verb ~ to make an attempt or effort to do something

As the afternoon dragged on, full of planning, exhaustion hit and everyone but myself and Sean fell asleep. The fire crackled in the silence between us, my eyes watching it intensely. I wanted to sleep, to curl up and snuggle into soft sheets, but... it just wasn't right. I couldn't be without Phoenix. Without his warmth, I couldn't fall asleep.

Gaia had made some soup, and I had reluctantly tasted a bowl as the others helped themselves to more than enough. Kelsey had woken, recovering well and able to hold a conversation with us over dinner. It was nice to see her awake, but the bags under her eyes told me she suffered more than she played off.

But now, as the crickets chirped through the cracked cottage window and the sun began to set, I contemplated. We had a small plan, but I kept most of my part out of it. I did not want to let my full opinions out, in fear it may change what happens tomorrow.

"Have you heard from Charlie?" I wondered.

Sean jumped slightly. The silence of the lounge had lulled him into a small slumber.

"Huh?"

I smiled softly. "Have you heard from Charlie?"

He shook his head, shifting his weight so his hand supported his head. "No signal."

It didn't take him long to fall back asleep, pretty much seconds, and I hummed with amusement. Now I was alone, and I could concentrate on what I truly wanted to do.

Pulling my legs up onto the sofa, I wedged a pillow beneath my ever-growing bump. Exhaling slowly, I closed my eyes and opened my mind. We were too long from home, but I hoped I could at least get some inclination to what was going on. Charlie would've known that we did not arrive and with no contact, it would leave him in the dark.

As my mind wandered, so did my feet. I soon imagined myself walking through the forests of home. I travelled for some time, my hands wandering and touching everything around me as the birds sang in the trees. I couldn't feel the trees, so I knew it was all my imagination, but I could remember what they felt like in the real world.

The forest grew thicker, and I stumbled my way over fallen branches and thick puddles of sludge. Eventually, I came to a clearing and found my eyebrows furrowing as a sense of familiarity washed over me. A small house with modern windows greeted me as I rounded a final tree, but I came to realise that this wasn't my home.

I knew this house.

But why was I here? Again?

A cloaked figure passed me then, their cape swaying and brushing against my body. My hands scraped the fabric, unable to touch or feel it.

I was safe in this dream.

I followed the cloaked man toward the house, sliding myself through the door just like before. The modern kitchen and open-plan layout greeted me like an old friend, neatly tidy and smelling of lavender.

"Come sit." A soft voice brushed my ears.

"Of course." The cloaked man nodded, and went toward the kitchen.

I remained behind, feeling an odd sense of déjà vu hit me as the two people before me began to speak. He had pulled down his hood, revealing dark blonde hair. He took a mug of steaming tea into his hands, tapping his nails along the porcelain.

I slowly moved sideways, catching a sight of her face as she grew irritated by the male's harsh words.

"You can't trap me here! What if I want to visit a store or see my family again?" Theia, the current Queen, growled.

"As far as I am aware, you have no family." He spat. "You are a weak half-ling. Your own mother didn't even want you. Your father was more than willing to surrender you to us once he found out who your mate was."

Theia licked her lips. "Don't talk about my mother like that."

"Like what, the truth?" He laughed harshly. "You cannot admit your own mother was too weak, too. What is it you called her, free to stay and raise her own daughter?"

"My mother left because my father turned out to be an abusive asshole." She spat.

"And yet, she left you with him." He tutted. "Not a very good parent."

Theia's mug flew across the kitchen, smacking the man in the chest. He snarled, charging towards her. The same protective feeling curled around my heart and, once again, it had me dumbfounded. I had been in this vision before, so I was curious why I was back in it.

I looked away when he once again forced Theia's hand over the gas hob and burnt her skin. Only when he stepped away and she calmed down her tears, did I dare glance back. The man was walking back around the kitchen, but I kept my gaze on Theia, searching for a clue why I was here. She was a witch. It had to be the reason I was here.

"I hope you have learnt your lesson." He cleared his throat, straightening his cloak. "Your place is below me. Remember that half-ling."

I lifted my gaze toward him now, agitated at his derogatory words. But when my eyes met the hooded cloak of his face, it startled me to silence. What once had been a blur of colours and unfocused eyes was now a well-defined face.

His face was pale and angular, his lips thin and narrowed. A small scar lined his nose, the outline of it being broken too many times to heal straight. His blonde hair was short and shrouded by the cloak, eyes appearing a soft brown but I drew my eyes up to the hood.

The blurry gold emblem I had so desperately tried to seek last time was clear. I saw it only for a moment as he turned and walked out of the door, but it was enough to make it noticeable for the future. It was a golden circle, embroidered with a thin crescent moon in the centre, with a star on either side.

My mind whirred with thoughts of who he may be. I have never seen him before, but for him to be revealed, now was a fundamental change. He had to be important.

Theia's soft voice pulled me from my thoughts and I saw her hunched over her hand, chanting to heal the wound. She sighed with pity before moving to lay herself down on the sofa. I waited, expecting to be ripped away from the dream, but yet I remained.

I swallowed nervously, looking around to see what may keep me here. Just as I went to take a step, Theia grunted.

"I am fine. You can go now."

A shadow shifted, and I lifted my eyes to see Cors step out from one of the back rooms. He was here, again? But I have not seen this part before. Why was he here now? How had he gone undetected by the angry male from a moment ago?

Theia huffed. "I have healed it. I can manage minor spells without them knowing."

Cors grimaced, crossing his arms. She pulled her arm away from her face to glare at him, her pretty brown eyes narrowed with annoyance.

"Your determination really is annoying." She huffed. "No, I haven't thought more about it..."

Cors cocked his head, a pleading question in his eyes that I guess to be a 'but...'?

Theia clicked her tongue. "I don't like that kind of magic. It is dark and can be dangerous... But... If it will help me in the future, then I don't see why trying it once cannot help."

Cors beamed, nodding as he came closer to her, causing her to sit upright. He passed her a piece of paper and I leaned over it to glimpse what was inside of it. My stomach twisted and churned when she opened it, revealing not only a picture, but a lock of hair.

Theia lifted the hair up to the dull light, grimacing as her nostrils flared. "You sure this is what it will take?"

Cors nodded, and she sighed, studying the picture in her other hand.

"Well, I look forward to the day I meet them." She forced a smile.

I shook my head, taking a step backward as she delicately placed the blonde lock of hair into the paper along with a picture of a girl whose own gift was out to get her.

Why did Cors give her a picture of me?

My mind swirled and my stomach lurched as I fell from the vision. I was breathing heavily, tears burning in my eyes as I inhaled the smoke of the fire before me too much.

"Nova?"

I shook my head, clearing the daze from my mind.

"Nova?"

Blinking, I raised my head to search for the voice, only to find Sean still asleep beside me as I sat here alone. There was a tugging in my mind, and I groaned as I felt a headache coming on. Slow but steady, I focused on the spot that hurt, trying to ease the strain from within. As soon as I did, the voice came barrelling back through.

'Nova!'

I inhaled sharply at the pain that accompanied his voice. But I couldn't stop the surprise coating my body as his voice filled me with hope.

Charlie!

'Nova! Where are you? What's going on? I can't get in touch with anyone!' Charlie's voice was harsh and angry.    

Charlie... I gasped for breath, my hand clutching at my head. We're north, the plane crashed... Phoenix... Phoenix and Pollux are gone, someone's taken them. Their wolves are...

He growled, causing my head to hurt even more. 'What! Who did this? Is everyone else okay? Is Leo okay? His mate has been worrying all day.'

He's okay. There were some casualties, but... I groaned against the pulsating in my head. Please, I need you. I need the pack to come. To fight...

Celimene whined, begging me to stop the pain that shook down my spine.

'Nova? What's wrong?'

Just the distance... I breathed. Come to the Lycan Manor tomorrow around twelve. I will be there.

'We will be there. Rest Nova, don't strain the link. We will figure it all out tomorrow...'

Charlie... I groaned, just as the link fizzled out to nothing.

I groaned, dropping my head against the sofa. It seemed to stir someone, because footsteps sounded on the kitchen floor not a moment later.

'Nova? Everything okay?'

"Cors." I breathed, startled. "I'm fine..."

His eyebrows furrowed as he rounded the sofa to hover beside me. I lazily patted the sofa, too tired to fight his presence.

The vision was still raw, accompanied by being able to speak to Charlie from this distance.

Had Theia revealed it all to me? Or had Cors? I knew he had a connection with her, visiting her in her house. Or had my power just revealed it to me now I had practiced a little more?

Cors... I began, and he looked expectantly at me. Why did you give Theia a lock of my hair?

I expected him to recoil, to avoid the subject completely, but he didn't. Cors grinned, setting his large, pale palm on my knee.

'You saw?' He asked.

I saw. I grimaced. A few things. Why did you visit her so much?

'It was not long after you met Phoenix.' He shook his head. 'When I had a hope that the future could change with you being alive, I had to secure it.'

The line stirred a memory within me. One of Phoenix telling me about his rings whilst I had been too tipsy to recall my name the next day.

"... it would protect me, as long as I had hope."

My heart ached in my chest as the hollow feeling came back at full speed. I swallowed the lump in my throat, forcing back the tears. I was tired, achy, hurt, confused... My mind whirled with a million thoughts and memories as it fought hard to keep up with the past, present, and future.

I was so sure I knew who was behind taking my mate, eager to charge the mountains and find him and my brother. But now I felt confused, the hollowness eating away at me and making me doubt myself. Was I even strong enough to face a witch and a group of vampires? Was I strong enough to conjure enough magic to see the outcomes?

Could I protect my pack, my family, my pups...?

Could I truly be a Luna without her Alpha?

********

Interesting ....

wc: 2138

Question of the Day:
Theia's house smells like Lavender.
What's your favourite smell?
I love cherry

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