Bonds of the Alpha Billionaire (Maya and Alex)

Chapter 123

-Alex'sPOV-

Regret gnawed at me, a bitter aftertaste lingering in my mouth as Adrian's words echoed in my head. I should have paid more attention, should have heeded the not so veiled threat hanging heavy in his final words. Instead, I'd brushed it off, convinced that whatever he had planned, I could handle it.

Money, influence, power I had it all in excess. Surely, I could weather whatever storm he intended to unleash. But for the first time, the weight of my arrogance pressed down on me, a suffocating realization of my own flaw.

The first blow came swift and unexpected. News of werewolves existence was leaked to the world. The truth became public spectacle, splashed across headlines and dissected on every news channel. Panic rippled through the human population, fear morphing into a primal hatred. Bounties were placed on the heads of any werewolf, turning former neighbors into hunters, friends into potential betrayers. We, the creatures of myth and legend, were suddenly the monsters in their stories.

The world descended into chaos. Werewolves, forced out of the shadows, scrambled to protect themselves. Violence erupted, escalating what was once a silent war into an all-out conflict. My focus narrowed, my priorities shifting. The pack, my responsibility, became my sole concern. Keeping them safe, ensuring their survival was now my paramount objective. And her, Amaya, she remained a constant worry in the back of my mind.

For a week, I managed a risky dance. The initial frenzy hadn't reached my city yet, offering a temporary reprieve. From the safety of my heavily guarded mansion, I worked tirelessly at damage control. Businesses were threatened, investments sabotaged. But I had resources, a network of loyal followers who helped me navigate the chaos. I was a general in a silent war, fighting an unseen enemy.

Then, the walls crumbled. The attack was swift, brutal, and undeniably targeted right at me. Somehow with undeniable evidence, my name made headlines revealing to the public that I was one of them. My companies, the restaurants I owned, everything I'd built over the years, began to go up in flames.

The message was clear: I was no longer untouchable.

Fear wasn't a part of the equation. It was a luxury I couldn't afford. Anger, a simmering inferno, fueled my every move. But beneath it all, a cold, calculating logic took hold. This wasn't random, not a spontaneous outburst of violence. This was a calculated attack, methodical and precise. And deep down, in the pit of my gut, I knew who was behind it.

Adrian.

Frustration gnawed at me. Holed up in this cramped safe house, miles away from everything, I was strategizing. This whole situation was a tangled mess, an irritating knot that needed untying. And what made it even more infuriating was Christian's refusal to pick up his damn phone.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, his voice crackled through the receiver. He let out a long, annoyed sigh before drawling, "Look, Alex, you know you and I aren't a thing. Stop blowing up my phone." I glared at the phone, willing him to feel the intensity of my stare. "This isn't the time for jokes, Christian. Why haven't you been taking my calls?"

"Because, like I already said, you and I aren't exactly in a relationship," he replied dryly.

the sound a low

not the end of the world... well, wait, maybe it kind of is if everything's going up in flames.” "Your

again. This time, his voice lacked its usual sarcastic lilt. "Things are bad, Alex. Really bad. Your headquarters in the

voice an icy whisper. "She was at the company when another attack went down," he explained, "Her best friend's husband - I don't

frustration knotting even tighter in my gut.

I can tell. The last sighting reported her walking away

to pay for all of this. I have people working on

rumors that you have blood money and your empires were built on the blood you used the monster in you to kill. I know whatever

1/2

Chapter 123

Public enemy number one.

knot of worry tightening in my stomach threatened to choke me. I couldn't

out of the safe house, I sprinted towards the car, ignoring the protests of the guard stationed outside. The engine

once a familiar landscape of towering buildings and bustling streets, had become a stranger. Smoke billowed from gaping holes in buildings, the acrid smell stinging my nostrils. Debris littered the streets, twisted metal skeletons of cars the remnants of recent attacks. Looters roamed freely, their faces twisted in a mix of fear and greed as they scavenged the

ones I entrusted with Amaya's safety, where were they? The

the office complex from Christian's description became a potential destination. My eyes scanned the sidewalks, searching for a flash of copper hair, a familiar face. Minutes bled into what felt like hours, each passing second a hammer

my chest, a surge of relief battling with the anger still simmering beneath the surface. She was walking, her movements slow and erratic, her head hanging low. My grip tightened on

she wanted to see but I was here and she wasn't

voice a low rumble that didn't reach me, but the effect on Amaya was undeniable. Her head snapped up, a flicker of recognition replacing the daze in her eyes. And then, to my utter annoyance, she ran. Not away from him, but towards him.

Right into Ivan's arms.

nestled in Ivan's arms. Every muscle in my body screamed to act, to tear them apart and reclaim what I

shuddering breath, I forced myself to turn away. Sliding back into the driver's seat, I slammed the car into gear and peeled away from the curb. I didn't know where I was going,

flash across the display. With a growl, I snatched the phone up. "What?" I barked, my voice raw

La La Land," Christian drawled, his usual sardonic tone tempered with a hint