Chapter 313
The air in the temple grew heavy, thick with tension as Althea’s words echoed through the stone walls. Elyra felt a cold shiver run down her spine as she listened, her breath catching in her throat. The weight of the prophecy hung over her, a looming shadow that threatened to crush everything she had fought for.
Althea stood before them, her expression unreadable, yet there was something about her demeanor that felt foreboding. She had been teaching Elyra how to control the shard’s power, but now, there was a change in the air. The old Luna Ascendant had always been wise, calm, and measured. But today, there was an edge to her words—a finality that Elyra couldn’t ignore.
“You are not the only ones who have been called to this temple,” Althea began, her voice steady but carrying a note of sorrow. “The bond you share, Elyra, is more than just a connection between you and Dain. It is the thread that holds the balance of the packs together. But balance comes at a cost.”
Dain, who had been standing silently beside Elyra, his face hidden in the shadows, stiffened at the mention of balance. He had felt the weight of his destiny growing ever heavier with each passing day, the darkness within him pulling him further into its grasp. But now, Althea was speaking of something far worse than anything he had imagined.
“What are you saying?” Elyra’s voice was barely a whisper, her heart pounding in her chest. “What cost?”
Althea’s eyes flickered toward Dain, and for a moment, Elyra thought she saw a glimmer of regret in them. But it was gone in an instant, replaced by the hard, unyielding gaze of a guardian who had seen too much and understood too little.
“The prophecy is clear,” Althea continued. “The bond between you and Dain, this connection you share—it is both a blessing and a curse. It keeps the packs united, keeps the darkness at bay. But if the bond continues to grow, if the shadow inside Dain is allowed to consume him fully, it will tear apart everything the packs have fought to build.”
Elyra’s heart dropped in her chest. The words didn’t make sense. She couldn’t comprehend what Althea was saying. This bond—this connection she had with Dain—it had always felt so right. It was the very thing that had brought them together, that had kept them strong. It was the force that had pulled them through their darkest moments.
“So what do we do?” Dain asked, his voice low and sharp. “You’re telling us to just abandon it?”
Althea turned her gaze toward him, her eyes filled with an ancient sadness. “I’m telling you that one of you must sacrifice the bond. It is the only way to save the packs. If you do not, the darkness within you, Dain, will destroy everything. The packs will fall. The world will fall.”
A cold silence hung between them. Elyra’s mind raced as she tried to make sense of what Althea had just revealed. She had always known that their bond was powerful, that it was tied to something greater than themselves. But the idea that one of them—either her or Dain—would have to give it up… it was unimaginable. The very thought felt like a cruel twist of fate.
“Sacrifice?” Elyra repeated, her voice trembling. “You want one of us to give up our bond, to tear ourselves apart just to save the packs? How is that even possible?”
“The bond between you is more than just a connection,” Althea said softly. “It is the foundation of everything. It is the key to the balance of the world. Without it, the packs will fall into chaos. The shadow wolves will overrun everything. But if one of you sacrifices the bond, the power will be severed. The darkness will have no hold. The packs will be safe.”
“But…” Elyra couldn’t find the words. The idea of letting go of Dain—of giving up the one thing that had kept them strong—felt like a betrayal. She couldn’t do it. She wouldn’t.
“What happens to the one who sacrifices the bond?” Dain’s voice was cold, distant. He had already begun to distance himself from the conversation, as though the weight of the decision had already been made in his mind.
Althea’s gaze softened, but her voice remained firm. “The one who sacrifices the bond will live, but they will never feel complete again. The bond is not just a part of your power—it is a part of who you are. Without it, you will both be empty, lost. You will be forever changed.”
Elyra could feel her heart break at the thought. She had never imagined a world where she couldn’t feel Dain’s presence beside her, where their connection would be severed. The idea of losing him, of losing their bond, was unbearable.
“No,” Elyra whispered, her voice breaking. “I won’t let this prophecy destroy us. I can’t.”
Dain stepped forward, his face hard, his eyes dark with the weight of the choice that lay before them. “Elyra, this isn’t just about us. It’s about everyone. If we don’t do this, everything we’ve fought for, everything we’ve built, will be destroyed.”
“I don’t care,” Elyra said, her voice rising, her chest tightening with the pressure of the decision. “I won’t let it happen. I won’t let you sacrifice yourself, Dain. I won’t let the prophecy control us.”
Althea’s expression was unreadable, her gaze lingering on the two of them as though she had already made up her mind. But Elyra could feel it—she could feel the weight of the decision pressing down on her. This wasn’t just about Dain. It was about them. About the future.
But the future felt uncertain, like sand slipping through her fingers. And in that moment, she realized that she was facing the most impossible decision of her life.
-: Elyra protests, “I won’t let this prophecy destroy us.”
