The second Colonel Sterling arrived, Jax stepped back from Orion Emberhide — barely.
His claws still twitched with restraint, and the air around him sizzled with Alpha energy from a Gamma. He didn't say a word as Orion was shackled and escorted inside for processing. Jax only gave one order.
"He's not to leave his cell until trial. And I'll be overseeing it."
Then, without waiting for a response, Jax shifted into his wolf — massive, black as night, eyes blazing gold — and ran.
The wind whipped around him as trees blurred past. But through all the motion and distance, he still felt her.
Nova.
The unsettled feeling hadn't left him completely. Her panic had dulled, but something inside her still trembled like an echo. And that echo rattled his soul.
As his paws pounded against the dirt, he made a vow to himself: Never again.
Never again would he ignore his instincts when it came to her. That little twinge in his chest earlier — the uncertainty, the unease — he'd brushed it aside, trying to be rational. That wouldn't happen again. From now on, if anything felt off with Nova, he would act.
He was her mate. Her protector.
And it was time everyone else remembered that.
By the time Jax reached the castle and shifted back, his jaw was tight with determination.
There were things he had tolerated — things that had chipped away at him without realizing. But no more.
She was not just his mate. She was his everything.
His luna meant certain standards and protections.
Nova Thorne. Luna of House Thorne. Gamma Luna of Shadowclaw.
It was her right. And his right to give her.
And training like a warrior, throwing herself into combat day after day?
No.
That ended now. It was her duty to serve as a Gamma alongside him. She would be shadowing him moving forward so she could step in her proper role.
It was unheard of for the mate of a royal — let alone the future Luna of a High House — to be sparring daily like a soldier. That was never the path she should've had to choose between. She wasn't just a warrior or an Omega.
She was his equal.
A Gamma now.
His Luna.
Cael had even brought it up earlier in Fin's study over drinks — and for once, all three of them had agreed. It set a terrible precedent to have professors and instructors speak to their mates with anything less than deference. It diminished not just the girls — but them.
Both girls should be shadowing their mates all day. That was how a pack functioned: two Gammas, two Betas, an Alpha and a Luna — all sharing the burden of leadership.
As his mate, Nova would shadow him throughout every day: at council, in the war room, during border decisions and diplomatic talks. She would sit beside him where she belonged — equal in presence and authority.
Aeron would perform the private ritual to officially grant her the gamma aura, should she choose to wield it. It was her right. Her role. And he should have done this the moment he claimed her before the elders.
Enough was enough — she would no longer be treated as anything less than the woman destined to rule beside him.
And why was she still living in the omega quarters?
That ends today.
He had already mindlinked the Omega Captain of the royal wing, instructing her to assemble a trusted team to quietly and efficiently move all of Nova's belongings into his quarters — where she belonged. That needed to be done in the next hour.
Her days of sleeping in the omega wing were over.
She was his mate. His Luna. And she would be treated accordingly.
He also requested a list of the most experienced and loyal omegas, seeking a personal recommendation for who would be assigned to serve Nova moving forward — as was custom for someone of her station. One omega would be selected to attend to her daily needs, ensuring she was cared for with the same respect and dignity afforded to any royal.
The fact that Princess Meredith had ten attendants and Nova had zero?
That the Moonveil girl was made to choose between being a warrior or a servant?
Utterly unacceptable.
That changed the moment he claimed her as his.
He'd been holding this all in — biting his tongue, not wanting to overwhelm her. But now that rage boiled beneath his skin, righteous and absolute, he couldn't anymore.
When he opened the door to their quarters, his eyes scanned the room in an instant.
There.
Nova sat curled on the couch, staring at the fire, her knees tucked to her chest. Her eyes were distant — hollow in a way that made something primal in Jax howl.
Fin was sitting a few feet away, quiet and watchful. His brows were pinched in concern, but he didn't speak. He was simply there.
The second the door clicked, both of their heads turned.
Jax crossed the room in three strides, scooping her up into his arms without hesitation.
Nova let out a soft sound — something between a gasp and a sob — as she buried her face into his shoulder.
"You're safe," he murmured into her hair. "I've got you. It's okay now."
He breathed her in, grounding himself. The scent of vanilla and moonlight flooded his senses. His anchor. His mate.
He held her longer than he meant to — only pulling back when Fin stood.
"Thank you," Jax said sincerely.
Fin gave him a small nod. His eyes lingered on Nova a second longer — and then he walked to the door. There was sadness in his expression. A heaviness Jax didn't have time to process.
As the door clicked shut behind Fin, Jax looked down at the girl in his arms.
"You okay?"
She nodded and lied, "J-j-just… tired."
Jax knew for a fact there was way more than that.
"I bet." He tucked a piece of hair behind her ear. "You look like you've seen battle."
"Just a g-g-grumpy p-p-professor." she said, managing a dry smile.
He kissed her forehead gently. Then, with a smirk he asked, "Did you miss me?"
Nova didn't hesitate. "Yes."
His grin widened as he leaned down and kissed her lips — slow and lingering, as if trying to wipe away the ache in both their chests.
She was his.
And from this moment forward, the world would treat her that way.