Chapter 818 - We have a problem. A very big one

Chapter 818: Chapter 818 - We have a problem. A very big one

Ravyn swallowed hard before beginning his explanation, his voice cautious and his words carefully chosen as he tried to clear up the misunderstanding.

"It’s not what you think. King Battal invaded our territory and attempted to kidnap the wolf princess. In the process, he nearly killed her nanny, which was why our king banned all Lycans from entering the wolf lands. I’m the only connection between him and Battal right now."

Matilda smiled as she took in his explanation, the tension in her shoulders gradually easing.

"You mean you’re spying on King Battal on behalf of the Alpha King?"

"Exactly," Ravyn confirmed, and both mother and daughter let out relieved sighs, their expressions softening now that they understood what was going on.

"I almost thought you were planning to tell him about us," Mary admitted.

"Never," Ravyn replied firmly, his gaze settling on Mary as he looked directly into her eyes, making sure she understood how sincere he was. "But that doesn’t mean my life is without complications. I’ve already spoken to our king, and you can stay at his pack until I sort out the mess I’m dealing with."

Mary frowned slightly, curiosity getting the better of her. "What kind of mess are you talking about?"

Ravyn was tempted to keep certain things to himself, especially when it came to the uglier parts of his past, because the last thing he wanted was to expose Mary and her mother to the complications of a life they knew nothing about.

Still, he had learned that hiding the truth only made things worse, and even if he chose not to tell them now, there was every possibility they would eventually discover everything on their own. He would rather they heard it directly from him than allow someone else to tell his story.

"Our queen is my ex-wife," he revealed. Mary sighed in relief, her body relaxing as she processed the information. "That only means you two aren’t together anymore."

Ravyn managed a small smile, although there was little happiness behind it. "That’s true, but there’s also a she-wolf who’s pregnant with my twins."

Mary’s expression changed immediately, the color draining from her face as her eyes widened in disbelief.

"No wonder you kept trying to avoid me. I thought it was because you were too busy."

Ravyn felt a pang of guilt as he watched her reaction, knowing that his earlier attempts to keep her at a distance had only made the situation more confusing.

He had promised himself that the new version of him would be built on honesty and transparency, even when telling the truth meant exposing the mistakes he would rather forget.

"Well, I deliberately took my card back after giving it to you. I wanted to sort out some personal problems before bringing you into my life."

Mary shook her head, her voice trembling as she struggled to come to terms with what he had just told her.

"A pregnant woman isn’t someone you can simply walk away from when she’s carrying your children. You should marry her." Her eyes became teary as she looked at him, her voice growing softer. "Is there any way to stop this strange thing I’m feeling for you?"

She glanced between her mother and Ravyn, visibly struggling with the emotions threatening to overwhelm her, but her mention of finding a way to break whatever connection existed between them unsettled Ravyn more than he cared to admit. The thought of losing her before they had even begun their relationship made his heart tighten with fear.

Unable to restrain himself, he pulled her into his arms, holding her close as he spoke with an urgency that surprised even him.

"You don’t understand, Mary. That woman is evil. She made me do things I deeply regret, and her fate has already been decided. She should have been banished a long time ago, but unfortunately, she was pregnant with my twins."

Mary struggled out of his embrace, trying to resist the pull of the mate bond and gather her thoughts before allowing her emotions to make the decision for her. "How long have you known her?"

"For most of my life. She was always making herself look helpless, and there was always one illness or another that made people feel sorry for her. Sera, my ex-wife, used to donate her blood to keep her alive, and even now, it’s Sera’s blood that’s preventing her from completely turning evil. That’s why I can’t welcome you into the pack just yet. Her wolf is evil, and once she gives birth, she’s supposed to be banished for her crimes, including the innocent people she’s killed."

"Killed?" Mary repeated, her eyes widening as her face turned pale. "She actually killed people?"

"Yes, and she even sent assassins after my ex-wife. She also caused a chemical explosion that left my ex-wife paralyzed, but throughout all those incidents, she always managed to make herself look like the victim, and I kept falling for it. By the time I finally discovered the truth, I had already lost everything."

His voice cracked slightly as he recalled the painful events, and for a moment, the weight of everything he had gone through was evident in his expression.

"I’m only just getting back on my feet and putting my pack in order. Don’t get me wrong, the king still supported me, partly because of our history and partly because I finally gave up trying to win my ex-wife back. I believe that’s why the Moon Goddess paired us together, and even though I don’t deserve someone like you, I promise I’ll do everything I can to make things right."

Mary didn’t know what to say. Her mind was racing, and her heart felt increasingly heavy as she tried to process everything Ravyn had revealed. His life was far more complicated than she had imagined, and the thought of becoming part of a family with so much history and unresolved pain left her uncertain about what she was getting herself into.

"I don’t know, Ravyn. I think we should put a hold on this for now." She lowered her gaze briefly before looking at him again, her voice gentle. "Those children... Why don’t you forgive their mother and..."

Ravyn’s expression darkened immediately, and his jaw tightened as his voice turned cold, leaving no room for misunderstanding.

"Don’t say things you know nothing about. Perhaps you should meet her before making that suggestion."

The sharpness in his response sent a chill down Mary’s spine, leaving her with an uneasy feeling she couldn’t quite explain. Before the conversation could become any more uncomfortable, Matilda stepped in, her voice gentle but firm enough to calm the situation.

"It’s alright, dear. If the Moon Goddess chose to pair the two of you despite that woman’s presence in his life, then I believe Alpha Ravyn deserves a chance."

Ravyn felt a warmth spread through his chest at her words, grateful that at least one of them was willing to look beyond the complications of his past and give him the opportunity to prove himself.

"Thank you. I’ll need to take care of a few things at the company, and Mary, you can also start working on your resignation."

Mary frowned, clearly unhappy with the suggestion. "I don’t want to quit my job. I need to go back and continue working."

Ravyn’s jaw tightened with frustration, although he tried to keep his voice controlled.

"If you want to work, Walkers Global Enterprise would be more than happy to have you, but I won’t be comfortable with you staying somewhere away from me. That’s why I wanted to give you some time before bringing you into my life, but somehow, you managed to find your way back to me, and now here we are. As mates, there’s a lot we need to learn about each other, and I don’t want us starting this relationship with unnecessary distance between us."

Mary stared at him, completely caught off guard by his insistence, her mind struggling to keep up with everything that had happened since she discovered their connection.

"I... I’ll think about it."

A few days later, Ravyn arrived at the Grimroot Pack with Mary and Matilda, and Quinn was practically over the moon when she saw Mary. Her face lit up with excitement as she hurried over to welcome her friend, wrapping her arms around her in a warm embrace.

Ravyn had expected a similarly warm reception from Voren, especially since he was finally bringing Mary to the pack, but the moment he saw the king’s expression, he realized something was wrong.

Voren looked unusually grim, his eyes dark with an expression that carried something close to dread, and the sight immediately put Ravyn on edge.

"Voren, is everything alright?" Ravyn asked, his voice tightening with concern.

Voren shook his head, his jaw firmly set as he looked at him. "No, Ravyn. We have a problem. A very big one."