verb ~ authoritatively call on someone to be present

NOVA

I left Molly and Calida entertaining the infants as we prepared ourselves. Everyone else was on the other side of the grand doors, waiting for our arrival. It was all planned efficiently... until a second ago.

Phoenix and I were to be announced by Charlie, where we then bring out the twins. I had asked Calida if she would like to aid me with the babes, and she did so with wide eyes. It was an honour to look after the alphas young, and despite being human, Calida was raised wolf and understood the respect I gave her. I hoped it boosted her confidence and made her realise how important she really was.

But now... Were we were to announce Alexandar.

Phoenix's cousin's arrival had really put a dent in my plan. The Alpha King appearing last minute into the room. His freckles were dull from the winter sun, but his grin and eyes were wide. He wore a three-piece suit that was grey.

"Alexandar." Phoenix turned to his cousin, grasping his hand. "You came."

"Just in time." He mused.

"Where is your Queen?"

"Right here." A soft voice graced my ears.

Theia entered the room, rubbing her hands together. The smell of soap wafted over my nose, and she met my gaze. Her lips curled into a polite smile as she came to stand beside Alexandar, taking his forearm into her grip. Her dress was a dark red, short on the shoulders and just reaching her knee.

Those dark eyes... So many memories of her past.

I swallowed back my sudden nerves. "Your Majesties."

"Please, Nova, no formality when we are alone." Alexandar mused.

I nodded silently, my grip tightening on Phoenix's shirt. His hand on my waist pulled me closer, curling into the fabric.

"We can't wait to meet the little ones." Theia grinned.

The nerves grew.

"They're just over there." I muttered, glancing toward Molly.

Molly's blue eyes widened, whereas Calida's narrowed.

"Your Highness." Molly bowed.

Theia approached the bassinets, dragging Alexandar behind her. My wolf was prowling in my mind, knowing how uncertain I felt about Theia. I had seen things of her past that confused me, and Cors' involvement in her life dampened most of the anxiety, but some remained.

This was the first time I had seen her, both physical and mental, since we killed her mother.

Unable to hold back, I walked calmly to the bassinets. Standing at the head of the twins.

"Who is this lovely little lady?" Theia smiled softly.

"This is Annabelle, and this is Freddy."

Theia's eyes glanced between the two of them. Her arms raised, fingers twitching inches over their stirring forms. Annabelle's eyes were fixed on me until Alexandar came into view. At only a month old, she seemed to latch onto people pretty easily and follow them with her eyes.

Alexandar was harmless. He gurgled nonsense down at the babies with a goofy smile. It amused me to see the King so relaxed, but even more so was the shock on Molly's face. I think I would imprint that into my mind forever.

Keeping my eyes locked on Theia, I grew cautious as her hand settled on Freddy's stomach. Phoenix's hand settled on my back when I tensed, a soft growl leaving my throat. Theia's hand retracted, eyes wide as she looked up at me.

"I apologise." She removed her hands. "Their aura is very strong."

"Nova is protective as any new mother." Phoenix cautioned her. "I wouldn't touch unless you are happy with only one hand."

Theia took the warning lightly, an amused smile lifting her cheeks. She was like a whole new person. It confused me. Did her mother's expectations really wear her down that much?

"They are wonderful." Alexandar commented. "Congratulations."

"Thank you." Phoenix nodded.

I ignore the two of them, locked in a stare off with Theia. Her hair cascaded down her face, the effort of straightening it not going unnoticed by me, but she locked her brown eyes onto mine. It was like a pulse of energy when our eyes engaged, and neither of us moved. I didn't feel threatened, but the darkness of her eyes unnerved me.

Her hand moved, and I dropped my eyes to lock onto its journey. She appeared to be reaching toward me, and I know I shouldn't, really shouldn't, but I couldn't help it.

Drawn by her lucid eyes and the curve of her fingers, I settled my grip into hers and allowed the vision to swallow me whole.

***

The world shifted on its axel, and it threw me into an entirely new dimension. The past, present, or future, I wasn't sure. It had been a while since I had a vision, my gift failing me since having the twins. My practice with Aldren made them easier to handle and allow through, but lately, I struggled.

"You have shut down the piece of your mind that allows you to see."

I spun around the familiar living room, finding Theia sat on her sofa. She looked like she did now as she sprawled her deep red skirt across the sofa cushions. She looked around the room with indifference before settling her eyes on me.

"How have I shut it down?" I shook my head. "I tried to see, but nothing ever came."

"Something is off in your soul. I can feel it." She stated. "Something is stopping you from reaching your potential."

I hesitated before sitting in the chair opposing her. This was dream world. How were we speaking like it was a conversation?

"Why are we in your home?"

"You know this is my home?" Her eyebrows quirked.

"Of course." I muttered. "I have seen you here many times. Cors visited you here, too."

"So, your visions lock onto family?"

"Aldren says the same." I agreed. "Did you ever channel me?"

"I channelled for help, but it never came." She shook her head, her shoulders sagging. "I suppose the world works mysteriously. That was over a year ago."

"I saw how you they treated you." I hesitantly began, and she tensed. "I saw how they made you lock down your gift, trapped you here, and threatened you."

"You saw?"

"I saw a lot." I nodded, swallowing. "I saw him."

She inhaled sharply, nostrils flaring. "How? How could you see him? He has magic surrounding him. I cannot even see him in my past."

"He was blurry to begin with, but eventually... it cleared."

She let out her breath in one enormous sigh, falling back onto the sofa. "You must have a stronger gift than they realised."

"They?"

"My mother."

"Oh." I muttered, and we fell silent. "I'm sorry for her death."

"Don't be." She shook her head, rolling her eyes. "She deserved what was coming to her."

"But she was still your mother."

"A mother who used me for her own gain, who manipulated me." She tutted. "You know, they conceived me shortly after your birth."

"You were?" I wondered.

"My mother had plans. She was always planning." Theia frowned. "She found a wolf and manipulated him to give her a child. That way, I would be accepted more easily by the wolves."

"And... your Mate?"

She smirked. "Now that is where it gets complicated."

I narrowed my eyes, tensing for the ultimate betrayal. "Go on."

"It was my mother's plan all along." Theia pursed her lips when I growled. "Hey, let me continue!"

I huffed, crossing my arms and falling into my chair more.

"Right, so my mother always wanted me to take the throne so witches could rule all and blah, blah, blah." Theia rolled her eyes. "And life seemed to benefit her because Alexandar turned out to be my actual moon-blessed mate."

"How?" I scowled. "How do you not know it wasn't a trick?"

"I ran away from my home, as you do." She mused. "I bumped into him in the forest. He was just going for a walk. He was about to alert the guards but then... After I found out he was my mate, I enchanted him to forget."

"Why?" I frowned. "If you worked with your mother, surely that is in your favour."

"My mother wanted the hierarchy dead. I couldn't kill my mate, Nova." She sighed. "I thought hiding it would protect him. I didn't want any of this, you know. They forced me to be someone from a young age, and when that happens for so long, teenagers run. Don't give me that look when I know for sure you thought about running at one point in your life."

She was right. Of course.

"Anyway, I came home and thought it was safe." She sighed. "But my mother is as much an oracle as you are, and saw that I met him despite how hard I tried to hide it. I am only half-breed after all. She was stronger being so ancient."

"What happened?"

"They moved me here. Under 'protection' until the time was right."

"When was that?"

"You know how your gift works, right? How there can be holes in visions, last-minute decisions that can alter an entire timeline?"

"Of course." I nodded.

"She knew you were to be challenged, saw your entire fight of you becoming victorious played out before her eyes." She clicked her tongue. "But what she didn't expect is for Phoenix to challenge the King."

"She didn't?"

"No." She shook her head. "He acted impulsively, rashly, and completely devoted to you. He changed his mind and the entire future changed forever."

"And then that is when you came into the picture."

"Of course." She shrugged. "The day of the King's death."

"Wow, that was quick."

"Grief is a vulnerable part of your soul." She sighed. "Alexandar accepted me immediately, completely not realising we had met before."

"And the rest is history?"

"You could say so." She smiled tensely. "My mother spoke with Edward before, and when he found out his son's mate was a witch, he wanted no part. That's why she happily let him die. There's a lot more to it."

"So this house..." I gestured, looking around. "Where is it?"

"On the edge of the Kingdom." She explained. "I lived here for about six months after my mother found out who my mate is."

"Why did you bring me here?"

"Me? I didn't. You did." She raised an eyebrow. "It's rather dark in here, though."

"I did?" I wondered, eyes drifting across the darkness of the house.

"Well, it's not my vision. I tried to take you to the castle, but you overpowered me."

"How? You are the witch."

"Your gift is stronger." She mused. "The moon blesses you in so many ways, Nova. Once you unlock that part that's hiding, you will be so powerful."

"What if I don't want to be?" I shook my head. "I don't need to be."

"Don't be so humble. It's a gift."

"Saying that it is a gift does not mean I want it. Everyone gets a gift that they often question whether or not it is good."

Theia sighed. "I'm not here to argue, Nova."

"Then why are we here?" I wondered. "Why reach out to me?"

"I could feel your psyche call to me." She muttered. "You are the one who took my hand. Your soul yearns for something, but what is it?"

"I don't know." I admitted.

"You need to look into yourself some more. Mediate, relax, breathe. Too much stress will freak out your gift and you could never understand that hidden part of yourself." She urged me.

"What more is there?" I shook my head. "I have already seen things I don't want to."

"Your gift must be strong, Nova. To see him when he had some of the strongest witches protecting him... The Moon Goddess is doing something by giving you this," she exclaimed.

"You honestly think so?" I frowned.

"Apollo is in hiding, doing who knows what, and I think you are the only one who can find him."

"Why would he be in hiding?"

"His witches knew you discovered his part in this."

"Cors helped." I tutted. "Without him, I wouldn't have been led so many places."

"Cors is sneaky." She smiled softly. "Out of the entire lycan race, he is the gossip. There's a reason he lost his tongue."

A mute gossip, how fitting.

"Have you heard from him?" I wondered.

"Not in a few months." She sighed. "He will only come if he is needed."

I nodded silently, staring down at my hands in my lap. The shadows of the room felt oddly comforting, despite the eeriness of its solitude. I wondered how many secrets my family truly held to cut out so many important things from our lives. Apollo, back stabbing the entire wolf race, and Cors' very existence.

I needed to figure this out.

"I think I will try to paint or draw." I decided, lifting my gaze back to Theia.

Only this time, I was alone.

I paused, unsure when this vision even changed. There had been no shift, no energy. Theia had simply vanished. I called out her name softly, but my voice echoed around the room. It was then I saw the dust covers and boxes of things stacked in various positions around the room. The darkness suddenly had meaning; all the curtains were closed.

Where had she gone? What happened?

Footsteps suddenly echoed around the room, and I spun to face the dark hallway leading to the bedroom. Nostrils flaring, I found no scent. Whoever it was wore boots, and they were loud and clunky, echoing around the vacant house.

I remained silent, unsure if I was visible in this vision or not.

But then the cloak came.

The gentle swaying of its fabric glinted the golden crescent moon and two stars back at me, and inhaled sharply when the face came into view.

Just the man I was looking for.

Apollo swept through the room, his heavy boots clattering against the wood of the floor. I watched him as he grew near, my breath hitching when he paused. His form was stiff, before he slowly turned his head my way. The hood of his cape hid his eyes, but the dirty blonde hair and nose scar were ever prominent.

He looked around, his body rigid before his chest rose with an inhale. "Theia, I will find you."

And then he was gone, his cloak shifting as the door slammed shut behind him.

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