The southern lords of the borderlands arrived at dusk with four banners snapping in the cold wind, bearing the jagged black crescent of House Bloodmoon.
Alpha Balen Bloodmoon dismounted first, regal in silver-trimmed furs, his grey-streaked beard neatly trimmed and his dark eyes sweeping across the castle courtyard like a hawk. At his side, his son, Grant, stood tall and broad-shouldered, but with the uncomfortable stiffness of someone still learning to wear power.
Fin and Jax stepped forward, flanked by their warriors. Jax's jaw was tight. Fin was watching Balen carefully — every blink measured.
"Shadowclaw," Balen greeted with a firm nod. "And Thorne. Good to see you both."
"You as well, Bloodmoon," Fin said diplomatically. "We appreciate you making the journey. I know the winter storms delayed things."
"Bah, nothing compared to the last southern frostbite summit," Balen grunted. "This is practically spring."
Then, Balen's eyes landed on Nova who was standing in the back with Elle and Cael.
To their surprise, he paused — stared for longer than comfortable studying her. His expression softened into something unrecognizable. Possibly, nostalgic.
"Is that... Nova Moonveil in the flesh?" he asked, voice lower now.
Jax stepped slightly in front of her instinctively. "Yes," he answered, protective.
"How old is she now?"
"Eighteen," Fin answered.
Balen raised a brow and turned to Grant. Grant looked mortified and didn't respond.
"She's my mate and Gamma Luna to our pack." Jax said, with a smile pretending to not have noticed that look.
Balen studied him for a long moment, then slowly nodded. "Well. You're one of the luckiest bastards alive, then." He smiled. "If she's anything like her mother."
Before Jax or Fin could question him further, Balen took a few steps forward, beaming.
"Hello, Nova."
Nova's face lit up with surprise and warmth. "Uncle Balen! It's so good to see you."
The tension between the packs thawed slightly as she walked into his open arms and gave him a hug.
"I knew her mother and father," Balen explained, his voice raised for the others to hear. "And... the mad — I mean late King Ashbane." He winked. "She used to call me 'uncle' back then."
That night, the Great Hall echoed with laughter, music, and the clinking of goblets. Wine flowed freely. Nova sat with Jax, sipping slowly, politely refusing the third glass Balen offered.
After a few cocktails, Balen leaned back in his chair beside her and said warmly, "Nova, last time I saw you, you were this tall." He held his hand at waist level.
Nova smiled warmly. "Time flies."
He chuckled. "Your mother was the most beautiful woman in our time. What color is your wolf?"
She smiled and didn't hesitate. "Grey," she said smoothly.
From across the table, Fin glanced up. His expressions didn't shift — but he noticed. So did his wolf. So did all of the officers and captains at the table. So did Jax.
"You're grey as well, aren't you?" Nova asked quickly.
"You remembered." Balen beamed.
Nova beamed back at him and did a tilt of her head slightly, curious. "Why do you ask about the color of my wolf?"
"I was worried you were going to say white," he replied casually. "I'm relieved that's not you they're all referring to."
Nova grinned, "Relieved? You make it sound like she bites."
"Aye. If you're lucky she does." He said.
Balen took another sip and continued. "There's been talk… a woman. White wolf. Rare. Her blood heals wounds. Her mark grants divine power. She's meant for an Alpha. All that sort of nonsense."
"Sounds like a bedtime story," Nova said with a laugh.
"Perhaps. But a lot of bedtime stories are based in truth," Balen said and leaned into the table. "There's a bounty for her. Large enough to tempt even the noble."
All of the captains and lieutenants at the table pretended to be part of other conversations.
"You fit the description of the woman," he added, studying her face. "Actually... you exceed it."
She feigned surprise. "Me? Oh no — just a plain grey wolf, I'm afraid."
"I mean your appearance now. Your hair, eyes, complexion, build, it matches what they say." Balen said eyes not leaving hers.
"Careful. Accuse a woman of being divine and she might start believing you." Nova said grinning, not breaking her gaze away from him.
"Then the world should brace itself. You'd make a dangerous goddess." Balen smiled back then chuckled and looked away.
"And are you looking for her?" Nova asked.
"I am," Balen admitted. "I don't want to end up on the bad side of the alliance tracking her. I was worried you might be her, given your mother's wolf was white."
Nova nodded. "I have heard that, but my father's was black. Was it not?" Nova said.
"It was." Balen said still not breaking eye contact with her.
It was clear he was testing her and the side conversations at table had grown quiet. Not bothering to pretend they weren't listening.
"So grey would fit then, right?" Nova said.
"Mm. Maybe," Balen said, not entirely convinced.
"What would you do if you found this magical wolf?" Nova asked.
He leaned in conspiratorially. "If I found that she-wolf… I don't know that I'd sell her. I'd keep her for myself and then pass her on to Grant someday. Maybe have her mark us both." He said it with a chuckle, but something about the way his eyes gleamed made Nova's stomach twist. "Of course, she'd be a liability too. For any pack she's in. Everyone would come for her."
Jax's hand found her knee under the table.
Balen leaned back, studying her.
"Tell me, Nova… does your hair ever change in the moonlight? They say the woman is descended from the Moon Goddess herself — hair and eyes glowing silver."
Nova smiled, eyes glinting.
"I'm afraid not. My eyes are stubbornly green — gold when I shift, if they're feeling dramatic."
Balen swirled his drink, intrigued.
"Your hair is different from your mother's. It's lighter. Almost white or silver. I can't tell."
Nova tilted her head, amusement flickering across her face.
"My hair's always been this way. And if I were descended from a goddess, I'm fairly certain my mother would've mentioned that to you at some point. You two were close, weren't you?"
"Yes. Close enough that I asked the moon for her once and was denied." Balen said in a serious voice, face of stone.
"I'm sure you say that to all the daughters of your old friends — Queen Velora too, wasn't it?" Nova chuckled, the sound effortless.
Everyone near them chuckled and Balen smiled and raising his glass.
At this point, the servers were all pretending to not hear. Most had heard rumors of Nova. Her wolf. Her eyes. The fact she glowed. But they along with the captains, lieutenants, and majors followed their instincts and kept quiet, expressions neutral.
Elle and Cael started speaking with Gamma Varek Duskwind again, pretending to not notice.
"Oh," Balen added, with a look of mock surprise, "your brother, Riven, is looking for you, by the way."
Nova froze. "Oh, I wasn't aware."
"He said if I saw you, to give his regards before you slip away." He lifted his glass lazily. "Consider it done."
She didn't skip a beat. "Thank you, and if you see him, please give him my regards as well."
Her wolf was pacing inside her chest now. Balen's tone shifted.
"Where's Meredith?" he asked again, too lightly.
"I think she might be coming down with something. But I'll check on her for you." Nova answered.
Nova mindlinked Jax. Not realizing it was left open for Cael and Fin could hear too.
Nova: I think Meredith's chamber windows overlook the courtyard where I've shifted.
He waved it off. "Riven wanted to send his regards to her as well. She was sharp like her mother. Though… I feel bad for her being your sister. Poor thing."
"And how's Marra?" Nova asked, shifting the subject.
Balen's face dropped. "She's well. Still grieving. Lost her mate last year."
"I'm… so sorry to hear that," Nova said with sincerity. She always liked Marra growing up and hadn't heard anything about that.
Grant — who had been silently brooding by the fire — approached, cutting off the conversation.
"Father, are you scaring Nova with your stories again?" he said with a charming grin.
Nova gave him a quick smile. "Not at all. Your father's stories are the highlight of my evening. I just wish they came with illustrations." She grinned, raised her glass lightly. "You tell it better than any, Uncle."
Balen laughed, pleased by the compliment. "She always was quick."
Jax squeezed her leg once under the table. The game had changed — and Nova just played her first hand.
Fin watched her closely from across the table.
That wasn't just composure. That was political brilliance. She didn't take the bait. She didn't get defensive or freeze. She deflected the question with grace, redirected the room, and protected herself… all while making Balen believe he'd won the exchange.
She wasn't intimidated. Not by pressure. Not by implication. She was managing the room like a woman raised in a court twice as dangerous as this one.
She was playing chess while everyone else was playing cards.
His chest tightened with pride and something else. Something deeper.
Xeon stirred inside him.
Xeon: She's not just our mate. She's a queen in the making.
Fin: She's already there.
He took a slow drink, hiding the smirk tugging at the corner of his mouth. She might've just outmaneuvered a seasoned Alpha in a room full of wolves watching for weakness.
Balen refilled his glass with a sharp pour, his voice taking on a looser, more casual tone—the kind that came with age, authority, and a few too many drinks. His eyes flicked between Nova and Jax.
"So," he said slowly, "have the two of you… sealed the bond yet?"
His eyebrows raised. "Mated?"
The table went quiet. Fin's jaw ticked, and Jax's hand instinctively tightened around Nova's under the table.
Cael coughed almost choking on his drink, clearly listening.
Nova's face flushed.
Balen chuckled at the silence. "Forgive me. I ask only because, well…" His eyes sparkled with mischief. "If you haven't, and if you were still considering your options… I do have a son."
Grant, seated two chairs down, looked mortified.
Jax stiffened next to Nova, almost in disbelief that this conversation was happening.
"I mean no offense, Thorne," Balen added with a grin, "but Grant asked about her. We would offer you compensation to make it worth the trade. She'd be the future Queen of Bloodmoon."
Nova squeezed Jax's hand beneath the table. When she responded, her voice was as smooth as silk and twice as sharp.
"Well, that's very flattering," she said with a composed smile. "But I'm afraid you're a couple of months and mate marks too late."
Several officers chuckled under their breath. Even Grant let out a quiet exhale of relief.
Balen gave a short bark of a laugh, raising his glass again. "A shame. Queenship is no small opportunity."
Nova's eyes softened, her smile warming—not defensive, not dismissive, just eloquent and gracious. "It isn't. And coming from Bloodmoon, that's a compliment of the highest order. But my place is here… and I hope my mate knows I'm already exactly where I want to be."
Jax turned to her with a look so openly adoring, Fin had to look away.