The Alpha King's Contracted Luna by Nelson Claudia

Chapter 278

-Ava’s POV-

The fight drained out of me in an instant.

Crystal was barely breathing, her chest rising and falling too fast, too erratic. The blood trailing down her legs was stark against her pale skin, a horrifying contrast to the water pooling beneath us.

My instincts kicked in before I could even think. I moved toward her, reaching out. “Crystal-

“Don’t touch me!” She screamed.

Her voice was raw, filled with something I couldn’t name. She stumbled back, her feet slipping against the wet floor, and before she could catch herself, she lost her footing.

She fell.

Hard.

Her back hit the metal floor with a sickening thud, a choked gasp escaping her lips. She tried to push herself up, but another sharp breath wracked through her body, her arms trembling beneath her.

“Crystal, stop!” I said, stepping closer, my hands outstretched, “Let me help you-

She lashed out.

Claws slicing through the air, missing my face by inches, Don’t touch me!” she shrieked, her voice even louder this time, raw and unhinged.

I flinched but didn’t back away.

“You’re bleeding,” I said, desperation creeping into my voice. “Crystal, you need to stop moving–I can help you!”

Another wild slash. Another scream. “I said stay away!”

Her whole body was shaking now, her breath coming in short, panicked gasps. The blood–there was so much of it. It mixed with the seawater sloshing against the metal floor, turning everything into a mess of red and black.

“Please,” I begged, my voice softer this time, “Just let me help you.”

Something in her face cracked.

Her lips parted slightly, her brows drawing together–but then the ship swayed again, harder this time, knocking me off

balance.

An explosion ripped through the air.

The sound of metal groaning, something bursting in the distance. The ship shuddered beneath us like a wounded beast.

Somewhere far away, I heard my name.

“Ava!”

The voice was familiar, urgent, but I couldn’t look away.

Crystal still had that wide, unfocused look in her eyes. Her hands clutched at her stomach, pressing hard against the stained fabric of her dress. Her lips trembled, her breath shallow.

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And then, barely above a whisper, she kept repeating the same name over and over again.

“Dylan… Dylan… Dylan..”

Terror flickered through me.

Not for myself.

Not even for her.

But for the life she was losing.

And for the fact that she didn’t seem to care.

“Ava!”

came again closer this time, cutting through the chaos like a blade.

Grayson.

couldn’t answer.

staring at the blood.

Crystal–at the way her shaking hands clawed at the water pooling around her like she was searching for something just beyond her reach. Her fingers curled and uncurled, slipping through the liquid like she thought she could grasp something solid. Her breath was erratic, broken sobs mixing with the sharp gasps

nearly slipped again. Her back hit the metal

then hands wrapped around me.

Strong, steady hands.

for a split second, pure instinct, but a low growl rumbled from

it wasn’t a threat.

Grayson.

his warmth a stark contrast to the freezing air around us, “You’re okay,” He whispered into my

Another explosion.

Louder. Closer.

decks. The floor vibrated beneath

We need

“Crystal,” I rasped, my throat

hesitated. His hands loosened just slightly as

then a shot rang out andCrystal shrieked.

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Chapter 278

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breaking as she dragged herself upright. Her hands were slick with blood–her blood—but she didn’t seem to notice.

falling too fast, her body shaking violently. But it was her eyes that made my

Wild.

Empty.

Consuming.

hot, too fast, and now there was nothing left but embers and smoke. Her hands trembled as she raised the gun again, her sobs turning

all going to pay!”

Bang.

behind

the

Bang.

wide, ricocheting somewhere deeper

his breath. He grabbed my wrist, yanking me back as Crystal kept firing, each shot more erratic than the last. She wasn’t aiming. She wasn’t even seeing.

She was breaking.

was nothing

as I stared at her one

last, agonizing time.

then I let Grayson

We ran.

smoke. Through

strain. Another explosion ripped through the air, fire

lungs burning. “Is Dylan

didn’t stop moving. His grip on my wrist never

Another explosion.

under me as we turned a corner. The heat was unbearable now, the smoke

happening?” I managed to

going down,” Grayson said, voice tight.

it hit me.

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Chapter 278

Rickon.

nearly lost his grip on me, “Rickon!” I

under his breath. “Ava, we don’t have time-

with both

muscles tensing. For a split second, I thought

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swore I felt the floor buckle beneath us. A deep, horrible groan echoed through the

wasn’t much time left.

knew

grabbed my hand again. “Come on!”

And we ran.

the chaos. The ship was dying around us, fire and water consuming everything in its path. Every breath was agony, every second another reminder that we were running