The Alpha King's Contracted Luna by Nelson Claudia

Chapter 61

-Grayson'’s POV-

Sixteen years ago

“You are such a loser,” Liam taunted, tacklingto the ground. Mud splattered around us as we hit the earth,

rolling in a chaotic tangle of limbs. | couldn’t help but laugh as | tried to wrestle him off me.

“Oh, you're gonna get it now,” | said, grinning as I tried to get head locked under my arm. We’d been waging this

silly war for months, a constant battle over who was the stronger one, and neither of us could let it go.

Just then, a voice interrupted us. “Hey, dumb meatheads, it's tto eat!”

| turned to see Elaine standing nearby, arms crossed, watching us with a look of utter disdain. The distraction

was all Liam needed he used the moment to slip out of my grip, pinningto the ground in one swift move. He

looked over at Elaine. triumphant. “Count it!”

She rolled her eyes. “Boys are so disgusting.”

“Elaine!” Lian snapped, grinning like he'd just won a medal, while | continued struggling beneath him, unable to

break free.

“Fine. One two... three. Liam is the winner. Ding ding ding.” She said the words with zero enthusiasm, her arms

still folded, looking like she wanted to be anywhere else.

Ham finally let go, throwing his arms up in victory. Finally, I've done it! | am victorious!”

| pushed myself up, laughing. “You're so weird”

Elaine scoffed from her spot, waving us off. “Con, meatheads. Go get yourselves cleaned up. Mom told me

to tell you food's been ready for, like, an hour. And if she asks, I did.”

“What were you doing for an hour, Elaine?” | asked, wiping mud from my arms. She shota guilty grin.

“Nothing.”

“Elaine, con!” | huffed. “You promised you'd wait for me. How many movies did you watch?”

She shrugged, feigning innocence. “Maybe just Cinderella. And maybe a little Princess and the Frog.”

“You and 1-we are not cousins anymore,” | said, giving her a mock glare.

Liam looked at me, rolling his eyes. “You know sometimes | question our friendship. Because why are you

watching Disney princesses with your ten year old cousin. Sorry, really annoying ten year old cousin.”

Elaine’s face twisted into a scowl as she retorted, “You're the annoying one, and | cannot stand you.”

Liam mimicked her, making his voice high-pitched. “You're annoying, and | cannot stand you.”

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I sighed, shaking my head. “And I'm the one with the problem here.” | pointed toward the house. “Let's go get

cleaned up before Aunt Eloisa decides to explode on us thrn reportsto my mum. | don’t think | can survive a

lecture from both her and my mom.” Something dark flickered in my mind. “I already get enough from my

father.”

-Liam immediately turned it into a challenge. “First one to get showered and at the table wins!”

“Wins what?” | shouted after him as he darted off. Elaine stayed behind, scrunching her nose in disgust. |

grinned, knowing what | was going to do. The moment she saw my mischievous look, she backed away. “Get

away from me, you disgusting monster!”

She turned and bolted into the house, shouting, “Aunt Aria, your disgusting son is trying to getcovered in

mud, help

Chapter 61

My managed and laine et autour des “Thinking the sink in than w Baw intentionally slowing my steps post gh the

cold ofto sing our grat boys were. | knew Elaine loved being included in our games.

I was al

“Be careful you two my mother shed from each wheeling teneat the warr echoing down the hallway.

“Grayson Chere”

| froze

The laughter died instantly in my throat, and everyin my body

E1

ne punt ex sysy

meeting mine. | managed a small unile, telling her vileely to rent would be cry frocks derp learning ter

“Yes, Father?

He stood by the window, is back to me, the light casting a tearstado four made him look even aller ssugong

He didn’t speak for a long moment, and | counted each passing second in my head trying to remember wrong

recently-anything that might set him off. My mind raced bor teup Bank

Finally, he spoke, his tone as cold as ever. Tax Liam pin you. Jaw him w

My stomach twisted. | straightened, keeping my voice even. “It was just a pace, Father

Just a game?” He turned slowly, his key gray eyes locking onto mice Just pee He repeated the words each se

dropping like a stone in my chest.

“If others see this, if they see weakness, they'll cfor your thane. Then will it will be just a pme?

| swallowed, lowering my head in submission “I apologize, Father It won't happen agan

anything

He narrowed his eyes, his voice cutting through the air like a blade Kings do not apologie Kings do nor bow” His

gaze darkened, every word heavy with meaning “Kings do not show rates because if they do

His voice faltered, and | noticed his hands begin to shake. His eyes started to blink rapidly, the coldness in the

replaced by something wild and uncontrolled.

It was happening again.

| took a cautious step toward him. “Father, have you taken your medication?” | reached for his pocket, where my

mother always kept his pills just in case-just in case he started to lose control. | reached inside, my fingers

brushing against the bottle, when his hand shot out.

Claws extended from his fingers as he slashed at me, catching my face. Pain exploded across my cheek and

stumbled backward, falling to the floor. He was breathing heavily, his eyes wild, like he didn’t even recognize the

“Don’t touch me.” His voice was low, dangerous. He looked atwith pure, unfiltered rage

| scrambled backward, terror rising in my chest. “Father, it's me! It's Grayson. Please

But his eyes were vacant, lost in sdark place I couldn't reach He grabbedby the ankle, dragging me

across the floor as | clawed at the ground, desperate to get away. His voice was twisted, filled with a madness |

hadn't heard before

“You think you can take everything from me? My throne? Dictate how I live?”

“Father, stop! Please!” | tried to pull free, but his grip was like iron. He kickedhard in the ribs, and | cried out,

feeling the

Mon, Dec 15

Chapter 61

sharp pain radiate through my side. “Please, stop-It hurts!”

H

He kickedagain, harder this time, his face a mask of hatred. You think you can destroy my bloodline Curse

us?”

| coughed, the taste of blood filling my mouth. “Father... please’s me... it's Grayson..”

He didn’t stop, didn’t even seem to hear the. Another kick landed, and | gasped, the pain blurring my vision. |

could barely hear my own voice now, weak and broken. “Please... stop...”

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“Victor!” My mother’s frantic scream sliced the air, her footsteps pounding closer as | lay dazed, the ringing in

my head deafening. Through my tear-blurred vision, | saw my father’s eyes stap wide, a glimmer of recognition

piercing through his haze. Just as my mother reached me, she threw herself between us, pullinginto her

arms, and screamed at him. “I told you to always carry your meds! What the hell is wrong with you”

He stammered, visibily shaken. “I-L"

He seemed to struggle, clawing for control, as if he himself was fighting a losing battle against something dark

within him. My mother’s voice rose, raw and fierce, “Just go, Victor! Go!”

For a moment, he stood there, his gaze flickering betweenand my mother, remorse mingling with something

unreadable in his eyes. Then, with one last look, he disappeared, leaving only his harsh breathing echoing down

the hall

My mother cradled me, her fingers trembling as they brushed against the fresh wound on my cheek, her voice

breaking as she whispered, “I'm so sorry, my Gray Gray. I'm so sorry.”

The pain throbbed through my entire body, a slow, brutal ache that spread deeper than just my skin. My voice

cout in a hoarse whisper, barely audible, “Why, Mom! What's wrong with him? Why does he hateso

much?

“He doesn’t hate you,” she murmured, her voice thick with desperation, trying to convince both of us. “He

doesn’t. | promise, he doesn’t. It will get better. | swear it will.”

| wanted to believe her. | closed my eyes, hoping that her words could somehow make it true. But even as |

drifted into darkness, | knew-deep down that it was a lie.

It didn’t get better.

My father’s violence only grew, becoming almost routine, his way of “strengthening me, of breakingdown to

buildup into the king he wanted. The excuse of his “episode” that first twas soon irrelevant; he inflicted

every blow with a cold clarity, each lesson meant to ridof weakness, to turninto something brutal and

unbreakable. My mother tried to intervene, tried to protectas best she could, but she was no match for him.

And with each beating, each dark look he cast my way, the anger inhardened. It twisted, deepening into a

darkness that filled the empty spaces left by my father’s constant attempts to crise who | was.

So | started planning.

Planning how to make it stop, how to end him and end the torment he forcedto endure.

Finally,

one night, the opportunity came. The house was silent, everyone asleep. | slipped from my room, the silver

dagger hand feeling cold and unforgiving. With each step | took my heart pounded in my chest, but my mind was

calm, resolute, | reached his room, knowing what I had to do.

in my

And then, as he lay there, | raised the dagger and stabbed him in the chest.