Beneath the Alpha's Moon
Chapter 292: A Castle Between Us

Chapter 292: A Castle Between Us

Nova’s POV

It had been a whole month since the accident.

And just like that, the world had moved on.

The vultures with microphones and flashing cameras had grown tired. I guess they expected me to break down publicly, cry in some exclusive interview, or at the very least post a cryptic tweet that said, "Forgiveness is healing," or something equally poetic.

But I gave them nothing. Not a word. Not a soundbite. Not even a glare.

And they gave up.

Thank God.

Because I was finally breathing again.

I had started sleeping without waking up in cold sweat. I could walk across campus without worrying about some desperate blogger popping out of a bush to ask, "Nova, do you blame her?" I didn’t even care that my face was no longer plastered everywhere. Fame, even the kind that isn’t yours, is exhausting.

Life was... well, not normal. Not really. But Eldur-normal.

Which meant portals, sarcasm, and a complicated, broody boy who could burn cities and yet still somehow couldn’t figure out how to ask me to come live with him in his apartment like a normal person.

First semester had wrapped up. Everyone was going home for the break, hugging friends and promising to stay in touch before disappearing into cabs and trains and that one rich kid with a helicopter.

I didn’t have anywhere to go.

My old apartment? A tragic time capsule of missed rent and bad lighting. I hadn’t paid a dime in months, and let’s be honest—my ex-roommate’s probably replaced me with a cat who pays in cuddles and doesn’t leave books everywhere. So, the plan was either crash at the apartment I share with Lara (even though she’s heading home for break), wander around campus like a ghost with Wi-Fi, or hole up in a sketchy motel somewhere, binge-watching trashy reality TV until I forgot what feelings were.

Then Eldur, in his usual dramatic fashion, leaned against my doorway one morning and said, "Pack your things."

I blinked up at him from the floor where I had been trying to fit all my clean laundry into a backpack that definitely wasn’t meant to hold this much shame. "Why?"

"My parents want to see you again."

I raised a brow. "They do?"

"They won’t shut up about it. If I don’t bring you home, I’m afraid my dad might actually drink my blood."

He was joking.

At least... I think he was joking.

I stared at him. He stared back. His silver eyes twinkled with amusement, but also something softer—hopeful. Nervous? Eldur never got nervous.

"I don’t know..." I muttered.

He stepped closer, brushing a strand of hair behind my ear with more tenderness than I was ready for. "Nova. Please. Come with me."

I nodded.

Because I’m weak.

Because I’m curious.

Because he’s... Eldur.

Because I have no better plans.

So, two hours later, we were standing in the middle of my tiny dorm room, backpacks on the floor, and he held out his hand with a grin.

"Ready?" he asked.

"Nope," I said.

And we stepped through the portal.

The first thing I noticed?

The smell.

It didn’t smell like stone or moss or damp like I expected from a vampire castle. It smelled like... cinnamon. And lilacs. And a hint of danger—like something old and powerful and unspeakably elegant had lived here long before anyone was brave enough to call it home.

The second thing I noticed?

The sheer size of the living room we landed in.

Calling it a living room felt like an insult.

There were stained-glass windows bigger than our college library. A fireplace that could fit a car inside it. The walls were covered in ancient paintings—portraits of people with striking eyes and sharp jaws, all looking like they’d either adopt you or bite your neck. Or both.

The ceiling had stars carved into it. Literal stars. And they glowed.

"Oh my God," I breathed.

Eldur smirked beside me. "Impressed?"

I turned to him, stunned. "This is the most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen."

"Good. That’s only the entryway."

"What?"

He didn’t get to answer, because suddenly, a voice called out, "You brought her!"

I spun just in time to see Eldur’s mother with a smile that felt like it could slice through steel—sweep into the room.

She hugged me. I mean, hugged me. Tight. Fierce. Warm.

"You look even prettier than I remember," she said with a wink. "We’ve been waiting for you, Nova."

Behind her, Eldur’s father appeared, dressed in something that looked suspiciously like velvet and confidence.

He didn’t hug me.

But he smiled. A soft, cool smile that didn’t quite reach his ancient eyes. "Welcome to our home, Nova."

"Thanks for having me," I murmured, trying not to be weird. Trying not to ask if he was actually drinking blood from that wine glass.

"Are you hungry?" Juliette asked, pulling me along before I could respond. "Dinner’s almost ready. Come, you’ll sit with us."

There were other people in the castle. They floated in and out of the edges of my vision—quiet, graceful, too beautiful to be human.

Eldur whispered, "They’re all vampires. Don’t stare."

I nodded too fast. I definitely stared.

Dinner was... interesting.

The food was delicious, full of things I couldn’t pronounce and flavors that melted into my soul. Eldur sat beside me, smugly slicing through rare steak like it had insulted him. His mother chattered, asking about school, about Lara (who she called "the loud friend"), and even complimented my cardigan.

But Adrian? Adrian didn’t eat.

He sipped from his glass the entire time, slow and deliberate. Every time I glanced his way, he would smile at me like he knew something I didn’t.

Maybe he did.

By the end of the meal, I was full. Full of food. Full of questions. Full of something that felt dangerously like belonging.

Eldur’s mother led me to my room—a whole wing of the castle just for me.

"This used to be one of the guest rooms," she said as she opened the doors. "I added a few human comforts."

A few was an understatement.

The room looked like something out of a royal daydream—canopy bed, cream-colored drapes, bookshelves that stretched to the ceiling, a little fireplace crackling with soft magic. There was a painting above the bed of a white wolf standing in moonlight. I didn’t know why it made my chest ache.

"This is too much," I whispered.

Juliette cupped my cheek. "You’re part of the family now, Nova. And besides..." she gave me a mischievous grin. "You make Eldur more tolerable."

I laughed. She winked.

That night, I had just finished brushing my teeth and was debating whether to try on the silk robe I found (seriously, was this room enchanted?) when someone knocked lightly on the door.

It creaked open before I could answer.

Eldur.

Hair damp from a shower. Hoodie clinging to his arms. He looked... soft. Dangerous. Mine.

"Can I come in?" he asked.

"Eldur. You just did."

He flashed that signature grin—mischievous, completely unapologetic. "I’ve got something to show you."

I raised an eyebrow, suspicious but amused. "What is it this time? A dragon? A hidden magical forest? A secret room full of enchanted ducks wearing top hats?"

He chuckled. "Worse."

"Oh God," I muttered.

"Come on," he said, extending his hand toward me.

Again.

And—I took it.

Again.

Because let’s face it... I’m hopeless.

The moment our fingers touched, the air shimmered. A portal unfurled in front of us, swirling silver and soft like mist caught in moonlight. It pulsed gently, like it was breathing.

"Where are we going?" I whispered.

He glanced at me, eyes lit from within like twin stars. "You’ll see."

We stepped through.

On the other side, the world was hushed and wild. Crisp night air kissed my skin. We stood atop a hill, the sky stretched wide above us, a sea of stars scattered like diamonds across black velvet.

But it wasn’t the stars that caught me.

It was the tree.

An enormous, ancient tree rose from the heart of the clearing, its bark etched with glowing lines that shimmered faintly. Then—just as I started to take a step forward—Eldur lifted a hand, and magic flickered from his fingertips.

Lights.

Tiny, floating orbs began to rise around us, drifting like glowing dandelion seeds. They swirled through the air like curious spirits, hues of gold, blue, and violet spread over our skin. The fairy lights danced between the branches of the tree, settling like fireflies along its limbs.

I turned to him, eyes wide. "It’s beautiful."

He didn’t look at the lights. He was watching me.

"There’s something else I wanted to show you," he said, voice quieter now, almost solemn. "My wolf."

My heart stuttered. Eldur had talked about his wolf on numerous occasions but I’d never seen it. Not with my own eyes.

"Wait... seriously?" I asked.

He nodded, already pulling off his hoodie.

I blinked. "Um... what are you doing?"

He looked over his shoulder, the corner of his mouth twitching. "Relax. Pull your mind out of the gutter, Nova."

My face burned instantly. "I didn’t—I mean, I wasn’t—!"

He laughed, full and warm, like the sound cracked the cold night wide open. I laughed too, mostly to cover the fact that I was now staring at his very naked back.

Within moments, Eldur stood fully bare under the starlight, unbothered, wild, real.

And then—he changed.

Right before my eyes, his body shimmered and shifted. Bones cracked quietly. Muscles rippled, stretched. Fur sprouted, pure white like clouds. In the span of a few heartbeats, the boy I knew was gone.

In his place stood a massive wolf.

Majestic. Towering. Powerful. His eyes—the same as before—looked at me with quiet understanding.

I took a step closer, stunned, breath caught in my throat.

"Eldur..." I whispered.

And the wolf bowed his head.

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