Reclaimed By My Alpha (Natalia and Andrei) novel Chapter 58

Natalia

“An incident?” I furrowed my brow, the unease creeping into my voice. “What exactly happened?”

Damon let out a heavy sigh, the weight of responsibility pressing down on him. “There have been reports that some of our younger females were harassed by one of our own males. This is something I have to address personally.”

I nodded slowly, fully grasping the gravity of the situation. In our pack, the females were sacred — they were to be shielded from harm, not subjected to it. And when the offender was one of our own, it made the betrayal sting even deeper. As Alpha, Damon’s role was clear: he had to act decisively and swiftly to uphold discipline and command respect.

Yet, a part of me hesitated. We had only just begun forging our alliance with Moonshadow. This was our first official meeting, a delicate step in a fragile partnership. If Damon left abruptly, how would that reflect on us?

Andrei might perceive it as a slight, or worse, a sign of weakness. We couldn’t afford any fractures in this new bond, not now.

“You should go,” I said gently, placing a hand on Damon’s arm. “I’m more than capable of finishing the patrol with Andrei.”

His eyebrows lifted in surprise. “Natalia—”

“It’s alright,” I interrupted, locking eyes with him. “I can handle things here.”

Damon hesitated, torn between duty and trust. He glanced over at Andrei, who was watching us with a quiet curiosity, then grasped my elbow, pulling me a few steps aside.

“Are you certain about this?” he whispered, concern evident in his voice. “Being alone with him…”

“I’ll be fine,” I reassured him with a soft smile. “There are guards nearby, and we just signed the treaty. He wouldn’t risk breaking it so soon.” I squeezed his hand firmly. “Go. Your pack needs you.”

He studied my face for a moment longer, then exhaled in resignation. “Alright. But be careful. I’ll come back as soon as I can.”

We returned to where Andrei awaited us. His Beta and the remaining warrior flanked him, their eyes sharp and watchful.

“I need to return to the pack house,” Damon declared, squaring his shoulders with authority. “Luna Natalia will continue the patrol with you.”

Andrei’s gaze flicked to me, a trace of surprise flashing in his eyes. “If you’re sure.”

“I am,” I confirmed.

Damon stepped closer to Andrei, his presence commanding despite being slightly shorter than his brother. The fierce determination burning in his eyes made him seem larger than life. “But I swear to the Goddess above, Damon, if you lay a finger on my Luna, you’ll wish I had ended you already.”

“Still as sharp-tongued as ever,” he teased.

“And you’re still as arrogant,” I shot back.

We fell silent again as the path steepened, forcing us to walk single file with Andrei leading. I kept my gaze fixed on the uneven ground beneath my feet rather than on him.

The temperature dropped noticeably as we ventured deeper into the forest, the canopy thickening overhead and blocking out the sun’s warmth. A cool breeze swept through, cutting through my thin jacket and causing a small shiver to ripple down my spine. Andrei noticed immediately.

“Cold?” He stopped walking and began shrugging off his jacket.

“I’m fine,” I replied quickly, not wanting to seem weak.

But before I could protest, he held the jacket out to me, revealing the tight black t-shirt clinging to his chest and arms beneath it. The fabric left little to the imagination.

“Take it,” he said simply. “We still have a long way to go.”

I hesitated, staring at the jacket, then at him. Was this another one of his subtle manipulations? Another game, like when he’d tended to my wounds at the feast? My mind raced, uncertain whether to accept his gesture or to keep my guard up.