Bonds

Chapter 50

-Maya’s POV-

The air crackled with a tense silence after my father’s words. Blinking rapidly, I struggled to process the accusation hanging heavy between us. “That’s what you want to talk about?” I finally managed.

My mother, sensing the impending storm, had already excused herself, leaving me alone with the man who seemed determined to make this reunion as uncomfortable as possible. His gaze narrowed, boring into me as if he was searching for some hidden motive.

“I asked you a question, Amaya,” he repeated, his voice firm and laced with an undercurrent of anger. “One that requires an answer.”

What was wrong with this man? Seriously. Frustration bubbled up within me, threatening to spill over into a full–blown explosion. Taking a deep breath, I forced myself to push down the rising anger. “You were in jail,” I stated, enunciating each word carefully. “The pack was in disarray. Petrov was aiming for the Alpha position, making threats, creating chaos. I had to do something.”

“And what exactly did you do?” he countered, his tone dripping with sarcasm. “Declare yourself co–Alpha? Who gave you the right to do so?”

“Besides,” I continued, ignoring his derision, “Ivan said you already signed off on the merger.”

His eyes widened momentarily, a flicker of surprise betraying his carefully constructed mask of fury. Then, just as quickly, the surprise morphed into something far more dangerous – a cold, calculating anger. “I signed off on the merger,” he began, his voice low and menacing, “with me as the leader. As the sole Alpha of the Crescent Pack. Who, he leaned forward, his voice dropping to a barely audible growl, “told you it was anything different?”

1 recoiled under his fierce gaze, a wave of incredulity washing over me. With everything that had happened, with the pack teetering on the brink of collapse, the thing that bothered him most was the fact that I had declared myself co–Alpha?

Did he honestly despise me that much?

The anger I had fought so hard to suppress threatened to boil over. Taking another deep breath, I forced myself to remain calm. There was no point in getting into a shouting match with this man. “I apologize, Father,” I managed to say, my voice tight with controlled emotion. “If that’s how you feel about it, I will happily step down. No problem at all.

And don’t even entertain the thought of attempting

hand, the gesture a clear indication that our conversation was over. I stood there for a moment, my teeth grinding together in frustration. Did he ever even try to love me? The image of his dismissive hand flashed before my eyes, and the anger

jail, facing Petrov’s relentless attacks, holding this crumbling pack together. And the first thing you

morphing into a fury that mirrored my own. “What did

Fri, 21

Chapter 50

head–on. “I got arrested because they thought I was involved in money laundering. Money laundering that you were being investigated for. You didn’t even care to tell me if the accusations were true, not a single word! And the fact that I went to

spat back, his nostrils flaring in anger. “You dare call me evil,

voice rising a notch with every word. “Petrov was circling like a vulture, waiting to snatch the Alpha position. The pack was on the verge of

who,” he thundered,

lips. “Apparently,” I said, my voice dripping with sarcasm, “no one! Because according to you, the only one fit to lead this pack is you. The one who doesn’t even bother to consider his own daughter when facing accusations, the one who can’t even be bothered with a three–second phone call to check on her after he gets

“You call that a jail? You were barely there

with raw emotion. “While you sat comfortably in your cell, I faced Petrov’s relentless attacks. And the first thing you do when you get out is throw a tantrum

tears stinging my eyes. “How dare there and blame me when I was only trying to

you sit

and suffocating. His face remained a mask of cold fury, devoid of any flicker of remorse or understanding. That was it. This wasn’t anger anymore. This was a deep, soul–crushing pain

yes, Father,” I choked out, the words thick with tears, “I wish you would have rotted in

out, wrapping itself around my throat in a vice–like grip. The air left my lungs in a whoosh, my vision blurring

my face tightening his grip. Panic surged through me, but before I could react,

in and out of focus as I saw Ivan appear in a blur of movement. With a force that seemed impossible, he slammed into my father,

I gasped for air, my lungs burning. Ivan scooped me into his arms, his

face etched with

towards Ivan’s car, a numb silence enveloping us. As soon as the car door slammed shut behind me, the dam broke. Tears streamed down my face, hot and