Chapter 9 - Fading Bonds

Connor’s POV

I adjusted my tie, the silk fabric feeling like a noose around my neck. The mirrored walls of the elevator reflected a version of myself I barely recognized—sharp suit, polished shoes, and an expression that screamed control, even though I felt anything but that.

The meeting tonight wasn’t optional. My pack’s finances were in a messed up state, and this partnership was supposed to be a lifeline.

It turns out that running a pack wasn’t just about territory and strength anymore; it was about politics, money, and connections. Humans held the strings to the world we wolves had to navigate in secret, and like it or not, I had to play by their rules.

The elevator chimed, and the doors slid open to reveal the top floor of the Grayson Tower. The place reeked of wealth—marble floors, crystal chandeliers, and a panoramic view of the city that seemed almost unnatural. The air smelled of expensive cologne and money, a far cry from the woods and open air I craved and enjoyed.

“Mr. Thompson!” Daniel Grayson’s voice carried across the room as he strode toward me. He was a man who didn’t walk—he prowled, exuding the kind of confidence that came from decades of power and privilege.

“Daniel,” I said, forcing a polite smile as I extended my hand. His grip was firm, his gaze assessing, as if he could weigh my worth in a single handshake.

“I appreciate you making time for this meeting,” Daniel said, gesturing for me to follow him into a private lounge.

I nodded curtly, my mind elsewhere. This wasn’t where I wanted to be tonight. My thoughts kept drifting back to her—to Ivy. To the fire in her eyes when she’d looked at me, no longer the fragile girl I had shattered but a woman who had rebuilt herself without me.

“Have a seat,” Daniel said, pulling me back to the present. I sank into one of the leather armchairs, forcing myself to focus.

Daniel launched into a polished pitch about expanding our joint venture, his words flowing with practiced ease. I nodded in the right places, asked the right questions, but my wolf stirred uneasily beneath my skin. It wasn’t the business talk that bothered me—it was the suffocating atmosphere of the human world. Everything here was a façade, a game of masks and manipulation.

I wonder how some of our kind, like Daniel here, manage to live in a world outside of what we are meant to be in.

Then Daniel’s voice shifted, pulling me out of my thoughts.

“I’d like to introduce you to someone,” he said, a sly smile tugging at his lips. “A potential investor who could take this partnership to the next level.”

I stiffened slightly, masking my reaction behind a neutral expression. “Investor?”

“Yes. She’s new to the scene but already making waves. Her backing could open doors that you would never access alone.”

“She?” I asked, my tone carefully indifferent.

Daniel smirked. “Trust me, you’ll want to meet her. She’s not someone you forget easily.”

The words sent a chill down my spine, but I forced myself to remain calm as Daniel rose and motioned for me to follow.

We exited the lounge and made our way toward another room, my wolf growing restless with every step. The scent hit me first—subtle but unmistakable. My heart slammed against my ribs, and my breath hitched.

No.

It couldn’t be.

Daniel opened the door, stepping aside to let me enter first. I forced my legs to move, stepping into the room as the world seemed to tilt on its axis.

And there she was.

Aria—no, Ivy.

She stood by the window, her silhouette framed by the city lights. She turned slowly, her gaze locking onto mine, and the air between us crackled with tension. She was stunning, her presence commanding the room in a way that made everything else fade into the background.

“Mr. Thompson,” she said, her voice smooth and icy. “I wasn’t expecting to see you here.”

I swallowed hard, every muscle in my body taut. “Ms. Blackwood,” I managed, my voice steady despite the storm raging inside me.

Her lips curved into a faint, mocking smile, and I felt the sting of her cold indifference. She didn’t look at me like she used to—with trust, with hope. Now, her gaze was guarded, unyielding, and it cut deeper than I thought possible.

Daniel, oblivious to the tension, beamed. “So, you two know each other?”

Aria’s eyes never left mine. “We’ve…crossed paths before.”

The weight of her words hung heavy in the air, and I clenched my fists at my sides, fighting the urge to reach for her, to say something—anything—that would break through this invisible wall between us.

“Aria Blackwood is one of the youngest, most sought-after investors in the industry right now,” Daniel continued, completely unaware of the history boiling beneath the surface. “Her insights could be invaluable to this partnership.”

I forced a tight smile, my jaw aching from the effort. “I’m sure they could.”

Her eyes narrowed slightly, as if she could see right through my mask. “I’d be happy to discuss potential opportunities,” she said, her tone businesslike. “Though I’ll admit, I’m surprised to see you here, Mr. Thompson. You don’t strike me as the corporate type.”

The barb hit its mark, but I refused to let it show. “I adapt,” I replied smoothly. “When it benefits my pack.”

Her eyes flashed at the mention of the pack, but she masked it quickly, turning her attention back to Daniel. “Shall we get started?”

The rest of the meeting passed in a blur, her voice cutting through the haze of my thoughts like a blade. She was composed, professional, and utterly beautiful. But beneath it all, I could feel the tension between us—a thread pulled tight, ready to snap.

When the meeting finally ended, Daniel excused himself, leaving us alone.

The silence stretched, heavy and suffocating.

“You’ve done well for yourself,” I said finally, my voice low.

Her gaze was cold. “I had to.”

The words hit harder than they should have, and I took a step closer, my wolf stirring at her closeness. “Aria—”

“It’s Ivy now,” she cut in sharply. “And whatever you think this is, Connor, it’s not. I’m not the girl you left behind.”

Her words were a slap, but I couldn’t look away. “I know,” I said quietly. “But that doesn’t change what you are to me.”

She laughed bitterly, shaking her head. “What I was to you, you mean. You made your choice, Connor. And I made mine.”

I wanted to argue, to tell her that she was wrong, that I hadn’t stopped wanting her even for a second. But the look in her eyes stopped me cold.

Ivy's gaze never left mine as she took a slow step forward, the air between us thick with unspoken tension. Her voice dropped to a low, almost teasing whisper. "Tell me, Connor," she murmured, "do you ever wonder what it would feel like to have me close again? To remind you of what you threw away?"

The words hit me like a punch to the gut, and my wolf snarled in response, wanting her closer, but knowing that every step would make it harder to walk away.