Chapter 191

Ava’s POV

I’d always felt inadequate—not by choice, but because my parents had conditioned me to feel that way. Turning eighteen, this inadequacy transcended emotion; it became a defining truth. I lacked a wolf, feeling incomplete. But my incompleteness stemmed from my birth. I had a twin.

There was me, and then there was her. Born on the same day, a human sister.

“Ava?”

I hadn’t moved from where I’d nearly suffocated from a panic attack. I heard my name, but couldn’t respond. Not to the woman who’d lied my entire life, only now, after twenty-five years, revealing the truth: my birth was prophesied, the child destined to be the Alpha king’s fated mate.

But there were two of us.

My parents chose one, transferring the essence to her—otherwise, we both would have died. They chose one, performing a ritual that left the unchosen child hollow. My sister—the twin—was then stolen. They believed I was weaker, but they were wrong. I carried the essence. I was Grayson’s fated mate.

If I weren’t exhausted, if everything weren’t unraveling, if I weren’t terrified of losing my mind, I might have laughed. I might have laughed uncontrollably.

“Where is she? Who is she?” I whispered, forcing myself to look at my mother, though I couldn’t meet her eyes.

Evelyn Pierce, of all people, looked almost apologetic, truly sorry for treating me like a mistake. They thought they’d lost the child they wanted, and no matter what, I’d never be good enough. Always weak. Inadequate.

But I was the twin. The chosen one. Now, after all these years, she admitted she and my father were wrong. She’d realized it the night of the ball, and now, with everything that happened, it was clear I held the power.

“Is that why you never touched me? Because I wasn’t your choice? Is that why you detested me?”

“Ava—”

“Don’t say my name. Don’t ever say my name.” I stood, anger overriding all other emotions. “You treated me as if my existence was a mistake. You forced me to project perfection, but it wasn’t her perfection you craved, was it? You molded me into the person you expected her to be—the exceptional child, the chosen one. And now you tell me I was the chosen one, as if that makes it better?”

“You don’t—”

“Just shut up, Mother. Stop talking. Just shut up.”

She actually clamped her mouth shut; fear flickered in her eyes. I realized my claws were extended. Sighing, I retracted them, forcing myself to breathe before doing something regrettable.

So, my wolf was right. I was Grayson’s fated mate. But if true, why didn’t the bond break his curse when he marked me? Why?

I shook my head. Thinking about him now would cause my head to explode.

I needed to leave. I couldn’t bear another moment looking at her.

“Where are you going, Ava? In your condition?” she asked, reaching for me. Instinctively, my claws extended again, slicing her hand. Blood flowed. Her eyes widened in shock, mirroring mine, but anger consumed me.

“Stay away from me. I never want to see you or Father again.”

I ran, ending up in a park, collapsing on a stone bench. I closed my eyes, unsure of my feelings, only that I was tired. And angry. So angry.

My wolf stirred. I opened our mental link. ‘Did you know?’

Silence, then her voice resonated, “That you were his mate? Yes.” A subtle tone suggested she’d tried to tell me, but I hadn’t listened. Then, “I wasn’t aware of a twin.”

Silence, then my unspoken question reached her: ‘Why did you take so long to come to me?’

I’d never explicitly asked. My darker self believed it was because I was weak, my wolf powerful, and I wasn’t a strong enough counterpart.

‘Because you didn’t let me.’

That was her only reply before the link broke. She wasn’t one for long conversations.

I sighed, not bothering to ask for clarification. I knew she was done, and I was too tired to try.

“Dr. Pierce?”

Startled, I opened my eyes to see Mikayla and a boy her age, staring.

“Mikayla, hi,” I said, trying to sit straighter, wiping away the tears that had been constant for days. It was useless. I didn’t need a mirror to know I looked like a street urchin.

The boy turned to Mikayla. “I’ll see you tomorrow. Bye, Kayla.”

Mikayla blushed, then focused on me. She scanned me, and I didn’t try to hide my exhaustion. She sat beside me.

Silence. What was I supposed to say to a teenager whose mother I’d saved, who saw me as a shell of my former self?

Finally, she broke the silence. Her words were unexpected. “So, there was a bake sale at my school last week to raise money.”

I blinked, confused. “For what?”

She shrugged. “I don’t know. I still don’t really pay attention in school.” She grinned, and I smiled slightly.

Silence. Then, “So… do you want to tell me why you’re sitting in the middle of a park, crying and looking like you’ve been run over by a garbage truck at least three times?” She sniffed the air. “Make that six.”

I said nothing. She sighed, “Or I guess we could not talk about it.” Then, suddenly, “Come on, let’s go.”

“Where?”

“Well, for one, my mom would be very happy to see the woman who saved her life.”

A pang. I hadn’t saved her, Grayson had. I pushed it away.

“And for two,” Mikayla added, “No offense, but you’re kind of stinking up the place.”

I stared at her, then back toward where I’d run from. My hand instinctively went to my stomach. Another life. Another life growing inside me. I stood, feeling the weight of everything.

“We can walk,” Mikayla said matter-of-factly. “My house isn’t far.”

I nodded, following her in silence. It was better than staying there, amidst the lies and confusion.

Eventually, we reached a building. Mikayla said softly, “It isn’t much, but—”

The door swung open. Tessa stood there, healthier, more vibrant than the last time I saw her. Her eyes widened, but Mikayla spoke first.

“Mum, you remember Dr. Pierce. She’ll be staying with us for a while.”

I glanced at Mikayla, surprised, then Tessa smiled warmly. “For as long as she wants.”