Chapter 415: Whispers Of The Sand In A Different Set Of Vines

[FROLO]

Sergei was spending the night over.

That was what Mr. Romanov had decided when the alpha was ready to leave, when they got home. It wasn’t supposed to be something of a big deal, really, because at the end of the day what had happened had happened.

But Mr. Romanov had come home to a happy Katya and Sergei, smiling. Laughing as they watched a show on TV like the world wasn’t exploding outside the manor. Like they weren’t at the centre of the greatest controversy out there.

The old man had seen his son happy and didn’t want to interrupt that. Because even Mr. Romanov knew that things would not be this calm for a really long while.

He had seen his son relax around Sergei, and while he would forever insist that he didn’t like Sergei for Katya, he wasn’t blind to the sheer happiness on his son’s face whenever the barbarian was around.

Hell, he dared to even compare this version of Katya with the Katya who had been dating Yaroslav years ago.

Even Yaroslav had not made his son this happy on a calm day without chaos, and that was something that Mr. Romanov was determined to protect for as long as he could.

Because he knew Sergei would burn the world for his son.

He didn’t need to be convinced about it anymore.

He’d seen the alpha be so selfless with Katya; it was heartwarming and heart-shattering at the same time. Especially now that the realm had forced Yaroslav to come out and be Sergei’s defender.

That was the kind of shit that didn’t happen daily, and Mr. Romanov wondered if this was their new normal.

Hell, he had not thought katyas happiness was possible with a Moskowsky after what Yaroslav’s relationship with Katya had been.

Now, it was a little past dinner hour, and they were watching the news together. Watching as the realm flung shit about Sergei.

Mr. Romanov was also watching Sergei.

The only time he saw Sergei react to the news... was when they mentioned Katya.

The old man had seen Sergei clench his fists, and even more interesting, he’d watched Katya unclench those fists and entwine his hand with Sergei’s.

That...

That right there was all Mr. Romanov needed to understand just how much trust was between those two. How much love they shared.

And he would not be an obstacle to that.

Just like everyone in their circle, he would protect these two too, even if he was sure Sergei didn’t need his protection.

He would protect their happiness.

This version of Katya.

His dear Michka.

"Goodnight, Michka," Mr. Romanov said before he got up.

"See you tomorrow, Mr. Romanov," Sergei added carefully, and the old man just grumbled.

"I still do not like you for my son," he huffed instead, and Sergei just smiled heartily. He was slowly learning the old man’s tone.

"What do you want to watch?" Katya asked once his parents had gone to bed. It was just him and Sergei in the living room, watching the news cycle talk about the way the city was preparing.

Katya should have been scared, but he was comfortable. Relaxed. After all, he had Sergei beside him. There wasn’t a thing he would be worried about.

"Your favorite channel," Sergei said, staring into Katya’s eyes before he lifted a hand to Katya’s cheek, stroking gently. Katya leaned into the alpha’s touch, feeling safe and unbothered by whatever was happening around them.

And when he switched the channel to watch animals, Sergei just smiled at the familiarity.

"You’re so beautiful, Solnyshka... You’ve been such a good boy lately," he teased.

"You always say that," Katya smiled, resting his head on Sergei’s shoulder when they turned to watch television.

"I won’t let anyone hurt you again," Sergei whispered in earnest.

"I know. I trust you, Vladimir."

"Even after the shootout yesterday? You were scared... I... I didn’t keep you safe enough."

"Alek doesn’t know you like I do. He doesn’t understand you like I do. That’s why he’ll fail."

"That’s a lot of trust..."

"Not really. I just know my boyfriend well. Besides, he’s stupid for trying to use me against you. No one in their right mind would think of that, but of course Aleksandr the Great thinks he can," Katya said, pissed at the insistence of his ex-boyfriend.

"You’re cute when angry," Sergei said, staring at Katya, who had sat up like he was ready to smack Aleksandr into the wall for what the man was trying to do.

"And those women who’ve been swooning over you on social media, they need to learn their place and remember we are in the middle of a war. This is not the time for them to be trying to play catch with my husband, those vultures," the omega huffed.

Sergei stiffened beside him for a moment.

My husband.

Katya had been rambling; clearly, he hadn’t realized. And when he turned to Sergei, confused, the alpha still stared.

"What... They know damn well you’re mine... Mine. And they still have the audacity to wow at your skills and the way you love your family. One of these days I’ll be the Romanov omega and teach them a lesson on not staring at what’s mine," Katya kept rambling.

Sergei watched in silent awe as his omega’s jealousy surfaced.

"I want an alpha like Sergei... He makes me want to be a better person. Bitch if I strangle you, do you think you’ll be dead-dead or chilling in the morgue dead?" Katya grumbled, reading the posts he’d seen on the socials on his phone.

"Oh look at this one... if Sergei gets enough of Katya, he can come to me; I will satis— these vultures think my husband is for sale and auction, hmm?"

"Katya Romanov is so kind; he doesn’t look like the kind to mind sharing his alpha... I’m gonna set the dogs on you, thirsty woman."

"Did you guys see the pheromone wall and how Katya was defended? I want me an alpha like that. In fact, I want Sergei. I don’t mind him being the Devil of Frolo; he can ruin me, however."

Katya turned his phone off in anger.

"Unbelievable. What the fuck do they think this is? A place with an available boyfriend? Maybe I should just run them over and break their legs so they don’t walk toward y— what," Katya huffed when he noticed how tenderly Sergei was staring at him.

"You’re jealous," Sergei laughed lightly, pulling Katya close.

"I am not jealous. They are just being unreasonable. Who told them I want to share what’s mine, huh?" Katya grumbled again.

"Husband?"

"What?"

"You called me your husband... twice."

"Clearly, you’re deaf like them too. You need to get your ears checked," Katya said, hiding the blush that was already creeping up on his cheeks.

"Does that mean your husband is available for auction?" Sergei laughed lowly.

"Absolutely NOT."

Oh, Katya.

"Mark me, Solnyshka."

Katya almost fell off his seat.

"What?"

"Mark me. Scent me. Claim me. Let the entire realm know I can only ever be yours and no one else. That way they can smell you on me and back off," Sergei teased, and Katya glared at him.

"You’re crazy," Katya sighed when he looked at Sergei and saw just how dead serious he was. Did this man know that marks were not reversible?

That once it was done, he couldn’t take it back?

"For you? Always," Sergei said as he bared his neck for Katya.

"You’re an alpha... Omegas don’t mark alphas," Katya said, stating the obvious.

It was unheard of, really, because of just how insane that shit was.

No alpha ever bound themselves to one omega.

They always swapped them out like they were replaceable, which they were. It was no secret to the realm over the years because alphas and betas never stayed with one partner.

Hell, Yaroslav had cheated on Katya.

"I don’t care what other omegas do with their alphas, Solnyshka... I only care what you do with me," Sergei said, neck still bared, and Katya stared.

This was madness.

"What if—"

"If we ever disagree, we will talk it out. If we fight, we will find a way to make things right. If I’m wrong, you’ll be there to guide me and vice versa. I have never been more certain of anything my whole life."

"Vladimir..."

"I just wanna be yours, always," the alpha said in submission, and Katya’s heart leapt in his chest.

"Go on, lyubim... be my good boy and brand what’s yours. Mark me," Sergei encouraged.

Katya whined, leaning in.

He hesitated for a moment...

But the pride in Sergei’s eyes had him giving in.

"Mine..." Katya whined possessively.

"My alpha," he kissed Sergei’s neck tenderly before sinking his teeth into the barred neck.

Sergei...

Was his.