Andrew POV
The moment I shifted back into my human form, I dropped to my knees beside him.
Jamie lay still at the centre of the moonlit circle, his robes stained in our blood. His chest rose and fell so faintly it scared me. He looked… peaceful. But far too still. Like the world around him had paused, and he hadn't been permitted to return.
The witch stepped forward, torch in hand. Without a word, she planted it near Jamie's feet.
The flame crackled instantly—a deep, steady blue.
And then I realised... it smelled like him. Like his scent on a summer morning. That gentle mix of pine and lavender. The scent of him laughing beside a lake. The scent of home.
"The torch," the witch said, as if reading my thoughts, "serves as a beacon of presence. As long as it burns, he is still with us. If it goes out…" She paused, looking directly at me. "We've lost him."
Her words sank like stones in my chest.
And then, in the same breath, she added what she had said before—but now I felt every word differently.
"The Trial has begun. May the moon carry his spirit true… and the bond guide him home."
I clenched my jaw, fighting the tremor in my throat.
The flame flickered. Strong. Bright. Beautiful.
But Jamie hadn't moved.
I reached out and touched his hand gently.
He was warm. But unmoving.
My voice barely broke the silence.
"Jamie… my baby," I whispered. "Please come back to me."
*****
Jamie POV
I opened my eyes to light.
Not the pale, cold moonlight I'd just stepped into—but something golden, radiant, alive.
The air smelled like roses.
No… like something even sweeter. Flowers I didn't know existed. The breeze carried whispers of laughter and song. The grass was soft beneath my bare feet, glowing with an almost silver sheen. Trees stretched tall like ancient guardians, leaves shifting colours like an aurora.
It was… beautiful.
I wish Andrew could see it.
I stood there for a while, turning slowly, trying to take it all in. I didn't know what I was supposed to be looking for—or what came next—but I didn't feel afraid.
Then, from the corner of my eye… I saw it.
That wolf.
The same enormous white wolf I'd seen in a dream once, back when the witch first came to us. It had still been then. Watching.
But now, it was running.
Straight toward me.
Like a dog running for its boy.
I barely had time to brace myself before it leapt, its paws nearly knocking me over as it tackled me to the ground. I laughed—really laughed—as it licked the side of my face in this wildly affectionate, ridiculous way.
"Hey!" I laughed, swatting gently at its snout. "Okay, okay, I missed you too!"
Its fur was impossibly soft, snow-white, and warm against my skin. It pressed its head against my shoulder like it knew me. Like it had always known me.
It reminded me of that day by the lake… the day Andrew's wolf had rubbed against me just like this.
I wrapped my arms around the creature, burying my face in its fur. For a moment, I forgot everything—forgot the trial, forgot the fear. This place was paradise.
Then I heard the voice.
It wasn't loud. But it was everywhere. Deep, divine, laced with the melody of light and wind.
"Beautiful, isn't it?"
I turned, slowly.
There, standing a few feet away, was the source of the voice.
My heart clenched.
"…Mom?"
She smiled.
"My beautiful boy."
She looked like a dream. Like every soft memory I had of her. Her dress flowed like petals, made of wildflowers and soft light. Her eyes shimmered with the same silver as the stars. She opened her arms, and I ran into them.
I didn't care if I cried.
"I've missed you," I choked.
"Oh, baby," she murmured. "I've missed you so much."
Her hug felt like the first time I ever knew what love was. Like being whole.
We stayed like that for what felt like hours. Or seconds.
Then she gently pulled back, cupping my face in her hands.
"There's not much time," she said softly. "You're in the Land of Elarion. A place between."
"Between what?" I asked.
"Between what was… and what will be."
She gestured to the glowing forest around us.
"This is where spirits come to choose their path. And yours, my love… is not yet written. But it must be earned."
I frowned. "Earned? Why do I have to prove anything? I didn't choose any of this. I didn't choose to be born like this. Or carry this bond. Or this power."
Her smile was sad and wise.
"No, you didn't. But destiny rarely asks for permission. Only courage."
I looked away.
She gently touched the ring on my finger—the one she'd left me.
"Your path will not be easy. You'll face fears that live in the dark corners of your soul. You'll be tested not just in strength, but in truth. If you want to return—if you want to hold your bond with Andrew—you must face what lies ahead. And overcome it."
Tears welled in my eyes again.
"And if I can't?"
Her fingers traced my cheek.
"Then the torch will fade. And you'll stay here… forever."
I clutched her hands tightly.
"Don't go," I whispered.
She smiled again. Her eyes shimmered like sunlight over water.
"I never left," she said. "I'll be watching. All the way, my beautiful boy."
And just like that… she was gone.
The air grew still again.
I stood alone—except for the white wolf, who was watching me now, head tilted.
Then it padded toward me, nuzzled my cheek like it knew I needed the comfort.
I wiped my face.
"I guess it's just you and me here, buddy."
The wolf wagged its tail, then dashed forward, following a path that shimmered into existence with each step.
I took a breath.
And followed.