Page 34 of Moonlit Fate

“There are whispers of unrest that I can’t interpret. They say we,” Aria pointed her finger back and forth between the two of us, “that is, you and I, need to consult with a seer.”

I watched her closely, noting the rise and fall of her chest and how her jaw tightened ever so slightly. “Does that mean you believe in the prophecy now?” My question was laced with both skepticism and concern. I feared that she’d somehow talked herself out of the truth of the prophecy.

“I still have my doubts,” she admitted, a faint tremor in her voice.

Aria, the future alpha, a force of nature who could fight better than any male shifter, was grappling with the unknown. And it was my role to stand beside her, to guard her against the mounting danger that threatened to engulf us both.

“We’ll find your seer,” I said. I’d ask around to see what I could find out.

Hale cleared his throat. “There’s a seer who lives deep in the woods beyond the human village.”

I looked at him, and he quickly averted his gaze, refusing to meet my eyes.

“How do you come by this knowledge?” I asked, suspicion roiling in my gut.

Hale shrugged nonchalantly. “Rumors among the rogues. Whispers of visions and prophecies abound as the forest and its magic continue to diminish.”

Aria’s stance shifted beside me. “We need to find this seer,” she said. “Now.”

I frowned, my protective nature flaring up. The night held dangers that were not easily seen. “It’s dangerous to travel the woods when we don’t know how long we’ll be gone,” I said. “We should wait for first light. It’s safer.”

“Time isn’t on our side,” she snapped, the softness of her lips doing nothing to diminish the steel in her words. “Every delay costs us time that we can’t regain. This can’t wait until morning.”

A battle raged inside me as I grappled between the logical course of action and the overpowering need to keep her safe. I gazed into her resolute face and sighed. Arguing with Aria would be as fruitful as commanding the ocean to cease its tide. She was a force unto herself, and my role was not to tame her, but to stand as her shield against whatever perils might arise.

“Then we move with the night as our cloak,” I said, and her eyes widened slightly, clearly surprised at my sudden change of heart. Before she could say anything, I raised a hand. “We proceed with caution. And if danger rears its head, you stay close to me.”

Her nod was all the agreement I needed.

“I need to be back by tomorrow evening. I have dinner plans with my father.” She looked away and added quietly, “And Larkin.”

The name clung to me like a foul presence. A snarl twisted in my throat, struggling to break free. I quashed it down. Now was not the time. Larkin. The very thought of him twisted my insides. Betrayal was a poison, one I had tasted too often, and I had to reveal his treachery to her. But would it shatter her?

No, Aria was wrought from stronger metal than that. But still, discovering his dishonesty, his collusion with the Crimson Fang, would be a crushing blow. As we faced the challenges ahead, I realized the importance of locating the seer andresolving the immediate issues surrounding the prophecy and our role in it. The matter of Larkin and his betrayal would have to be addressed later.

“Understood,” I said, my voice rough and strained as if scraping against the jagged edges of my determination.

Hale stepped forward. “Why don’t we head back to the den and get something to eat and rest? We only have a few more minutes until the sun sets.”

He was watching Seren with such open hunger that it irked me. Hale’s romantic partners changed as often as my underwear. The idea of him hurting Seren for his own selfish desires filled me with dread, because it would also hurt Aria.

I kept a mask of indifference on my face to conceal my inner turmoil. Once we were back at the den, I’d talk to Hale about staying away from her.

“I’m coming, too,” Seren said.

The surprise on Aria’s face mirrored my own. Seren wanting to accompany us was as unexpected as stumbling upon a delicate blossom in a snow-covered field. With her serious and proper appearance, she was the least likely person to defy pack rules and end up in a rogue’s den.

“Then it’s settled,” I said, trying to project confidence through my smile. “Back to the den. We can plan our next move there.”

I led them through the dense foliage. Each time Hale’s focus shifted to Seren, a wave of tension rippled through my muscles. I needed his focus sharp, not dulled by the lure of carnal distractions.

Moving closer to him, I murmured softly, “Keep your head in the game and your cock in your pants, Hale.” It was barely loud enough for him to hear, but enough to draw a casual shrug from him.

“Always do,” he said with that infuriating nonchalance.

Pushing past brambles and low-hanging branches, we emerged into the clearing where the den lay, an unassuming mass of rough stone and mossy growth. Aria’s reaction when she noticed the hidden entrance was so slight that it would only be noticed by someone who paid as much attention to her as I did.

I brushed aside the curtain of moss and ivy that concealed the entrance. Bowing for dramatic effect, I said, “Welcome to our sanctuary.”

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