Bonds

"Maya's POV-

The word hung in the air, a possessive claim that resonated deep within my soul. A spark ignited, a connection so profound it left me breathless, Then, before I could react, his teeth sunk into the soft flesh just below my ear, a sharp prick of pain followed by a surge of heat that raced through my body.

I gasped, a mixture of shock and something else, something primal and instinctive, escaping my lips. His grip tightened around my wrist, his eyes holding mine captive.

"Now," he murmured, his voice husky with something akin to reverence, "you'll remember me The bathroom door creaked open, jolting us both from the intense moment. Natalia's voice, laced with concern, broke through the silence. "Amaya? Are you okay in there?"

His grip loosened, but he didn't release me. He glanced towards the door, a flicker of annoyance crossing his features. Then, with a final, lingering look, he let go of my wrist and disappeared from the bathroom into the crowd.

My knees buckled, and I slumped against the cool tile wall. My heart hammered against my ribs, my head spun, and a strange tingling sensation danced across my skin. Mate. The word echoed in my mind, a brand seared into my soul.

Natalia entered the restroom, her face etched with worry. But before she could speak, I grabbed her arm, a desperate need to escape overwhelming me.

"Let's go," I whispered, my voice trembling, "Let's just get out of here.

Her questions went unanswered as I pulled her out of the bathroom and back into the throbbing heart of the club. The music pounded around me, the lights blurred, but all I could see was his face, feel the ghost of his touch, and hear the raw possessiveness echoing in his words:

You are mine, Silver.

"Amaya! What the heck was that all about?" Natalia shouted as soon as we got back into the club. "You practically dragged me out of there!"

I tried to focus on anything to drown out the chaotic symphony within me “just needed some air."

"Air? In the middle of the bathroom stall? Did you suddenly develop claustrophobia? And who was that guy in there with you? You looked like you were about to eat each other's faces!"

Her bluntness, while unwelcome at the moment, did manage to break through the fog of confusion clouding my mind. Taking a deep breath, I reached out and grabbed her arm, pulling her towards a quieter corner of the club.

"Natalia," I began, forcing myself to meet her curious gaze. "There's something you need to know..."

She listened patiently, her brow furrowing in concentration as I recounted the encounter in the bathroom. When I finished, a stunned silence hung between us, broken only by the faint thumping of the music.

Then, it happened. Her face broke into a wide grin, her eyes sparkling with excitement. A high-pitched squeal escaped her lips, and before I could react, she had launched into a celebratory dance, her arms flailing wildly.

"Oh my God, Amaya! You found your mate! This is amazing! The best thing ever!" she shrieked, practically bouncing off the floor.

Exhausted, both physically and emotionally, I couldn't help but laugh at her infectious enthusiasm. Despite the whirlwind of emotions i was experiencing, a sliver of happiness bloomed within me. Finding my mate, something I'd dreamt about for years, was finally happening.

But as quickly as the happiness appeared, a new wave of anxiety washed over me. Natalia, oblivious to my internal struggle, continued to gush about the significance of the encounter.Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

The more I learned, the more the picture in my mind shifted. He wasn't just the ruthless businessman portrayed in the media. There were hints of a sharp intellect, a quiet determination, and even a flicker of vulnerability in his eyes that caught me off guard. He wasn't the monster my father painted him to be even though I had never bothered to pay too much attention.

As the night wore on, exhaustion began to tug at me. The emotional rollercoaster of the evening had taken its toll.

"We should get home and get some sleep," Natalia suggested, "We'll think more clearly in the morning. Even better, not in a club.

I nodded, letting her take the lead. The world went by in a blur until I found myself crawling into bed, the events of the night replayed in my mind. The throbbing club, the intense connection with Alex, and the chilling realization that he was everything my family considered an enemy. With a sigh, I closed my eyes. Sleep wouldn't come easily and I laid awake all night staring.

The months that followed, I went against my entire family, my entire pack and for three years, I had everything I could ever dream of He promised it would be two of us till the very end.

Then in one night, he broke his promise and took it all away from me.

I opened my eyes, the tears flowing freely as the past faded away, leaving a dull ache in my chest but with it came the painful realization.

I was still in love with him...

I was still in love with Alex Thome.

apter 20

"Seriously, Amaya," she said, finally coming to a halt and grabbing my shoulders. "This changes everything You have to tell me all the details! What were his eyes like? Did he smell good? Did he say anything?"

A blush crept up my neck as I recalled the intensity of his gaze, the intoxicating scent that had filled the small bathroom space. But before I could answer, a new thought struck her.

"Wait a minute." she muttered, her brow furrowing as gears seemed to be turning in her head. "He seemed familiar somehow. Dif you get a good look at him?" Inodded hesitantly, "Yeah, in the bathroom light, He's tall, broad-shouldered....

She wasn't listening anymore. She whipped out her phone, her fingers flying across the screen as she frantically typed something int

"What are you doing?"

"Searching!" she mumbled, not looking up. "I swear I've seen him somewhere before."

A few seconds of frantic typing later, her eyes widened in realization. "Holy shit,"

she muttered, a nervous tremor in her voice.

She turned the phone screen towards me, and a gasp escaped my lips.

There, staring back at me ck at me from the screen, was the face of the man from the bathroom. The intensity of his gaze seemed to bum through the phone screen, sending a familiar tingle down my spine.

But it wasn't just his face that made my breath catch. It was the caption below the picture that sent a jolt of ice through my veins, Alex Thorne, CEO of Thome Industries.

My blood ran cold. I might not have cared about the faces behind the rivalry between our families, but dhe thing was for sure! finding my mate had just gotten a whole lot more complicated. My father would never allow me to be with Alex Thorne, the Alpha of our family's greatest rival

Her face mirrored the growing horror dawning on me. She opened her mouth to speak, but the words seemed to catch in her throat.

"No, I breathed, the word escaping my lips on a shaky exhale. "This can't be happening."

"It is happening. Amaya. But we'll figure this out. There has to be a way." She grabbed my hand, squeezing it tightly. "We just need to think. You found your mate. Nothing is going to stop you from being with him."

We stood there in silence for a moment, the weight of the revelation settling on us like a suffocating blanket. The excitement of finding my mate had evaporated, replaced by a cold dread that gnawed at my insides.

ly father will never approve. The rivalry between our families... it's been going on for years." "My

"Yeah, I know. But maybe there's a chance this will change things.. Maybe both your families can finally bury the hatchet. For your sake, Amaya."

My heart ached at the thought. The rivalry was a deeply ingrained part of our lives. Hoping for a sudden change seemed naive, foolish ever. But a flicker of hope, however faint, sparked within me. "Maybe," I echoed, clinging to the fragile possibility.

"We need a plan," She declared, her voice regaining its usual tenacity. "First things first, we need to learn everything we can about Alex Thorne. Maybe if we understand him better, we can figure out a way to make this work."

A sense of purpose washed over me, dispelling some of the fear. She was right. We couldn't just sit here paralyzed by the situation. We had to fight for this, for the unexpected bond I felt with Alex, the raw connection that end the that defied the animosity between our families Pulling out my phone, I mirrored her actions. Together, we delved into the digital world, searching for any information we could find about Alex Thome right there in the club. News articles detailing his success as CEO of Thorne Industries, interviews showcasing his business acumen, even a few candid photos capturing a glimpse of the man behind the powerful image.