The Alpha King's Contracted Luna by Nelson Claudia

Chapter 214

-Ava’s POV-

“I seriously cannot stand you. | CANNOT stand you.”

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Ricardo only laughed harder, the sound rich and unapologetic, like he found endless amusement in my suffering.

His complete and utter lack of remorse made my wolf growl in frustration, and I had to physically stop myself

from lunging across the narrow space to claw his smug face off.

“You lot are so gullible,” He said, shaking his head as he leaned back in his seat, stretching out like he owned the

damn plane. “You should've seen your face. Priceless.” He sighed, still grinning. “You all couldn't and can't find

her, so you expect me, someone who had zero interest in the entire Sudoku puzzle you call a life, to magically

know where she is? Comedic.”

1 clenched my fists so hard my nails dug into my palms, “There is something seriously wrong with you.

Extremely wrong with you.”

Ricardo smirked, tilting his head like he was considering it, “So I've been told. And not just something. A lot of

things. Actually-

everything.”

I inhaled sharply, forcing myself to look away. “Do. Not. Speak tofor the rest of this flight.” | waved a hand at

him, “You are so-so infuriating.”

His grin only widened, “Sounds like the start of a love-hate relationship.”

| scoffed, “Over my dead body.”

He leaned in slightly, his voice dropping just enough to make my skin prickle. “Careful what you wish for, Ava.”

The way he said it made something in my chest tighten. For a brief moment, | met his gaze, and it took

everything innot to flinch. Ricardo’s eyes were always hard to read-not entirely void of emotion but filled

with too many emotions at once, all layered over one another like a shifting kaleidoscope of madness.

| turned away, fixing my stare on the dark sky outside the window, telling myself to zone him out. Just ignore

him. Pretend he wasn’t here. Pretend | was somewhere else, on a plane with anyone but him-

And then, of course, he opened his mouth again.

“We never got to finish our conversation that day,” Ricardo mused. “You know-the one where you were planning

to poison someone. Who was it you were trying to kill?” He tilted his head, studyingwith a mocking sort of

curiosity, “Or should | take a lucky guess?”

I didn’t answer.

Ricardo’s smile turned sharp, “Let's see... The person is currently sitting on this plane.” He tapped a finger

against his chin, pretending to think, Evelyn Pierce? And might | add that | see it now. | finally see where you get

your looks from. | wonder

| whipped my head toward him, glaring, “What will it take for you to shut up?”

His eyes gleamed mischievously, and he wiggled his brows suggestively. “You sure you wantto answer that?”

| wrinkled my nose in disgust. “You are insufferable.”

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Chapter 214

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He laughed like | had just paid him the highest compliment.

, *Fine, fine. Since you clearly can’t handle my charming company, I'll leave you alone.” He placed a hand over

his heart in mock sincerity. “On one condition.”

I knew | shouldn't take the bait, but I still asked, “What condition?”

Ricardo leaned closer, the space between us shrinking to something dangerously intimate. His voice dipped low,

smooth as silk yet dripping with something twisted beneath the surface.

“Play a gwith me.”

| scoffed, turning away again, “Not interested.”

He sighed tically, as if | had just crushed his poor, fragile feelings, “That's unfortunate. Because if | don’t

entertain myself soon, | might start thinking”

| didn’t respond.

“And when | start thinking, Ava, | get ideas.” His voice was deceptively light. “Like how my brain toldit would

be fun to have you kidnapped just to see how fast Grayson would crunning.”

My body stiffened.

Ricardo grinned, pleased by my reaction, “No hard feelings there, right?”

| turned my head slightly, just enough to shoot him a murderous glare, “There are many, many hard feelings.”

He chuckled. “Well, that’s disappointing. | was hoping we’d have a bonding moment.”

I ignored him again, forcing my gaze back to the window. The steady hum of the engines filled the space

between us, and for a moment, | thought he might actually let it go.

But then-

“You know, you're no fun when you're like this,” Ricardo drawled, shifting lazily in his seat like he had all the time

in the world. His tone was light, almost teasing, but there was an edge underneath-a sharpness | didn't like.

| ignored him.

“Con, Ava,” He pressed, drumming his fingers on the armrest between us. “Play a gwith me. Just one.”

1 didn’t even blink.

Ricardo let out an exaggerated sigh, but | could hear the smirk still laced in his voice, “Fine. Silent treatment it is.

But don’t blme when my mind starts cooking up something really insane.”

| refused to react. | refused to let him get to me. But in the back of my mind, | knew one thing for certain-

| didn’t get to complete the thought.

From the corner of my eye, | caught something-movement. Something sharp and glinting in the dim airplane

lighting.

| snapped my gaze to Ricardo just in tto see his claws extending from his fingertips, slow and deliberate, like

a blade being unsheathed.

Chapter 214

My breath hitched, “What the hell do you think you're doing?”

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Ricardo turned his head slightly, his eyes gleaming with something far too amused, “My wolf is bored. He feels

like coming

out.”

Panic surged through me. Without thinking, | reached out and grabbed his wrist, gripping it so hard my nails dug

into his skin. His claws grazed against my palm, slicing deep enough to draw blood, but the wound healed in an

instant. | barely noticed.

“We are on an airplane, Ricardo. With humans. On a plane

“My voice was low, urgent. “Are you crazy?”

His lips twitched.

| exhaled sharply. “Don’t answer that. You are crazy. But seriously, knock it off. This isn’t funny. You know what

will happen if humans find out, not to mention you could cause the plane to crash.”

Ricardo tilted his head, pretending to think, “Hmm. | suppose that would be a little inconvenient.” His claws

flexed, gleaming under the light. “I could stop... but only if you play a gwith me.”

My jaw locked, “You wouldn't dare.”

His grin widened.

“I faked my own death, Ava. Only those who have never lived are afraid to die.” His voice dipped lower, rich and

smooth like poisoned honey, “And 1? | have lived a very fulfilling life.”

| ground my teeth so hard my jaw ached. | hated him. | hated him. And yet | knew better than to call his bluff-

because with Ricardo, Grayson had toldenough about him to know there was no bluff.

“What game?” | bit out.

His claws retracted instantly, his expression brightening as if we were simply two friends sharing a casual chat,

“Ah, finally. See, that wasn’t so hard, was it?”

I didn’t answer.

Ricardo leaned back, stretching his arms above his head. “Alright, here's sort of amusement, “It’s called Two

Truths and a Lie.”

| frowned, “That's not psychotic.”

He grinned, “Oh, but it is when | play it.”

game,” he began, voice laced with a maddening

Something in his tone made

my

stomach twist.

| should have walked away. | should have refused. But Ricardo was still watchinglike a predator sizing up his

prey, and | knew-I knew-he wasn’t above making good on his threats.

“Fine,” | said stiffly. “You go first.”

Ricardo’s smile widened. He leaned forward slightly, elbows resting on his knees, and when he spoke, his voice

was almost gentle.

“One,” he said. “Grayson is on this plane.”

12:19 Mon, 17 Feb

Chapter 214

My heart stilled.

“Two,” Ricardo was about to continue when a shadow fell over us both.

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| raised my head just as my mother stepped into view, her expression carved from stone. She wasn’t looking at

me-her entire focus was locked onto Ricardo, her glare sharp enough to cut.

“Ava,” She said, her voice steely, “change seats with me.”

1 didn’t need to be told twice.

Without hesitation, | sprang up and moved straight to sit beside Isabella. But just as I slid into the seat, my

heightened senses caught the low, deliberate words my mother left behind.

“I don’t know what your problem is, Ricardo, but stay away from my daughter.”

A dark chuckle followed, smooth and dripping with amusement.

| swallowed, forcing myself to ignore it.

Beside me, Isabella was staring out the window, too intently.

“Bels?” | nudged her.

She jolted, snapping her head toward me. Surprise flickered in her eyes, like she hadn't expectedto be there.

“Where's your mother?” She asked instead.

“She switched seats. Ricardo’s on the plane,” | muttered. “Are you okay?”

“Erhm...” She shifted slightly, looking uncomfortable.

| frowned, “What is it?”

“I was going to wait until we landed before | told you, but-" She hesitated. “Don’t be mad, but-"

| exhaled sharply. “What did you do?”

“Nothing! Nothing.” She lifted her hands in defense. “It wasn’t me. Well, it was. But-I mean, | don’t know how it

happened.” She sucked in a breath, clearly stalling, “I might have spent a little twith Monica these past few

days and | still haven't forgotten everything they all did and | was really pissed at you that day when you refused

to help, so | may have let it slip

when | was ranting about how pissed | was at you in the car. that were pregnant

you

My blood ran cold.

She rushed on before | could speak. “So Monica knows. And she just mind-linkedto say she told Elaine.”

| sucked in a deep breath, trying to steady myself.

So... one more person knew. Fine. It was fine. As long as. | turned to face her, ready to say it out loud, to reassure

myself—

But then Isabella spoke again and her next words made my entire body freeze.

“Grayson is on his way to Italy,” She met my gaze, her expression torn between guilt and worry.

“...And he knows you're pregnant.”

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