Mated To The Alpha King (Raven and Ethan) novel Chapter 48

Chapter 48

Alpha Ethan’s POV

“Wake up, sleepyhead!”

Theard the unmistakable chirp of Elisa’s voice before I even fully surfaced from sleep. My brows furrowed as I groaned and blinked my eyes open slowly. Sunlight poured into my room through the open curtains, casting streaks of gold across the floor.

Standing beside my bed with a wide grin was my little sister, arms crossed, eyes shining with mischief.

“Elisa?” My voice was hoarse, thick with sleep. “What the hell… What are you doing here this early?”

She shrugged dramatically. “Well, I joined the first flight down to California, and don’t act like I didn’t tell you yesterday. You’re the one who’s always half- listening when I talk.”

I sat up, scrubbing a hand over my face, still disoriented. “You said you’d be coming today but late.”

“Yeah, and then I changed my mind. I missed you—and this place. The East Coast was too cold. Also, I wanted a proper breakfast. Do you know how hard it is to find decent pancakes in New York?”

I sighed, swinging my legs over the edge of the bed. “So you came here for pancakes?”

She smirked. “And maybe to see if my mate is hiding somewhere in this pack. Who knows?”

“You’re unbelievable,” I muttered, pushing off the bed.

“Well, believable or not, everyone else is already downstairs having breakfast, and you’re still snoozing. You should hurry before Beta Matthew eats everything. You know how he gets when there’s bacon.”

I shot her a half–hearted glare. “You didn’t have to wake me up like that.”

“You looked too peaceful,” she teased. “I couldn’t help it.”

I stretched and stood, walking over to the en suite bathroom. “You go on down. I’ll join you all in a few minutes.”

“Don’t take too long,” she called behind me as I turned on the shower. “We’re not saving you any orange juice!”

Her laughter faded as she left the room, and the sound of her footsteps disappeared down the hallway.

I stepped under the warm spray, letting the water pound against my shoulders. I needed the time to wake up properly. Elisa always had a way of pulling people into her orbit–vibrant, talkative, and full of energy. It had been months since I’d last seen her, and now she was suddenly home, turning the morning into chaos like she always did.

Ten minutes later, dressed in a plain white shirt and dark jeans, I made my way downstairs toward the dining hall. The smell of eggs, toast, and fresh fruit hit me immediately, and my stomach grumbled in response.

The pack dining room was alive with chatter. Warriors, omegas, and young pups sat at long wooden tables, sharing meals and stories. My eyes swept the room as I walked in. Elisa was seated toward the center, next to Beta Matthew, with a tall glass of juice already in front of her. She waved the moment she spotted me, grinning wide.

“There he is!” she shouted dramatically. “The sleeping Alpha finally decided to grace us with his presence.”

A few chuckles rippled through the tables. I ignored them and made my way to the head table, where my seat was already set. I sat down beside her, nodding at a few familiar faces across the room.

“Good morning, Alpha,” several voices greeted.

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Chapter 48

I gave them a polite nod before focusing on my plate. The omelets looked fresh, and the fruit salad beside it glistened with syrup. My fork had barely touched the eggs before Elisa leaned toward me, her eyes gleaming.

“So,” she began, dragging the word out with unnecessary excitement, “how are you doing?”

I gave her a sideways glance. “Fine.”

“Just fine?” she asked, raising her brows. “Not great? Not amazing? Not enchanted?”

“What kind of fairytale nonsense-”

“You know what I mean,” she cut in. “You’ve been cooped up in that office of yours for months. I thought when I got back you’d be more… I don’t know… lively.”

“I run a pack, Elisa. Not a circus.”

“Could’ve fooled me,” she said with a sly smile. “Anyway, I think it’s time we addressed the elephant in the room.”

I paused, my fork hovering mid–air. “What elephant?”

“You need to give me a niece or a nephew.”

I nearly choked on my juice. “What?!”

“You heard me.” She leaned her elbow on the table and propped her chin on her palm. “I’ve waited long enough. You’ve been mated to Olivia for, what? Six years? Do you know how many pups the Alphas in my year at college have had already?”

I blinked at her, dumbfounded. “That’s none of your business.”

“It is my business when I’m the only one without a little munchkin to spoil. You’re my only sibling. You’re my only chance.”

I shook my head and went back to eating. “You’re insane.”

“I’m just forward–thinking,” she said brightly. “It’s called planning for the future.”

“Maybe you should focus on your own future,” I said dryly. “Why haven’t you found your mate yet?”

She sighed dramatically, setting her fork down with a clatter. “That’s actually one of the reasons I came back. I’ve been wondering if maybe… he’s here. Somewhere.”

I arched a brow. “So you think your mate is in this pack?”

“I don’t know,” she said, leaning in. “But I’m twenty–three, Ethan. That’s not too early, is it?”

“No,” I admitted. “But it’s not late either.”

She looked around the room, eyes scanning the faces with a thoughtful expression. “I guess we’ll find out soon enough.”

“And how were your studies?” I asked, changing the topic before she circled back to pups again.

Her eyes lit up. “Amazing! You’d be proud. I finished top of my class in political science.”

“Of course you did.”

“I’m thinking of applying to grad school next fall. Maybe in Europe.”

I sipped my coffee. “I thought you just got home.”

“I did. But that doesn’t mean I have to stop making plans.”

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Chapter 48

“That’s just like you,” I muttered.

“What can I say?” She shrugged. “I’m a multitasker. And besides, I wanted to talk to you about something.”

I looked at her, curious. “What is it?”

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She hesitated for a moment, twisting her fingers together before speaking. “I was thinking about working in the pack–helping you more directly. Maybe in strategy, or administration. You know, actually putting my degree to use.”

My brows rose. “Really?”

She nodded. “I know I’ve always said I wanted to travel, and I still do. But… I also care about this pack. I want to help, if you’ll let me.”

“You’ve always been welcome to contribute,” I told her. “I’m just surprised you’re choosing to now.”

“I guess I realized that you’ve been carrying a lot on your own. I want to be part of it too. I don’t just want to visit–I want to belong.”

A genuine smile pulled at the corner of my lips. “Then welcome back, sis.”

She reached over and squeezed my arm. “Thanks, big bro.”

We went back to eating, the clatter of cutlery and hum of voices surrounding us. Elisa chatted animatedly with a few of the younger warriors, and I stayed

mostly quiet, letting the peace of the morning settle over me.

Despite her chaotic entrance, I was glad that Elisa was back. The pack felt brighter when she was around, like she brought her own sunlight with her. And if she really was planning on staying longer this time, maybe things would shift–for the better.

When we were done with breakfast, I went back to my study to work on some documents, and Elisa followed, already wanting to help. I asked her with a

teasing tone, “You want to keep yourself busy?”

She replied a few minutes after entering the study, “Yeah.”

I was assigning some tasks to Elisa when the door burst open and Matt

hew stepped in.

“Can’t knock?” I asked, with my brow furrowed.

“Sorry, Alpha. Just wanted to tell you that Raven had woken up.”

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