noun ~ a natural or inherent aptitude, impulse, or capacity

I still felt unnerved when we arrived back at the house. I had stayed firmly planted on Phoenix's back, protected by the surge of warmth he provided. He had not let go of me since I came too, and was quick to shift and nudge me onto his back with his snout. It was quite amusing, but I felt my energy draining as we sat at the dining table for dinner.

We didn't arrive back at the house until four, the journey back seeming to take longer than usual.

Mentally exhausted, I sat perched on the toilet seat whilst Phoenix ran me a bath. We were supposed to go back home tonight, but Phoenix had pushed it to the morning so I could get a good night's sleep. I appreciated his care, physically trying to tell him so but he had urged me to relax and bathe so I could regain my energy. If not for me, then for the pups.

"Half full. Want to get in?"

I snapped my head up from my mini daze to find him knelt next to the tub. I nodded, rising from the toilet to get undressed from the many layers I still wore. Phoenix stood and helped me out of my shirt, kissing my nose when my face resurfaced from the fabric. I giggled, shaking my head at his behaviour before making my way to the tub.

He hovered over me, his hand resting on my waist as I climbed over the bath's side. I wriggled my toes once in, lowering myself slowly to sit at the bottom. The tub was a gentle warmth, Phoenix taking Kate's pregnancy advice rather seriously, which meant no hot baths.

"I put some bath salts in. Do you want bubbles?" He wondered, turning to the limited options we brought.

"You packed bath salts?" I wondered, curiously.

He smiled softly, shaking his head. "I had one guard go to the pharmacy when we were on our way back."

"Thank you." I mumbled.

He sat by me as the tub filled and I shook my head, smiling as I leaned back in the tub. Closing my eyes, a heavy sigh escaped me as the gentle waves of pouring water ran along my bare skin. Phoenix's hand came to travel through my hair, pushing strands away from my face.

The sound of the water trickling from the tap lulled my mind into a safe space of serendipity. My breathing slowed as I finally let my body relax. All the thoughts of the day slipped away as I focused on the sound of the water. Eventually, Phoenix turned it off, his voice a gentle hum as he excused himself from the room.

Time passed without a thought, my mind half-asleep as the water cooled. Something only disturbed me when the door clicked open and footsteps entered the room. Phoenix was quiet as he pulled the plug from beneath my feet, turning on the tap to warm again. Too out-of-body to realise what he was doing, it startled me when the touch of a sponge ran along my legs.

Opening one eye, I peered at him curiously. He gave me a gentle smile, lathering my body in fruity smelling suds. He cleaned me softly before pulling me upright and scrubbing my back. I had moaned at the contact, loving a rough back scrub. Phoenix chuckled, rinsing me of bubbles before helping me stand. I shivered, goosebumps raising on my skin as the cold air of the house hit me.

This house was old, and old meant old leaky windows that didn't trap heat very well.

Quickly wrapping me in a large, rough towel, Phoenix scooped me from the tub and carried me into the living room. I laughed as he set me before a roaring fire, grateful he had added more wood to the flames. My teeth calmed their chattering as I defrosted, unbothered, to dry myself properly as the heat did it for me.

Once dry, Phoenix mutely got me dressed in some pyjama bottoms and a shirt. He didn't once complain or comment. In fact, his eyes had darkened with that of his wolf, showing me how much the both of them were taking part in this.

"Thank you." I mumbled as I finally lay down in bed.

He shook his head, moving my damp hair from my face to kiss me softly. "Never a bother, my love."

"You say that now..." I teased lightly.

He chuckled. "I promise you, I enjoy every moment of caring for you. Soon, I will have three of you to dote on."

My heart warmed as I leaned up to kiss him back. Pulling away, I settled into the pillows.

"I am going to shower now. Need anything?" He wondered.

Eying the clock on the wall, I noted it was only around seven and I didn't want to sleep just yet.

"Could you bring me grandmother's book? Please."

He nodded, but I didn't miss the slight frown on his face. Turning around, I watched his back as he rummaged through our things. Eventually he pulled the worn green book out of my duffel bag, his fingers wrapping gently around the old leather. I reached out to grab it, thanking him before he disappeared into the bathroom. Phoenix wasn't one for baths, so I knew he wouldn't be long in there.

Pulling myself up more on the bed, I gripped the book in two hands before whispering the command to reveal itself. I did not know where I got up to last, so rummaged through the pages until I came across one that did not look familiar. I got to the end of the book, past the parts about channeling visions I went over with Aldren.

The pages were less creased, less worn than the rest of the book, and that made me curious. It was obviously a part that Grandmother did not re-read often; the rest of the book had been greased and dirtied with the amount of page turns. But this part seemed untouched, barely darkened by age.

It started with the mention of my mother...

Belle received a ring today. She has been struggling with controlling her visions since losing her wolf, and Angela suggested we create something that can help challenge her power. Taking one of my prized rings, she enchanted it before we gifted it to Isabelle.

Angela says it will help her channel her energy, to stop it from becoming too strong when she does not need it too. It will help control the flow of energy and guide her to understand the strength of power she needs. We will see how she goes.

I continue to read, noting how my mother seemed to calm down with her powers. The ring seemed to help, and I glanced at it on my finger before turning the page. The writing here was less perfect, hastily scribbled and sprawled together. My eyebrows furrowed as I read; they were talking about me now. My mother was pregnant in this passage, her powers becoming difficult to control and understand. This was when they had the visions of my future and I cringed at what she wrote.

Visions...

Of her being a blood slave, a prostitute or an Alpha's mistress.

Of her being killed for her blood and drained dry.

Of her being beaten her entire life to die a young age.

Of her being kidnapped and made to forget who she was.

We have to control it; we have to alter her power, but we can only do this when she is born.

Fifteen more weeks, and I hope she will be saved. I fear the ring may not be working as well as it should.

My body shuddered as I read of all the ways my life could've gone. The future is so fickle, to be changed from one dramatic to another less so would forever baffle me. My eyes scrutinised further, following the rough scribbles of grandmother's penmanship.

Something is happening. The future is undecided, but I fear it will turn for the worse.

The twins are due any moment now, but I cannot see any further and I fear it is for good reason. I am enchanting my book, so whoever comes across this cannot know what I have discovered and created. Those who do know will only be those I know I can trust.

If my powers cannot see past tomorrow, then something is going to happen.

I fear my death.

An uneasy sense of dread settled in my stomach that I couldn't shake all day. Cors crawling out of the woodwork did not help. He appeared two days ago, rather coincidental, if you ask me.

He is not of my blood, but Frederick cares for him despite what he has done in the past. Going against the family cost Isabelle's wolf. He is greedy for power and I cannot trust him.

If anything happens to me, I am trying to find a way to protect Isabelle. Her future has always been rocky. With Frederick, it was smoother. But something has happened today, a split decision that has changed the entire future. I cannot see it, and whoever is behind this knows how to play with my sight.

I will live on through whatever happens. I will not go down without good cause. My sight will come when I need it. I trust in it. I trust in the Moon Goddess' plan and hope that my blood will, too. Nothing happens without cause, without reason. Those things you think are random are not. Trust in your sight.

I have felt visions surrounding me. Of someone, someone innocent, someone pure. They are near me, and I hope they are reading this now. I hope they kept that pure goodness and can undo all of this... shit that is happening.

I fear the family is falling apart.

I fear the world is falling apart.

Wolves against each other. Creatures of the night creeping out from their hiding places.

Unity and contentment have turned to greed, gluttony, and wrath. The world will fall apart if they do not lead it. Those below us need a leader, need a follower. The Moon Goddess is a cruel mistress. She can create the creatures in all of her image and yet she could not take away their flaws.

Everyone has flaws. I try to see past them, but I cannot. My own pride and wrath get in the way. I cannot forgive those who have hurt my own. I cannot forgive Cors for what he did for my daughter, then I cannot forgive what the creatures of the night are doing to my creation.

I still think of the first time I turned a man. It was deeply engrained, the human barely alive from a fang attack. The fang held no venom, so it left the human to bleed. The day I turned that man, I was driven purely by the light of the full moon. He turned within hours and I later saw the Goddess, telling me my destiny. Dion did not believe me, the daft man too far into his fancy television set to notice my truth.

Why I chose a male species to mate with, I shall never know.

But I trusted my instincts, and it has led me here. So trust yours and

I sucked in a slow breath, my eyes re-reading that part repeatedly. There was nothing else, and I skimmed past the next few pages to make sure she had not written elsewhere.

Grandmother knew something was going to happen, but she didn't know what. Working out the timeline within her words, Pollux and I were born not long later. Someone had made a decision that had ultimately ended her life and yet her strength throughout her words was prominent.

She told me to trust, to believe in my future visions and where they take me.

So, I would do just that. I would allow my gift that was given to me to lead me wherever it chooses. The faint glowing warmth of my ring drew my gaze to it, a strange, unsettling churn in my stomach. Just as the shower cut off, my fingers slid the ring from my hand. Closing the book on my lap, I turned to place it in the top drawer of the unit beside me. The twins rolled in my stomach, my bare hand settling on my bump to settle them.

The bathroom light clicked off, the door creaking open and releasing steam into the bedroom. Phoenix walked out nude, making his way to the fireplace.

"Hey, are you feeling okay?" He wondered, eyes looking at where my hand rested.

I smiled at him, scooting down in the bed so get comfy. "Yeah. I finished the book."

"Oh? Anything good?" He cocked his head.

I nodded, running my hand over my bare finger. "A few things."

His eyes followed the movement quietly, brows furrowing as he noticed the lack of jewellery. But ever in Phoenix fashion, he nodded, taking my short answers as truth and getting dressed into some boxers. Joining me in the bed, he wrapped his arms around me before turning on the television.

"Are you sure you are okay?" He wondered; his arms wrapped around me tightly.

I rubbed my cheek into his bare chest, kissing his skin. "I think so. I want to sleep on it."

"Of course. Always a good idea." He mused.

*****
The book is back!

But it's... unfinished??? Hmm

wc: 2270

Question of the Day:
Why do you think the book was unfinished? Or is it?

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