The Alpha King's Contracted Luna by Nelson Claudia

Chapter 178

Chapter 178

-Ava’s POV-

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| adjusted the strap of my dress, checking myself in the mirror one last tbefore | turned away and headed

towards the grand hall. Everything had happened so fast, and this was the first t| would be attending an

entire pack meeting since | had chere. I'd been here for a while now, but it still felt so intimidating.

Grayson was king, and as such, he had the largest pack in the realm. Though not everyone lived on his estate,

pack meetings meant everyone would be present. And that meant they would all be staring at me.

| forced myself to take a calming breath, steadying myself. A part offelt like I could never truly belong here,

but | had to try. | had to make myself believe that | could, that this wasn’t sdream | would wake up from. But

the nerves twisted in my stomach like a knot that wouldn’t loosen.

“Are you ready, Ava?” Grayson'’s voice cfrom the other room calm and even, as if nothing could shake him.

His words echoed in my mind for a moment, grounding me.

It was almost time.

This was happening.

| opened the door, and there he was-standing by the large, wooden table with its polished surface gleaming

under the soft light of the chandeliers. He had changed into another one of his perfectly tailored suits, the dark

fabric hugging his frjust right, making him look even more... perfect. As if it was possible for him to look

more perfect than he already did.

Grayson walked towards me, his movements fluid and effortless, and before | could even think of anything to

say, he pulledinto him. His lips pressed against mine in a soft kiss, tender yet commanding, and for a brief

moment, everything else faded away. When he pulled back, his eyes held mine, “You look beautiful.”

| felt my heart flutter at his words, but before | could respond, he glanced at my eyes, his gaze narrowing slightly

as though something caught his attention. “Do you have any idea why the colors of your eyes swirl and

change?”

| blinked at him, surprised by the question. | had never really thought much about it, had never questioned it.

“It's always been that way,” | said quietly. “Since | was born.”

He smiled then, a warm, almost affectionate smile. “That was the first thing | noticed when we first met.”

The words hung in the air for a moment, and | couldn’t help but replay that first meeting in my mind. It felt like

decades ago, not just a few months. So much had happened, and yet here we were, standing in his mansion,

surrounded by his pack, about to face whatever challenges lay ahead.

Grayson took my hand, his grip firm and reassuring as he linked his fingers with mine. “It's time,” he said simply,

his tone shifting to something more resolute.

| nodded, silently acknowledging the gravity of the situation. The world | had known was no longer mine. The life

| had tried to carve out for myself, separate from this, had already been swallowed by the beast that was

Grayson’s world. | followed him as he led the way toward the grand hall, my heart thudding in my chest

The walls of the hallway seemed to close in as we made our way to the meeting room. | could hear the low

murmur of voices from within, the pack members no doubt already gathering. The sounds only amplified the

feeling of unease that had taken root in my chest.

“Do you know what you're going to say to them?” | asked. The question was more for myself than for him. |

needed some

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Chapter 178

kind of reassurance, even if | couldn't vocalize it.

+23)

Grayson didn’t look atas he replied. His voice was steady, composed, as always. “I'll tell them the truth and

it is something I should have done right from the moment this startel. That things are changing. That war is upon

us and that this isn’t sbattle for territory or power, This is a war that will determine everything. It will

change the future of this pack, of our world.”

| swallowed hard, “Don’t you think that it will escalate things. You are going to make them scared and fear makes

people do crazy things.”

Grayson’s expression didn’t falter. “I know but everyone needs to know and | need to stop pretending like this

isn’t above anything | have ever dealt with and whoever it is powerful. Extremely powerful. What happened with

my phone just proved

ie.”

The Queen Is Next?

The words flashed through my mind like a warning signal, but | quickly shoved them down, forcing myself to

focus on the present. Grayson had sensed it. | could tell because he stopped in his tracks and turned to face me,

his eyes locking onto mine.

“I'll find this person and when I do, they're going to regret ever threatening you.”

There was a darkness in his gaze-a kind of quiet rage that had been there when we first met and the fear | had

felt moments before, the tightness in my chest, evaporated in the face of his unwavering certainty. His promise

was not a threat, but a vow.

| nodded, unable to form words, knowing he didn’t needto say anything. We continued walking and we

reached the entrance, a thousand eyes turned toward us. A thousand pairs of gaze-scurious, some

respectful, and others unreadable-focused on us with an intensity that felt suffocating

Gray

| swallowed, suddenly aware of how small | felt, how exposed. This wasn’t just any gathering; this was the core

of Grayson’s world, the heartbeat of his pack. Everyone was here to witness the meeting.

The hall had been arranged meticulously to accommodate the structure of the meeting. The seating was divided

into sections, with each part clearly designated according to rank. At the back, | could see Brianna sitting near

her grandfather and | knew those were the Omegas.

My gaze travelled forward to where a couple of men were seated and | could tell these men were part of the

higher ranks,

scanned leaders, commanders. | had never met most of them, not beyond a brief greeting or glance here and

there. My eyes for Liam instinctively but I couldn’t find him.

Grayson ledforward, and when we reached the top of the hall, where the highest-ranking members sat, |

saw the two chairs that had been prepared for us. One was larger than the other, a throne-like chair that

radiated power and authority. Grayson nodded at me, silently instructingto take the smaller of the two

chairs.

| smiled softly, both appreciative of the gesture and slightly overwhelmed. He wasn't just leadingthrough

this; he was ensuring that | was a part of it. He didn’t wantto feel like | was a mere spectator, but a partner

in this world. Without saying a word, | obeyed him, sitting down in the chair that had been set aside for me.

As | settled into the seat, the stillness in the room deepened. No one spoke. No one moved. The weight of the

silence pressed on us all, the anticipation thick in the air. Every eye in the hall was on Grayson, waiting for him to

speak, to give them the direction they needed. The power of his presence was undeniable, and it was in that

moment that | realized just how much his aura had shifted.

Before we had entered, he had been calm, composed, almost patient with me. But now, as he stood before the

assembled

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Chapter 178

pack, his posture straightened, his gaze hardened, and the very nature, returned with full force. The room

seemed to hold its breath, waiting for him to say something, anything.

bonding aura that had always been part of him, part of his

Grayson stood before them all, and in an instant he was the king they all feared and respected.

+23

He waited a beat longer, the silence stretching between us, before his voice broke through. “Welcome,” he said,

his voice deep and unwavering, filled with the authority that made everyone in the room listen. “We have a lot to

discuss, but first, legstart with this.”

A murmur ran through the crowd as they shifted slightly in their seats. Everyone was on edge now, knowing that

whatever cnext would shape the course of the meeting. Grayson’s eyes scanned the room slowly, his gaze

resting on each person for a brief moment before moving on to the next. His words held the weight of a

command.

He continued, “There is a mole among us. Someone in this room has been feeding information to the one

responsible for the killings.”

The words hit the room like a thunderclap. The murmur turned into a rush of whispered voices, growing louder

with each passing second. The tension in the hall skyrocketed, and the atmosphere shifted instantly. There was

shock, disbelief, and fear. The revelation of a traitor among them was something no one had expected.

Something | didn’t expect.

| felt a cold shiver run down my spine, but | didn’t show it. Instead, | turned my attention back to Grayson,

watching as his eyes flicked over the room. His jaw was clenched, his expression hard.

He raised a hand, silencing the murmurs that had begun to swirl around us. “I know this is unsettling but I will

not tolerate betrayal. Not here. Not now. Whoever is responsible, you will be found. And you will regret your

actions.”

His gaze moved over the room again, daring anyone to challenge him.

“Now,” he continued, his voice cold and unwavering, “everyone get comfortable. Because no one is leaving until

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