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 get you to admit you want to marry me,

laugh bubbled

parents,” I murmured, acknowledging the unspoken responsibility even though

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 crashed

His hands wrapped around my waist, pulling me closer

the strand of my hair to the tip of my toe, yet something felt

kiss like Alex, a small voice whispered, snapping me

to leave this hall without knowing what those beautiful lips taste like.” A blush rose to my cheeks as

that I knew without a doubt dropped panties everywhere he went, he

like you have nothing better to do with your legs?”

death glare. “I was just about to come

like you were standing there, staring into space like an idiot,”

Am I not allowed to take a moment to

eyes narrowed even more, a silent warning. “Are you

I wasn’t… I was

to

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

and I want to leave, and if you choose to stop standing around like an

daring to provoke him further. “Yes,

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

She looked frazzled but unharmed. Relief

replied, “What happened? Why would someone

an awkward relationship.

her eyes, there was only loss and emptiness. Never

father, I knew she didn’t love

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

the chaos, where emergency personnel were

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

decisions? What had I even

bracing myself for what

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

us into the living room. “Sit

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

I do, Father?” I ventured

hair. “Firstly, are you hurt? Did Ivan ensure your safety or did he run like a coward? I need

was only thinking about himself yet