The Mare Report

Jax caught her before she hit the floor.

He held her tightly, jaw clenched, heart racing. She was too hot, with fever again. A deep one. The kind that seeped into bone.

Aeron was muttering something under his breath, hands glowing faintly as he moved to inspect the faint scorch mark where her blood had touched the enchanted parchment.

The air shifted. A soundless pulse rippled through the stone walls — barely perceptible, unless you knew how to feel for magic.

The door swung open. Fin stepped inside, gaze snapping to Nova like a caged predator. The scent of her blood clung to the air.

"What happened?"

Aeron didn't look up from the glowing parchment on the desk. "She fainted."

"I can see that." Fin's eyes flickered to the parchment. "What did you do?"

Aeron lifted his chin slightly, unfazed. "I needed to confirm something. The parchment is from the ruins beneath the Temple of the First Moon. It only activates in the presence of divine blood."

Finric stared at him. "Did you warn her before?"

Jax shifted, his grip tightening instinctively around Nova. "He didn't. And I nearly put him through the goddamned wall for it."

Aeron raised both hands. "Easy. She'll be fine."

"What did the parchment say?" Fin asked, not bother to hide his irritation.

"There's a war, she's hunted, doom and gloom. She's getting used to it. What I was most interested in is how it reacted to her."

Jax's jaw tightened. He exchanged a sharp glance with Fin.

"How many other things has she come across like this, that everyone's just letting pass?" Jax's voice was hard. "Because that is the second time I've heard this in two weeks. I swear I'll burn the records myself."

Aeron's head snapped up, eyes narrowing.

"What do you mean second time?" he demanded, voice low and dangerous. The same tone he used when he sensed someone was holding out on him.

Jax opened his mouth. Fin cut him a warning glance.

Aeron inhaled slowly.

"Oh no. No. No, no, no—" he muttered. "You two are not doing this silent-eye-contact-brooding-wolf-bullshit with me. Tell me."

Aeron stared at them both like he was deciding which to strangle first. "Explain. Now."

Fin exhaled, keeping his voice calm. "We overheard something."

Aeron's eyes narrowed. "Both of you."

Fin didn't flinch. "Yes."

Aeron folded his arms like he absolutely didn't believe a goddamned syllable of that.

"Fine. What did you 'overhear'?"

Jax's jaw tightened, his expression uncharacteristically serious.

"Nova met with a fortune-teller who predicted a captain would fight her. Which we all know happened."

Aeron muttered, "Gods. Hunter Ryker is an idiot."

Fin's jaw flexed. "She also predicted that by the seventh sunset, the Dark Alpha would..."

His voice trailed off.

"Yes, mystery solved. Dark Alpha identified," Jax said, giving Fin a nod. "And you're marrying his sister. That'll be one hell of a family reunion."

Fin's glare could've leveled a building.

"What?" Jax smirked.

Aeron dragged a hand down his face. "You two have the emotional discipline of unsupervised toddlers."

Aeron continued as if the prophecy was as a weather report. "Anyways, as I was saying, the parchment..."

He looked up, eyes gleaming like he had made a scientific discovery. "Is thousands of years old and only responded to her. It was made for her."

Nova stirred in Jax's arms and his expression softened. For a half-second, he looked wrecked with protectiveness.

Fin stepped forward like he hadn't just watched that happen.

"I can take her," he said evenly, like this was a simple logistical choice and not a declaration of war.

Jax turned his head slowly. "Can you?"

Fin's eyes narrowed. "Gamma."

"Alpha." Jax mirrored the tone perfectly, then tightened his hold. "Feel free to order me. But you're going to have to pry her away from me to make it happen."

A muscle in Finric's jaw twitched.

"She needs a healer," Fin said, voice low and tight. "She needs rest."

"That's where I'm taking her," Jax answered. His eyes flicked up, gleaming with something sharp. "I forgot to tell you about my encounter with your chosen Luna. You know... the Dark Alpha's sister."

"Oh yes, do tell us how the mare is doing?" Aeron muttered so dry and deadly that Jax snorted.

Fin's voice came out like a blade. "What happened."

He had a feeling when. The day he let Meredith pleasure him.

Jax didn't soften the blow.

"I caught her trying to enter the room Nova was passed out in," Jax said. "She wouldn't take her hand off the door. Refused to leave. Then asked if it was her inside."

Fin went still.

Jax's jaw ticked. "She knew it was Nova. I didn't answer. And she told me, with the confidence of a delusional queen, that she'd replace me the second she became your Luna."

That hit its mark. Fin's mouth curled, but not into a smile. "She said that?"

Jax chuckled, rolling his eyes. "With a smug little smirk, too. Thought it'd take her at least another month or so before she let herself slip in front of one of us."

Silence hung between them, heavy and bitter.

"She is never going to be my Luna." Finric's voice was steel and final. "Never."

Aeron looked up, "You mean you don't want the Queen and Luna of our pack to be kicking omegas, sending unauthorized sparrows, or meeting with warriors to talk about Nova?"

Jax's head snapped toward him, gaze darkening. "What?"

Aeron lifted a brow in disgust. "Oh yes. She is so far off the rails she needs a map, a compass, and possibly divine intervention."

Finric's nostrils flared, "What the hell does she even want with warriors?"

Aeron snorted. "Validation. Attention. An audience. Pick one. Pick all three."

Jax tilted his head. "At least she's consistent."

Fin exhaled sharply through his nose. His voice dropped lower. "I don't care what political alliance they're trying to protect."

"We need a plan. A clean one," Fin added, "She's a liability now."

"We could kill her." Aeron said flatly without emotion.

Jax stared at him.

"We might need to if we can't get rid of her another way," Fin answered, now surprising Aeron and Jax.

Jax's mind was racing. "We trade her. Bloodmoon Pack's northern border is exposed. A diplomatic mate for Grant, Balen's son."

Fin considered that. "I'll encourage Balen to bring Grant for our summit in a few months."

Fin's gaze drifted back to Nova.

"I'm taking her to to meet Elias." Jax shifted Nova slightly in his arms, before leaving the room.

He held her tight as he walked down the corridor, his stride purposeful.

Possessive. Silent.