Author Bの小説

Adrian's POVI was waiting outside Ava's bedroom door at dawn.When she finally emerged, still in her pajamas with her hair messy from sleep, she nearly jumped out of her skin."What are you doing?" she hissed, looking around nervously."Waiting for you." I held up a tray with her favorite breakfast, blueberry pancakes, fresh fruit, and the fancy vanilla latte she loved. "I wanted to make you breakfast."She stared at the tray, then at me. "Adrian,""I know you said you needed space. But I also said I was going to prove that you're my choice. This is me proving it." I offered her the tray. "Please. Just breakfast. That's all I'm asking."She hesitated, then took the tray with a sigh. "Fine. Breakfast. But then you leave me alone for the rest of the day.""Deal."We sat in the small sitting area outside her bedroom. Well, our bedroom. I watched as she took a bite of the pancakes, relief flooding through me when she hummed in appreciation."These are good," she admitted reluctantly."I

Adrian's POVI watched Ava climb out of my aunt's car, looking like a goddess in that obscene dress. Every protective instinct I had screamed at me to wrap her in a blanket and hide her from the world.She was mine. Had been mine for four years. No mate bond was going to change that."It's late, Adrian," she said tiredly. "I'm not doing this tonight.""You found your fated mate." I stood, blocking her path to the door. "Were you even going to tell me?""Why would I? You found yours and didn't hesitate to parade her around in front of me."The accusation stung because it was true. I'd been so caught up in the mate bond with Sophia that I'd neglected Ava. Pushed her aside like our four years together meant nothing."That was different.""How?" She laughed bitterly. "Because you're the Alpha and you can do whatever you want? Because your mate bond matters but mine doesn't?""Because I love you!" The words burst out of me. "I love you, Ava. Not Sophia. You."She flinched like I'd struck h

Ava's POVI wished the ground would open up and swallow me whole.Of all the ways I'd imagined meeting my fated mate, and trust me, I'd imagined plenty, projectile vomiting on him had never made the list."Oh god," I gasped, stumbling backward. "I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to…"The stranger held up a hand, stopping my rambling apology. His expression was unreadable as he looked down at his ruined jacket. Then, slowly, his eyes lifted to mine."You're my mate." It wasn't a question."I... yes. I think so. The scent..." I couldn't finish the sentence. My mind was reeling from everything that had just happened. Adrian's public humiliation, Sophia's lies, and now this."You're crying." He reached out like he was going to wipe my tears, then seemed to remember the vomit situation and dropped his hand."I'm having a really bad night," I said, voice breaking."Ava!" Adrian's voice echoed down the hallway. He was coming after me.The stranger's eyes hardened. "Someone's looking for you.""I n

Ava's POVThe week passed in a blur of avoidance and awkward silences.Adrian and I barely spoke. He spent most of his time with Sophia, showing her around the pack territory and introducing her to important pack members. I caught glimpses of them together, walking through the gardens, having lunch in his office, training in the gym. Always laughing, always touching.The mate bond was getting stronger. I could see it in the way he looked at her.I'd made up my mind to skip the gala entirely. The thought of watching them together all night was more than I could bear. But then Maya, Adrian's sister, had cornered me."Please come," she'd begged. "Aunt Catherine told me she invited you. If you don't go, Sophia wins completely. At least show her you're not running away with your tail between your legs.""That's exactly what I'm doing though.""Then stop. You're Ava freaking Morrison. You helped reorganize our entire pack structure. You single-handedly improved our relations with three neig

Ava's POVMorning came too quickly.I woke up alone, which was becoming a pattern. Adrian's side of the bed looked like it hadn't been slept in at all.After getting ready, I headed downstairs for breakfast. The dining room was already full. Adrian's parents, his younger sister Maya, and, of course, Sophia. The only person who looked genuinely happy to see me was Adrian's aunt Catherine, who patted the empty chair beside her."There you are, dear. I was beginning to think you'd sleep the whole day away."I slid into the seat, acutely aware of how Sophia had positioned herself in my usual spot next to Adrian. His mother, Luna Elizabeth, was beaming at the girl like she'd won the lottery."Sophia was just telling us about her pack," Elizabeth said. "Her father is Alpha of Grey Moon. Such a prestigious lineage."Unlike me, the unspoken words hung in the air. My parents had been ordinary pack members who died in a rogue attack when I was sixteen. Adrian's family had taken me in out of obl

Ava's POVThe ballroom glittered with a thousand lights, but all I could see was the way Adrian's eyes had changed when he walked in.Four years. We'd been together for four years. He chose me when everyone said a future Alpha needed his fated mate, not some ordinary pack member with nothing special about her. But Adrian had looked at me like I was his entire world and promised that no bond decreed by fate could be stronger than what we built together.I was stupid enough to believe him.Now I stood three feet behind him, watching as Sophia, his actual fated mate, practically threw herself into his arms. The crowd around us had gone completely silent, everyone holding their breath to see what would happen. The great Alpha Adrian finally meets his destined Luna at the annual Summit Ball.How romantic.My nails dug into my palms as I watched him freeze, his whole body going rigid. Then slowly, so slowly it felt like torture, his arms came up and wrapped around her waist.He didn't push