Page 159 of Court of Aether and Shadows

In these precious moments, we were more than Lord and Lady, more than prophecy and destiny. We were simply us – two souls finding completion in each other's embrace, while the very fabric of reality shimmered in response to our union.

The moons continued their eternal watch as shadow and starlight became one.

Morning Revelations

~SPARROW~

"Wait, wait, wait," I grabbed Nyx's arm, nearly causing her to spill her floating cup of cosmic coffee. "Are you telling me Omegas don't get periods? Like, at all?"

Nyx blinked her galaxy eyes at me, clearly confused by my sudden excitement. "No? We have heat cycles instead. Why are you looking at me like I just gave you the secret to eternal life?"

"Do you have any idea how much money I'm going to save?" I practically bounced as we walked through the academy's crystalline corridors. "No more monthly trips to the drugstore! No more hoarding pads like they're precious gems! No more?—"

"I'm sorry," Nyx cut in, her perfectly manicured hand raised in confusion. "What exactly are 'pads'?"

I stared at her for a moment before remembering she'd never experienced mundane female issues. "Right, okay. So in the human world, we have to use these things called pads or tampons during our periods. They're like... absorbent materials that catch the blood."

"That sounds... primitive," Nyx's nose wrinkled delicately. "And expensive?"

"Girl, you have no idea," I groaned, dodging a student whose court robes seemed to be actively on fire. "Unless you're rich enough to afford period panties?—"

"Period what now?"

"Special underwear that absorbs everything, but they cost like a week's worth of food," I explained. "And when you share one washing machine with a hundred guys who think showering is optional..." I shuddered at the memory.

Nyx's galaxy eyes widened in horror. "You had to share cleaning facilities with uncouth males? How barbaric! In the Void Court, we have personal cleansing chambers that use actual starlight to purify?—"

"Of course you do," I laughed, nudging her with my elbow. "Tell me more about growing up in the Void Court. Was it all cosmic baths and stellar facials?"

Her expression shifted slightly, some of her usual sparkle dimming. "Not... exactly. Being different isn't exactly celebrated in the courts. Especially when you're a female void wolf who prefers suits to traditional robes."

Before I could respond, we rounded a corner and nearly collided with three familiar figures. My pack bonds hummed with recognition even as my eyes widened at their appearance.

Liam looked like he'd gone ten rounds with a shadow beast. His arms were covered in bruises that his rolled-up sleeves did nothing to hide, and an impressive scratch decorated his left cheekbone. His shadow energy seemed agitated, curling around him more defensively than usual.

Solaris, the usually immaculate Aether wolf, sported a single bandaid across his right cheek. It would have looked almost cute if it weren't for the way his sun-bright energy kept flickering like a frustrated flame.

Between them, Cypress walked with his hands in his pockets, whistling a tune that made nearby plants sway in rhythm. He didn't have a mark on him, his elemental tattoos dancing across his skin with their usual vitality.

"Do I want to know?" I asked, looking between them.

"Training session," Liam muttered, not meeting my eyes.

"Bonding exercise," Solaris added unconvincingly.

"They tried to gang up on me," Cypress said cheerfully, still whistling. "Didn't work out so well for them."

"He cheated," both Liam and Solaris said in unison, then glared at each other for the synchronization.

Nyx's laughter echoed through the corridor like crystal wind chimes. "Oh please, using all four elements isn't cheating. You two are just mad because you thought shadow-walking and solar flares would be enough to take him down."

"He made plants grow in impossible places!" Liam protested, wincing as he shifted his bruised arm.

"And created mini tsunamis!" Solaris added indignantly, adjusting his bandaid.

"All's fair in love and pack spars," Cypress shrugged, his ocean-deep eyes twinkling with mischief. "Besides, you both needed the ego check. All that alpha posturing was getting tedious."

I looked between my wolves, feeling their different energies swirl through our pack bonds. "Should I be worried about you three killing each other before classes even start?"

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