Chapter 81

-Ava’s POV-

I didn’t even realize when the phone slipped from my hand, the world around me coming to a standstill. Grayson’s eyes were already on me, but before he could say a word, Darien’s voice crackled through the car: “Little dove, are you there? He survived the attack. Your father is alive.”

My heart froze mid-beat. “What?” I choked out, fumbling to bring the phone closer to my ear.

Darien sighed, his usual humor tinged with weariness. “I’m sorry, I should have been clearer. Your father was attacked, and we’re certain it’s the same person targeting Alphas. But Luther’s stronger than I gave him credit for.” He paused, and I could almost hear the faint smirk in his voice. “He’s alive. I was just calling to let you know. I figured the Pierces, with all their pride, wouldn’t bother.”

As I prepared to hang up, Darien spoke again. “Ava, I know your father can be… difficult. But I’ve known him long enough to say this: he’d appreciate hearing from you, even if his pride won’t let him admit it.”

Relief crashed over me like a wave, and I sagged against the seat. “Thank you, Uncle Darien. Really, thank you.”

I swallowed hard. My father’s pride was infamous, a fortress of stubbornness that often turned even the simplest acts of kindness into battles. Still, I found myself asking, “Where is he?”

“The compound,” Darien replied. “That’s where the attack happened. He’s still there, but I heard he managed to strike one of the attackers down. The man’s with him now.”

Before I could respond, the car swerved slightly. I turned to Grayson, whose jaw was tight, his eyes fixed on the road. His werewolf hearing meant he’d caught every word. I didn’t even need to ask what he was doing when he announced, “We’re going to your father’s compound. Now.”

I sighed, not bothering to argue. Grayson was a force of nature, and when he made up his mind, there was no stopping him. “Fine,” I muttered. “But, for the love of all things holy, please don’t pick a fight with him.”

He surprised me with a curt nod. “I’ll try. But your father had better not push me.”

We drove in tense silence, the air between us thick with unspoken words. When we neared the compound, I leaned toward him. “We’re almost there. Just… please keep calm.”

Grayson didn’t respond; his grip on the steering wheel tightened.

At the gates, the first thing that could possibly go wrong did. Two of my father’s men, Nathan and Victor, stepped forward. They were familiar faces, men I’d grown fond of over the years, but they looked less than welcoming.

Nathan’s stern expression softened the moment he saw me. “Hi Ava,” he greeted warmly before his gaze shifted to Grayson, hardening into steel. “We can’t let you in.”

Grayson bristled beside me, his energy shifting from tense to outright menacing. “What?” he growled, his voice low and dangerous.

“They have direct orders,” I interjected quickly, placing a calming hand on his arm. His fiery gaze dropped to where my fingers rested, then back to my face. I smiled gently, silently pleading for patience. “Let me handle this.”

Reluctantly, Grayson leaned back in his seat, his jaw ticking in frustration. I stepped out of the car and approached Nathan and Victor, determined to defuse the situation.

Nathan’s lips curved into a lopsided smile. “You know your smile is my kryptonite, Ava.”

I couldn’t help but laugh softly, shaking my head. “Come on, Nathan. You know me. You know I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t important.”

Victor crossed his arms, his expression less amused. “Your father will have our heads if we disobey his orders. Don’t make us do this, Ava.”

“Please,” I begged, my voice soft and imploring. “I just need to see him. He was attacked. Don’t you think I deserve to check on him? You’ve known me since I was a kid. Would I ask this if it wasn’t important?”

Nathan exchanged a look with Victor, his resolve wavering. Finally, he cursed under his breath. “Fine. But you owe us for this, Ava. Big time.”

“Thank you,” I breathed, gratitude washing over me as they begrudgingly opened the gates. I turned and climbed back into the car, relief flooding my veins.

But Grayson didn’t move.

I glanced at him, confused. “What’s wrong?”

His hands gripped the steering wheel, but his glare was fixed firmly on Nathan and Victor, who were now standing to the side. His jaw was clenched, his breathing heavy. I instantly understood.

“You can’t be serious,” I said, a laugh bubbling out before I could stop it. “They’re in their mid-forties, Grayson. Both married. Both have kids.”

“That doesn’t mean they should flirt with you,” he snapped, his voice low and growly. “Next time, they can smile at their mates, not at you.”

I couldn’t help it—I laughed, hard enough that my sides ached. “Grayson, are you jealous? Of Nathan and Victor?”

His glare darkened, but the faint blush creeping up his neck betrayed him. “Just drive,” I teased, resting my hand on his. “And for the record, I think it’s cute.”

Grayson grumbled something under his breath, but he finally shifted the car into gear. And for all his growling and posturing, there was something undeniably sweet about his possessiveness, and I couldn’t help but smile as we passed through the gates.

I stepped out of the car and, without even thinking, I grabbed the handle and pulled it open, stepping inside the compound without knocking. As the door creaked behind me, I froze. The moment the decision left my hands, I realized what I had done. I immediately turned, ready to fix my mistake, but before I could reach for the door to close it, I saw Grayson was already walking in, so I followed him.

I stopped suddenly, uncertain. I didn’t know where my father was, and I didn’t want to look like a fool wandering the halls. As I opened my mouth to ask one of the omegas where he might be, I heard the sharpness of my mother’s voice cut through the silence.

“What are you doing here?”

I tensed immediately. Both Grayson and I turned at the same time, and there she was—my mother. She stepped into the hallway, her posture rigid, her usual polished appearance replaced by a more disheveled look. There was no time to prepare for this confrontation. I forced a smile, but it didn’t reach my eyes.

“Hi—”

She didn’t let me finish. “What part of you being no longer a Pierce do you not understand? You should never have been allowed in here.”

Her gaze shifted to Grayson, sharp and unwavering. “And you? You are not welcome in this house.”

The anger that was bubbling inside me threatened to boil over, but I noticed the subtle shift in Grayson. His jaw tightened, his body stiffened, and I knew that if I didn’t intervene, he was about to snap. I reached out and gently took his hand, hoping to ground him before things escalated.

To my surprise, he didn’t pull away. He let me hold his hand, and I felt his tension slowly dissipate, though I knew it was still there, simmering under the surface. I looked back at my mother, forcing my voice to remain steady, calm.

“We didn’t come here to fight, Mother. Father was attacked. I just want to check on him. And Grayson”—I nodded toward him—“he wants to ask the man who attacked him some questions. That’s all. Please, can you just take a moment and put aside the animosity between us?”

My mother’s gaze flickered to our joined hands. There was a flash of something—surprise—as if the weight of the situation was starting to sink in. She blinked, but quickly regained her composure.

“Your father isn’t taking visitors, and considering the fact that the man was caught in our compound, we’re under no obligation to let him,” she said, turning her cold eyes toward Grayson. “Or anyone else speak to him. Now leave.”

I could feel the irritation rising in my chest, and it broke free before I could stop it. “Grayson is the Alpha King. Whether you or Father like it or not, he is superior to every single person in this faction, including you. You will show him respect. And we will speak to the man who attacked him with or without your consent. I’m going to check on Father, and that’s the end of it.”

Her eyes narrowed, fury bubbling up in her like a wave threatening to crash. She opened her mouth, ready to argue, before she could utter another word, I spoke again, this time with more authority, a statement that I never thought would feel so right.

“I am the Luna to the Alpha King. And I’m telling you, this conversation is over.”

For the first time, I saw a flicker of something in her eyes. It was as if the realization had finally hit her—something fundamental had shifted. I no longer stood before her as her daughter. I stood before her as the Luna, the woman who held more power than she ever would.

Her mouth hung open for a second, caught somewhere between surprise and disbelief. She didn’t know how to respond to that. And in that silence, I felt Grayson’s pride fill the room. It was as if the air around us had thickened with his presence, with his authority. He didn’t say a word. He simply stood there, watching me, his fingers gently tightening around my hand.

Before I turned to leave, I heard it. My father’s voice. It was strained, almost harsh, but unmistakable.

“You really have some nerve.”

I froze. Slowly, I turned, my heart dropping in my chest as I took in the sight of my father standing there. His condition was worse than I had expected—battered, bruised, his face a testament to the violence he had endured. But his eyes, they were cold as he looked at Grayson.

Before anyone could speak, my father’s voice rang out again, the accusation hitting me like a punch to the gut.

“You dare come into my home after sending men to kill me?”

I could feel the blood drain from my face. “What?”

My father’s glare turned to me, a mixture of contempt and disbelief in his gaze. “You’re in on it, aren’t you? You knew. You helped him send those assassins to kill Alphas all around. The man confessed. The person behind the attacks is none other than our Alpha King himself.”