Bonds of the Alpha Billionaire (Maya and Alex)

Chapter 102 -Maya's POV-

Blood.

Blood was everywhere. It smeared across the concrete floor, staining my feet, clinging to my skin in a cold, metallic sheen. The metallic tang filled my nose, a sickening counterpoint to the adrenaline that still buzzed in my veins.

Alex had pulled me out, his grip on my arm bruisingly tight. The building shuddered around us, the air thick with dust and the ominous groan of buckling beams. Through the haze, I glimpsed Ivan, his face etched with a mixture of relief and fury. His words tumbled over each other, a frantic explanation of how he'd found Natalia and Sarah. How he had gotten them out.

So many people had died, caught in the crossfire of a war Alex had instigated. And I, consumed by my own emotional turmoil, had barely given them a thought even though I forced myself to believe I did. As soon as Ivan had gotten me clear, Alex had vanished. No surprise there. He was probably back at his mansion, basking in the aftermath of his victory. Whatever he had said was simply a game. I didn't waste any energy on wondering about my father's fate. Daniel Stone, with his bottomless well of self-absorption, wouldn't be caught dead sacrificing himself for anyone but himself.

"Are you okay?" Ivan's voice broke through my spiraling thoughts. I was wrapped in a blanket, the world around me a blur as I shivered

uncontrollably.

"Natalia and Sarah got out before things got too messy," he continued. "Natalia said she tried to find you, and apparently, you vanished the moment you shifted." He said it with a forced lightness, but I could hear the unspoken question hanging in the air.

My wolf After four agonizing years, she was back. Not completely gone, I knew that now, but dormant, a flicker buried deep within me. A small, defiant smile tugged at the corner of my lips. My wolf was back, a part of me I'd feared was lost forever.

"Amaya?" Ivan's voice, laced with concern, yanked me back to the present. I realized I hadn't answered him. "Yes," I stammered, forcing the words past the lump in my throat. "Yes, I'm fine."

He wasn't convinced and I knew what he must be thinking. That would explain the storm brewing in his eyes. I opened my mouth, ready to offer some lame explanation, but he cut me off with a strained smile. "I'm glad you are," he said, his voice tight.

Silence descended upon the room, thick and suffocating. The only sound was the frantic hammering of my heart against my ribs.

“Miranda?” I blurted out suddenly. The question hung in the air, unexpected even to me.

"I saw her leaving just before he gave the order," He replied. "She must have known what he was planning. In her usual Miranda way, she'll be fine."

I nodded, but the weight of his words settled heavily on my chest. He stood up abruptly. "Get some rest," he sighed, his voice clipped. "I need some fresh air."

He turned to leave, but I called out to him, my voice choked with guilt. "I'm sorry."

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Chapter 102

just ran into the middle of that battle. Why? For him? For your father? Because both of them have proven time and again that they don't care about you. I thought we were past this, Amaya, I thought we

deserved it. He was right. While he'd been there for me, picking up the pieces after Alex shattered my heart, I'd run blindly

a hollow echo in the vast emptiness

to show you that I care, that I'm the only one who will ever truly be there for you," He continued, his voice dropping to a low growl. "But at the first sign of trouble, you show me that Alex will always have a place in your heart, a place I can never reach. How am I supposed to compete with a ghost, Amaya? A ghost you keep clinging to even though he threw you away

searing indictment of my actions. Tears welled up in my eyes, blurring my vision. Shame burned in my gut, a white-hot inferno that threatened to

know you're right. I shouldn't have

crossed Ivan's face, momentarily replacing

slightly.

you seeing me. Seeing what I can offer you. A

reached out, his hand hovering hesitantly over mine. I didn't move away, a tiny spark of hope

you to see that," he continued, his

wake. The weight of his words settled heavily upon me, a crushing realization of the depth of my betrayal. I had taken Ivan's love for granted, his unwavering support a constant I had failed

thick with unspoken emotions. I longed to bridge the chasm that had opened between us, to somehow express the remorse churning within me. But the words seemed to get stuck in my throat, choked by

longer, I spoke, my voice

some rest," he interrupted gently, his gaze flickering away from mine. "We can talk about this later. Right now,

the door, his steps heavy with unspoken disappointment. As he reached for the knob, he paused for

back to

"think about what you truly want. Because chasing after something that can never be will only leave

him echoing in the stark silence.

one person who had always been there for me, the one

IVIUNI, 24 JUI

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Chapter 102

I have been so

actions pressed down on me, a new fear began to gnaw at the