CHAPTER 17%
The house was silent, but I could feel the tension crackling in the air. Every shadow felt like a threat. Every second felt like we were running out of time. We had to leave.
I threw clothes into a bag, my hands trembling. Damon moved quickly beside me, securing weapons, making sure Ethan had everything he needed. We had done this before–packing, running, hiding. But this time it felt different. This time, it felt like we weren’t going to make it.
Amara stormed into the room, her expression grim. “Stop packing.”
I froze “What?”
She shut the door behind her, lowering her voice. “Someone is feeding Ivan information.”
Damon’s entire body stiffened. “What the hell are you talking about?”
Amara’s eyes burned with urgency. “I found coded messages–someone from the inside has been giving away our location. That’s how van found us.
The air turned to ice. My mind raced. That wasn’t possible. It was just us. Our most trusted people. No one else. Unless-
I swallowed, my voice barely above a whisper “Who?
Amara hesitated. I don’t know yet. But I have a spell that will reveal the traitor”
Damon’s fists clenched. “Then do it. Now
The five of us gathered in the main hall–Damon, Amara, myself, Marcus, and Ethan. The tension was suffocating
Marcus stood beside Damon, his arms crossed. “This is ridiculous,”
Amara ignored him. She took out a vial of dark liquid, muttering an incantation under her breath. The air shifted, growing thick and heavy.
Then the liquid glowed.
A sharp gasp escaped my lips as Marcus flinched, his body jerking violently. His skin burned where the liquid touched him.
A mark seared itself into his flesh. Ivan’s brand.
Damon’s reaction was instant–he lunged
His hand wrapped around Marcus’s throat, slamming him into the wall. “You sold us out?!”
Marcus struggled, his face filled with shock. “Damon–1 swear, I didn’t-
“Liar” Damon’s voice was pure rage.
I couldn’t breathe. Marcus. The man Damon trusted the most. The man who had helped us escape
It had been him this whole time.
Ethan’s small voice cut through the chaos. “Why?“!
Marcus’s face twisted with guilt. “I had no choice,” he rasped. “Ivan… he found my mate. My son. He said if I didn’t give him what he wanted, he’d kill them.”
A sickening silence. Damon’s grip loosened for only a second–just long enough. Marcus moved. Too fast
He struck Damon in the ribs, sending him staggering back.
I reached for a weapon, but before I could move, Marcus was charging straight at Ethan. My heart stopped.! “ETHAN!” I screamed
But then–Something happened.
The moment Marcus reached for him, Ethan screamed.
And the world exploded.
A shockwave of energy burst from Ethan’s small body, slamming Marcus across the room!!
Marcus crashed into the wall with a sickening crack, his body going limp. The room fell deathly silentl
I stood frozen, my heart pounding. My hands shook as I turned to my son.
Ethan was panting, his hands still glowing faintly.”
“What My voice failed me. “What was that?“X
Damon was breathing hard, eyes locked on Ethan, “That wasn’t normal.”
Ethan’s small hands clenched into fists, his face filled with confusion. “I–I don’t know what happened.”
Marcus groaned from the ground, his breathing ragged. “You think… you can hide him from Ivan now?” He coughed. “He already knows.”
A sharp fear stabbed through me
Marcus hadn’t just been giving away our location. He had been telling Ivan about Ethan.”
Damon cursed under his breath, his hands shaking. “We need to leave. Now”
And then the first explosion hit. The blast shook the house, sending dust and debris raining from the ceiling
A second explosion followed, this one closer. Too close.
They were here Ivan’s fores had arrived
12:14 PM c
And then the first explosion hit. The blast shook the house, sending dust and debris raining from the ceiling.
A second explosion followed, this one closer. Too close.!!
They were here. Ivan’s forces had arrived.
Damon grabbed my arm. “Cynthia–get Ethan out of here!”
But I couldn’t move, I couldn’t breathe. Because this was happening too fast.
Damon yanked me behind him, his eyes wild. “Move, Cynthia!”
I snapped out of it. I grabbed Ethan’s wrist, forcing my legs to run “Come on, baby
Ethan’s small voice was trembling. “Mama, what’s happening?”
My chest ached, but I couldn’t stop. We had to run.
The front door burst open. A group of Ivan’s men poured in–heavily armed, deadly!
Damon didn’t hesitate. He shifted. His massive black wolf tore through the first soldier sending him flying.”
Amara’s hands glowed as she threw up a barrier, stopping the next wave. “GO I’ll hold them off
I dragged Ethan toward the back exit, my mind racing. We had a plan. A way out. We just had to-
A voice froze me in place.
“Running again, my love?
Ivan. I turned slowly.
He stood in the doorway, calm amidst the chaos. His golden eyes gleamed in the firelight, a cruel smile on his lips. My stomach twisted with terror Ethan’s small body tensed beside me!
Ivan’s gaze drifted to my son, and his smile widened “There he is.”
The room spun. My fingers tightened around Ethan.
Damon shifted back, stepping between us and Ivan, his voice low and deadly. “You’re not touching him!
Ivan sighed, mocking disappointment. “Damon, Damon, Damon, Haven’t you leamed? You can’t protect what’s mine.” Rage erupted inside me. “He’s NOT yours!
Ivan’s eyes flicked to me, and for the first time, his smirk disappeared.”
Something in the air shifted. A heartbeat of silence. Then-
Ivan’s hand shot forward. I had only a second to react
I shoved Ethan behind me. “RUNT
Ethan stumbled back, eyes wide. “Mama-”
Damon moved at the same time. He lunged at Ivan.
Ivan dodged, his claws slicing through Damon’s shoulder. Blood splattered across the wooden floor.”
Damon didn’t stop.”
He tackled Ivan, sending them both crashing through the front door.
“Go!” Amara shouted.X
But I couldn’t leave. Because outside, in the darkness-
Damon and Ivan were about to fight to the death.”
