The Alpha King's Contracted Luna by Nelson Claudia

Chapter 232

*Ava’s POV

4023)

1 blinked at him, my mind scrambling to make sense of his words. Had I heard him right? My lips parted, ready to speak but before I could, he stepped back, putting space between us.

“And the disbelief,” He murmured, “the fact that you don’t know if you heard me right, or if you can even believe I’d say that.. that’s exactly why we can’t end, Ava”

His chest rose and fell as he closed his eyes, his jaw tightening. He stood there, unmoving, silent, and the seconds stretched unbearably. When he finally opened his eyes again, they were filled with something raw, something I wasn’t sure I was ready to face.

“The realm finding out I didn’t have my wolf felt like an attack,” He admitted, voice thick with emotion, “And I didn’t handle it well. Then immediately after, I saw all those messages, and I just didn’t. I didn’t think past my anger. And you suffered for it.” He exhaled sharply, shaking his head. “I am sorry. I am so sorry, Ava. And these past weeks… I’ve been miserable without you, 1”

His eyes fluttered shut again, his whole body tense as if the words hurt to say.

I didn’t wait for him to finish.

I closed the distance between us, pressing myself against him, my arms winding around his waist, holding on, “We can’t keep doing this,” I whispered, my voice breaking. “Please.”

His hands hesitated before settling on my back, pulling me closer, tucking me against his chest like he was afraid I’d slip away, “I know,”

I squeezed my eyes shut, breathing him in. The scent of him, the warmth, the familiarity—it hurt.

“I’m still so mad at you,” I murmured.

“I know.”

“I don’t forgive you yet.”

A soft kiss landed on the top of my head, his arms tightening around me. “I know.”

We stood there for a long time, wrapped in silence, neither of us willing to let go. The storm of everything that had happened still loomed over us, but for the first time in weeks, I could breathe.

“I don’t want to be done with you,” I finally whispered, my voice so small, so fragile, “I can’t be done with you.”

His grip on me tightened. “I know.”

I let out a choked laugh, tears slipping down my cheeks as I pulled back just enough to glare up at him, “Stop saying ‘I

know.“”

A small, tired smile tugged at his lips, but it didn’t reach his eyes.

“You can’t hurt me like that again,” I continued, my voice trembling with barely contained emotion, “You can’t do that to me ever again. And if you say ‘I know‘ one more time, I swear to the goddess, I will punch you.”

in his eyes, but he caught himself just in time. Instead, he

then he kissed

A

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Chapter 232

set my skin on fire. It

But it was

80%

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“Do you really want this child? I

what it meant for us, for everything. But then at the hospital, when I thought I might have lost you-” His voice faltered, but he steadied himself. “I realized I didn’t just want you back. I

at him, trying to process his words, trying to find the truth

you sure?” I whispered, searching his face, looking for even the smallest hint of hesitation.

and grounding. “I want both of you, Ava. And I will spend every minute showing you how sorry I am for not trusting

words. The weight of everything–the pain, the betrayals, the longing, the love–pressed down on me all at once, and to my own

enough to look at me, his brow

you know? Some dramatic, cinematic moment where everything just clicks and everything is perfect again.” I let out a breathy chuckle, shaking my head. “But this… this is just messy and complicated,

his nose, something like amusement flashing in his tired eyes, “Nothing about

meeting his gaze again,

us, neither of

reached out, his fingers brushing against my cheek before he cupped my face gently, “I know I don’t deserve to ask for another chance,” he murmured, his voice so low it was almost lost in the space between us. “But I need you to know that I’m going to try much

swallowed hard, my fingers curling around the

admitted, my voice barely above a whisper, “I really do. But I don’t know how to trust that this time will

down to my waist, “Then let me

for a moment, trying to calm the storm inside me, but then I felt his fingers tighten against my

I finally opened my eyes,

him. I mean that much was obvious. It had only been barely a month but still

mouth, ready to finally give him my answer, but before I could,

grand cinematic moment,” He said suddenly.

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Chapter 232

thrown off by the shift in

slightly,

11

story, and maybe I’d never have an epic romance, but I wanted this moment. I wanted to be the girl who

of that happened in another lifetime but despite myself and the situation, I smiled, “Yes, I remember.”

me. “So, I’d better mark you then,” I murmured, shifting closer,

could move any further, he shook his head, “No. Not

could question him, the

her gaze sharp, her presence immediately

back is going to break the