Chapter 286: When Love And Death Embrace

[FROLO]

Sergei made the call to the Romanovs while inside the ambulance with an unstable Katya. As he watched the love of his life be hooked up to oxygen and given first aid.

It was the most heartbreaking sight in his life, and fuck if he didn’t feel like killing everyone right now.

"Are you doing okay, Sergei?" Masha Romanova asked instead when he told them about the condition of their son.

No, Mr. Moskowsky.

No, Yaroslav’s father.

No former in-law.

Just...

Sergei.

"What?" the alpha breathed like he didn’t know he had needed to breathe that whole time. It was as if someone was gently holding his hand, reminding him that there was still a chance that life could be better.

"Breathe, Sergei. We’re on our way... Meanwhile, tell me, how is he?" Masha asked, her voice gentle like Anya’s voice always was whenever Sergei felt defeated. It was as if he was leaning into family again, but did the Romanovs see him as that?

Yet again, as he looked at Katya being attended to in the ambulance and listened to Masha in his ear, Sergei wasn’t even sure what he was feeling right now.

"I’m... I’m sorry," the alpha said shamefully, making the EMTs look up at him in surprise.

The devil of Frolo?

Apologizing and meaning it?

"One mo... one moment he was happy and the next... Just gone... he shouldn’t have to be in so much pain, and there’s nothing I can even do to take it away," Sergei breathed shakily, his eyes never leaving Katya.

His free hand was holding Katya’s as if to tell the omega that he was there with him, that nothing would ever hurt him again, but that too was a promise Sergei wasn’t even certain of anymore.

Katya had been hurt while in the same room as Sergei.

He had been broken while Sergei had been so close.

What did that make the alpha?

"You’re taking him to the hospital, no?"

"The best care... But he shouldn’t have ended up here in the first place. He’s... He’s hurt, and it’s most definitely my fault," Sergei said angrily, his soft voice making the EMTs pity the big barbarian whom everyone feared.

Perhaps at the end of the day, Sergei was just someone, too, right?

"Stay with him; we’ll be there. And don’t let him see you hurting; he usually hates it when you hurt," Masha said, and then she hung up before Sergei’s brain could process what the woman had said.

"What?" he mumbled to himself, staring at the phone as if to confirm he wasn’t being delusional again.

This couldn’t be real.

There was just no fucking way he had been comforted by Masha Romanova of all the people.

Or maybe he was hallucinating.

Sergei was about to dial Masha again when his entwined hand with Katya tightened. More like Katya held onto him, tighter, as if begging him not to let go. As if asking Sergei things that he couldn’t even voice at the moment.

"He’s... gripping my... hand," Sergei said, as he looked at the EMTs as if to ask if this was normal. Like he needed to know this wasn’t the last time he was seeing his Solnyshka again.

"The patient may be unconscious, but he can hear you," the EMT said, and Sergei’s breath caught in his chest.

"He... He can hear me?" he whispered in defeat.

"Solnyshka... My beautiful Solnyshka," Sergei breathed as he gently ran his hand down Katya’s hair, stroking. The omega was wet and cold despite the blankets that he was covered with.

And Sergei knew better than to hurry them because they were doing the best they could with the time they had.

If the EMTs heard him, they knew they couldn’t even say a word. Because the city knew Sergei Moskowsky had a beloved, he had flattened the Senate for.

They suspected it was Katya Romanov.

And right now...

They were seeing it firsthand.

"Sir, we’re here," the EMTs said, and Sergei pulled his hand gently out of Katya’s hold. The doors of Aslava were filled with journalists who wanted to see the traitor chairman.

And Sergei...

He wiped his tears that threatened to fall with the back of his hand before fixing himself up.

The EMTs had the pleasure of seeing the devil of Frolo transform from a heartbroken man to the coldest man the city had ever seen. To the devil the city feared.

No one would ever even accept the possibility that Sergei Moskowsky was capable of emotions.

But those two had seen it.

Perhaps that was also their reminder to keep their mouths shut without Sergei even having to say a word about it.

Then the door opened.

Sergei stepped out first and to the side while the medics came and took over.

Masha and Mr. Romanov had already gotten to the hospital before him. They were waiting inside, and Sergei could already imagine the accusations they must have had to endure because of that single accusation against their son.

When Katya was wheeled in, Sergei watched from the door. He didn’t trust himself inside the hospital. Besides, this was their time with their son.

Sergei would protect them from the chaos outside. He would make sure no one hurt them, too, while they waited for Katya to wake up.

"Mr. Moskowsky, what do you think about the video that was sent during the expo before the explosion?"

"Mr. Moskowsky, is it true that Katya Romanov staged the explosion to hide his involvement with Kenzo?"

The questions were tiring.

They were the kind of shit Sergei wasn’t in the mood for.

But Sergei knew that, for the sake of the Romanovs, he had to answer.

He had to protect Katya’s family, too.

"We are yet to verify the contents of the video that was sent and why it was sent. At the moment, the focus is on the explosion. Let the investigators do their job. If they find anything worthy, they will let you know.

"And consider this a warning. We don’t know whether Chairman Romanov was framed or if he did what he is being accused of. If any of you go to the Romanov manor to hound the family, you will have me to deal with.

"If you harass the family for statements, you’ll be dead before sundown. If you speculate and hurt their business, I will come for your careers. That is all from me. Be professional journalists or deal with me.

"Also, while you’re at it, have you considered finding out why the senator ditched his dying boyfriend after the bratva called him?" Sergei asked before he walked to the hospital parking lot, keeping a protective distance from Katya.

No one followed him or even went into the hospital when Sergei went to the other side.

How could they anyway?

They had been warned.

They had been told of what was expected.

They had been reminded of the stakes and how high they were.

Sergei had basically said the Romanovs were off limits, and frankly, after everything that had happened with the Moskowskys and Katya Romanov over the past few months, no one was stupid enough to defy that order.

Perhaps it was the only saving grace for the Romanovs, or maybe it was the reminder that fate hadn’t really been kind to their son.

Still, even hours later, as Sergei sat on the cold tiles in the Aslava parking lot, he didn’t go into the hospital.

Until Masha Romanova came for him.