The Alpha King's Reluctant Bride (Ava and Grayson) novel Chapter 145

-Grayson’s POV

That phone call with Isabella had been the moment everything graveled the moment I could no longer deny what had been right in front of me all along.

Her words had lingered in the air, heavy and inescapable, echoing in my mind like the haunting refrain of a songs

“Lilian is in love with you.”

Even now, I could still feel the weight of those words pressing against my chest, suffocating yet liberating. I’d spent so long running-running from my feelings, from her, from the very idea of love. But yesterday, something shifted.

Ava. In love with me.

It was like a floodgate opening, a deluge of emotions I’d kept buried for far too long. The memories came rushing back-the way she’d always looked at me, like I was more than my flaws, more than the darkness I carried. The sound of her laugh, bright and full of life, echoing in the spaces I’d thought were irreparably broken.

The way she believed in me.

And I’d realized, with a startling clarity, that I might not fully comprehend the feeling but if it was supposed to feel like this then I loved her too.

I wasn’t sure when it had happened, when she’d slipped past my defenses. Maybe it had been inevitable, like a tide slowly pulling me in no matter how hard I fought against it. But it was there, undeniable and overwhelming. Ava had my heart.noveldrama

Just like Alaric had said but I had refused to focus ok then until now.

That was why, without hesitation, I’d booked the next flight home. Somewhere between the departure gate and takeoff, I’d called Isabella again, seeking her advice one last time. Her words had been simple: “Just show up.”

So, I did.

I had once told myself that Ava Pierce was beautiful, but it was a sentiment I had barely cared to acknowledge. At the time, I had convinced myself it didn’t matter-it couldn’t matter. But even then, I knew I had lied to myself. I could lie no longer.

Ava wasn’t just beautiful. She was out-of-this-world beautiful. The kind of beauty that made the world pause. The kind that left me speechless. And I couldn’t even remember the last time I had been rendered so utterly lost for words. When I saw her tonight, standing there with her quiet confidence and an elegance that felt almost ethereal, the only words I could

muster were,

“Happy birthday.”

Utterly pathetic.

I hated how things had unfolded with Elaine, but for once, I was almost thankful she had stepped in. She became the buffer I desperately needed because, in that moment, I wasn’t sure what I might have said to Ava.

What was worse was the secret I carried. I still hadn’t decided whether to tell her about her twin-the sister she didn’t even know existed. The sister who, wherever she was, happened to be my fated mate. The weight of that truth gnawed at me, growing heavier with every interaction, every stolen glance, every heartbeat that drew me closer to Ava.

After Evelyn’s interruption pulled Ava away, I let her go, watching her retreat into the hall knowing that I would ever let her walk away from me.

Mon,

My feet carried me to the balcony of the mansion almost on their own accord, seeking the cool night air like it could calm the storm brewing in my chest. I leaned against the railing, staring out at the sprawling land stretching before me.

My mate was out there somewhere. Finding her-being with her was the only way to break the curse that had haunted my bloodline for generations. It was simple. Logical. Necessary.

And yet, I didn’t want to.

I exhaled, the sigh heavy with frustration, and made a silent decision to shove the thought aside. I would deal with it only when I absolutely had to. For now, my focus was Ava. It always came back to her.

“You’re never going to let her go, are you?”

The voice startled me, pulling me from my thoughts. I turned my head to find Evelyn standing a few feet away, her expression hard to read but her eyes piercing.

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