Forever Luna

Inspection

noun ~ careful examination or scrutiny

CHARLIE

"You'll be fine." Phoenix murmured.

I grumbled, staring out the window of the moving car. "If I am, will she?"

"We will be back in time." He exhaled, glancing at me.

"I still don't see why I had to come. You could've brought Sean!" I huffed.

"If I didn't bring you, you would fret around pack land like a mother hen." He muttered before smirking. "Without her head."

Grimacing, I hated to admit that he was right. In four days, it was the full moon, aka the day of reckoning. My mate would go through the most painful thing in her life, probably worse than childbirth. Pushing a melon out seemed better than your entire body breaking. But then again, I'd never experience that.

Shaking my head, I focused on the blurring trees as we approached the grand pack house in the distance. We were not supposed to visit the Rivera pack for another week, but after our discovery the other day, we had to move them up. The alpha was aware, unfortunately, but it gave them less time to prepare.

"I think the question I should ask is, will you be okay?" I wondered, turning to glance at the two people beside me.

Nova was dozing, squashed between the two of us in the back of the car. She was so deeply asleep that I even put her own finger up her nose. She didn't even stir, and my entertainment only worsened from there. Phoenix didn't stop me, finding as much amusement as I. My only mission; not wake her up.

She was all prettied up, so I couldn't mess with her make-up or hair, because that would look bad on the pack.

"Me?" Phoenix frowned. "Of course."

"I'm just saying this was the pack you met Nova in." I shrugged. "A lot of memories."

"Bad memories for Nova. A change of life for me." He murmured, staring down at Nova. "She'll do great. Steven is gone, Damien is dead. Nobody else is there."

"Her bullies?"

"I warned them." He shrugged. "As we left the pack. If anything, they should fear her."

"Because she has you wrapped around her finger." I nodded, grinning. "Like a fight dog."

He blinked, an incredulous look on his face. "No... because she is a lycan who can crush them with one command."

"That too." I grinned. "She'll be fine. She has us."

The car slowed, and the movement disturbed Nova. I stared in shock as she yawned and stretched out her spine.

"Are we here?"

"How did that wake you up?" I gaped.

"What?" She frowned, still groggy.

I shook my head with exasperation, saying nothing. She was so deeply asleep. Did her body just know? Or was she that good at pretending to be asleep? Was she playing with me this whole time?

I narrowed my eyes at the blonde-haired wolf. "How did you sleep?"

She grunted. "So good. The air-con was amazing. You guys are warm."

I hummed with suspicion, but when the car engine cut off, I knew I had to rein it in. Phoenix sent me a pointed look and with an eye roll, I informed him I knew what was expected of me.

Charlie turned into Charles. Friend, no more, make way for the Blood Moon beta.

A door opened, and I fixed my shirt, feeling the car shift as Phoenix climbed out. Nova's lips quirked as he held out a hand to her. And the moment she slipped out, my door opened for my turn. A security guard guided me out, shutting it behind me. My hands itched at my stomach, a habitual movement for wearing a tux. But it was too fucking hot today, so I wore just a shirt.