SWNOVELXO Chapter 25: Chapter 24 : Lingering Footsteps
Luna stood frozen as Alex's silhouette disappeared into the darkness. The cold air wrapped around her like a suffocating shroud, chilling her to the very bones. She felt hollow, as if something essential inside her had been ripped away. She wanted to scream, to release the torrent of emotions raging within her, but no sound would come. Instead, she was left standing in that empty, aching silence, staring blankly at the spot where he had been just moments before.
Why? Why did it have to be him?
Her eyes fell to the dagger he had left behind. It gleamed dully in the dim light, catching her gaze and pulling her in. Slowly, almost reluctantly, she knelt down and picked it up. The weight of the weapon was heavier than she had anticipated, its cold metal pressing against her skin like a silent reminder of everything she had lost. She turned it over in her hands, the blade reflecting a fractured version of herself in its pristine surface. She could still feel the phantom sensation of Alex's hands trembling as he offered it to her, could still hear his voice whispering that broken apology.
Luna clenched her jaw, forcing herself to breathe. With a steady hand, she slipped the dagger into her belt and turned her gaze in the direction he had gone. Despite everything, she could still feel his presence lingering in the air—raw, broken pieces of his emotions trailing behind him like a wounded beast.
Taking a deep breath, she forced herself to move. Her steps were slow and hesitant, each one pulling her further into the suffocating silence. But then, her eyes dropped to her feet—the soft leather shoes now covering her bloodied skin.
His shoes.
She froze, the sight of them breaking something fragile inside her. Tears welled up in her eyes before she could stop them, spilling down her cheeks as a choked sob tore its way out of her throat. All the pain she'd been holding back came crashing down at once—the agony of knowing he had been there that night, knowing that he even after knowing the truth that she wasn't the one who played with the lives of wolves still decided to remain quiet, knowing he had stood among those who had watched her fall.
It made her want to shatter under the weight of that betrayal, to break apart from the bitterness of a truth she had tried so hard to avoid. These emotions were raw, sharp, cutting through her as relentlessly as steel. They were human emotions, unbearable in their strength, and she could feel herself cursing this mortal form, this fragile, confining skin. As a goddess, she had known only the faintest brush of these feelings, mere whispers of sorrow, of hurt. She had been immune, her divine nature sheltering her from the storms of the heart. But now... now she felt it all in brutal clarity.
This human skin was a curse, each emotion hitting her with the strength of a violent sea crashing against cliffs. She had become susceptible, unguarded, forced to face each feeling as it swelled within her—raw and unfiltered. The grief, the anger, the betrayal—they consumed her, pulling her under in a way her godhood had never allowed. It was as if the very essence of humanity was tearing her apart from the inside, showing her just how vulnerable she truly was.
But no matter how hard she tried to push it away, the grief kept coming, wave after relentless wave. He was supposed to be her ally, her partner. Instead, he had become one of those who stood against her, one of those who had let her fall.
And yet... he was still here.
A soft, almost inaudible sound reached her ears—footsteps. Luna stiffened, her entire body going tense. She glanced over her shoulder, just enough to catch a glimpse of a shadow moving in the distance. It was him. Alex. She bit her lip, turning away quickly before he could see the fresh tears streaming down her face.
Why? Why hadn't he left?
The sound of his footsteps seemed to echo louder in the still night, a constant reminder of his presence. He wasn't following closely, but he was there, lingering just out of reach. Watching. Waiting.
But why?
"Why are you angry, Luna?" The voice in her mind was soft, almost gentle, like a whisper caressing the edges of her thoughts. It wasn't her own voice, but something deeper, something older—a truth she had buried long ago. "Why are you so angry with him? Is it because he was there that night? Or is it because he was one of those people who betrayed you, even after everything you did for them? and everything they did to you ?"
The question struck her like a blade. Her steps faltered, her heart racing as the truth began to unravel before her. She had been so focused on Alex's betrayal, on the pain of discovering his role in that night, that she hadn't stopped to consider the real reason behind her fury. Was it truly about him? Or was it something deeper, something she had been running from all this time?
"No," she whispered, shaking her head. "It's not... it's not just that."
Her chest tightened as the voice pressed on, relentless. "You stood up for them. You fought for them, time and time again. And still, they turned on you. He turned on you."
The footsteps behind her slowed, as if Alex sensed the shift in her emotions. She could feel his gaze on her back, could almost see the confusion in his eyes. He didn't understand—how could he? He didn't know the depths of her pain, the way his lies had carved itself into her soul like a scar that would never heal.
But that wasn't fair, was it? He didn't know because she had never told him. Because she had closed herself off, had shut her world away while her people suffered. Her people. And when they had called out to her for help, she had ignored them. She had turned her back on them, on everyone, choosing instead to wall herself away in her grief, her pride.
Why was she so angry with Alex? Was it really because of what he had done? Or was it because, in the end, she had failed them, too?
The tears came again, hot and fast, burning tracks down her cheeks as she stumbled to a stop. She felt him behind her, closer now—close enough that she could almost feel his breath on her neck. Her shoulders shook as the sobs tore from her throat, her fists clenched tightly at her sides.
"I—" She swallowed hard, trying to force the words out. "I don't... hate you, Alex."
The admission was a whisper, so quiet she wasn't even sure he could hear it. But the moment the words left her lips, she felt something shift between them, something fragile and tentative, like the first crack of dawn after a long, endless night.
Slowly, she turned, meeting his gaze for the first time since she had walked away. His face was a mask of pain, his eyes wide with something that looked almost like hope. He took a hesitant step forward, and she flinched, the movement instinctive, unbidden. His face fell, the hope flickering out like a candle in the wind.
"I don't know where to start," she confessed, her voice trembling. "I don't know how to fix this—how to fix us. You hated me. You once hated me enough to stand against me. And I—" She broke off, shaking her head. "I deserved it. I'm just so... lost."
His silence was deafening. For a moment, she thought he might turn away again, might leave her standing there alone in the darkness. But then, he did something that made her breath catch in her throat.
He knelt.
Slowly, carefully, he knelt in front of her for the second time in a single night, his gaze never leaving hers. He didn't speak, didn't try to touch her. He simply stayed there, his presence a silent promise, a vow that whatever happened, he wouldn't leave her. Not this time.
Luna's heart ached at the sight. She looked down at him, at the man who had been her greatest ally yet the man who hates her and felt her resolve crumble. She didn't know what to do, didn't know how to move forward. But as the soft echo of his footsteps filled the empty spaces between them, she realized something she hadn't before.
She didn't hate him.
She just didn't know how to start again - from the begining .
"Luna..." Alex's voice was strained, thick with emotions he could barely contain. "Let me—" He stood in front of her , taking a step closer, his movements tentative, as if afraid she might disappear if he got too close. "Let me just... accompany you to Lucifer's. Please."
She paused, glancing back at him from the corner of her eye. His expression was a mixture of determination and desperation, as if this was his last chance to prove himself. She stayed silent, her gaze unreadable.
"I promised I'd get you there," he continued, his tone softer now. "I gave you my word. Let me at least see that through. After that... if you never want to see me again, I'll go."
Her heart clenched painfully at his words. There was so much she wanted to say, so much she wanted to ask him—but the wounds were still too fresh, the pain still too raw. Instead, she simply turned away, her shoulders tense as she began walking again, each step deliberate, purposeful.
Alex stood there, watching her retreating figure, his chest tight. She hadn't said a word. She hadn't even looked at him properly. For a moment, he thought she would keep walking, would leave him behind without a backward glance.
But then... she stopped.
It was subtle, almost imperceptible—the way her steps slowed, the way her body seemed to hesitate. She didn't turn around, didn't look back. But something about the way she stood there, so still, so silent... it felt like she was waiting.
Waiting for him.
The realization hit him like a punch to the gut, his breath catching in his throat. She was giving him a chance—a small, fragile chance to stay by her side, even if she couldn't bring herself to say it aloud. His heart pounded as he took a tentative step forward, his gaze never leaving her back.
"Luna?" he called softly, almost afraid to break the delicate moment.
She didn't answer, didn't move. But she didn't leave, either. Alex's shoulders sagged in relief, the tension bleeding out of him as he finally understood. Swallowing hard, he closed the distance between them, his footsteps barely a whisper on the road.
"I know you don't want to hear anything from me," he murmured quietly as he drew closer, keeping just enough space between them so she wouldn't feel suffocated. "And I know... I can't fix this. Not with words. But... please, just let me walk beside you. Until we reach Lucifer's. Until you get the answers you need."
Still, she remained silent. Her eyes stared straight ahead, fixed on some distant point beyond his reach. But she didn't leave. She didn't tell him to go.
And that, he realized, was answer enough.
Taking a deep breath, Alex fell into step behind her, his gaze never wavering as he matched her pace. He didn't say anything more, didn't try to push for anything she wasn't ready to give. He just walked, his presence a silent promise—a vow to stay with her, to see this through, no matter what it took.
Luna kept her eyes forward, her expression unreadable. But as she felt the faint echo of his footsteps behind her, a strange sense of relief washed over her—a fragile, tentative hope that maybe, just maybe, they could find a way forward.
They were broken, shattered beyond repair. But maybe, just maybe, there was a way to piece it all back together again.
One step at a time.
Her gaze drifted past to the empty road stretching out before them. Somewhere, far beyond the darkness, lay the answers she so desperately craved—the answers that only one person could give her. Theo. Lucifer. Whatever name he went by now, he had been there that night. He had seen it all. And if anyone could tell her why she had made the choices she had, why she had chosen to become human of all things... it was him.