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

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

can't let him fall

"But it will require great strength and great sacrifice.

had shared-their triumphs, their struggles, and the bond that had always held them

looked down at it, frowning. The energy felt different this time,

said sharply, pulling her out of her thoughts. "The shard is reacting to your emotions.

tightened her grip on the shard, determined to prove her

out, dropping the 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 vision

she said breathlessly,

Cassian asked, his

She hesitated, struggling to find the right words. "He looked like he'd already given up." Althea stepped forward,

vivid. She could still see the way Dain had looked at her in the vision-cold,