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.”

was turned to him but his voice cut in, his

what put Maya and everyone else in danger. 1 formed this alliance to strengthen our packs,

voice gruff. “You forgetting the whole wedding thing already? The bomb? Then he goes after my company, throws me in jail like some criminal. What the hell did you expect me to do? Just lie down and let him walk all over

His

but there was something else there too. A coldness that made me shiver, Ivan’s jaw clenched

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

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Chapter 81

city’s on

doesn’t care about hurt feelings, Ivan. Alex lit the fire, now

out of this, Daniel. We can find a way

a dangerous edge. “Just sit back and let him walk all over us? Let him take everything I’ve

brief moment, but there was no warmth in his eyes. Just a

voice low and dangerous. “You dragged all of us into this. These

aren’t they?” My father countered, his voice dripping with a smugness that made

the stretcher, its form covered by a white sheet. A cold dread filled my

father said with a shrug.

hero could just walk away. Lives were being lost, families were being torn apart, and all because these Alex couldn’t seem to

stared at my father, his eyes burning with a mix of 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

alliance is over.”

about your pride or your need for revenge. This is about protecting

way.”

ears. “Threats, Ivan? You think that scares me? Alex started this fight, and I’ll be damned if I let him finish it. We built this alliance on the promise of strength, and that

strategy, about finding a way to win without sacrificing innocent lives. You just

shot back, his voice laced with a dangerous glint. “He used it on me, on my company. He doesn’t play fair, and neither

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

anything.

You can’t re

reason with a snake.You