Bonds

-Maya's POV-

"What's going on here?" Ivan repeated, his voice tight with a mix of concern and irritation. His gaze flickered between me and Alex, the tension in the air practically crackling. Alex remained silent, his eyes locked on mine for a beat before finally looking away. They landed on Ivan, a silent exchange passing between them. It felt loaded, like a conversation unspoken. Then, his gaze snapped back to me.

"You will be out of here soon," he said, his voice flat and devoid of any emotion. It felt like a statement of fact, not a promise. He didn't wait for a response, turning on his heel and heading for the door. The heavy metal clanged shut behind him, leaving an unsettling silence in its wake.

Ivan's jaw clenched tight. He looked at me, his face a mask of anger. I opened my mouth to explain, to bridge the widening gap between us, but he cut me off sharply.

"Maya," he started, his voice losing its usual softness whenever he spoke to me, "You told me Alex was... a thing of the past. You said you were done with him." His words held a hint of betrayal, a reminder of the conversation we'd had just had before my arrest. Now, here I was, just moments ago in a heated exchange with the very man I supposedly didn't care about anymore.

"Lasked him to leave," I blurted out, feeling defensive. "It's not like I had a choice! He just showed up here, and..." I trailed off, frustration bubbling inside me. It wasn't fair. I shouldn't have to apologize for being in a jail cell with a man who refused to leave.

"And how does that explain why he practically had his hands wrapped around you when I walked in here?"

"It happened fast," I explained, my voice calm despite the anger simmering beneath the surface. "He just grabbed me and I wanted to push him away but-"

"But you didn't" he cut in, his eyes narrowing. "What was he even here in the fisrt place."

"He said he was here to help," I admitted hesitantly. My words felt hollow even to myself. Help? He'd caused most of this chaos!

"Help?" He scoffed, his disbelief evident. "He's the last person you need help from, Amaya. Don't you see that?"

"See what?" I shot back, my temper finally flaring, "I appreciate you worrying, Ivan, but I can handle myself."

A beat of silence followed my outburst. He stared at me, his expression unreadable. The air crackled with unspoken words and simmering tension. But there was a flicker of hurt in his eyes. I wanted to feel bad for snapping at him. I knew it wasn't his fault but I was just angry. My emotions seemed to bleed into his and the hurt disappeared replaced by anger but then instead of exploding like I expected to, he let out a sign.

"Handle yourselff You're sitting in a jail cell, Maya. How exactly are you handling that?"

His gentle tone disarmed my anger. Shame washed over me. He was right. He was still here for me even though I had not made it easy.

"I... I don't know," I mumbled, looking down at the floor. "This whole thing is a mess. My father, Alex showing up... I just want it all to stop."

11:35 Fri, 21 Jun Chapter 35

He sighed, the sound heavy with weariness. He reached out, placing a hand on my shoulder. The touch was warm, a reminder of his presence, his support, "We just need to focus on getting you out of here."

A wave of relief washed over me as he spoke. Getting out of here was all I needed to focus on at that moment. "We?" Techoed, "Do you mean you've figured out a way to get me released?"

He hesitated for a moment, a flicker of something unreadable crossing his features. "I've contacted a lawyer. Someone who can navigate this mess and hopefully get you released quickly. But..." he trailed off, his voice tightening.

"But what?" The hope that had bloomed in my chest started to wilt. Was there another complication? Another hurdle to jump?

"I also spoke to your father," He admitted, his gaze dropping to the floor for a moment before meeting mine again.

heart. of sympathy in his eyes, a flicker of something that tugged at my There was a hint My breath hitched. "You saw my father? Is he... is he alright?" The image of my father, stern and powerful, facing an unknown interrogation, sent a fresh wave of worry crashing over me.

"He's not in the best place. The investigation into his company... it's not going well for him. They've frozen most of his assets, and there's a lot of evidence piling up."

I felt a cold dread pool in my stomach. This wasn't good. Not good at all. "The company... Does that mean..."

"It doesn't look good. There's a chance they could shut it down completely. And even if they don't, the financial strain... it will take years to recover, if ever."

The news hit me like a physical blow. The symbol of my father's power and prestige, potentially crumbling to dust. The implications were staggering. "But what about the pack?" I blurted out, a new worry dawning on me.

"With Daniel... with everything going on here, the pack is in chaos. Everyone's vying for power, and those whose who think they have a chance are gunning to be alpha,"

I let out a groan, "That is not good at all. This is a f*cking mess. Everything falling apart."

"We'll figure it out. We'll deal with your father, the company, and the pack. But first things first, we get you out of here."

His words calmed the storm of emotions brewing inside me. He was right. Panicking wouldn't solve anything. I needed a clear head, a plan.

'So what's the plan then?" I asked, forcing myself to sound calm. "How do we get me released? And what about my father... is there anything we can do to help him?"

"Getting you released is the easy part. The lawyer should be here any minute now. As for your father..." he hesitated, his brow furrowing in thought..

"As for my father?" I pressed, my voice laced with a sliver of desperation. "There has to be something we can do. What about the person we were supposed to see before things went haywire and I got arrested?"

"He turned out to be a waste of time. He is the reason I am just coming to see you. He amounted to nothing. Just wanted some

11:35 Fri, 21 Jun ti Chapter 35

cash for some few useless words. The only thing we can do now is try to help your father. But the evidence against him is strong

A bitter part of me bubbled up.

Maybe this was karma finally catching up to my father, a payback for all the wrongs he'd done. Maybe if the wrongs he sat here for a while, stewing in his own misery, he'd finally understand the pain he inflicted on others. Maybe. But the thought was fleeting. Daniel Stone might deserve this, but I wouldn't stoop to his level.

"We'll do what we can," I said, my voice firm. "But Ivan, there's something else. I can't let the pack fall apart. The power can't shift hands away from the Stones.

No one else can claim the Alpha title."

He nodded curtly, understanding etched on his face.

"And I really hate to ask this of you but Natalia needs to be informed of what is happening." I closed my eyes myleyes feeling a wave of pain, "She needs to know that I might not be able to see Ivy and Nate in a while because I don't know how long this will drag on for."

"Alright," He said, his voice gentle. "I'll take care of it and she needs extra help in handling them, I would be happy to help."

I stared at this man. What kind of beautiful creature was he? I opened my mouth to tell him just how much I appreciated everything he was doing for me but the sound of approaching footsteps broke the silence. The door creaked open, revealing a uniformed officer.

"Times up Sir."This content belongs to Nô/velDra/ma.Org .

Ivan stood up, a flicker of something unreadable crossing his features before a wry smile touched his lips.

He turned to leave, then paused at the doorway, his gaze meeting mine.

"When you get out of here, Amaya," he said, his voice low and intense, "I won't tolerate.you having anything to do with Alex."

I met his gaze, understanding settling in my stomach. "I understand," I said simply.

"And one more thing," he continued, a hint of a challenge in his voice. "Once this is all over, I'm claiming you as my mate."

With that, he turned on his heel and strode out, the heavy metal door clanging shut behind him.