THE ALPHA'S UNWANTED MATE

Chapter 20: The Escape

They ran.

The howls were getting closer.

Damien didn't look back. He couldn't.

But Aria did.

And she saw Lyra fall.

"LYRA!" Aria screamed.

Damien yanked her forward. "Don't stop!"

Leo was crying in Damien's arms. "Aunty Lyra!"

Behind them, the council's voices boomed. "FIND THEM! BRING ME THE BOY!"

The forest was dark. Cold air cut their lungs.

The potion in their stomachs burned.

"What's happening to me?" Aria gasped. Her vision went silver.

"Same," Damien said. His claws came out. "The potion... it's waking the wolf in you."

"But I'm not a-"

"Shh!" Damien stopped. He sniffed the air.

20 wolves. Closing in.

"We won't make it," Leo whispered.

Then Damien heard it. Water. The river.

"There!" He pointed. "Jump!"

They leapt off the cliff into the freezing river below.

The current took them. Strong and fast.

When they came up for air... they weren't alone.

A figure stood on the riverbank. Waiting.

A woman with silver hair and council robes.

She smiled. "Took you long enough."

Damien stepped in front of Aria and Leo. Water dripped from his hair.

"Who are you?" he growled.

The woman tilted her head. Her council robe was soaked but she didn't shiver.

"Family," she said softly.

She looked at Leo. "I've been looking for you, nephew."

Leo grabbed Damien's shirt. "Mommy said bad people wear those clothes."

The woman laughed, but it wasn't mean. "Smart boy. But I'm not here to hurt you."

She held out her hand. "I'm here to take you home. To the real Alpha."

From the trees behind them, the council howls got louder. Closer.

"We don't have time," the woman said. Her eyes turned silver. "Choose. Me, or them."

Aria looked at Damien. Her hands were shaking. But not from cold.

From power. The potion was changing her.

Damien met the woman's eyes. "If you touch my family-"

"I won't," the woman interrupted. "I swore to your mother I'd protect him."

She nodded at Leo. "Just like Lyra did."

The name hit them like a punch.

"Where is she?" Aria whispered.

The woman's smile faded. "Running. Buying you time."

She turned and ran into the trees. "Follow me. Now. Or die here."

Without thinking, Damien grabbed Aria's hand.

Leo climbed onto Damien's back. "I'm ready, Daddy."

And they ran.

Not away from the council.

Toward the silver-haired woman.

Toward answers.

Toward war.

Behind them, the howls of 20 wolves filled the forest.

Ahead of them... the truth.

**THE END OF CHAPTER 20**

**TO BE CONTINUED IN CHAPTER 21: THE REAL ALPHA**