Reclaimed By My Alpha (Natalia and Andrei) novel Chapter 504

Chapter 504

“You should have told me.”

“You’re right. I should have.” He glanced up at me. “I guess I was afraid of this. Of seeing you look at me like…. that.”

“How am I looking at you?”

“Like I’m a monster.”

I wanted to deny it. I didn’t see him as a monster. He wasn’t But the words just wouldn’t come.

“I need you to take the children and leave,” Andrei said.

“No.” I stood. “Damon just said the same thing. I won’t-”

“It’s not negotiable, Natalia.”

I stared at him. His expression brooked no argument. I’d seen that look before, and I knew what it meant. He wasn’t going to back down from this. Either I would have to leave with the kids, or he would leave. Either way, he wasn’t going to let himself be anywhere near us.

That night, I packed. Grace helped me while Damon kept Andrei company downstairs. I moved mechanically, pulling clothes from drawers and shoving them into bags. Hope’s things. The twins‘ things. My things.

Jane and Max appeared in the doorway halfway through, rubbing their eyes.

“Mama? What are you doing?” Jane asked.

“We’re going on a trip,” I said, forcing a smile. “Just for a little while.”

“Where?” Max frowned. “Is Daddy coming?”

“No, baby. Just us this time.”

“But why?” Jane’s lower lip trembled. “Did we do something wrong?”

“No. No, you didn’t do anything wrong.” I knelt down and pulled them both into a hug. “Daddy’s just too busy to come with us. So we’re going to visit Aunt Grace and Uncle Damon for a bit.”

“Can we come back soon?” Max asked.

“Yeah. Soon.”

I didn’t know if I was lying or not.

When everything was packed, I brought the kids downstairs Andrei was waiting in the living room. He smiled when he saw them, but the lines around his eyes were tired and deep. “Come here, you two,” he said, opening his

arms.

Jane and Max ran to him, and he scooped them up. He held them tight, burying his face in Jane’s hair. I had to turn away to keep myself from crying.

“I love you both so much,” he whispered. “Don’t ever forget that.”

“We love you too, Daddy,” Jane said.

Max clung to his neck. “When are you coming to see us?”

“Soon. I promise.”

Chapter 504

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He set them down and then picked up Hope from where Grace was holding her. He cradled her against his chest, rocking her gently. She cooed up at him, grabbing at his shirt with her tiny fists.

“You be good for your mother,” he told her. She just gurgled in response.

My throat was so tight I could barely breathe. This was killing me. Watching him say goodbye to our children like he might never see them again.

Finally, he handed Hope back to Grace and turned to me. Grace and Damon took the kids outside, leaving us alone.

We stood there for a moment, just looking at each other. Then he pulled me into his arms and kissed me. It was soft and desperate and tasted like salt from my tears.

“I’m sorry,” he whispered against my lips. “For everything.”

“I know.”

“I’ll fix this. I swear I will.”

“I know.”

He kissed me again, and this time it felt like he was trying to memorize the feel of me. When we pulled back, I cupped his face with both of my hands. “I’m coming back, you know. Stop acting like we’ll never see you again.”

Andrei just gave me a watery smile, kissed my fingers, then released me.

I headed outside after that, where Damon and Grace already had the kids ready to go in the car. The sun was starting to rise; we’d stayed up all night. Before I climbed into the backseat, I paused and looked back at the house. Andrei was standing in the doorway, silhouetted by the light behind him. He raised his hand in a small wave.

I pressed my fingers to the window as Damon pulled out of the driveway.

The house got smaller and smaller in the rearview mirror. And then we turned the corner, and it was gone.

Chapter 505

Chapter 505