Nova had fallen into an uneasy slumber when she heard a knock at her door. She opened her eyes and sighed, fury building inside of her. Just for a moment, she had been able to escape this worrisome world through sleep, and now that temporary delight had been taken away from her.

Cursing a mile a minute in her head, she got out of bed and stormed to the door, opening it, fully aware that it may have been her brother. But instead, Cannon stood before her.

“Can I come in?” he asked. “I know you want to be alone, but it’s important,” he added once she didn’t answer right away.

Nova silently held the door open wider to let him come inside.

Cannon rubbed his hands together as if he was cold and then let them fall awkwardly to his sides. “I saw Julius.”

Nova crossed her arms. “Really? And what happened?”

“He agreed to leave Crescent Valley.”

Nova stared back at Cannon, dumbfounded. “Are you serious?”

“Yes. But there’s one condition, and I apologize in advance because I agreed to it without realizing the repercussions until I was back in my car. That’s why I’m here now. I hope you’ll forgive me”

“Cannon—please don’t tell me you made any arrangements on my behalf.”

Cannon lowered his head, ashamed. “I just…I wanted what was best for you. And selfishly, I want you here with me.”

“What did you agree to, Cannon?”

“Julius said he’ll leave if you stay. If you stay here in Crescent Valley…”

Nova was silent for so long, Cannon thought she would never speak to him again. She flipped on a light switch and flopped down in a nearby chair. Cannon waited with baited breath.

“He wants me to stay here so that he can go challenge our father. Of course he’d agree to something like this. It’s right up his alley.” She sighed heavily. “I’ve already been through so much, I don’t have the energy to be mad. I’m just…numb.”

“Can’t you warn your father?” Cannon suggested.

Nova nodded slowly. “Yes. I’m afraid that’s exactly what I’m going to have to do.” She looked up to Cannon. “Do you know when Julius is leaving?”

Cannon swallowed. “He may already be gone.”

Nova sprung up, reached for her cell, and ran into the bathroom, slamming the door behind her. She fought to keep her hands from trembling as she dialed her father’s number.

“Hello?” his gruff voice came through the receiver after the fourth ring.

“Father!”

“Nova? What are you doing calling this time of night? Is everything all right?”

“No. Julius—he’s coming for you. I don’t know how else to say this, but he wants your place as alpha. He’s coming to challenge you. The most I can do right now is warn you, because he’s made sure I stay trapped here in Crescent Valley for the time being.”

“So you haven’t been able to break the curse?”

“The only person who can help is Juliette, and she made me go through the Bradwicks. And you know how they feel about our family.”

“This Juliette—is she unwilling to act on her own?”

“She just doesn’t want to be caught in the middle.”

“We’ll figure something out, Nova. Don’t worry.”

“But Dad—please watch your back. I don’t trust Julius, and you shouldn’t either. He’s working with a phantom, and she’s powerful as hell. I think Juliette has issues getting involved with her too because she’s worried about her own life. Ugh, it’s just all so much!”

“I know your brother’s heart,” her father said after a long pause. “He’s already dead to me. I had suspected this when I was ill. I think Maxine and Julius have been working together longer than we realize. I will handle him. As for you—you take care of yourself. And you be careful around the Bradwicks. They’re hurt. And people who are hurting do some crazy things.”

“I will. I love you, Dad.”

“I love you too, Princess.”

When the phone line went dead, Nova sat on the edge of the bathtub, trembling.

“Nova?” Cannon’s voice called through the door.

She rose and opened the door. Cannon stood there, his expression heartbroken. “I’m so sorry, Nova. I thought I was helping.”

She sighed and then gave him a shaky smile. “I know. You were only trying to do what was right. I can’t fault you for that. I appreciate you caring because honestly, you don’t have to. This isn’t your battle to be bothered with, yet here you are.”

“Of course I’m here. I just don’t want you to hate me.”

“I hate a lot of people, but you aren’t one of them.”

He slowly approached her and wrapped her into a hug. “You’re wrong about one thing though.”

“Really? What?”

“You’re wrong about me not having to care. I can’t help but caring.” He kissed the top of her head.

Nova tightened her arms around him and then looked into his eyes. “So, now that I’m stuck here, are you sure I won’t drive you crazy?”

“Oh, you’ll drive me crazy, all right. That’s for sure. But not in a bad way.”

“What kind of way?”

He answered her with a kiss—a long, lingering, passionate one that left them both breathless afterwards. “I’m going to protect you in whatever way I can, Nova,” he said. “And I’m going to help you however I can too.”

“There’s only one thing I want you to help me with right now,” she said, tears welling into her eyes.

“Anything,” Cannon said.

Nova grabbed Cannon’s face and kissed him. “Stay with me tonight.”

“Like you could rid of me, I told you foxes are sneaky,” Cannon said.

Nova grabbed Cannon’s hand and led him to her bed. He sat at the edge of it, learning towards her and attempting to go for another kiss. But she stayed out of reach, teasing him.

Slowly, she straddled his lap and began kissing his neck. He wrapped his hands around her waist, his eyes closed, enjoying the sensation. When she reached for the hem of his shirt, he raised his arms, allowing her to pull it off and toss it to the floor. Silently, she ran her hands over his chest, and then his stomach.

“I love you, Nova,” he said.

She halted for a moment, staring into his eyes and realizing that he genuinely meant it. A fire like she had never felt before ignited low in her belly. She lifted from his lap and got down on her knees to unfasten his pants, seeing that Cannon was already hard for her.

She thought of all that Cannon had done for her in such a short time, and it made her want to do nothing but please him to the fullest. Yet, she was careful, methodically drawing it out and nearly quivering with satisfaction at the sounds of his deep and throaty groans.

“Nova, baby…God, I love you so much,” he murmured. She smiled against his flesh and then stood back up to meet his gaze, teasing him again.

He reached for her, pulling at the camisole top she wore. One strap fell off her shoulder, and then the other. Cannon pulled it downward, sure to catch her pajama shorts with it along the way. Her top and shorts fell to the floor, leaving her in nothing but underwear.

Cannon stood, picked her up, and lied her down on the bed. His kisses started at her chest, went down to her stomach, her thighs, knees, and toes, before working their way back up, eager to taste every inch of her as he pulled off her lace underwear. He tossed them aside and kissed her thighs stopping just before her mound.

He moved to the other side, his kissing trailing on her skin while his hand found her breast and he began to knead it forcefully.

“Fuck me,” Nova whined, anxious for him to continue his kisses on her pussy.

“Not yet, baby, I wanna tease you first.” With that he wrapped his lips around her clit and rolled his tongue around it.

She could barely breathe. His mouth felt so good, his tongue darting in and out of her, and then taking breaks to lap up her juices. Her hand clutched his messy hair as she tossed her head back.

“Oh my God Cannon, yes!”

He took his free hand a pushed two fingers inside of her pumping them as his mouth worked furiously on her clit. Nova quivered all over, her toes curling at the explosion of pleasure she couldn’t hold off any longer.

Smirking at her, Cannon stood up and hitched her legs at either side of his hips. Seconds later he plunged into her.

“Yes! God you feel so good.”

“That’s right baby, come for me,” he whispered as he pumped faster.

He continued to slam into her and she grabbed her breasts, pinching her nipples.

She could feel his cock swell deep inside her and she couldn’t hold back the epic orgasm anymore. Her muscles twitched as she tightened around him, and she felt him fill her completely. He collapsed on top of her and she sighed heavily, trying to catch her breath.

He kissed her cheek and neck until he pulled out of her and lied down next to Nova, drawing circles with his fingers on her skin.

“Where do we go from here?” she asked honestly.

“No idea. I mean I guess you’re staying right? So that’s a win.”

“Ha, maybe for you.”

“For both of us,” he countered.

“Fine, but what about that? What about us? Do you really love me?”

“Yeah, I think my fox likes your sexy wolf even more.”

“So we’re talking mates here? Is this forever?” She didn’t know how else to put it. Once you were meant to be, shifter law dictated that you were monogamous. Til death do us part was non-negotiable.

He kissed her softly. “This is now, and now is what I want to live in. You’ve got shit with your family Nova, and you know nothing about mine. Let’s handle one big life event at a time. Then we’ll talk forever. But let’s put it this way, I am not ruling it out.”

As Nova lay cradled in Cannon’s arms some of the panic she felt began to finally ease away. With Cannon by her side, her stay at Crescent Valley would no longer feel like a jail sentence. She had a companion—a lover and friend—who would help her figure things out in time. And maybe most importantly, he wasn’t afraid of her deranged brother.

In due time, Julius would have a battle on his hands that he hadn’t anticipated and Nova would be ready for it. And if Maxine crossed her path? Good fucking luck, girlfriend. Maxine would need it after Nova sunk her teeth into her.

Cannon drifted off to sleep and Nova snuggled in closer.

Julius and Maxine would have to wait.

Because right now she had Cannon, naked in his bed.

And for now, that was all she needed.