Nova felt it through the mate bond — sharp as a blade and cold as winter water — slicing straight through her heart.
The world blurred.
Blood drained from her face. Her breath hitched.
Fin — across the ballroom — felt it too.
It was not just emotional. It was physical. Through their bond.
A sudden avalanche of heartbreak and resolve so fierce it nearly buckled his own knees.
What…?
What was she about to do?
The music from the ballroom had long since faded behind them, swallowed by the stone corridors of the east wing.
Jax followed Nova, heart hammering, unable to stop her — unable to stop any of it.
Fin pushed through the crowd, his wolf clawing at his ribcage. He had to reach her. He turned a corner, and the sight that greeted him stopped his heart mid‑beat.
Nova stood before Jax.
Alone.
Fragile.
But unflinchingly strong.
Jax reached for her — desperate.
"Nova—"
She stepped back.
Her voice shook, but her spine didn't.
"Jax, what is the one thing I asked of you… the day you asked me to be your mate?"
She swallowed.
"You gave me your word. Do you remember what it was?"
He didn't speak.
Couldn't.
She pressed on, voice cracking. "I said if you ever met your fated mate — or second‑chance fated mate — if your heart ever bled for someone else… you would end things with me."
"That was different then," he rasped, panic rising in his eyes. "Nova, I love you so much it hurts. I feel like we should be fated. My wolf agrees. It makes no sense why we're not—"
"Jax…" she whispered. "If you break a fated bond, you will regret it for the rest of your life."
"I don't feel anything for her!"
"That's not true."
Her lips trembled.
"I feel what you're feeling through our bond. You're trying to fight it. Trying to do the honorable thing."
"No Nova! She's not you!" His voice broke. "You're it for me. I could never want anyone else. You are everything. Beautiful and fierce and—"
"Jax…" she breathed. "Marra is a good person."
A tear slipped down her cheek.
"And it's not your fault."
His heart shattered right in front of her.
"You rejecting your fated mate dishonors her," Nova whispered.
He shook his head violently. "No. I choose you. I always choose you."
Nova smiled… and it was the saddest smile Finric had ever seen.
"My mother was fated to a man who already had a mate," she said softly. "She shared him in public and I was labeled a bastard for it."
Her voice broke.
"I won't be someone's choice while another woman is someone's destiny."
Silence.
Then—
With a strength she didn't know she possessed, Nova placed a hand over her heart… and spoke the ancient words:
"I, Nova Moonveil, release the mate bond to Jax Thorne. May the Moon Goddess return his heart where destiny wills it."
The world tilted.
Her knees buckled — and she collapsed.
Jax didn't fall.
Fin was the first to move. He caught her before she could hit the floor, gathering her into his arms like she was made of starlight and glass.
Jax slammed his fist into the stone wall — brick cracking beneath the force.
Aeron arrived just in time to witness the chaos.
He stared between Jax's agony and Nova unconscious in Finric's arms.
"Fated mate trouble?" Aeron asked quietly.
He looked at Fin. Not Jax.
Jax choked out, "Why is she in pain and I'm not?!"
Aeron's eyes slowly left Fin and went to Jax.
"You found a second chance mate?" He asked, stunned.
Jax didn't answer.
Aeron answered without softness. "Because you have a bond the Goddess honors. She doesn't have that protection. Yet."
Fin's jaw clenched hard enough to splinter teeth. His wolf snarled in his mind—violent, protective, wild.
He wanted to tear down the world for her.
A beat later, Princess Marra appeared — running toward them.
"Nova!" She gasped
She knelt beside Nova, concern etched across her face.
Not jealousy.
Not triumph.
Concern.
Because she was kind like Nova said. This wasn't her fault either.
She was nowhere near as pretty as Nova. A bit stockier, not striking, but she had kind, brown eyes that were genuine.
Fin ricocheted back to reality — scooping Nova up in fully in his arms like she belonged.
Aeron's mindlink came privately for Fin.
Aeron: Don't screw it up this time.
Fin looked at Aeron who raised his eyebrows. Nothing got past those eyes clearly.
Fin: I'm telling her everything when she wakes up.
He looked down at her — his heartbeat syncing to her slow breaths. Without looking at anyone else, he started toward the stairs.
Jax reached a desperate hand out. "Fin—please— Where are you taking her?"
"You'll make things worse," Fin said sharply. "Let her go right now."
Jax's chest heaved — torn between chasing after her and accepting what fate had forced. Every thing inside him said go after her and break this bond right now. But she had broken their bond and didn't want that.
Marra placed a trembling hand on his arm.
"Walk with me?" she whispered. "Please. Let me explain… whatever this is."
Broken and confused, Jax nodded and followed her.
___________________________
Nova lay in Finric's bed, fragile and pale, a faint crease in her brow as if she were still hurting even in unconsciousness.
Elle burst in and fell to her knees beside her.
"Nova…" she whispered, voice cracking as tears dripped onto the blankets.
Cael squeezed her shoulder, jaw tense with fury.
"It's not Jax's fault," he muttered, almost reminding himself that.
"But damn." He said, shaking his head.
Aeron and Elias stood at the foot of the bed, whispered diagnoses passing quietly between them.
"She should wake eventually. A day, maybe two." Elias said. "Breaking a mate bond is physically painful. Not just emotional."
Finric nodded — but didn't leave her side. Not for a second. He brushed a strand of pale hair from her face with reverence he didn't bother hiding.
His eyes darkened with resolve. She would not face fate alone again.