MOON SEAL: THE ALPHA OF LOST TIME

Chapter 2

MOON SEAL

THE ALPHA OF LOST TIME

CHAPTER 2 — BETWEEN TWO WORLDS

“There were two worlds, each unaware of the other. In one, a young woman was waking up to an ordinary morning. In the other, a king was waiting for a dawn that had not come for seven hundred years.”

⸻

As the first rays of morning sunlight filtered through the curtains, Liora opened her eyes.

For a while, she stared at the ceiling.

Then she slowly sat up.

She was in her own bedroom.

The white walls, the bookshelf filled with books, the small desk beside the window…

Everything was exactly where it belonged.

But when she thought about what she had seen the previous night, her stomach tightened.

The necklace floating in midair.

The silver light.

And that strange forest that had appeared beyond her bedroom walls.

Had it been a dream?

Or had it really happened?

She climbed out of bed and looked at her bedside table.

The necklace was there.

An ordinary, old silver necklace.

A tiny wolf’s head hung from it.

Liora picked it up.

It was cold.

There was no light.

No mysterious voice.

“I guess I really need some rest.”

She placed the necklace inside her drawer.

Then she went into the bathroom and washed her face.

When she looked in the mirror, she noticed the faint dark circles beneath her eyes.

She hadn’t been sleeping properly lately.

But the strangest part was how increasingly realistic her dreams had become.

She no longer saw only images.

She could smell things.

The scent of earth soaked by rain…

The resin of pine trees…

And that deep masculine voice she heard in every dream—a voice that frightened her yet somehow made her feel strangely safe.

Liora closed her eyes.

Turn around, my little moonlight.

She opened them immediately.

“Enough already.”

She stared at her reflection.

“You need a job, a proper sleeping schedule, and probably a very long vacation.”

⸻

When she went downstairs, her mother was preparing breakfast.

The smell of fresh bread filled the entire house.

“Good morning, sleepyhead.”

Liora sat down.

“Morning.”

Her mother placed a plate in front of her.

“Are you meeting Mira today?”

“I think so. We didn’t exactly have a great time yesterday.”

“Why not?”

Liora thought for a few seconds.

Should she tell her mother about the cracked café window?

Or the golden-eyed man she had seen in its reflection?

In the end, she decided against it.

“I had a bit of a headache.”

Her mother looked concerned.

“You’ve been exhausting yourself lately.”

“I know.”

“Why don’t you stay home today?”

Liora smiled.

“Mom, I’m twenty-three. I can go outside for a little while.”

Her mother laughed.

“I was only making a suggestion.”

Liora watched her.

She looked exactly as she always did.

Her hair was tied at the back of her neck, and she wore her old floral apron. She prepared breakfast while listening to the news on the radio.

For Liora, this little kitchen was the safest place in the world.

Sometimes, she wished she could return to her childhood.

To the days when her grandmother tended flowers in the garden, her mother called her from the kitchen, and she had nothing to fear.

“Mom?”

“Yes, sweetheart?”

“Are Grandma’s old belongings still in the attic?”

“I think there are a few boxes up there.”

“Can I look through them today?”

“Of course. Just be careful. It’s very dusty.”

Liora nodded.

Her mother didn’t change the subject.

She didn’t panic.

She simply poured some tea and placed it in front of her.

After a while, Liora began talking about other things.

Job applications, Mira’s never-ending romantic adventures, and the new bookstore that had opened in their neighborhood…

An ordinary morning.

An ordinary mother.

An ordinary life.

At least, that was how it appeared from the outside.

⸻

At that same hour, in another world, three moons were slowly fading from the sky.

Eryndor.

An ancient world absent from human maps, where time flowed differently.

Here, kingdoms were ruled not merely by territory but by bloodlines.

To the north stretched the vast forests ruled by werewolves.

To the west rose the silver cities of the immortal elves.

To the south lay the mist-covered valleys of the ancient witches.

And to the east were the Forbidden Lands, territories no kingdom dared to claim.

For centuries, a fragile balance had endured across these lands.

The werewolves were divided into seven great packs.

Each pack had its own leader.

But above every leader stood a single Alpha.

Khaeron Drakar.

The Alpha of the Blood Moon.

His name was whispered across battlefields.

Because Khaeron showed no mercy.

Even when an enemy surrendered, he would look into their eyes and consider the possibility of betrayal.

And betrayal was something he never forgave.

Yet there was one truth almost no one knew.

For seven hundred years, Khaeron had carried an incomplete seal upon his chest.

⸻

A heavy silence filled the throne room of the enormous palace built from black stone.

Crimson light streamed between the towering pillars.

Paintings of ancient battles covered the walls.

The banners of the Seven Wolf Packs hung from the ceiling.

The man seated upon the throne watched the warrior kneeling before him.

Khaeron Drakar.

His long black hair fell over his shoulders.

His golden eyes remained fixed on the man.

“Say it again.”

The warrior lowered his head even further.

“Three patrols have disappeared along the northern border, my Alpha.”

“Their tracks?”

“We followed them as far as the Forbidden Forest.”

Khaeron’s expression remained unchanged.

“Their bodies?”

“We found none.”

The atmosphere in the hall grew heavy.

Khaeron slowly rose to his feet.

“Three of my warriors have disappeared, and you’re telling me you’ve found nothing?”

The warrior’s voice trembled.

“The search is still underway, my Alpha.”

Khaeron descended the steps.

With every step he took, the soldiers grew more tense.

He stopped in front of the kneeling man.

“Do not appear before me again merely to report your failures.”

“Yes, my Alpha.”

“Find their trail before sunset.”

Khaeron’s eyes flashed with golden fire.

“And if something has happened to them, I want the names of those responsible.”

The warrior bowed his head.

“As you command, my Alpha.”

After the man departed, a side door to the throne room opened.

Raven entered.

“You’ve frightened everyone again.”

Khaeron didn’t look at him.

“Do you want something?”

Raven smiled.

“No. I was simply wondering how my dear older brother was enjoying his morning.”

“Leave.”

“Wonderful, apparently.”

Khaeron turned sharply.

“Raven.”

The younger man raised his hands.

“All right, all right. I’ll be quiet.”

But a few seconds later, he spoke again.

“Did the seal glow again last night?”

Khaeron’s expression changed.

Only slightly.

But Raven noticed.

“So it did.”

“I don’t want to discuss this.”

“You’ve been saying that for seven hundred years.”

Khaeron walked toward the window.

He looked out over the enormous forest stretching below.

“Because you’ve been asking the same question for seven hundred years.”

Raven remained silent for a moment.

Then he slowly approached.

“Can you really feel her?”

Khaeron closed his eyes.

For an instant, the face of a young woman with black hair appeared in his mind.

Gray-blue eyes.

Lips parted in fear.

And a glowing crescent on her left wrist.

“Yes.”

Raven took a deep breath.

“What if she doesn’t recognize you?”

Khaeron opened his eyes.

“She won’t.”

Raven looked surprised.

“How can you be so sure?”

“Because in the time she lives in, I am nothing more than a fairy tale.”

Silence settled between them.

Raven lowered his head.

“This waiting has changed you, Brother.”

A cold smile appeared on Khaeron’s lips.

“No.”

His golden eyes darkened.

“It wasn’t the waiting that changed me.”

“Then what was it?”

Khaeron didn’t answer.

Because some wounds did not heal when spoken of.

They only began to bleed again.

⸻

That afternoon, Liora climbed into the attic.

The old wooden stairs creaked beneath every step.

When she opened the door, the smell of dust greeted her.

Boxes.

Old furniture.

Yellowed photographs.

And the books her grandmother had collected over the years.

Liora sat on the floor and opened one of the boxes.

Inside was an old photo album.

On the first page was a photograph of her mother when she was young.

Her grandmother stood beside her.

Liora smiled.

“You both looked so young.”

She turned the pages.

Childhood photographs.

Birthday celebrations.

Summer vacations.

Then a small, yellowed envelope slipped from between the pages.

Only one word was written on it.

Liora.

Surprised, the young woman opened the envelope.

Inside was an old photograph.

Her grandmother appeared in the picture.

But beside her stood a man Liora didn’t recognize.

He was tall, with light-colored hair and a serious expression.

Liora held the photograph up to the light.

Around the man’s neck hung a small necklace.

Shaped like a crescent moon.

Liora’s heart began racing.

She turned the photograph over.

A date had been written in faded ink.

But beneath the date was another sentence.

“Some doors open only beneath the moonlight.”

Liora frowned.

“Grandma, what on earth were you involved in?”

Just then, her phone rang.

Mira.

“Liora! Where are you?”

“At home.”

“We were supposed to go to the new bookstore today!”

Liora checked the time.

“I forgot!”

Mira sighed.

“Get ready in ten minutes.”

“Okay, okay.”

She ended the call.

Then she placed the photograph back inside the envelope.

But there was something she failed to notice.

As she left the attic, the crescent symbol in the photograph glowed silver for a brief moment.

⸻

In western Eryndor, deep within the Silver Forest, the city of the elves rose among the trees.

Towers built from white stone stretched between the branches of enormous trees.

At the center of the city lay a vast lake nourished by moonlight.

And on the shore of that lake stood a young elven prince.

Elarion Thalen.

His silver hair flowed down his back, while his emerald-green eyes watched the image forming upon the water.

A human city appeared on the lake’s surface.

Cars.

Tall buildings.

And a black-haired young woman walking through the crowd.

Elarion’s expression turned serious.

“So she really has awakened.”

An elderly elf approached from behind.

“My prince, what do you see?”

Elarion didn’t answer.

The image upon the lake changed.

Liora stood outside a bookstore, looking at the books displayed in the window.

Elarion’s gaze shifted toward her left wrist.

The crescent seal.

“Have they found her?” the elderly elf asked.

Elarion shook his head.

“Not yet.”

“If the Alpha discovers…”

“He already knows.”

The elderly elf went pale.

“Then war is inevitable.”

Elarion closed his eyes.

“No.”

He paused.

“Not yet.”

The image upon the lake dissolved.

Elarion whispered softly:

“Liora Velen…”

It was the first time he had spoken her name.

And for some reason, it didn’t feel unfamiliar at all.

⸻

By evening, Liora and Mira had left the bookstore.

Mira was carrying three books.

“I’m going to finish all of these this week.”

Liora laughed.

“Did you finish the ones you bought last week?”

Mira fell silent.

“Let’s change the subject.”

Both girls burst into laughter.

The streetlights were beginning to glow.

The air had grown cooler.

Liora suddenly stopped.

Across the street stood a small antique shop.

Old clocks, mirrors, and silver jewelry filled its display window.

But what caught her attention was a small box in the center of the display.

It was covered in black velvet.

A silver wolf’s head decorated its lid.

Liora’s heart began racing.

“Mira, wait a second.”

“What is it?”

“Look at that.”

Mira glanced at the box in the window.

“An old jewelry box.”

“Do you see the symbol on it?”

“Yeah. A wolf.”

Liora looked down at her wrist.

The same shape.

Exactly the same.

She walked toward the door.

But the shop was closed.

A small note had been placed on the glass.

Open again tomorrow.

Liora sighed.

“I’ll come back tomorrow.”

Mira shrugged.

“I bet it’s really expensive.”

The two continued walking.

But something strange happened inside the antique shop after they left.

The lid of the box slowly opened on its own.

And an ancient whisper rose from within.

“Time is drawing near…”

⸻

That night, Khaeron stood in the palace’s highest tower.

Three moons had risen into the sky.

Raven approached him.

“There’s news from the elves.”

Khaeron didn’t turn around.

“What do they want?”

“They’re demanding that the passages along the western border be closed.”

“Refuse.”

“Without even hearing them out?”

Khaeron looked at him.

“The elves do not decide which roads remain open in my territory.”

Raven nodded.

“I knew you’d say that.”

Silence settled between them for a while.

Then Raven spoke again.

“What if she really comes?”

Khaeron’s gaze drifted into the distance.

“She will.”

“And what will you do?”

Before answering, Khaeron touched the seal upon his chest.

The mark he had carried for seven hundred years no longer felt as cold as it once had.

“First, I will look at her.”

“And then?”

“I will hear her voice.”

Raven smiled faintly.

“And?”

Khaeron’s expression hardened.

“Then I will keep her away from the dangers waiting for her in this world.”

“Do you think she’ll allow that?”

Khaeron frowned.

“What do you mean?”

Raven laughed.

“The woman you’ve waited seven hundred years for might not appreciate being ordered around.”

Khaeron narrowed his eyes.

“Everyone obeys my commands.”

“That’s exactly what I’m talking about.”

Khaeron didn’t answer.

But once again, the girl’s face appeared in his mind.

Gray-blue eyes looking at him in fear.

And for the first time, a strange thought crossed his mind.

What if she truly is afraid of me?

The thought unsettled him more than hundreds of battles ever had.

⸻

When Liora lay down in bed that night, she thought about everything that had happened during the day.

The photograph.

The box in the antique shop.

The seal on her wrist.

And the golden eyes she saw every night.

She opened the drawer of her bedside table.

Then she took out her grandmother’s necklace.

For a while, she held it in her palm.

Finally, she whispered:

“What are you?”

Of course, there was no answer.

Liora smiled faintly.

“Great. Now I’m talking to objects.”

She placed the necklace beside her pillow.

Turned off the light.

And closed her eyes.

That night, for the first time, she wasn’t in the forest in her dream.

She stood before an enormous palace.

High walls built from black stone stretched toward the sky.

Seven wolf heads were carved above the gates.

And a man stood in the palace’s highest tower.

She couldn’t see his face.

But she could feel him watching her.

The man slowly raised his hand.

The seal upon his chest glowed.

At the same moment, warmth spread through Liora’s wrist.

Then a voice rose through the wind.

“A little longer…”

Liora raised her head.

The man’s voice sounded closer this time.

“Hold on just a little longer, my little moonlight.”

Liora took a step forward.

“Who are you?”

The man didn’t answer.

But the palace gates slowly began to open.

And from the darkness beyond them, hundreds of golden eyes appeared.

Liora stepped backward in fear.

At that exact moment, the man’s voice thundered again.

“No one will touch her.”

Every pair of golden eyes lowered toward the ground at once.

Liora held her breath.

The man took a step out of the shadows.

But his face remained hidden in darkness.

“Because she is…”

He paused.

“My destiny.”

Liora opened her eyes.

The clock read 3:17 a.m. again.

But this time, she wasn’t alone in her room.

On a branch of the tree outside her window sat a black raven.

And in its beak, it carried a small silver key.

⸻

END OF CHAPTER 2

“The two worlds continued to exist, unaware of each other. But destiny had already begun to shorten the distance between them.”