noun ~ detailed examination of the elements or structure of something

CHARLIE

I collapsed into the car with a soft groan. We had a long drive ahead, and I was so tired of paperwork.

"I think I will avoid all paper for the next week." I groaned.

"You still have every pack to do. This was only the first one." Nova shook her head, laughing.

I glared at her as she squeezed into the spot beside me. "So do you."

"I know." She mused. "But we did it."

"You did great, my love." Phoenix murmured as the door shut behind him.

"So did you, my love." I teased.

His eyes snapped to mine, glaring a hole into my skull. "Did you find anything?"

I noticed he pressed a button that closed the soundproof divider between us and the two guards. It always amused me; we could just mind-link. Which is exactly what I was going to do.

Bro, this is private. Why are you closing the damn divider? I snorted a laugh.

Phoenix scowled when Nova agreed. 'Okay, so what did you find?'

That's a very vague question.

His scowl didn't move, glaring at me with agitation. 'Did you find anything to be concerned about?'

Well, it was abnormally warm. I commented. The pack land wasn't very large either.

'Be serious.' Nova giggled.

Rolling my eyes, I glanced out at the dimming sky. I have been serious all day; I have to let it out!

'How did it go with Evan?'

He's a naïve, nosey douche. I shrugged. Tried to pry questions from me about Nova. I doubt he was even a beta blood. He couldn't stand up for himself.

'What did he ask?' Nova wondered.

Claimed he heard rumours you were this all-powerful wolf whose babies made men fall to their knees. I mused. And asked if your blood really was magical enough to heal and turn humans.

'Rumours spread fast.' Phoenix hummed.

I nodded. I think he was given the orders to ask questions. All he did was hint and gesture about the integrity of our pack and leaders. He was too nosey to be polite.

'They have sent no formal complaints to us, but Tobias seemed eager to be allies.' Phoenix stated.

How did it go with him? I asked.

'Very informative to be fair.' Nova chirped. 'He told us about his standards, rules and even the punishments of a misstep.'

So, he wasn't a major douche as well?

'On the contrary, he is a rather fitting alpha.' Phoenix muttered.

I smirked. How disappointing.

His eyes glinted as he looked at me over Nova's head. I know he wanted to hurt that pack for Nova's past mistreatment, but we were strictly on business. And it seems we have underestimated Tobias. Looks like we may have another ally.

A beta wolf still isn't powerful enough to resist other alphas. I stated. His time will come where somebody threatens him and it will be a test to his power.

'I agree.' Phoenix nodded. 'It sounds like he needs a better beta by his side. Somebody stronger, less... nosey.'

I grinned. Someone older than twenty.

'That helps.' Phoenix mused, writing things down on his pad. 'What notes did you collect?'

None. I shrugged.

He paused his penmanship, glancing at me from the corner of his eye. 'None?'

Yep. None. I snickered. It's all up here.

His eyes glanced at my forehead before creasing with a frown. 'There's a lot of empty space up there. Are you sure?'

I scoffed, pushing Nova so she nudged Phoenix. She muttered a complaint, shoving me back. I grunted when my head collided with the car window, cursing back at her.

"You started it." She huffed.

I frowned. "Who's immature now?"

She grinned, sticking her tongue out at me. My hand darted forward and caught the muscle between my fingers, and she instantly recoiled. Phoenix chuckled as she spluttered complaints, claiming my skin was contaminated.

"I'll have you know; I washed my hands."

"Oh, yeah? When?"

"Yesterday." I grinned.

She groaned, wiping her tongue across the bottom of her dress. "Disgusting. You animal."

"Speaking of animals..." I hummed. "Well done for handling that wolf in the office."

Nova blushed, instantly embarrassed. "I did what anybody would do."

"And what's that?" I grinned.

"Put her in her place."

We all laughed, and Phoenix kissed her cheek. I went to do the same, but his hand came and smashed into my face, forcing my head to the side. I grinned, kissing his hand instead as he pulled it away. It fell around Nova's shoulder, and the motion had my chest aching with the need to go home.

Calida would be waiting for me, hopefully with sweet treats in my bed. She was completely healed, and I was itching to get home.

***

The car barely stopped before I was running out of it. I shot a quick goodbye to the alpha pair, stumbling into the pink light of sunset. I followed my nose and, surprisingly, found her in the garden room. She was with another female, and I headed that way with determination.

Stepping into the room, the girls inside squealed as the door slammed against a plant pot. Calida's brown eyes narrowed at me, but Molly was the one who complained outwardly.

"I have arrived!" I chimed.

"You're lucky Reya is awake!" Molly scorned me.

She was as bold as Nova when pregnant, her once avoidant gaze sturdy as the weeks passed. I think now she was officially a gamma wolf helped, too. She had more natural guts to snap at me. It was funny. I enjoyed winding everybody up.

Rolling my eyes, I threw myself over the coffee table and stood before my mate. She was curled up on the sofa, and her scowl deepened as I reached for her.

"What are you-

I scooped her over my shoulder before she could comment further. She screamed, her fists pounding my back as I carried her out of the room.

"Bye, Molly!" I sang and hurried into the hallway.

Calida complained about being torn away from the garden room, and I reminded her we had plans tonight. We wanted to make the most of the days before the full moon, all of us unaware of what could happen. That meant that every day after work, we promised to spend it together. Snuggling, watching a movie and stuffing our faces with sweet treats.

"We made a pact!" I scolded, smacking her butt.

"I am heavy!" She tried.

"You're not heavy. Phoenix is heavy." I deadpanned. "And I can even bet I can lift him, too."

"Please, he's like a foot taller than you."

"Four inches." I scoffed.

"I'm not surprised you know what four inches look like." She teased.

I growled, pinching the inside of her thigh. "I'll show you that you are wrong."

She squealed, kicking her legs. I scaled the stairs quickly despite her lack of courage in my strength, keeping her tight to my chest so she didn't tip. Of course, my mate had a mouth, and she was profuse in her language and complaints. It only riled me up, excited to ease the excitement within me.

We reached the suite in mere moments, and I dropped her straight onto the sofa. She grunted, kicking out with her legs as she fell. I grinned, climbing over her and pressing her into the sofa. My eyes trailed the expanse of her face, stroking her hair behind her ears as I propped myself up on my elbows.

"You wash your hair today?" I wondered.

She scowled. "Maybe, why?"

"Because it's not staying where I put it." I mused.

Calida rolled her eyes, pressing her hands into my chest. "Why are you on top of me?"

"I want to be close to you."

"I think you are close enough." She quipped.

"I don't know... I could still crawl inside your skin and live there."

"You'd like that, wouldn't you?" She smirked, pinching my skin.

"You have no idea." I laughed, kissing her softly. "I missed you."

"How was work?"

"Nope, not going there until we've snuggled."

"I thought snuggling is a vertical hobby?" She mused. "Or at least on a bed with a movie on?"

"I suppose." I pouted, kissing her deeply. "But I rather like this position."

She groaned beneath me, securing her hands around my neck as she pulled me back in. I was grinning against her mouth, accepting her wanton touches and whimpers. Our hands became entranced, curving the portraits of each other as though committing them to memory. My mouth tasted her, my fingers danced, and our bodies joined until our souls exploded with joy.

Out of breath and full of electric adrenaline, I fell to the ground, clutching her leg to my chest. Calida was panting on the sofa, laughing softly as she came down from the high.

"Why do you have my leg?" She giggled.

"I don't know. I just grabbed the first thing I found."

Her laughter echoed and I let it wash over me. It may be the one of the last times I hear her giggle before she gives into intergalactic pain.

"So, what movie are we watching tonight?" I wondered.

She hummed. "I don't know. We seem to have done Netflix and chill the wrong way around."

I chuckled, rising to my full height. Her eyes followed my movements as I pulled my boxers back on and handed her my t-shirt. I grabbed the tv remote and turned to the movie section. Pushing her legs from the sofa, she scowled at me as I sat down. I grinned, pulling her closer by the hip so she was pressed against me.

We barely made it fifteen minutes in before she broke the silence.

"How did today go?" She murmured.

I sighed softly, remembering the damn boring pack. "Lame."

She smirked, looking up at me. "Lame? Charlie Evans, you are nearly thirty-years-old with better vocabulary than that."

"Okay." I rolled my eyes. "Super-duper lame."

My mate laughed, her eyes crinkling at the edges. "Why was it super-duper lame?"

I groaned, entertaining her with my day's events. From the travel, to annoying sleepy Nova, to the annoying douche beta. Calida listened intently, watching my mouth move before her eyes would flicker between mine. I pretended I didn't see her watching me, and as my day finished with me making love to the most beautiful woman in the world, she looked away with a blush.

"What?" I mused. "Don't believe it?"

"Charlie." She rolled her eyes, distracting me. "You cannot talk about beauty when every time I compliment you, you turn it into a sarcastic comment."

"Is that why you were staring so intensely at me? Because you think I'm cute?" I teased.

"See!" she smirked. "Proved my point."

I chuckled softly, squeezing her to my side. "Is that not it? Because I definitely felt your eyes piercing my skull. I think you should check that there isn't a crop circle there."

She scoffed, tapping my chest playfully. "That is so not the reason."

"If it's not my amazing looks, or your supernatural powers, then what was it?" I mused.

Calida shrugged, her eyes dropping to her lap. "I was just thinking about the full moon."

My chest crumpled with the heaviness of her words. "Oh?"

"It may be one of the last times I see you." She murmured.

I growled, shaking my head. "Don't be silly. You'll be fine."

"How would you know?" She frowned. "What if it kills me? Or what if it never even happens?"

"You won't die. I won't let you." I huffed, my wolf agitated. "You will be safe. It will be like being born again."

"I'm human, Charlie. It's not in my blood."

"But you were raised on wolf land, and you have a wolf for a mate." I pointed out. "What if it was meant to be?"

"You sound like Nova." she muttered.

My lips quirked, some of the tension lessoning. "You'll be fine. The moon and forest are your friends."

"I know." She breathed. "I hope it makes things easier."

"Nature is everyone's friend." I murmured, kissing her temple. "I will be there, and so will Nova and Phoenix."

"What if I hurt someone?"

"You won't."

"What if I do?"

"You won't." I insisted.

"How would you know, Charlie?"

"Because you won't get that close to anyone. I will be right there, as your personal guard." I reassured her. "I won't let anything happen to you, or them."

She sighed, pressing her cheek into my chest. "I know you won't."