Page 91 of Moonlit Fate

My heart leaped, happiness flooding through me. My father was taking action. Was it out of guilt for not believing me about Larkin immediately? No matter. He was finally acting.

I threw my arms around Eldan, pulling him into a hug that spoke volumes of our camaraderie, a time of innocence now shrouded in the mists of a more complicated world. I suddenly longed for those days when our greatest decision was which game to play beneath the sprawling branches outside.

Eldan pulled back, the lines of worry on his face smoothing slightly at my touch. “We’re going to make things right. All of us.”

I smiled, though my lips trembled with unspoken fears. For even as we prepared to step into battle, to rescue our own and fight for the future we dreamed of, doubt clung to me. And the nagging question of what the future had in store for me and Atticus.

Eldan paced back and forth with a restless energy that echoed my own. Atticus stood by the hearth, his tall frame relaxed yet somehow imposing, the firelight dancing over the rugged planes of his face. The two men, who had once clashed wills, now shared a space, an uneasy truce between them.

“Atticus,” I said. “Eldan.” They both turned to look at me, and I arched an eyebrow as I looked back and forth. “Are you two going to play nice?”

The corner of Atticus’s mouth quirked up in that half-smirk that never failed to warm me. It was full of promises, of things said in the dark that only we would ever hear. Meanwhile, Eldan crossed his arms and regarded Atticus with a measured look, the kind that weighed and judged before it settled.

“Seems we’ve come to an unspoken understanding and respect,” Eldan said, his tone carrying the subtle warmth of acceptance. There was no handshake, no slaps on the back, just acknowledgment.

“Good,” I said. “Because unity is our only hope, and tonight, we’ll need every ounce of it.”

There was a charged silence, each of us involved in our own minds. The room, with its heavy drapes and ornate furnishings, was a fortress, a momentary calm from the havoc that awaited beyond these walls. But soon enough, we would leave the safety of stone and wood for the danger of the open night.

I leaned back against the plush cushions of the settee and allowed myself a small grin. “I’m proud of you for finding common ground with Atticus,” I said to Eldan. “It means more than you know.”

Eldan shifted on his feet, looking away before returning to me. He gave me a searching look. “What’s our move? How do we play this?”

“Seren is our top priority,” I said. “We aren’t certain she’s in the Crimson Fang territory, but it’s where logic points. Larkin’s always been crafty. He knows how to bait a trap, and he’s using her to lure us out.”

Eldan clenched his jaw and nodded. We both understood the stakes. Each step toward Seren was a step into Larkin’s snare. But there was no choice, not when it came to family.

As if summoned, my father strode into the room. “This has escalated,” Ragnar announced. “I’m sorry I doubted you, Aria. Larkin’s deceit has become a pack matter. I’m bringing reinforcements. We will stand united behind you in this rescue mission.”

The words I had longed to hear from him now echoed through the room, filling spaces in me I hadn’t known were hollow. “Thank you,” I said, though my gratitude mingled with a trace of bitterness. “It’s always been a pack matter. If only you’d seen it earlier, Seren might still be here. Safe.”

Something flickered in my father’s eyes—regret, perhaps, or the realization of his mistakes. There was a freedom in releasing the burden of unspoken truths. It felt good. No, it feltrightto lay bare the frustrations that had long eaten at my soul.

To my surprise, my father’s stern features softened. He inclined his head, the lines of command smoothing into ones of contrition.

“You’ve always been the wild one of our family. Even if we have argued a time or two,” he said with a rare, unguarded fondness, “I’ve always admired your unwavering determination. You were right, and for that... I apologize.”

His hand extended toward Atticus, who stood beside me, his presence a constant comfort. “Thank you for keeping Aria safe. As her alpha… her father, I’m grateful.”

Atticus studied Ragnar, then accepted the offered handshake. “Keeping Aria safe has never been a duty, but an honor,” Atticus said. “She is the north star of my existence, the one fixed point around which my world turns.”

As their hands clasped, my heart swelled with pride for the man who held mine so delicately in his grasp. Yet, the sight of my father showing kindness to Atticus added layers to my inner conflict. Happiness warred with frustration. Ragnar’s acceptance was only partial, conditional.

I was torn between the elation of witnessing my father’s growth and the piercing sting of his continued resistance to our union.

“Tonight, we fight together,” Ragnar said. “Not just as kin, but as allies forged in the crucible of necessity.”

“Indeed.” Atticus released my father’s hand and turned to me with a look that promised a thousand silent conversations later.

“Let’s prepare,” I said. “We have a sister to rescue.”

“Ragnar,” Atticus said, “my chosen family stands ready to offer their aid tonight, should you accept.”

My father studied Atticus, then gave a slow, deliberate nod. “I’ll inform the pack. Your support is appreciated.” The words seemed to claw their way out of him, but they were out. That was the important thing.

Turning to me, Atticus closed the gap with a few strides. The soft brush of his lips against mine was a promise, a silent vow that spoke louder than any roar of challenge. “Meet me at the border of the Crimson Fang’s territory,” he said. “Together with your pack, we will bring Seren home.”

The kiss lingered, tendrils of longing twining into my soul, rooting me to the spot even as he stepped away.

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