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.”

parted, amusement flickering through the storm in his eyes, but he caught himself just in time. Instead, he cupped my

he kissed me.

A

25

Chapter 232

set my skin on

But

80%

+23

want this child? I didn’t mean for it to happen. I

over my jaw, “I know I said I didn’t want a child. And when Elaine told me, I still didn’t know if I wanted this child. I didn’t know what to do with it, what it meant for us,

process his words, trying to find the truth in

whispered, searching his face, looking

both of you, Ava. And I will spend every minute

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

look at me, his brow

thought us making up would be this grand moment, you know? Some dramatic, cinematic moment where everything just clicks and everything is perfect again.” I let out a breathy chuckle, shaking my head.

flashing in his tired

a moment before meeting his gaze again,

us, neither of us willing to let go

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

my fingers curling around the front of his

voice barely above a whisper, “I really do. But I don’t know how

waist, “Then let me prove it to

to calm the storm inside me, but then I felt his

my eyes, he was watching me–waiting, hoping.

much was obvious.

my mouth, ready to finally give him my answer, but before I could, he spoke first.

our grand cinematic moment,” He

2/4

Chapter 232

by the shift in tone

lips twitched, just slightly, “Remember?

11

but I wanted this moment. I wanted to be the girl who met him halfway, kissed in the rain, not the one who walked alone when it started raining!

all of that happened in another lifetime but despite

then,” I murmured, shifting closer,

he shook his

question him, the door

back inside, her gaze sharp, her presence immediately filling the room.

to break the curse anyway,” She said, crossing her