Chapter 4

In the end, he summoned Giselle after all and asked her the same question. She hesitated, her lips pressed into a thin line, her silence stretching between them like a taut string.

Griffith's gaze was sharp, warning, but she remained unmoved.

Finally, she relented, though her voice carried no sincerity. "I only saw Alpha briefly yesterday when I delivered flowers. There was no other contact."

Yet when her eyes met mine, they gleamed with something close to triumph.

When the others had left, Griffith exhaled, as if he had been holding his breath all this time. He took my hand in his, his touch careful, pleading. "Ellia, now you believe me, don't you? I told you, in my heart, there's only you."

I withdrew my hand, letting it slip away from his grasp.

A flicker of disappointment crossed his face, but he quickly masked it. As if trying to shift the mood, he said, "Ellia, tomorrow I'll be attending a celebration in another pack. I won't be able to stay with you."

Tomorrow. The day of his wedding to Giselle.

He pulled out a small, ornate box and handed it to me. "This is an enchanted transmitter, crafted by the healer. No matter how far apart we are, we'll be able to hear each other's voices. If you miss me, just call my name."

I accepted the box without a word.

A fleeting shadow of guilt passed through his eyes. He hesitated, shifting his weight between his feet. "Ellia… I don't want to leave you. Maybe I shouldn't go."

I smiled faintly. "But isn't it important? Can you really afford not to go?"

Griffith hesitated for a moment longer, but in the end, he left as scheduled. Just before departing, he turned back to me, almost uncertain. "You'll wait for me, won't you?"

I smiled. "Travel safely."

The moment he was gone, I shut myself in my room. Packing was quick and methodical. No one saw me leave.

Curled up in the belly of a ship, I cast the spell. The crystal sphere flickered to life, revealing the scene at the ceremonial grounds. The priests stood in a circle, their voices weaving the ancient spells, summoning the Moon Goddess.

Griffith was there, but he looked different—restless, distracted. He muttered under his breath, a quiet spell meant for me. But the transmitter remained silent.

Frowning, he tried another spell, this time searching for the transmitter's location. A moment later, the magic confirmed it—still in the castle. A breath of relief left his lips.

I understood. He assumed I had taken it with me. He believed that, no matter where I went, I would always cherish his gifts.

Under the moon's glow, the Moon Goddess appeared. Her voice rang through the ceremony, ancient words filling the space like mist.

"Place your hands upon the Stone of Oaths, and the bond will be sealed."

Giselle moved at once, eager, pressing her hand against the smooth surface of the stone. She turned to Griffith, expectant.

But Griffith hesitated.

The crowd murmured. Someone urged him forward.

He did not move.

And then, all at once, he turned, shoving past the onlookers, ignoring their protests. He ran.

His breath came in ragged gasps as he stormed back into the castle. "Where's Luna Ellia?" he demanded.

A servant bowed, answering dutifully, "Luna is resting in her chambers."

Griffith paused, straightening his disheveled clothing. He reached for the door, pulse pounding.

He pushed it open.

The room was empty.