Page 168 of Moonlit Fate

“Pathetic,” Caius spat out, every word tinged with venom as he stepped closer, his magic crackling around him.

Each clash drained me, my shields fraying at the edges. The destruction my untamed magic had wrought in the village, the fear in my pack’s eyes, sprang to mind unbidden. At least here, in the woods, only the trees bore witness to my potential failure.

I summoned every last drop of strength. Doubt was a seed already taking root, threatening to sprout into full-blown despair. I was outmatched, and deep down, I knew it.

He stepped forward, my body instinctively moved backward, my eyes darting around to find a way out. My options grew slimmer until I was trapped, my back pressed against the trunk of the tree.

Caius’s magic pinned me to the tree like an invisible vise. His eyes, a cold and lifeless black, roamed over me with a newfound curiosity, like a predator appraising its caught prey.

“Interesting,” he murmured to himself. The pressure of his magic increased, squeezing the breath from my lungs as he tilted his head and studied me.

I struggled against the hold, but it was no use. Caius was too strong. My mind raced. I needed to escape, to fight back, but my body refused to obey. I was trapped, and this bastard was enjoying every single second of it.

His lips twisted into a cruel smile. “I’ll get more out of you than Larkin did, and I don’t mean information.” His gaze dropped, lingering on my chest. “Might as well have some fun before I put you where you belong.”

That chilled me to the bone. He wasn’t just planning to kill me. Bile crept up my throat. Death would be a mercy compared to what he wanted.

“You must be a good lay if Atticus is sniffing around you so much.” His voice was a low growl, and I could physically feel his eyes crawling over my skin, stripping away more than just my dignity.

White-hot anger flared within me. I wouldn’t let him see my fear. “Go to hell,” I spat.

Caius only laughed, his magic making the air crackle with malice. “Oh, we’re going to have quite the time, you and I.”

His magic sliced through my shirt like it was nothing, tearing it in half. I shrieked, my body jerking against his invisible restraints.

“Stop struggling, sweetheart,” Caius cooed, mockery lacing his tone. “You’ll only make it worse.”

I glared at him, ignoring the panic that clawed at the edges of my mind. His lips curled into a grotesque smile as he stepped closer, close enough for me to feel his breath on my skin. My stomach churned as my breakfast threatened to make a violent return.

He traced my jawline with a deliberate slowness, ice trailing in its wake. A shiver of revulsion ran through me. I wanted to turn away, to escape his touch, but the magic held me firm, a puppet in his cruel hands.

“Such delicate skin,” he murmured. His finger followed the tear in my clothing, down over my collar bone, between my breasts and over my stomach, stopping just above the waistband of my trousers. “What a waste.”

“Get your hands off me,” I hissed.

“Patience,” he whispered, his eyes never leaving mine. “All in good time.”

“Atticus,” I gasped, the mere thought of him igniting a spark in the pit of my stomach.

Caius’s eyes narrowed as he noticed the change in my demeanor. “Thinking of your hero?” he snarled. “Don’t bother, he can’t hear you,” Caius taunted. “I’ve made sure he’s deaf to your call.”

“Shut up!” The knowledge of what he intended to do next sent icy tendrils down my spine. It wasn’t just fear for myselfthat fueled the fire in my belly. It was the realization that if I didn’t make it out of this, Atticus and the pack would suffer, too. I couldn’t—wouldn’t—let that happen.

I focused on the remnants of strength left in my body, feeling them coalesce into something potent, something fierce.

“I’m not done yet,” I whispered.

“Brave last words,” he mocked, but I didn’t miss the flicker of uncertainty in his eyes.

I willed my magic to rise, to break through the constraints Caius had placed on me. My hands trembled, but the bindings loosened ever so slightly. I had to time this right and gather every ounce of power I had left for one final push.

With a sudden surge of energy, I fought against the magic holding me, imagining it as a physical force that I could shove away. It gave, just a crack, but that was all I needed. I lunged at him, slamming my fist into his face.

“Get back,” I screamed. I refused to go down without a fight. Not now, not ever.

The forest seemed to pull back, as if it could escape the violence. I was running on fumes, my magic a mere whisper compared to what it usually was. But I had to try. With everything left in me, I summoned a surge of elemental power, pushing it toward Caius.

My power collided with his darkness. “Take that, you fucker.”

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