Reclaimed By My Alpha (Natalia and Andrei) novel Chapter 162

Chapter 162

And there, near the entrance, was the family I couldn’t stop thinking about.

Natalia looked stunning in a pale yellow gown that made her skin glow. The twins flanked her sides, Jane in a pink dress that made her look like a little princess and Max in a tiny tuxedo that made him appear far older than his five years.

But it was Grace who caught my attention. She was standing slightly apart from the group, already sipping from a glass of champagne.

Perfect.

I caught my Beta’s eye and jerked my chin subtly toward Grace. He nodded, understanding immediately, and began meandering toward her.

?

Lilith was immediately swept away by a group of Lunas wanting to compliment her on the decorations, leaving me free to observe. I watched as my Beta made his way through the crowd, timing

ach to Grace perfectly.

This had to work. I needed answers, and Grace seemed like the most likely person

.de them.

Natalia

The ball was wonderful. The twins were thrilled, Grace was following them around with a smile, and even Damon seemed happy to be mingling with the other guests. I should have been enjoying it, too.

But I couldn’t. Not fully, anyway. Mila’s warning about Andrei kept echoing in my mind. I needed to know more, needed to find out if Andrei really had tried to have me killed. Until then, I couldn’t trust him completely, and I would have to keep living a lie that I was tired of living.

Which meant I needed allies. Other connections for Ashmoor that didn’t depend on our alliance with Moonshadow, just in case Andrei had tried to have me killed.

After a while of mingling, I spotted a Luna I recognized near the refreshment table–Catherine–and made my way over to her.

“Catherine,” I said warmly as I approached. “How lovely to see you.‘

She turned, and her face brightened when she saw me. “Natalia! I was hoping I’d get a chance to speak with you tonight.” She glanced around, then leaned closer. “I’ve been hearing impressive things about Ashmoor’s recent developments. You’re really salvaging your reputation after that banquet!”

My throat bobbed at the unceremonious reminder of that night, but I smiled. “Thank you. I’ve been working hard to ensure Ashmoor still has faith in me.”

“It shows. In fact, I’ve been thinking about approaching you with a proposal.” Catherine reached into her purse and pulled out a business card. “My husband has been looking to establish new trade routes for the pack. Our lumber industry could complement Ashmoor’s agriculture beautifully.”

I accepted the card with a smile. “I’d love to discuss it further.”

“Excellent. Perhaps we could arrange a meeting next week? I’ll have the pack’s economic advisors draw up some preliminary proposals.”

This was exactly what I needed. Partnerships that didn’t tie Ashmoor’s future to Andrei’s whims. Real security for

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my pack and my children. Just in case things went south.

“That sounds perfect,” I said. “I’ll have my assistant reach out to schedule something.”

Catherine smiled. “Wonderful. I think this could be the beginning of a very beneficial partnership.”

A surge of hope filled me as I watched her saunter away. Maybe things were finally looking up. Maybe I could build a future for the twins that didn’t depend on lies and secret alliances.

The hope lasted exactly thirty seconds.

The sound of a glass clinking echoed across the gardens, drawing everyone’s attention. I turned to see Lilith standing on the small stage that had been set up for the evening’s entertainment with a champagne flute in her hand.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” she called out over the crowd. “Thank you all for joining us tonight to celebrate the summer solstice. But I have something even more special to share with you.”

My stomach dropped.

“I’m delighted to announce that Andrei and I are expecting our first child.”