Reclaimed By My Alpha (Natalia and Andrei) novel Chapter 296

Natalia’s POV

I spent most of the next afternoon in the kitchen, working alongside one of the cooks to prepare dinner for Celeste and me. The nausea came and went, but I pushed through it, only having to rush to the bathroom to vomit once.

Thankfully, no one seemed to notice. Which was a good thing, because I wasn’t ready for news of my pregnancy to spread until Andrei was by my side.

The cook helped me put together a simple but hearty meal–roasted chicken with herbs, fresh bread, and a vegetable medley. It wasn’t too fancy, but it showed that I was willing to put in effort.

Truthfully, I wasn’t entirely sure why I was doing this. Perhaps the pregnancy hormones were making me sentimental, or perhaps I was just trying to keep Celeste from slitting my throat in the night over what had happened with Karl.

Keeping your friends close and enemies closer and all that.

But part of me was also intrigued by Celeste’s claim to want to be a better person. I was no stranger to giving people chances when it seemed like they didn’t deserve it–a trait that had bit me in the ass a few times but had also paid off, like with Andrei.

I wanted to give Celeste that chance. If it was true that her mother had been abusing her, then she was clearly stuck in a cycle. A cycle that may have spanned generations for all I knew.

And Celeste had seemed so concerned when she found me sick, and so sad when I lied and told her I wasn’t

pregnant…

Maybe beneath it all, she wasn’t truly a cruel girl. Hell, maybe I could even help her and Karl work things out. If. that was what either of them wanted, of course.

Once I was finished cooking, it was almost time for Celeste to arrive. In my chambers, I set the table by the window, where the evening light was streaming in. The twins were with David for the night, which meant I had the place to myself.

Well. To myself and Celeste.

As I lit the candles on the table, I found myself thinking about Andrei again. It had been three days since I’d sent the letter about the pregnancy, and I still hadn’t heard anything back. Not even a quick note to say he’d received

1. it.

I knew he was busy. I knew the situation back home was dangerous and demanding. But part of me had hoped he’d at least send word that he was happy about the baby. That he was thinking of me.

Maybe the messenger hadn’t reached him yet, though. I tried not to think of even worse alternatives as I finished setting the table.

At exactly seven, there was a knock at my door.

“Come in,” I called out.

1/2

MAR 24

25 Bonus

Celeste entered, wearing a simple blue dress. She was holding a bottle of wine in one hand and two glasses in the

other.

VERIFYCAPTCHA_LABELVerify