Reclaimed By My Alpha (Natalia and Andrei) novel Chapter 230

Chapter 230

Natalia

Damon set the book down on the table between us and pointed to the page it was open to. The paper was yellowed and crinkled with age, and the text was fading, but it was legible.

“This passage mentions a group of survivors who fled north after the Bloodmoon massacre. It says they established a settlement deep in the Thornwood.”

I slipped off of Andrei’s lap and frowned as I leaned in and inspected the page. Indeed, there was a section mentioning the Thornwood, and a faded illustration of a group of wolves trekking through the wilderness together.

“I’ve never heard of the Thornwood,” I said, glancing between the two brothers.

“It’s a section of the neutral territory,” Andrei said. His expression was grim, nothing at all like the fearful yet hopeful look he’d given me just before our kiss. “Dense forest, almost impossible to navigate. Most people avoid it completely.”

Damon nodded. “It’s crawling with rogues. Has been for decades. Anyone who ventures in there is susceptible to a rogue attack.”

Suddenly, it hit me. Lilith’s disappearance all those years ago; Andrei had never been able to find her no matter how hard he searched.

I whipped my head toward Andrei, who simply nodded, already knowing what I was thinking.

“Yes,” he muttered. “The Thornwood is likely where Lilith was held captive by rogues all those years.”

I stared at the ancient text, trying to process what they were telling me. The only hope for saving Max was hidden in the same wilderness where rogues had tortured Lilith for years.

“There has to be another way.”

Damon closed the book gently. “According to this, the Bloodmoon survivors chose the Thornwood specifically because it would keep outsiders away. They knew the rogues would act as a barrier, protecting their hidden settlement.”

“So we’d have to get through the rogues to reach them,” I said. “And we don’t even know for certain if they’re still there.”

The two brothers just looked at me and at each other, and the space between us fell silent.

Now, more than ever, I felt completely hopeless. Every option seemed impossible. I could either stay here and watch Max die slowly from this strange curse, or venture into rogue territory and risk all of us being killed or captured.

“We should get back,” I said, pushing away from the table. “Check on Max, see how he’s doing.”

But when we returned to Moonshadow an hour later, Elena was waiting for us with an expression that made my

blood turn to ice.

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Chapter 230

+25 Bonus

“How is he?” I asked, already rushing toward the infirmary.

“Not good,” Elena said, following close behind. “His temperature spiked again while you were gone, and he’s having trouble staying conscious. I’ve run more tests, and I’m afraid…”

She trailed off, but she didn’t need to finish for us to understand the implications.

“How long?” Andrei asked quietly.

“Days. Maybe a week if we’re lucky. But Natalia…” Elena caught my arm as I headed for Max’s room. “His body is shutting down. If we’re going to do something, it needs to be soon.”

I found Max exactly as I’d feared–pale and motionless under a tangle of blankets. His breathing was shallow and labored, and when I touched his forehead, his skin somehow felt like it was on fire and as cold as ice at the same time.

My throat closed up, and I had to blink hard to keep from crying. He was so small, so fragile. How was I supposed to find help before we lost him?

But the alternative… I couldn’t bear the thought of not trying something. Even if it killed me, I had to try to save

him.

I turned to Damon, who was standing in the doorway. “You know we have to bring him with us,” I whispered.

Damon’s jaw ticked. “I know. There’s no time otherwise. We have to bring him to them, not the other way around.”

“Andrei is going to be furious.”

Damon nodded and straightened, already turning to find his brother. “I’ll talk to him.”

I watched him go, and once I was alone with Max again, I turned around and cupped his little face in one hand. Six years. Six years of life and I might lose him. I couldn’t even bear the thought.

“It’s okay, sweetheart,” I whispered, although the words were more for myself than for him–I wasn’t even sure if he could hear me in this state. “We’ll get you all better. Just hang in there.”

Max didn’t respond, of course. Didn’t even twitch.

I sat with him for a while longer, holding his small hand in mine. When I finally composed myself enough to stand, I quietly left the room and found Andrei and Damon having a quiet argument in the living room.

“-completely insane,” Andrei was saying. “Taking him into the Thornwood when he’s not even conscious—” “And what’s the alternative?” Damon growled. “Sit here and watch him die?”

“We could send scouts ahead,” Andrei said. “Find this settlement first, then bring someone back to treat Max here.”

“There isn’t time.” I stepped into the room, causing them both to turn toward me. “Elena just told us he has days, maybe a week. By the time we found the settlement and convinced them to help and made it back here, it would be too late.”

Andrei’s jaw tightened. “Natalia, I understand you’re desperate, but taking Max into rogue territory—”

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