Luna Aurora (Alpha Fenrir)

Chapter 330

Elyra stood at the edge of the clearing, staring out into the moonlit forest. The cold wind brushed against her face, but she barely noticed. Her thoughts were with Dain-where he had gone, what he was doing, and why she could no longer feel the bond between them as strongly as before.

"He's slipping away from me," she murmured, clutching the shard in her hand. Its faint glow pulsed in rhythm with her heartbeat, a constant reminder of the power that had brought them to this point-and the danger it posed.

Cassian stepped up beside her, his usually lighthearted demeanor subdued. "He'll come back," he said, though his tone carried more doubt than reassurance.

Elyra shook her head. "You didn't see the look in his eyes the last time we spoke. It's like... he's already given up on us."

Cassian hesitated, then placed a hand on her shoulder. "Dain's always carried more weight than he lets on. He's probably out there trying to figure things out in his own way. You know how he is he doesn't like anyone seeing his struggles." "That doesn't mean I should just stand here and do nothing," Elyra snapped, pulling away. "I need to find him before it's too late."

Before Cassian could respond, Althea emerged from the sanctuary. The silver-haired guardian's serene expression betrayed none of the tension that Elyra felt. Her presence alone seemed to calm the air around them, but Elyra's frustration remained. "Elyra," Althea began, her voice steady, "you cannot chase after him without understanding what he is facing. Dain's struggle is not just with the shard or the shadows-it is with himself."

Elyra turned to face her, her fists clenched. "And what am I supposed to do? Just wait here while he tears himself apart?"

yourself first," Althea replied, stepping closer. "The shard has shown you visions, has it not? Warnings of what

Dain consumed by shadow. "Yes," she admitted quietly. "But what am I supposed to do about it? How do I save him if he won't let me?" Althea's gaze softened. "You cannot save him, Elyra. Not in the way you wish. Dain must choose his path, just as

can't let him fall into

her tone thoughtful. "But it will require great strength and great sacrifice.

she and Dain had shared-their triumphs, their struggles, and the bond that had always held them together. Could she really stand by and watch him slip

down at it, frowning. The energy felt different this time, more insistent, almost as if it were trying to communicate

pulling her out of her thoughts. "The shard is reacting to your

her voice lacked conviction. She tightened

shard to the ground. It landed with a dull

raw where the shard had burned her. The pain was sharp, but it was nothing compared to the

him," she said

Cassian asked, his

was... different. He was surrounded by shadows, and his eyes... they were filled with darkness. He looked..." She hesitated, struggling to find the right words. "He looked like he'd already given up." Althea stepped forward, her expression grave. "The shard has shown you a possible

way Dain had looked at