The Alpha King's Reluctant Bride (Ava and Grayson) novel Chapter 178

178 /209

-Ava’s POV-

80%

(423)

I adjusted the strap of my dress, checking myself in the mirror one last time before I turned away and headed towards the grand hall. Everything had happened so fast, and this was the first time I would be attending an entire pack meeting since I had come here. I’d been here for a while now, but it still felt so intimidating.

Grayson was king, and as such, he had the largest pack in the realm. Though not everyone lived on his estate, pack meetings meant everyone would be present. And that meant they would all be staring at me.

I forced myself to take a calming breath, steadying myself. A part of me felt like I could never truly belong here, but I had to try. I had to make myself believe that I could, that this wasn’t some dream I would wake up from. But the nerves twisted in my stomach like a knot that wouldn’t loosen.

“Are you ready, Ava?” Grayson’s voice came from the other room calm and even, as if nothing could shake him. His words echoed in my mind for a moment, grounding me.

It was almost time.

This was happening.

I opened the door, and there he was-standing by the large, wooden table with its polished surface gleaming under the soft light of the chandeliers. He had changed into another one of his perfectly tailored suits, the dark fabric hugging his frame just right, making him look even more… perfect. As if it was possible for him to look more perfect than he already did.

Grayson walked towards me, his movements fluid and effortless, and before I could even think of anything to say, he pulled me into him. His lips pressed against mine in a soft kiss, tender yet commanding, and for a brief moment, everything else faded away. When he pulled back, his eyes held mine, “You look beautiful.”

I felt my heart flutter at his words, but before I could respond, he glanced at my eyes, his gaze narrowing slightly as though something caught his attention. “Do you have any idea why the colors of your eyes swirl and change?”

I blinked at him, surprised by the question. I had never really thought much about it, had never questioned it. “It’s always been that way,” I said quietly. “Since I was born.”

He smiled then, a warm, almost affectionate smile. “That was the first thing I noticed when we first met.”

The words hung in the air for a moment, and I couldn’t help but replay that first meeting in my mind. It felt like decades ago, not just a few months. So much had happened, and yet here we were, standing in his mansion, surrounded by his pack, about to face whatever challenges lay ahead.

Grayson took my hand, his grip firm and reassuring as he linked his fingers with mine. “It’s time,” he said simply, his tone shifting to something more resolute.

I nodded, silently acknowledging the gravity of the situation. The world I had known was no longer mine. The life I had tried to carve out for myself, separate from this, had already been swallowed by the beast that was Grayson’s world. I followed him as he led the way toward the grand hall, my heart thudding in my chest

The walls of the hallway seemed to close in as we made our way to the meeting room. I could hear the low murmur of voices from within, the pack members no doubt already gathering. The sounds only amplified the feeling of unease that had taken root in my chest.

“Do you know what you’re going to say to them?” I asked. The question was more for myself than for him. I needed some

kind of reassurance, even if I couldn’t vocalize it.

+23)

Grayson didn’t look at me as he replied. His voice was steady, composed, as always. “I’ll tell them the truth and it is something I should have done right from the moment this startel. That things are changing. That war is upon us and that this isn’t some battle for territory or power, This is a war that will determine everything. It will change the future of this pack, of our world.”

I swallowed hard, “Don’t you think that it will escalate things. You are going to make them scared and fear makes people do crazy things.”

Grayson’s expression didn’t falter. “I know but everyone needs to know and I need to stop pretending like this isn’t above anything I have ever dealt with and whoever it is powerful. Extremely powerful. What happened with my phone just proved

it.”

The Queen Is Next?

The words flashed through my mind like a warning signal, but I quickly shoved them down, forcing myself to focus on the present. Grayson had sensed it. I could tell because he stopped in his tracks and turned to face me, his eyes locking onto mine.