The Alpha King's Contracted Luna by Nelson Claudia

Chapter 219

Chapter 219

-Grayson'’s POV-

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“You really screwed up this time,” Isabella said, her voice cutting hrough the night air like a blade. “And you must

know that because you didn’t ask for my help this time.”

I didn’t look away from the fountain. My hands rested on my knees, fingers clenched tight, but I didn’t move. |

just watched

my head. the water ripple under the soft moonlight, trying to lose myself in the small waves, trying to quiet the

chaos in

Ava had just ripped my world apart.

And it was worse than before. Worse than when | thought she had betrayed me. Worse than anything I'd ever

felt.

Because this time, | knew the truth.

And yet, none of that mattered now. Not when Damien was still out there, watching us like we were pieces on his

board. Not when Ava was in danger. Not when everything | had left was slipping between my fingers.

| finally turned my head and met Isabella’s gaze, “Do you have something to say? Remindof everything I've

done wrong? Because I'm not in the mood.”

She studied me, arms crossed, looking just as exhausted as | felt. And for the first time, | realized how much this

was wearing on all of us. We all carried the shaunted expression now. Gone were the days when she had sat

in her house, chewing loudly on ssnack just to pissoff. Back then, everything had felt so much simpler

even with things still being complicated between Ava and I.

She sighed and took a step forward. “I just promised Lilian that | wouldn't do anything to make us mad at each

other, so I'm just going to leave this here.”

She pulled out her phone and dropped it on the ledge of the fountain.

| glanced at it, then back at her but didn’t say anything.

“Are you seriously not going to check the screen?”

“If you're not going to tellwhat it is, I'm not-"

“Oh, for fk’s sake, Grayson.” Her tone sharpened, “Lilian just got a text. From Damien. Along with pictures of

every single one of us. He's watching us-right now, as we're having this conversation, he’s watching. He said

that with a single word, he can make any one of us a target if she doesn’t meet him alone.”

The words hitlike a sledgehammer to the chest.

Before my brain could fully catch up, | was already moving.

But Isabella grabbed my arm, stoppingin my tracks, “She hasn't left yet. She’s inside. She said she was

going to call her mother, but you and | both know she’s not calling anyone. She’s going.”

| clenched my jaw, “Where's the location?”

“It’s on my screen.” She glanced at the phone. “I don’t know how you're going to do this, but listen to me-

Damien has eyes everywhere. You cannot let him know you're following her. And you cannot let her know either.”

| barely heard her. My mind was already moving five steps ahead calculating.

“This pity party you've been throwing yourself,” Isabella continued, her voice dropping lower, sharper. It needs

to stop. The

wed, Feb 1

Chapter 219

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realm needs the Grayson Blackwood that makes people tremble at the mere mention of his name. Snap the hell

out of it.”

The words echoed in my head.

Snap the hell out of it.

And just like that, something insideshifted,

Like a switch flipping, like a fire reigniting after being smothered for too long.

| didn’t just hear her-I felt the weight of her words settle deep my bones and all the things, of all the people that

| thought would be the one to make my brain click like it was resetting, | wouldn't have thought it would be

Isabella.

For too long. I'd been spiraling, letting my emotions controlletting my anger and my grief weaken me.

No more.

| turned and picked up the phone, scanning the location. A restaurant. Open space. Public. Damien wanted to

talk first. He wouldn't risk causing a scene. That toldsomething-he still needed something from Ava.

Which meant | had tto set a trap.

| pulled out my own phone and started dialing as | turned to leave. But then, | paused and glanced back at

Isabella. “Thank you.”

Her lips parted slightly, like she hadn't expected that. But | didn’t wait for a response. | was already making the

call, my feet moving quickly, my brain clicking into place as the old me-the version of| needed to remember

| was-took over.

The second the call connected, | didn’t waste time. “I need a team at this location in thirty minutes. No marked

cars. No obvious surveillance. | want eyes on every entrance, exit, and every face in that restaurant.”

There was a brief pause on the other end. Then, a voice responded, “Understood. How many men?”

“Four inside, two outside. One as backup. | want someone watching the security feed in real-time.”

“Got it.”

| hung up and immediately dialed another number.

This one answered on the first ring, “Sir.”

“I need a line tapped into a restaurant’s security system. Quietly. | will send you the details of the restaurant. |

want a live feed and access to any surveillance anyone else might have on site.”

“I can have that in fifteen.”

“Make it ten.”

| ended the call and walked back to the car thr broughthere, my mind racing. Damien was too smart to come

alone, which meant he had backup. Possibly hidden. Possibly waiting for a signal. If he wanted Ava alone, it

meant he thought he had control.

| was about to take that control away.

grabbed my jacket and checked my gun. | wouldn't be using it not yet-but | needed to be prepared.

Because if Damien thought he was the one hunting tonight....

2/4

10:48 Wed, Feb 19 GD

Chapter 219

He was wrong.

I slid into the backseat of the car, the door shutting with a firm cck. My driver glanced atthrough the

rearview mirror, waiting for instructions.

“Pull back,” | ordered, my voice even, sharp, “I want a view of the house, but | don’t want to be seen.”

He nodded once and smoothly maneuvered the vehicle into a darker, more concealed position behind a row of

parked cars. From here, | had a clear sightline of the front entrance.

| leaned forward slightly, resting my elbow on the door as | watched, waiting..

If | knew Ava-and | did-she wouldn't wait the full hour before making her move.

Damien's message was a direct challenge. A test to see if she’d comply. And Ava... Ava never could stand being

backed into a corner. She wouldn't waste time.

The seconds ticked by, slow, deliberate. My fingers tapped against my knee as | kept my eyes fixed on the front

gate. | barely noticed the way my other hand was clenched into a fist, the way my body hummed with a familiar

energy | hadn't felt in a long time.

Control.

Power.

This was where | thrived.

And then, just as | expected-movement.

Ava stepped out of the house, hesitation in her posture as she glanced around. My grip tightened. Even from this

distance, | could see the determination set into her features, the way she squared her shoulders like she was

walking toward a battlefield.

She was alone which was predictable.

She slipped through the gate without anyone stopping her because that idiot Ricardo was damn nonchalant

about security too comfortable in his arrogance.

A car rolled up almost instantly, its tires whispering against the pavement. Ava didn’t hesitate. She pulled open

the door and slipped inside.

| waited.

Counted the beats of my own pulse.

Then, just as the vehicle pulled away, | gave the order, my voice steady.

“Wait ten minutes.”

My driver acknowledged the command without question, settling into an idle position. | didn’t move. | didn't let

myself

react.

Because right now, this wasn’t about emotions. This wasn’t about Ava and whatever tangled mess lay between

us. This was about strategy and | arrived just in tto see her staring at the door of the restaurant not moving.

My driver packed and then | watched from the shadows as she stepped towards the door. She was tense, but her

face didn’t show it. She was trying to act calm, trying to keep control. But | knew her too well. | saw the way she

clenched her hands just slightly before exhaling.

10:48 Wed, Feb 19

Chapter 219

My phone rang just then and I picked it up. The person didn’t wait forto talk, “Sir. Something's off. The place

is empty?

My grip on the phone tightened.

Empty?

Ava had just walked in.

Then, before | could react, my screen lit up with an incoming call.

Damien.

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