The Wolfless Contract Luna (Grace and Ethan) novel Chapter 21

**Chapter 21: Damien’s Perfect Trap**

**Ethan POV**

The moment I had hoped to find, the moment to express my remorse for that impulsive kiss, never comes.

Beta Niel’s voice slices through the mental link, urgent and sharp, like a blade. “Alpha, we’ve made a significant breakthrough regarding the convoy attack.”

I pull back from Grace’s door, my hand still poised in the air, caught in the tension of uncertainty. Ellen growls with frustration, a low rumble of discontent that resonates within me, but I force him down. “Report,” I command, my voice steady despite the turmoil within.

“We apprehended three rogues attempting to flee our territory. During interrogation, they confessed,” Niel continues, his tone grave.

My jaw tightens, a muscle twitching with barely contained fury. “Who hired them?”

“They didn’t provide names. But the orders were clear—kill whoever was in the Rolls-Royce. They were targeting you and Luna Grace.”

A surge of white-hot rage courses through my veins, igniting a firestorm of emotions.

“Alpha?” Niel’s voice breaks through my seething thoughts.

“Hold them,” I snarl, my voice low and dangerous. “I’m coming down.”

I whip around, stepping away from Grace’s door, my hands clenching into fists, nails digging into my palms. Damien. That bastard had the audacity to attempt to take her life. To orchestrate our demise on that highway, using rogues as his twisted pawns.

Ellen surges forward, a primal instinct for vengeance taking hold. “Let me out. Let me rip his throat open,” he demands, his voice a growl that reverberates through my mind.

“Not yet,” I grit out, forcing the words through clenched teeth.

As I descend the stairs, a warrior intercepts me, his face ashen with fear. “Alpha, we have a situation.”

“What is it?” I demand, urgency lacing my words.

“Luna Grace—she took one of the cars. Left alone about ten minutes ago. She’s heading toward the border.”

The information strikes me like a physical blow, a punch to the gut that steals my breath. My vision blurs crimson with rage and fear.

“She did what?” I hiss, my voice dropping to a lethal whisper, barely containing the storm within.

“She—”

“Which border?” I grip his shoulder, my fingers crushing down, desperate for answers. “Which fucking border?”

“The eastern perimeter, Alpha. Toward Darkrock territory.”

No. No, no, no. This cannot be happening.

Beta Niel appears at my side, his expression grim. “We need to intercept her. Now.”

“Get everyone mobilized,” I snap, urgency driving my words. “I want warriors on her location in five minutes.”

“Alpha, if we shift and run, we can reach her faster—”

“Then we shift.” I’m already moving toward the exit, adrenaline surging through my veins. “And Niel—get someone from the Elder Council. I don’t care who. I need a third-party witness. Get them to the border now.”

He nods, not questioning my orders. “On it.”

*****

The shift tears through me like a raging storm as I sprint from the manor, the world around me morphing into a blur.

Ellen takes over completely, his powerful legs devouring the ground beneath us. Other wolves flank me, my most trusted warriors, all pushing their limits, their muscles straining with effort.

“Faster,” Ellen demands, a primal urge driving us forward.

We’re going as fast as we can, but it’s not enough. Not when Grace is barreling straight into danger, not when Damien could have another trap lying in wait.

Warriors pour into the cabin, their eyes widening as they take in the sight of Grace. Beta Niel shifts and steps forward, his expression darkening. “Alpha—”

“Find him,” I snarl, my voice low and menacing. “Search this entire area. He has to be here.”

They scatter immediately, tearing through the cabin, checking every nook and cranny. I pace like a caged animal, Ellen clawing for release, desperate to hunt, to kill.

But minutes stretch into an eternity, and with each passing second, my frustration mounts.

“Alpha.” Niel’s voice breaks through the tension, grim and heavy. “There’s no trace of him. No scent, no tracks. He was never here.”

“What?” I spin toward him, disbelief washing over me.

“Damien didn’t come himself. He sent someone else—or no one at all. The only scents here are Grace’s and whoever attacked her. Not Damien’s.”

The cunning bastard. He orchestrated this entire scenario, set the trap, but kept his hands clean, ensuring he couldn’t be directly implicated.

My vision swims with red fury. I want to shift, to run straight to Darkrock and tear down his entire territory until I find him. But then—

“Ethan.”

The voice is so soft, so weak, I almost miss it.

I whirl back to Grace. She’s reaching for me, her hand trembling, blood smearing her palm. Tears streak through the dirt on her face, but her eyes—her eyes are clear, filled with determination.

I kneel beside her again, catching her hand gently. “Don’t move. We’re getting you out of here.”

“I agree.” Her voice cracks, but the words are firm, resolute. She grips my arm, her fingers digging in with surprising strength. “I’ll sign the contract.”

The world narrows to just her face, her eyes locked on mine, a fierce determination shining through the pain.

“I’ll sign it,” she whispers. “I’ll be your Luna.”