The Alpha King's Contracted Luna (Ava and Grayson) novel Chapter 216

Chapter 216 

-Ava’s POV- 

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སཾ,87%i 

13 

“You can’t be serious!” I snapped, my voice sharper than I intended. But my mother’s face remained impassive, unbothered, which only meant one thing–she was serious. 

I turned toward Ricardo, narrowing my eyes. He was standing there, arms crossed, looking far too pleased with himself, “What did you say to her?” 

My mother let out a sharp click of her tongue, as if my question was the most absurd thing she’d ever heard, “He didn’t say anything to me,” She replied, her tone even,”And no one can make me do something I don’t want to do under normal circumstances.” 

Normal circumstances. What a joke. Nothing about this situation was normal. 

“Fine then,” I bit out. “It was your idea. If you want to stay in his house, go ahead. I’m out of here.” 

Without another word, I turned on my heel and started walking, my suitcase dragging behind me. The wheels rattled agains 

the uneven pavement, but I didn’t care. I just needed to get away from them–away from this. 

I had only made it a few steps when I heard footsteps behind me. I didn’t have to turn around to know who it was. 

I stopped abruptly, spinning around. “What do you think you’re doing?” 

Isabella sighed, exasperation clear in her expression, “Come on, Lilian. You’ve been mad at me since we were on the plane. I already said I was sorry.” 

I didn’t say anything. 

She sighed again, her shoulders slumping, “I don’t have any excuse. I messed up. I know I messed up. But right now, let’s focus on the bigger picture. I don’t think storming off in a foreign country is the best idea. Remember what happened last time you went off on your 

own?” 

My jaw clenched. Of course, I remembered. 

I turned slightly, my eyes darting to Ricardo, who was still standing there, still too calm, still too collected. The mere sight of him made my blood boil. 

“Yeah,” I said coldly, pointing at him. “And the last time I went off on my own, he had me kidnapped. And now you expect me to just waltz into his house like it’s nothing? Like I’m safe there?” 

Isabella opened her mouth, but I didn’t give her a chance to speak. 

“No way,” I spat. “No. Way.” 

“Lilian-” 

I turned to her, my patience hanging on by a thread. “No, Isabella! I am mad at you. And why the hell are you even talking to 

Monica?” 

She hesitated. 

I let out a humorless laugh. “Don’t even bother answering. I don’t care if she’s the reason they found me. I don’t care what her reasons were. Have you forgotten all the horrible things she did? All of them? Do you really think I can just forget?” 

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12:20 Mon, 17 Feb 

Chapter 216 

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Silence stretched between us. 

“And now-” I sucked in a sharp breath, my throat tightening. “And now Grayson, the one person I never wanted to find ou about this child, is coming here. To Italy. And I have to sit here and just wait for him to show up?” My voice cracked, but I refused to let it falter. “I do not want to see him. I don’t want to see him. Do understand?!” 

you 

She looked at me for a long moment, her expression unreadable. Then, finally, she let out a slow breath. 

“Ava-” 

I flinched at the sound of my mother’s voice cutting in. She had walked up to us without me even noticing. 

“You’re throwing a tantrum,” she said simply. “And it’s unnecessary.” 

My fingers curled around the handle of my suitcase. “A tantrum?” I echoed, my voice dripping with disbelief. “Really? That‘ what you think this is?” 

“I didn’t say we should live with him,” she continued, ignoring my anger. “But Damien is still out there. We don’t know what he’s planning. Staying in a pack is strategic. And if you let yourself see past this anger—” 

I let out a sharp, humorless laugh. “Past my anger?” 

“Yes,” she said evenly. “You’re mad at everyone right now, and while I deserve it, you’re being irrational.” 

My grip on my suitcase tightened. “I didn’t ask for your advice so why don’t you save it…” 

She exhaled sharply, her face betraying no emotion. 

“Save it,” I continued, my voice lower now, trembling with a rage I didn’t know how to contain, “Save it for your other daughter–the one who probably hates you just as much as I do.” 

The words came out sharper than I expected, cutting through the air like a blade and for the first time, my mother faltered. 

She took a step back, like I had physically struck her. Her face remained blank, but for a split second, I saw something flicker in her eyes. 

Pain. 

Regret. 

But I didn’t care. 

“Lilian,” Isabella said softly, placing a hand on my arm. 

“Not now, Bels.” My voice was quieter this time, but no less firm. 

Then, without another word, I turned away. 

My suitcase felt heavier as I dragged it behind me, my footsteps echoing against the pavement. My heart was pounding in my chest, but I didn’t stop. I didn’t look back. 

I just kept going. 

I walked blindly, the suitcase dragging noisily behind me, its small wheels rattling against the uneven pavement. My hands were shaking, not just from anger but from the weight of everything pressing down on me. The cold night air bit at my skin, but I barely noticed. My legs kept moving, even though I had no idea where I was going. 

2/5 

12:20 Mon, 17 Feb 

Chapter 216 

< 87% 

The streets of this part of Italy were dimly lit, quieter than they should have been. I wasn’t in a tourist area–1 knew that much–but beyond that, I didn’t have a clue. I had left in such a hurry, too caught up in the fury and hurt to think about what I was actually doing. 

Stupid. 

I hadn’t even checked my phone for directions, hadn’t bothered to take a second to figure out where I could go. I just needed to be away from them–away from my mother, Isabella, and especially Ricardo. 

But now, as the streets grew darker and the buildings started looking less polished, a different kind of unease crept in. 

I was alone. 

In a foreign country. 

With no plan. 

No destination. 

And very quickly, I was realizing just how reckless that was. 

I slowed my steps, gripping the handle of my suitcase tighter. The streetlights were spaced farther apart here, casting long, eerie shadows. The few people I had passed earlier had disappeared, and now it was just me, the sound of my own breathing, and the occasional distant noise of the city. 

I swallowed hard. 

Maybe I should turn around. Maybe I should- 

A sound behind me made me freeze. 

Footsteps. 

Slow. Deliberate. 

I turned my head slightly, just enough to glance over my shoulder. 

A man. 

Too close. 

Too deliberate. 

I forced myself to breathe, to act natural. Maybe he wasn’t following me. Maybe he just happened to be walking in the same direction. Maybe I was being paranoid. 

I picked up my pace. 

The footsteps behind me did too. 

Shit. 

My pulse jumped. I glanced around quickly, looking for an open shop, a restaurant–anything–but this street was mostly residential. The buildings were tall, with iron–wrought balconies and darkened windows. No one to run to, no one to help. 

I gritted my teeth. Think. 

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12:20 Mon, 17 Feb 

Chapter 216 

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I reached into my coat pocket, fingers closing around my phone. But before I could unlock it, the man’s voice cut through the air. 

Hey-* 

I didn’t wait to hear the rest 

+13) 

Iran 

1 dropped all pretense of calm, all hope that this was just a misunderstanding. My suitcase slammed against the ground as I let go of it, my body moving purely on instinct. My boots pounded against the pavement as I sprinted down the street, my breath coming in sharp, panicked gasps. I would stand and fight if need be but my impulse reaction was to run so I kept moving 

The man cursed behind me, his footsteps quickening. 

Faster. Move faster. 

My heart was a hammer in my chest. I darted around a corner, my shoulder slamming into a stone wall as I turned too fast. The pain barely registered. I didn’t stop.