The Alpha King's Contracted Luna by Nelson Claudia

Chapter 242

-Ava’s POV

A deafening boom ripped through the room, a shockwave slamming into my chest and stealing the breath from my lungs. Stone and debris rained down as thick clouds of dust swallowed the air, turning everything into a disorienting blur of gray. The force of the explosion sent people staggering, some hitting the ground, others shielding themselves as best they could. My ears rang, drowning out everything else.

I barely had time to react before men poured.in.

Armed. Fast. Moving with lethal precision.

Gunfire erupted, the sharp crack of bullets tearing through the room as chaos descended in a brutal instant. I didn’t understand what was happening–I couldn’t. One second we were trapped, forced to play Damien’s twisted game, and the next, the walls had been blasted apart and men in dark combat gear stormed in, taking us all by surprise.

I turned to Grayson, my heart pounding so hard it felt like it might break my ribs. His face was unreadable, but there was no shock in his expression. No hesitation.

Rickon’s, still clutching his bleeding leg, groaned as he tried to push himself up. His lips curled into a pained grin, his voice rough but laced with something I could only call vindication.

“The bastard’s plan actually worked.”

Plan?

Realization slammed into me like a physical blow. Grayson had been waiting for this. While he’d kept quiet, he had been biding his time, waiting for the attack he had set into motion. But how… why?

I was so confused right now.

Through the chaos, I looked for Damien, catching the surprise on his face as he stood stunned for a moment then I saw the High Priestess–my grandmother–move faster than I thought possible. One moment, she was kneeling beside him, appearing fragile and unassuming, just another old woman bent by time.

The next, she struck.

The blade in her hand glinted under the dim, flickering light as she drove it into Damien’s side. His body jolted, his mouth parting in stunned silence before a sharp, ragged breath escaped him. Blood blossomed through his shirt.

My grandmother whispered something under her breath, and the air cracked. A ripple of energy surged outward, and then the barrier that had kept us trapped shattered like glass.

For a fraction of a second, no one moved.

Then Damien–his face twisting from shock to rage–lunged for her.

But for an old woman, she was fast. She sidestepped smoothly, her blade slashing outward. The tip caught his arm, a deep, clean cut that sent another spurt of blood onto the cold floor. Damien snarled, stumbling back, his hand gripping his wound, eyes burning with fury.

Before he could retaliate, the next wave of men poured in.

Armed. Efficient. Our men.

I barely had time to process it when strong hands grabbed me, pulling me back. My head snapped up, my heart hammering, my pulse roaring in my ears.

Grayson’s voice cut through the chaos, “You need to go. Now.”

Go? Go where I was still trying to make sense of what had just happened, how he had known to prepare for this–when Isabella moved to Rickon, her eyes scanning him. “Are you okay? Does it really hurt that bad?”

Rickon, still pressing his hand against his wound, grinned. Actually grinned. “I finally agree. You’d make a badass actress.”

Isabella smirked. “Told you.”

I stared at them, absolutely bewildered.

was

force suddenly storming in? My mind reeled, trying to connect the pieces, but nothing

to Rickon, looping an arm under his shoulder to help

arm.

have to go.” He

I saw two men lifting my father’s unconscious form, carrying him toward the exit. Relief mixed with panic–I didn’t know if he was okay, if he was even breathing, but we

and Elaine too were gone.

back to Grayson, my voice coming out harsher than I intended, “What

my eyes.

his voice made my stomach drop, but before I could argue, Isabella tightened her

We ran.

where the walls had been, where men were still pouring in. I stumbled over debris, my breath ragged, my mind still struggling to catch up.

“What the hell is

Grayson knew this would happen, but he had a plan!”

A plan?

When? How?

dodged a falling beam, my heart lurching, “Why

survive this shit hole,” Isabella shouted, breathless, “I’ll

Gunfire echoed. My pulse pounded. Someone screamed behind us, but I didn’t dare look back.

Then–we stopped.

no

and unfamiliar. A maze of turns and corridors

hell

lost as I was,

two! This way!”

Elaine’s voice.

sharply, spotting her up ahead, motioning frantically from an open doorway. Without thinking, we bolted toward her,

us, the sounds of battle grew

adrenaline making every nerve in my

Maria?” I screamed over the chaos, the sharp sounds

air.

shouted back, “Grayson had them leave first! They

small flicker of relief–knowing at least my mother even though I was still pissed at her for yet another secret and Maria were safe–did nothing to slow the

battle raging through this goddessforsaken place. The

deep, guttural growl sounded from ahead.

Close. Too close.

skidded to a stop at the same time, breath hitching as two wolves emerged from the darkness, blocking

Shit.

bodies, lean and powerful, bristled with tension and snarled, sharp teeth glinting as

voicing my exact thought out, “Anyone got their

answered in unison, slowly

again, muscles coiling it lunged right at

shots and the wolves dropped

in the direction of the gunfire.

feet away, her gun still raised. She looked completely unbothered, like she had just swatted a fly instead of taking down two fully shifted wolves.

was effortless. Sharp cheekbones, dark eyes that held no

on us, “Any of you seen my mother?” she asked, her voice smooth, edged with impatience, “Silver hair?

knack for