Chapter 140 Chapter 140
Chapter 140 Chapter 140
Aliyah’s POV
Twenty million dollars was nothing to Asher. He was freakishly wealthy. He was an Alpha, his family fortune spanned multiple businesses, investments, and assets that most people could only dream of. He had arranged the cash in two large duffel bags without hesitation, his jaw set in grim determination. I knew it wouldn’t dent his empire, but that didn’t ease the terror clawing at my chest. Money wouldn’t guarantee our safety. Tatiana had already proven she was unpredictable and cruel.
We left the house alone, just as she demanded. No security tail, no police escort, nothing that could risk the girls’ lives. The drive was silent and heavy. Asher gripped the steering wheel so tightly his knuckles turned white. I sat beside him, one hand on my belly, whispering silent prayers to the moon goddess to protect Elara, Hope, and the innocent life inside me. Tracy had stayed behind with Cohen and Papa, her eyes hollow from crying all night. The entire family was shattered.
At exactly 8:00 AM, we pulled up to the warehouse. Two armed men emerged immediately, their faces masked, and led us inside without a word. The place smelled of dust and rust, dim light filtering through cracked windows. My heart pounded as they guided us deeper into the building until we reached a large open space. There they were. Elara and Hope sat tied to metal chairs, their small bodies trembling. Elara’s arm looked even more swollen and bruised without the sling, her face pale with pain. Hope had fresh bruises on her cheeks and a cut on her lip. Both girls started crying the moment they saw us.
"Mommy!” Elara whimpered, her voice weak.
“Daddy… it hurts…” I broke free from the men’s grip and rushed forward, dropping to my knees in front of them. Tears streamed down my face as I hugged both girls as tightly as I could without hurting Elara’s arm.
“My babies… Mommy’s here. I’m so sorry. I’m here now.” Hope buried her face in my shoulder, sobbing softly, while Elara clung to me with her good arm, whispering how scared she had been.
I knew deep down this wouldn’t end easily. Tatiana wouldn’t simply hand them over and let us walk away. She had planned this too carefully. This was revenge, pure and vicious. Tatiana stepped out from the shadows, a smug smile on her face. She looked deranged, her eyes wild with satisfaction. “Touching family reunion,” she sneered.
“Now hand over the money.” Asher placed the two heavy duffel bags on the floor and kicked them toward her men. They quickly opened them, confirming the cash before nodding to her. Tatiana’s smile widened as she pulled out a gun from her waistband and pointed it directly at us.
"Beautiful,” she mocked, circling us slowly. “Look at this perfect little family. The rich alpha, his knocked-up mate, and the two precious pups. It’s almost poetic.”
Asher stepped forward, his voice steady but laced with desperation.
“You have the money, Tatiana. Let the girls and Aliyah leave. Take me if you want. Just let them go. They’re innocent.” Tatiana laughed, a harsh, bitter sound that echoed through the warehouse.
"Oh, Asher. Always the hero. But no. I don’t want just money. I want what was stolen from me.” She gestured to her men.
"Take the children away. Put them in the back room.” The men moved instantly. One grabbed Hope while the other reached for Elara. I lunged forward to protect them, trying to shield Elara’s injured arm.
"Don’t touch them! Leave my daughter alone!” A hard shove sent me stumbling backward. I crashed against a metal beam, pain exploding in my lower abdomen. I gasped, doubling over as a warm, sticky wetness seeped between my legs. Blood. It trickled down my thighs, staining my pants. The sharp cramp that followed made me cry out weakly. I was bleeding. I was possibly losing the baby. My vision blurred from the pain and fear as I sank to the floor, too weak to stand.
"Aliyah!” Asher shouted, moving toward me, but one of the men held him back.
Tatiana watched with cruel delight. “Perfect. Now you get to watch, Aliyah. Watch while I take what should have been mine all along.” She nodded to her men, who forced Asher roughly to the floor, pinning his arms behind his back. One of them unbuckled Asher’s pants, yanking them down. Tatiana stepped closer, her eyes gleaming with malice as she reached for his exposed cock.
"No!” I screamed, my voice hoarse.
"Stop! Don’t touch him!”
But Tatiana ignored me, her hand hovering inches away. The humiliation and violation of the moment made bile rise in my throat. She wanted me to watch this to break me completely while my daughter and Hope were locked away, while I bled on the cold floor.
In that moment of pure desperation and rage, something primal awakened inside me. The wolf inside me surged forward, raw and powerful. I threw my head back and screamed with every ounce of my strength, the sound transforming into a deep, commanding wolf’s growl that reverberated through the warehouse.
"STOP!” The single word came out layered with my wolf’s voice. It was authoritative, furious, and filled with the power of a mother protecting her family. It echoed off the walls, freezing everyone in place for a split second. Tatiana paused, her hand still outstretched, surprise flashing across her face. Asher’s eyes widened as he looked at me. The men holding him loosened their grip slightly, startled by the unexpected force in my voice.
My body trembled with pain and exhaustion, blood still seeping slowly, but I refused to look away. Elara and Hope were somewhere in the back, crying for us. I was bleeding, possibly miscarrying our second child, and Tatiana was about to violate Asher right in front of me.
I wouldn’t let her win. Not like this.
"Please,” I whispered brokenly, my wolf’s voice still echoing in the air.
“Just let my family go…” But Tatiana’s lips curled into a twisted smile. The standoff hung in the balance, the air thick with tension. My scream had bought us a moment, maybe only seconds, but the danger was far from over.
My heart raced as I prayed silently for strength, for the girls’ safety, and for the tiny life inside me that was fighting to hold on.
The nightmare had escalated into something far worse than I had imagined, and all I could do was hold on with everything I had left.