The Alpha King's Contracted Luna by Nelson Claudia

Chapter 81

-Ava’s POV-

| didn’t even realize when the phone slipped from my hand, the world aroundcoming to a standstill.

Grayson’s eyes were already onbut before he could say a word, Darien’s voice crackled through the car,

“Little dove, are you there? He survived the attack. Your father is alive.

My heart froze mid-beat. “What?” | choked out, fumbling to bring the phone closer to my ear.

Darien sighed, his usual humor tinged with weariness. “I'm sorry | should have been clearer. Your father was

attacked, and we're certain it's the sperson targeting Alphas. But Luther stronger than | gave him credit

for.” He paused, and | could almost hear the faint smirk in his voice “He's alive. | was just calling to let you know.

| figured the Pierces, with all their pride, wouldn't bother.”

you for calling

As | prepared to hang up. Darien spoke again. “Ava, | know your father can be... difficult. But I've known him long

enough to say this: he'd appreciate hearing from you, even if his pride won't let him admit it.”

Relief crashed overlike a wave, and | sagged against the seat. Thank you, Uncle Darien. Really, thank

| swallowed hard. My father’s pride was infamous, a fortress of stubbornness that often turned even the simplest

acts of kindness into battles. Still, | found myself asking. “Where is he?”

“The compound,” Darien replied. “That's where the attack happened. He's still there, but | heard he managed to

strike one of the attackers down. The man’s with him now.”

Before | could respond, the car swerved slightly. | turned to Grayson, whose jaw was tight, his eyes fixed on the

road. His werewolf hearing meant he'd caught every word. | didn’t even need to ask what he was doing when he

announced. “We're going to your father’s compound. Now”

1 sighed, not bothering to argue. Grayson was a force of nature, and when he made up his mind, there was no

stopping him. “Fine,” | muttered. “But, for the love of all things holy, please don’t pick a fight with him”

He surprisedwith a curt nod. “I'll try. But your father had beer not push me.”

We drove in tense silence, the air between us thick with unspoken words. When we neared the compound, |

leaned toward him. “We're almost there. Just... please keep calm.”

Grayson didn’t respond, his grip on the steering wheel tightening

At the gates, the first thing that could possibly go wrong did. Two of my father’s men, Nathan and Victor, stepped

forward. They were familiar faces, men I'd grown fond of over the years, but they looked less than welcoming-

Nathan's stern expression softened the moment he saw me. “HiAva,” he greeted warmly before his gaze shifted

to Grayson, hardening into steel. “We can’t let you in.”

Grayson bristled beside me, his energy shifting from tense to outright menacing. “What?” he growled, his voice

low and dangerous.

“They have direct orders,” | interjected quickly, placing a calming hand on his arm. His fiery gaze dropped to

where my fingers rested, then back to my face, | smiled gently, silently pleading for patience. “Lethandle

this.”

Reluctantly, Grayson leaned back in his seat, his jaw ticking in frustration. | stepped out of the car and

approached Nathan and Victor, determined to defuse the situation.

Nathan's lips curved into a lopsided smile. “You know your smile is my kryptonite, Ava.”

| couldn't help but laugh softly, shaking my head. “Con, Nathan You know me. You know | wouldn't be here if

it wasn’t

Chapter 81

important.”

94%E

Victor crossed his arms, his expression less amused. “Your father will have our heads if we disobey his orders.

Don’t make us

do this, Ava.”

“Please,” | begged, my voice soft and imploring. “I just need to see him. He was attacked. Don’t you think |

deserve to check on him? You've knownsince | was a kid. Would | ask this if it wasn’t important?”

|

Nathan exchanged a look with Victor, his resolve wavering. Finally, he cursed under his breath. “Fine. But you

owe us for this, Ava. Big time,”

“Thank you.” | breathed, gratitude washing overas they begrudgingly opened the gates. | turned and

climbed back into the car, relief flooding ny veins.

But Grayson didn’t move.

I glanced at him, confused. “What's wrong?”

His hands gripped the steering wheel, but his glare was fixed firmly on Nathan and Victor, who were now

standing to the side. His jaw was clenched, his breathing heavy. | instantly understood.

“You can’t be serious,” | said, a laugh bubbling our before I could stop it. They're in their mid-forties, Grayson.

Both married. Both have kids.”

“That doesn’t mean they should flirt with you,” he snapped, his voice low and growly. “Next time, they can smile

at their mates, not at you.”

| couldn’t help it-1 laughed, hard enough that my sides ached. “Grayson, are you jealous? Of Nathan and Victor?”

His glare darkened, but the faint blush creeping up his neck betrayed him. “Just drive,” | teased, resting my hand

on his. “And for the record, I think it's cute.”

Grayson grumbled something under his breath, but he finally shifted the car into gear and for all his growling

and posturing, there was something undeniably sweet about his possessiveness, and | couldn't help but smile as

we passed through the gates.

| stepped out of the car and without even thinking, | grabbed the handle and pulled it open, stepping inside the

compound, without knocking. As the door creaked behind me, | froze. The moment the decision left my hands, |

realized what | had done. | immediately turned, ready to fix my mistake, but before I could reach for the door to

close it, | felt Grayson’s was already walking in so | followed him.

| stopped suddenly, uncertain. | didn’t know where my father was, and I didn’t want to look like a fool wandering

the halls. As | opened my mouth to ask one of the omegas where he might be, | heard the sharpness of my

mother’s voice cut through the silence.

“What are you doing here?”

| tensed immediately. Both Grayson and | turned at the stime, and there she was-my mother. She stepped

into the hallway, her posture rigid, her usual polished appearance replaced by a more disheveled look. There was

no tto prepare for this confrontation. | forced a smile, but it didn’t reach my eyes.

“Hi-

She didn’t letfinish. “What part of you being no longer a Pierce do you not understand? You should never

have been allowed in here.”

Her gaze shifted to Grayson, sharp and unwavering. “And you? You are not welcin th

house

The anger that was bubbling inside ofthreatened to boil ove but | noticed the subtle shift in Grayson. His jaw

Chapter 81

Je, Dec

tightened, his body stiffened, and | knew that if | didn’t intervene, he was about to snap. | reached out and

gently took his hand, hoping to ground him before things escalated.

To my surprise, he didn’t pull away. He lethold his hand, and | felt his tension slowly dissipate, though | knew

it was still there, simmering under the surface. | looked back at my mother forcing my voice to remain steady,

calm.

“We didn’t chere to fight, Mother. Father was attacked. | just want to check on him. And Grayson“-I nodded

toward him-“he wants to ask the man who attacked him squestions. That's all. Please, can you just take a

moment and put aside the animosity between us?”

My mother’s gaze flickered to our joined hands. There was a flash of something-surprise-as if the weight of the

situation was starting to sink in. She blinked, but quickly regained her composure.

“Your father isn’t taking visitors, and considering the fact that the man was caught in our compound, we're under

no obligation to let him,” she said, turning her cold eyes toward Grayson “Or anyone else speak to him. Now

leave.”

I could feel the irritation rising in my chest, and it broke free before I could stop it. “Grayson is the Alpha King.

Whether you or Father like it or not, he is superior to every single person in this faction, including you. You will

show him respect. And we will speak to the man who attacked him with or without your consent. I'm going to

check on Father, and that’s the end of it

but

Her eyes narrowed, fury bubbling up in her like a wave threatening to crash. She opened her mouth, ready to

argue, before she could utter another word, | spoke again, this twith more authority, a statement that |

never thought would feel so right.

“I am the Luna to the Alpha King. And I'm telling you, this conversation is over.”

For the first time, | saw a flicker of something in her eyes. It was as if the realization had finally hit her-

something fundamental had shifted. | no longer stood before her as her daughter. | stood before her as the Luna,

the woman who held more power than she ever would

Her mouth hung open for a second, caught somewhere between surprise and disbelief. She didn’t know how to

respond to that. And in that silence, | felt Grayson’s pride fill the room. It was as if the air around us had

thickened with his presence, with his authority. He didn’t say a word. He simply stood there, watching me, his

fingers gently tightening around my hand.

before | turned to leave, | heard it. My father’s voice. It was strained, almost harsh, but unmistakable.

and just

“You really have snerve.”

1 froze. Slowly, | turned, my heart dropping in my chest as | took in the sight of my father standing there. His

condition was worse than | had expected-battered, bruised, his face a testament to the violence he had endured.

But his eyes, they were cold as he looked at Grayson

Before anyone could speak, my father’s voice rang out again, the accusation hittinglike a punch to the gut.

“You dare cinto my hafter sending men to kill me?”

| could feel the blood drain from my face. “What?”

My father’s glare turned to me, a mixture of contempt and disbelief in his gaze. “You're in on it, aren't you? You

knew. You helped him send those assassins to kill Alphas all around. The min confessed. The person behind the

attacks is none other than our Alpha King himself.”

SEND GIFT

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