verb ~ to question someone about a completed mission or undertaking

CHARLIE

Boy, today was a good day.

I finally get out of this stinking office and back to normality.

Packing up my various discarded things, I made quick work of picking up the discarded food wrappers. If Phoenix found out I was eating food in his office, he would kill me. Sweets and biscuits especially, the stickiest, messiest kind of snack to eat around technology.

The door handle shifting had me squeal like a baby with fright. I was on my knees behind the desk, picking up the last remaining mars bar wrappers.

"Charlie?"

I cursed, recognising Phoenix's voice.

"What are you doing back there?"

Eying my options, I shoved them all in my pockets and peer my head up. My nose level with the desk, I smiled with my eyes. A nervous laugh tumbled from my lips as his eyebrows quirked.

"Just making sure the desk isn't wobbling anymore!" I spluttered, wrapping my hands around the wood to shake it.

The pens flew wildly, my eyes widening as I failed to see just how wobbly this table was.

Wow, he really needed to get this looked into. If someone was to bump into this, it would send his laptop flying...

"Stop shaking my desk," Phoenix grunted. "I can smell the sugar."

Rising to my feet, I grinned. "I don't know what you are talking about. I was just leaving!"

"Stay," He shook his head. "I need you to debrief me."

I groaned, saying goodbye to my freedom this afternoon. I was hoping to do absolutely nothing because I was sick and tired of being Alpha.

"I don't wanna," I pouted, but fell into his chair.

"My chair," He grumbled before pointing to the chair beside him. "Your chair."

Huffing, I climbed over his desk with a determined expression and sank into the visitor's chair. Phoenix stood behind me for a moment before sighing and walking around to his desk. With a grimace, I watched him settle into his chair, his hands running over the smooth leather.

It had been a while since I saw him in his office chair. In the last few days of Nova's pregnancy, he worked in his home office.

The twins were now nearing a month old, and Nova practically forced him to go back to work. He had no choice anyway, needing to complete some invitations to the twin's celebratory party. But something changed between them a few weeks ago, and I am not sure what it was, but they had perked up considerably. Maybe it was the cheeky glint in their eye, but they definitely got laid.

"What do you want?" I pouted.

"Nice to see you too, Charlie." Phoenix chuckled, firing up his laptop.

I went rigid the same moment he did, and he leaned forward, his hand coming to cup his chin. My nerves grew the longer he scanned the screen, hoping he wouldn't say anything about what he saw. Phoenix's computer had end-to-end encryption and some of the best tech going. Nobody could see what I was doing.

His hazel eyes flickered over to me, and he cleared his throat. "What... even is this?"

I swallowed. "It's a blow-up doll."

"I see that but... it's Sean."

I grinned, shrugging. "I thought it would be funny for his birthday."

Phoenix hummed, clicking some things and closing the tabs. I cleared my throat, shifting in my seat as he navigated the computer. He breathed deeply, reading something. I couldn't help but peer around, trying to see what he was doing.

"Emails," He muttered, eyes focused on the screen.

I nodded, falling back onto the cusp of the chair. Was I just meant to sit here? Look pretty?

Is that what being a Luna is? Is this why Nova always moans for more work?

Phoenix breathed deeply, leaning away from the screen before turning to me. I internally celebrated, happy that he interrupted my minute silence.

"Hello," I smirked.

His eyes narrowed at my playfulness, but I couldn't help being the fun one.

"Debrief me." He stated.

I rose my hand. "I am going to need a couple of things. First, on what? Second, a please would be wonderful."

His eyes narrowed further. "Any phone calls, please?"

I grinned, clapping my hands, and fishing through the notes on his desk. I couldn't help but grin at his obvious agitation as he realised I kept all of his notes in one gigantic pile. They weren't in an order, which I actually found easy because my smart brain remembered where they all were.

"This isn't phone calls." He shook his head, giving them to me.

"I have everything in an order," I stated, shoving them back to him.

"What order? Crazy?"

I scowled at him. "They are things you need to read. Sign off on. I have already replied to many by letter or email saying you are out of office, but I cannot sign off on a lot of these."

"That's fine," He nodded, sliding them to the side. "What else?"

I hummed, taking the next bunch from the pile. "A few packs have threatened us for land, and I even had one asking for money."

He chuckled softly, placing them in another pile. "Anything going to get serious or is this just cold callers?"

I sat down for this one, shifting through the pages. "There's some real shit going on out there."

Phoenix's humour died instantly, his shoulders falling rigid. "Like what?"

I pursed my lips, hesitant in giving him my answers. But when he growled an answer from me, I sighed, dramatically, and gave in. I told him everything that had happened. From the letters pleading for help about missed pack members, to the deductions I made from them. Packs were losing women and children, and it was only a matter of time before it happened here.

"I know you have increased patrol guards since the twins, but other packs are suffering." I explained. "I'm not sure what we should do, but I feel we should at least help."

"How?" He grunted. "Go looking for every single pack's missing member? I'm not their alpha. They should send their own scout groups, not mine."

"They ask of you because they know our trackers are the best."

He raised an eyebrow, meeting my eye. "You are my best tracker, Charlie. Would you care to go to over fifteen packs looking for... what was it you said, twenty-one missing women and children? That will take weeks. By the end of most will be dead or long gone."

I ground my jaw. Phoenix was always blunt and unsympathetic, especially with pack matters, but unfortunately, this time, he was right. How could we help every single pack?

"So, what are we to do?"

"I send one person to each pack to find out the information they missed, and then they come home." He explained, pointing to the pages. "These attacks seem linked. They have reported the same means of disappearance every time. It's bait tactics, just like they used with Nova and Sean last year."

I sighed loudly through my nose. "Okay, that shouldn't be so hard to draft up."

"We will do it after the twin's communal," He suggested, writing something down on a notepad. "I want to enjoy next weekend safely. If I get involved, if the pack gets involved, something could happen whilst we are unaware."

"Like what?" I questioned.

Like the threats of wanting Nova and Pollux's blood? Or the promise of death to Nova if they don't hand it over?

Phoenix's eyes darkened. "What do you know?"

"Know?" I laughed, shaking my head. "I know nothing."

"You were snooping?"

Yes.

"No."

"Charlie, I am your alpha." He sighed. "You saw the letter in my drawer, didn't you?"

I grinned through gritted teeth, sheepish. "That and others."

"How?"

"Lock-picked it. I thought you may have sweets in there." I shrugged. "Your office severely lacks in snacks. All the coffee I could dream of, but not one biscuit to go with it."

He didn't smirk, didn't react. "How much did you read?"

"All of it, of course, even the conversation with your cousin."

"Charlie!" He groaned. "They are private for a reason."

"Well, obviously not very. The cabinet was easy to open." I scoffed.

He froze, a low growl leaving his chest that had me cringe. "What?"

"What-what?" I squeaked.

"The cabinet was unlocked? Which one?"

"No! Just easy to break into." I spluttered.

His fists were tight as he slid forward in his chair and moved over to the cabinet. He unlocked it with surprising patience, before rifling his fingers through the files. He tensed when he reached the end, and double backed to count them again. When he didn't find what he was looking for, his fingers pinched the bridge of his nose.

His eyes burned into me, nostrils flaring with angry. It permeated the air, a dangerous tang that had my wolf rumbling with agitation. Phoenix was also agitated, and the two of them in the same room were bound to make a clash.

"Where is the letter?"

"Letter?" I wondered.

"The letter you obviously read."

"I don't know what you mean."

"Charlie, did you read the letter about Nova and Pollux?"

"Nova and Pollux?" I frowned, scratching my head.

"Fuck sake, Charlie, the one where they threatened their lives!"

I flinched, my shoulders sagging. "I know what letter you mean."

"Good," He exhaled. "Then this conversation will be easy."

Understanding the sudden seriousness, I braced myself.

"If you read so much, any sealed drawer envelopes again, I will skin your balls."

My eyes widened, the threat plummeting to my stomach. Nova has corrupted my friend.

"Okay," I nodded, frantic.

"Where is the letter?"

"In that drawer," I pointed to the one at the bottom.

He rifled through, pulling the torn letter into his hands and placing it on the desk. We both stared at it, the room tense.

"This celebration next week is going to be grand. I have had no choice but to employ guardships from Lyra's pack to aid us." He explained. "This letter is a promise. A threat. I don't know who it is from, and I won't until I comply with their demands."

"Which you will not do." I scoffed.

"I won't." His eyes blazed. "They are my family, and whoever is making these threats, I will find and threaten them myself. Nobody will dare lay a hand on either of them, or my pups, and I need you to help me."

"How?" I wondered.

"I need you to watch Pollux."

"Easy, done."

"That means you cannot wander with Calida," He warned. "No dancing."

I pouted. "Not even one?"

"If he is with me, then yes." Phoenix sighed. "This party is going to be grand and so crowded; anybody could do anything."

"Then why host it?"

He leaned back, a sinister sneer lifting his cheeks. "Because I can scope out those who are unhappy with my choices. Every alpha being there means I will know who dislikes me or my mate. Being visitors, they cannot harm us without a war."

"Clever thinking." I agreed.

Phoenix was smart.

Good job he was Alpha because I would've just got drunk.

"None are staying the night. I had forbidden it on the grounds of safety." He explained. "We have to protect what is ours, Charlie, no matter what. Okay?"

My spine straightened, understanding the gravity of his words.

Nodding, I set my lips in a firm scowl. "Okay."

Question of the Day:
What is one place you'd like to go or see before you die?