The Alpha King's Contracted Luna by Nelson Claudia

Chapter 228

Chapter 228

-Ava’s POV-.

“I think we should set a trap. | mean, that seems like the most sensible thing to do.”

| barely heard Isabella's words.

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My eyes were still locked on the window, on the view outside that | had been staring at since the first light of

dawn had broken across the sky. The golden rays had long given way to a dull afternoon haze, but | hadn't

moved, hadn't blinked much either.

FD

| told myself it was because | liked this particular angle, the way | could see both the gates and the winding path

leading up to the main house. But my wolf let out a low growl in my head, calling out my lie.

| was standing here because | waiting for him.

The question had been gnawing at the edges of my mind for hours now. Why hasn't he chere? Did

something else happen to him? Was he hurt? Should | go and check on him?

I chewed on my bottom lip, debating, then forced myself to snap out of it.

Focus, Ava.

Remember things aren't like that anymore.

With a sharp breath, | turned away from the window and finally looked at Isabella, “I would be all for agreeing to

use myself as bait and setting a trap, but after what just happened? | think I'd rather not put myself in the line of

fire anymore. | don’t just have myself to think about now.”

| hesitated for only a second before exhaling and continuing, “All of this stress isn’t good for the baby. And it

might not look like it right now, but | am three months pregnant, and |—"

“You don’t need to explain,” Isabella cut in quickly, nodding, “I get it. And we really should get you to a Doctor-"

She paused when | shot her a pointed look.

“A Doctor that isn’t you,” She amended, rolling her eyes, “But you're right. No more throwing yourself into

danger. With that said, today is the day Damien has something big planned. So how do we figure out what it is

before it happens?”

She turned her head at the stas | did, both of us looking at Elaine, who had been so quiet that | had

nearly forgotten she was there.

Elaine was just staring blankly out the window.

“I know it's Elaine, but...” Isabella trailed off.

“| feel really sorry for her,” | finished for her, then looked away, exhaling heavily, “I think we should inform

everyone. If we put our heads together, we can cup with a plan that actually works.”

“Oh, great,” Isabella deadpanned, throwing her hands in the air, “So we just gather all the targets into one room

and make it easier for Damien to blow us all up at once? Genius. And might | add, | find it both a relief and an

insult that he doesn’t think I'm important enough to be a main target.” She huffed.

| gave her a dry look, “Would you prefer to be on the list?”

“No. But I'd at least like the option to be considered.”

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Chapter 228

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I ignored her tics, my mind already shifting back to what | had uncovered when | played along like | was

agreeing to be a part of his sick agenda.

Damien didn’t actually plan to claim the throne through brute force. He expected the realm to hand it over to

him, to see him as the only other viable option once Grayson was eliminated.

Follow on NovᴇlEnglish.nᴇt

And worse-he had help.

Sof the high-ranking members were in on it. | wasn’t one to point fingers without proof, but if | had to bet,

Charles was the one orchestrating it all from the inside.

My fingers curled into my palm but | could say anything else, movement outside caught my attention.

The gates had opened and two cars pulled through, rolling up the driveway with an eerie slowness.

| held my breath.

| wasn’t sure why.

| wasn’t sure why my heart was hammering or why my stomach twisted as the cars cto a stop. But | knew |

couldn't look

away.

Ava, get away from the window.

| could hear my own voice in my head, warning myself.

Remember what he did. Remember what you said. You're done. It’s over. Don’t let what happened between

yesterday and today change things. He hurt you and even though you still haven't a chance to work through it,

that doesn’t mean you can let it go now or in the future.

| took a step back. Then another. And then-

He stepped out of the car.

And my breath caught.

Damn you, Grayson Blackwood.

He stood there, tall and imposing, his gray eyes scanning his surroundings with sharp precision. His jet-black hair

was slightly tousled from the wind, but the suit he wore was perfect-dark, crisp, expensive. The fabric hugged

his broad shoulders, tailored flawlessly to his frame.

Even from this distance, his presence was impossible to ignore.

The kind of presence that demanded attention, that made the air shift and the space around him feel smaller.

Like the first t| met him.

Then someone else got out of the other car. A woman. A really hot looking woman. Grayson turned slightly to

speak to her and | saw her smile slightly at whatever it was that she said but the neutral expression didn’t

change.

He started saying something again and the smile on her face brightened and my eyes narrowed but then he

paused suddenly like he feltwatching him.

His head tilted slightly upward.

And his storm-gray eyes locked onto mine.

I ducked-fast.

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Chapter 228

In my haste, | slammed directly into Isabella, who let out a sharp oof before glaring at me, “What is your

problem. Litt

“Nothing,” | said, voice rushed, pressing a hand to my chest as if that could calm my racing heart

Isabella narrowed her eyes, then followed my line of sight. She peeked out the window, “Oh | see. Wait a mine

who is she?”

“It doesn’t matter and no, you do not see anything.” | stepped away from the window completely, my voice

quick and sharp. “It’s over. Done. Sealed. Checked. Cemented. Stamped. He can talk to whoever he pleases. It's

not my business anymore”

“Right.” She drawled the word out slowly. “That's why you literally ducked like a guilty criminal caught in the act

of something shady.”

| opened my mouth, then shut it just as fast, waiting for Isabella to push the topic, to tease or press the wound

just a inde deeper-but she didn’t. Instead, she threwa curveball.

“By the way,” She said, far too casually for the weight of her words, “don’t you think it’s weird that your mother

si

We chere because her friend had leads on Damien, and, as it turns out, Damien is here. So why hasn't the

cback or at least sent a message to pinpoint exactly where he’s fueling his operation? That would be really

helpful right now

.I blinked. My mother should have been back by now.

Unless... unless she had never intended to cback at all

The thought struckwith a cold, unsettling clarity. She had led us here under the pretense of tracking Damien,

but what if she had already known he was here? What if this so-called friend of hers-someone | had never even

heard of before today-wasn't just helping her, but working with her to take him down alone?

She had arranged for all the weapons to be transported here. She had toldto stay put. She had sent no

further instructions, no updates.

No.

Reckless, impulsive decisions were my specialty, not Evelyn Pierce's. She wouldn't do something this stupid

Would she?

| pushed against the rising panic, reaching for the mind link she had opened between us before we split up. But

the connection was silent. Like the other end of a dropped call-nothing but an abyss.

| grabbed my phone off the table, nearly knocking over a glass of water in the process, and dialed her number.

Straight so voicemail.

| clenched my jaw, “Something's wrong” | said, my voice sharper than | intended, as | lifted my eyes to labella

Elaine, who had been locked in her own world since this conversation started, finally moved, stepping closer,

Dad anyone get another message? What's the plan?”

Isabella and | exchanged a look

“We need to find this friend of hers, | said, already moving.

Isabella nodded, falling in step beside me.

Elaine hesitated, then followed. “Wait-what’s going on

“My mother might be in trouble.” | said quickly. We need to find her before-

| yanked the door open, moving ahead of Isabella, and dammed straight into some

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Chapter 228

In my haste, | slammed directly into Isabella, who let out a sharp oof before glaring at me, “What is your

problem, Lilian?”

“Nothing,” | said, voice rushed, pressing a hand to my chest as if that could calm my racing heart.

Isabella narrowed her eyes, then followed my line of sight. She peeked out the window, “Oh. | see. Wait a minute

who is she?”

“It doesn’t matter and no, you do not see anything.” | stepped away from the window completely, my voice

quick and sharp. “It’s over. Done. Sealed. Checked. Cemented. Stamped. He can talk to whoever he pleases. It's

not my business anymore.”

“Right.” She drawled the word out slowly, “That's why you literally ducked like a guilty criminal caught in the act

of something shady.”

| opened my mouth, then shut it just as fast, waiting for Isabella to push the topic, to tease or press the wound

just a little deeper-but she didn’t. Instead, she threwa curveball.

“By the way,” She said, far too casually for the weight of her words, “don’t you think it's weird that your mother

still back? We chere because her friend had leads on Damien, and, as it turns out, Damien is here. So why

hasn't she cback or at least sent a message to pinpoint exactly where he’s fueling his operation? That

would be really helpful right now.”

.I blinked. My mother should have been back by now.

Unless... unless she had never intended to cback at all.

Follow on Novᴇl-Onlinᴇ.cᴏm

The thought struckwith a cold, unsettling clarity. She had led us here under the pretense of tracking Damien,

but what if she had already known he was here? What if this so-called ‘friend’ of hers-someone | had never even

heard of before today-wasn't just helping her, but working with her to take him down alone?

She had arranged for all the weapons to be transported here. She had toldto stay put. She had sent no

further instructions, no updates.

No.

Reckless, impulsive decisions were my specialty, not Evelyn Pierce's. She wouldn't do something this stupid.

Would she?

| pushed against the rising panic, reaching for the mind link she had opened between us before we split up. But

the connection was silent. Like the other end of a dropped call-nothing but an abyss.

| grabbed my phone off the table, nearly knocking over a glass of water in the process, and dialed her number.

Straight to voicemail.

| clenched my jaw, “Something’s wrong,” | said, my voice sharper than | intended, as I lifted my eyes to Isabella.

Elaine, who had been locked in her own world since this conversation started, finally moved, stepping closer,

IDid anyone get another message? What's the plan?”

Isabella and | exchanged a look.

“We need to find this friend of hers,” | said, already moving.

Isabella nodded, falling in step beside me.

Elaine hesitated, then followed. “Wait-what’s going on?”

“My mother might be in trouble,” | said quickly, We need to find her before-"

| yanked the door open, moving ahead of Isabella, and slammed straight into someone.

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Chapter 228

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Someone hard. A wall of muscle and warmth, solid enough to knock the breath out of me. | knew who it was

before | even looked up.

The impact madestumble, but before | could hit the ground, his hands were on me, steadying me, gripping

my arms like he had always been meant to catch me.

For a second-a brief, traitorous second-I felt it. That rush of heat. That pull.

Then | ripped myself away from him, shaking it off.

“We need to talk, Ava.”

“I don’t have tfor this,” | muttered, stepping around him. “I have to go.”

1 scoffed, trying again to sidestep him. “I really don’t have tfor whatever you think-"

“I figured out how to break the curse.” He said suddenly.

| stopped and everything instilled.

Grayson stepped closer, his voice lower, rougher, “You have to markback. We need to form the full mating

bond.”

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