Bonds

Chapter 77

-Maya’s POV-

I had let myself slip into normalcy. No other text had followed so I pushed it to one corner as Natalia suggested. I tried as painful as it was to move on from the fact that my father hated me. I let the images slide away from my king. I didn’t do it so if Alex was a fodi for believing it then so be it. Things were good with Ivan. I buried myself in work focusing on heading the project. It wasn’t easy but avoiding him became a special talent.

That fragile peace had shattered in a matter of seconds. My father had bombed Alex’s pack house, essentially declaring war. It had been

downhill ever since.

I watched anxiously as Ivan paced back and forth, phone pressed firmly to his ear. He kept running a hand through his hair, frustration etched on his face. He’d confronted my father, but all he had received in return was a shrug and a dismissal. Things were not good. Not good at all.

The different packs had coexisted peacefully amongst humans for years. Sure, there was an underlying rivalry simmering between Alex and my father, but it had never escalated to full–blown war. Not since I was born, at least. This was bad. Very bad. Humans would inevitably get caught in the crossfire, and the chances of their secret being exposed were higher than ever.

Ivan finally ended the call, and I rushed to his side. “What happened?” I asked, concern lacing my voice.

He’d been tirelessly trying to manage the fallout. The war wasn’t something he wanted, especially considering the way my father had strong armed things with the merger. This meant Ivan was dragged into the mess, whether he liked it or not.

He let out a heavy sigh. “No one’s seen Alex since the bombing, and there have already been attacks. Two wolves are dead.”

Like I said, this was not good.

“What do we do?” I pressed, “We can’t risk the entire world finding out. If this continues, it won’t be stopped. People would not understand. They will hunt us. See us as monsters.

“Okay, okay,” Ivan soothed, his voice a gentle counterpoint to the storm brewing inside me. “Let’s take a deep breath, We can handle this.”

“Humans won’t find out,” He continued, his voice firm yet reassuring. “These things happen under the radar. We’ve been living amongst them for centuries, haven’t we?”

His logic was sound, but logic did little to quell the rising panic. Images of news reports, panicked crowds, and government conspiracies flashed through my mind.

voice trailed off, the question hanging heavy in

Ivan cut me off gently. “We need to focus on stopping this before it gets any worse. And the only way to

hammered against my ribs. “Alex? But… nobody’s seen him since

that surprised

he’d already tried reaching out to Miranda, but in her usual

Chapter 77

I

go together,” I blurted out, the words tumbling

is between Alex and me.

warmth battling with the frustration bubbling inside. “Safe? How can you say that

opposite sides of this. He might…

his face, a fleeting glimpse of something I couldn’t quite decipher. Then,

of calm.

置

his voice regaining its even tone, “you’ll be more helpful here. You need to watch

My father and Alex had a long and complicated history, a rivalry that predated even my birth. I couldn’t shake the image of them facing off, fueled by years of

coming with you. You’re not going to see Alex by yourself. Not after

battle of wills. Finally, with a sigh that seemed to carry the weight of the world,

defeated. “But you stay out of it. If things get heated,

pull me under. I knew it wouldn’t be easy, staying on the sidelines while a potential confrontation unfolded. But the thought of Ivan facing Alex alone was simply too terrifying. We were in this together, and whatever the outcome, we’d face it

to Alex’s mansion was filled with an uncomfortable silence. The weight of the situation pressed down on us,suffocating any attempts at casual conversation. Every passing building, every familiar street corner, seemed to hold the

me out. This has been my home for three whole years and now it just felt so distant. Ivan pulled up to the security checkpoint, his knuckles white

of them spoke, “Mr Thorne

flicker of surprise in his gaze before he masked it turning back to

eyes narrowed, “We are not leaving until we

this time,

bubbled up inside me. “This is a matter

narrowed. “Listen, lady,” he said, his voice dripping with condescension, “you don’t get to decide what’s important