Name: Harper Adler

Age: 28

Species: Lycanthrope-Turned

Family: Estranged - Evermore Pack

Rank: Lycan Alpha

Face Claim: Imogen Poots

Realistic | Adaptable | Confident | Genuine | Perceptive

Sarcastic | Mellow | Earthy | Blunt | Cynical | Wary | Cold

Change is one of the constant guarantees in life along with taxes, debt, and death and yet none have stood more testament to that fact than Harper Adler.

Her parents relationship was a dysfunctional one from the start, anyone who knew them would have labeled what they had a love/hate connection. Jack Adler was a College English Professor, having worked for several years to gain the notoriety he needed to be published he was one of the most highly intelligent and most respected Professor’s on campus. Well on his way to being put up for consideration for tenure and one of the youngest in the College’s history to attain such he was determined not to let anything stand in his way. When he suddenly found himself strangely attracted to one of his students which was against one of the cardinal rules of the college and his profession, Jack was both angry and annoyed. Abigail Lawrence was a bright eyed idealist who believed in love at first sight, majored in Creative Writing and Romantic Literature, and thought that everything would always work out in the end. Her attraction to her hot English Professor was almost instantaneous and yet with each passing day she was becoming more and more convinced that he hated her.

Jack took great pains to ignore her during class, going so far as to humiliate her during her third class to prevent her from speaking again and tempting him with her sultry voice. Just to vex him Abby made it a point to sit right in the front row of his class, putting herself where he couldn’t ignore her. Despite the foul treatment in class every one of her papers he praised, leaving insightful and uplifting comments that left her breathless and confused. For 4 years the pair dance around each other, through several of the classes he taught they continued their game of cat and mouse until the night Abby graduated. In a single night of heat and passion the pair of them finally gave in to their attraction, falling into bed to pour out all their pain and frustration that had been building since that first day of class.

That one night tryst turned into love, love evolved into marriage, and marriage multiplied two into three. During her infancy the couple were enraptured with their little girl, completely taken in by her bright blue eyes and baby soft skin. By the time Harper really got into the terrible twos the cracks were beginning to show in the Adler romance. Unable to find work Abby was relegated to being a stay at home mom, unwilling to settle for anything less than her dream job which put all the financial strain for the family on Jack. The Professor started spending longer hours at the college working on his publications in order to get away from his needy wife. Together they were good parents, Abby was attentive and watchful ever afraid she wasn’t going to be enough for her daughter while Jack did everything he could to provide and ensure his daughter wouldn’t ever won’t for anything.

Harper was 5 years old when her father finally achieved his goals, achieving tenure as one of the youngest Professors ever to manage such a feat in the History of the college. During his congratulations celebration Jack had one too many beers and found himself sleeping with one of his colleagues, a leggy brunette who was both smart and sexy.  When dawn broke the next morning Jack couldn’t bring himself to feel guilty about what he’d done, showering methodically he reasoned out in his mind that the love he once felt for his wife had run it’s course and that things should end. He didn’t tell his wife right however, when he finally did return home Abby had arranged a little family party and in the face of his little girl’s excitement he couldn’t bring himself to spoil the fun. Well over a year would pass before he finally came around to telling Abby about the affair, her increasing manic behavior as a result of being at home all the time drove him insane and he felt cramped.

Heartbroken but still under the illusion that Jack was her one true love Abby told him he was free to leave but that the door would remain open when he was ready to return. In her heart she held out hope that things would work out in the end, determined that her love would be enough to see them all through this tough time. Nearly 9 months would elapse during their separation, in which things drastically changed for all three of them. Jack found his time under more constraints, though he was careful to set aside time specifically to spend time with his daughter. Abby was forced to get a job in order to keep things running as they were, with Jack no longer in the household or providing as he once had she was given no other choice. Harper was nearly 7 years old and her understanding of the situation was far deeper than her parents knew, upset that her family wasn’t under the same roof she acted out like any normal child of her age.

Jack eventually came to the realization that he still harbored feelings for his wife and missed the life he had with his family. Contrite and ashamed of himself he went home to his family and swore to do better, to be better for his girls. Harper was overjoyed and Abby relieved and for a few years they existed happily once again. Both parents worked while Harper went to school, her intelligence showing itself in her grades as she moved to the top of the class. Jack found a balance between his work and family life, making it home every night for dinner, helping Harper with her homework, and taking responsibility for other little chores around the house. Abby was flourishing in her job, quickly moving up through the ranks to managing the local museum, cultivating a small name for herself within the historical community. By all appearances they should have been a happy family and yet like it always does the crack began to show.

First in little disagreements that left Jack and Abby giving one another the silent treatment and then graduated to full blown arguments that left the young girl curled up in her closet as she listened to her parents scream at each other downstairs. At 12 Harper was disillusioned and conflicted within her young mind, torn between hoping with the ignorance of youth that her parents would somehow work through things using the love they had once held for one another and yet she found her belief in the very idea of love waning drastically. It was a strange state to be in and left Harper moody, quick to temper and often rebellious to an almost reckless degree. Acting out is common for teenagers, a way of pushing boundaries and growing however for the young woman it would shift and change her entire world.

Days before her 13th birthday during yet another screaming match it came out that Abby had cheated on her father, much as he had changed and was struggling to do better in order to keep their family together Abby had found solace and comfort and love in the arms of another man. Heartbroken and devastated Jack could do nothing but offer the same open door that Abby had once given him but it was obvious to everyone that Abby wasn’t going to be coming back. Harper’s birthday turned into a somber event, a simple dinner between herself and her father while Abby was away with her new lover and boyfriend. Try as he might Jack just couldn’t muster the proper enthusiasm for his little girl’s newest mile stone and though Harper loved her father for trying she couldn’t shake the boiling rage at what her mother had done. Forced to watch her beloved father deteriorate into a state of near depression she became unable to handle the festering anger within her heart and in a night of wild abandon she snuck out of the house and ran.

At the time she couldn’t have said where she was running to or what she was running from, all she knew was the growing need to get away became overwhelming. The young teenager ran through town, taking all the shortcuts she knew of until she came to the woods on the outskirts of town and kept running. She and her father had camped in the woods many times, her feet familiar with handling the terrain even in the dark of night. With no idea how far she had gone she finally slowed breathing heavily, shaking with both fatigue and the anger that surged through her system like liquid fire. There in the middle of the forest with only the trees to stand witness Harper threw back her head and screamed out her rage and sadness and confusion until she was hoarse. Drained of everything the young woman began her long trek home, slowly becoming aware that she was being followed.

At first she thought it was just some small animal, curious about her and sure that it would lose interest soon enough she kept moving back in the direction of her home. She’d gone several miles when it became clear that not only was the creature not losing interest but it was far bigger than she had first guessed. Fear began to creep in, quickening her strides until she was full on running, the feel of being hunted giving impetus to her headlong flight home. Unfortunately the creature was faster than she was, the chase kicking in it’s instincts, and within a few moments it was on her. Harper fought and screamed as the creature, some wolf or coyote with sharp teeth and claws bit into her and dragged her through the underbrush. For a few horrifying moments the young woman was sure she had reached the end of her life, that she was about to expire in a rather gruesome manner leaving her father forever alone in the world.

More growls and a hair raising howl sounded in the distance, drawing the creatures attention enough that it loosened it’s jaw around her thigh. In a burst of adrenaline fueled strength Harper kicked her way free and by some miracle got back to her feet, running clumsily through the trees until she made it back to town. As much pain as she was in Harper went home, sneaking back into her room without her father being the wiser and to avoid any awkward questions or more yelling she patched her bite wounds up and managed to cover up the incident. It was fairly easy, Jack was so deep in his depression he didn’t pay anything much attention with the exception of his work. That was fine with Harper who took his distraction as a chance to heal up and deal with the attack on her own terms.

The following couple of weeks passed in a blur, both Harper and Jack dealing with their issues in their own way while also providing some solid foundation for each other. It was during the full moon that Harper fully realized how much her life had changed, and would forever be altered beyond all her wildest imaginings. After a week of violent mood swings Harper took another jaunt away from her family home, though this time she stuck to just the line of trees on the edge of town walking trails she had known her whole life. The change came over her quick and brutal, her skin began to itch and sweat poured from her overheated body though she’d barely gone a distance to warrant such a heavy reaction. A sudden rush of pain brought her to her knees and for the next hour or so the young woman was wracked with the worst pain she’d ever experienced in her life. Every bone in her body reshaped, her muscles shifted, thinning in some places and filling out in others, while every nerve in her body broadcast nothing but excruciating agony.

When the pain finally subsided Harper found herself in the body of an animal, a wolf to be exact. Confused and scared she ran through the woods, hoping beyond hope that it was simply a dream she would wake up from at any moment. Just before sunrise she heard howling in the distance and something within her drew her towards them, but her strong will resisted. Instead she loped back towards home, shifting back just within reach of her back yard. Tired beyond reckoning and stark naked Harper climbed back into her room and feel into an exhausted sleep. The thought that it had all been a dream followed her through to the next full moon, when she shifted again effectively allowing her new reality to set in. It was a lot for a 13 year old to deal with but somehow she did manage to deal, finding a weird sort of solace within the body of her wolf. Over time she even found she could control her shift, doing so at will in spite of the pain.

On the home front things didn’t much improve. Jack managed to drag himself out of his depression, even started dating again though it was clear he wasn’t quite ready for anything serious. Abby on the other hand moved to Arizona and remarried around the time Harper was 15 which was the impetus for the ensuing custody battle her mother insisted on waging. Abby wanted her daughter to grow up in a home with a family environment, with both a mother and a father’s influence and siblings to keep her company. Jack on the other hand felt it would be better for Harper to stay within the home she had grown up in, so she wouldn’t have to start over at a new school and lose all her friends. As with all things involving both her parents the battle got heated and ugly, many mediation sessions resulting in intense shouting matches that Harper listened to from outside closed doors. When it was clear that nothing was going to be decided outside of a courtroom both parents were more than happy to take it before a judge, convinced that they knew what was best for their young daughter.

Harper was 16 when she was called before the judge during one of the last proceedings of the divorce and custody battle and much to her surprise the judge called her into his chambers for a private chat. The judge explained his mixed feelings about her parents and his impression of the young woman Harper had become. In a twist that put her own fate in her hands the judge asked her which parent she would prefer to live with. After only a few moments of deliberation with herself Harper surprised the judge and responded with neither. Both of her parents had become entirely different people and though she loved them she didn’t feel connected to either like she once had. Granted her bond with her father went far deeper than her mother, who she was practically estranged from, she just didn’t feel like Jack wanted custody of her for the right reasons. His agenda was more geared towards getting one over on Abby rather than what was best for his daughter.

In response to her wishes the Judge walked her through the emancipation process and within a month she was declared an adult in her own right. Jack returned to Nevada and Abby returned to Arizona, both empty handed. Harper packed up her things and moved to Evermore, Colorado. It was an odd place for a teenager on her own to pick but she’d managed to snag a job as a lab technician at a local company with the help of the judge. Settling in quickly she became proficient in testing all sorts of materials including blood and pharmaceuticals. Gaining notoriety for her hardwork and dedication the company put forth her tuition in order for the young woman to go to college and advance her career. Harper of course accepted graciously and found she had a knack for engineering and anything that got her hands dirty.

With a full ride and a job she enjoyed Harper was free to work on school and other extracurriculars that put even more money in her pocket. Meanwhile Harper was dealing with the other aspect of her life, her four legged tendencies sent her out into the surrounding woods to run off her excess energy. It was during one of her jaunts that she came across others of her own kind. Thanks to a few of their members she learned that she was a lycan, not a werewolf as she had been calling herself, and the other abilities that came along with it.

At the time the Alpha for the pack was a rather bubbly woman and though she was kind to Harper the young woman didn’t much care to be a member of the pack. Staying a rogue fit more with her lifestyle as she considered being a lycan a slight annoyance in her life. She had a good job, was getting an education for free, and wasn’t hurting for money in the least. Jack even came down often to visit her, offering help that she didn’t need and eventually just coming down to spend time with his daughter.

As the years passed Harper graduated from college as a full fledged Engineer with a minor in Chemistry, her father found out about her other personality and though he was scared at first he came to accept it, and she scored a high ranking job with higher pay thanks to her education and ability. All in all life was going well which was about the time things would change for her once again, as it always did. The Alpha of the Evermore pack stepped down and disappeared, leaving not a trace of herself to be tracked and a big gaping hole in the hierarchy of the lycans. A cocky and aggressive male took full advantage of the power vacuum, him and his cronies quickly performed a hostile take over as he inserted himself as the new Alpha.

Marius and Harper had never gotten along, he had often pushed her to join the pack, his motives towards wanting her to be his mate known to everyone. Once he had himself firmly installed as Alpha his first stop was to Harper’s house, commanding her to not only submit to him but to accept him as her mate. Scoffing at his high handed notions Harper refused him and threw him out, her status as a rogue enabling her to ignore his command. Infuriated Marius put a tail on her, ordering his men to watch her every move and report back to him. It quickly became apparent that Harper’s father knew of her condition and the existence of Lycans which Marius planned to use to bend the young woman to his will.

The Alpha confronted the Rogue in front of the entire pack, cornering both her and her father while they were out for a walk one evening. Marius gave Harper two options: join the pack and mate him in order to keep her father safe or refuse him and watch her father die. Enraged that he would put the life of the only person she fully cared about in danger Harper stood in front of her father and refused Marius, warning him that if he took a single aggressive step forward she would defend her family to her last breath. Startled and annoyed that she was still refusing him Marius shifted to his wolf form and attacked.

For the first time since she’d been turned Harper embraced her wolf, shifting faster than she thought possible, ignoring the pain, and went on the defensive. The two wolves clashed in a flurry of fur and teeth and claws; growling and snarling as they wrestled and fought. The male became increasingly agitated with each passing moment that he wasn’t able to overpower the female, his attack becoming more vicious by the second. The female, by contrast, remained calm though she found a hidden pocket of rage that gave her added strength. Much to both her and the packs surprise her prowess was unmatched, her ability to meet Marius easily in strength and skill left them at somewhat of a stalemate, that is until the male became so singular in his need to win he was willing to take her life to get it.

Harper was unaware when exactly she came to realize Marius was going to kill her, but it called upon some deep seated animalistic part of her she had been denying and set it free. In a matter of moments the battle was over, the female wolf stood tall and proud as her sides heaved with each panting breath and the blood of her fallen enemy mixed with her own caking together sections of her pure white pelt. Marius lay dead at her feet as she threw back her head and howled her victory to the moon. Once her cry was finished she looked down at the gathered pack and to her astonishment found every single member had shifted as well. One by one they came forward to pledge their loyalty and lives to the new Alpha, a position she had never wanted and yet was now stuck with all the same.

At the age of 28 Harper is a fully employed college graduate with a good paying job, a slightly dangerous hobby that is questionable in the eyes of the law, and Lycan Alpha of the Evermore Pack. It’s more responsibility than she ever would have wished upon herself but there is no turning back and no undoing what she has done. Though she hates the politics of having to deal with the other sects of Therians she is the voice and commander of the Lycan’s, a duty that she takes seriously if with a slightly reluctant attitude.