Page 206 of Moonlit Fate

The pain intensified, a crescendo of suffering that drowned out all reason. In the struggle, something inside me gave way, and the last of my shields crumbled. I couldn’t keep them up any longer. The raw, unfiltered emotion, the desperation and anxiety, poured out of me.

“Enough!” I screamed, the word torn from the depths of my soul.

Caius paused, his expression unreadable. For a moment, there was silence. Then, without warning, he withdrew the pain, leaving an echo of torment in its place. I lay there, gasping, all fight drained out of me.

“Tomorrow, you will do as you’re told,” he said coldly. “Remember your place, son.”

He left me there, alone with the crushing heaviness of what was to come.

50

ARIA

Istood in the middle of Atticus’s room in the den, surrounded by shadows that seemed to whisper his name. A sudden jolt, like lightning striking through my veins, seized me without warning. His mental shields crashed, and a wave of pure torment cascaded into my mind.

I gasped, clutching at my chest. “Atticus.”

Pain—his pain—lanced through me, a million needles piercing my skin and my soul. Somewhere out there, beyond my reach, Atticus was in agony. It clawed at me with ferocious intensity. I knew he wouldn’t want me to go to him. His pride, his need to protect, was as much a part of him as his inked skin, but the connection between us screamed at me to do something, anything.

“God, no...” My cry filled the room, bouncing off the walls, mocking me with its helplessness.

Every nerve in my body was on fire. Within the flames, I searched for that thread, that tether which bound me to him. Behind the disorder of his emotions, behind the distress, was the link that tied our souls to each other. I could feel him there, wrestling with demons in the dark.

“Atticus, hold on.”

My mind reached out, fumbling, grasping for the source of his pain. When I found it, it was like touching a live wire. I recoiled but held on, examining it, trying to understand. Then, with everything in me, I began to pull.

“Ah!” I stifled the scream that threatened to burst forth as the anguish intensified, flooding my senses. This was his suffering, his torture, and I was taking it on myself.

“More,” I hissed through clenched teeth. “I have to take more.”

I pulled relentlessly, each tug a test of my will, each draw a measure of our attachment. The pain grew unbearable, unyielding, but so did my purpose. If I could just take some of it away from him, if I could just bear a fraction of his burden...

“Please,” I begged the silence, “let this work.”

The pain finally let up. I got to my feet and staggered out of the den. I had to get to the manor, to Ilaric, Seren, and Eldan. We needed a plan, and we needed it fast. The ground passed swiftly under my feet as I thought only of reaching my friends and figuring out what the hell we were going to do.

Silver Claw Manor was a silhouette against the overcast sky, and I set off toward it with purpose.

My senses sharpened as I moved, each step crisp and deliberate. The usual night sounds were amplified—a branch snapping, the whisper of leaves rustling. Rancid magic buzzed at the edge of my consciousness, a tangible force that I could almost reach out and grab. My mind had been through the wringer, but now it was laser-focused.

“Who’s there?” I called out, spotting shadows shifting just beyond the tree line. They were too deliberate to be animals.

“You’re dead now,” a voice hissed from the darkness, several figures stepping forward into the faint moonlight. Their unblinking eyes locked on me.

“What do you want?” I demanded, taking a defensive stance.

“There’s no place in the new Lycanterra for you, Aria Winters,” one of them intoned, stepping closer. “Caius will rule, and you will die.”

I was ready for whatever came next. “I make my own destiny.”

The creep of dread tried to claw its way in. It was like a cold hand wrapping around my throat, squeezing tight. But I wouldn’t let it win. I thought of Atticus, of the rogue wolf who had fought through worse than this, who wore his scars like armor. I couldn’t show fear, couldn’t let my guard down.

“Get out of my head,” I muttered. Pushing back against the invasive thoughts with an iron will, I built up walls in my mind like I was fortifying a castle. Atticus didn’t need to sense my panic. He had enough to deal with without my demons adding to his load.

“There have been a few who have tried to defy him,” another of Caius’s believers spoke. “All have failed.”

“Then I’ll be the first to succeed.” My words were defiant, a banner raised against their grim certainty. “You don’t scare me, and neither does your leader.” I sneered.

---