Reclaimed By My Alpha (Natalia and Andrei) novel Chapter 287

Chapter 287

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Celeste’s POV

I was still crying when Mother burst into my room without knocking. The tears had been flowing ever since Karl had told me he needed space. He’d essentially broken up with me, told me that if things didn’t change, we were over completely.

“Oh, stop wallowing in self–pity, girl. Look at yourself–don’t you realize how pathetic you look right now?”

I jerked my head up from where I was sitting on my bed, clutching one of the pillows to my chest. Mother’s face was twisted with fury, I knew that look all too well. Knew exactly what was coming now,

“Get up,” she hissed as she shut and locked the door behind her.

I scrambled to my feet, nearly tripping over the blanket that had been wrapped around my legs. “Mother, I-”

The slap came so fast I didn’t see it coming. My head snapped to the side, and pain exploded across my cheek. I stumbled backward, catching myself on the bedpost.

“Do you have any idea what you’ve done?” Mother advanced on me, and I pressed myself against the post, trying to make myself smaller. “It took generations of planning to get you here, and you threw it all away because you couldn’t control your temper.”

“I didn’t-”

Another slap. This one was so hard it made my gag reflex react, and I almost felt like I was going to retch.

“Don’t lie to me.” Her hand shot out and gripped my chin, forcing me to look at her. Her nails dug into my skin.” I told you to be subtle, girl. I told you to make him need you. Instead, you hit him where people could see. Where that meddling little bitch could see.”

“I’m sorry. I lost control. It’s just… He was talking to her,” I said, hating how my lower lip was trembling despite my best efforts. “He was always talking to her, smiling at her like she was-”

Mother released my chin with a shove and picked up the hand mirror sitting on my vanity. “Of course he was always talking to her. Because she’s actually pretty, unlike you.”

She shoved the mirror at me, showing me my puffy eyes and swollen face and the black makeup running down my cheeks from crying. I felt a lump form in my throat as more tears threatened to fall.

“I can fix this,” I whispered, looking away from the repulsive visage Mother was forcing me to look at.

“You’d better.” Mother threw the mirror on my bed. “Your father is going to be furious when he hears about this. All the time and effort he invested in securing Karl’s bloodline for our family. And you ruined it by being unable to do your duty. The duty you were born to do.”

My hands were shaking. I clasped them together behind my back so she wouldn’t see.

“I’ll talk to Karl,” I said. “I’ll apologize, I’ll-”

“You’ll do nothing of the sort.” Mother jammed her finger so hard into my chest that it hurt, and I bit my tongue hard to keep from crying out. “Groveling will only make you look weaker and uglier than you already do. No, we

Chapter 287

+25 Bonus

need a different approach now.”

I waited for her orders, not even daring to speak. It was always better to obey. Always.

“It’s that girl,” Mother finally sald, waggling her finger in the air as she paced my bedroom. “Natalia. She’s the problem. Everything was fine before she and her little brood showed up.”

“I know. If she would just leave—”

“She’s not going to leave. Not on her own. I thought the rogue attack would scare her off. I thought having her precious children threatened would make her realize she’s not safe here. But she’s stubborn. Just like her mother was. Even my best Gamma lost to her today.”

“What do you want me to do?” I asked.

Mother turned to face me, and the look in her eyes made me want to step back. But I held my ground. The last time I’d shown fear was when I was twelve, and she had grabbed me by the hair and slammed my face into the wall so hard that I still had a small scar on my forehead from where I had hit the corner of a picture frame.

“I’m giving you one last chance,” Mother said. “One opportunity to fix this mess you’ve made and secure your future.”

“Anything,” I said immediately. “I’ll do anything.‘

“I know you will, darling.” Mother reached into her pocket and pulled something out. She held it in her closed fist for a moment, studying my face. “Because if you don’t, your father will hear about this. And we both know what happens when he’s disappointed.”

My throat went dry. The last time Father had been disappointed in me, I’d spent three days in bed recovering. Mother had told everyone I had the flu.

“I won’t disappoint you,” I said. “I promise.”

“Good.” Mother stepped closer and pressed the item into my hand. It was cold and sharp. “Natalia needs to go away. Permanently.”

This time, as I looked down at what she’d just given me, I couldn’t fully hide the shock on my face. “What?” I breathed.

“You heard me.” Mother reached up and pinched a strand of my hair between her thumb and forefinger, stroking it gently. “She’s been nothing but trouble since she arrived. Handle. It.”

“But I can’t just-“I stopped, my mouth suddenly going dry. “You want me to kill her?”

“I want you to solve the problem. By whatever means necessary.” Mother’s grip tightened on my hair, just enough to make the roots sting with the pressure. I bit my tongue again and nodded obediently. Satisfied, she turned and strode over to the door, reaching for the lock.

I couldn’t speak as she unlocked the door. Could only stare down at the weapon in my hand.

Mother had made me do many things over the years to secure our family’s legacy. She’d honed me into the perfect little dagger in her image–made me cruel and conniving, forced me to cut off friends and betray anyone who stood in my way no matter what I truly thought of them, taught me to think only for the future of our

2017

bloodline.

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