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.

into the grim scene. “Wow. If I had known it would take an explosion to get you to admit you want to marry me, then I would have

the wreckage and the chaos, a laugh bubbled up from somewhere deep within

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

will talk about completing the wedding

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

opportunity to deepen the kiss. His hands wrapped around

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

doesn’t kiss like Alex, a small

beautiful lips taste like.” A

doubt dropped panties everywhere he went, he turned around, leaving

nothing better to do with your legs?” my father’s voice cut through the post-explosion

his unmistakable death glare. “I was just about

into space like an idiot,” he remarked, his tone as stern

attempting to defend myself, “Father, there was an explosion. Am I not allowed to take a moment to collect

silent warning. “Are you talking

wasn’t… I

time to waste, child. Where

me when the bomb went off.” I emphasized

you choose to stop standing around like an idiot, I would like to get moving,”

daring to provoke

through the remnants of the once festive venue, my mind buzzed with a mixture of emotions and questions. The shock of the explosion still echoed in my ears, making it hard to focus on

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

fine, Mom,” I replied, “What happened? Why would someone do

an awkward

I stared into her eyes, there was only

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

outside, away from the chaos, where emergency personnel

area, my father directed us towards the car. “Amaya,

What had I even

what I knew would be a

back home was uncomfortably silent. My mind raced with thoughts of the interrupted wedding, the mysterious explosion,

ushered us into the living room. “Sit

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

I do,

you hurt? Did Ivan ensure your safety or did

Stone was only