Chapter 6

NOVA’S POV I couldn’t help but feel a bubbling sense of excitement as I stood before Finn and Mira. Finn’s eyebrows shot up, and his lips parted in surprise. His confusion was written all over his face. Mira, on the other hand had a look of pure excitement lighting up her face as she bounced on the balls of her feet. “Wait, what?” Finn said “The Alpha Grey? The most ruthless Alpha in the world?” I nodded eagerly, unable to contain the excitement that I felt “Yes, that one.” Mira beamed, throwing herself at Finn and planting a kiss on his cheek, which was enough to make his confusion turn into a more protective glare. “Don’t be such a protective older brother, Finn,” she said with a teasing tone. Finn looked from Mira to me. I could still see the concern in his eyes “You’re serious about this?” I nodded again, and Mira glanced at me with an expression that said she was happy but maybe a little unsure. Finn wasn’t done, though. His voice grew softer, more hesitant as he looked at me. “But Grey... Nova, he’s—” Before he could finish his sentence, Mira grabbed his arm, pulling him closer and nudging me. “We’ll talk later, Finn,” she said. “Let the girls handle this. We’ve got wedding plans to make!” She kissed him lightly on the lips before pulling him along with her, clearly excited, but I could see the doubt in his eyes as he glanced back at me. Once we were in the safety of my room, the door closing behind us, the noise of the world outside seemed to fade away. I turned to Mira, unable to contain my excitement any longer. “Mira, you won’t believe what happened!” She raised an eyebrow. Her lips still twitched with the excitement of the news. “What happened, Nova?” “I went to the palace,” I started, pacing back and forth, “and I ended up in the wrong room! I didn’t even know it was his room, and then—then he walked in, and it was like everything clicked. We realized we were mates.” Mira’s mouth dropped open in disbelief. “Wait. Alpha Grey? The Alpha who’s practically feared by everyone? You’re telling me you’re his mate?” I nodded, practically bouncing on my heels. “Yes! It’s real. It’s so real, Mira. I don’t know how to explain it. It just feels right. He’s so... intense, but when we were together, it was like we were always meant to be.” Mira sat down on my bed, crossing her arms as she studied me. “But Grey...” Her voice trailed off, as if she was trying to figure out how to say what she was thinking. “Everyone knows the rumors about him. He doesn’t want a mate. He doesn’t believe in it. He’s made that clear.” “I know,” I admitted “but when he looked at me... when he realized who I was, he couldn’t deny it. He tried, at first. He pushed me away, told me it couldn’t be. But, Mira, it wasn’t just about him trying to deny it anymore. I could feel it—the way he looked at me, the way his wolf reacted to mine. He wants me.” Mira was silent for a moment, clearly processing everything. Her fingers twisted in the fabric of her dress, and I could see the concern deep in her eyes. “Nova,” she said, her voice low, “are you sure about this? I mean... Grey has made it clear how he feels about mates. We’ve all heard the rumours. He’s rejected every woman brought to him. They’re all royals” “Those women weren’t his mates. They-” “Hold on” she cut me off “And it’s not just about him, right? What about you? What if he changes his mind” I swallowed “I want him, Mira.. And I know it’s crazy, but I don’t care. I don’t care that he’s the most ruthless Alpha in the world. It’s... it’s our bond. I know he’s not perfect, but I can feel it in every part of me. He’s mine.” Mira’s expression softened slightly, but she didn’t look fully convinced. “Nova, I just want to make sure you’re not rushing into something. You deserve to be loved, not just as an Alpha’s mate but for who you are.” I sat down beside her on the bed. I took her hand in mine. “I know,” I whispered. “But I’ve never felt this way before. It’s not just about him being Alpha Grey, it’s... I don’t know. It’s everything.” Mira sighed and smiled weakly “I just want you to be sure. You know I’m always going to be here for you, right?” “I know, Mira. I know.” I smiled back at her but something in the back of my mind still nagged at me. Mira cleared her throat, forcing her smile to widen. “Okay. Well, if you’re sure about this, then I’ll be your wedding planner, best friend, and support system all in one. Just tell me when and where, and I’ll make it happen.” The relief that flooded through me was immediate. “You mean it?” “Of course,” she said, “What are best friends for?” “I’m so glad you’re here,” I told her “You’re the best.” I hugged her but in that moment, mira seemed a bit too tense. She hesitated for a while before hugging me back. I frowned in confusion. That was weird. I pulled away and looked at her “You don’t seem too happy. Are you okay?” She smiled “Of course, I’m happy for you. I’m just trying to process everything” We spent the next few hours brainstorming wedding ideas, excitedly discussing everything from the dress to the ceremony, even though there were still so many uncertainties in my mind. I knew that Grey and I had a lot to work through, that our bond wasn’t going to be simple or easy. We had literally just met. But in that moment, with Mira beside me, I felt like maybe—just maybe—we could make it work. We could find our way through the chaos and make something beautiful from it.