Mated To The Alpha King (Raven and Ethan) novel Chapter 373

Chapter 373

Reven’s POV

Night came quietly.

Too quietly.

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The hospital lights dimmed, leaving only the soft glow of machines and the muted sounds of distant footsteps echoing down long hallways.

Somewhere far away, a nurse laughed softly. Somewhere else, a door closed. Life went on around me as if nothing inside my chest was splitting open.

I lay still, staring at the ceiling, counting breaths that refused to steady.

One.

Two.

Three.

My fingers slipped beneath the blanket again, finding the familiar curve of the pendant hidden against my skin. I hadn’t opened it since Edna left earlier that evening.

The memory of her pale face, the way her voice tightened when she saw the picture, refused to leave me alone.

She lied.

I didn’t know how I knew only that something deep inside me recoiled at her words.

I don’t know him.

The lie had been too fast. Too rehearsed.

Slowly, as if afraid the walls might be watching, I opened the pendant again.

The image stared back at me.

The man’s arm was wrapped securely around my waist, possessive but gentle. The children were tucked close, smiling wide, carefree. And me Reven I was leaning into him like I belonged there.

Like I was home.

My chest tightened until breathing hurt.

“This isn’t real,” I whispered.

But the woman in the photo looked more alive than I felt.

A knock sounded softly on the door.

I snapped the pendant shu door.

“Come in,” I called, forcing

and hid it again, my heart racing.

ness into

my voice.

The door opened, and a nurse stepped inside, carrying a clipboard. She smiled politely, the kind of smile practiced and

distant.

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Chapter 373

“Just checking your vitals,” she said. “How are you feeling?”

I hesitated. “Like I’m missing pieces of myself.”

She paused, sympathy flickering briefly in her eyes. “That’s normal after what you’ve been through.”

“What did they tell you?” I asked suddenly. “About me.”

She blinked. “Your… background?”

“Yes,” I pressed. “What do you know about who I am?”

She glanced at the clipboard. “Only what’s in your chart. Name: Reven. Age. No spouse listed. No children listed.”

The words hit me harder than they should have.

No spouse. No children.

Then why did the photo exist?

“Thank you,” I murmured.

She finished her checks and left, the door clicking softly shut behind her.

I lay back, staring at nothing, my thoughts spiraling.

If I wasn’t married

If I didn’t have children…

Then what was taken from me?

The next morning came too fast.

Sunlight poured in through the window, too bright, too warm, mocking the heaviness in my chest. Edna returned just after sunrise, carrying a paper cup of coffee and dark circles beneath her eyes.

“You didn’t sleep,” she said the moment she saw me.

“I dreamed,” I replied quietly.

Her jaw tightened. “About him again?”

I looked at her sharply. “So you do know.”

Silence.

That was all the answer I needed.

“Edna,” I said, my voice trembling despite my effort to stay calm. “Please. I don’t care if it hurts. I don’t care if it’s ugly. I need

the truth.”

She sat down slowly, hands clasped together, staring at the floor like it held all the answers she was afraid to give.

“Some things,” she said carefully, “are better left buried.”

“No,” I snapped. “Not when they’re clawing their way out of my head every time I close my eyes.”

Her shoulders sagged. “You’re not ready.”

22:13 Sat, Feb

Chapter 373

“You don’t get to decide that for me.”

She looked up then, eyes glossy. “I’m trying to protect you.”

“From what?” I demanded. “From a life I lived? From people, I loved?”

Her lips parted, then closed again.

“I watched you bleed out,” she whispered. “I watched you die and come back. I won’t be the one to break you again.”

The words knocked the breath from my lungs.

“You think knowing will break me?” I asked softly.

She swallowed. “I know it will.”

Before I could respond, the door opened again.

Dr. Hale stepped inside.

“Good morning,” he said gently. “I hear we’re making progress.”

Edna stood immediately, masking her emotions. “You’re discharging her?”

“Yes,” he replied. “Physically, she’s strong enough.”

My stomach dropped.

“So that’s it?” I asked. “I just… leave?”

“You won’t be alone,” he assured me. “But I need to be clear about something.”

He looked directly at Edna.

“Whoever takes her with them must understand that stress, fear, or emotional shock could trigger serious setbacks.”

Edna nodded. “I understand.”

“I’m not a child,” I said quietly. “Stop talking like I’m not here.”

Dr. Hale smiled faintly. “Then hear this clearly: your mind is fragile right now. You may experience flashbacks, false memories, or emotional responses that don’t make sense. If that happens, you must ground yourself in the present.”

“And if someone from my past finds me?” I asked before I could stop myself.

The room went still.

Dr. Hale studied my face carefully. “Then you must decide whether the past is safe to let back in.”

By afternoon, my things were packed.

Which wasn’t much.

Clothes that didn’t feel like mine. Shoes I didn’t remember choosing. A life that fit into a single bag.

As Edna wheeled me toward e

deep voice sent ice through my vei

What if he’s out there?

, anxiety coiled tight in my stomach. Every passing face made my pulse spike. Every

Sat,

Chapter 373

The doors slid open.

Fresh air hit my face, cool and sharp.

I inhaled deeply and froze.

The sensation slammed into me without warning.

Heat.

Awareness.

Like invisible fingers brushing my spine.

I staggered slightly, grabbing the armrest.

“Reven?” Edna said sharply. “What is it?”

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