Snow flurried across the courtyard as Jax and Nova made their way toward the Iron Hollow, the northern dungeon carved deep beneath the mountainside. It was the coldest and oldest of the prisons — similar to Maximus South, built to hold those whose crimes were worse than death… or whose minds no longer belonged to them.
Nova's breath fogged in the air, her hand gripping Jax's tightly. He felt her nerves prickling through the mate bond — fear, determination, dread.
"We don't stay long," he said sternly. "If anything feels wrong, I'm pulling you out."
Nova just nodded, though her face was pale as the snow.
Two guards bowed low upon their arrival.
"Gamma Thorne," one greeted, eyes widening when he looked at Nova. News spread fast. "Gamma Luna, we weren't expecting—"
Jax cut him off. "Open the gate."
The massive iron doors screeched as they pulled open. Damp air rushed out, carrying the thick scent of silver and stone.
They descended the torchlit corridor. Cells lined both sides. Prisoners were murmuring, snarling, and muttering to themselves.
A prisoner stepped forward in his cell, only bars and a few feet separating him from Nova. With mad mad eyes and his hands on the bars, he sang to her:
"Silver chains. Silver chains. Little wolf. Tick-tock, tick-tock before you can't breathe."
Jax's blood ran cold. He instinctively wrapped his arm around Nova's waist. Nova pretended to ignore them but Jax felt her.
"Back away from her." He snarled through gritted teeth. He could feel Nova trying to keep calm.
Then a few of them chanted in unison:
"I dream of white fur and silver rain."
Jax didn't let go of her as they climbed stairs, entering a lower level. Again the prisoners started to chant.
"Silver blood, black fate. You can't run from what's already written."
Jax's jaw ticked and he held Nova tightly. They continued to walk quickly.
"They said you would come, but didn't say you were pretty."
Nova kept her eyes forward, not reacting. But at this point, the guards started to bang on the bars trying to quiet them down.
"Chains and clocks, chains and clocks—tick, tock, panic, panic."
Nova's heartbeat quickened and her breath hitched. Jax felt rage bubble in his chest at their words like never before. On instinct he unleashed an alpha aura. The aura Nova's mark gave him and one he didn't realize he had until that moment. Everyone felt it, except for Nova.
And in the moment he did. Silence. Guards bowed on instinct. Prisoners bowed lower, with their foreheads to the floor.
But nothing — nothing — prepared them for what waited at the end.
Helga.
She was chained by wrists and ankles, but the restraints looked barely strong enough. Her eyes were wild, flickering black. Like ink swirling inside molten gold.
When she saw Nova, she lunged.
A growl ripped from her throat as chains strained and rattled violently.
Her voice came out doubled with one tone hers and the other far darker.
"Little white wolf…"
The words dripped with venom and madness.
Nova flinched back instinctively. Jax shoved her behind him, muscles coiled, ready to tear Helga apart if she so much as blinked wrong.
Helga laughed — not a warrior's laugh. Something feral. Broken.
"Your blood… your blood burns through my mind… She wants it… she NEEDS it." Helga snarled.
Nova's pulse pounded. "Who does?"
Helga's neck jerked sharply, like something yanked invisible strings beneath her skin.
Her voice twisted into a childlike whisper: "The Queen of Ash… bone and sorrow…"
Jax stiffened. Meredith's mother? Could she be—?
Helga's head snapped back, snarling like a rabid animal.
They were in a prison, and mindlink didn't work.
Jax turned to a guard. "Notify the Alpha we are here and let him know we need Aeron Lancaster immediately."
Jax picked Nova up who was trembling, and moved quickly back to the end of the corridor onto the spiral stairs.
"Nova… let's get you out of here, Aeron will take care of this." He said gently kissing her lips. He hadn't put her down yet.
Nova swallowed.
"I'm okay, really. Don't worry." She said, giving him a quick kiss on the lips back that gave him butterflies. "We might need me here to show Aeron."
"I don't know how long it'll be." Jax said.
"He'll make a portal. I'll blast them back if I have to." Nova said.
__________________________________
Fin was in his study, reading over a proposed trade agreement with Bloodmoon. His mind had been wandering back to Nova since the ceremony. It was starting to become unbearable. He needed to see her and make sure she was okay.
But then his chest constricted tight. He felt pain, and the sensation that he couldn't breathe. His hand moved up to his chest instinctively.
Nova.
Fin was half way out of his study down the corridor to her and Jax's quarters when a mindlink came through from Colonel Sterling.
Sterling: Alpha, are you available? I have an urgent message from Gamma Thorne.
Fin: Yes, speak.
Sterling: He's at Iron Hollow and says he needs Aeron immediately.
Fin froze in his tracks. There's no way Jax would have taken Nova there when she was supposed to be resting… right?
Sterling: Do you want me to notify him?
Fin: No, I'll take it from here.
Sterling: Copy.
Fin mindlinked Aeron.
Fin: Aeron, I need you immediately. Where are you?
Aeron: My office.
Fin moved quickly to Aeron's office. The door was already open and Aeron was standing.
"We need a portal to Iron Hollow. Jax says he needs to see you immediately." Fin said.
"No problem, I can go there. Is there anything else you need?" Aeron asked.
"I'll be going with you." Fin said.
Aeron nodded, creating a portal to the front gates of Iron Hollow.
The warden greeted them.
"Alpha Shadowclaw," he said, bowing to Fin. "Mage Lancaster" he nodded to Aeron.
"Gamma Thorne is on the third level under."
"Thank you, we'll take it from here." Aeron said.
Fin could already smell her. She was here.
They moved through the halls quickly, ignoring the prisoners calls.
"Another Alpha coming for her. Claiming a pretty curse."
Another prisoner hissed at them.
"He marked her fast. Smart wolf."
Two more started chanting in unison.
"The moon offered but he didn't want what belonged to him."
Followed by the entire hall chanting in unison.
"Silver blood. Silver blood. Shines brightest before it spills."
"The white wolf's curse began when he claimed another."
Aeron and Fin froze, just for a split second. Fin unleashed his alpha aura. All the prisoners bowed to the floor.
When they reached the stairs, Fin saw Nova standing there looking pale and Jax was speaking with the prison warden, while holding her hand. Jax looked up at Aeron and Fin. His face was unreadable.
Aeron spoke first to Nova. "Aren't you supposed to be resting?
She blushed.
Jax answered, "What can I say? She's very convincing."
Fin didn't speak. He was beyond angry at Jax but he was going to give him the benefit of the doubt that he had a reason for this.
Aeron spoke again, "These prisoners, they all speak like they're possessed."
The prison warden, "Yes, it started a few months ago… but it's been getting worse since Helga Emberhide arrived."
"Nova had a theory about Helga… and I think there's something you need to see." Jax said.
They walked down the hall to Helga, Fin didn't let up on his aura.
The sight of Helga was disturbing to say the least. Her eyes were black and she looked nothing like a warrior of Shadowclaw.
Nova stepped into her sight.
Her breathing became ragged and uneven, like she was drowning from the inside. She stared at Nova — really stared — as if she could see more than a girl.
"Chosen one," Helga hissed. "Cursed one. The blade will find your womb. The crown will drink your blood."
Nova's heart nearly stopped.
Jax moved to step in front of her completely but Nova touched his arm — her fear shifting into something terrifying: Resolve.
Then Helga inhaled a long, shuddering breath and whispered with a voice that was entirely not her own:
"The poison will happen again."
The torches flickered violently. Her voice changed to sound like multiple voices.
"I'm watching you always. You can't hide."
Helga screamed — a sound that rattled every bone in the room — as she convulsed, slamming against the stone wall with inhuman strength.
And then, she fainted.
Nova swallowed and glanced at Fin for a second with concern that had scared him. Not the other way around.
Fin felt her concern and shook his head at the ridiculousness, trying not to smile.
Aeron exhaled, slow and grim. "This isn't possession," he said. "It's corruption."
"Can you break it?" Nova asked, voice trembling.
Aeron looked at her — really looked — and something ancient flickered behind his eyes.
"I'm not sure," he whispered. "But I think she's only the beginning."
Jax wrapped an arm protectively around Nova.
And far beneath the mountain's floor…something answered Helga's scream.
A heartbeat.
A pulse.
A stirring in the dark.