Page 25 of Moonlit Fate

The link snapped as I withdrew, the aftertaste of Larkin lingering unpleasantly. Shadows coalesced around me, comforting in their familiar grasp as I moved with purposeful strides towards the safety of the trees. Each step took me farther from Aria, but closer to finding the truth hidden in the tangle of Larkin’s ambitions.

A growl rumbled from deep within me, a sound born of protective fury. No matter the cost, I would shield Aria from the darkness encroaching on her world. With every whispering leaf and creaking bough that watched my vow, the forest itself seemed to acknowledge my pledge.

This night had changed everything.

The shadows responded to my silent command, clinging to me like a protective cloak. I moved unseen, a ghost in the night. The rogue in me embraced the darkness, but the man craved the light of Aria’s presence.

I slipped into the welcoming den, the night pulsing with an electric energy that fueled my determination. My muscles tensed, still thrumming from the encounter with Larkin.

I found Hale in the throes of passion, an unknown woman under him. His growl of annoyance at my intrusion was almost feral, but there was no time for pleasantries or apologies.

“You have to leave.” I picked up the woman’s clothes from where they’d been discarded and held them out to her, leaving no room for misinterpretation.

“Dammit.” Hale narrowed his eyes at me, and with a frustrated expression, untangled himself smoothly from her embrace. The woman leisurely took the clothes from my outstretched hand, her coy smile silently extending an unspoken invitation to me.

“Out,” I snapped, and she grabbed the garments I’d missed with wounded pride before disappearing into the night.

“Since when do you cockblock without good reason?” Hale growled as he dressed.

“Since we have bigger problems than where you choose to stick your dick.” My gaze locked onto his. “Larkin Ranger.”

The weight of that name carried significance for me, but for him, it held no value. Yet, the way I spoke it seemed to have a profound effect on Hale, dissipating his annoyance with me.

“Who’s Larkin Ranger? Should I know him?” Hale demanded. My expression and tone had triggered a sudden change in him. He was now fully alert, the warrior replacing the playful brother. “Talk to me.”

“He is the shifter Ragnar has decided will be Aria’s mate.” With seething disdain, I recounted Larkin’s abhorrent thoughts, the intensity of my restrained rage building with each word.

“Sounds like he’s a real… catch.” Hale’s sarcasm was a poor cover for the ire that twisted his features. “It’s these types of outdated customs where a father dictates his daughter’s mate that make me grateful I’m free from the constraints of a pack.”

“I agree completely,” I said. My blood boiled at the prospect of Larkin laying a hand on Aria again. Frustrated, I scrubbed a hand over my face forcefully, trying to wash away the unsettling image. “Ragnar believes he will be good for the Silver Claw, but Hale… Larkin is colluding with the Crimson Fang.”

My anger intensified, transforming into a seething wrath that made it impossible for me to sit still. “The bastard had the nerve to watch me with her tonight,” I seethed, “then had the audacity to deliver ultimatums. He said just enough to show his true intentions. I couldn’t get everything, but the glimpses I caught weren’t pleasant. The threats aren’t simply hot air. If this plays out, there won’t be any neutral ground left. They’re coming, the Crimson Fang pack. They’re coming.”

“Shit.” Hale raked a hand through his hair. “You’re sure?”

I didn’t dignify his question with a response. He knew better, knewmebetter.

Hale pulled on his shoes. “Fuck. We have to know what we’re up against. We can’t let them blindside us.”

“Agreed.” Strategy sharpened my thoughts. “We gather intelligence. Find out what Larkin and the Crimson Fang are scheming. It is crucial that we stay two steps ahead.”

“Too fucking right. Let’s go,” Hale called as he sprinted to the door.

Under the cover of night, we ventured forth, the air heavy with the anticipation of our mission to unveil the threat of the Crimson Fang.

“Stay vigilant,” I whispered to Hale as we entered the dangerous territory. Every shadow became an extension of my will, concealing our passage through the dense woods that bordered our territory.

Insulted, he hissed, “Always am.” His light steps betrayed no sound. His presence, a reassuring constant by my side, steadied me.

Nestled together, these three territories formed a compact group surrounding the majestic great forest at the heart of Lycanterra. The Silver Claw’s domain stretched from the heart and expanded towards the mountains. Other packs lay in the north and west, while the Crimson Fang’s reach extended to the western mountains all the way to the Lycan Sea in the south, where my father’s smaller pack called home.

We approached the eastern borders of the Crimson Fang’s domain, where the neutral unclaimed territories abutted both packs and reached towards the forests farther east. Raw energy surrounded us, alive with the pulsing tempo of nature, a rhythm I manipulated with ease.

I stretched out my hand, calling forth the darkness, and watched as it responded eagerly. It was a gift I wielded withnatural finesse, one that allowed Hale and me to blend into nothingness, invisible to all but the most discerning eye.

“Showtime.” A misty cloud escaped my lips and dissipated into the night air. We positioned ourselves behind a thick copse of trees, their gnarled roots providing the perfect vantage point.

From our hiding spot, we observed the comings and goings of the Crimson Fang pack members. Their patrols seemed routine, but there was an undercurrent of tension, a subtle vibration in the environment that spoke volumes to those who knew how to listen.

---