Her Protector

2. Nova

Months Prior

Each word she spoke felt heavy on my mind, I froze slightly as the cold ridged shock ran down my spine causing me to shiver… I didn’t want this news to overwhelm me but the news was just too shocking to ignore. Those three words formed a question that I had only been able to dream of… my heart raced in nervous excitement.

“Nova? What’s wrong,” Noni asked worriedly. “I thought this was what you wanted?” The fear of, not only having to tell your mate a hurtful truth but one that comes from your direct disobedience of his Beta-Command wafted off Noni in droves.

“I did— I do want this… I’m just a little shocked to be honest,” I replied.

Why wouldn’t I be happy? Or rather why didn’t I look happy?

Maybe because she took the surprise away from you, my wolf growled.

I nodded in agreement and looked back at Noni, I could barely hear her through the loud ringing in my ears; the sound of my muffled heartbeat played in the background as my heart raced with panic thinking of everything that could go wrong… the main one being, I couldn’t keep this a secret from Maxon and act surprised. My acting sucked. The thought of the pressure alone was enough to my anxiety to shoot through the roof… I just hoped that I’d be able to pull it off for Noni’s sake.

I’m not sure if this was to surprise you or spite Maxon, my wolf said warily to me.

Again, all I could do was nod in agreement. The months following Aj’s birth Noni had been acting very strange, which wasn’t uncommon for femmes who had just given birth but Noni’s case was different and had grown very difficult to overlook.

There had been more than a few occurrences where Noni had been caught or brought before Maxon and myself for doing things that were out of character for a new mother or a Beta-wife. While this caused her and Maxon to bump heads often, I blamed hormones. It was when she began to challenge Maxon at every turn that I knew something was wrong…

Maxon, nor my wolf, could stand being around her for too long; my wolf sensed something sinister brewing within Noni and spent everyday warning me and urging me to stay alert to anything suspicious. That left me snooping around, looking for something out of the ordinary. Maxon would’ve believed me with no proof given, he himself was sick of her attitude but not Alex. He’d need something more concrete…

“Nova, are you listening?” Noni asked yelling slightly to catch my attention.

“Yeah…” I trailed off again. My mind was going over the last few months, trying to remember when she began acting strange.

When did this start, I asked myself.

“Nova!” Noni shouted again but this time actually pulling me from my thoughts.

“Yes… I’m sorry. I’m just still in shock from the news,” I lied.

“So, you’re happy then,” she questioned.

“Yes…” I answered confused. “Maxon’s my mate, why wouldn’t I be happy?”

“But…” she trailed off, “Maxon is… Maxon.” She shook her body in disgust jokingly.

“And Alex is my brother… and that’s worse,” I said as we laughed.

Sobering up into a awkward silence, I decided to tell her some of the truth… just to see where her mind was. “Seriously Noni, I’m just worried about keeping this a secret from Maxon… or acting surprised. I suck at acting.”

Noni’s eyes lit with understanding and fear when she took in my words. Her eyes flitted back and forth between nothing as I watched her mind churn for a solution. “Well,” she sang. “You don’t know the when… there’s still the element of surprise there.”

I scoffed and rolled my eyes at her. “Yeah, right.”

I turned back to the kitchen counter and my portion of potatoes for the packs’ Sunday dinner. We were in the Beta’s wing of the pack house, it had been Noni’s turn to host our weekly Girls’ Day and today was just our preparations for tomorrow big dinner.

The kitchen itself was large enough to hold four more women cooking. The contrast of the dark appliances and light mahogany wood cabinets were soothing to the eyes, especially having to stand there for hours cooking…my favorite part of the kitchen were the electric appliances.

We continued to prep in a comfortable silence; my mind still reeling from Noni’s big secret, there had been nothing else to say to her. Maxon had never been the romantic type so any effort he put into our dates or any gifts were extremely attractive to me. The more I thought about it, the more excited I became. Of course, I had always expected to spend my life with Maxon, but the idea of making it official was appealing…

The pups we’d have, my wolf barked happily.

Her thought was like cold water being thrown on me and it chilled me down to the bone. It wasn’t that I didn’t want pups with Maxon, I just felt like we were too young for pups and I wanted to spend more time with Maxon… alone. Alex and Noni jumped head-first into the family life, it had come naturally to them; Maxon and I were different. There was so much we wanted to do… pups would definitely hinder those dreams. My wolf, however, was ready and waiting not so patiently; her eagerness made it hard to mate with Maxon.

I sighed. You might be getting your wish sooner than we expected, I told her somberly. Might as well accept my fate, I thought to myself. I didn’t think my maternal instincts existed, yet, or if ever.

Marriage doesn’t mean pups Nova, my wolf chided excited about the prospect of pups.

It also doesn’t mean no pups either, I retorted.

An abrupt shout sounded from the baby monitor Noni had left in the middle of the counter; it had taken everything in me to keep from jumping up and running to coddle my nephew but I didn’t want to overstep my boundaries; the little gremlin was too adorable, but a handful. Maxon and I spoiled his ridiculously and he knew that he had us wrapped around his little finger.

I often found myself fighting my wolf’s Luna instincts, our Luna instincts. During my duties, I found myself helping the mothers with their children and their apartments; the thought of doing someone else’s laundry would normally have me in a panic but when I see the mother’s I just help. I find myself apologizing when I quiet their babies with tenderness or softly scold the roughly playing children but the women always silenced me. The women and children loved it, they loved me but it still felt a wrong when everything was said and done.

That’s definitely what’s driving my wolf’s need for pups, I thought.

What color would their furs be, she’d ask dreamily. I never knew and I wasn’t ready to think of a guess.

I waited for Noni and Aj to make their way downstairs and kept peeling in the meantime; the pack consisted of seventy-eight members with more coming any day now… there had to be a lot of food present. I peeled in silence; it was pleasant before my ears began ringing again but painfully this time. I had cut myself with the peeler just as a loud bang sounded on their front door.

Looking up at the analog clock above me, I instantly knew that it wasn’t Maxon or Alex. Noni and I had been talking and cooking for hours, just as it was time us to eat dinner the pair decided that they needed to do a border patrol run, the idiots.

Perfect time to be alone, I thought sarcastically.

To my knowledge, which wasn’t extensive because this wasn’t my den, Noni hadn’t been expecting anyone; I hadn’t been informed on any new guests for the night… the knocking on the door sounded for the third time, this time harder and more determined than the last. The door rattled ominously under the weight of each the stranger’s strikes.

“Noni,” I called out nervously. I hadn’t heard from the pair longer than she had expected, “are you expecting someone?”

My question echoed throughout the den, bouncing off the walls and shouting back at me. “Noni?”

I scrambled to the monitor with shaky knees, pressing the talk button hoping that Noni had just been too far to hear me; no matter how unlikely. “Noni? Are you there?”

Nothing spoke back but unnerving silence. My grew alert and took partial control of my body to scent the air. The seconds ticked into minutes but I kept calling for Noni and the only answer I received was the knocking at the door. It was on the last knock that a huge c***k formed in the door, tiny shards of splinters shooting from the door…

Nova, you need to move… now, my wolf commanded. It hadn’t been until that moment that I realized that I had been too terrified to move.

Not wasting another second, I quickly backed away to the steps as I thought of a place to hide. It was times like this, which weren’t many, I was angry that Alex hadn’t put the panic room in their den as well…

Thinking of Maxon…

Maxon, I called out to him through our link; he answered almost immediately.

Yes love? Nova, what’s wrong, he asked worriedly feeling my fear.

I think we’re under attack; I cant scent anyone and someone’s trying to break down the door. I said to him all in a jumbled mess, it was a wonder he even understood. There wasn’t any time for pleasantries. If I was right, and I rarely wasn’t, this would be the one of the last normal days of my life; tonight would end with bloodshed and tears…

Shit! His curse was sharp and abrupt, causing me to startle and slightly trip. We are on our way back Nova… please stay away front that door.

What? I snapped jokingly. You want me to go and hide? Well you’re too late I’m already looking for a place.

Now is not the time for jokes Nova!

Nova, Alex interrupted worriedly, what do you mean you can’t scent Noni and Aj? I could practically feel my brother’s no patience attitude approaching the pack house at top speed.

The knocking sounded again but it was accompanied by the cracking of wood, letting me know that whoever was at the door was almost inside the den. The hair on my arms raised quickly as a creepy chill slid down my spine. What the hell was going on?

Nova, Alex called again. Are you okay? Where’s my family?

I don’t know, she left to check on Aj when he woke up from his nap and I haven’t heard from her since; that was almost thirty minutes ago.

Are you okay, Maxon asked again.

I’m fine for now, I told him. How long?

We are coming baby, we’re only ten to fifteen minutes away now.

He had been trying to soothe me and it would’ve worked had I not hear what I could only believe to be the doorframe crash to the floor. “Luna,” a voice sang sickly.

They’re looking for me Maxon, I told him grimly.

How do you know that?

Because they are inside now, I replied terrified.

Oh Goddess, hide Nova. His words were filled with fear and worry for me.

He didn’t wait for me to replied before he close our link; more than likely to not only ready the warriors but sent someone for Aj, Noni and I. Knowing this didn’t leave me feeling any less jaded… sometimes this Luna gig wasn’t all it was cracked up to be.

Ignoring my resentment, I quietly looked for a place to hide as they ransacked downstairs. I crept my way into Alex and Noni’s room; the door had been thrust open and I was pulled inside and the door was quickly locked and barricaded. I had been ready to fight for my life before I heard the sweetest little giggle. “Ti-ti.”

“Nova, what the hell is going on with you?”

“Me? Where the hell have you been? We’re under attack,” I whisper shouted back at her.

“Yeah, no s**t Sherlock. Ive been calling out to you…”

“What,” I said in disbelief.

“Luna, where are you?” It was definitely the same voice from before, singing in the same sickly tune.

“No time for this,” I mouthed. “We have to hide. Maxon and Alex are on their way.”

She nodded in understanding and point to a beautifully crafted amour but I took no time to admire it. “Panic room.”

I had to hold in my chuckle of delight. Her eyes narrowed at me as she grabbed Aj and his things to the amour. “Maxon got you too.”

She smiled wryly. “Luckily, he suckered Alex into this…”