- Nikolai Volkov:
The kitchen felt colder than usual, the tiles almost icy beneath my feet as I stepped onto them.
The low hum of the coffee machine filled the air, a sound that somehow amplified the heaviness of the moment rather than soothing it.
Ava had already left hours ago, apologizing in hushed tones before hastily explaining that her husband and child were waiting for her.
She had disappeared with the police escort, leaving behind a void that only made the remaining tension more acute.
Now, the only people left were my family and Damon's.
The line dividing the two sides was stark, the air between us crackling with unspoken accusations and suppressed emotions.
It felt as though even the faintest spark could ignite a confrontation.
Alexei stood by the counter, his movements measured as he prepared the coffee.
He glanced at me over his shoulder, his piercing blue eyes softening as they met mine.
His gaze was a lifeline, one that tethered me to the moment when everything else felt as though it were slipping out of control.
"Are you okay?" he asked quietly, his voice like a balm against the jagged edges of my thoughts. "What are you going to tell them?"
I leaned against the counter and exhaled deeply, running a hand through my chaotic hair.
The weight of his question pressed down on me, compounding the turmoil already swirling in my chest.
"I don't know, Alexei," I admitted, my voice barely above a whisper. "I don't know what to say to them. How do I explain any of this? How do I tell them that Damon isn't the person they think he is?"
My voice cracked slightly, and I turned away, unable to face the concern etched on his features. "I don't even know where to start."
Alexei stepped closer, his footsteps soft against the tiles.
The warmth of his presence was almost substantial as he stood beside me, his tone steady and reassuring.
"You don't have to figure it all out right now," he said gently, his voice a quiet anchor in the storm of my emotions. "It's okay not to have all the answers yet. Whatever happens, I'm here. You don't have to do this alone."
His words sent a wave of unexpected relief through me, and I found myself glancing up at him, a small, hesitant smile tugging at the corners of my lips despite the chaos raging inside me.
Alexei has this uncanny ability to make me feel safe, even when the world seems to be crumbling around me.
His kindness, his unwavering support—it was like a light in the darkness, one I hadn't realized I needed until it was there.
Before I could fully process the emotions building inside me, Alexei stepped even closer.
The space between us disappeared, and his arms wrapped around my waist in a gentle, grounding embrace.
The contact was electric yet comforting, a paradox that left me momentarily breathless.
His chest was firm against mine, his warmth seeping into me and pushing back the cold numbness that had begun to take hold.
My hands hesitated for a moment before settling on his shoulders, clinging to him as though he were the only thing keeping me from falling apart.
When our lips met, it was like the world fell away.
The kiss was soft at first, tentative, as though we were both testing the waters of something we didn't fully understand yet.
His lips were warm and gentle, moving against mine with a tenderness that made my chest tighten.
I could feel his hands shifting slightly, one sliding up to rest lightly against the small of my back while the other cradled my jaw.
His thumb brushed against my cheek in a featherlight caress, sending shivers down my spine.
My fingers curled into the fabric of his shirt, holding onto him like a lifeline as I leaned further into the kiss.
The world around us seemed to blur and fade, the tension, the judgment, the weight of everything waiting for us in the other room dissolving into nothingness.
For that moment, it was just us.
The faint scent of coffee brewing mingled with the earthy cologne clinging to Alexei's skin, grounding me in the reality of his presence.
I could feel the steady rhythm of his heartbeat through his chest, strong and unyielding, a reminder that I wasn't alone in this.
My own heart raced in response, the beat erratic as a cocktail of emotions—relief, fear, longing—washed over me.
But then, like a stone shattering the still surface of a pond, the sound of someone gasping broke through the moment.
I pulled back abruptly, my breath hitching as my gaze snapped toward the doorway.
My heart plummeted as I saw Damon's mother standing there, her expression a volatile mix of shock, disbelief, and fury.
"What the hell is going on here?" she demanded, her voice sharp enough to cut through the heavy silence that followed her arrival.
The blood drained from my face, and I instinctively stepped back, putting a small but noticeable distance between Alexei and me.
My mind raced, scrambling for something—anything—to say, but the truth was a mess too tangled to unravel in that instant.
From her perspective, it must have looked like the ultimate betrayal, like I was cheating on her son most blatantly and unapologetically.
The irony wasn't lost on me.
If only she knew the truth—if only she knew what her "perfect" son had done, what he was capable of, and how he had pushed me to the point where Alexei felt like the only solid ground I had left to stand on.
Her eyes narrowed, and her tone grew colder, more biting. "You're going to have to explain this to the whole family," she spat, each word laced with venom.
She turned on her heel and stormed off before I could muster a response, leaving me standing there, exposed and vulnerable under the weight of her judgment.
My stomach stirred, dread pooling in my chest as the inevitability of the confrontation ahead loomed over me.
Alexei reached out, his hand brushing mine in a gesture of quiet reassurance.
His touch, though brief, was enough to steady the frantic rhythm of my heart.
"It's going to be okay," he murmured, his voice low and calming. "We'll tell them the truth if we have to."
I nodded, though the gesture felt hollow.
The knot of anxiety in my stomach refused to loosen, no matter how much I tried to convince myself that Alexei's words were true.
The coffee machine beeped, signaling that it had finished brewing, and Alexei busied himself with preparing the tray.
His movements were calm and deliberate, each placement of a cup or spoon a small act of defiance against the chaos threatening to swallow us whole.
Together, we carried the tray into the living room, where the atmosphere was thick enough to choke on.
Every pair of eyes turned toward us as we entered, their gazes piercing, some filled with confusion, others with anger or judgment.
It was as though the air itself had grown heavier under the weight of their collective scrutiny.
My father was the first to break the oppressive silence, his deep voice carrying a thick Russian accent that only added to the severity of his words. "You cheated on your husband?"
It wasn't a question; it was an accusation. His brows were furrowed, his jaw set in disappointment.
I swallowed hard, meeting his gaze. "Well, yeah, I guess if you call this cheating, then I did."
His face fell, the disappointment in his eyes cutting deeper than I expected.
But before I could say more, Damon's father stood up abruptly.
His expression was a thunderstorm of rage, his voice booming with a British accent.
"Have you lost your bloody mind, Nikolai?!" he shouted, taking a step closer to me. "You can't just go around cheating on your mate! What did my son ever do to deserve this? Have you gone completely insane?"
His anger was almost tangible, and as he stepped closer, I instinctively flinched.
He was an alpha, and his presence was commanding and intimidating.
My pulse quickened as fear crept in—if he decided to attack me, I wasn't sure I'd stand a chance.
But before he could get any closer, Alexei moved.
He stepped in front of me, his posture protective, his voice steady and unwavering as he said, "If you so much as lay a finger on him, I'll break your arm. Do you understand?"
The room seemed to freeze.
Alexei wasn't yelling, but the steel in his voice was impossible to ignore.
For a moment, I saw a side of him I'd never seen before—he was usually gentle, almost shy, but now, he was a force to be reckoned with.
Damon's father hesitated, his anger giving way to confusion and, surprisingly, fear.
"What the hell is this guy?" he muttered, his gaze flickering to Alexei like he was trying to figure out what kind of creature he was dealing with.
Before I could answer, Alexei's wings unfolded.
They were massive, filling the room with their presence, and the sight of them drew audible gasps from everyone.
His voice was calm but firm as he said, "Does this answer your question?"
The room was silent, the tension palpable. Damon's father took a step back, his face pale as he realized what he was up against.
A dragon shifter.
Alexei's wings folded back, and he turned to the rest of the room. "Now, how about you all sit down and listen before you judge Nikolai?"
And they did.
Slowly, reluctantly, everyone sat down, their eyes still wide with shock and fear.
I placed a hand on Alexei's arm, urging him to calm down. "Thank you," I whispered, before turning to face everyone.
Taking a deep breath, I began to explain.
I told them about Damon—how he wasn't the person they thought he was, how he had trapped me in the house for three days, how he had gone down a dark, psychopathic path and killed some people.
I didn't have the heart to tell them everything, though. I couldn't bring myself to say that he had killed our children.
The thought of seeing the pain and disbelief in his parents' eyes was too much.
When I finished, the room was heavy with silence.
Damon's parents looked utterly devastated, their expressions a mix of shock and sorrow.
It was clear they had no idea what their son had become.
Finally, Damon's mother spoke, her voice trembling. "Where is he now?"
I didn't know how to answer, but Alexei stepped in. His tone was calm but firm.
"He's somewhere getting what he deserves. For now, you should focus on your lives. When he's ready, he'll meet you again."
There was no room for argument in his words, and none of them dared to challenge him.
They simply nodded, their gazes dropping to the floor as they tried to process everything.
I leaned closer to Alexei, grateful for his strength and his presence. Whatever came next, I knew I wouldn't have to face it alone.