Bonds

Chapter 140

-Maya’s POV-

A searing pain ripped through me, a jolt of white–hot agony that stole the breath from my lungs. The world spun wildly, smoke and fire blurring my vision. My ears were filled with a deafening ringing that drowned out all other sounds.

Through the haze of pain, a primal fear gnawed at the edges of my consciousness. My children. Where were they? Astrangled cry escaped my lips as I tried to move, to reach out and find them but my body refused to obey. Every muscle screamed in protest, each movement a monumental effort. I was trapped, a prisoner in a cage of my own flesh and bone.

A choked sob escaped my lips, a raw sound of despair that echoed in the echoing silence.

Had I failed?

Had I not been fast enough?

Just as despair threatened to consume me, a sliver of movement caught my eye. A figure emerged from the smoke–filled haze. I let out a humorless laugh in my head. Ivan had come to finish it once and for all but then strong arms scooped me up, a gentle yet firm hold that cradled me against a solid chest. Through the haze of pain and confusion, a familiar scent registered in my brain, grounding me momentarily.

Recognition bloomed – Alex. Relief washed over me, a weak and tepid wave, but relief nonetheless.

But the relief was short–lived, overshadowed by a more pressing concern. “The twins…” I rasped, the words scraping like sandpaper against my raw throat. “Where are they?”

His face, illuminated by the flickering flames, contorted in a mixture of relief and pain. But his voice held a sliver of hope. “They’re alright, Amaya. Chistian got them out.”

Those words were a balm to my soul, a flicker of light in the encroaching darkness. They were safe. That was all that mattered. But even as the relief washed over me, a new wave of panic surged through me. My body felt heavy, impossibly heavy, and a searing pain radiated from every limb.

I tried to move, to turn and see for myself, but my muscles wouldn’t cooperate. I suddenly couldn’t feel anything yet I could feel the intense pain at thesame time. I really don’t know how it made sense but it did.

“Amaya?” Alex’s voice sounded strained, laced with a growing sense of urgency. “Can you hear me?”

I tried to nod, to offer some form of reassurance, but even that simple movement proved to be too much. A wave of dizziness washed over me, the edges of my vision blurring.

“Don’t worry,” He murmured even though I hardly heards him above the crackling flames. “We’ll get you out of here. Just hold on.”

His words were a lifeline, a fragile thread of hope that kept me tethered to consciousness. But the darkness was closing in, the edges of the world fading into an inky oblivion. The last thing I registered before succumbing to the darkness was Alex’s face hovering above mine, his eyes filled with something I had never seen before- fear.

And then, oblivion.

raw and ragged. My body lurched upwards, propelled by a primal urge to escape, to find them. But the movement sent

harsh fluorescent lights adding to the pulsing ache in my head.

1/3

voice cut through the rising tide

landing on Natalia, who sat beside the bed,

concern.

I rasped, “Where are

over by the doctors, but they

were a balm to my soul, easing the crushing weight of fear that had been constricting my chest. A weak smile

long have I been

took quite a beating

much had happened, yet everything felt like a blur. Images flickered in and out of focus – Alex face

–

ask, a new wave of worry washing over me. “Did

quickly masked it with a reassuring smile. “He’s a little banged up, but nothing major. He’s

out there planning whatever the moon goddess knows but it didn’t matter right now because everything was fine but just as I

attention.

Everything wasn’t alright.

the remnants of drowsiness. I struggled

nothing. Go back to sleep, you

a tell – a rapid blinking that betrayed her attempts to conceal

heavy with unspoken worry. “It’s

for action. “You said he was fine,” I reminded her, a sliver of fear creeping into

while he was in his wolf form… well, when he died, by whatever miracle he was brought back, his

struggled to process her words. “What?” I blinked,

overheard him tell Christian that he can’t shift.”

wasn’t able to shift for four years,” I countered, a flicker of hope sparking within me. “I’m sure

not the same, Amaya. You could still feel your wolf, she was trapped inside you. You just became latent. Alex’s wolf