The Alpha King's Reluctant Bride (Ava and Grayson) novel Chapter 195

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-Ava’s POV-

“I really don’t care,” I said finally, my voice cold as the realization settled in that Liam was the one behind everything. It all made sense now, didn’t it? Why hadn’t I pieced it together before?

Liam had always been there-the perfect friend, the one no one would suspect because he was Liam. The nice guy who stuck by Grayson’s side like a shadow. But shadows hid things, didn’t they? He had the perfect agenda, and as the pieces clicked into place, something else hit me.

That day Grayson was shot.

I had seen it in Liam’s eyes. The anger. At the time, I’d thought it was because my orders to take Grayson to the hospital were overriding his. But no. It wasn’t just anger—it was frustration. Frustration because I’d ruined his plan. He hadn’t wanted Grayson to survive. Grayson didn’t have his wolf then, and Liam knew. He knew Grayson wouldn’t heal, and he’d counted on it.

That meant Liam had known about Grayson’s wolf being gone. He was in the perfect position to exploit it. To destabilize Grayson. The messages Grayson had found? They had to be Liam’s doing. Planted there deliberately.

“What do you mean you don’t care?!” Isabella’s voice cut through my thoughts like a blade. “Did you not just hear what we said? What Eliza said? Grayson’s practically a zombie right now! If he’s in danger, he’s not thinking straight enough to pull off an Alpha King move to save himself. And let’s not forget-he’s wolfless. Only the moon goddess knows how many people Liam has working for him.”

Her voice barely registered as the crushing weight of realization bore down on me. Grayson had believed those messages because, deep down, he couldn’t bring himself to trust me. And if we didn’t have trust, what did we have? Nothing. Absolutely nothing.

“Ava!” Isabella snapped again, her voice sharp and demanding.

I finally looked at her, but my resolve didn’t waver. My words didn’t change. “I really don’t care. And if you’ll excuse me,” I turned, gesturing to the line of people approaching the food truck, “I have to get back to it.” “You cannot be serious right now,” Isabella said, her tone thick with disbelief.

I didn’t respond. I just walked away, stepping back into the food truck. Tessa’s eyes met mine, curious but cautious.

With my heightened senses, I heard Isabella mutter some very colorful curses under her breath, and then Eliza suggested they give me a moment to cool off. But Isabella wasn’t having it.

“She’s not going to help,” she said firmly. “I need to call Rickon.”

“Who’s Rickon?” Monica asked, her voice curious.

“My mate,” Isabella answered shortly, “and an Alpha.”

Their footsteps shuffled as they moved away, and then Isabella’s voice hit me through our psychic link. “This is bullshit, Lilian,” she said, her tone cold and cutting. Then she slammed a mental door in my head so hard I flinched.

I let out a heavy sigh, rubbing my temples as I tried to push away the frustration boiling inside me.

“You okay?” Tessa asked gently.

сnoveldrama

1 plastered a fake smile on my face and nodded. “Fine,” I lied, turning my attention to the next customer.

I didn’t let myself think. I couldn’t. If I let even a single thought slip in, everything would come crashing down. So I shot everything out-every single thing—and focused on the orders.

Then the sound of something slamming shut jolted me out of my bleak haze. I turned to see Mikayla stomping into the truck, her arms crossed and her face red with anger.

She dropped into a corner with a huff, glaring at the wall like it had personally offended her.

Tessa and I exchanged a look, both of us biting back smiles.

Finally, Mikayla snapped, “Aren’t either of you going to ask me what’s wrong? Or why I’m so mad?”

Tessa smirked, raising an eyebrow at me before turning to Mikayla. “Okay, fine,” she said, her tone light. “What’s wrong? Why are you so mad?”

Mikayla exploded. “It’s Q! Can you believe it? Two days until prom, and he still hasn’t asked me!”

Her words tumbled out in a dramatic rush, and I bit back a laugh.

Tessa, however, didn’t even try to hide hers. “Maybe he’s just looking for the right way to ask,” she suggested. “Or maybe he’s nervous.”

Mikayla snorted, rolling her eyes. “He’s not nervous. And what do you know? You’re so old.”

Tessa gasped, her hand flying to her chest in mock offense. “Old? Excuse me, but I’m a classic, thank you very much.”

Despite the storm of emotions raging inside me, a laugh escaped before I could stop it.

Mikayla turned to me, her eyes wide and pleading. “Ava, what do you think I should do? Should I just ask him? Or wait? Or- ugh, I don’t know-something to get him to ask me?”

I smiled faintly, her teenage tantrum cutting through some of the heaviness in my chest. “Honestly? If you really want him to ask you, just give him a little nudge. Guys can be clueless sometimes.” I paused, considering her frustration, and then added, “Or maybe you could just ask him.”

Mikayla froze, staring at me like I’d just insulted her entire existence. Her eyes widened, and she leaned forward, placing her hands flat on the counter. “Me? Ask him? Are you out of your mind?” she exclaimed, her voice a mix of horror and disbelief.

Tessa let out a snort of laughter, clearly enjoying Mikayla’s dramatics. “Oh, the horror! Imagine the scandal, Mikayla. A girl asking a boy to prom. What is the world coming to?” she teased, throwing a towel over her shoulder.

Mikayla turned to glare at her, and then back at me, her expression somewhere between betrayal and indignation. “That’s not how it works, Ava! He’s supposed to ask me! That’s how it’s done! If I ask him, it’s going to look like I’m desperate. Or worse, like I don’t think I’m worth him putting in the effort.”

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