Starlight of a Moonbeam

Shattering the Invisible - Age 16 (Fenrys POV)

Something was off. Something was wrong. But I couldn't figure out what. There was nothing unusual about the day, nothing to cause any trouble or caution. Which was odd considering the residence of the castle.

I tried to ignore it. Put whatever it was out of my mind, and focus on my work. But after lunch, I gave up on the idea of peace. There was definitely something wrong, and it's all I can do to brace for whatever storms about to erupt.

Everything was as it should be. Aelin was having a very entertaining "chat" with Lord Darrow, Rowan was doing all her other work that she was missing. Vaughan was working with Aedion and the bane today. Lorcan was back in Perranth with Elide. Veru, Almuru, and Elena were spending the day at their favorite market in Orynth, no doubt buying whatever sweets they could get their hands on.

No cause for alarm. No danger to be seen, but I knew whatever it was, was coming.

***

Ultimately, it hit.

Long after the sun had set, I was walking through the halls of the upper palace, trying to clear my head, when I saw Elena. She was walking back to her room, looking tired from her day of shopping. Her hair fell in loose waves, as if windblown, and her dress looked slightly rumpled, but whole and happy. Safe and sound. Not a scratch.

She hadn't seen me yet, as I had felt no desire to move, and was just content to see her back at home. Back with her family, with me, with-

And there it was. Like a tsunami, I felt a tidal wave of pure ice flood through my veins as I inhaled her scent. Lying amongst her soothing scent of nutmeg and sunbeams, was another scent. Male. No, not male. Boy. Human. Mixed into hers. Woven, as if-

No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No.

Like a battering ram was being slammed into my chest, I fell. To the ground, to the floor, to the bottomless pit of darkness. My blood entirely froze over, and I couldn't breathe. That scent. That god's damned scent was mixed up with that of Elena. My Elena.

I want to track that scent. Straight to its source and rip it's bearer to pieces. Shred him with my teeth and claws for what he did with her. What he took from her.

Gone, sullied to some insignificant human boy. He took it from her. Stole it away from me. Me, her mate. Me who should have been the one she gave it to. Me who should have been the one to hold her, touch her, taste her, kiss her, love her.

I couldn't bear it. The hole in my chest. The longing and pain, as if a thousand daggers were driving their way into my heart. Given the choice, I'd rather have the daggers than this.

I don't know what I'd expected. What I'd hoped to happen. Rowan has originally said that I wouldn't make it past her eighteenth birthday, so I'd made it a personal goal to wait till after then at least, and then see how things were. But I'd never really considered the possibility of other males. Or if I did, they were only for brief outings, kisses at the most. But not this. Never this.

I had to get out of here. I hadn't moved from where I slouched against the wall, only a hallway from where her bedroom door was. Like a rag doll, not able to fully function, I grasped the marble walls and hefted myself up, till I, at last, stood up on my own feet.

Not knowing what else to do, I walked away from her hall, toward the only person I could think to go to. Knocking on the wooden door I wait, until finally, the door opens revealing Rowan's tattooed face. I can tell he's about to say something about the ungodly hour that I chose to talk to him at, but he catches a glimpse of my expression and his pine green eyes soften.

Like Elena's eye. Like her. Her, who... who... who...

"He took her maidenhood." My voice cracks. And something about hearing myself saying it makes it so very horrifically final. I couldn't take it. The pain, the unbelievable heartbreak.

Rowan's face hardens to pure untamed rage as he understands the full extent of what I'm saying.

We stand there for a moment. I don't trust myself to speak, I can't form the words, and he seems to have no intention of talking for a while either.

It's not like I blame her. The bond hasn't been made known to her, and she should be free to court whoever she likes. Deep down I know that. I want that for her, but seeing her in the hall: flushed, smiling, happy, it killed me.

Happy, she was happy without me, with this human boy. He gave her joy and pleasure that was meant for me to give. And she was smiling. Unknowingly cracking her mate's heart.

"Come on," Rowan says, stepping out of the doorway. "Let's go grab a drink."

.

AN:

... yeah...

Idk, I wrote this chapter a while ago when I was up late one night and it sort of just came to me, but looking back, I can see I might have been a tad downhearted at the time.

Well,
I hope you guys liked it regardless, and we'll get a bit more into it next chapter.

I'll try to do better to post and update regularly now that I'm getting back into a more productive schedule, and I really am sorry for taking so long with this!

Thank you guys again for everything!

- Leia 💛✨🌙