The Alpha's Betrayal, I Married My Family's Killer - Chapter 1: Chapter 1
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My phone buzzed, an unknown number flashing across the screen like a warning.
The message hit me like a punch to the gut:
[Your pack—East Northwood—was attacked last night.]
My breath caught. The room spun.
I couldn't feel my fingers. Couldn't hear anything but the blood roaring in my ears.
"Who—who did this?" The words scraped out of my throat, raw and broken.
A sharp knock shattered the silence. I flinched, my grip on the phone turning white-knuckled. My whole body shook.
This couldn't be real. I needed answers. I needed Alpha Ivan.
I stormed through the halls, my pulse a deafening drumbeat in my skull. When I reached his study, I raised my fist—
Then I heard them.
A breathy moan. A low, possessive growl. My stomach twisted.
I knew that voice. Beta Helena.
The door was cracked open just enough—just enough to see them tangled together, Ivan's hands gripping her waist, her lips pressed to his throat.
Betrayal burned through me, wildfire in my veins. But her next words turned my blood to ice.
"Did you take care of it?" Helena murmured, fingers tracing his chest.
Ivan's laugh was dark. "I already ruined her pack. Just like I promised you."
My knees gave out.
Helena hummed, pleased. "And what about her?"
"She won't be a problem for much longer," Ivan said. "I'll divorce her soon."
I slapped a hand over my mouth, choking back a scream.
My pack. My parents. Him.
I staggered back, the weight of my own stupidity crushing me.
I'd married the wrong man.
And now my pack was paying the price.
That evening, I forced myself to play the part, to keep my mask in place even as my world collapsed.
I had to know more. I had to survive.
Dinner was a silent battlefield. The dining hall echoed with the clink of silverware, Ivan's cold gaze raking over me like I was furniture, not his wife.
Helena sat beside him, smirking.
I wanted to claw that smirk off her face.
But not yet.
My hands trembled as I served the food. The plate slipped, crashing onto Helena's lap, sauce splattering her dress.
Silence.
Then—crack.
The slap sent me stumbling back, my cheek burning. Ivan's voice was a snarl.
"Stupid girl. You can't even serve food without failing."
Helena snickered.
Rage seared beneath my skin. I couldn't breathe. I needed out.
The night air was a knife against my flushed skin. I didn't know where I was going—until a hand yanked me into the shadows.
I gasped, struggling—
"Cynthia, it's me."
Damon. Ivan's stepbrother. A powerful Alpha in his own right.
"What—" My voice was shredded. "What are you doing?"
His face was unreadable in the dark. "I sent the message."
I froze. My pulse roared.
He nodded.
My vision swam. "Why?"
Damon exhaled. "Because Ivan is a monster. And if you don't leave soon, you'll end up just like your pack."
The words were a second slap.
Terror clawed up my throat. "Why my pack? Why?"
He hesitated. "It's a long story."
"Tell me now."
Damon glanced around, voice dropping. "Ivan's always hated your pack. But now he has more reason to destroy it. And you."
My nails bit into my palms. "And you're just telling me this now?"
"I couldn't before," he hissed. "But you need to trust me. If you stay, you won't make it out alive."
I wasn't just a pawn.
I was a target.
And I'd been sleeping next to the enemy.
A rustle. Footsteps.
"What are you two talking about?"
Ivan's voice was calm. Too calm.
I turned slowly, my stomach hollow.
He stood there, golden eyes glinting, a smile playing on his lips that didn't reach his eyes.
Damon straightened, his grip on my wrist tightening briefly before letting go. "Just comforting Cynthia. She seemed upset."
Ivan's expression darkened. Jealousy.
His gaze locked onto me—his mate, his property.
I shivered.
Ivan smirked, but his voice was steel. "Damon, I appreciate your concern. But my wife doesn't need your comfort."
Damon's jaw clenched. "She's hurting, Ivan."
The air crackled.
Ivan's smirk vanished. "And that's not your problem."
Then he turned to me, closing the distance until his heat seared my skin. A single finger tilted my chin up, his touch deceptively soft.
"Isn't that right, my love?"
A warning. A reminder.
I forced a smile, my heart a trapped bird.
"Yes," I whispered.
Ivan grinned. "Good girl."
And just like that, I knew—
I had to get out.
Soon.
The message hit me like a punch to the gut:
[Your pack—East Northwood—was attacked last night.]
My breath caught. The room spun.
I couldn't feel my fingers. Couldn't hear anything but the blood roaring in my ears.
"Who—who did this?" The words scraped out of my throat, raw and broken.
A sharp knock shattered the silence. I flinched, my grip on the phone turning white-knuckled. My whole body shook.
This couldn't be real. I needed answers. I needed Alpha Ivan.
I stormed through the halls, my pulse a deafening drumbeat in my skull. When I reached his study, I raised my fist—
Then I heard them.
A breathy moan. A low, possessive growl. My stomach twisted.
I knew that voice. Beta Helena.
The door was cracked open just enough—just enough to see them tangled together, Ivan's hands gripping her waist, her lips pressed to his throat.
Betrayal burned through me, wildfire in my veins. But her next words turned my blood to ice.
"Did you take care of it?" Helena murmured, fingers tracing his chest.
Ivan's laugh was dark. "I already ruined her pack. Just like I promised you."
My knees gave out.
Helena hummed, pleased. "And what about her?"
"She won't be a problem for much longer," Ivan said. "I'll divorce her soon."
I slapped a hand over my mouth, choking back a scream.
My pack. My parents. Him.
I staggered back, the weight of my own stupidity crushing me.
I'd married the wrong man.
And now my pack was paying the price.
That evening, I forced myself to play the part, to keep my mask in place even as my world collapsed.
I had to know more. I had to survive.
Dinner was a silent battlefield. The dining hall echoed with the clink of silverware, Ivan's cold gaze raking over me like I was furniture, not his wife.
Helena sat beside him, smirking.
I wanted to claw that smirk off her face.
But not yet.
My hands trembled as I served the food. The plate slipped, crashing onto Helena's lap, sauce splattering her dress.
Silence.
Then—crack.
The slap sent me stumbling back, my cheek burning. Ivan's voice was a snarl.
"Stupid girl. You can't even serve food without failing."
Helena snickered.
Rage seared beneath my skin. I couldn't breathe. I needed out.
The night air was a knife against my flushed skin. I didn't know where I was going—until a hand yanked me into the shadows.
I gasped, struggling—
"Cynthia, it's me."
Damon. Ivan's stepbrother. A powerful Alpha in his own right.
"What—" My voice was shredded. "What are you doing?"
His face was unreadable in the dark. "I sent the message."
I froze. My pulse roared.
He nodded.
My vision swam. "Why?"
Damon exhaled. "Because Ivan is a monster. And if you don't leave soon, you'll end up just like your pack."
The words were a second slap.
Terror clawed up my throat. "Why my pack? Why?"
He hesitated. "It's a long story."
"Tell me now."
Damon glanced around, voice dropping. "Ivan's always hated your pack. But now he has more reason to destroy it. And you."
My nails bit into my palms. "And you're just telling me this now?"
"I couldn't before," he hissed. "But you need to trust me. If you stay, you won't make it out alive."
I wasn't just a pawn.
I was a target.
And I'd been sleeping next to the enemy.
A rustle. Footsteps.
"What are you two talking about?"
Ivan's voice was calm. Too calm.
I turned slowly, my stomach hollow.
He stood there, golden eyes glinting, a smile playing on his lips that didn't reach his eyes.
Damon straightened, his grip on my wrist tightening briefly before letting go. "Just comforting Cynthia. She seemed upset."
Ivan's expression darkened. Jealousy.
His gaze locked onto me—his mate, his property.
I shivered.
Ivan smirked, but his voice was steel. "Damon, I appreciate your concern. But my wife doesn't need your comfort."
Damon's jaw clenched. "She's hurting, Ivan."
The air crackled.
Ivan's smirk vanished. "And that's not your problem."
Then he turned to me, closing the distance until his heat seared my skin. A single finger tilted my chin up, his touch deceptively soft.
"Isn't that right, my love?"
A warning. A reminder.
I forced a smile, my heart a trapped bird.
"Yes," I whispered.
Ivan grinned. "Good girl."
And just like that, I knew—
I had to get out.
Soon.
End of The Alpha's Betrayal, I Married My Family's Killer Chapter 1. Continue reading Chapter 2 or return to The Alpha's Betrayal, I Married My Family's Killer book page.