Chapter 55 055

Chapter 55 055
Mikhail

It started three days after I told Natasha I loved her.

I was in the training yard, running drills with some of the younger pack members, when Rose approached.

She was one of the pack's warriors. She was strong, attractive, and we had hooked up a handful of times over the past year.

She waited until I called a water break, then cornered me by the equipment shed.

"Hey. Been a while since we've hung out," She moved closer, her intent clear. "Thought maybe tonight you'd want some company."

Before, I would've taken her up on it without thinking twice. I loved quick and uncomplicated fun.

But now, the thought of anyone else touching me made my stomach turn.

"I'm busy tonight."

"Tomorrow then?"

"Rose, I'm just not interested anymore."I finally clarified.

She blinked, clearly thrown. I had never turned her down before. "Oh. Okay. Did I do something wrong?"

"No. You're fine. I'm just not doing that anymore."

"Doing what? Hooking up?" She laughed like it was a joke. "Come on, Mikhail. Since when?"

"Since now. I've got to get back to training."

I walked away before she could push further, but I felt her watching me, confused. I couldn't blame her.

A month ago I would've dragged her behind that shed without hesitation, but everything was different now.

Two days later, it happened again.

I was at the pack gathering, a monthly thing where everyone got together for food and drinks.

Usually, I would have my pick of women. There were always a few who made it clear they were interested, and I rarely said no.

Tonight, three different women approached me.

The first was subtle about it, just touching my arm and asking if I wanted to take a walk.

The second was more direct, whispering an invitation in my ear.

The third literally pressed herself against me and asked if I remembered how good we were together.

I turned all of them down.

"Not tonight."

"Maybe another time."

"I'm good, thanks."

By the time I extracted myself and went to find Natasha, I could feel eyes on me.

People were noticing. Of course they were noticing.

Mikhail the playboy, turning down beautiful women? Something was definitely wrong.

I found Natasha talking with some of the other pack members near the fire.

She was laughing at something someone said, her face lit up by the flames, and my chest did that stupid tight thing it always did now when I looked at her.

She glanced up and caught me staring. Her smile shifted, becoming more private, just for me.

It took everything in me not to cross that distance and kiss her in front of everyone.

Instead, I nodded and turned away, grabbing a drink I didn't want just to have something to do with my hands.

"You alright, man?"

I turned to find Damon, one of my closest friends, looking at me with a knowing smirk.

"Fine. Why?"

"Because you just turned down Anna, and she's been throwing herself at you for months. Plus, Rose has been telling people you're acting weird." He took a swig of his beer.

"So what's going on? You sick or something?"

"Or something."

"Come on. It's me. You can tell me."

I almost laughed. Tell him what? That I was sleeping with my sister?

That I had fallen in love with her? That I literally couldn't think about anyone else anymore?

"Just not in the mood lately."

"Not in the mood? You?" He shook his head. "Bullshit. There's someone, isn't there? You're seeing someone."

My silence was answer enough.

"Holy shit, you are. Who is she? Do I know her?"

"Drop it, Damon."

"Is it serious? It must be if you're turning down—"

"I said drop it."

He held up his hands. "Alright, alright, but people are gonna start asking questions. You know how this pack is. Everyone's in everyone's business."

He was right. I knew he was right, but I couldn't bring myself to care.

Let them talk. Let them speculate. As long as they didn't figure out the truth, it didn't matter.

That night, I waited until the house was quiet before slipping down the hallway to Natasha's room.

I had been doing this every night since we had confessed our feelings, sneaking into her bed like some lovesick teenager, unable to sleep without her.

She opened the door before I could knock, pulling me inside quickly.

"You're late. I was starting to worry."

"Pack gathering ran long. Sorry," I kissed her, finally, after hours of wanting to. "I missed you."

"You saw me at the gathering."

"Not the same. I couldn't touch you there," I walked her backward toward the bed. "I couldn't do this."

She laughed against my mouth. "You turned down Rose again, didn't you? She's telling everyone you're acting strange."

"How do you know about that?"

"Because I have ears and people talk," She started unbuttoning my shirt. "They're starting to notice, Mikhail. Three women approached you tonight and you sent them all away."

"Should I have said yes to one of them? Is that what you want?"

"Don't be an ass. You know that's not what I mean," She pushed the shirt off my shoulders. "I'm just saying people are going to start asking questions. Damon cornered you, didn't he? I saw you two talking."

"He thinks I'm seeing someone."

"Well, you are."

"He doesn't know it's you," I pulled her shirt over her head. "No one knows it's you, and they won't. I'm careful."

"Are you?" She raised an eyebrow. "Sneaking down the hallway every single night doesn't seem that careful."

"I can't sleep without you anymore," The admission came out rougher than I intended. "I've tried. I just lie there thinking about you until I can't take it."

Her expression softened. "I know. I can't sleep without you either now. It's becoming a problem."

"A good problem."

"A dangerous problem," But she kissed me anyway, her hands sliding down my chest. "What if someone catches you leaving in the morning?"

"I'll be careful. I always am."

"Mikhail—"

"Stop worrying," I backed her onto the bed, covering her body with mine.

"Everything's fine. People notice I'm not sleeping around anymore. So what? Maybe I'm just growing up. Maybe I'm tired of meaningless hookups."

"And that's not suspicious at all coming from you?"

She had a point. The notorious Mikhail, suddenly celibate? It was bound to raise eyebrows, but I couldn't bring myself to care about pack gossip when she was underneath me.

"Let them talk," I murmured against her neck. "I don't care what anyone thinks."

"You should care. We both should. This is risky."

"I know." I did know. Every logical part of my brain knew we were playing with fire, but the part of me that loved her and needed her, was louder than logic.

"But I can't stop. I can't go back to pretending you're just my sister. I can't sleep with other women when all I want is you."

She touched my face, her eyes searching mine in the dim light. "I don't want you to. I want you to be only mine, even if we can't tell anyone."

"I am only yours," I kissed her palm. "I haven't touched anyone else since. Haven't wanted to."

"Really?"

"Really. There's only you, Natasha. Only you."

She pulled me down into a kiss. We made love slowly, carefully, trying to stay quiet even though every instinct wanted to make her scream my name.

Afterward, we lay tangled together, her head on my chest, my fingers tracing patterns on her bare shoulder.

"This is crazy," She whispered. "Completely insane."

"I know."

"We're going to get caught eventually."

"Maybe."

"And then what?"

"I don't know," I tightened my arm around her. "But I'm not giving you up. Whatever happens, I'm not giving you up."

She was quiet for a long moment. "The pack is going to lose their minds if they find out."

"Let them. We'll deal with it when it happens."

"You sound so sure."

"I am sure. About you and about us," I tilted her face up to look at me. "I love you. That's the only thing I'm certain of right now."

"I love you too," She kissed me softly. "Even though you're reckless, stubborn and terrible at being careful."

I couldn't help but laugh at that. "You love me because I'm reckless and stubborn."

"Maybe," She smiled against my mouth. "Stay with me tonight?"

"Every night," I promised. "For as long as you'll have me."

We fell asleep like that, wrapped around each other, and for a few hours, I let myself forget about the consequences of what we were doing.

I let myself forget about the pack gossip and the risks and the inevitable moment when everything would come crashing down.