Page 87 of His Contract Queen

“I’m fine,Malyshka.”

The woman exhales shakily, the tension visibly draining from her shoulders as relief floods her expression. Then she rises onto her toes and kisses him.

“You promise?” she murmurs against his mouth.

He smiles slowly. The expression transforms his face entirely. “Of course.”

I blink, bewildered.

The man standing in front of me is suddenly not the same person who dragged me out of a tunnel and insulted me five minutes ago.

Not even close.

In the span of seconds, the hard edge that had been wrapped around him dissolves. His posture relaxes, his arms slide around her waist, pulling her close in a way that’s protective without being possessive. His head dips slightly as if he’s unconsciously lowering himself to her height. His expression softens completely, tenderness flickering across his features in a way that feels almost… too intimate to witness.

The man who had been staring me down earlier like I was nothing more than an inconvenience now looks at her like she’s the only person in the room worth acknowledging. It’s such a stark shift that it leaves me staring without meaning to.

I suppose even the most dangerous men in Moscow apparently have one person capable of turning them human.

The woman pulls back slightly, her hands lingering on his chest as if she needs another moment to confirm he’s really fine. Then her attention shifts, her gaze moving to me. For a second she simply studies me, taking in the disheveled state of my hair, the oversized sleepshirt hanging off my frame and my bare feet tucked awkwardly beneath me on the couch.

When she glances back at him, something silent passes between them. It’s a quick flicker of understanding that seems to carry far more meaning than I’m privy to. His eyes move to me briefly before returning to her, a small nod confirming whatever silent question she has.

The woman turns back toward me and steps closer, her movements calm and unhurried. When she reaches the couch, she extends her hand toward me. “I’m Alina. Sasha’s wife.”

I blink once in mild surprise before leaning forward and slipping my hand into hers. “Katerina. It’s nice to meet you. Though…” I glance briefly down at my sleep shirt before meeting her eyes again. “I wish it could be under better conditions.”

A sympathetic expression softens her face immediately. She squeezes my hand gently before letting it go. “You must be freezing. Let me get you something warmer to wear.”

The kindness in her voice catches me off guard. These men might all be wolves, but apparently, at least one of them marriedsomething closer to a dove. But before she can take more than a step, the man—Sasha—reaches out and catches her by the shoulders.

His hands settle there firmly, thumbs brushing lightly over the soft fabric of her sweater. He shakes his head once. “Sit.”

She looks mildly confused as he steers her down beside me.

“I’ll get them for her,” he adds. “Keep her company in the meantime.”

Alina tilts her head up toward him, a smile blooming across her face so bright, it almost seems to light the room. “Thank you.”

He brushes a quick kiss against her temple before stepping away and disappearing out of the room.

The silence that follows is brief.

I stare after him for a moment, then turn slowly back to Alina. “Huh…”

She tilts her head slightly, studying me with curious eyes. “Something the matter?”

Instead of answering right away, I shift on the couch so I’m facing her fully. The fire crackles quietly in the hearth beside us, its warmth sinking deeper into my skin now that I’ve been sitting here a few minutes.

Golden light flickers across the room.

It feels strange to finally be inside a place that feels… safe. A fortress that isn’t my father’s. But even that comfort can’t quite untie the knot forming slowly in my stomach. Aleksandr isn’t here and I can’t stop wondering why. Either he doesn’t want tosee me or something has happened that’s bad enough to keep him from coming.

Both possibilities make me feel sick.

Alina’s voicebreaks gently through my thoughts. “I was relieved when I heard you were staying with Aleksandr.”

I blink, my attention snapping back to her.