Bonds

Chapter 86

-Maya’s POV-

The trance he’d somehow woven around me shattered and anger surged through pushing aside whatever bewilderment had kept me rooted to the spot. I took a sharp step back, my glare burning into his impassive face.

I

“You knew? You knew your father killed my brother before I was even born, before I even had a chance to meet him?”

He blinked twice, a flicker of something crossing his features that was gone too quickly for me to decipher. “I didn’t. My father just told me. I would have told you.” He studied me for a moment, his gaze so intense it felt like he was trying to see right through me. “If you knew what my father did to your family, why did you ever agree to mate with me? You should have hated me too.”

“I just found out that I had a brother,” I forced out, my voice trembling slightly. “Even if I had known… I loved you, I would have chosen you

still.”

He opened his mouth to speak, but I cut him off before he could utter another word. “I don’t want to hear it, Alex. Whatever you have to say, I don’t. I am done with this conversation. The only thing I have to say is this – you need to stop whatever it is you’re planning against my father. People will die.”

“People already died,” he shot back, his voice tight with its own brand of anger. “My wolves died.”

eath, the exhaustion of it all settling in my bones. “Aren’t you tired of this? This endless cycle of drama, violence? Can’t we

I let out a shaky breath, just… stop?”

He didn’t respond, leaving me staring at him in a tense silence. A wave of frustration washed over me. “You know what?” I finally said, shaking my head. “Do whatever you want, go crazy, you and my father can kill yourselves for all i care. Just leave Ivan out of it.”

My words hung heavy in the air, the unspoken threat clear. But instead of the contrition I craved, his eyes flared with unexpected anger. “Ivan? That’s all you care about now?” he snapped.

lips. “Shouldn’t I?” Lretorted. “He’s my

just beneath the surface. He

down.

towards the door. “I’m sure

of electricity ran through me at his touch, a confusing mix of anger and

not done talking to you,” he growled,

hand free, my own anger rising to meet his. “Well, I am done talking to you, Alex. The time for talking is over. We could have talked about those photos four years ago. We could have avoided all this drama, all this pain. But you didn’t want to talk then.” My voice hitched slightly, the past wounds

voice firm despite the tremor in my heart. “Just leave me the hell alone.” He took a step towards me, his jaw clenched but his eyes holding a flicker of… something. Regret? Plea? It

10:29 sat, zzJun

Chapter 86

he said finally, his voice low, “when you come

be the one to

words hit me like a physical blow. Here he was, the one who kept secrets, the one who lied and manipulated, the one whose actions had caused so much pain, and yet he had

momentarily pushing aside the hurt and confusion. “You know what? I spat, my voice dripping with sarcasm.

still have another two weeks

I can find another job, another design firm that doesn’t have the emotional baggage of a gang war

jaw. “You’re overreacting,” he said, his voice clipped. “This

You betrayed me. You didn’t trust me enough and now you’re using my job to hold me hostage? That’s

voice tight. “You’re free to leave. But if you do, you’ll be walking away from

finished.”

forth, this endless cycle of accusations and hurt… I was done. I was tired. Physically, my body ached with exhaustion. Mentally, I felt drained. And emotionally? My heart felt like it had been ripped to shreds,

off the project. I can’t deal with you anymore, Alex. I am so done with

but I cut him off before he could utter another word. “And when all this is over,” I continued, my

cruel thing to say, I knew that, but in that moment, it was the only way I could protect the fragile pieces of my

of hurt, a physical manifestation of