Chapter 48: Last Call For Soulmates

Funny thing about divine flames, there’s no how-to, no ’this will melt your face,’ no money-back guarantee if you accidentally start the apocalypse.

Nova gave Seraphina’s arm a squeeze, blissfully unaware things were about to get interesting in two minutes. The squeeze said everything: I’m so excited for you. Seraphina’s death grip in return said: my circulation is leaving but my gratitude is eternal.

Her eyes moved across the clearing to the Lumencrest Alpha the way a compass needle gravitates north, instinctively, because that Alpha was staring at Seraphina with an intensity that had weight and heat and the particular quality of a man who already knew.

He already knew. Before the wolf. Before the flame. Before any divine intervention confirmed what his wolf had been telling him since the moment this woman walked into the clearing.

A second silver wolf descended from the flame and found the Lumencrest Alpha.

Nova realized a moment too late that every pair of eyes in the clearing had tracked where she looked. Wonderful. She’d just publicly predicted a matebond in front of two thousand witnesses like a dumbass with a spotlight and zero impulse control.

She closed her eyes for a full second, frustrated at her own stupidity.

Two thousand wolves had watched a glowing girl glance at the Lumencrest section, and then, within seconds, a wolf of light had run to the exact Alpha she’d glanced at. The optics were on life support and she had just unplugged the ventilator.

She smiled. Couldn’t help it. The smile broke through her neutral face like a weed through concrete because Seraphina’s hand had tightened on her arm and the quiet, composed princess who had been her structural support for the last hour was trembling.

The Lumencrest Alpha crossed the clearing with zero hesitation. His stride was long and certain and carried the energy of a man who had been standing on the wrong side of a room all night and was correcting the error. He already knew before any wolf made of light showed him. Nova knew that in her soul the way you know something you can’t prove and don’t need to.

The wolf of light trotted over to him like a celestial delivery confirmation. Package: one soulmate. Signature: divine fire. Estimated arrival: right now, whether you’re ready or not.

He stopped in front of Seraphina. The silver wolves circled them before running back into the fire.

Then the Lumencrest Alpha turned to Nova and did something so subtle that Nova wasn’t sure she saw it correctly.

Holding Seraphina in one arm, the Alpha gave Nova a fist to his chest, softly and quickly. She blinked once and it was gone.

Surely she didn’t see that correctly. An Alpha saluting a slave was the kind of thing that got redacted from history books and memory alike. She swallowed it whole and turned back to the flame before it had time to mean something.

The flame held silver for three more seconds. Then it dropped back to white and stayed there like a door closing.

No more wolves.

One silver draftee remained. Celeste Starborne. Two unmated Alphas remained at the front of their sections. Landon Thunderfang, whichever brother that was, and Maverick Emberclaw, the largest and second largest packs in Helix. Celeste was going to get exactly what she wanted. Goddess bless whichever of them took her.

"Really, 7709," Celeste muttered under her breath, just for Nova. "You gave Kai one and you couldn’t even manage one for me."

Nova turned her head slowly to look at her, surprised. Her lips parted, but no words came.

"I’m sorry. I don’t control it, Celeste."

"Right. Well. Have a good time in the Lottery." She leaned closer. "Which, by the way, is a harvesting center. It’s what they tell slaves to get them to cooperate."

The words landed in Nova’s stomach like ice water poured through a funnel. That sentence was too clean, too rehearsed, the kind of thing you say when you’ve seen the brochure and kept a copy for moments exactly like this one.

What kind of sick, twisted bastards sold a slaughterhouse as a goddamn population expansion plan? Besides the panel of them across the clearing, that is.

Celeste tilted her head. "Oh. Was that news?"

Nova said nothing.

"You’re welcome," Celeste said, turning away. "Consider it a parting gift. I’ve always been generous."

Nova kept her face neutral because her face was the only thing she still owned and she was giving Celeste the satisfaction of nothing. But underneath it, her blood had gone cold enough to match her lips.

Because the truth was getting harder to hold with every passing second, growing heavier and restless against her chest. There was zero chance the elders were going to pair her with someone. She already knew that before she agreed to come back. The only thing she had going for her was Starborne needed to sell her. Lottery meant he didn’t walk away with money. The Underground auction was the next step.

"Will the remaining silver draftee please step forward to receive her chosen mate."

Celeste stepped forward, chin lifted, visibly pleased with the outcome regardless of whether she got a wolf made of light or not. Two Alphas. Both unmarried. Both running packs that would make her the most powerful Luna on the continent. The Goddess could skip the theatrics. Celeste had already done the math.

WHOOOM.

White flame volcanoed with the restraint of something that had been politely waiting its turn and was done holding back.

Nova blinked at it, confused, then had a rare moment of eye contact with the priestess, who was also confused.

The priestess mouthed something. Nova couldn’t read lips under normal conditions and had no idea what she mouthed. She went to her default of a single head shake, communicating that she was absolutely, categorically, without question, not doing it. It was doubtful that the message would be received. She tried anyway.

She communicated it with every ounce of I-did-not-do-it energy she had, which, given the night she was having, was a hell of a lot. The priestess looked at her like she was full of shit. Fair enough. Nova was starting to agree.