The Alpha King's Contracted Luna by Nelson Claudia

Chapter 82

-Grayson’s POV-

The room fell into an unnatural silence, the kind that pressed against your ears and made your pulse thrum louder in the quiet. Luther’s words echoed in my mind: I was responsible? A ridiculous claim, but the weight of it hung heavy in the air. My thoughts were interrupted by Ava’s sharp voice breaking through the tension.

“The man said Grayson was responsible? That’s a load of bullshit Someone is clearly trying to frame him,” she said, her voice steady but laced with anger.

Luther’s glare didn’t wäver as he turned his full attention to Ava And you’re sure of this because you know him so well?” he sneered. “The man with enough blood on his hands to start an entire pack?”

I felt Ava’s touch on my arm, grounding me, tethering me to reason. But I didn’t want that. Not now. I pulled away from her, my wolf pacing inside me, restless and seething. My voice, when I spoke, was cold and measured, laced with the kind of quiet fury that made people take a step back.

“I’ll say this only once,” I began, my tone even but threatening. did not kill any Alpha or send anyone after you, Luther. But if you start spreading this nonsense, I’ll make sure you know exactly who’s responsible for ending you. Test me, and you’ll find out.”

Luther’s jaw tightened, his defiance burning in his eyes, but he didn’t respond. Instead, his gaze shifted, sliding to Evelyn Pierce, who stood silently opposite him. They exchanged a look, something unspoken passing between them, before Luther turned back to me.

“This is my home,” he said curtly. “And you’re intruding on my territory. You might be king, but that doesn’t give you the right to barge in here uninvited. Use the door.

1 ignored his words, stepping closer instead. “I want to speak to the man you caught.”

Luther’s lips curled into a mockery of a smile, his eyes glinting with barely concealed satisfaction. “Te’s dead,” he said. Clawed out his own throat the moment he confessed. He paused, letting the weight of his next words settle heavily between us. “After he admitted you ordered the attack”

I felt my wolf surge within me, a raw fury clawing to the surface was ready to call Luther out on his lies, to rip through his thinly veiled accusation, but then Ava reached for me again. Her hand, warm and steady, slipped into mine, and when I glanced down at her, her eyes pleaded for restraint.

Let it go, they seemed to say.

I let out a long breath, forcing the anger to recede, even though it simmered just beneath the surface. My grip on Ava’s hand tightened as I shot Luther one last warning glare before turning to leave.

The night air outside was crisp, biting against my skin as I stepped out of the house. Ava’s voice cut through the silence. “Someone’s not only killing Alphas but trying to frame you. That’s just… messed up.”

I stopped, surprised by her words. I had assumed her defense of me inside was performative, something done out of necessity in front of her parents.

“You really believe I didn’t do it?” I asked, watching her closely.

She rolled her eyes as though the answer was obvious, “Of course, you didn’t. If you wanted someone dead, you’d handle it yourself. You wouldn’t send assassins and leave a trail that points directly back to you. That’s not your style.”

Her blunt honesty startled me, but there was an edge of admiration in her voice that I didn’t know what to do with. Before I could respond, her expression shifted, concern darkening her features.

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Chapter 821

is bad, though,” she said, pacing a few steps ahead. “My father won’t keep his mouth shut about this. The rumors will spread like wildfire–that you’re

to speak, but she cut me off, the fire in

don’t say you don’t care what they think. You’re their king, Grayson. If they believe you’re ordering their deaths instead of protecting them, they’ll turn

matter.”

right, of course. The wolf in me chafed at the idea of defending myself to anyone, but the leader in me knew she spoke the

statement to every Alpha–aligned with you or not–and get ahead of this mess before my father starts spreading his version of the story. You’ll make it clear that you had nothing

the way she moved, her passion

to face me, her eyes narrowing. “Why are you looking at me like that?” she

slow and unbidden. Her eyes widened in

she asked, her voice a mix of

amused. “I’ll do it.

shot up in

“Does that surprise you?”

“I figured you’d listen to me, nod, and

closer, holding her gaze. “You’re my Luna, Ava.

slowly, a faint blush crept across her cheeks. She quickly

as we walked toward my car when something suddenly clicked in my mind. The letter.

break stride, but I caught the subtle stiffening in her shoulders, “Yes. I

alphas. But when it came time to finalize deals or show my face publicly, Dylan sure I didn’t. He needed the credit, of course. I hated every second of it, hated that I

yet,” I pressed, “you stopped me from killing

twist it into some absurd tale of jealousy or revenge. It’s better to let him ruin his own reputation. I just want to go home, Grayson. To sleep. To

word home that resonated deep inside me. It wasn’t just a place–it was something I hadn’t realized I

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Chapter 82

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a faint smile. It was brief, barely there, but it left its mark on me. I shut the door and

that allowed reflection to take root. As the city lights blurred past us, I kept

her head tilted slightly against the window. The sight brought an unbidden

woman who’d turned my world upside down without even trying. She was going to be the end of

violently against the console. Ava stirred, her eyelids fluttering open, and I cursed under my

up

name on the screen read

annoyed that he’d