Chapter 168: Living with her
ANDREY'S POV
Elena was mine in every sense of the word. She knew it now with no hesitation or doubt. My little dancer would soon come to learn how utterly wrapped around her dainty finger I was in return. While she was mine, I was hers. We belonged so wholly to one another that there could be no question, fate always meant for us to cross paths.
The stars aligned at the birth of the world leading up to every moment until the fateful night we fell first into one another's arms. She was burning up from within more power than even the first stars that made the universe. Elena was the brightest star, and I loved her with the force of any supernova.
I held her delicately against my chest all morning along. Thin shafts of pale yellow light slipped through a break in the curtains. I didn't move a muscle as I watched the light move around the room as the early hours passed and she remained asleep. What she has been through the past days exhausted her, and I was content to let her sleep.
My fingers ran through her golden hair as fine as silk and caressed the smooth perfection of her skin. Elena's eyelashes fluttered as I touched her lips. She stayed asleep through my reverent touches, simply marveling at having her in my arms again.
What Elena never realized was that my Wolf lay calm beneath my skin only when she was near. Her scent, soft and warm, wrapped around me like a chain my beast welcomed rather than fought. My Alpha instincts usually sharp, cold, ruthless fell into a rare peace with her resting against me.
Eventually the call of nature pulled me from the bed. I tucked Elena in with the comforter, softly kissing her temple and hesitating before going to the bathroom. I went to the bathroom on the second floor to avoid the possibility of waking Elena up. She really needed to sleep.
Even as I walked the hallway, my hearing sharpened. The house was quiet, and the old wood carried only the soft hum of morning wind. My senses stayed stretched toward her without meaning to tracking her heartbeat, memorizing its rhythm, making sure she was safe even in sleep.
Afterwards I went into my office and closed the door. Sitting at my desk, I booted up my laptop and rubbed the last traces of sleep from my face. There was a list of information from James waiting for me and it was exactly what I was looking for.
Elena's debt was because of her grandfather's medical bills. If I paid those off, perhaps she won't do the contracts anymore. More than anything, I needed her to myself. I knew it that if anyone ever tries to touch her again, I will have his head.
The quiet promise rumbled from somewhere deeper, my Wolf pushing forward in agreement, a silent growl echoing up my spine.
So it was a straight forwarded decision to call the hospital and pay every penny under the Martinez's name. It was less than what I paid Viktor to have an exclusive contract with her. The hospital tried to argue for a moment because my name wasn't on the account. That didn't last long when they looked me up and found the generous donations from the Volkov family made to the hospitals every year.
The thought that if I paid the debt to the hospital, then Elena would be free with me was strong in my mind. Even after the hospital took my money and the medical debt disappeared, there was still pressure in the air. I was bristling with nerves at the prospect of telling her what I had done.
But Elena wouldn't have to sell herself anymore. She was a dancer and I wanted to give her the freedom to follow her dream without any burden. That's what she deserved.
"She might be hungry when she wakes up", I mused to myself, rubbing my chin as I stared out of the window in my office. "Elena likes pancakes", The thought popped up in my mind.
Turning around, I slipped from my office and down to my kitchen. I couldn't make them from scratch but I knew Elena kept her favorite pancake mix in the pantry. I thought nothing of it when I cleared the kitchen and started work on a late breakfast for her.
My Wolf perked up when her voice flowed down the hallway sleepy, soft, familiar. The memory of her angelic voice whispering that admission in bed last night floated around in my head as I mixed pancakes and fried bacon. It was on repeat because I kept replaying the moment in my head.
The beast inside me rolled with satisfaction every time the words echoed through my mind.
I wanted to hear her say it again and again and again and again. Even if I didn't deserve her love, I had it and I needed to cherish her.
"Andrey", Her morning croaky voice was as sweet as the bells of heaven.
"What are you doing?",
"Making breakfast", I would have said more, perhaps something clever to make her smile or even something wicked that would undoubtedly make her blush. But nothing came in my mind when I turned from the stove and saw her standing on the other side of the kitchen in nothing more than one of my black t-shirts, swallowing her petite frame. My heart flipped and got lost in the bliss of her lovely presence.
My Wolf surged, pushing against my ribs, wanting to go to her, wanting to pull her close and scent her thoroughly claim her in the old ways. I forced the instinct down. She was human. She didn’t know, and she couldn’t know.
"Oh, it smells good", Her nose lifted up in the bacon's direction and a slow smile pulled at her full lips.
"Have you made any coffee?", She asked.
"Uh! No", I shook my head to get out the forming inappropriate thought. Despite everything between us, I didn't want to rush or overwhelm Elena with how desperately I burned for her. And she was wearing my shirt making it worse.
My shirt on her skin tugged at instincts demanding I keep her close, guarded, claimed.
"I will make it", She smiled at me with the force of all the Sun Rays. I inwardly thought I would go blind from it. But still it wouldn't stop me from staring like a moth inevitably drawn to the flame. With Elena I could understand why Icarus flew too close to the sun.
It wasn't even a year since she had been living here but everything now felt good. Even though there was a silent tension, it was almost comfortable again. We both knew it that there was a lot that needed to be said. But she was still grieving for her grandfather and I couldn't push anything yet. I just felt happy right now. It was damn nice having her back here in my home.
It felt like a home again with her warm aura lighting up the room. The natural floral perfume as she passed via me on her way to the coffeepot lured me in like a bee to a flower. I was tempted to drop the pancakes and follow her. I was so greedy for her, I needed her and craved for her badly.
The Wolf inside me agreed with a low, satisfied hum. Without Elena, the house was just walls and dark corners. But with her?
It was territory.
It was warmth.
It was home.