Bonds

Chapter 81

-Maya’s POV-

A strong grip clamped onto my arm from behind, yanking me back just as I lunged forward. It was van. Dread washed over me for a moment, but then I saw him. My father. Emerging from the back of an ambulance, his face etched with pain and anger, burns marring his skin.

Alive

I blinked, confused. The dead body on the stretcher, covered in a white sheet, sent a jolt through me. My wolf senses had failed me

completely.

Shame burned in my throat, acrid and hot. I had assumed wrong. Whoever was on the stretcher must have been someone else. I immediately wanted to run towards him because I never learn. He’d told me point–blank he didn’t love me, yet here I was, ready to run to him again.

Ivan’s grip tightened on my arm and I turned to face the stern expression on his face. “Don’t. You know how this ends. It’s been a long night, let’s just get you home.”

I turned back to see my father’s scowl deepening deep in conversation with someone nearby.

Ivan sighed, a sound laced with frustration. “Come on.”

His grip firm as he began to lead me away. We walked in a tense silence, the image of my father, alive but uncaring, heavy on my mind. We were almost at the car when a voice cut through the commotion.

“Ivan!”

We both turned to see a man approaching, his face etched with concern. He spoke quickly, his words tumbling over each other. “We need to talk strategy. This attack on Daniel Stone, you could be next…”

Ivan’s jaw clenched tight. He let out a frustrated huff. “Look, I appreciate you coming by, but this isn’t the time. We’ve had a rough night.”

He cast me a sidelong glance, his expression unreadable. “Besides,” he continued, his voice hardening, “this whole mess wouldn’t have happened if someone hadn’t gone and bombed Alex’s meeting.”

father approaching because my back was turned to him but his voice cut in, his voice though rough, held a chilling edge. “Alex deserves

actions are what put Maya and everyone else in

wedding thing already? The bomb? Then he goes after my company, throws me in jail like

His

sure, but there was something else there too. A coldness that made me shiver, Ivan’s jaw clenched so tight I swear I

starting a full–blown warl” he yelled, his voice shaking with barely contained rage. “You could have done things differently! Instead, you go behind everyone’s back and bomb his meeting? Now people are

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Chapter 81

and the whole damn city’s on the verge

about hurt feelings, Ivan. Alex lit the fire, now

of this, Daniel. We can find a way

his voice laced with a dangerous edge.

to me for a brief moment, but there was no warmth in his eyes.

dragged all of us into this. These are our people you’re putting at risk. My pack, your supposed ‘allies – they’re

they?” My father countered, his voice dripping with a smugness that made me want to punch him. “That’s the whole point of this merger,

form covered by a white sheet. A cold dread filled

what happens in war, Ivan,” my father said with a shrug. “There are casualties. You

away. Lives were being lost, families

anger and something else – maybe even a flicker of sadness. “I need to take Amaya home. We’ll talk about this later. But one thing’s for sure this ends now. No more attacks, no more bloodshed.

alliance is over.”

isn’t about your pride or your need for revenge. This is about protecting our people. And if

way.”

be damned if I let him finish it. We built this alliance on the promise of strength, and that means protecting ourselves from those

a way to win without sacrificing innocent lives. You just handed Alex

it on me, on my company. He doesn’t play fair, and neither will 1. This city might be our home, but it’s also a battlefield now, and I won’t let my guard down

hammered against my ribs.l wanted to scream, to beg them to stop madness, but the

pleaded, his voice softening slightly. “The council, negotiations, anything. We can’t just keep throwing fire at each

You can’t re

reason with a snake.You