Bonds of the Alpha Billionaire (Maya and Alex)

-Maya's POV-

This was one of those moments where you know laughter is completely inappropriate. A tiny giggle would be the worst thing you could do, but I was fighting a losing battle against the laughter bubbling up inside me. Natalia seemed to have lost the fight entirely, already doubled over in full-blown laughter. My father, who had been staring intently out the window, finally ripped his gaze away and glared at her.

That was all it took.

My own laughter erupted, a loud burst that had me clutching my stomach. It only lasted a second before my mother's voice cut through the merriment, laced with heavy disapproval. "The two of you, stop it!" she scolded.

But Natalia and I were lost causes. We locked eyes, and the laughter surged back

even stronger.

There must've been a lot of confusion on your end, so let me rewind to the beginning. When the text from my first popped up on my screen, I knew I should just ignore it. Daniel Stone could go straight to hell for all I cared. Answering the call felt like a terrible idea, but then one call turned into five, and the guilt of ignoring my mother gnawed at me. I just couldn't bring myself to pick up.

Then Riley asked why my phone kept blowing up. So I told her my mom was freaking out, insisting I come help my dad. She listened quietly, then hit me with a truth bomb that left me speechless. Her own mother died giving birth to her, and Riley would give anything to take just one phone call from her.

Guilt. Pure, unadulterated guilt that was what I felt afterwards and so I answered then called Natalia, explained the situation, and here we were.

This was definitely not what I'd expected. My father had been attacked. Beaten to a bloody pulp, according to my mother, all on Ivan's orders. Not only that, but Ivan had somehow managed to poach most of our pack members, basically declaring himself alpha of both our packs. It was a disaster. A full-blown catastrophe. I knew it. Whatever twisted plan Ivan was cooking up just got a whole lot more dangerous with the combined forces of two packs at his disposal.

But there we were, doubled over with laughter, because my father, the usually intimidating figure, looked like a cartoon character. His face was swollen to the size of a basketball, his features distorted and bruised. The glare he was trying to shoot us was more comical than anything, like a grumpy toddler refusing his nap.

Looking back, I know we were acting childish. There was so much at stake, a war brewing on the horizon, and here we were, reduced to giggles by my father's unfortunate appearance. But you have to understand, this man... well, let's just say I'd endured a lot under his roof. This moment of amusement, this unexpected release, I was going to savor it.

"Amaya!" My mother's voice cracked with exasperation this time. "There is no time for jokes!"

My father mumbled something under his breath, his voice muffled by the swelling. "I told you," he grumbled, "you shouldn't have called her." Even that, his slurred speech, sent another wave of laughter threatening to erupt.

I managed to force it down, turning to Natalia whose laughter had subsided into a mischievous glint in her eyes. "Alright," I conceded, wiping a tear from my eye, "we've had our fun. Let's go. He clearly doesn't want me here."

"Amaya, wait!" My mother pleaded, then whipped around to glare at my father. "Apologize to her right now!"

Daniel mumbled something into his beard, his words slurred and thick with swelling. It sounded vaguely like an apology, but it was hard to tell. "What did you say?" I pressed, narrowing my eyes at him.

He glared back, his usual scowl distorted by the puffiness around his eyes. "I said I was sorry for being...," he grumbled.

"An asshole, Natalia finished with a glare, and sure enough, my father turned his full glare on her. There really was a lot of glaring going on in this

room.

Taking a deep breath, I turned my attention to my mother. "Alright, so how can I help exactly? Because if your plan involves begging Ivan for his wolves back, let's just say it's a non-starter. One, he nearly killed me, twice. And two, those wolves chose to follow him. They pledged their loyalty to him, not to us. So, what exactly did you have in mind?"

My mother's gaze flicked nervously to my father, a silent exchange passing between them then he mumbled, "I need Thorne's help, not yours."

I blinked, momentarily stunned. "What did you just say?"

Daniel scowled even deeper. "I said I need Thorne's help. So tell him whatever plan he's cooking up against Ivan, I want in. And I want that bastard dead"

No matter the situation, no matter the fire raging around him, Daniel Stone always managed to sound like an entitled asshole.

"So let me get this straight, Natalia said, her voice laced with disbelief. "You hate the guy, you two went to war with each other, a war that spilled over into human territory and is causing Alex all sorts of problems right now, and on top of that, now you want his help? And not even with a please or a thank you?"

"And I'm supposed to be the messenger?" I added.

My mother sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose. "Daniel," she snarled through gritted teeth, "I told you to be nice about it." Then, turning back to me, she pleaded, "Honey, please. This pack has been in your father's family for generations. He can't lose it to Ivan. Alex has the most influence, the most power to go up against him. Let your father help with whatever crazy plan he's got going on against Ivan so we can end this madness once and for all. Please."

I let out a long, slow sigh. "The whole world seems to be against Alex right now," I muttered. "What makes you think he's not already fighting tooth and nail to survive this war that Ivan started, just like the rest of us?"

My mother met my gaze, her eyes filled with a desperate hope. "Because you gave him something more to fight for," she whispered softly. "And as long as Ivan is a threat, he won't stop fighting for them." She was talking about the twins, of course. Another sigh escaped my lips. "Fine," I conceded. "I'll talk to him. For your sake, Mom."

My father just rolled his eyes and turned back to stare out the window. For a fleeting moment, a strange thought flickered across my mind. I wondered what it would have been like if Jeremiah had survived. Maybe then I would have known what it was like to have a father, not just an alpha. But wishes were just that, wishes. I pushed the thought away before it could fully form.

Suddenly, my phone buzzed in my hand. Glancing down at the screen, I saw Alex's name light up the display. A smile instantly bloomed across my face as I read the message. Looking up, I gave my mother a reassuring smile. "I'm not promising anything but I'll let you know how it goes."

With that, I wrapped my arm around Natalia and practically dragged her out of the house. We were barely outside when she stopped and turned to me. "I'll go check on the twins and make sure they're settled in for the night before I head home. Go on."

"I didn't say I had somewhere to go."

Natalia just rolled her eyes."I saw the way you smiled, Amaya. There's only one person who makes you smile like that, and honey, I'll forever be sorry for what I said to you and faulting you because were destined to love him, and him you. So go, shoo! Go meet him wherever that text said to

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come."This is property © NôvelDrama.Org.

I stared at her for a moment, a warmth spreading through my chest. The only words I could manage were, "I really love you, Natalia.”

"I know," she replied, squeezing my arm briefly. "Now go."

She didn't need to tell me twice. I flagged down a cab, the weight of the situation momentarily forgotten. The war was still simmering in the background, the animosity between the sides a constant presence. But none of that mattered right now.

All that mattered was that little text: "Our place."

A smile tugged at the corners of my lips again. I knew exactly where he wanted me to meet him, a secret haven tucked away in the far corner of the garden, a place that had always been just for the two of us. As I stepped out of the cab and followed the hidden path that led me there, a gasp escaped my lips.

The hidden path through the garden opened up into a small clearing. It wasn't big, but it felt magical. Fairy lights twinkled overhead, strung between the branches of the trees like a starry sky. Flowers, all different colors, were planted in a neat row leading right up to the center of the space. There, in the very middle, a sign sat propped up on the ground. The words painted on it were clear and simple, yet they sent a jolt straight through my heart:

"Marry me again, Silver."

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