Reclaimed By My Alpha (Natalia and Andrei) novel Chapter 84

**He Knows the Door to My Soul and Who Forgot to Novel 84**
**Chapter 84**

**Natalia**

The first rays of sunlight filtered through the curtains, wrapping me in a gentle warmth that felt almost like a hug from an old friend. For a fleeting moment, I allowed myself to believe I was back in the comforting embrace of my own bed in Ashmoor, where the world felt safe and uncomplicated.

But as I blinked my eyes open, the reality of my surroundings crashed over me like a tidal wave, and the memories of the previous night flooded back in vivid detail.

The banquet. The drugs. My public confession.

And then, of course, Andrei. Oh, Andrei.

The recollection of his hands exploring my body, the warmth of his mouth against mine, and the overwhelming sensation of him inside me struck me all at once, like a speeding car colliding with my very essence. I shot up in bed, clutching the sheets tightly against my bare chest, my heart racing.

What on earth had I done?

Glancing around the room with frantic eyes, I felt a surge of relief wash over me when I noticed the other side of the bed was empty. It looked untouched, as if no one had lain there at all, which suggested that he had not spent the night with me after all. The thought of him returning to Lilith’s side felt like a strange mercy, a small comfort in the chaos of my mind.

I collapsed back onto the pillows, staring at the ceiling, my thoughts racing as I replayed the events of the previous night like a broken record. I had slept with Andrei. I had crossed a line I had desperately tried to avoid for five long years. This was the man I had been hiding from, the man who had once tried to have me killed.

“Stupid, stupid, stupid,” I muttered under my breath, pressing the heels of my palms against my eyes in a futile attempt to block out the reality of my actions. It had to be the drugs. Whatever David had slipped into my drink was still coursing through my veins, clouding my judgment, making me reckless and impulsive.

Even if, by the time Andrei had been inside me, I had felt completely sober.

Even if I had been acutely aware of every decision I made.

Even if a traitorous part of me had savored every moment of our encounter.

“Stop lying to yourself,” my wolf, Onyx, growled within me. “You wanted him. You’ve always wanted him.”

Turning on the shower, I waited for the water to heat up before stepping under the spray. The warm water cascaded over me, and I scrubbed my skin vigorously, as if trying to wash away the very memories of last night. I needed to feel clean, to feel like myself again.

By the time I emerged from the bathroom, wrapped in a towel, I felt a little more composed. My head was clearer, my body felt fresher, and my resolve had solidified. I was determined to walk out of this room with my dignity intact, as if nothing had ever transpired.

I dressed swiftly, pulling on the t-shirt and sweatpants. Even though they were freshly laundered, the fabric still carried a faint trace of Andrei’s scent, and I tried to ignore how it made my wolf stir restlessly within me.

The remnants of my dress still lay on the floor, damning evidence of what had occurred. I couldn’t leave them here. What if someone stumbled upon them and pieced together the story?

Gathering the torn fabric in my arms, I hurried over to the small fireplace nestled in the corner of the room. It was cold and empty, yet logs and kindling lay neatly beside it, as if waiting for this very moment.

I arranged the scraps of green fabric atop the kindling and struck a match from the box resting on the mantel. The flame caught eagerly, and I watched as it devoured the expensive material, transforming it from green to black, then to gray, and finally to ash.

Only when the last remnants of the dress had turned to dust did I finally rise and make my way to the door. My stomach growled loudly, a reminder that I hadn’t eaten since the day before, but food would have to wait. All I wanted was to escape this house, to put distance between myself and Andrei, and to return to the safety of Ashmoor.