Reclaimed By My Alpha (Natalia and Andrei) novel Chapter 53

Natalia

I sat there, completely taken aback, my eyes fixed on Damon as if trying to decode the seriousness etched on his face.

“You want to mark me?” I let out a short, bitter laugh, disbelief coloring my tone. “Why on earth would you want to do that?”

I had thought we were clear—our relationship was purely a façade, nothing more than a convenient arrangement. We weren’t in love, or at least, that was how it was supposed to be.

But Damon’s expression was anything but casual.

“If I were to mark you,” he said, his fingers tightening slightly around mine, “Andrei would have fewer reasons to suspect anything. We could even claim the twins are ours.”

I hesitated, the thought stirring a mix of emotions. “But what if he catches their scent? Or sees them with his own eyes—”

“He won’t,” Damon interrupted firmly. “We’d keep the kids away from him. But we wouldn’t need to hide them completely. Eventually, he’ll find out there are two little ones running around, and that will raise questions. If we say they’re ours, backed by a mating mark, maybe he’ll ask fewer.”

I bit my lip, weighing his logic. Though his reasons were compelling, no matter how practical, I just couldn’t bring myself to mark him. I didn’t love him in that way, and I sensed there was more driving him than mere convenience.

“Don’t tell me you’ve fallen for me,” I whispered, the words barely audible.

Damon didn’t answer right away. Instead, he looked up at me with an intensity that spoke volumes, his gaze steady and sincere. That silent look said everything I needed to know.

I shook my head slowly and gently withdrew my hands from his grasp. “No. You can’t say that.” Rising, I crossed the room, needing distance, space to breathe. I moved toward the window and turned away, the cool glass pressing against my palms. “We weren’t supposed to fall in love. You promised me that.”

“No,” Damon said, his voice low but firm. “I want you to be my Luna because I love you. I’ve loved you for a long time. And yes, you’re damn good at what you do. Maybe I don’t want to risk losing you to another male when I feel like I’ve finally found something precious.”

I rolled my eyes, unable to hide my amusement. “So it’s jealousy, then. I suspected as much from the way you and Andrei kept staring each other down during the hunt.”

“Can you blame me?” Damon countered, his tone sharp. “He’s your ex-husband—the man you’ve been hiding from for five years. And now he’s back, already messing up your life. I see the way you look at him sometimes.”

“That doesn’t mean I still love him,” I said firmly.

Damon’s jaw twitched, and I could tell he doubted me. But I stood my ground, refusing to give him the satisfaction. I didn’t love Andrei anymore. Not after everything that had happened. Not now.