Chapter 8: WEB OF DECEIT

The flicker of the fire cast long, shifting shadows across the stone walls of the hall. Alpha Valen stood at the far end, his piercing eyes fixed on the doorway. His patience was wearing thin, and his mood was very like the storm brewing outside the dark, very restless, and ready to break at any moment.

  Finally, the door creaked open, and a figure stepped in. Valen’s expression tightened, his voice dripping with impatience as he hissed, “What took you so long?”

The woman who entered barely flinched at his tone. Her form shimmered for a brief second, the image of Gwen, a high profile elders from shadowclaw , fading like a mirage. In her place stood Vendetta, the powerful witch who had been working in the shadows for him for years.A woman that wore so many faces. Her transformation was fluid, effortless, a testament to the dark magic she wielded with such mastery. 

Smirking, Vendetta approached Valen, her lips grazing the back of his hand as she bent down. “They wouldn’t let me leave until the ceremony was over, Alpha Valen,” she murmured, her voice soft but laced with venom.

Valen’s lips curled into a snarl as he pulled his hand away from her. “I don’t care about their ceremony,” he snapped. “I asked if anyone saw you.”

Vendetta straightened, a playful gleam in her eyes. “No one ever sees me unless I want to be seen,” she replied, her tone casual. “You should know that by now, Alpha.”

Valen grunted, turning away from her to pace in front of the fire. His mind was racing with plans, each one darker and more ruthless than the last. “Dorian,” he spat the name like poison. “I want him gone. I’ve waited too long.” Vendetta watched him with an amused smile, her fingers tracing the back of the chair she leaned against. “And what about his new wife? The hybrid?” At the mention of the hybrid, Valen paused, his eyes narrowing. “What do you know about her?” he asked, his tone low and dangerous.

Vendetta shrugged with conviction, as if the matter was trivial. “Exactly what we wanted Valen. She’s much inexperienced, naive, and she knows nothing of war. She’s a liability, Valen, not even a single threat.”

A slow, cold smile spread across Valen’s face. “I knew it,” he said, satisfaction creeping into his voice. “She will be his downfall.”

Vendetta tilted her head slightly, her smile fading into something more thoughtful. “I’m not so sure about that Valen.”

Valen’s smile vanished, and he turned to face her fully. “What do you mean?” “I don’t think Dorian cares for her,” Vendetta replied, her eyes narrowing as if she were piecing together a puzzle. “He has kept his distance since their union. It’s as if he’s deliberately avoiding the bond.”

A low growl escaped Valen’s throat. “Impossible. No alpha can resist the mate bond for long.”

“Perhaps not,” Vendetta mused, her gaze thoughtful. “But Dorian seems… different. It’s like he’s fighting it. If he keeps resisting, the girl may not be the weakness we're hoping for.”

Valen’s frustration flared. He slammed his fist against the stone wall immediately. His knuckles scraping against the rough surface of the wall. “He will definitely fall, there are no two ways to it ” he said, his voice filled with conviction and rage. “No alpha can deny the pull of a mate. Sooner or later, his instincts will definitely overpower him.”

Vendetta watched him carefully, her expression unreadable. “And what if she doesn’t want him? What if she resists as well?”

Valen laughed darkly, turning his back to her as he walked toward the fire. “She’s just a pawn my dear vendetta. She doesn’t know what she can do for now , and I think she won’t have time to figure it out.... And definitely, Dorian’s arrogance is really blinding him, and when we strike, he won’t even see it coming.”

Vendetta arched an eyebrow, stepping closer to him. “And if she proves to be more than a pawn? What then because things may turn other way?”

Valen’s eyes flashed with irritation. “She won’t.”

“You’re sure of that? Because I can't wait to snap her Head off,” Vendetta asked, her voice quieter now, her tone almost teasing but with rage.

Valen glared at her, his eyes glowing with anger. “I’ve studied Dorian for years. I know how he thinks, how he operates. This girl is nothing more than a distraction. Once I eliminate Dorian, she’ll have no place to turn.”

Vendetta smiled, though there was a flicker of doubt in her eyes. “And what if Dorian is stronger than you think?”

“He’s weak,” Valen growled. “His mind is divided, distracted by this foolish union. He’s already vulnerable.” Valen gave a wicked laugh.

Vendetta sighed, walking slowly toward the window. She gazed out into the storm, her fingers brushing against the cold glass. “I hope you’re right, Valen. But something about this feels... off.”

Valen clenched his fists, his voice a growl. “You worry too much, Vendetta. Dorian will fall, and when he does, the Shadowclaw pack will be ours.”

Vendetta turned to face him again, her eyes gleaming with a strange light. “And the hybrid?”

“She’s insignificant,” Valen replied dismissively. “We’ll deal with her later,  but why are you bent on asking questions,”

Vendetta’s smile turned cold. “ Because You’re so quick to dismiss her, Valen. But hybrids are unpredictable. What if she surprises us?”

Valen scoffed, shaking his head. “She won’t. By the time she realizes anything, it will be too late. But vendetta She’s just as good as useless.”

Vendetta’s eyes glinted with something dangerous. “You should be careful, Valen. Underestimating people tends to backfire.”

Valen sneered, walking toward her with slow, deliberate steps. “I’ve never lost a fight, Vendetta. And I don’t intend to start now.”

Vendetta’s smile widened, but there was a hint of darkness in it. “ But you lost to Dorian "...Alpha Valen growled in anger "We’ll see about that.” Vendetta said 

A heavy silence fell between Valen and Vendetta, and broken only by the occasional crackles of the fire and the distant roar of thunder outside. Valen’s mind raced with thoughts of the upcoming attack on Shadowclaw. His victory was close, he could taste it.

But Vendetta’s cryptic warnings echoed in his mind, creating an uneasy feeling he couldn’t quite shake.

After a long pause, Valen spoke again, his voice low and menacing. “Have you sent the message to assemble the packs?”

Vendetta nodded, her expression unreadable. “It’s already done, for long. The packs are gathering as we speak. Soon, we’ll be ready to strike.”

Valen’s eyes gleamed with satisfaction. “Good. The moment we descend on Shadowclaw, Dorian will have no time to react.”

Vendetta watched him closely, her eyes narrowing. “And if something goes wrong like I said earlier?”

Valen’s smile was cold. “Nothing will go wrong.”

Vendetta’s lips curved into a small, sinister smile. “I hope you’re right, Alpha. For all our sakes.”

Valen turned back to the window, his gaze fixed on the dark woods beyond. His pack was ready, his plans were in motion. Soon, Dorian would fall, and with him, the Shadowclaw pack would crumble.

But as Vendetta watched him from the shadows, her thoughts were elsewhere. There was something about the hybrid, something Valen was overlooking. And if her instincts were right, this girl could be the key to everything.

As she prepared to leave, Vendetta cast one last glance at Valen. “One more thing,” she said, her voice soft but sharp.

Valen turned, his brow furrowed. “What is it?”

Vendetta’s eyes glinted with a strange, and unreadable light. “Even a pawn can checkmate a king if the timing is right, so let's be careful Valen.”