Nikolai Volkov:
I stood there in the dim, cold empty basement, feeling Alexei's strong arms wrapped around my body like a protective cocoon.
I just know in my guts that nothing can harm me as long as I'm close to Alexei.
It put my heart at ease.
His embrace was steady, and grounding, making me feel safe even with Damon just twelve feet away from me in the same room.
Damon was unconscious, slumped forward with his head hanging down, and although he was chained securely to the ground, part of me still could not shake the anxiety that crawled beneath my skin.
He was dressed in his usual shorts, looking as if he had been through a storm, he only wears those shorts when he shifts to his wolf form multiple times.
There was exhaustion etched into his face, a strange blend of anger and fatigue, even in his unconscious state.
