The Alpha King's Reluctant Bride (Ava and Grayson) novel Chapter 183

-Ava’s POV-

My eyes widened, and my entire body froze. It was as if the world itself had paused, holding its breath, waiting for something to happen. My heart pounded in my chest, loud and frantic, drowning out every other sound.

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Of all the things I could have let slip out of my mouth, it had to be that. The words hung in the air, echoing in my mind like a taunt I couldn’t escape. My lips parted, as though I might say something to fix it, but nothing came out. What could I say?

I just told him I loved him.

I knew it already, of course. I’d known for a while now. But saying it—saying it out loud-made it real in a way it hadn’t been before. It was as though my heart had spoken for me, betraying the secret I’d tried so hard to keep hidden.

And now, everything was different.

My chest tightened with uncertainty, and a thousand thoughts swirled in my mind, each more chaotic than the last. Did he feel the same? Would he ever feel the same? Or did I just ruin everything between us?

What was I supposed to do?

. happen?

Should I brush it off like it did

Laugh it away as a joke?

Should I take it back and lie, saying I didn’t mean it?

Or should I just admit it and let the chips fall where they may?

The silence stretched on, suffocating and unbearable.

And then, his voice shattered it.

“I would’ve waited for you to finish whatever discussion you’re having with yourself in your head,” he said, his tone light and teasing, “but I’m not sure you’re actually breathing anymore.”

His words jolted me back to reality. I sucked in a sharp breath, realizing that I hadn’t been breathing. My lungs burned, my chest heaving as I tried to steady myself.

I was terrified to look at him. Terrified of what I might see in his eyes. Would it be rejection? Confusion? Pity? But when I finally dared to meet his gaze, I was met

He was smiling.

With something entirely unexpected.

My heart skipped a beat, the rhythm faltering as I tried to make sense of his reaction.

His eyes flicked down to the half-finished bandage I’d been working on, and he spoke again, his tone casual, almost amused. “I don’t know much about medicine, but I’m pretty sure a fresh wound like this shouldn’t be left open for too long. Something about microorganisms in the air or whatever.”

His words snapped me back into action. My hands, which had been hovering uselessly, remembered their task. I grabbed the gauze and antiseptic, trying to focus on the wound instead of the man in front of me. 18:04 Fri, Jan 31 BB

But my mind wouldn’t stop spinning.

Why was he so calm?

Why wasn’t he freaking out like I was?

Why wasn’t he… repulsed?

Why was he smiling?

Why?

“Ava,” he said again, breaking through the storm of thoughts in my head, “you’re not breathing again.”

I snapped.

“Damn it, Grayson! Stop being so calm about this. You’re making me freak out even more!”

“Why are you freaking out in the first place?” he asked, tilting his head slightly, his tone infuriatingly calm and collected.

I let out a shaky breath, my fingers trembling as I set down the gauze. “Because,” I began, my voice barely above a whisper, “I just said I love you.”

The words felt heavier this time, weighed down by the truth I couldn’t take back. My voice cracked as I continued, “And I didn’t mean to say it, but that doesn’t mean I don’t mean it.”

I glanced at him, expecting some kind of reaction, but he just watched me, waiting for me to finish.

“And now I don’t know what to do!” I exclaimed, throwing my hands in the air. “I’m scared that you’re going to be mad, or that this will ruin everything between us, and then I’ll have no choice but to move to Alaska. And then I’ll get eaten by bears, and I don’t even know what I’m saying anymore!”

I sniffled, my voice trembling as tears welled up in my eyes. “And now I’m crying, and I don’t even know why.” Before I could spiral any further, his hands reached out, gentle but firm, tilting my chin up so I had no choice but to look at him.

And then he kissed me.

It wasn’t like the other kisses we’d shared before. This one was different. This one was… everything.

It was tender and warm, carrying all the things he didn’t say aloud. It was reassuring, grounding me in a way words never could. It was a promise. A silent acknowledgment of feelings he wasn’t ready to put into words. Even though he had but I knew clearly now that he hadn’t known he said them.

Time seemed to blur as the kiss deepened, and for a

wasn’t terrifying. It was perfect.

But despite my embarrassment, I couldn’t help the smile that tugged at my lips. Because in that moment, everything felt right.

But then his phone rang, snapping us both back to reality. He groaned, his hand reluctantly leaving me to grab it, and I shifted my focus back to the task at hand. I should have been done with this by now, but my hands faltered as I felt the shift in his energy.

His entire body tensed, a stiffness radiating from him that sent a chill down my spine. I glanced at him, noting how his relaxed demeanor had evaporated in an instant.

I had learned to block out my heightened senses when it came to things I wasn’t meant to hear, so I didn’t try to tune in to the voice on the other end of the call. But I didn’t need to.

Whatever was being said, it wasn’t good.

The lightness in his eyes dimmed, replaced by something sharp and cold. He didn’t say a word to whoever was on the line. Just silence. Heavy, suffocating silence.

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When he ended the call, he lowered the phone, his grip tightening around it as his jaw clenched. I stared at him, waiting-hoping-he’d tell me what had happened. But before I could form the words, before I could even begin to ask, he cut me

off.

“A fire,” he said, his voice flat, too calm. “One of my buildings. And… they found something strange.”

I swallowed hard, my heart sinking as I waited for him to continue.

“Another message,” he added, his tone sharper now, as though the words themselves were a bitter taste in

his mouth.

He didn’t wait for me to respond. His movements were quick, almost frantic, as he gently pulled me to my feet.

I could see the urgency in his every action.

But I couldn’t ignore the creeping dread that began to wrap itself around me, cold and suffocating.

“Was it about me?” I asked, the fear seeping into my

words.

He shook his head, his lips pressing into a thin line. “No,” he said, his voice low and grim. “It said, ‘It’s time to

bring back the old days when witches were burned at the stake.””

My stomach dropped, and my breath hitched.

“Maria,” I whispered, the name trembling on my lips, “They’re going after Maria.”