Chapter 177

Ava’s POV

I wasn't even going to pretend I wasn't panicking. This person—whoever they were—had killed Alphas. They'd slaughtered multiple people to get to Grayson, and now, after shooting him, I was next. The thought churned my stomach. I felt sick. I didn't want to die.

"Ava, are you even listening to me?"

His calm but firm voice pulled me from my spiraling thoughts. I blinked, turning to him. For a second, I considered lying, but there was no point. "No," I admitted softly, my voice barely a whisper.

That's when I noticed my hands trembling uncontrollably. We'd left the hospital an hour ago and were sitting in the back of one of Grayson's cars. The driver was silent, focused on the road; the soft hum of the engine filled the space between us.

Grayson reached out, his larger hand covering mine. The warmth and steady pressure grounded me. I looked up to find his sharp, piercing eyes on mine. "I'm not going to let anything happen to you. Do you understand?" His voice was low, but carried a weight that settled in my chest.

For some reason, I believed him instantly. Maybe it was the certainty in his tone, or the way his touch steadied my hands. I nodded, murmuring, "Okay."

But his next words threw me completely off guard. "When we get back to the estate, we're grabbing your things. I'm transferring you to my safe house."

I whipped my head toward him so fast it made me dizzy. "What—"

"You heard me," he said evenly, leaning back against the seat. His expression didn't falter; he was calm and composed, as if this were already decided and I had no say.

"No," I said firmly. The trembling in my hands was gone, replaced by something fiercer—determination. "I might be scared, Grayson, but I'm not going to let some psychopath with a vendetta force me into hiding like an animal. I'm not running away."

He sighed, a long, slow exhale as he rubbed the bridge of his nose. "Ava, listen to me—"

"No, you listen to me," I interrupted. "I know this situation is dangerous. I know you're trying to protect me, but I can't—I won't—be locked up in some safe house like a prisoner."

His jaw tightened; I could see the muscles in his neck tense as he struggled to maintain his composure. "This isn't up for debate," he said, his tone steady but unyielding. "I cannot risk it. If they're willing to kill random people to get to me, what do you think will happen if you go back to work? You'd be putting yourself in harm's way, endangering everyone at that hospital."

His words hit like a punch to the gut because he was right. Deep down, I knew returning to the hospital would put more lives at risk. But the thought of being hidden away, cut off from the world, was unbearable. "I understand where you're coming from. I do. But I can't—"

"You can," he cut in, his voice hardening. "You just don't want to. And I get it, Ava, I do. But this isn't about what you want. It's about what's necessary. You think I want to hide you away? You think I want to take you away from your life and make you feel trapped? No. But I'll do it if it means keeping you alive."

I stared at him, my chest tightening at the resolve in his voice. "You don't understand. If I'm locked up in a safe house, I'll go mad. I can't just sit there, waiting for something to happen, wondering if the next knock on the door is someone coming to finish the job."

"And what do you think I feel every second you're out there, knowing you could be next on their list?" His voice didn't rise, but there was an edge to it now, a quiet intensity that made the air between us feel heavier. "Do you have any idea what it's like to know that someone out there wants you dead and not be able to do anything about it?"

"I don't want to hide," I said softly, my voice breaking slightly.

"And I don't want to lose you," he replied, his gaze steady and unwavering.

The car fell silent, the tension between us thick and suffocating. I looked down at my hands, his words replaying in my head. I didn't want to admit it, but he was right. If I went back to work, I wouldn't just be putting myself at risk—I'd be endangering the patients, the staff, everyone in that hospital. I couldn't live with that on my conscience.

"I get it," I said finally, breaking the silence. "I understand why you want to do this, and I know you're right about the hospital. I can't go back. But I can't be locked up, Grayson. I just… I can't."

He studied me for a long moment, his gaze searching mine. Finally, he sighed; his shoulders relaxed slightly. "Alright," he said. "If you can't handle being in a safe house, then we'll do it another way. I'll hire more men—ones whose sole purpose will be to protect you. If you need to go out, you'll have an escort. Not just one or two guards, but a whole team."

I frowned. "That feels like overkill."

"It's not," he said firmly. "You're not just anyone, Ava. You're the target of someone who's proven they're willing to do anything to get what they want. If you're out in the open, I want you to be surrounded by people who can keep you safe. Do you understand?"

I nodded slowly, though the thought of being shadowed by a team of guards everywhere I went wasn't exactly comforting. "What about the hospital?" I asked, even though I already knew the answer.

His expression softened slightly, but his voice remained steady. "You can't go back. Not now. It's too dangerous—not just for you, but for everyone else. I know it's not what you want to hear, but it's the truth."

The weight of his words settled over me, and I nodded again, this time more firmly. "Okay. I'll send in my resignation letter."

For a moment, neither of us spoke. The tension eased slightly, and I felt the tightness in my chest begin to loosen.

"I'm not trying to control you, Ava," he said quietly. "I just… I can't lose you."

Something in his tone made my heart ache, but I pushed the feeling aside. "I know. And I'm not trying to fight you on this. I just… I needed you to hear me."

"I'm listening," he said, his gaze softening.

The car slowed as we approached the estate, and I felt a strange mix of relief and apprehension. This wasn't the life I wanted, but it was the one I had now.

As the car stopped, Grayson turned to me. "We'll figure this out. One step at a time."

I nodded, forcing a small smile. "One step at a time."

We finally arrived at the estate. The long drive had left the air thick with tension. The car rolled smoothly up the long driveway, past the towering iron gates, toward his mansion. The estate felt strangely empty, despite the bustle of warriors and guards scattered around the perimeter. It felt like everything had slowed down. The moment we stopped, Grayson was out of the car in an instant, his presence commanding and unwavering despite his injury.

He circled the car, moving fluidly despite the bandage on his side, and opened the door for me.

"Careful," I said, my voice softer than intended, as I extended my hand to him. "You need to take it easy. That injury isn't something you can just brush off."

He flashed me a brief, reassuring smile, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. "I'll be fine," he said, his tone steady, as if he'd heard it a thousand times before. "I've handled far worse."

I could tell he wasn't going to listen, so I didn't push it. He helped me out of the car, and we walked toward the mansion side by side. It loomed over us, grand and intimidating, yet somehow comforting in its familiarity.

Once inside, Grayson turned to me, his expression suddenly more serious. "Go get changed. I'm calling for a pack meeting. We need to make some things clear about how things will be moving forward."

I nodded without hesitation, already feeling the weight of his words settling in. But just as I was about to leave, Grayson called me back. His tone was different now, more subdued, as if the gravity of what he was about to say was finally catching up to him.

"Ava," he called quietly, his voice steady but filled with an underlying heaviness. "About the war you were talking about… the one we thought we were supposedly at the center of. This is it. This is the war. You need to understand that more people are going to die."

He paused, as if to ensure I understood. "There will be a lot of sacrifices to be made, and no matter how horrible, we will have to make them, or we will end up dead like the rest of them."