The Alpha King's Contracted Luna by Nelson Claudia

Chapter 28

-Ava’s POV

The moment I found the perfect dress after Grayson’s impromptu declaration that I was going to the ball with him, I stared at myself in the mirror and smiled. The deep blue gown hugged my body in all the right places, the silky material shimmering under the soft lighting. The off–shoulder neckline revealed just enough skin to be alluring, while still remaining elegant. It was adorned with delicate silver beading that caught the light, adding an ethereal glow to the entire ensemble. My hair, styled into loose waves, cascaded down my back, a few strands framing my face. I’d chosen simple, yet elegant, diamond earrings and a matching bracelet. I had always known was beautiful, but tonight… tonight I felt different. Lighter. Freer.

Like something inside me was about to shift, though I couldn’t bite place what. Isabella had left after I told her how I got scolded which she found funny and now it was just me.

Strangely looking forward to tonight.

This night was going to be perfect. After all, I was going to a ball with a king.

That night of perfection washed down the drain the moment my eyes landed on my parents. Why hadn’t I thought they would be here? Maybe it was because I didn’t even know whose ball it was, and I figured Grayson wouldn’t be linked to them in any way. But there they were. Standing at the entrance of the hall, dressed in their usual lavish attire, looking down at me like I was something beneath them.

Grayson, sensing the shift in my mood, pulled me closer to him. His touch sent a wave of warmth through my body, but it did little to calm the storm brewing inside me, My heart pounded in my chest, and I could feel my breath quicken.

The four of us–Grayson, my parents, and I–stood there, staring at each other, the tension thickening by the second.

“You won’t greet your parents, Ava? Is that how we raised you?” My mother’s voice cut through the air like a blade, cold and sharp. Her words dripped with superiority, as if I were nothing more than an embarrassing inconvenience.

I clenched my fists, resisting the urge to roll my eyes. I had had it with this “how you were raised” nonsense. They didn’t raise me–they controlled me. There was a difference.

“I thought I wasn’t your daughter anymore,” I replied, my voice steady but edged with bitterness. “You two disowned me, remember? I believe it goes both ways, so technically, you’re not my parents anymore.”

From the corner of my eye, I saw Grayson smile. A small, approving smirk that told me he liked my defiance. I stood straighter, feeling a surge of confidence. But that confidence wavered as I saw the way my father glared at me, his eyes burning with anger.

“Watch your tone or else,” he growled, his voice low and menacing. It was the voice that had always made me shrink back as a child, the one that taught me to be obedient, silent, compliant.

Before I could say anything else, Grayson finally spoke up. His voice was cold, commanding, and the air seemed to shift around us, the power in his tone undeniable.

“I won’t take kindly to anyone threatening my Luna.”

My father’s face twisted into a sneer,

“Please. This little rebellion of hers won’t last. She’ll come running back to

way of making me feel like a

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Chapter 28

if she knew better, if she was untouchable. And yet, a part of me–the part

He was standing up for

His eyes darkened as they fixed on my mother, who had the nerve to keep looking at him like

arrogance on full display. “You may think you’re powerful,” he spat, “and just

my father, his presence cold, dangerous, like a predator sizing up its prey. “I’m

me. I have entertained

his sides, but even he wasn’t stupid enough to challenge Grayson

boring into mine, a smirk tugging at the corner of her lips. “Enjoy your little rebellion while it lasts, Ava,” she said softly, her

to scream. I wanted to tell her that I wasn’t the girl they could control anymore, that I wasn’t going to fall back into their grasp yet the words got stuck in my throat, choking

spoke, his tone even and final, “She won’t be coming back to you. Not ever. So you might as well let go of whatever

and I could see the flash of anger in her eyes before she masked it with her usual icy

see. We

behind, and they disappeared into the crowd, leaving

been holding, my entire body trembling with a mixture of anger, fear, and relief. Grayson’s hand remained on my waist, his grip firm

else to say. My parents had a way of ruining everything,

apologize for,” Grayson’s voice softening slightly as he looked down at

that we’d been arguing until his hand brushed my skin, the heat of his touch suddenly feeling more intense now that we were standing alone. The awareness of it sent a flush to my cheeks, and I instinctively moved away from his hold

Ava!“.

across his face. Without thinking, I smiled back, stepping forward to hug him. “Uncle Damien!

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