The Alpha King's Contracted Luna by Nelson Claudia

Chapter 59

-Ava’s POV-

Weddings were supposed to mark the beginning of a happily ever after, a fairytale of love and promises. But here, it felt like the start of an eternity filled with blood and shadows. The memory of what happened to Luca burned in my mind, knowing Grayson would want revenge for what had taken place here tonight. And when Grayson wanted revenge, there was no force strong enough to stop him.

I gave

I sighed deeply as we ushered the last of the guests out, doing our best to reassure them that everything was fine. Liam; me a single, unreadable glance before slipping out in silence.

Now it was just us–Isabella, Eliza, Rickon, and me. The remnants of my so–called wedding lay scattered around us, tainted by violence and secrets that no one should have had to witness on a day meant for vows and new beginnings

“Well, that was eventful,” Rickon drawled, breaking the silence with his usual casualness “Officially the best wedding I’ve ever been to.”

Isabella rounded on him, crossing her arms with a glare. “Do you ever know when to stop? This could have ended a lot worse, and here you are cracking jokes.”

He returned her glare with equal intensity. “Maybe if you weren’t so uptight, you’d appreciate a little humor. Besides, you should be thanking me–my antidotes are what saved the day.”

She scoffed, rolling her eyes. “First of all, I’m not uptight. Second, we saved your ass back there, and it was the witch who saved the day, not your little potions.”

Rickon gave her an exaggerated eye roll before retorting, “I was going to stick around, maybe even bond with my gal pals. but you’ve officially ruined it.”

Eliza raised an eyebrow, amused. “You don’t even know me, and who even says ‘gal pals?”

Rickon’s eyes flashed with irritation before he finally turned to me, his usual charming smile reappearing, “Ava, darling, you deserve better company. I’ll see you around. Congratulations again,” he said with a wink, before striding out, leaving just the three of us.

“And then there were three,” Isabella muttered.

I shook my head, tiredness settling heavily on my shoulders. I walked over to one of the chairs and sank down. Everything had been so exhausting, physically and emotionally. Isabella let out a sigh, and then her gaze turned determined. “I’m going to find some alcohol. A closed bottle this time. I refuse to be sober right now.”

Eliza chuckled and took the seat next to me. “Unrelated, but aren’t you supposed to be on your honeymoon right about now?”

I paused, letting out a short laugh. I might as just tell all my secrets, “Funny thing about that… Grayson and-t, we’re only going to be married for a year. It’s part of a contract I signed with him. No fairytale, no happily–ever–after–just a convenient arrangement to escape my controlling parents. So, no honeymoon.”

with everything going on, that’s somehow the least surprising thing today. This whole thing sounds like a cliché billionaire romance story

part, I muttered, swallowing back the bitterness. I didn’t mention the other thing. the real reason Grayson started the contract, the one he refused to discuss, though I could have sworn I’d felt him react to me during the

up four bottle.

Chayer W

tomorrow, and someone happens to

supernatural madness, if I don’t show up tomorrow, I’ll

exaggerated wigh, taking the last chair and pulling it close. She looked at us both with a mischievous gleam in her eyes “You’re tech telling me you want to be stone–cold er after someone tried to out werewolves on your wedding day to mention, they’re still out there, probably watching as we speak,” she added with a dark grin, her gaze settling on me “And you”

my hand. “That was low, Bels. Alright, give me a bottle. And by the way,

for a boule herself. “On second

I

I cleared my throat. “Sooo. Where do I

cut in, giving me an exasperated look. “Hold up, Lilian. If you’re about to launch into some boring lecture you memorized from your parents at age ten, spare us. I’ll do the talking, you sit back and

grinned and turned her attention to Eliza.

like clans, with Alphas

no surprise. So, packs what do

Packs offer protection, a family of sorts We’re bound by a common code. But with power comes conflict, especially among Alphas who want more power. That’s where the blood and

“And what about mates? Is that, like,

fabella answered, her tone tinged with sarcasm. “Mates are a whole other complication. You don’t get to pack. It’s some cosmic, ancient force that links two souls, binding them

glanced st me,

deepened, her expression slightly tense. “So… it’s like an arranged marriage by the

it’s hell. Trust me, I’ve seen it go both ways,” Tabella responded, taking a long swig from her bottle. “Lilian is the perfect example of the hell part but we will come

rules”

all of this. “This sounds like some twisted

laughed, clinking her bottle against Eliza’s. “Oh, honey, you have no idea. There are centuries–old rivalries, betrayals, alliances and that’s just on

took another swig, then flashed a mischievous grin. “Any questions

I please answer them?” I asked, feeling a surge of

was so annoying when we met

09:27 Mon, Dec 16

Chapter 59

declared we were best friends, and all