The Alpha King's Contracted Luna by Nelson Claudia

Chapter 98

-Ava’s POV-

We had found common ground, or at least I thought we had. I truly believed that things between Grayson and me had progressed, but apparently, it didn’t involve him allowing me to get involved in murder conspiracies. As I stared at the screen in front of me, something clicked. I didn’t know how, but the pieces fell into place. I was sure of the next target.

The problem was convincing Grayson. He had been reluctant to agree with me, brushing off my theory with a promise to “send word.” I wasn’t just making wild guesses–I knew almost everything about the Alphas in our faction because of my parents‘ relentless drilling during my upbringing. Their teachings, which I used to think were useless, were proving to be dajnfully relevant now.

The three Alphas: the one who had me kidnapped, my father, and Kickon. As I stared at their names on the screen, the connection became clear. They were all part of the founding, families that had built this faction centuries ago. I remembered asking my father once, out of youthful curiosity, what happened to make those families disband. His response had been typical–cold and dismissive. “Focus on learning facts, Ava. Don’t waste time with irrelevant questions that don’t concern you.”

Yes, my father had been a grade–A asshole from the start. But now, those “irrelevant” questions suddenly seemed very relevant. If I was right, the recent attacks weren’t random. They were a message–a show of power to remind us that someone had the upper hand.

There was one more founding family. That left one Alpha as the likely next target. He was an outsider, rarely associating with the other packs. He lived on a secluded estate with his family, making him the perfect next victim. The problem? His estate was a fortress, heavily guarded and nearly impossible to infiltrate.

“Lilian,” Isabella’s voice yanked me out of my thoughts. I turned to see her crouched behind a bush, irritation clear on her face. “I appreciate you involving me in this mission impossible, but don’t you think your plan sucks? Why don’t I just shift and burst through these bloody gates?”

I shot her a glare, then glanced back at the lock I was working on. “No. You’d make too much noise. We need to be quiet.” My eyes shifted to Eliza, who was standing a little too far out of cover. “Eliza, get back here. You’re going to get seen.”

She ducked back behind the bush, clutching her phone. “I’m sorry. I was just trying to see if I could get cell reception to check if he texted.”

Isabella groaned, rolling her eyes. “I told you to stop that. We included you in this to distract you from the jackass. If he can’t see that you’re too good for him, that’s his loss. Now put the phone down before I beat you up first–right before I make good on my plan to beat him up.”

I sighed, focusing back on the lock. “No one is beating anybody up. Now both of you keep it down. I’m almost done here.”

“No, you’re not,” Eliza said, peeking over my shoulder for a better view. For the first time in days, she actually looked. present. “You’re picking it the wrong way. Move aside.”

I raised an eyebrow but stepped aside anyway, watching as she pulled a pin from her hair and started working on the lock with practiced case.

“I don’t understand,” she muttered as she worked. “Why don’t we just go inside like normal people and say, ‘Hi, Alpha- whatever–your–name–is, we have reason to believe your life is in danger.‘ You know, something like that.”

“Because Lilian here is scared to get in trouble,” Isabella chimed in, a smirk tugging at her lips.

at her. “I am currently in the process of breaking and entering someone’s estate. What more trouble can you think

didn’t mean trouble generally. I meant trouble with His Royal Hotness.

1/3-

Vice

here we are for that I’m complaining I was bored out

Eliza sighed, just

snorted, shoving the gate open “Jeremy was really great–now he’s just a dumb man with a dumb name,

warned, following

Tall, dark windows loomed over us like

a guard could be lurking. The tension in

the plant Isabella whispered, her voice barely audible as

replied. “If I can find proof to take back to Grayson, maybe he’ll finally see that I

you kissing

“What is your problem with Grayson all of a sudden?”

been on my case lately, and I’m taking it out on you. It’s not

softened slightly, nodding, “We’ll talk about it later.

the grounds.

No evidence, no clues- just an impenetrable fortress guarded by men who seemed more like

the edge of the estate, the weight of failure

the breakthrough I needed, the proof to show Grayson that I Could handle

need to leave,” Eliza whispered, glancing nervously at the guards in the distance. “Before we get caught.”

found what we were looking for, but I wasn’t ready to give up. If Grayson

When It

followed almost immediately by shouting–panicked, urgent shouting. My heart seized in my chest as I froze, my senses hyper–focused on the cacophony. Beside me, Isabella’s head

breath, already starting to step toward the direction of

Eliza, who was standing stock still, her wide eyes darting between us. “What are you doing?!” she hissed in a frantic whisper, her voice trembling. “We’re supposed to be running away, not toward

passing between us. There was no turning