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“That’s impossible. They can’t be the same person,” Fynn added.
The differences between Nathan and I matched the circumstances that led us down these paths, surely giving the perfect alibi to the rest of the world. If they knew the premise of our creation, it would all make sense.
“Of course,” she agreed. “Under normal circumstances. Right, my love?”
I didn’t say anything while my mind was attempting to figure out a way to delay the truth from coming out. I was so desperate to keep things the same just a little longer, but with my own mate stressing these changes, I knew it had to be done.
No matter if I agreed to take these steps or not.
“They’re the most loyal in your entire valley,” she whispered as if she understood my inner debate. I’d had five years to determine who surely was on my side, and these changes would invite me the privileged opportunity to discover who else was lingering in this valley in hopes of betraying me.
Demons were destined to fight against their rulers, but fighting someone for power was far different from betraying them by ratting them out to the enemy.
She slipped out of my grasp only to wrap those tender, slim fingers around my hand once more and squeeze very gently.
“They need to know what we’re going up against. I’m tired of secrets. Of lies. We can’t run anymore… or everyone is doomed.”
She always had a way of talking sense to me, and her admission of exhaustion only further pushed me to give up on this losing game.
“Master,” Wallas whispered. “You might as well tell them.”
“You knew?” Felix and Fynn asked Wallas.
“I had to.” Wallas acted like it wasn’t a surprising accusation to toss at him. “I’m his familiar after all.”
“You’re a familiar?!” they exclaimed.
The cat is out of the bag.
Soft chuckles came from Lex, which drew our attention back to her.
“C’mon, orange and lime. Do you really think Wallas wants to be a demonic penguin, out of all the fucking creatures in the world? He’s still cute though.”
She has a point.
“Thanks for the compliment, Lady Heartwell,” Wallas replied. She smirked in return and briefly glanced over to me as if to prompt me to back her up and reveal the truth.
“She’s telling the truth,” I declared. “Nathan Shade and I, Malifer Nightshade, are the same person.”
I’d have to frame and hang their stunned expressions on a wall to remind them of this moment.
“Nathan Shade is your Magnificent Astra form. The one who chooses who gets sacrificed in the valley,” Lex revealed. “And Malifer Nightshade is the Alpha of Demon Valley Pack, who saves those who survive the trials after pushing us all to our limits. With survival comes the freedom none of us would aspire to grasp in the packs we’d been kept in. It makes sense when these packs look at power at a glance and not what’s deep within when pushed, shoved, and forced to tap into our higher selves to become victorious. If he didn’t choose each of you from the submissive dooms you were destined to endure, you’d be dead or locked in a dungeon like a canary stuck in a cage of gold.”
She really did explain it in a way that justified my actions, but I still narrowed my eyes in her direction, which encouraged a smile to grace her lips. She lifted her head up in pride while her eyes glimmered with pure elation.
“Some would call you a villain, but when you think about it deeply, you’re a savior, aren’t you?”
“Who are you?” I seethed in anger, but it was another ploy. I knew exactly who she was. I’d always known and yet feigned ignorance with the help of my shadow magic to make things more believable.
I’d temporarily placed a wipe on my memories so the agony of us being apart wouldn’t stop me from achieving my goals, and yet I’d somehow still fallen for her all over again.
Fallen, crossed paths, and now we were back together again.
Felix, Fynn, and Wallas all stared at my fated mate in wait, their minds spiraling and trying to figure out who exactly she was even though it was becoming clear that Wallas had already pieced together our destiny and the true roots of her heritage.
“Your father liked to call me a little monster. I was his pet, and to commemorate the honor of being his slave, he created a black chain collar around my neck that forced me to stay in pack territory unless given his permission. By day, I was the innocent orphan you grew up with, but at night when everyone was tucked in bed, I was hidden in a 30 feet deep dungeon where my screams of agony from hours of torture fell on deaf ears. I was a pawn in his ploy to have every pack in Hollows under his rulership. It was the bond that ignited between us that paused his efforts to completely destroy me, so he forced Master Gaia to create a stronger chain around my neck that was invisible to anyone else. The only way the chain could be broken was if I was intimate with my fated mate, but he cast a curse to counter it. If that occurred, I’d perish from the chains and my mate would follow me to the realms of death.”
No aspect of me expected her to answer the way she did. My wolf stared forward with wide eyes, my demon rendered silent while he still processed what she’d just said, and then there was me—completely heartbroken that my mate had gone to that extent to protect me from my own father.
