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 would take an explosion to

laugh bubbled up from somewhere

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

about completing the wedding

could take another step, he pulled me back, a sudden and unexpected force. Without giving me a chance to prepare, his lips crashed

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

from the strand of my hair to the tip of my toe, yet

small voice whispered, snapping me

beautiful lips taste like.” A blush rose to my cheeks

one final smile that I knew without a doubt dropped panties everywhere he went, he turned around, leaving me standing

are you standing there like you have nothing better to do with your legs?” my

met with his unmistakable death glare. “I

like an idiot,” he

explosion. Am I not allowed

a silent warning. “Are you talking back to

I wasn’t…

not have time to waste, child. Where is

probably to do some damage control after he came to find me when the bomb went off.” I emphasized the last part, hoping to make

if you choose to stop standing around like an idiot,

hurriedly nodded, not daring to provoke him further. “Yes, Father, let’s

mind buzzed with a mixture of emotions and questions. The shock of the explosion still echoed in my

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

replied, “What happened? Why would

always had an awkward relationship. She was just a trophy wife that

her eyes, there was only loss and emptiness.

my father, I knew she didn’t love

discuss that later. Right

us outside, away from the chaos, where emergency personnel were already

the car. “Amaya, we’ll need to have a

decisions? What had

for what I knew

was uncomfortably silent. My mind raced with thoughts of the interrupted wedding, the mysterious explosion, and Ivan’s seemingly calculated exit. I stole glances at my mother, who

ushered us into the living room.

a glance with my mother. The air in the room was thick

do, Father?” I ventured

running a hand through his graying hair. “Firstly, are you hurt? Did Ivan ensure your safety or did he run

Stone was only thinking