Mated To The Alpha King (Raven and Ethan) novel Chapter 290

**Chapter 290**

**Alpha Ethan’s POV**

Five vouchers.

The piercing brightness of the light assaulted my senses as I cautiously opened my eyes. I blinked repeatedly, grappling with the disorientation that enveloped me. Instead of the familiar abyss of darkness I had anticipated after death, here I was—alive and back in my room.

Alive.

A heavy weight pressed down on my head, and as I attempted to shift my body, a searing pain sliced through my abdomen. A loud hiss escaped my lips, almost resembling a shout, as the agony forced me back against the plush pillows.

Why was I still breathing?

For a fleeting moment, my surroundings blurred—the walls, the small couch across the room—but as my vision sharpened, my heart raced in disbelief.

Someone was here.

A small figure was huddled on the mini couch, her knees drawn up to her chest, her head awkwardly resting on the armrest.

Her hair was tousled, strands cascading over her face, and even in slumber, she appeared weary. Her complexion was slightly pale, a stark contrast to the vibrant spirit I had once known.

Raven.

What… was she doing here?

I swallowed hard, a lump forming in my throat. A part of me longed to close my eyes again, to pretend I hadn’t seen her. It felt so wrong, so confusing.

She shouldn’t be here. Not after everything that had transpired. Not after all the hurt, the anger, and the chasm that had grown between us.

Yet, there she was.

Sleeping in my room.

Why?

Before I could delve deeper into my swirling thoughts, I attempted to shift my body, to prop myself up. But the moment I moved, a scorching pain erupted in my stomach.

A shout tore from my lips, echoing sharply in the stillness of the room, causing Raven to bolt upright.

She leapt from the couch as if jolted by an electric shock. The instant she saw me stirring, she rushed to my side, her eyes wide with concern.

“Ethan! You’re awake,” she exclaimed, her voice trembling, breath quickening as panic took hold.

I stared at her, still grappling with the reality of the situation.

Without a moment’s hesitation, she wrapped her arm around my back, offering support with a gentleness that felt both comforting and foreign.

“Don’t move too quickly. Let me help you sit up,” she instructed softly, her voice a soothing balm amid the chaos in my mind.

I nodded, lacking the strength to protest. She carefully assisted me into a seated position, adjusting the pillows behind me, ensuring my comfort while being mindful of my pain. Once she stepped back, she perched on the edge of the bed, her hands resting nervously on her thighs.

An uneasy silence enveloped us.

A silence that felt thick, heavy, as if both of us were burdened by unspoken words and emotions, unsure of where to begin.

We exchanged awkward glances, each of us hesitant to break the stillness.

But Raven shattered the silence first.

This time, her voice was not the soft, gentle tone I was accustomed to. It was controlled, laced with anger and something else—fear.

“What the hell were you thinking when you tried to kill yourself, huh?” she demanded, her brows furrowed, eyes blazing with intensity.

I averted my gaze, unable to meet her piercing stare.

“What were you thinking, Alpha Ethan?” she pressed, her tone sharper now. “Answer me. Don’t just sit there in silence.”

I opened my mouth, but no words came forth. I was at a loss to explain myself.

How could I articulate the depths of my despair? How could I distill five years of torment into mere words?

She shook her head, a scoff escaping her lips.

“You tried to take your own life,” she continued, her voice trembling now with a mix of disbelief and hurt. “If I hadn’t found you even one minute later, you would be gone. Forever.”

Her words pierced through me like daggers.

“You would have died, Ethan.”

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