Bonds

I i

-Maya's POV-

"Brother?" The question tumbled out of my mouth that echoed in the deafening silence of the car.

"You had a brother, Amaya," Ivan clarified, his voice laced with a sadness that mirrored the turmoil swirling inside me. "He died before you were even born. I don't know all the details surrounding his death, but I do know it hit your father hard. Devastated wouldn't even begin to describe it."

"Dead? But how do you know? And why didn't my father ever mention him?"

Suddenly, a memory from the hospital flickered in my mind. My father's harsh words, laced with a bitter sadness: "Because they took him away from me."

Could it be? Was this brother the one "taken away"? The thought sent a shiver down my spine.

"When I became Alpha," Ivan continued, his voice low, "I had to learn about all the other packs in the city, their histories, their rivalries. That's how I found out about your brother. Apparently, he almost burned down the entire city in a rage, seeking revenge on the one responsible for his death." He hesitated for a moment, then added, "Alex's father"

My eyes snapped to his face, searching for any hidden meaning, any deception. Suddenly, everything clicked into place. The animosity between my father and Alex's pack. His unending hate for Alex. It all made a twisted kind of sense.

"Alex's father? I could have had a brother," I whispered.

Ivan reached over, his hand gently squeezing my knee. I hadn't realized how badly it was trembling "I can't speak for your father, Amaya," he said softly. "But maybe... maybe he saw you as a constant reminder of what he lost. A painful echo of his griet Pity? Anger? The emotions churned inside me, a confusing cocktail it wasn't my fault he'd lost his son. Yet, for all these years, he'd turned his cold anger on me, the innocent bystander in this tragedy. What about Alex? Did he know about his father's past? There was no way he could be completely oblivious. Whenever I'd mentioned his family, he'd shut down, the conversation turning

"Amaya," Ivan's voice broke through my spiraling thoughts. "Look at me."His touch, gentle yet firm, brought my attention back to him. His fingers brushed away the tears I hadn't realized were streaming down my face.

"Why?" I choked out, "Why did things have to be so complicated?"

His hands left my knee, and he gently pulled me into a loose hug. The car was cramped, but he managed to create a pocket of comfort amidst the overwhelming chaos of my emotions. My body wracked with sobs, tears soaking the fabric of his shirt. He didn't say anything, just held me as the storm raged on inside me.

After what felt like an eternity, the intensity of the sobs subsided, leaving behind a hollow ache and a raw exhaustion. I leaned into his embrace, drained and emotionally spent

"Let's get you home," he whispered softly, his voice a soothing balm against the storm.

He carefully shifted me back to my seat, then reached for the ignition. Apparently, the car had been turned off at some point during my breakdown, a detail that had completely escaped my notice. With a gentle hum, the engine roared back to life.

My eyelids fluttered closed, overwhelmed by a wave of fatigue. The last thing I registered before succumbing to sleep was Ivan's murmured ReelShort Google Play INSTALL Chapter 51Content (C) Nôv/elDra/ma.Org.

promise, a vow woven with determination. "I won't let them take anymore from us."

A sliver of light pierced through my eyelids, rousing me from sleep. I blinked a few times, my vision adjusting to the familiar surroundings of my bedroom. A faint squabbling sound reached my ears, drawing me fully awake There, in the middle of the bed, stood a tangled mess of limbs and dark hair-my twins, Ivy and Nate, locked in a playful battle, Ivy was reaching with chubby arms for something Nate clutched tightly in his tiny hand.

"No! Mine!" Nate screeched, his brow furrowed in fierce concentration as he tried to shield the object from his sister's grasp.

"Give!" Ivy demanded, her voice a high pitched squeal. She lunged forward, her entire body weight thrown behind the grab and the balance they maintained was quickly disrupted: A yelp escaped Nate's lips as he lost his footing, sending both of them tumbling in a giggling heap onto my stomach.

The sudden weight startled me, but a smile tugged at the comers of my lips despite the lingering exhaustion. This... this was home. The i chaos, the noise, the love-all of it, a beautiful mess that filed a void I hadn't even realized existed.

"Woah, woah, easy there, champions," I chuckled, gently untangling them from each other. "What's all the commotion about?"

Ivy, momentarily distracted, pointed a stubby finger at the object still firmly clutched in Nate's hand. “He took my dolly!" she declared, her voice thick with indignation Nate, emboldened by a mischievous glint in his eyes, peeked out from behind my arm. "No, it's mine now!" he countered, his voice muffled by my shirt.

With a sigh, I reached for Nate's hand and pried it open, revealing a tiny, misshapen playdough creation that vaguely resembled a doll. "Well, it doesn't look much like a do does it eased gently

"That's cuz it's a mermaid dolly she declared, snatching the creation from my hand The bickering resumed as soon as I disentangled them, "Mine" vy shrieked, reaching for the playdough doll in Nate's hand. "No!" he countered, squeezing it tighter. Their voices intertwined in a melodic cacophony of toddler disagreement.

A tired smile curved my lips as i watched them. Just then, the bedroom door creaked open. Ivan stepped inside, his gaze immediately landing on the squabbling twins and then on me. Relief washed over his features

"I thought you left," I managed, a hint of appreciation coloring my voice He offered a reassuring smile. "I needed to make sure you were alright." His eyes then shifted to the commotion unfolding on my stomach. "Looks like someone needs a referee"

He chuckled, crouching down to their level. "So, what seems to be the problem here?"

"She took my dolly!" Nate declared, pointing an accusing finger at his sister.

by scoffed. "It's not a dolly, a mermaidi"

han tilted his head, feigning confusion "A mermaid, huh? Can you show me what kind of mermaid it is?"

bry, wager to share her creation adily handed him the playdough blob. He took it gingerly inspecting with mock seriousness. "Hmm, I see Chapter 51

the tail," he mused, poking the misshapen appendage. "But where's the pretty hair?"

Both twins frowned in contemplation. "Hair?" Nate echoed, scratching his head. Ivan grinned. "Exactly! Mermaids have beautiful long hair, don't they?"

Ivy and Nate exchanged a glance, their brows furrowed in thought. "Hair," Ivy repeated, the word clicking in her mind. Suddenly, her eyes darted towards her nightstand where a pile of stuffed animals resided.

With a triumphant squeal, she scrambled and dashed towards the nightstand. Moments later, shem returned clutching a tattered pink bunny with yarn hair falling out in several directions. "Hair!" she exclaimed, thrusting the bunny towards Ivan.

He chuckled. "Perfect! Now, where do we put this hair on our mermaid?" He held the bunny up next to the playdough creation, demonstrating for them.

Ivy and Nate huddled together, pointing and giggling. Together, they decided on the best placement for the bunny's hair, giggling as ivan carefully attached it to the misshapen doll.

Just then, a delicious aroma wafted into the room. Ivan sniffed the air. "Mmm, what smells so good?"

"Cookies!" Ivy shrieked, her eyes lighting up. She bounced in place, barely able to contain her excitement.

Nate, catching on, started mimicking his sister. "Cookies! Cookies!" he chanted, bouncing on his toes.

Before I could even respond, Ivy was already clambering out of bed, eager to reach the source of the delicious scent. But before she could dash out of the room, she paused, a thoughtful expression on her face.

She turned back towards Ivan, who was kneeling on the floor putting away various toys the twins hadm scattered during their play. She walked up to him, a shy smile gracing her lips.

"Thank you, daddy," she whispered before sprinting out of the room towards the kitchen, her excited shouts of "Cookies" echoing down the hallway.

Ivan straightened up, a stunned expression on his face. A warmth bloomed in my chest as I watched him. "She called you daddy," I said softly.

He chuckled, a touch of nervousness lingering in his eyes. "I guess she did, didn't she?" He looked down at his hand, a slight smile playing on his lips.

"Maybe someday soon, Nate will follow suit."

I smiled in return. He has been nothing less than perfect with them, e

taking time out to play when Maria, his housemaid, was busy with chores. Ivan was perfect and i guess it wouldn't be so bad if he became their father.

But why did a part of me mirror my wolf's growl of disapproval at that?

Why did he becoming their father feel so right yet so wrong at the same time?