The Alpha King's Contracted Luna by Nelson Claudia

Chapter 53

-Ava’s POV-

I felt him everywhere.

His presence, his touch, his kiss–each seemed to linger in my very core, filling up every hollow part I hadn’t even realized was empty. Kissing wasn’t supposed to feel like this. Kissing someone had never felt like this. For what felt like an eternity, time itself paused. It was like something out of a cheesy movie, but it was real–startlingly, overwhelmingly real. All my instincts were screaming at me to stop, to pull away, to remember this wasn’t supposed to happen, but all of it faded the moment he deepened the kiss. And before I knew it, I was kissing him back.

But of course, he had to open his mouth and ruin it, reminding me that I was just being stupid.

Why had I kissed him back?

Even worse, Isabella hadn’t shut up about it since we got in the car. She chattered away beside me, her excitement bouncing off the walls as we headed to her place. Meanwhile, Eliza followed us in her car, after I grabbed the dress and told her Grayson had given her the rest of the day off. It was a Saturday, after all–she deserved at least that much.

I was trying to focus on Isabella’s enthusiastic rambling, but then something caught my attention. “Wait! Damn it, I didn’t even think about work. I’m supposed to start tomorrow, and considering I haven’t even begun, I doubt they’ll be too understanding if I call in already asking for time off again.”

Isabella shrugged, eyes still on the road. “I’m sure Grayson would—”

“No,” I cut her off, shaking my head. “I’m not asking him to do anything. It’s not a real marriage, anyway. There’s not going to be a honeymoon or anything. I’ll just show up to work as planned. If anyone recognizes me and asks, I’ll make something up about my ‘passion for saving lives‘ outweighing the ‘need to lounge around doing nothing“”

“Which is true,” she pointed out with a grin. “Your zeal actually does outweigh it.”

I sighed, feeling the weight of the entire ridiculous situation pressing down on me. Isabella threw me a quick look. “So, you ready to talk about why you’re sulking after that… rather explosive kiss?”

“There was nothing explosive about it,” I replied, my tone sharper than I intended. “It was for show.”

“Oh,-please.” She rolled her eyes. “That man has probably trained himself to reject anything that feels remotely like

emotion, and even I, as the self–appointed relationship expert, can tell you that the ‘just for show‘ excuse was his little safety net. You don’t kiss someone like that if you don’t feel something

exactly did you become a relationship expert?” I muttered. “You’ve been in, what, two relationships in your whole life? And they

the memory. “Deservingly so. But that’s

rushing back, echoing in my mind, and how at the pool, he walls he’d so carefully constructed around himself were there again, towering and impenetrable. I massaged my

change the subject. “When we get to your place, let’s keep it quiet on the werewolf talk and no accidental slip up about this being a fake marriage,” I said. “Eliza’s

But we do need to figure out what’s going on with you and

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Dec 15 G

Chapter 53

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told myself I didn’t need a counterpart–that not having that part of me was somehow okay. But now, knowing that she might actually be there, hidden inside me…

Isabella’s house, Eliza’s eyes widened as she took it all in. “Wow, Isabella, this

then go over the game plan for tomorrow. Hair, makeup, and we still need to find bridesmaid dresses. Don’t worry, we’ll

at the corners of my lips. We made our way inside, and the three of us settled down, Eliza fitting in with us instantly makujg it feel a bit more like an actual trio of friends and for the first time in days, I felt

next to her. “Alright, what

eyes lighting up with curiosity. “I’m really curious. How did you guys even meet? And is this like.….. one of those whirlwind

small smile tugging at my lips. “I’d just moved back, and my parents insisted I make an appearance. The place was filled with business types and old family friends. Then, out of nowhere, there he was. He’s hard to miss. Standing in the

forward, eyes wide. “And? Was there a

you can call it that. There was something, but Grayson… he’s not the kind of guy who’s open with people, especially not at some party, Made of stone, that one. I tried to make small talk, but he was practically immune to it so that was it. I ended up with someone else but that didn’t end well and a while back, I was working a late shift at the hospital when he came in and I still don’t know why he was there that night but that was the start of it. Grayson isn’t exactly the kind of guy who warms up, and I guess I wasn’t expecting him to. But somehow, it just… happened. The world might think we’re moving too fast, but everything with him, even in those early days,

he’s actually really sweet behind all that coldness,” I added quickly, glancing away as if my

smile deepened, while Eliza let out a dreamy sigh, her face a blend of excitement and disbelief.

fabricated story tugged at my heart. “Well, that side

Isabella teased with a smirk, elbowing

didn’t know where all of that came from but now that I had started the line of thoughts,

Isabella’s eyes and quickly looked away. It’s not