49. Atticus

49

ATTICUS

“ W hat are you doing here, Valora?” I snapped.

I could scent Aria’s confusion, her disbelief almost tangible in the air. I turned to her, trying to convey a silent message of reassurance. “This isn’t what it looks like,” I said firmly. “I’ll explain everything, I promise.”

“Explain?” Valora laughed, a sound that grated on my nerves. She stepped closer, her smile too wide, too false. “Oh, Atti, you’re not telling me that you haven’t told this poor girl about our engagement?”

“Engagement?” The word fell from Aria’s lips in disbelief, and my gut twisted. This was bad.

“Valora, you need to leave. Now.”

She cocked her head, a mock pout forming on her lips. “Leave? But, darling, this will be our home soon enough. Your father gave me a key.” She dangled it in front of me, the metal glinting in the dim light. “He’s eager for us to start making that heir he keeps talking about.”

This had gone far enough. “Get out.” My words were ice, the command undeniable. I took a step forward, my presence alone enough to make her retreat. “Don’t come back here without an invitation.” I flung the door open, a clear signal that this conversation was over.

“But, Atticus…” she protested, her tone sugary sweet.

“No buts. Out.” I stepped closer to her, using my height to emphasize my point. Valora hesitated for a moment, then huffed and bent to retrieve her shoes. I caught her wrist and spun her around to face me. “And Valora, anything you’ve seen or heard in this room stays in this room. Do you understand?”

When she looked at me, her confident smirk revealed her belief that she held the advantage. A fleeting glimpse of the havoc she could wreak flashed through her eyes.

I called on the shadows. They crept up her legs and coiled tightly around her, trapping her in their inky grip. That air of superiority faded as fear washed over her face.

“You need to think carefully, Valora. Caius only has one heir,” I reminded her, my voice dripping with menace. “Bringing me down puts your own position within the pack in jeopardy.” I directed the shadows to tighten their grip. “Your word.”

She searched my face for something before finally nodding in resignation. I freed her, and she swiftly regained her composure before confidently strutting towards the door.

I followed her to the threshold, ensuring she left. Once outside, I shut the door. The click of the lock was a line I drew, one she better not cross again.

I looked at Aria. Her expression was wounded, and every protective instinct in me roared to life. I needed to fix this. I watched her from a distance, her back rigid, the air around her charged with silent turmoil. Each step I took toward her felt like wading through molasses. My heart ached. My next words would only deepen the wound already festering between us, but lies were a luxury we couldn’t afford.

I loosened my shields, allowed her to feel me. “Aria,” I began, “I’m sorry. Let me explain.”

She looked at me, and the hurt and confusion on her face broke my heart. I stepped closer, reaching out but not touching, giving her the space she might need.

“Please, just listen.” I waited for a nod, a word, any sign of permission to continue.

She bobbed her head ever so slightly.

“Thank you.” I exhaled, and the truth poured out. “My father decided it was time I was mated. That he should choose a mate suitable for his lineage.”

“The woman?” She was steady, but the stillness of her body betrayed her tension.

“Valora. She can enhance emotions, make you feel things that aren’t your own.” The words tasted like bile. “He’s scheming. My father is obviously up to something more than forcing my submission to be making this a priority.”

“How long do we have?”

“I’m not letting this happen,” I said, conviction wrapping around each word.

“Can we even stop it?” Her gaze held an understanding that reached deep into my bones. “I understand none of this is your fault. You’re a victim of circumstances. Circumstances I caused by not being cautious. My capture… it set all this in motion.”

“No, it didn’t. He had everything set up long before he took you. This game he’s playing is bigger than us.” I wanted to pull her into the shelter of my arms, but the space between us seemed sacred, filled with unspoken truths.

She sighed. “Yet another reminder that he controls your life. It’s difficult to see a way out.”

“We’ll find a way,” I said, masking the unfamiliar doubt plaguing me. “We always do.”

“If there’s no stopping this,” she said with a steel edge in her tone that told me she wasn’t broken, just a little bent, “then what do we do?”

“We survive,” I answered. Hope was thin, but my backbone was not. “You’re everything to me. Whatever it takes to keep you safe, I’ll do it. Even if it means...” My throat tightened around the words. “Even if I have to let you go.”

She stared me down, fierce and unyielding. “Don’t you dare give up on us.”

“Never.” It was a vow that came from the very depths of my soul. I refused to yield to despair.

“Then you’d better show me this place,” she said, lifting her chin in defiance of the evil threatening to engulf us. “Show me where the rogue wolf spends his time plotting against the world.”

“All right.” I nodded, leading her away from the corner where shadows clung to me like a second skin.

She turned her back to me, studying the room, carefully tracing the bold contours of the room’s architecture. I absorbed every detail of the room, trying to see it through her eyes.

The spacious room was adorned with rich, dark woods that covered the floor and paneled the walls, giving it an atmosphere of solemnity and strength. The high ceiling, with exposed beams, added to the room’s imposing nature. Large, heavy drapes in deep crimson hung from the windows, drawn to shroud the room in secrecy and shadow, allowing only slivers of light to pierce through.

“Secrets on secrets in here,” she said, a sliver of light catching the silver locks of her hair.

“Too many,” I replied.

In the middle of the room, the large bed commanded attention. Aria approached it slowly, running a hand over the intricate carved wolves and the forest on the headboard.

“Symbols of your heritage?” Her question was a whisper, almost lost in the vastness of the room.

“Not mine.” I shook my head. “Crimson Fang’s legacy.”

She pulled at the rich fabrics, the reds and golds shimmering under her touch. “It’s not your bed in the den, but it looks comfortable,” she said, a half-smile lifting the corner of her mouth.

“Comfort isn’t something I’m used to,” I admitted.

“Maybe it’s time you try,” she suggested, looking up from the fur throw.

“Maybe.” We both knew comfort wasn’t a luxury either of us could afford right now.

I moved to the grand fireplace that dominated the wall, the heat brushing against my skin. The flames wavered, offering a veneer of warmth and light, its glow reflecting off the polished surface of the dark wood furniture. Aria lingered a step behind, her gaze lingering on the artifacts lining the mantle.

“There are stories in every corner,” she murmured.

“Stories we don’t have time for,” I added curtly, knowing full well that our own story was being overwritten by forces beyond our control.

Aria nodded, understanding without needing more words. She drifted toward the desk, her fingers tracing the outlines of maps and documents strewn about haphazardly.

“Plans?” she inquired, picking up a map, her brows furrowing as she studied the marked territories.

“I’m always planning,” I admitted. “Can’t afford to do otherwise.”

“Is any of it...” She hesitated, then met my eyes. “Is any of it about us? About what happens next?”

“Partly.” It was the truth. Strategies swirled in my mind, scenarios where I could defy the fate laid out for us. The thin sliver of hope I had waned as I spoke.

“Show me,” she demanded, and I wasn’t inclined to deny her.

“Here,” I said, pointing at a particular map with routes and notes scrawled across it. “Escape routes, supply lines. I’ve managed to sway some of the Crimson Fang. Not all are willing to stand with Caius. It’s one part of a plant to keep you safe.”

“Keep us safe,” she corrected me.

“Right. Us.” Even as the word left my mouth, I wondered if there truly was an ‘us’ in any future we might have.

Her attention shifted upwards to the bookshelves crammed. Ancient spines whispered tales of magic and power, and I knew they called to her, the same way the wild beckoned me from beyond these walls.

“It looks like powerful stuff,” she said, eyeing the books.

“Knowledge is another kind of strength,” I replied. “It can be a curse.”

“Like everything else in this room,” she concluded with a sigh.

“Yeah,” I said.

I led her to the bathroom, where the rustic charm of the manor continued. The wooden beams overhead met with stone walls and floor, a testament to time and craftsmanship. We stepped into the walk-in shower area, enclosed by glass panels that revealed the stone tiles beneath our feet, cold and smooth from years of wear.

“This shower is another luxury I haven’t quite gotten used to,” I said, gesturing towards the ceiling where the large rainfall showerhead hung, ready to wash away the worries of the world like a forest’s gentle rain.

She nodded, eyes taking in the sight with quiet appreciation. Her gaze then drifted toward the freestanding bathtub by the window. Carved from a single block of marble, it had curves that seemed to call out for a long, restful soak.

Above the tub, the window framed the night sky. Thin curtains fluttered softly like whispers, hinting at the world beyond—stars scattered across the darkness, a natural canopy far removed from the harshness of the life she’d known.

“Clear view tonight,” I commented, following her gaze. “Perfect for stargazing while you’re in there.”

“Sounds wonderful,” she whispered back, lost in the vision of serenity that the room offered.

I led her past the shower and the tub to the double vanity. The stone sinks matched the marble of the bath, all set against the dark wood that was part of these rooms my father had allocated. Above us, an ornate mirror caught the room’s warm light from sconces on either side, throwing it back at us.

She turned to me suddenly, her voice firm. “I’d like to wash. Try out this shower. I feel... dirty.”

“Are you sure?” I asked, concern lining my words. She’d been through a hell of a lot in a short time.

“Absolutely.” Aria reached out, fingers sliding across the metal handle, twisting it until water cascaded from the rainfall showerhead above. She started peeling off her clothes, each layer dropped to the stone floor like shed skin. “I don’t know what tomorrow brings. All we have is right now.”

I watched, mute, as she stood there bare and vulnerable yet so resolved. “Aria?—”

“I love you,” she cut in. Water enveloped her, streaming down her body, and with it, something inside me gave way.

I ripped my clothes off, not feeling in the least like being soft or gentle like last time. This wasn’t the time for endearing murmurs or little kisses. I yanked Aria against me, and our lips crashed together, hungry and desperate. I lost myself in her taste—the tangy sweetness of her mouth as she opened to me. Her fingers raked through my hair, digging into my scalp as if she needed this connection as much as I did. We stood like that for a moment, bodies touching, hearts racing.

Gripping her waist, I pulled her flush against me, feeling every curve of her softened form against my harder muscle. She moaned into the kiss, a high-pitched whimper that went straight to my core. I broke away for air and whispered against her wet cheek, “I want you.”

Her eyes burned with desire as I reached down to cup her pussy. She was already wet from her desire. I smirked appreciatively before lifting her up and pressing her against the wall. She let out a gasp of surprise but didn’t protest as my rock-hard length slid against her slick entrance, teasing both of us, begging for entry.

My hunger for her only grew as I felt her wet heat against me, and I let out a guttural groan. Aria’s eyes fluttered shut, her mouth parting in anticipation. With one strong thrust, I pushed inside of her, the slick walls of her core gripping me tightly. She let out a moan that vibrated through my bones, and I leaned in to capture her lips with mine once more, our tongues dancing as we began to move together in sync. Her nails dug into my shoulders, drawing small lines of pain that only added to the intensity of the pleasure spreading throughout my body.

Her body felt so damn good against me; it was like melting into the perfect fit it had been made just for me. The sound of skin slapping against skin echoed off the tile walls of the bathroom, mixing with our heavy breathing and occasional gasps of pleasure. My hips pumped faster, desperate for release as I watched my cock disappear and reappear inside her with each thrust. Her breasts swayed enticingly with every movement, nipples hard against my chest.

As we moved faster and faster, lost in each other’s embrace, I could feel myself getting closer to the brink. Growling lowly against her neck, I said, “Come with me, baby.” I groaned, pushing myself deeper into her incredible body, the tension and warmth coiling around me as I plunged in and out. Aria’s moans were music to my ears, her hips rising to meet each of my thrusts with a shiver of desire.

Her scent filled my nostrils, driving me wild—a mix of soap, shampoo, and the unique essence that was all Aria. Her skin was slick with sweat and water, her breath coming in pants as she arched her back, offering herself up to me completely. I couldn’t help but nip at her neck, leaving a trail of kisses down to her collarbone as she grew more and more responsive beneath me.

My arm began to heat, the telling call of my father. He could wait, I decided. This time, what little we had left was for us. I wanted to ensure she’d had her release.

Our bodies were one now, our hearts beating together in a frantic dance of lust and need. Her inner walls clenched tighter around me, pulling me closer still. It was intoxicating. When I found one of her nipples again between our ferocious kisses, I sucked gently even as my hips pistoned relentlessly inside of her. She tasted like heaven on my tongue. Every moan that trembled through her body sent shockwaves straight to my core.

I watched intently as Aria trembled, her eyes squeezed tightly shut, her lips parted in a silent scream of pleasure. Her nails dug into my shoulders harder, her hips bucking against mine in rhythm. Every time she exhaled, a cloud of warmth brushed against my neck.

My own release was imminent, the pressure building inside me unbearable. I groaned against her neck, thrusting deeper into that incredible heat one last time. With a growl of satisfaction, my seed poured into her in hot waves, filling her up completely. Our bodies locked together, moving slowly now as we both rode out the aftershocks of our passion.

Suddenly, my arm began to burn like fire. “Not now,” I whispered as Aria threw her hair back and looked at me in surprise.

“What’s wrong?” Aria asked as she twined her arms around my neck.

“My father is summoning me,” I said through gritted teeth. “I have to go to him, but I can’t leave you here alone. I’ll shadow walk you home. Now.”

Aria nodded, quickly gathering her strength as she felt the urgency in my voice. I crashed my lips against hers in one last searing kiss, then pulled out of her and gently set her down. As I turned off the water, she stepped out of the glass enclosure and quickly dried off.

“Do you know what he wants?” she asked once she was dressed and tying her boots.

The burning sensation on my arm didn’t fade, signaling the importance of the call. “It’s urgent, but I don’t know why yet,” I responded, struggling to keep my voice calm.

My mind raced ahead, wondering if Valora was behind Caius’s insistence of my presence. The tattoos he’d placed on my arm constricted tighter, my fingers tingled becoming increasingly numb, and I fumbled to button my shirt.

Aria’s touch was gentle yet firm as she reached over, her hands gliding over my shirt. I leaned into her, burying my nose in her hair, the tension in my shoulders easing ever so slightly.

She lifted her chin. Her silver translucent eyes held a depth of perception, offering understanding without judgment, silently acknowledging the invisible threat that loomed above us. With a calm determination, she deftly buttoned the shirt. Her touch was light, but it sent a jolt of warmth through me, briefly chasing away the threat. The connection between us was a stabilizing force.

I took her hand, our fingers twining together. Pulling her close, I manipulated the shadows and whisked her back to the safety of the den. I pressed my lips firmly against hers, savoring the taste of her.

“When will I see you again?” she asked against my lips.

“As soon as I can, little wolf. I love you,” I said.

With that, I turned around and let the shadows take me back to Crimson Fang manor. I staggered into the dimly lit room, the pain in my arm now a living thing, clawing its way up to my neck. The ink felt like it was branding me from the inside out. My father’s silhouette loomed ahead, his aura as cold and unforgiving as the stone walls surrounding us. I didn’t need to see Valora to know. His face told the story before his lips moved.

“You disappoint me,” Caius said, delivering a sharp backhand to my face. Blood slowly dripped from my nose as I defiantly remained on my feet.

Sinuous ropes of magic emanated from him, coiling around his body before transforming into writhing tendrils that penetrated my flesh. The tattoos ignited as they reacted to the serpentine magic that burrowed through my body, tearing through muscles and nerves. I clenched my teeth as a pain more potent than anything I’d ever felt before gripped my body.

“I thought I made it quite clear that you were no longer permitted to see that bitch,” he said, his tone cutting through the air like freezing daggers. “I even provided you with a good fuck, so there would be no need for you to venture back to her.”

“Look how you’ve thanked me.” Another wave of magic crashed through me, threatening to drag me under.

The grip of his magic loosened just enough for me to draw a ragged breath. “What do you have to say for yourself?” He let out a menacing growl, demanding an answer I wasn’t eager to give.

I fought through the haze of torment, keeping as steady as possible. “I’m sorry, Father, it won’t happen again.”

The words were a lie, an illusion of the subjugation he so badly wanted from me, and a shield thrown up to protect Aria from the psychopath that was my father. He couldn’t know how deep my feelings ran because he would use it as a weapon.

“Good,” Caius said, a sinister satisfaction in his tone. Then, he stole the air from my lungs. Gasping, my chest tightened in desperation; the world around me spun in a dizzying blur of stars, and I teetered on the edge of consciousness.

Just before the world faded to black, the air was returned, but the reprieve was fleeting. He had a point to prove. The unnatural magic he wielded forced its way into my bloodstream and inflicted a searing agony throughout my body that surpassed any previous torment. I couldn’t hold back the scream that tore from my throat.

I fought to keep my mental shields locked tight. Aria couldn’t sense this. I wouldn’t share the darkness of these emotions. Desperation lent me strength, and I held on, even as every fiber of my being cried out for release.

After what seemed like an eternity, the incessant torture came to an abrupt halt. The absence of pain was as striking as the agony I had endured, as I anxiously awaited what would come next.

“You will produce an heir,” Caius said without any warmth. “With the woman I have chosen for you.” Then, as if to punctuate his decree, another surge of white hot pain shot through me.

I grunted, clenching my fists. The sensation of being skewered from the inside was almost too much, yet I fought not to show him the full extent of my misery. I refused to give him any further satisfaction from his sadistic torments.

“Tomorrow,” he continued, each word like a hammer to my gut, “you’ll be mated. We have no more time to waste.”

My stomach plummeted. An icy dread settled in its place, spreading throughout my entire being. Mated tomorrow? With fucking Valora. The very thought made me nauseous, but I kept my face impassive.

“And Atticus, I expect an heir to be conceived in the first few months,” he added.

Why this obsession with an heir?

“Your service to me is to sacrifice your magic to me,” Caius said, as though he’d plucked the thought straight out of my head. “Continue creating heirs with your... superior genetics, and they, too, will give their magic to me. Once that’s done, you’re simply a placeholder, my heir in name only.”

I recoiled. My father expected me to surrender my essence, my very power, to him. The notion clawed at my spirit.

He must have seen some of the horror in my face because once again all the air left my lungs.

“Of course, you must gift it willingly,” he sneered. “That fucking useless warlock has failed to find a way for me to take it by force. But I trust you’ll make the right choice, son .”

His emphasis on ‘son’ stung with mockery. I struggled for air, choking on the bitterness of his expectations. The world narrowed to the burn in my lungs. Every instinct screamed to fight back, to deny him what he wanted, but the consequences... they weren’t mine alone to bear.

Gasping, clawing for air that wouldn’t come, my vision blurred. Each desperate inhale was a futile battle against the iron grip Caius held on my lungs. I was slipping, the edges of consciousness fraying.

“Need... air,” I managed.

“Pathetic,” Caius spat, standing over me with disdain flashing in his eyes. He released his hold slightly, allowing a trickle of life-giving oxygen to return.

I sucked in a shallow breath, feeling the cool rush of air fill my lungs. My head spun, and through the haze of pain, one clear thought emerged: Aria. The need to see her, to be with her, surged within me, a light in the darkness that was rapidly closing in.

“There are no limits when it comes to serving your lineage, Atticus. I’m certain you’ll make the right decision.” He laughed, a cruel sound that burrowed into my brain.

The pain came again, a tidal wave crashing over me. It scorched through my veins like wildfire, setting every nerve-ending ablaze. The tattoo on my arm glowed ominously, its heat unbearable. I tried to keep my mental shields up, to protect Aria from the torment I was enduring, but the relentless agony tore through my defenses.

“Stop,” I choked out between gritted teeth. “Please.”

“Your pleas mean nothing,” he said, cold as ice. His face held a twisted glee as he watched me squirm. “This is your future. Accept it.”

But I couldn’t. I couldn’t accept a life without Aria. The thought of being tied to another, forced to relinquish my magic, my essence, was too much. Yet, resisting Caius meant endangering everything I cherished. Including her.

The pain intensified, a crescendo of suffering that drowned out all reason. In the struggle, something inside me gave way, and the last of my shields crumbled. I couldn’t keep them up any longer. The raw, unfiltered emotion, the desperation and anxiety, poured out of me.

“Enough!” I screamed, the word torn from the depths of my soul.

Caius paused, his expression unreadable. For a moment, there was silence. Then, without warning, he withdrew the pain, leaving an echo of torment in its place. I lay there, gasping, all fight drained out of me.

“Tomorrow, you will do as you’re told,” he said coldly. “Remember your place, son.”

He left me there, alone with the crushing heaviness of what was to come.