Chapter 463: I Love You So Much That My Heart Burns!

[FROLO]

It had been hours, but Sergei hadn’t let go.

His knot had gone down, and they were fairly covered, but even so, Sergei didn’t let go. His eyes stayed on Katya’s face like a man committing that face to memory.

Like he wanted to make sure Katya was real.

Like he was terrified he could lose him again. And if it wasn’t for the occasional gentle squeezes Katya was giving his hand, Sergei would have thought this was just another dream.

But his Solnyshka was here.

With him.

Despite everything that had happened.

"I’ve been thinking..." Katya began, and Sergei listened.

It was all the alpha could do, especially after what he had learned. As long as Katya wasn’t asking him to stand back and let shit happen, Sergei would be okay with it. With whatever Katya wanted.

Gods, he loved his omega so much it hurt to even breathe right.

"It’s not more bad news. You look like I’m about to drop a nuclear weapon on you again," Katya teased, gently rubbing Sergei’s cheek.

The alpha just stared.

Softly.

Defeatedly.

Sadly.

Oh, Sergei couldn’t even begin to wrap his head around how lonely those three weeks must have been for Katya. How things had gotten and how he must have been so scared.

He’d had a miscarriage and was still tortured like it was nothing.

But Sergei...

He was thinking of everything, and even Zhenya.

He knew how Zhenya Levin was very protective of Yuriy and his family.

Zhenya would not have let Katya be tortured if he knew the omega had miscarried. Hell, if he knew the omega had a baby on the way.

Sergei didn’t trust Zhenya, no.

He trusted Zhenya’s fierce loyalty and protectiveness of Mr. Romanov’s happiness. And if Mr. Romanov was sad about his son, Zhenya would burn the world for the said son.

Which also meant that someone in the palace, or maybe someone in the team that had been assigned to deal with Katya in the bunker or the palace, had betrayed them. Had done that to Katya.

Had broken his omega’s heart.

Fuck.

He would find them.

He would not give them the mercy of death; that much he was certain of.

Sergei could only imagine how hard the nights had been for Katya. How each day was like for him. How so much had broken his heart.

And he was too cooped up in his regrets and promises of keeping Katya’s face that he almost forgot that his Katya was here.

With him.

Only when Katya kissed his forehead did Sergei snap out of his trance, a stray tear slipping down his temple and onto the soft carpet in the gaming room.

"You’re lost again," Katya teased, and Sergei stared at him like he didn’t know if there could be anything to show how sorry he was for what had happened to Katya.

"I’m so sorry, Solnyshka. I... I couldn’t protect you again. I... The mate bond... I should have known we were having a baby. That your dream was coming true," Sergei said quietly, shame all over his face, and Katya chuckled at him.

"Don’t worry too much, alpha. With the way you’ve folded me these past weeks, it would be a miracle if we didn’t get one already," Katya teased, and Sergei stiffened.

"But..."

"Oh, you scaredy-cat... listen to my voice, okay? My voice. Not the ones making noise in your head right now," Katya said as he cupped Sergei’s face with his hands on the floor.

"My voice. Can you do that for me, alpha?" Katya said tenderly, and Sergei...

Oh, he was down bad for this omega.

Because all he could do was nod.

And nod.

And... Nod.

"Great. Now... I’m not saying our baby was a mistake or that losing the baby didn’t hurt like hell... But it’s happened, and no matter how much we regret it, the baby won’t come back.

"If I’m being honest, I don’t know if we were ready for that yet. Still, it doesn’t make the pain go away. But what you and I are not going to do is sit here and wallow with regrets about things we couldn’t control.

"What we can control, however, is my alpha sitting up and playing League with me... Well... And telling me just how in all heavens you convinced Greg to send you the data and help you out," Katya said, while Sergei listened intently.

He was not sure how to even talk to Katya other than apologize countless times.

"I shoul—"

"You love me enough that you respected my choice. You didn’t know it would take that long. We didn’t know what I was carrying. That is not on you... And my alpha said it wasn’t my fault.

"We can have babies, more babies," Katya said, and Sergei’s eyes lit up for a moment.

Then his eyes fell.

"I... I don’t know how to be—"

"You don’t have to know everything. You already fuck me good and keep me plugged. I don’t think I’d ever ask for more. Besides, you had a rough time alone too.

"We were both suffering, and we can’t keep suffering. So how about you get up, so I can kick your ass confidently? And yes, you will get kisses... But only if it’s a fair game," Katya said, and Sergei sat up fast.

More kisses.

His Solnyshka wasn’t angry with him.

Life was still shitty, but his Solnyshka was here.

"No take-backs," Sergei pouted, and Katya laughed lowly.

"And no cheating," Katya huffed before they got up, picked their clothes from the floor, and put them on before they took their seats and began playing again.

Sergei would occasionally turn to look at Katya, like he was scared that Katya would be gone when this ended.

And to keep the alpha from losing his mind...

Katya made Sergei sit on the couch.

While Katya...

He sat on the floor.

Right between Sergei’s legs.

"You won’t lose me again," Katya promised.

And this time...

Sergei believed him.

"You’re so beautiful, lyubim," Sergei would throw in occasionally during the game like it was nothing. Like he wasn’t losing his shit still while trying to stay steady because Katya was here.

Because the love of his life was back.

"I met Greg when I went to commit my eleventh murder. I saw a Romanov billboard on the way to the palace. The van stopped, and all I could think of was you.

"I mean...you were all I thought of at the time, but in that moment, I thought about your work. How you enjoyed working on research and how hard it would be for you to reintegrate after everything.

"So I may or may not have convinced Svet to connect me to Greg, through the PC of the man I went to kill. Of course, after I committed the murder and the house was silent and all.

"But it was worth it. Though I think once Svet learns that I’m not losing my mind again, she might want to kill me for calling her every afternoon to help me with internet calls," Sergei explained casually.

Katya couldn’t help but laugh every moment.

He could only imagine Svet swearing to murder Sergei every ten minutes and cursing him out.

"Well, you’re alive, so she definitely likes you," Katya said, trying to hold back his laugh desperately.

"She told me she would create a time machine, go back in time, and strangle me with my umbilical cord so I wouldn’t be calling her every ten minutes for help in the future," Sergei grumbled.

"See... she likes you," Katya teased, kissing Sergei’s hand, before they went back to playing while Sergei talked about his adventures with Greg and research.