Reclaimed By My Alpha (Natalia and Andrei) novel Chapter 168

Chapter 168

But then Jane coughed again, and reality crashed back.

“We need to get her to a hospital,” I said, standing with Jane still in my arms. “She needs to be checked for secondary drowning, and Max needs to be examined, too.”

“I’ll drive,” Damon said immediately. I shot him a glare, knowing damn well that he was too drunk to drive. “I’m coming too,” Andrei started to rise, but I shook my head.

“No. You need to get back to your party. Back to your fiancee and your guests.” I softened my words slightly.” Thank you for saving her. But you should focus on your own family now.”

What I didn’t say was that if Andrei came to the hospital with us, it w want to know why he was so concerned about someone else’s childr

Andrei’s jaw tightened, but he nodded. “At least let me-”

ate a media frenzy. People would e’d risked everything to save them.

“We need to go,” I cut him off, already walking toward the cars with Jane in my arms. “Now.”

Grace gathered Max, who was still shaking and crying, and we all hurried toward Damon’s car. As I drove away, I caught a glimpse of Andrei in the rearview mirror, standing alone by the lake in his soaked clothes, watching us leave.

Andrei

I stood in the shadows outside the hospital room window, watching the scene inside. Jane was sleeping peacefully in the small bed, her color back to normal after several hours of observation.

The doctors had confirmed she would be fine–no permanent damage from her time underwater. Max was healthy too, changed into warm clothes with a cup of hot soup between his hands.

Natalia was sitting in the chair beside the bed with one hand resting on Jane’s arm and the other rubbing circles on Max’s back. She’d changed out of her ruined gown into a sweatshirt and sweatpants that the hospital had provided, her hair still damp and pulled back in a messy bun. I hated how beautiful she looked like that.

And then there was Damon. He was on the other side of the bed, holding his head in his hands like a worried father.

They looked like a family. A real family.

The sight broke something in my chest. If those children really weren’t mine, then I would never have this. Even with Lilith pregnant, even with a child on the way, it wouldn’t be the same.

Because I didn’t love Lilith. Not anymore. Maybe I never had, not really.

But watching Natalia look at her children like that, seeing the way she’d fought for her daughter tonight–that was love. Real, fierce, unconditional love.

And I wanted it more than I’d ever wanted anything.

“Alpha Andrei?”

I turned to find a doctor approaching with a small envelope in his hand. He was young, probably fresh out of medical school. He glanced nervously over both shoulders as he hurried up to me.

1/2

Chapter 168

+25 Bonus

“The results you requested,” he said quietly, pressing the envelope into my hand.

I pulled out my wallet and handed him the agreed–upon sum–enough to pay off his student loans and then some. He pocketed the money quickly, then turned and hurried away without another word.

Inside this envelope were the DNA results from the blood sample they’d secretly taken from Jane during her examination. The sample I’d convinced this young doctor to obtain for me under the table.

I stared at the sealed envelope, my heart pounding. Everything hinged on what was written inside. Everything. But I couldn’t open it here. Not in this hallway where anyone could see.

With one final look at the hospital room and the strange little family within. I tucked the envelope inside my jacket and walked away.