The Alpha King's Contracted Luna by Nelson Claudia

Chapter 14

-Ava’s POV

My head was pounding. Every inch of my holy felt like it had been dragged through hell, and I could barely think straight. Everything was just crashing down on the all at once, and the presstire was unbearable. I wanted to scream, but all I could do was sit there, frozen in place, as if somehow doing nothing would make the storm swirling in my mind stop.

I had walked out on my father, and I had no intention of speaking to him anytime soon.

Not that it would matter. He never listened to me anyway,

“This place is freaking huge!” Isabella’s voice snapped me out of my trance, her laughter echoing through the room Grayson had given me. I blinked, confused by her presence. I hadn’t even heard her come back in.

“I thought you left, I said, staring at her with a frown.

Isabella paused halfway to the bed, looking at me like I’d grown a second head. “I left?” she echoed, clearly puzzled.

“Yeah,” I replied, rubbing my temples. “Remember? You were supposed to go home, and I was going to talk to Grayson Then I’d call you afterward to tell you how it went?”

She burst out laughing. “Oh, that. Totally forgot about that.” She lifted her hand, revealing a bottle of wine. “Look what I found in the bar.”

sighed, exasperated. “Bels, you can’t just go rummaging through people’s houses and stealing their wine. And wait–there’s a bar in this place?”

She grinned, knowing exactly how to push my buttons. “Yup. Well, I was going to leave, but I kind of got lost, and then I decided to explore. You know, this place has, like, everything. I guess that’s what happens when you’re a billionaire.”

“Excuse me? Billionaire? Who?”

She shot me a look. “Grayson Blackwood. Did you seriously not know?”

I stared at her, my mind struggling to process that bit of information. Sure, I knew Grayson was rich, but I had no idea he was billionaire–rich. My thoughts drifted back to him, and I let out a deep sigh, feeling the weight of everything all over

again.

Isabella sat down on the bed, her face softening

ng with concern. “Take it the talk

talk didn’t go so well?”

a long swig before handing it back. We both knew it wasn’t a good habit, but it was one of those things we did–our

“He won’t let me go, at least not for the next

of it?” she asked,

turning to look

because of their egos.

threats flying around, Bels. My father could end up dead if I just sit back

unimpressed. “Well, maybe that’d solve half your problems. Throw your mother in the

13

Chapter 14

finally get some

though there was a

hands in mock surrender, laughing “Okay, okay, hard timing for that joke. But come on, you know I’m right Your father’s an asshole, and your mother–well, don’t get

sigh of the day, bracing myself

muttered, answering

you, Ava?” Her voice was cold, disapproving as always. “Not only have you abandoned your husband, but now you’re associating with a man with a vile reputation who insulted your father? Have you

worse than my father, and right now, the last thing I wanted was another lecture from her. But it didn’t matter what I wanted. She always found

demanded. “You had plenty to say to your father earlier. Now get to

up. No room for arguments. No concern for what I was

sud, her voice sharp with irritation. “What’s the worst that could happen?

at me. She was just frustrated with how much control my parents had over me, how I kept letting them pull me into their toxic world.

over to the wardrobe. “I need to go,” I

actually going to see her,”

it’ll just get

tonight, and the first thing out of her mouth wasn’t “Are you okay?‘ but ‘Come see me now? It’s after 10 p.m. for Goddess sake,

groaned, but she

since yesterday. You almost died in a fire, and instead of taking care of yourself, you’re letting

need

me for years. And yet, I still couldn’t break free of the hold my

with you. We’re going to steal a couple more bottles, laugh like maníacs, talk crap about that asshole Dylan, and yeah, we’ll even talk about how hot Graysons–because let’s be honest, he’s hot, how you’re going to survive this year without one of us jumping him and how you are going to

crept onto my face despite the exhaustion weighing me down. “Yeah, I understand.” “Good,” she smiled, her voice softening. “Now come

2/3

Chapter 14