The Alpha King's Contracted Luna - Chapter 58: Chapter 58

~Grayson’s POV~
Blood and murder.
Those were the only two ways this was going to end.
The second I realized what was happening, I had Maria cast a holding spell to keep the wolves from shifting. I knew it wouldn’t hold for long—not with the number of wolves here and the strain on her strength—but Maria was powerful enough to buy us some time. I ordered the humans out as fast as possible.
I tasked Liam with finding Ava and Elaine, making sure they weren’t anywhere near what was coming. Of course, Elaine left without a fuss, but Ava… Ava was just too damn stubborn, and with things about to spiral out of control, her presence here was a ticking bomb I couldn’t defuse.
An irritated sigh slipped out as Maria’s strained voice announced the spell’s weakening, followed by Liam’s grim announcement. I acted instantly pulling out my phone abd calling Carter. The so-called “friend” who had disappeared andleft me a single text: “You don’t pay me enough to get eaten alive by werewolves.”
He picked up on the first ring. “Did you save the day yet?”
I’d deal with his sarcasm later. “I need you to locate the nearest wolfsbane antidote, and I mean in bulk. Now.”
A moment of silence from his end, and then he replied, tone all business. “Largest batch is close by. You might not like who it belongs to, though. Luther Pierce.”
Great. Just what I needed.
Before I could reply, someone burst into the hall. “We have antidotes!”
I turned to see Isabella, tailed by Rickon, holding a few bags filled with vials. “I’m going to beed suivellence tapes of the entire building to find out who put the poison in. Thank you, Carter.” I ended the call without another word.
Ava rushed to Isabella’s side, worry clear in her expression. “Where did you go?”
Isabella shot a glare at Rickon, who looked far too pleased with himself. “We went to his place to get it. We would’ve been here sooner if someone hadn’t forgotten the password to their lock. Who keeps antidotes in a vault anyway?”
For the first time since I’d known Rickon, he actually frowned at a woman. “You know what? I’m not even going to engage because I’ve decided you’re just plain annoying.”
Maria’s voice cut through the bickering, sharp and cold. “Hello, people! I’m barely holding on to this spell. Crisis here, remember?”
Everyone moved instantly.
Rickon and Isabella dropped the bags and began opening them, pouring out vials onto the floor. We had enough antidote to cure all the wolves, but one glaring problem remained: there were only five of us here, and no time to start administering it individually before Maria’s spell broke.
As if reading my mind, Ava spoke up. “We’re not enough to stab every wolf here in the heart. And there aren’t enough syringes.”
“There are five syringes. We each take one and start.” Isabella suggested.
“Are you suggesting we reuse the same syringe on different people? That’s so wrong on so many medical levels, we could transmit—”
She clamped her mouth shut when everyone turned to look at her, and her face turned red. “Right. Not the time to be a doctor. But we still need a plan.” Her gaze fell to me, expectant, as everyone else turned to follow suit.
My mind raced, clicking through options, piecing together a plan that wouldn’t end in bloodshed. “Maria,” I said, locking eyes with her. “Can you make the antidote airborne? If it hits their bloodstream, it might be enough to stop the shift.”
She nodded, though there was a hint of doubt in her expression. “I can, but I can’t hold the spell and prepare the materials at the same time.”
“Ava will help you with the ingredients,” I said, already anticipating her objection.
Ava shot me a look that could kill. “I’m not a witch.”
“It’s like cooking,” I replied, a bit impatiently. “Everything has to be measured correctly, and you’re the only one here with…” The words trailed off because I realized I didn’t know how to finish.
“Perfectionist tendencies,” Isabella offered, laughter. Ava shot her a glare before moving beside Maria. “Fine,” she muttered. “What do you need me to do?”
Maria looked at me, determination flickering in her eyes. “I’ll need some materials first.”
Isabella stepped up. “Eliza and I will grab whatever you need.” She turned to Eliza, who was staring at the ground, looking as if she’d rather be anywhere else.
“Eliza,” Isabella repeated, snapping her fingers, “I said Eliza and I.”
Eliza jumped, mumbling a string of apologies before following Isabella. Maria began listing off ingredients, her voice steady, but I could see the strain. The spell was wearing her down, but she kept her focus.
I turned to Rickon. “Get all the remaining humans out. Now. And lock the doors after.”
He saluted, rolling his eyes. “Sir, yes, sir.” I shot him a glare, the kind that usually shut people up, and to my surprise, he straightened, his expression turning serious. “On it.”
Everyone moved in sync, performing their tasks with a speed and precision that, under different circumstances, might’ve surprised me. If I believed in miracles, I’d have called it one.
Soon, everything was ready. Maria looked at me, her face pale, her hands shaking slightly. “I’m going to drop the spell now. They’ll start shifting, but I can get the antidote in the air fast enough to stop it… maybe.” Her voice trailed off, the uncertainty heavy.
“Channel me,” I said, my tone leaving no room for argument.
She blinked, clearly taken aback. “Grayson, are you sure?”
She knew what that meant. Letting her channel me would give her access to my thoughts, my memories—all the things I kept buried. She knew parts of my past, enough to understand the darkness there, but she didn’t know everything. No one did. But this wasn’t the time for hesitation.
I extended my hand. It took her a moment, but she finally took it, and her chanting began immediately, a steady murmur that grew louder and more intense. The moment the first spell dropped, the sound of bones cracking echoed through the hall, low growls rumbling as wolves began to shift. My grip on her hand tightened, my own heartbeat hammering.
The chanting rose, faster, more urgent, as she tapped into my energy, drawing power I hadn’t even realized I was capable of. My mind was a blur, my thoughts flashing like lightning. All I could think was that we had one shot. This had to work, or we were done.
The antidote mixture began to swirl, lifted by Maria’s power, suspended in the air like a glistening, faintly glowing mist. The substance began spreading, filling the room. I could feel the tension as the wolves’ bodies fought the transformation, muscles convulsing as the antidote did its work, stalling the shift mid-process.
Beside me, Maria was nearly collapsing from exhaustion, but she pushed forward, her hand still in mine as she channeled more power, forcing the mist to permeate the air, coating every wolf in the room.
One by one, they stilled, their shifting halting as the antidote took hold. The snarls quieted, bones settled, and the howls of pain faded into silence.
Maria stumbled forward, and I caught her, steadying her as she struggled to catch her breath. Her grip on my arm was weak, but she managed a faint smile, a triumphant spark in her exhausted eyes.
“That… should do it,” she whispered.
I glanced around, assessing the room, the once-wild eyes of the wolves now calm, confusion replacing the bloodlust. Relief was short-lived, though, as a lingering tension still filled the air.
Everyone sighed in relief, but I barely felt it. I turned to Maria, a sense of urgency still pressing down on me. “I need to get you out of here.”
Taking her hand, I looked over at Ava, who stood nearby, her expression already telling me what her answer would be.
She crossed her arms, defiance written all over her face. “I’m staying. These people need help.” She glanced around, realizing everyone was watching us, and cleared her throat. “I’ll meet you at home once I’m done.”
Right. We were married now. Honeymoon and all that.
I gave her a curt nod, letting her have her way for now, then took Maria by the arm and walked her out. Passing Eliza, I noticed her wide-eyed stare, still shaken. I guess if she showed up to work tomorrow , I’d still have an assistant.
Once outside, I helped Maria into the car, shutting the door carefully. I circled around and got into the driver’s seat, an uneasy silence settling between us. I felt the tension in the car spike the second I sat down, and it was almost suffocating.
Maria didn’t say a word as I started the engine, and for a moment, I kept my eyes straight ahead, focusing on the road. But the silence was too loud, too pressing. I finally let out a breath I didn’t realize I was holding.
“You finally saw it, didn’t you?” My voice was quieter than I intended, laced with a bitterness I couldn’t quite hide. “The monster I am. No more sarcastic remarks?”
“That’s why you asked me to use magic to seal your house that night. Grayson…” she murmured, her voice heavy with sympathy I didn’t want or need.
“Don’t, Maria.” I cut her off, my gaze fixed firmly on the road. “Just… don’t.”
I gripped the wheel tighter, staring straight ahead, as if keeping my focus there would keep the memories at bay. “I know what I am. I started that fire that night… and then I killed them all. I killed my entire family.”