Nova and Elle scrubbed in silence — bruised knees on cold stone, fingers raw. Hours dragged. The torches guttered low. Every so often a prisoner's stare crawled across skin like insects.
They were exhausted… and they'd gotten separated.
Nova's arms shook as she reached for her bucket again. She scrubbed the floor near a cell, trying not to make eye contact with the prisoners. But they were watching her. All of them. Some with fascination. Others with hunger.
One muttered, "I smell her fear."
Another chimed in, "She has silver eyes… I saw her in a dream before she was born."
A third whispered, almost sweetly, "You glow. Something that glows gets eaten."
Nova's grip tightened on the brush. Her heartbeat quickened.
Across the level, Elle flinched when someone near her growled: "Let me out. Let me out. Let me out!"
Then silence. Just staring.
She looked down quickly and scrubbed harder.
One level up, Ash screamed at his own shadow. "Okay, nope. That was a person. Or a ghost. I'm not built for this!"
Milo gagged when he passed another skeleton slumped against a barred wall. "Dear goddess, that's not decoration."
On Nova's floor, a prisoner grabbed the bars. "You on your knees for us, little wolf?"
Another muttered, "Tick… tick… tick… when the moon is full we all go boom…"
"Let her mark him again… let's see if his bones can melt properly this time." A third prisoner called.
She tried to block them out and keep her head down. But the sound of chains scraping the floor made her flinch.
Then she heard footsteps behind her. Fast. Heavy. Purposeful.
"I swallowed my wolf. Now he scratches from inside." A prisoner sang.
That's when a heavy boot shoved her forward, her palms hitting grime.
A huge man's shadow blocked the torchlight. Not a prisoner. Too well‑fed, too sure of his power.
"YOU."
His voice dripped venom.
Nova froze. She couldn't even summon magic — not a spark. Too drained. Too weak.
"Y‑you're m‑mistaken—" she whispered.
He spat near her face.
"You ruined my daughter's life."
Nova blinked, breath hitching. Her voice was barely sound.
"I… I don't know who—"
CRACK.
His hand collided with her cheek so hard her ears rang. Blood filled her mouth.
"I am Orion Emberhide, High Warden. Keeper of every cell in this territory." He leaned close, snarling. "And YOU demanded our Alpha throw my daughter into prison."
"I didn't... I didn't know—"
"LIAR!" His roar rattled iron.
Her gaze flicked to the walls — shackles dangling.
The chains. Her lungs tightened instantly. The tower. The silver cuffs. The years she couldn't breathe.
Don't panic. Not here. Not again.
"W…who… is your daughter?" she tried to get the words out.
He seethed.
"The warrior you disgraced. The one who never even had a chance to defend herself."
Nova's eyes widened.
"H‑Helga?"
"DON'T. SAY. HER. NAME!"
He struck her again — a brutal blow — and the stone rushed up to meet her.
But before Orion could touch her a third time—
Finric slammed him into the wall so hard the stone cracked.
"YOU RUINED MY DAUGHTER'S LIFE." Orion Emberhide screamed, right after hitting the wall.
"I..I didn't…"
"LIAR!" He roared.
"I didn't know she was in p..prison." Nova trembled.
"YOU ARE THE REASON SHE IS THERE! YOU DEMANDED FOR HER ARREST!"
Fin's wolf was howling enraged.
"HOW DARE YOU TOUCH HER!" Fin yelled.
"HELGA is in prison because of her crimes. On my order." Fin's voice was molten steel. "And you… you just struck a member of the royal family. That's treason."
Orion struggled, but Fin's aura paralyzed him. His wolf's growl echoed in the stone corridors.
A prisoner sang out: "I'd trade ten lives for a lick of her blood. Just a taste."
Another prisoner called. "Tick… tick… tick… she's running out of time…" He added, "Mate‑blind, but one of them already knows."
Nova's breathing was erratic. She was staring at the chains. Her chest seized, and she couldn't get air in. Couldn't speak. Couldn't move.
Fin's gaze snapped to her. His entire body shifted from rage to pure panic.
He dropped Orion like dead weight and rushed to Nova. He had a moment of realization when he saw her looking at the chains on the walls.
Then she started to wheeze half breaths.
"She's having another one!" a prisoner said gleefully. "Panic! Panic! Just like the wolf before she drowns!"
"Her protector. The prophecy… he's just sharpening the knife." Another one said madly.
"Breathe, Nova. In. Out. I'm here. You're safe," he said, scooping her into his arms.
He stormed up the stairs with her cradled tightly, his voice a snarl to the guards.
"Release the others. Now." Fin commanded. He didn't wait though. He needed to get Nova calmed down and away from here.
"Breathe… In … out.." he said to Nova warmly as he ran up the stairs. She was trying
As Fin broke into a run, he mindlinked Jax and Cael.
Fin: They are here.
Neither responded. They were likely still in the other prison, unable to hear mindlinks. He ran with Nova for a few minutes.
Her breathing came in shallow, desperate bursts.
"You're okay. We're out. You're safe," he repeated gently, matching his breath to hers. "In. Out. Come on, Moonveil."
As he ran, Fin's voice echoed through the mindlink, cold and clear to Colonel Brutus, leaving it open for Jax, Cael, Senior Officers, and the 12 elders on the counsel to hear
Fin: Immediate arrest of High Warden Orion Emberhide for assaulting a member of the royal family. He's in Maximus South on duty.
Brutus responded for everyone to hear.
Brutus: Copy. We'll bring him into custody.
Royal family included all mates and offspring of the Alpha, Beta, and Gamma. It had just been the 3 of them for a long time, so the term was not used. Brutus didn't question which sent a very clear message to the elders if Finric's message didn't land.
The next person or pack member that insults, threatens, or assaults Nova or Elle will be held to the same consequences if they did that to the Alpha himself.
Jax: Nova?
Fin: Yes. I am going to kill Shard.
Jax: Is she okay?! What happened?
Fin: Helga, the warrior who attacked Nova, her father is Orion Emberhide.
Jax: What did he do?!
Fin: He thinks Nova ordered me to arrest her. I walked in to see him strike her so hard she hit the floor and her mouth was bleeding. She has a bruise on the other side of her face. He was screaming abhorrent things to her and it makes my blood boil.
Jax: What?!
Fin: I had to get her out of there, Jax. I think she was having panic attacks tonight. She was staring at the chains on the walls and…. I tried to mindlink you. I am taking her back to your quarters.
Jax: I will make sure Orion is arrested. Can you stay with her?
Fin: Yes. That bastard will pay. Death penalty.
He burst through the door to Jax's quarters and gently let her down, still supporting her weight. Her legs were trembling too hard to stand.
"S-s-sorry," she stammered.
That shattered him.
He pulled her into his arms, and whispered against her hair. "You don't apologize to me."
They stood like that for a long moment. Her breathing slowed. The firelight soft and warm.
Fin finally said, his voice low, "You know… I always imagined rescuing a beautiful girl from a tower, not a dungeon. But points for dramatic flair."
Nova gave a broken laugh, wiping at her eyes.
"There's that sound," Fin whispered with a smile. "That's the one I came for."