Bonds

-Alex's POV-

Adrian sauntered into the private ro with an air of misplaced confidence. He pulled out a chair with a flourish, completely ignoring the tension crackling in the air, and poured himself a generous amount of amber liquid from the bottle on the table.

As he took a swig, I watched him. He wasn't the Adrian I knew. The prison visitation has made it clear but seeing him out here only confirmed it. The easygoing goofball who'd been my best friend since college had vanished, replaced by this... stranger. His eyes, once full of warmth and mischief, now held a cold, calculating glint

"Well, well," he drawled, wiping his mouth with the back of his hand. "Let's not let my little arrival disrupt the party. We'll go on. The three of us used to be friends after all." He emphasized the last word with a sneer that sent a fresh wave of anger coursing through me.

Christian, ever the picture of stoicism, simply leaned back in his chair, the familiar bored expression back in place. "Adrian," he began, his voice dry and devoid of warmth, "we know you're worked up about being in jail, but stalking us all the way to Italy? That's a bit much, even for you."

Adrian scoffed, a harsh, grating sound. "Worked up? You locked me up for four damn years, Alex, and you helped him do it!"

Afrian's eyes flashed with anger as he narrowed Christian with a glare, "Worked up? He threw me in jail and you helped him."

"And the reason you followed us all the way to Italy is because?" I countered, my voice as dry and emotionless as Christian's.

His eyes, those cold, calculating eyes, narrowed in on me. "I've been quite busy since I got out, Alex," he drawled, taking another leisurely sip of his drink. "You know, catching up with old friends. And wouldn't you know it, I ran into someone quite familiar. Amaya."

The name hit me like a physical blow. My wolf surged within me, a primal growl threatening to erupt from my throat. Every fiber of my being screamed at me to attack, to rip into him for daring to speak her name. But with a huge amount of effort, I forced myself to remain still.

He continued, his voice laced with a sickening sweetness. "She's looking even more beautiful, radiant even." He stared at me, a smirk playing on his lips, as he took another sip of his drink. It was obvious he was baiting me, trying to get a reaction, to crack the facade I'd so carefully constructed.

But I wouldn't give him the satisfaction. He wanted a fight, a confrontation, but I wouldn't give him the satisfaction. No matter how much his words twisted the knife in my gut, I would remain silent.

I focused on my breathing, slow and measured, trying to calm the raging storm within. The silence stretched, thick and suffocating, Christian watched the exchange with a hawk-like intensity, his hand hovering near his phone, no doubt ready to call for security if things got out of hand.

Adrian's eyes lingered on me, searching for a crack in my composure, but I refused to give him the satisfaction. He swirled the remaining liquid in his glass, his irritation growing as he realized he wasn't getting the reaction he desired. The silence between us was palpable, heavy with tension, as he waited for me to snap.

"I almost didn't recognize her but you could never miss her scent. It's one of a kind," he continued, her name rolling off his tongue like a taunt. He drew out the syllables, making it sound like a cruel joke.

My wolf growled, straining against its restraints as I fought to keep my anger in check. I could feel its power coursing through my veins, urging me to lash out, to defend my territory. But I didn't respond, didn't give him the satisfaction of seeing me riled up, I kept my expression neutral, my eyes fixed on him with a cold intensity.

His eyes flicked to Ivan's picture on the table, and a smirk spread across his face. "I see you're still hung up in her. Stalking the person who she wants to be with. A man close to perfection as I heard. Something you will never be."

I clenched my fists, my nails digging into my palms as I struggled to maintain control. My wolf was snarling, its fury boiling over.

Christian's eyes met mine, a warning glinting in their depths. He knew I was on the edge, knew that one wrong move could send me over the precipice. "Shut up, Adrian," he said, his voice low and even, a calm in the storm.

But Adrian just laughed, a cold, mocking sound. "Oh, come on, Christian. Don't be such a spoilsport. Alex here needs to face reality. He's still stuck in the past, pining for a woman who has moved past him."

"Shut up about it, Adrian," I growled, my voice low and menacing, a warning sign that I was on the edge.

Christian's hand closed around my arm, a gentle restrain and Adrian just kept going, his words like a steady drumbeat. “Amaya, Amaya, Amaya. You can't even hear her name without losing your cool. I wonder why she would feel like"

The sentence was unfinished, cut short by the raw fury that exploded within me.

It was the final push, the spark that ignited the tinderbox of my emotions In a heartbeat, the fragile control I held shattered. My wolf surged forward, a primal force seizing the reins. My vision dimmed at the edges, the world narrowing to a single point of focus - Adrian's smug face.

My body moved on autopilot, fueled by instinct and rage. One moment I was sitting across from Adrian, the next I was a blur of motion. I was across the table in a heartbeat, slamming into him with the force of a battering ram. The air whooshed out of his lungs as the impact sent him sprawling backwards.

He hit the floor with a grunt, his carefully constructed facade crumbling. His eyes widened in surprise, momentarily unguarded before a flicker of something dark ignited within them. A twisted smile stretched across his face, a chilling contrast to the fear that had momentarily flickered there.

I didn't waste time with words. My hands transformed into vs, honed instincts taking over. I lunged for his throat. My claws sank into his flesh, and a hot spray of blood erupted onto my hands.

But Adrian wasn't done yet. He struggled against my hold. Despite the pain, a manic laugh escaped his lips. "Finally decided to show your true colors?" he rasped, his voice choked but laced with a disturbing amusement. "Took you long enough."

The sound of his laughter, the sight of his blood, it only fueled my rage further. I tightened my grip, the muscles in my arms screaming in protest. A part of me, a rational sliver fighting through the haze, registered the shocked faces of the patrons around us.

Adrian's mocking voice echoed in my ears. Everything - the hurt, the frustration, the simmering anger - it all boiled over in that moment.

Just as I was about to squeeze my grip one final time, a voice cut through the haze. Christian's voice, calm but laged with a steely urgency, sliced through the fog of rage. "There is a limit to my abilities, Alex," he said. "If you kill him here, I cannot cover it up. People are starting to

look."

His words were a bucket of cold water thrown ver my burning rage. Slowly, the red haze began to recede, replaced by a chilling realization of what I almost did. I released Adrian with a snarl, his body slumping back against the floor. Blood trickled down his neck, soaking his shirt, but his crazed laughter continued.

I stared at him, my chest heaving with ragged breaths. The primal hunger within me slowly subsided, replaced by a cold, simmering fury. Picking up my phone, I typed out a quick message, sending it off with a grim determination. Then, without another word, I turned and walked out of the bar, leaving Adrian sprawled on the floor, his crazed laughter echoing in my wake. Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

10:23 Sat, 22 Jun Wed 04

The night air slapped me in the face, a welcome shock to the system.

My enemies were growing in number and I would deal with them, one by one, starting with the one who dared to touch a nerve so raw, the one who held the key to a past I wasn't sure I could ever outrun the man who was married to the woman I still loved.

SEND