The Alpha King's Contracted Luna by Nelson Claudia

Chapter 97

Chapter 97

-Grayson’s POV-

“Why the hell isn’t she waking up?” I ground my teeth, glaring at the doctor. My patience was already threadbare, and his nervous fidgeting wasn’t helping.

“Mr. Blackwood,” he stammered, clutching his clipboard like it was a shield. “I–I don’t know. There’s no physical reason why she isn’t waking up. All her vitals are stable, and her scans show nothing abnormal. I-”

Then why the hell is she still unconscious?” I barked, taking a threatening step forward. My wolf was clawing at the surface,

ching to take over, but I forced it back.

The doctor opened his mouth to speak again, but before he could stammer out another excuse, a sharp gasp cut through the room. My head snapped toward Ava just as her eyes flew open. She shot upright with such force she nearly threw herself off the bed.

“Ava!” I was at her side in an instant, my heart slamming against my ribs as relief and panic warred within me.

The doctor moved toward her, but I turned on him, my voice low and deadly. “Get out.”

“Mr. Blackwood, I really should-

“You said there was nothing wrong with her,” I growled, my gaze locking onto his. “So get out before I reconsider letting you walk out alive.”

The doctor froze, his face pale, then quickly scurried out of the room, leaving us alone.

“Grayson,” Ava whispered, her voice weak but steady enough to snap me out of my anger.

I turned back to her, watching as her eyes darted around the room, taking in her surroundings with a disoriented expression. I crouched beside her, brushing a strand of hair from her face, my voice softening. “Hey. I’m here. You’re okay.”

She blinked, her gaze finally focusing on me, but there was something haunted in her eyes. “I–I almost killed him. She–my wolf. They…”

“Ava.” I placed a hand on her cheek, grounding her. “You’re okay. Do you hear me?”

She stared at me for a moment before nodding, her lip trembling. Without warning, she reached for me, pulling me close. I didn’t hesitate, sitting on the bed and wrapping my arms around her as she buried her face against my chest.

Relief washed over me like a tidal wave, and I exhaled a shaky breath. She was alive. Safe. Here in my arms.

The moment I’d woken up after the crash, my first instinct had been to find her. Not to check if I was injured, not to assess the damage, but to find Ava. That realization hit me hard. For sixteen years, I’d lived selfishly, putting myself first in every situation. But not with her. Never with her.

When I’d seen her lying yards away from the wreck, motionless and bloody, everything in me had stilled. The world had stopped turning until I reached her. And now, holding her close, I knew I’d do whatever it took to protect her.

Her breathing slowed, and soon, she was asleep again, her body exhausted. I carefully scooped her into my arms, carrying her out of the hospital room and toward the car I’d had brought around.

her chin. For a moment, I stood over her, watching the slow rise and fall of her chest. As terrifying as the thought was, I could

wasn’t done with us yet.

L

the blanket, I opened the door to find Liam standing there, his

his eyes scanning me for an answer.

I said, stepping into the hallway and closing the door behind me. The moment I was away from Ava’s calming presence, the anger returned, burning

are you sure this was deliberate? Accidents happen

my voice dropping to a dangerous growl. “He came right at us, Liam. That wasn’t an accident. Someone

but he nodded.

is over. And make it clear–no one touches

I turned and headed to my study, needing to focus. The chaos swirling around me had gone unchecked for too

bloody message scrawled on the wall echoed in my mind. These weren’t random attacks–they couldn’t be. There had to be a pattern, a link.

going over every detail of the attacks: the three Alphas, Ricardo, Luther Pierce, Rickon… Apart from the three Alphas, they were all connected to me in some way, but the pattern didn’t just make sense. But something was as clear as day, connection or not, whoever was orchestrating this wanted me gone.

frustration mounting with every dead end.

interrupted my thoughts. Before I could

at the doorway, her voice soft.

said, leaning back in my chair.

tell

surprised by how much time had passed. She walked toward me, and instinctively, I

asked, her eyes scanning my face.

replied, though the question made

to my laptop. “What are you working on?”

you need to worry

the faint mark on her neck, and I knew

we going to talk about it?”

voice steady. “I told you my

she said, her voice quieter now. “But what does this mean? For us? Are we… mates now? Or is this just…” She trailed off glancing at the desk. “And the contract. You said you needed a fallback, but… I don’t know. It feels like every time we find stable ground, something throws

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20 Dec

Chapter 97

to know where I stand in all of

Mates or not, contracts or not, I stopped seeing this as a transaction a long time ago. I just

into a small smile, and then she leaned in, her lips brushing against mine. The kiss was soft but full of unspoken promises, grounding me in

head as if to anchor her. “Do you remember what you said when you woke up earlier? About almost killing someone?”