CHAPTER 113
The wind howled through the dense forest as we ran, Damon’s grip on my hand firm, unyielding. My lungs bumed, my legs screamed in protest, but I couldn’t stop. Not now. Not when we were so close.
Damon had a plan–he always did. He knew where we were going. But all I had was faith in him. And faith was a fragile thing
The trees blurred around us, moonlight flickering between the branches like ghosts guiding our way. My heart pounded, not just from exhaustion but from something heavier. The weight of the truth.
Damon knew about the baby.
I had seen it in his eyes–the flicker of shock, the war between anger and determination. He hadn’t said much after that, but his grip had tightened. Like he was anchoring me to him.
Like he was already preparing to fight!!
I swallowed hard, pushing back the fear curling in my gut. This wasn’t just about me anymore.
I wasn’t just running for my freedom. I was running for my child.”
A sudden movement ahead made Damon pull me to a stop. He tensed, eyes scanning the darkness. My breath hitched.
Not again.
I pressed my hand against my stomach, a silent prayer echoing through my mind. Please, not now. Not when we were this close…
Damon shifted, stepping in front of me. His voice was low. “Someone’s here”
I forced myself to breathe, gripping the dagger hidden in my sleeve. “Ivan’s men?“}
His jaw tightened. “Maybe.”
Then, before I could process another thought, a figure stepped out from the trees.
I froze
She was tall, cloaked in black, her long dark hair billowing in the wind like a shadow come to life. Her eyes gleamed silver in the moonlight, too sharp, too knowing.
A stranger. But something about her presence made my blood run cold
Damon didn’t move. “Who are you?”
The woman tilted her head. “I’m someone who can help you.”
I suffened. Lies. No one wanted to help me.
Damon was already shaking his head. “We don’t need help.”
A smile curled at the edges of her lips, something eerie about it. “That’s where you’re wrong “2)
The hairs on my arms rose. Everything about her screamed danger.
And yet there was something else. A strange pull, a whisper in my blood.
She took a step closer, her gaze flicking to my stomach.
I flinched
Damon stepped in front of me, his voice turning sharp. “You’re not touching her.”
The woman sighed, as if we were children misunderstanding a lesson. “I’m not your enemy, Damon. I’m here because of the child.”
The world tited
I sucked in a sharp breath. “How do you know?“!
Her silver eyes locked onto mine “Because that child is the reason ivan will never stop hunting you,”||
A chill raced down my spine.E
Damon growled, shifting slightly into a defensive stance. “You need to leave.”
The woman ignored him. She kept her focus on me, her expression unreadable. “Ivan doesn’t just want revenge, Cynthia. He wants the baby
The ground beneath me might as well have vanished
My heart slammed against my ribs. “What?“%
She exhaled. “You think he wants you dead?” A slow, humorless chuckle escaped her lips. “No, Cynthia. He wants you alive–for now. Because you’re carrying his heir“)
My stomach twisted. “No”
She nodded, eyes flashing “He wants a legacy. And he wants that child to be i
A sickening wave of nausea rolled over me E
No Ivan didn’t want a child. He didn’t care about family, about love. He had tried to break me, to kill me, to erase me. He had Helena, tes perfect little puppet
This wasn’t about love. This was about control
Damon’s voice was like steel. “That won’t happen “X
The woman studied him, then me. “Then you need to leave. Now”
I swallowed hard “Where?
12:13 PM c D
I swallowed hard. “Where?”
She hesitated. “There’s a place. A sanctuary. If you make it there before Ivan finds you, you might have a chance.”
Damon’s jaw clenched. “And why should we trust you?
The woman’s eyes flickered with something unreadable. “Because if Ivan gets his hands on that baby, you’ll never escape him. Not ever”
Silence.
crets only the night could understand.
The wind howled again, rustling the trees, whispering secrets
Then, she turned, fading back into the darkness.}
Gone. Like she had never been there at all.
I let out a shaky breath, my hands trembling. My mind swirled with too many thoughts, too many fears.3
Damon exhaled harshly. “We keep moving.”
I nodded, my throat tight. But deep down, I knew.
This wasn’t just about running anymore
This was about my child. My innocent, unborn child–was at the center of it!
I pressed a hand against my stomach, closing my eyes for just a moment.
Not because of some prophecy
Not because of magic or fate.
But because Ivan wanted an heir..
eir. An heir he could mold into his image. An heir that would keep his power alive long after he was gone.S
Damon had said he wouldn’t let it happen.8.
But I knew better. Ivan would never stop.
Not until he had his heir. Not until he had me.X
