Beneath the Alpha's Moon
Chapter 43: New Hope

Chapter 43: New Hope

LUCIAN’S P.O.V.

I had locked myself away in my room for more than a week—a week of silence, solitude, and the kind of deep emptiness that felt like it would stretch on forever.

I willingly put myself back in that prison I swore I’d never enter again the day my father laid dead by my feet. But here I was, my once-strong frame was reduced to a shell, haunted and worn. I could barely recognize myself in the mirror, let alone the wreckage I had done to my room. My reflection – a twisted, half-human, half-wolf form – barely looked back at me with red eyes that held nothing but despair. And every day, in my dimly lit room, I curled up in bed, waiting, pleading for Ares to answer me, to break this silence that gnawed at my soul. I needed him more than I ever had before, needed him to help me find Teresa. But he remained absent, leaving me in my misery.

Voices from the other side of my door filtered in now and then, muffled but insistent—Rylan, sometimes Alex and even Juliette who I thought hated me for what I did. Their worry was evident, the urgency in their voices sharpening with each passing day.

"Lucian, please," Rylan’s voice was a broken whisper, practically a plea. "Just let us in. Talk to us. You don’t have to carry this alone." But I couldn’t answer. What was the point? How could they ever understand this torment?

I’d lost track of how many times I picked up my phone, dialing Kenneth’s number, hoping he’d have news. Something. Anything. In times like this, I wished he was a werewolf, then I’d have kept him on mind line at every second of the day. Teresa had been missing for over a month now. Her phone was dead, no credit card transactions, no sightings—nothing but a void. Kenneth would always say the same thing, "I’m still looking, sir. I won’t stop." Each time, I’d snap the call shut, sinking deeper, my mind replaying every moment I’d had with her, every word I’d spoken, every mistake I’d made. Regret twisted like a knife inside me, tearing apart whatever sanity I had left. I was unraveling, piece by piece, and it felt as if I’d reached the point of no return.

One evening, I found myself lying on the cold, hard floor, my claws digging into my own flesh, trying to punish myself. Maybe if I hurt enough, she’d come back. Maybe if I suffered enough, it would make up for driving her away.

I was nearly asleep, delirious from exhaustion and sorrow, when I heard it—a voice, so soft I almost missed it.

"Lucian..."

I froze, barely daring to breathe. My heart hammered against my ribs. Was it real? Could it be?

"Ares?" I whispered, my voice hoarse from lack of usage. I held my breath, waiting, terrified he’d vanish like a figment of my imagination.

"Yes, Lucian... it’s me."

Relief surged through me, a tidal wave of emotion so overwhelming that I dropped to my knees, hands shaking. Tears blurred my vision as I clutched at the emptiness around me, as if I could hold onto his voice, as if it might slip away again.

"Ares, I’m so sorry," I choked out, barely able to contain the torrent of guilt and shame. "I drove her away. I did this to us. I don’t deserve forgiveness."

There was a pause—a heartbeat of silence that felt like an eternity. And then, his voice, gentle yet edged with sorrow, wrapped around me like a balm. "It’s my fault as well. I shouldn’t have claimed her when you weren’t ready I’m sorry. I left because I couldn’t bear it either, Lucian. Losing her... it tore me apart too. But I’m here now. Let’s find her together."

The weight of his words struck me, settling deep inside. His own pain, the rawness of it, mirrored my own. The beast within me, my other half who had been silent for so long, was suffering too. And somehow, knowing that he shared my pain made it a little easier to bear. I wasn’t alone in this after all.

I sank back, my head tilted toward the ceiling as I let out a shuddering breath. "I missed you, Ares. Every day... I felt like a part of me was dying. I needed you, but I thought... I thought you’d abandoned me."

Ares’s voice softened. "I could never abandon you, Lucian. But I got lost in my own guilt. When I couldn’t reach you, it felt like I had failed... that I’d lost everything."

I closed my eyes, the last of my strength slipping away as I felt his presence, comforting, familiar, and yet fragile, like a barely healed wound. "I know that pain, Ares. I thought... I thought I’d lost you both."

We stayed there, our words spilling out, speaking every broken thought, sharing each regret, every memory that haunted us. Little by little, we began piecing together the shattered parts of ourselves. Ares listened to my fears, my guilt, and he shared his own, revealing just how deeply he’d felt Teresa’s absence. I could feel his determination growing, reigniting like a spark in the darkness.

"Lucian," he said finally, his tone steady. "We’ll trace our broken bond. I don’t care how faint it’s become. I’ll find her. I promise you, we’ll find her."

For the first time in what felt like forever, a fragile hope blossomed within me. Ares’s resolve filled the void I’d been carrying. The darkness began to lift, just a little, and a sense of wholeness crept back, a feeling I thought I’d lost forever.

Just then, that persistent knock thundered against the door once more, sharper and more demanding this time. Rylan’s voice, rough with urgency and a hint of frustration, echoed through the silence. "Lucian! Open this door, or I swear, I’ll break it down if I have to!"

A low chuckle vibrated in my mind as Ares spoke, calm but insistent. "Go on, Lucian. Let them in."

Taking a shaky breath, I forced myself to stand, legs heavy beneath me as I reached for the door. A sign of days of starvation. My fingers trembled against the lock, but as soon as the door swung open, I was met with the fierce, unhesitating forms of Rylan and Juliette. They pushed forward, enveloping me in a hug so powerful and desperate that it felt like they were pressing me back to life.

"Lucian..." Juliette’s voice cracked, thick with unshed tears as she clung to me. Her words spilled out in a flood of worry and relief. "You... you scared us. I thought... I thought we’d lost you. Don’t ever do that again, please."

The warmth of their embrace seeped into me, a balm I hadn’t realized I craved. Their loyalty, their unwavering presence—it wrapped around the shattered pieces inside me, and I whispered hoarsely, "I’m sorry. I never meant to push you both away. I just... I didn’t know how to handle it all."

Juliette nodded, her grip on my arms unwavering as if afraid I might slip away. "We’re here for you, Lucian. Whatever it takes, we’ll help you find Teresa. We’ll bring her back."

Rylan’s hand landed firmly on my shoulder, his gaze intense yet softened by concern. "You don’t have to bear this alone, Lucian. We’re your family, remember? And..." he hesitated, his eyes scanning over me with a combination of worry and relief, "you’re... half-shifted."

I swallowed hard, feeling the remnants of my earlier transformation attempts still lingering on my skin. I had almost forgotten about that. For the past week, I hadn’t been able to shift properly; every time I tried, it always came out as a half shift. It was part of the reasons I was so frustrated.

Ares’s voice stirred gently in my mind, guiding me. "Try it again, Lucian. Bring yourself back."

With a deep breath, I focused inward, willing the wolf within to recede. Bit by bit, I felt the claws retract, the feral edge melting away until my human form fully returned. I looked up, letting out a breath I hadn’t realized I was holding, and relief washed over me.

Rylan’s serious expression broke into a wide grin as he pulled me into another hug, his laughter rumbling against my shoulder. "There he is! Welcome back, Alpha." I smiled against him.

Rylan pulled back to look at me. I guess he could feel that something about me had changed. "Has Ares come back?" he asked, his eyes searching mine with hope in them and I smiled, the widest I had ever smiled and nodded. Rylan jumped for joy and pulled me back into another bone crushing hug making me chuckle.

Juliette stepped closer, wiping her tears with the back of her hand, managing a soft, hopeful smile. "Ares... was he really... gone?"

Rylan’s face grew somber, his gaze flicking briefly toward me before he answered her. "For months, Lucian couldn’t reach him. But Ares is back now."

Juliette’s eyes widened, fresh tears brimming as she wrapped her arms around me once more. "I had no idea... Lucian, I’m so sorry. I should never have left you alone."

I held her close, her embrace grounding me, the warmth of her presence a solace I hadn’t felt in far too long. "It wasn’t your fault, Juliette. I did this. I’m the one who pushed you away. But I swear, I’ll make this right. I’ll find her. I won’t stop until she’s back."

We stood together in that quiet, bittersweet moment, their arms supporting me, helping to lift the weight that had been crushing me. When they finally pulled back, I felt a faint sense of lightness, a sliver of hope beginning to take root.

Rylan and Juliette both looked at me, their expressions softened with understanding, a tentative smile playing on their lips.

I cleared my throat, attempting a weak smile. "All right, enough with the hugging. I think I’ve met my quota for the year."

They chuckled softly, and in that moment, I knew: I wasn’t alone in this battle. I had my friends, I had Ares by my side again, and someday, I’d have Teresa back in my arms as well.

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