Bonds

Chapter 10

My world narrowed to the unwelcome sight of Alex’s cold state and Miranda’s glittering eyes, their silhouettes framed by the warm glow of the restaurant. “Fancy seeing you here,” Miranda purred, sashaying towards our table with an air of malicious triumph. I blinked, the blood in my veins. suddenly icy. Of all the restaurants in the city, they had to choose this onb7

Ivan felt the shift in the atmosphere, his gaze following mine. His frown mirrored my own, a deep furrow creasing his forehead, “Miranda,” he acknowledged curtly, his voice clipped. I wasn’t sure who he disliked, his sister or Alex.

Miranda, oblivious to the tension she’d created, breezed closer, her voice dripping with sweetness. “Amaya, how lovely to finally meet you! The wedding chaos and pre–dinner frenzy kept us from properly connecting” She extended a manicured hand towards me, eyes glinting with a veiled challenge. “Miranda McCall, Ivan’s charming little sister, And this,” she announced with a theatrical flourish, “is Alex, my fiancé but I am sure you need no introduction.” The way she drew out “fiance” felt like a deliberate barb which was weird because she couldn’t possibly know about my marriage to him.

My father had made sure to bury every connection we ever had, so I was but a shadow in Alex’s life.

A once before.

I forced a smile, plastering it onto my face like a poorly–fitting mask. Straightening my spine, I met her gaze with a chin held high. “It’s lovely to meet you both,” I said, my voice calm despite the storm raging within. “Why don’t you join us?”

My invitation hung in the air, heavy with unspoken tension. Alex remained silent, his unreadable eyes fixed on me. Ivan frowned, a furrow creasing his brow, but stayed quiet.

Miranda’s smile widened, a predatory gleam flashing in her eyes. “Oh, wouldn’t want to intrude on your cozy little date night,” she drawled, dragging out the last word with exaggerated emphasis. “Besides, Alex and I would have made reservations elsewhere if we had known.”

The lie was transparent but none of us said anything

“Nonsense,” Ivan countered finally speaking, his voice low and firm. “There’s plenty of space. Pull up a chair.”

Alex stepped forward, his face unreadable, an impassive mask, “We will go somewhere else,” he said, his voice a rough scrape.

I met his gaze, a silent challenge sparking between us. The past, with its tangled threads of love and betrayal, hung heavy in the air. But this wasn’t then. This was now, and I was no longer the fragile girl he’d left behind.

“It’s fine,” I said, my voice steady despite the tremor in my heart. “The more the merrier, right?”

of annoyance. She shot

Amaya,” Miranda chirped, her voice dripping with feigned sweetness after they settled in. “Tell me all about what you think of married life. Must be quite different from

her the satisfaction of whatever she was fishing

replied, keeping my voice neutral. “But

a silent

didn’t

that, flowed like molasses. Miranda peppered me with thinly veiled insults, each one met with a calm,

problem was. We had never met before this but I knew everything she was doing was to bait me, it wouldn’t work. My wolf stirred feeling Alex’s presence

Chapter 10

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thought that brought a smile to

table in a silent gesture of support. The touch was electric, sending a jolt of nervous energy through me yet I wondered still

he saying anything?

I couldn’t bear the suffocating atmosphere any longer. “Excuse me,” I announced, pushing

on mine. “I’ll come with you,”

interjected, her voice sharp with suspicion. “I’m sure Amaya can handle a little stroll on her own. Don’t want

“I’ll be back in a moment,” I said, forcing a smile. “I

the table, I stepped out into the cool night air. The star–strewn sky felt like a balm on my soul, the crisp

venom

deep breath, I closed my eyes, letting

end, I realized. This was just the beginning of something I didn’t quite understand,

was, i didn’t want to be part of it. The suffocating tension inside, coupled with the unexpected encounter with

jewel box, momentarily distracting me from the turmoil

Because silhouetted

down, refusing to let him dictate my rhythm. His back was to me, but the

my voice barely a

subtly. “The same thing you are doing,”

a winter wind. It was the same tone he’d used four years ago, the day he walked away, leaving me a shattered shell of the woman I once was. Now, it filled

bared at the mating mark burning on