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I knew calling for my Chief Commander would be a lost cause, especially with the wards up, but I couldn’t help but try—what options did I possibly have?
To think I’d not only gotten caught in a trap that was cunningly planned out in my own part of the city, but I was about to lose my fucking life while my mate had been kidnapped from right under my nose.
Five years of plotting. Five strenuous years of repeating the various scenarios that would take place when I finally got the chance to enact my revenge. I worked endlessly not just in the realms of my own valley, but here to create a foundation of power so that I would always be in control.
And in a matter of twenty minutes, all of that was stolen from me and I was left with less than five minutes to acknowledge I’d been played once again.
Instead of the betrayal of my fake fated mate, I was fucked over by the man who’d always been a competitor in my eyes. To the world, he was that nuisance of a con artist who always was one step above the rest of the world that despised his existence, but to me, he was the man I envied because he stole the attention and affection I should have received from my own father.
He was what my father enjoyed calling his “prodigy” even though Travis was an orphan who should have been left on the streets. He bounced between packs when he was innocent, but little did I know that he was observing each pack to pick out the qualities he wished to mimic.
He’d learned from my father how to con the world, and then surpassed those levels of knowledge to make sure he was always at the top.
I always felt like I was the enemy in this world—a villain in the darkness after being forsaken by the rest of my world that should have been on my side—but what kind of villain was I if I couldn’t see between the lines?
All the time that passed never got rid of the real role I played: a victim.
A victim of circumstance. Again and again, I was used and abused, mocked and ridiculed for my flaws that felt endless in nature. I had no one to teach me how to do better. What a shame it was to be an Alpha of such a frightening pack of wolves and yet stillbe the weakest link, the perfect subject to become the first sacrifice of the valley I created.
The more my mind swirled about my circumstances, the more I wondered if the valley was created for a deeper reason. If I was experimented on by Father, and my own body was tainted by the essence of Lily’s forbidden grave all those years ago, then was my role as the Ruler of the Valley all a ploy?
Was I the main ingredient necessary to create a world of demons where the “weakest” were sacrificed only to be trained to become the strongest they could be so they could live in one space until the war came and then become the perfect army to fight against the rest of the world?
It sounded absolutely crazy, and yet it all seemed to click during these few seconds that felt like minutes had gone by thanks to my spiraling mind and obvious identity crisis.
Father had plotted for me to become the Ruler of the Valley. I was simply a tool—a coach to train all those he allowed me to choose knowing my Alpha instinct would choose the best individuals who resonated with my shadow energy.
He isn’t a stupid fool. He knows Nathan and I are the same person.
As I, Malifer Nightshade, accepted and sheltered the survivors of the drop, Nathan Shade scanned through the next set of victims and chose who he felt would survive and be of use.
We thought we were cunning in our execution and decision-making, but we were simply leading my father on. While Nathan continued to help build the mafia empire in Hollow City, I worked endlessly in training my demon pack below.
The nights I slept were when Lexianne was being tortured and abused, all to prepare her. Three days after her birthday when she reached the ripe age, Father was suddenly ill—poisoned by his colleagues like that bastard declared—and I sacrificed Lexianne to save her.
Only all I did was give her the power they needed.
I’d never give my pack up for any war, but what if my decision was only half of the equation?
What if my Luna was the other side of that decision-making coin?
The explosion wouldn’t kill me. I’d respawn but would be weaker for a few days if not weeks. Not only would the absence of Nathan and me hurt my ruling on the mafia side of the business, but it would give Lexianne temporary rule of the entire valley.
My Sweet Lex who’s now in Travis Baker’s clutches.
Checkmate.
I didn’t think my demon would admit that we’d just been defeated, yet the single word echoed against the walls of my mind, leaving me too stunned to fucking think.
I literally lost everything: my pack… my crown of power… my pretty little monster… my entire empire.
What made it all worse was the truth that I wouldn’t die. I’d respawn and probably be a captive prisoner. I’d be forced to watch the end of everything I cherished.
The only thing Travis had been wrong about was Lex giving him an heir, but then again, all he needed was a bit of her DNA mixed with his and they could get a surrogate to produce an heir and use some sort of excuse that would make it seem like they were protecting Lex from the strains of childbirth.
Why?
I had to question myself as a part of me remained trapped in the shadows I’d gotten so used to blending with and using to shield my weakness, while the other half of me stood in the middle of this room, surrounded by armed men who were instructed to leave us here until the bomb went off.
