37. Atticus

37

ATTICUS

I hadn’t meant to push. I knew why she’d ended things, but it bothered me more than I wanted to admit. Now that she’d apologized, I felt more at peace.

Aria melted into my embrace, her tiny frame a perfect fit for my arms. Our lips met, and that spark of desire ignited between us. Her tongue coaxed my lips apart and danced with mine. The lavender scent of her shampoo filled my nostrils, and just like every time she stood close to me, I wanted to get lost in her. That, along with the gentle brushing of the towel against me sent goosebumps down my arms.

Our kiss deepened, becoming more urgent as we explored each other’s mouths. I tugged her damp hair gently and slid my hand up to the nape of her neck to her to me. When we broke apart, panting heavily, Aria gazed up at me with half-lidded eyes full of desire.

I splayed my hand on her lower back and pressed her closer still. Without breaking her gaze, I slid the towel off her body and tossed it on the floor. Aria didn’t resist as I traced a line from her shoulder down to her hipbone with one finger before moving lower again to tease the sensitive skin of her abdomen.

“I’ve missed this,” Aria whispered, every word laced with longing. She clutched at my shirt, pulling me closer until our lips were a breath apart.

Her mouth sought mine again, tasting me, and I responded in kind. “I’ve missed you too,” I murmured against her lips. Aria’s touch ignited a fire within me that could never be extinguished.

I trailed kisses from her jawline down to her neck, tasting the salty sweetness of her skin, then nipped at her earlobe. My hands roamed over her silky, smooth thigh, inching closer to that exquisite heat of hers. Aria whimpered into my mouth and hooked one leg around my thigh, molding our bodies together even more intimately than before.

I couldn’t resist any longer; I had to feel her skin on mine once again. Pulling back, I peeled off my shirt, then continued exploring every inch of her naked form. I traced the delicate lines of her collarbone, delighted when goosebumps rose on her skin. My hand dipped lower, tracing circles around her nipple. It puckered under my touch, and I pinched it gently. Aria gasped, and the sound sent a bolt of lust straight to my cock. Quickly, I unlaced my breeches and let them fall to the floor. In an instant, I cupped Aria’s ass and lifted her against me. Fuck, she was wet. My cock throbbed, pressing against her stomach as I ground against her, wanting nothing more than to be inside her. Her mouth left my neck and found my chest, her teeth nipping gently. “Please...”

I didn’t need any more encouragement. I walked us over the bed and sat down, my hands never leaving Aria’s ass. I pulled her closer, guiding her onto me. My cock slid between her folds, spreading her for me. She let out a shaky breath as the head of my dick touched her clit. I wanted nothing more to tease her like this all night long, but my own need was too strong.

I pulled my hips back slightly, then thrust upward into her tight heat. We moaned as one as our hips moved together in perfect rhythm, our bodies remembering this dance after our time apart. She arched her back, gasping as I thrust deeper, filling her completely. The sound of skin slapping skin echoed through the room, and our lips crashed together in a searing kiss. I plunged my tongue into her mouth as deep as I had just plunged into her body, tasting her while taking what I wanted so desperately.

Without warning I pulled out and flipped her onto her back, moving down her body. I had to taste her. I spread her apart with my fingers, tracing her folds with my tongue. I flicked my tongue over her swollen clit, eliciting a sharp intake of breath from Aria. She tasted salty-sweet and so fucking delicious, it drove me wild. Sliding a finger inside her, I sucked on that tiny bud, making her writhe beneath me. Aria’s hips bucked up off the bed in response as I lapped at her wetness. She let out a groan, her body arching off the bed.

“So good,” she panted shakily as she looked down at me between her trembling thighs. Her eyes were glassy with lust, her hair splayed out on the bed like a silver halo around her head. Grinning against her skin, I slipped my tongue inside her, desperate to taste every inch of her. My fingers pushed deeper into her soaking entrance while my tongue delved deeper into her core. Aria cried out, throwing her head back and gripping the sheets tightly as if they were a lifeline.

Her scent filled my nostrils, a heady mix of arousal and need that made me even harder than before. The soft whimpers and moans she released were music to my ears as I drove her to the brink of ecstasy. She was mine again, if only for this moment.

Her hands found my hair, tangling in the strands as she pulled me closer still.

I raised my head and pressed soft kisses along her inner thighs before moving up her body again. My cock jerked with anticipation as I positioned myself at her entrance. With one thrust, I buried myself inside Aria’s tight heat. Her back bowed off the bed, and she moaned into the pillow next to her as I began a steady rhythm. Her nails dug into my shoulders as our hips slapped together in perfect harmony, matching the pace of our breathing. Her bouncing breasts begged for my attention. I took one in my hand and rolled her hardened nipple between my thumb and index finger. Aria’s eyes snapped open, her heated gaze meeting mine as she surrendered to me.

Pulling out again, I pulled her close and rolled us so that she was on top of me again. The feeling of her warmth enveloping me nearly sent me over the brink. Her fingers dug into my shoulders, leaving marks that would heal too quickly, as she rocked against me with a hungry fervor. Aria’s breasts pressed against my chest, her nipples grazing across my skin as she threw her head back in ecstasy.

“Atticus,” she moaned as our movements grew more frenzied, our need for release building to an almost unbearable peak. Aria threw head back as she bounced on my cock, her long silver hair brushing against my thighs. Having her take control, take her pleasure from me, made me moan. My balls throbbed with the need to release my orgasm, but I held back. I wanted to savor every moment with her before we both reached our climax. I traced the curves of her hips and ass as our lips met in a hungry kiss. Her taste was addictive, and I couldn’t get enough. We rocked together faster, grinding against each other with each thrust.

Aria put one hand to her breast and pinched her nipple as she rode me harder and faster. I reached up and did the same to her other nipple. Her eyes rolled back, showing how close she was to the edge as she leaned forward to nip at my neck.

Without warning, she tensed and cried out, her body shuddering. Waves of pleasure washed over me as I watched her mouth drop open. I held onto her tightly as I pulled her into a final deep kiss, our tongues dueling as we found release together. Aria’s body shook, her muscles clenching and unclenching around my cock in the most perfect way, milking my release from within. I drank every drop of her moan, every sharp intake of breath, every whispered “oh god” or “yes” that escaped her lips. Our skin slapped together, sweat glistening under the dim light coming from the lamp on the nightstand.

We collapsed onto the bed together, chests heaving as we tried to catch our breath. Aria rested her head on my chest, and I breathed in her scent mingled with sweat that made me shudder with desire all over again. Her soft words rumbled against my chest like thunder. “I’ve missed this.”

“Me too,” I said, running my fingers through her tousled hair as she lay limply in my arms, our sweat-slicked skin sticking together.

When we’d caught our breath, we got into the tub together, and I delighted in the chance to experience the velvety touch of her skin once more. I grabbed the washcloth from her and soaped it up.

“I can do it.” Aria protested.

“I know, but I want to.” I said, running the cloth up and along her rib cage, under her heavy breast, directing the water to remove the soap, then sucking her nipple into my mouth.

“Hey, no funny business.” She laughed.

Biting on the tender bud, then releasing it. I gave her a cheeky grin. “I’m just making sure it’s squeaky clean.”

“Haven’t you had enough?”

“Of you? Never.” I answered honestly.

In the silence that followed as we dressed, my mind filled with a swirling kaleidoscope of thoughts, unsure how to speak without shattering this fragile new foundation. Honesty, I decided. If we were going to go forward, there had to be absolute truth between us.

“What does this mean?” I asked as we settled back onto her bed. I pulled her close, relishing the warmth of her head resting against my chest. “For you and me?”

She heaved a sigh, her breath sending a wave of goosebumps across my bare chest. “I can’t think much beyond tomorrow right now, Atticus. But I can tell you this. I can’t imagine my life without you, and it’s not just because of some magical bond.”

The repercussions of the ritual and her rejection had shattered me. With Aria in my arms, the fragments of my life began to fall back into place, the tight knot of fear and rejection unraveling in the depths of my stomach. The insidious corners of my mind, however, were plagued with lingering worries. What if she woke tomorrow and had a change of heart, decided our metaphysical connection was screwing with our emotions and what we had wasn’t legitimate? What if the pack’s disapproval drove a wedge between us again? What if I gave her my heart and she threw it back in my face?

I concentrated on strengthening my mental shields, wary of the possibility that she might pick up on my doubts through our bond.

I pressed a kiss to the top of her head. “I have to go back to the den.”

She twisted her head to look up at me. “Are you sure you can’t stay?”

I tried to inject some humor into my voice as I said, “If I stay, I wouldn’t be able to resist keeping you up all night. I don’t want to face Ilaric’s wrath because I’m the reason you’re sleep-deprived. He’ll set Mia on me.”

“You’re right, I wouldn’t want to be in her bad books.” Her lips curled into a mischievous smile.

“Damn right, she’d cut off my muffin supply.”

I didn’t leave immediately, choosing instead to sit with her, stroking her back until her eyelids grew heavy and her body sank into the softness of the mattress. Leaving her bed was torture.

Instead of using the shadows as a shortcut or shifting to run, I walked back to the den, trying to shake off the worries that clung to me. Each step made me sink deeper into a swamp of thoughts about Aria and the fate we were bound to. I was so tangled in my own head that I didn’t catch the change in the air at first. The forest seemed to freeze, the night critters silenced, even the rustling leaves appeared to have stilled.

My father, Caius, materialized from the trees, his presence as jarring as a nail scraping along a chalkboard. I hadn’t seen him since the battle in the Crimson Fang’s territory, the night Aria’s father had been killed. My heart hammered against my ribcage, a trapped bird desperate to escape.

Aria. She’d feel my panic and the sudden spike in adrenaline. I couldn’t have her rushing toward danger. Not when he was the danger. I boosted the strength of my mental shields, hoping to block the torrent of emotions from reaching her. Hopefully, she’d slept through that first surge of terror.

“Atticus,” he said, stepping forward.

I squared my shoulders, readying myself. “To what do I owe the honor ?”

He just smiled, slow and sly, like he savored the taste of my revulsion in the air. It made my skin crawl. He knew something I didn’t, and he was dying to let it spill from those twisted lips.

“Can’t a father visit his son?” His tone dripped with insincerity, mocking the very idea that we were related. “I wanted to give you the good news. I’m the new alpha of Crimson Fang.”

I clenched my fists, feeling the shadows ready to leap at my command. If he thought he could toy with me, he was sorely mistaken. I was ready to fight. This was no casual meeting. Whatever game he was playing, I wouldn’t let him win. Not this time.

I scoffed. He had no idea I already knew. “What? You want me to play happy family with you?”

Caius’s lips twisted in a vile grin. “Exactly, son. I’m extending an invitation for you to join my pack.”

It was actually hard not to laugh. “How thoughtful of you,” I sneered. “But there isn’t enough gold in the world to entice me to join your pack, Caius.”

His eyes narrowed at the use of his name, stripped bare of any title of kinship. “You dare?—”

“You forfeited the title of father when you murdered your wife and plotted to do the same to your son.” The words were like daggers, each syllable sharp and final.

“Insolent pup.”

The blow came before I could react. His fist slammed into my jaw, spittle flying from lips at the impact. I stumbled backwards but kept my balance.

Shaking my head, I moved into a fighting stance. “Getting strong in your old age,” I grunted as I dodged a second blow.

“Watch your tone,” he hissed. Before he could swing his fist again, I landed a solid punch that hardly seemed to faze him.

“Never,” I roared. Shadows gathered around me, ready to strike, to defend... then I gasped. The oxygen had been sucked out of my lungs, out of the very atmosphere around me. I tried to fight back, to command the shadows to attack, but I was paralyzed. Unable to breathe, to move.

My father moved into my line of sight, a cruel smile twisting his features. He didn’t move, but his presence smothered me like a shroud. My power surged in desperation, a last stand against the suffocating force. But nothing happened. What the fuck was this? He’d never had magic before. How was he doing this? Was there someone hidden in the trees, helping him? Someone from his pack?

“Can’t... breathe...” I wheezed. Panic clawed at me as my lungs screamed for air, and my limbs refused to obey. The world spun, a carousel of shadows and fractured light. I couldn’t fight the iron grip that trapped me. With death lurking close behind me, the firm hold that held me suspended suddenly released, and I dropped to the forest floor, collapsing like a puppet with its strings severed.

I lay on the dirt at his feet, coughing and gulping down precious oxygen. My head spun, and I forced myself to focus on the here and now, the crunch of leaves beneath me, the sharp bite of the cold air.

“Just so we are clear of the new power dynamic.” Caius loomed over me, his eyes filled with malice.

“Just so we are clear about the new power dynamic,” I gasped out, sending a pulse of shadow energy toward him.

“That’s a lovely girlfriend you have,” Caius said, his voice laced with an ominous tone. “Such a shame what’s going to happen to her.”

I pushed up on unsteady arms, meeting his gaze with defiance burning through the haze of pain as I got to my feet.

“Touch her, and it’ll be the last fucking thing you do.” I steadied myself, straining to keep upright. “What did you do to me?”

Caius smirked, a predator baring teeth. “I just gave you a little taste of what’s to come.”

“Your power is not natural.” I tried to piece it together. “You’ve done something, tapped into something you shouldn’t have.”

“Perhaps,” he said. “Or perhaps I’ve simply evolved while you’ve been playing lone wolf.”

“Evolved? You call this evolution? It’s corruption, Caius .” My fists clenched at my sides. The shadows stirred around me, responding to my anger, my fear.

“Call it what you will.” He shrugged. “Power is power. Now, I have more of it than ever.”

“Where did you get it? Who gave it to you?” The questions poured out, each one laced with suspicion and dread.

“That, my son, is for me to know.”

“No pack will follow a leader who’s lost his soul,” I shot back, but doubt gnawed at me. The Crimson Fang was ambitious, ruthless. Maybe they would embrace this dark power if it meant ascension.

He laughed, the sound echoing through the trees. “What makes you think they have a choice?”

“Everyone has a choice.” My resolve wavered. The pack dynamics I understood were shifting before my eyes, twisting into something unrecognizable.

“Na?ve to the last,” he said with a dismissive wave of his hand. “You’ll see. In time, you’ll see.”

I watched him, every instinct on high alert. The encounter had shaken me, forced me to question everything I knew about strength and dominion. And Caius, his newfound potency, was a threat unlike any I’d faced.

“Stay away from Aria,” I growled through gritted teeth.

He smirked, and in that instant, evil emanated from him. “Or what?”

“Or you’ll regret it.”

“Empty threats, boy.” He stepped closer.

“Try me.” If he thought he’d get to Aria, it would be over my dead body. I’d die to save her, and I’d take him with me.

“Atticus, you don’t understand the game yet.” He leaned against a tree, his arms folded across his chest, displaying his complete lack of concern towards me.

I had to keep him talking. If I could glean something out of this encounter, a way to figure out what the fuck was happening, where he’d gained his strength, his magic, then at least I’d have some knowledge to take away.

“Then explain it to me?—”

“Patience,” he said, tilting his head. “You’ll learn.”

There was nothing I sought from this man. His lessons held no value for me. He’d proved that when he’d double crossed me during the ritual. Fool me once, shame on him, fool me again and the shame would be all mine.

“Like hell I will,” I snarled.

“Such a pity you can’t see the bigger picture. Time will tell, Atticus. Time will always tell.” His voice was like ice cracking beneath my feet. “Goodbye, son .”

“Wait—”

Before the word fully left my mouth, he was gone. Just like that, as if he had never been there at all.

I listened carefully, catching every sound in the forest except that of any other shifter in the vicinity. That confirmed my fears. He’d been alone and had used some dangerous magic that didn’t belong to him.

He’d been vicious when I was a kid—killing my mother, tormenting me night after night—all while playing the genial alpha to the pack. But this was different. Worse. However he had gotten that magic, it had turned his presence into a dark, menacing evil. He had to be stopped.

I had to get back to the den. There was no time to waste. Immersing myself in the comfort of the shadows, I turned my focus on to the den. I visualized its sturdy stone walls, the familiar scents, the security the den represented. The familiar tugging sensation pulled at my gut, and in a single step, I passed through a large stretch of the forest, appearing at the entrance to the den.

I barely registered the startled faces of my chosen family as I stormed inside, chest heaving.

I was still shaking, the threats my father had spat at me echoing around my skull. Each word was a promise of danger, not just to me but to Aria. That’s all I could fixate on. Her name was a steady drumbeat amid the unrest.

“I need to do something,” I blurted out, already pacing. I couldn’t stand still; it felt like being trapped. “My father... he’s not just a threat to me anymore. He’s a threat to Aria. To all of us.”

My voice was rough, edged with fear and determination. I was a rogue, used to handling things alone. I wanted to chase him, hunt him down, and challenge him, but this was bigger than anything I’d faced before. It wasn’t just about me now.

I stopped mid-pace, turning to face the group.

Joren leaned against the wall, his brow creased, lips twisted to one side. “Slow down, Atticus. What happened?”

I took a deep breath, trying to steady myself. “My father cornered me in the woods.” I struggled to keep my voice even. “He is incredibly powerful. More powerful than I am.” My fists clenched at my sides as I wrestled with the urgency clawing at my insides. “I need to find out more information about Caius fucking Thorne. I need to know exactly what he has planned. I’m going to go now. To Crimson Fang.” I paused, meeting Joren’s gaze squarely.

They looked at each other, a silent conversation loaded with uncertainty.

Mia stepped forward. “Atticus, you can’t just rush off to find out more on your own. You’re too emotionally involved right now.” Her voice was steady, but worry laced every word. “You wouldn’t recognize strange magic if it bit your backside.”

A snort came from Hale’s direction. He leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, but his eyes were alive with that mischievous spark I knew all too well.

“Yeah, and you wouldn’t find Crimson Fang territory if you were just across the river from it,” he quipped, a wry smirk playing on his lips.

His attempt at humor didn’t lighten my mood, but it did halt my pacing. I glared at him, but deep down, I appreciated the effort. They were right. Both of them. I needed to get my head straight before I could face whatever my father had become.

“Rushing off alone is exactly what he’d expect you to do,” Joren said.

The room went still and I felt their eyes on me—waiting, watching. Fuck, they were right. My fists clenched at my sides as the reality of the situation settled on me.

“He threatened Aria,” I forced the words out, each one heavy with dread. “If I don’t do something?—”

Lyza stood. “We’ll do it together.”

I turned to her.

“You’re not alone in this. If your father has grown so powerful, we’re all in danger. We need a plan, one that doesn’t involve you charging in alone, blinded by anger.”

Her words hit hard. She was right. I couldn’t let my rage get the better of me, not with Aria and the lives of so many at stake.

The others stood silently around us. I could see them thinking about what our next move should be. The weight of our situation hung heavy in the air.

“Okay,” I finally whispered. “Together.”

“Right. First thing we need to do is some good old-fashioned recon,” Hale said, rubbing his hands together. “Lucky for you, I’ve been watching the borders.” He unrolled a map, securing the opposite corners with a mug and a potted plant.

“Hale,” I all but growled.

“I know you told me not to, but I wasn’t taking any risks or chances. They saw what I wanted them to—a lowly rogue out for a casual run.” He pointed to the area on the map where the Crimson Fang had invaded the rogues’ territory before the ritual. “I mapped out all the new boundary lines.”

I’d never been so grateful for Hale’s disregard of rules.

I studied the map intently, tracing the lines until it landed on a copse of trees near the newly marked boundary. “Here, we can walk around the perimeter from here and observe them without anyone knowing we’re even there.”

Mia went to her herbs and picked out the ones she thought we might need. Lyza packed a bag with food and supplies.

“Hale, Mia, you’re with me. Joren, you and Lyza are in charge here,” I said. With Hale’s strategic thinking and Mia’s heightened sensitivity to the forest, we’d have a wider range of expertise.

I hefted the bag onto my back, and Mia draped her herb satchel over her shoulder. The three of us set out in a heavy, contemplative silence. I pushed through the foliage, branches snapping back as we moved. The forest around Crimson Fang territory was like a second skin, too tight, buzzing with energy that wasn’t ours.

“Something’s off here,” Mia said so quietly I almost didn’t hear her. She tilted her head, then pointed to a discolored leaf that stood out against the lush greenery.

“Tracks?” I asked, knowing her instincts were sharper than any blade.

“Maybe,” she replied. “Not recent.”

Hale brought up the rear, using years of practice to make sure we left no trail, erasing any we inadvertently made.

We trudged on, the silence of the forest pressing in around us. It felt wrong, like walking through a graveyard at midnight.

“Atticus, what will you do if—” Hale began, but I cut him off.

“Find the truth,” I said. “That’s all that matters now.”

We rounded a bend in the river, where the tangle of roots and branches gave way to open space. The air felt empty, hollowed out. I glanced at Mia. Her eyes were narrowed as she surveyed the area intently. We stepped closer to the water’s edge, and a strange energy pulled me toward a stone. It was ancient and covered in moss. Runes etched into it pulsed with a weak light.

“Look at this,” I said, pointing toward the glow.

Mia leaned in, her hand hovering above the etchings without touching them. “It’s a conduit,” she whispered.

Hale peered at it, his eyebrows knitting together.

“Caius is channeling the forest’s magic. But how?” Mia asked.

I crouched in front of the stone, mesmerized by the eerie luminescence emanating from it. “We have to figure it out. Fast.”

After it gave up no secrets or answers, I stepped back from the stone. Shadows bent around me—a trick I’d learned to keep myself hidden. Now, they seemed sluggish, as if struggling against a force that was draining their very life force.

“He’s not just channeling it,” I said, my voice low and grim. “He’s consuming it. If he’s learned to drain the forest... what’s stopping him from draining us?”

Mia flinched, looking around at the stone and the surrounding woods. She knew as well as I did how dangerous this was. Hale dropped to one knee, his fingers brushing over the earth as if reading a story in its patterns.

“Look at these,” he muttered. He pointed to lines etched into the ground around the stone. “These are binding marks. He’s preparing to extend his reach, maybe to shifters. This isn’t just about power, it’s about control.” Hale’s face was pale, an edge of alarm in his eyes.

Control meant more than just dominance. It meant our free will was at stake. We stood there, the reality of our situation sinking in, the balance of our world teetering on a knife’s edge.

“Let’s go,” I muttered, turning away from the ominous glow of the stone. My fists clenched at my sides as we navigated back through the underbrush, each step fueling the fire inside me. “We need to stop him.”

Mia nodded. “Before it’s too late.”

“We can’t allow him to gain more ground,” Hale said.

We moved quickly, the familiar terrain now feeling hostile beneath our feet. The shadows whispered warnings as we made our way out of the woods.

“I have to warn Aria,” I said as soon as we were out of Crimson Fang territory. They’d be safe without me now.

“Go,” Hale said, and Mia nodded.

I held my breath, hoping the shadows would obey me again now that we were in our own territory. To my relief, they wrapped around me like a second skin. They knew where to take me, straight to Aria. Despite the world potentially crumbling around us, she was my anchor.

In an instant, I was in Aria’s room. She was awake, sitting on the edge of her bed in a silky robe. Her head swung up as I stepped out of the dark corner of the room. She must’ve felt my terror, but with my mental shields in place she wouldn’t have been able to find me.

“We need to talk.”

Aria was on her feet in a flash, closing the distance between us. Her hand found mine, gripping it tight. “Atticus, what happened?”

“My father,” I said, the words gravel in my throat. “He cornered me.”

Her other hand came up to my cheek, cool and steady. “Tell me.”

Taking a shaky breath, I let it all pour out. “It’s worse than we thought. The forest is being drained. There’s this stone... a conduit, Mia said. Binding marks. It’s him. He’s found a way to siphon magic straight from the source.”

“Magic? That means...” she trailed off, piecing it together.

“Yeah.” The word left a bitter taste in my mouth. “He’s planning to drain us next.”

Aria staggered back as if I’d punched her. She braced herself against the wall, her eyes wide with shock.

“How? How can we stop him?” Her voice quivered, but there was steel behind it.

“Carefully,” I said. “He threatened you. He’s playing dirty. He knows...” I scrubbed a hand over my face. “He knows what you mean to me and won’t think twice about leveraging it as a weapon.”