noun ~ careful examination or scrutiny

CHARLIE

"You'll be fine." Phoenix murmured.

I grumbled, staring out the window of the moving car. "If I am, will she?"

"We will be back in time." He exhaled, glancing at me.

"I still don't see why I had to come. You could've brought Sean!" I huffed.

"If I didn't bring you, you would fret around pack land like a mother hen." He muttered before smirking. "Without her head."

Grimacing, I hated to admit that he was right. In four days, it was the full moon, aka the day of reckoning. My mate would go through the most painful thing in her life, probably worse than childbirth. Pushing a melon out seemed better than your entire body breaking. But then again, I'd never experience that.

Shaking my head, I focused on the blurring trees as we approached the grand pack house in the distance. We were not supposed to visit the Rivera pack for another week, but after our discovery the other day, we had to move them up. The alpha was aware, unfortunately, but it gave them less time to prepare.

"I think the question I should ask is, will you be okay?" I wondered, turning to glance at the two people beside me.

Nova was dozing, squashed between the two of us in the back of the car. She was so deeply asleep that I even put her own finger up her nose. She didn't even stir, and my entertainment only worsened from there. Phoenix didn't stop me, finding as much amusement as I. My only mission; not wake her up.

She was all prettied up, so I couldn't mess with her make-up or hair, because that would look bad on the pack.

"Me?" Phoenix frowned. "Of course."

"I'm just saying this was the pack you met Nova in." I shrugged. "A lot of memories."

"Bad memories for Nova. A change of life for me." He murmured, staring down at Nova. "She'll do great. Steven is gone, Damien is dead. Nobody else is there."

"Her bullies?"

"I warned them." He shrugged. "As we left the pack. If anything, they should fear her."

"Because she has you wrapped around her finger." I nodded, grinning. "Like a fight dog."

He blinked, an incredulous look on his face. "No... because she is a lycan who can crush them with one command."

"That too." I grinned. "She'll be fine. She has us."

The car slowed, and the movement disturbed Nova. I stared in shock as she yawned and stretched out her spine.

"Are we here?"

"How did that wake you up?" I gaped.

"What?" She frowned, still groggy.

I shook my head with exasperation, saying nothing. She was so deeply asleep. Did her body just know? Or was she that good at pretending to be asleep? Was she playing with me this whole time?

I narrowed my eyes at the blonde-haired wolf. "How did you sleep?"

She grunted. "So good. The air-con was amazing. You guys are warm."

I hummed with suspicion, but when the car engine cut off, I knew I had to rein it in. Phoenix sent me a pointed look and with an eye roll, I informed him I knew what was expected of me.

Charlie turned into Charles. Friend, no more, make way for the Blood Moon beta.

A door opened, and I fixed my shirt, feeling the car shift as Phoenix climbed out. Nova's lips quirked as he held out a hand to her. And the moment she slipped out, my door opened for my turn. A security guard guided me out, shutting it behind me. My hands itched at my stomach, a habitual movement for wearing a tux. But it was too fucking hot today, so I wore just a shirt.

We came in two cars. The three of us plus two guards in one, and three other guards in the second car. They swarmed us immediately, focusing their primary attention on the alpha pair; namely the luna.

Forcing a sober expression, we approached the front door, ready for our formal introductions. The alpha of the Rivera pack was the old beta; Tobias. Nova had stated he was neither kind nor mean, and often paid little attention to her.

However, I called bullshit.

My expression was stoic as we stopped before him, narrowing in on his equally stoic expression.

Oh, he was good.

"Alpha and Luna Titan, welcome to the Rivera pack. I hope you can appreciate how I run things around here. We have truly turned ourselves around."

"Thank you, that's what we are here to see." Phoenix nodded, shaking his hand. "My beta, Charlie Evans, will also survey your pack alongside me. We request two groups. If your beta would not mind assisting my beta, we can get a lot more done."

Tobias eyed me curiously, but nodded. "That shouldn't be a problem. Meet my beta, Evan Simmons."

My lips quirked, and I dropped my head in acknowledgement to hide it. Evan and Evans. Funny.

"Shall we begin?" Nova wondered. "We have a busy few days."

"Of course." Tobias nodded. "You look great, Luna."

Nova forced a smile, thanking him. Together, we parted ways after Phoenix gave me a scolding look. I would roll my eyes at him, but I was on my best behaviour. Nothing about this week would even bother me. I was a rock; a crystal. Solid, hard and collected for my beauty.

The five guards with us split, two following me and three following the alpha pair. I could hold my own, but Phoenix insisted. He was still paranoid about the threats, although he calmed them down with appeasement letters and equipment. He tried to offer to allow some of them to train before I told him how bad of an idea that was. Letting the enemy into the pack to spy on us? No amount of blood pact or paperwork would stop a spy being a spy and ratting us out.

"So, Evan, been beta for long?" I wondered as we walked around the gardens.

Phoenix would search the pack first, and then we swap. It meant everything was double checked and acknowledged. I had a notepad in my pocket if necessary, but I always found them to be distracting. If I had to look away to write, I looked away from my surroundings. That meant I could miss something.

"About six months." He shrugged, glancing at the guards behind us. "Do you always have a posse?"

I bit back the urge to snort a laugh. "Protocol when travelling to other lands is to have back-up, Evan."

"I know. Just... five?" He muttered. "Five is a lot, for three of you. Can Titan not hold his own?"

I grumbled. "You do not know what he is capable of, and you underestimate all three of us. I suggest you keep your opinions to yourself, Evan, before you cause any harm."

"You can't harm me on my own land."

I cocked my head, smirking. "Oh, but I can. My alpha is a royal blood, my luna is a lycan, and our pack holds a lot more standing than yours. So, like I said, I suggest you lock those opinions away."

He frowned, rolling his shoulders in dismissal. "Whatever."

Unhappy with the naïve beta's start, the next few hours were intense. He was boring, bland, and too naïve for me to have any interest in his pack. He had asked a few questions about Blood Moon that were too inappropriate, and his nosey nature was going to gain a smack in a minute.

I wasn't above bitch-slapping someone.

"So, your luna... I heard her blood is magical."

I ignored him, looking at the subpar filing system they used in the alpha office. Rifling through their reports was next, and I was not looking forward to that. Income, outgoings, behavioural... Thankfully, Phoenix would be here for that. That was always a group effort.

"I heard she can turn a man into a wolf." He muttered.

I hummed indifferently and continued to ignore him. Who the fuck punches only two holes in their files? Four was far better; two just made the corners flop around out of place.

"Oh, I also heard that their kids were some kind of weird hybrid and one look at them made you fall to your knees."

I slammed the filing cabinet closed, turning to Evan with a harsh glare. "I heard that people who don't shut the fuck up when asked to end up in the hospital."

He grimaced, dropping his eyes to the ground. I grumbled, rubbing the ache in my chest. I was on edge, and his fucking questions were not helping. I didn't want to be here. For the next couple of days, I would be busy tending to my mate as she fought with her new identity.

"Also, you shouldn't listen to rumours. Makes your ears bleed." I snapped, leaving the office.

"Are-are you finished?"

"Listening to your crap? Yes." I grunted.

The two guards with me followed my every step as I hunted down Phoenix.

"Uh, you shouldn't leave without me. I'm your escort and you have no grounds!" Evan called.

I spun around, grabbing him by the collar and pushing him into the banister of the staircase. His eyes widened, but he didn't push me away.

"Look, I appreciate your dream to be a beta, I really do, but quite frankly, you are too immature and fucking nosey to be worth it." I explained, tightening my grip with a growl. "Also, what my luna is, and who she is, is nothing to do with you. The reason rumours start in the first place is that dumbass people like you believe in them and tell all your friends. Do you have friends, Evan?"

"Y-yes." He stammered.

"It'd be a shame to tell your friends that you lost your job as a beta wolf because you're too fucking stupid, wouldn't it?"

"Yes." He whispered.

"Good. Glad we came to that conclusion before blood had to shed." I smirked, releasing him.

Footsteps grew closer, and I straightened out his shirt before stepping away from him. My guards said nothing, turning to face the alpha pair at the same time as I did.

Phoenix eyed the two of us curiously, but Nova smiled as she approached.

"I thought we were meeting in the office?" Nova wondered.

"Met you halfway." I smiled.

She hummed, curious, but all of us moved in one large formation toward the office. Phoenix gave me a questioning look, but I rolled my eyes without an answer. He'd know eventually.

This all was oddly reminiscent of when we first came to her pack, but this time, there was an extra chair set out for her in the middle of us. Nova sat first, then Phoenix, then me, and three guards stood behind us as my two stayed outside the doors.

"Care for a beverage?" Tobias wondered.

We agreed softly, requesting our chosen drinks before diving into the reports laid across his table. It was boring, and the only entertainment that came our way was the soft knock on the door five minutes later.

Two girls entered, and I noticed Nova tense from the corner of my eye. One female in the front avoided eye contact as she placed the tray on the coffee table and passed out the drinks. Nova refused to breathe, and Phoenix's hand moved to grasp her own. They communicated silently, but Nova's posture didn't soften.

Fuck this, what got her so worked up?

Phoenix glanced at me before gesturing toward the girl serving the coffee. 'A tormentor.'

"Now, Nova, I-

Nova cleared her throat, eased by Phoenix's comfort. "It's Luna."

Tobias faltered, and I couldn't help but smirk at his gobsmacked expression.

"I apologise." He murmured. "Luna... I know it may be odd for you to come here and treat me as an alpha, but I can assure you we want nothing more than to be allies."

"And yet you bring in one woman who tormented me." She cocked her head.

The female tensed, her short curly hair falling past her face. I watched on, intrigued, as Nova switched on her scary mode.

"I can assure you, Lou received her punishment." Tobias shook his head. "If not from me, your alpha mate saw to it."

Nova didn't shift her gaze, staring hard at the shielded woman. "I still think an apology would be nice."

"Yes, it would, wouldn't it?" I mused.

I felt Nova's foot move to jab my own and my smirk widened to a grin before I had to smother it with a cough.

"Lou?" Tobias wondered.

The female named Lou raised her head, nervously looking at Nova.

Oh, how the mighty have fallen.

"I am sorry, Luna."

"You are?" Nova frowned. "What ever for?"

Lou sucked her cheeks into her mouth. "For teaming up and harming you when it was never your fault. I should not have followed Sophie so literal."

Nova hummed. "Okay. Thanks for the apology. Where are the others?"

"Lucy is still around." Lou mumbled. "We are omega now, so you will probably find her somewhere around here."

If possible, Nova's chest seemed to expand with humour. She inhaled with a small smile before exhaling with a soft 'oh'.

"Thank you, Lou. That will be everything." Nova chimed.

Lou bowed her head, saying goodbye to both alphas in the room before she hurried away. The doors shut with finality, and I smiled with pride at my luna. She just combated one of her tormentors without shedding a tear.

I'd say that was a win for today.