Beneath the Alpha's Moon

Eldur’s POV

I sat on the cold, stone chair, my hands clenched into fists, not out of anger but to hold back the storm brewing within me. The walls of my father’s castle loomed around me, cold and unfeeling, much like the way I felt about my family sometimes. They were too protective, too suffocating, and I needed a break. I needed something that wasn’t tied to the supernatural, something I could control—something that wasn’t tied to the constant pressure of being Eldur Daegon. The boy no one liked but were only starting to tolerate. I needed out of that life.

My father, Adrian, sat across from me, his gaze sharp, as if he could see through my words before I even spoke them. He always had that look in his eyes. His black hair fell in waves around his face, his violet eyes flickering with a depth of experience, and that eternal, ever-present smirk that always made me question his intentions. He was a vampire, a force to be reckoned with, and the last person I wanted to upset. But today, I had something to say, and I couldn’t let fear stop me.

"Why do you want to leave, Eldur?" His voice was smooth, like silk over gravel, as if he’d already anticipated my request. "You’ve never shown any interest in the human world before."

I inhaled deeply. The seriousness of my decision tightened around my chest, but I had to do this. I had to lie, even though the truth was gnawing at my insides.

"I just... need a break, Dad." I leaned back in the chair, trying to look as nonchalant as possible. "The supernatural world is... too much sometimes. I want to go to a regular school, you know? To just be normal for a while."

I could feel his piercing gaze on me. Adrian didn’t miss a thing. He had that vampire ability to sense everything, to see through every little façade. And yet, today, I hoped I could pull it off.

"You expect me to believe that?" My father raised an eyebrow, leaning forward, his voice dropping into something darker. "You, of all people, want to escape from the supernatural? The same world you’ve grown up in? The one you’ve been bred for?"

I clenched my jaw, resisting the urge to snap back at him. My hands were starting to tremble, but I forced myself to remain calm.