Bonds

Chapter 103

-Alex’s POV-

Blaming it all on my wolf, on the heightened emotions that had turned my insides into a churning mess, didn’t make the sting of my words to Amaya any less sharp. The moment I walked away from her, the emptiness that had been a dull ache moments ago roared back to life, a gaping hole in my chest.

Watching Ivan appear at her side, his arm wrapped protectively around her as he steered her away, solidified the reality in my gut. She was gone. I had chased shadows, fueled by a desperate need to feel something, anything, other than the chilling indifference that had settled over me. And now, with my declaration of war hanging heavy in the air, there was no turning back. We had been fighting before, yes, but this was different. This was a line that had been crossed, a bridge that had been burned.

Picking up the glass of amber liquid in my hand, I took a long, slow drink, the liquor burning a familiar path down my throat. My gaze drifted out the window, unseeing. The image that burned behind my eyelids was far more vivid – the dead wolves sprawled across the cold concrete floor, their fur matted with blood. The metallic tang of blood filled my nostrils, a phantom sensation that refused to fade.

Yet, amidst the carnage, there was no flicker of satisfaction. Daniel was still alive. He was out there, breathing, plotting his next move, while loyal wolves, wolves lay lifeless on the floor. The thought scraped against my already raw nerves.

“That was a very considerate move, declaring war when I was still in the room, fiancé.” Miranda’s voice, dripping with disdain, sliced through

the silence of the room.

I didn’t bother turning to face her. Dealing with her right now was the last thing I needed. “Not now, Miranda,” I growled, the words rough in my throat.

But she was never one to back down from a fight. It simply wasn’t in her nature. “You could have at least told me you were planning on giving that order,” she countered, her voice laced with a sharp edge. “I could have been prepared.”

Anger flared within me, hot and sudden. Turning towards her, I met her gaze head–on, my jaw clenched tight. “I saw you leave before it even started,” I snapped. “Don’t add to this, Miranda. I’m not in the mood for your games.”

She rolled her eyes dismissively, but instead of pushing the issue, she simply settled into the chair across from me. “Well at least pour me a

drink.

was the clinking of ice against glass as i poured her a drink, the familiar amber liquid swirling in

vulnerability flickering across her usually composed face. Then, as quickly as it appeared, it vanished, replaced by a mask of indifference. She settled back in the chair, the silence

at the world outside. The first fat raindrops began to splatter against the glass, quickly escalating into a heavy downpour. The rhythmic drumming of the rain on the roof filled the room, a monotonous counterpoint to the turmoil raging

surfaced, a fragment from a

filled with childish wonder. A smile tugged at the corner of her lips, despite the dark circles

Chapter 103

sky?” I offered, my brow furrowed in

my eye level, her smile reaching all

sun is way up in the sky, and the ocean is all the way over there,” I protested, gesturing vaguely towards the

a soft, melodic sound that seemed to carry on the gentle breeze. “That’s true,” she admitted, “but they’re still friends, you see? The sun shines down

imagination sparked.

“But the sun is too far away for the water to reach him, so it gets a little frustrated. It keeps trying and trying to jump high enough, but it just keeps falling

widened. “Like me trying to jump and touch

she confirmed, her smile widening. “But all those tiny drops of water jumping together, they make a big difference. They rise up high in the sky, like a million tiny bubbles, and

cotton candy?” I interrupted, my eyes

clouds are full of all that water that jumped up from the ocean. And

in closer, captivated by

in anymore,” she explained. “So the water starts to spill back down to the earth,

down in understanding. “So the rain

water with the earth. The rain helps the plants grow

carrying the sweet scent of wet earth. As

into her lap, burying my face in the crook of her neck. Her arms wrapped around me instinctively, holding me tight. The rain was coming down harder now, soaking through my clothes and turning my hair into plastered strands. But I didn’t care. Here, in my