The Alpha's Betrayal, I Married My Family's Killer - Chapter 11: Chapter 11
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The forest screamed around us as we ran, Damon's fingers locked around mine like iron. My lungs burned, my legs threatened to give out, but stopping wasn't an option. Not when freedom was almost within reach.
Damon always had a plan. Always knew where to go. All I had was blind faith in him, and faith was a brittle thing these days.
Moonlight flickered through the rushing trees like spectral guides as we crashed through the underbrush. My heart hammered not just from exertion, but from the truth pressing down on me.
Damon knew about the baby.
I'd seen the realization hit him - that split-second where shock battled with protective fury. He hadn't said a word since, just tightened his grip on my hand like he could physically tether me to safety.
Like he was already gearing up for war.
I swallowed the fear crawling up my throat. This wasn't just my fight anymore.
I wasn't just running for my life. I was running for my child's future.
Damon yanked me to a sudden stop, his body tensing like a coiled spring. My breath caught.
Not now. Please not now.
My palm pressed instinctively against my stomach as silent prayers filled my mind. We were so close...
Damon moved in front of me, his voice barely above a whisper. "We're not alone."
I forced air into my lungs, fingers finding the dagger hidden in my sleeve. "Ivan's men?"
His jaw worked. "Maybe."
Then she appeared - materializing from the shadows like the night itself had taken human form. Tall, draped in flowing black, her dark hair whipping around a face too sharp, too knowing. Moonlight caught in her silver eyes, making them glow unnaturally.
Every instinct screamed danger.
Damon didn't flinch. "Identify yourself."
The stranger tilted her head, a spider considering its prey. "I'm the only person who can help you."
My spine straightened. Lies. Nobody helped me - not without strings attached.
"We don't need help," Damon snapped.
Her lips curled into something that wasn't quite a smile. "That's your first mistake."
Goosebumps erupted across my skin. Yet beneath the terror... something tugged at me. A whisper in my blood I couldn't explain.
When her gaze dropped to my stomach, I recoiled.
Damon blocked her view, voice turning lethal. "Back off."
She sighed like we were misbehaving children. "I'm not your enemy, Damon. I'm here for the child."
The world tilted.
"How do you know about that?" My voice came out strangled.
Those eerie silver eyes pinned me. "Because that baby is why Ivan will never stop hunting you."
Ice flooded my veins.
Damon shifted into a fighter's stance. "Walk away. Now."
She ignored him, speaking only to me. "This isn't about revenge, Cynthia. He wants the child."
The ground might as well have opened beneath me.
"What?" The word barely made it past my lips.
"You think he wants you dead?" Her laugh held no humor. "He needs you alive. You're carrying his heir."
My stomach revolted. "No."
"He wants a dynasty," she pressed. "And your child is the key."
Bile rose in my throat. Ivan didn't do family. Didn't do love. After everything he'd done to me - the torture, the attempts on my life - this wasn't about legacy. It was about possession.
Damon's voice could have cut glass. "Over my dead body."
The stranger studied us both. "Then you need to disappear. Tonight."
"Where?" I managed.
"There's a safe haven. Reach it before Ivan does, and you might survive."
Damon's knuckles whitened. "Give me one reason to trust you."
Her expression darkened. "Because if Ivan gets that baby, you'll spend the rest of your lives looking over your shoulders. All three of you."
The wind howled through the sudden silence, carrying secrets we weren't meant to hear.
Then she was gone - vanishing into the trees like smoke.
My hands shook as I sucked in ragged breaths. Too much. It was all too much.
Damon exhaled sharply. "We move. Now."
I nodded, throat too tight for words. But the truth settled in my bones:
This wasn't escape anymore.
My unborn child - innocent, helpless - had become the prize in Ivan's twisted game.
Not because of destiny. Not because of magic.
Because a monster wanted a miniature version of himself to continue his reign.
Damon promised it wouldn't happen.
But I knew the awful truth - Ivan wouldn't stop.
Not until he had his heir. Not until he owned me completely.
Damon always had a plan. Always knew where to go. All I had was blind faith in him, and faith was a brittle thing these days.
Moonlight flickered through the rushing trees like spectral guides as we crashed through the underbrush. My heart hammered not just from exertion, but from the truth pressing down on me.
Damon knew about the baby.
I'd seen the realization hit him - that split-second where shock battled with protective fury. He hadn't said a word since, just tightened his grip on my hand like he could physically tether me to safety.
Like he was already gearing up for war.
I swallowed the fear crawling up my throat. This wasn't just my fight anymore.
I wasn't just running for my life. I was running for my child's future.
Damon yanked me to a sudden stop, his body tensing like a coiled spring. My breath caught.
Not now. Please not now.
My palm pressed instinctively against my stomach as silent prayers filled my mind. We were so close...
Damon moved in front of me, his voice barely above a whisper. "We're not alone."
I forced air into my lungs, fingers finding the dagger hidden in my sleeve. "Ivan's men?"
His jaw worked. "Maybe."
Then she appeared - materializing from the shadows like the night itself had taken human form. Tall, draped in flowing black, her dark hair whipping around a face too sharp, too knowing. Moonlight caught in her silver eyes, making them glow unnaturally.
Every instinct screamed danger.
Damon didn't flinch. "Identify yourself."
The stranger tilted her head, a spider considering its prey. "I'm the only person who can help you."
My spine straightened. Lies. Nobody helped me - not without strings attached.
"We don't need help," Damon snapped.
Her lips curled into something that wasn't quite a smile. "That's your first mistake."
Goosebumps erupted across my skin. Yet beneath the terror... something tugged at me. A whisper in my blood I couldn't explain.
When her gaze dropped to my stomach, I recoiled.
Damon blocked her view, voice turning lethal. "Back off."
She sighed like we were misbehaving children. "I'm not your enemy, Damon. I'm here for the child."
The world tilted.
"How do you know about that?" My voice came out strangled.
Those eerie silver eyes pinned me. "Because that baby is why Ivan will never stop hunting you."
Ice flooded my veins.
Damon shifted into a fighter's stance. "Walk away. Now."
She ignored him, speaking only to me. "This isn't about revenge, Cynthia. He wants the child."
The ground might as well have opened beneath me.
"What?" The word barely made it past my lips.
"You think he wants you dead?" Her laugh held no humor. "He needs you alive. You're carrying his heir."
My stomach revolted. "No."
"He wants a dynasty," she pressed. "And your child is the key."
Bile rose in my throat. Ivan didn't do family. Didn't do love. After everything he'd done to me - the torture, the attempts on my life - this wasn't about legacy. It was about possession.
Damon's voice could have cut glass. "Over my dead body."
The stranger studied us both. "Then you need to disappear. Tonight."
"Where?" I managed.
"There's a safe haven. Reach it before Ivan does, and you might survive."
Damon's knuckles whitened. "Give me one reason to trust you."
Her expression darkened. "Because if Ivan gets that baby, you'll spend the rest of your lives looking over your shoulders. All three of you."
The wind howled through the sudden silence, carrying secrets we weren't meant to hear.
Then she was gone - vanishing into the trees like smoke.
My hands shook as I sucked in ragged breaths. Too much. It was all too much.
Damon exhaled sharply. "We move. Now."
I nodded, throat too tight for words. But the truth settled in my bones:
This wasn't escape anymore.
My unborn child - innocent, helpless - had become the prize in Ivan's twisted game.
Not because of destiny. Not because of magic.
Because a monster wanted a miniature version of himself to continue his reign.
Damon promised it wouldn't happen.
But I knew the awful truth - Ivan wouldn't stop.
Not until he had his heir. Not until he owned me completely.
End of The Alpha's Betrayal, I Married My Family's Killer Chapter 11. Continue reading Chapter 12 or return to The Alpha's Betrayal, I Married My Family's Killer book page.