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.

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

wreckage and the chaos, a laugh

the unspoken responsibility even though they hadn’t come looking for me. “I guess I will see

about

me back, a sudden and unexpected

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

kiss everywhere– from the strand of my hair to the tip of my toe, yet something

small voice whispered,

beautiful lips taste like.” A blush rose to my cheeks as he bent down, his

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

you standing there like you have nothing better to do with your legs?” my father’s voice cut through

glare. “I was just about to come find

looked like you were standing there, staring into space like an idiot,” he remarked, his tone as stern

defend myself, “Father, there was an explosion. Am I

silent warning. “Are you talking back to

I wasn’t…

not have time to waste,

some damage control after he came to find me when the bomb went off.” I emphasized the last part, hoping to make my point, but of

you choose to stop standing around like an idiot,

daring to provoke him further.

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

mother’s voice called out as we approached her. She looked

replied, “What happened? Why

her wondering. My mother and I had always had an awkward relationship. She was just a trophy wife that

only loss and emptiness. Never a look that depicted

like my father, I knew she didn’t love

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

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

parking area, my father directed us towards the car. “Amaya, we’ll need to have a talk about

had

bracing myself for what

thoughts of the interrupted wedding, the mysterious explosion, and Ivan’s seemingly calculated exit. I stole glances at my mother, who appeared lost in her

father ushered us into the living room. “Sit down. We need to address

seat, exchanging a glance with my mother. The air in the

I do, Father?” I ventured

are you hurt? Did Ivan ensure your safety or did he

that Daniel Stone was only thinking