verb ~ take part or intervene in an activity without invitation or necessity

CHARLIE

Phoenix and I strode up the steps to his house, and he unlocked it without hesitation. He held the door for a moment, allowing me to follow behind him after pulling on some shorts. I shut it carefully, my eyes scanning the room as I sniffed to find Nova. To my surprise, she was in the kitchen, and upon spotting us, two naked men in her house, she froze.

Big green eyes stared up at her mate with shock, before flickering over to me with confusion. I would've found it funny if it wasn't for the boiling temper I was struggling to keep at bay. We were both agitated, but I noticed the way Phoenix relaxed the moment the door shut behind us.

"Uh... Nude party?" Nova wondered.

My eyes dropped to the infant in her arm, Belle's wide eyes staring back at me. My fists tightened at my sides, unable to think about how innocent she appeared. If someone was threatening the pack, they threatened everyone in it. That included Nova, a woman I called my sister, and therefore my niece and nephew along with it. Even the thought of someone harming those babies had my body shivering and a growl rumbling in my throat.

"Was it something I said?" Nova squeaked.

Phoenix sighed. "No, my love. We need the office."

"I thought you held meetings in the pack house?" She whispered, rounding the kitchen island to stand before him.

I didn't miss the way her eyes looked at me with concern. I couldn't help it, I was slowly feeling the strength of willpower slip from my body. My beast was growling, begging to track down the harm that threatened my pack.

"Charlie?" A soft voice whispered.

I blinked, not realising I had spaced out. Nova was hazy, her facial features blurring as she crept toward me. My chest was as tight as my fists, my jaw ticking with agitation. My tongue felt heavy in my mouth, and Nova must've noticed the internal battle between man and beast because her face softened.

Where Phoenix often just barked orders at my wolf to stand down, Nova appeared to approach me differently. I growled a warning when she got too close, and her eyes hardened. The baby in her arms squirmed and my eyes followed the movements. But before I could even contemplate what it was doing, Nova was falling.

My eyes widened, arms moving automatically. As Phoenix turned to grab her by the waist, I latched onto the baby in her arms. Annabelle fell into my hold with ease and I was fast to bring her to my chest in case she was struck by flailing arms.

But it never happened. Phoenix steadied Nova, as I held the innocent child to my chest. My nostrils flared, an instant desire of comfort flooding my lungs. I found my nose glued to the child, the softness of her skin brushing against my cheeks. She was so sweet, so small in my hold.

Too distracted by the essence of the newborn, I didn't realise Nova was smirking at me. My eyes snapped up to hers, frowning.

"What are you laughing for? You nearly crushed your daughter! What did you trip over? An invisible wire?"

"Okay, I am going to take that as a thank you for snapping me out of my near-shift, Nova. Sorry I am talking like crap, you scared the crap out of me so it had to leave me somewhere." She drawled.

Phoenix rolled his eyes at his mate, moving toward the bassinet in the living room. I noticed the unbothered sway to his walk, the calmness that surrounded him as he bathed in the scent and feel of his home.

"What?" I wondered, my tone softer.

"My trip was fake." She snorted. "You fell for my trap."

Eyes wide, I stared at her like she was insane. "You risked your child's life for a trick?"

"Charlie." She tutted. "I wasn't going to fall. I just staggered my step, and you both fell for it!"

"That's because you are the clumsiest person in the world." Phoenix grunted.

She scoffed, crossing her arms. "I knew he would grab the baby and it would calm him down."

"Okay, so instead of crushing your baby, you thought giving her to a man with fur sprouting ut of his skin was a good idea?"

"Charlie!" She laughed. "Please, I am not that stupid."

I scowled at her, but admittedly her stupid plan worked. As if hearing my thoughts, she stuck her tongue out at me. Uncrossing her arms, she moved back to the kitchen.

"Are you staying for lunch or will you be going home?" She grinned, winking at me.

"If you are implying going home to my mate, then yes, I will go home." I rolled my eyes. "But not until later. She's with Molly today."

Nova nodded, humming as she sipped from a straw. "Sunday. It's their manicure day."

"Not fancy a manicure, Luna?" I teased, walking further into the room.

I can't believe her plan actually worked. It was like my wolf had vanished the moment I held onto the child. Perhaps he recognised her as a comfort; the innocence of her entire being able to calm him down enough.

Nova showed my her hands. "Do I look like a manicure girl?"

I hummed, taking her fingers in my grip. Pretending to scan them, I pursed my lips.

"No, I'd say you're a nail biter."

She scoffed, yanking her hand out of my grip. I chuckled, leaning away from the kitchen island to turn to Phoenix. He had Freddy in one arm, the other tapping something on his phone. It was comical to see; Phoenix's hands were way too big for a phone.

As if hearing my thoughts, his eyes flickered up to me and narrowed. I grinned, looking back to Nova. She had turned, stirring something on the hob.

"What you cooking?" I wondered.

"This?" She grinned. "Oh, you'll love it."

"Yeah?" I wondered, peering into the pot.

Water.

It was water.

"Hilarious." I tutted.

"There's salt in there too." She teased.

"Seriously, if you want me to stay for lunch, what are you making?"

She rolled her eyes at me again.

"If you keep rolling them, they'll get stuck." I pointed out.

"Geez, okay, grandad." Nova huffed. "You sound like my father."

"Speaking of, they're coming over tomorrow." Phoenix mentioned.

"Monday already?" Nova grunted, glancing around the house. "Mum will end up tidying."

I too looked around, confusion marring my brows. "What is there to tidy?"

Nova's soft chuckle made me feel silly, as though I should know and I scowled at her.

"Why is that funny?"

"You do not know how my mother's mind works." She pointed the wooden spoon at me.

"Do tell me then, dear Luna."

"Marks on the wall, number one. It was there last time, and I didn't let her clean it. Safe to say, it is still there." She clicked her tongue, the spoon moving to a grey mark by the front door. "Number two will be the washing in the utility, and three will be the unloaded dishwasher. Then she will dust the living room, find crumbs in the rug and beneath the sofa cushions."

"So... it sounds like she would have a great day in my room." I cocked my head.

Nova's nose scrunched up as she turned around and pulled out some pasta. "I thought you tidied for Calida coming round?"

"And you think I've tidied since then?" I snorted. "The fort is still up."

"Charlie." She tutted.

I grinned, shrugging at her. Belle stirred in my arm, lifting her head from my chest with a grumble.

"And since when did you get so strong?" I mumbled.

Pulling her away from my chest, I held her in the air, peering across at her. She clenched her fists as she rubbed them across her rosy cheeks. Her dark blue eyes fluttered open, her nose scrunching up as she blinked in the bright light.

"They're seven weeks now, right?"

"Yeah." Phoenix mumbled.

Nova was staring wide-eyed at where I dangled Belle in the air, but she didn't comment or react on her nerves. Appeasing her, I pulled Belle back to my chest with a soft laugh. She was still mama bear, and that was still scary. Her protectiveness made up for her miniscule height.

"Anyway, you didn't answer what was for dinner." I quirked an eyebrow.

"I did." She smirked, shaking her head. "I didn't speak, but you have been watching me make it the past five minutes."

I scowled at her playful tease, eyeing the pasta in the large saucepan. Trailing my eyes across the assortment of food, I realised she was making a carbonara. Bacon, cream, cheese, even garlic were scattered across the countertop.

"Will Calida be having lunch out?" Phoenix wondered.

"Yeah, they eat at the café after." Nova nodded, cutting up the bacon pieces.

"Why are you using scissors to cut meat?"

The scissors came pointing in my direction, as sharp as the glare she gave me. "Bacon is thin, scissors are sharp."

"Okay, okay!" My eyes widened. "You are scary today."

"Don't even say it."

"I wasn't going to say anything." I grinned.

Time of the month, cough.

"How long until food, my love?"

I rolled my eyes at the nickname. Out of all names, he chose that one. The amount of times I have heard it this year was enough to sicken me. It was part of Phoenix's vocabulary; he used it without even thinking about it.

"Ten minutes." Nova hummed. "It doesn't take long."

He kissed her cheek before gesturing for me to follow him. With a salute to the captain of the house, I followed Phoenix down the two flights of stairs.

"Still weird that your house is upside down." I muttered.

Phoenix's chuckle echoed around the open space of the lower floor. "It actually makes perfect sense. The bedrooms are in the middle as it's the place we spend the least time."

I snorted, entering his office. "Yeah, I'm sure that you two horny bastards spend little time there."

Phoenix shot me a sly smirk. "You'd be surprised where we have spent our time."

I suddenly did not want to sit in the office armchair.

"Don't worry. That one is safe." Phoenix winked.

I groaned, collapsing into it with Belle on my lap. Staring down at her, my nose crinkled.

"Your dad is gross. He is a naughty man." I told her. "Soon there will be like ten of you."

"It doesn't work that fast." Phoenix mused.

"With how Nova produces, I wouldn't put it past her to have five in one go." I rolled my eyes. "Then Belle will have competition. But not from Uncle Charlie. Oh no, Belle is Uncle Charlie's favourite."

Phoenix gasped, covering Fred's ears. "Don't listen to him, Wolf."

I laughed. "I thought only Pollux could call him that. Nova basically banned us from nicknames."

"Nova isn't here." He shrugged. "This room is soundproof. We're good."

"Brave man." I teased. "What's her deal, anyway?"

"What do you mean?" He wondered, starting up his computer.

"She's... bossy." I muttered.

"Nova?"

"Who else!" I tutted.

"I don't think she's bossy." He chuckled.

"She told me off and now she's teasing up with babies and water!"

Phoenix eyed me with an amused grin. "She is just winding you up."

"I haven't done anything."

"If she hadn't done what she did, you would be a wolf in my house right now." He quirked an eyebrow.

I frowned, unhappy he was right. "She threw a baby at me."

"You really think someone with the instinct of a mother bear would trip and drop her baby?"

I hesitated, the frown not leaving my face. "She is a very clumsy mother bear."

Phoenix laughed. "I am just glad your wolf backed down."

That's because Nova was an annoying little witch.

I couldn't help but smile, shaking my head as a laugh tumbled out of my chest. She really was a sister to me; annoying and adorable in every way.

"Anyway, why are we in here?" I wondered. "Dinner will be... five minutes."

"Nova says ten minutes, but she never is on time." He shrugged. "Add an extra five to that and we will be good."

"Right." I rolled my eyes, looking down at the infant on my knee. "Not what I was asking it, was it, Belle?"

She was too busy eating her own hand, staring at a freckle on my chest in a deep trance.

"How are we going to break it to Nova?"

"Wait, what?" My head shot up too fast. "Break what to Nova?"

"The wolf on the border."

"Okay, I am confused." I shook my head. "Usually, you keep the scary stuff from her."

"I don't want to keep things from her." Phoenix shook his head.

"But... we have no leads. We don't even know if this is a threat or just a game, or a fluke, or... what!"

"Exactly." Phoenix nodded. "I'd rather she knew before it becomes one."

"And if it doesn't? You'd just be worrying her."

Phoenix sighed, staring down at his sleeping son. "Nova is gifted and smart. She can help."

"Nova may be gifted, but she has seen nothing in weeks." I shook my head. "What if this triggers her?"

"In what way?"

"Paranoia?" I cocked my head. "When the twins were born, she hated all of us."

"I wouldn't say she hated everyone..." He muttered.

I stared at him, a look as if to say 'really'?

"Okay, fine, so she was on edge." He sighed. "But I think she could help us. She has a fresh perspective, and she worked out so many things before."

"The one time I support you keeping it from her, you disagree."

"It's not fair to her, Charlie." He sighed. "She is the luna for a reason."

"If you are sure, I just won't want her worrying like crazy." I sighed, agreeing.

"I know my mate. She will be fine."

****
QOTD:
A movie, series or book you have never seen/read.
Mine - titanic, lord of the rings 🫠