The Alpha King's Contracted Luna by Nelson Claudia

Chapter 276

-Ava's POV-

Grayson.

It was Grayson.

The massive blur of fur, the weight that had slammed into Dylan-it was him.

I could barely process it. My heart pounded so hard it hurt, my body frozen where Dylan had just almost killed me. Everything around me was chaos. The ship rocked beneath me, the wind howled, and the ocean crashed against the sides.

And then-

Footsteps. Heavy. Rushed.

Men poured onto the deck from both sides, their movements sharp, purposeful. I hadn't even thought about it-if there had been anyone else on the ship-not with everything happening. But Dylan's wolves were here.

A deep growl rumbled from somewhere ahead, then another, and another. My breath caught. The scent of wolves filled the air, thick and suffocating. My body tensed on instinct.

I tried to move, tried to think, but I was still reeling-Grayson and Dylan fighting, the fear clinging to my skin, the exhaustion dragging me down like dead weight. My limbs wouldn't cooperate, my mind struggling to keep up-

Then suddenly-a hand grabbed me.

I screamed.

My body jerked back, my pulse exploding in my ears. My hands scrambled against the slick deck, ready to fight, to claw, to do anything to get away.

"Ava! It's me!"

Rickon's voice.

I blinked, breath still coming in sharp, uneven gasps. My eyes locked onto his, the icy blue of them grounding me for just a second. He was crouched beside me, his hand still gripping mine, his expression tight with urgency.

I shook my head, trying to clear the panic, but my body wouldn't stop trembling. Everything was happening too fast, too loud-

"Come on," Rickon urged. "We have to move."

I nodded-shaky, unsteady-but I pushed against the deck, trying to make it easier

for him to pull me up. My legs wobbled beneath me, my grip on his hand tightening as the world around me spun.

More growls. More movement. Dylan's wolves were closing in. Men were firing at them.

And Grayson-Grayson was still fighting.

around Rickon's as I forced my

"Grayson-"

to the powerboat. He's going to be fine, so what I need you

"But

snapped,

91%

the chaos-dark figures moving, wolves snarling, bodies crashing against the deck. The ocean churned violently beneath the ship, waves crashing hard against the sides, making the deck slick and

feel it-Grayson was winning. Every time I glanced back, even for a second, he was tearing through Dylan like it

pushing through

almost at

could see the powerboat, the rope still

below.

Then-

A gunshot fired.

close I felt it more than

and searing-ripping into my side. I

my knees

My breath came in ragged gasps, my hands pressing against my side-warm,

it- Rickon started, but his voice cut

It missed.

We both turned-

Crystal.

wild with fury. She gripped the gun tightly, her hands steady despite the storm

had it

into every line. He didn't hesitate. He grabbed me, hauling me into his

clenched my teeth against the pain-but then

as I looked down, watching in shock as my

had ever healed

second,

Another gunshot fired.

jerking as the bullet tore

scream before

He fell

Straight into the water

my arm outstretched, fingers barely brushing his before

"No-no, no, no-

around me, the rain pounding, against my skin. My heart was

even have time to

breath came fast and sharp, my fingers pressing against the cold, rain-slick surface. The ship groaned beneath me, tilting, sharply as the storm raged

was the moment everything,

still in human form, others fully shifted- slipped over the edge, their bodies swallowed by