The Alpha King's Reluctant Bride (Ava and Grayson) novel Chapter 202

-Ava’s POV-

Instinct took over and I rolled to the side just as his claws struck, the sharp tips grazing my shoulder and tearing through the fabric of my shirt. Pain flared, hot and searing, but I couldn’t stop to focus on it. I kicked out with my leg, catching him in the knee and throwing him off balance.

The man staggered, growling, but I didn’t wait to see if he’d recover. My wolf was howling in my head, pushing me to fight, to protect myself, but I shoved the instinct down. Fighting him head-on wasn’t an option-not here, not like this.

I scrambled to my feet, my body protesting every movement as adrenaline surged through my veins. My eyes darted around, searching for anything I could use. The hallway was narrow, lined with old pipes and wires, but nothing that would help me take him down.

The man recovered quickly, his eyes glowing with a predatory light as he stalked toward me. His claws flexed, the sound of them scraping against each other making my stomach churn.

“You should’ve stayed away,” He sneered, lunging at me again.

I ducked under his swipe, my back hitting the wall as I reached up and grabbed a loose pipe hanging from the ceiling. With a burst of strength, I yanked it free and swung it at him with everything I had.

The pipe connected with his side, and he let out a snarl of pain, doubling over. I didn’t wait for him to recover. I bolted down the hallway, my footsteps echoing loudly in the confined space.

I could hear him behind me, his growls growing louder as he gave chase. My heart was pounding, my mind racing as I turned a corner and spotted a stack of crates. Without thinking, I shoved one of them over, sending it crashing into the narrow passage behind me.

The man cursed loudly as the crate smashed into the ground, buying me precious seconds.

I didn’t waste them. I sprinted down the hallway, my wolf screaming at me to move faster, to find Grayson before it was too late.

The hallway opened up into another room, this one smaller and lined with strange equipment. My eyes darted around, searching for any sign of the vault but I couldn’t find it.

But before I could take another step, a low growl rumbled from behind me.

I turned just in time to see the man burst into the room, his claws extended and his eyes blazing with fury. Blood trickled from the corner of his mouth, and his lips curled into a feral gri

“Nowhere to run, little wolf,” He said, his voice dark and taunting

My grip tightened on the pipe in my hand, my knuckles turning white. My heart pounded as my wolf clawed at the edges of my control, desperate to shift and take over. It would be so easy to let her out, to tear through this man standing in my way. But I couldn’t. If I shifted, the others would hear, and that might trigger them to blow up the vault. I couldn’t risk Grayson’s life like that.

The man stepped closer, his lips curling into a cruel smile. His claws flexed, and I knew he was ready to strike again. My wolf surged forward, and I was seconds away from letting her take over when his expression shifted. His eyes widened, his body tensing like he’d just realized something was wrong.

14:59 Tue, Feb 11 B BW

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Then I heard it—a sharp crack that echoed through the air. Before I could process what was happening, the man collapsed in front of me. My mouth fell open in shock as I saw my mother standing behind him, holding his still-beating heart in her bloodied hand.

She dropped the heart onto the ground with a sickening thud, reaching into her suit jacket for a white handkerchief. She wiped her hands with precision, her face twisting in irritation as she looked at the blood like it had personally offended her.

My mouth opened, but no words came out. My mother had just killed someone. She’d saved me.

She spoke, her tone dry and clipped, as if she were discussing a mundane task. “We need to get moving. Your lousy friend and Rickon are standing by. If we get caught, the wolves will storm this place, but until then, let’s find the vault and finish this.”

I stared at her… I just stared.

“Ava,” she snapped sharply, her eyes narrowing at me. “Come on

The authority in her voice snapped me out of my daze. I nodded quickly, following her through the dim hallway. My mind was racing, still trying to process what I’d just seen.

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