Chapter 92: Lightning Strikes Thrice

Nova had seen Derek Thunderfang upset before. But right now, he looked absolutely livid.

Her chest cracked at the sight. She couldn’t tell if that anger was directed at her or at Celeste or at the situation. She wanted to say something. But when she opened her mouth, she couldn’t find the words.

Then the anger left his face like it had been yanked out by the root. His eyes stayed molten-wolf gold. He pulled her by the hand, then the waist, and she felt her body leave her chair because Derek Thunderfang was trying to put her in his lap at a table full of elders and officers and his grandmother and he did not care about a single one of them.

Nova stiffened, eyes wide. That would definitely make things worse for both of them. She resisted the pull.

Then Maria’s voice cut through whatever was happening.

"Will you turn that water gold, Nova? Sierra doesn’t believe me," she called from a few seats down.

"That’s because the story sounds insane," Sierra stated. "But while we’re at it. Nova, take a sip of your water. Let’s put this to bed once and for all."

The wolf receded from Derek’s eyes. Not all the way, but partially. The pulling stopped.

"What are they talking about?" he asked.

"You wouldn’t believe me if I told you," Nova answered.

Derek opened his mouth to protest. She grabbed her water before he could finish loading the sentence. She took a sip. Set it back on the table.

To her utter surprise, the water turned gold. Not gradually. Not from the bottom up. The entire glass shifted color the second it left her lips, glowing faintly against the dark wood of the table like a tiny lantern that had been waiting for permission.

She had been glowing on the yacht and that hadn’t happened. But right here, naturally, it did that. She stared at the glass. Then looked at Maria who was entirely too pleased with the outcome.

Maria clapped her hands. "I TOLD YOU."

Derek stared at the glass. Sebastian stared at the glass. Tavian stared at the glass. Three high-ranking officers and a handful of others within eyeshot were staring at a glass of water that was gold and had been regular water four seconds ago.

"Now touch Derek and see if you can turn him gold," Maria said.

"I’m holding Derek’s hand already," Nova said, lifting their intertwined fingers as evidence.

"Try your wine."

Nova grabbed her wine. Took a sip. Nothing. The wine stayed wine. She set it down.

"The wine is immune," Sierra observed.

"Apparently it has standards," Nova agreed.

Maria pointed at the hearth. "Make a wolf come out of the fire next!"

"I don’t control it, Maria."

"You always say that."

"Because it’s always true."

"Your track record says otherwise."

"My track record is a series of accidents and you know it."

"Uh, Nova?" Sierra’s voice had changed. The playfulness was gone. "You might want to let go of Derek."

Nova looked at Derek.

He was glowing gold. He hadn’t been a moment ago. But it was unmistakable now. Head to chest to fingertips, his entire body radiating a warm, luminous gold that made it look like he had swallowed sunlight. His face was relaxed. Dazed even. Like he was feeling something he couldn’t name and wasn’t sure he wanted it to stop.

Nova’s hand flew to her mouth.

The gold vanished the instant contact broke.

Derek looked down at his empty hand. Then up at her hand on her mouth. Then back at his hand.

Then he grabbed it back like she had stolen something from him and he was repossessing it.

His body lit up gold.

"Buddy, you’re glowing," Tavian observed.

Derek didn’t seem to hear him.

"Derek, I think I’m—"

Derek kissed Nova on the lips mid-sentence. The gold light between them pulsed brighter on contact.

"GRRRRR."

Across the table, a growl rumbled low enough to vibrate the silverware.

Nova didn’t have a chance to process that because the High Luna started shouting.

"Derek! What is she doing to you!" She was on her feet, chair pushed back, hand on the table, her face cycling from shock to offense in under a second.

Nova jumped in surprise and pulled back.

The gold water glass shattered in front of her at the same moment. The gold liquid didn’t spill. It floated above the table in a sphere. Nova stared at it. That was new.

"Unhand him, 7709," Celeste barked.

Nova had been trying to. Derek Thunderfang apparently did not want to release her.

That’s when his wolf surged again, harder than before.

His eyes flooded gold, bright and liquid, and the voice that came out of him was layered. Deeper. Older. The voice of something that lived underneath Derek and had been listening to this table all night and had reached its limit.

"You will address her by her name. With respect."

Celeste ignored him and looked at the crown. It was glowing so bright the stones looked like they were on fire. Then she looked at Nova, who was holding Derek’s hand, glowing gold, hair floating.

"THE CROWN. SHE DID SOMETHING TO THE CROWN." She looked at the guards. "Arrest her. Now."

The guards didn’t move.

"I SAID ARREST HER."

The guards were looking at Alpha Thunderfang who was sitting at the table staring at his plate, like he couldn’t hear what was happening around him.

"Your future Luna gave you an order," the High Luna barked. "Arrest her."

"Yes, High Luna."

They moved.

CRACK. CRACK. CRACK.

Lightning hit the ground three times in quick succession. The windows rattled each time. Every glass on the table vibrated.

"STAND DOWN." Derek issued an Alpha command, something that pack members would automatically obey.

Both guards stopped mid-step.

The room went still.

Derek’s Alpha aura hit the table like a pressure change, heavy enough to press against chests. The High Luna’s mouth closed. Celeste’s mouth opened. Neither produced a sound.