Chapter 148: That Entire Family Is Off Their Rockers

Maverick leaned forward, his leg pressed against Nova’s. "Thank you for seeing us on short notice."

Dante waved the gratitude away with his cup.

"Oh, we are family. Short notice is the only kind I accept. Long notice means lawyers are involved." He took a sip, set it down, and looked between Nova and Maria with eyes that were kind and sharp in equal measure. "If either of you are ever in an emergency, you ping us right away. Day or night. We will come."

"We appreciate that," Maria said, her voice carrying genuine warmth underneath the energy.

Dante Vaelstrom leaned back in his chair, tea balanced on one knee, the fire throwing amber light across his face. The posture was casual. The eyes were not. "Start from the beginning."

???

ONE MARIA EMBERCLAW DIRECTOR’S CUT LATER

Nova hadn’t noticed when her body had tilted toward Maverick on the loveseat. She noticed now, because her good shoulder was resting against his arm and her body was so comfortable that it made her want to take a nap.

Dante gave a nod, slow and deliberate, the kind that said every word Maria and Maverick had spoken was being stored in a mind that had been solving problems for longer than most wolves had been alive.

"The High Luna and my wife go way back. She is very protective of her grandsons. That does not excuse the behavior. But let my wife speak with her." He set his tea down and his gaze shifted to Nova. "Tell me about your origins, Nova. Where do you come from?"

Nova blinked, surprised because that was not a standard question for slaves. Then again, neither was being asked her name. The question had been asked with genuine interest and she was happy to answer it.

"Of course," she said. "I was discovered as an infant on the front steps of the Starborne manor. Luna Odette brought me in. I know nothing of my origins before that moment."

Freya leaned forward from her chair. "Was anything found with you?"

"Yes. A note with one word: Nova. And a necklace that I was permitted to keep."

With her non-injured arm, she reached beneath the collar of her shirt to show them the necklace. It was white gold, small, the kind of thing that you forget you’re wearing until someone asks.

Freya studied the necklace from across the room then glanced at her husband.

"Forgive me for asking," she began. "Have you ever wondered why Alpha Starborne kept you in his manor?"

Nova took a sip of her tea. She was not a coward. But she needed the second because talking ill of masters was beaten out of slaves at a young age and the training still lived in her nervous system like muscle memory. The cup bought her the breath. The breath bought her the words.

"I have wondered. The standard protocol for slave orphans is to assign them to a slave family. Raising one inside the manor was considered unusual." Nova set her cup down gently. "They did not seem like they wanted me there. Luna Odette mentioned more than once that she wanted to drown me as an infant. I wish I were joking when I say that, but I am not. The Starborne pack does not view slaves as humans."

She felt Maverick’s breathing change beside her. Slower. Controlled. His arm behind her on the loveseat tightened a fraction, pulling her closer. The adjustment was a millimeter. The effect was everything.

She looked at Freya. "To answer your question, yes I have wondered. But slaves are not permitted to ask direct questions such as that. When I came of age, the Head of House provided the full explanation that it was always to sell me. Truthfully, I found that explanation a little odd considering slaves are always sold during the Moonfire by law. Starborne could have sent me to any other household to serve and still sold me as his slave, if he had wanted to."

The words left Nova’s mouth carrying zero emotion because they were just facts.

Maria’s eyes were wet and furious at the same time, which was a combination only she could pull off. "That entire family is off their rockers, Freya. Celeste threatened lashes on Nova. In public. In Thunderfang. If she is our future luna, then we are in trouble."

Nova took a steadying breath. "I am not defending Celeste because I have seen her do horrid things, but—"

Maria cut her off. "More horrid than what I’ve seen?"

"Yes."

"Like?"

"Like things such as shaving the heads of her slaves. She hasn’t been allowed to touch my hair on Alpha Starborne’s orders. I wish I were joking there, but I am not," Nova replied, knowing how insane that probably sounded. "My point is, threatening lashes is a normal practice in Starborne. To Celeste, I had illegally removed my cuffs and was disobeying her direct orders—"

Maria held up her hand. Nova stopped talking. "You were doing what Alpha Thunderfang told you to do, Nova. The Alpha’s orders are always at the top of every pack, including hers."

"I need you to back up there, Nova. She shaves their heads. As in, bald?" Maverick asked.

"Yes. It was a punishment."

"I am not surprised by that," Maria said, shrugging. "Anyways. Alpha Thunderfang ordered Derek to go behind him. Derek wasn’t going to leave you. Celeste threatened lashes because you walked behind her. That’s the story. If harming slaves is a normal practice for her, then fine. But she was well aware Thunderfang does not have slaves and she knew she was in public. It’s not like she’s speaking a new language or in a completely different culture. Learning to be kind to someone, EVEN if you don’t like them, is something five year olds learn. She is fake as hell to Alpha Thunderfang with no problem. All she had to do was ignore you and she couldn’t even do that. She GRABBED you Nova. Physically had to reach out and grab you. The concept ’do not grab or threaten someone you hate’ shouldn’t be that difficult for a PRINCESS who scored in the 97th percentile of intelligence—"

Freya held up a gentle hand. Maria stopped mid-sentence and took a sip of tea.

"I am not going to claim I understand slave dynamics because I don’t. That practice has been abolished here, contrary to what the High Luna is attempting by selling you. But here in Thunderfang, we keep our hands to ourselves even when we are angry."

"Same in Emberclaw," Maria stated. "That woman grabbed Nova in front of every officer in Thunderfang with zero consequences because she’s a princess. But Nova gets arrested for visiting her mate, who was in a coma."

Nova took a sip of her tea, swallowing down the image of Derek there alone.

Maria must have been watching her because she derailed Nova’s train of thought immediately. "You would be at his bedside right now if they let you, Nova. You were greeted by a SWAT team and arrested. That’s not a woman who isn’t there for her mate."

Nova gave a nod, not trusting her voice. She knew that was true. She understood the logic and kept walking her brain through it. But it didn’t change the fact that he was alone. The man who had stayed by her side when she was in the infirmary on the hover yacht. The man who had taken care of her and fought for her and risked his life in a fire for her.

Dante’s index finger tapped once on the arm of his chair.

"That particular incident with the Starborne princess, the one before the homecoming parade, reached the elders before the parade itself ended. These things move fast in Thunderfang. If the High Luna doesn’t know yet, she will very soon."