Chapter 8
-Maya’s POV-
Iwinced as Natalia pressed the ice pack against my throbbing cheek, hissing through gritted tooth.
“Thank you.”
Her eyes widened. “Seriously, Amaya, you should have seen him. He looked like he was minutes
away frommitting murder.”
I tried to smile but even I knew that it looked fake, “Natalia.”
She sat on the edge of the bed, concern creasing her brow. “I know what you are thinking. But
Amaya, the way he held you afterward… like you were made of ss, like he would do anything to
protect you.”
I really wanted to believe her. Four years ago, I would have. The Alex I fell in love with would have
killed for me but he wasn’t that man anymore.
I sighed, exhaustion pulling at my already battered body. “Alex has always had a temper because it
couldn’t have had anything to do with me.”
She tried to speak but I cut her off, “I saw the look on his face at the club. It was the same one he
had when he saw me at the dinner, the same as the one he had when he kicked me out and
rejected me.”
The word rejection tasted bitter on my tongue.
She hesitated, gnawing on her lip. “Look, maybe I’m reading too much into it, but…” her voice
dipped even lower, “that look in his eyes, Amaya. It wasn’t hate. It was… raw. Like seeing you hurt
triggered something deep, something primal”
My heart, still hammering a frantic rhythm against my ribs, s k i p e d a beat. “Maybe it was. Maybe
it wasn’t but it doesn’t change anything and I know you know it too because you would have told me
what happened when he took me out of the club.”
She sighed, “It was like something snapped and he went cold.”
“That’s all I needed to know. I really wish I could hope but I can’t. I try to convince myself that I hate
him and it hurts even more because my wolf cries out for him but I know the reality, my story withThis material belongs to N?velDrama.Org.
Alex, it’s over and nothing can ever change that.”
She wanted to say something, tell a lie that even I wanted to believe but instead, she kept quiet.
I struggled to my feet, the throbbing in my cheek mimicking the pounding of my heart. “I have to get
home, Natalia. If Daniel finds out…”
She scoffed, cutting me off mid-sentence. “Alright I’ve had just about enough of this, Amaya! It’s 4
AM, and you won’t even see your kids before running off? I know Daniel’s a monster wrapped up
with being an a s s h o le but before Alex, but you used to stand up to him.”
“I am so tired and I really don’t need a lecture, Natalia,” pleaded, exhaustion dragging me down.
“Then stop acting like you deserve one! You ain’t going anywhere in this state. Sleep. Tomorrow, we
will deal with Daniel.”
Natalia had faces, and this firm,manding one meant there was no arguing. With a sigh, I sank
back onto the bed, closing my eyes. She was right. Rushing into the night wouldn’t solve anything.
Her voice softened as she walked towards the door, “Look, I know you’re tired of hearing it, but this
has to end, Amaya. Stop letting your pain be your cage.”
The click of the light switch plunged the room into darkness. Natalia’sst words, “I miss my friend,
Amaya,” hung in the air, heavy with unspoken truths.
Tears slid down my cheeks, warm against the cold ice pack. But beneath the sadness, a spark
flickered. Natalia was right. I was tired, weary of running. Maybe tomorrow, with the sun shining
again, I could find the strength to face my past and fight for my future. I closed my eyes, allowing
myself to dream.
Chapter B
Thu, 20 Jun
(-6)
The moment of peace onlysted for a little while, the echo was shattered by the m of my
bedroom door as soon as I entered. My father loomedrge, his eyes the color of a brewing
storm.”Where have you been?” His voice c r a c k l e d with barely contained fury.
ibraced myself. This dance, this tango of fear and defiance, was all too familiat. “I was out,” I said,
holding his gaze.
“That’s not an answer,” he spat, his words punctuated by the snap of his jaw.
Natalia’s voice, a whispered mantra, fueled iny resolve, I’m an adult, Father,” I stated, my voice
surprisingly steady. “I don’t need your permission toe and go, especially when it involves
seeing my children.”
He lunged, the air c r a c k l i n g with raw aggression. It was a step too far, crossing a line I never
thought he’d dare to breach. His w connected with my
check.
Pain red, stinging and hot. Gasping, I stumbled back, my world tilting on its axis. This… this was
new. He’d threatened, belittled, manipted, but he’d neverid a hand on me. Until now.
“Do not speak of those s in m y presence,” he snarled, his voice a feral growl. “You will obey me,
Amaya.You live under my roof, you dance to my tune. Defy me again; the consequences will be
much more severe next time.”
“Get dressed and wear something presentable. Ivan is on his way and will be here soon.” He turned
and stalked out, leaving me crumpled on the floor, surrounded by the wreckage of my defiance.
My fingers trembled as I reached for my cheek. The first wound had healed, this one had cut deeper
and I knew it would take a longer time.
A shaky sigh escaped my lips, but it wasn’t a sigh of defeat. For the first time in four years, I felt
something spark within me – a flicker of fire. My father might have won today, but I wouldn’t back
down.
The hot sting on my cheek pulsed as I stepped into the shower, the water washing away the grime
and the remnants of fear. As I scrubbed, I steeled myself for Ivan’s arrival.
He was right there, waiting in the living room when I stepped out, his eyes widening at the sight of
my bruised cheek. “What happened?” he asked, his. voice tight with concern
“Just tripped and fell,” I mumbled, unable to meet his gaze.
He raised an eyebrow, skepticism etched on his face. “Fell on someone’s ws?” he questioned,
his eyes flickering to my father who sat stiffly across the
Toom.
Daniel cleared his throat, injecting a false cheer into his voice. “Clughsy as always, that one.”
Ivan’s gaze danced between us, the tension in the air thick enough to slice. I kept my expression
neutral, masking the storm brewing within. My father’s eyes narrowed, a silent warning shing
through them.
Finally, Ivan took a deep breath. “Daniel, if you wouldn’t mind, I’d like to speak to my wife alone.”
The word “wife” sent a jolt through me, an unfamiliar warmth spreading through my chest. My father
hesitated, his fake smile faltering. But seeing the steely resolve in tvan’s eyes, he finally relented.
“Of course, Amaya. See me when you’re done.”
Ivan cupped my face, his fingers gentle as they traced the tender skin around my injury. “He’s
gone,” he murmured. “Now, tell me what really happened.”
I looked into his kind, serious eyes, a b catching in my throat. “We argued,” I choked out. “He hit me.
But it’s okay, really.”
His frown deepened. “Does it happen often?”
“Today was the first time,” I admitted, my voice barely a whisper.
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