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?”

hesitated, his bluster fading further. He darted a nervous glance towards me, his eyes flickering with a flicker of guilt that quickly

“these documents could be forgeries.

not. I’ve already taken the liberty of having these documents verified by a third party, a completely neutral source outside both our

front of Petrov. The room held its breath as Petrov hesitantly picked it up

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

쫛.61%心:

Chapter 42

the

chair, defeated. The fight had seeped out

his gaze across the room, taking in the stunned faces of the pack members. “Then,“” he boomed, his voice filling the room, “let me reiterate. As per the official agreements and the wishes of Daniel Stone, the Crescent Pack and the SilverCrest Pack are now merged into one. And as the designated leader of the SilverCrest Pack, I,

upon the room, broken only by

My father seemed like 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 of

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

finally cut through the fog in my head, his

back

hint of amusement crept into his eyes. “You’re supposed to acknowledge what I just

Co–Alpha. 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 and mechanical. “Yes,” I managed, “Ivan and I will lead the pack together. We

felt hollow on my tongue. My stomach churned with a cocktail of confusion, betrayal, and 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

chaos 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. Every fiber of my

voice laced with

silent, refusing to acknowledge his question. It wasn’t a matter of being “upset.”

let out a sigh, the sound heavy with resignation. “Alright, I understand. I’m sorry,

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Chapter 42

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my voice sharper than I intended. “Sorry doesn’t even begin to cover it, Ivan. You completely blindsided me in