Bonds

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Alex’s POV-

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F

wid

The days stretched out like an endless desert. Time, once a steady companion, had become a relentless tormentor. I’d gone from being the king of my world to a prisoner of it. Over these past months, the world had shrunk to the size of this cell. I’d learned that even with power at your fingertips, life could still knock you down.

Ivan had played his cards close to his chest. I’d underestimated him, thinking I’d ended the game when I ended his life. But his plans, carefully laid, were like a time bomb I hadn’t defused. Adrian, that backstabbing leech, had seized the opportunity to take over my company. It was a bitter pill to

swallow.

Hours turned into days, days into weeks. I stopped counting. There was no point. All that mattered were the moments I’d spend with Amaya and the kids. It was a long road to get here. Ivy, my little firecracker, had slowly warmed up to me. I think it was my beard. She’d giggle and tug at it, saying I looked like a beast from her stories. It was the first time she’d touched me without fear. Being called a beast didn’t matter in that moment.

Nate was different. Quiet, watchful, like a young hawk. His eyes always seemed to be asking questions without making a sound. But I think he found his answers in just watching.

she’d get me out. I wished she’d stop. She was burning herself out. With all my resources, I couldn’t escape this place, what chance did she have? I’d accepted my fate, but at least I had them to visit. I’d done a lot of bad things. Maybe this was karma, paying my dues like my father. Thinking about him brought back the day of the battle. For once, he’d acted like a real father. His death hurt, a wound that wouldn’t heal. Damon Thorne, the architect of my misery, was dead. I hadn’t forgiven him, but maybe one day I would. As a final act of closure, I’d asked for his body to be found and buried next to my mother.

asked for a proper burial for Miranda. She was a victim, a broken soul caught in the crossfire. That is what she had said

All of that?

out of this prison, my mind had raced with the idea for months. An idea fueled by my wolf who had been relentless to break free. But for the first time in my life, I wanted to do the right thing. I wasn’t responsible for the mass murders, but I

was

knew the outcome. Guilty. The room

said,

unable to process it. Then, two tiny bodies crashed into me, Ivy and Nate. Amaya came up behind them, tears streaming down her face. “We did it,” she

did it. I held my children tight, the

I was free.

that door, Alex,” she said softly. I took a deep breath, the reality of the moment sinking in. I wanted to be with

Riley, Natalia, Nathan, and Sarah. Sarah and Natalia were cheering, their joy infectious. Riley was trying to calin them down, Nathan looking amused. For the first time in what felt like forever, the loneliness that had haunted me for years was gone. I had my family, these crazy people Amaya had brought into my life, and Christian, my true friend, not just an someone who

smile was the biggest I’d ever seen. “The beard is

He returned the laugh, his eyes filled with genuine relief. “I’m really glad you’re out, Alex. His voice was

tone shifted to seriousness, “Now, enough mushy stuff. We’ve got a company to

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Chapter 164

I let them take the lead. She, Christian, and I stepped into one car while the others followed in the other vehicles. The drive to the company was a whirlwind of emotions. Every familiar sight was a stark reminder of the life I’d left behind. When we arrived, heads turned as we entered the building. I felt like a ghost, a relic of a past era. Amaya, however, moved through the crowd with the

વે

queen.

sleek, modern woman, presumably his PA, stood in front of

“I believe there’s

rising. There was an unspoken threat in her tone that made the PA take a step back.

arrogantly on my chair. Anger flared within me, but I knew I had to let Amaya handle this because she looked like she had a plan and I would only escalate things and have myself thrown straight in jail again. He stood up, his mouth opening to

start of this. The fake pictures of us broke Alex and me apart. I understood your anger, your need for revenge. But you crossed the line when you started working with