He was running hard, snow whipping at his sides, paws pounding like war drums across the forest floor — when it hit him.
A surge of emotion through the bond. Not fear or sadness anymore.
Terror.
So sharp it made his wolf stumble mid-stride.
His claws dug into the earth, and his head whipped in the direction of the pull, heart hammering in his chest.
Something was wrong.
Then he heard it — a scream. High-pitched. Nova.
No. No no no—
The mate bond surged and he could sense she was in a lot of pain. He pushed harder, dodging trees, muscles burning with speed. And then—he saw it. A clearing just ahead.
Nova. On the ground. Surrounded by masked rogues or warriors. Fin couldn't full tell.
One rogue had her by the throat, a gleam of silver flashing in his hand. Her face twisted in pain. Another warrior kicked her again while she was down.
A fire lit in Finric's chest.
Mine.
A growl built deep in his throat—ready to kill. He attempted to mindlink his Border & Patrol Captain, Gamma, and Beta.
Fin: Multiple attackers. Need backup immediately.
No response.
He needed to get her out of there. Just as he leaped into the fight, a shape shot out from the left.
Jax.
The gamma slammed into the knife-wielding rogue like a meteor, tackling him backward. The knife sank into his side, but Jax didn't stop.
With a savage twist of his jaw, Jax's fangs closed over the rogue's throat and ripped it clean.
Blood sprayed.
The other attackers paused in shock.
Fin skidded to a halt just as Jax fell down, panting, wounded—blood soaking his side.
And then—Nova stood up, blood coming out of her mouth and stumbled over to Jax. She grabbed the knife pulling it from him and cut her hand before he realized what was happening. Her silver blood poured onto him. The wound glowed with her hand above. White. Blinding. Soft. He was still in wolf form, but it was clear he wasn't in pain anymore. A second later, he stood up, completely healed. On alert ready to protect.
She dropped back down to her knees and hands holding her rib.
Three wolves lunged for her.
Snarling. Fangs bared. Kill orders in their eyes.
And then—
BOOM!
A pulse of blinding white light exploded from Nova's as she collapsed fully onto her side on the ground, lifting the wolves into the air and slamming them into the trees with bone-snapping force.
They dropped, unconscious.
The blast went in all directions — except two.
Fin and Jax weren't touched.
The glow faded.
Fin rushed over now standing above her, back in human form, shirtless, furious, jaw clenched so tightly it looked carved from stone.
He didn't touch her. Didn't speak. But his entire body was shaking.
Not with rage. With something deeper.
The attackers blood stained the snow.
And the only sound was Nova looking afraid… gasping for breath —
Fin read her emotions through the mate bond. He dropped to his knees beside her.
"You didn't do anything wrong."
She looked up at him, wide-eyed.
And for the first time, he didn't try to hide it.
"You're mine."