The Alpha King's Contracted Luna by Nelson Claudia

Chapter 87

Chapter 87

-Grayson’s POV-

“You think I don’t know about your little arrangement with Grayson? How your marriage is fake? That he hired you to play his pretend Luna?”

Elaine’s sharp, condescending voice echoed through the clearing just as I stepped in. The smugness in her tone sent a rush of irritation coursing through me, and I immediately scanned the scene. Ava stood in the center of it all, her face pale, her lips parting and closing as if she wanted to defend herself but couldn’t quite find the words. She looked blindsided, cornered like prey facing a predator.

-And Elaine? She was basking in the attention, her arms crossed, her smirk widening as she relished the silence that followed

her damning words.

My jaw tightened. Nobody knew about the arrangement–not even Liam–and that secrecy had been deliberate. For Elaine to have found out was troubling, but I didn’t have the luxury to dwell on how. What mattered was shutting her down before she caused more damage.

The moment I was close enough, I let my voice cut through the heavy silence, cold and lethal.

“Elaine, sometimes I think you have a death wish. One day, you’re going to push me far enough that I’ll grant it.”

All heads whipped in my direction, the tension thickening in the air. Elaine’s smug before she could recover and speak, I continued, my tone sharp and unwavering.

“And who told you that I hired Ava to be my fake Luna?”

Pression faltered as her face paled, but

She opened her mouth, then shut it, her confidence visibly crumbling under the weight of my glare. “I–I was looking for you,” she stammered. “I went to your study, and I just… I saw some papers in your drawer. I scanned through them and-”

“You went through my things?” My voice dropped, laced with quiet fury, and I took a step closer. She flinched. “We’ll address that later. Right now, I want to know this: from whatever you scanned, what made you so sure Ava was hired? So sure that

felt the need to announce it in front of the entire pack?”

you

Elaine’s gaze darted nervously between me and Ava, who was still standing motionless, her arms now wrapped around herself. “I just… I assumed. From what I read. The circumstances fit–she showed up out of nowhere!”

in the air for a moment before I shifted my gaze to Ava. “Ava,”

immediate, firm.

“did I

made something tighten in my chest, something I didn’t want to analyze. I forced it down, turning

I said, my voice growing colder. “You refuse to listen. So, I’ll say this only once.” My gaze swept the crowd, ensuring every single person was paying attention. “Ava is my Luna. By name, by title, and by bond. I didn’t hire her. And if I hear so much as a whisper about this nonsense outside of this clearing, whoever is responsible

the crowd, and I turned back

you and I don’t cross paths for at least

23 7

Chapter 87

but the look I gave her made her think twice.

to Ava one last time, but she didn’t dare speak. With her face flushing red with embarrassment, she turned and

She could’ve come to me in private if she had questions–or even accusations. But Elaine had chosen to make a spectacle, so the consequences

preparing to leave. “No,” I said firmly, stopping them in their tracks. “You can continue with your feast only came here to talk

ignored it, focusing on Ava. He expression was a mix of confusion and something else I couldn’t quite

earlier,” I said, my tone softer but still firm. “I

stunned silence as everyone stared at me like I’d grown two heads. Ignoring them, I closed my eyes and reached for my wolf. He growled in response, and I sighed inwardly–the same kind when I had felt him after

I could remember, he had always been there. When I

was strange–our egos rarely let us admit such things–but I felt his voice in

realized how scared I’d been. When he returned, I swallowed my pride a

made me realize Ava was right–these people were the reason I was the ones I’d have to rely on. As much as that thought

with yet another of Elaine’s antics All eyes remained on me, their stares heavy with expectation. I

I cleared

my

to Ava. “Can

O

for a moment?”

from the crowd. We stopped

her, she spoke

I interrupted gently. “Let me go first.”

and nodded, her eyes wide

than dealing with… this. With us. Because I don’t

and she opened her mouth to speak, but I shook my head. “I’m not done,” I said. “Thave a lot to focus on, Ava. Being Alpha King doesn’t leave much room for anything else. But I’m tired of this back and forth. I don’t want to fight with you anymore. I want to move forward–properly. And when we do, I want it to be all or nothing. So from now on, I’ll stay true to what I wrote in that letter. I’ll try. I’m no promising perfection, but when it comes to you, I’ll try to be better and when

she could stop them. Instinctively, I reached out and brushed a