"You do not really need this Phobos," I murmur rising on my tiptoes attempting to gently push back his inky hood that does a flawless job of shielding his features from sight.
He swiftly seizes my slender wrists with his palms in a mildly tight grip and peers down at me with his narrowed yet cautious globes. He has never lifted his hood in a foreign pack, never unveiled himself to others but his own yet here I am trying to bring him into the light.
"Trust me," I utter gazing up at him with my gleaming nordic blues and his hold on me gradually slackens enabling me to fully expose his face to display. "There is my barbarian." I giggle trying to ease his stress as I set the hood to rest against the nape of his neck.
I sense waves of tension radiating from him that reveals to me his dislike of the situation but I am eager to show him the warmth my old pack possesses, to show him how they shall cordially receive him as their own. These two days will be delightful, I know it.
"Ready?" I ask whilst positioning myself at his right and smoothing down my ankle-length ocean blue dress sliding my fingers past the creases striving to make it presentable. I chose the colour to match his eyes, he liked it. Too much I would say for he sought to take it off my flesh this morning filled with arousal only to earn scolding slaps to his eager hands from me.
We drove through the pack grounds to directly come over to the main house where my family resides, our preference is to meet them first. The pack shall meet my moon blessed formally at the lantern festival tomorrow yet he also has the opportunity to meet a few of them at the 'welcome barbecue' that is to occur soon in our honour.
Phobos gives me a terse nod and I lay the pad of my right forefinger against the doorbell switch. As the shrill sound of the bell reverberates through the house, turbulent footsteps emerging towards the main door has the rhythms of my heart quicken. The door is wrenched open and I am greeted by a widely grinning Cronus who had seemed to have already figured out my presence by my scent.
"Well look who has finally decided to come to visit." He laughs his amber greens fondly gazing down at me as I leave Phobos's side to hurry into his welcoming limbs that snugly bind my flesh to his heat. "Welcome home, little wolf." He mutters planting a tender kiss over the top of my head. I missed him, I yearned for his warmth so much. It has been a year and a half since we saw each other.
"I missed you."
"Truly? Now that I find that to be a blatant lie for you were so occupied with your male that you barely spared me a few minutes on the phone." A playful flash of teeth he gives me as though he is jealous and I chortle at his antics.
"And I find your words to not be the ultimate truth for you often concluded our calls to tend to your Alpha duties."
"In my opinion, it was not 'often' rather at certain times."
"In my opinion sweet brother, I was the only one who took the time to call you for you never did so."
"I would like to kindly argue that point and say that is not whatsoever true. How about we check the call logs and see who has-"
"Theia has just arrived and you both have already started bickering?" Mother's loving voice that peeks in from behind his broad shoulders has me shove Cronus to the side and squeeze her flesh to mine.
"Mama." Uncontrollable tears flood within my eyes and I nestle into her neck breathing in her calming scent whilst she gently pats my back understanding my upsetness.
"Oh, darling." She whimpers her own voice cracking to our reunion her emotions getting a hold of her just like me. "Come, let me have a good look at you." Mother mildly pushes me back by my belly to study me from head to toe pressing her palm across my cheek, she seems to be amazed by what she sees. "You have ripened into a fine female. Where have your juvenile features suddenly disappeared to? Did you notice this Cronus?"
"Yes, mother. I did. She is a Luna now and of course, she will transform into a full-grown adult. She cannot always be your tiny female."
"Do you see this, Uranus? Do you see whom she has matured into?" Mama asks feebly her lips wobbling as she examines me once more. Papa emerges out from beneath the staircase shadows holding a bowl of melted chocolate in his hands along with a whisk.
"Papa!" I squeal with excitement scooting into the house to leap up and encircle my arms around his neck whilst he lets out a hearty laugh at the way our bodies collide for he is shoved back by the force of my being crashing with his.
"Welcome home, Theia." He smiles down at me ruffling my hair like he often did when I was a pup. "You have arrived at the perfect time."
"How so?" I inquire curiously peeking into the large bowl he holds.
"Your mother said my baking abilities are disastrous and in order to prove her wrong I decided to bake a cake for the barbecue and you shall be the first to taste the frosting." Mother and father often had these dares between them that they would try to win over, it made their relationship more entertaining. Father would never reveal this part of him to others not even to our pack for to them he is their austere and rigid Alpha but to me, he is simply my fun-loving papa.
"I would be honoured, Alpha Uranus," I utter playfully bowing my head in reverence whilst he scoops up some of the chocolate in a tiny spoon and feeds it to me.
"You see mother, it is as I have told you. Theia is his favourite. He has never once fed me frosting." Cronus sulks.
"Well, that is because papa cherishes me more." I snicker evilly opening my mouth for another spoonful whilst mother reaches forward to comfort my pouting brother.
The rumbling sound of my male clearing his throat has my eyes broaden and quickly turn to regard him who still comfortably stands outside the main door for he has not been welcomed inside yet. I had been so caught up with returning home and meeting my family I overlooked his presence for a few minutes. I hurry back to his side to once more occupy his right, leaning down to my left I take his hand in mine and gaze back at my inquisitive parents who scrutinise him.
"Mama, papa and Cronus. This is Phobos, he is my moon blessed." I announce with a wide smile on my face my heart bursting with joy for I have belatedly introduced him to my family.
Cronus has his limbs clasped behind his back his spine straight with his head held high, his cool greens locked on my male whilst mama takes hesitant steps onward. Mother is the same height as me so he needs to dip his head to get a good look at her which I find adorable. "Goddess, look at how much you have grown. Luna Aphrodite would be so proud." She sets her trembling palm against his cheek and my male stiffens his eyes lightly widening to her sweet gesture. He hadn't foreseen that.
"Luna Gaia." He offers her a brief bow in reverence to her former title which has me rooted in wonderment. With his position, he need not show her such respect but he is doing so because she is my mother.
"Welcome to our family, Phobos. No wolf knew about this but I had always dreamed you would end up being Theia's male for deep in my heart I sensed you would treat her like a queen."
"She is my queen. Always has been," Phobos expresses his truth nonchalantly which has my cheeks colour to his honest words.
"Sweet male." She voices out her thoughts of him whilst enveloping her arms around his waist which has him bewildered once more. He hasn't been touched this way by another female other than me and it feels foreign to him. Phobos stands there awkwardly allowing her to embrace him whilst she pets his back as she does with Cronus and me.
"Do not make him uncomfortable, Gaia. Come here." Father whispers considerately pulling her away from my male while stealthily inspecting him. His eyes are narrowed up at Phobos as though he is evaluating his inner strength, his worthiness to be my moon blessed and Phobos stands tall without getting intimidated patiently waiting for father's greeting.
"Alpha Uranus." My moon blessed politely greets him.
"I am not an Alpha anymore, my male Cronus has taken up that title. You may simply call me Uranus and my female here Gaia." The sharp sternness in my father's voice has me instinctively shiver and lower my head in meekness. Hearing his name Cronus proceeds to stand alongside papa to study my male as well. They both are secretly testing him, of whom he truly is and his essence. This is a confrontation between Alpha males, mother and I cannot interrupt or suspend it for it was bound to happen in a way.
"I have heard numerous stories about you," Papa says.
"I hope all good ones."
"I discovered you lead your pack's winter hunt alternate years is it not? You provide for them?"
"Indeed. It is my obligation as their Alpha, we do not reside on lands such as these. We fend for ourselves."
There is an intolerable pressure that explodes between them that has mother and me cautiously look up at each of our males hoping their meeting does not go sideways. Pricking Alpha male pheromones leach out their pores to viciously saturate the atmosphere which has me faintly fuss and nudge myself into Phobos's side. He peers down at me sensing my agitation to the situation and instantly the boring coldness contained in his globes fades and is displaced by warmth.
Phobos somewhat boosts his right limb and secures it around my waist hauling me to his heat as a form of reassurance that everything is all right and I mustn't worry. Both father and Cronus discreetly observe our interaction and it has me audibly gulp to the surging tension between the three.
"And how well are your lands protected?"
"Much better guarded than your own." Cronus lets out a hushed growl in displeasure of my male's truth. "I suggest you assign more warriors to defend your gates for I found it quite effortless to trespass on your grounds the day I came to claim your female." This is Phobos, he is extremely frank and courageously speaks his mind but he means well.
Father takes a curt step forward towards us and tilts his head to the side as though truly striving to determine what kind of a male he is. "We have done so already after you...kidnapped our Theia without notifying any of us."
"She belongs to me, I simply chose a fitting day to take her with her acceptance of course."
"Yes like an insensitive bastard," Cronus annoyedly spits out it is faintly stated but we detect it clearly he still seems to be bothered with the way Phobos claimed me. My male's eyes do not wander from father's he does not care for the words my brother dauntlessly spewed, the totality of his attention lies with papa.
"Where does she stay? She would not reveal to us about anything much."
"It is not a residence as grand as what you possess but it is cosy and warm big enough for the two of us. I shall build her a dwelling soon in the wilderness, I have plans and-"
"In the wilderness, are you out of your godforsaken mind?! My sister is not trained for such living conditions are you trying to get her killed?" Cronus interrupts furiously.
"Your sister was not trained. She is a warrior now."