Mated To The Alpha King (Raven and Ethan) novel Chapter 289

**Chapter 289**

**Reven’s POV**

Fifty-five vouchers.

“Alright, little ones, playtime is officially over. Mummy needs to take a breather,” I announced, bending down to help the twins gather their scattered toys.

Instantly, the twins’ faces fell, their lips forming a pout that mirrored Ethan’s classic upset expression. I let out a soft sigh, bracing myself for the inevitable.

“But Mummy… we want to see Uncle,” Lyra protested, dragging her beloved teddy bear along the floor, its worn-out fur trailing behind.

“Yes, Mummy. Uncle has been in his room all day. Maybe he wants to see us,” Mason chimed in, his big, round puppy eyes piercing through any resolve I had left.

I mustered a smile, shaking my head gently. “Sweethearts, Uncle is likely resting. He’s very tired. Let’s allow him some peace.”

The twins exchanged a quick glance, then rushed to wrap their little arms around my legs, hugging me so tightly I could feel their small bodies trembling with hope.

“Please, Mummy… just a tiny bit. We want to see him,” they pleaded in unison, their voices soft yet insistent.

A wave of emotion washed over me, my heart tightening at their earnestness. They adored Ethan, their father, with a purity that cut through the chaos of our lives. Even amidst the confusion and turmoil that clouded my heart, I couldn’t bring myself to deny them the love they felt for him.

“Alright,” I finally conceded, my voice barely above a whisper.

The moment the words escaped my lips, their faces lit up with uncontainable joy, and they began to bounce around the room, their laughter filling the air.

“Yayyy! Let’s go! Let’s go see Daddy!” Their exuberance pulled a reluctant smile from me, even though a nagging sense of unease settled deep in my stomach.

As we made our way upstairs, I tried to shake off the strange feeling. Perhaps it was simply fatigue.

We climbed the stairs, the sound of our footsteps echoing in the long hallway, finally stopping in front of Ethan’s door. I knocked softly, my heart racing just a bit.

“Alpha Ethan…?”

Silence greeted me.

I knocked again, a bit louder this time.

Still, nothing.

With each passing second, my anxiety grew. “Maybe he’s sleeping,” I murmured, more to myself than anyone else.

I reached for the doorknob, and to my surprise, it turned easily in my hand. The door wasn’t locked.

That uneasy feeling surged within me again, stronger and more insistent. I pushed the door open slowly, stepping inside with the twins trailing closely behind me.

“Uncle…”

Lucian’s voice trailed off, and I felt my breath hitch in my throat.

My knees buckled beneath me.

Ethan—Alpha Ethan—lay sprawled on the cold floor, his body unnaturally stiff.

His eyes were half-open, and a thin stream of white foam trickled from the corner of his mouth.

“ETHAN!” I screamed, the sound erupting from my throat before I could even process what I was witnessing.

The twins froze, confusion and terror flashing across their young faces. My scream reverberated through the hallway, a haunting echo that filled the space around us.

“What’s happening?” Lyra cried, clutching her teddy bear so tightly that her knuckles turned white.

I rushed forward, dropping to my knees beside Ethan, panic clawing at my insides. “Ethan! Ethan! Wake up!” I shook him desperately, fear consuming me whole.

A guard outside the door heard my cries and rushed in, his eyes widening in horror at the sight before him.

“Alpha!” he shouted, panic evident in his voice.

“Call the healer! Now!” I yelled at him, my heart racing. “Quickly!”

He bolted from the room without hesitation.

Another guard hurried in to assist, kneeling beside Ethan and gently lifting him from the floor.

“Mummy… what’s wrong with Uncle?” Lucian asked, his voice trembling, filled with innocence and fear.

I turned sharply, gathering both of them in my arms. “Go to your rooms. Now. Hurry!”

“But—”

“GO!” My voice cracked, breaking under the weight of my emotions.

They jumped, startled by my tone, and dashed down the hallway, fear evident in their little faces.

I swallowed hard, my gaze returning to Ethan. His skin was pale, alarmingly so. His breathing was shallow, and he appeared lifeless.

That’s when my eyes caught sight of it.

The small bottle lying on the floor.

Insecticide.

My heart plummeted into the depths of despair.

With those chilling words, she walked away, leaving Matthew to follow her, bombarding her with questions. But I remained rooted in place, my feet carrying me back into the room as if guided by an invisible force.

The moment I stepped inside, a cold wave washed over me.

Ethan lay on the bed, still and pale, tubes connected to him, a stark reminder of the fragility of life. His breathing was slow but steady, a faint flicker of hope in an otherwise bleak situation.

I approached cautiously, stopping beside the bed, my heart squeezing painfully in my chest.

“Ethan…” I whispered, my voice barely audible.

Why?

Why would he choose death?

After everything—after bringing me and the kids away from Derick’s pack, after claiming he wanted to mend our broken lives, after fighting so fiercely to keep us together—why would he suddenly seek to leave us behind?

“You brought us here… and now you want to abandon us?” My voice cracked, the pain evident in every syllable.

I hated him.

I resented him.

I longed to run far away from him.

But I didn’t want him dead.

Tears streamed down my cheeks, and I reached for his hand, holding it gently, terrified it might slip away from me forever.

“Even though I haven’t fully accepted you as my mate… I don’t want you to die,” I whispered, my voice trembling with emotion.

“Why did you think that ending your life would solve anything? Why didn’t you talk to someone… to me… to anyone?”

Silence enveloped the room, heavy and oppressive.

His hand was warm, but not warm enough. His face was devoid of life, and his chest barely rose and fell.

I leaned forward, resting my forehead against his hand as quiet sobs wracked my body.

“Ethan… don’t leave. Not like this. Don’t leave me. Don’t leave the kids. Please…”

The room was filled with silence, broken only by the sound of my trembling breaths.

And that is where it all ends…

In a deep, heavy, suffocating suspense.