. Evelyn Brown felt her heart pound away in her chest, felt the thrum in her core, as well as her amulet continued to singe into her flesh.

A door opened and closed, and Evelyn heard a few muffled voices- as well as the telltale rip of Paul changing back into wolf form. Evelyn Brown felt a hand press against her forehead, cool and gentle to the touch, and the scent of flowers pointed Evelyn to the direction of Persephone.

"She should be healing," Persephone whispered softly to Paul Lahote, the wolf staring as the goddess dabbed a soft wash cloth against Evelyn Brown's temple. "Pray to Hera, darling wolf. In hopes she grants your imprint the will and strength to make it through."

A low growl fell from Paul Lahote's chest, though Persephone paid it no mind- and the goddess left a bowl of cool water along with several wash cloths at Evelyn's side. Persephone dipped her head toward Paul, before she left in a swirl of pink colored tulle and the scent of flowers. Paul Lahote let his bones crack into place, and the shapeshifter soon stood on two feet once more. With careful hands, Paul Lahote plucked up one of the cloths, and wrung it in both hands to squeeze the excess water out into the bowl.

"I don't even... I barely know who Hera is." Paul Lahote mumbled to himself, and the shapeshifter knelt next to Evelyn's bedside. Paul's hands shook slightly as he dabbed at Evelyn's forehead, and the exposed skin of her neck and chest. "You've told us so much of your family though..."

Paul Lahote continued the pattern of pressing the cool cloth to Evelyn's skin, until the water in the bowl grew warm, and the cloth no longer offered his imprint any comfort. Paul pressed his hand against Evelyn's curls, and leaned down to press a soft kiss to the top of Evelyn's forehead.

"Hera... I know little of you." Paul Lahote admitted, his words spoken pressed against Evelyn's hairline. Paul felt the room gain a chill, a soft breeze that caused goosebumps to bloom on Paul and Evelyn alike. "I know you gifted her this apple, I know it's from your tree, I know you're the goddess of women, and I know you love her." Paul Lahote lifted his head to stare blankly at the wall ahead of him, eyes misty- and the shapeshifter held back a sob as he glanced down to see Evelyn's skin growing pale in color. "Please save her Goddess Hera, that's all I ask."

"Just this once, dear wolf."

A soft motherly voice answered Paul, and the shapeshifter watched as Evelyn Brown's path changed right in front of his eyes. The room cooled significantly, which stopped the warmth that seemed to be dragging Evelyn toward a hell pit. Evelyn Brown's skin bloomed with color, and Paul watched as golden swirls seemed to bloom from around her palms to curl around her wrists.

Delicate swirls of magic from an unseen owner, danced along the bite in Evelyn's skin- soft kisses of power pressing into the wound to heal it over. The scar shimmered once, then twice, before it melted away into her skin. The scar tissue on Evelyn's arm and leg shimmered as well, though they were left only slightly faded in the end. Another swirl of magic pulled Evelyn's amulet up, and laid it carefully against the fabric of her top- before the swirl disappeared to soothe the wound it left behind.

"All will be well, dear wolf." The motherly voice promised softly, a whisper in the back of Paul's mind- and the shapeshifter bobbed his head in a nod as he smoothed some of the frizz from Evelyn's curls. "Give her time, let her newly gained magic settle in. We have a new goddess in our midst."

"A goddess?" Paul Lahote whispered, and the motherly voice, Hera, Paul assumed- laughed softly.

"The Goddess of Light and Sight." Hera murmured, a soft whisper that ruffled against Paul's ear. "Seems to fit, no?"

"Patron animal?" Paul whispered, though the shapeshifter had a feeling he knew.

"Must you ask that when you already know, dear wolf?" Hera let out a soft laugh, the blew another set of goosebumps across the skin of Paul's shoulder. "What animal do you turn into, dear shapeshifter?"

"A wolf." Hera and Paul said the words in tune, as Paul continued to watch Evelyn seem to gain more life as every second ticked forward.

"A wolf, it seemed to fit in my opinion." Hera hummed, and Paul watched as a pile of folded clothes materialized out of nowhere. "The first wolf to pray to me, the first of your kind to do so, that seems to call for a boon- don't you think?"

"If you want to give me one, I'll humbly accept." Paul kept his voice soft as Evelyn's eyes seemed to move behind her eyelids, but the movement slowed shortly after it happened.

"For you and your friends." Hera explained, and the pile of clothing ruffled slightly. "Clothes that form and reform as wolves, they'll appear to be tied around your ankles when in wolf form in a small pack."

"That is... oh my." Paul stood slowly and quickly dressed himself, a shirt and pair of shorts that were more comfortable than Paul could find words to explain. "Thank you, Goddess Hera."

"Of course, dear wolf." Hera's voice ruffled across Paul's ear once more, and the shapeshifter watched as the pile faded into thin air. "Back at your home, shapeshifter, don't worry now."

"Thank you, I don't know how to show my appreciation." Paul admitted, and Hera clicked her tongue against her teeth- before Paul settled himself down kneeling at Evelyn's side once more.

"Take care of her, dear wolf." Hera's voice was soft, and Paul Lahote swore he could feel lips press to his forehead. "That is all any of us have ever wanted."

A soft chime went off in the room, and the cooling stayed- though Paul Lahote could no longer feel Hera. Paul reached down and picked up a cloth from the bowl Persephone had left, and went back to pressing it against Evelyn's skin.

"Open your eyes, little wolf." Paul's voice was borderline begging, and the flutter that Evelyn's eyelids gave was promising. "C'mon now."

"You're very loud." Evelyn's hand clamped around Paul's wrist, the warmth under her fingers seemed to ground her. "What happened?"

"You missed all of the excitement." Paul Lahote rolled his shoulders in a slight shrug- and Evelyn Brown let out a soft laugh as her head rolled to meet Paul Lahote's gaze.

"How worried do you think everyone is up top?" Evelyn wondered, and Paul smiled slightly- knowing that everyone was most likely freaking out about the very safety of the Brown girl.

"Don't focus on that, little wolf." Paul said with a roll of his eyes, and he pressed the cloth against side of Evelyn's temple. "How are we feeling?"

"I'm different now... aren't I?" Evelyn asked, and Paul couldn't help but bob his head in a tiny nod.

"I can explain it all, if you want?" Paul Lahote watched Evelyn's eyes flash a soft gold for a fraction of a second, and the shapeshifter gulped as Evelyn Brown quickly shook her head.

"In a little, I missed you." Evelyn felt her cheeks warm, and Paul Lahote couldn't help but laugh before he nudged Evelyn Brown slightly with a small tap of his fist against her shoulder.

"I missed you too, little goddess."