Reclaimed By My Alpha (Natalia and Andrei) novel Chapter 486

Natalia’s POV

Andrei stared at me like I’d just suggested we jump off a cliff together.

“What? You want to spar together?”

“Yeah. You know, like we used to.” I gestured to the training arena around us. “Come on. I haven’t trained since before I got pregnant with Hope. I miss it.”

“Natalia, I don’t know if that’s a good-

”

“And you clearly need to work through something. So let’s work through it together.” I stepped closer, smiling despite the way my heart pounded. “It’ll be fun. Just like old times.”

He looked down at his bloody hands, then back at me. “I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

“Why not?”

“I could hurt you.

I snorted. “You won’t hurt me.”

“You don’t know that.”

I crossed my arms. “Are you saying I don’t know how to fight?”

That got him. A flicker of something crossed his face. It might have been an attempt at a smile, but it was gone too fast to tell. “I never said that.”

“Then spar with me.” I moved to the weapons rack and grabbed two wooden practice swords. I tossed one to him and he caught it automatically. “Come on. Just one round? For me?”

He looked at the sword in his hand, then at me. For a moment, I thought he was going to refuse. Walk away and leave me standing there.

But then he sighed and moved to the center of the arena. “Fine. One round.”

I grinned and took my position across from him. “Try not to go easy on me.”

“I won’t.”

We circled each other slowly. Andrei moved first with a quick jab that I parried easily, the sound of wood cracking through the arena. I countered with a swing toward his ribs, and he blocked it.

It felt good. Really good. The weight of the sword in my hand, the sensation of my muscles bunching with each movement. I’d forgotten how much I missed this.

We traded blows back and forth. I could tell Andrei was holding back at first, but as we continued, I could see him relax a little. I almost saw that smile again, and it made the tightness in my chest loosen.

“You’re getting slow,” I teased as I ducked under another swing.

“I’m not slow.”

1/3

Chapter 486

+25 BONUS

I jumped over another attack and lifted my brows. “Oh, yeah? Sure looks slow to me.”

“Maybe you’re just too fast for your own good.”

I laughed at that, and Andrei’s expression softened a little. Some of that haunted look faded from his eyes. We kept going for a while longer, although neither of us really made an effort to end the fight. I could have gone like this forever. I was breathing hard now, sweat starting to bead on my forehead, and my arms were burning from the effort, but in a good way. I hadn’t moved like this in a while. Not since before… before.

Andrei swung high and I blocked it, then spun and aimed for his shoulder. He caught my blade with his and pushed back, forcing me to step backward to keep my balance.

“Not bad,” he said.

“I’ve been practicing.”

“When?”

“In my head.” I grinned at him. “While breastfeeding.”

He actually smiled at that. A real smile. The first one I’d seen in weeks.

But as I lifted my sword over my head to go in for another attack, something changed.

His smile faded. His eyes went distant and glassy, like someone had pulled a curtain over them. The moment before my sword met his, he lunged.

The blow came hard and fast. I barely got my sword down in time to block it. The impact jarred my arms so badly I nearly dropped my weapon, and a jolt of pain went all the way up to my shoulders.

“Andrei-”

He swung again before I could finish. I blocked it again, but just barely. He gritted his teeth and moved toward me with a snarl.

“Andrei, stop!” I backed up, but my spine hit the post behind me. He knocked my sword aside with a brutal swing, and before I could recover, he was on me. His hand wrapped around my throat and he drove me downward. My back hit the ground hard enough to knock the air from my lungs.

His hand tightened around my throat. I clawed at his fingers, trying to pry them loose. His grip was like iron. “Andrei!”

He didn’t respond. Just kept staring down at me with those empty eyes. His grip tightened, and I started to gasp for air that was only coming in a thin stream now.

“Alpha!” Someone was shouting. I could hear footsteps running toward us. “Alpha,‘ stop!”

Hands grabbed Andrei’s shoulders and pulled him backward. His Beta. He was saying something, but I couldn’t hear whatever it was over the sound of the blood rushing through my ears. Andrei’s hand finally released my throat, and I gasped, rolling onto my side and coughing.

By the time I looked up, Andrei was already walking away. Fast. Almost running.

“Luna Natalia, are you alright?” The Beta knelt beside me and touched my shoulder, helping me sit up.

2/3

Chapter 486

+25 BONUS

I pressed my hand to my throat and winced, but waved him away. “I’m fine.”

“I’m so sorry. I should have come sooner. I should have known he would do something like that.”

“It’s not your fault.” I pushed myself to my feet. My legs were shaking, but I didn’t collapse again. “What just happened?”

The Beta looked toward where Andrei had disappeared. “I think… The battles. Everything he went through. I think it affected him more than he’s letting on.”

My chest tightened. I’d suspected it, too, for a long time. Ever since I saw that strange, haunted look in his eyes the night we’d returned to Bloodmoon. I could tell that he was suffering, but he wouldn’t talk about it. Maybe this wasn’t something that mating rituals alone could fix.

I left the Beta standing there, ignoring the way he called my name. I knew Andrei would blame himself for this, and I needed to be there for him. I wanted to tell him that it wasn’t his fault, that I knew he never really intended to hurt me. Most of all, I wanted to know what he really saw when we were in that ring–because I knew it wasn’t me.

Some of the servants said they’d seen Andrei storm off in the direction of his office, so I checked there first. I tried the handle, but it was locked, so I rapped my knuckles on the wood.

“Andrei? It’s me. Open the door.” He didn’t answer, and I sighed. “Andrei, please. I’m not angry, but we should talk about what just happened.”

The silence on the other side of the door was deafening. Still, I could feel him in there. I reached out through our bond, but he pushed back, shutting off the connection like a running faucet. I ground my teeth together and stared at the door for a long moment.

Finally, I turned around and slid down to the floor with my back against the door. I wasn’t going anywhere, no matter how much he wanted me to.

So I pulled my knees up to my chest and waited.