The Alpha King's Contracted Luna by Nelson Claudia

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Chapter 285

Chapter 285

-Ava's POV-

I didn't know what to expect when I walked into the hospital.

Eliza had driven me, and I had convinced both her and Isabella that whatever this was, it wasn't anything I couldn't handle. I had told them to go home, insisting I'd be fine. But standing here now, staring through the glass at the tiny form in the incubator, I realized I had been wrong.

I wasn't fine.

My heart pounded in my chest, my breathing uneven as I tried to wrap my head around what I was seeing.

I shook my head, my voice barely above a whisper, "I don't understand... How is this possible? It's been a week. Why did they call you? I just... I don't..." I trailed off, unable to form the words because none of this made sense.

Grayson stood beside me, his gaze also fixed on the incubator. "I didn't want to take any chances, so I gave an order to be notified of anything unusual-like Dylan coming back to life," He said dryly before his expression darkened. "Then, earlier today, I got a call. They found the body of a pregnant woman washed up on the shore. I knew it was Crystal. Somehow.....she was still alive when they brought her in."

I tore my gaze away from the incubator to look at him.

"She didn't make it," He continued after a moment. "But the baby... she did."

My eyes flickered back to the tiny girl lying in the incubator, covered in wires and tubes, so small it didn't seem real. Crystal and Dylan's daughter.

I felt my throat tighten. I wasn't sure what I was supposed to feel. Shock? Guilt? Pity? All I knew was that I needed air because suddenly, the hospital mask I had on was suffocating me.

I exhaled a shaky breath, "Can we talk outside?"

Grayson nodded, leading the way out of the NICU, and the moment we stepped into the hallway, I felt like I could breathe again.

Before I could speak, he did.

"Are you

still angry with me?"

I blinked, caught off guard by the question, "No. I'm not," I sighed, running a hand over my face, “It's just... everything has been a lot. I haven't been handling it well. It's over, but it doesn't feel like it's over, and I don't know why everything still feels... wrong."

He studied me for a long moment before he asked, "So being with me feels wrong?"

I frowned, "That's not what I said, Grayson."

"Then what are you saying, Ava?"

I exhaled sharply. "I don't know! Everything is sinking in all at once-the threats, the chaos—and it's overwhelming. And you've been staying away, too, so don't start pinning this all on me."

His jaw tensed, "I've been staying away because visiting the old house is the only thing you've agreed to do with me since everything ended. And after that, you shut me out."

His words struck a nerve, frustration bubbling up inside me, "Well, I'm sorry I'm not dealing well with the fact that I just

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Chapter 285

went through hell"

"You're trying to start a fight. I'm not going

"I'm

you need space, I'll

"No."

in my chest as I looked at him, really looked at him, and for the first time in weeks,

stepping forward, "I'm sorry, Grayson I didn't mean

swallowed hard, my voice breaking. "Everything

a moment,

closed the distance between us, wrapping

move then, slowly, his arms came around me, pulling me against

firmly, his arms wrapped securely around me as if he was afraid I might slip away again. I pressed my face into his chest, inhaling his familiar scent-a

was comforting, grounding and my hands reached

weight of everything that had happened, everything we had been through. hung between us. Then,

allowed to. You're allowed to be angry, to be confused, to feel lost. After everything you've been

hard, my

you don't have to go through it alone," He continued, his voice softer now. "You don't have to push me away. You don't have to figure this out all at once. I just need you to

could stop them. My fingers found the soft fabric

chuckled lightly, tilting his head down to look at me, "You

a small laugh, muffled against his

could hear the smile in his voice. "You're lucky I love

just enough to meet his gaze, my hands still gripping the lapels of his jacket, "I love you

out a soft sigh, his fingers brushing a stray strand of hair from my face, "I

me cracked at his words,

sorry," I whispered again, my voice barely audible. "I didn't mean to

eyes softened,

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Chapter 285

my fingers lingering

moment before I

drifting back toward the NICU, where the tiny

we going to do about her?" I asked

hands sliding into his pockets as he

the truth was, I

been my twin

maybe this was a way to right

long moment before he

by the certainty in his voice, "I

of his mouth lifting in that

mouth to argue, but the words caught in my throat. Because deep down, I knew he was right. The thought of leaving her, of letting

Dylan's daughter, Grayson. I hate him as much as

expression unreadable, "She's just a baby, Ava." His voice was calm, but there was an edge of conviction behind it. "She hasn't done anything wrong. And as much as you're trying to fight the idea, you know it's the right thing

hard, my chest

and Dylan were," Grayson continued, his voice

gaze dropped to the floor as my thoughts