The Alpha King's Contracted Luna by Nelson Claudia

stared at the screen in front of me, something clicked. I didn’t know how, but the pieces fell into place. | was sure

of the next target.

The problem was convincing Grayson. He had been reluctant to agree with me, brushing off my theory with a

promise to “send word.” | wasn’t just making wild guesses-I knew almost everything about the Alphas in our

faction because of my parents’ relentless drilling during my upbringing. Their teachings, which | used to think

were useless, were proving to be dajnfully relevant now.

The three Alphas: the one who hadkidnapped, my father, and Kickon. As | stared at their names on the

screen, the connection becclear. They were all part of the founding, families that had built this faction

centuries ago. | remembered asking my father once, out of youthful curiosity, what happened to make those

families disband. His response had been typical-cold and dismissive. “Focus on learning facts, Ava. Don’t waste

twith irrelevant questions that don’t concern you.”

Yes, my father had been a grade-A asshole from the start. But now, those “irrelevant” questions suddenly

seemed very relevant. If | was right, the recent attacks weren't random. They were a message-a show of power

to remind us that someone had the upper hand.

There was one more founding family. That left one Alpha as the likely next target. He was an outsider, rarely

associating with the other packs. He lived on a secluded estate with his family, making him the perfect next

victim. The problem? His estate was a fortress, heavily guarded and nearly impossible to infiltrate.

“Lilian,” Isabella’s voice yankedout of my thoughts. | turned to see her crouched behind a bush, irritation

clear on her face. “I appreciate you involvingin this mission impossible, but don’t you think your plan sucks?

Why don’t I just shift and burst through these bloody gates?”

| shot her a glare, then glanced back at the lock | was working on. “No. You'd make too much noise. We need to

be quiet.” My eyes shifted to Eliza, who was standing a little too far out of cover. “Eliza, get back here. You're

going to get seen.”

She ducked back behind the bush, clutching her phone. “I'm sorry. | was just trying to see if | could get cell

reception to check if he texted.”

Isabella groaned, rolling her eyes. “I told you to stop that. We included you in this to distract you from the

jackass. If he can’t see that you're too good for him, that’s his loss. Now put the phone down before | beat you

up first-right before | make good on my plan to beat him up.”

I sighed, focusing back on the lock. “No one is beating anybody up. Now both of you keep it down. I'm almost

done here.”

“No, you're not,” Eliza said, peeking over my shoulder for a better view. For the first tin days, she actually

looked. present. “You're picking it the wrong way. Move aside.”

| raised an eyebrow but stepped aside anyway, watching as she pulled a pin from her hair and started working

on the lock with practiced case.

“I don’t understand,” she muttered as she worked. “Why don’t we just go inside like normal people and say, ‘Hi,

Alpha- whatever-your-name-is, we have reason to believe your life is in danger.” You know, something like that.”

“Because Lilian here is scared to get in trouble,” Isabella chimed in, a smirk tugging at her lips.

| glared at her. “I am currently in the process of breaking and entering someone's estate. What more trouble can

you think of, Bels?”

She shrugged tically. “I didn’t mean trouble generally. | meant trouble with His Royal Hotness. He told you

not to get

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invdved, bou because you want to prove you're right, here we are for that I'm complaining | was bored out of my

mind, and Eliza needed to get her mind off that loser”

“Jeremy was really great? Eliza sighed, just as the lock clicked open

labella snorted, shoving the gate open “Jeremy was really great-now he’s just a dumb man with a dumb name,

and I'm going to beat him up”

“No, you won't.” | warned, following them inside.

The estate was as imposing as I'd imagined. Tall, dark windows loomed over us like watchful eyes, and every

corner seemed

have a shadowy alcove where a guard could be lurking. The tension in the air was palpable.

What's the plant Isabella whispered, her voice barely audible as we crouched behind a row of hedges.

“We scout around for any suspicious activity,” | replied. “If | can find proof to take back to Grayson, maybe he’ll

finally see that | can be of help”

Isabella smirked. “So this is you kissing his ass, huh?”

| shot her a glare. “What is your problem with Grayson all of a sudden?”

She sighed, the teasing edge leaving her voice. “I'm sorry. I'm projecting. Rickon’s been on my case lately, and

I'm taking it out on you. It’s not fair”

| softened slightly, nodding, “We'll talk about it later. For now, let's keep looking”

We moved through the estate as silently as we could, sticking to the shadows and avoiding the guards who

patrolled the grounds. Every twe thought we found an opening, another guard would appear, forcing us to

duck back into hiding.

The longer we searched, the more frustrated | became. There was no sign of anything suspicious. No evidence,

no clues- just an impenetrable fortress guarded by men who seemed more like machines.

Finally, we found ourselves crouched behind a large tree near the edge of the estate, the weight of failure

settling over us. “We're not going to find anything,” Isabella muttered.

| didn’t respond, my mind racing. This was supposed to be the breakthrough | needed, the proof to show Grayson

that | Could handle this. But we were coming up empty-handed, and twas running out.

“We need to leave,” Eliza whispered, glancing nervously at the guards in the distance. “Before we get caught.”

Reluctantly, | nodded. We hadn’t found what we were looking for, but | wasn’t ready to give up. If Grayson

wouldn't takeseriously now, I'd find another way to make him see that | was right.

And That Was When It Happened.

The quiet night was suddenly shattered by a deep, guttural growl! that reverberated through the air like a

thunderclap. It was followed almost immediately by shouting-panicked, urgent shouting. My heart seized in my

chest as | froze, my senses hyper-focused on the cacophony. Beside me, Isabella’s head snapped toward the

noise, her jaw tightening in resolve:

“We need to move,” she hissed under her breath, already starting to step toward the direction of the sound.

| glanced at Eliza, who was standing stock still, her wide eyes darting between us. “What are you doing?!” she

hissed in a frantic whisper, her voice trembling. “We're supposed to be running away, not toward whatever that

is!”

But Isabella and | didn’t stop. We exchanged a glance, a silent understanding passing between us. There was no

turning back.... now. Whatever was happening, we needed to see it-and possibly stop it.

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Chapter 98

“Eliza, stay back!” | called over my shoulder, my voice low but firm.

But she didn't listen. “You're both insane!” she muttered, following reluctantly behind us, her steps hesitant.

The closer we got, the louder the sounds became. Growls and snarls echoed through the night, each one raising

the hairs on the back of my neck. And then | saw it-wolves, dozens of them, slamming themselves against the

high stone wall surrounding the estate. Their bodies thudded against the barriers with sickening force, and some

of them were already

scaling it, leaping with an almost supernatural agility.

A cold dread settled in my gut as the realization hit me:

The attack is happening now.

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