Chapter 255

Ava’s POV

“Three days isn’t enough to get married,” I thought. Any sane person would agree. But this was Isabella. Arguing with Isabella was like wrestling the wind—futile and exhausting.

So, I smiled. “I’m not going to get a moment to breathe until then, am I?”

Her grin was radiant, her eyes sparkling with such joy it was almost blinding. “I’ll take the fact that you’re carrying my niece and nephew into consideration.”

I blinked. “How do you—”

Before I could finish, a familiar, exasperated sound came from behind me. Grayson. I’d almost forgotten he was there.

I turned, finding him still glaring at Isabella as if she were an especially bothersome insect. But when his gaze met mine, the ice melted. His expression softened, and a silent understanding passed between us. “I need to take care of some things,” he said.

I nodded. He leaned in, kissing me before turning to leave.

But Isabella, being Isabella, wasn't finished. “Hey! Aren’t you going to congratulate me?”

Grayson stopped and exhaled through his nose, giving me an almost weary look. I stifled a laugh. He turned slightly toward her and said dryly, “You two deserve each other.”

Isabella frowned. “I don’t like the way you said that.”

Grayson ignored her and continued walking.

Then, “Grayson.”

Her voice was softer now—not teasing, not demanding. “I’m glad you’re alive, by some insane miracle.”

The tension I’d felt when he walked away eased slightly. His gaze fell to the ring on her finger. A flicker crossed his face—perhaps nostalgia, or the weight of everything we’d been through.

Finally, he said, “Congratulations.”

And then he was gone.

Isabella let out an exasperated breath and turned to me. “See? No tone in that one.”

I laughed, taking her hand. The ring was enormous—ridiculously so.

“It’s huge.”

She grinned. “I know.”

I studied her, trying to process everything. “So you’re really getting married? In three days?”

She laughed breathlessly. “Can you believe it, Lilian? Someone actually wants to marry me.” Her eyes softened, becoming wistful. “And he’s my perfect match.”

Something in my chest ached. If anyone understood finding your perfect match, it was me.

But then, a shadow crossed her face. “You know I love you and need you,” she said quietly. “But I’ll start the planning myself. I’m guessing you need time to process all this. And then there’s your father…”

My father.

Who would never wake up.

Shit.

Guilt washed over me, sharp and suffocating. I felt like the worst daughter in the world. Even with all the secrets, all the betrayal, my mother was still hurting. I knew that pain intimately.

I needed to see her.

I nodded, my voice tight. “I should… I should go.”

Isabella gave me a knowing look but didn’t press. “I understand. I called Eliza, by the way. She’s not thrilled we missed her wedding, but she understands. Plus, I promised her a do-over bachelorette party, but I’m totally not doing that. Just between us.”

A small smile touched my lips. “I love you, Bels.”

She smirked. “I know you do. Now go.”

I kissed her cheek and left the mansion. The air buzzed; Omegas and everyone else stared, bowing their heads as I passed. The weight of what had happened hung heavy in the air, and I felt the whispers, the unspoken questions pressing against my skin.

But I smiled.

Then, as if summoned, Ivan appeared. He bowed slightly before meeting my gaze and smiling. “Luna.”

Something inside me steadied as I returned his smile. “I need to go to my parents’ house.”

He nodded, unhesitating. Solid and unwavering. I climbed into the car, placing a protective hand on my stomach as the reality of everything crashed over me in waves.

Grayson was alive. The curse was broken. Isabella was getting married.

My father would never wake up.

By the time the car stopped in front of my childhood home, my chest felt hollow. The house loomed, unchanged yet utterly unfamiliar. I’d spent years wanting to escape, and now I was willingly returning.

I took a slow breath, thanked Ivan, and stepped out. The heaviness intensified as I crossed the threshold. Omegas moved about, glancing at me before bowing respectfully. I barely acknowledged them, heading straight to my father’s room. That’s where he would be for the rest of his life. And eventually, we would bury him, shattering my heart again.

A familiar voice stopped me. “I thought it was you when I felt that wave of energy,” Raina said. Her voice was unmistakable. “I guess whatever happened at his tombstone happened for a reason,” she added.

I swallowed, turning to face her. “Grayson is alive. And yes, the curse is broken.”

She studied me, then smiled sadly. “Your father isn’t there. He’s with the healers.”

I blinked. “Oh. And my mother?” I hesitated. “Where is she?”

Raina exhaled. “She’s out by the lake. She’s lost.” I knew what she meant. I knew that kind of lost.

Raina shifted. “When you see her… tell her I said goodbye.”

I stilled. “You’re leaving?”

She nodded, her expression unreadable. “My time here is over. But don’t worry—we’ll meet again soon. For now, you have bigger things to deal with.”

Her voice tightened my throat. She turned to leave, but I stopped her and hugged her. “I’m glad you’re family,” I whispered. “I’m glad I got to meet you.”

She hugged me back. “Me too, Ava. Now go. Help your mother find her way back.”

I stepped back, nodding. I would find my mother, but first, I needed to see my father. I turned toward the healers’ quarters. The air inside was thick with the scent of herbs and something else—something old, like the remnants of a long-past battle.

Only Camilla, the head healer, was there. She smiled, her sharp eyes softening as she took me in. She hugged me, and I held on tighter than intended before stepping back. My gaze fell on the bed.

There he was. Luther Pierce. The all-powerful Alpha, who had commanded with an iron will, who had shaped me, who had loomed over my childhood. Now, he was just a man, unconscious, stripped of his power, his presence fragile. His imposing figure had withered, his sharp features softened by time and stillness. The strength he’d carried was gone.

Camilla exhaled quietly. “I’ll give you a moment.”

I nodded, my throat tight, and sat beside his bed. For a long time, I just stared at him. At the man I’d feared, hated, and fought. My hands moved on their own, settling over his, my bones shaking from the contact.

“You fit the expression ‘the mighty have fallen’,” I murmured. “Years ago, I would have been happy. But I’m not happy now.”

I sucked in a breath, my chest tightening. “I’m so mad at you. So mad. For the lies, the secrets, the control. And I’m even madder that you lying here prevents me from feeling that anger fully. You’re supposed to be awake, trying to make up for everything. This isn’t how it’s meant to be.”

My grip tightened, my vision blurring.

“But you’re never going to wake up,” I whispered, my voice cracking. “And there’s no difference between that and being dead.”