The Alpha King's Contracted Luna by Nelson Claudia

-Ava’s POV-

I really should have chosen my words more carefully. What I should have said was, He used to be one of men.But no, I had to blurt out something vague and open–ended like a fool.

my

father’s

The thing was, my parents never let me associate with most pack members, especially not the omegas or warriors. They were insistent on maintaining some ridiculous notion of superiority, telling me that as the Alpha’s daughter, I had to hold myself high at all times. I wasn’t supposed to mingle with those they deemed beneath me.

For most of my life, I did exactly as they said, too afraid to push back against their strict, suffocating rules. It wasn’t until I met Isabella and started to find my own voice–my own backbone–that I dared to defy them. I began to get to know the pack members, realizing that they weren’t “beneath” me. They were people–strong, capable, and often kinder than my parents ever were.

That’s how I vaguely remembered the man. I’d seen him around a handful of times when I was younger, but it had been years since then. The memory of his face was fuzzy, buried under layers of time and my parents‘ attempts to keep me disconnected from everyone.

And yet, here I was, standing in front of Grayson, trying to explain that he was making a mistake.

The moment those words left my lips–I know that man. He’s one of my father’s men–I saw Grayson’s expression shift. The cold, calculated anger he carried morphed into something far more dangerous. The muscles in his jaw tightened, and his eyes darkened like storm clouds ready to unleash fury.

In that instant, I knew what he was thinking. He was going to go after my father.

“Grayson, you’re not listening to me!” I practically shouted, yanking at my hair in frustration. My voice echoed in the tense, blood–scented room. “My father didn’t do this. For the hundredth time, he didn’t do this!”

Grayson’s glare didn’t waver. “And how do you know that, Ava? Are you sure you’re not just blinded by loyalty?”

“I’m sure,” I snapped back, stepping closer to him, close enough to see the tension in his shoulders. “My father has an obsession with appearances. You know that. He’s not going to stage an attack, get himself nearly killed, and then go on a murder spree just to throw people off his trail. What could he possibly stand to gain?”

Grayson didn’t flinch. His voice was low, deadly. “You’re not thinking this through. If your father isn’t behind this, then why does his man turn up here in the middle of this bloodbath?“.

“And you’re not thinking it through either!” I shouted back, my voice breaking slightly. “Just because he used to work for my father doesn’t mean my father sent him!”

Rickon, standing off to the side, cleared his throat. “Maybe we should all just… take a minute to calm down. My chef is world- class, by the way. He could whip something up real quick to ease the tension.”

I turned to him, incredulous. “Rickon, are you serious right now

“What?” he said with a shrug, completely unfazed. “I’m trying to help.”

“Do you have to brag about everything? Couldn’t you just say, my chef can

her. “Do you have to complain about everything I

snapped, spinning back toward Grayson, who looked even more

your father,” Grayson said, his voice like ice. “Maybe I should just

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Dec

Chapter 95

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hurt must have shown on

hand through his hair. “Damn it, Ava,” he muttered under his breath. Then, realizing that Rickon and Isabella were watching us, he turned to them with a glare. “This

here.” He glanced at Isabella, who reluctantly followed him out of the

Grayson exhaled sharply and said, “Let’s just

head, crossing my arms.

his voice gentler now. He reached for my hand, but I yanked it

anywhere with you right now,”

a moment, I thought he might let me have my way. But then, in true Grayson

grabbed my hand again, ignoring my protests as he dragged me out of the room.

into the cool night air, I pulled my hand free, glaring at him.

wills, the tension crackling between us like a live wire, daring one of us to break first. My heart pounded in my chest, frustration and hurt swirling together into a suffocating knot. Grayson’s glare bore into me, and I refused to back down, even though part of

be connected to this. It wasn’t just

Grayson listen? Of course

thoughts, snapping me back to the present. His tone was flat, laced with exasperation. “I’m done having this conversation. I won’t go after your father, okay?

really. The promise to leave my father alone was a hollow one, made in the heat of the moment to end the argument. And yet, I was too drained

I yanked the door open and climbed inside, slamming it shut behind me with enough

his own frustration evident as he slammed his door shut just as hard. The sound echoed like a thunderclap in the tense silence between us.

firmly outside, watching the trees blur together as we sped down the road. The night felt

last. I could feel Grayson’s glances, quick and fleeting, as if he wanted to say something but

now but still laced with tension.

didn’t look at him. “I don’t like it either,” I admitted

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Thu, Dec