Beneath the Alpha's Moon

Eldur’s POV

I used to think silence was a weapon.

A thing you sharpened and wielded until it cut deeper than claws or teeth ever could.

But sitting alone on Mai and Liam’s couch for the seventh night in a row, wrapped in that ridiculous fluffy blanket Liam insisted I keep, I realized something much worse—

Silence could also suffocate.

"Eldur, you have to eat something," Liam said gently, his voice low and careful, like he was talking to a wounded animal that might bolt at any second.

He set a bowl of steaming soup down in front of me, the faint aroma of herbs filling the space between us. His face was a mess of cautious hope, like he was silently begging me to just... be okay.

I stared at the bowl like it was written in a language I didn’t understand.

Soup wasn’t going to fix this. Nothing could.

Mai dropped down beside me with a heavy sigh, her curly hair tied up in a chaotic bun, strands escaping everywhere. There was a glint of fierce determination in her eyes—classic Mai, as stubborn as ever.

"You know," she said, way too cheerfully, "we could totally kidnap Nova, tie her to a chair, and force her to listen to you grovel. I’m good with knots. Ollie has duct tape."