Sleeping Phoenix

Chapter 2: Healers, Wolves, and Phoenixes - Oh My!

Chapter 2

Gareth had never known such fear the moment he watched Mila drop to the ground. The feeling of helplessness nearly consumed him, but right on the tail of fear came rage when he realized she was brought low by his very own pack member. 

“Alpha, for her safety we should get her to the Healer,” Darius chimed in while Gareth still held Daric by the throat. “There’s no telling how long the virus has been spreading through her. Plus, we don’t know what the tranquilizer will do if left unchecked.”

Gareth hated to admit that Darius was right, and even worse it was not him who suggested it. He slowly peeled his fingers away from the column of Daric’s neck. His mate took precedence over everything else but he refused to let Daric off the hook this time. “Just know this isn’t over,” he hissed in Daric’s face. “Don’t try running, because I will find you.” At Daric’s pallid complexion Gareth knew he had him just scared enough not to do anything else supremely stupid for the next couple of weeks. There was no way in hell he’d get off with something as menial as digging out a hole. Oh no, he’d think of something fitting for him. Until that time, he had to take care of his mate. 

Gareth didn’t waste any time collecting Mila from the ground and carrying her to his black SUV parked several yards from the hole. He tried his best to be as careful as possible, but worry was making his movements exceedingly jerky. “Darius take Mila,” he ordered. Reluctantly, he handed her over so he could open the back door and climb into the back seat. “Alright hand her to me and drive us to Monica’s.” 

~*~

Darius didn’t hesitate to do as Gareth asked, but he stopped in his tracks when he saw Daric climb out of the hole. Darius felt like the shittiest person on the face of the Earth. If it weren’t for him his brother and best friend wouldn’t be in such a horrible position. He wasn’t quite sure what to do, until he heard his Alpha bark, “Any day now Darius!” 

Darius tried to send a silent apology to his brother, but Darius could tell his twin wasn’t willing to listen to anything he had to say, silent or not. He feared he might’ve screwed things up too much to be forgiven this time. Darius knew he took advantage of the fact that Daric would always be there for him, not to mention clean up his messes, but he never contemplated the day Daric wouldn’t be. He guessed that day might be sooner than even he expected.

~*~

“Darius, the f*****g car isn’t going to drive itself. If you’re having an attack of conscience, just let me know and you can join your brother,” Gareth yelled from the car. Gareth would never, in a normal situation, pit the twins against each other but he needed to get somewhere important in a timely fashion and they were holding him up. If this were any other person and not his mate he would just drive them himself, but he couldn’t think about leaving her side for even a second. 

It really shocked him how much he already cared for the woman in his arms, even after their VERY rocky beginning. Granted, it could have been worse, but he knew he had a lot of back tracking to do to make up for his crazy behavior a short time ago. If only he had just been honest from the beginning then they might not be in this mess, but he had to admit Mila didn’t seem open to hear about forever with anyone, much less him. So he did what he thought made sense, let her think he was just trying to be nice. That was working against him though; because, the harder he tried to distance himself some, the more his instinct kicked him back into gear towards Mila. He was doomed to fail, but he wouldn’t regret getting the chance to finally hold her. Would he have preferred that she were conscious? Of course, but beggars couldn’t be choosers. Especially, with a mate who was set on keeping her secrets. Unfortunately, that thought brought him back to the fact that, besides the obvious groveling that he would be performing, he had a lot to worry about with the cut on his mate’s head. 

His mate. Those were truly unbelievable words. Gareth looked down at the face of incomparable beauty as she lay unconscious on his lap. She looked so peaceful and carefree laying there that it was almost as if she were merely sleeping. He couldn’t help it he had to taste her. Very slowly  and gently he touched his lips to hers and nearly groaned in ecstasy. She just felt so right, and she wasn’t even awake to respond. It was that fact that truly killed the moment and ultimately made him pull back. 

Darius hopped into the car a second later and soon they were off to see Monica, the areas residential Healer. The difference between a Healer and a doctor, magic. Healers are mystical creatures often compared to fairies or nymphs. They are a part of a faction of the supernatural world called the Fey. They are a species known for their knowledge and know-how on pretty much anything; while they are not known for their fighting skills they are renowned for their healing abilities. You could recognize a member of the Fey by their pointed ears and stark, but beautiful, features. Some so beautiful it is said that none could resist them. Gareth could only hope Monica was feeling magnanimous after the incident with his Beta a couple of weeks ago. “How much farther,” Gareth asked Darius.

“Her cottage should be right over the next hill if she hasn’t moved it again,” Darius answered. “The last I heard she got pissed off about something and was threatening to leave the area for good.” 

“Yeah, I heard that too,” Gareth mentioned while purposefully leaving out the part about knowing the whole situation. 

Every. 

Single. 

Gory. 

Detail. 

His Beta, Bowe, got seriously drunk a couple weeks back and slept with Monica. According to her, she swore to only give her virginity to the man she was going to spend her immortality with. Bowe, unfortunately, missed the memo and never called her. In fact, he never heard from her until she stormed the pack house demanding to speak to him. 

From what Gareth already knew, and what he was told, Bowe made the mistake of sleeping with her again that day once he went down to talk to her. Apparently, she just attacked him and what man could be counted on to refuse a s****l invitation such as that? 

To make the situation even more complicated, after the post s*x glow wore off she began talking about wedding plans and spending forever together; which of course sent Bowe running for the hills as fast as his legs could take him. Leaving Gareth to deal with a broken hearted Healer who was very vocal in her hatred of wolves now that she “knew” what they really were like. 

Later that day, when Bowe returned to the pack house he explained to Gareth everything that happened; including the part where she fairly stalked him all night at the bar he got drunk in. Then about taking her back to her place after getting just drunk enough not to care that she was crazy. He ran, not because the scare of commitment, he ran because she wasn’t his mate. Gareth knew for a fact Bowe tried to explain that to Monica before he bolted, because Gareth’s office is directly under Bowe’s room and he heard EVERYTHING that went down in that room; including all the moaning, groaning, and dirty talk that would make a w***e blush and all that came from Monica. Gareth shuddered just from the memory of that day. He’s all about some kink in his s*x life, but he draws the line at having to hear other people’s fetishes.

Just as the car crested the hill Monica’s magical cottage came into view. Her cottage was very useful, with just a snap of her fingers the cottage shrinks and folds into itself so that she can take it anywhere. If she wanted to live on the beach when she currently lived in the mountains, no problem, she can pack her cottage up like any other person would pack their clothes. Bad side, you never know where to find her unless she makes herself known. In other words, if you’re desperate for her help and she doesn’t want to be found you’re f****d, because she won’t be found. Luckily, she hadn’t had time to pack up and leave town before now. Darius pulled up right to the front door and cut off the ignition. 

“Wait in the car,” Gareth addressed Darius before getting out of the car with Mila in his arms. As he approached the cottage he got the strange feeling that he was being watched. He knew the Fey were tricksy creatures so he merely brushed it off as their strange magics. Before he could make his presence known by knocking on the front door it opened wide. In the doorway stood a small slender woman, so small and slender in fact, she could almost pass for a young teenager; which could only mean that the presence was Monica. There was no mistaking the barely five foot tall woman with mousy brown hair and pixie features. She wore a tight black sheath dress that barely reached mid-thigh and barely covered her breasts. One would think she was dressed to go clubbing, not lounge around the house. “You have a lot of nerve showing up here after what happened,” Monica yelled. 

“I know, but it wasn’t me who wronged you,” Gareth started.

“It doesn’t f*****g matter who did it. Just that it happened. You’re the Alpha, so that means the actions of your subjects are your actions as well. Maybe you need to tighten the collar and leash on your pound puppies, Gareth,” Monica yelled some more.

Gareth grit his teeth and held back the vicious retort he so badly wanted to throw her way but instead said, “You’re right. I should have done better in that situation.” It wouldn’t do him any good to piss off the only hope he had for his mate.  

After a minute or two she said, “Well, that wasn’t an apology, but I’ll accept it for now. What do you want? I mean it’s obvious what you want, but what do you want?” She nodded towards the unconscious woman in his arms. This was something Gareth hated with a passion about Monica. She spoke in riddles most of the time. He couldn’t stand her roundabout way of saying things instead of giving direct answers. It drove him crazy, and he was beginning to believe she did that on purpose. 

“I need your help to save my mate,” he started. 

“Ughh! Mates! Mates! Mates! Is that all you horny bastards think about? Just because I’m not Bowe’s ‘mate’, I’m not good enough? Well, he’ll rue the day I tell you,” Monica rages with a pouty stomp of her foot to top her rant off. 

“Look, she was marked by a Ghoul and I need you to stop the toxins from spreading any further,” Gareth hollered over her whining. 

“Ghoul! You brought a ghoul to my cottage!”

“She’s not one yet, and I’ll be damned if she’s ever going to be one. I know you’ve heard of a remedy that can stop the virus in it’s tracks. Give it to her, please,” Gareth ordered forcing himself to add the please. It wouldn’t do him any good to order her around.   

“I might have heard of it,” Monica mentioned while glancing at her nails as if bored, “What’s in it for me?” 

“What do you want?” 

“Bowe!” Monica yelled some more like a petulant child. He noticed her pointed ears flicked back and forth slightly every time she got agitated. A tell?  

“I can’t give you that. What else do you want?” 

“Hmm, what could I use that you have?” Monica asked herself out loud as she glanced around as if she were looking at all of his prized possessions stacked around her, hers for the taking. She knew she could have anything she wanted because Gareth was just desperate enough. Nothing mattered more than the woman in his arms. She was his whole purpose for living. “I’ll tell you what, I’m feeling generous. All I want you to do is put in a good word to Bowe for me. You know, talk me up a bit. You know him best so can therefore throw in some aspects about me he’ll like. Do this and I’ll do what I can for her.”

Gareth chewed that over for a second in his head. Pros, he gets his mate magical assistance that will ultimately save her from changing into a dangerous parasite. Cons, he has to attempt to get his Beta, and best friend, to date Monica. “What are your stipulations for the trade,” Gareth decided to ask.

“Oh, nothing much. I’ll enchant your hand so that when you go to Bowe to discuss me with him I’ll know exactly what you’re saying. That way if you renege on the deal I’ll know and I’ll make sure she never gets help from any healer on the planet. A simple touch will activate the enchantment and it’s a one-time deal. So you don’t have to worry about me eavesdropping on private pack information. It’s person specified, meaning that it will only work with Bowe. Sound acceptable?” 

It almost sounded too acceptable, but he wasn’t about to say no and piss her off. “Deal,” Gareth said by way of an answer. 

“Great! This way,” Monica motioned with her hand to follow her into her cottage. “Lay her on the back table and I’ll see about fixing your problems.” Gareth did as he was told and gingerly placed Mila on the table leaving a lingering kiss on her forehead. “Now before we start, give me your right hand,” Monica said. He lifted his hand palm up in front of him presenting it to her. Before he even knew what happened she brought a long thin knife up and stabbed his palm. 

“What the hell,” Gareth hissed in pain. 

“It’s done,” she gave by way of an answer. “Now to deal with her.” For a frightening second he thought she meant to kill Mila, and nearly had a heart attack. Luckily, for Monica, he calmed down his instinct before he ripped her limb from limb. 

It was strange being consumed with so many emotions surrounding just one person. He no longer felt like himself now that she was around. He felt whole, like he finally found the missing piece to his life. Gareth spoke with mated males often and he had heard them talk about the experience, but they were never able to do it justice. He guessed that’s why they always ended their stories with “it’s something you’d have to experience for yourself to truly understand”. Boy, did he understand now. He was poignantly aware of the feeling, in fact.

Gareth watched with trepidation as Monica drew the very same knife she used to stab him with and began lowering it toward Mila. He didn’t hesitate to jerk her back around and take the knife from her. “What the hell were you planning on doing with this?” Gareth asked. 

“Calm down, I’m doing as you asked,” Monica answered but not answered. 

“No I’m pretty sure I didn’t ask you to stab my mate!” 

Monica rolled her eyes and said, “I wasn’t going to stab her. I was drawing a blood sample. She’s knocked out cold she won’t feel a thing.” 

He fought against his better judgment and gave her back the knife, but made sure to stand practically right on top of her to be certain she didn’t do anything untoward. He watched closely as Monica sliced open the skin vertically above Mila’s wrist. His gut turned at the sight of her blood flowing from her body. Monica inserted the knife deeper into the wound and pressed a button he didn’t notice before. That’s when the thin cylinder in the blade became visible as Mila’s blood was drawn into it. “Ok, that should be enough,” Gareth growled. 

“Fine,” Monica spoke impatiently, 

“I’ll be right back.” Then Monica exited the room towards the back. And Gareth was left alone to wait for what he assumed was a miracle.

Gareth pulled up a seat next to the table and a sleeping Mila. Of it’s own volition his hand instantly gravitated back to Mila to run his fingers through her silky red hair. “I never imagined I’d get this lucky,” Gareth whispered into her ear. “If I had known you would be mine I would have gone looking for you centuries ago.”

A little while later Monica asked, “How much do you know about your mate?” 

“Honestly, not much. We just met,” Gareth answered. “What can you tell me?” 

With an exaggerated eye roll she answered, “So far, only that she’s in her early twenties, maybe twenty-three; and that she has some werewolf markers in her genetic makeup.” 

“What do you mean,” he asked. 

“I’m not sure, she’s just a puzzle,” Monica mentioned vaguely before walking off again. 

“Great, thanks,” Gareth said sarcastically to himself since Monica had already left the room.  

~*~       

Mila was slow to come back to consciousness and was slightly aware that she was spinning, but couldn’t tell if she was dreaming or not. When she attempted to lift her eye lids she found they felt like they weighed more than her entire body. This was not a feeling she was familiar with. Maybe she caught the fever, but that wouldn’t make sense since she’s immortal now. Sickness was essentially wiped out. So what was wrong with her? 

She tried and she tried to get her eyes open until they finally budged. She hissed in pain at the rush of light that invaded her eyes. Mila felt so groggy and confused until he came into view, Gareth. Then it seemed like the Earth righted itself and she could navigate the world again. Her breath caught in her throat and her heart beat accelerated to, what she assumed, was an unhealthy rate. She couldn’t begin to understand why he was so infuriating and crazy around her, but at the same time she somehow knew he was a good and caring man. 

It wasn’t until he spoke to her that she realized she was just staring at him while he waited for an answer she couldn’t begin to answer. “Excuse me,” was all she could manage at the moment. 

He chuckled above her and said again, “I said, ‘Welcome back to the land of the living.’ How do you feel?” 

She seriously thought about it for a moment and came to the conclusion that she was fine and told him as much too. “Where am I,” Mila asked.

“Now don’t be mad,” Gareth said carefully, “But I brought you to the Healer that was nearby when you collapsed.”

“You mean when someone knocked me out,” she retorted. 

Their conversation came to an abrupt stop when a woman walked into the room saying to no one in particular, “So I ran some tests, but they were inconclusive,” then she looked up noticing Mila was awake and continued with, “Oh you’re up. Good now I won’t have to repeat myself.”

Mila attempted to sit up, but the task was a difficult one when her chest felt like a heavy weight was resting on it. But with the shockingly gentle help from Gareth she managed to get to a seated position and stay that way. “I’m sorry to be a bother, but I did ask not to be brought here,” Mila said giving Gareth a nasty look. 

“No matter, I’ve already done the hard part so you might as well just stay,” Monica grunted in obvious annoyance at being somewhat interrupted. 

“Very well,” Mila gritted out.

“I’m going to need to do a more thorough check to be sure that I’m correct in my prognosis. I’m simply going to read your energy. Just sit still or else it will all be pointless.” Mila sat stock still as the Healer raised her hands in front of Mila’s chest. A faint light radiated from her palms as she slowly pushed energy outside of herself and into Mila. She could feel the probing energy winding through her as she sat there. It wasn’t uncomfortable, but Mila could tell this Healer could not care any less about her comfort anyways.  

“So like I was saying, my prognosis was correct you are unfortunately infected with the Ghoul virus,” Monica started again.

Mila laughed a short disbelieving laugh, “What?” 

“You know, if you don’t interrupt me this will go a lot faster and probably would limit your questions,” Monica condescended. 

Gareth growled at her warningly and was about to say as much when Mila interrupted smugly, “Very well, Healer,” putting emphasis on the word “healer” that Gareth didn’t quite understand, “please continue.” 

Gareth and Mila both could tell her statement confused Monica but she continued anyway, “Well, I’ve already mentioned that you’re infected; what I didn’t get a chance to say was that it’s early enough that I can stop it from spreading further through your system.” 

It was very obvious that Monica’s patience was wearing thin, but that certainly didn’t stop Mila from pushing her buttons some more. “So what you’re saying is I’m infected?”

“Yes, you’re infected. I checked,” Monica retorted.

“And you’re sure I’m infected?” Mila asked with a too innocent face. 

“Yes,” Monica fairly yelled. “You are undeniably INFECTED!” 

“Ok enough!” Gareth interrupted before Mila continued to piss Monica off. “Just give her whatever she needs.” 

Monica gave a mighty, “Harrumph!” Before lifting her nose high in the air and stomping off. 

“You know you’re being swindled, right?” Mila asked Gareth after she knew the charlatan was far enough away not to hear her. 

That certainly got his attention, “What are talking about?”

“I’m talking about her falsifying her information to get whatever she wanted out of you,” Mila said. “What the,” she fake coughed then continued with, “Healer didn’t count on was someone knowing her for the liar that she is.” 

“Wait, how do you know she’s lying,” he asked. 

“Think about it sweetheart, do I look the slightest bit infected?”

“No, but it’s a fact that the virus spreads at different rates in people.”

“Is that so? Well, tell me, what is the longest documented time that a person has held out from turning?” 

“I’m not sure; I think it was like five hours. The virus is pretty aggressive.” 

“Exactly, so wouldn’t it make more sense that if I were going to turn it would have happened, oh I don’t know, when I was freed from the box I had been in for two hundred years? If the virus were in fact in my system don’t you think being frozen there for two centuries would just speed up the process once it was unfrozen?” At his silence she also said, “I hope she didn’t get much out of you.” 

~*~

Gareth had never felt so angry in all of his life. How had he not noticed that she was cheating him? Oh he knew why, of course. Matehood overrode his common sense, but how did he not notice. . . well, anything? “I’m going to kill her! What could she possibly gain from this?”  

“You tell me. What did she want? Everyone has their own goals in life they wish to reach, hers just so happened to include lying and cheating and possibly murder, directly or indirectly. Possibly both.” 

Gareth was just about to suggest they leave when Monica re-entered the room, “So here’s the herbs. Take it every day. When you run out just come back and I’ll refill it for you. For a price of course,” she spoke directly to Gareth. He knew what she was implying and he was about to burst her bubble when Mila spoke. 

“Have you been near a Nidum?” Mila asked with a disgusted look on her face. 

“A what?” Monica asked. 

“Nidum, it’s a Ghoul’s nest,” Mila explained. 

Monica blanched, “Of course not! I’m not suicidal!” 

Mila could have sworn for a moment she smelled that putrid smell, unique to a Ghoul, on the “Healer”, but at the mention of the Nidum the smell vanished. Maybe she was just reaching, but there was something about that woman that didn’t sit right with her. “My mistake, I thought I smelled something,” Mila corrected. 

“Whatever,” Monica replied. “I’m done with you,” she said this time directly at Mila, “You can leave. You on the other hand,” pointing to Gareth, “I’d like a word.” 

“Of course, you two finish your conversation,” Mila said hopping off of the “exam table” and headed for the door.

“Wait outside for me,” Gareth ordered.

“Right, I’m completely willing to do as you say,” she spoke sarcastically of course, but he was sure that Darius would be on his toes and let him know if something were to happen, so he wasn’t too worried.

Gareth dove right in and asked, “What happens if your end of the bargain isn’t kept? Doesn’t the use of magic usually go both ways?”

That threw her off, but she answered, “The same that would happen to you if you renege, I’d be cursed.” 

“What kind of curse?”

She grunted in annoyance and said, “I’d be able to get sick like a human, but there wouldn’t be anything that could help me.”

“Could you die?”

“No! It’s just a really big inconvenience,” she griped. “What the hell does any of this have to do with our deal?”

“Nothing. I was just wondering about it,” Gareth smiled when he realized there was no need to call her out on her bullshit when she’d figure out she’d been caught on her own. With a little magical help of course. Witches really had their uses. 

“Well, if you’re done being Mr. Curious we need to discuss a few things, like when are you going to talk to Bowe?”

He kept up the pretense of doing as she said just a little bit longer by saying, “Tonight.” 

“Good! What are you going to say?”

“I’ll just throw some bullshit together about how you ‘just so happen’ to love everything he does,” Gareth replied placing air quotes around the just so happen part.

“AND!?!”

“Hey, that was all you said I HAVE to do so that’s all I’m GOING to do.” Gareth threw at her his best and most intimidating scowl to get her off his back, because to be quite honest he was done with her. As always people fall for the scowl and back up really quick. 

~*~

“Of course, that was our deal,” she acquiesced through tight lips and gritted teeth. But you’ll be back, they always are, Monica thought to herself. Then I’ll get what I really want. If Monica wasn’t set on having Bowe she might have given Gareth a second look or gotten him to scratch an itch. She wouldn’t have minded having him bend her over the nearest table and give her the pounding of a lifetime, but now that he’d found his mate not even the strongest love potion could sway him. Damn those stubborn werewolves! Usually they’re all about honor, or some bullshit like that; which is why she played the virgin card. Even though that couldn’t be further from the truth. Monica could have put Eros himself to shame. She wouldn’t be so addicted if they weren’t so so SO amazing in bed. Their stamina is out matched by none and there’s no way she could forget they are all hung like a freaking horse. Like she said, it isn’t her fault she’s addicted they shouldn’t be so delicious.  

~*~

Mila didn’t waste any time getting as far away from the little cottage as she possibly could. Luck was on her side when she noticed the other man that dug her up was busy on some small, thin, rectangular contraption that seemed to produce light in his hand. Even stranger, he was talking to it as if it could talk back. This was a strange time Mila thought as she sprinted for the cover of trees that wasn’t too far from the house. She needed to get as far away as she possibly could before she could fly. She didn’t want anyone to know who and what she was until it was absolutely necessary. First lesson she ever learned in the Sisterhood: “Do Not Give Away What You Can Do Unless Under Extreme Duress” or “If the Greater Good Demands It.” Why? It was simple. There’s only one of her and a whole lot of other people out in the world. She may be powerful, but even she has her limits. Too much too soon, especially at one time, could kill her. 

After maybe an hour or so of constant running and never breaking stride, which wasn’t affecting her at all she noticed, her skin began to crawl begging her to shift. She stopped in a small clearing to survey her surroundings, because as rule number two states: “You Can Never Be Too Careful When Shifting Outside Of Phoenix Calling.” When she noted that the coast was clear she began calling to her fire. 

She felt the humming of her system that told her the change was beginning. The sensation was unlike any other. It was gloriously freeing to feel her outer shell begin to break down under the heat that had steadily increased. She hadn’t felt this alive in, well, two centuries. The smile on her face only grew as her inner fire reached a fever pitch and was only waiting to be released to reveal her phoenix. Slowly, she called her fire to the fore-front which started on her skin in a low simmer that gradually grew to a full blaze igniting her whole body. She felt the tickling licks of the flames that had spread to her hair; which had begun whipping in the wind around her face. Instinct took over as she felt the bones in her body twist and turn to realign in the right order to create a new being entirely, a bird. 

Tales of old would have everyone believe that the Phoenix, like the Gryphon, could be a gruesome flesh eating bird with a thick and domineering beak and long sharp talons, similar to an Eagle, created to rip his enemy apart. However, that is entirely false. Each Phoenix has a different look about them, but for Mila she had the looks of a peacock and swan hybrid with golden and bright red feathers. Her Phoenix was as graceful as it was intimidating, even before she was immortal her Phoenix out-sized all of her sisters. Now she could only guess that she was bigger. By her calculations, from tip to tip, her wings stretched out the length and height of a small horse, and a body that would stand slightly shorter than the whole. She loved to feel her wings stretch and reach out around her feeling the wind run through them almost begging to fold up and down and take to the skies. 

Her wings were, to say the least, gorgeous. Running along the top of the wings her feathers were the same bright red as her hair in human form, that fanned out into a gold that reminded you of sunshine; but her tail feathers and head feathers were what truly made her swan/peacock physique truly magnificent. The texture of her tail-feathers were long and wispy as to almost be confused with fur that was a slightly lighter shimmery golden shade than the feathers on her wings and body. They had the same shape as a peacock’s tail-feather, but instead of blues and greens, the center was red with the rim gold. A daintier version of her tail-feathers graced her slim head that stood out like a veil. She didn’t want to boast about her good fortunes, but she was impressed with her Phoenix. 

She suddenly realized that for the first time today she has truly felt just how long she has been locked away. Not from muscles tightened by lack of use or those uncomfortable feelings you get in your neck from sleeping in an awkward position. It was in the way her mind perceived the change as it was happening. Never before had she been so acutely aware of every sensation as it was happening, usually, it was just second nature to her before that fateful night two hundred years ago.  

The crunch of the dirt beneath her long claws always gave her a sense of peace she never understood, but never questioned. Because of the feeling, it became habit to grab at the earth beneath her and dig out a claw full of dirt before leaving the ground, almost like she was trying to take a piece of the world below with her whenever she left it. For a second, Mila worried she had forgotten how to fly. Even though her mind told her yesterday she was in 1813, her body felt the true passage of time. Mila hesitated on the ground in a pose suggesting she was preparing to take off, with her wings held high, her shoulders pulled up to help thrust her off the ground, and her feet planted firmly on the ground. Now or never, fly or fall, Mila thought to herself as she brought her wings down towards the ground and shot into the sky. 

The wind blew past her as she climbed higher in elevation until she reached the highest she could go, and then tucked her wings to free fall several hundred feet. At the last minute Mila opened her wings right before hitting the ground. The rush of the fall combined with the joy in her heart involuntarily forced her fire outside of her body as she sang her Phoenix’s song of glee leaving a blazing path in the sky behind her. “It’s time to head home,” her Phoenix sang. Mila almost regretted leaving Gareth behind, almost. She admitted to herself, though, that she was going to kind of miss his persistent craziness a little bit. As odd as it was.

~*~

Gareth walked out of the cottage more than a little annoyed that he never knew Monica was a fake. Granted, just because she was lying now didn’t mean she was a complete phony. But who was he kidding? She had to be a phony. Of course, he was going off the word of a complete stranger, who just so happened to be his mate; however, she did make very good arguments in there. What made her so knowledgeable on the subject was beyond him, but he was determined to find out once and for all. To get the information out of her that he wants, however, would mean he had to come clean with her and tell her what she was to him. Easier said than done, but he had high hopes, sort of. Mila seemed almost normal towards him in there like she might be warming up to him. It’s hard to say what her normal really was, though, when he’s only known her less than a day, also taking into consideration she was unconscious for most of that as well. He was over-thinking this and he knew it, but he was so frustrated and confused that this wasn’t going how he’s always imagined it would. 

She has wolf DNA so she’s had experience with wolves before, so wouldn’t she know already they were destined mates? Or was she denying him? That had rage boiling to the front. The hell if he would let her reject him. When he reached the car he noticed Darius was on his phone outside of the car and not doing much else. “Darius,” Gareth barked. “Where’s Mila?”

Darius looked really confused at my question, “What do you mean? Wasn’t she in there with you?”

“Yes, she WAS but she came out here a couple minutes ago. So where is she?” Gareth growled. 

“I-, I don’t know. She must have snuck past me when I wasn’t looking,” Darius confessed. 

“GODS DAMN IT ALL TO HELL!” Gareth yelled before smelling the air hoping to pick up her scent. It took a minute, but her faint apricot and sunshine scent drifted to him from the west. So he followed it for an hour or so all the way to a clearing in the middle of the forest surrounding Monica’s place. He didn’t spot her at first, because from his vantage point Mila was ringed in light from both the sun and the fire surrounding her. 

Gareth watched in stunned silence as an unnaturally high heat wave rolled off of her before she combusted completely lifting off the ground no higher than a foot as the fire swirled around her body. Once the flames distinguished that’s when he saw the second most incomparable beauty in all of his life, a Phoenix! Now it all made sense, he thought to himself as he took in the other half of his mate. She was gorgeous, elegant, and graceful. He watched as she spread her wings to take off, but she hesitated almost like she was scared. From the cover of the trees Gareth silently rooted for her to take the flight, he instinctively knew, she desperately needed. 

“Come on, baby, you can do it,” Gareth said quietly as if she could hear him. Then she finally let go and shot into the sky. Nothing seemed more amazing than what he was watching right then. He didn’t start to panic until he watched her dive through the air back towards the ground way too fast. Gareth was about to jump in to try and catch her when she opened her wings at the last second and leveled herself out. The trail of fire left behind her had delicate little swirls in it that looked more like art than a natural element. It took Gareth several minutes of just standing alone in the woods to realize that Mila wasn’t coming back. She had taken off and he was too busy being mesmerized to realize it. 

He cursed himself ten times over on the way back to his Escalade and Darius. How stupid could he actually be? He thought. Now he had to track her down! He made it back to the car in record time barely stopping to even acknowledge Darius as he ordered, “Darius take the car, stop by the hole you guys were digging, then take the box to the Pack House. I need that box,” Gareth told Darius. 

“Of course, Alpha, but should we be leaving the Luna behind like this?” 

“We aren’t going anywhere. You are alone. Unfortunately, it seems my mate has taken it upon herself to travel without me. I think that box might have a few answers,” Gareth grunted in reply. 

“Right, so should I call Taffeta and have her meet us at the Pack House?” Darius anticipated. 

“Yes, it looks like the witches are my only option, if I can’t catch her. Damn, but I know those little mercenaries will take me for all I’ve got this time.” Of course he wasn’t worried about going broke; he had more money than he knew what to do with, many lifetimes over. As an immortal you’d be pretty stupid if you didn’t invest your money and rake in long term investments. Thankfully, because of seers, most investments weren’t that much of a long shot if you can afford their services. He just so happened to play it right. 

Gareth didn’t wait for another reply, he didn’t have time to anyways. Without delay he called to his wolf to bring on the shift, and after five centuries it had become second nature to become a giant solid black wolf. So within seconds Gareth was charging in the direction Mila had flown just hoping for a sighting of her. It took him longer than he expected, but he eventually caught sight of her. She was fast, he’d give her that, but her lack of caution because she was in the sky was going to be her downfall. She was at a lower elevation than when she had first taken off so following her wasn’t the problem anymore, getting her out of the sky, safely, was. 

Two hours, and a lot of hard running later, his chance presented itself in the form a small cliff that dropped off to a lake below. As the ground shifted upwards signaling they were approaching the drop off, Gareth put on even more speed then launched himself into the air praying he’d timed his jump just right. He couldn’t stop thanking whatever Gods decided to help him, because just as Mila was passing the bluff Gareth managed to snatch her right out of the air sending them crash landing in to the lake. 

~*~

Mila was so wrapped up in the joy and wonder she was feeling from the wind slipping past her, and seeing the strange terrain pass beneath her, that she didn’t realize she was being followed. And she most certainly never anticipated having a ginormous dog knock her out of the sky. She knew he was determined, but she didn’t think he was suicidal. Granted it was only a short drop and they had the water to cushion their fall, but honestly who decides to jump off a cliff to catch a flying bird in mid-air? Obviously, she underestimated his tenacity and was going to suffer for it. She just wasn’t sure how he was going to punish her. 

She wasn’t contemplating much when they finally took the plunge into the cold water. She struggled for a moment underneath the cerulean depths, but eventually found her bearings enough to shift back as she kicked to the surface. Apparently, Gareth had the same idea, because when he came up for air as well he was back in human form. And what a very beautiful human form it was. She shook her head rejecting the thought immediately and refused to think along those lines, because clearly her original assessment of this man was wrong. He was most certainly crazy. “Are you insane? You completely knocked me out of the sky,” Mila yelled when she got air back into her lungs. 

“I told you to wait outside the cottage for me,” he yelled back and only got louder as he continued, “Anything could have happened to you, and I refuse to let you get hurt.”

Mila was stunned silent by his declaration. He seemed to really mean it and that worried her. Those nagging suspicions came back with a vengeance whispering things she wasn’t ready to listen to. That day was wrapping up to be one of the longest days of her life, and it didn’t seem like it was ever going to end. “I don’t know what you want me to do. I’m a little out of sorts here. Yesterday it was 1813 for me. I feel so lost,” Mila admitted reluctantly and to her horror felt tears start to fall. She could only hope he didn’t notice and just assumed it was water dripping down from her wet hair. No such luck, because the next thing she knew he was holding her in his very strong arms attempting to erase the hurt he sensed was there. 

She only allowed herself a second to relax in his embrace before she pulled back out of his arms. The absence of his body wrapped around hers was a feeling that she wasn’t entirely comfortable with. She wanted to be back in his arms and that was the slap to the face that she needed to get back on track. She started to swim away towards the distant shore but she didn’t get far before Gareth had her ankle in a death grip. A quick yank had her floating back towards him until she was flush against his body once more. “Don’t run from me again, because I will find you. There is nowhere you can go that I wouldn’t find you. You are mine to protect, mine to take care of, and mine to worship,” he said with an intensity that shocked her silent and did very strange things to her insides. She should be swimming away screaming, but something in his beautiful eyes held her captive and refused to let her run.