noun ~ a special connection formed between family and friends

NOVA

Another night soon came creeping up on me. As the sun set in the near distance, the snow grew heavy, dark clouds lining the sky. They left me to myself once more.

After dinner and master's show of dominance, I was dismissed. The same masked female as before had taken me back to my cell. I was not fed any further, nor given anything else to drink. As the sun set, the familiar hunger pangs that once wrecked my body came full force. I had been so used to my pack life with Phoenix; I forgot how it felt to not eat anything.

I frowned, staring out of the window. My ankles were once again chained, my arms free to do as I pleased. I lay across my bed, my head on the edge, and peering out through the barred glass that separated me from the deathly cold.

Without my wolf or my pack links, I was alone. I sighed, missing the annoyance of my wolf and her pack. Being in a pack meant you were never alone, and this self-isolation was more torture enough than the beatings I have once received. I would take a punch over being left alone. My whole being craved it, craved the dynamic of people around me.

Wiping a lone tear from my face, I pulled myself up to a seated position. I wouldn't cry. I had to hold it all in. I stared down at my pale skin. My legs and arms were covered in bruises; my body was covered by another black sling dress. I was cold. My fingers and toes are constantly in a state of freeze.

Since there was no heating or proper bedroom supplies, they left me in the bare walls of the cell. Still alone, still hoping for something to help me, for someone to come. I wasn't sure what to do, at an utter loss of hope. I didn't know where I was, why I was here...

I was afraid of the Master. Afraid of what he would do to me. It was obvious he was a vampire, by his fangs and blood-red eyes. But what kind of coven, cult, had I been dragged into? From what I gathered; he had my blood in that glass. The very thought made me shiver.

Was he going to drain me?

Keep me here as a blood bag?

I needed more answers.

But I needed to get out.

Oh, Phoenix. I need you.

PHOENIX

As the sun rose on another day without Nova, I had never been filled with more determination than I had now. Something within me snapped, something grew. I don't know what it was, but I never felt more determined. I knew she was alive; something was telling me so.

It took all I had to not shift and kill the witch before me as a message to send to her daughter. But instead, I sat facing her, waiting for her to make a connection for the past few hours.

Gaia sighed, shaking her head. Another failed connection attempt. She kept her gaze low, avoiding looking at my face. I was growing agitated now.

Angela had explained the plan to me, and the main thing that was needed was Gaia. I didn't want to make her come here. Her daughter was against us enough. I didn't want to trust her mother.

She had appeared tense and edgy when she arrived, which only furthered my suspicion. I had her always guarded, a warrior never far from her. She had been here for six hours after teleporting in the late hours of the night. Apparently, the only reason she could find us was that she could feed on Angela's magic.

Speaking of, I expected the two to be excited to see each other after nearly fifty years apart. But they had merely expressed greetings and handshakes. It was strange. My mind told me there was more to their relationship. My instinct wasn't sure who to trust, the woman I just met, or the one who has lived in my lands for over five years.

"I cannot find her; she is blocking me." Gaia sighed.

'She lies!' Ares roared.

I growled; my desperate temper ready to explode. I jumped from where I sat, causing those around me to flinch. My chest was heaving with frustration, my heart hammering and blood rushing through my ears. I was pissed. It had been a week and I couldn't wait much longer.

My hands were shaking, and I knew I had to leave the room before I choked Gaia to death. I snarled, causing her to flinch. Angela's expression held indifference as she watched the scene before her. The Lycans had even dropped their gazes. The only one watching was my Beta.

"Then you are not doing enough." I snapped, leaning over her.

With Ares on the brink of taking over, I turned around and rushed from the room. My shoulders shook and my ears rang as I tried to keep my composure. My vision was swirling as Ares tried to force his way through. It was a battle of strength, and he was winning.

A sudden tap on my shoulder had me spin around and pin the intruder against the wall. My hand wrapped around their throat; my claws dug into the delicate flesh on their throat. Their eyes were wide with shock, but I didn't care. I wanted someone to feel the hurt I felt.

"Al-Alpha-

I growled as they dared to speak. My vision turned red, I cocked my head as I studied my prey. They smelt weak, human.

"Phoenix. Please, man."

Brown eyes.

Who had brown eyes?

I pushed through Ares, my mind fighting with his as I tried to gain control.

The wide, brown eyes of my Beta gazed back at me. His eyes were red and brimming with tears, his mouth gasping for air. I frowned, realising he was suffocating. Looking down at my hand, my jaw tightened as I realised the grip I had on him. Taking a deep breath, I slowly released my fingers, one by one.

Charlie slumped against the wall, breathing hard. His hand flew to his throat as his chest heaved. I felt guilty. I had hurt my best friend.

My hand came to his shoulder with hesitation. He didn't flinch away, and I took it as a sign to touch his skin. My fingers now gently gripped his shoulder as I helped him stand upright.

"I'm sorry," I mumbled, avoiding looking at his face.

Charlie sighed. "It's my fault. I saw you on the edge and I approached your back. That's like wolf 101, right?"

I looked at his face, seeing a wince of a smile light his face. I frowned, shaking my head at his dismissal. I helped him stand straight, glad in a way he brought me back to earth. Ares was grumbling in my mind, but he was easy to handle now he was back in the confines of my mind.

Keeping my hand on Charlie's shoulder, I walked him back into the room the witches were currently sitting in. This morning we moved into the Lycan home, choosing residence in one of the sitting rooms. Only Aldren was sat with the two witches. Pollux stood to the side, stare worriedly between the two of us, before glancing at Gaia with unease.

Once Angela caught a sense of me, I felt the apprehension right away. My back stiffened, my guard back up as the room shifted around me.

The desperation came from Angela the most, but Gaia seemed frightened too.

"What is going on?"

Pollux looked between the two witches with confusion, but he didn't get the chance to speak. Angela jumped from her chair, running to stand before me. My eyes widened as she suddenly latched onto my forearms, and I suppressed a growl.

"Alpha. We need to find her."

I gritted my teeth, staring into her blind eyes with muted confusion. What did this crazy lady want? I knew we had to find her; I was more than aware of that. Every waking moment I spent trying to find her.

"I am aware... What is going on?"

She shook her head. "Something has happened. Something I did not see until now. I have seen her, I have seen her."

"Who?" My wolf bristled. "Nova?"

She shook her head. "We need to go."

I removed her hands from my arms, securing her wrists in my grip. She seemed frantic, shaking her head, her shoulders tight and unsure. I frowned, observing her odd behaviour. What was going on? Looking at Angela, I knew I needed to remain in control. If I so much as long my temper, I feared she would lose her own control.

"You need to slow down. We don't know where she is." I steadied her.

She inhaled deeply. "You do. You know."

My eyes closed for a moment, and when I opened them, I found Gaia sitting on the sofa. Her eyes were tired and weary, but she was stiff and on edge too. She caught sight of me looking and dropped her gaze. Strange.

"How do I know?"

Angela shook her head, mumbling under her breath. I looked back at Gaia.

"How do I know?"

Gaia hesitated before sighing. "Did you feel any different today?"

I grimaced, Angela still shaking in my grip. "I do not know."

"I noticed your wolf on edge..."

I rolled my eyes, a naughty habit I caught from Nova. "He is always on edge. I just push him down."

She shook her head before raising her eyes to stare at mine. The shift in her behaviour was unusual. She was as batty as Angela. Looking back down at the crazy old lady, I noticed she stiffened in my arms. Her white eye blinked up at me, staring into what felt like my soul. I shuddered as a strange current passed down my spine, my hair standing on end.

"You feel it." She whispered. "You need to find it within yourself."

"Find what?" I gritted my teeth.

"The bond. Find the bond."

Bond?

"Her wolf?"

Angela shook her head frantically, going back into her shuddering state. Gaia stood, gesturing for me to pass Angela to her.

"Why is she like this?" Charlie asked.

Gaia sighed. "Her magic is old. Old magic is powerful. Sometimes, it takes over her body since she is weakening. She is having probably hundreds of visions right now. It is best to get her comfortable."

I nodded, helping her move Angela to the sofa. She sat, tense but still shaking, in the soft cushions. I warily eyed her before sitting in the armchair opposite. Gaia watched her for a second longer before turning to me. I found familiarity in her gaze. Her motherly aura had become normal. What her daughter has done crushed my heart that she let it happen beneath my nose. Right now, it was business time.

"What is she talking about?"

"She said you should feel the bond." She shrugged, smoothing out her long skirt. "Try searching for it."

I barked a laugh, shaking my head. "Nova's wolf has been gone for over a week now."

"Search for it, Phoenix." Pollux snapped.

My head darted to him in surprise. He stood behind Gaia, arms folded in front of him. He looked better than before, having finally taken a blood transfusion from Aldren. Ego or not, he did not have to suffer for what was not his fault.

Ignoring the drop of my title, something Pollux often did, I sucked on my tongue. Deciding on giving it a go, I sighed and closed my eyes. I relaxed my body, allowing my limbs to go limp. I searched for her, calling out for her as I have done many times this year. My soul searched for hers, but I could not find it.

I huffed in irritation, my desperation becoming my weakness. If this was the only lead that we had, we would not get much closer to finding her.

About to open my eyes, I spoke. "I can't find-"

'Search deeper. Into the unknown part of your connection.'

Angela's voice vibrated through my skull, and I tensed. I was unsure how she got in, but I felt her in my mind. As if holding out a hand, I followed her deeper into my connections. I shifted through the ones of my pack, of my friends. We came to the dead links of my loved ones, the ones who were gone too soon. Always in my heart and soul.

We searched deeper, wandering into the depths for what felt like hours. I was barely breathing, allowing the witch to pull me into almost unconsciousness. But I could feel it. It grew closer.

It was dull, almost not breathing. A small blip in my mind. It was unfamiliar, a white spark in the dark corners. If you looked for it, it seemed to disappear. I paused, unfocusing to allow it to come to me.

It started again, a small, humming mumble. I encouraged it. The strange, foreign, yet so familiar bond. It felt comforting, nourishing, much like Nova, but delicate and unfinished. Only this one was different. It was naïve, a young bond waiting to flourish.

My heart raced, as my mind tried to keep up with what was happening. Angela slowly drifted from my mind as I studied this oddity with curiosity.

Giving it one last glance, I retreated from my mind slowly. It lingered, not disappearing anymore. I could feel a slight hum in the back of my head, an instinct to follow.

My eyes flew open, and I came face to face with Angela. She was leaning forwards, hovering over me. Her awareness, despite being blind, was fascinating. I didn't feel threatened. My breathing was heavy as I stared at her face. My mind whirled with a million possibilities. I did not truly understand what just happened. Bonds were a fickle thing. For one to be in my mind without my consent startled me.

'Who is that?' I asked her.

She swallowed, her throat bobbing with the movement. 'I think you know.'

"Well, find anything?" Pollux's voice cut through the silence.

I blinked, my breath catching in my throat. Angela gave me a knowing look and, glancing at Gaia, I found the same sympathy on her face. It couldn't be, could it?

"Phoenix?"

Charlie's voice broke me from the daze, and I sucked in a large breath of air. It whooshed through my lungs, cleared my mind and blew away the dizziness. I was brimming with emotion; the information overloading my mind.

I licked my dry lips, trying to form the words.

"She..."

"You found her?"

I shook my head, closing my eyes. I concentrated, trying again. Giving one last look to Angela, she nodded once before sitting down.

"She's pregnant."

****
Soooo...
Some of you have already guessed this !

...and some of you won't like it 😂 but it ties the story together how I want it too 🤪

Question of the Day:
It's Monday! Plans for this week??

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