Mated To The Alpha King (Raven and Ethan) novel Chapter 208

Alpha Ethan’s Pov

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“So why were you that nervous to tell me?” I asked softly, my hand moving almost on its own, resting gently on her stomach.

The moment my palm touched her, I felt the strange heaviness of what she had just confessed. Pregnant. The word still rang in my mind like an echo, refusing to settle, refusing to feel real.

Ava’s lips curved into a shy smile, her fingers curling over mine where it lay against her. “Because I wanted to surprise you,” she whispered.

I let out a low chuckle, though there was no humor in it, just the disbelief of a man caught between too many emotions. “Indeed,” I murmured, “I am surprised.” More than she could imagine.

My voice was calm, but inside me, everything clashed duty, confusion, the ghost of my mate, and now the weight of new life.

She looked relieved at my response, unaware of the storm raging inside me. Her eyes softened, her body relaxing against the edge of the bed.

“I found out when you traveled,” she continued, her tone careful, as though she feared I might pull away. “And I’ve been waiting patiently, holding it in, because I wanted to see your face when I told you myself.”

I turned my gaze away from her for a moment, staring at the far wall. Waiting patiently. She had been carrying this secret for weeks, letting me move through my days with no clue that life had already begun to shift beneath my feet.

“Get dressed,” I said suddenly, my tone firmer than I intended.

She blinked, startled. “Where are we going?”

“It’s a surprise.”

For a second, hesitation flickered across her face, but then she nodded and rose, moving toward the bathroom. I watched her retreating form until the door clicked shut behind her, leaving me in the silence of my own thoughts.

My hand drifted from my lap to the side table, reaching for my phone, I pressed a familiar number, and when the line clicked open, I didn’t even wait for a greeting. “I want a VIP room at the restaurant,” I ordered curtly, Without waiting for a reply, I ended the call.

No room for discussion. Tonight had to be something different, something memorable for Ava, even if I wasn’t sure of my own emotions yet.

I wheeled myself toward the closet, the quiet hum of the chair filling the air.

Once inside, I scanned through the neatly hung suits, fingers brushing fabric after fabric until I stopped at a navy–blue suit. Clean. Sharp. It would do. I pulled it down, draping it over my lap as I sat there for a long

moment.

20:54 Wed, Sep 24

Chapter 208

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39

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A bitter sigh escaped me. I wished my first child would be from my mate. The thought struck hard, unrelenting. Raven’s face burned into my mind, her defiance, her fire, her scars that matched mine in ways Ava’s never could. But fate had carved a different path for me.

And now Ava, with her gentle patience, carried what Raven never had–a piece of my future.

What if I found my second chance mate? The question pierced me, cold and sharp. Could I accept it with Ava already here? With a child tying us together in ways I hadn’t chosen?

The sound of running water behind the bathroom door pulled me back. I pushed the thoughts down, burying them deep where they couldn’t choke me, not tonight.

“Ethan?” Ava’s voice called, light and casual, yet carrying a trace of something warmer.

I turned, and the sight that met me pulled a low breath from my chest. She stood in the doorway, a towel wrapped around her body, water dripping from her skin in slow rivulets that traced over her curves.

Her hair clung wet against her shoulders, droplets sparkling under the light.

Her lips curved into a small smile. “Do you like the suit?” she asked, her gaze dropping to the navy–blue fabric folded across my lap.

I cleared my throat, forcing composure back into my tone. “Do you?”

“It will be perfect,” she replied instantly, her eyes bright. “Because I also have a navy–blue dress. It’ll match.”

She crossed the room, water glistening against her as she went to her own closet. She pulled free a navy–blue dress, elegant yet simple, holding it up against her body with an excited grin. “See?”

I nodded, saying nothing, but my eyes followed her as she turned away and began to get ready. I watched in silence as she slipped into the dress, as she fastened the straps, and as she adjusted it carefully in front of the mirror.

She was glowing, though not from the pregnancy yet it was the glow of a woman who believed she had given her man the best news possible.

I looked away then, my jaw tightening, and began to prepare myself. My hands moved through practiced motions as I pulled on the suit, fastening each button with precision.

Piece by piece, I constructed the Alpha mask that had been slipping since she uttered those two words: I’m pregnant.

By the time we were both dressed, the air in the room felt heavier, charged with something unspoken. Ava’s eyes sparkled when she turned to me, smoothing her dress down with her palms. “You look handsome,” she said softly.

“You look beautiful,” I replied automatically, though my mind still carried the weight of earlier thoughts.

She smiled, satisfied, and wheeled me gently out of the room. Down the hall, past the curious glances of maids and guards who didn’t dare speak, and finally out into the cool night air where the waiting car stood ready.

20:54 Wed, Sep 24

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