The Alpha King's Contracted Luna by Nelson Claudia

hapter 194

Chapter 194

-Grayson’s POV-

“Anyone can be a king, but not everyone can be a king.”

I looked up at my father from where we stood on the balcony, staring out at the endless expanse of land below. His words always felt heavy, like they were meant to anchor me to the ground or chain me to an idea I couldn’t escape. Most of the time, I tuned him out, knowing that every lesson was a thinly veiled command or warning about power and weakness. But this time, his words lingered.

“What does that mean?” I asked, half out of curiosity and half out of a need to fill the silence.

He turned to look at me, his gaze sharp and calculating, as though he were measuring every word before speaking. For a brief moment, I thought I saw pride flash in his expression–a rare softness in a man who seemed incapable of tenderness. But my hope was fleeting. He wasn’t proud. He was never proud.

“It means,” He began, voice low and deliberate, “that anyone can wear a crown and call themselves king, but to be a true king, you must own everything that comes with it. You are not ordinary, Grayson, and you wouldn’t need a crown for people to know it. But remember this: even though an actual crown doesn’t exist, people will do anything to take it from you. Anything. Sometimes, even those closest to you.”

His words should have struck something deep within me, but instead, I felt my attention drift. Why did he have to turn everything into a power struggle?

“Grayson, hey! You ready?”

The sound of Liam’s voice snapped me out of my thoughts. I looked down from the balcony and saw him waving at me from below. A wide grin spread across my face, and without thinking, I moved to head downstairs.

“Where do you think you’re going?” my father’s voice cut through the air like a blade.

I stopped mid–step, sighing. “To play with my friend.”

“Kings don’t have friends,” he said sharply. “They have competition. And if you keep showing that boy your weakness, one day he’ll be the one to rip the crown right out of your hands.”

I glared at him, or as much of a glare a ten year old could muster as I turned back to him. “You’re wrong. Liam is my friend, and Mum said I could play if I spent some time with you–even though I didn’t want to.”

His eyes flashed with anger, but he didn’t argue. Instead, he let out a heavy sigh. “One day, you’ll see that I’m right.”

But I was already running down the stairs, his words fading into the background as I chased after the freedom Liam’s presence always seemed to bring.

The memory dissolved as I stirred, my body heavy and uncooperative. My head throbbed, and my eyes felt like they were weighed down by lead, but I forced them open. Everything came back to me in a rush–the image of Elaine crumpled on the floor, the sound of my own voice struggling to call her name, and the feeling of helplessness as everything went dark.

Now, as I struggled to lift myself, the sharp, metallic scent of the vault hit me. My arms shook as I propped myself up, and my gaze landed on Elaine, lying still just a few feet away. My throat burned as I rasped out her name.

“Elaine,” I croaked, my voice barely audible.

She didn’t move.

Chapter 194

I gritted my teeth and dragged my body toward her, my arms trembling with the effort. “Elaine,” I tried again, louder this time, but there was no response.

Before I could reach her, the vault door creaked open, and the sound of approaching footsteps echoed in the small, confined space. My vision blurred, but I focused on the shoes stepping into view–shoes I recognized all too well.

Liam.

would,” He said in a tone so neutral it made my

stared up at him, too exhausted to muster anger or even surprise. Maybe I would’ve felt betrayed if

this is it?” I

smile curved his lips. “Or maybe I just missed

sound weak and hollow. “Why don’t we skip the theatrics? Just tell me why you brought us here, what your plan is, and all the things you’ve been

“You’ve really become so empty, haven’t you? I do all

I didn’t respond.

her to wake up. I didn’t go through all this effort for the big moment to go to waste

“Stay comfy, Grayson.

the vault, the door slamming shut behind

unforgiving floor. My limbs refused to cooperate, and my

thoughts unraveled, and I slipped into a dream so vivid that it almost felt like reality.

sky stretched wide and blue above, with clouds lazily drifting by. A soft laugh pulled

Ava.

dress catching the sunlight as she ran through the tall grass. She looked back at me, her smile brighter than

there all day, Grayson?” She teased, her

of laugh that didn’t weigh me down but lifted me instead. “I’m trying to figure out if I’m dreaming,” I said, half–joking

“Dreaming, huh?” she mused, placing her hands

across my

tagged me

moment, wher of gut on there, SAN by she

much? die weid sedly whier a while, ker tone stunk now “Kvetnes for you

him of

the weight of reality creezing in the edge my ben “We nothing I can’t handelund, pago

me, her hand resting on my arm. “Crajum, de ska, her voice gente box firm “You don’t have ‘handle

looking down at my hands. “That’s the

“Shaybe that’s what they told you, but it’s not

I expected, and 1 felt my throat then.

ache. “You don’t have to figure

me, but before I could, the edges of

called, reaching

one last time, her voice echoing softly as the dream dissolved. “You’ll find your way, Grayson. I believe in you.”

“Grayson!”

pounding and my breath ragged as my eyes struggled to adjust to the dim light around me. For a moment, I wasn’t sure if I was still dreaming. Then my name was called again–sharper

body heavy and sluggish, and saw her

we?” she asked, her voice trembling with confusion

breath, trying to steady myself, trying to piece together an explanation despite the haze in my mind. Before 1 could answer, the sound of the vault

inside, his presence cold and deliberate.

W/A

Chapter 194

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hand to me. “Then stop