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"

He sighed, rubbing a hand over his face, "You're trying to start a fight. I'm not

stubborn, "I'm not trying to start a

need space, I'll

"No."

had spoken. My heart clenched painfully in my chest as I looked at him, really looked at him, and for the first time in weeks, I saw him. Not just the composed,

"I'm sorry, Grayson I didn't mean to push you

breaking. "Everything has changed

me for a moment,

closed the distance between us, wrapping

didn't move then, slowly, his arms came around me, pulling me against

me as if he was afraid I might slip away

grounding and my hands reached out and grabbed his

neither of us spoke. The weight of everything that had happened, everything

for struggling, Ava. You're allowed to. You're allowed to be angry, to be confused, to feel lost. After everything you've been through, I'd

swallowed hard, my

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 let me be here for

fingers found the soft fabric of his jacket, and I used it to wipe my

his head down to look at me, "You know that's

a small laugh, muffled against his

the smile in his voice. "You're lucky

gaze, my hands still gripping the lapels of his

sigh, his fingers brushing a stray strand of hair

inside me cracked at his words, the last of my resistance

my voice barely audible.

softened, "I

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Chapter 285

lingering

I finally let

gaze drifting back toward the NICU, where the

do about

into his pockets as he followed my gaze, "I

truth was, I didn't know

people who knew only pain and destruction. And even though Crystal had been my twin sister, there was no bond

maybe... maybe this was a way

a long moment before he finally spoke, "You want to keep

turned to him, startled by the certainty in his

mouth lifting in that knowing way of

was right. The thought of leaving her, of letting fate decide what

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

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

hard, my chest

fate, we risk her becoming what both Crystal and Dylan were," Grayson continued, his

to the floor as my