The Alpha King's Contracted Luna by Nelson Claudia

Chapter 287

-Ava’s POV-

“This is a disaster! We have to call the wedding off,” Isabella gritted out as she knelt on the floor, stretching her hand under the dresser in a futile attempt to retrieve one of her earrings that had rolled underneath.

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I rolled my eyes, choosing to ignore her dramatics, just as Eliza hummed in satisfaction while putting the finishing touches on my makeup.

“Are you people not hearing me?” Isabella shrieked, her voice rising with each syllable, “I said—”

“The people all the way in another country heard you,” My mother’s voice cut in, flat and unimpressed.

Isabella froze mid–reach before turning her glare on my mother, who stood with her arms crossed, looking down at her with thinly veiled disapproval.

At least it wasn’t directed at me.

Evelyn Pierce was making an effort.

She had even cut her hair–my Aunt Rosaline’s doing, as she had grumbled when I picked her up from the airport yesterday. But I had caught her checking herself out in the mirror more than once, and despite her complaints, she had been smiling.

I had taken her to the hospital to see her first grandchild, who still needed to be monitored, and she had almost cried. Which, of course, made me cry too.

I knew it would take time to truly move past everything she had done, the way she had treated me in the past. But she was trying, and in her defense, she had been kinder and more considerate lately. Isabella, on the other hand, had been on the receiving end of her sharp tongue, and I had wisely decided to stay out of it.

Isabella tore her glare away from my mother and turned to me instead, “Lilian, your mother is being mean to me.”

I pretended not to hear her.

Instead, I turned to Eliza, “Do you think I should add a little more highlight?”

Eliza, who had learned the fine art of avoiding drama, nodded thoughtfully, “A little wouldn’t hurt.”

My mother let out a small huff, and Isabella let out an even bigger one, “You are both ignoring me!”

“And what a blessing that is,” My mother muttered.

Isabella gasped, scandalized, “You see? You see how mean she is?”

“You’re being dramatic,” My mother replied, giving her a pointed look.

“It is not dramatic to be upset that my earring has disappeared into the abyss!” Isabella huffed. “And you, Evelyn Pierce, are just heartless!”

From the corner of the room, Mikayla, who had been pretending to scroll through her phone but was clearly enjoying the drama suddenly let out a snort of laughter.

That was her first mistake.

Both my mother and Isabella turned their heads toward her at the exact same time, their attention now locked onto a new target.

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“What’s so funny?” My mother asked, arching a brow.

“Yes, Mikayla,” Isabella narrowed her eyes. “What exactly is so funny?”

* .96%

Mikayla’s eyes widened like a deer caught in headlights, “Oh, nothing! Absolutely nothing at all.” She waved a hand. “Just, uh… allergies! Yes, allergies! You know, sneezing, watery eyes, and-”

snorted,” Isabella cut

“No, I-”

My

just–uh–air escaping forcefully through my nose due to–uh–seasonal shifts!”

to hold back my own laughter.

was not an allergy snort,” Isabella accused.

you?” my mother asked, crossing her

darting like a trapped animal. “Um… I think… you’re both very… passionate people…

decide if her answer was good enough and I sighed, finally deciding to save her. “Alright, enough. Stop bullying her,” I said, first

placing a hand on

look. “And you–stop being overly

sudden knock on the door cut me

parted as she turned to my mother and again, something passed

She stepped back

Something felt off.

Something was off.

around, “Isn’t someone going to see who

“Why don’t you

have to be the one to

to her feet. “I’ll get it!”

take a step, my mother flicked her eyes

froze then, like a scolded child, she slowly sank back into her chair

Poor Mikayla.

my invitation to stay back here instead of sitting

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Chapter 287

up, “Well, since all of you want to set weird all of a sudden, I’ll get

walked to the door. My heart pounded

handle, pulled it open

me idurred

me vanished. The voices. The wedding. The

last person I had ever expected to

he still stood tall. His

then the second chance to walk you down the aisle.” He swallowed thickly. “If

let him finish.

flung myself at

caught me, his arms coming around me slowly, as

at him, my fingers clutching the fabric of his suit. “They said you’d never wake up” My chest heaved as the questions spilled out of

so much weight. His face was hollowed, his suit hanging looser than it should have. The strong, untouchable man I had once known–who had ruled over

else. Someone different.

opened my mouth, but he beat

say something first,” Hesaid, his voice firm but quiet.

before nodding.

breath, his eyes searching mine, “I heard everything,” he said. “Everything you said when

caught in

before. I refused to see it before.

a breath, my grip tightening on his

it wasn’t just at you. It was at myself.” He let out a shaky exhale. “That I had let one of my children be taken and I saw you as

broken sound escaped

matter what I believed you were, you were still my

welled in my eyes, my chest tightening so painfully I could

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Chapter 287