Beneath the Alpha's Moon

Nova’s POV

For the first time in a long time, I felt... light. Carefree, even. It was as if the world, heavy with its expectations and worries, had quietly released its grip on me; and in return for every struggle, every sleepless night, the universe had sent me something—or rather, someone. His name? Eldur.

The moment Eldur and I returned from that job hunting trip, everything had changed. The tight knot in my chest unraveled when I got the job at Prologue Pages, and though Eldur didn’t say it outright, I knew, without a doubt, he had something to do with it.

That grumpy old man, the one who barely looked up from his crossword puzzle when I walked in, had suddenly become the picture of enthusiasm the moment Eldur flashed him that eerie, slightly terrifying smile of his. The way the old man’s attitude had done a complete 180 made it painfully clear that Eldur had pulled some unseen strings behind the scenes. I couldn’t even bring myself to be mad about it. Because for once, it felt good to be on the receiving end of someone’s influence.

I wasn’t exactly sure what had changed, but something in me had. Maybe it was the job. Maybe it was just having Eldur by my side, his unpredictable and bizarre ways somehow making everything feel like it would be okay. Maybe it was just... being seen in a way I hadn’t been in a long time. But for the first time in forever, I felt like I could breathe without fear of the world choking me.

I had a job. I could finally contribute, it all felt like I was finally getting my life together. Eldur made it possible. Even before we got into the same school, he was always looming in the background, always somehow making things easier for me. I couldn’t decide whether to laugh or be slightly terrified by how much he could make things bend to his will. In anyway, I was grateful.

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I hadn’t expected the party to be so... well, loud. The kind of loud that vibrates your chest and makes your head feel like it’s stuffed with cotton. Ember & Ash wasn’t the worst place, don’t get me wrong. But it felt like every person there had something to prove. The thumping music, the flashing lights—it all seemed so frantic, so... desperate. So unnatural.

Lara, of course, was in her element. She was practically glowing, her sequins catching every bit of light as if she was the party’s star attraction. She didn’t get it, though. She didn’t understand how overwhelming all of it felt to me. But I wasn’t going to be a buzzkill. Not tonight.

I had to admit, I was looking forward to seeing Eldur outside of our usual, quiet spaces. He’d seemed... different since the job hunt today, and I had no idea what to make of it. I mean, I was still adjusting to the idea of spending time with someone like him, someone who could command the room with just his presence.

Tonight, I couldn’t help feeling excited just by standing side by side with him. He was, standing tall, dressed in his usual dark, effortless style. He looked calm, cool, and... well, powerful. I couldn’t help but be drawn to him like a moth to light. But as we stepped further into the bar, my stomach dropped. A crowd suddenly started growing around him, and little by little I was pushed to the background.