The Wolfless Contract Luna (Grace and Ethan) novel Chapter 23

**Glass Gardens Falling by George Orwell**
**Chapter 23: You’re My Mate**

**Grace’s Perspective**

A rush of heat floods my cheeks, igniting an uncomfortable warmth that spreads through me.

The memories come rushing back in a torrent—the cabin, Damien’s explosive fury, the searing pain that enveloped me. And just before darkness claimed me, I had uttered something. Something significant.

“I—” I swallow hard, feeling the weight of my words. “Did I say I would sign your contract?”

Ethan’s expression shifts, a wave of relief washing over his features, transforming the tension in the air. “You did.”

“I’m truly sorry if that was—I mean, I was barely conscious, but—” I force myself to meet his gaze, feeling the intensity of the moment. “If I said I would sign, then I will.”

The smile that breaks across his face is nothing short of devastating, igniting a flicker of warmth within me.

“Good.” He reaches for the bedside table, his movements purposeful as he pulls open the drawer. “Because I’ve been waiting.”

My mouth drops open in disbelief as he retrieves a document—a stack of several pages, meticulously bound together. The contract.

“You—you have it right here?” I stammer, astonishment flooding my voice.

“I’ve had it ready since the day after you arrived.” He flips to the last page, revealing his signature already scrawled across the bottom in bold, confident strokes. “I signed it then. I’ve just been waiting for you to wake up.”

A laugh escapes me, bubbling up despite the heaviness of the situation. “You’re really that eager?”

“Yes.”

His bluntness catches me off guard, and I find myself staring at him, at the contract in his hands, at the way he gazes at me as if I’m something precious, something to be cherished.

“I don’t understand.” The words tumble out before I can rein them in. “Why me? Why are you so insistent that I be your contract Luna?” My throat tightens, the weight of my insecurities pressing down. “I’m an incomplete werewolf. I don’t even have a wolf. And now I’m—I’m just an orphan who abandoned her pack.”

“Don’t.” His voice drops, sharp and fierce, cutting through my self-doubt. “Don’t talk about yourself like that.”

“It’s true, isn’t it? I’m not—”

“Because you’re my mate!”

The words explode between us, filling the space with an electric tension.

I freeze, my heart stuttering before it slams against my ribs with such force that it steals my breath.

“What?”

Ethan’s eyes burn into mine, fierce and unwavering. “You heard me.”

“That’s—” I shake my head, trying to dispel the ringing in my ears. “That’s not funny, Ethan. Don’t joke about—”

“I’m not joking.” He leans forward, his hands gripping the edge of the bed, his intensity palpable. “I have never been more serious in my life.”

“But you can’t—we’re not—” My hands twist nervously in the sheets, anxiety coursing through me. “You don’t know that. You can’t know that.”

“I knew from the moment I saw you.”

The sincerity in his voice cuts through every protest forming on my lips. He’s not smiling, not teasing; his gaze is steady, unwavering, and something within me begins to crack open.

‘Sign it,’ a voice whispers in my mind—soft, distant, but insistent. ‘Sign the contract. Now.’

My wolf. My dormant wolf, barely more than an echo, but she’s there, stirring within me.

I nod, just once—a small, shy gesture, but it’s enough to convey my answer.

Ethan shifts closer, the mattress dipping under his weight. His hand comes up to cup my jaw, his thumb brushing across my cheekbone with a tenderness that makes my heart flutter.

He leans in—

“Alpha!” A sharp knock suddenly shatters the fragile moment. “Alpha, there’s an urgent delivery!”

Ethan’s hand drops abruptly, and his eyes close briefly, a low growl escaping him as he exhales through his nose, clearly restraining himself from unleashing his frustration on whoever dares to interrupt us.

“This better be fucking important,” he mutters, the edge of his voice laced with irritation.

“It’s a letter, Alpha. Not for you.” The warrior’s voice is apologetic yet firm. “It’s addressed to Luna Grace. The courier said it was urgent.”

I blink, taken aback. “For me?”

Ethan’s jaw clenches, a storm brewing in his expression, but he stands and strides to the door, yanking it open with a fierce determination. The warrior on the other side holds out an envelope—cream-colored, sealed with red wax, a stark contrast against the mundane backdrop of the room.

Ethan takes it, his eyes narrowing as he reads the front. Then, his expression darkens, a shadow passing over his features.

“What?” I push myself up against the pillows, ignoring the protest from my still-healing ribs, my curiosity piqued.

“Who’s it from?”

He turns, holding the envelope as if it were a ticking bomb. When he speaks, his voice is laced with danger.

“Lilith Light.”