جميع فصول : الفصل -الفصل 40

Anya:I worked in the Volkov estate for twenty years. I watched Dimitri drag half dead warriors through the front of the gate after a battle. I watched his father before him stand strong despite everything that could have occurred. I watched his mother pass away, his father later after…I watched him negotiate with Bratva leaders twice his age without flinching. I had even seen him calmly drink his coffee while Mikhail stitched a knife wound closed. None of them surprised me.This morning, however, I found myself standing in the middle of the kitchen, completely speechless. “Breakfast is going to be sent to her room.”One of the cooks frowned as he looked at me and the two maids who were assigned to take his breakfast tensed. “Excuse me? Did we hear you right, Headmistress Anya?” The cook asked, looking at me as if I had announced a death certificate rather than a place for a meal.“The Alpha wants breakfast to be prepared and to be sent to her room. It is to be breakfast for the two o

Alina:I had never understood what a family was supposed to feel like. Because growing up, I thought that fear was normal. It was the way that we learned how to go on with life. Because without fear, I knew that no one believed that submission would be possible… this was the way I grew up.I learned to watch every word that left my mouth because one wrong answer could earn you a slap. That was my normal; love always came with conditions and affection had to be earned and even then it could disappear the moment you disappointed someone.But as I looked at Dimitri across the small table, I watched him pour another cup of coffee. He did not even realize that I was staring. There was something strangely peaceful about him this morning, the way that he had spoken to Anya, the way that he took sympathy in Nikita. I did not know which hit me harder. But I knew for a fact that I did not see this where I was growing up.He looked up at me and raised an eyebrow when he noticed me staring. “Do yo

Nikita:The fresh air helped. It didn’t ease or ease the ache in my chest, but it made it easier for me to breathe without feeling like my heart was being ripped out with each breath.Mother and I walked side by side through the mall, and I found myself smiling as I admired the things that I saw, moving between colorful stores filled with fresh flowers, fabrics, handmade jewelry, and the scent of warm bread drifting from nearby bakeries.“You know, I think that we should get a few pastries when we’re leaving.” I said, looking at mom, whose eyes brightened. “I think that we could use a little chocolate and artificial flavor.” She laughed, and I shrugged, wrapping my arm around myself.This was the way things mostly were when I was upset, mom knew how I distracted myself… but the fact that she took it upon herself to arrange this made it more special for me.A Delta warrior followed several steps behind us. He was far enough to give us privacy, but was also close enough to interfere if h

Dimitri:I had expected to find Alina in the kitchen. Instead, I found her walking down the main stairs, and for a moment I simply stared.She was not wearing the maid's uniform, no plain black dress, no white apron, and she wasn't even wearing one of the grey ones that Anya kept giving her.Instead, she wore soft gray sweatpants that gathered comfortably around her ankles, paired with a loose cream-colored shirt whose sleeves were rolled up to her forearms. Her hair fell loosely over her shoulders and she looked comfortable, like someone who actually belonged here. She looked beautiful.Her eyes met mine, and I watched as her steps faltered. “You do realize that staring is rude, right?” She asked sarcastically.“I was not staring, I was simply looking at you. This is the first time that I've seen you dressed like this. And I've seen you coming here.” I said, and she looked away. Her heart raced against her chest and I could tell that I just ticked a nerve.“I wasn't allowed to be as c

Nikita:I had been talking to Asher for four days.Four days of messages that made me smile when I had no intention of smiling. Four days of late-night calls that lasted longer than either of us admitted they would.He was charming. A little too charming, probably, but there was something easy about speaking to him. He never pushed me to explain why I had looked sad on the day we met. He never even commented on the way I had been speaking to my mother.He never asked questions that felt intrusive. Instead, he told me ridiculous stories about Daren complaining during meetings, asked what kind of pastries I liked, and somehow remembered every little thing I mentioned.It was strange.It could have been dangerous too, but I still found it comforting because I knew I was being listened to. I wasn’t the one chasing after him or struggling to keep the conversation alive. If anything, he was the one making the effort.I sat near the end of the long sofa in one of the quieter sitting rooms, my