Alle Kapitel von Alpha Romanov: Kapitel 31 – Kapitel 40

Valeria:I had stopped pretending to read almost twenty minutes ago.The book lay open across my lap, the same paragraph repeating itself on the page until the words blurred into a rhythm I could recite without understanding.Nikolai remained behind his desk, surrounded by papers he moved through with the same quiet efficiency he used for everything. I had drifted from the couch to the chair by the window as the afternoon thinned into evening, and the room had settled into a strange, comfortable hush.A white flake drifted past the glass and caught my eye. Then another, and within seconds dozens were falling beneath the moonlight, soft and slow at first, then thicker as the wind carried them across the grounds. I sat up.“Nikolai.” He did not look up. “Nikolai… look!”“Yes, Valeria?” he said, pen still moving.“It’s snowing.” I said excitedly.He glanced at the window as if the fact required confirmation. “Yes.”“That’s it?” I asked, my eyes widening in surprise. “Nikolai! It is snowi

Valeria:I woke to warmth.For a few seconds I didn’t know where I was, only that my cheek rested against something solid and warm, one arm draped across a broad chest while the other was tucked beneath my waist.When I opened my eyes properly, Nikolai was already awake, sitting slightly upright against the headboard, shirtless, one arm around me, the other resting loosely over the blanket. His hair was still mussed from sleep, and when I lifted my head he was looking down at me.Heat rushed into my face. I realized, with a small, mortifying jolt, exactly how I had been sleeping, curled against him, as if I belonged there. Nikolai’s mouth curved.“Good morning,” he said.“Morning,” I said, my voice still filled with sleep. “How long have you been awake?”“A while,” he answered. “You seemed comfortable, so I chose to let you sleep in for a while longer.”I pushed myself up a little, feeling my face heat up as I blushed, though I did not move far. He watched me with an expression that w

Valeria:I had been on the balcony for almost twenty minutes, scrolling through my phone and pretending I was reading more carefully than I actually was.There were a few articles about council movements in the eastern packs, another about trade routes reopening before the worst of winter, and one irritating piece speculating about Nikolai’s marriage as though the writers had been standing inside the council chamber with us. I skimmed past that one quickly.The cold had begun to bite through the sleeves of my dress, but I stayed outside anyway, curled into one of the chairs with my legs tucked beneath me, enjoying the silence while Nikolai showered inside.The balcony doors opened behind me. I looked over automatically and immediately wished I hadn’t.Nikolai stepped out of the bathroom with a towel wrapped low around his waist, another smaller towel in his hand as he rubbed through his wet hair. Water still clung to his skin, trailing over his shoulders and down the hard lines of his

Valeria:I woke to Nikolai kissing my temple.For a second, I thought I had imagined it. Then I opened my eyes and found him leaning over me, one hand braced beside my head while the other rested lightly against my waist.“Morning,” he said softly.My brain took several seconds to catch up. He was already dressed, jeans, a dark shirt, boots by the edge of the bed, and his hair was still wet enough that a few strands had fallen forward over his forehead.“You showered,” I said. “And the fact that you are wearing a casual outfit makes you look a lot more intimidating than you should.”His mouth curved. “That is usually what wet hair means. And I am allowed a day off from being the Alpha as I go out with my wife.”I stared at him. “What time is it?”“It is around nine in the morning. I let you sleep in given that you seemed to be peaceful.” He said gently.I groaned and pulled the blanket higher. “Well, since I looked peaceful, couldn’t you have let me sleep a little longer?” I muttered

Elena:The maid took the small folded packet from my hand without looking at me. She moved with the kind of practiced discretion I respected, no questions, no pity. She knew to do the job that she was required, and that was where her services ended.“Only when I tell you,” I said, low enough that the corridor swallowed the words. “And not a word to anyone about this. You do it, and you will be rewarded.”Her fingers closed around the paper. “Yes, ma’am. You needn’t worry, I’ll do what you asked.” She tucked it beneath the fold of her apron as if it were nothing more than a scrap of cloth.I watched her hurry toward the servants’ staircase until she disappeared leaving me alone in the empty corridor. I let out the breath I’d been holding, and if I knew one thing, it was that this had to work.Valeria had come here under a contract. She was supposed to perform a duty, give Nikolai what he needed, and leave when the year ended. Instead, in a matter of days, she’d wormed into his mornings