Bonds of the Alpha Billionaire (Maya and Alex)

Chapter Izo

-Maya's POV-

My head felt like a hollow shell, devoid of any thoughts or memories. The very concept of death, something I'd always pushed to the back of my mind, was now a terrifying reality I couldn't escape.

Would it be like this?

My soul leaving my body, a helpless observer as my physical form grew cold and lifeless?

The inside of my skull was a vast emptiness, yet a searing pain pulsed through my body, so intense it threatened to consume me whole.

Was this it?

Was this what death felt like?

Had I finally received the answer to a question I hadn't dared to ask myself before?

Then, a noxious stench, sharp and acrid, invaded my senses, snapping me back to a semblance of awareness. It filled the void in my mind, forcing reality back into focus. The hospital. The drive to the airport. The sickening crunch of metal as our car collided with another. The concrete wall looming impossibly close... and then, darkness.

My eyes flew open, a scream tearing from my throat. "Ivy! Nate!

Panic surged through me as I tried to sit up, but my body wouldn't obey. I was strapped tightly to a rickety wooden chair, my arms and legs secured with rough rope that bit into my skin. Fear, cold and primal, clawed at my throat.

Where was I?

What was happening?

I renewed my struggles, desperate to break free. But with each strained movement, a wave of weakness washed over me. My breath hitched in my throat, and I screamed again, my voice hoarse and raw. "Ivy! Nate! Someone please! Who's there? Where are my children? Let me go!"

My surroundings slowly came into focus, the source of the putrid smell becoming horrifyingly clear. I was in a cramped, dimly lit room, the air thick with the stench of sewage and decay. Rough, damp stone formed the walls, and the floor was slick with a layer of grime. A single, flickering bulb cast an eerie orange glow, illuminating the scene like a forgotten nightmare.

across them, their movements jerky and unsettling. Exposed pipes snaked along the walls, dripping

in the walls, some dangling ominously empty, others bearing the weight of heavy shackles. The

clawed at my throat, constricting my airways. My mind raced, desperate for answers. Where was I? Who had taken me? Most importantly, where were the twins? The thought of them alone, lost and frightened, sent a fresh wave of terror

with my wolf to get out of here, I reached out with my mind. But the familiar presence was numb. She was there,

walls, a pathetic sound swallowed by the oppressive

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Chapter 128

the dripping water and

me jump. "Will you please shut up?

+5

and I saw Adrian standing in the shadows, his face contorted in a

me paralyzed. "You fucking bastard! Let me go right now! Where are my children? I swear on the Moon Goddess, if you've laid a finger on them, I'll

dismissive wave of his hand. "Stop the shouting. You're

is to get back at Alex,

spread across his face. "Ah, there it is. The good old Alex finally gets a mention. How's my dear old friend

mind. "It was you! You sent the footage! You told them about us! You

you I'd expose Alex to the world. You were too busy chasing after him to see anything else. Seems you lean more towards the 'stupid' side than the 'smart' one." Ignoring his jab, I pressed on, my voice trembling with a mixture of fear

to blackmail. Alex is the one I want to see suffer

me? Where are the twins?" My mind raced, desperately searching for an escape plan, anything to get out of

did to

with a theatrical flourish, "Besides I always give credit where credit is due." "What the hell are you talking about?" I snapped, my voice

a promise of something dark and twisted. He held my gaze for a moment, a long, unsettling moment that stretched on and

spoke. "When I was in prison," he began, his voice low and almost conversational, "those damn guards forced us to read. Hated it at first, of course. But then, I came across this story, this fascinating creature called a mind flayer. What a concept, right? A single powerful being, using its psionic abilities

manic light. I stared back at him, a cold dread creeping into my gut. What

I screamed again, my voice hoarse. "I