Page 33 of The Fate of Eternity

Kenner laughs, the sound laced with carnage as he steps toward Trinity, inching closer to the house. “Now, now, Son. We’re here for fun, and Trinity is waiting,” he explains, redirecting the topic and giving me whiplash.

“Trinity can fuck off,” Cassian sneers, but I need an answer to the unease settling in my gut.

“What’s the difference with it being the blood moon?” I finally manage to shift my gaze from Kenner, taking in Cassian’s taut frame as his jaw tics.

“We’ll get to that, Pet,” Kenner answers, making Cassian’s eyes practically glow as he bares his teeth.

“She. Is. Not. Your. Pet.”

“What don’t I know, Kenner?” My mother interjects, and my brain buzzes from all the different layers of the conversation.

This is all too much.

“I’m a wolf,” I yell, sending my mother’s gaze my way as her jaw falls slack.

“A wolf?” she repeats, the surprise clear across her features as I sigh.

“Isn’t it exceptional?” Kenner adds, with way too much fucking glee in his tone.

“Addi.” My name falls from my mother’s lips once again as she steps toward me, but Cassian quickly moves to block me from her view.

“Stay away from her,” he warns, anger radiating from him as Kenner continues to enjoy the spectacle.

“I’m sure it will make this duel even more exciting, don’t you think?”

I didn’t think it was possible, but Cassian stiffens, his muscles bunching even tighter as his head whips to his father. “Was this your plan? Push her to unlock her wolf to force her into a duel beneath the blood moon?”

I take a step back, blinking at the back of his head as I try to process what he’s actually saying.

“Someone needs to catch me up.Now.”

Cassian’s head dips as he turns to me, a sigh parting his lips as he brings his eyes to mine. “A blood moon duel has to be between wolves, in wolf form, and you fight to the death.”

How does Kenner always stay one step ahead? Why am I struggling at the hands of this man time and time again? He’s insane. Completely certifiable. I don’t know what his issue is with me, but we need to wrap this up. I’ve had enough.

I step to the side, revealing myself to the others again, only to find Kenner shaking his head at Cassian’s words. “Why would I do that when I need her for greater things?”

Greater things? Fuck off.

“You tell me,” Cassian goads, hoping to get some kind of answer. But it goes unanswered as Kenner takes a step back, joining the mass of the spectating wolves as a wicked grin spreads across his face.

“Are we going to cut to the duel now? There’s an audience waiting.”

“They can fuck off,” Cassian barks, clenching his fists at his sides as his father’s grin only widens.

“That’s not how this works, Son.”

“I promise you, if you do this, I won’t be responsible for my actions,” Cassian promises, and my thighs clench. This is definitely not the time to be getting all hot and flustered over his delicious anger.

Instead of taking the threat for what it’s worth, Kenner beams. “Now, that sounds like something a son of mine would say.”

The distaste is apparent on Cassian’s face, which sets me into action. It’s time to put all this shit to rest. I squeeze his arm in what I hope comes across as comfort before I sidestep him and head toward Trinity.

I don’t feel it, but the intake of breath that comes from behind me confirms I’ve slipped through whatever protection Cassian had in place.

“Addi,” he breathes, despair etched into every letter as I stare down Trinity.

“I’m not scared of you,” she sneers, raking her eyes over me from head to toe, and I shrug.

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