The Alpha King's Contracted Luna (Ava and Grayson)
My Billionaire King 78

Chapter 78

-Grayson's POV-

Trouble at home?"

Rickon's voice sliced through my thoughts, laced with that irritating edge of amusement he seemed to always carry. My eyes snapped up fro "Don't start. I'm not in the mood."

He raised his hands defensively, though his smirk didn't falter. To his credit, he didn't say another word. The room fell into silence, save for t blowing up my phone with promises of a breakthrough-had better be worth the disruption.

As much as I hated to admit it, I was running out of options. Ricardo's death was a sharp reminder of how little control I had over the situatio

Unfortunately, my mind wasn't entirely on the case.

Ava's voice played on a loop in my head. "Kiss me."

It had been all I could think about since the moment she said it. My wolf growled, demanding I give in, to claim her in ways that terrified me I knew that—but there was something undeniable between us, something that felt primal and unrelenting

Yesterday night had been hell. I'd forced myself to stay away, but even that hadn't spared me. Her scent lingered in the air, pulling me in, re had seemed like the perfect antidote.

Until I stepped out and heard her.

A soft moan, breathy and broken, slipped through the thin walls My name followed.

My wolf snapped to attention, growling with satisfaction as her body shuddered and fell silent. The realization hit me like a truck, and when h wide and horrified—and locked with mine, I did the only thing I could think of.

I walked away.

But the image refused to leave me, replaying over and over in vivid detail, even now,

“I know you indirectly told me to shut up,” Rickon's voice yanked me out of my spiraling thoughts, “but in case you haven't noticed, I have a 1 shot him a glare. “The answer is no."

He grinned, clearly unbothered. That cocky, infuriating charm he wore like armor was the reason I hated dealing with him. Everyone seeme "It's not a yes or no question," he replied, leaning back in his chair.

“Why are you still talking to me? You've already wasted twenty minutes of my time. If your source doesn't deliver

in the next ten, I'm leaving"

His grin widened as if I'd told him a joke. “That's what my question is about, actually. Do you have, like, a specific thought

anary all the time?"

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Chapter 78

1 blinked, unsure if I'd heard him right. “What?"

"You know,” he continued, nodding as though he'd solved a great mystery, "like a mental image or something. Because there's no logical rea

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I leaned forward, letting my voice drop to a low growl. “Yes. I think about how incompetent some of the Alphas under me are. How they was Rickon's smile faltered, a flicker of unease crossing his face. I didn't break eye contact, watching as he cleared his throat and shifted uncon “Come in,” he called, his voice slightly higher than usual.

His assistant entered, her gaze flickering to me briefly before she turned her attention to Rickon. “Should I send in your six o'clock now?"

Rickon frowned. “I don't have any meetings scheduled today.”

"Yes, you do,” she replied hesitantly. “And he is here already."

I barely registered their exchange because I as already ready to leave anyay but the moment the door opened again, my wolf bristled. The Dylan.

Tension coiled in the room as he stepped inside, his gaze darting between Rickon and me.

“Alpha King Grayson," he said, inclining his head in politeness the second our eyes clashed. "I didn't realize you'd be here

Rickon held up a hand, his expression shifting into something close to panic. "I swear, this wasn't planned. The meeting was supposed to be assistant, who shrank under his glare.

“My apologies,” she stammered, quickly excusing herself.

Dylan hesitated, his eyes flickering with unease as they darted between me and Rickon. “If this is a bad time, I can return later,” he said, his I stood, my patience already stretched too thin. "You can have your meeting. This was a waste of time anyway."

As I moved to leave, Rickon's phone buzzed on the desk. His gaze dropped to the screen, and his expression shifted into something slightly Before I could speak, he added quickly, "This won't take long. I promise. I just need to finalize the alliance with Dylan."

That word made me pause, my movements stilled by its implication. Alliance?

My gaze snapped to Dylan, then back to Rickon. Forcing down the flicker of surprise and irritation tightening my chest. I exhaled through my the chair opposite Rickon, next to me. The subtle scent of his unease drifted in the air, a bitter note my wolf picked up on immediately.

Rickon wasted no time launching into the discussion, his voice smooth and casual, as though he weren't playing a dangerous game by aligr Why him?

Rickon, of all people, should've known better. Given the history between Dylan and Ava-

and Isabella being his mate-

this alliance seemed reckless at best, treacherous at worst. My wolf growled low in my chest, the sound vibrating through me. I

Chapter 78

clenched my jaw, forcing it lack before it could escape.

Stay calm. Focus.

I didn't care about Dylan-

not really other than the fact that if i ever stepped two inches near Ava, I would rip his head off and I hated that I could not do that now beca Rickon and Dylan's voices continued to hum in the backgrounds I tuned them out, too restless to process whatever nonsense they were has Ava

The way her lips parted when she'd whispered, "Kiss me."

I should have just done it-

consequences be damned. This morning, instead of walking away, I should've done anything but that. Because now, more than ever, it was

That seemed to be the theme of my life ever since Ava walked in Before her, I never second-

guessed anything. Then suddenly, everything was different. She made me hesitate. She made me think

A voice snapped me out of my thoughts. "I'll send over the papers

I blinked, realizing Rickon's words meant the meeting was wrapping up Surprisingly short, given the weight of their so- called alliance. Dylan stood, smoothing down his shirt, and just as he opened his mouth to say something, a commotion broke out outside t

My heightened senses picked up the sound of the assistant frantically trying to stop someone from entering. I let out a groan, already bracin The door burst open, and as if conjured from my thoughts, there she was. Ava.

She stood in the doorway, her eyes immediately locking onto mine like we were magnets drawn together. Her eyes widened, and for a moment, everything else disappeared. Then, just as quickly, someone pushed past her.

Isabella stormed into the room, the assistant still trying ineffectively to hold her back. Her fiery glare landed squarely on Rickon as she ignor “What the fuck do you think you're doing aligning with him?”

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