CHAPTER 78
The forest was suffocating. The towering trees cast long, menacing shadows under the moonlight, their gnarled branches stretching like skeletal fingers. My heart pounded as I stumbled through the underbrush, my breath ragged. Every step felt like a desperate attempt to escape the inevitable
Damon had been caught
The moment I saw the guards drag him away, my world shattered. I had been foolish to believe we could escape unnoticed. Ivan was too powerful, too controlling. And now, Damon–my only ally, my only hope–was at his mercy
A cold wave of dread settled in my stomach. Ivan would kill him. Slowly. Brutally. Just to make a point.!!
And it would be my fault
Heavy footsteps crunched against the fallen leaves behind me. A familiar scent filled the air–dark spice and dominance.B Ivan.8
He emerged from the shadows, his golden eyes gleaming with cruel amusement “You’ve been busy, haven’t you, my love?”
I clenched my fists, swallowing my fear. “Where is he?
Ivan chuckled, “Oh, Damon? He’s alive. For now.”
My pulse skyrocketed “Let him go.
He tilted his head, his smirk deepening. “You’re in no position to make demands, Cynthia”
I forced myself to meet his gaze. “Please
Ivan stepped closer, his fingers tilting my chin up. “Begging suits you.”
I jerked away, my skin crawling.
He sighed, shaking his head. “You disappoint me. After everything I’ve given you, you still betray me?”
“Given me?” My voice broke “You took everything from me! My pack, my parents-”
“And now, I’ll take your lover,” he said coldly. “Unless…
I stiffened. “Unless what?”
Ivan leaned in, his breath ghosting over my ear. “You surrender.”
A knife twisted in my gut. “What do you mean?”
“Stop fighting me. Stop plotting. Accept your place as my Luna. And in return, I’ll let Damon live.“\
I felt the ground tilt beneath me. The forest truly was closing in now, pressing against my ribs, squeezing the air from my lungs. This was it. My choice
I could fight–try to escape, risk Damon’s life, risk my child’s life B
Or I could surrender. Stay in this gilded cage. Endure Ivan’s cruelty just to keep them safe.
My fingers trembled as I pressed them against my stomach, over the life growing inside me.
A sharp rustling cut through the suffocating silence. The guards emerged from the darkness, dragging a bruised and bloodied Damon into the clearing. My breath caught in my throat
He was alive. But barely
Ivan grinned. “I thought it would help if you saw him”
Damon’s gaze locked onto mine, burning with pain and fury “Cynthia, don’t.”
Tears welled in my eyes. “I don’t have a choice.”
“Yes, you do.” Damon’s voice was rough, broken Think about the baby. If you surrender, Ivan will never let you go. He’ll own you. Hell own your child.“}
My stomach twisted violently. I knew that. But the alternative–Damon’s death–X
Ivan sighed dramatically “I don’t have all night, Cynthia Choose.”
I looked at Damon. At his bruised face, his desperate eyes.!!
And then I looked at Ivan, standing there like he had already won.
I turned back to Damon, my heart shattering. “I’m sorry.”
Damon’s eyes widened. “No-
Lturned to Ivan and forced the words out “I’ll stay.”
A slow, victorious smirk spread across Ivan’s lips. “Good girl
Damon struggled against the guards. “No! Cynthia, listen to me-
“Take him away, Ivan ordered.
I reached out instinctively, but Ivan caught my wrist, pulling me back. “No more of that.”
Damon fought against his captors, his voice raw with desperation. “Don’t do this! You’re stronger than this!”
His words sliced through me like a blade, but I couldn’t afford to break now. I kept my face blank, even as they dragged him out!
12:12 PM
His words sliced through me like a blade, but I couldn’t afford to break now. I kept my face blank, even as they dragged him out…
The forest swallowed him whole.
Ivan turned to me, his expression triumphant. “That wasn’t so hard, was it?
I couldn’t speak. Couldn’t breathe S
I had just condemned myself.
But worse than that I had condemned Damon.⠀⠀⠀
And as Ivan’s fingers trailed possessively down my arm, I knew one thing for certain.!!
I had just made the biggest mistake of my life.}
The ride back to the mansion was silent. The trees blurred past, but my mind remained trapped in that moment, replaying Damon’s face, his desperate plea. I wrapped my arms around my stomach, feeling the weight of my decision suffocating me.”
Ivan’s voice cut through the quiet “You’ll see soon enough, Cynthia. This was the only way
I turned my head slightly, refusing to let him see the tears in my eyes.
The car slowed as we approached the grand estate, its looming silhouette more like a prison than a home. The moment we stopped, Ivan reached for my hand, squeezing it like we were nothing more than a loving couple
I yanked away. “Don’t touch me.”
His smirk remained, but there was a flicker of something darker in his gaze. “You’ll learn to obey, Cynthia. You made your choice. Now live with it,”
As the mansion doors swung open, I knew there was no turning back.
Not until I found a way to fix the mess I had just made!!
