The Alpha King's Reluctant Bride (Ava and Grayson) novel Chapter 57

-Ava’s POV-

This is all your fault,” I heard Isabella spit at Rickon

He scoffed back, barely audible. “How is it my fault? Did I poison the drinks?”

But I barely heard him as I bolted after Eliza, who had darted off into the parking lot after her outburst. My feet pounded against the pavement as I chased her, my heart racing with a mix of frustration and fear. I didn’t know what she’d do, but fear has a way of pushing pec

I understood her terror. People fear what they don’t understand, and if there were ever a time for gallows humor, I’d joke that people are esp Eliza dashed onto the street, causing honking cars to swerve and drivers to shout out their windows. She didn’t stop, though, just kept runn I pushed harder, exhaustion clawing at my limbs

How far was she planning to run?

Where was she even going?

And how was she running so fast in heels?

The distance between us started to shrink, and I yelled, “Eliza, please stop! Let me explain!”

She didn’t. Then, by some stroke of luck, she found herself at a dead end, forced to halt. I caught up to her, breath ragged. She spun aroun what, I couldn’t tell-

and held it out like a weapon, her hands trembling “Don’t comne near me, Ava, or I swear I’ll hit you!”

I took a step back, raising my hands to show her I meant no harm. “Eliza, come on, please, Drop whatever that is. I’m not going to hurt you.”

“Not going to hurt me?” Her voice cracked, her eyes wide and frantic. “I just saw that man grow fur, Aval His fingers turned into claws, his ey monsters. You’re all monsters!”

I forced myself to stay calm, though panic was simmering beneath my own skin. “Eliza, listen to me. I’ll explain everything. I promise. We’re

She stared at me, wild-

eyed, her chest heaving. “Werewolves don’t exist. This isn’t some damn horror novel, Áva. Werewolves aren’t real”

“But we are.” I softened my voice. “Eliza, I’m still me. I’m still the same Ava. I don’t even have a wolf

like the others. Be still Bels. We’re just… us. No one here wants to hurt you.”

“I saw a man grow fur,” she shrieked, pulling at her hair. “Nothing is the same! This is insane. This has to be some messed- up dream. I need to wake up

She started slapping herself, hard. “Wake up, Eliza. Wake up!”noveldrama

“Eliza, stop it!” I snapped, harsher than I intended. “I don’t have time for this, and I don’t trust that you won’t do something reckless if I leave

My words seemed to slice through her panic, grounding her. She stilled, her hands dropping to her sides. Her voice was

G

almost a whisper. “Why Why do you people exist? How do you even exist?”

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I sighed, trying to soften my tone, though urgency was clawing at me. “I don’t know, Eliza. Nature, maybe? Look, just please, come with me She searched my face, and for a moment, I saw the old Eliza-

te friend who had just clicked. Finally, she nodded, though her grip tightened around the strange object in her hand. “Fine But I’m keeping th “Fair enough.”

She moved toward me, cautiously, keeping a few feet of distance. We made our way back to the street. I could feel her unease, the distrust like sand.

I turned to her. “Do you have your phone?”

She shook her head, her expression stricken. “No. I. I don’t even know where it is right now. And Grayson is probably plotting a hundred di is he like you? Are all of you like.. this?”

I pulled my arm free, matching his glare. “I just chased her through an alleyway because she saw Rickon almost shift. We’re on the verge o full-blown exposure crisis, Grayson. I don’t think now is the time to argue.”

“Why were you with Rickon?” he growled, his jaw clenched.

“Are you serious? That’s what you’re worried about right now?”

Before he could respond, a voice floated through the chaos. “I know I still look stunningly beautiful, but I’m getting bored here, when are you Grayson’s expression didn’t soften, but he replied curtly, “Maria

She’s a witch and… an old friend. She’s using a spell to stop them from shifting❞

“You have friends?” I said, just as Eliza muttered in shock, “There are witches too?” Her voice trembled, reminding me she was still beside He looked at me, his tone cold as ice. I told you to stay out of this, Ava. Leave.”

I met his gaze, unflinching “I know you don’t want me here, but won’t sit back while we’re on the brink of being exposed. We need the antid enough, fast.”

“I know that,” he snapped, his jaw clenched, “I already have people retrieving all the antidote we have. Now, you need to leave

“I’m not going anywhere.”

A sly smile spread across Maria’s face as she interjected, her tone laced with amusement. “Aren’t you going to introduce me to the woman enough to put up with your grouchy attitude” She cocked her head, eyes gleaming with a strange familiarity, as if she knew him well enough

He exhaled, clearly irritated, and opened his mouth to respond, but Liam approached, cutting in with a grave expression. “We have an even Grayson’s eyes narrowed, a flicker of tension passing across his face. “What now?”

Liam’s gaze shifted, his voice low

but urgent. “I just got a call from the men sent to get the antidote. It’s all gone. Someone broke into the warehouse and stole everything”

A wave of dread slammed into my chest, my heart hammering as the reality of the situation settled in. Just when I thought it couldn’t get worse, Maria’s voice, now void of humor, added a firal layer of tension.

“Grayson, I think we have a serious problem.” Her eyes darkened, her playful expression replaced by an unsettling intensity. “I don’t know w is breaking. I can’t hold them back from shifting much longer.”