The Alpha King's Contracted Luna by Nelson Claudia

Chapter 4

-Ava’s POV-

“What?”

The word flew out of my mouth before I could stop it the moment I recovered, and I shot to my feet so fast the chair toppled over with a loud crash. My heart was pounding in my chest, each beat louder than the last as I tried to wrap my head around what Alpha Grayson had just said.

The nerve–the absolute nerve of this man.

“How dare you?” My voice trembled, my anger almost choking me. “Do you think I’m some kind of cheap woman just because you-

The words got stuck in my throat, and I couldn’t even finish the sentence. I turned away from him, my fists clenching by my sides. “I should have known… You’re all the same.” My voice wavered, but I forced the words out. “Thanks for saving me from Dylan, but I’m out of here.

I started to walk away just as his voice cut through the room like a blade, calm and edged with a hint of irritation. “Ava.”

I stopped, the sound of my name hanging in the air. It wasn’t just the way he said it–it was the way it seeped into my bones, commanding, making me freeze on the spot. He didn’t raise his voice, didn’t shout, yet the authority in his tone was undeniable.

Turn around and sit down.”

I didn’t move.

I didn’t trust myself to even look at him then he said it again, this time with a tone that sent shivers down my spine. “Ava. Turn around, pick up the chair, and sit down.”

My body acted before my mind caught up. I found myself turning around, bending down to lift the chair, and sitting back down, as if his words were a spell I couldn’t break. My heart was still racing, my cheeks burning, but I forced myself to look at him.

His eyes were on me, a mixture of boredom and something else couldn’t quite place. He let out a small sigh, his expression hardly changing. The past few hours made me believe you’re a smart woman,” he said, his tone almost casual. “Td appreciate it if you didn’t change that perception”

His words stung more than they should have, and I looked away unable to meet the intensity in his gaze.

What the hell was happening here?

Why did he make me feel like this, like every emotion I had was on the verge of boiling

over?

unbothered by the chaos he’d just unleashed in my mind. “And I most certainly do not have any

back up, and I felt my entire body heat up at the bluntness of his words. The room felt

the offer?” I blurted out, hating how desperate and confused I sounded. There was

get the high–ranking members off my back about being mated.” His eyes narrowed slightly, and I could feel the weight of his stare. “Second, I’ll need

1/3

Chapter 4

silence stretched between us, heavy and suffocating. My mind raced,

my

single, devastating statement. “I have a

mouth opened, but no sound came out. I was too stunned, too shocked to form any coherent thoughts. He had said it so casually, as if he

he spoke again, “A watch said it is connected to a curse but I don’t believe in all that bullshit,” He paused for a moment, watching me, “I know

treat me.”

beat. For a moment, all I could do was sit there, staring at him in disbelief. My mind

my eyes, almost against my will, flickered down to his trousers–specifically that area. I immediately regretted it when I saw the faint curve of a smile on his lips. He’d caught me

mean–1 stammered, tripping over

should be

was I falling

meet his eyes again. His voice was like a caress, gentle but commanding “There’s no need to feel embarrassed because I’m

towards the window of his study with a calmness that felt almost surreal given the conversation we were having. I couldn’t take my eyes off him, the way he moved the confidence

say anything to own the room; he just

trace of embarrassment in his voice. “I know I’m asking a lot of you 1 understand that you’ll find this situation awkward, but I don’t plan on not giving you anything

and I swear my lungs stopped working. A moment ago, I was breathing just fine, now it felt like the air was too thick, too heavy. He was giving me that look,

just

took a moment

Anywhere in the world.

my own person, do whatever I wanted. No

show?” My voice trembled as I added, “And I

curving into that same seductive smile that made my face burn even hotter. He wasn’t even a little bit ashamed. I wished

it doesn’t work?”

between us. I was