The Alpha King's Contracted Luna by Nelson Claudia

Chapter 172

Chapter 172

-Ava’s POV

I didn’t understand what happened in the span of a second. Grayson had been his usual composed self, though his death glare at the food vendor had been intense enough to make the poor man shrink. He didn’t seem the least bit fazed as he caught up to me after I practically skipped away with my dumplings. I’d barely bitten into one when he grabbed my wrist and pulled me, his grip firm but not rough, dragging me away from the carnival stalls.

“Grayson… what is-”

I didn’t get to finish.

The sharp crack of a gunshot rang out, loud and startling enough to make me stumble. For a fleeting moment, I thought it might be from one of the carnival games–those old booths with the fake rifles and cheap prizes–but the sound wasn’t quite right.

Then the screaming started.

A wave of chaos erupted around us. People’s laughter turned into shrieks of panic as they scattered like startled birds. I froze for half a second, my body reacting slower than my mind.

Grayson didn’t freeze.

He yanked me closer, his hand wrapping protectively around my arm as his body pressed against mine, shielding me. “We have to get out of here. Now.” His tone was low, urgent, and sharp enough to cut through the noise.

“What’s going on?” I yelled over the chaos, but he didn’t answer.

Another gunshot echoed through the air, closer this time. More screams.

“Run,” Grayson growled, pulling me harder. He was steering me toward the edge of the carnival, where the exit gates stood The crowd was surging in the same direction, people screaming and shoving in blind panic.

“What the hell is happening?” I screamed again, my voice cracking as the sound of another shot sent my heart into a frenzy.

He still didn’t answer me. His jaw was clenched, his eyes scanning the area with razor–sharp focus. The crowd around us was becoming a writhing, chaotic mass.

I tripped over something–a discarded soda cup, maybe–but Grayson caught me before I could fall, his arm wrapping around my waist and hauling me upright.

“Keep moving,” he barked.

And then I saw it.

A man collapsed a few feet ahead of us. At first, I thought he’d tripped, but as we pushed closer, I saw the blood pooling beneath him. My gaze locked on the hole in his forehead, and I froze.

“Oh my Goddess,” I whispered, my stomach lurching.

“Don’t look,” Grayson ordered, his voice harsh as he physically turned me away from the sight. But it was too late. The image was burned into my mind.

11:18 Sun, Jan 26 G

Chapter 172

People were shoving past us, their screams filling the air as more shots rang out. I stumbled age, my legs barely cooperating as my brain struggled to process the chaos. The smell of sweat, fear, and gunpowder was suffocating.

shaky. My wolf was stirring inside me, growling and clawing

crowd, his body a solid shield between me and the

us.

I yelled,

booths. His hands gripped my shoulders tightly as his gray eyes locked onto mine. “Listen to me,” he said, his voice low but intense. “They’re

my heart hammering

shooting will keep firing until we’re out of here. Once we leave, they’ll stop targeting random

my mind racing to keep up. “Why?

brooking no argument. “Right now, we need to get

flinched, my instincts screaming at me to run or fight. My wolf growled louder, urging me to shift, to attack, to protect.

on it. He grabbed my hand again,

in their way. A woman to my left fell, her face pale with terror as she clawed at the ground, trying to get back up A man to my right was yelling at someone to move, his

close,” Grayson said, his voice a steady anchor in

I snapped, nearly losing my balance as someone shoved past me.

like a tidal wave. I was almost knocked off again, but Grayson’s grip on my hand didn’t

into our path, clutching his side. Blood seeped between his fingers, his face contorted in pain. He looked up

again, my gaze locked on the growing

keep moving!” Grayson’s voice snapped me

“I–he-”

can do for him,” he said firmly, pulling

my feet

exit gates were in sight now, but the crowd was Bottlenecking there, people

to escape.

is insane,” I said, my voice shaking. “We’re not going to make it out of here like this.”

L

his tone leaving no

Jan 26

Chapter 172

the shooter–a figure in black perched on the roof of a nearby booth, a rifle in hand. My wolf growled louder, demanding to be unleashed.

up there!” I yelled,

didn’t even glance in that direction. “Don’t look. Just focus on

“But-”

focus!” he barked, his tone snapping

+13

bodies almost unbearable. A child nearby

through. A man was yelling at another man to move

into a deafening cacophony. My head was spinning, my chest

I said, my voice barely audible over the

his grip on my hand

I wanted to trust that he could get us out of this. But the chaos around us felt suffocating, and the image of the

were almost at the gates when another shot rang out, closer than ever. The crowd surged again, and I was nearly ripped away from Grayson as

screamed, reaching

my wrist just in time, pulling me back to him. “I’ve got you,” he said, his voice steady despite the chaos.