The Wolfless Contract Luna (Grace and Ethan) novel Chapter 7

**Chapter 7: Uncle Ethan’s Intervention**

Ethan’s Perspective

With a swift motion, I pull her through the grand doors of the ballroom, and the force of our movement sends her stumbling directly into my chest.

Her hands find their place on my heart, and in that instant, a jolt of electricity courses through me, igniting every nerve ending.

Inside me, Ellen roars with possessive fervor. ‘CLAIM HER. MARK HER. MINE.’

“Shut the hell up,” I mutter under my breath, fighting to regain control.

The woman, startled, stumbles slightly. I instinctively wrap my arms around her waist, my fingers brushing against the delicate fabric of her silk dress, feeling the warmth radiating from her skin, the rapid rhythm of her breath against my palm.

The once lively ballroom falls into a hushed silence, the air thick with tension.

She tilts her head up to meet my gaze, and in that moment, I’m struck by the vivid green of her eyes, flecked with gold that glimmers like sunlight on water. Her intoxicating scent envelops me—jasmine mingled with the freshness of rain, and something wild that stirs a primal hunger deep within me.

“I—” she stammers, her cheeks flushing a deep crimson. “I’m so sorry, I didn’t mean to—”

I can see her pulse racing in her throat, and Ellen’s voice is relentless. ‘Touch her. Taste her. SHE’S OURS.’

With great effort, I force my hands to loosen their hold on her waist, stepping back just in time to prevent myself from acting on those dangerous impulses in front of the gathered pack Alphas.

“Thank you for—” I begin to say, but my words are cut off.

“Grace!”

The voice slices through the air like a blade, sharp and commanding.

Damien stands a mere ten feet away, fury radiating from him in palpable waves. Lilith clings to his arm, her expression a mix of concern and disdain.

The woman beside me stiffens, her body taut with tension.

“Grace.” Damien’s tone shifts to a low growl, each word dripping with anger. “What the hell do you think you’re doing?”

Grace.

The name reverberates in my mind, a painful reminder of the tangled relationships at play.

Damien closes the distance between them, his hand snatching Grace’s arm with a possessive grip that threatens to bruise.

“Do you dare embarrass me like this? Throwing yourself at my uncle—”

Rage ignites within me, a white-hot flame that surges through my veins.

Before I can fully comprehend my actions, my hand moves, catching Damien’s wrist with an iron grip.

“Let her go.”

The ballroom remains eerily silent, the tension thick enough to cut with a knife.

Damien’s eyes dart to mine, shock flickering across his features before a wave of fury washes over him. “This is pack business—”

“You’re hurting her.” My voice remains calm, steady. I don’t need to raise it to make my point clear. “Let. Her. Go.”

For a fleeting moment, I sense he might challenge me. His wolf rises within him, Alpha dominance radiating outward, demanding submission.

But I am stronger. Older. And with Ellen howling for blood, I barely manage to restrain the urge to rip his throat out.

Damien releases Grace’s arm, and she stumbles back, cradling her wrist. I catch sight of the angry red marks already forming on her delicate skin, and Ellen screams in my mind.

‘KILL HIM. HE HURT HER. KILL—’

“Grace is exactly where she belongs,” Lilith interjects, her voice dripping with false sweetness. “With her husband. I’m sure this is all just a misunderstanding.”

“Go back to playing Luna,” Grace retorts sharply, her voice filled with defiance. “That’s what you’re here for, isn’t it?”

“Grace.” Damien’s voice drops to an authoritative tone, laced with Alpha command. “You will return to your room and remain there until I’ve dealt with you.”

She stands her ground, unwavering.

How is she resisting his Alpha command without a wolf?

“I’m not going anywhere with you.” Grace lifts her chin defiantly. “I’m going to the Elder Council. I’m filing for separation.”

Her words explode in the air like a bombshell.

Damien’s laughter is harsh and ugly. “The Council? You think they will listen to you? You’re nothing, Grace. A wolfless failure—”

Damien reaches out through the mind link, summoning his warriors, and I can feel the ripple of his command spreading through the room.

Two of his men emerge from the crowd, moving toward Grace with predatory intent.

“Stop.” I don’t shout; the single word carries enough authority that both warriors freeze in their tracks.

“Alpha Ethan.” One of them shifts uncomfortably, glancing between me and Damien. “Alpha Damien ordered—”

“She’s requested Council arbitration. Interfering with that request violates pack law.” I extend my arm toward Grace, inviting her to my side.

Her hand slips through my arm, and the contact sends a warm pulse through me, causing Ellen to purr with satisfaction.

“This isn’t over,” Damien says quietly, his eyes narrowing.

“No.” I hold his gaze firmly. “It’s not.”

Surprise flickers across Damien’s face as he registers my unwavering stance. He instinctively takes a step back, nearly tripping over Lilith’s skirt.

“But, uncle, this is between me and my wife.”

“Your wife just requested to see the Elder Council.” I keep my voice steady, unyielding. “That is her right.”

“She has no rights—”

“Every Luna has rights. Or did you forget pack law when you brought your mistress to a formal assembly?”

Gasps ripple through the crowd, a collective intake of breath at my words.

Damien’s face flushes crimson with anger. “Lilith is not—”

“Save it.” I turn my attention back to Grace. “I’ll escort you to Elder Marcus.”

Grace’s Perspective

My heart races violently against my ribs, each beat so intense that I’m certain Ethan can feel it through the silk of my dress where his hand rests at the small of my back.

Why is he helping me?

He’s Damien’s uncle, part of the family. He should be dragging me back to face my husband, not walking me away as if it’s the most natural thing in the world.

Hope claws at my throat, both traitorous and painful.

“I was eighteen! I had no wolf—”

“Which brings us to the fundamental issue.”

His expression hardens, and I can see the finality in his gaze.

I am wolfless. I cannot hold Alpha status. I cannot challenge. I cannot separate without grounds they will recognize.

The weight of his words crushes me, obliterating every flicker of hope I had dared to carry into this room.

Wolfless. Worthless. Nothing.

Damien’s voice echoes in my mind, the whispers of the pack, my own self-doubt—all tangled together, suffocating me.

“Is that it?” My voice cracks, desperation seeping through. “He can do whatever he wants, and I just have to accept it?”

“Bring evidence. Until then, you remain Luna of Darkrock, subject to your Alpha’s authority.”

Subject to your Alpha’s authority.

The room tilts, and I somehow manage to stand, my legs shaking as the floor feels unsteady beneath me.

It’s over. I have nothing. I am nothing.

My knees buckle, and strong arms catch me, pulling me against a solid chest.

Pine and smoke. Ethan.

Something inside me fractures.

“He said no.” My words come out choked and raw. “No evidence. No wolf. No grounds. I’m trapped—”

“Breathe.” Ethan’s voice is low, soothing. One hand cradles my head while the other wraps securely around my waist. “You’re not alone. I’ve got you.”

I’m collapsed against him in a public hallway, exposed to the world, where anyone could see us. Where Damien’s spies could be watching.

I can’t pull away.

His warmth seeps into me, his strength enveloping me, his scent wrapping around me like a protective shield.

Don’t cry. Don’t fall apart. I can’t afford to show weakness—

But I am weak. I’ve always been weak. Wolfless and powerless and trapped—

“I can help you,” he says, his voice steady and reassuring.

Hope flickers within me, painful and desperate.

I tilt my head back, meeting his gaze. His face is close, too close, the gold flecks in his eyes shining with genuine concern.

He means it—

“I can pay you.” The words tumble out in a rush. “Resources, trade agreements, whatever you need. Anything. Everything. Just please don’t let this be another lie.”

“I don’t want your money.” His hand cradles my face, his thumb brushing gently against my cheekbone, a tender gesture that makes my chest ache. “I want something else.”

Fear and something unnameable twist in my stomach.

“A contract.” His eyes hold mine, unwavering and intense. “After your divorce is finalized, you become my Luna for one year.”