Bye, Jax. (He Did Not Bye.)

Jax was supposed to be heading back to his quarters after training.

He wasn't supposed to notice the faint trace of vanilla and moonlight drifting through the corridor.

He wasn't supposed to care.

But he did.

The scent hit him hard enough that he paused mid-step, eyes narrowing. Nova. It was her. Fresh, recent. She must've passed this way minutes ago. He looked toward the direction of the Omega wing, jaw tightening.

He shouldn't...

He exhaled sharply. What are you doing, Thorne?

He turned back toward his quarters, stripped down, and took the fastest shower of his life. The water barely had time to run hot before he was already toweling off and pulling on a black shirt. Halfway through lacing his boots, he caught himself.

And then what? he thought bitterly. Show up? Ask to tag along like some lovesick pup? What would you even say?

There were rules among pack hierarchy. Gammas didn't mingle casually with omegas. They could command, protect, even mentor, but they didn't blur lines. It kept power balanced, authority intact.

The Alpha, the Beta, the Gamma — they carried the burden of distance. That was the price of rank.

He knew it. He believed it.

Until her.

Still, maybe he could just... check on her. Make sure she was all right. That's what he told himself as he walked down the hall toward the omega quarters, hands in his pockets, expression calm even though his pulse was anything but.

He was just turning the corner when someone collided with him hard enough to knock him a step back.

"Whoa—"

His hands shot out instinctively, gripping slender arms before the girl could fall. Her body pressed against his, light, soft, warm.

Vanilla and moonlight.

His wolf howled.

Nova blinked up at him, wide-eyed, her lips parting slightly as her breath caught.

"Jax! I'm sorry. I didn't see you." Her cheeks flushed pink.

For a split second, he forgot how to speak. Then, because his brain had decided it was either flirt or combust, he smirked.

"Well, if this is your new way of saying hi, I could get used to it."

Nova's laughed, and responded with, "You wish."

"Every night," he muttered before his brain approved the message.

Her lips parted. More blushing. Another soft laugh — which hit him like a lightning strike straight to the damn soul.

Only then did he realize he was still holding her. His thumbs brushing the inside of her elbows. Bare skin.

Too intimate.

He let go abruptly, clearing his throat and pretending he didn't feel like an idiot.

But gods — she was beautiful.

Her hair was curled, half-up, moonlit waves cascading to her waist. And the dress—

A short black thing that glimmered when she moved. Elegant without trying. Soft without effort. And just revealing enough that his temperature spiked.

It was perfectly reasonable attire.

Completely fine.

Absolutely not fine.

Then he noticed Elle.

The fiery redhead stood a few steps behind Nova — wrapped in a tight scarlet dress, heels that looked like a lawsuit waiting to happen, and enough makeup to make it clear she either planned to win a beauty pageant or commit a felony. Possibly both.

Jax almost snorted.

Someone should tell her she's one glitter away from being an adorable redheaded clown, he thought, biting back a grin.

And then it hit him —

Elle had done Nova's hair.

Picked her dress.

Painted her lips that soft rose shade that made his pulse do stupid things.

They were coordinated. Matching.

Like sisters gearing up for trouble.

"Going somewhere?" Jax asked, aiming for casual even as his wolf paced behind his ribs like a caged storm.

Elle's green eyes flicked between him and Nova, and a slow, wicked smirk curved her mouth.

"You'd probably sleep better not knowing where we're going, sir," she said in that too-innocent, too-mischievous tone of hers.

Jax barked a laugh — smooth, effortless, absolutely fake.

"I don't sleep much anyway," he said lightly.

Nova stepped back, smoothing the skirt of her dress, smiling in that shy way that made something in him unravel. Elle immediately wrapped her arm through hers, already tugging her toward the exit with determined redhead ferocity.

As she passed, her hand brushed his forearm — just a fleeting whisper of touch.

"Bye, Jax," Nova said softly, glancing over her shoulder.

He watched them walk away.

Nova's silver hair caught the torchlight like spun moonfire.

Elle whispered something outrageous. Nova laughed, soft and bright.

And that was it.

He was done pretending he wasn't in too deep.

He waited until they rounded the corner before moving.

Then his expression shifted — subtle but unmistakably predatory.

There was no way in hell he wasn't following them now.