Page 114 of Moonlit Fate

Hale shrugged. “Relax. It was fine. I overheard one of the sentries posted near the border saying Alpha Caius?—”

My heart seized.

“Alphawhonow?” Joren asked, alarm lacing his words.

“Alpha Caius,” Hale repeated. “He’s taken Larkin as his beta.”

The name sent shivers down my spine. My father, the new alpha. It shouldn’t have been possible. And Larkin...

“Can’t be a coincidence,” Joren said, echoing my thoughts.

Lyza nodded in agreement. “What do you think it means?”

“Means I need sleep,” I said, pushing away from them. The revelations left me with a strong desire for personal space.

“Atticus,” Mia called, but I cut her off with a raised hand.

“Later,” I said, already moving, desperate for escape. Escape from the news, the ghosts, the dreams—all of it.

I walked away from the communal area, Mia following behind me until I was in my room.

“What is it, Mia?” My fatigue got the best of me, which made me sound aggressive.

“Promise me you’ll try it,” she said, nodding at the vial.

I sat on the edge of my bed, the small vial in my hand catching glints of light from the lantern. Mia stood across from me, her eyes filled with that mix of worry and hope.

“Okay,” I sighed, uncorking it. The liquid was an inky black that seemed to swallow all light. I tipped it back, swallowing the bitter draught in one go. “Happy now?”

“Get some rest,” Mia said softly. “I’ll stay here with you.”

Before I could protest, the heavy curtain of sleep fell over me faster than I expected, pulling me under into…

Darkness. Thick, suffocating darkness. The dream had its powerful claws in me, trapping me in its unchangeable reality. I held my hand up against the swirling shadows and saw the small hand of a child. My heart hammered against my ribs as I called out, a feeble sound in the surrounding void.

“Who’s there?” I mumbled, but the shadows swallowed my voice.

A rustling, then warmth. A hand found mine, and the darkness retreated, replaced with a sense of warmth and safety. The same feminine voice, soft and soothing, filtered through the fear.

“It’s okay, baby. I’m here.”

A woman appeared next to me, her form familiar yet indistinct. I knew with a certainty that defied logic that this was my mother, but her face was a blank canvas devoid of detail.

Despite the vagueness of her features, her presence brought a sense of warmth and comfort. I wanted to stay in that moment, in her safe embrace, but the dreamscape changed, shattering the peace.

I was hiding under my bed, my hands clamped over my ears, but I still heard the raised voices. I pulled the shadows in close around me, creating a sanctuary from the darkness in the outside world.

“Something is wrong with that boy.” That was my father’s ice cold voice. “He’s a fucking freak. We should have gotten rid of the little bastard when he first showed signs.”

“He’s our son. There’s nothing wrong with him,” said my mother.

My mother.

Tears stung my eyes as the pieces of my lost memories came together and I finally recognized my beloved mother’s face.. I wished I could bring her into the comforting safety of my shadows and away from the evil in my father.

I fought to wake up or block out any further details, afraid of the changes I might see in her expression. What if her concern twisted into something more sinister? What if she turned away from me, agreed with him?

“Please, stop,” I murmured into the void, a plea to both the dream and the memory.

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