The Alpha King's Reluctant Bride (Ava and Grayson) novel Chapter 169

Ava’s POV-

Number thirteen.

Number twenty-seven.

Number nine.

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That was the sequence in which Grayson had crossed off three more things on the list by the time the morning sunlight started creeping through the curtains. My brain was still struggling to wrap itself around the fact that, somehow, I had gone from a man I absolutely despised who refused to even touch me to being with someone who made every inch of my skin come alive.

Because that was what Grayson Blackwood did to me.

And even better? The surprising realization that Grayson Blackwood, the intense, brooding, no-nonsense man, was secretly… a cuddler.

A soft smile tugged at my lips as I snuggled closer to him, feeling the warmth of his body envelop me. It was like his subconscious recognized the shift in me because, even in sleep, he pulled me closer, his arms tightening possessively around my waist. My body protested slightly at the movement, a dull ache reminding me of the intensity of the night before. I winced faintly. I was absolutely certain I’d be sore for days-weeks, even-but it was completely worth it.

For someone who hadn’t done sex before me, he was incredible. Better than incredible, really. Every touch, every move, had felt like it was crafted just for me, like he somehow instinctively knew what I needed before I even realized it myself.

All I wanted to do was stay here forever, wrapped up in this moment, in him.

But of course, my wolf had other ideas.

She growled faintly, a low rumble in the back of my mind, pushing her usual nonsense again. I could feel her trying to plant ideas that didn’t make sense-couldn’t make sense. Grayson wasn’t my mate. All the facts pointed clearly to that fact. I had felt the mating bond with Dylan as clear as day even though she had not been present back then.

Still, she persisted.

I sighed internally, sending a sharp surge of irritation her way. Stop it, I thought, slamming a mental door in her face. Her growl deepened, annoyed, but I didn’t have the energy to entertain her right now. This wasn’t the time for her fantasies. I had made peace that he chose me and I wasn’t going to push for wanting him to be drained to be mine.

Grayson’s arms tightened again, as if he somehow knew my mind was trying to wander. Like he thought I might slip away if he didn’t hold on to me just a little bit tighter. The gesture sent a warmth blooming through my chest, and I shifted slightly, just enough to tilt my head so I could look at him.

Goddess, he was beautiful.

In sleep, his face was so peaceful, the usual sharp edges of his jaw and cheekbones softened by the relaxed stillness of rest. His thick, dark lashes fanned out against his cheeks, longer than any man’s had any right to be, and his lips-soft and slightly parted-looked impossibly gentle compared to how commanding they’d felt the night before.

I couldn’t help myself.

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Leaning forward, I pressed a light kiss to the corner of his mouth lingering just long enough to let the warmth of his skin sink into mine. He stirred slightly, his brows twitching faintly, but he didn’t wake. A soft sound escaped him, a quiet hurn of contentment, and I couldn’t stop the smile that spread across my face.

I stayed like that for a while, just watching him, memorizing every little detail. The way his chest rose and fell steadily beneath the sheets. The slight scruff along his jaw that caught the morning light. The way he seemed so unguarded, so vulnerable in this moment, a side of him that only I got to see.

And then, of course, my phone decided to ruin it.

The sudden buzz, and sharp ringtone cut through the serene quiet, making me jump slightly. Grayson groaned, his brows knitting together in irritation as he shifted, his grip on me tightening.

“Don’t answer it,” he muttered, his voice low and gravelly from sleep.

I giggled softly, amused by how adamantly he refused to let me move. “Grayson-”

“No,” he cut me off, pulling me back against his chest with non surprising strength. “Don’t answer it. Just… let it ring.”

I bit my lip to keep from laughing outright, resting my forehead against his chest. But then, as if the universe was determined to test his patience, the phone started ringing again.

This time, he made a sound somewhere between a growl and a sigh, burying his face against my hair. “If I crush your phone, will you be mad?”

Laughed softly, shaking my head. “You wouldn’t dare.”

He shifted slightly, pulling back just enough to look at me, his dark eyes still heavy with sleep but full of something that made my heart skip. “Try me,” he said, his tone teasing but still laced with that signature Grayson intensity.

When the phone finally stopped ringing, he exhaled in relief, his grip loosening slightly but still refusing to let me go entirely.

“How are you feeling?” he asked suddenly, his voice softer now, his eyes searching mine.

His question caught me off guard for a moment, the genuine concern in his tone making my cheeks flush. “I’m…..” I hesitated, my body reminding me of the ache as I shifted slightly “Sore,” I admitted.

His eyes darkened slightly, a flash of guilt crossing his expression as he frowned. “Ava, I-”

“It’s a good kind of sore,” I interrupted quickly, placing a hand on his chest to stop him before he could spiral into some kind of apology. “Really, Grayson. It’s… It’s worth it. You’re worth it.”

He stared at me for a moment, his gaze intense and unreadable, like he was trying to figure out if I was being honest. Finally, he exhaled, his shoulders relaxing as he reached up to brush a strand of hair from my face.

“You have no idea what you do to me,” he murmured, his voice low and rough.

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