Bonds

Chapter Five

~Maya’s POV~

The voices floated all around me as I stirred back into consciousness. Every bone in my body hurt and I sensed my wolf stirring within, an instinctive response to the chaos around, ready to defend. Swiftly, I pushed her back knowing I needed my human side taking charge in this moment of disarray.

Gentle hands reached out, pulling me from the cloud of confusion. Struggling to stand, I grappled with pain coursing through every bone. Through the fog in my mind, I met Ivan’s concerned gaze.

“Are you okay?” His voice echoed through the haze.

Battling dizziness, I nodded, allowing him to guide me to a nearby chair. “What happened?” I managed to utter.

“An explosion,” Ivan explained, “Someone planted a bomb to stop the wedding.”

“Who would want to stop the wedding?”

My wolf stirred, giving a possible answer to the question but I refused to believe that Alex had anything to do with it.

I had seen it— the look on his face. There was nothing but hate. Alex wouldn’t be interested in stopping me from getting married unless it wasn’t to stop the wedding and this was him showing that he meant the statement against my father,

“Maya, did you just hear me?”

“I’m sorry.. I was just.. Why would someone plant a bomb?”

“That’s not important right now. I think we need to get you to a hospital.”

“No. I’m fine,” Realization dawned on me, glancing around, “My father, my parents, where are they?”

“I saw Daniel and your mother after the explosion,” Ivan reassured me, “He was trying to get her away from harm’s way. They are okay.”

A bitter taste lingered in the air, the realization hitting me hard.

Of course, he didn’t come looking for me.

“I didn’t finish saying my vows. We aren’t married yet,” I uttered, still trying to process everything happening.

his lips, attempting to inject a sliver of humor into the grim scene. “Wow. If I had known it

the chaos, a laugh bubbled up from somewhere deep within

go find my parents,” I murmured, acknowledging the unspoken responsibility even though they hadn’t come looking for me. “I guess I will see

will talk about completing the

I turned to leave but before I could take another step, he pulled me back, a sudden and unexpected force. Without giving me a chance to prepare, his lips

deepen the kiss. His hands wrapped around my waist, pulling me closer and my hands instinctively went to

kiss everywhere– from the strand of my hair to the tip of my

small voice whispered, snapping me back to

smiling down at me, “I didn’t want to leave this hall without knowing what those beautiful lips taste like.” A blush rose to my cheeks as he bent down, his lips brushing against my ear, “You taste

one final smile that I knew without a doubt dropped panties everywhere he

why are you standing there like you have nothing better to do

met with his unmistakable death glare. “I

like an idiot,” he remarked, his tone as

explosion. Am I

silent warning. “Are you talking

I wasn’t… I

do not have time to waste, child. Where is

find me when the bomb went off.” I emphasized the last part, hoping to make my point, but

and if you choose to stop standing around like an idiot, I would like to

to provoke him further. “Yes, Father, let’s

the remnants of the once festive venue, my mind buzzed with a mixture of emotions and questions.

out as we approached her. She looked frazzled but unharmed. Relief somewhat washed over me. “Are you

Mom,” I replied, “What happened?

at her wondering. My mother and I had always had an awkward relationship. She was just a trophy wife that did whatever my father

her eyes, there was only loss and emptiness. Never a look that

my father, I knew she

a forced moment, his tone clipped, “We can discuss that later. Right now, we need to leave.

the chaos,

us towards the car. “Amaya, we’ll need to have a talk about what happened.

had

for what I knew would be a lecture.

the mysterious explosion, and Ivan’s seemingly calculated

living room.

took a seat, exchanging a glance with my mother. The air

I do, Father?” I ventured

you hurt? Did Ivan ensure your safety or did he run like a coward? I need

Daniel Stone was only thinking about himself