Page 193 of Moonlit Fate

“An occasion to remember,” I replied flatly.

“Indeed,” Caius said, his smugness clear. “It will be a night that will define our future.”

“Of course,” I echoed hollowly. This wasn’t about the future. It was about control. His control over me, over the pack, over everything he touched. But not Aria. Never Aria.

I let the false calm wash over me. Caius was still talking about the celebration, but my mind had already drifted to darker thoughts. I needed something, anything that could give me anedge. That’s when it hit me. Maybe I could tap into his mind, search for weaknesses. It was risky, but I had to try.

I let my gaze drop to the floor, feigning submission, as I reached out with my magic, feeling for the familiar texture of Caius’s mental barriers. They were thick and slick, like oil on water. Slowly, I pushed, searching for a crack, any small opening I could exploit.

“Atticus,” Caius said with amusement. My eyes snapped up to meet his. The wicked smirk spreading across his face told me all I needed to know. He’d caught me.

Pain exploded behind my eyes, white-hot and blinding. It felt like my skull was splitting open. I dropped to my knees, gasping, hands clawing at the marble beneath me.

I was desperate to maintain the shields hiding my agony from Aria. She couldn’t know—if she sensed this, she’d rushed to be by my side.

“Boy, I’d think you would know better than to try your old tricks on me.”

I gritted my teeth, trying to find my footing in the searing pain. My field of vision narrowed, darkness creeping in on the edges. Just when I thought I’d pass out, the pain vanished.

“Don’t let it happen again,” Caius warned coldly, “lest I start to question your loyalty.”

I remained on the floor, breathing heavily, as I tried to steady myself. He’d made his point—no one defied Caius and got away with it. Not even his son.

I pushed myself up, each movement measured, a silent battle against the lingering fire in my veins. Valora hadn’t moved an inch, her face unreadable as she observed the aftermath of my father’s display of power.

“Are we done here?” I asked flatly.

“For now,” Caius replied. He turned to Valora. “You’ll find him much more agreeable over time.”

“Of course,” she responded evenly, betraying nothing.

As they walked away, the hall’s opulence suffocated me. The grandeur mocked my inner turmoil. I thought of Aria, her courage, her smile, and how each step I took in this charade dragged us farther apart.

“Atticus?” Valora said lowly, almost kindly, but I couldn’t face her.

“Leave me be.”

“Very well,” she conceded, and I sensed more than saw her retreat.

Leaning against the cold stone wall, I closed my eyes. Each tick of the clock was a reminder of what awaited—chains disguised as honor, love traded for duty. I could feel the significance of the ink on my skin, the tattoos that sealed my fate heavier than any shackle.

I whispered to the shadows, hoping they’d carry my words to Aria. “Forgive me.”

The silence that followed was my only answer, a void where once there was the promise of a life together. The future loomed over me, dark and unyielding.

Feeling the need to escape my thoughts about the future, I ventured outside and walked across to the training grounds.

I leaned against the rough-hewn post at the training yard’s edge, my muscles still aching from what they’d done to me. The Crimson Fang pack moved with precision and power around me, their grunts and the clash of combat ringing in the air like a war drum.

“Thorne,” one of them nodded as he passed, looking at me with a mix of horror and respect. That was new.

“Keep it up,” I grunted back, pushing off the post to wander closer to the action.

The yard was bustling, each member lost in their routine. I settled on a bench where I could see everyone, pretendingto watch a pair of sparring wolves. Their moves were sharp, focused, and they didn’t notice me slipping into their minds.

“Atticus,” one of them called out.

“Training hard?” I asked.

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