Bonds

-Maya's POV-

He stared at me, his face a mask of complete and utter blankness. It was as if someone had flipped a switch, erasing all emotion from his features. The intensity that had flared in his eyes just moments ago was gone, replaced by a cold, impassive indifference. A beat of silence stretched between us, thick and suffocating. I held my breath, waiting for a reaction, any kind of reaction. But there was none. It was as if I hadn't spoken at all.

Then, as if suddenly remembering his purpose for being there, he cleared his throat, the sound harsh and grating. "Your father will..." he began, but I cut him off before he could finish the sentence.

"Don't you dare talk about my father right now! Didn't you hear what I just said to you?"

He let out a sigh, a sound of weary exasperation. "I came here to help because I know you're not involved in this," he said, his voice flat. "I didn't come to talk about your feelings."

His words were like a fresh spark igniting the tinderbox of my emotions. "My feelings?" I spat the word back at him, incredulous. "Are you kidding me, Alex?"

"Amaya," he started, but I wasn't finished. This wasn't the time for his patronizing tone. Not now.

"Don't you dare say my name," I growled, my voice laced with a dangerous edge. "You know what? Leave."

His eyes narrowed a fraction, a flicker of surprise crossing his features. "What?"Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

"You heard me. I said leave. Get out. I don't need your help. The Stones are garbage, so why don't you just stay away from us?"

The words tasted like ash in my mouth, each one a betrayal of the raw emotions that had just spilled out of me. But something had shifted within me, a deep- seated anger rising to the surface. This wasn't the Alex I knew. This cold, emotionless stranger staring back at me was a far cry from the man I had fallen in love with. He remained silent for a moment, his gaze unwavering. Then, he spoke, his voice devoid of any warmth. "You're making an unnecessary scene. Stop shouting."

The calmness in his voice only served to fuel my rage. "Stop shouting?" You barge in here, act like you care, and then dismiss my feelings like they're nothing? How dare you?"

I stared at him, searching his face for a trace of the Alex I knew, the man I had loved. But there was nothing. Just this cold, calculating stranger. He knew he could be an asshole, cold and ruthless but he was different with me. I was his soft spot. His weakness. His silver. A horrifying realization dawned on me. The Alex I loved... he was gone.

And if he was gone, then why was he here?

What did he want from me?

"Why?" The question hung heavy in the air, a challenge. Why was he here, inserting himself into this mess? Why did he care? His reasons couldn't possibly be altruistic. Not after everything that had happened.

A flicker of something crossed his features, a fleeting emotion I couldn't quite decipher. Was it annoyance? Hesitation? It was gone as quickly as it appeared, replaced by his usual stoic mask.

INSTALL

"I told you," he said, his voice clipped. "You're not involved in this. You shouldn't be here."

His words felt hollow, ringing false in the sterile silence of the room. A thought, cold and unsettling, slithered into my mind. He had always loathed my father. Their animosity was a constant undercurrent in our relationship. And yet, here he was, adamant about my innocence. Didn't that seem a little convenient?

"Did you have anything to do with this?" The question burst from my lips, laced with suspicion.

The ai shifted, a tangible change in the atmosphere. For a fleeting moment, a flicker of guilt flickered across his face, a chink in his armor. It was gone so quickly I almost doubted I'd seen it, but it was enough. Enough to confirm my growing suspicions.

"You!" The word exploded from me, a mixture of disbelief and betrayal. "You had something to do with this, didn't you? This whole thing... my father being investigated... it's all your doing!"

He remained silent, his jaw clenched tight, but the silence itself spoke volumes. My anger flared, a white-hot inferno consuming me.

"Unbelievable!" I spat the word at him, my voice trembling with fury. "You had to go this far? Couldn't you have just... I don't know... done something else to get back at him that did not involve potentially ruining his life? Ruinin my life?"

"Your father started this, Amaya. And the only reason he's even still alive is because of you so you should be grateful."

Grateful? The word tasted like ash in my mouth. Grateful that he'd entangled me in his twisted game of revenge? Grateful that he'd used me as a pawn to get to my father?

"Grateful?" I screamed, my voice raw with emotion. "You think I should be grateful that you are destroying my life without a single thought for how it would affect me? That something you did is making them paint me as a criminal?"

He flinched at the accusation, a flicker of something akin to pain crossing his features. But it was quickly masked by his usual stoic indifference.

"You weren't supposed to get cinvolved."

"Weren't supposed to get involved? So you planned all this, knowing the risk, and then act now you are here to what? Play knight in shinning armor to the public? What kind of twisted logic is that?"

He opened his mouth to speak, but I cut him off before he could utter another word.

"No," My voice was shaky with a mixture of anger and exhaustion. "I don't want to hear it. Just get out. Leave me alone."

He stared at me for a long moment, his expression unreadable, "I'll get you out of here."

"Like hell you will. You've done enough damage already. Just stay out of it."

He let out a tired sigh, "You don't understand,"

"Don't I?" I scoffed. "Enlighten me then, Alex. Because from where I'm sitting, it seems pretty clear. You get revenge on my father by dragging me into your mess.

Nice one."

A beat of silence followed. Then, with a slow, deliberate movement, he stood up, narowing the space between us. I hated how how

my breath hitched up when he moved closer. His scent surrounded me making my wolf heady.

"It wasn't supposed to be like this. When I took down your father's company, I..."

He trailed off, frustration etched on his features.

"You what?" I pressed, refusing to let him off the hook. "Didn't think about the collateral damage? Didn't think e about the fact that your little vendetta might land your rejected 'mate' in jail?" I spat the last word out, the bitterness dripping from my tongue.

He flinched at the word 'mate', a flicker of pain crossing his face for a split second before his expression hardened once more, "I am not going to talk about that."

"Well, that's exactly what we should be talking about, isn't it? You can't just waltz in here, act like you care."

"Amaya," he started, but I cut him off.

"No! Don't you dare try to patronize me. You want to talk about collateral damage? What about our relationship, Alex? What about everything we had?"

He took a deep breath, his eyes locking with mine. For a moment, I saw a flicker of something raw and vulnerable in their depths. But then it was gone. "We can't talk about that now."

"Why not?" I practically screamed, my frustration reaching a boiling point, "Because it doesn't fit into your carefully constructed plan? Because it makes you uncomfortable?"

He didn't answer, but his jaw clenched tighter, and a muscle ticked in his temple.

I could see the effort it took him to control his temper.

"Is that it, Alex?" I pressed, pushing him further. "Is that why you threw everything we had away? Because facing your feelings is too damn hard?"

A flicker of anger crossed his features, a dangerous glint in his eyes. But before he could respond, I surged to my feet, towering over him in my anger.

"How could you?" I demanded, my voice shaking. "How could you just throw everything we had?"

He remained silent, his face a mask of controlled fury. The tension in the room crackled like electricity. I could feel the air around him shift, a dark energy radiating from him.

Suddenly, he snapped. His eyes turned to black. Before I could react, he grabbed my arms, pulling me close, his chest brushing against mine.

"I said enough!" He roared, his voice a low growl.

The sound of the metal door slamming open startled both of us as an officer stepped inside and Behind him stood wah.

I stumbled back, clutching my arms where he'd grabbed me. I stared at Alex, his eyes flickering back to their colon But the cold, hard edge to his gaze remained then Ivan stepped inside breaking the silence, "What's going on here?"