Chapter 459: Because The Sunrise Reminds Me Of You

[FROLO]

The concept of home had changed radically over the years, along with all they ever believed it. It was expected, really, but at the same time, if asked what home was before and now, the answers would stay different.

Not because they were wrong, but because home...

Home was a person now.

For Sergei, home had only ever been where he and Yaroslav stayed. It never mattered where, really. As long as he had his son and was sure his son was safe. That would be home for him.

For Katya, home had been the Romanov manor through his years. And up until his divorce from Yaroslav, home had transitioned to what they had with Yaroslav.

Even though home with Yaroslav hurt, it was Katya’s new normal. A truth he didn’t know he’d ever have the chance to breathe through.

But now...

Now home meant something different for the alpha and the omega.

Each other.

Regardless of what happened or who they surrounded themselves with.

Home was a person for them.

"I would die if anyone took you from me again," Sergei whined softly, lowly, snuggling even closer like they weren’t already cuddling.

The duo was currently at Katya’s penthouse.

Everything from the outside looked the same. The cars were always parked outside. The number of guards that were there. Nothing changed.

Even inside, nothing had changed.

The same personnel stayed at their stations, only with stricter instructions from their superiors. Not even Sergei or Katya himself.

The superiors who had watched Sergei butcher Belyaeva on live TV and not feel a thing about it. They knew better than to slack.

And inside the penthouse, Katya and Sergei had primarily stayed glued to each other most of the time. The distance had fucked with their minds; that much was certain.

So much so that when Katya watched the footage of Sergei and Belyaeva, he didn’t feel any remorse for the doctor. If anything, he was worried about Sergei. How terrible Sergei looked. How famished the alpha had been.

How stressed he was and how he was barely functioning while waiting because Katya had asked him to wait and be patient.

And here in bed, Sergei meant what he said.

He didn’t want to experience a life without Katya again.

Those five weeks had been hell for him. They had to be the worst weeks of his life, and he would not like a repeat of that at all.

"The love I have for you is boundless," Katya whispered, letting Sergei breathe him in.

He’d realized it was the only way for Sergei to be sure he was here. And Katya... He loved being scented by Sergei. Being held close by the man whom he’d yearned for for weeks.

They had been in each other’s arms, not once letting go. Cuddling. Kissing. Sleeping. Waking up, repeat.

"I won’t ever put you in that position again, I promise it, my Vladimir," Katya said in earnest, kissing the alpha’s bare chest, given Sergei’s hold on him hadn’t eased.

"I wanted to be better for you," Sergei whispered against Katya’s hair, like he’d failed, but he didn’t know what else to do in the weeks that Katya was gone.

Those had been the most agonizing days in his life, and he didn’t want them back.

"You were better, Vladimir," Katya breathed, looking up so his eyes met Sergei’s.

The alpha didn’t say a word.

"You listened to me. You waited even if it hurt. You trusted me even when you were scared," Katya said as Sergei let out a soft whimper.

As Katya kissed the alpha on the lips. Slow. Sensual. Like they had all the time in the world. Which they did, given everything that had happened and they had each other now.

They didn’t doubt that there was a war and that many people would try to separate them and use them against each other even in the future.

But with the all-bets-off agreement they had made yesterday, they were not terrified.

Sure, Sergei didn’t like that Katya would probably pick up arms for him, but after a very thorough convincing session that ended up with Katya knotted a few times too many, Sergei had agreed.

Begrudgingly still.

"I really was scared I’d never see you again or breathe you in. I... I thought I’d have to be what you wouldn’t like," Sergei whispered.

"I know you said I shouldn’t ever have to apologize for anything, but I’m sorry, alpha. I shouldn’t have trusted that they’d keep their word and avoid bloodshed," Katya said, kissing Sergei’s face as a distraction from the fact that he’d just apologized.

And Sergei...

Of course he noticed.

"That’s cheating," he complained, only for Katya to drape his leg around Sergei’s waist.

The alpha stilled.

While Katya...

"Is it?" he teased the alpha who had very clearly blue-screened.

"You’re still sore, Solnyshka... That’s unfair," Sergei complained defeatedly.

"Yes and no... I just want to make sure my alpha knows how sorry I am for making him wait and suffer," Katya teased, and Sergei’s heart tightened in strange relief.

Katya was here.

His Solnyshka was back in his arms after five weeks.

He would not give that up.

Never again.

"Apology accepted, little wolf," Sergei laughed defeatedly before he pulled Katya close, their lips finding each other, the loneliness that had once been gone.

And for the rest of the day, they stayed in each other’s arms like the days since Katya’s rescue.

Sergei needed it.

Katya needed it.

Home was what they had become now for each other, and no one tried to disturb that peace. Not even when the city had already made a thousand and one assumptions about what had happened to both of them.

"Your wound..." Katya said hours later when they were snuggled on the couch, watching National Geographic Channel, Katya’s favorite.

A familiar escape for both of them for when they didn’t feel like dealing with the outside world and what it came with.

"The scar will fade eventually," Sergei said, and Katya leaned in to kiss it.

The alpha had healed, but the bullet scar was still there.

And it haunted Katya, if Katya was being honest.

It was the only wound Sergei had had from that day. The man had fought so many wolves and soldiers, but he didn’t get even a scar. Only when he’d been waiting for Katya did he get shot.

"It’s not your fault, Solnyshka," Sergei said, reassuring Katya like he’d been doing the past few days.

Katya wanted to believe him.

But deep down, he also knew Sergei had let his guard down because he finally got Katya. He let himself relax around the omega, and he’d gotten hurt for it.

"Hmm," Katya breathed quietly in defeat.

His alpha had been hurt because of him. The memory of Sergei’s wolf whimpering on the ground wasn’t going to fade anytime soon.

As did the memory of Katya emptying bullets into the man who had done it.

That was something Katya didn’t regret one bit.

And if he could go back in time, he’d use more guns on the soldier who’d dared to hurt his Sergei.

"I got your work notes from Greg," Sergei said suddenly, and Katya snorted a little too hard at that.

"You WHAT?"

"You love research, and I didn’t want you to miss out on what you love because I was being a coward. I wrote some notes too and even have a shared folder with Greg.

"They might not be neat notes, but you’re more intelligent and better at understanding the numbers than me," Sergei explained sincerely, like that was a habit he’d picked up.

"You worked with an alpha you DON’T like because of me?" Katya asked, looking at Sergei, who was suddenly interested in the animals on television.

Katya could see the faint blush on the big bad wolf of Frolo’s cheeks, and gods, was Sergei adorable.

"Well, I didn’t want your supervisor being mean to you or your coworkers thinking you were lagging behind," Sergei defended in earnest, like he hadn’t broken the supervisor’s nose once upon a time.

"My poor alpha had to learn research," Katya giggled sheepishly, and Sergei pouted, turning to him, ready with another defense.

"Greg is the only problem I can tolerate," Sergei grumbled, making Katya laugh softly.

"His numbers did drive me crazy, confirming just how hard my Solnyshka works at the company. I’ll come home earlier and make better meals for you after work," Sergei promised casually, like he wasn’t the one man the realm shat its pants for.

"I love you, my Vladimir. More than anyone in the universe," Katya said, still giggling at the thought of Sergei having to tolerate Greg for his sake.

"I still don’t like Greg."