The Alpha King's Reluctant Bride (Ava and Grayson) novel Chapter 31

-Grayson’s POV-

A lot of damage control had to be done after Ava’s blow-

up at Rickon’s ball, but I realized, as I was dealing with the fallout, that unlike most things, it didn’t irritate me.

It should have. Ava wasn’t just anyone. She was supposed to be my Luna. She should’ve known better than to lose her composure like that she’d found her place-

the one spot where she fit. My wolf stirred then, and even now, the damn thing still reacts every time I think about it.

And then when I’d placed her on the bed, her eyes, those deep blue eyes, had darkened, swirling with something I couldn’t place. She’d sm

1 hadn’t known what to do with that, with her.

Maria might’ve been right: Maybe Ava wasn’t my fated mate, but there was something there. Something deeper. Maybe she was the one de “Someone’s in a good mood.” Liam’s voice interrupted my thoughts.

I snapped out of it, realizing he’d been standing there the whole time. He was grinning, as if

he’d caught me red-handed. “Are you thinking about a certain swirling-

eyed woman?” He smirked, pushing his luck.

“Don’t you have work to do?” I glared at him, hoping he’d get the message and drop it.

“Well, I do,” Liam said, stepping further into my office, “which is why I’m here, but now I think I’d rather talk about the fact that you were just “I wasn’t daydreaming.” I grinded my teeth together.

“Sure you weren’t,” he laughed with an exaggerated roll of his eyes. “Anyway, I didn’t see anyone out there did you your PA again?” “She was too jumpy,” I stated simply, not really caring to explain further.

fire

“Grayson,” Liam sighed, crossing his arms, “that’s the fifth PA this month. If you keep firing them all, there won’t be any left for you to hire.” I didn’t bother responding because I knew he was right, but it didn’t change the fact that they all annoyed me. They got on my nerves. They around me just then, a knock came at the door.

“Come in,” Liam called out on my behalf, and a young woman, probably in her mid-

twenties, walked in with a stack of files in her arms.

“Mr. Dickson told me to bring these to you.”

“Drop them on the corner table,” Vordered without much interest, barely giving her a second glance.

She nodded and hurried over to the table, placing the files down before turning back toward me. Then, to my surprise, she stopped, hesitati

“Uhm, Mr. Blackwood,” she began, her voice shaky but determined, “I know I’ll probably get fired for this-

not that I’d mind because, honestly, Mr. Dickson is a bit of a dick-

but. I met you fiancée when she came here, and I fought she was really cool You know, like, that kind of instant likeness?” She fidgeted wit Chapter 31

“I’m having a birthday party soon, and I would really appreciate it if you could extend an invitation to her. I don’t know how to contact her oth

I stared at her for a moment, taking in her unease. She was standing there, trembling slightly, but still meeting my gaze head-

on.

It was almost amusing

“What’s your name?” I asked, my voice cold.

“Eliza—uh, sorry-

Elizabeth Anderson,” she stammered, clearly surprised I was even acknowledging her beyond a dismissal

“And what exactly do you do here?” I asked, leaning back in my chair.

“I mostly run errands for the higher-

ups,” she said, a flicker of irritation flashing in her eyes, “but Mr. Dickson makes sure I run most of them for him.”

“Go to HR,” I said after a moment of silence. “Tell them you’re switching

positions and that they’re to brief you on all the responsibilities of a personal assistant. Have your things moved up here.”

Her eyes widened in shock. “What?”

Liam smirked again. “So, you going to invite Ava investor dinner?”

he

I shot him a look that told him to shut up, but even I couldn’t deny that the thought had already

crossed my mind.

We got up and headed to the conference room. The department heads were already inside, seated

and waiting, their eyes shifting between their tablets and notepads. I strode to the head of the table, taking my place, and Liam followed clos

to start.

Liam’s eyes flickered with a sudden recollection, and I knew before he opened his mouth that he had forgotten something. “I almost forgot, today.”

I raised a brow. “Who is it?”

“I’m not sure. He’s kept his dealings mostly anonymous, and I haven’t been the one handling him directly.”

The door creaked open before I could respond. A figure walked in, and my entire body tensed. My wolf stirred instantly, rising to his feet, sna

Luther Pierce.

His arrogant smile spread wider the moment our eyes clashed. He stepped into the room like he owned it, like he belonged there, when in r

“I apologize for my lateness,” Luther said, his tone dripping with false politeness, as if he hadn’t deliberately arrived late just to make a spec

I kept my voice cold, even though every instinct inside me was screaming to throw him out of the room—

or worse What are you doing here?”

Luther’s smile didn’t waver. If anything, it widened, dripping with the same superiority he always wore “Is that how you talk to one of your in

company?