Beneath the Alpha's Moon
Chapter 212: Rippling Mirrors

Chapter 212: Rippling Mirrors

Mai’s P.O.V.

Liam’s mother, Mara flinched at Liam’s words. "Liam, sweetheart, she—"

"I don’t remember you." Liam said, his words sounded harsh but it was true. "I don’t remember any of you."

A strangled sound escaped her throat. She staggered back like he’d physically struck her, her hands trembling at her sides.

I could see the pain on her face... it was unbearable to watch.

She stood frozen, her lips slightly parted, as if she wanted to say something, but no words came out. Her hands trembled at her sides, curled into tight fists like she was holding herself together.

"Let’s go home," she finally whispered, her voice cracking. "I’ll explain everything to you, sweetheart."

She reached for Liam, her hands desperate, but before she could touch him, he stepped back.

"I’m not going anywhere without Mai."

The weight of his words slammed into the air between us. My heart clenched, and my fingers tightened around his.

Liam’s mother’s breath hitched. His father furrowed his brows.

"What?" His mother’s voice wavered.

Liam shook his head. "I’m sorry, but... I don’t know you. I don’t know any of you." His blue eyes darted across their faces, searching for something—anything—familiar. But there was nothing. "The only person I trust is Mai." Liam repeated.

A murmur rippled through the crowd.

"Did you hear that?" someone whispered.

"Mai and Eldur did something to him," another voice hissed.

A sharp pang of irritation surged through me. Why were there so many people here? And why did they all care so much about Liam and me?

My father, finally stepped forward, his voice calm but firm. "That’s enough. Everyone, return to your homes."

The authority in his tone sent a silent command through the gathering. People hesitated for only a moment before shuffling away, though some cast lingering glances over their shoulders. I didn’t miss the suspicious looks they threw at me.

But even as the crowd dispersed, Liam’s parents remained.

My father let out a slow breath before turning to them. "Let’s go inside."

We entered the mansion—an extravagant place that should have felt like home to me, but it didn’t. It was too big, too pristine, too unfamiliar.

The living room was vast, almost intimidating in its grandeur. High ceilings loomed above us, adorned with intricate crown molding, while a massive chandelier threw a warm, golden glow over the polished floors. A fireplace crackled softly in the corner, its flames dancing beneath an ornate marble mantel.

The walls were lined with old portraits—ancestors with stern expressions, their watchful eyes seeming to follow my every move. I didn’t recognize a single one of them.

Liam and I sat together on a velvet couch, our hands still intertwined, as if letting go would mean losing the only familiar thing in this moment. Across from us, his parents sat stiffly, their shoulders squared with tension, their faces unreadable.

The silence stretched, heavy and unspoken, until my mother finally broke it.

"Liam lost his memories due to unknown causes," she said gently, her voice calm but firm. "As for Mai... the police informed us that she was attacked and stabbed by unknown individuals. She also suffered memory loss."

Liam’s mother, Mara, inhaled sharply. Her eyes darted toward me, filled with something raw—fear? Grief? She opened her mouth, then hesitated before finally speaking.

"She... she doesn’t remember anything either?"

My father nodded. "That’s why we think it would be best if Liam stays here with Mai for a while. Elizabeth is working on a way to restore their memories."

Mara’s hands clenched into fists in her lap. Her whole body was rigid, barely containing the emotions simmering just beneath the surface. "Absolutely not," she said, her voice unsteady. "He’s coming home with us."

Liam’s father, however, placed a steadying hand on his wife’s knee.

"Mara," he murmured, his tone gentle but firm. "Right now, he doesn’t know us. Forcing him to leave will only make things worse."

Mara turned to him in disbelief, her eyes wide, almost pleading. "So, what? We just leave him here?"

Liam’s father exhaled slowly before turning his attention to my father. "We’ll visit often," he promised. "I don’t want to take him away from the only thing he trusts right now."

Then he looked at Liam, and the hardness in his expression softened.

"Take your time," he said. "And even if you never remember us, son, we’ll still love you. We’ll make new memories together."

Liam blinked, his throat bobbing as he swallowed. For a moment, he looked like he wanted to say something, but all that came out was a hushed, "Thank you."

Mara didn’t look convinced. Her lips pressed into a tight line, her eyes glistening, but after a long pause, she gave a stiff nod. Without another word, they left.

That night, Dinner was awkward. Too many people, too many voices, too much noise that didn’t quite fit inside my head.

A butler greeted me as if he had known me forever, his kind smile warm but unfamiliar. He pulled out a chair for me at the long dining table, where the meal was spread out like something out of a royal banquet—too extravagant, too surreal.

Then there was the boy.

Ollie.

My twin brother.

I wasn’t use to him yet. Before I could react, he launched himself at me, arms wrapping around me so tightly I almost forgot how to breathe.

"I missed you so much, Mai!" His voice trembled with emotion, and when he pulled back just enough for me to see his face, I caught the shimmer of tears in his eyes. "Even if you don’t remember me, I’m just happy you’re here, back home."

I didn’t know what to say. Words felt too small, too insignificant.

But I could feel the love in his embrace.

Then there was Elizabeth.

She was introduced as the woman who would help me regain my memories, but there was something about her that made my skin prickle. The way she looked at me—too intently, too calculating—sent a whisper of unease curling down my spine.

She smiled. Spoke kindly. But her eyes told a different story.

After dinner, I was shown to my room.

The door shut behind me with a soft click, and for the first time all day, I was alone.

I exhaled, pressing a hand against my chest, feeling the steady rhythm of my heartbeat.

Everything about this place was beautiful. Lavish. Safe.

But they made a mistake.

I wasn’t supposed to sleep alone.

The thought settled deep in my chest, heavy and unshakable. But I didn’t argue. I didn’t protest when they showed me to my room, with its large canopy bed and thick, unfamiliar blankets. I waited, watching as the mansion fell into silence. Footsteps faded, doors clicked shut, the air grew still.

Then I teleported.

Liam was lying on his bed when I appeared in the dim glow of his bedside lamp. His head rested against the pillow, eyes half-lidded, but the second he saw me, he let out a long sigh.

"Mai," he muttered, voice rough with exhaustion, "you can’t just do that. Someone might catch us."

I smirked, unbothered. "Then we’ll be careful."

Liam rolled his eyes but didn’t argue. There was a softness to his expression, something worn and familiar, something that made my chest feel warm.

"Just don’t get us both kicked out," he mumbled, shifting to make room for me.

I crawled onto the bed without hesitation, sinking into the space beside him. My head barely touched the pillow before my body relaxed, the weight of the day melting away. For the first time in what felt like forever, I was at peace.

But then—

I woke up.

I blinked blearily at the ceiling, my mind sluggish with sleep. Something in my body nagged at me, an inconvenient reminder of human needs. Groaning, I sat up and stumbled toward the bathroom, rubbing the exhaustion from my eyes.

The moment I stepped inside, the air changed.

It was subtle at first. A flicker in the corner of my vision. A ripple where there shouldn’t be one.

Then—the mirror moved.

Like water disturbed by a breath of wind.

I froze.

A pale hand pressed against the other side of the glass. Then, slowly, a face emerged from the shifting surface—sharp features, white hair, silver eyes that were dimmer than mine.

His lips curled into a smirk.

"You’re mine."

My heart slammed against my ribs.

Something inside me twisted, burned, ached.

It didn’t feel like fear.

It felt like longing.

A desperate, unfamiliar pull that made my fingers tremble. Every part of me screamed to reach for him, to touch him, to close the unbearable distance between us.

What was this?

"Who... who are you?" I whispered, barely recognizing my own voice.

The boy’s silver eyes darkened with something unreadable. His hand pressed harder against the glass, and my breath hitched—

Then I heard, "Mai?"

Liam’s voice.

Muffled through the door.

"Who are you talking to?"

I couldn’t answer. I couldn’t even move. The pull of the boy in the mirror was too strong, like an invisible thread wrapped tight around my ribs.

Liam’s footsteps grew closer.

And then, he saw it.

The face in the mirror.

Without hesitation, Liam swung his fist.

The glass shattered with a sickening crack.

Shards flew, scattering across the sink, the floor. The impact sent a shock through the air, breaking whatever spell had taken hold of me.

I stumbled back, breath sharp and uneven.

Blood dripped from Liam’s knuckles.

But when I looked back at the mirror—

The boy was gone.

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