Page 218 of Moonlit Fate

Atticus stirred, his eyelids fluttering like the wings of a butterfly testing the air. His ice-blue eyes found mine and we looked at each other, the world around us fading into a hush.

“Good morning,” he rasped.

“Morning,” I said as he brushed his thumb over my cheek. His touch soothed me, a reminder of the solid reality of his presence beside me.

I scooted closer to Atticus, seeking the solace of his warmth. My head found its place under his chin, fitting there as if it were meant to be. I burrowed into him. It was like sinking into a soft bed after a long day, like coming home after an excruciating journey.

Something inside me shifted, settled, like the last piece of a puzzle clicking into place. With Atticus, everything made sense. I was more than just Aria—I was part of an ‘us’, and that made all the difference.

“Feels right, doesn’t it?” His voice, still husky from sleep, vibrated through me, filling spaces I didn’t know were empty.

“More than right,” I answered, tilting my face up to look at him. “It’s like I’ve found a part of me I didn’t know was missing.”

He chuckled as he stroked my back. “I guess we’re both lucky then.”

“More than lucky.” I traced the line of one of his tattoos, the forest silhouette that seemed to come alive on his skin. “You’ve given me so much.”

“We did this together, you and me.” He squeezed me gently.

I felt the truth of those words down to my bones.

“Always,” he murmured, sealing the promise with a kiss to the top of my head.

Atticus’s lips moved to press against my cheek, soft and warm, tracing a path down to the curve of my neck.

“Alpha,” he murmured against my neck.

I smiled, though a flutter of unease stirred in me. “I’m not the alpha yet.”

He lifted his head, his ice-blue eyes locking onto mine. A confident grin played on his lips. “You will be soon enough. I hadLorian call a meeting with the elders.” He checked the clock on the wall. “One hour from now.”

The words sank in, and my heart skipped a beat. Their approval was the last step, the final seal on what we had fought for. Atticus’s confidence in me, his unwavering belief, steadied the nerves that threatened to fray.

“Thank you,” I whispered, reaching up to trace the silver streak in his hair, feeling the raw power of our connection humming beneath my fingertips.

His response was another kiss, this one lingering longer as he made his way down my neck. Each kiss was a promise, a shared understanding of all we were to each other. He paused at the collarbone, and I arched into him, lost in the sensation.

“Always together,” he murmured between kisses.

“Always,” I echoed, closing my eyes as our lips met.

A little over an hour later,I squared my shoulders and met the eyes of each elder. Miren, Corin, and Branan, stood among them, their faces carved from stone and distrust. The air crackled with tension, thick enough to choke on.

“Atticus,” I acknowledged without turning, feeling his approach before I saw him. He moved with controlled power, a silent force that demanded attention.

“Elders of the Silver Claw,” he addressed the semi-circle. “We’re here for Aria.”

The elders’ eyes moved to him, then away. Respect battled with their fear, and neither side was winning. Atticus just stood there, unbothered, a rock against their storm.

“Her strength is clear,” he continued, steady as the ground beneath us. “She leads because she must.”

Miren stepped closer, barely masking his disdain. “You dare come here before us. You, a rogue, a shifter with no pack, and talk to us of leadership. You know nothing of leadership.” He cast a scornful gaze at the other elders, his cronies Corin and Branan nodding in approval. “This isn’t tradition,” he spat.

Some murmured their agreement, while others in the group appeared to be giving thought to Atticus’s statement.

“Traditions can change,” Atticus said. Shadows clung to him like faithful hounds, ready to leap at his command.

Miren stood tall, his shoulders pulled back, radiating an air of self-righteous anger. “You have no business here, rogue. Take your leave. As the alpha of Silver Claw, I believe it is necessary to exile Aria Winters from our pack. Her actions foster division within the pack. If she wants to lie with the rogue, she might as well join their ranks.”

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