Dimitri's POV
"Kill him."
The words left my mouth before I could think.
My men moved instantly, raising their guns. Twenty weapons were pointed at my brother.
Alexei did not flinch. He stood there in his expensive suit, surrounded by my armed guards, and he smiled.
"You will not kill me, Dima," he said softly. "You do not have the balls."
Rage exploded through me like fire. "Do not test me."
"I am not testing you. I am calling your bluff." He spread his arms wide. "Go ahead. Give the order. Let your men shoot me down like a dog in your entrance hall. But you and I both know you will not do it."
"Why?" I asked coldly. "Because we are brothers? That died the moment you touched her."
His green eyes locked on mine. "If you kill me, you prove her right. You prove that you are exactly what she fears. A monster who will destroy anyone who gets in his way. Even family."
I hated him for being right.
My finger twitched towards my own gun. I wanted to do it myself. I wanted to put a bullet between those green eyes and end this nightmare.
But I could not.
Because somewhere above us, Irina could be watching. And if I killed Alexei in cold blood, I would lose her forever.
"Lower your weapons," I said quietly.
Alexei's smile widened. "Smart choice."
"Get out," I said. "Now. Before I change my mind."
"I brought something for Irina." He gestured to the guard beside him holding a basket. "Food, medicine. Things she will need for the pregnancy."
"She has everything she needs."
"Does she?" Alexei raised an eyebrow. "Or does she have everything you think she needs? There is a difference, brother."
"Stop calling me that."
"Why?" He smirked. "It is what we are. No matter how much you hate me. No matter how much you wish I was dead. We are still brothers. We still share the same blood. The same face. The same…"
"Enough." I descended the stairs slowly. "You will not see her. You will not speak to her. You will leave my house and never return."
"No."
I stopped three steps from the bottom. "What did you say?"
"I said no." Alexei took a step forward. "I will not leave without making sure you are not keeping her locked up like some prisoner."
My jaw clenched. "How I choose to protect her is none of your concern."
"Stop deceiving yourself, Dimitri." Alexei's voice dropped. "You never touched her. You never claimed her. You waited like a fool while I…"
I moved before I could think and closed the distance between us in two strides. My fist connected with his jaw with all the force of my fury.
Alexei staggered back. Blood sprayed from his mouth. But he did not fall.
He laughed.
"There he is," he said, wiping blood from his lip. "The real Dimitri. Not the controlled Pakhan. This is who you are. Let it out!"
"You know nothing about me."
"I know everything about you." He stepped closer. "I know you are terrified. I know you are losing control for the first time in your life. I know you would rather burn this whole mansion down than let me take her from you." He laughed.
"Then you understand why you need to leave. Now."
"I understand why you need me to leave," Alexei corrected. "Because every moment I stand here, you are reminded that her body chose me. And now there is a life growing inside her that proves it."
I threw a punch across his face and he went down to one knee.
My guards surged forward and his guards immediately raised their weapons.
"Stand down!" Mikhail's voice cut through the chaos. He appeared at the top of the stairs, his face dark with fury. "All of you. Stand down immediately!"
Everyone froze.
Mikhail descended slowly. His eyes moved between me and Alexei. I could see the disappointment in his eyes.
"I left you alone for a few hours," he said quietly, his voice was dark. "And this is what happens? You nearly killed each other in your own home."
"He refused to leave," I said coldly.
"Because you are keeping her prisoner," Alexei shot back, getting to his feet. "I brought her gifts and he will not even let me see her."
"She does not want to see you." I glared at me.
"Let her tell me that herself!" He snapped.
"Enough!" Mikhail slammed his cane against the marble floor. The crack echoed like a gunshot. "Alexei, you will leave the basket and go. Dimitri, you will allow the girl to have what Alexei brought if it is safe. And both of you will stay away from each other for the next twenty-four hours. Is that clear?"
"He must never come back." I said.
"You cannot keep me from my child," Alexei said.
"Watch me." My eyes darkened m
"Boys." Mikhail's voice was soft now. Sad. "Your parents would weep if they could see you now. Two brothers who loved each other more than life itself are now ready to kill each other over a girl."
"She is not just a girl," I said quietly, tears pricking the corners of my eyes.
Alexei had broken me. I allowed him have all the women he wants. And he took the only one I had from me.
"I know." Mikhail placed a hand on my shoulder. "But she is not worth destroying everything for."
"Yes, she is," Alexei said.
For once, I agreed with my brother.
Mikhail sighed heavily. "Then you leave me no choice." He looked between us. "I am calling a meeting tomorrow night with all the families. All the Pakhans. We will put this matter before the council. Let them decide who has the right to claim her."
"No," I said immediately. "This is a family business. It should stay in this house."
"It stopped being family business the moment you nearly started a war in your entrance hall," Mikhail said firmly. "The council will decide. And both of you will accept their judgment. That is final."
He turned and walked away. His footsteps echoed in the sudden silence.
Alexei looked at me. His face was bruised, but his green eyes burned with determination.
"I will win." He said softly.
"The council will see that you took her by deception," I countered.
"We will see." He wiped blood off his mouth.
He turned to leave, his guards followed. The basket was on the floor.
I watched him go.
And I knew, deep in my bones, that tomorrow night would change everything.
One of us would win and one of us would lose.
I walked up the stairs slowly, past my guards. And went to Irina's room.
I unlocked the door quietly.
She was standing at the window. She turned when I entered. Her amber eyes were red from crying. Without thinking, I wrapped my arms around her, sniffing her familiar shampoo.
"Dimitri…"
"Tomorrow night there will be a council meeting," I interrupted. "All the families will decide who you belong to."
"I don't want to…"
"In our world, you belong to whoever the council decides. And I will make sure they decide you are mine."
"What if they do not?" Her voice dropped to a whisper. "What will you do, Dimitri? If they give me to Alexei? Will you accept it? Or will you start a war?"
I looked at her beautiful, but terrified face. At the woman I loved more than my own life.
"I will do whatever it takes to keep you," I said quietly. "Even if it means burning the whole world down."
Her eyes widened. "You cannot mean that."
"I mean every word."
Before she could respond, one of my guards appeared in the doorway. His face was pale.
"Sir," he said urgently. "You need to come quickly. There has been an attack."
My blood ran cold. "What kind of attack?"
"On Alexei's convoy. Someone ambushed them on the road. There were casualties. And sir…" He hesitated. "Alexei is missing."