Chapter 137

Chapter 137

-Maya’s POV-

My gut churned, a cold knot of dread forming in the pit of my stomach. Even the most clueless person on the planet would recognize this for what it was: a trap. It wasn’t exactly a surprise, considering Ivan had practically called me an idiot after revealing his betrayal.

Before I could voice my very obvious concerns, Natalia spoke up, her voice laced with fierce protectiveness. “Amaya isn’t going to meet with that monster by herself. There’s no way he’s just planning on handing the twins over. It is an obvious trap.”

Riley chimed in, her voice tight with worry. “I know, that’s why some of the men my father sent to watch over me will tail her. There’s no way we’re letting her go in there alone—”

I cut her off before she could finish, the words tumbling out in a rush. “He’ll know. If anyone comes with me, Ivan will know. He has made it clear that the last thing he is is stupid.”

Natalia’s face hardened. “You can’t possibly be thinking of going by yourself, Amaya. That’s crazy talk. You’d be walking right into a death trap. He already tried to kill you once, remember?”

I let out a shaky breath, frustration warring with desperation. “What do you want me to do? This is the only option I have. Every second they’re with him, the danger escalates. We have to do something, anything.”

“Christian’s trying to track the number the message came from right now,” Riley said, offering a sliver of hope. “Maybe if we can find where it was sent from, we can finally pinpoint his location. With Alex’s forces and my father’s men, he wouldn’t be able to escape.”

There was a wave of silence between us that followed her words, then another voice cut in, “He won’t hurt them.”

We all whipped our heads to see Alex walking towards us, his blue eyes turned to ice. Cold and calculating. He looked like the powerful Billionaire Alpha he was not the man from minutes ago, “If Christian manages to track the location, which is a long shot no matter how skilled he is,” He continued, his voice gaining a touch of its usual authority, “Ivan wouldn’t have sent the message knowing it could be traced. He’s not an idiot. And if we corner him, turn him into a caged animal, he’ll have no choice but to lash out. And the twins…” He trailed off, leaving the unspoken threat hanging heavy in the air.

My breath hitched as Alex delivered the final blow, the words colder and more terrifying than anything Ivan himself could have said. “Amaya has to meet with him.”

“What?” Riley and Natalia shrieked in unison, their voices echoing my own internal scream.

A suffocating silence descended in the air after Alex’s chilling declaration. My heart hammered against my ribs, a frantic drumbeat against the backdrop of my racing thoughts. Going alone was a death wish. But the alternative – leaving my children in Ivan’s clutches – was unthinkable.

Natalia was the first to break the silence, her voice trembling with barely contained anger. “Suicide mission? Alex, are you serious? We can’t just send her in there alone!”

Riley echoed her sentiment, her eyes wide with worry. “There has to be another way. We can figure something out, right?”

A flicker of frustration crossed Alex’s face, a contrast to the grim determination etched in his jawline. “There isn’t another way. Ivan wants Amaya to come alone but he knows that she won’t want to. He would be expecting her not to, which is where we lay a twist in his plans.”

Alex seemed to sense my internal struggle. He gestured towards the doorway. “Come on, let’s move to the living room. Christian’s still trying to track the location of the message. We need to talk about this further.”

We filed into the living room, a motley crew united by a common enemy. Sarah stood behind Christian, her eyes glued to his screen and it was obvious from the irritated look on his face that she was bothering him but knowing Sarah, she remained unbothered. The tension in the room was thick enough to cut with a knife.

Alex sank down on the couch, his gaze sweeping over the faces of everyone present. He took a deep breath, then began to outline his plan, his voice low and measured.

“Here’s the thing,” he started. “Ivan doesn’t know I’m alive. Right now, he thinks he has the upper hand. He wants Amaya to come alone because he believes it will make her easier to control. He will be suprprised when she actually does. However,” he continued, a glint of something dangerous flashing in his eyes, “that also presents an opportunity.”

“What kind of opportunity?” Riley asked.

“The opportunity to take him down,” Alex said, his voice hardening. “If Amaya goes in alone and he realizes it, Ivan will feel secure, overconfident. That’s when I’ll make my move.”

My head snapped up, a flicker of hope battling with the ever–present fear. “You want to come with me?” I asked, surprised by the words tumbling out of my mouth.

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Chapter 137 Alex nodded curtly. “Yes, but not in the way you think. Ivan believes I’m dead. My presence there will be a complete surprise. While he’s reeling from the shock, I can create a distraction, giving you enough time to get to the twins.”

A wave of skepticism washed over me, “What was the purpose of faking your death if you are just going to reveal that you are alive then?” He looked at me, the coldness in his gaze softening. “It doesn’t matter anymore. I won’t let anything happen to my children. Or you.”

I felt a thrill wash through me at his words but I pushes it away. This was most definitely not the time to think twice about his words.

“But what about his pack? He is still an Alpha,” Sarah interjected, her voice laced with concern. “I was a part of it, remember? Those wolves are fiercely loyal to him. There’s no way you’ll be able to take them all on by yourself.”

Alex’s expression remained stoic. “I don’t have to take them all on. I just need to hold them off long enough for Amaya to get the twins. Once they’re out of there, we can regroup and take care of the rest.”

A million questions swirled in my head. What if his plan backfired? What if Ivan saw through the deception? What if I wasn’t fast enough, strong enough, to get my children to safety? The weight of the responsibility pressed down on me, a suffocating burden.

“This is too risky, Alex,” I whispered, my voice tight with apprehension. “There has to be another way. What if we wait until Christian finds the location? Then we can go in with a team-”

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Alex shook his head, his jaw set in a stubborn line, cutting me off, “Waiting isn’t an option, Amaya. Every minute they’re with Ivan, the danger increases. We can’t predict what he might do.”

“Okay,” I sighed, “We do it your way. But what happens after I get the twins?”

Alex leaned forward, his eyes locked on mine. “I have people in all corners. I have given the order to Vargas already. My wolves will be ready. Once you have them, my wolves will join in the attack and create enough distraction for you to get out of there safely.”

The authority was oozing from him like a tangible force. My eyes met with Sarah at that point and she gave me a knowing smirk. I narrowed my eyes at her before looking away and I heard her quiet laugh.

Alex continued, “The rest of you will stay here with Christian. Once we’re in, keep the communication channels open. If anything goes wrong, if we need backup…” He left the sentence unfinished.

Natalia squeezed my hand, her touch a silent source of strength. “We’ll be here. Just get those babies back. That’s all that matters.”

A lump formed in my throat, threatening to choke back the fierce determination that had begun to simmer within me. Fear was still there, a cold serpent coiling around my heart. But it was overshadowed by a primal urge to protect my children, a love so fierce it burned away all doubt.

“Alright,” Alex stood up. “Let’s go over the details one more time. Communication, timing, everything needs to be perfect. We can’t afford any mistakes.

It was a risky plan, a desperate gamble at best. But it was the only chance we had. And for my children, I was willing to take the risk and as I watched him while he spoke, there was a dread building up in my stomach.

He looked like he was ready to risk everything to save them even if it meant he wouldn’t walk out of there alive.

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