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.

woke up faster than I thought you would,” He said in a

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

this is it?” I rasped.

I just missed us spending quality time together.”

the sound weak and hollow. “Why don’t we skip the theatrics? Just tell me why you

and for a moment, something unreadable flashed in his eyes. “You’ve really become so empty, haven’t you? I do all of this, and you don’t

I didn’t respond.

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

me, he tilted his head. “Stay comfy, Grayson. I’ll be back in a couple of

of the vault, the door slamming shut behind him.

my body fall back against the cold, unforgiving floor. My limbs refused to cooperate, and my mind felt like it was

drift away. My thoughts unraveled, and I slipped into a dream so vivid that

meadow. The sky stretched wide and blue above, with clouds lazily drifting by. A soft laugh pulled my attention, and when I turned,

Ava.

dark hair flowing freely down her back, her white dress catching the sunlight as she ran through the tall grass.

She teased, her voice warm

my chest, the kind 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

mused, placing her hands

to stop the smile from spreading across my face. “Yeah. It’s a damn good one.”

die tagged me dom to a beade her

* moment, wher of gut on there, SAN by she was

too much? die weid sedly whier a

him of

the edge my ben “We nothing

“Crajum, de ska, her voice gente box firm “You don’t have ‘handle Everything on

choice? 1 murmured, looking down at my hands. “That’s the role 1 was born

up, cupping my face and forcing me to meet her true, “Shaybe that’s what they told you, but it’s not true. You’re not just a title or a responsibility. You’re so much

than I expected, and 1 felt my throat then. “I don’t know how to be

then, a smile so full of love and understanding that it made my chest ache. “You don’t have to figure it out along she said, “I’m here, I’ve always

she meant to me, but before I could, the edges of the dream began

reaching out for her.

as the dream dissolved. “You’ll find your way, Grayson. I believe in you.”

“Grayson!”

heart 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

and sluggish, and saw her mirroring

are we?” she asked, her voice trembling with confusion

to steady myself, trying to piece together an explanation despite the haze in my mind. Before 1 could answer, the sound of the vault door creaking open sliced through

his presence cold

W/A

Chapter 194

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to me. “Then stop wasting time and come enjoy it