Bonds of the Alpha Billionaire (Maya and Alex)

Chapter 121

-Maya's POV-

Have you ever gotten to that point in your life where it feels like everything you built, everything you held dear, just crumbled around you, leaving nothing but a pile of smoking ruins? I shouldn't have asked because I know the answer. At some point, everyone has felt that way but I didn't think it would ever get to this point. Except, that's exactly where I stood, tears blurring my vision as I stared at the wreckage before me.

Except, it wasn't just the building or the blood on the concrete. It was... well, everything else. It was everything that had imploded in the aftermath of that stupid, impulsive kiss with Alex. I wouldn't lie and say I didn't know why I did it. Natalia had spelled it out for me an hour ago, calling me a selfish bitch after she told me she didn't ever want to ever see me again.

Nothing, not a single thing, not the rejection, not when my father told me he hated me, had hurt me more than the moment those words left her lips and she turned her back on me. The worst part? I deserved it. Every ounce of her anger, every bit of her hurt, I had earned it all. And it was all because of him.

Here I stood, lost and confused, with no idea where to even begin to pick up the pieces. Maybe, I thought, I should rewind. Go back to that moment before everything spiraled out of control. Go back to the beginning. Right after the kiss.

In that single, stolen moment, all I could think about was how strangely perfect it felt. Our lips were fused, and it was like his whole being was pouring into mine. I never wanted to let go, to disconnect from that feeling. But then, slowly, the reality of the situation started to seep in, and with a jolt, I pushed him away.

We stared at each other, both panting for breath. "Amaya," he whispered, his voice thick with something I couldn't decipher. "I-"

But I didn't want to hear it. I didn't want to hear whatever excuse or apology he was about to offer. So I did what I do best - I ran. I was a master at running away from my problems, a hypocrite through and through. And that's exactly what I did. I ran.

That was the beginning of the end.

I wasn't the horrible person I felt like. But he was still out of reach, his phone going straight to voicemail. Two days later, the first blow landed. Pictures. Pictures of me and Alex, locked in that damning kiss, plastered all over my computer screen. I'd made plenty of mistakes in my life, but as I realized then, pushing whoever was behind the blackmail to the back of my mind had been a colossal error in

destroy everything - my marriage,

the world went into a frenzy. The news broke, splattered across every screen and headline imaginable. It wasn't about me, thank Goddess but it was way worse. It was a video. A video of a man, a stranger, someone I'd never met and would

news broke. She was the only one left who I could turn to. I needed her help, needed a plan to stop this blackmailer before they destroyed

goddamn world knew that werewolves

sorts of names. Riots erupted everywhere. Every unsolved death, every unexplained

Nobody was safe.

father actually spoke to me without spitting fire. He even went so far as to assign some wolves from the pack for my protection and let the twins stay at the house with my mother saying it would be safer for them

heard a peep from him until the biggest bomb of all hit the media. It spread like wildfire - faster than anything I'd ever seen. Every headline

Thorne: The Billionaire

before the riots started. People were swarming his hotels, his restaurants, his company headquarters - setting everything on fire, smashing windows, tearing it all down. And then, like a fool, I went and made the biggest mistake of my entire life. I had to know he was

to go, warned me about the dangers of venturing out with crazed humans rampaging through the city. But I

off and decided to come after me. He was still my best friend afterall. The

shoving me aside and shifting right there to protect me. A gunshot rang out, sharp and sudden. It hit him. Nate. The bullet tore through him, and he crumpled to the ground. I'd never forget the look of pure terror in Natalia's eyes when she arrived at that exact moment just as Nate's body hit the ground. We both scrambled to his side, the

head. "You just don't know when to stop, do you?" she screamed, her voice raw with a

broke, her words a torrent of pain. "Are you happy? You just couldn't leave

of blood crupting from his mouth. Natalia cradled him in her