The Alpha's Betrayal, I Married My Family's Killer - Chapter 15: Chapter 15
You are reading The Alpha's Betrayal, I Married My Family's Killer, Chapter 15: Chapter 15. Read more chapters of The Alpha's Betrayal, I Married My Family's Killer.
The stench of smoke and blood hit me before I even laid eyes on them.
Damon and I hovered at the tree line, concealed by dense foliage, but I'd recognize that presence anywhere. Ivan. He was here.
I felt Damon tense beside me, every muscle coiled tight, knuckles white from how hard he was clenching his fists. He sensed it too.
A slow, mocking applause shattered the silence. My breath caught in my throat.
Then he emerged.
Ivan strolled into the clearing like a monarch inspecting his domain, those golden eyes glinting with cruel amusement. Helena slithered behind him in her black ensemble, her smirk sharper than any dagger.
And then—my heart stopped.
Because standing between them, tiny wrists bound with coarse rope, was Liam.
My baby brother.
A choked sob escaped me. I lunged forward instinctively, but Damon's iron grip on my wrist yanked me back.
Ivan tutted. "Now, now, Cynthia. Wouldn't want you doing anything... rash, would we?"
"Liam!" My voice broke.
Liam's wide blue eyes found mine. "C-Cynthia?" His voice was raw with fear.
White-hot rage flooded my veins. "Let him go, you bastard!"
Ivan tilted his head, running his fingers through Liam's dark curls—so like my own—in a gesture that made bile rise in my throat. "Why would I do that? Every hunter knows—you catch more flies with family than with honey."
Damon moved in front of me, a protective wall of muscle. "Touch him again and I'll tear out your jugular with my teeth."
Ivan's grin widened. "There's that famous hero complex. Pity heroes always die first."
Helena's laugh was like broken glass. "Be a good girl and come home, Cynthia. Your brother gets to keep breathing."
I felt sick.
My hands trembled violently. There was no choice here.
Each step forward felt like wading through cement. Damon's fingers dug into my wrist.
"Cynthia, don't," he growled.
Tears blurred my vision. "I can't let him die, Damon."
When Damon turned to me, the desperation in his dark eyes nearly shattered me. "And I can't watch you walk back into hell."
My throat closed. No matter what I chose, someone would get hurt.
Then—Damon's attention snapped back to Ivan, and his expression hardened into something terrifying. His next words sent my world spinning off its axis.
"Then we settle this like Alphas."
Dead silence.
Ivan arched an eyebrow. "Is that a challenge?"
"Damn right it is." Damon's voice could've cut steel.
Something dangerous flickered in Ivan's gaze before his grin returned. "Now this gets interesting."
Helena's smirk slipped. "Ivan, don't—"
He silenced her with a raised hand. "Terms?"
Damon squared his shoulders. "I win, you disappear. Forever. No more threats to Cynthia or the boy."
Ivan licked his lips. "And when I win?"
"Then you take Cynthia. But the kid walks free."
No.
I grabbed Damon's arm. "You can't! He'll—"
Damon cradled my face, his touch gentle despite the fire in his eyes. "Trust me."
I was shaking like a leaf. "This is to the death."
His jaw set. "I don't lose."
I wanted to scream. To beg. But I knew Damon—he'd burn the world down before letting Ivan take me.
I managed a jerky nod, words failing me.
Ivan cracked his neck. "Let's dance."
Their transformations happened simultaneously.
Damon's massive black wolf launched forward—all coiled power and lethal intent, fangs gleaming. Ivan met him midair, golden fur flashing as they collided.
The forest erupted with snarls and the sickening sound of tearing flesh.
I couldn't watch. I turned away, gasping, nails digging into my palms.
Liam's whimper cut through the chaos. "Cynthia—"
"I know," I whispered. "I know."
The battle was savage.
Ivan fought like the predator he was. But Damon—Damon fought like a man who'd rather die than lose.
A yelp. A crunch. A wet thud.
I spun around just as Damon's jaws locked around Ivan's throat.
Ivan thrashed wildly, but Damon pinned him mercilessly.
For one heart-stopping moment, I thought Damon would finish it.
Instead, he released Ivan and stepped back, chest heaving.
Ivan lay defeated in the dirt, golden fur matted with blood, eyes burning with humiliation.
Damon shifted back, looming over his rival.
No gloating. No victory speech.
Just three words: "We're leaving now."
Silence stretched.
Then Ivan laughed—a sound that made my skin crawl.
"Fine," he rasped.
His gaze found mine. "Enjoy your freedom, little bird. Cages always find their songbirds eventually."
Ice slid down my spine.
Damon freed Liam and pushed him into my arms. I crushed my brother against me, shaking with relief.
We turned to leave.
Ivan and Helena's stares bored into our backs.
This wasn't over. I knew that.
For now, I'd take this win.
But Ivan never surrendered what he considered his.
And somewhere deep, I knew—he'd come for us again.
Damon and I hovered at the tree line, concealed by dense foliage, but I'd recognize that presence anywhere. Ivan. He was here.
I felt Damon tense beside me, every muscle coiled tight, knuckles white from how hard he was clenching his fists. He sensed it too.
A slow, mocking applause shattered the silence. My breath caught in my throat.
Then he emerged.
Ivan strolled into the clearing like a monarch inspecting his domain, those golden eyes glinting with cruel amusement. Helena slithered behind him in her black ensemble, her smirk sharper than any dagger.
And then—my heart stopped.
Because standing between them, tiny wrists bound with coarse rope, was Liam.
My baby brother.
A choked sob escaped me. I lunged forward instinctively, but Damon's iron grip on my wrist yanked me back.
Ivan tutted. "Now, now, Cynthia. Wouldn't want you doing anything... rash, would we?"
"Liam!" My voice broke.
Liam's wide blue eyes found mine. "C-Cynthia?" His voice was raw with fear.
White-hot rage flooded my veins. "Let him go, you bastard!"
Ivan tilted his head, running his fingers through Liam's dark curls—so like my own—in a gesture that made bile rise in my throat. "Why would I do that? Every hunter knows—you catch more flies with family than with honey."
Damon moved in front of me, a protective wall of muscle. "Touch him again and I'll tear out your jugular with my teeth."
Ivan's grin widened. "There's that famous hero complex. Pity heroes always die first."
Helena's laugh was like broken glass. "Be a good girl and come home, Cynthia. Your brother gets to keep breathing."
I felt sick.
My hands trembled violently. There was no choice here.
Each step forward felt like wading through cement. Damon's fingers dug into my wrist.
"Cynthia, don't," he growled.
Tears blurred my vision. "I can't let him die, Damon."
When Damon turned to me, the desperation in his dark eyes nearly shattered me. "And I can't watch you walk back into hell."
My throat closed. No matter what I chose, someone would get hurt.
Then—Damon's attention snapped back to Ivan, and his expression hardened into something terrifying. His next words sent my world spinning off its axis.
"Then we settle this like Alphas."
Dead silence.
Ivan arched an eyebrow. "Is that a challenge?"
"Damn right it is." Damon's voice could've cut steel.
Something dangerous flickered in Ivan's gaze before his grin returned. "Now this gets interesting."
Helena's smirk slipped. "Ivan, don't—"
He silenced her with a raised hand. "Terms?"
Damon squared his shoulders. "I win, you disappear. Forever. No more threats to Cynthia or the boy."
Ivan licked his lips. "And when I win?"
"Then you take Cynthia. But the kid walks free."
No.
I grabbed Damon's arm. "You can't! He'll—"
Damon cradled my face, his touch gentle despite the fire in his eyes. "Trust me."
I was shaking like a leaf. "This is to the death."
His jaw set. "I don't lose."
I wanted to scream. To beg. But I knew Damon—he'd burn the world down before letting Ivan take me.
I managed a jerky nod, words failing me.
Ivan cracked his neck. "Let's dance."
Their transformations happened simultaneously.
Damon's massive black wolf launched forward—all coiled power and lethal intent, fangs gleaming. Ivan met him midair, golden fur flashing as they collided.
The forest erupted with snarls and the sickening sound of tearing flesh.
I couldn't watch. I turned away, gasping, nails digging into my palms.
Liam's whimper cut through the chaos. "Cynthia—"
"I know," I whispered. "I know."
The battle was savage.
Ivan fought like the predator he was. But Damon—Damon fought like a man who'd rather die than lose.
A yelp. A crunch. A wet thud.
I spun around just as Damon's jaws locked around Ivan's throat.
Ivan thrashed wildly, but Damon pinned him mercilessly.
For one heart-stopping moment, I thought Damon would finish it.
Instead, he released Ivan and stepped back, chest heaving.
Ivan lay defeated in the dirt, golden fur matted with blood, eyes burning with humiliation.
Damon shifted back, looming over his rival.
No gloating. No victory speech.
Just three words: "We're leaving now."
Silence stretched.
Then Ivan laughed—a sound that made my skin crawl.
"Fine," he rasped.
His gaze found mine. "Enjoy your freedom, little bird. Cages always find their songbirds eventually."
Ice slid down my spine.
Damon freed Liam and pushed him into my arms. I crushed my brother against me, shaking with relief.
We turned to leave.
Ivan and Helena's stares bored into our backs.
This wasn't over. I knew that.
For now, I'd take this win.
But Ivan never surrendered what he considered his.
And somewhere deep, I knew—he'd come for us again.
End of The Alpha's Betrayal, I Married My Family's Killer Chapter 15. Continue reading Chapter 16 or return to The Alpha's Betrayal, I Married My Family's Killer book page.