The Alpha King's Contracted Luna by Nelson Claudia

937 Chapter 285 Chapter 285 -Ava's POV- I didn't know what to expect when I walked into the hospital.

Eliza had driven me, and I had convinced both her and Isabella that whatever this was, it wasn't anything I couldn't handle. I had told them to go home, insisting I'd be fine. But standing here now, staring through the glass at the tiny form in the incubator, I realized I had been wrong.

I wasn't fine.

My heart pounded in my chest, my breathing uneven as I tried to wrap my head around what I was seeing.

I shook my head, my voice barely above a whisper, "I don't understand... How is this possible? It's been a week. Why did they call you? I just... I don't..." I trailed off, unable to form the words because none of this made sense. Grayson stood beside me, his gaze also fixed on the incubator. "I didn't want to take any chances, so I gave an order to be notified of anything unusual-like Dylan coming back to life," He said dryly before his expression darkened. "Then, earlier today, I got a call. They found the body of a pregnant woman washed up on the shore. I knew it was Crystal. Somehow.....she was still alive when they brought her in." I tore my gaze away from the incubator to look at him.

"She didn't make it," He continued after a moment. "But the baby... she did." My eyes flickered back to the tiny girl lying in the incubator, covered in wires and tubes, so small it didn't seem real. Crystal and Dylan's daughter.

I felt my throat tighten. I wasn't sure what I was supposed to feel. Shock? Guilt? Pity? All I knew was that I needed air because suddenly, the hospital mask I had on was suffocating me.

I exhaled a shaky breath, "Can we talk outside?" Grayson nodded, leading the way out of the NICU, and the moment we stepped into the hallway, I felt like I could breathe again.

Before I could speak, he did.

"Are you still angry with me?" I blinked, caught off guard by the question, "No. I'm not," I sighed, running a hand over my face, "It's just... everything has been a lot. I haven't been handling it well. It's over, but it doesn't feel like it's over, and I don't know why everything still feels... wrong." He studiedfor a long moment before he asked, "So being withfeels wrong?" I frowned, "That's not what I said, Grayson." "Then what are you saying, Ava?" I exhaled sharply. "I don't know! Everything is sinking in all at once-the threats, the chaos—and it's overwhelming. And you've been staying away, too, so don't start pinning this all on me." His jaw tensed, "I've been staying away because visiting the old house is the only thing you've agreed to do withsince everything ended. And after that, you shutout." His words struck a nerve, frustration bubbling up inside me, "Well, I'm sorry I'm not dealing well with the fact that I just 1/4 Chapter 285 went through hell" "Ava..." He sighed, rubbing a hand over his face, "You're trying to start a fight. I'm not going to fighs with you? I crossed my arms, stubborn, "I'm not trying to start a fight- "If you need space, I'll continue staying away- "No." The word left my lips before I even realized I had spoken. My heart clenched painfully in my chest as I looked at him, really looked at him, and for the first tin weeks, I saw him. Not just the composed, controlled Grayson everyone else saw-bor the man who had been there for me. The man I had pushed away without even realizing it.

"I don't want you to keep staying away," I whispered, stepping forward, "I'm sorry, Grayson I didn't mean to push you aw I just... I don't know how to go back to how things were before." I swallowed hard, my voice breaking. "Everything has changed so much." Grayson stared atfor a moment, his expression unreadable, and then-before I could second-guess myself-l closed the distance between us, wrapping my arms around him.

For a moment, he didn't move then, slowly, his arms caround me, pullingagainst him.

He heldfirmly, his arms wrapped securely aroundas if he was afraid I might slip away again. I pressed my face into his chest, inhaling his familiar scent-a mix of cedar and something distinctly him.

It was comforting, grounding and my hands reached out and grabbed his jacket.

For a long moment, neither of us spoke. The weight of everything that had happened, everything we had been through. hung between us. Then, his voice, low and steady, broke the silence.

"I don't blyou for struggling, Ava. You're allowed to. You're allowed to be angry, to be confused, to feel lost. After everything you've been through, I'd be worried if you didn't feel that way." I swallowed hard, my grip on him tightening.

"But you don't have to go through it alone," He continued, his voice softer now. "You don't have to pushaway. You don't have to figure this out all at once. I just need you to letbe here for you." I nodded against his chest, my emotions spilling over before I could stop them. My fingers found the soft fabric of his jacket, and I used it to wipe my face, sniffling slightly.

He chuckled lightly, tilting his head down to look at me, "You know that's my jacket, right?" I let out a small laugh, muffled against his chest. "I know." Grayson shook his head, and I could hear the smile in his voice. "You're lucky I love you." I pulled back just enough to meet his gaze, my hands still gripping the lapels of his jacket, "I love you too." He let out a soft sigh, his fingers brushing a stray strand of hair from my face, "I miss you, Ava." Something insidecracked at his words, the last of my resistance fading.

"I'm sorry," I whispered again, my voice barely audible. "I didn't mean to shut you out." His eyes softened, "I know." 914 05:51 Mon, 24 Mar Chapter 285 I slowly pulled back, my fingers lingering against the fabric of Grayson's jacket for a moment before I finally let go.

1 turned my head, my gaze drifting back toward the NICU, where the tiny baby lay in the incubator.

"What are we going to do about her?" I asked quietly.

Grayson exhaled, his hands sliding into his pockets as he followed my gaze, "I don't know." And the truth was, I didn't know either.

She was proof of Dylan and Crystal. A child created by two people who knew only pain and destruction. And even though Crystal had been my twin sister, there was no bond between us, no warmth, no love and I would forever regret that I had played a part in making it that way.

But maybe... maybe this was a way to right my wrong.

Grayson was quiet for a long moment before he finally spoke, "You want to keep her." I turned to him, startled by the certainty in his voice, "I didn't say that." He gavea look, the corner of his mouth lifting in that knowing way of his, "You didn't need to." I opened my mouth to argue, but the words caught in my throat. Because deep down, I knew he was right. The thought of leaving her, of letting fate decide what happened to her, made my chest ache in a way I didn't understand.

I let out a shaky breath, "She's Dylan's daughter, Grayson. I hate him as much as you do. I could never ask that of you." He turned to facefully, his expression unreadable, "She's just a baby, Ava." His voice was calm, but there was an edge of conviction behind it. "She hasn't done anything wrong. And as much as you're trying to fight the idea, you know it's the right thing to do." I swallowed hard, my chest tightening.

"If we leave her to fate, we risk her becoming what both Crystal and Dylan were," Grayson continued, his voice softer now, "And I know you don't want that." My gaze dropped to the floor as my thoughts tangled together.

I felt Grayson's fingers graze my hand, and when I looked up, his eyes weren't on my face. They were on my stomach.

His hand splayed gently against my abdomen, and even though theren was still no visible change, no proof of the lives growing insidejust yet, the gesture made my heart skip.

"It'll be good practice for me," He murmured, his voice almost teasing, though there was something genuine beneath it, "Not to be a horrible father to my own children." I frowned, placing my hand over his, "You won't be a horrible father." He didn't say anything, just held my gaze with an expression I couldn't quite read.

I shoved his shoulder lightly, trying to shake the heaviness from the air, "When did you becso wise?" A small smirk tugged at his lips. "I've always been wise. You're just now realizing it." I rolled my eyes but felt a small smile forming anyway. I let out a deep breath, my shoulders relaxing just slightly. Then, finally, I nodded.

"Yes. I want to keep her." 3/4 05:51 Mon, 24 Mar Chapter 285 93% +53) Grayson's smirk faded into something softer, something almost... proud. He nodded once, as if he had already known my answer before I had.

Then, after a beat, I took a small step back, watching his face carefully as I said, "While you're being nice, you should also know..... I said yes to having a double wedding with Rickon and Isabella." Grayson's smirk disappeared.

He blinked once. Then twice.

I bit my lip, waiting for the reaction I knew was coming.

Finally, after a long silence, he muttered, "A double wedding?" I nodded.

His brows pulled together slightly. "With Rickon and Isabella?" Another nod.

He stared atfor a long moment before shaking his head, muttering something under his breath then he spoke, "When?" "Well...knowing Isabella and Rickon," I hesitated, "In two days." mmMwWLlilofiflo&1 mmMwWLlilofiflo&1 mmMwWLlilofiflo&1 mmMwWLlilofiflo&1 mmMwWLliIofifl0&1 mmMwWLlilofiflo&1