Chapter 186 Nova POV

Chapter 186 Nova POV
Ares pinched our bond and shut me out.

The sudden silence where she usually existed made me pause. Through what little remained, I could feel something intense radiating from Rage—sharp, consuming. It made me wonder if she had finally taken that step. I wondered if they are being intimate. Ares had always been guarded, carefully contained. If she had crossed that threshold… then it was her choice, deliberate and considered. She was evolving. Slowly, yes—but undeniably. I still worried about tomorrow night, will she be able to handle us sharing him.

I redirected my attention to the table.

Dragon had Lilith perched in his lap, feeding her far more than necessary. She was only a month along, yet already beginning to show. They had arrived yesterday with Matt, Rose, Jenna, and Frankie. A few hours later, Lacy and Lucas joined us as well.

My mother, father, and aunt were due tomorrow—which was fortunate. Rage’s parents alone were proving to be more than sufficient chaos. Their arguing echoed through the house, relentless and unyielding. It was almost impressive how consistently they could find something to clash over.

The thunder of footsteps followed—Rage’s brothers barreling down all six flights of stairs at full speed, like feral creatures rather than men raised in a structured pack. They dragged chairs across the rug and dropped into their seats, entirely unconcerned with decorum.

Their gazes shifted to me.

Winks followed.

Charming.

They were each a year apart, starting with Rage. Fury leaned forward slightly, a grin tugging at his lips.

"So," he began, far too casually, "the three of you don’t sleep together?"

The question landed with a dull, collective shock.

Dragon’s hand slammed against the table, the sound cracking through the room.

"That’s an inappropriate question," he said sharply.

His protectiveness extended beyond Lilith—it encompassed all of us. Rose. Ares. Me. He is open about sex but when it comes to his mate, he doesn't share that information often. Being in a three-some has it's challenges, and it comes with all sorts of questions from others.

Before the tension could escalate further, Alpha August strode into the room and smacked Fury across the back of the head.

A few of us chuckled.

Fury rubbed the spot, scowling. "What? It was just a question. I walked in his room and he was on top of the other one. I figured both would be there."

"Then perhaps you should refrain from barging into your brother’s bedroom," Alpha August replied dryly.

"He should lock his door," Fury shot back with a laugh.

I exhaled slowly. "That's Ares, not the other one!"

Then, beneath the table, I moved.

A subtle twist of my fingers—barely perceptible—and I slipped into his emotional spectrum, threading shame through his bravado.

It took effect instantly. Fury stiffened, his face flushing a deep, unmistakable red.

"I—I’m sorry," he started, the words tumbling out rapidly. "That was out of line, I shouldn’t have said that—"

Jenna’s gaze flicked to me knowingly. I smiled.

Luna Freida entered then, followed closely by Ingrid. The ex. Both women observed Fury with varying degrees of amusement and curiosity. It was likely a rare occurrence—Fury apologizing so earnestly. I felt her lust and love toward Rage, she let him go, rejected him but there are still many feelings there. Sitting unresolved. He felt nothing for her. His feelings were blank.

I turned my gaze toward the window, toward the stretch of beach beyond.

Ares reopened our bond. Relief washed through me as I located her instantly—seated in the sand, alone, composed. Moments later, Rage entered, pressing a kiss to my forehead before taking his seat beside me.

"Nova," he murmured, amused, "stop playing with my brother."

I laughed softly and released Fury from my influence. The shift was immediate. His family turned toward me in near-perfect unison.

Fascination. Suspicion. Curiosity.

"What is he talking about?" his mother asked.

I met Rage’s gaze and gave a small, deliberate nod. It was time. Before he could begin, I slipped into the mindlink..."Ares, come to the main dining room. Rage is going to explain."

She appeared beside me a heartbeat later. The reaction was immediate—stunned silence, a few parted lips, widened eyes. Our own circle remained unaffected. They were accustomed to far stranger things.

"Ares and Nova are half witches, technically full witch and werewolf," Rage said evenly. "They have abilities. Nova manipulates emotions. Ares… reads people."

A careful understatement. The truth was far less benign. I could dismantle a person from the inside out—reshape what they felt, what they believed, until they no longer recognized themselves. Ares could invade the mind itself—implanting visions, whispers, entire fabricated realities. Individually, we were formidable. Together—we were catastrophic. Minds, after all, were fragile constructs. It didn’t take much to fracture one beyond repair.

After the initial shock, the questions began. Many questions. Ares and I answered what we could, carefully curating our responses to inform without alarming. It was a delicate balance.

"Alpha," Beta Mitch announced from the doorway, a polite smile on his face, "another guest has arrived."

I liked Mitch. Dependable. Grounded. His mate, Catherine, even more so. She had been invaluable in helping me finalize the details for both ceremonies—the oath and the mating.

Liam stepped in behind him. Everyone rose to greet him. Everyone except Ares. She remained where she was, arms crossed, posture guarded.

"I figured you might still hate me," Liam said, his tone cautious. "So...I brought backup." He stepped aside.

A small girl emerged from behind him. "This is Calypso," he said, pride evident. "She’s a werewolf and a witch. Water affinity."

The child clung to his arm, pale and delicate, her violet eyes shimmering with a mixture of fear and wonder. A single thick braid fell over her shoulder, nearly reaching her knees. Her blue sundress swayed softly as she shifted.

Ares moved first. She knelt, extending her hands. Calypso hesitated only briefly before stepping forward, placing her small hands into Ares’s.

Ares smiled—soft, careful—as she brushed against the child’s mind.

Gentle.

Measured.

When she finished, she looked up at Liam, amusement flickering in her expression. "That’s cheating, Liam." she said lightly.

Calypso beamed and ran back to her father.