Bonds of the Alpha Billionaire (Maya and Alex)

-Alex’s POV-

Blaming it all on my wolf, on the heightened emotions that had turned my insides into a churning mess, didn’t make the sting of my words to Amaya any less sharp. The moment I wa

Watching Ivan appear at her side, his arm wrapped protectively around her as he steered her away, solidified the reality in my gut. She was gone. I had burned.

Picking up the glass of amber liquid in my hand, I took a long, slow drink, the liquor burning a familiar path down my throat. My gaze drifted out the windo my eyelids was far more vivid – the dead wolves sprawled across the cold concrete floor, their fur matted with blood. The metallic tang of blood filled my nostrils, a phantom sensation that refused to fade.

Yet, amidst the carnage, there was no flicker of satisfaction. Daniel was still alive. He was out there, breathing, plotting his next move, while loyal wolves

“That was a very considerate move, declaring war when I was still in the room, fiancé.” Miranda’s voice, dripping with disdain, sliced through

the silence of the room.

I didn’t bother turning to face her. Dealing with her right now was the last thing I needed. “Not now, Miranda,” I growled, the words rough in my throat.

But she was never one to back down from a fight. It simply wasn’t in her nature. “You could have at least told me you were planning on giving that order

Anger flared within me, hot and sudden. Turning towards her, I met her gaze head– on, my jaw clenched tight. “I saw you leave before it even started,” I snapped. “Don’t add to this, Miranda. I’m not in the mood for your games.”

She rolled her eyes dismissively, but instead of pushing the issue, she simply settled into the chair across from me. “Well at least pour me a

drink. Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

Our gazes clashed for a moment and then, I walked towards the bar, and the only sound in the room was the clinking of ice against glass as i poured he

She took the glass from me with a surprised blink, a rare vulnerability flickering across her usually composed face. Then, as quickly as it appeared, it van

We stayed there for what felt like hours, both of us staring out the window at the world outside. The first fat raindrops began to splatter against the glass, quickly escalating into a heav

Suddenly, a memory surfaced, a fragment from a long–forgotten past.

I stared up at the sky as the first drops of rain splashed against my face. Turning to my mother, I pointed a finger upwards. “Where does the rain come fr voice filled with childish wonder. A smile tugged at the corner of her lips, despite the dark circles that shadowed her eyes. “Where do you think it comes f

“Someone is upset and crying from the sky?” I offered, my brow furrowed in concentration.

Despite the exhaustion etched on her face, a genuine laugh escaped her lips, the sound warm and comforting. She knelt down to my eye level, her smile

My brow furrowed in concentration. “The sun and the ocean?” I repeated, trying to wrap my head around this new information. “But the sun is way up in t sky, and the ocean is all the way over there,” I protested, gesturing vaguely towards the distant horizon.

She chuckled, a soft, melodic sound that seemed to carry on the gentle breeze. “That’s true,” she admitted, “but they’re still friends, you see? The sun shines down hot on the ocean, making the water want to jump up and touch him.”

I gasped, my imagination sparked. “So the water jumps up?”

“Exactly!” she said, her voice filled with amusement. “But the sun is too far away for the water to reach him, so it gets a little frustrated. It keeps trying an

My eyes widened. “Like me trying to jump and touch the ceiling?”

“Just like that!” she confirmed, her smile widening. “But all those tiny drops of water jumping together, they make a big difference. They rise up high in th

“Like cotton candy?” I interrupted, my eyes sparkling with delight.

She laughed again. “Sort of like cotton candy,” she agreed. “But these clouds are full of all that water that jumped up from the ocean. And then, somethin

I leaned in closer, captivated by her story. “What happens?”

“The clouds get so full of water, they get too heavy to hold it all in anymore,” she explained. “So the water starts to spill back down to the earth, and that’s when it rains!”

My head bobbed up and down in understanding. “So the rain is like the ocean crying because it can’t reach the sun?”

My mother shook her head gently. “Not exactly crying” she corrected. “The ocean isn’t sad, it’s happy to share its water with the earth. The rain helps the plants grow

We sat in comfortable silence for a moment, listening to the pitter–patter of the rain on the leaves around us. The gentle breeze ruffled my hair, carrying the sweet scent of wet earth. As the rain picked up its pace, drumming a steady rhythm

Suddenly, an urge to be closer to my mother overwhelmed me. I scrambled off the bench and into her lap, burying my face in the crook of her neck. Her

A sniffle reached my ears, a wet sound that seemed to mingle with the drumming of the rain. I lifted my head slightly, peering up at my mother’s face. He

Even at my young age, there was something about her expression that tugged at my heartstrings. Without fully understanding why, I knew she was sad. up kind of sadness that I couldn’t quite

grasp.

“Mommy, are you crying?” I asked softly, my voice barely audible over the sound of the rain.

She blinked, a tear rolling down her cheek and mixing with a raindrop that landed there. She wiped her face quickly, forcing another smile. “No, honey,” s

Even though I didn’t quite believe her, I didn’t push it. Instead, I leaned in closer, nuzzling my head against her chest. “Whenever it rains,“i whispered, my voice barely above a murmur, “I’ll thin

The image faded as quickly as it appeared, leaving behind a bittersweet ache in its wake. The rain continued to pour outside, a relentless

curtain washing away the world.

“The hurt never goes away and even the rain cannot wash away just how hateful the world is.” Miranda whispered behind me. It was so soft, like she wasn’t even talking to me. I had almost forgotten she was even there.

I stood there for a moment, then turned around, But the room was empty.

Just like everyone else in my life, she was gone.

Simply gone.