Bonds of the Alpha Billionaire (Maya and Alex)

Chapter 44

-Alex's POV-

I slumped back in my chair, the weight of the morning's news settling heavily on my shoulders. Miranda, with her usual brand of twisted amusement, had informed me of the merger between Amaya's and Ivan's packs. Individually, each pack hold considerable power, but combined, they were a force to be reckoned with. A grudging part of me acknowledged the strategic brilliance of the move, but the thought of their combined strength sent a jolt of irritation through me.

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What bothered me most was how smoothly things seemed to be progressing between them. My wolf growled in frustration, a primal echo of the anger simmering beneath the surface.

'She doesn't matter anymore, I repeated to myself, a mantra I'd been chanting for weeks now. Amaya had hurt me, betrayed me, and I wouldn't allow myself to be consumed by these lingering feelings. Just then, the soft tap-tap-tap of heels on the hardwood floor broke through my reverie. "Sir?" My head snapped up to meet the concerned gaze of Ruth, my ever-patient personal assistant. "What?" I barked, the harshness of my tone surprising even me. Truth be told, I'd been on edge all morning, and Amaya's name hanging in the air hadn't helped matters.

Why did she have to come back and disrupt everything?

Ruth flinched slightly. She was a master at navigating my moods, but even her calm demeanor seemed to falter under my glare. "I was just reminding you about your appointment at two o'clock, sir," she said softly.

Appointment? My brow furrowed in irritation. What appointment could possibly be important enough to tear me away turmoil brewing within me?

"Appointment with who?" I asked, forcing myself to sound somewhat professional.

"The interior designer, sir," She replied.

from the

The reminder sent another wave of annoyance crashing through me. The whole redesign project felt trivial compared to the sanity struggle brewing in my head.

Couldn't it wait?

"Can't it be rescheduled?" I grumbled, the words tumbling out before I could stop them.

a beat, her brow creasing slightly. "I did check, sir," she said carefully. "But the interior designer said she wouldn't be available any other day this

that the designer, whoever she was, had the audacity to dictate my schedule was infuriating. Yet, a part of me knew she was right. Putting off

hand through my hair. "Fine," I muttered, the anger still clinging to my voice. "Tell her

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smile, a small victory in the face of my obvious frustration. "Of course, sir," she said, her voice regaining its usual calm efficiency.

conversation. The weight of the day, the simmering anger, and the unwelcome resurgence of Amaya in my life, all pressed down on me, leaving me feeling drained and

wave

with the interior designer could wait. Right now, I needed a way to quell

blur of paperwork and forced cheer. Just as I was about to call it a day and drown my frustrations in a stiff drink, my phone buzzed on

shot through me. Today of all days, I was not in the mood for him. With a deep breath, I answered the call. "Christian," I growled, the remnants of my earlier frustration coloring my voice. "Alex," he replied,

premonition of bad news sending

of amusement creeping into his voice. "He's

knocking it over in the process. "What? How is he getting out?" My voice rose an octave, laced with disbelief and

stepping out of jail, Alex. Seems his

sound grating in my ear. "This can't be happening," I snarled. "I thought... I thought we had him locked up for

wanted to let you

Christian," I roared, my frustration boiling over. "I'm not in the mood for

laced with a dangerous edge. "Neither am 1, Alex. I just called to deliver a message, not

spat back, my

I bellowed, every word laced,

you asked me to. Daniel Stone was a thorn at your side. I had him removed for you. He was investigated, his company fell and he went to jail. All of that, I did,"

you can do, Christian," I shot back, fueled by a potent amount of anger, "That's why you are you.

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Chapter 44

you do. You have connections, influence. I will not have him

you suggest I do?" Christian challenged, his voice laced with a dangerous