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CHAPTER FORTY-THREE

TAI

I toss my phone onto the bed and scrub a hand down my face. What excuse can I come up with now? Several of her dads have already called twice, and her mom texted me again about why Nova hasn’t responded. I’ve even had a few texts from the twins.

The glow of the screen taunts me, a haunting reminder that I’m running out of believable lies. I can’t exactly tell her parents their daughter’s been holed up in a heat clinic for almost week. Hell, they don’t even know she’s wolf fae—let alone that her magic came in. Because that means I’ll get reassigned.

Her mom is in labor, and I can’t keep dodging calls forever. The last thing I want is a slew of royals sifting in and demanding answers I don’t want to give.

I pace the room, the creak of the old floorboards doing nothing to settle my nerves. They’re going to figure something’s up. Her mom’s smart—too smart, really. It’s a miracle I’ve managed to keep this charade going. I’ve told her Nova’s swamped with schoolwork, dealing with a “rough assignment,” and at one point, I said she was in the library so deeply immersed in her work she probably forgot her phone existed.

That last one barely flew.

My eyes flick to the door for the hundredth time, willing her to come back already. I’ve barely slept, too busy answering messages, covering for her, and dealing with the mess her absence has caused. If I didn’t know better, I’d think her parents could somehow sense when I was lying through my teeth.

I sigh, grabbing my phone again. My thumb hovers over Grimm’s number. He’s her incubus father, and out of each of her dads, he’s the least likely to tear my head off.

I need something new. A fresh excuse.

Before I can think of one, the sound of the door handle turning makes me freeze.

The door creaks open, and there she is.

Nova stands in the doorway, gaze colliding with mine. For a split second, it’s pure relief flashing in her eyes, and my heart twists. Her hair’s damp, her cheeks flushed, and she’s in clean clothes the clinic must’ve provided. My stomach tightens, but my shoulders sag now that I’m not carrying the burden of all these lies piling up. She looks—hell, she looks like she’s been through it, but she’s here.

“Nova,” I breathe, relief crashing into me like a tidal wave.

I cross the room in a few strides and pull her into my arms, burying my face against her neck. “Fuck. I’ve missed you.” I take a step back to let her shut the door. “Are you okay?”

“I’m okay,” she murmurs, holding on like she never wants to let go. “I missed you too, you know.” She steps back, letting the door click shut behind her. Though she tries for a casual shrug, there’s no hiding the strain in her eyes. “It hasn’t even been a week, but it felt like forever.”

“Feels like it’s been years.” I shake my head. I motion toward the bed where my phone sits. “Your mom’s been calling. A lot. And your dads. I had to convince them you’ve been buried in schoolwork, but it’s not gonna hold much longer. Your mom’s?—”

I pause, running a hand through my hair.

I drag a hand down my face. “She’s in labor.”

Nova stiffens, her lips parting. “Wait, now? Like, right now?”

“Yeah. And they’ve been asking where the blazes you are.”

Her eyes dart to her desk where her phone is, then back to me, guilt rippling across her face. “Shit,” she mutters, her fingers rubbing her temples. “What did you tell them?”

“Everything except the truth.” I cross my arms, leaning back against the wall. “But you’re gonna have to call them. Now. They’re not buying it anymore, Nova.”

She lets out a long sigh, dragging a hand through her snow damp hair. “Gods, this is such a mess.”

“No kidding.”

Her scowl lands on her phone again, teeth catching her bottom lip as hesitation shadows her features. “Alright. I’ll call them.” She glances back at me, something softer in her expression now. “But Tai—thanks. For covering for me. I really missed you, too.”

Before I can respond, she leans in, her lips pressing against my cheek. The tension I’ve been carrying all week starts to unravel, but something like unease remains as her body molds to mine. Chemical descenter clings to her, but it doesn’t mask everything, not when I’m an incubus who feeds on lust. Beneath it, her pheromones are still overwhelming, saturating the air like a lingering echo of her heat. And then there’s the other scent— his scent—still woven into her skin.

The realization twists low in my gut, jealousy biting harder than I’d care to admit. I hate that someone else could give her what I never will, that I wasn’t born with a knot, that I’ll never be what she needs when it matters most. But I shove it all down, every petty thought, because she’s here now, squeezing me like I’m the only thing that matters, and gods, I missed her more than I’ll ever let her know.

When she pulls back, I watch as she crosses to her side and plops down onto her bed. She might be back, but there’s something different about her now. Something in the way she carries herself.

Her wolf is close to the surface—I can sense it. And her parents? They’re not gonna miss the shift. Not for long.

“We need to get our facts straight.” I pace across the room. “Because the lies? They’re starting to pile up.”

Nova

The sift leaves my stomach churning, and when I land in the foyer of my family home, the sound of jovial voices hits me like a wave. It smells the same as always—evergreen trees, crisp mountain air, and the slight mineral tang of the waterfall running beneath us—but the usual serenity is shattered by the chaos of too many people crammed under one roof.

This isn’t a tiny home. We just have an enormous family.

“My turn with the baby,” my brother Bennett’s voice sounds above the rest as I step into the great room.

The tension in my shoulders eases at the sight of my siblings. Rose is perched on the couch, her braid falling over one shoulder as she cradles the tiny bundle in her arms like a goddess holding court. She’s wrapped in a pale pink blanket, and I can barely make out her features on account of the way Rose is hoarding her.

Across from her, Bennett stands with his arms crossed, his blue eyes narrowed. They’re too busy fighting to have noticed me yet.

“You’ll drop her.” Rose lifts her chin, her tone lofty. “Your hands are too big. She’s delicate.”

Bennett scoffs. “I have surgical hands. I’ve literally dissected hearts before.”

She takes on a mocking tone. “I’ve literally dissected hearts before.” She levels him with emotionless eyes. “With literal bombs .”

“That was one time?—”

“Enough.” Mom sweeps into the room with all the effortless grace of a luna fae before plucking the little bundle from Rose’s arms.

A silk wrap drapes around her shoulders, and her curly brown hair is loose. The soft lines of exhaustion around her eyes suggest that birthing hadn’t been easy. My chest aches at the sight of her holding the baby like she’s cradling the world.

“Nova,” she says warmly, her eyes lighting up. “Come meet your sister.”

That draws their attention. Rose’s eyes flick my way. “Well, look who finally decided to join us,” she teases.

Bennett spares me a quick once-over. “You’re lucky she let me hold her first. I was about to stage a coup.” He attempts to sound stern, but there’s a crinkle at the corner of his eyes—his telltale I’ve-missed-you-but-I’ll-never-admit-it look.

“You want to hold her?” Mom asks.

I freeze, suddenly unsure of myself. It’s been months since I’ve seen them all, and there’s a new kind of weight in the room now—something that wasn’t there before. My magic prickles under my skin, reminding me how much I’ve changed since the last time I stood here.

Can she tell I’ve spent the last week getting knotted? I hope the fuck not. She’ll take it way easier than my dads, but still, eww.

I step forward cautiously, ignoring Rose and Bennett’s continued bickering as I focus on the bundle in Mom’s arms. The baby’s hair is dark, her tiny fists curled against her cheeks.

She’s perfect.

“Have you picked a name?” I ask softly.

My mom smiles down at the baby, her gaze tender. “Your father wants to call her Seren.”

“Fitting,” I murmur, brushing a finger over the baby’s soft cheek. “She looks like peace.” I can’t wait to corrupt her, teach her all the ways she can slice and maim a male. “You didn’t waste any time, huh?” I incline my head toward my little sister.

Mom’s lips twitch into a smile. “She was impatient to meet us.”

I glance around the room, half-expecting to see Tai, but he’s nowhere in sight. That’s good—it would raise too many questions if he hovered too close because I sure as hell don’t know how to act casual around someone I’m sleeping with.

“Where’s Tai?” Mom asks, as if reading my thoughts. She shifts the baby slightly, her stare curious.

I shrug casually, careful not to let anything show on my face. “My dads all pulled him into a conversation as soon as we arrived. Something about that rogue wolf from Earth still causing trouble.”

“Oh crap.” She lets out a quiet huff. “Poor thing. He toppled over the Clava Cairns.”

I suck in a breath. Was he … was he trying to come through the portal?

“Maybe he needs help,” I whisper.

She gives me a sad smile. “That’s why we’re trying to track him down.”

My shoulders loosen. “Good.”

I reach out, my fingers brushing the baby’s blanket as I peer down at her little face. Dark hair, tiny features, and a peaceful expression. She looks just like Mom. “She’s perfect,” I murmur.

“She’s yours if you want to hold her.” Mom offers her to me.

I hesitate, but before I can decline, the baby is already in my arms. She’s warm and impossibly small, her weight settling against me in a way that feels both foreign and oddly comforting.

I glance toward the far end of the house, where the hum of conversation continues. Tai is in there somewhere, probably doing his best to stay out of sight while juggling Grimm’s endless questions. I exhale slowly, relieved that he’s handling himself. The last thing I need is for Chaos or any of Rose’s other mates to pick up on the truth about us.

“Nova,” Rose says, snapping me out of my thoughts. She’s watching me with a knowing look, her arms crossed. “You staying long, or are you going to disappear back to campus?”

I bristle, but before I can reply, Mom cuts in. “She’s staying for dinner, at least. Right, Nova?” She takes a seat on the large black couch and puts her feet on the coffee table.

“Of course.” I force a smile. “But finals are next week, so I’ll need to head back soon. I really suck at magic.”

It doesn’t help that I’ve missed the whole week of classes.

“Wait, you got your magic in?” Rose rushes over, her thick braid swaying as she grabs my free hand. Her excitement practically vibrates through the room. Now that she’s a goddess, her power pummels me.

Bennett perks up, rocking back on his heels. “Sweet! What are ya?” His hands shove deep into his pockets, but the eagerness in his tone betrays him. “Luna fae, I presume?”

Mom’s eyes soften, her smile radiant as ever. “That’s wonderful news, honey.”

I hesitate, my free hand tightening slightly around Seren’s blanket. “Um …. turns out I’m wolf fae.”

The words land like a stone dropped in still water.

Rose freezes, her mouth opening slightly, but no words come out. Bennett’s grin falters, his brows furrowing as he glances at Mom. Everyone’s eyes seem to dart toward her, waiting for her reaction.

Mom’s smile doesn’t waver, but her knuckles tighten where she grips her pretty, blue tea mug. “I see,” she says softly, the words as even as her tone. But I don’t miss the flash of something agonizing in her eyes, a shadow of a memory she won’t let surface here, not now.

My stomach twists. I know what this means to her, what memories it drags up, and I hate that I’ve caused even a sliver of that pain. There was always a small chance of course, but the luna genes—especially royal ones—are so dominant, that statistically, they were more likely to win out.

They might need some time to get used to it. Hell, I’m not even used to it yet.

“I’m sorry,” I mumble, the words escaping before I can stop them.

Her head snaps up, eyes glassy. “Don’t you ever apologize for who you are.” She rises before stepping closer to press a kiss to my forehead. “You’re perfect, Novaleigh. Always have been.”

“Wolf fae?” Bennett repeats, breaking the quiet. “You mean, like …” He gestures vaguely, as though saying the word will summon him.

“Yes, like that,” I mutter, shifting uncomfortably under their stares.

Rose clears her throat, glancing at Mom. “Well … that’s unexpected, but hey, it makes sense. You always had that stubborn, lone wolf vibe.”

Lone? Does she think I won’t ever mate? Agony steals my chest at the thought, because with her being a goddess, does she know something I don’t?

Bennett snorts, the tension breaking slightly. “More like lone pain in the ass.”

I shoulder him lightly, not enough to jostle Seren. But my heart’s still pounding, and not because I was able to slip Bennett’s wallet out of his back pocket without him noticing—all without using magic.

Mom’s reaction, though carefully masked, lingers in my mind. I can’t help but wonder what she’s thinking—and how much of this she’s not saying out loud.

She straightens, her composure slipping back into place. “Rose, Bennett, help set the table. Nova, can you bring Seren into the kitchen for me? Dinner will be ready soon.”

I nod, tossing Bennett’s wallet at his retreating back. He turns around, glances at the ground with a grin and scoops down to pick up his wallet. “Told you.”

I cradle Seren carefully in the crook of my arm, pausing in the hallway to check my phone for the time. Two notifications flash across the screen, and my pulse picks up. One from the heat clinic’s anonymous app, the other from the MFS app.

Alpha (2:13 PM)

Is it bad that I can’t stop thinking about you? I’ve got a few new ideas for your next heat ... unless you’d rather I keep you guessing?

The message sends a rush of memories coursing through me, of Alpha’s smooth confidence, and how he knew exactly the right way to handle an omega. Pre-heat, this kind of thing would’ve sent me running the other way, or stabbing him, or something equally resistant. But now? I know I’ll text him when I’m not surrounded by family. Cheeks warming, I quickly switch to the second notification, which had arrived almost two hours later.

Echo (3:56 PM)

No more hiding, little thief. You in or out? Your choice. Either way, let me know when is good to meet up.

Echo always maintains that razor-thin line between friendly and cryptic, and I don’t know whether it thrills or unnerves me.

A burst of laughter filters in from the other room, snapping me back to reality. Exhaling quietly, I lock the screen and slip the device away.

I follow after them, but Mom’s words echo in my head: Don’t you ever apologize for who you are.

I just wish I knew how to believe her.