noun ~ a written or typed communication, that provides information or evidence

CHARLIE

I was back in the office after dinner, forced to mull over a recent email from a neighbouring pack. Apparently they were having trouble with rogues, and as Beta as I was, I knew I could do nothing without Phoenix's back up permission.

I filed their letter in the file I had reserved for Phoenix. It was getting rather chunky, with around ten or more letters that I needed his permission to file. Sighing, I ran my hand over my face as I stared at all the paperwork surrounding me.

How could rogues be attacking so many packs?

If it wasn't a rogue border breech, it was a teenager or child missing.

Something was happening, and the more I stared at the clues beneath me, the more I understood.

It wasn't a fortunate coincidence–it couldn't be. Packs were losing members, young wolves were going missing.

Phoenix spoke with his cousin last week, and I knew he would have made notes on it somewhere. I searched his drawers on his desk, finding nothing. Huffing, I eyed the room, raking my eyes over the various labelled cabinets. I wasn't sure where he would put it; the man old school in his document keeping.

I eyed the locked drawer again, mulling it over. Perhaps it was in there? I didn't look at everything properly, but who is to say it's not in there?

Grabbing the letter opener, a determination settled in my spine as I pried the lock open. Pulling out the pile of letters, I flicked my fingers through them.

Other than the heinous demands of blood, money, and power, there was nothing.

Until the end.

Sealed in a dark envelope, I knew that this had to be it.

My lips pursed as I opened the unglued paper, happy to find it was working out so well for me.

Should I be snooping?

Probably not.

Should Phoenix have better security on his desk?

Probably should.

It's his fault for not thinking about this more clearly.

My fingers were dry compared to the smoothness of this paper. The first page was messy, and written in note form, which I had a hard time understanding.

Turning it over, I was relieved to find he had written it much more clearly. I scanned my eyes over the fancy drawling script of Phoenix's penmanship and nodded in approval.

This will do.

Placing the page on his desk, my chin fell to my palm as I read through it. It started with formalities and turned into other boring topics. Rogue attacks, worry regarding lack of electric energy in the highlands, lack of potatoes in the southern quarters...

Blah, blah, blah...

I let out an exaggerated breath and began on the second page, only for my eyes to dart half-way down at the sudden appearance of capital letters.

'WITCHES'

I could practically feel my toes curl and I gripped the page in both of my hands with excitement. Finally, something that I could use for future reference.

'P: Things were still left unsaid after what happened in January. Although Angela and Esmerelda are dead, Gaia remains very much alive. As daughter of Angela, I fear her truth may not be as solid as she plays it to be. With Alessea given a life sentence, I fear it may not work in our favour. How secure are the cells they hold her in?

A: Very secure, she cannot get out. The four walls are solid, with no windows. They reinforced the door with a sliding window for food and mail.

P: She receives mail?

A: Little.

P: What mail?

A: Fan mail... Threats... Family letters.

P: And you let her read them?

A: We check them first.

P: How do you know they are not enchanted?

A: The cell is incapable of harbouring any magic tendencies. Witch, wolf or vampire, no magic can enter the basement itself.

P: How is that possible?

A: Theia is holding a spell over it.

P: You trust Theia?

A: With my life.

P: She is a half-witch. Her mother was Esmerelda!

A: She repents her lineage.

P: How are you so sure? What if it is all a game to get the throne? How are you certain she is your mate when witches do not feel the bond?

A: I love her, Phoenix, isn't that enough?

Note to add – it is not enough. Theia Cooper was disowned by her family and raised by hatred. She was groomed and miraculously ended up as a Prince's mate. Apollo manipulated her.

P: Any news on the disappearance of Apollo Cyrus?

A: Zero. Trackers have not found him. Have you spoken with Dawn?

P: Yes, she is harmless. Their bond died long ago.

Dawn was harmless. I could tell she hated her husband, and she had become reserved and lifeless because of it. If given the chance, I strongly believe she would reject the bond.

A: How is Nova? How are the pups?

P: She is close to giving birth. Any day now.'

Lame.

I skipped the rest of the page, searching for anything else interesting. When I found it, I dived back in.

P: I have had reports of vampire and rogue sightings. Many packs are writing to me for information I cannot give.

A: Vampires too?

P: They have killed two children so far.

A: Only children? Very strange. Did they turn?

P: No, their heads were decapitated.

A: I see. I can use one of my contacts, see if they can get any information.

P: A mysterious contact? Does not sound very formal, Alexandar.

A: They are under the books.

P: Do I know this informant?

A: Possibly. I cannot disclose in case someone knows.

P: Someone?

A: Witches, Phoenix, witches are everywhere.

P: Yes, you are aware you are mated to one?

A: Very humorous.

P: Enlighten me, then.

A: Since the plane crash, since you killed Esmerelda and Angela, two of the oldest witches around, there has been... disarray in the covens.

P: Disarray? How?

A: There is no longer a leader. Two of the five elders are dead.

P: So there are only three left to kill?

A: Not my point, Phoenix. Without those two mentors, there are large witch covens without leadership. There are fights, blood battles, dark magic... Anything to be top witch.

P: Do you think that is why there are more vampire sightings?

A: I doubt it.

P: What of the creatures that worked with Donovan? Think vampires were involved there?

A: Unless we know exactly what Nova saw, I cannot help. Think you can get it out of her?

P: Her mind and attitude are fragile. I can ask her to go into the past, perhaps search her mind, but she had blocked a lot of her trauma away.

A: Well, you do that. Get names, descriptions, qualities, hell, even scents.

P: And what shall you do?

A: I shall speak to my informant.

P: Right, the very trustworthy one.

A: Your sarcasm is noted, cousin.'

The page ended there, and I pouted.

It was nothing more than a stupid conversation. Did they get nothing accomplished during this meeting? Flicking over to the other side, I found more about potential pack threats and what they were going to do, but nothing about where they came from.

It was early days. We needed more information.

But the threats on our pack, on Phoenix, Nova and his children, heck, even Pollux... They were not worth hiding.

Phoenix needed to own up because if he didn't, I was going to get his mate involved. And if that didn't scare him enough, I would contact his aunt and cousin. He had also not seen Leah, his aunt, in many months, and with the birth of the twins, she would probably visit when they were around four weeks old.

The full moon brought packs together, a night of celebration. Alphas from all over would witness the announcement of his pups, and I knew that his family would come. He was a well-respected male, but these threats were nothing to ignore. A night of celebration and alcohol are bound to make anyone relaxed. It would be the perfect timing to stage an attack, much like the fangs at the castle so many moons ago.

My wolf growled with remembrance. The night Nova had been bitten, the night they scouted her blood, and everyone learnt how magical it really was.

I needed to speak to Phoenix, if not for piles of letters, at least for the pack's safety.

Plus, his drawers seriously lacked sugar.

I piled everything back together and shut the drawer, locking it to hide my tracks. He would probably smell me all over the paperwork, but I was going to confront him, anyway.

Glancing at the time, I noted it was coming up to seven at night. The sun had set, and I wrapped it up for the day. I would speak to Phoenix in the morning, maybe at lunch time? I dunno. I will see when he is awake.

I just hope he has a shower by then.

Flicking off the light, I locked the alpha's office with the fancy new thumbprint-code thing. Phoenix was lucky I wasn't a backstabber, because if I was a bad guy, I could steal all his important documents for information.

Wait.

Didn't I kind of just do that?

I shook my head, knowing that I did the right thing by breaking into his private drawer and reading his private stuff.

My footsteps echoed through the emptying halls, a slight warmth in the air tonight. I could feel the shift in season coming, the March weather growing warmer. It was March eleventh, and the full moon was only three days away. I could feel it creeping up on me, my wolf becoming more intense as the nights grew brighter.

I always had a hard time calming him down when the full moon came near.

Absentmindedly, I climbed the staircases up to my bedroom. I had some good snacks in my mini fridge that I really wanted to eat. I had stolen them from the kitchen the day Nova cornered me, and my ninja wolf skills meant I got them out of there undetected.

Before I could walk up the final set of stairs, a door creaked open. I paused at the top step, my eyes darting down the hallway as the scent of my mate washed over me. Her dark eyes widened as she, too, paused in her step.

I swallowed harshly, daring to be the first one to speak. "Uh, hey."

Calida smiled politely. "Hi."

"You going downstairs?" I wondered.

She nodded. "I was going to get something to eat."

"Did you miss dinner?" I frowned, concerned.

She shrugged. "I lost track of time."

"Oh yeah? Been up too much?"

"I went for a walk. I just had a shower." She explained. "How's... how's being alpha?"

A small smile lifted my face as she invoked conversation with me. My hand left the banister as I leaned against the bare wall a few feet from her door. Crossing my arms, I relaxed my posture to stare down at her.

"It's a lot of paperwork."

She giggled softly. The sound was music to my ears, and I smiled.

"Charlie hates paperwork."

"He sure does." I grinned. "I have never read so many letters and emails."

"I'd offer to help you, but... Calida doesn't like work either."

I laughed this time, my shoulders shaking. "Maybe we can not work together sometime?"

She dropped her eyes, bashful. "I'd like that..."

My wolf was practically doing flips inside of me, and I felt my heart race with excitement.

"Really?" I squeaked.

Shit.

Not the time to geek out. Play it cool!

"I mean, that would be great." Clearing my throat, I scratched the nape of my neck. "I was actually just going to my room... I have an entire fridge stocked full of snacks and stuff."

"You do?" Her eyebrows furrowed. "Where did you get a damn fridge from?"

She cursed!

Her tongue was loosening again!

Calida cursed like a sailor before the diagnosis.

"It's the same one from the party last year." I admitted. "I just stole it."

"Well... It was your idea after all." She smirked.

I grinned, laughing again. "See! It was!"

Silence passed for a few heartbeats before she straightened her spine. "I will go get into something comfier and you prepare the snacks."

I found it hard to hide my surprise, my eyes widening, eyebrows flying off my face... Was she initiating time with me? A movie in my room? Was I dreaming?

Probably. Phoenix's work was boring.

"Meet you there in ten?"

"Make it five." She nodded before shutting her door.

Grinning, I punched the air, bathing in the excitement of the potential date. With no time to spare, I took the last flight of stairs two at a time. Eyeing Phoenix's old hallway, I felt envy that Sean got to have the entire floor to himself and his mate.

It was their 'Christmas present' to him.

I scoffed. I was the beta. I deserved an entire floor just for me!

Reaching my room, I cursed at the mess.

Time to declutter!

Wolf cleaning powers, activate!

Question of the Day:
Other than reading 😏 what do you do to chill out?