Bonds

10:25 AM 

+5 

Chapter 155 

-Maya’s POV- 

I was so tired of this. Tired of the fear, the uncertainty, the constant looking over my shoulder. I wanted to scream disappear. But I couldn’t. Not with the twins, not with everything that was happening. 

to break something, to just 

Ivan. That name was like poison in my ears. I wanted to wipe him off the face of the earth. I wanted to watch him suffer, to feel the same pain he inflicted on others. My wolf was restless, pacing inside me, eager to unleash her fury. But I had to hold her back. Losing control wasn’t an option. Not now. 

Riley’s voice broke through my thoughts. “We still haven’t come up with anything tangible,” she said, her voice laced with frustration. 

I turned to face her, my gaze meeting hers. Natalia was running a hand through her hair, her face etched with worry. 

“Well, right now, I don’t know why he’s going after Nate,” Natalia said, her voice low. “Why not just stick to Damon? Why involve an innocent kid?” Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

I felt a cold rage building inside me. How could anyone be so heartless? How could someone target a child? 

“He wants to watch us suffer,” I said, my voice barely a whisper. “He wants to break us.” 

Everyone looked at me, their faces a mixture of shock and fear. 

“He wants to see two generations wiped out,” I continued, my voice steady now. “Damon was responsible for his parents‘ death. Ivan witnessed it. This is his revenge.” 

Sarah, who had been quiet until now, spoke up. “Two generations?” Her voice was small. 

I nodded. “He wants to scar Nate for life, just like he was scarred. He is a monster and I was just too blind to see it.” 

I couldn’t believe I was saying these things out loud. It felt like I was living in a nightmare. 

Natalia reached out and took my hand. “This isn’t your fault, Amaya,” she whispered softly. “He played us all. We all liked him, trusted him. None of us saw this coming.” 

I tried to smile, but it felt forced. “I know,” I managed to say. 

All eyes turned to Christian, the unspoken leader of the group. He was on the phone, his face a mask of concentration. He ended the call and shook his head. 

“We’re running out of time. Ivan has somehow found a way to be one step ahead of us.” 

A wave of despair washed over me. How could we possibly defeat someone who seemed to know our every move? I looked at the others, their faces mirroring my own fear and uncertainty. We were in over our heads, and I didn’t know if we were going to make it out alive. 

My mind raced, a whirlwind of fear and anger. Ivan was a monster, a cold–blooded killer who had no regard for human life. The thought of Nate in his hands made my blood run cold. I couldn’t let that happen. Not to my son. 

“We need a plan,” Riley said, her voice breaking the heavy silence. “A real plan, not just throwing ideas out there.” 

I nodded, my mind still racing. “We need to anticipate his next move,” I replied, trying to sound calm and collected. But inside, I was a storm of emotions. 

“He’s playing chess, and we’re just pawns,” Natalia added, her voice filled with frustration. “We need to start thinking like him.” 

Christian ran a hand through his hair, his face etched with worry. “We need to find a way to hit him where it hurts. Something that will make him back down.” 

“But what?” Riley asked, her voice filled with doubt. “We’ve tried everything.” 

I looked at them, trying to come up with a plan. My mind was blank. I felt like I was drowning, and there was no lifeguard in sight. 

“What about Riley’s dad?” Natalia suggested. “Alex is still gone. There is no way in hell we are letting him near Nate. He is a mafia lord. He is like the best we got.” 

Riley shook her head. “He said he has done enough, lost too many men. It’s not his fight and he has his own to focus on. He isn’t getting involved again. 

Natalia let out a sigh, “Well there goes that option down the drain.” 

1/3 

10:25 AM 

My mind raced, trying to come up with a plan. I needed to think clearly, to focus. But the fear was overwhelming. I could feel my heart pounding in my chest. I took a deep breath, trying to calm myself down. 

I couldn’t believe this was happening to us. I was supposed to be living a normal life, raising my kids, enjoying my family. I looked at my friends, my makeshift family. They were all I had left. We were in this together, and we had to find a way out. But how? How do you defeat someone who seems invincible? 

Everything stopped so suddenly. The air seemed to thicken, the world around us holding its breath. A chill ran down my spine, not from the cold but from something else, something primal. And then I felt him. His presence as strong as a tempest. It was like a physical force, pushing against my consciousness. 

Before I could even process it, I heard his voice, deep, resonant, and filled with a power I’d never heard before. “We give him what he wants.” 

I lunged at him without thinking, my arms wrapping around him tightly. He was here. He was real. And he was safe. Relief washed over me in waves, so strong it nearly knocked me off my feet. My wolf let out a low growl, a sound of contentment that reverberated through me which meant he got his wolf back. 

He held me for a moment, his arms as strong as steel, yet gentle as a summer breeze. “Silver,” he whispered, his breath warm against my skin. 

I clung to him, refusing to let go. I didn’t care about anything else. He was here, and that was all that mattered. 

Slowly, reluctantly, I pulled away, the weight of the situation crashing down on me. I looked at the others, their faces a mixture of shock and relief. Sarah wiggled her eyebrows at us, a mischievous glint in her eyes. I blushed, my heart pounding in my chest. 

Alex cleared his throat, his powerful aura suddenly back in full force. “We’re done playing games,” he said, his voice low and dangerous. His eyes, usually soft and playful, were now hard and cold. “Ivan has gone too far.” 

His gaze swept the room, landing on each of us. “We give him what he wants. My father. And then, we finish this.” 

A collective gasp escaped our lips. “Are you crazy?” Riley exclaimed, her voice filled with disbelief and fear. 

Alex’s expression didn’t change. “I’m done running. I’m done being a pawn. I’m not going to let him dictate our lives anymore.” 

“But Alex, this is a trap,” Natalia argued, her voice trembling. “He wants to kill you.” 

“I know,” Alex replied, his voice cold and calculated. “But I’m not going to let him hurt Nate or anyone else.” 

A wave of fear washed over me. I couldn’t lose him. Not again. “Alex, please don’t do this.” 

He turned to me, his eyes filled with a love that was both comforting and terrifying. “I have to, Silver. I have to end this once and for all.” 

“So you are going to hand your father over to him?” Christian asked. 

Alex’s jaw tightened. “My father made his choices,” he said coldly. “He has to face the consequences. And so does Ivan.” 

“And Nate?” Riley asked. 

Alex’s eyes hardened even more, “I am not letting that bastard near my son. I’m going to protect him with my life.” 

I wanted to believe him, but the fear was overwhelming. This was a suicide mission. I couldn’t lose him. Not now. 

*Alex, please, I begged again, my voice filled with desperation. 

He took a step towards me, his arms reaching out. He held me tightly, his warmth a comforting shield against the storm raging inside me. 

“I promise, Silver, he whispered, his voice filled with a promise that was both reassuring and terrifying. “I’ll come back to you.” 

I clung to him, hoping with all my might that his promise would come true. 

He released me for a moment to face Christian, “My wolves will be ready. I will retrieve Damon from the facility and go to Ivan.” 

“Wait,” Sarah said and all of us turned to her, “How do you know what Ivan wanted?” 

“I got a message from him and that is the last any of us will get,” His eyes darkened and his Alpha aura filled the room, “I am ending this and when I walk out of there, Ivan will be dead.” 

2/3 

L