Mated To The Alpha King (Raven and Ethan) novel Chapter 207

Chapter 207

Alpha Ethan’s Pov

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I sat silently while I ate my food. Ava was beside me, her presence quiet yet steady, as the only sound in the dining room came from the clinking of my fork against the porcelain plate.

Every scrape echoed louder than it should have, filling the emptiness around us. I focused on the food in front of me, though I barely tasted it. My mind was elsewhere, weighed down by the fatigue of travel and the shadows of thoughts I dared not share.

Ava had gone through the trouble of setting the table, her efforts evident in the careful arrangement of dishes and the faint aroma of spices that lingered in the air.

She wanted this meal to be more than food; she wanted it to be comfort. And yet, here I was, chewing absentmindedly, offering her nothing in return.

I felt her eyes on me more than once. That subtle glance, that quiet study of my expression. Ava was good at reading me, sometimes too good. It made me uneasy because I wasn’t ready to be read, not tonight.

By the time I pushed the plate away, signaling I was done, the silence had grown heavy. I wiped my mouth slowly, my chair creaking slightly as I shifted. I was ready to leave, ready to retreat to the solitude of my study or my room, where no one could ask me questions I didn’t want to answer.

But before I could wheel myself away, Ava rose from her chair. Her movement was sudden, determined.

She stepped in front of me, blocking my path, her gaze steady on mine.

“Why are you so moody tonight?” she asked, her voice gentle but laced with concern.

I met her eyes briefly, then looked away. “Because of the long trip,” I replied flatly. It was the simplest explanation, the safest one.

But Ava wasn’t convinced. I could see it in the way her brows pinched together, the way her lips pressed into a thin line. She wasn’t about to let this go.

“I don’t mind giving you a body massage,” she said softly, almost shyly.

I blinked, surprised by her offer. “I don’t want to stress you.”

Her lips curved into a faint smile, though her eyes still searched mine. “No,” she insisted. “I want to. Let me.”

I sighed. She was stubborn when she wanted to be, and right now, there was no point in resisting. If this was her way of feeling useful, of being close to me, then I’d allow it. “Fine,” I murmured.

Her face lit up with a quiet satisfaction, and she moved to help me up. I hated needing help, hated the vulnerability of relying on someone else’s strength. But Ava made it seem natural, as though she didn’t see weakness, only the man she cared for.

Together, we made our way to the bedroom. The air in the room was warm and comforting, filled with the faint scent of lavender that always lingered from Ava’s oils. She guided me toward the bed, her hands gentle

20:54 Wed, Sep 24

Chapter 207

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but firm as she helped me settle. My stomach pressed against the mattress, my head turned to the side as I let out a quiet breath.

I heard her move behind me, preparing the oils. Then her hands touched my back warm, slow, and deliberate. She began to knead the tension from my shoulders, her fingers pressing into the knots of muscle that had grown tight from days of travel and frustration.

At first, I resisted the comfort, keeping my mind sharp, unwilling to relax. But slowly, her rhythm worked into me, loosening the stiffness in my body. My eyes drifted shut.

And then, unbidden, unwanted, another image crept into

my mind.

Raven.

I remembered a night, long ago, when she had done the same. Her hands had been uncertain at first, but her touch had carried a fire Ava’s never could. She had looked at me not with soft patience, but with a challenge in her eyes, daring me to surrender to her presence.

The memory stung. I gritted my teeth and pushed it away. Why the hell am I thinking of her now? I cursed inwardly. This wasn’t the time. Ava was here, her hands steady and devoted. She deserved my attention, not my wandering thoughts.

I forced myself back into the present, focusing on Ava’s touch as her hands glided over my back. She hummed softly, almost absentmindedly, a tune I didn’t recognize. For a while, the room was filled only with that sound and the steady rhythm of her massage.

Then she spoke.

“Ethan…” Her voice was quieter now, carrying an edge of hesitation I rarely heard from her.

I turned my head slightly, enough to see her face. She was nervous; I could see it in the way her lips pressed together, in the flicker of her gaze.

“What is it?” I asked, my voice calm but curious.

“I… I want to tell you something.”

Her hands stilled against my back. My heart gave a slow, heavy beat. “Go ahead,” I said.

She bit her lip, her eyes darting away. “I don’t know how to say it,” she admitted. “Maybe you should guess.”

A faint smirk touched my lips. Guessing wasn’t my favorite game, but if it helped her speak, I’d indulge. “Did you see something you liked? And now you want it?”

She shook her head quickly. “No.”

“Did you destroy something of mine?” I teased, raising a brow.

Her gasp was immediate. “Of course not! I didn’t do anything wrong.”

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