Bonds

Chapter 141

-Alex’s POV-

The first thing that registered when consciousness flickered back was Christian’s face hovering above me. My head throbbed and a relentless ringing filled my ears. But a primal urge cut through the pain – I had to get to them.

Christian helped me to my feet, my movements jerky and uncoordinated. Time was a precious commodity, there was no room for hesitation or collecting my thoughts. I stumbled towards the direction of the blast, my vision blurring at the edges.

Then I saw her, sprawled on the ground with two tiny bodies huddled beside her. A choked sound escaped my throat, a sound that was both relief and terror rolled into one.

“Get them,” I rasped, my voice hoarse and raw. “I’ll get Amaya.”

Without waiting for a response, I rushed towards her, scooping her fragile form into my arms. It wasn’t until we were safely out of the warehouse that the weight of reality settled upon me. These weren’t figments of my imagination, a dream conjured by exhaustion or hope. They were real. Two lives, two children, products of Amaya and me.

And suddenly, I didn’t know what to feel. A maelstrom of emotions swirled within me – fear, confusion, a flicker of something akin to pride. How could I, someone raised by a monster, be a father? Not to one, but two children? The thought sent a fresh wave of nausea washing over me.

The questions gnawed at me relentlessly, growing louder with each passing moment. Until we reached the safe house, Natalia and Riley rushing forward to take the children from Christian. Still, I couldn’t bring myself to draw closer. I didn’t allow myself even look at them. A primal fear, a fear I hadn’t acknowledged since my mother’s death, gripped my heart. It was a fear of failure, a terror of not being good enough, of disappointing the two innocent lives I’d helped create and it remained like that after I placed Amaya on the bed and the doctor Riley had brought assured me that she would we fine.

So would they.

Christian’s voice was the only thing that had broke through the fog clouding my mind when he asked what was wrong, and for the first time in my life, the carefully constructed walls I’d built crumbled. I confessed everything – the fear of failing them, the crushing vulnerability I felt that my wolf was somehow gone, the fear that I would turn out to be exactly the monster my father raised me to be and I just didn’t know what to do or how to feel.

оша

My mind remained blank as we all crowded around the television, Adrian’s face filling the screen. His eyes gleamed with a predatory glint, a glint that seemed to pierce through the very fabric of reality, confirming my suspicion – he knew we were watching.

already, Alex Thorne is one of them,” he declared, his words laced with malicious pleasure. “Part of the monsters that have been plaguing our world, masquerading as one of

the carefully crafted narrative designed to paint me as the ultimate villain. He would point to the recent war with Daniel, the

–

to care. The accusations washed over me like a wave, failing to stir even a flicker of

it off,” I mumbled

head in the room snapped towards me, surprise etched on their faces.

protested. “We need to know

countered, my voice devoid of emotion. “They’re already scared of us. I was already the enemy, and now I’m the monster responsible for killing

gentle shake of his head. I felt Amaya’s gaze burning into me, a silent question hanging heavy in the air. With a sigh that seemed to carry the weight of the world,

like lead weights, each step a tedious task. The throbbing in my head intensified with every beat of my heart. Everything hurt – physically, emotionally, my

my life, I’d been trained by my father to be powerful. Strength was the only currency he recognized, the only language he understood. I was supposed to be the apex predator, always on top, always in control. Dealing with situations,

and today, my feet faltered, drawn towards the door yet repelled by an invisible force and like I had done for the past two days, I walked away, my feet bringing me to the lake.

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10:44 AM

Chapter 141

lost it all? Played right into Ivan’s hands? With a sinking feeling, I realized I was playing the coward’s game. If I could

was Amaya. As if summoned by my thoughts, I heard her voice soft and hesitant behind

felt more like a statement than a question. The question hung heavy in the air, one I had no answer for, one I wasn’t

rippling reflection of the setting sun on the lake’s surface. Finally, she spoke, “Thank

throat, a lump forming there, refusing to be swallowed. She didn’t press for an answer, instead she sat down on the grassy bank. I looked down at her, her face was still bruised and she had injuries all over her body but she was healing. She gave me a small smile patting

you think our lives would have been like if you hadn’t rejected me?”

question sliced through me but there was no anger in her voice, no accusation. It was laced with a wistful longing that