Page 35 of Moonlit Fate

I led Seren and Aria into the communal area, where we were met with smirks and knowing glances from the other members of my chosen family.

“Look who Atticus dragged in,” Joren said, his face lit with amusement as he abandoned his chess game with Lyza.

“Mind your manners,” I growled. They were teasing, but respect for our guests was paramount. I offered Aria an apologetic smile, but she was more amused than offended. Having her here with my family, people I had chosen to love and protect, felt right.

“Please, find a seat,” I said. “I don’t know about you two, but I’m starving. We’ll have something to eat and drink, then get organized for our trip to the seer.”

I gestured toward the mismatched collection of chairs and cushions strewn about the space. As Aria and Seren settled, I busied myself pouring a ruby red wine, the clinking of glass a welcome distraction from the churning thoughts in my mind.

Aria nodded gratefully and reached for her glass. Her fingers brushed my thumb, sending a jolt of warmth through our connection. My pulse quickened, the simple touch igniting a fire that I struggled to contain.

“Joren, don’t you owe me a rematch?” Lyza asked with a challenge in her tone, pulling my attention back to the present.

“Sure, if you want to lose again.” Joren reset the chess pieces.

The den, with its worn furniture and scant décor, was heavy with unspoken tension as Aria sat among us. My chosen family, usually a rowdy bunch, watched her cautiously. They were well-aware that she was important to our future.

Silence fell once more, a contemplative shroud that even Hale didn’t dare disrupt. It was then that Joren, always one for testing boundaries, spoke.

“So, a future alpha amongst a bunch of rogues. How does it feel to slum it with us, Miss Winters?”

Aria remained composed, but I didn’t miss the way she clenched her fists. Even though she hadn’t asked for or needed my support, I felt compelled to defend her.

I let out a low, menacing growl. “Stop. Aria is here as an ally and equal, not for your amusement.”

My family cowered under my rebuke, the scent of respect and a hint of fear permeating the small room.

“I apologize.” Joren dipped his head slightly before flashing his throat. A reluctant show of submission.

“Accepted,” Aria said smoothly. Her eyes met mine briefly, and she nodded.

She took a drink, her throat working as she swallowed. Mia asked her a question, and I took advantage of Aria’s distraction to quietly admire the elegant curve of her neck and the silky cascade of her hair falling over her shoulder. I desperately wanted to reach over, brush away the lock that had fallen forward, and tuck it behind her ear.

I watched Joren decimate Lyza at chess. This dance we were doing, letting Aria into my world, into the core of my chosen family, was dangerous.

“Atticus?” I was so lost in thought that I barely heard Aria’s soft voice until she repeated my name.

“Sorry.” I cleared my throat, setting my glass down on a nearby table. I lowered my voice so only she could hear. “This isn’t the life I imagined for you, or for any of us.”

Aria took in the rough-hewn walls of the den and the motley crew that made up my pack. “I didn’t expect to be here, either, but there’s something raw and real about this place. It’s not polished or perfect, but it’s alive.”

“Alive, but not safe,” I said. “Bringing you here, into the fold, is risky. You’re the future alpha. Your pack needs you whole.”

“Maybe.” Her lips curved into a half-smile. “But I need this. To understand the full picture, to see the world beyond the borders of what I’ve grown up with.” She lowered her voice. “We need to find this seer, Atticus. We need to know the truth about this connection between us.”

The bond intertwined our destinies. “We will, I promise you, Aria. And when we do, and when we know more, we’ll face it head-on.”

Aria bumped her shoulder against mine in acknowledgment. As soon as our bodies touched, desire heated my blood.

“Let’s remember why we’re here,” I said, reminding us both that we had more important matters to attend to. As I pulled back slightly, my wolf screamed at me to close the distance between us once more. “We have a lot to plan, and little time to waste.”

“Right.” Aria nodded. The warmth from her skin lingered on mine. “We do what we must, for our packs, for our people.”

The ambient sounds of conversation and the rhythmic crackling of the fire intertwined, creating an atmosphere that deepened our contemplative state and reinforced our mission’s purpose. With such high stakes and even higher risks, something became crystal-clear to me. Aria needed to be part of my world, just as much as I needed to protect it and her.

The sound of Joren’s final move, a silent death knell as his knight swept in with the grace of a predator claiming its prey, jolted me out of my musings. Lyza’s queen fell to the checkered battlefield with a clatter that echoed around the den. Joren leaned back with a victorious smirk, and a collective exhale filled the space, releasing the tension that had built up.

“Your strategy is getting better,” he told Lyza.

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