The Alpha's Betrayal, I Married My Family's Killer - Chapter 5: Chapter 5
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Darkness swallowed me whole. My lungs burned as I gulped ragged breaths, bare feet slamming against the forest floor. The air was heavy with the scent of damp earth and pine, but I barely noticed—my mind screamed just one word, over and over:
Run.
Exhaustion blurred my vision, my muscles screaming for rest, but I couldn't stop. Not now. Not ever. I had to put as much distance between myself and that hellhole before they found me. Before he found me.
Alpha Ivan.
Just the name sent a violent shiver down my spine. The man I'd once trusted, the mate I'd foolishly given my heart to—he'd never been mine. I was nothing more than a pawn in his twisted game of vengeance. And now, he wanted to take everything from me. My freedom. My life. My child.
I pressed a hand to my stomach, bile rising in my throat. Helena had known. She'd taunted me, ready to rip the last piece of my soul away. If Damon hadn't come—
A sob tore from my lips. Damon. I'd left him behind.
The gunshots still echoed in my ears. I squeezed my eyes shut, forcing away the image of his dark, determined gaze. He'd made his choice. He'd stayed behind so I could escape. I had to honor that.
I had to survive.
A sharp crack of a branch behind me sent my heart slamming against my ribs. I whirled around, breath hitching. The wind howled through the trees, whispering secrets I couldn't understand. Every shadow looked like a figure, every rustle of leaves a hunter closing in.
I wasn't alone.
Terror clamped around my throat. I turned and ran, pushing my body past its breaking point. The cold gnawed at my skin, my flimsy hospital gown useless against the night's cruel bite. My vision swam, legs buckling, but I forced myself forward. One step. Another. Then—
Pain.
My foot caught on a gnarled root, and I crashed to the ground, dirt filling my mouth, the metallic tang of blood sharp on my tongue. I tried to push myself up, but my limbs refused to obey.
No. No, no, NO!
I clawed at the earth, desperation fueling me, but a heavy boot slammed down onto my back, pinning me in place. A strangled cry escaped as strong fingers twisted in my hair, yanking my head back.
"Thought you could run, little Luna?"
The voice sent ice through my veins.
Marcus. Ivan's enforcer. His right hand. The one who got off on breaking people until they begged for mercy.
I thrashed, but he only pressed harder, a cruel chuckle rumbling in his chest. "I was hoping you'd put up a fight."
"Let me go!" I gasped, nails digging into the dirt.
He ignored me, grip tightening. "You think Ivan will just let you disappear? You belong to him, Cynthia. There's nowhere you can go where he won't find you."
I twisted wildly, adrenaline surging, but I was too weak. Too drained.
His lips brushed my ear. "And now, you're coming home."
Panic exploded inside me. No. I couldn't go back. I wouldn't.
A raw, animalistic rage took over. I twisted, bared my teeth, and sank them into his wrist.
Marcus roared, grip loosening just enough. I ripped free, ignoring the sharp sting as strands of hair tore from my scalp. My body screamed in protest, but I forced myself up, scrambling away.
He recovered too fast. A fist slammed into my ribs, sending me flying backward. Agony lanced through me as my back hit a tree, knocking the air from my lungs.
I collapsed, gasping. Marcus stalked toward me, wiping blood from his wrist, eyes burning with fury. "Bad move, bitch."
I braced for the worst.
Then—a low, guttural growl rumbled through the trees.
Marcus stiffened. His head snapped to the side just as a massive, dark figure lunged from the shadows. The beast crashed into him with bone-crushing force, sending them both to the ground in a whirl of snarls and snapping jaws.
Before I could process it, strong hands grabbed me, hauling me to my feet. I flinched, ready to fight—until the scent hit me.
Damon.
His face was streaked with dirt and blood, dark eyes burning with something fierce. "Cynthia, we have to go. Now."
Tears blurred my vision. "You're alive."
"No time," he snapped, grip tightening around my wrist. "Move!"
My legs were numb, body screaming, but I let him drag me forward. Behind us, the sounds of battle raged, but I didn't look back. We tore through the forest, wind whipping at my raw skin—
Then, through the darkness, I saw it.
A vehicle. Parked at the tree line. A way out.
Damon shoved me toward it. "Get in!"
I fumbled with the door, barely hauling myself inside. Damon slid into the driver's seat, hands steady despite the chaos. The engine roared to life. Tires spun. And then—we were moving.
Faster. Faster. Trees blurred past. The night swallowed the road ahead.
My chest heaved, hands trembling. I turned to Damon, words failing me.
He was alive. He'd come for me.
His knuckles were white on the wheel, jaw clenched. "We're not safe yet."
I swallowed hard. "Where are we going?"
He glanced at me, gaze softening just a fraction. "Somewhere Ivan will never find you."
I pressed a hand to my stomach, pulse still frantic. I didn't know what the future held. I didn't know if we'd survive this war.
But for the first time in a long time, I had something Ivan could never take away.
Hope.
Run.
Exhaustion blurred my vision, my muscles screaming for rest, but I couldn't stop. Not now. Not ever. I had to put as much distance between myself and that hellhole before they found me. Before he found me.
Alpha Ivan.
Just the name sent a violent shiver down my spine. The man I'd once trusted, the mate I'd foolishly given my heart to—he'd never been mine. I was nothing more than a pawn in his twisted game of vengeance. And now, he wanted to take everything from me. My freedom. My life. My child.
I pressed a hand to my stomach, bile rising in my throat. Helena had known. She'd taunted me, ready to rip the last piece of my soul away. If Damon hadn't come—
A sob tore from my lips. Damon. I'd left him behind.
The gunshots still echoed in my ears. I squeezed my eyes shut, forcing away the image of his dark, determined gaze. He'd made his choice. He'd stayed behind so I could escape. I had to honor that.
I had to survive.
A sharp crack of a branch behind me sent my heart slamming against my ribs. I whirled around, breath hitching. The wind howled through the trees, whispering secrets I couldn't understand. Every shadow looked like a figure, every rustle of leaves a hunter closing in.
I wasn't alone.
Terror clamped around my throat. I turned and ran, pushing my body past its breaking point. The cold gnawed at my skin, my flimsy hospital gown useless against the night's cruel bite. My vision swam, legs buckling, but I forced myself forward. One step. Another. Then—
Pain.
My foot caught on a gnarled root, and I crashed to the ground, dirt filling my mouth, the metallic tang of blood sharp on my tongue. I tried to push myself up, but my limbs refused to obey.
No. No, no, NO!
I clawed at the earth, desperation fueling me, but a heavy boot slammed down onto my back, pinning me in place. A strangled cry escaped as strong fingers twisted in my hair, yanking my head back.
"Thought you could run, little Luna?"
The voice sent ice through my veins.
Marcus. Ivan's enforcer. His right hand. The one who got off on breaking people until they begged for mercy.
I thrashed, but he only pressed harder, a cruel chuckle rumbling in his chest. "I was hoping you'd put up a fight."
"Let me go!" I gasped, nails digging into the dirt.
He ignored me, grip tightening. "You think Ivan will just let you disappear? You belong to him, Cynthia. There's nowhere you can go where he won't find you."
I twisted wildly, adrenaline surging, but I was too weak. Too drained.
His lips brushed my ear. "And now, you're coming home."
Panic exploded inside me. No. I couldn't go back. I wouldn't.
A raw, animalistic rage took over. I twisted, bared my teeth, and sank them into his wrist.
Marcus roared, grip loosening just enough. I ripped free, ignoring the sharp sting as strands of hair tore from my scalp. My body screamed in protest, but I forced myself up, scrambling away.
He recovered too fast. A fist slammed into my ribs, sending me flying backward. Agony lanced through me as my back hit a tree, knocking the air from my lungs.
I collapsed, gasping. Marcus stalked toward me, wiping blood from his wrist, eyes burning with fury. "Bad move, bitch."
I braced for the worst.
Then—a low, guttural growl rumbled through the trees.
Marcus stiffened. His head snapped to the side just as a massive, dark figure lunged from the shadows. The beast crashed into him with bone-crushing force, sending them both to the ground in a whirl of snarls and snapping jaws.
Before I could process it, strong hands grabbed me, hauling me to my feet. I flinched, ready to fight—until the scent hit me.
Damon.
His face was streaked with dirt and blood, dark eyes burning with something fierce. "Cynthia, we have to go. Now."
Tears blurred my vision. "You're alive."
"No time," he snapped, grip tightening around my wrist. "Move!"
My legs were numb, body screaming, but I let him drag me forward. Behind us, the sounds of battle raged, but I didn't look back. We tore through the forest, wind whipping at my raw skin—
Then, through the darkness, I saw it.
A vehicle. Parked at the tree line. A way out.
Damon shoved me toward it. "Get in!"
I fumbled with the door, barely hauling myself inside. Damon slid into the driver's seat, hands steady despite the chaos. The engine roared to life. Tires spun. And then—we were moving.
Faster. Faster. Trees blurred past. The night swallowed the road ahead.
My chest heaved, hands trembling. I turned to Damon, words failing me.
He was alive. He'd come for me.
His knuckles were white on the wheel, jaw clenched. "We're not safe yet."
I swallowed hard. "Where are we going?"
He glanced at me, gaze softening just a fraction. "Somewhere Ivan will never find you."
I pressed a hand to my stomach, pulse still frantic. I didn't know what the future held. I didn't know if we'd survive this war.
But for the first time in a long time, I had something Ivan could never take away.
Hope.
End of The Alpha's Betrayal, I Married My Family's Killer Chapter 5. Continue reading Chapter 6 or return to The Alpha's Betrayal, I Married My Family's Killer book page.