The Alpha King's Contracted Luna by Nelson Claudia

Chapter 24

Ava’s POV

“What did you just call us?” Isabella’s voice cut through the air like a blade, sharp and low, snapping me out of the spiral of thoughts swirling in my head. She was already on her feet, her posture tense and ready for a fight. Meanwhile, my mind was still trying to catch up with the bomb Monica had dropped.

Grayson had almost married her?

Why didn’t it happen?

Why was she back now?

The kiss that I had tried to push out of my mind suddenly felt heavier, more significant. The questions in my head multiplied, each one feeding my growing frustration. And yet, Monica just stood there, smiling at me like she had all the answers and was enjoying watching me scramble to find them.

“Are you even sure you are okay? If you insult me one more time, you will regret it” Isabella’s angry voice snapped me back to the present. I blinked, realizing that she and Elaine were already deep in a heated argument while Monica continued to look at me with that infuriating gleam in her eyes.

Everything was starting to make sense. Why she had that look of superiority in her eyes at his office? Why she knew that our encounters were far from over. Was it how it was going to be? A constant power play where she would be trying to get him back and then it suddenly hit me that I had only one year and then anything could happen between them.

I didn’t care. I shouldn’t care.

“You need to get something through that airhead of yours,” Isabella continued, stepping toward Elaine. “You don’t own this house. If anyone is a stray here, it’s you. Lilian is the one who’s going to be Luna, not some ex–fiancée.”

Monica let out a low, mocking laugh, joining the conversation like she had been waiting for her moment. “A lot can change in the span of two weeks. I mean, three days have already turned into two weeks.”

I shook myself out of my daze, finally turning to face her. “Whatever happened between you and Grayson in the past, whatever reason you broke up–that’s none of my business. But what IS my business is you throwing yourself at him now.”

Her smile grew wider, more condescending. “Oh, so she speaks.

I clenched my jaw, refusing to be drawn into her game. “I’m not doing this,” I said firmly, my voice steady despite the anger bubbling under the surface. “Isabella and I were here first. If you want to use the theater, you can wait until we’re done. But this conversation? This whole thing?” I waved my hand between all of us. “It’s over.”

told you she had a sense of entitlement. Like she actually matters here. Giving orders like she’s important, while the other one-” she flicked her gaze to Isabella, “-is just uncultured and

low and primal, the sound sending a shiver down my spine. Before I could stop her, she launched herself at Elaine, tackling her to the ground. Elaine yelped

to shift, but Isabella was relentless. Her hands gripped Elaine’s arms, holding her down as she landed another punch. The sound of flesh meeting

But then Monica moved.

of my eye, her stance shifting, her eyes darkening as her wolf threatened to surface. Panic

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L

21:56 Thu, Dec 12

Chapter 24

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shift into, no supernatural strength to rely on. But I wasn’t about to

the space between us in a heartbeat and

She whipped around to face me, and for a split

had taught me a few things about fighting werewolves, but nothing could really prepare you for facing one head–on–especially when you didn’t have the luxury

against her to knock her off balance. It worked, and she hit the floor with a thud, stunned for a moment. But I didn’t stop there. I did the only

at me, but I managed to dodge just in time. Her nails grazed my skin, leaving a burning sting in their wake. The pain shot through me, but I gritted my

able to hold her down for long. But I didn’t need long. I just needed to keep her from shifting, keep

voice rang out, cutting through the chaos. “What the hell is

We all froze.

in the doorway, his expression a mix of shock and confusion. His eyes scanned the room, taking in the scene–Isabella pinning Elaine to the floor, me straddling Monica, both of us breathing heavily, our hair

shove Isabella off her, scrambling to her feet and rushing over to Liam, her eyes wide with fake innocence. “They attacked us!” she

her mouth and nodded in agreement, her face flushed with anger. “We were just trying to be civil, but they-” she

of us. His eyes lingered on me for a moment, and I saw something shift in

he asked, his voice cold, detached. The kind of tone