Beneath the Alpha's Moon
Chapter 240: Liam’s Choice

Chapter 240: Liam’s Choice

Liam’s P.O.V.

I awoke in a world unlike anything I had ever seen before.

The trees stretched impossibly high, their trunks glowing faintly with silver veins that pulsed in rhythm with something unseen. The air was light, with magic floating around, humming softly like a whispered lullaby. A deep mist curled around my feet, rolling in waves that disappeared into the distance. The sky above wasn’t black, nor was it blue—it shimmered like liquid silver, stars swirling in endless patterns that I didn’t recognize.

I wasn’t afraid.

I wasn’t at peace either.

I just... existed.

Then, I felt it.

A presence.

I turned.

She stood before me.

The Moon Goddess.

Her long silver hair fell down her back like flowing starlight, and her glowing eyes, vast and endless, held the weight of eternity. She was beautiful, terrifying, and comforting all at once.

I swallowed, my throat dry.

"Where am I?" My voice felt small, swallowed by the vastness of this place.

She tilted her head slightly, a small smile on her lips. "You are in the space between."

"The space between?" I echoed, my brows furrowing.

"The space between what was... and what could be."

Something cold ran down my spine.

Was this a dream?

The Goddess raised her hand, and suddenly, images appeared before me—floating, shifting, flickering like the pages of a book flipping on their own.

The first image was a vision of my past.

A younger me, before Mai, before the scars, before the whispers and chaos. I was smiling. Brightly. My blond hair was shorter, neatly combed, my bright blue eyes free of hesitation. There were no burn marks on my forehead, no fear in my posture. I was surrounded by friends, by laughter, by a life that had never known Mai Blackwood.

The vision shifted.

I saw myself in the future—without Mai, without Eldur, without all the weight I carried now. I was thriving. I had friends. I was happy. My life was... easy.

I took a step closer, drawn to the warmth of that image.

The Liam in that vision was free.

The scars never happened.

The nightmares never existed.

Mai never touched my life.

The voice of the Goddess curled around me like a ghostly whisper.

"This is one path, Liam Rivers. A life without suffering, without pain. A life where the past is erased, where you are whole once more."

My breath caught in my throat.

"Can you really do that?" I whispered. "Erase everything?"

She nodded, her expression unreadable. "Yes. If you choose this path, you will never remember Mai. Or Eldur. Or the suffering you endured because of them. It will be as though they never existed in your world."

The words sent a strange ache through my chest.

I turned away from the vision, forcing myself to breathe.

"And the other choice?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

The images shifted again.

And I saw them.

Mai.

Eldur.

Sleeping. Unmoving. Bound by something dark and unseen.

"They cannot wake unless you return," the Goddess said softly. "Unless you choose them."

I clenched my fists.

"They both made my life hell," I muttered.

The Goddess didn’t deny it.

She merely nodded.

"They did."

Silence stretched between us.

"And yet," she continued, "you care."

I swallowed the lump in my throat.

"Why?" she asked.

I had no answer.

Why?

Why did I care?

Why did I still feel so much love for the girl who had burned me—who had haunted me since childhood?

Why did I still want to protect the boy who took pleasure in the pain of others?

I should want the easy life. I should want the clean slate. I should want freedom.

But then...

The vision of my perfect life flickered before me again.

And this time, I saw what I hadn’t noticed before.

The emptiness that took Mai’s place in my life.

Yes, I was laughing. Yes, I was surrounded by friends. Yes, I was safe.

But my eyes...

My eyes were empty.

There was no purpose.

No fire.

No heart aching love.

No meaning.

I was simply existing.

And that terrified me more than the pain ever had.

I turned to the Goddess, my jaw tight.

She smiled.

"You already know your choice," she whispered.

I inhaled sharply, my hands curling into fists.

"I can’t forget," I admitted. "I don’t forget what they did to me. I don’t forget how much I suffered because of them."

She nodded, as if she already knew.

"But," I continued, my voice shaking, "I can’t live without her, I can’t let them go."

The Moon Goddess smiled at me, the kind of knowing smile that sent shivers down my spine. She tilted her head slightly, her eyes glowing brighter.

"All right, then," she whispered, her voice carrying the weight of something far greater than a simple acknowledgment. "Since you have chosen this path, I will let you have it."

Something warm brushed against my skin, like a gentle breeze infused with raw power. The space around us shifted, the floating visions dissolving like mist.

I exhaled, tension leaving my body, but before I could say anything, she smiled again, wider this time.

"Happy Birthday, Liam."

I blinked. "What?"

The words caught me so off guard that for a moment, I thought I misheard her. My birthday wasn’t for another—

I counted in my head.

Thirteen days.

I frowned. "Wait. My birthday isn’t today."

The Moon Goddess laughed softly, the sound like chiming bells. There was something unsettling about hearing the literal deity of fate laugh like she just played a prank on me.

"Oh, Liam," she mused. "You’ve been asleep for that long."

I stiffened. My stomach dropped.

My pulse hammered against my ribs as I took a slow step back.

"Wait. What?" I said, my voice small. "I’ve been asleep for thirteen days?"

She nodded.

A sharp wave of panic crashed over me. I opened my mouth, then closed it. My mind raced, grasping for answers that didn’t exist. Had I really been unconscious for nearly two weeks? Was I just lying somewhere in a bed, unmoving? What the hell was happening to my actual body right now? Did that accident do this to me?

"So... I’m dreaming?" I asked hesitantly.

She shook her head. "No, Liam. This is real. Your soul was simply elsewhere while your body rested."

I swallowed. My hands clenched at my sides. "Then—then what’s going to happen when I wake up?"

The Goddess’s smile softened. "I have a gift for you."

My stomach twisted again. "A... gift?"

She nodded.

"What kind of gift?" I asked cautiously.

Her smile turned mischievous. "That’s a secret."

I stared at her, utterly baffled. "You can’t just say that and not tell me."

She laughed again, and I had never felt more played in my life.

"Don’t worry," she assured me. "You’ll find out soon enough."

I sighed heavily. Great. Fantastic. The literal Moon Goddess was keeping secrets from me. Just what I needed.

Before I could protest further, she stepped closer, her expression turning serious. "But before you wake, there is one thing you must do."

I stiffened. "What is it?"

She turned her gaze toward Mai and Eldur, their still bodies floating in the space beside us, frozen in time.

My chest tightened.

"They have suffered," she murmured. "More than even you know. Darkness clings to them, binding them in ways unseen. But you, Liam, you have the power to break their chains."

I swallowed, unsure if I understood where this was going.

The Goddess met my gaze. "Kiss them."

I nearly choked. "Excuse me?"

Kiss them? Well, if it was only Mai, I’ll gladly do it but Eldur? The goddess must have had too much to drink.

Her lips twitched in amusement. "On the forehead, Liam."

I exhaled sharply. "Oh. Right. Of course."

She shook her head, clearly holding back laughter. "Your touch will turn the tides. With one kiss, you will take away the burdens that have plagued them for years."

I hesitated. "How?"

"Because," she said simply, "you were meant to."

I stared at her.

That was it? That was the explanation?

I wanted to argue, to demand more answers, but something in her gaze stopped me.

This was real. And, somehow, I knew she was telling the truth.

I exhaled slowly and turned toward Mai.

Her face was peaceful, but even in this state, she looked haunted, like shadows lingered beneath the surface. My heart clenched at the sight.

Mai Blackwood had ruined my life once. She had burned me, haunted me, twisted me into something I barely recognized.

And yet, I loved her more than anything.

I leaned down and pressed a soft kiss against her forehead.

The moment my lips touched her skin, a warm, golden light flared around her. It rushed through her body, seeping into her, washing away something unseen.

She stirred slightly, her lips parting.

I pulled back, breath hitching.

It worked.

I turned to Eldur next.

His eyes were closed, his expression calm. Even in his stillness, he looked dangerous, like something coiled too tightly, waiting to strike.

Eldur Daegon was ruthless. He had inflicted pain without remorse, torn apart anyone who stood in his way. He terrified people.

But these few weeks we spent together, I got to know that he wasn’t all that bad—In his own twisted, Eldur kind of way. He just needed guidance and patience.

I hesitated for only a second before leaning down and pressing a kiss to his forehead.

Another rush of warmth. Another pulse of golden light.

Eldur’s fingers twitched, his jaw tightening before slowly relaxing.

And then, out of Mai and Eldur’s bodies, a woman and a scary looking man emerged.

The woman who emerged from Mai’s body was breathtakingly beautiful, with an otherworldly elegance that sent a shiver down my spine. She had deep violet eyes, glowing faintly like embers in the dark, and long, silver-white hair that fell down her back in silky waves. Her pale skin was flawless, adorned with delicate markings that pulsed with a soft, eerie light. She wore a flowing gown of deep midnight blue, embroidered with shimmering silver threads that seemed to shift like living stardust. Her presence exuded a quiet but undeniable power, like a storm brewing beneath a calm sky.

Beside her, the man who had emerged from Eldur’s body was just as striking—but in an entirely different way. He was tall, with a lean, muscular build that radiated raw strength. His deep crimson hair fell messily over his sharp, angular face, framing his glowing red eyes that burned with an intense, almost predatory light. His skin was bronzed, etched with dark, jagged scars that only seemed to enhance his rugged handsomeness. He wore dark armor, sleek yet battle-worn, the edges glinting dangerously as if they had tasted blood before. His expression was eerily still, but something about him—perhaps the way his fingers twitched slightly or the sharp tension in his jaw—made it seem as though he could explode into motion at any moment.

They both stood frozen before us, unmoving, their eyes open but distant as if trapped in a deep sleep.

I pulled back, exhaling shakily.

"What the—"

The Goddess smiled at me, something like pride glimmering in her gaze. She looked completely unfazed.

"It is done."

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