LUNA !

My attention remained fixed on him while another sharp crack tore violently through the ice before it surged upward completely, swallowing the rest of his body beneath the freezing layer as the rain continued pouring over the motionless corpse.

For a moment, I said nothing as a strange heaviness settled quietly inside me while my attention remained fixed on the frozen body before me, because after all these centuries, the impossible had finally happened.

The Luna’s bloodline still existed.

My jaw tightened faintly as memories surfaced briefly through my mind, memories soaked in blood, war, and entire territories buried beneath frost by a power the world believed extinct long ago.

Slowly, I rose back to my feet before turning toward the mansion, my expression hardening once more.

“Gather the finest of our men,” I commanded coldly while continuing forward through the rain. “The Luna has awakened.”

Behind me, Sylkar lowered his head immediately.

“Yes, Lord Dragunov.”

******

✦JACE'S POV✦

◈THE NEXT DAY, AT NOON - SELENE'S HOUSE◈

“You should probably sleep for a week after today,” I muttered while leaning back against the couch.

Xavier snorted softly from where he sat cross-legged on the rug with his game console resting loosely in his hands.

“You sound old.”

I narrowed my eyes at him while he grinned faintly before lowering his attention back to the game. The silence in the room felt strangely peaceful, something I had not realized I missed until recently.

The sound of the front door opening pulled both Xavier’s and my attention toward it as Selene stepped inside looking exhausted and visibly upset. Even though she was clearly trying to calm herself down, the tension in her expression remained obvious as her eyes moved quickly to Xavier before settling sharply on me.

“Why would you pick Xavier up from school without informing me first?” she asked, her voice restrained despite the frustration beneath it. “Do you know how worried I was when I got there and realized he was gone?”

“I’m sorry,” I said as I rose from the couch. “I should have informed you first.”

“You should have called me, Jace,” she continued while trying to steady herself. “I’m grateful, I really am, but you can’t just take him without saying anything.”

Then I started toward her carefully, but she immediately looked away from me toward Xavier instead.

“We both know things aren’t safe right now,” I told her, my voice lowering slightly. “Taking Xavier to school alone isn’t safe either. After you dropped him off, I stayed nearby until school closed to make sure nothing happened.”

Confusion crossed Xavier’s face instantly while Selene slowly turned back toward me, narrowing her gaze.

“You were following me around?”

“I had to look after both of you,” I answered without hesitation. “Not after what happened yesterday.”

The moment the words left my mouth, silence settled heavily between us while Xavier’s gaze moved between us carefully.

“What happened yesterday?” he asked, quieter this time.

Selene’s eyes flickered briefly before she exhaled softly and walked toward him instead. She sat beside Xavier on the couch, and he immediately shifted closer into her side while she wrapped an arm around him absentmindedly. 

"Nothing," she whispered.

I picked up my phone afterward, giving them space while the tension lingered heavily inside the room instead of fading completely.

“Xavier,” Selene called softly after several seconds, and he lifted his head from her shoulder to look at her.

“Do you want him to stay?”

Xavier nodded immediately without hesitation, and despite myself, a faint smile threatened to appear.