The Alpha King's Contracted Luna by Nelson Claudia

Chapter 65

Ava’s POV-

“Con, Lilian, don’t be a bore. Have another drink!” Isabella shouted, her voice just barely rising above the

pounding music in the bar.

| sighed, mudging the glass back toward her. “Maybe you need to ease up on the drinks, Bels.”

“What are you talking about? I'm fine.” She grinned, swaying slightly. “See? Look how sober | am-how many

fingers am | holding up right now?”

She held up her index finger in front of my face, but | just rolled my eyes, pushing her hand away with a bit more

force than necessary. “It’s usually the drunk person being asked that question, not the other way around. This

was a bad idea. | don’t know why I let you dragout here.”

“You don’t feel anything anymore. Lilian,” she drawled, a mischievous gleam in her eyes. “When did you become

such a bore? But you know what? | still love you, and you'll still love me, no matter what | do. Right?”

There was something too knowing in her gaze, and a prickle of suspicion crept up my spine. | eyed her warily.

“Bels, what did you do?

Before she could answer, the air around us changed. | felt it, like a wave of energy cutting through the crowded

room. Instinctively, my gaze shifted to the entrance, and there he was-Grayson. Our eyes met instantly, and for

a brief, intense moment, everything else fell away. His stare pinnedto my spot, the force of it making my

heart pound in my chest.

Isabella tapped his shoulder as he approached, a wicked grin on her face. “She refused even one shot. Good luck

with her, you're going to need it.”

She blewa teasing kiss and disappeared into the crowd, leavingto face him alone. I glared at her

retreating figure, but my attention was quickly drawn back to Grayson, who was still watchingwith that dark,

unreadable expression.

He finally broke the silence. “Can | sit?”

| narrowed my eyes at him, the irritation building in my chest. It's a free world, isn’t it? Do what you want.”

Without another word, he slid into the seat across from me, and 1 immediately turned my attention to the glass

in front of me, determined not to let him rileup. But he spoke again, and I could hear the faint uneasiness in

his voice. “The song here is... interesting.”

I shot him a look, arching an eyebrow. “It's about women dancing naked with big assets. What exactly do you

find “interesting?”

He tapped his fingers against the table, unbothered by my sarcasm. Then he continued as if | hadn't just

dismissed him. “The weather's nice tonight.”

I gave him a long, disbelieving stare, unable to hold back the laughter that bubbled up. “Okay, what is wrong

with you? Why are you saying random, pointless things?”

His expression didn’t change. “Isabella said they were good conversation starters.” He said the words like he

didn’t believe he would ever have to say them in his life.

| couldn't hold back a laugh, even if it was tinged with disbelief. And why are you talking to my best friend?”

Grayson’s face hardened. “That's not the point.”

| shook my head, giving up, “I don’t know why I’m even talking to you. You made it clear I'm nothing to you, and

people who | am nothing to do not exist in my world.”

09:28 Mon, Dec 16

Chapter 63

[I turned to leave, but his harul shot out, grasping my wrist. Theuch was electric, sending a shiver through me,

but i yanked my hand away. “Don’t touchor I'll scream in here and one more thing before you go back to

being dead tothe divorce papers, sign them so | can get on with my life.”

He didn’t flinch, just looked atsteadily, his eyes hard and unyielding “I’m not going to sign them.”

| stopped dead, clenching my mean you're not signing them? Don’t make this

fists as | turned back to him. “What do you more complicated than it needs to be. Thank goodness the press

hasn't caught on yet; | don’t have the energy for a media

circus.”

He held my gaze, unfazed by my tone. “I'm not signing them because | don’t want a divorce.”

1 exhaled sharply, beyond exasperated. “That sounds like a you problem. | stopped caring about what you want

two months ago, Grayson. Sign the papers and stay out of my life,”

| could feel my patience fraying, the frustration simmering beneath the surface, threatening to boil over. Just

being near him felt like being on edge, his presence completely altering the air around us. | gathered my things,

trying to spot Isabella in the crowd, feeling an irrational surge of anger at her for ditchinglike this. | couldn't

see her anywhere.

| felt Grayson’s gaze still on me, but I ignored him, my eyes scarining for any sign of her. Finally, | spotted Kim,

one of the waitresses we knew. | waved her over, hoping she had seen Isabela.

“Hey. Kim, have you seen Bels?”

She nodded, looking amused. “Oh, yeah. She left with sguy. It was really intense. They were really getting

into it.”

My heart dropped. “Isabella wouldn't just leave with srandom guy.”

H

Kim raised an eyebrow. “I don’t mean like that, They were arguing. Looked pretty heated, and then he dragged

her out of here

Panic spiked through me, and I quickly pulled out my phone, dialing her number. It went straight to voicemail.

“Damn it.”

| forced a tight smile and thanked Kim before turning for the door, the panic gnawing atas | stepped outside.

Isabella had been drinking heavily, and while she could usually handle herself, something about the situation

didn’t feel right. It was all Grayson’s fault, really. If he hadn't distracted me, | might have noticed when she left.

As soon as | stepped out into the night, | spotted her, standing a little ways down, and she was arguing with...

Rickon?

The sensible thing to do would have been to walk up to them and ask what was going on, but curiosity got the

better of me. Instead, | ducked behind a parked car, trying to get close enough to eavesdrop on their

conversation

doing? Just as | was positioning myself, | felt a presence looming over me. | glanced up to see Grayson staring

down at me, armis crossed, looking both exasperated and amused. “What exactly are you

| shot him a glare, grabbing his hand and pulling him down withbehind the car. “They'll see you and blow my

cover, T whispered harshly.

He raised an eyebrow but complied, crouching beside me. “You do realize you're being ridiculous, right?

| waved a hand dismissively. “I can’t hear them. | need to get closer.”

-Grayson'’s tone was laced with boredom. “They're talking about why she’s being so stubborn about something.”

Realization hit me; of course, werewolf hearing. “Okay, just stay here, listen, and tellwhat they're saying.”

He gavea dry look. “Or, you could just go over and ask like an adult. I, on the other hand, don’t have tfor

this.” I let out a sigh, hating that he had a point but determined not to back down. “Fine. If you helpout with

this, FL |

Chapter (4

listen to your reasons for not wanting the divorce.”

He looked at me, his gaze intense as he seemed to consider my offer, before he finally relented, sighing and

settling bark beside me, his expression unreadable

“Well?” | snapped, crossing my arms, my patience wearing thin

Grayson’s eyes flashed with irritation before he forced himself to stay calm, his jaw clenching slightly “She said

she’s pregnant, and now he has to marry her.”

“What?” The shock hithard. Isabella was just drinking. Since when had she...with Rickon? | looked at

Grayson'’s faint smirk and glared, feeling a mix of anger and disbelief.

“That's not funny at all. If you're not going to tellwhat they're really saying, then just go away,” | said,

turning my face

away.

He stared atblankly, as though considering my words. “Instead ofplaying telephone, why don’t | just do

the less complicated thing? I'll listen to their conversation, piece together whatever they're talking about, and

then tell you.”

| folded my arms, huffing. | thought of that.”

He raised an eyebrow, the faintest hint of a smile tugging at his lips, before he focused back on eavesdropping. |

started counting in my head, and the seconds stretched, each one feeling painfully long.

“Why are you taking so long?” | demanded, unable to hide my impatience.

He shota glare. “It’s only been eight seconds, Ava.”

“Fine, sorry.”

| took a deep breath, counted to thirty-five, and was about to speak when he finally started talking again. “They

they slept together. Afterward. Isabella left and has been avoiding him ever since. But there's something more.

They keep referring to it as it, so I'm not sure what that means yet. Rickon just told her they have to talk about

it, whatever ‘it’ is, and that she should stop dancing around the topic”

| was still processing when Grayson'’s expression shifted slightly, surprise flickering in his eyes. His voice dropped

to a low murmur as he continued, “Isabella just said what it was. Her exact words: “If I'd known sleeping with

you would make us realize it, then | never would have. But it doesn’t matter. | don’t want you as my mate”

SEND GIFT