Fie Wright's P. O. V

Flicking through the various shows popping up on the television screen, my frown deepens with each series going by but none catching my attention.

I want to watch something but nothing is appealing to me. Knowing how I am, I'll end up watching the same thing for the umpteenth time and acting as if it's the first time I've done so. Fake gasps and all.

Flickering through my list of movies and series I've shortlisted previously, my hand clutching the remote pauses as I hover over one show in particular. The title containing the word 'witches' capturing my attention immediately as a certain building up of dread engulfs me slowly.

Chewing on my bottom lip, I quickly turn the television off and let out a loud sigh just as a shiver wracks down my body and goosebumps come up onto my skin.

I can't believe I can sit comfortably through horror movies but one picture of an actress dressed up as a supposed witch has me turning into a wimp.

Maybe a nice walk in the gardens can help clear my mind?

One look at the huge windows have me dispelling that thought as the thundering sheets of rain give me my answer. The same usual weather that I love now causing me to feel increasingly on edge.

'Malleus?' I call out to him, wondering how long it'll take for him to finish up his work. It must be the uneasiness I'm feeling but I'd rather not be alone right now. Anyone's company would do, even Ezra's at this point.

My eyes stray to the windows once more, watching the darkening sky light up with the thunder that booms down a few moments later. A few lingering seconds go by with no reply from my mate, the action or lack thereof setting me deeply on edge since this usually never happens.

I call out once more to the man, but the result ends up being the same with a deathly silence following my voice. I guess I shouldn't be using the word deathly in such a situation. My next target comes in the form of my annoying cousin who's probably suffocating his mate with his clingy love and attention.

If only I could relate, I think with a visible pout which only gets bigger when even Ezra doesn't reply back to me.

So deeply rooted in my sulking thoughts, my shrill scream leaves me before I can react in any other way to stop myself. The sigh of a hand on my shoulders driving my already paranoid mind into deeper scenarios that are most likely not going to come true any time soon.

"Fie?" A frantic voice registers into me, the familiarity of it taking me off guard as I peer into wide shocked ones which most likely mirrors my own expression.

"Malleus?" I mumble dumbly, blinking a few times as he peers into my eyes while taking a seat next to me on the bed, his arms wrapping around me without missing a beat which I gladly seek comfort in.

"You spaced out for a few seconds didn't you?" He mumbles into my hair but clearly not looking for a response as he continues on hurriedly, "I called out to you through the mind link as well but you were clearly out of it." Malleus says with a gentle rapping of his knuckles to my forehead to which I scrunch my face up.

"You didn't answer back to me so I logically, started to freak myself out with stupid thoughts." I reply sheepishly, hurrying my face into Malleus' arms and inhaling in his scent deeply, relaxing each inch of my tensed up body.

"What will I do with you?" He asks rhetorically, placing a chaste kiss to the crown of my head before gently lifting himself from off of me, "You really do need to stop thinking about those witches though. I mean you got freaked out by Sabrina the teenage witch-,"

The gasp that leaves me has Malleus clamping his lips shut tight, eyes glancing down at me while I stare up at him through my own narrowed ones.

"How did you know that? Are you spying on me?" I question with an accusing tone, glancing this way and that in the room as if some sort of camera will present itself to me. Of course nothing of the sort happens to which Malleus lets out a short chuckle, the sound filled with uneasiness since he knows his words won't be pleasing me too much.

"We're mated. The only step left for us is to bond in the most physical way possible," I nervously clear my throat at that, already feeling my wolf jumping up to attention at the mere mention of sex, "I can feel when you're on edge just how I can feel all your other emotions and vice versa." The way he says it makes me suspicious more so which is why my stare remains unrelenting.

"I sometimes check up on you. No big deal. Probe your mind here and there when I feel like somethings off. Only emergency situations. It's not like I spy on you when you're in the shower. Ha ha." He trails off awkwardly while my jaw drops in utter shock.

"You little piece of shit." I say, completely unbelieving.

I mean I knew you could do that obviously but I never thought of doing it myself. Glancing down at my clothed body, I know Malleus wouldn't intrude on anything like that and if I'd have thought to use half of my brains, I'd realise I could do the same and would do so from time to time if the need arises.

"Warn me next time." I say with a pout to which he nods solemnly, promising me he won't ever do so unless it's absolutely necessary.

I wouldn't have minded in any other situation it's just that I do some really weird shit when I'm alone and explaining it to someone would be impossible.

"Come. Sit with me. I want to cuddle." I quickly change the topic so he doesn't probe any further but also don't want him saying he needs to go do some more work since I don't want to be alone right now.

Malleus takes a step away from me which causes me to frown immediately, not liking the distance when I specifically told him I wanted anything but that. "Actually, I've got something for you." He says with a raised finger, motioning for me to wait a second.

I raise a brow at him in question, wondering what he's up to since I've heard nothing of this and the man usually can't keep a secret from me to save his life. "I'm not going to to say I'm not intrigued because you know I love surprises. I mean good surprises. Tell me this is a good surprise." I rush out which earns me an exasperated sigh from my other half.

I don't get another word in as Malleus rushes out the room while muttering he'll be back in a moment. I sit with a huff, wondering what on Earth he's got up his sleeve but I get my answer just as fast when sounds of ruffling in the main room reaches me followed by strange sounds.

Moments later, Malleus enters looking rather flustered with something wriggling in his arms which directs my attention from him to the ball of fur.

My eyes widen in glee when I lay eyes on the animal, practically bouncing on the bed as Malleus approaches me with his arms outstretched.

My lips remain parted as I gaze on with sheer delight, watching the black bundle of fur get deposited against the flowery pattern of the bed spread. Chocolate brown eyes stare back at me with a pink tiny nose and tongue poking out between its mouth, almost lolling out.

"It-its a-" I fumble for words just as Malleus nods on in encouragement, a peculiar expression on his face while I continue.

"What is it?" I question while poking out a cautious finger towards it, the bright pink tongue lapping at my finger immediately which results in me laughing from sheer excitement.

Malleus makes a startled noise behind me, clearing his throat as he dips down till he's sat next to me and in front of the animal.

"What do you think it is?" The man asks back instead of answering me like he ought to.

Humming to myself in thought, I remove my finger before depositing it on the soft fluffy fur that takes up a majority of the animals features.

"A cat? I think it's a cat. I've never seen one in real life." I mutter in thought, my confused tone getting replaced with cooing sounds as the animal nears me with hesitant paws before cuddling it's tiny body against my leg.

"You've never seen a cat?" Malleus splutters out in utter confusion, trying to get my attention which is only focused on the adorable cat.

Petting the soft kitty, I turn up to glance at Malleus who looks completely baffled by my previous words which don't seem that surprising to me.

It's not that big of a deal.

"Our previous Alpha was allergic to cats. Not deathly, but she would get the sniffles so her father, the previous Alpha banned cats from our pack and then when she took over she continued on with the ban, logically. Alpha Tyrell isn't allergic, and neither is Ezra, but I don't think it's just ever crossed his mind to lift the ban. Essentially, I've only seen kitties on television or on the internet." I finish off while outstretching my arms to the kitten, scooping up its soft body into my arms while coo after coo leaves me.

I don't get a reply back right away as my mate sits in silence. The only word I hear from him is his mocking tone when he repeats after me with a scoff, "Yeah. Logically."

"Is it a 'she' or a 'he'?" I question, flipping the kitten over onto its back gently and trying to assess the goods. Of course, having never been near a kitten in such close quarters, hell not even face to face, I'm at a complete loss with what I see. I guess it's not the same with how dogs are?

"The kitten is a 'she.'" Malleus answers while tentatively sticking out a finger towards the cutie, her big chocolate brown eyes peering at the digit before she opens her tiny mouth and latches onto the finger with her razor sharp teeth.

"Awe." I coo while my mate yelps and scoots backwards, taking his pierced finger with him as the kitten makes her way around the bed, exploring her new surroundings with intrigue.

"What do you want to name her?" Malleus asks hesitantly, and I can already tell he's second guessing his plans as he glances from the kitten that nearly falls off the edge of the mattress and over to his unscathed finger which he's currently cradling to his chest. The man's acting as if a lion gnawed on it rather than a harmless kitty.

A thousand names run through my head a mile a minute as I try to pick one that appeals to her. Maybe something generic like Ms. Fluffy Whiskers? Purrito? Jennifurr? Paul?

"Wait!" I exclaim at once, the previous excitement of having a pet getting muddled with suspicion as I turn narrowed eyes onto a shifty Malleus. "Not that I don't already love Tator Tot, it's not definitive, but why exactly am I being given a cat? You've never previously mentioned having one, or any pet. I'm suspicious." I add bluntly at the end to which Malleus rolls his eyes, not disputing my words in any sense at the same time.

"A certain someone raised a valid point after our little meeting and well, I could only see benefits and no downside. If what he said proves to be false, there is no downside to it either." He says after a thoughtful shrug while I turn my body till it's directly facing him, the nameless kitten in between us.

"What exactly was that? And who was that? Was it Wolf?" I ask question after question just as Malleus decides to trust the kitten once more with his outstretched finger.

"Yes it was Keir. He told me something and it makes a lot of sense. No solid, concrete evidence to back it up but it couldn't hurt to try," his rambling on gets cut off by my deathly glare to which he glances away, his expression more sheepish than that of one hiding something. More so like he's embarrassed he's feeding in to what Keir told him. "Witches are known to be superstitious right?"

Malleus' question has me nodding my head vehemently although I have no idea if it's actually true or not since I've encountered more cats than I have witches.

"Well they believe in a lot of superstitions and I guess it makes sense considering what they work with but Keir told me something that could work in our benefit." He says while glancing pointedly down at the kitten who currently has all four paws digging into Malleus' hand as she kicks and chews away at the limb.

"The cat? They're suspicious of cats?" I ask dumbly to which he nods deeply.

"Not just any cat. Black cats. Which is amusing if you think of the stereotypes of witches and their black cats. Ultimately witches stay away from cats because they believe in bad luck and think they're cursed or something along those lines. You'll have to really ask a witch herself for the specifics but that's about the gist of it I guess." He says with a shrug, an expression of deep thought now etched on to his features as the kitten thoroughly shreds his hand apart.

"What the fuck is that?" Chimes in the voice of Ezra who noisily makes his way into our room, hand in a packet of crisps but eyes zoomed into the creature sprawled out in between us.

'I called him.' I mind link to Malleus before he has a chance to kick the man out, 'He needs to see one too.'

"A cat, kitten rather." I say solemnly.

"Meet Katy Purry." I say with a flourish of my hand before erupting into giggles, ignoring Malleus' deadpan expression and enjoying Ezra's wide eyes as he takes cautious steps towards us. The main source of attraction being the now bored bundle of joy.

"Is that name a definite yes?" Malleus asks while smirking as the cat latches onto Ezra's hand, licking away like a cat on crack.

"William Shakespaw? Lucifurr? Meowchael? Purrince Fluffybottom?" I throw out one after the other just as Malleus gets up and stretches himself out, grabbing onto Ezra's discarded crisps and completely ignoring the other man's cries.

"Hey!"

"She's a female and those are boy names." Malleus adds in nonchalantly while I furrow my brows.

"I don't judge." I say simply before continuing to play with my cat. Yes. She's mine.

"Could she technically be heir to the throne?" Ezra questions just as Malleus speaks up.

"Frosch? I like the name Frosch." He says to which I nod.

"Don't worry. I'll take it into consideration."

Malleus huffs at my words, crumpling up the packet which I hurriedly take away from him. He can't waste food like that, "You do know she's every part my cat just as much as she's yours." He adds while I frown.

I guess I could share? He was the one who got her.

"You're going to get cockblocked by this cat. I'm warning you." Ezra butts in but seemingly distracted since she's gotten all of us wrapped around her claws.

A few moments of silence go by before Ezra clears his throat and eyes Malleus, hand still playing with the kitten.

"We really should make a move on those witches. Time is of the essence." Ezra adds seriously to which Malleus looks surprised if you can call his stoic face that.

"For once, Ezra," Malleus mutters as he raises a hand to stroke at his chin, "You've got a point. I have to agree with you."

Guess we'd better get serious.

—————

AN: Helloooo. Just a light chapter and although I know it might be dragging on, this book is wrapping up really quite soon. Maybe like 10 chapters or so? Is that soon lmao I don't know. But I hope you enjoyed it. The action is starting but I want to ease into it rather than rush through it you know?

Question: What punny name would you give to your animal? What's your pets name?

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