The Alpha King's Contracted Luna by Nelson Claudia

Chapter 178

Chapter 178

-Ava’s POV-

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I adjusted the strap of my dress, checking myself in the mirror one last time before I turned away and headed towards the grand hall. Everything had happened so fast, and this was the first time I would be attending an entire pack meeting since I had come here. I’d been here for a while now, but it still felt so intimidating.

Grayson was king, and as such, he had the largest pack in the realm. Though not everyone lived on his estate, pack meetings meant everyone would be present. And that meant they would all be staring at me.

I forced myself to take a calming breath, steadying myself. A part of me felt like I could never truly belong here, but I had to try. I had to make myself believe that I could, that this wasn’t some dream I would wake up from. But the nerves twisted in my stomach like a knot that wouldn’t loosen.

“Are you ready, Ava?” Grayson’s voice came from the other room calm and even, as if nothing could shake him. His words echoed in my mind for a moment, grounding me.

It was almost time.

This was happening.

I opened the door, and there he was–standing by the large, wooden table with its polished surface gleaming under the soft light of the chandeliers. He had changed into another one of his perfectly tailored suits, the dark fabric hugging his frame just right, making him look even more… perfect. As if it was possible for him to look more perfect than he already did.

Grayson walked towards me, his movements fluid and effortless, and before I could even think of anything to say, he pulled me into him. His lips pressed against mine in a soft kiss, tender yet commanding, and for a brief moment, everything else faded away. When he pulled back, his eyes held mine, “You look beautiful.”

I felt my heart flutter at his words, but before I could respond, he glanced at my eyes, his gaze narrowing slightly as though something caught his attention. “Do you have any idea why the colors of your eyes swirl and change?”

I blinked at him, surprised by the question. I had never really thought much about it, had never questioned it. “It’s always been that way,” I said quietly. “Since I was born.”

smile. “That was the first thing

that first meeting in my mind. It felt like decades ago, not just a few months. So much had happened, and yet here we were, standing in his mansion, surrounded by his pack, about to face whatever challenges

fingers with mine. “It’s time,” he said simply, his tone

longer mine. The life I had tried to carve out for myself, separate from this, had

hallway seemed to close in as we made our way to the meeting room. I could hear the low murmur of voices from within, the pack members no doubt already gathering. The sounds

you’re going to say to them?” I asked. The question was more for myself than for

Jan

Chapter 178

of reassurance, even if

+23)

right from the moment this startel. That things are changing. That war is upon us and that this isn’t some battle for territory or power, This is a war that will determine everything. It will change the future of this

things. You are going to make them scared and fear

know but everyone needs to know and I need to stop pretending like this isn’t above anything I have ever dealt with and whoever it is powerful. Extremely powerful. What happened with my phone

it.”

Queen Is Next?

words flashed through my mind like a warning signal, but I quickly shoved them down, forcing myself to focus on the present. Grayson had sensed it. I

when I do,

in his gaze–a kind of quiet rage that had been there when we first met and the fear I had felt moments before, the

unable to form words, knowing he didn’t need me to say anything. We continued walking and we reached the entrance, a thousand eyes turned toward us. A thousand pairs of gaze–some curious, some respectful, and others unreadable–focused on us with

Gray

gathering; this was the core of Grayson’s world,

had been arranged meticulously to accommodate the structure of the meeting. The seating was divided into sections, with each part clearly designated according to rank. At the back, I could see Brianna sitting near her grandfather

travelled forward to where a couple of men were seated and I could tell these men were part of the higher ranks,

brief greeting or glance here and there. My eyes for Liam instinctively

of the hall, where the highest–ranking members sat, I saw the two chairs that had been prepared for us. One

me to feel like I was a mere spectator, but a partner in this world. Without saying a word, I obeyed him,

the room deepened. No one spoke. No one moved. The weight of the silence pressed on us all, the anticipation thick in the air. Every eye in the hall was on Grayson, waiting for him to speak, to give them the direction they needed. The power of his