Hyran glanced to Aeron, then to Fin—seeking permission without daring to ask outright. He wasn't about to overstep an Alpha, but he wasn't about to let her die either.
Aeron straightened. "Everything that happens in this room stays in this room. You have our word."
Fin's jaw clenched. His whole body shook from the pain still tearing through him, but his voice was steady enough. "Yes," he rasped. "Alpha's orders."
Hyran nodded once and stepped closer to Nova's still body.
"Can we get Rex's blood hooked into her?" Hyran asked, already rolling up his sleeves.
Elias nodded once, his hands still moving with ruthless efficiency. "Fin's line is drained. Jax's is seconds from empty."
At the far end of the room, one of the assistants finished drawing Rex's blood. He hurried to Nova's bedside, swapped out the spent vial from Jax's line, and connected the new one. The tubing flooded instantly with deep crimson.
"Everyone back," Redmoon commanded. "And don't let this touch you."
Hyran lifted his hands. A low hum filled the room as his palms ignited in a deep, heartbeat-red glow. Smoke coiled from his fingers—thin, then thicker—until the very air twisted around him.
The smoke rose and sharpened, shaping itself into a dragon—vast, spectral, flickering with living fire.
Silence fell. No one breathed.
Hyran's eyes went fully red, pupils swallowed in molten light. The dragon hovered over Nova, opened its maw, and released a ring of flame. It circled her in a slow orbit, heat rippling through the room.
Then something shifted.
Black smoke began to seep from the base of Nova's sternum—thin at first, then pouring out in twisting, violent tendrils. It hissed when it hit the air, sparking violet, coiling upward like something alive and furious.
No one moved.
The darkness gathered above her, a writhing storm trapped inside an unseen barrier. Each pulse matched the failing beat of her heart.
The red dragon kept circling, dragging more of the corruption out of her—threads tearing free from her ribs, her throat, her hands—until all of it hung suspended in the air.
Then the dragon struck.
It lunged, jaws wide, and inhaled the mass in one brutal surge. The sound was like fire devouring ice—a strangled scream sucked into nothing.
The dragon flared bright crimson once—then darkened.
The red bled away, cracking, burning, until the entire form turned pitch black, veins of smoke and lightning crawling through its body.
The air went still. The black dragon hovered once over Nova, its eyes like twin embers.
Hyran's hand shifted, fingers cutting a tight circle through the charged air. The dragon above Nova twisted, folding in on itself until it compressed into a fist-sized stone hovering over her chest. It pulsed weakly, black light flickering through it like embers trapped in obsidian.
No one dared breathe.
Hyran lifted his right hand. A small circular portal tore open beside him, its edges white-hot. Heat blasted through—molten rock, the distant glow of a volcano's throat.
A flick of his fingers.
The stone shot into the portal. It snapped shut with a crack that jolted the room.
Silence followed—heavy, ringing.
Then Nova dragged in a breath, sharp and desperate, like she'd been drowning. Sweat beaded at her brow, her face tight with pain. Pain meant alive. Alive meant they still had her.
Fin let out a broken, half-disbelieving breath, and moved back to her in a flash. The agony that had been burning through him fading at last, draining away with the poison. "The antidote's working," he said, his voice still rough, jaw tight from the lingering pain—but steadier than before.
Elias broke the heavy silence first. "She's stabilized," he said, voice steady but low. "But she's lost too much blood. I'll need more in an hour—and a few more times before dawn."
"Take mine," Jax, Fin, and Rex said in unison.
Elias nodded. "I'll need all three of you."
Fin turned toward Rex, Redmoon, and Hyran, his voice rough but sincere. "Thank you. I will forever be indebted to you."
"You're welcome. We are honored to help." Redmoon said, and Rex nodded.
"Huh… that's interesting," Hyran murmured, almost to himself.
All eyes turned to him.
"Please—speak freely," Jax said, not wanting to spiral in his own thoughts.
Hyran's gaze flicked to Aeron. Something silent passed between them—an understanding, a realization—but neither spoke it aloud.
Fin frowned but didn't press. He just nodded once, turning his focus back to Nova.
Elias stepped forward again. "How's the pain?"
Fin exhaled shakily. "Still there—but dulling. Not sharp anymore."
Elias nodded, shut off the IV line with practiced precision, and corked the antidote vial. Turning to one of his assistants, he handed it over. "Afel, store it cold."
"Yes, sir," Afel said quickly, taking the vial and hurrying out.
"We can't give her any more of this until we get more blood in her system," Elias said firmly. "If we do, it'll start poisoning her."
Jax let out a short, disbelieving laugh that was half sigh, half frustration. "You've got to be kidding me…"
Elias straightened, his tone shifting back to command. "I need everyone out so we can tend to her properly. Please. You'll be allowed back in soon."
No one moved.
A quiet pause passed—and then Elias's voice echoed in Fin's mind.
Elias:We need to check her. Do you want everyone here to see her?
Fin:I'll clear them—but I stay.
Redmoon stepped forward slightly, his expression calm despite the blood still drying on the floor. "Finric, could we have a word? Whenever you have a chance."
"Yes," Fin said, his voice tight but measured. "Let's gather in the war room. Jax will show you the way. I'll meet you there shortly."
No one moved.
Jax's gaze flicked between Nova and Fin, conflict tightening his jaw. Then he exhaled, composed himself, and nodded, speaking to the others in a quiet, steady tone.
"Let's give them space," he said, voice low. "We'll regroup in the war room."
It wasn't a command—just quiet leadership, enough to nudge everyone toward the door without tension. Rex moved first. Ragnar followed. Aeron and Hyran fell into step behind him.
He sent another thought through the link, quieter this time.
Fin:Elle… can you bring Nova's silk shorts and camisole pajamas to the infirmary?
Elle:Yes, Alpha. Is everything okay?
Fin didn't answer. He couldn't.
Jax lingered for half a breath, eyes on Nova, then met Fin's gaze and gave a small, steadying nod before guiding the last few out.
One by one, they left the room, the sound of their boots fading into silence until only Fin, Elias, and Nova remained.
Elias looked at Fin, his expression cautious. "Are you sure you want to be here for this?"
Fin stared at him like he'd lost his mind. "She's my wife. My mate. My life. Yes, I'm sure."
Elias gave a single nod and turned back toward Nova, assessing the state of her blood-soaked dress. Just then, Elle appeared at the doorway, breathless, holding a silk camisole and shorts—ones Fin didn't recognize.
Her eyes darted from Fin, covered in blood, to Elias—also streaked red—and finally landed on Nova. Her hand flew to her mouth, tears instantly welling in her eyes.
"Nova!" she gasped, rushing forward to grab Nova's hand.
"Elle," Elias said gently but firmly, "you can come back in a few minutes. We need to check her."
Elle hesitated, trembling, then nodded reluctantly. "Yes, Doctor," she whispered before stepping out, her face pale and stricken.
Fin turned as an assistant approached with scissors to cut Nova's ruined dress. Absolutely not. His voice dropped low, commanding, edged with a warning. "I'll handle it. Everyone out."
Elias nodded, and no one argued. They quietly filed out of the infirmary, leaving Fin alone with Nova.
His heart cracked at the sight of her lying there like that. Every regret he'd ever buried surged to the surface—every stupid argument, every wasted hour he could have spent beside her, every moment he hadn't protected her the way he should have. He should have checked the tonic. He should have confirmed with Elias. Nova slept late—Elias would have waited for a mindlink to deliver it himself. Fin should have noticed. He should have known. He should have seen it.
His hands shook as he reached for her torn dress, then gave up on the buttons altogether and ripped it straight down the middle. The sound tore through the silence. His breath caught when he saw the state of her—her corset and lace were soaked through with red.
He swallowed hard, removing the shredded fabric as gently as he could. "I'm sorry, baby," he whispered, the words breaking.
He bent and pressed a kiss to her forehead, his tears falling freely now.
"I love you so much… I'm sorry I failed you."
He kissed her again, lingering there a moment, his hand trembling as it brushed her hair back. Her crown was still in place, glittering faintly beneath the lamplight.
Her boots were soaked through; he eased them off carefully and set them aside. Her socks, miraculously untouched, stayed where they were.
He did his best to clean the blood off of her, careful and methodical. Used scissors to cut the ruined corset and thong, the fabric falling in ribbons to the floor.
He found a clean rag and dipped it into the basin beside the bed, wringing it out before gently wiping the blood from her skin. His hands trembled as he worked. She was so impossibly beautiful, even now. Especially now.
His throat tightened as the reality of it hit him—the bleeding, the agony, the word Elias had spoken that he'd barely registered through the haze of pain.
Miscarriage.
The word echoed in his mind now, sharp and cruel. She hadn't even known.
Fin swallowed hard, his chest aching. This would have been the son foretold by the ancestors. But he wasn't Fin's. He couldn't be. Fin and Nova had only been mated for less than two weeks; Jax and Nova had been together for months before that.
He paused, his breath catching as he looked down at her. The thought burned in his chest, heavier than the pain, heavier than the blood still staining his hands.
This child—their child—would have been a son to him regardless of who had fathered him. Whether it was Jax's or his by blood didn't matter. The moment Nova carried him, he would have been Fin's in every way that counted. He would have protected him, raised him, taught him everything he knew. He would have had two fathers and been treated as the first born.
Fin's throat tightened. The loss hollowed him out in a way even war never had. He brushed a hand down Nova's arm, his voice breaking as he whispered, "He would've been ours, no matter what."
"I promise," Fin whispered, his voice barely steady, "we'll take the best bath of your life when you wake up." He kissed her forehead, his tears dripping onto her skin.
"Except this time," he said with a broken laugh, "I'm holding you the whole time—and I'm not letting go." He kissed her lips again, gentle but desperate, his tears still falling.
He wiped away what blood remained, and then slid her into the silk camisole and shorts Elle had brought. Bruises were forming under her skin, she was still beautiful—achingly so.
Fin straightened, swallowed hard, and sent a mindlink.
Fin: You can enter.
A moment later, Elias and two assistants stepped through the door. Elias's tone softened but stayed professional. "Can we move her to that bed? Be careful with her IVs."
Before the assistants could reach her, Fin was already moving. He gathered Nova into his arms effortlessly, holding her as if she might break apart. One of the assistants rushed beside him, keeping careful hold of the IV lines.
"Elias," Fin said, his voice shaking, "we're moving her to a private room. I will not have her out here exposed like this."
Elias hesitated—only for a breath—then nodded when he saw Fin's expression.
Fin didn't wait for permission. He carried her out, down the corridor, into a suite just off the infirmary—rarely used, quiet, with a wide bed, a small fireplace, a sitting area, a study, and a bathing chamber.
Fin laid her down with infinite care, smoothing her hair from her forehead before pulling a blanket up over her. An omega slipped in to light the fire. Elias and his assistants followed with medicine and IV lines. The extra steps between rooms didn't matter. She was a queen. And the look on Fin's face said everything Elias needed to know.
Fin leaned down and pressed a soft, lingering kiss to her lips. "I'll be right back," he whispered, his voice cracked, eyes shining with tears he couldn't hold back.
Elias and his assistants didn't comment, didn't even shift—but the truth was written across every face. Their Alpha, the man carved from discipline and iron, the one who never flinched, never faltered, never cried—was crying now.
Fin stepped out of the room, wiping his face with the back of his hand.
Elle was waiting by the door.
"You can go in," he said hoarsely. He sniffled once, trying to pull himself back together. "Thank you for bringing her that."
Before he could say another word, Elle stepped forward and wrapped her arms around him. The hug caught him off guard—but he didn't pull away. Her hold was firm, steady, the kind of grounding touch he hadn't realized he needed until the moment it was there.
They weren't as close as Cael and Nova, but Elle was his friend. One of the few he had outside of Cael, Jax, and Aeron. And now, with grief and exhaustion crushing the breath from his chest, he clung to her.
"Don't worry, Fin," she murmured, pulling back just enough to meet his eyes. "I'll watch her."
Her clothes were streaked with Nova's blood where she'd touched him, but she didn't even glance at it.
Fin managed a single nod, his voice too raw to trust. Then he turned and walked toward the war room.