Bonds of the Alpha Billionaire (Maya and Alex)

Chapter 124

-Maya's POV-

Time bled together. How long had I sat there, a statue carved from regret, the accusations echoing in my ears? Long enough for the world to dim, the last embers of the burning buildings painting the sky a bloody red. Long enough for the initial shock to morph into a dull ache that throbbed with the guilt of a thousand sins.

If I were a character in a book, everyone would hate me. And they'd be right. What was wrong with me? Truly, what was the flaw in my core that made me such a destroyer of everything I touched? With a monumental effort, I dragged myself out of the haze. My legs protested with each step. The twins. I needed to see them, to hold them close, they were all I had left. Natalia hated me, Nate was, I didn't allow myself complete the thought. Ivan was nowhere to be found and Alex?

The world around me blurred, the screams and shouts muted by the deafening roar of my own misery. My walk was a daze, fueled by a primal instinct to reach my children. Streets that were once familiar became unrecognizable, the chaos a constant thrumming under my skin. Then, a flicker of movement in the distance caught my eye. A tall figure emerged from the shadows, solidifying into Ivan.

He called my name, a single word that pierced through the fog clouding my mind. For a heart-stopping moment, everything froze. The weight of everything – Nate, Natalia's fury, the city burning came crashing down on me, a physical force that knocked the breath from my lungs.

And then, I was running. Running towards him, towards the only semblance of comfort I could find in this maelstrom of destruction. Tears, scalding and hot, streamed down my face as I collided with him, burying my face in his chest. A sob tore through me, a raw expression of the guilt and pain that threatened to consume me whole,

He didn't try to stop me. He didn't utter a single word of condemnation or comfort. He simply held me close, a silent anchor in the storm, as I let the tears flow freely, cleansing my soul or at least attempting to. We clung to each other for a long, silent moment. The world continued to erupt around us, the distant screams and flickering fires a constant reminder of the chaos that had become my life. Finally, Ivan spoke, his voice a low murmur close to my ear.

"Let's get you home," he whispered, his

Birds laced

Wik

a quiet concern that sent a fresh wave of tears prickling at my eyes.

Home. The word felt foreign on my tongue, a concept that seemed to have vanished amidst the wreckage of my world. A million questions swirled in my head, a storm of confusion threatening to pull

me und

Where had he been?

he disappeared when

What happened between us?

was going to happen to the world? But the words wouldn't form. All I could manage was a croaked, one-s e-syllable response. "No," I rasped, my voice thick

in confusion. "You don't want

a jolt of pain through my throbbing skull. "The twins. I need to see them. My parents' house. I... I

understood his surprise. I honestly still didn't understand why my father address to take in the

conceded, his voice calm and steady. He guided me towards his car, a ghost of myself shuffling along beside

pressing down on the confined space. My gaze drifted out the window, taking in the apocalyptic scenes we passed. Once-familiar buildings

in the throes of my own despair, I knew going to the hospital would be foolish. Natalia's anger was a terrifying force, a side of her I'd only witnessed once before, and the memory still

but a heavy one, thick with unspoken words and unanswered questions. Ivan broke it eventually, his voice a

I left," he said, the words heavy with regret. He looked drained, the lines on his face etched

words

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Chapter 124

immediately. For a moment, his words hung in the air, a puzzle with missing pieces. There had been nothing wrong between us, or so I thought. Sure, Alex had been

So just why?

finally

"Honestly, there's no excuse for what I did. There's nothing I can say to justify it." He fell silent for a long moment, his gaze fixed on the road ahead. Then, he

Miranda and I take a trip together, just to... to be somewhere quiet. To remember them. I know Miranda can be a pain, but that trip, it's the one time we both just come together. And then, when all this chaos started with the werewolves being exposed, I just... I wanted to come back right away. But I don't know, Amaya, I was scared. Scared of everything. I knew I should have told you, but the thought of coming back and facing you... after everything... I just... I

me, each sentence a blow that left me reeling. A part of me wanted to force myself to understand, to accept his explanation. But the