The room fell silent and all eyes snapped to me. The King's face was shocked but he covered it up with quick amusement. He studied me again, seeing my keen expression and let out a laugh.

"Then it is so. Tomorrow evening the women who desire to be his mate shall be at your pack land. A day is enough time for them to travel and for you to...prepare." He smirked.

A day? That was so soon.

Phoenix growled. 'Nova...'

I am not losing you Phoenix, and you are not putting your title or life at risk under the King's hand. I am strong, I have Celimene. I have a good feeling; I promise it'll be okay.

'You do not heal well Nova, what if one got a good bite to you? What if one killed you?'

Then I shall deliver one just as bad.

His eyes widened but I detected the glimmer of pride in the mate bond. He gave me a gentle nod, accepting my answer to the questions. His grip tightened on me considerably and I traced small circles into his skin in comfort.

"Please, let's move on." The Queen suddenly spoke.

From where I was positioned, I was directly facing her. She smiled gently at me, her eyes bright as though she hadn't just been chastised for killing innocent women.

"Yes, let us." The King huffed.

The Queen leaned forwards and lifted the piles of paperwork. "I have read the lists your beta has sent and I have had my men identify every single woman you brought with you to their corresponding missing information. There was, of course, some paperwork without women. Shall I take it they are deceased?"

I tensed, completely forgetting that some women must've been killed when they had outgrown the men's selfish desires.

Phoenix nodded from beside me, "How many?"

The Queen pulled a sheet to the front, "Seven. They are fairly outdated, however, the most recent kidnapping that is unaccounted for is this January."

She passed the sheet and I went to reach out to take it from her but Phoenix growled and took it before I could. I huffed, folding my hands on my lap as he held the sheet in front of us. The Queen's eyes seemed to widen in delight at the gesture.

I was frowning as I scanned the document, noticing the January one was from the same pack as Felicity. I eyed the brown-eyed woman on the sheet, feeling sorrow that she was dead. She was just looking after her ward, doing her duties, and now she was dead.

I swallowed and looked away from the paperwork, not wishing to see other names. The Queen soon passed us the rest of the paperwork and Phoenix shuffled through them briefly. A picture of Primrose caught my eye and I grabbed at his wrist to stop the shuffling. He held it for me to read, his chin resting upon my head.

"Primrose Moore, 23 and 3 months. Taken from the woods on December 11th 2019, last seen passing border control with Avery Manson, also missing, around 8:15 PM. Brown eyes, and long black hair, was wearing blue jeans, a thick black winter coat with grey lining and brown winter boots. Case: Closed. Believed to be deceased through lack of mind link."

The picture was a portrait photo, of Primrose sporting a large smile with gleaming white teeth. Her black hair was long and in two braids down past the edge of the photo. Her brown eyes were light and full of life, freckles adorning her tanned skin.

She looked nothing like this anymore.

"Anything else your men found out?" Phoenix grunted, putting the paper on the sofa beside us.

"Not a lot involving paperwork, but there is one thing we need to discuss." She frowned.

"And that is?"

"A woman, claiming to be someone who went missing as a child. It is hard to be sure that she is said child, but if so, she has been kidnapped by them for nine years."

My eyes widened, "Nine years?"

The Queen nodded, handing over more paperwork that Phoenix took for me. I eyed it, scanning my eyes for the words before settling on the picture. A teenager, age sixteen had been reported missing nine years ago. She had wonderfully tanned skin, almond shape eyes a deep brown and soft rounded cheeks and dimples. I frowned as I read over the wording because something didn't seem right.

"Calida Ramírez; age 16 and 3 days, gone on the night of April 15th 2012 from Valborga Pack. No remains nor tracks to be seen, MISSING. Case closed; July 3rd 2012."

That was all it said. Nothing of her attire, her personality, her height or weight. All I read was her name, her age to the day and that she was missing. How had her case been solved in such small time? Did her parents not care enough, not search enough?

Strange.

Cel grumbled in agreement.

"The woman?" I found myself asking.

"She appears the same appearance-wise except for the eyes seem different. She bears the mark of a male, but it is fading so I assume he is deceased." The Queen frowned. "She does not like to speak much. I tried myself, but she screamed until I left."

My interest peaked, I needed to meet this woman, to see if she was truly the teenager that went missing. Something was strange about her case and I felt drawn, compelled to know what.

"Anything else?" Phoenix asked, setting that paper down too.

The Queen shook her head. "The witches are proving themselves worthy enough, they conducted a successful potion. I had them work through the night. The women should gain their wolves by the evening."

They must be exhausted. I commented.

Phoenix hummed in agreement but didn't respond.

"I assume you will have their families come and retrieve them all tomorrow?" He asked.

The Queen nodded, "We contacted them this morning, many are even on their way now and shall be here soon."

"Good," Phoenix stated before shifting me in his lap. "Is that all? My mate wishes to visit them."

I found my eyes widening when my butt rested on his groin, the tightness of his trousers kept me from crushing him but I couldn't help but be aware of where I now sat.

"For now." The King smirked, his eyes dead focused on me. "Mate for now."

I would've shivered under his gaze but it didn't affect me and I found myself narrowing mine in return, accepting his challenge. His eyes unfocused at my challenge and a low smirk lined his lips at my defiance.

"I look forward to tomorrow, we shall be there, of course." He mused, flicking his eyes away to grin at Phoenix.

Phoenix grunted and began to stand. My eyes widened and I clung to his shoulders as he moved, but he held me tightly. One of his arms was wrapped around my waist as the other supported me around my knees. He shifted me slightly higher into his neck, and I felt him shake hands with the King, the tension thick in the air as the two men eyed each other.

Their hands released and Phoenix's came back to fully support me, resting on my back. We made gentle goodbyes before heading towards the exit. The doors opened automatically and he walked us through them without another glance. He carried me through the foyer and down a hall in silence and I looked around in curiosity, taking in the decorations. I think I could get used to being carried everywhere to be fair. I know it was a wolf thing, but the lazy part of me enjoyed not walking.

We came to an exit door and he easily pulled it open, stepping us into the warm summer air. "Want to walk now? Have a breather?"

I almost pouted but agreed and he set me down gently. I steadied myself and thanked him once I was flat on the floor. He took my hand and lead me towards a backfield where slowly, and one by one I began to see the kidnapped women in white dresses. Most of them spotted us almost immediately and had frozen upon the intrusion. They studied us, before deeming us safe and carried on in their relaxation.

Phoenix took us toward Sean who was standing with his arms crossed to the side, his eyes focused on Rose who was interacting with another young female. I smiled when her eyes met mine and hers widened in shock.

"Nova!" She shouted and jumped to her feet.

I released Phoenix's hand and walked my way over. She shuffled nervously, before bowing her head in submission.

"You don't need to do that." I smiled, rubbing my hand on her shoulder.

She lifted her eyes to my face and studied me. "You saved us, I owe it to you. I get to see fresh fields and breath fresh air for the first time in two years."

I smiled, "I'm just glad you're okay."

She smiled and glanced at Sean over her shoulder. I could tell she was nervous about him; he was large and intimidating. Even I was scared of him when we first met, but now I knew he was just a big cuddly bear.

"Now, I have a mate." She muttered.

"He's good for you." I smiled.

She glanced up at me, scrutinising my features. I didn't change my opinion nor move away from her confusion, she had been gone for nearly two years; I didn't blame her for being wary of every man. Speaking of, I could feel the familiar warmth of the mate bond as Phoenix crept closer. I noticed the change in Rose straight away as she dropped her gaze to stare down at the ground.

His hand came to the small of my back first, "How are we all?"

I smiled up at him, "We're getting there, aren't we Rose? It's gonna take some time."

"Watering and time," He chuckled, remembering the words I had once spoken to him.

Rose shuffled and I noticed her looking around for a chance to escape.

"No one is going to hurt you, Rose, I won't let them anymore. Have you heard about your parents? What have you been up to since we got here?" I took her hand.

She lifted her head back to face me, glancing nervously at Phoenix. I could only imagine what she had heard about him, and his tall and dark appearance did nothing to help the rumours.

"They've given us the antidote, it's going to take all day but I'm feeling better. Not so sick." She spoke softly.

"Your parents?" I wondered.

"Here by tonight, Wolfsbane is only six hours North of the Kingdom. They were informed this morning." She smiled.

"That's good, it's been a long time since you've seen them.."

She frowned, her lips pouting. I saw Sean begin to approach from behind us, unable to hold back the distance anymore. She was uneasy, and his wolf would no doubt feel that. Sean was just as overprotective as the rest of them.

"Hey Novie, how you doing?" He asked on his way over.

I smiled up at him and appreciated the distance he kept between myself and Rose. He didn't approach me with an embrace which was a new kind of emptiness, I missed my friend. He had been distanced since he found out our siblings were mated, and now he had his mate I had no doubt it would grow more. Rose was unstable and fearful, the last thing we want to do is make her doubt the mate bond. It could be her only sense of rehabilitation.

"I'm okay, I'm nearly healed up."

Despite the restrain on our friendship, his fingers came to poke at the stitches, his grey eyes narrowing in thought. "Did Alpha Phoenix do this?"

Phoenix grumbled at the teasing tone in his voice, "I did."

Sean dropped his hand with a smirk, unconsciously shifting his weight so he was closer to Rose. She was watching us with curiosity, her brown eyes taking in the whole situation. She fiddled with her fingers, absentmindedly picking at the dried skin.

"You did a good job there, how'd you get her to sit still?" He teased.

I frowned up at him, crossing my arms. "Hey, I am right here, and for your information, I took it like a champion."

His eyes lightened with amusement, "I bet you did Nova."

Phoenix chuckled this time, "Nothing a mate's touch can't fix."

I couldn't help but glance back towards Rose the same time Sean did, the elephant in the room was growing more obvious as she didn't speak. Her eyes widened at our gazes and she murmured something before scurrying back to where she was sitting with her friend.

Sean sighed once she was away from us, his shoulders dropping. He needed just as much reassurance as she does. I found myself pouting and my hand raised to cup his forearm.

"She'll come around, just wait until her wolf is better. It's just going to take a lot of time."

He smiled down at me, "I know. I just never pictured meeting my mate like this... After all this time, she was there...locked up for however long."

"Nearly two years, Sean, it's a long time to be locked up like that. I was only there for a few days but the things I saw and heard, and the things I couldn't do... She's lucky to be alive."

The mood stayed sombre for a moment before he sighed, "Oh well, I guess I'll be giving you guys a run for your money..."

I narrowed my eyes, about to question what he was saying but his grin had me pause.

"Who can mate first, us or you?" He chimed.

I gasped at him, my cheeks flaming at his tormenting tease. I heard nothing from Phoenix and turned around to see him smirking at Sean. He found this funny, he really found this funny. Talking about us like it was a challenge. I could see the wolf within him rising to the challenge of who was the better, stronger male.

"Good luck with you heat Nova, I'm not gonna be around much when that happens." He mused.

"Sean!" I gasped but he just laughed and ran away.

I huffed and grumbled to myself. "He better wait until I'm his Luna then I'm gonna give him so many chores."

Phoenix laughed lightly from beside me, "I like your thinking, my Luna."

*****

Good Morning Friday!

How is everyone! I personally cannot believe it is Friday already! The past few weeks have gone rather quick, even if the days felt slow lol

If you could time travel, but not be able to interact with anyone, where would you go? A historical event, a loved one, a day you regret or love?

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