I clenched my fists. “I’ll handle Chernov. Don’t worry.”
He waved a hand weakly, as if brushing aside my anger. “You’ll need to do more than that.” His eyes flickered toward Luna before he looked back at me, his face contorting slightly.
I stiffened, fighting the urge to snap at him, but he was right. As much as I wanted to be by her side, I had to fight for her, for us, for everything we were going to build. I wasn’t leaving her, but this... this war couldn’t drag on forever.
I looked down at her, then back at him. “You’re sure about this vote? It’ll settle everything?”
“Everything,” he rasped. “But only if you handle it properly.”
I didn’t want to leave her, but I had no choice. I couldn’t risk her life, the estate, or the future we could have together. Plus becoming Packhan means I could deal with Chernov and his brothers once and for all.
“Fine,” I muttered.
He nodded weakly, coughing again as I helped him out of the room.
“I’ll take you to the airport,” I said, my voice cold. “But don’t worry about this. I’ll fix it.”
The drive to the airport was quiet. I kept my eyes on the road, my mind racing. Chernov’s face. His malicious grin, the way he’d been smirking when he thought he had me beaten.
But he didn’t know me. He didn’t know what I would do to keep her. To make her mine.
I helped my father into the terminal, my body tense. He was still sick, still weak, but I couldn’t let him see that it was eating away at me. I had to do this for him, for her. For everything we’d fought for.
“Take care,” I told him, squeezing his shoulder. “I’ll handle it. You don’t have to worry about this.”
He gripped my arm for a moment, his eyes hard but filled with something softer. “Fix this, Misha. For all of us.”
And then he was gone.
I didn’t even let myself watch him walk away. My thoughts were already back on Luna. Back on Chernov. Back on the war.
The moment I stepped into the house, I called Nikolai.
“How is she?” My voice was sharp, desperate for an answer.
Nikolai’s voice came through the phone, tired but reassuring. “She’s the same. Nothing’s changed, Misha.”
I didn’t say anything for a moment. The weight of everything settled onto me all at once. I had to go to the meeting with the other families, but how could I leave her like this?
“I’ll be home as soon as I can,” I told him, already heading for the door. “Stay with her. Don’t let her out of your sight.”
I hung up, my thoughts racing. The seconds felt like hours, every moment stretching into eternity as I drove to the meeting.
By the time I arrived, my mind was a blur.
I watched as the other families sat in the room, their eyes sharp and calculating. I glanced at Chernov, his face bandaged, his eyes burning with a kind of rage I recognized all too well. His brothers flanked him, their hands tense and ready for anything.
I couldn’t focus on them. I had to focus on Luna. On this vote. On the war that had to end.
The families argued, debated, but it was clear, nothing would be settled unless I won the vote. I had to fight for Luna. I had to take control of the future.
I didn’t speak much during the meeting. I kept my gaze locked on Chernov, watching him. Waiting for his next move.
The ceasefire was agreed upon. We also agreed for the Packahn vote to be held in a week time. The moment it was over, I was back on the road, my phone already ringing again. Nikolai’s name flashed on the screen.
“Talk to me,” I said, my voice tight.
“She’s still unconscious, Misha. Still fighting,” Nikolai said, his voice tired. “But we’re here.”
