Bonds

-Alex's POV-

The slam of the car door echoed in the tense silence, a punctuation mark to the infuriating exchange that had just transpired. Amaya and Ivan were gone, their taillights disappearing into the night like a fading dream. My fists clenched, claws digging into my palms hard enough to draw blood. The bloodlust that had been simmering beneath the surface since the news of the bombing boiled over, a primal rage that threatened to consume me whole.

"That was intense," Miranda drawled, her voice dripping with her usual brand of morbid amusement as she followed me back into the house.

Lignored her. Every muscle in my body felt coiled tight, ready to spring. "So," She continued, her voice laced with a sly curiosity, "care to share what that little reunion was all about? Planning a war council perhaps?"

My jaw clenched tighter. "Leave me alone, Miranda."

Her smile faltered for a brief moment, a flicker of genuine worry replacing the usual mischief in her eyes. But it was fleeting. She recovered quickly, her lips curling into a smirk. "Oh come on, Alex. Don't be so grumpy. As your fiancée, I practically have a need to know these things, you know, pick a side and all that. After all, you were getting awfully chummy with Ivan there for a second. You know with you helping his company."

I scoffed. Fiancée. The only thing that wore was a title. I would keep her long enough to f*ck her senseless because that was the only thing we could agree on but I'd never marry her. We would be companions perhaps forever in our shared loneliness and hate.

Pushing past the pang of anger, I focused on the present. "This has nothing to do with you, Miranda. Stay out of it."

"Oh, but it does," she countered, her voice losing its playful edge. "You're about to declare war on my brother's pack, and for all I know this might be a way for you to take him out leaving dear Amaya-"

I snapped. The simmering rage I'd been holding in check finally erupted. "Shut your mouth!" I roared, my voice laced with a dangerous edge. "This isn't about Amaya or Ivan. This is about what that old man did to my pack! He crossed a line, and there will be consequences."

Miranda flinched at my outburst, but to her credit, she didn't back down. She squared her shoulders, her gaze meeting mine defiantly. "How do you plan to strike back, then? With a bunch of angry speeches and brooding stares? Because last I checked, a war is won with more than just righteous fury."

Tignored her barb. My mind was already racing, formulating a plan. The bomb had been a calculated move, a brutal display of dominance meant to intimidate, to cripple. But it had backfired. It had only served to ignite a firestorm within me, a burning desire to make Daniel Stone pay tenfold for the lives lost, for the fear that had gripped my pack.

The first order of business: intel. I needed to know everything about Stone's defenses, his pack's movements, his whereabouts. Every detail, every chink in his armor, would be exploited. Vargas would be useful here. Despite his annoying self-importance, he possessed a cunning mind and a network of informants that could prove invaluable.

Once I had a clear picture, then came the strike. It wouldn't be a frontal assault, a bloody clash of fangs and claws. No, that was a game expected, a game he was likely prepared for. My attack would be swift, surgical, a strike that would cripple his power base and leave him vulnerable even though all my wolf wanted to do was tear him to pieces.

"I have a plan," I finally growled, the words laced with a steely resolve.

Stone She raised an eyebrow, a hint of skepticismy flickering in her eyes. "Oh really? And what exactly is this brilliant plan of yours? Because it has

10:27 Sat, 22 Jun Chapter 79

been three days since the bombing and all you have done is shift, growl and growl more."

I smirked, a cold and predatory smile that sent shivers down her spine, even I could tell. "Let's just say Daniel Stone will be receiving a little... surprise. A taste of his own medicine, if you will."

The details of the plan remained unsaid, a secret weapon I wouldn't reveal until the moment of execution. But the image of the devastation I would unleash on Stone's territory, the fear it would instill in his pack, brought a sliver of satisfaction to the churning pit in my stomach.

"This isn't going to end well, Alex," She said, her voice softer now, laced with a hint of concern. "There will be casualties on both sides.""

Her tone caught me off guard for a moment, like she actually cared about what would happen. I knew she was right. War was a brutal game with no winners, only survivors. But the thought of backing down, of letting Stone get away with his attack, was unthinkable. It wasn't just about revenge, though that was a powerful motivator. It was about sending a message. A message that messing with the Nightshade pack wouldn't be tolerated.

"There will be casualties," I acknowledged, my voice low and gravelly. "But if I don't act, there will be more. Maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow, but Stone won't stop until he crushes us. This... this is about protecting my pack."

She studied me for a long moment, her eyes searching mine and I almost backed away from the intensity of her gaze. She looked normal, not like the manipulator I knew she was. She looked like she was actually capable of caring.

"Alright," she finally said, a sigh escaping her lips. "I have always loved an interesting battle. I live for drama and chaos. You know that even though it's going to be against my brother who has been nothing but an irritant," A look crossed her face then she continued, "If you need help... with anything... you know where to find me."

My surprise must have shown on my face because she barked out a laugh, a humorless sound that lacked its usual falseness. "Don't worry. I am still going to irritate you with my games. I'm still going to throw shade at your ex love. Just... try not to get yourself killed, alright?"

A reluctant smile tugged at the corner of my lips. For the first time, it felt like we were capable of having a normal conversation, "I'll do my best."

We stood there in silence for a moment, the weight of the situation hanging heavy in the air. The tension slowly eased, replaced by a fragile understanding. "Alright," she cleared her throat, breaking the silence. "I'm going to bed. This whole bomb and war thing has me wiped out. Just...don't burn the whole damn forest down, okay?"

With a final pointed look, she turned and headed towards her room. I watched her go, a knot of unase tightening in my stomach, Whatever the hell had just happened between us sent a wave of dread washing through me. She was Miranda, and I could never see her as anything more.Content from NôvelDr(a)ma.Org.

I let out a sigh then picked up my keys heading back out of the house, the cool night air filling my lungs. I was logical on most days. It was why I preferred the corporate world to the supernatural,

My werewolf side made me want to lash out, draw blood and kill everything in my path. It was the way my father raised me, violence the first answer at the Tast. I shoved those instincts down, a hard-learned habit. This wasn't just some brawl, this was a war. Daniel Stone would expect me to charge in, fangs bared, but I wasn't just a mindless beast.

Sliding into the car, I slammed the door and roared the engine to life. Vargas and I were on shaky ground but a truce had been forged in the face of a bigger threat. A smirk tugged at my lips. Stone wouldn't know what hit him. I could almost picture the scene: the arrogant old coot stepping out of his fancy building, expecting his car to be opened for him. He'd settle in, his ego filling the space like cheap cologne, and

then... boom.

The smile widened, I hadn't built it to kill, just to send a message. A loud, clear message. Turning the wheel, I pointed the car towards the facility. It was time to take my father up on his offer, finish what he started all those years ago when the war with Stone first began.

I would embrace the monster my father had tried to create, the monster I'd spent years fighting and then...I was going to kill Daniel Stone.

10:28 Sat, 27-Jun