Jax's wolf was howling. Everything about this felt wrong. He wanted to take her back to his own quarters, tuck her into his bed, guard the door, and rip apart the first person who tried to touch her.
He didn't want to let her out of his arms or out of his sight.
Fin was watching him — eyes sharp, angry. As if he could see every instinct Jax was trying and failing to bury.
Jax forced a breath.
"Understood, Alpha," he said. "That's the agreement."
He carried her to the infirmary.
When he finally laid her on the cot, something in him recoiled.
It felt wrong letting her go.
Unnatural.
Her forehead brushed the crook of his neck as he lowered her, and for a split second he felt it again. Sparks. A tingling burst of heat racing across his skin.
This was now the third time he'd felt this.
He'd told himself he imagined it.
A trick of exhaustion.
Nerves. Anything else.
But no, he definitely felt it that time.
When he reached out and touched her forehead again to brush back her hair — he had the same electric jolt shot up his arm, sharp and undeniable.
Not imagined.
Real.
He froze, breath shaky.
She was the most beautiful woman he'd ever seen, but it wasn't her beauty that terrified him.
It was the way his wolf lunged toward her with a ferocity that bordered on madness. The way she felt like gravity. It wasn't just his wolf. It was him too.
Mine.
Claim her.
Mark her now.
The instinct struck so hard he actually staggered back.
And Meredith's words made something violent churn inside him. It took everything he had not to silence her smug mouth permanently.
Now he was supposed to walk away like he hadn't carried Nova pressed against him…like he hadn't felt her sparks on his skin… like he wasn't coming apart at the seams wanting to protect her.
Jax swallowed, throat tight.
Then he forced himself to turn away.
Forced himself to walk out of the infirmary.
Ignoring every instinct screaming at him to turn back.
That night, Jax tossed and turned. When he finally closed his eyes, he dreamed of her.
Alone in a white field.
Sad. Trembling.
Her green eyes found his.
"Who are you?" she whispered.
He tried to speak, but nothing came out.
He reached for her —and darkness swallowed her before his fingers touched her cheek.
Jax jolted awake at dawn, panting.
"Get her out of your head," he muttered, dragging a hand over his face. "Just a dream."
He got out of bed, and cleaned himself off, preparing for the day.
But when he grabbed his cloak, about to leave, he froze.
Her scent lingered on the fabric.
Warm. Sweet. Moonlit.
Still strong enough to punch him in the chest.
He shouldn't be able to smell her like that hours later. Not unless—His heart stuttered.
Not unless she was his fated mate.
He returned to the infirmary the moment the halls opened. She was still unconscious. His feet carried him to her without thought.
He brushed her forehead with his fingers again and the sparks hit him harder this time, a surge of heat and lightning that shot straight to his throat.
He hadn't imagined any of it.
Her scent was intoxicating.
His pulse thundered.
His wolf pushed violently against his ribs—
But still no word.
No bond recognition.
No declaration of mate.
Just confusion so deep it hollowed him out. Just longing.
Blessed by fate or not, he cared for her.
Fin's voice cut through his mind like ice:
Fin:Jax. Report. Now.
The trance shattered.
Jax forced himself to step back. To turn away. To leave her again. Even though every cell in his body fought him.