Chapter 129: Traitor of Fur and Flame

Chapter 129: Traitor of Fur and Flame
Astaroth POV
Perched on a ridge above the packhouse, I sat like a shadow stretched long by twilight—still, silent, soaked in rot and thought. The trees around me stood bare and brittle, stripped of bark, stinking of sulfur and secrets. I watched them. The packhouse stood like a monument of misplaced pride—stone walls too clean, glass panes too polished, surrounded by enchanted fences and armed guards with silver-tipped bullets. Laughable, really. Almost impenetrable.
I traced a finger along Fluffy’s back as she lay beside me, her massive head resting on her paws. Her coarse fur vibrated under my hand, an odd comfort. She growled low—not a threat, not quite approval. Just a reminder that even she wasn’t sure what we were doing.
“I know, darling,” I muttered, fingers absentmindedly dragging through her fur. “I’d tear them all limb from limb if I could.” A raw rumble escaped low in her chest, a sound that echoed through the clearing like distant thunder. 
“Would you defend me, beast?” I mused aloud, glancing down at her, my eyes glowing a dull, seething red. “Or would you tear out my throat if the wind changed direction?”
Her eyes flicked up. Amber. Glowing. A knowing sort of snort left her maw, and she huffed like I'd offended her. Then promptly yawned.
“Charming,” I muttered, giving her one last scratch behind the ear before turning my gaze back down the hill.
I leaned forward slightly, resting my elbows on my knees. The world below unfolded like a play I’d written in blood and madness. Inside that packhouse, Leigh sat on a throne of lies and splintering control. He didn’t know which version of reality was real anymore. A sliver of myself wrapped around his spine, coiled through his brain like ivy strangling a chapel. And through his eyes—I saw them.
Lottie. Kane. Knox. Their entourage of nobility and nerve. They spoke in circles, “We don’t know what happened last night,” voices laced with false innocence.
And despite everything, despite the betrayal and brutality from the night before... They were calm. Collected.
Too calm.
Leigh didn’t understand it. But I did.
“They’re playing you, old man,” I whispered with a grin. “Even Kane knows better than to show his hand.”
But if I was honest, to a degree, I believed them. Portals were tricky bastards. Unpredictable and volatile. Travel between realms had been known to shear memories clean from the mind.
Still... I doubted the Moon Goddess would leave her golden lambs defenseless.
As if summoned by spite, white light bloomed beside me. Of course. The air shimmered beside me.
I didn’t look.
I didn’t need to.
White light pulsed soft as breath, casting long silver shadows through the trees. The scent of lilacs and moonlight curled through the air like a lie.
Of course. She always did love her theatrics.
“May I help you?” I drawled, voice sharp and sweet like a poisoned apple, eyes fixed on Leigh as he slumped into a chair, running a hand down his face, his mind unraveling faster than a drunk priest’s sermon.
Fluffy purred. Purred. My lip curled. I would not look. The purring deepened. A snuffle. A grunt of delight. The traitorous bitch. I felt her shift beside me, ears perking, tail thudding lazily against the earth.
No.
I refused. I refused to look at that glow-drenched puppet master, floating in her perfect white robes, all celestial smugness and condescending grace. But the sound of Fluffy’s contented groan broke me. With a twitch in my neck and a growl caught between annoyance and betrayal, I finally turned.
There she was.
Tall. Luminous. Ethereal.
And Fluffy—my hound of hell, forged from shadows and fire—was nuzzling against her hip like a domesticated pup, practically vibrating as the Goddess rubbed her ears.
I scowled.
“Traitor,” I muttered. The Moon Goddess laughed. And gods, it was infuriating. Like wind chimes and songbirds, like crystal rivers over smooth stone. It made my teeth ache.
“Just because she is a hellhound,” she cooed, stroking Fluffy’s thick fur, “does not mean she instantly hates those who dwell in the light.”
“Not instantly,” I muttered, standing to brush the leaves off my coat. “Give her time.”
“Perhaps she has spent too much time in the company of evil.” She mused smugly. 
“You made Lottie choose between her mates and her babies,” I barked, smiling like a jackal. “I wouldn’t say you’re some heavenly being either, sister.”
Sister - The word turned my stomach. I glanced at her out of the corner of my eye. She looked... pleased. Serene. Powerful.
And stab-worthy.
“Maybe,” I mused, “if you were really here.” I added, knowing she was inside my head. Years of doing it to others meant I knew when someone was raiding my head for treasure. She smiled, confirming it. 
“Of course, I am not here. I am no fool, demon.” She laughed. I knew it, she would never risk showing up in the flesh.
Coward.
“There is a balance, King of Chaos,” she replied, changing the subject to my comments earlier. “As you well know.”
“So you say.”I rolled my eyes so hard they practically clicked in their sockets. She didn’t rise to the bait. Of course she didn’t. Holier-than-thou types rarely did.
“Did you wipe their minds?” I asked, voice flat, eyes narrowing. Her expression didn’t change. Emotionless. Perfectly unreadable. Her silence screamed louder than any answer.
“Walk with me,” she ordered.
“I’m good.” I snorted. 
“Walk,” she repeated, this time with a weight in her tone that left no room for argument.
And damn it all—I walked.
My feet moved against my will, carrying me through the tree line like a damn lapdog. Fluffy padded between us, tail flicking happily, oblivious to the fact that her loyalty had just shattered my entire worldview.
“What are you doing?” I growled.
“You forget, demon,” she said smoothly, “I’ve kicked your ass more than once in the last few days. I am stronger than you. I am older than you.”
She had. Unfortunately.
“I am stronger than you. I am older than you.”
“And more humble,” I groaned, dragging my fingers down my face. “Truly. An inspiration.”
She ignored me. Typical.
“I am better than you,” she added finally. “And we both know the light always defeats the dark.”
“Tell that to every dying star in the universe,” I muttered under my breath. I rolled my neck until it cracked. “If I had a silver for every time someone said that before I ripped their spine out...”
“So why don’t you tell me,” she said, cutting through my sarcasm like sunlight through fog, “exactly what your interest is in this family? Maybe I can help you.” She paused.
I stopped walking. So did she. The forest around us fell eerily quiet. I stared at her for a long moment. Her silver eyes gleamed like frost under moonlight.
Help me.
The idea almost made me laugh.
Almost. But then again... that’s what made her dangerous. She wasn’t just light. She was gravity. And even chaos knew to fear gravity.
“Fine,” I barked, smirking as Fluffy trotted up beside me, traitorous tail wagging.
“But I want it on record—if you betray me, I will feed you to the beast first.”
Fluffy barked once, wagging harder.
“Don’t encourage her.”