The stone halls of the infirmary faded behind them, quieting with each step as Jax led her back toward the omega wing.
Jax walked beside her, silent at first — close enough she could feel him there, but leaving her space to breathe. His hands were tucked into his pockets, gaze forward but flicking toward her every few steps like he was taking her pulse by observation alone.
After a minute, he nudged her elbow lightly.
"On a scale from one to fainting-in-a-classroom, how's your day going?"
Nova blinked — then a small smile broke through. "Somewhere in the middle."
"Excellent," Jax said. "Let's keep it that way. I prefer my dramatic rescues with at least an hour's notice. Builds suspense."
Nova huffed a tiny laugh. "And here I assumed you were just being helpful."
"Oh, I am helpful," Jax said with easy confidence. "But don't get the wrong idea — I also enjoy looking heroic. Makes the recruits nervous. It's good for morale."
Jax shot her a sideways grin — wicked, playful, entirely too pleased with himself.
Then he added, casual as sin:
"So… is this your thing? Collapsing dramatically whenever I'm nearby? Because if you're trying to get my attention, it's working."
Nova shook her head, cheeks warming — then she stumbled, lightheaded.
Jax's hand shot out, catching her elbow.
"Careful," he murmured. "If you fall, I'm required by Shadowclaw law to catch you, sweep you off your feet, say something devastatingly charming, and then brag about it for a week."
"You're impossible," she muttered.
"Yes," Jax agreed cheerfully. "But I'm very good at it."
Nova shook her head, lips twitching despite herself.
"Is charm a Gamma trait?"
"Not officially," Jax said. "But I like to stay competitive. Alphas get the brooding. Betas get the strategy. I get charm and chaos."
"Dangerous combination."
"Oh, extremely. People expect me to juggle knives. They never expect me to actually use them."
Nova chuckled softly. "You sound like someone exaggerating his résumé."
Jax pressed a hand to his chest, mock-offended. "Wow. She lives. She glows. And she talks shit."
Nova rolled her eyes, but her mouth betrayed her with a real smile.
"You're ridiculous."
"I know. But you smiled. So I win."
They walked a little farther, the air between them lighter now. Banter softening the ache in her muscles, the storm behind her ribs easing.
"Thank you again," she said, quieter this time.
Jax's response matched her softness. "You looked like you were burning out from the inside. I wasn't about to leave you there."
They turned a corner, nearing the omega wing. Lamps flickered along the walls, throwing long shadows that trailed behind them like ghosts of the day.
"You're not what I expected," Nova said — then instantly regretted being honest.
"Oh yeah?" Jax glanced down at her. "What'd you expect?"
"Someone colder. Detached."
She hesitated. "You're… one of the good ones."
Jax smirked. "Please don't ruin my reputation, Moonveil. I've worked years for people to think I'm a menace."
He stepped ahead of her and pulled open the omega-wing door, holding it with a small, easy bow.
Nova laughed under her breath as she stepped past him, her arm brushing his.
"Goodnight, Nova," he said softly.
"Goodnight," she whispered, slipping inside — her head pounding, but her heart strangely lighter.
Her arm brushed his. Just lightly.
But he felt it.
A small, electric awareness that shot straight through him — sharp enough that his wolf snapped to attention like someone had rung a bell.
Nova paused mid-step.
Just a breath.
She glanced back at him, green eyes catching his in the narrow space between door and frame. Confusion flickered there — soft, startled, quickly masked. Like she wasn't sure if the flutter in her chest was real or just exhaustion.
Jax's breath hitched in a way he'd deny until death.
He wondered — wildly, recklessly — if she felt it too.
Before he could read her expression further, the omega-wing door swung inward.
Before shutting completely, Jax got a glimpse of a red head jumping across the room hugging Nova knocking her over.
Jax stood there a full second longer than necessary, staring at where Nova had disappeared, lips slowly curling into a disbelieving smile.