The Alpha King's Contracted Luna by Nelson Claudia

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Chapter 75

- Ava’s POV-

The pain was sudden, an intense wave that seemed to crush my hest, forcing a scream out of me. | doubled

over, clutching my chest, scrambling backward in a desperate attempt to escape the agony,

“This isn’t real. This isn’t real.” | muttered, my voice a shaky whisper. “It’s all just in my head.”

But my words were drowned by the sinister laugh of my look-alike. She stood above me, her eyes dark, lips

curled into at smile that chilledto the bone. Her laugh echoed, taunting, filling my mind with doubt. “How

about | show you just how real the pain can get!” she sneered, lifting her hand to strikeagain. | braced for it,

knowing that whatever | felt next would be even worse.

Then, suddenly, a deep, furious growl sounded from behindA blur of white fur leapt past, colliding and

knocking her to the ground. She vanished into thin air as if she'd never been there.

with my look-alike

| blinked, the pain lingering but beginning to fade. My whole body trembled as | slowly looked up, my eyes

widening in disbelief.

She was there.

She existed.

A massive white wolf, her fur gleaming and streaked with subtle hints of gold. She was majestic, breathtakingly

beautiful, with an otherworldly aura that made it impossible to look away. Her eyes, a deep ember, glowed as

they focused onwith an intensity that both mesmerized and terrified me. | wanted to say something-

anything-to break the silence between us “Hello? Thank you maybe? But no words cout. | could only stare,

transfixed.

Suddenly, she took a step toward me, then another, her gaze locked onto mine. My heart pounded as she came

closer, her enormous froverwhelming. | closed my eyes, bracing myself for whatever might cnext, but

there was nothing. No impact, no feeling of her presence at all. When | opened my eyes again, she was gone.

| gasped, sitting up in a strange bed, my vision swimming as | tried to orient myself. Dark walls, heavy furniture,

a coldness that seemed to seep into the air around me. | glanced around, feeling a prickle of unease before my

eyes landed on him.

Grayson was slouched on the small sofa across from me, asleep. The sofa was far too small for him; his long

form was twisted awkwardly as he tried to fit. He wore sweatpants and a loose shirt, an unfamiliar look for

someone who was usually

put together, always in suits that seemed to amplify his cold, untouchable aura. Now, as he slept, his face was

relaxed, free of the usual sharpness that kept everyone at a distance. In that moment, Grayson Blackwood didn’t

look intimidating or cold. He just looked... human. Vulnerable, even.

A strange warmth settled in my chest as | watched him, realizing that beneath all the layers of his cold

demeanor, he carried a weight that few could see-a quiet pain he seemed determined to keep hidden. The urge

to reach out, to somehow reassure him that he didn’t have to carry it alone, rose withinBut | quickly pushed

the thought away. Whatever these feelings were, they would only complicate things.

Shaking my head, | slipped out of bed, moving to the bathroon His scent filled the room the moment | stepped in,

subtle and intoxicating. | knew | shouldn't, but I couldn't help myself. | picked up a bottle Urat | didn’t know what

was in it. breathing it in. The scent was complex. grounding, yet almost addictive. My hand brushed against a

few personal items, a hand wash, a bottle of aftershave-each one felt like a glimpse into a side of him | hadn't

known,

Stop it, Ava. You're obsessing.

Tsighed, placing the items back and shaking off the strange curiosity. Turning to the mirror, | studied my

reflection. The image of the white wolf lingered in my mind, so vivid it was hard to believe she’d been a dream.

“Are you there?” | whispered softly, half-hoping for an answer.

But there was only silence. | finished up and headed back out, but | stopped in my tracks. Grayson was awake,

sitting up and

Chapter 75

watching me. As our eyes met, an unspoken tension filled the room, thick and electric.

| cleared my throat, breaking the silence suddenly realizing that | sight knke how long | had been out. “Uh what

tis it? And what day!”

2:36 am. Sunday,” he replied, his gaze never wavering

Relief washed over me. “Thank you. And... thank you for bringingback. | should go to my room so you can

have your

bed.”

He shook his head, his voice steady. “I don’t mind if you stay.”

| paused, glancing at the small, uncomfortable sofa he'd been curled up on. “You looked... cramped on that

thing. | feel bad for taking your space.”

He sighed, his expression unreadable. “Just go back to sleep, Ava

There was no command in his tone, just a quiet insistence, and for sreason, | found myself listening. I slid

back under the covers, but even as | lay there, | knew sleep wouldn't ceasily, not with Grayson’s presence

only a few feet away. The dim light abovefelt uncomfortable, almost suffocating. “Could you turn off the

light?”

close

In an instant, darkness filled the room. I lay still, hyper-aware of every sound, every movement, the fact that he

was so yet out of reach. Minutes passed in silence before | found myself speaking, almost without thinking. “We

could put pillows between us, if you wanted. The bed’s big enough. You can take one side, and I'll stay on mine.”

He let out a quiet sigh, and | could feel his hesitation. “If that will help you sleep.”

The lights cback on for a moment, and | turned just in tto see him stand up, grabbing a few pillows. My

cheeks burned as | noticed his shirt was slightly see-through, the low-slung sweatpants revealing just enough to

make my mind wander places it shouldn't. He placed the pillows down between us, climbed into the bed on the

opposite side, and switched the lights off again.

“Now sleep,” he murmured..

But | couldn't. I lay still, every sense heightened, feeling his presence so strongly it was as if he were right beside

me.

After a few minutes, | whispered, “Are you asleep?”

“No.”

Silence lingered, heavy and uncertain.

“You want to talk about anything?” | hesitated, then added, “Like.. your letter?”

“No.”

| nodded, though he couldn’t see me, then he asked different question. “You want to talk about.. what happened

with your wolf”

“No,” | replied.

“Then we're on the spage. Now sleep, Ava. I'm tired.” His voice softened just a bit, “Your uneven breathing

isn’t helping” A flicker of surprise went through me. Grayson.... tired? It was hard to imagine him anything but

the unstoppable force | knew. | closed my eyes, forcing myself to breathe evenly, to relax though sleep still felt

distant.

Then, in the silence, his voice cagain, low and almost accusing. “Why do you smell like me? Excessively?”

1 froze, the question catchingoff guard. | tried to think of a logical response, but all the words got tangled in

my mind.

08:50 Tue, Dec 17

Chapter 75

Finally, | took a steadying breath. “I-well, | might have. touched your stuff, just a little.”

“Touched?” His voice was laced with disbelief, a trace of amusement breaking through his usual coldness.

“Fine,” | admitted, feeling heat rise to my cheeks even in the dark. “I smelled a few of your things, okay? | was

curious. Your scent is... | just couldn't help myself. Incase | never get the chance again.”

The silence stretched as | waited for his response, feeling utterly exposed. Finally, he spoke, his tone carrying a

rare softness, “even though I find it weird, there will be plenty opportunities for you to smell my things.”

| shifted, trying to keep my heartbeat steady and bite back a smile. “I thought | was supposed to be sleeping.”

“Then sleep,” he murmured, and though his words were simple, there was a strange warmth in them, an

invitation | hadn't expected.

| didn’t want to | realized and so | did something surprising to even myself and | reached for the pillows through

the darkness, pushing them away from being barriers between us and moved closer to his side of the bed.

| felt him stiffen and the air shift dangerously but then | knew he was closed off and this was going to lead

somehere ever, | was going to have to learn to make the first move so | pressed my body against his, actually

touching him for what the first tand he stilled even further.

“Ava, what are you doing?” His voice was strained.

| turned to face him before | lost my nerves and even in the pitch darkness, | could see his eyes. His gray eyes

without all the coldness staring down atwith surprise and uncertainty and whispered the words before | lost

them.

“Kiss me.”

D

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