The Alpha King's Contracted Luna by Nelson Claudia

Chapter 60

-Ava’s POV-

1 hated to admit, but Rickon had been right. I needed to keep better company because the one I had, stayed up with me all night drinking and telling stories. I learnt everything about Elizand how she was dating someone that she hoped would propose to her soon and Isabella shared stirrers about her huge family that I had met a number of times and despite what she said about her six sisters and then annoying, I would kill for parents who dotted on me and the chaos that came with her family.

Despite everything. I wouldn’t have wanted to spent my fake wedling night any other way.

The next morning. I dragged myself to Grayson’s mansion to prepare for work, nursing a brutal hangover. Predictably, he wasn’t there. But there was a silver lining: Monica had moved out and Elsine had begrudgingly gone back to her own apartment. At least I didn’t have to deal with running into either of them.

Trying to mask the headache pounding in my skull, I somehow managed to pull myself together enough for work. One of the drivers dropped me off, and I told myself that maybe I should finally work towards getting my own car. Small goals, right?

“Dr. Pierce, are you listening to me?”

I blinked, snapping back to the present, and forced a tight smiler Dr. Griffin, my supervisor. “Yes, sorry, I’m listening.”

He raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. “I was briefing you on your first patient.”

I cleared my throat, attempting to look more focused. “Right, my apologies. I’m just… still adjusting to all the changes.” I forced another smile. “Please, call me Ava.”

He seemed to soften, nodding slightly. “I understand. You did just get married yesterday. If you need more time- “No, thank you.” I shook my head quickly. Tve already taken enough time off. Grayson pushed our honeymoon forward. He’s busy, too. I really want to be here, this job means a lot to me

Liar. The words tasted bitter in my mouth, but I forced myself to keep going, “I promise I’m ready for this.”

Dr. Griffin gave a nod, seeming satisfied. “Very well. We’re honored to have you. The Pierce family has quite the reputation, after all. I understand your mother was reluctant to lose you to another hospital.”

1 held back a scoff. Right, because that’s why my mother was having me black listed. But I only nodded politely, keeping my thoughts to myself.

“I’m ready, Dr. Griffin. I promise.”

“Good,” he said, handing me a file. “I’ll introduce you to the patient.”

1 followed him down the hallway, trying to think of how I could discreetly skim the file on the way. Thadn’t been listening at all to his initial briefing, and I silently cursed myself for zoning out. When we entered the patient’s room, I saw a middle- aged woman asleep on the bed, with a teenage girl sitting by her side, holding her hand tightly. Dr. Griffin made quick introductions to the girl, who was the patient’s daughter, then excused himself, leaving me alone with the teen.

As soon as the door shut, the girl’s friendly expression shifted into a glare. “You’re hungover,” she accused.

I blinked, caught off guard. “I’m not hungover. Now, if you’ll let me-

“Don’t touch her,” she snapped, standing protectively over her mother. “I’m not letting some doctor who spent Sunday night. drinking get anywhere near my mum.”

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Her tone grated against my–already–pounding headache, but I held back a sigh. “Fine. You’re right, I’m hungover.” I admitted. “But it’s only because yesterday was my wedding. And I’m here today because saving lives matters to me more than anything.”

She deadpanned, “You sound really sad.”

I clenched my jaw, trying not to let her words get to me. But it did. “And you sound like a brat.” I snapped.

Her mouth quirked up in a smirk. Damn it. I’d walked right into that one.

“If I had said you were hungover you could just convince them otherwise. Now I have a reason to not want you to be her doctor.” She faked a poppy eye, “because you make me uneasy and uncomfortable and you called me a brat,”

She made a move toward the door, and 1 panicked slightly: “Wait Hold on. We got off on the wrong foot.” I took a deep breath, forcing myself to stay calm. “I shouldn’t have been drinking last night, especially before my first day here. I’m really sorry. But I am a good doctor, and I promise you that I’ll do everything I can for your mum.”

She paused, folding her arms and studying me with a skeptical gaze. “Aren’t you too young to be a doctor?”

I opened my mouth to answer and she rolled her eyes, “That was a rhetorical question and I know you are. A friend from school took a video of you saving that boy at the restaurant. Teachers are going to be using you as a key focus on Monday I’m sure to get us to,” she air quoted, “get us to learn stuff.”

I raised an eyebrow. “Then why are you giving me such a hard time?”

you were hungover. I looked exactly like you almost everyday. Her eyes slid to her mother and they softened, “but my muntis really sick and because we don’t have enough money they push anyhow doctors to us. I really need her to get well, she’s all have so if you are going

lump in my throat. “I’m sorry. It won’t happen again. I swear, from now on. I’m all about

stared at me for a long moment, then sighed,

her hand, shaking

me up and down, smirking slightly. “You haven’t taken your husband’s

Dr. Pierce. Do you old

“I thought

“You’re still ‘old‘ enough to not know how to

“I understand, Mikayla I shouldn’t have shown up here

smiled finally and I couldn’t help but notice how striking she was. Beneath her guarded, hardened exterior, she had delicate features–big brown eyes, framed by thick lashes that hinted at a rare vulnerability. Her cheekbones were high, with a faint dusting of freckles scattered across her cheeks, and her dark, wavy hair tumbled over her

she said, a little less defensive now, folding her arms across her chest but standing

took a deep breath, bracing myself for what I was about to see “Alright, let’s take a look at your mom.

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Chapter 60

I’ll do my best.”

A

shadowed by fatigue and pala, with dark circles under her eyes and thin, cracked lips. I skimmed the chart, noting her

her pulse. It was faint but steady, a small victory in this battle that was as much hers as it was ours. I could feel Mikayla’s eyes watching me closely, her gaze filled with a mixture of hope and despair, as if she were searching my face for some hidden

hand and turned back to Mikayla, who was still watching me intently. Her expression was unreadable, her defenses wavering, yet I could sense the desperate question

dreads–having to balance between realism and hope, especially when facing the unrelenting grip of a chronic condition. But there was a flicker of possibility, a

the eyes. “It’s hard to say,” I admitted softly. “But there’s a chance. Your mom is fighting hard, and we’re going to give her

slowly, looking back at her mother. Her shoulders relaxed slightly, and a fragile smile touched her lips. “Thank you. I just.. I needed to hear that,” she

alone in this. I’ll be here for you both. And if you ever need to talk, I’m just down the

finally breaking down as her eyes glistened with unshed tears. “Thank you, Dr. Pierce. It means

shoulder a gentle squeeze and then gathered

Chapter 60

-Ava’s POV-

had, stayed up with me all night drinking and telling stories. I learnt everything about Elizand how she was dating someone that she hoped would propose to her soon and Isabella shared stirrers about her huge family that I had met a number

wanted to spent my

there. But there was a silver lining: Monica had moved out and Elsine had begrudgingly gone back to her own apartment. At least I didn’t have

myself together enough for work. One of the drivers dropped me off, and I told myself that maybe I should finally work towards getting my own car.

are you listening

blinked, snapping back to the present, and forced a tight smiler Dr. Griffin, my supervisor. “Yes, sorry, I’m

raised an eyebrow, clearly unconvinced. “I was briefing you on your first

my apologies. I’m just… still adjusting to all the changes.” I

head quickly. Tve already taken enough time off. Grayson pushed our honeymoon forward. He’s busy, too. I really want

in my mouth, but I forced myself to keep

satisfied. “Very well. We’re honored to have you. The Pierce family has

having me black listed. But I only nodded politely, keeping my thoughts

Dr. Griffin. I

me a file. “I’ll introduce you to the

the file on the way. Thadn’t been listening at all to his initial briefing, and I silently cursed myself for zoning out. When we entered the patient’s room, I saw a middle- aged woman asleep on the bed, with a teenage girl sitting by her side, holding her

shut, the girl’s friendly expression shifted into a

blinked, caught off guard. “I’m not hungover. Now,

not letting some doctor who spent Sunday night. drinking get

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I held back a sigh. “Fine. You’re right, I’m hungover.” I admitted. “But it’s only because yesterday was my wedding. And I’m here today because saving lives matters to me more

deadpanned, “You sound

to let her words get to me.

up in a smirk. Damn it. I’d walked right

a reason to not want you to be her doctor.” She

“I shouldn’t have been drinking last night, especially before my first day

paused, folding her arms and studying me with a skeptical gaze. “Aren’t you too young to be

answer and she rolled her eyes, “That was a rhetorical question and I know you are. A friend from school took a video of you saving that boy at the restaurant. Teachers are going

eyebrow. “Then why are you