Bonds

Chapter 163

Maya’s POV-

The world seemed to slow down. It was like a movie, except I was right in the middle of it, not watching from a comfy couch. The rain was coming down hard, and the sirens were a high–pitched whine that cut through the air. People were shouting and running around, but it was all a blur. All I could see was the man in front of me.

“Mass murder?” I asked, my voice small and shaky. My mind couldn’t process what he was saying. I looked at Ivan, lying still on the ground. My hand reached to Alex, like I was trying to hold onto something real in this crazy situation. He squeezed my hand tight, but I could see the confusion

in his eyes.

“This is a mistake,” I whispered, hoping against hope. “There’s been a misunderstanding.” Sᴇaʀch Thᴇ (ꜰind)ɴʘvel.nᴇt website on Gøøglᴇ to access chapters of novels early and in the highest quality.

The man in the black suit ignored me, starting to say those words that everyone knows from TV shows: “You have the right to remain silent…”

Then everything happened fast. One minute, it felt like we had won. The next, they were taking Alex away from me. I screamed and shouted, trying to tell them they were wrong. I didn’t care that I was only wearing a jacket someone had put on me or that I was covered in blood. I just wanted them to stop. I kept thinking, “Mass murder? How?”

The days after that were a blur. I couldn’t remember everything that happened. Slowly, I started to understand what Ivan had meant and wht he was so happy. We hadn’t won. Ivan was sick. He had been killing people for years, making videos of it all. And in the end, he had set Alex up to take the blame. Over a thousand people. Ivan had killed them all, and now Alex was going to prison for life.

I felt a cold feeling inside, like someone had twisted a knife in my chest. I looked at the papers in front of me. Six months. One hundred and eighty–two days. Four thousand three hundred and eighty hours. That’s how long Alex had been locked up. I tried everything. I used all our resurces, I begged Riley’s dad to help, use his mafia connections one last time but nothing worked.

but he wasn’t

knew this and had used

was a whirlwind of thoughts, and I needed to quiet it. I had to focus. I closed the papers, the weight of

I turned to find him standing in the doorway, his expression a mix of

chance to change everything, to stop the endless cycle of violence. For months, I had been consumed by the fight to free Alex. Failure after failure had chipped away at my resolve, but the city was drowning

pain, and heartbreak. It was where I wanted my children to grow up,

had failed in this battle over and

it

all

sides to actually sit side by side after

pride and hope. It was a heavy responsibility, but I was ready. The crowd before me was a sea of faces, both human and werewolf, their eyes filled with

my mother and I hadn’t brought the twins in case things turned bloody. Their eyes held a mixture of pride and fear. I

truly appreciate your presence.” I met Natalia’s gaze, seeking her support. She nodded, her eyes filled with

woven about werewolves, painting us as monstrous creatures. But that’s not who we are,” I declared, my voice growing stronger facing the humans, “We are like you. We feel pain, we experience loss. When we are hurt, it hurts. And yes,

of us, but this is my city, my home. I refuse to live in fear. So, I stand before you, humans, asking for your acceptance. See us not as the creatures of horror, but as beings striving for

part of who we are, an extension of ourselves. But we are not monsters, The

breath, I turned to my father who nodded in agreement, his eyes filled with pride and understanding so I continued, “With that said, I am dissolving all packs. I announced, the words hanging heavy

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Chapter 163

while remaining divided among ourselves. No more. From now on, we stand united against any outside threat. We live as one, werewolves

air. Then, a single clap broke the silence, followed by another, and another until it turned into a thunderous applause. Sarah and Riley were the first to cheer, their faces beaming with pride. Natalia’s eyes were filled with tears as she mouthed, “I’m so proud

me, a comforting shield against the storm of emotions that threatened to overwhelm. A sense of accomplishment and

proud of you, honey,” my mother whispered, her voice filled with love and admiration. Her grip tightened around me, grounding me in the moment. When she finally released me, I turned to face my father. Our eyes

had taken us a while to