Bonds

-Alex's POV-

I stood at the entrance of the facility waiting for them to prepare him to be seen. I knew once I stepped into that room and asked for his help. there would be no going back and as I sat there, replaying the day of the bombing in my head, I knew the decision had already been made.

-Three days earlier-

The news crackled over and over in my head, and I couldn't stop grinding my teeth in anger. Land claim. My land. The territory that had been in my pack's possession for generations, the one bordering his damn forest, was now apparently "up for grabs" according to the old bastard.

My fingers tightened around the phone, the plastic digging into my palm. This wasn't some corporate takeover, some hostile bid I could counter with lawyers and financial maneuvering. This was a primal challenge, a land grab rooted in the oldest werewolf traditions. I'd tried the civilized route, the boardroom battles, but Daniel Stone understood only one language: force.

"Mr. Thorne?" The voice on the other end of the phone, my secretary Ruth's, cut through the haze of anger clouding my mind. "Are you still there?"

"I am," I forced out, my voice tight. "Cancel all my meetings for the rest of the day and tomorrow."

The silence on the other end stretched for a beat before Ruth spoke again, her voice laced with concern. "Mr. Thorne, are you sure? You have a very important presentation tomorrow with the Miller Group."

"Cancel it." I repeated, my tone leaving no room for argument. "Everything. I need to handle something... urgent."

There was another pause, then a sigh. "Very well, sir, Will you be back in the office today?"

I glanced out the expansive window of my office. The city skyline shimmered under the soft glow of dusk, the construction that seemed to follow me everywhere I went. Renovation. It had been dragging on for weeks, a constant reminder of Amaya's presence. She had gone on to ignore me after the outburst at the pack and I hadn't stopped thinking about it. The more I did, the more I forced myself to believe that I had made no mistake because if the truth was that they were indeed fabricated then my whole world would be ruined.

"No. I won't be back today."

Pushing back from my desk, I grabbed my coat. Stepping out of my office, I found myself drawn towards the renovation zone. The entrance was blocked by white sheets, a temporary wall that did little to hide the sounds of hammering and drilling from within. My wolf stirred again, a restless energy coursing through me. Maybe I was hoping to catch a glimpse of her, to feel some semblance of calmness amidst the chaos Daniel Stone was unleashing but she wasn't there. I couldn't feel her.

With a sigh, so turned around and left. The news of Daniel Stone's land grab hung heavy in the air. No more delays. No more corporate niceties. It was time to embrace the part of me I'd spent years suppressing, the part that understood the language of force.

With a final glance at the construction zone, I turned and headed towards the elevators. The battle was on, and this time, I was not going to suppress my wolf.

1:1:000

The city air clung to me, heavy and stale even after the ten-minute drive. Moonlight sliced through the gaps in the old Victorian house's overgrown hedges, illuminating faces gathered around a crackling fire pit in the backyard. It wasn't their usual hangout - most nights were spent in their own apartments, plugged into the digital world. But tonight, the vibe was different. No laughter, no takeout boxes scattered Chapter 82

around. Just worried faces flickering in the firelight.

They weren't expecting me. Pack meetings these days were a sterile exchange of texts and video calls, a far cry from the old days of smoky dens and face-to- face meetings. Something that imitated me more than anything else in the world. Being Alpha wasn't a job description 1 ever signed up for, but some nights, the responsibility slammed into you harder than a car door, And tonight was one of those nights.

I had sent out word asking everyone within the city to be present at the pack house. Some wolves still liked to embrace the old ways, living amongst themselves like a close knitted community while others like the wave of modern world. We were a large pack with over a thousand pack members so I expected them in numbers, I scanned the faces searching for two people specifically, the most likely to undermine my authority but Vargas and Raze were seated amongst the high ranking members of the pack.Copyright Nôv/el/Dra/ma.Org.

Clearing my throat, I forced myself to focus on the task at hand. "Alright everyone," I began, my voice cutting through the tense silence. "Thanks for coming here on such short notice. You all know about the merger. Stone and McCall. A formidable force, no doubt."

Murmurs rippled through the pack, a low growl echoing from the side. I recognized the source - Vargas.. His smug smirk ignited a fresh wave of anger within me.

"But tonight," I continued, my voice rising a notch, "I have news of a different kind. News that should concern us all." I paused, letting the silence stretch for a beat before dropping the bombshell. "Daniel Stone has laid-claim to a portion of our borderlands."

A collective gasp escaped the pack.

"This," I stated, my voice firm, "is unacceptable. This land has been ours for generations. Stone's claim is baseless and reeks of opportunism."

A low growl rumbled through the pack, a chorus of agreement. Good. The anger was raw, the need to defend what was rightfully theirs burning bright in their eyes. But before the simmering tension could boil over, Vargas voice cut through, "Perhaps," he drawled, his voice laced with a smugness that grated on my nerves, "this could have been avoided. Perhaps if certain warnings had been heeded."

He didn't need to say my name but it was implied and wanted everyone to know that he had come to me with the way his eyes danced around. I chose to ignore him. He was seeking a verbal war, one that I wouldn't give to him. I faced back the Packmembers, "I know I haven't been the most present Alpha but that is going to change. No one touches what belongs to me. This land claim, which I intend to put an end to, is just the beginning, there will be more and I have no plans of letting anyone who makes a play against my pack get away with it."

A ripple of agreement ran through a section of the pack, mostly the younger wolves who craved battle glory, pressure was immense. My wolf stirred within me, its primal instincts urging me to meet force with force.

the thrill of the hunt. The pl. assess our

"We will not surrender what's rightfully ours," I declared, "But we will not be provoked into a ceckless fight Well gather intel, options, and strike when the time is right but if they do much as make another play, then assure you, there will be blood."

My words were met with a mixture of growls and nods. One of the high ranking members stepped forward, her gaze steady. "We trust your judgment, Alpha," she said, her voice carrying the weight of experience. "We'll be ready when you give the call."

A smug smile graced my lips when I saw Vargas' glare and then suddenly, the clearing was bathed in anceèrie red light Achigh-pitched beeping sound filled the air, growing louder by the second and before I could react, a deafening explosion ripped through the night.

The force of the blast sent me flying backward. My head slammed against the rough bark of a nearby tree, stars exploding behind my eyes. A ringing filled my ears, drowning out the screams and howls around me.

vision. The once lively clearing was now a scene of utter chaos. Gasps and whimpers filled Disoriented, I blinked away the spots clouding my the air, a horrifying symphony of pain. The stench of burnt flesh and gunpowder hung heavy in the air.

My wolf surged to the surface and a primal growl ripped from my throat, a sound raw with rage and despair. Men were trying to protect the m women while some were shifting to NO heal. It was a sea of chaos. Dazed and injured, I scrambled to my feet, my gaze scanning the clearing for the source of the attack and then my eyes landed on Vargas trying to pick himself up, blood dripping from the side of his head and then our eyes clashed. For the first time we had a look of agreement.

There was no second guessing who was responsible for this. I looked around the bleeding bodies and my wolf let out an angry growl in my head.

I had let it slide over. No more corporate battles. It was a werewolf fight and as of this moment...

We were at war.