The Alpha King's Contracted Luna (Ava and Grayson) novel Chapter 243

Chapter 243 

Chapter 243 

-Grayson’s POV- 

“How did you know exactly this was going to happen?” Rickon asked as I dragged him through the chaos, his arm slung over my shoulder, his weight slowing me down more than I liked, “Actually, the better question is, why was I the one that had to take the hit?” 

I turned to glare at him, my patience already wearing thin, “Keep your whining until we’re out of here or, better still, keep quiet.” 

But, of course, this was Rickon. And quiet wasn’t in his vocabulary. 

“I’m actually touched you’re helping me out instead of shoving Ava into your skin and carrying her out of here. And now that I think of it, you and 1- we haven’t really gotten any one–on–one bonding time since all of this started. I guess congratulations are in order and I call dibs on being the godfather.” 

I let go of him without hesitation. He hit the ground with a groan, rolling onto his side with a curse as I straightened and started walking ahead. Men rushed past me, charging into battle. The clash of bodies, the sharp, metallic scent of blood in the air, the gunfire, the snarls, the unmistakable sound of bones snapping–it all formed a symphony of war behind me. 

Rickon groaned from the ground, trying to prop himself up, “I was joking. Grayson, come on. I won’t say anything else. I promise.” 

I stopped, exhaling sharply, and turned back to him, “You break that promise, and I swear, I’m leaving you here.” 

He grinned despite his injuries, and I grabbed his arm, yanking him back onto his feet. We kept moving, this time with him limping less and cooperating more. Evelyn and Maria, who I had ordered to leave first, should be out by now. Elaine would soon be joining them, and then Ava and Isabella were supposed to follow. 

Raina who had been in on it, had smirked before everything went down and said, “I’m a woman of spirit, Grayson. I’ll find my way.” 

The truth was, I didn’t know exactly how this would play out. Not down to the details, at least. But I had the general picture, and I had gotten the idea after Liam’s visit. Damien wanted Ava. He was watching all of us. And if there was one thing I had learned about Damien after everything he had done to this realm over the last few months, it was that he liked to play games. He was unpredictable. So if I was going to win, I had to stop being a piece on his board and become a player. 

After Raina revealed the truth, I told her to let herself be captured. If Damien had her, his next move would be predictable- he would go after Ava. And if he had a habit of watching all of us, of proving his superiority, then he would come for us, too. I needed to control the battlefield, to ensure I knew where to send my men. So I had Ricardo, a slimy enough bastard that no one would question his sudden change of loyalty, get in touch with Damien and arrange an attack on Ava. 

Rickon and I were meant to wait and watch, adjusting to whatever Damien threw our way, while our people set up the perfect strike. And I made sure we had numbers. I didn’t care how many men Damien brought to this fight–he wasn’t getting away this time. 

More of my men would keep pouring in. There would be nowhere for him to run. 

That was why I didn’t bother chasing him myself. We had taken him by surprise, and Raina had already dealt him a blow. The walls were closing in on him, and for once, he wasn’t the one in control. 

And then there was Isabella. Because Rickon had blabbed about everything–much to my irritation–she had insisted on being part of it, and, as much as I hated to admit it, that had been a good call. 

I didn’t tell Ava about the plan. If it was going to work, it had to be real. Someone might have had to get hurt. And Ava even as much as I loved her would have messed toys up… she was too good. She would have tried to stop it. 

I loved her. 

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Chapter 243 

The thought echoed back at me and it was strange–too light for a battlefield, for a moment like this–but it settled in my chest in a way that nothing else did. And, for a second, it almost made me smile. 

Rickon must have noticed, because he buffed, “You know, if you’re going to stand there smiling about how perfectly all of this is working, you might as well- 

Before he could finish, movement caught my eye. Isabella and Elaine appeared, stepping into view just ahead of us, their expressions tight. 

They weren’t supposed to be here. 

My stomach turned cold. 

Where was Ava? 

Isabella answered my unspoken question the moment she reached for Rickon, shifting his weight off of me and onto herself and Elaine. Her voice was steady, but I could see the flicker of urgency in her eyes. 

“We have a problem,” she said, “Lilian went back.” 

The ground beneath me might as well have shifted. 

She what? 

Isabella’s next words cut even deeper, sharp and unforgiving, “Crystal has their father–her father. She’s threatening to kill him. You need to go.” 

For a second, all I could do was stare. 

If I wasn’t on what I would call probation with her I would have gotten angry on just how stubborn she was but I fight have time to think. I just moved. 

“What direction?” My voice was already colder, sharper, my body shifting back into battle mode as I scanned the area. 

Elaine pointed toward the west corridor. 

“Through the east wing, down past the lower level. There’s an opening in the back of the compound–Thstd where Crystsl asked her to come. Ava went before we could stop her.” 

I didn’t wait for another word. 

I was already running. 

The sounds of battle became a blur behind me. The gunfire, the growls, the chaos–it all faded to the background. My heartbeat was a steady, relentless pulse in my ears. My shoes hit the ground hard, each step pushing me forward, faster, faster, faster, until I was sprinting through the dimly lit halls, dodging fallen bodies, vaulting over debris. 

I should have expected this.. 

I should have known Ava would do something like this. Not exactly this, but still. She had a habit of running headfirst into the fire, thinking she could put it out with sheer determination alone. It was one of the things that made her who she was- one of the things I loved about her. But right now, love didn’t matter. Right now, I was angry. 

The frustration rose hot in my chest, but I shoved it down. There wasn’t time for anger, not when she was out there, making reckless decisions that could get her killed. I pushed forward, my mind already calculating the fastest way to the lowe 

I should have accounted for this. 

els. 

My shoes hit the stone floor hard as I made my way down, my breath steady despite the chaos around me. The sound of fighting echoed from above–gunfire, snarls, bodies slamming against walls–but I kept moving. My hand tightened around 

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08:42 Mon, 3 Mar MM.