Bonds

Chapter 130

-Alex’s POV-

“Fuck!” I roared, flinging the glass across the room. It exploded in a shower of glittering shards against the far wall, but the satisfying crash did nothing to quell the anger raging inside me.

Spinning around, I glared at Christian, who was hunched over his phone, his brow furrowed in concentration. “That’s the third dead end in two days!” I growled, my voice laced with raw frustration. “You’re starting to get on my damn nerves. You said you knew where he was!”

Christian flinched, his head snapping up from the phone. He met my gaze with a flicker of unease, the same uneasy look that had been plastered on his face ever since he’d arrived. There was none of his usual dry humor, none of the playful jabs I’d come to expect. His discomfort was palpable, but right now, his emotional state was the least of my concerns.

He scratched his head absently, his eyes darting from his phone to me and back again. “Look, I’m doing the best I can,” he muttered defensively. “These people who used to jump when you barked an order? Yeah, they’re not exactly returning my calls with all this chaos happening.”

I narrowed my eyes at him, but before I could unleash another verbal tirade, he buried his face back in his phone, his fingers flying across the screen. A low growl rumbled in my chest. “Who the fuck are you texting that’s more important than this situation?” I demanded, my voice taut with barely contained rage.

He opened his mouth to speak, but his phone buzzed again, illuminating the screen with a notification. He glanced at the door, then back at me, a heavy sigh escaping his lips. “Don’t kill me for this,” he mumbled, his voice laced with a hint of apprehension.

The door creaked open, and my wolf instantly perked up, ears swiveling towards the sound. Two women walked into the room – Natalia, her face etched with worry, and another woman I didn’t recognize.

“Christian.” I growled.

For the first time since I had known him, he looked apologetic, his eyes filled with a mixture of guilt and something else I couldn’t quite decipher. The unfamiliar woman stepped forward, and Christian’s gaze softened noticeably. He reached out and gently wrapped his hand around hers.

What the hell was going on here?

My gaze darted to Natalia, who stood rigidly by the door, her eyes locked on mine. They were filled with a storm of emotions worry, anger, a flicker of something that looked suspiciously like betrayal.

“What is going on?” I demanded, my voice cutting through the tense silence that had settled over the room.

cleared his throat, his gaze flitting between me and the two women. “I told you there was a woman I met when

a woman. But with everything that had happened, it had

gnawing at

trying to

click into place. “What does that have to do with me, and

Chapter 130

flicking to Riley before meeting mine again. “She’s friends with

her boyfriend is…” She hesitated, glancing at

Christian. So that’s why he looked so uneasy. He sold me out for

for whatever tantrum you are about

its axis. Amaya missing. The image of her running to Ivan flashed in my head and a bitter taste filled my mouth. “Why does that matter to me? If she’s missing, let

began to turn away, Natalia’s hand shot out, her grip surprisingly strong.

a sharp bark. “I’m doing the talking now, Alex, and you’re going to listen,” she snapped, “You and Amaya have been doing this stupid dance around each other for months, this back- and–forth drama that’s affected everyone around you. My husband got shot, damn near died because she ran headfirst into danger looking for you! So don’t you dare stand here shrugging it off like she doesn’t matter because I’m sick of it. Absolutely sick

frustration, her eyes blazing with unshed tears. I tried to interrupt again, but her glare

yet,” she growled, her voice dropping to a low hiss. “You threw her out because of your stupid pride, your ego wouldn’t let you just talk to her, find out the truth. All this drama could have been avoided if you’d just used your words instead of kicking her to the curb. Amaya

you Amaya and then she goes. I want you Alex. I don’t want you Alex. It is affecting all of our lives and it is driving me insane so what you are going to do

voice trailed off, her words catching in her throat. She drew in a shaky breath, wiping her tears away with the

pleaded, “use your resources, your

leaving me speechless. My mind reeled, trying to process everything that had just happened. My wolf surged within me, urging me to take action, to find her. But for the first time in what felt like forever, a strange heaviness weighed me down, rooting me

She scanned my face, searching for something, but it seemed she

her voice devoid of its earlier ferocity. “You’re a waste

stung, a sharp jab that ripped through the haze

for a brief moment, then opened them again,

and dangerous, “you will