The Alpha King's Contracted Luna by Nelson Claudia

Chapter 147

Chapter 147

Ava’s POV

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I let out a heavy sigh, leaning my head back against the cold, stone wall. My eyes drifted shut, and for a moment, I tried to block it all out–the whispers, the stares, the chaos. I didn’t know how long I’d been sitting there or how I’d even found my way to this quiet corner. All I remembered was running.

The stares had been everywhere, burning into me like flames, suffocating and unbearable. Everyone had been watching, judging, and I couldn’t stand it anymore. My feet had carried me out of the grand hall, and now I was here, trying and failing to steady my breathing,

But I couldn’t. I couldn’t because of her. Because of what I’d done to Crystal.

I felt the guilt clawing at me like an iron grip around my throat. hated her but I couldn’t shake the image of her lying on the floor, blood pooling around her, shards of glass scattered everywhere. And then there was the truth–the truth that I might have hurt her baby.

The thought hit me like a wrecking ball, and a choked sob escaped my lips before I could stop it. I didn’t mean to cry, but the tears came anyway, hot and relentless. I couldn’t breathe. My chest heaved as I tried to gulp down air, but it wasn’t working.

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Where had all this power come from? These abilities I didn’t understand, didn’t want? How could something so unnatural come from me?

“Lilian? Are you out here?”

The sound of Isabella’s voice jolted me, but I couldn’t answer her. My throat felt tight, the sobs racking through my body like waves.

“Oh, Lilian,” she murmured softly, her voice filled with concern. The next thing I knew, she was kneeling beside me, pulling me into her arms. Her embrace was warm, steady, but it didn’t stop the tears.

“It’s going to be okay,” she whispered.

I shook my head, my voice breaking as I tried to speak. “No, it’s not. Why does everything have to be so horrible? Why can’t

I just have peace? Why do I always end up hurting people? Why do I always do horrible things?”

Her arms tightened around me, and for a second, I thought she might have an answer. But she didn’t.

“It wasn’t your fault, Ava.”

I jolted again at the sound of Eliza’s voice and looked up to see her standing a few feet away. When had she gotten here? Had she come with Isabella? She lowered herself onto the floor beside us, her expression calm but her eyes filled with concern.

I closed my eyes again, tears still streaming down my face. “It’s always something,” I muttered. “I can’t even host a ball without it turning into… this.”

!

silence that followed was heavy. Neither of them spoke for a moment, and it was like the weight of the

broke the silence. “I heard your father say Dylan was

My voice was barely a whisper. “Her

was enough to twist the knife in my chest. She shook her head slowly, her lips pressed into a thin line. “I don’t

Chapter 14z

and most of the quests have left. Everyone’s waiting to he something from

too well to know her words. She was lying. Whatever news came next, I knew it would be bad. If Crystal lost that chikt. I wouldn’t just have hurt her I would

I couldn’t breathe.

like a vise, and panic started in claw its way

now. “What’s going

through the fog next, more frantic

clutched at my chest. My breaths came out in shallow. desperate gasps, and I could hear them shouting, their voices blending

her voice rising with panic

do?” Eliza snapped. “I

down! Lilian, look at me! Breathe, dammit, breathe!”

suffocating, drowning in my own panic. My hands clawed at my throat

!

deep within me, I

She pushed against the surface, forcing her way through, and before I could fight it,

lungs. My head snapped back, and I felt the shift take hold, my

thinking, without hesitating, I bolted.

heard Isabella and Eliza shouting

“Ava! Lilian!”

running would somehow free me from the weight of everything. I didn’t know where I was going, and

filling my ears. I knew she had taken over so I wouldn’t suffocate from the panic attack I was having. The overwhelming weight, the inability to breathe–it had almost drowned me. But now that

step, her paws pounding against the floor as she carried us away from everything, faster than my human legs ever could.

running. It was

turn, her movements precise and unrelenting, and before I

echoed through my head. I didn’t know where he went after

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10:26 Tue, Jan

Chapter 147

where he was

and everyone was staring while I was

Him included.

thoughts, suddenly veered to the right, cutting through a narrow stretch of trees. I had no control, no say. I was list a passenger.

going?” I asked, trying to reach her through the psychic link we