Bonds

Chapter 153

-Maya’s POV-

“Amaya.”

The sound of my name snapped me out of my thoughts. I hadn’t realized I was pacing again. I should stop. I should calm down. But my mind was a whirlwind of worry and fear.

I shouldn’t have left him back there. I should have stood my ground, told him I was staying. Maybe if I had, things would be different. I wanted everything to be simple. Girl meets boy, they fall in love, get married, and live happily ever after.But my life was anything but simple.

A mate with trust issues, a father who was more like a villain than a parent, a dead brother I never got to know, a fake lover turned twisted enemy, and now witches. How much more could I handle? I wanted to scream. I wanted to run. But I couldn’t. Not with the twins here. Everything was just a lot. Too much.

“Amaya!” Natalia’s voice was sharper this time completely pulling me back to reality. I turned to face her. “What?” I managed to say, my voice sounding strained even to my own ears.

“I’ve been calling your name for the past five minutes,” she said, her eyebrows drawn together in concern. “You need to stop pacing. Your energy is affecting the twins.”

I glanced at the twins. Nate was sitting quietly, his face turned towards me. Ivy was also quiet, her eyes fixed on me. I could understand Nate’s quiet. There were times he simply went quiet but never Ivy. Whatever happened between her and Alex’s aunt had something extra to it and I didn’t like it one bit..

“I’m sorry,” I mumbled, feeling a pang of guilt. “I just…” I trailed off, not knowing how to explain the chaos inside my head.

“I know,” Natalia sighed softly. “We’re all worried. With Ivan looming over us and Alex gone, things are crazy. But for the sake of the twins, you need to calm down.”

I nodded, trying to take deep breaths. I needed to focus on the present. I needed to be strong for the twins.

“She’s been awfully quiet since we got back,” Natalia continued a, referring to Ivy.

“I know,” I replied. “Something happened between her and that witch. Or should I say, Alex’s aunt.”

Natalia’s eyes widened. “Wait, what?”

I hadn’t had a chance to fill Natalia in on everything that had happened. The car ride back had been filled with tense silence as everyone tried to process what we had seen.

“So, if she’s Alex’s aunt, how is she a witch? And most importantly, you don’t think Ivy is one, right?” Natalia asked, her voice filled with disbelief.

I shook my head. “No way. I don’t think Ivy is involved in any of this.”

when Riley entered the room. My heart sank as I looked

Alex?” I asked, my voice barely a whisper.

it all. No. Two days and he still wasn’t back. What was happening to him?

the

little to clear the fog clouding my mind. Desperation gnawed at me as I searched for a semblance of calm in the chaos then shrill ring of my phone pierced the quiet, sending a jolt of adrenaline through my

fumbled for the device, my fingers trembling. I looked at the caller ID. An unknown number.

phone. The silence that followed was agonizing. When the voice

receiver. A wave of disappointment washed over me, replacing the fleeting hope with a heavy sense of

Mum. It’s you.”

let that tone hurt,” she replied, her voice

sorry,” I began, my voice barely audible over the pounding in my ears. “I just have a

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Chapter 153

followed. I could almost feel the weight of her concern through the phone, Finally, she spoke, “Your father asked me to call. In his words, ‘Ask her if she has passed on my request to him.”

collect myself, “You told me once he wasn’t always like this.

a sound filled with weariness and resignation. “I really don’t

I felt a lump forming in my throat, “Is that really why you’re calling? To see if

daughter,” she replied, her voice softening. Her words were like a warm blanket on a cold day, offering a brief respite from the storm raging

whispered

I wish I could do something to help. When this is all

to the glimmer of hope

the call when she hesitated. “I know I’m the last person you want to talk to

out a shaky sigh. “Me

and-”

through the bathroom, pulling me from the conversation. “I’ll

my bones. Just be careful, please.” Her

call you later,” I replied, trying

its wake. I knelt down in front of Ivy, her small

placed my

slowly, her eyes still

to bed. Maybe you just need some rest. If you’re not feeling better, we’ll have it checked out, okay?”

shook her head stubbornly. “No doctor,” she replied, her