CHAPTER 369: WEB OF LIES

Winter/ Sylthara~

I had never known an easy life. Ease was something other people were born into—warm homes, laughter, futures mapped out like polished roads. Those kinds of things existed even for demons. But for me, there had only ever been shadows, and in those shadows, whispers of love that always seemed meant for someone else.

The only love I had truly tasted came from Vaelthor. My brother. My shield. My everything. He was more than blood—he was father and mother when ours were ripped away, brother and sister when loneliness threatened to hollow me out, best friend and compass when I lost my way. He carried all those roles like an armor of fire and shadow, never letting me see just how heavy it was. From the night our world crumbled—Our mother, Kalmia struck down, our father Shadow dragged into eternal chains—Vaelthor became my anchor. Without him, I was just a stray demoness wandering in a world that would have burned me alive if it had gotten so much as a speck of opportunity.

So when he came to me with his plan—eyes burning with that dangerous, calculated light that always made me both proud and afraid—I didn’t hesitate. How could I?

"We’ll make them pay, Sylthara," he whispered, voice smooth as velvet wrapped around steel. His hand cradled my face, firm, steady, while his shadows curled protectively around us like a living vow. "For Mother. For Father. We’ll worm our way into their world, earn their trust... and strike when they least expect it."

When does words left his lips, my heart had slammed against my ribs, not with triumph, but with dread. Revenge. Blood. A war carried in our names. I was born of darkness, yes, shaped to wield nightmares—but deep down, I dreamed of something softer. A quiet life where shadows did not always mean fear. A chance to breathe without vengeance clawing at my lungs.

But I nodded anyway. Because I was his sister. Because saying no would feel like abandoning him, like betraying the memory of the parents we lost. Still, inside me, something twisted. The guilt burned hot—what kind of daughter was I to crave peace over avenging our parents? To long for a selfish happiness when Vaelthor’s fire demanded war?

Those doubts had simmered like a low flame until yesterday, when the universe threw everything into chaos. Meeting Nicholas—Nick—had shattered my carefully guarded walls. The mate bond hit me like a bolt of shadow-laced lightning, pulling me toward this brooding, cocky hybrid with black hair and dark eyes that seemed to see right through me. For the first time, I felt seen, wanted, loved unconditionally by someone who wasn’t Vaelthor. "You’re mine," he’d whispered earlier, his voice rough with emotion as he held me, and gods, I wanted to believe it. I’d only known him for a day, but already, I couldn’t fathom a world without him—the way his touch sent sparks through my skin, the way his wolf’s presence soothed the nightmares I wove. I wanted to protect this fragile, beautiful thing with every fiber of my being.

But fate was cruel, wasn’t it? Nick was the son of Sebastian and Cassandra, entangled with the very family that had destroyed mine. And Katrina—Vaelthor’s mate, the fiery princess with reddish-blonde hair and blue eyes—was daughter to Zane and Natalie, the killers themselves. My thoughts spiraled out of control, a whirlwind of panic and guilt. Vaelthor would never abandon our quest; I knew him too well. Even now, conflicted by his bond with Katrina, he’d definitely find a way to twist it into his revenge. "Love is a weapon, Sylthara," he’d told me once, back home, when he’d charmed a demon girl into believing his heart was hers, all so we could slip inside her home and steal from her family. His smile had been radiant then, dazzling and dangerous, the kind that could make anyone believe in him. "We’ll use it if we must."

He could do anything for the sake of averaging our parents. But what about me? I couldn’t bear the thought of anything harming Nick. If we succeeded in toppling his parents’ empire, he’d shatter—his soft side buried under rage—and he’d come for us, for Vaelthor, for me. How could I stop the two people I loved more than life itself from tearing each other apart? The guilt clawed at me deeper still: I was a horrible daughter, a traitor to my blood, for not wanting this vengeance. Peace called to me like a forbidden siren song, and it made me feel so utterly broken.

Those fears clung to me like shadows even now, as Nick—shifted into his massive gray wolf, Leo—carried me through the woods on his back after I had shamefully lied that I was a wolfless werewolf just as the witch Nancy had instructed Vaelthor and I to say. The wind whipped through my hair, tangling it into wild knots, and the forest blurred into a tapestry of greens and browns, alive with the rustle of leaves and the distant call of birds. His powerful muscles bunched and released beneath me, each bound sending a thrill through my body, my hands gripping his thick mane for dear life while clutching his bundled clothes to my chest. It was the most exhilarating experience of my life—freedom I’d never tasted, laughter bubbling up from somewhere deep inside me, unbidden and pure. "Faster, Nick—Leo!" I called out, my voice laced with genuine thrill, the words escaping before I could stop them. His wolf yipped in response, a joyful sound that vibrated through me, and we surged forward, dodging roots and leaping over fallen logs like we were one being.

But even in that rush, the fears wouldn’t let go. They whispered in my ear with every heartbeat: What if he finds out? What if Vaelthor pushes forward? How do I choose? My stomach twisted, the joy tainted by the storm raging in my mind.

We ran until the sun dipped lower, forming long shadows through the trees, and Leo slowed beside a massive oak, its gnarled roots twisting like ancient, watchful guardians. Panting heavily, he shifted back in a fluid ripple of fur to skin, rising naked and unashamed before me. I averted my eyes, heat flooding my cheeks as I thrust his clothes at him. "Here. Put these on before... before I die of embarrassment."

He laughed, that deep, genuine rumble that made my heart flutter despite everything. "Get used to it, Winter. Shifters strip all the time. Besides, I’m yours and only yours. No one else gets this view." He winked, slipping into his pants with a casual grace, his toned muscles flexing just enough to make my breath hitch. I peeked through my fingers, unable to help myself, and a small smile tugged at my lips. Gods, he was magnetic—cocky on the surface, but with that hidden softness that drew me in like a moth to flame.

Once dressed, he pulled me into his arms, settling against the tree trunk. I nestled against him, my head on his chest, listening to the steady thrum of his heart as our breaths synced in the quiet woods. The air smelled of earth and pine, a soothing balm, but my mind wouldn’t quiet. This moment felt too perfect, too fragile.

"Tell me about you," he said softly, his fingers stroking my hair with a gentleness that made my chest ache. "Where did you grow up? What was it like?"

I tensed, the question hitting like a dagger. Lies. More lies. I couldn’t tell him the truth—about the hidden realms of darkness where Vincent and I had survived, dodging hunters and weaving illusions to stay alive. "Oh, you know... places. Forests, mostly. Nothing special," I murmured, my voice evasive, hating every word.

He frowned—I could feel it in the way his body shifted—but he pressed on, his tone light. "Experiences? Any adventures, or tough times besides... you know?"

"Just the usual," I replied, my heart pounding. Surviving. That’s all it had been—endless survival, with Vaelthor as my shield. But how could I say that without unraveling everything? "Surviving."

"Favorites?" he tried again, his voice coaxing, like he was determined to peel back my layers. "Food, colors, dreams?"

I paused, scrambling for something safe, something that sounded normal. Dark things—that was true enough; night skies had always been my solace, where I could dream-walk without fear. But food? My mind flashed to glimpses of humans I and Vaelthor had watched countless times munching on those dark bars they called... what was it? "Dark things. Night skies. Chocolate, maybe."

The lie burned on my tongue. What was chocolate, really? I’d only seen it from afar, never tasted it, never craved it. But it sounded like something a normal girl would say, didn’t it? Guilt twisted sharper—everything was a facade. I was no wolfless werewolf; I was a demoness, manipulator of nightmares, and the mate bond made the deception feel like poison in my veins.

"And dislikes?" he asked, curiosity sharpening his words, his fingers still gentle in my hair.

"Questions," I quipped with a weak laugh, trying to deflect, but it fell flat, not reaching my eyes. God’s, how could I answer all this questions without Vaelthor? I always needed him for things like this. He’d always known the right lies, the perfect deflections. Without him, I felt exposed, raw.

He chuckled softly, but I could sense the undercurrent of confusion. "Fair enough. But seriously, Winter, I want to know you. All of you."

Panic surged. If I kept going, I’d crack—spill something that could doom us all. I couldn’t risk it, not when this happiness felt like the only light in my shadowed world. So I yawned dramatically, shifting in his arms. "Nick, I’m tired. That run... it wore me out."

Before he could respond, I curled up tighter, pillowing my head on his lap, forcing my breathing to even out into soft, rhythmic sighs. Feigned sleep claimed me, but inside, my mind raced. Let me hold onto this a little longer, I pleaded silently. Just until everything blows up. The woods whispered around us, birds calling, leaves rustling, but peace eluded me too. How long could I pretend before the truth shattered us all?