The moment Lysandra grabbed the Heir's wrist,
shadow swallowed her whole.
A rush of cold wind.
A violent lurch in her stomach.
A scream still echoing in her ears—
"LYSANDRA!!"
Her wolf went feral inside her chest.
HE'S CALLING YOU!
RUN—RUN TO HIM—NOW!
Lysandra didn't know if she was running or falling,
but the world bent around her in twisting ribbons of violet and silver until—
she slammed into solid ground.
Her knees scraped stone.
Her palms burned.
But she didn't feel pain.
Because—
"Evander…" she choked.
They were in a long, moonlit corridor.
Tall silver doors lined both sides, each marked with ancient runes.
A cold wind whispered through the hall, carrying the scent of moonfire—and fear.
A human's fear.
Her human.
The Heir appeared beside her, landing silently as if shadows cushioned him.
"Careful," he murmured.
"These halls react to emotion. If you panic—"
But Lysandra didn't hear him.
Her wolf surged forward violently, taking control of her legs.
FIND HIM. FIND HIM. FIND HIM.
Lysandra sprinted down the corridor so fast the runes blurred around her.
"Evander!" she called, voice cracking.
"Evander—where are you?!"
A muffled noise answered her.
She froze.
It wasn't a scream this time—
just a sound.
Like someone struggling.
Like someone tied.
Or gagged.
Her wolf snarled, claws pushing against her human fingertips.
THAT'S HIM.
Lysandra bolted toward a door glowing faintly blue.
The Heir appeared behind her in a blink.
"That is the Keeper's seal," he warned.
"You cannot—"
But Lysandra threw herself against the door anyway.
Moonlight blasted outward, repelling her violently.
She hit the opposite wall, gasping.
The Heir sighed.
"I did tell you."
Lysandra ignored him.
She stood, trembling, and pressed both hands to the door.
"Evander!" she whispered desperately.
"Evander, can you hear me?"
A faint thud answered.
Then—
A hoarse, muffled sound:
"—ysandra—!"
Her heart shattered.
"Hold on," she cried.
"I'm coming. Just hold on!"
The Heir folded his arms.
"You can't break a moon seal with desperation."
She rounded on him, furious.
"Then how do I open it?!"
He stepped closer.
"You don't open it," he said softly.
"You overwhelm it."
"What—?"
"Moon magic reacts to power," he explained.
"To emotion.
To instinct."
She stared at the glowing seal.
Moonlight pulsed like a heartbeat.
He whispered:
"Let your wolf speak."
Lysandra's breath trembled.
"I-I can't control her yet—"
"You don't need control," the Heir said.
"You need intention."
He leaned close, voice dropping to a whisper.
"Your wolf is screaming for him.
Let her out."
Her knees weakened.
Her wolf pressed against her skin so hard she felt claws scraping inside her hands.
LET ME BREAK IT.
LET ME GET TO HIM.
LET ME TEAR DOWN ANYTHING THAT KEEPS HIM FROM US.
Lysandra exhaled shakily.
"O-okay… okay… I'll try—"
"No," the Heir murmured.
"Don't try. Feel."
Lysandra faced the door again.
She closed her eyes.
She thought of Evander's voice.
His storm-grey eyes.
His stubborn kindness.
How he ran toward danger just for her.
How he said,
"The next time you scream, I'm still coming."
Her heart clenched painfully.
Her wolf rose like a tidal wave.
Lysandra opened her eyes.
They glowed silver.
Not pale.
Not soft.
Sharp.
Wild.
Ferocious.
The Heir's lips parted slightly.
"There she is," he whispered.
Lysandra placed both palms on the seal.
Moonlight hissed.
Her wolf pushed forward—
And she let her.
"Evander," she breathed aloud—
voice deepening with wolf resonance.
"I'm here."
Moonfire surged through her arms.
The seal flickered.
The Heir watched, something like awe flickering in his eyes.
"More," he commanded softly.
"Give it everything."
She dug her claws into the door until they sparked.
"Don't you dare give up on me," she whispered.
"I'm coming to you."
BOOM—
A crack sliced through the moon-seal.
"Again," the Heir said.
Lysandra's chest heaved.
She pressed her forehead to the cold metal.
And whispered the truth she had been terrified to admit:
"I need you."
The seal shattered.
Not gently.
Not slowly.
It exploded in a burst of violent moonlight.
The blast threw dust and shards across the corridor.
The Heir shielded his eyes.
Lysandra didn't.
She ran inside before the light even faded.
Inside the Keeper's Hall
It was a small room, carved entirely of silver stone.
Empty—
except for one person.
Evander.
His hands were tied behind him with glowing bands of moonlight.
A strip of shimmering fabric covered his mouth.
He was breathing heavy, chest rising and falling sharply.
And the moment he saw her—
His whole body jerked forward.
"Lysandra—!"
His voice came muffled, strangled, desperate.
Lysandra's eyes blurred with tears.
"Evander…"
She ran to him, dropping to her knees.
She cupped his face with shaking hands.
"I'm here. I'm here. I'm so sorry— I'm here."
Evander shook his head violently, trying to warn her about something.
His eyes widened in panic.
Lysandra frowned.
"What? What is it—"
A hard voice cut through the room.
"Step away from the human."
Lysandra spun around.
Three Moon Guardians stood in the doorway—
staffs raised, moonfire crackling.
The eldest Guardian stepped forward, fury burning in his eyes.
"You brought SHADOW into the Moon Temple."
Lysandra's heart dropped.
The Heir leaned casually against the wall behind her, unfazed.
The Guardian pointed his staff at Lysandra.
"You are dangerous. Unstable. Marked by shadow. And you dare break a sacred seal—"
"DON'T," Lysandra snarled, stepping in front of Evander.
Moonlight surged again from her skin.
The Guardian hesitated.
"Your wolf reacts—"
"She reacts because you tied him up!" she snapped.
"He is HUMAN! He was scared and alone and you LOCKED HIM AWAY!"
"He was trespassing," the Guardian growled.
"And your aura was upon him."
Lysandra blinked.
"My… aura?"
"He smells like you," the Guardian snarled.
"His pulse echoes with your magic.
That is not natural."
Evander tried to speak through the gag, shaking his head violently.
The Guardian lifted his staff higher.
"He is a threat. And threats must be—"
"FINISH THAT SENTENCE," Lysandra growled,
"and I will show you EXACTLY how dangerous I can be."
Moonlight erupted around her feet.
Her wolf snarled.
The Guardians flinched.
The Heir smirked.
"You heard her," he said lazily.
"She's angry. I suggest you stop talking."
"Shadow spawn," the Guardian spat.
"You have no authority here—"
"Neither do you," Lysandra snapped,
"when you endanger someone I care about."
The words slipped out before she could stop them.
Evander's breath caught.
The Heir's eyes narrowed—sharply.
Her heart jumped painfully.
But she didn't take it back.
Not now.
Never now.
She turned toward Evander again.
"Hold still," she whispered.
Her claws sliced the moon-binding around his wrists.
The restraints sparked and loosened.
Evander sucked in a shaky breath as she tore the gag away.
He coughed.
Then whispered her name like a prayer:
"Lysandra…"
Her knees weakened.
But she pressed her forehead to his.
"You're safe now," she murmured.
"I'm here."
His voice trembled.
"I knew you'd come."
A single tear slipped down her cheek.
Her wolf whimpered.
Evander's fingers brushed her jawline gently—
like he wasn't scared of her glowing eyes, her claws, her scent, her mark.
"Are you okay?" he whispered.
She nodded.
"Now I am."
A hard gasp echoed from the doorway.
The Guardians stared at them in horror.
"The mortal… he touched her—"
"He survived the Moonblood's aura—"
"They are connected—"
Lysandra stiffened.
Evander frowned.
Connected?
He opened his mouth to ask—
But the Heir cut across the room in a blur.
His hand slammed into the wall beside Lysandra's head.
His voice dropped to a deadly whisper.
"That's close enough, mortal."
Evander froze.
The Heir leaned forward, his violet eyes burning.
"You don't touch what carries my mark," he hissed.
Lysandra shoved him back.
"STOP."
The Heir's jaw clenched.
The Guardians whispered frantically.
Evander's heartbeat raced.
And Lysandra stood between them, trembling, her wolf blazing.
"None of you," she said, voice shaking with power,
"will hurt him."
The Heir's expression shifted—
curiosity, jealousy, something darker—
While the Guardians stared at her like she was an abomination.
And Evander…
Evander looked at her like she was the most important thing in the entire world.
Lysandra wiped her tears and whispered:
"If destiny wants to stop me…"
her eyes glowed silver,
"…it will have to fight me first."
And for the first time—
the Moon Temple was afraid of her.