Mated To The Alpha King (Raven and Ethan) novel Chapter 209

Chapter 209

Chapter 209

Alpha Ethan’s Pov

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Within a few minutes, we arrived at the restaurant. I asked the driver to help me out of the car, my hand tightening against the leather of the seat as Ava stepped forward, her face full of concern.

“Don’t,” I said firmly, holding out my hand to stop her. “You’re pregnant. I don’t want to stress you.”

Her lips curled into a soft pout, as though she wanted to argue, but after a heartbeat she nodded. She stepped back, her eyes watching me with tenderness as the driver carefully lowered the wheelchair and guided me into it.

Once I settled in, I straightened my posture and rolled my shoulders, unwilling to look as weak as I often felt these days.

Ava walked behind me, graceful, her dress swaying as if she floated instead of walked. Even in her condition, she carried herself with elegance.

She looked excited, her eyes bright as we moved through the restaurant. She thought this was simply a dinner date. She had no idea.

I had called ahead. Arranged everything. Instructed the staff down to the last detail. Tonight was supposed to be special for her. Something that would remind her she wasn’t just carrying my child she was cherished, appreciated, and loved in her own way.

The staff bowed respectfully, already expecting us, and guided us down a quiet corridor to the private VIP room I had booked.

My hands gripped the wheels of the chair tightly as anticipation coiled inside me. I wasn’t nervous, not really. Just… uncertain. I wanted to see her face when she walked in.

The door opened.

Ava gasped audibly, her hand flying to her lips.

The room glowed softly with golden lights. Roses of red and white trailed across the floor in elegant spirals.

Candles flickered on the polished mahogany table, and in the center of the far wall, arranged carefully with petals, were the words I had chosen:

“Thanks for making me a father.”

Her knees almost buckled as she stepped inside, her eyes wide, glistening with unshed tears. She turned to me, her lips trembling as if she couldn’t form the words. “Ethan…”

I forced a small smile, gesturing toward the wall. “Do you like it?”

Her hand pressed against her chest, as though she needed to steady her heart. “It’s beautiful,” she whispered, her voice breaking with emotion.

20:54 Wed, Sep 24

Chapter 209

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Then she bent down, her lips pressing softly against mine in a kiss that lingered just long enough to tell me how much it meant to her. “I love it. I love you.”

I should have felt joy. Relief. Pride.

But instead, a dull ache gnawed at my chest. Because as I looked at her, all I could think about was Raven.

If not for my mistakes… this would have been Raven sitting across from me. Raven smiling through her tears. Raven kissing me, whispering those words, carrying my child.

The thought nearly broke me in half. But I forced the mask of composure to stay in place. Ava deserved this moment. She deserved my effort.

We settled at the table. I picked up the menu but quickly set it down. My appetite was gone. When the waiter arrived, I ordered only a plate of French fries and a glass of lemonade.

Ava frowned. “That’s all?”

“That’s all,” I said, waving it off. “Order whatever you want. Don’t hold back because of me.”

She hesitated before selecting something from the menu, and soon enough, the dishes arrived. Steam rose from the plates, fragrant and inviting, but I barely tasted mine. I lifted each fry mechanically, chewing slowly, my thoughts far away.

It wasn’t until a drop of wetness slid down my cheek that I realized I was crying.

I wiped at it quickly, but another followed. My vision blurred as memories of Raven clawed their way back into the forefront of my mind. Her laughter. Her stubbornness. The way she looked at me when she hated me and when she loved me.

“Even though Ava cares for me,” I whispered under my breath, too soft for her to hear, “I can’t bring myself to stop thinking about Raven.”

I looked down at my legs, trapped in this damned chair.

If Reven had been here, if fate had been kinder, I would never have lost my wolf. I would have never been reduced to this.

I clenched my teeth, my hand trembling as I picked up the lemonade. I needed to focus. To bury it all. But no matter how hard I tried, everything reminded me of her.

Halfway through the meal, Ava’s phone buzzed sharply against the table. She glanced at the screen, her expression flickering into something unreadable. “Excuse me,” she said softly. “I need to take this call.”

I nodded, my voice stuck in my throat. She slipped out of the room, closing the door behind her.

I sat there in silence, staring at the candle flames as they swayed. My fries grew cold.

The lemonade lost its sharpness. The words on the wall mocked me. Thanks for making me a father. A reminder of what was, and what could never be.

20:54 Wed, Sep 24

Chapter 209

Ten minutes passed. Then twenty. Then thirty. Still no sign of Ava.

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A knot of unease twisted inside me. She was usually quick with her calls. What could possibly be keeping her?

Finally, I couldn’t stand it anymore. I wheeled myself to the door, pushing it open and guiding the chair into the quiet corridor.

And there she was.

Ava stood halfway down the hall, her back turned slightly, phone pressed tightly to her ear. Her tone was hushed, urgent, but I couldn’t make out the words at first. I rolled closer, the sound of my chair muffled by the thick carpet.

“… be rest assured,” I finally heard her say. “He won’t find out.”

My heart lurched. My breath caught in my throat.

I moved closer still until she noticed me.

Her eyes widened, shock flooding her features. She ended the call in an instant, shoving the phone into her purse. “Ethan!” she exclaimed, forcing a nervous smile. “You startled me.”

“Who was that?” My voice came out sharper than I intended.

She hesitated only briefly before replying, “My sister. She was just checking in.”

I narrowed my eyes, reading the panic she tried to hide. “And what was that about me not finding out?”

Her lips parted, her tongue darting across them nervously. For a long moment, she said nothing. Then she forced a laugh, shaking her head. “Oh… that. It was nothing. Just about a pair of shoes I bought.

I didn’t want you to see them until I wore them,a surprise.”

Her words sounded flimsy. Too flimsy. But I didn’t push further. Not yet.

“Come on,” I said finally, wheeling past her toward the door of the VIP room. “Let’s go back.”

We returned, but the magic of the evening had vanished. The flowers, the candles, the words on the wall all of it felt empty now.

Ava tried to smile, to laugh, to carry on, but my mind was elsewhere.

Something was wrong.

20:54 Wed, Sep 24