Nova What a long ass week. I’ve been itching to get out of my damn apartment, and now that my heat has passed, I cannot wait to stretch my legs. Who knows, maybe it will be my last heat as an unclaimed mate. The thought made me smile like an idiot, and I shake my head as I unlock the door to my apartment. I’ve decided to go to one of my favourite coffee shops and enjoy myself for a change since I never think of myself. To say that Will’s death and Alpha Cain’s chat changed me is putting it lightly. I know my worth now, and I’ve grown somewhat of a backbone - none of the wolves who used to eye fuck me even dare to anymore. I needed this, needed the trauma and pain to realise that I’m not anyone’s doormat. Now I just need to get a bit tougher in the fighting department. “Hey, Nova. I haven’t seen you in ages!” One of the baristas, Owen, greets me when I walk in. I wave and give him a slight smile before taking a seat at the back of the cafe. I didn’t come here to chat with anyone,
Nikolai I need to calm down and not piss Nova off, but I also need to know who that fucking guy thought he was. I would have ripped his throat out if she wasn’t there, maimed him and made him cry for his mother while- “You can ask me, Nickybabe,” she suddenly says, calling me that nickname that makes my heart stutter and cutting through my violent thoughts. I look over at her in the passenger side of my black SUV. She’s smiling and shaking her head, then she turns to me again. “I know it’s killing you.” “Damn right it is,” I grumble, turning back to the road. “However, you’re allowed to have friends of your own, Nova and I won’t be the guy to keep you from that.” I can tell that this surprises her, but truth be told, I had no right to tell her who she can and can’t be friends with. I won’t be the abusive asshole who keeps her from living her life the way she wants to - I can’t be that guy. “Thank you,” I hear her saying softly before she sighs. “But he was only an old friend fro
Nova Whatever I expected was trumped by what Nikolai did today. I didn’t know this sweet, sensitive side to him existed, and from everything he’s shown me today, I can tell this is the real Nikolai. There was no faking, no cocky attitude, no over the top behaviour—just us talking about anything and everything under the sun. The fact that he’s been keeping his distance from me because of the ongoing war makes sense as well. But he could have told me about what he was doing instead of blatantly ignoring me for over four years. I would have understood his reasoning better and would not have walked into Will’s arms due to loneliness. But what’s past is past, and I have something even better to look forward to now. He’s claiming me on the next full moon, and to say I’m excited is an understatement. He wanted to take me out for dinner on our drive back, but I, unfortunately, had my shift at the bar tonight. Since we’ve been closed for about a week, I know tonight will be one of our bus
Nikolai “Ah, fuck,” I grumble as I sit up. My head is killing me, and by the taste in my mouth, it seems like I knocked back at least three bottles of bourbon last night. Fuck, why did I drink so much? The image of Nova smiling and talking to that asshole shimmers into view, and the anger takes the place of confusion. Why does seeing her talking to other men get me this angry? Why do I feel so fucking overprotective of her when I trust her completely and know she is mine? Did Kai feel like this when he met Caterina? Did Kon when Lily went missing? I swing my legs over and take in my surroundings, noticing that I am not in my own penthouse; in fact… I didn’t know where the fuck I was. Getting up, I catch a whiff of peaches and know precisely where I am - Nova’s apartment. Did she bring me here last night? Fuck, I got blackout drunk, and she dragged me here, didn’t she? I need to apologise. Walking towards where her scent is the most prominent, I knock and open the door. “Nova?” I
Nova This man is going to be the reason my heart gives out one day. The kiss in his truck did a lot more than leave me flustered - I wanted him to do all sorts of filthy things to me and not stop. God, I’m pathetic, aren’t I? When the elevator door closes, Nikolai pushes me against the mirrored wall and cages me in by placing both of his palms against it on either side of my head. “You know, I can promise to keep my hands off you, but you will need to do something about your lust, little Rogue.” He says as his eyes flash silver, pressing his hard body against mine. “Do you want me to rip your clothes off right here and now, or will you reel in your scent?” “S-sorry…” I mutter, trying to think of naked old people and failing. “I didn’t mean-” “That’s okay; at least I know I can make you feel like this without so much as a touch. Although I want to do more than fucking touch you.” He says, then steps back, laces his fingers with mine and walks out into his familiar penthouse. Am
Nova At 10 am, Nikolai let me know that he might be late, and it was 3 pm when Alpha Cain called me over the mind link. Nikolai is not going to like it one bit, but I did try to call him to let him know that I had to leave his penthouse. Alpha Cain is back in town and has asked to meet with the pack because something had happened last night. By the sounds of it, it’s something terrible. There’s a melancholy air when I walk inside, no one is looking up, and Alpha Cain is pacing the floor up front. He looks up when he hears me entering, then breathes out a sigh. “Is that everyone?” he asks, and we all look around. Wait, how can this be everyone when three are missing? “Rook, Bishop and Estelle are not here, Alpha,” I speak up, and everyone turns to me with horrified expressions. “What?” I ask with a red face and shrug. Alpha Cain sighs again and pinches the bridge of his nose. “We’re gathered here this afternoon because two of our members are dead and one missing, also presumed dea
Nikolai “You know, wallowing in here won’t help you much; you need to speak with her,” Dimitri says when he walks towards me with a bottle of bourbon. After the disastrous meeting with Nova, I decided to come here, knowing I needed to clear my mind before facing her again. I can’t keep getting angry or jealous over stupid shit, so I’d rather take a breather before assuming. Even though I had already assumed what had happened with that fucker. “Yeah, but you’re the only one I could trust with knowing what I’m going through. Kai and Kon have their own shit to deal with after today.” I say, a shiver running up my spine as I try to push down the images of the dead pup soldiers. I see the same reaction on Dimitri’s pale face. “I’ve never killed children before, and today just… today was a bad day.” He says, taking a long drink straight from the bottle. Dimitri and I were called out to the edge of our territory and almost into Alpha Azura’s when the pup soldiers attacked. Children, no
Nikolai“How did this happen?” My brother is pacing the floor of the underground parking, bristling with even more rage than me. We’re waiting for Alpha Cain to arrive after Kai informed him that Nova went missing. After today’s events, cleaning up, covering up and now this…“We had an argument, and I left but came back about two hours later to make up with her. When I got here, I spotted my cell laying on the floor next to her glasses, and that’s when I saw this.” I say and hand my phone over to him. “Fuck!” he roars, about to throw my cell phone, but I grab it from him.“One thing that baffles me, Kai, is how you said the coven bewitched our borders so only our allies can enter; so what the fuck happened with Bastien? How was he allowed to enter our territory?” I ask in a low voice filled with anger.Kai looks surprised when I ask this. But just then, Alpha Cain stalks towards us, looking just as pissed off. “Alpha Kai,” he says with his hoarse, damaged voice when he sees my brothe