Vincent/Vaelthor~

I paced the edge of Kat's room like a caged shadow, every muscle coiled tight, my senses drinking in every flicker of sound beyond the door. The nice scent coming from the candles burning low on her dresser should have been calming, but instead the scent tangled with something sharper—an edge of worry that clung to the air like smoke.

Winter sat cross-legged on the floor, her pale hair spilling forward as her fingers danced with invisible threads of nightmare energy, weaving them in and out like a loom only she and I could see. She looked serene, but I knew the trick—it was her way of keeping her own storm chained.

Nick leaned against the bedpost, lazy and deliberate, black hair tousled as though the night itself had raked its fingers through it. His smirk was cocky, sharp, but I caught the flicker beneath it—an ember of softness he kept hidden like contraband.

And then there was Kat—my Kat. Perched on the edge of her bed, light from the window catching in her reddish-blonde hair, eyes impossibly blue and restless. Excitement warred with nerves in her gaze, and though she tried to steady herself, her hand twitched, betraying her instinct to reach for me. That fragile pull between us—the bond I still couldn't fully understand—kept us all suspended in this strange, uneasy harmony.

It had been thirty long minutes since her parents and that enigmatic man she called Uncle Jacob had vanished—literally vanished—from the room. No doubt they were talking about us somewhere, about Winter and me. I didn't need proof; instinct screamed it. Demonic instinct. What had they uncovered? My heart, now traitorously tied to Kat, beat like a war drum against my ribs. I hoped the cloaking spell from that witch Nancy held strong. It masked our demonic essence with the earthy musk of werewolves, but if they saw through it...

The door creaked open.

First in was Kat's mother—her presence was like a blade of moonlight, sharp and unyielding. Then her father, broad-shouldered, carrying the kind of authority that filled a room whether you wanted it to or not. Her uncle, Jacob followed last, silent, unreadable, a sentinel in human form. Their smiles were too bright, stretched thin across wary eyes. Kat's mother's gaze lingered on me, longer than it should have. Her father's politeness was rigid, brittle, like a handshake hiding a dagger.

"Welcome back, Mom, Dad, Uncle Jacob," Kat said quickly, springing to her feet. Her voice was too cheerful, too bright—the kind of brightness that dares the dark to push back. She threw me a look, eyes asking questions she didn't have the words for.

Nick broke the silence, flashing his trademark grin. "Everything okay? You three look like you've been drawing up blueprints for world domination."

Kat's father chuckled, but the sound was hollow, bouncing off the walls like it didn't belong there. "Just catching up on family matters, Nick. Nothing for you to worry about." His eyes cut to Winter and me, sharp, appraising, measuring.

Kat's mother stepped forward, hands folded neatly, smile polished to perfection. "We didn't mean to keep you waiting. Vincent, Winter… we'd like to know you better. If you're going to be connected to our children, we should make this official." Her voice was smooth, kind even—but the undercurrent was unmistakable. Careful. Calculated.

I forced a smile of my own, one I'd worn a thousand times before—disarming, charming, the mask I used before striking. "Of course, ma'am. We're honored."

Inside, my mind was a storm. They didn't trust us. It was in the way her father's jaw tightened, in the faint narrowing of her mother's eyes. Did they feel it? The darkness curled around me and Winter like a second skin, whispering at the edges of the cloak. If they pierced through… no. That revelation would destroy everything—my vengeance, and this fragile, impossible love blooming for Katrina.

Winter caught my eye. To anyone else she looked unreadable, but I knew her language—the silence, the subtle tightness of her mouth. She was a fortress, and yet behind those walls, she felt the same unease gnawing at me.

Kat's mother tilted her head, red hair gleaming under the light. "Please, call me Natalie. Now—tell us about your family. You mentioned you don't have parents, but surely there are relatives somewhere? We'd love to arrange a formal meeting… unite the packs, perhaps."

The question was a blade straight to the gut. Winter's gaze snapped to mine, her eyes igniting with the fire she always tried to smother. Our family? Our bloodline was a curse, a line of demons dripping in cruelty. No one here could ever know. Not yet.

I cleared my throat, crafting the sorrow carefully, weaving truth into the lie. "Actually, Natalie… Winter and I are orphans. We've never known our parents, let alone relatives. We raised ourselves. It's just been the two of us, against the world."

Silence stretched, heavy, until Kat gasped, her hand flying to her lips. Her eyes glistened instantly, tears spilling over, raw and unguarded. "Vincent… Winter… that's awful. No family? No one to love you? Growing up like that?" Her voice cracked, breaking the air in two, and she stumbled a step closer to me, pulled by instinct stronger than sense.

Nicholas's smirk faltered, softening into something real. His hand found Kat's shoulder, steadying her, the arrogance slipping just enough to reveal what he usually buried—a tenderness too dangerous to admit out loud.

"Kat, hey..." he murmured, but his dark eyes were on Winter, touched, vulnerable in a way that made my chest ache.

I held up a hand, stepping closer to Katrina, my voice gentle but firm. "Hey, don't cry, Katrina. Really. Winter and I... we're fine. We've got each other. That's more than enough. We've survived worse than you can imagine." I brushed a tear from her cheek with my thumb, feeling the spark of her light magic against my skin—a light that should repel my shadows but instead drew me in. Emotional waves crashed over me: the lie stung, but her empathy... it was intoxicating, dangerous. I was torn between the vengeance burning in my veins and this pull toward her world.

Winter nodded, her voice cool but with a rare softness. "He's right. We've made our own path. No need for pity."

Kat's mother looked taken aback, her polite facade cracking into genuine surprise. "No family at all? That's... heartbreaking. I'm so sorry." Kat's father's expression mirrored hers, a flicker of something like guilt crossing his face. But Jacob—he just stood there, arms crossed, his eyes locked on me with an intensity that sent chills racing down my spine. Who was this man? Every time his gaze met mine, it was like being stripped bare, shadows recoiling. I suppressed a shiver, focusing on the others.

Kat's father cleared his throat, breaking the moment. "Well, that changes things. Where have you been living, then? If you're without family..."

I hesitated, calculating. Truth here could work in our favor—paint us as vulnerable, earn sympathy. "We don't have a home, exactly. We sleep wherever we can find shelter for the night. Abandoned buildings, forests... whatever's safe." It was the truth anyways.

Kat's tears spilled over now, and she turned to her parents, her voice pleading. "Dad, Mom... we can't let them live like that. Not now, not when..." She trailed off, glancing at me, the bond humming between us all like an invisible thread.

Nick nodded, his cocky grin returning but softer. "Yeah, they're part of us now, right? Can't have our mates roughing it on the streets."

Kat's father and mother exchanged a long look—silent communication, eyes speaking volumes. Her father's hand rested on her mother's shoulder, a subtle nod passing between them. Finally, he turned back to us, his voice gruff but kind. "You're right. Vincent, Winter... you can live with us from now on. We've got plenty of space in the palace. Consider it your home."

My heart leaped—confusion flaring. Palace? What Palace? "That's... incredibly generous. Thank you, sir."

Kat's mother flashed that fake smile again, the one that didn't reach her eyes, her natural grace masking the unease. "Of course. I'll go arrange rooms for you both right away. Something comfortable, close by." She glanced at Jacob, who gave a subtle nod, still silent, still watching me with those chilling eyes.

As they turned to leave, Kat's father paused at the door. "Get settled. We'll talk more soon." The door clicked shut behind them, leaving the four of us in charged silence.

Nick let out a low whistle, leaning back with a grin. "Man, Uncle Zane's such a good guy. A wonderful king, too. Always looking out for everyone."

The words slammed into me like a thunderbolt. Uncle Zane? Katrina... Nicholas... The names I'd dismissed as coincidence now roared in my ears. Zane—the Lycan King who'd slain our mother alongside Natalie. Katrina, their daughter. Nicholas, son of their allies. Winter's eyes widened, her cold facade cracking as she stared at me, vengeful fury mirroring my own shock.

No. This had to be a coincidence. There was no way...

I whipped around to Nick, my voice low and urgent, shadows flickering at my fingertips despite the cloak. "What did you just say? Repeat it. Please."

He blinked, confused, his dark eyes narrowing. "Uh... Uncle Zane's a good man? A wonderful king? Why, what's up?"

The room spun, my mind reeling. It couldn't be.