The Alpha King's Contracted Luna by Nelson Claudia

Chapter 218

Ava’s POV-

It took seeing his face for every horrible thing he had done and hid to me to come crashing back. All the pain, all the sleepless nights where I cried until there were no tears left. All because he’d kicked me out–thrown me away–when all I did was love him.

And it was because of that love that I had convinced myself I hadn’t done enough, that maybe if I’d been better, stronger, it wouldn’t have ended like this.

That I needed to do more like I had told Mikayla and that was why I went after him.

But I had done enough. I had forgiven him more times than I could count, opened up to him, let him into the fragile parts of myself I rarely let anyone see. I’d trusted him with the broken pieces of me, and in one single moment, he had taken that trust, that love, and thrown it back in my face.

The anger bubbled up inside me, fierce and hot, as the silence stretched between us. I could feel it burning in my veins, rising to a fever pitch, and I was ready to explode, to lash out and tell him to get the hell out of my way

But then… it faded.

Like someone had poured cold water over me, the fire was extinguished, leaving behind nothing but a dull ache, an emptiness that swallowed everything else. The anger was gone, replaced by a hollow feeling I couldn’t even begin to describe.

So I walked away.

And as I did, with each step I took, I felt a strange sense of liberation. The weight of carrying that anger, that hurt–it was exhausting. Letting it go didn’t fix anything, but at least I could breathe again.

The hallway seemed to stretch forever, my footsteps echoing in the silence. Ricardo’s mansion was vast, and despite its opulence, I felt like a ghost drifting through its halls. My mother was still out with her “friend,” and a part of me felt guilty for the harsh words I’d thrown at her earlier. Dislike was one thing, but hate?

Hate was a powerful, consuming force, and as much as I wanted to blame her for everything, I knew I didn’t hate her.

“Are you still going angry lioness on everyone?”

I stopped, turning my head to find Isabella seated by a window, staring out at the darkening sky.

A sigh escaped me, and I moved towards her, each step feeling heavier than the last, “I didn’t… I wasn’t angry at you. Or maybe I was. I don’t know. I’m just so angry at everything. Theres so much happening all at once, and I don’t know what to do with it. I’m sorry.”

She didn’t turn to look at me, her gaze fixed on something far beyond the glass, “There’s been a lot of that word between us lately. Before, you’d say it because you couldn’t sneak out, couldn’t defy your parents. Now we’re both saying it because we keep hurting each other–intentionally or not.”

I paused, absorbing her words, letting them settle into the cracks of my weary heart.

Then she added, her voice softer, “He looks so lost.”

Curiosity and a reluctant concern propelled me forward, and I leaned to see what–or rather, who–she was talking about. Grayson stood outside by the fountain, still staring at the water where the mother duck and her ducklings floated serenely.

The sight of him, shoulders hunched, eyes distant, twisted something inside me. I looked away quickly unwilling to let that

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Chapter 218

pang of emotion take root.

“I called Rickon. He’s arranging for a flight back, I’ll leave tomorrow morning.” Isabella stood, casting one last glance at Grayson, “Maybe things are just too different now.”

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She walked away, leaving me standing there, and I watched her treating figure, feeling that familiar sting of abandonment.

Just like I had walked away from Grayson.

I let her go, sinking into the seat she vacated. My eyes drifted back to Grayson, still unmoving by the fountain. He was like a statue, carved from stone, unable or unwilling to leave the spot where I’d left him.

Then, finally, he shifted.

His steps were slow, almost hesitant, as he moved closer to the fountain. He knelt beside the water, dipping his hand into it. The ripples spread out, disturbing the serene surface.

his fingers closing gently around one of the baby ducks. The tiny creature squirmed in his grasp, its mother letting out an alarmed quack. For a moment, a

water. His hand lingered, watching as it paddled away, hurrying to rejoin its family. The mother duck quacked

crouched by the water, his hand still submerged, as if grounding himself in the coolness of it. His face was unreadable from this distance,

strange mix of emotions churned within me. There was still pain, still hurt, still anger–but also a flicker of something else. Something softer. A

my arms around myself, trying to hold the pieces together. Watching him there, by the fountain, it hit me all over

Maybe Isabella was right. Maybe things were too different now. Maybe

No.

my feet carrying me down the hallway in a rush.

hand hovered over the handle, but then I pushed forward, turning the knob and stepping

faint glow of the moon filtering through the

I saw her.

was curled up in bed, hugging a pillow tightly to her chest, her back to the door. She looked so small, so unlike the firecracker she usually was, and something inside me

I moved toward her, my body acting on instinct. I climbed into bed beside her, wrapping my arms around her from behind. She stiffened for a second, then slowly relaxed into me, but neither of

Not yet..

back, and after a long silence, I finally whispered,

Chapter 218

go

to

for me feet her shift in my arms. “Lilian. She started, but her Advip let it she Uf voice trailed

I murmured, my grip tightening like I could come

momern before she exhaled, almove she’d been holding something in for too long. “It’s not that

I did. Nothing about our lives had ever been simple.

her eyes glistening in the dim light. “You hurt me, Ava. Her voice wasn’t accusing. It was

throat tightened. “I

like she was trying to find something–maybe proof that I

lump in my throat. “Yeah.”

other, breathing the same air. Then I whispered the words, this time eeally meaning

she let out a soft, broken laugh. “I think now we’ve both said that enough times to fill an entire book.”

a little, even though my chest still ached. “Maybe. But I still mean it.”

again, softer this time, and nudged her forehead against mine in the way she used to,

whispered. “No more hurting

voice just

stayed like that for a moment, wrapped in silence, the warmth of our embrace making it feel like, just for a second,

really did. But with everything happening, ignoring a message wasn’t a luxury I could afford. With

the screen made my breath

Damien.

my fingers tightening

immediately. She turned fully toward me,

pulse already picking up, “It’s

I opened the message, my stomach dropped. My screen filled

Pictures of us.

in the garden where I

Wed, Feb

Chapter 218

go.”

80%

turned slightly, just enough for me to feel her

could somehow

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before she exhaled, almost like she’d been holding something

know,” I admitted, because I did. Nothing about

facing me, her eyes glistening in the dim light. “You hurt me, Ava.” Her voice wasn’t accusing. It was just… tired.

throat tightened.

my face like she was trying to find something–maybe proof that I really understood. That I meant

you,