Mated To The Alpha King (Raven and Ethan) novel Chapter 24

Chapter 24

Raven’s POV

Two Days Later

I quickly got up, not waiting for the alarm clock to ring again. The piercing sound had barely started before i slammed my hand down to silence it. My body felt heavy, like I had dragged the weight of the world into my sleep and carried it back out again this morning I stood up and stretched, my limbs aching from the restless night.

Today was the deadline Alpha than had given me. It was the day I was supposed to undo what he thought I did to his wolf or face the council

Today was also my birthday.

You’d think that would make it a special day. A day when I might wake up to cheerful greetings, maybe even a cake or a small surprise waiting on the table. But no. Like every other year, it felt like I didn’t exist. No one remembered. No one cared. The few who did pretended not to, as if acknowledging me would taint Olivia’s perfect image

Olivia. Of course.

always stole the spotlight. Her smile, her grace, her manipulative charm–it drew people in like moths to a flame. Even on the day I was born, she somehow managed to shine brighter. That’s what it always felt like. A dull ache twisted inside my chest as I remembered how even as children, all eyes were always on her I was the shadow behind her light.

Isighed and rubbed my hands over my face, trying to push the thoughts away. But they clung to me like spiderwebs, sticking to every part of me.

Then it hit me

Today was also my mother’s memorial

The lump that had been forming in my throat finally made itself known, and I bit the inside of my cheek hard to keep from sobbing. What a cursed day- three reasons to cry and not one to smile.

I hadn’t visited her grave in so long. I had promised myself would this year, that I’d find a way. But fate had its own cruel plans, wasn’t allowed to leave the pack house. Not with everything going on. Not with Olivia spinning her webs and Alpha Ethan breathing down my neck.

So I was left with only one choice.

The garden.

It was the closest thing to peace I could get. And there were flowers delicate, untouched, hidden in the corners where no one bothered to look. That would be my offering. My small, broken gesture.

I walked into the bathroom and turned on the shower. The water ran for:

ra moment before heating up, steam curling around the glass door. I stripped out of my clothes slowly, like every movement took a bit more of my strength. When I stepped under the water, I let it wash over me like a blanket.

The warmth didn’t chase away the cold I felt inside.

I leaned against the wall and closed my eyes. My thoughts dried–images of a woman with warm eyes, a soft smile, arms that had once held me as a baby. Just for some minutes before she gave up everything for me. I had only a few memories, blurry and fragile like worn photographs, but they were

mine

“I miss you,” I whispered, letting the words fall into the water. “I miss you so much.”

The tears came freely now, mingling with the water running down my face. I didn’t bother wiping them away. They had every right to be here. Today, of all days

After a while, I turned off the water and stood there, dripping and hollow, I dried off and dressed in a pair of black pants and a hoodie

ple, plain, just

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Chapter 24

the way I liked it. I pulled the hood up over my head, not because of the cold, but herause i didn’t want anyone to see ma

I slipped out of the room and made my way through the hall, silent and unnoticed. No one asked where I was going. No one cared. Pirect

The garden was quiet when Larived. The sun was barely up, the sky still holding on to the last hints of dawn. A few birds chirped somewhere in the distance, but the world felt muted, like it was holding its breath.

I walked through the stone path until I found the corner. Hidden behind a tall hedge was a patch of white lilies. My mother’s favorite flower,

Or what my dad told me.

I crouched down and gently plucked a few, careful not to damage their delicate petals. Then I sat down on the cold stone bench nearby and stared at the

flowers in my hands.

And I cried.

Silent, aching sobs that shook my shoulders. I tried to hold them back, to be strong, but it was impossible. Everything hurt. My chest, my heart, my memories. I missed her so much, and there was no one I could talk to about it. No one who would understand

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