Mated To The Alpha King (Raven and Ethan) novel Chapter 72

Chapter 72
Alpha Ethan’s POV
A Week Later
I woke up to the sunlight streaming through the tall windows of my room. The golden rays slanted across the floor and gently spilled over the bed. shifted and sat up slowly, pushing the soft comforter off my chest. My feet met the cold marble tiles with a dull thud. I turned slightly to look at her.
There she was-Olivia-peacefully curled under the sheets, her face calm and soft. Her long blonde hair splayed across the pillow, and for a moment, I simply watched her, letting myself believe everything was normal. That I was a good man. That I wasn’t dragging myself through the ashes of guilt.
I leaned down and planted a gentle kiss on her forehead before rising to my full height and stretching my limbs. My body ached-not from the training or the duties of an Alpha-but from the weight of decisions I had made. Ones I could never take back.
I walked toward the window, shut the curtains, and headed to the bathroom. The week had passed with agonizing slowness, each day blending into the next. Every night, images of Reven-her pale face, the blood, the brokenness-haunted me.
I turned on the shower, the sound of rushing water drowning out my thoughts. I grabbed the bathing gel and scrubbed at my skin with more force than necessary. I didn’t know what the hell was wrong with me. She was a maid. A damn maid. She was nothing. And yet…
I leaned against the shower wall, letting the hot water run over my face. Today she was being discharged from the healer’s house. I could’ve easily sent a driver-hell, I should have. But something inside me twisted at the thought. I needed to see her. I needed to know she was okay. I needed to confirm to myself that she was still breathing.
Once done, I stepped out of the shower and dried myself quickly. I threw on a fresh pair of jeans and a black shirt, running a hand through my damp hair. As I buckled my watch, I heard her voice from behind me.
“Where are you going?”
I turned. Olivia was awake now, sitting up in bed with the sheets pulled up around her. Her eyes, still drowsy, met mine with faint curiosity.
“I’m going to the healer’s house,” I replied casually.
She frowned slightly. “Why? You can send a driver.”
I offered a short smile to ease her suspicion. “I just want to speak with the healer. There are some matters to discuss, I won’t be long.”
She looked as if she wanted to ask more, but eventually nodded. “Alright.”
I grabbed my keys and left the room.
The drive to the healer’s house felt longer than usual. My grip tightened around the steering wheel as the image of Reven’s lifeless body from that night flashed in my mind again. The scent of her blood, the way she didn’t move… it haunted me.
As I pulled up, I saw Elisa standing at the porch with a duffel bag in hand. She spotted me and gave a small nod. She’d stayed by Reven’s side the entire week, barely leaving the healer’s house. I stepped out and approached her.
“She’s inside,” Elisa said softly, her tone distant. “All packed. The healer just finished her final check.”
“Thanks,” I replied and pushed the door open.
Inside, the healer was tidying up. Reven sat quietly on the edge of the narrow bed, her hair tied back, her head low. Her face was still pale, but color had returned to her lips. She looked better. Stronger.
My heart thudded once. Lpushed it down.
“She’s ready to go,” the healer said. “Physically, she’s fine. Emotionally… I’m not sure.”

“I’ll handle it,” I said, my tone flat.
Reven didn’t look up. I didn’t say anything to her, and I made sure my face stayed as impassive as ever. She got up and walked toward me slowly. Without a word, we stepped outside.
Elisa gave her a brief hug. “Take it easy,” she whispered before walking past me into the house.
I opened the car door for Reven, and she slid inside. I got behind the wheel, started the engine, and drove off in silence.
About ten minutes into the ride, her voice broke the silence.
“Why did you come?”
I didn’t look at her. “You’re being discharged. Someone had to get you.”
“You could’ve sent someone,” she said, her voice soft, but sharp. “You’re the Alpha. You don’t need to do things like this.”
“I had to speak with the healer.”
“Don’t lie to me.”
That caught me off guard. I turned to glance at her. Her eyes were on me now-dull, tired, but watching me closely.
“You saved me,” she said, her voice shaking. “Why? After everything, why didn’t you just let me die? I would’ve been free.”
My grip on the steering wheel tightened again.
“I don’t let members of my pack die. I’m responsible for everyone under my roof,” I said coldly, looking straight ahead. “You’re no different.”
A bitter laugh slipped from her lips. “You know that’s not true.”
“Get used to it,” I snapped, a little too quickly. “This is how things are, I don’t lose souls from my pack, not even broken ones.”
But even as I said the words, I knew they weren’t true. It had nothing to do with responsibility or pack law. There was something about her-something that drew me in and drove me insane all at once. She made me feel things I didn’t want to feel. Guilt. Pain. Hunger. Regret.
Reven went quiet again. She turned her head to the window and said nothing for the rest of the ride.
But I could feel the tension-the pain between us, like a rope stretched too tight. We were both one pull away from snapning.
And as I drove toward the pack house, I wondered just how long I could lie to myself about what she really meant to me.