Bonds of the Alpha Billionaire (Maya and Alex)

Chapter 122

-Alex'sPOV-

-Two weeks earlier-

I watched her bolt, the door slamming shut with a finality that echoed the hollowness blooming in my chest. A million things buzzed in my head, a swarm of words begging to be released, explanations I desperately wanted her to hear. But they all died on my tongue, choked by the tangled mess of emotions churning in my gut.

Regret. Confusion. A yearning so deep it felt like a physical ache, a phantom limb I couldn't quite grasp. The taste of the kiss lingered on my lips, a forbidden fruit that had left me both wanting and hollow. It was a glimpse into a world I once had but I had thrown away, a connection as thrilling as it was terrifying.

Frustration clawed at me as I ran a hand through my hair, the strands catching on the growing knots of tension at the base of my scalp. What the hell was I doing? This whole thing felt like a twisted game, a dance on the edge of a knife. One wrong move, and I could lose everything.

Pushing myself away from the door, I took a shaky breath. There was no point in dwelling on what could have been. I needed a plan, a way to deal with whatever chaos was going on in my head before it spiraled further out of control. But every thought, every strategy, kept circling back to her. With a heavy heart, I turned and headed out, the weight of the city pressing down on me. The familiar roar of the engine as I pulled out of the parking lot did little to soothe the storm raging inside. My mansion loomed ahead, a stark monument to a life that suddenly felt empty and meaningless.

Stepping inside, the silence was deafening. The plush sofas and gleaming surfaces mocked me with their sterile perfection. This wasn't a home, it was a trophy case, a collection of achievements that now felt hollow.

I sank onto the couch, the leather cool against my skin. Suddenly, a voice sliced through the stillness, sharp and unexpected.

"Did someone have a bad day at work?"

My head snapped up immediately, my wolf standing in alert, ready to pounce as my eyes narrowed at the person sitting cross legged in my living. room. I'd been so lost in my thoughts, I hadn't even noticed him..

"Adrian." My voice came out a low growl, suspicion lacing every syllable. Ju

A slow smile spread across his face. "Seems like you forgot about me, Alex."

"What are you doing here?" The question came out laced with irritation, a thin veil for the underlying shock and confusion I felt.

He simply grinned, pushing himself effortlessly to his feet and strolling towards a corner of the room. The mansion was practically a maze, with a damn bar stashed in almost every corner and he knew every one of them. He stopped by one, a familiar glint in his eyes. Adrian used to be my best friend, a bond forged and solidified by years of shared experiences.

Now, a bitter truth sat heavy in my stomach. The realization of Adrian's innocence had been a slow, painful process, one that chipped away at the walls I'd built around my heart. A sigh escaped my lips, heavy with regret. I I owed him an apology. More than that, I owed him a reckoning. Years of selfishness had blinded me, leaving me unable to see the truth staring me in the face.

Adrian's back was to me as he poured himself a drink, the clinking of ice cubes against glass echoing in the silence,

in a

words tasted like ash on my tongue. He turned, glass halfway

apology felt hollow, a meager offering compared to the

amusement danced across his features before dissolving into a humorless laugh. "Sorry? Just like that? Do you think four years in jail can be

your damn right-hand man! And you couldn't even trust me enough to believe I wouldn't

rapology? It's worthless

Alex. It will never be

be

trust and loyalty. But

that didn't change

us, thick and suffocating.

excuses. My father's cruelty had damaged

what brings you

cold and

Adrian when I visited him in prison returned. His eyes, once filled with warmth, were now calculating. He raised his glass in a sardonic toast. "Well, Alex," he said, a

future where our bond lay shattered, a casualty

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Chapter 122

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with him. The air crackled with tension, thick enough to choke on. Throwing him out was an option, a flicker of a thought that died as quickly as it arose. I'd wronged him enough

How fragile friendship could be, how easily it could shatter into a million pieces. One minute you're practically brothers, sharing secrets and laughter. The next, you're strangers,

bad habit. Now, looking at Adrian, I saw a reflection of my own mistakes,

a jolt

leaving anytime soon?" I finally broke the silence, my voice raspy. "Honestly, I have

the question itself was an insult. "I'll leave when I damn well please,"

of the mansion. Pushing myself to my feet, I muttered, "Fine. Do as you wish." Truthfully, what was the worst that could happen? He'd steal a TV or some fancy gadget? Money was no object, I could replace it in a heartbeat. Exhaustion gnawed at me, a desperate plea for sleep. I

"How's Amaya?"

low growl rumbling deep in my throat. Of

had to bring

turned back to face him. "Your vendetta is with me, Adrian. Why do