The Alpha King's Contracted Luna by Nelson Claudia

Chapter 44

-Ava’s POV-

Nothing has ever stunned me to silence like Grayson’s words just did. The sheer intensity left me frozen, my mind struggling to process what he’d just admitted. We stared at each other, and I felt the seconds stretch into eternity befor managed to find my voice.

“LI.I’m…..”.

The words fumbled out in a stutter, barely audible. Grayson’s gaze hardened, and his entire presence shifted, the warm gone in an instant. Without another word, he turned away, grabbing his phone and jacket. He left the room as quickly: had torn down my defenses, leaving me staring at the empty space he’d filled just moments before

I flopped back onto the bed, a frustrated groan escaping me. His words echoed, flooding my mind: “I am prepare world burn to the ground before I let anything happen to you, and it’s driving me insane!”

A part

of me knew I should stay back and let him go, but I felt the pull–the need to face him, to understand what he m Within seconds, I was pushing myself off the bed, my feet carrying me through the hallways in search of him.

I had no idea where he’d gone, yet something drew me toward the pool, closed for the night. Just as I was about to cross boundary. I heard his voice, low and bored, as if he had been expecting me.

“There’s a clear sign that says the pool is closed, Ava

I closed my eyes, letting out a sigh. I could sense his presence behind me even without turning around. “You’re out here didn’t see a sign that exempts Billionaire Alpha Kings.”

I didn’t need to look to know he’d allowed himself a rare, brief smile. I took a deep breath, finally gathering the courage t face him. His cold gray eyes glinted under the moonlight, an unreadable expression on his face. For a moment, I caught t faint trace of the smile before his expression hardened again.

He pushed himself off the wall, his tone distant. “Go back inside. It’s cold. You’re already shaking.”

Wrapping my arms around myself, I felt the night’s chill more acutely, but I stayed where I was. “We need to talk about wh you said. About what happened.”

Without a word, he brushed past me, heading toward the edge of the pool. The silence that followed was weighted, a tense expectation that made my heart beat faster. He sat at the edge, fully clothed, dipping only his legs into the water. I followed sitting beside him and letting the cold water wash over my feet. Somehow, it mirrored the mix of warmth and cold that Grayson seemed to leave in his wake.

Finally, he spoke, almost to himself. “I keep wondering why you let people push you around for so long when there’s so much fire in you.”

took me by surprise, and I glanced at him, his profile shadowed in the moonlight. It was as if he wasn’t even speaking to me, but letting a stray thought escape. I sighed, mirroring

I was young, I followed my parents rules, did what was expected of me. It kept me safe, or so I thought. I hated it at times, but the idea of stepping off that path scared ine as much as it angered me. I

was silent for a long moment, staring into the dark pool. I decided to break the silence this time. “What

felt him tense beside

a strange ache in my chest. Whatever had happened with his

le

Fri, Dec

Chapter 44

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become. He continued to stare straight ahead, a silent fortress

me, and I mentally reminded myself to stop. Whatever he’d said, whatever rare emotion had broken through, it didn’t mean anything Getting involved with Grayson Blackwood was a losing game, and I couldn’t delude myse into

schedule for your sessions. That’s why we’re doing this, remember? It’s best we stay

searching for any reaction, but all I got was a stony silence as he looked straight ahead, his gaze as still and cold as the water before us. His jaw tightened, and

like he’d rehearsed it. “We’ll do the sessions twice a week. Afternoons.

sitting beside me. Now

you

brief and sharp. “Yes, that’s all

inside me. “You say one thing, and then act like it

you were the one who came out here.

me to snap. His

and now you’re acting like I’m just another employee on your payroll. What am I

unreadable. Finally, he let out a breath, his voice softer but still guarded. “That’s what I do, Ava. I protect what’s mine and as long as like the world believes you are my Luna, you qualify

blood and the words, no declaration of him calling me his came back with full force, “So that’s all this is. Your protection is just to keep up

he was struggling to keep a grip on himself, like he

“Ava, don’t push this.”

I shot back, frustration creeping into my voice. “Why won’t you just let yourself be… honest? If you’re

and then seemed to realize he’d let too much slip. His