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ke''s POV
The drive back to ckwood Manor passed in a blur of quiet conversation and
careful reunion. I''d provided William with fresh clothes-a dark suit that fit him
well, restoring some of the dignity prison had tried to strip away. In the rearview
mirror, I watched him hold Sarah''s hand like a lifeline, both of them still adjusting
to the reality of freedom.
"ke," William said as we approached the manor grounds, "I owe you more than
I can ever repay."
"You don''t owe me anything," I replied, meaning it. "This was about justice."
And about proving to Ava that she chose the right man to trust with her heart.
"Still," William continued, "what you''ve done for my family... for Ava..." He
paused, choosing his words carefully. "She''s spoken of you often during her
visits. I can see why she chose you."
The casual way he said it-chose you-made my chest tight with emotion. Not
"settled for'' or ''ended up with, but chose. As if she''d had every option in the world
and picked me anyway.
"I chose her too," I said quietly. "In fact, if you''re willing, I''d like to speak with you
privatelyter. There''s something important I want to discuss."
In the mirror, I saw understanding dawn in William''s eyes. Sarah squeezed his
hand, her face lighting up with joy.
"I''d be honored, William said, and the formal words carried the weight of tradition
and blessing.
Almost there. We were almost at the finish line of this nightmare, almost to the
beginning of something better.
The manor came into view, its stone walls golden in thete afternoon sun. Home.
For all of us now.
Ava''s POV
I was going to wear a hole in the bedroom carpet if I didn''t stop pacing soon.
They should be here by now. I checked the antique clock on the mantle for the
tenth time in five minutes. ke said an hour, and it''s been an hour and twenty
minutes. What if something went wrong? What if the Hayes family had more tricks
up their sleeves?
The rational part of my brain knew I was being ridiculous. ke was the Alpha
King, surrounded by the best guards in the territory. He could handle whatever the
Hayes family threw at him. But the daughter part-the part that had spent six
months terrified I''d never see my father free again-couldn''t quite believe it was
really over.
A soft knock interrupted my spiral of worry. Sophia peeked through the door,
holding a pale blue dress that looked like it cost more than my entire wardrobe
back in Shadow Creek.
"How about this one?" she asked, stepping fully into the room. Her face still bore
faint bruises from our fight with Jackson, but her eyes held a warmth I hadn''t
seen in months.
It''s strange, I thought, epting the dress. A few days ago she hated me, and
now she''s helping me get ready to see my parents. How quickly everything can
change when the truth finallyes out.
"It''s beautiful," I said, running my fingers over the soft fabric. "But isn''t it a little...
fancy? I just want Dad to see that I''m okay, that I''m happy."
Sophia''s smile was gentle, understanding. "Trust me, this is perfect. You want to
look like the Luna you''re about to be, not like you ve been hiding in the
shadows."
Lung. The title still felt surreal, like trying on clothes that were too big. But
looking at Sophia''s encouraging expression, I felt a flutter of
confidence. Maybe I could grow into it.
I changed quickly, my hands shaking slightly as I smoothed the dress over my
hips. In the mirror, a stranger looked back-poised, elegant, someone who might
actually belong at an Alpha King''s side. The golden mark on my neck glowed
softly against the dress''s neckline, visible proof of my bond with ke.
"You look perfect," Sophia said, and I could tell she meant it. "Dad''s going to be so
proud."
The front door burst open downstairs, followed by Lucas''s excited shout: "MOM!
They''re here! Grandpa''s really here!
My heart stopped, then started racing double-time. This is it. Dad''s really free.
He''s really here.
I started toward the door, then froze, suddenly terrified. What if prison had
changed him? What if he didn''t approve of my choices? What if-
"Ava." Sophia''s hand on my arm stopped my spiral. "Go. Your family is waiting."
Family. The word epassed so much more now-not just Dad and Sarah, but
ke and Lucas and even Sophia. Aplex web of love and loyalty that had
somehow survived everything Jackson tried to destroy.
I squared my shoulders and headed for the stairs.
The grand staircase had never felt so long. Each step brought the voices in the
foyer closer, more real. ke''s deep tone, Sarah''s gentle murmur, and
underneath it all, a voice I''d missed desperately for months.
Dad.
When I reached thending and looked down into the foyer, time seemed to stop.
There he was-thinner than I remembered, hair more gray than brown now, but
unmistakably him. The man who''d taught me to fight, who''d read me bedtime
stories, who''d never once made me feel like anything less than his real daughter
despite theck of blood between us.
Our eyes met across the space, and his face transformed with pure joy.
"My little warrior," he said, opening his arms.
I flew down the remaining steps and crashed into his embrace, breathing in the
familiar scent that meant safety and home. Months of worry and fear dissolved in
an instant.
"Dad," I whispered against his shoulder, tears streaming down my face. "You''re
really free. You''re really here."
His arms tightened around me, and I felt him shaking slightly with emotion. "I''m
here, sweetheart. I''m not going anywhere ever again."
When we finally pulled apart, I turned to Sarah. She stood a few feet away,
wringing her hands nervously, guilt written across her features.
"Ava," she started, "I know you must be angry that I stayed with the Hayes family
instead of-"
I crossed to her and pulled her into a hug, cutting off her apology. "You look thin," I
said simply. "You''ve been taking care of everyone but yourself."
She melted against me, months of tension leaving her body. "I''m so sorry," she
whispered. "I should have trusted your instincts about Jackson.
"We all did what we thought was right," I replied, meaning it. She''d chosen to stay
close to Dad, I''d chosen to find the truth. Different paths, same destination.
"What matters is we''re all together now."
Over Sarah''s shoulder, I saw ke watching us with that soft expression that still
made my heart skip.
Dad cleared his throat, stepping toward ke with dignity restored. "Alpha King, I
can never thank you enough for what you''ve done," he said formally.
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Chapter 199: Unshackled Hearts
ke''s response made my chest warm with pride: "This was all Ava''s doing. She
never stopped fighting for you, never stopped believing in your
innocence."
Watching these two men-my father and my mate-show mutual respect filled me
with a contentment I''d never experienced. This was what family was supposed to
feel like.
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