-Maya’s POV-


    Blood.


    Blood was everywhere. It smeared across the concrete floor, staining my feet, clinging to my skin in a cold, metallic sheen. The metallic tang filled my no


    Alex had pulled me out, his grip on my arm bruisingly tight. The building shuddered around us, the air thick with dust and the ominous groan of buckling


    So many people had died, caught in the crossfire of a war Alex had instigated. And I, consumed by my own emotional turmoil, had barely given them a t


    As soon as Ivan had gotten me clear, Alex had vanished. No surprise there. He was probably back at his mansion, basking in the aftermath of his victory


    absorption, wouldn’t be caught dead sacrificing himself for anyone but himself.


    “Are you okay?” Ivan’s voice broke through my spiraling thoughts. I was wrapped in a nket, the world around me a blur as I shivered


    uncontrobly.


    “Natalia and Sarah got out before things got too messy,” he


    continued. “Natalia said she tried to find you, and apparently, you vanished the moment you shifted.” He said it with a forced lightness, but I could hear th


    My wolf After four agonizing years, she was back. Notpletely gone, I knew that now, but dormant, a


    flicker buried deep within me. A small, defiant smile tugged at the corner of my lips.


    My wolf was back, a part of me I’d feared was lost forever.


    “Amaya?” Ivan’s voice,ced with concern, yanked me back to the present. I realized I hadn’t answered him. “Yes,” I stammered, forcing the words


    past the lump in my throat. “Yes, I’m fine.”


    He wasn’t convinced and I knew what he must be thinking. That would exin the storm brewing in his eyes. I opened my mouth, ready to offer some


    “I’m d you are,” he said, his voice tight.


    Silence descended upon the room, thick and suffocating. The only sound was the frantic hammering of my heart against my ribs.


    “Miranda?” I blurted out suddenly. The question hung in the air, unexpected even to me.


    “I saw her leaving just before he gave the order,” He replied. “She must have known what he was nning. In her usual Miranda way, she’ll be fine.”


    I nodded, but the weight of his words settled heavily on my chest. He stood up abruptly. “Get some rest,” he sighed, his voice clipped. “I


    need some fresh air.”


    He turned to leave, but I called out to him, my voice choked with guilt. “I’m sorry.”


    He stopped, his shoulders rigid. He turned slowly, his


    eyes filled with a hurt that mirrored the ache in my own heart. “I don’t understand you, Amaya. You just ran into the middle of that battle. Why? For him?


    His voice rose with each word, and i flinched under the weight of his anger. But I knew I deserved it. He was right. While he’d been there for me, picking


    “I’m sorry,” I whispered, the words a hollow echo in the vast emptiness of the room.


    “You’re always sorry, Amaya,” he snapped, his voiceced with frustration. “How do you think that makes me feel? I do everything to show you that I car


    His words were harsh, each one a searing indictment of my actions. Tears welled up in my eyes, blurring my vision. Shame burned in my gut, a white–


    hot inferno that threatened to consume me whole.


    “I know,” I croaked, my voice barely a whisper. “I know you’re right. I shouldn’t have run right into the middle of it. I should have trusted you, let you prote


    A flicker of something akin to pain crossed Ivan’s face, momentarily recing the anger. He took a deep breath, his shoulders slumping


    slightly.


    “It’s not about protecting you, Amaya,” he sighed, his voice softer now. “It’s about you seeing me. Seeing what I can offer you. A love that’s fierce and tru


    He reached out, his hand hovering hesitantly over mine. I didn’t move away, a tiny spark of hope flickering to life amidst the ashes of my guilt.


    “But how can I expect you to see that,” he continued, his voiceced with a bitter truth, “when you’re too busy chasing shadows?”


    His hand withdrew, leaving a cold emptiness in its wake. The weight of his words settled heavily upon me, a crushing realization of the depth of my betra


    Silence stretched between us, thick with unspoken emotions. I longed to bridge the chasm that had opened between us, to somehow express the remor


    my throat, choked by the weight of my actions.


    Finally, unable to bear the silence any longer, I spoke, my voice thick with emotion. “Ivan, I…”


    “Just get some rest,” he interrupted gently, his gaze flickering away from mine. “We can talk about thister. Right now, you need to heal.”


    He turned and walked towards the door, his steps heavy with unspoken disappointment. As he reached for the knob, he paused for a


    moment, his back to me..


    “And Amaya,” he whispered, his voice barely a murmur, “think about what


    you truly want. Because chasing after something that can never be will only leave you forever lost.”


    With that, he left the room, the click of the door shutting behind him echoing in the stark silence. I was alone with my thoughts, the enormity of my choice


    Tears streamed down my face, unchecked and unforgiving. I had hurt the one person who had always been there


    for me, the one person who loved me unconditionally.


    ??


    Upstodatee from Novel(D)ra/m/a.O(r)g


    IVIUNI, 24 JUI


    How could I have been so stupid?


    As the weight of my actions pressed down on me, a new fear began to gnaw at the edges of my consciousness.


    In my blind pursuit of Alex, had I pushed Ivan away for good?


    I sat there


    for a while just letting time pass and then with a sigh, I wrapped the nket tighter around me and went out to check on the twins. They would be asleep


    cuddled together, arms and legs tangled in a mess of peaceful slumber. The sight brought a small smile to my face. I watched them for a little while, won


    With another sigh, I turned away, shutting the door behind me and going back to the room which I now shared


    with Ivan.The space felt colder and emptier without him. I climbed into the empty bed and pulled the covers over myself, seeking sce in the familiar


    warmth.


    The world seemed to fade away I sharp click sliced


    through the silence, making me jolt upright. My heart hammered in my chest as my eyes darted towards the source of the


    sound.


    $ surrendered to the exhaustion, my body craving sleep more than anything else. Just as I drifted off, a


    There, in the corner of the room, sat Ivan’sputer. It was odd. He usually shut it downpletely. A sliver of light emanated from the screen, pulsing f


    The faint light resolved itself into a moving image. My breath caught in my throat. The video ying on the screen wasn’t some random


    inte clip, or a movie left paused.


    It was me from a few minutes ago.


    In the twins‘ room.


    Watching them.


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