The night air was cold against Faye's skin as she and Alaric ran, their footsteps echoing through the empty streets. The adrenaline from the escape still coursed through her veins, but the gravity of what had just happened weighed heavily on her. She had revealed everything—the twins, the truth she had been keeping from Alaric, and now there was no turning back.
Alaric was silent as they hurried down the deserted streets, his face a mask of concentration. Nikos, trailing behind, kept an eye on their surroundings, but Faye could see the tension in his body. They were not safe yet, and the revelation about her pregnancy had only made things more dangerous. Meline wouldn't give up now. If anything, this would fuel her even more.
Finally, after what felt like hours of running, Alaric led them into an old, abandoned warehouse tucked away in a forgotten corner of the city. He slammed the door shut behind them, locking it with a series of heavy bolts. The sound of metal scraping against metal echoed in the empty space, sending a shiver down Faye's spine.
Alaric turned to face her, his eyes dark and unreadable. "You're pregnant."
It wasn't a question. It was a statement—one filled with disbelief, anger, and something else Faye couldn't quite place.
She swallowed hard, her heart pounding in her chest. "Yes."
His gaze flicked down to her midsection, as if seeing her in a new light. "And you didn't think to tell me? You were just going to run, carrying my children, without saying a word?"
Faye's breath hitched. She had known this moment would come, but it didn't make it any easier. "I didn't know what to do, Alaric. I didn't know if I could trust you… or if you would even care."
His face twisted in anger, his hands balling into fists at his sides. "You think I wouldn't care? You think I wouldn't want to know about my own children?"
Nikos, sensing the tension rising between them, took a step back, giving them space. He muttered something about securing the perimeter, leaving them alone in the echoing silence of the warehouse.
Faye met Alaric's gaze, her voice trembling. "You were using me, Alaric. You cared about your dead fiancée more than you ever cared about me. I was nothing but a stand-in. How was I supposed to believe you'd want anything to do with these babies?"
Alaric flinched at her words, his jaw tightening. "That's not true."
"Isn't it?" Faye shot back, the frustration and fear bubbling to the surface. "You were obsessed with her. I saw it in your eyes every time you looked at me. I was never Faye to you—I was always a reminder of her. A replacement."
The pain in her voice cut through the air, sharp and raw. Alaric stared at her, his expression unreadable, but there was something in his eyes—a flicker of guilt, maybe, or regret. For a long moment, he said nothing, the silence stretching between them like a chasm.
Finally, he spoke, his voice low and rough. "Maybe you were right. Maybe I did see her in you at first. But that's not what this is anymore."
Faye's heart skipped a beat. She wanted to believe him—wanted to believe that he saw her for who she was, not for the shadow of a woman who no longer existed. But could she trust him? Could she trust herself?
Alaric took a step closer, his voice softening. "I was wrong, Faye. I know that now. But you have to understand—I'm not that man anymore. Losing her… it broke something in me. But you, you did something I never expected. You made me feel again. And now, knowing that you're carrying our children…"
His words trailed off, but the emotion in his voice was undeniable. Faye's heart ached at the vulnerability he was showing, the cracks in his armor that she had never seen before.
She took a deep breath, trying to steady herself. "Alaric, I don't know if I can trust you. Not after everything."
"I know," he said quietly. "But I'm asking you to try. For them, if not for me."
Faye's hand instinctively went to her stomach, the weight of his words sinking in. The twins. She hadn't been just running from Alaric—she had been running from the fear of what this meant for her, for them. But now, standing here, facing him, she couldn't run anymore.
Before she could respond, the door to the warehouse creaked open, and Nikos rushed back in, his face grim. "We've got a problem."
Alaric's eyes snapped to him. "What is it?"
Nikos's voice was tight with urgency. "Meline's men have found us. They're closing in on the warehouse. We don't have much time."
Faye's blood ran cold. She had known they weren't safe, but the reality of it was hitting her like a freight train. They were trapped. And this time, there was no easy escape.
Alaric's expression hardened, the softness from moments before vanishing as his mind shifted into survival mode. He turned to Faye, his gaze fierce. "Stay close to me. No matter what happens, I'm going to get you out of here."
Faye nodded, her throat tight with fear. She had no choice but to trust him now. Their lives—and the lives of her unborn children—depended on it.
Nikos was already moving, securing the exits and checking his weapons. "We've got a small window," he said, glancing at Alaric. "If we move fast, we might be able to slip out before they surround the building."
Alaric nodded, his hand on Faye's arm, guiding her toward the back of the warehouse. "Let's go."
As they moved, the tension in the air was palpable. Every second felt like an eternity, the weight of what was about to happen pressing down on them. Faye's heart pounded in her chest as they reached a hidden door at the back of the building.
But just as Nikos opened the door, a sharp, cold voice echoed from the shadows.
"Going somewhere?"
Faye froze. Her heart sank as Meline stepped into the light, flanked by two armed men, her smile cold and triumphant.
"I told you, Faye," Meline purred. "You can't run from me."
Alaric stepped in front of Faye, his body tense, his gun aimed at Meline. "Let her go, Meline. This is between you and me."
Meline's smile widened. "Oh, I don't think so. You see, Alaric, you took something from me. Something I can never get back. And now, I'm going to take something from you."
Faye's blood ran cold as Meline's gaze flicked to her stomach.
"No," Alaric growled, stepping closer, his gun trained on Meline's heart. "You're not touching her."
Meline laughed softly, her eyes gleaming with malice. "We'll see about that."
And then, all hell broke loose.