Bonds

Chapter 65

-Alex’s POV-

Adrian sauntered into the private ro with an air of misplaced confidence. He pulled out a chair with a flourish, completely ignoring the tension crackling in the air, and poured himself a generous amount of amber liquid from the bottle on the table.

As he took a swig, I watched him. He wasn’t the Adrian I knew. The prison visitation has made it clear but seeing him out here only confirmed it. The easygoing goofball who’d been my best friend since college had vanished, replaced by this… stranger. His eyes, once full of warmth and mischief, now held a cold, calculating glint

“Well, well,” he drawled, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. “Let’s not let my little arrival disrupt the party. We’ll go on. The three of us used to be friends after all.” He emphasized the last word with a sneer that sent a fresh wave of anger coursing through me.

Christian, ever the picture of stoicism, simply leaned back in his chair, the familiar bored expression back in place. “Adrian,” he began, his voice dry and devoid of warmth, “we know you’re worked up about being in jail, but stalking us all the way to Italy? That’s a bit much, even

for you.”

Adrian scoffed, a harsh, grating sound. “Worked up? You locked me up for four damn years, Alex, and you helped him do it!”

Afrian’s eyes flashed with anger as he narrowed Christian with a glare, “Worked up? He threw me in jail and you helped him.”

“And the reason you followed us all the way to Italy is because?” I countered, my voice as dry and emotionless as Christian’s.

His eyes, those cold, calculating eyes, narrowed in on me. “I’ve been quite busy since I got out, Alex,” he drawled, taking another leisurely sip of his drink. “You know, catching up with old friends. And wouldn’t you know it, I ran into someone quite familiar. Amaya.”

The name hit me like a physical blow. My wolf surged within me, a primal growl threatening to erupt from my throat. Every fiber of my being screamed at me to attack, to rip into him for daring to speak her name. But with a huge amount of effort, I forced myself to remain still.

his lips, as he took another sip of his drink. It was obvious he was baiting me, trying to get a reaction, to crack the facade I’d

wanted a fight, a confrontation, but I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction. No matter how much his words twisted the knife in

breathing, slow and measured, trying to calm the raging storm within. The silence stretched, thick and suffocating, Christian watched the exchange with a hawk–like intensity, his hand hovering near his phone, no doubt ready to call for security if things got out

hand.

remaining liquid in his glass, his irritation growing as he realized he wasn’t getting the reaction he desired. The silence between us was palpable, heavy with tension, as

a kind,” he continued, her name rolling off his tongue like a taunt. He drew out the syllables, making it sound like a cruel

my anger in check. I could feel its power coursing through my veins, urging me to lash out, to defend my territory. But I didn’t respond, didn’t give him the satisfaction of seeing me riled up, I kept my expression neutral, my

90%

Chapter 65

a smirk spread across his face. “I see you’re still hung up in her. Stalking the person who she wants to be with. A man close

as I

one wrong move could send me over the precipice. “Shut up, Adrian,” he said, his voice low and even,

here needs to face reality. He’s still stuck in the past, pining for

I growled, my voice low and menacing, a warning

and Adrian just kept going, his words like a steady drumbeat. “Amaya, Amaya, Amaya. You

raw fury that exploded within

my emotions

a heartbeat, the fragile control I held shattered. My wolf surged forward, a primal force seizing the reins. My vision dimmed

Adrian, the next I was a blur of motion. I was across the table in a heartbeat, slamming into him with the force of a battering ram. The air whooshed out of his lungs as the

floor with a grunt, his carefully constructed facade crumbling. His eyes widened in surprise, momentarily unguarded before a flicker of something dark ignited within them. A twisted smile stretched across his face, a chilling contrast to the fear that

for his throat. My claws sank into his flesh, and a hot spray

done yet. He struggled against my hold. Despite the pain, a manic laugh escaped his lips. “Finally decided to show your true colors?” he rasped, his