Bonds

Chapter 60 -Maya's POV- We stood there, locked in a silent stare-down, the air thick with unspoken words and unresolved issues. Adrian's eyes, once bright and mischievous, now seemed dull and empty, like two cold stones staring back at me. I felt a shiver run down my spine as I look in the changes in him.

I finally broke the silence. "What are you doing here, Adrian? How did you find me?" He took a step closer, his long strides eating up the distance between us. I retreated, my back pressing against the rough wall of the building behind me. His eyes never left mine, and I felt like a trapped animal, commered.

"That's not the question you should be asking, Amaya," he said, his voice low and menacing. "You should be asking how I am, after being thrown in jail, abandoned by everyone I thought I could trust." His tone turned mocking, and I felt a sting of guilt. "Not even one visit, Amaya. I thought we were friends, but I guess I was wrong. You're no different from Alex, nothing but backstabbers." I shook my head, trying to defend myself. “I did try to visit you, Adrian. I swear it's the truth." It wasn't a lie. After Alex kickedout, my life spiraling out of control, I had tried to reach out to Adrian, hoping he could helpmake sense of the chaos. But when I arrived at his apartment, it was like a war zone broken furniture, shattered glass, and an eerie silence. He was nowhere to be found, and the neighbors toldhe had been arrested. I tried to visit him at the station, but they refused to letsee him, like I had been blacklisted. His expression didn't change, his eyes still cold and hard. “Did you now?" he repeated, his tone dripping with mockery...

I glanced around, trying to escape the intensity of the moment. That's when I realized my legs were throbbing, my feet aching from the long run. I had no idea how far I had cor where I was. Panic set in, and I knew I had to get out of there, away from Adrian and his suffocating aura.

1 faced him, trying to sound calm. “I'm glad you got out, Adrian, I really am.” Then, with a burst of courage, I turned to leave, but it was too late.

In a flash, his hands wrapped around my waist, yankingback against the building. All the air was knocked out of my lungs as he slammed.against the wall, his grip like a vice around my neck, I gasped, struggling to breathe, as he glared at me, his eyes blazing with a fierce intensity.

"You're not going anywhere until I have the answers I need," he growled.

I was trapped, pinned against the wall, with no escape in sight. Adrian's grip tightened, and I felt my vision blurring, my thoughts racing with fear and confusion. What did he want from me? What answers was he searching for? "Adrian, let go of me!" I gasped, my claws extended in a desperate attempt to defend myself. My wolf was stirring, sensing danger, but I knew I couldn't shift, I tried to slash at him, but he was too quick, too prepared. In a flash, he pulled out a gun and pointed it at my head, the cold metal pressing against my skin.

"I know you heal fast, Amaya, but I'm pretty sure even werewolves can't heal from a bullet straight to the brain," he sneered, his eyes glinting with a sinister light. I froze, my claws retracting, my heart racing with fear.

One wrong move, and I'd be dead, 10:22 Sat, 22 Jun Chapter 60 90% "Good decision," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm, as he released sof the pressure on my neck. But he didn't letgo, no, hel just adjusted his grip, his fingers digging deeper into my skin.

I swallowed hard, trying to find my voice. "What do you want from me?" "Answers," he replied, his tone cold and detached. “About everything that's been going on in the world since I was locked up and my entire life ripped from me. And most of all, you're going to telleverything I need to know to make Alex pay for what he did to me.

Revenge.

That's what this was about. Adrian's desire for revenge was evident, like a living, breathing thing. I felt a shiver run down my spine as he released me, his hands finally leaving my neck. I took a deep breath, coughing, my throat sore from the pressure.

He stepped back, his eyes never leaving mine, as he reached down to pick something off the floor. A half- smoked cigarette. He pulled out a lighter and lit it up, the flcasting eerie shadows on his face. Two thoughts crossed my mind: first, that was disgusting, and second, he had always despised smoking.

"You pick up a lot of things in there," his voice cut in, as if reading my mind, "habits, when you're in jail, you do what you have to do to survive. Kill or be killed." His voice was matter-of-fact, but his eyes told a different story. The Adrian I knew was dead, and in his place was a stranger, a man hardened by the harsh realities of prison life. I felt a wave of nausea wash overas he continued talking, his words dripping with malice. "I got out two weeks ago, and since then, I've watched. Every. Single. One. Of. You. Natalia and that man she chose over me, Alex and his self-destructive ways... there's no difference there. The man you married, Ivan McCall, is it? You... but you know what fascinatedthe most? Those two beautiful children.” Everything infroze, my instincts kicking in. My wolf growled, a low, menacing sound, as I snarled, "If you go anywhere near my children, I'll make you beg for death." But Adrian just ignored the threat, his eyes glinting with a cold, calculated light.

"With the way things are, I'm sure he doesn't know he's their father. I'm not even sure he knows they exist. Something tellsyou want to keep it that way." My heart raced as I continued staring at him, my mind racing with thoughts of my children, my family, my life.

How much did Adrian know? And what would he do with that knowledge? His eyes narrowed, his gaze piercing as he continued. "I know all about it, Amaya. I know Alex kicked you out of his life on the snight. I was thrown in jail. But it doesn't matter. What matters is that Alex still wants you, and I'm going to use you as my tool to destroy him." My eyes widened in horror. "You're sick, Adrian. I'll never help you or play your twisted games." His laughter was like a cold wind, sending shivers down my spine. "You're so naive. You think you have a choice? You think you can just walk away from this? I've been watching you, Amaya. I have done nothing but watch. You value your children the most and I'll use them too, if! have to." I felt a surge of fear, my heart racing with panic. "You'll never touch them, Adrian. I'll die before I let you hurt them." His smile grew wider, his eyes glinting with a madman's intensity. "Oh, I'm not going to hurt them. At least, not yet. First, I'm going to use you to destroy Alex. And then... well, we'll see. Maybe I'll let you joinin my revenge. Maybe I'll even let you be the one to deliver the final blow." Chapter GO "Good decision," he said, his voice dripping with sarcasm, as he released sof the pressure on my neck. But he didn't letgo, no, he just adjusted his grip, his fingers digging deeper into my skin.

I swallowed hard, trying to find my voice. "What do you want from me?" "Answers," he replied, his tone cold and detached. "About everything that's been going on in the world since I was locked up and my entire life ripped from me. And most of all, you're going to telleverything I need to know to make Alex pay for what he did to me." Revenge.

That's what this was about. Adrian's desire for revenge was evident, like a living, breathing thing. I felt a shiver run down my spine as he released me, his hands finally leaving my neck. I took a deep breath, coughing, my throat sore from the pressure.

He stepped back, his eyes never leaving mine, as he reached down to pick something off the floor. A half- smoked cigarette. He pulled out a lighter and lit it up, the flcasting eerie shadows on his face. Two thoughts crossed my mind: first, that was disgusting, and second, he had always despised smoking.

"You pick up a lot of things in there," his voice cut in, as if reading my mind, “habits, when you're in jail, you do what you have to do to survive. Kill or be killed." His voice was matter-of-fact, but his eyes told a different story. The Adrian I knew was dead, and in his place was a stranger, a man hardened by the harsh realities of prison life. I felt a wave of nausea wash overas he continued talking, his words dripping with malice. "I got out two weeks ago, and since then, I've watched. Every. Single. One. Of. You. Natalia and that man she chose over me, Alex and his self-destructive ways... there's no difference there. The man you married, Ivan McCall, is it? You... but you know what fascinatedthe most? Those two beautiful children." Everything infroze, my instincts kicking in. My wolf growled, a low, menacing sound, as I snarled, "if you go anywhere near my children, I'll make you beg for death." But Adrian just ignored the threat, his eyes glinting with a cold, calculated light.

"With the way things are, I'm sure he doesn't know he's their father. I'm not even sure he knows they exist. Something tellsyou want to keep it that way." My heart raced as I continued staring at him, my mind racing with thoughts of my children, my family, my life.

How much did Adrian know? And what would he do with that knowledge?

His eyes narrowed, his gaze piercing as he continued. “I know all about it, Amaya. I know Alex kicked, sex kicked you out of his life on the snight I was thrown in jail. But it doesn't matter.

What matters is that Alex still wants you, and I'm going to use you as my tool to destroy him." My eyes widened in horror. "You're sick, Adrian. I'll never help you or play your twisted games." His laughter was like a cold wind, sending shivers down my spine. "You're so naive. You think you have a choice? You think you can just walk away from this? I've been watching you, Amaya. I have done nothing but watch. You value your children the most and I'll use them too, if! have to." I felt a surge of fear, my heart racing with panic. "You'll never touch them, Adrian. I'll die before I let you hurt them."

His smile grew wider, his eyes glinting with a madman's intensity. "Oh, I'm not going to hurt them. At least, not yet. First, I'm going to use you to destroy Alex. And then... well, we'll see. Maybe I'll let you joinin my revenge. Maybe I'll even let you be the one to deliver the final blow." Ask Al 10:22 Sat, 22 Jun Chapter GD 90% I shook my head, my mind racing with thoughts of escape, of protecting my family "You're crazy I'll never help you. And even if I did, Alexis not the sman you knew. He's changed, Adrian,"

Adrian's laughter grew louder, more maniacal. "You really are naive, You think you know Alex? You think you know what he's capable of? | know him Amays. I know him better than anyone. And I know he's still the smanipulative, power-hungry bastard he's always been. Nothing has changed there, he just hid it well enough from you." I felt a surge of anger, my claws extending, my wolf growling "You're not going to use me. And you're not going to hurt my family. I'll kill you first." "You're so predictable. You think you can threaten me? I've been in jail.. I've seen things you can't even imagine. I've done things you can't even imagine. And I'll do them again, if it means getting my revenge The air was thick with tension, the silence between us like a living, breathing thing. I knew I had to get out of there, had to protect my family. But Adrian's words echoed in my mind, his madness infectious, his revenge a ticking tbomb waiting to explode.

And I knew one thing. A war was coming And I wasn't sure I was going to walk out of it alive.