---- Orion sat down, his little legs dangling by the water. "Daddy is in a very dark place, but he has light on him. He fights a lot of black things, but they can't hurt him because he has the strength we give him." "The strength we give him?" "The power of love," Orion explained innocently. " Daddy says that's the strongest weapon, it can resist the darkness." Tears streamed down my cheeks. Even in such an environment, Kaelen still held onto his love for us, using it as a weapon against the darkness. "What else did he say?" "He said I need to protect you and the pack," Orion said seriously. ''And that I need to practice my hunting skills because I'm going to be an Alpha. Most importantly..." he paused, "he said he's sorry for hurting you before. He hopes to atone one day." ---- I choked back a sob. Those were indeed words Kaelen would say. "Tell him," I said softly, 'I forgave him long ago." It was late. We returned to our dwelling. Orion quickly fell asleep, but I tossed and turned, unable to sleep. Tonight's ritual confirmed what I had felt deep down all along - Kaelen was alive, in some form. Standing by the window, I gazed at the starry sky. The night of overwhelming grief a year ago seemed so distant, yet as clear as yesterday. I touched the amulet on my chest - Kaelen's last gift. For the past year, it had given me an inexplicable sense of peace, as if a part of Kaelen was with me. "T will wait for you," I whispered to the night sky. "No matter how long it takes." Just then, the amulet suddenly grew warm, ---- emitting a faint glow. I looked down at it in surprise and noticed a line of small text on its inner side that I had never seen before: "When the moon trace reappears, where souls find their place, love shall break the dimensional divide." What did this mean? The moon trace reappears? Did it refer to tonight's ritual? Or was it a prophecy of some future event? I clutched the amulet, my heart filled with new hope and determination. Perhaps Kaelen finding his way home was just a matter of time. Perhaps we really would have a chance to reunite. Until that day came, I would fulfill my duties - as Luna, as a mother, as the leader of the pack. I would ensure that when Kaelen returned, he would see a strong, peaceful Nightfang pack, and ason who made him proud. ---- I looked at the sleeping Orion, a smile on his small face, as if he were meeting his father in his dreams again. The future was still uncertain, but one thing was sure - love could indeed cross dimensions, cross time, even cross life and death. And our love would forever guide Kaelen's way home. Outside, a new moon quietly rose, its pure white light bathing the land, like a goddess's blessing. Under this moonlight, somewhere, on the other side of a dimension, an Alpha was fighting to find his way home. And here, we would wait quietly, steadfastly guarding, until the day of reunion. The moon trace endures, the vow remains unchanged.