Mated To The Alpha King (Raven and Ethan) novel Chapter 278

278

Reven’s POV

I went back to my room feeling frustrated as I fell on the bed.

My bones were tired, my head was heavy, and my chest felt tight.

I just wanted the day to end with just a few hours of peace, but the moment I closed my eyes, my phone started ringing.

I groaned and reached out for it on the small table beside my bed. When I checked the screen, my heart skipped a beat.

It was Alpha Ethan.

Why was he calling me?

What else did he want?

He had already taken the one thing he wanted the kids.

My hands shook slightly as I picked the call and pressed the phone to my ear.

“What do you want?” I asked, my voice low and tired.

He didn’t shout. He didn’t sound angry. But the coldness in his voice made my skin crawl.

“You need to get yourself and the kids ready,” Alpha Ethan said calmly. “Tomorrow morning, first thing. We are leaving.”

I laughed, but there was no joy in it. Only pain.

“Leaving with you?” I asked. “It’s barely been twenty–four hours since you got custody of them, and you’re already acting like you’ve been with them their whole lives.

What makes you think they’ll want to go with a stranger?”

“I’m not a stranger,” he said sharply. “And you know that.”

“You are to them,” I fired back. “They don’t know you. They don’t even recognize your scent.

How do you think it will go?”

He ignored me completely.

“I’ll be there by ten in the morning,” he said. “Be ready. If I come and you’re not prepared, I’ll take the kids without you.”

My heart dropped.

“You wouldn’t dare,” I whispered.

“Try me,” he said coldly.

Then he ended the call.

I stared at my phone, my breath shaking.

“Fuck you, Alpha Ethan,” I shouted into the empty room. “I hate you!”

But I knew the truth.

I wasn’t doing this because I wanted to.

I wasn’t following him because I cared.

I was doing it for my kids.

Only for them.

Trying to steady myself, I stood and walked to the kids‘ room.

When I opened the door, they were on the floor playing with their toys. Their laughter hit my heart like a knife.

The moment they saw me, they ran toward me and wrapped their arms around me. I bent down and held them tightly.

They were the only thing keeping me going.

I set them down gently.

“Mummy has something to tell you,” I said softly.

They looked up with bright, eager eyes.

“Are you taking us to Disneyland?” my daughter asked.

I forced a smile.

“No, not Disneyland. But something better.”

“What is it?” my son asked excitedly.

“We’re going on a vacation,” I said.

They screamed happily.

“When?”

“Are we going to swim?”

“Is Daddy coming?”

“One question at a time,” I said with a small laugh.

“We’re leaving tomorrow morning. And Daddy isn’t coming because he has work. But Mummy will go with you.”

They nodded brightly, unaware of the truth behind my words.

I opened their closet and pulled out their suitcases.

“Come and pack,” I said.

They ran to help, choosing almost all their clothes.

They were laughing and excited, and for a moment, I let myself smile because I didn’t want to break their happiness.

After packing, I bathed them myself. I didn’t want the nanny to do it tonight. I had missed doing it. I wanted this one moment with them, just us.

When I finished dressing them, I fed them. Then I tucked them into bed and kissed them goodnight.

Watching them sleep almost broke me.

Their entire world was about to change, and they didn’t even know it.

I turned and walked out of their room, wiping my tears. I stood in front of Derick’s door for a few seconds before knocking gently.

“Derick… please open,” I said quietly.

There was silence for a long moment. Then the door opened slightly. He didn’t let me in. He just stood there, tired eyes staring at me.

“What do you want, Reven?” he asked softly. “What’s the need to see me when you’ll be gone tomorrow?”

His words hit me so deeply I had to swallow hard before I could speak.

“Derick… don’t say that, please. I just… I just wanted to talk to you.”

He shook his head and looked away.

“It’s better I don’t see you,” he said in a pained whisper. “Maybe if I don’t look at you tonight… it’ll hurt a little less tomorrow.”

My eyes burned.

“You think it won’t hurt me too?” I asked. “I will miss you, Derick. You’ve been the only person by my side. The only one who cared.”

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