Bonds

Chapter 144

-Alex’s POV-

It had only taken meeting them, Ivy and Nate, to know that truly I had made the biggest mistake of my life when I kicked Amaya out. The guilt gnawed at me constantly, and I knew I would spend the rest of my life apologizing for it and there was still Ivan out there, a constant threat. It had taken that kiss, that spark of reconnection with Maya, to jolt me into action. And people were already on it, moving fast. It sure had its advantages being a billionaire alpha sometimes.

What confused me though, was why Ivan hadn’t gone after my father. Damon Thorne was clearly the start of his madness, the reason for the whole war. But just in case, I still had men positioned around the facility, keeping a watchful eye in case Ivan decided to finally stop playing his twisted games. Right now, though, I had something more important to do.

I stepped out from the shadows, the fairy lights casting a warm glow on the clearing. Amaya’s green eyes, sparkling with surprise, flew “Alex, what is all this?” she asked, her voice laced with bewilderment.

to mine.

I closed the distance between us, my heart pounding in my chest. “Amaya,” I began, my voice thick with emotion, “I

Her gaze flickered to the sign, then back to me. “There’s no question mark,” she pointed out, a hint of amusement dancing in her

“Exactly,” I replied, a grin spreading across my face. “So you don’t have the option to say

want you to marry me.”

eyes.

no.”

her eyes. “There’s no option to say no because there’s no question

sigh, a mixture of relief and frustration. She stepped back from me then, a shadow of worry crossing her features. The light in her eyes seemed to dim slightly. “Alex, I already said yes,” she reminded me gently. “It didn’t end well the first time, and technically, by all laws, even though I’m trying to get out of it,

his name, but I forced it down. She continued, her voice filled with concern, “Then there’s the whole thing with your wolf, we don’t even know what happened to him. And the war is

to you. You wouldn’t be dealing with getting out of a marriage if I hadn’t been such a coward.

before her gaze dropped back down. Her eyes darted around the clearing, taking in every detail. It had taken me all day to pull this together, to make it perfect. I didn’t want anyone’s help, I wanted it to be just us, a private moment between Amaya and me. Finally, her eyes landed on the sign again, a soft smile gracing her lips. “You still didn’t ask the question, Alex,” she pointed

but grin. Then, with a deep breath, I sank down on one knee, pulling out the ring that had been burning a hole in my pocket. I watched, my heart overflowing with a mix of hope and nervousness, as a tear slid down her cheek. “Amaya,” I began, my voice thick with emotion, “I am so sorry for everything I did. I am sorry for not trusting you, for pushing you away. If you will just…”

she was on me, tackling me to the ground with a joyful laugh. She buried her head in my chest, her body

echoing through the clearing. Everything in my life suddenly felt right, like all the pieces had finally fallen into place.

whispered, a contented sigh

a cocoon of happiness woven from laughter, tears, and unspoken promises. She finally lifted her head, her glistening with a mixture of joy and lingering worry. Without another word, she leaned in and crashed her lips against mine.

eyes

around her waist, pulling her

its insistent ringtone. A groan escaped my lips. With everything happening, with the war and the uncertainty surrounding her legal situation, I knew I couldn’t afford to miss any calls. Thankfully, she understood. She

name flash on the screen. “We have a problem,” his voice cut straight to the point. Another groan

now?” I asked, already feeling the weight of responsibility

hit,” Christian explained quickly. “But I just got a call. The situation just got a whole lot more complicated, more

“I’ll handle this one. Thanks for the heads–up,

Chapter 144

up, offering Amaya my hand. She took it

handle,” I reassured her, even though a part of me wished I

me out of the clearing, the fairy lights cast long shadows as we walked back towards my car. The romantic interlude felt like a distant memory now, replaced by the harsh reality