Fin held her for a few minutes kissing her forehead, temple, and her shoulder. He couldn't stop. He mindlinked Jax.
Fin: Hey buddy you there?
Jax: Yes. What do you need?
Fin: I know this might be the last thing you want to deal with. Can I send an omega to grab some of Nova's clothes? Just whatever you're okay parting with.
There was a long pause before he responded, clearly in pain.
Jax: Yes, I'll pack some. And send it up with an Omega. She doesn't have much. I was going to get her more after seeing Elle's closet.
Fin: Elle's closet is ridiculous.
Fin agreed with a grin.
Fin: Thanks. She was worried you wouldn't want to help… but I think it meant a lot that you did.
Jax: Of course I would. I will always. But… I'm feeling the bond break now. It's rough. Can you get her a tonic from Elias?
Fin: Already did. Elias said it's the most bitter one he's ever made. She drank it in one gulp.
Jax: I'll believe that when I see it. Can you tell her she's not a liability? I had a feeling Bloodmoon got under her skin but she was trying to play it off like he didn't. I can see her leaving with some twisted logic that that's the only way to protect us.
Fin: I was going to. Letting the tonic settle first. Anything else?
Jax: Yes. Don't let her stay in another room. Insist she is staying with you. Take it from experience, that's what she wants — but gets in her own way. Just do it.
Fin: Done.
Nova curled into him, breathing in his scent. She didn't feel good, but… better. A little better.
Then it hit again. That dull, aching sadness. The uncertainty.
"Nova," Fin said gently, "I wanted to talk to you about a few things."
She tensed and tried to sit up.
But his grip tightened on her and he wouldn't let her move.
"Stay here." His voice was soft, but firm. She relaxed slightly.
"I want to start by saying… Balen isn't all good or all evil, but he's not someone I trust with you. What he said — about the white wolf hunt, the alliance, and what he'd do if he caught her — made my blood boil. I wanted to rip his head off."
He felt her tremble at the memory.
"You handled that situation like a true queen and I was so proud. You outsmarted a room full of war strategist werewolves without breaking a sweat. You were playing chess and they were not even aware."
He took a breath and added: "But anyone would be shaken hearing that. You are not a liability to this pack. You are the most important person to me and by extension, to all of us, and I will not let anything happen to you. Don't ever worry about that. Your wolf is extraordinary, and when you are named our Luna and Queen, the whole pack will feel honored."
"Your wolf has been with one other person in history, my wolf has been with many Alpha Kings. Your wolf chose you."
Another tear fell onto his chest.
"I d-didn't know th-that." Nova said. "Did Xeon tell you?"
"Yes. And anyone who comes near you to harm or threaten you will answer to me — and I will not hesitate to kill them."
He felt her heart twist in guilt.
"You are not putting anyone in danger. You have Jax. You have me. Both of us would tear the world apart to protect you. You were born to be our Luna, and I need you here."
He took a breath, voice thickening.
"Jax was worried you might try to leave — thinking it would somehow protect us." Fin shook his head slightly. "It wouldn't. I'd come after you every time because I can't live without you. I love you to pieces and I need you next to me."
His voice softened, edged with plea. "Please stay. Can you promise me you'll stay?"
Nova froze, startled that Jax had said that to Fin. It had crossed her mind — but she hadn't breathed a word of it to anyone.
"Yes," she whispered. "I promise I'll s-stay."
Her voice cracked.
Fin's chest ached. That tiny tremor in her voice told him that Jax's instinct was correct. She had been thinking that.
"Good." His voice dropped, more steady now.
"Second order of business—I want you as my Luna. My wife. My mate. And nothing is going to change that."
He looked down at her and elaborated, voice confident and fierce.
"Not what you're going through right now with the broken bond. Not the fact you had a bond with Jax. Not you being a white wolf. You were made for me, Nova. That was no mistake."
He kissed her head again and moved his thumb gently along her back.
"I knew you were mine from the moment I smelled your scent and dreamed of you that same night. I followed that scent like it was the only truth I had. And when I found you… when I saw you chained to that wall, I ran to you. Touched your cheek—and the sparks were instant."
He exhaled, still stroking her back. "There was no hesitation. No doubt. My wolf said 'Mate'—but I already knew. I felt it first."
He gave a small, rueful smile. "And then I saw Jax carrying you and gods, I hated it. It made me jealous. I was stuck with Meredith, who smelled wrong in every way. Her scent made my skin crawl, because all I wanted was you."
His voice lowered, almost reverent. "You were the most beautiful woman I had ever seen. And part of me questioned if you were even a shifter. You felt too… otherworldly."
"Them calling you omega didn't matter to me. None of that did. I only put you in the omega wing because I knew—if I didn't—I wouldn't be able to stay away. I didn't trust myself not to come to you. I was a fucking idiot and I regretted it immediately."
His voice dropped lower, jaw tight.
"I kept tabs on you. From the beginning. When Meredith laid hands on you, I saw red. When I watched you train with Aeron and found you collapsed on the ground, I almost shifted on the spot."
"Every time you landed in the infirmary, I was there. I sat with you. I gave you my blood when you were injured. I worried about you. But I always left before you woke up."
His thumb brushed her cheek.
"I've always wanted you. Always. Never doubt that. I don't ever want you to think you weren't enough. Or that you weren't what I wanted. Because you were. You are. I wanted to claim you from the start. And it ate away at me every damn day that I didn't."
He tightened his grip on her and kissed her head again, slowly.
"If you told me you killed someone," Fin said, brushing his thumb along her back, "I'd bury the body. No questions asked."
His voice was quiet, but unshakable.
"I will never waver from you. Ever. There is nothing you could do that would drive me away. You're what I want. That's never been in question."
He heard her breathing calm and tension began to slip from her body — slowly, but tangibly. He could feel relief seeping through their matebond, still with doubt and caution but some relief. He knew what Cael told him had all been true.
Still cautious. Still raw.
But the weight was lifting.
"I'm also not asking when it comes to living arrangements," he added, a touch firmer now. "You're moving into our quarters. We're getting your things, and this—this room, this bed—is yours now. Permanently. You don't have a say or choice in the matter. I'm just notifying you."
"If anyone in this pack asks whether you're my mate, you say yes. Because you are. My fated. And I'm damn proud of it."
Nova swallowed, her head resting on his chest and he felt more ease spreading slowly through her, quiet but real.
"If you're ever going to be out of my sight or not near me," Fin continued, "I want to know. Mindlink me. Come find me. You're never bothering me. You will never be an interruption. You're the most important person in my life. If I'm breathing, I want to know where you are."
He kissed her head again gently, and held her very tight.
"I want to know where you are at all times and I'd rather have you with me at all times."
He grinned slightly.
"When you were with Jax, I wanted to know everything too. I just had to be sneakier about it."
Another kiss.
Nova let out a quiet breath, but Fin wasn't finished.
"And if you ever feel anxious… if your chest tightens or you can't breathe — if you are worried that you might get like that and are trying to calm yourself. I want to know. Even if you think it's nothing. Even if you feel bad or guilty for feeling it. I still want to know."
He held her closer, his voice low but unwavering.
"I'll mindlink you if I feel it too. I'll be there. Always."
He paused, jaw tight.
"I felt it through our bond when you were with Elle, and I couldn't reach you. I didn't know where you were, and I was worried sick."
His hand brushed her cheek, gently wiping away a tear with his thumb.
"You don't ever have to be ashamed of that and hide it. I had the same panic attacks for over a year after coming home from war. I know how hard it is. And I know you're probably beating yourself up just for having them."
He leaned in, voice quiet and sure.
"But it's not your fault. And I don't love you despite it — I love you more because of it. Because you're still standing. Still fighting. Still here."
He kissed her again. "And I will always protect you."
He felt her take a deep breath and swallow beneath him — the quiet tension in her body slowly giving way. He held her like that, wrapped around her, his hand stroking her back until her breathing evened out and her eyes slipped closed.
She fell asleep in his arms, and Finric stayed exactly where he was — holding his world.
___________________________
Nova slept better than she had in weeks. Even before the summit, the dreams had been bad—twisted, fragmented memories she couldn't seem to outrun.
She was grateful Fin had taken the time to speak so kindly to her. She hadn't been doing well, and though she tried to hide it, he'd seen through it anyway. And still, he stayed.
She was touched by the things he'd done quietly from the shadows, without ever telling her. That kind of care—subtle and unspoken—meant more than words.
As she slept, Fin held her close and listened to the steady rhythm of her breath. He could feel it: the way her body had relaxed, the tension slowly fading from her limbs, the weight of uncertainty easing with every quiet moment.
It made him wonder why he'd held so much back. Or why it had taken him this long to give her the reassurance she clearly needed.
"I love you, Nova," he whispered softly, tightening his hold on her. "So much it hurts. And I'll make sure to tell you from now on."
His throat constricted. His eyes burned.
A familiar voice stirred within his mind.
Xeon:You did good there. Seraphine was worried about all of that too.
Fin:I clearly have a lot to learn. Jax told me he had a hunch she might be thinking of leaving… and he was right. Cael too. I didn't realize how close she was to breaking.
Xeon:You were in sync with her and picked up on her reactions. That's what matters.
He paused briefly before continuing.
Xeon: Seraphine was also relieved you told Nova to mindlink you when she starts to panic. Nova's first panic attack ever was when Meredith threw her into our dungeons. Her second time was at Maximus South. But since that second time they've been happening more and more frequently. She never told Jax.
Fin frowned, disturbed.
Fin:I saw her looking at the chains, so I assumed it was that. Is it the sensation of being locked up or something else?
Xeon didn't answer right away.
Xeon: At Maximus South she was trying to ignore the chains but the prisoners kept rattling them to get to her. When Orion kicked her ribs, spat at her, and screamed—it happened again. It triggered a flashback. Riven used to do the same thing. Same words. Same posture. Same scenario where she'd be scrubbing the floors.
Fin felt rage at the thought of that. How dare he.
Fin: He will be dealt with. Unless there was black magic involved, death penalty.
Fin's jaw clenched. To his surprise, Xeon agreed.
Xeon:Good. She wasn't fighting. She was scrubbing the floor as punishment. Even if she did order the arrest, Helga attacked her from behind—Nova would've had her neck snapped if she hadn't defended herself. I almost don't care if either of them were under the influence of dark magic. They would've had the ability to resist it a little if they were or show some kind of struggle. But neither did from what I've seen so far. Or remorse.
Fin: Noted. Bloodmoon just left and that trial will be held soon. If Helga's still in a coma, then so be it.
Fin pulled Nova a little closer.
He held her tightly, pressing his face into her hair and breathing her in. Her scent was familiar now—comforting and intoxicating all at once.
He couldn't help the urge building in him, the simple, aching desire to kiss her. Just once. Even if she didn't wake.
So he followed instinct. Leaned down and brushed his lips gently against hers.
He immediately regretted it.
A jolting sensation ripped through him—hot and sharp, like static down his spine. Every nerve lit up. His whole body reacted, painfully aware of how close she was. How badly he wanted her.
His body ached for her, craved her like air, and it took everything in him not to act on it.
He forced his eyes shut, muscles rigid. She needed rest. He knew that. But his body didn't care about logic. His pulse was racing. His skin was on fire.
It wasn't as bad as the day she went into heat—but it was close.
He wondered, not for the first time, if she could feel it too. If their bond let her sense how much he craved the feeling of her skin under his hands. How hard it was to lie there and not touch her.
Eventually, exhaustion won out. He let sleep take him, still wrapped around her like she might vanish if he let go.
When he stirred next, sunrise light filtered into the room. Nova was on top of him and he was still holding her tightly. The scent of fresh bread and dried herbs lingered in the air, and he noticed a folded blanket and a tray of food set neatly on the dresser.
Her clothes had been brought in. The omegas must've come in quietly while they slept.
Her eyes fluttered open, and immediately he felt it—the sadness and pain creeping back in through the bond. It was relentless. Heavy. Always waiting just beneath the surface.
"Nova, I'm here," he said softly, his hand still on her back. "Are you okay?"
"Yes," she murmured, then smiled faintly. "But I feel like there's electricity everywhere our skin touches. I don't think I'll ever get used to that."
Fin grinned. "It'll only get worse."
She laughed quietly, and he felt her eyelashes brush his skin. The sound made something stir deep in him. He wanted to kiss her again—was already trying to figure out how to go about it—when she asked, voice barely above a whisper.
"Can I kiss you, Fin?"
His smile widened, feeling the warmth of her blush through their bond. It only made him want her more.
"You don't ever need to ask me that," he said, leaning down and gently caressing her cheek.
His lips touched hers so softly at first it made her gasp. Sparks shot through her body and she jolted slightly from the intensity. Like their bond fully locking into place. He smiled again—he knew exactly what she just felt.
He kissed her, slow and gentle. Her hands found his hair, fingers threading through it, and he kissed her harder.