Forever Luna

Concerted

adjective ~ jointly arranged, planned or carried out

PHOENIX

Despite being in a conversation with Alexandar, most of my focus was on my mate. Nova's wolf had a strong instinct since having the pups, and I knew that having such powerful strangers around would upset her. The way her spine tensed and her jaw tightened at their arrival proved my thoughts right.

As I conversed with my cousin, I noticed the way Nova grew uneasy around Theia. The two of them were leaning over the pups in silence. When Nova growled, my head snapped their way, and I was quick to soothe Theia's confusion. Theia seemed to soften, laughing softly and apologising for getting so close.

"Congratulations." Alexandar patted my back. "How has it been?"

"Thank you." I murmured. "It's been a learning curve."

He chuckled, shaking his head. "Well, you just had to outdo yourself and create two. That's twice the hard work."

A soft smile graced my cheeks at the thought of my pups. "I'm an overachiever. What can I say?"

My cousin's eyes brightened at my joke, his hand clapping on my back. "Keep it up and you'll have a family the size of your pack."

My lips quirked with humour. "That's my plan."

He snorted, shaking his head. "If I know females, then good luck with that one, pal."

"What?" I wondered. "What's so funny?"

"Once they have to push one out, they won't go back again." He mused.

I rolled my eyes, crossing my arms as I gazed at my daughter. "You just wait and see. Nova will be round with more pups before you can say mother."

We laughed, the tenseness of their arrival dissipating. Just as my lips parted to ask him how his mate was, Nova's entire soul shifted. I tensed as her scent faded, and her mind drifted away from mine. Much like in sleep, her mind shut down and I couldn't communicate with her.

I darted forward, my hands raised to hover by her sides. I noticed she securely wrapped her hand around Theia's and a low growl built in my chest. The witch was frozen, her eyes clouded over as she gazed at my mate. Nova's eyes had slipped shut as she entered another world, but as quickly as her mind shifted, it came bouncing back.

I caught her as she stumbled, her hand slithering from Theia's. Alexandar was on his mate as she blinked back to the present, but I paid him no mind as I tended to Nova. Her heart raced, her eyes blinking around the room until they settled on mine.

My forehead creased with worry; it had been a while since she had a vision. This one was fast, lasting only a few seconds. They only seemed to have gotten faster since she first gained the ability, and I wondered if it was a flaw or a suggestion of her power.

"Phoenix?" She mumbled as she stood upright.

"Nova?" I cocked my head, holding her steady. "Are you okay?"

Her jaw tightened, and she briefly glanced at the witch before locking eyes with me. Her head shifted with the slightest of a nod, a small yes escaping her lips. I frowned and opened my mind, unhappy with her uneasy answer. She hesitated before opening her mind fully to me again, not realising she had completely closed me off.

What is it? I wondered.

She licked her lips nervously. 'Nothing bad, I just spoke with Theia in another... place.'

Spoke with her? About what?

'She claims I am stronger than I realise, and that my power was stronger than hers.' She continued, her eyes narrowing. 'Then she vanished, and I saw Apollo.'