Shattered Moments

~ Krynaristov ~

The Moon Palace had become more suffocating with each passing day.

Reize's presence was like a weight pressing down on me, one that I couldn't escape no matter how hard I tried.

I stayed late at work, drowning myself in the endless tasks that came with being the True Alpha, and left early in the morning, well before the sun had a chance to rise.

It was easier this way—easier to avoid her.

The werewolf network had been in a frenzy since the announcement of our bond. A seelie as Luna? It was unheard of, and the backlash was intense.

Every day brought new challenges, new fires to put out. The stress piled on, and Luca's concern only added to the burden.

"You're overworking yourself," Luca had said just yesterday, his voice tinged with worry. "This isn't sustainable, Krynaristov."

"I'm handling it," I had snapped back, though deep down, I knew he was right.

But I couldn't admit that, not even to myself. The truth was, I didn't know how to deal with Reize or the chaos her presence had brought into my life.

So, I did what I always did—I pushed it away, burying myself in work to avoid facing the reality of my situation.

That evening, after yet another long day, I found myself standing outside Reize's bedroom door.

I didn't know why I was there, what I hoped to accomplish.

The door was slightly ajar, and I could see her lying on the bed, her small frame almost swallowed by the blankets.

She looked so fragile, so out of place in this world of ours.

For a moment, I felt a pang of something—guilt, perhaps. But I quickly pushed it aside.

There was no room for weakness.

I turned away, intending to leave, but something held me back.

I didn't understand it, this compulsion to check on her.

Maybe it was the nagging thought that I should be doing more, that I was failing her in some way.

But before I could dwell on it, I forced myself to move, retreating to my study.

The doors closed behind me, and I exhaled a breath I hadn't realized I'd been holding.

The study was my sanctuary, the one place in the palace where I could be alone.

But tonight, it wouldn't be so.

"Krynaristov," Lilith's voice was a soft purr, and I turned to see her standing by the window, bathed in the pale light of the moon.

She had been avoiding me, but now, she was here, and there was a determination in her eyes that I recognized all too well.

"You've been avoiding me," she accused, her tone laced with irritation as she stepped closer. "What's going on? Why have you been shutting me out?"

"I haven't been shutting you out," I lied, my voice coming out more tired than I intended. "There's just been a lot going on."

"Too much to even talk to me?" Her eyes searched mine, frustration giving way to something more desperate. "Is this because of her?"

I didn't respond, and Lilith's expression hardened.

She was too perceptive, and she knew me too well.

Without warning, she stepped forward, reaching up to cup my face with her hands.

Before I could react, she pressed her lips to mine in a kiss that was as much about reclaiming her place as it was about passion.

For a fleeting moment, I let it happen.

I let myself get lost in the familiar warmth, the comfort that had once been so easy to find in her.

But then the guilt, the exhaustion, and the weight of everything came crashing back.

I pulled away, but not before I heard it—a faint sound, like something breaking.

I turned sharply to the source of the noise, and there she was—Reize, standing frozen in the doorway, her eyes wide with shock and hurt.

My gaze shifted downward to the shattered remnants at her feet, and my heart sank.

It was the first gift my mother, the Moon Goddess, had given me, a precious artifact I had cherished since childhood.

"Reize!" My voice came out harsher than I intended, laced with the stress and frustration that had been building for days. "What have you done?"

Her eyes filled with tears as she stammered an apology, but the sight of the broken gift on the floor had snapped something inside me.

The stress, the endless demands, and now this—it was too much.

"Get out!" I barked, my voice echoing through the study. "Just... get out!"

Reize bolted from the room, her sobs barely contained as she fled.

The sound of her retreating footsteps was like a dagger to my chest, but I couldn't bring myself to call her back.

I was too angry, too overwhelmed. Lilith, too, looked at me with a mixture of annoyance and concern.

"I think it's best if you leave too, Lilith," I said, my voice flat as I tried to regain some semblance of control.

She didn't argue, though her expression told me she wasn't pleased.

Without another word, she turned and left, the door closing softly behind her.

I stood there in the silence, staring at the shattered pieces on the floor, my chest tight with a mix of anger and regret.

I wanted to go after Reize, to demand why she had come into the study in the first place, but I knew my temper would only make things worse.

Instead, I did the only thing I could—I left the Moon Palace, needing to escape the suffocating walls and the mess I had made.