Reclaimed By My Alpha (Natalia and Andrei) novel Chapter 457

Chapter 457

Natalia’s POV

The poisoned water burned going down my throat. I took the smallest sip I could manage without looking suspicious, then lowered the cup and forced myself to smile.

“To our future,” I whispered.

The King drained his cup in one long swallow, then set it down on the table. He reached for me, his cold fingers brushing against my cheek. I didn’t pull away. I couldn’t.

Any second now, I would start to feel it. The burning. The pain. My body shutting down from the inside out. I was certain of it.

But… nothing happened.

The King’s hand slid down to my shoulder, then to my waist. He pulled me closer, and I could smell that rot on his breath. “You’re trembling,” he said.

“I’m just nervous.”

“Don’t be, my love.” He leaned in, his lips brushing against my neck. “I’ll be gentle. I promise.”

My stomach turned. I stood there, frozen, as his hands moved over me, waiting for the poison to hit. Waiting for my body to collapse. Waiting for anything.

Still nothing.

Maybe I hadn’t taken enough. Or maybe the poison needed time to work. I didn’t know. All I knew was that the King was guiding me toward the bed, and I was running out of time. His fingers found the ties on my nightgown, and he started to loosen them as he pushed me down against the mattress, face–first.

Then, suddenly, a sound echoed through the palace halls–the sound of something scraping against stone. Like a door opening.

The King froze. My breath caught. Andrei? I tried to reach out through our mindlink, but the mountain wouldn’t

allow it.

“Stay here,” the King commanded. He released me and stormed off, locking the door behind him.

The moment he was gone, I stumbled to the bathroom and fell to my knees in front of the toilet. I shoved two fingers down my throat and forced myself to gag. Once. Twice. On the third try, I vomited. The wine and poisoned water came up in a burning rush.

I heaved until there was nothing left. My throat was raw and my mouth tasted like bile, but I kept going. I had to get it all out. Every last drop.

When I was finally finished retching,, I slumped against the wall, gasping. My whole body was shaking. The baby was crying in her bassinet across the room, but I couldn’t move yet. I just sat there on the cold stone floor, trying to catch my breath.

That was when I noticed that there was a loose stone beside the toilet. It had shifted slightly when I’d been

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leaning against the wall, and I could see what looked like a small recess behind it. Curious, I reached out with trembling fingers and pulled it free,

Behind it was indeed a small hollow space. And inside that space was a single ruby ring.

I pulled it out carefully and held it up to the light. It was tiny and dainty–far too small for the King’s fingers. I slipped it onto my pinky finger, and it just barely fit.

Had one of the King’s previous wives hidden it here? As some kind of failsafe? I wondered what it did.

I didn’t have time to figure it out. I heard footsteps in the hallway indicating that the King was coming back, so I shoved the ring into the pocket of my nightgown and pushed the stone back into place. Then I staggered to my feet and wiped my mouth with the back of my hand. I made it to the bed just as the door opened.

The King entered with his face pinched into a grimace that made him look even more monstrous in the flickering light. But beneath it was a gleam of something that looked almost like… glee.

“I’ve changed my mind about tonight,” he said.

My chest loosened slightly. “What?”

“Our wedding night can wait.” His smile grew, and he crossed the room, taking my hands in his. “I have a special surprise planned for you tomorrow.”

“What kind of surprise?”

“You’ll see.” He kissed my hands, and I resisted the urge the gag the entire time. Then, he moved toward the door. “Rest tonight, my love. You’ll need your strength.‘

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