The Alpha King's Contracted Luna by Nelson Claudia

COMMENT

Chapter 75

– Ava’s POV-

The pain was sudden, an intense wave that seemed to crush my hest, forcing a scream out of me. I doubled over, clutching my chest, scrambling backward in a desperate attempt to escape the agony,

“This isn’t real. This isn’t real.” I muttered, my voice a shaky whisper. “It’s all just in my head.”

But my words were drowned by the sinister laugh of my look–alike. She stood above me, her eyes dark, lips curled into at smile that chilled me to the bone. Her laugh echoed, taunting, filling my mind with doubt. “How about I show you just how real the pain can get!” she sneered, lifting her hand to strike me again. I braced for it, knowing that whatever I felt next would be even worse.

Then, suddenly, a deep, furious growl sounded from behind me A blur of white fur leapt past, colliding and knocking her to the ground. She vanished into thin air as if she’d never been there.

with my look–alike

I blinked, the pain lingering but beginning to fade. My whole body trembled as I slowly looked up, my eyes widening in disbelief.

She was there.

She existed.

A massive white wolf, her fur gleaming and streaked with subtle hints of gold. She was majestic, breathtakingly beautiful, with an otherworldly aura that made it impossible to look away. Her eyes, a deep ember, glowed as they focused on me with an intensity that both mesmerized and terrified me. I wanted to say something–anything–to break the silence between us “Hello? Thank you maybe? But no words came out. I could only stare, transfixed.

Suddenly, she took a step toward me, then another, her gaze locked onto mine. My heart pounded as she came closer, her enormous frame overwhelming. I closed my eyes, bracing myself for whatever might come next, but there was nothing. No impact, no feeling of her presence at all. When I opened my eyes again, she was gone.

I gasped, sitting up in a strange bed, my vision swimming as I tried to orient myself. Dark walls, heavy furniture, a coldness that seemed to seep into the air around me. I glanced around, feeling a prickle of unease before my eyes landed on him.

Grayson was slouched on the small sofa across from me, asleep. The sofa was far too small for him; his long form was twisted awkwardly as he tried to fit. He wore sweatpants and a loose shirt, an unfamiliar look for someone who was usually

put together, always in suits that seemed to amplify his cold, untouchable aura. Now, as he slept, his face was relaxed, free of the usual sharpness that kept everyone at a distance. In that moment, Grayson Blackwood didn’t look intimidating or cold. He just looked… human. Vulnerable, even.

A strange warmth settled in my chest as I watched him, realizing that beneath all the layers of his cold demeanor, he carried a weight that few could see–a quiet pain he seemed determined to keep hidden. The urge to reach out, to somehow reassure him that he didn’t have to carry it alone, rose within me But I quickly pushed the thought away. Whatever these feelings were, they would only complicate things.

I picked up a bottle Urat I didn’t know what was in it. breathing it in. The scent was complex. grounding, yet almost addictive. My hand brushed against a few personal items, a hand wash, a bottle of aftershave–each one felt like a glimpse into a

it, Ava.

white wolf lingered in my mind, so vivid it was hard to believe she’d been a dream. “Are you there?” I

I finished up and headed back out, but

Chapter 75

an unspoken tension filled the

throat, breaking the silence suddenly realizing that I sight knke how long I had

Sunday,” he replied, his gaze never

over me. “Thank you. And… thank you for bringing me back. I

bed.”

voice steady. “I don’t mind

been curled up on. “You looked… cramped on that thing. I

“Just go back to sleep,

no command in his tone, just a quiet insistence, and for some reason, I found myself listening. I slid back under the covers, but even as I lay there, I knew sleep wouldn’t come easily, not with Grayson’s presence only

close

lay still, hyper–aware of every sound, every movement, the fact that he was so yet out of reach. Minutes passed in silence before I found myself speaking, almost without thinking. “We could put pillows between us, if you

quiet sigh, and I could feel his hesitation. “If that

back on for a moment, and I turned just in time to see him stand up, grabbing a few pillows. My cheeks burned as I noticed his shirt was slightly see–through, the low–slung sweatpants revealing just enough to make my mind wander places it shouldn’t.

“Now sleep,” he murmured..

feeling his presence so strongly it was

few minutes, I whispered, “Are you

“No.”

lingered, heavy

want to talk about anything?” I hesitated, then added, “Like..

“No.”

see me, then he asked different question. “You want to talk about.. what

“No,” I replied.

His voice softened just a bit, “Your uneven breathing isn’t helping” A flicker of surprise went through me. Grayson…. tired? It