➳

Sunlit clouds drifted across the sky while tree branches danced in the balmy wind. The office was pleasantly illuminated by gentle sunbeams infiltrating the opened windows. As he stared outside, Matthew could have sworn something was watching him.

He shook the thought out of his head, turning his attention to the blank notepad on his desk. After pensively clicking his pen a few times, he began scribbling:

Pros of turning Maddie into a direwolf :

Mate-bond, mind-link, pups, increase her strength, increase her lifespan

Cons of turning Maddie into a direwolf :

Cat might refuse to get out of her, no more drunk Maddie

He stared at the list contemplatively. There were more pros than cons, but was it worth it? "She's so cute when she's drunk though-"

"Matthew!" His mate's voice nearly made him jump out of his skin.

She sauntered into his office, holding a bouquet of roses. His eyebrows furrowed when he noticed the flowers in her hands. Had somebody else given her roses? The thought was vexing; only he should be giving her such gifts.

"I brought them for you."

His head tilted to the side, bemused. "... For me?"

"When I was visiting Nathan earlier, I realized that most men only ever receive flowers after they die, and it made me really sad. You always bring them for me, but you deserve to get flowers too."

Matthew studied the girl with an inscrutable expression for a moment, before leaning back into his chair and patting his thigh. "Come here."

As soon as she got close enough, he pulled her onto his lap with one arm, grabbing her face with his other hand. "What are y-"

She didn't have time to finish her words before his lips pressed against hers roughly. Sparks ignited all across their skin, sending waves of pleasure throughout their bodies. No matter how many times they had made out, Matthew could not get enough of her; his hands moved down to her waist and pulled her even closer while he continued his assault on her lips, ravishing her addictive taste.

A small whimper escaped her, pleading for air. Reluctantly, he pulled away, both of their chests rising heavily from the intensity of the kiss. Her face was beet-red as she shyly looked down at the roses in her hands, trying to catch her breath.

"Um... Do you like them?"

"I love them." He planted another kiss on the top of her head. "Thank you, angel."

A rustling near the windows caught their attention. Though it went away quickly, Matthew managed to catch a glimpse of a black tail. That damn cat.

"Stay here," He said, getting up and placing Madeline on his chair. Quietly walking over to the window, he peered down at the bushes below. Sure enough, a familiar creature sat there, staring at him with wide eyes. "I knew it. You've been stalking us all week."

He swiftly reached down, grabbing the cat by its scruff. Unlike the previous time, Mittens offered no resistance, letting himself be carried back into his office.

Matthew raised a brow. "I see you're finally cooperating with-"

His breath hitched when he looked back at Madeline. She was holding his notepad in her hands, reading the list with a confused expression.

Her eyes slowly looked up to meet his.

"What is this?"

——————————

"So, yeah. I possess you for a quick moment, then I'll be able to possess something stronger than a human. While I'm in your body, he'll turn you into a direwolf, and you'll survive, since familiars are much stronger than humans. Sounds good?" The cat explained, sitting on top of the desk.

Madeline gawked at him, her lips parted in awe. "... Mittens can actually talk?"

The creature sighed. "I told you, my name is Astor. Stop calling me that stupid pet name."

Ignoring him, she looked over at Matthew. "Why did you never tell me about this? I had no idea you could turn humans into direwolves."

"You would have died if I tried to turn you into one. And I don't know if I can trust this cat enough to let it possess you."

"Hey!" Astor intervened. "You know I could've possessed her anytime I wanted to? I'm nice enough to ask for permission, and you still don't trust me?"

Madeline nodded in agreement. "Mittens is a good kitty. I think we can trust him."

The cat rolled his eyes. "For the last time, it's Astor."

"Do you want to become a direwolf though?" Matthew asked.

"Sharper senses, more strength, longer lifespan, mind-linking other wolves, having babies with you, what's not to love?" Astor added. "And... No more of that human bleeding thing every month."

The young girl gasped at his last statement. "No more periods? That's it, my mind's made up. Please possess me and turn me into a wolf."

"Finally," The cat mumbled, taking a step closer to her.

"Not so fast." Matthew placed himself in front his mate. "I have a few conditions if you are going to possess her."

"Name them."

"When I turn you into a direwolf, I want you to shift into wolf form, so she will not have to endure the pain of her first shift. After that, I'm going to lead you to a rogue prisoner, and you may possess him and be set free." He paused to glance at his watch. "You are to leave her body by eight o'clock, at the latest. And if you dare refuse to leave her, I will torture you so badly that you will wish you were still stuck as a cat. Understood?"

Astor nodded, feeling a slight shiver travel down his spine at Matthew's threat.

Madeline shifted in her seat. "Is it going to hurt when I get possessed?"

"You won't feel a thing the entire time. Any pain inflicted on your body while I'm in it will only be felt by me."

"Are you sure you want this, princess?"

She nodded at Matthew's question. "My whole life, I wished to be a wolf so I could fit in with the Pack. I know you said you'll love me no matter what, but deep down, I really want to be like everyone else. Plus, I get to help him get out of that cat." The girl turned to Astor. "By the way, what's going to happen to your cat body?"

"The cat will regain control of its body when I leave it, and will go back to being a regular cat."

"Oh, that's good. Matthew, can we-"

"No, we cannot keep the damn cat," Her mate grumbled, as if he had read her mind.

Her lips curved into a frown. "Fine. Mittens, you can do it now. I'm ready."

Astor sighed, but could not be bothered to correct her again. "Alright, just close your eyes and relax..."

Not long after, a bright white light flashed in the room, along with a sudden gust of wind that made Matthew stumble back. He squinted and looked away, blinded by the brightness. It took a couple seconds for the light to diminish.

The human was laying on the floor, her eyes closed. Matthew rushed to her side, shaking her firmly to wake her up. "Maddie? Or Astor? Whatever I should call you, is everything alright?"

Her eyes suddenly snapped open, a wide grin spreading across her face. "It worked!" She sprang up to her feet, before immediately falling back down. "Oh, I haven't had legs in so long, I can barely walk."

Matthew lifted her up, placing the girl on his desk to examine her features. She looked the same, though he could tell something was different.

It was her eyes; Madeline would always look at him with sparkling eyes, full of love and admiration, whereas Astor's gaze was impassive and dull. He mentally shook his head, chastising himself. "It's only been a few minutes and you're already missing her? Get a grip."

"Is this the part where we kiss?" The human asked, puckering her lips. Matthew blinked. He never thought he'd be turning down an opportunity to kiss his mate, but it felt strange to do it while she was possessed by another creature.

"No, this is the part where I mark you and turn you into a wolf. It's going to hurt, so try to keep the screaming at a minimum."

Brushing her hair back, he slid the sleeve off her shoulder. He could feel his fangs growing as his eyes hungrily roamed the exposed skin. His wolf had been dreaming of this moment, yearning to claim her since the day they met.

"Give me a warning before you do it," Astor requested, feeling his lips brush across her collarbone.

"Well, I'm about to do it."

Without wasting another second, Matthew sunk his teeth into her neck.

➳