The Alpha's Secret Legacy

Chapter 9

Harry's Pov

The room didn't feel like a house anymore.

It felt like a battlefield waiting to happen.

Clifford stood in the center like he owned the space, Gemma on the opposite side like she was ready to tear him apart, and the rest of us were stuck somewhere in between—confused, angry, and completely unprepared for whatever this was turning into.

Niall's voice finally broke the silence.

"Say it properly," he demanded, shaking. "What do you mean she ran from you?"

Clifford exhaled slowly.

"She left because she had to."

"That's not an answer," Louis snapped.

Gemma stepped forward, eyes sharp. "You're hiding something."

Clifford's jaw tightened. "And you aren't?"

That landed harder than expected.

Even Gemma paused.

Liam stepped in before it exploded. "Okay—everyone stop. We need facts. Not threats."

Zayn nodded slightly. "For once, Liam's right."

Clifford's gaze flicked to Niall.

"She's not safe where she is," he said quietly.

That sentence hit differently.

Niall took a step forward. "Where is she then?"

Clifford didn't answer immediately.

That pause was worse than anything he could've said.

Gemma's Pov (brief shift)

I could feel it.

Something was moving behind all of this.

Clifford wasn't lying entirely—but he wasn't telling the full truth either.

And that meant one thing.

Christine was already deeper in this than any of them realized.

I crossed my arms. "If you know where she is, say it."

Clifford looked at me for a long second.

Then he said something that made the room freeze again.

"She's with the one thing none of you should've let near her."

Silence.

Niall whispered, "Ross..."

Clifford nodded once.

"And it's not just him."

Harry's Pov

The air turned cold.

Zayn muttered, "That's not human."

Clifford didn't deny it.

Louis looked between all of us. "So what, she's just... gone with some psycho demon boyfriend and we're supposed to sit here?"

"She's not gone," Clifford said sharply. "She's trapped."

That word changed everything.

Niall's breathing got heavier. "Trapped how?"

Clifford finally looked away.

"Engaged."

No one spoke.

Not even Louis.

Then Niall laughed—but it wasn't real. It cracked halfway through.

"Engaged? That's a joke. That's—no, she wouldn't—"

"She didn't choose it," Clifford cut in.

Gemma's eyes narrowed. "A binding?"

Clifford nodded once.

Zayn whispered, "Like magic binding...?"

Clifford's expression darkened. "Worse."

Liam's Pov

I stepped forward slowly.

"Okay," I said carefully. "So we have a missing Alpha, a demon engagement, vampires in our living room, and whatever the hell Gemma is."

Danielle, standing behind me, muttered, "Mermaid," like it was the most normal thing in the world.

I almost laughed.

Almost.

Instead I asked the only thing that mattered.

"What do we do now?"

Clifford looked at all of us.

"For now," he said, "you survive her choice."

That didn't sit right.

"Her choice?" Niall snapped. "You just said she was trapped!"

Clifford's eyes flickered—just for a second.

Then he said something quieter.

"Sometimes being trapped... still looks like walking away."

Harry's Pov

And then—

My phone buzzed.

Once.

Then again.

Unknown number.

I frowned.

"Guys..." I said slowly.

They all turned.

I opened the message.

A voice note.

I pressed play.

Christine's voice.

Weak.

Shaky.

But real.

"Harry... don't look for me... please... I tried to fight it but—"

Static.

A male voice cut in behind hers.

Calm. Controlled.

Dark.

"She's mine now."

The voice note ended.

Silence.

Niall collapsed into the nearest chair.

"No," he whispered. "No, no, no—"

Gemma's face turned pale for the first time.

Clifford closed his eyes.

And when he opened them again—

He said one sentence that made everything worse.

"He's starting the ceremony early."