Bonds

Chapter 42

-Maya’s POV-

My head snapped towards Ivan, surprise coursing through me. His declaration hung in the air, a bombshell that left the room stunned. A low murmur erupted among the pack members, a mixture of confusion and curiosity.

Petrov, his face contorted in disbelief, sputtered, “What are you talking about, Ivan? You can’t just waltz in and declare yourself Alpha. There are rules, traditions…”

“Traditions? Yes, there are traditions, Petrov. And one of those traditions is respecting the wishes of the Alpha, especially when those wishes are documented and signed.” With a flourish, he reached into his inner jacket pocket and produced a sheaf of papers.

“These,” he declared, holding the papers up, “are the official merger agreements between the Crescent Pack and the SilverCrest Pack, signed by none other than Daniel Stone.”

A collective gasp arose from the assembled wolves. Petrov lunged forward, his eyes wide with a mixture of disbelief and dawning dread. “Let me see those!”

Ivan held the documents just out of reach, a steely glint in his eyes. “Not so fast, Petrov. There’s more.” He flipped through the

pages,

his gaze

fixed on a specific section. “Here it is,” he announced, his voice resonating with quiet authority. “The agreement clearly states that in the event of Daniel’s incapacitation, the Alpha position of the Crescent Pack would be assumed by me, Ivan, until such time as Daniel is able to resume his duties.”

“But…but Daniel never mentioned this,” Petrov stammered.

“Perhaps,” Ivan countered, his tone laced with a hint of amusement, “because he didn’t think it would happen this soon. But as these documents clearly state, the groundwork for this merger has been in progress for quite some time. Daniel simply wanted to ensure the future of both our packs.”

Petrov shook his head, a desperate edge creeping into his voice. “This can’t be right. There must be some mistake. This is all a setup, some elaborate scheme you and Maya cooked up to steal the Alpha position.”

A wave of anger surged through me, but before I could voice my outrage, Ivan cut in, his voice hardening. “Why would she want to steal a position that is already hers?”

me, his eyes flickering with a flicker of guilt that quickly morphed

straws, “these documents could be forgeries. We need to verify their authenticity before we

is important. But fear not. I’ve already taken the liberty

document, this one thinner, and tossed it onto the table in front of Petrov. The room held its breath as Petrov hesitantly

Ivan continued, his voice low and dangerous, “do you still question the legitimacy of these documents?

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Chapter 42

the will of your

seeped out of him, replaced by a dull

me reiterate. As per the official agreements and the wishes of Daniel Stone, the

the room, broken only by the soft rustle

the type to just relinquish his power, no matter what the circumstances. Yes, I had known about the merger – that was the whole reason behind my father’s marriage proposal with Ivan. But the way Ivan had just blindsided me, turning the tide

expression, however, must have remained a mask, for I barely registered the expectant stares that followed his declaration. My mind was

my head, his tone gentle as he addressed me with a smile. “We

back to the present

hint of amusement crept into his eyes. “You’re supposed to acknowledge what I just said, Co–Alpha,” he teased

Merger. All these words swam before my eyes, a dizzying concoction of emotions threatening to boil over. I forced myself to nod, the gesture stiff

a flicker of something else… was it fear? Without another word, I turned on my heel and marched out of the room, leaving behind the stunned silence and Ivan’s surprised

swirling inside me. The car ride was a tense affair, punctuated only by the rhythmic hum of the engine and the occasional rustle of leaves as we drove through the woods.

hold back any longer, he broke the silence,his voice laced with a hint of caution, shattering the suffocating quiet. “You are upset with

It wasn’t a matter of being “upset.” It

heavy with resignation. “Alright,

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21 Jun

Chapter 42

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I intended. “Sorry doesn’t even begin to cover it, Ivan. You