Mated To The Alpha King (Raven and Ethan) novel Chapter 237

Chapter 237

Chapter 237

Alpha Ethan’s Pov

It was five in the morning when I woke up.

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The pack house was dead quiet, that heavy, unsettling kind of silence that comes before dawn, when even the night creatures have gone to sleep and the wind itself seems to stand still.

The air was cold, sharp against my skin, but I didn’t mind. I’d long grown used to the cold. It was a constant companion, much like grief.

I slipped into my black sweatpants and pulled on a hoodie, the familiar weight grounding me. I didn’t bother to turn on the lights.

I didn’t need them. My hands knew their way around my wheelchair and my room by memory the same routine every year, on this same day.

I wheeled myself quietly out of the room, careful not to wake anyone.

The hallways were dim, the only light coming from the faint glow of the moon through the long glass

windows.

The marble floor gleamed under the soft illumination, and the faint echo of my wheels rolling over it was the only sound that followed me.

Today wasn’t just any day.

It was Ava’s death anniversary, the fifth one since she left this world.

And also Zara’s fifth birthday.

Fate had a strange, cruel way of tying life and death together.

On the same day I lost the woman I loved, our daughter took her first breath.

And every year since then, this day had been both a curse and a reminder of everything I lost and everything I still had.

I reached the back of the pack house, where the graveyard lay, the resting ground for our fallen pack members. It was surrounded by ancient oak trees whose leaves rustled faintly in the wind. The sky was still dark, but a faint blush of dawn began to creep over the horizon, brushing the clouds with pale gold.

I wheeled myself over the uneven path slowly until I reached the familiar marble stone. Her name was carved into it: Ava Collins, Luna of SilverMoon Pack. Beloved mate, mother, and protector.

My chest tightened at the sight of it. Even after five years, the pain hadn’t faded. It sometimes dulled, yes, but moments like this brought it all rushing back.

“Hey, Ava,” I murmured, my voice low, trembling slightly. “It’s me again.”

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Chapter 237

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The words felt heavy as they left my lips. I reached into the small basket on my lap and pulled out the fresh white lilies I’d brought. I laid them carefully against the gravestone, brushing away a few fallen leaves.

A faint smile tugged at my mouth. “Zara’s turning five today,” I said softly, as though she could hear me. “You’d be so proud of her, Ava. She looks more like you every day. The same eyes… the same smile. And she’s got your stubbornness too.”

A small laugh escaped me, though it was shaky. “Sometimes she argues with me like she’s twice her age. You would’ve loved to see it. You always said she’d take after you, and you were right.”

I paused, my throat tightening. The memories came rushing back: Ava’s laughter, her scent, and the way she’d hold my hand when things got tough.

“She’s been asking about you lately,” I continued quietly. she asks why she doesn’t have a mommy like the other kids at school. I didn’t know what to tell her.” I swallowed hard, lowering my head. “How do you tell a child her mother died the day she was born?”

Silence answered me. The kind of silence that pressed against your chest until it hurt to breathe.

“I’ve made mistakes,” I whispered, my voice cracking. “I pushed her away sometimes… because every time I looked at her, I saw you. And it hurt. It still hurts.”

A tear slid down my cheek. I wiped it away, but more followed. “But she doesn’t deserve that. She deserves better. You’d hate me if you saw how cold I was to her sometimes. I thought keeping her at a distance would protect me from the pain. But all it did was hurt her.”

The wind picked up slightly, brushing through the trees as though nature itself was listening.

“This year’s different,” I said finally. “I’m going to make it different. I’m done pushing her away. I’ll celebrate her birthday today, just like other kids do. I’ll give her the life you’d have wanted for her, full of joy, laughter, and love. I promise.”

I let out a long breath, feeling a strange calm settle over me. “I hope you can forgive me, Ava. For taking so long to get here. For letting grief blind me.”

I stayed there a while longer, talking softly about Zara, how she loved painting, how she always wanted to sleep in my room whenever there was thunder, and how she once said she wanted to be an Alpha “just like Daddy.”

By the time I fell silent, the sky had turned bright pink. The first rays of sunlight touched Ava’s grave, making the lilies glow softly.

A single tear rolled down my cheek as I whispered, “I’ll always love you.”

When I finally wheeled myself away, it was already past six. The pack grounds were beginning to stir: warriors heading to training, omegas setting up the kitchen for breakfast, and a few young wolves jogging through the trails. Everyone greeted me respectfully as I passed, but I barely heard them. My mind was still with Ava.

By the time I reached the east wing of the pack house, the faint sound of birds chirping had replaced the morning silence. I stopped in front of a door painted soft lilac, Zara’s favorite color.

Her name was etched in silver letters above a small heart–shaped plaque. I smiled faintly as I pushed the door

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Chapter 237

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The room was still dim, the curtains drawn halfway. Stuffed animals lined the bed: a large gray wolf, a pink bunny, and a tiny bear that used to belong to Ava.

Zara was curled up in the middle of the bed, her little arm clutching the bunny. Her chest rose and fell in a steady rhythm, her dark curls spilling over her pillow.

For a moment, I just sat there, watching her sleep. Every breath she took, every tiny sigh, tugged something deep inside me. She was perfect, the most beautiful reminder of the love I’d lost, and the most precious thing I had left.

I wheeled closer and reached out, brushing a stray curl from her forehead. My fingers lingered there, stroking her gently. “Happy birthday, sweetheart,” I whispered, leaning down to kiss her temple.

She stirred a little, blinking her sleepy eyes open. When she saw me, she looked startled. “Daddy?” she said softly, rubbing her eyes.

“Yes, my angel,” I said, smiling at her. “Happy birthday.”

Her little brows furrowed. “Why are you saying that?”

I tilted my head, confused. “Because it’s your birthday.”

“But…” she hesitated, looking down. “You’ve never told me happy birthday before.”

The guilt hit me like a punch to the chest. Her words were innocent, but they pierced deep. She was right. I had never once said it. Every year, I avoided this day.

I’d spend it at the graveyard, drowning in sorrow, while she spent her birthdays quietly, thinking I’d forgotten.

I swallowed the lump in my throat. “You’re right,” I said softly. “I haven’t. And I’m sorry, Zara. I was wrong.”

She looked up at me, her eyes wide.

“I let my sadness make me forget what’s important,” I continued. “But that’s over now. From today on, I’m going to make it up to you. I promise I’ll never miss another birthday. And I’ll make sure you always know how much I love you.”

Her small face lit up, her smile breaking through the morning gloom like sunshine. She climbed off the bed and wrapped her tiny arms around me, squeezing tight. “I love you too, Daddy,” she whispered into my shoulder.

I hugged her back, holding her close, feeling her warmth something I hadn’t allowed myself to feel in so long.

After a moment, I pulled back, brushing my thumb over her cheek. “I have some news for you,” I said with a small grin.

Her eyes sparkled. “What news?”

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