Beneath the Alpha's Moon Chapter 196: The Truth Beneath the Eyes

Mai’s P.O.V.

My father let out a heavy sigh, his expression a mix of concern and hesitation. He got up from his desk and walked up to , then he reached out, gently placing a hand on my shoulder, as if I was an injured animal that he needed to keep calm.

"Princess," he said softly, his voice carrying a sting of his alpha authority. "I know you’re confused, and I can see the storm of emotions in your eyes. What I’m about to tell you might sound unbelievable, ridiculous even but I need you to trust ."

He took a deep breath before continuing, his gaze locked onto mine. "The truth is... the Moon Goddess herself descended in physical form. She was the one who restored your sight."

I blinked at him, waiting for the punchline.

It didn’t co.

Instead, my father stood there, his expression solemn, my mother at his side with an equally serious look. Even Elizabeth, who usually had a permanent scowl, nodded as if this whole thing made perfect sense.

I let out a sharp laugh, my voice edged with disbelief. "You—" I shook my head. "You actually expect to believe that?"

"Mai—"

"No," I cut him off, raising a hand. "You’re telling that the actual Moon Goddess—the one we pray to, the one no one has ever seen—just strolled down from wherever she lives and handed my vision?" I scoffed. "Oh, and what? She had tea with you guys afterward?"

My father exhaled heavily, rubbing his temples like he was preparing for a headache.

"Before you say anything else," he said, his voice firm, "the witch is still inside you, trapped in your eyes. That’s why they’re silver. The Moon Goddess said she would return when you turn eighteen and tell us what to do about her."

The floor beneath felt like it was shifting, tilting under my weight.

"Wait," I whispered, my breath shaky. "She’s still inside ?"

My fingers curled, itching to tear at my skin, my eyes—anything to claw her out.

"Yes," my father said, his voice steady.

A hollow laugh threatened to spill from my lips. "And until then?" My voice barely made it out, too thin, too fragile. "I just... live with this thing inside ?"

Father exhaled, his expression unreadable. "That’s why the Goddess instructed Elizabeth to teach you everything about witches and witchcraft. You need to be prepared."

Elizabeth shot an apologetic glance, but I barely saw her. My father’s words were hitting all at once, crashing down like a tidal wave.

I wanted to scream. Laugh. Break sothing. Anything to shake this feeling off.

Instead, I just stood there, drowning in the weight of it.

Father leaned forward, his voice quieter now, almost hesitant. "Mai, I’m sorry. Your mother and I kept this from you because we wanted you to have a normal life. We never ant for it to make you feel... different."

Different?

I had spent years questioning my own mind, terrified of the voices, feeling like I was losing myself bit by bit—and all this ti, they knew.

I shot up from my chair so fast that it scraped against the wooden floor with a sharp screech. "Is everything you’re saying actually the truth?"

My father didn’t flinch. Neither did my mother or Elizabeth.

I turned to Ollie, hoping for sothing, but he looked just as stunned as I felt.

And then I turned to Liam.

His eyes were wide, lost, like soone had just pulled the ground out from beneath him. He wasn’t saying anything.

Good. Because I didn’t think I could handle words right now.

I couldn’t handle this.

I had already turned to leave when sothing tugged at the edges of my mind—a question I couldn’t ignore.

A cold knot tightened in my stomach as I turned back. "If the witch is inside ..." I hesitated, my pulse hamring. "Is that why I don’t have a wolf?"

The room fell into a terrible, suffocating silence.

My father, my mother, and Elizabeth exchanged glances.

My chest tightened. My hands curled into fists at my sides.

"You... you know why, don’t you?" My voice barely rose above a whisper, but it carried enough weight to make my father’s shoulders stiffen.

When he finally spoke, his voice was gentler than before. "You have a wolf, Mai."

I sucked in a sharp breath, hope flaring in my chest like a spark in the darkness.

"Then why—why can’t I feel her?"

Another pause. Too long.

Then, a sigh. "Because I ordered Elizabeth to lock her away."

The words hit like ice water to the face.

I staggered back, my breath hitching. "You what?"

"Mai—"

"Why?!" My voice cracked, splintering under the weight of rage and betrayal. My fingers trembled at my sides, my nails biting into my palms.

My mother shot to her feet. "Mai, please. Calm down and let your father explain—"

"Calm down?" A bitter laugh broke from my throat. My vision blurred at the edges, heat rising in my chest, burning, searing. "You took my wolf from , and you want to calm down?"

My father held his ground, his voice steady but heavy with regret. "The witch’s goal was to take over your wolf. If she had succeeded, she would’ve destroyed everything—our pack, our people. You. You would have lost your soul, Mai. You would not be you anymore."

A sharp gasp tore from my lips, my world tilting beneath .

I had always wondered why I felt incomplete, why there was always sothing missing inside .

Now I knew.

They had taken her from . My wolf. Myself.

"The only way to stop her was to keep your wolf away from her. Until you turn eighteen."

Everything blurred together—truths crashing down so fast it felt like my head was going to explode.

The voices. The loneliness. The way I always felt like sothing was missing—like I wasn’t whole.

Because I wasn’t.

I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t think.

Liam.

I turned, grabbed his hand, and ran.

My father called my na. Ollie shouted behind .

I didn’t stop.

I didn’t care.

I just ran.

The wind whipped through my hair as I sprinted, Liam right beside , his grip firm, steady.

By the ti we reached the lake, my legs gave out.

Liam barely had ti to react before I collapsed onto the soft grass, my body shaking.

He was on the ground beside in an instant, pulling into his arms. "I got you," he murmured.

And that was it.

I broke.

Tears spilled down my cheeks, soaking into his shirt. My body racked with sobs, my fingers clutching at him like he was the only thing keeping tethered to the earth.

"Liam," I choked out, my breath hitching. "What if—what if she wins? What if the witch takes over ? What if I—"

"Shh," Liam said, stroking my hair. "She won’t. You won’t let her. And I won’t let her either."

I buried my face more into his chest.

Liam let out a small chuckle. "Besides, on the bright side, you’re the only person who can say she has a date with the Moon Goddess when she turns eighteen."

I let out a snort between my sobs. "That’s so stupid."

He grinned. "But it made you laugh."

I wiped my face and smiled weakly. "Yeah. Thanks."

He grinned. "I always knew you were special."

I laughed again. "Thank you."

"Anyti, Blackwood."

We stayed there for hours, talking, laughing, pretending—just for a little while—that everything was okay.

Liam let out a long sigh. "I should get ho."

I pushed myself up. "I’ll walk with you."

"You don’t have to—"

"I want to."

An hour later, we stood in the middle of his living room, the weight of his parents’ stares pressing down on us. Their expressions were flat, but I knew exactly what they were thinking.

I took a slow breath, forcing myself to et their eyes. "I’m sorry for teleporting Liam away like that. I wasn’t thinking straight, but you have to believe —I’d never hurt him. Not again."

They exchanged a glance. No yelling. No outbursts. Maybe because my father was the Alpha. But their silence spoke louder than words. They didn’t trust . They didn’t want near their son.

Still, they accepted my apology. Just barely.

Liam walked to the door, his voice softer now. "Promise you’ll teleport straight ho?"

I smirked. "I promise I’ll see you later."

His eyes narrowed. "Mai—"

"Goodnight, Rivers." I stepped out before he could argue.

But I didn’t go ho.

Instead, I climbed into my usual spot—a thick tree outside Liam’s window, hidden in the shadows. I watched as he moved around his room, getting ready for bed, completely unaware I was there.

I wasn’t ready to leave. Not yet.

So I stayed, hours slipping by, just watching over him.

And when he finally drifted off, his breathing slow and steady, I knew I couldn’t be alone tonight.

I teleported.

Right into his room.

I knew this was very wrong but I couldn’t help myself.

Slipping under the covers, I wrapped my arms around him from behind, pressing my forehead against his back.

For the first ti in hours, the voices in my head quieted.

And I slept.