Mated To The Alpha King (Raven and Ethan) novel Chapter 254

Chapter 254

Reven’s Pov

I walked quickly down the hallway, my footsteps echoing against the marble floor.

My chest felt tight, my breathing shallow.

Every word she’d said replayed in my head like a storm I couldn’t shut out.

A million dollars… to leave him.

My fingers curled into fists as I made my way down the stairs, trying to steady my heartbeat. The anger that simmered inside me was slowly being replaced by something heavier hurt. A deep, silent ache that words couldn’t ease.

I had tried to be respectful. I had tried to stay out of trouble. But no matter what I did, it was never enough for her.

“Why can’t she just leave me alone?” I muttered under my breath, blinking back the sting in my eyes.

The sound of footsteps echoed behind me. I didn’t need to look back to know who it was. His scent, that familiar, calming blend of pine and strength, filled the air.

“Raven.”

I stopped. My heart clenched at the sound of his voice soft, careful, but filled with tension.

Slowly, I turned around. Derrick was standing halfway down the stairs, his eyes locked on mine. The concern in his expression made my throat tighten.

“Where’s my mother?” he asked, his brows knitting together. “What did she say to you?”

I looked away, brushing a strand of hair from my face. “Nothing important.”

He stepped closer. “Raven.”

His voice was firmer this time, the Alpha tone sneaking in. “Don’t lie to me. I saw your face when you walked out. What happened?”

“I said it’s nothing,” I repeated, forcing calm into my voice. But the tremor gave me away.

Derrick’s eyes softened as he closed the distance between us. “You’re shaking.”

I crossed my arms, trying to compose myself. “I’m fine.”

“No, you’re not,” he said gently. “You only say you’re fine when you’re breaking inside.”

That simple truth undid me. I let out a shaky breath, looking up at him. “Why does she hate me so much?” The question slipped out before I could stop it. My voice cracked, heavy with exhaustion. “What did I ever do to her, Derrick?”

He sighed, his expression pained. “It’s not about you. She’s just… protective.”

“Protective?” I laughed bitterly. “She offered me money, Derrick. A million dollars to leave you.”

The color drained from his face. “She what?”

–

I nodded, my eyes stinging. “She said she was tired of trying to keep us apart and that if she couldn’t stop you, she’d make me leave instead. She said I should take the money and go wherever I want with my kids.”

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For a moment, he was silent and completely still, his jaw tightening, his breathing deepening. Then his eyes darkened, the calm giving way to anger. “She did what?”

I flinched slightly at the intensity in his voice, but not because I was afraid of him, because I knew what that tone meant. Derrick rarely got angry at his mother, but when he did, it wasn’t something he could easily control.

He ran a hand through his hair, his muscles tensing. “I asked her to stay out of our relationship. I told her to stop interfering.” His voice rose. “Why can’t she just listen for once?”

“Derrick,” I whispered, placing a hand on his arm. “Please. Don’t do this.”

He turned to me, his eyes burning with fury. “Don’t do what? Let her treat you like that? Offer you money as if you were” He stopped, the words choking in his throat. “She had no right.”

“I know,” I said softly. “But she’s your mother. You don’t need to fight her for me.”

He looked at me, disbelief flickering in his eyes. “You think I’m just going to stand by and let her humiliate you?”

“I’m used to people not liking me, Derrick,” I said quietly. “But she’s your mother. I don’t want to be the reason you hurt her.”

He exhaled deeply, trying to calm himself, but I could see the tension in his jaw. “You’re not the reason for anything,” he said finally, his voice low but firm. “She’s wrong, Raven. Completely wrong.”

I shook my head, tears threatening to spill. “She’ll never accept me.”

He cupped my face gently, forcing me to meet his eyes. “I don’t care if she accepts you. You’re mine. That’s all that matters.”

Something in his voice the raw conviction, the unshakable certainty made my heart ache. But beneath it, I felt fear. Not for myself, but for what might come next.

“Promise me you won’t fight her,” I whispered.

He stared at me for a long moment, his thumb brushing away a stray tear from my cheek. “I can’t promise that,” he said honestly. “Not when she crossed the line like this.”

“Derrick, please.”

He sighed and pulled me into his arms. I didn’t resist. I buried my face in his chest, inhaling his scent, feeling his warmth seep into me like sunlight through cold glass. For a few seconds, everything felt still.

Then I whispered, “What if she’s right?”

He stiffened slightly. “Right about what?”

“What if I ruin things for you? What if I’m just making everything harder?”

He pulled back, looking down at me with a mixture of shock and hurt. “Don’t you ever say that again.”

I swallowed hard. “I’m serious, Derrick. You’re the alpha of this pack. You have responsibilities, a reputation.““And none of that matters if I can’t have you beside me,” he interrupted, his voice fierce. “Do you understand? You and the kids you’re my family, Raven. That’s not negotiable.”

I opened my mouth to reply, but the lump in my throat made it hard to speak. All I could do was nod.

He leaned down, pressing a kiss to my forehead. “Go get some rest,” he murmured. “I’ll handle this.”

“Derrick…”

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He stepped back slightly, his eyes burning with determination. “I said I’ll handle it.”

And before I could say anything else, he turned and started up the stairs toward the balcony where his mother still sat.

My stomach twisted in dread. I knew what was about to happen.

“Derrick, wait!” I called after him, but he didn’t st

stop. His shoulders were squared, his stride long and firm.

My wolf whispered in my mind, uneasy. “He’s angry. This won’t end well.”

I stood frozen for a few seconds, torn between running after him and giving him space. The house felt suddenly colder, quieter the kind of silence that comes before a storm.

Then, faintly, I heard his voice upstairs. It wasn’t loud, but it carried a sharp edge that made my heart race.

“Why would you do that, Mother?”

I closed my eyes, leaning against the wall. I didn’t want to hear it, but I couldn’t walk away either. His mother’s voice followed calm, measured, but filled with the same quiet arrogance that had driven me to walk out.

“I did what I thought was best,” she said. “She doesn’t belong here, Derrick. You know it as well as I do.”

“She does belong here!” Derrick snapped. “You don’t get to decide who I love or who becomes my Luna!”

My heart clenched. I could imagine the expression on her face composed, unreadable, the same way she’d looked at me just moments ago.

“This isn’t love, Derrick,” she said softly. “It’s an illusion. One that will destroy both of you.”

There was a pause. Then his voice came again, quieter but heavier. “If loving her destroys me, then so be it.”

My breath caught.

And then silence.

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