Reclaimed By My Alpha (Natalia and Andrei) novel Chapter 6

“The rogues will come again,” I said. “But I know that, although they may knock us down, we’ll always get back up. We are strongest when we stand together. When we refuse to bow to fear or grief or pain. Tonight, we light these pyres.”

I gestured to the pyres, and only then did my voice break as I whispered, “We light them not just for Andrei and Damon…” A tear rolled down my cheek as the numbness began to crack, revealing something raw and far too painful underneath. “…But for every warrior we lost in the battle. We send them off with honor. With love. And tomorrow, we will wake up and keep fighting. Because that’s what they would have wanted.”

I nodded to Mila. She stepped forward with two torches, their flames dancing in the growing darkness. She handed one to Grace, who took it with shaking hands, and the other to me.

My fingers curled around the rough wood. The heat from the flame warmed my face. I stared at the empty pyre, at the space where Andrei’s body should have been, and felt the pain wash over me.

I knew, now, how Andrei had felt six years ago when he lit a pyre for me. And in this moment, I was sorrier than ever that I had let him grieve like I was now.

I lifted the torch.

“Wait!”

The shout came from somewhere behind the crowd, causing everyone to turn. I froze, torch still raised, and watched as several figures began to emerge from the mist at the edge of the lawn.

Warriors. Battered and bloodied and limping, but alive.

And at the front of the group, supporting one of the wounded, was Andrei.

The torch slipped from my fingers. I barely noticed it hit the ground, barely heard the gasp that rippled through the crowd, barely noticed Grace hurrying to put it out.

All I could see was him. Alive. Alive!

My legs moved before I could think. I ran, and I didn’t stop until I crashed into him, throwing my arms around his neck and nearly knocking him over.

“Andrei,” I gasped against his throat. “You’re alive. You’re-”

He caught me, his arms coming up to hold me tight. I felt his chest heave with a ragged breath, felt the steady thump of his heart against mine. Real. Solid. Here.

I pulled back just enough to grab his face and kiss him. He tasted like blood and dirt and sweat. Fucking delicious. He kissed me back just as fiercely, one hand tangling in my hair, the other splayed across my lower back.

When we finally broke apart, I was breathless. Tears streamed down my face–when had I started crying so openly?-but I didn’t care. I pressed my forehead to his and just breathed him in.

“I thought you were dead,” I whispered.

“Not yet,” he rasped. His voice sounded exhausted, but, Goddess, it was…

Wait. Something sounded off.

I pulled back slightly to look at him properly, and gasped. He had gray hairs when he hadn’t before; they were threaded through the dark strands at his temples. More than a few. They caught the torchlight, silver against

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black, and my stomach dropped.

I reached up and touched them, confused. Looking into his face, I saw more wrinkles around his eyes than he had before, and his eyes themselves, those brilliant green irises, looked older and more tired.

“Why do you look older?” ”

I asked.

Andrei’s jaw worked. His eyes met mine, and I saw something there–pain, shame, horror. He opened his mouth

words wouldn’t come.

like he wanted to answer, but t

“You’re alive!”

Grace’s voice cut through the moment. I turned to see her stumbling toward us. She looked past Andrei, past the wounded warriors, searching.

“Where is Damon?” she asked, wringing her hands.

Andrei’s face fell.

Chapter 387

Chapter 387