Beneath the Alpha's Moon Chapter 305: Too Loud

Nova’s POV

We were leaving. Just like that.

The giant Daegon estate—where the walls humd with magic and the halls echoed with laughter, love, and sotis werewolf growling—was behind us. Eldur stood next to , his white hair catching the light like spun frost. He was tense, jaw clenched like he was holding sothing back. I could feel it in the way his hand hovered above my shoulder instead of resting on it.

"I packed your favorite hoodie," he said suddenly.

I looked at him, blinking. "The green one?"

"No. The black one that says I bite. It’s very... you." His lips twitched.

I snorted, then turned to say goodbye to Elizabeth, who was hugging gently, her chin resting on top of my head.

"You’ll feel your legs again soon, sweetheart," she whispered, her voice low and sure. "Don’t worry. Your story isn’t finished. It’s only just beginning."

Sothing about the way she said it made my heart flutter.

Juliette handed a little leather pouch "for ergencies" and winked. I didn’t ask what was inside—I was too scared of the answer. Adrian kissed my hand like I was so Victorian duchess and said, "You have my number. Call if my son misbehaves." Eldur rolled his eyes.

Then, in a blink, we were gone.

The air bent and shimred. Light cracked like lightning—but soundless—and then we were in Eldur’s apartnt. My heart was still racing when I opened my eyes and found myself surrounded by floor-to-ceiling windows, gleaming hardwood floors, and an overwhelming scent of cinnamon, pine, and Eldur.

He looked at as though he’d just carried the moon across the sky. "You good?"

I nodded slowly, still catching my breath. "Yeah. Wow. Did you redo the apartnt while I was unconscious? I forgot how fancy you are."

He smirked. "No, I did it a minute ago. I could tone it down. Take it back to how it used to be or take you to a cabin in the woods. You know. Murderer aesthetic."

I laughed out loud, "Please don’t." I replied before I looked around. The city buzzed beyond the windows. Cars. Lights. Noise. The real world.

"I want to see Lara."

Eldur’s smirk fell. "Now?"

I nodded. "I need to. I miss her. I want... normal. Just a little."

He didn’t hesitate. He grabbed my bag, scooped into his arms without a word, and said, "Hold on."

This ti we drove.

Apparently, teleporting into soone’s living room was "bad etiquette." Also: "humans scream." Like he hadn’t done it countless ti to before.

The drive started in silence, the kind that wasn’t awkward—just full of things left unsaid. Eldur didn’t speak until he reached over and laced his fingers with mine, placing our joined hands gently on his thigh. His voice ca low, like a secret.

"I’m proud of you, you know."

I turned my head toward the window, watching the buildings blur past. "I haven’t really done anything yet."

"You survived," he said simply. "That’s more than enough."

Mine and Lara’s apartnt hadn’t changed a bit. Still slled like Lara’s coconut shampoo and that weird mint oil she swore helped her ’channel productivity.’ I barely got a knock in before the door flung open like a scene from a sitcom.

"OH. MY. GOD. NOVA!"

Lara threw herself at like she was trying to tackle the pain out of existence. I swear my spine cracked a little. Then her eyes fell to the wheelchair, and just like that, her joy crumbled.

"What happened?!" she gasped, eyes already welling. "Are you okay? Why didn’t you call ?!"

I gave her the softest smile I could manage. "Car accident. While I was on vacation. It’s... complicated. But the doctors say I’ll walk again. I just need so ti."

Lara looked like she’d been sucker-punched. She covered her mouth and just whispered, "Nova..."

Then her gaze slid over my shoulder—straight to Eldur.

And Eldur, being the infuriating legend that he is, gave her a nod that sohow managed to look regal and ancient. Like he’d just stepped out of a war council eting.

Lara blinked. "Well... hello, Handso."

Eldur offered a faint, polite smile. "Nice to see you, Lara. Nova talked about you throughout the vacation, and I figured I had to bring her back to see you."

I turned tomato-red. Of course he said it like that.

"Well," Lara said with her hand on her hip, "as much as I appreciate your perfect timing, Fantasy Prince—"

"I’m not a fantasy prince," Eldur said dryly, straight-faced.

She squinted. "Yeah, okay, well, as much as I appreciate whatever brand of immortal drama you are, you’re not taking Nova back tonight."

Eldur tilted his head. Just a little. Just enough to say, Oh?

"We need a girls-only night," Lara declared. "Snacks, gossip, and possibly a rom-com so ridiculously emotional we both cry and question our life choices."

He looked at then. Only at . "You okay with that?"

I nodded. "Yeah. I think I need it."

He leaned down and kissed my forehead, the kind of kiss that said I’d burn the world if you asked to. Then, with that signature quiet elegance, he turned and walked away.

No smoke. No flash. Just walked away.

Lara closed the door behind him like she was sealing in a spell.

Then she looked at . "Still stiff as ever?"

"Yep."

She sighed dramatically. "God, I love him."

That night? Pure magic.

There was popcorn, lted chocolate, fries, soda, and enough chips to clog every artery in New York. We sat on her bed with music playing low, legs tangled in blankets.

"Ollie is literally the best guy I’ve ever dated," she said, mouth full of M&Ms. "He’s sweet, hilarious, kind, and hot. Like... what do I even do with all that perfection?!"

"Love him," I said around a mouthful of ice cream. "With everything you’ve got."

She gave a long look. "I do. I really do. It scares sotis."

"Why?"

She lowered her gaze, her voice soft. "Because he’s been gone almost three weeks. And yeah, he calls and texts every day, but... I’m scared. What if he just decides not to co back? What if this is the beginning of goodbye? I don’t know if I’d survive that."

My chest tightened. She had no idea Ollie had been gone all this ti because of —because he and his family were helping get through the ss I found myself. Helping find my way back to sothing close to okay. I couldn’t tell her that. Not yet.

So I just reached for her hand, gave it a gentle squeeze, and said, "Then love him like he’s not going anywhere. And if he ever breaks your heart, I’ll help you hide the body. No questions asked."

She laughed, teary-eyed and a little breathless. "Deal."

The next morning, Eldur pulled up in a sleek black car that looked like it belonged in a spy movie. Lara practically floated into the passenger seat like she was walking on clouds. I was carried by Eldur out of my chair and into the back, trying to keep myself together, trying not to notice how loud the world suddenly felt.

The soft purr of the engine felt more like a thunderclap. The city’s rhythm—honking horns, overlapping voices, tires skidding across asphalt—hit like a wall. Every sound felt amplified, every mont stretched thin.

Then—

"Nova!" soone yelled across the street. "Oh my God, it’s Nova West?!"

What the hell was going on? Why was she acting so friendly?

I slunk lower into my seat, wishing I could disappear.

Lara twisted around, beaming. "You’re basically celebrity status now. The Nova West. Daughter of a Hollywood icon who is currently undergoing a painful surgery to repair her face. Survived being dumped by her mother. Gorgeous boyfriend. The internet is obsessed with you. I’ve seen Reddit threads. Multiple."

I groaned. "Please, for the love of silence, tell you’re exaggerating."

"Not even a little, bestie."

We pulled into the university campus, and Eldur stepped out, coming around to help into my chair. The mont my wheels touched the pavent, I felt it—eyes. Whispers.

"Is that her?"

"She’s in a wheelchair now?"

"How did that happen?"

"She still looks insane. Like model-level pretty."

What? Pretty?

"Wait, is Eldur Daegon still with her? Even like this?"

But I couldn’t hear them for long.

Because suddenly—everything was too much.

The girl texting on the sidewalk. The boy laughing sowhere far away—two buildings away. A squirrel rustling in a tree blocks from us. It all crashed into my brain like a wave of sound I couldn’t block out.

Every voice, every laugh, every buzzing light, every footstep was sharp, distinct, deafening. My fingers dug into the arms of my chair as I tried to breathe.

Eldur leaned down, voice gentle but urgent. "Nova?"

I couldn’t speak. My throat was tight. My vision flickered.

Lara dropped beside , worry painted across her face. "Is she okay?"

"I don’t know," Eldur replied, his voice calm—too calm. Like he’d seen this before.

My voice was barely a whisper. "I can hear everything. Every little thing. People talking down the street. Through walls. It’s like the world’s screaming at ."

Eldur’s expression changed—his eyes darkened, like thunderclouds were rolling in behind them.

"When did this start?" he asked.