Mated To The Alpha King (Raven and Ethan) novel Chapter 206

Chapter 206

Alpha Ethan’s Pov

39

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I sat on the chair as Ava wheeled me away, excitement evident in her face.

I didn’t know why she was this happy was it because I had been away for so long?

The way her eyes glistened with relief made me wonder.

She held onto me like she was afraid I would vanish again, and the small smile she wore carried a mixture of both joy and desperation.

My chest tightened at the thought. For weeks, I had been gone, chasing shadows, searching for someone who seemed to have evaporated into thin air. Reven The name echoed in my mind like an unwelcome ghost. I clenched my fists slightly, trying to push away the thoughts that gnawed at me, but Ava’s soft fingers slipped into mine, grounding me in the present.

She had always been gentle, always patient. Unlike the chaos that constantly circled my life, Ava carried a sense of stability something I wasn’t sure I deserved anymore.

The car ride back to the pack house was long and silent except for the hum of the engine. Ava never let go of my hand.

Her grip was so tight it was as though she feared I might disappear into the wind if she loosened it. At some point, I turned to her and asked, “How have you been these past days, these weeks I wasn’t around?”

She glanced at me quickly, her eyes shimmering, before looking back down at our joined hands. “Not great,” she admitted softly. “But I’ll be fine now that you’re back.”

Her words made my jaw clench. Guilt rose inside me like bitter smoke. How many times had I left her behind, promising I’d return quickly, only to disappear into dangerous trails and endless searches? She deserved more than that.

More than this version of me–scarred, frustrated, broken in ways even I couldn’t describe.

“Sure, you will,” I whispered, leaning forward just enough to press a kiss against her forehead. It was the least I could give her in that moment, a silent reassurance I wasn’t sure I could keep.

The rest of the ride was cloaked in silence, heavy and unbroken.

My mind wandered, pulling me back to every failed lead, every empty trail, every dead end that had led me back here with nothing but weariness in my bones.

When we finally arrived at the pack house, Ava wasted no time. She slipped out of the car and moved to my side, determined to help me down. I gritted my teeth. I hated this part.

I hated being seen as weak, as helpless. But I said nothing, allowing her to steady me. The words I wanted to say that I didn’t need anyone’s help, that I was still Alpha despite the chair stayed lodged in my throat. Ava’s determination left no room for my pride.

20:53 Wed, Sep 24

Chapter 206

39

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“I hate this,” I muttered once she had me fully settled back into the chair.

“Hate what?” she asked, brushing a lock of hair from her face.

“Being helped like a helpless puppy.” The bitterness in my voice surprised even me.

She stopped for a moment, her eyes softening, before she leaned closer. “You’re not helpless, Ethan. You’re stronger than anyone I know. Let me do this for you.”

I didn’t respond. Instead, I let her wheel me through the wide hallways of the pack house. Guards straightened when they saw me, offering respectful bows, while maids smiled politely, their gazes flicking curiously between me and Ava. I could feel their eyes on me–on the chair, on the Alpha who was supposed to be untouchable, now being wheeled like an invalid.

I ignored them, lifting my chin higher, refusing to let their stares pierce through me. Ava’s hands tightened around the chair as though she too sensed the weight of their glances.

“Take me to my study,” I told her as we neared the grand staircase.

She looked surprised. “Now? You just got back. Shouldn’t you rest?”

“I’ll be with you shortly,” I replied firmly. My tone left no room for argument. Ava hesitated, then nodded reluctantly. With a soft sigh, she changed direction and wheeled me toward my study, her hand brushing lightly against my shoulder before she left me at the door.

Inside, the air was thick with silence. But I wasn’t alone. Matthew was already there, leaning against the far wall, arms crossed, eyes trained on the door as though he had been waiting for hours.

“How far?” Matthew asked the moment I entered, his words rushed and heavy with impatience.

I glared at him. “Can’t even let me breathe? Is that a way to greet your Alpha?”

He straightened quickly, guilt flickering across his features. “I’m sorry, Alpha. But… what was the outcome? What did you find?”

I let out a long, frustrated sigh, leaning back into the chair as though the weight of my failure pressed me down. “Nothing. I searched everywhere, Matthew.

Every trace, every possible lead. It’s as if she vanished into thin air.”

Matthew’s jaw tightened, his gaze dropping as he let out a quiet sigh of his own.

He dragged a chair closer and sat opposite me, running a hand down his face. His lips moved, forming words I couldn’t catch, a muttered prayer or maybe a curse.

“What did you say?” I asked sharply.

“Nothing,” he said quickly, though the haunted look in his eyes betrayed him. He leaned back, resting his head against the chair, his eyes staring blankly at the ceiling. “We tried, Ethan.

We really did. But still…” His voice trailed off, a bitter edge in his tone. “I won’t stop looking. Not until we find

20:53 Wed, Sep 24

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