The world had become noise.
Gods.
Moonlight.
Shadows.
The earth shaking beneath every heartbeat.
Eirik couldn't hear any of it anymore.
His eyes were fixed on only one thing.
Aiden.
The omega's body hung limply within Nyx's living shadows.
His breathing had become shallow.
Too shallow.
"...Node..."
Eirik whispered.
This wasn't supposed to happen.
Nyx had promised.
"No one you care about will be hurt."
His knees gave way.
He hit the ground hard.
Hands digging into the dirt.
"...You lied."
Nyx never looked at him.
"I fulfilled my promise."
Eirik stared.
"You simply misunderstood it."
His heart was shattered.
Everything.
Every patrol report.
Every delayed warning.
Every meeting beneath the moon.
Every lie.
For this.
He had done all of it...
for this.
"I..."
His voice broke.
"...what have I done?"
Not far away, Ronan blocked another collapsing tree before it could crush several younger wolves.
He turned—
and saw Eirik kneeling.
Broken.
"Eirik!"
Eirik slowly lifted his head.
His face was wet with tears.
"I'm sorry."
Ronan frowned.
"...For what?"
Silence.
The battlefield continued around them.
But for Eirik—
Everything stopped.
He saw Aiden laughing while chasing the pups.
Helping him gather herbs.
Smiling after long patrols.
Trusting him.
Always trusting him.
Then he remembered Nyx's first words.
Think of it as if you're just pushing him in the right direction.
"...Node..."
Eirik whispered.
"I wasn't helping him."
"I was helping you."
Ronan's expression changed.
Slowly.
Horribly.
"...What..."
Eirik couldn't stop anymore.
The truth came apart all at once.
"It was me."
His voice cracked.
"The patrol routes..."
Another sob.
"The delays..."
His breathing hitched.
"The false openings..."
He looked toward Aiden.
Unable to bear the sight.
"I told Nyx."
Silence.
The words echoed louder than the battle.
Several nearby wolves froze.
Ronan stared.
Completely still.
"Node..."
Erik.
Again.
Again.
As if agreeing with his own execution.
"I thought..."
His voice disappeared.
"I thought..."
"...he promised no one would get hurt."
Ronan's eyes filled with something worse than anger.
Disappointment.
"You betrayed your pack."
"Yes."
"You betrayed Theron."
"...Yes."
"You betrayed Aiden."
That one broke him.
Eirik covered his face.
A broken sob escaping him.
"...Yes."
"I'm sorry."
"Only..."
Another breath.
"Only..."
"So sorry..."
Across the battlefield, Aiden's heartbeat weakened again.
The silver necklace flickered.
Once.
Twice.
Theron felt it instantly.
His face lost all remaining hope.
"...Aiden..."
Moonlight around him began to dim.
Even a god had limits.
Eirik looked up.
For one heartbeat...
Everything became clear.
Nyx hadn't chosen him because he was evil.
Nyx had chosen him...
because he loved Aiden enough to become desperate.
And despair had made him useful.
He stood slowly.
Legs shaking.
Heart pounding.
He looked at Theron.
Then at Aiden.
Then back again.
His tears finally stopped.
"...There has to be a way."
Theron barely heard him.
Every part of him was focused on reaching Aiden.
Eirik took one slow step forward.
Then another.
His voice was barely audible.
"...Use me."
Theron froze.
Eirik swallowed hard.
"My life..."
He looked toward Aiden one last time.
The omega who had shown him kindness when he deserved none.
"...if my life can give him another chance..."
A sad smile trembled onto his face.
"...then maybe..."
"...this is the only good thing I have left to give."
The battlefield fell strangely quiet.
Theron slowly turned toward him.
Silver eyes searching his face.
Eirik didn't look away.
For the first time in many months...
he stopped running from the truth.
"If taking everything from me..."
His voice cracked one final time.
"...means he gets to watch those pups grow up..."
He closed his eyes.
"...then take it."
The Moon God said nothing.
But something ancient stirred behind his silver eyes.
And for the first time since the battle began...
Hope has returned.
Just...
not in the way anyone expected.