noun ~ the state of having, owning or controlling something

PHOENIX

Annoyance shook my bones. It gripped on tightly, rattling them until my teeth ached with anger. I growled, clenching my hand at my side to avoid throwing this fucking phone out the window.

"...and I just don't think that you deserve to harbour all that power." The alpha on the phone grumbled. "Perhaps you should send her to me, and we can share."

"Harbour? What do you think I am doing? Draining my mate every day and drinking her blood?" I snapped, losing composure.

"Alpha-

"No!" I snarled. "You have no right accusing me and my pack of these things. My mate is not an asset, neither is her brother, nor my children. So, get that out of your fucking brain before you start a war."

"Are you threatening me, Alpha?"

"It seems you threaten me, Alpha." I mocked. "This is my moon-blessed mate, my luna, you dare to talk about."

"How do I know she is your moon-given? You could've stolen her." He scoffed a laugh.

My teeth chattered as a crack sounded through the room. I grunted, releasing the phone when the glass splintered in my palm.

"Fucking shit!" I snapped, throwing the phone.

A gentle knock on the door had my head snapped to the side, a grumble building in my chest. I inhaled sharply, and the smooth, sweet scent of Nova flooded my lungs.

"Phoenix?" She mumbled.

I cursed softly, staring at the destruction of my office. I had worked in the pack house today, handling the important phone calls away from home. It felt like a bad omen holding them at home, not wanting to paint the walls with my anger.

"Yes?" I muttered.

"Are you okay?"

"Yes."

She hesitated, and the bond tightened when she tried to enter my mind. "Then why are you hiding?"

"I am not hiding." I grunted.

A soft giggle drifted through the wood, and my chest lightened immediately.

"Then why am I still on this side of the door?" She wondered.

Goddess, I could just picture her little face. She would've cocked her head, a gentle pout on her lips as she crossed her arms. Her big green eyes would be wide, trying to get me to fall into her trap.

But, I was smart. The door was there to stop her from casting me under her spell.

She knew how to play with me now. She knew all the tricks.

"That is because I am coming to you."

"Oh, you are?" She hummed.

"Yes." I tutted, glancing around my office once more.

Charlie... I called.

My beta grunted. 'What?'

I scowled. Don't be so rude.

'Geez, you interrupted me!' He huffed. 'What do you want? Better?'

Not really. I rolled my eyes. Could you discreetly ask Lucy to clean my office?

'What did you do?' He teased.

I had problems with Alpha Aaron, that's what. I snapped before adding an extra please.

'Okay, okay. I shall save you, brother. But you owe me.'

I dread to think. I muttered.

His snorting laughter drifted as I tuned back into reality, only for my eyes to widen with horror when I noticed the doorknob turning. Darting forward, I grabbed the handle and pressed myself into the gap. Nova sprouted nonsensual words as I pushed her away, closing the door tightly behind me.

"What are you doing?" She huffed.

"I said I was coming!" I smirked.

Her tiny stature huffed up at me, but I saw the calculation in her eyes. She studied my face before dropping her eyes to where my hands still rested on the golden handle.

"I don't know. I think you are hiding something."

"Nothing! Nothing to hide, my love." I laughed. "Just some re...decoration."

She scowled. "Phoenix..."

"Come, I wanted to talk with you."

"I thought we were going for lunch."

"Yes, yes, that too!" I insisted, just as Lucy came into my line of vision.

Steering her to the left, I took her to the pack dining room. I helped her to something healthy, carried her plate and drink to our table before pulling out her chair. I sat opposite her, smiling softly as she ate.

"You are acting strange." She mumbled after a while.

My eyes snapped up to hers, too distracted with how her lips would wrap around the fork to remember she was expecting conversation from me. So instead of fobbing her off again, I sighed, staring down at my plate.

"I'm sorry. It's just been difficult today." I muttered.

"What happened?"

"I had some meetings and phone calls with alphas. Some of them were harder than others."

"Ah..." she mused. "So that's why I couldn't see the office."

"What?" I startled.

"You broke something again, didn't you?" She teased. "That's why you have been taking these calls in the pack office."

I grimaced, unhappy she had caught me. However, it impressed me she was so attentive.

"Maybe."

She laughed, sipping her cola with a grin. "On another topic, you remember what is happening tonight?"

"Of course." I nodded. "Pollux's going-away get-together."

"Right, emphasis on get-together. He hates parties, doesn't want one." My mate shook her head. "So no balloons, banners, party plates, right?"

"Right." I nodded, agreeing.

"Is Charlie aware of these expectations?" She cocked her head.

I fisted my hands around my fork, unable to tear my gaze away from her. Did she even realise she did it? How she would pout and look up through her lashes? Even now, she did that, and then had to add the extra sipping through her damn straw.

"Phoenix?"

"You drive me insane." I groaned.

She softly giggled. "I haven't done anything."

"You don't need to." I muttered. "Are you nearly finished?"

She glanced down at the remnants of vegetables on her plate. "I mean, I guess... Why?"

"Because I would really like dessert right now."

Fuck, I was like a horny teenager all over again. I wanted nothing more than to grab her, mould her to my body and pin her in the bedsheets, unable to escape. My wolf grumbled in agreement.

I latched onto her mind, flooding the bond with all the dirty thoughts I had for her. She blushed furiously, dropping her eyes and squirming in her seat.

"Phoenix..." she whispered, glancing around the room.

"I can't help it when you are this fucking beautiful twenty-four seven." I muttered, reaching under the table to grab her knee.

Fuck, she was always so small. My hand engulfed her bone, squeezing it with a promise.

"I suppose dessert is always the better half of the meal." She shrugged, bashful.

Damn.

That was it.

I was up and out of my chair in an instant, and pulling her out of hers the next. I was speed-walking out of the room within seconds. Nothing but the clatter of her chair hitting the floor left echoing behind us. She giggled, gripping onto my shoulders as I carried her bridal style.

"Phoenix..."

I pulled her up to my face, inhaling her scent. She was rich, sweet and all mine, and I couldn't wait to sink my teeth inside of her.

"You smell amazing, my love." I murmured.

She hummed, eyes fluttering closed. "So do you."

I ran home, glad that the twins were at their Uncle Sean's for lunch. The pack had really come through, offering a couple of hours every other day when we needed it for work. Nova still squirmed and missed them after twenty minutes, but I knew we had at least half an hour before my Gamma would knock on our door today.

It was plenty of time to sink into her over and over again.

Running downstairs to the bedroom, I barely gave her a moment before I was ripping my clothes from my body and tearing away hers. She gasped, surprised, as I then threw her onto the bed.

"Phoenix!"

I growled, my beast purring at the sight of our naked, flustered mate on our bed. "Yes?"

"Give a girl a moment!" She laughed. "I still feel the scratch of my bra."

"Your bra is gone now." I shrugged.

"Pheonix!" she wailed playfully. "Did you rip my bra?"

I shrugged, crawling over her. "Maybe."

Her giggles were light and warm, her beauty unmatchable. I covered her entire body with mine, satisfied by how protected it made her. Her hands fell to my chest, nails scratching at my skin. I grumbled, lowering my lips until they pressed into her throat. I trailed my tongue across her warm skin, savouring the taste of her. She writhed, scrunching her face up when my lips found her mark. Kissing it softly, I moved up to claim her mouth.

Nova melted into my touch, a soft, breathy sigh escaping her as my tongue danced with hers. Her hands wrapped around my neck, pulling me closer until we pressed together. My cock throbbed between my legs, aching with the need to fill her. To claim her. She smelt muted, our bond the only scent of our claim, and it upset Ares. It had been a few weeks since we filled her, and I couldn't wait much longer.

Bringing her to a climax with my fingers, she fizzled and melted beneath me. I groaned when she moaned my name out loud, her arms flopping onto the mattress. I leaned away to admire my handy work, happy with how red in the face she was, and how wet her pussy was for me. She smelt sweet. She smelt ready for the ride of her life.

"Fucking hell, Nova. You are perfect." I murmured.

She shivered, goosebumps rising on her skin. "Please, Phoenix."

My eyes closed, as though in pain, but I was. Her whiny, needy voice went straight to my cock, my member twitching between my thighs. Taking hold of it in my hand, I palmed myself and she watched, licking her lips when I reached the tip. Wiping my moisture onto her lips, I groaned softly at the warmth beneath my fingertips.

"I am going to fill you to the fucking brim." I promised.

Her lips parted as I dragged my fingers away, and I wrapped my hand around my base. I took it slowly, sinking inch after inch into her wet depths. I secured my lower lip between my teeth, my eyes locked onto her face. She squirmed, moaning softly as I sank into her. I hit resistance once I was halfway, and took it as my queue to get warming her up some more.

I eased back out, before sliding back in at a slightly quicker pace, repeating it until she was jello beneath me. Her eyes slipped closed, lips parted with a soft oh as I worked her walls. Every stroke inside of her was pleasure, the hot, welcoming warmth tightening as I dived deeper inside.

My hands explored as my mouth did. Her breasts, her neck, her collarbone, her ears and jaw. Every piece of her I tasted, every piece of her upper half I touched until she came undone beneath me.

"One." I purred. "Good girl."

I sat up, keeping my dick securely inside of her. I was balls deep now and wanted nothing more than to really fuck her. Nova whimpered softly when my hand trailed down her soft mound, gliding past the soft curls that had grown there. With only one finger, I rubbed her clit, and with my other hand, I grabbed her hip.

I groaned as I thrust, feeling her spasm around me. The daintiness of her hip in my grip made me realise just how small she was, how delicate she was. I could snap her so easily, and if I could, so could anybody else. But that just spurred me on more.

She was mine.

Nobody else's.

She squealed with delight when I lifted her up, thrusting into her in a frenzy. Her breasts bounced freely as I reached my hilt, groaning, growling, clasping her. I landed a sharp smack on her ass when her eyes closed, demanding her to look at me.

"You are mine."

"I am yours." She gasped.

"Mine." I growled.

"Yours." She moaned.

"Look at me when you come." I huffed.

"Phoenix..." she quivered, eyes fluttering closed.

"Nova." I snarled. "Watch me, baby. Look how well you take me."

Her lips parted with lust and awe, transfixed. Her hands fisted the sheets and when she squirmed in my grip, I quickened the pace on her clit and deepened my thrusts. Bending over her until my hair tickled her jaw, she quickly latched onto my shoulders with her nails. She dug in painfully, but I didn't care. She could mark every piece of me if she wanted to.

Resting my forehead against hers, her green eyes flew open to stare into mine.

"Phoenix..."

"Yes, baby. That's it." I panted.

My balls tightened the moment she came undone. As her thighs clamped around me, her pussy tightened, gripping so securely I instantly came. I moaned her name before sinking my teeth into her neck. She gasped, arching into me as I flooded both the bond and her body. My thrusts slowed until spent, and she was panting. Removing my teeth from her skin, I licked at the blood, watching with satisfaction when it immediately healed over.

Nova was a puddled mess, still wrapped around my length.

"Phoenix..." She murmured. "How am I supposed to go on for the rest of the day after that?"

I chuckled softly, picking her up in my arms. I remained inside of her as I wrapped her around me, carrying her to the shower. Standing above the drain, I turned on the warm water. She squirmed as some of the cooler droplets touched her, which only made my softening length tense.

"Nova..." I grunted. "If you keep doing that, we will not make it out of here today."

She whispered a soft sorry, kissing me.

"Ready?" I whispered, gesturing to pulling her off of me.

Her nose wrinkled, but she nodded, keeping her arms wrapped around my neck. With a sharp hiss, I pulled my length out of her warmth, and she grimaced when my release flooded out of her. Settling her on her feet, I steadied her when she swayed.

"You okay?" I chuckled softly, kissing her forehead.

"I just had the best fifteen minutes of my life, I ache and am sticky, and now I am showering in the middle of the day!" She exclaimed. "I think I am all over the place with this spontaneity."

I laughed with her, pulling her with me underneath the current. My body hummed where we touched, my beast satisfied with her scent now. He would be unhappy when she washed away the remnants of our coupling, but I hoped that rubbing myself against her would be enough.

"I love you." I mumbled.

She giggled, flooding the bond with emotions. "I love you too."

Question of the day:
You've been in a coma for a month and wake to a zombie apocalypse, what's the first thing you would do?