All Chapters of Alpha Daddy's Forbidden Ward: Chapter 61 - Chapter 70

NatashaI saw Mikhail and Irina, walking through the gardens together from the infirmary window. The midday sun caught her dark hair, making it shine like polished obsidian. She was laughing at something he said, or pretending he had said something funny. Her hand was on his arm again and my chest constricted so tight I couldn't breathe.This was the third day. It had been three days of watching her pursue him, touch him and smile at him like she already owned him. It had been three days of torture disguised as courtship."Beautiful couple, aren't they?"I jerked away from the window to find Mary, one of the older pack healers, standing behind me with supplies."I suppose." I managed, my voice remarkably steady."Irina is quite accomplished. Dimitri chose well." She began organizing bandages. "It will be good for Mikhail to settle down. He's been distracted lately."Distracted by me. By us. By sneaking moments we stole in the darkness."Yes," I said hollowly. "Good for him."I for

NatashaThe pack celebration was in full swing. There was music, dancing and laughter echoing through the great hall. It should have been beautiful and joyful. Instead it was torture, because Mikhail was dancing with Irina.Her arms were around his neck, her body pressed close, that confident smile on her perfect face. She said something that made him nod, and Dimitri watched from the side with obvious approval.I stood near the refreshment table, a glass of wine clutched in my hand, watching the man I loved hold another woman."They look good together, don't they?"I turned to find Svetlana, one of the pack females, beside me. She was smiling, oblivious to the knife she was twisting in my chest."Yes," I managed. "Very good.""Dimitri says they'll announce the mating soon. Probably within the month," She sighed dreamily. "It'll be such a beautiful ceremony."I downed the rest of my wine in one swallow."Easy there," Svetlana laughed. "It's strong stuff."I didn't care. I needed some

Natasha"We could go to Romania."Mikhail spread a map across the small table in the abandoned cabin we found deep in the territory. It was our secret meeting place, far from any pack patrols."There's a community of wolves who have left their packs there. They don't ask questions and they don't report to the major alphas. We could disappear there."I studied the map, my heart racing. This was real. We were actually doing this."How far?""Two days if we drive straight through. Less if we fly, but that's riskier. More cameras and more records," His finger traced a route. "We take my truck and use back roads mostly. I've got money saved, enough to get us there and keep us afloat for a few months while we figure things out.""And after Romania?""Then we see," He looked up at me. "Maybe we stay. Maybe we move again. The point is we'll be together and free."Free. The word felt foreign. I had never been free. Not really. I was always bound by pack hierarchy, by my position as Dimitri’s

NatashaI heard a soft knock on the door just after midnight.I was lying in bed fully clothed, staring at the ceiling, my bag packed and ready under the bed. Tomorrow night. Less than twenty-four hours and we would be gone.If Seraphina let us go.I opened the door to find her standing there in a robe, her blonde hair loose around her shoulders. She looked tired."Can I come in?"I stepped aside and she closed the door quietly behind her."I've been thinking about what you told me all day," she said without preamble. "About your plan to run."My heart was pounding. "And?""I think you're making a mistake." She said softly.The words hit me right in the chest. "What?""Running away is not the answer," She sat on my bed, looking up at me. "Natasha, sit down. Please."I sat, feeling extremely numb."I know you're scared," She continued. "I know it feels like there's no other option, but there is.""Dimitri would never allow us to be together.""You and Mikhail share no blood," She said

MikhailI couldn't sleep. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw Irina's face. That look of fury and suspicion as she had stormed out. She was determined to find out who I was sleeping with.I spent the last two hours lying in bed, staring at the ceiling, trying to construct some kind of plausible excuse or explanation that would satisfy her questions without revealing the truth.Maybe I could claim a medical issue. I could say I had been injured in training, something that affected my ability to perform, but she would demand to speak with a healer, and then what?Or I could say I was nervous. That the pressure of the arranged mating made it difficult to respond naturally, but alphas didn't get nervous about fucking. That would only make me look weak.Maybe I could convince her she wasn't trying hard enough. That her approach was too aggressive, but I had seen the way she touched herself. I heard the desperation in her voice. She had done everything short of forcing herself on me.Fuck